Rubio Reaffirms US Support For Israel In Call With Netanyahu
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke on Sunday (23rd) to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a phone call meant to emphasize support for Israel.
“The Secretary discussed Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza, and efforts to help release the hostages and bring them home,” said State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce in a statement summarizing the call.
“The Secretary also conveyed the Administration’s determination to restore freedom of navigation in the Red Sea through military operations against the Iranian-backed Houthis,” she added.
Netanyahu’s office, in a statement of its own summarizing the conversation, said that Netanyahu and Rubio “discussed regional developments, including releasing the hostages and the resumption of fighting in the Gaza Strip.”
US Secretary of State Rubio expressed the US’ unwavering support for Israel and its policy,” added the Prime Minister’s Office.
The conversation comes several days after Israel launched surprise strikes against terrorist targets in Gaza, following Hamas’ refusal to release more hostages and its rejection of US envoy Steve Witkoff’s proposal.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Thursday (20th) that President Donald Trump “fully supports” Israel’s attack on the Gaza Strip.
Trump’s National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, later similarly expressed support for Israel’s renewed military campaign against the Hamas terror organization.
In a post on X, Waltz stressed that Hamas is to blame for the renewed fighting due to its refusal to release more hostages.
“Israel has every right to defend its people from Hamas terrorists. The ceasefire would have been extended if Hamas released all remaining hostages. Instead they chose war,” the National Security Advisor added.
Hamas Leadership Crumbling As Ninth Political Bureau Member Eliminated In Gaza
Hamas Political Bureau member Salah al Bardawil was killed early Sunday morning (23rd) in an Israeli Air Force strike in the al-Mawasi area near Khan Yunis. According to reports from the Gaza Strip, he was killed alongside his wife. The terrorist organization confirmed his death in an official statement.
Al-Bardawil previously served as a member of the Palestinian parliament representing Hamas. Born in Khan Yunis like Yahya Sinwar and other senior officials, he studied engineering in Egypt before rising through the organization’s ranks.
Throughout his career with Hamas, al-Bardawil edited the organization’s official publication “al-Risalah” and headed its communications department. He frequently appeared as one of the group’s primary spokespersons in Arab media outlets. Though previously imprisoned for his membership in the terrorist organization, he was later released.
As a member of the Hamas Political Bureau in Gaza under Yahya Sinwar’s leadership, al-Bardawil held significant influence. His death marks the ninth casualty among the bureau’s 17 members since the beginning of the war. Six other members, including Khalil al-Hayya and Razi Hamad, had left Gaza before the conflict began. Since the start of Operation Strength and Sword, he is the second bureau member remaining in Gaza to be eliminated, following last week’s killing of Issam al-Daalis, who served as the shadow government prime minister.
Israel Advances Settlement Sovereignty In Biblical Heartland of Judea and Samaria
Israel’s Security Cabinet took a bold step forward towards strengthening the Jewish presence in its ancestral homeland on Sunday (23rd) by approving a plan to recognize 13 Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria as independent communities.
“We continue to lead a revolution of normalization and regulation in the settlements. Instead of hiding and apologizing – we raise the flag, build and settle. This is another important step on the path to actual sovereignty in Judea and Samaria,” Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich wrote in celebration on X.
Israel’s determination to maintain security control over Judea and Samaria has been reinforced in the wake of the October 7, 2023 Hamas massacre, with IDF forces recently conducting counter-terrorism operations in Jenin after the Palestinian Authority’s failure to crackdown on extremists.
The 13 newly recognized independent communities include Tal Menashe, Migron, Shvut Rachel, Haresha, Leshem, Nofei Nehemia, Gvaot, Kerem Reim, Neriya, Alon, Ovnat, Brush Habika, and Ibel Hanahal.
“Their new status will enable direct government funding for each settlement, eliminating the previous requirement to channel resources through their parent communities.”
Needless to say, the PA’s Foreign Ministry criticized Israel’s historic decision and Hamas condemned the move as a “desperate attempt to impose realities on the ground,” as Israel continues to assert its legitimate rights to the territory.
Approximately 700,000 Jewish Israelis currently live in communities throughout Judea and Samaria and eastern Jerusalem, areas liberated by Israel during the defensive Six-Day War in 1967.
Though many nations dispute Israel’s right to build in these areas, Israel stands firm on its historical and biblical connections to the land, which dates back thousands of years to the time of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Israel’s Iron Dome Gets A Major Upgrade After The Latest Round Of Successful Tests
The Defense Ministry successfully completed a series of tests to improve the capabilities of Its Iron Dome defense system, the ministry said.
The tests conducted with the Israel Missile Defense Organization (IMDO) at the Directorate of Defense Research & Development (DDR&D) in collaboration with Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, focused on preparing the system for future threats, such as rockets, missiles and drones.
Building on lessons learned from the current war, the tests simulated various potential future threats, further strengthening the Iron Dome’s multi-layered defense system.
The new capabilities demonstrated in these tests significantly improve the system’s ability to protect against evolving threats in the region, the ministry stated.
The Iron Dome is part of the country’s broader defense network, which also includes the Arrow and David’s Sling missile defense systems.
Together, these systems form a comprehensive shield against various missiles and air threats. The recent tests confirm the system’s enhanced ability to protect civil populations and critical infrastructure under challenging conditions.
INDO director Moshe Patel emphasized the system’s critical role during the war, noting, “Throughout this war, we’ve seen that the Iron Dome remains a critical asset even when facing intense barrages. The IMDO is continuously enhancing the system, even while operating under wartime conditions. This latest round of testing has validated new capabilities that will help us better protect Israel and its people.”
Rafael CEO Yoav Turgeman highlighted the success of the tests stating, “Even after more than a decade of operational service, the Iron Dome continues to play a vital role in Israel’s security. We are proud to report that this advanced test campaign was the largest and most significant conducted to date, successfully incorporating new capabilities to address future threats.”
Palestinians: “We Are Dying Because Of Hamas – Khaled Abu Toameh
The ceasefire-hostage deal collapsed on March 18 because Hamas is not prepared to release all the hostages, disarm, and cede control. Hamas considers the hostages an “insurance policy” for holding onto power.
On March 9, 2025, a senior Hamas official Khaled Mashaal said that the Palestinians would never disarm. “The path of jihad and resistance is the way to regain the homeland, honor, and freedom, and to free the prisoners [from Israeli jail]. The world respects only the strong.” Also in March, senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri stressed that any discussion of disarming Hamas is “nonsense” and that the issue is “not up for bargaining, discussion, or negotiation.”
During the past few days, many Gazans took to social media to lash out at Hamas for refusing to release all the hostages and end the war. Although many Palestinians continue to support Hamas and the “resistance” against Israel, a growing number are speaking out. Gazan Abu Ezz Ahmed said: “Anyone who has even a grain of love for the people of Gaza must raise their voice now and demand – immediately and without delay – that Hamas free Gaza for the sake of God by handing over the hostages and lifting its hand from Gaza. We are dying because of Hamas.”
Palestinian human rights and peace activist Hamza Howidy wrote that for Hamas, “surrender means facing their own failure. It means admitting that all of this – the loss – the destruction, the unimaginable suffering – was for nothing. And that is something they cannot bear.”
Egyptian political analyst Khaled Hassan said: “I’ve never seen that many Gazans angry at Hamas. For the first time in my life, the overwhelming majority of Gazans are treating them with the contempt they deserve. I can confidently say that the majority of Gazans I saw commenting online said they want the hostages released in exchange for a return to the ceasefire. In my view, this is big. The military pressure is working.”
The writer, a veteran Israeli journalist, is a senior fellow at the Gatestone Institute and the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs.
The Iran Files: Proof Of Iran’s Direct Role In Planning Oct. 7- Nadav Shragai
Iran has repeatedly claimed that it had no prior knowledge of the Oct. 7 attack. However, captured documents that the IDF seized during the Gaza war paint a completely different picture. Iran knew that Hamas intended to attack, although the exact date was not coordinated with them.
Captured Hamas documents published by the Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center record ongoing communication between Iran and Hamas regarding the attack, especially from 2021 through 2023. On Hamas’ side, Yahya Sinwar, Saleh Arouri and Ismail Haniyeh led the meetings and coordination efforts. On the Iranian side was Saeed Izadi, head of the Palestine Branch in the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guards. According to the documents, Izadi informed higher officials in the Iranian leadership about these contacts, including Supreme Leader Khamenei.
Some 20 documents, protocols and summaries of meetings demonstrate a shared understanding between the Iranians and Hamas that the time was ripe to try to destroy Israel. Security sources have now revealed that in August and September 2023, meetings were held in Beirut once every two weeks where the attack plan against Israel was discussed.
These meetings were attended by Saleh Arouri from Hamas, Hezbollah Secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah, Islamic Jihad leader Ziad Nakhala, and Iranian Quds Force Commander Ismail Qaani. Qaani himself was present at training sessions for hundreds of Hamas operatives.
French Rabbi Attacked, Bitten In Broad Daylight
In a disturbing anti-Semitic incident that has shocked France’s Jewish community, the chief rabbi of the French city Orleans, Rabbi Aryeh Engelberg, was violently attacked and bitten on Saturday (22nd) while walking with his 9-year-old son in Orleans, highlighting growing concerns about anti-Semitic violence in what officials described as a “usual relatively quiet” city.
According to the report, Rabbi Engelberg was walking with his son on the street when a young man began to confront and curse him while filming him. After the rabbi asked him to leave, the man attacked him, hit him on the head and bit him on the shoulder, and fled the scene.
According to the French channel BFMTV, the attack occurred on Saturday (22nd) around 1:30 pm. According to a source close to the investigation, the attacker was not known to French Intelligence and was taken for questioning.
The president of the Jewish Community of France, Elie Korchia, spoke with the rabbi after the attack and told the French media that while the rabbi is physically healthy, he is “in shock” from the incident. “He did not remain passive,” Korchia noted in a conversation with BFMTV , adding that this was an exceptional act of violence in a city that is usually relatively quiet.” Korchia addressed the severity of the incident and noted that the attack on a rabbi is “quite rare and worrying in the current climate” in France.
