Tuesday
Yom Shleeshee
18 Adar 5785
March 18 2025
UPDATE 11:00 AM ISRAEL TIME
*Khan Younis after the most recent strike:
*Obviously, given the timing of the U.S. attacks on the Houthis in Yemen, there is tremendous coordination with Israel and our attacks on Palestinian Hamas in Gaza.
Statement from White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt last night:
“The Trump administration and the White House were consulted by the Israelis on their attacks in Gaza tonight. As President Trump has made it clear – Hamas, the Houthis, Iran, all those who seek to terrorize not just Israel, but also the United States of America, will see a price to pay. All hell will break loose.”
*Who is directing the war?
The IDF issued a statement this morning: “The Chief of the General Staff, LTG Eyal Zamir (center), the Director of the ISA, Ronen Bar (right), and the Commanding Officer of the IAF, Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar (left), in the IAF’s Underground Operations Center, are commanding the strikes in Gaza.”
*As of this hour, IAF attacks are limited to air force, artillery, and naval strikes. IDF ground forces have not entered; however, this order to evacuate was just issued to Gazans living in the red areas near the border:
UPDATE 7:00 AM ISRAEL TIME
The View From Ashdod
*As you know by now, Israel has declared the ceasefire “over”, and has been pounding Palestinian Hamas targets in Gaza overnight–in a proactive action in the face of what the IDF believes was an imminent October 7-type attack and renewed terrrorist missile fire.
In what is being described as a 45 minute surprise attack that began at 2:00 am this morning, the IAF has already eliminated 5 senior Hamas leaders and 300 Hamas terrorists. Hamas reports the following dead:
Mahmoud Abu Watfa – Director General, Hamas Ministry of Interior, Abu Obeidah Muhammad al-Jamasi – Member, Hamas Political Bureau, Issam a-Daalis – Member, Hamas Political Bureau, Bahjat Abu Sultan – Head of Hamas’ Internal Security Apparatus, Abu Amr al-Hatta – Director General, Hamas Ministry of Justice
In fact, the above news reports about the 45 minutes and 2:00 am are incorrect.
Here in Ashdod, we heard massive cannon fire toward Gaza at noon yesterday which lasted for over an hour. We didn’t and still don’t know what was being hit, but something was.
Then starting around 10:00 pm last night and lasting until this moment, there has been the steady roar of planes overhead and booms emanating from Gaza.
This morning, schools are closed in the communities along the Gaza border and train service has been halted on the Ashkelon-Sderot line and on the line to Beersheva.
*Yesterday, three terrorists planting IEDs near IDF soldiers in central Gaza were eliminated, as were “several” terrorists planting IEDs in the Rafah area of southern Gaza, as were two terrorists planting IEDs in the Bureij neighborhood.
On the Ground in Lebanon
Israel continues striking Hezbollah targets in Lebanon that pose a threat to northern communities and IDF troops.
*From the IDF spokesman early yesterday:
“Over the past few hours, the IDF struck a Radwan Force command and control center, and structures used by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.”
*From the IDF spokesman yesterday afternoon:
“A short while ago, two Hezbollah terrorists who served as observation operatives and directed terrorist activities were struck by the IDF in the area of Yohmor in southern Lebanon.”
By the way, in case you missed it, fierce fighting continues between Shi’ite Hezbollah and the new Syrian Sunni government with captures and executions of militants on both sides yesterday.
On the Ground in Syria
The IAF carried out a massive bombing attack on assets of the Syrian army near Dara’a in southern Syria yesterday.
On the Ground in Yemen and Surrounding Area
The U.S. continued its large-scale air attacks on Yemen overnight hitting a multitude of targets including the presidential palace. The Houthis claim to have hit the USS Truman; however, this is fake news.
From the U.S. Department of Defense:
• Initial Wave: Hit 30+ targets, including terrorist training sites, UAV infrastructure, weapons manufacturing, and command & control centers.
• Second Wave (Sunday): Targeted HQ locations, weapons storage facilities, and detection capabilities.
• Ongoing Strikes (Day 3): Operations continue and will persist “until we achieve the President’s objectives.”
• Casualties: Dozens of estimated Houthi military casualties; no reported civilian casualties.
• Houthi Retaliation: Their “attack” missed the USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) by over 100 miles.
Also, there are reports that U.S. has sunk Iran’s primary spy ship in the Red Sea. The Iranians claim this is not true; we await photographic evidence.
It’s Way Past Time
It looks like Israel’s touted laser “Iron Beam missile defense system” will finally be ready before the end of 2025. This comes after a number of fits and starts that began two years ago. By the time it is finally wheeled out, our enemies will have developed ways to circumvent it.
The Iron Beam will supposedly be able to interceptrockets, mortars, drones, and even cruise missiles for just a few dollars per shot—a fraction of the Iron Dome’s cost.
And so it goes in Israel this morning.
Stay tuned for news as it develops during the day.
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.