Browsing: Middle East

The IDF on Thursday revealed that it, led by the Ground Technology Division, has been supplying the Lebanese army with anti-explosive drone barbed wire, as Hezbollah’s drone threat continues to grow and expand.To date, the military has issued approximately 158,000 square meters of anti-explosive drone barbed wire, equivalent in size to about 20 football fields. Further, the IDF is in the process of procuring an additional 188,000 square meters of the wire. Continue reading this article on jpost.com

Iran’s IRGC vowed a “heavy attack” on American military assets after US forces disabled Iranian tankers — and IDF simultaneously struck over 85 Hezbollah sites in 24 hours. Here’s what’s happening. This Monday update covers three major fronts developing simultaneously across the Middle East. On the maritime front, the IRGC Navy has issued explicit threats against US military installations and naval assets, warning that any further action against Iranian tankers will trigger devastating retaliatory strikes. This follows US forces disabling multiple Iranian-flagged vessels under the ongoing naval blockade — a crisis that traces back to February 28. Indirect diplomacy continues,…

Israeli soldiers wounded by Hezbollah drones in Lebanon are being evacuated to Rambam Medical Center in growing numbers, as troops on the ground describe the aircraft as one of the most dangerous threats they face. Over the past two weeks, 17 people wounded in Hezbollah drone explosions have been brought to Rambam, 11 of them by helicopter. Fifteen soldiers are currently hospitalized there, including five wounded by explosive drones. Since fighting resumed in the north, the Haifa hospital has treated about 132 soldiers. “We move with protective gear, vests and helmets, but you don’t know when it will hit you,”…

The IDF confirmed Thursday it killed Ahmed Ali Balout, commander of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force, in an airstrike a day earlier in the Dahieh district of Beirut. The military said Balout was killed in a precise strike in the Hezbollah stronghold, the first such attack there in weeks, while a ceasefire remained in place and amid reports of contacts between the United States and Iran over a potential arrangement that would see the cessation of hostilities across the Middle East, including in Lebanon. According to the IDF, Balout held several positions over the years in the Radwan Force, Hezbollah’s elite…

Late on Wednesday night, a Hezbollah terrorist launched rockets that fell adjacent to IDF soldiers operating in southern Lebanon. No IDF injuries were reported. In footage now revealed, Hezbollah’s method of operation can be observed. Following the rocket launches, the IDF identified that the terrorist concealed the launcher inside a civilian structure in the Jwaya area in southern Lebanon. Subsequently, the IDF struck the structure and eliminated the terrorist in order to remove the threat. Following the strike, secondary explosions were identified, indicating the presence of weapons inside the structure. Continue reading this article on israelnationalnews.com

Israel’s Cabinet on Sunday, April 26, unanimously approved the appointment of Michael Lotem as the Jewish state’s first ambassador to Somaliland. Lotem, a senior diplomat, was announced as Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar’s pick for the post on April 15. He finished a three-year tour as ambassador to Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, and the Seychelles in August 2025, and has since served as a non-resident economic ambassador to Africa. Lotem had previously served as ambassador to Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan. The posting will initially be non-resident—Lotem will be based in Jerusalem rather than in Somaliland, managing the bilateral relationship through visits and…

Iron Dome was just used outside Israel for the first time in history — deployed to the UAE as Iran fired 560+ missiles at the Gulf state. Here’s what this means for the region and the Abraham Accords. This week’s Israel and Middle East news briefing covers four major developments you need to know about. The Israeli Air Force eliminated a Hamas cell in central Gaza — including Hazem Rami Ali Aidi, a Hamas commander confirmed to have participated in the October 7, 2023, massacre. Also killed were a platoon commander and a Hamas military intelligence operative. Israel continues to…

Hezbollah is looking for new ways to fight the IDF. The Lebanon-based terror group is now launching small drones controlled by fiber-optic cables to avoid electronic detection. These particular drones are not controlled remotely, but rather have thin cables directly connected to them, making it impossible to electronically jam them. Cord-connected drones have been widely used in the war in Ukraine, are small and hard to track. Hezbollah says it began using these fiber-optic guided drones for the first time back in early March, airing videos of its use on their social media platforms and its Al-Manar TV station. Continue…

The IDF on Wednesday struck and eliminated Ibrahim Abu Tzakar, a Hamas terrorist, a military statement said. Abu Tzakar had planned to carry out an imminent terror attack against IDF troops. Throughout the war, he led and advanced numerous attacks against IDF troops and the State of Israel. In parallel to his terrorist activity, Abu Tzakar operated under the cover of a paramedic in the medical array of the Hamas terrorist organization, thereby exploiting and endangering the medical system and the civilian population in the Gaza Strip. “The terrorist posed an immediate threat to IDF troops and was eliminated in…

IDF combat teams in southern Lebanon discovered a hidden Hezbollah stronghold 25 meters underground inside a clothing store, according to a Thursday statement. According to the military, the site was used by Hezbollah operatives to manage combat activity and store weapons. Soldiers found weapons and several rooms inside the underground complex that were used for Hezbollah’s operational management. Continue reading this article on jpost.com