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.

Military reporter Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Fabian is just back from the Yabna neighborhood of Rafah in the Gaza Strip where he was embedded with troops from the Givati Infantry Brigade. We hear what he saw and then dive into the current status of fighting in the Strip.

Just after Hezbollah brazenly published aerial drone footage of Israel yesterday, top IDF generals approved plans for war in Lebanon. What do we know about the plans and what is happening along the border now?

Annual Israeli arms sales reached a new record in 2023, for the third consecutive year, amounting to nearly double the value of exports compared to five years ago, according to Defense Ministry figures released Monday. How can war-time Israel be exporting so many arms?

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

Discussed articles include:

In Rafah, IDF focuses on tunnels, with aim of destroying Hamas brigade within a month

IDF says half of Hamas’s forces in Rafah dismantled, at least 550 gunmen killed

Top Israeli generals approve Lebanon offensive battle plans, army says

In open threat, Hezbollah publishes drone footage of sites in northern Israel

IDF kills Hezbollah rocket specialist amid rare 3-day lull in terror group’s fire

Israeli arms sales break record for 3rd year in row, reaching $13 billion in 2023

THOSE WE HAVE LOST: Civilians and soldiers killed in Hamas's onslaught on Israel

THOSE WE ARE MISSING: The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown

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: Troops of the IDF's Givati Brigade operate in the Yabna camp of southern Gaza's Rafah, June 18, 2024. (Emanuel Fabian/Times of Israel)

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