JERUSALEM – Israel/Middle East Morning Brief
Trump’s Defense Secretary pick questions why Muslim leaders deny Judaism’s connection to Temple Mount
The new Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on the Temple Mount, Jerusalem… This cabinet is truly the dream team.
( @YinonMagal) pic.twitter.com/462HK1ofdU
— AP (@AP_from_NY) November 14, 2024
“Muslim leaders and groups deny the temple of the Bible? Why deny history? Worse, why destroy history (as has been happening on the Temple Mount in recent years)? Because if you deny (and destroy) Jewish claims to the Temple and the old city of Jerusalem, you can justify denying Jews further influence in the city. By denying the Temple, you deny the State of Israel. By denying the Temple, you rally the outside world to see Israel as an ‘occupying force.'”
U.S. envoy Hochstein says ‘real opportunity’ to end conflict between Israel and Hezbollah
American envoy Amos Hochstein said at a press conference, “We have a real opportunity to end the conflict, and now is the moment to decide. We are committed to doing everything we can to work with Lebanon and Israel to end this conflict.” pic.twitter.com/TBkEJkYRz3
— Raylan Givens (@JewishWarrior13) November 19, 2024
U.S. special envoy Amos Hochstein urged Israel, Lebanon, and the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah to seize the present opportunity and agree to a ceasefire that would end the war that has raged since Oct. 8 of last year.
“We have a real opportunity to bring this conflict to an end,” Hochsten told reporters in Beirut, adding, “This is a moment of decision-making.”
Biden/Blinken threatened Netanyahu with cutting off military aid to prevent Rafah offensive
WILD REPORT
In a candid closed-door meeting, Prime Minister Netanyahu shared explosive details of alleged threats he received from U.S. leaders over the past year.
“President Biden called me before the operation in Rafah and warned, ‘Prime Minister Netanyahu, if you proceed,… pic.twitter.com/v3bJsfQSro
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) November 18, 2024
“The U.S. had reservations and suggested that we not enter Gaza,” said Netanyahu in the Knesset plenum on Monday. “It had reservations about entering Gaza City, Khan Younis, and, most critically, strongly opposed entry into Rafah.”
Hezbollah rocket strike on central Israel wounds 5, one seriously
Hezbollah fires missiles, rockets and drones indiscriminately at civilian areas in Israel every single day.
Today, a woman was killed and 12 wounded in a direct rocket attack in northern Israel.
The video is from a missile which landed in Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv. Five people… https://t.co/OW7K1HXJo8 pic.twitter.com/KfsqJInauD
— Jotam Confino (@mrconfino) November 18, 2024
Five people were wounded in central Israel on Monday night, one of them seriously, by a rocket launched by Lebanon’s Hezbollah terrorist group.
A 54-year-old woman was listed as being in serious condition, while four other people sustained moderate-to-light wounds, according to Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency response organization.
IDF ‘shocked’ at amount of Russian-made weapons amid captured Hezbollah stockpiles
Wall Street Journal reports that the Israeli Army was shocked by how much modern Russian weaponry they have found during their ground offensive in southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah has received modern Kornet anti-tank missiles produced as recently as 3-4 years ago.
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) November 19, 2024
A full 60-70% of weapons found in southern Lebanon at the start of the IDF’s ground invasion were Russian-made; experts were unsure whether they were taken from Syria or signal increased cooperation between Russia and Hezbollah.
E.U., U.K. impose further sanctions on Iran over military supply to Russia; Israel calls them ‘necessary steps’
EU, UK impose new sanctions on Iran’s shipping and aviation sectors over transfer of arms to Russia and militant groups in the Middle East and Red Sea region. https://t.co/hKURZLwXyK
— Matthew Levitt (@Levitt_Matt) November 18, 2024
The European Union and the United Kingdom announced on Nov. 18 that new sanctions were being imposed on Iranian entities due to Tehran’s transfer of drones and ballistic missiles to Russia for use in its war against Ukraine, as well as to Iranian proxies around the Middle East.
IDF artillery moved to southern Lebanon for first time since 2000
JUST IN
For the first time since Israel’s ground offensive began, the IDF Artillery Corps has crossed into southern Lebanon. The 282nd Regiment’s 411th Battalion is now operating self-propelled M-109 howitzers from within Lebanon, increasing artillery range and supporting… pic.twitter.com/zbHkpAtcJD
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) November 17, 2024
The IDF has advanced several artillery batteries into southern Lebanon in recent days, the military stated, thus improving its firepower, possibly ahead of a broadening of the IDF’s maneuvers in the area.
The IDF stated on Sunday that the 282nd artillery brigade has been fighting on the northern border in recent months, attacking targets to assist the maneuvering forces with artillery fire.
