Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Hezbollah rocket fire continues to rain on Israel’s north as the IDF warns southern Lebanon residents not to return to their homes among ongoing air strikes and ground operations. In the last 24 hours, the Israeli Air Force has struck around 200 Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon and deeper into the country. We speak about weapons caches that were presumably stashed for an October 7-like invasion and other news from the conflict on the north.

There are reports IDF tanks have reached the outskirts of Gaza City among a renewed IDF push in the northern Gaza Strip. Over the past day in the Gaza Strip, the 162nd Division continued fighting in Jabaliya in northern Gaza. Berman explains the current fighting and puts it into a larger context.

There are reports that the US is considering sending Israel an advanced anti-ballistic missile defense system operated by American troops to protect the country in case of an Iranian reaction to an expected Israeli reprisal attack. Berman discusses how the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) air defense batteries would beef up Israel’s ability to fend off ballistic missiles and what it would mean to have US soldiers stationed in Israel at this time.

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant accused Hezbollah of using UNIFIL posts as cover in his conversation last night with his American counterpart Lloyd Austin, according to the Israeli readout, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu releasing similar statements today. Who makes up the forces of UNIFIL? 

On Thursday, the IDF for the first time brought Israeli journalists into a village in southern Lebanon. Berman suggests this is a clear indication that it feels it has asserted operational control over the area. We hear about his time in Lebanon.

For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog.

Discussed articles include:

Security chiefs: Israel will stop terror groups reestablishing presence near Lebanon border

US may send Israel THAAD missile defense, as Iran seeks to ward off Israeli retaliation

40 countries contributing to UN’s Lebanon peacekeeping force condemn ‘attacks’

Finally on the offensive, IDF’s 91st Division slices through Hezbollah’s front lines

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves.

IMAGE: Illustrative: Destroyed buildings at a commercial street that was hit October 12, 2024, by Israeli airstrikes, are seen in Nabatiyeh town, south Lebanon, October 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)