The day began with a drone attack along our northern border, followed by an attempted drone strike on the Rafael factory in the Misgav area, 20 km south of the border. Rafael produces the Iron Dome, among other products. Another drone attack occurred near Kibbutz Ayelet Hashachar, where four attack drones were deployed; only one was downed, and three exploded on a base near the kibbutz. One soldier was seriously wounded. Tonight, an anti-tank missile was fired at an Army vehicle near Metula, injuring two people. Despite these casualties, the day was relatively quiet compared to some of the incidents two weeks ago.
THE NORTH
Various rumors and reports are circulating claiming Israel has decided to launch an attack into Lebanon in a few weeks. One rumor even contends that Nasrallah is so concerned about an Israeli first strike that he is planning a major surprise attack. I suggest everyone take a breath and recognize that none of the pundits are prophets. However, at this point, anything is possible. There is clear pressure to take military action against Hezbollah, but there is also an understanding and fear of what an all-out war will entail.
NETANYAHU CONTINUES CRITICISM OF BIDEN ADMINISTRATION
Today, at the opening of the cabinet meeting, Netanyahu decided to double down and attack the Biden Administration once again. The PM stated, “Four months ago, there was a dramatic drop in the amount of armaments we were getting from the US. We asked that the pace of deliveries be sped up, but there has been no change. Based on my experience, I decided I had to speak out.” However, no Israeli reporter has been able to confirm Netanyahu’s claim as a fact.
It is likely true that U.S. aid is coming slower than at the beginning of the war. According to a report, 240 shipments were received in the first four months of the war, compared to only 120 in the subsequent four months, only. However, in reality, our needs are not as critical now, as no high-intensity fighting has occurred during the past four months. We must also keep in mind the global ammunition shortage due to the war in Ukraine. The consensus among pundits and political observers is that Netanyahu's statements serve two purposes, both of which I have raised previously: 1) providing an excuse for not winning the war after we have completed the Rafah operation and 2) pursuing the “Trump option,” which seems like a real stretch. What is clear is that Netanyahu’s actions are damaging Israel.
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Regarding Netanyahu’s latest accusations about U.S. weapons supply, a White House official stated:
We aren’t going to keep responding to the Prime Minister’s political statements. We look forward to constructive consultations with Defense Minister Gallant in Washington this week.
NETANYAHU INTERVIEW
Tonight, Prime Minister Netanyahu gave an extensive interview to Israel’s Channel 14 (comparable to a cross between Fox News and NewsMax). In the interview, Netanyahu reiterated many of his standard positions, asserting that Israel will achieve total victory and blaming the reservists who expressed reluctance to continue volunteering to serve due to the judicial reform for October 7th.
Netanyahu also said that he would agree only to a partial deal to bring back some of the hostages, after which Israel would resume the war to achieve total victory. This stance walks back the offer that was the essence of Biden’s speech, as well as central to the UN resolution. The families of the hostages immediately claimed Netanyahu had destroyed any chance of securing a deal.
Notably, Netanyahu reaffirmed that Israel resettling Gaza was not realistic. National Security Minister Ben-Gvir immediately responded, insisting that Israeli resettlement of Gaza was not only realistic but should be done.
The government approved the extension of the period of service for military reserve officers from age 45 to 46 and for regular soldiers to 40 to 41 years. It goes to the Knesset tomorrow.
GALLANT IN D.C.
Defense Minister Gallant arrived in Washington this morning. Hopefully, he will be able to mend Israel’s relations with the U.S. administration, which will be crucial if a full-scale war erupts in the North. Among others, he will meet with Secretary of Defense Austin, Secretary of State Blinken, and National Security Adviser Sullivan. Today, he met with Republican Senator Lindsey Graham
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OPINION POLL ON WAR WITH LEBANON NOW?
In an opinion poll, in which Israelis were asked if Israel should go to war with Hezbollah now—even if the situation in the South has not been resolved. The results showed that 46% support going to war now, 33% are opposed, and 21% remain uncertain.
As I mentioned on i24News (in my appearance, which I posted yesterday), at the beginning of the war, Netanyahu publicly acknowledged the worldwide shortage of explosives and announced an immediate project to begin producing explosives locally. Given our advanced chemical industry, producing our own explosives is feasible. Despite the PM’s early understanding, nothing has been done to the best of my knowledge. This is not a surprise since, considering that only today, over eight months since the war began, the government has finally appointed someone to be in charge of aid for the citizens of the cities and towns of the North.
While we may never achieve full military independence — especially in the conduct of a war that lasts as long as this one — nevertheless, we must strive to become more self-sufficient than we are. Many years ago, I opposed the decision to halt the development of the Lavi aircraft. However, due to U.S. pressure, the government did not produce the plane, even after the R&D had been completed. In retrospect, I still believe that was the wrong decision, though that question remains open to debate. What we absolutely cannot afford is to be dependent on others for the production of basic bombs and shells.
THREAT FROM IRAQ
Last night, the Israeli Air Force intercepted a drone launched from Iraq before it entered Israeli airspace.
GAZA
The main operations in Gaza continue in Rafah. The Army Spokesman provided the following update on the actions in Gaza.
Division 162 continues focused operations based on intelligence information in the Rafah area. Over the past 24 hours, combat teams from the 401st, Nahal, Givati, and 12th Brigades located weapons, shafts, and underground infrastructure in the area. In one of the Givati Brigade’s operations, the forces eliminated a terrorist cell identified as operating nearby and posing a threat to them
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Over the past 24 hours, Division 99 forces continued to clear the central region of the Gaza Strip of terrorist infrastructure, weapons, and armed terrorist cells. Meanwhile, the Multi-Dimensional Unit fighters eliminated terrorists through close-range battles, sniper fire, and drones.
Throughout the last 24 hours, aircraft and fighter jets of the Air Force struck dozens of terrorist targets across the Gaza Strip, including terrorist infrastructure, terrorists, and military buildings.
U.S. Central Command Update [June 22]
In the past 24 hours, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) forces successfully destroyed three Iranian-backed Houthi uncrewed surface vessels (USV) in the Red Sea.
It was determined these systems presented an imminent threat to U.S., coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region. This action was taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels.
Separately, Iranian-backed Houthis launched three anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBM) from a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen into the Gulf of Aden. There were no injuries or significant damage reported by U.S., coalition, or merchant vessels.
Recent claims about a successful attack by Houthi forces on the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) are categorically false.
This continued malign and reckless behavior by the Iranian-backed Houthis threatens regional stability and endangers the lives of mariners across the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The Houthis claim to be acting on behalf of Palestinians in Gaza, and yet they threaten and have taken the lives of innocent civilians who have nothing to do with the conflict in Gaza. CENTCOM will continue to act with partners to hold the Houthis accountable and degrade their military capabilities.
In addition: Fair winds and following seas to the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group (IKE CSG) as they return home to their families.
Flying over 30,000 hours and sailing over 55,000 miles, the IKE CSG demonstrated our commitment to regional stability and protected freedom of navigation throughout the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The IKE CSG also upheld its commitment to the safety of all seafarers, rescuing mariners in distress on several occasions following unprovoked attacks on innocent mariners by Iranian-backed Houthis.
Following the completion of a scheduled exercise in the Indo-Pacific, the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) Carrier Strike Group will enter the CENTCOM Area of Responsibility, bringing with it capabilities that enhance CENTCOM’s ability to deter aggression, safeguard regional stability and protect freedom of navigation in the region
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ECONOMY
In late May, prominent figures in Israel's high-tech industry sent a letter to government officials, warning against exempting Haredim from military service and increasing the burden on reservists. The letter, signed by dozens of influential tech leaders and investors, raised concerns about a process of relocating jobs from Israel to maintain customer support capabilities.
The signatories, including founders and executives from companies like Mellanox, Wix, Fiverr, and Unity, suggested a potential transfer of approximately 20% of the local industry's workforce to various global locations. This is particularly significant as many of these leaders had previously championed growing companies within Israel, prioritizing local talent even when facing labor shortages.
Over the past decade, this approach led to an expansion of the high-tech sector, incorporating non-technical roles such as marketing, customer support, and financial and legal departments. This approach broadened the industry's vision and created integration opportunities for underrepresented communities, including Arab and Haredi populations.
Notably, just three months before sending their letter, some of these same industry leaders had argued against decentralized company structures, favoring a model with one dominant hub. This recent warning signals a potential shift in their perspective, driven by concerns about the changing social and political landscape in Israel. In fact, it has been happening that more and more Israeli companies are increasing their hiring outside the country while decreasing hiring domestically. If this is just a short time event, the impact will be minimal. However, if this becomes an ongoing trend, it could have a significant negative impact on the high-tech sector.
BUSINESS
Semperis
Today (Thursday), the Israeli-founded cyber company Semperis announced it has raised $125 million through a combination of debt and equity (fundraising in exchange for shares), although the exact ratio was not disclosed by the company. According to Semperis’ announcement, the fundraising was conducted at a valuation of approximately $1 billion, with participation from J.P. Morgan and Hercules Capital.
Semperis was founded in 2013 by Miki Bresman (CEO), Guy Teverovsky (CTO), and Matan Lieberman (Head of Operations in Israel). The company's headquarters is in New Jersey, and it employs about 400 people – 150 of them in Israel and the rest in the US and Canada. Semperis specializes in protecting Microsoft's Active Directory network management tools from cyber attacks, data leaks, and disaster recovery. Active Directory is used by most large corporations worldwide to manage permissions and access to network resources within the organization. Semperis enables the identification of security vulnerabilities, interception of cyber attacks, and assistance in disaster recovery. Semperis’ clients include Lenovo, United Airlines, Starbucks, Hertz, and the pharmaceutical company Sanofi
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Reshef Technologies
The Procurement Directorate (Manhar) in the Ministry of Defense has placed an order worth approximately 210 million shekels for the production of shell fuses from Reshef Technologies, a part of the 'Aeronautics Group.’
Located in Sderot, Reshef Technologies develops and manufactures fuses and employs about 80 workers, most of whom live in Sderot. The recent order, signed by the Director General of the Ministry of Defense, Major General (Res.) Eyal Zamir follows previous orders placed with the company at the outbreak of the "Operation Sword of Iron" war, totaling approximately 140 million shekels.
This is one of several transactions the Defense Ministry has conducted in recent months with Israeli companies. The total procurement by the administration since the beginning of the war is estimated at tens of billions of shekels. One notable procurement in February involved ordering over 200 armored security vehicles worth 150 million shekels for the defense forces of the settlements in the Gaza Envelope, the north, and Judea and Samaria. The vehicles were purchased from two companies, Plasan Re'em and Fight Tech Engineering Bar Lev, and will be supplied to the readiness units in the coming months following the expedited tender and procurement process. This procurement aims to strengthen the resilience of the settlements and their readiness units, ensuring they can conduct patrols and provide a quick response in the event of a security incident.
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A PIECE OF HISTORY
The First Lebanon War
After being expelled from Jordan in 1970, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) set up a base of operations in Lebanon. Over the following years, this militant group converted Israel's hitherto peaceful border with Lebanon into a major confrontation point. Israel had initiated several limited actions against PLO bases in Lebanon in response.
By 1982, Lebanon was embroiled in a Civil War primarily between Christians and Muslims, with the PLO actively participating. Concurrently, the PLO intensified its attacks on Israel, prompting the Israeli Defense Minister, Ariel Sharon, to conclude that decisive action against the PLO in Lebanon was necessary. Sharon sold the idea to the cabinet that it would be a limited advance into Lebanon.
On June 6, 1982, Israel launched a large-scale assault against the PLO in southern Lebanon. The attack went far beyond what had been expected. This attack instigated a brief yet decisive confrontation with Syria, resulting in Syria losing 81 aircraft and its entire anti-aircraft defense system. It was one of the most one-sided air battles in history. Israel lost no planes in the air fight.
Israeli troops chased the Palestinians all the way to Beirut, laying siege to the city for several months. The US intervened and helped negotiate an end to the siege. Under the negotiated agreement terms, PLO leadership under Yasser Arafat agreed to go into exile in Tunis. In a subsequent turn of events, the leader of the Phalange, a Christian militia group who had assumed the presidency, was assassinated. As retaliation, Phalange fighters entered a Palestinian refugee camp located in an area ostensibly controlled by Israel and killed 300 individuals. In an attempt to maintain peace, a multinational force led by the United States entered Lebanon. Israel withdrew South but maintained a security zone along the border until 2000.
