Israel News for 6-26-2026
News Update
Two IDF officers and two soldiers were wounded Thursday in southern Lebanon when a terrorist threw a grenade at them. Soldiers returned fire and eliminated the terrorist. The IDF later struck several Hezbollah targets in the area with artillery and airstrikes. Lebanese media reported several Israeli strikes overnight, including two in Beit Yahoun, near Bint Jbeil, and additional strikes Friday morning in the Nabatieh al-Fawqa area.
Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said today that Israel must withdraw completely from Lebanon, accusing it of seeking to occupy the country and warning that it would leave “humiliated and defeated.” He also called on Lebanese authorities to “stop implementing the enemy’s instructions” and “stop making decisions that serve the interests of America and Israel.” He sadi, “We are ready and we extend our hand. Take advantage of the opportunity, because the resistance is strong. We are with you if you continue on the path of Lebanese sovereignty.”
IDF troops have withdrawn from some parts of Lebanese territory, according to a U.S. State Department official who said, “Israel has already taken a concrete step by pulling back from a part of its buffer zone. This is a significant demonstration of good faith toward Lebanon’s legitimate government.” He added, “The Lebanese Armed Forces should now move in and verifiably clear out terrorist weapons and infrastructure. This model will be repeated across South Lebanon, enabling the safe return of displaced families, reconstruction of the south, and the restoration of full Lebanese sovereignty.” It’s unclear how much territory was involved. Both Israel and Lebanon denied the claim.
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced Thursday evening that he will bring to the next government meeting a resolution calling for Israel’s first official government recognition of the Armenian genocide. The draft resolution says that “on the basis of the moral and historical duty, Israel will recognize the genocide committed against the Armenian people in the final period of the Ottoman Empire.” The draft also says that despite “extensive and unequivocal historical documentation,” the Armenian genocide remains the subject of a state-backed campaign of denial and minimization, including the manipulation and rewriting of history books, mainly by Turkey.
