🍯 Shanah tovah from Israel RealTime. As we begin our first update of the Jewish new year, we hope your Rosh Hashanah was meaningful and peaceful. May G-d hear our prayers and grant health, strength, comfort to those hurting, protection to those defending us, and lasting peace and security for Israel and the Jewish people. Thank you for being part of the Israel RealTime family. Wishing you and your loved ones a sweet, blessed year with good news to share.

🛡️ IDF preparations combined readiness exercises and intensified counterterrorism operations. On September 11, the eve of Rosh Hashanah, the military reported that the Judea and Samaria Division had completed dozens of exercises during the preceding week, including a two-brigade drill along the seam line and exercises across all regional brigades, alongside inspections and readiness reviews.

The preparations culminated Friday morning with all division battalions called up for a large-scale surprise exercise to improve operational proficiency and verify holiday readiness. Parallel counterterrorism activity included more than 220 arrests of wanted individuals and brigade-level operations.

Central Command chief Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth conducted surprise battalion inspections to assess proficiency and operational readiness. A focused situational assessment also reviewed the command’s readiness for war and operational plans for multiple scenarios.

⚖️ An off-duty soldier was detained for questioning and suspended following gunfire near al-Mughayyir. According to the IDF, the soldier opened fire on Palestinians on Saturday, September 12, after reporting that Palestinians had thrown stones at him on the village’s outskirts in Judea and Samaria.

Earlier that day, troops had responded several times to reports of clashes between Israeli settlers who had invaded the village and Palestinian residents. The IDF said the confrontations involved stone-throwing and stone barriers on roads, without identifying which side was responsible. Troops “acted to disperse the confrontation and remove the roadblocks,” and also came under stone-throwing, the army said.

The IDF said no other troops were present during the soldier’s subsequent shooting and that it was unaware of injuries caused by the gunfire. Police took him for questioning; his military suspension remains in effect pending investigation.

🎯 The IDF reported eliminating two Hamas engineering operatives in Gaza City. It identified those killed in the September 13 strike as Hassan Ali Abu Nada and Abd al-Rahim Ahmad Khalil Khawa, members of the engineering unit of Hamas’ military wing.

According to the military, the two had recently produced and developed weapons, advanced terrorist attacks against IDF troops and Israeli civilians, and attempted to rebuild Hamas’ capabilities. The IDF described these activities as systematic ceasefire violations and said the strike was intended to remove the threat they posed.

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🎖️ Troop losses, safety and continued readiness. Defrin acknowledged soldiers who fell during the capture and clearing of the ridge, praised their role in defending northern communities and wished the wounded a speedy recovery. “We completed the mission; these achievements belong first and foremost to them,” he said.

Zamir also credited troops’ courage and dedication, saying continuous assessments prioritized their safety through integrated intelligence, ground, aerial, operational and logistical capabilities. He said the IDF remained on guard across frontline positions, headquarters and command centers as the new year began. Defrin pledged continued operations to remove threats to civilians and troops: “Just as we operated here, we will continue to operate along all of our borders.”

🎯 Hamas’ Khan Younis Brigade commander eliminated. The IDF and Shin Bet said an overnight precision airstrike in Khan Younis eliminated brigade commander Muhammad Yazouri, company commander Hudheifa Muammar and brigade operative Muhammad Bahjat Rashi.

Yazouri previously served as deputy brigade commander, Combat Support Battalion commander and intelligence chief. According to the agencies, he managed brigade terrorists and directed attacks against troops and civilians. In recent months, he worked to advance dozens of attacks against troops and rebuild the brigade’s capabilities after substantial wartime losses.

Earlier Hamas and Palestinian media reports identified him as Muhammad Abdul Salam Al-Yazouri, also known as Abu al-Haitham. A Hamas death-announcement account published a poster commemorating him before Israel confirmed the identities of those eliminated.

🔎 Hamas sniper cell commander eliminated in a separate strike. The IDF and Shin Bet said Moamen Jabr Al-Sayed Abu Labda, head of a Rafah Brigade sniper cell, was eliminated yesterday in the Khan Younis area. They said he conducted sniper training across Gaza aimed at harming Israeli civilians and troops operating near the Yellow Line, and had recently attempted to rebuild Hamas’ capabilities in systematic violation of the ceasefire. The agencies said the strike removed the threat he posed.

🚧 Eastern border weapons smuggling intercepted. Security forces seized 35 weapons, including more than 30 pistols and two M-16 rifles, and arrested two Jericho residents overnight. After IDF surveillance detected preparations for smuggling, Jordan Valley and Foothills Brigade troops, the police’s Jordan Border Unit and Border Police forces established joint ambushes.

The suspects and weapons were transferred to the Judea and Samaria District Central Unit for investigation. Security forces remain deployed along the eastern border to counter smuggling and protect Israeli citizens.

📋 Judea and Samaria holiday readiness exercise. The IDF launched a surprise drill calling out all battalions in the Judea and Samaria Division to assess alertness, operational readiness and responses to unexpected scenarios ahead of the holidays.

The exercise follows recent drills covering operational scenarios and coordination with security and emergency services. The IDF said it was scheduled to continue until the afternoon, with increased security force movement, and emphasized that it was planned and did not indicate a security incident.

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Speaking beneath Ali al-Taher Ridge, IDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said the network was built over two decades with Iranian funding and direction. It housed a central command complex and the Badr unit’s local headquarters, directing Hezbollah’s fighting during Operation Northern Arrows, Operation Roaring Lion and current operations.

⚔️ The operation combined diversion, encirclement and tunnel clearance. Defrin said 36th Division troops crossed the Litani River and captured Beaufort Ridge from an unexpected direction, surprising Hezbollah. Commando Brigade and Yahalom engineering troops then cleared the underground routes and prepared them for dismantlement.

Over recent months, troops encircled the area and increased pressure on terrorists underground. Defrin said air and ground strikes eliminated terrorists attempting to leave or resupply those inside; some fleeing terrorists were eliminated in close-quarters combat after encountering Israeli ambushes. All those inside were eliminated or fled, he said, accusing Hezbollah of abandoning personnel despite its pledge to defend the infrastructure at any cost.

The IDF released an operational illustration, Yahalom body-camera footage, drone footage from inside the tunnels and footage it described as showing Hezbollah terrorists being eliminated inside an underground shaft.

🛰️ Iranian weapons and Hezbollah’s use of civilian areas. Troops found numerous abandoned weapons, including Iranian-manufactured arms, Defrin said. Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir described advanced Iranian weapons intended to target IDF soldiers and northern Israeli communities, within command, control and combat infrastructure built over years at enormous cost.

Defrin described the findings as evidence of Hezbollah’s role as an Iranian proxy threatening Israel and regional stability. Zamir said Hezbollah initiated war in the north following Hamas’ October 7 attack and was destroying Lebanon as Iran’s emissary. He cited damage to entire villages in Qantara and Majdal Zoun, attributing it to an underground terrorist city beneath civilian homes, and warned that communities hosting terrorist infrastructure put themselves at risk. He said Hezbollah’s investment at Ali al-Taher had been wasted at Lebanese civilians’ expense.

🛡️ Operational control and conditions for the Lebanon agreement. Visiting the 36th Division with Northern Command chief Maj. Gen. Rafi Milo and division commander Brig. Gen. Yiftach Norkin, Zamir said recent operations fulfilled his directive to dismantle the infrastructure by Rosh Hashanah eve and redeploy locally. “The Yellow Line remains fully under our operational control, with no change.”

Zamir pledged to prevent Hezbollah from rebuilding or reestablishing itself in the area. “Any attack on the communities in northern Israel or on the IDF troops defending them will be met with an immediate and forceful response.” He said progress on the Israel-Lebanon agreement required the Lebanese Army to demonstrate effectiveness on the ground.

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🛰️ IRAN: UNDERGROUND ACTIVITY AND WEAPONS CAPABILITIES: Bloomberg reported that the IAEA detected new activity at the fortified Pickaxe Mountain site, also known as Mount Kolang Gaz La, but has no evidence establishing what is happening inside. Director General Rafael Grossi said inspectors lack access and rely on satellite imagery and other remote sensing.

Separately, The Wall Street Journal reported limited underground ballistic missile production using stockpiled components after U.S.-Israeli strikes damaged facilities and a naval blockade restricted fuel imports. Output remains far below prewar levels, but Iran retains a usable missile arsenal and is building additional underground facilities to protect production.

At the Western Wall ahead of Rosh Hashanah, Netanyahu endorsed what he described as Trump’s statement that Iran was again seeking nuclear weapons. He said Operations Rising Lion and Lion’s Roar had destroyed Iran’s immediate ability to produce nuclear bombs and pledged that Iran would not obtain nuclear weapons while he remained prime minister. He also linked operations in Gaza and Lebanon to action against the Iranian axis, citing the Beaufort and Ali Taher ridges and saying more would follow.

🛡️ ISRAEL: HOLIDAY READINESS AND WARNING TO IRAN: Channel 13 reported that Israeli security assessments explicitly raised the possibility of an Iranian offensive. Officials said readiness would increase during the holiday period. The IDF said it was prepared for a range of scenarios, including simultaneous threats across multiple fronts.

Katz, who has repeatedly warned that Iran could act against Israel, said any attack, regardless of reason or origin, would bring a powerful response against Iran, including key energy facilities. He warned that such a war would set Iran back decades.

⚓ U.S.–IRAN: MARITIME ATTACKS AND BASE DAMAGE REPORTS: U.S. Central Command forces reportedly destroyed five Iranian crude oil tankers on September 8 after the IRGC targeted a U.S. Navy warship with ballistic missiles twice over two days. The ship reportedly evaded both attacks, suffered no personnel injuries and continued patrols in territorial waters; the account did not identify whose waters.

The IRGC Navy separately said it targeted a U.S.-operated Saildrone surveillance and reconnaissance vessel near the Strait of Hormuz entrance.

According to The Epoch Times, acting U.S. Navy Secretary Hung Cao confirmed extensive Iranian damage to Naval Support Activity Bahrain, home of the Fifth Fleet, in strikes beginning February 28. Damage to headquarters, barracks and other infrastructure was estimated above $400 million. The report said the base was unlikely to be usable soon, with operations continuing from ships and Diego Garcia.

Separately, Trump denied reports that Iranian missiles damaged U.S. military aircraft at a base in Jordan: “None whatsoever. No damage. No nothing.”

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🎯 GAZA: HAMAS TARGETS AND REPORTED CIVILIAN DEATHS: The IDF said Monday’s Khan Younis strike eliminated Ismail Ibrahim Darwish Kandil, a Hamas Nukhba terrorist who infiltrated Israel on October 7 and participated in the killing of Nahal Brigade commander Colonel Yonatan Steinberg. It said Kandil had recently advanced attacks against troops and civilians and worked to restore Hamas’ capabilities, systematically violating the ceasefire.

Israeli security bodies confirmed that senior Hamas terrorist Farah Hamed was eliminated in a joint Gideonim Unit 33, Shin Bet and IDF operation. Their announcement placed the strike in central Gaza; Hamas separately identified Gaza City’s Sheikh Ijlin neighborhood and described Hamed as a commander and member of the al-Qassam Brigades’ military council for the West Bank.

Originally from the Ramallah area, Hamed belonged to the Silwad cell responsible for deadly Second Intifada shootings against civilians in Binyamin. He also participated in the October 2003 Ein Yabrud attack that killed Sergeant Elad Pollak, Sergeant Roi Yaakov Solomon and Staff Sergeant Erez Idan. Released and deported to Gaza in the 2011 Gilad Shalit exchange, he continued recruiting and directing terrorists and fought IDF troops during the Gaza war. The Shin Bet identified him as a senior figure in Hamas’ “West Bank Headquarters,” which recruits operatives and directs attacks from or within Judea and Samaria.

In Beit Lahia, the IDF said an overnight strike on a building near the Yellow Line eliminated Muaman Abd al-Rahman Ahmad, whom it identified as directly involved in fighting Israeli troops. Palestinian media reported four family members killed, including two children. The IDF said the building had previously served terror operatives and that it issued an evacuation warning before striking, using precise munitions and aerial surveillance to reduce civilian harm.

🔎 JUDEA AND SAMARIA: ARRESTS AND MISSING RESIDENT LOCATED: Duvdevan commandos and the Shin Bet apprehended Ismail Ankaio and another wanted man in Beitunia. The IDF said Ankaio had been planning an imminent shooting attack and was arrested after a weeklong manhunt.

Ariel resident Yaniv Sardal was found alive in the Qalqilya area after voluntarily entering a Palestinian village in Samaria. A joint Shin Bet, IDF, Israel Police and Israel Prison Service statement said the search had begun the previous night.

🛣️ HOLIDAY ACCESS: ROUTE 10 AND FIRING ZONES: The IDF announced Route 10 access for hikers in the Paran Regional Brigade sector near Israel’s western border:

September 11 and 25: Ezuz–Mount Harif, 08:30–14:00.

September 12–13 and September 26–October 3: Bar-Lev Lookout–Checkpoint 10/12, 08:30–16:00.

Identification and registration at the entrance are required; advance coordination is unnecessary. Military training will continue in northern and southern firing zones over weekends. Southern firing zones remain closed to hikers, and the public is asked to avoid restricted areas.

The IDF said it demolished more than two kilometers of Hezbollah tunnels beneath Ali Taher Ridge in southern Lebanon using over 1,100 tons of explosives, following extensive preparations and the establishment of control above and below ground.

The network contained a central command complex belonging to Hezbollah’s “Badr” Unit, whose discovery was reported last week. Command centers, weapons storage rooms and living quarters supported prolonged underground operations. Troops found dozens of Iranian-made rockets, missiles and UAVs, machine guns, dozens of anti-tank missiles, and hundreds of mines and explosive devices.

The IDF spokesperson said the network was built over two decades with Iranian funding and direction. Israeli forces encircled the area and increased pressure over recent months; according to the spokesperson, all terrorists inside were eliminated or fled despite Hezbollah’s pledge to defend it. The accompanying source report described the site as Iran’s largest outpost outside its borders.

Netanyahu and Katz said the infrastructure was intended to support a conquest of the Galilee and provided observation and fire control over Metula and Kiryat Shmona. They said its destruction, under their directives, completed the security zone’s establishment. Troops are preparing to defend the ridge and will remain in the zone, destroy terrorist infrastructure and prevent Hezbollah from returning and rebuilding. The leaders said attacks on civilians or troops would be met with force.

The IDF acknowledged soldiers killed while capturing and clearing the ridge. Before the demolition, a Maglan company commander commemorated Staff Sgt. Adam Tzarfati, Capt. Shahar Gamla and Sgt. First Class Nir Ben Ari, crediting the operation’s success to fighting above and below ground.

Army Radio reported heightened military alert before the demolition over possible Iranian or Hezbollah retaliation. Northern authorities warned residents to expect explosions, with the Upper Galilee Regional Council describing strikes and controlled explosions in Lebanon. Civilian instructions remained unchanged. A magnitude 4.1 earthquake was recorded in southern Lebanon following the demolition.

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🗳️ Threshold shifts change coalition arithmetic: The September 9 Walla/Lazar poll gives Yashar 25 seats, Likud 21, Bennett 14, Democrats 9, Yisrael Beiteinu 9, Otzma Yehudit 7, UTJ 7, Shas 7, Joint List 7, Smotrich–Feiglin 5, Ra’am 5 and Winter 4. The non-Arab opposition has 57, Netanyahu’s bloc including Winter 51, and Arab parties 12.

Winter rises from 2.8% to 3.5%, crossing the 3.25% threshold, while Hendel–Zelekha falls to 2.8% and loses four seats. This removes the previous Lazar/Panel4All poll’s theoretical 57-plus-four non-Arab majority and raises Netanyahu’s total from 47 to 51. The core opposition remains at 57: the swing reflects threshold outcomes rather than clear evidence of broad movement between blocs. A reported survey margin of roughly ±4% leaves small-party positions uncertain.

Channel 14 diverges sharply, giving Netanyahu’s bloc 64 seats and Smotrich–Feiglin eight, with Winter below the threshold. The supplied evening summary gives opposition–Netanyahu totals of 52–52 on Channel 11, 57–52 on Channel 12, 53–53 on Channel 13, 44–64 on Channel 14 and 48–60 on the source-labelled Channel 15.

Kan reports Smotrich, Winter and Yaron Zelekha crossing the threshold. An unattributed 53–53 poll gives Arab parties 14 and Winter five, versus Channel 13’s four; Hendel–Zelekha, Gantz and the Haredi Public Party fall below the threshold.

Amit Segal assessed that Netanyahu is losing six seats to Eisenkot and his allies and six to abstention. Yashar’s Yoram Cohen said the party could form a minority government without 61 seats if it still had a majority, hoping opposition elements would join, according to Makor Rishon’s Shir Sasson.

⚖️ Competing accounts of the Land Authority hearing: Reports that Haim Katz summoned acting ILA chief Yehuda Eliyahu to a pre-dismissal hearing drew Likud criticism. A defense statement cited Netanyahu’s approval of Eliyahu’s appointment and said he would not be dismissed. Katz’s office denied that characterization and any connection to requested appointments.

Katz cited alleged mismanagement, exclusion of women, poor interpersonal relations and failure to cooperate on career-service families’ entitlements. He promised a good-faith hearing and, absent agreement, an interim director to advance settlement and staffing reforms. Eliyahu accused Katz of seeking interference and appointments for his own people.

Smotrich defended Eliyahu, alleging corruption and attacks by political operatives without naming Katz. Invoking Yom Kippur, he declared: “There will be no forgiveness and no pardon. Neither on Yom Kippur nor after the elections.” He said his party would seek control of the ILA and Planning Administration to address alleged corruption, strengthen Jewish settlement in the Negev and Galilee and lower housing costs.

📰 Likud’s allegations and Dermer’s denial: Likud sought a criminal investigation into Shlomi Eldar, Ruth Yuval, Haaretz, Yair Golan and the Democrats over alleged foreign coordination surrounding a report of a pre-October 7 Netanyahu–Mohammed bin Zayed conversation.

Likud alleged that Mohammed Dahlan backed the report to promote a government of Eisenkot, Golan, Lieberman and Arab parties that would withdraw from Gaza and give him control. It also alleged Dahlan had formed an electoral list with Hamas, that a Democrats-linked nonprofit paid Eldar, and that a Golan–Ronen Bar UAE visit might be connected. These claims were not substantiated in the supplied material.

At Washington’s MEAD Conference, Ron Dermer denied the conversation and its reported content. He said he participated in or was briefed on all such leaders’ conversations, cited both sides’ denials and called it “essentially a fabrication. Just a made-up story.”

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🎯 Gaza: weapons infrastructure and Hamas personnel: The IDF and Shin Bet dismantled three Hamas weapons storage facilities in strikes across three areas of Gaza. The facilities contained weapons, explosives, anti-tank missiles and other military equipment. The IDF said the operations seek to degrade Hamas’ capabilities and prevent rearmament.

Hamas separately reported the elimination of Farah Hamed, describing him as a commander and member of its military council for the West Bank. Gazan media reported a strike in Sheikh Ijlin, Gaza City; the IDF had not commented. Hamed belonged to the Silwad cell responsible for deadly Second Intifada shootings in Judea and Samaria and was deported to Gaza in the 2011 Shalit exchange. The cell’s leader, also released in that exchange, was eliminated in Rafah in May 2024.

Somaliland offered up to 2,000 troops for the planned U.S.-led Gaza stabilization force, pending a U.S. or Israeli request. Uganda has approved around 1,200, Morocco has committed up to 500, and Albania, Kazakhstan and Kosovo have pledged personnel. The force is ultimately expected to number around 20,000.

🛰️ Iran: underground construction and U.S. strike limitations: CNN reports increased construction at Pickaxe Mountain near Natanz, a suspected nuclear facility buried in granite. CSIS analysts assess that it is not operational, but work has moved toward internal buildout and hardening. The site is believed intended to protect centrifuges or enrichment activities from existing U.S. bunker-busting weapons.

Trump said “we may hit Pickaxe very soon”, while questions remain about whether the largest U.S. non-nuclear bomb could reach it. The Pentagon is exploring a next-generation penetrator; CNN also reported an emergency contract, issued shortly before the war, to repair a granite facility at White Sands for possible simulations of strikes on deeply buried Iranian bunkers.

🇺🇸 War policy, regional strikes and oil trade: Trump said negotiations were possible but not being sought, declaring: “This war will end immediately after our election”. He portrayed a nuclear-armed Iran as forcing U.S. deference to its Supreme Leader and defended oil prices above $100 by arguing that Iran must not obtain a nuclear weapon. Asked about Strait of Hormuz attacks, he said: “The attacks are made by us. You are gonna see a lot more”.

CBS News reported that an A-10 lost a wing and around eight F-15s sustained minor damage in Iranian strikes on Jordan’s Muwaffaq Salti Air Base. The F-15s returned to service. Separately, Reuters reported a drone strike and fire aboard a Panama-flagged tanker carrying approximately 2 million barrels of Iraqi fuel oil in Iraqi waters; no casualties were reported among its 22 crew members.

Reuters also reported that Iran’s oil-for-Chinese-goods mechanism bypassed international banking channels, moving around $2–2.5 billion over a year to finance medicine, vehicles, communications equipment and some military-related goods.

🤝 Israeli preparedness and diplomacy: Northern Israel’s post-midnight hostile-aircraft alerts were attributed to false identification.

Israel and Cyprus are developing a 2026–2027 emergency-response plan covering coordination, operational knowledge and mutual assistance. Emergency authority chief Itzik Bar’s two-day visit included senior Cypriot officials and the Paphos aerial firefighting station, supporting preparations for Israel to join the regional large-wildfire coordination framework.

Sa’ar inaugurated Israel’s embassy in Slovenia following the change of government in Ljubljana, its fifth embassy inauguration in a year and a half.

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🛡️ IDF TESTS MULTI-FRONT DEFENSE OF EILAT AND THE ARAVA: Division 80, together with the Air Force and Navy, completed a large-scale exercise involving attack helicopters, missile boats and ground forces. Scenarios included maritime infiltration, kidnapping, high-trajectory fire, mass-casualty incidents and infiltrations into military bases, hotels, schools and beaches. The drill also tested rapid mobilization, transition from routine to emergency operations and command-level decision-making. Division 96 was unexpectedly activated for an eastern-border infiltration scenario affecting the Dead Sea region, and the IDF said the exercise will undergo an in-depth review.

🧭 DEFENSE MINISTRY ADVANCES EASTERN BORDER “40-POINT PLAN”: Hundreds of representatives from the Defense Ministry, IDF, local authorities, settlement organizations and youth programs participated in launching an initiative intended to strengthen civilian presence from Hamat Gader to Eilat. The framework treats settlement, civilian presence and resilience as elements of national security and includes 35 programs and branches of pre-military academies, service-year programs and Nahal groups, as well as nine leadership academies designed to bring hundreds of young Israelis into eastern-border communities and activity centers.

🔎 PA OFFICERS QUESTIONED OVER AREA C INCIDENT: Three Palestinian Authority police officers were apprehended over an unauthorized roadblock near Beitunia and the August 23 detention and alleged assault of an Israeli civilian described as an armed settler and off-duty reservist. The IDF said the officers exceeded their authority by operating in Area C, allegedly beating the man and driving him toward Ramallah before transferring him to Israeli forces. The three are being questioned by the Shin Bet. The IDF said security coordination continues under political-echelon directives, but deviations from established procedures will not be tolerated.

🚨 HOME FRONT COMMAND CONDUCTS HABONIM SIREN TEST: A scheduled siren test was held at 12:15 in the Habonim area. The Home Front Command said that had an actual alert occurred simultaneously, warnings would also have been issued through its app and additional alert systems.

⚖️ NETANYAHU AND HERZOG REJECT CLAIMS OF PRE-OCTOBER 7 UAE WARNING: Netanyahu instructed his attorneys to sue Haaretz, journalist Shlomi Eldar and additional parties over allegations that UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed warned him before October 7. Netanyahu said reviews by the Prime Minister’s Office, National Security Council and military secretariat found no conversation between the leaders from the beginning of September through October 7. His statement added that calls with the UAE president use a documented encrypted system requiring a UAE representative to enter the Prime Minister’s Office, and records showed no such entry.

Netanyahu also rejected Eldar’s claim of an Egyptian warning and renewed criticism of then-Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar and then-IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi over warning signs in the hours before the attack. President Isaac Herzog separately said his pre-October 7 conversations with Mohamed bin Zayed concerned Israeli domestic issues and bilateral relations, not Hamas, Yahya Sinwar or security matters, and that he was unaware of any alleged warning. Netanyahu demanded removal of the Haaretz article, an apology and NIS 1 million in compensation.

🗳️ KNESSET ELECTION REGISTRATION CLOSES: Registration has concluded, ending the first phase of the election campaign. The formally registered electoral field now replaces the hypothetical party combinations and potential candidacies that shaped earlier campaign discussion.

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🚀 IRAN TARGETS U.S. BASE IN JORDAN: The IRGC launched 20 ballistic missiles at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base overnight in response to U.S. attacks on Iranian oil tankers, naming the operation “Ya Haidar Al-Karrar.” Jordan said 18 missiles were intercepted and two fell in unpopulated areas, with no casualties. The interceptions were visible across Israel. The Wall Street Journal, citing a U.S. official, said the attack was ineffective and all U.S. personnel were accounted for.

⚓ CENTCOM REJECTS IRGC CLAIMS OF U.S. WARSHIP HITS: CENTCOM said, “No U.S. Navy warship has been struck; all IRGC attempted attacks failed.” It separately said U.S. forces had destroyed 10 Iranian tankers over the past week, describing them as part of a network financing the IRGC. The figure appears cumulative: CENTCOM previously detailed three tankers destroyed September 5 and five September 8, with two additional Iranian vessels struck earlier in the escalation.

🏔️ NETANYAHU LINKS MOUNT HERMON DEPLOYMENT TO BROADER IRAN CAMPAIGN: Speaking from the summit of Mount Hermon in Syria alongside the Defense Minister and senior commanders, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would remain there until a security arrangement guaranteeing its security is found. He described Israeli control from Mount Hermon to the Yarmouk and toward the Mediterranean as an unprecedented achievement, while saying, “The main task is to defeat the regime in Iran. We are very close to it.”

🌲 FIGHTING CONTINUES IN SOUTHERN LEBANON: Lebanese media reported one person killed in an Israeli strike on a motorcycle between Harouf and Zebdin, with no immediate IDF comment. The Washington Post reported at least 28 people killed and 79 wounded in Israeli strikes since Saturday, alongside additional displacement. Lebanese officials have appealed to Washington and the international community as the U.S.-backed ceasefire comes under increasing strain.

🎯 GAZA WEAPONS SITES AND ROCKET LAUNCH PIT DISMANTLED: The IDF and Shin Bet said strikes dismantled three Hamas and Islamic Jihad weapons storage facilities and a launch pit used to fire rockets toward Israel during the war. The sites contained dozens of weapons, including rockets, Kalashnikov rifles and other combat equipment. The IDF said Hamas terrorists had recently used weapons stored there to establish control and conduct operations. Palestinian media separately reported an Israeli strike in Gaza City’s Shati camp following a military warning; the IDF had not commented.

🎖️ IDF CHIEF VISITS TROOPS WOUNDED IN GAZA AND LEBANON: Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir visited Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer ahead of Rosh Hashanah and met infantry and armored troops and their families. He thanked medical, liaison and casualty-affairs personnel, stressed the IDF’s responsibility to accompany wounded troops throughout rehabilitation, and wished them “a year of security and hope, a year of unity and victory.”

🇬🇧 AMIT SEGAL ARGUES BRITISH PRESSURE COULD AFFECT SECURITY COOPERATION: In remarks on British television, Segal said Israel should consider consequences for intelligence and security cooperation if Britain takes punitive action against Israel. He cited potential intelligence cooperation with MI5 and MI6 and suggested Israel could reconsider where Iron Dome production is located, arguing Britain cannot publicly condemn Israel while privately relying on Israeli assistance against terrorist threats.

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⚓ INS DRAKON AND NEW AI BRANCH REFLECT EXPANDING IDF CAPABILITIES: IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said Israel’s sixth submarine, INS Drakon, is sailing from Germany to Israel and represents the Navy’s transformation into a strategic arm capable of operating across the Middle East and beyond. Under the coming multi-year “Hoshen” plan, the maritime arena will receive greater emphasis, including Reshef-class missile ships designed for increased range, endurance and firepower.

Zamir also announced a new IDF Unmanned Systems and Artificial Intelligence Branch, planned for inauguration around Hanukkah in early December. It will develop maritime, ground and aerial robotic systems designed to operate alongside manned forces or independently, with advanced autonomous capabilities also planned for the Navy.

Reviewing the broader war, Zamir said the IDF had changed its security doctrine: “There is no containment. There is initiative to remove threats before they materialize.” He described naval operations across multiple fronts, including Bab el-Mandeb, Beirut, Lebanese ports and Gaza, and said protecting maritime trade routes increasingly requires both overt and covert operations far from Israel.

Zamir described the IDF’s achievements as a “historic military victory,” citing the removal of invasion threats, damage to enemy missile and rocket capabilities and strikes on Iran’s nuclear program, while stressing that Iran and the wider axis remain threats. Navy chief Vice Adm. Eyal Harel similarly said “there is no longer any distant front” and warned that Israel would defend its freedom of action and strategic interests in the Mediterranean and Red seas.

Ahead of the Tishrei holidays, Zamir also recalled the “failure of Simchat Torah, October 7,” emphasized the heavy cost in fallen and wounded personnel, and urged officers to keep political and public divisions outside the IDF while maintaining a unified chain of command.

🌊 IRGC CLAIMS CAPTURE OF U.S. UNMANNED UNDERWATER VEHICLE: The IRGC Navy said it captured a U.S. unmanned underwater vehicle near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz early Tuesday, describing it as one of the most modern unmanned submarines delivered to the U.S. Navy in 2025. The IRGC said the vehicle was seized in a “complex intelligence and operational” operation and that images would be released within hours. There has been no immediate U.S. confirmation.

🏛️ PMO DENIES REPORT OF PRE-OCTOBER 7 UAE WARNING: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Office said reports that the UAE warned Netanyahu before October 7 were false, stating: “No warning was given to the PM from the UAE before October 7th. If there was any relevant information, it was passed through intelligence channels between the two countries.”

The Emirati Foreign Ministry said it “does not comment on media reports or speculation concerning conversations between national leaders.”

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🇬🇧 ISRAEL MOVES AGAINST UK ROLE, WITH DEFENSE TIES PROVIDING POTENTIAL FURTHER LEVERAGE: Foreign Minister Gideon Saar announced that Israel will close the British Consulate in Jerusalem, operating since the 19th century, and expel British representatives from the International Gaza Support Center in Kiryat Gat in response to British measures targeting Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria. Britain will also be excluded from the U.S.-led Gaza coordination mission in Israel and barred from training Palestinian Authority forces in Judea and Samaria.

The measures follow a broader move by Britain, France, Canada and nine partners to restrict settlement trade. Israeli officials have promised a “significant” response and said additional “tools” are available. Potential leverage extends to licensed Israeli dual-use and defense technology embedded in European military systems, including sensors, targeting and ISR equipment, counter-drone and electronic-warfare systems, missile-defense software and spare parts. Britain’s Sky Sabre uses command software based on Rafael architecture, Challenger 3 tanks use Rafael’s Trophy system, and Elbit supplies British night-vision and surveillance equipment; Finland, another signatory to Tuesday’s statement, is a David’s Sling customer.

Israel has previously used targeted defense restrictions in diplomatic disputes. Procurement from France was reduced to zero and Israeli defense sales tightened after what Jerusalem described as a “hostile attitude,” while two Dutch officials were removed from the Gaza coordination cell after the Netherlands adopted a settlement-goods ban.

🛡️ MORE THAN 30 DETAINED IN ALLEGED TERROR NETWORK: The Shin Bet, IDF and Israel Police said more than 30 Palestinians were recently detained over alleged membership in a “significant and extensive” network operating in Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria. Authorities say it recruited armed cells, planned attacks against Jews and Israeli security forces, and possessed weapons intended for attacks.

Five Jerusalem residents were charged with serious security offenses, while military prosecutors are expected to indict additional suspects from Judea and Samaria and other investigations remain ongoing. The Shin Bet identified Sabih Abu Sabih and Rashid Rishk, members of the Hamas-affiliated Shabab al-Aqsa group, as organizers who recruited cells across Judea and Samaria. Abu Sabih is the son of Mesbah Abu Sabih, who killed two Israelis in a 2016 Jerusalem shooting attack; Rishk was released in January 2025 as part of a hostage deal with Hamas.

According to the investigation, Rishk and Ahmad Azmi Bakri planned an attack at a Modi’in restaurant where Bakri worked. The Shin Bet also said Muhammad Azmi Bakri instructed Rishk and Muhammad Abu Sabih on constructing explosives after they said they intended to carry out attacks, including a shooting targeting Israeli security forces in al-Eizariya.

🗳️ ELECTION LISTS APPROACH CLOSING DEADLINE: Netanyahu’s reserved Likud slots were approved as parties finalized arrangements ahead of the candidate-list deadline. After Yoaz Hendel called on Benny Gantz to withdraw, Blue and White responded: “Yoaz, there are still five hours until the candidate lists close. You have enough time to switch to yet another party.”

Likud and Religious Zionism are set to sign a surplus-vote agreement, leaving Itamar Ben Gvir to sign one with Yossi Winter.

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🇹🇭 THAILAND — ISRAELI AMBASSADOR SUMMONED OVER TOURIST CONDUCT: Thailand’s Foreign Ministry summoned Israeli Ambassador Alona Fisher-Kamm over allegations that some Israelis used nominees to circumvent foreign ownership rules and over tourist incidents that have fueled tensions in Koh Phangan, Koh Samui and Phuket.

Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow described his discussion with the ambassador as “frank,” saying, “Tourism is important to us, but it isn’t just about income — it is also about the dignity of Thailand.” Israeli tourism rose 46% last year to approximately 410,000 visitors. Thailand is set to reduce visa-free stays from 60 to 30 days beginning September 15. An Israeli tourist has already been deported from Koh Samui, while a nationalist rally is planned outside Israel’s embassy in Bangkok on Thursday.

🛰️ OCTOBER 7 — ALLEGED UAE WARNING TO NETANYAHU REMAINS DISPUTED: Haaretz journalists Shlomi Eldar and Ruth Yuval report that UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed warned Netanyahu roughly 10 days before October 7, 2023, that Yahya Sinwar was preparing a major operation capable of igniting the region. The investigation alleges a roughly 45-minute conversation in which Netanyahu responded that Hamas was primarily focused on Judea and Samaria and that Israel was prepared for any scenario.

Netanyahu’s office categorically denies that the conversation or warning occurred, calling the allegation an “absolute lie.” The UAE has not publicly confirmed the alleged call. Former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar and former IDF chief Herzi Halevi say they were not informed of an Emirati warning; this is consistent with Haaretz’s claim that the warning was not passed to the security establishment but does not independently verify that it occurred.

The allegation sits alongside separate reports of other pre-October 7 warnings, including references attributed to Sinwar about an approaching “earthquake,” a report that Bar warned Netanyahu on October 1 that Hamas was preparing something “extreme,” and the separately disputed claim that Egypt warned Netanyahu shortly before the attack. None independently verifies the alleged UAE conversation.

Naftali Bennett says he knows the Haaretz report is true but has not publicly disclosed the basis for that assertion. Bennett, Gadi Eisenkot, Avigdor Lieberman and Yair Golan jointly demanded an immediate investigation and renewed their call for a state commission of inquiry. Their statements are political reactions rather than independent confirmation.

The central claim therefore remains unresolved: Haaretz presents a detailed, multi-source investigation alleging a direct Emirati warning, while Netanyahu’s office denies both the call and warning, and no public UAE confirmation or documentary evidence establishing the alleged conversation has emerged.

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🇬🇧 UK AND EUROPE — SETTLEMENT TRADE MEASURES DRAW ISRAELI RESPONSE: British Jewish Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, announcing sanctions targeting settlements in Judea and Samaria, said, “We agree that there is ‘ethnic cleansing’ there.” Britain announced a ban on purchasing goods from what it calls “illegal settlements” and threatened measures against companies providing services supporting settlement expansion. France also imposed sanctions.

Iceland, Ireland, Britain, Denmark, Norway, Spain, Poland, Portugal, Finland, France, Canada and Sweden have affirmed plans to impose national sanctions, support European restrictions on settlement-related trade, or actively consider such measures under their respective procedures.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for the British ambassador to be expelled “tonight,” accusing Britain of antisemitism and declaring, “We will not be a doormat” and “The British Mandate in the Land of Israel is over,” according to an X/Grok translation. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to recognize Argentine sovereignty over the Malvinas Islands, known in Britain as the Falkland Islands, and sanction Britain for as long as what he described as its “occupation” continues. The U.S. is also threatening a response.

🗳️ ELECTIONS — SEPARATE SMALLER LISTS SHARPEN THRESHOLD RISKS: Ofer Winter submitted his Knesset slate without a merger after rejecting nationalist-camp unity proposals. Smotrich accused Winter of “stubbornly” rejecting every proposal, while Winter replied: “I appreciate your work, but the public wants new people who were not involved in October 7.”

Netanyahu’s side enters the final candidate-list stage with several separate smaller lists, including Smotrich-Feiglin, Winter, Noam and the Yoaz Hendel-Yaron Zelekha technical bloc. Eisenkot failed to persuade Benny Gantz to withdraw but faces less exposure to wasted votes, leaving more of the threshold risk concentrated among smaller parties on Netanyahu’s side. Eisenkot accused Netanyahu of seeking “chaos through indecision and election after election.”

A Channel 12 News/Midgam poll conducted by Mano Geva and published Monday night gives Winter four seats and narrows the gap between the Zionist opposition and Netanyahu blocs to 57-52. Eisenkot’s Yashar leads with 25 seats, Likud receives 21, Smotrich-Feiglin and Ben Gvir six each, and Hendel-Zelekha remains below the threshold at 2.7%. Arab parties receive 11 seats separately. Ra’am chairman Mansour Abbas said: “We see ourselves as partners in the next government.”

Benny Gantz remains in the race, placing Pnina Tamano-Shata second alongside Alon Schuster and former MK Mufid Mari, while former Beit Shemesh mayor Dr. Aliza Bloch is also joining his slate. Gantz called for “a broad Zionist government.”

Likud approved Netanyahu’s reserved slots, including Talik Gvili at No. 9, Yaakov Bardugo at No. 11, Elisha Madan at No. 15, David Peter at No. 16, former Labor MK Eli Goldschmidt at No. 26, Itzik Bontzel at No. 29 and Brig. Gen. (res.) Amir Avivi at No. 35. Madan lost both legs after being critically wounded in Beit Hanoun; Avivi founded the Israel Defense and Security Forum; and Goldschmidt says his political and security outlook changed after October 7.

Maj. Gen. (res.) Yossi Bachar is joining Religious Zionism. Bachar fought terrorists in Be’eri on October 7, when his mother and two other relatives were murdered, and later served as deputy commander of the Southern Command. Keren Assayag has reportedly been promised a ministerial position and is expected at Netanyahu’s event tonight. Netanyahu is also expected to appear alongside new armored vehicles and told the Likud Secretariat regarding Iran: “We are getting closer to defeating the head of the octopus.” Separately, Gafni bid farewell following his ouster.

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🛡️ SAMARIA — ARMED TERRORIST ELIMINATED, WANTED SUSPECTS APPREHENDED: IDF soldiers and Border Police, guided by the Shin Bet, operated overnight in Aqraba and surrounding communities, including Qabalan, Usarin and Yatma, with a separate military account also citing Awarta. In Aqraba, south of Shechem, troops sought Abd al-Karim Muhammad Salem Khader, whom the IDF identified as a terrorist affiliated with a terrorist organization.

The IDF said Khader threw an improvised Molotov cocktail and explosive device at troops without causing injuries, then barricaded himself inside a building. Forces surrounded the structure and employed a “pressure cooker” tactic. Palestinian media reported shoulder-launched missiles and partial demolition by a bulldozer. Nahal Reconnaissance soldiers later entered and, according to the IDF, found Khader armed with a knife “with which he intended to attack our forces” and eliminated him. WAFA reported that Israeli forces took his body.

Four wanted individuals were apprehended, including three terrorists involved in weapons trafficking and another accused of planning an imminent attack. Forces questioned approximately 60 wanted individuals, searched about 70 locations and located a grenade launcher, ammunition and additional military equipment.

🎯 GAZA — IAF TARGETS OPERATIVE AND HAMAS INFRASTRUCTURE: The Israeli Air Force targeted a terror operative in Gaza City and struck Hamas infrastructure in the southern Gaza Strip, according to the IDF. Gazan media reported several people wounded in Sheikh Radwan and additional wounded in Khan Younis. The IDF said further details would follow.

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🗳️ KAN POLL LEAVES BOTH BLOCS SHORT: A September 6 Kan News/Kantar poll gives Eisenkot’s Yashar 23 seats, Likud 20, Bennett’s Together 13, Democrats 8, UTJ 8, Shas 7, Otzma Yehudit 7, Yisrael Beiteinu 7, Joint List 7, Ra’am 6, Smotrich-Feiglin 6, Ofer Winter 4 and Hendel-Zelekha 4. The blocs stand at Netanyahu 52, the non-Arab opposition 51 and Arab parties 13, with Hendel-Zelekha unaligned. The poll surveyed 551 respondents with a maximum sampling error of ±4.2%.

🔑 HENDEL-ZELEKHA EMERGES AS A FOUR-SEAT HINGE: Netanyahu remains at 52 compared with Kan’s August 30 poll, while the non-Arab opposition falls from 55 to 51, largely because Hendel-Zelekha is now counted separately. Netanyahu remains nine seats short of 61 and the opposition ten short. Hendel-Zelekha could bring Netanyahu to 56 or the opposition to 55, with the latter then reaching 61 if joined by Ra’am’s six seats.

📊 WINTER REMAINS A THRESHOLD VARIABLE: Winter has received four seats in two consecutive Kan polls and recent Maariv and Israel Hayom surveys, while Zman Yisrael and Channel 14 placed him below the 3.25% threshold. Smotrich-Feiglin stands at six seats in the latest Kan poll. Recent projections remain sharply divided, with Netanyahu’s bloc at roughly 50 to 53 in several polls, compared with 60 in i24/Direct Polls and 63 in Channel 14.

📜 CANDIDATE LISTS TAKE SHAPE: With roughly 50 days until the election, candidate-list submissions begin today. Bennett and Eisenkot submitted separate lists, ending the remaining prospect of a merger. Bennett requested the ballot letter “B,” while Eisenkot requested “Derech.” Winter is expected to run independently despite appeals from dozens of rabbis to unite. The Haredi Public Party said it rejected Winter’s offer to place its figures in the eighth and ninth slots, while Religious Zionism accused him of “irresponsibly” risking right-wing rule and said Smotrich would consider reserved candidates to strengthen his slate.

🔹 OTHER POLITICAL MOVES: May Golan said Ben-Gvir offered her a realistic reserved spot but that she declined and intends to “take a break.” Amit Segal reported Ayelet Shaked will not run and assessed that she could eventually join Likud, an assessment rather than a confirmed development. Lieberman said significant differences remain with Eisenkot but warned against damaging internal fighting. Bennett said his movement would “defeat Hezbollah and Hamas” and had selected candidates who “won’t cave to any pressure.”

🧩 THE POLITICAL FIELD REMAINS FRAGMENTED: Eisenkot has consolidated much of the center, Netanyahu continues to face uncertainty surrounding Winter and the electoral threshold, and Hendel-Zelekha has added another potentially decisive four-seat variable to the coalition arithmetic.

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⚔️ HEZBOLLAH CLASH AND DRONE ATTACKS: A Hezbollah terrorist opened fire from a building on Golani Reconnaissance troops conducting scans near Beaufort in southern Lebanon, lightly wounding two soldiers. The troops returned fire and used artillery against the building, eliminating the terrorist. The IDF then struck Hezbollah weapons storage facilities, command centers and additional infrastructure.

💥 SOUTHERN LEBANON STRIKES: Hezbollah also launched two explosive drones toward IDF troops in the Ali al-Taher Ridge area, with no Israeli injuries. The IDF said this was Hezbollah’s third explosive-drone attack against its troops within a week. Israel struck several Hezbollah sites in response, including a weapons storage facility, and targeted Hezbollah operatives transferring weapons in Kfar Reman. The military said precise munitions and aerial surveillance were used to reduce harm to uninvolved people.

🏥 LEBANESE CASUALTY REPORTS: Lebanon’s National News Agency reported nine people, including two children, killed and five wounded in a strike on a residential building in Kfar Reman. The IDF said reports of uninvolved civilians being harmed were under review. NNA separately reported two paramedics from the Hezbollah-allied Amal movement’s Risala Scouts killed in a drone strike on a vehicle, bringing the reported death toll from those strikes to 11. NNA also reported strikes in Nabatieh and Arab Salim and said a building in Deir al-Zahrani was destroyed after an IDF evacuation warning. Separately, the IDF said it eliminated several Hezbollah terrorists in Nabatieh following another Hezbollah drone attack Sunday.

⚓ IRAN THREATENS NEW HORMUZ RESTRICTED ZONE: Iranian Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Mohsen Rezai claimed Iran had tested an anti-ship missile “above an American warship,” saying it “created a hell for the Americans, and they fled.” Rezai said Iran intends in the coming days and weeks to announce a restricted zone extending from what he called the U.S. Navy’s blockade line through the Strait of Hormuz into the Persian Gulf, warning that ships entering it to transit the strait would be added to Iran’s sanctions list. He also said Iran had reserved the right to respond to what he described as an American attack on a wedding ceremony in Kuhestak.

🌊 U.S. MINE-CLEARANCE OPERATION: The Financial Times reported that the U.S. Navy secretly spent four months clearing Iranian mines from the Strait of Hormuz. Navy divers, robotic boats and underwater vehicles used sonar to locate mines, which were then destroyed with explosives, largely during nighttime operations. Despite President Trump saying the mines had been cleared, shipping companies remain cautious because Iran could re-mine the strait and missile and drone threats continue.

🇮🇱 NETANYAHU WARNS IRAN: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “If Iran attacks us, it will suffer a blow beyond anything it can imagine.”

🌍 ISRAEL-KURDISH RELATIONS: Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Israel supports strengthening ties between minorities in the Middle East, particularly Jews and Kurds. “The Kurds are a minority in four countries and, unfortunately, have not yet achieved political independence,” he said.

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⚠️ JUDEA AND SAMARIA: An Israeli civilian was severely wounded in a suspected stabbing at the Maoz Yehuda farming outpost near Usarin. Rescuers Without Borders said the Palestinian attacker arrived by vehicle, stabbed the Israeli and fled. IDF forces imposed roadblocks and located him near his vehicle in the Qabalan area. When he attempted to stab soldiers, a commander from the 411th Artillery Battalion opened fire and eliminated him, about an hour after the attack. Video showed the attacker fleeing after his knife broke during the stabbing.

🚨 HAJJA RIOT: IDF troops entered Hajja in the Ephraim Brigade sector after friction developed between Palestinians and Israeli civilians who had entered the village. The troops removed the Israelis, after which Palestinian rioters threw stones at the force. The IDF said soldiers carried out a suspect-arrest procedure, first firing into the air and then toward the main instigators. Hits were identified, and the incident is under investigation. Defense Minister Israel Katz separately warned: “We will start a full-scale war against the Palestinian Authority if it is confirmed that they are preparing for an attack like October 7th”.

🎯 GAZA OPERATIONS: An IDF engineering vehicle drove over a Hamas explosive device in the Yellow Line area of northern Gaza, with no Israeli injuries. The IDF subsequently struck Hamas infrastructure it said was being used to advance attacks against Israeli civilians and troops.

🛰️ STRIKE REDIRECTED TO AVOID CIVILIANS: The IDF said a munition launched toward a Hamas military-wing terrorist was redirected in real time after civilians gathered near the target. Because the munition could no longer be canceled after launch, it was diverted instead. The military released footage and said the action reflected its effort to distinguish between terrorists and civilians and minimize civilian harm.

🔻 HAMAS AND ISLAMIC JIHAD OPERATIVES ELIMINATED: The IDF eliminated Hamas Nukhba company commander Yusuf Aqila, saying he had recently advanced attacks and worked to restore Hamas capabilities in systematic violation of the ceasefire. In Al-Shati, Islamic Jihad operative Sabhi Hadr Al-Atham Al-Batrihi was eliminated after allegedly participating in planting explosives against IDF troops. In a separate strike last week, Hamas Nukhba terrorist Ahmad Fuad Khalil Khalas was eliminated after participating in similar operations. The IDF said all three posed active threats.

🛡️ IDF TESTS SURPRISE-WAR READINESS: The IDF completed its surprise “Breaking Dawn 2.0” General Staff exercise, placing headquarters across all regional commands, directorates and branches on alert without prior notice. Scenarios included ground, air and maritime incursions, projectile fire, shooting attacks, mass-casualty incidents, abductions and hostage situations. Standby and reserve forces, including battalions and special units, were activated and dispatched to multiple sectors.

📋 OCTOBER 7 LESSONS INCORPORATED: The drill tested coordination between the air, land and maritime domains and decision-making from field commands through the General Staff. The IDF said it incorporated lessons from October 7 and combat on multiple fronts, including operational plans ahead of the upcoming holiday period. Findings will undergo an in-depth review to identify vulnerabilities and improve readiness.

🪖 ZAMIR ON READINESS AND DETERRENCE: Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir called the exercise “another step in implementing the lessons of October 7th” and a test of readiness for surprise war. “The IDF is fit, prepared and ready to defend the State of Israel, and is also prepared to take the initiative and strike anyone who attempts to harm us,” he said, warning that anyone attacking Israel and its civilians “will pay an immediate and very heavy price.”

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🛰️ JUDEA AND SAMARIA: HAMAS CELL APPREHENDED, WEAPONS CACHE FOUND: The Shin Bet, IDF and Yamam apprehended 10 members of a Hamas cell that security forces said had been working to advance attacks against Israeli civilians in the Akraba area.

Forces located and dismantled a rocket without a launcher. Following questioning, one detainee revealed a cache containing an M16 rifle and a large quantity of explosives intended for manufacturing explosive devices, which were also destroyed at the scene.

A separate police and military account identified the village as Aqqaba and said the raid followed Shin Bet intelligence concerning a Hamas network in the area. All 10 suspects were transferred for Shin Bet questioning.

🚔 NETANYA SHOOTING: BORDER POLICE OFFICER KILLED BY SECURITY FORCES: Border Police Sgt. David Hoyer Amrani, 20, was shot dead by security forces after opening fire in Netanya’s Kiryat Hasharon neighborhood. No other casualties were reported.

Witnesses said Amrani moved among residential buildings for roughly 20 minutes while firing bursts into the air before encountering police, after which an exchange of fire occurred.

Hebrew media reported that he had been suffering from combat-related trauma, but the Defense Ministry Rehabilitation Department said he had not been treated by the department for PTSD and was not officially recognized as suffering from it.

Amrani enlisted in August 2024, served in Hebron in Judea and Samaria and transferred to another Border Police company about eight months ago. Because police were involved in the fatal shooting, the investigation is expected to be transferred to the Department for Internal Police Investigations.

Idan Kleiman, chairman of the IDF Disabled Veterans Organization, said he understood that Amrani had previously requested a transfer from the Judea and Samaria sector, describing that as a possible warning sign that “the system probably did not catch.”

🗳️ 51 DAYS TO ELECTION: PARTY LISTS AND ALLIANCES TAKE SHAPE: Bennett’s B’Yachad and Lieberman’s Yisrael Beiteinu are due to unveil their candidate lists, with competition intensifying over realistic Knesset positions.

Yesh Atid members comprise roughly 40% of Bennett’s slate, making their placement significant under current polling. Lieberman has brought dozens of people into Yisrael Beiteinu, raising questions over the placement of former Likud MK Dan Illouz and whether additional incumbents could lose realistic positions.

Bennett visited Chili Tropper ahead of Tropper’s decision on whether to run independently or join a larger party, with reports indicating that a Bennett-Gadi Eisenkot alliance is now virtually ruled out. Gantz and Yoaz Hendel are expected to run together, while Ayelet Shaked is due to decide whether to join them. Tropper appears set to run as an independent party within a joint parliamentary faction without an option to split from it.

Religious Zionism chairman Bezalel Smotrich publicly called on Avichai Winter to join him, saying the top position had never been an obstacle and hinting that the two had spoken recently. Otzma Yehudit chairman Itamar Ben-Gvir said: “If Otzma Yehudit does not win 15 seats in the upcoming elections, Bibi will form a government with Eisenkot.”

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⚠️ IRAN THREATENS STRONGER STRIKES AGAINST U.S. WARSHIPS: Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesman for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, warned that continued U.S. military action, interference with Iranian vessels or maintenance of what Tehran describes as a naval blockade could trigger more severe attacks against U.S. military vessels, with strikes potentially expanding in scope.

🛡️ IDF TESTS SURPRISE MULTI-FRONT WAR READINESS: Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir launched “Breaking Dawn 2.0,” a surprise General Staff exercise assessing readiness for a sudden, complex and large-scale multi-front scenario ahead of the Jewish holiday period.

The drill is testing decision-making across the General Staff, regional commands, branches and directorates, activation of standby and reserve forces, operational plans and the ability to respond rapidly across several arenas. Commanders and forces have been mobilized, reserve readiness is being assessed and IDF Comptroller officers are inspecting headquarters and units.

The exercise forms part of the Operations Directorate’s 2026 training program and incorporates lessons from October 7 and subsequent multi-front combat. The IDF stressed that increased troop and aircraft movement is exercise-related and does not indicate an actual security incident.

Zamir described the current period as “tense and volatile” across all arenas and said the IDF’s baseline posture is “readiness for a surprise attack.”

⚓ EILAT TO HOLD LARGE-SCALE AIR, SEA AND LAND SECURITY DRILL: The IDF and Israel Police will conduct a pre-planned exercise in Eilat and the surrounding area, with increased activity by security forces, aircraft and vessels.

The exercise will rehearse complex scenarios in the air, at sea and on land, with an emphasis on protecting communities and the Eilat urban area.

🏭 RAFAEL REPORTEDLY PREPARING IRON DOME PRODUCTION IN GERMANY

Globes, citing WirtschaftsWoche, reported that Rafael could begin producing Iron Dome components as early as next year at Volkswagen’s Osnabrück plant. Production would reportedly include launchers, trucks, generators and other components, but not interceptors, with other weapons-system components potentially added later.

Volkswagen would reportedly sell the plant to a consortium involving Lower Saxony, Aurelius Capital and Rafael rather than enter defense production itself. The structure reportedly bypasses opposition from Qatar’s investment fund, which holds 10% of Volkswagen shares and 17% of its voting rights.

Lower Saxony has previously been reported as considering an approximately €200 million contribution, although the total transaction value remains unclear and Germany’s federal government is not expected to participate.

The plant employs about 2,300 people and is scheduled to end Volkswagen T-Roc convertible production in mid-2027. Lower Saxony Premier Olaf Lies is reportedly expected to announce the partnership and say that no jobs will be lost. The plant’s works council has not yet unequivocally endorsed the shift, and Rafael has not commented.

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