Israel-Hamas War: What happened on day 168?
IDF vows to continue until all terrorists are captured or killed • Rocket, hostile aircraft intrusion sirens sound in North •
Israel foils major terror attack by suspects who crossed Jordanian border
They did not resist and were then transferred to the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) for investigation.
Two suspects who crossed from Jordan with weapons and are suspected of planning to carry out a major attack were arrested last night near the settlement of Petzael in the Jordan Valley, according to Israeli media.
The pair were identified last night in the settlement of Petzael in the Jordan Valley, with one of them holding a Kalashnikov with a magazine.
The security system still doesn't know to which group the pair belongs. An investigation has been opened into the case.
The security coordinator in Petzael, along with two emergency squad members, arrested the two suspects in the Jordan Valley, which is on the settlement's territory.
New details published this morning
New details published this morning indicate that the two crossed from Jordan, and a Quran was found with them.
The security system does not yet know who they belonged to, but according to the most recent assessment, a major attack was thwarted.
As mentioned, the two were identified close to 10:00 p.m. last night in the settlement; one of them was holding a Kalashnikov weapon with a magazine in Petzael.
The settlement security team arrested the pair in coordination with the military security coordinator, who is also a member of the team.
They did not resist and were then transferred to the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) for investigation.
Go to the full article >>FM Katz summons Turkish ambassador after Erdogan threatens to 'send Netanyahu to Allah'
This was shortly after an election rally last Thursday where the Turkish President had made these statements.
Foreign Minister Israel Katz summoned the Turkish ambassador after Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan threatened to "send [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu to Allah" in a post on X on Friday.
"I instructed Israel's Foreign Ministry officials to summon the Turkish deputy ambassador to Israel for a serious reprimand, following Erdogan's attack on Prime Minister Netanyahu and his threats to send PM Netanyahu to Allah and to convey a clear message to Erdogan," Katz wrote. "You who support the burning of babies, murderers, rapists, and the mutilation of corpses by Hamas criminals, is the last one who can speak about God.
Go to the full article >>Houthi leader says there are 'reckless' American-British on Yemen
Muhammad Ali Al-Houthi condemns American-British strikes in Yemen, alleging aid to Gaza blockade; Red Sea shipping attacks persist.
The head of the Houthi supreme revolutionary committee, Muhammad Ali Al-Houthi, said on Saturday there have been "reckless" American-British attacks on Yemen. The American-British attacks aim to break a naval blockade of ships linked to Israel, which is besieging Gaza, Muhammad Ali Al-Houthi said on X.
The Houthi-run Saba News Agency said separately that US-British aircraft had launched five raids on Hodeidah, the area where Yemen's main port is located.
Go to the full article >>Oil prices down on Gaza ceasefire talks, flat on the week
While a possible ceasefire meant crude might move more freely globally, a lower US oil rig count and the potential for easing US interest rates helped support prices.
Oil prices slipped on Friday and were flat on the week as the possibility of a ceasefire in Gaza weakened crude benchmarks, while the war in Europe and shrinking US rig count cushioned the fall.
Brent futures for May delivery LCOc1 settled at $85.43, losing 35 cents. US crude CLc1 settled at $80.63 a barrel, falling 44 cents. Both benchmarks logged less a than 1% change on the week.
Go to the full article >>Israel's UN ambassador pleads with members of security council to place blame on Hamas
Erdan also claimed that there is no country that seeks to avoid an operation in Rafah more than Israel.
"Hold Hamas accountable" was the underlying theme of Israeli UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan's speech to the security council on Friday following Russia and China's vote against the US resolution calling for a ceasefire tied to the release of the hostages.
Over and over Erdan repeated the words "hold Hamas accountable" and "condemn Hamas," something the council has yet to do broadly.
Go to the full article >>Lebanon to complain to UN, saying Israel disrupts navigation systems
Lebanon did not provide specific details regarding the nature of Israel's actions disrupting its navigation systems. Israel had no immediate comment.
Lebanon will file an urgent complaint with the UN Security Council over what it called Israel's violation of its sovereignty by disrupting its navigation systems, the foreign ministry said on Friday.
In a statement, the foreign ministry said Israel was affecting the safety of civil aviation in the airspace of Beirut's Rafic Hariri International Airport.
Go to the full article >>White House says there's still time to convince Israel against major ground operation in Rafah
The White House has not yet previewed what the administration plans to do should Israel continue with its ground invasion as planned, though it warned that it has "tools" to leverage against Israel.
Next week's meeting at the White House between members of the Biden administration and Israeli military and intelligence officials leaves room for Israel to opt against a full-scale ground invasion in Rafah, National Security spokesman John Kirby said Friday, despite recent comments from Netanyahu and his cabinet members suggesting otherwise.
Kirby acknowledged the White House is aware of Netanyahu's remarks that Israel will invade Rafah with or without US support.
Go to the full article >>Guterres to visit Egyptian border as Israel says Rafah invasion is imminent
Guterres will later travel to Jordan where he will visit UNRWA facilities and have a Ramadan Iftar with Palestinian refugees and UN staff in Amman.
UN Secretary General António Guterres will meet with UN humanitarian workers on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border on Saturday during his multi-country Ramadan solidarity trip, Guterres' Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq said Friday during a briefing.
Guterres has no plans to go into Gaza as Haq said the security implications of going into Gaza would draw resources from civilians who need it.
Go to the full article >>IDF investigating incident shown in viral leaked footage of drones targeting Gazans in Khan Yunis
The incident depicted in the video has been transferred for investigation to the General Staff’s Fact Finding and Mechanism.
The IDF is investigating leaked drone footage showing IDF drones targeting four individuals in Khan Yunis, Gaza, the military stated on Friday.
The incident, which according to the IDF occurred in early February, was reported on by Al Jazeera. The leaked video of the incident was widely circulated across social media sites in recent days in both Arabic and in English.
Go to the full article >>Israel-Hamas war: What you need to know
- Hamas launched a massive attack on October 7, with thousands of terrorists infiltrating from the Gaza border and taking some 240 hostages into Gaza
- Over 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals were murdered, including over 350 in the Re'im music festival and hundreds of Israeli civilians across Gaza border communities
- 134 hostages remain in Gaza, 34 of which killed in captivity, IDF says