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February 26, 2023 Palestinian Terror Attack Kills Two Israelis in West Bank Latest Developments A Palestinian terrorist killed two Israeli civilians today at the Einabus junction in the West Bank. The two victims were brothers — Hillel Yaniv, 21, and Yagel Yaniv, 16. The attack... February 24, 2023 Without Evidence, Iran Denies Reports It Enriched Uranium to Near Weapons-Grade Latest Developments Iran yesterday and today denied reports attributed to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) by diplomatic sources that Tehran had enriched uranium to 84 percent purity — just... February 23, 2023 Oman Joins Saudi Arabia in Opening Airspace to Israel Latest Developments Oman announced today that it would open its civilian airspace to all countries, a de facto granting of overflight rights to Israeli carriers by the Gulf sultanate, which has no formal... February 23, 2023 Israeli Operation in Nablus Aimed to Apprehend Wanted Killers Israeli security forces carried out an operation in Nablus on Wednesday to apprehend three wanted individuals the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) suspects of playing a role in the killing... February 22, 2023 U.S. May Release $7 Billion in Frozen Funds to Iran The Biden administration is reportedly conducting indirect negotiations with the Islamic Republic of Iran for the release of U.S. hostages. In exchange for the prisoners, Washington may free Iranian nationals detained in America and release up to $7 billion in Iranian funds, held in South Korean banks, that are frozen due to U.S. terrorism sanctions. Qatar may facilitate the monetary transfer. The proposed exchange comes as protests resurge throughout Iran and the rial hits an historic low against the U.S. dollar. February 21, 2023 EU, UK Impose New Sanctions on Iran as Protests Surge The European Union and the United Kingdom on Monday imposed new sanctions to address Tehran’s brutal suppression of protests. The sanctions, which come in the wake of a fresh surge of demonstrations in Iran, target Iranian judges, lawmakers, and commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), among others. The sanctions also follow an announcement on Saturday by Iran International, a Farsi-language news channel, that it would relocate from London to Washington due to threats against its staff by Iranian agents. Nevertheless, the EU and the UK have stopped short of designating the IRGC itself as a terrorist organization, defying demands by the European Parliament and Iranian dissidents. February 21, 2023 IDF Captures Syrian Working for Hezbollah in the Golan Israeli troops captured two terrorist suspects who crossed into Israel from Syria on January 27, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated on Monday. One of the suspects, identified as... February 20, 2023 Iran Enriching Uranium to Near Weapons-Grade The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has detected Iran’s enrichment of uranium to 84-percent purity at the Fordow underground facility, Bloomberg News reported on Sunday.... February 17, 2023 Chinese President Set to Visit Tehran Following Iranian Counterpart’s Trip to Beijing Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday accepted an invitation to travel to Tehran from Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who visited Beijing earlier this week with a large delegation. The two leaders called for a lifting of sanctions on Iran and signed almost 20 cooperation agreements, including on trade, agriculture, and renewable energy. Xi’s last visit to Iran took place in 2016. February 16, 2023 Israel Sends First Senior Official to Kyiv Since 2022 Invasion Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen made an unannounced visit to Kyiv on Thursday, the first to the Ukrainian capital by Israel’s top diplomat since the Russian invasion almost a year... February 16, 2023 Iran’s Provision of Missiles to Russia Remains Distinct Possibility The European Union (EU) may soon sanction seven entities tied to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp (IRGC) that are providing drones to Russia, Axios reported on Wednesday, citing two EU officials. The potential targets include the IRGC Aerospace Force and the IRGC Research and Self-Sufficiency Jihad Organization, both of which also support Tehran’s ballistic missile program. While Iran has not supplied Russia with ballistic missiles, Moscow seeks to procure them from the Islamic Republic, according to Western officials. Should Iranian missiles reach Russia, they would likely strengthen Moscow’s ability to wreak havoc in Ukraine. February 15, 2023 Eyeing Tehran, U.S. and GCC Partners Seek to Develop Regional Security Architecture Senior American government officials traveled to Saudi Arabia this week to participate in U.S.-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Working Group meetings focusing on integrated air and missile defense, maritime security, Iran, and counterterrorism. The Biden administration seeks to signal its continued commitment to the region and advance longstanding efforts to develop a Middle East security architecture. “There has been no other moment in time in which the prospect for meaningful integration is more real than today,” U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Dana Stroul said on Monday. That is because of a “shared assessment between the United States and the GCC of the threats that face us,” primarily those from Iran and its terror proxies. February 15, 2023 Further Evidence Emerges of Iran’s Support for Russia’s War in Ukraine Citing sources in Iran, The Guardian reported on Sunday that Tehran has smuggled more drones to Russia for use in its war against Ukraine. Russia reportedly received a dozen Shahed-191 and Shahed-129 unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) as well as six Mohajer-6 drones, primarily used for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance missions. Tehran reportedly delivered the weaponry last November along with more than 50 Iranian technicians to help the Russian military integrate the systems. February 14, 2023 Israel Beefs Up Jerusalem Security After Attacks Israel announced stepped-up security measures for Jerusalem on Tuesday following a spate of lethal terrorist attacks in the capital. Police will reinforce patrols, and the city will soon install protective structures at 300 bus stops, fortifying the remaining 700 bus stops at a later date, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion said in a joint statement. The Border Police said it was preparing for a possible call-up of three reservist companies for deployment in Jerusalem. February 13, 2023 Israel Strikes Hamas Rocket Factory Israeli fighter jets struck a Hamas rocket manufacturing facility in Gaza early this morning in retaliation for a Saturday night rocket launch from the coastal enclave. The Israeli strike “deals a serious blow to Hamas’s ability to fortify and arm itself,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement. While the exact perpetrator of the Saturday attack remains unclear, the IDF reiterated its policy that Israel regards Hamas, the dominant power in Gaza, as responsible for any attack originating from the territory. Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system intercepted the Saturday rocket before it could hit its target. February 13, 2023 UN Aid Chief Apologizes for Failure to Deliver in Northwest Syria United Nations (UN) aid chief Martin Griffiths made no excuses on Monday for his organization’s slow response to the devastation last week’s earthquake caused in northwest Syria. “We have so far failed the people in north-west Syria. They rightly feel abandoned. Looking for international help that hasn’t arrived,” Griffiths said on Twitter. Two days earlier, Raed al-Saleh, head of the White Helmets civil defense group, demanded an apology from the UN while asking Washington to investigate why the world body had neglected the country’s northwest. February 12, 2023 Israel Pledges Tougher Measures After Jerusalem Ramming Murders Israel pledged to step up counter-terrorism measures on Sunday after a Palestinian killed three people, among them brothers aged six and eight, in a car ramming attack in Israeli capital of Jerusalem. February 10, 2023 Palestinian Terror Attack Kills Two Israelis in Jerusalem Latest Developments Earlier today a terrorist rammed a car into a bus stop in the Ramot neighborhood of Jerusalem, murdering a 20-year-old man and a six-year-old boy. The attack left several others wounded,... February 9, 2023 First Aid Delivery After Quake Reaches Northwest Syria Monday’s earthquake shut down the sole border crossing through which United Nations (UN) aid reaches northwest Syria from southern Turkey. This morning, however, a half-dozen UN trucks reached the Bab al-Hawa crossing, raising hopes that humanitarian supplies will reach Syrians in need. February 9, 2023 Iran, Russia Expedite Building Drone Factory in Russia Latest Developments Moscow and Tehran are moving forward with a project to build an Iranian-designed drone production facility in Russia, according to a recent Wall Street Journal report citing officials... February 8, 2023 U.S., IAEA Hold Out Hope for Revived JCPOA The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Tuesday called for the revival of talks focused on limiting Iran’s nuclear program. “I hope to be able to re-set, restore, reinforce that indispensable dialogue,” said Rafael Grossi. “Without that, things are going to get worse.” Grossi’s statement aligns with the Biden administration’s interest in resuscitating the 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), despite nationwide protests in Iran demanding regime change. February 8, 2023 Israel Saves Lives in Turkey, Offers Syria Aid After Earthquake An Israeli aid delegation sent to earthquake-struck Turkey has begun work, officials said on Wednesday. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Homefront Command dispatched the 150-person search-and-rescue team to Adana shortly after Monday’s earthquake, which has killed thousands in southeastern Turkey and neighboring Syria. Countless victims were trapped in rubble, with harsh winter conditions exacerbating their plight. February 7, 2023 U.S. Takes Action to Stem Iran’s Drone Capabilities The United States took steps last week to curtail Iran’s drone production capabilities, with reports over the weekend indicating that Moscow and Tehran plan to build a drone factory in Russia. The U.S. Commerce Department issued new trade restrictions against seven Iranian entities associated with drone production, adding them to its export control list. This will require U.S.-based companies to seek special permission to export their products to these entities. In addition, the Treasury Department sanctioned an Iranian manufacturer of Shahed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which Tehran has provided to Russia. Treasury also targeted an Iranian oil tanker with launch capabilities for UAVs as well as a ship accompanying it. February 6, 2023 Israel Raids Hamas Cell Responsible for Restaurant Attack Israeli forces killed at least five Hamas gunmen and detained a suspected Hamas operative on Monday during a raid on the normally quiet West Bank town of Aqabat Jabr near Jericho. The Israelis sought to capture the terrorist cell behind an attack on a restaurant along a major highway that connects Jerusalem to the Dead Sea. In the January 28 incident, two terrorists approached an Israeli-owned restaurant at Almog Junction on Road 1, then opened fire at the restaurant’s 30 customers. The terrorists managed only one shot before their assault rifle malfunctioned and forced the assailants to flee, likely sparing Israel another massacre barely a day after a pistol-wielding Palestinian murdered seven people outside a Jerusalem synagogue. February 3, 2023 Abbas Blames Israel for Rise in Terrorism During a meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Ramallah on Tuesday, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas blamed Israel for an escalation in violence between Palestinians and Israelis in recent months. Abbas told Blinken during a press conference on Tuesday that “unilateral Israeli actions” violate signed agreements and international law and that Israel’s presence in the West Bank is the chief impediment to peace. February 2, 2023 Israel Warms Ties with Chad, Sudan Latest Developments Chad opened an embassy in Israel on Thursday as Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen made an unannounced trip to Khartoum to advance the signing of a peace accord with Sudan. Officiating... January 31, 2023 DOJ Reveals New Iran-backed Assassination Attempt on Iranian American Journalist Latest Developments The Department of Justice (DOJ) revealed on Friday that the FBI disrupted another plot to assassinate Brooklyn-based Iranian -American journalist Masih Alinejad. A federal court in... January 31, 2023 Israel Strikes Iranian Military Facility Israeli drones struck an advanced weapons-production facility in the Iranian city of Isfahan on Sunday morning, dealing a potential blow to Tehran’s military infrastructure. According to The Jerusalem Post, Western intelligence and foreign sources described the strike as a success, disputing Iranian claims that the blasts caused only minor damage to the roof. The attack may impede Iran’s ability to arm Russia, which has used Iranian loitering munitions — popularly called suicide or kamikaze drones — to strike civilian targets in Ukraine. January 29, 2023 Israel Ramps Up Security, Warns Against Vigilantism After Jerusalem Attacks Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened his Security Cabinet on Saturday to authorize ramped-up counter-terrorism measures following two Palestinian shooting attacks in east Jerusalem. In the bloodiest incident since the 2008 Jerusalem attack in which a terrorist murdered eight yeshiva students, a gunman killed seven people outside a synagogue in the capital’s Neve Yaakov neighborhood following Shabbat evening prayers; police shot him dead during a brief pursuit. January 27, 2023 Hamas Agents Caught Recruiting in West Bank, Israeli Security Agency Says Latest Developments The Israeli Security Agency (ISA), also known as the Shin Bet, revealed on Wednesday that it had uncovered an elaborate terror recruiting operation in the West Bank led by Farah Hamed,... January 26, 2023 Israeli Forces Eliminate Terror Cell Planning Major Attacks Israeli special forces conducted an unusually complex raid in Jenin on Thursday, eliminating a Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) cell suspected of planning major attacks. The Palestinian terrorist group responded by issuing threats of escalation. According to witnesses, the early-morning operation in the West Bank flashpoint town involved a vanguard of undercover commandos who, posing as milk delivery men, closed in on a safe house where a PIJ planning meeting was taking place. The IDF later released drone footage of terrorists attacking Israeli forces from civilian rooftops during the three-hour clash. January 26, 2023 EU and UK Impose Human Rights Sanction on Iran, but Not on Its President and Supreme Leader Latest Developments The European Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States rolled out coordinated sanctions against elements of the Islamic Republic’s security apparatus on Monday, citing the... January 25, 2023 Erdogan Seizes on Quran Burning as New Pretext to Block Sweden’s NATO Accession A far-right activist, Rasmus Paludan, burned a Quran in front of the Turkish Embassy in Sweden last weekend after authorities granted him permission. The event, which Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu condemned as a “hate crime,” threatens to derail Sweden’s NATO membership bid. January 24, 2023 Biden Envoy Met Secretly with Iranians Amid Tehran’s Violent Crackdown on Protests Latest Developments Iran International reported in an exclusive story last week that U.S. special envoy for Iran Robert Malley met at least three times with Iranian Ambassador to the United Nations Saeed... January 20, 2023 Pentagon Transfers Some Israel-based Artillery Shells to Support Ukraine The Pentagon is reportedly using part of a military stockpile it has maintained in Israel for decades to send hundreds of thousands of artillery shells to help the Ukrainian military defeat the Russian invasion. According to the New York Times, the United States has transferred approximately half of an expected total of 300,000 rounds of 155mm howitzer shells to Ukraine. The move represents a notable use of the Israel-based stockpile to aid a partner outside the region and compensate for insufficient domestic munitions production capacity in the United States. January 19, 2023 Calls to Designate IRGC as Terrorist Organization Grow in the UK Calls to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization grew in the United Kingdom this week after Iran executed a prominent dual British-Iranian citizen on Saturday morning. According to Iranian news sources, Iran hanged former deputy defense minister, Alireza Akbari, 61, after accusing him of spying for the UK’s MI6 — the British equivalent to the CIA. According to the BBC, Akbari’s execution came after he was tortured and forced to confess on camera, though he later recanted. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressed outrage over the execution, while the UK Foreign Office “summoned” Iran’s chargé d’affaires in London — a formality that entails a meeting with host nation officials to hear complaints. January 16, 2023 Hamas Releases Video of Israeli Hostage Held Since 2014 Latest Developments Hamas released an undated Hebrew-language video on Monday purporting to show Avera Mengistu, one of two Israeli civilians the Palestinian terrorist group is holding in the Gaza Strip.... January 16, 2023 Halevi Takes Charge of IDF With An Eye on Iran and Domestic Politics Maj. Gen. Herzi Halevi assumed command of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Monday, bringing both command experience and an intelligence analyst's caution to a role likely to be tested on multiple fronts against both the regime in Iran and those trying to thrust the IDF into domestic politics. January 13, 2023 Israel and Arab Allies Conclude Negev Forum Without Jordan Latest Developments Senior officials from the United States, Israel, Bahrain, Morocco, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) wrapped up two days of meetings on Tuesday as part of the Negev Forum in... January 11, 2023 Iran Hangs Two Protesters While 109 Face Prospect of Execution Executions in Iran — and threats of further regime bloodshed — persist. In the wake of Tehran’s hanging on Saturday of two Iranian protesters, 22-year-old Mohammad Mehdi Karami... January 10, 2023 Treasury Sanctions Leaders of Iranian Drone and Missile Companies Latest Developments The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned six executives and board members of one of Iran’s top drone manufacturers, Qods Aviation Industries (QAI), on Friday for their role in providing... January 6, 2023 UK Preparing to Designate IRGC as a Terrorist Organization The United Kingdom is preparing to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist group, according to media reports this week. The decision, which London will likely announce within weeks, apparently stems in part from Tehran’s efforts to kidnap or kill dissidents on British soil. Ken McCallum, the director general of MI5, said in November that Tehran had plotted to kill at least 10 British residents over the past year. Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Tehran has deployed assassins as a regular tool of statecraft, regarding assassinations as a key method to ensure the regime’s survival, punish foes, and deter dissent. January 3, 2023 Israeli Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir Visits Temple Mount Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir made an unannounced visit on Tuesday to the Temple Mount, Judaism’s holiest site, drawing protests from the Palestinians, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia. Jews maintain a 3,000-year-old connection to the Temple Mount, where the two ancient Jewish temples once stood, and toward which Jews around the world face during prayer. The site is also sacred to Muslims, who call it the Noble Sanctuary, and houses the Al Aqsa Mosque, an icon of Palestinian nationalism. Ben-Gvir’s visit did not alter the mount’s status quo arrangement, which permits Israelis to visit but not pray at the site, and simply affirmed that Jews have the right to visit it. January 2, 2023 Netanyahu Signals Israel Will Press Syria Strikes Latest Developments Syria said Israel attacked Damascus International Airport today, briefly putting the site out of service. According to preliminary media reports, the target was a position run by the... December 30, 2022 Gaza-Based Terrorist Organizations Continue Efforts to Attack Israelis The Shin Bet stated on Monday that it prevented a “significant terror attack” earlier in December. The Shin Bet, also known as the Israeli Security Agency (ISA) and Shabak, reported... December 20, 2022 Death of UNIFIL Soldier Reflects Hezbollah’s Continuing Impunity in Lebanon Latest Developments An angry mob near the Lebanese village of Al-Aqbieh shot and killed an Irish soldier serving in the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) on December 14. A UNIFIL force of two armored... December 16, 2022 US Sanctions Friend of Turkish President for Helping Iran Evade Sanctions The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned on December 8 Sitki Ayan– a Turkish businessman and friend of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan – accusing him and his companies of circumventing sanctions on Iran’s energy industry. According to Treasury, Ayan facilitated the sale of millions of dollars’ worth of oil for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF). December 14, 2022 Breaking Precedent, Israel Provides Details of Syria Air Strike Israel’s top general, Aviv Kohavi, revealed today that Israel had exceptionally detailed intelligence about a convoy hit by an airstrike last month while bringing Iranian weapons into Syria. Kohavi did not say explicitly that Israel launched the air strike, yet his description of events matched precisely with reports of an attack on November 8 in the vicinity of Bukamal, near the border between Iraq and Syria. Kohavi said the convoy had 25 trucks, and Israel knew “Truck number eight is the truck with the armaments.” He added, “And you have to send the pilots there, too.” While Israeli leaders have acknowledged the targeting of Iranian weapons shipments, they have rarely telegraphed the Israeli role in specific strikes. December 14, 2022 UN Votes to Remove Iran From Women’s Rights Commission The UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) decided today by a vote of 29-8, with 16 abstentions, to remove Iran from the UN Commission on the Status of Women. The decision reflects women’s second-class status across the Islamic Republic. The rights of women have taken center stage in the protests now consuming Iran: The regime’s killing of 23-year-old Mahsa Amini, whom security forces had arrested for allegedly violating Tehran’s hijab laws, triggered the demonstrations now nearing their fourth month with no end in sight. December 12, 2022 Taming West Bank Chaos Remains a Challenge for Israel Gunfire killed a 16-year-old Palestinian girl, Jana Zakarna, late on Sunday during a fight that erupted when Israeli special forces entered the West Bank town of Jenin to detain terrorists. Palestinian authorities were quick to blame Israel, which acknowledged that its forces may have shot the teenager by accident and voiced regret. An initial investigation found that she was standing next to a gunman on a rooftop, and an Israeli sharpshooter may have confused the two in the dark.

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