The Hot Zone with Chuck Holton

The IDF is getting ready for the Rafah maneuver!

Putin eyes first tax hike in a decade to fund war [Read Full Article]

Patriot air defenses to be mothballed after decades of mostly gathering dust https://www.timesofisrael.com/patriot-air-defenses-to-be-mothballed-after-decades-of-mostly-gathering-dust/ via @timesofisrael

Surveillance camera footage published by police shows the stabbing attack in Jerusalem's Old City earlier. The stabber, 34-year-old Hasan Saklanan, a Turkish national, attacked a Border Police cop near Herod's Gate, before being shot dead by the victim and another officer.

The Israeli military's 98th and 162nd divisions have been carrying out intensive preparations in recent days for future offensives in the Gaza Strip, including the looming Rafah operation. In a statement, the IDF says the two divisions are "working to strengthen readiness for the continuation of the war in the Gaza Strip," and that both had gone over plans for the upcoming operations. The 162nd Division had operated in Gaza for six months until last week. It had most recently been tasked with the Netzarim corridor in central Gaza. The 98th Division had spent four months operating in southern Gaza's Khan Younis, until it was withdrawn earlier this month. "The division commanders have completed the approval of plans for the next missions, and are now continuing to increase readiness," the IDF says. The commanders of the divisions and their brigades have also undergone learning sessions in preparation for future operations, the statement says. The IDF says the divisions' maintenance teams recently patched up all of their armored vehicles, to "increase their readiness for continuous combat." The announcement comes as the IDF is preparing to launch an offensive in Rafah, with reports saying that if a hostage deal with Hamas is not reached within the next few days, the operation will commence.

Hamas fires more than 20 rockets from Lebanon at northern Israel [Read Full Article]

Another reminder that defeating Hamas will not only require destroying them in Gaza, but also in Lebanon

Netanyahu tells Biden he's worried about possible ICC arrest warrants [Read Full Article]

Hamas kills aid workers to manufacture Gaza food crisis, Fatah charges [Read Full Article]

US military's pier in Gaza to cost $320 million; involves about 1,000 U.S. service members [Read Full Article]