On October 7, 2023, Hamas butchered 1,200 innocent people, maimed 5,400, kidnapped 250, and drove tens of thousands out of southern Israeli towns. The next day, to show solidarity with Hamas, Hezbollah began launching rockets, missiles and drones into northern Israel, driving 80,000 from their homes.

Israel’s war rages on, against Hamas and Hezbollah, ISIS, Houthis and their Iranian theocracy puppet masters. It is a conflict that Israel did not start and did not want, a war for the Jewish state’s very survival. It was preceded by suicide bombings and other deadly attacks by Palestinians going back many decades.

Hamas leader Sinwar is now dead. So are Hezbollah leader Nasrallah, his successor, the successor’s replacement, his successor and dozens of other top terrorists. But Hezbollah still demands “appropriate and suitable” terms for ending the conflict.

A Lebanon ceasefire might happen, if a new American proposal is accepted, under which US, EU and UN “partners” would (finally) enforce 2006 UN Security Council Resolution 1701, requiring that Hezbollah disarm, withdraw north of the Litani River, and let the Lebanese government govern.

President Biden wants to “move on” to other matters. VP Harris says “de-escalation” is essential. They want a ceasefire, and Palestinian statehood that may be less likely than ever, because Israeli trust is gone.

However, Donald Trump’s resounding reelection is already making Iran less relevant. It may make Hamas and Hezbollah more open to a cessation of hostilities, release of still-living hostages, and even a long-term, wide-ranging peace agreement … though at this point largely on Israel’s terms.

Meanwhile, Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthis and Iran continue to target any Israelis unlucky enough to be in blast zones – with few condemnations or repercussions from the UN, US or anyone else.

The Hamas war is the most dangerous and complex urban warfare imaginable.........

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