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Dear ,
Israel this morning successfully
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intercepted a ballistic missile launched by the Iran-backed Houthis terrorists in Yemen.
The missile triggered sirens across central Israel, sending hundreds of thousands of Israelis into bomb shelters.
The Houthis then launched a second missile, but it fell short outside of Israel. Yesterday, the Houthis launched a drone at Israel, which was also shot down.
Since mid-March, the Houthis have launched 63 ballistic missiles and at least 15 drones at Israel.
The Houthis have also launched hundreds of attacks on U.S. Navy ships and commercial vessels since November 2023, when they initiated their campaign of terror in support of Hamas' October 7 massacre.
Officials at Israel's Red Sea port in Eilat are
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warning that the port may shut down without financial support from the government, as it's seen a 90% drop in activity since the Houthis began their assault on international shipping.
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Eilat is Israel’s third-largest port and a key point of entry for goods from the east.
Meanwhile, the United States is continuing to increase the economic pressure on the Houthis and their backers in Iran.
The Treasury Department today
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issued new sanctions against two individuals and five entities that helped the Houthis launder money and import petroleum products. "The Iran-backed Houthis gain hundreds of millions of dollars annually by working with Yemeni businessmen to tax petroleum imports, generating critical revenue that funds the Houthis’ destabilizing activities in the region," Treasury said in the statement.
Deputy Treasury Secretary Michael Faulkender
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said , "The Houthis collaborate with opportunistic businessmen to reap enormous profits from the importation of petroleum products and to enable the group’s access to the international financial system. These networks of shady businesses underpin the Houthis’ terrorist machine, and Treasury will use all tools at its disposal to disrupt these schemes."
The United States must continue to ensure Israel has the resources needed to defend its people and increase the pressure on Iran and its terrorist proxies.
MUST WATCH
950 trucks worth of aid awaiting distribution in Gaza
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Roughly 950 trucks worth of aid, currently waiting in Gaza for international organizations to pick up and distribute to Gazan civilians. This is after Israel facilitated the aid entry into Gaza.
Tell Your House Member: Condemn "Globalize the Intifada"
Reps. Rudy Yakym (R-IN) and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) are leading a resolution to condemn calls to "Globalize the Intifada" – a phrase used to incite violence against Israelis and Jews around the world.
Take 30 seconds to tell your House member to cosponsor this bipartisan resolution.
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U.S. leaves UNESCO over anti-Israel bias
The State Department
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announced today that the United States is withdrawing from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
"UNESCO’s decision to admit the 'State of Palestine' as a Member State is highly problematic, contrary to U.S. policy, and contributed to the proliferation of anti-Israel rhetoric within the organization," the press release said, explaining the decision. The withdrawal will take effect on December 31, 2026.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar
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welcomed the U.S. decision as a "necessary step, designed to promote justice and Israel's right for fair treatment in the U.N. system, a right which has often been trampled due to politicization in this arena."
"The United Nations requires fundamental reforms in order to remain relevant," Sa'ar added.
AIPAC applauds President Trump and Secretary Rubio for withdrawing the United States from UNESCO. UNESCO has betrayed its original laudatory mission and chosen instead to unfairly target the Middle East’s lone democracy, Israel, and outrageously attempted to undermine historic Jewish and Christian ties to the Old City of Jerusalem.
Once again, the Trump Administration has admirably stood with America’s ally against anti-Israel forces in international organizations.
New analyses on Israel's actions in Syria
In a
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new op-ed , Major General (ret.) Amos Yadlin, former head of the IDF Military Intelligence Directorate and president and founder of MIND Israel, explains that Israel's recent actions in Syria are both "moral and strategic:"
"Faced with harrowing images of kidnappings, executions, and mass violence, Israel chose to act. It did so cautiously and proportionally: first by sending discreet warnings to the Syrian regime and then launching limited strikes against jihadist militias in Sweida. When those measures failed, Israel escalated, targeting the Syrian Ministry of Defense and general staff in Damascus for the first time since 1973. That strike was effective. It helped bring about a ceasefire, brokered with American leadership by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Tom Barak.
"Israel did not act to gain territory or interfere in Syria’s sovereignty. It acted to protect civilians, specifically a minority community with which it shares a deep historical bond."
"Israel does not seek war. It seeks stability, security, and the defense of its moral principles," Yadlin concludes.
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Read the full piece here.
Meanwhile, Israel's Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) recently published a new analysis laying out the "complex strategic dilemmas" facing Israel in Syria.
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You can read that analysis here.
Justice Department cracks down on Hamas digital fundraising
The Justice Department today
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unsealed a civil forfeiture action to seize $2 million in cryptocurrency from a Gaza-based money transfer business involved in supporting Hamas.
"Terrorist organizations like Hamas and their affiliates rely on shadowy financial networks to fund their deadly operations. By seizing millions in cryptocurrency, the Justice Department is aggressively dismantling the financial infrastructure of terrorism and refusing to allow our digital currency platforms to become safe havens for terrorist financing," Attorney General Pamela Bondi
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said .
New report on U.S.-Israel missile defense against Iran
A
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new report from Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA) dives into America and Israel's missile defense efforts during the recent 12-day war against Iran.
Iran launched more than 570 missiles and 1,000 drones at Israel during the conflict, hitting populated areas roughly 57 times.
"[Joint U.S.-Israeli] air defense operations saved countless lives and prevented an estimated $15 billion in property damage," far more than the cost of the interceptors used, the report finds.
"However, after burning through a large portion of their available interceptors, the United States and Israel both also face an urgent need to replenish stockpiles and sharply increase production rates," it adds.
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The United States must continue to ensure Israel has the resources needed to defend itself and help replenish our ally's stockpiles of lifesaving missile defense interceptors.
Continue to
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follow AIPAC on social media for the latest updates.
Jake Braunstein
Director of Policy Communications
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Support our work to keep Israel safe.
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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