While the Galilee is rich with archaeological finds from the talmudic era (roughly 70–400 CE), when it was the major center of rabbinic activity, discoveries elsewhere are fewer and farther between. The Israel Antiquities Authority reports one:

Impressive remains of a structure dating from the 2nd century to the mid-4th century CE were uncovered in excavations conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority between 2014–2019 in the settlement of Hispin in the Golan Heights, together with the community and students from the nearby Golan School. Researchers speculate that the discovered structure was, in fact, part of the Jewish settlement of Haspia, mentioned in rabbinic sources.

The excavation yielded pottery from across the country, imported bowls indicating trade relations with distant regions, and coins that helped date the site. However, the end of the settlement was apparently sudden. “The excavation reveals that the settlement was abandoned quickly in 363 CE, with residents leaving behind many objects and tools. This may be related to the powerful earthquake known from historical literature,” [said the excavation’s director, Anya Kleiner].

Below, today’s newsletter will return to some other reflections on the one-year anniversary of the outbreak of the current war, but first something must be said of its recent progress. Israel has kept up its aerial and ground assault on Hizballah, and may have already killed the successor to Hassan Nasrallah, the longtime leader it eliminated less than two weeks ago. Matthew Levitt assesses the current state of the Lebanon-based terrorist group, which, in his view, is now “a shadow of its former self.” Indeed, he adds,

it is no exaggeration to say that the Hizballah of two weeks ago no longer exists. And since Hizballah was the backbone of Iran’s network of militant proxies, its so-called axis of resistance, Iran’s strategy of arming and deploying proxy groups throughout the region is suddenly at risk as well.

Hizballah’s attacks put increasing pressure on Israel, as intended, only that pressure did not lead Israelis to stop targeting Hamas so much as it chipped away at Israel’s fears about the cost of military action to address the military threats posed by Hizballah.

At the same time, Levitt explains, Hizballah still poses a serious threat, as it demonstrated last night when its missiles struck Haifa and Tiberias, injuring at least two people:

Hizballah still maintains an arsenal of rockets and a cadre of several thousand fighters. It will continue to pose potent military threats for Israel, Lebanon, and the wider region.

How will the group seek to avenge Nasrallah’s death amid these military setbacks? Hizballah is likely to resort to acts of international terrorism, which are overseen by one of the few elements of the group that has not yet lost key leaders.

But the true measure of whether the group will be able to reconstitute itself, even over many years, is whether Iran can restock Hizballah’s sophisticated arsenal. Tehran’s network of proxy groups—from Hizballah to Hamas to the Houthis—is only as dangerous as it is today because of Iran’s provision of weapons and money. Whatever Hizballah does next, Western governments must prioritize cutting off Tehran’s ability to arm and fund its proxies.