Day 343 — Friday, September 13

Israel Defense Forces commandos raided a key Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps weapons facility in the Masyaf area of northwestern Syria on Sunday night, unconfirmed Arabic reports claimed on Thursday.

At least 14 people were killed and dozens wounded in a series of Israeli airstrikes in northwestern Syria late Sunday, according to state media.

Syria’s SANA news agency reported that the Israeli Air Force targeted several military sites around Masyaf.

According to Reuters, which cited two regional intelligence sources, among the sites hit was the Scientific Studies and Research Center, known as CERS or SSRC, a major military base that is believed to be responsible for research and development of nuclear, biological, chemical and missile technology and weapons.

The center is thought to house a team of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps military experts and provides logistical support to Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorists.

Thursday’s reports claimed that Israeli forces had boots on the ground during the large-scale operation. According to the reports, the facility’s access roads were targeted by fighter jets to prevent the approach of Syrian troops before helicopters carrying IDF special forces operators arrived in the area, with air support from gunship helicopters and attack drones.

The troops reportedly entered an unspecified arms depot, removed equipment and sensitive documents and then set off explosives to destroy the facility. During the heavy fighting, two to four Iranian operatives were said to have been captured by the Israeli soldiers.

Jerusalem rarely admits to attacks on Syrian territory, although in February it revealed that it had attacked more than 50 targets belonging to Hezbollah and other Iran-backed terror groups in Syria since Oct. 7.

The same month, Reuters reported that Iran removed senior IRGC officers from Syria following a series of deadly aerial attacks by Israel.

Between Oct. 7 and May 15, Tehran’s Syrian proxies launched at least 40 projectiles across the border with Israel, according to official IDF data.

On April 1, seven members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including the leader responsible for Syria and Lebanon, were killed in an attack on a building adjacent to the Iranian embassy in Damascus.

Israel did not officially take responsibility for the attack, but four Israeli officials told The New York Times that the IAF carried out the strike.

Thirteen days later, the Islamic Republic launched an unprecedented combined attack on Israel involving more than 300 drones and missiles in what Tehran claimed was retaliation for the Damascus incident.

JNS

Day 343 — Friday, September 13

For world leaders to be more sympathetic to the Palestinians only shows their ignorance. A prime example was the ridiculous statements by Walz and Harris. Trump, on the other hand, is standing 100% with Israel, putting the blame for the six murdered hostages and the situation in Gaza solely on Hamas.

Former President Trump, as he was addressing the Republican Jewish Coalition on September 5th, stated, “Let me state this very clearly. The blame for these wicked murders lies with Hamas and Hamas alone. Only an evil and inhuman ideology kidnaps, murders, and tortures innocent men, women, and children. And likewise, only a deeply sick political party here in America would make common cause with those who sympathize with such evil. Only a morally rotten president and vice president would seek to blame Israel for heinous acts of terror committed against its own citizens.”

World Israel News reported:

The presidential candidate repeated a statement he had made previously that if he were president, “October 7th would never have happened.”

He also told the Jewish audience that if Kamala Harris is elected in November, “You’re not going to have an Israel,” and he added, “Israel will no longer exist.”

Trump warned, “Terrorist armies will wage an unceasing war to drive Jews out of the Holy Land.”

Now, while I fully support Trump’s statement on where the blame should lie—that is, with Hamas— and I am also thankful for his unwavering support of Israel, I do, however, disagree with a portion of his statement. Should a Harris government be elected in November, it will not result in Israel no longer existing.

In that scenario, I would say that things for Israel would get significantly tougher. The US-Israel relationship will definitely be strained. But to say that Israel will not exist is not what God promises in His Word.

Israel is always going to exist. That’s what we read in Jeremiah 31: 35-36: “Thus says the Lord, Who gives the sun for a light by day, The ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night, Who disturbs the sea, And its waves roar (The Lord of hosts is His name): ‘If those ordinances depart From before Me, says the Lord, Then the seed of Israel shall also cease From being a nation before Me forever.’”

Did you catch that? Forever! For us Bible-believing Christians, that should give us great comfort. God is a covenant-keeping God, and He is true to His Word. Every day, as I wake up, I see the sun shining in the sky, and it reminds me of His faithfulness.

God also says this in Amos 9:14-15, “‘I will bring back the captives of My people Israel; They shall build the waste cities and inhabit them; They shall plant vineyards and drink wine from them; They shall also make gardens and eat fruit from them. I will plant them in their land, And no longer shall they be pulled up From the land I have given them,’ Says the Lord your God.”

So, while I am thankful for President Trump’s unwavering support of Israel, he’s wrong in the sense that, even if a corrupt government is elected, Israel will never cease to exist because that is contrary to what we read in God’s Word.

Day 343 — Friday, September 13

(Galilee, Israel) — As I work on this, it is still Wednesday. In other words, today is 9/11. I can still remember being in the Twin Towers on September 10, 2001, asking my friend who accompanied me what would happen if a plane were ever to strike the buildings. Isn’t it interesting that I was in-country when America was viciously attacked, but I was out of Israel on October 7, 2023, when my country was brutalized.

Thinking back 23 years, I can recall the day after the towers came down. Sorrow, anger, shock, vengeance – all were in the hearts and minds of the people. The same emotions filled the population here in Israel eleven months ago. Although I missed the day of the invasion, I was home soon after and have been riding the aftermath rollercoaster ever since. Just as the memory of 9/11 still haunts so many over twenty years later, I know the specter of 10/7 will plague the minds of Israelis for decades to come.

A major reason that Hamas was able to hit Israel so hard was that we didn’t take their cunning and their ruthlessness seriously enough. We didn’t know the details about the miles of tunnels under Gaza nor the immense size of the weapons cache smuggled in from Egypt through the Philadelphi Corridor. We learned our lesson on the military side. We are also learning our lesson on the political side.

This past Friday, the German newspaper BILD published a document that appears to have come from the computer of Yahya Sinwar. In it, we find a ceasefire strategy that shows the manipulative and disingenuous of Hamas’s claims to want to return hostages and end the war. The article detailed six key points:

1)    Blame Israel: Hamas is committed to blaming Israel for every failed hostage negotiation. This is going according to plan. Despite Hamas rejecting every deal that doesn’t include a complete Israeli surrender, the media lays the responsibility at the feet of Netanyahu without fail. Just last week, the BBC was found to have breached journalistic rules 1500 times in the past months, pushing their agenda of anti-Israel propaganda in order to brainwash the people.

2)    Preserve Military Power: Hamas is not thinking about giving up. They are ready to fight to the death of the last of their human shields. But they may be facing trouble very soon now that the IDF has closed the underground armament highway from Egypt through the Philadelphi Corridor. In fact, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant revealed a letter yesterday from the recently exterminated Khan Yunis brigade commander Rafa Salama to Yahya and Mohammed Sinwar in which he reported that 70% of Hamas’s weapons had been destroyed, 95% of its rockets were ruined, and 50% of his operatives had been killed or wounded. Worse yet, 60% of his terrorists who were still of able body had fled, leaving him at only 20% strength. In summary, Hamas is not negotiating from a position of strength.

3)    Use Hostages for Pressure: This is where Hamas is finding its most success, both in Israel and abroad. Last Friday, 25,000 demonstrators marched in Tel Aviv demanding that Netanyahu sign a hostage deal. This is despite the fact that there is no hostage deal. I understand the pain of the families of the hostages. But we cannot just cut and run out of Gaza. Hamas must be broken, or there will soon come a day when the butchers will pour over the border again, slaughtering more people and kidnapping more hostages.

4)    Prolong the Negotiations: Hamas does not want a deal. They thwart every attempt. That is because the greatest weapon they have is public opinion. The longer they can extend the talks – despite the suffering of their own civilians – the more the pressure will build against Israel’s government to either cave or to throw Netanyahu out of office.

5)    Use Arab Forces as a Buffer: This is a strategy in which they envision placing Arab troops along the border between Israel and Gaza. Doing this will allow Hamas to buy time and regroup, as they prepare for a future confrontation.

6)    Keep Raising the Price for Hostages: Like going to a retailer who ups the price every time to reach for your wallet, Hamas continues to raise their demands with each negotiation. Again, this is because they have no interest in returning the hostages. They are just pawns in Hamas’s terrorist game. This was made quite clear this past week when RAdm. Daniel Hagari of the IDF showed the horrific conditions in which six hostages were kept for the last 11 months. When it became evident that the hostages were about to be rescued, Hamas put a bullet into the back of each innocent’s head. To Hamas, Israeli hostages are no different than their own civilians – they are just cannon fodder to be used then disposed of when their usefulness is at an end.

This is what Israel is dealing with. Anyone who believes that Netanyahu or his government can just negotiate their way out of this conflict has absolutely no understanding of the true situation.

Day 342 — Thursday, September 12

Canada has suspended some 30 permits for arms shipments to Israel, including a rare move against a US company’s Canadian subsidiary’s deal with the US government, Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said Tuesday, according to the AFP news agency.

All of the export permits had been approved prior to a January ban on new sales of weapons that could be used in Gaza, according to the report.

Joly said she had ordered a review of all Canadian weapons suppliers’ contracts with Israel and other countries.

“Following that, I suspended this summer around 30 existing permits of Canadian companies,” she said, as quoted by AFP.

“Our policy is clear: We will not have any form of arms or parts of arms be sent to Gaza. Period,” Joly added.

“How they’re being sent and where they’re being sent is irrelevant,” she continued, alluding to ammunition that was meant to have been produced by a Canadian division of US defense contractor General Dynamics for the IDF.

Joly added that the government is in contact about this issue with General Dynamics.

Israel has historically been a top receiver of Canadian arms exports, with $21 million CAD worth of military material exported to Israel in 2022, according to government data, following $26 million CAD in shipments in 2021.

In March, Joly confirmed that Canada will end arms exports to Israel. The announcement followed the approval by Canada’s parliament of a motion submitted by the New Democratic Party (NDP) on Palestinian statehood which included calls for an immediate ceasefire to end Israel’s military operations in Gaza and to end arms sales to Israel.

Arutz Sheva

Day 342 — Thursday, September 12

British television network Sky News dismissed host Belle Donati after comments she made comparing Israel’s handling of the war against Hamas terrorists in Gaza with the Holocaust.

Donati has not presented on the network since she made the comments, and Sky News has chosen not to renew her contract, according to a Deadline report.

Donati made the comments in a January interview with then-Israeli Knesset Member Danny Danon – who has since been appointed Israeli ambassador to the UN – in which she accused him of advocating the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians.

“You suggested the ethnic cleansing of some of Gaza’s population to Western countries that would accept the refugees,” Donati said. “The exact quote from that article: ‘One idea is for countries around the world to accept limited numbers of Gazan families who have expressed a desire to relocate.’ Do you stand by those statements?”

“You know, ethnic cleansing, that’s the word you used. If you read my article, I spoke about voluntary migration,” Danon responded. “I spoke about voluntary migration. And I think anyone in the world who voluntarily wants to move to another country should be eligible to do that.”

It was at this point in the conversation that Donati compared Danon’s suggestion to the Holocaust, saying that such “voluntary migration” would be “the sort of voluntary relocation of many Jewish people during the Holocaust, I imagine. It is not voluntary relocation.”

Danon responded by accusing Donati of antisemitism.

“How can you even compare that?” he said. “Shame on you for that comparison…this is pure antisemitism, what you just said—comparing the Holocaust to what’s happening today in Gaza. Pure antisemitism. Shame on you for this behavior. Shame on you for this equation. You should apologize for what you just said, on the record, about the Holocaust. How can you even compare that?”

While Donati has not apologized for her remarks, Sky News issued an apology on the same day as the interview.

“Sky News recognized the complete inappropriateness of this comparison and the offensive nature of those comments Sky News would like to apologize unreservedly for the comparison and to Mr Danon personally for making the comparison.”

Two days after the interview, Danon wrote on 𝕏 that he had “submitted a formal letter to the Sky News Group, requesting the immediate termination” of the anchor.

All Israel News

Day 341 — Wednesday, September 11

Two soldiers were killed and several were wounded after an Israeli Air Force helicopter crashed in the southern Gaza Strip last night, in what the military describes as an accident.

According to an initial IAF probe, a UH-60 Black Hawk from the 123rd Squadron had flown to Rafah with a Unit 669 medical team to evacuate a seriously wounded combat engineer during fighting in the area.

During the final landing stage inside an IDF encampment in Rafah at around 12:30 a.m., the helicopter impacted the ground instead of touching down correctly. According to the probe, the helicopter was not hit by enemy fire, and the crash occurred moments before the aircraft was supposed to land, meaning it did not fall from a significant height.

The helicopter was still heavily damaged in the crash, and all those aboard it were hurt.

In all, two soldiers were killed and another eight were taken to hospitals, four of them in serious condition. Among the four seriously wounded is the combat engineer who was injured separately.

It is still unclear what led to the crash, although the IAF describes it as an accident. A probe has been launched to determine why the helicopter impacted the ground in the encampment instead of landing correctly.

The names of the killed soldiers have not yet been released but their families have been informed.

times of israel

Day 340 — Tuesday, September 10

IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi on Sunday night presented a video of the tunnel where six murdered hostages were discovered to the Cabinet, following a request from Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

The video showed the tunnel where the bodies were found, and where the hostages had apparently been held for some time. Ministers who viewed the footage described it as “one of the hardest videos to watch.” 

The video revealed water bottles, protein bars, some clothing, notebooks, and chess or backgammon boards inside the tunnel.

Ministers who viewed the video told N12 News: “The room was horribly quiet. It was one of the hardest videos to watch. It turns the stomach. The tunnel is narrow and low, you can either lie down or sit or walk bent over. It is impossible to fit more than a mattress and a half sideways.” 

The IDF also presented the results of its preliminary investigation of the six murdered hostages to the families. 

The findings from the Institute of Forensic Medicine indicate that the hostages were murdered a day before IDF troops reached the tunnel. The hostages had been severely starved, receiving minimal food. They lacked access to showers or basic hygiene facilities and had to rely on water bottles both makeshift bathing and drinking.

Reportedly, only two hostages could lie down at a time on the mattresses. One of the hostages showed signs of being recently tied up and there were indications of prior injuries to the hostages, possibly during the abduction, which were treated over time. 

There were no air vents in the tunnel, and the hostages would likely have had difficulty breathing. 

Channel 13 News said the forensic report indicated the hostages tried to protect and defend each other in the final moments. The four males – Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Ori Danino, Alex Lobanov and Almog Sarusi apparently tried to protect Eden Yerushalmi and Carmel Gat when they realized they were to be executed. 

With the exception of Gat, who was abducted from her parent’s home in Kibbutz Be’eri, all of the hostages were abducted from the Nova Music Festival near Kibbutz Re’im on Oct. 7.

The IDF is also investigating the source responsible for leaking the names of the hostages before the military had completed the operation to return the bodies to Israel and identify them.

Hours before the bodies were recovered, a wave of rumors and hearsay began to spread online, causing many families to find out about the death of their loved ones before the IDF had completed the mission. In an attempt to stop the rumor spread, the military announced the recovery of the bodies without revealing their identities. 

It is not clear how the details of the sensitive operation were leaked; however, the result was that the families learned about the incident from unofficial sources before receiving notification from the military.

🔴 IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari enters the Gazan terror tunnel, hidden under a child’s bedroom, where six Israeli hostages were brutally murdered pic.twitter.com/ELmMWBb99k

— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) September 10, 2024

All Israel News

Day 340 — Tuesday, September 10

The Palestinian Authority is circulating a draft resolution asking the United Nations General Assembly to urge Israel to withdraw from Judea and Samaria and remove some 500,000 Israeli citizens living in the territory within six months.

According to a report by Israel’s Channel 12 on Sunday, the resolution, which cites a July 19 advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice in The Hague, is expected to be brought to a vote next week.

The 79th Session of the U.N. General Assembly is scheduled to open on Sept. 10.

In addition to demanding an end to Israel’s civilian and military presence, the draft text urges U.N. member states to impose sanctions on officials in Jerusalem, banning trade with Jewish businesses in Judea and Samaria and blocking weapons sales to Israel if they might be used in the area.

Israel’s Ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon, attacked the P.A.’s move and called on the 193 members of the General Assembly to “outright reject this shameful resolution and instead adopt a resolution condemning Hamas, calling on it to release all the hostages immediately.

“Let it be clear: Nothing will stop nor deter Israel in its mission to bring back all the hostages and defeat Hamas,” the Israeli diplomat stated.

“If this resolution passes in the General Assembly, exactly one year after the Oct. 7 massacre, the most brutal massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, it would be a reward for terrorism and a message to the world that the barbaric massacre of children, the rape of women and the kidnapping of innocent civilians is a profitable move,” added Danon.

While the Palestinians have a near-automatic majority in the General Assembly—including the overwhelming portion of nearly 60 Arab and Muslim governments—resolutions passed by the body are not binding.

On July 19, the International Court of Justice, the principal judicial arm of the U.N., issued a non-binding, 83-page opinion declaring Israel’s 57-year “occupation” of Judea and Samaria to be “unlawful.”

The non-binding ruling claimed that “Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and the regime associated with them, have been established and are being maintained in violation of international law.”

Jerusalem is “obliged to bring an end to its presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as rapidly as possible,” the U.N. court added.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the ruling, saying that no “absurd” ICJ opinion can “deny this historical truth or the legal right of Israelis to live in their own communities in our ancestral home.”

Despite the P.A.’s continued efforts to undermine Israel through lawfare, the U.S. administration insists that Ramallah be given control of the Gaza Strip following the cessation of hostilities there.

JNS

Day 340 — Tuesday, September 10

From Egypt’s Pharaoh to Persia’s Haman to Germany’s Hitler, many a world leader has attempted to destroy the Jewish people, defying God’s declaration that He will “curse him who curses” Israel (Gen. 12:3). Even today, motivated by a satanic hatred, many say, “Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, that the name of Israel may be remembered no more” (Ps. 83:4).

Modern Israel’s history has been a fight for survival. Though often battered and humbled by brutal assaults, the Jewish nation lives, demonstrating the futility of attempts to annihilate it.

War for Independence (1948)

On May 14, 1948, Britain’s 31-year mandate over Palestine, as it was then known, came to an end; and Israel gained its independence. Six months earlier, the United Nations gave part of the area to the Jews and part to the Arabs. The dream for a revived Jewish nation in its Promised Land became a reality.

No sooner was the State of Israel born than its neighbors—Egypt, Syria, Transjordan, Lebanon, and Iraq—banded together to invade it. Their goal: Wipe the Jewish state off the map. But they could not.

Israel’s War of Independence lasted ten months and went down in history as the country’s bloodiest conflict. Of its 650,000 Jewish citizens in 1948, 6,373 (approximately one-third of whom were Holocaust survivors) perished. But the little Jewish nation pulled through, defeating massive, well-equipped Arab armies.

Day 339 — Monday, September 9

Syrian air defenses confronted an “aggression” targeting multiple locations in Syria’s Hama countryside, state media SANA said late on Sunday, following reports of an explosion heard in the same area.

“Our air defense systems confronted the aggression’s missiles and shot down some of them,” a military source told the SANA news agency without providing further details.

Some 14 people were killed in the strike on Masyaf in the Hama Governorate, State News Agency said.

Syrian state media linked the explosions to Israel.

A local health official quoted by SANA said 43 people had been wounded, including several critically, in the strikes.

Two regional intelligence sources said a major military research center for chemical arms production located near Masyaf was hit several times. It is believed to house a team of Iranian military experts involved in weapons production.

Syria’s state media also reported that the strikes caused two fires, which firefighters were working to extinguish.

Syria is a key route for Iran to send weapons to the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah, its Shia proxy. Israel has allegedly been targeting these transportation routes.

The most recent major incident involved the Israeli bombing of an Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps facility in Damascus in early April, an attack that caused Iran to launch a major assault on Israel two weeks later, an attack that Israel and its regional allies mainly thwarted. 

Jerusalem Post

Day 339 — Monday, September 9

Iran has supplied Russia with ballistic missiles for use in its war against Ukraine, despite months of warnings from U.S. and European officials not to do so, according to Bloomberg.

The reported transfer marks a significant escalation in Iran’s support for Moscow’s military campaign. Washington has briefed its allies on the evidence of this development, which is expected to trigger additional sanctions from the United States and European Union against Iran, according to the report.

While Iran is said to have provided Russia with hundreds of drones since the invasion of Ukraine began over two years ago, the supply of ballistic missiles represents a deeper level of involvement in the conflict. The U.S. National Security Council has not yet responded to requests for comment on this matter.

The Wall Street Journal was the first to report on the missile transfer. Last week, Bloomberg had reported that European officials anticipated Iran would imminently deliver missiles to Russia.

JNS

Day 338 — Sunday, September 8

Amid ongoing, daily attacks by Hezbollah against Israel, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi warned the terror group that the army is “preparing for offensive moves” inside Lebanon.

Halevi’s threatening statement came during his latest tour of the northern border on Israel’s Golan Heights. “The IDF is very focused on fighting Hezbollah, I think that the number of attacks in the last month, operatives killed, rockets destroyed, infrastructure destroyed, is very large,” Halevi said.

The IDF announced Friday that over 50 airstrikes last week targeted Hezbollah buildings, infrastructure, weapon depots, and rocket launchers in Lebanon.

“The Northern Command, with all the capabilities of the IDF, is attacking many of Hezbollah’s capabilities inside Lebanon before they attack us, and at the same time, we are also preparing for offensive moves inside its territory,” Halevi said.

On Friday, the IDF within one hour struck 15 rocket launchers primed for immediate launches against Israel located in the area of the Litani River, some 25 km from the border, and attacked several other Hezbollah targets across southern Lebanon.

The army published footage of the strikes, noting that the rockets flying off in various directions indicated they had been prepared for immediate launches.

Fire exchanges continued through the Jewish Sabbath, as Hezbollah launched some 30 rockets at the area of Mount Meron on Saturday morning.

Later in the day, around 10 rockets were fired at the Western Galilee area, damaging a home in the town of Shlomi and causing a fire near Moshav Liman, Army Radio reported.

Some hours after this, 4-5 rockets were fired at the town of Safed, activating rocket alarm sirens in the area for the first time in over two weeks.

The IDF in response struck a vehicle in a Hezbollah military compound in the area of Faroun, near the Litani River.

Three Hezbollah terrorists were killed in the attack, according to Lebanese reports.

The terror group responded by launching 2-3 drones at Ayelet al-Hashahar, which exploded in open areas without causing damage.

In the evening, the IDF carried out another round of airstrikes, noting that it bombed the rocket launcher used to attack Safed earlier in the day.

Hezbollah claimed to have targeted the headquarters of the Galilee Division located near the town.

Overall, the terror group claimed responsibility for 10 attacks against Israel on Saturday.

All Israel News

Day 337 — Saturday, September 7

A Pakistani national was charged with plotting a terrorist attack on a Jewish center in New York City on or around the first-year anniversary of Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, the Department of Justice announced on Friday.

Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, 20, also known as Shahzeb Jadoon, was arrested Wednesday in Canada and taken into custody, according to a complaint filed in New York’s Southern District. The man, who resides in Canada, is said to be a supporter of ISIS.

“The defendant is alleged to have planned a terrorist attack in New York City around October 7th of this year with the stated goal of slaughtering, in the name of ISIS, as many Jewish people as possible,” U.S. attorney general Merrick Garland said in a statement. “Jewish communities — like all communities in this country — should not have to fear that they will be targeted by a hate-fueled terrorist attack.”

Khan intended to acquire automatic and semiautomatic weapons to shoot Jews at a Brooklyn Jewish center, as outlined in the complaint. He communicated his plans with two undercover law-enforcement officers, who have been keeping an eye on him since at least November 2023.

Conversing with the undercover officers, Khan floated October 7 and 11 as potential dates for the mass shooting because “oct 7 they will surely have some protests and oct 11 is yom kippur.”

Originally plotting to carry out the attack in an unnamed city, Khan committed to New York City as the target. The defendant boasted that “New York is perfect for targeting Jews” because it has the “largest Jewish population In America” and “even if we don’t attack an [n] Event[,] we could rack up easily a lot of Jews.” He also said that “we are going to NYC to slaughter them,” and shared a photo of the specific location inside the unidentified Jewish center where he planned to commit the shooting.

Khan coordinated with the undercover agents to obtain AR-style rifles, ammunition, and other equipment, including “some good hunting [knives] so we can slit their throats.” He claimed that “if we succeed with our plan this would be the largest Attack on US soil since 9/11.”

However, before the suspect could continue preparing for such an attack, he was arrested this week about twelve miles from the U.S.–Canada border in Ormstown, Quebec. He used three cars to travel from Canada to the U.S. before he was caught, according to the complaint.

Khan was charged with one count of attempting to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization, ISIS. If convicted on the sole charge, he faces up to 20 years in prison.

The case is under investigation by the FBI in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. The Justice Department is seeking to extradite Khan from Canada.

“The FBI will continue to work closely with our partners to investigate and hold accountable those who seek to commit violence in the name of ISIS or other terrorist organizations,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said. “Fighting terrorism remains the FBI’s top priority.”

National Review

Day 337 — Saturday, September 7

The UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) association issued a warning late last month against International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan for issuing arrest warrants against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

UKLFI stated on their website that Khan is “breaching these rules by misleading the Court” and accused the prosecutor of “failing to update and correct information previously provided, and not providing information and evidence exonerating the accused.”

The association also stated that they would consult with the ICC and Bar Standards Board (BSB), as they also allege that Khan also breached the English Bar’s Code of Conduct. They charged that Khan’s applications against the Israeli officials have not been published, and the prosecutor’s summary of them in a public statement is not sufficient from May of this year.

NGOs such as the International Legal Forum (ILF), Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC), Bnai Brith UK (BBUK) and Jerusalemites’ Initiative (JI) sent joint observations to the ICC. UKLFI cited a report from last March where Khan’s applications were based on inadequate information, but still asked the court to issue arrest warrants.

UKLFI chief executive Jonathan Turner told the Legal Futures news source “that UKLFI intended to submit complaints to the BSB and ICC ‘for the violations of their respective rules identified in our letter to Mr. Khan.”

He noted to the source that Khan declined to inform whether he would investigate these arguments.

Jerusalem Post

Day 343 — Friday, September 13

Israel Defense Forces commandos raided a key Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps weapons facility in the Masyaf area of northwestern Syria on Sunday night, unconfirmed Arabic reports claimed on Thursday.

At least 14 people were killed and dozens wounded in a series of Israeli airstrikes in northwestern Syria late Sunday, according to state media.

Syria’s SANA news agency reported that the Israeli Air Force targeted several military sites around Masyaf.

According to Reuters, which cited two regional intelligence sources, among the sites hit was the Scientific Studies and Research Center, known as CERS or SSRC, a major military base that is believed to be responsible for research and development of nuclear, biological, chemical and missile technology and weapons.

The center is thought to house a team of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps military experts and provides logistical support to Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorists.

Thursday’s reports claimed that Israeli forces had boots on the ground during the large-scale operation. According to the reports, the facility’s access roads were targeted by fighter jets to prevent the approach of Syrian troops before helicopters carrying IDF special forces operators arrived in the area, with air support from gunship helicopters and attack drones.

The troops reportedly entered an unspecified arms depot, removed equipment and sensitive documents and then set off explosives to destroy the facility. During the heavy fighting, two to four Iranian operatives were said to have been captured by the Israeli soldiers.

Jerusalem rarely admits to attacks on Syrian territory, although in February it revealed that it had attacked more than 50 targets belonging to Hezbollah and other Iran-backed terror groups in Syria since Oct. 7.

The same month, Reuters reported that Iran removed senior IRGC officers from Syria following a series of deadly aerial attacks by Israel.

Between Oct. 7 and May 15, Tehran’s Syrian proxies launched at least 40 projectiles across the border with Israel, according to official IDF data.

On April 1, seven members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including the leader responsible for Syria and Lebanon, were killed in an attack on a building adjacent to the Iranian embassy in Damascus.

Israel did not officially take responsibility for the attack, but four Israeli officials told The New York Times that the IAF carried out the strike.

Thirteen days later, the Islamic Republic launched an unprecedented combined attack on Israel involving more than 300 drones and missiles in what Tehran claimed was retaliation for the Damascus incident.

JNS

Day 343 — Friday, September 13

For world leaders to be more sympathetic to the Palestinians only shows their ignorance. A prime example was the ridiculous statements by Walz and Harris. Trump, on the other hand, is standing 100% with Israel, putting the blame for the six murdered hostages and the situation in Gaza solely on Hamas.

Former President Trump, as he was addressing the Republican Jewish Coalition on September 5th, stated, “Let me state this very clearly. The blame for these wicked murders lies with Hamas and Hamas alone. Only an evil and inhuman ideology kidnaps, murders, and tortures innocent men, women, and children. And likewise, only a deeply sick political party here in America would make common cause with those who sympathize with such evil. Only a morally rotten president and vice president would seek to blame Israel for heinous acts of terror committed against its own citizens.”

World Israel News reported:

The presidential candidate repeated a statement he had made previously that if he were president, “October 7th would never have happened.”

He also told the Jewish audience that if Kamala Harris is elected in November, “You’re not going to have an Israel,” and he added, “Israel will no longer exist.”

Trump warned, “Terrorist armies will wage an unceasing war to drive Jews out of the Holy Land.”

Now, while I fully support Trump’s statement on where the blame should lie—that is, with Hamas— and I am also thankful for his unwavering support of Israel, I do, however, disagree with a portion of his statement. Should a Harris government be elected in November, it will not result in Israel no longer existing.

In that scenario, I would say that things for Israel would get significantly tougher. The US-Israel relationship will definitely be strained. But to say that Israel will not exist is not what God promises in His Word.

Israel is always going to exist. That’s what we read in Jeremiah 31: 35-36: “Thus says the Lord, Who gives the sun for a light by day, The ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night, Who disturbs the sea, And its waves roar (The Lord of hosts is His name): ‘If those ordinances depart From before Me, says the Lord, Then the seed of Israel shall also cease From being a nation before Me forever.’”

Did you catch that? Forever! For us Bible-believing Christians, that should give us great comfort. God is a covenant-keeping God, and He is true to His Word. Every day, as I wake up, I see the sun shining in the sky, and it reminds me of His faithfulness.

God also says this in Amos 9:14-15, “‘I will bring back the captives of My people Israel; They shall build the waste cities and inhabit them; They shall plant vineyards and drink wine from them; They shall also make gardens and eat fruit from them. I will plant them in their land, And no longer shall they be pulled up From the land I have given them,’ Says the Lord your God.”

So, while I am thankful for President Trump’s unwavering support of Israel, he’s wrong in the sense that, even if a corrupt government is elected, Israel will never cease to exist because that is contrary to what we read in God’s Word.

Day 343 — Friday, September 13

(Galilee, Israel) — As I work on this, it is still Wednesday. In other words, today is 9/11. I can still remember being in the Twin Towers on September 10, 2001, asking my friend who accompanied me what would happen if a plane were ever to strike the buildings. Isn’t it interesting that I was in-country when America was viciously attacked, but I was out of Israel on October 7, 2023, when my country was brutalized.

Thinking back 23 years, I can recall the day after the towers came down. Sorrow, anger, shock, vengeance – all were in the hearts and minds of the people. The same emotions filled the population here in Israel eleven months ago. Although I missed the day of the invasion, I was home soon after and have been riding the aftermath rollercoaster ever since. Just as the memory of 9/11 still haunts so many over twenty years later, I know the specter of 10/7 will plague the minds of Israelis for decades to come.

A major reason that Hamas was able to hit Israel so hard was that we didn’t take their cunning and their ruthlessness seriously enough. We didn’t know the details about the miles of tunnels under Gaza nor the immense size of the weapons cache smuggled in from Egypt through the Philadelphi Corridor. We learned our lesson on the military side. We are also learning our lesson on the political side.

This past Friday, the German newspaper BILD published a document that appears to have come from the computer of Yahya Sinwar. In it, we find a ceasefire strategy that shows the manipulative and disingenuous of Hamas’s claims to want to return hostages and end the war. The article detailed six key points:

1)    Blame Israel: Hamas is committed to blaming Israel for every failed hostage negotiation. This is going according to plan. Despite Hamas rejecting every deal that doesn’t include a complete Israeli surrender, the media lays the responsibility at the feet of Netanyahu without fail. Just last week, the BBC was found to have breached journalistic rules 1500 times in the past months, pushing their agenda of anti-Israel propaganda in order to brainwash the people.

2)    Preserve Military Power: Hamas is not thinking about giving up. They are ready to fight to the death of the last of their human shields. But they may be facing trouble very soon now that the IDF has closed the underground armament highway from Egypt through the Philadelphi Corridor. In fact, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant revealed a letter yesterday from the recently exterminated Khan Yunis brigade commander Rafa Salama to Yahya and Mohammed Sinwar in which he reported that 70% of Hamas’s weapons had been destroyed, 95% of its rockets were ruined, and 50% of his operatives had been killed or wounded. Worse yet, 60% of his terrorists who were still of able body had fled, leaving him at only 20% strength. In summary, Hamas is not negotiating from a position of strength.

3)    Use Hostages for Pressure: This is where Hamas is finding its most success, both in Israel and abroad. Last Friday, 25,000 demonstrators marched in Tel Aviv demanding that Netanyahu sign a hostage deal. This is despite the fact that there is no hostage deal. I understand the pain of the families of the hostages. But we cannot just cut and run out of Gaza. Hamas must be broken, or there will soon come a day when the butchers will pour over the border again, slaughtering more people and kidnapping more hostages.

4)    Prolong the Negotiations: Hamas does not want a deal. They thwart every attempt. That is because the greatest weapon they have is public opinion. The longer they can extend the talks – despite the suffering of their own civilians – the more the pressure will build against Israel’s government to either cave or to throw Netanyahu out of office.

5)    Use Arab Forces as a Buffer: This is a strategy in which they envision placing Arab troops along the border between Israel and Gaza. Doing this will allow Hamas to buy time and regroup, as they prepare for a future confrontation.

6)    Keep Raising the Price for Hostages: Like going to a retailer who ups the price every time to reach for your wallet, Hamas continues to raise their demands with each negotiation. Again, this is because they have no interest in returning the hostages. They are just pawns in Hamas’s terrorist game. This was made quite clear this past week when RAdm. Daniel Hagari of the IDF showed the horrific conditions in which six hostages were kept for the last 11 months. When it became evident that the hostages were about to be rescued, Hamas put a bullet into the back of each innocent’s head. To Hamas, Israeli hostages are no different than their own civilians – they are just cannon fodder to be used then disposed of when their usefulness is at an end.

This is what Israel is dealing with. Anyone who believes that Netanyahu or his government can just negotiate their way out of this conflict has absolutely no understanding of the true situation.

Day 342 — Thursday, September 12

Canada has suspended some 30 permits for arms shipments to Israel, including a rare move against a US company’s Canadian subsidiary’s deal with the US government, Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said Tuesday, according to the AFP news agency.

All of the export permits had been approved prior to a January ban on new sales of weapons that could be used in Gaza, according to the report.

Joly said she had ordered a review of all Canadian weapons suppliers’ contracts with Israel and other countries.

“Following that, I suspended this summer around 30 existing permits of Canadian companies,” she said, as quoted by AFP.

“Our policy is clear: We will not have any form of arms or parts of arms be sent to Gaza. Period,” Joly added.

“How they’re being sent and where they’re being sent is irrelevant,” she continued, alluding to ammunition that was meant to have been produced by a Canadian division of US defense contractor General Dynamics for the IDF.

Joly added that the government is in contact about this issue with General Dynamics.

Israel has historically been a top receiver of Canadian arms exports, with $21 million CAD worth of military material exported to Israel in 2022, according to government data, following $26 million CAD in shipments in 2021.

In March, Joly confirmed that Canada will end arms exports to Israel. The announcement followed the approval by Canada’s parliament of a motion submitted by the New Democratic Party (NDP) on Palestinian statehood which included calls for an immediate ceasefire to end Israel’s military operations in Gaza and to end arms sales to Israel.

Arutz Sheva

Day 342 — Thursday, September 12

British television network Sky News dismissed host Belle Donati after comments she made comparing Israel’s handling of the war against Hamas terrorists in Gaza with the Holocaust.

Donati has not presented on the network since she made the comments, and Sky News has chosen not to renew her contract, according to a Deadline report.

Donati made the comments in a January interview with then-Israeli Knesset Member Danny Danon – who has since been appointed Israeli ambassador to the UN – in which she accused him of advocating the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians.

“You suggested the ethnic cleansing of some of Gaza’s population to Western countries that would accept the refugees,” Donati said. “The exact quote from that article: ‘One idea is for countries around the world to accept limited numbers of Gazan families who have expressed a desire to relocate.’ Do you stand by those statements?”

“You know, ethnic cleansing, that’s the word you used. If you read my article, I spoke about voluntary migration,” Danon responded. “I spoke about voluntary migration. And I think anyone in the world who voluntarily wants to move to another country should be eligible to do that.”

It was at this point in the conversation that Donati compared Danon’s suggestion to the Holocaust, saying that such “voluntary migration” would be “the sort of voluntary relocation of many Jewish people during the Holocaust, I imagine. It is not voluntary relocation.”

Danon responded by accusing Donati of antisemitism.

“How can you even compare that?” he said. “Shame on you for that comparison…this is pure antisemitism, what you just said—comparing the Holocaust to what’s happening today in Gaza. Pure antisemitism. Shame on you for this behavior. Shame on you for this equation. You should apologize for what you just said, on the record, about the Holocaust. How can you even compare that?”

While Donati has not apologized for her remarks, Sky News issued an apology on the same day as the interview.

“Sky News recognized the complete inappropriateness of this comparison and the offensive nature of those comments Sky News would like to apologize unreservedly for the comparison and to Mr Danon personally for making the comparison.”

Two days after the interview, Danon wrote on 𝕏 that he had “submitted a formal letter to the Sky News Group, requesting the immediate termination” of the anchor.

All Israel News

Day 341 — Wednesday, September 11

Two soldiers were killed and several were wounded after an Israeli Air Force helicopter crashed in the southern Gaza Strip last night, in what the military describes as an accident.

According to an initial IAF probe, a UH-60 Black Hawk from the 123rd Squadron had flown to Rafah with a Unit 669 medical team to evacuate a seriously wounded combat engineer during fighting in the area.

During the final landing stage inside an IDF encampment in Rafah at around 12:30 a.m., the helicopter impacted the ground instead of touching down correctly. According to the probe, the helicopter was not hit by enemy fire, and the crash occurred moments before the aircraft was supposed to land, meaning it did not fall from a significant height.

The helicopter was still heavily damaged in the crash, and all those aboard it were hurt.

In all, two soldiers were killed and another eight were taken to hospitals, four of them in serious condition. Among the four seriously wounded is the combat engineer who was injured separately.

It is still unclear what led to the crash, although the IAF describes it as an accident. A probe has been launched to determine why the helicopter impacted the ground in the encampment instead of landing correctly.

The names of the killed soldiers have not yet been released but their families have been informed.

times of israel

Day 340 — Tuesday, September 10

IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi on Sunday night presented a video of the tunnel where six murdered hostages were discovered to the Cabinet, following a request from Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

The video showed the tunnel where the bodies were found, and where the hostages had apparently been held for some time. Ministers who viewed the footage described it as “one of the hardest videos to watch.” 

The video revealed water bottles, protein bars, some clothing, notebooks, and chess or backgammon boards inside the tunnel.

Ministers who viewed the video told N12 News: “The room was horribly quiet. It was one of the hardest videos to watch. It turns the stomach. The tunnel is narrow and low, you can either lie down or sit or walk bent over. It is impossible to fit more than a mattress and a half sideways.” 

The IDF also presented the results of its preliminary investigation of the six murdered hostages to the families. 

The findings from the Institute of Forensic Medicine indicate that the hostages were murdered a day before IDF troops reached the tunnel. The hostages had been severely starved, receiving minimal food. They lacked access to showers or basic hygiene facilities and had to rely on water bottles both makeshift bathing and drinking.

Reportedly, only two hostages could lie down at a time on the mattresses. One of the hostages showed signs of being recently tied up and there were indications of prior injuries to the hostages, possibly during the abduction, which were treated over time. 

There were no air vents in the tunnel, and the hostages would likely have had difficulty breathing. 

Channel 13 News said the forensic report indicated the hostages tried to protect and defend each other in the final moments. The four males – Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Ori Danino, Alex Lobanov and Almog Sarusi apparently tried to protect Eden Yerushalmi and Carmel Gat when they realized they were to be executed. 

With the exception of Gat, who was abducted from her parent’s home in Kibbutz Be’eri, all of the hostages were abducted from the Nova Music Festival near Kibbutz Re’im on Oct. 7.

The IDF is also investigating the source responsible for leaking the names of the hostages before the military had completed the operation to return the bodies to Israel and identify them.

Hours before the bodies were recovered, a wave of rumors and hearsay began to spread online, causing many families to find out about the death of their loved ones before the IDF had completed the mission. In an attempt to stop the rumor spread, the military announced the recovery of the bodies without revealing their identities. 

It is not clear how the details of the sensitive operation were leaked; however, the result was that the families learned about the incident from unofficial sources before receiving notification from the military.

All Israel News

Day 340 — Tuesday, September 10

The Palestinian Authority is circulating a draft resolution asking the United Nations General Assembly to urge Israel to withdraw from Judea and Samaria and remove some 500,000 Israeli citizens living in the territory within six months.

According to a report by Israel’s Channel 12 on Sunday, the resolution, which cites a July 19 advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice in The Hague, is expected to be brought to a vote next week.

The 79th Session of the U.N. General Assembly is scheduled to open on Sept. 10.

In addition to demanding an end to Israel’s civilian and military presence, the draft text urges U.N. member states to impose sanctions on officials in Jerusalem, banning trade with Jewish businesses in Judea and Samaria and blocking weapons sales to Israel if they might be used in the area.

Israel’s Ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon, attacked the P.A.’s move and called on the 193 members of the General Assembly to “outright reject this shameful resolution and instead adopt a resolution condemning Hamas, calling on it to release all the hostages immediately.

“Let it be clear: Nothing will stop nor deter Israel in its mission to bring back all the hostages and defeat Hamas,” the Israeli diplomat stated.

“If this resolution passes in the General Assembly, exactly one year after the Oct. 7 massacre, the most brutal massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, it would be a reward for terrorism and a message to the world that the barbaric massacre of children, the rape of women and the kidnapping of innocent civilians is a profitable move,” added Danon.

While the Palestinians have a near-automatic majority in the General Assembly—including the overwhelming portion of nearly 60 Arab and Muslim governments—resolutions passed by the body are not binding.

On July 19, the International Court of Justice, the principal judicial arm of the U.N., issued a non-binding, 83-page opinion declaring Israel’s 57-year “occupation” of Judea and Samaria to be “unlawful.”

The non-binding ruling claimed that “Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and the regime associated with them, have been established and are being maintained in violation of international law.”

Jerusalem is “obliged to bring an end to its presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as rapidly as possible,” the U.N. court added.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the ruling, saying that no “absurd” ICJ opinion can “deny this historical truth or the legal right of Israelis to live in their own communities in our ancestral home.”

Despite the P.A.’s continued efforts to undermine Israel through lawfare, the U.S. administration insists that Ramallah be given control of the Gaza Strip following the cessation of hostilities there.

JNS

Day 340 — Tuesday, September 10

From Egypt’s Pharaoh to Persia’s Haman to Germany’s Hitler, many a world leader has attempted to destroy the Jewish people, defying God’s declaration that He will “curse him who curses” Israel (Gen. 12:3). Even today, motivated by a satanic hatred, many say, “Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, that the name of Israel may be remembered no more” (Ps. 83:4).

Modern Israel’s history has been a fight for survival. Though often battered and humbled by brutal assaults, the Jewish nation lives, demonstrating the futility of attempts to annihilate it.

War for Independence (1948)

On May 14, 1948, Britain’s 31-year mandate over Palestine, as it was then known, came to an end; and Israel gained its independence. Six months earlier, the United Nations gave part of the area to the Jews and part to the Arabs. The dream for a revived Jewish nation in its Promised Land became a reality.

No sooner was the State of Israel born than its neighbors—Egypt, Syria, Transjordan, Lebanon, and Iraq—banded together to invade it. Their goal: Wipe the Jewish state off the map. But they could not.

Israel’s War of Independence lasted ten months and went down in history as the country’s bloodiest conflict. Of its 650,000 Jewish citizens in 1948, 6,373 (approximately one-third of whom were Holocaust survivors) perished. But the little Jewish nation pulled through, defeating massive, well-equipped Arab armies.

Day 339 — Monday, September 9

Syrian air defenses confronted an “aggression” targeting multiple locations in Syria’s Hama countryside, state media SANA said late on Sunday, following reports of an explosion heard in the same area.

“Our air defense systems confronted the aggression’s missiles and shot down some of them,” a military source told the SANA news agency without providing further details.

Some 14 people were killed in the strike on Masyaf in the Hama Governorate, State News Agency said.

Syrian state media linked the explosions to Israel.

A local health official quoted by SANA said 43 people had been wounded, including several critically, in the strikes.

Two regional intelligence sources said a major military research center for chemical arms production located near Masyaf was hit several times. It is believed to house a team of Iranian military experts involved in weapons production.

Syria’s state media also reported that the strikes caused two fires, which firefighters were working to extinguish.

Syria is a key route for Iran to send weapons to the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah, its Shia proxy. Israel has allegedly been targeting these transportation routes.

The most recent major incident involved the Israeli bombing of an Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps facility in Damascus in early April, an attack that caused Iran to launch a major assault on Israel two weeks later, an attack that Israel and its regional allies mainly thwarted. 

Jerusalem Post

Day 339 — Monday, September 9

Iran has supplied Russia with ballistic missiles for use in its war against Ukraine, despite months of warnings from U.S. and European officials not to do so, according to Bloomberg.

The reported transfer marks a significant escalation in Iran’s support for Moscow’s military campaign. Washington has briefed its allies on the evidence of this development, which is expected to trigger additional sanctions from the United States and European Union against Iran, according to the report.

While Iran is said to have provided Russia with hundreds of drones since the invasion of Ukraine began over two years ago, the supply of ballistic missiles represents a deeper level of involvement in the conflict. The U.S. National Security Council has not yet responded to requests for comment on this matter.

The Wall Street Journal was the first to report on the missile transfer. Last week, Bloomberg had reported that European officials anticipated Iran would imminently deliver missiles to Russia.

JNS

Day 338 — Sunday, September 8

Amid ongoing, daily attacks by Hezbollah against Israel, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi warned the terror group that the army is “preparing for offensive moves” inside Lebanon.

Halevi’s threatening statement came during his latest tour of the northern border on Israel’s Golan Heights. “The IDF is very focused on fighting Hezbollah, I think that the number of attacks in the last month, operatives killed, rockets destroyed, infrastructure destroyed, is very large,” Halevi said.

The IDF announced Friday that over 50 airstrikes last week targeted Hezbollah buildings, infrastructure, weapon depots, and rocket launchers in Lebanon.

“The Northern Command, with all the capabilities of the IDF, is attacking many of Hezbollah’s capabilities inside Lebanon before they attack us, and at the same time, we are also preparing for offensive moves inside its territory,” Halevi said.

On Friday, the IDF within one hour struck 15 rocket launchers primed for immediate launches against Israel located in the area of the Litani River, some 25 km from the border, and attacked several other Hezbollah targets across southern Lebanon.

The army published footage of the strikes, noting that the rockets flying off in various directions indicated they had been prepared for immediate launches.

Fire exchanges continued through the Jewish Sabbath, as Hezbollah launched some 30 rockets at the area of Mount Meron on Saturday morning.

Later in the day, around 10 rockets were fired at the Western Galilee area, damaging a home in the town of Shlomi and causing a fire near Moshav Liman, Army Radio reported.

Some hours after this, 4-5 rockets were fired at the town of Safed, activating rocket alarm sirens in the area for the first time in over two weeks.

The IDF in response struck a vehicle in a Hezbollah military compound in the area of Faroun, near the Litani River.

Three Hezbollah terrorists were killed in the attack, according to Lebanese reports.

The terror group responded by launching 2-3 drones at Ayelet al-Hashahar, which exploded in open areas without causing damage.

In the evening, the IDF carried out another round of airstrikes, noting that it bombed the rocket launcher used to attack Safed earlier in the day.

Hezbollah claimed to have targeted the headquarters of the Galilee Division located near the town.

Overall, the terror group claimed responsibility for 10 attacks against Israel on Saturday.

All Israel News

Day 337 — Saturday, September 7

A Pakistani national was charged with plotting a terrorist attack on a Jewish center in New York City on or around the first-year anniversary of Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, the Department of Justice announced on Friday.

Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, 20, also known as Shahzeb Jadoon, was arrested Wednesday in Canada and taken into custody, according to a complaint filed in New York’s Southern District. The man, who resides in Canada, is said to be a supporter of ISIS.

“The defendant is alleged to have planned a terrorist attack in New York City around October 7th of this year with the stated goal of slaughtering, in the name of ISIS, as many Jewish people as possible,” U.S. attorney general Merrick Garland said in a statement. “Jewish communities — like all communities in this country — should not have to fear that they will be targeted by a hate-fueled terrorist attack.”

Khan intended to acquire automatic and semiautomatic weapons to shoot Jews at a Brooklyn Jewish center, as outlined in the complaint. He communicated his plans with two undercover law-enforcement officers, who have been keeping an eye on him since at least November 2023.

Conversing with the undercover officers, Khan floated October 7 and 11 as potential dates for the mass shooting because “oct 7 they will surely have some protests and oct 11 is yom kippur.”

Originally plotting to carry out the attack in an unnamed city, Khan committed to New York City as the target. The defendant boasted that “New York is perfect for targeting Jews” because it has the “largest Jewish population In America” and “even if we don’t attack an [n] Event[,] we could rack up easily a lot of Jews.” He also said that “we are going to NYC to slaughter them,” and shared a photo of the specific location inside the unidentified Jewish center where he planned to commit the shooting.

Khan coordinated with the undercover agents to obtain AR-style rifles, ammunition, and other equipment, including “some good hunting [knives] so we can slit their throats.” He claimed that “if we succeed with our plan this would be the largest Attack on US soil since 9/11.”

However, before the suspect could continue preparing for such an attack, he was arrested this week about twelve miles from the U.S.–Canada border in Ormstown, Quebec. He used three cars to travel from Canada to the U.S. before he was caught, according to the complaint.

Khan was charged with one count of attempting to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization, ISIS. If convicted on the sole charge, he faces up to 20 years in prison.

The case is under investigation by the FBI in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. The Justice Department is seeking to extradite Khan from Canada.

“The FBI will continue to work closely with our partners to investigate and hold accountable those who seek to commit violence in the name of ISIS or other terrorist organizations,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said. “Fighting terrorism remains the FBI’s top priority.”

National Review

Day 337 — Saturday, September 7

The UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) association issued a warning late last month against International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan for issuing arrest warrants against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

UKLFI stated on their website that Khan is “breaching these rules by misleading the Court” and accused the prosecutor of “failing to update and correct information previously provided, and not providing information and evidence exonerating the accused.”

The association also stated that they would consult with the ICC and Bar Standards Board (BSB), as they also allege that Khan also breached the English Bar’s Code of Conduct. They charged that Khan’s applications against the Israeli officials have not been published, and the prosecutor’s summary of them in a public statement is not sufficient from May of this year.

NGOs such as the International Legal Forum (ILF), Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC), Bnai Brith UK (BBUK) and Jerusalemites’ Initiative (JI) sent joint observations to the ICC. UKLFI cited a report from last March where Khan’s applications were based on inadequate information, but still asked the court to issue arrest warrants.

UKLFI chief executive Jonathan Turner told the Legal Futures news source “that UKLFI intended to submit complaints to the BSB and ICC ‘for the violations of their respective rules identified in our letter to Mr. Khan.”

He noted to the source that Khan declined to inform whether he would investigate these arguments.

Jerusalem Post