Report: U.S. Agrees to Israel Holding Strategic Points in Southern Lebanon - Shachar Kleiman (Israel Hayom)
    Sources told the Hizbullah-affiliated Al-Akhbar that U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein and U.S. Maj.-Gen. Jasper Jeffers, head of the international oversight committee monitoring the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, agreed to Israel's proposal to retain control over three strategic hills, where military outposts will be established overlooking sectors in southern Lebanon.
    These positions will enable Israel to monitor vast areas south of the Litani River.
    The hills are uninhabited and devoid of structures. The outposts will allow the IDF to conduct raids into Lebanese territory if necessary.

Former Mossad Official: The Americans Know How to Dismantle the Iranian Nuclear Threat in Eight Hours - Uriel Schachter (X)
    Former Head of the Mossad Intelligence Directorate, Zohar Palti, said in a recent interview:
    Iran still does not have nuclear weapons, which means someone is doing something right.
    What the Israeli Air Force and CENTCOM accomplished during the Iranian attack in April was incredible. When the U.S. understood that an Iranian attack was imminent, the Americans called all the Middle East leaders and told them, "Friends, listen - starting in two hours, there will be no civilian flights in the entire Middle East."
    Then, no "good guys" were in the air, only "bad guys." This made it much easier to identify targets.
    The double-edged sword of the Iranians' use of their Ground to Ground Missiles (GGM) is that they "forced us" to attack in Iran. Now, this psychological barrier no longer exists. We have already done it twice.
    We don't know if the Americans will commit to this, but even on a bad day, the Americans know how to dismantle the Iranian nuclear threat in eight hours.
    The Americans have capabilities that no other power in the world possesses in this regard. They just need to make the right decision.
    In the early 2000s, what we call the "axis of evil" began to form. But there is no longer such an axis.
    Assad has fallen, Hizbullah is not in the same state as last year, and Iran has wasted many of its GGMs. And it lost some important defense systems lately.
    Iran spent tens of billions of dollars over 40 years to build up Hizbullah as a force that essentially disappeared within six weeks.

Why Did Hamas Resume Firing Rockets from Gaza at Israel? - Yoni Ben Menachem (Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs)
    Hamas has managed to rebuild some of its military infrastructure, including the production of rockets.
    Hamas is producing hundreds of new rockets in tunnels that remain operational.
    By firing rockets, Hamas seeks to demonstrate its resilience and operational capability, underscoring that it remains a significant force even after enduring heavy losses.

China Helping Houthis Obtain Weapons for Unmolested Red Sea Passage - Guy Azriel (i24News)
    According to American intelligence sources, the Houthis in Yemen are using Chinese-made weapons in their attacks on Red Sea shipping, in exchange for immunity for ships flying the Chinese flag.
    China is providing the Houthis with advanced components and guidance equipment for their ballistic and cruise missiles.
    In addition, Houthi leaders are reportedly planning to manufacture hundreds of cruise missiles capable of striking Persian Gulf states, using these same Chinese components.
    Washington has repeatedly passed on this information to Beijing since September, including detailed lists of the Chinese companies involved.
    In the face of Beijing's inaction, the U.S. now threatens to act jointly with Israel to cut off these Chinese trade networks from the global financial system.

IDF Recruits Yemeni Jews to Bolster Intelligence Against Houthis (Jerusalem Post)
    The IDF Intelligence Directorate has recruited dozens of Yemeni Israeli Jews fluent in the Yemeni Arabic dialect to support its operations against the Houthis in Yemen, Israel's Channel 11 reported on Wednesday.
    The recruits include both recent immigrants from Yemen and individuals raised in Arabic-speaking households with Yemeni roots.
    They will assist the IDF in intelligence gathering and provide critical insights into Yemen's language and culture.
    Channel 11 reported on Friday that the U.S. has informed Israel that President Biden has approved escalating U.S. attacks on Yemen's Houthis and striking more missile-related targets.

Inside Bashar Assad's Detention Centers - Sarah El Deeb (AP)
    With Assad's fall a month ago, the machinery of death that he ran is starting to come out into the open.
    In more than 100 detention facilities, torture, brutality, sexual violence and mass executions were rampant.
    Security agents spared no one, not even Assad's own soldiers. Young men and women were detained for simply living in districts where protests were held. Tens of thousands disappeared over more than a decade.

Israel's Tech Sector Continues to Thrive - Tony Bradley (Forbes)
    In 2024, Israel's cybersecurity sector achieved significant growth, with over $4 billion invested across 89 funding rounds, in a year marked by regional conflict.
    This resilience reflects the strength of Israel's tech ecosystem, which included 50 new startups in 2024, and underscores its critical role in addressing the world's most pressing cybersecurity challenges.