Israel's next front? The PA's covert buildup of a 60000-strong army

The Palestinian security apparatus is now equipped with armored vehicles and sniper rifles in breach of the Oslo Accords. Footage from Jericho shows Palestinian forces firing RPGs and heavy machine guns in combat drills. What is the PA preparing for?

Open-source intelligence gathered by the Behind the Scenes OSINT Cell reveals the Palestinian Authority (PA) has stockpiled significant weaponry and resources for a potential all-out war. The documented arsenal includes anti-tank weapons and widespread use of RPG-7 launchers during training exercises and military parades in Jericho. The National Security Battalions have heavily utilized PKM heavy machine guns – chain-driven weapons with a 7.62 millimeter (0.3 inches) caliber – to generate continuous, devastating firepower. Operatives have also converted standard M16, M4, and AK-47 assault rifles into long-range sniper rifles equipped with telescopic sights for pinpoint accuracy from a distance. 

Palestinian forces possess armored vehicles and vast quantities of explosives, directly violating the Oslo Accords (the 1990s peace agreements between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization, which established the PA). The treaties explicitly prohibit these forces from manufacturing or holding offensive explosive materials. However, this 60,000-strong Palestinian police force now operates effectively as a small army equipped with advanced weaponry and heavy armor.

The OSINT researchers warn this structural overhaul and massive weapons procurement have shifted the Palestinian Authority's operational doctrine, creating a major strategic threat to Israel. The Police Academy and the Jericho training center have upgraded their curriculums to match rigorous infantry warfare standards. This newly implemented training features hot breaching tactics and complex urban warfare scenarios. Palestinian Authority officer courses now include detailed studies of Israeli community and military base defense systems. The trainees learn specific methods to breach and overcome these security arrays. While security coordination persists at the uppermost leadership echelons, the rank-and-file field operatives are undergoing rapid radicalization. (Read More)

__________________________

Dr. Bill Salus comments: 

The Palestinians appear in Psalm 83 under the title of the “TENTS OF EDOM.” This identifies them as refugees. The historic Edomites have a large ethnical representation in today’s West Bank Palestinians. The biblical interpretation of tent-dwellers likely classifies them as refugees.

In the Psalm their non-state plight is a main motivating factor for the formation of an Arab confederacy that seeks to wipe Israel off the map and replace it with another Arab state called Palestine.

“They take crafty counsel against thy people (the Jews), and consult together against thy hidden ones. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; That the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. For they have consulted together with one consent; Against thee do they make a covenant: The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites; Moab, and the Hagarenes;  Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre: Assyria also is joined with them; they have helped the children of Lot... Who said, Let us take to ourselves in possession The habitations of God (the Promised Land of  Israel).” (Psalm 83:3-8, 12 ASV; emphasis added)

For more information about the people groups identities, specific prophetic details and final outcome of this future war prophecy watch the short trailer below.

 

Board of Peace envoy knocks Israel’s ‘unacceptable’ Gaza policy as disarmament plan stalls

The Board of Peace’s Gaza envoy briefed the UN Security Council on the status of the US-run body’s efforts to rebuild Gaza on Wednesday, touting Hamas’s acceptance of a disarmament plan while effectively acknowledging that progress has since stalled amid Israel’s rejection of the proposal. Nickolay Mladenov took particular issue with Israeli restrictions on shelter supplies for Palestinians living in squalid conditions in the Strip, while also calling out Jerusalem’s policy of continued strikes in Gaza, arguing that they have not, and will not, lead to Hamas’s disarmament.

At the same time, he criticized the terror group for not fulfilling its own commitments under the disarmament plan, which required both sides to halt all military activities. An Arab diplomat from one of the mediating countries told The Times of Israel earlier this month that the Board of Peace has been leaning on Hamas to cease deploying armed and uniformed men on the streets of Gaza. Those shows of force have intensified since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s public rejection of the disarmament plan, which would see Israel gradually withdraw from Gaza.

Netanyahu argued that the proposal accepted by Hamas on July 30 won’t actually lead to Hamas’s disarmament and declared that Jerusalem will therefore not adhere to its required phased pullouts from the Strip. Mladenov told the Security Council that Israel is not being asked to accept the disarmament roadmap, but rather to reaffirm the commitments that it made as part of US President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan, which Netanyahu accepted in September ahead of a ceasefire the following month.

“While Israel has reaffirmed that framework, important questions of implementation still remain open,” Mladenov said, effectively acknowledging that Israel has not kept all of those commitments, which require ending military operations and surging humanitarian aid into the Strip. Hamas’s acceptance of the disarmament was meant to trigger a 14-day period during which the sides would put together a timeline for the phased disarmament and Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. (Ed note: Have you ever noticed how the UN, EU, US and now the Board of Peace seem to always lean on Israel to make changes, and not Hamas? And the question remains, why hasn't Hamas yet fully disarmed, and why is it Israel's fault that the people in the Gaza Strip are without goods? Hamas is still armed and fully in charge in Gaza.) (Read More)

Trump sends Saudi nuclear deal to Congress but says Riyadh must recognize Israel

US President Donald Trump maintained that Saudi Arabia must join the Abraham Accords for a deal to come through, a US administration official told Reuters.

US President Donald Trump has sent Congress a proposed agreement with Saudi Arabia on civil nuclear energy while insisting the pact will only be approved if the kingdom normalizes relations with Israel, a US administration official told Reuters on Tuesday. The agreement, which was reached in July and would allow US companies to export civilian nuclear technology to the kingdom, was sent to Congress on Monday, according to the US official, who declined to be identified. The Saudi embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

It was unclear how Trump expects sending the nuclear deal to Congress, which has 90 session days to consider it, to advance his objectives. "The president's position has not changed that the agreement will only move forward if Saudi Arabia joins the Abraham Accords," the US official said in an email, referring to US-brokered agreements between Israel and Arab and Muslim-majority nations to normalize relations.

Those accords, reached in 2020 and 2021, were between Israel and the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan. Days after agreeing to the Saudi nuclear deal in July, Trump, who worked on a similar pact during his first term, set normalization as a condition for it to go into effect. Former president ​Joe Biden also pushed for a nuclear deal and wanted to tie it to the accords. Diplomats thought Riyadh was close to normalizing relations with Israel in 2023, but the start of the Israel-Hamas War in October 2023 changed the landscape. Saudi Arabia has demanded an irreversible path to a Palestinian state before ​recognizing Israel.  (Ed note: Inquiring minds want to know, will the Arabians swallow their pride to get that nuclear deal?)    (Read More)

Saudi Arabia Rejects Trump's Nuclear Deal Condition, Reaffirms Palestinian Statehood Demand

Saudi Arabia rejects Trump's attempt to link civilian nuclear deal to Israel normalization, reaffirming Palestinian statehood remains non-negotiable condition. Saudi Arabia has pushed back firmly against U.S. President Donald Trump's attempt to make a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement contingent on the kingdom normalizing relations with Israel, signaling that Riyadh will not be pressured into abandoning its Palestinian statehood condition.

Trump submitted the proposed Saudi nuclear agreement to Congress on Monday, and according to administration officials, the pact will only go into effect if Saudi Arabianormalizes relations with Israel. Trump claimed the deal "will be approved, but is totally subject to Saudi Arabia joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords." The Saudi response was swift and unambiguous. Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry issued a statement emphasizing that the kingdom's position remains "firm and unwavering," reaffirming that it will not normalize relations with Israel without the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

A Non-Negotiable Position

Sources close to the Saudi royal family told Channel 12 that the civilian nuclear program and Israeli normalization must be treated as separate issues. According to the sources, the nuclear agreement is part of broader U.S.-Saudi partnership and should not be leveraged to extract political concessions on the Israeli question. More pointedly, Saudi officials indicated that the Gaza war fundamentally altered the regional calculus, causing Riyadh to establish more stringent requirements for any future normalization agreement and to put US-brokered Israeli normalization talks on hold.

Saudi sources said that with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's "current far-right government," and absent substantive change on Palestinian issues, normalization remains off the agenda. Saudi Arabia intends to wait and see what government forms in Israel and what position it takes on Palestinian statehood before resuming any discussions.

A Long-Standing Saudi Condition

Saudi Arabia's demand for Palestinian statehood predates recent developments. The kingdom first raised the prospect of normal relations with Israel in 2002, when Crown Prince Abdullah proposed full Arab normalization if Israel withdrew from the territories it occupied since the Six-Day War. That position, now known as the Arab Peace Initiative and adopted by the Arab League, has defined Saudi diplomacy for over two decades.

The 2002 Arab Peace Initiative established Saudi leadership in Arab diplomacy but also created a rigid benchmark that subsequent Israeli governments have found difficult to meet. These historical positions continue to influence Saudi public discourse and official statements. (Ed note: Oh, oh. What happened to the Deal Maker's deal? As President Trump tries to put pressure on Arabia, they in turn, show their true colors about keeping the pressure on Israel.)  (Read More)

US offers to lift Iran sanctions if Tehran reopens Strait of Hormuz, stops proxy attacks - report

The Strait of Hormuz has been severely affected in recent months, with shipping traffic through the waterway sharply declining amid Iranian threats and restrictions.

The United States offered Iran sanctions relief and an end to the naval blockade imposed on it in exchange for reopening the Strait of Hormuz and halting attacks carried out by its proxies in the region, Saudi state-owned Al-Hadath reported on Tuesday. According to a senior source who spoke with Al Hadath and Saudi channel Al Arabiya, the US delivered the proposal to Tehran through Pakistan’s army chief, Asim Munir, during his visit to Iran.

The report said Munir carried a US proposal based on a memorandum of understanding previously discussed between Washington and Tehran. Under the proposal, the United States would be willing to end the blockade and lift sanctions if Iran reopened the Strait of Hormuz and brought an end to the activities of its proxies.

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council secretary, Mohsen Rezaee, told Munir that Tehran would continue internal consultations and respond soon. The report follows a one-day visit to Tehran by Munir and Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, as part of Islamabad’s efforts to advance a potential agreement between the United States and Iran. During the visit, Munir met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Rezaei, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni. (Read More)

Bessent: Iran’s Leadership ‘Panicking’ Under Trump Economic Offensive — Vows to Sever ‘Every Economic Lifeline’

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent declared Tuesday that Iran’s leadership is already “panicking” under President Donald Trump’s mounting economic offensive — pointing to stark warnings from Tehran’s own president and parliament speaker about the country’s deteriorating economy while vowing to continue severing the regime’s financial lifelines until it “stands alone.” “Iran’s leadership is admitting what the world can now see: the pressure is working,” Bessent wrote on X, one day after the administration launched Operation Economic Outcast. Bessent highlighted recent remarks made before Monday’s rollout from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who acknowledged the country’s mounting economic shortages while declaring that “the war must come to an end at some point.”

He also highlighted an even starker warning from Iranian Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf about whether Iran could sustain its military strength while its economy and living conditions continued to deteriorate. “No matter how much military power we have, if people are hungry and we don’t have financial circulation, economic growth and domestic production, we will not endure,” Ghalibaf said.

Bessent pointed to the statements as evidence that Trump’s pressure campaign was already biting before Washington dramatically widened its economic offensive Monday with what officials have called an “Economic D-Day” designed to isolate Tehran and choke off the revenue streams sustaining the regime .Operation Economic Outcast initially targeted more than 60 individuals, entities, and vessels tied to Iranian oil revenue, weapons and missile procurement, and cyber operations, while widening secondary-sanctions exposure across five sectors Tehran exploits abroad: digital assets, technology, gold, aviation, and shipping. (Read More)

Iran security chief hints at nuclear doctrine shift after US attacks

Iran’s top security official has suggested Tehran could reconsider its longstanding rejection of nuclear weapons, arguing that US attacks on Iran have strengthened the case for acquiring an atomic bomb as a deterrent. Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said Washington had demonstrated that adherence to the global nuclear non-proliferation system offered countries little protection from military attack. “The whole world is saying, ‘Wait a minute. So the NPT has no effect?’” Rezaei said in an interview broadcast by Iranian state television. “When America is waging such a war, people naturally ask: Why shouldn’t we pursue nuclear weapons ourselves?”

Rezaei, a former commander-in-chief of the Revolutionary Guards, stopped short of saying Iran had decided to build a nuclear weapon. But his remarks were unusually explicit for one of the Islamic Republic’s most senior security officials. Iran has long maintained that its nuclear program is peaceful and has rejected the development and use of atomic weapons. Rezaei argued that Iran had subjected itself to extensive international monitoring, joined the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and ultimately accepted the 2015 nuclear agreement, known as the JCPOA. “The level of safeguards and inspections carried out in Iran over the past two decades has been unprecedented anywhere else in the world,” he said. Yet Iran and its nuclear facilities were ultimately attacked, Rezaei said, arguing that this had changed the calculation around nuclear deterrence.

“Why shouldn’t we develop a nuclear weapon so that nobody can attack us?” he said, describing the question he said countries were now asking.

US President Donald Trump’s war on Iran has made nuclear weapons more attractive worldwide by demonstrating that neither the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty nor membership in the International Atomic Energy Agency offers protection, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security… pic.twitter.com/RNSSxOulAI— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) August 23, 2026

The comments come at an especially volatile moment in the US-Iran confrontation, with diplomacy following the war and subsequent ceasefire largely stalled and Washington shifting its focus towards intensified economic pressure. Trump has announced what he described as a sweeping new economic campaign against Iran, while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington would impose the “toughest sanctions in history. ”US officials have presented the pressure campaign as a way of forcing Tehran towards an agreement while reducing the need for another large-scale military offensive. Iranian officials have rejected the threats, while maintaining that Tehran remains open to diplomacy. (Read More)

Settlers filmed attacking activists, reporters in front of IDF troops; none arrested

Israeli settlers were filmed on Tuesday attacking a group of left-wing activists and journalists in front of IDF soldiers in the southern West Bank before being allowed to flee the area without a single arrest being made. The activists from several Israeli rights groups were in the Bethlehem-area Palestinian village of Jannatah to help residents put up a fence around several homes on the outskirts of the town that has come under repeated attack by settlers. Also on site were a group of journalists from the French AFP news agency who were working on a story about Israeli activists conducting such solidarity visits to Palestinian villages facing settler violence.

But shortly after their arrival, the activists and journalists were surrounded by masked settlers, who struck them with clubs, hurled stones at them and pepper-sprayed them. The settlers, many of them children, threw stones at the journalists and activists. One AFP journalist ducked a stone, but then a child settler struck him in the chin with a stick, causing minor bleeding, he said. Footage showed soldiers attempting to break up the altercation with little success. Jewish ritual fringes, known as tzitzit, are seen peeking out from underneath the shirts of the masked attackers.

According to Rabbis for Human Rights, the “Jewish terrorists” pepper-sprayed the activists, beat a 70-year-old activist, and smashed the windows and slashed the tires of four cars. Five people were treated for injuries, the Palestine Red Crescent Society said, with AFP journalists reporting seeing at least one Israeli activist taken in a Palestinian ambulance. In another clip, a soldier can be seen holding the camera of a journalist who documented the settler attack, demanding that he leave the area.

While IDF soldiers have the authority to apprehend Israeli suspects in the field before handing them over to police, troops rarely do so. Activists said they called police to the scene but that the officers only arrived well after the assailants had fled. Police defended their conduct, saying they arrived at the scene upon being called and opened an investigation into the incident. (Read More)

In rare warning, Board of Peace tells Israel to limit Gaza fire to ‘genuine’ threats

An official from the US-backed Board of Peace made a rare call on Tuesday for Israel to comply with the ceasefire in Gaza and limit strikes to “immediate” threats, even as IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir vowed that targeted killings of October 7 terrorists will continue until they are all “eliminated.” The Board of Peace official also said that “all militant activity” in Gaza, including kite flying, must stop, two days after Israel threatened a forceful response if the Hamas terror group revives a tactic of launching incendiary kites over the border.

“All militant activity in Gaza must stop, including the flying of kites. We have conveyed this message directly through the established mechanism,” an official of the Board of Peace — tasked with implementing the October 2025 ceasefire in Gaza — told multiple outlets. “Israel, too, must comply with the ceasefire; military action cannot extend beyond responding to genuine and imminent threats,” the official added. The statement from the Board of Peace came after Israel appealed to the organization over the spike in kites flown from Gaza in recent days. But the response marked a rare admonition of Israel by the Board, which has largely refrained from publicly criticizing Israeli military activity in Gaza in recent months.

But Zamir said during a visit to Gaza on Tuesday that Israel’s hunt for terrorists involved in the October 7, 2023, onslaught will continue in the Gaza Strip. “We will not allow our enemies along the borders, with an emphasis on Gaza and Lebanon, to rebuild their strength,” Zamir said. “We will not allow terror infrastructure to become established. We will take every opportunity to eliminate threats as they emerge.” Zamir continued that “the pursuit of the October 7 terrorists continues. Anyone who took part in the massacre will live under pursuit until they are eliminated.”

“This is a high-priority mission to which the [Southern] Command and the entire IDF are committed,” he added. Zamir also met with female surveillance soldiers on the border with the Gaza Strip, commending their efforts as “important.” “You are our eyes on the front, the first to identify infiltration threats and activate forces,” he said, according to remarks published by the army, during a visit to the 414th Combat Intelligence Collection Unit at the Re’im Base. He added that the surveillance soldiers’ identifications and assessments “are important, and one of the lessons of October 7 is that we must listen carefully to every female and male soldier as part of assessments and the decision-making process.” (Read More)

Hamas kites: First step in psychological warfare

Dr. Schleifer, expert in psychological warfare, says the seemingly innocent kites launched from Gaza are the beginning of a planned and systematic Hamas effort to condition Israel.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu describes the decision to treat the kites that have been launched from Gaza as a genuine physical threat. Dr. Ron Schleifer, an expert in psychological warfare, views the phenomenon as Hamas psychological warfare against Israel. Dr. Schleifer opens by saying that the prime minister is right to take the kite threat seriously. He says there is encouragement to be drawn from this serious approach, noting that until now, the tendency among military Intelligence researchers was to regard phenomena such as the kites as marginal and not a threat to Israel-and certainly not something that justified confronting the US president. 

Schleifer explains that launching kites toward Israel is part of what he calls an “offensive strategy that operates in tiny steps." He says, “Hamas cannot currently use its weapons for obvious reasons. It is at a disadvantage, so it is turning to psychological warfare, which can be more damaging than fire. It causes the other side-Israel-to doubt and deliberate over whether to act, whether a response is justified or not, while the initiative remains in its hands. This is a conditioning technique." He adds that “in all revolutionary warfare, of which psychological warfare is a part, the enemy is conditioned so that it does not feel that anything significant is happening until it is too late. This requires sacrifice and patience, both of which Hamas has in abundance." So how does the conditioning strategy work, step by step?

“It begins with kites flown by children, meaning we cannot hurt them. Hamas identifies our moral considerations as a point of strength for itself. The kites cross the boundary, and the children simply go to retrieve a kite that has fallen, thereby crossing the line again while Israel cannot do anything. Later, the mother will come to take the child away. The soldier, female observer and sniper will watch them and do nothing. This conditions us to accept that women can cross, and afterward it will be a sheep that escapes, then the shepherd, and so on." (Read More)

US State Dept. sanctions Iranian military activities, fuel export in Operation Economic Outcast

Sanctions targeted Iranian individuals and companies that facilitated the trade of petroleum and petrochemical products with Iran or supported military action against US forces.

The US State Department implemented sanctions against Iranian military activities, cyber threats, and illicit oil trade, according to a statement from US State Department Spokesperson Tommy Pigott on Monday evening. "Today, the United States took sweeping action against multiple entities, individuals, and vessels enabling the Iranian regime’s destabilizing activities," Pigott said.

"The measures target Iranian military officials responsible for procuring weapons and directing attacks against US servicemembers and regional partners, Iran-based entities that gathered intelligence for targeting US forces and allies, and a procurement ring supplying Iran’s military and missile programs," he added.

"The US will continue to disrupt, expose, and dismantle Iran’s military and proliferation activities, procurement schemes, malicious cyber operations, and illicit oil trade that sustains the regime’s malign behavior." The sanctions targeted two Iran-based groups that were involved in procuring images used to attacks US forces and bases located across the Middle East.

DadeNegar Startup Studio and the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Cyber-Electronic Command (IRGC-CEC) were named in the sanctions package. DadeNegar was sanctioned for supporting the "targeting of US and partner facilities in the Middle East for the Iranian military during Operation Epic Fury." The State Department said DadeNegar used commercial Chinese satellite imagery to support Iran's military in its efforts to target and damage US forces and bases in the region. (Read More)

Iran Blacklists Tankers Amid US Pressure

Tehran threatens to seize vessels and confiscate cargo in the Strait of Hormuz, days after President Trump announced sweeping new sanctions aimed at collapsing the Iranian regime. Iran announced Monday that it has placed 45 oil, gas, and petroleum product tankers on a blacklist, claiming the vessels violated regulations while crossing the Strait of Hormuz. The move comes as a direct response to President Donald Trump's weekend declaration of economic "D-Day" against Tehran.

According to a statement from the "Persian Gulf Strait Authority", a newly established Iranian body tasked with managing maritime passage through the waterway, the blacklisted vessels face potential fines, detention, and cargo confiscation. The authority also warned that enforcement action would be taken against any ship that transfers cargo to or from the listed tankers. The escalation in this critical shipping lane follows Washington's threat of unprecedented sanctions and Iran's vow to respond destructively to any new American pressure. The Strait of Hormuz is a vital chokepoint through which roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies pass.

Against this backdrop, the United States has implemented a naval blockade on Iran-linked vessels and is providing escorts for tankers transiting the strait. U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright addressed the oil flow situation, stating: "The 7-day average of oil exiting the strait is over 8 million barrels per day. Make no mistake, thanks to the U.S. Navy, oil is flowing through the Strait of Hormuz."

The Iranian blacklist includes tankers owned by major shipping companies from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and South Korea. Tehran officials clarified that vessel owners must obtain advance transit approval and pay for security services. Any ship seeking removal from the blacklist must submit a formal application to Iranian maritime authorities. This evening, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced new economic measures against Iran, including sanctions targeting banks and international entities that maintain commercial ties with the Islamic Republic. (Source)

Tehran gas stations run dry as Iran’s fuel deficit bites

Reports of gasoline shortages spread across Tehran on Monday, with filling stations closing after running out of fuel and motorists describing long searches and queues for increasingly scarce supplies.
Images, videos and accounts posted widely on Persian-language social media showed closed stations and lines of cars at others still operating, with shortages reported in several parts of the capital, including central and northern Tehran. The disruption was also acknowledged by state-affiliated media.
“Some gas stations have closed without a clear explanation, creating considerable concern and questions for people,” SSN wrote, calling on the government to explain whether the closures were part of an attempt to curb fuel consumption and how long they would last.

The shortages bring into the open a problem Iranian officials have been warning about for months: the country is consuming more gasoline than it can produce. Reza Sepahvand, spokesperson for parliament’s Energy Committee, said this month that Iran was producing about 130 million liters of gasoline a day while consuming around 137 million liters, leaving a daily shortfall of about seven million liters. Sepahvand also said gasoline imports had stopped under the US naval blockade, removing one of the ways Tehran had previously made up the difference between domestic production and demand. Other official estimates have put the deficit even higher. Mohammad Jafar Ghaempanah, President Masoud Pezeshkian’s executive deputy, said this month that Iran faced a gasoline imbalance of around 14 million liters a day.

The government is therefore confronting an increasingly difficult choice: finding ways to reduce consumption without sharply raising the price motorists pay at the pump.Iran has for years sold heavily subsidized gasoline, contributing to high consumption and imposing a growing burden on state finances. Pezeshkian himself has questioned the logic of buying fuel at international prices while selling it domestically at a fraction of the cost. But attempts to raise gasoline prices carry considerable political risk. A sudden increase in November 2019 triggered nationwide protests that quickly expanded into broader demonstrations against the Islamic Republic. Security forces responded with a deadly crackdown and a near-total internet shutdown.

The memory of those protests has made gasoline prices one of the most politically sensitive economic issues facing successive Iranian governments. Officials have instead discussed alternatives including changes to fuel quotas, limiting subsidized gasoline and charging higher prices for consumption above allocated amounts.But uncertainty over those plans has itself contributed to anxiety among motorists, with long queues reported at filling stations in recent days. The supply squeeze comes as Iran faces a broader deterioration in economic conditions following months of war and sanctions.

Washington on Monday expanded its campaign of secondary sanctions against Tehran as part of what US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has called an “economic D-Day” intended to sever Iran’s remaining economic lifelines. For motorists in Tehran, however, the consequences are increasingly immediate. (Read More)

'Iran tried to assassinate one of my sons,' Netanyahu reveals

Netanyahu was speaking on a phone call with Channel 14's military correspondent, Noam Amir, when he stated that the Islamic regime tried to assassinate one of his sons.

Iran tried to assassinate the son of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the PM said during a phone call with Channel 14's military correspondent Noam Amir, broadcast on Monday. "This is an unbelievable case. Iran targeted one of my sons. Iran tried to murder him, tried to murder one of my sons," the PM stated. "Is this part of the intelligence provided to you?" Amir asked.

"Iran tried to murder one of my sons. And this is why this promise [I am making] is more than a luxury - without it, they could succeed [in killing my son.] People need to show some restraint, especially during an election campaign," Netanyahu replied. "I spoke with the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) chief [David Zini] and asked him to provide appropriate security to any prime ministerial candidate," Netanyahu also said.

Netanyahu also reacted to Shin Bet's hesitation over granting security to former IDF chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot, who polls show is a major contender to become prime minister after October's election. "I spoke with the head of the Shin Bet and asked him to take care of the appropriate security for whoever is running for prime minister," Netanyahu told Amir. In July, The Ministerial Committee for Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) Affairs approved the granting of extended personal protection to Netanyahu's wife, Sara, and their sons, Yair and Avner. Netanyahu did not appear to say whether Yair or Avner was the target of Iran's assassination attempt. (Source)

‘Outrageous’: UN slams threats from Netanyahu, Katz to evacuate Gazans over ‘children’s kites’

GENEVA, Switzerland — The United Nations on Tuesday slammed Israel’s threat to evacuate people from areas where kites, drones and balloons are launched in Gaza, lamenting “unacceptable rhetoric” coming from Israeli leaders. “On the threat of expulsion due to children’s kite flying, I hope we can all agree that this is outrageous,” UN rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told reporters in Geneva. Israel warned Hamas on Sunday that it would step up operations in Gaza if launches of kites, drones and balloons toward Israel continued, after a recent increase in such incidents. Hamas has denied responsibility.

The Israeli military believes Hamas was behind the launches, which did not carry explosives and may have been testing how Israel would respond. The incidents have revived memories of waves of kites and balloons launched from Gaza in previous years, notably in 2018-21, some of which sparked massive fires in southern Israel. In those incidents, burning material was attached to kite tails or to clusters of helium balloons, and some carried small explosive charges, including devices that detonated on handling.

Four kites were found in communities near the Gaza border on Saturday and one was shot down by the army on Sunday, bringing the total number recovered in recent days to around 10. On Monday, Channel 12 reported that nine kites were launched from the Gaza Strip toward IDF troops in June, but the incidents were neither publicly reported at the time nor met with an Israeli response. 

...Bassem Naim, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, claimed in a statement that the kites were “launched from Gaza by children searching for their innocent childhood amid the rubble.” (Ed note: Anyone else remember kids having such complex, sophisticated, and elaborate kites at the playground? And large helium balloons capable of carrying fire pots which can start a fire in an Israeli field?) (Read More)

IDF destroys Hamas weapons caches in Gaza mosques

According to the IDF, dozens of rifles were stored inside the Shati and Deir al-Balah area mosques in violation of international law.

The IDF and ISA conducted precise strikes in the Shati and Deir al-Balah areas in the Gaza Strip on Monday to destroy two Hamas weapons storage facilities, containing dozens of Kalashnikov rifles, magazines, and additional military equipment.

These facilities, established inside two mosques in the Gaza Strip, were used by Hamas terrorists to conceal and store weapons. Before the strikes, advance warnings were issued to the population to mitigate harm to civilians. Additional precautions included the use of precise munitions and aerial surveillance.

The IDF condemned the use of the mosques as weapons storage facilities, calling it "another example of Hamas’ systematic exploitation of civilian infrastructure, including mosques, in violation of international law, to advance and execute terror attacks against IDF troops and Israeli civilians." (Source)

Israel seeking to lead intensifying international race over anti-satellite weaponry - analysis

Space warfare weapons are expected to threaten satellites and thus could also damage photography, communication, or any technology that is fundamentally dependent on space.

The global satellite market, both civilian and military, is growing, and with it the fear of threats. Due to this, US Space Command commander General Stephen Whiting recently told a conference in Alabama that the development of anti-satellite weapons is high on the US list of priorities. According to him, such means, some of which are expected to be based on satellites of various types, are essential for deterring enemies and dealing with attacks.

Space warfare weapons are expected to threaten satellites, and thus could also damage photography, communication, or any technology that is fundamentally dependent on space. Plans may also be uncovered to diversify the missile threats from space to Earth. In Israel, the public was told about the field when Defense Minister Israel Katz said earlier this year that Israel aspires to be "one of the three leading countries in the world in the field of space offense," but those who have long been in the space arms race are the superpowers: the US, Russia, and China.

Elon Musk's SpaceX, for example, celebrated an impressive milestone last Friday, crossing the 11,000-satellite mark in space, far more than any other space operator. Starlink's gap with the rest of the market is so large that, for comparison's sake, OneWeb is in second place with "only" 650 satellites. (Read More)

Israel plans development of space weapons capable of striking targets on Earth

Israel is set to develop offensive space capabilities as part of the Defense Ministry’s multiyear budget plan for the space sector, including systems designed to defend Israeli satellites from hostile spacecraft and weapons capable of striking targets on Earth from space. The plan includes upgrades to existing capabilities, including expanded intelligence collection from space and improved communications systems. A dedicated budget will be allocated for offensive space activity as part of a broader effort to strengthen Israel’s position in the space domain. The Defense Ministry’s multiyear plan focuses on several areas.

The first is the expansion of IDF intelligence collection capabilities from space through multiple layers, allowing operations around the clock, in all weather conditions and across multiple locations simultaneously. The second area involves establishing broad, resilient, and continuous communications capabilities for the defense establishment.

In addition, a dedicated budget will support offensive space operations focused on two main areas: weapons designed to protect Israeli satellites from hostile satellites, and weapons capable of striking targets on Earth from space, both to defend the Israeli home front and to strike hostile actors. To advance these efforts, the Directorate of Defense Research and Development (MAFAT), the IDF, and Israel’s defense industries are engaged in a planning and development process.

One factor accelerating the process is Operation Roaring Lion, during which the Defense Ministry and the IDF expanded their use of satellites to gather precise intelligence from space. This strengthened their ability to build target banks during the war. Defense Minister Israel Katz has argued in closed forums that the space domain requires a major, rapid upgrade to create an advantage over enemy states and position Israel among the world’s five leading countries in the field. (Ed note: So what about Israel's new ray gun? The new high-energy laser defense system called the Iron Beam?)  (Read More)

Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Pakistan invited Iran to join newly-established Mecca defense pact - report

Iran has been invited to join the Mecca Agreement for Mutual Defense, the new security alliance established by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan earlier this month, Al Mayadeen reported on Saturday, citing a senior Iranian official. The invitation has not yet been officially confirmed by Iran's Foreign Ministry or by any of the three countries that are parties to the agreement. Mehdi Rahimi, head of the Iranian parliament's Khaneh Mellat news agency, told the channel that "Iran has received an invitation to join the Mecca Agreement, and the matter is under review."

Rahimi added that countries in the region "are moving toward seeking a regional security umbrella," and claimed that this represented "a victory for Iran, because it has been calling for this for a long time." The Mecca Agreement was signed on August 7 by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The agreement establishes a principle of mutual defense under which an attack on any one of the three countries would be considered an attack on all of them. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan compared the mechanism to Article 5 of the NATO treaty, but stressed that the agreement was not directed against Iran or any specific country. The member states have already begun developing mechanisms for diplomatic and military coordination, including meetings among foreign and defense ministers and military commanders, joint exercises, and cooperation between their defense industries. (Read More)

Upcoming Prophecy Watchers Conference

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION.

In three months | 13 kilometers of terror tunnels destroyed in Gaza

Paratroopers Brigade troops completed their defensive and infrastructure-clearing missions along the “Yellow Line." The tunnel in which the late Lt. Hadar Goldin was held was also destroyed.

Troops from the Paratroopers Brigade, under the command of the 143rd Gaza Division and the 99th Division, operated over the past three months in the Gaza Strip as part of a defensive mission to clear the Yellow Line area of terrorist infrastructure. During their activity, the troops, together with Yahalom, dismantled and sealed underground tunnels totaling 13 kilometers in length, including part of the tunnel where LT Hadar Goldin was held.

The troops dismantled numerous terrorist infrastructure sites and located weapons used by the Hamas terrorist organization to carry out terror activity against Israeli civilians and IDF troops. The weapons located included RPG rockets, mortar shells, grenades, missile launchers, and ammunition.

In addition, troops established new routes and military posts as part of efforts to strengthen the defensivposture in the area. (Ed note: 13 kilometers is about 8 miles, no small effort. Also check out the great pictures at the end of this article.)  (Source)

Trump: Iran Collapsing Amid U.S. Sanctions

The US President posts emphatic statement on social media as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent unveils what he calls "economic D-Day" targeting Tehran's remaining financial lifelines. President Donald Trump posted a brief but emphatic statement on his Truth Social platform Monday afternoon, writing in capital letters: "IRAN IS COMPLETELY COLLAPSING!!!" The post, signed with his customary "President DJT," quickly garnered thousands of likes and shares.

Trump's declaration came against the backdrop of an extraordinary announcement by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who revealed that Washington is entering the final phase of its economic campaign against Iran. Bessent stated that President Trump has dismantled Iran's military capabilities, destroyed nearly 100 percent of its military production facilities, and buried its nuclear program. The Treasury chief indicated that a major financial escalation would begin imminently.

Bessent characterized the upcoming measures as "economic D-Day" - a financial assault on an unprecedented scale. "At dawn, economic D-Day will begin, the largest financial attack ever against an adversary," the Treasury Secretary announced. "Our goal is to sever every economic lifeline sustaining the tyrannical regime until Tehran stands alone."

The planned sanctions are expected to target independent Chinese refineries purchasing smuggled Iranian oil, foreign banks facilitating financial transfers, and digital money-laundering networks and cryptocurrency exchanges. Additional measures will focus on Iranian airlines and the hidden maritime fleet used to circumvent existing embargoes. (Read More)

Bessent warns: 'Endgame' with Iran is near

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says the Iran confrontation is entering its “endgame" as Washington prepares an unprecedented economic offensive.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sunday that Washington is approaching the “endgame" in its confrontation with Iran, following what he described as the destruction of much of Tehran's military capabilities. “President Trump has dismantled Iran’s military capabilities, destroyed nearly 100 percent of its military factories, and buried its nuclear program," Bessent wrote on social media. “We are now entering the endgame. At dawn begins an economic D-Day - the single greatest financial offensive ever marshaled against an adversary," he added. Bessent argued that the Trump administration had fundamentally changed the balance of pressure between Washington and Tehran.

“The Islamic Republic has subsisted by dressing extortion as security guarantees. It has drawn strength from a calculus that regards Iranian retaliation as certain and American enforcement as negotiable. Under President Trump, that era is over. And those who fear the danger of defying Tehran ought not to discount the cost of testing Washington," warned Bessent. He said Trump had also laid the groundwork for an expansive campaign targeting Iran's remaining economic lifelines.

The Treasury Secretary further stated that Trump “has created the conditions to leverage every agency, every authority and action many assumed we would never summon. Our objective is to sever every economic lifeline that sustains the tyrannical regime until Tehran stands alone." Bessent's announcement followed Trump's declaration Wednesday of a sweeping new economic campaign against Iran. In a Truth Social post, the president described the effort as "an economic D-Day" and warned countries providing economic assistance to Tehran that they would face consequences. (Read More)

Kushner's extraordinary warning to Hamas

Jared Kushner reportedly met Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya in Cairo after US intelligence indicated that some Hamas officials were planning to violate commitments to disarm.

The negotiations with the Hamas terrorist organization in Cairo have reportedly entered a critical phase, with a direct warning delivered to Hamas' leadership by the US. According to an exclusive report by Channel 12 News, US envoy Jared Kushner met with senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya and made it clear that any attempt to violate the agreement or conceal weapons would bring the diplomatic process to an immediate halt and leave Israel free to act militarily.

According to the report, the meeting was prompted by intelligence shared with the United States and mediators suggesting that elements within Hamas were planning to avoid full implementation of commitments to disarm and dismantle their military capabilities. According to two sources present at the meeting, Kushner told Hamas representatives in front of all mediators: "The real test will be implementation. If you try to deceive us, the process will stop, and no one will stand in Israel's way."

The report adds that Kushner emphasized Israel's deep distrust of Hamas and stressed that if Israel fulfills its obligations under the agreement, Hamas will be expected to fully implement its own commitments, including complete disarmament, ending military rearmament, and demilitarizing the Gaza Strip. Channel 12 further reported that officials involved in the negotiations said Kushner is determined to avoid a return to the status quo that allowed Hamas to remain armed and in power for years. According to those officials, if Hamas fails to honor its commitments, Israel would receive broad international legitimacy to take military action against the organization. At the same time, Hamas leaders reportedly assured the mediators that they would implement all 20 clauses of the proposed framework, including those requiring disarmament and demilitarization. (Source)

Kushner Issues Direct Warning To Hamas Over Disarmament Verification

US Special Envoy Jared Kushner warned Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya that non compliance with the 20 point demilitarization agreement would result in the immediate end of diplomatic efforts and unrestricted Israeli action American intelligence officials received clear evidence indicating that factions within Hamas are planning to evade their commitment to full disarmament during ongoing peace negotiations in Cairo. Following these intelligence reports, US Special Envoy Jared Kushner delivered an explicit warning to senior Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya in front of international mediators, demanding a complete commitment to disarm, surrender governance of Gaza, and halt military expansion.

The high stakes meeting in Egypt represents a major effort by the Peace Council to prevent a return to previous security dynamics in the region. Two sources present during the negotiations confirmed that Kushner confronted the Hamas delegation directly regarding implementation metrics. "The test will be in implementation, and if you try to cheat, the process will stop and no one will stand in Israel's way," Kushner told the Hamas leadership.

Kushner emphasized that Israeli authorities maintain severe doubts regarding Hamas's intentions, making strict verification essential. Peace Council representatives noted that Kushner organized the direct meeting to prevent Israel from facing international political isolation while ensuring terrorists are not allowed to remain armed. According to council officials, the current diplomatic framework ensures that if Israel abides by the agreement while Hamas fails to uphold its obligations, Israel will receive total international backing to eliminate the threat.

Members of the Peace Council reiterated that maintaining the status quo of an armed terrorist entity in Gaza remains unacceptable. "If Israel acts wisely, we will know very soon whether Hamas will fulfill the commitment it gave to the Peace Council," a council representative stated. "If so, this will be the removal of a very significant threat and a great achievement, and if not, Israel will have the international legitimacy and support to deal with the threat as it needs."

Peace Council officials warned that if Israel appears to derail the framework, it risks losing the international political backing needed to change the situation on the ground. In response to Kushner's warnings, Hamas leaders explicitly committed before all regional mediators to fully implement every provision of the 20 point plan, including all specific clauses requiring complete demilitarization and disarmament. (Source)

Iran Threatens Barron Trump in New Video

State-controlled Iranian media published footage containing personal details about the president's youngest son, including his college routine and social circle, threatening his safety. Iran's regime has escalated its threatening rhetoric, now targeting the youngest son of President Donald Trump. After issuing warnings directed at the president himself, his wife, and nations cooperating with U.S. policy, Tehran has released propaganda material threatening 20-year-old Barron Trump.

Iranian state-controlled media outlets published a video containing direct threats against Barron, the president's youngest child. The footage includes what Iranian sources claim is information gathered from open sources and intelligence operations. According to the regime's claims, Iranian operatives or their collaborators have access to Barron's immediate environment. The video details aspects of Barron's daily life, including his college studies, friendships, and romantic relationships. Iranian propagandists suggest they could target him in multiple ways and locations of their choosing.

The material claims that one of Barron's close friends, referred to by the code name "Bo Loudon", serves as an intelligence source for Iran, and that they "can reach" Barron whenever they choose. The expanded circle of threats appears to be Iran's response to the economic pressure campaign launched by the Trump administration, which multiple sources indicate has significantly damaged Iran's economy.

Barron, now 20, is President Trump's youngest son and has grown up in the political spotlight. He is widely considered the most similar to his father among Trump's children, both in personality and demeanor, with many describing him as having a "colorful" personality like the president. (Ed note: This is scary. How should President Trump react to this personal threat to his immediate family? Check out the two minute video from Iran.) (Source)

Iran Vows ‘Devastating’ Military Response: U.S. Readies to Unleash Toughest Sanctions to ‘Collapse’ Regime

Iran vowed a “devastating” military response Friday as the United States enters a new phase of economic warfare against Tehran, with the Trump administration preparing the “toughest sanctions in history” as part of an escalating campaign Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says will “collapse” the Iranian regime. President Donald Trump made clear Friday that Washington’s shift toward economic pressure does not take further military action off the table, while again pointing to Iran’s battered armed forces, economic deterioration, and the U.S. blockade around the Strait of Hormuz as evidence of the mounting pressure on Tehran. 

“No, not at all,” Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews when asked whether the turn toward economic warfare meant U.S. military options against Iran had become limited. “It just means that we’re seeing what happens,” Trump said. “They have no money. They have no navy. They have no air force. They’re not paying their soldiers. They’re not paying their police. They have 350% inflation.”

Trump also said the United States has “total control” around the Strait of Hormuz through its blockade, extending, he said, “well into” the surrounding land areas. “They would love to make a deal, but they’re not ready to make the right deal, in my opinion,” he said. The latest warning from Tehran came from Armed Forces Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Ali Abdollahi, who said Friday that Iran is prepared to retaliate across virtually every military domain in the event of what he called another enemy “miscalculation” or threat.

With comprehensive, intelligent and up-to-date readiness in all areas — ground, naval, air, air defense, space and cyber — [Iran’s armed forces] will confront any miscalculation and conventional or modern threats by the enemies with revolutionary, forceful, regret-inducing and devastating responses,” Abdollahi said in a message marking Iran’s Defense Industry Day. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian issued his own warning Friday even as he argued that the conflict should be brought to an end while Tehran remains, in his telling, in a “position of power and dignity.” “We will under no circumstances bow to bullying, and there is no doubt about that,” Pezeshkian said. “We will stand against them until our last breath and give them a crushing response.” (Read More)

Iran Mocks Trump Over Hormuz With Satire

After U.S. president labeled strategic waterway "new American territory," Tehran responds with viral image ridiculing the claim. The confrontation over the Strait of Hormuz has moved beyond naval vessels and diplomatic threats into the realm of online satire. Iranian media recently circulated a mocking image showing a figure resembling U.S. President Donald Trump standing in the strait's waters, wearing a yellow duck-shaped flotation ring and holding a sign reading "American Territory."

The satirical visual emerged amid escalating tensions between Washington and Tehranover control of the strategically vital waterway. The timing of Iran's response was deliberate. On August 23, Trump posted a map depicting the Strait of Hormuz as "new U.S. territory," his second such post following a similar map on August 18. Earlier, he had stated that after the United States "defeats" Iran, he intends to convert the strait into American territory. Tehran rejected the American claim outright, insisting the waterway will remain closed until Washington changes its policies and meets Iranian demands.

Behind the mockery lies a serious geopolitical standoff. The Strait of Hormuz serves as a critical chokepoint in the global energy system. Before the current conflict, a substantial portion of the world's oil and gas exports passed through it, meaning any disruption to shipping there could affect energy prices, maritime commerce, and the broader global economy.

Trump maintains that the United States controls the strait and that vessels cannot pass without American authorization. Iran presents the opposite picture, asserting the waterway is closed and will only reopen when U.S. policy shifts.The dispute intensified when Trump published his map marked "NEW U.S. Territory. International media outlets, including AFP, reported on the move, characterizing it as a rhetorical escalation in the battle over control of the waterway. (Ed note: Be sure to check out the short video by Iran.)   (Source)

Iran executes protest detainee accused of ‘operational actions’ for Israel

Iran executes Majid Adineh, arrested during January protests and sentenced to death on charges including alleged actions in favor of Israel and the US.

Iranian authorities early Sunday morning executed Majid Adineh, who was arrested during the January 2026 protests, the regime judiciary-affiliated Mizan News Agency reported. According to Mizan, the Karaj Revolutionary Court sentenced Adineh to death and ordered the confiscation of all his property after convicting him of carrying out “operational actions in favor of Israel, the US, and hostile groups."

The sentence was subsequently upheld by Iran’s Supreme Court following an appeal. Adineh was arrested on the evening of January 9 in the Mohammadshahr area of Karaj together with another person by intelligence forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Alborz Province, northwest of Tehran. Iran’s judiciary claimed that authorities found a handgun, three magazines, 30 rounds of ammunition, two electric shock devices, two cans of tear gas spray, a battery-powered saw, and a bottle of gasoline at the time of his arrest.

The claims regarding the circumstances of Adineh’s arrest, the items allegedly found in his possession, his interrogation, and statements attributed to him could not be independently verified. Human rights organizations have repeatedly questioned the accuracy of such claims by Iranian authorities. Mizan reported that during questioning, Adineh initially denied using a firearm and said he had gone to the area to purchase clothing. According to the judiciary’s account, he also said he intended to help security forces move people away from the protest. He reportedly said that he had the bottle of gasoline and saw with him to counter the effects of tear gas.

The judiciary claimed that laboratory examinations showed that the firearm allegedly recovered from Adineh had been fired on January 8 and 9. Mizan said that after being confronted with the findings, Adineh acknowledged possessing the firearm and other equipment and said he had been aware of calls to participate in protests. Mizan also alleged that Adineh was affiliated with and had received training from an opposition group based outside Iran. The report did not identify the group or provide evidence regarding the alleged connection. (Ed note: Hey, President Trump, the Islamic Republic is still killing its own people faster than you ever could in an all out war.) (Read More)

Netanyahu’s office scorns Turkish regime threat to arrest PM

Israel “has long ceased to be impressed by Turkey’s hypocrisy,” the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem said on Friday, hours after Ankara issued another arrest warrant for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan “is an antisemitic dictator who has massacred Kurds, harbors Hamas terrorists, occupies half of Cyprus, and jails record numbers of journalists and politicians who oppose him,” the PMO said in a separate statement in English. “He now seeks to extend his aggression against Israel into Syria. Israel will not tolerate it,” the statement read. “Erdoğan’s pathetic attempt to intimidate the leaders and soldiers of Israel, the only true democracy in the Middle East, will go nowhere,” it added.

In the Hebrew statement, the PMO stressed that Israel will continue to “act forcefully” against Turkey’s attempts to undermine stability in the region. Earlier on Friday, Turkey’s Justice Minister Akin Gürlek announced on X the issuance of arrest warrants for Netanyahu and other Israeli officials, as part of a supposed investigation into Israel’s interception of a Gaza-bound protest flotilla in spring 2026. Ankara issued its first arrest warrants on July 14 for Israel’s prime minister and another person identified as “Afek Moskovitch”—whose title was not clarified by Turkish authorities—over allegations of genocide in Gaza. AFP cited Turkish İhlas News Agency at the time as saying that Moskovitch is an Israel Defense Forces soldier who posted footage of himself on Instagram destroying property in Gaza.

Netanyahu, Moskovitch, and 33 other Israelis were mentioned by Gürlek on Friday in connection with the interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla that sought to breach the blockade of Gaza, which aims to prevent the Hamas terrorist organization from acquiring arms to boost its power. Gürlek wrote on X that Ankara “categorically reject[s]” the notion that Netanyahu’s government is “untouchable and unaccountable.”Following Netanyahu’s office’s statement, the Turkish Presidency’s Directorate of Communications lashed out at the “outrageous ravings” of the Israeli PMO, saying that they are “devoid of historical fact and political seriousness.” Jerusalem’s attempt to portray Turkey as a threat is part of a “cheap political strategy” and poses “serious risks” not only to Israeli society, “but also to regional and global peace and stability,” the Directorate of Communications said. (Read More)