Using cutting-edge technology, Israeli scholars have been deciphering the faded writing on a group of 2,000-year-old inscribed potsherds, or ostraca, discovered 40 years ago at the ancient Judean fortress of Alexandrium. Rossella Tercatin reports on one of particular interest:

The text reads, “Eleazar bar Ger[ . . . ] from Beit Akiman.” “We are not sure whether Elazar was the son of a convert [in Hebrew, ger] or maybe the letters just marked the beginning of a longer name,” [one researcher] told the Times of Israel. . . .

The presence of the artifact at the site could open dramatic developments in the understanding of the Great Jewish Revolt against Rome (66–74 CE), as it might testify that Jewish rebels used Alexandrium for their military efforts.

“These inscriptions, mostly in ancient Aramaic, are very similar to those found in archaeological sites connected to the Jewish Revolt, like Masada and Herodium,” [another researcher] noted. “However, we do not have any historical sources that suggest Alexandrium was used during the rebellion.”

For more than a year, the Iran-backed Houthis have been launching drones and missiles at ships traversing the Red Sea, as well as at Israeli territory, in support of Hamas. This development has drastically curtailed shipping through the Suez Canal and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, driving up trade prices. This week, the Trump administration began an extensive bombing campaign against the Houthis in an effort to reopen that crucial waterway. Burcu Ozcelik highlights another benefit of this action:

The administration has a broader geopolitical agenda—one that includes countering China’s economic leverage, particularly Beijing’s reliance on Iranian oil. By targeting the Houthis, the United States is not only safeguarding vital shipping lanes but also exerting pressure on the Iran-China energy nexus, a key component of Beijing’s strategic posture in the region.

China was the primary destination for up to 90 percent of Iran’s oil exports in 2024, underscoring the deepening economic ties between Beijing and Tehran despite U.S. sanctions. By helping fill Iranian coffers, China aids Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in financing proxies like the Houthis. Since October of last year, notable U.S. Treasury announcements have revealed covert links between China and the Houthis.

Striking the Houthis could trigger broader repercussions—not least by disrupting the flow of Iranian oil to China. While difficult to confirm, it is conceivable and has been reported, that the Houthis may have received financial or other forms of compensation from China (such as Chinese-made military components) in exchange for allowing freedom of passage for China-affiliated vessels in the Red Sea.