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Israel

May 1, 2026

Tel Aviv 6:36 pm

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Ibrahim AMRO / AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Without exit strategy, Israel faces emboldened Hezbollah, limited options on Iran

While President Donald Trump remains undecided on striking Iran again, the Israeli military is sinking deeper into its Lebanon quagmire with a reinforced Hezbollah.

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

Members of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), from the British Army's 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards, No. 2 Company, patrol along the buffer zone separating the internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus and the breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in the divided capital Nicosia on Feb. 17, 2026.

Turkey warns France over Cyprus troop deployment: What to know

A potential French deployment to Greek Cyprus comes amid Turkey’s growing concerns of strategic encirclement in the Eastern Mediterranean.

President Donald Trump gives a speech during the State Arrival Ceremony on the South Lawn on April 28, 2026, in Washington.

Trump speaks with Netanyahu, Putin as Iran pressure campaign escalates

President Donald Trump spoke by phone separately with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin, discussing the situation in Iran and the possibility of extending the ceasefire.

DENIS LOVROVIC/AFP via Getty Images

Israel rejects Ukraine's claim that Russian shadow fleet vessel docked in Haifa

Ukraine alleges the vessel unloaded wheat taken from occupied territories in Haifa, while Israel says ship had not entered the port.

Latest News

Analysis

Despite Trump pressure to limit Israel's Lebanon attacks, Aoun-Netanyahu meeting still unlikely

ANWAR AMRO/AFP via Getty Images

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

Turkey’s military spending jumps to $30B, leads Mideast growth in 2025

Turkey's submarines and fast-attack craft ships participate in the live-fire phase of the Blue Homeland-2026 (Mavi Vatan) tactical military exercises in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, in Antalya on April 9, 2026.

Why US, Israel are freezing France out of Lebanon talks

French President Emmanuel Macron speaks to journalists as he arrives for an informal meeting of the European Council in Nicosia, Cyprus, April 24, 2026.

Analysis

Why Saudi Arabia, Egypt are wary of Turkey’s proposed 4-way defense pact with Pakistan

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan hosted the third meeting of the foreign ministers of Turkey, Egypt, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on the margins of the 5th Antalya Diplomacy Forum, on April 17, 2026.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

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

A health worker arranges vials of the Pfizer-BioNtech COVID-19 vaccine at the Clalit Health Services in the Palestinian neighbourhood of Beit Hanina, in the Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem on March 2, 2021. (Photo by AHMAD GHARABLI / AFP) / The erroneous mention[s] appearing in the metadata of this photo by AHMAD GHARABLI has been modified in AFP systems in the following manner: [March 2] instead of [March 3]. Please immediately remove the erroneous mention from all your online services and delete it from yo

Israel set to vaccinate 120,000 Palestinian workers

After much controversy and debate, the Cabinet approved for the Health Ministry to start vaccinating 120,000 Palestinian workers on Sunday.

HADERA, ISRAEL - FEBRUARY 22: An aerial view over Israel's coast line after an oil spill on February 22, 2021 in Hadera, Israel. Tar started washing up on the country's beaches last week, leading its interior minister to advise people to stay away from beaches. Authorities suspect the spill was caused by a leak from an offshore ship. (Photo by Amir Levy/Getty Images)

Israel blames Iran for Mediterranean oil spill

The Israeli government has not explained some key details surrounding the incident and Iran has yet to comment. The spill blackened the shoreline in Israel and Lebanon last month.

Israeli leaders unite in slamming ICC prosecutor

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Reuven Rivlin harshly condemned the decision by International Criminal Court prosecutor Fatou Bensouda to investigate Israel for alleged war crimes.

Israeli ship sailing again following explosion

MV Helios Ray was off the coast of Oman on Wednesday. Israel blamed last week's explosion aboard the ship on Iran, which Iran denied.

Israel, Emirates strive for warm, vibrant, profitable peace

Since the signing of the Abraham Accords, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain multiply contacts for joint ventures and mutual investments.

The International Criminal Court's prosecutor Fatou Bensouda gives a press conference in Sudan's capital Khartoum on October 20, 2020, at the conclusion of her five-day visit to the country. - The International Criminal Court prosecutor arrived in Sudan on an official visit to discuss the potential extradition of former president Omar al-Bashir. The toppled autocrat is wanted by the ICC on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity in the western region of Darfur. (Photo by Ebrahim HAMID / AFP) (Photo

Netanyahu slams ICC probe against Israel

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused prosecutor Fatou Bensoda of hypocrisy and anti-Semitism for investigating Israel for war crimes.

Israeli Arab women take part in a protest after a student was killed in a reported police shootout this week, in the northern Arab-Israeli town of Umm-Al Fahem on February 5, 2021. - Hundreds of Arab Israelis demonstrated protesters defied coronavirus restrictions on gatherings to demonstrate in front of the police station in the Arab-Israeli city of Umm al-Fahm. (Photo by AHMAD GHARABLI / AFP) (Photo by AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP via Getty Images)

Arab-Israelis accuse police of brutality against demonstrators

Demonstrations in the Arab-Israeli town of Umm al-Fahm spun out of control, and accusations of excessive force by the police have reached the Knesset.

Israelis blame ultra-Orthodox for coronavirus pandemic

Many secular Israelis express hatred towards the ultra-Orthodox, whom they blame for the continuing coronavirus pandemic.

Disagreement in Israel over retaliation after attack on cargo ship

Heads of security in Israel disagree on whether the country should retaliate against Iran for the attack on an Israeli-owned cargo ship in Oman Bay.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gestures during a ceremony to mark the arrival of a plane of the international courier company DHL, carrying over 100,000 of doses of the first batch of Pfizer vaccines which landed at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, on December 9, 2020. - According to media reports, the launch of a national COVID-19 immunisation campaign is set to begin on December 20. (Photo by Abir SULTAN / POOL / AFP) (Photo by ABIR SULTAN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Attorney general says cabinet must weigh in before Israel donates vaccines

In a blow to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit recommended that the relevant ministers be consulted before any vaccines are donated to other countries.

Israel's top court recognizes non-Orthodox converts for immigration

The issue of conversion in Reform and Conservative communities has divided Israel for decades. Rabbinical authorities in Israel slammed the decision.

This picture taken on February 28, 2021 shows a view of the Israeli-owned Bahamian-flagged MV Helios Ray cargo ship docked in Dubai's Mina Rashid (Port Rashid) cruise terminal. - The MV Helios Ray, a vehicle carrier, was travelling from the Saudi port of Dammam to Singapore when a blast occurred on February 25, according to the London-based Dryad Global maritime security group. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP) (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images)

Netanyahu says Iran behind explosion that hit Israeli-owned ship

For Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, it is clear that Iran is behind the explosion that hit an Israeli-owned cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman last week.