The Shin Bet and Israel Police released for publication on Thursday that an Israeli-Arab resident of the Galil planned to carry out a deadly terror attack against mispallelim at the kever of a tzaddik in the Galil. The suspect, Basel Abuhara, a 23-year-old resident of Arraba, was arrested a little over over month ago. During his interrogation, it emerged that he was planning a combined attack involving the detonation of a bomb and then gunfire at Jews visiting a kever in the Galil. Sources told B’Chadrei Chareidim that he was targeting members of a tzedaka organization who intended to visit the kever of Rebbe Chaninah ben Dosa.

An official from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s team says that there are ongoing efforts to advance negotiations for the release of hostages, with Mossad chief David Barnea frequently traveling to move talks forward. “There are attempts all the time,” the official said, adding that the current focus is on resolving less contentious issues to create momentum, such as exchanging hostages for Palestinian security prisoners. However, communication has hit a significant roadblock, with Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar being “out of touch for weeks,” according to the official. Despite Israel requesting assistance from Egypt and Qatar to reach Hamas, there has been no response.

The IDF announced that the Israeli Air Force has launched a series of intensive airstrikes over the past 24 hours, hitting approximately 220 Hezbollah targets across Lebanon. The targets included key terrorist infrastructure sites, rocket launchers responsible for firing projectiles into Israeli territory, Hezbollah militants, and weapons storage facilities. This large-scale operation is part of an ongoing effort by the IDF to degrade Hezbollah’s military capabilities and dismantle their infrastructure. The strikes are aimed at curbing Hezbollah’s ability to launch future attacks on Israel and are part of a broader campaign to protect Israeli civilians from cross-border threats. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Rocket sirens blared across Tel Aviv and much of central Israel late Thursday night, with alerts sounding as far south as the Lachish Regional Council, around 12:40 a.m. The IDF said that the sirens were triggered by a missile fired from Yemen. An interceptor was immediately launched, and the missile was successfully intercepted by Israel’s Arrow Aerial Defense System. Following the interception, residents reported hearing sirens and explosions, which were the result of falling shrapnel. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

An official from the IDF Southern Command has accused the military of covering up the truth about its response to the Hamas attack on October 7. Testifying anonymously before an independent civilian commission, the official alleged that internal investigations conducted by the IDF were riddled with conflicts of interest and failed to reveal the true events. The official claimed that almost every investigation led by IDF ground forces was far from accurate, saying, “They are motivated by a strategy of protecting each other.” He raised concerns about a colonel tasked with leading a probe, who was set for promotion by IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, questioning how such an officer could conduct an impartial investigation.

A fire broke out today at the ancient Eshtamoa Shul in the South Chevron Hills, located in the Palestinian town of as-Samu in the southern West Bank. The blaze, which occurred amid the archaeological ruins of the shuls, is being investigated by Israeli authorities. Jewish activists have condemned the incident as a hate crime, alleging that the fire was deliberately set by individuals who arrived at the site early in the morning. A spokesperson for the Israel Police’s Yehuda District confirmed that the IDF had reported a fire in the area and said authorities are investigating the cause. The IDF has not yet commented on the fire’s origin.

As the IDF continues to carry out strikes against Hezbollah targets through Lebanon as part of Operation Northern Arrows, the IDF announced early Thursday afternoon that its forces recently attacked Hezbollah infrastructure on the Syrian-Lebanese border, the first such step since the war began. The infrastructure is used to transfer weapons from Syria to Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon. “Hezbollah is using these weapons against the citizens of the State of Israel,” the IDF spokesperson said.

The number of global terrorist attacks planned by Iran against Jews and Israelis since October 7 has more than doubled compared to the previous year, according to sources from the Mossad, Israel’s intelligence agency. The Jerusalem Post reports that Mossad has prevented more than 50 attempted attacks worldwide in recent months, significantly up from the 27 incidents thwarted in 2023. Many of these foiled attacks have not been made public, demonstrating Iran’s heightened efforts to target Jews and Israelis across the globe. Tehran has been increasingly motivated, pouring extensive resources into planning such attacks. Mossad has often worked in collaboration with foreign intelligence agencies, sometimes even in countries that do not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel.

A long-anticipated project is underway in Yerushalayim’s Old City to make the Kosel more accessible by installing elevators, addressing the challenge some visitors face in navigating the steep descent of 142 steps from the Jewish Quarter. Construction on the project follows seven years of archaeological excavations that uncovered significant artifacts near the Makom Hamikdash.  The elevators, each with a capacity of 30 people, are being constructed on a narrow strip of land between two yeshivos, adjacent to an existing stairway. They will bridge the 85-foot gap between the Jewish Quarter and the Kosel, transporting thousands of visitors daily to the plaza, bypassing the lengthy detour currently required to avoid going down the stairs.