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.
Israeli forces hit a Hamas underground terror infrastructure site in Deir al-Balah, Gaza. The IDF says Hamas had been trying in recent weeks to restore the site, violating the ceasefire while continuing to rebuild its terror network.
The United States and Iran have agreed to suspend military attacks for now and will meet in Doha, Qatar, on June 30 to discuss tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz. The latest developments underscore how rapidly the situation can shift, with negotiations swinging as sharply as a highly leveraged stock market investment.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has called for U.S. and Israeli leaders to be prosecuted over military strikes on Iran, describing the issue as one of the country's top legal priorities. He accused both nations of committing war crimes and said Iranian authorities are pursuing investigations.
Israeli forces eliminated two Hamas terrorists in Gaza, including a Nukhba cell commander involved in the October 7 massacre and a senior Hamas tunnel commander in Khan Yunis.
Israeli forces eliminated Mansour Sami Mahmoud Shahtout, a Hamas Naval Police commander in Gaza’s Central Camps, along with two other Hamas commanders who were advancing attacks against IDF troops.
The United States carried out another round of airstrikes against Iranian military targets after Iran violated the ceasefire agreement by attacking commercial shipping near the Strait of Hormuz, according to U.S. officials. President Donald Trump warned that continued Iranian aggression could force the United States to "militarily complete the job," saying the Islamic Republic "will no longer exist" if that happens.
Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem has declared the newly signed Israel-Lebanon framework agreement "null and void," calling it a humiliation and a surrender of Lebanon's sovereignty. As Hezbollah and its allies threaten resistance and even civil unrest, Israeli defense officials say the IDF is prepared to respond forcefully to any attack aimed at undermining the agreement.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the new Israel-Lebanon framework, backed by the United States, recognizes Israel’s right to maintain a security zone inside Lebanon until Hezbollah and other terror threats are removed.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Lebanon’s government is now telling Iran and Hezbollah to leave, marking what he described as a major shift in the region.
Walid Haniyeh, deputy commander of a Hamas Nukhba company, was eliminated after playing a role in the October 7 Massacre and continuing efforts to recruit and train terrorists.
According to U.S. Central Command, an Iranian one-way attack drone struck the Panama-flagged tanker M/T Kiku near the Strait of Hormuz while it was carrying more than two million barrels of crude oil.
Gulf nations are standing with Bahrain after an Iranian drone attack struck the country, home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet.
The United States carried out airstrikes against Iranian missile, drone, and radar facilities after Iran attacked a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, an incident Washington says violated the recent ceasefire agreement. President Donald Trump condemned the attack and warned that Iran would face consequences.
The United States is reportedly considering moving some Middle East military assets westward, including possibly to Israel, after Iranian missile and drone attacks caused major damage to U.S. bases in the Gulf.
Israeli Border Police uncovered a major weapons cache hidden inside a water cistern near Jerusalem, including firearms, explosives, ammunition, and remote detonation equipment. Police say the discovery likely prevented a serious terror attack.
Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem rejected any ceasefire or normalization with Israel, insisting that Israeli forces must leave all Lebanese territory without conditions. The statement comes as fighting continues despite a U.S.- and Iran-backed memorandum of understanding aimed at halting hostilities across multiple fronts.
A Singapore-flagged container ship was reportedly struck near Oman while transiting close to the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. officials blamed Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, while Iran escalated its rhetoric over control of the key shipping lane.
The IDF says Akram Muhammad Mahmoud Abu Mazi, a Hamas military-wing terrorist who infiltrated Israel during the October 7 Massacre, has been eliminated.
Iran's Foreign Ministry says conflicting statements from U.S. officials about a memorandum intended to end the recent conflict are deepening Tehran's mistrust. Iranian officials argue that both sides must honor the agreement as written and avoid interpretations they believe contradict its text.
President Donald Trump said he personally persuaded Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan not to become involved in the recent conflict with Iran. Trump also indicated he may approve the long-sought sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, while praising Erdogan as a strong NATO ally despite ongoing tensions between Turkey and Israel.
Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem admitted that the Iran-backed terror group cannot defeat Israel in a direct military confrontation, saying it is “impossible” to break Israel’s power “army against army.” IDF Arabic spokesman Avichay Adraee responded by saying this may be the first true thing Qassem has said.
An Iranian court has sentenced singer Parastoo Ahmadi to 74 lashes and imposed a two-year performance and travel ban after she appeared without a hijab in a viral concert video. Human rights groups warn the ruling reflects growing pressure on women as Iran's leadership tightens religious restrictions following recent regional tensions.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf described the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) ending hostilities with the United States as a victory for Iran, insisting it reflected the resilience of the Iranian people rather than pressure from Washington. He also reaffirmed Iran's demand for a ceasefire in Lebanon and the eventual withdrawal of foreign forces from the Middle East.
President Trump says Iran agreed to allow IAEA inspections of its nuclear sites, but Tehran is publicly denying it — a familiar regime tactic of lying at home while bending under pressure abroad.
U.S. Central Command says American forces killed senior ISIS leader Ali Husayn al-‘Ulaywi in a precision airstrike in northwest Syria on June 19.
U.S. and Iranian officials left their Switzerland talks with major disagreements still unresolved, including frozen assets, IAEA nuclear inspections, oil sanctions, and Iran’s role in Lebanon and the Strait of Hormuz.
The IDF eliminated Sabai Zaher Abd al-Hamid Abu Hasna, a Hamas Nukhba terrorist involved in the October 7 massacre and the captivity of Israeli hostage Omer Shem Tov. Israeli forces also eliminated three armed Hamas terrorists in northern Gaza.
President Donald Trump announced that Iran has agreed to long-term, high-level nuclear inspections as part of ongoing negotiations. He also said the US will keep the Strait of Hormuz open, provide tightly controlled humanitarian sanctions relief, and continue talks toward a broader agreement, while Iranian officials disputed parts of the US account.
President Donald Trump says oil movement through the Strait of Hormuz has surged after his deal with Iran, while Iran and Oman are now discussing future administration of the key waterway. The agreement keeps the strait open, but U.S. forces remain positioned if Iran reverses course.
A photo from Lebanon showing male and female IDF soldiers sleeping in the same room has triggered criticism from soldiers’ wives and religious groups, who say the arrangement violates religious standards and creates an unacceptable situation for observant troops.
