Ben Wolfgang
Articles by Ben Wolfgang
U.S. defense chief Austin arrives in Israel, says world must condemn ‘great evil’ of Hamas
The U.S. will stand firmly behind Israel as it responds to the "great evil" perpetrated by Hamas terrorists last week, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Friday, urging the rest of the world to reject any notion of "neutrality" in the unfolding conflict. Published October 13, 2023
Hamas fighters had ISIS flags amid massacre, Israel says
Hamas fighters carried Islamic State flags with them during Saturday's attack on Israel, the Israeli Defense Forces said Thursday, posting on social media photos of the infamous black ISIS banner apparently found in one militant's belongings. Published October 12, 2023
‘Every Hamas member is a dead man,’ Netanyahu declares as Israel forms unity government
Israeli leaders announced a historic wartime government Wednesday and ramped up a massive counterattack against the Gaza-based terror group Hamas, while fears grew that Jerusalem could soon face the "one-two punch" of a second battlefront amid clashes with the militant outfit Hezbollah along its northern border. Published October 11, 2023
‘Nightmare’: American in Israel says 5 family members taken captive by Hamas
For Abbey Onn, the blaring of sirens last Saturday at first "didn't seem scary." But the Virginia native, who has lived in Israel with her family for the past eight years and has grown accustomed to the sound, soon discovered in the most gut-wrenching way possible that the nation was facing a major terrorist attack -- and her family was trapped in the crossfire. Published October 10, 2023
America’s fault? Israel-Hamas violence ‘clear example of the failure of U.S. policy,’ Putin claims
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday said the escalating Israel-Hamas war is the result of "the failure of U.S. policy" and argued that Western solutions for the Middle East have brushed aside the "interests of the Palestinian people." Published October 10, 2023
Netanyahu vows massive response in ‘war to ensure our existence’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that his military has "only started" its massive counterattack against the Hamas militants who rampaged through his country on Saturday, likening the Iran-backed Palestinian group to the Islamic State jihadi movement. Published October 9, 2023
Iran denies it helped Hamas plan, execute terror assault on Israel
Iran denied Monday any direct involvement with the deadly Hamas terror assault on Israel over the weekend, pushing back on growing suspicion that the Gaza-based militant group must have had significant help to execute such a well-coordinated attack. Published October 9, 2023
At least 9 Americans dead after Hamas attack on Israel, more missing, says State Department
At least nine Americans are dead and more are missing after the Hamas terrorist assault on Israel over the weekend, the State Department said Monday, as the death toll rises in the region's bloodiest fighting in decades. Published October 9, 2023
Hamas clash could undercut Arab-Israeli diplomatic thaw
The immediate goals of Hamas' brutal assault on Israel over the weekend appear simple: Kill and kidnap as many Israelis as possible, and spark chaos and fear among the "Zionist" regime that the terror group sees as its mortal enemy. Published October 8, 2023
Iran celebrates ‘sacred wrath’ of Hamas attack on Israel
A top Iranian military official on Sunday celebrated the "sacred wrath" waged by Hamas against Israel, saying that the massive surprise attack launched by the terrorist group over the weekend will ultimately result in the crumbling of the "Zionist regime." Published October 8, 2023
U.S. F-16 shoots down armed Turkish drone over scrambled Syrian battlefield
U.S. forces in Syria on Thursday shot down a Turkish drone flying overhead after the aircraft flew too close to American troops on the ground, the Pentagon said. Published October 5, 2023
Aid for Ukraine leaves Western ammo stockpiles at ‘bottom of the barrel,’ NATO official warns
Ukraine faced tough questions Wednesday about the long-term viability of its war against the invading Russian army, as key Western allies warned that they are running out of ammunition to send Kyiv and European powers raced to make a deal to free up more aid and eventually put Ukraine on a path to full European Union membership. Published October 4, 2023
Combat fatigue? Cracks in Western unity as Ukraine struggles to show progress
Ukraine is staring down one of the world's largest militaries deeply entrenched deep within its territory, but Kyiv may face another enemy that's perhaps equally dangerous in the long run: the weakening of Western resolve. Published October 2, 2023
GOP hopefuls clash over U.S. troops to Mexico, China rivalry, ending the Ukraine war
It was hard to hear at times over all the shouting and interruptions, but foreign policy and national security permeated the GOP presidential primary debate Wednesday night and cast a bright spotlight on a philosophical divide in the party over the Russia-Ukraine war. Published September 28, 2023
‘Almost insurmountable’ task: Africa emerges as unstable hot spot for terror, coups
The toxic cocktail of terrorism and political instability sweeping across Africa is reaching a new peak. And hope that the tide can be turned is hitting a new low. Published September 28, 2023
F-35 crash: More questions than answers as investigation drags on
Questions swirled Tuesday about the doomed, pilotless F-35B fighter jet that went down in South Carolina, with neither the Pentagon nor the aircraft manufacturer offering any firm clues more than a week after the mysterious crash. Published September 26, 2023
Iranian president downplays growing Israeli-Arab ties
The effort to foster diplomatic ties between Israel and the Arab world will ultimately fail, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said in an interview that aired Sunday, calling the normalization push little more than a charade perpetrated by Washington. Published September 24, 2023
U.S. ‘directly at war’ with Russia, using Ukraine as ‘fodder,’ says Russian foreign minister
The U.S. and its European allies are "directly at war" with Moscow and are using Ukraine as "fodder" in that conflict, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said recently. Published September 24, 2023
Listen to stunning 911 tape after F-35 pilot parachuted into backyard: ‘We had a military jet crash’
A stunning 911 audiotape released late Thursday offered a window into the frantic minutes immediately after the crash of an F-35 fighter jet last Sunday, with the plane's pilot and the homeowner whose yard he parachuted into pleading with emergency dispatchers to send help immediately. Published September 22, 2023
Troubled assembly: Critics bash ‘dying organization’ as U.N. faces reform calls
It was hailed as a "one-of-a-kind moment" for world leaders to come together and tackle the world's most pressing challenges. Published September 21, 2023
