Defense Minister Katz Warns Iran: ‘What We Did To The Houthis – We’ll Do In Tehran’
Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a stern warning to Iran Thursday morning (8th), asserting that Israel will not hesitate to respond to any Houthi attacks on its territory.
“Israel must be capable of defending itself independently against any threat and enemy. This has been true in the past and will remain so in the future. The Houthis will suffer heavy blows from Israel if they continue to fire at us. The IDF is prepared for any mission,” Katz stated. He also directed a pointed message to the Iranian regime, which he accused of funding, arming, and operating the Houthi terrorist organization.
“I warn the Iranian leadership: the era of proxies is over, and the axis of evil has collapsed. You bear direct responsibility. What we did to Hezbollah in Beirut, to Hamas in Gaza, to [former] Syrian president Bashar al-Assad in Damascus, and to the Houthis in Yemen – we will do to you in Tehran. We will not allow anyone to harm Israel – and those who harm us will be severely harmed,” Katz concluded.
Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump announced at the White House, during a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, that the United States would immediately cease attacks against the Houthis in Yemen.
“The Houthis told us they don’t want to fight anymore,” Trump said. “They said they would no longer attack ships, and we will honor their promise. That was the goal we wanted to achieve.”
However, following Trump’s statement, senior Houthi officials declared they would continue operations against Israel.
Later, Trump added, in a conversation with reporters at the White House, that he trusts the Houthis word.
“We reached a very good outcome with the Houthis, and we respect their word. They gave a commitment, and we also dealt with other countries close to them and with their representatives, and we respect everyone’s words. We’ll see what happens. But I believe and hope this is behind us, and that they will leave those ships alone,” Trump said.
Houthi Retaliatory Launch Fails, Missile Explodes Before Reaching Israel
The IDF on Wednesday afternoon (7th) identified a missile launch from Yemeni territory, however, it would appear that the launch failed, and the missile exploded and fell before reaching Israel.
Earlier in the day, the IDF reported that a UAV that was launched from the east was intercepted by the IAF.
The launches came less than a day after the IDF struck Houthi targets in Yemen, including Sana’a International Airport in the capital. The damage from the strike is estimated at approximately 500 million dollars.
The director of the airport said that it was completely disabled after the Israeli airstrike. He added that until further notice, there will be no departures or arrivals at the airport.
According to the airport director, the attack destroyed six planes, three of which belong to the Yemeni national airline.
On Monday (5th) as well, the IDF struck Houthi targets, including the Hudaydah Port and a concrete factory.
The Israeli strikes were retaliation for a missile that impacted at one of Ben Gurion International Airport terminals, causing many international carriers to once again suspend service to the Jewish state.
Jenin Transforming From Terror Stronghold Into Ghost Town Amid IDF Operations
More than 100 terrorists have been killed and approximately 320 wanted individuals arrested since the launch of Operation Iron Wall in the West Bank, the IDF announced on Wednesday (7th).
Over 700 terrorists have been eliminated in the northern West Bank since the start of the ongoing war.
The development comes amid a significant rise in terror alerts in the West Bank, particularly in Hebron, which is considered a Hamas stronghold.
In recent months, ongoing operations by the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and the IDF in northern Samaria – including military incursions into refugee camps – have led to a sharp decline in Palestinian terrorist activity. According to military sources, the IDF’s deployment inside these camps has hindered armed groups from rebuilding their capabilities.
While the army reports a reduction in incidents in the northern Samaria region, the Judea Regional Brigade’s area, especially Hebron, has seen a dramatic increase in terror alerts.
Military sources say Hamas leadership in Gaza and abroad is applying intense pressure on operatives in Hebron to launch attacks against Israel.
In response, the IDF and Shin Bet have ramped up counterterror operations in the Hebron area, including arrests and a strong security presence along major roads and known flashpoints. The defense establishment estimates that Hamas may attempt a large-scale attack using infrastructure based in Hebron.
On Wednesday evening (7th), two attacks were reported in the West Bank. At least two people were wounded in a shooting at the Reihan crossing, and a ramming attack occurred in the Hebron Hills, within the Judea region.
“We are conducting a systematic pursuit using intelligence to track down the terrorists who fled the scene. We have a monitoring table for all the routes,” said Brig. Gen. Yaki Dolf, commander of the Judea and Samaria Division. “As a result of the operations, we can now operate anywhere, anytime – even in the heart of the camps.”
US Ambassador Mike Huckabee Holds First Official West Bank Meeting With Settler Leaders
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee on Wednesday (7th) became the first sitting American envoy to make an official visit to an Israeli settlement in the West Bank, holding a formal meeting with leaders of the Yesha Council, the umbrella group representing Jewish communities in the territory.
Huckabee toured the archaeological site of ancient Shiloh in the Binyamin region, alongside his wife, Janet, before meeting with regional council leaders. The visit was organized by Yisrael Ganz, head of the Binyamin Regional Council and chairman of the Yesha Council.
“For the first time, at the invitation of the Yesha Council, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee made an official visit to the Ancient Shiloh site in Binyamin,” the United States Embassy said in a statement. “The Ambassador met with heads of the regional councils as the guest of Yisrael Ganz… and was welcomed at a festive event.”
During the tour, Huckabee expressed strong support for Israel and for the Jewish presence in the area, using the biblical term “Judea and Samaria” and not “West Bank.”
“I’ve never used any term other than Judea and Samaria,” he said. “It would be a historical injustice and a denial of the Bible to use anything else. President Trump loves this land. You have sacrificed greatly to live here – you’ve paid in blood, sweat and tears. This place is a miracle. Only God’s existence can explain your presence here.”
Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor and Republican presidential candidate , was appointed ambassador last month. He has visited the West Bank numerous times in the past and is known for his strong pro-Israel stance.
“I owe you a spiritual debt,” he told the council leaders. “Jewish existence represents life according to God’s rules, which is why so many want to harm Jews – because they want to erase God. You represent God’s presence and His choice of this land. You are not alone. We stand with you, and so do many around the world. Those who do not stand with you, do not stand with God.”
Ganz welcomed Huckabee by saying, “Welcome home. This is the home of the Holy Land, the home the Jewish people have prayed toward for 3,000 years. Ancient Shiloh united the tribes of Israel. Today we stand here in the State of Israel, united and strong – with you.”
Last week Huckabee held a separate meeting in Jerusalem with Yossi Dagan, head of the Shomron Regional Council. According to a council statement, the two discussed the security and historical significance of the area. Dagan presented Huckabee with a mezuzah made from stones from Mount Ebal, crafted by an artist from the settlement of Itamar.
The two affixed the mezuzah to the entrance of the ambassador’s office, where Dagan recited traditional blessings and Huckabee thanked him for the gift, calling it “a reminder, every time I enter my office, that there are people praying for the peace of Jerusalem, of Judea and Samaria.”
Though former U.S. Ambassador David Freedman visited the West Bank during his tenure, his trips were informal and not considered official diplomatic events.
Hamas Is Not JUST A Terrorist Organization – John Spencer and Solomon Moshkevich (Mosaic)
• At the start of this war, the jihadist group had governing authority, territorial control, a functioning bureaucracy, and a trained army.
• On October 7, 2023, Hamas fighters from Gaza launched one of the most brutal assaults on Israeli soil since the country’s founding – killing civilians, seizing hostages, and briefly occupying territory. The attack was quickly labeled a “terror attack,” and Hamas, a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, was cast once again in the role of a group of religious extremists operating outside of the system of sovereign states.
• This framing, though familiar, is flawed. It creates misperceptions about the scale, nature, and legal classification of the conflict Israel now faces. And it misleads both policymakers and the public about the rules that govern this conflict, the expectations of response, and the real meaning of proportionality.
• It is time to stop calling Hamas just a “terrorist organization.” This argument is, of course, heard most often from those who would claim that Hamas consists of “freedom fighters” and that the term terrorist is unfairly biased or even a sign of racial prejudice. The case we make here is very different, and not moralistic, but legal and strategic. Undoubtedly, Hamas is a terrorist organization that has committed countless acts that fit any standard definition of the term. But in addition it is a political-military entity with governing authority, territorial control, and a functioning bureaucracy. It maintains a trained army, organizes military campaigns, and conducts operations that resemble traditional armed conflict far more than they resemble isolated acts of terrorism.
• Labeling Hamas a terror group undermines the legal clarity and strategic understanding necessary to fight and win a war. It also distorts public perception of what Israel is actually doing and what it is allowed to do under the law of armed conflict.
• The attack of October 7 was not an isolated act of terror; it was a cross-border, combined-arms military operation, that is, an invasion. This invasion involved thousands of trained fighters who breached Israel’s air, land, and sea defenses; killed civilians and soldiers alike; and seized territory, while operatives in the rear simultaneously fired rockets deep into Israeli territory. Hamas attempted to coordinate its assault with Hezbollah to open a northern front.
• Like any conventional military invasion, the attack posed an immediate, existential risk to the State of Israel, and the IDF has since admitted that its Gaza Division was initially overrun by the enemy. This was an act of war.
• Hamas may use terrorist tactics, but it is an armed force fighting in a war. The semantics matter. They always have. But in war, they can mean the difference between legitimacy and condemnation, between clarity and chaos, between victory and defeat.
Rabbis, Pastors Attend Israel Advocacy Independence Day In Washington
On Tuesday (6th), Over 300 Rabbis and Pastors gathered in Washington for the Israel Allies Foundation’s reception celebrating Israel’s Advocacy Day and Independence Day, the founder said in a statement.
Members of the Congressional Israel Allies Caucus headlined the event, which was also attended by representatives from the Israel Allies Foundation, Eagles’ Wings, the Zionist Rabbinic Coalition, American Christian Leaders for Israel, the Combat Anti-Semitism Movement, and more than 100 members of Congress.
The event emphasized US support for Israel amid the Israel-Hamas war and against the Iranian nuclear threat.
Participants also advocated for the release of the hostages still held in Gaza, the removal of Hamas from power in Gaza, and combating rising anti-Semitism in the U.S.
Global anti-Semitism increased more than twofold in 2024, driven by the ideological far-left, the Combat Anti-Semitism Movement reported earlier this month. This growth is the largest since World War II.
The number of pro-Israel Jewish and Christian leaders who attended the gathering grew in 2025, with many of the pastors being first-time attendees.
Faith-based diplomacy and Christian support for Israel are turning the tide in the United States. I am encouraged to see over 300 Christian and Jewish leaders uniting at the U.S. Capitol to ensure that Israel remains a central focus for their elected officials,” Israeli Ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, said in the keynote speech.
“These courageous advocates will address urgent concerns, including the threat of nuclear Iran, the rise of anti-Semitism in America, the need to end Hamas rule in Gaza, and the imperative to secure the safe return of all the hostages. I commend their efforts and pray for their success as they engage with lawmakers on these critical issues,” he added.
The co-chairs of the Congressional Israel Allies Caucus issued a joint statement, emphasizing the need to limit Iran’s ability to develop nuclear weapons and reduce its influence in the Middle East.
“We remain committed to bolstering US-Israel relations and strengthening Israel’s security by working to prevent the Iranian regime from acquiring nuclear weapons, aggressively countering its destabilizing regional aggression, and securing the release of all hostages held by Hamas terrorists, including five American citizens,” Representatives Chris Smith, Brad Sherman, Ronny Jackson, and Brad Schneider said.
The Caucus held its annual Jerusalem Day celebration on Capitol Hill in June 2024, reiterating U.S. backing for Israel amid the Israel-Hamas war.
