IDF Thwarted Oct. 7-Like Hizbullah Raid on Northern Israel - Shaked Sadeh (Jerusalem Post)
    A surprise attack was planned on Israel's northern border in the days following the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks, a senior IDF official revealed in a Wednesday Maariv
interview.
    The official emphasized that such an attack is unlikely to occur at this stage due to the IDF's efforts in neutralizing terror tunnels, clearing dense brushlands, and dismantling nature reserves that had been converted into terror strongholds.
    He said that 3,000 terrorists were stationed across southern Lebanon within 3 km. of the Israeli border, ready to invade upon receiving orders. "Opposite every Israeli community, a Hizbullah company was waiting to infiltrate."
    "On October 6, Israel faced an existential threat without realizing it. The terrorists [in the north] were on full alert, ready to act."
    What prevented a coordinated invasion was the IDF's rapid deployment of four brigades to Israel's northern border on Oct. 7.
    "The IDF's deployment neutralized the surprise element in Hizbullah's plan, and the terrorists realized their plan was no longer feasible since surprise was central to their strategy, just as it was in Gaza."
    He noted that areas of thick vegetation provided terrorists with almost complete cover, hiding firing positions, observation posts, movements, weapons, and underground infrastructure.
    "These areas have been turned into open fields, so any future attempts by Hizbullah to re-establish themselves will be immediately and effectively monitored."
    The IDF reportedly held a firm stance that homes in southern Lebanese villages, from the border up to three km. into Lebanon, would not be allowed to be rebuilt.
    "We will not rely on Hizbullah respecting agreements or solely on intelligence warnings. The security of northern residents is based on the presence of IDF soldiers on the ground."

The Rebel Offensive in Syria: Risks and Implications for Israel - Carmit Valensi et al. (Institute for National Security Studies-Tel Aviv University)
    From an Israeli perspective, the still-evolving events in Syria have both negative and positive elements.
    On the positive side, the Assad regime has been hit hard, and its overthrow would be a significant blow to Iran and its proxies.
    Iran would be compelled to withdraw its forces from Syria, while the direct route for rebuilding Hizbullah's strength, by smuggling weapons from Iran and Syria to Lebanon, would be blocked.
    An anti-Iranian regime in Damascus would also pose a direct threat to the pro-Iranian militias in Iraq and would force Tehran to focus on its own direct security, at the expense of attacking Israel.
    However, more concerning is the possibility that jihadist factions could take control of massive stockpiles of weapons, including chemical weapons, thereby posing a serious threat to Israeli interests.
    See also Success for Syria's Rebels Is Far from Guaranteed - Jonathan Spyer (Spectator-UK)

Iran Is Sending Regional Fighters to Syria - Susannah George (Washington Post)
    Iran has deployed members of Hizbullah and Iraq's Shiite militias to Syria to help prop up President Bashar al-Assad and hold back a sudden advance by Islamist rebels who have taken over the city of Aleppo.
    Syria is one of Tehran's closest allies, home to vital supply lines that allow it to send money, arms and advisers to Hizbullah.
    "Iran has been there for us," said a member of Hizbullah. "We are allies and will always be," he added, dismissing concerns that Hizbullah is too weak to join the fight in Syria.
    Hizbullah fighters have largely deployed across Lebanon's border toward the cities of Hama and Homs.
    The Iranian government has not committed to deploying its own soldiers, relying for now on military advisers from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) embedded throughout the country.
    Israel has launched a series of successful strikes in recent months targeting IRGC advisers in Syria.

Syrian Rebel Commander Tells i24News: "We Are Fighting a Common Enemy" - Matthias Inbar (i24News)
    One of the commanders of rebel forces in Aleppo, Abu Abdo, told i24News in an interview on Wednesday: "We are fighting against a common enemy."
    He said that Iran and its proxies, including Hizbullah and the Assad regime, are "dreaming of returning to the glory days of the historical Persian Empire, but it won't happen if we all face them."
    A member of the former Free Syrian Army, now dubbed the Syrian National Army, he said, "We look at Israel and the U.S., with the arrival of President Donald Trump, and we have a lot of respect and sympathy for them, for their actions against Iran - the country that leads terrorism in the region and all over the world."

Amnesty International Accuses Israel of Genocide (Israel Foreign Ministry)
    The deplorable and fanatical organization Amnesty International has once again produced a fabricated report that is entirely false and based on lies.
    The genocidal massacre on Oct. 7, 2023, was carried out by the Hamas terrorist organization against Israeli citizens.
    Since then, Israeli citizens have been subjected to daily attacks from seven different fronts.
    Israel is defending itself against these attacks acting fully in accordance with international law.
    This photo of a child's bedroom on Oct. 7 tells you everything you need to know about Amnesty's report.
    See also Amnesty Israel Rejects Amnesty International's Report Accusing Israel of Genocide - Michael Starr (Jerusalem Post)
    Amnesty International's Israel section rejected the findings of Amnesty International's Thursday report accusing Israel of committing genocide during the war against Hamas in Gaza.
    The Israeli association said it was not involved in any way with the report and argued that the allegation of genocide had not been "sufficiently substantiated."

Scottish School Textbook Teaches that Israel Is "Apartheid, Colonial Regime" - Jane Prinsley (Jewish Chronicle-UK)
    Classroom materials published by the largest teachers' union in Scotland are riddled with hostile depictions of Israel, a Jewish Chronicle investigation has revealed.
    One resource promoted by a Scottish local authority accuses Israel's "apartheid and settler colonial regime" of "genocide."
    In recent years, Jewish schoolchildren in Scotland have reportedly faced a wave of antisemitic attacks and bullying over their perceived connection to Israel, forcing many families to consider leaving the country.
    Distraught parents of Jewish pupils who have suffered attacks and verbal abuse said many had moved their children to different schools, while others were looking to move to Israel.
    Edinburgh mother-of-two Elisheva Abramson said, "I don't want to be part of a society that doesn't consider us worth protecting."