VFI News Five Killed In Rocket Barrage on Metula; Iran Prepares to Attack Israel

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Five people were killed in a Thursday morning, October 31, rocket barrage on the town of Metula near the Israel-Lebanon border. An additional person was injured in the strike.

One of the victims was named Omer Weinstein, a 47-year-old farmer from Kibbutz Dafna. The other four victims are foreign workers. They were injured when two rockets exploded in an orchard, and about an hour after MDA arrived at the scene, they were declared dead.

Earlier, MDA Director General Eli Bin said, “We are coordinating with the military to receive the injured. Some of the injured were transferred directly by the army to a safe place. This is definitely a serious incident.”

An IDF spokesperson said that two launches towards Metula fell in an agricultural area. The IDF confirmed: “Following the sirens that sounded at 11:37 in Metula, two projectiles were identified crossing from Lebanon and falling in an open area. The details are under review.”

Shortly after the barrage on Metula, sirens sounded in a number of areas throughout the Galilee. Thus far, no injuries have been reported. (INN / VFI News)

“Lord, we pray for the families of the people who were killed yesterday in the rocket attack. We pray in Yeshua’s name that You give them comfort and take away their burdens. We send our sincerest condolences to them, and we pray that they experience Your love, hope and reassurance about the future. May You fully heal the injured civilian, protect us from similar tragedies in the future and make Your glorious Face shine upon us and all Your children. We thank You for everything You are doing for us, and we cling to Your promises.”

The articles included in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Vision for Israel. We try to provide accurate reporting on news pertinent to Israel, the Middle East, the diaspora, and Jewish issues around the world—and we hope that you find it both informative and useful for intercessory prayer.

Israeli intelligence suggests Iran is preparing to attack Israel from Iraqi territory in the coming days, possibly before the US presidential election on November 5, American media reported on Thursday, October 31, citing two unidentified Israeli sources. 

The attack is expected to be carried out from Iraq using a large number of drones and ballistic missiles, the American news outlet report added. 

The report said that carrying out the attack through pro-Iran militias in Iraq could be an attempt by Tehran to avoid another Israeli attack against strategic targets in Iran.

Later on Thursday, another American media outlet reported, citing three Iranian sources, that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had already on Monday, ordered Iran’s Supreme National Security Council to prepare to strike Israel. The report noted that Iranian military officials were drawing up possible lists of Israeli military targets.

According to this report, Khamenei’s decision came after an examination of the scope of the damage sustained by Iran’s missile production infrastructure and air defense systems as a result of Israel’s retaliatory strike last week.

Iran has claimed the strikes caused only minimal damage while admitting that four soldiers were killed. Israel maintains its strikes successfully destroyed Iranian air defenses and missile production capabilities.  (JPost /VFI News)

“Dear God, we pray that You protect us from all of our enemies. You are our shield, our fortress, our Savior and our Deliverer. We pray in Yeshua’s name that You open the eyes of all people, including our enemies, to Your Love, so that they can repent, turn from their violent and selfish ways, and live peacefully with all their neighbors from now on. May Your Will be done in all circumstances and through all people.”

An Israeli military source told American media on Thursday, October 31, that Israel is at a “high level of readiness” for a response from Iran. 

The source added, however, that they are “still assessing the decision-making process in Iran” to determine whether and when a retaliation will occur. 

According to the source, the recent Israeli strikes on Iranian missile production facilities and air defense installations have “created a dilemma for Tehran” as its capability to strike Israel and defend against future Israeli strikes has been degraded. 

Meanwhile, White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre commented on Wednesday on reports that Iran plans to attack Israel, saying that the United States will support Israel if Iran does attack: “Iran should not respond to Israel’s retaliation. They should not. If they do, we will support Israel in defending itself, but they should not.”

Earlier, on Tuesday, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi warned Iran not to pursue further attacks, warning that should Iran again attack, Israel would “reach Iran, with capabilities that we did not even use this time, and hit extremely hard both the capabilities and the places that we spared this time.” (INN/ VFI News)

“May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob protect you!” -  Psalm 20:1

One year into the Swords of Iron War, the Rehabilitation Division of the Ministry of Defense reports that since the war broke out, some 12,000 wounded and injured have been admitted to the Rehabilitation Department. 

Of these, 93% are men, 66% are reservists, and 51% are between the ages of 18 and 30.

Fourteen percent (14%) of the wounded are classified as moderately or severely injured, 377 of them with head injuries, of which 23 suffered severe injuries that required the completion of the skull with the aid of a 3D printer; 308 with eye injuries, of whom 12 lost their sight and required a prosthesis, 104 with spinal injuries, and about 60 amputees to whom an advanced and innovative prosthesis was adapted that conforms to their lifestyle. 

In addition, 5,200 (43%) of the wounded developed various mental reactions (anxieties, depression, adjustment difficulties, post-traumatic stress and more).

On average, 1,000 wounded from the ongoing war are admitted each month, and in addition, some 500 new applications were admitted for recognition from past events. Some 1,500 wounded were wounded twice during the fighting. Some 900 new wounded have been evacuated to hospitals since the ground operation began in Lebanon - a 1.5-fold increase over September. (INN / VFI News)

“Our Heavenly Father, we fervently pray for all the soldiers who have fought to protect us, and we pray that You take care of them, their mental health and all their physical needs. We pray for the full recovery of the ones who have not yet been healed and we never forget to pray for the release of all the hostages as well, who have been persevering for more than a year in indescribable situations. May Your Loving Hand bring them back home and wipe any tears from their eyes. In Yeshua’s name we pray, amen.”

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated that the Hezbollah terrorist organization has lost an estimated 80 percent of the rocket-firing capabilities it had prior to the beginning of Operation Northern Arrows. 

“I estimate the remaining capacity of the missiles and rockets to be around 20 percent, and in addition, it is not organized in the way that it used to be organized, in a way that Hezbollah could fire larger volleys,” Gallant said during a visit to the IDF Northern Command base in Tzfat (Safed) Tuesday evening, October 29. 

“There is a deep connection between our strike in Iran and what is happening to Hezbollah. Iran understands that Hezbollah does not have the ability to respond, and Hezbollah understands that it cannot rely on Iran,” he added. 

Before the current conflict, Hezbollah had amassed an arsenal of an estimated 150,000 rockets and attack drones. Hezbollah fired over 8,000 rockets at northern Israel in the eleven months following the October 7, 2023 massacre committed by the Hamas terrorist organization, which Hezbollah launched its attacks in support of.  (INN/VFI News)

“Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the Lord will be at your side and will keep your foot from being snared.” Proverbs 3:25-26

The IDF published a video on Thursday evening, October 31, of a conversation with an UNRWA employee from Gaza who revealed how the Hamas terrorist organization exploited UNRWA. 

The man, who worked as a security guard for UNRWA, said that Hamas began seizing UNRWA’s stores of humanitarian aid when the war broke out last year. “They entered the UNRWA facilities, of course. Hamas entered them, of course. Hamas is, after all, the government.” 

“They entered the place and took everything. Naturally, they took it their way,” he said. “It happened before everyone’s eyes. It’s no secret.”

He stated that Hamas also took vehicles from UNRWA “because they contained supplies, materials meant for people. The materials were meant for people, so they went in and took them.” The worker further noted that Hamas used the stolen UNRWA jeeps because “it’s a form of defense for them” to drive in UN-marked vehicles.

“They took the vehicles and started taking the supplies out of them and distributing them using private supply lines,” he said, noting that “everything was done through force” and “not with the worker’s consent.” (INN/VFI News)

“The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble.” - Proverbs 4:19

The illegal migrant who allegedly opened fire on a Jewish man walking to synagogue in Chicago last weekend was hit with new hate crime and terrorism charges on Thursday, October 31, according to authorities.

Sidi Mohamed Abdallahi, 22, allegedly shot and wounded a 39-year-old Jewish man on Saturday morning in the city’s West Ridge neighborhood — and then got into an ensuing shootout with authorities leading up to his arrest. 

The victim fortunately did not sustain life-threatening injuries and no first responders were hurt. Abdallahi was initially charged with counts of attempted murder, attempted murder of a police officer, aggravated battery and aggravated discharge of a firearm.

Detectives reportedly combed through the suspect’s phone which showed he planned to target Jewish community members leading up to the shooting.

Meanwhile, incendiary devices found at the scene of ballot drop box fires in Portland, Oregon, and nearby Vancouver, Washington, this week were marked with the message “Free Gaza,” according to a law enforcement official.  A third device placed at a different drop box in Vancouver earlier this month also carried the words “Free Palestine” in addition to “Free Gaza,” said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. 

Investigators are trying to identify the person responsible and the motive for the suspected arson attacks, which destroyed hundreds of ballots at one location in Vancouver on Monday when the drop box’s fire suppression system didn’t work as intended. (NYP /VFI News) 

Scientists have recently unlocked the secrets of the world’s oldest map, a 3,000-year-old clay tablet known as the Imago Mundi, which is believed to show the location of Noah’s Ark. The ancient Babylonian artifact, etched with cuneiform—a script using wedge-shaped symbols—has puzzled archaeologists for centuries.

On the reverse side of the artifact, passages reportedly provide a guide describing what a traveler would encounter on their journey, including a path to “Urartu” and specific instructions on how to get there. One passage reportedly instructs to go through “seven leagues to see something that is thick as a parsiktu-vessel.”

The term “parsiktu” appears on other ancient Babylonian tablets, referencing the scale of a vessel meant to withstand the legendary Great Flood. Researchers believe that Urartu, also known as Ararat, is linked to an ancient Mesopotamian poem recounting a family who, like Noah, landed their ark to preserve life following the 150-day flood. As the flooding ended, they were safely stationed at one of the peaks of Urartu, which aligns with “Ararat.”

Dr. Irving Finkel, a British Museum curator and cuneiform expert, explained: “It shows that the story was the same, and of course that one led to the other but also, that from the Babylonian point of view, this was a matter of fact thing.” He added: “That if you did go on this journey you would see the remnants of this historic boat.” (JPost / VFI News)

“The water receded steadily from the earth. At the end of the hundred and fifty days the water had gone down, and on the seventeenth day of the seventh month the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat.” Genesis 8:3-4

The suggestions, opinions, and scripture references made by VFI News writers and editors are based on the best information received.

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