When things get tough (which is most of the time these days), we Israelis know what to do: We keep going, firm in the belief that it will get better.
Yarden Bibas, a rescued hostage who lost his wife Shiri and their two sons in Gaza, profoundly exemplifies this spirit. He is amazing. Though certainly not yet healed, he has set himself on the road to healing. He has opted to choose life. Slowly, slowly, he will find better days.
Here he is creating artwork for a special display at Ben Gurion Airport:
His artwork:
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By late Friday, the enormous fire we had been fighting had been contained. But there was precious little time for us to catch our collective breath: Very early on Shabbat morning, sirens sounded over much of Israel because of a missile launched by the Houthis in Yemen. It was intercepted before reaching Israeli air space. This was after two ballistic missiles had been launched by the Houthis on Friday, aimed at the north.
On Shabbat morning, we went into our safe places, and then emerged to go to synagogue, or to meet friends for lunch, or to just enjoy the weather. The nation moved forward normally for a lovely Shabbat.
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On Sunday morning, yet another missile was launched by the Houthis. Again, alarms went off over much of the country.
But this time, we did not take the missile out. Both the Israeli Air Force’s long-range Arrow air defense system (pictured) and the American THAAD system failed, in spite of several attempts. There was apparently a “pinpoint technical malfunction” in the Arrow: It was not human error, nor was there a fault in the Arrow system itself; the problem was within the missile that was meant to deploy. The THAAD system, which has a successful interception rate of over 95%, attempted to engage the missile but missed the target;.
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The missile launched by the Houthis was clearly aimed for Ben Gurion Airport and hit ground at the periphery of the airport – we can thank Heaven it was off by enough so that it did not cause critical damage. The impact – which created a crater – was powerful enough so that it could be heard in Jerusalem. There was some physical damage from shrapnel and nothing more. But there was a temporary disruption of air service coming into and leaving Israel, with some airlines refusing to operate. Today air service is normal.
According to the Hezbollah-affiliated Al Mayadeen network, what was launched on Sunday morning was a new missile that was being tested. Experts here, however, indicate that our failure to take this missile down had nothing to do with the fact that it may have been a different type of missile.
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There was a strong impulse within our government to respond directly to this most recent Houthi attack. But yesterday reports indicated that we would hold off, as Trump was saying “Leave it to us.” There were a great many factors to be considered – our focus on Iran and our relationship with the US primary among them.
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The US has been bombing the Houthis almost daily since March 15: there have been some 1,000 American sorties over Yemen. The primary American concern is the Houthi disruption of vital shipping routes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden that have effectively reduced sea traffic there by over 50%, costing billions. The US attacks are done via planes launched from two aircraft carriers stationed in the area. By late April, the Americans had been joined by the British.
It would be difficult, however, to say what has been accomplished.
Writes Seth Frantzman: “The Houthis still have their missile capabilities. It is difficult to hunt down missiles that are wheeled out of caves in mountains. It is hard in general to find mobile missile launchers. …The Houthis are a hard nut to crack. Air power is likely not enough to stop them.” (Emphasis added)
See his extensive discussion of the background on the Houthis here:
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-852579
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Reports today (Monday) indicate that we have made a decision to hit the Houthis directly. According to one Israeli official, “Washington now realizes that Israel can no longer remain passive.”
The decision was made at a meeting held in the prime minister’s office. Netanyahu tweeted that, “We will respond at a time and place of our choosing…”
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-852621
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My assumption is that the Houthis have stepped up attacks on Israel now because we are about to start calling up tens of thousands of reserve soldiers – in stages – as we tighten our attack on Hamas, which has not been forthcoming with regard to release of hostages. Not nearly as many soldiers will be brought in as was the case in the beginning of the war; such numbers are no longer required.
It is a tightrope we are walking as decisions are made regarding precisely how hard to hit: Is the goal pressuring Hamas sufficiently so that they surrender at least some of the remaining hostages, or is it to finally finish Hamas? The terrorist organization has been seriously degraded but is not down and out yet.
“Israeli officials say that the combination of military pressure and the restriction of humanitarian aid is having a noticeable impact, describing Hamas as behaving like a group on the run. Some operatives have reportedly surrendered, and the group’s command and control infrastructure has suffered significant damage. Still, the IDF warns that Hamas retains operational capabilities, including at least two functioning brigades.”
Increasingly, officials refer to Hamas as “defiant.”
https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/05/03/idf-prepares-to-muster-tens-of-thousands-of-reservists/
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The Security Cabinet met early this morning (Monday) and unanimously approved plans that had already been laid out. These plans include “a large-scale ground maneuver and entry into areas of the Gaza Strip, where IDF forces are expected to remain for an extended period…The reservist forces will be divided into battalions that will join the fighting in the field and brigades that will replace regular units.”
It is expected that these plans will not be activated until after the visit to the Middle East by Trump in about ten days. “Until then, reservists will be mobilized and trained for the expansion of the operation.”
Should Hamas agree to release hostages, these plans will be put on hold.
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Yesterday (Sunday), the prime minister made a public statement by video, in which he said that military victory will bring release of the hostages: “On the first day of the war, they said that we wouldn’t even get one out. I said we’d get them out, and we got out, so far, 147 living hostages. Military pressure is what works, and that’s what’s going to work now as well…”
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407818
Netanyahu is not wrong – pressure secures release of hostages. But too much pressure (how much is too much?) might have the opposite effect and bring destruction upon the hostages. Chief of Staff Zamir is mindful of this dilemma.
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Unfortunately, we are still seeing the demonstrators out on the street, demanding that the war stop so that the hostages can be brought home. This is so painfully destructive. They are so eager to bring Netanyahu down that they ignore the fact that what they are doing strengthens Hamas.
And so here I share a powerful op-ed – “Bring them home, but not at any cost” – by Juda Honickman (emphasis added):
“There are few phrases that strike the Israeli soul more deeply than ‘Bring Them Home.’ It is a moral imperative etched into our national identity. As Jews, as Israelis, as human beings, we believe in doing everything we can to rescue our own. We pray for them. We march for them. We cry for them.
“But here’s the painful, gut-wrenching truth no one wants to say out loud:
“We cannot afford to base national strategy on hostage return alone — not when the cost may be the future of our state…
“It has been 575 days since October 7, 2023…
“And still, we are trapped in the same impossible dilemma:
“And still, we’re being asked the same question:
“Are we willing to pause — or even end — this war to secure the return of dozens of our people?
“The question itself is a trap.
“Because it ignores what this war is about. It was never only about the hostages. It was never only about October 7. This is about whether Israel — the only Jewish state on Earth — has the right to defend itself from those who seek its annihilation…
“Of course we want them home. Every single one. But we cannot let our enemies dictate the terms of our national survival. We cannot trade temporary relief for permanent danger. We cannot sacrifice millions of lives and the long-term security of Israel for the chance — and in many cases, it is only a chance — that a few may be saved…
“Leadership isn’t about giving the crowd what it wants in the moment. It’s about protecting the nation for generations to come — even when it’s unpopular, even when it hurts.
“That’s what we must demand now…
“We are doing everything we can to bring them home — and we must continue to do so.
“But we cannot destroy Israel in the name of saving it.
“Because if we trade the long-term safety of millions for the fleeting possibility of rescuing a few — then Hamas has already won.”
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/407808
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Another decision that has been made by the Cabinet was to again allow humanitarian aid to come into Gaza in coming weeks; there has been no aid distributed for two months.
Details are sketchy, but the goal is to provide aid to the civilian population without allowing Hamas to confiscate it, as it had been doing – then selling it on the black market and utilizing the profits to fight the war. Hamas apparently has sufficient stockpiles of food to provide for their own, but they are short on funds now, which makes recruitment more difficult. There are complaints by recruits that they are not being paid.
Aid was cut off precisely because of this Hamas practice: it was a necessary part of the goal of bringing down Hamas. Now as the situation in Gaza becomes more critical with regard to food shortages, there has been a move to reinstitute aid. Chief of Staff Zamir is adamant that we are required to do this for moral reasons– to prevent starvation. Many on the right in the government are strongly opposed – fearful that Hamas will get its hands on the food once again, thereby weakening our ability to defeat them.
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The plan is to begin with 60 trucks of supplies allowed into Gaza daily; it is estimated that 200-300 trucks of supplies are needed and if the plan is deemed successful, then the number of trucks will likely increase.
Supplies would be brought to main distribution centers to which the civilians would come for their supplies. The IDF would be responsible for security, but not for distribution: this would be handled by private American contractors (which have apparently been identified). Distribution would be to civilians only.
It is important to emphasize the fact that in the course of war combatant nations do not routinely provide supplies to enemy civilians. This is not the norm. The US and Britain, for example, were not concerned with providing for German civilians as they worked to defeat the Nazis.
And yet, somehow this is expected of us.
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I suppose the response to this plan of many aid agencies – including some associated with the UN – should not be surprising. But it is certainly infuriating. In the midst of an existential war, we are attempting to provide for enemy civilians, and they don’t like it. Why? Because aid should be provided to everyone. This is the ethic of their agencies, and they would never participate in distributing aid that is denied to members of Hamas. Perish the thought!
According to the Times of Israel, “Humanitarian workers claim it would be ‘terrifying’ to work directly with IDF to disperse aid.” Terrifying? These officials say [the Israeli proposal] “would allow military and political objectives to impede humanitarian goals.” A breathtaking distortion of the reality.
Where, pray tell, have these “humanitarian” agencies been while innocent Israeli hostages have been starved and kept in dark tunnels? We have heard not a word of protest from them.
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Will we prevail in the face of all of this? Hell, yes! If we hold our heads high, persist in strength, look for support from Above, and continue to believe that better days are coming.
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As some of my readers may have noticed, Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority just made the claim that the Jewish Temples were in Yemen, not Israel: “[Israel] is trying to change the historical and legal status of the Islamic and Christian holy places, especially the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque.”
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-851575
This claim is so ludicrous that I would hope thinking individuals would reject it out of hand. What is important is refuting this claim if you should encounter it anywhere. And so here I provide a link to information on my website regarding the Temple Mount (Har Habayit).
You will find it rich in documentation of the Jewish presence there.
https://41k.82b.myftpupload.com/the-temple-mount-whose-is-it/
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I ask for prayers for Israel’s wellbeing.
Pray for the wisdom and courage of our leaders.
Pray for the safety of our brave troops.
Pray that the hostages will be brought home.
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©Arlene Kushner. This material is produced by independent journalist Arlene Kushner. Permission is granted for it to be reproduced only with proper attribution.
