Saturday
Yom Shabbat
4 Tevet 5785
January 4 2025
UPDATE 10:00 AM ISRAEL TIME
The View from Ashdod and on the Ground in Gaza
It has been a 24 hours with multiple incoming missile alarms for communities along the Gaza border.
Most recently (06:44 this morning) at Netiv Ha’Asara:
At (23:16 last night) at Sderot:
Another missile attack occurred at Netiv Ha’Asara (22:11), and yet another at Nir Am (16:19).
Four attacks comprising some 10 missiles (even though the IDF claims that two of the attacks were “false alarms”–a sad indication that the IDF is back to the same declarations they used to make when missiles were fired before October 7th). The missiles themselves are a stark sign that Hamas and Islamic Jihad are reorganizing and brazenly resuming their pre-October 7th terror.
In response to the upsurge in Gazan terror, the IDF has increased its activities. According to the Mako Israeli TV news: “The IDF and Shin Bet are declaring war on the Hamas regime. After the assassinations this week of the head of Hamas’ internal security apparatus and the commander of Hamas’s police force in Gaza, the IDF and Shin Bet have carried out dozens of attacks in the past 24 hours, including 50 targeted assassinations following intelligence provided by the Shin Bet.
Here in Ashdod, we have heard the booms coming from Gaza all night mixed with the booms coming from the intercepts. Most disconcerting however have been the sudden, sharp, concussive blasts that sound like they are literally beside the house–one of which broke a window last night. We still don’t know what that blast was.
About That Missile At Kibbutz Be’eri Yesterday
As we reported, the missile was actually a shoulder-fired missile at an IAF helicopter. This morning we have more details: it was a SAM-7 anti-aircraft missile fired at an Israeli Apache helicopter. Amazingly, after all the combat achievements of the IDF since the war began, Hamas is now upping the ante by firing SAM 7s at our aircraft.
The Bad News Good News Biden Administration
Under the table, Israeli officials are deeply criticizing the Biden Administration’s policy toward Yemen and the Houthis.
The Bidenites are adopting the same approach as in Gaza inasmuch as they are not trying to destroy Houthi assets, but rather are using a limited approach coupled with the introduction of “humanitarian” aid into Yemen.
Just like the humanitarian aid which is instantly grabbed by Hamas, every shipment of aid to Yemen is commandeered by the Houthis. And all of that aid comes through the Hodeidah port that the U.S. refuses to attack–and insists that Israel not destroy.
At the same time with its usual bad news, good news approach, the Biden Administration informed Congress yesterday that it has approved an $8 billion dollar arms deal to Israel that includes AIM-120 air-to-air missiles, AGM-114 ‘Hellfire’ missiles, JDAM kits, 500-pound warheads, 155mm artillery shells, and additional military equipment.
This is good news, but note that the 1000 and 2000-pound bunker and tunnel busting bombs that Israel has requested are not forthcoming.
And so it goes this Shabbat morning in Israel where we wish all of our soldiers and you dear readers:
Shabbat Shalom!
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.