A 20-year-old Israeli soldier was killed and eight others were wounded in a Hezbollah rocket attack this morning. Eleven rockets were fired from Lebanon, with one slamming into the IDF’s Northern Command base and another crashing near Ziv Hospital in the northern city. Nine rockets struck in open areas.
The IDF launched widespread airstrikes against Hezbollah targets in response, including buildings, command centers, and other infrastructure belonging to the Iran-backed terror group.
Hezbollah has launched over 2,000 rockets into northern Israel since October 7.
80,000 Israelis are still displaced from their homes in the area, and the IDF is operating to remove Hezbollah’s capabilities to enable residents to return.
"We are not finishing this without returning the residents to Metula and all the communities in the north, with a very high level of security," IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi said. "We will push back all its capabilities, it will be much quieter here…Will this happen tomorrow? Probably not. It will take some time."
America must continue to stand with Israel as it fights on multiple fronts to protect its families from Iran-backed terrorism. Take 2 minutes tonight and urge your representative to pass the full $14.3 billion emergency funding package for Israel.
House passes resolution condemning Hamas’ sexual violence – Rashida Tlaib refuses to support it
This evening, the House voted 418-0-1 to pass a bipartisan resolution condemning Hamas' widespread and systematic rape and sexual violence against Israelis on October 7.
The legislation, led by Reps. Lois Frankel (D-FL), Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Kathy Manning (D-NC) and Jen Kiggans (R-VA), cites the photographic, video, and forensic evidence of sexual violence perpetrated by Hamas.
It also notes that some international bodies have "been slow to condemn Hamas’ brutal actions on October 7th, and in some cases, failed to explicitly mention instances of sexual and gender-based violence against women."
Inexplicably, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib did not support the resolution. She was the only voting member not to support the bipartisan call to condemn Hamas' horrific sexual abuse.
134 hostages remain in Gaza
Today, Congressman Marc Molinaro took to the House floor to call for the release of the remaining 134 Israeli hostages held captive by Hamas.
He shared the story of Omer Neutra, a 22-year-old described by his friends as "a true American kid whose fun-loving personality shines the brightest when he’s cheering on his favorite team, the New York Knicks."
Watch his speech here, and click below to view a compilation of congressional speeches calling on Hamas to bring the hostages home.
Rescued hostages released from hospital
Fernando Marman and Louis Har were released from Sheba Medical Center today after the IDF’s heroic operation on Sunday to rescue them from Hamas captivity in Rafah. The two are in stable condition but were deprived of medication and suffered from severe starvation and poor hygiene conditions.
"Meeting with the rescued hostages and their medical treatment further illustrated the accumulated damage from 129 days in captivity, and the signs of captivity are evident on their bodies and in their souls," the hospital said. "It is clear now more than ever that every day is an existential danger for the abductees, and they must all be returned now."
House passes bill to hold Assad regime accountable
Tonight the House also passed the AIPAC-backed Assad Regime Anti-Normalization Act of 2023 (H.R. 3202) by a vote of 389-32, to hold the brutal Bashar al-Assad regime accountable for its crimes against the Syrian people and prohibit the U.S. government from normalizing relations with the Assad regime.
"A Tunnel Offers Clues to How Hamas Uses Gaza’s Tunnels"
The New York Times published a new analysis and 3D model exposing Hamas’ labyrinth of terror tunnels beneath the Gaza Strip and how the terror group strategically used hospitals as cover for its fighters and weapons.
"Hamas used the [Al-Shifa] hospital for cover, stored weapons inside it and maintained a hardened tunnel beneath the complex that was supplied with water, power and air-conditioning."
"There is substantial independent evidence that Hamas constructed a vast tunnel network across Gaza. Senior Israeli defense officials…estimate the network is between 350 and 450 miles — extraordinary figures for a territory that at its longest point is only 25 miles. The officials estimate there are thousands of entrances to the network."
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