Sunday, November 3, 6 PM Israel Time • 4 PM GB • 11 AM EDT • 8 AM PDT.
Israeli troops continued their operations in villages near the Lebanese border today, focusing on destroying tunnels and removing ammunition and other military equipment. The majority of the work in the frontline villages has been completed. Field commanders are proceeding with the assumption that they are on a tight schedule, although it remains uncertain whether their time to finish the tasks is indeed limited
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Public statements, including those from Naim Qassem, the newly appointed head of Hezbollah, indicate the group's intention to keep fighting as long as the conflict in Gaza persists. Qassem asserted that his organization is strong and capable of sustaining combat for a long time. During his speech, Qassem threatened Netanyahu, stating, “Last time we missed him.” Qassem’s remarks were abruptly cut short when, according to Lebanese sources, an individual, purportedly an Israeli, launched a cyberattack on his studio.
NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HEZBOLLAH/LEBANON
It was reported today that the U.S. has accepted Israel’s demand allowing it to act if Hezbollah is observed rearming near the border. Is it possible that this understanding be translated into a formal agreement? There is growing optimism that it can. Whether such an agreement will persuade residents of the north to return home remains uncertain.
This afternoon, I had coffee with a friend from the North who has been displaced since the war began. He opposes reaching a diplomatic agreement, insisting that Hezbollah must be definitively defeated. I responded that, regardless of how fiercely one battles, every war eventually concludes with some form of settlement.
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Meanwhile, both Israel and Hezbollah launched significant attacks against each other. On one side, the IDF Spokesperson urged all residents in of Baalbek— a key logistics hub for Hezbollah in northeast Lebanon—to evacuate the city. Following the evacuations, the IAF conducted a series of attacks on Baalbek, targeting Hezbollah's fuel reserves among other assets. In addition, the IAF eliminated another key commander earlier in the day. Here is the statement released by the IDF Spokesman regarding operations in Lebanon:
Air Force fighter jets, guided by intelligence from the IDF’s Intelligence Directorate, the Air Force, and the Northern Command, attacked the Nabatieh area and eliminated Mustafa Ahmad Shahadi, who served as the deputy commander of Hezbollah’s Radwan Force.
Mustafa Ahmad Shahadi had been promoting terror activities against the State of Israel. This elimination is another blow to the operational capabilities of Hezbollah’s Radwan Force to plan and carry out terror attacks against IDF forces and the Israeli home front along the northern border, particularly regarding their plans to invade the Galilee.
In his previous roles, Shahadi was responsible for operations within the Radwan Force during the fighting in Syria between 2012 and 2017. Additionally, he actively managed the unit’s combat efforts in southern Lebanon.
The Radwan Force is Hezbollah’s elite unit, whose mission is to infiltrate Israeli territory and seize areas near the northern border. The IDF will continue to act against Hezbollah terrorists and commanders to neutralize any threat to the citizens of Israel.”
ROCKETS AND DRONES
Today, rocket attacks wounded two people in Metula and two others in Dalton, both towns located along the border. This morning, three drones were downed over northern Israel, while another landed on the roof of a defense subcontractor. Later this evening, Hezbollah directed three more drones into Israel. One was intercepted, but the other two evaded Israeli defenses for 30 minutes before reaching their targets in Akko and Yokneam. The Army has not disclosed what these drones managed to strike, although it appears there were no injuries. Clearly, an effective solution to the drone threat is still lacking.
The Knesset held a preliminary vote on two highly controversial bills today. The first bill would grant the Minister of Communication authority over the rating of television shows, a measure widely seen as an attempt to politicize a sector that should remain free from government interference.
The second bill makes it easier to disqualify political parties if any party member expresses support for terrorism. This legislation is perceived as a means to target Arab parties, by lowering the threshold for disqualification. Currently, political
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