Well, Israel is making world news again. To start, I’d like to thank all those out there who have personally emailed, texted and called us to ask us how we are doing; to lend their support and offer up their prayers for us all. What a past few nights and days!!!

We are now taking long naps during the day, because the nights here have been a bit maddening. The daylight hours have proven quite calm, but once night falls, the bombings start. And drone attacks. And red alert signals. All night long. But we are safe. We are strong. Except I picked a fine time to get a terrible stomach flu. Started Thursday. And it was Thursday night/Friday morning that our world exploded. Despite all the mayhem, we have seen so many miracles, so I shall try to focus a bit more on those.

It was miraculous that this whole operation, which had been bits and pieces in the planning for years, was carried out flawlessly and so far, all of our pilots have returned from their missions unscathed. It’s nothing short of a miracle that all those who were “in the know” did not let any of the plans get leaked. Last October, just before Israel planned to attack the Iranian Regime, a CIA operative leaked the news to the Washington Post and New York Times. Israel did manage to knock out some of their aerial defense systems, but the full range of mission was not accomplished.

It is inconceivable that Israel had Mossad agents planted deep within Iran: they were building drones and sneaking in parts for their covert ops. How they did not get discovered is a miracle. They built the UAVs at their own factory, and at the exact right second, released the drones to further incapacitate all radar, satellites, intelligence gathering and aerial detection capabilities so the IDF fighter jets could achieve the bombing of precision military targets.

The IDF/Mossad attack on Iran actually was a just cause, in refutation to the two people who wrote my husband saying the Israel was starting World War lll with the backing of American right wing war hawks. Israel had received intelligence that the Iranian Regime was at breakout point. They had secretly been enriching weapons grade uranium and were in the process of assembling ICBMs with nuclear payloads…somewhere between 9-15 of them. There was communication between Iran and other radical Islamist nations that Iran would supply these rogue nations with nuclear weapons. The Atomic Energy Commission came out with their verification of this and Iran admitted to all this and more. They were even using a newer, secret nuclear facility to expedite the forming of these weapons. They would use them against the “little satan,” Israel and then the “big satan,” the United States. There was little time. Israel had to act.

Top Iranian nuclear facilities, weapons storage sites, rocket launching pads and ammunitions factories were all severely damaged or destroyed in the first 12 hours. In addition, 22 top ranking heads of the IRGC, the Revolutionary Guard were eliminated. Top generals in all branches of the armed forces and advisors to the ayatollah. They never saw what was coming as precision guided missiles found their way into exact apartments leaving the rest of the building intact. In two instances, top security officials were killed by arrows! Arrows!!! We all watched in awe as the news flowed in. But we also knew, that our turn would come next.

In the wee hours of Friday morning, Iran managed to send off over 100 drones toward Israel. These are not small UAVs, but massive suicide drones, like the ones the Ukraine shot at Russia just the week previous. They are able to cause a huge amount of damage. Israel was able, with the help of Jordan and the US, to shoot down every single one of them even before they made it to Israeli airspace. That’s pretty miraculous.

https://youtube.com/shorts/EMeuuRTibL0?si=JXBoc_NOtKD_wd5Y

The fact that Hizbulla’s presence as a military threat in Lebanon has been drastically diminished meant that they stayed out of this. A threat from them combined with Iranian attacks would have added another layer to a complex situation. The IDF was able to fly right oven Syria, something that would not have been possible just a year ago. We are living in miraculous times.

We knew as soon as Shabbat started, our turn would come. People had spent all Friday stocking up on supplies and cooking for the weekend ahead. Sure enough just before sunset, that horrific banshee wail of an alert signaling system went off on everyone’s phones in the country. This was followed by instructions to stay close to a safe space or protected area. To be alert for further notifications. For Shabbat observant Jews who don’t use electronic devices, to have their radio preset and turned on to receive up to the minute, detailed information on what to do. We were used to missile barrages from Gaza and Lebanon. We had survived two failed attempts from Iran to destroy us. This would be fine.

All was fine until 12:48 Friday night/Saturday morning. The banshee signal went off once again. Be prepared to enter bomb shelters. Don’t wait for siren. Iranian attack imminent. By 1:06 we began to get the incoming alerts

On the way to our mammad, I looked out the window and saw the flares from the Iron Domes rising from four different spots. Our city siren had not activated yet, and I was already up. Getting John roused from sleep and into action was fun. I took some footage for you from inside the house before we went into the shelter. You can see the fireballs from Iron Dome and the streaky missiles coming in from the upper left hand. was not afraid, but we definitely knew to get moving as we heard the first interception close by and our own sirens started to blare.

The missiles were falling all over Israel, from north to south. We soon got the targeted maps showing where the incomings were to land.

The entire country was red. After sitting in the saferoom for about 15 minutes. John went back to bed. I stayed up going through news and social media scouring for damages. We found out that Iran planned to launch 1,000 missiles at Israel, it was unable due to damage from Israeli strikes earlier in the day (New York Times). That was a miracle. Only 200 had been able to be launched. Unfortunately, nine points in central Israel had been hit. All in civilian locations. It was evident that Iran targeted civilian population centers while Israel only hit military installations.

Air defense systems out at sea as well as all the Iron Dome batteries activated. Yet the system was overwhelmed. 5% got through, and it was incredibly intense especially over Tel Aviv. These were not the same missiles that were launched by Hamas or Hizbulla. These were hypersonic ICBMs. Some intercepted, rained down huge fragments below, also causing lots of damage. Most of the population remained in or close to bomb shelters in anticipation of a third wave coming in.

Several homes and buildings were destroyed Friday night/Saturday morning. There were several moderate injuries and many who had to be treated for light injuries and shock. It was a terrifying experience in Tel Aviv, I have no doubt, but to see some of the footage that’s emerged from the shelters…. Just amazing. I have often spoken of the resilience of the Jewish Israelis. But when the going gets tough, the vast majority turn to praise, singing and dancing.

https://youtube.com/shorts/8ssJP5ihAQ0?si=IWfLcbFR0_4ctpDO

We ran to the shelter four times Friday night/Saturday morning, every 2-3 hours. The Tel Aviv area was very hard hit. Two women were killed. One mother, trying to get her three children out of their apartment and down the stairs to a safe area, dropped her three month old baby at the time a missile hit her building. There was total chaos, parts of the structure had collapsed. A soldier found the baby and reunited it with the mother, who was cut by flying debris and in total shock. Yet the fact that the family survived was miraculous (the father is a reservist in Gaza). Another miracle.

Saturday morning was different than most Shabbat mornings. No synagogues were holding services as ‘large’ gatherings were prohibited. People were staying close to home, but it was amazing to me that all the neighbors were checking up on each other. “Do you have food? Do you need anything? How are you holding up? I can run to the store for you tomorrow. How is your dog handling this?” People were sending one another prayers and psalms of protection and even though it was Shabbat, our landlady and several others called to find out how we were. The unity and caring here is unbelievable.

We knew we were in for another hard night. All Israel steeled themselves for the next waves. It didn’t start until 10:55pm when the banshee wail of an alert came through our phones. And then the warning.

We knew there were incoming, and headed downstairs. There were no sirens so we opened the front door to see both the iron dome and then the two small incoming top left. As soon as the siren started, we ran to the bomb shelter, then literally all hell broke loose.

The interceptions and direct hits crashed over and around us shaking the house. It was thunderous. It was big. Like nothing we’d heard previously. We stayed in the shelter for about 15 minutes. As soon as it started, everything was over. John and I went out on the balcony to get a full view of the area. Nothing terribly unusual. We started getting the news. A house in the Arab village of Tamra, right down the way, suffered a direct hit. Four women, all members of the same family were being pulled from the rubble.

Manor Abu al-Hejira Khatib, Manar Fakhri Khatib, Shadrach Khatib and Hala Khatib, a mother, two daughters and the cousin. All killed.

There was other damage throughout the North. So why didn’t Iron Dome or Iron Beam intercept all? What was going on? These are a more highly sophisticated type of missiles than the shorter range rockets used by Hamas from Gaza or the Hizbulla missiles into the North. They are hypersonic and actually travel at rocket speeds out of earth’s atmosphere. They re-enter earth’s orbit, flaming, much like a comet. The payloads are much higher. The explosives have hundreds of kilos on each missile, so they do way more damage. And the Iranians supposedly have even bigger missiles that they haven’t used yet. Thank goodness most are intercepted.

At 02:30 we were awakened once again from a fitful sleep. The alert said to prepare for imminent incoming barrages. There were no sirens at all. Everything was eerily quiet, so I ventured onto the balcony and filmed this. Watch to the end. I was able to capture most of the incoming. They all headed toward central Israel from Jerusalem to just below Tel Aviv. (I’ve spent three hours trying to get this clip to upload. Pardon the technical difficulties. I shall try to have it up and posted at a later time.

Tel Aviv again got it worst. Bat Yam a gorgeous beach community was devastated. There were at least ten killed with hundreds wounded. Seven people are still reported missing. Homes wiped out. Apartments uninhabitable. It was the worst missile attack in Israel’s history. Yet cleanup started immediately. Roads being resurfaced. Glass windows replaced. Bulldozers in to clear rubble. It never ceases to amaze me how quickly all this happens. Once again, my photos are not uploading. The damage is unbelievably horrific.

So to recap: Israel has single-handedly brought Iran to its knees in less than 72 hours. Today, the city of Tehran was evacuated of civilians. Only Israel would put out a warning to the people beforehand.

• Today over 20 cars in the Tehran area spontaneously exploded. They were the cars of nuclear scientists. 14 scientists are eliminated.
• Mashhad Airport has been struck. This is deep, deep in Iranian territory. They took out their refueling aircraft.
• The Iranian Intelligence Ministry in Tehran has been completely destroyed
• The Parliment. Uilding and Ministry of Justice has been eliminated
• The water and sewage systems of Tehran have been obliterated. Tehran is now burning and flooding.
• Iran’s Hamadan airbase has been destroyed. Multiple aircraft hangars are compromised.
• Ali Asghar Hejazi, Deputy Chief of Staff to Khameni has been in talks with Putin to secure safe passage out of the country for him and his family. The few remaining higher ups are planning their own exit strategies.
• The IRGC headquarters has sustained a massive hit.
• Putin has just had a conversation with Ayatollah Khameni, one of the last three leaders of Iran left, to tell him that the Regime is in serious danger of collapse and that he must come to the negotiating table at once.

Ben Gurion airport has closed its runways until the end of the month. Over 100,000 Israelis are stuck outside the country. The government is now trying to come up with alternate scenarios to get them home. They are being asked (if in Europe) to go to Athens, Cypress and other Mediterranean spots.

Since beginning this blog, we have been interrupted by two runs to the saferoom (as well as Father’s Day calls from all our kids) and my bouts with this stomach flu. It’s inconceivable to me that the Iranians can still have enough gumption to attack up in massive bombardments. This last one was a doozy. From the Golan Heights in the North to the beach city of Nahariyya, throughout the Galilee, the entire center, into Ashdod and Ashkelon, Beersheva and the desert. How could this happen? I just don’t understand. John said he saw satellite images of rocket launchers hidden in densely packed area of Tehran streets. They are mobile and easily hidden. I pray this will be over soon.

Despite the devastation we are currently suffering and the mourning this nation endures, we know that standing up to evil comes at a great cost. We totally thank the Lord for helping us put this whole plan together and for having it go off without a hitch. Israel is, in fact, a rising lion. In the forthcoming days, the world will be a much safer place.