Live updates (closed)
The Times of Israel liveblogged Friday’s events as they unfolded.
IDF says it killed several armed Hamas operatives who ‘posed threat’ to troops in Gaza
The IDF says it struck and killed several armed Hamas operatives who “posed a threat” to Israeli forces stationed nearby in the northern Gaza Strip.
The operatives were targeted in an airstrike “to remove the threat to our forces,” the military says in a statement.
Earlier, the Hamas-run interior ministry in Gaza said the IDF targeted members of the terror group’s police force while they were patrolling near a police station in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in western Gaza City.
According to the statement, several people were killed and wounded in the strike.
Qatar says emir spoke with Trump about US-Iran ceasefire talks
Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, left, shakes the hand of US President Donald Trump during a meeting aboard Air Force One at Al Udeid Air Base in Doha, Qatar, October 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani discussed developments in the Washington-Tehran ceasefire agreement in a phone call with US President Donald Trump, Qatari state news agency reports.
He added that Qatar will continue coordinating with partners to support mediation efforts led by Pakistan.
IDF says Hezbollah launched explosive-laden drones at troops in southern Lebanon
Hezbollah launched several more explosive-laden drones on Israeli troops stationed in southern Lebanon today, the military says.
The drones struck next to the forces, without causing any injuries, according to the IDF.
The IDF says the attack is a “blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement.”
Additionally, the IDF says it struck several Hezbollah rocket launchers in the southern Lebanon towns of Yater and Kafra, which are located north of the Israeli-held security zone.
The launchers “posed a threat to IDF troops and Israeli civilians,” the military says.
צה"ל ממשיך לתקוף משגרים של ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה בדרום לבנון
צה"ל תקף לפני זמן קצר, משגרים של ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה, במרחבים יעטר וכפרא שבדרום לבנון, צפונית לקו ההגנה הקדמי. המשגרים שהותקפו היוו איום על כוחות צה"ל ואזרחי מדינת ישראל.
מוקדם יותר היום, ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה שיגר… pic.twitter.com/8OxQh0V6Tg
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) April 24, 2026
Trump says Iran to make offer aimed at meeting US demands, as Iranian FM arrives in Pakistan
US President Donald Trump tells Reuters that Iran plans to make an offer aimed at resolving US demands,
“They’re making an offer and we’ll have to see,” Trump says during a phone interview.
His comments come as Pakistan’s foreign ministry says an Iranian delegation led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has arrived in Islamabad.
Araghchi was received by Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and other senior officials upon arrival.
In a statement, it says that during the visit Araghchi is expected to meet Pakistan’s senior leadership to discuss the latest regional developments and ongoing efforts to promote regional peace and stability.
US imposes sanctions on China-based refinery and 40 shippers of Iranian oil
The Trump administration is placing US economic sanctions on a major China-based oil refinery and roughly 40 shipping companies and tankers involved in transporting Iranian oil.
The move, announced today and first reported by The Associated Press, makes good on the Trump administration’s threat to impose secondary sanctions on companies and countries that do business with Iran. It’s also part of the Republican administration’s overall ramped-up campaign to cut off Iran’s key source of revenue — its oil exports.
These sanctions come just a few weeks before President Donald Trump and China’s Xi Jinping are due to meet in China.
Settlers reportedly attack Palestinian village in northern West Bank
Israeli settlers hurl stones at Palestinians and set fire to property in northern West Bank village of Qusra, according to Palestinian reports and video published on social media.
מתנחלים מיידים אבנים לעבר תושבים בכפר קוסארה שבגדה, היום (שימוש לפי ס' 27א) pic.twitter.com/aEMmn0sMsY
— הארץ חדשות (@haaretznewsvid) April 24, 2026
BREAKING: Dozens of Israeli settlers are attacking the village of Qusra — throwing stones and Molotov cocktails. Homes, warehouses, and vehicles were set on fire. pic.twitter.com/Y5wpv8pch1
— Ihab Hassan (@IhabHassane) April 24, 2026
IDF chief said to order investigation into claims of widespread looting by troops in south Lebanon
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir has reportedly ordered the Military Police to investigate claims of widespread looting by Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon.
The Haaretz daily reports, without citing any sources, that Zamir instructed the Military Police’s Investigatory Unit to investigate the looting phenomenon, as well as bolster Military Police forces at entry and exit points along the Lebanon border to inspect every vehicle returning to Israeli territory.
The order comes after Haaretz cited testimonies from soldiers this week that troops were allegedly looting from civilian homes in southern Lebanon, in some cases with the knowledge of their commanders.
The looting included motorcycles, televisions, paintings, sofas and carpets, according to the report.
The IDF, in response to the original report, said that it takes disciplinary and criminal measures where necessary, and that the Military Police conducts inspections at the border entry and exit points to prevent incidents of looting.
US has ‘certainly seen some progress’ from Iran in recent days — White House
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt walks to speak with reporters outside the White House, April 22, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
The United States has “certainly seen some progress from the Iranian side” in recent days and hopes more will be made in weekend talks, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt tells reporters.
Leavitt reiterates that Vice President JD Vance is willing to go to Pakistan “if we feel it’s a necessary use of his time.”
She also says US President Donald Trump decided to send his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner “to hear the Iranians out.” Leavitt doesn’t offer any details about what US officials are hearing.
“The Iranians want to talk. They want to talk in person,” Leavitt says, stressing Trump is “always willing to give diplomacy a chance.”
She also comments on Trump’s announcement yesterday that the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire is being extended, which she calls “another win for the world” while saying that the US is “so very grateful to both Israel and Lebanon for choosing to work together and continuing these conversations.”
“And we hope that there will be a day where we welcome the leaders of both countries,” she adds.
White House confirms Witkoff and Kushner to visit Pakistan tomorrow for talks with Iran
White House envoys Jared Kushner, left, and Steve Witkoff, listen as US Vice President JD Vance (not in picture) speaks during a news conference after meeting with representatives from Pakistan and Iran, in Islamabad, Pakistan, April 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, Pool)
US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner will travel to Pakistan on Saturday morning for talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt says in an interview with Fox News.
“We’re hopeful that it will be a productive conversation and hopefully move the ball forward to a deal,” Leavitt says.
She says that Vice President JD Vance will not be traveling but that he remains “deeply involved.”
Leavitt says he will be in the US, along with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the president’s national security team, on “standby” to fly to Pakistan “if necessary.”
IDF says Hezbollah killed dog from K9 unit after it revealed operatives’ position
Six Hezbollah gunmen are seen on a rooftop in the southern Lebanon town of Bint Jbeil, April 24, 2026. (Israel Defense Forces)
A dog of the Oketz canine unit that exposed a cell of six Hezbollah gunmen in the southern Lebanon town of Bint Jbeil this morning was killed, according to the military.
Troops of the Paratroopers Brigade had spotted fresh food and military equipment at the entrance to a building in Bint Jbeil’s “kasbah,” or fortified quarter.
The paratroopers sent in a drone and an Oketz dog to scan the site before the soldiers entered. The dog revealed the position of the gunmen before being shot dead by them.
The soldiers then surrounded the building and identified the gunmen fleeing to the rooftop using the drone.
Within an hour and a half of the initial identification, all six gunmen were killed by troops with light arms, tank shelling and an explosive drone.
UK’s King Charles to reportedly meet Mamdani during visit to US
Britain’s King Charles is set to meet New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani during his visit to the United States next week, Politico reports, citing two people familiar with the planning.
Mamdani’s office doesn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Hezbollah claims to have attacked IDF Humvee in southern Lebanon
Hezbollah claims to have struck an Israeli army Humvee in the southern Lebanon town of Qantara this afternoon.
There is no immediate comment from the IDF on the claim.
Hezbollah has been carrying out multiple attacks per day on Israeli forces stationed in southern Lebanon amid the ceasefire, while claiming that it is responding to alleged Israeli violations of the truce.
Witkoff and Kushner to visit Pakistan for talks with Iran’s FM, Vance to be on standby — CNN
US Vice President JD Vance, right, speaks during a news conference after meeting with representatives from Pakistan and Iran as Jared Kushner, left, and Steve Witkoff, Special Envoy for Peace Missions listen, on April 12, 2026, in Islamabad, Pakistan. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner will travel to Pakistan soon for talks with Iran’s foreign minister, a US official tells Reuters.
Vice President JD Vance is not currently planning to attend, but he will be on standby to travel to Islamabad if negotiations progress, according to CNN, which first reported the travel plans.
German court sentences Hezbollah supporter to prison over videos displaying weapons
A German court sentences a supporter of Lebanon’s Hezbollah to more than three years in jail for “illegal access to weapons” and social media posts supporting the terrorist group.
Earlier in the same trial, the 30-year-old was acquitted on charges of actually fighting for Hezbollah and being a member of the group.
The court in Berlin gives him a sentence of three years and nine months over social media posts he made with videos taken during a trip to Lebanon in 2023.
In the videos, he is seen handling rifles and anti-tank missiles and taking part in shooting practice.
The court finds he also spread propaganda videos and displayed Hezbollah symbols such as flags and scarves.
However the court says that the videos in question show that the accused had had no training in dealing with the weapons and that he had acted in a “partly amateurish” fashion.
His earlier claims to have fought with the terror organization were made up in order to impress his friends, the court finds.
IDF says 6 Hezbollah operatives killed during firefight in southern Lebanon’s Bint Jbeil
Six Hezbollah gunmen were killed in the southern Lebanon town of Bint Jbeil today, the military says.
The IDF says soldiers of the Paratroopers Brigade exchanged fire with the gunmen after identifying them, killing two. A short while later, the IDF says it carried out a strike on a building where the operatives were, killing the other four.
No soldiers were hurt in the incident.
The IDF says the incident is a “blatant violation of the ceasefire understandings by the Hezbollah terror organization.”
Bint Jbeil is located in the Israeli-held security zone in southern Lebanon. The IDF assessed that, as the ceasefire took effect last week, several Hezbollah operatives remained holed up in the town after more than 100 were killed during the fighting there in recent weeks.
Hezbollah gunmen on a rooftop in the southern Lebanon town of Bint Jbeil are seen exchanging fire with Israeli troops before being targeted in strikes, April 24, 2026. (Israel Defense Forces)
Netanyahu finally comments on Lebanon ceasefire extension, accuses Hezbollah of trying to sabotage truce
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks in a video statement released by his office on April 24, 2026. (GPO screenshot)
Almost a day after US President Donald Trump announced a three-week extension of the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offers his first public comments, saying that Hezbollah is trying to sabotage the truce.
“I promised you that we would change the face of the Middle East,” says Netanyahu in a video released just before Shabbat, “and that is exactly what we are doing.”
Netanyahu says that he and Trump spoke by phone about the ceasefires with Iran and Lebanon.
“I had an excellent conversation with President Trump,” says Netanyahu. “He is putting very strong pressure on Iran, both economically and militarily. We are operating in full cooperation.”
“The same applies in Lebanon,” he continues. “We have begun a process to achieve a historic peace between Israel and Lebanon, and it is clear to us that Hezbollah is trying to sabotage this. We are maintaining full freedom of action against any threat, including emerging threats. We struck yesterday and we struck today. We are determined to restore security to the residents of the north.”
Trump announced the extension yesterday shortly after presiding over the second round of ambassador-level talks between the two countries at the White House.
Trump then took questions from reporters, claiming that any deal the US signs with Iran must include a provision barring Tehran from continuing to fund Hezbollah. He also clarified that the ceasefire does not bar Israel from launching strikes in self-defense and called for Lebanese legislation outlawing contact with Israelis to be scrapped, though he acknowledged having never heard of the law before.
Hezbollah has repeatedly violated the initial 10-day ceasefire that was set to expire at midnight Monday-Tuesday.
11-year-old Bnei Brak girl dies of wounds from Iranian cluster bomb on Passover eve
Security and rescue forces inspect the damage at the scene where a cluster bomblet fired from Iran toward Israel caused damage in Bnei Brak, March 31, 2026. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)
A young girl from Bnei Brak who was critically wounded by an Iranian cluster munition on the eve of Passover has died from her wounds, the city announces.
The girl is named as Nesya Karadi, 11.
IDF says it struck buildings in Lebanese town where Hezbollah launched rockets from
The IDF says it struck buildings in the southern Lebanon town of Deir Aames, from which Hezbollah fired a barrage of rockets on the northern border community of Shtula last night.
Deir Aames is located north of the Israeli-held security zone in southern Lebanon.
Ahead of the airstrikes on the buildings used by Hezbollah, the IDF warned residents of Deir Aames to evacuate.
צה"ל תקף מבנים צבאיים של ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה בכפר דיס עמס – ממנו שוגרו רקטות לשתולה
צה"ל תקף לפני זמן קצר מבנים צבאיים בכפר דיר עמס שנמצא צפונית לקו ההגנה הקדמי בדרום לבנון, וממנו שוגרו אמש רקטות לעבר מושב שתולה.
המבנים שהותקפו שימשו את ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה לקידום מתווי טרור… pic.twitter.com/c3RIQofAo4
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) April 24, 2026
Mamdani says he will veto schools buffer zone bill, drawing ire of Jewish groups
New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks during a union rally on Park Avenue, in New York, April 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani says he will veto a bill that would establish protective zones around schools, but will not take action against a second buffer zone bill meant to protect houses of worship.
The two bills were introduced to the City Council after two vitriolic protests outside New York City synagogues and were approved by the Council last month.
The bill for houses of worship passed the Council by a veto-proof majority, meaning the Council could have overridden a mayoral veto.
The schools bill was four votes short of a veto-proof majority in the 51-member council.
Leftist groups opposed both bills, calling the measures an attack on freedom of expression.
The bill for houses of worship initially called for a buffer zone of up to 100-feet, but the mention of distance was removed after the NYPD expressed concern about logistics.
Mamdani says in a statement that he will “allow it to become law,” without confirming that he will sign it himself. If Mamdani takes no action, the bill becomes law tomorrow.
“It initially raised constitutional concerns. However, the final version of the bill that passed is narrower in scope and effect,” Mamdani says in a statement. “Following a thorough legal review, I do not believe it poses the same risks it once did, and that is why I will allow it to become law. That said, I disagree with its framing of all protest as a security concern.”
Mamdani says the schools bill is “meaningfully different.”
“The problem is how widely this bill defines an educational institution and the constitutional concerns it raises regarding New Yorkers’ fundamental right to protest. As the bill is written, everywhere from universities to museums to teaching hospitals could face restrictions,” he says. “This could impact workers protesting ICE, or college students demanding their school divest from fossil fuels or demonstrating in support of Palestinian rights.”
“That is why I am vetoing this legislation,” he says.
Leading Jewish groups say they are “deeply disappointed with the decision.”
“At a time when Jewish and other communities across our city are facing heightened threats, this legislation represented a crucial step toward ensuring that every school and community institution can be better protected,” says a joint statement from UJA-Federation of New York, ADL New York/New Jersey, AJC New York, Conference of Presidents, JCRC-NY, New York Board of Rabbis, Orthodox Union, The Rabbinical Assembly, StandWithUs, Teach NYS and the Union for Reform Judaism.
“This veto is a profound failure of City Hall to demonstrate to all New Yorkers that our safety is a priority,” the statement says.
New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin also condemns the veto.
“Ensuring students can enter and exit their schools without fear of harassment or intimidation should not be controversial,” Menin says. “This bill simply requires the NYPD to clearly outline how it will ensure safe access when there are threats of obstruction or physical injury, while fully protecting First Amendment rights.”
Too early to discuss sanctions relief for Iran, say EU leaders
It is too early to talk about relieving any kind of sanctions on Iran, EU Council President Antonio Costa tells a joint press conference after a meeting of EU leaders in Cyprus.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen makes similar comments.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz had said after the meeting that EU leaders were willing to gradually ease sanctions on Iran in the event that a comprehensive agreement is reached.
Araghchi to discuss Iranian proposal for talks with US during Pakistan visit — sources
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will hold bilateral talks during a brief visit to Pakistan on Friday, two Pakistani sources aware of the talks tell Reuters.
Araghchi will discuss his side of the proposal for talks with the United States over the Iran war, which will then be conveyed to Washington, the sources say.
Amid series of attacks, Starmer vows to ‘bring forward’ legislation proscribing Iran’s Revolutionary Guard
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer vows to “bring forward” legislation blacklisting Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, as British police investigate potential Iranian involvement in a series of recent attacks targeting the Jewish community.
“I am increasingly concerned about a number of countries using proxies in our country to carry out attacks, and that’s why it’s very important that the connection between the police, counter terrorism, police, [Community Security Trust] and the community is strong and working,” Starmer tells the Jewish News.
“I’ve been getting regular briefings in relation to that, and I’m glad there’s been quite a number of arrests and charges more broadly.”
He adds that “in relation to malign state action proscription, but we do need to take further action, including measures on proscription that will require legislation. We intend to bring that forward. It is particularly important we do that.”
“Of course, we need to put in place the necessary changes in law in relation to protests, and root out the antisemitism we have found in schools and colleges, and even the NHS.
“But we will bring forward legislation and we are making sure the police and CST are working very closely because the use of proxies in this country is a real and growing concern.”
Starmer also hits out at Zack Polanski, head of the far-left Green Party, who, in comments about the recent attacks, questioned whether Jews in the United Kingdom have a “perception of unsafety or whether it’s actual unsafety.”
“I think it’s disgraceful, and to even suggest that this is a perception of the reality is to totally misunderstand antisemitism,” says Starmer.
European aviation agency extends advisory risk for Mideast skies, including Israel, through May 1
The European aviation agency extends an advisory cautioning airlines to avoid most Middle East and Gulf airspace, including Israel, through May 1, citing “risks to civil aviation” and regional hostilities.
“A temporary ceasefire between the United States and Iran, announced on 8 April 2026, has been extended,” the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) states. “However, its implementation remains uncertain and therefore requires further monitoring to assess whether it leads to a sustained reduction of risk to civil aviation.”
The EASA extended the advisory from April 24. Over the course of the Iran war and since the ceasefire with Iran, most major European airlines, including the Lufthansa Group, have continued to suspend all flight services to and from Israel through April and into May, while US carriers have pushed back their return to as far as September.
Israeli strikes reported in southern Lebanese town after IDF evacuation order
Lebanese media reports Israeli airstrikes in the southern Lebanon town of Deir Aames.
The IDF warned residents of the town earlier to evacuate after it said Hezbollah had launched rockets from the area.
بعد التهديد.. الجيش الاسرائيلي يشن غارات على بلدة دير عامص pic.twitter.com/Ete41vXMb1
— Al Jadeed News (@ALJADEEDNEWS) April 24, 2026
Hamas reports several casualties after IDF strike on police patrol in Gaza City
The Hamas-run interior ministry in Gaza says the IDF targeted cops patrolling near a police station in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in western Gaza City. According to the statement, several people were killed and wounded in the strike.
There is no immediate comment from the IDF.
#شاهد| مشاهد أولية عقب قصف الاحتلال لمجموعة من الفلسطينيين في حي الشيخ رضوان، شمال مدينة #غزة. pic.twitter.com/2K3fP4Qa9x
— شبكة فلسطين للحوار (@paldf) April 24, 2026
IDF says it foiled attempted smuggling of handguns into Israel from Jordan
The IDF says it foiled an attempt to smuggle weapons into Israel from Jordan last night, capturing a smuggler and 12 handguns in the process.
The smuggler had used a drone to transport the weapons over the border near the Dead Sea, which the IDF says was identified by the Israeli Air Force and a new command center of the 96th “Gilad” Regional Division.
IDF troops and police officers launched a pursuit and captured the smuggler in an off-road vehicle, the military and police say in a joint statement.
Along with the 12 handguns, the forces also captured drone equipment. The suspect and weapons were handed over to the police for further processing, the army says.
בשיתוף פעולה של צה"ל ומשטרת ישראל: סוכלה הברחת אמצעי לחימה במרחב הגבול המזרחי לאחר מרדף
תצפיות חיל האוויר וכוחות משל"ט ים המלח זיהו אתמול, ניסיון הברחת אמצעי לחימה במרחב הגבול המזרחי.
מיד לאחר הזיהוי, כוחות צה"ל ומשטרת ישראל ניהלו מרדף שבסופו נעצר מבריח יחד עם רכבי שטח וציוד… pic.twitter.com/bWs4imhj6V
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) April 24, 2026
UNIFIL says second Indonesian peacekeeper has died of wounds from apparent Israeli strike
French UN peacekeepers patrol the Lebanese-Israeli border in the village of Houla, southern Lebanon, Aug. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
The UN Interim Force in Lebanon says a second Indonesian peacekeeper has died as a result of an apparent Israeli strike on one of the observer force’s bases in southern Lebanon last month.
“UNIFIL deplores the passing today of Corporal Rico Pramudia, who was critically injured following a projectile explosion in his base in Adchit Al Qusayr on the night of 29 March,” the observer force says in a statement.
During the incident, one Indonesian peacekeeper was killed and a second was critically injured. UNIFIL says Pramudia, who was critically hurt, succumbed to his injuries at a hospital in Beirut today.
A UN source told AFP on condition of anonymity that investigations had shown the fire came from an Israeli tank, adding that “debris from a tank round has been recovered” at the site.
The IDF has said it is investigating the incident.
Statement on the passing of an Indonesian peacekeeper injured last month:
UNIFIL deplores the passing today of Corporal Rico Pramudia, who was critically injured following a projectile explosion in his base in Adchit Al Qusayr on the night of 29 March. pic.twitter.com/YPJcR7XhBr
— UNIFIL (@UNIFIL_) April 24, 2026
Top US general says crew of seized merchant vessels still in American custody
US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine speaks during a press briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, on April 24, 2026. (Annabelle Gordon/AFP)
The crews of all three merchant vessels seized by the US military over the past week are still in US custody, Gen. Dan Caine says at a briefing.
“We will continue to conduct similar maritime interdiction actions and activities in the Pacific and Indian Oceans against Iranian ships and vessels of the Dark Fleet,” Caine says.
Caine also says the crew of the Tousca, the first merchant ship seized by US forces Sunday, “repeatedly ignored US warnings” over a six-hour period. Caine says this behavior prompted the crew of the Navy destroyer following the ship to fire five warning shots.
“The vessel and her crew continued to ignore warnings and, after exhausting all other measures, CENTCOM authorized disabling fire against the Tousca,” Caine says. Then, according to Caine, the destroyer disabled the ship’s engine by firing nine inert rounds from the destroyer’s 5-inch guns “precisely into the engine room and engine space on board the Tousca.”
“Not surprisingly, the vessel then reported issues with their engine, went dead in the water and began to comply with US directions,” Caine adds.
Hegseth rips European allies of US for their inaction on Strait of Hormuz
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth suggests traditional US allies in Europe are “freeriding” and being disloyal by not using their own forces to open the Strait of Hormuz that’s been closed because of the Iran war.
“We are not counting on Europe, but they need the Strait of Hormuz much more than we do,” Hegseth insists. He mocks a recent European confab, saying US allies “might want to start doing less talking” instead of holding “a fancy conference” and “a silly conference.”
Iran’s maneuver to choke off the strait has disrupted global energy supplies — especially in Europe, where many leaders remain frustrated. French President Emmanuel Macron said at one point that the US can’t complain about a lack of support “in an operation they chose to undertake alone.”
Hegseth’s broadsides echo Trump’s swipes that other nations should “Go get your own oil!” and “start learning how to fight for yourself.”
Hezbollah lawmaker calls on Lebanon to ‘withdraw’ from talks ‘with the Zionist enemy’
The head of Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc, Mohammed Raad, center, speaks to journalists after his meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, Lebanon, January 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
Lebanese lawmaker Mohammed Raad, head of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, calls for Lebanon to “withdraw” from direct talks with Israel that US President Donald Trump says have a “very good chance” of achieving peace.
“The authorities ought to feel ashamed before their people and withdraw from what has been called direct negotiations with the Zionist enemy,” he says in a statement, adding that “any official contact or meeting bringing together the Lebanese and Israeli sides amid the ongoing war… will in no way enjoy Lebanese national consensus.”
“Any so-called truce that grants the occupying enemy in Lebanon a special exemption to open fire… is not a truce at all, but rather a devious deception and an attempt to dupe others, one that entails covering up Israeli hostility and turning a blind eye to the enemy’s continued violations.”
Iranian state media confirms FM headed to Pakistan, says he will also visit Oman and Russia
In this photo released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (right) meets with Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Gen. Asim Munir in Tehran, April 15, 2026. (Iranian Foreign Ministry via AP)
Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency confirms that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is heading to Pakistan for talks.
IRNA says Araghchi will also go to Oman and Russia.
The trip to Pakistan comes as officials there have been trying to get the United States and Iran to a second round of ceasefire negotiations.
The IRNA report says Araghchi’s trip, beginning Friday, is focused on “bilateral consultations and discussions on ongoing regional developments, as well as the latest situation surrounding the imposed war by the United States and Israel against Iran.”
Hegseth: War against Iran a ‘gift to the world,’ shipping blockade to continue ‘as long as it takes’
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth speaks during a press briefing at the Pentagon on April 24, 2026 in Arlington, Virginia. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images/AFP)
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth calls the war in Iran a “gift to the world” as he speaks to reporters at the Pentagon.
Hegseth says the US blockade of Iranian shipping will continue “as long as it takes” to accomplish America’s “bold and dangerous” mission to end Iran’s threat to global security.
He also says that any attempts to lay more mines by Iran would be a violation of the ceasefire while brushing off Pope Leo’s comments criticizing the Iran war, saying the pontiff is “going to do his thing,” and that is fine.
IDF says ‘false identification’ triggered the sirens in Galilee Panhandle
The IDF says the sirens that sounded in the Galilee Panhandle, warning of a suspected drone attack, were false alarms.
The military says it was ” determined to be a false identification.”
Sirens warn of suspected drone attack in the Galilee Panhandle
Sirens warning of a suspected drone attack from Lebanon sound in the Galilee Panhandle.
The IDF says it is investigating the incident.
Hegseth says Iran has chance to make a ‘good deal’ with US
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says Iran had a chance to make a “good deal” with the United States, amid reports that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will arrive in Islamabad tonight for new talks with Washington.
Hegseth adds that 34 ships had been turned around from the Strait of Hormuz by the US Navy so far, amid a naval blockade on Iran’s ports.
IDF publishes footage it says shows Hezbollah using ambulances for terror activity
Weapons the IDF says troops found in an ambulance in southern Lebanon town of Qantara, in a handout photo issued by the military on April 24, 2026. (Israel Defense Forces)
The IDF publishes footage it says shows Hezbollah using ambulances for military purposes.
The footage released by the military shows weapons troops found inside ambulances bearing the logo of the Risala Scout Association, a paramedic group affiliated with the Hezbollah-allied Amal movement.
❗️EXPOSED: Hezbollah’s use of ambulances for terror
Hezbollah uses ambulances and medical teams as cover for transporting weapons and operatives, undermining the special protections granted to medical facilities and equipment under international law.
During IDF searches in… pic.twitter.com/h9qCVu1pBs
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) April 24, 2026
The IDF says Hezbollah “systematically and repeatedly uses medical facilities and equipment — particularly ambulances — to conceal terrorist activity,” including by using “vehicles and medical teams as cover for transporting weapons and operatives, thereby undermining the special protections granted to medical facilities and equipment under international law.”
During an incident this week, the IDF says, several armed Hezbollah operatives were killed in the Qantara area after violating the ceasefire terms and posing a threat to troops. During scans in the area following the incident, troops of the Golani Brigade located “an ambulance used by the terrorists to conceal weapons,” including explosive devices, mortar shells, magazines, and a grenade, the military says.
In another incident this month, troops of the 7th Armored Brigade killed an RPG-wielding Hezbollah operative near an ambulance. The IDF says “weapons were uncovered inside the ambulance, which had been used by the terrorist to establish himself in the area and carry out attacks from a ‘protected’ position.”
Additional footage released by the IDF shows what it says are Hezbollah operatives who survived Israeli strikes fleeing and hiding until an ambulance arrives to collect them.
According to the IDF, Hezbollah has “increased its use of ambulances to transport operatives between locations while disguising their identities,” due to Israeli warnings to Lebanese civilians ahead of strikes, which make it “harder for Hezbollah operatives to blend in with non-combatants and move throughout the area.”
UAE says rebuilding trust with Iran will take ‘ages and ages’ after Middle East war
Rebuilding trust between Abu Dhabi and Tehran will take “ages and ages,” UAE presidential advisor Anwar Gargash says, after Iran targeted the United Arab Emirates during the Middle East conflict.
“You can’t be attacked with 2,800 missiles and drones and then talk to me about trust. That will take ages and ages,” Gargash says at a World Policy Conference in the town of Chantilly near Paris, as peace talks hang in the balance to end the war sparked in late February by Israeli-US strikes on Iran.
Army confirms an Israeli drone was shot down by Hezbollah anti-aircraft missile
The IDF confirms one of its drones was shot down by Hezbollah over Tyre in southern Lebanon this afternoon.
The military says Hezbollah hit the unmanned aerial vehicle with an anti-aircraft missile.
“The incident is under investigation,” the IDF adds.
IDF says Hezbollah launched explosive-laden drones at troops in southern Lebanon
Hezbollah launched explosive-laden drones at Israeli troops operating in southern Lebanon today, the military says.
The IDF says the drones exploded near the forces in the village of Qantara, located in the Israeli-held security zone, but no injuries were caused.
“The Hezbollah terror organization once again blatantly violated the ceasefire agreement,” the IDF says.
Additionally, the military says troops struck surveillance equipment at a Hezbollah rocket-launching site in the southern Lebanon town of Kounine earlier today. The IDF says the equipment “posed a direct threat to the forces operating in the area.”
Lebanese media reports Israeli drone shot down over Tyre; no comment from IDF
Hezbollah shot down an Israeli drone over the southern Lebanon coastal city of Tyre, according to Lebanese media.
Footage shows that the drone was downed using an anti-aircraft missile.
The IDF has not yet commented on the incident.
مصادر لبنانية: إسقاط مسيرة إسرائيلية من سماء مدينة صور. pic.twitter.com/Ql3JZv9flj
— الجرمق الإخباري (@aljarmaqnet) April 24, 2026
IDF says Hezbollah drone intercepted before it crossed into Israel
A Hezbollah drone launched from Lebanon was intercepted before crossing the border into Israel, the military says, after sirens sounded in several communities in the Western Galilee.
Additionally, another suspected drone was identified over an area of southern Lebanon where troops are stationed. The IDF says it lost contact with that drone, indicating it crashed somewhere.
IDF orders evacuation of southern Lebanon town after Hezbollah rocket fire
The IDF orders the residents of the southern Lebanon town of Deir Aames to evacuate, following Hezbollah rocket fire from the area.
“Hezbollah’s terror activities and the launching [of rockets] from the village force the IDF to act against it in your area of residence,” warns army spokesman Col. Avichay Adraee.
Adraee calls on residents to “immediately” evacuate their homes and move at least a kilometer from the village, which is located outside of the Israeli-held security zone in southern Lebanon.
Iranian FM expected to arrive in Islamabad tonight, enabling new round of peace talks, Pakistani source says
In this photo released by the Pakistan Foreign Ministry, Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, center right, and Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, center left, are greeted by Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, right, and Army Chief Field Marshal Gen. Asim Munir, left, upon their arrival at Nur Khan airbase in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, April 11, 2026. (Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs via AP)
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to arrive in Islamabad tonight with a small team, and peace talks with US are likely to take place, a Pakistani government source says.
The United States logistics and security team is already in Islamabad for the talks, the source adds.
Sirens sound amid suspected drone infiltration in northern border communities
Sirens warning of a suspected drone attack from Lebanon sound in several border communities in the Western Galilee.
The IDF says it is investigating.
Netanyahu reveals he had treatment for prostate cancer; doctor says tumor was found ‘a few months ago,’ PM had radiation therapy 2.5 months ago, and the disease is gone
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Knesset plenum, January 28, 2026. (Noam Moskowitz, Office of the Knesset Spokesperson)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reveals he underwent treatment for prostate cancer that was discovered during a routine checkup sometime after he underwent surgery for benign prostate enlargement in December 2024.
The premier includes the information in a lengthy statement on social media that accompanies the release of his annual health assessment.
Prof. Aron Popovtzer, Director of the Sharett Oncology Institute at Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Center, where the prime minister underwent the treatment, gives more specifics:
The tumor was discovered “a few months ago,” Netanyahu was given radiation therapy “two and a half months ago,” and checks “after two and a half months” — apparently recently, according to the doctor’s timeline — showed the “disease has disappeared,” Popovtzer says in a video statement. He notes that Netanyahu continues to undergo routine checkups.
Besides the tumor — which Netanyahu says was successfully treated — the assessment finds the 76-year-old premier to be in good health, with all blood tests and physical fitness tests coming back normal.
The assessment also notes that Netanyahu’s heart is in good health and there have been no issues since he had a pacemaker implanted in July 2023.
Netanyahu, on social media, says he delayed the release of his medical report by two months as he wanted to prevent “the terrorist regime in Iran from spreading more false propaganda against Israel.” At the height of the fighting in March, rumors circulated online that Netanyahu had been injured or killed.
“I would like to share three things with you,” Netanyahu writes on X.
“1 — Thank God, I am healthy.
“2 — I am in excellent physical shape.
“3 — I had a small medical problem with my prostate that was completely treated.”
At a routine check-up following his prostate surgery in December 2024, Netanyahu says doctors found a “tiny spot of less than a centimeter” in his prostate that turned out to be “a very early stage of malignant tumor, without any spread of metastasis.
He says that his doctors offered him the choice of undergoing treatment or to initially keep monitoring the tumor without pursuing treatment, and that he decided on the former.
“When I am informed in a timely manner about a possible danger, I want to treat it immediately,” he writes. “This is true on a national level as well as a personal level.”
He says he “underwent targeted treatment that removed the problem and left no trace of it.”
He adds: “Thank God, I beat this, too.”
He thanks “the doctors and the wonderful medical teams at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem” and urges all Israeli citizens: “Take care of your health. Get checked, and follow the doctors’ instructions.”
He ends with a Shabbat eve prayer “for the peace of our wounded in body and soul,” and sends them a “warm embrace” and wishes for their speedy recovery.
Attorney General’s Office tasked with overseeing efforts to reach new deal with Ben Gvir on interference with police work
The High Court of Justice decides that efforts to formulate a new agreement between Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir regarding the minister’s influence over the Israel Police will be overseen by a representative from the Attorney General’s Office rather than by a representative of the Prime Minister’s Office.
It says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will instead be able to put a representative of his choice on the team tasked with securing the agreement.
The decision comes after the court told Baharav-Miara and Ben Gvir earlier this month that they must come to a new agreement to curb any undue influence by Ben Gvir on police work, in light of petitions backed by the attorney general to fire him for repeated alleged violations of a commitment to not meddle politically in police work.
The pair were given until May 3 to inform the court if they manage to reach a “framework of principles” on the matter and to elaborate on remaining gaps if they do not reach an agreement.
An initial agreement was finalized between the two in May 2025, but Baharav-Miara alleged just months later that the far-right minister had turned it into a “dead letter” by publicly commenting on ongoing police investigations, intervening in police promotions on political grounds, and seeking to determine operative police policies.
Charlie Summers contributed to this report.
Kuwait military says border posts targeted by drone attack launched from Iraq
The Kuwaiti military says that two drones coming from the direction of neighboring Iraq struck border posts on its northern frontier with the country, causing damage but no casualties.
“This morning, two of Kuwait’s northern land border posts were targeted in a criminal act of aggression involving two explosive-laden drones guided by fibre-optic cables, originating from the Republic of Iraq, resulting in material damage but… no human casualties,” the military says in a statement on X.
Iran’s top diplomat speaks with Pakistani officials about ceasefire
In this photo released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (right) meets with Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Gen. Asim Munir in Tehran, April 15, 2026. (Iranian Foreign Ministry via AP)
Iran’s top diplomat has called Pakistani officials over the ceasefire in the war with the United States and Israel.
A statement says Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke with Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan’s army chief.
Araghchi’s statement says the men spoke about “regional developments and issues related to the ceasefire,” without elaborating.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry says that Dar underscored the importance of dialogue and engagement to address outstanding issues.
Pakistan has been trying to get American and Iranian officials back to the negotiating table in Islamabad, where they had hoped to have talks earlier this week that didn’t materialize.
Syria arrests former intelligence officer behind 2013 Damascus massacre
Screen grab from the video showing a blindfolded Syrian man pushed by a Syrian agent before being shot dead and thrown into a large pit full of bodies in the Tadamon neighborhood of Damascus, Syria. (AP Photo)
Syria has arrested the main suspect in the 2013 Tadamon massacre, when soldiers of the former government murdered dozens of civilians in the Damascus neighborhood, the interior ministry says.
In a statement, the ministry says it had arrested former intelligence officer Amjad Youssef, who appeared in a leaked video ordering handcuffed, blindfolded men to run, then opening fire on them.
The victims are seen falling into a mass grave where 41 bodies pile up and are then burned.
A few days after the fall in December 2024 of Syria’s former autocratic ruler Bashar al-Assad, Human Rights Watch teams discovered what they called “a significant number of bodies” in Tadamon.
Families from the neighbourhood also informed the new authorities of several more massacres committed by Assad’s forces during the early years of the civil war.
Last year, security forces in Syria said that they arrested three people involved in the same killings.
The interior ministry says in its statement that authorities will go after all those involved in the Tadamon shooting to bring them to justice.
In a social media post, Interior Minister Anas Khattab says “the criminal Amjad Youssef is now in our hands after a well-prepared security operation.”
The Syrian civil war that broke out in 2011 has claimed more than half a million lives.
The new Islamist authorities have announced the arrest of several officials from the former government, but the fate of tens of thousands of people remains unknown.
Zelensky to visit Saudi Arabia today for second time in two months
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will visit Saudi Arabia today and hold talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a senior official in Kyiv tells AFP, marking his second trip to the country in as many months.
Zelensky has brokered closer ties with several states in the Gulf amid the US-Israeli war with Iran, striking defense deals — including with Riyadh — to share Kyiv’s expertise in downing drones, gained through fending off four years of Russian attacks.
IDF says it hit Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon after rocket barrage on northern Israel
In response to Hezbollah’s rocket barrage on the northern border community of Shtula last night, the IDF says it struck buildings used by the terror group in southern Lebanon.
The strikes were carried out in the towns of Khirbet Selm and Touline. The IDF says the buildings were used by Hezbollah to advance attacks on troops and Israel.
Iran talks must include nuclear experts or Tehran will be more dangerous than before, EU foreign policy chief warns
Talks with Iran should include nuclear experts, otherwise “we will end up with a more dangerous Iran,” the EU’s foreign chief Kaja Kallas says.
“If the talks are only about the nuclear and there are no nuclear experts around the table, then we will end up with an agreement that is weaker than the JCPOA was,” Kallas says, referring to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal from which the US withdrew in 2018.
“And (if) the problems in the region, missile programs, their support to proxies, also hybrid and cyber activities in Europe are not addressed, we will end up with a more dangerous Iran,” she adds, speaking ahead of an informal summit of EU leaders in Cyprus.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
Girl reportedly injured by IDF fire in northern Gaza Strip
Hamas-affiliated media outlets in Gaza report that a girl was injured in an IDF strike on a displaced persons center in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip. According to the reports, she sustained a head injury and was evacuated to a hospital.
The Times of Israel cannot independently verify the information.
The IDF has not yet responded.
#صورة للطفلة ماسة العوضية التي أُصيبت برصاص الاحتلال في الرأس داخل مركز إيواء للنازحين في مشروع بيت لاهيا شمالي قطاع غزة pic.twitter.com/dz5UvcVB3k
— الجزيرة فلسطين (@AJA_Palestine) April 24, 2026
Pentagon memo floats booting Spain from NATO, punishing other members over refusal to join Iran war, source says
US President Donald Trump, right, meets with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte during a meeting on the sidelines of the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 21, 2026. (AP/Evan Vucci)
An internal Pentagon email outlines options for the United States to punish NATO allies it believes failed to support US operations in the US-Israeli war with Iran, including suspending Spain from the alliance and reviewing the US position on Britain’s claim to the Falkland Islands, a US official tells Reuters.
The policy options are detailed in a note expressing frustration at some allies’ perceived reluctance or refusal to grant the United States access, bases and overflight rights — known as ABO — for the Iran war, says the official, who speaks on condition of anonymity to describe the email.
The email stated that ABO is “just the absolute baseline for NATO,” according to the official, who adds that the options were circulating at high levels in the Pentagon.
One option in the email envisions suspending “difficult” countries from important or prestigious positions at NATO, the official says.
The email does not suggest, however, that the US could withdraw from NATO, Reuters says. It also does not propose closing bases in Europe.
The official declines to say whether the options included a widely expected US drawdown of some forces from Europe, however.
Asked for comment on the email, Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson responds: “As President Trump has said, despite everything that the United States has done for our NATO allies, they were not there for us.”
“The War Department will ensure that the President has credible options to ensure that our allies are no longer a paper tiger and instead do their part. We have no further comment on any internal deliberations to that effect,” Wilson says.
Report: US developing new attack plans targeting Strait of Hormuz, Iranian military leaders
A woman waves Iran's national flag in front of a giant billboard reading 'The Strait of Hormuz remains closed' at the Revolution Square in Tehran on April 12, 2026. (Atta Kenare/AFP)
The US military is developing new battle plans to target Iran’s capabilities in the Strait of Hormuz, reports CNN, citing sources familiar with the matter.
The report comes days after US President Donald Trump announced that he had extended the ceasefire with Iran at the request of Pakistani mediators, who said more time was needed for Iran to formulate a proposal to permanently end the war with the US and Israel.
According to CNN, the Pentagon is reviewing several attack plans, including an option that would include strikes against Iranian targets around the Strait of Hormuz, the southern Arabian Gulf, and the Gulf of Oman.
Sources tell the news outlet that the strikes would hit the assets that have helped Iran maintain its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ fleet of fast attack boats and vessels used for laying mines.
Trump appeared to hint at these plans on Thursday, declaring that the US Navy would “shoot and kill” any boat mining the Strait of Hormuz.
The IRGC’s fast attack boats have reportedly survived the intense US and Israeli bombing campaigns that wiped out much of Iran’s traditional navy.
They typically carry mounted machine guns, and can be used for mining operations, though the US has yet to confirm that Iranian ships have been mining the Strait of Hormuz.
Another plan proposed by military officials is to target the Iranian military leaders believed by the US to be blocking negotiations for a permanent end to the war.
At the same time, CNN reports that the US could also resume launching strikes on Iran’s remaining military capabilities, including its missile stockpiles and launchers.
Trump claimed yesterday that internal divisions in Iran were preventing it from submitting a response in ceasefire talks with the US.
“Iran is having a very hard time figuring out who their leader is! They just don’t know!” he wrote.
“The infighting is between the ‘hardliners’ who have been losing BADLY on the battlefield, and the ‘moderates,’ who are not very moderate at all (but gaining respect!),” said Trump, calling the situation “CRAZY!”
Washington offers $10 million reward for information on leader of Iran-backed Iraqi militia
The US State Department is offering up to $10 million for information on the leader of the Tehran-backed Iraqi armed group Kataeb Sayyid al-Shuhada (KSS), which Washington designates as a terrorist organization.
US officials say in a social media post that they are seeking information on KSS leader Hashim Finyan Rahim al-Saraji, also known as Abu Alaa al-Walai.
The group has “killed Iraqi civilians and attacked US diplomatic facilities in Iraq, as well as attacking US military bases and personnel in Iraq and Syria,” Washington says.
The post notes “you could be eligible for relocation and a reward” for information on al-Saraji’s whereabouts.
Al-Saraji has a seat within the Coordination Framework, the ruling Shiite alliance that holds the parliamentary majority.
Iran-backed groups have targeted the US embassy in Iraq’s capital, its diplomatic and logistics facility at Baghdad’s airport, and oil fields operated by foreign companies.
Iraq, which had recently regained some stability after decades of conflict, was immediately dragged into the Middle East war triggered when the United States and Israel attacked Iran on February 28.
Earlier this month, a similar reward was offered for the leader of Kataeb Hezbollah, a powerful Iraqi armed group that kidnapped US journalist Shelly Kittleson last month and held her for a week before setting her free.
Washington has piled pressure on Baghdad to fight the pro-Tehran groups by suspending cash shipments and freezing funding for security programs in Iraq, according to US media reports this week.
Italy dismisses Trump official’s suggestion that it replace Iran at World Cup in US
Italian sports officials say four-time champion Italy is not interested in replacing Iran at the upcoming World Cup following a suggestion to that effect by a Trump administration official.
Iran has not withdrawn from the World Cup, and the team is preparing to play in the US despite the war in the Middle East. FIFA has insisted its group stage games near Los Angeles and in Seattle will go ahead as planned in June.
The Financial Times reported that Paolo Zampolli, the US special envoy for global partnerships, had suggested the swap to President Donald Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
In a phone interview with the Associated Press, Zampolli emphasizes that “my request is not a political request.” The ask, which was made to Trump and Infantino on Wednesday, was meant as a contingency plan in case Iran could not participate in the soccer tournament at the last minute.
“I had a dream,” Zampolli tells the AP. “My request was for the Italian people and the American-Italian people.”
He said in the FT interview that, with four titles, the Italian national team’s appearance in the World Cup would be justified.
Italian officials pushed back hard at the suggestion, with Sports Minister Andrea Abodi saying that “first of all, it’s not possible. Secondly, it’s not a good idea.”
Luciano Buonfiglio, the president of the Italian Olympic Committee, which oversees all sports in Italy, also dismissed the idea.
“I would feel offended,” Buonfiglio said. “You need to deserve to go to the World Cup.”
Italy’s Finance Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti called the suggested swap “shameful.”
Hours later, Trump was asked at the White House about Iranian soccer players potentially not being allowed into the US for the World Cup. He initially jokes, “I don’t think about it too much” before adding, “That’s an interesting question.”
“Let me give that some thought,” Trump adds.
He then deferrs to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who says, “Nothing from the US has told them they can’t come.”
“The problem with Iran would be, not their athletes. It would be some of the other people that they want to bring with them,” Rubio says, suggesting that Iran’s soccer team can bring in people loyal to militant groups disguised as journalists and trainers.
“We may not be able to let them in,” Rubio says of people around the team. “But not the athletes themselves.”
He adds that there has been “speculation that Iran may decide not to come, but then Italy could fill their spot,” without adding details.
“If they decide not to come on their own, it’s ’cause they decided not to come,” the secretary of state says of Iranian athletes.
While Iran was among the first teams to qualify for the World Cup, Italy missed out for the third consecutive tournament, resulting in the resignations of its national team coach and soccer federation president.
Group of over 250 new Bnei Menashe immigrants arrives in Israel from India
A member of the Bnei Menashe celebrates as she arrives at Ben Gurion Airport on April 23, 2026, part of a group of new immigrants from the community in India. (Jack Guez/AFP)
More than 250 Indians claiming descent from a biblical tribe have landed at Ben Gurion Airport, as part of a government operation to relocate them to Israel.
They are the first “Bnei Menashe” (“Sons of Manasseh”) to arrive in Israel since the government decided in November to fund the immigration of around 4,600 members of the community from the state of Manipur in northeast India.
The community claims to descend from Manasseh, the forefather of one of the biblical “lost tribes” of Israel exiled in 720 BCE by Assyrian conquerors.
The Shavei Israel organization, which seeks to trace the descendants of the lost tribes, says that some 4,000 Bnei Menashe have already immigrated to Israel since the 1990s, with around 7,000 others still living in India.
Their oral history tells of a centuries-long exodus through Persia, Afghanistan, Tibet and China, all the while adhering to certain Jewish religious practices, like circumcision.
In India, they were converted to Christianity by 19th-century missionaries.
The 250 Bnei Menashe who arrived Thursday are to settle in northern Israel, according to the ministry of integration.
They will need to convert in order to become Israeli citizens.
Immigration Minister Ofir Sofer, who welcomed the newcomers at the airport, tells AFP that their arrival marked a “historic moment.”
“This is the beginning of an operation that will allow the entire community to immigrate, 1,200 per year,” he says.
Trump says he didn’t know about Lebanese law barring contact with Israel, calls for it to be scrapped
WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump says Lebanon will have scrap legislation outlawing contact with Israel.
Trump is asked about the Lebanese law while taking questions from reporters after presiding over the second round of ambassador-level negotiations between Israel and Lebanon.
Trump admits he’s never heard of the legislation before.
The US State Department has reportedly been leaning on Lebanon in recent days to annul the law.
“I never heard of that, but… I’m pretty sure that’ll be ended very quickly,” Trump says before turning around to seek affirmation from Rubio.
“Yup,” the secretary responds.
“I know Lebanon doesn’t want that… That’s crazy,” Trump adds.
The Lebanese ambassador standing behind him isn’t given an opportunity to respond.
Trump stresses Israel can strike Hezbollah in self-defense: ‘They’re going to do it carefully, and they’ll be surgical’
US President Donald Trump speaks as Secretary of State Marco Rubio, right, and Vice President JD Vance listen in the Oval Office at the White House, April 23, 2026, in Washington. (AP/Mark Schiefelbein)
WASHINGTON — After extending the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah by three weeks, US President Donald Trump says Israel reserves the right to strike Lebanese targets in self-defense.
“Israel is going to have to defend itself if they are shot at… but they’re going to do it carefully, and they’ll be surgical,” Trump tells reporters in the Oval Office after presiding over the second round of ambassador-level negotiations between Israel and Lebanon.
The remarks indicate a softened approach from Trump after he declared last week that Israel was “PROHIBITED” from bombing Lebanon.
The Truth Social warning was said to have sparked alarm in Washington, leading a White House official to clarify to reporters that the ceasefire still allows Israel to take action against perceived threats.
‘That is a must’: Trump says Iran needs to stop financing Hezbollah to reach peace deal with US
WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump says Iran will have to stop funding Hezbollah in order to secure a permanent ceasefire deal with the US.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office after presiding over the second round of ambassador-level negotiations between Israel and Lebanon, Trump is asked whether Iran must stop funding Hezbollah to reach a deal with the US.
“Yes, that is a must,” Trump responds.
Recent talks with Iran have largely focused on the nuclear issue, as Tehran has pushed back on demands that deals include an end to its support for proxies in the region.
Asked whether he thinks Israel and Lebanon can reach a peace deal this year, Trump responds, “there’s a great chance.”
At White House, Israeli envoy and top Trump aides call for Lebanon to be rid of Hezbollah
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, left, and Vice President JD Vance, right, listen to Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter speak in the Oval Office at the White House, April 23, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
WASHINGTON — The Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors thank US President Donald Trump for hosting the second round of talks between their countries, during which they agreed to extend a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah by three weeks.
Trump asks the two ambassadors to offer a few words to reporters in the Oval Office after they concluded the private portion of their meeting.
After thanking Trump, Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter declares, “Israel wants peace with Lebanon and Israel wants security for its citizens.”
“We’re united with the Lebanese government in wanting to rid the country of this malign influence called Hezbollah,” he says.
“And now that under your leadership, Iran has been so degraded, the possibility of degrading Hezbollah and liberating Lebanon from their occupation is real,” Leiter continues. “We hope that together, under your leadership, we can formalize peace between Israel Lebanon in the very near future.”
Lebanese Ambassador to the US Nada Hamadeh also thanks Trump but refrains from offering similar comments about the potential for peace with Israel.
“Thank you for your leadership, for making sure to be presiding over this historic moment,” Hamadeh says.
“With your support, we can make Lebanon great again,” she adds, causing Trump to smile.
Trump also asks US Vice President JD Vance, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa and US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee to address the press as well, and each is careful to use the opportunity to praise the president.
Rubio says the ceasefire extension gives time for Israel and Lebanon to work toward a “permanent peace.”
“I’m very optimistic that in a few weeks we’ll be even closer to the kind of permanent peace that the people of Israel and Lebanon deserve.”
“Both are victimized by the same terrorist organization,” Rubio says of Hezbollah. “That threat needs to be eliminated.”
Huckabee compares Hezbollah to a “rough little kid living in the neighborhood who keeps throwing rocks at everybody’s window.”
“If the kid will quit throwing rocks, the neighbors can get along and start actually working together,” Huckabee says, maintaining that the effort initiated by the US will “get that little kid out of the neighborhood.”
Trump says Netanyahu and Lebanese president to meet in DC ‘over the next couple weeks’
From left, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Lebanese Ambassador to the US Nada Hamadeh Moawad and US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa, listen to President Donald Trump speak in the Oval Office at the White House, April 23, 2026, in Washington. (AP/Mark Schiefelbein)
WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun will be coming to Washington “over the next couple of weeks.
Trump makes the announcement while speaking to reporters in the Oval Office after wrapping up the second round of negotiations between Israel and Lebanon during which the sides agreed to extend a ceasefire by three weeks.
Trump claimed earlier this month that Netanyahu and Aoun would speak on the phone — something that didn’t end up happening.
He later claimed that the two leaders would meet together at the White House.
It’s unclear whether Aoun will actually agree to speak or meet with Netanyahu in light of the threats he is facing from Hezbollah.
While an extended ceasefire may make such a meeting more likely, Aoun is sure to face pushback to the idea as long as Israel maintains a large buffer zone in southern Lebanon.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump touts the “historic” meeting that just unfolded, declaring that the two sides like each other.
“We think that the president of Lebanon and the prime Minister of Israel, over the next couple of weeks will be coming here,” Trump says, adding that he expects the meeting to take place some time during the three-week truce extension.
“We’re going to be working with Lebanon to get things straightened out in that country.”
Trump expresses his hope that Lebanon can be stabilized “simultaneously with what we’re doing in Iran.”
Trump announces 3-week extension of truce between Israel and Hezbollah
US President Donald Trump speaks during an event on health care affordability in the Oval Office at the White House, April 23, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump announces that the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah has been extended by three weeks.
Trump makes the announcement after participating in the second round of talks between Israel and Lebanon at the White House.
Two days after the first round of talks was held on April 14, the US announced a ten-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, the latter of which dragged Lebanon into the Iran war by firing rockets at Israel on March 2.
Trump declares the ceasefire extension in a statement posted to his Truth Social account while the meeting is still ongoing.
“The meeting went very well!” Trump writes in a post.
“The United States is going to work with Lebanon in order to help it protect itself from Hezbollah,” he says, without elaborating.
“The ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon will be extended by THREE WEEKS,” he says.
“I look forward in the near future to hosting the Prime Minister of Israel, Bibi Netanyahu, and the President of Lebanon, Joseph Aoun,” Trump says, without specifying if he plans to meet with the two leaders together.
IDF says it killed 3 Hezbollah operatives who fired anti-aircraft missile at Israeli drone
The IDF says it struck and killed three Hezbollah operatives who fired an anti-aircraft missile at an Israeli drone over southern Lebanon earlier today.
According to the military, the attempt to shoot down the drone was unsuccessful.
חיל-האוויר תקף וחיסל מוקדם יותר היום, שלושה מחבלים מארגון הטרור חיזבאללה, ששיגרו טיל קרקע-אוויר לעבר כלי-טיס של חיל-האוויר ללא הצלחה.
באירוע נוסף, מחבלים שיגרו רחפן נפץ לעבר כוחות צה"ל הפועלים בדרום לבנון. זמן קצר לאחר מכן, צה"ל תקף תשתיות טרור במרחב. pic.twitter.com/sazwRfA7EG
— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) April 23, 2026
In a separate incident, the IDF says Hezbollah attacked troops operating in southern Lebanon with an explosive-laden drone.
One reservist soldier was lightly injured in the incident. The IDF says it struck Hezbollah sites in the area in response.
In another incident, Hezbollah fired several rockets at troops operating in the Aynata area, adjacent to Bint Jbeil. The IDF says that some of the rockets struck next to troops, but no injuries were caused.
Additionally, the IDF says it struck and destroyed two primed Hezbollah rocket launchers in southern Lebanon today.
The IDF says Hezbollah’s attacks are “blatant violations of the ceasefire understandings.”
Second round of talks between Israel and Lebanon begins at White House
Illustrative: A Lebanese and Israeli flag placed together at a memorial for the fallen soldiers of the South Lebanon Army near the Israeli–Lebanese border, on November 27, 2025. (Ayal Margolin/Flash90)
WASHINGTON — The second round of talks between Israel and Lebanon has commenced at the White House, an Israeli official tells The Times of Israel.
US President Donald Trump is scheduled to briefly take part in the meeting.
Hezbollah says it launched rockets in response to alleged Israeli shelling of south Lebanon town
Hezbollah takes responsibility for the rocket barrage on the northern border community of Shtula a short while ago.
In a statement, the terror group says the rocket attack comes as a response to an Israeli violation of the ceasefire when it allegedly carried out artillery shelling in the southern Lebanese town of Yater earlier.
Hezbollah has taken responsibility for five other attacks on Israeli forces stationed in southern Lebanon today, despite the ceasefire.
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