Category: Israel

Israel Eyes Alternative International Force in Lebanon

Israel is weighing the early introduction of a temporary international verification force into Lebanon in the near future amid escalating strikes across the sector, Channel 14 News reported for the first time Monday evening. The initiative is part of preparations to conclude UNIFIL’s operational mandate, designed to prevent the United Nations from maintaining a substantial foothold in southern Lebanon in the “day after.”

UNIFIL’s operational mandate is set to expire on December 31. After that date, the peacekeeping mission is scheduled to halt operations and begin an orderly withdrawal from Lebanon. Israeli defense officials are determined to prevent a scenario where year-end arrives without an operational alternative ready to deploy on the ground.

Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, archive | Photo: IDF Spokesperson

The primary concern in Jerusalem is that an operational vacuum would allow the UN to exploit the gap, push to extend its existing presence, or engineer a new framework that gives it continued leverage in southern Lebanon. Consequently, officials are assessing an expedited rollout to deploy a temporary international verification force before UNIFIL’s mandate expires, establishing early operational continuity.

Among the candidate nations Israel is considering for inclusion in the multinational force are Greece, Switzerland, Italy, and Indonesia. Conversely, Jerusalem has categorically ruled out participation by France, Spain, Turkey, and the United Kingdom.

UNIFIL force patrolling the Lebanese border | Photo: Hamad Almakat, Flash90

Israel’s red line remains unequivocal: any nation actively working against Israel on the global stage—whether through adverse domestic legislation, hostile diplomatic measures, or initiatives in international courts—will not be granted a foothold in security architectures directly impacting vital Israeli security interests.

The initiative is being explored as military pressure intensifies across southern Lebanon, running parallel to diplomatic pushes aimed at disarming Hezbollah and expanding the deployment and responsibilities of the Lebanese Armed Forces on the ground.

Efforts continue to disarm Hezbollah | Photo: Shutterstock

Meanwhile, as reported on Channel 14’s main broadcast last week, direct negotiations between Israel and Lebanon are scheduled to resume next week. The verification mechanism’s architecture and post-UNIFIL security arrangements are expected to dominate the agenda.

September 7, 2026
IDF eliminates Hamas and PIJ terrorists in Gaza

The Israel Defense Forces eliminated two terrorists from the Hamas and ‘Palestinian’ Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorist organizations in targeted operations across the Gaza Strip, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit confirmed. One of the terrorists was struck on Sunday in the Al-Shati area of the northern Gaza Strip. The military identified him as Subhi Khader Hashem al-Batrihi, a terrorist affiliated with ‘Palestinian’ Islamic Jihad. According to the IDF, al-Batrihi took an active role in planting improvised explosive devices (IEDs) directed at IDF troops operating in the sector.

In a separate strike conducted several days prior, Israeli forces eliminated Ahmed Fouad Khalil Hilles, a terrorist serving within the Nukhba commando force of Hamas’s military wing. The IDF stated that Hilles had participated in planting explosives and carrying out hostile actions against Israeli forces deployed across the Strip. The military noted that both terrorists had recently been advancing terror plots against IDF personnel and Israeli civilians, systematically violating the established ceasefire framework. Military officials emphasized that they targeted and eliminated the two to neutralize the immediate, ongoing threat they posed.

September 7, 2026
Israel Opens First Trade Office in Bosnian Serb Republic

Israel has opened its first trade office in Banja Luka, the administrative center of Republika Srpska in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The office was established to deepen and expand economic and business ties between Israel and the Bosnian Serb republic.

The new chamber of commerce aims to leverage the warm relations between Israel and Republika Srpska and give them practical economic meaning by promoting trade, attracting mutual investment, fostering broad cooperation, and helping Israeli companies and businesses enter the local market.

Photo: Ministry of Diaspora

The move marks another significant step in strengthening political ties, following meetings over the past year between Republika Srpska leader Milorad Dodik and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, and President Isaac Herzog. The opening ceremony was attended by former president Dodik, current president Sinisa Karan, and senior members of the republic’s leadership. Israel was represented by Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli, Israeli Ambassador to Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina Galit Peleg, and Amir Kabiri, who will head the trade office.

Photo: Ministry of Diaspora

During the ceremony, President Karan awarded medals of honor to Minister Chikli and Ambassador Peleg in recognition of their contribution to strengthening ties. The ambassador read a written greeting from President Herzog. Chikli said during the visit that relations between the two sides have a deep foundation of friendship, especially since the October 7 attack, and stressed that Israel does not forget its friends and stands by those who stood by it. As part of the visit, Chikli also met with local Jewish community leaders and visited the memorial room honoring the tens of thousands murdered in the Jasenovac concentration camps.

September 7, 2026
IDF Diverts Missile Midair to Avoid Hitting Gaza Civilians

Israeli forces diverted a munition from its trajectory in real time on Sunday after civilians were spotted gathering near a Hamas terrorist targeted in the Gaza Strip. The IDF had launched the strike against a terrorist from Hamas’s military wing, but during the operation, civilians were identified in close proximity to the target. Because the munition had already been launched and could no longer be aborted, Israeli forces redirected it from its trajectory in real time to prevent harm to the civilians.

Israeli Air Force | Photo: Ofer Sidon

The IDF said the decision was part of its efforts to minimize harm to civilians uninvolved in the fighting—even after a strike is already underway. The military added that the incident demonstrates its commitment to distinguishing between terrorists and civilians and taking available precautions to prevent civilian casualties during operations in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas terrorists | Photo: Said Muhammad, Flash 90

September 7, 2026
Hezbollah TV Reporter Wounded Live on Air During IDF Strike

Ali Shabib, a prominent field correspondent for the Hezbollah-affiliated television network Al-Manar, was injured on live television during Israeli airstrikes overnight from Sunday into Monday in the southern Lebanese city of Nabatieh. Sudden flashes of fire and blast shockwaves were captured directly on camera, momentarily severing the live broadcast feed.

Video: Arab media

Shabib ranks among Al-Manar’s foremost field reporters covering southern Lebanon, frequently dispatching reports from the Nabatieh sector and frontline combat zones. For decades, the network—an official mouthpiece of Hezbollah—has served as a primary platform disseminating the terrorist organization’s propaganda across Lebanon and the broader Arab world.

Hezbollah terrorists | Photo: Shutterstock

During this broadcast, however, Shabib found himself caught directly inside the strike zone. Amid the wave of airstrikes pounding targets across Nabatieh, both the reporter and his accompanying cameraman sustained injuries. The two crew members were evacuated to a local hospital, where Lebanese medical reports described their conditions as light.

September 7, 2026
Erdoğan Okays Neutral Venue for Barred Israeli Soccer Team

The Europa League draw delivered a spicy matchup between Hapoel Beersheba and Turkey’s Beşiktaş. But since October 7, Israelis have been barred from entering Turkey for security reasons. That means Beersheba can’t travel to Istanbul as the draw dictated, and the match will be moved to a neutral country. According to Turkish reports, Beşiktaş has decided to host the match in Batumi, Georgia, at a stadium that can hold around 20,000 fans.

Photo: Courtesy of Hapoel Beer Sheva

The club’s management reportedly consulted with antisemitic President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who reviewed the alternative venue and only after receiving his approval did the move go forward. Beşiktaş isn’t happy about hosting outside their home stadium and has complained to UEFA: “Why should we play only 3 matches at home and 5 away? It’s not fair.”

About two years ago, Maccabi Tel Aviv also faced Beşiktaş in the Europa League under similar circumstances, with the Yellows winning a big match 3-1 against the Turks. During that match, Gabi Kanichowsky celebrated with a salute to the sky in memory of fallen soldiers. Turkey quickly attacked and demanded the immediate suspension of the Maccabi Tel Aviv star. One Turkish journalist claimed it was a military gesture.

September 7, 2026
Jewish-American Hostage Released from Tehran’s Evin Prison

Kamran Hakami, a 71-year-old Jewish-American citizen, was released over the weekend from Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison, according to a report by Radio Farda. Hakami, an Iranian-born jeweler residing in New York, was arrested and detained by security forces in the summer of 2023 after traveling to Iran to visit family members.

Prison, Illustration | Photo: Shutterstock

The Islamic Republic’s judicial system prosecuted him over a personal trip he made to Israel more than a decade ago to attend a religious ceremony, sentencing him to four years in prison. Hakami’s family has repeatedly stated that he has aggressive bladder cancer and was denied vital, specialized medical treatment while behind bars.

While Hakami has now been granted early release before completing his four-year prison term, his current physical and medical condition remains undisclosed. Furthermore, Iranian state media reported that authorities have imposed an exit ban on Hakami, barring him from departing the country and returning to the United States.

September 7, 2026
IDF strikes Hamas in Gaza after IED hits vehicle

The Israel Defense Forces conducted precision strikes against Hamas terrorist infrastructure in the Gaza Strip overnight Monday, following an incident on Sunday in which an Israeli military engineering vehicle struck an explosive device along the “Yellow Line” in the northern enclave. No Israeli casualties were reported in the blast, which the military officially denounced as a “blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement.”

Hamas terrorists | Photo: Abed Rahim Khatib/Flash90

According to the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit, the improvised explosive device (IED) was planted by Hamas and detonated inside an operational corridor where Israeli forces were positioned in accordance with the signed agreement. In retaliation, the IDF launched overnight strikes against Hamas assets utilized to plan and advance terror operations targeting Israeli civilians and troops. “IDF Southern Command troops remain deployed across the sector in compliance with the agreement, and will continue acting decisively to eliminate any immediate threat,” the military said in an official statement.

The blast unfolds amid persistent tensions along the demarcation perimeter known as the “Yellow Line,” which has witnessed a sequence of hostile flare-ups categorized by the IDF as direct ceasefire breaches. On September 4, gunfire was directed at troops operating east of the boundary in northern Gaza. No injuries were reported, and the IDF responded with targeted retaliatory strikes, similarly condemning the sniper fire as a blatant breach of understandings.

Archive | Photo: Yonatan Sindel/Flash90

Additional security incidents have repeatedly challenged the truce in recent weeks. On August 15, an IDF main battle tank triggered a Hamas-planted explosive while conducting routine operations along the southern Yellow Line, resulting in no casualties. During that engagement, lookouts spotted two armed operatives breaching the boundary and approaching forces; both were swiftly neutralized.

Two days later, another explosive detonated along the northern Yellow Line, accompanied by hostile gunfire toward the area. Israeli forces sustained no casualties in that confrontation and responded with direct counterstrikes.

September 7, 2026
Israir Launches First-Ever Direct Flights From Israel to NY

Israir is entering one of the most sought-after destinations in the United States for the first time, expanding its operations with a new direct route to New York. The first flight from Israel is expected to depart shortly after Rosh Hashanah—but how much will a ticket cost Beginning Sept. 15, following the first day of the holiday, Israir will initially operate three weekly flights on the new route. By the end of October, the airline is expected to significantly expand service and begin operating daily flights to New York.

Israir is entering an increasingly competitive market. Alongside El Al and Arkia, which operate direct flights to New York, American carriers Delta and United have also resumed service to Israel. For passengers, that means more options for flying directly between Israel and one of the most popular destinations in the United States.

How much will it cost?

Alongside the new destination, price is expected to be a major consideration for travelers. During the holiday period, round-trip tickets on the new route will start at approximately $1,900 per person, while fares after the holidays are expected to start at around $1,600 per person. The airline is also expected to purchase a third aircraft for long-haul destinations, allowing it to continue operating long-distance flights while expanding service to destinations such as Japan and Thailand.

Israir’s entry could further increase competition for passengers flying to New York, particularly if the airline follows through with plans to begin daily service by the end of October. For Israelis planning trips to the United States, the move means another airline in the market—and more opportunities to compare prices, dates and flight frequency.

September 7, 2026
Two IDF Soldiers Wounded in Hezbollah Firefight in Lebanon

During patrols by an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) unit from the Golani Brigade in the Beaufort region of southern Lebanon, a Hezbollah terrorist hiding inside a building opened fire on the soldiers. The troops immediately returned fire and eliminated him, the IDF said.

Two IDF soldiers were lightly wounded in the firefight. They were taken to a hospital for medical treatment, and their families have been notified.

Shortly after, forces shelled the location where the terrorist had been hiding. The IDF also struck weapons depots, command centers, and other Hezbollah terror infrastructure in the area.

The IDF said it will continue operating to remove threats and prevent Hezbollah from harming Israeli civilians and IDF forces, while remaining committed to the ceasefire agreement.

September 7, 2026