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Enforcing the Truce: ‘Our Actions Will Talk,’ Israeli Security Official Says
A view shows the moment of an Israeli strike on a building, amid the ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, in the Chiyah district of Beirut’s southern suburbs, Lebanon, Nov. 25, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Adnan Abidi
JNS.org – The Israel Defense Forces delivered a severe blow to Hezbollah during the recent conflict, significantly degrading the Iranian-backed Lebanese terrorist organization’s capabilities, and is determined to use force if it detects attempts to supply it with weapons, according to Israeli security officials.
An Israeli security official said on Wednesday that on Oct. 8, 2023, a day after the Hamas-led mass murder attack in the south, “it was Hezbollah that started a war against Israel.”
He emphasized the impact of the conflict on Israeli civilians, saying that Hezbollah fired more than 17,000 rockets, missiles and UAVs at Israel over the past year, targeting civilians, cities and towns, killing dozens of civilians and forcing 60,000 Israelis out of their homes in the north.
“Hezbollah made a mistake starting this war with Israel. [The group’s leader Hassan] Nasrallah made this mistake,” said the source.
The official detailed the achievements of the IDF: “Today, after almost 14 months, we have brought a major achievement that has brought a severe blow on Hezbollah, bringing Hezbollah dozens of years back. Hezbollah brought a disaster on Lebanon and tried to drag all the Middle East into a larger escalation.”
Highlighting the IDF’s current posture, the source said the Israeli military is currently positioned in Southern Lebanon, where it is patrolling the ground, while the Israeli Air Force conducts patrols over Lebanon to enforce the truce arrangement.
“We are ready for any development or any violation of Hezbollah. And there is a possibility for a new reality in Lebanon,” said the source.
He called on the Lebanese government to enforce the ceasefire, saying that it “should enforce it on all terror organizations. And this is what agreed. And by enforcing this agreement, this is the condition, I think, for the stability and also the prosperity of Lebanon as a country.”
The official stressed Israel’s commitment to preventing Hezbollah’s rearmament. He vowed that the military would respond to any intelligence of attempts to deliver arms into Lebanon for Hezbollah. “We will enforce it by fire. We will not let any arms be delivered to Hezbollah from the Syrian border or by any other method. And our actions will talk, not our words.”
The Israeli security official also addressed the mechanisms in place to prevent Hezbollah’s rearmament, saying, “We are monitoring the Middle East, we are monitoring Syria. We are monitoring the pathways. We are monitor not just the pathways, but any other way or method to deliver arms to Hezbollah.
“Of course, if we will see Hezbollah coming back or trying to build any capabilities …, we will prevent it. Of course, there is a mechanism in the agreement, but in the end the mechanism, if it won’t be enforced by others, it will be enforced by the IDF,” he added.
Addressing the initial phase of the truce, the official said this period will be crucial, and will see the IDF remain in positions in Southern Lebanon.
“If everything works in order and to plan, this is a gradual agreement. Our forces will leave Southern Lebanon after 60 days,” he explained. On the other hands, if the IDF sees armed terrorists trying to restore military facilities, it will act, he said.
“There won’t be any houses with missiles or rockets or arms. This is unacceptable,” the source clarified.
A different reality
On Wednesday, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said, “The activity in Lebanon was very determined, and the enforcement of the ceasefire agreement will be even more determined. With determination, according to the guidelines approved yesterday by the minister of defense, the prime minister, and the Cabinet, Hezbollah operatives who approach our troops, the border area, and the villages within the area we have marked—will be hit.”
Halevi emphasized the importance of ensuring the safety of residents of northern Israel, saying that IDF ground troops will be the first to encounter terrorists returning to Southern Lebanese villages with “a warning, with fire, with capabilities and mostly with air support.”
The general highlighted the IDF’s preparedness to enforce the truce, adding that Israeli aircraft are continuously airborne while naval vessels are gathering information and also capable of striking targets. “Above all, we are preparing, getting ready for the possibility that this approach won’t succeed,” he cautioned.
“We are very, very determined to enforce the guidelines and bring about a completely different reality for the residents of the north,” said Halevi.
Hezbollah is no deterrence
Maj. Gen. (res.) Yaakov Amidror, former head of the National Security Council, said that Iran’s position has deteriorated significantly, speaking during a call organized by the Jerusalem Press Club on Wednesday.
“Iran now is much weaker than a year ago,” Amidror said, adding that while Hezbollah in Lebanon is stronger than Hamas in Gaza, neither can function at this time as Iranian proxies capable of deterring Israel.
“That was the whole idea to build Hezbollah—to deter Israel. Hezbollah is no deterrence anymore. We know how to cope with it. We know what its weakness points are and we know how to continue to destroy it if there will be a need. They lost Hezbollah as an asset against Israel,” said Amidror.
He highlighted the impact of the war on Hezbollah’s leadership. “We succeeded in eliminating all its leadership from Nasrallah down three levels. No one answers the phone anymore. The whole leadership, which … led Hezbollah in the last 40 years, their leadership does not exist.”
Discussing the potential for Hezbollah’s rearmament, Amidror said that the more Hezbollah understands its weakness, the “more cautious Hezbollah will be to violate the agreement.”
He also warned of the consequences if the terrorist group attempts to rearm, saying, “The minute that Hezbollah feels that it is strong enough to violate the agreement, then it’s the end of the ceasefire. From my point of view, my advice will be it’s the end of the ceasefire.”
The post Enforcing the Truce: ‘Our Actions Will Talk,’ Israeli Security Official Says first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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South Africa Distances Itself From Army Chief’s Pledges of Military, Political Support to Iran
Iranian Major General Amir Hatami and South African General Rudzani Maphwanya meet in Tehran to discuss strengthening military cooperation and strategic ties. Photo: Screenshot
South Africa’s army chief has faced domestic backlash after pledging military and political support to Iran during a recent visit, prompting government officials to distance themselves from his remarks over concerns they could harm Pretoria’s efforts to strengthen ties with the United States.
Members of South Africa’s governing coalition have denounced Gen. Rudzani Maphwanya, chief of the South African National Defense Force (SANDF), for his trip to Tehran earlier this week, describing his remarks as “reckless grandstanding.”
The Democratic Alliance (DA), South Africa’s second-largest party in the governing coalition, has called for Maphwanya to be court-martialed for breaking neutrality and violating military law, saying his comments had gone “beyond military-to-military discussions and entered the realm of foreign policy.”
“This reckless grandstanding comes at a time when South Africa’s relations with key democratic partners, especially the United States, are already under severe strain,” DA defense spokesperson Chris Hattingh said in a statement.
“The SANDF’s job is to lead and manage the defense forces, not to act as an unsanctioned political envoy. Allowing our most senior military officer to make partisan foreign policy pronouncements is strategically reckless, diplomatically irresponsible, and economically self-defeating,” he continued.
“South Africa cannot afford to have its international standing further sabotaged by political adventurism from the military’s top brass,” Hattingh said.
Iran and South Africa held high-level military talks earlier this week as both nations seek to deepen cooperation and strengthen their partnership against what officials called “global arrogance and aggressive colonial approaches.”
During a joint press conference with Iranian Maj. Gen. Amir Hatami, Maphwanya called for deeper ties between the two nations, especially in defense cooperation, affirming that “the Republic of South Africa and the Islamic Republic of Iran have common goals.”
“We always stand alongside the oppressed and defenseless people of the world,” the South African general said.
He also criticized Israel over the ongoing war in Gaza, expressed support for the Palestinian people, and told Iranian officials that his visit “conveys a political message” on behalf of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration.
However, shortly after Maphwanya’s remarks drew media attention, the South African government moved to distance itself from his comments, with the Foreign Affairs Ministry stating that his comments “do not represent the government’s official foreign policy stance.”
The Defense Department, which described Maphwanya’s comments as “unfortunate,” confirmed that he is now expected to meet with the Minister of Defense and Military Veterans, Angie Motshekga, upon his return to provide explanations.
Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, clarified that the president was neither aware of the trip nor had he sanctioned it.
“The visit was ill-advised and more so, the expectation is that the general should have been a lot more circumspect with the comments he makes,” Magwenya told reporters during a press conference on Thursday.
“It is crucial to clarify that the implementation of South Africa’s foreign policy is a function of the presidency,” he continued. “Any statements made by an individual, or a department other than those responsible for foreign policy, should not be misinterpreted as the official position of the South African government.”
Maphwanya’s trip to Iran came after the Middle East Africa Research Institute (MEARI) released a recent report detailing how South Africa’s deepening ties with Tehran have led the country to compromise its democratic foundations and constitutional principles by aligning itself with a regime internationally condemned for terrorism, repression, and human rights abuses.
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Democrat Pete Buttigieg Toughens Stance on Israel, Says He Backs Arms Embargo Following Left-Wing Pressure
Former US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg speaks during an appearance on the “Pod Save America” podcast on Aug. 10, 2025. Photo: Screenshot
Former US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, a Democrat considered by many observers to be a potential 2028 presidential candidate, has recalibrated his stance on Israel, moving from cautious language to a far more critical position after facing backlash over recent comments on the popular “Pod Save America” podcast.
In his podcast interview on Sunday, Buttigieg called Israel “a friend” and said the United States should “put your arm around” the country during difficult times. He also sidestepped a direct answer on whether the US should recognize a Palestinian state, describing the question as “profound” but offering little elaboration beyond calls for peace.
That measured approach drew sharp criticism from progressives and foreign policy voices who argued that his words were too vague amid the ongoing war in Gaza and a shifting sentiment within the Democratic party base regarding Israel. Evolving fault lines within the Democratic Party over US policy toward its staunch Middle Eastern ally signal that the issue could loom large in the 2028 presidential primary.
Following Sunday’s interview, US Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) urged Buttigieg to show “moral clarity,” while Ben Rhodes, former White House aide to President Barack Obama, said he was left uncertain where the Cabinet official stood. Social media critics accused Buttigieg of offering platitudes that dodged hard policy commitments.
In a follow-up interview with Politico published on Thursday, Buttigieg took a decidedly tougher line. He said he supports recognizing a Palestinian state as part of a two-state solution and ending the decades-long practice of providing military aid to the Jewish state through sweeping, multi-year packages. Instead, he called for a case-by-case review of assistance, while emphasizing the need to stop civilian deaths, release hostages, and ensure unimpeded humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Perhaps most significantly, Buttigieg indicated support for a US arms embargo on Israel, saying he would have signed on to Sen. Bernie Sanders’s recently proposed resolution to prohibit arms sales to the Jewish state.
The shift places Buttigieg closer to the party’s progressive flank on foreign policy, a notable change for a figure often viewed as a bridge between the Democratic establishment and younger, more liberal voters. For a likely 2028 contender, the move reflects both the political risks of appearing out of step with an increasingly skeptical base and the growing influence of voices calling for sharper limits on US support for Israel.
Recent polling shows a generational divide on the issue, with younger Democrats far more likely to back conditioning aid to Israel and recognizing Palestinian statehood.
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Former Algemeiner Correspondent Gidon Ben-Zvi Dies at 51
Gidon Ben-Zvi. Photo: Screenshot
Gidon Ben-Zvi, former Jerusalem Correspondent for The Algemeiner, has died at the age of 51 after a fight with cancer.
Ben-Zvi continued to write op-eds for The Algemeiner even after he left as a correspondent, including in the aftermath of Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, massacre across southern Israel.
An accomplished writer, Ben-Zvi left Hollywood for Jerusalem in 2009, moving back to Israel after spending 12 years in the United States. From 1994-1997, Gidon served in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), in an infantry unit.
In addition to writing for The Algemeiner, Ben-Zvi contributed to the Times of Israel, Jerusalem Post, CiF Watch, and blogged at Jerusalem State of Mind.
Ben-Zvi joined HonestReporting as a senior editor in June 2020, becoming an integral part of the editorial department and writing dozens of articles and media critiques for the watchdog group exposing anti-Israel bias. He moved with his family to Haifa at the end of 2022.
Ben-Zvi’s final article for HonestReporting was published in January 2025, before he took a leave of absence for health reasons. HonestReporting said in a newly published obituary that staff believed he would eventually return, noting the positivity and perseverance he exuded. The advocacy group said it learned of Ben-Zvi’s passing late last month.
Ben-Zvi leaves behind his wife, Debbie, and four young children.
All Ben-Zvi’s articles for The Algemeiner can be found here.
May his memory be a blessing.