Israel's Operation: Between The Devil And The Anti-Semites

 Nadene Goldfoot                                                     

Israel has repeatedly used its elaborate system of air defences to counter missile and drone attacks in recent months.  It has come under attack from Iran, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza and the Houthi rebels in Yemen.

The Devil happens to be the Hamas terrorists who fight Israel in ways completely new to the world; with lying and advertising being one of their pieces of ammunition.  They have taken advantage of Israel's laws of morality which thrusts us into the arms of the anti-Semites who hate Israel no matter what; holding rallies, marches, demonstrations against the tiniest state fighting for its life to keep from drowning in the deep blue sea of the Mediterranean.  Israel has from necessity invented defending mechanisms such as their Iron Dome, David's Sling, and Thaad missile defenses.                                                             

Iron Dome is said to be the world's best-tested missile defence system.  Designed by Israeli firms Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries - with some US support - Iron Dome was deployed in 2011.It was first used in combat that year, intercepting a rocket fired from Gaza.  Since October 2023, Iron Dome missiles have intercepted thousands of rockets fired by Hamas and other militant groups from Gaza.

                                                                    

A David's Sling launcher pictured during a military exercise:  Like Iron Dome, David's Sling only targets missiles which threaten built-up areas.  Both David's Sling and Iron Dome are designed also to intercept aircraft, drones and cruise missiles.  Each David's Sling "Stunner" missile costs about $1m.

                                                                

Arrow 2 is designed to destroy short-range and medium-range ballistic missiles while they are flying through the upper atmosphere, about 50km above the Earth.  Work started on the system after the First Gulf War in 1991, when Iraq fired dozens of Soviet-made Scud missiles into Israel. It entered service in 2000.  It can detect missiles from 500km away. It intercepts them at comparatively short range - at distances of up to 100km from the launch site.  Its missiles travel at nine times the speed of sound, and it can fire at up to 14 targets at once.  Arrow 2 was reportedly used in combat for the first time in 2017, to shoot down a Syrian surface-to-air missile.

Arrow 3 is designed to intercept long-range ballistic missiles as they travel at the top of their arc, outside the Earth's atmosphere. It has a range of 2,400km.  It was used in combat in 2023, to intercept a ballistic missile which the Houthi rebels in Yemen fired at the coastal city of Eilat, in southern Israel.  The system was developed by state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries, with help from the US company Boeing.

Thaad missile defenses come from the USA.  The US is sending a high-altitude anti-missile system to bolster Israel's defences.  Its Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (Thaad) battery will sit alongside Israel's existing systems - Iron Dome, David's Sling, Arrow 2 and Arrow 3.   The defences are designed to intercept incoming missiles at a variety of altitudes and distances.

So Israel has the defense mechanisms when attacked, not withstanding the fact that the whole country comes to a standstill while in bomb shelters the whole while.  Sometimes the time period runs for days on end.  Israel has been attacked by missiles since 2019 to 2025.  A big attack was in 2022  August 5-8: An estimated 1,100 rockets were fired from Gaza by Islamic Jihad, with the Iron Dome intercepting 380. 

A standoff attack against Israel around midnight on 13 April.2024.   Iran's attack sent around 170 drones, over 30 cruise missiles, and more than 120 ballistic missiles toward Israel and the Israeli Golan Heights. The Israel Defense Forces used Arrow 3 and David's Sling systems to shoot down many of the incoming weapons. 

This time,  American, British, French, and Jordanian air forces also shot some down. France, which intervened at Jordan's request, deployed warships to provide radar coverage. Jordan said it had intercepted objects flying into its airspace to protect its citizens.

But now they all are showing distain towards Israel because they believe that Israel isusing starvation against the Palestinians due to false claims.  They do not want to accept the fact that trucks loaded with food have entered but taken over by the terror-ists, Hamas who sell the food and keep it all for themselves.  It is they who are responsible for any people going hungry, not Israel who has tried many times to get themfood.  CBS reports that the UK, France and Canada are reacting to the food problemby being against Israel.  They should know better.  

The people of Gaza voted in Hamas government.  A government's job is to protect itspeople.  The oldest and simplest justification for government is as protector: protecting citizens from violence.  Hamas terrorists use their people for protecting themselves.  

Instead, while Israel is belatedly trying to make up for October 7th in their failure of protecting their citizens from the Hamas terrorist attack that killed many.  During the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel, an estimated 1,139 people in Israel were killed. This breaks down to: 

• Civilians: At least 736 Israeli civilians were killed, including 36 children, according to Wikipedia.
• Security Forces: 379 members of the security forces were killed.
• Foreign Nationals: 79 foreign nationals were also among the casualties. 

Note: Some sources indicate a slightly higher overall death toll, reporting "more than 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals" killed in the attacks. The U.S. Department of Defense (.gov) also stated that approximately 1,200 Israelis were killed. These differing figures may reflect the ongoing nature of casualty assessments and the challenges of verifying information in conflict situations.  

Hamas accused Israel of upending the ceasefire agreement and said the renewed strikes had put the fate of the remaining hostages in jeopardy. Hamas-led militants abducted 251 people in the Oct. 7 attack and killed around 1,200, mostly civilians.  Israel received back only one ;who was alive  the other day-Alexander.  146 hostages have since been freed or released since Oct.7th of the 251 leaving 105.  82 have been confirmed as dead, leaving 23 who may yet be alive that Israel wants now; not one at a time where they can yet die.  

And yet, the anti-Semites are holding riots, marches and such against Israel for being defensive, defending their own people from "animal"

hatred of the terrorists.  It Israel did as they expect, that would be the end of Israel---and they should realize that.  All Israel expects is to end the Hamas regime and to get back all their hostages;  those alive and those dead. 

The UN helps to  spread this belief:  United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres, speaking at the Arab League summit in Baghdad, said he was "alarmed by reported plans by Israel to expand ground operations" and renewed his appeal for an immediate and permanent ceasefire. He also issued one of his strongest statements yet on the crisis in Gaza, calling the situation for Palestinians "beyond description, beyond atrocious & beyond inhumane."  I would say that these are the very words that should be used about the attack on Israelis on October 7, 2023 by Hamas.  Determining the precise number of civilians involved in the October 7th attack is difficult, but reports indicate that around 2,200 civilians and other fighters entered Israel during the attack. It's important to note that this number is provided by Israeli sources and may not represent the full picture.  Some of the citizens were recognized as people that entered their homes every day during their work.  Israelis were shocked as they had thought of them as friends.  

 Hamas appears rattled following Israel’s intense military offensive, Operation Gideon’s Chariots. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have launched a series of strategic attacks that have reportedly pressured Hamas into reconsidering its stance and returning to the negotiating table. This development signals a potential shift in the ongoing conflict, with Israel leveraging its military operations to force Hamas toward dialogue and possibly de-escalation.

Resource:

CBS

CBS

https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3927710/statement-by

-secretary-of-defense-lloyd-j-austin-iii-marking-one-year-since-ham/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/October_7_Hamas-led_attack_on_Israel