VFI News IAEA Refers Iran to the UN Security Council as Israel Enters 5787 With a Population of 10.3 Million

Iran's IRGC is actively preparing a coordinated multi-front assault on Israel — and Israel's intelligence community says it could hit during the High Holy Days. Here's what we know.

Iran's IRGC is rebuilding Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Shiite militias in Iraq for a coordinated strike — and Israeli intelligence is treating the threat as credible and urgent. This week on VFI News, we break down exactly what's happening, what it means for the region, and what it means for you.

We also cover Netanyahu's Rosh Hashanah cabinet remarks — some of the boldest words he has spoken since the war began — and what they reveal about Israel's posture heading into a potentially explosive season.

And we step back to ask the question everyone is afraid to ask: why does Iran keep doing this when it is clearly destroying itself? The answer may not be one geopolitics can provide.

⏱️ CHAPTERS

0:00 Introduction — High Holy Days & Iran Threat

3:20 What the IRGC Is Actually Planning

8:45 Why October 7 Failed to Go as Iran Designed It

14:10 IDF Snap Exercise & Rising Dawn 2.0

19:30 Netanyahu's Rosh Hashanah Warning

26:00 The Demonic Root of Iran's Obsession

32:15 What This Means for the West

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. If this report helped you understand what's happening in Israel right now, please share it with someone who needs to hear it — and subscribe to stay informed every week. 🙏

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Shanah Tovah u’Metukah! Tonight, as the sun sets in Israel, the Jewish year 5786 gives way to 5787, and families across Israel and the diaspora gather around holiday tables to dip apples in honey and pray for a good and sweet new year. Rosh Hashanah is a day of remembrance and of God’s kingship, a time to take stock of the year past and to seek His mercy for the year ahead. After a year of war, loss, and remarkable resilience, we join you in praying that 5787 will be a year of peace for Israel, safety for Jewish communities everywhere, and the return of every heart to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. From all of us at Vision for Israel, may you be inscribed and sealed for a good year.

The UN atomic watchdog’s board of governors on Wednesday, September 9, reported Iran to the UN Security Council for the first time in 20 years, citing Tehran’s failure to cooperate with a long-running investigation into uranium traces that inspectors detected at undeclared sites. Western officials suspect the traces could be evidence that Iran ran a secret nuclear weapons program until 2003. Iran insists it is not pursuing nuclear weapons and that its program is entirely peaceful.

Twenty-three of the 35 countries on the International Atomic Energy Agency’s board voted for the resolution at the agency’s headquarters in Vienna. China, Russia, and Niger opposed it, eight countries abstained, and one did not vote because it was in arrears, diplomats familiar with the closed-door vote said. The resolution was put forward by the United States, Britain, France, and Germany.

Referral to the Security Council opens Iran to possible sanctions and asset freezes, though such punitive measures are unlikely because Iran’s allies Russia and China hold veto power on the council. The diplomatic move had been under consideration since June 2025, when the IAEA board formally found Iran in noncompliance with its nonproliferation obligations because of its lack of cooperation in the investigation. (TOI/VFI News)

“Dear Lord, we thank You that the nations have at last named Iran’s defiance for what it is. We pray in Yeshua’s Name that this referral leads to real accountability, and that every effort by the regime in Tehran to hide enriched uranium or rebuild its weapons program is exposed and stopped. Guard Israel from every threat that rises against her, and turn the hearts of Iran’s leaders toward You.”

Five major Jewish organizations launched a “Jewish Students’ Bill of Rights” on Wednesday, September 9, calling on schools across North America to adopt new standards for combating antisemitism and protecting Jewish students. The initiative was released by the Jewish Federations of North America, the Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Committee, the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, and StandWithUs as students return to school following years of elevated antisemitism.

The document calls on schools and districts to take six steps, including training educators to recognize antisemitism, establishing clear systems for reporting incidents, and ensuring that teaching about Jews, the Holocaust, antisemitism, and Israel is accurate. It also asks schools to protect students who express their Jewish identity or connection to Israel, and to ensure that teachers present disputed political issues in a balanced manner rather than using classrooms to promote a particular political position.

The initiative comes as antisemitic incidents in US K-12 schools have remained stubbornly high even as the overall number of incidents declined. The ADL’s 2025 audit recorded 825 incidents at non-Jewish K-12 schools, compared with 860 the previous year, while antisemitic incidents across the United States as a whole fell 33% to 6,274 in 2025 from 9,354 in 2024. “No child should have to choose between their education and their identity,” Jewish Federations of North America President and CEO Eric Fingerhut said. (JPost/VFI News)

“All your children will be taught by the LORD, and great will be their peace.” – Isaiah 54:13

More than 20,000 new immigrants arrived in Israel during the Jewish year 5786, which ran from September 23, 2025, to September 11, 2026, coming from over 100 countries worldwide, a new data report from the Aliyah and Integration Ministry and the Jewish Agency shows. The breakdown, released on Tuesday, September 8, shows Russia topped the list with 5,685 Olim, followed by 4,364 from France, 3,333 from the United States, and 975 from the United Kingdom.

A further 797 Olim came from Ukraine, 491 from Belarus, 440 from Canada, 247 from Australia, 243 from Argentina, 241 from Georgia, 210 from South Africa, 210 from Germany, and 200 from Brazil. Some 35% of the Olim were aged 18 to 35, reflecting significant growth for Israeli society and the economy, and many of these young immigrants are physicians and professionals in in-demand fields.

Another 24% of the Olim are children and youth up to age 17, who have now been integrated into the Israeli education system. A further 18% are aged 36 to 50, 9% are 51 to 60, 5% are 61 to 65, and 10% are 66 or older. The two oldest Olim of the year were both 102 at the time of their arrival, one from Russia and one from France, while the youngest was a two-week-old infant who arrived with his family from Mexico. (JPost/VFI News)

“He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; he will assemble the scattered people of Judah from the four quarters of the earth.” – Isaiah 11:12

The first United Airlines passenger flight from Newark Liberty International Airport to Tel Aviv’s Ben-Gurion Airport since before Operation Roaring Lion landed in Israel on Wednesday, September 9. The aircraft, a Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner, took off later that day to fly the return route back to Newark.

The airline had not operated the route since before the operation began in February 2026, when several airlines canceled their operations to the Middle East, including Israel, because of the then-regular Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks across the region. United is currently operating two round trips a day between its main hub in Newark and Tel Aviv, with a third slated to be added from November 2026.

United also plans to resume direct flights from Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport from October 2026, and to restore service from San Francisco International Airport starting in March 2027. Delta Air Lines returned to Israel on Monday, September 7, landing at Ben-Gurion more than 40 minutes ahead of schedule on an Airbus A330-900neo that left New York’s JFK Airport on Sunday, September 6—the first flight the airline had operated since before Operation Roaring Lion. (JPost/VFI News)

This song is often sung in celebration. It rings in happiness and appreciation for God's love and blessings. Rejoice for the good that God bestows on us every day!

Israel’s population is estimated at 10,305,000 people, the Central Bureau of Statistics said on Wednesday, September 9, in figures released ahead of Rosh Hashanah, which begins on Friday night, September 11. The total includes 7,828,000 Jews and those classified as “other” (78.3% of Israelis), 2,173,000 Arabs (21.7%), and 304,000 foreign nationals residing in the country.

The population grew by 124,000 over the past year, a 1.2 percent increase. During the past Jewish year some 182,000 babies were born in Israel and 50,000 people died. Average life expectancy stands at 81.4 years for men and 85.9 years for women.

Migration led to a net loss of some 8,000 people. Some 24,000 new immigrants moved to Israel, around 4,000 others came through family reunification, and some 21,000 Israelis living abroad returned, while 57,000 Israelis left the country. Since the establishment of the state in 1948, 3.51 million people have immigrated to Israel. (TOI/VFI News)

“May the LORD cause you to flourish, both you and your children.” – Psalm 115:14

Israel’s scores on a key international test of student comprehension dropped sharply in the newly published 2025 results, with the country scoring below average in reading, math, and science and registering its lowest-ever results in those skills. The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), run by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), measures 15-year-olds’ aptitude in reading, math, and science once every three years. The report, published on Tuesday, September 8, also included a new category for computational problem solving.

Israel now ranks 43rd in the world, down from 38th in the 2022 test, and 33rd among developed countries, down from 31st—its lowest average since joining the survey in 2000. The country lost an average of 29 points across all four subjects, the second-sharpest decline of any country after Latvia. Students saw their biggest drop in reading, scoring 436, down from 474 in 2022; in science they scored 442, down from 465; in math 433, down from 458; and 444 in computational problem solving, against OECD averages of 461, 482, 463, and 500, respectively.

Education Minister Yoav Kisch attributed the results to the wars raging on multiple fronts when Israeli students sat the tests in mid-2025, as Israel fought Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. In a video posted to his X account, Kisch said the tests were taken “at the height of war,” with the north of the country evacuated, “teachers and parents doing rounds of reserve duty,” and “night after night of air raid sirens.” He said the results showed that Israel’s home front and education system demonstrated “amazing resilience during a time of war and I am proud of you, dear students and education staff.” (TOI/VFI News)

“Father, we lift up Israel’s students and teachers, who sat these tests while sirens sounded and parents served in the reserves. We pray in Yeshua’s Name that You restore what the years of war and disruption have taken from their learning, and give wisdom to the Education Ministry and to every decision-maker responsible for the next generation. Let the children of Israel grow in knowledge and in the fear of the Lord, and let 5787 be a year of rebuilding.”

A new study published by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev during the week of September 6, found that more than half of all medical residents in Israel plan to move abroad for work in the coming years. The research, conducted by Dr. Ofer Edelstein and Prof. Yaacov Bachner, continues a trend identified by Tel Aviv University in a study published on Sunday, September 6, which found that some 1,370 doctors left Israel for at least 12 months between 2023 and 2025.

The study found that 53 percent of medical residents are planning to leave Israel within the next five years, and that 28.6% had already taken concrete steps toward that goal. Only 6.6 percent said they had absolutely no plans to move abroad, and a further 7.4% said they were unlikely to. The figures exclude anyone planning to move in order to specialize in a specific field, counting only those planning to relocate for work after completing their studies and residency.

Surgery and anesthesiology residents showed higher interest in leaving than those specializing in family medicine, internal medicine, and psychiatry. The research was based on an anonymous online questionnaire completed by 634 medical residents and interns with an average age of 33.7, around 68% of them Jewish. Poor working conditions—low pay, a heavy workload, and poor work-life balance — emerged as a driving factor, although many respondents reported satisfaction in other areas of their work, including their relationships with colleagues and the quality of their training. (TOI/VFI News)

“Lord, we pray in Yeshua’s Name for Israel’s young doctors, that they would find in their homeland the conditions, security, and hope they need to stay and serve their people. Strengthen those who care for the sick through long hours and heavy burdens, and move the hearts of leaders to act on their behalf. Keep Israel’s hospitals fully staffed and its people in good health, and bring home those who have already left.”

Some 179,398 babies were born in Israel since last Rosh Hashanah, a pre-holiday list published on Monday, September 7, by the Population and Immigration Authority shows. Avigail and Mohammad retained the top spots as the most popular girls’ and boys’ names respectively over the past year, with Ariel the leading name among Jewish boys.

Among girls, Avigail (1,129) was followed by Miriam/Mariam (986), Lia (935), Libi (918), Tamar (862), Yael (756), Ayalah (729), Sarah (725), Ella (702), and Naya (635). Among boys, Mohammad (1,670) was followed by Ariel (1,283), Yosef/Yousef (1,278), Adam (1,197), David (1,011), Omer (910), Rafael (846), Lavi (812), Michael (789), and Eitan (753).

Some Hebrew and Arabic names, though spelled differently in English, are written identically in Hebrew, such as Yosef and Yousef. Jerusalem registered the most births, with 23,336, followed by Bnei Brak with 8,225 and Tel Aviv with 7,405. Rosh Hashanah begins on Friday night, September 11, marking the start of the Hebrew year 5787. (TOI/VFI News)

“Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him.” – Psalm 127:3

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

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