Israel Today: Ongoing War Report

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2024-06-20 at 19:02

HEADLINES
- Israel's Electrical Grid Unprepared for Full-Scale War, CEO Retracts Warning Amid Backlash
- Energy Minister Assures Israel's Power Stability Amid Rising Hezbollah Threats
- Hezbollah Rocket Fire and Israeli Retaliation Escalate Tensions on Northern Border

The time is now 07:00 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In a recent development, Israel's readiness for a potential full-scale conflict with Hezbollah has come under scrutiny. Shaul Goldstein, CEO of Israel's Independent System Operator Ltd. (NOGA), warned that the country's electrical infrastructure is not prepared for such a scenario, stating that Israel would become uninhabitable after 72 hours without power. These comments were made during a conference in Sderot. However, following backlash from government officials and energy sector leaders, Goldstein retracted his statements, calling them irresponsible.

Energy Minister Eli Cohen responded, assuring that Israel has multiple sources of electricity, including gas rigs, diesel fuel, coal reserves, and renewable energy, stored in classified and protected locations. He emphasized that the likelihood of a prolonged outage is minimal and that Israel is prepared for all scenarios. Cohen added that any significant disruption to Israel’s power would result in an even longer outage for Lebanon.

The context of Goldstein's comments is the heightened tension along Israel’s northern border with Lebanon. Since October 8, Hezbollah forces have been engaging in almost daily skirmishes with Israeli military posts and communities, resulting in casualties on both sides. Hezbollah has fired hundreds of rockets into Israel, while the Israeli military has responded by targeting Hezbollah operatives, including a senior commander. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has threatened "total war" with Israel, asserting that no location in Israel would be safe from their rockets in the event of such a conflict.

Meanwhile, the United States has been working to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. The Pentagon has reestablished a humanitarian pier off the Gaza coast, which had been detached due to adverse weather conditions. The transfer of aid from Cyprus to Gaza has resumed, with over 656 metric tons of assistance delivered to the marshaling yard in Gaza. However, the distribution of this aid remains uncertain due to ongoing security assessments by the United Nations. The Pentagon continues to conduct air drops of humanitarian aid, with the latest drop occurring on June 9.

In domestic Israeli politics, Economy and Industry Minister Nir Barkat is facing pressure to leave the government following the resignation of Benny Gantz. Former Science and Technology Minister Izhar Shay publicly called on Barkat to resign, emphasizing the heavy toll the conflict has taken on both military personnel and civilians. Shay, whose son was killed defending a town in southern Israel, criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his handling of the war and the new Haredi draft law, which Barkat also opposes for potentially insufficient conscription numbers.

On the international front, a recent video clip of Prime Minister Netanyahu has caused friction between the United States and Israel. Netanyahu claimed that President Joe Biden was delaying military aid shipments to Israel, a statement that US officials, including National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby, labeled as incorrect. Despite the controversy, Netanyahu maintained that he would accept any criticism as long as the arms shipments are delivered.

These developments reflect the complex and multi-faceted nature of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, as well as the broader regional tensions involving Hezbollah and the geopolitical dynamics between Israel and its allies.

Thank you for tuning...

Duration:: 5m
Broadcast on:: 20 Jun 2024
Audio Format:: mp3

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However, following backlash from government officials and energy sector leaders, Goldstein retracted his statements, calling them irresponsible. Energy Minister Eli Cohen responded, assuring that Israel has multiple sources of electricity, including gas rigs, diesel fuel, coal reserves and renewable energy, stored in classified and protected locations. He emphasized that the likelihood of a prolonged outage is minimal and that Israel is prepared for all scenarios. Cohen added that any significant disruption to Israel's power would result in an even longer outage for Lebanon. The context of Goldstein's comments is the heightened tension along Israel's northern border with Lebanon. Since October 8, Hezbollah forces have been engaging in almost daily skirmishes with Israeli military posts and communities, resulting in casualties on both sides. Hezbollah has fired hundreds of rockets into Israel, while the Israeli military has responded by targeting Hezbollah operatives, including a senior commander. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has threatened total war with Israel, asserting that no location in Israel would be safe from their rockets in the event of such a conflict. Meanwhile, the United States has been working to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. The Pentagon has re-established a humanitarian pier off the Gaza coast, which had been detached due to adverse weather conditions. The transfer of aid from Cyprus to Gaza has resumed, with over 656 metric tons of assistance delivered to the marshaling yard in Gaza. However, the distribution of this aid remains uncertain due to ongoing security assessments by the United Nations. The Pentagon continues to conduct air drops of humanitarian aid, with the latest drop occurring on June 9. In domestic Israeli politics, economy and industry minister near Barcat is facing pressure to leave the government following the resignation of Benny Gantz. Former Science and Technology Minister Azar Shah publicly called on Barcat to resign, emphasizing the heavy toll the conflict has taken on both military personnel and civilians. Shah, whose son was killed defending a town in southern Israel, criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his handling of the war and the new Heraid draft law, which Barcat also opposes for potentially insufficient conscription numbers. On the international front, a recent video clip of Prime Minister Netanyahu has caused friction between the United States and Israel. Netanyahu claimed that President Joe Biden was delaying military-age shipments to Israel, a statement that U.S. officials, including National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby, labeled as incorrect. Despite the controversy, Netanyahu maintained that he would accept any criticism as long as the armed shipments are delivered. These developments reflect the complex and multifaceted nature of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, as well as the broader regional tensions involving Hezbollah and the geopolitical dynamics between Israel and its allies. Thank you for tuning into this Israel Today, Ongoing War Report Update. I'm Noah Levi. Stay safe and informed. Keep in mind that this AI-generated report may contain occasional inaccuracies, so consult multiple sources for a comprehensive view. Find the code and more details in the podcast description. [MUSIC] At your job, do you ever have to deal with a nose roller? How about a snub bully? Well, if you're installing a new conveyor belt system, dealing with the different components can sound like you're speaking a foreign language. Luckily, you've got a team ready to help. 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