As the Israeli army prepares for a full-scale invasion of Gaza, they are relying on the D9R armored bulldozer, affectionately known as Doobi,’ or ‘Teddy Bear.’

The nickname comes from the Hebrew acronym for armored mechanical engineering equipment (TZMEDA), which sounds like ‘doobi.’ The D9R is also known as ‘דובי’ in Hebrew, which means ‘teddy bear.’ 

This nickname reflects the affection and respect that the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) have for this powerful and reliable machine, which often saves their lives in combat situations.

A powerful and protective bulldozer for military operations

This robust vehicle is essential for navigating the narrow streets, extensive tunnel networks, booby traps, and sniper positions in the urban environment.

It is also capable of detonating mines and improvised explosive devices, as well as demolishing obstacles in its path. With its ability to withstand guns and explosives, the D9R ensures the safe advancement of infantry.

A massive and resilient machine for combat zones

The D9R is designed and manufactured by Caterpillar. It is equipped with specialized features such as added armor and a reinforced blade, which enable it to perform various engineering and combat operations. With the blade, it measures 27.03 feet long and 15.3 feet wide and weighs 62 tons.

A versatile and enhanced bulldozer with multiple attachments and upgrades

The IDF Caterpillar D9 is a modified version of the D9R bulldozer, designed and manufactured by Caterpillar. It is equipped with various attachments, such as a mounted machine gun, grenade launcher, or smoke projector, enhancing its combat capabilities.

Upgrades like ‘slat armor’ were added in 2015 to provide increased protection against rocket-propelled grenades and other threats. The IDF Caterpillar D9 can handle a variety of tasks, including digging trenches, building bridges and constructing defensive structures.

Additionally, a remotely operated version called the D9R Panda was introduced in 2018 for more hostile environments.

While the exact cost of an IDF Caterpillar D9 is uncertain, a new Cat D9 bulldozer without additional upgrades is priced at around $1 million.

As Israel moves on its assault on Gaza, the D9R, with its reinforced blade and slat armor, will serve as a nearly impervious force against bullets and explosives. It will surely play a vital role in breaching defensive lines, including mines and tunnels, as well as combating Hamas’ resistance.

Kurt’s key takeaways

The D9R is not only a machine but also a symbol of Israel’s military might and determination. As the conflict in Gaza escalates, the D9R will continue to be at the forefront of Israel’s offensive ground strategy.

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Some moderate Republicans are in talks to come up with a bipartisan solution as the battle over who will be the next House speaker drags on.

‘There are informal conversations that have been underway. When we get back to Washington tomorrow, it’s important to begin to formalize those discussions,’ House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said during an appearance on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’ on Sunday.

The comments come as House Republicans have been locked in a chaotic battle for the last two weeks over the fate of the speakership, with former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy being ejected from the post this month.

Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, was nominated by a majority of Republicans on Friday but faces an uphill battle in gaining enough support among his GOP colleagues in a floor vote in which all Democrats are expected to oppose him.

The uncertainty has seemingly opened the door for a bipartisan deal, with Jeffries saying the goal of a deal would be to prevent ‘extremists’ from being able to dictate the agenda in the House.

‘The current rules of the House have facilitated a handful of Republicans being able to determine what gets voted on in the House of Representatives, and that undermines the interests of the American people. We can change the rules to facilitate bipartisanship, and that should be the starting point of our conversation,’ Jeffries said.

But such an effort is likely to face major pushback from Republicans if a Democrat were the choice, with even moderates arguing that a vote for a Democrat would be akin to ‘political suicide.’

‘No Republican is going to vote for a Democrat,’ Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., said last week during an interview with Fox Business ‘That would be political suicide, even for the most moderate of members.’

Meanwhile, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., noted that Democrats already own control of both the Senate and the White House, arguing that Republicans should not give ground when it comes to their control of the House.

‘Some Republicans want to cut a deal with Democrat leader Hakeem Jeffries to elect a Speaker,’ Massie said Sunday in a post on X, formerly Twitter. ‘With Democrats controlling the White House and the Senate, we must not give up control of the House. Republicans should unite behind Jim Jordan as our Speaker of the House!’

Israel’s foreign minister, Eli Cohen spewed staunch words toward the Vatican for not issuing a ‘clear and unequivocal’ condemnation of the ‘murderous terrorist actions’ of Hamas terrorists who poured into Israel last week and killed more than 1,300 Israelis in a surprise attack, according to reports.

The Times of Israel reported that Cohen told the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States Paul Gallagher that the people of Israel ‘expects the Vatican to come out with a clear and unequivocal condemnation of the murderous terrorist actions.’

‘It is unacceptable that you put out a statement expressing worry primarily for Gazan civilians while Israel is burying 1,300 who were murdered,’ Cohen said, according to the Foreign Ministry.

On Oct. 7, Hamas-led forces crossed the Israel-Gaza border while residents were sleeping, dragging people into the street, taking some hostage while beading and killing others.

Over 1,300 Israelis were killed in the attack, with thousands more wounded and many taken hostage by Hamas, and raped, tortured and murdered.

Since the attack, officials with the Catholic Church have issued a range of reactions.

‘I follow with apprehension and sorrow what is happening in Israel,’ Pope Francis said the day after the attack. ‘I express my solidarity with the relatives of the victims, and I pray for all those who are experiencing hours of terror and anguish.’

The Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem issued a statement while fighting continued last Saturday.

‘The operation launched from Gaza and the reaction of the Israeli Army are bringing us back to the worst period in our recent history,’ the Latin Patriarchate said. ‘The too many casualties and tragedies, which both Palestinians and Israeli families have to deal with, will create more hatred and division, and will destroy more and more any perspective of stability.’

Just before the fighting began, Gallagher was reportedly planning on visiting Israel, which would have been the first bilateral visit by a Vatican foreign minister.

Last Wednesday, Pope Francis affirmed Israel’s right to defend itself, but questioned whether it would lead to sustainable peace.

‘I continue to follow what is happening in Israel and Palestine with tears and apprehension: many people killed, others injured,’ the pope said. ‘I pray for those families who have seen a feast day transformed into a day of mourning, and I ask that the hostages be released immediately.’

FIRST ON FOX – Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy hauled in $7.4 million during the third quarter of 2023, according to the Ramaswamy campaign.

The funding includes an in-kind $1 million contribution the biotech multimillionaire made to his campaign in the third quarter. He also has $4.2 cash-on-hand. 

Ramaswamy now has more than 130,000 unique donors, nearly doubling the 70,000 requirement for entry into the third debate.

According to his campaign, Ramaswamy in the third quarter received over 143,000 individual donations from over 78,000 unique donors averaging a $38 contribution in the past three months. He saw a 198% increase in gross raised over the past three months and a 121% increase in the number of donations compared to the second quarter. 

Among the donors, his campaign touts that nearly 40% of them are first-time Republican donors while pointing to low single-digit averages for other candidates. 

The fundraising period included the first two Republican debates, where Ramaswamy made his first impression on millions of voters and was a major target by his GOP rivals on the debate stage.

Ramaswamy’s numbers come as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s campaign touted a $15 million raised in the third quarter while former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley’s campaign says it brought in $11 million. However, their numbers pale in comparison to the $45.5 million former President Trump’s campaign raised during the same period.

All four of the candidates have already met the RNC’s polling and donor requirements for third primary debate set for Nov. 8 in Miami. Ramaswamy’s campaign told FOX News Digital he has exceeded 130,000 total unique donors, nearly double the 70,000 donor requirement. 

Ramaswamy has put a spotlight on border security in recent days following the horrific attacks against Israel by the terrorist group Hamas. The political outsider recently visited both Eagle Pass, Texas and the New Hampshire-Canadian border to call out vulnerabilities.

He also teased a potential debate with Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., following the announcement of DeSantis’ Nov. 30 showdown with Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom, to be moderated by FOX News’ Sean Hannity. 

The latest FOX News poll released last week showed Ramaswamy with 7% support among GOP voters, placing him fourth behind Haley at 10%, DeSantis at 13% and Trump, who maintains a commanding lead at 59%.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday claimed Hamas has disrupted the departure of foreign nationals from the Gaza Strip, adding that Egypt is prepared to help with getting people out and aid into the area.

Blinken was interviewed by Randa Abul Azm of Al-Arabiya on Sunday, who asked the secretary about efforts to get civilians out of harm’s way in Gaza, as Israel stages a ground offensive.

Azm prefaced a question to Blinken about getting humanitarian aid into Gaza and evacuating foreign nationals by saying, ‘The efforts to evacuate foreign nationals from Gaza Strip has been blocked by Israelis.’

Blinken had a different take on the matter.

‘Israel is not blocking the departure of foreign nationals,’ he said. ‘The problem has been Hamas has disrupted that, and of course, we have to make the necessary arrangements.’

He went on to say Egypt authorities are ready to help with the departure of citizens and foreign nationals.

‘At the same time, Egypt is fully prepared – and we’re working with them – to get assistance in,’ Blinken said. ‘And we’re putting in place a system – working with the United Nations, working with Egypt, working with other countries – to make sure that the assistance can get into Gaza, get to the people who need it.’

The secretary accused Hamas of putting civilians in harm’s way, knowing its actions would bring ‘a strong reaction,’ but went ahead with its attack anyway.

‘And the fact of the matter is this: What does Hamas do? Hamas makes sure that all of its critical leaders, that its command centers, that its weapons, its ammunitions are all located in residential areas, in residential buildings or buried underneath hospitals, schools, and supermarkets,’ Blinken said. ‘They know – they are using Palestinians of Gaza as human shields, and that, too, is disgraceful.’

Several countries have started to raise concerns about the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza as Israel prepares to invade the territory after falling victim to a surprise attack by Hamas-led terrorists.

Discussions about getting humanitarian aid to Gaza have taken place at various levels, with an urgency to move as ‘quickly as possible on the critical issue of humanitarian access in Gaza.’

At least 3,200 people have been killed since Hamas launched thousands of missiles into Israel last week, including at least 1,300 Israeli civilians and soldiers and 27 Americans. Palestinian health authorities say at least 2,215 Palestinians have been killed, and more than 8,700 wounded.

On Friday, Israel issued a warning for residents in northern Gaza to evacuate the area within 24 hours as a ‘humanitarian step’ that aims to ‘minimize civilian casualties’ during its planned ground offensive into the territory. 

The United Nation’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that the cumulative figure of displaced individuals has exceeded 338,000, ‘of whom over two-thirds are taking shelter in schools run by the UNRWA,’ referring to the Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Relief in the Near East. 

The U.S. urged Israel to delay the start of the operation to allow the 1.1 million people living in the north to relocate. President Biden and Blinken have both repeatedly stressed the need for Israel to adhere to the ‘rules of war.’ 

The U.S. has reiterated that Hamas is responsible for the current atrocities and do not reflect the Palestinian people, who must be protected. 

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi called for access through Rafah in a speech Thursday, but he also warned against letting in large numbers of Palestinians.

‘The threat there is significant because it means the liquidation of this (Palestinian) cause,’ el-Sissi said at a military college graduation ceremony in Cairo. ‘It’s important for its people to stay steadfast and exist on its land.’

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry later called the evacuation order a ‘grave violation’ of international law. 

Egyptian officials have long feared that Israel seeks to make their country responsible for Palestinians in Gaza, which Egypt ruled between the 1948 and 1967 Mideast wars. Egypt has joined Israel in its blockade of the Gaza Strip since the Hamas takeover, tightly controlling entry of supplies and the exit of people.

Peter Aitken of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.