VFI News Massive Wednesday Brushfires Might Be Israel's Largest Yet; Shin Bet Arrests 3, Communities Evacuated

In this week’s VFI News report, we cover breaking developments following the massive explosion at the Shahid Rajaei port in Bandar Abbas, Iran—leaving over 70 dead and more than 1,000 injured. As toxic smoke engulfed the city, speculation arose over the cause, with accusations ranging from industrial negligence to possible Israeli sabotage.

Barry Segal analyzes how this disaster weakens Iran’s economy, disrupts global trade routes, and impacts ongoing U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations. With growing pressure, Israel urges the U.S. to halt diplomacy and take decisive action. New statements from President Donald Trump and U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee reveal Washington may be ready to lead military efforts against Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

🔔 Subscribe for weekly updates on Israel, the Middle East, and global security.

🙏 Support Vision for Israel's efforts to protect Israeli communities and strengthen the home front.

#Iran #Israel #Trump #BandarAbbasExplosion #NuclearIran #Hezbollah #Hamas #MiddleEastNews #VFInews #USvsIran #MikeHuckabee #VisionForIsrael #EndTimesNews

Exactly one week after a massive forest fire in Eshtaol left over 10,000 dunams scorched, the fire reignited in five locations on Wednesday morning, April 30. The fires in the Jerusalem Hills area spread quickly, as a stifling heatwave and strong winds made it difficult to bring the blazes under control.

By Wednesday evening, the fire service said it had 163 firefighting teams on the ground and 12 firefighting planes battling the conflagrations surrounding Jerusalem at several key hotspots, including multiple places in Latrun, Neve Shalom and the Eshtaol Forest. 

Fires were also spreading in Mevo Horon, along Burma Road toward Beit Meir, Mesilat Zion, and near a gas station in Sha’ar Hagai. Reportedly, at least 12 people suffered from smoke inhalation, though none were in serious condition.

Some 11,700 dunam (2,900 acres) were burned in the blazes, according to a Wednesday night estimate by Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael — Jewish National Fund, which said the Canada Park, near Latrun, had been almost completely torched. 

At a press conference in the evacuated community of Eshtaol on Wednesday evening, the commander of the Fire and Rescue Service’s Jerusalem District, Shmulik Friedman, warned that the fire in the Jerusalem hills “may be the largest there has ever been in this country,” and was not yet even close to being contained. (TOI/VFI News)

“Our Heavenly Father, we pray for all the people who were injured because of the massive fires in Israel. We pray in Yeshua's Name that You heal them completely and help erase painful memories from their minds. We thank You for protecting us and not letting anyone perish due to the fires, and we are extremely grateful for all the fire department personnel bravely saving so many lives. We pray that You bring an end to all the fires and that no such devastation will happen again in our country. We also pray that You prevent anyone who tries to commit arson and that You will bring the ones who have already done so to justice.”

The large brushfires blazing Wednesday, April 30, forced the evacuations of some communities and the closure of roads. It was the second time in the space of a week that fires in the hills to the west of the capital have led to the evacuation of residents. 

The communities of Neve Shalom, Beko’a, Ta’oz, and Nachshon were evacuated along with the military memorial in Latrun, interrupting a memorial ceremony at the site. The nearby monastery was also evacuated. Police were told to prepare for the possible evacuation of Mesilat Zion as well. 

The Israel Nature and Parks Authority said it was evacuating hikers from several parks in the area. Route 1, the main highway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, was closed, and police called on people to avoid the area. Nearby Route 3 was also closed, as were routes 65, 70, and 85. 

Train traffic between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv was also canceled. A command center was set up in the IKEA branch in the Eshtaol area, Israeli media reported. 

Meanwhile, the Shin Bet is investigating the fires amid suspicions that at least some of the fires were the result of arson. Three people have already been arrested so far on suspicion of arson in the Jerusalem area. (TOI/VFI News)

“For the Lord shall build up Zion; He shall appear in His glory. He shall regard the prayer of the destitute, and shall not despise their prayer. This will be written for the generation to come, that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord.” - Psalm 102:16-18

A fourth round of talks between the United States and Iran, which had been due to take place in Rome on Saturday, May 3, has been postponed, and a new date will be set “depending on the US approach,” a senior Iranian official told British media on Thursday. 

Earlier on Thursday, Iran accused the US of “contradictory behavior and provocative statements” after Washington warned Tehran of consequences for backing Yemen’s Houthis and imposed new oil-related sanctions on it amid nuclear talks. 

“US sanctions on Iran during the nuclear talks are not helping the sides to resolve the nuclear dispute through diplomacy,” the Iranian official told the British news agency. “Depending on the US approach, the date of the next round of talks will be announced.” 

However, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X: “Together with Omani and US interlocutors, we have decided to postpone the 4th round of talks for logistical and technical reasons. On Iran’s part, there is no change in our determination to secure a negotiated solution.” 

US President Donald Trump had warned after the postponement that all purchases of Iranian oil or petrochemical products must stop and any country or person buying any from the country would be immediately subject to secondary sanctions. He explained that such people or countries “will not be allowed to do business with the United States of America in any way, shape, or form.” (TOI/VFI News) 

“Dear Lord, we thank You for Your love, care and protection, and we praise Your Holy Name for You are the only one who is worthy. We pray that You continue to guide President Trump into resolving the Iranian nuclear matters efficiently and that You prevent Iran from acquiring more power and influence. May You help us live in peace, brotherhood and communion. In Yeshua's Name we pray, amen.”

The Lebanese army has dismantled “over 90 percent” of Hezbollah’s infrastructure near the border with Israel since the November ceasefire, a security official who requested anonymity as the matter is sensitive, told French media on Wednesday, April 30.

In accordance with the truce deal brokered between Israel and Lebanon in November, the Lebanese army is required to dismantle all unauthorized military facilities and confiscate all arms, starting in areas south of the Litani River, located some 20 kilometers (12 miles) north of the Israeli border.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, meanwhile, said in an interview with Arabic media that the army was now in control of over 85% of the country’s south.

Further, the Lebanese army has reportedly seized 800 rockets in the Al-Beddawi Palestinian refugee camp in northern Lebanon, a Saudi channel has reported. There is no official confirmation of the report in Lebanon.

According to the report, the rockets belonged to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command terror group, a small Palestinian organization that has been operating in recent years from Lebanon. It has ties to the main Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and is not known to have carried out major terror attacks independently in recent years.

Moreover, Beirut’s supreme defense council has reportedly told Hamas not to conduct operations that compromise Lebanon’s sovereignty or disturb its stability. (TOI/VFI News)

“Dear God, we are grateful that the Lebanese Army is fighting against Hezbollah and calling out Palestinian terrorist organizations. We pray that You give it strength to continue the good fight and ensure safety for its own citizens, as well as their neighbors who are being affected by the terrorist organizations operating on their grounds. We pray in Yeshua's Name that You bring peace in the Middle East and protect all innocent civilians from the wrath and viciousness of all these terror groups.”

Official Video for Barry & Batya Segal's, Shalom Aleichem / Peace to You (שלום עליכם). Enjoy this traditional Shabbat liturgy with music by Shmuel Goldfarb and English words by Barry Segal.

A new Swiss law banning Hamas and related organizations will come into force on May 15, the government said on Wednesday, April 30, aiming to prevent the Palestinian terrorist group from using Switzerland as a haven by making entry bans or expulsions easier to arrange.

The law, which was approved by parliament last December and came in the wake of Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, gives Swiss authorities "the necessary tools to take action against Hamas activities or support for the organization in Switzerland," the government said.

The Swiss law enables preventive police measures such as entry bans or expulsions and also makes it more difficult for Hamas to use Switzerland as a financial hub for its activities. (JPost/VFI News)

Iraqi authorities on Tuesday, April 29, confirmed the arrest of an ISIS member accused of inciting the New Year's terrorist attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans that left 15 people dead, including the perpetrator. 

The arrest comes months after 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar of Texas killed 14 civilians and injured 57 others when he rammed a Ford F-150 through crowds of people celebrating on the famous New Orleans street around 3 a.m. January 1. 

Jabbar was killed in a shootout with police. Iraqi authorities said their investigation into the ISIS member came at the request of American authorities but did not expand on exactly what incited the deadly attack. 

Officials are not releasing the suspect's name. The suspect will be tried in Iraq under the country's anti-terror laws for being a member of ISIS, according to a translated statement from the Iraq judiciary. 

The First Karkh Investigation Court, "based on the investigations and analysis of the evidence, identified the identity of the accused and arrested him in Iraq as he is a member of what is called the Foreign Operations Office of the terrorist ISIS organization," the judiciary said. (FN/VFI News) 

Nike came under fire on Monday, April 28, for a billboard that was shown at the end of the London Marathon. The sign read "Never Again. Until Next Year." 

The company, which already faced scrutiny during the week over reports of its alleged funding of a child transgender athletes study, received further backlash for using the slogan that has ties to the Holocaust. 

Nike stated to American media on Tuesday, April 29. "We did not mean any harm and sincerely apologize for any we caused," the company said. 

"The London billboards were part of a broader campaign built on runners’ insights and designed to motivate runners to push past what they think is possible. Nike condemns any form of antisemitism. The language should not have been used, and the billboards have come down."

The company also issued a statement on Monday, apologizing for the signage."We did not mean any harm and apologize for any we caused," the company said. "The London billboards were part of a broader campaign titled ‘Winning Isn’t Comfortable,’ built on runners’ insights and designed to motivate runners to push past what they think is possible. (FN/VFI News)

In an annual report ahead of Independence Day, the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) said Tuesday, April 29, that Israel’s population stood at almost 10.1 million people, marking a twelvefold increase since the country was founded in 1948.

The figure, which represents an increase of some 135,000, or 1.4% over the previous year, includes roughly 7.7 million people, or 77.6%, who are registered as Jewish or “other” — a category that was previously counted separately. 

This category includes non-Arab Christians and people with no ethnicity listed, most of whom are entitled to live in Israel because of a Jewish grandparent or Israeli spouse, the CBS said.

Some 2.1 million people living in Israel, or 20.9%, are Muslim, Christian or Druze Arabs, the CBS said. Another 250,000 people, or about 2.5%, belong to neither category and include international students, foreign workers and undocumented immigrants, the agency reported.

Over the past year, according to the report, some 174,000 babies were born in Israel, 28,000 people immigrated to the country and 50,000 Israelis died. Israel has a relatively young population, 27% of which is under the age of 18 compared with 13% aged at least 65, the CBS said.

Israel’s population grew rapidly in comparison with the world population, which grew by some 0.9% to just over 8 billion in 2023, the last year for which the World Bank has made data available. (TOI/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!