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The Times of Israel liveblogged Saturday’s events as they unfolded.
Right-wing activist Mordechai David detained for protest at home of Arab Israeli news anchor Lucy Aharish
Right-wing provocateur Mordechai David is detained by police after approaching the home of Lucy Aharish, an Arab Israeli news anchor, with a megaphone.
He is detained for trespassing and disturbing the peace along with another protester, according to Hebrew media outlets. The other person who is detained is named by Haaretz as Likud activist Rami Ben Yehuda.
He is also captured on video arguing with Aharish’s partner, actor Tsahi Halevi, outside the building. Footage shows Halevi saying: “You’ve come to my home? Where do you want this to go?”
Later, speaking to one of his supporters on camera, David says: “I went to the home of Lucy Aharish to protest, as is allowed in a democratic country.”
הבריון הגיע לבית של לוסי אהריש, אך שכח שגם צחי הלוי גר שם.
להלוי פקעה הסבלנות: אתה תהיה בשקט.
מרדכי דוד: בא לי להפגין נגד אשתך
הלוי: אלי הביתה? אלי הביתה?
מרדכי דוד: כן, מה תעשה לי? בוא, בוא הצידה. אתה רוצה להרביץ לי?
הלוי: לאן אתה רוצה להגיע?
והשוטרים עוד מרחיקים את הלוי.
חרפה. pic.twitter.com/3Y0t5WuKV7— listein (@Lihistein) February 21, 2026
David, who was convicted of attempted arson in 2021, regularly blocks the cars of politicians, journalists and other figures he disagrees with, and harasses them. He has received support from members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing coalition.
Earlier this month, he was questioned by police after blocking the cars of former High Court president Aharon Barak and former prime minister Ehud Barak (no relation).
Jeremy Sharon contributed to this report.
4 injured after grenade explodes in Kafr Kanna house; leaders urge truce
Four people have been injured after a grenade was set off in a house in Kafr Kanna, amid a larger gunfight that erupted on the streets of the northern Arab village.
The grenade was allegedly launched from a drone that had been hovering in the area, ripping a hole through the ceiling and injuring those inside the building, according to Hebrew and Arabic media reports.
One of the wounded, a man in his 30s, is in serious condition. An elderly man, middle-aged woman and young woman suffered moderate injuries. Paramedics have taken all four to the hospital, Magen David Adom says.
4 פצועים בהם אחד במצב קשה, מירי והטלת רימונים מרחפן על בית בכפר כנא. תושבים מדווחים על ירי בלתי פוסק@eran_singer https://t.co/jjbtC1LTY5 pic.twitter.com/aJqoxw0Tz0
— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) February 21, 2026
The shootout is said to have taken place between the young men of the Awawdeh and Taha families, which have been warring for some time despite efforts to make amends. Following the violence, the head of the town’s reconciliation committee reportedly convened elders from both families and pressed them to agree to a truce, which they managed to reach within the hour.
However the committee is pushing for them to reach a final ‘sulha,’ the Arabic word for reconciliation, meaning the families would no longer be in conflict with one another.
In footage from tonight, masked men were seen armed with assault rifles roaming the streets of the town, shooting at shops and homes in the city.
Heavy gunfire at shops, homes in Kafr Kanna
Assailants also set off a grenade in a home, injuring four including one man in serious condition, an elderly man and two women w/ moderate injuries pic.twitter.com/CVnOM4MRHP
— charlie summers (@cbsu03) February 21, 2026
One of those targeted is the town’s former mayor, Yousef Awdawdeh, who says that gunmen had fired at his house while his wife and kids were present.
“For the dignity of [the Muslim holy month of] Ramadan and my people, I declare that I forgive the attacker,” Awawdeh writes on Facebook, urging an end to the wave of violent crime that has been plaguing Arab society at unprecedented levels in recent months.
In honor of Ramadan, reconciliation committees in Arab cities and towns throughout the country have been attempting to pressure warring families into entering month-long truces, in hopes of using the month as a way to curb the rampant violence.
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Police say that they have deployed large forces to the area after the gunfire broke out. No arrests have yet been reported.
ISIS urges members to fight against Syria’s new government
A Syrian government soldier stands outside SDF controlled al-Aktan prison which holds ISIS detainees, as the Syrian amry takes possession of the nearby SDF military base in the city of Raqqa on January 19, 2026. (Bakr ALkasem / AFP)
The Islamic State jihadist group urges its fighters to confront Syria’s new authorities in its spokesperson’s first audio message in two years.
In a recording posted online, Abu Huzaifa al-Ansari said ISIS members in Syria must fight “the new Syrian regime, with its secular government and national army” and “make that their priority.”
The last time al-Ansari posted an audio message was in January 2024, when he urged ISIS supporters to kill Jews around the world in revenge for Israeli military operations in Gaza.
Since ousting longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, Syria’s new authorities, who had links to the Al-Qaeda terror group, have sought to break from their radical past and present a moderate image. They are led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
Last year, Syria joined the US-led coalition against ISIS and has been coordinating attacks against the group’s remnants in the country.
ISIS swept across Syria and Iraq in 2014, committing massacres and forcing women and girls into sexual slavery.
Backed by US-led forces, Iraq proclaimed the defeat of ISIS in 2017, followed two years later by its defeat at the hands of Kurdish-led forces in Syria.
Last month, Syrian troops advanced against Kurdish forces, sparking questions over the fate of the ISIS prisoners held in Kurdish-run facilities.
Amid lingering doubts about security, Washington transferred more than 5,700 ISIS detainees from Syria to Iraqi prisons.
A camp that once held relatives of ISIS fighters has now been emptied — residents either left or were moved to a new location by the Syrian authorities.
UAE foils cyber attacks on ‘national platforms,’ state news agency says
The United Arab Emirates has thwarted organized cyber attacks targeting the country’s digital infrastructure and vital sectors, the state news agency says.
The attacks “included attempts to infiltrate networks, deploy ransomware and conduct systematic phishing campaigns targeting national platforms,” and involved artificial intelligence technologies to develop offensive tools, it adds. The report does not say who was to blame for the attacks.
Police use water cannon on protesters outside PM’s residence in Jerusalem, at least 2 detained
Police use a water cannon to disperse anti-government protesters at the prime minister's residence in Jerusalem on February 21, 2026. (Vardit Alon-Korpel/Israel Pro-Democracy Protest Movement)
Police use a water cannon to break up an anti-government protest outside the prime minister’s residence in Jerusalem, detaining at least two demonstrators.
Activists say that officers also injured a demonstrator, retired IDF colonel Shemi Attar, who was taken to the hospital after a cop knocked him on his back. They say that the water cannon contained foul-smelling skunk spray, according to Haaretz.
A crowd of protesters gathered outside the premier’s home to demand a state commission of inquiry into the failures surrounding the Hamas-led invasion on October 7, 2023.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opposes a state commission of inquiry, Israel’s highest investigative authority, because the judiciary he has sought to weaken would choose its members. He has proposed a controversial, politically appointed investigation instead.
Marching to Netanyahu’s home from the President’s Residence, protesters hold a banner that reads, “Israel will be a democracy.”
Once the protesters reached their destination, police say that “rioters began to block the roads, disrupt traffic in the area while lighting a flare,” prompting the commanding officer at the scene to declare the demonstration illegal.
Police say two were detained. Activists put the number at six, and say police set them free at the scene of the protest after handing them fines.
In footage of the scene, when demonstrators refuse to budge, police are seen breaking up the demonstration by force, spraying participants with a water cannon and pushing them onto the sidewalk.
Labor MK Gilad Kariv accuses the police of breaking the law in deploying the water cannon. A bill to ban skunk spray is currently moving through the Knesset.
משטרת ירושלים מפעילה מכת״זית (ככה״נ בואש) בירושלים, בניגוד לחוק ולפקודות המשטרה עצמה.
איפה הנחישות של המשטרה במאבק בארגוני הפשיעה? איפה הנחישות שלהם במאבק בשחיתות, בתאונות הדרכים, באלימות בתוך המשפחה?
חכמים על מפגינים. מצפצפים על הפקודות והחוק. pic.twitter.com/8bJ6ZpAZE9
— גלעד קריב (@KarivGilad) February 21, 2026
Overall, thousands are reported to gather at weekly anti-government protests across the country, with the largest such protest taking place at Tel Aviv’s Habima Square.
Jordanian base hosting dozens of US planes in sharp uptick, NYT reports
A Jordanian military base is hosting dozens of US airplanes amid an American military buildup in the region, The New York Times reports.
The US military has been amassing forces in the Middle East as US President Donald Trump has threatened to attack Iran.
Citing satellite imagery and flight trackers, the Times reports that more than 60 attack aircraft, as well as at least 68 cargo planes, have landed at Muwaffaq Salti base, east of Amman, over the past week.
Situation at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan:
• ~ 18 F 35A Lightning II fighter aircraft
• ~ 6 EA 18G electronic attack jets
• ~ 24 F 15E Strike Eagle fighters
• An undetermined number of F 16 jets visible under hardened shelters the runway
• Air defenses deployed… pic.twitter.com/9q0JUWUzBj— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) February 21, 2026
The numbers are a sharp uptick from the craft that are usually parked at the base, with the number of attack craft there representing triple the usual figure, according to the Times. The report calls the base “a key hub” for American military planning.
The planes at the base include F-35 fighter jets, a change from the aircraft usually there. The base also has new air defenses, the Times says.
Jordan is one of several countries in the region that has barred attacks on Iran from its territory.
Hundreds rally in Paris to support Ukraine after nearly four years of war
Around one thousand take to the streets of Paris to show their “massive support” for Ukraine, just days before the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion.
Demonstrators marching through the French capital chant: “We support Ukraine against Putin, who is killing it,” and “Frozen Russian assets must be confiscated, they belong to Ukraine.”
In the crowd, Irina Kryvosheia, a Ukrainian who arrived in France several years ago, “thanked with all her heart the people present.”
She says they reminded “everyone that what has been happening for four years is not normal, it is not right.”
???????????????? Paris stands with Ukraine
pic.twitter.com/x6qq161dZk— Sébastien Baffoy (@SebastienBaffoy) February 21, 2026
Russia’s full-scale invasion sent shockwaves around the world and triggered the bloodiest and most destructive conflict in Europe since World War II.
The war has seen tens of thousands of civilians and hundreds of thousands of military personnel killed on both sides. Millions of refugees have fled Ukraine, where vast areas have been devastated by fighting.
Russia occupies nearly 20 percent of Ukrainian territory, and its heavy attacks on the country’s energy sites have sparked a major energy crisis.
Ayelet Shaked: Netanyahu must go due to Oct. 7, Bennett, Liberman should unite
Ayelet Shaked attends a farewell ceremony for outgoing Supreme Court justice Yosef Elron at the Supreme Court in Jerusalem, September 18, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
Former cabinet minister Ayelet Shaked, who was once a leading figure on the political right, says that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should be replaced as Israel’s leader in the wake of the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, invasion and atrocities.
The former politician — who is weighing a return to political life with elections taking place this year — was a longtime close ally of former prime minister Naftali Bennett. Bennett is considered Netanyahu’s most credible challenger.
“After October 7, Netanyahu needs to go. An alternative needs to rise,” she says on Channel 12’s “Meet the Press” program. “There is a big right-wing, liberal public who thinks this government has not functioned in all areas.”
In the interview, Shaked insists there has been no “total victory” in Gaza as Netanyahu sought, since Hamas still runs nearly half the territory and is not laying down its arms, while Fatah and Palestinian Authority officials play prominent roles on the technocratic committee set up to run the postwar Strip, a scenario Netanyahu vowed to prevent.
“There is no total victory at the moment because Hamas is controlling the territory with all the citizens, and they are not putting down their arms,” says Shaked.
Shaked opines that Bennett’s nascent party should unite with Avigdor Liberman’s Yisrael Beytenu, which she says would be “a real alternative for right-wing voters, and increase the size of that bloc.”
The former justice and interior minister is also strongly critical of current Justice Minister Yariv Levin, accusing him of missing an opportunity to enact lasting reform to the judiciary with his highly confrontational approach.
She notes that there is a strong conservative camp of justices on the court today, which is in part due to six Supreme Court appointments she made during her tenure as justice minister.
“Levin could have appointed four [Supreme Court] justices,” she notes in reference to the four vacancies on the top court at the moment. When pointed out to her that he had not been able to muster the votes for one of the key jurists he sought to elect, Shaked responds, “So there’s only one suitable person in the entire State of Israel? No.”
She also criticizes Levin for boycotting current Supreme Court President Isaac Amit, saying, “This doesn’t serve the State of Israel, it doesn’t serve Israel’s citizens and it doesn’t serve the right wing in the State of Israel.”
Red Crescent: 3 wounded by IDF gunfire in northern West Bank, one seriously; no comment from army
A 20-year-old man is hospitalized in serious condition after being shot in the head by IDF troops in the Palestinian village of Beit Furik, east of Nablus in the northern West Bank, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society says.
Another 16-year-old is also hospitalized after being shot in the leg, according to the Red Crescent.
The IDF does not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Palestinian media reports that the IDF has been operating in the village since this afternoon, after locals clashed with settlers. During the clash, soldiers reportedly detained several Palestinians and also fired at a car, wounding a 14-year-old Palestinian boy, who has also been hospitalized.
The Red Crescent confirmed at the time that it was treating a 14-year-old for bullet wounds.
Settlers said to shoot Palestinians, rob homes, commit arson in pair of Ramallah-area attacks
Two young men were hospitalized with gunshot wounds this afternoon after settlers attacked the Palestinian compound of Abu Hamam, on the outskirts of the Ramallah-area town of al-Mughayyir, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society.
One young woman from the compound, interviewed by the Hamas-affiliated Quds News Network at the hospital in al-Mughayyir, says a settler named Moshe punched her in the face, knocked her down and kicked her, with her small daughter by her side.
“They were beating us and shooting us,” she says. “I hid my father behind me. I said, let them beat me and not him.”
In separate footage she filmed from the compound, the same woman says the settlers robbed homes there.
“They left nothing,” she says. “But thank God, we’re okay.”
"هدّوا البيوت فوق روسنا، بس احنا الحمد لله بخير"…
فلسطينية توثق الأضرار التي خلفها هجوم مستوطنين على تجمع "أبو همام" جنوب بلدة المغير شمال شرق رام الله. pic.twitter.com/rcLKbtA2V4
— Newpress | نيو برس (@NewpressPs) February 21, 2026
Meanwhile, Palestinian media publishes footage, taken in the nearby Abu Falah village, of at least one agricultural structure in flames. The fire is alleged to have been set by settlers. No injuries are reported.
مستوطنون يضرمون النار بغرفة زراعية خلال هجومهم على قرية أبو فلاح قضاء رام الله pic.twitter.com/Y8LN5ZdjvP
— موقع عرب 48 (@arab48website) February 21, 2026
The IDF does not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump leaning toward attacking Iran, deadline of 10-15 days said ‘not scientific’ — report
US President Donald Trump departs after speaking during a press conference in the Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on February 20, 2026. (Mandel NGAN / AFP)
US President Donald Trump is leaning toward attacking Iran but will wait a matter of days for a response to his demands from the Iranians, Channel 12 reports.
The report says the US president is acceding to a request from his envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, to give Iran another day or two to offer a response. The US and Iran are in the midst of negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program, with the US demanding that the Islamic Republic stop all nuclear enrichment. Trump has repeatedly threatened to attack Iran since its deadly crackdown on anti-regime protests last month, and has amassed US forces in the region.
The network quotes an unnamed US official as saying the deadline Trump previously gave Iran for a response, of 10 to 15 days, is “not scientific.”
The network goes on to repeat an Axios report from late yesterday saying that, despite US demands of “zero enrichment” in Iran, Trump might be open to allowing “token” enrichment, leaving a narrow pathway for a deal.
“We will see what he gives us in writing. Based on that, we will see how serious they are. The ball is in their court,” a US official told Axios.
The Axios report also said Trump is weighing a plan to kill Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his son and potential heir.
Trump is keeping his options open. He could decide on an attack at any moment,” a senior Trump adviser told Axios.
Female IDF sergeant indicted for abusing two soldiers as part of ‘hazing ritual’
Illustration: IDF soldiers in the Harel Brigade operate near the Yellow Line in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, in an image published on November 5, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)
A female sergeant in the IDF Artillery Corps was recently indicted for abusing two corporals in her unit as part of a so-called hazing ritual.
Details of the indictment were first reported by the Ynet news site this evening and subsequently confirmed by the military.
According to the indictment, the alleged acts of abuse began in November when the two younger female soldiers completed their training and joined the artillery battalion in which the sergeant served.
The sergeant is accused of abusing the two corporals as a form of “punishment” for minor infractions, summoning them at night, whipping them with her dog tag, striking them with her rifle, and forcing them to sing, despite their pleas for the actions to stop.
The alleged assault lasted about 15 minutes, causing the junior soldiers bruising and pain, and ended with the sergeant telling them to continue the “tradition” with future recruits, according to Ynet.
In response to a query, the IDF says that a military court accepted the prosecution’s request to extend the remand of the sergeant until February 26.
“With the consent of the parties, a mediation process in the case is expected to take place,” the army says.
The IDF says that the battalion commander convened all of the battalion’s soldiers following the incident for a discussion on the matter, “during which the boundaries of what is permitted and prohibited were clarified, and the IDF’s values and the norms expected of all service members were reinforced.”
“The IDF views acts of abuse of any kind gravely, as they are contrary to the law and violate IDF values, and will act to fully prosecute any soldier or commander found to be involved in them,” the military adds.
There have been incidents of so-called hazing in the IDF in the past, and they have generally taken place in infantry and commando units.
Syrian government takes over management of airport held by Kurds
Internal security officers with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) stand guard as a convoy of Syria's Interior Ministry security forces arrives at Qamishli International Airport, eastern Syria, February 8, 2026, under an agreement aimed at stabilizing a ceasefire. (AP/Baderkhan Ahmad)
Syrian authorities have taken over management of Qamishli airport as part of an ongoing process to integrate Kurdish-led forces and institutions into the national government, state media reports.
The SANA news agency, citing the General Authority of Civil Aviation and Air Transport, says officials toured the facility today after assuming control and “discussed mechanisms to restart its operations.”
The head of the authority, Omar al-Husari, says on X that taking over the airport is “an important institutional step in the process of unifying the management of airports under the umbrella of the state.”
The Kurds — who controlled much of northeast Syria before striking the integration deal under military pressure from the government — had taken over the airport following the fall of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in late 2024.
While it was not open to civilian flights, Russia had used part of the facility as a base before withdrawing last month.
Qamishli is the only airport in northeastern Syria, and for years served as a lifeline for the region’s residents, particularly during nearly 14 years of civil war beginning in 2011, during which there were regular flights between it and Damascus.
The airport had remained under the government’s control during the war, and continued to receive flights up until Assad’s overthrow.
Italian broadcaster apologizes after commentator calls to ‘avoid’ Israeli Olympic bobsleigh team
Israel's AJ Edelman (left) Menachem Chen, Uri Zisman and Omer Katz slide down the track during a four-man bobsleigh run at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, February 21, 2026. (AP/Aijaz Rahi)
Italy’s RAI public broadcaster apologizes after a commentator suggested on-air that they “avoid” any discussion of Israel’s Olympic bobsleigh team.
In a comment made off-camera earlier today ahead of the four-man bobsleigh event in Cortina, an Italian commentator says, “Let’s avoid crew 21, which is Israeli.” It is not clear if the remark was a “hot mic” comment not meant to air, or if the commentator intended to say it during the broadcast.
Marco Lollobrigida, the interim director of RAI Sport, issues a statement apologizing and promising to investigate the incident.
“The off-air remark that was broadcast before the four-man bobsleigh race at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics on RAI 2 contained an unacceptable expression that in no way represents the values of public service broadcasting or of RAI Sport,” says Lollobrigida. “On behalf of the directorate, I extend sincere apologies to the Israeli athletes, the delegation, and all viewers. Immediate internal reviews have been launched to determine responsibility. Sport must unite, not divide.”
Giampaolo Rossi, the managing director of RAI, also issues an apology, saying that the incident runs “contrary to the principles of impartiality, respect and inclusion that must characterize public service broadcasting,” adding that a probe will be “aimed at initiating disciplinary proceedings.”
Last week, during the two-man bobsleigh team’s run, a Swiss commentator came under fire for using the entirety of the team’s run to berate captain AJ Edelman’s support of Zionism and Israel, and question if he should have been allowed to compete at the Olympics at all. Swiss broadcaster RTS later pulled the clip from its digital platforms, saying that while the commentary was “factual,” its “length” was not appropriate for a sporting event.
After the four-man bobsleigh team’s first two heats earlier today, Israel is in 24th place out of the 27 teams, after three of them crashed mid-course and did not finish the race. The final two heats will be held tomorrow.
FIFA boss’s Board of Peace appearance doesn’t violate political neutrality, IOC says
Giovanni Vincenzo Infantino, president of FIFA, tries out a USA hat with numbers representing US President Donald Trump's presidential term during a Board of Peace meeting at the US Institute of Peace, February 19, 2026, in Washington, DC. (AP/Mark Schiefelbein)
FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s presence at the inaugural meeting of US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace this week, alongside heads of state and politicians, does not violate any Olympic Charter rules on political neutrality, the International Olympic Committee says.
The boss of global soccer’s governing body, who is also an IOC member, took part in Thursday’s meeting of the Board of Peace, which was set up to oversee postwar Gaza but whose mandate Trump has expanded to resolve other global conflicts, raising concerns that it could rival the United Nations.
“The IOC has been in contact with FIFA,” an IOC spokesperson says. “We understand that FIFA is supporting, through football, a comprehensive sport recovery investment program in Gaza, Palestine, by providing sporting infrastructure, education and elite development proposals.”
“This is entirely in keeping with the role of an international sport federation. The IOC, through Olympic Solidarity, which is our development vehicle, has been and continues to support sport development in the region,” the spokesperson says.
The Olympic Charter states that members must always act independently of commercial and political interests. They also cannot accept “from governments, organisations, or other parties, any mandate or instructions liable to interfere with the freedom of their action and vote,” the Charter says.
Infantino appeared on stage with several heads of state, sported a red hat with ‘USA’ on the front and the numbers 45-47, representing 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.
The US President was also awarded FIFA’s inaugural peace prize in December.
Trump says he will raise US global tariff rate from 10% to 15%
US President Donald Trump speaks during a breakfast with the National Governors Association in the State Dining Room of the White House, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
US President Donald Trump says he will raise from 10 percent to 15% a temporary tariff rate on US imports from all countries, which he imposed after the US Supreme Court ruled against his signature tariff program based on an economic emergency law.
Infuriated by the high court’s ruling, Trump yesterday ordered an immediate 10% tariff on all imports, in addition to any existing tariffs. The law allows him to impose a levy of up to 15% for 150 days, although it could face legal challenges.
During that period, his administration will work on issuing new and “legally permissible” tariffs, he said.
Israel’s US tariff rate of 15% took effect in August.
“I, as President of the United States of America, will be, effective immediately, raising the 10% Worldwide Tariff on Countries, many of which have been ‘ripping’ the US off for decades, without retribution (until I came along!), to the fully allowed, and legally tested, 15% level,” he writes in a social media post.
Report: Iran’s IRGC is currently running Hezbollah, preparing it for war with Israel, US
Mourners chant slogans as they carry the coffins of three Hezbollah operatives killed in Israeli strikes during their funeral procession in the village of Nabi Sheet in eastern Lebanon, February 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
Sources close to Hezbollah are cited by Saudi outlet Al-Arabiya as saying that the Iran-backed Lebanese group has been effectively taken over by officers from Tehran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as Iran prepares for a war with the US and Israel.
The IRGC officers, some of whom recently arrived in Lebanon from Iran, are tasked with rebuilding Hezbollah’s military capabilities and have been personally briefing Hezbollah fighters across Lebanon, according to the sources.
They add that IRGC officers were meeting with members of Hezbollah’s missile unit at a site in Lebanon’s Beqaa Valley that was bombed by Israel last night, amid a wave of airstrikes that wounded at least 50 people and killed 12, including a senior Hezbollah officer, targeting what the IDF said were Hamas and Hezbollah command centers in Lebanon.
A wider Israeli military offensive against Hezbollah is only a matter of time, say the Hezbollah-aligned sources.
Meanwhile, anti-Hezbollah Lebanese outlet Nidaa al-Watan cites “prominent political sources” in the country as saying Beirut must declare its neutrality in case of a US-Iran war, and refuse to let Hezbollah drag Lebanon into war with Israel.
The Ynet news site reported this week that Iran was pressuring Hezbollah to fight alongside it in the event of a war with Israel.
Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem last month said the group would not be neutral in the event of a war, but stopped short of explicitly threatening Israel.
Arab League, Muslim nations condemn Huckabee for ‘Greater Israel’ comments in Carlson interview
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee speaks to Channel 12, in an interview that aired January 31, 2026. (Screenshot)
The Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation both issue statements condemning recent comments made by US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee as “extreme,” “unacceptable” and “a violation of international law and norms.
The statements from the two organizations refer to comments made by Huckabee during his contentious interview with right-wing American commentator Tucker Carlson that aired yesterday, in which he remarked that “it would be fine” if Israel took over so-called Greater Israel, which includes parts of several Arab and Muslim countries. Huckabee then backtracked and said the comment was made hyperbolically.
In its statement, the Arab League condemns Huckabee’s “extreme” comment, in which he “asserted Israel’s right to control the Middle East, citing religious texts from the Old Testament.”
The comments “violated all the basic principles and established norms of diplomacy, as well as defying logic and reason,” the group of 22 Arab nations says, adding that the US envoy’s words “contradict US policies and positions across the board, aimed at currying favor with the right-wing public in Israel.”
“Such extremist and baseless statements inflame religious and nationalistic sentiments at a time when Arab states are meeting under the auspices of the Board of Peace to discuss ways to implement the Gaza peace agreement and seize this opportunity to launch a serious peace process,” it adds.
#أبو_الغيط يدين تصريحات متطرفة للسفير الأمريكي لدى اسرائيل pic.twitter.com/C4e0AbfVoM
— الأمين العام لجامعة الدول العربية (@lassecgen) February 21, 2026
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which is made up of 57 mostly Muslim-majority nations, including the entire Arab League, issues a similar statement, saying it “condemns the dangerous and irresponsible” comments made by Huckabee.
The OIC says the US envoy’s comments were “an unacceptable call for the expansion of Israel” that were “based on a false and rejected historical and ideological narrative.”
Such remarks “fuel extremist ideological rhetoric would fuel extremism and encourage” Israel to ” continue its illegal measures based on displacement, settlement, and attempts to impose annexation” on Palestinian territory, the group says.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (#OIC) condemns the remarks of the US Ambassador to #Israel (#USAmbIsrael) as a clear call to violate international law. #Palestine #WestBank #MiddleEast #MikeHuckabee #Huckabee pic.twitter.com/NMCUiGutqF
— OIC (@OIC_OCI) February 21, 2026
Huckabee, a devout Christian, made the comment after being pressed by the Carlson on his assertion that a part of the Jewish people’s right to the land stemmed from God’s promise to Abraham, while noting that that promised land spanned a far larger territory than that of today’s Israel, encompassing much of present-day’s Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Iraq. He asked whether it did not follow then that Israel had a right to take land from neighboring Arab countries.
After initially avoiding the matter, Huckabee eventually said, “It would be fine if they took it all,” while swiftly adding that this was not on the table as “They’re not asking to take it over.”
Carlson then asked the US ambassador to confirm he was fine with Israel taking over “all of Syria, all of Lebanon.” Huckabee responded, “That’s really not exactly what I’m trying to say,” adding that “It was somewhat of a hyperbolic statement.”
In a subsequent back-and-forth, Carlson demanded to know whether Huckabee believes Israel “has a moral right to take over what are now other people’s countries,” as the envoy insisted he had not said that. Eventually, Huckabee said: “If they end up getting attacked by all these places and they win that war and they take that land, then, okay, that’s a whole other discussion.”
Hezbollah official says only choice is ‘resistance’ after Israeli strike kills 8 operatives
An excavator clears rubble of buildings destroyed in IDF airstrikes in the village of Ali al-Nahri in the center of Lebanon's eastern Beqaa Valley region on February 21, 2026. (AFP)
Senior Hezbollah political leader and Lebanese parliament member Mahmoud Qamati says that the group’s only choice is “resistance” after an Israeli strike in eastern Lebanon killed eight of the group’s operatives a day before.
“What happened yesterday in the Beqaa is a new massacre and a new aggression, exceeding all the previous levels of aggression against Lebanon,” Qamati says in a speech broadcast by Hezbollah’s Al-Manar network during a protest in Beirut.
“What option do we have left to defend ourselves and our country? What option do we have other than resistance? We no longer have any [other] option.”
The strike in the Beqaa Valley killed eight Hezbollah operatives, including one described as a “commander,” the group said earlier today.
The IDF said the strikes targeted three command centers belonging to Hezbollah’s missile array, killing a “large number” of operatives. According to Lebanese media, the strikes killed at least 10 and wounded over 50.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
IDF filmed firing tear gas at Palestinians playing soccer in West Bank
IDF soldiers were filmed last night firing a canister of tear gas into a soccer field where young Palestinians were playing in the central West Bank village of Ni’lin, appearing to pose no threat to troops.
Asked for comment on the incident yesterday, the IDF spokesperson’s unit said it would look into it but did not issue a response.
ג׳יפ צבאי זורק פצצת גז מדמיע לתוך מגרש קט-רגל בו משחקים נערים פלסטינים בחודש רמדאן בכפר נעלין באיזור רמאללה.
50 גוונים של כיבוש.A military jeep fires a tear gas canister into a mini football field where Palestinian teenagers are playing during the month of Ramadan in the… pic.twitter.com/8g72klfm7T
— Ahmad Tibi (@Ahmad_tibi) February 20, 2026
Pezeshkian says Iran ‘will not bow’ to pressure from global powers amid tensions with US
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian says that his country will not bow its head to pressure from world powers amid nuclear talks with the United States.
“World powers are lining up to force us to bow our heads… but we will not bow our heads despite all the problems that they are creating for us,” Pezeshkian says in a speech carried live by state TV.
Hezbollah announces deaths of 8 operatives in IDF strikes in Beqaa Valley, including commander
Hezbollah announces the deaths of eight operatives in last night’s Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon’s eastern Beqaa Valley.
One of the operatives, Hussein Mohammed Yaghi, is identified by Hezbollah as a “commander.” Hezbollah rarely refers to its senior operatives slain in Israeli strikes as commanders.
The terror group says the eight operatives were killed “while defending Lebanon and its people during a treacherous Israeli attack on the Beqaa region.”
The IDF said it had targeted three command centers belonging to Hezbollah’s missile array in the strikes, killing a “large number” of operatives.
According to Lebanese media, the strikes killed at least 10 and wounded over 50.
Students in Iran hold anti-regime rallies on campuses, opposition outlet reports
Students at universities in the Iranian cities of Tehran and Mashhad hold protests against the Islamic Republic, according to the opposition Iran International outlet.
At Tehran’s Beheshti University, students hold a sit-in in memory of those slain during last month’s crackdown on anti-regime protests, as well as in support of students imprisoned, a statement by the Student Union cited by the outlet says.
Students also protest at the city’s Amirkabir University of Technology, footage shows, with demonstrators yelling “long live the king,” in reference to the ousted monarch’s son, Reza Pahlavi.
The Student Union later says that security forces blocked the school’s exit and detained students.
ویدیوی رسیده به ایران اینترنشنال نشان میدهد روز شنبه دوم اسفند دانشجویان دانشگاه امیرکبیر در تجمع خود شعار «جیرهخور» خطاب به نیروهای سرکوب بسیج و همچنین شعارهای اعتراضی سر میدهند. pic.twitter.com/7fWad16edM
— ايران اينترنشنال (@IranIntl) February 21, 2026
According to Iran International, the protests at Tehran’s Sharif University turned into clashes when the Basij militia attacked the rally. Footage published by the outlet apparently shows protesters chanting, “shameless,” against the militia operatives.
نیروهای بسیج دانشگاه صنعتی شریف در واکنش به تجمع دانشجویان برای یادبود جاویدنامان انقلاب علیه جمهوری اسلامی به آنها حمله کرده و درگیر شدند. دانشجویان این دانشگاه شعار «ایران» و «جاوید شاه» سر دادند. pic.twitter.com/IUWfU0KKeV
— ايران اينترنشنال (@IranIntl) February 21, 2026
At Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, footage obtained by Iran International shows students chanting “freedom.”
ویدیوی رسیده به ایران اینترنشنال نشان میدهد روز شنبه دانشجویان دانشگاه علوم پزشکی مشهد همزمان با دانشگاههای تهران تجمع اعتراضی برگزار کردند. این دانشجویان شعار آزادی سر دادند. pic.twitter.com/u6Exr4CV1J
— ايران اينترنشنال (@IranIntl) February 21, 2026
IDF: Terror operative killed by troops after crossing Gaza ceasefire line
The military says a Palestinian terror operative who crossed the Gaza ceasefire line in the Strip’s north earlier today was killed by troops.
According to the IDF, the terror operative crossed the Yellow Line and approached soldiers of the Gaza Division’s Northern Brigade “in a manner that posed an immediate threat.”
The troops then “eliminated the terrorist in order to remove the threat,” the army says.
Ukaine reportedly strikes missile factory deep inside Russia
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian drones strike an industrial site deep inside Russia, which a Russian news channel says was a key state-owned missile factory.
The attack takes place in Russia’s Udmurt Republic, leaving 11 hurt, three of whom were hospitalized, according to a Telegram post by Sergei Bagin, the local health minister.
“One of the republic’s facilities was attacked by drones” launched by Ukraine, regional head Alexander Brechalov says in another Telegram post. He adds that the strike caused injuries and damage, but did not name the site or give further details.
An unofficial Russian news channel on Telegram, Astra, says the strike targeted the Votkinsk Machine Building Plant, a major state defense enterprise. Astra says its claim was based on an analysis of footage from residents.
There was no immediate comment from Ukrainian authorities.
The Votkinsk factory, more than 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) from Ukraine, produces Iskander ballistic missiles, often used in strikes against the country, as well as nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles.
Other Russian news channels post videos and photos, which they say were from Votkinsk residents, showing black smoke rising from an industrial site and blown-out windows on buildings.
Another unofficial Russian Telegram channel, SHOT, which often quotes contacts in the security services, says residents of Votkinsk reported hearing at least three blasts during the night, as well as what they thought was the humming of drones.
In Udmurtia, Russia, a military factory producing the Iskander and Oreshnik missiles has been attacked.
The Votkinsk Factory is one of the key enterprises in Russia's military-industrial complex. pic.twitter.com/6EplBeBCCE
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) February 21, 2026
Section of cliff at Herzliya beach collapses, area closed to public
A collapsed cliff on Sidna Ali beach in Herzliya, February 21, 2026. (Nature and Parks Authority/Asaf Nissenbaum)
A section of a cliff at Herzliya’s Sidney Ali Beach collapsed this morning, leading authorities to close the section of the coastline.
The Nature and Parks Authority says the area is closed to the public until further notice due to the danger of additional collapses.
The authority adds that there is a danger of cliffs collapsing along a long stretch of Israel’s coastline, from Palmachim to the northern city of Hadera.
Driver rams into Brisbane Synagogue, is charged with hate crime; police say incident not terror
A vehicle rams into the gates of Brisbane Synagogue in Queensland, Australia, February 20, 2026. (Screenshot/X; used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)
A car rammed into the Brisbane Synagogue in Queensland, Australia, last night, narrowly missing a person, footage shows.
The Toyota Hilux is seen backing up into the gates of the Queensland state capital’s largest synagogue while a person moves out of the way, according to the footage.
Police located the vehicle a short while later and arrested a 32-year-old man, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
The driver is charged with wilful damage, serious vilification or hate crime, dangerous operation of a vehicle, and drug offenses, according to the ABC report.
Authorities are treating the incident as criminal, and not terror, the report says. It says that police believe the man did not intend to enter the synagogue.
Australia’s Anti-Defamation League condemns the “violent vehicle attack” on the synagogue, calling it “a chilling assault on a sacred place of worship and a stark reminder that antisemitism in Australia is escalating beyond words.”
“While no one was physically injured, the deliberate targeting of a house of worship has sent shockwaves through the Jewish community and reinforced the urgent need for decisive action against hate-fuelled violence,” it says.
Dr. Dvir Abramovich, the chair of the group, says: “A ute [utility vehicle] didn’t just smash into metal gates last night. It smashed into the idea that Jews in Australia can pray in peace. When a vehicle is driven at a synagogue that is intimidation on wheels.
“We are told this is not being treated as terrorism. But when a synagogue is deliberately attacked, the label matters less than the impact. The fear is real. The shock is real. The message is unmistakable. Since October 7, antisemitism in this country has not whispered, it has roared,” he says.
???? Brisbane Synagogue attack on Friday night ????
Police released CCTV footage of a Toyota Hilux ramming the synagogue's iron gates, narrowly missing a person walking on the other side.
Vision of the incident shows the driver narrowly avoiding hitting a person standing behind the… pic.twitter.com/qAcywFkVMw
— Meshy (@meshygrey) February 21, 2026
After alleged test, US believes China building new generation of nukes — report
The DF-5C liquid-fueled intercontinental strategic nuclear missile takes part in a military parade to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Japan's World War II surrender held in front of Tiananmen Gate in Beijing, Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
US intelligence agencies suspect China is building a new generation of nuclear weapons, noting at least one secret explosive test in 2020, CNN reports, citing multiple sources familiar with Washington’s assessments.
Evidence collected by US intelligence since a secret explosive nuclear test in June 2020 has led to the belief that Beijing is seeking to create more advanced nuclear weapons, according to the sources and statements from US officials.
The efforts include creating systems capable of delivering multiple mini nukes in a single missile, as well as tactical nuclear weapons, which the People’s Republic has not yet developed, sources say.
The low-yield, tactical nuclear weapons could be used in a response to a potential US defense of Taiwan in the event of an invasion by Beijing, sources add.
A Pentagon official responds to the report, saying it “does not comment on intelligence assessments tied to specific alleged nuclear test events.”
Liu Pengyu, a spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, tells CNN that “the United States has distorted and smeared China’s nuclear policy.”
“This is political manipulation aimed at pursuing nuclear hegemony and evading its own nuclear disarmament responsibilities,” Pengyu says, adding that the allegation of the 2020 test is “entirely unfounded.”
Eight Hezbollah operatives killed in Israeli strikes yesterday, official from terror group says
A heavily-damaged building is pictured in the village of Ali al-Nahri in the center of Lebanon's eastern Beqaa Valley region on February 21, 2026, following Israeli strikes. (AFP)
BEIRUT, Lebanon — Attacks carried out by Israel yesterday in eastern Lebanon killed eight members of Hezbollah, an official from the terror group tells AFP.
Lebanon’s health ministry said Friday that a total of 10 people were killed in strikes that hit the eastern Beqaa region.
The Israeli military said it targeted “several terrorists of Hezbollah’s missile array in three different command centers in the Baalbek area.”
Serbia tells citizens to leave Iran ‘as soon as possible’
BELGRADE, Serbia — Serbia has urged its citizens in Iran to leave the country “as soon as possible,” after US President Donald Trump threatened military action over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program.
The Balkan nation had already invited Serbian nationals in mid-January to leave Iran and not to travel there, as the country’s clerical authorities launched a bloody crackdown on a mass protest movement.
“Due to the deteriorating security situation, citizens of the Republic of Serbia are not recommended to travel to Iran in the coming period,” the Serbian Foreign Ministry says in a statement on its website published overnight.
“All those who are in Iran are recommended to leave the country as soon as possible.”
IDF: ‘Large number’ of Hezbollah operatives killed in strikes on Lebanon last night
A “large number” of Hezbollah operatives, members of the terror group’s missile array, were killed in Israeli airstrikes in eastern Lebanon last night, the IDF says.
The military says it targeted three command centers belonging to Hezbollah in the Baalbek area in the Beqaa Valley as part of the strikes.
According to Lebanese media, the strikes killed 10 and wounded some 30 others. The IDF says that the strikes “eliminated a large number of operatives belonging to the missile array of the Hezbollah terror organization.”
“The operatives were recently identified working to accelerate readiness and force build-up processes, while planning to fire toward the State of Israel and advancing terror attack plans that endanger IDF troops and the civilians of the State of Israel,” the military says in a statement.
The IDF says that Hezbollah’s missile array was “currently working to plan” rocket and missile attacks against Israel, and that the operatives’ activities “constitute a violation of the ceasefire understandings between Israel and Lebanon.”
“The IDF will continue to operate against any entrenchment and arming attempts conducted by Hezbollah, and will act decisively to remove any threat to the citizens of the State of Israel,” the military says, adding that it “continues to remain committed to the ceasefire.”
בהמשך לתקיפת המפקדות של ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה במרחב הבקעא: חוסלו מחבלים במערך הטילאות בארגון
צה”ל תקף אתמול במרחב בעלבכ וחיסל מספר רב של מחבלים המשתייכים למערך הטילאות של ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה, בשלוש מפקדות שונות של הארגון.
המחבלים זוהו פועלים בעת האחרונה להאצת תהליכי מוכנות… pic.twitter.com/HwwKFO7Sxq
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) February 21, 2026
Lebanon’s Aoun says Israeli strikes ‘frustrate’ efforts to achieve stability
A vehicle drives past the rubble of a building that was hit in January by an Israeli strike in the southern Lebanese village of Qannarit, on February 16, 2026. (Joseph EID / AFP)
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun slams Israeli airstrikes yesterday in the Sidon and Beqaa Valley regions, saying the attacks hinder efforts to stabilize the country.
The continuation of strikes “constitutes a hostile act described to frustrate the efforts and diplomatic endeavors that Lebanon is making with its brotherly and friendly countries, led by the United States of America, to stabilize stability and stop Israeli hostilities against Lebanon,” Aoun says, according to a statement by his office.
These raids “represent a new violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty and a clear violation of international obligations, and also reflect a denial of the will of the international community, especially the United Nations resolutions calling for full compliance with Resolution 1701 and its implementation in all its aspects,” he says.
Aoun calls in the international community “to assume their responsibilities to stop the attacks immediately, and to press towards respecting the international resolutions, to preserve Lebanon’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, and avoid further escalation and tension in the region,” he says.
Venezuela grants amnesty to 379 political prisoners, lawmaker says
CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuelan authorities granted amnesty to 379 political prisoners, according to a lawmaker overseeing the process, after a new mass amnesty law was enacted following the ouster of former leader Nicolas Maduro.
Venezuela’s National Assembly unanimously adopted the law on Thursday, providing hope that hundreds of political prisoners behind bars may soon be released.
National Assembly deputy Jorge Arreaza said in a televised interview yesterday that a total of 379 people “must be released, granted amnesty, between tonight and tomorrow morning.”
“Requests have been submitted by the Public Prosecutor’s Office to the competent courts to grant amnesty measures,” he said.
Many relatives of prisoners across Venezuela have waited outside jails for weeks for the potential release of their loved ones.
Hundreds have already been granted conditional release by Interim President Delcy Rodriguez’s government since the deadly US raid that seized Maduro.
US appeals court paves way for display of Ten Commandments in Louisiana schools
A copy of the Ten Commandments is posted along with other historical documents in a hallway of the Georgia Capitol, June 20, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
A US appeals court has cleared the way for a Louisiana law requiring poster-sized displays of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms to take effect.
The 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals votes 12-6 to lift a block that a lower court first placed on the law in 2024. In the opinion released yesterday, the court says it was too early to make a judgment call on the constitutionality of the law.
That’s partly because it’s not yet clear how prominently schools may display the religious text, if teachers will refer to the Ten Commandments during classes, or if other texts like the Mayflower Compact or the Declaration of Independence will also be displayed, the majority opinion said.
Without those sorts of details, the panel decided it did not have enough information to weigh any First Amendment issues that might arise from the law. In other words, there aren’t enough facts available to “permit judicial judgment rather than speculation,” the majority writes in the opinion.
In a concurring opinion, Circuit Judge James Ho, an appointee of Republican US President Donald Trump, writes that the law “is not just constitutional — it affirms our nation’s highest and most noble traditions.”
Report: US could be open to ‘token’ enrichment if Iran blocked from developing nuke; one military scenario ‘takes out the ayatollah and his son’
Men stand next to a model missile and a nuclear enrichment centrifuge during a rally outside the former US embassy in Tehran as Iranians mark the 46th anniversary of the start of the Iran hostage crisis, on November 4, 2025. (Atta Kenare/ AFP)
The Trump administration is open to considering a proposal that would allow Iran to retain a “token” nuclear enrichment capability if Tehran’s route to an atomic bomb is fully sealed off, a senior US official is quoted telling Axios.
The news site says that while there could be a small opening for a deal, US officials say the proposal that Iran is expected to submit in the coming days must clear a very high bar to win over skeptics in the Trump administration and Middle East.
“President Trump will be ready to accept a deal that would be substantive and that he can sell politically at home. If the Iranians want to prevent an attack they should give us an offer we can’t refuse. The Iranians keep missing the window. If they play games there won’t be a lot of patience,” the senior US official says.
Another senior Trump adviser quoted in the report stresses that the US president “hasn’t decided to strike yet. I know that because we haven’t struck. He might never do it. He might wake up tomorrow and say, ‘That’s it.'”
According to the adviser, Trump has been presented with a range of military options for Iran.
“They have something for every scenario. One scenario takes out the ayatollah and his son and the mullahs,” the adviser elaborates, referring to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and his son Mojtaba. “What the president chooses no one knows. I don’t think he knows.”
Another adviser says: “Trump is keeping his options open. He could decide on an attack at any moment.”
Iranian FM refused to open envelope containing US proposals on missiles — source
FILE - Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi looks on during a meeting with Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi, and Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, at Tahrir Palace in Cairo, September 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Khaled Elfiqi, File)
Israel’s government believes Tehran and Washington are at an impasse and is making preparations for possible joint military action with the United States, though no decision has been made yet on whether to carry out such an operation, says a source familiar with the planning.
Two Israeli officials tells Reuters they believe the gaps between Washington and Tehran are unbridgeable and that the chances of a near‑term military escalation are high.
Two rounds of Iran-US talks have stalled on core issues, from uranium enrichment to missiles and sanctions relief.
When Omani mediators delivered an envelope from the US side containing missile‑related proposals, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi refused even to open it and returned it, a source familiar with the talks says.
After talks in Geneva on Tuesday, Araghchi said the sides had agreed on “guiding principles,” but the White House said there was still distance between them.
Iran is expected to submit a written proposal in the coming days, a US official says, and Araghchi said on Friday he expected to have a draft counterproposal ready within days.
Las Vegas cops investigating car-ramming at power substation as potential terrorism
Las Vegas police say they’re investigating a car that rammed into a power substation as a ” terrorism-related event.”
There’s no ongoing threat to the public, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sheriff Kevin McMahill says during a news conference.
The driver of the vehicle was 23-year-old Dawson Maloney from Albany, New York, who was reported missing and died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, McMahill says.
The man had communicated with family before the crash, referencing self-harm, and said he was going to commit an act that would place him on the news. He referred to himself as a terrorist in a message sent to his mother, according to police.
Authorities found explosive materials and multiple books “related to extremist ideologies” in Maloney’s hotel room, McMahill says. The books included ones about right- and left-wing extremism, environmental extremism, white supremacism and anti-government ideology, he says.
“These findings significantly elevate the seriousness of this incident,” McMahill says.
Maloney is listed as a student at Albany Law School in the class of 2027. He was also an honors student for multiple semesters at Siena University, located in New York.
Two shotguns, an assault rifle-style pistol, and flame throwers were found in his rental car, McMahill says. Maloney was wearing what police describe as “soft-body armor.”
Authorities recovered a 3D printer and several gun components needed to assemble a firearm from an Albany residence.
PA welcomes creation of formal communication channel with Board of Peace
Palestinian Authority Vice President Hussein al-Sheikh welcomes the establishment of a formal communication channel between the PA and the Board of Peace.
The channel, dubbed the Liaison Office, was announced earlier Friday by the Board of Peace’s High Representative for Gaza Nickolay Mladenov, two days after The Times of Israel revealed that the US had approved the measure.
We welcome the announcement by Mr. Nikolay Mladenov of the establishment of the Palestinian Authority’s liaison office, which will provide an official channel for coordination and communication between the Board of Peace’s Representative’s office and the Palestinian Authority to… https://t.co/3S8561dKWK
— حسين الشيخ Hussein Al Sheikh (@HusseinSheikhpl) February 20, 2026
US denies reported Iranian offer to halt enrichment for 3 years, not attack Israel with ballistic missiles
This handout photo released by the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on February 16, 2026, shows Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (L) meeting with Oman's Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad al-Busaidi in Geneva. (Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs / AFP)
A senior US official flatly denies an unsourced report in Iran International claiming that Iran presented a proposal during the previous round of nuclear talks in which it agreed to halt nuclear enrichment for three years and commit to not using its ballistic missiles to attack Israel.
Asked to confirm the report, the senior US official calls it, “Completely false.”
According to Iran International, US special envoy Steve Witkoff quickly rejected the series of Iranian concessions as not going nearly far enough and refused to even negotiate on the proposal further. After the three-year halt on uranium enrichment, the report says the Iranian proposal offered to subsequently limit enrichment to 3.67 percent. Already enriched uranium would be diluted under American supervision or transferred to a third country, preferably Russia, the purported proposal stated.
While the US has insisted at times on Iran giving up its ballistic missiles, the report says the proposal envisions Iran keeping them while committing to only using them in a defensive posture, rather than for attacking Israel.
The proposal also reportedly included an Iranian commitment not to publicly cast doubt on Israel’s right to exist in addition to avoiding the advancement of the Palestinian national cause through military means — an apparent reference to support for Hamas and Hezbollah.
The sale of Iran’s oil would be conducted through Swiss mediation and include a 5% commission for the United States, the proposal said.
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