Shalom all,

“With the killings of two terror chiefs in the capital cities of two enemy nations in the past few hours, the existential war that began for Israel with Hamas’s invasion and slaughter on October 7 has now entered uncharted territory.”

Fuad Shukr was the #2 man on the list of Hezbollah’s leadership and its most senior military official. But, he was also said to be responsible for the horrendous Hezbollah missile attack last Saturday that killed 12 children in the Israeli Druze of Majdal Shams. Israel said that it would respond. Yesterday, it carried through with its promise and killed Shukr in a strike in Beirut, the capital city of Lebanon.

But, that wasn’t all. At the outset of the war, Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister, Yoav Galant, said that the Hamas leadership would be reached wherever they are and described them as “dead men walking”. Within a matter of a few hours after eliminating Fuad Shukr, Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran, Iran, by a missile strike at his residence. While Israel openly admits eliminating Shukr, it has remained quiet regarding the killing of Haniyeh, Hamas’ political chief in exile who was visiting Tehran for the inauguration of the newly elected Iranian president. Nevertheless, Iran promptly accused Israel of his assassination and pledged relaliation for violating Iranian’s territorial sovereignty.

Senior Hamas leader, Khalil al-Hayya accused Israel of striking Lebanon and Iran “to set the region on fire,” but added that Hamas and its allies do not want a “regional war.” At a news conference in Tehran, al-Hayya said that Haniyeh’s killing “sent a clear message: that our only option with this enemy is blood and resistance.”

Yoel Guzansky, a former official on Israel’s National Security Council, now a senior fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv, said “I don’t think it will change the balance of power or the face of the war, but it sends a strong signal to Iran and the axis [of proxy militant groups]…It shows them they cannot be safe anywhere, even in Tehran.”

David Suissa, the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Tribe Media/Jewish Journal, simplified the matter, noting in his excellent article yesterday, Israel Just Took Down a Terrorist Who Loves Room Service,: “The most important word in the Middle East is not power or honor or religion. Those are important, but the supreme word is ‘deterrence.’ Deterrence is how sophisticated people say ‘scared sh-tless.’ If your neighbors are scared of you, they’ll behave. If they’re not, you’re in trouble. That’s how Israel has survived for so long– it’s the rule of the jungle. October 7 broke that rule. One of Israel’s sworn enemies said to the all-powerful Israel: ‘We’re not afraid of you. And we’re so not afraid of you that we are invading your country and slaughtering your people.’ In fancy language, Israel lost deterrence.” There is little doubt that the elimination of the top echelon representatives of Hezbollah and Hamas was designed to re-establish that “deterrence”.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed “harsh punishment” and revenge against Israel . Officials in Iran said Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei ordered a direct attack on Israel, in response to the assassination of Haniyah on Tehran soil. Iran is considering responding with a combined attack with military targets in Tel Aviv and Haifa, but will target civilian targets. <https://www.timesofisrael.com/khamenei-said-to-order-direct-strike-on-israel-after-haniyeh-killed-in-tehran/> The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem is taking the Iranian threat seriously and issued a “Security Alert”, noting, among other things:

“The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem reminds U.S. citizens of the continued need for caution and increased personal security awareness as security incidents often take place without warning.  The security environment remains complex and can change quickly. 

On July 31, we updated the Travel Advisory for Israel, West Bank and Gaza to reflect U.S. government travel restrictions to northern Israel within 2.5 miles of the Lebanese and Syrian borders to Level 4: Do Not Travel – the full text of the Travel Advisory may be found here.  U.S. citizens are encouraged to read the current Travel Advisory and Country Information Page for Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza, that advises U.S. citizens to be aware of the continuing risks of travel to Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza due to the security situation and heightened regional tensions and warns against travel to Gaza. U.S. citizens can find additional information regarding steps to take in case of mortar and rocket fire or unmanned aircraft system (UAS) intrusions in the Country Information Page for Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza: 

Mortar and Rocket Fire or Hostile Aircraft Intrusion:  In the event of mortar or rocket fire or hostile aircraft intrusion, a “red alert” siren may be activated.  Treat all such alerts as real; follow the instructions from local authorities and seek shelter immediately.  Know the location of your closest shelter or protected space.  U.S. government personnel and their family members may be restricted from traveling to areas affected by rocket activity, sirens, and/or the opening of bomb shelters.  For additional information on appropriate action to take upon hearing a siren or explosion, see the Israel Defense Forces Home Front Command website (available on devices within Israel) or view the Preparedness Information PDF.  U.S. citizens may also wish to download the free Israel Defense Forces Home Front Command application on Android or Apple devices to receive real-time security and safety alerts.  Free commercial applications, such as Red Alert: Israel, are also available.” The alert also specified what actions should be taken, including making sure that the families of Americans have our travel documents in order and that they should be “prepared to travel”.

The City of Haifa is also taking the threats seriously., with the Mayor issuing an announcement calling upon all residents of Haifa to stay close to protected areas, adding that Haifa is prepared to accommodate residents in underground parking lots. Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan is not willing to wait on the sidelines. He threw his two cents into the pot and threatened to invade Israel because of the war in Gaza. In reality, however, Erdogan’s desire to attack Israel has very little, if anything, to do with the Gaza war and almost everything to do with his desire to re-establish the Ottoman Empire under an Islamist Caliphate, under his authority, of course.

Daniel Pipes, President of The Middle East Forum, n his clear and incisive article appearing in yesterday’s Wall Street Journal, asserted that the indecision and equivocation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the last 10 months between military victory over Hamas and negotiation for the release of the hostages, is over. The assassination of terrorist leaders should be understood as revealing Israel’s intention to achieve victory over Hamas. “The drama and chutzpah of killing Haniyeh on a ceremonial visit to Iran appears to end the indecision. Mr. Netanyahu has thrown down the gauntlet, indicating that Israel intends to crush Hamas and win rather than negotiate with it and permit it to survive.”

Yesterday’s article of the Middle East Forum added the following: “Appearing on Fox News Channel’s “Fox and Friends” this morning, MEF chief editor Jim Hanson – channeling his U.S. Army Ranger background – said that Iran has to retaliate. ‘What kind of terrorist puppet masters are you if, in a twelve-hour period, one of your top Hezbollah guys gets returned to his component molecules, and then you invite the Hamas leader to a party in your own capital city and those pesky Zionists return him to ambient temperature.’ Hanson added that: Israel is ‘fundamentally ready’ to deal with Iran’s proxies throughout the region. Israel’s actions show they ‘are not going to take the path of appeasement that so many are trying to force upon’ them. Instead, they will defeat Hamas and Hezbollah while making the point that ‘both of them are terror proxies of the tyrannical theocracy in Tehran’.”

The IDF is at peak readiness to deal with attacks from the puppeteer and his ha-he-hu (Hamas, Hezbollah and Houthis) cronies. Local authorities are preparing for damage to infrastructures. And now we wait.

LORD, open our eyes that we may see that those who are with us are more than those who are with them, that the mountains of Israel are filled with angelic beings and chariots of fire. (see 2 Kings 6:16-18) and that no weapon formed against us will succeed (Isaiah 54:17).

As this week begins to draw to a close, let us remember not to let what we don’t know to take away from what we do know.

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.

Marvin