DAY 381 OF THE WAR: Failed Drone Attack On Central Israel, Army Claims Significant Progress in Lebanon, Seven Israelis Caught Spying for Iran

Tel Aviv Diary, October 21, 2024

Late in the afternoon, an unusual announcement was made at Ben Gurion Airport: all landings and takeoffs at the airport were temporarily suspended. This sparked widespread speculation— had an attack on Iran commenced? Meanwhile, my favorite barista shared that a customer, who was celebrating their anniversary that day, chose to cancel their evening plans and head home upon hearing the news. They even called off the babysitter. However, mere minutes later, it was announced that flights had resumed. The couple quickly reversed their earlier cancellation, rehired the babysitter— and like many of us, breathed a sigh of relief, at least for the time being.

It turned out that Hezbollah had dispatched five suicide drones toward the center of the country. The exact targets—whether Ben Gurion Airport, Tel Aviv, or another location—remained unclear. All drones were successfully intercepted over the sea by a coordinated defense involving helicopter gunships and fighter jets.

Shortly afterward, we heard a loud explosion in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area originating from the north, leaving everyone questioning its cause. We all wondered what it was. The IDF spokesperson later clarified that it was a missile from Lebanon, which had landed in an unoccupied area—hence, no warnings had been issued. Mere minutes after its launch, the Hezbollah missile platform, already primed with another missile, was destroyed by the IDF.

IN THE NORTH & LEBANON

Today was another day of relatively constant rocket fire on targets in the North— including Haifa and regions within both the Upper and Lower Galilee. Combat continues in Lebanon. The IDF Spokesman released the following statement regarding its operations in Lebanon:

IDF forces continue targeted operations in the Lebanon sector, and in close cooperation between air, intelligence, and fire forces, 7 brigade commanders, 21 battalion commanders, and 24 company commanders of the Hezbollah terrorist organization have been eliminated so far.

In addition, the IDF has attacked over 3,200 terror targets, including hundreds of weapons depots, rocket launchers, anti-tank positions, terror infrastructures, and headquarters. Approximately 300 terror targets were attacked in just the last 24 hours.

According to IDF reports, since the start of the ground maneuver, approximately 1,200 Hezbollah terrorists have been eliminated. Since the beginning of the war in October, nearly  2,000 Hezbollah terrorists have been killed, including seven brigade commanders, 21 battalion commanders, and 24 company commanders.

After about three weeks of ground maneuvers, the Northern Command issued the following statement this evening:

We have decisively taken control of the frontline villages in Lebanon. The organization is barely able to carry out effective reinforcements and cannot fight as a cohesive system. It is relying on residual rocket capabilities and attempting to fire remotely, but not significantly.

The Northern Command estimates that only a few more weeks are needed to complete the ground maneuver and create the conditions necessary for northern residents to return to their homes.

Additionally, as planned and announced prior to the attack, last night, the Air Force destroyed most of Hezbollah’s banking network—including the destruction of a large underground safe containing tens of millions of dollars. Given Hezbollah's reliance on cash transactions for its financial operations, it is hoped that substantial cash reserves were also destroyed in the attack on these banks.

Tonight, the IDF acknowledged responsibility for a targeted killing in Damascus. The individual targeted was Hezbollah's chief financier, who had stepped into the role following the elimination of his predecessor by the IDF.

The Army Spokesman also reported that beneath one of the central hospitals in Beirut Hezbollah operates a significant command center, which is currently holding at least half a billion dollars.

The question remains: what comes next in Lebanon? Reports indicate that Israel is not only pursuing the restoration of pre-war conditions but also insisting on an agreement that would authorize it to attack Hezbollah if they try to reestablish their presence in southern Lebanon and neither the UN nor the Lebanese army intervenes. While Israel arguably should possess this right, it is hard to imagine Lebanon consenting to such terms. Reportedly, Hezbollah is now prepared to revert to the pre-war border security agreement, UN Decision 1701—this time with a commitment to adhere to its terms.

SEVEN ISRAELIS CAUGHT SPYING FOR IRAN

For the fourth time in recent weeks, another Iranian spy ring has been exposed. These spies, operating amidst the ongoing conflict, inflicted serious damage on Israel's security. Here’s the statement issued by the State Prosecutor’s Office:

Today, the Magistrate’s Court in Rishon LeZion has permitted the publication that today the State Prosecutor’s Office filed a prosecutor’s statement against seven Jewish suspects, residents of Haifa and the north, including a deserter soldier and two minors.

These individuals are suspected of being directed by Iranian agents to perform various espionage activities. Specifically, they are accused of photographing and collecting information on IDF military installations, including Air Force bases at Nevatim and Ramat David, the Kirya (Army HQ) in Tel Aviv, and Iron Dome battery locations, among others. Additionally, they also allegedly received maps detailing strategic sites like the Golani training base (Ba’had Golani) from their handlers.

The suspects are: Aziz Nisanov, Alexander Sadykov, Yigal Nissan, Vyacheslav Gushchin, Yevgeny Yoffa, and two minors whose names cannot be published. On Friday, the prosecution is expected to file an indictment against them in the Haifa District Court for a series of serious security offenses.

The State Prosecutor’s Office emphasizes that this constitutes one of the most serious cases investigated in recent years. The case has been closely monitored for several weeks by the head of the security team at the Haifa District Prosecutor’s Office, attorney Shelly Barzilai-Zaavi, attorney Einav Itzco Gold, as well as the Deputy State Prosecutor for Special Functions, Alon Altman.

According to the facts that can be disclosed at this stage, the police and Shin Bet investigation revealed that—for more than two years—the suspects carried out a series of different missions for an infrastructure of Iranian intelligence agents, which operated to recruit Israeli citizens under the guidance of two Iranian agents with whom they were in contact.

The suspects’ actions were carried out in exchange for a total payment of hundreds of thousands of dollars, which was made, among other things, via cryptocurrencies.

Some of the suspects operated for about two years, and all of them continued performing tasks for the Iranian agents even during the war that Israel is waging on multiple fronts. The activity, in which the suspects carried out hundreds of missions, included photographing various sites in Israel, including military bases, and carrying out additional tasks related to intelligence gathering.

As stated, the prosecution intends to file an indictment on Friday against the seven suspects and request their detention until the end of the legal proceedings.

It should be emphasized that this serious case joins a series of incidents that have been exposed in recent weeks, some of which have led to indictments and requests for detention until the end of the proceedings, while others are expected to be filed soon. This is part of the uncompromising battle that the State Prosecutor’s Office is waging against those who seek to harm the state's security.

CONFERENCE FOR JEWISH RESETTLEMENT OF GAZA

A conference was held at the Gaza border to discuss the resettlement of the Gaza Strip with Jewish settlements. The gathering was attended by several Knesset members from Likud, along with Finance Minister Smotrich and the National Security Minister Ben-Gvir. During the event, the Ben-Gvir stated:

We can renew the settlement in Gaza. We can establish Kfar Darom, we can rebuild Netzarim and Atzmona. We can also do another thing—encourage emigration. The truth is, this is the most moral and right solution. Not by force, but by offering them the option: ‘We are giving you the opportunity to leave and go to other countries.’

When the parents of hostages held by Hamas tried to enter the conference to speak with the government ministers in attendance, they were barred from doing so by the police. The idea of holding a conference on Jewish resettlement of Gaza—while fighting is still going on AND 101 Israelis are being held hostage IN GAZA—demonstrates a profound ideological blindness on the part of the organizers at multiple levels. First, a significant portion of those risking their lives and dying in this war would certainly oppose any efforts to resettle Israelis in Gaza. Second, such a conference damages Israel’s public image and its standing in the international court.

Furthermore, the idea itself is fundamentally flawed. The reason Israel dismantled the settlements in Gaza was that they were too costly to defend— with 8,000 settlers living among 2,000,000 Gazans. The underlying belief that settlements enhance security is misguided and incorrect. Settlements actually compromise security, because they require defense by the Army, diverting resources that could be better used elsewhere. The real danger is that these proponents of rebuilding Jewish Gaza are crystal clear about what they want, while the government (and, first and foremost, the Prime Minister) continues to prevaricate about their plans for the future of Gaza after Hamas.

Thousands Gather to Honor FALLEN Druze Colonel Ehsan Daxa

Today marked the solemn occasion of a large funeral for revered Druze Colonel Ehsan Daxa, attended by thousands, including the Defense Minister Gallant. Notably, nearly all of Daxa’s extended family members serve in the IDF.

SHIREL GOLAN

Yesterday, marked the tragic end of the continued struggle by Shirel Golan (22), who survived the Nova Festival but had never been the same since that day. The Knesset Chair of the Lobby for Health and Suicide Prevention, MK Katrin “Keti” Shitrit (Likud) issued the following statement: