War Day 576: Government Approves War Expansion, Mysterious Explosions in Iran

Summary: May 4, 2025

• Two IDF Soldiers Killed: Israel mourns the loss of two soldiers amid ongoing combat operations.

• Government Approves Expanded Offensive: Israeli leadership authorizes a broader military campaign.

• Intensified Airstrikes: Over 100 Israeli airstrikes reported across Gaza in a single day.

• Aid Controversy: The UN and several NGOs reject Israel’s newly proposed aid delivery mechanism for Gaza civilians.

• Security Incident at Ben Gurion Airport: A missile launched by Houthi forces lands in an unpopulated area near the airport, causing no injuries.

• Netanyahu Issues Warning: The Prime Minister vows a strong response to Houthi aggression and the Iranian regime’s support of regional hostilities.

• Diplomatic Strain: U.S.–Iran nuclear negotiations remain stalled, fueling regional anxiety.

• Mystery in Iran: A series of unexplained explosions and fires erupt at industrial sites across Iran, raising suspicions of covert sabotage. 

59 held captive in Gaza.
35 hostages confirmed murdered held in Gaza.
147 living hostages rescued.
49 hostage bodies rescued.
1,835 Israelis killed.
419 fallen soldiers and police in the battle in Gaza.
88 fallen soldiers in Northern Israel.
18 fallen soldiers and police in Judea & Samaria.
30,720 estimated projectiles fired at Israel.
10,000 Israelis estimated remain displaced from their homes.
1 Jewish nation united in prayer, charity, and good deeds.

Top Headlines:

• Two fallen heroes
• Government approves war expansion
• 100 airstrikes across Gaza
• UN, NGOs reject Israel’s plan to deliver aid to Gaza civilians
• Houthi missile impacts empty area in Ben Gurion Airport
• Netanyahu threatens retaliation to Houthis and Iranian regime
• Nerves around stalled U.S.—Iranian negotiations
• Mysterious explosions and fires at Iranian factories continue

 

Hostages:

There is no update about the hostages release, but negotiations continue.

Gaza:

Two heroes fell in battle in Southern Gaza:

Cpt. Noam Ravid, 23 from Sha’arei Tikva
Staff Sgt. Yaly Seror, 20, from Omer

Both are from the elite Yahalom combat engineering unit. They were operating in Rafah, scanning the entrance to a tunnel, which was found inside a building, when they were suddenly hit by an explosion. Two other soldiers were injured, one is in serious condition, and the other moderate.

Three other soldiers were injured in Northern Gaza.

The government security cabinet unanimous voted in favor of significantly expanding the offensive in Gaza. Tens of thousands of reservists will be reporting to duty this week. The expansion can be expected to take several days or more than a week to get started. Some predict that Israel will wait until after U.S. President Trump’s MidEast tour, on the 14th.

Over the weekend, the Air Force attacked more than 100 terror targets throughout Gaza. Among the targets were terrorist cells, underground infrastructures, and military structures from which terrorists operated.

Division 252 continues to operate in northern Gaza, to locate and destroy infrastructure above and below ground. During their operations over the weekend, the forces located a cache of weapons, and eliminated a number of terrorists in the area.

Division 36 continue in the Rafah area and on the Morag Corridor. During weekend operations, the troops located and destroyed Hamas weapons, coordinated with the Air Force to destroy terrorist infrastructure, and eliminated terrorists in the area.

The Gaza Division forces (143) also continued operations in specific neighborhoods in Rafah, where they also located and destroyed Hamas weapons and infrastructure, and eliminated terrorists.

One of the Hamas weapons caches found by the IDF forces was located just 80 meters from a building that was previously used as a school, and approximately 100 meters from a building that was used as a hospital in Rafah.

Hamas reestablished their “Arrow” unit, which terrorizes Gazan civilians into obedience, under the pretext of preventing theft and treason. They started with an announcement that they will amputate and execute 13 accused Gazans, and imposed a nightly 9:00 p.m. curfew. Footage shared on social media also shows the unit torturing Gazans in the street.

Humanitarian Aid:

Israel and the U.S. worked together to develop a solution which would bring food to Gazan civilians, without benefiting the Hamas terrorists.

Israel estimates that Gaza still has enough food for another 3-4 weeks, before shortages begin.

In the new system, a an internationally-backed foundation will be established, and supported by UN nation states and philanthropists. Several compounds will be built, in designated parts of Gaza, where food will be stored and controlled by the foundation. Gazan civilians will be allowed to come once each week, and will receive a package with sufficient food for their family. Hamas will not be allowed into the process.

IDF soldiers will secure the area, but will not be involved in delivering the food.

Predictably, the UN and every single other NGO operating in Gaza says they will refuse to cooperate with the new system. In a joint statement, they rejected the plan for a few reasons:

1. It won’t be accessible to less mobile people (the NGOs will be allowed to pick up and deliver designated packages to non mobile people).
2. It will force civilians to enter the IDF-designated humanitarian zones.
3. The plan “does not adhere to the global humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, independence and neutrality.”

 

The refusal of the UN to cooperate with the new plan, means it’s likely that almost no aid will be donated by the international community.

Perhaps the real problem is that the UN, NGOs, and Hamas will no longer be able to profit off the humanitarian crisis they claim to fight for.

Yemen:

Just before 9:30 this morning, sirens were activated across central Israel, warning of an incoming ballistic missile, launched by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen.

The missile landed in an empty space next to an access road in Ben Gurion Airport—thank G-d, narrowly missing populated areas. The missile left a crater measured around 25 meters across, and several meters deep.

Magen David Adom says eight people were hurt in the attack, all in light to moderate condition. Injuries were either from objects projected from the impact site, shockwaves, or from running to shelter.

The Air Force conducted a preliminary investigation to understand why the air defenses failed to intercept the missile. It was found that while the identification process of the Arrow defense system did not fail, there was likely a pinpoint technical malfunction with its interception missile.

The American THAAD system deployed in Israel also made an attempt at intercepting the Houthi missile, but it missed the target.

The Houthis have fired dozens of missiles at Israel since the start of the war, and the IDF has intercepted them with a 95% success rate, missing just two.

The Houthi missile are rarely successful in causing real harm—but that’s not their real goal. The real goals are:

1. To isolate Israel, by causing foreign airlines to halt flights to Israel.
2. Deplete Israel’s missile defense stockpile ahead of an Iranian attack. It is also a huge economic expense, with each Arrow 2&3 interceptor missile costing between $2-3 million.

 

Defense Minister Israel Katz immediately responded to the attack, stating that “Whoever harms us, we will strike them sevenfold.” The security cabinet met to discuss a response.

Iran:

Israel is facing a dilemma now. The U.S. has been heavily attacking the Houthis in Yemen for nearly two months now, but that hasn’t stopped the attacks on Israel. The U.S. previously asked Israel to leave Yemen to them, although at this point they may let Israel take some hits. The question is if airstrikes can do anything meaningful.

Iran is the real one behind the Houthi attacks, constantly refilling their missile and UAV supply. But the U.S. is in the middle of nuclear negotiations with Iran, and will not be pleased if Israel prematurely sabotages it. A hint to the plan might be in a post on X (Twitter) by PM Netanyahu this afternoon.

Netanyahu quoted a post written by U.S. President Trump on March 17, 2025, in which Trump states that Iran is wholly responsible for every shot fired by the Houthis in Yemen.

Netanyahu commented: “President Trump is absolutely right! Attacks by the Houthis emanate from Iran. Israel will respond to the Houthi attack against our main airport AND, at a time and place of our choosing, to their Iranian terror masters.”

In other words, Israel will respond in two ways:

1. An attack against the Houthis in Yemen.
2. An attack on the Iranian regime in the future, likely when negotiations have officially fallen apart, and with a green light from Trump.

 

Of course, Iran had to respond to Netanyahu’s threat. They released a video unveiling a new missile named “Qassem Basir,” which they claim is “immune to electronic jamming and can bypass the American THAAD system.”

In an interview aired by NBC today, Trump addressed the negotiations with Iran and stated that he wants total dismantlement, and will not allow Iran to develop any nuclear energy whatsoever (by enriching uranium). After being pressed further, Trump said he might consider allowing a small amount of enrichment for civilian energy, but doesn’t see why they need it (with smooch oil) and does not want anything that will allow them to have a nuclear weapon. Meanwhile, negotiations remain at a standstill.

(Secretary Rubio’s proposed framework allows Iran to import enriched uranium for civilian purposes—which won’t be usable for a weapon—but not to enrich anything locally. Iran has stated that they won’t agree with this.)

Meanwhile, Iran’s mysterious explosion and fire troubles continued today, with two explosions leading to fires. The first was in a “motorcycle factory” in Mashhad, and the second was at a petrochemical raw materials plant in an industrial zone in the central city of Qom. There was no given explanation of the cause of the explosions.

Other:

• U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is scheduled to visit Israel on May 12, one day before President Trump arrives in Saudi Arabia.
• Two suspects from East Jerusalem were arrested for attempted arson in the Ben Shemen Forest area

 

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Airstrikes in Northern Gaza

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The impact site of the Houthi missile