As Israel braces for expected attacks from Iran and Hezbollah, the citizens of the Jewish state are acutely aware of the fears experienced in the Diaspora, Israeli President Isaac Herzog said in a recorded address on Wednesday night.
“We in Israel also see the anxieties, concerns and vulnerability of Jewish communities around the world. And just as you carry us in your hearts, we carry you in our hearts, too,” the head of state said in the message.
“These are difficult moments for the State of Israel and the Jewish people,” continued Herzog, noting that Wednesday was the 10-month anniversary of the Hamas-led Oct. 7 massacre in southern Israel, and Monday was the fifth birthday of Ariel Bibas, “the little red-headed boy from Kibbutz Nir Oz who was abducted from his home by Hamas terrorists on that dark day.”
“Our enemies, poisoned by hatred, blinded by radicalism and antisemitism, have vowed to attack us again. We all feel the tension, the anxiety and the vulnerability of these moments,” Herzog said.
“I want to state clearly: We have the capacity to confront our enemies and to defeat them. The State of Israel is blessed with many resources—most importantly, incredible human resources. We have an excellent and highly motivated military, air force, intelligence services and others. We have advanced air-defense systems.”
The president praised the country’s alliances with countries that are “committed to protecting not only Israel but the rule-based world order we are fighting for"—most notably, the United States of America—"which is leading the coalition actively defending the values of life and liberty.”
He added: “Beyond all of that, we carry another most precious resource, the remarkable resilience of our people. A resilience which is rooted in the deep sense of connection and shared destiny that we have shared all across the ages. It is what has enabled us to get back up and rebuild after even the worst tragedies, and it is what we lean into right now.
“Just as you carry us in your hearts, we carry you in our hearts too,” Herzog said in his wartime address to the communities of the Diaspora.
The Jewish state has been one edge since Iran vowed to avenge last week’s assassination in Tehran of Hamas “political” leader Ismail Haniyeh, for which the regime has blamed Jerusalem.
The anticipated attack, which could involve a multi-front escalation with the participation of all of Iran’s proxies in the region, could take place after Wednesday’s gathering of Islamic countries’ foreign ministers in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that over the weekend, the United States observed signs that possibly signaled preparations for an attack. According to officials cited in the report, these included the movement of Iran’s missile launchers and various “military exercises.”
Tehran’s Lebanese terrorist proxy Hezbollah has also threatened revenge for the targeted killing of its No. 2 man, Fuad Shukr, in Beirut on July 30. The Israel Defense Forces has acknowledged responsibility for the strike.
