Shalom, friends.
Today marks day 725 since Hamas launched their genocidal attack on Israeli civilians. Every time I see that counter on Jewish and Israeli websites, I feel the weight of it. It is well past time for that number to stop climbing. I am skeptical of the latest peace plan, but I am also—cautiously—optimistic overall. We can bring the hostages home. We can finish the work of victory. The IDF is not the problem, nor is the Prime Minister the excuse. The problem is Hamas and its Iranian backers, and the solution is resolve.
In this briefing, pay attention to two fronts: the battlefield cost borne by our soldiers, and the diplomatic maneuvering that may determine whether their sacrifices secure quiet or are squandered in false deals. Watch also the secondary currents—international lawfare, flotillas dressed up as humanitarian theater, and the spread of antisemitism far from our shores.
The War Today
‘We may need to act again’: Senior IDF official warns of renewed Iranian threat
A senior IDF officer said Israel is preparing for multiple scenarios, including another strike on Iran, after Tehran suffered “a heavy blow” in June’s Operation Rising Lion. He emphasized that securing conditions for a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza remains a priority, but warned that Iran and its proxies may force further action. Former IRGC commander Mohsen Rezaei threatened that a renewed conflict could bring an all-out war, even with the United States. Read more →
The wounds our soldiers bear are the work of an enemy that sanctifies murder. Refuah shleimah to the injured. May the Holy One guard our fighters, strengthen their hands, and grant victory over those who glory in death.
Eleven IDF soldiers wounded in Hamas penetration of military position
Hamas terrorists infiltrated an IDF post in Gaza City, detonating explosives against a tank and engaging in close-range gunfire. Five soldiers were seriously injured in the first exchange, including a medical officer and tank crew, while six others were hurt during rescue efforts. At least two terrorists were killed, but others fled, with the army continuing to pursue them. Read more →
IDF: Five soldiers seriously wounded in northern Gaza fighting
The IDF reported that five soldiers, including officers from the Medical Corps and Armored Corps, were badly injured in battles in northern Gaza and evacuated for treatment. In a separate strike, the IDF and Shin Bet eliminated Musa Shaldan, deputy commander of Hamas’s Zeitun Battalion, who took part in the Oct. 7 massacre and later directed sniper fire, explosives, and anti-tank attacks against Israeli forces. His death removes a key figure who helped design Hamas’s combat network in Gaza City. Read more →
Battalion rabbi severely injured in Syria
An IDF reservist officer serving as a battalion rabbi was critically wounded in an explosion at an outpost in southern Syria and evacuated to Rambam Hospital in Haifa. While the blast is suspected to have come from a land mine, a Shi’a militia calling itself al-Muqawama al-Watania claimed responsibility, saying it planted the device at the post entrance. The incident underscores the persistent threat to Israeli forces across the Syrian front, where Hezbollah-aligned groups continue to test red lines. Read more →
Inside Israel
Knesset narrowly approves further NIS 30.8 billion in defense spending
The Knesset passed a NIS 30.8 billion ($9.2b) boost to the defense budget by a 55–50 margin, funding the costs of Israel’s 12-day war with Iran and ongoing operations in Gaza. Ultra-Orthodox UTJ factions largely opposed the measure, citing the draft-exemption dispute, while Shas supported it as a life-and-death necessity for munitions and reservist salaries. The bill also raises Israel’s deficit cap to 5.2% of GDP, highlighting coalition fractures even as the state shoulders wartime demands. Read more →
Segal: Doha strike ‘the most successful failed assassination in history’
Amit Segal argues the attempted hit on Hamas leaders in Doha jolted Qatar into pushing Hamas toward a US-backed hostage deal, calling it “the most successful failed assassination in history.” He says Netanyahu can pass the plan but may not hold the coalition afterward, with Smotrich and Ben Gvir poised to bolt while the PM seeks a political reset built on a draft law, normalization, and elections after the war. Read more →
Israel and the World
Trump unveils ‘historic’ Gaza peace plan, hails backing from Israel, Arab and Muslim states
Washington rolled out a comprehensive proposal that would free all remaining hostages within 72 hours, phase Israeli withdrawals in tandem with verifiable demilitarization, and deploy an Arab-led stabilization force alongside a technocratic interim administration. Israel signaled acceptance while key Arab states voiced support; Hamas is “studying” the offer, but history says the terror group exploits ceasefires and negotiates in bad faith—remember, a ceasefire was in place before its Oct. 7 massacre. The moral and strategic imperatives are twin: bring every hostage home and finish the job so Hamas cannot rearm and plan the next genocide. Read more →
Complaint to International Criminal Court seeks Oct. 7 genocide charges against Iran
The uncle of Shiri Bibas, murdered with her two young sons in Hamas captivity, has filed a complaint to the ICC demanding arrest warrants for Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and IRGC commander Esmail Qaani. The filing accuses Tehran of complicity in genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity for supplying Hamas with weapons, training, and direction for the October 7 massacre. Filed by veteran US war crimes prosecutor Eli Rosenbaum, the case underscores Iran’s central role in the onslaught and contrasts Tehran’s open genocidal intent with Israel’s adherence to the laws of war. Read more →
Captured documents reveal Hamas organized, funded Gaza flotilla
Israel released papers seized in Gaza that tie the current 50-boat flotilla to Hamas’s overseas network, naming the PCPA as a front and identifying senior operatives who financed and directed the effort. The files undercut the flotilla’s “humanitarian” branding and show a coordinated campaign to breach Israel’s lawful blockade while cameras roll. With the convoy nearing Israeli waters under European naval escort, Jerusalem says it will not allow direct access to Gaza’s coast. Read more →
‘Today, we burn the Jews’: Scandal after Argentinian high schoolers shout antisemitic slogan
A video showed Buenos Aires students chanting “Today, we burn the Jews” during a graduation trip while adults, including the coordinator, looked on. President Javier Milei condemned the incident, the school issued an apology, and Argentina’s Jewish umbrella group DAIA said it would file a criminal complaint for incitement to hatred. The travel company dismissed the coordinator and pledged reforms, as Argentina confronts a new surge of open antisemitism. Read more →
Briefly Noted
Times of Israel: Turkey’s Red Crescent evacuated 12 activists from a Gaza-bound flotilla ship after it began taking on water; the 50-boat “selfie flotilla” still aims to reach Gaza this week under Italian and Spanish naval escort, underscoring the stunt’s safety risks and its approach toward Israeli waters. Read more →
Jerusalem Post: An AP investigation found Gazan women coerced into sex by local men and UNRWA staff in exchange for aid and jobs, deepening UN scandals over exploitation and complicity with Hamas. Read more →
Jerusalem Post: Spain blocked U.S. arms shipments to Israel from passing through its bases, straining NATO logistics and signaling Madrid’s continued tilt against Jerusalem. Read more →
Jewish Chronicle: Former Mossad chief Yossi Cohen said Saudi Arabia is ready to join the Abraham Accords once the Gaza war ends, provided U.S. guarantees its security. Read more →
Times of Israel: Colombia rolled out its first locally made rifles to replace Israeli Galils after President Petro severed ties and accused Israel of genocide; the U.S. revoked his visa following a pro-Hamas rally. Read more →
Times of Israel: Researchers identified 1,031 previously unknown victims of the Babyn Yar massacre through digitized archives, restoring names erased for decades. Read more →
Algemeiner: Former PA prime minister Muhammad Shtayyeh praised Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre as “daring” and “unprecedented.” The remarks underscore how deeply embedded Hamas’s narrative remains in the PA’s leadership, despite attempts to present itself as a moderate alternative. Read more →
The Times of Israel: An Israeli man died during an IDF chase on the Egypt border after a suspected smuggling car rammed an army vehicle; the military says the crew likely planned to use drones to ferry contraband across the Sinai–Negev seam, a growing tactic the IDF has been interdicting for months. Read more →
Times of Israel: A ship in the Gulf of Aden was set ablaze by a suspected Houthi projectile, with UK maritime authorities urging caution as the Iran-backed militia widens attacks on commercial lanes that carry $1 trillion in trade each year. Read more →
Times of Israel: The US Justice Department filed a civil complaint under the FACE Act against groups and individuals who allegedly threatened and assaulted congregants during an anti-Israel protest outside Congregation Ohr Torah in West Orange, NJ, signaling federal readiness to treat synagogue intimidation as a civil-rights violation. Read more →
Jerusalem Post: Tel Aviv University researchers unveiled a new method using muon detectors—particles from cosmic radiation—to map underground voids at archaeological sites without digging, demonstrated at Jerusalem’s City of David. The breakthrough could revolutionize excavation by revealing hidden tunnels and cisterns before a shovel hits the ground. Read more →
Jerusalem Post: Haifa marked the 1918 cavalry charge that freed the city from the Ottomans, honoring Indian Jodhpur and Mysore Lancers and underscoring the living ties between Israel and India—heritage that still binds two democracies a century on. Read more →
Jewish Insider: Rep. Ro Khanna distanced himself from speakers at an anti-Israel Dearborn conference who praised Hamas as “resistance,” defending their free speech but exposing how the U.S. left normalizes terror apologetics. Read more →
Developments to Watch
Snapback bite, THAAD in – Japan reimposed sanctions on 78 Iranian entities and 43 individuals after the UN “snapback,” while the US deployed additional THAAD batteries to Israel; Jerusalem is bracing for weeks of proxy and missile testing. LIKELY TO ESCALATE.
Hezbollah artillery heads hit – The IDF eliminated Mohammad Abbas Shashoua and Muhammad Hussein Yassin, senior Hezbollah artillery operatives tied to barrages on Kiryat Shmona and the Golan, and struck additional targets near Aitaroun to blunt renewed rocket networks.
Sinai force surge – Bedouin sources report Egypt has massed troops, erected new checkpoints, and cleared zones near the border; Israel lifted an observation balloon to monitor the build-up as both sides try to choke cross-border terror and smuggling. LIKELY TO ESCALATE.
Drone smuggling “highway” – During a border visit, Minister Shikli witnessed waves of smuggling UAVs transiting the Egypt–Negev seam; the IDF says traffickers now routinely use drones for weapons and narcotics, prompting tighter electronic interdiction.
Ben Gurion cyber probe – Israel is investigating a cyberattack on Ben Gurion Airport; operations appear intact, but aviation and border systems remain high-value targets for Iran’s network and “pro-Palestinian” auxiliaries.
Turkish escort for flotilla – After a leak forced a rescue, Turkish Navy vessels moved to assist a Gaza-bound ship and may shadow the 50-boat “selfie flotilla” toward Israeli waters; any attempted breach will meet blockade enforcement. LIKELY TO ESCALATE.
IDF psyops in Gaza – Leaflets over al-Mawasi pictured the Doha strike site with the caption “The account is still open,” telegraphing that Hamas’s handlers are not beyond reach while pressure mounts inside Gaza City.
Aid throughput, stalled pickup – COGAT says ~430 aid trucks entered Gaza yesterday and ~330 were collected by UN and NGOs; contents of hundreds more still sit unclaimed at crossings, an indictment of Hamas/UN logistics while Israel funnels fuel and medevacs.
ISIS-inspired plot foiled – Shin Bet and police arrested Issa Madi, 18, in Acre for planning a bus-stop bombing against IDF soldiers after contacts with foreign jihadists; components and online guidance were seized.
Markets price “deal risk” – On the Trump plan headlines the shekel strengthened to below 3.30 per dollar and global oil slid ~3%, signaling bets on de-escalation; any Hamas stalling could whiplash both.
Qatar leverage threat – A senior Russian source claims Doha may expel Hamas leaders if they reject the Trump plan, a pressure lever that could reshape the hostage calculus.
Greek strike headwind – Potential strikes in Greece from Oct. 1 could disrupt Israel-bound itineraries; carriers and travelers should build slack into routings.
Syria regularizes Palestinians – Damascus invited unregistered Palestinians to obtain official documents via the Refugee Authority for the first time in decades, a bureaucratic shift with unclear security intent.
The stories today converge on a single truth: Israel is fighting not for advantage but for survival. Whether in Gaza alleys, Syrian outposts, or international courtrooms, the enemies of the Jewish state seek to grind us down. Yet we still hold the initiative. Hostages can come home. Hamas can be dismantled. Iran can be deterred. That is the horizon we must keep in view.
The fight is long, but we are not alone.
Shalom.
— Uri Zehavi · Intelligence Editor
With Modi Zehavi · Data + Research Analyst
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