Israel At War, Weekend Recap

Over two weeks into the war, here is your weekend recap

Today is October 22, 2023, and here is the latest about what is happening in Israel. I apologize for not sending an update yesterday as I have been sick with the flu. But, I am better this morning, so if you enjoy these daily updates, and want access to more, exclusive content, or to support my work, then please consider becoming a monthly subscriber by clicking the button below.

We have now entered the sixteenth day of the war in Israel, and here is everything you need to know. One note before I dive into the news: With war, there is a lot of information that is often difficult to compartmentalize into easily digestible reads. And, with the news moving at a fast pace, news is often missed and information is often interpreted incorrectly at first.

1) Status of the Ground Invasion

A ground invasion of Gaza by Israeli forces still remains likely, despite mixed reports coming out of Israel. For many days now we have been told that a ground invasion is imminent, with Israeli media even noting that forces have been told an invasion is all but certain. Despite this, we are now over two weeks since the war first started, and Israel has yet to invade. The latest on a possible ground invasion came today as the Chief Defense Correspondent for Channel 13 (an Israeli media channel) claimed that "The IDF has completed preparations for a ground operation in Gaza. The political echelon still does not approve." This statement, if true, underscores the anxiety in Israel over whether a ground operation will begin, and if so, when. As it stands, it looks as though the military has completed all necessary preparations for a possible invasion and is just waiting for the green light from Prime Minister Netanyahu and the Israeli War Cabinet. 

In addition, this morning, we learned that the United States may be putting some pressure on Israel to delay its ground invasion until more hostage release operations can continue. This was first reported by CNN, but has not been confirmed by the White House or by the Israelis. Once I have more information, I will provide it to you so be sure to stay tuned. 

2) U.S. Puts More Troops On Alert

The Pentagon has announced this weekend that it will deploy additional military equipment to the Middle East, including THAAD batteries and additional Patriot battalions to increase the protection of U.S. forces already in the region. In addition, the United States is expected to put more troops on "prepare to deploy" orders. This comes days after The Pentagon already placed about 2,000 troops on such orders. These orders do not mean that the troops will be deployed to combat. Instead, this is a measure being done in the event the United States is forced to increase its on presence in the region. The Pentagon has repeatedly stated that it does not intent to put boots on the ground in the Middle East. But, that decision may eventually change depending on whether other third-parties, like Iran, get involved in the war against Israel. As a reminder, the United States has already sent multiple warships to the coast of Israel and has provided Israel with military aid. Expect this increase in military presence to continue so long as the war drags on.

3) U.S. Begins Evacuations in Iraq

The United States has announced that it will begin evacuations of nonessential employees and the families of staff from its embassy in Baghdad, Iraq. This latest evacuation occurs as a result of the recent attacks on American troops in the Middle East with reports that troops in Iraq were targeted in recent days as well. The employees and family will be moved to Jordan for the time being until the tensions die down. Expect more Americans to be evacuated from various stations in the Middle East if the war in Israel progresses or turns into a larger regional conflict. 

4) Aid Enters Gaza

For the first time since the start of the war, the Rafah border crossing, which connects Egypt and Gaza, was opened for a brief period this weekend to allow approximately 20 trucks of humanitarian aid to enter Gaza. These trucks contained water, food, medicine, and additional aid to help with the growing humanitarian crisis on the ground. This number of trucks pales in comparison to the typical amount of aid that is sent into Gaza, but is a necessary first step after significant negotiations to open up the border crossing. After the trucks were allowed in, the crossing was again closed until further notice. 

Disclaimer: With any war, news and information is often scattered and hard to come by, as I learn more you will be the first to know.