March 16: Levin pans attorney general, says government has authority to fire Shin Bet chief

Levin against the attorney general: Government has authority to fire Shin Bet chief

Justice Minister Yariv Levin attends a meeting of the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, January 21, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Justice Minister Yariv Levin slaps back at the attorney general’s determination that the Shin Ber chief cannot be removed prior to a legal review by her office.

“The Shin Bet Law explicitly states that the government has the authority to terminate the service of the head of the agency before the end of their term. This law should be known to the attorney general as well. In case anyone is confused, Israel is a democracy, and everyone in it, including the attorney general, is subject to the law.”

He says the government “must not surrender to threats or attempts to strip the government of its authority,” and claims that “the capitulation to violence and [military] refusal in March 2023” in response to his highly divisive judicial overhaul plan “is what brought us to the current state of lack of governance. Now is a moment of truth for all of us.”

Trump’s tackling of ostensible ‘deep state’ inspired Netanyahu to fire Shin Bet chief — report

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided to move ahead with the firing of Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar after leaving Washington in early February, inspired by the moves US President Donald Trump took “against the deep state” and his appointment of loyalists to key posts, the Axios news site reports, citing aides to the premier.

IDF confirms strikes in southern Lebanon, says it hit Hezbollah command center

The IDF confirms carrying out strikes in southern Lebanon earlier this evening, saying it targeted a Hezbollah command center and other buildings used by the terror group.

The command center belonged to Hezbollah’s elite Radwan force, according to the IDF.

“The presence of these terror infrastructure sites constitutes a blatant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon. The IDF will not allow this kind of activity and will act against it,” the military says, adding that “the IDF will strike armed terrorists in southern Lebanon, and will operate in order to remove any threat to the State of Israel.”

Death toll of US attacks on Yemen rises to 53, Houthi-run health ministry says

The death toll of the US attacks on Yemen has risen to 53, a spokesperson for the Houthi-run health ministry says.

Five children and two women were among the victims, while the number of those injured rose to 98, Anees Alsbahi, the spokesperson, adds on X.

Syria authorities accuse Hezbollah of killing three soldiers

Syria’s defense ministry accuses Lebanon’s Hezbollah of abducting three soldiers to Lebanon and killing them there, state media reports.

“A group from the Hezbollah militia… kidnapped three members of the Syrian army on the Syrian-Lebanese border… before taking them to Lebanese territory and eliminating them,” the news agency SANA quotes the defense ministry as saying.

Attorney general tells PM he can’t fire Shin Bet head before legal examination

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara attends the funeral of former judge Elisheva Barak-Ussoskin at Kiryat Shaul Cemetery in Tel Aviv, December 11, 2024.(Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

In an official letter, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara tells the prime minister that “it is not possible to initiate a dismissal process” of Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar “until the factual and legal basis underlying your decision is fully examined, as well as your authority to address the matter at this time.”

She goes on: “This is due to the extraordinary sensitivity of the issue, its unprecedented nature, the concern that the process may be tainted by illegality and conflict of interest, and considering that the role of the head of the Shin Bet is not a personal trust position serving the prime minister.”

Top official blasts Bar: ‘He’s confused about who reports to whom’

Left: Shin Bet Chief Ronen Bar (Yonatan Sindel/Flash 90); Right: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (Dudu Bachar/POOL)

Amid a war of words between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, an anonymous Israeli official — usually code for statements from the Prime Minister’s Office — launches a broadside against the spy chief, saying that Bar is “confused about who reports to whom.”

“The Shin Bet chief clinging to power harms the Shin Bet and the security of the country,” says the official, adding that Bar’s response to Netanyahu proves that he has to go.

“If anyone had any doubts about the vital need to remove the Shin Bet chief from his position,” says the official, “he has now received the final answer to that with the anti-democratic response in which he says that he, and not the government, will determine when he will end his position.”

Bar said earlier that he intended to continue in his role until the hostages returned, until he completed several “sensitive” investigations — likely those related to the Prime Minister’s Office — and when his two potential successors were ready. After some outlets took that part of the statement to mean Bar was refusing to be fired, the Shin Bet in a clarification said Bar told Netanyahu in their meeting that “whatever decision is made, he will respect the law.”

The official takes a swipe at Bar, saying he similarly “decided on the night of October 7 who not to wake up and who not to call.”

Netanyahu and his allies have sought to pin the blame on the Hamas attacks on the security establishment, arguing they failed to notify the prime minister in time.

“The Shin Bet chief is repeating the lie that he warned the political echelon against the Hamas attack, while the protocols prove the exact opposite,” says the official. “On October 1, 2023, seven days before the massacre, the Shin Bet chief said that Hamas was deterred and that it should be given economic benefits in order to maintain calm.”

The Shin Bet probe found various failings surrounding the agency in relation to the October 7 Hamas-led invasion of southern Israel, but largely pinned the blame on other agencies and long-standing government policies, such as the transfer of Qatari funds to Hamas-run Gaza.

Lebanese media reports one dead in Israeli airstrike in south Lebanon

Lebanese media reports one dead in an Israeli airstrike in the southern town of Aainata.

Additional strikes are reported in Kafr Kila.

There is no immediate comment from the IDF.

Ronen Bar: Netanyahu’s expectation of loyalty to him first is ‘fundamentally illegitimate’

Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar at a state ceremony marking the Hebrew anniversary of the Hamas October 7 attack, at Mount Herzl military cemetery in Jerusalem on October 27, 2024. (Chaim Goldberg/ FLASH90)

Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar responds to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s announcement that he will be removed from office, saying that the premier’s decision is not related to the failures tied to October 7.

“The duty of loyalty placed on the Shin Bet is first and foremost to Israeli citizens. This underlies all my actions and decisions,” Bar says. “The prime minister’s expectation of a duty of personal loyalty, the purpose of which contradicts the public interest, is a fundamentally illegitimate expectation. It is contrary to the Shin Bet law and contrary to the statesmanlike values that lead the Shin Bet and its members,” he adds.

Bar notes that Shin Bet’s internal review of the failures that led to October 7 “pointed to a policy led by the government, and the person who has headed it, for years, with emphasis on the year preceding the massacre. The investigation showed a longstanding and deliberate disregard by the political echelon for the agency’s warnings,” he continues.

Bar says he intended to continue in his role until the hostages are returned and until he completes several “sensitive” investigations — likely those related to the Prime Minister’s Office — and when his two potential successors are ready.

After some outlets took that part of the statement to mean Bar was refusing to be fired, the Shin Bet in a clarification says Bar told Netanyahu in their meeting that “whatever decision is made, he will respect the law.”

In his statement on the dismissal, Bar says: “As someone who headed the Shin Bet on October 7, I took responsibility for the agency’s part and clearly stated that I intend to act on it before the end of my tenure. That is what is expected of everyone. Therefore, it is clear that the intention behind my firing is not related to October 7. The prime minister made it clear that the decision was due to his claim there is ongoing distrust between us.

“The Shin Bet, under my leadership, carried out a thorough investigation that pointed to intelligence and internal process failures on October 7, the repair of which has already begun,” Bar says.

He says that “the need to investigate all parties, including government policy and the prime minister, and not just the IDF and the Shin Bet, who have been thoroughly investigated, is needed for public security. If I do not insist upon this, with all the personal prices I will pay, I will fail in my role of providing state security,” he says.

“Investigating to uncover the truth is of utmost importance in the Shin Bet. The public has a right to know what led to the massacre and the collapse of Israel’s security,” Bar continues.

He says that his “public responsibility was at the base of my decision to continue in my position in the near future, in light of the [military] escalation potential, the high security tensions and a real possibility of returning to fighting in the Gaza Strip, in which the Shin Bet has a key role.”

Bar also says that he wanted to “follow through on my personal commitment and the commitment of the agency to the hostages; the completion of a number of sensitive investigations; and the optimal readiness of the two candidates to replace me, at the prime minister’s choice.

“In a previous meeting, I informed the prime minister that I intended to complete the above before I resigned from my position in coordination with him, in light of my responsibility to the public, the security of the state, and the functioning of the Shin Bet for the benefit of the State of Israel,” he says.

Shin Bet probing suspicion PM’s confidant leaked information to anti-government protesters

Separately from this evening’s drama, the Shin Bet has in recent days been investigating a worker in the Prime Minister’s Office on suspicion of leaking information to anti-government protesters, thus endangering the premier.

The suspect is considered to be a confidant of Netanyahu.

Many of the details of the case are currently under a gag order.

Bennett: Netanyahu should have resigned long ago

(L to R) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former prime minister Naftali Bennett attend the funeral of Rabbi Haim Drukman, at Merkaz Shapira, near Kiryat Malachi, on December 26, 2022. (Gil Cohen-Magen / AFP)

Former prime minister Naftali Bennett accuses Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of seeking to avoid responsibility for October 7, following the premier’s announcement that he would force out Shin Bet head Ronen Bar.

“Mr. Netanyahu bears ultimate responsibility for the worst failure in Israeli history, and should have resigned long ago,” Bennett tweets, arguing that the prime minister’s “passive and defeatist policy allowed Hamas and Hezbollah to build themselves up as terrorist powers on our borders for 15 years.”

While the heads of the security services also failed, “they took responsibility,” he continues. “Netanyahu, on the other hand, is running away from his responsibility. The State of Israel will not be able to recover without his resignation.”

Cabinet members laud decision to fire Shin Bet chief

Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar attends a ceremony for the Israeli Olympic and Paralympic delegation competing at the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris, at the President's Residence in Jerusalem on June 19, 2024. (Oren Ben Hakoon/Flash90)

Members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet welcome his announcement that they will get to vote this week on forcing out Shin Bet head Ronen Bar.

“In a democracy, the public elects the elected representatives, and they are the ones who appoint and dismiss the officeholders of the executive branch according to their level of performance and the level of trust between the parties,” declares Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar.

Following the failure of October 7 and given the decreasing trust between Bar and Netanyahu, the former must leave his position, agrees Education Minister Yoav Kisch. “It would have been better if he had resigned of his own initiative. Since that didn’t happen, the prime minister was right to decide to have him fired. On Wednesday, I will support the decision to terminate Ronen Bar’s position.”

Bar’s ouster is “an existential and immediate necessity,” tweets Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, accusing the Shin Bet chief of having “turned himself into a dictator with the backing of the attorney general.”

“Bar is one of the main people responsible for the October 7 disaster, and now he continues to undermine Israel’s security and erode democracy,” Karhi accuses, calling his dismissal “a vital step in restoring public trust and stopping the erosion of the foundations of Israeli democracy.”

“At the upcoming government meeting, I will support his dismissal and the dismissal of the attorney general with all my strength,” he adds.

Ronen Bar’s current and former deputies are considered to replace him as agency chief

Two top Shin Bet officers are reportedly being considered to replace the current chief of the security agency, Ronen Bar, whom Prime Minister Netanyahu announced tonight would be fired.

The first officer is known by the first initial of his name in Hebrew, “Shin,” and is the current deputy head of the Shin Bet. He has been in the deputy role for just two months, though he has served in other senior positions in the agency, including chief of staff and chief of the research division.

The second officer being considered is “Mem,” the former deputy chief of the agency. Netanyahu recently appointed him as a member of Israel’s hostage negotiation team, after Bar was kicked off it. He has also served in several other senior roles in the agency.

Both “Shin” and “Mem” served in the Shin Bet as field coordinators, involved in recruiting agents and other sources.

According to Hebrew-language media reports, Netanyahu may not choose either of the two officers, but instead bring a defense official from outside the organization to head the Shin Bet, or alternatively a former senior Shin Bet officer.

Among the former senior Shin Bet officials reportedly being considered to lead the Shin Bet is Meir Ben Shabbat, who is considered close to Netanyahu. Ben Shabbat formerly headed the Shin Bet’s southern district, and later Israel’s National Security Council.

Gantz: Ronen Bar’s dismissal a direct blow to security, dismantles Israeli unity

National Unity leader MK Benny Gantz leads a faction meeting at the Knesset in Jerusalem, on February 3, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/ Flash90)

National Unity chairman Benny Gantz calls Shin Bet head Ronen Bar’s dismissal “a direct blow to the security of the state and the dismantling of unity in Israeli society for political and personal reasons.”

Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman condemns the move too, declaring that if Prime Minister Netanyahu “had fought Hamas with as much determination as [he is] fighting the Shin Bet chief, the Attorney General’s Office and the judicial system, the holocaust of October 7 would have been prevented.”

Former IDF chief of staff Herzi Halevi “is out, Ronen Bar is on the way, and now it’s the turn of the one at the top of the pyramid — the prime minister of October 7,” he adds.

Lapid says party will petition courts against plan to dismiss Ronen Bar

Opposition Leader Yair Lapid announces that his Yesh Atid party will petition the courts against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s planned dismissal of Shin Bet head Ronen Bar, arguing that the move is clearly meant “to sabotage a serious criminal investigation of the Prime Minister’s Office.”

The Shin Bet is currently looking into suspicions that top aides to the prime minister had improper ties to Qatar.

Ben Gvir, Smotrich welcome decision to fire Bar: ‘Better late than never’

Left: National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, January 16, 2025; Right: Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, January 13, 2025. (Both photos by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Otzma Yehudit chairman Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich both welcome Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s announcement that he intends on firing Shin Bet head Ronen Bar.

Ben Gvir says that the move should have been made long ago but it’s “better late than never,” arguing that “there is no place in a democratic country for officials who conduct themselves in a politically confrontational manner against elected officials.”

“The right must learn from President Trump to eradicate the ‘Deep State,'” Ben Gvir adds.

Calling Bar’s ouster a “necessary step,” Smotrich says that while Bar deserves the thanks of the nation, it would have been appropriate for him “to take real responsibility and resign on his own initiative more than a year ago, saving the need for his dismissal.”

Accusing Bar of arrogantly “clinging to his seat,” Smotrich says that irreconcilable differences between Bar and the political echelon make his continued tenure impossible.

Lapid: Netanyahu firing Ronen Bar for only one reason – the ‘Qatar-gate’ probe

Yesh Atid head MK Yair Lapid speaks during a press conference in Tel Aviv on March 11, 2025. (Avshalom Sassoni/ Flash90)

Opposition Leader Yair Lapid accuses Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of seeking to fire Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar in order to stymie an investigation into his staffers’ ties with Qatar.

“Netanyahu is firing Ronen Bar for only one reason — the ‘Qatar-gate’ investigation,” Lapid declares. “For a year and a half, he saw no reason to fire him, but only when the investigation into Qatar’s infiltration of Netanyahu’s office and the funds transferred to his closest aides began did he suddenly feel an urgency to fire him immediately.”

Lapid notes that Bar has said he will take responsibility for the failure of October 7 and resign after the hostages return home, adding that his dismissal at this time is “irresponsible” and shows a lack of commitment to those held in Gaza.

The premier recently removed Bar and Mossad chief David Barnea from heading the team negotiating the Gaza truce-hostage deal, over which Netanyahu’s right-wing flank has threatened to topple the government.

The “clear purpose” of Bar’s dismissal “is to sabotage a serious criminal investigation into the Prime Minister’s Office,” Lapid adds. “Netanyahu has once again put his private interests above the good of the country and its security. All the slander and all the attempts to shift responsibility for the failure onto the security system will not help Netanyahu. He is primarily responsible for the failure and disaster of October 7, and that is all that will be remembered of him.”

Yemen’s Houthis say they targeted US aircraft carrier in Red Sea

Yemen’s Houthis say they launched an attack on a United States aircraft carrier in the Red Sea today, hours after Washington hit the Iran-backed rebels with deadly strikes.

“In response to this aggression, the armed forces conducted a military operation… targeting the US aircraft carrier USS Harry Truman and its accompanying warships,” the group says in a statement, adding it launched 18 missiles and a drone.

Yair Golan says Netanyahu ‘has declared war on the State of Israel’

Leader of The Democrats party Yair Golan leads a faction meeting at the Knesset in Jerusalem, on February 24, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Democrats party chief Yair Golan says Netanyahu “has declared war on the State of Israel.”

In a post on X, Golan says: “The dismissal of the head of the Shin Bet is a desperate attempt by a criminal defendant to get rid of someone loyal to Israel, who is investigating Netanyahu and his close circle for serious and dark offenses and refuses to cover things up.

“The more the investigations around him expand and reveal problematic connections, the more Netanyahu descends into hysteria, inciting, and dismissing.”

Defense minister instructs IDF to respond to gunfire from Lebanon that hit car

Defense Minister Israel Katz says he has instructed the IDF to respond to today’s gunfire from Lebanon that damaged a car in the border community of Avivim.

“The claim that it was an errant bullet from the funeral of a Hezbollah operative held in a nearby village is completely unacceptable,” Katz says.

He adds that Israel will “not allow a reality of shooting on the residents of the north for any reason, and we will respond to any violation of the ceasefire.”

Attorney general says ‘prior consultation required’ with her to fire Shin Bet chief

In a terse statement responding to Prime Minister Netanyahu, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara says she is “not familiar with the decision” to dismiss Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar.

“Prior consultation with me is required,” she says.

Netanyahu announces intention to fire Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar this week

Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar attends a farewell ceremony in honor of then-police chief Kobi Shabtai (not pictured), at the National Police Academy in Beit Shemesh, on July 14, 2024. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu summoned Shin Bet head Ronen Bar for an urgent meeting in his office and informed him a short time ago that the cabinet will vote this week to force him out of his post, Netanyahu’s office says.

According to Hebrew media reports, the vote will take place in a special cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

According to Channel 14, it was “not an easy conversation.”

Netanyahu is widely reported to have been working for months to try and oust Bar, as he seeks to place the blame for the failures of October 7 solely on the security echelon, as opposed to political leadership.

Though Bar intended to eventually resign over his failures in preventing the attack, he was said to be pushing back against the effort to oust him, fearing that acquiescence would allow Netanyahu to appoint a loyalist in his stead. Bar has refused to step down despite his agency’s probe into October 7 finding failures by his agency, with him and Netanyahu trading increasingly public barbs.

Bar reportedly said he did not plan on stepping down from his post until all the hostages were returned and a state commission of inquiry was established to probe failures surrounding October 7.

In a statement tonight, Netanyahu says: “At all times, but especially during an existential war such as we face, there must be full trust between the prime minister and the head of the Shin Bet.

“But unfortunately, the situation is the opposite — I do not have such trust. I have ongoing distrust in the head of the Shin Bet, a distrust that has only grown over time.”

“I want to make clear,” says the prime minister, “I am full of appreciation for the men and women of the Shin Bet.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu makes a statement on his intention to fire Shin Bet head Ronen Bar (Screenshot/Prime Minister’s Office Spokesman)

Netanyahu says he is “sure that this step is critical for the rehabilitation of the organization, for achieving all our war aims, and for preventing the next disaster.”

Related, from our archive – Getting rid of these troublesome officials: Can Netanyahu fire AG, IDF chief, Shin Bet head?

The Attorney General’s Office office had previously told the prime minister he would have to consult with it before dismissing Bar, to ensure there were no improper considerations. He does not appear to have done so.

The Shin Bet is currently looking into suspicions that top aides to the prime minister had improper ties to Qatar.

Israel sends medical delegation to North Macedonia after fire crisis

Israel will dispatch a group of medical specialists to North Macedonia, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announces, after a fire at a nightclub claimed dozens of lives and left many injured in the European country.

“Israeli medical experts will travel to North Macedonia within the next day to provide medical assistance,” Sa’ar says he told his North Macedonian counterpart Timcho Mucunski, expressing his condolences over “the terrible tragedy” in a post on X.

I spoke with my counterpart, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia @TimcoMucunski to express our condolences for the terrible tragedy in which more than 50 people were killed and dozens were injured in a fire. I told my counterpart that Israeli medical experts will…

— Gideon Sa'ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) March 16, 2025

Last night’s massive fire broke out at a nightclub in North Macedonia’s southern town of Kocani after clubgoers used pyrotechnics that caused the roof to catch fire. It killed 51 people and injured about 100 more.

North Macedonian Health Minister Arben Taravari told reporters earlier today that 118 people have been hospitalized, adding that he had received offers of assistance from neighboring countries, including Albania, Bulgaria and Greece.

Police to question former Shin Bet chief Argaman for alleged threats against PM

Former Shin Bet chief Nadav Argaman in a television interview aired March 13, 2025. (Screen capture/Channel 12)

Police will summon former Shin Bet chief Nadav Argaman for questioning for alleged threats against the prime minister, after the former said during a TV interview that he had information that would compromise the prime minister and threatened to make it public if Netanyahu breaks the law.

He did not make clear what acts he was speaking of, but was apparently referring to what he alleges are efforts by Netanyahu to subvert the rule of law through legislation and the dismissal of various gatekeepers, including current Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar.

Benjamin Netanyahu filed a complaint with police alleging that Argaman was “threatening and blackmailing a sitting prime minister.”

Erdogan, Trump discuss Ukraine, Syria, defense issues, Turkey says

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has spoken by phone with US President Donald Trump and discussed efforts to end the war between Russia and Ukraine and to restore stability in Syria, Erdogan’s office says.

It says Erdogan told Trump that the United States needs to finalize the F-16 procurement process and Turkey’s re-participation in the F-35 program to develop defense industry cooperation between the two countries.

Car hit by gunfire in northern Israel, apparently from Lebanon

An empty parked car in the northern border community of Avivim was hit by gunfire earlier today.

According to the IDF, the gunfire apparently came from Lebanon.

There are no injuries in the incident.

The military says troops are searching the area, and further details are under investigation.

“Shooting at Israel from Lebanon is a violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon,” the IDF adds.

נזק נגרם לשמשת מכונית במושב אביבים כתוצאה מקליע שנורה מלבנון. אין נפגעים באירוע. מבדיקה ראשונית עולה שהאש לא כוונה לעבר הישוב. מדובר בירי באוויר בכפר הלבנוני השכן במהלך הלוויה של 15 פעילי ארגון חיזבאללה שנהרגו במלחמה. pic.twitter.com/v0FCbEYueP

— Rubi Hammerschlag | רובי המרשלג (@rubih67) March 16, 2025

Netanyahu’s office says Israeli negotiators in Egypt for Gaza talks

Palestinians gather for a mass fast-breaking iftar meal amid the rubble of destroyed buildings, and the ruins of the Salim Abu Muslim mosque (top-L) in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip on March 15, 2025, during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan. (Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)

Israeli negotiators are in Egypt to discuss with senior Egyptian officials the ongoing efforts to reach a deal with Hamas to free more hostages, according to the Prime Minister’s Office.

Negotiators returned from Doha on Friday after unsuccessful attempts to extend the ceasefire with Hamas in return for the release of more hostages.

Israel says it backs a proposal by US special envoy Steve Witkoff to free half the hostages at the start of an extended ceasefire that will last at least through the Passover holiday. The rest of the hostages could go free at the end of the ceasefire if an agreement is reached to end the war in Gaza.

IDF says it struck terror operative planting bombs in central Gaza

The IDF says it carried out a drone strike a short while ago against a terror operative who was identified as trying to plant bombs in the ground in the Netzarim Corridor area of central Gaza, close to where Israeli troops are operating.

In recent weeks, amid the ceasefire, the IDF says it has carried out numerous strikes against Hamas operatives attempting to plant bombs.

Motorcyclist critically hurt after being hit by truck in central Israel

A motorcycle rider aged around 20 is critically hurt after being hit by a truck near Kibbutz Metzer in central Israel.

He was rushed to a hospital by medics.

Houthis say they are ready to escalate after US strikes Yemen

Yemen’s Houthis say they are ready to “meet escalation with escalation” after US strikes target the Iran-aligned group over its threat to resume Red Sea shipping attacks.

The strikes — which killed at least 31 people at the start of a campaign that one US official told Reuters might continue for weeks — are the biggest US military operation in the Middle East since President Donald Trump took office in January.

The Houthis’ political bureau describes the attacks as a “war crime.”

“Our Yemeni armed forces are fully prepared to respond to escalation with escalation,” it says in a statement.

Rubio says Yemen strikes to continue until Houthis can no longer attack ships

US strikes on Yemen will continue until the Houthis no longer have the capability to attack global shipping and the US Navy, Secretary of State Marco Rubio tells the CBS News “Face the Nation” program.

He says there is no talk of US ground raids in Yemen, adding: “I don’t think there’s a necessity for it right now.”

Rubio also says that there is “no way” the Houthis would have the ability to attack global shipping without support from Iran.

Witkoff says he discussed demilitarizing Hamas during Doha meet with Arab leaders

Asked whether the US is talking to specific countries about taking in Palestinians from Gaza, US special envoy to the Mideast Steve Witkoff avoids answering directly, saying the Trump administration is “exploring all alternatives and options that lead to a better life for Gazans.”

In the past, Witkoff and US President Donald Trump have pushed for Egypt and Jordan to take in Palestinians, though both countries have vehemently rejected the idea and have instead backed an Arab plan for the post-war management of Gaza that would allow Palestinians to remain in the Strip while it is being rebuilt.

Offering a similar update on the hostage negotiations as the one he gave on an earlier interview with CNN, Witkoff tells CBS’s “Face the Nation” that Hamas’s response to his bridge proposal was “not encouraging.”

During his visit to Doha on Wednesday to participate in hostage talks, Witkoff also met with top officials from Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and the Palestinian Authority. He says the summit lasted seven and a half hours and discussed a final peace resolution for Gaza in which Hamas would be demilitarized, “which must happen — that’s a red line for the Israelis.”

The terror group has rejected this demand to date, but has privately told Arab mediators that it is prepared to give up governing control of Gaza, two senior Arab diplomats have told The Times of Israel.

While in Doha, Witkoff also put forward a bridge proposal to extend the ongoing ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

“Hamas came up with their own construct, which essentially disavowed what we discussed and to my mind that was a pretty poor ending,” Witkoff says. “I hope they reconsider because the alternative is not so good for them,” he adds.

White House says ‘multiple’ Houthi leaders killed, Iran ‘on notice’

US strikes killed “multiple” Houthi leaders in Yemen, the White House says, adding that Iran was “put on notice” to stop backing the rebel group and its attacks on Red Sea shipping.

The airstrikes Saturday “actually targeted multiple Houthi leaders and took them out,” National Security Advisor Michael Waltz tells ABC News.

“We just hit them with overwhelming force and put Iran on notice that enough is enough,” he says in a separate appearance on Fox News.

US envoy confirms proposal would free 5 living hostages, Hamas position ‘unacceptable’

Steve Witkoff, White House special envoy for the Middle East, speaks with reporters at the White House, March 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP/Alex Brandon)

US special envoy to the Mideast Steve Witkoff says Hamas’s Friday offer to free American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander is a “non-starter,” warning the terror group of consequences if it doesn’t accept a bridge proposal that he proposed over the weekend.

Witkoff is asked during an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union” about Hamas’s announcement that it had agreed to release Alexander and the bodies of four dual nationals.

“The Hamas proposal is a nonstarter,” he responds.

“I think there’s an opportunity for them, but the opportunity is closing fast,” Witkoff says, pointing to the massive strikes that the US carried out against Houthi rebel targets in Yemen over the weekend, and arguing that they demonstrate “where we stand with regard to terrorism and our tolerance level for terrorist actions.”

“I would encourage Hamas to get much more sensible than how they have been,” Witkoff warns.

He says he spent seven and a half hours meeting with negotiators in Doha on Wednesday. Those discussions led to the crafting of a “bridge proposal,” which Witkoff confirms for the first time would see the release of five living Israeli hostages, including Alexander, in exchange for “a substantial amount of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, which would be a wonderful thing for these Palestinian families.”

Witkoff’s details of the offer appear in line with those widely reported in recent days, but contradict those provided last night by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, which said the proposal envisions 11 living hostages being released.

The Trump envoy says Israel was informed and consulted with ahead of time. Hamas took two or three days to respond, “which is their usual mode,” he says, coming back with something that was “unacceptable.” He declines to get into why that is.

Air Force on high alert for Houthi missile, drone attacks on Israel

Shrapnel from a Houthi missile attack damages a home in the Jerusalem area on January 14, 2025 (Israel Police)

The Israeli Air Force is on heightened alert for potential missile and drone attacks by the Houthis in Yemen.

The level of alert was already raised by the IAF last week, after the Iran-backed group threatened to resume attacks on Israel.

The IAF continues to maintain readiness for potential Houthi attacks, as the US launched a major bombing campaign in Yemen last night.

Overnight, a missile was launched from Yemen, which landed in Egypt. The IDF is still investigating if the missile was aimed at Israel.

Turkey said to take in 15 exiled former Palestinian security prisoners

Palestinian prisoners, released by Israel, gesture as they arrive on a bus at the European Hospital in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip early on February 27, 2025. (Photo by AFP)

Some 15 exiled Palestinian prisoners recently released from Israeli prisons land in Turkey, reports the Al-Araby Al-Jadeed site, citing Egyptian sources.

The Qatari site reports that this week, Malaysia and Indonesia are both expected to receive 15 freed Palestinian prisoners as well.

The first phase of the ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza saw Israel release some 1,900 Palestinian prisoners, including over 270 serving life terms in connection with the murders of dozens of Israelis.

IDF finds weapons cache, UN vest in West Bank raid

A UNRWA vest discovered among a weapons cache by IDF troops in Nur Shams refugee camp in the West Bank, March 16, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)

During an anti-terrorism operation in the northern West Bank, soldiers from the Kfir Brigade discover a weapons cache in the Nur Shams refugee camp outside of Tulkarem, according to an IDF statement.

Several bags of weapons were discovered at the scene, one of which contained a vest labeled “UNRWA,” the IDF says.

Israel has long said that terrorists were using the UN agency as cover for their activities.

According to the statement, the confiscated weapons were transferred for further investigation by security forces.

The IDF states that it will continue its operations to thwart terrorism throughout the West Bank to ensure the safety of Israeli citizens.

IDF hands out punishments for Purim shooting into Gaza

Reservist soldiers are seen in a border buffer zone opening fire toward Gaza during a reading of the Book of Esther, March 14, 2025 (Social media)

The IDF has handed down punishments to several troops and commanders over Friday’s incident in the Gaza Strip, during which reservists fired shots during the reading of the Megillah during the Purim holiday.

The company commander received a reprimand that will go on his record; the platoon commander will be removed from his role; and nine reservists will be removed from combat service and be forced to stay on base for 28 days.

The soldiers were all sentenced by their brigade commander.

IDF gets three new F-35I fighter jets

IAF decals are placed on newly arrived F-35 fighter jets in a photo released March 16, 2025 (Israel Defense Force)

Three more F-35I fighter jets landed last week at the Nevatim Airbase, the military says.

They will join the 116th Squadron , and bring the Israeli Air Force’s F-35 fleet to 42.

The three jets are part of Israel’s initial order of 50 F-35 jets. Another 25 were ordered last year.

Freed hostage Karina Ariev leads Jerusalem Purim parade

Released hostage Karina Ariev (c) leads the annual Purim parade in Jerusalem alongside city mayor Moshe Lion on March 16, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Released hostage Karina Ariev leads the parade in Jerusalem for the festival of Purim.

Ariev is accompanied by Jerusalem mayor Moshe Lion and is cheered by the crowd.

Ariev, a surveillance soldier taken hostage by Hamas from the Nahal Oz base on October 7, 2023, was released in January after 477 days in captivity.

Knesset schedules key budget vote for Wednesday

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich speaks in the assembly hall of the Knesset in Jerusalem, January 29, 2025. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

The Knesset is set to bring the Economic Arrangements Bill to a vote in the plenum this Wednesday, a key step in passing the 2025 state budget.

The Arrangements Law — which determines how funds will be disbursed— is usually the final precursor for passing the budget. If the coalition does not pass the budget by March 31, the Knesset will automatically be dissolved — by law — and new elections called.

According to Hebrew-language media reports, the advancement of the arrangements bill will lead to a delay in voting on legislation aimed at overhauling the composition of the Judicial Selection Committee — which makes all judicial appointments, especially over appointments to the Supreme Court.

Initially, the judicial appointments bill — part of the government’s controversial judicial overhaul — was slated for a vote on Wednesday, following intensive meetings of the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee in which lawmakers are expected to wade through tens of thousands of objections filed by the opposition.

Israel doesn’t expect Hamas to accept ‘Witkoff proposal,” says official

Israelis attend a rally demanding a deal to bring hostages home from Gaza, at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, March 8, 2025. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

Despite a series of statements reiterating Israel’s support for the “Witkoff proposal,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s aides do not believe Hamas will ever accept the outline, an Israeli official tells The Times of Israel.

“It’s not going to happen,” says the official. “Everyone is well aware of this.”

The “Witkoff proposal,” which US special envoy Steve Witkoff presented in Doha on Wednesday and detailed in part on Friday, has been said by Israel to call for half the living hostages to be released at the start of an extended ceasefire that would last until the end of the Passover holiday in mid-April, with the possibility of the rest of the hostages being released at the end of the period.

The official says Israel’s insistence that Hamas accept the proposal is a negotiating tactic. “The goal is to get more than just American hostages out because that’s not acceptable in Israel.”

Hamas on Friday offered to release the last living Israeli-US hostage, Edan Alexander, and return the bodies of four others with dual Israeli-US citizenship — Itay Chen, Omer Neutra, Gadi Haggai and Judy Weinstein — in return for extending the truce and the release of more Palestinian security prisoners. Both Israel and the US rejected the Hamas offer, with Witkoff indicating it was disingenuous.

If Hamas does not agree to release hostages who don’t have US citizenship, Israel will end the ceasefire, says the official. “There are war plans crafted. There won’t be an endless amount of time — several weeks at the very most.”

Israel is prepared to send a team back to Doha for talks, says the official, once given a “green light” by Washington.

Katz warns Israel’s enemies, says Iron Beam will soon be ready

Defense Minister Israel Katz (C) tours defense technology at the Rafael Leshem Institute in northern Israel, March 16th, 2025. (Shira Kinen/Defense Ministry)

Defense Minister Israel Katz cautions Israel’s enemies against testing Jerusalem’s “decisive” defense capabilities and confirms that the Iron Beam laser interception system is nearly operational during a visit to the Rafael defense technology firm.

“Our enemies should know and understand clearly — we have many means to deliver a decisive blow. If they raise a hand against Israel again—that hand will be severed,” says Katz while touring Rafael’s facilities alongside company leadership and top defense officials.

The advanced Iron Beam technology, which uses lasers to intercept rockets and drones for a fraction of the cost of the Iron Dome, will be implemented later this year, according to the Defense Ministry.

“The laser system is the weapon of the future, capable of neutralizing an entire layer of threats…with outstanding and continuously improving results. Israeli citizens need this protection,” says Katz.

The Iron Beam is not meant to replace the Iron Dome or Israel’s other air defense systems but to supplement and complement them, shooting down smaller projectiles and leaving larger ones for the more robust missile-based batteries such as the David’s Sling and Arrow systems.

According to the Defense Ministry, the Iron Beam doesn’t run out of ammunition so long as there’s an energy source.

The defense minister hails critical technology developed by Rafael, such as the Iron Dome and David’s Sling, which have protected Israeli citizens from aerial threats over the past year and a half, the Defense Ministry says.

Since the war in Gaza began on October 7 of last year with the Hamas invasion and massacre, more than 26,000 rockets, missiles, and drones  have been launched at Israel from multiple fronts.

Report: Senior IDF officer lost highly classified documents in a Ramat Gan parking lot

A senior IDF officer lost highly classified military documents in a Ramat Gan parking lot, the Ynet news site reports.

The documents were found by a passerby who handed them into the building security officer, who in turn informed the police and the IDF.

A military source confirms the incident to Ynet, saying that the IDF had investigated the incident and found that a reserve Brigadier General had accidentally dropped the documents while getting out of his vehicle.

The source says that further compounding the seriousness of the incident, the documents should not have been removed from the base.

The report does not say if any action was taken against the officer.

Hospitalized Pope says ‘facing period of trial’, body ‘weak’

Children holding white and yellow balloons gather by the statue of John Paul II outside the Gemelli University Hospital where Pope Francis is hospitalised, in Rome on March 16, 2025. (Photo by Andreas SOLARO / AFP)

Pope Francis acknowledges being fragile and “facing a period of trial,” as he thanked well-wishers for prayers in a message from the hospital, where he has been receiving treatment for pneumonia.

The 88-year-old pope, hospitalized since February 14, sent a particularly personal message to the faithful published by the Vatican, as he once again missed delivering the traditional Angelus prayer in person.

“I am sharing these thoughts with you while I am facing a period of trial, and I join with so many brothers and sisters who are sick: fragile, at this time, like me,” wrote the pope.

“Our bodies are weak but, even like this, nothing can prevent us from loving, praying, giving ourselves, being for each other, in faith, shining signs of hope,” he added.

Sunday was the fifth time the pope’s condition had prevented him from personally giving the Angelus prayer, which he usually delivers to the crowd gathered in St Peter’s Square following mass.

Last week, the Vatican signaled the Argentine pontiff was out of danger after a series of breathing crises earlier in his hospitalization had sparked fears for his life.

Witkoff to appear on US networks after ceasefire talks in Doha

US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff speaks during the FII Priority Summit in Miami Beach, Florida, on February 20, 2025. (Chandan Khanna / AFP)

The Trump administration’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff will give a round of interviews on US news channels today after mediating talks in Qatar last week aimed at extending a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.

Witkoff will appear on CBS’s “Face the Nation” to discuss “the ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas,” the news channel writes on X. He will also appear on CNN’s “State of the Union, ” though the subject matter is not disclosed.

Witkoff traveled last week to Doha, where the US, Egypt and Qatar are mediating indirect talks between Jerusalem and the Hamas terror group over the war in Gaza and Israeli hostages still held there.

After leaving Qatar on Wednesday, Witkoff also held talks with officials in Russia and Azerbaijan.

Following the Israeli team’s return from Doha on Friday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a Saturday night meeting with close officials, after which he instructed his hostage negotiating team to prepare for the next round of talks based on a proposal from Witkoff, which would see 11 living hostages and half the slain captives released “immediately.”

The “Witkoff proposal,” which the US envoy presented in Doha on Wednesday and detailed in part on Friday, has been said by Israel to call for half the living hostages to be released at the start of an extended ceasefire that would last until the end of the Passover holiday in mid-April, with the possibility of the rest of the hostages being released at the end of the period.

On Friday, Witkoff dismissed as disingenuous a Hamas offer earlier in the day to release captive soldier Edan Alexander — the last known living American-Israeli hostage — and the remains of four unidentified dual nationals.

As Israel’s negotiating team prepared to meet with the prime minister on Saturday night, Channel 12 reported that the negotiations in Doha could be nearing collapse, with the sides unable to agree on the terms for continuing the ceasefire that came into effect in January.

US said weighing in on Lebanon’s next central bank chief in bid to curtail Hezbollah access to cash

Pictures of Hassan Nasrallah, the slain former leader of Hezbollah, and other killed fighters are displayed as people arrive for and prepare a mass fast-breaking iftar meal amid the rubble of destroyed buildings in Lebanon's southern village of Khiam near the border with Israel on March 15, 2025 during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. (Photo by Rabih DAHER / AFP)

The US is weighing in with Lebanon’s government on the selection of the country’s next central bank governor in a bid to curtail corruption and illicit financing for Hezbollah through Lebanon’s banking system, five sources familiar with the issue say.

Washington’s feedback on the candidates for the top role in shaping Lebanon’s monetary policy is the latest example of the US’s unusually hands-on approach to the Middle Eastern country, where a more than five-year financial crisis has collapsed the economy.

It also demonstrates the US’s continued focus on weakening Hezbollah, the Iran-backed group whose sway over the Lebanese government has been reduced after the group was pummeled by Israel in last year’s war.

Since then, Lebanon has elected US-backed Joseph Aoun as president, and a new cabinet without a direct role for Hezbollah has taken power. That government must now fill vacant posts — including at the central bank, run by an interim governor since July 2023.

The US is reviewing the profiles of a handful of candidates for the role, according to three Lebanese sources briefed on the issue, one Western diplomat and an official from US President Donald Trump’s administration.

The sources spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity to discuss Washington’s role in the selection process, the details of which have not been previously reported.

Shin Bet says it foiled Jerusalem Ramadan shooting attack

Israeli security forces stand guard outside Damascus Gate at the entrance of Jerusalem's Old City, ahead of the first Ramadan Friday noon prayer at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound on the Temple Mount on March 7, 2025. (Photo by AHMAD GHARABLI / AFP)

The Shin Bet security service and the Israel Police say they foiled a plot by an Arab Israeli to carry out a shooting attack in the Old City of Jerusalem during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

According to the joint statement, the suspect, identified as Uday Mobarsham, a resident of the village of Makr in the north, was detained in February after he purchased a homemade rifle and began training with it.

During his interrogation, he said he planned to open fire on police officers or Jewish Israelis near the Old City’s Damascus Gate.

“Foiling this attack was significant, given that we assess that if his plan had been carried out during Ramadan it could have undermined the quiet and led to a dangerous escalation in the Jerusalem area during a period of high security tensions,” a Shin Bet source says.

Ordnance from Syria’s 13-year conflict explodes in port city, killing at least 16 people

Ordnance from Syria’s 13-year conflict exploded in the coastal city of Latakia, collapsing a building and killing more than a dozen people, the Syrian Civil Defense said Sunday.

The paramedic group, known as the White Helmets, said it worked overnight, searching through debris, and recovered 16 bodies, including five women and five children, and that 18 others were injured. The group and residents said the explosion occurred in a metal scrap storage space on the ground floor of the four-story building.

The United Nations said in February that about a hundred have been killed from exploding ordnance during the last 13 years, adding that since the ouster of Bashar Assad in December, over 1,400 unexploded devices across Syria have been safely disposed of and 138 minefields and contaminated areas identified in Idleb, Aleppo, Hama, Deir-ez-Zor and Latakia.

Latakia, a key port city, and Syria’s coastal province recently witnessed a surge in violence after gunmen loyal to Assad ambushed a security patrol. While the government’s counteroffensive, alongside allied factions, crushed the insurgency, it led to widespread destruction and numerous cases of retaliatory attacks against members of the Alawite community, which the Assad family is part of.

The clashes and revenge killings led to the deaths of more than 1,000 people.

????The @SYRedCrescent responded to an explosion in the southern Raml neighborhood of #Latakia. First aid teams transported 7 injured individuals, including a child, to hospital; some sustained injuries. Disaster teams conducted search and rescue operations for missing persons. pic.twitter.com/KPKDaPHdpV

— Syrian Red Crescent (@SYRedCrescent) March 16, 2025

51 dead and dozens more injured in nightclub fire in North Macedonia

A massive fire that broke out overnight in a nightclub in North Macedonia’s southern town of Kocani has killed 51 people and injured about 100 more, interior minister Panche Toshkovski tells a press conference.

The blaze began around 2:35 a.m. during a concert by a local pop group, according to Toshkovski. He says the young clubgoers used pyrotechnics that caused the roof to catch fire. Video on social media shows chaos inside.

Family members have gathered in front of hospitals and Kocani’s city offices begging authorities for more information.

Toshkovski says police have arrested one man, but didn’t provide details on the person’s involvement.

Houthi missile lands in Egypt, IDF checking if it was fired at Israel

A man carries a mock missile during a rally by university students and faculty denouncing strikes on Yemen and in solidarity with Palestinians, in the Houthi-controlled capital Sanaa on January 1, 2025. (Mohammed HUWAIS / AFP)

A Houthi missile launched from Yemen landed in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula overnight, not far from the coastal city of Sharm el-Sheikh.

The IDF is investigating whether the missile intended to target Israel, although so far is unable to verify this.

The incident comes as the US launched a large bombing campaign against the Houthis.

The Israeli Air Force last week had already raised its level of alert for potential Houthi attacks, as the Iran-backed terror group threatened to resume its missile and drone fire on Israel.

Iran Guards general vows to retaliate against any attacks after Trump warning

This handout photo provided by Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) official website Sepah News on February 1, 2025, shows IRGC commander-in-chief Major General Hossein Salami (L) alongside navy commander Admiral Alireza Tangsiri talking to a reporter during the unveiling of the Qadr-380 naval cruise missile in an undisclosed location in Iran. (SEPAH NEWS / AFP)

The head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards threatened “decisive” responses to any attacks, after US President Donald Trump warned the Islamic Republic to stop backing Yemen’s Houthi rebels.

“Iran will not wage war, but if anyone threatens, it will give appropriate, decisive and conclusive responses,” Hossein Salami says in a televised speech that followed deadly US strikes on Yemen.

Russia urges US to halt Yemen strikes, engage in dialogue

This image taken from video provided by the US Navy shows an aircraft launching from the USS Harry S. Truman in the Red Sea before airstrikes in Sanaa, Yemen, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (US Navy via AP)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov urges the United States to cease strikes against Yemen’s Houthis, the foreign ministry said on Sunday.

Lavrov spoke to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio by telephone, the ministry says.

“In response to the American representative’s arguments, Sergei Lavrov stressed the need for an immediate cessation of the use of force and the importance for all sides to engage in political dialogue in order to find a solution that would prevent further bloodshed,” the ministry says.

US President Donald Trump launched large-scale military strikes against Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis on Saturday over the group’s attacks against Red Sea shipping, killing at least 31 people at the start of a campaign expected to last many days.

IDF says two Hezbollah operatives killed in south Lebanon airstrike

Two Hezbollah operatives were killed in an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon earlier today, the military says.

According to the IDF, the pair were carrying out surveillance on the border and were involved in advancing attacks on Israel from the Yater and Mays al-Jabal area.

“The terrorists’ activities constitute a violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon,” the military adds.

#Lebanonnews: An #Israeli drone strike killed one person and wounded another after targeting their #vehicle on the road to the town of Yater, South Lebanon, according to the National News Agency.https://t.co/44EXmby8Ux

— LBCI Lebanon English (@LBCI_News_EN) March 16, 2025

Man shot dead in Arab town of Yafa an-Naseriyye

A 27-year-old man was killed in a shooting while on his way to work this morning in the northern Arab town of Yafa an-Naseriyye, close to Nazareth, police and medics say.

Paramedics found the victim, identified as Nour al-Din Abdelqader, lying on the ground with severe injuries. They pronounced him dead at the scene.

Police are investigating the incident and have not yet arrested any suspects.

Since the start of 2025, 54 Arab Israelis have been killed in violent circumstances. Many community leaders blame law enforcement for the spiraling crime rate, accusing police of neglect as the majority of Arab sector murder cases go unsolved.

Iran condemns ‘brutal’ US strikes on Yemen

This image taken from video provided by the US Navy shows an aircraft launching from the USS Harry S. Truman in the Red Sea before airstrikes in Sanaa, Yemen, March 15, 2025. (US Navy via AP)

Iran’s foreign minister condemns deadly US strikes against Yemen’s Tehran-backed Houthi rebels, saying they violated international law.

Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei “strongly condemned the brutal air strikes by the US” in a statement, denouncing them as a “gross violation of the principles of the UN Charter.”

US President Donald Trump said he ordered a series of airstrikes on the Houthi-held areas in Yemen on Saturday, promising to use “overwhelming lethal force” until the group cease their attacks on shipping along a vital maritime corridor.

The Houthis said at least 31 people were killed.

He also warned Iran to stop supporting the rebel group, promising to hold the country “fully accountable” for the actions of its proxy.

Liberman rules out joint run with Eisenkot

Yisrael Beytenu party chairman MK Avigdor Liberman leads a faction meeting at the Knesset in Jerusalem, on February 24, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman rules out a joint run with Gadi Eisenkot in the next elections, saying he would “run to be head of government.”

Liberman’s comments to Radio 103 FM come amid reports that Eisenkot, currently number two in Benny Gantz’s National Unity party, was looking to unite several centrist parties behind him.

“I plan to run to be head of government. I really respect Eisenkot, but that’s not my worldview, we are totally different,” he says. “We are different on policy, security and socially, even more so from [Yesh Atid leader Yair] Lapid and Gantz.

“I think it’s very legitimate — I will run on my worldview,” says Liberman, a hawkish secularist.

Elections are not scheduled until October 2026, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hard-right coalition proving resilient.

NASA’s stuck astronauts welcome newly arrived replacements to the space station

This image made from video by NASA shows the docking of the SpaceX capsule to the International Space Station Sunday, March 16, 2025. (NASA via AP)

Just over a day after blasting off, a SpaceX crew capsule arrives at the International Space Station, delivering the replacements for NASA’s two stuck astronauts.

The four newcomers — representing the US, Japan and Russia — will spend the next few days learning the station’s ins and outs from Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams. Then the two will strap into their own SpaceX capsule later this week, one that has been up there since last year, to close out an unexpectedly extended mission that began last June.

Wilmore and Williams expected to be gone just a week when they launched on Boeing’s first astronaut flight. They hit the nine-month mark earlier this month.

The Boeing Starliner capsule encountered so many problems that NASA insisted it come back empty, leaving its test pilots behind to wait for a SpaceX lift.

Their ride arrived in late September with a downsized crew of two and two empty seats reserved for the leg back. But more delays resulted when their replacements’ brand new capsule needed extensive battery repairs. An older capsule took its place, pushing up their return by a couple weeks to mid-March.

Weather permitting, the SpaceX capsule carrying Wilmore, Williams and two other astronauts will undock from the space station no earlier than Wednesday and splash down off Florida’s coast.

Iran says US has ‘no authority’ to dictate its foreign policy

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says that Washington has “no authority” to dictate its foreign policy after US President Donald Trump urged Tehran to end support for Yemen’s Houthi rebels.

“The United States Government has no authority, or business, dictating Iranian foreign policy,” Araghchi says in a post on X, while urging the US to stop the “killing of Yemeni people.”

The US launched large-scale military strikes against Yemen’s Houthis on Saturday over the group’s attacks against Red Sea shipping.

The Iran-backed group said early Sunday that at least 24 people had been killed so far, at the start of a campaign expected to last many days.

IDF shares identities of terror operatives it says were killed in northern Gaza strike

An IDF infographic details the identities of six Palestinian terror operatives the military says were killed in airstrikes in northern Gaza's Beit Lahiya on March 15, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)

The IDF details the identities of six Palestinian terror operatives it says were killed in airstrikes in northern Gaza’s Beit Lahiya yesterday, including a terrorist who participated in the October 7 onslaught.

According to Palestinian media, the strikes killed nine, including journalists.

The IDF says that a first strike targeted two operatives using a drone to advance attacks on troops in Gaza.

“Based on intelligence information regarding the terror activity in the area, it was determined that the drone was in constant use by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad organisation, including during its use [on Saturday],” the IDF says.

A second strike was carried out against another group of operatives who collected the drone equipment, according to the military.

The IDF says the strikes killed “several terrorists, including terrorists who were operating under the guise of journalists.”

They are named by the IDF as: Mustafa Mohammed Shaaban Hamed, a Hamas terrorist who invaded Israel on October 7, 2023; Mahmoud Yahya Rashdi as-Saraj, a member of Hamas’s engineering forces; Bilal Mahmood Fuad Abu Matar, a Hamas operative operating under the guise of a photographer; Mahmoud Imad Hassan Isleem, a member of Hamas’s Zeitoun Battalion, operating under the guise of a journalist; Suheib Bassem Khaled Najar, a Palestinian Islamic Jihad operative who was released in the recent hostage-ceasefire deal with Hamas; and Mohammed Alaa Suhbi al-Jafir, a Hamas operative.

Houthis vow to respond to US ‘war crime’ after large-scale strikes on Yemen’s capital

The Houthi-run health authorities in Yemen say that at least 13 civilians were killed and nine injured in US strikes on Yemen’s capital Sanaa.

At least 11 others, including four children and one woman, were killed and 14 were injured in a US strike on the northern province of Saada, the Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV reports.

The Houthis’ political bureau describes the attacks as a “war crime.”

“Our Yemeni armed forces are fully prepared to respond to escalation with escalation,” it says in a statement.

Hundreds of thousands take to the streets as anti-corruption protest engulfs Serbia’s capital

A sea of people converged in Serbia’s capital Belgrade yesterday in what was the largest of a series of anti-corruption demonstrations that have upended the Balkan country in recent months.

At one point the crowd stretched for nearly two kilometres, with people filling the streets in and around the parliament and the capital’s main pedestrian square.

“We have gathered in the streets primarily to express our complete dissatisfaction after years of dictatorship, lawlessness, and corruption,” said one demonstrator, Ognjen Djordjevic, a 28-year-old resident from Belgrade.

The movement formed after 15 people were killed when a railway station roof collapsed in the city of Novi Sad in November, igniting long-simmering anger over alleged corruption and lax oversight in construction projects.

After the rally, the interior ministry said that at least 107,000 people had turned out.

The Public Assembly Archive — a group that monitors crowd size — gives a much higher figure. It estimates that between 275,000 to 325,000 people took to the streets.

If that estimate is correct, it would make the protest one of the largest in Serbia’s recent history.

???????? Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, right now. pic.twitter.com/Oir4292B51

— Visioner (@visionergeo) March 15, 2025

Houthis say at least 15 killed in intense wave of US strikes

Yemen’s Houthi rebels say that US strikes have killed at least 15 people, including children, after President Donald Trump announced an attack on the Iran-backed group.

The Houthi’s Ansarallah media raises an earlier death toll of nine, reporting strikes hitting the capital Sanaa as well as the northern Saada region.

Freed hostage Tal Shoham says his Hamas captors ‘never stopped digging tunnels’ in terror group’s underground network

Former hostage Tal Shoham tells Fox News that from June 2024 until his release on February 22, he was held underground in Gaza by captors who were responsible for digging the tunnels that make up Hamas’s vast underground network in the Palestinian enclave.

He was held in the small underground room along with Omer Wenkert — who was released alongside him — and Evyatar David and Guy Gilboa Dalal, both of whom are still in captivity.

He says that their captors would constantly dig tunnels even as they guarded the four men.

“Hamas never stopped digging tunnels,” Shoham says. “Not for a single day.”

In July 2024, it was reported that Hamas’s tunnel network was still in a “good functional state” despite the many months of war, and the IDF’s attempts to destroy it.

Their captors provided them with just 300 milliliters of water a day, Shoham tells Fox, and they were given plain rice to eat, which resulted in severe malnutrition. After months in which he was getting progressively more unwell due to the diet of just several hundred calories a day, Shoham says a doctor finally came to see him. By that point, he says, he had already developed a severe infection, and had internal bleeding in his legs.

He says the doctor gave him vitamin supplements to combat the malnutrition, which “tasted like dog food, but it dramatically improved our condition.”

Despite the supplements, Shoham was severely underweight upon his release from Gaza.

Ex-hostage Tal Shoham says he refused to kneel to Hamas captors, wouldn’t show them he was afraid

Freed hostage Tal Shoham reunites with family members at the Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva, February 22, 2025. (Haim Zach/GPO)

Released hostage Tal Shoham, who was returned to Israel on February 22, publicly shares details of his 505 days in captivity for the first time, in an interview with Fox News. 

Shoham was taken hostage from Kibbutz Be’eri, where he and his family had been visiting his wife Adi’s parents over the Simchat Torah holiday.

Adi was also taken hostage, along with their two children Yahel, then 3, and Naveh, 8. The three were released during the weeklong truce in November 2023.

Shoham tells Fox that he didn’t initially know what had become of his wife and children, as he had been taken hostage separately after he stepped outside to surrender, hoping it would spare the lives of his loved ones.

He recalls being driven into Gaza, hauled out of the trunk of the car he was transported in, and told to kneel. At this point, he says, he believed he was about to be killed.

“I said ‘I can’t control whether you kill me or not,’ and I raised by hands — but I refused to kneel’,” he tells Fox, adding that he told his captors: “If you want to kill me, kill me, but you will not execute me like ISIS.”

As he was taken hostage ahead of his family, Shoham says he spent his first 50 days in captivity not knowing whether his wife and children were alive or dead.

“Never in my life have I experienced suffering like this,” he says of that uncertainty. To survive, Shoham says he had to “accept that my family was dead.”

“I sat on the floor and imagined myself at their funeral. I stood in front of a grave — one large for my wife, and two small for my children — and I eulogized each of them,” he recalls. “I sobbed but didn’t let my captors see me cry. That was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, burying my family in my mind.”

On his 50th day in captivity, however, Shoham says he received a letter from his wife informing him that she and their two children were alive, and being released from captivity.

Knowing that his family was safe was the “most important thing,” Shoham says. “I didn’t need to be a father and husband protecting them anymore. Now, I could focus on my war, the one I knew how to fight, the one for survival.”