El Al has reported record earnings in the third quarter of 2024, benefiting from a near-monopoly on flights to and from Israel amid the ongoing war in Gaza and regional security tensions. The airline posted $1 billion in revenue from July to September, a 43% increase from $696 million during the same period last year. Profits soared to $187 million, up nearly 260% from $52 million in 2023. El Al’s strong financial performance comes as many major international airlines have suspended routes to Tel Aviv due to security concerns. U.S. carriers like Delta, American Airlines, and United Airlines have halted flights indefinitely, leaving El Al as the sole operator of direct routes between Tel Aviv and North America.

The IDF has announced the death of a reservist who was killed in combat in southern Lebanon earlier today. The soldier has been identified as 22-year-old Sgt. First Class (res.) Eitan Ben Ami, of the Maglan commando unit from Jerusalem. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Indictments against two suspects in the “leaks case” at the Prime Minister’s Office are expected to be filed on Thursday by the State Prosecutor’s Office, with Attorney-General Gali Baharav Miara responsible for the final decision on what charges will be filed. The suspects are former spokesperson Eli Feldstein and a former aide who has not been identified. Journalist Caroline Glick wrote about the case: “Eli Feldstein, a spokesman at the Prime Minister’s Office is being railroaded by Israel’s corrupt deep state.

The gag order on the details of the investigation into the suspects who fired flare bombs at the house of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in Caesarea was lifted on Wednesday, revealing that the incident was a thoroughly planned “military” operation. The details, published by Channel 12 News, reveal that the suspects, Rear Adm. Ofer Doron (res.), Amir Sadeh, and Itai Yafeh, longtime anti-Netanyahu rioters, whose names were released for publication on Tuesday evening, planned the incident for about three weeks. They operated like members of a military cell, carrying out surveillance around Netanyahu’s residence and monitoring the locations of security cameras in the area to plan a route that wouldn’t expose them to the cameras.

The United States vetoed a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Hamas, citing concerns over the absence of provisions for the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. The 15-member council voted on a draft resolution that sought an “immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire” while separately demanding the release of hostages. However, the US opposed the measure, insisting that a ceasefire resolution must explicitly tie hostilities to the immediate release of all captives. A senior US official, speaking to reporters on condition of anonymity, accused some council members of rejecting efforts to find a compromise.

Israel is proposing that the US lift some sanctions from Syrian President Bashar Assad in exchange for his cooperation with Russia in halting the transfer of arms across the Syrian border to Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Lebanese daily Al Joumhouria, reported on Tuesday. According to Al Joumhouria, which is affiliated with the opposition movement against Hezbollah, potential sanctions relief is also aimed at securing Russia’s involvement in stopping the flow of arms across the border, with a goal of Moscow cooperating with Assad to close the “Iranian highway” connecting Iran via Iraq and Syria to the Hezbollah stronghold neighborhood of Dahieh in Beirut. Earlier this month, Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer paid a secret visit to Moscow to advance the negotiations.

The Rishon Lezion Magistrate’s Court has authorized the publication of the names of three individuals arrested for firing flares near Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s private residence in Caesarea last weekend One of the suspects is Rear Adm. (res.) Ofer Doron, a former senior Navy officer who made headlines last year for refusing to participate in volunteer reservist duty as a protest against the government’s planned judicial overhaul. His refusal led to his suspension from the reserves. The other two suspects have been identified as Amir Sadeh and Itai Yafeh, both veteran anti-government protesters. According to reports from Channel 12 news, the suspects claimed during police questioning that the incident was not an intentional attack on Netanyahu’s home.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has confirmed that Turkey barred Israeli President Isaac Herzog from using its airspace earlier this week, forcing him to cancel a planned visit to the United Nations COP29 climate conference in Baku, Azerbaijan. Herzog’s office announced that the cancellation was due to “security considerations.” However, during a press conference at the G20 Leaders Summit in Brazil, Erdogan said that the decision was actually tied to Turkey’s opposition to Israel’s ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza. “With regard to the Israeli president going to Azerbaijan for the COP summit, we did not allow him to use our airspace,” Erdogan said, according to Turkish media.

A video of US Senate Majority Leader-elect Senator John Thune (R-SD) promising Israel and Jews around the world that “reinforcements are on the way” was widely shared in Israel on Wednesday. In statements that can only be called “a breath of fresh air” after four years of the Biden administration’s constant inane posturing about Israel and lack of action on the soaring antisemitism on US soil, Thune speaks the truth – clearly and forcefully. “It’s been over 13 months since Hamas terrorists waged war against Israel and for the past year plus, Democrats have struggled to support our ally Israel and has literally fractured the Democratic party. For example, we are expecting tomorrow Sen.

The IDF on Wednesday morning announced the death of an IDF reserve soldier in Gaza. He was identified as Sgt. First Class (res.) Roi Sasson, H’yd, 21, from Mevaseret Tzion, a town outside Jerusalem. He served in the Nachshon Battalion of the Kfir Brigade in Gaza and was killed in battle in the northern Gaza Strip. In the same incident, the commander of the Nachshon Battalion, Lt. Col. Yoel Glickman, was seriously injured. Sasson’s death increases the death toll of IDF soldiers since October 7, 2023, to 800. Hashem Yikom Damam. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)