Video: Netanyahu speaks with his aide Topaz Luk / Credit: https://www.facebook.com/Netanyahu

Unity? Where exactly does he find this, when he constantly attacks his opponents and labels them extreme left? What cohesion is he talking about when he says it's in contrast to what's seen in studios – again attacking the media? And he dares speak of unity and cohesion while persistently pushing to pass the exemption law for ultra-Orthodox.

But as we know, in movies anything goes, and they claim it's based on a true story but events and names were changed for artistic narrative. The same applies to the video he posted on Facebook Friday. Netanyahu, wearing heavy makeup and a polo shirt, is filmed in his office answering questions supposedly sent from the public. He projects calmness. Looking into the camera, his eyes trying to convey empathy. Before him, on the table, lies a book titled "Ancient Pearls." And of course, on the first page Netanyahu finds support for what he saw in the field when visiting staging areas before entering Gaza. "You won't believe it," he tells Topaz Look, "on the first page of the book it says – 'We are one people. We are brothers.' Simply unbelievable that this is the book I took with me today for the trip."

I wasn't impressed, because with Netanyahu nothing is coincidental. Including the questions his spokesperson chose from those sent – or simply made up – to provide Netanyahu a comfortable platform to express his simplistic thoughts. Like the question asked in a previous video, how does he sleep at night? His answer is infuriating, "I sleep little, not much, but with a clear conscience." Having decided to answer the question, his response demonstrates insensitivity and callousness – not only toward the nation, which hasn't slept peacefully for over a year and a half, but toward the 59 families whose loved ones have been languishing in Gaza for 583 days and nights.

Is Trump bypassing Netanyahu?

It's no surprise, as Netanyahu has tied himself to an extremist, messianic coalition. He does the bidding of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, including their demand to conquer Gaza and hold it – hostages be damned. Due to his surrender to these two, he has become a secondary player in the drama unfolding under President Donald Trump's direction. If in the past it was promised that any deal with Saudi Arabia would include Israel as a continuation of the Abraham Accords, now Trump is bypassing us. He reaches an agreement with the Houthis, with Iran, and now with Saudi Arabia – leaving Netanyahu to fend for himself. Trump sees his weakness. This is already a danger to our security.

And in no video does Netanyahu address this, nor does he attack as he would have done had Joe Biden and Kamala Harris been in the White House. He fears Trump to the same degree he fears the ultra-Orthodox parties withdrawing if he doesn't pass the exemption law. And he fears them more than the anger of the majority of the people he is supposed to faithfully represent. He doesn't care how his citizens sleep at night or how they make ends meet. From his perspective, they are merely a reservoir from which reservists and regular soldiers come, and from which taxes are collected to sustain the draft dodgers.

In the movie we would produce, we would urge the ultra-Orthodox to withdraw and bring down the government – because according to every poll, Netanyahu will not be the next prime minister. And that, unlike Topaz Look's videos, is not science fiction. Even Trump understands this.

The post What was Netanyahu thinking in his bizarre video? appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

"Israel must be able to defend itself on its own against any threat and any enemy. This was true in the face of many challenges in the past and will be true in the future," Katz emphasized in his statement.

The defense minister warned that "the Houthis will suffer heavy blows from Israel if they continue to fire at us," adding that "the IDF is prepared for any mission."

Katz also directed an explicit warning to the Iranian leadership, "I also warn the Iranian leadership that finances, arms and operates the Houthi terror organization. The proxy method is over and the axis of evil has collapsed. You bear direct responsibility."

The minister then raised the threat level by saying, "What we did to Hezbollah in Beirut, to Hamas in Gaza, to Assad in Damascus and to the Houthis in Yemen – we will also do to you in Tehran."

The sharp warning comes in response to missile fire from Yemen toward Israel in the past week, amid ongoing regional escalation. Security sources assess that Israel is weighing its response options, emphasizing the message that the country will not hesitate to respond forcefully against any threat.

"We will not allow any entity to harm Israel – and anyone who harms us will be severely harmed," the defense minister concluded in his statement.

The post After Sana'a strike, Israel warns Iran Tehran could be next appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

The reports cited local Houthis saying the airport had been decimated and that the strikes also hit nearby power stations. The IDF later confirmed that the airport had been "taken out of service" in an Israeli Air Force strike, the second in as many days against Houthi rebels.

First images from the strike https://t.co/CuHNZStxE2 pic.twitter.com/8TepBWLMYM

— Raylan Givens (@JewishWarrior13) May 6, 2025

"The Israel Air Force conducted strikes on Houthi terror infrastructure at the main airport in Sana'a, Yemen, completely disabling it. This attack follows a recent Houthi missile launch targeting Ben Gurion International Airport," the IDF said in a statement. "The Sana'a airport, like the Hodeidah port that was struck yesterday, is used by the Houthi regime to transfer weapons and operatives, and is regularly operated for terrorist purposes. This represents another example of the Houthi terrorist organization's use of civilian infrastructure for terror activities.

𝐈𝐃𝐅 𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐣𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐢 𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐚'𝐚

The strike was carried out in response to the attack launched by the Houthi terrorist…

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) May 6, 2025

Additionally, several major power stations in the Sana'a area were targeted. These facilities provide significant electrical infrastructure that the Houthi regime exploits for terrorist operations, demonstrating another instance of the regime's misuse of Yemeni civilian infrastructure for terrorist purposes.

Video: The aftermath of the strike on Yemen / Credit: Social media

According to the IDF, "The Israeli forces also struck the Al-Amran concrete factory north of Sana'a, an important resource for the Houthi regime used in constructing tunnels and military infrastructure. The damage to this factory impacts the terror government's economy and military capabilities. The strikes were conducted with precision while taking precautionary measures where possible to minimize harm to civilians and civilian property. The operation was authorized by the Israeli Air Force commander and the IDF chief of staff."

"The Houthi terror regime has been operating for the past year and a half under Iranian guidance and funding to attack Israel and its allies, destabilize regional order, and disrupt global freedom of navigation. The IDF remains determined to continue operating forcefully against any entity threatening Israeli citizens, at whatever distance necessary.RetryClaude can make mistakes. Please double-check responses," the statement continued.

The directive to evacuate the airport, posted on X, called for the immediate evacuation of the airport area, fueling speculation that Israel was going to target the area just hours after it struck a key port and a major concrete factory in the Houthi-controled area in Yemen.

The evacuation order came amid heightened tensions, with Houthi forces intensifying missile attacks on Israel, including multiple missile strikes over the past week, including one that fell just outside International Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv in early May.

Burning Planes - Dramatic footage of the IDF strike results on the airport in Yemen. https://t.co/CZpDamjpwT pic.twitter.com/UpLmKXjFbB

— Raylan Givens (@JewishWarrior13) May 6, 2025

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed retaliation against the Houthis and their alleged Iranian backers, citing these attacks as a threat to Israel's sovereignty. The Houthis, which are a Shiite group backed by Iran, have taken over parts of Yemen and have consistently been firing on Israel since the outbreak of the Oct. 7. The missiles have been mostly intercepted, but have become a major nuisance for to Israel, which has struck back at Yemen multiple times. The US has also recently a launched a major campaign against the Houthis over their ongoing disruption of navigation through the Red Sea in solidarity with Hamas.

The first post, accompanied by a map highlighting the airport, urges everyone in the vicinity to vacate the area immediately. It reads, "We call on you to evacuate the airport area – Sana'a International Airport – immediately and to warn everyone around you of the need to evacuate this area at once. Failure to evacuate and move away from the location puts you in danger." The post included a map of the area surrounding Sana'a International Airport.

Israel's strikes in the vicinity of Yemen's port of Hodeidah on Monday killed four people and injured 39, according to the Houthis.

The second post reinforces the message, adding a note about preserving safety and a video used by Adraee stating, "For your safety, we call on you to evacuate the airport area – Sana'a International Airport – immediately and to warn everyone around you of the need to evacuate this area at once. Failure to evacuate and move away from the location puts you in danger."

Video: Footage from the attack by the Israeli Air Force on Houthi installations on May 5, 2025 / Credit: IDF

Sana'a International Airport, located 9 miles north of Yemen's capital, serves as the country's primary international airport and a hub for Yemenia Airways. It has been a focal point in Yemen's ongoing conflict, with past incidents including Saudi-led airstrikes in December 2021 that caused significant damage and Houthi restrictions on UN and humanitarian flights in 2024.

#عاجل إلى جميع المتواجدين في منطقة مطار صنعاء الدولي وحفاظًا على سلامتكم
ندعوكم إلى اخلاء منطقة المطار - مطار صنعاء الدولي - بشكل فوري وتحذير كل من يتواجد بجواركم عن ضرورة اخلاء هذه المنطقة فورًا
عدم الاخلاء والابتعاد عن المكان يعرضكم للخطر pic.twitter.com/CNv0GWIvjs

— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) May 6, 2025

The airport's strategic importance, adjacent to the Al-Dailami Air Base, makes it a frequent target in military operations. Most recently, on December 26, 2024, Israeli airstrikes reportedly targeted the airport's control tower and terminal, killing three civilians and injuring 17, according to Yemeni sources.

The post Major strike on Sana'a airport reported after Israel issues dramatic warning appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

In general, it's unrealistic to expect others to fight Israel's wars. The serious problems with international forces deployed in Lebanon are not an accident but inherent failures: such forces are effective in preventing conflicts between sides that have no desire to fight each other, but are much less effective when one side doesn't want their presence. Aside from rare exceptions, such as the Scandinavian "Nordbat II" battalion during the Yugoslav wars, these forces do not tend to engage in combat against either side. Like nations, they have no interest in risking themselves in a war that isn't theirs. This means Israel must ensure, by itself, that threats do not grow and will need to do so continuously.

Israel's two security doctrines

Israel has two parallel, though unofficial, security doctrines. The more well-known one is designed to counter an "all-out" scenario, meaning an invasion by multiple enemy states. This is the doctrine of "deterrence, warning, and decisive victory." The second doctrine, dealing with "ongoing security," was defined by Moshe Dayan as imposing a "high price on our blood, one too costly for the enemy to bear." This method is effective, particularly when the enemy understands that escalation could lead to a war they will lose. Over the years, Israel has sought to exact a heavy toll on enemies responsible for spilling Israeli blood.

However, preventing the enemy's military buildup has generally not been part of Israel's security doctrine. There are exceptions: Israel made significant efforts to thwart Egypt's missile project in the 1960s and has declared it will prevent its enemies from developing a nuclear threat. In today's context, "preventing a military buildup" means Israel would actively prevent non-state actors from acquiring combat capabilities that could threaten it. This implies rejecting the existence of hostile non-state actors around Israel and continuously and openly targeting any country hosting such organizations, whether willingly or unwillingly.

Deterrence without the deterred

For many years, Israel refrained from adopting this approach due to its significant costs. The military buildup of a neighboring state is not usually considered a cause for war, and Israel did not want or was unable to prevent all its hostile neighbors from acquiring military capabilities. For instance, while it destroyed Syria's anti-aircraft missiles and T-72 tanks in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley during the First Lebanon War, Israel did not wage a war to prevent Syria from acquiring them. Preventing non-state actors from growing their military power is complex but does not necessarily require direct confrontation with an army.

Before the current strategy of "the campaign between wars" (known as MABAM) following the Second Lebanon War, Israel did not engage much in efforts to prevent the military buildup of its enemies. This approach, now under criticism for contributing to Hamas's strengthening, actually represented a shift. Israel set limited goals to prevent Iran and its proxies from growing stronger in Syria. However, as Brigadier General Eran Ortal argued in his book The War Before, Israel did not apply this strategy effectively against Hezbollah in Lebanon or Hamas in Gaza because it was deterred and feared the expected cycles of violence.

After the horrifying demonstration on October 7 of the costs of inaction, most Israelis believe the previous security doctrine must change. Some may hope for Jordanian security guarantees or an immediate comprehensive diplomatic solution. However, for those who don't believe in such hopes, it means Israel will need to be perpetually active. In other words, the country will be in a constant state of war. This will be true even if Israel allows for the creation of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza.

"He who wants peace must prepare for war"

A security doctrine based on prevention will have several principles: freedom of action, engagement, responsibility, and growth.

Freedom of action means Israel will not wait for its enemies to grow stronger but will continuously act against potential future threats. To do so, Israel must continue to heavily invest in intelligence, precision weapons, and its air force. Yet it also needs to rethink its ground forces, as airstrikes alone were insufficient in the battle against Hamas. Ground forces should no longer be considered a last resort but rather a high-priority option to demonstrate seriousness in deterring enemies.

Ground forces, while not a cure-all, are necessary for neutralizing nearby threats. Israel must be prepared to swiftly launch ground incursions without hesitation, just as it is ready to deploy special forces and airstrikes. As the Roman military writer Vegetius said, "He who desires peace must prepare for war." Only by building credible military power and being willing to use it can Israel achieve this.

Moreover, Israel must abandon the defensive mindset that has subtly entered its security doctrine since 2005. While defensive measures, such as missile interception, are crucial and have reduced casualties from Hezbollah rockets, defense should be just one part of a broader strategy. The defensive approach erodes the other pillars of security, as it can diminish the perceived need for them.

"Responsibility" means Israel must openly take responsibility for preventing non-state actors from gaining strength, especially in cases where the official governments of such territories fail to control them. If neighboring states abandon their sovereignty over these areas, they cannot demand that Israel respect their sovereignty either.

The cost of implementing such a proactive security doctrine will be high. Israel's military will need to be large enough to maintain continuous operations of various kinds, with a likely increase in casualties, albeit smaller compared to the alternative of a surprise attack like October 7. Additionally, Israel will need to bolster its economic capacity to sustain this effort over time.

Ultimately, Israel must decide whether it is willing to pay the price of a strategy focused on preventing enemy buildups, understanding that doing nothing will also come with a price. High walls might make for good neighbors, but when those neighbors are determined to stay hostile, it takes more than walls to keep them at bay.

Dr. Yagil Henkin is a Research Fellow at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security (JISS).

The post A new security doctrine is needed, even if the price is perpetual war appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

 

US President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced that he asked Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a pause in Gaza fighting over the phone call that occurred on Tuesday. "I didn't get a chance to talk to him today. I did ask him for a pause in the past — yesterday. Still waiting to hear," the President told to a reporter traveling with him in Washington DC

Check out @BorisJohnson's emotional reaction as he visits the devastating scenes of the Kibbutz Be'eri massacre

The ex-British PM was on a tour arranged by former Israeli ambassador to the UN @dannydanon

| With @OwenAlterman pic.twitter.com/RsaUKYs1gp

— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) November 5, 2023

A following report by Axios claimed that Biden requested a three-day pause to allow hostages release, according to two US and Israeli officials. "According to a proposal that is being discussed between the US, Israel and Qatar, Hamas would release 10-15 hostages and use the three-day pause to verify the identities of all the hostages and deliver a list of names of the people it is holding, the U. official said."

Video: Israel exposes Hamas network beneath and next to Gaza's hospitals / Credit: Reuters

November 08, 2023

Rocket sirens sound in Gaza border communities

US House censures Rashida Tlaib over "river to the sea" chant

The vote came after Tlaib's accused US President Joe Biden of supporting a "genocide" in Gaza. The measures taken against the Congresswoman are a punishment one step below expulsion from the House.

Hostages' families support Biden's suggestion to pause fighting to release the captives, oppose truce for other purposes

The Headquarters of Families for Return of Abducted and Missing Persons spoke in favor of "any initiative for a temporary truce in exchange for the release of the abductees." They demanded that Israeli government upholds "the principle that any lull in the fighting will be conditional on the immediate release of the abductees."

The statement added that "any truce in exchange for talks" will be a "waste of time and psychological warfare on the families of the abductees."

IDF eliminates senior Hamas official responsible for weapons development

According to the Israel security forces statement, Mohsen Abu Zina was "one of Hamas' leading expert in developing strategic weapons and rockets used by Hamas terrorists." Other terrorist cells and targets were reportedly eliminated during IDF's overnight activity in the Gaza Strip.

US reviews Israel's request for 200 Switchblade 600 attack drones

The UAVs are designed to destroy armored vehicles and other targets in multi-domain operations. Their price is not disclosed.

US VP Kamala Harris spoke with Israel's President Isaac Herzog on one-month anniversary of Hamas attack

Harris reiterated her support for Israel and emphasized the importance of creating post-war conditions that would offer "durable and sustainable peace and security with equal measures of security, prosperity, and freedom"

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre condemned anti-Israel activists tearing down posters with Hamas' hostages after refusing to do so at a press conference

On her X (formerly Twitter) account, Jean-Pierre called these actions "wrong and hurtful."

Earlier, at a press conference, when asked about the White House's stance on a series of such incidents, Jean-Pierre said: "I'm just not going to go into specifics on that particular thing. What I can say, there are real but violent protests and threats that are happening right now. And senior administration officials are aware of these reports, which are deeply concerning, and that is something that we're focused on."

Pennsylvania Senator Fetterman displays posters with Israeli hostages in Gaza in his office

IDF announces death of Sergeant First Class Yaacov Ozeri in Gaza

READ MORE HERE

IDF advanced to the main Hamas headquarters in Gaza City - Army Radio

November 7, 2023

UAE to establish a field hospital in the Gaza Strip - report

US Secretary of State Blinken arrives in Japan for G7 meeting; Gaza ceasefire discussion said to dominate the event

PM Netanyahu announces Israel's 'security responsibility' for Gaza for 'an indefinite period' after war ends, cautions Hezbollah from involvement

IDF finds Hamas rocket launchers in playgrounds and near children's swimming pools in Gaza / Credit: IDF

November 4, 2023

02:44 PM

British media outlet The Sun cover features the faces of 31 Israeli children held hostage by Hamas. 

On tomorrow's front page: Innocent faces of 32 kids held by Hamas as parents plead to release them https://t.co/IoBITop7N5 pic.twitter.com/rCfaLZBe1G

— The Sun (@TheSun) November 1, 2023

06:27 AM

IDF names latest soldier killed in Gaza as Lt. (res) Yuval Zilber of Ramat Gan

06:10 AM

Rocket alert sirens sound in Gaza border communities

Egyptian ambulances reported entering Gaza through the Rafah crossing to transport dozens of wounded for medical treatment.

The Hamas-run Gaza crossing authorities are said to allow as many as 500 foreign nationals to leave the Strip through the crossing.

Dagestan governor Malikov calls the participants of the Makhachkala airport pogrom attempt 'pathetic animal-like cowards'

US Secretary of State Blinken expected in Israel on Friday, said to visit other countries in the Middle East

Earlier on Tuesday, Antony Blinken spoke with Israeli President Isaac Herzog over the phone.

IDF deploys missile ships in the Red Sea area, cites growing security risks

The decision follows a series of attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels

PA reports 4 Palestinians killed in the West Bank during overnight clashes with IDF

Israeli FM: Bolivia's decision to break diplomatic ties is a 'capitulation to terrorism and the regime of the Ayatollahs in Iran'

Israel's Minister of Defense Gallant: 'The fall of IDF fighters in the battles against Hamas terrorists in Gaza is a hard and painful blow. Our hearts and thoughts are with their dear families'

Reports of vehicles belonging to American Jews vandalized in New York

US security advisors reported in Israel to assist locating Hamas hostages

According to The New York Times, a number of the US commandos is now in Israel helping Israel Defense Forces (IDF) with hostages liberation.

Christopher Maier, an assistant secretary of defense, stated: "We're actively helping the Israelis to do a number of things," including "hostages identification.

Israeli military reports hitting over 11,000 Hamas targets since the beginning of the war

IDF Spokesperson Daniel Hagari shared the latest pictures of the troop's ground operation in Gaza. Nine troops' names were announced overnight, hours after two soldiers' names were released.

The IDF Aerial Defense Array intercepted an aerial threat that was identified in the area of the Red Sea, south of the city of Eilat, a short while ago. No threat was posed to civilians and no infiltration into Israeli territory was identified.

O1:00 AM

The IDF Aerial Defense Array intercepted an aerial threat that was identified in the area of the Red Sea, south of the city of Eilat, a short while ago. No threat was posed to civilians and no infiltration into Israeli territory was identified.

00:00 IDF shares details of the Hamas commander who was eliminated Tuesday

IDF fighter jets eliminated Ibrahim Biari, Commander of Hamas' Central Jabaliya Battalion. Biari was one of the leaders responsible for the murderous terror attack on October 7th.

The strike damaged Hamas' command and control in the area and eliminated a large number of… pic.twitter.com/nfJImr5g50

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 31, 2023

October 31, 2023

IDF demolishes West Bank house of Hamas deputy leader Saleh al-Arouri

The post LIVEBLOG: Netanyahu says no ceasefire without hostage release; 37 IDF soldiers killed during ground operation in Gaza appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.