This weekend, leaders in the Senate and the House introduced bills that include President Biden’s emergency funding request for Israel.
Speaker Mike Johnson announced that the House would be voting THIS WEEK on a bill that fully funds emergency aid for Israel, and the Senate announced a bipartisan compromise on a broader bill that also fully funds the emergency request for the Jewish state, as well as important humanitarian aid. While the two chambers will have to reconcile the different approaches, these bills each help advance the process forward and send a powerful message that America stands with Israel.
AIPAC is strongly supportive of both these efforts that ensure Israel has the resources it needs to protect its families and win this war. Fully funding the president’s request for Israel is vital for our ally’s security and it advances our country’s interests and security as well.
Your activism will be vital this week. The anti-Israel crowd will do its best to flood congressional offices with calls and emails urging officials to vote against these bills. Our community must be loud and unrelenting in building broad bipartisan support for these bills – this is the time to urge everyone you know to join you in contacting Congress.
When Hill offices open tomorrow, we are going to send you additional text messages and emails about further actions to take.Please take the actions and forward those messages to your friends, family, and colleagues.
WATCH: Leader Jeffries: Don’t put conditions on aid
"We shouldn't put conditions on the ability of any of our allies to defend themselves, particularly against a brutal terrorist regime like Hamas."
U.S. strikes Iran-backed terrorists in Iraq and Syria
The U.S. struck 85 targets in Iraq and Syria over the weekend, hitting sites belonging to Iranian-backed terror groups and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in response to the attack that killed three U.S. troops in Jordan last weekend.
"Our response began today," said President Biden on Friday night. "It will continue at times and places of our choosing…let all those who might seek to do us harm know this: If you harm an American, we will respond."
The targets included command and control headquarters, intelligence centers, rocket and missile caches, drone fleets, and ammunition storage sites.
Iranian-backed terror groups have attacked U.S. troops more than 160 times in Iraq, Syria, and Jordan since October 7.
IDF captures Hamas headquarters in Khan Yunis
Today, Israeli troops captured the main headquarters of Hamas’ Khan Yunis Brigade in the southern Gaza Strip which was used as the terror group’s central command center ahead of the October 7 massacre.
The complex also housed the office of Mohammed Sinwar, the brother of Hamas’ leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar, who has led the terror group’s operations.
Upon locating the command center, IDF soldiers encountered booby-trapped entrances and numerous explosive devices, which were destroyed by combat engineers. The troops then discovered training grounds with mock entrances to Israeli communities, IDF bases, and military vehicles used by Hamas to prepare for the October 7 attacks.
Below is footage published by the IDF of troops inside the command center and Sinwar’s offices, along with video of rockets and missiles found at the compound.
PM: 17 of 24 Hamas battalions destroyed
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated today Israel’s goals of destroying Hamas and freeing the hostages.
"So far we have destroyed 17 of 24 battalions," Netanyahu said. "Most of the remaining battalions are in the southern Strip and in Rafiah, and we will deal with them."
After destroying the battalions, he added, "there must be demilitarization…as our forces are doing with determination by mounting very aggressive raids” and "underground neutralization actions are required, as our forces are methodically doing in Khan Yunis and throughout the Strip, and this will yet take time."
Senior Advisor Hochstein meets Israeli officials in Tel Aviv
Hezbollah continued attacking Israeli communities throughout the weekend. Multiple rockets launched toward Kiryat Shmona today were intercepted by Israeli missile defense systems, and the IDF responded with strikes on Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Benny Gantz met with U.S. Senior Advisor Amos Hochstein in Tel Aviv today. "We are ready to resolve this crisis via diplomatic understandings," Gallant said, "however we are also prepared for any scenario."
Hochstein also met with Benny Gantz who reiterated his 'profound appreciation for the immense effort and important role the United States is undertaking in the region." He added that "the State of Lebanon is responsible for terror originating from its territory, and Israel will expand and deepen its military operations if the threat is not removed by Lebanon and the International community, regardless of the war in Gaza."
The mission of AIPAC is to encourage and persuade the U.S. government to enact specific policies that create a strong, enduring and mutually beneficial relationship with our ally Israel.
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