Dear A.,

Today marks one year since Hezbollah launched its war against Israel, escalating the conflict and turning Hamas’ massacre into a regional war.

Since then, the Jewish state has faced near-daily attacks from Lebanon — including attempted infiltrations and more than 12,400 rockets, missiles and drones, an average of a launch every 45 minutes for the entire year. Hezbollah has killed more than 40 Israelis, including 12 children who were playing soccer, in the past year. 

Hezbollah’s attacks escalated today as the Iranian-backed terror group launched more than 150 rockets at northern Israel — including Haifa, Israel’s third-largest city — the largest such barrage since October 8. At least five people in Haifa were injured by Hezbollah rockets this week alone.

Israel announced a series of significant strikes in Lebanon and Syria to degrade Hezbollah, including that it had killed Hashem Safieddine, the recently appointed leader of Hezbollah. Safieddine was a U.S. specially designated global terrorist and is the third Hezbollah leader killed in the past three weeks.

In a video message to the people of Lebanon today, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged them to "take back [their] country" from Hezbollah. "We have degraded Hezbollah’s capabilities; we took out thousands of terrorists, including Nasrallah himself, and Nasrallah’s replacement, and the replacement of his replacement."

Israel also destroyed Hezbollah launchers and weapons depots in Lebanon today and targeted a leader in Hezbollah’s Unit 4400 in Syria — the unit responsible for smuggling weapons from Iran to Lebanon. 

Additionally, Israel eliminated Suhail Hussein Husseini — the head of Hezbollah’s logistical operations and a member of the Jihad Council, the terror group’s top military body — along with 50 Hezbollah terrorists, including six top commanders, "who were set, on the day that the order would be given, to infiltrate Israel into towns in the north to murder and kidnap Israeli civilians," the IDF said.

Today, the IDF released new footage of a Hezbollah tunnel that crossed into Israeli territory and had explosives and anti-tank missiles inside. Hezbollah terrorists planned to use the tunnel to infiltrate Israeli communities in the north and carry out an October 7-style massacre. Watch the footage here:

Click here to urge your members of Congress to stand with Israel and ensure our ally has the weapons needed to protect its people.

Gantz op-ed: "What the World Needs to Understand About Iran"

Israeli member of Knesset and former defense minister Benny Gantz published an op-ed in The New York Times, urging the international community to take the Iranian threat seriously.

"Oct. 7 and Iran’s subsequent attacks on Israel must serve as a stark warning to the region and the world regarding the Islamic republic’s uncompromising intentions and its outlook on the West," Gantz wrote.

"In a post-Oct. 7 reality, it is clear that Israel must — and the world should — be proactive and determined in the face of the threat the Iranian regime poses to Israel’s existence and the region’s future… The regime and its axis must face a strong and united Middle East, led and supported by the United States, that is ready to take the initiative to prevent the realization of the Iranian vision of a regional Oct. 7."

You can read the full op-ed here.

Video of the Day: CNN interview with hostage parents

Yesterday, Dana Bash interviewed Ronen and Orna Neutra on their year-long fight for the release of their Israeli-American son, Omer, who was taken hostage by Hamas on October 7. 

Ronen and Orna share how they keep their hope alive — and what they want political leaders to understand.

Continue to follow AIPAC on social media for the latest updates.

Sincerely,

Jake Braunstein
Director of Policy Communications