What's Going On In Israel 20th July Onward

 Nadene Goldfoot                                        

     Israel Katz                      PM Netanyahu

                                 

 

    

Defense officials,  Minister of Defense Israel Katz, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (who leads the Security Cabinet), and Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir,  say that they do not expect an imminent missile attack from Iran, although the situation could deteriorate quickly  Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and Israel Katz remain on high alert. 

 Former Israeli foreign minister and longtime ally of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, here Israel Katz was sworn in as defence minister on Thursday in 2025. Netanyahu had abruptly fired Katz's predecessor, Yoav Gallant, on Tuesday over persistent disagreements during Israel's war in Gaza – a decision largely derided by Netanyahu's opposition.                          

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir (center) is seen with his office manager, Lt. Col. Tomer Sayag (left) and Central Command chief Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth at the Judea and Samaria Division headquarters near Beit El in Judea/Samaria  July 19, 2026. (Israel Defense Forces)

A fire destroyed 13 homes in the settlement of Havat Gilad in Samaria on Saturday. Two Palestinians were arrested today on suspicion of involvement in setting the fire. Jerusalem is in Judea.  Havat Gilad (Hebrew: חַוַּת גִּלְעָד, lit. 'Gilad Farm') is an Israeli settlement in the West Bank. Located about 1km from the Israeli settlement of Kedumim, Havat Gilad was established as an unauthorized outpost in 2002, after which it was dismantled by official forces and rebuilt by settlers several times until it was granted legal status by the Israeli government in February 2018.

Israeli troops poised to continue Gaza offensive on June 29, 2006, so this is old hat by today's standard of 2026.  

Thousands of Israelis gathered near the Gaza border in a rally this 2026  calling for the reestablishment of Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip. Among those attending were Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich—who also serves as a minister in the Defense Ministry, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Economy Minister Nir Barkat, Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli, Social Equality Minister May Golan, Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman, Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu and Deputy Minister Almog Cohen.The rally, held under the slogan "Returning home after 21 years," featured speeches from prominent government officials, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. Activists originally planned to march closer to the border to overlook the ruins of former settlements evacuated in 2005, but they were stopped by the Israeli military, which declared parts of the western Negev a closed military zone

 Last month Smotrich said, "We are ready to establish three communities in northern Gaza immediately, as soon as the prime minister gives the green light."

                                          

      Hezbollah shooting missiles at Aqaba

 Iran fired 4 missiles at the Jordanian port city of Aqaba, adjacent to Eilat, on Sunday, all of which were intercepted.

 Iron Dome interceptors were launched to intercept debris from the missiles that were going to fall on Israeli territory.

 Meanwhile, U.S. aerial refueling aircraft continue arriving in Israel at a rate of five to eight aircraft a day, according to Israeli defense officials.                    

      American aircraft parked in Israel

They said a record number of American tankers are expected to be stationed in Israel this week, exceeding even the deployments seen during Israel's most recent direct military confrontation with Iran.

Operation Roaring Lion With UAE

 Nadene Goldfoot                                      

Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (born 11 March 1961), also known as MBZ or MbZ, is an Emirati royal and politician who has served as the third president of the United Arab Emirates and the ruler of Abu Dhabi since 2022 and was from 2014 until 2022 the de facto leader of the United Arab Emirates.  As of May 2026, the leader of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (also known as MbZ). He has held this position since May 14, 2022, and is also the Ruler of Abu Dhabi. Following regional security challenges in early 2026, President Mohamed bin Zayed has been directing the nation’s response to conflicts, including in the Middle East. 

Abu Dhabai is the capital of the UAE.  

Israel's Mossad chief David Barnea and Shin Bet chief David Zinni visited the UAE at least twice during Operation Roaring Lion, in March and April, to coordinate issues regarding the war.

The Mossad (Hebrew for "Institute") is Israel's national intelligence agency, responsible for foreign espionage, covert operations, and counterterrorism. Founded in 1949, it reports directly to the Prime Minister and is a key pillar of Israel’s security, focusing on threats in the Middle East and globally.

The Shin Bet, or Shabak (Israel Security Agency), Known as the "unseen shield" (Magen veLo Yera'e),is Israel's internal security service responsible for counterintelligence, counterterrorism, and protecting state secrets. preventing terrorism, espionage, subversion, and sabotage.  It is one of Israel's three main intelligence agencies, reporting directly to the prime minister, with a focus on operations within Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. 

Operation Roaring Lion is a major, sustained military campaign launched by Israel, beginning on February 28, 2026, only (2 1/2)) months ago,  aimed at dismantling Iranian military infrastructure and leadership following extensive missile attacks. 

Conducted in cooperation with the United States, the operation has involved massive airstrikes, achieving significant air superiority and targeting Iranian leadership and weapon production.

Even war tools such as the family of the Iron Dome need batteries!!! It's always an issue as to how to open the door of the battery bed, at least in my house.  Then, which way do they go in?  + or - at the top???

A combat-proven, multi-mission system, IRON DOME delivers reliable protection against a wide spectrum of aerial threats, including rockets, artillery, mortars, cruise missiles, UAVs, and a diverse range of missile threats. Designed for short- to medium-range defense, it is uniquely capable of engaging multiple missile types alongside air-breathing threats within a single architecture, providing unmatched operational flexibility.

 Israel also sent Iron Dome batteries to the UAE, along with personnel to operate them.

The campaign of Operation Roaring Lion is described as a sustained effort rather than a short strike, with Israel aiming to change the security balance in the region.

Why UAE, an Arab country?  UAE, ( United Arab Emirates, a country in Western Asia located on the eastern Arabian Peninsula. It is a federation of seven, primarily oil-rich emirates (Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al-Quwain, Fujairah, and Ras Al Khaimah) established in 1971, with Abu Dhabi as the capital and Dubai as its largest city. )

and Israel became close strategic partners through the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords in August 2020, normalizing relations to boost economic, technological, and security ties. Key drivers include shared interests in regional stability, countering threats (such as Iran), and massive investment in technology, trade, and tourism. 

Resource:

https://www.rafael.co.il/system/iron-dome/?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=CPC&utm_content=Iron_Dome_GSN&gad_source=1utm_source=Google&utm_medium=CPC&utm_content=Iron_Dome_GSN&gad_source=1

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel%E2%80%93United_Arab_Emirates_relations

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Arab_Emirates

Hezbollah Terrorists Ignore Any Cease Fire in Lebanon, United Arab Emirates

 Nadene Goldfoot                                         

Lebanon's president sides with Hezbollah, of course.  Hezbollah has taken over Lebanon  Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun speaks during a press conference after the EU Summit in Nicosia, Cyprus, Friday, April 24, 2026. (AP: Petros Karadjias) Hezbollah did not take over Lebanon in a single coup, but rather consolidated power over decades following its 1982 formation. Key milestones included maintaining its arms after the 1989 Taif Agreement, entering the cabinet in 2005, and asserting dominance through its military wing—regarded as a major state-within-a-state—throughout the 2000s and 2010s.

Lebanon and Hezbollah at odds over peace talks with Israel as strikes continue despite ceasefire, notes ABC's Matthew Doran.  Lebanon blames

Israel.                             

Israeli Iron Dome air defense systems launch to intercept missiles fired from Iran, in central Israel on Sunday, April 26, 2026.  Israel shot down missiles and drones after Iran launched unprecedented attack.

Hezbollah has reportedly launched more than 10,000 missiles, rockets and drones at Israel in the last 2 months.                        

Sgt. Idan Fooks, 19, from Petach Tikvah, serving in the 7th Armored Brigade's 77th Battalion, was killed by an explosive drone fired by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon yesterday.

 Six other soldiers were wounded in the attack. 

According to an Axios report based on multiple Israeli and American sources, Israel sent an Iron Dome air defense system to the United Arab Emirates at the start of the war with Iran, including personnel to operate it. 

According to the Emirati Defense Ministry, Iran launched 550 ballistic and cruise missiles as well as 2,200 drones. 

Most were intercepted, but some struck both military and civilian sites. 

                                              

       A Shahed 136 at an exhibition:  The HESA Shahed 136 (Persian: شاهد ۱۳۶, lit. 'Witness 136'), also known by its Russian designation Geran-2 (Russian: Герань-2, lit. 'Geranium-2'), is an Iranian-designed one-way attack drone, also referred to as a kamikaze drone or suicide drone, in the form of an autonomous pusher-propelled drone.

Israeli officials said that following a call with UAE President, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the Israel Defense Forces to deploy an Iron Dome battery, including interceptors and dozens of soldiers to operate it. 

This was the first time an Iron Dome battery was 

transferred to another country. 

UAE has signed the Abrahamic Accords and has been a friend of Israel rather than an old enemy.  The Abraham Accords are a series of joint normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab nations, brokered by the United States in 2020.

 The primary signatories that normalized relations are the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, and Morocco.   Sudan also agreed to normalization and signed the declaration, though implementation has been delayed.  

The 1967 Arab League summit was held on August 29 in Khartoum as the fourth Arab League Summit in the aftermath of the Arab defeat by Israel in the Six-Day War, and is famous

 for its Khartoum Resolution, known as "The Three No's"; 

No peace with Israel, no recognition of Israel, no negotiations

 with Israel.

Khartoum is the capital city of Sudan as well as Khartoum State. With an estimated population of 7.1 million people,

Since April 2023, there has been a civil war in Sudan between two primary factions of the country's military government. The conflict involves the internationally recognized government, controlled by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) under General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by General Hemedti, who commands the broader Janjaweed coalition. People have been moved about and are starving.  It's a volatile country.  

Resource:

israelAM

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Accords

https://www.google.com/search?q=in+1967%2C+arabs+met+in+kartoum%2C+Africa&sca_esv=22f559b5d064249e&sxsrf=ANbL-n6-nXR0GiycLJCnxOjmyu7QNZuOOA%3A1777306561668&ei=wYvvadG6KPOb0PEPmbzNmA4&biw=1

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khartoum#:~:text=Khartoum%2C%20also%20spelled%20Khartum%2C%20%5Ba%5D,largest%20urban%20area%20in%20Sudan.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04-27/lebanon-and-hezbollah-at-odds-over-peace-talks-with-israel/106613802

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudanese_civil_war_(2023%E2%80%93present)

https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-894212

https://www.knkx.org/2024-04-13/israel-shoots-down-missiles-and-drones-after-iran-launches-unprecedented-attack?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=12559113089&gbraid=0AAAAADudUOQNZj6sbNa0ZSp126ROae_Go&gclid=Cj0KCQjwkrzP

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HESA_Shahed_136

https://www.cfr.org/backgrounders/what-hezbollah

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