All News (Page 112)

After several months in which it seemed possible that elections would be called earlier, Israel now has a date for its voters to head to the polls to pick a new government. 

The Knesset House Committee on Sunday affirmed an election date of Oct. 27, the latest allowed by law, following months of political maneuvering by both the opposition and the governing coalition to force an early collapse of the government.

The determination puts Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government on track to be the first to complete a full term in more than half a century, with the Knesset set to disperse on July 17. 

The timeline means that the intense final weeks of campaigning will overlap with the three-year anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel that is looming large over the race, particularly for Netanyahu, who was in charge at the time.

It also means that Israelis living abroad – who number more than ever before – now know when they must be in Israel if they wish to vote. Unusually, Israeli law does not allow for absentee voting except in a narrow number of situations, meaning that almost anyone with an Israeli passport who lives outside of Israel must travel back to cast a ballot.

In past elections, Israelis abroad have faced tough decisions about whether to fly home to vote – most recently in 2022, when Israel had a fifth round of elections in four years.

This time around, there are even greater pressures. A record number of Israelis have moved abroad in recent years, with 70,000 leaving in 2025 alone, resulting in an unusual net migration loss for Israel. Flights, meanwhile, are historically expensive, owing to cancellations by foreign carriers amid war-induced uncertainty. At the same time, the stakes of the election are high, with analysts and politicians of all ideologies warning that Israel’s democracy is at an inflection point.

Polls show opposition in lead

Netanyahu and his supporters say reelecting him is the only way to keep Israelis and Jews around the world safe, while a wide range of opposition parties say only they can safeguard the country’s future, For now polls suggest that the opposition has a majority of voters’ support – though it’s not clear which bloc will have the necessary votes to form a government and, within the opposition bloc, which parties will command 

Recent polls have shown a new party formed by Gadi Eisenkot, a former army chief whose son was killed during the Gaza war, leading among the opposition and rivaling Netanyahu’s own Likud party in its share of voters. A joint party led by the former prime ministers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid also has support from significant numbers of voters, as does a left-wing party led by the retired army general Yair Golan. Parties will hold primary elections in the coming weeks.

Some initiatives are already underway to help Israelis abroad get home for the election. The AID Coalition is collecting information from interested Israelis with the goal of potentially chartering flights to boost the number of people who can make the trip – though each voter will bear his or her full costs.

‘Don’t let distance silence your voice’

“Don’t let distance silence your voice,” the group tweeted on Sunday, after the election date was announced. 

Meanwhile, Israeli academics have scheduled a slew of conferences in the days before the election across dozens of fields. Israeli Science and Academia Week says it “seeks to leverage the arrival of thousands of Israeli researchers from abroad to Israel during the Knesset election period to create professional meetings, encourage research collaborations, reveal new academic opportunities, and strengthen the international status of Israeli academia.”

It may also have the effect of enabling Israeli academics working abroad to get their institutions to subsidize their travel and permit them leave during the school year.

Israelis posting to social media are already noting a spike in ticket prices just ahead of Oct. 27. But many are also sharing screenshots of their ticket receipts that show the number of days until their trips – and the election.

“My entire feed is full of screenshots of flight tickets to Israel for election day. People spending money, taking time off, and coming specifically just to vote,” tweeted Avi Edelson, an anti-government activist whose LinkedIn account identifies him as working at El Al, Israel’s main airline. “It reminds me how much people care about the future of this country.”

The document released on Monday, which showed that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar believed Israel might use nuclear weapons in response to an October 7 massacre-style invasion, is nothing short of astounding.

Why? Because it reveals both Sinwar’s irrationality and Israel’s abject failure to properly understand the fanaticism driving Hamas’s leadership.

The concept of Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD), which dominated the Cold War, was based on one simple assumption: that both the United States and the Soviet Union were rational actors. If each knew the other possessed the means to destroy it, neither would dare strike first – because who, in their right mind, would invite destruction upon themselves?

Who? Actors motivated by an apocalyptic, messianic ideology for whom your destruction is more valuable than their own survival.

Evil, according to one definition, is someone who believes that his salvation can only come from your destruction. Sinwar took that one step further: Israel’s destruction was so important that he was willing to risk his own demise to bring it about.

The Amit Terrorism and Intelligence Research Institute released a handwritten document by Sinwar that fell into Israel’s hands during the Israel-Hamas War in Gaza. Dated August 24, 2022 – some 13 months before October 7 – it revealed that Sinwar anticipated Israel would mount a blistering response to an invasion, and he did not rule out the possibility that it would even use nuclear weapons against Gaza.

“The enemy will not hesitate to use all the means and weapons at its disposal, not only through attack but also by other means,” Sinwar wrote. “It may even use a nuclear bomb. But first, it will be surprised by the attack and descend into chaos.”

Sinwar knew the consequences

Forget for a moment the absurdity of the claim: Nuclear fallout from a bomb dropped on Gaza would contaminate Israel as well. What matters is what this reveals about Sinwar’s mindset.

What, he didn’t realize that launching an October 7 massacre-style attack would invite a devastating Israeli response? Of course he did.

This document shows that he even contemplated the possibility of an Israeli nuclear response. Yet, even with that possibility factored in, he still went ahead with the attack.

The potential destruction of Gaza was not a deterrent for Sinwar. It was an acceptable price.

Why? Because he believed it would ignite a regional conflagration that would ultimately consume Israel.

His hope was that Hezbollah would immediately enter the war while Israel was reeling in chaos; that Iran would rain ballistic missiles down on the country; that the Houthis would attack from Yemen; that the West Bank would erupt; and that Arab Israelis would again rise up, as some did during Operation Guardian of the Walls in 2021.

Even massive devastation in Gaza, he reasoned, would be worth triggering a regional war that would bury Israel.

His salvation would come through Israel’s destruction. Pure evil.

Seen through the prism of this document, the notion that Hamas could be pacified with suitcases of Qatari cash or thousands of work permits for Gazan laborers was sheer folly. It reflected a fundamental misreading of the enemy.

Those policies assumed Hamas’s leaders could be persuaded to choose economic well-being over the destruction of Israel. But this document suggests that Sinwar was motivated by something different altogether. He was prepared to risk not only Gaza’s prosperity, but Gaza’s very existence, if that was the price of destroying Israel.

One of Israel’s major mistakes in assessing Sinwar and Hamas was viewing them through our own prism – looking at them as though we were looking in a mirror.

We assumed they would think as we would. Who would knowingly invite that level of destruction upon themselves? We would never do that. So, we assumed they wouldn’t, either. But now we have Sinwar’s own words showing us that even the prospect of nuclear devastation did not deter him.

There are obvious parallels to Osama bin Laden’s attack on the United States on September 11, 2001.

Bin Laden, too, understood that the attacks would provoke a massive American military response. But that was not a disincentive. On the contrary, he hoped that the American reaction would ignite a wider civilizational war between Islam and the West.

The implications of the Sinwar document extend far beyond Gaza.

Hamas willed mutual destruction; other Islamist regimes may make same sacrifice

If, in pursuit of a messianic religious ideology, Hamas’s leader was willing to sacrifice Gaza in order to destroy Israel – rendering Mutual Assured Destruction irrelevant – then the same could be true of other fanatical actors in the region, including Iran.

US President Donald Trump said earlier this month that Iran must never be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons, because if it did, it would use them.

Iran’s apologists scoff at that argument. Of course they wouldn’t, they say. They know that if they used nuclear weapons, they, too, would be destroyed.

The Sinwar document suggests otherwise. It shows that at least some of the religious fanatics Israel is confronting may view their own destruction as an acceptable price if it advances what they believe to be a divinely ordained mission.

And that brings us back to the definition of evil: someone believing that his salvation can only come through your destruction.

Sinwar’s admission provides a rare peephole into that mindset, one shared by some of Israel’s implacable enemies. Now, Israel needs to make sure the rest of the world looks through that peephole as well.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid pledged on Monday that the next government would “repair Israel,” as other opposition party leaders vowed to repeal the coalition’s controversial legislation being advanced in a legislative blitz during the Knesset’s final week, before it goes into recess ahead of the October 27 elections.

Lapid made the remarks at the Knesset plenum, ahead of a vote on the contentious bill that seeks to enshrine Torah study as a fundamental value in the country’s basic law.

Critics argue that the legislation encourages draft evasion and changes the status of yeshiva students who do not serve, enabling them to continue receiving state benefits, even amid the IDF’s severe manpower shortage.

“The next Knesset will be a Knesset of repair. We will come here not to destroy, not to fight, not to steal, but to repair the State of Israel together,” Lapid said.

He sharply criticized the government’s current term, vowing that the opposition bloc would establish a state commission of inquiry into the government failures during the October 7 Hamas attacks in 2023.

“If, under your watch, October 7 was the moment of the greatest destruction, we will pass a state commission of inquiry so that Israel’s citizens will know that we have taken the first step toward repairing the fracture and healing the wound,” Lapid said. “Repair begins with acknowledging the truth.”

His statements come three years after the massacre, with no probe yet established amid an ongoing dispute over what kind of investigation should be conducted and who should lead it.

Oct. 7 investigation still pending

The political echelon has repeatedly blocked a state commission of inquiry into the events surrounding the attacks, despite polls showing huge public support for this type of investigation.

The coalition has recently advanced a contentious bill in its first reading to establish a politically appointed investigative committee to probe government failures during the massacre.

Other opposition party leaders in the bloc seeking to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the elections also condemned the coalition’s legislation while speaking during faction press conferences in the Knesset.

They spoke on their plans for the next government after the elections and pledged to repeal the legislation.

Yisrael Beytenu leader MK Avigdor Liberman said, “What we are seeing in the Knesset today, and what we will see throughout this entire week, is a liquidation sale of the State of Israel and all of our basic values.”

“Let it be clear: In the next government, we will repeal all of these laws,” he said.

“We must defeat draft evasion before it defeats us. The damage being done to the IDF, to security, to operational capabilities, and to the readiness of the reserve forces is unprecedented,” Liberman added.

Liberman calls to stop funding draft dodgers

He also called to halt all state funding to draft evaders and advance legislation that would enforce haredi conscription.

Democrats party leader Yair Golan said that “the 25th Knesset will be remembered as the most extreme, divisive, and destructive Knesset in the history of the State of Israel.”

“We will repeal every one of these destructive laws, one by one. We will repair all the damage caused by this government and this Knesset,” he claimed. “Instead of legitimizing draft evasion, we will lead a policy of equal military service. We will stop funding draft evasion and create a system that encourages military service, employment, and paying taxes.”

“Instead of the Basic Law: Torah Study, which cynically exploits Israel’s Basic Laws for political purposes, we will complete Israel’s Basic Laws, strengthen democracy, and lay the foundation for a constitution,” Golan said.

Saudi Arabia said it intercepted ballistic missiles fired at the country’s south by Yemen’s Houthi terrorists on Monday after the group accused Riyadh of striking an airport they control, testing a years-long truce in the conflict between the two.

Saudi air defenses “have dealt with a threat from ballistic missiles launched by the terrorist Houthi militia toward the southern region,” the spokesperson for a Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen said on X/Twitter.

Earlier Monday, the Houthis accused Saudi Arabia of launching airstrikes against the international airport in Sana’a, and vowed to retaliate. The strikes were claimed by Yemen’s internationally recognized government, which is heavily backed by Riyadh, where many of its members reside.

Houthi military spokesperson Brig.-Gen. Yahya Saree had called the attacks “blatant aggression” and said they had ended a period of de-escalation. He said Saudi Arabia would bear the consequences and that the attack would not go unanswered.

The Saudi government’s communication office did not immediately respond to the accusations.

Sana’a Airport in Yemen targeted to prevent Iranian plane from landing

The Yemeni government’s defense ministry said the runway at Sana’a International Airport had been targeted to prevent an Iranian plane from landing. An armed forces spokesman later said the aircraft had landed at Houthi-controlled Hodeidah airport.

It was unclear whether any attempt had been made to stop it from landing in Hodeidah, about 150 km. (93 miles) southwest of Sana’a, on Yemen’s Red Sea coast.

Another minister said the Houthis were detaining another plane, belonging to the International Committee of the Red Cross, at Sana’a airport.

The general aviation authority of Yemen’s Saudi-backed, internationally recognized government briefly ordered the closure of all airports nationwide, before announcing hours later that they had reopened.

The High Court of Justice appeared reluctant Monday to intervene in the legislative process behind Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi’s sweeping broadcasting reform before the bill has passed into law, repeatedly questioning whether the petitions against it were premature.

Supreme Court Chief Justice Isaac Amit and Justices Alex Stein and Yechiel Kasher heard three petitions filed by Hatzlaha, the Union of Journalists in Israel and the Israel Press Council, which alleged a series of serious defects in the bill’s advancement.

A separate petition filed by Yesh Atid MKs Shelly Tal Meron and Yorai Lahav-Hertzanu is expected to be heard separately.

The hearing comes as the coalition races to bring the revised bill to its final Knesset votes before parliament begins its pre-election recess later this week.

Justices question timing of intervention

The judges focused heavily on whether the court should take the exceptional step of intervening while the legislative process remains underway, particularly when it will soon become clear whether the bill will pass.

Amit said the central question was why the court should rule on the petitions at this stage, noting that the bill could still either pass or fail.

Stein asked whether there was any precedent for the Supreme Court intervening in legislation before the process had been completed. “The court is a passive body, not an active one,” Stein said. “It does not enter in the middle of political processes.”

Intervening at this stage, he said, could undermine the boundaries of the separation of powers. Any procedural “fouls,” he added, could be considered if and when the bill became law.

Kasher similarly told the petitioners that their main difficulty was the timing of the case.

“You are asking us to stop a legislative process in the Knesset, something that has never been done,” he said, asking whether the alleged defects approached the level of extremity that could justify such a step.

Kasher added that court intervention two days before the expected vote would itself carry enormous weight.

The petitions, however, were initially filed months ago, with the first two submitted in October 2025, rather than immediately before the bill’s expected final votes. The Israel Press Council (IPC) filed an additional petition in December.

A representative of the Knesset argued that issuing an interim order would effectively amount to issuing a final order, since the Knesset’s current session is due to end this week.

Amit said at the end of the hearing that, should the bill pass, further petitions would likely challenge both its substance and the legislative process behind it. The procedural claims, he said, would not disappear.

Kasher also told the attorney representing Karhi that, if the minister insisted on advancing the legislation despite the objections raised throughout the process, he could not later argue against judicial intervention in the resulting law.

The court did not immediately issue a decision, though the judges’ remarks indicated considerable skepticism toward intervening before the legislative process had concluded.

Petitioners cite procedural defects

The petitioners argue that the bill was advanced through a chain of procedural defects, without sufficient professional oversight, preparatory work, or time for meaningful deliberation.

The government proposal was submitted to the Knesset with an exceptional footnote stating that it had not received the attorney-general’s approval, as required under her directives.

The petitioners later sought further court intervention over the establishment of a special committee, chaired by Likud MK Galit Distel Atbaryan, to consider the legislation instead of the Knesset Economic Affairs Committee.

They cited the position of the Knesset legal adviser, who said the Economic Affairs Committee was the body authorized to handle the bill, as well as objections raised by the Attorney-General’s Office and the Israel Regulatory Authority.

Bill advances toward final vote

The petitioners submitted an update on Monday, arguing that the problems had continued to accumulate, culminating in last-minute amendments presented by Karhi as technical wording changes.

“They are trampling every procedure, rule, section, and provision of law,” they argued.

The bill has undergone repeated revisions throughout the legislative process. The special committee approved it for its second and third readings last week, before reconvening Sunday to introduce additional changes.

The IDF soldier who was seen on controversial influencer Clavicular’s stream was formally reprimanded by the IDF and has been removed from her position and demoted to a cook, N12 reported on Monday.

Braden Peters, better known as Clavicular, is a prominent “looksmaxxing” influencer who has made several public antisemitic comments, including appearing alongside the white supremacist Nick Fuentes singing Ye’s “Heil Hitler.” 

During his visit to Tel Aviv, which has drawn condemnation from many Israelis calling for his removal, Peters was seen streaming alongside Shira Braun, an IDF soldier in the Spokesperson’s Unit.

Braun appeared on several of Peters’s broadcasts, and he made several moves to touch or kiss her on camera, even commenting that he would take her to a hotel room.

Braun reportedly showed Clavicular the military’s official TikTok on her phone

In turn, Braun shared a post on her since-deleted Instagram where she taught the influencer an acro-yoga move, which was seen by nearly half a million users before being removed.

Most importantly, she showed Peters the IDF’s official TikTok page on her phone, leading to her reported removal from the unit.

Peters claimed that Braun was “the IDF’s social media manager,” but there is no one person who holds the title.

Additionally, the IDF has not confirmed if Braun was an official administrator of its social media, but the TikTok account is run by multiple soldiers in the Spokesperson’s Unit.

“The investigation into the incident is still ongoing, and disciplinary measures will be determined accordingly once it concludes,” the IDF stated.

“The soldier acted without coordination with her commander, and her conduct does not align with what is expected of IDF soldiers. The incident is under investigation, and the soldier will face disciplinary action.”

Clavicular may be leaving Israel, but the trouble he caused remains

Peters announced that he would be leaving Israel after an interview with Channel 13 where he was asked if he “came here to apologize.”

“This is the most ridiculous thing ever. I just woke up, and I don’t want to be talking to someone who is going to be rude. Because I’m here to do good things,” he said, and left the interview early.

While he is on his way out, the girls who appeared on his streams, Braun and Israeli influencer Shira Klein, have been left to deal with the consequences of meeting with him on his visit.

In addition to Braun potentially losing her position, she received hate messages and threats on her life, with people messaging her “too bad you weren’t raped and killed at Nova,” and “you wh**e, you escort, they’ll slaughter you, we’ll throw a party over your pieces.”

Klein took to social media to say she hadn’t known Peters was antisemitic prior to his visit, and said she had been contacted by an influencer in the hasbara community about “showing the world the ‘real Israel.’”

Israel will try to speed up the talks with the Trump administration over the future Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), starting with an expected return visit to Washington this week, The Jerusalem Post has learned.

Despite Israeli efforts to move the talks forward, the pace of negotiations has been so slow that it is unclear whether Israel will be able to secure approval of a renewed MoU before a new US Congress takes office in January, the Post understands.

The MoU, for decades, usually runs on a 10-year cycle and is renewed and updated once a decade, and has been the main strategic document governing US military assistance and relations with Israel.

If the MoU is not signed by January, and even this week’s visit is not final, any new deal could face heightened opposition from a likely Democrat-controlled US House of Representatives and possibly even a Democrat-controlled US Senate.

Given that on April 16, 40 out of 47 Democratic senators voted to block various weapons sales to Israel, such a change in control could significantly impact the MoU, even as the US executive branch can carry out certain foreign affairs decisions on its own.

Originally, the talks were supposed to go forward at a steady pace at the start of 2026, defense sources have told the Post.

That process was delayed by the Iran war until April. Next, in April, the Post reported that the talks would charge forward in May.

Talks continue to drag

Either because even the shakiness of the post-Iran war period and the conflict in Lebanon have continued to distract the US administration, or because the politics of perception around how military assistance, or even partnerships, with Israel have radically changed in America in recent years, the talks have continued to drag on until now.

If originally the plan was to lock in the MoU before Israeli elections and prior to American midterm elections, now it appears that the best-case scenario might be to nail down a new MoU after both elections occur, but in the two-month period before the new US Congress takes office – and even that is now seen as a long shot.

In a radical departure from the historical reason for such talks, which have focused on maintaining or increasing military aid to Israel, the upcoming discussions are expected to focus on a process that will eventually wind down US military aid to Israel, in exchange for funds tied to a joint partnership.

The winding-down period of US military aid to Israel is expected to last 10 years.

The existing MoU runs from January 2019 to 2029, such that the next agreement would be expected to run from January 2029 to 2039.

Besides the political winds in Washington, the rush to negotiate also stems from the fact that many of the programs funded by an MoU require multi-year planning.

If Israel wants to receive certain military items in 2039, the deal and parameters for those items must be agreed upon several years in advance.

The sides will negotiate over the substance, timelines, and scope of future joint military and technological ventures between the two countries.

New weapon technologies as part of joint projects

According to Israeli officials, laser air defense and other new defense systems against threats such as hypersonic missiles, drones, and artificial intelligence are expected to be part of the menu of joint projects.

Regarding laser air defense, Israel believes it has a greater advantage over American progress in the area than in other kinds of interceptor-based defense, where US capabilities are also considerable.

Last week, the US published that it had signed deals with American companies for major progress in the laser air defense arena, and yet Israel may still be able to fill in aspects of the technology and operations where it is more advanced.

In return, the US may pour more funds into Israeli laser technologies even as Washington is investing in homegrown processes.

Notably, quantum computing does not appear to be high on the list of priorities for joint cooperation at this time, unlike laser and AI technologies, although that does not mean joint investments in the technology cannot advance in the future.

One issue with quantum computing is that the US is so far ahead of Israeli capabilities in that sector that Jerusalem may focus on dominating specific private-sector applications rather than pursuing a high-profile government-to-government approach.

Defense Ministry Director-General Maj.-Gen. (res.) Amir Baram, Israeli Ambassador to the United States Michael Leiter, and officials from the IDF, the Defense Ministry, the Finance Ministry, and the National Security Council will all be involved in the wide-ranging talks on behalf of Israel.

The US negotiating team has included US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, his senior adviser Michael Needham, and US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee.

The Defense Ministry has told the Post, “The defense-strategic cooperation between Israel and the United States is deep, unprecedented, and rooted in shared values.”

According to the ministry, it is “committed to deepening this partnership for the long term – from aid to partnership – leveraging Israel’s standing as a model ally to ensure the qualitative and competitive edge of both nations.”

American foreign aid to many countries was already scaled back by the Trump administration earlier in 2025 as part of his “America First” ideology.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced a plan to add around NIS 35 billion per year to the defense budget, focusing on increasing Israel’s capacity to produce munitions and technologies domestically and to achieve greater military independence.

Netanyahu and Israeli defense officials have wanted to avoid a recurrence of the May 2024 Rafah situation, where they delayed the invasion and reduced its intensity out of concern that otherwise Israel might run out of American-provided munitions.

There is a wide-ranging debate about whether there will be sufficient funds, with some worrying that reducing US aid will leave a major gap, while others believe that it is still unclear whether, or how, a monumental new funding surge would be spent properly.

More specifically, Israel does not produce its own fighter planes and is expected to seek additional F-35 fighters beyond the squadrons it has already purchased.

It is unclear what Israel would do to maintain its regional air superiority if a future US government refused to continue to sell the state its F-35 aircraft.

Netanyahu first publicly proposed shifting US military aid toward joint US-Israel ventures, apparently in anticipation of new, harsher political winds in Washington.

In December 2025, the Heritage Foundation proposed a process of zeroing out US military aid to Israel between 2032 and 2047.

At the time, the suggestion received heavy criticism, and Leiter even canceled his participation at a Heritage event where the proposal was due to be rolled out.

But since then, the ground has shifted, and Israel itself is proposing an earlier end to the aid, to be replaced by joint ventures.

The last MoU was signed in 2016 as the Obama administration was winding down, providing Israel with $38 billion over 10 years.

That deal focused on F-35 and F-15EX fighter jets, KC-46 tanker aircraft, helicopters, and $500 million annually for the development of more Iron Dome and other aerial defenses.

Overall, Israel’s defense budget post-October 7 has skyrocketed to NIS 144 billion (growing by dozens of billions of shekels since early 2026), with the defense establishment pushing for tens of billions more per year.

The United Arab Emirates is planning to build a new port and container terminal on the opposite side of the Strait of Hormuz, in a push to bypass the Iranian closure of the waterway, the Financial Times reported on Monday.

According to the report, the new port would be built in the city of Fujairah on the Gulf of Oman, which already has an existing harbor, but it lacks the necessary infrastructure to serve as a major export hub for the UAE.

The initiative will be led by DP World, the UAE’s main port authority, and will also aim to reduce Dubai’s dependence on its flagship Jebel Ali hub in the Persian Gulf.

According to the UAE’s Arabian Business, the Emirates also plans to improve infrastructure at other ports in the Gulf of Oman, with the main plans centered on Dibba, Khor Fakkan, and the already mentioned Fujairah.

The push comes as conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran has complicated navigation in the Strait, with attacks against ships, marine mines, and fighting in the area stopping the transit in the waterway almost completely.

Replacing Strait of Hormuz with Mediterranean route

The Emirati decision to bypass the strait was also recommended by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the beginning of the war with Iran, when he told Newsmax that the only long-term solution to the crisis in the Strait was to build pipelines to carry the Gulf state’s oil and gas to the Mediterranean.

“Long-term solutions include rerouting energy pipelines westward, across Saudi Arabia to the Red Sea and Mediterranean, bypassing Iran’s geographic choke point,” Netanyahu explained in an interview with conservative US media outlet Newsmax.

The project, which could be part of the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEC) initiative, would transform Haifa into a key oil and gas exportation hub.

IMEC, unveiled by former US president Joe Biden during the G20 Summit in New Delhi in September 2023, was conceived as a transformative infrastructure and trade project to link India with Europe through the Persian Gulf and the Eastern Mediterranean.

But even if there is political capital in Israel for the project to take place, sources told The Jerusalem Post last week that Saudi Arabia was pushing to take Israel out of the IMEC initiative.

One of the leading options under discussion would redirect the railway through Syria, creating a land bridge from the Gulf to the Mediterranean without passing through Israeli territory, they said.

At the same time, reports from Iran point out that the ruling elite is showing growing concern over the rapid progress of IMEC, according to sources familiar with the matter.

War didn’t give IMEC momentum

Samantha Sutton, a fellow at the Atlantic Council and former Director at the US National Security Council, told the Post last week that the current crisis in the Strait of Hormuz is not pushing the Gulf States towards Israel’s inclusion in the initiative, with her saying that a peace agreement with the Palestinians and normalization plans would be actually useful.

“I think that after the war, these countries now view Israel more like a liability than a partner. And while in other regions involved in the initiative there are great relations with Israel, like in India, I don’t think the last war helped to improve the image of Israel in the Middle East,” she explained.

“What would be supportive is integrating the Jordanians and the Palestinians in the initiative. I believe that if IMEC helps establish normalization with Palestinians, and includes in some way the West Bank and Gaza, then the project and Israel’s participation would have much more support. And there are political actors in Israel who plan to run in the upcoming elections, interested in making this happen,” she added.

Amichai Stein and Anna Barsky contributed to this report.

A meeting concerning Hamas terrorists arrested after October 7 could not proceed after judiciary representatives failed to show up twice in a row, the Knesset announced on Monday.

The meeting had been on the topic of extending the terrorists’ detentions, as well as the possibility of visitation rights for them.

Chairman of the committee, MK Simcha Rothman, said that the Justice Ministry’s failure to attend the meeting demonstrated a “contempt for the Knesset.”

“I have a feeling they will come when they want to pass a law later on the agenda, and until they provide answers, none of their legislation will be advanced,” he announced.

“I cannot say I am surprised by their failure to appear today, but it was important to me to hold the discussion specifically today, following the law we passed yesterday and ahead of the plenary discussion, so the public can see that all the talk about gatekeepers and the rule of law comes from a group of liars and crooks. Gil Limon said during the discussions, ‘Who will protect us from the government’s arbitrariness?’ And I ask, who will protect the State of Israel from this group of people? We will take a recess and then hold a vote.”

Nukhba terrorists will not be released

He added that under no circumstances would the terrorists be released.

“Even if we do not approve [the detention extensions], no Nukhba terrorist will be released. It will simply require them to keep going to court to request detention extensions, creating a little more work for the government’s legal counsel, the State Attorney’s Office, and unfortunately, the police as well. But if it is not important enough for them to attend, they apparently have time to spare. I will not pass the law until I receive explanations as to why they are not here.”

MK Moshe Saada accused Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara of being a criminal, saying that she had abused her official authority and was guilty of extortion and breach of trust.

“I approached the civil service commissioner and asked him to initiate disciplinary proceedings against Gali,” he said.

The Likud Constitution Committee on Monday approved changes to the party’s primary system that will grant Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu authority to determine eight reserved slots on the party list ahead of the upcoming elections. 

The decision marks a significant shift in the party’s system for holding primaries. The Likud has prided itself for years on conducting primaries in which its over 100,000 registered members are eligible to vote for the full Knesset list.

Additionally, the committee reportedly decided to postpone the date of the primaries from August 8 to August 17, with the eight reserved slots to be from within the party’s first 31 positions on the list.

Netanyahu joined the meeting at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem to vote. The decision is now expected to undergo final approval in the Likud Central Committee.

The proposal to change the primaries system has drawn internal opposition from senior Likud figures, including Construction and Housing Minister Haim Katz and MK David Bitan, who have objected to the changes.

Netanyahu working to ensure internal support for changing the system

Netanyahu reportedly has held several meetings with Katz ahead of the vote, seeking to bridge disagreements over the primary system.

Katz’s office stated after the vote that he had presented the proposal to make the changes for reserving the eight spots on the party’s list. 

Various proposals were presented and discussed in the meeting regarding a temporary measure to change the primary system, districts, and reserved slots, Katz’s office added. 

The vote on the primaries has been postponed multiple times, leading to reports that Netanyahu was working to ensure internal support for changing the system.

A number of Likud lawmakers said they had received phone calls from associates of Netanyahu, who asked them to withdraw from the party primaries and receive positions instead, according to a Monday KAN News report.

There have also been reports that Netanyahu has threatened to leave Likud if the proposed changes are not advanced.

Some of the reserved slots could reportedly go to figures such as Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and former finance minister Moshe Kahlon.

There have been objections from MKs within the party, who oppose changing the primary process, as it could cause those who would otherwise score highly in the primaries to fall further down the list.

Objections from MKs within the party

A fierce critic of changing the system has been MK Tally Gotliv, who is viewed as a candidate who would receive broad support from registered party members.

Gotliv released a video on Sunday claiming that Justice Minister Yariv Levin and Defense Minister Israel Katz were working behind the scenes to cancel the primaries to receive a high slot from Netanyahu.

“Two cowardly ministers are behind the disgraceful idea of canceling Likud’s primaries, Yariv Levin and Israel Katz. They’ll deny it, but they’re working on a mechanism for a selection committee that will preserve their own power,” she said.

Parties are not mandated to hold primaries in Israel, and only a few conduct them.

The Likud primaries are expected to be highly competitive. Likud currently has around 40 ministers and MKs serving in the government and Knesset, but recent polls project the party winning only about 25 seats, leaving many at risk of losing their places on the party’s Knesset list.

Likud MK Amit Halevi told The Jerusalem Post last month that Netanyahu may be working behind closed doors to influence Likud lawmakers ahead of the primaries to secure slots. He is a member of the Likud Constitution Committee.

Regarding who the reserved slots would ultimately be used for, Halevi told the Post he believed some would be allocated to people who “embody the spirit of the party.”

“People from the military or people who paid personal prices in the war, who can strongly express the demand for victory,” he said.

Halevi is also among the MKs from the party who expressed support for changing the system so that Netanyahu could secure the slots.

He said that it was most important to do what would be best for the party to succeed in the elections.

The debate on how to hold the Likud primaries comes ahead of the general elections, which are set to take place on October 27.

An Israeli-American surgeon, a Florida-based advanced foregut and hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) surgeon, was disinvited from delivering a remote lecture at the Lebanese Society of General Surgery’s 27th annual Spring Conference on Surgery earlier this month, according to Hezbollah-affiliated Lebanese media reports.

Dr. Sharona Ross had reportedly been invited to participate in the conference over Zoom, but that invite was allegedly canceled over the realization that she completed her mandatory two-year IDF service, according to Al-Akhbar.

The Institute for Surgical Excellence, which notes Dr. Ross’s 20 years of experience and role as one of the first surgeons in the United States to offer Laparo-Endoscopic Single Site (LESS) Surgery, noted that she spent two years completing her IDF service after finishing high school. She has delivered keynote speeches at over 150 national and international events and was named a Patient Preferred Surgeon Representing the State of Florida for 2020.

Dr. Ross has not yet responded to The Jerusalem Post’s request for comments.

Lebanese officials reportedly opposed lecture

Lebanese Health Minister Rakan Nasser El-Din, who was nominated for the ministerial position by Hezbollah and selected by Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, reportedly demanded that the head of the society cancel her session after learning of Dr. Ross’s nationality.

A source told the Hezbollah outlet that “a Lebanese doctor residing in France named Ibrahim Dagher coordinated the conference with the Lebanese Society of General Surgery to participate in one of the conference sessions dedicated to robotic surgery. He was the one who suggested the name of Sharona Ross, based on the fact that she is a well-known doctor in this field.”

There were reportedly plans to keep her participation in the conference without advertising her speech or involvement, but these plans were said to have been abandoned after doctors objected to her participation.

Lebanese law bars contact with Israelis

Under Lebanese law, it is illegal for Lebanese individuals to communicate or have contact with Israelis under the 1955 Anti-Israel Boycott Law and the Lebanese Penal Code. This law is applicable to contact with Israelis who hold a second nationality.

Lebanon faces shortage of GI specialists

The disinvitation comes as Lebanon faces a severe shortage of gastrointestinal (GI) specialists, largely driven by the mass emigration of physicians since 2019, according to research published in the Journal of Global Health in 2023. The World Health Organization estimated in 2021 that nearly 40% of Lebanon’s doctors had left the country since October 2019, and it remains unclear how many additional physicians departed following the war between Israel and Hezbollah.

When Rabbi Avraham Feldman and his wife Mushky Feldman first visited Iceland in 2017, there was no established Jewish community.

Despite the fact that Jews have lived in Iceland for more than 100 years, the community was informal and word-of-mouth.

The Chabad-Lubavitch couple saw an opportunity to create a thriving hub of Jewish life in Reykjavik, and a year later, in 2018, they relocated to the island.

“Our first priority was just to connect with people on a personal level, on an individual level, and find out what people felt was missing,” Rabbi Feldman told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday.

He referred to the community as “very diverse, in a beautiful way” with Jews from different backgrounds and levels of observance (something which continues to today). The couple was told there were about 50-100 known Jewish locals at the time, but said: “it was never about the number for us.”

‘Every individual a whole world’

“Every individual is a whole world,” he told the Post. “You give an individual or a family an opportunity to have something Jewish, and it means so much to them.”

When word spread of the new shluchim, it became apparent that there were “many Jews who were not known to other Jews.”

People started reaching out to the Feldmans, and they can now safely say they know a few hundred Jews in Iceland.  

Of course, when the Feldmans first arrived, there was no Jewish center nor synagogue. To start with, the couple worked out of their home, and then from temporary spaces like hotel meeting rooms.

In 2022, they purchased a small building and spent the next two and a half years working on plans and permits to create a Jewish center there. However, around the time of the permits coming through, the Feldmans came across an even better, much larger building, and decided to purchase it.

“We realized that the larger space would open up so many more opportunities, and more room for things that were really necessary. We had to ask ourselves, do we stay with the small dream, or do we expand it to something really special?”

The 9000 square meter site has now been transformed into the Beit Shvidler Jewish Center of Iceland: the first Jewish Culture House in Iceland’s history.

Three-stories high, it houses a Judaica shop, a space for a kosher cafe or restaurant and a gallery of Jewish life in Iceland. There are plans to build a mikveh in the original building purchased in 2022.

Feldman stressed that the exhibit – which is almost ready – is not just about the Holocaust, but about Jewish life and “is structured in a way that you come out inspired.”

“It’s been an incredible journey,” Feldman told the Post. “It was a team effort, so many people have got involved to make this happen.”

Some events over the last 8 years stand out to Feldman as particularly memorable.

One was the public hanukkiah lighting in 2018, which was the first ever public celebration of Judaism in Iceland. Another key memory is the completion of the sefer torah in February 2020. This was the first-ever completion and inauguration of a Torah scroll on the European island.

The last few letters of the scroll were filled out by members of the community. After this, the scroll was wrapped in its traditional mantle and paraded down the central streets under a chuppah. Jews and non Jews alike came to watch.

“How moving to see the scroll being paraded down Laugavegur, Reykjavik’s main street,” Feldman said at the time. “And how beautiful to watch as the community gathered at the gala reception, with dignitaries and guests, along with the Krauss family and their friends, and celebrated this momentous occasion in Icelandic – and indeed, Jewish – history.”

A year later, in 2021, Iceland formally recognized Judaism as a religion. This in turn permitted Jewish marriage, baby-naming and funeral ceremonies to be civically recognized.

‘We are writing the Icelandic chapter in the story of the Jewish people’

Most recently, in the spring of 2025, the prime minister of Iceland officially recognized Holocaust Remembrance Day, making her the first head of state in the country’s history to do so.

However, while all poignant memories, the “greatest dream” has been the building, he said.

“We have had really great experiences,” Feldman told the Post. “The majority of people are kind and welcoming; we feel lucky to be in Iceland.”

As a visibly Jewish person, Feldman is often recognized in public, and says people stop him in the store to ask questions and express curiosity.

“Their knowledge of Jews is limited, but people are curious and interested,” he said, adding that some “say beautiful things.”

He also praised the good relationship of the Jewish community with city officials, government officials, and the police.

On the occasion of the center’s opening, various political figures wrote moving letters to the Jewish community.

Thórunn Sveinbjarnardóttir, speaker of the Althing, wrote, “For the first time, the Jewish community in Iceland has a place of its own in which to gather, to learn, and to celebrate, and to pass its traditions and heritage on to future generations. It reflects the dedication of all who worked to bring it about, and it is a welcome addition to the life of our nation.”

The Prime Minister of Iceland wrote to them, calling it an “historic occasion” and “an important milestone for the Jewish community and for Icelandic society.”

“It will be a place for culture, learning and dialogue, enriching our community for years to come,” she said.

“This is exactly the kind of place the Rebbe [Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson] envisioned when he spoke of ahavat yisrael, giving every Jew the chance to connect with and celebrate their Judaism,” continued Feldman.

“Together, we are writing the Icelandic chapter in the story of the Jewish people.”

Braden Eric Peters, known online as Clavicular, left a Monday interview midway after being pressed by Channel 13’s Bar Shem-Ur about his recent antisemitic incidents, which involved being kicked out of a club in January alongside the white supremacist Nick Fuentes for singing Ye’s “Heil Hitler.”

The American content creator was speaking about how he was “having a great time in Tel Aviv” when Shem-Ur asked him if he “came here to apologize.”

Clavicular then explained that he and his team came to Israel to “explore Tel Aviv, and kind of show that it is a really fun city, because there are a lot of misconceptions about it.”

“When you look up online for Mikonos, Ibiza, or frequently summer spots for Europeans, you see tourists things like clubs and great things in the city to do. But when you look at Israel, obviously it’s stuff about war, when in reality it’s a really fun city,” he said.

“Came to show everyone that this is the reality of Tel Aviv,” he added. He was then asked if he knew about the online comments about his visit and what Israelis thought about him coming to the country, to which he answered, “Everyone is talking about what we are doing that is good, so for you to start the interview in a negative manner doesn’t really make sense.” 

Clavicular: ‘Why don’t you talk about how much I do for this country’

After being pressed about the antisemitic incidents that were reported back in January, he asked, “Why don’t you talk about how much I have done for this country’s reputation? Because it’s in outer shambles.”

“You go on TikTok, on any social media page, the amount of propaganda and misconceptions is what’s doing the real damage, not anything I’ve done. We are here, trying to set everything straight, even if I don’t have to be in Israel,” he added.

“This is the most ridiculous thing ever. I just woke up, and I don’t want to be talking to someone who is going to be rude. Because I’m here to do good things,” he said, claiming that Shem-Ur had to ask about the “good things he is doing so that there is no bad PR.”

When asked further about the online comments, he first said he didn’t understand Hebrew and then added that he didn’t have time to check everything with a translation tool. “I’m here for a good thing, and you are trying to drag me to the mud and damage my reputation. This interview is over,” he added before leaving the interview.

Not a PR firm, Shem-Ur says after failed interview

“So I got to interview the streamer Clavicular for our show “Hatzinor” on Channel 13. Contrary to what he and his supporters say, we gave him enough time to present his talking points. But we are journalists, not a PR firm,” Shem-Ur said in a post on X/Twitter.

So I got to interview the streamer Clavicular for our show “Hatzinor” on Channel 13. Contrary to what he and his supporters say, we gave him enough time to present his talking points. But we are journalists, not a PR firm. We don’t care who gave him money to come here. we want to… pic.twitter.com/9mchqxBx0F

— בר שם-אור Bar Shem-Ur (@Bar_ShemUr) July 13, 2026

“We don’t care who gave him money to come here. We want to hear the truth and find out if he really came here in good faith. We feel that he didn’t. Not apologizing while in Israel for singing ‘Heil Hitler’ just a couple of months ago is shameful,” he added.

He then explained that, during his visit, Peters was streaming while “talking trash to Israeli girls,” while he also lied during the interview about getting an apology from the club owner that kicked him out after the antisemitic incident.

“We don’t need people like this doing ‘Hasbara.’ In my view, cooperating with this kind of person is more damaging to Israel than helpful,” he concluded.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir on Monday battled with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz over the government’s plan to pass a law exempting haredim from arrest when they dodge their legal obligations under Israel’s existing military draft laws.

In a letter, which was clearly intentionally leaked to the media, Zamir warned Katz – though everyone knows that the defense minister is only acting as the prime minister’s lieutenant on such issues – that implementing such a law would create an array of national security problems, such that he opposes its implementation “completely and unequivocally.”

According to Zamir, such a law would decrease recruitment both from the haredi community and from the general Israeli population by delegitimizing the idea of the IDF as the “nation’s army” in which everyone is equally obligated to serve.

Next, the IDF should not be put in the position of judging which yeshiva students deserve an exemption and which do not, as it has no expertise in this area, its expertise being in fighting wars, he said.

Third, the IDF chief said that the anger and acrimony that such a law will create within the military will harm its cohesiveness at a critical time when it is on guard on several fronts and coping with historic gaps in troop levels because the government has failed for three-and-a-half years to recruit more haredim or to extend the mandatory and reservist recruitment laws.

In recent months, Zamir rocked the boat more privately when he warned the security cabinet that 10 red flags were going up about the IDF troop shortages coming up in January 2027, due to the government ignoring the issue.

However, Zamir’s leaking his letter to Katz publicly is a harsher broadside showing the growing anger, frustration, and concern inside the IDF high command about how the government is handling – or rather further undermining – the IDF in terms of future troop recruitment.

Israeli leaders echo Zamir’s words

In response to the contents of Zamir’s leaked letter, former Prime Minister and chairman of the Together Party, Naftali Bennett, praised the IDF Chief of Staff for his warning. 

“The Chief of Staff is once again warning of an impending disaster, and the October 7 government is choosing to ignore all the warnings,” he said. “The Chief of Staff’s letter proves that there are only two sides in this situation: the side of the IDF and our soldiers, versus the side of the Deri-Netanyahu coalition. There is no third side.”

Bennett then addressed the upcoming elections, stating that he believes the people of Israel will stand with the IDF and “send home the government that is working against IDF soldiers.”

Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar! Party, also responded to Zamir’s criticism of the current government. He stated, “This government led us into disaster with full awareness, while ignoring the warnings from the IDF Chief of Staff, the heads of security organizations, and members of the Knesset, including myself.”

Eisenkot further addressed the upcoming elections, saying, “The extent of the failure and the fear of election results have allowed this Knesset to serve its full term. Even in its final days, the Netanyahu government continues to cause damage by disregarding warnings.”

“We will repeal the politically motivated exemption laws when the next government is formed,” Eisenkot asserted.

The US military has used one-way attack sea drones during operations against Iran overnight, US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced. It was the first time that such unmanned surface vessels have been used in the ongoing war.

“CENTCOM forces struck Iranian military air-defense systems, coastal radar sites, missile and drone capabilities, and small boats using US fighter aircraft, naval vessels, one-way attack aerial drones, and one-way attack sea drones for the first time,” the command said.

CENTCOM has not made the sort of platform used in the operations public, but the command has been integrating several sorts of unmanned surface vessels (USV) in recent months.

Yesterday, using multiple one-way attack surface drones, CENTCOM forces successfully struck a submarine and ship maintenance facility in Iran. Three Corsair unmanned surface vessels hit the port at Bandar Abbas Naval Base, marking the first time American forces have employed sea… pic.twitter.com/bOM2kmgRxz

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 13, 2026

Last month a Corsair USV manufactured by Saronic was instrumental in the rescue of two US Army helicopter crew members after their Apache helicopter was shot down in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Oman.

The Corsair was under the operational lead of the US Naval Force Central Command (NAVCENT) and the 82nd Airborne Division with Task Force 59. Task Force 59 is NAVCENT’s Unmanned Systems Unit, and it is the Navy’s primary hub for integrating drones and AI‑enabled maritime platforms.

In April, CENTCOM announced that it would be sending underwater drones to help clear the Strait of Hormuz.

“Today, we began the process of establishing a new passage, and we will share this safe pathway with the maritime industry soon to encourage the free flow of commerce,” said Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of CENTCOM, was quoted as saying at the time.

The press release added that “The Strait of Hormuz is an international sea passage and an essential trade corridor that supports regional and global economic prosperity. Additional US forces, including underwater drones, will join the clearance effort in the coming days.”

During the war, The New York Times reported that Iran had started laying naval mines in the Strait, effectively closing off the critical waterway to international shipping. About 20% of the world’s oil moves through that important chokepoint, as well as 20% of the world’s liquefied natural gas. 

Iran is estimated to have between 2,000 and 6,000 naval mines, and upward of 80-90 percent of its small boats and mine layers, making it possible to lay hundreds of mines in the waterway. Iran reportedly lost track of the locations of mines deployed in the Strait of Hormuz and has no clear idea of where all the mines were placed.

USV marketplace

The US Navy has been building a family of USVs and recently replaced its Modular Surface Attack Craft (MASC) program for the medium unmanned surface vessel (MUSV) marketplace.

The requirements for the designs include that the unmanned vessels have a range of 2,500 nautical miles with a speed of 25 knots in rough sea conditions. Each vessel should be able to carry 25 metric tons of containerized payload to carry out a variety of missions including strike, ISR, and transport.

According to the US Navy, “the MUSV marketplace creates new opportunities for smaller, non-traditional shipyards to build our future fleet. This initiative represents a strategic shift in naval acquisition, designed to rapidly field unmanned technologies by leveraging mature, existing commercial solutions.”

The US Navy recently announced seven companies that will be advancing to the at-sea testing phase: Sea Machines, Leidos, Saronic, Galliano Marine Services, PacMar Technologies, Birdon, and Huntington Ingalls Industries.

The companies that successfully complete the at-sea testing, which will be completed by this coming October, will receive $15 million for follow-on production.

Kamikaze drones

In addition to USVs, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has directed the acceleration of the acquisition and fielding of affordable drone technology. In December, CENTCOM announced that it had “launched Task Force Scorpion Strike (TFSS) designed to quickly deliver low-cost and effective drone capabilities into the hands of warfighters.”

 The report says, “the new task force has already formed a squadron of Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) drones currently based in the Middle East.”

The V‑shaped LUCAS drones, developed by SpektreWorks, are reverse-engineered Shahed-136 Iranian drones that have been used extensively by Russia in Ukraine and by Iranian‑backed militias across the Middle East. The system was first used by CENTCOM in February.

The American LUCAS platform, which can be launched by various mechanisms including catapults, rocket-assisted takeoff, or mobile ground and vehicle systems, aims to be a low‑cost derivative designed for rapid production and deployment. 

While the US has not disclosed the full capabilities of the LUCAS system, the combination of Task Force Scorpion Strike on land and Task Force 59 at sea indicates a coordinated effort to build a regional drone strike network in a heavily contested region. 

Iranian officials spent the week of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s multi-day funeral reaffirming their commitment to the “Axis of Resistance,” according to a series of photos and statements released by Iran’s Foreign Ministry and state media throughout the week.

Muhammad Fneish, a US-sanctioned politician for Hezbollah, met with Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi in Tehran on July 4 and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf on July 5.

Hezbollah delegation meets Iranian leadership

While the press release on the Araghchi meeting mentioned only that the pair exchanged comments related to Hezbollah’s actions against Israel, its gratitude to Tehran for including Lebanon in the Memorandum of Understanding, and an exchange of condolences over assassinated leadership, the release on the latter meeting pushed that Hezbollah would continue its “Islamic and revolutionary duty” in the “resistant front.”

Sheikh Ali Al-Khatib, Vice President of the Lebanese Shiite Supreme Islamic Council, also met with Araghchi in Tehran last week, where the foreign ministry claimed the minister “stressed Iran’s commitment to pursuing an end to the Zionist regime’s aggression and occupation against Lebanon.”

Hamas leaders praise Iran’s role in ‘Resistance Front’

Photos published by the foreign ministry revealed senior members of Hamas present at the meeting, including Muhammad Ismail Darwish, the Qatar-based chairman of Hamas’s Shura Council.

After the meeting with Araghchi and Ghalibaf, Darwish told CNN’s Arabic service that Iran “will not make peace with America and will not recognize Israel,” and claimed that the parliamentary speaker reiterated his support for the “resistance front.”

Darwish, according to the foreign ministry, claimed that Iran’s successes in the war with the United States represented “the victory of the entire Resistance Front and Muslims.”

Houthi official reaffirms support for Iran

Ghalibaf also met with Mohammad al-Nuaimi, a member of the Houthis’ leadership, according to the semi-official Mehr News Agency, where the representative from the Yemeni group reportedly said the Houthis would remain in the “same trench” for the sake of the Islamic Ummah (global Muslim community).

“What happened in Iran during the recent war has become a school of thought for the entire Resistance Front,” he said.

The Gulf’s patience with Iran is being “tested” by the Islamic Republic’s continued attacks on Gulf states and maritime shipping, potentially pushing regional governments to consider “limited strikes” against the Iranian regime, Bahraini analyst Ahmed Alkhuzaie told The Jerusalem Post on Monday.

Alkhuzaie, Managing Partner at the Washington-based Khuzaie Associates LLC consultancy firm, said that “while outright offensive operations are not their default posture, the possibility of limited strikes, heightened maritime patrols, or covert actions cannot be ruled out if provocations continue.”

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) acknowledged on Monday they had attacked Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Jordan, claiming to have targeted US military facilities and assets in the countries. Iran has continued to launch attacks since signing the now effectively defunct Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Washington, significantly escalating its attacks in recent days.

The attacks came as Iran’s efforts to assert its control over the Strait of Hormuz, attacking vessels transiting through the Omani route and pursuing diplomatic talks promising favorable terms to those who accept its status, largely failed.

With the failed MoU and a deadlock over Iran’s attempted Hormuz grab, Alkhuzaie said that Gulf nations would calibrate their next steps “to avoid uncontrolled escalation” while also demonstrating their unwillingness to have their security concerns ignored.

“The strategic imperative for these states is to balance deterrence with stability, ensuring that Iran understands the costs of continued aggression,” he noted.

The Peninsula Shield Force, the joint military arm of the Gulf Cooperation Council, would likely be the key instrument of any collective action, he continued.

Shared military capacity, political solidarity in Gulf

“It represents not only shared military capacity but also political solidarity among Gulf states,” he said. “The force has been modernized over time, with capabilities ranging from ground troops to air and naval support, designed to respond to regional threats. Its existence means that Gulf states are not acting in isolation; they can mobilize a coordinated response that amplifies their deterrent power and signals unity in the face of external challenges.”

Outside the shield, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates also possess “leading military powers” capable of adopting a “collective deterrent posture,” while Kuwait, “though traditionally cautious in its foreign policy,” maintains a capable defensive force.

The US military presence across the Gulf further strengthens the states’ overall security architecture, Alkhuzaie highlighted. Oman can also leverage its geographic proximity to the Strait of Hormuz, while Bahrain provides pivotal maritime security support by hosting the US Fifth Fleet.

“Together, these nations form a layered security network that extends beyond sheer military might. Their collective geography, commanding chokepoints, coastlines, and airspace, adds strategic weight to any potential response,” he stressed. “Their political cohesion within the GCC, reinforced by the Peninsula Shield Force, ensures that even smaller states can amplify their influence through collective action.

“This unity, combined with external partnerships, means that the Gulf’s deterrent posture is not solely dependent on its largest members but is strengthened by the contributions and strategic positioning of all six states,” he added.

Though Yemen’s defense ministry admitted that its forces targeted a runway at the Houthi-controlled Sanaa International Airport to prevent an Iranian plane from landing, reports initially surfaced claiming Saudi Arabia had been responsible for the attack. Saudi Arabia is not among the countries targeted by Iran during the latest outbreak, though it had previously suffered civilian losses as a result of Iran’s aerial assaults.

Asked whether an attack on one of Iran’s proxies would strike a sufficient balance of responding to Iran without escalating, Alkhuzaie said Gulf states were “heading that way.”

“Our economies suffered enough… we can’t keep getting hit forever,” he reasoned.

Additional analyst speaks to ‘Post’

Mojtaba Dehghani, an Iranian analyst on Middle Eastern affairs, told the Post that he thought Gulf states would be more willing to “tolerate” Iranian attacks than their public statements would suggest, but their main concern is “preserving stability, investment confidence and the image that the Persian Gulf is still relatively insulated from a wider war” rather than their own personal image.

“I don’t think an open, unilateral military response by the Persian Gulf states themselves is the most likely scenario right now,” he said, predicting that a more likely outcome would be an “indirect and layered response” involving more coordination with the US, more air defense integration, intelligence sharing, and maritime security.

Dehghani added that Gulf states would likely continue to channel diplomatic pressure through Oman and Qatar, but would largely avoid being seen as leading a war against Iran.

“The threshold for a direct response would likely be much higher: large-scale casualties on Persian Gulf soil, a major hit on Saudi or Emirati energy infrastructure, a prolonged closure of Hormuz, or a clear sense that US deterrence is no longer working,” he outlined. “Until then, I would expect them to let Washington carry most of the visible military burden while they strengthen their own defenses.”

Though he acknowledged Gulf “tolerance is shrinking,” he said that it was unlikely that the Gulf would yet lead a response, preferring to continue to back the US actions in private.

“The difficult balance for them is that they need protection from Iran, but the more visibly they align with a harder US-Israel security posture, the more exposed they may become to Iranian retaliation,” he concluded.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) used “one-way attack sea drones for the first time,” according to a statement on Monday referring to a new round of strikes by the US against Islamic regime targets.

The US has been increasing its strikes on Iranian targets over the past week, in the wake of the Islamic Republic attacking several oil tankers on July 6-7. The US did not specify the type of “one-way attack sea drones for the first time,” but they are clearly an example of how innovative technology is being used at sea and improving drone warfare.

The campaign against Iran has now entered a cycle in which the US attacks dozens of targets at night, and the Iranians respond. There is a push to end this tit-for-tat. Qatar, for instance, is seeking to get both sides to de-escalate. This all comes in the wake of a ceasefire in April and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in June. What is important is that the US can also use new technology to confront the Iranian threat.

Yesterday, using multiple one-way attack surface drones, CENTCOM forces successfully struck a submarine and ship maintenance facility in Iran. Three Corsair unmanned surface vessels hit the port at Bandar Abbas Naval Base, marking the first time American forces have employed sea… pic.twitter.com/bOM2kmgRxz

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 13, 2026

One of the new technologies is in the realm of drone warfare. The US, especially CENTCOM, has been putting resources into new types of drones over the last few years. One realm of drone warfare is at sea. This doesn’t all involve defensive weapons. Drone boats, also called “unmanned surface vessels,” can be used for a variety of tasks.

It’s worth looking back at how we got here. Drone warfare has been increasing for decades. Aerial drones were pioneered in Israel and the United States. Used as target drones and for surveillance, these drones were eventually armed. The American Predator, for instance, was an early example of an armed drone.

Israel’s loitering munitions, such as the Harpy, are another example. As drone warfare developed in the air, it also became clear that it could have unmanned applications on land and at sea. On land, this consists of robots, either tracked or wheeled vehicles, or even things like robotic dogs.

At sea, drones are an obvious choice for navies. Naval ships are expensive, large, and take years to make. The US has faced a growing challenge at sea as it seeks to increase shipbuilding and also grapples with the outcomes of programs such as the Littoral Combat Ships that Washington poured money into.

Naval drones in the maritime battlefield

Naval drones offer a quick way to pivot into the new maritime battlefield. Some of the naval drones being developed are still under wraps. For instance, the new system the US used on Sunday does not appear to have been revealed to the public yet.

In 2021, Naval News noted that “the US Navy announced the commissioning of a Task Force 59, a new task force that combines manned with unmanned systems and artificial intelligence for maritime operations in the US Navy’s 5th Fleet area of operations, or US Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT).”  

The current head of CENTCOM, Adm. Brad Cooper, was, at the time, a vice admiral and commander of NAVCENT, US 5th Fleet, and Combined Maritime Forces, based in Bahrain, from 2021-2024. As such, Cooper played a key role in establishing Task Force 59 with Capt. Michael D. Brasseur, who became the first commodore of the Task Force.

“Task Force 59 aims to use unmanned air, sea, and underwater systems in an operational maritime environment to test, integrate, learn lessons from, and practice deployment and tactics for the NAVCENT,” Naval News noted at the time.

In November 2022, the US Navy noted that “US 5th Fleet began a three-week unmanned and artificial intelligence integration event in Bahrain, November 23, that will involve employing new platforms in the region for the first time.”

The US Navy added that “the event, called Digital Horizon, will advance the command’s efforts to integrate new unmanned technologies while establishing the world’s first unmanned surface vessel fleet by the end of next summer. US 5th Fleet’s efforts are focused on improving what US and regional navies are able to see above, on and below the water.”

Today, the fruits of all this work are paying off. In June, an unmanned drone boat rescued two crew members of an Apache that went down at sea. Now, the use of new naval attack drones is an important development. It is part of the broader trend toward greater use of unmanned systems at the edge of the battlefield.

The benefits of drone warfare

Rather than having people exposed to threats, sending in the drones can reduce casualties. This has already been clear in Ukraine. The US has been investing heavily in new, cheaper systems for this arena. The key to unmanned systems being used in the most dangerous parts of combat is that they need to be attritable, meaning they can be sacrificed.

In the case of one-way attack drones – essentially “kamikaze” drones – the whole point is that they are being destroyed. However, Western experience with these systems shows that the West invested in expensive cruise missiles in the past.

Now, the goal is cheaper systems that accomplish the same level of accuracy and deal the same amount of precision blows to the enemy. Anduril, for instance, has created the relatively low-cost Barracuda cruise missile. The US has also invested in the LUCAS (Low-cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System), which is modeled on the Iranian Shahed delta-wing style drone.

The overall sense one gets is that CENTCOM is now at the forefront, utilizing new innovative defense technologies on the modern battlefield. The conflict with the Islamic regime affords the US an opportunity to see how these new systems work.

CENTCOM said on Monday that it had “completed a new wave of offensive strikes against Iran on Sunday, hitting dozens of targets at multiple locations with precision munitions to degrade Iran’s ability to continue attacking international shipping flowing through the Strait of Hormuz.”

“US forces struck Iranian military air-defense systems, coastal radar sites, missile and drone capabilities, and small boats using US fighter aircraft, naval vessels, one-way attack aerial drones, and one-way attack sea drones for the first time,” CENTCOM added.

A person was killed on Monday in a shooting involving US Immigration agents in Maine, media outlets reported, days after a man was killed by a US agent during a traffic stop in Texas.

Media reports of the shooting in Biddeford, Maine, cited a post by Ryan Fecteau, Maine’s speaker of the House, on a personal Facebook page.

“This morning a shooting occurred in Biddeford. A person was killed. ICE was involved. State Police and the Department of Public Safety are now on scene to gather details and would expect the FBI to investigate as well,” Fecteau wrote, according to the reports.

Local media said authorities closed a road and local law enforcement were joined by FBI officials at a crime scene in Biddeford, a city of over 21,000 people, located 15 miles south of Portland and 90 miles north of Boston.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Department of Homeland Security officials could not be immediately reached for comment.

Second incident in days, protests sparked in Houston, Texas

Biddeford police did not comment and referred an inquiry to ICE, while the mayor did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

An ICE agent in Houston fatally shot a man identified as Lorenzo Salgado Araujoin last week while officers were trying to stop his vehicle, the agency said in a statement.

The shootings come in the midst of an escalating federal crackdown on migrants nationwide, with the Houston incident sparking protests.

The deans of Israel’s medical schools published a letter to Knesset members warning of the dangers posed by the proposed Gender Segregation Bill in Higher Education, Kan reported this morning.

The proposed bill “is a direct danger to the health of the citizens of Israel,” the deans wrote in the letter. “The approval of the law will make gender the determining factor in the training of medical staff, instead of the expertise of the lecturers.”

“The bill’s approval will lead to a loss of international recognition and appreciation of Israel’s institutions of higher education,” they added.

The deans continued, “Israeli doctors will not be able to go on a super specialty (fellowship) in the leading hospitals abroad, which will lead to a fatal blow to the availability and quality of specialist doctors in Israel.” 

Furthermore, they wrote that joint study is “an essential basis for adapting medical treatment to all populations.” Calling on Maimonides’ spirit, the deans said: “the medical system must see a person first and foremost, regardless of gender or status.” 

Knesset approves bill in second and third reading, pending plenum approval

Last week, the Knesset approved the bill on second and third reading. It will be put to a vote later this week.

The bill will permit graduate schools to offer gender-segregated study tracks, which are currently prohibited.

“Contrary to the misleading campaign against it, this law does not impose segregation on anyone – it expands freedom of choice,” Education Committee Chair MK Tzvi Sukkot said following the bill’s approval last week.

“Those who speak in the name of pluralism should also respect the religious and ultra-Orthodox public and allow them an equal opportunity to advance in academia.”

British counter-terrorism police officers are now leading the investigation into the suspected murder of former British government minister Ann Widdecombe in light of new information, interior minister Shabana Mahmood said on Monday.

Widdecombe, 78, was found dead at her home in rural southwest England last Thursday with what police described as “serious injuries.” She was a prominent member of Nigel Farage’s populist Reform UK, having left the Conservatives after she stood down from parliament in 2010.

Police arrested a white British man in Rotherham, northern England, late on Saturday on suspicion of her murder, and initially said there was not thought to be a terrorism link.

“Following new information and evidence, they (counter-terrorism police) are now leading on the investigation into the horrific murder of Ann Widdecombe,” Mahmood said on social media platform X.

“The police are pursuing multiple lines of inquiry to establish the motivation for this attack,” she said, adding that she would update lawmakers in parliament later on Monday.

Suspect rearrested on suspicion of acts of terrorism

The suspect has now been rearrested on suspicion of commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism, the BBC reported, citing counter-terrorism police.

Security for politicians is under scrutiny in Britain, as two serving British members of parliament have been murdered in the last decade.

Labor lawmaker Jo Cox was shot and stabbed by a Nazi-obsessed attacker during the Brexit campaign in 2016. Conservative lawmaker David Amess was stabbed to death in 2021 by a man inspired by the militant group Islamic State.

Widdecombe was known for her socially conservative views, first as a junior minister in Conservative Prime Minister John Major’s 1992 to 1997 government and latterly as an immigration and justice spokesperson for Reform UK. Tributes have poured in following her death from across the political spectrum.

She converted to Catholicism partly in protest at the Church of England’s decision to ordain women as priests. She was also known for her opposition to abortion and to equalizing the age of consent for homosexual and heterosexual relationships.

The High Court of Justice questioned on Monday whether there was any need to continue hearing a petition challenging tax benefits for donations to yeshivot attended by draft-eligible students who have not regularized their military status, after the state accepted the petitioners’ central legal argument and began implementing it.

Following a hearing lasting approximately one hour, Justices Dafna Barak-Erez, Gila Canfy-Steinitz, and Ruth Ronnen said they would issue a decision at a later date on whether the proceedings should continue.

The petition, filed by Israel Hofsheet [NGO founded 2009, advocates for religious freedom, civil rights, and cultural pluralism] against the Finance Ministry and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, challenges tax benefits granted under Section 46 of the Income Tax Ordinance, which allows donors to recognized public institutions to claim tax credits on their contributions.

Israel Hofsheet argues that the benefit amounts to indirect public funding and therefore cannot continue, after the High Court ruled in June 2024 that the state lacked authority to fund yeshivas in respect of students legally required to enlist.

Court questions need to continue petition

At Monday’s hearing, Barak-Erez pointed to Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara’s adoption of the petitioners’ position.

“Why, at this time, has the petition not exhausted itself?” she asked. “The question is not whether we have reached an ideal state, but whether at this time there remains anything to discuss.”

Attorney Hagai Kalai, representing Israel Hofsheet alongside attorney Gal Barir, replied that the petition had effectively been accepted, since the state now agreed that the institutions could not receive such indirect support.

A representative of the attorney-general told the court that, in light of its rulings, the state was not authorized to finance draft-eligible students who had not regularized their status, and was required to take all available steps to prevent such funding.

“You are essentially accepting the principled position presented by the petitioners?” Barak-Erez asked, noting that the answer also affected the procedural question of whether the case should continue.

The state representative said that although the tax benefit was formally granted to donors, it nevertheless constituted indirect support by the state.

“According to our position, there is no authority to provide such support,” she said. “The court ruled that the state is not authorized to continue supporting draft-eligible students who have not regularized their status.”

State begins implementing new policy

Baharav-Miara has instructed the Israel Tax Authority to implement a mechanism for identifying the relevant institutions. Yeshivot seeking to obtain, renew, or retain Section 46 recognition are being required to provide declarations and identifying information regarding their students.

The information will be checked against military records, after which the Tax Authority will determine each institution’s continued eligibility based on whether draft-eligible students enrolled there have regularized their status.

Smotrich opposed broadly revoking existing approvals because of the military status of students enrolled at the institutions, according to the state’s position submitted ahead of the hearing.

Israel Hofsheet argued that maintaining Section 46 recognition for those institutions would replace prohibited direct funding with an indirect subsidy delivered through the tax system.

The movement further argued that an institution facilitating continued evasion of legally required military service could not be considered a public institution entitled to the benefit and that maintaining its recognition would contradict the rule of law and public policy.

According to Israel Hofsheet, tax credits arising from donations to four yeshivot alone cost the state over NIS 24 million in 2023.

Israel Hofsheet welcomes state’s position

Following the hearing, the movement said the state’s adoption of its legal position and the beginning of its implementation represented a significant public and legal achievement.

“The hearing today illustrated what truly matters: The legal position we presented in the petition was accepted by the state,” Israel Hofsheet said.

It said the remaining question was whether continued judicial proceedings were needed to ensure that the policy was implemented, or whether the court could rely on the state’s assertion that it was already acting in accordance with the principles set out in the petition.

“We were pleased to see that our position was accepted and that there is no longer any question regarding what should have been clear from the outset,” Israel Hofsheet CEO Uri Keidar said.

“Section by section, shekel by shekel, we will block every attempt to continue subsidizing draft evasion with state funds. The time for equality has come.”

Beaufort Castle, whose name comes from the French beau fort, “beautiful fortress,” is a well-known Lebanese landmark.

It was a key objective when Israel invaded Lebanon in 1982 and became an IDF post that was chronicled in the 2007 film Beaufort, based on a 2005 novel.

The fortress dominates the area around it. It is part of Lebanon’s Nabatiya Governorate. It was recently captured again by Israel, this time taken from Hezbollah. The fortress is only a few kilometers from the border of Israel, but retaking the area was not undertaken in the early days of the conflict with Hezbollah.

Journalists recently visited Beaufort with the IDF. The numerous accounts paint a picture of an area used by Hezbollah. The terror organization, with Iranian funding and support, tunneled underground. Hezbollah’s tunnel system included operating rooms and numerous weapons. The tunnel system extends beneath the ridge the castle was built on.

In essence, though, Hezbollah used this area for the same reason the Crusaders did: it was a strategic location that dominated the surrounding terrain.

What was found in the tunnels near the castle appears to indicate a large-scale engineering project and substantial investment. Reports also indicate this system of tunnels would have taken many years to complete. The tunnels had to be cut into rock, not dug out from the sand, as in Gaza. This was complex.

What does the story of Beaufort teach us?

The site is a symbol, and it has been for decades. It’s a symbol of the wider challenge of southern Lebanon. Why was it taken in 1982? Because it was already being used by terrorists.

Lebanon has failed to secure this area for decades. In 1982, the excuse was that the country had fallen into civil war in 1976 and the terrorists had exploited this. At the time, Palestinian terrorist groups were the threat. After 1982, the threat became Hezbollah.

However, the Lebanese state was supposed to be rebuilt following the 1989 Taif Accords, which ended the civil war. When Israel left southern Lebanon in 2000, chronicled in the 2007 film, the Lebanese government was supposed to return. A key part of Lebanon’s return was supposed to be linked to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) deployment in southern Lebanon.

UNIFIL was created in 1978 after the Israeli Litani operation, which was yet another Israeli operation against terrorism in southern Lebanon. At the time of its establishment, the mission was primarily to monitor the Israeli withdrawal and help Lebanon reestablish its authority.

What happened? We know what happened. UNIFIL has never been able to do anything of substance in southern Lebanon. It had many opportunities.

You can find maps of the UNIFIL deployment online. For instance, an August 2024 map shows how UNIFIL carpeted southern Lebanon with various posts. One could be forgiven for looking at the map and imagining this was a robust force. There are symbols for dozens of units; there is even a naval component.

There are little military symbols for headquarters units, and for forces from Tanzania, Italy, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Korea, Ghana, Malaysia, Ireland, Poland, Spain, and other countries.

One might be deceived here because if you looked at a plan for Operation Overlord, the codename for the Allied invasion of France in 1944, the plans of Overlord look less complex than the UNIFIL deployment. Yet, Overlord actually accomplished something.

For all the dozens of unit symbols on the map of UNIFIL’s deployment, the organization doesn’t seem to have accomplished anything at all.

In fact, it may have been counterproductive because the illusion of UNIFIL meant that the international community could pretend Hezbollah wasn’t a problem. Hezbollah exploited the presence of UNIFIL to dig into southern Lebanon.

The Lebanese government also used the presence of UNIFIL to avoid its obligations. In essence, UNIFIL’s cover enabled Hezbollah to grow exponentially. Without the umbrella of excuses provided by the United Nations, Hezbollah might have had to be more reticent, and everyone couldn’t have turned to UNIFIL as an excuse to do nothing over the last decades.

What was accomplished by the presence of UNIFIL? It didn’t reduce Hezbollah’s presence.

The fact that in 2024 its deployment was still so robust and yet Hezbollah was attacking Israel every day is an example of how it didn’t do anything. If there had been no UN presence in Lebanon, would Hezbollah have been stronger? It is unlikely.

What does Beaufort have to do with this? Beaufort doesn’t appear to be in the UNIFIL zone, by virtue of the fact that it is situated to the north of the Litani River.

The villages on the other side were in the UN zone. For instance, Taybeh, Kfar Kela, and Deir Mimas. According to the 2024 deployment, the UN had a post north of Kfar Kela and another just west of the village.

They also had another post near Taybeh. These posts included a boundary that separated Spain’s units from Indonesia’s. The battalion boundary is south of Beaufort. Beaufort would have looked down on these UN areas.

Lebanon dragging its feet didn’t help, it ruined their lives

One might have thought that if the UN wasn’t responsible for the castle and the ridge it sits on, the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) might have had a post there.

I mean, if the Crusaders chose this area to overlook the surrounding region, then maybe the Lebanese Armed Forces would want to deploy there.

There is a tourist site there, so maybe it would be good to protect it? But no. The LAF didn’t bother to make sure Hezbollah didn’t control this area, either.

Herein lies the whole symbol of Lebanon in microcosm. A strategic and historic fortress. A well-known site. An area that had already been contested between Israel and terrorist groups since 1982.

And yet, neither UNIFIL nor the Lebanese government could prevent Hezbollah, with Iranian regime backing, from blasting tunnels into the area. Decades of work carried out by Hezbollah – with all sorts of weapons and machinery – and nothing was done. Since October 8, when Hezbollah began attacking Israel, it used this area to carry out numerous attacks.

Today, Lebanon is being asked to send its forces into several small pilot zones in southern Lebanon. It is being asked to do the most basic thing a state does: to control its own territory.

It isn’t like Hezbollah was running away from UNIFIL and the LAF in some complex cat-and-mouse. It was blasting tunnels into mountains under a major fortress that everyone knew about. This wasn’t in some hidden swamp somewhere that no one can find on a map.

The question now is whether Lebanon can finally step up and control its own territory. The Lebanese people have suffered from the failure of UNIFIL and Lebanon to do their jobs. Numerous villages have now been destroyed.

All the foot-dragging didn’t help the Lebanese; it ruined their lives. There is now an opportunity to avoid entering another cycle that began decades ago in the 1970s.

Will we have Beaufort redux again? Or will this be the end of it?

The UK government has designated Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) after attacks on the Jewish community and Iranian dissidents, Sky News first reported on Monday.

Ministers fast-tracked the National (State Threats) Bill 2026, as promised by the prime minister. The existing legislation to proscribe terror groups did not extend to state-backed groups.

As well as the IRGC, the UK is designating two other organizations: The Islamic Movement of Companions of the Right (IMCR), an Iran-linked militant group also known as Hakarat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya (HAYI), and the GRU Volunteer Corps (GRU VC), a network of Russian volunteer and proxy formations overseen by Russia’s military intelligence agency (GRU).

IMCR claimed responsibility for seven attacks against Jewish communities, journalists and Israeli-linked targets in the UK and Europe between March and May 2026, including the antisemitic arson attack on four Hatzola ambulances in Golders Green.

It will now be a criminal offense to invite support for, or express an opinion or belief that is supportive of, the IRGC IMCR and GRUVC; assist them in carrying out UK-related activities or engage in conduct likely to materially assist it; or accept or retain a material benefit provided by or on behalf of them.

Fight must continue against IRGC network

Some offenses carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

The Home Secretary concluded there is sufficient evidence to reasonably believe all three organizations are engaged in foreign power threat activity and that designating them is necessary to protect the UK’s safety and national interests. 

“That is not a decision to celebrate without asking why it took this long, but it is the right one, and I welcome it,” Roger Macmillan, a former director for the Iranian diaspora site Iran International, told The Jerusalem Post. 

“Proscribing the IRGC is the floor, not the ceiling. The real fight now is against the network around it: the front charities, the so-called Islamic centers and education centers that launder its ideology into British communities, the online broadcasters and the social media influencers who do Tehran’s work for it. None of that stops because one organization has been added to a schedule.”

Macmillan said proscription of the IRGC must now be matched with the political will and resources to support the Police and the Security Services to actively go after networks and bring people to justice, “not just designate an organization on paper.”

“Today is the right first step, many years too late. The hard work starts now.”

ZAKA, Israel’s volunteer emergency response organization which conducts search, rescue, and recovery operations, deployed an international response team to Venezuela following a direct request by Venezuelan authorities for aid from Israel, Israel’s Tazpit Press Service (TPS) reported last Tuesday.

The international response team was deployed to Venezuela on June 29, ZAKA posted on Facebook on Wednesday.

The team conducted search-and-rescue missions inside collapsed structures alongside the Venezuelan government and local authorities, TV7 announced last Tuesday. Meanwhile, ZAKA engineers evaluated whether damaged buildings appeared safe for residents to return to.

Volunteers from ZAKA also distributed tents, medicine, and non-perishable food to the people of Venezuela, and has brought down specialist physicians to assist hospitals swamped with patients. 

The organization is also helping assess land for a new residential neighborhood for families left homeless by the twin 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes, in which as many as 16,740 people were injured.

ZAKA worked alongside an Israeli response and aid delegation, including personnel from the Foreign Ministry, the IDF Home Front Command, and the National Emergency Management Authority, JNS reported on Wednesday.

Working with the personnel on-site in Venezuela was a team of 20 specialists based in Israel. The remote team has been helping prepare a long-term rebuilding plan for Venezuela. The plan has already been presented to Venezuela’s infrastructure minister, and Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, is expected to receive it in the days to come.

Alongside aid, ZAKA brings Venezuelans ‘light and hope’

Along the way, the team had not forgotten the importance of boosting people’s morale. Yosef Garmon, director of ZAKA in Latin America, told TPS that a Venezuelan man had asked ZAKA rescuers to recite psalms over his mother’s body.

“One local told us, ‘Other delegations may have brought more equipment or larger teams, but you brought the most light and hope,’” Garmon said to TPS. “To me, that is the essence of humanitarian work. We are not there only to rebuild buildings – we are there to help rebuild people’s spirit.”

Former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is under house arrest by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ intelligence arm after Iranian authorities uncovered a significant portion of his contacts with Israel, The New York Times reported on Monday, citing four senior Iranian officials.

For years, Israel conducted a covert operation aimed at recruiting Ahmadinejad as an intelligence asset and, at a later stage, even planned to install him as Iran’s leader following the overthrow of the regime, according to an extensive New York Times investigation.

According to the report, one of the operation’s more unusual stages took place in early 2024, when a senior Hungarian government official asked Gergely Deli, rector of the Ludovika University of Public Service in Budapest, to invite Ahmadinejad to a conference on climate change.

Deli said he was told that the conference would in fact serve as cover for secret talks between Ahmadinejad and Israeli intelligence officials. Despite concerns about potential damage to his own reputation and that of the university, he agreed to invite Ahmadinejad because he believed that if “you have two enemies, and if these enemies want to talk with each other, then it’s best to do what you can to make them talk.”

Former American officials said that former Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) head David Barnea personally traveled to Budapest in order to meet with Ahmadinejad.

Israel made payments to Ahmadinejad

In the years that followed, Israel made several secret payments to Ali Akbar Javanfekr, a spokesman for Ahmadinejad, and Israeli agents met with him several more times before the beginning of Operation Roaring Lion.

In February, the New York Times reported, Ahmadinejad’s home compound was hit by an Israeli airstrike targeting his bodyguards and armored car, after which he was picked up by Mossad operatives and taken to a secret safe house. He eventually left the safe house for unclear reasons, and was not seen again until making an appearance at former supreme leader Ali Khamenei’s funeral.

According to senior Iranian officials, he has been taken into custody by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ intelligence wing, and placed under house arrest.

Mossad officials and Ahmadinejad’s spokesman Javanfekr declined to comment to the New York Times.

Ahmadinejad motivated by power, not money

According to Abdolreza Davari, a former advisor and associate of Ahmadinejad, the former president would not have worked with Israel for money.

“He has money; he has a wide economic network. He would do it for power. He wants to be at the helm of power,” Davari told the New York Times in a phone interview.

Another associate said that Ahmadinejad had spoken about his ambitions to become Iran’s new ruler with the help of foreign powers, and had been concerned that a war would cause the US and Israel to choose a destabilizing figure instead.

After being disqualified three times in Iran’s presidential race, the associate added, Ahmadinejad had become distrustful of the Iranian system.

He had also expressed frustration and resentment with members of the Iranian regime, such as Khamenei. His associate told the New York Times that he had stated in the past that, if he returned to power, he would normalize relations with Israel through the Abraham Accords.

Explosions were heard around Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency reported on Monday afternoon, citing local news sources and residents.

The explosions may be the result of “clashes” taking place in the strait, Mehr alleged.

Later in the afternoon, Mehr claimed that the US had attacked the city of Abadan in southwestern Iran, reportedly killing two and injuring three.

The reported explosions came hours after US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that American forces had completed a wave of strikes against Iran in the early morning hours of Monday.

CENTCOM hits dozens of Iranian targets

In a statement on X/Twitter, CENTCOM stated that the strikes were intended to degrade Iran’s “ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships freely transiting the Strait of Hormuz.”

CENTCOM also stated that they had hit dozens of targets across multiple cities, including Iranian military air defense systems, radar sites, small boats, and missile and drone capabilities.

In response, Iran had launched attacks against US military infrastructure across the region, triggering sirens in Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait. 

Goldie Katz contributed to this report.

Hours before the Likud Constitution Committee was set to convene, Likud Supreme Court member Attorney Yitzhak Bam issued an unusual ruling criticizing the party’s handling of its primary rules process, ordering the movement’s legal adviser to respond by 3 p.m. Monday and leaving open the possibility of an emergency hearing later that evening. 

The ruling came in response to three petitions filed with the court over the previous 24 hours. 

One petition, submitted by Yehuda Sharper and others through Attorney Harel Arnon, seeks to delay the vote on the primary election rules.

A second, filed by MK David Bitan through Attorney Yifat Yefet-Meirovitz, concerns the draft rules he submitted, requests a postponement of the vote, and challenges the eligibility of New Hope members to participate in the ballot.

A third petition, submitted by Tzvial Rubin through Attorney Aviad Reichman, calls for the 2022 primary rules to be included among the alternatives to be considered before the convention.

The petitioners argue that the Constitution Committee failed to comply with the court’s July 3 ruling and the extension it was later granted. Although the convention is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, the draft primary rules have not yet been published, and convention delegates have not received the proposals they are expected to vote on.

In his ruling, Bam wrote that “despite the court’s decision… the Constitution Committee has still not completed its work,” adding that the draft rules should have been ready by Sunday to allow delegates sufficient time to review them.

“We have reached July 13, and there is no draft rules proposal, and the Constitution Committee meeting is scheduled for midday,” he wrote. “It is difficult to accept this reality. The convention is the body that approves the rules, and not a blank stamp.”

The ruling suggests that convention delegates must be given sufficient time to examine competing proposals before voting, raising questions over whether presenting a final version at the last minute would undermine the convention’s role.

Demand to keep 2022 primary rules

At the center of the petitions is the demand that the 2022 primary rules remain in force if the Constitution Committee does not complete its work on time. Alternatively, the petitioners seek to allow the convention to consider proposals that were not examined by the Constitution Committee.

Bam also asked the movement’s legal adviser to address whether the convention could vote separately on disputed issues rather than choosing between complete rules packages.

Under such a framework, delegates could separately decide issues including the number of reserved slots allocated to party chairman Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whether incumbent Knesset members may compete in district races, and other provisions governing the structure of the primaries.

The court also requested clarification on whether such a procedure would be permitted under the Likud constitution.

The ruling also addresses Bitan’s proposal, asking the legal adviser to examine whether it could be brought directly before the convention if the Constitution Committee declines to discuss it.

Such a move could allow Bitan to present his proposal without the backing of Constitution Committee Chairman Haim Katz or its inclusion in the committee’s final draft.

Bitan’s proposal calls for primaries among all party members, nine electoral districts, and five reserved slots for Netanyahu in the second, sixth, 16th, 39th and 48th positions on the party list. It also includes a mechanism guaranteeing female representation in each of the first five deciles, along with additional representation provisions.

Bitan’s petition also seeks to postpone the vote and challenges the eligibility of former New Hope members to participate in the convention, an issue that could affect the composition of the electorate and the outcome of the vote.

Reserved slots for the party chairman

Bam additionally revisited the issue of reserved slots for the party chairman, writing that while previous disputes focused on the number of reserved positions, the practice itself may raise constitutional concerns.

According to Bam, the number of reserved slots has grown with each primary cycle, potentially conflicting with the Likud constitution, which serves as the party’s governing document under the Parties Law.

He noted that he had previously been in the minority on the issue but added, “I fear the line has been crossed,” signaling that the court may eventually have to address whether expanding the chairman’s quota requires a formal constitutional amendment.

At this stage, the court has not halted the Constitution Committee’s work or issued an injunction. Instead, it ordered the movement’s legal adviser to submit a response addressing all the petitions by 3 p.m. Monday and instructed the parties to prepare for an emergency Zoom hearing later that evening.

The legal dispute comes as Likud leaders remain deadlocked over the party’s primary rules despite days of negotiations involving Netanyahu, Katz, Bitan and other senior party figures.

Several competing proposals remain under discussion, including a primary model with additional reserved slots for Netanyahu, a proposal incorporating a selection committee, the so-called “triple method,” and Bitan’s plan.

The court’s ruling could ultimately affect not only the timetable for approving the rules, but also which proposals reach the convention and how delegates vote on them.

America has lost one of the greatest pro-Israel political leaders in its history.

Senator Lindsey Graham was more than a statesman. He was a man of unwavering conviction, uncompromising moral clarity, and extraordinary courage. At a time when too many politicians measured every decision by polling data, Lindsey Graham measured his decisions by principle. He understood that there is a difference between what is popular and what is right, and he never apologized for standing on the side of freedom.

Without question, he was one of the greatest friends the Jewish people have ever had in the United States Senate. He also understood something that too few leaders grasped: the Persian people are not the enemy. The tyranny of the Islamic Republic is the enemy. Lindsey Graham believed the Iranian people deserved liberty, and he believed America had a moral obligation to stand with Israel against the forces of terror.

Few individuals possessed both the confidence and the ear of US President Donald Trump. Lindsey Graham was one of those rare people. He could speak candidly to the president because their relationship was built on trust, loyalty, and mutual respect.

In many ways, he was a Daniel to President Trump’s Cyrus, a trusted counselor who understood both the gravity of history and the importance of decisive leadership.

That relationship was evident even in their final days together. Trump was preparing to fly to Israel, yet before making that journey, he chose to spend additional time golfing with Lindsey Graham. That simple decision spoke volumes. It revealed a friendship that extended far beyond politics. It reflected a bond that few people ever shared with the president.

I believe Lindsey Graham’s death will impact Trump more deeply than the passing of anyone else during his presidency. Political allies come and go. Advisors change. But trusted friends who have stood beside you through battles, victories, criticism, and history are almost impossible to replace. Lindsey Graham was one of those men.

I had the privilege of calling Lindsey Graham my friend. He attended the US Embassy Gala that I hosted, and over the years I came to respect him not only for his political leadership but for his character. He was gracious, thoughtful, courageous, and utterly committed to the principles he believed would make America stronger and the world safer.

His legacy will not be measured only by legislation passed or speeches delivered. It will be measured by the lives he influenced.

Today America mourns the loss of a great senator. Israel mourns the loss of one of its strongest defenders. Countless friends mourn the loss of a loyal companion whose word could be trusted and whose convictions never wavered.

Some voices become quieter with time. Lindsey Graham’s will not. His challenge to confront evil, defend freedom, and finish the work that remains will continue to echo long after his passing.

May God comfort his family, strengthen his friends, and grant President Trump wisdom as he carries forward the burden that his trusted friend believed must never be abandoned.

The writer has written 120 books and is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and Nobel Peace Prize nominee. He is the founder of the Friends of Zion Museum in Jerusalem, the Ten Boom Museum in Holland, and Churches United with Israel, one of the largest Christian Zionist networks in America.

The University of Oxford has launched the first human trial of a vaccine against Bundibugyo ebolavirus, seeking to accelerate efforts to combat an outbreak spreading in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.

The early-stage trial, known as BD-Ebov, will evaluate the safety and immune response of the ChAdOx1 BDBV vaccine in 50 healthy adults aged 18 to 55 in Oxford, the university said on Monday.

Recruitment has begun, with vaccinations expected to start in the coming weeks pending regulatory approval.

The vaccine was developed by scientists at Oxford’s Vaccine Group and Pandemic Sciences Institute using the same viral vector platform as the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 shot.

Serum Institute of India, which is partnering on the program, said it manufactured and stockpiled about 620,000 doses of the vaccine candidate within two weeks and supplied 4,000 investigational doses for the early-stage study.

WHO recommends prioritizing vaccine

In May, the World Health Organization recommended prioritizing the ChAdOx1 BDBV vaccine, alongside a single-dose candidate known as rVSV Bundibugyo, being developed by the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, for clinical evaluation as part of the response to the ongoing outbreak.

The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations said it would initially invest up to $8.6 million for the development of the shot.

Preparations are also under way for additional clinical studies in Uganda, subject to regulatory approval, through partnerships including the Medical Research Council/Uganda Virus Research Institute and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Uganda Research Unit.

If the early-stage trial is successful, CEPI said it would work with Oxford and Serum Institute to support late-stage studies needed to seek emergency-use authorization or full regulatory approval.

The partners said they aim to ensure rapid and affordable vaccine supplies for affected countries.

German hospital treats US Ebola patient infected in Congo

A US citizen infected with the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo was admitted to Frankfurt University Hospital early on Monday, officials said.

The patient arrived at the hospital’s special isolation unit at around 3 a.m. after contracting the Bundibugyo variant of the Ebola virus in Congo, the hospital said.

The US CDC said on Friday that a US citizen working for a humanitarian organization in Congo had tested positive for the Bundibugyo Ebola virus.

“The patient’s condition is currently stable,” said Timo Wolf, head of the special isolation unit.

An official with the Christian aid group Samaritan’s Purse confirmed to Reuters that the patient, in his 60s, was a full-time employee serving as a warehouse manager in Congo.

“He received early treatment, and I am hopeful he’s going to have a good outcome,” he said, expressing gratitude to the US State Department for arranging for early treatment and evacuation.

The hospital said there was no risk to the public or other patients, as the individual is being treated in complete isolation in a unit separate from the rest of the facility.

The admission comes as the number of confirmed Ebola cases in Congo rose to 1,926, including 702 deaths, with the outbreak spreading to two new provinces, Haut-Uele and Tshopo, the country’s public health institute said on Monday.

In June, a US citizen treated in Berlin after contracting Ebola in Congo was discharged from Charité hospital.

“It should be noted that in general, the MKs from the ultra-Orthodox parties avoid submitting proposals for basic laws – in other words, participating in constituent activity – and this is based on principles.

“MK Avraham Ravitz (Torah Judaism) explained the reason during the debate in second reading of Basic Law: Human Dignity and Liberty on March 17, 1992: ‘We, the religious Jews, already have a constitution, which is the Torah […] therefore, I object on principle to a [Knesset legislated] constitution…’

“MK Arye Deri (Shas) repeated this position in other words on February 19, 1996, within the framework of the debate on Basic Law: Legal Rights, Basic Law: Freedom of Expression and Association, and Basic Law: Social Rights (none of which were passed): ‘Even if you were to bring the Ten Commandments as a basic law by the Constitution [Law and Justice] Committee, I would vote against it. I do not know what your hidden intentions are. I do not know what you are conniving together with the Supreme Court Justices to do to us.’”

This paragraph appears on page 55 of my book on the job of Israel’s Knesset Members, published by Routledge in 2021. However, the names of all seven MKs currently serving from Torah Judaism appear on the bill of Basic Law: Torah Study presented to the 25th Knesset for first reading, as published in the Official Gazette on July 1, 2026. 

Though none of the Shas MKs are among the presenters of the bill, Shas is expected to vote for it should it come to the Knesset Plenum later this week for second and third readings.

First of all, the two quotes presented above are from the time of the Labor premierships of Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres, when the Israeli legal system entered a period of judicial activism, and underwent what came to be known as a “constitutional revolution,” largely associated with the name of Supreme Court Justice Aharon Barak – two developments abhorred by the haredi (ultra-Orthodox) leadership.

At the time, Benjamin Netanyahu served as leader of the opposition on behalf of the Likud. He was first elected as prime minister on May 29, 1996. Since then, he has served intermittently as prime minister for 17 years, in the course of which he developed close relations with the haredi parties, who served in five of his six governments, and on whom he relies increasingly to remain in power. 

Secondly, the reality within which the haredi parties operate has changed drastically, especially regarding the integration of the haredi population into Israeli society in general, and the conscription of haredim to military service in particular.

Since the outbreak of the war against Hamas on October 8, 2023, and the additional battles in the Middle East that followed, the IDF is experiencing severe manpower shortages, currently estimated at 12,000-15,000 annually.

Besides prolonging the mandatory service of those already enlisted, and of reservists, who are already overstretched, the only way to fill the ranks is by means of those who currently shirk military service altogether, who are predominantly from the haredi population.

As a result, arrests of haredim who are considered shirkers of service (based on the existing law) have grown in number. The haredim have proposed various pieces of legislation to deal with this issue – so far unsuccessfully. Basic Law: Torah Study is part of this effort, though it differs from the rest in that it is proposed as a basic law to curtail the Supreme Court’s ability to negate it.

The original bill read:

“1. Study of the Torah is a basic value in the legacy of the Jewish People.

“2. The State of Israel, as a Jewish state, considers the encouragement of the study of the Torah and the students of the Torah to be of supreme importance, and with regards to the rights and duties of those who take upon themselves to devote themselves to the study of the Torah for a prolonged period, to be equivalent to [the rights and duties] of those who serve the State of Israel and the Jewish People significantly.”

‘Those who serve the State of Israel and the Jewish People significantly’ refers to those who serve in the defense forces.

What further distinguished this law from most of the other legislation proposed by the haredi parties is that it constitutes part of the current quid-pro-quo offered by Netanyahu to the haredi parties, in return for their support for the passing of laws to set up a political committee to investigate the events that led to October 7; to split the attorney general’s position into two separate jobs; and to weaken the free press (especially that which criticizes the current government). 

Netanyahu also wishes the haredi parties to promise to remain in his political bloc after the approaching general elections.

Opposition to the bill

Finally, the bill for the new basic law, which was approved by the Knesset House Committee for second and third reading last Thursday, included Article 1 from the original bill, while Article 2 now reads: “the goal of this Basic Law is recognition of Torah Study as a basic value in the State of Israel, to create a balance of justice vis-à-vis all the other basic values in the state.” In other words, the law will be purely declarative.

The main argument against the original wording of Article 2 was that since it offered haredi Torah students equal rights to those of serving military personnel, it would end up costing the state vast sums of money. In addition, it raised major opposition from various groups in the population, who feel it would discriminate against them.

An example of this was the outburst in last Thursday’s House Committee meeting by a group of IDF veterans with PTSD, against the haredi MKs present, who argued that with all due respect for the Torah, while haredim who shirk military service are being offered massive financial benefits, their own needs, as disabled veterans, are being neglected.

Strong opposition was also expressed by women’s organizations, which argued that the law applies only to men, since it is designed for students of haredi yeshivas, which by definition exclude women.

In fact, what this law means by “Torah study” includes only haredi students at haredi yeshivas who are engaged almost exclusively with religious issues, and most of whom have very little, if any, general education. It does not include the students of national religious yeshivas. It does not include bible studies within the Conservative and Reform movements. 

It does not include academic studies of the Torah. It does not include anyone who views Torah studies as a chapter in the study of Jewish history, and cannot ignore the fact that not everything written in the Torah tallies with known historical facts and archeological findings.

Of course, “Torah study” does not include the question of who wrote the Torah – Moses at the behest of God (as the haredim and others believe), or numerous anonymous authors who labored over the task over decades, and perhaps even centuries. 

This approach started to gain attention in the 17th century and concentrated on differences of style, duplications, and contradictions appearing in the Torah.

It is reasonable to assume that the basic law as currently worded will be approved before the 25th Knesset goes out to its election recess. What will come of it after the upcoming October elections? That will depend on its results.

The writer has written journalistic and academic articles, as well as several books, on international relations, Zionism, Israeli politics, and parliamentarism. From 1994 to 2010, she worked at the Knesset Library and the Knesset Research and Information Center.

Two days before his death, US Sen. Lindsey Graham was in Kyiv discussing Russian sanctions, Ukraine’s air-defense needs, and the future of American support. It was his 10th visit to Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, and the South Carolina Republican appeared to be following the same routine that had defined much of his career: travel to an allied country, meet its leaders, return to Washington and push their case inside Congress and the White House. 

Graham died Saturday aged 71 following what his office described as a “brief and sudden illness.” His office did not immediately disclose an official cause of death.  

His death removed from the Senate one of its most visible champions of US military power and close alliances, including strong support for Israel and Ukraine and pressure on Iran. In Jerusalem, Israeli leaders treated his death not simply as the loss of a supportive legislator, but as the end of a political relationship that they had come to rely on. 

US President Donald Trump called Graham “one of the greatest people and senators I have ever known,” describing him as a tireless worker and “a true American patriot.” Senate Majority Leader John Thune emphasized Graham’s military service and his belief that American strength could be used to support democratic allies abroad. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster remembered him as a relentless fighter for both his state and the country, saying, “We shall not see his likes again.” 

Graham spent years developing ties with Israeli political and security officials

The most personal statements came from Israel, where Graham had spent years developing ties with political and security officials. “Lindsey understood that the security of Israel and America are inseparable,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. “Israel has lost one of its greatest friends. America has lost a great patriot. I have lost a beloved friend.”  

President Isaac Herzog described Graham as “a beacon of moral clarity” and a central figure in the US-Israel partnership, while Defense Minister Israel Katz recalled how the senator repeatedly returned to Israel after the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023. 

The tributes crossed Israel’s normal political divisions. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said Graham had been “the best senator and the best friend.” Opposition Leader Yair Lapid recalled Graham less as a Washington power broker than as a man with humor, warmth and a genuine affection for Israel. 

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said Graham had stood with Israel during the country’s hardest months. Former Defense Minister Benny Gantz pointed to a different part of his record: his work on security and on efforts to bring Israel closer to Arab states. 

Graham’s bond with Netanyahu was well known, but it did not define all his ties in Israel. He kept in touch with politicians who opposed the prime minister and returned to the country often enough to build relationships of his own. Several of those officials had dealt with him directly for years, which helps explain why the tributes came from both within and outside the government. 

Marc Zell, chairman of Republicans Overseas Israel and a vice president of Republicans Overseas, told The Media Line that he had interacted with Graham for almost 30 years, beginning when Graham was still serving in the House of Representatives. Their paths crossed at Republican National Committee meetings, party conventions, and during Graham’s visits to Israel. Zell described him as “one of the most courageous, outspoken, and articulate proponents of the American-Israel strategic alliance” in American politics at the time. 

Zell also credited Graham with influencing Trump’s approach to Israel after the two men developed a close political relationship following the 2016 election. “I think his passing, really a sudden passing, is going to be a major loss, not only for Israel, but for the American people, the Jewish people and the world at large,” he said. Zell said the alliance itself should endure, pointing to Trump and other supporters of Israel in Congress, but he questioned whether Graham’s successor could match his effectiveness as a public advocate.  

Elie Pieprz, director of international relations at the Israel Defense and Security Forum, said Graham’s value extended beyond speeches and public expressions of solidarity. What set him apart, Pieprz said, was his willingness to remain focused on a problem long after other politicians would have claimed success and moved on. “Relentless is probably the word that I would say,” he told The Media Line.

Pieprz pointed to the Taylor Force Act as perhaps the clearest example. The legislation, named for an American military veteran killed in a 2016 Palestinian stabbing attack in Tel Aviv, restricted certain forms of US assistance benefiting the Palestinian Authority (PA) unless it ended the so-called “pay-to-slay” payments to imprisoned terrorists and the families of terrorists killed in the attempt. Graham was one of the leading congressional figures behind the measure and continued pressing the issue after it became law. 

According to Pieprz, Graham was not satisfied with formal Palestinian assurances that the payment system had been changed. He continued examining how the money was distributed and whether the PA was finding ways around the restrictions. Most politicians, Pieprz said, prefer to identify a problem, announce that it has been resolved and take credit. Graham was prepared to return to the same issue when implementation failed or when officials attempted to disguise what had changed. 

That persistence, Pieprz argued, also characterized his approach to Iran, Ukraine and other foreign-policy questions. He did not adjust the facts to fit an announcement of success and was willing to criticize leaders from his own party when he believed a policy left an ally exposed. 

Graham’s access made that independence more consequential. Pieprz said very few senators could openly disagree with the White House on a major national-security issue and still expect their arguments to be heard. Graham had that ability with Trump, while also maintaining a relationship with Netanyahu built over many years. “Very few senators had the ability to have their voice penetrate the White House, particularly voices that on occasion could be critical,” Pieprz said. 

That combination became especially visible in Graham’s approach to Iran. He supported Trump but did not hesitate to challenge diplomatic arrangements he considered insufficient. He consistently advocated strong pressure on Tehran, defended military action against Iranian-backed organizations and warned against agreements that he believed could leave Iran capable of threatening Israel. Zell cited Graham’s criticism of the recent memorandum of understanding with Iran as an example of a lawmaker whose loyalty to the president did not require silence on security policy. 

Sen. Graham’s positions generated a sharply different response in Iran. Iranian state television announced his death in openly hostile terms, describing him as an anti-Iranian warmonger. The reaction reflected years of anger over his support for sanctions, military pressure and opposition movements seeking to end clerical rule. Reza Pahlavi, the exiled Iranian opposition figure, offered the opposite assessment, calling Graham a steadfast friend of the Iranian people and noting that some Iranian opposition supporters had affectionately referred to him as “Uncle Lindsey.” 

Pieprz recalled one episode that illustrated how Graham operated in person. During a bipartisan Senate visit to Israel before the COVID-19 pandemic, members of the delegation traveled to the Gaza border and later gathered at Jerusalem’s King David Hotel. Pieprz recalled that the group had endured a long day and was speaking cautiously about the issues it had encountered. Graham eventually stated his position directly, without the diplomatic language others were using. 

‘He just understood the dynamics so well’

The other senators did not necessarily share Graham’s politics, Pieprz said, but they accepted that his interpretation of the situation was correct. “He just understood the dynamics so well,” he said. By the end of the discussion, there was a sense among the delegation that Graham “had it right.” For Pieprz, the episode showed both his command of the subject and the respect he could command from colleagues who did not normally follow his political lead. 

According to Pieprz, Graham’s eventual place in the US-Israel relationship was not obvious at the beginning of his congressional career. He had not arrived in Washington with the profile of a foreign-policy specialist expected to make Israel a defining cause. The commitment developed over time, Pieprz said, as Graham traveled more often, learned the country and became increasingly involved in its security debates. “The more he got into the issue, the more he embraced it,” he said. “Eventually, it became a part of him.” 

Graham developed that understanding through repeated visits. Pieprz said the senator knew Israel in a way that was difficult to gain from briefings in Washington or occasional congressional travel. “He understood the country, understood so many things about it,” he said. “And that’s very hard to replicate.” His familiarity with Israeli leaders, security concerns and regional politics allowed him to speak with an authority that came from years of direct contact rather than from a single committee assignment. 

His final visit abroad showed that the same approach extended to Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said their meeting focused on additional pressure on Russia, diplomatic efforts, urgent air-defense requirements and arrangements discussed with Trump concerning Patriot systems. After Graham’s death, the Ukrainian president called him “a true defender of freedom and the values that make our world safer.” Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna and Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys also remembered Graham as a supporter of Ukraine and NATO’s eastern members. 

Graham’s path to the Senate was shaped as much by family responsibility as by politics. He grew up in Central, South Carolina, and was the first in his family to finish college. After both of his parents died while he was still young, he helped take care of his younger sister. He later worked as a US Air Force lawyer and remained in military service through the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, retiring as a colonel after more than 30 years. South Carolina voters sent him to the US House of Representatives in 1995 and elected him to the Senate eight years later. 

His alliance with Trump developed later. Graham had been one of Trump’s harshest Republican critics during the 2016 primary campaign, but the relationship changed after the election. He became a regular White House ally and one of the senators able to speak directly with the US president. That access did not always produce agreement, and Graham occasionally challenged the administration in public, particularly over foreign policy. Sen. Graham retained enough independence to object publicly, but enough access to continue making his case directly. 

Pieprz said that part of Graham’s influence may survive through the national security advisers who worked in his Senate office. Over the years, he watched staff members enter Graham’s orbit and emerge with a deeper command of foreign policy and a similar view of American and Israeli security as closely connected. Some may now carry pieces of that approach into other positions in Washington, he said, even if no single lawmaker can reproduce Graham’s role. 

“To think that someone could replace that is, frankly, not likely,” Pieprz said. Instead of one figure able to move between Jerusalem, Congress and the White House, he predicted that the work would now be divided among several people. “It’ll take a little bit more effort on Israel’s side.” 

Dozens of suspects were arrested on Monday morning for trafficking in illegal weapons and drugs, following a long-term undercover operation, the success of which hinged on “The Nomad,” the first Bedouin undercover agent handled by Israel’s Lahav 433 crime-fighting unit. 

During his time undercover, the Nomad was party to dozens of arms deals and drug deals, purchasing four illegal M-16 rifles, dozens of handguns, and about 500 grams of cocaine. Working undercover, he gathered intelligence and evidence on illicit transactions that had previously been very difficult for law enforcement to trace. 

Lahav 433 commander, Deputy Commissioner Meni Binyamin, explained that “deploying an undercover agent deep within criminal networks enabled us to gather significant evidence, expose an extensive criminal infrastructure, and deliver a substantial blow to illegal firearms and drug traffickers operating across the country.” 

Dozens arrested across Israel as Operation Nomad transitions into the overt phase

The covert phase of Operation “Nomad” culminated in hundreds of Israeli military and law enforcement officials raiding dozens of targets across Israel on Monday morning, including in Rahat, Tel Sheva, Bir Hadaj, Arad, Dimona, Eilat, and east Jerusalem. Dozens were arrested, including 20 central figures in Israeli organized crime.

Israel Police Commissioner Daniel Levy said that Operation Nomad “once again demonstrates that there is no place where criminals can consider themselves beyond the reach of the Israel Police.”

“The undercover operation, together with the professional work of Lahav 433 investigators, operational units, and our partner agencies, led to the exposure of dozens of suspects and the disruption of illegal firearms and drug transactions that could have cost lives,” Levy added.

‘Pursuing crime and not allowing it to rear its head’

“This is what proactive, aggressive, and determined police looks like,” National Securty Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir announced about the operation.

“Hundreds of police officers and fighters simultaneously raiding dozens of targets and reaching arms and drug dealers – this is exactly the policy we are leading,” he said.

“Moving from defense to offense, pursuing crime and not allowing it to rear its head. I commend the Police Commissioner, the commander of Lahav, the Lahav 433 police, the Border Police fighters, and the special units for their professional and determined activity. We will continue to give the police the tools and backing to strike crime with all our might.”

Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.

Melissa came to South Africa 10 years ago and took whatever work she could find, sending money home to her parents in Zimbabwe. This month, she started packing.

“I am planning to go back home, because I’m no longer safe in this country,” she told The Media Line. Many of those leaving are here legally, she added. “Some of us have papers, but now we are forced to go.”

Melissa is among tens of thousands of foreign nationals who have left South Africa as anti-immigrant protests, sporadic violence, and fears of further unrest have spread. What began as a domestic confrontation over immigration has become a diplomatic challenge for a country whose post-apartheid foreign policy has placed Pan-African solidarity at its center.

Ghana, Mozambique, Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Nigeria have helped citizens return home while raising concerns about their safety. By early July, Malawi said it had brought home more than 38,000 nationals, while Zimbabwean authorities reported that more than 60,000 citizens had returned during the unrest and intensified immigration enforcement.

Anti-immigrant groups set June 30 as a deadline for undocumented foreigners to leave following weeks of attacks and confrontations. Mozambique said violence in Mossel Bay killed five of its citizens in late May. Ghana and Nigeria separately raised concerns over deaths of their nationals, while thousands of migrants lined up at consulates, temporary camps, and repatriation centers.

‘We just want people to be in the country legally’

March and March, the most visible group within a coalition of more than 20 anti-immigrant organizations, mobilized demonstrations across South Africa on June 30. Its leader, Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, has repeatedly rejected the description of the movement as xenophobic.

“We don’t care if it’s white people, Chinese or anyone else,” Ngobese-Zuma said at a June 24 media briefing in Midrand. “We just want people to be in the country legally.”

President Cyril Ramaphosa met protest organizers before June 30 and urged them to pursue their demands lawfully. In a June 29 weekly letter published by the Presidency, Ramaphosa acknowledged that South Africa’s immigration system required “substantial reform” and said the government was strengthening border management and enforcement against undocumented immigration. He also warned that private groups could not assume the powers of the state.

Police and soldiers deployed nationwide on June 30.

Deputy National Police Commissioner Tebello Mosikili told a July 1 press conference that police recorded 120 marches. Of those, 108 remained peaceful, while 12 required police intervention.

In Johannesburg’s Alexandra township, police said one person died in a shooting late on June 30 as residents looted foreign-owned spaza shops. A shooting in Hillbrow, in inner-city Johannesburg, wounded two people. Police arrested more than 900 people on charges ranging from public violence and robbery to immigration violations and harboring undocumented migrants.

On July 3, Ramaphosa informed Parliament that 3,405 members of the South African National Defense Force had been deployed from June 28 to support police.

The unrest has also raised questions about how South Africa’s domestic tensions fit with its longstanding Pan-African foreign policy.

Chrispin Phiri, spokesperson for the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), told The Media Line that the government does not view the unrest as evidence that the country has abandoned those commitments.

“Our commitment to the continent remains foundational to our foreign policy identity,” Phiri said. “We do not see our historical role as a champion of Pan-African solidarity as diminished by localized tensions, but rather as being tested.”

DIRCO views the unrest, he said, “not as an ideological failure of Pan-Africanism, but as an urgent domestic governance issue that requires a human-rights-centric response.”

Evidence of broader changes in South African politics

Since the end of apartheid, Pretoria has sought influence through the African Union (AU) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), while presenting human rights and international law as pillars of its foreign policy.

Loren Landau, a migration scholar at the University of Oxford and the University of the Witwatersrand, told The Media Line that he viewed the marches less as a referendum on immigration than as evidence of broader changes in South African politics.

“My greatest takeaway from the marches and the lead-up to them is that they are less about immigration and more about the nature of South African politics,” Landau said, “and the degree to which it has become captured by people willing to use the language of hate, threats of violence, and actual violence to shape the country’s political future.”

“Politicians who lack genuine or practical solutions to economic inequality, poverty and unemployment are using immigration to advance their political careers,” he argued.

Phiri said the government is seeking to resist populist appeals while protecting the country’s regional standing.

“As Minister Lamola has recently articulated, we reject populist or xenophobic narratives that seek to turn Africans against each other,” he said. “Our standing relies on our ability to openly confront these internal social challenges while remaining steadfast in the AU and SADC agendas.”

Ronald Lamola, the minister of international relations and cooperation, expressed that position in a May 8 statement after Ghana requested a debate at an African Union summit on what Accra described as xenophobic attacks against African nationals in South Africa.

XenoWatch, a project at the University of the Witwatersrand, has recorded 1,321 xenophobic incidents since 1994, including 698 deaths and the displacement of nearly 129,000 people.

John J. Stremlau, an honorary professor of international relations at the University of the Witwatersrand, told The Media Line that political pressure for stronger immigration enforcement could not simply be dismissed.

“We live in a world of nation-states,” he said. “South Africa has experienced an inflow of people who are desperate for work. South Africa remains one of the most unequal societies in the world, so political pressure to restrict illegal immigration is understandable.”

“Personally, I wish South Africa could afford to receive more refugees, but it can’t,” he added.

For Stremlau, economic and political pressures do not excuse attacks on migrants.

“The violence itself is not understandable,” he said, tracing part of the political climate to Zulu nationalism and figures including former President Jacob Zuma and his MK party.

Concerns over the deaths of two Nigerian citizens

The diplomatic friction has been sharpened by competing accounts of deaths involving foreign nationals.

Nigeria raised concerns over the deaths of two citizens in separate incidents involving South African security personnel in April. In early May, Nigerian Foreign Affairs Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu called the deaths “utterly condemnable and unacceptable” and demanded justice.

South African police said on July 7 that one of the men, Nnaemeka Matthew Andrew Ekpeyong, collapsed after officers arrested him during a drug-related operation at his Pretoria apartment. Police said the death was unrelated to anti-migrant violence. The Independent Police Investigative Directorate is investigating, and South Africa has asked Nigeria to submit evidence concerning allegations against its security forces through diplomatic channels.

Ghana has also disputed South Africa’s account of a death involving one of its citizens. Ghanaian authorities said Bashiru Isak, 40, was killed in Cape Town during the period of the June 30 protests and called for an independent investigation.

South African police said they had no record of a Khayelitsha murder matching Ghana’s description and requested further details. Police said the Ghanaian killing they were investigating involved Kwabena Boagen, 35, who was shot June 29 in Nyanga, outside Cape Town. They described the case as suspected extortion-related violence rather than a xenophobic attack.

Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi has said police records showed no deaths during the June 30 demonstrations.

Phiri confirmed that DIRCO had received formal communications from several African governments over the safety of their citizens.

“Receiving these concerns is standard diplomatic practice during periods of social friction,” Phiri said. “We welcome this direct engagement, as it allows us to counter disinformation with verifiable facts about our domestic stabilization efforts.”

On July 7, Accra postponed high-level bilateral meetings with South Africa that had been scheduled for August.

Ghana’s minister of state for government communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, told Reuters that anti-migrant violence risked overshadowing the meetings, which Ghana was due to host and Presidents John Dramani Mahama and Cyril Ramaphosa were expected to co-chair.

Phiri rejected reports portraying the postponement as a diplomatic “snub” of Ramaphosa.

“We want to explicitly correct the record here. There was no ‘snub.’ Neither the Presidency nor DIRCO requested a formal state visit that was subsequently declined by Accra,” he said. “We recognize that relations have experienced some strain due to broader concerns over anti-immigrant rhetoric on the continent.”

He added that Lamola remained in “continuous, constructive communication with his Ghanaian counterpart to strengthen our historical bilateral bonds.”

The diplomatic concern predates the June 30 demonstrations. In May, African ambassadors and high commissioners stayed away from South Africa’s Africa Day celebration.

The marches also did not end the anti-immigration campaign. Ngobese-Zuma had promised weekly demonstrations for six months, and protesters returned to the streets in Johannesburg, Soweto, and Durban on July 9.

Only state authorities have the power to arrest, deport, or determine immigration status

According to Reuters journalists in Alexandra, protesters entered or attempted to force open homes and businesses while searching for suspected undocumented migrants, removing some people and handing them to police.

Those taken included a Malawian woman carrying a child. A Zimbabwean man told Reuters that he had legal status under the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit.

Some flyers promoting the July 9 demonstrations advertised a “peaceful march” followed by “door to door.”

The government has repeatedly said that only state authorities have the power to arrest, deport, or determine a person’s immigration status.

South Africa’s migrant population is deeply embedded in construction, agriculture, retail, and transport. United Nations data from 2024 estimated that 2.6 million international migrants lived in South Africa, about 5% of the population. A 2018 study by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development and the International Labor Organization estimated that immigrants contributed about 9% of the country’s gross domestic product.

Landau said the reputational damage could affect South African companies operating elsewhere on the continent.

“South African businesses will find it harder to operate because their brand has been damaged,” he said. “Many countries now have alternatives, and I think they will increasingly choose non-South African options where possible.”

Landau called the June 30 security deployment “unfortunately necessary,” but said authorities had allowed tensions to build through a prolonged lack of response.

“It came after a long period of non-response,” he said.

The longer-term answer, he argued, requires negotiation “about how migration can strengthen the regional economy for everyone.”

Pretoria, meanwhile, is intensifying immigration enforcement. Kubayi said at a July 12 briefing that 53,449 foreign nationals had been processed for deportation or repatriation as of the previous day. Authorities deported 4,898 people in June.

Melissa has already made her decision. After 10 years in South Africa, she is preparing to return to Zimbabwe.

“My family calls me every day and tells me to come home as soon as I can,” she said. “So now I’m going back to Zimbabwe and starting over. I know it won’t be easy. Even finding work there is difficult.”

Hamas October 7 mastermind Yahya Sinwar believed Israel might respond to the invasion by using nuclear weapons against Gaza; a new document that he wrote by hand on August 24, 2022, has been revealed to the public on Monday.

This latest document was disclosed by the Amit Terrorism and Intelligence Research Institute as part of an ongoing series of rolling reveals of Hamas documents captured by the IDF during its counter-invasion of Gaza.

Prior documents revealed by the Amit Institute or the IDF in October 2025 or earlier were also written by Sinwar and addressed similar topics, with one even written on the same day, but this document goes into the nuclear weapons scenario in the most depth.

Israel would, in any case, mount a powerful response

In an overlapping document, Sinwar warned that the window of opportunity for achieving the surprise effect of the invasion was six to ten hours, during which Israel’s ability to launch a counteroffensive had to be impeded. 

Sinwar then added in the currently revealed document that Israel would in any case mount a powerful response, and he did not rule out the possibility that it would use nuclear weapons. 

“Defense plan: The enemy will not hesitate to use all the means and weapons at its disposal, not only through attack but also by other means,” Sinwar wrote in the document. “It may even use a nuclear bomb. But first it will be surprised by the attack and descend into chaos. As an additional precaution, a popular operation should be organized to return to the villages and symbolically reoccupy them. This campaign is a battle of life or death, and there will be life, with Allah’s help.”

Despite his concern that Israel using nuclear weapons in response to an invasion was a real risk, “he did not abandon his messianic vision and emphasized that it would be a ‘battle of life or death,’ even if the price was the destruction of the Gaza Strip,” wrote the Amit Institute.

Secret Hamas internal documents

The new document also discussed an invasion force of up to 10,000 Hamas fighters for over 200 Israeli communities and IDF outposts, whereas later versions of the plan and the actual invasion involved around 2,000 Hamas terrorists in the first wave, a similar number in the second wave, and a disorganized additional around 1,600 untrained Gazans in the third wave, for a total of around 5,600 invaders.

Systematically deceiving Israel into complacency

On June 18, new secret Hamas internal documents which IDF intelligence had provided to the Amit Institute were provided exclusively to The Jerusalem Post.

An analysis by the Amit center included six documents viewed by the Post, showing the progression of Hamas’s secret plans 2022-2023 to systematically deceive Israel into complacency so as to surprise the IDF during the October 7, 2023 invasion.

Although much is already known about Hamas’s deception, these original documents had not previously been viewed by the public and revealed a variety of new pieces of color in the puzzle of Hamas’s strategy and tactics.

One document was from September 13, 2022, and was titled “Building a Strategic Deception Plan Which Will Be the Basis for a Surprise Attack by Hamas on Israel.”

“De facto authorities” invaded and assaulted staff at the Abu Rashid food distribution point in Jabalia on Saturday, United Nations Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Dr. Ramiz Alakbarov complained on Sunday, while notably failing to name Hamas in his statement.

Hamas terrorists invaded the warehouse, operated by the World Food Programme (WFP), and assaulted two drivers who were delivering humanitarian supplies, according to the UN.

Asserting that he “strongly” condemned the incident, Alakbarov acknowledged there was a “dangerous pattern of intimidation, violence and obstruction, including smuggling attempts, targeting and abusing humanitarian operations” being carried out by the “de facto authorities.”

Though Hamas went unnamed in the statement, Alakbarov labeled Israel’s expansive control of the territory as a major threat to humanitarian supplies in the Palestinian territory.

“The expansion of areas under Israeli control is further reducing the space available to civilians, making it imperative that humanitarian assistance is able to move safely and reach people in need without interference,” he wrote. “Under international humanitarian law, all parties must respect and protect humanitarian personnel, facilities and relief supplies, and refrain from actions that obstruct humanitarian operations…”

“The people of Gaza have already endured immense suffering. They cannot be subjected to further delays or disruptions in the delivery of life-saving assistance. I reiterate that humanitarian organizations must be able to carry out their work safely, independently, impartially and without fear of intimidation or violence.”

COGAT condemns incident as part of Hamas intimidation

The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) also condemned the incident, noting that it is part of a pattern of intimidation employed by the terror group.

According to a UN report, on Saturday (11 July), Hamas terrorists forcibly entered a food distribution site operated by the World Food Programme (WFP) in the Jabalia area, forcing the suspension of food distributions that had been providing daily assistance to thousands of…

— COGAT (@cogatonline) July 13, 2026

“This constitutes further clear evidence that Hamas cynically exploits the humanitarian space and the aid intended for the residents of the Gaza Strip for its own purposes,” COGAT wrote. “The facts are clear: humanitarian aid is entering the Gaza Strip. Hamas is the party undermining the distribution mechanisms, seizing humanitarian aid, and preventing it from reaching the civilian population.”

Petitioners seeking the release of 14 Gaza doctors held by Israel asked the High Court of Justice on Sunday to order the state to file a detailed medical update on Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, saying the state had failed to answer grave allegations that he was beaten in detention and left close to unconscious.

The filing, submitted by Physicians for Human Rights Israel and lawyers for the detainees, came in response to the state’s request that the petition be dismissed. The state has argued that the doctors’ detention orders were issued under the Unlawful Combatants Law, after officials reviewed classified intelligence specific to each detainee, and that their release could harm state security.

Abu Safiya, a pediatrician and director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, has been held by Israel since December 2024. His case has drawn growing international attention, including calls by UN bodies and medical professionals for his release or for independent medical access. Israel has said Abu Safiya had ties to Hamas and that Kamal Adwan Hospital was used for Hamas activity, while PHRI has argued that he and the other doctors are being held without charge despite Gaza’s severe need for medical personnel.

Yonah Jeremy Bob contributed to this report.

This is a developing story.

The Iranians are not going to give in this time, Dani Citrinowicz, an Iran researcher and expert on the Shiite axis at the Institute for National Security Studies, told Gideon Oko and Amichai Attali on 103FM.

“In the end, the campaign we set out on to weaken the Iranian regime and deny it the ability to reach nuclear weapons is currently focused on an event that was not the event before the war,” Citrinowicz said. “The Strait of Hormuz was open before the war, and right now the main focus in the current confrontation is the attempt to control or decide who will have control of the Strait of Hormuz.”

“On the Iranian side, I do not identify any desire to retreat. I think the Iranians will go all the way in this case; this is the price they need to pay to preserve control of the Strait of Hormuz, and even if it continues like this, they will not give in, so it presents Trump with a dilemma of whether to back down in the end. I do not see any willingness to compromise on the Iranian side.”

On the current campaign, he clarified: “We are in a campaign over control of the Strait of Hormuz, and neither side is willing to give in. The Americans are issuing ultimatums to the Iranians to open the strait; in response, the Iranians close it; in response, the Americans strike, and the Iranians respond.”

“The event can end either if one side backs down, or if there is an agreement between Iran and Oman, or something that regulates passage in the strait, or the events will spiral out of control. And as we discussed yesterday, right now the strikes are aggressive, but the geographic location and the nature of the targets are such that each side probably wants to preserve the option of returning to negotiations,” he explained.

“As long as this continues at this intensity, it will probably be difficult to maintain the framework, since the sides do not want further escalation and are currently focused on the Strait of Hormuz. Right now the sides are under some kind of rules of engagement, but it can definitely get out of control,” he added.

US attacks will not prevent Iranian strikes

According to Citrinowicz, the American strikes are intended to weaken the Iranian threat in Hormuz, while the Iranians have marked their own red line.

“There are conflicting reports that the Americans are continuously striking Iran’s ability to harm the Strait of Hormuz, control facilities, radars, launch facilities, and in response the Iranians are broadly attacking US bases in the Gulf area; they are not attacking in the UAE and not in Saudi Arabia. It should be said that most of the strikes are located in southern Iran and in the coastal area, meaning an attempt to weaken Iran’s ability to hit tankers.”

“That will not prevent them from striking, because to stop a tanker from passing you need one missile, and that is the main problem. Still, regarding petrochemicals, the Iranians made clear that if there is damage to infrastructure, they will respond by striking infrastructure,” Citrinowicz pointed out.

He added that from the American perspective as well, US President Donald Trump may be trying to preserve room for a deal. “Maybe from the American side too, Trump is saying, ‘I can hit all the bridges, but I am not doing it,’ because I want to preserve the chance of an agreement, so let us see whether these reports are true, because if they are, the Iranians will necessarily respond against infrastructure in the Gulf area,” he said.

Citrinowicz later said the confrontation could last a long time: “This could accompany us for a long period, days, even weeks. Last week there were reports that the American goal is to conduct a campaign for weeks until the Iranians weaken or surrender. The problem is that we are in the Middle East; events can spiral out of control. We are in a situation where the sides are fighting, each wants to preserve sovereignty and the ability to control the straits, they do not want to cross lines and allow negotiations. Behind the scenes, the Qataris and the Omanis are working hard to prevent escalation, but if there were damage to petrochemical facilities, that would change the situation for the Iranians. Right now the sides do not want to escalate, but this could accompany us for many long days and weeks.”

He also gave his view on possible Israeli involvement in the next steps. “Israeli involvement is what would widen the campaign. I do not think there is a desire in Washington for Israel to enter the event, because it would turn into a regional event that would make it very difficult for the Americans to return to negotiations. I am sure Netanyahu is not unhappy with what is happening now; everything depends on Trump.”

Iran advancing nuclear enrichment program, expert asserts

In addition, Oko asked the expert whether Iran is continuing to advance its nuclear ambitions during this period. “Is Iran taking advantage of the period to move forward on nuclear matters?”

Citrinowicz replied: “In satellite images, it is absolutely clear that Iran is preparing something, certainly in enrichment-related contexts.”

Oko asked: “You can really see it in the pictures?”

Citrinowicz explained: “When you look at the actions Iran is taking in that area, a new enrichment facility that Iran has reported, it may be harder to strike than Fordo. Iran is doing things there. This is a troubling event because we lack oversight. We have been without oversight for a year, in a situation where the International Atomic Energy Agency… we need to be concerned. What matters is the nuclear issue, and that is where attention needs to stay all the time.”

Finally, Oko asked about uranium and the possibility that Iran is advancing toward military-grade nuclear weapons production. “There are pictures showing that Iran has gone back to enriching uranium?” Citrinowicz answered firmly: “You can see in the images that work is being done in the area. We need to focus on what is being done in Iran’s nuclear program. What is happening according to the satellite images is something that should concern us very much.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on the recommendation of security officials, has instructed the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) to investigate the alleged leak of the start date of Operation Roaring Lion to an unnamed media outlet.

During a recent cabinet meeting, Shin Bet chief David Zini clarified that the matter could be investigated, but it would be difficult because so many people were privy to the secret, adding that the chances of uncovering the truth were low.

Following the meeting, the prime minister issued another directive to investigate the matter and present the findings to him.

After an internal review by the Shin Bet, the agency’s legal advisers determined that Netanyahu’s directive required the opening of an investigation.

It was also determined that, since there was no intention to question journalists about the leak, but only members of the defense establishment, there is no need to obtain the attorney-general’s approval. Instead, the investigation could be based on Netanyahu’s directive and the powers granted to the intelligence agency.

Sealing leak within defense establishment

“Without confirming the accuracy of any particular report, it should be clarified that investigations into leaks of classified information are opened under the authority and at the discretion of the Shin Bet chief, only after an orderly process involving the agency’s professional and legal officials, and pursuant to the Shin Bet’s statutory responsibility to prevent leaks of classified information from the core of the defense establishment,” the Shin Bet said in a statement.

The agency further stressed that the purpose of the investigation is to seal the breach within the defense establishment.

“Any attempt to attribute professional decisions made by the Shin Bet chief in order to fulfill the agency’s mission to discussions held with one person or another is entirely without foundation,” it added.

“The decision regarding the need for a leak investigation was made by the Shin Bet chief long before the meeting in question took place. It should also be noted that the Shin Bet chief periodically meets with journalists from a wide and diverse range of media outlets.”

US officials outraged over reported intel. leak

On Saturday, Walla learned that the reported leak had prompted criticism among US officials, who criticized Israel’s conduct regarding information security and voiced their anger about the situation during conversations with their Israeli counterparts.

The Defense Security Authority (MALMAB), after being asked by Defense Minister Israel Katz to provide its thoughts on the matter, also recommended that it be investigated.

The announcement came against the backdrop of Channel 14 commentator Yaakov Bardugo revealing on Galei Israel radio that he had met with Zini and his aide to advance an investigation into the leak to Channel 12 News about the war with Iran.

It was further claimed that Zini subsequently asked Attorney-General Gali Baharav Miara for immediate approval to open an investigation into the matter.

Nearly half of Israelis (46%) and half of Jews (50%) believe that more pressure should be applied to enlist young haredi (ultra-Orthodox) men into the IDF, a July poll by the Israeli Society Index of the Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI) revealed.

Approximately 31% support conscription only with the agreement of the haredi leadership, and 11% believe that efforts to draft haredi men are futile and should stop.

Generally speaking, the index showed a stark political divide on the issue, with right-wing respondents preferring a haredi-approved compromise (59%), while the center and left demanded sanctions on the haredi population at 73% and 79%, respectively. 

Likewise, Likud supporters show a 75% favor towards compromise, while Yisrael Beitenu strongly favors sanctions at 84%.

Among the haredi population itself, 45% agree that conscription could be possible if the leadership agreed, while 15% support sanctions.

Haredi anti-draft protests compared to anti-judicial reform protests

The poll also gauged public perception of the haredi anti-draft protests specifically in relation to protests against judicial reform.

Approximately one-third of respondents (32% of the public at large and 36% of Jews) believed that, because the prior anti-judicial reform protests had been allowed to block public roads, the haredi anti-draft protests should also be allowed to.

On the other hand, 39% of respondents, including 53% of secular respondents, said that the haredi protests are “unjustified protests which must be stopped.”

“It turns out that the main consideration by which Israelis choose their position even on this existential issue is political interest. The right prefers a continued alliance with the Haredi, and the center and left, which are not politically supported by the Haredi, believe that sanctions are necessary,” said Professor Yedidia Stern, president of the JPPI.

“When the decisive factor is purely political, and not substantive, the solution seems further away than ever,” he added.

The JPPI Israeli Society Index survey was conducted by the index panel and Afkar (in the Arab sector). The data is weighted according to voting patterns and religiosity so as to represent the position of the entire Israeli public. The JPPI Israeli Society Index is compiled by Shmuel Rosner and Noach Slepkov; research and production by Yael Levinovsky; statistical consulting by Prof. David Steinberg.

France will summon the Russian ambassador to Paris in the coming days over an alleged cyberhacking campaign that Russia has carried out against European countries, including France, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said on Monday.

He added France would also place sanctions on some Russian individuals and entities.

“Today, we will publicly condemn a widespread cyber campaign conducted by Russia that aimed to carry out sabotage and spying against a dozen countries,” Barrot told BFM TV.

“We will summon the Russian ambassador to France in the coming days,” he said.

He added that France would sanction nine Russian individuals and four Russian entities regarding this campaign of cyberattacks that Barrot said Russia’s Federal Security Service had orchestrated.

Similarly, Germany’s foreign ministry said in a statement on X on Monday that it had summoned the Russian ambassador after European countries blamed Russia for cyber campaigns targeting them.

The ministry said cyberattacks against Germany, EU partners and Ukraine were unacceptable and would be met decisively, including with additional sanctions.

The European Union is trying to seal a 21st package of sanctions against Moscow in response to Russia’s war with Ukraine and may on Monday decide to add further names to its sanctions list, the European Union’s foreign policy chief said.

The French government has previously accused Moscow of conducting cyberattacks against the country.

UK targets Russian cyber networks with new sanctions

Britain on Monday announced a new package of sanctions targeting Russian cyber networks, which it blamed for trying to sow chaos and division across Europe.

“Today’s action targets 24 individuals  and entities behind the destructive cyber and hybrid operations, including cybercriminals  involved in proxy networks linked to the Russian Intelligence Services,” the government said in a statement on Monday.

“This includes sanctioning GRU senior leadership figures Vyacheslav Stafeyev, Ivan Senin and Ivan Kasyanenko for their role in directing GRU cyber and hybrid threat operations.”

Election season in Israel has officially begun, and the 25th Knesset will become the first time since 1988 that elections have been held after a full four-year term.

Here are the important dates you need to know in the lead-up to the big day.

July 17: Knesset dissolves

On Friday, the 25th Knesset will dissolve, ending its term. This does not mean that no one will be working, as Knesset members must continue to serve until the first session of the newly elected Knesset takes place.

Similarly, the government will continue to serve until a new one is established, even if that takes longer than forming a Knesset.

July 19: Final day for civil servants to resign if they wish to run for Knesset

July 19, which is 100 days before the election, is the last day for senior civil servants to resign from duty if they wish to run for the 26th Knesset.

By law, civil servants – state employees governed by the Civil Service Commission, such as employees of government ministries and agencies, police officers, and state prosecutors – are restricted from running for Knesset while civilly employed, as well as publicly attacking or insulting the Knesset or government through media or public forums.

July 20, July 26, August 4: Major parties hold primaries

Three prominent Israeli parties have confirmed they will hold primaries ahead of the general election.

Yair Golan’s Democrats party will hold primaries on July 20, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s Religious Zionist Party will hold primaries on July 26, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud will hold primaries on August 4.

Only registered party members are eligible to vote in primaries, and the results will determine the order of the parties’ final lists in the general election.

September 9: Final day to submit completed party lists to the Central Elections Committee 

On September 9, all parties intending to run in the election for the 26th Knesset must have submitted finalized party lists to the Central Elections Committee, allowing voters to know the order of party members.

This party list dictates the order in which candidates will join the Knesset in correspondence with the number of mandates won in the election. 

For example, if a party received one mandate, only the party leader would have a seat in the Knesset. If the party received two mandates, the party leader and the person listed second on the list would have seats in the Knesset, and so on.

October 13: Election campaign broadcasts begin on television and radio

Under Israeli election law, campaign broadcasts are only allowed to air in the 21 days immediately preceding the election.

Before this, parties typically run ads on social media platforms such as YouTube, X/Twitter, or Instagram. However, these ads are paid for by individual campaigns and may not be shown on Israeli TV or radio outside of the allotted three weeks.

During the official window for election broadcasts, content is produced by the parties but aired as official election programming, and time for the content is allocated among parties according to statutory formulas.

While the base formula allows every party the same amount of time, even if it’s brand new, parties represented in the outgoing Knesset receive additional airtime based on the number of MKs they currently have.

October 20: Elections officially begin, as Israel’s diplomatic missions abroad begin to vote

On October 20, Israel’s diplomatic missions abroad begin casting their votes.

This is not open to all Israelis living abroad, as the state does not allow absentee voting for the general population.

Early voting for Israelis abroad is intended for embassy employees and their families, military officials stationed overseas, and representatives of national institutions serving abroad under the law.

October 27: The big day! General elections for 26th Knesset take place across Israel

The election will be held on October 27, with polling booths being opened across the country throughout the day.

Election day is considered a national holiday, though public transport will continue to operate normally.

Most polling stations will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., with smaller communities, hospitals, and prisons staying open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. 

However, if you arrive at a polling station and are still in line when it closes, you are still entitled to vote so long as you remain in line.

November 4, November 18: Publication of official election results

On November 4, after ensuring time for all votes from abroad to arrive and be counted, the official results of the 26th election will be confirmed.

Once results are shared, appeals to the results can be submitted until November 18.

An appeal can be submitted by any member of the Central Elections Committee or a Regional Elections Committee, any party represented in the outgoing Knesset, any individual MK, any approved candidate or candidate list that participated in the election – even those that failed to cross the electoral threshold – and the attorney-general.

If an appeal were filed, it would likely take until early November for the results to be submitted and for the court’s response. However, successful appeals that alter Knesset election results are extremely rare.

European countries reported more than 10,000 excess deaths during the record-breaking heatwave that engulfed the west of the continent in late June, official data showed.

The vast majority – more than 9,000 – were among people aged 65 and above, according to data published by EuroMOMO, a network backed by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and the World Health Organization.

Extreme heat can kill by causing heat stroke, or aggravating cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, with older people among the most vulnerable.

“To have this kind of excess at this time of year is unusual. It’s really high,” Lasse Vestergaard, Chief Physician at Denmark’s Statens Serum Institut, which hosts EuroMOMO, told Reuters.

“It is difficult to explain this high excess mortality by anything but the extreme heat,” Vestergaard added.

Scientists have said the late-June heatwave would have been “virtually impossible” without human-caused climate change, which is making heatwaves more frequent and intense.

The data, pooled from national mortality statistics in 27 European countries, included excess deaths from all causes, not just heat-related ones, during the week of June 22 to 28, when the heatwave peaked in France, Spain, Britain, and other countries.

But scientists said there were no other known major factors, such as COVID-19 outbreaks, that would have contributed to the spike to 10,650 excess deaths in that week.

The same European countries’ combined mortality over the previous eight weeks was, on average, around 500 deaths per week below typical levels. The EuroMOMO data could be revised in future weeks as more data comes in.

June heatwave smashes records as France, Belgium report excess mortality

The extreme heatwave at the end of June disrupted power supplies, shut schools, and smashed temperature records in France, Spain, and the UK.

EuroMOMO does not publish excess deaths per individual country, but it noted that France and Belgium were the only two countries in Europe to log “very high excess” mortality in the last week of June.

Belgium’s excess mortality was the highest during any heatwave in records going back to 2000, according to the country’s public health institute Sciensano.

A separate scientific study, published on Monday, estimated 2,700 people died from heat-related causes in England and Wales alone during the May and June heatwaves.

Of those deaths, 42% were caused by the extra heat that global warming contributed to the heatwaves, according to the findings by Imperial College London, the UK Met Office and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.

Renewed US-Iran fighting drew Jordan and Bahrain deeper into the regional fallout over the weekend, as Iran launched another wave of missiles and drones toward US military facilities and countries hosting American forces following large-scale US strikes inside Iran.

The latest escalation marked a significant expansion of the fighting that resumed on July 8 and 9, further undermining the memorandum of understanding Washington and Tehran signed on June 17. Iran again declared the Strait of Hormuz closed, while the United States said commercial traffic continued and carried out strikes against Iranian missile sites, naval assets, communications infrastructure, and other military targets.

Iranian attacks and alerts were reported across Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan. Tehran said it was striking US military infrastructure, although many of its claims about specific targets and damage could not be independently confirmed.

The renewed confrontation followed an Iranian attack on a Cyprus-flagged container vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. The ship was seriously damaged and one Indian crew member was reported missing. The United States responded with an extensive series of strikes intended, according to US officials, to reduce Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping.

Jordan had already confronted a direct threat during the previous round of fighting. The kingdom’s state news agency, Petra, reported that Jordanian air defenses intercepted and shot down eight missiles launched from Iran toward Jordanian territory on Thursday, July 9, citing a military source at the General Command of the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army.

Missile debris fell in several areas, but no casualties or property damage were reported, the source said.

For Jordan, the incident reinforced a message Amman has repeated throughout the conflict: The kingdom is not a party to the war, but it will respond when its airspace, territory, or civilians are threatened.

“Jordan has made its position clear: it is not a party to this conflict and will not allow its sovereignty or the safety of its citizens to be compromised,” Mai Anati, managing editor of The Jordan Times newspaper in Amman, told The Media Line.

She said the interception of the missiles “demonstrates the kingdom’s capability and unwavering commitment to defending its airspace and protecting its people.”

Anati said Jordan’s priority remains safeguarding its national security while preventing the conflict from spreading into its territory.

“The kingdom has long maintained a high level of military readiness, with the Jordan Armed Forces fully prepared to confront any threat to national security. However, Jordan’s priority remains preventing further escalation,” she said.

Jordan’s position illustrates the dilemma facing countries within range of Iranian missiles and drones but formally outside the US-Iran confrontation. Amman has sought to avoid being treated as a belligerent while making clear that it will intercept projectiles directed at Jordan or entering its airspace.

‘The renewed attacks are not surprising’

Bahrain faces a related but more persistent risk. The Gulf state hosts the headquarters of the US Navy’s 5th Fleet and has repeatedly faced Iranian missile and drone attacks since the conflict began in February.

Manama must contend with both the immediate military danger and the possibility that temporary diplomatic understandings will repeatedly break down while the central US-Iran dispute remains unresolved.

“In my assessment, the renewed attacks are not surprising,” a former Bahraini diplomat who requested anonymity told The Media Line. “The MOU reduced tensions but did not resolve the underlying strategic causes of the conflict, making renewed escalation a realistic possibility.”

The former diplomat said Bahrain had faced sustained military pressure despite not participating directly in the US offensive and supporting diplomatic efforts to contain the conflict.

“Bahrain has faced hundreds of missile and drone attacks from Iran and its proxies, despite avoiding direct participation in the military campaign and supporting diplomatic efforts to contain the crisis,” he said. “Yet daily life and economic activity have largely continued. Compared with the initial phase of the conflict, both institutions and the public appear better prepared and more resilient.”

The Media Line could not independently verify the number of attacks cited by the former diplomat. It was also unclear whether his estimate referred to individual projectiles, separate attack waves, or incidents involving Iran-aligned armed groups.

Bahrain appears unlikely to abandon its defensive and diplomatic posture in favor of direct military involvement.

“[Bahrain] is likely to continue relying on diplomacy and multilateral engagement, consistent with its role as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, including its sponsorship of Security Council Resolution 2817 (2026), which condemned Iran’s attacks against Bahrain and other Gulf states,” the former diplomat said.

The Security Council adopted Resolution 2817 on March 11. Bahrain presented the measure on behalf of the Gulf Cooperation Council, and it passed by a vote of 13-0, with China and Russia abstaining.

The danger extends beyond attacks on military installations or civilian territory

The resolution condemned Iranian attacks against Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan. It also affirmed the affected countries’ rights under international law.

The renewed fighting has again placed the Strait of Hormuz at the center of the conflict. Iran says it has the authority to regulate or restrict traffic through the waterway, while Washington maintains that freedom of navigation must be preserved.

For Gulf countries, the danger extends beyond attacks on military installations or civilian territory. Continued fighting could disrupt shipping, oil and gas exports, supply chains, trade, and foreign investment.

The June memorandum had extended the ceasefire and provided a 60-day framework for negotiations, including arrangements intended to restore maritime traffic. It did not settle the underlying dispute over Iran’s role in administering passage through the Strait or the possibility that Tehran might eventually demand fees from ships.

The former diplomat said further escalation remained likely because Washington and Tehran continue to pursue incompatible objectives, particularly over control of the waterway. Any new ceasefire, he said, would probably be another temporary pause rather than a lasting political settlement.

Iran appears to be trying to pressure Washington by threatening American military facilities and regional partners while avoiding an unrestricted direct confrontation with the United States, he said.

Iran will not fulfill its commitments in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) until the United States fulfills its side of the deal, Iranian Foreign ​Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday.

Baghaei added that US pressure has hindered Iran’s efforts to reach an agreement with Oman on a joint mechanism to operate the Strait of Hormuz.

The statement comes hours after both sides completed waves of strikes against each other’s infrastructure early Monday morning. 

In a statement on X/Twitter, US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that American forces completed a wave of strikes against Iran intended to degrade Iran’s “ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships freely transiting the Strait of Hormuz.”

CENTCOM also stated that they had hit dozens of targets across multiple cities, including Iranian military air defense systems, radar sites, small boats, and missile and drone capabilities.

CENTCOM added that precise munitions, fighter aircraft, aerial drones, and naval vessels were all utilized in the operation and asserted that US forces are postured and prepared to ensure the Strait of Hormuz remains open for commercial shipping, “despite Iran’s continued unwarranted aggression, harassment, threats, and arbitrary declarations.”

Iran launches attacks at Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait

In response, Iran launched attacks against American military infrastructure across the region, triggering sirens in Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait. 

Jordan’s military said that it had shot down four missiles launched from Iran, as Kuwait engaged with “hostile aerial targets” in its airspace and citizens in Bahrain took shelter against incoming attacks three times on Monday. 

In a Monday statement published by Iran’s Mehr news outlet, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed that it had targeted US military facilities in Bahrain and destroyed radar systems in Oman during the attacks. 

Goldie Katz contributed to this report.