GNITN - Special Edition

Israel At War – Day 89

A Defining Moment

Flashpoint In The War

Some are saying that the killing of 6 people, including the Hamas deputy leader Arouri by the IDF could be the tipping point in the war in Israel. As I discussed in my report yesterday, Arouri was working with terrorists from all war theaters to coordinate their attacks on Israel. He was also involved in hostage deals as a negotiator as well as the man behind the West Bank terrorism. This was a major blow to Hamas and it also stirred the hornets nest in Hezbollah who was hosting Arouri in Beirut. As we will see, this could be what brings Hezbollah into a full scale war with Israel, something that Israel says they don’t want and for good reason. The terrorists from the north have a far superior stockpile of weapons to Hamas and have rockets that can reach all of Israel. And they are reported to have a better tunnel system with which to hide if attacked. If you think I want to see more war, you are wrong. I would prefer that all terrorists will surrender and stop their hatred of Jews without one more life lost. I’m simply dealing in the reality of what I see and hear from these terrorists and unfortunately they would rather be martyred than surrender. In that respect, they’ve made their choice.

“I Lived Too Long”

Arouri himself knew that the strike was inevitable as we read in a report from The Times Of Israel:

Deputy Hamas leader Saleh al-Arouri had long expected the Israeli drone strike that security sources said killed him in Beirut on Tuesday, three months after his Palestinian terror group’s surprise cross-border onslaught that triggered a months-long war in Gaza.

“I am waiting for martyrdom and think that I lived too long,” he said in August, as he urged Palestinians in the West Bank to take up arms amid a surge of violence.

Reports vaguely mention the others killed in the drone attack, but now we read that the floor that was attacked was the office for Hamas leaders in another Times Of Israel article:

Hamas confirmed that seven people in total were killed in the explosion, a precision strike on a third-floor apartment said to serve as an office for the terror group. The others besides Arouri were identified as military commanders Samir Findi and Azzam Al-Aqraa, along with Hamas figures Mahmoud Shaheen, Muhammad Bashasha, Muhammad al-Rayes and Ahmed Hammoud.

According to reports, Findi oversaw Hamas military activities in Lebanon — including the firing of rockets at Israel — and was considered the terror group’s point man with the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. Al-Aqraa reportedly orchestrated terror activities in the West Bank from overseas.

It is considered an assassination and no one is disputing that characterization, and as we now know, these men were responsible for a major part of the war. But it shouldn’t come as a surprise as we continue to read:

Israel has vowed to target all leaders of Hamas after the terror group’s devastating October 7 attack on Israel that killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and saw the abduction of over 240 others.

A Decisive Response

According to a report from i24news.tv Hezbollah is putting together their response now:

Following the assassination of Saleh al-Arouri Tuesday evening, in what foreign media says was an Israeli drone strike, Hezbollah warned that its finger is on the trigger and that the “crime” would not go unpunished. Killed in Beirut alongside two military wing commanders and four other Hamas members, al-Arouri is the most senior Palestinian official assassinated in nearly 20 years.

Israeli statements are carefully worded and avoid taking responsibility for the killings, but all signs do point to this being their operation. The main reason they are so delicate is obvious and that is if Hezbollah attacks in earnest, they certainly have the ability to inflict great damage on Israel:

The Lebanese organization holds one of the world’s largest rocket arsenals - surpassing many Western militaries in scale - with missiles eclipsing the weapons in Hamas’ armory in range, accuracy, and quantity.

Missiles that could pose a threat to cities if Israeli air defenses are overwhelmed by mass launches. Hezbollah would likely aim to do this by saturating Israel’s interceptor systems with dozens of “dumb” rockets, using their launches to screen the guided missiles which represent a far greater danger.

It is for this reason that officials in Jerusalem take the threat of Hezbollah seriously, and have stressed that their fight is with Hamas, and not Hezbollah.

"We are focused on the battle against Hamas, from the beginning, and we will continue to do so,” Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, the IDF’s spokesperson, said during a press conference in the hours after the news broke of al-Arouri’s death.

Is Hezbollah All Talk And No Action?

Going back to the same article from i24news.tv, we read how many are seeing all the bluster of Hezbollah’s leaders and the possible complications inside of Lebanon for an all-out attack on Israel:

It remains unclear if Hezbollah will back up its threats with real actions. The Iranian proxy may talk large, while simply continuing or escalating its skirmishes along the border with Israel, as it has reasons not to gamble on all out war.

The report thinks that Hezbollah will continue attacking the way it has up until now. It adds these points for thinking they are just talking a good fight alone:

Hezbollah has to take domestic Lebanese factors into account. Politicians and media have condemned Jerusalem for al-Arouri’s death, with caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati describing the attack as a “new Israeli crime” that risked dragging Lebanon into war. “It is evident to all that the decision of war rests in Israel's hands, and it is imperative to restrain and halt its aggression,” Mikati said.

But other important figures and community leaders in the country have also recently urged Hezbollah not to provoke Israel. This includes Maronite Christian Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, who raised concerns over extending the war in Gaza into Lebanon.

Lebanon’s chronic economic crisis and political stagnation makes a confrontation with Israel highly risky for Hezbollah - which holds responsibilities as part of the ruling coalition.

How it reacts in the coming days and hours may prove to be a pivotal decision in this war.

The IDF Is Ready

In all of this talk of a potential escalation of hostilities with Hezbollah, one thing the IDF is saying strongly is that they will be ready for such an increase from the north as we read in an article from CBN.com:

Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, the Israel Defense Forces chief spokesman, didn't mention the assassination but made it clear Israel's battle is against Hamas.

"The IDF is in a very high rate of readiness in all arenas, in defense and in offense," Hagari stated Tuesday. "We are highly prepared for any scenario. The most important thing to say tonight is that we are focused and remain focused on fighting Hamas."

For his part, Israel Defense Minister Gallant echoed those sentiments adding losing is not an option:

On a visit to troops in Gaza, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant indicated that without a clear victory, Israel will not be able to live in the Middle East.

"We must emerge victorious for two reasons: first in order to exact a price (from the terrorists), and to ensure that anyone living near the Gaza Strip may do so safely. In addition, a scenario in which 1,500 people are killed or taken hostage must end with clear-cut deterrence and victory, otherwise we cannot live in the Middle East. As such, we are determined to achieve our goals," Gallant declared.

In another article, this time from The Times Of Israel we read that the IDF is indeed ready to fight in the north:

“We are in a very strong state of readiness in the north under my impression. I visit here a lot, I think readiness is at its peak,” Halevi said during an assessment with Northern Command chief Maj. Gen. Ori Gordin, the commander of the 210th Regional Division, Brig. Gen. Zion Ratzon, and commanders of reservist units on the border.

“We are very well prepared in all areas, and we are currently focusing on fighting Hamas,” Halevi added.

We should pray that they are prepared, but also protected by God’s Heavenly army as well.