Israel News

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said on Tuesday that Israel could soon approve a third COVID-19 vaccine dose during a visit to a retirement home in Jerusalem.

Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and the American Lockheed Martin companies will collaborate in the development of a ground-based laser weapon system.

Israel will begin electronic monitoring of people entering the country who are obliged to quarantine, after the cabinet approved the move on Sunday.

Because of a rise in COVID infections, apparently caused by the Delta variant of the coronavirus, the Israeli government announced that it is reimposing restrictions on its citizens, including wearing masks indoors and prohibiting the unvaccinated from entering some public places, such as restaurants, gyms, and synagogues, reported Reuters.

Israeli authorities have warned US officials in recent days that Iran is closer than ever to attaining nuclear weapons, according to the Kan public broadcaster.

Israeli strikes reportedly killed a Hezbollah military commander and an Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) senior official.

Russian anti-aircraft artillery systems in Syria intercepted a number of missiles launched by Israel in airstrikes this week in an area southeast of Aleppo, according to a Russian military official.

Israel Defense Forces jets struck a series of targets in Gaza late Sunday night, hours after incendiary balloons launched from the Strip sparked several fires in southern Israel.

Pfizer and BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine is just 39% effective in Israel where the delta variant is the dominant strain, but still provides strong protection against severe illness and hospitalization, according to a new report from the country’s Health Ministry.

For the first time since 2002, Israel has rejoined the African Union, a significant diplomatic achievement.

Israel’s National Security Council has announced it is “looking into” allegations that Israeli-made NSO Pegasus spyware has been used to illegally spy on a range of people including French President Emmanuel Macron, Ynet News reported Tuesday.

The effectiveness of the Pfizer vaccine against the Delta variant is “weaker” than health officials had hoped, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said on Friday, as over 1,000 people tested positive for coronavirus and more countries were added to the list of places to which Israelis will be banned from traveling.

Israeli planes carried out airstrikes Syria for the second night this week, Damascus said early Thursday, while claiming that most missiles were shot down.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi warned Lebanon on Tuesday that Israel will respond forcibly to any rocket attacks. The statement followed rocket fire by Lebanon-based terrorists on Israel late Monday night.

Israel is examining possible changes to its operational plans against the Iranian nuclear program in order to contend with a US reentry to the 2015 nuclear deal.

Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the most respected foreign and defense policy experts in Washington, fears a new war may be coming to the Middle East sooner than most people realize.

Hebrew University of Jerusalem studies published in a pair of medical journals suggest that already-existing drugs can be repurposed to fight Covid, Hebrew-language news sites reported Monday.

The US-based ice cream company Ben & Jerry’s announced Monday it will continue doing business with Israel, but will stop sales in Israeli settlements of East Jerusalem and the West Bank, areas it referred to as Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT). The Israel-targeted Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement has pressured Ben & Jerry’s to make such a move for years.

Israel’s Iron Dome aerial defense system shot down a rocket from Lebanon after two were fired at Israel Tuesday morning, the Israeli military said.

Opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party renewed on Monday its public efforts to persuade Blue and White’s Benny Gantz to leave the government and form an alternate coalition with right-wing parties.