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The Times of Israel liveblogged Saturday’s events as they unfolded.
Palestinians report settler arson attack on mosque in Tuwani, in the West Bank
Palestinians report an Israeli settler attack on the West Bank village of Tuwani, in the South Hebron Hills.
According to the reports, the attackers set fire to a mosque and a Palestinian vehicle.
Images circulating on social media appear to show a Star of David was also painted on the exterior wall of the mosque.
There are no reports of injuries.
BREAKING: Israeli settler terrorists attacked the Palestinian village of Tuwani in the West Bank, setting a mosque and a vehicle on fire and spray-painting a Star of David on the mosque's wall. pic.twitter.com/m1nCyx1aRk
— Ihab Hassan (@IhabHassane) July 18, 2026
Ten goal thriller: England beats France by a stunning 6-4 to win World Cup’s third place play-off
England’s midfielder Jude Bellingham celebrates scoring his team’s sixth and final goal during the 2026 World Cup third-place match between France and England at the Miami Stadium in Miami on July 18, 2026 (CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP)
England beats France by a staggering 6 goals to 4, to take third place in the World Cup.
The 10-goal thriller in Miami is the highest-scoring World Cup game since 1982, when Hungary beat El Salvador 10-1, and the standout match of this year’s tournament.
England raced to a 4-0 lead at half-time, with Declan Rice opening the scoring in the third minute, completely overwhelming France. But France came out reinvigorated for the second half and would not be beaten.
With Kylian Mbappe leading the charge, France pulled back to 4-3, before England pushed further ahead to 5-3.
But France scored again for 5-4, and went looking to tie the game, only for England to complete the thrilling victory with a sixth goal, a glorious solo effort by Jude Bellingham, in stoppage time.
Bukayo Saka scored a hat-trick for England — two in the first half and a second-half penalty.
Mbappe scored twice for France, in the process becoming the top scorer in World Cup history with 22 goals. Mbappe has scored his goals over three World Cups, and is now one ahead of Argentina’s Lionel Messi.
Messi’s Argentina plays Spain on Sunday in the World Cup final.
England had been at a low going into the game, having lost 2-1 to Argentina after leading 1-0 in Wednesday’s semi-final, with coach Thomas Tuchel heavily criticized for packing his team with defenders to try to retain the lead for the final half-hour of the game, only for a Messi-inspired Argentina to score twice in the game’s dying minutes.
Ahead of tonight’s game, it had been reported that neither side was too happy about having to play, with the contest for third place a marginal encounter following the two sides’ defeats in their respective semi-finals. France had lost 2-0 to Spain on Tuesday.
In the event, however, the lack of pressure led to a remarkably open game, with France’s ferocious but thwarted comeback and England’s insistent and delighted victory indicating that both teams had, in fact, been extremely determined to win.
Hungary’s Orban-backed president signs law ending his term in office
Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok has signed a constitutional amendment passed by Prime Minister Peter Magyar’s ruling Tisza party that ends his term as head of state, Sulyok says in a statement.
The legislation was part of Magyar’s drive to dismantle former prime minister Viktor Orban’s bastions of power, for which Magyar says he received a strong mandate from voters after ousting the right-wing leader in an April election landslide.
The amendment will end Sulyok’s term immediately, citing society’s “serious loss of confidence” in a leader elected in early 2024 by lawmakers from Orban’s Fidesz party.
Sulyok says he had no choice but to rubber-stamp the legislation as it respected the letter of the law. However, the former Constitutional Court judge warned the reform has harmed the rule of law in Hungary.
“The seventeenth amendment to the Constitution has marked a watershed in Hungary’s constitutional democracy,” Sulyok said.
“By removing public office holders in a manner that openly violates the rule of law … it sets a negative precedent that inflicts a deep wound on the constitutional values of democracy, the separation of powers, and the rule of law.”
Parliament, where Magyar’s centre-right Tisza party has a two-thirds majority that allows it to change any laws, will elect a new president until a new constitution takes effect, or for a maximum of five years.
The amendment also imposes a 12-year term limit on lawmakers and sets a retirement age of 70 for Constitutional Court judges, which will force the court’s current president, Orban ally Peter Polt, to retire.
Since ousting Orban in April, Magyar has repeatedly called on Sulyok to step down, accusing him of failing to represent national unity on major issues and of serving the interests of Orban and his government.
US launches airstrikes on Iran for eighth night in a row
The US military has begun a new round of airstrikes against Iran, for the eighth consecutive night.
US Central Command says the strikes are intended to “swiftly punish” Tehran for the deadly attacks against US service members in Jordan yesterday, and to “further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.”
US issues Worldwide Caution alert amid concern that Iran will target Americans overseas
A worldwide caution alert issued by the US State Department in light of fighting between the US and Iran, on July 18, 2026. (Screenshot via X)
The US State Department issues a Worldwide Caution alert for US citizens “due to heightened tensions in the Middle East.”
It urges US citizens worldwide, and “especially in the Middle East,” to “follow the guidance in security alerts issued by the nearest US embassy or consulate.”
“Flight cancellations and periodic airspace closures may cause travel disruptions. US diplomatic facilities, including outside the Middle East, have been targeted,” it says, without offering further details.
It warns that “groups supportive of Iran may target other US interests overseas or locations associated with the United States” around the world.
The US had already issued a travel warning for the Middle East in light of the escalated fighting with Iran, and the US Embassy in Jerusalem warned Americans to avoid traveling to northern Israel, Gaza, and to the Egyptian border.
Worldwide Caution: Due to heightened tensions in the Middle East, the security environment remains complex with the potential for unforeseen escalation. We remind Americans in the region of the continued need for caution and encourage them to monitor the news for breaking… pic.twitter.com/A3LKEQSRiO
— TravelGov (@TravelGov) July 18, 2026
US reportedly sending more warplanes to Mideast as fighting with Iran intensifies
An F-16 fighter jet flies over an unspecified area of the Middle East, in an image published on June 25, 2026. (CENTCOM)
In addition to more refueling jets, the US is dispatching additional warplanes to the Middle East, according to reports in the Kan public broadcaster and The Wall Street Journal, as fighting with Iran escalates.
The reports say the warplanes include F-35 stealth fighters and F-16 jets, which can attack Iranian radars used in launching surface-to-air missiles.
Protest leader Bressler tells Jerusalem demo that Netanyahu seeks ‘eternal kingship,’ will lose election
Shikma Bressler addresses an anti-government protest in Jerusalem, July 18, 2026. (Times of Israel)
Some 200 people attend an anti-government demonstration in Jerusalem’s Nayot Park, where protest leader Shikma Bressler, having spoken earlier in Tel Aviv, is among the speakers.
Bressler urges the crowd to ensure the upcoming elections are democratic, to minimize the damage Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government can yet do before polling day, and to make sure that the next government undoes the damage done by the outgoing coalition “from the root,” including by ending all funding to those who oppose what she says are Israel’s democratic and liberal norms.
She quotes at length from a social media post earlier today by Army Radio broadcaster Rino Zror, comparing Israel’s current situation to the periods before the destruction of the two Biblical temples. “Democratic Israel has its back to the sea,” she says, but “the majority want a democratic, liberal state” and “we will prevail.”
Bressler denounces the outgoing government as “the massacre coalition,” in reference to its failure to thwart the October 7, 2023, Hamas invasion, and likewise brands Netanyahu “the massacre prime minister.” She accuses the prime minister and his government of installing a “religiously fanatical, tyrannical” infrastructure, culminating in this week’s legislative blitz, and says Netanyahu seeks “eternal kingship.”
“After a breach like this, there has to be correction,” she says, concluding, to applause: “There is an election to win, and a state to build anew.”
IDF says explosive that killed Lebanese soldier was planted by Hezbollah
Lebanese soldiers inspect the site of an explosion that targeted their vehicle in the southern Lebanese area of al Mansouri, near Tyre, on July 18, 2026. (Kawnat Haju/AFP)
An explosive device that killed a Lebanese soldier in southern Lebanon earlier today was planted by Hezbollah, according to the Israeli military.
The Lebanese Armed Forces announced earlier that a soldier was killed, and an officer and another soldier were wounded when a suspicious object exploded in an army vehicle in the southern Lebanese town of Mansouri.
The IDF says that following an examination, “it was determined that the explosive device was not an IDF device, but rather one that was apparently planted by the Hezbollah terror organization.”
The military says that Israeli troops have not been present in Mansouri recently, despite it being located within the IDF’s security zone.
The LAF vehicle had entered the security zone without prior coordination with the IDF as required, the military says.
The IDF says it calls on Lebanese civilians and forces “to avoid entering locations where Hezbollah continues to pose a threat, and to coordinate movements in advance as customary, for their own safety.”
Netanyahu backs Argentina in World Cup final as he meets the country’s ambassador
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (right) meets with Argentina's Ambassador to Israel Rabbi Shimon Axel Wahnish on July 18, 2026, ahead of the next day's World Cup final. (Via X)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu throws his support behind Argentina ahead of tomorrow’s World Cup final against Spain, as he meets with the South American country’s ambassador to Israel.
According to Netanyahu, Rabbi Shimon Axel Wahnish relayed a message from Argentina’s pro-Israel President Javier Milei touting the support from his “friend.”
“Javier, you are a friend. A true friend. You are a great friend, we support you, we support Argentina in so many ways, including tomorrow. Good luck!” Netanyahu is quoted saying in response.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met in his office with the Ambassador of Argentina to Israel, Rabbi Shimon Axel Wahnish, and wished great success to the Argentine national team in the World Cup final taking place tomorrow.
Ambassador Wahnish presented the Prime Minister with… pic.twitter.com/2x3pYAxA9b
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) July 18, 2026
Some have cast Sunday’s match as a highly symbolic contest due to the opposing views on Israel in Madrid and Buenos Aires, with some online posts criticizing Argentina’s Lionel Messi and invoking antisemitic conspiracy theories.
Related – Lionel Messi’s ostensibly controversial history with Jewish and Israeli life. Spoiler: He’s Catholic
Blaze that burned homes in West Bank settlement now under control; cigarette flicked from car suspected to be the spark
Emergency responders have gained control over a fire in the Havat Gilad settlement that burned numerous homes, according to a joint statement from the police, fire service and military.
Arson investigators are looking into the source of the blaze, which an initial probe indicates was sparked by an unextinguished cigarette butt flicked to the side of a road. Law enforcement is working to track down the vehicle from which the cigarette butt was hurled.
IDF says 2 Gazan terror operatives killed in Friday strikes, including Islamic Jihad sniper
Two Palestinian terror operatives were killed in Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip on Friday, the military announces.
One strike in central Gaza killed Imam Khamis Akasha Abu Brikh, identified by the IDF as a sniper operative in the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
Brikh had acted to advance sniper attacks on Israeli troops in the Strip, the military says.
A separate strike in northern Gaza killed Muhammad Taysir Ahmad Ubeid, who according to the IDF served in Hamas’s operations division. Ubeid also tried to advance attacks on troops, the IDF says.
Both operatives had “posed an immediate threat” to Israeli forces in Gaza, the military says, and they were therefore targeted.
Liberman predicts effort by Netanyahu camp to use Shin Bet against election rivals, media outlets
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, and Yisrael Beytenu head, Avigdor Liberman, right. (Flash90)
Avigdor Liberman, head of the right-wing opposition party Yisrael Beytenu, claims that the coalition led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will attempt to use the Shin Bet domestic security agency against political rivals in October’s elections and against media outlets that do not back Netanyahu.
Interviewed on Channel 12, Liberman says the appointment and actions of new Shin Bet chief David Zini are “very worrying” — more so, he says, than has hitherto been recognized.
Liberman, a former foreign and defense minister under Netanyahu, says it is “very likely” that “there will be an effort to use the Shin Bet in these elections against political rivals, and against unfriendly media outlets.”
Asked to elaborate, he says, “like a thought police, a political police.”
Zini, appointed to head the powerful agency last September amid controversy, said earlier this month that he agreed to take on the role because of his loyalty to the political leadership — a stance that prompted Netanyahu’s main rival in the October 17 elections, Gadi Eisenkot, to declare that such a stance merited dismissal.
“I felt that I was qualified, maybe even more than others, in my ability to be loyal to the elected leadership, no matter the opinion,” Zini said.
Responded Eisenkot: “If there’s a head of a security agency who feels that he owes personal loyalty, and acts accordingly, he should hand in his keys and leave.” If he wins the election, Eisenkot added, “Anyone whose loyalty is not to the state, and whose actions were not in accordance with the law, will be required to hand in their keys and go home. And if they don’t, we’ll send them home.”
Zini in recent days has reportedly sought to investigate journalists at Channel 12 over a leak regarding the timing of this year’s opening strikes in the US-Israel war with Iran, having reportedly been pressured to do so by Jacob Bardugo, a pro-Netanyahu commentator, and has approved a request to grant a lifetime security detail to Sara Netanyahu and extend security protection for the couple’s two sons for an additional five years.
CENTCOM says 2 US soldiers killed in Iran ballistic missile attack on Jordan, another MIA
Illustrative: Iranian missiles are seen in the night sky over Amman, Jordan, Jordanian on June 14, 2025. (Khalil Mazraawi/AFP)
Two American soldiers were killed in an Iranian ballistic missile attack in Jordan yesterday, the US Central Command announces.
In a statement, CENTCOM says two service members were killed, one is missing in action, and four were wounded while defending against Iran’s attacks in Jordan on Friday.
CENTCOM says the wounded soldiers were taken to Jordanian hospitals and have since been discharged, and “other personnel who were evaluated for minor injuries have returned to duty.”
“Out of respect for the families, CENTCOM will withhold additional information, including the identities of the fallen warriors, until 24 hours after the next of kin have been notified,” the statement adds.
In name of supreme leader, Iran warns ‘axis of resistance’ will teach US ‘unforgettable lessons’
A mourner chants slogan as she holds a poster with graphic depicting Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei in a ceremony commemorating his father, the late supreme leader ayatollah Ali Khamenei at the Imam Khomeini Mosalla Grand Mosque in Tehran, July 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
Iran issues a threat to the United States in a statement attributed to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who accuses the US of repeated breaches of the memorandum of understanding between the countries that he claims show President Donald Trump’s signature is “utterly worthless and devoid of credibility.”
Washington and Tehran have exchanged strikes after a ceasefire agreement fell apart last week, raising fears of a return to all-out war.
“Now that the American enemy seeks to incite war and bear its most serious consequences, it should know that the dear Iranian nation and the axis of resistance have unforgettable lessons to offer it,” Khamenei says in a statement carried by state TV, referring to the Islamic Republic and its proxies across the region.
Anti-government protesters gather at Tel Aviv’s Rabin Square as they mark 3 years since march on Jerusalem
Anti-government protesters march to Rabin Square in Tel Aviv, July 18, 2026. (Raya Barkan / Pro-Democracy Protest Movement)
Anti-government protesters gather at Rabin Square in Tel Aviv ahead of a planned march to the coastal city’s Habima Square, as they mark three years since marching to Jerusalem during government demonstrations against the coalition’s judicial overhaul.
IDF says it struck Hezbollah operatives piloting drone near troops in south Lebanon
A cell of Hezbollah operatives piloting a drone over an area of southern Lebanon where Israeli troops are operating was struck and killed earlier today, the military says.
The IDF says troops of the Commando Brigade spotted an enemy drone over Kfar Tebnit. The Israeli Air Force then launched searches in the area and identified several Hezbollah operatives who were operating the drone while hiding near Israel’s security zone.
The IAF then struck and killed the Hezbollah operatives “to remove the threat to our forces,” the army says.
Nine said killed in IDF strikes on Hamas operatives and infrastructure in Gaza City
Israeli strikes in Gaza City today have killed at least nine Palestinians, including three children, hospital officials say.
A strike on an apartment in the Nasr neighborhood killed at least five people, including children between the ages of 8 and 18, says Mohammed Abu Selmiya, director of Shifa Hospital, where the bodies were taken. Six other people were wounded, including four children between the ages of 8 and 16, he says.
Israel’s military said it targeted Hamas infrastructure and had located Hamas terrorists in the area, without elaborating.
Another Israeli strike hit a group of people in the Zeitoun neighborhood, killing four and wounding another critically, health officials say.
The Israeli military says it targeted a Hamas terrorist and is looking into the results of the strike.
Man pronounced dead after being pulled from water at Hadera beach
Rescuers have pronounced the death of a 45-year-old man who was pulled from the Mediterranean Sea at a beach in the northern coastal city of Hadera.
As fire rages, firefighters say 13 homes burned in West Bank settlement
The Israel Fire and Rescue Service reports that 13 homes and several other structures in the Havat Gilad settlement have caught fire, as it battles a blaze in the area that has triggered evacuations.
AIPAC stops taking contributions for House Democrats who voted to cut US military aid to Israel
US House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, a Democrat from Massachusetts, speaks with reporters about Virginia’s redistricting vote, at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington, April 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
AIPAC has stopped accepting fundraising contributions for House Democrats who this week voted for a measure to cut off all military aid to Israel, according to reports in Jewish Insider and the New York Times.
Among the 15 Democrats who supported the bill sponsored by Representative Thomas Massie, the only GOP lawmaker to vote in favor, was Katherine Clark of Massachusetts, the party’s No. 2 in the House.
“AIPAC members are deeply appreciative of their representatives who stand on principle and are disappointed by those who don’t,” a spokesperson for the pro-Israel American lobby group tells the New York Times in response.
Authorities enlisting rabbis, Haredi influencers to warn against spying for Iran — report
Elimelech Stern, convicted for contact with a foreign agent over alleged spying for Iran, at the Jerusalem District Court, September 14, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
Israeli authorities have reached out to rabbis and ultra-Orthodox influencers to send messages to their followers not to spy for Iran, The New York Times reports.
Haredim have been involved in at least nine cases of spying for Iran, and enlisting influential rabbis is one of the methods being used by police and prosecutors to turn the tide against the phenomenon, the report says
The report cites one recent video by Rabbi Igal Cohen, a member of the Chief Rabbinate, in which he appeals to viewers not to spy for Iran.
“I am begging you, there is no greater blasphemy than seeing a Torah-abiding, observant Jew betray his people,” he says in the video posted to social media.
Israel Cohen, another prominent Haredi commentator who has broadcast warnings on his platforms, told the Times he “understood the need to warn against the danger and stop it.”
Mendel Unger, a Haredi journalist, published a video message in Yiddish, spoken by many in the Ashkenazi ultra-Orthodox community, warning against carrying out activities on behalf of Iran.
The security establishment has struggled to stem the phenomenon of spying for Iran, even during the recent war against Iran.
Most of the alleged spies are Israeli citizens contacted through social media by faceless Iran-linked agents, who promise money to recruits in exchange for their cooperation, though some have been foreign nationals in Israel on visas.
GCC chief calls Iranian attacks on Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan ‘war crimes’
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The secretary general of the Gulf Cooperation Council condemns recent Iranian attacks on Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan, saying strikes on civilian infrastructure amounted to “war crimes.”
“Iran’s actions constitute a highly dangerous escalation, a grave violation of international law and the United Nations (UN) Charter, as well as war crimes requiring international accountability and prosecution, given the deliberate targeting of infrastructure and civilian facilities,” Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi says in a statement.
2 NYC synagogues targeted with feces, motor oil, lawmaker says
Two New York City synagogues were targeted overnight Thursday-Friday “with motor oil and feces,” says New York State Assemblymember Nily Rozic.
Rozic, an American-Israeli, represents part of eastern Queens in the state government.
Rozic says the incidents are “another outrageous example of the sustained hate faced by our community.”
The NYPD confirms that a suspect “threw a bag of motor oil” onto the exterior of a building at the address of an Orthodox synagogue in Queens.
The police were alerted to the incident yesterday afternoon, the NYPD says, adding that the police’s Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating.
An NYPD spokesperson says there is no additional information currently available.
Details of reports from NYPD precincts sometimes take time to reach police headquarters.
Iran says it has ‘suspended’ implementation of MoU deal with US amid escalating clashes
A giant poster displays Trump family coffins in Iran's Palestine Square, July 17, 2026. (Crux Youtube screenshot)
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi says Tehran has “suspended” commitments to the memorandum of understanding signed with the United States last month amid renewed clashes with the US.
“The US has violated and suspended all its commitments within the framework of the Islamabad MOU,” he says in a statement carried by the Fars news outlet.
“We have also suspended our commitments; we are not implementing them, and we are busy defending the country,” he says.
West Bank settlement evacuated due to nearby blaze
Residents of the West Bank settlement of Kedumim are being evacuated due to a nearby brush fire, Israel Police says.
Route 55 from the Jit Junction to the west is blocked off so that it can act as an evacuation route, police add.
♦️ בשל שרפה בגדה המערבית: כביש 55 מצומת ג'ית לכיוון מערב נחסם לתנועה. האש נבלמה על קו הבתים של מצפה ישי בקדומים, וכעת חזית נוספת נעה לכיוון חוות גלעד- מטוסים פועלים במקום. pic.twitter.com/0wyPwU0gAk
— Asslan Khalil (@KhalilAsslan) July 18, 2026
Homes evacuated in Jezreel Valley community due to brush fire
Police have evacuated the first line of houses in the community of Shimshit in the Jezreel Valley, which is facing a brush fire.
Israel Police say officers and firefighters are on the scene to prevent the blaze from entering the community.
שריפת יער ליד שמשית: החל פינוי קו הבתים הראשון שבאזור השריפה. מטוסי כיבוי הוזנקו
שריפת יער גדולה משתוללת בשעה זו סמוך ליישוב שמשית שבעמק יזרעאל. בחסות הרוחות החזקות, האש מתפשטת במהירות ומסכנת את קו הבתים הראשון. בעקבות הסכנה המוחשית ובתום הערכת מצב של המשטרה וכבאות והצלה, החלו… pic.twitter.com/qQibIHzlMt
— אור רביד | Or Ravid (@OrRavid) July 18, 2026
Iran executes man convicted of killing security forces member during 2022 protests
Iranians protest the death of Mahsa Amini in Tehran, October 27, 2022. (This photo was taken by an individual not employed by The Associated Press and obtained by the AP outside Iran)
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran has executed a man convicted of shooting to death a member of the security forces during nationwide unrest sparked by the 2022 death of a young woman in police custody, the judiciary’s Mizan news agency reports.
Rights groups say authorities often rely on forced confessions obtained under torture to convict protesters. Iran denies the accusation.
Lebanese soldier killed in army vehicle blast in southern Lebanon
A Lebanese soldier was killed, and an officer and another soldier were wounded when a suspicious object exploded in an army vehicle in the southern Lebanese town of Mansouri, the Lebanese army says.
The army says it is continuing to investigate the incident and did not provide further details.
Mamdani says he is discussing Netanyahu’s potential arrest when he visits NYC
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani delivers a speech to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States at City Hall in New York, July 3, 2026. (Anna Connors/The New York Times via AP, Pool)
New York City Mayor says he is still discussing with authorities whether he can arrest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when he visits for the UN General Assembly in September.
“Whatever the law allows me to do in New York City, that’s what we will do, but we won’t be writing our own laws to that end,” Mamdani tells The New York Times, adding he is having “an active conversation” with New York City’s Law Department on the matter.
“I believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu belongs in the Hague, Mamdani says, referring to the location of the UN International Criminal Court, where the premier has been served with an arrest warrant for alleged war crimes in Gaza.
“He’s a war criminal who has been charged by the International Criminal Court,” Mamdani says.
“And what you will find is that is an opinion that is held by many, purely because of what his actions have wrought over these last many years,” he says.
Kuwaiti oil firm says facility damaged, some wounded by ‘repeated Iranian attacks’
Kuwait Petroleum Corporation says one of its oil facilities was hit by “repeated Iranian attacks,” resulting in significant material damage and some injuries, according to Kuwait’s state news agency.
Haredi demonstrators protest cafe opening on Shabbat in Jerusalem for 3rd week in a row
Ultra-Orthodox protesters demonstrate against a cafe operating on Shabbat while secular protesters demonstrate in support of the cafe in central Jerusalem, July 18, 2026 (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
For the third week in a row, ultra-Orthodox demonstrators protest against Cafe Basimta in Jerusalem for opening on Shabbat.
Police appear more prepared this week for the disruptions and erect barriers preventing the protesters from reaching the cafe in the alley.
נוהל שבת: מפגינים חרדים מוחים על פעילות בית הקפה בבירה, וצועקים לעבר הלקוחות – "הפסיקו לחרב את ירושלים" https://t.co/sC0VLzQzKO@RotemGolan_
(צילום: אביטל משה) pic.twitter.com/Fux6Kw3v1Q— חדשות 13 (@newsisrael13) July 18, 2026
Kuwait says several firemen injured after two fires sparked by Iran attacks
KUWAIT CITY, Kuwait — Kuwait’s fire service says Iranian attacks sparked fires at two locations in the country, with several firemen injured, after an attack was reported at a power and water plant.
The fire service says on X that it was dealing with “two fires that erupted in two different locations” following the latest Iranian attacks, adding that this “resulted in injuries among firemen and a worker,” who were taken to receive care.
US Embassy advises against travel to northern Israel, broader Middle East amid ongoing clashes with Iran
Amid ongoing clashes with Iran, the United States tells its citizens to reconsider travel in the Middle East and to specifically avoid northern Israel, Gaza, and the Egyptian border.
“Due to high tensions in the Middle East, the security environment remains complex with the potential for unforeseen escalation. We remind Americans in the region of the continued need for caution and encourage them to monitor the news for breaking developments,” the US Embassy in Jerusalem writes.
“Americans traveling in or through the region should also check with their air carriers to make sure their flights are still scheduled. Americans should consider these factors when planning travel to Israel and the West Bank, and should not travel to Gaza, Northern Israel, and the Egyptian border except for the Taba crossing, and reconsider travel to/through the Middle East,” the alert adds.
Dozens of US refueling jets to be stationed at Israeli airbases, not Ben Gurion Airport — IDF
A US Air Force Boeing KC-46A aerial refueling tanker takes off from Ben Gurion Airport on June 8, 2026. (Yossi Aloni/Flash90)
Dozens of additional aerial refueling tankers that the American military is sending to Israel will be landing and stationed at Israeli airbases, rather than Ben Gurion Airport, according to the military.
This is in order to minimize disruption to civilian transportation routes. Israel’s Transportation Ministry had already limited the number of tankers at Ben Gurion to 20 to try and fight summer flight disruptions.
The decision to send the tankers to Israeli airbases was made by the US in coordination with the Israeli military, which allowed the Israeli Air Force to make preparations.
The military says it is acting to enable the US’s deployment in Israel as much as possible while preserving Israel’s civilian aviation needs.
Lebanon’s Aoun takes off to US for meeting with Trump
This handout picture released by the Lebanese Presidency’s press office shows Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun (L) receiving US Ambassador to Lebanon Michael Issa at the Presidential Palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, on July 9, 2026 (Lebanese Presidency/AFP)
BEIRUT, Lebanon — Lebanese President Joseph Aoun leaves Beirut for Washington, where he is expected to meet Donald Trump, the Lebanese presidency says, after talks between Lebanon and Israel wrapped up in Italy.
Aoun will hold discussions “with several American officials on the situation in Lebanon and ways to strengthen the ceasefire,” particularly in Lebanon’s south, as well as on “the withdrawal of Israel from the Lebanese regions it occupies,” the presidency says.
Interceptor missile fired at ‘false identification’ over southern Lebanon — IDF
This picture taken from a position in the Upper Galilee region in northern Israel shows an Israeli Iron Dome missile streaking across the sky to intercept incoming projectiles on June 8, 2026 (Jalaa MAREY / AFP)
An interceptor missile was launched at a “false identification” over southern Lebanon a short while ago, the military says.
No sirens sounded as no towns were under any threat.
The IDF says there was no actual attack and the incident is under further investigation.
Sirens sound in Bahrain for second time today amid Iranian attacks
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Bahrain activates its air sirens for a second time today, warning residents to shelter after it detected possible incoming drones or missiles.
The Gulf states have come under frequent fire from Iran over the past week as tensions continue to ramp up between the US and Iran.
Bahrain says it intercepted wave of Iranian attacks
Cars pass by a billboard as U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is in the country to discuss an interim deal between the U.S. and Iran with Arab Gulf allies, in Manama, Bahrain, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (Eric Lee/Pool Photo via AP)
MANAMA, Bahrain — Bahrain’s army says its air defenses repelled a wave of Iranian attacks, as an AFP journalist in Manama reports hearing blasts after sirens sounded.
“Air defense systems thwarted” the attacks, the army says in a statement, adding that they “intercepted and destroyed a number of treacherous Iranian aerial assaults.”
Fire breaks out at Kuwaiti desalination plant after Iranian attack
A fire breaks out at a power generation and water desalination plant in Kuwait after an Iranian attack, the country’s Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy Ministry says, adding that several power generation units have been shut down.
It says efforts were underway to contain the fire and carry out repairs.
Kuwait Airways reschedules most flights after country attacked by Iran
This March 18, 2012, photo shows a view of empty Kuwait Airways check-in counters at Kuwait Airport. (AP Photo/Gustavo Ferrari)
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Kuwait Airways says it has rescheduled most flights after the country temporarily suspended operations at Kuwait International Airport following Iranian missile and drone attacks.
The airline had earlier said the rescheduling was due to the closure of Kuwaiti airspace.
Iran army says it targeted Bahrain air base
The Iranian army says that it targeted an air base in Bahrain used by the United States in response to American strikes, according to Iran’s state broadcaster.
Attack drones targeted “aircraft shelters and parking areas, fuel storage tanks of the US military at Sheikh Isa Air Base, as well as several connecting bridges in Bahrain,” the army says, adding that the base in southern Bahrain is “one of the most important operational and logistical centres” for the US military in the region.
Jordan says it downed 10 Iranian missiles; no injuries or damage reported
Jordan’s army says it has shot down 10 Iranian missiles with no casualties or damage, as Tehran retaliates against American strikes by pressing attacks on US allies.
“Air defense systems… intercepted 10 Iranian missiles that had entered Jordanian airspace and were targeting the kingdom’s territory (which) were intercepted and shot down,” the army says in a statement, adding that there are no casualties or material damage.
US says it hit underground arsenals, other targets in overnight strikes on Iran
The US military has completed its seventh consecutive night of strikes against Iran, US Central Command says, adding that it targeted “surveillance sites, military logistics infrastructure, underground weapons storage, and maritime capabilities.”
“CENTCOM continues to hold Iran accountable at the commander in chief’s direction while fully enforcing a naval blockade against Iranian ports,” says US Central Command.
“More than 50,000 American service members are operating across the Middle East and remain vigilant, lethal, and ready.”
Poll: 23% of Israelis considering leaving the country, or have a relative who is, if Netanyahu reelected as PM
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a vote at the plenum hall of the Knesset in Jerusalem, on July 16, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
Just over two-thirds — 67 percent — of respondents to a new television poll say they oppose the various laws passed by the coalition this week, including enshrining Torah study as a quasi-constitutional value and approving legislation to shield ultra-Orthodox draft dodgers from arrest.
Asked about the legislation by Channel 12 news, 21% say they support the laws, with the remaining respondents not knowing.
Among the other questions in the poll is whether respondents or any of their relatives are considering leaving Israel if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reelected, with 23% responding yes versus 68% saying no and the rest unsure.
CENTCOM denies Iranian claim that 2 tankers exploded after hitting mines
US Central Command denies a claim by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that two oil tankers exploded after sailing through a mined route near the Strait of Hormuz.
???? CLAIM: Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claims that two oil tankers have exploded in the Strait of Hormuz after hitting mines in the international waterway.
✅ FACT: Like most IRGC claims, this is false. pic.twitter.com/hgdwnc7Kos
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 18, 2026
Iranian forces say they targeted US bases in Kuwait and Jordan, Bahrain’s main AI center
Iran’s army says it struck US military targets in Kuwait and Jordan in response to American attacks, according to a statement carried by the Iranian state broadcaster.
In Kuwait, Iranian forces targeted an ammunition depot in the Al-Adiri camp, the headquarters buildings and ammunition depots in the Ali Al-Salem base and several communication bridges.
In Jordan, fuel tanks at the Al-Azraq base were also targeted, the state broadcaster says on Telegram.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps meanwhile says it attacked a depot of US drones in Bahrain and destroyed Bahrain’s main artificial intelligence center with ballistic missiles and drones.
Iranian state media reports 3 killed, 8 wounded in US attacks on Hormozgan province
US attacks have killed three people and wounded eight in the southern Iranian province of Hormozgan, state news agency IRNA reports.
“The deputy political, security and social affairs governor of Hormozgan announced the martyrdom of three people and the injury of eight people following enemy attacks on some parts of Hormozgan province this morning,” IRNA says on Telegram.
IRGC says it ‘stopped’ 4 ships trying to traverse Hormuz in combined missile and drone attack
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says it has “stopped” four ships trying to transit the Strait of Hormuz.
“In the past hours, four violating ships with the support of the terrorist US army were trying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, and all four ships were stopped in place during a combined missile and drone operation,” the IRGC says in a statement carried by the state broadcaster.
Saudi Arabia gives the all clear after warning of ‘potential danger’ amid reported Iranian missile attack
The Saudi civil defense early on Saturday issued two early warnings for Al-Kharj city and Yanbu to be alert to “potential danger,” but it later says the danger has passed in both areas, without providing details on the danger that triggered the warnings.
A US official tells the Axios news site that Iran targeted an American military base in Saudi Arabia with a ballistic missile, the first time that the Islamic Republic has directly attacked the kingdom in four months.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards says two tankers exploded in mined route near Hormuz
Two oil tankers exploded and caught fire after passing through a mined route south of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s state TV reports, citing a statement from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Explosions reported in Yazd, elsewhere in Iran amid latest wave of US strikes
Five explosions were heard in the early hours of Saturday local time in Yazd, in central Iran, the state news agency IRNA reports, after the US military announced a seventh night of strikes against the country.
Another Iranian news agency, Mehr, reports that explosions were heard “in several provinces in the south” of Iran.
US military confirms carrying out 7th consecutive night of strikes on Iran
The US Central Command says that the US military has conducted a new round of strikes on Iran, amid escalating fighting.
It also says that it redirected four commercial vessels, disabled one, and boarded another to “ensure full compliance” during the first three days of the new US blockade on Iranian ports.
This marks the seventh consecutive night of US strikes on Iran, as the countries trade strikes aimed at infrastructure and military targets while their battle over the Strait of Hormuz intensifies.
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