I study antisemitism for a living: El-Sayed’s rhetoric is a case study

www.jns.org/opinion/r-amy-elman/i-study-antisemitism-for-a-living-el-sayeds-rhetoric-is-a-case-study

Like those before him, the aspiring politician grasps the appeal of blood-curdling myths.

(Aug. 17, 2026 / JNS)

Dr. Abdul El-Sayed’s victory in Michigan’s Democratic primary undoubtedly brings excitement to numerous students and faculty members across various campuses in the state. Yet as a political science professor and a researcher focused on male violence and antisemitism, I have witnessed the damaging rhetoric expressed by him and many of his supporters.

Well before the election was called, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced that she will not be attending the Michigan Democratic Convention in September because, as a Jewish public figure, “I don’t feel safe going … I don’t want to get chased around. I don’t want to get harassed. I don’t want to get yelled and screamed at. … And I believe that if I go, that is what will happen.”

Her statements echo those of my students and colleagues who avoid spaces others insist are “inclusive.”

With just 1% more votes than his opponent in the state’s primary, El-Sayed inched closer to the Senate, the very institution that some “progressives” insist they want abolished. The hypocrisy does not end there.

In an effort to facilitate his success in the upcoming November election against his Republican rival, El-Sayed sought to reassure the public and the Jewish community, whom he and many of his supporters have placed in their crosshairs for over a year, of his goodwill. The reassurance was compelled by conduct, not just his campaign rhetoric, within El-Sayed’s own political orbit.

Consider, for instance, the indictment of one of El-Sayed’s staff, who, along with seven others, stands accused by a federal jury of alleged threats and vandalism against the University of Michigan, pro-Israel organizations and their family members. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the accused “also discussed methods by which to harm the targets and their families, including poison, bombs and psychological torture.”

As FBI special agent Jennifer Runyan explained: “In the dead of night, masked and hooded defendants allegedly threw noxious chemicals through the windows of families’ homes and taped demand letters to their front doors. At every step, they attempted to cover their tracks and delete evidence of their crimes.”

When concealing Jew-hatred is no longer possible or politically preferable, there is greater candor and/or the suggestion that it does not matter. Seven months after the Hamas-led terrorist attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, El-Sayed’s most notorious supporter, Hasan Piker stated, “It doesn’t matter if rapes happened on October 7th” … “It doesn’t change the dynamic for me.” That’s because Piker admires the terrorist organization Hezbollah and its “dope flag.”

“It’s got an AK [rifle] on it and a f**king hand holding it up,” he exclaimed, podcasting beside an LGBTQ flag and wearing a T-shirt that read “show me your d**k.” It strains credulity that the provocative podcaster is oblivious to the fact that leaders of both Hezbollah and Hamas claim that homosexuals should be executed in accordance with Quranic principles. Despite posing with peace signs beside the candidate, Piker’s support for terror could not be clearer.

For those voters who continue to insist hatred of any kind is simply unacceptable comes the promise of protection against it. And, as any abused woman knows, one of the most effective ways an abuser conceals his behavior is through offering his victims protection from it.

This came to mind when I heard El-Sayed’s paternalistic statement to Jewish Americans. He declares: “My commitment to Jewish safety is the same commitment I have to the safety of my own daughters.” As is common in such instances of insincerity, he never noted the role that his own rhetoric has played in fostering the fear he claims to safeguard against.

Most concerning was that, on the morning his victory was declared, El-Sayed appeared on national television and invoked the ancient blood libel against Jews by characterizing the world’s only Jewish state as having been “bloodthirsty” for decades. This libel was not a criticism of the particular policies of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or any Israeli government, but instead a condemnation of Israel’s very existence, and thus her people and supporters.

Like those before him, the aspiring politician grasps the appeal of the blood-curdling myth. It is worth recalling that, in 1943, Heinrich Himmler, the head of the SS, instructed Berlin’s Chief of Police to investigate ritual murders long attributed to Jews, with the intention of disseminating the ostensible findings to the press. This strategy was aimed at promoting the narrative that would support the “evacuation” of Jews from Europe. Himmler understood that virulent Jew-hatred could be leveraged to the advantage of his movement.

That today’s aspiring politicians seem eager to do the same reveals our country is under serious threat and that unless such forces are soundly defeated, the future of substantive democracy will be bleak.

By R. Amy Elman, a professor of political science and the William Weber chair of social science at Kalamazoo College in Michigan.

Zionism and Planting Trees

https://www.jpost.com/judaism/torah-portion/article-905419

What is the connection between Zionism and planting trees?

Trees have repeatedly been destroyed by war, fires, and other causes, but we have always planted again as an expression of resilience and rebuilding.

The Torah prohibits the unnecessary destruction of resources. This principle is known as bal tash’hit, the ban against needless waste.

Of course, what constitutes waste depends on context. Behavior that is wasteful in one era or circumstance may not be considered wasteful in another. In a modern world where, thank God, food is abundant, discarding leftover food may not carry the same implications that it did in generations marked by scarcity.

What is striking is the setting in which this prohibition appears. The Torah introduces bal tash’hit, the prohibition against waste, amid warfare, rather than in the more predictable setting of agriculture or everyday life.

Ancient wars were fought by laying siege to cities, requiring enormous quantities of timber. Wood was needed for military camps, battering rams, siege towers, and fuel. Recognizing these genuine military needs, the Torah permits the felling of non-fruit-bearing trees for such purposes, while protecting fruit trees from wanton destruction.

Why do we plant trees?

When outlining this prohibition, the Torah offers an iconic analogy: ki ha’adam etz hasadeh, “man is like the tree of the field.” Just as human life must be carefully protected, a tree that produces and sustains life cannot simply be felled for utilitarian purposes.

The comparison reflects the unusual connection human beings have always felt toward trees. More than almost any other part of nature, we identify with trees and sometimes even personify them.

The 19th-century naturalist W. H. Hudson observed nature through an almost spiritual lens. In his memoir Far Away and Long Ago, he recounts the story of a landowner who possessed a “reverential feeling for his old trees.” Before retiring for the night, “he would walk round to visit them, one by one,” resting his hand on the bark and whispering good night. Hudson writes that the man believed his trees possessed “intelligent souls” and appreciated his devotion. To him, trees were alive, individual, and deeply personal.

Unlike this landowner, we do not believe that nature is animate, and trees certainly do not possess human souls. Yet the prominence of trees throughout Tanach suggests that our attachment to them is more than sentimental.

Human history begins among the trees of the Garden of Eden. Abraham receives his angelic visitors beneath a tree, and Jonah becomes deeply attached to his kikayon tree. Again and again, trees appear in Tanach as part of the human landscape.

Even the anatomy of a tree invites comparison to the human form. A mature tree has a clearly defined structure: hidden roots supporting a central trunk which rises and spreads into an intricate network of branches. There is something almost “bodily” about this structure, with a stable core and limbs reaching outward in different directions.

Our Sages drew on this structure in Pirkei Avot, comparing a person whose wisdom exceeds his deeds to a tree with many branches but few roots, easily overturned by the wind. The comparison works because we so readily recognize human qualities reflected in trees.

More than almost any other feature of nature, trees really do seem alive. As Shakespeare wrote, there are “tongues in trees.” Each tree has its own shape and something resembling a distinct personality. An old oak conveys strength, a willow gentleness, a cypress dignity. Trees grow and mature; they age and become scarred, and each develops its own shape and character.

The comparison between a tree and a human being reminds us to guard against wasting human potential. A productive tree still has fruit to bear; a person still has talents, abilities, and contributions to offer. Wasting either means cutting short what could still have been produced.

The connection between trees and war

However, there is a particular reason why the Torah draws this analogy between human beings and trees, specifically in the context of war. The qualities represented by trees carry special importance during wartime. Preserving sensitivity toward trees can help counter some of the pressures that war creates.

Planting for Israel's future

Trees teach us to think about the future. The Talmud in Ta’anit tells of a man planting a carob tree even though he will not live long enough to enjoy its fruit. When asked why he is planting for a future he will not see, he explains that he entered a world filled with trees planted by earlier generations and must do the same for those who will follow him.

Unlike crops that must be replanted each year, a tree planted today can continue producing fruit for decades. Trees naturally extend our vision beyond our own lives. We plant and nurture them, knowing that their fullest benefits may only be enjoyed by generations who had no part in planting them.

War demands that we extend our vision into the future. It is painful and exhausting, exacting enormous sacrifices at many levels. Without a clear vision of what we are fighting for, those sacrifices become much harder to sustain. A war without a larger purpose can easily become a succession of battles without hope.

During the past three years, we have endured an extraordinarily difficult war; the strain on our society has been enormous. The war has dragged on without a clear and decisive victory on the horizon.

We must keep reminding ourselves that our generation is struggling so that future generations will not face the violence and pogroms that we experienced on October 7. Sometimes a generation is called on to carry a burden whose benefits will be realized only by generations to come. We plant and nurture a tree today, knowing that others may sit beneath its branches and enjoy its fruit.

Every tree is different

Trees also possess remarkable individuality. No two mature trees are identical. Each develops its own shape and carries its own history. Trees are battered by storms, afflicted by disease, scarred by injury, and sometimes recover in ways that permanently alter their appearance. An old tree possesses something resembling a biography, with much of its history written into its trunk and branches.

War reduces individuals to numbers and statistics. Behind every person lies a world of relationships, dreams, achievements, and hopes. Every loss is the loss of an entire world. Every serious injury can radically alter a person’s life and the lives of those around them. Amid the scale and intensity of war, it is easy to lose sight of the individuality of each person and the unique story of every family.

The Torah’s concern for each individual tree reminds us to preserve that same sensitivity toward every individual human life.

Building, not destroying

Finally, trees remind us that humans are meant to be productive in this world. Trees are among nature’s great providers. They give us fruit, shade, shelter, fuel, and, through photosynthesis, the oxygen we breathe. Their presence sustains the environment around them.

War is fundamentally destructive. It destroys lives and what human beings have spent years building. Sometimes we are forced into war, but we should never develop a culture that celebrates war or destruction.

The comparison between people and trees reminds us of our deeper calling. We are meant to produce, build, and improve our world. War may sometimes be necessary, but destruction can never become our purpose. Man is meant to be a tree.

Planting again in Israel

From its earliest days, the Zionist movement viewed planting trees in Israel as an expression of confidence in our future. I remember collecting money as a child in the little blue Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund boxes to help plant forests in Israel.

Trees have repeatedly been destroyed by war, fires, and other causes, but we have always planted again as an expression of Jewish resilience and rebuilding.

https://www.jpost.com/judaism/torah-portion/article-905419

UK, US both said probing alleged ties between China and an anti-Israel protest group

www.timesofisrael.com/uk-us-both-said-probing-alleged-ties-between-china-and-an-anti-israel-protest-group/

Telegraph report says Code Pink suspected of receiving funds from a Beijing-backed tech tycoon to stage pro-Palestinian demonstrations

The United States and United Kingdom are both investigating alleged ties between China and a pro-Palestinian protest group, according to a recent report in The Telegraph, after an earlier story in the UK paper revealed that far-left feminist organization Code Pink is suspected of receiving funds from Beijing to stage anti-Israel protests in Britain.

Code Pink has staged dozens of protests in the UK and US since the war in Gaza began with the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attacks. Its website says it supports “Palestinians’ right to resist the violent Israeli occupation of Palestine,” and that it is “committed to supporting Palestinian liberation from abroad.”

According to The Telegraph, the UK’s Home Office’s probe into the group’s funding is part of a larger investigation into foreign influence and interference in Britain. The paper said that the probe comes amid concern in London that Beijing is looking to deepen societal tensions and wage “political warfare” in the country.

Code Pink is suspected of receiving 250,000 British pounds ($338,000) from a company connected to a China-based British tech tycoon named Neville Roy Singham, who has previously been accused of funding Chinese propaganda, the report said, though he has consistently denied such allegations. Singham is married to Code Pink co-founder Jodie Evans.

Commenting on the probe, an unnamed government spokesperson said: “The first duty of government is to protect our national security. That is why we have brought forward some of the most robust measures to defend our country and democracy from state-backed threats.”

“Protecting the UK’s democracy and democratic institutions is fundamental to our national security, and we will continue to take whatever action is necessary to safeguard them,” the spokesperson added.

Protesters hold up banners, flags and placards as they walk along the Embankment by the River Thames during an anti-Israel demonstration, in London, January 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)

The US is also looking into the allegations, the report said.

The US probe is being conducted by a congressional committee alongside the Justice Department, the report said, and is looking into whether Singham “used his money to spread pro-China propaganda and advance the interests of Beijing.”

Code Pink co-founder Medea Benjamin speaks to the media after being removed from the White House Correspondents Dinner, April 25, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

The report quoted Congressional Ways and Means Committee chairman Jason Smith, a Republican from Missouri, as saying that “it’s clear from the investigation that Singham’s money and influence does not stop at America’s borders.”

“The committee is well aware that Singham’s funding is supporting pro-Hamas and pro-communist causes not only in the United States, but also overseas, including in the United Kingdom,” Smith said.

According to the report, the Justice Department has launched a federal grand jury investigation into Singham’s alleged ties to China and pro-Palestinian protest groups.

Both the UK and US have seen a surge in anti-Israeli protests as well as antisemitic sentiment since the war in Gaza began in 2023.

Naval Strategy Against Hamas Off Gaza

https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-905603

Hamas is attempting to rebuild its naval capabilities from the ruins, developing low-tech methods using basic rowboats and paddles.

     Israeli PT Boat

Israel's Navy has implemented sweeping structural changes since the October 7 massacre, rebuilding its coastal defense system into a multi-layered "Iron Wall" along the Gaza Strip's coastline.

In-depth investigations of the October 7 massacre highlighted severe gaps and demanded fundamental changes. Against a creative, constantly adapting enemy that deploys divers, underwater craft, fast boats, drones, and seemingly innocent fishing vessels, rigid thinking risks another catastrophe.

Navy Commander Vice Admiral David Salama initiated a series of operational changes, which current Navy Commander Rear Admiral Eyal Harel accelerated, understanding that effective defense requires learning on the fly.

To systematically eliminate Hamas's naval capabilities and prevent future amphibious, subnautical, or drone-based infiltrations into Israeli territory, they've deployed upgraded fast patrol boats, integrated drone surveillance and joint intelligence, and mandated a strict zero-tolerance engagement policy.

The threat of a sea-based raid - alongside the use of drones, motorized paragliders, and submersibles - remains a constant danger. Although the Navy operates aggressively to neutralize threats early, and Hamas's motorized vessels have vanished from the area, field commanders refuse to rest on their laurels.

Commanders of the "Knights of the Gulf" company slowed the Shaldag Mark V patrol boat off Gaza's port along the city's coast. What was once a bustling, round-the-clock hub with hundreds of vessels that challenged and surprised the Navy on October 7 is now deserted.

"There are no motorized vessels left; look," explained the senior officer aboard, with the ruins of the city visible in the background. From the moment we left port toward Gaza, almost every command given over the radio was about scanning the water for threats.

The memory of the October 7 massacre hangs heavily in the air. That Saturday morning, at 6:29 AM, red alert sirens sounded.

Under cover of rocket and mortar fire, elite Nukhba naval forces from Hamas's military wing launched seven boats toward Israel. Dozens of beachgoers rushed to find shelter - some ran to public bomb shelters, others to beach restrooms.

With remarkable sharpness against heavy odds, Navy sailors managed to strike five boats and eliminate 20 terrorists, but the balance of force was complex. Two boats reached the shore carrying 18 heavily armed Nukhba fighters who proceeded to predetermined targets - meticulously planned right under the nose of Israeli intelligence and the wider IDF.

The minutes that followed marked the start of a massive systemic failure.

Deep-dive inquiries and subsequent changes

As a primary, prominent measure, the Navy, Shin Bet, and Military Intelligence joined forces to systematically degrade Hamas and Islamic Jihad's maritime capabilities.

This offensive push recently received significant momentum with the appointment of Rear-Admiral A., former commander of Shayetet 13 (Naval Commandos), as head of the Intelligence Directorate's Operations Division - an officer raised in the naval arena who fully understands maritime threats and the necessary intelligence-gathering envelope.

Ashdod Naval Base Commander Captain A. deepened the analysis and debriefs, restructuring the entire sector.

In cooperation with ground forces, they established multi-layered defensive rings across sea, air, and land to back each other up and ensure continuous surveillance and interception capabilities. As part of the upgraded defenses, forces were positioned to act as a clear, aggressive buffer against sudden threats.

"Look to your left now," the senior officer said. "See those quad bikes speeding south? That’s a new unit created after October 7 to counter beach infiltrations - a backstop in case we fail to stop terrorists at sea or during their transition to land."

Sailors from the "Knights of the Gulf" company call the new system an "Iron Wall."

It relies on a tight integration of advanced technology and force concentration across a broad, heavily monitored border zone where access is completely restricted - a far cry from the past, when Hamas terrorists disguised as fishermen constantly challenged forces, and some commanders enforced overly cautious rules of engagement. Hamas exploited that crack in the wall to lull the IDF into a false sense of security.

The new Shaldag vessel continued south toward the Egyptian border, with Khan Younis soon visible in the distance. The sheer scale of destruction was striking even from the sea. As they operate, the crew constantly analyzes threats in all sectors, above and below ground, including divers who could launch under cover of bad weather.

"That's why anyone approaching the shoreline with diving equipment sets off an immediate red flag. It was never like this before," explained one officer from the squadron.

He added, "Everyone on this boat knows that the moment a diver emerges from the sea onto land, he's heavy and slow to organize. It takes him about 40 seconds to get his bearings. In that window, we have to strike him with precision from the sea. We train on this repeatedly to stay sharp. One of the core changes to prevent that scenario is joint-service integration. A Zik drone operator sees what the Shaldag sees, along with ground observation and drones - and vice versa. Everyone sees everything."

The engine roar of the Shaldag Mark V tells the full story.

It is longer than the older model, with upgraded, classified surveillance and firepower capabilities, along with extended sea endurance and range. "In short - a monster of a vessel that maneuvers rapidly to its target," explained an officer.

Suddenly, bursts of gunfire echoed from the starboard side. "We identified a suspicious object. To rule out an IED meant to hit us or wash ashore in Israel, we simply shoot at it. It could just be a loose fishing trap floating up from the seabed... we take zero risks."

According to the sailors, Hamas is attempting to rebuild its naval capabilities from the ruins, developing low-tech methods using basic rowboats and paddles.

"We expect them to try to challenge us in every way, including surprises," explained a young officer, pointing to a drone taking off from the deck. "We have zero patience for provocations or boundary violations," he clarified. "See this drone? It can broadcast announcements, drop munitions, or strike directly - the team is fully trained for every scenario."

An additional concern stems from Hamas's high motivation to smuggle weaponry from the Sinai into the Gaza Strip. Beyond acknowledging professional cooperation with the Egyptian military, officers declined to elaborate. The altitude gauge and radar on the Shaldag's control room monitors soon warned of their proximity to the pier.

Reality check: infiltration at Kibbutz Zikim

This process illustrates precisely what Dr. Zvi Lanir warned about in his book Fundamental Surprise regarding the "illusion of repair" after a major crisis: the trap of dumping resources into fixing secondary systems - like upgrading naval gear and technology - instead of fundamentally questioning the high command's underlying assumptions.

A real-world test of this mindset didn't take long. Last Friday, the IDF got a stark reminder of just how fragile the coastal sector and overall security setup remain when an alarm tripped at Kibbutz Zikim near the beach.

At 11:35 PM on Friday - typically Southern Command's lowest state of readiness, with some commanders off for the weekend - a sensor flagged a disturbance along fence section 30 near the farm area. A security guard rushed to the spot, saw no damage other than two jackals nearby, decided that explained it, and gave the all-clear.

A few minutes later, a second guard on a routine perimeter sweep found a clean square cut through the fence near the cowshed and supply yard. He alerted the kibbutz security chief, who immediately escalated to the highest threat level, declaring a full terrorist infiltration.

The kibbutz rapid-response team mobilized, and the Northern Brigade under Captain O. triggered full emergency protocols, calling in a Zik drone overhead. The debrief showed that a unit led by a deputy battalion commander arrived within minutes. Shortly after, an engineering reserve force pulled up in two Humvees alongside the battalion commander’s mobile command post, placing nearly 50 armed troops inside the kibbutz - a rapid response by any standard.

Responders quickly realized the fence was likely cut to steal valuable copper wiring, lowering fears of an attack. Still, residents stayed locked in their safe rooms as reinforcements arrived, including a tracker and containment units led by the deputy brigade commander. Air Force personnel coordinated directly with the kibbutz security chief to maintain real-time situational awareness.

At the same time, a senior Southern Command official noted that multiple drones swept the surrounding area to rule out any remaining threats. The sector intelligence commander redirected surveillance toward Zikim, running manual sweeps and checking the post-October 7 radar network. Within minutes, the data confirmed no landings from the sea or crossings at the nearby Shikma Stream.

The breach at Zikim Beach

The debrief established that within 40 minutes, 140 troops, police officers, and Border Police were on site, working out of a joint command post with local security officials. Brigade Commander Captain O. had ordered forces to treat the event as a hostile attack until proven otherwise.

Even so, within 28 minutes of the first alert, Southern Command knew with high confidence that this was a routine theft attempt - confirming no entry into the kibbutz, as no footprints crossed past the cut fence.

In the aftermath, questions emerged over why the kibbutz PA system wasn't used to warn residents faster, and why a quick headcount wasn't ordered immediately. A senior official close to the investigation countered that the response was based on a recent brigade drill simulating multi-point infiltrations in Sderot and Netiv HaAsara, executed alongside Israel Police.

Still, he acknowledged that inter-agency coordination must become even tighter and faster to seal operational gaps.

Field commanders recognize that they must operate on the assumption that the enemy retains hidden diving and asymmetric capabilities. They remain on high alert for the toughest scenario: adverse weather at the most unexpected hour - the ultimate test for the new multi-layered defense system.

https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-905603

Watch: Tens of thousands at Western Wall Plaza for year’s first Selichot service

www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431748

Selichot season opens at the Western Wall Plaza with tens of thousands of worshipers in attendance.

                                                      www.youtube.com/watch?v=cK6HNIYKCrY

Marking the start of the month of Elul, the traditional Selichot services kicked off Saturday night at the Western Wall Plaza, drawing tens of thousands of worshipers.

During the service, the Rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Places, Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, led heartfelt prayers for unity among the Jewish people, the safety of IDF soldiers and security forces, and the peace and security of Israel.

Israeli strikes kill 11 in south Lebanon after Hezbollah wounds 3 IDF soldiers in attack

www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-strikes-kill-11-in-south-lebanon-idf-says-raids-in-response-to-hezbollah-action/

Acknowledging civilian casualties in strikes, Israel accuses terror group of deliberately housing women and children in Hezbollah ‘military compound,’ says they were family of targeted commander

Israel’s Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter speaks during a signing of a framework agreement between Israel and Lebanon, at the US State Department on June 26, 2026, in Washington. (AP/Kevin Wolf)

Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon killed at least 11 people on Saturday, including three children and two women, Lebanese authorities said, with Israel saying the raids came in response to a Hezbollah attack that violated the ceasefire and seriously wounded at least three IDF soldiers.

Israel later acknowledged that there were civilian casualties in the strikes, accusing the terror group of “deliberately putting civilians in that military compound” and identifying the women and children as the family members of a targeted senior Hezbollah commander.

The Israeli strikes drew harsh criticism from Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun, who accused Israel of sending a “clear message” ahead of the next round of US-sponsored negotiations between the countries.

Seven people were killed and two wounded when Israeli warplanes struck a home in Ansar, north of Tyre. Another strike in Deir al-Zahrani, north of Nabatieh, killed four people and wounded several others, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry and state news media.

The IDF confirmed launching airstrikes in southern Lebanon overnight, saying it struck Hezbollah infrastructure in response to an attack by the terror group on Israeli troops. A series of strikes were also reported in the Nabatieh area, including heavy attacks on the Ali Taher Ridge, beneath which Hezbollah has a major underground facility.

The IDF later confirmed three troops operating in the area of the ridge were seriously wounded after being hit by an explosive drone launched by Hezbollah around 2:30 a.m.

The drone exploded near soldiers of the elite Yahalom combat engineering unit, seriously wounding an officer and two soldiers, all three of whom were taken to a hospital for treatment.

In response, the IDF said it struck Hezbollah infrastructure in both the Nabatieh area and Ansar, which are some 9 miles apart, killing the senior commander.

“The strikes were carried out following an action by the Hezbollah terror organization against our forces in the Ali Taher Ridge area, which is located within the security zone where IDF troops are operating,” the military said.

Civilian shields

The wounding of three soldiers in the Hezbollah attack was announced earlier by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, in a rare English-language statement published on Shabbat.

“This morning Hezbollah violated the ceasefire in Lebanon by attacking our soldiers in the security zone, which protects Israeli communities just across the border. The Hezbollah attack seriously injured three of our soldiers,” the statement said.

“The IDF responded by striking the Hezbollah terror headquarters which ordered the attack,” the PMO said.

“Only later did the IDF learn that Hezbollah deliberately put civilians in that military compound,” the statement added, acknowledging the civilian casualties.

The military also confirmed that women and children had been killed and said they were family members of the senior Hezbollah commander it targeted.

“The headquarters was used by the Hezbollah terror organization to command its activities in the area,” the military said.

According to the IDF, the strike killed Ali Samir Al-Haj Hassan, a battalion commander in Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force, along with several more Hezbollah operatives involved in advancing attacks on troops.

“At the time of the strike, Hassan’s family was also present with him inside the military headquarters and, according to the claim, was harmed in the strike. It should be emphasized that the family members were not the target of the strike. The strike was specifically directed at Hassan, who was a lawful target under international law. The terrorist used his family as human shields, hiding alongside them inside the military headquarters,” the IDF said in a statement.

A clear message

Aoun condemned what he called the “ongoing Israeli attacks” on southern Lebanon and “repeated violations of the framework agreement” and international law protecting civilians, according to a statement from his office.

He said the strikes, including the attack in Ansar, amounted to a “clear message on the negotiation process,” but did not explicitly threaten to pull out of them.

The comments came ahead of the next round of US-sponsored talks, expected to take place in Rome early next month.

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam also condemned the strikes.

“The seven martyrs of the Israeli airstrike on the town of Ansar are not military infrastructure, and the children and women killed were not military targets,” Salam wrote on X.

“Israel must halt this escalation,” Salam said. He added that the security of the Lebanese people and their right to life on their land “are not subject to negotiation or bargaining.”

Nabih Berri, the speaker of Lebanon’s parliament, who is a Hezbollah ally, called in a statement for national unity and for the sponsors of the peace talks and ceasefire agreements to assume responsibility for stopping the war before it was too late.

In response, Israeli officials cautioned Lebanon against using the violence as an excuse to pull out of talks and urged a deeper engagement.

Netanyahu spokesman Doron Spielman told AFP that Israel wanted new and more ambitious US-brokered talks with Lebanon following Saturday’s deadly attacks, which he asserted “should jumpstart the talks and make them much more serious, not do the opposite.”

“And I think it will. It will hopefully move these talks along because the enemy here is clear and the enemy is Hezbollah,” Spielman said. “We believe in the agreement. We very much hope that the Lebanese Armed Forces are going to be able to step into the foray, and together we’re going to remove Hezbollah from the picture.”

Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter — who heads Israel’s negotiating team in the Lebanon talks — warned Beirut against pulling out of negotiations in response to the strikes.

“If the Lebanese government uses this incident as a pretext to delay or discontinue peace talks, it would hand a tactical victory to the enemies of peace. Derailing the talks is precisely what Hezbollah is trying to achieve,” Leiter wrote on X.

Leiter defended the Israeli strikes, asserting that Hezbollah attacked IDF troops first, targeting those positioned in the army’s southern Lebanon buffer zone.

“In response, the IDF acted decisively against the Hezbollah commander who ordered the attack — a terrorist who used his own family as human shields inside a Hezbollah military headquarters,” Leiter said.

Israel and Lebanon announced a US-mediated framework agreement on June 26, six days after a precarious truce between Israel and Hezbollah went into effect.

The framework set out a plan for Israeli forces to withdraw from southern Lebanon in exchange for Hezbollah’s disarmament and envisioned steps toward an eventual peace agreement between Israel and Lebanon, which technically remain in a state of war.

Hezbollah meanwhile, said the Israeli strikes would be met with an “appropriate” response, urging authorities to halt “humiliating” negotiations with Israel.

Israel “must clearly understand that its attacks, violations and attempts to impose a fait accompli cannot continue, and will be met with an appropriate response,” the Iran-backed terror group said in a statement, adding that Lebanese authorities “must not insist on continuing along the humiliating path of direct negotiations and providing the enemy with free concessions.”

Hezbollah was not a party to the agreement and has rejected calls for it to disarm. Its leader, Naim Qassem, said Friday that the framework was effectively an Israeli dictate that Lebanese authorities had accepted.

The two countries have so far held seven rounds of talks, most recently in Rome earlier this month.

Despite the truce, Israel has carried out several strikes in Lebanon, saying it is targeting Hezbollah infrastructure and responding to threats against Israeli troops and civilians.

Earlier this month, two Israeli soldiers were killed in an explosion in southern Lebanon, the first Israeli fatalities there since the June truce. Hezbollah did not comment on the blast.

The latest Israel-Hezbollah war ignited on March 2, when Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel two days after the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran. The two sides had previously fought when Hezbollah opened fire on northern Israel on October 8, 2023, a day after Hamas’s onslaught attack on Southern Israel.

At least 4,300 people have been killed in Lebanon since the latest round of hostilities began, according to Reuters, in figures that do not differentiate between civilians and Hezbollah combatants. Around 40 Israeli soldiers and three civilians, including a military contractor, have been killed on the Israeli side.

Jacob Magid contributed to this report