Israel Enters the ‘Laser Era’ as Iron Beam Deploys on Dec. 30

Israel’s Defense Ministry will deliver its first full Iron Beam high-energy laser battery to the IDF on December 30. The move marks the world’s first deployment of a high-power laser air-defense system into regular frontline service. Defense Ministry R&D chief Dani Gold confirmed the rollout date on Monday, calling it the system’s “first capability,” with more upgrades already in development.

Pope Leo XIV Calls Two-State Solution the “Only Path” to Israeli-Palestinian Peace

Pope Leo XIV reaffirmed the Vatican’s long-standing support for a two-state solution on Sunday, declaring it the “only solution” capable of resolving the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The remarks, delivered during his first in-flight press conference as pontiff, marked his clearest public statement yet on the issue.

Trump–MBS Meeting Turns Tense Over Israel Normalization, Officials Say

U.S. President Donald Trump’s White House meeting last week with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was “civil but difficult,” according to multiple U.S. officials cited by Channel 12 and Axios, with tensions flaring behind closed doors over the pace of Saudi–Israel normalization.

Israel Kills Hezbollah Chief of Staff in Beirut Strike, Says Group Will Not Be Allowed to Rebuild

Israel unleashed its most decisive and devastating blow in Lebanon since the 2024 ceasefire on Sunday, eliminating Hezbollah’s powerful military chief of staff, Haytham Ali Tabatabai, in a precise airstrike deep inside Beirut. The operation — code-named “Black Friday” — struck the third and fourth floors of a building in the Haret Hreik district, the very nerve center of the Iranian-backed terrorist organization.

Israel Strikes Gaza And Lebanon As Cluster-Munition Allegations Emerge

Israel carried out large-scale strikes in both southern Lebanon and the Gaza Strip as part of renewed operations against remnants of Hezbollah and Hamas, killing scores of people despite a cease-fire that was meant to be holding, authorities and investigators said Wednesday.

UN Security Council Adopts U.S. Resolution on Gaza, Endorses Trump’s “Board of Peace” and Stabilization Force

The UN Security Council voted 13-0 on Monday to adopt a sweeping U.S.-drafted resolution that codifies President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza, endorses a new International Stabilization Force (ISF), and formally recognizes the establishment of a “Board of Peace” to be chaired by Trump himself. Russia and China abstained, allowing the measure to pass without a veto.

UN Security Council to Vote Monday on U.S.-Drafted Gaza Stabilization Force Resolution as Israel Rejects “Pathway to Palestinian State”

The United Nations Security Council will vote Monday evening at 5:00 p.m. New York time on a U.S.-drafted resolution establishing an International Stabilization Force (ISF) to be deployed throughout the Gaza Strip. The draft is identical to the version presented to the Council last Thursday and outlines a multinational force that will secure borders, destroy military infrastructure, and oversee the demilitarization of Gaza. It also provides for the training of a Palestinian police force that will join the multinational force’s operations.

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