Feb. 20: UK FM to meet Rubio amid apparent tensions over use of bases for potential Iran strikes

Death toll from Israeli strikes in Lebanon said to climb to 10 with 50 injured

The death toll from Israeli strikes earlier this evening in Lebanon’s Beqaa Valley has climbed from six to ten, two Lebanese security sources tell Reuters.

In addition, the number of wounded has climbed from 25 to 50, the sources say.

The Israeli military says it had targeted Hezbollah sites in the Baalbek area.

Official Lebanese media says six killed, 25 wounded in Israeli strikes

Lebanese official media says at least six people were killed in Israeli strikes in the country’s east on Friday, as the Israeli army said it had targeted sites belonging to Hezbollah.

Israeli strikes on the Beqaa Valley “led to an initial toll of six dead and more than 25 wounded, distributed across the region’s hospitals,” the state-run National News Agency says.

Fox News, News Nation refute NYT report that US evacuated troops from Mideast bases

Hundreds of US troops have been evacuated from Al Udeid base in Qatar, The New York Times reports, citing unnamed Pentagon officials.

Troops have also been evacuated from bases in Bahrain that house the Navy’s 5th Fleet, NYT says, adding that there are no longer any American troops at bases Iraq, Syria, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates.

Shortly after the NYT story is published, though, Fox News says the reporting is false, citing an unnamed, well-placed US official.

News Nation also says CENTCOM flatly denies the NYT report.

The move would seen as a precautionary step ahead of a potential US strike on Iran, as Tehran is likely to retaliate to such an attack by targeting US personnel in the region.

Settlers said to torch homes, agriculture buildings in frequently targeted Bedouin hamlet

Israeli settlers reportedly torched eight residential shacks and agricultural building belonging to a Bedouin herding community in the central West Bank.

Footage from the scene shows the structures going up in flames.

Palestinian media reports that the fires left the Palestinian families without any shelter in the middle of the night.

The hamlet outside of the village of Rammun has come under frequent attacks from settlers living in a recently established illegal outpost nearby.

On Wednesday, a settler attack in Rammun reportedly left five Palestinians injured along with money and property stolen.

There is no immediate comment from the IDF.

Such attacks have been unfolding across the West Bank on a near-daily basis with almost complete impunity.

المستوطنون يحرقون مساكن ومنشآت زراعية لعائلات بدوية بين بلدتي رمون ودير دبوان، شرق رام الله. pic.twitter.com/Lntlmot6nH

— شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) February 20, 2026

US lawmakers plan Iran war powers vote as Trump weighs strikes

(L-R) US Representative Ro Khanna, Democrat of California, US Representative Thomas Massie, Republican of Kentucky and US Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, Republican of Georgia speak during a press conference on the "Epstein Files Transparency Act" at the US Capitol in Washington, DC on November 18, 2025. (DANIEL HEUER / AFP)

The US Congress could vote as soon as next week on whether to block President Donald Trump’s ability to strike Iran without lawmakers’ approval, as the US military prepares for a potential serious conflict with Iran if diplomatic efforts fail.

Members of Congress, including a few of Trump’s fellow Republicans as well as Democrats, have tried – and failed – repeatedly to pass resolutions that would bar Trump from military action against foreign governments without lawmakers’ approval.

The US Constitution grants Congress, not the president, the power to send US troops to war, except for limited strikes for national security reasons. Reuters reported last week that the military is preparing for the possibility of sustained, weeks-long operations if Trump orders an attack.

Trump’s Republicans hold slim majorities in both the Senate and House and have blocked the resolutions, arguing that Congress should not restrict Trump’s national security powers.

Democratic Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia and Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky filed a Senate resolution late last month to block hostilities against Iran unless explicitly authorized by a congressional declaration of war.

“If some of my colleagues support war, then they should have the guts to vote for the war, and to be held accountable by their constituents, rather than hiding under their desks,” Kaine says in a statement, as US military assets moved toward Iran.

An aide to Kaine says there was no timetable yet as to when the Senate might take up the resolution.

In the House of Representatives, Republican Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Democrat Ro Khanna of California said they planned to force a vote on a similar resolution next week.

“Trump officials say there’s a 90% chance of strikes on Iran. He can’t without Congress,” Khanna said in a post on X.com.

Trump vows 10% global tariff after stinging court rebuke

President Donald Trump vows to impose a 10 percent tariff on all imports into the United States after the Supreme Court handed him a stinging rebuke by striking down his signature economic policy.

The conservative-majority top court ruled six-three that a 1977 law known as the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) Trump has relied on “does not authorize the president to impose tariffs.”

Trump, who had nominated two of the justices who repudiated him, responded furiously, alleging without any evidence that the court was influenced by foreign interests.

“I’m ashamed of certain members of the court, absolutely ashamed, for not having the courage to do what’s right for our country,” Trump tells reporters.

Trump says he would use a separate authority to impose a uniform tariff of 10 percent — after he spent the past year imposing various rates spontaneously to cajole and punish other countries.

“In order to protect our country, a president can actually charge more tariffs than I was charging in the past,” Trump says, insisting that the ruling left him “more powerful.”

Trump: Iran better negotiate a fair deal

Asked if he has a message to the people of Iran, US President Donald Trump tells reporters, “They better negotiate a fair deal.”

He then clarifies that the people of Iran are a lot different than their leaders, and he laments what the regime has done to their country.

Q: Do you have a message to the Iranian people?

TRUMP: In Iran?

Q: People in Iran

TRUMP: Uhhh — they better negotiate a fair deal pic.twitter.com/o8qMgwRME7

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 20, 2026

Tucker Carlson doubles down on claim that producers were inappropriately interrogated at Ben Gurion

The right-wing commentator Tucker Carlson doubles down on his claims that his staff was interrogated at Israel’s airport during a visit on Wednesday.

Carlson came to Israel to interview US Ambassador Mike Huckabee. Carlson did not leave the airport during the visit, but alleged that his producers were subject to hostile interrogation.

Huckabee and the Israel Airports Authority firmly rejected the claim.

Carlson releases his interview with Huckabee. During the introduction, he says Israeli officials held their passports and that his two producers were “called into rooms and given the third degree.”

The Mike Huckabee interview, and the truth about America’s deeply unhealthy relationship with Israel.

(0:00) Why We Were Interrogated in Israel
(25:38) Why Did Huckabee Meet With American Traitor Jonathan Pollard?
(34:26) Has Huckabee Advocated to Extradite Sex Offenders Who… pic.twitter.com/wPoF4GfSpt

— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) February 20, 2026

Carlson says security asked questions, including, “What did you say to the US ambassador? What did he say back to you? What are your politics like?”

“They’re doing like an intel op and humiliation exercise on my producer. This isn’t security,” he says.

“The interrogator is holding his passport in his hand as he’s asking these questions,” he says. “Some thug is demanding details of that conversation.”

“It’s a police state, it’s a surveillance state. You go to Israel, and they put software on your phone. Everybody knows this. They’re constantly spying on you,” he says. There is no evidence that Israel installs spy software on visitors’ phones.

It is standard for Israeli airport staff to ask visitors questions while viewing their passports.

Carlson says footage leaked to the media yesterday with the goal of discrediting his claim of mistreatment, was just him agreeing to his driver’s request to take a photo with him. It took place before his producers were detained, he says.

Carlson takes issue with Huckabee siding with the Israeli government in the debate over whether he was mistreated, without even checking with him, arguing that a US ambassador should first and foremost seek to serve the citizens of the country they represent.

He later claims that Israel knowingly bombed the USS Liberty in 1967, a common conspiracy theory on the right, claims Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened his family “because he believes in blood guilt,” and calls Israel “probably the most violent country on earth.”

IDF says it targeted Hezbollah command center in another strike in Lebanon

A Hezbollah command center in eastern Lebanon was targeted in an Israeli airstrike a short while ago, the IDF says.

The IDF says the command center, near Baalbek in the Beqaa Valley, was used by Hezbollah to advance attacks against Israeli troops and Israel.

“The Hezbollah terror organization systematically embeds its assets within the civilian population, in violation of the ceasefire understandings, and while cynically exploiting the civilian population as human shields to advance terror attacks,” the IDF says in a statement, adding that Hezbollah’s activity at the site “constitutes a violation of the ceasefire understandings between Israel and Lebanon and a threat against the State of Israel.”

Gaza technocratic committee says its working to secure exit for those looking to perform Hajj

Muslim pilgrims perform the farewell circumambulation or "tawaf," circling seven times around the Kaaba, Islam's holiest shrine, at the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Mecca on June 18, 2024 at the end of the annual hajj pilgrimage. (AFP)

The National Committee for the Administration of Gaza says it is working with the relevant authorities to allow the exit of Palestinian pilgrims to perform the Hajj in Saudi Arabia.

“The committee affirms that it is working continuously with the relevant authorities and in coordination with all concerned parties to overcome obstacles and facilitate the pilgrims’ departure and return to their homeland with dignity and safety, as quickly as possible,” the NCAG says in a statement.

Israel has placed strict restrictions on the number of Palestinians allowed to enter and leave the Strip each day, with most only allowed to do so for medical reasons.

“The committee also emphasizes that the Hajj file is a top priority, stemming from its national and humanitarian responsibility and its commitment to ensuring the right of our people to perform their religious rites without complications or additional burdens,” the NCAG says.

Hamas says open to Gaza peacekeeping force, but rejects interference in ‘internal affairs’

Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem tells AFP that his group is open to international peacekeeping forces in Gaza, but rejects any interference in the territory’s “internal affairs.”

“Our position on international forces is clear: we want peacekeeping forces that monitor the ceasefire, ensure its implementation, and act as a buffer between the occupation army and our people in the Gaza Strip, without interfering in Gaza’s internal affairs,” Qassem says.

Hamas had initially come out fervently against the International Stabilization Force when it was initially laid out last year by the US in its 20-point plan for ending the Gaza war. The terror group appears to be softening its stance now that the ISF is coming together and five countries have agreed to contribute troops to the force.

Trump will travel to China from March 31 to April 2 — White House

US President Donald Trump will visit China from March 31 to April 2, a White House official confirms to AFP.

Following a call with Chinese President Xi Jinping on February 4, the Republican leader said that the US relationship with the world’s second-largest economy was “extremely good.”

Settlers enter 5 homes in heart of Palestinian neighborhood in Hebron, claiming legal purchase

Illustrative: IDF soldiers guard a tour of the West Bank city of Hebron, on February 14, 2026. (Wisam Hashlamoun/Flash90)

Ultranationalist Israeli settlers entered several homes in the heart of a Palestinian neighborhood in the flashpoint West Bank city of Hebron yesterday, in what the Peace Now settlement watchdog says amounts to the creation of another new settlement.

The settlers’ association Harchivi Mekom Ohalech claims that it purchased five houses from Palestinians in the Jabal Jalles neighborhood of Hebron, near the Tomb of the Patriarchs holy site.

The five houses located in a densely populated Palestinian neighborhood could accommodate dozens of families and hundreds of settlers. It will force the IDF to further expand its presence in the Palestinian neighborhood of the city to provide protection for the settlers, and will likely lead to additional curbs on Palestinian freedom of movement.

Hours before the settlers moved into the homes, the IDF carried out a large arrest operation in the same neighborhood, detaining dozens of Palestinians, in what suggests that the army was coordinating with the settlers ahead of their move in.

قوات الاحتلال تنفذ حملة اعتقالات خلال اقتحام منطقة جبل جالس بمدينة الخليل pic.twitter.com/uEMY4QNcIq

— وكالة سند للأنباء – Snd News Agency (@Snd_pal) February 19, 2026

“We are seeing here an alarming example of the consequences of the government’s new policy regarding land purchases in the West Bank. A handful of real estate-hungry settlers will in the future be able to determine many more such facts on the ground, with far-reaching political and security implications. This is what annexation looks like!” Peace Now says in a statement.

Land purchases in the West Bank are often dubious, with Palestinians claiming that settlers forge necessary documents to move them forward. While the army used to have authority over reviewing the necessary documents before purchases could be authorized, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich transferred that power to an official he appointed to serve as deputy head of the Civil Administration, seen as close to the settlement movement.

In addition, one of the measures approved by the security cabinet earlier this month scrapped the requirement for settlers to secure a transaction permit along with other documents previously needed to acquire property in the West Bank, further simplifying purchases like the alleged one in Hebron.

Peace Now clarifies that it hasn’t been able to confirm whether a transaction permit was granted in the claimed purchase of the five homes in Hebron’s Habal Jalles.

“In the past, there were cases in which settlers entered homes even without receiving a transaction permit, and they almost always did so before the registration process itself, before the Palestinian owners could express opposition to the purchase,” the left-wing group says in a statement.

Al Jazeera forbids reporters from calling Jerusalem Israel’s capital — report

The Al Jazeera news network forbids reporters from referring to Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, calling Israel’s military the IDF and referring to Israel as the Jewish State, according to The Washington Free Beacon, which said it had obtained the outlet’s style guide.

The style guide tells reporters, “Do not use Jewish state as a synonym for Israel,” and, “Do not use ‘Jerusalem’ as a synonym for the government of Israel, as one might use ‘Washington to imply the US government.”

For West Jerusalem, the guide from the Qatar-funded news agency says, “Never refer to it as the capital of Israel.”

Reporters are told to call Jewish visits to the Temple Mount as “incursions,” not visits. The Temple Mount is Judaism’s holiest site.

For the Israeli military, the guide says, “Do not call it Israeli Defense Forces or IDF. Also avoid ‘security forces.'”

The guide tells journalists to report the deaths of IDF soldiers “even if the Israeli Army has asked us to wait for its permission” so that the military can inform the soldiers’ families, if the soldiers are not named.

Gaza is to be referred to as occupied, even though Israel withdrew from the Strip in 2005, the guide says, arguing that Israel controls Gaza’s airspace and borders.

The guide also forbids writers from calling ISIS a terrorist group and from using the terms “jihad” or “Islamist. The term “fundamentalist” is barred, except when referring to some Christian groups.

The guide bars reporters from describing Turkey’s mass killings of Armenians in the early 20th century as a genocide, but says the Bosnian killings of Muslims in the 1990s should be called a genocide.

IDF says it targeted Hamas command center in Lebanon that was used to advance attacks on Israel

The IDF says the Hamas command center it targeted in an airstrike in the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp near the Lebanese coastal city of Sidon was being used by the terror group to advance attacks on Israel.

“The command center that was struck had been used in recent months by Hamas terror operatives for preparations for terror activities against IDF troops in Lebanese territory, and included training intended to advance various terror attack plans against IDF troops and the State of Israel,” the military says in a statement, attaching footage of the strike.

The IDF says that the site was embedded “in the heart of a civilian population, cynically exploiting the village’s residents to advance the organization’s terror objectives and using them as human shields.”

According to the military, Hamas’s activities at the command center constituted a violation of the November 2024 ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.

Lebanese media reported that the strike killed at least one person.

צה"ל תקף מפקדה ממנה פעלו מחבלים מארגון הטרור חמאס בדרום לבנון

צה"ל תקף מוקדם יותר היום מפקדה ממנה פעלו מחבלים מארגון הטרור חמאס במרחב עין אל-חלוה שבדרום לבנון.

המפקדה שהותקפה שימשה לאורך התקופה האחרונה את מחבלי ארגון הטרור חמאס עבור היערכות לפעולות טרור נגד כוחות צה"ל בשטח… pic.twitter.com/IT5xZbGOAL

— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) February 20, 2026

Olympic Committee chief ‘unaware’ of FIFA head’s presence at Board of Peace meeting, will look into matter

Giovanni Vincenzo Infantino, president of FIFA, tries out a USA hat during a Board of Peace meeting at the U.S. Institute of Peace, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry says she was unaware of world soccer body FIFA chief Gianni Infantino’s presence at the first meeting of the Board of Peace, along with US President Donald Trump, and says she would look into the matter.

Infantino, who is also an IOC member, took part in the meeting of the Board of Peace, established under Trump with a focus on Gaza’s reconstruction fund, and aimed at rebuilding the territory once Hamas disarms.

The FIFA chief appeared on stage with several politicians, sported a red hat with ‘USA’ on the front and the numbers 45-47, for the two non-consecutive presidencies of Trump.

Infantino also displayed the FIFA collaboration agreement with the Board of Peace, which includes building 50 mini-pitches near schools and residential areas in Gaza, five full-size pitches across multiple districts, a state-of-the-art FIFA academy and a new 20,000-seat national stadium.

“I wasn’t aware of that, that we had an IOC member front and centre,” Coventry tells a press conference during the Milano Cortina Olympics.

“Now that you guys (journalists) made us aware of it, we will go back and have a look at it,” she says. “The IOC Charter is very clear what it expects of its members. We will go and research into the alleged signing of documents.”

The Olympic Charter states that members must always act independently of commercial and political interests. They also cannot accept “from governments, organizations, or other parties, any mandate or instructions liable to interfere with the freedom of their action and vote,” the Charter says.

“I think from the IOC’s point of view we will continue to be politically neutral,” Coventry said. “That’s the only way for us as an organization to ensure that we allow for there to be fairness on the field of play. That’s what we will continue to do as we walk into the future.”

Trump has met Infantino several times, with the United States co-hosting this summer’s soccer World Cup along with Mexico and Canada.

The US president was also awarded FIFA’s inaugural peace prize in December for his efforts to promote dialogue and de-escalation in some of the world’s biggest hotspots, the soccer body said at the time.

Coventry, elected in 2025, has not yet met Trump, with the 2028 Summer Olympics to be held in Los Angeles.

At least one killed in IDF strike on Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon

At least one person was killed and several were wounded in the Israeli airstrike in the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp near the Lebanese coastal city of Sidon, according to Lebanon’s state-run news agency.

The National News Agency reports that two missiles struck a building in Ain al-Hilweh, which it says was previously used by a Palestinian security force, and recently was being used as a kitchen.

According to the IDF, the strike targeted a Hamas command center where members of the terror group were gathered.

Board of Peace Gaza envoy announces creation of formal communication channel with PA

Palestinian Authority Vice President Hussein al-Sheikh (second from right) meets with Board of Peace High Representative Nickolay Mladenov (third from left) in Ramallah on January 9, 2026. (Hussein al-Sheikh/X)

The Office of the High Representative for Gaza (OHR) announces the establishment of a liaison office by the Palestinian Authority that will “provide a formal, organized channel for communication and coordination between the OHR and the PA.”

“As the link between the Board of Peace and the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, the OHR ensures all aspects of transitional administration, reconstruction, and redevelopment in the Gaza Strip are carried out with integrity and effectiveness,” Mladenov’s office says in a statement, confirming The Times of Israel’s reporting on the US approval of the channel on Wednesday.

“The OHR looks forward to working with the Liaison Office to implement President Trump’s 20-Point Peace Plan, in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2803 (2025), and build a brighter future for the people of Gaza and the entire region,” the statement from Mladenov’s office says.

The creation of the liaison office is something of a compromise for the PA, which has been seeking to gain membership on the Board of Peace, particularly in light of Israel’s representation on the body made up of world leaders and headed by Trump.

Israel and the US, which controls the Board of Peace, have opposed a more high-profile role for the PA in Gaza, arguing that Ramallah first needs to undergo significant reforms.

At the same time, Jerusalem has withheld several billion dollars in funds that belong to Ramallah, which the PA says has hampered its ability to operate and reform.

US Supreme Court strikes down swath of Trump global tariffs

The US Supreme Court rules that Donald Trump exceeded his authority in imposing a swath of tariffs that upended global trade, blocking a key tool the president has wielded to impose his economic agenda.

The conservative-majority high court rule six-three in the judgment, saying the International Emergency Economic Powers Act “does not authorize the President to impose tariffs.”

EU Commission defends attendance at Board of Peace summit after French criticism

The EU Commission had the right to accept the invitation to participate in the first meeting of US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, despite criticism from various member states, a Commission spokesperson says.

“It is within the remit of the Commission to accept invitations of this kind,” Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho tells reporters in Brussels.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on Thursday said the Commission should not have accepted the invitation.

“It had not received a mandate from the Council to do so,” he said in a post on X.

Pinho stresses that the participation in the meeting did not mean the Commission endorsed the board of peace.

“With the participation of Commissioner [Dubravka] Suica, there is no endorsement of the board of peace; (it) is a clear sign of our commitment to Palestine and the reconstruction of Gaza,” she says.

Today I am attending the inaugural Board of Peace event in Washington on behalf of the @EU_Commission.

Our objective is clear: coordinated action, accountable governance, and tangible results for the Palestinian people.

As the largest international donor to the Palestinian… pic.twitter.com/Xv98tl3VlQ

— Dubravka Šuica (@dubravkasuica) February 19, 2026

Journalist with Germany’s Deutsche Welle arrested in Turkey

Turkish authorities have formally arrested a correspondent with German state-backed international broadcaster Deutsche Welle in Ankara, charging him with insulting the president through a series of social media posts.

A Turkish court ruling says Alican Uludag was arrested for posts on X, which had undermined President Tayyip Erdogan’s “honour, dignity and respectability.”

Late on Thursday, Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement that it had detained Uludag and launched a criminal investigation into some of his social media posts.

In court documents, Uludag was quoted as saying in his defence that he had done nothing wrong and that any criticism of the president or the state’s judiciary was within his journalistic rights.

US strikes on Iran could target individual leaders, officials say

US military planning on Iran has reached an advanced stage with options, including targeting individuals as part of an attack and even pursuing regime change in Tehran, if ordered by President Donald Trump, two US officials tell Reuters.

The military options are the latest signs that the United States is preparing for a serious conflict with Iran should diplomatic efforts fail. Reuters first reported last week that the US military is preparing for a sustained, weeks-long operation against Iran that could include striking Iranian security facilities as well as nuclear infrastructure.

The latest revelations suggest more granular, ambitious planning ahead of a decision by Trump, who has in recent days publicly floated the idea of regime change in the Islamic Republic.

The US officials, who speak on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the planning, do not offer further details on which individuals could be targeted or how the U.S. military could attempt to carry out regime change without a large ground force.

Pursuing regime change would mark another shift away from Trump’s vows during the presidential campaign to abandon what he has called the failed policies of past administrations, which included military efforts to topple governments in Afghanistan and Iraq.

One of the US officials notes Israel’s success targeting Iranian leaders during its 12-day war with Iran last year. At the time, regional sources tell Reuters at least 20 senior commanders were killed, including the armed forces chief of staff, Major General Mohammad Bagheri.

“The 12-day war and Israeli strikes against individual targets really showed the utility of that approach,” the US official says, adding that the focus was on those involved in command and control of IRGC forces.

Still, the official cautions that targeting individuals requires additional intelligence resources. Killing a particular military commander would mean knowing their exact location and understanding who else might be harmed in the operation.

It is unclear to the officials who spoke with Reuters what intelligence the US has on Iranian leaders who could potentially be targeted by the United States.

The White House and Pentagon does not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Tehran counterproposal could be ready in days, Iran’s FM says

Iran’s foreign minister says he expects to have a draft counterproposal ready within days.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi gave no specific timing on Iran’s counterproposal for US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, but says he believes a diplomatic deal was within reach and could be achieved “in a very short period of time.”

Araqchi adds that he expects to have a draft Iranian counterproposal ready in the next two or three days for top Iranian officials to review, with more US-Iran talks possible in a week or so.

Araqchi said a military option would only complicate efforts to reach a deal.

Former hostages Nimrod Cohen and Matan Angrest attend Armored Corps beret march

L-R: Chief Armored Officer Brig. Gen. Ohad Maor, and former hostages Matan Angrest and Nimrod Cohen, are seen duriing a military ceremony at Yad Lashiryon, the Armored Corps Memorial Site and Museum, February 20, 2026. (Israel Defense Forces)

Former hostages Nimrod Cohen and Matan Angrest, who served in the IDF’s 7th Armored Brigade, attended a ceremony today marking the end of training for rookies in the Armored Corps.

The soldiers completed a march to Yad Lashiryon, the Armored Corps Memorial Site and Museum, next to Latrun, where they received the corps’ signature black beret.

At the end of the march, Cohen and Angrest — together with Chief Armored Officer Brig. Gen. Ohad Maor — awarded certificates of excellence to the soldiers who completed their training with outstanding performance, the military says.

“This occasion is the fulfillment of the commandment of every soldier and commander in the IDF, no one is left behind,” Maor says at the ceremony.

“Matan and Nimrod, we are very moved that you are here. We waited for this moment, a big embrace from us,” he adds.

Cohen and Angrest were abducted from their tanks by Hamas terrorists during the October 7, 2023, onslaught in southern Israel. Members of their tank crews were also killed, and their bodies taken to Gaza.

Both have said they wish to return to the military.

Trump: ‘I guess you can say I’m considering’ limited strike to coax Iran into nuclear deal

US President Donald Trump confirms that he’s considering a limited military strike on Iran to coax it into accepting a nuclear deal on Washington’s terms.

Asked by reporters if that’s the case after The Wall Street Journal reported as much, Trump pauses and smiles before responding, “I guess you can say I am considering it.”

As reporters are ushered out of the room at a White House event, Trump appears to mock the question, suggesting that he wasn’t going to publicly telegraph his plans regarding Iran.

JUST IN ????????????????: President Trump is Considering Limited Military Strike on Iran

He always ruins negotiations https://t.co/CMvndsnD0A pic.twitter.com/xkunGFFGYm

— Ryan Rozbiani (@RyanRozbiani) February 20, 2026

IDF says it carried out strike against Hamas command center in Lebanese coastal city

The IDF says it carried out an airstrike against a Hamas command center where members of the terror group were gathered in the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp near the Lebanese coastal city of Sidon.

No further details are immediately provided by the military on the strike.

The strike marks a relatively rare case of an Israeli attack on Hamas in Lebanon, in contrast to near-daily strikes against Hezbollah operatives.

Hamas has a significant presence in Ain al-Hilweh, and several Israeli strikes in the past two years have been carried out there.

مشاهدٌ من الغارة الاسرائيلية التي استهدفت عين الحلوة pic.twitter.com/tf1mkcIHnp

— Lebanon Debate (@lebanondebate) February 20, 2026

3 killed after major car crash in Galilee; doctors trying to save life of 4th victim

Three people have been killed in a car accident in the Galilee, after four cars collided with each other on a highway just west of Sakhnin, first responders say.

The three people killed are men in their 30s, Magen David Adom says. Paramedics are rushing two others injured in the accident to the hospital, with one of them in serious condition.

Police have arrived at the scene and are investigating the accident’s circumstances. Officers have closed Route 805, where the collision took place, to traffic in both directions.

IDF says 3 Palestinians arrested for attacking settler in West Bank

IDF troops arrested three Palestinians who allegedly assaulted an Israeli settler in the southern West Bank earlier today.

Police say that the three Palestinians had approached an Israeli farm near the settlement of Pnei Hever, and “at one point began to attack the shepherd, violently using sticks and throwing stones, and prevented the victim from defending himself with his personal weapon.”

Soldiers were dispatched to the area, detained the three Palestinians, and handed them over to the police for further questioning.

Police say the suspects are being questioned at the nearby Hebron station.

Recent months have seen widespread settler attacks on Palestinians, with arrests rare.

Amid Iran tensions, IDF says it is on high alert but no change in guidelines to public

IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin issues a video statement, February 20, 2026. (Israel Defense Forces)

Amid the ongoing tensions with Iran, IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin reiterates that there are no still changes to the military’s guidelines for the Israeli public.

“We are monitoring regional developments and are aware of the public discourse regarding Iran,” Defrin says in a video statement.

“The IDF is on high alert in defense, our eyes are open in all directions, and our finger is on the trigger more than ever in response to any change in the operational reality,” he says.

“There is no change in the instructions. Please adhere only to the announcements of the IDF Spokesperson and the Home Front Command through official channels only,” Defrin adds.

Bennett clarifies he will not include Ben Gvir in any future government

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett attends the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations in Jerusalem, on February 17, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Former prime minister Naftali Bennett clarifies that he will not include far-right Otzma Yehudit leader Itamar Ben Gvir in any future government that he could form.

“I want to be clear, Itamar Ben Gvir has no place in my government,” Bennett writes on X, along with a video of him campaigning and speaking to members of the public.

“That’s not because of ‘boycotts,’ but because he is a failed minister, who acts like a bully and a racist against the values of the State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state,” he writes.

Bennett’s comments came after he was recorded earlier in the week at a conference saying he would not “boycott” Ben Gvir.

UK FM to meet Rubio amid apparent tensions over use of bases for potential Iran strikes

This undated image released by the US Navy shows an aerial view of Diego Garcia. (US Navy via AP)

Britain’s foreign minister Yvette Cooper will meet with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio today, after US President Donald Trump renewed his criticism of London for ceding sovereignty of the Chagos Islands, which is home to a US-UK air base.

Last year British Prime Minister Keir Starmer agreed a deal to transfer sovereignty of the Indian Ocean islands to Mauritius, while keeping control of one — Diego Garcia — through a 99-year lease that preserved US operations at the base.

Washington last year gave its blessing to the agreement, but Trump has since changed his mind several times. In January, Trump described it as an act of “great stupidity,” but earlier this month said he understood the deal was the best Starmer could make, before then renewing his criticism this week.

Cooper is meeting Rubio to discuss defense and security issues in Washington as Trump also toughens his rhetoric on Iran, saying Tehran must make a deal over its nuclear program in the next 10 to 15 days, or “really bad things” will happen.

The Diego Garcia base has recently been used for operations in the Middle East against Yemen’s Houthis and in humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Under the conditions for using the joint base, Britain would need to agree in advance to any operations out of Diego Garcia.

Yesterday, Britain’s The Times newspaper reported that Trump’s latest criticism of the Chagos deal came because Britain had yet to give permission to use the bases for potential strikes against Iran, owing to concerns they may breach international law.

Asked about The Times report, Britain’s Ministry of Defence said it does not comment on operational matters and that Britain supported the ongoing political process between the US and Iran.

Some 8,500 West Bank Palestinians cross checkpoints into Jerusalem for Ramadan prayers at Al-Aqsa

Muslim worshippers offer prayer on the first Friday of the holy month of Ramadan at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, on the Temple Mount, in Jerusalem's Old City, on February 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)

Some 8,500 West Bank Palestinians crossed Israeli checkpoints into Jerusalem for Ramadan prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on the Temple Mount today, according to Israeli authorities.

Israel said that it would cap the number of Palestinian worshipers from the West Bank attending the weekly Friday prayers at 10,000.

Like last year, only males aged 55 and up, women 50 and up, and children 12 and below when accompanied by a first-degree relative will be permitted to attend prayers at Al‑Aqsa. The restrictions only apply to the West Bank Palestinians.

In addition, tens of thousands of Muslim Israeli worshipers also attended prayers at Al‑Aqsa.

Police say that the prayers ended in an orderly manner with no major incidents.

Iran FM: US didn’t request zero enrichment, talks are on how Iran’s nuke program can be peaceful

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi looks on after he delivered a speech during a session of the United Nations Conference on Disarmament, on the sideline of a second round of US-Iranian talks with Washington in Geneva, on February 17, 2026. (Valentin Flauraud / AFP)

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says that the US has not requested zero enrichment from Tehran, and that instead talks are on how its nuclear program — including enrichment — can be carried out peacefully.

“The US side has not asked for zero enrichment,” Araghchi tells MSNBC.

“What we are now talking about is how to make sure that Iran’s nuclear program, including enrichment, is peaceful, and would remain peaceful forever,” he says, contradicting comments from US officials.

Iran would undertake “confidence-building measures,” Araghchi says, adding that there would be both technical measures and political commitments to make sure that the program remained “peaceful.”

Araghchi points to the presence of IAEA chief Rafael Grossi at recent talks, saying that he was involved in discussions on potential technical measures.

Tehran has long pushed back on the idea that it would fully give up its ability to enrich.

While Iran, whose leaders are sworn to destroy Israel, denies it seeks nuclear weapons, it has enriched uranium to levels that have no peaceful application, obstructed international inspectors from checking its nuclear facilities, and expanded its ballistic missile capabilities.

USS Gerald R. Ford, world’s largest aircraft carrier, enters Mediterranean amid Iran tensions

US Navy Carrier Air Wing 8 aircraft fly in formation over the world’s largest aircraft carrier, Ford-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), during Carrier Air Wing 8’s aerial change of command ceremony while underway in the Caribbean Sea, Jan. 19, 2026 (US Navy photo)

USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, has entered the Mediterranean Sea, according to maritime tracking data.

US President Donald Trump ordered the carrier strike group to the Middle East last week, as he considers whether to take possible military action against Iran.

Maritime tracking websites show that the USS Mahan Arleigh Burke-class destroyer — part of the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group — is now crossing the Strait of Gibraltar.

It is expected take the aircraft carrier several more days to reach the Middle East and be poised to operate against Iran.

USS GERALD R FORD CVN78 and support heading west through the STROG this afternoon⚓️ #shipsinpics #ships #shipping #shipspotting #naval @YorukIsik @air_intel @WarshipCam @seawaves_mag #navy pic.twitter.com/KzpCXKgm0G

— Daniel Ferro (@Gibdan1) February 20, 2026

Haredi rabbi again dances to anti-Zionist, anti-enlistment anthem at wedding

Ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students learn at the Ateret Shlomo Yeshiva, in Rishon Lezion on June 11, 2025. (Shlomi Cohen/Flash90)

Video circulates on social media of Rabbi Sholom Ber Sorotzkin, of the Ateret Shlomo yeshiva network, dancing with his students to an anti-Zionist anthem that denounces “the government of the infidels.”

It is not the first time Sorotzkin has drawn outrage for dancing to the song.

The musical number, a product of the staunchly anti-Zionist Neturei Karta sect, includes lyrics translatable as: “We don’t believe in the government of infidels and we do not recognize their laws.”

The version sung at the wedding appears to have tweaked the words to say: “We don’t believe in the government of infidels and we won’t show up at their [army] recruitment offices.”

Opposition Leader Yair Lapid shares the video on X, and writes: “Rabbi Sorotzkin, if not for the Jewish army that you insult and curse, you and your students wouldn’t be dancing — you wouldn’t be, at all.”

הרב סורוצקין, אם לא הצבא היהודי שאתה מנאץ ומקלל אתה והתלמידים שלך לא הייתם רוקדים, לא הייתם בכלל https://t.co/jpj4msl0TD

— יאיר לפיד – Yair Lapid (@yairlapid) February 20, 2026

RPG washes up on Israel’s Zikim Beach, near Gaza; was likely used in Oct. 7 attack

A rocket-propelled grenade washed up on Zikim Beach, near the Gaza Strip, Channel 12 reports, publishing a photo.

The police and Israel Defense Forces have been dispatched to the scene to investigate, the report says.

The IDF reportedly assesses that the weapon was used by Hamas terrorists during the October 7, 2023, attack.

בעוטף עזה הופתעו: RPG נשטף אל החוף; הערכה בצה"ל – שימש את חמאס בטבח 7.10 | פרסום ראשון

https://t.co/QNLXbt9XBl | @shapira_nitzan pic.twitter.com/GRjqdxlEeb

— החדשות – N12 (@N12News) February 20, 2026

Russia’s Lavrov discusses Tehran’s nuclear program with Iranian FM Araghchi

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (L) and Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov walk together after their meeting to give a joint press conference at the foreign ministry headquarters in Tehran on February 25, 2025. (ATTA KENARE / AFP)

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has discussed Iran’s nuclear program with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday via its Telegram channel.

US grand jury indicts ex-Google engineers for stealing data, passing it on ‘to Iran’

The Google office building in New York, February 26, 2024. (Seth Wenig/AP)

A grand jury indicts three Silicon Valley engineers accused of stealing trade secrets from Google and passing information on to other companies and “to Iran.”

Soroor Ghandali, 32, her sister Samaneh Ghandali, 41, and the latter’s husband Mohammadjavad Khosravi, 40, are identified in the indictment as Iranian nationals.

The sisters, who worked at Google before moving to another company, as well as Khosravi are accused of stealing information from Google and other companies and passing them on “to work devices associated with each other’s employers, and to Iran,” according to a US Attorney’s Office statement.

The case also involves a trip to the Islamic Republic, but the statement does not explicitly accuse the defendants of spying for the Iranian regime.

The three are also accused of obstructing the investigation into their actions.

If convicted, each faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of conspiracy to commit trade secret theft, as well as a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the obstruction charge.

Norway relocates 60 soldiers in Middle East, citing security situation

Norway is relocating around 60 soldiers in the Middle East to Norway as well as other countries in the Middle East, citing the security situation in the region, a spokesperson for the Nordic country’s armed forces said on Friday.

IDF: ‘Terrorist’ in Gaza who crossed Yellow Line, approached soldiers, killed in airstrike

The military says a Palestinian terror operative who crossed the Gaza ceasefire line in the Strip’s south earlier today was killed in an airstrike.

According to the IDF, the terror operative crossed the Yellow Line and approached soldiers of the Golani Brigade “in a manner that posed an immediate threat.”

The Israeli Air Force then struck and “eliminated the terrorist in order to remove the threat,” the army says.

The IDF publishes footage of the strike.

מוקדם יותר היום, כוחות צוות הקרב החטיבתי גולני הפועלים בדרום רצועת עזה זיהו מחבל שחצה את הקו הצהוב והתקרב לעבר הכוחות באופן שהיווה איום מיידי.

מיד לאחר הזיהוי, חיל האוויר בהכוונת הכוחות בשטח תקף וחיסל את המחבל במטרה להסיר את האיום.

כוחות צה"ל בפיקוד הדרום פרוסים במרחב בהתאם… pic.twitter.com/2MJUALFZiv

— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) February 20, 2026

Police arrest man for murder, two years after ex-girlfriend died from consuming rust remover

Police have arrested a man on suspicion of murder nearly two years after the sudden death of his ex-girlfriend, who died after drinking rust remover in his home.

Holon resident Ofir Ben David was detained and interrogated on suspicion of negligence soon after the death of his former partner, Hila Malka Or Lahav, in May 2024. He was eventually released.

Ben David and his defense attorney claim she consumed it by mistake, after it was left on the kitchen counter in a soda bottle.

The pair had separated just two months before her death. Now, police have arrested Ben David a second time after new evidence emerged in the investigation.

He was brought to the Rishon Lezion Magistrate’s Court this morning, where a judge ordered him to five more days of detention, Ynet reports.

French PM says government intends to criminalize calls for any country’s destruction

France's Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu deivers a speech during the annual dinner of the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France (CRIF - Conseil Representatif des Institutions juives de France) at the Louvre Carrousel in Paris on February 19, 2026. (GEOFFROY VAN DER HASSELT / AFP)

French Prime Minister Sebastien Cornu tells a Jewish conference in Paris that his government intends to criminalize calls for any country’s destruction.

Cornu tells the annual conference of the Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions (CRIF) that the government will place on the parliamentary agenda, by April, a law proposed by Caroline Yadan, who represents French citizens abroad, including many Jews in Israel.

The controversial bill, to fight “renewed forms” of antisemitism, bans calls for the destruction of a state, and expands the crime of defending terrorism.

“Calling for the destruction of the State of Israel is calling to endanger the lives of a people,” and “cannot be tolerated any longer,” says Lecornu, who also assesses that “to say ‘from the river to the sea’ is a call for the disappearance of Israel.”

The French prime minister stresses that specific Israeli policies are legitimate grounds for debate, and asserts: “What the current Israeli government is doing in the West Bank violates international law.”

Saudi Arabia may have uranium enrichment under proposed deal with US, document suggests

US President Donald Trump meets with Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC on November 18, 2025. (Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP)

Saudi Arabia could have some form of uranium enrichment within the kingdom under a proposed nuclear deal with the United States, congressional documents and an arms control group suggest, raising proliferation concerns as an atomic standoff between Iran and America continues.

The congressional document, also seen by the AP, shows the Trump administration aims to reach 20 nuclear business deals with nations around the world, including Saudi Arabia. The deal with Saudi Arabia could be worth billions of dollars, it adds.

The document contends that reaching a deal with the kingdom “will advance the national security interests of the United States, breaking with the failed policies of inaction and indecision that our competitors have capitalized on to disadvantage American industry and diminish the United States standing globally in this critical sector.”

The draft deal would see America and Saudi Arabia enter safeguard deals with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog. That would include oversight of the “most proliferation-sensitive areas of potential nuclear cooperation,” it added. It listed enrichment, fuel fabrication and reprocessing as potential areas.

The United Arab Emirates, a neighbor to Saudi Arabia, signed what is referred to as a “123 agreement” with the US to build its Barakah nuclear power plant with South Korean assistance. But the UAE did so without seeking enrichment, something nonproliferation experts have held up as the “gold standard” for nations wanting atomic power.

Lindsey Graham, in Riyadh, says Saudi leader committed to regional integration

US Senator Lindsey Graham meets with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman in Riyadh and says the Gulf leader is “fully committed to his original vision that includes regional integration.”

“The Crown Prince is dealing with the aftereffects of October 7 like all leaders in the region, particularly with the tremendous loss of life in Gaza,” the senator writes on X.

“Having said that, his vision for the region is for conservative Islam to coexist – with tremendous economic opportunity – for the people of Saudi Arabia, the Middle East, and the entire world,” he continues.

Graham, a close ally of US President Donald Trump, says bin Salman “believes that it’s imperative that there is a dignified solution for the Palestinian people, consistent with his past statements in this regard.”

The foreign policy hawk, who represents the state of South Carolina, also notes, amid the American build-up in the region: “It is my hope that if the Iranian regime is replaced by the Iranian people, it would not only lead to a bright future for Iran, but it will also open up a new path for normalization.”

Graham expresses an additional hope that “a dialogue can be started between Saudi Arabia and the UAE regarding their disputes in Yemen and Sudan as soon as possible.” The senator met with Emirati President Mohamed bin Zayed in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.

HRH the Crown Prince Meets US Senator Lindsey Graham in Riyadh.https://t.co/lQ0Jxg79Gn#SPAGOV pic.twitter.com/lN4u3Dj7Cs

— SPAENG (@Spa_Eng) February 19, 2026

IDF ‘strongly condemns’ settler activists, including MK, who illegally entered Gaza

A handout photo shows Otzma Yehudit MK Limor Son Har-Melech and activists from the pro-settlement Nachala group inside the Gaza Strip, on February 19, 2026. (Nachala)

The IDF says it “strongly condemns” the settler activists who illegally crossed the border into the Gaza Strip last night, saying they put soldiers at risk.

According to the military, the civilians were “under continuous surveillance” during the incident.

Among the activists were far-right MK Limor Son Har-Melech and young children.

The IDF says troops operating in the area detained the activists, “safely returned them to Israeli territory,” and handed them over to the police for further questioning.

“The IDF strongly condemns the civilians that crossed into the Gaza Strip, endangering both themselves and the IDF troops operating in the area,” the army adds.

Istanbul police detain DW reporter for ‘misleading information,’ insulting Erdogan

Turkish police officers control access to Taksim Square ahead of the 2026 New Year's Day celebrations in Istanbul on December 31, 2025. (Yasin AKGUL / AFP)

Turkish authorities detain a veteran correspondent of German state-backed international broadcaster Deutsche Welle in Ankara, accusing him of “disseminating misleading information” and “insulting the president.”

Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office says in a statement it detained Alican Uludag and launched a criminal investigation based on some of his social media posts. He will be brought before prosecutors today.

Deutsche Welle, or DW, says the correspondent, who has been working for the broadcaster for several years, was arrested in Ankara and taken to Istanbul police late yesterday.

DW Director General Barbara Massing calls the accusations baseless and says the arrest was “a deliberate act of intimidation and shows how severely the government is suppressing press freedom.”

DW says the allegations against Uludag relate to his criticism of Turkish government measures that led to the release of suspected Islamic State group operatives in a post on social media platform X he made about a year and a half ago.

It adds that his apartment was searched and IT equipment was confiscated.

Epstein estate agrees to settle victim claims totalling up to $35m

Documents that were included in the US Justice Department release of files related to disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein files are photographed on January 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick)

The estate of convicted US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has agreed to pay up to $35 million to settle the outstanding legal claims of potentially dozens of victims, according to a proposed court judgment filed yesterday.

The settlement is related to victims who said they were “sexually assaulted or abused or trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein between January 1, 1995, and through August 10, 2019,” the date of the disgraced financier’s death in prison, the judgment says.

Epstein’s estate would pay $35 million if 40 or more women are eligible for compensation and $25 million if the number is lower than 40.

Hamas says political path for Gaza must begin with end to ‘aggression’

Palestinians shop for food beneath a destroyed building in Gaza City's Zawiya market on February 18, 2026, on the first days of the month of Ramadan. (Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)

Discussions on Gaza’s future must begin with a total halt to Israeli “aggression,” the Hamas terror group says, after US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace met yesterday for the first time.

“Any political process or any arrangement under discussion concerning the Gaza Strip and the future of our Palestinian people must start with the total halt of aggression, the lifting of the blockade, and the guarantee of our people’s legitimate national rights, first and foremost their right to freedom and self-determination,” Hamas says in a statement.

Israel currently controls just over half of the Gaza Strip, in accordance with a US-brokered ceasefire deal. Since the truce went into effect, Israel has accused Hamas of frequently violating it, and terror operatives have killed four Israeli soldiers. Israel has responded with airstrikes, targeting Hamas sites and operatives, which have killed hundreds.

Trump says he will declassify files on UFOs, citing ‘tremendous interest’

US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters on Air Force One before taking off from Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, on February 19, 2026. (SAUL LOEB / AFP)

US President Donald Trump says he has instructed his defense secretary and other agency heads to “begin the process of identifying and releasing government files related to alien and extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), and unidentified flying objects (UFOs).”

In a post to his Truth Social platform, Trump cites “tremendous interest shown” in “these highly complex, but extremely interesting and important, matters.”

The move comes after former president Barack Obama said in an interview published last weekend that aliens are “real,” only to clarify later that he was speaking speculatively, writing: “I saw no evidence during my presidency that extraterrestrials have made contact with us. Really!”

Trump, asked about the incident, said Obama had revealed classified information, and then teased his own ability to disclose files.

Thousands of Palestinians cross into Jerusalem for first Friday prayers of Ramadan

Israeli soldiers are seen at the Qalandiya checkpoint near Jerusalem as West Bank Palestinians make their way to the Al-Aqsa Mosque for Ramadan prayers, February 20, 2026. (Courtesy)

Thousands of West Bank Palestinians have crossed Israeli checkpoints into Jerusalem this morning for Friday Ramadan prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on the Temple Mount.

Israel said that it would cap the number of Palestinian worshipers from the West Bank attending the weekly prayers at 10,000.

Like last year, only males aged 55 and up, women 50 and up, and children 12 and below when accompanied by a first-degree relative will be permitted to attend prayers at Al‑Aqsa. The restrictions apply only to the 10,000 Palestinians traveling from the West Bank, and not to Muslim Arab Israelis.

COGAT chief Maj. Gen. Yoram Halevy, Civil Administration head Brig. Gen. Hisham Ibrahim, Jerusalem District police chief Deputy Commissioner Avshalom Peled, and Border Police chief Deputy Commissioner Brik Yitzhak are holding an assessment at the Qalandiya checkpoint, where some 2,000 Palestinians have crossed this morning, according to Israeli authorities.

Man in his 30s dies in apparent stabbing in Tel Aviv; no terror motive suspected

Police at the scene where a man was found dead after being stabbed outside a nightclub in Tel Aviv, on February 20, 2026. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

A man, reported to be in his 30s, has died in hospital with penetrating wounds, after being transferred in critical condition following a violent incident in Tel Aviv.

The incident took place on Ben Avigdor Street. According to the Israel Hayom daily, police are reviewing security footage from the area.

The incident is not believed to be terrorism-related.

National Committee for Administration of Gaza’s revamped logo still includes PA crest

The logo of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza as of February 19, 2026. (NCAG)

The National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) has again updated its logo, adopting a design resembling the Board of Peace emblem, while still maintaining the Palestinian Authority’s eagle and the Palestinian flag.

The NCAG, tasked with replacing Hamas in governing Gaza, had sparked uproar in Israel after it first updated its logo earlier this month to a design that was nearly identical to the one used by the PA.

US officials spent almost an entire day trying to negotiate between Israel and the NCAG in order to prevent a larger incident.

Ultimately, the NCAG issued a statement saying the updated logo wasn’t final and that it was toying with a series of ideas.

Israel has been adamant about not allowing the PA to play a substantive role in Gaza, arguing that it must undergo significant reforms before doing so. At the same time, it has withheld several billion dollars of funds that belong to Ramallah that has hampered the PA’s ability to operate and reform.

In the logo published on the NCAG’s website and social media accounts on Thursday, the eagle and Palestinian flag are flanked by gold olive branches identical to the ones in the Board of Peace emblem.

Iran tells UN chief that all Mideast assets of ‘hostile force’ are fair game if US attacks

This handout photo released by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran's official website Sepanews on February 17, 2026, shows an explosion during a military exercise by members of the IRGC and navy in the Strait of Hormuz. (Sepah News/AFP)

Iran tells UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that Tehran will consider bases, facilities and assets of the “hostile force” in the region as legitimate targets if it faces military aggression.

US President Donald Trump’s rhetoric toward Iran “signals a real risk of military aggression,” Iran’s permanent mission to the United Nations says in the letter, adding Iran does not want a war.

Iran will respond “decisively” if subjected to military aggression, the letter says.

????????????????Iran in a letter to UN Secretary General: "If attacked, all bases, facilities, and assets of the hostile force in the region would constitute legitimate targets in the context of Iran’s defensive response. The United States would bear full and direct responsibility for any… pic.twitter.com/Wnj76fkDOz

— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) February 19, 2026

Trump considering initial targeted strikes on Iran so it will accept his terms for nuclear deal — WSJ

US President Donald Trump visits Coosa Steel Corporation in Rome, Georgia, February 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

US President Donald Trump is considering launching preliminary limited strikes on Iran with the aim of forcing the Islamic Republic to agree to his demands for a nuclear deal, according to the Wall Street Journal, stopping short of a full-scale attack that could trigger a major Iranian military response.

Citing people familiar with the matter, the US newspaper says the initial strikes could occur within days if ultimately okayed by Trump, with the attack targeting several military or government sites. If Iran still continues to reject Trump’s demand to give up its enrichment program, the report says the US will then broaden its military offensive to include regime targets, with the possible goal of removing it from power.

One source quoted in the report says Trump could start with more limited strikes before ramping them up until the regime either agrees to disassemble its nuclear program or is toppled.

Settler activists, including far-right MK, illegally cross into Gaza; IDF troops called to scene

A group of settler activists, among them far-right MK Limor Son Har-Melech, illegally breached into the Gaza Strip this evening, prompting the IDF to dispatch troops to the scene.

“We were privileged, with thanks to the blessed God, to enter the Gaza Strip, together with the Nachala movement and dozens of families, women, men, and children,” the Otzma Yehudit lawmaker writes on social media.

The activists from the ultra-nationalist Nachala settlement organization say they crossed the Gaza border with vehicles and planted trees in the area.

The IDF has not yet commented on the incident, but in previous similar cases has said that crossing the Gaza border “is dangerous and disrupts the activity of security forces in the area.”

בפתחו של חודש אדר,
אשר נהפך להם מיגון לשמחה ומאבל ליום טוב,

זכינו בהודיה לה' יתברך להיכנס לחבל עזה, ביחד עם תנועת "נחלה" ועוד עשרות משפחות, נשים, גברים, וילדים.

עזה שלנו לתמיד. רק כך נבטיח ניצחון וביטחון אמיתי לעם ישראל.???????? pic.twitter.com/QN4iLvWTMa

— לימור סון הר מלך (@limor_sonhrmelh) February 19, 2026

Israeli figure skater Seniuk finishes 24th after fall during Olympic free skate

Mariia Seniuk of Israel competes during the women's figure skating free program at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP/Francisco Seco)

Israeli figure skater Mariia Seniuk finishes in 24th place at the 2026 Winter Olympics, following a fall during her program in the women’s free skate that landed her with only 94 points.

Skating to the theme music from the TV show “Stranger Things,” Seniuk fell while trying to land the triple loop, resulting in a deduction.

On Tuesday, Seniuk completed the short program in 22nd place, after a clean performance where she hit every one of her planned elements. That performance garnered her and 23 other qualifying skaters a spot in tonight’s free skate.

Seniuk receives a combined score of 152.61 points after both skates, leaving her at the bottom of today’s table.

The 20-year-old skater, making her Olympic debut, said Tuesday that she had “felt the support” from the crowd: “I’m very, very grateful to everyone, and especially to the people who were holding the [Israeli] flag.”

Israel only has one event left to contest at the 2026 Games — the four-man bobsleigh, taking place on Saturday and Sunday.