October 18th, 2024: The Final Moments of Yahya Sinwar, Zelensky's Urgent Plea To The EU, & US Unleashes Stealth Bombers On Houthis
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Start your day right with a great taste of Blackout Coffee. It's a terrific American family-owned business, and they are all about premium coffee, fresh roasted, and shipped out within 48 hours of roasting. Go to blackoutcoffee.com and use promo code PDB for 20% off your first-time purchase. It's Friday, 18 October. Welcome to the President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. Let's get briefed.

Coming up on today's show, we'll have the latest developments from the death of Hamas leader and 7 October mastermind Yaya Sinmar in southern Gaza, as Israeli and international leaders call for the remnants of Hamas to surrender and release the remaining hostages. Later in the show, Ukrainian President Zelensky is pitching his...

well, let's call it his victory plan, to leaders of the European Union, though reports indicate allies appear reluctant to embrace key aspects of Kyiv's proposed strategy. Plus, the U.S. is getting tougher with Yemen's Houthi militants unleashing B-2 stealth bombers against the group for the first time on Thursday, the bombers' targeted weapons storage facilities buried deep underground in Houthi territory.

And in today's back of the brief, Israeli authorities have arrested a man for allegedly plotting to kill an Israeli scientist on behalf of the Iranian regime for a $100,000 payday. But first, today's PDB Spotlight.

We'll begin with the death of Hamas leader and 7 October mastermind Yahya Sinwar, who was killed Wednesday by the IDF during a firefight in southern Gaza, dealing, of course, a decisive blow to the terror group.

The Israeli military said that his death was not a planned intelligence operation, but rather a happy coincidence, coming as the result of a routine raid by the IDF that caught Sinwar by chance. While details are still coming in, accounts have emerged about the elusive terror chief's final moments before the IDF finished the job.

According to our report from the Times of Israel, IDF troops patrolling Rafah's Tel Sultim neighborhood noticed suspicious figures going in and out of a building early Wednesday morning Israeli time. Shortly after, an IDF battalion commander ordered his forces to open fire on the building. During the skirmish, three figures exited the building and attempted to move from house to house.

two of the figures moved in front of the third to clear a path, though the IDF had no idea at that moment the identity of the man in their sights. They managed to injure two of the militants, while the third, later identified as Senwar, ran alone into a separate building. A tank fired a shell at the building before IDF troops tried to move in, but Senwar reportedly threw two hand grenades that forced them to retreat.

The IDF subsequently flew a drone into the second floor of the structure, where Senwar was sitting with an injured arm and his face covered. Drone footage shows him throwing a stick at the drone before IDF forces fired another tank shell at the structure, killing the terror leader. It was only after IDF forces went inside the building early Thursday morning and saw the body that they realized they may have just taken out Israel's most wanted enemy.

Among other materials in his possession, the IDF said they found multiple identifications, one of which listed him as a teacher affiliated with the United Nations operations in Gaza, shocking, along with large sums of cash and a pack of Mentos. Well, I mean, at least his dying last breath was fresh and minty.

Israeli leaders officially confirmed his death on Thursday after conducting a DNA and fingerprint analysis, which the IDF matched against records that they have from Sinwar's time in Israeli prison several decades ago.

While Israeli intelligence believed that, at most times, Sinwar kept himself surrounded by hostages to prevent Israel from striking his position, the IDF stressed that no hostages were injured in this incident. He typically stayed in Hamas's underground tunnels to evade justice, effectively using the hostages and, of course, the Palestinian population above as human shields.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu hailed the death of Israel's most wanted enemy, calling it "the beginning of the day after Hamas." Netanyahu stopped short of declaring total victory over Hamas in the ongoing war, saying, "Today, evil suffered a heavy blow, but our mission is not yet completed." He vowed to continue fighting with full force until every last one of the remaining 101 hostages are returned to Israel.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Golent, in comments echoed by Western leaders, called on the remaining Chabas fighters, who have now had most of their leadership eliminated, to surrender and return the hostages. The families of the hostages celebrated the news, of course, and urged Israeli leaders to leverage this moment to secure a deal to release their loved ones, saying that this might be their last opportunity.

It appears Netanyahu agrees. In a call with President Biden, both leaders agreed Senwar's death provides a unique opportunity to close the door on the 13-month war in Gaza. The pair said they would work together in the coming days to break the ceasefire deadlock, which was largely due to Senwar, and try to advance a deal to free the hostages.

it remains to be seen what Hamas will do next. Now, Sinwar's brother, Mohammed, is expected to assume command, although Israeli forces, frankly, said they're already working to target him. But whether he can maintain a grip over the remnants of the battered militant group is, well, is anyone's guess. Sinwar, who was also known by the nickname the Butcher of Khan Yunus, officially took command of the terrorist outfit on the 6th of August,

following the death of their political chief, Ishmael Hanyay, in Tehran on 30 July. His death represents one of the biggest victories for Israel since Hamas started this war last year. All right, coming up after the break, President Zelensky of the Ukraine is pitching his victory plan to leaders of the European Union, though reports indicate that allies are reluctant to embrace key aspects of Kyiv's proposed strategy.

Plus, the U.S. unleashed B-2 stealth bombers against the Iranian-backed Houthi militants for the first time on Thursday, targeting weapons storage facilities located deep underground. I'll have those stories when we come back.

Welcome back to the PDB.

I want to turn your attention to the European Union now, where Ukrainian President Zelensky made an urgent plea to leaders in Brussels on Thursday, presenting his victory plan to end the war with Russia and calling for robust backing from the West.

The victory plan, which Zelensky first revealed details of in a Wednesday address to Ukraine's parliament, hinges on Ukraine's NATO accession, which he argues is "essential for long-term security against Russian aggression." He dismissed concerns that Ukraine's membership would escalate the conflict, asserting it wouldn't violate any "red lines" or trigger NATO's Article 5.

Zelensky also called for the West to lift restrictions on Ukraine's use of long-range missiles to strike Russian military targets. Acknowledging NATO's reluctance, particularly from the U.S., Zelensky emphasized the broader security implications for Europe if Ukraine is left outside the alliance. In response, NATO's 32 member states affirmed that Ukraine is on, quote, an irreversible path to membership,

but formal talks aren't expected until the next summit in June of 2025. Adding to the complexity of the current situation, Zelensky warned that North Korean troops are joining Russian forces. Now, as we've been tracking here on the PDB, the latest reports reveal that thousands of North Korean troops are training inside Russia and may soon be integrated into the Kremlin's frontline forces, which of course would escalate international involvement.

In a more alarming statement, Zelensky suggested that Ukraine might reconsider its non-nuclear status adopted in 1994 under the Budapest Memorandum if NATO membership remains out of reach. He referenced a September conversation with former President Trump who allegedly described Zelensky's nuclear stance as "a fair argument." It's important to note that while Zelensky clarified Ukraine isn't actively pursuing nuclear weapons,

This possibility does add pressure on NATO and its allies.

Reactions to Zelensky's proposals have been mixed. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, maintaining his pro-Russia stance, called the plan "terrifying" and warned that sending more weapons to Ukraine would only escalate the war. Orban advocated for a negotiated settlement instead. Now, more specifically, Viktor Orban, a Putin puppet, is advocating for a negotiated settlement that would be favorable to Putin.

Meanwhile, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and other Western leaders face increasing public pressure to reduce military support during a prolonged conflict. Despite this, Germany and the U.S. continue pledging military aid, though they're still cautious, of course, about supporting deeper strikes inside Russia.

Zelensky's latest diplomatic push comes two and a half years into the war, with Ukraine facing a challenging winter as Russian attacks on energy infrastructure intensify. Ukraine is also suffering territorial losses in the Eastern Donetsk region, now a focal point of the conflict.

as the war enters its third winter. Zelensky warned that Russia's attacks on energy infrastructure could severely impact Ukraine's economy and morale. The Ukrainian leader emphasized European unity as a critical weapon against Russian aggression, stressing that EU and NATO support is vital for Ukraine to endure the winter and regain lost territory.

The coming months, of course, will reveal just how far European leaders and the U.S. are willing to go to support Ukraine and whether they're prepared to deepen their involvement in the conflict. All right, returning to the Middle East, the U.S. is escalating its attacks against the Houthis in Yemen with a series of strikes that also appear aimed at sending a message to the group's backers in Iran.

The Pentagon unleashed B-2 stealth bombers against the militant group early Thursday morning, striking five underground bunkers used by the Houthis to store weapons. The facilities, which U.S. officials said were fortified to withstand conventional airstrikes, housed various weapons components that the group is actively using to target Israel, as well as civilian and military vessels throughout the region, according to a report from the Associated Press.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said the strikes were intended to, quote, further degrade the Houthis' capability to continue their destabilizing behavior and to protect and defend U.S. forces and personnel in one of the world's most critical waterways, end quote. While the U.S. and U.K. have engaged in a number of targeted airstrike campaigns throughout the past year to degrade the Houthis in Yemen, quote,

Well, frankly, they've done little to deter the Houthi aggression or significantly cripple the group's operations. The latest strikes, however, saw the first use of U.S. stealth bombers against the group, which analysts said was likely meant in part as a show of U.S. capabilities for the Iranian regime.

Defense Secretary Austin said, quote, this was a unique demonstration of the United States' ability to target facilities that our adversaries seek to keep out of reach, no matter how deeply buried underground, hardened or fortified, end quote.

As you're aware, Iran attacked Israel at the beginning of October with a barrage of some 180 ballistic missiles, and Israel is poised to retaliate, raising fears of a wider regional war breaking out in the Middle East. Austin's message appears to be a warning to Tehran not to make a move to weaponize their nuclear program in the event of further escalation.

The American B-2 stealth bombers are the only craft capable of dropping the GBU-57, known as the Massive Ordnance Penetrator. That's a 30,000-pound bomb that's believed to be the only weapon that could destroy Iran's underground nuclear facilities. Leaders in Iran have not responded to the show of force, but the Houthis vowed to retaliate with a, quote, severe response. As

As a reminder, the Houthis began attacking Israel in the wake of last year's 7 October attacks by Hamas. In addition to their relentless assaults on the Jewish state, they've targeted more than 80 merchant vessels with hundreds of missile attacks in the Red Sea, significantly disrupting international trade, as well as targeting U.S. and allied naval vessels.

Alright, coming up in the back of the brief. Israeli authorities have arrested a man for allegedly plotting to kill an Israeli scientist on behalf of the Iranian regime for a $100,000 payday. I'll be right back.

Stay informed. Stay engaged. See you there.

Stay informed, stay engaged, and I'll catch you there.

In today's Back of the Brief, a 35-year-old Israeli man has been indicted for an assassination plot orchestrated by Iran targeting an Israeli scientist, and Israeli authorities revealed this on Wednesday.

According to the Israel Police and State Attorney's Office, Vladimir Verhovsky made contact in August with an Iranian operative who identified himself as Eli, posing as an Israeli citizen living in Canada. Now, Verhovsky, fully aware of Eli's anti-Israel motives, carried out several assignments in exchange for small cryptocurrency payments ranging from $30 to $200.

Verhovsky's tasks started with defacing public spaces by spray-painting inflammatory graffiti such as, quote, Hitler equals Netanyahu. These operations were coordinated through telegram, with Verhovsky purchasing a dedicated cell phone to maintain contact, paid for with money received from Eli, the Iranian operative. In late September, the plot escalated when Verhovsky was tasked with gathering intelligence on a specific resident in Tel Aviv.

He took photographs of the residence building, presented a photo of the resident to neighbors and asked about their identity, and Verhoevsky even knocked on the residence door.

But the most alarming turn came when Verhovsky agreed to assassinate an Israeli scientist in exchange for $100,000. After retrieving a gun from a bag in a discreet public location, Verhovsky was arrested by Shin Bet, the Israeli security agency, before he could carry out the attack. Authorities have foiled a number of Iranian-linked plots in recent months, including a September plot

to assassinate Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Golent, or Shin Bet head Ronan Barr. However, whether that operation was connected to Verhoevsky's case remains unclear. Verhoevsky has been charged with contact with a foreign agent carrying and transporting a weapon and conspiracy to commit a terrorist act. The Shin Bet remains, of course, on high alert as Iran continues to use online channels to have fringe Israelis perform dangerous missions on behalf of Tehran.

And that, my friends, is the President's Daily Brief for Friday, 18 October. If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at pdbatthefirsttv.com. And of course, as you may be aware, it's Friday. And, well, that can only mean one thing. A brand new episode of our extended weekend show, the ever-popular PDB Situation Report, hits the airwaves this evening at 10 p.m. on The First TV.

Also available on our YouTube channel, at President's Daily Brief, and of course, all podcast platforms. This week's excellent guests include former senior CIA operations officer, author, and Georgetown professor Doug London, and Karolina Hurd. She's the deputy Russia team lead at the Institute for the Study of War. We're talking about the now-dead Sinmoor, intel operations in Gaza and Lebanon, North Korean troops in Russia, and Putin's views on the Ukraine conflict.

I'm Mike Baker, and I'll be back later today with the PDB Afternoon Bulletin. Until then, well, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool.