Israel News for 10-31-2025
News Update
Military Advocate General Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi submitted her resignation today to IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir. In her letter she admitted to approving the leaking of the damaging video, which allegedly showed soldiers abusing a Palestinian prisoner at a detention center. Zamir accepted her resignation immediately. The police are expected to question Tomer-Yerushalmi next week as part of an ongoing criminal investigation into the leak. The IDF is looking for a new Military Advocate General.
U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright canceled a planned visit to Israel next week, after Energy Minister Eli Cohen declined to sign off on a $35 billion natural gas export agreement with Egypt, citing unresolved issues related to domestic pricing and national interests. The U.S. has been pressuring Israel to sign the deal, which would have Israel supply Egypt with 130 billion cubic meters of gas from the Leviathan reservoir through 2040.
Intelligence shows that Hezbollah is restocking rockets, antitank missiles and artillery, some of which are being smuggled in via seaports or Syria and some being manufactured by Hezbollah in Lebanon. This is in violation of the agreement that ended Israel’s brief war with Hezbollah, in which Hezbollah was severely weakened and militarily degraded. Since the agreement, Israel has carried out over 1,000 strikes against Hezbollah. The Lebanese government has made progress dismantling Hezbollah positions and weapons in the southernmost areas of Lebanon, with Hezbollah’s assent. But in other areas with significant Hezbollah influence, such as Beirut’s southern suburbs and the Bekaa Valley running through eastern Lebanon, Hezbollah has resisted any disarming efforts. THe Lebanese army is not strong enough to disarm Hezbollah by force.
The remains of hostages Amiram Cooper and Sahar Baruch were returned to Israel yesterday.
India’s Defense Procurement Procedure Administration, headed by Minister of Defense Rajnath Singh, will meet on November 23 to approve a series of defense deals with Israel worth about $3.762 billion. The deals include, among others, rockets for the ground forces and MR-SAM air defense missiles developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) with local company BDL. Both the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force are interested in procuring more than 300 units.
