May 6: Netanyahu convenes security cabinet, says he will speak to Trump about Iran developments

S&P 500, Nasdaq end at record highs on hopes for US-Iran peace deal

Wall Street stocks jump, extending a global rally and lifting major indices to fresh records as oil prices tumbled amid hopes for a US-Iran peace deal.

The broad-based S&P 500 rises 1.5 percent to 7,364.99, a second straight all-time high, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index surges 2.0 percent to 25,838.94, also a second record in a row.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rises 1.2 percent to 49,910.04.

All-clear given in Metzad after suspected terror infiltration found to be false alarm

An all-clear is given by the military in the West Bank settlement Metzad, after a suspected infiltration alert sounded.

The alert was activated due to the identification of a vehicle that entered the community, which was thought to have a Palestinian license plate. However, it emerged to be an Israeli car with a hand-drawn makeshift license plate.

Mamdani backs police protest response, criticizes Israel real estate event at synagogue

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani backs the police response to a protest near a synagogue last night.

Anti-Zionist activist groups protested near Manhattan’s Park East Synagogue, saying they were targeting an event marketing real estate in Israel.

Synagogues sometimes rent out space for the real estate events, which also market apartments in West Bank settlements, drawing harsh protests that are marked by violent rhetoric and support for terror groups.

“We in this city believe in the sacrosanct nature of the right to protest, and also are committed to ensuring that any New Yorker can safely enter or exit from a house of worship,” Mamdani says at a press conference. “I do believe that the police ensured that yesterday evening.”

The organizers of yesterday’s protest, the hardline anti-Zionist Pal-Awda group, lashes out at Mamdani.

“Protesters were kettled, beat and pepper-sprayed to help facilitate a real estate event you claim to oppose,” the group says in response to Mamdani. “Tell us how you are preserving New Yorkers’ right to protest.”

“Kettling” refers to a police practice of surrounding protesters. The Times of Israel did not witness kettling, beatings, or the use of pepper spray at yesterday’s protest, although there were some reports of pepper spray being used elsewhere.

Other anti-Zionist activist and student groups in the city have criticized Mamdani for the police’s handling of the protest, and some demonstrators at the protest mocked Mamdani for the police response.

While Mamdani is a longtime anti-Israel activist and has identified as an anti-Zionist, his positions are not hardline enough for some elements of the movement.

Mamdani also criticizes the Israeli real estate event, calling the sales a “violation of international law.” The statement is similar to criticism he made of another protest at the synagogue late last year that sparked widespread outrage for equating the protesters and the synagogue, although in today’s comments, he does not mention that the event took place at a house of worship.

Both statements have drawn criticism from mainstream Jewish groups.

“He further inflamed tensions on an already volatile situation,” the Anti-Defamation League’s New York/New Jersey branch says. “The Mayor had a responsibility to de-escalate. He did the opposite.”

The tensions surrounding the protest highlight the fraught fault line between freedom of religion and the right to free expression in the city.

Mamdani last month did not veto or support a City Council bill meant to better protect houses of worship from protests, in response to the synagogue demonstrations.

Suspected terror infiltration alert puts West Bank settlement of Metzad on lockdown; IDF searching the area

A suspected terrorist infiltration alert was activated in the West Bank settlement of Metzad a short while ago, after a Palestinian vehicle entered the community, the military says.

The IDF says troops are scanning the area and other forces were dispatched to the scene.

Residents have been instructed to remain locked in their homes until further notice.

UAE warns Iran that its international defense ties are ‘purely sovereign matter’

The United Arab Emirates says that its ties and its international and defense partnerships are a “purely sovereign matter,” rejecting an earlier statement by Iran saying that Abu Dhabi’s cooperation with the US threatened Iran’s security and national interests.

The UAE’s foreign ministry says the Gulf country reserves its full sovereign, legal, diplomatic and military rights to address any “threat, allegation or hostile act.”

The intensified spat between the two countries comes after the UAE reported being attacked in the past days by Iran, after four weeks of relative calm since the ceasefire was announced by the US.

Iran denied carrying out operations against the UAE in recent days, yet warned of a “crushing response” if any action was launched from the UAE against Iran.

Nuclear expert Albright: Iran deal must remove all 10 tons of enriched uranium, not just highly enriched stockpile

Any nuclear deal with Iran must require the removal of all of its enriched uranium – not only its highly enriched stockpile, says David Albright, a former UN nuclear inspector who runs the Institute for Science and International Security, in an interview with Israel’s Channel 12.

Amid intensified US efforts to reach a nuclear deal with Tehran, Albright stresses that “the goal should be to get all 10 tons of enriched uranium out of Iran,” warning that “if any significant part of [Iran’s enriched uranium] stockpile remains, then that’s a bad deal. There’s no doubt about it,” as this would leave Iran capable of developing a nuclear weapon.

Albright stresses that this includes not only the roughly 440 kilograms of near weapons-grade uranium enriched to 60% purity and buried in Isfahan, but Iran’s entire enriched uranium stockpile, ranging from 2% to 60% enrichment.

If the full stockpile were removed, “given the destruction of [Iran’s] centrifuge program” in previous US and Israeli strikes, “we would really have years before we’d have to think about Iran enriching significant amounts of weapon-grade uranium,” Albright says.

The US is reportedly seeking a deal that would remove Iran’s highly enriched uranium and place a moratorium on all uranium enrichment for at least 12 years, but would eventually permit limited enrichment and would not see the removal of the full stockpile.

The June 2025 war with Iran and the current war “have changed the situation dramatically,” Albright adds. Satellite imagery shows that Israel “significantly” degraded Iran’s ability to make nuclear weapons through past strikes, he says, noting that “you can’t eliminate it a hundred percent.”

“What you’re trying to do is lengthen the time and reduce the chance of success…If the goal is to eliminate a nuclear program to where it can never be reconstituted or rebuilt, I think that’s not a realistic goal.”

Gaza health officials say 5 killed, including Hamas police officer, in Israeli strikes Wednesday

Palestinians gather around a vehicle targeted by an Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, May 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Gaza health officials said Israeli strikes killed five people and wounded several others across the Palestinian territory today.

“Five people have been killed since this morning in strikes by the occupation on the Gaza Strip,” reports the Hamas-affiliated civil defense agency.

Gaza City’s Al-Ahli hospital reports receiving “three dead and a number of wounded following an Israeli drone strike on the Zeitoun neighborhood, southeast of Gaza City.”

Two more individuals were killed and more than a dozen wounded in separate Israeli attacks in other parts of the territory, the civil defense agency and hospitals say.

One of those two was a Hamas police officer, according to a security source.

Video appears to show Palestinian woman being chased by settlers driving an ATV in the central West Bank

A video shared online by a Haaretz correspondent shows an ATV allegedly driven by a settler chasing a Palestinian woman down a road on the outskirts of Al-Maniya, a Palestinian village in the central West Bank.

The woman begins running as she notices the vehicle driving toward her, and the person driving it swerves in her direction, closing in on her. She makes it across the street and out of reach of the ATV, which then drives away.

משפחה פלסטינית שגורשה מביתה שבאיזור אל-מיניא (באיזור מעלה עמוס) שלחה לי את הסרטונים האלה. מתנחלים רודפים אחרי פלסטינית בצומת אל-מיניא עם טרקטורון ונכנסים בין בתי הכפר. את המשפחה הזאת הם כבר גירשו מהבית שהיה להם במדבר ואוששו אותם . עכשיו המתנחלים מגיעים לבתי הכפר וממשיכים להטיל… pic.twitter.com/Bl9yMi59pk

— Hagar Shezaf (@hagar_shezaf) May 6, 2026

According to the correspondent, the woman who sent the video was forced out of her home in Al-Maniya by settlers, whom she says have continued to harass the remaining villagers and threaten their homes.

The woman tells Haaretz that “life has become a series of horrors” ever since her family was forced out of their home.

Trump indicates one week needed to finalize deal with Iran to permanently end war

Asked what the timeframe might be for Iran and the US to reach an agreement on a memorandum of understanding permanently ending the war between them, US President Donald Trump responds, one week.

Fox News says Trump made the comment during a phone interview with the network, which adds that the president sounded cautiously optimistic.

Trump has been known to give varying timelines pertaining to the Iran talks in the constant cold calls he takes from journalists.

Axios reported earlier today that the US is expecting a response from Iran to the MoU in the next 48 hours, so it’s unclear whether Trump is suggesting that another few days would still be needed after that.

Government may rush to pass bill weakening role of attorney general in coming weeks — report

The government may rush to pass its controversial bill splitting the role of the attorney general in the coming weeks, raising concerns that weakening the role of such an important gatekeeper could affect the integrity of the upcoming national elections, Channel 12 reports.

The legislation, which has only passed a preliminary reading and is currently being debated in the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, is seen as intended to significantly weaken the power of the attorney general, effectively depriving the position of all authority and independence.

The legislation would preserve the role of the attorney general as the legal adviser to the government, but his or her decisions would not be binding under a mooted draft of the law, the TV report said. It would create separate positions for a prosecutor general and for a government representative to the courts — both of which are currently encompassed by the attorney general’s role.

Key provisions of the bill would give the government total control over appointing the attorney general and allowing it to fire the serving attorney general at the beginning of a new administration, making it a highly political appointment essentially subordinate to the will of the government.

In January,  the Knesset Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee chairman excised a key clause that would have preserved some apolitical character of the key position by ensuring that an attorney general would be appointed for a one-term period of six years, as is currently the case.

According to Channel 12’s unsourced report, a final decision on when to pass the bill has not been made, but the prospect of it being advanced quickly through all three readings ahead of the elections worries the opposition, which is concerned that the lack of oversight from such an important official could remove a key check on government power ahead of the vote.

Majority of Israelis believe ending Iran war under current conditions contradicts security interests

A majority of Israelis believe that ending the war with Iran is “incompatible with Israel’s security interests” and believe that the United States “has greater influence over Israel’s defense decisions” than their own government, according to a new poll by the Jerusalem-based Israel Democracy Institute.

The monthly survey of 751 Jewish and Arab Israelis carried out during the last week of April found that 59 percent of Israelis (64% among Jews and 34.5% Arabs) “think an end to the Iran war under the current conditions is only slightly or not at all aligned with Israel’s security interests.”; 52% of Jews on the left, 70% in the center and 65% on the right hold such views.

Twenty-six percent of Jews believe ending the war under current conditions is compatible with Israeli security interests, compared to 48.5% among Arabs.

Sixty-two percent of Israelis (64% of Jews and 52% of Arabs) also believe there is a high likelihood of returning to war with Iran,

Separately, the poll finds that 73% of Israelis believe that “there is a low likelihood of reaching a stable diplomatic-defense agreement with the Lebanese government that includes the disarming of Hezbollah,” with 79% of Jews and 45% of Arabs holding such views; 17% of Jews and 45% of Arabs are optimistic about this.

In terms of general optimism about the future of Israel’s national security, only 39% of respondents polled expressed optimism, down from 47% in March. Optimism regarding the future of Israeli democracy is at 44%.

The poll also found that 51% of Israelis believe “the US administration has greater influence over Israel’s defense decisions than the Israeli government.”; 56.5% of Jews and 25.5% of Arabs hold this view, while 40% of Arabs believe that both have equal influence.

The poll had a maximum sampling error was ±3.58% at a confidence level of 95%.

Reports: Son of Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya killed in Israeli strike

Hamas-affiliated media outlets in Gaza report that Azzam al-Hayya, the son of Hamas leader in Gaza Khalil al-Hayya, was killed in an Israeli strike in the Daraj neighborhood of Gaza City.

There are currently no additional details about the incident.

Another son, Imam al-Hayya, was killed in the Israeli strike targeting Hamas leaders in Qatar in September 2025.

عاجل | استشهاد "عزام خليل الحية"، نجل رئيس حمــاس بغزة "خليل الحية" بقصف الاحتلال لمدينة غزة. pic.twitter.com/y3QeDXSHlr

— شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) May 6, 2026

Soldier who put cigarette in mouth of Virgin Mary statue will be disciplined, IDF says

A soldier places a cigarette into the mouth of a Virgin Mary statue in Debel, southern Lebanon, in a photo circulated online on May 6, 2026. (used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)

A soldier seen in a photo placing a cigarette into the mouth of a statue of the Virgin Mary, in a Christian village in southern Lebanon, will be disciplined, the military says.

In response to a query, the IDF says that it “views the incident gravely and emphasizes that the soldier’s conduct completely deviates from the values expected of its troops.”

An initial inquiry conducted by the IDF found that the photo was taken in the village of Debel several weeks ago, although it was only shared online today. The photo was taken in the same village where a soldier smashed a statue of Jesus last month.

“The incident will be investigated, and command measures against the soldier will be taken in accordance with the findings,” the IDF says.

The military says it “respects freedom of religion and worship, as well as holy sites and religious symbols of all religions and communities” and has “no intention of harming civilian infrastructure, including religious buildings or religious symbols,” amid its fighting against Hezbollah.

Emerging Iran deal said to include clause to end fighting in Lebanon

Elaborating on the terms of a reported one-page framework deal taking shape between the United States and Iran, Channel 12’s Barak Ravid says the agreement would include a ceasefire in Lebanon, separate from the one agreed to by Jerusalem and Beirut last month, which has reduced, but not stopped, the fighting.

The agreement “would end the war throughout the region, including in Lebanon,” according to the Hebrew network.

Such a move would mark a significant shift, as the ceasefire reached last month with Iran did not extend to Lebanon, where Israel has been fighting against Iran-backed terror group Hezbollah. Instead, a separate US-brokered truce was reached there between Israel and Lebanon, which both seek to keep the Lebanese front distinct from the Iranian file.

It is not clear from the report whether such a ceasefire would include the withdrawal of IDF troops from Lebanon or if it would instead restore the terms of the ceasefire that was in place from November 2024 until Hezbollah resumed its attacks on Israel over the war with Iran in March.

US said to tell Israel that Iran showing ‘surprising openness’ on transferring its uranium stockpile overseas

Centrifuges line a hall at the Uranium Enrichment Facility in Natanz, Iran, in a still image from a video aired by the Islamic Republic Iran Broadcasting company on April 17, 2021, six days after the hall had been damaged in a mysterious attack. (IRIB via AP)

US officials have told Israel they are “optimistic” about reaching a framework agreement with Iran on ending the war, according to a Channel 12 report. This assessment has also reportedly been conveyed by US President Donald Trump to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

According to the latest “update” conveyed to Israel by the Americans, Iran is showing “surprising openness” regarding the transfer of its stockpile of highly enriched uranium to a third country. But there is no agreement on which country that would be. Without agreement on this issue, Trump told Netanyahu in their latest call, there will be no deal, the report says, citing two Israeli officials.

Israel is concerned by the lack of attention being paid to the issue of Iran’s ballistic missile program, the report also says. Israel wants to see a clause in the framework agreement that would limit the range of Iranian ballistic missiles, even though there would be credible means of ensuring Iranian compliance with any such clause, or with any provisions intended to limit Iran’s ballistic missile production.

While “part of the Iranian leadership” is apparently open to “significant steps” on the path to a framework agreement, including on the issue of removing Iran’s uranium stockpile, Israel and the Americans are wary of the potential for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to thwart such a deal, the report continues. Israel, it says, remains braced for all scenarios, including the collapse of the negotiations.

Israel strikes Beirut for first time in almost a month; Netanyahu, Katz say target was Radwan Force chief

Israel carries out its first strike in Beirut since before the ceasefire in Lebanon entered into effect on April 16, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz saying it targeted the commander of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force.

“The IDF has just struck in Beirut the commander of the Radwan Force in the Hezbollah terror organization to eliminate him,” the joint statement says.

Netanyahu and Katz say Radwan Force operatives “were responsible for firing [rockets] at Israeli communities and harming IDF soldiers.”

“No terrorist has immunity, Israel’s long arm will reach every enemy and murderer. We promised to bring security to the residents of the north. This is how we act, and this is how we will continue to act,” they add.

The IDF has yet to issue a comment on the rare strike in the Lebanese capital, the first in almost a month, with the last having been on April 8. Israel and Lebanon agreed to a ceasefire on April 16.

Lebanese media reports Israeli airstrike in Beirut; no comment from IDF

Lebanese media reports an Israeli airstrike in Beirut’s southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold, a short while ago.

This would mark the first Israeli strike on the Lebanese capital since early April.

The IDF has not yet commented on the reports.

غـارة تـسـتـهـدف الـضـاحـيـة الـجـنـوبـيـة فـي بـيـروت pic.twitter.com/4owh0OZwJr

— مصدر مسؤول (@fouadkhreiss) May 6, 2026

US military says it fired on Iranian-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman

The US military says it disabled an Iranian-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman after it attempted to violate a US blockade and sail to an Iranian port.

In a statement, the US Central Command says it observed M/T Hasna as it “transited international waters en route to an Iranian port on the Gulf of Oman” at 9 a.m. ET.

“American forces issued multiple warnings and informed the Iranian-flagged vessel it was in violation of the US blockade,” CENTCOM says.

CENTCOM says that after Hasna’s crew “failed to comply with repeated warnings,” a US Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet, launched from the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, fired several 20mm cannon rounds and “disabled the tanker’s rudder.”

“Hasna is no longer transiting to Iran,” CENTCOM says.

CENTCOM says that the “US blockade against ships attempting to enter or depart Iranian ports remains in full effect.”

In rare security cabinet statement, Netanyahu says he will speak with Trump tonight, insists there are no surprises

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivers a statement at a security cabinet meeting, on May 6, 2026. (Screenshot/GPO)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that he will speak with US President Donald Trump tonight, as the US is reportedly moving toward an agreement with Iran to end the war before resolving Iran’s nuclear program.

“We maintain continuous contact with our friends in the United States,” says Netanyahu at the start of a security cabinet meeting. “I speak with President Trump on an almost daily basis.”

Netanyahu rarely releases statements from security cabinet meetings, an indication that he is eager to push back on reports that Israel was surprised by a potential agreement with Iran. His office released a similar statement only hours ago, a possible sign that, with elections months away, Netanyahu is concerned about the narrative around a US-Iran deal.

“My people and his people are in daily contact, including today,” says Netanyahu. “And I will speak later tonight with President Trump as well.”

“There is full coordination between us — no surprises,” Netanyahu insists. “We share common goals, and the most important goal is the removal of the enriched material from Iran—all of the enriched material—and the dismantling of Iran’s enrichment capabilities.”

Trump, says Netanyahu, “believes he can achieve this one way or another. We, however, are prepared for any scenario, and that is also my directive to the IDF and our security agencies. Israel is stronger than ever, and Iran and its proxies are weaker than ever.”

IDF soldier photographed putting cigarette into mouth of Virgin Mary statue in Lebanese Christian village

A soldier places a cigarette into the mouth of a Virgin Mary statue in Debel, southern Lebanon, in a photo circulated online on May 6, 2026. (used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)

A photo posted to social media shows a soldier placing a cigarette into the mouth of a statue of the Virgin Mary, in a Christian village in southern Lebanon.

The photo was taken in the village of Debel, where a soldier smashed a statue of Jesus last month.

The IDF says it is looking into the photo, without immediately commenting further.

Lebanese PM says premature to talk of any high-level meetings with Israel

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said it is premature to talk of any high-level meeting between Lebanon and Israel, comments underlining the dim chances of one being held soon as hoped for by US President Donald Trump.

Salam, in comments reported by Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA), says shoring up a ceasefire would be the basis for any new round of negotiations that might be held by Lebanese and Israeli government envoys in Washington.

Hostilities between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah have continued to rage in southern Lebanon despite a US-mediated ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel announced on April 16.

Since Hezbollah triggered the war by opening fire in support of Iran on March 2, the Lebanese administration led by Salam and President Joseph Aoun has initiated Beirut’s highest-level contacts with Israel in decades, reflecting deep divisions between the Shi’ite Muslim terror group and its Lebanese opponents.

Washington last month hosted two meetings between the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors to the United States. Hezbollah strongly objects to the contacts.

Announcing a three-week extension of the ceasefire on April 23, Trump said he looked forward to hosting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Aoun in the near future, and that he saw “a great chance” the countries would reach a peace deal this year.

Salam says Lebanon is not seeking “normalization with Israel, but rather achieving peace.”

The current circumstances “are not ripe to talk about high-level meetings,” he adds, according to NNA.

“Our minimum demand is a timetable for Israel’s withdrawal,” he says, adding that the government will develop its plan to restrict weapons to state control – an effort aimed at securing Hezbollah’s disarmament.

360 ultra-Orthodox men were drafted to the military this week, IDF says

IDF Personnel Directorate chief Maj. Gen. Dado Bar Kalifa speaks with new Haredi soldiers at the Tel Hashomer base, May 3, 2026. (Israel Defense Forces)

Some 360 ultra-Orthodox men were drafted to the Israel Defense Forces this week, the military says.

A total of 231 troops joined combat roles, including in the Hasmonean Brigade, the Netzah Yehuda Battalion in the Kfir Brigade, the Hetz Company in the Paratroopers Brigade’s 202nd Battalion, the Nevatim Airbase’s ground defense unit, and the Border Police.

Another 131 Haredi soldiers were drafted to combat support roles, including fighter jet technician units.

The military says more Haredi troops are expected to join the IDF over the coming two weeks, as part of this draft cohort.

Some 80,000 ultra-Orthodox men aged between 18 and 24 are currently believed to be eligible for military service, but have not enlisted. The IDF has said it urgently needs 12,000 recruits — mostly combat troops — due to the strain on standing and reserve forces caused by the multi-front war of recent years.

The IDF says it continues its efforts to draft more ultra-Orthodox soldiers, “out of operational necessity.”

The efforts include expanding existing units for Haredim, implementing new protocols that regulate the service conditions for Haredi troops, and providing opportunities for ultra-Orthodox soldiers to advance to command and officer roles.

The military says it aims to enable Haredi soldiers to have a “meaningful [military] service, while fully preserving [their] ultra-Orthodox way of life.”

Netanyahu to convene security cabinet this evening

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will convene his security cabinet at 7 p.m. this evening, the office of one of the ministers tells The Times of Israel.

The meeting comes amid reports that the US and Iran are close to agreeing on a memorandum of understanding to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump: Very good chance for Iran deal, highly-enriched uranium would go to US

Iran would hand over its highly-enriched uranium to be shipped to the US in a potential deal, says US President Donald Trump.

“It goes to the United States,” says Trump in an interview with PBS. He adds that Iran would agree not to use its underground nuclear facilities.

There is a “very good chance of making a deal,” he says. “If we don’t, we’ll go back to our old ways.”

Trump says that it is “unlikely” that he will send his top envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, to Pakistan for talks. “I think we can do it here, and maybe for the final meeting, we’ll have a signing someplace.”

“If they agree, it’s over, and if they don’t agree, we bomb,” he says, reiterating a threat he has made many times in recent weeks.

‘Freedom of expression should be obvious’ says academic whose kippah was cut up by police over Palestinian flag

Alex Sinclair in an undated photo and his kippa before and after a Palestinian flag was cut out of it, as pictured on April 23, 2026. (Alex Sinclair/Courtesy)

Alex Sinclair, an academic who was detained by police for wearing a kippah featuring Israeli and Palestinian flags last month, says during a Knesset committee hearing that it “should be obvious” that freedom of expression is a key democratic principle in Israel, and expresses concern that the issue even needed to be addressed.

Sinclair is speaking in a hearing of the Knesset Immigration, Absorption and Diaspora Affairs Committee initiated by committee chairman MK Gilad Kariv to address the incident, as well as repeated incidents in which Jewish civil rights activists from the Diaspora have been arrested by police during activities aimed at assisting rural Palestinian communities in the West Bank, and deported and banned from the country by the Interior Ministry.

“We live in a liberal democratic state. And in liberal democratic states, you need to respect unpopular opinions,” Sinclair tells the committee.

“This is the meaning of liberal democracy, to respect, to listen and to be considerate of opinions you don’t agree with.”

Sinclair describes this value as “a foundational principle in Judaism,” and points to the Talmud and the many opinions expressed in its pages as evidence that a key principle of Judaism is “the value of respecting and listening to opinions you don’t agree with.”

Adds Sinclair: “In my eyes, it’s a bit odd that we’re even talking about this. It should be something which is so obvious — that there is freedom of expression in the state of Israel.”

Sinclair was detained in April by police while sitting in a cafe in the city of Modiin, had his phone and kippah confiscated and was locked in a police cell for 20 minutes before being released. When he asked for his kippah, a police officer cut out the Palestinian flag from it and returned the remains to Sinclair.

Kariv describes the incident as a “red flag” which demonstrated a “disparaging attitude towards liberal Jews” by state authorities, and asserts that Diaspora Jewry is becoming worried by such incidents and attitudes.

“Dr. Sinclair wore this kippah for 20 years, and it is obvious that Diaspora Jewry is upset when a person’s kippah is cut up in the Jewish state, while the entire world is dealing with antisemitism,” says Kariv.

Lod court orders dissolution of Ra’am-linked charity over alleged terror financing

The Lod District Court orders the dissolution of a nonprofit associated with MK Mansour Abbas’s Ra’am party over alleged links to terror financing.

The move comes at the request of the Corporations Authority after a Justice Ministry investigation found reason to believe that the Association for Humanitarian Actions had “transferred funds or cooperated with organizations outside of Israel that were declared as terrorist organizations.”

The court says that it ordered the dissolution of the charity due to “serious and ongoing” issues, including the promotion of “foreign goals and activities in enemy states,” and “joint activity with a declared terrorist organization.”

Both Ra’am and the Association for Humanitarian Actions are affiliated with the southern branch of Israel’s Islamic Movement, although the party itself has not been implicated in any wrongdoing.

The government announced the pending dissolution of both the Association for Humanitarian Actions and the Islamic Association for Orphans and the Needy, also known as “Aid 48,” in 2024.

Ra’am does not immediately respond to today’s court ruling, which comes only a day after Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said that the inclusion of the Islamist party in former prime minister Naftali Bennett’s government was far worse than the governmental failures tied to Hamas’s October 7, 2023, onslaught.

Smotrich welcomes today’s court decision as vindication of his criticism of Ra’am, stating that it “proves what I have said from day one: the Ra’am party is involved up to its neck in ties with associations and elements that support terrorism.”

Neither Abbas nor his spokesman immediately respond to The Times of Israel’s requests for comment.

IDF soldier seriously wounded by Hezbollah explosive drone in southern Lebanon

An IDF soldier was severely wounded in a Hezbollah explosive drone attack in southern Lebanon today, the military says.

The soldier was taken to a hospital in serious condition and his family was notified, the IDF adds.

Separately, the IDF says interceptor missiles were launched at several rockets and apparent drones over areas of southern Lebanon where troops are deployed a short while ago.

The results of the interceptions are under review, the military adds.

Qatari PM: There’s a high chance the US and Iran will reach a deal

Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani speaks during a joint press conference with Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Doha, Qatar, March 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Najib Abu Jobain)

There is a “high probability” that the US and Iran reach a deal, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed Abdulrahman Al Thani tells Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

Condemning the use of the Strait of Hormuz as a bargaining chip, he says any deal must take into account the interests of the region.

He calls for “integration” among Gulf states to address common threats, a likely reference to Iran. Al Thani backs his country’s alliance with the US, saying it is based on shared interests and comprehensive understandings.

Israeli official denies report that Jerusalem was surprised by Trump’s push for Iran deal

An Israeli official rejects earlier comments from another official that Jerusalem was taken by surprise by US President Donald Trump’s reported push for an end to the war with Iran before Tehran agrees to give up its nuclear program.

“The Americans did not surprise us,” says the official. “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in continuous contact with President Donald Trump, and they hold conversations almost every day. There is direct communication between the Prime Minister’s staff and the president’s team.”

According to the official, Trump made clear that “Trump insists on his red lines, foremost among them the removal of nuclear material.”

Netanyahu, says the official, “has instructed the IDF to be prepared for any scenario, including a return to fighting if necessary.”

The White House reportedly believes it’s nearing a one-page memorandum of understanding with Iran to end the war and lay out a framework for talks on the regime’s nuclear program, and expects a response from the Islamic Republic within the next 48 hours.

CNN founder and pioneer of the 24-hour news cycle Ted Turner dies at 87

Ted Turner, who transformed television news with the creation of CNN in 1980, has died at the age of 87, the network says.

Cable News Network upended established broadcasting with its dedication to round-the-clock breaking news and shot to global recognition with its coverage of the Gulf War in 1990-91.

Beersheba court rejects appeal against continued detention of two flotilla activists

Brazilian pro-Palestinian activist Thiago Avila gestures upon his arrival at a court in Ashkelon on May 3, 2026. (Ilia YEFIMOVICH / AFP)

The Beersheba District Court rejects an appeal to release the two foreign activists from a Gaza-bound flotilla who were brought to Israel last week after their boats were intercepted, upholding a previous decision to extend their detention until Sunday.

The Israeli rights group Adalah, which is representing Spanish-Palestinian Saif Abu Keshek and Brazilian Thiago Avila, says the court’s decision is “both unlawful and unreasonable.”

The ruling, Adalah says, “failed to address the state’s fundamental lack of legal authority to carry out an arrest — which was effectively an abduction — in international waters.”

“A lawful arrest under these circumstances would require formal extradition. Since there is no lawful authority to arrest, every subsequent day of detention is illegal,” the rights group argues.

It further asserts that the Beersheba court “relied on secret evidence,” preventing Adalah’s lawyers from challenging it as they did not have access to it.

Adalah says that both the detained activists have been on a hunger strike since their arrest, and that Abu Keshek has since escalated his protest and is refusing water.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry has claimed both men were affiliated with the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad (PCPA), a group accused by Washington of “clandestinely acting on behalf of” Palestinian terror group Hamas.

It says Abu Keshek was a leading PCPA member, and that Avila was also linked to the group and “suspected of illegal activity.”

Spain has rejected accusations against Abu Keshek.

Chief rabbi slams Belgian authorities over criminal charges against Jewish mohels

Israel’s Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Kalman Ber, the president of the Chief Rabbinate Council, criticizes Belgian authorities over the decision by the Antwerp Public Prosecutor’s Office to press criminal charges against three Jewish mohels for performing circumcisions.

“I was shocked to hear that law enforcement authorities in Belgium have filed charges against three mohels,” the rabbi writes in an open letter shared by a Rabbinate spokesperson. “It is deeply unfortunate that this country is joining the unflattering list of those carrying the banner of a war against Judaism, which is globally defined as antisemitism.”

Circumcision for religious reasons is legal in Belgium, but must be performed by a licensed medical practitioner.

However, Jewish community representatives have charged that the raids against the mohels were part of a larger campaign of intimidation against Jewish religious figures in Belgium.

“The claim that circumcisions can be performed by physicians rather than certified mohels, on the grounds that the latter lack surgical training, is fundamentally flawed,” Ber says. “History shows that since the Jewish people became a people, long before there is any document about the residents of Europe, mohels have been the ones to circumcise Jewish children.”

Ber calls on Belgian authorities to reconsider the decision. The Rabbinate spokesperson tells The Times of Israel that a copy of the letter will be sent to the Belgian embassy in Israel.

Earlier today, Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot reiterated that the Belgian judiciary is independent and makes its decisions free from any political influence.

Third round of Israel-Lebanon talks to take place in Washington next week, Lebanese media reports

From left, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Lebanese Ambassador to the US Nada Hamadeh Moawad and US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa, listen to President Donald Trump speak in the Oval Office at the White House, April 23, 2026, in Washington. (AP/Mark Schiefelbein)

Arabic media outlets report that Israeli and Lebanese representatives will meet for a third round of negotiations in Washington next week.

According to a report by Lebanese television channel LBCI, the talks will take place in the presence of Lebanon’s ambassador to the United States, Nada Hamadeh Moawad; Lebanese diplomat Simon Karam; and a representative from the Lebanese Armed Forces, and will be held over two consecutive days — either Wednesday and Thursday or Thursday and Friday.

Over half of Israeli adults are overweight or obese, Knesset Health Committee told

Between 50% and 60% of Israeli adults are now categorized as overweight or obese, costing the economy about NIS 30 billion ($10 billion) per year, says MK Tsega Melaku (Likud), the acting chair of the Knesset Health Committee, at a committee hearing today.

The committee calls for an immediate investment of NIS 100-200 million ($30 to 70 million) for prevention and treatment, an increase from the current budget of NIS 17 million ($6 million) for 2026.

In Arab society, obesity rates are higher than among Jews, and among Ethiopian immigrants, there has been a dramatic increase of diabetes diagnoses — both type one and type two — from 0.4% in 1991 to 14% today.

While 18.8% of first graders are classified as overweight or obese, that number jumps to 31.4% by the seventh grade.

The committee also asks the Health Ministry to make information about obesity prevention and treatment culturally and linguistically accessible, to promote legislation that will limit the advertising of harmful foods, and to incentivize the opening of more clinics for obesity in the periphery.

Senior Iranian MP dismisses reported proposal to end war as ‘American wish list’

A senior Iranian parliament member says that a report by Axios that includes the text of a US proposal for an agreement with Iran to end the war is more of a wishlist than a reality.

“The Axios text is more of an American wish list than a reality; Americans will not gain anything in a war they are losing that they have not gained in face-to-face negotiations,” Ebrahim Rezaei, spokesperson for parliament’s foreign policy and national security committee posts on X.

At the same time, Iran’s Tasnim news agency says Tehran has yet to respond to the latest US proposal.

Citing an unnamed source, the report says the draft contains some provisions deemed unacceptable by Iran.

“Using the language of threat against Iran is ineffective, could worsen the situation for the United States,” the source says.

IDF has list of targets to strike if war with Iran resumes, Zamir says

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir (left) in southern Lebanon's Khiam, May 6, 2026. (Israel Defense Forces)

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir says the military has a “series of targets” ready to strike in Iran, should the war resume.

“Cooperation with the United States military and coordination continue at all times, and we are monitoring the situation,” he says during a visit to southern Lebanon, according to remarks published by the IDF.

“In Iran, we have a further series of targets ready for attack. We are on high alert to return to an intense and broad campaign that will allow us to deepen our achievements and further weaken the Iranian regime,” Zamir says.

He also tells troops stationed in the Khiam area that “all IDF capabilities are at your disposal, you have no limitation in the use of force for this purpose.”

Zamir says that since the start of the Iran war, over 2,000 Hezbollah operatives have been killed in Lebanon.

“We will seize every opportunity to deepen the blow to Hezbollah and its continued weakening,” he adds.

Israeli official: We were preparing for escalation with Iran, didn’t know Trump was close to deal

Israel was unaware that US President Donald Trump was close to reaching an agreement with Iran to end the fighting and open the Strait of Hormuz, an Israeli official tells Army Radio.

“We were preparing for an escalation,” says the official.

French aircraft carrier group moves into Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, preparing to aid freedom of navigation in Hormuz

The French aircraft carrier Charles-de-Gaulle is seen as it passes through the Strait of Gibraltar off the coast of southern Spain in Tarifa, on March 6, 2026.(Photo by JORGE GUERRERO / AFP)

France’s Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier group is moving into the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden as part of efforts by France and Britain to prepare for a future mission to help freedom of navigation on the Strait of Hormuz, France’s military says.

The French Armed Forces ministry says in a statement that the aircraft carrier group has crossed the Suez Canal, en route to the south of the Red Sea.

This French aircraft carrier strike group was deployed to the eastern Mediterranean shortly after the US and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran, and it can stay at sea between four and five months.

Belgian FM offers to visit Israel to discuss arrest of mohels; Sa’ar: Brussels has no plan to fight antisemitism

After Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar accuses Belgium of using criminal law “to prosecute Jews for practicing Judaism” by issuing charges against three mohels — people who perform ritual circumcision — Belgium’s top diplomat says the accusation is defamatory, and that he would be happy to come to Israel to discuss the issue.

“Enough with these caricatures,” writes Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot on X.

“In Belgium, the judiciary is independent and makes its decisions — whether one agrees with them or not — free from any political influence,” he continues. “I recall that the proceedings in question were initiated by representatives of the Jewish community themselves. To portray those as a country’s desire to undermine the religious freedom of Jews is defamatory. This freedom has never been called into question and never will be in our country. Our Constitution protects it.”

“Since you yourself recently urged against conducting diplomacy via Twitter,” Prevot proposes, “I suggest that we discuss all these issues during a meeting in Israel at a time that suits you best, in order to put an end to any misinterpretations.”

The three Jewish mohels were arrested last summer in a raid.

Sa’ar responds that Prevot’s comments “completely miss the point.”

“There should never have been such an investigation, had the issue of Brit Milah been regulated like in other European countries that respect Jewish religious freedom,” he says.

“Especially so in a country with one of the oldest Jewish communities in Europe,” he concludes. “Had Belgium had a strategic plan to fight antisemitism and foster Jewish life, you might have known this. Alas, it doesn’t.”

Trump says it’s still ‘too soon’ for direct talks with Iran

It is “too soon” to start planning face-to-face ceasefire talks with Iran, US President Donald Trump tells The New York Post amid reports that the two sides are close to reaching a deal to open the Strait of Hormuz and end the war.

Asked whether reporters should be sent to Islamabad to cover potential negotiations, Trump says, “I don’t think so.”

Trump says he is meeting with “his generals” now.

IDF said to strike home of village mayor in Beqaa; Lebanese social media posts report strike only minutes after IDF evacuation warning

Lebanese media outlets report that IDF forces struck the home of the mayor of the village of Zellaya, Ali Qassem, in the Beqaa Valley in eastern Lebanon.

According to the reports, women and children were among those killed and wounded.

According to Al-Manar, several members of the mayor’s family were killed and wounded. Earlier, the Lebanese Health Ministry said that four people were killed and five wounded in the strike on the village.

The IDF has not yet commented on the specific strike, but this morning it issued an evacuation order for Zellaya, as well as 11 other villages in the area.

The IDF Arabic-language spokesperson published the evacuation notice at 9:05 a.m. today. Initial posts on social media reporting strikes on the village emerged several minutes later.

Official announcements regarding those killed and wounded in the strikes were published in the afternoon.

المنزل المستهدف في زلايا يعود لرئيس البلدية والحصيلة الأولية تشير إلى ارتقاء شه..يدين pic.twitter.com/GLwtl3l69B

— مصدر مسؤول (@fouadkhreiss) May 6, 2026

Trump: If Iran rejects latest US proposal, ‘bombing starts’; if it accepts, war over

US President Donald Trump speaks before signing a proclamation in the Oval Office at the White House, May 5, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

If Iran accepts the latest US proposal, the American war on Iran and blockade will end, says US President Donald Trump, while threatening a renewed bombing campaign if it refuses.

“Assuming Iran agrees to give what has been agreed to, which is, perhaps, a big assumption, the already legendary Epic Fury will be at an end, and the highly effective Blockade will allow the Hormuz Strait to be OPEN TO ALL, including Iran,” writes Trump on Truth Social.

Yesterday, Trump’s Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the operation “has concluded. We achieved the objectives of that operation.”

“If they don’t agree,” writes Trump, “the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before.”

Trump had made repeated threats to return to war on Iran since the April ceasefire, but has ultimately chosen to continue attempts to reach a negotiated settlement.

Shekel surges to 1993 peak vs dollar, amid ceasefire optimism

Israeli shekels, Jerusalem. (Orel Cohen/ Flash90)

Israel’s shekel gained 1.1% to reach a 33-year high against the dollar on Wednesday, boosted by investor hopes for a US-Iran ceasefire deal.

The shekel, which has appreciated 9% so far in 2026, reached a rate of 2.90 per dollar, its strongest level since October 1993.

PM asked Haredi MKs to delay vote on draft exemption bill until after election – report

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) speaks with MK Moshe Gafni during a 40 signatures debate in the Knesset plenum, November 10, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently requested that ultra-Orthodox lawmakers agree to delay until after the 2026 elections a Knesset vote on coalition legislation exempting yeshiva students from military service, the Behadrei Haredim outlet reports.

According to the Haredi news site, Netanyahu asserted that his coalition does “not have a majority” to push the controversial bill through “just before the primaries and the elections,” and due to the current security situation “it shouldn’t be on the agenda now.”

It quotes Netanyahu as arguing that following the elections, “Knesset members are waiting for positions, and then we can force the law to be approved.”

In a statement, Gafni says that “the report claiming that Prime Minister Netanyahu requested postponing the completion of the conscription law until after the elections is a complete fabrication.”

“The cat is out of the bag. It is as I have said from the beginning: Netanyahu has not, and never had, any intention of honoring the coalition agreement and the commitment to the Haredi parties,” declares United Torah Judaism chairman Yitzhak Goldknopf.

Netanyahu allowed to end day’s testimony in criminal trial early; reason unclear

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s testimony in his criminal trial ends two and a half hours early at the premier’s request. It is unclear what reason the prime minister gave for seeking the early end to the hearing.

Two hours of today’s hearing was held behind closed doors since the prosecutors were questioning him about his son Yair.

Prosecutors were questioning Netanyahu about Case 4000, in which he is charged with accepting bribes in the form of positive media coverage from the Walla News website in return for providing regulatory benefits in the telecommunications field to Shaul Elovitch, who owned both Walla and the Bezeq telecom company.

The prosecution is expected to finish questioning Netanyahu over Case 4000 next week.

Commodity ship transits in Hormuz hit lowest level since start of war

An Emirati patrol boat, left, is near a tanker anchored in the Gulf of Oman near the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from a coastal road near Khor Fakkan, United Arab Emirates, May 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)

Commodity ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz fell this week to its lowest level since the beginning of the war despite a brief US attempt to reopen the strategic waterway, according to data from marine analytics firm Kpler.

Kpler, which tracks only commodity-carrying vessels, recorded just one transit on Monday and none on Tuesday, the fewest seen since the start of the war triggered by a wave of US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28.

Around 120 vessels transit the strait daily in peacetime, according to maritime news outlet Lloyd’s List.

Before the war, the strait handled roughly one-fifth of global hydrocarbon exports, alongside other key commodities.

The Nooh Gas, the only commodity vessel to transit the strait on Monday, was carrying 11,357 tons of Iranian liquefied petroleum gas.

The cargo was transferred ship-to-ship from the Tania Star off Dubai on May 1, and its final destination remains unknown.

The Tania Star had loaded the cargo at the Iranian port terminal of Bandar Mahshahr on April 25.

IDF Home Front Command extends warning time for rocket fire in some northern areas

People rush to a public shelter in the city of Ramla after a siren warning of incoming missiles fired toward Israel amid the ongoing war with Iran and Hezbollah, March 9, 2026. (Yossi Aloni/Flash90)

The IDF Home Front Command says it will be extending the warning times for rocket fire from Lebanon on communities in the Galilee.

The move means that there will be slightly more time to seek shelter in 49 communities where currently only 30 seconds are given.

The Home Front Command, along with other military bodies, analyzed Hezbollah’s rocket fire and the IDF’s detection systems, and determined that 49 communities in the upper, lower, and central Galilee can get slightly longer warning times.

They include 46 communities moving from 30 seconds to 45 seconds, and three communities moving to a full minute.

The move will take effect starting tomorrow at 4 p.m., according to the Home Front Command.

Similar moves were carried out by the Home Front Command in recent months in communities along the Lebanon border, in the Golan Heights, in the Sea of Galilee area, as well as in the southernmost city of Eilat.

Competition authority declares five largest banks an oligopoly

People walk past a branch of Bank Leumi in Jerusalem on February 5, 2024. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

The Israel Competition Authority declares the country’s five largest banks an oligopoly for their dominant position in the field of retail banking services for households and small businesses.

The declaration grants Israel Competition Commissioner Michal Cohen the authority to impose instructions or restrictions.

The decision follows a lengthy investigation opened in 2023 into competition in the retail banking sector, with a focus on deposits.

Israel’s concentrated banking system is controlled by the country’s five largest banks – Bank Hapoalim, Bank Leumi, Israel Discount Bank, Mizrahi Tefahot Bank and First International Bank of Israel – which has allowed them to rake in record profits in recent years and charge excessive fees with little fear of blowback.

The banks have been accused of enjoying big profits from higher interest rates on loans, while not adequately sharing the benefits with customers.

“The declaration of the banks as a concentration group is an important step in transferring bargaining power to the public,” says Israel Competition Authority director general Michal Cohen. “The directives that will be imposed are intended to stop the behavior of banks that make it difficult to compare prices of banking services and switch to competing banks and financial institutions.”

After citing antisemitism in his choir’s decision to cancel Bondi benefit concert, Australian Hellenic Choir president steps down

Screen capture from video of the Australian Hellenic Choir during a concert in Sydney, 2025. (YouTube)

The head of the Australian Hellenic Choir has stepped down from his position after a recent controversy surrounding the group’s canceling its appearance at a fundraiser for the victims of the Bondi Beach terror attack in Sydney, according to local media.

The group was supposed to sing along with the Sydney Jewish Choral Society at a benefit concert on June 28. However, the group announced last week that it would not participate, and the entire concert was canceled, upsetting many within the Australian Jewish community.

According to reports, the decision was made after more than half of the Hellenic choir said they “politically objected” to performing with their Jewish counterparts. The choir’s president, James Tsolakis, seemingly acknowledged that reasoning at the time, and lamented “the antisemitism that exists in the Australian climate.”

“There’s a bit of antisemitism in the Greek community; I didn’t realize the extent of it,” Tsolakis told The Australian newspaper at the time. “The Jewish people are all into it, I’m into it, but the Greek choir was a bit anti doing it because of the political climate.”

The choir later denied that comment, saying Tsolakis — who it did not name — had spoken “without authorization, and claiming it chose not to participate because the event was scheduled too close to another concert the choir was rehearsing for at the end of May, four weeks before the event.

“The majority of the choir voted against participating, due to time constraints,” the choir’s management wrote last week. “Antisemitism had no place in this decision whatsoever!”

Choir president Tsolakis stepped down following the incident, Australia’s Greek Herald reported today. A new president is expected to be chosen in the coming weeks.

Criminal charges filed against three Jewish mohels in Belgium; US, Israel slam ‘shameful’ move

Criminal charges have been filed against three Jewish mohels — people who perform circumcision — in Antwerp, after they were arrested last summer in a raid.

After an extensive investigation, prosecutors now believe they have enough evidence to get a conviction.

In a sharply worded post on X, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar calls the indictment “a scarlet letter on Belgian society.”

“With this act Belgium joins a short and shameful list, together with Ireland, of countries that use criminal law to prosecute Jews for practicing Judaism,” he writes.

Belgium have just announced the indictment of the three Mohels who were investigated last year in Antwerp.

With this act Belgium joins a short and shameful list, together with Ireland, of countries that use criminal law to prosecute Jews for practicing Judaism.

This is a…

— Gideon Sa'ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) May 6, 2026

US Ambassador to Belgium Bill White also condemns the decision, calling it ” a shameful stain on Belgium.”

“The prosecution of these religious figures (mohels), one of whom is American, is WRONG and won’t be tolerated,” he writes. “Belgium will be thought of now as anti-Semitic by the world. Until this is resolved, there is no way around it.”

The Trump administration hopes the Belgian government will work with Jewish leaders to find a solution immediately, he adds.

This is a shameful stain on Belgium.

The prosecution of these religious figures (mohels), one of whom is American, is WRONG and won’t be tolerated.

Belgium will be thought of now as anti Semitic by world. Until this is resolved – there is no way around it.

The Trump… https://t.co/XBLp35aPH2

— Ambassador Bill White (@BillWhiteUSA) May 6, 2026

In May last year, police in Antwerp rounded up the mohels, suspected of illegally conducting the ritual Jewish circumcisions.

Belgium has laws mandating that all medical procedures must be performed by a licensed doctor.

Jewish community representatives charged that the raids were part of a larger campaign of intimidation against Jewish religious figures in Belgium.

Fake AI ‘rabbis’ being used to spread antisemitic tropes on TikTok, study claims

Illustrative: A man opens the social media app 'TikTok' on his phone, in Islamabad, Pakistan, July 2020. (AP/Anjum Naveed)

A coordinated network of fake AI-generated “rabbis” is being used to disseminate antisemitic tropes across TikTok, according to a report by the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM).

The report, released by the group’s Antisemitism Research Center, identifies 49 network accounts that systematically package dangerous stereotypes as “insider Jewish financial wisdom.” These fraudulent profiles have collectively garnered a massive following of more than 950,000 users and generated over 10 million likes on the platform.

Researchers analyzed targeted accounts like @rabbirothstein and @rabbistirberg, discovering identical narrative frames and shared linguistic patterns designed to launder prejudice into mainstream discourse, the report says.

The short-form videos rely heavily on visual caricatures and classic stereotypes to reinforce historical biases, lowering psychological barriers to real-world hostility and violence, the report finds. TikTok’s recommendation engine actively pushes this deceptive content to teenagers, it warns.

A separate network of 70 fake rabbi accounts on Instagram was recent shut down in a collaborative effort with Meta, CAM says. The organization urges TikTok to develop AI tools to detect such videos and launch a public awareness campaign on how to spot AI-generated propaganda.

Iran ‘evaluating’ US proposal to end war, its foreign ministry tells CNBC

A spokesperson for Iran’s foreign ministry tells CNBC that Tehran is “evaluating” a 14-point peace proposal by the US, the outlet says, though it does not provide a full direct quote.

An Axios report earlier today, confirmed by Reuters, said the US and Iran were nearing a memorandum of understanding to stop the war, gradually reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and start a 30-day clock for negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program.

There has been no official confirmation from the US of the reported one-page agreement. Axios said nothing had been agreed to yet.

French shipping firm says vessel was hit in Hormuz yesterday

French shipping company CMA CGM says one of its vessels was hit by an attack in the Strait of Hormuz yesterday.

“The CMA CGM San Antonio was the target of an attack yesterday while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in injuries among crew members and damage to the vessel,” the shipping firm says, adding those injured had been evacuated for treatment.

President Emmanuel Macron says France was “in no way the target,” according to government spokeswoman Maud Bregeon.

The Maltese-flagged vessel was not sailing under a French flag and was manned by a Philippine crew, she says, adding France extends its “solidarity” to those on board.

Former officials urge EU to ‘act now’ to stop ‘illegal’ E1 settlement project in West Bank

This picture taken from the "E1 corridor" northeast of Jerusalem in the West Bank shows vehicles moving along a highway near the Israeli settlement of Maale Adumim (top) on February 4, 2026. (AHMAD GHARABLI / AFP)

More than 400 former diplomats, ministers, and senior officials urge the European Union to “act now” against Israel’s “illegal” settlements in the West Bank.

The open letter comes as Israel intends to move forward with E1, a new construction project covering around 12 square kilometers (4.6 square miles) with some 3,400 housing units in the West Bank.

“The EU and its member states, together with partners, must take immediate action to deter Israel from further advancing its illegal annexation of Palestinian land in the West Bank,” says the letter.

It is signed by more than 440 figures, including former EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and former Belgian prime minister Guy Verhofstadt.

The signatories call for targeted sanctions, such as visa bans and business restrictions, on “all those engaged in illegal settlement activity,” calling for measures against those promoting or implementing the E1 scheme.

Pakistani source said to confirm US, Iran closing in on memo to end war

A Pakistani official is seen during the arrival of the US Vice President JD Vance for talks with Iranian officials in Islamabad, Pakistan, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, Pool)

The US and Iran are closing in on a one-page memo to end the war, a Pakistani source involved in the peace efforts tells Reuters, confirming an Axios report.

“We will close this very soon. We are getting close,” the source says.

Israel, which launched the war together with the US, has not been represented in peace talks, and is not recognized by mediator Pakistan.

Israel to transfer jet fuel to Germany amid Hormuz crisis

Israel will transfer jet fuel to Germany, after Berlin requested assistance in recent days amid the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a statement posted online by the energy ministry.

The coordination of the cargos will be carried out with the refineries, says the ministry, which does not give details about the amount of jet fuel or a timeline.

The ministry adds that it will examine ways to assist Germany with the issue of natural gas as well.

The ministry says the move was agreed to by Energy Minister Eli Cohen and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, who announced the move to his German counterpart during a visit to Berlin.

IDF launches wave of airstrikes on Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon

The IDF says it has launched a wave of airstrikes on Hezbollah infrastructure sites in several areas of southern Lebanon.

Earlier, the military issued evacuation warnings for 12 villages in southern Lebanon.

Yisrael Beytenu would be open to working with reformed, post-Netanyahu Likud, Liberman says

Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman says that while he will not sit in a government with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he is open to entering a coalition including a post-Netanyahu Likud party if it embraces certain policies — something it is unlikely to do.

“I will not sit with Netanyahu” because he bears “personal responsibility” for October 7 and “tries to blame others,” Liberman tells reporters at a press conference in Tel Aviv.

The hawkish former Netanyahu ally says that the premier is “not worthy of sitting in any government” and “cannot be a partner in a future coalition, period.”

In order for him to sit with with Likud sans Netanyahu, the party would have to accept key parts of his platform, which includes prime ministerial term limits, a prohibition on running for prime minister while under indictment, a state commission of inquiry and public transportation on Shabbat.

Liberman and his allies have recently positioned their party as the true successor of the old, pre-Netanyahu Likud party.

Liberman also decries politics becoming personal and, he says, more about leaders than substantive issues. He further insists that Israel cannot continue fighting round after round against its enemies and that regime change in Iran and the destruction of Hezbollah in Lebanon are possible.

Asked about reports of a potential merger with Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party, Liberman replies that the primary goal of the upcoming elections is to replace Netanyahu’s government that “any move that brings an added value of two or three mandates is necessary. But there must be added value. If a move doesn’t contribute to adding mandates, then in my view, it’s a waste of time.”

A union between Yashar and Yisrael Beytenu — which currently holds six seats in the Knesset but has been consistently polling at about 10 seats — could yield a combined 25 seats, bringing it neck-and-neck with the Together slate and potentially drawing away votes from the coalition.

Two soldiers injured by Hezbollah drone attack in southern Lebanon, IDF says

Two soldiers were injured in a Hezbollah explosive drone attack in southern Lebanon a short while ago, the military says.

According to the IDF, Hezbollah launched several explosive drones and rockets at Israeli troops stationed in southern Lebanon.

Two drones exploded near the forces, injuring one soldier moderately and another lightly. The pair were taken to a hospital and their families were notified, the army says.

In another incident, a drone launched by Hezbollah was shot down over southern Lebanon, the IDF adds.

Liberman calls for referendum on constitution within next government’s first 6 months

Yisrael Beiteinu party chairman Avigdor Liberman leads a faction meeting at the Knesset in Jerusalem, on February 16, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman calls for a national referendum on a constitution should the opposition win the upcoming 2026 election.

Addressing reporters at a press conference in Tel Aviv, Liberman asserts that “the only way to establish a constitution is a law to approve a referendum to establish the constitution.”

“The next government will have to appoint an external professional team to bring a text of the constitution. A time must be set. Within six months, a full text will be brought and everyone will go to a referendum with the question: Do you accept the text of the constitution as is or not?” he says.

Liberman has made support for a constitution a key part of his election campaign, releasing a document containing a raft of social, security and economic measures intended to guide the next government in September 2025.

In a post on social media platform X summarizing the document at the time, the hawkish former Netanyahu ally laid out his key principles with an emphasis on defending democracy and the independence of the judicial system through the adoption of a national constitution.

“The constitution will enshrine the principles of democratic governance, human rights, and the separation of powers, limit the prime minister’s term to two terms, reduce the number of ministers, and mandate the sharing of the burden” of military service, Liberman wrote.

IDF says it killed Hamas gunmen operating near Israeli troops in northern Gaza

The IDF says it killed Hamas gunmen who were operating near Israeli troops stationed in the northern Gaza Strip yesterday.

The armed terror operatives had “posed an immediate threat” to the forces, the military says.

The IDF says that in another incident yesterday, troops of the 14th Reserve Armored Brigade identified “terrorists carrying out suspicious activity on the ground in the area of the Yellow Line, and approaching the forces in a manner that posed an immediate threat.”

The Israeli Air Force struck “and eliminated one of the terrorists,” and a short while later, killed a second while they attempted to flee the area, the military says.

Axios: US and Iran nearing one-page MOU to end war, start 30 days of nuclear talks

A handout picture provided by the Iranian Foreign Ministry on February 26, 2026, shows Iranian diplomats and delegation during the Iran and US talks in Geneva, Switzerland. (IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY / AFP)

The White House believes it’s nearing a one-page memorandum of understanding with Iran to end the war and lay out a framework for talks on the regime’s nuclear program, Axios reports, citing two US officials and two other sources briefed on the issue.

The US expects a response from the Islamic Republic within the next 48 hours, according to the outlet.

It says the proposal consists of 14 points, and is being crafted by Trump’s Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff and the president’s aide and son-in-law Jared Kushner, in collaboration with several Iranian officials.

The plan would reportedly declare an end to the war and trigger a 30-day negotiation period, in pursuit of an agreement to open the Strait of Hormuz, limit Iran’s nuclear program, and lift US sanctions on the regime.

The US is reportedly seeking a moratorium on all uranium enrichment by Iran for 12-15 years, with a provision that would extend the moratorium if Iran were found to have violated it.

At the end of the negotiated period, the Islamic Republic would be allowed to enrich to the low, civilian-use level of 3.67%, while committing never to seek a nuclear weapon, or to carry out activities related to the development of nuclear weapons, and to submit to enhanced inspections, including snap inspections by the UN.

Axios reports, citing “two sources with knowledge,” that Iran would agree to remove its existing stockpile of highly enriched uranium, with negotiators floating moving the material to the US.

A clause being negotiated would require Iran to commit not to operate underground nuclear facilities.

So long as the talks proceed, Iran and the US would gradually ease their operations in the Strait of Hormuz, to allow shipping through the waterway and trade through Iranian ports, the report says.

In return for Iran’s concessions on the nuclear issue, the US would gradually lift sanctions on Iran. Tens of billions of Iranian assets worldwide would gradually be unfrozen.

But if negotiations collapse or fail to reach a deal, the US could restore the blockade or resume the war, according to a US official.

The report cautions that “nothing has been agreed yet,” but sources describe the current process as the closest the two sides have come to an agreement since the war started with joint American and Israeli airstrikes on February 28.

UN demands Israel release two Gaza flotilla activists, accused of ties to sanctioned group

Israeli officers bring Spanish flotilla activist Saif Abu Keshek to a court in Ashkelon on May 5, 2026. (Ilia YEFIMOVICH / AFP)

The United Nations calls on Israel to immediately release two activists detained on a Gaza-bound flotilla, and demands an investigation into “disturbing accounts” that they’ve been severely mistreated.

“Israel must immediately and unconditionally release Global Sumud Flotilla members Saif Abu Keshek and Thiago Avila, who were detained in international waters and brought to Israel where they continue to be held without charge,” UN rights office spokesman Thameen Al-Kheetan says in a statement.

“It is not a crime to show solidarity and attempt to bring humanitarian aid to the Palestinian population in Gaza, who are in dire need of it,” he continues.

Abu Keshek, a Spanish national, and Avila, a Brazilian national, were among 170 activists taking part in the flotilla, which Israel intercepted last week. With the exception of Avila and Abu Keshek, all the activists were freed on Friday in Greece.

Israel’s foreign ministry says both individuals were affiliated with the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad (PCPA), a group Washington says is “clandestinely controlled by Hamas,” referring to the Palestinian terror group. The PCPA is sanctioned by Israel and the US.

Representatives for Avila and Abu Keshek have accused Israeli authorities of abusing the two men, who have been on hunger strike for the past six days.

Kheetan decries the “disturbing accounts of severe mistreatment,” calling for an investigation and insisting “those responsible must be brought to justice.”

“We call for an end to Israel’s use of arbitrary detention and of broadly and vaguely defined terrorism legislation, inconsistent with international human rights law,” he says.

Hezbollah drone impacts in Israeli territory near border, IDF says; no injuries

An explosive drone launched by Hezbollah struck in Israeli territory a short while ago, close to the border with Lebanon, the military says.

No injuries were caused in the attack.

“This is another violation of the ceasefire understandings by the Hezbollah terror organization,” the IDF adds.

Iran’s FM says country wants a ‘fair and comprehensive agreement’ with US

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrives to attend talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Boris Yeltsin Presidential Library, in St. Petersburg, Russia, April 27, 2026. (AP/Dmitri Lovetsky, Pool)

Iran will only accept “a fair and comprehensive agreement” in its negotiations with the US on ending the war in the Middle East, its foreign minister says.

“We will do our best to protect our legitimate rights and interests in the negotiations,” says Abbas Araghchi in Beijing, after meeting with China’s top diplomat Wang Yi. “We only accept a fair and comprehensive agreement.”

The remarks, quoted by Iranian media, do not directly address Trump’s announcement of a pause in the US operation to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

Man wounded in Bnei Brak shooting; terrorism not suspected

Illustrative: A Magen David Adom ambulance in Kiryat Yam on December 24, 2023. (Magen David Adom)

A 27-year-old man is moderately wounded in a shooting incident in the central city of Bnei Brak.

The Magen David Adom ambulance service says it provided emergency medical care to the man, who had wounds in his upper body, but was conscious.

He was then taken to Sheba Medical Center in Tel Aviv.

Police officers have been dispatched to the scene to search for suspects.

The police are still investigating the circumstances of the incident, but said in a statement that it appears to be of a criminal, rather than terrorist, nature.

Israel has been racked for years by a violent crime epidemic, primarily but not exclusively affecting the Arab community.

China’s top envoy tells Iranian counterpart ‘comprehensive ceasefire’ needed

In this photo released by the Telegram channel of Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi, right, meets with Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Beijing, China, on May 6, 2026. (Telegram channel of the Iranian Foreign Minister via AP)

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi tells his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi that China is “deeply distressed” over the war that has lasted more than two months and says a “comprehensive ceasefire” is needed.

“We believe that a comprehensive ceasefire is urgently needed, that a resumption of hostilities is not acceptable, and that it is particularly important to remain committed to dialogue and negotiations,” Wang says, according to a video of the meeting.

South Korea no longer reviewing call to join ‘Operation Freedom,’ as it’s on pause

South Korea’s presidential office says it has suspended a review on whether to participate in a US operation to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz after US President Donald Trump put the plan, known as “Project Freedom,” on hold.

“We don’t believe a review of Trump’s call to participate in Project Freedom is needed at this point,” Wi Sung-lac, the South Korean presidential national security adviser, tells a press briefing.

Eyal Golan interrogation postponed, amid countersuit against accuser

Israeli singer Eyal Golan performs at Hayarkon Park in Tel Aviv, October 25, 2025. (Aloni Mor/Flash90)

A planned questioning today of pop star Eyal Golan on suspicion of sexual assault has been postponed, police say.

Hebrew media outlets connect the delay, at least in part, to developments in the singer’s own complaint alleging extortion, which he filed in response to the case against him.

In December, a beautician alleged that, about a decade ago, Golan had exposed himself to her without her consent.

The singer, who has faced previous accusations of sexual assault, denied the claims and filed his countersuit, providing what he said was evidence the allegation was false.

The Ynet news site reports, citing a senior police source, that investigators already expected the beautician’s case against Golan to be closed soon after his questioning.

Yesterday, Democrats MK Naama Lazimi asserted that an earlier sex crimes investigation into Golan and his associates — which was closed in 2014, but may be reopened — had been obstructed, citing footage from his interrogation in 2013.

Police and prosecutors have yet to respond to the lawmaker’s claims.

Spain asks European Commission to block US sanctions on ICC

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez gestures as he speaks during a press conference in Beijing, China, April 14, 2026. (AP/Ng Han Guan)

Spain has asked the European Commission to activate its blocking statute to prevent compliance with US sanctions on the International Criminal Court over its investigation into Israel’s actions in Gaza, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez says on X.

The EU’s blocking statute is a legal mechanism designed to protect Europeans from the extraterritorial effects of sanctions imposed by third countries.

The US imposed the sanctions after the ICC issued arrest warrants for Israeli leaders, alleging war crimes during the campaign against the Hamas terror group following the latter’s October 7, 2023, attack. Israel says it obeys international law and never targets civilians.

B’nai Brith Canada urges action after anti-Israel group publishes ‘target map’

B’nai Brith Canada urges the Canadian government to take action against what it describes as an extremist network encouraging attacks on businesses worldwide.

The group, known as Palestine Action–Canada, has published an online “target map” identifying institutions across Canada, Europe and the United States that it claims are linked to Israel or its military.

According to B’nai Brith, the map directs users to an “underground manual” outlining how to carry out “direct action,” including forming small cells to damage property, evade law enforcement and destroy evidence.

“The manual offers operational guidance for terroristic anarchy,” says Richard Robertson, the organization’s director of research and advocacy.

B’nai Brith says it has alerted law enforcement, national security agencies and international partners. It warns that such materials contribute to online radicalization, particularly among youth, which it identified as a growing driver of antisemitic incidents in Canada.

A related group, Palestine Action–UK, has been linked to attacks on industrial sites since 2023, including a violent attack on Elbit Systems in 2024. The United Kingdom designated it a terrorist organization in 2025 following multiple incidents involving property damage and injuries.

B’nai Brith plans to press Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree to consider a similar designation, it says.

Shtula siren was triggered by IDF interceptor missile over southern Lebanon, army says

An interceptor missile was launched at an apparent Hezbollah drone identified over an area of southern Lebanon where troops are deployed, the military says.

The interception attempt triggered sirens in the border community of Shtula. The IDF says the results of the interception are under review.

Washington wants ‘concrete actions’ on Iran from next Iraqi PM, says US official

Iraqi Prime Minister-designate Ali al-Zaidi attends the meeting of the Coordination Framework political bloc in Baghdad, Iraq, on April 27, 2026. (Iraqi Presidency Office via AP)

The United States is looking for “concrete actions” by Iraq’s next prime minister to distance the state from pro-Iran militias before resuming financial shipments and security aid, a senior official says.

Iraq’s ruling coalition has put forward Ali al-Zaidi as the next leader and he quickly received a congratulatory call from US President Donald Trump, who had threatened to end all American support if former frontrunner Nouri al-Maliki took office.

But a senior US State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, says Zaidi must address the “blurry line” between pro-Iran militias in the Shia-majority country and the state.

Resuming full support “would start with expelling terrorist militias from any state institution, cutting off their support from the Iraqi budget (and) denying salary payments to these militia fighters,” the official says.

The official says US facilities in Iraq suffered more than 600 attacks after February 28, when the United States and Israel launched their war on Iran.

“I’m not underestimating the severity of the challenge or what it would take to disentangle these relationships. It could start with a clear and unambiguous statement of policy that the terrorist militias are not part of the Iraqi state,” the official says.

Rocket sirens sound in Shtula, near Lebanon border

Sirens warning of rocket fire from Lebanon sound in the border community of Shtula.

The IDF says it is investigating.

IDF issues evacuation warnings for 12 villages in south Lebanon, ahead of airstrikes

The IDF issues evacuation warnings for 12 villages in southern Lebanon ahead of airstrikes targeting the Hezbollah terror group.

Residents of Kaouthariyet al-Saiyad, Ghassaniyeh, Mazraat al-Daoudiyeh, Bedias, Rihan, Zellaya, Bazouriye, Harouf, Habboush, Ansariyeh, Qalaouiyeh, and Deir ez-Zahrani are instructed to evacuate at least a kilometer away.

Most of the villages are located north of the Litani River.

“In light of the Hezbollah terror organization’s violations of the ceasefire agreement, the IDF is forced to act against it with force and does not intend to harm you,” warns army spokesman Col. Avichay Adraee.

#عاجل ‼️انذار عاجل الى سكان لبنان المتواجدين في البلدات والقرى التالية: كوثرية السياد, الغسانية, مزرعة الداودية, بدياس, ريحان, زلاية, البازورية, حاروف, حبوش, انصارية, قلاويه, دير الزهراني

????في ضوء قيام حزب الله الارهابي بخرق اتفاق وقف اطلاق النار يضطر جيش الدفاع على العمل ضده… pic.twitter.com/bp3nesNFQw

— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) May 6, 2026

Earlier, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported Israeli airstrikes in the southern Lebanon towns of Reshknanay and Safad al-Battikh.

There were no immediate reports of casualties in the strikes.

Overnight, an Israeli drone strike in the town of Deir Kifa wounded three paramedics of Hezbollah’s Islamic Health Authority, according to NNA.

Hezbollah fires on Israeli troops in southern Lebanon, but none harmed, IDF says

Israeli soldiers seen inside southern Lebanon as seen from the Israeli side of the border, May 5, 2026. (Ayal Margolin/Flash90)

Hezbollah launched several rockets, mortars, and explosive drones at Israeli troops stationed in southern Lebanon this morning, the military says.

The IDF says the projectiles struck near the forces, but did not cause any injuries.

Overnight, an apparent Hezbollah drone was intercepted over southern Lebanon, and a short while ago, an interceptor missile was fired at another drone with which contact was lost, the military says.

Meanwhile, the IDF says it killed several Hezbollah operatives in strikes on buildings being used by the terror group in the western sector of southern Lebanon yesterday.

בהכוונת כוחות חטיבה 226: צה"ל תקף מבנים ששימשו את ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה לצרכים צבאיים ומהם פעלו מחבלי הארגון בדרום לבנון

חיל האוויר בהכוונת כוחות חטיבה 226 תקף אתמול מספר מבנים ששימשו את ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה לצרכים צבאיים בדרום לבנון, במטרה לסייע לכוחות הפועלים בפיקוד אוגדה 146.… pic.twitter.com/D7LNEOtlA3

— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) May 6, 2026

Elsewhere in southern Lebanon, the IDF says it struck 25 Hezbollah targets in the past day, including weapon depots.

South Korea’s HMM says ship set ablaze in Strait of Hormuz to be towed to Dubai

South Korean shipper HMM says it has secured a vessel to tow a bulk carrier it operates to a port in Dubai after an explosion and fire damaged the ship, which had been stranded in the Strait of Hormuz.

US President Donald Trump blamed the incident on an Iranian attack, while South Korea’s foreign ministry said the cause of the fire would only be confirmed after the vessel was towed ​back to port and inspected.

HMM says in a text message that the damaged vessel is expected to arrive in Dubai on Thursday night or Friday morning Seoul time.

The Panama-flagged ship, named HMM Namu, suffered an explosion and caught fire on Monday evening. The fire was later extinguished, with no casualties and all 24 crew members remaining on board, according to the company.

Iran says no damage after drone interception near Qeshm, SNN reports

Backdropped by ships in the Strait of Hormuz, damage, according to local witnesses caused by several airstrikes, is seen on a fishing pier in the port of Qeshm island, Iran, April 13, 2026. (Asghar Besharati/AP)

A loud noise heard on Qeshm island in southern Iran was caused by air defenses intercepting small drones and reconnaissance drones, the Hormozgan provincial authorities say, according to the country’s Students News Network, adding that no impact, damage or explosion had occurred.

Drone interceptions by Iranian air defenses have taken place several times in recent weeks, notably over Tehran, despite a ceasefire with the US.

Accused shooter in Bondi Beach attack faces 19 extra charges

Gunman Naveed Akram in the course of a deadly terror attack on a Hanukkah event at Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia, December 15, 2025. (Screengrab used in accordance with clause 27a of the copyright law)

The man accused of murdering 15 people in an antisemitic mass shooting at Australia’s Bondi Beach is facing a raft of fresh charges, newly released court records show.

Naveed Akram is accused of opening fire as families thronged Bondi Beach for a Hanukkah celebration in December.

The 24-year-old has already been charged with dozens of serious crimes, including 15 murders and committing an act of terrorism.

Court records show he is now facing 19 additional charges, including multiple counts of shooting with intent to murder, wounding with intent to murder, and discharging a firearm with intent to resist arrest.

Akram, who is being held in a high-security prison, is yet to indicate how he will plead.

His father and alleged co-conspirator Sajid, 50, was shot and killed by police during the assault.

NYPD releases footage of suspects wanted for spraying swastikas on Jewish sites

New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin, center left, visits a synagogue defaced with a swastika, in Queens, New York City, May 4, 2026. (Courtesy/ New York City Council Speaker's Office)

The New York Police Department releases footage showing four suspects wanted for antisemitic vandalism.

The footage shows four men walking down a sidewalk, wanted for a crime the police label hate crime criminal mischief, which took place overnight Sunday-Monday.

The vandals are wanted for scrawling swastikas and “Heil Hitler” graffiti on Jewish sites in Queens, including two synagogues.

WANTED FOR HATE CRIME CRIMINAL MISCHIEF: On five separate occasions between May 3 and May 4, swastikas and antisemitic statements were spray-painted at several locations in Queens. Anyone with info is asked to DM @NYPDTips or call 800-577-TIPS (8477). pic.twitter.com/54DE7xECsa

— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) May 6, 2026

Iranian FM arrives in Beijing to meet with Chinese counterpart

In this photo released by Iranian Foreign Ministry, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, left, shakes hands with China's Vice Prime Minister Ding Xuexiang during their meeting in Beijing, China, April 23, 2025. (Iranian Foreign Ministry via AP)

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has arrived in Beijing ahead of scheduled talks with China’s top diplomat Wang Yi, according to Iran’s Tasnim and Fars news agencies.

“Seyyed Abbas Araghchi arrived in Beijing… at the head of a diplomatic delegation. During this visit, our country’s Foreign Minister will discuss bilateral relations and regional and international developments with his Chinese counterpart,” Fars reports.

Claiming ‘great progress’ in Iran talks, Trump says US pausing naval escorts in Hormuz

US President Donald Trump speaks before signing a proclamation in the Oval Office at the White House, May 5, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

US President Donald Trump says the US will be pausing the operation it launched just one day earlier to assist vessels stuck in the Strait of Hormuz due to progress made in talks toward a permanent ceasefire with Iran.

“Based on the request of Pakistan and other Countries, the tremendous Military Success that we have had during the Campaign against the Country of Iran and, additionally, the fact that Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement with Representatives of Iran, we have mutually agreed that, while the Blockade will remain in full force and effect, Project Freedom (The Movement of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz) will be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the Agreement can be finalized and signed,” Trump writes on Truth Social.

It’s not immediately clear how proceeding with Project Freedom would have harmed talks with Iran, which chose to again close Hormuz in response to Washington’s blockade of its ports — a blockade that Trump says he’ll be keeping in place.

Protesters chant for Israel’s demise outside New York City synagogue

Anti-Zionist protesters in New York City, May 5, 2026. (Luke Tress/Times of Israel)

Anti-Zionist protesters chant for Israel’s destruction outside a New York City synagogue.

The demonstrators say they are targeting an Israel real estate event at the Park East Synagogue in Manhattan.

The protesters chant “Death to the IDF,” “It is right to resist, Israel should not exist,” and, “We don’t want no two states, we remember ‘48.”

“Settlers, settlers go back home, Palestine is ours alone,” they chant.

Police keep the crowd of around 100 protesters a half-block away from the synagogue entrance.

Around an equal number of pro-Israel counterprotesters gather across the street, holding signs that say “Antizionism is a hate movement.”

UAE says Netanyahu among world leaders who phoned Emirati leader to condemn Iranian attacks

President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan speaks during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow, January 29, 2026. (Maxim Shipenkov/Pool Photo via AP)

United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan received calls from regional leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, condemning what they described as Iranian attacks on civilians and civilian facilities in the UAE, the state news agency WAM says.

The leaders “affirmed their countries’ solidarity with the UAE and support for measures it takes to safeguard its security and stability and ensure the safety of its citizens,” WAM adds.

There is no immediate comment on the call from Netanyahu’s office.

Rubio says Iran offensive ‘has concluded,’ insists US accomplished its operational aims

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio leaves the room after speaking to the media in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House, May 5, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio insists the American military offensive against Iran is over and that Washington is now focused on using non-kinetic means to coax Tehran to give up its nuclear ambitions.

“Operation Epic Fury has concluded. We achieved the objectives of that operation,” Rubio says during a press conference.

Pressed on how the US can claim victory if Iran has refused to give up its enrichment capabilities and stockpiles of highly-enriched uranium, Rubio claims the goal of the war was to remove the “conventional shield” Iran was trying to produce using ballistic missiles in order to block countries from acting against its nuclear program.

While Iran’s missile program was indeed significantly hit, intelligence agencies reportedly assess that it remains intact and with the ability to recover.

Rubio says the US focus has shifted to clearing the Strait of Hormuz with Operation Project Freedom.

Meanwhile, the US still seeks a deal with Iran that addresses its enriched uranium stockpile.

He argues that US economic pressure against Iran can work, even though Tehran appears to have a high pain tolerance.

“There has to be a pressure point on them that causes them to realize they cannot continue to close the straits or they’ll face crushing economic consequences and global diplomatic isolation, which they have proven in the past to be susceptible to,” Rubio asserts.

“They have a high pain threshold, but they don’t have an unlimited pain threshold. Nobody does,” he argues.