VFI News IDF Uncovers Thousands of Hezbollah Terror Sites in Lebanese Villages; US Supreme Court Refuses to Halt $656M Terror Judgment

Trump's massive Iran strike was already ordered — then Gulf Arab allies made one phone call. What they said changed everything. Here's the full story from inside Israel this week.

This week on VFI News, we break down one of the most significant near-misses in recent Middle East history — and what it tells us about where this conflict is actually headed.

Gulf Arab nations including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain reportedly urged President Trump to stand down, arguing a deal on Iran's nuclear programme was within reach. Trump confirmed the strike was "all set to go" before calling it off. Iran, meanwhile, has flatly denied ever asking for mercy — and knowing this regime, that might actually be true.

We also cover the ripple effects hitting Israel directly: 20 US Air Force refueling aircraft now occupying Ben Gurion Airport just as August vacation season begins, dangerously depleted Patriot and THAAD interceptor stockpiles, and a Reuters/Ipsos poll showing only 1 in 3 Americans support the war. Plus — the growing persecution of Messianic believers in Israel, President Herzog's fiery interview with American media, and the scorching heatwave gripping the region.

⏱️ CHAPTERS

0:00 Introduction — The Attack That Almost Happened

2:45 Trump's Strike Order & Gulf Arab Pressure

8:10 Iran's Response & Nuclear Deal Talks

13:30 Ben Gurion Airport & US Military Presence

18:00 Patriot & THAAD Missile Stockpile Crisis

23:15 American Public Opinion & Midterm Politics

28:40 Persecution of Messianic Believers in Israel

34:05 President Herzog's American Media Interview

38:20 Heatwave & Closing Thoughts

If this report helped you understand what's happening on the ground, please share it with someone who needs to hear it. And if you're not yet part of the VFI family — subscribe so you never miss a weekly update from inside Israel.

#Israel #Iran #MiddleEast #Trump #VFINews

The IDF has uncovered thousands of terrorist facilities that Hezbollah entrenched within civilian villages in southern Lebanon, publishing footage and evidence of the findings on Thursday, August 6. The military noted that this infrastructure exploits and endangers Lebanon’s civilian population, while also posing a direct threat to Israel’s soldiers and civilians.

“Over the past several months, IDF soldiers under the Northern Command have been operating in southern Lebanon against the Hezbollah terrorist organization in order to eliminate threats to Israeli civilians,” the IDF said. “During these operations, IDF soldiers uncovered thousands of facilities used by Hezbollah, including command centers, living quarters, launch sites, observation posts, underground infrastructure, and large quantities of weapons.”

The military explained that over the years, Hezbollah established a broad operational network within villages in southern Lebanon, embedding terrorist infrastructure deep within civilian areas and turning them into locations of significant strategic value for its military activities, while cynically exploiting and endangering the Lebanese population.

(INN/VFI News)

“Dear Lord, we thank You for exposing the schemes of those who hide weapons of war among the innocent. We pray in Yeshua’s Name that You continue to protect our soldiers operating in southern Lebanon and shield the communities of northern Israel from every threat. We ask that You free the people of Lebanon from the grip of the terrorist organizations that exploit and endanger them, and that You bring true and lasting peace to both sides of the border.”

US Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor declined to halt $655.5 million in damages that Palestinian authorities were ordered to pay plaintiffs in a US civil lawsuit concerning terror attacks that killed and injured Americans in Israel from 2002 to 2004, during the Second Intifada. Sotomayor denied a request by the Palestinian Authority, based in Judea and Samaria, and the Palestine Liberation Organization to pause the judgment while they appeal a lower court’s decision to revive the case years after it had been dismissed.

The lawsuit was filed by victims of attacks in Jerusalem that killed 33 people and wounded hundreds more. The attacks took place during the Second Intifada, in which roughly 1,000 Israelis and others were killed in a string of suicide bombings and other terror attacks. The Supreme Court last year upheld a federal law passed in 2019 that allowed claims like those brought by the plaintiffs in the case.

Sotomayor did not explain her decision and did not refer the case to the entire court; she handles emergency matters for cases arising from New York and certain other states. The Manhattan-based 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated the judgment in March, following the Supreme Court’s 9-0 decision in June 2025 to uphold the 2019 law, called the Promoting Security and Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act. The Palestinian organizations claimed that enforcing the judgment would cause severe financial harm and destabilize government services in Judea and Samaria.

(TOI/VFI News)

“Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; love and faithfulness go before You.” – Psalm 89:14

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar is on a diplomatic trip to Colombia and Ecuador, the Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday, August 5, as Israel looks to cultivate ties with Latin American nations headed by right-wing leaders. Sa’ar flew first to Miami, where he met with local US Jewish leaders and noted a recent ruling by a Palm Beach County judge that threw out a lawsuit challenging the county’s $1 billion Israel bond investment.

He then arrived in Ecuador on Wednesday, August 5, marking the first visit to the country by an Israeli foreign minister in 44 years. In Quito, Sa’ar was set to meet Ecuador’s foreign minister and deliver joint statements honoring Manuel Antonio Muñoz Borrero, the Ecuadorian diplomat recognized as Righteous Among the Nations for issuing Ecuadorian passports to European Jews in 1941. Sa’ar was also scheduled to meet President Daniel Noboa, visit parliament, and meet members of Ecuador’s Jewish community.

Sa’ar will then fly to Colombia to attend the inauguration of the country’s new president, Abelardo de la Espriella, on Friday, August 7, where he will also meet leaders from across Central and South America. De la Espriella has pledged to renew a strategic alliance with the State of Israel and to open an embassy in Jerusalem, and has announced that Colombia will withdraw its intervention in the genocide case against Israel at The Hague. “We are continuing our effort to bring Latin America closer to Israel,” Sa’ar said. “Israel and its citizens will benefit from this in every sphere, diplomatically, economically and through tourism.”

(TOI/VFI News)

“Praise the Lord, all you nations; extol Him, all you peoples.” – Psalm 117:1

Antisemitic incidents in the United Kingdom rose 21 percent in the first six months of 2026 compared to the same period last year, reaching the second-highest total on record for the first half of a year, the Community Security Trust announced on Wednesday, August 5. The organization recorded 1,926 anti-Jewish hate incidents between January and June, up from 1,598 during the first half of 2025—an average of 321 incidents per month.

Physical attacks rose sharply, with 135 recorded antisemitic assaults, an 82% increase year-over-year. Incidents in schools jumped 59% to 178, while synagogue-related incidents surged by 31%. The most serious incidents included the stabbing of two visibly Jewish men in London’s Golders Green neighborhood on Wednesday, April 29, which fueled 71 further anti-Jewish incidents over the following three days. “These attacks are directed against British Jews, but they are also attacks on Britain and our society,” CST chief executive Mark Gardner said.

British officials pledged action in response. Policing Minister Sarah Jones called the numbers “appalling” and pointed to the government’s recent announcement that it would spend £250 million ($336.45 million) over the next three years to better protect Jewish communities, providing additional officers to help protect schools, synagogues, and community centers. “Antisemitism goes against our country’s values, and I will do everything in my power to protect our Jewish communities,” she said.

(TOI/VFI News)

“Our Heavenly Father, we lift up the Jewish communities of Britain who are facing rising hatred and violence. We pray in Yeshua’s Name that You place a hedge of protection around every synagogue, school, and Jewish home, and that You comfort those who have been attacked or who live in fear. Please give wisdom and resolve to the authorities charged with protecting these communities, and turn the hearts of those consumed by hatred toward repentance and truth.”

Delve into the profound insights of Parashat Re'eh (Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17). Discover the powerful message behind Moses' imperative 'See!' (re'eh) as he presents a choice between blessing and curse to the Jewish people. Explore the significance of individual actions and their impact on the collective prosperity of the nation. Uncover the deep connection between personal redemption and the greater goal of promoting righteousness in the world. Learn how the Torah's commandments guide us toward a fulfilling and purpose-driven life. Watch Batya Segal's enlightening teaching on Parashat Re'eh to gain a fresh perspective on timeless wisdom.

The Canadian Office of the Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combating Antisemitism released the Campus Antisemitism and Student Experiences (CASE) report on Wednesday, August 5, along with a series of recommendations from the Network of Engaged Canadian Academics. The report found that 96% of Jewish students experienced or witnessed at least one antisemitic incident, including from professors and administrators.

In response, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, B’nai Brith Canada, and the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center issued a joint statement: “At a time when synagogues, Jewish schools, and Jewish-owned businesses are being shot at and firebombed, and when Jews are disproportionately the victims of hate crimes, this report makes clear that antisemitism has also taken root in our public institutions—including our universities.” The organizations added that the findings are further evidence of what Prime Minister Carney himself acknowledged: that Canada is failing Jewish Canadians.

The groups called on university leaders and governments at every level to carefully consider the report and the recommendations of the Network of Engaged Canadian Academics. “The drivers of this hatred—including anti-Zionism—are well known, and the time to act is now. We need concrete actions to protect Canadian students,” they stated.

(INN/VFI News)

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” – Proverbs 31:8-9

Jewish residents, who make up roughly one-tenth of New York City’s population, were the targets of nearly 70% of all confirmed bias offenses across the five boroughs in July, newly published municipal figures show. Official data indicates a 53.3% rise in validated anti-Jewish incidents compared to the same month last year.

NYPD records show that law enforcement logged 33 confirmed hate crimes during July, with 23 targeting Jewish individuals, up from 15 verified anti-Jewish offenses in July 2025. By comparison, Muslim residents were targeted in five verified bias crimes during the month, an increase from two recorded incidents in the same month last year. Year-to-date tallies show 360 verified bias crimes across the city in 2026, a 9.4% climb from the 329 cases documented through the same period in 2025. Of those, 205 were anti-Jewish incidents—56.9% of the total and an 8.5% increase from the 189 cases recorded in 2025.

City Council Speaker Julie Menin, the first Jewish lawmaker to hold the leadership post, voiced serious concern over the trajectory. “I remain deeply concerned and very troubled by the unacceptable spike in hate crimes, particularly driven by those targeting Jewish New Yorkers,” she said, noting that her very first initiative in office was a five-point plan to combat antisemitism. “I will not waver in the fight to protect our communities from hatred,” she added.

(INN/VFI News)

“Dear God, we pray for the Jewish residents of New York City who continue to bear the brunt of hate crimes in their own neighborhoods. We ask in Yeshua’s Name that You watch over them as they walk to synagogue, send their children to school, and go about their daily lives. Please strengthen the hands of all leaders and officers working to stop these attacks, and let justice be done swiftly so that every community may dwell in safety.”

A record wave of emigration from Israel continued in 2025, with an estimated 45,000 to 50,000 Israelis leaving the country for more than 12 months for the third year in a row, Tel Aviv University researchers concluded in a study published Monday, August 3. About 49,000 Israelis left the country for more than a year in both 2023 and 2024, and travel data from the Central Bureau of Statistics indicates the trend likely continued in 2025.

Because official statistics count people as emigrants only after they have spent most of a year abroad, official data for 2025 will not be available until the beginning of 2027. To estimate the trend earlier, the researchers analyzed three-month departure periods and found that the number of Israelis spending at least three months abroad closely tracked the number who ultimately remained away for at least a year, with a statistical correlation of 0.96. In 2025, 90,922 Israelis remained abroad for at least three consecutive months, compared with 91,499 in 2024 and 86,509 in 2023.

The calculation deliberately excludes new immigrants who arrived in the past three years, in order to measure how many longtime Israeli residents are actually leaving. The researchers noted that the figures on their own do not yet pose a threat to Israel’s resilience and do not present an immediate systemic danger to the country. The study was conducted by Itai Ater of the Coller School of Management, Nittai Bergman, head of the School of Economics, and doctoral candidate Doron Zamir.

(TOI/VFI News)

“‘So there is hope for your descendants,’ declares the Lord. ‘Your children will return to their own land.’” – Jeremiah 31:17

Grandmaster Boris Gelfand has been selected as the first Israeli chess player ever to be inducted into the World Chess Hall of Fame in St. Louis. The hall recognizes world champions, historians, and visionaries who have made exceptional contributions to the development of chess, and Gelfand will join a distinguished list that includes Emanuel Lasker, Mikhail Tal, Bobby Fischer, Garry Kasparov, and Judit Polgar.

Gelfand, who immigrated to Israel from Belarus in 1998, is widely regarded as one of the greatest chess players in the country’s history. He remains the only Israeli to have won an Olympic chess title, earning a gold medal at the 1990 Chess Olympiad, and later became the only Israeli to win the Chess World Cup, taking the title in 2009. Two years later, he won the Candidates Tournament and qualified for a match for the world championship.

The defining moment of his career came in 2012, when he challenged Indian world champion Viswanathan Anand for the title. Their 12-game match ended in a 6-6 draw, with Anand retaining the crown only after winning the rapid tiebreaks. Now, Gelfand’s place among the game’s immortals is official—a first for Israeli chess.

(YNN/VFI News)

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

Want to see more from VFI? Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/visionforisrael and hit “like” if you like us!