Transcription
Iranian leaders declared that they will not give up the uranium enrichment, even if it means war. Now, after reaching a dead end in the negotiations in Oman, a new threat is coming from Iran in the form of an image of Tel Aviv, an Israeli city, and a declaration that there will be a reign of missiles on Israel.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Arashi revealed the United States' condition for stopping the escalation and laughed at President Trump in front of the reporters. President Trump replied that they should be very worried. And at the same time, Iran is also trying to rebuild its ballistic missile arsenal. And Prime Minister Netanyahu is headed to Washington this week for an emergency meeting with President Trump, as the question of whether or not the United States will strike Iran hangs in the balance.
But Israel isn't the only country trying to influence this decision. The Arab states are worried about Iran's response to any American attack, while some analysts are warning about surprises that could be waiting for United States and Israeli forces. So, welcome to Boots on the Ground. I'm your host, Yelp Pinto, bringing you all the truth about what's happening in Israel and in the wider Middle East.
After the visit by White House envoy Steve Witkov and Jared Kushner to the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, Iran responded with a threat against Israel, erecting another large banner in Tehran's Palestine Square depicting a map of central Israel alongside the words "facing a reign of missiles." This is a small area. The chief of staff of Iran's army also declared that the consequences of any regional war in the area will fall on Washington and Tel Aviv.
Foreign Minister Arai also declared that Iran will not give up its nuclear program, even at the price of war, saying that "our atomic bomb is the ability to say no to the great powers." He also laughed as he was telling the journalist what President Trump is demanding Iran to do in order to avoid a military strike. In this context, he should remember that for many years, regime officials have denied that Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons and insisted its nuclear research programs were entirely peaceful.
In any case, while the possibility of an American strike is still hovering in the air, Israeli officials are worried about an agreement that will not include Iran's missile arsenal and support for terrorist proxies. Prime Minister Netanyahu is on his way to Washington this week to try and persuade President Trump to insist on these issues being addressed. Netanyahu will also assure President Trump of Israel's readiness to participate in any kind of military strike on Iran.
And meanwhile, the IDF is carrying out a target elimination inside the Gaza Strip and monitoring Hamas, trying to manage the rehabilitation of the terrorist organization and waiting for an American move to disarm it. The terrorist organization Hamas, as usual, lies blatantly and tries to promote a false claim until the next explosion. Senu Hamas figure Khaled Mashal presented an alternative framework for disarmament this week, although in practice this is an entry into a rehabilitation process in which Hamas will prepare for another campaign against Israel.
And in a related story, Turkish President Erdogan and his government conducted an intensive round of talks with senior figures in Hamas this week, along with talks with the Palestinian Authority, in order to discuss the rehabilitation of the Gaza Strip after this war. Only later did Turkey's real goal in the talks become clear.
In the northern arena, Hezbollah in Lebanon is tired of getting hit by the IDF, and a dramatic change of direction has been announced by Naim Kasim, the CEO of the terrorist organization. According to reports in the Lebanese media, after the blows it suffered in the war with Israel, Hezbollah is undergoing a reorganization, concentrating authority in the hands of the current secretary general, prompting political figures and removing senior religious officials.
So, we have a lot to talk about today. So, let's dive into the hard questions. For instance, will the negotiations bring Iran's surrender to the United States, including handing over the enriched uranium, dismantling the ballistic missiles, and dismantling the proxy array from Hezbollah to the Houthis, to Hamas, and the militias in Iraq and Syria? Or is this actually a deliberate wait to accumulate more power, tighten strike plans, and maintain a deception plan against the Iranians?
I'm Pinto, and this is your Boots on the Ground report, bringing you all the truth about what's happening in Israel on day 856 of the war against Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis in Yemen, the Shia militias in Iraq, and all the other armed groups in this region taking their orders from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, which is the head of the crumbling axis of evil in the Middle East. And a moment before we begin, look for me for TBN Israel, for Mati Shashani, for Pinto on social medias, as we are uploading constantly about everything that's happening. And if you want to stay up to date and know how to pray for the situation, that's the best way.
In the meantime, if you haven't subscribed to TBN Israel on YouTube, make sure to hit that subscribe button so that you never miss another episode of Boots on the Ground. The banner hung this week in Palestine Square, in the heart of Tehran, depicting a map of central Israel and the caption "against a reign of missiles." This is a small area. Let's everyone know what Iran's intentions are. Beneath the map is a list of cities: Tel Aviv, Jaffa, Herelia, Ramadan, Bun Bra. The last line of caption read, "For the first day," meaning on the first day of an American attack, they plan on saturating central Israel with ballistic missiles.
So, is this just psychological warfare or an organized preparation for the day after the collapse of the negotiations? Meanwhile, the latest round of talks in Oman ended without a breakthrough, and the Americans continue to push for a broader agreement, while the Iranians insist on only discussing nuclear issues. And even there, they are not sure about what they want to discuss and reject all the American demands. Foreign Minister Abbas Araraki repeated that Iran is ready to talk about certain limitations and not to give up the very right to enrich uranium. He added, "The ability to say no to the great powers is our real atomic bomb."
And then comes the moment that lights up red warnings all over the place. When asked about the condition that Trump set in order to stop the escalation, Araraki answered, "Zero enrichment." And then he laughed out loud in front of all the reporters. That's not a slip of the tongue. It's a message. However, as previously reported, the Americans are entering the talks with a longer list of demands, including a complete halt to the enrichment, restrictions on the ballistic missile program, and an end to support for regional proxies.
On missile range, there are even numerical gaps inside the demands, including an American plan to halt the range of ballistic missiles at 500 kilometers, while in Jerusalem, they want the range to be limited to 300 km to take Israel out of this range. But in Tehran, they say, in the clearest way, that the issue of missiles is not up for discussion at all. And despite the obvious fact that they are in no position to dictate any kind of terms what is up for discussion and what isn't, they still try.
However, the missile threat itself is becoming the central issue of this situation beyond the nuclear file. The Iranians are trying with all their strength to build a ballistic missile project. And according to intelligence assessments that were presented before the 12-day war last June, Iraq had approximately 2,000 missiles. During the fighting, around 536 were launched, and many more were destroyed on the ground along with the launchers themselves. Iran has made great efforts to rebuild this arsenal with assistance from China. And although they have not returned to the level of readiness they had before, they're getting close.
And it's not just a matter of quantity, but the overall pace of production. Although the quality of each individual unit is not always high, there are reports that production capacity could reach hundreds of missiles per month, giving Iran the ability to overcome Israel's defensive systems through sheer way of numbers. When analysts talk about the threat, they also talk about warheads that have the potential to be up to about half a ton of explosive per missile. This is no longer an issue of a few missiles that get through, but rather an overload scenario. For that matter, even when Israel's defensive systems work exactly as they are designed to, they cannot provide a perfect seal of protection.
This is why the defensive efforts and the offensive efforts themselves to hit the launchers and the stockpiles before a launch work together. But even then, there is no guarantee of a hermetic seal. Therefore, from Israel's perspective, without dealing with the missiles, the next confrontation is only a question of time.
And speaking of time, in parallel to the talks between the United States and Iran, the United States continues to use the time to build force in this region, while the Ayatollah regime is printing banners and making speeches. So, following the talks in Oman, the White House special envoy Steve Whitro and Jared Kushner took a trip to visit the sailors and the Marines on the USS Abraham Lincoln, the aircraft carrier. Photographs of the envoys touring the flight deck, accompanied by Sencom commander Admiral Brad Cooper, were publicized, sending the regime a message that the military option has not disappeared. To the contrary, President Trump himself declared that the Iranians really want a deal, but in the same breath, he said that Kami needs to be very worried.
Now we move to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu of Israel, who will be visiting the White House this week for an urgent meeting with President Trump. The official reason given for this meeting is to influence the framework conditions of the talks, as there is fear in Jerusalem of a narrow agreement that will focus only on nuclear issues while allowing Iran to continue building up its ballistic missile arsenal and supporting regional proxies. Israeli officials are worried that if Iran agrees to limits on its nuclear program, President Trump might reward them with sanctions relief, which lowers economic pressure on the regime, brings money back into the coffers, and enables rehabilitation of their conventional military and the proxy terrorist groups that are surrounding Israel.
The message that Netanyahu wants to deliver to Trump is that he must push Iran to agree to zero enrichment, zero enrichment capabilities, and remove the stockpiles of existing enriched uranium out of Iran. Also, Israel is pushing for limits on the range of the ballistic missiles and a gradual slowing of sanctions relief so as not to give an immediate boost to the proxies. That's what the media is reporting in public. But some analysts are speculating that all of that is just a smoke screen to hide the fact that this meeting is meant to finalize plans for a devastating joint military strike on Iran.
As both Trump and Netanyahu seem to be convinced that the Iranians are not serious about being willing to back down even on the nuclear issues that they've reluctantly agreed to discuss in these talks. However, we must also remember that President Trump does not want a prolonged war. He wants a short, sharp move with a clear outcome. For that, he needs two things: intelligence that is sufficient for a quick decision and an ability to avoid a regional spiraling.
There are also other scenarios that are considered, including the military power that's been deployed in the Middle East, which is not available in other areas around the world, as well as fear of an escalation that would hit oil infrastructure, a scenario of blocking the Strait of Hormuz, and a sharp rise in oil prices. This could have devastating consequences for the global economy, and we've just entered an election year in the United States.
And meanwhile, inside Iran, the street is still boiling. There are reports of renewed localized protests, continued slogans against the regime, and toppling of symbols in different cities. There are also renewed calls for a showdown in the central bazaar, even as the exact numbers of those killed in January in the streets continue to increase, as reports keep coming in of what the regime did to the protesters in Iran. There are indications that the regime knows how angry their own people are, including the fact that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rarely appears in public any longer, and his own advisors admit that he spends most of his time in protected spaces. He's obviously afraid that he's going to be targeted by somebody, because it can be his own people, and it also can be external enemies, and he's not wrong. But his rare public appearances are fueling rumors of his declining health and imminent demise.
And amidst all of this, the regime speaks with one voice in public, declaring that they will not back down to American pressure. But in practice, it is apparent that they are just playing for time. They are hoping to gain breathing space because every day that goes by without an American attack allows rehabilitation of production lines, dispersal of launchers, and burying capabilities underground. This is a known method to preserve capability for the day after, so as to come out of an attack being able to say, "We survived, therefore we won."
However, on the other side, Israel makes clear that it is prepared, and that a new red line is being marked around the numbers, including how many missiles they have and how many launchers are remaining in Iran and capable of operating. Estimates have been presented of an order of about 1,800 missiles and between 60 and 80 launchers. If those numbers grow significantly, it will bring the decision point closer.
And speaking of which, there is another indication of where all of this is going to. Since a large number of senior IDF officers are meant to accompany Prime Minister Netanyahu on his visit to Washington, senior military officials from Saudi Arabia, who have significant roles in coordinating with the American military, are also scheduled to be in Washington this week. Although there is no official liberation on all of this, this is a big activity. It is not difficult to connect all the dots.
So, to sum up, Iran has hung a banner which speaks of a reign of missiles on central Israel while refusing to back down on the issue of uranium enrichment, while the United States builds forces in this region but still does not reveal a decision. Now, one question remains that leads us to the next piece. Will the meeting in Washington signal toughness that shortens the road to a real agreement, or is it just the last stage before a military move? We are not prophets, but we will be here to report on it. So, keep spreading the truth and make sure to look for us on all the social media platforms and especially here on YouTube. Hit the subscribe button so that you never miss another episode of Boots on the Ground.
And speaking of the ground, we want to invite you to take part in something real that's rooted in the land and in the heart. The Rebuild Israel campaign is back, bringing life back to Israel's north, along Israel's northern border, an area that is marked by war, displacement, and loss. We are planting an apple orchard, not as a simple for a single moment, but as part of a long-term commitment to rebuild what was damaged. This orchard is more than just agriculture. It creates jobs for the local families and helps communities return and rebuild, and also sends a clear message to the people of Israel: You are not alone. When you donate, you are not just giving, you are rebuilding. Your support puts trees in the ground, restores livelihoods, and transforms land scarred by war into land that grows again. This is how renewal takes root. This is how Israel rebuilds after war. Join us in restoring the north and strengthening the future of the land of Israel. Go now to tbn.org/rebuildisrael or call 800-800-47895. Again, that's tbn.org/rebuildisrael or call 800-847-895. Rebuild the land, restore hope, bless the future.
Now we are shifting our focus to the Gaza Strip, where in the last 24 hours, forces from the Northern Brigades combat team identified several terrorists who crossed the yellow line and approached the forces in a way that was defined as an immediate threat. The air force, under the direction of the forces on the ground, struck the cell and eliminated one of them in order to remove the threat. Forces under the southern command are deployed in an area in accordance with the agreement, and the message on the ground is clear: Every such approach ends quickly and with precise fire. So, why is this happening now? And what is Hamas trying to test in the IDF while everyone is talking about the day after?
In recent days, this has been turning into a pattern. Over the weekend, several incidents were recorded in which forces on the ground identified attempts by terrorists to act against the forces along the yellow line and were eliminated. In one case, the terrorist who was eliminated is Muhammad Salah Eldin Khaled Abu Rakba, a Hamas terrorist who infiltrated into Israel on October 7, 2023. These incidents connect to a broader situation picture. The IDF notes that they are in an operational deployment that enables control and a rapid response. And according to the data provided, the IDF controls more than 52% of the strip's territory. The forces are in part of the area on Rig 70 to 80, a rig that enables observation and fire control over Gaza City and additional areas. And at the same time, a gradual treatment is on its way of tunnels and infrastructures that Hamas left on the eastern side of the yellow line. This is a difficult and dangerous work that must be conducted slowly, but it is exactly what prevents Hamas from returning to infrastructure that can be used to attack Israel again in the future.
However, IDF intelligence confirms that Hamas continues trying to rebuild, but they're having trouble accessing fresh supplies of weapons and ammunition. It is trying to acquire new supplies in various ways, including smuggling via drones from Egypt to the Negev and from there to Gaza. They are also taking advantage of desperate Palestinian children and teenagers who they pay to collect unexploded ordnance from the war so that the explosives can be retrieved and used to make improvised explosive devices. This is very dangerous, often resulting in harm to the children that are involved. But Hamas has proven over and over again that they don't care about that.
But alongside rearmament, there is another engine that keeps Hamas afloat: money. Sources in the IDF admit that today, following the ceasefire agreement and the scope of the aid, Israel in practice enables a flow of resources that also reaches Hamas. According to those sources, every day 600 trucks enter, when in practice, consumption in Gaza is estimated to stand at around 200 truckloads of supplies every single day. Hamas collects a 15% tax on every truckload, and the value of the goods in each truck is estimated at about half a million shekels. That's more than $100,000. And from Hamas's perspective, this is an orderly income mechanism which allows it to rehabilitate its capabilities by temporary quiet and continue to build power.
At the same time, the IDF understands that the full conquest of Gaza City could bring Israel into a reality it seeks to avoid: direct control over about 2.5 million Gazans, daily friction with terrorist elements, and risking soldiers' lives over time. The full. Right now, the operational line is aggressive maintenance, targeted thwarting, striking infrastructure, and taking down every immediate threat every time Hamas raises its head along the yellow line. And at the same time, Israel is waiting for an American move that will create a governing alternative in the Gaza Strip. And according to the plan, as it is understood, the management of the population and the civilian aid will be administered by the United States and the peace council that Trump established.
Israeli intelligence officials estimate that sooner or later there will be frictions between a technocratic government and Hamas people, and at this point, the Americans will be required to decide. The next stage that was presented is also an attempt to convince the Americans to change the scope of the trucks and move the mechanism to a market economy model and not only the entry of humanitarian aid.
And amidst all of this, senior Hamas figure Khaled Mashal presented an alternative outline this week, and that is meant to give Hamas cover to avoid this army. It involves storing the weapons inside, alongside temporary hudna, meaning a ceasefire, the deployment of international forces, and also promises for mediators. Mashal spoke about mediators like Qatar, Turkey, and Egypt, and also about indirect dialogues with the Americans. The message he's trying to cement is that Hamas will not disappear, but rather it will enter a long period of rehabilitation and hold on to its weapons until the next time. Within this, he also signaled distance from the Iran axis and a rapprochement to the Sunni axis of Qatar, Turkey, and Egypt.
Turkey appears to like this idea, and according to the official publications from Ankara on January 25th and 26th, meetings were held between the Turkish foreign minister and the deputy foreign minister and senior Hamas leadership, including the head of the Shura Council and members of the political bureau. After that, on February 6th, the Turkish consulate in Jerusalem published reports about a series of intensive meetings with senior Palestinian Authority figures regarding intra-Palestinian reconciliation and Gaza reconstruction. This indicates a move to pressure the integration of Hamas as a legitimate partner in any future Palestinian mechanism, including in Gaza, even contrary to the Israeli position that refuses any legitimacy for Hamas.
And on the ground, we can see that Hamas remains the same terrorist organization that constantly probes IDF positions to test the response when everyone argues about the civilian solution. So, the question at this point is, will the next move come from the political pressure in Washington or from the ground in the next incident on the yellow line? What do you think about all of this? Let me know what you think in the comments section.
And now we are switching our focus to the northern arena, where Hezbollah is also signaling that it is recalculating its course. And according to reports in the Lebanese media, after the blows that it took in this war against Israel, Secretary General Naim Kasim has ordered a dramatic change to the direction. Before we get into all of that, I want to invite you again. If you want to receive daily updates from Israel, make sure to subscribe and search for us on social media: TBN Israel, Yelp Pinto, and Mati Shashani.
And in the last 24 hours, an IDF force raided across the border in southern Lebanon and carried out the arrest of a senior figure in the El Jama El Islamiya organization, which is identified with the Muslim Brotherhood and operating in cooperation with Hamas's branch in Lebanon. The arrest was carried out in the Mount Dov area, and the detainee was transferred for interrogation on Israeli territory. In the buildup, he was arrested. Weapons were also found. Bas Mahmud, a senior official in the El Jama El Islamiya organization, claimed that this is a move that highlights a violation of Lebanon's sovereignty. And at the same time, the organization demanded that the state of Lebanon act with mediators of the ceasefire, both to stop violations and also to advance the release of the detainees. So, is this just just another pinpoint action to thwart a terrorist infrastructure, or is it part of a broader pressure precisely when the system in Lebanon and Hezbollah are trying to get in line with a new reality? So, let us know what you think in the comment section. I'm curious.
And behind the scenes, there are those who connect the timing to the visit of Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikati to the south of the country. And in recent days, he toured also in the village of Khiam, a known Hezbollah stronghold, and this time he was received there with sympathy after in the past he was considered an unwanted figure. The explanation emerging from the ground is that the heavy destruction in southern Lebanon and the need for reconstruction and funds make even his supporters ready to accept help wherever they can get it.
And on that note, the internationally recognized government of Lebanon and Hezbollah are projecting unity ahead of an international donors' conference in France later this month, meant to raise support to rehabilitate the war damages. But on the ground, they're also preparing for another scenario itself. In parallel to the external pressure, a deep structural change is taking place. Secretary General Naim Kasim is concentrating power and subordinating the institutions to the general sectarian, while he emphasizes shifting from religious figures to political figures with branding of a party more than a militia amongst the moves, prompting Muhammad Rad to the role of deputy secretary general and expectations for replacements within the loyalty of the resistance. This is inside the parliament in Lebanon.
And meanwhile, Muhammad Fish received responsibility for the executive council and for the reorganization of the administrative bodies. And in the field of propaganda, the management was moved to centralized under Ibrahim Al-Mousawi in order to unify messages and control public appearances. The most sensitive move is in the liaison and the coordination unit, where Wafi Safa ended his role in what was described as a resignation with the character of firing after years of which he was considered a dominant power figure. The message is clear: Hezbollah is trying to lower its profile, reduce international friction, and adapt itself to the growing pressure for disarmament.
And now the two sides are connecting. A sharp action on the ground by the IDF, and against that, an organization that is trying to look more orderly but still holds infrastructure, people, and weapons along the axis. And here at TBN Israel, we will continue to follow these issues very closely because every night like this can be a sign of what's coming out in the north. And now, make sure to follow, share, help us continue to tell the truth. Make sure to look for us and subscribe to this channel so you never miss another episode of Boots on the Ground.
And most importantly, because we want you to pray for the situation. We want you to know what's happening in Iran, in Israel, in Lebanon, in Syria, in this region, because it matters. These enemies are not just enemies of the state of Israel. The Iranians and the regime are chanting "Death to Israel," "Death to the United States of America." They say that Israel is the small Satan and the United States is the big Satan. So, we need to unite, because if they take over Israel, they're coming next to Europe, to the United States, and to Western civilization. So, we need to be together. We need to be together because this is a spiritual war. And the only way that I know how to fight a spiritual war is by praying. Let's pray for God to give wisdom to our leaders, to protect our soldiers, to protect all those that are affected by these terrorist regimes. We can also pray for our enemies, not to succeed, but to have a change of heart and to start loving the Jewish people of Israel, because it's God's heart. Keep praying for the peace of Jerusalem.
Hello, this is Mati here in Jerusalem with TBN Israel. This is Yaya Pinto from TBN Israel. Here in Jerusalem, TBN Israel is keeping viewers informed with Israel-focused news, culture, and what God is doing in this land. Support TBN Israel today online at tbn.org/israel. Thank you.