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Israel faces Hezbollah threats amid success on other fronts
Rockets from Lebanon targeted the northern Israeli community of Arab al-Aramshe. Israel’s Defense Minister visited Haifa and warned about a potential conflict in the north. Israel’s Chief of Staff visited the Gaza border and met with a reserve battalion that had suffered losses in Gaza. The IDF also revealed more details about its operations using water in Gaza tunnels.
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The Israel Air Force bombed a Hezbollah’s airstrip in Lebanon. Here’s what’s known about it.
Israel revealed the existence of Hezbollah’s airstrip back in September. Information available at the time indicated Hezbollah would use it to launch drones to attack Israel. When the group did so last Wednesday, Israel bombed the airstrip.
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Iranian reactions to the Islamic State’s suicide bombings in Kerman
While ISKP claimed responsibility for the Kerman twin suicide bombings, Iranian state media and officials are downplaying the Afghanistan connection and are instead pointing fingers at Israel. Despite internal crackdowns and heightened security measures, Iran treads carefully to avoid straining relations with the Taliban amid escalating tensions in the region.
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Ep. 138 — The Iran-backed murder of three Americans in uniform
Bill and Joe are joined by their FDD colleague Bradley Bowman, senior director of FDD’s Center on Military and Political Power, to discuss yesterday’s tragic news of three U.S. service members killed in Jordan.
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IDF consolidates gains in Khan Younis
The IDF continues to degrade Hamas forces in Khan Younis, with Israel estimating that more than half of Hamas battalions in the city have been eliminated. Nonetheless, Israel’s Defense Minister met with a unit of IDF artillery to discuss the long war ahead that Israel still faces.
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Three U.S. service members in Jordan killed by Iran-backed militias
President Biden blamed Iranian-backed militias for killing three US service members and injuring others following a drone attack on a base in Jordan.
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Houthis attack U.S. warship, strike British tanker
The Houthis targeted the USS Carney, struck a British petroleum tanker, and forced two merchant marine vessels to turn away from the Bab Al Mandeb Strait.
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Generation Jihad Ep. 137 — Lebanese Hezbollah 101
Bill is joined again by his FDD colleague and expert on all things Lebanon and Hezbollah, David Daoud. They discuss the latest Israeli strikes against Iranian assets in Lebanon, the status of fighting in northern Israel and southern Lebanon, the pervasiveness of the IRGC in Lebanon, why Iran’s master proxy strategy is so successful — and why it’s so difficult for Washington to understand.
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Israel seeks to secure borders amid multi-front conflict
The IDF continues to fight Hamas in Khan Younis in southern Gaza. Israeli forces uncovered another 200 tunnel shafts. Along the border, the IDF is creating a buffer zone as part of a larger process to secure Israel’s borders with Gaza as well as Lebanon.
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Israeli strikes in Lebanon deepen after Hezbollah drone attack
Israel responded to Hezbollah drone attacks with increased strikes inside Lebanon, wherein the depth of Israeli strikes has increased in the last week. One such strike in Lebanon targeted a military airstrip that Israel says was built by Iran for Hezbollah. IDF Chief of Staff Herzi HaLevi visited Khan Younis to assess IDF operations against Hamas.
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Unprecedented calm along border amidst reduction in rocket fire from Gaza
Rocket fire from Hamas in Gaza decreased significantly between January 21 and 24. In Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces continued to increase pressure on Hamas in the southern city of Khan Younis. Israeli forces also found a tunnel near the Israeli border in central Gaza.
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Generation Jihad Ep. 136 — H is for Hamas… and Hezbollah (and Houthi)
Bill and Joe catch up on the latest news from the Middle East, including U.S. pressure on Israel (led by Secretary of State Blinken) to come to a permanent ceasefire in Gaza while the U.S. also considers withdrawing its own troops from Syria; Israeli casualties in Gaza (including suffering the recent historic loss of 24 IDF reservists); Israeli strikes inside Lebanon; and, yes, more Houthi drama.
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U.S. carries out strikes on Iran-backed militias in Iraq
U.S. forces hit “headquarters, storage, and training locations for rocket, missile, and one-way attack UAV capabilities,” according to CENTCOM. The strike is the eight against the Iranian-backed militias, which have hit U.S. bases more than 150 times since Hamas attacks Israel in October 2023.
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Israel suffers historic loss with most soldiers killed in single day since onset of Gaza ground operations
24 Israeli soldiers were killed in Gaza on January 22, the worst single day of casualties for Israel since ground operations in Gaza began on October 27. While continuing work to secure the border region and dismantle terrorist infrastructure, an IDF unit involved in this operation suffered the loss of 21 of its soldiers when an RPG impacted and caused an explosion which led to the collapse of nearby buildings on the soldiers.
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US launches first drone strike of the year in Somalia
Three Shabaab members were killed in what U.S. Africa Command described as a “collective self-defense airstrike” in the Lower Juba region. Shabaab, Al Qaeda’s branch in East Africa, remains a dangerous threat.
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U.S. and United Kingdom forces jointly strike 8 Houthi targets in attempt to halt ship attacks
The U.S. and U.K., backed by just four other countries, renewed attacks on Houthi military targets. The paucity of countries willing to confront the Houthis, and thus Iran, highlights the difficulty the Biden administration has had in assembling an international coalition to restore calm to the vital shipping lanes.
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IDF expands operations in Khan Younis
The Israel Defense Forces expanded operations in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis, hometown of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. IDF forces also revealed a tunnel in the city where hostages were held. In other areas of Gaza, the Israeli navy carried out operations along the coast, and a training area was found in northern Gaza. Hamas members were targeted with airstrikes
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Iran-backed militias attack U.S. forces in western Iraq
Iran-backed militias in Iraq fired ballistic missiles and rockets at U.S. troops operating in Ain al-Assad airbase in western Iraq.
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U.S. targets Houthi anti-ship missiles in “self-defense” strikes
The attacks against Houthi missiles are no longer being conducted under the aegis of an international coalition, but directly by the U.S. military.
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IRGC intelligence advisor killed by airstrike in Syria
An airstrike in the Syrian capital of Damascus killed five IRGC military advisors, including General Sadegh Omidzadeh. The strike is the second against Iranian advisors in Syria in the past four weeks.
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U.S. and Israeli officials discuss Hezbollah threat
The US Ambassador to Israel visited Israel’s Northern Command, where IDF commanders discussed threats from Hezbollah. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant spoke with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. IDF tanks found a terrorist training facility in Gaza, and the IDF wrapped up a two-day raid in the West Bank.
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Generation Jihad Ep. 135 — The Houthis are not deterred
Bill and Behnam discuss the recent attacks in Iraq as well as the latest string of Houthi incidents and U.S.-led coalition’s response.
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Armed group in the Sinai declares it will fight Israel
A new Sinai-based organization calling itself Kataib al-Farouq calls for attacks against Israel.
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Hostages remain priority as IDF dismantles terror infrastructure in Gaza
The youngest Israeli hostage in Gaza turned one year old this week, bringing into focus the lives of the remaining 136 hostages still held by Hamas inside Gaza, where Israeli forces have continued to uncover and dismantle terrorist infrastructure, including weapons and machines for making munitions.
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Russian Munitions Production Higher But Still Insufficient
A Ukrainian intelligence official confirmed that Russia has increased production of key munitions. But supply remains short of demand.
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Generation Jihad Ep. 134 — The IDF’s competing priorities
Bill and Joe discuss stats released this week by the IDF pertaining to its operations in Gaza and why escalation at Israel’s northern border with Lebanon is “just a matter of time.”
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IDF shifts focus from Gaza to Lebanon, West Bank
The Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Herzi HaLevi discussed the likelihood for escalation in northern Israel amid continued Hezbollah attacks. As Israel’s 36th division is ending its deployment in Gaza, two airstrikes targeted terrorist cells in the West Bank.
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U.S. strikes Houthi launch sites, Iran targets ‘Mossad bases’ in missile attack in northern Iraq
As the Houthis defy the international coalition thatis struggling to keep the Red Sea open to commercial shipping, the Iranians launched a ballistic missile strike on what it claimed was Israeli intelligence assets in Irbil, Iraq.
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Israel releases data on three months of fighting in Gaza
The Israel Defense Forces released data after three months of fighting Hamas in Gaza. Israeli warplanes struck Hezbollah targets after a missile launched by the terrorist group killed two civilians inside Israel. Israel’s Defense Minister also warned of escalation in the West Bank.
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Houthis continue attacks after Western strikes target launch sites
The Houthis have launched three strikes, including one against a U.S. warship, since the U.S. and U.K. attacked Houthi military targets on Jan. 11 in an effort to restore deterrence. The Houthis have not been deterred.
