Israel at War day 415: What happened in Gaza, Lebanon?

The Israeli air force struck Hezbollah infrastructure used to smuggle weapons from Syria into Lebanon on Saturday night, the IDF reported Sunday morning. 

The strike was conducted adjacent to the Jousieh border crossing in the northern Beqaa area, where the IDF reported Hezbollah has continuously smuggled Iranian weapons from Syria into Lebanon. 

The Jousieh Crossing is under the control of the Syrian regime and is operated by Syrian security forces, the military explained. The weapons reportedly enter the crossing and then are transferred by Hezbollah’s 4400 Unit.

Numerous members of Israel’s Knesset expressed feelings of sadness, horror, and anger at the news of Chabad emissary Zvi Kogan’s murder in the United Arab Emirates on Sunday morning. 

President Isaac Herzog said he "mourned with sorrow and outrage" at the news of Kogan's death, adding, "This vile antisemitic attack is a reminder of the inhumanity of the enemies of the Jewish people. It will not deter us from continuing to grow flourishing communities in the UAE or anywhere - especially with the help of the dedicated commitment and work of the Chabad emissaries all over the world."

Authorities in the United Arab Emirates have identified the body of previously missing Chabad emissary Rabbi Zvi Kogan, the Prime Minister's Office and the Foreign Affairs Ministry announced on Sunday morning.

Mossad and authorities in the Gulf country had opened the investigation based on information that Kogan's disappearance may be related to “a terrorist incident.”

In a meeting earlier this week between White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Rep. Mike Waltz (R-FL), whom President-elect Trump has chosen as his National Security Adviser, the pair discussed the war and the hostages in Gaza, two sources familiar with the meeting said.

This was the first meeting between Sullivan and his intended successor, who will inherit a long series of crises around the world, chief among them the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine.

Two residents of Ma'ale Iron were arrested on suspicion of attempting to smuggle 25 boxes of ammunition containing over 20,000 bullets for different weapons. The bullets are believed to have been stolen from the IDF and intended for terrorist use within Israel.

The ammunition was recovered during a targeted operation conducted by the Israel Police's Northern District central unit last Friday. The suspects, aged 22 and 35, were stopped near the Megiddo Junction, where their vehicles were searched.

The Norwegian government has introduced a proposition to increase funding to the Palestinian Authority, the Lebanese government, and the UN Palestinian refugee agency, UNRWA, it announced on Friday. 

In the statement, Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said, “The situation in the Middle East is more dangerous than in decades,” and that the Palestinian government is in an “acute financial situation.”

A Hezbollah rocket hit a factory in the Galilee, wounding a 51-year-old woman, Israeli media reported on Sunday morning. Fire crews are currently tackling flames at the scene and searching for those who may be trapped in the structure.

The woman, who is in light condition, was evacuated to Galil Medical Center in Nahariya after suffering shrapnel injuries to her lower limbs. 

The Israel Air Force intercepted a drone off the coast of Haifa on Saturday night, the IDF announced shortly after the incident. 

It added that the drone was launched from Lebanon, although no sirens were sounded in accordance with protocol.