Hezbollah launches rockets, drones after Trump says terrorists agreed to halt attacks

The attacks resumed some three hours after Trump said the terrorist group had agreed to stop firing.

( Jun. 2, 2026 / JNS )
The Iranian-backed Hezbollah terrorist organization continued to launch rockets and drones overnight on Monday, the Israel Defense Forces said, hours after U.S. President Donald Trump announced an end to hostilities. Overnight, sirens sounded across the Galilee and Golan Heights after projectiles were fired from Lebanon. The IDF said two launches crossed into Israeli territory and were intercepted, with no casualties reported. Additional alerts were triggered in the western Galilee over a suspected drone infiltration; the IDF said a “suspicious aerial target” fell near the border and that there were no injuries. Air-raid sirens were also activated in the eastern Galilee town of Metula after a Hezbollah rocket struck near IDF soldiers operating in Southern Lebanon, the military said. No injuries were reported.

Attacks continued on Tuesday morning, with the Israeli military confirming that “a suspicious aerial target was identified in the area in which IDF soldiers are operating in Southern Lebanon.” “The incident has concluded. No injuries were reported,” the IDF stated. Hezbollah’s attacks resumed some three hours after Trump announced he had spoken with “representatives of the leaders” of the terror group, who he said agreed to stop firing on the Jewish state and its troops. “Likewise, Israel agreed to stop shooting at them,” Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform.

During a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump asked him “not to carry out a major raid on Beirut, Lebanon,” the president added. “He turned his troops around. Thank you Bibi.” Netanyahu subsequently stated that he told Trump “that if Hezbollah does not stop firing at our cities and citizens, Israel will strike terrorist targets in Beirut.” Israel’s position on this remains unchanged, Netanyahu’s office said in response to Washington’s announcement. “Concurrently, the IDF will continue to operate as planned in Southern Lebanon.” Hezbollah renewed its rocket and drone attacks on Israel on March 2, following the targeted killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on the first day of “Operation Roaring Lion” on Feb. 28. (Read More)

The Dahieh

Israel should conduct targeted strikes in the Dahieh with a clear and relevant operational purpose, namely against Hezbollah infrastructure and operatives. The Dahieh constitutes one of Hezbollah’s three main centers of power in Lebanon. What is meant by the term “Dahieh"? Which area does it refer to? How is it geographically divided? Which municipalities formally belong to the Dahieh, and which neighboring areas, while not officially part of it, are commonly considered part of the broader Dahieh area? How many residents live in the Dahieh?


The term “Southern Dahieh" (الضاحية الجنوبية), or the “southern suburb of Beirut," is used in two different senses: an administrative-formal sense and a broader geographic-urban sense. Formally, the Dahieh is represented by the Union of Municipalities of the Southern Dahieh (اتحاد بلديات الضاحية الجنوبية), which includes only four municipal entities: Haret Hreik (حارة حريك), Ghobeiry (الغبيري), Borj al-Barajneh (برج البراجنة), and Mreijeh-Tahwitat al-Ghadir-Laylaki (المريجة - تحويطة الغدير - الليلكي). These municipalities officially constitute the Dahieh.


However, from a geographic and urban perspective, and in public, media, and academic discourse, the term “Dahieh" is often used to describe a broader urban area south of Beirut that includes four additional districts. Under this broader definition, areas such as Hay al-Sellom (حي السلم) and Ouzai (الاوزاعي) are also included, even though they are not part of the official municipal union. Likewise, areas such as Chiyah (الشياح) and Hadath (الحدث), which are not formally part of the Dahieh, are sometimes included in geographic and planning descriptions of the area because of the continuous urban fabric and their close urban connections with the formal Dahieh municipalities. The area of Aamroussieh (العمروسية), located in the southern part of the attached map, is not generally considered part of Greater Dahieh, although Hezbollah also maintains a presence and influence there.


The population of the Dahieh is currently estimated within a broad range of approximately 300,000 to 800,000 residents, depending on how its boundaries are defined. According to the most commonly cited estimates, the population is approximately 600,000-700,000. (Read More)

Israel Katz Warns Dahiyeh Could Still Be Targeted

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz unveils a new deterrence doctrine linking attacks on northern Israel to potential strikes on Beirut’s Dahiyeh, signaling a sharp escalation in Israel’s Lebanon policy. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Tuesday that Israel is effectively establishing a “new equation” in its northern policy, linking continued rocket fire on northern communities to potential Israeli strikes in Beirut’s Dahiyeh district, a known Hezbollah stronghold.

Speaking at a defense export conference alongside senior officials from the Defense Ministry and Israel’s defense industries, Katz said the policy was formulated together with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the IDF. He described it as a deterrence framework under which “the Dahiyeh in Beirut will be treated like Israel’s northern communities.” “If Israeli communities continue to be attacked, we will strike the Dahiyeh Shiite district in Beirut, which is a Hezbollah stronghold,” Katz said.

According to the defense minister, the policy has already had an operational impact, including what he described as the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of civilians from the Dahiyeh area following Israeli warning messages and evacuation notices issued by the IDF. Katz said the pressure created “hundreds of thousands of evacuees” and placed strain on Hezbollah and the Lebanese government. He added that the United States had “validated” the principle and communicated it to Lebanese authorities and other relevant parties, though no independent confirmation of that claim was provided in the remarks.

Katz stressed that Israel’s response policy leaves no room for rocket fire without retaliation. “There will be no situation of fire on our communities without a strong response against the Dahiyeh district in Beirut,” he said, adding that IDF operations inside Lebanon would continue regardless. He also outlined Israel’s broader military posture in southern Lebanon, saying the IDF had maneuvered and seized territory up to what he called the “yellow line” to push threats away from Israeli border communities.

He described an expanded security zone covering roughly 600 square kilometers, including areas up to the Beaufort area, which he said had been incorporated into Israel’s defensive depth. Katz said the IDF continues to target Hezbollah launch sites and infrastructure across Lebanon, with the long-term objective of disarming the group and demilitarizing areas north of the Litani River. The remarks were delivered during a conference marking record Israeli defense exports, which the ministry said reached $19.2 billion in new contracts in 2025, a 30% increase from the previous year, even as the defense industry continues to operate under wartime conditions. (Source)

PM statement caused Hezbollah leaders to flee Beirut, disrupted surprise attack plans

The element of surprise was lost when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz announced the IDF's intentions to strike targets in the Lebanese capital.

Multiple Hezbollah leaders fled Beirut after a joint statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz caused any IDF strikes in the capital to lose the element of surprise, an IDF source said on Monday. Shortly after the statement, in which Netanyahu and Katz announced intentions to strike terror targets in Beirut, IDF officials said that in order to strike in Beirut, a target bank needed to be prepared so as to hit Hezbollah's center of gravity.

The IDF intended to strike human targets, as well as operations rooms and command centers. However, after the statement, Hezbollah leaders rushed to leave the places where they had been present in Beirut. Many other residents left alongside them, some of them low-ranking Hezbollah operatives.

According to a source from the IDF, the statement canceled the military plan to surprise Hezbollah and deal a severe blow to its center of gravity in Beirut. The IDF may not know all the details of the framework of the ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel proposed by the US. (Read More)

Netanyahu after call with Trump: If Hezbollah attacks us, we will strike Dahieh

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to President Trump's announcement about stopping the Israeli attack against Hezbollah in Dahieh.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded this evening (Monday) to President Donald Trump's announcement that he had halted an Israeli attack against Hezbollah in Beirut's Dahieh district following a conversation between the two leaders. "I spoke this evening with President Trump and told him that if Hezbollah does not cease attacking our cities and civilians, Israel will strike terrorist targets in Beirut. This position remains unchanged. At the same time, the IDF will continue operating in southern Lebanon as planned," Netanyahu said.

Earlier, Trump stated: "I had a very productive call with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, of Israel, and there will be no Troops going to Beirut, and any Troops that are on their way, have already been turned back. Likewise, through highly placed Representatives, I had a very good call with Hezbollah, and they agreed that all shooting will stop - That Israel will not attack them, and they will not attack Israel. President DONALD J. TRUMP." Later, the Lebanese government issued a statement explaining the details of the reported understanding between Trump and Netanyahu.

“As part of the efforts undertaken by the Lebanese government to preserve stability and prevent further escalation in Lebanon, and following a telephone conversation between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Lebanese authorities received confirmation that Hezbollah had agreed to an American proposal providing for a mutual cessation of attacks. “Under the proposed arrangement, Israel would halt strikes on southern Beirut's Dahieh district, while Hezbollah would refrain from carrying out attacks against Israel. Subsequently, the ceasefire agreement would be expanded to apply throughout Lebanese territory." (Ed note: Hezbollah will observe the ceasefire? How long will that lie last?) (Read More)

Trump tells Netanyahu he kept him out of jail, should be grateful on tense call - report

One source summarized part of Trump’s comments as “everybody hates you now. Everybody hates Israel because of this,” said the report by Axios.

US President Trump accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of being the reason for global hatred of Israel in an angry call on Monday, Axios reported. Earlier on Monday, Iran had threatened to stop negotiating with the US due to Israel’s action in Lebanon, prompting the call in which Trump at one point yelled at Netanyahu, “What the f*** are you doing?” According to one US official, Trump felt that Netanyahu was reacting disproportionally to Hezbollah’s attacks on Israel. He objected to Israel destroying buildings to take out a single Hezbollah commander, and Israel’s threats against Beirut, Axios wrote.

Another source summarized part of Trump’s comments as “everybody hates you now. Everybody hates Israel because of this,” according to Axios. Trump also accused Netanyahu of being ungrateful, with the source saying Trump claimed the prime minister would have been in prison if not for him. While Netanyahu released a statement after the call that Israel’s position “remains the same,” a US official told Axios that Trump had actually “steamrolled” Netanyahu.

Bibi said, 'OK, OK, just make sure everything is taken care of,'" Axios quoted the official as saying. Another official said that this was one of Trump’s worst calls with Netanyahu since the start of his second term. After the call, Trump announced that Netanyahu had “turned his Troops around,” after he asked him “not to go into a major raid of Beirut,” in a post on Truth Social. In another post, Trump wrote that talks were continuing“at a rapid pace” with Iran. (Ed note: President Trump, please be careful how you handle Prime Minister Netanyahu. He is the Prime Minister of a sovereign country which just happens to be "the apple of God's eye.") (Source)

Trump declares Lebanon ceasefire, calls off IDF strike on Beirut after phone call with Netanyahu

After the call, Netanyahu said that he had told Trump that "if Hezbollah doesn't stop attacking our towns and citizens - Israel will attack terror targets in Beirut."

US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on Monday about the potential for a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. After the call, Trump announced that Israel had agreed that "there will be no Troops going to Beirut, and any Troops that are on their way, have already been turned back." In exchange, he said, Hezbollah had agreed that all shooting will stop - "That Israel will not attack them, and they will not attack Israel."

Later, Netanyahu announced that he had told Trump that "if Hezbollah doesn't stop attacking our towns and citizens - Israel will attack terror targets in Beirut." He also said that the IDF would continue to operate as planned in southern Lebanon. The Lebanese Embassy in Washington had earlier confirmed that Hezbollah had accepted the US proposal, saying that the ceasefire framework would be expanded to encompass "all Lebanese territories."

The embassy's statement also claimed that Trump had told Lebanon's Ambassador to the United States that Netanyahu had also agreed to the arrangement. The speaker of the Lebanese parliament, Nabih Berri, had earlier informed Trump's administration of Hezbollah's readiness for a ceasefire with Israel and that it has promised to guarantee that it would be implemented, Axios reported on Monday, citing Berri's top advisor Ali Hamdan. Berri is Shia, and heads Lebanon's Amal Movement. (Read More)

Why Is Iran Blocking Access to Fordow? New Satellite Images Reveal Mysterious Activity at Crippled Nuclear Site

New satellite imagery reveals Iran has erected engineered barriers around the Fordow nuclear facility, raising fresh questions about what remains hidden inside the underground site after devastating U.S. and Israeli strikes. Fresh satellite imagery suggests Iran is taking new steps to restrict access to its heavily damaged Fordow nuclear facility, months after U.S. and Israeli strikes crippled one of the country's most fortified enrichment sites.

Images analyzed by nuclear researcher Spencer Faragasso and the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) show that by May 22, Iran had placed carefully arranged piles of dirt and rock in zigzag formations along roads leading to sealed tunnel entrances at Fordow. The obstacles, known as chicanes, are commonly used to slow vehicle movement and channel traffic through controlled routes. The placement appears deliberate rather than the result of natural landslides or strike-related debris, according to the analysis released June 1.

Fordow, built deep inside a mountain near the city of Qom, was among the most heavily fortified components of Iran's nuclear infrastructure before suffering extensive damage during the 2025 conflict. U.S. bunker-busting munitions and Israeli strikes left visible craters, penetration holes, and significant destruction to underground sections of the facility. Iran had already sealed many of the site's tunnels before the attacks. Satellite monitoring in the months since has indicated little activity beyond damage assessment and cleanup efforts. 

The newly identified barriers may offer clues into Tehran's current concerns. Unlike complete roadblocks observed at other nuclear sites, including parts of Isfahan earlier this year, the Fordow obstacles appear designed to impede rapid vehicle access while still allowing limited movement into the area. Analysts say such measures could complicate any potential ground operation aimed at reaching the tunnels. By May 26, some of the barriers near Fordow's easternmost tunnel entrance appeared to have been partially or fully removed, though higher-resolution imagery will be required to determine the extent of the changes. (Read More)

Iran reopens most entrances to 18 underground missile sites struck in war – report

Iran has salvaged entrances to dozens of missile facilities struck by the US and Israel in the recent war, a Sunday report said, as the Islamic Republic continues to rebuild its military infrastructure amid ceasefire talks with the US. According to CNN, citing satellite images, Iran has been able to dig out 50 of 69 tunnel entrances at 18 separate underground missile facilities across the country. It has also repaired other damaged areas of those bases, including key access roads that the US and Israel bombed during the war, the report said.

The regime is “poised to fire far more long-range missiles at Israel and other Middle Eastern nations after rapidly digging out its buried arsenals,” the report said, quoting experts as saying that Iran still possesses some 1,000 ballistic missiles, most of which are stored in those 18 sites. This stockpile of missiles is stored deep below the surface, and largely went untouched by the US and Israeli strikes, which targeted tunnel entrances and surrounding infrastructure, the report said. According to experts cited by CNN, the recent satellite images have revealed the limits of the bombing campaign, with Iran using bulldozers and dump trucks to reopen the missile sites.

Iran can now “continue launching missiles so long as they have launchers and crews, even if production has halted,” Sam Lair, a research associate at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, told CNN. “There’s nothing to prevent the launchers from being armed with the ample stockpile of missiles that the Iranians still have.” According to a recent report by Channel 12, Iran has also resumed production of ballistic missiles, at a rate far faster than initially expected. Israeli defense officials also assess Iran could rebuild its drone capabilities within months and significantly ramp up ballistic missile production within about a year, or possibly sooner, the report said. (Read More)

US strikes Iranian targets along Strait of Hormuz as Kuwait defends against drones, missiles

The United States struck Iranian targets in Goruk and Qeshm Island, both located along the Strait of Hormuz, US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Monday on X/Twitter. According to CENTCOM, the attacks were in response to Iran's downing of an American MQ-1 Reaper drone. Fighter jets had also been heard over several parts of Tehran, Iran International reported on Monday, citing residents of the city.

Additionally, three explosions were heard in Bandar Abbas on the Strait of Hormuz on Monday morning, according to the outlet. The IRGC later confirmed that it had struck a US air base after an American attack reportedly launched from it targeted a telecoms tower on Sirik Island. No exact location of the base was given, but CENTCOM confirmed that no US personnel were harmed in the strike.

Also on Monday, Kuwait's air defense systems worked to intercept missile and drone attacks, according to its official X account. The Kuwaiti Army said that its air defenses were "currently confronting hostile missile and drone attacks." "The General Staff of the Army notes that if explosion sounds are heard, they result from the air defense systems intercepting the hostile attacks," the statement added.No immediate reports of casualties or damage were available. No immediate reports of casualties or damage were available. (Source)

Rupture at the Top: Internal State Documents Expose Sudden Resignation Request by Iranian President

The highest echelons of the Iranian political establishment have been thrown into a state of unprecedented turmoil following reports that President Masoud Pezeshkian has submitted an official letter of resignation to the office of Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. The unexpected administrative fracture, initially disclosed by independent regional opposition networks, points to a profound institutional crisis at the heart of the Islamic Republic. Sources familiar with the document reveal that the president utilized remarkably sharp, critical language to describe a systemic collapse of civilian authority across the country.

In his highly confidential correspondence, Pezeshkian issued a stark warning stating that the central governing apparatus of the nation has effectively been pulled away from legitimate constitutional channels. The president explicitly asserted that the vital decision-making centers of the state are now under the absolute, unchecked control of a specific faction of senior commanders within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. This dramatic assessment indicates that the elected civilian government has been completely marginalized, reducing the presidency to little more than symbolic window dressing for a military junta.

The outgoing chief executive further emphasized that the vacuum created by the systematic exclusion of his cabinet paved a direct path for radical elements within the paramilitary structure to usurp core national institutions. Under these severe constraints, Pezeshkian declared that he is no longer capable of managing the daily affairs of the government or fulfilling his statutory obligations to the public, prompting his demand for an immediate exit from office. While state-aligned media networks in Tehran have spent weeks denying any internal rifts, the emergence of this letter suggests the system is cracking under the combined weight of war pressure, international sanctions, and deep internal distrust. (Read More)

Israel asks US to allow for expanded Beirut strikes, sources tell 'Post' - exclusive

Senior Israeli officials have appealed to senior US officials to allow the IDF to expand the strikes in Beirut, two sources told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday. According to the sources, Israeli officials are hopeful that, given the lack of progress in both the negotiations between Washington and Tehran and the talks between Israel and Lebanon, the US response will be favorable. Early Monday morning, UK Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper called on Israel to halt its Lebanon operations, saying, "It must end."

"Israel's military escalation in Lebanon has killed and displaced civilians, destroyed infrastructure, and eroded space for diplomacy," said Cooper. On Sunday, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul called for all sides in the conflict to cease hostilities, describing Israel's push into southern Lebanon as "cause for serious concern."

"Any further escalation will exacerbate the already tense situation and trigger new waves of displacement within Lebanon," Wadephul added. On Sunday morning, the IDF announced it had taken control of the Beaufort Ridge outpost and Wadi al-Saluki areas north of the Litani River in southern Lebanon. The IAF, artillery, and tanks conducted extensive support strikes against Hezbollah infrastructure in the area to reduce resistance ahead of the advance. (Read More)

Netanyahu: IDF will strike in Beirut following Hezbollah violations

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu greenlights strikes in Hezbollah stronghold in Beirut following death of IDF soldier, repeated and increased fire from Lebanon.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday morning announced the approval of strikes in Beirut, following the deaths of two IDF soldiers and a sharp increase in Hezbollah launches towards northern Israel. "Due to repeated violations of the ceasefire in Lebanon by the Hezbollah terror group and the attacks against our cities and citizens, I have instructed the IDF, together with Defense Minister Israel Katz, to strike terror targets in the Dahieh quarter of Beirut," Netanyahu announced in a statement.

The Dahieh, literally "suburb," is an upper-class Beirut neighborhood known for being a Hezbollah stronghold and home to a significant portion of the terror group's infrastructure. Despite Hezbollah's increased aggression, Israel has largely avoided striking the Dahieh due to opposition from US President Donald Trump. 

Meanwhile, Israel believes that Hezbollah's core command centers have not returned to operations in Dahieh, i24NEWS reported. According to that report, the terror group moved its core centers to other areas in Beirut and outside it at the start of the war, and has not moved them back since the ceasefire began. (Source)

IDF captures strategic Beaufort Castle, as soldier killed in Hezbollah drone strike

Israel captured the historic Beaufort Castle and the surrounding strategic ridge as it pushed deeper into Lebanon, the IDF announced on Sunday. The IDF’s advance into Lebanon, in an effort to constrict Hezbollah rocket and drone fire, came as a soldier was killed and four others were lightly wounded in a Hezbollah explosive drone attack a short distance away. The soldier, Staff Sgt. Michael Tyukin, 21, of the Givati Brigade’s Reconnaissance Unit, was an only child who moved to Israel from Ukraine with his mother in 2020.

Troops took over territory in the Beaufort Ridge and Wadi Saluki stream area and expanded strikes north of the Litani River after the Hezbollah terror group fired multiple rockets and drones at Israel on Saturday afternoon and evening, forcing schools near the border with Lebanon to close on Sunday. Israel had withdrawn from Beaufort in 2000, when it pulled out of southern Lebanon. The castle is some five kilometers from the border, and its recapture is not the IDF’s deepest advance into Lebanon, with troops operating up to 10 kilometers from the border since 2024.

Footage from Sunday morning showed Israeli and IDF flags flying over the citadel, a strategic medieval Crusader-built fortress with symbolic importance in the history of Israel’s military entanglements in Lebanon. Shelling was audible and smoke rose from the surrounding area.The fortress, also known as Qalaat al-Shakif, commands sweeping views of the Galilee Panhandle in northern Israel, as well as the Nabatieh area in southern Lebanon, making it a position of considerable strategic value. Israeli troops captured the castle in one of the first battles of the First Lebanon War in 1982. (Ed note: Great videos of the old castle. Do take a minute and check them out.) (Read More)

IDF captures strategic ridge in deepest incursion into Lebanon since 2000

Israel Defense Forces ground troops have captured a strategic mountain ridge in southeastern Lebanon in their deepest incursion into the country in 26 years, the military said on Sunday. Israeli forces seized Beaufort Castle near the city of Nabatieh as part of the army’s efforts to “eliminate the direct threat to communities in the Galilee Panhandle, including Metula,” it stated. Troops have been advancing deeper into Lebanon for several days after crossing the Litani River, marking an expansion of operations. Israeli forces are now some 5 kilometers, or 3 miles, from Nabatieh, a major urban center and Hezbollah stronghold.

“The operation is focused on gaining control of the Beaufort Ridge and the Wadi al-Saluki area, while also intensifying the campaign against Hezbollah and destroying significant terrorist infrastructure established on the ridge with Iranian guidance,” the IDF said. “In addition, the forces are operating against launch infrastructure in the area that was used to carry out hundreds of rocket launches against Israeli civilians and IDF troops operating in Southern Lebanon,” it added. The military said the operation was one of dozens carried out in recent weeks as part of its ongoing campaign against the Iranian terrorist proxy. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the IDF returned to the Beaufort Ridge “united, determined and stronger than ever.”

“I remind you that 44 years ago, this place was a symbol of a heroic battle by our fighters, but it was also a symbol of deep division among us,” he said, referencing the June 1982 battle for the mountain ridge during the First Lebanon War. Netanyahu added, “Today, we returned to Beaufort differently.” “I have instructed the IDF to expand the incursion in Lebanon. Our forces have crossed the Litani River. They took dominant terrain. They captured the Beaufort ridge. And now my instruction is to deepen and expand our hold on places that were under Hezbollah’s control,” the premier declared. (Ed note: The castle was a Crusader Castle built in the 12th century, circa 1137–1139.)    (Read More)

Satellite Images From Iran Tell a Story Washington Doesn't Want told.

Satellite images show Iran's bulldozers have been working around the clock since the strikes. The tunnels are reopening. US interceptors are running low. The ceasefire is fictional. Three months after the United States and Israel launched a sweeping bombing campaign against Iran's underground missile infrastructure, satellite imagery reviewed by CNN shows that Iran has already reopened 50 of the 69 tunnel entrances that were struck across 18 underground missile facilities. The images document fleets of heavy construction vehicles clearing rubble, filling cratered access roads, and in at least two cases repaving them entirely. The finding raises uncomfortable questions about what the bombing campaign actually achieved, and what it left intact.

The strategy behind striking tunnel entrances rather than the facilities themselves was deliberate: deeply buried underground complexes are largely impervious to conventional air-delivered munitions, even the largest bunker-busters in the US arsenal. The operational logic was to seal the tunnels, trapping missile launchers and equipment inside and preventing them from being driven out to firing positions. What the satellite images now show is that Iran's engineering corps has been methodically unstopping those seals, one entrance at a time, with bulldozers visible at multiple sites within days of the initial strikes.

The tunnel reopenings are the most visible sign of a broader Iranian reconstitution effort that US intelligence has been tracking since the ceasefire. Iran has already rebuilt some missile production facilities that were struck during the Twelve-Day War of June 2025, according to CNN, and US assessments indicate that drone production has been restarted and launcher capacity is being replaced. Iran is reported to have boosted drone production roughly tenfold since the start of the conflict, compensating for degraded ballistic missile infrastructure by pivoting to mass production of cheaper, expendable one-way attack drones that can be launched in overwhelming waves.

That pivot is deliberate and strategically coherent. Iran has launched over 3,000 drones at Gulf states and approximately 1,000 ballistic missiles since February 28, according to JINSA's Gemunder Center for Defense and Strategy. The drone campaign is not designed primarily to achieve precision strikes. It is designed to drain the interceptor stockpiles of the United States and its regional partners, forcing them to expend high-cost interceptors against low-cost threats in a ratio that Tehran calculates it can sustain longer than Washington can. (Read More)

Iran has reopened most entrances to 18 underground missile sites struck in war — report

Iran has salvaged 50 out of 69 tunnel entrances at 18 underground missile facilities struck by the US and Israel in the recent war, CNN reports, citing satellite images. The regime is “poised to fire far more long-range missiles at Israel and other Middle Eastern nations after rapidly digging out its buried arsenals,” the report says. Experts speaking to CNN say the images reveal the limits of the Israel-US bombing campaign, with Iran using bulldozers and dump trucks to reopen the missile sites.

Iran can now “continue launching missiles so long as they have launchers and crews, even if production has halted,” Sam Lair, a research associate at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, told CNN. “There’s nothing to prevent the launchers from being armed with the ample stockpile of missiles that the Iranians still have.”

The ceasefire declared by Trump in April came with core declared goals of the war unfulfilled, including ensuring that Iran does not attain nuclear weapons, destroying its missile program, and creating the conditions for the Iranian public to overthrow the regime. (Source)

Trump Hardens Iran Deal Terms after Khamenei Fails to Sign Agreement

US president signals no money will flow and demands total nuclear disarmament; Iran denies nuclear negotiations are even taking place. A carefully negotiated ceasefire framework between the United States and Iran is teetering on the edge of collapse after Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei failed to formally approve the agreed terms, prompting President Donald Trump to harden his conditions and freeze key financial provisions of the proposed deal.

Negotiators from the US and Iran reached agreement on a 60-day memorandum of understanding (MoU) to extend the ongoing ceasefire, according to a Thursday Axios report confirmed by two US officials. However, Mojtaba Khamenei has not approved the drafted agreement, which is why President Trump has also withheld his own approval, a source familiar with the matter told The Jerusalem Post. In effect, there appears to be an understanding among Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, and US envoy Steve Witkoff and his team, but senior Iranian leadership has not yet formally agreed to a ceasefire extension.

US Vice President JD Vance described talks as making "good progress," and said that if signed, the memorandum of understanding would be the most significant diplomatic step since the war began on February 28. According to US sources, the draft terms include unrestricted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, Iran removing all mines from the strait within 30 days, a proportional lifting of the US naval blockade as commercial shipping resumes, US sanctions waivers to allow Iran to sell oil, Iran's commitment not to pursue nuclear weapons, and a US commitment to discuss sanctions relief.

A two-month extension of the ceasefire would also extend beyond the FIFA World Cup period, during which Iran is scheduled to play all three group-stage matches on US soil, providing both sides with an opportunity to consolidate their positions without committing to final decisions. With Khamenei's silence frustrating Washington, Trump moved to tighten his demands. Trump insisted that Iran must agree it will "never have a nuclear weapon or bomb," and that Iran's stockpiles of highly enriched uranium — which he called "nuclear dust" — will be "unearthed" and destroyed by the US in close coordination with Iran and the UN's nuclear energy agency.

He also announced: "No money will be exchanged, until further notice," appearing to freeze the sanctions relief Iran was supposed to receive under the MoU once signed, adding that "other items, of far less importance, have been agreed to." Trump had told advisers a day earlier that he was not satisfied with the current state of talks. (Read More)

Trump said seeking changes to Iran deal, focused on fate of uranium stockpile

US President Donald Trump put off his decision on the memorandum of understanding with Iran after demanding his team secure more concessions on Iran’s nuclear program, Axios reported Sunday, citing a senior administration official and a US source briefed on the matter. Trump also wants some changes to the draft’s language about reopening the Strait of Hormuz, the second source said, without elaborating. A separate report in Israeli daily Israel Hayom said the US let dozens of Qatari oil and liquefied natural gas tankers sail through the strait over the past week after Iran okayed the tankers’ passage and in some cases received payment for it.

Some of the vessels were even escorted by the US Navy, said Israel Hayom, which cited three unidentified diplomatic and intelligence sources. According to the report, the vessels were headed to Europe and East Asia, mostly India or China. Trump on Friday said he was entering the Situation Room for a “final determination” on Iran, after the White House said that, pending his approval, Washington and Tehran had agreed to a 60-day ceasefire extension during which the sides would hammer out nuclear commitments.

The Situation Room meeting ended inconclusively, according to US media, and Iranian officials denied Trump’s suggestions that the memorandum of understanding contains nuclear concessions or a commitment to fully reopening the strait. The senior official cited by Axios said Trump asked his team during the meeting to amend the timetable of the nuclear talks, in which the US seeks to remove about 10 warheads’ worth of highly enriched uranium that Iran has amassed. The material is thought to have been buried after the US hit key Iranian nuclear sites during the June 2025 Israel-Iran war.

Trump wants “more specifics about how the US gets the material and the timing,” the official was quoted as saying. According to the official, the Iranians would need about three days to get back to Trump because “they’re literally in caves and they’re not using email.” Washington is “willing to wait so the president gets what he asks for,” the official said. “It could be a week. It could be less. It could be more. At the turn of the week, we hope to have something.” The White House did not immediately comment, Axios said. (Read More)

Hezbollah expands range of rocket fire (ACRE)

Sirens sound across northern Israel as additional areas absorb rocket fire from the Hezbollah terror group; hospitals move underground.

Sirens sounded on Sunday afternoon in the city of Akko (Acre) and its industrial zone, shortly after a preliminary warning was issued regarding the possibility of rocket fire toward the area. Preliminary warnings were also issued in the Krayot area near Haifa. In Kiryat Shmona, a preliminary warning was given about half a minute before the sirens were activated. At the same time, sirens sounded in many communities along the Israel-Lebanon border.

Earlier, several launches were identified from Lebanon toward the Nahariya area. The Israeli Air Force intercepted some of the launches, while others fell in open areas. No injuries were reported. Sirens along the confrontation line have continued repeatedly, and since the morning, numerous sirens have sounded in the area - both due to rocket and missile fire and due to concerns of hostile aircraft infiltrations - in Rosh Hanikra, Betzet, Shlomi, the Miluot North Industrial Zone, Achziv Beach, Liman, Hanita, Ya’ara, Adamit, Arab al-Aramshe, Shomera, Even Menachem, Zar’it, Gesher Haziv, Sa’ar, Metula, Kfar Giladi, Tel Hai, Kiryat Shmona, and Beit Hillel.

At the same time, amid the increase in fire and alerts, hospitals in northern Israel officially announced that they are moving their medical activity to protected spaces and underground areas. (Ed note: The city of Acre is located about 14 miles north of the city of Haifa, and is situated across the northern curve of the Bay of Haifa.)    (Source)

WATCH: People run for shelter as Hezbollah rocket barrage hits water near Nahariya beach

Hezbollah fired its first barrage of missiles against Nahariya in almost a month, with the IDF reporting that several projectiles were intercepted or fell into open areas.

Hezbollah fired dozens of missiles and drones at the North over the weekend, with the IDF saying it was planning to intensify its campaign against the terrorist organization in Lebanon. Residents of numerous northern communities rushed to shelters as sirens sounded throughout the Western and Upper Galilee. A video circulated by Army Radio on Saturday from a Nahariya beach showed missiles from a Hezbollah barrage hitting the ocean, with beachgoers running for cover amid explosions.

This was Hezbollah’s first barrage on Nahariya in almost a month. The IDF said that several projectiles were intercepted or fell in open areas. The terrorist organization also targeted Karmiel in an incident that represented the farthest attack by Hezbollah since the ceasefire went into effect a month ago. Hezbollah has intensified its fire over Friday night and into Saturday. It fired between 10 and 15 missiles overnight and more during the day. One of those directly hit Kiryat Shmona’s city center overnight, the IDF said on Saturday.

According to the city’s mayor, Avichai Stern, the other missiles were successfully intercepted by the Iron Dome during that barrage. Meanwhile, the IDF said on Saturday that it was preparing for the possibility of intensified fire from Lebanon, specifically toward the North, following the progress of IDF operations in Lebanon. While there is no change to the Home Front Command guidelines, the army said that the public should remain vigilant and act responsibly while continuing to adhere to the current regulations. (Ed note: The city of Nahariya is located directly on the Mediterranean Sea and is about 34 miles north of Haifa. It is Israel's northernmost coastal city, just south of the Lebanese border. Nahariya has a population of about 64,000 people, and was founded in 1935 by Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi Germany.)  (Source)

Metula leader: ‘If our residents don’t sleep, Beirut won’t sleep either’

Metula Council head David Azulay decries another night of sirens and fear along the northern border, demanding a stronger Israeli response as IDF forces reportedly operate north of the Litani.

The Israeli Air Force on Saturday struck several targets in southern Lebanon, after IDF Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee issued evacuation notices to residents of many villages, instructing them to move north of the Zahrani River. A senior Lebanese military source said that IDF forces crossed the Litani River in southern Lebanon and are on the outskirts of the city of Nabatieh. According to the report, Zawtar al-Sharqiya and Shqif Arnoun are among the villages and towns reached by the forces north of the Litani.

The Lebanese army reported that two Lebanese soldiers were seriously wounded after being attacked inside a vehicle by an Israeli UAV on the main road in the Aabba area near Nabatieh. Meanwhile, Hezbollah launched dozens of rockets and drones towards northern Israel, one of which directly hit the commercial center in Kiryat Shmona. Metula Council head David Azulay slammed, "This was another night of abandonment, sirens, running to protected spaces, and an impossible reality for the residents of the Upper Galilee and the confrontation line, and the Israeli government simply does not care.

We cannot continue to normalize this insane reality." "As long as the residents of Metula, Kiryat Shmona, Misgav Am, Shomera, Zar’it, Liman, and the entire confrontation line are not sleeping - the residents of Beirut will not sleep either! The ceasefire exists only there - and we will not accept this reality." (Ed note: Listen up, President Trump! If the residents of the cities and towns of northern Israel can't sleep at night, why should the residents of Beirut be any different?) (Source)

IDF expanding operations in southern Lebanon

Special operation north of the Litani River, planned for over a year, aims to secure Metula and other Galilee Panhandle communities.

The IDF’s ground maneuver in southern Lebanon is undergoing a dramatic expansion. Kan News reported that the special operation, whose planning began more than a year ago, includes activity north of the Litani River. As part of the operation, the IDF is capturing areas, has built at least five bridges over the Litani, and has opened routes using engineering forces through the Lebanese thicket and among boulders, allowing many forces to cross to the other side of the river.

The goal of the operation is to remove the direct anti-tank missile threat to communities in the Galilee Panhandle, especially Metula, since the area toward which IDF forces are advancing dominates the town, allowing both observation and fire.

The report also stated that the IDF tried to carry out this operation two months ago with the 98th Division, but the soldiers encountered Hezbollah ambushes, the plans were not sufficiently developed, and Northern Command chief Maj. Gen. Rafi Milo ordered the operation canceled and transferred to the 36th Division, which planned it anew. (Source)

Israel shuts schools near Lebanon border amid repeated Hezbollah rocket, drone attacks

IDF Home Front Command tightens guidelines, as Nahariya hospital moves operations underground; Lebanese PM accuses Israel of ‘scorched-earth policy’ but defends ongoing peace talks

Schools in towns and cities near the border with Lebanon were shuttered starting Sunday, as the IDF Home Front Command tightened its restrictions in light of intensified Hezbollah drone and rocket attacks on northern Israel over the weekend. No educational activities were taking place in communities along the Lebanon border, including Kiryat Shmona, as well as Meron, Bar Yohai, Or HaGanuz, Safsufa, Yesud HaMa’ala, Kisra-Sumei, Beit Jann and Sde Eliezer. In the Upper Galilee and northern Golan, along with Katzrin and Kidmat Tzvi, educational activities were permitted only inside a building or in an area where a shelter can be reached in time, according to the guidelines issued Saturday evening.

Workplaces can operate in all of those areas, provided an adequate shelter can be reached in time. According to the guidelines, gatherings are restricted to 50 people outdoors and 200 indoors, and beaches are closed. The guidelines were to remain in effect until Monday at 9 p.m., by which time the Home Front Command was to conduct another assessment. Meanwhile, the Health Ministry announced Saturday that the Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya would be moving operations to an underground protected area.

The developments came as Hezbollah fired multiple rockets and drones at Israel on Saturday afternoon and evening, and as the IDF expanded operations in southern Lebanon. The Israeli military told AFP that more than 25 projectiles were launched from Lebanon towards Israel on Saturday. Incoming rocket sirens sounded in the northern cities of Karmiel and Safed for the first time since the ceasefire, as well as in Kiryat Shmona and other northern communities that were targeted repeatedly. (Read More)

The Hidden Signatures: Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei Holds Final Veto Over Sixty Day Truce

Senior Israeli security officials have revealed that the pending sixty-day ceasefire and nuclear framework agreement remains entirely stalled due to a total lack of authorization from Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei.

The diplomatic trajectory of the ongoing regional war remains highly volatile, as senior Israeli political and defense officials reveal that the potential sixty-day ceasefire agreement between Washington and Tehran has not received crucial authorization from the highest levels of the Iranian regime. While Western media outlets reported that a comprehensive memorandum of understanding had been successfully finalized, intelligence assessments in Jerusalem indicate that the deal cannot move forward until Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, provides an official response to the draft.

The political echelon in Jerusalem has maintained a strict, formal silence regarding the specific components of the text, with neither the Prime Minister’s Office nor the Ministry of Defense issuing public briefings. However, senior analysts speaking behind closed doors clarified that United States President Donald Trump currently has nothing concrete to sign, as the entire framework is frozen while awaiting approval from the opposing leadership. The sources noted that while high-level Iranian officials like Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and Abbas Araqchi managed to reach basic understandings with American negotiators, they simply do not possess the executive authority required to sign a binding international treaty.

Israeli intelligence agencies currently possess zero indications that Mojtaba Khamenei has signaled his assent to the framework, with defense planners predicting that the Supreme Leader will likely utilize a delay tactic by offering a conditional agreement to drag out negotiations. This assessment aligns closely with official statements published by Iran’s state-aligned Tasnim news agency, which quoted sources close to the delegation asserting that the document remains unfinalized. The Iranian press apparatus emphasized that the regime has not yet notified its Pakistani diplomatic intermediaries that a final text exists, contradicting Western reports. (Read More)

Trump meeting to make ‘final determination’ on Iran deal said to end with no decision

Tehran denies US president’s suggestion that agreement announced by White House includes nuclear concessions; deal includes $300B fund for Iran’s reconstruction, sources tell NYT.

US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he was entering the White House Situation Room to make a “final determination” on a memorandum of understanding to extend the ceasefire with Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. But the meeting ended after two hours with no decision, a senior administration official told the New York Times, insisting an agreement was still close but required further debate about issues including the unfreezing of Iranian funds. “President Trump will only make a deal that is good for America and satisfies his red lines,” a White House official told AFP on condition of anonymity after the meeting. “Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon.”

Announcing the meeting in a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump insisted that Iran’s stockpiles of highly enriched uranium would be extracted and destroyed by the US, even though such a clause is not included in the terms of the MoU. Iran’s Foreign Ministry responded that talks were ongoing but “no final agreement has been reached yet,” contradicting the White House’s claim that Trump’s approval was the last thing needed before a deal could be reached.

The ministry also denied Trump’s suggestion that Iran would relinquish its enriched uranium. “We are focused on ending the war, and there are no negotiations on the nuclear issue,” ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei told state TV. A senior Iranian source told Reuters that while a political understanding has been reached, it has not yet been finalized. The MoU announced by the White House on Thursday would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and extend the ongoing Iran ceasefire by 60 days. In that time, Washington and Tehran would hold further talks on curbing Iran’s nuclear program.  (Read More)

Trump's refusal to return to war with Iran will 'cost him dearly', Saudi expert claims

Saudi analyst Mubarak al-Ati said that the US's decline on the international stage has prevented Saudi Arabia and other Gulf States from taking Trump's demands to join the Abraham Accords seriously.

Saudi Arabia no longer trusts the US to provide protection, Saudi analyst Mubarak al-Ati said in an interview on Russia Today TV earlier this week. "It seems that [US President Donald] Trump refuses to return to war and overthrow the Ayatollah's regime. This will cost him dearly,” Ati said, while claiming that the US president has shown that he is a paper tiger. Ati said that the US’s first real sign of its failure in international affairs was Biden’s “humiliating exit” from Afghanistan in 2021. “The US is still a superpower, but not as it was a decade ago,” he opined.

“The balance of power has changed significantly, and for rising powers such as India, Saudi Arabia, and Brazil, all of which are G20 members, there are now new possibilities, and they can establish relations with all forces, not just with the US.” The Saudi expert claims that the US’s dwindling presence on the world stage has led Gulf States and other Muslim countries to not take Trump’s demands to join the Abraham Accords very seriously.

“Saudi Arabia refrained from being drawn into war and did not stand alongside Israel and the United States, just as it did not stand alongside Iran,” Ati said. “Saudi Arabia has not declared hostility toward any of the parties, and this means they analyzed the situation and saw themselves as an independent actor who cannot be a satellite of Israel and the US. "He said that instead, Saudi Arabia is leading a new “Arab-Islamic bloc” with Pakistan, Turkey, and Qatar, which will likely be announced soon. (Read More)

Satellite images reveal Iran rapidly rebuilds its missile and drone arsenal

A CNN analysis of satellite images reveals that the Islamic Republic has reopened at least 50 blocked access points at 18 underground missile sites. Contrary to statements by Trump, the arsenal was not destroyed but trapped, and is now being cleared with bulldozers. The Pentagon is concerned that Iran will rebuild its drone fleet within six months.

Against the backdrop of the fragile ceasefire between Iran and the US, the Islamic Republic is working at an unprecedented pace to restore the military capabilities damaged during the war. An analysis of new satellite images from Airbus Defence and Space, revealed by CNN, shows that since the ceasefire began, Tehran has already managed to clear at least 50 blocked access points at 18 different missile sites. The satellite analysis casts a heavy shadow over statements by US President Donald Trump that Iran's missile arsenal had been almost completely destroyed. The images indicate that the combined Israeli-US attacks during the war disabled these "missile cities" by blocking their entry points, effectively "trapping" a huge portion of Iran's launchers and severely damaging its ability to fire missiles in real time.

Now, however, using bulldozers and removal trucks, Iran is renewing access to vast quantities of missiles stored in those underground facilities, effectively undoing the results of a military strategy that required enormous Israeli-American firepower. At the same time, the Pentagon continues to stand by the success of the campaign and insists that the operational actions achieved their required objectives. The satellite images present a worrying picture on the ground. Images from April 10 documented intensive efforts to clear debris and rubble from the blocked entrance to a tunnel at a major missile base south of the city of Tabriz. (Read More)

Netanyahu confirms IDF soldiers crossed Litani River, air force 'operating in Beirut, Bekaa Valley'

IDF soldiers crossed to the north of Lebanon's Litani River, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Friday during a visit to Israel's northern border. "Our forces have crossed the Litani and advanced to controlling positions," said Netanyahu, and added, "We are operating in Beirut, in the Beqaa, across the entire width of the front, and are dealing Hezbollah a crushing blow." Netanyahu visited the border alongside Defense Minister Israel Katz and was briefed by Northern Command Chief Maj.-Gen. Rafi Milo and 36th Division Commander Brig.-Gen. Yiftach Norkin on the IDF's Lebanon operations.

"I spoke with the brigade commanders who are currently in the field," said Netanyahu. "I hear them, and I also hear the soldiers, some of whom are standing here behind me; there is an immense fighting spirit. From here, the battle against Hezbollah in the north is being managed." The Prime Minister also said that he was impressed with the military's results. "There are very impressive results here," he said. "The brigade commanders tell me, as do the soldiers, that in every contact with them, in every encounter, we are both eliminating Hezbollah and causing them to flee."

"And it is this spirit that brings us these achievements," Netanyahu continued. "I salute you. You are lions. You have commanders who are lions, and you are proving the strength of the Israel Defense Forces' spirit. Keep going, with great success, until the very end." (Ed note: Israel has issued repeated evacuation warnings to the southern coastal city of Tyre and has carried out heavy strikes there as well.) (Source)

Why Hamas and the Gaza Strip were excluded from the draft US-Iran agreemen

On May 23, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi sent a letter to Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem stating that Tehran would not abandon its demand for an end to the “aggression against Lebanon” as a fundamental condition for any permanent agreement to end the war with the United States. On May 24, Hezbollah confirmed in an official statement that Qassem had received the message from Araghchi, which declared that “the Islamic Republic, until the very last moment, will never cease supporting movements seeking justice and freedom, foremost among them Hezbollah, the victorious resistance movement.”

The letter further stated that “from the very first moment several regional states entered mediation efforts aimed at reducing tensions between Iran and the United States, the Islamic Republic linked any possible agreement to a ceasefire in Lebanon,” emphasizing that “this important issue remains a nonnegotiable principle and an integral part of the just demands of the Iranian government and our heroic people, and it will remain so in the future.” Araghchi also clarified that “in the latest proposal submitted by the Islamic Republic through the Pakistani mediator, aimed at achieving a permanent and stable end to the war, the demand to include Lebanon within the ceasefire framework was explicitly emphasized.”

...Meanwhile, commentators in the Gaza Strip have expressed considerable astonishment that Iran linked Lebanon to any agreement with the U.S. while refraining from doing the same for Gaza and Hamas, despite Hamas being a clear component of the Iranian-led “Axis of Resistance.” This is particularly notable given that Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated by Israel in Tehran on July 31, 2024. Senior Israeli security officials believe that Iran is operating according to a clear strategic hierarchy in which the Lebanese arena is viewed as far more important than Gaza and Hamas.

...There are several central reasons for this assessment. First, from Tehran’s perspective, Hezbollah constitutes the most important strategic asset within the “Axis of Resistance.” The organization serves as Iran’s primary deterrent force against Israel, possessing a vast arsenal of missiles, rockets, UAVs and explosive drones, as well as direct influence along Israel’s northern border and the capability to threaten the Israeli home front. For this reason, Iran sees restoring Hezbollah’s strength and ending the fighting in Lebanon as a top-tier national security interest. By contrast, Hamas and the Gaza Strip are viewed by the Iranian leadership as a less critical strategic arena.

...The war in Gaza has already significantly weakened Hamas, while large portions of the Strip’s military and civilian infrastructure have been destroyed by Israel. Therefore, from Iran’s perspective, although Hamas retains ideological and symbolic importance, it is not considered a strategic asset on the same level as Hezbollah.Another reason is that the current negotiations with the U.S. are focused primarily on preventing a broader regional escalation, reopening the Strait of Hormuz, securing Iranian oil exports, and regulating the confrontation involving Iran, Israel and the U.S. Lebanon is directly tied to this confrontation because of Hezbollah’s involvement and the fear of a full-scale regional war. The Gaza Strip, by contrast, is viewed by the Iranian leadership more as a distinct Palestinian-Israeli arena. (Read More)

Who should speak for Israel? The case for Caroline Glick

Pearl-clutching about the veteran journalist possibly being sent to the New York consulate misses the point. The Jewish state needs bold advocates more than traditional diplomats. 

As far as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leftist critics are concerned, the last thing Israel needs is someone representing the country abroad who enthusiastically supports his policies, and is ready to do intellectual and verbal combat with the government’s opponents. If that doesn’t make sense, then welcome to Israeli politics. That basic conundrum explains the firestorm that has greeted the floating of the idea that Netanyahu might name veteran journalist and current adviser Caroline Glick to the post of consul general in New York City. Glick was a senior contributing editor at JNS and hosted “The Caroline Glick” show on JNS TV before being named as Netanyahu’s international affairs adviser in February 2025.

In many ways, she is an ideal candidate for such a post. She was born, raised and educated (at Columbia and Harvard universities) in the United States. As a result, she speaks unaccented idiomatic American English, unlike most of Israel’s diplomats. After making aliyah, she served in the Israel Defense Forces, where she worked as coordinator of negotiations with the Palestinian Authority during the period of the Oslo Accords. After becoming a journalist, she was embedded with the U.S. Army during the invasion of Iraq and worked as a frontline war correspondent. Since then—and outside of a brief stint running for the Knesset in 2019—she’s been covering and commenting on the issues that are at the forefront of Israeli public policy and diplomacy.

Moreover, as someone who worked with Netanyahu for a while in the 1990s and then again in the last year, she understands the prime minister’s views as well as anyone. So, what’s the problem with sending her to represent Israel in the city with the largest Jewish population outside of the Jewish state? The answer, according to the scathing comments published in recent days in outlets like The Times of Israel and Haaretz, is that her views are in line with those of the government she would represent and the voters who elected it. According to both of those publications, which are bitterly opposed to that government, sending Glick to New York would offend “progressive” Jews. As far as the far-left Haaretz is concerned, Netanyahu is “spitting in American Jews’ faces” by even thinking of such an appointment.

...What Israel and American Jewry need now is not someone who will try to make friends with Mamdani or be comfortable at a soirée with editors of the Times or liberal Jews who continue foolishly to look to both for leadership. An Israeli representative who will take on the intersectional left and the antisemitic right with equal boldness is what is required right now. So is someone who will fearlessly speak directly to ordinary Jews and not just to the Manhattan elites. And that is exactly what Caroline Glick would do if given this opportunity. (Ed note: An excellent article from Jonathan S. Tobin.) (Read More)