VFI News IAF Strike Eliminates Oct. 7 Attacker; Iron Dome Defended UAE in Iran War

IAF Strike Eliminates Oct. 7 Attacker; Iron Dome Defended UAE in Iran War . . .

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Iron Dome was just used outside Israel for the first time in history — deployed to the UAE as Iran fired 560+ missiles at the Gulf state. Here's what this means for the region and the Abraham Accords.

This week's Israel and Middle East news briefing covers four major developments you need to know about.

The Israeli Air Force eliminated a Hamas cell in central Gaza — including Hazem Rami Ali Aidi, a Hamas commander confirmed to have participated in the October 7, 2023, massacre. Also killed were a platoon commander and a Hamas military intelligence operative. Israel continues to pursue accountability for every perpetrator of that day's atrocities.

In a historic first, Israel deployed an Iron Dome battery and dozens of IDF soldiers to the UAE during Operation Roaring Lion — the Iran war. Iran fired over 560 ballistic missiles and 2,250+ drones at the Gulf state. The deployment reflects just how deep Abraham Accords military cooperation has grown.

On Israel's northern border, the Lebanon ceasefire is under severe strain. Hezbollah has violated the truce multiple times with drone and rocket attacks. PM Netanyahu has ordered the IDF to respond vigorously, while Israel demands Washington pressure Beirut before the agreement collapses entirely.

Finally, US-Iran nuclear negotiations stalled after Trump canceled the Witkoff-Kushner trip to Pakistan, declaring "we have all the cards."

Prayer points are included throughout for those interceding for Israel and the region.

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The Israeli Air Force on Thursday, April 23, eliminated several members of a Hamas terrorist cell that was planning an imminent attack in the central Gaza Strip, the military announced on Sunday. Among those killed in the airstrike was Hazem Rami Ali Aidi, identified by the IDF as a Hamas commander who infiltrated Israeli territory during the October 7, 2023, massacre. The strike marks a significant moment of justice as Israel continues to pursue those responsible for the atrocities that ignited the war.

Also killed were Ibrahim Mansour, described as a platoon commander involved in attacks on Israeli troops throughout the war, and Maher Tantawi, an operative in Hamas’s military intelligence unit. “Prior to the strike, steps were taken to mitigate the risk of harm to civilians, including the use of precise munitions and aerial surveillance,” the military said. Israeli soldiers remain deployed in the Strip in accordance with the US-brokered October 10, 2025, ceasefire agreement.

The IDF added that troops “will continue to operate to remove any immediate threat” inside Gaza. The current ceasefire ended the two-year war that began when Hamas and other Palestinian terror groups invaded the northwestern Negev on October 7, 2023. With the elimination of Aidi, Israel sends a clear signal that participants in the October 7 atrocities will not escape accountability, even as the broader truce framework holds.

(JNS/VFI News)

“Heavenly Father, we thank You for protecting the IDF soldiers stationed in Gaza and for the precise strike that removed the terrorists who carried out and planned attacks against Your people. We pray that every remaining perpetrator of the October 7 atrocities would be brought to justice, and that the families still mourning their loved ones would find comfort in seeing that happen. We pray that You would expose every Hamas plot before it materializes, that You would shield innocent civilians caught between the terrorists and Israeli forces, and that You would bring lasting peace to the land. In Yeshua’s Name we pray.”

Israel sent an Iron Dome system and dozens of IDF troops to the United Arab Emirates during Operation Roaring Lion, foreign sources confirmed on Sunday, April 26. Multiple Israeli officials have stated that the decision to send the Iron Dome battery and interceptors was made after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a phone call with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed (MBZ). Dozens of Iranian missiles fired toward the Gulf state were intercepted by the system.

This is the first instance of the Iron Dome being used operationally outside of the United States or Israel, though Singapore has previously purchased and received Iron Dome, and Romania is expected to do so as well. Military, security, and intelligence cooperation between Israel and the UAE has been on the rise since the countries signed the Abraham Accords in September 2020, but reached new heights during the recent Iran war.

Iran fired around 560 ballistic and cruise missiles and more than 2,250 drones at the UAE during the war. Although the vast majority of missiles and drones were shot down, some penetrated the defense shield and struck a mix of military and civilian targets in the country. Both the US and Israel—though mostly the US—conducted strikes against Iranian ballistic missile teams in southern Iran to reduce the volume of missiles being fired at the UAE. While Israel and Saudi Arabia cooperated under a regional umbrella through the US as a conduit on regional air defense, there are no reports of Israel providing such a system to Riyadh.

(JPost/VFI News)

“The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” – Psalm 18:2

Israel has demanded that the United States pressure Lebanon to act against Hezbollah in areas outside the IDF’s Forward Defense Line, Israeli public broadcaster KAN News reported on Saturday night, April 25, citing several Israeli security officials. “The reality on the ground is complicated,” the sources said, noting that without US political pressure, the ceasefire deal could easily collapse. It remains unclear whether the US plans to act on Israel’s request.

The ceasefire, which began on April 16, was originally meant to last for 10 days before being extended for an additional three weeks. Since its announcement, Hezbollah has violated the agreement several times, launching projectiles and drones toward Israel’s northern communities and IDF soldiers operating in southern Lebanon. The escalating attacks have increased pressure on the Israeli government to respond more forcefully and to insist on greater enforcement from Beirut.

In response to the ongoing violations, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday afternoon, April 25, ordered the IDF to “vigorously” attack Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. The repeated violations have raised serious questions about whether the truce can hold without more direct US engagement, particularly given Hezbollah’s continued use of drones and rockets against IDF positions inside the Israeli-declared security zone.

(JPost/VFI News)

“He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire.” – Psalm 46:9

A US negotiating team, including special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, will no longer be traveling to Pakistan for US-Iran talks, President Donald Trump told Fox News on Saturday, April 25. Trump stated that he canceled the trip to prevent his team from taking an 18-hour flight “to sit around talking about nothing.” “We have all the cards,” he continued, adding that “they can call us anytime they want,” in reference to Iran’s negotiators.

Shortly before Trump announced the cancellation, two Pakistani government sources told Reuters that the Iranian delegation had left Islamabad. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was among those who departed after conducting a round of talks with Pakistani officials, Iranian state media confirmed. The cancellation of the Witkoff-Kushner trip leaves the second round of US-Iran talks indefinitely on hold and signals a hardening of the American posture.

In a post on X, Araghchi claimed that his visit to Pakistan was “very fruitful.” He stated that he had shared Iran’s position regarding a “workable framework to permanently end the war” with the US, but added that he has “yet to see if the US is truly serious about diplomacy.” With both sides publicly accusing the other of stalling, prospects for a near-term diplomatic breakthrough remain unclear.

(JPost/VFI News)

“Dear Lord, we pray in Yeshua’s Name for divine wisdom upon President Trump, his envoys, and all those involved in negotiations with Iran. We pray that You would expose every wicked scheme by the Iranian regime to deceive the West and pursue nuclear weapons. We pray that the threats from Tehran toward Israel and the United States would be brought to nothing, and that the Iranian people would be set free from tyranny. We ask that You grant our leaders discernment to know when to stand firm and when to negotiate, that Your purposes for Israel and the nations may be fulfilled.”

Immerse yourself in the powerful worship song 'Kumi Ori (Arise Shine)' by Barry and Batya Segal. This song is directly inspired by Isaiah 60:1: 'Arise, shine; for your light has come, And the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.'

Amid a spate of arson attacks against Jewish, Israeli, and Iranian dissident sites in the UK, the US Embassy in London issued a security alert on Friday, April 24, for Americans in Britain visiting Jewish and American institutions. “The US Embassy in London notes recent attacks and threats targeting Jewish and American institutions in the United Kingdom and Europe,” the alert read. “US citizens, particularly those visiting institutions serving Jewish or American interests, should remain alert and exercise increased caution.”

The embassy advised American citizens to be aware of their surroundings when attending Jewish places of worship, religious sites, and community centers. Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia (HAYI), a suspected Iranian front group claiming responsibility for recent incidents in the UK, issued a cryptic threat on Iranian-affiliated channels on Thursday, April 23: “Seventy-two hours. The time limit is approaching its end. No execution equals no second chance. Time is running out. Move now before it’s too late.”

The string of arson incidents began with the March 23, 2026, attack on four Hatzola ambulances in the Golders Green area of London, and has since included attempts on UK synagogues, the offices of Iran International, and other Jewish-affiliated sites. The combination of physical attacks and explicit threats from an Iran-linked network has heightened concern across the UK Jewish community and prompted the unusually direct US security warning.

(JPost/VFI News)

“No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD.” – Isaiah 54:17

Israel’s Cabinet on Sunday, April 26, unanimously approved the appointment of Michael Lotem as the Jewish state’s first ambassador to Somaliland. Lotem, a senior diplomat, was announced as Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar’s pick for the post on April 15. He finished a three-year tour as ambassador to Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, and the Seychelles in August 2025, and has since served as a non-resident economic ambassador to Africa.

Lotem had previously served as ambassador to Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan. The posting will initially be non-resident—Lotem will be based in Jerusalem rather than in Somaliland, managing the bilateral relationship through visits and direct engagement. The cabinet’s unanimous approval follows the Ministerial Committee on Diplomatic Appointments’ previous endorsement of the nomination, as Foreign Minister Sa’ar moves to operationalize the historic relationship.

The appointment marks a significant step following the establishment of official relations between Israel and Somaliland in December 2025, when Israel became the first United Nations member state to recognize Somaliland as an independent state. A Sunni-majority country, Somaliland practices tolerance and has expressed support for Israel and the Abraham Accords, the US-brokered 2020 deal between Israel and several Muslim states. Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 and has been pursuing international recognition both in Africa and abroad.

(JNS/VFI News)

“I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” – Genesis 12:3

Israel welcomed 240 new immigrants from India’s Bnei Menashe community this week, marking the launch of a broader government-backed effort to complete the group’s aliyah. The arrivals, who landed at Ben-Gurion Airport on Thursday, April 23, are part of Operation “Wings of Dawn,” a joint initiative led by the Aliyah and Integration Ministry and the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI). The flight is the first in a series expected over the coming weeks.

Approximately 600 immigrants are set to arrive in three waves. Many of the new arrivals are young families who will initially settle in absorption centers in Nof HaGalil, where some will reunite with relatives who immigrated in previous years. The broader initiative aims to bring the remaining members of the Bnei Menashe community, currently living in Mizoram and Manipur states in northeast India, to Israel. Some 1,200 additional immigrants are expected by the end of 2026, with the full relocation of approximately 6,000 community members projected by 2030.

The “Wings of Dawn” operation follows a government decision approved in November 2025, spearheaded by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Aliyah and Integration Minister Ofir Sofer, and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. The initiative is intended both to reunite families already in Israel and to support the community’s long-term integration into Israeli society. Officials emphasized that the effort is being carried out in coordination with multiple government bodies, including the Foreign Ministry, the Population and Immigration Authority, and the Conversion Authority, as well as international Jewish organizations and pro-Israel groups.

(JPost/VFI News)

“Father, we praise You for fulfilling Your ancient promises to gather Your people from the four corners of the earth back to the Land of Israel. We thank You for the 240 Bnei Menashe Olim who safely arrived at Ben-Gurion Airport, and we ask Your blessing upon their absorption into Israeli society. We pray for the remaining members of the community still in Mizoram and Manipur, that You would prepare their hearts and pave the way for their journey home. We ask that You grant strength to the families being reunited and that this aliyah operation be a powerful testimony to Your faithfulness, in Yeshua’s Name.”

A new initiative in Israel is bringing comfort to bereaved families through specially trained therapy dogs that touch wounded hearts through play, touch, and presence. Since October 7, 2023, thousands of bereaved families have been added to the circle of grief in Israel. Alongside financial aid and support workshops, the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) sought to find an additional response—one that enters the home and assists families in their mourning.

The organization turned to the Therapeutic Riding and Canine Institute (TRCI) in Tel Mond, and together they created a first-of-its-kind project in Israel: Kelev L’Derech (“A Dog for the Journey”)—providing therapeutic dogs for bereaved families. A few months after the death of Sgt. Oran Hershko, a dog named Goldie, of the exact breed and color he loved, arrived at the family home in Tel Mond. “It was like a kind of legacy he left,” said his mother, Michal, a teacher who described how the family chose a large dog to fill the void her son and his sisters had long dreamed of.

Brig. Gen. (res.) Liron Donnell, CEO of FIDF Israel, captured the heart of the project: “In a single moment, the lives of bereaved families stop, and the house is filled with pain and a void that cannot be filled. Kelev L’Derech was born from the understanding that within the fracture, there is a deep need for points of light. They don’t replace those who are gone, but they do bring air back into the lungs and movement into a routine that had frozen.”

(JNS/VFI News)

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

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