Live updates (closed)
The Times of Israel liveblogged Friday’s events as they happened.
Air France joins KLM in canceling weekend flights to Israel amid regional tensions
An Air France Airbus A320 approaches for landing in Lisbon, Portugal, October 10, 2023. (AP/Armando Franca)
French airline Air France has joined Dutch airline KLM in canceling its weekend flights to Israel amid heightened regional security tensions, Hebrew media reports.
The move follows KLM’s decision to suspend its Tel Aviv route until Sunday, along with flights to Dubai and Saudi Arabia.
Turkey’s foreign minister says Israel seeking opportunity to attack Iran
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan looks on as he attends a session on the opening day of the Doha Forum, an annual diplomatic conference, in Doha, December 6, 2025. (Mahmud Hams/AFP)
ANKARA — Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan says there are signs that Israel is still seeking an opportunity to attack Iran, warning such a move could further destabilize the region.
“I hope they find a different path, but the reality is that Israel, in particular, is looking for an opportunity to strike Iran,” Fidan says in a televised interview.
Three injured in car explosion in north; police suspect criminal motive
Police say they have launched an investigation into a car explosion on Route 65 near the town of Ar’ara in northern Israel.
Three people were evacuated from the scene in light to moderate condition, according to medical officials.
Police from the nearby Ma’ale Iron station and a bomb disposal unit were dispatched to the area to collect evidence and investigate. The incident is believed to be criminal in nature, according to the police.
Rafah reopening was imposed on Israel by Gaza mediators, officials tell ToI
This picture taken on November 1, 2023 shows a view of the gate to the Rafah border crossing with Egypt in the southern Gaza Strip (Mohammed ABED / AFP)
The reopening of the Rafah Crossing was imposed on Israel, a US official and an Arab diplomat tell The Times of Israel.
The Arab diplomat says mediators of the Gaza ceasefire recognized that Israel wasn’t going to agree on its own to reopen the border gate between Egypt and Gaza.
While Trump’s 20-point plan for ending the Gaza war envisioned the reopening of Rafah at the start of the ceasefire that was reached in October, Israel has sought to limit its use to the exit of Gazans while insisting on the return of the final hostage and the disarmament of Hamas before making the gate fully operational.
Recognizing that Israel wasn’t going to budge on the issue, Gaza mediators decided to go ahead and announce Rafah’s reopening this week during the signing ceremony for the Board of Peace in Davos, Switzerland, the Arab diplomat says.
The reopening was first announced by the chief commissioner of the National Committee for the Administration of Palestine, with the Arab diplomat explaining that it was part of the Gaza mediators’ effort to secure quick wins for NCAG, the 12-member panel of Palestinian technocrats tasked with replacing Hamas in running Gaza’s daily affairs.
The Arab diplomat says Israel was informed ahead of time that the announcement was going to be made, even if it wasn’t consulted.
The issue was raised during Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s meetings with Trump and his top aides in Florida last month, where Washington made clear that it expected Israel to reopen Rafah, a US official says, adding that the Israeli premier indicated that he would comply.
Even after the announcement in Davos, Netanyahu’s office has held off on confirming that Rafah will indeed reopen next week, instead issuing a statement to reporters attributed to an anonymous Israeli official who said that the security cabinet would discuss the issue at the beginning of the week, previewing a meeting whose conclusion appeared foregone.
The Prime Minister’s Office does not respond to a request for comment.
Dutch airline cancels weekend flights to Tel Aviv, Dubai, Saudi Arabia amid regional tensions
A KLM Royal Dutch airplane (Wikimedia commons/ Arpingstone/ Public Domain)
Dutch airline KLM has canceled its flights to Tel Aviv until Sunday amid heightened security tensions in the region, according to Hebrew media reports.
The carrier has also reportedly suspended flights to Dubai and Saudi Arabia.
UN refugee agency says entered Syria IS-linked camp, resumes aid delivery
The UN refugee agency says it managed to enter a camp in northeastern Syria housing thousands of suspected relatives of Islamic State group fighters, and has resumed aid deliveries.
After initially saying volatile security had prevented it from entering, UNHCR says on X that it, “accompanied by Syrian Government officials, was able to enter inside Al-Hol camp,” adding that “the delivery of essential supplies has resumed, including trucks carrying bread.”
Argentine news channel fires US correspondent due to antisemitic comments
C5N, a highly popular Argentine news channel, has fired its US correspondent, Silvina Sterin Pensel, after a series of posts on social media, in which she called for the expulsion of Israeli citizens visiting Argentina.
Last week, Pensel accused Israelis of “genocide” and tweeted, “Get Out Of Argentina,” seemingly in reference to conspiracy theories that spread in Argentina, alleging Israeli tourists had started a wildfire in the Patagonia region.
Those claims were later found to be unfounded, prompting condemnations from Jewish leaders and public officials.
A C5N source told Clarin, an Argentine newspaper, that Pensel’s “radicalized ideas and fanaticism have no place in our space.” The news channel’s decision came after Patricia Bullrich, an Argentine senator and former minister of security, publicly called Pensel’s comments “antisemitic.”
Por más que los “turistas” israelies sean turistas sin comillas y que no estén armando fogatas y simplemente divirtiéndose y pasando el rato, son GEN0CIDAS. Representan -y muchos quizás han formado parte- de quienes vienen exterminando al pueblo palestin0. Fuera de Argentina!!!!
— SilvinaSterinPensel (@SilSterinPensel) January 16, 2026
Report: US set to deport dozens of Iranians, including LGBTQ couple, despite human rights concerns
The US is expected to deport dozens of Iranians back to Iran as soon as Sunday, CNN reports, citing sources familiar with the matter.
According to the news outlet, the flight would mark the first known US deportation to Iran since widespread anti-government protests erupted in recent weeks, and US President Donald Trump threatened the Islamic Regime over its violent crackdown.
CNN notes there are growing concerns over the fate of those on board, including a same-sex couple who have reportedly been told they will be deported despite facing what their lawyer describes as an “extremely high chance” of execution for being gay if they return to Iran.
“They’re facing death sentences by hanging,” Bekah Wolf, a lawyer with the American Immigration Council, tells CNN, saying the pair had previously been arrested by Iran’s morality police and prosecuted for conduct punishable by death.
CNN says it has reached out to Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the White House for comment, though they have yet to respond.
Netanyahu set to host Kushner, Witkoff for talks on Gaza, Iran — report
US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff delivers a speech as Jared Kushner looks on upon the signing of the declaration on deploying post-ceasefire force in Ukraine, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, January 6, 2026. (Ludovic Marin, Pool photo via AP)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will host senior White House adviser Jared Kushner and US special envoy Steve Witkoff in Jerusalem tomorrow night, Channel 12 reports, citing senior Israeli officials.
According to the report, the meeting will focus on Hamas and Gaza, with an emphasis on efforts to secure the return of Ran Gvili, the last remaining hostage still held in Gaza, as well as possible discussions regarding Iran.
Zamir tells parents of last hostage Ran Gvili there’s ‘room for optimism’
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir told the parents of slain police officer Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, the last remaining hostage in Gaza, that there is “room for optimism” in bringing him home, Channel 12 news reports.
According to the IDF, Zamir stopped his car outside the military headquarters in Tel Aviv earlier today to speak with Itzik and Talik Gvili.
In footage released by the military, Zamir is seen talking with the couple as Talik tells him, “We trust you, really. We trust you a lot.”
הרמטכ"ל אייל זמיר נפגש היום עם הוריו של החטוף רן גואילי. רא"ל זמיר עמד על מחויבות צה"ל להשיב את גואילי הביתה והדגיש כי משימת השבתו היא משימה הנמצאת בראשם ובלבם של כלל חיילי צה"ל, מהרמטכ"ל ועד אחרון החיילים@ela1949 @roysharon11 pic.twitter.com/zdBaThVLQZ
— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) January 23, 2026
PA reports 59-year-old Palestinian killed by IDF near Nablus; no comment from military
A man was killed by IDF gunfire in the Palestinian village of Madma, south of Nablus in the northern West Bank, the Palestinian Authority’s General Authority for Civilian Affairs says.
He is identified as Jabarin Kot, 59. The IDF detained his body, the GACA says.
الهيئة العامة للشؤون المدنية تبلغ وزارة الصحة باستشهاد المواطن جبرين احمد جبر قط ( 59 عاما) برصاص الاحتلال في بلدة مادما بمحافظة نابلس، واحتجاز جثمانه. pic.twitter.com/tRrWsodRdo
— القسطل الإخباري (@AlQastalps) January 23, 2026
Separately, the PA’s official news agency WAFA reports that several Palestinians were injured after inhaling tear-gas from canisters launched by the IDF during a violent clash between Palestinians and settlers outside the nearby Palestinian village of Qusra.
The military does not immediately respond to a request for comment on either incident.
UN rights council votes to deepen scrutiny of Iran
The United Nations Human Rights Council votes to deepen its scrutiny of Iran amid alarm over its crackdown on protests that left thousands dead.
The 47-member body voted — with 25 in favor, seven opposed and the rest abstaining — for a resolution extending and broadening the mandate of independent investigators gathering information toward ensuring accountability for rights violations in the country.
ADL calls out influx of ‘antisemitic dog whistles’ employed by Saudi media figures
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman speaks at the Saudi-US Investment Forum at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,May 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
The Anti-Defamation League calls out what it says is a recent influx of “openly antisemitic dog whistles” by Saudi media figures.
The apparent trend includes significant targeting of the United Arab Emirates amid Saudi Arabia’s ongoing feud and mounting rift with its Gulf neighbor over a variety of foreign policy issues, including Yemen and Somalia. Some analysts speculate that the rhetoric against Abu Dhabi is the result of a directive from the Saudi royal family.
A front page story in the Saudi newspaper Al-Jazirah yesterday claimed the UAE “was the biggest instigator of the Zionist entity’s aggression against the Gaza Strip.”
“ADL is alarmed by the increasing frequency and volume of prominent Saudi voices — analysts, journalists, and preachers — using openly antisemitic dog whistles and aggressively pushing anti-Abraham Accords rhetoric, often while peddling conspiracy theories about ‘Zionist plots,'” a statement from the group says.
“This is harmful on many levels, diminishing the prospect of peaceful coexistence in the region and weakening regional initiatives promoting tolerance, understanding, and prosperity,” the ADL adds.
The Al-Jazirah article was deleted from the paper’s website shortly after this post was published.
EU concerned about Trump ‘concentration of powers’ over ‘Board of Peace,’ document says
The facade of the Berlaymont building, which houses the European Union Commission headquarters, seen in Brussels on February 18, 2025. (Nicolas TUCAT / AFP)
The European Union’s foreign policy arm has raised questions about US President Donald Trump’s broad powers over his new Board of Peace, according to an internal document seen by Reuters.
Trump has urged world leaders to join his Board of Peace initiative aimed at resolving conflicts globally, but many Western heads of government have been reluctant to take part.
In a confidential analysis dated January 19 and shared with the EU’s member countries, the European External Action Service expressed worries about a concentration of power in Trump’s hands.
The Board of Peace’s charter “raises a concern under the EU’s constitutional principles” and “the autonomy of the EU legal order also militates against a concentration of powers in the hands of the chairman,” the bloc’s diplomatic service wrote.
The document also says the new Board of Peace “departs significantly” from the mandate that was authorized by the United Nations Security Council in November and is solely focused on the Gaza conflict.
Merz says Berlin cannot accept Trump’s Board of Peace plan in current form
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz attends a press conference at the end of an intergovernmental summit at Villa Doria Pamphilj in Rome, January 23, 2026. (Gregorio Borgia/AP)
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz says he would be ready to join US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace initiative for the sake of Gaza, but cannot accept the plan in its current form.
“In the form in which the peace board is currently set up, we cannot accept its governance structures in Germany for constitutional reasons,” Merz says in a joint news conference with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome.
“However, we are of course prepared to explore other forms — new forms — of cooperation with the United States of America if the aim is to find new formats that bring us closer to peace in different regions of the world.”
Merz says these formats would not need to be limited only to Gaza and the Middle East but could also apply, for example, to Ukraine.
Meloni calls for revision of Trump’s Board of Peace so Italy can join
Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni speaks during a press conference at the end of an intergovernmental summit at Villa Doria Pamphilj in Rome, January 23, 2026. (Gregorio Borgia/AP)
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni says she has asked US President Donald Trump to amend the terms of his Board of Peace in order to resolve constitutional issues that have prevented Italy from joining it.
The Board of Peace is a new US-led international body created to oversee post-war governance in Gaza and potentially broader conflict-resolution efforts.
Under Italy’s constitution, the country can only join international organisations on equal terms with other states — a condition that Meloni says is not met by the board’s current statute, which gives Trump extensive executive powers.
US targets Iran’s ‘shadow fleet’ over crackdown on protesters
Tankers are seen at the Khor Fakkan Container Terminal, the only natural deep-sea port in the region and one of the major container ports in the Sharjah Emirate, along the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway through which one-fifth of global oil output passes, on June 23, 2025. (Giuseppe CACACE / AFP)
The United States imposes sanctions on nine vessels of what is known as the shadow fleet and eight related firms, the US Treasury Department says in a statement, as Washington seeks to escalate pressure on Iran over the recent killing of protesters.
The Treasury says the vessels and their respective owners or management firms, which include entities based in India, Oman and the United Arab Emirates, have collectively transported hundreds of millions of dollars worth of Iranian oil and petroleum products to foreign markets.
“Today’s sanctions target a critical component of how Iran generates the funds used to repress its own people. As previously outlined, Treasury will continue to track the tens of millions of dollars that the regime has stolen and is desperately attempting to wire to banks outside of Iran,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says in the statement.
Rights groups say thousands of people, including bystanders, have been killed during the unrest in Iran, which they describe as the biggest crackdown since Shi’ite Muslim clerics took power in the 1979 revolution.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to intervene against Iran over the recent killings of protesters there, but protests dwindled last week and Trump’s rhetoric regarding Iran has eased.
The shadow fleet refers to ships that carry oil that is under sanctions. They are typically old, their ownership opaque and they sail without the top-tier insurance cover needed to meet international standards for oil majors and many ports.
Russia-Ukraine-US talks started in Abu Dhabi: UAE
This combination of pictures created on May 12, 2025, shows Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky. (Gavriil Grigorov and Nhac Nguyen/Various Sources/AFP)
Talks between Russia, Ukraine and the United States open in Abu Dhabi, the UAE foreign minister says, the first time the sides are known to have met face-to-face to discuss a US plan to end the nearly four-year war.
“The talks commenced today in Abu Dhabi and are scheduled to continue over two days,” Emirati Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed says in a statement.
UNICEF says it brought children’s art supplies into Gaza for first time in two years
A Palestinian man stands next to a truck carrying UNICEF aid supplies outside a shopping mall in Gaza City on May 12, 2025. (Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)
The UN children’s agency (UNICEF) tells AFP that it was able to bring recreational supplies, including notebooks, crayons and art materials, into the war-scarred Gaza Strip for the first time in more than two years.
Since the start of the war sparked by Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel, humanitarian organisations have repeatedly denounced major difficulties bringing equipment and supplies into the Palestinian territory, blaming Israeli restrictions.
Israel rejects those accusations, saying it oversees the entry of goods into Gaza to ensure its security.
UNICEF’s announcement comes after the United States announced earlier this month the launch of phase two of President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan, against the backdrop of a fragile ceasefire in effect since October 2025.
“Since Thursday 15 January, 5,168 recreational kits have entered the Strip, supporting more than 375,000 children — including 1,000 children with disabilities,” UNICEF said in a statement yesterday.
COGAT, the Israeli defence ministry body overseeing civilian affairs in the Palestinian territories, tells AFP it was not in a position to comment immediately.
Dozens protest outside Netanyahu’s Jerusalem residence, calling for his resignation
The Prime Minister's Residence on Balfour Street, Jerusalem, in an undated photograph. (Yaakov Saar/GPO)
Dozens of protesters are demonstrating outside the prime minister’s residence on Balfour Street in Jerusalem, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Ynet news reports.
According to the report, the protesters are chanting, “You know there is no immunity in the Torah, and one who flees from justice testifies against himself. On Shabbat, silence judges and fear rises — and the truth catches up with the one who runs. You also know there are no spin tricks before the Creator, so on Shabbat you tremble alone beneath the heavens.”
UN rights chief: Iranian security forces detained wounded protesters inside hospitals
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk speaks during a press conference in Damascus, Syria, January 15, 2025. (Louai Beshara / AFP)
Iranian security forces have carried out mass arrests across multiple cities, including detaining wounded individuals inside hospitals, as part of a sweeping crackdown on anti-government protests, United Nations human rights chief Volker Turk says during an urgent session of the UN Human Rights Council.
“We have indications that the security forces made mass arrests in several cities, even pursuing injured people into hospitals, and detaining lawyers, human rights defenders, activists, and ordinary civilians,” Turk says.
“The Tehran Prosecutor’s Office has reportedly opened criminal cases against athletes, actors, people involved in the movie industry, and the owners of cafes, on charges of supporting the protests,” he adds.
He also notes that the crackdown intensified on January 8, with security forces using live ammunition against demonstrators, resulting in the deaths of “thousands of people, including children,” urging the authorities in Tehran “to reconsider, to pull back, and to end their brutal repression.”
After accusing Israel of genocide, California lawmaker steps down as Jewish Caucus co-chair
California Democratic State Sen. Scott Wiener talks during a Senate hearing in Sacramento, California, on June 28, 2018. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)
Scott Wiener, the California lawmaker who earlier this month announced that he believed Israel had committed “genocide” in Gaza, is stepping down as a leader of the state legislature’s Jewish caucus.
Wiener, a state senator from San Francisco, has been a co-chair of the caucus since 2023. He is currently running for Congress.
In a statement released yesterday, he attributed his resignation from the caucus’s leadership position to both his campaign and the backlash over his Israel comments. He will remain a member of the caucus after he steps down as its chair on February 15.
“Last fall, I suggested stepping down but was asked to stay to provide continuity of leadership during a difficult time for the Jewish community,” Wiener said. “Now, my campaign is accelerating, and my recent statements on Israel and Gaza have led to significant controversy in the Jewish community. The time to transition has arrived.”
Wiener’s accusation of genocide, made January 11 in a video posted to social media, came days after he declined to answer a question on the topic during a televised debate, spurring a backlash from pro-Palestinian voices.
His statement on Israel elicited its own criticism. Five local and national Jewish groups issued a statement saying that while they recognized Wiener’s support for the Jewish community and his own experiences of antisemitism, they were “deeply disappointed” in his video statement.
US, in control of oil dollars, heaps pressure on Iraq over Iranian influence
Fighters from the Popular Mobilization Forces attend the funeral of a commander from the Kataib Hezbollah paramilitary group killed in a US airstrike, in Baghdad, Iraq on February 8, 2024. (AP/Hadi Mizban, File)
Washington has threatened senior Iraqi politicians with sanctions targeting the Iraqi state — including potentially its critical supply of oil revenue sourced via the Federal Reserve Bank of New York — should Iran-backed armed groups be included in the next government, four sources tell Reuters.
Court issues sweeping gag order in Bild leak affair probe
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's chief of staff, Tzachi Braverman, attends a hearing during the premier's graft trial at the Tel Aviv District Court on December 18, 2024. (Miriam Alster/Flash90)
Authorities have imposed a sweeping gag order on the investigation into the so-called night meeting between former spokesperson for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office Eli Feldstein and Netanyahu’s chief of staff Tzachi Braverman, the Israel Police say.
The order — issued by the Lod District Court and valid until February 22 — covers all future investigative materials and any information that could expose methods or capabilities of the Shin Bet. The decision follows a police appeal against a lower court ruling that had ordered a more limited publication ban.
The Kan public broadcaster reports that Braverman was interrogated for a second time last night by investigators from Lahav 433’s National Fraud Investigations Unit, on suspicion of obstructing justice in a probe into the leak of a classified document to the German newspaper Bild. He was first questioned earlier this month, in an interrogation that reportedly lasted 13 hours.
Investigators are examining whether Braverman received the names of suspects while the leak investigation was still covert and allegedly passed that information to Feldstein, potentially warning him ahead of his arrest.
As part of the probe, testimony has recently been taken from former IDF chief of staff Herzi Halevi and, according to Kan, the current Intelligence Directorate chief, Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder. A senior officer serving in Halevi’s office was also reportedly questioned under caution on suspicion of involvement in the affair.
Former hostage says Ran Gvili should have been returned in October deal
From left: Talik Gvili, Segev Kalfon, Itzik Gvili, Shira Gvili and Eitan Horn, at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv on January 23, 2026. (Jessica Steinberg/Times of Israel)
The Gvili family, whose son, policeman Ran Gvili, is the final remaining hostage in Gaza, gathers in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square with members of Kibbutz Ein Tzurim, as part of the continuing kibbutz movement Kabbalat Shabbat held on Friday afternoons.
Former hostage Segev Kalfon, who was abducted from the Nova music festival and released in October 2025, is present at the gathering and notes that he has been back home for 102 days.
“I’m learning to live again, and I’m finding out about the many superheroes in this country,” says Kalfon. “I see the pictures of Ran, like there were pictures of me, and I know we could have been friends.”
“He should have come back in the same deal; it’s just my luck that I’m here,” says Kalfon.
Shira Gvili, Ran Gvili’s younger sister, also speaks at the gathering, noting that it’s her first time addressing the Friday afternoon event.
“It’s hard to be present at all these events,” says Gvili. “It’s become routine. My one request is that we remain united, in solidarity, like we are here today.”
Gvili’s parents, Itzik and Talik Gvili, are present as well, sitting next to former hostage Eitan Horn, who often attends the Friday afternoon events.
Hadassah Lazar, the sister of hostage Shlomo Mansour, who was killed in captivity, and known as the eldest captive, 85 years old when he was taken hostage on October 7 from Kibbutz Kissufim, speaks about her brother, known for his handlebar mustache.
Her brother knew the Gvili family, having met Itzik Gvili when he was in the army and stationed at Kissufim.
“We buried Shlomo at Kissufim with a broken heart,” says Lazar. “The broken hearts pass from generation to generation.”
Lazar calls for a halt to phase two of the Gaza plan, until Gvili is returned home, “as promised to his family,” she says, to applause from the crowd.
Zamir speaks with parents of last hostage Ran Gvili, reiterates mission to bring him home
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir speaks with Itzik and Talik Gvili, the parents of slain hostage Police Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, outside the IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv, across the road from Hostages Square, January 23, 2026. (Israel Defense Forces)
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir stopped his car outside the military headquarters in Tel Aviv and spoke with the parents of slain police officer Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, the last remaining hostage held in Gaza, the military says.
According to the IDF, Zamir reiterated to Itzik and Talik Gvili the military’s commitment to bringing Rani home.
“The chief of staff emphasized that the mission to return him is at the forefront of the minds and hearts of all IDF soldiers, from the chief of staff to the very last soldier,” and that the IDF is “constantly working across all efforts to bring him home as soon as possible,” the military says.
UN rights chief urges Iran to ‘end their brutal repression’ of protesters
Volker Turk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, speaks onstage during Global Citizen NOW: Impact Sessions in New York City, September 24, 2025. (ROB KIM / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
GENEVA, Switzerland — The United Nations rights chief decries that “thousands” of people, including children, had died in Iran’s crackdown on nationwide protests, and urges the authorities to “end their brutal repression.”
Speaking at the start of a UN Human Rights Council urgent meeting on the situation in Iran, Volker Turk urges the authorities in Tehran “to reconsider, to pull back, and to end their brutal repression.”
Tehran cleric warns Iran may target US investments in region if it launches attack
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — An influential Iranian cleric warns that Iran may target US-linked investments in the region in retaliation for any US attack on the Islamic Republic, Iranian news agencies report.
US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the United States had an “armada” heading toward Iran but hoped he would not have to use it, as he renewed warnings to Tehran against killing protesters or restarting its nuclear programme.
“The one trillion dollars you have invested in the region is under the watch of our missiles,” says Mohammad Javad Haj Ali Akbari, a leader of prayers that are held on Fridays in Tehran before a large gathering. He does not specify which investments he was referring to.
IDF says there’s no changes to public guidelines ahead of Shabbat
Amid the ongoing tensions with Iran, IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin reiterates that there are no changes to the military’s guidelines for the Israeli public.
“Ahead of the Sabbath, I want to say to all citizens of Israel: the IDF is optimally prepared, both defensively and offensively. It is important to emphasize that there is no change to the Home Front Command’s instructions. We will ensure to update you if there is any change,” he says in a post on X.
Israeli tourist caught speeding in Florida claims ‘there’s no speed limit on the highway in Israel’
An Israeli tourist was arrested earlier this week, driving 183 km/h on a Florida interstate highway, local media reports.
After Boaz Sinuani was pulled over, he told officers he was in a rush to catch a flight from New York to Israel, the WFLA NBC affiliate reports.
He is quoted as telling officers, “There’s no speed limit on the highway in Israel.”
While many drivers flout the rules, speed limits are posted on Israeli highways, with some reaching 110 km/h.
“So, what did this tourist decide to do? He chose to speed from Miami to The Big Apple in a rented Accord. It would only take 13 hours if he averaged 110 mph,” the sheriff’s office writes on Facebook.
“While it is completely legal for a tourist to drive in Florida using their country’s driver’s license, they must obey all of Florida’s traffic laws or suffer the consequences,” the office says.
Sinuani was released on a $150 bond.
Netanyahu meets visiting GOP senator in Jerusalem
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) meets with US Senator Joni Ernst, an Iowa Republican, in Jerusalem, January 23, 2025. (Maayan Toaf/GPO)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with US Senator Joni Ernst, an Iowa Republican, at his office in Jerusalem.
Israeli drone strike reportedly hits northeast Lebanon
Lebanese media reports an Israeli drone strike near the northeastern city of Baalbek in the Beqaa Valley.
There are no immediate reports of injuries, and the IDF has not yet commented.
مسيّرة إسرائيلية استهدفت سيارة عند مفرق بلدة "مجدلون" في بعلبك شرقي لبنان pic.twitter.com/oBjpqsCRA8
— هنا لبنان (@thisislebnews) January 23, 2026
IDF’s 401st Armored Brigade holds drill for first time in over two years
A tank of the 401st Armored Brigade is seen during a drill in northern Israel, in a handout photo issued on January 23, 2026. (Israel Defense Forces)
As the war continues to wind down, the IDF says its 401st Armored Brigade conducted a brigade-level drill for the first time in over two years.
The exercise on the Lebanon border was aimed at “maintaining and strengthening” the brigade’s readiness for emergency scenarios, including defending communities in the north, the army says.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir has previously said that the military must return to carrying out training sessions after two years of war.
Iran’s top prosecutor denies Trump’s claim US pressure halted execution of 800 protesters
In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran shows protesters taking to the streets in Tehran, Iran, January 9, 2026. (UGC via AP)
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran’s top prosecutor denies a claim by US President Donald Trump that his intervention halted the execution of 800 people detained in nationwide protests, calling his comments “completely false.”
The news agency of Iran’s judiciary, Mizan, quotes Mohammad Movahedi as making the comment. It again calls into question whether there will be mass executions over the nationwide protests. Officials have already said some detainees face death penalty charges.
“This claim is completely false; no such number exists, nor has the judiciary made any such decision,” Movahedi says, according to Mizan.
Trump has said that mass executions and the killing of peaceful protesters are both red lines for a possible US military strike on Iran.
Iran says IAEA must clarify stance on Israeli strikes before visiting bombed nuclear sites
Head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization (AEOI) Mohammad Eslami, speaks during the 69th regular plenary session of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) at its headquarters in Vienna, Austria on September 15, 2025. (Joe Klamar / AFP)
The UN nuclear watchdog must clarify its stance on US and Israeli attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites last June before inspectors are allowed to visit those facilities, Iranian media quotes the country’s atomic chief as saying.
Mohammad Eslami says the inspections so far have been limited to undamaged sites, and he criticizes the watchdog for letting Israeli and US pressure influence its actions.
Eslami makes his comments in response to the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, who said on Tuesday that the standoff over inspections “cannot go on forever.”
Grossi has not explicitly condemned or criticized the attacks, nor has he formally outlined a protocol for inspecting the damaged facilities.
Access to sites that were attacked needs “a specific protocol,” Eslami says, adding: “When a military strike occurs and there are environmental risks, it must be defined and a guideline must be designed.”
“The agency has to clarify its position regarding the military attacks on the nuclear facilities that have been registered by the agency and are under its supervision so we can understand what role they play,” state TV quotes Eslami as having told reporters in Tehran on Thursday.
He says Tehran had submitted a statement at the IAEA’s General Conference last September demanding that attacks on nuclear sites be prohibited. But it was not placed on the agenda and was ignored, he says.
“It is unrealistic, unprofessional and unfair that, because of pressure from Israel and the US, he [Grossi] is putting pressure on us,” Eslami says.
Grossi told Reuters on Tuesday that the IAEA had inspected all 13 declared nuclear facilities in Iran that were not targeted last June but had been unable to inspect any of the three key sites that were bombed — Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan.
Syrian government forces take control of prison formerly held by Kurdish-led SDF
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 Syrian interior ministry says it has taken over al-Aktan prison in the city of Raqqa in northeast Syria, a facility that was formerly under the control of Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The prison held detainees linked to the militant group Islamic State, and witnessed clashes in its vicinity between advancing Syrian government forces and SDF.
Poor security at Syria IS-linked camp preventing UN from entering
Children gather outside their tents, at al-Hol camp, which houses families of members of the Islamic State group, in Hasakeh province, Syria, May 1, 2021 (AP Photo/Baderkhan Ahmad)
BEIRUT, Lebanon — Poor security conditions at a camp in northeast Syria housing thousands of suspected relatives of Islamic State group fighters, including foreigners, have prevented the UN refugee agency from entering, a spokesperson tells AFP.
“UNHCR was able to reach Al-Hol for the past three days but has not yet been able to enter the camp due to the volatile security situation,” the refugee agency’s spokesperson in Syria, Celine Schmitt, says.
Spain declines invitation to join Board of Peace, citing commitment to UN
Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez delivers a speech for a closing press conference after an emergency meeting of the European Council, at the European headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on January 22, 2026. (NICOLAS TUCAT / AFP)
MADRID, Spain — Spain will not take part in the Board of Peace initiative launched by US President Donald Trump to tackle global conflicts, saying the decision was consistent with its belief in multilateralism and the United Nations system.
“We appreciate the invitation, but we decline,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez tells reporters after an EU summit in Brussels.
Washington says the body will help broker and monitor ceasefires, organize security arrangements, and coordinate rebuilding in places emerging from war. The concept stems from Trump’s Gaza peace plan.
Missing from the board’s launch ceremony held at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland’s Davos on Thursday were traditional US allies such as Canada, Britain, and all European Union members except Hungary and Bulgaria.
Sanchez cites consistency with Madrid’s commitment to international law, the UN, and multilateralism as the main reasons it was declining to participate.
Sanchez also says the Board of Peace did not include the Palestinian Authority.
Israel has joined the board, along with Middle Eastern countries such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
IDF: 14 terror suspects arrested, eight firearms seized during 4-day raid in Hebron
A soldier stands guard after the Israel army closed part of the H2 southern sector of the West Bank city of Hebron, on January 20, 2026. (HAZEM BADER / AFP)
The IDF says it has wrapped up a four-day counter-terrorism raid in the West Bank city of Hebron, during which 14 wanted Palestinians were detained.
The raid conducted in the city’s Jabal Johar neighborhood was launched early Monday and was completed yesterday, according to the military.
The army says the operation was aimed at “thwarting terror infrastructures, removing illegal possession of weapons, and strengthening security in the area.”
In all, 350 buildings were scanned, 14 Palestinians suspected of terror activities were detained, and eight firearms were seized, the IDF says.
There were no reports of major clashes between troops and Palestinians amid the raid.
Multi-day IDF raids in West Bank Palestinian towns are a frequent occurrence.
Deni Avdija exits match with back pain, doesn’t return
Miami Heat forward Andrew Wiggins (22) drives to the basket past Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, January 22, 2026, in Portland, Oregon. (AP Photo/Amanda Loman)
Portland Trail Blazers standout forward, Israeli basketballer Deni Avdija exits a game against the visiting Miami Heat with back soreness early in the third quarter and doesn’t return.
Avdija had 20 points, seven rebounds, and four assists in 18 minutes before his departure.
Avdija leaves the contest less than two minutes into the second half, and the team officially ruled him out later in the third quarter.
The 6-foot-8 Avdija recently missed three consecutive games due to lower-back soreness. He played in each of the team’s first 40 games before the injury. This was his second game back in uniform.
Avdija entered the contest as the Trail Blazers’ leader in scoring at 26.2 points per game. He ranked second in rebounding (7.1) and assists (6.9).
Portland hosts the Toronto Raptors on Friday night in the second contest of a back-to-back.
TikTok finalizes deal to create US entity, avoiding ban
Illustrative: A man opens the social media app 'TikTok' on his phone, in Islamabad, Pakistan, July 2020. (AP/Anjum Naveed)
TikTok has finalized a deal to create a new American entity, avoiding the looming threat of a ban in the United States that has been in discussion for years on the platform now used by more than 200 million Americans.
The social video platform company signs agreements with major investors, including Oracle, Silver Lake, and the Emirati investment firm MGX, to form the new TikTok US joint venture. The new version will operate under “defined safeguards that protect national security through comprehensive data protections, algorithm security, content moderation and software assurances for US users,” the company says in a statement. American TikTok users can continue using the same app.
US President Donald Trump praises the deal in a Truth Social post, thanking Chinese leader Xi Jinping specifically “for working with us and, ultimately, approving the Deal.” Trump adds that he hopes “that long into the future I will be remembered by those who use and love TikTok.”
The Chinese government has not yet publicly commented on TikTok’s announcement. Earlier yesterday and ahead of the statement, Liu Pengyu, spokesperson Chinese embassy in Washington, said “China’s position on TikTok has been consistent and clear.”
US-based activists raise death toll in Iran protest crackdown to over 5,000
Activists says the death toll from a crackdown over Iran’s nationwide protests has reached at least 5,002 people killed, with many more still feared dead.
The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency offers the toll. The agency has been accurate in previous rounds of unrest in Iran and relies on a network of activists in Iran to verify deaths.
Iran’s government offered its first death toll Wednesday, saying 3,117 people were killed. Iran’s theocracy in the past has undercounted or not reported fatalities from unrest.
The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the death toll, in part due to authorities cutting access to the internet and blocking international calls into the country. Iran also reportedly has limited journalists’ ability locally to report on the aftermath, instead repeatedly airing claims on state television that refer to demonstrators as “rioters” motivated by America and Israel, without offering evidence to support the allegation.
The new toll comes as tensions remain high over US President Donald Trump laying down two red lines over the protests — the killing of peaceful demonstrators and Tehran conducting mass executions. The US military has moved more military assets toward the Middle East, including the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and associated warships traveling with it from the South China Sea.
Trump disinvites Carney from Board of Peace after PM said Canada wouldn’t pay to join
Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, talks with US President Donald Trump before a group photo at the G7 Summit, June 16, 2025, in Kananaskis, Canada. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
US President Donald Trump withdraws an invite for Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney to join his newly constituted “Board of Peace.”
“Please let this Letter serve to represent that the Board of Peace is withdrawing its invitation to you regarding Canada’s joining, what will be, the most prestigious Board of Leaders ever assembled, at any time,” Trump writes in a Truth Social post.
Carney drew international attention this week with comments about a “rupture” in the US-led global order. His government has also said it would not pay to join Trump’s self-styled body to end global conflicts.
Donald J. Trump Truth Social Post 08:50 PM EST 01.22.26 pic.twitter.com/oH1S0A4nPm
— Commentary Donald J. Trump Posts From Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) January 23, 2026
Trump: US has ‘massive fleet’ heading to Iran, hopefully we won’t need to use it
US President Donald Trump listens to speakers after the signing of a Board of Peace charter during the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
US President Donald Trump confirms that a “massive fleet” of US military vessels is heading toward Iran, while reiterating his hope they won’t have to use force.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump again claims that Iran scrapped plans to execute 837 protesters in response to his threats on the matter. “They said that they canceled it. They didn’t postpone it.”
“We have a massive fleet heading in that direction, and maybe we won’t have to use it,” he says, adding that he’s watching developments in the Islamic Republic “very closely.”
Trump is asked whether he plans to stay on as chairman of the Board of Peace after his term in office ends, as the body’s charter allows.
“I have the right to be if I want… We’ll see what happens,” he responds. “It’s in theory for life, but I’m not sure I want that.”
“It’s going to do great work with Gaza, and maybe other things,” he says, reiterating that the Board of Peace will work with the United Nations amid concern that the US is aiming to use the body to usurp the UN.
Trump says some countries, such as Russia, have already offered to contribute over $1 billion to the Board of Peace. That figure is also the cost to become a permanent member of Trump’s panel.
He acknowledges that some countries aren’t interested, amid a vocal pushback from the UK and France. However, he says others — like Italy and Poland — have told him they’d like to join, but need to get approval from their parliaments.
Asked about the bruising on his hand, Trump says he “clipped it” on a table and that the aspirin he is taking causes the discoloration. He’s been spotted repeatedly throughout the past year with such bruising.
Belgian police say 6 injured, 2 critical, in knife attack at Kurdish rally in Antwerp
Belgian police say six people have been injured, including two critically, in a knife attack at a Kurdish demonstration taking place near the Opera House in the city of Antwerp.
Authorities have arrested four people and all victims have been taken to the hospital, Antwerp police spokesman Wouter Bruyns tells AFP.
The motive for the attack is yet to be determined.
Ex-hostage Emily Damari gets engaged to girlfriend Danielle Amit
British-Israeli former Gaza hostage Emily Damari and her partner, influencer Danielle Amit, announce their engagement.
At a party marking a year since Damari’s release from captivity on January 19, 2025, the captivity survivor successfully proposed to her girlfriend, according to footage published on social media.
בחגיגות השנה לשחרורה מהשבי: אמילי דמארי ודניאל עמית התארסו | @lee_ayash pic.twitter.com/4m9vZXYZQm
— i24NEWS (@i24NEWS_HE) January 22, 2026
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