Friday
Yom Shishee
26 Kislev 5785
December 27 2024
May Their Memories Be For A Blessing
Maj. Hod Shriebman, 27, a company commander in the Multidimensional Unit (888) from Tzofit, was killed during combat operations in Jabaliya, northern Gaza. He was married three months ago.
Capt. Amit Levi, 35, a team commander in the 551st Reserve Paratroopers Brigade’s 6551st Battalion from Kibbutz Shomria was killed by sniper fire in the Netzarim Corridor in central Gaza during a “routine” battalion raid. Levi leaves behind a wife, Chen, and four young children: Tzur, Noa, Yonatan, and Zohar. Yonatan said the Kaddish at his father’s funeral yesterday afternoon at the Mt. Herzl cemetery in Jerusalem.
UPDATE 9:00 AM ISRAEL TIME
The View from Ashdod
At 3:29 am last night, another Houthi missile from Yemen was intercepted before reaching Israel. Alarms went off warning of incoming shrapnel for exactly the same area as two nights before:
Though we did not mention it in yesterday’s blog, we have been treated to one explosion after another from Gaza for many of the last 48 hours. It is surreal to be walking in the park, shopping in the grocery store, and working in the yard to the constant booms which sound like they are next door.
So you can imagine that in the midst of all these blasts, it was striking to get this warning last night:
Ashdod Municipality Announcement To Residents (At 9:24 pm)
Good evening, this is to update you that starting at 10:00 PM, very loud and unusual explosions are expected to be heard in northern Gaza in light of IDF activity in the area. The explosions are expected to be heard and even seen throughout the surrounding area.
Good night,
Ashdod Municipality Spokesperson
The same message was sent by each municipality to its residents within 40 km of the Gaza border.
6 minutes later–not at 10:00 pm–the loudest blasts we have had during the entire war shook our house. Blasts like that continued for hours.
On the Ground in Gaza
On the one hand, the IDF continues to ravage Hamas assets in Gaza–especially northern Gaza. Long tunnels were destroyed yesterday and last night and other buildings were leveled.
Dozens of terrorists are being killed daily by IDF units.
Yesterday alone 47 terrorists were killed: 15 terrorists were killed by Division 215; 10 terrorists were killed by the IDF multidimensional unit; 8 terrorists were killed by Division 401; 8 terrorists were killed by the Kfir Brigade; and 6 terrorists were killed by Givati soldiers.
Nevertheless, in creating a wasteland of bombed out buildings, the IDF has inadvertently created a paradise for Hamas snipers and ambushers.
Morever, there are disturbing reports that Hamas is reconstituting itself in the densely populated areas of central Gaza: Deir el-Balah, Nuseirat, Maghazi, and Bureij--and is using these areas to funnel attacks on IDF soldiers in Rafah (southern Gaza) and Khan Younis.
The entire IDF strategy of attacking, eliminating terrorists, withdrawing, and reentering in raids is being increasingly questioned. Our two soldiers who fell yesterday were victims of that strategy: one was killed by a sniper in the Netzarim Corridor in which our soldiers are sitting ducks, and the other was killed in Jabaliya which the IDF has taken, withdrawn from, and reentered numerous times.
On the Ground in Yemen
As we noted in breaking news yesterday, the IAF hit Yemen in several waves of bombing runs yesterday. The international airport, ports, and power plants were among the infrastructure targets that were hit.
The Yemeni port of Hodeidah late yesterday afternoon after IAF strikes:
From the IDF Spokesman last night:
“A short while ago, following the approval of operational plans by the Chief of the General Staff, the Minister of Defense, and the Prime Minister, IAF fighter jets conducted intelligence-based strikes on military targets belonging to the Houthi terrorist regime on the western coast and inland Yemen. The Houthi terrorist regime has repeatedly attacked the State of Israel and its citizens, including in UAV and surface-to-surface missile attacks on Israeli territory.
The targets that were struck by the IDF include military infrastructure used by the Houthi terrorist regime for its military activities in both the Sana’a International Airport and the Hezyaz and Ras Kanatib power stations. In addition, the IDF struck military infrastructure in the Al-Hudaydah, Salif, and Ras Kanatib ports on the western coast.
These military targets were used by the Houthi terrorist regime to smuggle Iranian weapons into the region and for the entry of senior Iranian officials. This is a further example of the Houthis’ exploitation of civilian infrastructure for military purposes.
The Houthi terrorist regime is a central part of the Iranian axis of terror, and their attacks on international shipping vessels and routes continue to destabilize the region and the wider world. The Houthi terrorist regime operates as an autonomous terrorist group while relying on Iranian cooperation and funding to carry out its attacks.”
On the Ground in Israel
*The ever-egregious Attorney General of Israel declared yesterday that she is going to open an investigation of Sara Netanyahu involving harassing a witness in her husband’s trial 5 years ago. The only problem is that even if Sara harassed a witness 5 years ago, the statute of limitations has passed. This is just one more attempt by the Attorney General to harass PM Netanyahu. It is way past time for her to be fired.
*Minister of National Security went to the Har HaBeit (Temple Mount) to pray yesterday for our wounded and dead soldiers. He was immediately castigated by everyone on the Israeli “Left” for being provocative and for “disturbing the status quo.” You can draw your own conclusions.
*The largest sculpted Chanukiah in Israel was erected this week:
Its sculptor:
And so it goes in Israel this morning . . . so far . . .
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.