Explosions Reported At Syrian Airbase
Explosions were heard outside of a Syrian airbase near the city of Homs Thursday evening (24th) in what Syrian state media termed a missile attack.
The pro-Hizbullah Al Mayadeen outlet claimed that four missiles had been fired at the base.
Some Lebanese outlets claimed Israeli fighter jets had crossed over Lebanon airspace en route to Syria,
The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that 12 foreign fighters were killed in the explosions.
An Israeli spokeswoman refused to comment on whether the IDF was responsible for the attack.
(israelnn.com; reuters.com)
IDF Soldier Critically Wounded During Palestinian Rioting
An IDF soldier was critically wounded in the head early Thursday morning (24th) when a heavy cinder block was thrown at him from a roof or a window in Ramallah, the largest town under the control of the Palestinian Authority.
At around 5 a.m., a force from the elite Duvdevan Unit entered a neighborhood on the outskirts of Ramallah in order to arrest a group of terrorists. During the operation, violent rioting erupted, with different objects being thrown at the troops.
The wounded soldier was taken to Jerusalem’s Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in critical condition.
Three Palestinians were arrested during the operation for involvement in a recent shooting attack.
(worldisraelnews.com; ynetnews.com)
High Court Declares IDF Conduct On Gaza Border Legal
In one of the most important decisions it has made about the laws of war and human rights in years, The High Court of Justice declared late Thursday night (24th) that the IDF’s rules of engagement during the Gaza border crisis were legal.
The blockbuster decision will have an immediate impact on any protests that might occur on Friday (25th), or on future protests for which the petitioners had hoped the IDF would be forced to adapt more restrictive open-fire regulations.
(jpost.com)
Czech FM: ‘Hamas Alone Responsible For Gaza Border Deaths’
Czech Foreign Affairs Minister Martin Stropnicky issued a public statement on his ministry’s website Thursday (24th) in which he said Hamas alone was responsible for the deaths of Palestinians during Gaza Strip border protests in recent weeks.
The partisan statement, titled “Gaza – Telling things as they really are,” could be said to be a rare occurrence for a European leader. In it, Stropnicky wrote that “no country would reconcile itself to such provocations.”
“Attempts to break through the fence and infiltrate Israel could thus be construed as terrorism,” he stated. “Hamas even admitted that most of those killed were members of the Hamas organization,” he added.
(ynetnews.com; ap.com)
Report: U.S. May Recognize Israeli Sovereignty In Golan
In an interview with Reuters, Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz said that Israel is now urging the Trump administration to acknowledge the Jewish state’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights.
While Katz reportedly predicted that the U.S. may take the step within a few months, the White House offered no immediate comment on the matter.
Israel captured the Golan Heights in 1967, prior to which Syria controlled the area, which has strategic significance to the Jewish state as a buffer zone protecting it from Iranian aggression.
(reuters.com)
Israel To UN Security Council: Iran Still Testing Ballistic Missiles
Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon informed the UN Security Council on Thursday (24th) that in January 2018 Iran had carried out two ballistic missile tests.
The missile launches, he emphasized, were in clear violation of Security Council 2231, which calls upon Iran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons.
“Iran’s activities are, therefore, in violation of Article 3 of Annex B to Security Resolution 2231,” wrote the ambassador.
(jpost.com)
Revelation Of Israel’s Intelligence Coup In Iran Bolsters Deterrence, Helps Avert War – Brig.-Gen. Oded Tira
Israel’s exposure of Iran’s nuclear archive serves as an important deterrent. Our enemies now understand our strategic strength in the intelligence sector. This deters Iran and may prevent a war. Iran woke up the day after the revelations feeling exposed and weak. Hamas and Hizbullah were also shocked.
(jpost.com)
Iran: If US Attacks, Its Leaders Will Face Same Fate As Saddam Hussein
Iran’s military threatened on Wednesday (23rd), saying that in the event of an American attack, leaders in Washington will end up like deposed and executed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.
“The American leaders…have got this message that if they attack Iran, they will encounter a fate similar to that of Saddam Hussein,” the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp said in a statement broadcast by Iranian national television.
(timesofisrael.com)
Israel’s Regional Air Superiority Undisputed, Said Visiting Indian General
The Israeli Air Force is held in high regard worldwide and it has demonstrated multiple times that it has a wide range of capabilities it does not shy away from exercising, India’s air force commander said Wednesday (23rd).
Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa and dozens of other air force chiefs are in Israel for a weeklong visit, attending a conference hosted by the IAF in honor of Israel’s 70th year.
(israelhayom.com)
3 Tiny, Extremely Rare 4th Century BCE Jewish-minted Coins Found In Jerusalem
Three extremely rare Jewish-minted coins dating from the 4th century BCE were recently discovered by the Temple Mount Sifting Project, doubling the number unearthed in ancient Jerusalem to date. These coins are among the earliest testaments to Jewish minting in the Land of Israel.
The Sifting Project has uncovered over 6,000 ancient coins during its systematic meticulous study of thousands of tons of Temple Mount earth haphazardly discarded during unauthorized renovations of a subterranean mosque in the late 1990s.
Only three were clearly identified as the silver “Yehud” coins minted in Jerusalem by Jews during the Persian era, as well as two others which are suspected to be of the same class.
(timesofisrael.com)
