Monday, March 17, 2025

03/17 Links Pt1: Two Questions for Abbas and the Palestinian Leadership; Lessons for Western Militaries from the Gaza War; Trump to Iran: Stop Arming Houthis or Face US Military Action

From Ian:

Seth Mandel: Two Questions for Abbas and the Palestinian Leadership
A possible successor to Mahmud Abbas is warning that Abbas’s successors will abandon peace negotiations with Israel entirely. Which is less a warning than a direct threat.

But a threat of what, exactly? That is, what would change, in a practical sense, under this new regime?

The official is Jibril Rajoub, and he gave a rare, on the record interview to the Times of Israel. Rajoub’s words are carefully chosen; he uses the interview to appear to praise Abbas to the heavens while, in reality, undermining Abbas’s standing among the Palestinian public and promoting himself as a palatable alternative.

But set his motives aside for now and let’s deal with his words. Abbas, he says, “is the last founding pillar of the Palestinian national movement who believes in two things: making historic reconciliation [with Israel] based on the two-state solution [and] that blood-shedding should not be a choice to achieve [that goal].”

The “blood-shedding” part is obviously false: Abbas pays terrorists and their families for attacks against Israeli civilians. But regarding Abbas’s purported support for a two-state solution, I have two questions. The first question is: What would the map of an acceptable two-state solution look like? Please answer in the form of a detailed map to which you would say “yes,” thus ending the conflict. Israel has produced such maps in the past, and they have been based on negotiations with Palestinian leaders who had been invited to make their demands and to respond to Israeli demands.

The last time this happened was in 2008. Here is the map. Abbas’s response to this map was to end negotiations without a counteroffer. So: What, specifically, about this map is unacceptable to the Palestinian leadership, and how would Abbas change it in order to make the entire map satisfactory?

The map is not a secret, nor is the process that led to it. All Palestinian demands are met by this plan—unless there has been some misunderstanding, which Abbas is free to clear up right now on the record.

Of course, I cannot guarantee that after Abbas’s rejection, this exact deal is still on the table. But considering the events of the past 15 years, Abbas would be crazy not to find out for sure. Making an offer would also force Israel to respond.

If Abbas has any desire to achieve full Palestinian self-determination, he would answer my first question. My second question is closely related, and it is also based on Rajoub’s implication that the Palestinian nationalist movement is only getting more radical, and stands on the precipice of ditching even the pretense of a two-state solution: What is Abbas willing to do to convince his supporters of the need and value of a two-state solution?
John Spencer: The Battle for Legitimacy in Urban Warfare
Despite this significant change in strategic imperatives, an interactive report by The New York Times report, “Israel Loosened Its Rules to Bomb Hamas Fighters, Killing Many More Civilians,” failed on two levels. First, the article did not clearly explain the difference between altering the civilian casualty threshold and the ultimate proportionality decision required within that threshold. Second, the article failed to acknowledge how a radical shift in operational context justified this change.

The shift from a counterterrorism paradigm to a large-scale ground campaign fundamentally alters the way the Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC) targeting framework is implemented, especially at the tactical level. This is not because the law itself changes, but because the conditions for its implementation do. In counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations, especially those heavily reliant on air power, engagements are often deliberate, with targets identified through prolonged intelligence collection, surveillance, and precision strikes conducted with the luxury of time. This includes the opportunity to carefully model anticipated civilian harm. This allows for ‘tactical patience’, enhancing civilian harm mitigation.

However, combined arms maneuver warfare—such as the ground campaign Israel launched in Gaza—demands a fundamentally different approach to LOAC implementation. Close combat against a well-armed, entrenched enemy, particularly one that embeds itself within civilian infrastructure, often compels maneuver commanders and subordinate leaders to make split-second use-of-force decisions in the midst of battle. Unlike an air-centric counterterrorism approach where commanders often have the luxury of time and extensive attack resources to achieve their desired attack effects, ground forces in LSCO operate under a mission imperative to “close with and destroy the enemy by fire and maneuver.” This means synchronizing a range of combat power in real time, often while under fire, in an environment where the ability to conduct detailed proportionality assessments is drastically limited.

Crucially, the LOAC principles of distinction, precautions, and proportionality remain unchanged, but how those principles are implemented must adapt to the realities of high-intensity warfare. In LSCO, a commander may not have the luxury of waiting for a higher echelon to conduct an extensive collateral damage estimate before engaging the enemy. The very nature of combat in dense urban terrain—where enemy forces use tunnels, fortified positions, and civilian structures for military purposes—means that expectations for how LOAC should be applied in a counterterrorism context cannot simply be transposed to combined arms maneuver operations. To do so is to ignore the operational realities that fundamentally shape battlefield decision-making.

Expecting the same level of civilian harm mitigation in a major ground campaign as in an air-dominant counterterrorism operation is therefore not just unrealistic—it is operationally illogical. This does not mean the law is ignored or circumvented. Rather, it means that commanders must make attack-legality determinations based on the circumstances of LSCO, where the need for rapid decision-making and immediate force synchronization demands a different application of the same legal principles. Misunderstanding this distinction leads to unrealistic expectations that can delegitimize even lawful military actions and distort public perception of what compliance with the LOAC truly requires in the context of large-scale urban warfare.

Exacerbating the misleading nature of the NYT article was the way it addressed modifications of other IDF precautionary measures, such as protocols for observing potential enemy targets and warning tactics such as roof knocks: dropping low-yield explosive on top of buildings as warning shots that give civilians time to flee an imminent attack. But again, it failed to explain why extensive strike precautions taken by Israel in pre-October 7th counterterrorism campaign logically be ill-suited to a high-intensity war against Hamas where military requirements might preclude such measures. By not distinguishing between the operational adjustments to civilian risk mitigation procedures, the New York Times report contributed to a distorted understanding of how context impacts LOAC implementation. This oversight underscores the vital importance of nuanced reporting that distinguishes between temporary policy adaptations and enduring legal principles.

In today’s information age, public perception plays a pivotal role in the legitimacy of military operations. When media outlets and advocacy groups conflate changes in tactical and operational procedures with indifference towards international legal standards, they risk undermining the credibility of even well-founded military decisions. Clear communication is essential—not only to explain the inherent differences between the legal obligations and the policies adopted to implement these obligations, but also to contextualize why these distinctions matter in varying operational scenarios.

The long-term negative consequence of such reporting and the overbroad condemnations it contributes to are profound. At a time when U.S. armed forces must once again contemplate LSCO, and some advocate a retreat from the legal and moral high ground, we cannot afford reinforcing unrealistic expectations of what the LOAC demands. Doing so will only provide greater momentum for those who unfortunately fail to recognize the moral and strategic value of the continuing commitment by U.S. armed forces to the rules of international law especially in war, and even when the enemy does not reciprocate such commitment. By recognizing the vital role operational context plays in assessing both actual and perceived legitimacy will ensure that the pursuit of strategic objectives does not come at the cost of eroding the very legitimacy upon which the moral and legal authority of military operations depends.
Andrew Fox: Lessons for Western Militaries from the Gaza War
In sum, the military-intelligence community should cultivate the same agility and breadth of vision that Israel was forced to adopt: expect hybrid and “asymmetric” warfare tactics, respond with creativity and speed, and actively shape the information sphere so that truth defeats falsehood.

The role of cyber operations in Israel’s campaign was unprecedented, blurring the line between digital and kinetic warfare. The IDF launched offensive cyber measures to disrupt enemy command-and-control and communications networks. For instance, as it began ground operations in late October, Israel carried out strikes on Gaza’s telecom infrastructure that plunged the territory into an internet and phone blackout. This combined cyber/kinetic action hampered Hamas’s ability to coordinate forces or broadcast propaganda videos during critical battles.

On the defensive side, Israeli cyber units worked feverishly to harden their own networks after 7 October, when Hamas cyber attacks and Iran-backed hackers sought to exploit vulnerabilities. Throughout the conflict, Israel also leveraged cyber-based intelligence for strategic effect: the military routinely published intercepted communications and hacked surveillance footage to expose Hamas’s tactics and human-rights abuses.

By releasing these materials (with minimal delay) on social media and in press briefings, the IDF effectively countered enemy propaganda in real time. One notable example was the intercepted Hamas call about the Al-Ahli hospital blast, which Israel shared online to undermine Hamas’s false narrative. In essence, cyber intelligence and info-war capabilities became a force multiplier—the IDF not only physically hit Hamas’s networks, but also fought in the information space, debunking the militants’ claims and highlighting the truth of the conflict. Israel’s use of hackers and analysts alongside soldiers shows how modern wars are fought on servers and social platforms as much as in the streets.

Moving forward, the West should fully integrate cyber and information warfare into its military-intelligence doctrine. Any confrontation with a peer opponent will feature a significant cyber dimension—likely far more intense than what Israel faced with Hamas. A Russian campaign, for example, could begin with waves of cyberattacks to knock out European communications, scramble logistics, and spread confusion.

The IDF’s experience demonstrates the value of offensive cyber actions to throw the enemy off balance. Whether that means hacking enemy comms, jamming their signals, or even confiscating illicit funds (as Israel did by seizing millions in cryptocurrency from Iran-backed groups) to sap their finances, cyber tools can erode an adversary’s capacity to wage war.

At the same time, we must be prepared to counter enemy propaganda and disinformation on a massive scale. Moscow has long shown proficiency in information warfare—from deepfake videos to troll farms—aiming to skew perceptions. The lesson from Israel is to proactively put out factual intelligence to challenge lies. This could mean quickly declassifying satellite images or intercepts if Russia tries to fabricate an atrocity or justify aggression, much as the IDF did to set the record straight on Gaza.

Importantly, the cyber defence of military and critical infrastructure needs to be rock-solid. Even Israel, a “Start-Up Nation,” found that its cyber defences had gaps: over fifteen Iran-linked hacker groups launched attacks on Israel after 7 October, hitting targets like hospitals and leaking sensitive data. In one chilling scenario, hackers obtained Israeli soldiers’ medical records and could have altered blood type data, potentially putting wounded troops at risk of mistreatment.

For the West, this is a warning to invest heavily in cybersecurity and inter-agency coordination before a crisis. Drills that simulate communications outages, malware infections, or social-media misinformation cascades are as important as live-fire military exercises. By fortifying networks and educating personnel (and the public) on recognising disinformation, we can blunt the effectiveness of enemy cyber strikes.

Ultimately, the IDF showed that success in cyber and information warfare comes from offence and defence: disrupt the enemy’s systems and lies, while securing your own. Our intelligence community, learning from Gaza and Lebanon, should ensure that, in any future conflict, its “digital frontline” is as robust and agile as its traditional forces—if not more so.

Conclusion
No two conflicts are identical. The IDF fought in Gaza under circumstances unique to Israel’s security situation—against an irregular foe, in a small coastal strip, with both home turf advantages and challenges. Troops operating in Eastern Europe would face a far more conventional enemy operating in expansive terrain. Yet the past months have revealed some commonalities of urban warfare in the 21st century. Drones will swarm. Communications will falter. Tanks will continue to rumble down shattered streets, requiring clever tactics to survive. Civilians will be in the line of fire, testing the ethics and discipline of every soldier. Elite units may find themselves fighting hand-in-hand with grunts. Air power will deliver sledgehammer blows, successful intelligence fusion will decide the outcome of battles, and the court of global opinion will render its own verdict.

Israel’s campaign in Gaza since 7 October 2023 has been a crucible of adaptation. The West is running out of time to absorb these lessons before a future conflict necessitates similar adaptation in the heat of battle. The overarching lesson is balance: integrate the IDF’s tactical innovations with a clear understanding of how engagements would differ against a near-peer adversary. By doing so, our militaries can honour the IDF’s sacrifices by ensuring that if armed forces are ever thrust into a brutal urban fight—whether defending our allies or safeguarding our own national interests—they will be as prepared, lethal, and restrained as necessary. The fog of war will always be thick, but the experiences of Gaza can illuminate the path to better strategy on the streets of any city where our soldiers may one day have to fight.


‘Not long’ before Hamas must release hostages, Waltz says, dismissing terror group’s ‘bogus
Hamas is running out of time to release the remaining hostages before Israel resumes military efforts in the Gaza Strip, Mike Waltz, the U.S. national security advisor, warned on Sunday.

After he was asked on the Fox News Sunday-morning program how long Hamas has to free the hostages captured on Oct. 7, 2023, the U.S. official replied simply, “not long.”

Hamas’s offer to release the hostages is “bogus” and “just another stab in the heart to those poor families,” Waltz said. He said that 31 hostages have been released alive under the current ceasefire.

“President Trump’s determined to get them all out,” he said. “But Hamas cannot and will not be allowed to rule Gaza into the future.”

There are 59 hostages still in captivity, and Israeli negotiators met on Sunday with Egyptian officials to discuss the issue. U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff has proposed that the current ceasefire continue through Passover and Ramadan, during which time Hamas would release 11 living hostages and half of the bodies it holds.

Israel has endorsed the plan, but Hamas remains opposed.

“We put a very sensible proposal on the table that was intended as a bridge to get to a final discussion and final resolution here, that would have incorporated some sort of demilitarization of Hamas, which must happen,” Witkoff said on Sunday on the CBS program Face the Nation. “That’s a red line for the Israelis and maybe could have led to a long-term peace resolution here.”

But it hasn’t happened so far, he said.

“Hamas came up with their own construct, essentially disavowed what we discussed, and to my mind, that was a pretty poor ending, and I hope they reconsider because the alternative is not so good for them,” Witkoff said.


US, Israel see Syria as possible home for relocated Gazans, says report
Israel and the United States are interested in resettling Gazans in Syria, CBS News reported on Monday, citing “three sources familiar with the effort.”

The report came as Israel is working quietly to advance a controversial plan proposed by US President Donald Trump, in which Gaza’s more than 2 million people would be permanently sent elsewhere.

He has proposed that the US take ownership of the war-torn territory, oversee a lengthy cleanup process and develop it as a real estate project. Analysts and observers have said the ambitious plan is improbable, and the US’s Arab allies have rejected any displacement of the Palestinians from the Strip.

One source said that the White House reached out to Syria’s new government through a third party. Another source “from the region” told CBS that Damascus has been approached with the idea, but a senior Syrian official said the country is not aware of any such outreach.

The Prime Minister’s Office declined to comment on the report.

Israeli leaders have consistently stated that they do not trust Syria’s interim president, former jihadist leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, whose Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebel group led the effort to topple longtime president Bashar al-Assad in December. Israel occupies a buffer zone along the border in Syria, and carries out airstrikes throughout the country.

Sharaa and his government have projected a moderate image, repeatedly declaring a commitment to protect minorities, including Jews, as well as Druze and Kurds, in the country. The interim leader has objected to Israel’s continued military presence in southern Syria and to its strikes, but he has declined to threaten Israel itself.

In 2017, the UN estimated that 450,000 Palestinian refugees were already living in Syria.


Netanyahu set to be last Oct. 7-era leader left in office after Shin Bet chief dismissal
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may be the last — and most senior — of the country’s leaders tied to the failure to anticipate the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks to remain in office, after he took the first step on Sunday toward firing Shin Bet head Ronen Bar.

Netanyahu fired former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November; IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi resigned in January, as did IDF intelligence chief Maj.-Gen. Aharon Haliva and the head of its Southern Command, Maj.-Gen. Yaron Finkelman. David Barnea remains head of the Mossad, but his agency is less directly tied to Oct. 7 as its mandate is countering threats from abroad.

Within days of the Oct. 7 attacks, Bar took responsibility for the failure of the Shin Bet, which gathers intelligence on the Palestinians, among others, to detect the impending onslaught.

In a lengthy statement after his dismissal, Bar said that he would remain in the job “in light of … a real possibility of returning to combat in the Gaza Strip, in which the Shin Bet has a central role,” as well as the responsibility to bring back the hostages from Gaza, to complete “a number of sensitive investigations,” and recommend his replacement.

“I informed the prime minister that I intended to complete the above before I resigned from my position in coordination with him, in light of my responsibility to the public, the security of the country, and the functioning of the Shin Bet for the benefit of the State of Israel,” Bar said.

Bar later clarified that he would leave if the cabinet voted to dismiss him.


Why Israel is Firing Its Most Powerful Official w/ Dr. Yaacov Ben-Shemesh | Basic Law
Welcome to “Basic Law,” the new JNS show hosted by Aylana Meisel, Executive Director of the Israel Law and Liberty Forum. This series dives deep into Israel’s legal system, dissecting the most pressing legal and constitutional issues facing the nation today.
🎙️ Guest: Dr. Yaacov Ben-Shemesh – Constitutional Law Scholar, Professor at Ono Academic College & Tel Aviv University
⚖️ Topics Covered in This Episode:
✅ The role and unprecedented power of Israel’s Attorney General
✅ Why the Israeli government is moving to dismiss the AG
✅ The clash between judicial activism and democracy in Israel
✅ The debate over legal reform and the future of the Supreme Court
✅ October 7th, the ICC, and legal challenges facing Israel’s leadership
👉 Subscribe and turn on notifications to stay updated on Basic Law and Israel’s legal landscape!
JNS will host its inaugural International Policy Summit on Monday, April 28, 2025. This daylong event will convene government officials, policymakers, diplomats, security experts, leaders of pro-Israel organizations, and influencers for vital discussions aimed at addressing Israel's critical challenges and opportunities in a post-Oct. 7 world.


Nearly half of Israeli young adults suffering from PTSD, study shows
Nearly half of young adults in Israel now suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to a new study by Beersheva’s Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.

The Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led terrorist invasion from Gaza took the Jewish state completely by surprise, and triggered the longest war in Israel’s history.

According to the study, which was published on Monday, PTSD rates among young adults aged 18-24 soared from 25% before the war to 42% after it began.

Among those evacuated from their homes on the Jewish state’s southern and northern borders, the rate increased to 60%.

The study also highlighted rises in depression, loneliness and harmful coping mechanisms, such as self-blame and substance abuse.

Stav Shapira and professor Tehila Rafaeli, the study’s lead researchers, emphasized that the conflict particularly affected young adults as they were heavily exposed to trauma, with many affected by the death or injury of loved ones, as well as displacement due to terrorist threats.
Danny Danon: Turning the victim into an aggressor
Once again, the UN Human Rights Council is dead wrong. Its latest report lodged baseless claims that Israel has been employing genocidal acts and sexual violence against Palestinians since October 7 while turning a blind eye to the real sexual violence Hamas terrorists waged on Israelis.

This UN Human Rights Council is not a serious institution. It is not interested in human rights. Its latest debacle has exposed it as an incubator of Jew-hatred interested only in demonizing and delegitimizing the State of Israel, whose people suffered the worst massacre since the Holocaust; whose citizens are still praying for the return of 59 hostages held in brutal Hamas terror tunnels; whose babies, women, and men were butchered, maimed, and kidnapped when Hamas monsters invaded sovereign Israel by air, land, and sea on that dark Saturday 16 months ago.

Instead of allocating United Nations resources to investigating and condemning the incontrovertible proof pointing to the genocidal barbarity and sexual violence by Hamas on October 7, it has chosen to side with terror. The Council ignored Hamas’s horrific use of rape and sexual violence against Israeli women to pursue this deranged crusade against Israel.

It’s worth looking at the current composition and leadership of the 47-member Human Rights Council. Presiding over the Council’s Asia-Pacific states is the Islamic Republic of Iran – a murderous regime that has for 46 years been beating, repressing, and killing its own people, especially women, with relative impunity.

The timing of this report is also important. Last week, we celebrated the Jewish festival of Purim and read Megillat Esther to remember how Haman plotted to eradicate the entire Jewish people.

Today, Hamas, a modern-day incarnation of Haman, continues to openly seek our destruction, and the United Nations stands idly by.


UN Watch: U.N. Clash: Iranian Regime Tries to Shut Down Swedish MP Who Called Them “Brutal Tyrants”
Tehran’s representative in the UN’s top human rights body tried to shut down the speech of a Swedish parliamentarian after he called the Islamic regime “an entity that clings to power by brutalizing its own people” and that “has no legitimacy,” and after he urged the assembled delegates to “take action against these tyrants.”

Alireza Akhondi, a member of the Swedish parliament of Iranian heritage, testified today before the United Nations Human Rights Council, at the invitation of the independent non-governmental human rights group UN Watch, which gave him the floor as part of a joint statement.

Although countries are supposed to deliver their response statements at the conclusion of the entire debate, the Iranian delegate interrupted Akhondi in the middle of his speech by invoking a procedural point of order, without any basis accusing the lawmaker of having failed “to observe the standard language and wording” of the council, and of using “unacceptable terms and phrases.” In fact, the delegates from Iran and other dictatorships routinely resort to the most inflammatory language when they attack Western countries or Israel.

Rather than reject Tehran’s baseless interruption and condemn its abuse of procedure, the chair of the UN debate, Ambassador Paul Efambe of the Democratic Republic of Congo, who serves as Vice-President of the UNHRC, made a statement that appeared to embracing the premise of the Islamic regime’s remarks, implying that Akhondi’s language was not “commensurate with the dignity inherent to a discussion on human rights issues,” and that it lacked “tolerance and respect.”

Mr. Akhondi was not surprised by the regime’s failed attempt to shut down his speech. “It was exactly what we wanted the world to see. This is the Islamic Republic in a nutshell. They have taken 90 million Iranians as hostages, denying them their basic human rights. They tried to censor me because the Ayatollahs are afraid of the truth. But it’s difficult to silence a Member of Parliament with Iranian heritage, in the heart of Europe.”


Seth Frantzman: Russia’s drone dominance influences Iran's proxies to attack Israel
Russia appears to be on the cusp of outperforming Ukraine in the use of drones on the battlefield.

A recent article by BBC sheds light on the Ukrainian retreat from the battle of Kursk. Ukraine has held this pocket of Russian territory since August 2024. It was one of the few bright spots of last year as Ukraine was hard-pressed by Russia, and its other offensives stalled. Now Moscow has forced Ukrainians out of the Kursk area, who told BBC that Russian drones played a major role.

The BBC article matters because it illustrates a drone learning curve that Russia has pursued since the war began. Russia acquired Iranian Shahed kamikaze drones early in the war in 2022 and used them to target Ukraine. These one-way attack drones were not a game changer.

However, Russia’s use of them showed how Iranian-backed groups would use the same drones against Israel after the Hamas attack on October 7. That illustrates how what Russia is doing in Kursk may have ramifications for the Middle East. Reports at Conflict Armament Research revealed this month that the Houthis are working with hydrogen fuel cells to power drones.

What can we learn from the BBC report about the Kursk route? First of all, it was basic military tactics that mauled Ukraine. The report says Kyiv sent around 12,000 soldiers, some of its best trained, into the fight. Russia sent tens of thousands to cordon off the Ukrainian gains and then attempted to roll back the Ukrainians. The report says that, in the end, Kyiv was relying on one road to supply its salient forces.

This is a classic challenge in military terms, and it appears that this road now resembles the Iraqi army’s retreat from Kuwait. Basically, Ukrainians have been fleeing at night and leaving behind equipment and vehicles.

“Russia had also sent its best drone units to the front and was using kamikaze and first-person-view (FPV) variants to ‘take fire control of the main logistics routes.’” The report said. “They included drones linked to operators by fiber-optic wires – which are impossible to jam with electronic counter-measures.”

In another part of the report, in which the BBC spoke to Ukrainian soldiers who have been able to get out of the Kursk front via retreating, it appears that Russian FPV drones, or those using a first-person viewer (FPV) flight mode, have been essential.
Trump to Iran: Stop Arming Houthis or Face US Military Action
President Donald Trump on Monday warned Iran that the United States will hold it responsible for any further attacks by the Yemen-based Houthis, accusing the Islamic Republic of "dictating every move" by the terrorist group.

"Every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon, from this point forward, as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of IRAN, and IRAN will be held responsible, and suffer the consequences, and those consequences will be dire," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The warning comes as the Trump administration ramps up military action against the Houthis for repeatedly attacking American and Israeli vessels in the Red Sea since the Israel-Hamas war broke out in October 2023. The United States over the weekend launched a series of airstrikes against the Houthis in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, resulting in at least 53 casualties.

"Any further attack or retaliation by the 'Houthis' will be met with great force, and there is no guarantee that that force will stop there," Trump warned in his post, noting that Iran is "dictating every move, giving them the weapons, supplying them with money and highly sophisticated Military equipment, and even, so-called, 'Intelligence.'"

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth​​ said on Sunday that the United States will continue striking the Houthis until the terrorist group stops attacking ships, Reuters reported. The Houthis' terrorist attacks have disrupted global commerce, forcing ships to take longer, more expensive journeys around southern Africa.

The strikes are also part of Trump's "maximum pressure" campaign against Iran over the country's rapidly advancing nuclear program. In a letter earlier this month, Trump urged Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei to negotiate, threatening direct U.S. military action against Iran if Khamenei fails to comply.


US airstrike eliminates Houthi leader's security chief in Yemen
Several Houthi leaders involved in its drone program were killed during a US strike on Houthi targets in Yemen, the Pentagon announced in a press conference Monday.

Overnight, US Central Command (CENTCOM) continued to carry out strikes on the Iran-backed terror group. The US agency announced via X overnight that attacks would continue.

The Houthis claimed 53 people have been killed as a result of the strikes, which began on Saturday.

Speaking with ABC on Monday, White House national security adviser Mike Waltz said the US strikes "took out" several Houthi leaders.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Sunday that the United States would conduct "unrelenting" strikes against the Houthis in Yemen until the terrorist group ceases their military actions targeting US assets and global shipping.

On Sunday, the Houthis claimed they struck the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier in addition to other US naval ships deployed in the area of the Red Sea. The US said it downed 11 Houthi drones, following the Iran-backed group's claim it had attempted to attack the aircraft carrier.


Eugene Kontorovich on Newsmax: U.S. Military Strikes Against Houthi Terrorists



Smotrich: Renewed fighting in Gaza will be ‘completely different’
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich (Religious Zionism Party) said on Monday that should the war in Gaza resume, Israel’s approach would be “very aggressive.”

During a faction meeting of his Religious Zionism Party at the Knesset, Smotrich told JNS that this would involve not only targeting Hamas militarily, but also wresting administrative control from it.

Asked by JNS about the claim by former Israel Defense Forces chief of staff Gadi Eizenkot on Monday that Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad have a combined fighting force of 30,000 men, Smotrich downplayed the significance of the number.

“The last thing that Hamas lacks in Gaza is fighters. What are fighters? They are men between the ages of 16 and 50—there are about half a million of them; I know how many are in the Gaza Strip—that is not what they lack,” said Smotrich.

Rather, it is Hamas’s military and governmental capabilities that need to be destroyed, he continued.

Avigdor Lieberman, who leads the opposition Yisrael Beiteinu Party and served as Israel’s defense minister between 2016 and 2018, told JNS on Monday afternoon that “in the last month, in the last few months, Hamas has managed to recruit more than 10,000 new recruits.”

Lieberman stressed that “even if we’re speaking about thousands,” Jerusalem should eliminate all new terrorist recruits “one by one.”

Smotrich lamented what he said was the failure of the army, singling out former IDF chief of staff Lt. Gen. (res.) Herzi Halevi, who stepped down on March 5, to disrupt Hamas’s administrative control of the Strip.

The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office would not comment on the figures made public by Eizenkot, and the Israeli military did not respond to a request for comment by time of publication.


Judean Jews breaking fear and living free w/ Eve Harow | Judeacation w/ Josh Hasten
Welcome to the first episode of Judeacation hosted by Josh Hasten, JNS Middle East correspondent. This new series takes you inside Judea and Samaria—the heartland of Israel. Meet the pioneers and personalities living on the front lines, defending Israel’s future while preserving its ancient past.
🎙️ Guest: Eve Harow – Tour guide, Director of Tourism & Education at One Israel Fund, and host on the Land of Israel Network.
🔥 Topics Covered in This Episode:
✅ What life is really like in Judea & Samaria post-October 7th
✅ The truth about security, terrorism, and Jewish rights in the region
✅ The battle over Israeli sovereignty and the role of U.S. policy
✅ The rise of Christian Zionist support and global advocacy for Judea
✅ Why Judea & Samaria are crucial to Israel’s security and identity


You’re OUT! The West FINALLY stands up for what’s right | The Quad
Welcome to The Quad, the bold and unfiltered JNS show hosted by Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, former Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem and a leader in Israeli and global affairs. This week, we tackle the West’s growing battle against extremism, media bias, and political hypocrisy—with an all-star panel of panelists, including Shoshana Keats-Jaskoll, Barb Heller and comedian Daniel-Ryan Spalding.

⚖️ Topics Covered in This Episode:
🔥 Is the West finally pushing back? A shift in global policy against terrorism
🔥 How academia and media became hijacked by extremist ideologies
🔥 The erosion of free speech and democratic values in the U.S. and Europe
🔥 Jewish identity under attack: Why young Jews are being misled
🔥 Islamism vs. Reform Movements: The battle inside Muslim communities
🔥 Why woke culture is self-destructing and turning on itself
🚨 No topic is off-limits on The Quad. Expect passionate debates, hard-hitting truths, and unfiltered discussions on the most critical issues facing Israel, the Jewish world, and the West.


Part 1: Unmasking the Fear of Jews – Why It’s YOUR Problem Too
Grab a front-row seat and buckle up for an electrifying chat with Rabbi Raphael Shore and Kathy Barnette! They’re diving headfirst into the most candid, no-holds-barred discussion you’ll ever hear about the roots of animosity toward the Jews.

Unpacking the mystery of Jew-hatred isn’t just a history lesson—it’s a profound journey into the heart of identity and purpose, not only for the Jewish people but for you, too!


Jewish National Fund-USA: IsraelCast | Alex Ryvchin
Alex Ryvchin is Co-CEO of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry and Author.




Police ruling caravan bomb plot fake ‘downplayed’ antisemitism crisis: Jewish leader
A Jewish community leader has claimed police “downplayed” the broader issue of antisemitism by ruling the caravan bomb plot was “fake”.

Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin said it was “really disappointing” the Australian Federal Police and New South Wales Police had ruled out antisemitism as a factor in the caravan bomb plot which was revealed to have been a hoax last week.

Speaking with Sky News host Sharri Markson on Monday, Mr Ryvchin acknowledged police had devoted “immense resources and manpower” to hunting down the people behind the string of antisemitic attacks which had plagued east Sydney for months, but had “undone that fine work” with their communication.

His claim came after Ms Markson highlighted AFP Deputy Commissioner Krissy Barrett's use of the word “fake” seven times during a joint press conference on March 10 with NSW Police Deputy Commissioner David Hudson.

Ms Markson said the message the caravan bomb plot and the string of antisemitic attacks were “fake”, and a “hoax”, had led to a push to “downplay” antisemitism as an issue.

Police said the caravan found laden with explosives on January 19 was “never going to cause a mass casualty event” and was part of a “criminal con job”.

Mr Ryvchin took issue with authorities' characterisation, however, saying it had “really broken the momentum” in the fight against antisemitism.

“We learned that in addition to everything we faced over the past 17 months, the doxxing, the vilification, the harassment, everything happening at schools and universities… on top of all that, you now have hardened criminals paying off lowly hoodlums to set fire to our buildings and cars and set our streets ablaze with reckless disregard for what happens,” he said.

“But for some reason, the police in announcing this chose to completely downplay it, refer to it as a con job, and a fake. Government urged to make antisemitism a 'non-partisan priority'

“It's allowed negative actors who have tried to downplay it this whole time to now galvanise and to try to dampen all the momentum and the enthusiasm for actually solving this problem.

“So it's really incredibly disappointing.”


Police have ‘undone’ their work via poor communication around caravan bomb plot hoax
Executive Council of Australian Jewry Co-CEO Alex Ryvchin says the police seem to have “undone” their work via poor communication around the caravan bomb hoax.

“The police, we know, want to keep us safe, we know they have devoted immense resources and manpower to hunting these people,” Mr Ryvchin said.

“But they seem to have undone that fine work with their communication.”




Lib Dem peer leads push in Lords for immediate recognition of Palestinian state
Liberal Democrat peer Baroness Northover has attracted significant cross-party support for a Bill calling for immediate recognition of a Palestinian state – but opponents sounded warnings it would act as a “licence for further terrorism”.

The former minister tabled the Palestine Statehood (Recognition) Bill in the hope of pushing the UK Government to act on its ambition for a two-state solution by recognising Palestine as a sovereign and independent state on pre-1967 lines.

Introducing last Friday’s Private Members Bill, Northover said:”Some say that recognition is merely symbolic, not changing anything on the ground, but recognition has importance—that Palestinians have the right to self-determination, national rights and the legal benefits of that, just like Israelis.

“Some say that it is too late: the Swiss cheese effect of Israeli settlements, roads, walls and checkpoints in the Occupied Palestinian Territories means that a contiguous Palestinian state is no longer viable.

“The actions and words of the current Israeli Government seem intent on making it even less likely. Several Israeli Ministers have been clear that they will never accept such an outcome.”

The Bill was also backed by several Labour and Conservative peers, although it also faced strong opposition in the House.

Conservative former minister Baroness Altmann warned Hamas wants to “wipe Israel off the map” and said they spent years preparing the surprise cross-border attack on October 7 2023.

Lady Altmann said if one side does not seek peace then there would be a repeat of “past failures”, adding: “This Bill, if passed, would be a licence for further terrorism I’m afraid.

“A signal that deliberately killing, torturing and murdering Jews and promising to do it again and again and hiding safely in tunnels, under or behind your own civilians, knowingly, cynically inviting retaliation from those you’ve attacked will bring rewards from civilised countries whose emotions you have deliberately manipulated.”




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