Yom Shabbat
Saturday
25 Tevet 5784
January 6 2024
UPDATE 4:00 PM
On the Ground in the North
It has been a very confusing day of incoming sirens blaring all across northern Israel from Rosh Hanikra on the Mediterranean–along the border with Lebanon–and in the Israeli Golan Heights.
At 8:o4 am this morning, these are where the sirens were heard:
An hour later at 9:10 am:
How many missiles have been fired out of Lebanon is unclear. Hezbollah claims that so far today 62 missiles “of varying sizes” have been launched into Israel, while the IDF claims only 40. In addition, to the missile launches there have been aircraft infiltrations–in the form of suicide drones.
Approximately 40 missiles targeted the IAF base at Miron–which is considerably past the boundary of previous Hezbollah strikes.
The attacks are continuing with Abinim and Evan Menachem hit one hour ago, and the southern Golan–Kineret Academic College, Tel Katzir, and Hamat Gader shortly before that.
The Mayor of Kiryat Shmona, Avihai Stern issued this statement three hours ago: “We are going to a long and protracted war. We are ready for that. We are skeptical about an agreement. Only a military decision will work. The law of Hezbollah is the law of Hamas.”
Moshe Davidovich, the head of Meta-Asher Regional Council added this:
“This morning’s events in the north are yet another declaration by Hezbollah of a one-sided war. Hezbollah declares war, and Israel responds with containment and a measured response, as it was on the evening of October 6. We, the heads of the authorities and the residents of the north, expect the removal of the daily threat to our communities and we do not trust political arrangements. Hezbollah needs to be eradicated and its day-to-day threat capabilities eliminated. It’s not easy, it has terrible costs, but let’s be clear – the price of the absence of such an act is abandonment of northern Israel from Haifa to Lebanese border.”
On the Ground in the South
*There have been fierce firefights with terrorists all day in Khan Younis.
*The IAF has struck HamISIS assets in Nuseirat, east Rafah, and Beit Lahia.
*The IDF has exhumed some 150 bodies from a cemetery in Gaza. The fear is that some of those that we believe are hostages are buried there. You will recall that at least 20 of the hostages have already been declared “dead.”
A student from Malawi, who had worked with an Israeli health volunteer in his country battling AIDS, came up to us as we walked down the street in the UC-Davis Picnic Day Parade and wanted to carry the Israeli flag.