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July 8, 2026

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Explainer

Lebanon's latest damage estimate outlines reconstruction challenge

More than 1 million Lebanese residents fled their homes after Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon intensified in March, when Hezbollah entered the conflict.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) welcomes US President Donald Trump (R) upon his arrival on Air Force One at Etimesgut Air Base near Ankara, on July 7, 2026, before attending the 36th NATO Heads of State and Government Summit. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

Trump's F-35 push for Turkey runs into CAATSA — and Israel

Israel fears that Washington may be shifting its strategic options toward Turkey as the two rivals push for regional hegemony.

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

ABIR SULTAN / AFP via Getty Images

Israel, Greece conduct military drills ahead of NATO summit in Turkey

Photos published by the Greek military showed fighter jets from both countries flying side by side over the Aegean Sea.

Latest News

Interview

Ayman Odeh says Arab parties could back Bennett or Eisenkot to block Netanyahu

Joint List Party leader Ayman Odeh attends a meeting on April 5, 2021 in Jerusalem, Israel.

Ayman Odeh

Head of the Knesset's Hadash-Ta'al faction

Analysis

As US-Iran talks falter, Israel views war outcome as 'total strategic failure’

Motorists drive past a billboard bearing a picture of Iran's slain supreme leader Ali Khamenei, ahead of his funeral in Tehran on July 3, 2026. Iranian leaders began paying their respects on July 3 before the coffin of the country's late supreme leader Ali Khamenei, killed in the US-Israeli strikes that triggered the Middle East war, as Tehran prepared for a vast funeral. Khamenei's body arrived at Tehran's Grand Mosalla on July 3 ahead of ceremonies which are expected to draw millions. (Photo by AFP via Ge

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

Samuel Wendel

Senior Market Research Analyst

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Adam Lucente

News and Business Correspondent

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Jack Dutton

Chief Business Correspondent

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Ben Caspit

Israel Columnist

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

Francesco Schiavi

In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance

Rina Bassist

Associate Editor (Israel)

In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs

Europe, US to offer Israel, Palestine economic benefits

The French-British peace initiative will be formally launched after the Israeli elections, offering both sides economic benefits.

TEL AVIV, ISRAEL - JANUARY 23: (ISRAEL OUT) Former Israeli Minister for Foreign Affairs Avigdor Liberman visits the Likud party election campaign headquarters with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (not pictured) on Janurary 23, 2013 in Tel Aviv, Israel. Exit polls suggested that current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will return to office, although he performed worse than expected. (Photo by Uriel Sinai/Getty Images)

Livni, Herzog fear the collapse of Liberman's party

Potential allies of Avigdor Liberman, such as Isaac Herzog, Tzipi Livni and Moshe Kahlon, might rethink their political attitude toward him, following corruption suspicions against some of his party members.

To beat unemployment, young Gazans turn to birds

In light of the repeated Israeli assaults on the Gaza Strip that have destroyed the local economy, some young Palestinians are breeding canaries to overcome poverty and unemployment.

Smoke rises as a house is blown up during a military operation by Egyptian security forces in the Egyptian city of Rafah, near the border with southern Gaza Strip November 6, 2014. At Egypt's border with the Gaza Strip, families are emptying their homes - lugging mattresses and furniture onto waiting vans as soldiers look on from armoured cars. In nine villages along the frontier, 680 houses - homes to 1,165 families - are being razed to seal off smugglers' tunnels and try to crush a militant insurgency in

Is Palestinian state only guarantee against Hamas?

The Israeli right fears the campaign has moved from the “Iran nuke danger” to “Hamas’ takeover of the West Bank,” ignoring regional concerns for Israel’s security and aligning with their wish to avoid Hamas empowerment.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (C) addresses the 69th United Nations General Assembly at United Nations Headquarters in New York, September 26, 2014. REUTERS/Mike Segar (UNITED STATES - Tags: POLITICS) - RTR47UMH

Postponing UN bid won't reverse Palestinian momentum

The Palestinians need not worry about postponing the vote on their UN bid until after the Israeli elections, since even if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is re-elected, the push toward Palestinian statehood is inevitable.

TO GO WITH AFP STORY BY JOHN DAVISON - Trainees work in front of their computers at the "Cyber Gym" center, where IT and infrastructure company employees train to defend against cyber attacks on October 30, 2013 near the Israeli city of Hadera. The facility, a series of small buildings in the shadow of the looming Orot Rabin power station on Israel's northern coastline, was inaugurated this month by the Israel Electric Corp (IEC), which has experienced its fair share of cyber attacks. AFP PHOTO/MENAHEM KAH

Israeli expert: 'cyberspace has become a battlefield'

In an interview with Al-Monitor, the head of the INSS Cyber Security Program, Gabi Siboni, states that after the recent hacking of Sony Pictures, Western countries should consider cyberattacks as a real threat to their sovereignty.

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Will Israel's Labor Party tackle economy or diplomacy?

Ahead of the upcoming elections, social activist Yossi Yonah argues that the economic-existential concerns of the average Israeli worry him more than the issue of negotiating with the Palestinians.

BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA - MARCH 18: Firemen and rescue workers continue to dig through the ruins of the Israeli Embassy early 18 March 1992 in Buenos Aires after a night of search following the 17 March explosion of a powerful car bomb which virtually destroyed the diplomatic building, killing at least 11 people and injuring more than 250. The pro-Iranian Islamic Jihad organization claimed responsability for the attack. (Photo credit should read DANIEL LUNA/AFP/Getty Images)

Lebanon, Argentina arrive at consensus over 1992 attack

Lebanese and Argentine officials recently discussed the 1992 suicide bombing at the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires, with both sides arriving at the conclusion that Lebanon held no responsibility.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (C) stands with Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat (R) and Communications Minister Moshe Kahlon outside the Menachem Begin Heritage Center in Jerusalem January 21, 2013. Netanyahu made an election eve appeal to wavering supporters to "come home", showing concern over a forecast far-right surge that would keep him in power but weaken him politically. REUTERS/Baz Ratner (JERUSALEM - Tags: POLITICS ELECTIONS) - RTR3CQJQ

Israeli political parties: Who needs primaries?

Instead of working to preserve the parties' democratic workings, Tzipi Livni, Yair Lapid and Moshe Kahlon opted to gain sole control.

Israelis enjoy Polish-style Christmas Eve dinner

Israelis of Polish origin or affiliation enjoyed a traditional Polish-style Christmas Eve dinner, reminiscing about such occasions back in Poland in the old days when Christians and Jews alike were enjoying this delicious dinner together.

Issac Herzog (L), leader of Israel's Labour party, and former Israeli Justice Minister Tzipi Livni shake hands after their joint news conference in Tel Aviv December 10, 2014. Livni and the center-left parliamentary opposition leader formed a joint election ticket on Wednesday that polls show could pose a serious challenge to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in March. REUTERS/Stringer (ISRAEL - Tags: POLITICS ELECTIONS) - RTR4HICW

Livni, Herzog worry Netanyahu

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fears that Labor Party Chairman Isaac Herzog and former Justice Minister Tzipi Livni will infiltrate "his” diplomatic-defense arena and convince voters that the world is opposed specifically to the right wing's settlement policy, not that “the whole world is against us.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) meets with Italy's Minister of Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini at the Kremlin in Moscow July 9, 2014. REUTERS/Maxim Shipenkov/Pool (RUSSIA - Tags: POLITICS) - RTR3XUXK

EU decision boosts Russian, UN diplomacy on Syria

Russia, the United Nations and Iran lead diplomatic initiative in Syria; Iran and Turkey discuss counterterrorism; al-Qaeda-linked group advances in Syria; Aleppo’s radicalization; Hamas seeks to rebuild ties with Iran.