Report: Israel strikes Hezbollah targets in Syria
Syrian state television said Wednesday evening the country’s air defenses responded to “Israeli aggression” in what appears to be an attack on Hezbollah targets in the area.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Gideon Sa’ar’s New Hope files election slate, heavy with ex-Likud MKs
Former Likud lawmaker Gideon Sa’ar’s New Hope party filed its party slate Wednesday evening, rounding off the major parties to register for March’s election on the first of two days to do so.
Netanyahu: Goal to vaccinate 90% of people over 50
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu set a goal of expanding the vaccination campaign in the coming days, with an emphasis on those aged 50 and over.
New Poll: Likud is regaining strength lost since March 2020
A new Israeli poll shows Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party is regaining popularity it had lost since the March 2020 election, Israel National News reports. Conducted by Midgam and released Sunday, the poll surveyed 505 respondents by phone and the internet.
IDF takes on 13 nations in international cyber defense drill
Five teams representing various branches of the IDF recently completed a first-of-its kind international competitive cyber drill in which they competed against nearly 60 teams from 13 other countries.
Israel holds fresh trials of upgraded Iron Dome due to be installed on ships
An upgraded version of the Iron Dome air defense system on Monday completed a fresh set of trials simulating threats the system is likely to face on land and at sea, the Defense Ministry said.
Almost 30% percent of Israel’s COVID deaths came in January alone
From Jan. 1 until Jan. 30, Israel recorded 29% percent of all its COVID deaths which have been tallied since the pandemic began in March.
317 Israelis who received 2nd dose of COVID vaccine infected with virus
A total of 371 out of 715,425 Israelis who passed at least a week after receiving two doses of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine have contracted the virus – 0.04%, with 16 being sent to the hospital – according to a Health Ministry report released on Thursday.
Israeli Leaders Work to Extend Lockdown Again Amid Intense Government Infighting
Israeli lawmakers will vote today to increase fines for those who violate the regulations of Israel’s third nationwide lockdown. The measure has been the source of intense government infighting and could sink another government meeting scheduled for Thursday intended to extend the now month-long lockdown set to expire on Jan. 31.
Israeli Military Chief Orders New Plans to Strike Iran’s Nuclear Program
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi announced on Tuesday the IDF is preparing military plans to hit Iran’s nuclear program in the upcoming year.
IDF chief’s message to Biden: If necessary, Israel will act alone
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi’s speech at the annual INSS conference on Tuesday might have been in Hebrew, but what he said was aimed at speakers of both English and Farsi.
U.S. announces restoration of relations with Palestinians
U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration announced Tuesday it was restoring relations with the Palestinians and renewing aid to Palestinian refugees, a reversal of the Trump administration’s cutoff and a key element of its new support for a two-state solution to the decades-old conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.
IDF chief warns Israel won’t accept return to Iran nuclear deal, offensive military options on table
The head of the IDF warned Tuesday that Israel would not accept a direct return to the Iran nuclear deal and the military was preparing contingency plans in case the Iranians moved closer to producing a nuclear weapon.
Israel halts all commercial flights in bid to keep virus variants at bay
Israel on Monday night shuttered Ben Gurion Airport to nearly all flights until the end of January, amid fears over fast-spreading or vaccine-resistant coronavirus variants entering the country.
Could an Israeli mutation undo Israel’s mass vaccination campaign?
Israel’s mass vaccination campaign running in parallel with an active coronavirus outbreak may lead to “evolutionary pressure” on the virus, resulting in an Israeli variant that could be resistant to or have certain advantages over the vaccine.
TV: Mossad chief to meet Biden, set out terms for overhaul of Iran nuclear deal
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to dispatch Mossad chief Yossi Cohen to Washington in the coming weeks to lay out Israel’s demands of the Biden administration for any new version of the Iran nuclear deal, Channel 12 news reported Saturday night.
Syrian media reports Israeli airstrikes near western city of Hama
Syrian state media reported Israeli airstrikes near the western city of Hama in the predawn hours of Friday morning.
Iran’s nuclear program has crossed Netanyahu’s ‘red line,’ former senior advisor
The Iranian regime has taken highly dangerous steps in recent weeks that make a military strike by Israel more likely in 2021, and thus forcing the new Biden administration to make Iran its top and most urgent foreign policy priority.
1,500-year-old inscription saying “Christ, born of Mary” discovered in Israel
Archaeologists in northern Israel have unearthed a 1,500-year-old carved inscription which says “Christ, born of Mary,” in Greek, Christian Today reports. The inscription was part of a lintel in the doorway of a Byzantine church.
IDF to hold massive exercise this summer, simulating full-scale, multi-front war
The Israel Defense Forces on Wednesday announced plans for a massive, month-long exercise this summer, simulating a multi-front war, in which every branch of the military will take part.