Tag Archive for: Israel News

News Update

In response to President Trump’s statement that implied that Prime Minister Netanyahu might not run for reelection, the Likud said that Netanyahu will run in Israel’s next election and “with God’s help, will win”. Trump had told a reporter, “I don’t know, he’s had an amazing career. Does he want to continue? Because, you know, he’s a wartime prime minister. We will very shortly win the war one way or the other, and you know he’s a wartime prime minister. That’s okay, just like I’m a wartime president.”

[It’s unlikely that Netanyahu called Trump and demanded that he not retaliate against Iran, after an Iranian drone downed a U.S. Apache helicopter in the Strait of Hormuz yesterday. After all, it’s clear that if you’re attacked, you must respond with force. Except, of course, when Israel is attacked.]

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said today that Israeli strikes in Syria and Lebanon have reached a point where they also threaten his country, and he warned against further action, saying, “We see comprehensive initiatives led by Israel in the Mediterranean, and no one should pursue adventures there.” He added, “Israel’s aggression threatens the entire world. If the rights of Turks or Turkish-Cypriots are harmed in the Middle East – our response will be unequivocal and strong.” Israel, Greece and Cyprus are reportedly examining the formation of a joint military force in the eastern Mediterranean. According to the report, the proposed force would include about 2,500 troops, ships, fighter jets and infrastructure to be deployed on the Greek islands of Karpathos and Rhodes and in Greece, Cyprus and Israel.

Foreign Minister Sa’ar announced that Israel will open a representative office in Papua New Guinea, whose embassy to Israel is located in Jerusalem. Earlier this month, Sa’ar attended the opening of a new Israeli embassy in Suva, Fiji—reestablishing a physical diplomatic presence there 30 years after the previous embassy was closed. Israel maintains full diplomatic relations with numerous other Pacific nations, including Micronesia, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu, as well as the Cook Islands and Niue.

Responding to the High Court’s decision to require female soldiers to be integrated into combat roles in the IDF’s armored corps, the heads of 12 Hesder Yeshivas, whose students all primarily serve in combat units, signed a letter saying that they would not permit their students to serve in the armored corps along because of religious reasons.

The letter said:

“The IDF is the army of the people of Israel, and the sanctity of the camp is the basis of the IDF’s spirit and of success in defeating the enemy. Putting female soldiers in tanks together with male soldiers causes spiritual and practical harm to combat capability.”

“We have decided that service in the armored corps is forbidden according to Jewish law, and therefore we will not send our students to serve in the armored corps starting with the next draft. Our thousands of students who enlist in combat units will continue to do so with a sense of mission and strength, but the IDF is responsible for ensuring that those with combat profiles who are not suited for infantry service have a combat framework suited to their fighting spirit.”

News Update

Israeli officials said that IDF forces would remain in southern Lebanon and continue dismantling Hezbollah infrastructure during the ceasefire. The U.S. State Department announced overnight that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to “implement a ceasefire,” but the statement came with a major caveat: Hezbollah must halt its fire and all of its operatives must withdraw from south of the Litani River. Hezbollah has not yet responded. The Lebanese army is expected to enter areas that were not captured by the IDF, deploy there and work to remove Hezbollah and dismantle its infrastructure.

Hezbollah attempted to assassinate Northern Command chief Maj. Gen. Rafi Milo with an explosive-laden first-person view (FPV) drone during a recent visit to southern Lebanon, according to IDF officials. The drone struck Milo’s vehicle shortly after he had gotten out. No injuries were reported.

Prime Minister Netanyahu has endorsed a Republican proposal to phase out the $3.8 billion in annual U.S. military aid Israel receives and replace it with a relationship based on defense trade and strategic cooperation. The proposal, advanced by Republican Reps. Marlin Stutzman of Indiana and Abe Hamadeh of Arizona, would end direct military assistance when the current U.S.-Israel security agreement expires in 2028 and establish a new framework centered on Israeli purchases of American weapons. Netanyahu said, “The time has now arrived for us to move from aid recipient to partner.” For more, click here.

Israel’s Supreme Court ruled that a government ban against Red Cross visits to security prisoners and detainees held in Israel Prison Service and IDF facilities was illegal and must be canceled. The policy was introduced after Hamas’s October 7, 2023, massacre and the outbreak of the war, and remained in force for more than two years. For more, click here.

News Update

The Prime Minister and Defense Minister ordered strikes on Hezbollah targets in Beirut’s Dahieh district today in response to rocket fire and drone alerts in northern Israel, which violate the ceasefire. On Sunday, Hezbollah escalated rocket and drone attacks on northern Israel. Four people were lightly to moderately wounded when an explosive drone hit near Moshav Beit Hillel in the Galilee Panhandle. Heavy property damage was also reported in several Galilee communities. Many rockets were intercepted while some exploded in open areas. Yesterday IDF forces took control of the Beaufort ridge and the historic medieval Crusader fortress Beaufort Castle, a highly strategic, elevated terrain in southern Lebanon that overlooks the Litani River.

The IDF said Sunday night that 900 Hezbollah terrorists have been killed since the ceasefire went into effect about a month and a half ago.

Staff Sgt. Adam Tzarfati, 20, from Rosh HaAyin, a fighter in the Maglan unit of the Commando Brigade, was killed overnight by a drone strike in southern Lebanon. Another soldier was seriously wounded in the incident, and 2 others lightly wounded.

Staff Sgt. Michael Tyukin, 21, a Givati reconnaissance soldier from Ashkelon, was killed Saturday by an explosive drone in southern Lebanon. Four other soldiers were lightly wounded in the same incident.

A terrorist from Hebron rammed his vehicle into people at the Gush Etzion junction last night. A 17 year old girl was seriously wounded and a 15 year old girl moderately wounded. The terrorist was killed by soldiers at the scene.

Israeli civilians entered Joseph’s Tomb in Nablus on Sunday afternoon for daytime prayers, the first such civilian entry to the site since the IDF withdrew from the compound in 2000. It was part of an initiative under which the IDF’s Central Command examined renewing a permanent Jewish presence at the tomb. Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Regional Council, said the goal was to restore the Od Yosef Chai yeshiva to the compound and “see the Israeli flag flying over Joseph’s Tomb.”

News Update

The IDF announced today that it killed Mohammed Odeh, who was appointed only 10 days earlier to replace Izz al-Din al-Haddad, Hamas’ top commander in Gaza, who Israel also killed. Israel is now watching to see who will be appointed to replace Odeh, and how the developments will affect the ongoing negotiations. Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Katz said: “We will continue to pursue everyone who took part in the October 7 massacre. Sooner or later, Israel will reach them all.” Only one senior commander remains from those who took part in the massacre.

Prime Minister Netanyahu said that he ordered the IDF to deepen its operations in Lebanon, as troops pushed beyond the Litani River and at points beyond the yellow line ceasefire demarcation, to push Hezbollah terrorists farther north and make it harder for them to launch attack drones at Israeli communities. The IDF struck more than 190 Hezbollah weapons depots in southern Lebanon overnight, and killed several Hezbollah commanders. For now, the IDF has avoided striking Beirut’s Dahieh district, a Hezbollah stronghold.

The Bank of Israel cut interest rates to 3.75%, but the shekel continued to appreciate against the dollar and other currencies. The shekel is currently at around 2.82 per dollar, the strongest it’s ever been. For more, click here.

News Update

Israel is prepared and waiting to renew strikes against Iran when President Trump decides to do so. Trump said yesterday that he had planned to resume the fighting on Tuesday but decided to postpone it for a few days, at the urging of the Gulf states, to give negotiations a little more time to work out. As of now, Iran has not agreed to American demands regarding freezing its nuclear program, transferring all of its enriched uranium to the US and reopening the Straits of Hormuz. If the fight with Iran resumes, Hezbollah will most likely join the fight in Lebanon.

The Board of Peace presented an 11 page report to the UN Security Council, 7 months after it began its role in overseeing the Gaza ceasefire and ending the war. The report said that “the four mediating countries — Egypt, Qatar, Turkey and the United States — are working tirelessly to preserve the ceasefire. We strongly warn that any violation, by any side, endangers everything that has been painstakingly built.” The plan seeks to advance the next stage: the full and monitored disarmament of Hamas and all armed groups in Gaza as a condition for progress.

Under the 15 point road map that served as as the basis for the Board of Peace, Hamas would be required to completely cease all military, police and administrative activity. The International Stabilization Force would be deployed as a buffer and support oversight of the weapons chain. Israel would carry out a phased withdrawal to Gaza’s periphery, but only according to the pace of verified disarmament. Reconstruction would begin only in areas where disarmament had been completed. Unfortunately, Hamas is refusing to disarm. That’s a big problem. For more, click here.

President Isaac Herzog received the credentials of Somaliland’s first ambassador to Israel, Dr. Mohammed Hagi, and congratulated Somaliland on its “historic” decision to open an embassy. Herzog said, “The incredible joy of the people of Somaliland shown upon Israel’s recognition of your nation warmed our hearts. I think this is a unique opportunity to develop dialogue with nations of Muslim countries who are so important in the region. You are facing many challenges, and we are here to assist and help with all the important fields of life, from food security, to energy, to science in order to enjoy prosperity together. So welcome, shalom to you, and hopefully we will go from strength to strength together.”