EWR to TLV

Flight Failure, Final Offer, Houthis, Iran: The Weekly Conquest Week of 5.4.25 – 5.10.25

Welcome to the ZioKnight

Week of May 4, 2025

I was thinking about flying from Newark Airport to Ben Gurion Airport to go on Birthright soon. Newark’s air traffic control is seemingly down, and a missile almost hit Ben Gurion. I’ll take it as a sign to hold off for now.

Sunday 5.4

Projectile Site

The U.S. and Israel failed to intercept a Houthi missile that landed near Ben Gurion Airport in Israel. A few months ago, there was a congressional inquiry into whether airlines’ service halt to Israel was antisemitic. No one batted an eye when airlines announced they would be pausing service this time. [1]

Monday 5.5

The Israeli Security Cabinet gave Hamas an ultimatum: mutually agree to a deal by May 16th or “Operation Gideon’s Chariots.” The operation would isolate all Gazans to the south and allow for voluntary emigration. The proposal’s end date is notably after Trump’s trip to the Middle East. While Israel isn’t a stop, the talks will be highly consequential for the country. [2]

Tuesday 5.6

In a surprising move, the U.S. came to a deal with the Houthis that didn’t include Israel. The U.S. will end its strikes in exchange for the Houthis stopping striking U.S. cargo ships. The agreement is consistent with the messaging from the released signal conversation debating the strikes, but I cannot imagine Netanyahu was happy with the unilateral measure. [3]

Wednesday 5.7

Trump said Iran must have “total dismantlement” of its nuclear program, and Vance said it can have a “civil nuclear program [but not a] nuclear weapons program.” They are seemingly playing good cop, bad cop with their mixed messaging. It is challenging to gauge the direction of the negotiations amid the near-daily fluctuations. [4]

Thursday 5.8

Two Republican Senators warned the Trump administration that the Senate won’t deliver the 67 votes necessary to approve a permanent Iran deal without “complete dismantlement” of their nuclear program. If Trump approved such a deal without their approval, it could be reversed by the next administration, which could lead Iran to reject it due to uncertainty. Amid the daily waffling in negotiations, the Senate provides a useful bellwether for what can realistically pass. [5]

Friday 5.9

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth was planning on traveling to Israel this week. He cancelled it without explanation. This detail has strengthened some people’s convictions of daylight between the U.S. and Israel in negotiations. Others view it as a strategic game, playing both sides to maximize the odds for a favorable outcome. [6]

Saturday 5.10

An anonymous source told the Jerusalem Post that the Trump Administration will announce recognition of a Palestinian State this coming week in connection with a deal including investment into the U.S. and expanding the Abraham Accords. U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, denied the statements.