Last night, an Israeli teenager was killed by a Hezbollah rocket north of Haifa. The victim was identified as Sivan Sade, an 18-year-old from Kibbutz Kfar Masaryk who was working in the fields as a farmhand (pictured below).
Two other Hezbollah barrages yesterday sent millions of people in Tel Aviv running to bomb shelters. One of the missiles struck a parking lot at Ben Gurion Airport in central Israel. In total, more than 150 rockets were launched at Israelis.
Meanwhile, the IDF announced last night that Israeli fighter jets had struck a series of Hezbollah sites in Beirut’s southern suburbs, including command rooms, weapon depots and other military infrastructure.
All of the Hezbollah sites were located “in the heart of a civilian population,” the IDF said, in another example of the Iranian-backed terror group of using human shields. Prior to the strikes, the IDF issued evacuation warnings to civilians in the area.
Sixty Hezbollah terrorists were also killed over the past day in Israeli airstrikes on 20 targets north of Lebanon’s Litani River, including in Baalbek, the IDF announced this morning.
Yesterday, IDF Chief of the General Staff Herzi Halevi said, “Alongside the diplomatic attempt to reach agreements in Lebanon, we need to continue formulating the plans for the continuation of the fighting in Lebanon, including expanding and deepening the [ground] maneuver, and we will activate these plans as needed.”
Congress and the administration must continue to stand with Israel and ensure our ally has the resources and support needed to degrade Hezbollah and enable the 80,000 displaced Israelis to return safely to their homes in the north.
Political Update: More pro-Israel wins
Today, more pro-Israel Democrats and Republicans won their races, as close elections continue to be called.
One major pro-Israel victory was the re-election of Rep. Jimmy Gomez, who fended off a vehemently anti-Israel challenger following strong support from AIPAC and our affiliated super PAC, United Democracy Project. Gomez’s opponent is the 11th anti-Israel candidate that we’ve helped defeat this cycle.
In the races that have been called, 98% of AIPAC-backed candidates have won.
As of this email, 327 endorsed candidates will be in the new Congress in January, including many of our Democratic and Republican champions who we helped win tight races.
New AIPAC Memo: Israel’s Qualitative Military Edge
Over the past year, Israel has effectively defended itself against simultaneous and sustained attacks from Iran and its proxies like Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis — all of which are enemies of both Israel and the United States.
This has been possible due to Israel’s qualitative military edge (QME) — its ability to counter and defeat any combination of conventional threats. America’s commitment to Israel’s QME is enshrined in law and serves as the basis of Congress’ historic support for our democratic ally.
Especially as Israel faces a seven-front war, Congress must continue to ensure Israel has the weapons needed to maintain its QME and confront the shared threats posed by Iran and its terrorist proxies.
Efforts to block arms sales to Israel undermine our ally’s QME, increase the risk of attacks against our ally, and undermine American interests.
Tell Congress: Oppose Efforts to Block Arms to Israel
In August, the Biden administration approved five major arms sales to Israel. These weapons are essential for Israel to deter, defend against, and confront Iran and its proxies.
Yet some members have introduced resolutions to block some of these sales.
Their efforts must be defeated.
Israel signs deal for American-made F-15 fighter jets
Israel signed an agreement today to acquire 25 next-generation fighter jets from Boeing.
The $5.2 billion agreement was part of a broader package of U.S. aid approved by the Biden administration and Congress earlier this year and includes an option for 25 additional aircraft.
Delivery of the new F-15IA aircraft will begin in 2031, with 4-6 aircraft to be supplied annually.
“These advantages will enable the Israeli Air Force to maintain its strategic superiority in addressing current and future challenges in the Middle East,” the Israeli Defense Ministry said.
Advanced American-made weapons systems like the F-15 fighter jets are essential to ensuring Israel can defend itself as our ally faces growing threats.
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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