Day 296 - Drums of war after Hezbollah rocket kills 12 children

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Military reporter Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan on today's episode. At least 12 people were killed Saturday, mostly children and teens, and dozens more were wounded when a rocket fired from Lebanon hit a soccer field in the northern Druze town of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights. We hear about the attack and Fabian discusses IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi's statements about the IDF's readiness in case of an increased escalation along the border. A Hezbollah drone launched from Lebanon and believed to be heading toward offshore gas infrastructure in northern Israel was shot down by the Israeli Navy over Israel’s territorial waters on Saturday morning, the military said. How is the IDF protecting this vulnerable site? On Saturday morning, the IDF issued fresh evacuation orders to Palestinians in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, including in sections of the Israeli-designated humanitarian zone, citing intelligence that Hamas terrorists were operating in the area. What new area of Gaza is the IDF operating in now? In a dangerous operation on Wednesday, the bodies of Ravid Katz, 51, Oren Goldin, 33, Maya Goren, 56, Sgt. Kiril Brodski, 19, and Staff Sgt. Tomer Yaakov Ahimas, 20, were recovered by IDF special forces and members of the Shin Bet security agency. Fabian explains how the interrogation of a Hamas prisoner led to the bodies' location. On Friday, the coastal city of Ashkelon was targetted by rockets in an attack claimed by Palestinian Islamic Jihad. What do we know about this terror group’s capabilities almost 10 months into the war? For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: 12 killed, all aged 10-20, as Hezbollah rocket hits soccer field, sparking wider war fears Hezbollah will pay ‘heavy price,’ PM vows after strike on Druze town kills 12 youngsters IDF has killed 500 terrorists in Lebanon since beginning of war, says senior officer Hezbollah drone apparently heading for offshore gas rig downed by Israeli Navy IDF orders new evacuations for humanitarian zone, hits Hamas HQ in central Gaza school Bodies of 5 hostages were found in tunnel in Gaza’s Israeli-designated humanitarian zone Ashkelon targeted by rocket fire from Gaza for first time in a month Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ben Wallick. IMAGE: Mourners carry the coffin of a child killed in a Hezbollah rocket strike from Lebanon a day earlier, during a mass funeral in the Druze town of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights, on July 28, 2024. (Jalaa Marey / AFP)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.