Why Israel and Lebanon Have Been At War

 Nadene                                                             

                                  Hezbollah Billboard

The Terrorist group of Hezbollah is the reason Israel has had to war with Lebanon since 1982.  Israel is attacking Lebanon in 2026 to target the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group, neutralize its military capabilities, and pressure the Lebanese state into disarming it. The renewed conflict reignited after Hezbollah declared support for Tehran amid escalating regional hostilities, leading to intense fighting.                                

Israel is located directly south of Lebanon. Together with Syria to its northeast and Jordan to its east, Israel sits on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, forming a highly contested geopolitical corridor in the Levant. PS, you can hardly see Israel and Lebanon on this map.  

Since the beginning days of the Israel-Hamas War in Gaza, massive rocket barrages and attempted infiltrations from Lebanon forced millions of Israeli civilians in the north into shelters or displacement. 

Hezbollah is funded, armed, and trained by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force, receiving more than $700 million annually to advance the Iranian regime’s extremist ideology across Lebanon and beyond.

Israel is fighting for Border Security: Israel has pushed for a military buffer zone in southern Lebanon—referred to as the "Yellow Line"—to prevent cross-border attacks, a move strongly rejected by Lebanese authorities. The conflict is closely tied to Israel's simultaneous confrontations with Iran, who has made it clear their intentions to wipe out Israel and makes it their business to arm all their friends and attack Israel.  "Hezbollah’s stated objective is explicit and uncompromising: The destruction of Israel, a goal repeatedly voiced by its leadership and embedded in its ideology."                           

Under longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah has evolved into the world’s most heavily armed terrorist organization, combining military power with political influence inside Lebanon.                                                         

     Rockets From Gaza Into Israel

In April 2026, Israel faced multiple rocket and missile attacks, including major barrages from Iran and Hezbollah. These events generated striking visual evidence of air defense interceptions and the conflict's continued impact,  Cross-border rocket and drone fire by Hezbollah into northern Israel occurred throughout April.

It maintains tens of thousands of fighters and an enormous arsenal of rockets, missiles, and UAVs, many of which have been fired into Israel since October 2023, killing civilians and displacing entire communities.

They must have counted on October 2023 massacre of Israelis to bring down Israel as they have fought Israel since that date from many places.  It keeps popping up.  

 While a fragile, U.S.-brokered ceasefire was introduced in mid-April, both sides have continued to trade heavy blows, with Hezbollah citing self-defense and the need to halt Israeli military actions.

Resource:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Iranian_strikes_on_Israel

https://www.idf.il/en/mini-sites/israel-hezbollah-war/

Deaths Of IDF Soldiers in Last Week Of May

 Nadene Goldfoot                                    

Hezbolah adopts a new wepon: Fiber-optic drones, used widely in the war in Ukraine

Hezbollah tactics have changed.  Now they are down to the cheaper drones instead of bombs or bullets to kill IDF who are guarding their border from attacks.  They are saying that Drones are the future of warfare.  

At least 10 IDF soldiers have been killed in May 2026, primarily during ongoing clashes in southern Lebanon.  Drones are the culprit in most of these deaths.  Two IDF soldiers were reported killed in separate incidents in southern Lebanon and near the Lebanese border during the last week of May: 

• Sgt. Nehoray Leizer (19, of Eilat), a combat engineer in the 601st Combat Engineering Battalion, was killed by an exploding drone strike in southern Lebanon.
  
  
  
• Staff Sgt. Noam Hamburger (23, of Atlit), a technology and maintenance soldier in the 401st Armored Brigade, was killed by an explosive drone near the Lebanese border on Israeli soil.  PM: Hamburger fought to defend northern communities.  During the incident in which Hamburger fell, another IDF soldier was severely wounded, and a non-commissioned officer was lightly wounded.
                                 
  
  Israeli soldiers are seen near the Israeli border with Lebanon, northern Israel, May 17, 2026. (credit: AYAL MARGOLIN/FLASH90)  Buffer Zone Enforcement: The IDF is maintaining an operational area extending several miles into southern Lebanon to prevent Hezbollah from launching direct attacks or carrying out cross-border infiltrations into Israeli territory.  Defensive Posture: Troops are stationed at key hilltops and forward positions to detect threats and intercept incoming rocket or drone fire originating from Lebanese towns and valleys.  In fact, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are heavily present at the border with Lebanon to establish a security buffer zone, conduct targeted ground operations, and protect northern Israeli communities from Hezbollah's ongoing attacks, rocket fire, and drone strikes  
  
         Medic saving the life of a soldier
• You are likely thinking of the profound and famous saying from the Talmud (Mishnah Sanhedrin 4:5): "Whoever saves a single life is considered by scripture to have saved the whole world; and whoever destroys a single life is considered to have destroyed the whole world."
• War is not something we want or look upon with any relish but a necessary evil to preserve life.  This ancient proverb speaks to the infinite value of human life and emphasizes that every single person represents a complete and entire world of thoughts, relationships, and potential. halakha  (Jewish law) view armed conflict as an avoidable evil, which is only permissible when absolutely necessary for self-defense and survival, and must be fought with ethical restraint and a continual yearning for peace. 
•  It was originally used to remind witnesses in capital cases of the immense gravity of their testimony. It underscores that condemning a defendant to death means destroying an entire universe of potential descendants.  
• Resource:
• https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/soldier-killed-in-battle-in-south-lebanon-idf-says/
• https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-897059
• https://crownheights.info/israel/947675/hyd-sergeant-nehoray-leizer-killed-by-explosive-drone-in-lebanon/

Memorial Day In Israel and The United States, Important To Remember

 Nadene Goldfoot                                               

Memorial Day in the USA, falling on this coming Monday, May 25, 2026 is a solemn federal holiday dedicated to honoring and mourning U.S.military personnel who died while serving in the armed forces. It is distinct from Veterans Day, which is a day to celebrate and thank all American veterans, living or deceased, who have honorably served in the military.  In other words, the veterans who served in the military were one of our most important products of living in a Democratic world.  We must not let our history of such wars and who had fallen in the act of defending us be forgotten.  

Israel has had to fight many wars even before its birth of May 14, 1948 and the many fallen have also been remembered with Israel's Memorial Day, known as Yom HaZikaron, that is a solemn national day of remembrance honoring fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism. It takes place annually on the 4th of the Hebrew month of Iyar (Yom HaZikaron) in 2026 was observed from sundown on Monday, April 20 until nightfall on Tuesday, April 21 , which falls one day before Independence Day (Yom HaAtzmaut) to symbolically connect the sacrifices made for the nation's existence to the joy of its independence.  

The Sounding of the Sirens: The most defining features of the day are two nationwide sirens that bring the entire country to a standstill. The first siren sounds at 8:00 PM marking the start of the day, and the second sounds at 11:00 AM. During these two minutes, citizens pause their activities, get out of their cars on highways, and stand in total silence to honor the fallen.                                              

Closures and Broadcasting: By law, all places of public entertainment are closed during the 24 hours of the observance. Radio and television stations alter their programming to broadcast documentaries, stories of fallen soldiers, and scrolls of names rather than regular programming.                            

Ceremonies: Official state ceremonies are held throughout the country, notably at the Western Wall and the national military cemetery on Mount Herzl. Smaller memorial services are simultaneously held in schools, community centers, and local cemeteries.

Meaning of USA Memorial Day: It is a day of reflection and remembrance specifically reserved for those who made the ultimate sacrifice and gave their lives in service to the country.

 Originally known as "Decoration Day" in the post-Civil War era, it was a time for citizens to decorate the graves of fallen soldiers with spring flowers.  It is  observed annually on the last Monday in May. Because of its somber nature, it is generally considered inappropriate to wish someone a "Happy Memorial Day." Instead, the proper sentiment is to observe it respectfully or thank a Gold Star family.

Bill Ivey,  an American folklorist and author, was chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) ... said, "Memorial Day weekend is upon us, and as we prepare to celebrate what has become the traditional start of summer, I think it is important to pause and reflect on the true meaning of this holiday: it is a time to remember those servicemembers who have died fighting for our country.

The first national observance of those who gave their lives in the defense of freedom was in 1868, specifically honoring the Soldiers and Sailors who had perished in the Civil War. As time went on, and conflicts ensued, we added to that growing list of men and women who had given their last full measure of devotion. The two world wars in the first half of the 20th Century cemented this day of remembrance, and it officially became a national holiday.

A discovery by a Yale University professor at a Harvard archive suggests the earliest observance of Memorial Day was held by a group of formerly enslaved people in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1865. Records show that the group transformed a racetrack that had once served as a prison for Union captives into a proper burial site. On May 1, 1865, thousands gathered for a procession led by 3,000 school children carrying flowers and singing patriotic songs.

In 1966, the federal government declared Waterloo, New York, the official birthplace of Memorial Day when President Johnson signed a presidential proclamation stating Waterloo celebrated the first Memorial Day. That day, in 1866, the city closed all businesses so residents could decorate the gravesites of soldiers with flowers and American flags.   Memorial Day ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery honor fallen U.S. service members. Signature events feature

the solemn wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the Memorial Amphitheater, and the iconic "Flags In" tradition where service members place hundreds of thousands of American flags before every headstone

Other records show that the first Memorial Day came after the Civil War, when communities came together at Arlington National Cemetery on May 30, 1868. It remains one of the country’s most notable Memorial Day ceremonies.

Spies in Israel's World

 Nadene Goldfoot                                               

Spies in Israel's world operate in two primary contexts: the foundational historical narratives from the Hebrew Bible and the modern, high-stakes arena of international intelligence where Israel's agencies navigate constant geopolitical friction. 

Let's look at the modern era first, Israel’s intelligence network is considered one of the most capable in the world, though the "world of spies" has deeply permeated its domestic borders as well:    The history of Israel's intelligence services dates back to 1929, during the British Mandate in Palestine, many years before the declaration of an independent Jewish state. Conflicts with the Arab population, as well as contradictions with the British authorities, required intelligence assessment to prevent militant attacks on Jewish settlements and to ensure the illegal immigration of Jews into Palestine. It was at this time that the first Jewish intelligence service, the Shai, was established.    Some of the 1st Jewish women were:  

Sarah Aaronsohn (World War I): Often considered one of the first prominent Jewish female spies, she led the Nili intelligence network in Palestine, spying on the Ottoman Empire to assist the British during WWI.

Hannah Szenes (World War II): A celebrated Jewish paratrooper and poet, she volunteered to be dropped into Nazi-occupied Europe by the British to save Hungarian Jews before the Holocaust.

                                

Our new look of Israeli women who can take care of themselves, Ziva David.  Handling Domestic Life: Operating in a normal civilian world while maintaining the high-alert mindset of an assassin.  That's our Ziva.  

• The Mossad: Israel's elite foreign intelligence agency Spyscape is renowned for clandestine operations, counter-proliferation, and targeted operations outside of Israel's borders EBSCO.  Most popular show on TV was the fiction of NCIS, where Ziva David is an elite Mossad operative and the daughter of Mossad Director Eli David. While primarily a U.S. Navy investigative agency, the team frequently collaborates with American CIA officers—such as CIA Director Leon Vance—and the CIA's Middle East division                                 
  
  David Kimche (Hebrew: דוד קמחי; 14 February 1928 – 8 March 2010) was an Israeli diplomat, deputy director of the Mossad, spymaster and journalist. He died at 82.  
• David Kimche: One of the founding fathers of the Mossad. He joined the agency in the early 1950s to devise its operational doctrines before eventually rising to deputy head of the organization.  David Kimche was an Israeli diplomat, deputy director of the Mossad, spymaster and journalist. He is believed to have been the main contact between the United States and Iran during the Iran-Contra affair.                                         
  
  
  
• Isser Harel: Appointed as the director of the Shin Bet in 1948, Harel took over the newly established Mossad in 1952 and became the central figure in shaping Israel's early intelligence and espionage apparatus.  Isser Harel (Hebrew: איסר הראל‎; 1912 – 18 February 2003) was spymaster of the intelligence and the security services of Israel and the Director of the Mossad (1952–1963). In his capacity as Mossad director, he oversaw the capture and covert transportation to Israel of Holocaust organizer Adolf Eichmann.  He died at 91. 
  
  Eliyahu Ben-Shaul Cohen (Hebrew: אֱלִיָּהוּ בֵּן שָׁאוּל כֹּהֵן,  lit. 'Elijah, son of Saul, priest ‎26 December 1924 – 18 May 1965) was an Egyptian-born Israeli spy. He is best known for his espionage work in Syria between 1961 and 1965, where he developed close relationships with the Syrian political and military hierarchy.
• Eli Cohen was a legendary Israeli Mossad spy who successfully infiltrated the highest levels of the Syrian government and military in the 1960s. Born in Egypt to a Jewish family of Syrian descent, he provided critical intelligence that greatly aided Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War.  
• The Arab Section: The fascinating origins of modern Israeli espionage lie in a ragtag unit formed prior to the 1948 War of Independence, consisting of Jews native to the Arab world who operated undercover in places like Beirut Columbia University.
• Internal Espionage & Recruitment: Counterintelligence has faced severe challenges due to hostile nations successfully recruiting Israeli citizens for financial gain. For example, hostile intelligence operatives have used "honey traps" Spyscape and financial incentives to lure Israelis into photographing military installations and leaking state secrets. My first thought is how can any Israeli do such a deplorable thing?  
• Iranian Spy Rings: In 2024, seven Jewish Israelis were arrested for spying for Iran. They allegedly gathered intelligence on IDF bases and high-profile security figures in exchange for payment from Iranian agents.
• Recruitment of Iranian-Israelis: The Shin Bet has uncovered multiple attempts by Iranian intelligence to recruit Jewish Israeli citizens, particularly those of Iranian descent visiting family in Iran, offering them money to provide information or carry out missions.
  
  Ben Alon/Allen/Burrows born 9 December 1976, Melbourne, Vicoria, Australia d: 15 December 2010 at 34 in Ramla, Israel; one of the new generation, devoid of feelings for the need of Israel, I bet.  
• Ben Zygier ("Prisoner X"): An Australian-Israeli Mossad agent who was arrested in 2010 for allegedly "violating the code of silence". While the full details remain classified, his case highlighted the vulnerability of Jewish recruits from abroad who may have conflicting loyalties.

In the Bible, "spies" typically refers to the twelve Israelite leaders (one from each tribe) dispatched by Moses to scout the Promised Land of Canaan. While their report led to a pivotal crisis of faith, the later Book of Joshua features another pair of spies crucial to the conquest of Jericho.