Breaking news, history, and security updates from Israel and the Middle East.
Hamas has announced the appointment of Khalil al-Hayya as the terrorist organization's new political leader, succeeding Yahya Sinwar, who was eliminated by Israeli forces in Gaza in October 2024. Al-Hayya, a longtime Hamas official, has played a central role in the group's leadership, hostage negotiations, and ceasefire talks during the war.
A newspaper owned by Tehran's municipal authorities published an infographic identifying 13 foreign leaders as targets for "revenge" following Iran's recent conflict. The image depicts several officials in prison uniforms, while U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are shown with gun crosshairs on their foreheads, accompanied by the message, "Revenge is inevitable."
Israel’s Knesset has reportedly scheduled a general election for October 27, setting up a decisive political battle over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership, Israel’s security strategy, judicial reform, military service, and the future of Gaza.
Israel is mourning the loss of Senator Lindsey Graham, a longtime friend of the Jewish state and one of Israel's strongest allies in the U.S. Senate.
The United States and Iran exchanged military strikes for a third consecutive night after President Donald Trump declared the ceasefire over following Iranian attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The Trump administration has given Tehran until Saturday to publicly guarantee safe passage through the vital waterway and halt attacks on commercial vessels or face further consequences.
According to a Kan 11 News report, Israel's political leadership has instructed the IDF to temporarily suspend sensitive military operations in southern Lebanon at the request of the United States. The move is intended to avoid widening the current confrontation involving Iran while diplomatic negotiations between Israel and Lebanon continue.
Iranian state media claims that vessels may use only routes approved by Tehran, but Iran does not control the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. forces have helped more than 800 commercial ships safely transit the international waterway since early May.
A masked man seen among key attendees during a private funeral ceremony for former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has fueled widespread speculation on Iranian social media. Some users claim the individual may have been Iran's current Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, appearing in disguise, though there is no official confirmation.
Fresh satellite imagery suggests Iran has begun repairing a nuclear facility damaged during recent U.S. strikes, raising new concerns over Tehran's nuclear program. The development comes as President Donald Trump declared the ceasefire with Iran is over, warned that any attempt on his life would trigger overwhelming U.S. military retaliation, and Iran responded by rejecting surrender while refusing to resume negotiations under Washington's current terms.
A group of Morocco soccer fans in The Hague chanted an antisemitic and homophobic slogan following Morocco's 2-0 World Cup semifinal loss to France. Videos circulating online showed the crowd waving Moroccan and Palestinian flags before police moved in to restore order. Claims that additional antisemitic chants were heard or that the crowd gathered outside a hotel hosting Israeli tourists could not be independently verified.
According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, Israel passed intelligence to the United States regarding an alleged new Iranian plot targeting President Donald Trump. The report comes as anti-Trump rhetoric intensified in Iran following recent regional tensions, while security questions also emerged after Trump's unusual aircraft transfer during his return from the NATO summit.
President Donald Trump said the United States informed Iran that the ceasefire is over despite agreeing to continue diplomatic talks. He also warned that any Iranian attempt to assassinate him would trigger an unprecedented military response, while the Trump administration announced new sanctions targeting financial networks linked to Iran's leadership.
The U.S. Treasury Department announced new sanctions on Thursday targeting individuals and entities accused of financing Iran's ruling regime and helping senior officials maintain access to global assets.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reportedly gave NATO leaders personalized revolver pistols with ammunition after the Ankara summit, leaving several governments scrambling over what to do with the unusual gifts.
Iranian missiles crossed Jordanian airspace during Tehran's retaliation against U.S. military targets, triggering nationwide air raid sirens and prompting Jordan's military to intercept multiple projectiles. While the apparent target was U.S. forces in the region, the incident underscores Jordan's strategic importance and the growing danger that neighboring countries could become entangled in the escalating confrontation between Iran and the United States.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry condemned reported U.S. strikes on Iranian territory, calling them a serious war crime and warning that Tehran will not allow its national interests or sovereignty to be violated.
U.S. Central Command says American forces carried out another round of strikes against Iran on July 8, targeting roughly 90 Iranian military sites along the coastline. CENTCOM said the operation was meant to degrade Iran’s ability to attack commercial ships and civilian mariners in the Strait of Hormuz after Iran violated the ceasefire by targeting commercial vessels.
According to Iranian media, Iran has released footage it says shows the destroyed Tehran residence of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, apparently to rally domestic support as Khamenei's reported state funeral nears its conclusion. Tehran also claims it launched retaliatory missile and drone attacks against U.S.-linked targets in the Gulf following American airstrikes, while Gulf states report intercepting the incoming projectiles without casualties.
Reports say U.S. military refueling aircraft are returning to Israel after previously relocating during the U.S.-Iran ceasefire period, as Washington and Tehran appear to be sliding back toward direct confrontation.
President Donald Trump warned that U.S. forces may strike Iran again after a major American operation hit more than 80 Iranian targets in response to attacks on civilian tankers near the Strait of Hormuz.
Former Ichilov Hospital spokesman Avi Shoshan claims a senior Israeli physician secretly traveled to Turkey with official approval to provide life-saving medical treatment to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The claim has not been independently verified, though Israeli media previously reported that Erdoğan received medical advice from an Israeli physician.
Israeli troops operating in the Security Zone located a Hezbollah weapons cache hidden inside a bedroom of a civilian home in the village of Tallousa. Additional weapons storage sites containing RPG launchers, ammunition, and small arms were also uncovered, underscoring Hezbollah's continued use of civilian areas to conceal terrorist infrastructure.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has canceled a planned visit to Israel, where discussions were expected to include the possibility of selling F-35 fighter jets to Türkiye. The issue has raised concerns in Jerusalem, as Israel views its exclusive regional access to the fifth-generation aircraft as a key component of its military edge.
Three tankers were struck by projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz, including a Qatari LNG tanker near Oman. No injuries were reported, but the attacks raised new fears over global energy security and Iran’s attempt to control one of the world’s most important shipping lanes.
French President Emmanuel Macron was safely away from his hotel after explosions struck near the Four Seasons Hotel in Damascus on Tuesday. Syrian authorities say two homemade explosive devices detonated, killing three Syrians, as security forces investigate the attack.
Bloomberg columnist Marc Champion argues that Iran's leadership is using Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's funeral as a carefully staged political event to restore the regime's legitimacy, tying his death to Shiite martyrdom traditions and promoting a renewed anti-Israel and anti-American narrative despite the country's deep economic crisis and international isolation.
Iranian state-linked mourning events for former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei continued in Tehran, with massive funeral crowds, anti-American and anti-Israel chants, and public threats of revenge. Reports say his son Mojtaba Khamenei, named as the new supreme leader, has not appeared publicly.
Multiple reports claim Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) took action against commercial vessels near the Strait of Hormuz, including an attack on tankers and the interception of a vessel. The developments come amid heightened tensions in one of the world's most critical oil shipping routes.
A Washington-based nuclear watchdog says recent satellite imagery shows new construction activity at Iran’s secret Pickaxe Mountain tunnel complex near Natanz, even as major damage at Natanz, Fordo, and Isfahan appears unrepaired.
The IDF confirmed that Israeli forces eliminated a Hamas Nukhba terrorist and struck additional terrorists who were attempting to restore underground terror infrastructure in northern Gaza. The military said the operation was carried out with precautions to reduce civilian harm while forces continue operating under the ceasefire framework.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged the United States not to approve advanced fighter aircraft and engine sales to Turkey, warning that such a move would undermine Israel's military edge and shift the balance of power in the Middle East. During an interview with Fox News, Netanyahu also discussed Iran, U.S.-Israel relations, Lebanon, and regional security.
