Trump plans more activity against Houthis, Hamas making comeback in Gaza Strip
Terrorists fire rockets from Gaza as 2025 begins • IDF kills Islamic Jihad commander in Gaza • IDF targets Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon
Trump preparing to intensify activity against Houthis once sworn in, sources say
Trump and other officials in the incoming administration are interested in increasing the activity against the Houthis, including airstrikes.
US President-elect Donald Trump is preparing to increase activity against the Houthis once he is sworn in as president on January 20, two sources familiar with the details told The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday.
Trump and other officials in the incoming administration are interested in increasing the activity against the Houthis, including airstrikes.
“President Trump likely will add the Houthis back on the [State Department’s] Foreign Terrorists Organizations list, after President Joe Biden’s wrongheaded decision to remove them, as one of his first acts of president in 2021,” Mark Dubowitz, the CEO of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said.
Go to the full article >>Israel's multi-front war: What will happen in 2025? – analysis
Israel’s 2024 war explained: Seven fronts, shifting tactics, divided enemies, and lessons for 2025.
One of the main challenges for Israel in 2024 was the multi-front war. Hamas launched the murderous October 7 massacre in 2023, but the multi-front war became the major challenge in 2024. This is because Israel initially focused on fighting Hamas in November and December 2023. Those were the most intense months of fighting in Gaza.
After Hamas launched its attack, Hezbollah joined in. Hezbollah launched thousands of rockets at Israel, around 7,500 rockets, and 200 drone attacks by August 2024. The Houthis also began attacks, launching missiles and drones at Israel and then at various ships in the Red Sea.
Next came the Iranian-backed militias in Iraq that began targeting Israel with drones. By the end of the year, around 200 missiles and 170 drones had been launched by the Houthis at Israel. Iran also attacked Israel twice, once with hundreds of drones and missiles and again in October with 180 ballistic missiles. Overall, Iran likely launched 500 projectiles at Israel.
Go to the full article >>Hamas forces are making a substantial comeback in the Gaza Strip
New estimates gauge that Hamas's forces are up to between 12,000-23,000.
Both The Jerusalem Post and Channel 12 have received information indicating that Hamas is making a substantial comeback by recruiting new forces.
Along with Islamic Jihad together, Channel 12 said on Wednesday night that Hamas was up to between 20,000-23,000 fighters.
Information received by The Post in the recent period indicated numbers closer to around 12,000.
The wild fluctuation in numbers becomes even more stark when compared to previous numbers put out by the IDF or Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The latest numbers publicized were that the IDF has killed between 17,000-20,000 Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists over the course of the war.
Go to the full article >>Katz: 'If Hamas doesn't promptly release hostages, it will suffer unprecedented blows'
"If Hamas does not promptly facilitate the release of the Israeli hostages and halt its fire on Israel, it will suffer unprecedented blows, the likes of which Gaza has not seen in years," Defense Minister Israel Katz said during a visit to Netivot on Wednesday.
Go to the full article >>Help from above: Israeli aircraft strike over 1,400 Gaza targets in December
The Israeli aerial assets hit a variety of terror targets in the strikes, including terrorists squads, weapons storage facilities, sniper positions, and observer positions.
Providing close air support for IDF troops maneuvering in Gaza, Israeli jets, helicopters, and drones conducted more than 1,400 airstrikes in the Strip over the course of December 2024, the IDF stated on Wednesday.
According to the military, the Israeli aerial assets hit a variety of terror targets in these strikes, including squads of terrorists, weapons storage facilities, sniper positions, and observer positions.
The airstrikes also reportedly targeted tunnel shafts and other subterranean infrastructure.
Go to the full article >>Inside the Navy's most advanced ship: Commanders' insights on Israel’s maritime defense - exclusive
The Jerusalem Post interviewed Saar 6 officers who face threats from Lebanon, Gaza, Iran, and Yemen.
Recently, The Jerusalem Post interviewed two electronic warfare commanders on the Israeli Navy’s most advanced ship, the Saar 6, which is so new that some of the ships of that model have only become fully operational at the start of the current war.
Capt. “B” has served in the navy for over six years, including on his current Saar 6, The Independence, as well as on one prior Saar 6 ship and a Saar 5 ship.
Lt. “Y” has served on the current Saar 6 for around 18 months, having previously served on a Saar 4.5.
Y told the Post, “I started one week before October 7. I commend the detection, navigation, and communication systems for building the operational picture, including both offense, defense, and sailing. There are also tactical classified systems.”
Go to the full article >>IDF confirms special forces raid of Iranian missile facility in Syria in covert operation
The decision to carry out the strike was believed to be influenced by concerns that the Iranian missile factory would begin mass-producing missiles.
The IDF on Wednesday confirmed that Israel conducted a Shaldag commando raid on an underground Iranian missile production facility near the city of Maysaf in Syria in early September.
The Jerusalem Post learned of the operation in late September. It confirmed the story on Monday when the IDF started taking credit behind the scenes, but by Wednesday, the military fully confirmed its involvement.
That a raid took place, but without Israeli confirmation, was first reported by Axios on September 12, with the Post receiving secret confirmation shortly after but not permission to publicize the information.
Go to the full article >>Hamas, Israel have reached an impasse in hostage negotiations, Arab mediators tell WSJ - report
The Arab mediators said that a hostage-Gaza ceasefire deal is unlikely to be completed by the time US President Biden leaves office.
Despite new hopes for a deal and renewed talks, Hamas and Israel have hit an impasse, Arab mediators told the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday.
Go to the full article >>IAF strikes Hezbollah terrorists moving weapons from facility to truck in south Lebanon
The IDF said it is operating in accordance with the ceasefire understandings between Israel and Lebanon, which was enacted in late November.
The Israel Air Force struck a weapons storage facility, where IDF soldiers identified Hezbollah terrorists moving weapons into a nearby truck in Bani Haiyyan in southern Lebanon on Tuesday, the IDF announced Wednesday morning.
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Go to the full article >>WATCH: IAF strikes Hezbollah terrorists moving weapons from facility to truck in south Lebanon
The IDF said it is operating in accordance with the ceasefire understandings between Israel and Lebanon, which was enacted in late November.
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 at the Re'im music festival and hundreds of Israeli civilians across Gaza border communities
- 100 hostages remain in Gaza
- 49 hostages in total have been killed in captivity, IDF says
- The IDF launched a ground invasion of Lebanon on September 30
- The Israel-Lebanon ceasefire came into effect on November 27 at 4:00 a.m.