May 15: After strike, Israeli official says Haddad was undermining Trump’s Gaza plan

Lebanon welcomes 45-day extension of fragile ceasefire with Israel

Lebanon welcomes the 45-day extension to a porous ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, which was announced at the conclusion of the third round of talks in Washington between Jerusalem and Beirut.

This is the second time that the ceasefire has been extended since it was announced by US President Donald Trump on April 16. The previous three-week extension was set to expire on Sunday.

Despite the ceasefire, Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon have continued on a daily basis, with the US granting Jerusalem permission to target any deemed threats. Hezbollah has sought to target IDF soldiers, who have established a wide buffer zone in southern Lebanon, which Israel says is necessary to protect its towns across the border.

However, the ceasefire has largely held in Beirut and other areas further away from the border following US pressure on Israel.

In a statement following the third round of talks with Israel, Lebanon touts the establishment of separate military and political tracks that will meet separately in the coming weeks at the State Department and Pentagon.

“Lebanon will continue to engage constructively in negotiations while safeguarding its sovereignty and protecting the safety of its people,” the statement from the Lebanese delegation says.

It says the pillars of Beirut’s position are restoration of its sovereignty, return of the displaced, reconstruction, release of detainees, recovery of remains and the establishment of an independent verification mechanism.

“Lebanon is negotiating for a future in which its borders are respected, its sovereignty is upheld solely by its Lebanese Armed Forces, and its people can live in lasting peace and security,” the statement adds.

While there appears to be goodwill building among negotiators from both sides, Israel does not trust that the Lebanese government is capable of disarming Hezbollah, leading to questions as to whether any deal reached in Washington can actually be implemented in Lebanon.

The talks also don’t include a representative of Lebanon’s Shiite population, with Hezbollah-aligned Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri refusing to participate so long as Israel continues to strike Lebanon and maintain a buffer zone in the country, an Arab official told The Times of Israel this week.

After third round of Lebanon talks, Israeli envoy says ‘potential for success is great’

Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter says the third round of talks with his Lebanese counterpart was “frank and constructive.”

“I’m looking forward to the next steps,” he tweets. “There will be ups and downs, but the potential for success is great. What will be paramount throughout negotiations is the security of our citizens and our soldiers.”

3 fighter jets participated in strike targeting Hamas leader, army says

Three Israeli Air Force fighter jets participated in the airstrike on Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip, Izz al-Din Haddad.

According to the military, the three jets dropped 13 bombs during the strike.

It is not yet clear if Haddad was killed, but a senior security official said the strike was likely successful.

Settler filmed clubbing dog to death in central West Bank Palestinian village

An Israeli settler clubs a dog to death in the Palestinian village of Atara in the central West Bank on May 15, 2026. (Screen capture/X)

Palestinian media airs footage of a masked man said to be an Israeli settler repeatedly clubbing a guard dog during a raid of the central West Bank village of Atara, near Ramallah.

Residents said the dog succumbed to its wounds from the attack shortly thereafter.

The Haaretz daily confirms that the assailant was an Israeli and says he was one of several settlers who raided the village of Atara earlier today.

Others grazed their livestock in between homes in order to harass the locals.

An illegal outpost was established on the lands of Atara last year. The outpost is located on Area B of the West Bank, which is supposed to be under Palestinian civil control, as no settlers are allowed to live there.

مستوطن يعتدي بوحشية على كلب حراسة داخل منزل فلسطيني في بلدة عطارة، شمال رام الله. pic.twitter.com/agbmMTgAET

— شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) May 15, 2026

Haaretz says that residents of Atara living on lands adjacent to the outpost were expelled through a closed military zone order issued by the IDF, ostensibly to prevent clashes.

While the order has since expired, residents have refrained from returning to their homes due to fear of continued attacks by settlers, given that the outpost still stands.

The security cabinet earlier this year reportedly ordered the army to dismantle any illegal outpost built in Area B, though the directive has not been fully implemented. Wildcat settler communities in Area C — which is under both security and civil control of Israel — have been allowed to mushroom throughout the West Bank at unprecedented levels under the current government.

There is no immediate comment from the IDF.

Israeli official after targeting of Haddad: He was undermining Trump’s Gaza plan

Following Israel’s targeting of Hamas leader Izz al-Din Haddad, a senior Israeli official tells reporters in a statement that the head of Hamas’s military wing was one of the architects of the terror group’s October 7 onslaught and was personally involved in the kidnapping of Israeli and American citizens.

The official asserts that Haddad has been one of the main obstacles in the implementation of US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan for ending the Gaza war, which includes the disarmament of Hamas.

“This arch terrorist has defiantly undermined President Trump’s and the Board of Peace efforts to disarm Hamas and demilitarize the Gaza Strip in order to create security and prosperity for Israelis and Gazans,” the senior Israeli official says.

“The Hamas leadership’s ongoing non-compliance will continue to have consequences,” the official warns.

US announces 45-day extension of porous Lebanon ceasefire after 3rd round of Beirut-J’lem talks

US officials host the third round of talks between Israel and Lebanon at the State Department on May 15, 2026. (State Department)

The US announces a 45-day extension of a porous ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The announcement from the US State Department comes after Israel and Lebanon wrapped up a third round of negotiations in Washington.

The ceasefire has been in place since April 16, but the US has allowed Jerusalem to continue targeting Hezbollah operatives deemed a threat. Accordingly, attacks have continued on a daily basis, including while the third round of negotiations was held on Thursday and Friday.

Hezbollah has targeted Israeli forces who have created a massive buffer zone in southern Lebanon, which Jerusalem says is designed to prevent Hezbollah attacks on communities across the border.

In its statement announcing the ceasefire extension, State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott calls the last two days of talks “highly productive,” adding that the truce extension will “enable further progress.”

The third round includes military officials from both sides for the first time, with Israel’s acting defense attaché to the US Brig. Gen. Arik Ben Dov and head of the IDF’s Strategic Division Brig. Gen. Amichai Levin representing Israel.

The State Department will reconvene the political track of negotiations on June 2 and June 3, he says.

In addition, a security track will be launched at the Pentagon on May 29 with military delegations from both countries.

“We hope these discussions will advance lasting peace between the two countries, full recognition of each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and establishing genuine security along their shared border,” Pigott says.

Gaza medics say 3 killed, 20 wounded in strike targeting Hamas leader

Medics in Gaza say at least three people were killed and 20 injured in air strikes targeting an apartment and a vehicle.

Israel earlier announced it had targeted Hamas’s military chief in Gaza, Izz al-Din Haddad.

It is not immediately clear if Haddad was one of the dead, but an Israeli official told reporters earlier that Jerusalem believes the strike was successful.

Judge declares mistrial in Weinstein case as jury fails to reach verdict

A US judge has declared a mistrial in the new trial of disgraced cinema mogul Harvey Weinstein after a jury once again failed to reach a verdict on allegations he sexually assaulted actor Jessica Mann, the prosecutor says.

“While we are disappointed that the proceedings ended with a mistrial, we deeply respect the jury system and sincerely thank all of the jurors for their time and dedication. For nearly a decade, Jessica Mann has fought for justice,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg say in a statement.

Official: Haddad strikes approved last week, executed tonight due to ‘operational opportunity’

A senior Israeli security official says that the strike targeting Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip, Izz al-Din Haddad, was approved by the political echelon about a week and a half ago.

During that time, Haddad was under “continuous” surveillance, and the strike was carried out this evening “due to an operational opportunity with a high probability of successful elimination,” the official tells reporters.

According to the military, Haddad was targeted by the Israeli Air Force shortly after intelligence officers at the Southern Command and Military Intelligence Directorate received information on his whereabouts.

During the war, Haddad moved between numerous hiding places, surrounding himself with many hostages, including the female surveillance soldiers abducted from the Nahal Oz base, to avoid being targeted in Israeli strikes, a military source says.

Haddad is the most senior Hamas military commander in Gaza and the last remaining senior official in the terror group who led the October 7 onslaught.

Former hostages celebrate Israel’s targeting of Hamas leader who held them captive

Former hostages Liri Albag and Emily Damari celebrate Israel’s targeting of Hamas’s Gaza leader Izz al-Din Haddad who held them captive in Gaza.

Albag tells Channel 12 that Haddad was responsible for her kidnapping along with several other female IDF soldiers stationed at the Nachal Oz military base along the Gaza border.

She says she had extensive contact with Haddad during her captivity because he was one of the few Hamas operatives holding her who knew Hebrew.

Albag confirms that Defense Minister Israel Katz called to inform her of the IDF strike targeting Haddad this evening.

She thanks Israel’s security forces and says every Hamas terrorist should know that retribution will come eventually.

Emily Damari, who was also held with Albag, celebrates the news in an Instagram post in which she thanks troops and describes the moment as the “closing of a chapter.”

Katz calls family of former hostage after strike on Hamas leader that held her

Defense Minister Israel Katz just spoke with the family of former hostage soldier Liri Albag to update them on the strike targeting Hamas leader in Gaza, Izz al-Din Haddad, The Times of Israel has learned.

Albag had been held in captivity by Haddad when he commanded Hamas’s Gaza City Brigade.

המבנה עדיין בוער – תיעוד מזירת התקיפה שבה בוצע ניסיון החיסול של מפקד הזרוע הצבאית של חמאס עז א-דין אל-חדאד pic.twitter.com/4UMjVUFALp

— ספיר ליפקין | Sapir Lipkin | سابير ليبكين (@sapirlipkin) May 15, 2026

Palestinian vehicles torched in latest reported settler attack; no arrests made

Settlers torched and vandalized several vehicles in the central West Bank Palestinian village of Shuqba, the Palestinian Authority official Wafa news outlet reports.

Footage from the scene shows one of the targeted vehicles up in flames.

There are no reports of arrests, which are highly rare, even though settler attacks occur on daily basis with near-total impunity.

There is no immediate comment from the IDF.

BREAKING: Dozens of armed Israeli settlers are attacking the village of Shuqba in the West Bank, setting vehicles on fire and attacking residents. pic.twitter.com/mZW3Rd8VbU

— Ihab Hassan (@IhabHassane) May 15, 2026

Israel said preparing for imminent renewal of war with Iran that could extend for weeks

A senior Israeli official tells Channel 12 that Jerusalem is preparing for the imminent renewal of the war against Iran.

“The Americans understand that negotiations with Iran are going nowhere,” the unnamed official says.

“We are preparing for days to weeks of [renewed] fighting and waiting for Trump’s final decision. We will know more in 24 hours,” the official adds.

Leading US Jewish group condemns NY Times column alleging sexual abuse of Palestinians

The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, a leading US Jewish group, condemns a widely-criticized New York Times column alleging systematic sexual abuse of Palestinian inmates.

The statement by the group’s chair, Betsy Berns Korn, and CEO, William C. Daroff, says the column “relies on claims that are weakly sourced, lacking in specificity, contested and unsupported by evidence.”

“The column elevates anonymous testimony, much of it secondhand, from advocacy groups known for their bias and disputed credibility, including histories of fabrication, and allegations that remain unverified,” the statement says. “A fundamental difference separates substantiated wrongdoing from allegations that are weakly sourced, contested, or unproven. In democratic societies, that distinction matters. It separates responsible reporting from distortion.”

The statement also points out that former prime minister Ehud Olmert said the column misrepresented a statement he made to the reporter, Nicholas Kristoff, and calls the column’s timing, coming out shortly before a major report on Hamas raping Israelis, “questionable at best.”

“As evidence of Hamas’s systematic and grotesque atrocities came into public view, the Kristof column instead propagates anonymous claims that remain disputed and unverified, including unprecedented and highly improbable allegations of sadism that draw attention away from the Commission’s report and suggest a false moral equivalency,” the statement says, warning that the claims could foment violence against Jews.

“For centuries, blood libels portrayed Jews as uniquely sadistic and inhuman. When modern narratives echo those themes, they reinforce patterns that have historically fueled hatred and violence against Jews.

Spreading unproven and inflammatory claims about Jews carries real risk,” the statement says.

Israeli security official: Initial indications that Hamas leader Haddad was killed in Gaza City strike

A senior Israeli security official tells reporters that there are “initial indications” that Hamas leader Izz al-Din al-Haddad was killed in the airstrike in Gaza City a short while ago.

The military has not yet commented on the strike, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said they ordered the IDF to kill Haddad.

In an unsourced report, Channel 12 says that Netanyahu and Katz gave the order to kill Haddad in recent days once it became clear that he posed an obstacle to efforts to coax Hamas to disarm.

Israel says it targeted Hamas’s Gaza leader Izz al-Din Haddad in Gaza City, despite ceasefire

Hamas Gaza chief Izz al-Din Haddad, then the commander of Hamas’s Gaza City Brigade, is seen in a video released by Hamas’s military wing in May 2022 (social media)

The Israeli Air Force just targeted Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip, Izz al-Din Haddad, in an airstrike in Gaza City, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz say.

The strike hit a residential building in Gaza City’s Rimal neighborhood, according to Palestinian media.

It is not immediately clear if Haddad was killed in what would appear to be a ceasefire violation by Israel. Israel has justified such strikes before by claiming that those targeted posed active threats to troops.

Breaking | Israeli aircraft bombard a residential building in Al-Rimal neighborhood, west of Gaza City. pic.twitter.com/DTkmlSInEY

— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) May 15, 2026

In a joint statement, Netanyahu and Katz say they ordered the killing of Haddad, who commands the terror group’s military wing and is “one of the architects of the October 7 massacre.”

“Haddad was responsible for the murder, kidnapping and harm of thousands of Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers. He held our hostages in brutal captivity, directed terrorist operations against our forces, and refused to implement the agreement led by US President Trump to dismantle Hamas’s weapons and demilitarize the Gaza Strip,” they say.

“The IDF and Shin Bet are fully implementing the government’s policy of not containing threats and preemptively neutralizing our enemies,” the statement continues.

“This is a clear message to all murderers who seek our lives: sooner or later, Israel will reach you,” they add.

The IDF has not yet commented on the strike.

Lebanese healthy ministry says Israeli strikes in Tyre wounded 37, including 9 women and 4 children

Lebanon’s health ministry says Israeli strikes on the Tyre district wounded at least 37 people, including six hospital personnel, nine women and four children, as the two countries’ envoys started a second day of peace talks in Washington.

The IDF said earlier it launched airstrikes on Hezbollah infrastructure in the Tyre area, following evacuation warnings.

United Nations humanitarian coordinator for Lebanon Imran Riza condemns the “unacceptable” toll from continued attacks, saying that “diplomatic efforts now offer a critical opportunity to stop the violence.”

An AFP correspondent reported a series of strikes, two of them near the city of Tyre, while state media said another targeted a centre run by a local NGO near a hospital.

Hafez Ramadan, a resident near the building targeted by the airstrike, says it had housed people who had fled their towns due to the war, and was adjacent to a hotel where more displaced were staying.

“There are only women, children and the elderly here,” he claims. “Because of this strike, people have been displaced again.”

Anti-Israel activist seeks to reopen case over Trump influence claim

Pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel activist Mahmoud Khalil takes part in the 'Stand with Gaza' protest at Bryant Park in New York on August 16, 2025. (Leonardo Munoz / AFP)

Lawyers for a prominent anti-Israel protest leader have requested that US immigration authorities terminate their push to deport him, alleging the Trump administration “secretly engineered” the outcome of his case.

US President Trump has championed the effort to deport Mahmoud Khalil, who was arrested by undercover federal agents in March 2025, one of the first detentions of foreigners linked to pro-Palestinian activity in the United States.

Khalil is a former graduate student at New York’s Columbia University and was a prominent face of pro-Palestinian protests at the college at the height of the war in Gaza.

The Trump administration sought to have him deported on the grounds that his activities were harmful to US foreign affairs, sparking a long and complex legal fight.

Though he was released from custody in June, Khalil has faced continued threats of deportation from federal authorities.

“New evidence reveals that the Trump administration secretly engineered the outcome of his immigration case to make an example of him,” Khalil’s lawyers say in a statement.

In a new filing today, they request that the Board of Immigration Appeals, part of the US Department of Justice, reopen Khalil’s case and terminate it.

On April 9, 2026, the BIA dismissed Khalil’s challenge against his removal and issued a “final” removal order.

The BIA “improperly influenced the lower immigration court’s decision, fast-tracked his proceedings, bypassed the normal channels through which immigration appeals are docketed and adjudicated, and ultimately reached a decision in an unheard-of nine days,” Khalil’s lawyers claim.

Khalil cannot legally be detained again or deported pending appeals of other legal orders, they argue.

“The administration wants to arrest, detain and deport me to intimidate everyone speaking out for Palestine across this country, and they are willing to violate longstanding US rules and procedures to do it,” says Khalil.

The Executive Office for Immigration Review, which includes the Board of Immigration Appeals, has not responded to an AFP request for comment.

For second time in an hour, Hezbollah drones trigger Galilee sirens

Hezbollah launched several drones from Lebanon at northern Israel a short while ago, triggering sirens in the Galilee Panhandle.

The military says impacts were identified in Kiryat Shmona and Metula, with no injuries caused.

Two drones were also intercepted by air defenses, and others struck open areas, according to the IDF.

Greek-operated tanker among few oil vessels to cross Strait of Hormuz

A Greek-operated tanker sailed from the Gulf to India on Friday after crossing the Strait of Hormuz in one of the few crude sailings through the waterway this week, ship tracking data shows.

The US-Israeli war on Iran has led to the effective closure of the strait, stranding hundreds of ships and leading to unprecedented disruption of energy supplies.

The Liberia-flagged suezmax tanker Karolos, which can carry a maximum of 1 million barrels of oil, was sailing towards the western India port of Sikka on Friday after crossing the Strait of Hormuz on May 14, according to analysis from Kpler.

The vessel was at maximum load after calling at Basra oil terminal on May 10, Kpler analysis shows.

Satellite analysis from data analytics specialists SynMax also finds that the vessel’s draft had increased on May 14, indicating it had taken on cargo.

Karolos’ Greek-based manager Dynacom, which has been one of the salient Greek players to ship oil through the strait after the war began on February 28, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Separately, a Panama-flagged crude oil tanker managed by Japanese refining group Eneos passed through the strait, ship-tracking data from LSEG showed on Thursday.

Armed settler filmed with blindfolded, bound Palestinian alongside cooperating troops

An armed Israeli settler is filmed standing over a bound and blindfolded Palestinian man in the outskirts of the central West Bank village of Bayt Iksa.

Palestinian media identifies the man as a farmer who was trying to reach his land.

A separate clip shows IDF soldiers arriving at the scene after the bound man is dragged by the settler onto a nearby road.

Palestinians say they have been left defenseless as Israeli authorities arm extremist settlers who use their weapons to terrorize them, rather than for actual self-defense.

The army does not immediately respond to a request for comment.

HORRIFIC: An armed Israeli settler, under the protection of the Israeli army, blindfolded, humiliated, and detained a Palestinian man in the village of Bayt Iksa in the West Bank. pic.twitter.com/ya3FdCRTMS

— Ihab Hassan (@IhabHassane) May 15, 2026

IDF confirms Hezbollah launches drones, rockets and mortars at troops in south Lebanon

Hezbollah launched several drones, rockets and mortars at Israeli troops in southern Lebanon today, the military says.

The IDF says that several drones were intercepted earlier today.

No further details are immediately given.

In another incident, Hezbollah attempted to shoot down an Israeli Air Force drone over southern Lebanon. The IDF says the surface-to-air missile “failed.”

Hezbollah drones trigger sirens in Galilee; no injuries immediately reported

Hezbollah launched several drones from Lebanon at northern Israel a short while ago, triggering sirens in the Galilee Panhandle and Western Galilee.

The military says one drone was intercepted by air defenses, while the others exploded in open areas.

No injuries are reported.

The IDF says the attack is “another violation of the ceasefire understandings by the Hezbollah terror organization.”

‘Happiest day of our lives’: Gazans hold mass wedding among ruins

Wearing traditional Palestinian dresses, the white fabric intricately embroidered in a rainbow of colors, dozens of smiling brides clutch red bouquets as they walk with their grooms past the tents and ruined buildings of Gaza City.

To the tune of popular songs played from loudspeakers in a city square, the couples whose marriages have been long delayed by war and displacement sit on stage with joy written across their faces.

Thousands turn out to watch the mass wedding against the backdrop of buildings gutted by Israeli strikes over the course of the devastating two-year war.

Attendees clapped and smiled as a troupe performed the dabke, an Arabic folk dance, while women’s ululations echoed through the crowd.

“I can’t quite believe that I’m finally getting married,” Ali Mosbeh told AFP at the start of the ceremony.

“I was sitting in the tent when my phone rang… I couldn’t believe it. I’m still in shock,” he said, recounting the moment he received the call informing him that he was among the 50 young men selected.

The mass wedding is one of many to have been organized since a ceasefire took effect in Gaza in October. This particular event was organised and funded by the Turkish humanitarian organization IHH.

The smartly-dressed grooms wore traditional Palestinian kuffiyeh scarves adorned with the Turkish organisation’s logo, while the brides’ bouquets were dotted with small Turkish flags.

For Mosbeh and his bride, Huda al-Kahlout, the high cost of weddings had also posed an obstacle to tying the knot.

“I never imagined I’d get married in such circumstances,” he says.

Pakistan says 11 citizens, 20 Iranian nationals aboard vessel seized by US repatriated

Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar says that 11 Pakistani nationals and 20 Iranian nationals, who were aboard vessels seized by the US in the high seas, have been repatriated.

UAE rejects ‘Iranian claims’ after Tehran alleged active role in war

The United Arab Emirates rejects “attempts to justify Iranian terrorist attacks” after Tehran accused the wealthy Gulf state of playing an active role in the Middle East war.

Minister of State Khalifa bin Shaheen Al Marar “affirmed the UAE’s categorical rejection of Iranian claims and attempts to justify Iranian terrorist attacks targeting the UAE” and other nations, a statement says.

Oscar-winning Iranian director Farhadi calls crackdown, war deaths ‘deeply painful’

Asghar Farhadi, director of the first Iranian film to win the Oscar for best foreign language movie, describes as deeply painful the deaths of thousands of people in a January crackdown on protesters and the ongoing war affecting Iran.

“I was actually in Tehran last week, and I am still carrying the impact of these events with me,” the two-time Oscar-winning director told journalists at the Cannes Film Festival, where his film “Parallel Tales” premiered the night before.

“Both are deeply painful, and neither will ever be forgotten.”

In January, anti-government protests across Iran were quashed in the biggest crackdown in the Islamic Republic’s history. At the end of February, US and Israeli airstrikes launched a war against Iran that has drawn in the broader Middle East.

Farhadi, who has been based largely outside Iran since 2023, added that it was painful to read news about innocent people being killed every day.

Farhadi’s “A Separation” became the first Iranian movie to win the Oscar for best foreign language film in 2012.

He won the same Oscar five years later with “The Salesman,” though he boycotted the ceremony in protest against the travel ban affecting several Muslim-majority countries during US President Donald Trump’s first presidential term.

“Parallel Tales,” a drama set in Paris featuring French-language stars Isabelle Huppert and Vincent Cassel, is in competition for the festival’s top prize against 21 other films.

In first remarks on ‘Messiah’ patch incident, IDF chief says ‘path to victory’ goes through a disciplined military

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir speaks to officers in the Dead Sea hotels area on the Jordanian border, May 15, 2026. (Israel Defense Forces)

After a soldier was sentenced to 30 days in jail this week for wearing a non-military patch bearing the word “Messiah,” IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir warns that military frameworks “may fall apart” without discipline.

“There is no issue here with one insignia or another insignia; there is the appearance of the IDF, and there is the uniformity of the IDF. The uniformity is what connects all of us. Therefore, we have the unit insignia (on the uniform) and, above all, the most important thing, the Israeli flag,” Zamir says to officers while visiting a drill in the Jordan Valley today.

He says that “the path to victory goes through a disciplined, fit, trained army, with fighting spirit and a very strong sense of mission.”

“This matter of discipline, order and organization is something that begins in the small details, and it is part of our ability to function efficiently and effectively, and part of our ability to fulfill our mission,” he continues.

“Our test is precisely in a period in which we have already been in war for more than two and a half years. Two and a half years, that is unprecedented. Therefore, the test of [soldiers’ sense of] mission, values, norms and discipline is expressed precisely in wartime, and it is precisely there that one must insist on things, otherwise the framework may fall apart.”

Trump says he’d accept a 20-year suspension of Iran’s nuclear program

US President Donald Trump says he would accept a 20-year suspension of Iran’s nuclear program.

Asked by a reporter on Air Force One whether a 20-year suspension would be sufficient, Trump responds, “20 years is enough. But the level of guarantee from them… it’s got to be a real 20 years.”

In the past, Trump has demanded that Iran agree to forever cease enrichment, claiming that he didn’t want to pass the problem off to a future president.

BREAKING: Trump indicated he could accept a 20-year halt to Iran’s nuclear activity:

20 years is enough. But the level of guarantee from them… it's got to be a real 20 years. pic.twitter.com/cic86rTAuC

— Clash Report (@clashreport) May 15, 2026

Iran FM claims UAE ‘blocked’ BRICS statement due to Abu Dhabi’s ties with Israel

Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claims the United Arab Emirates “blocked” a joint statement by BRICS nations over Abu Dhabi’s ties to Israel.

Araghchi does not offer details on what was in the BRICS statement that the UAE opposed.

“The final statement by the BRICS ministerial meeting was blocked — or some parts of that were blocked — by a member State that has its own special relations with Israel, and this is very unfortunate,” Araghchi tells reporters at the conclusions of the BRICS ministerial gathering, avoiding reference to the UAE by name.

BRICS includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Ethiopia, Egypt, Iran, the UAE and Indonesia.

“We have no difficulty with that certain country. They have not been our target in the current war. We only hit American military bases and American military installations, which are unfortunately on their soil,” Araghchi falsely claims, neglecting to mention the countless civilian sites targeted by Iran.

“The only reason they stopped the final statement was their support to Israel and the United States in their aggression against Iran, which is very, very unfortunate.”

“I hope by the time that we come for the [next] summit, they come to a good understanding that Iran is a neighbor. We have to live with each other. We have lived for centuries, and we have to live for centuries to come,” Araghchi says.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said a BRICS member state with “special relations” with Israel had blocked the meeting’s final statement, calling it “very unfortunate.” He said Iran had no quarrel with the country itself and had targeted only US military sites on its… pic.twitter.com/j8uBvSfvH7

— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) May 15, 2026

IDF wraps up snap drill on Jordanian border that tested readiness for emergency scenarios

Troops of the IAF's Shaldag Unit carry out a drill in the Dead Sea hotels area on the Jordanian border, May 15, 2026. (Israel Defense Forces)

The military has wrapped up a snap drill on the Jordanian border, simulating sudden events to test its preparedness.

The pre-planned drill, dubbed “Sulfur and Fire,” began overnight and was completed a short while ago. It involved the 96th and 80th regional divisions, responsible for the border with Jordan, along with special forces.

The military says that during the drill, several scenarios were practiced, including terrorist infiltration into communities, drone attacks and “complex incidents” in the resort and industrial areas of the Dead Sea.

The drill practiced calling up troops and deploying stand-by forces, coordination between the two divisions, and air-ground coordination, including fighter jets and helicopters carrying out dozens of strikes “within short timeframes,” the IDF says.

Special forces simulated “complex incidents” in civilian areas at the Dead Sea, including a scenario of a terrorist infiltration at a hotel, according to the military.

The military says that standing army and reserve forces who were called up were deployed “within short timeframes,” and the turnout of reservists in the 96th Division’s volunteer brigades stood at 100%.

An initial debrief of the drill found that new defense directives implemented as part of the lessons learned from the October 7, 2023, onslaught, along with recent reinforcements on the Jordanian border, “contributed to the successful handling of a sudden incident,” the military says.

The IDF says that it will also conduct an “in-depth review of the lessons from the exercise, identifying weaknesses and noteworthy points, to continue to improve the military’s defense and preparedness for a variety of scenarios.”

Spanish PM: Our Eurovision boycott puts us ‘on the right side of history’

Spain’s boycott of Eurovision over Israel’s war in Gaza puts it “on the right side of history,” Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez says, ahead of the final in Austria.

“In the face of illegal war and also genocide, silence is not an option. And we cannot remain indifferent to what continues to happen in Gaza and in Lebanon,” Sanchez says in a video message posted on X.

“This year, therefore, will indeed be different. We will not be in Vienna, but we will do so with the conviction that we are on the right side of history.”

Este año no estaremos en Eurovisión, pero lo haremos con la convicción de estar en el lado correcto de la historia.

Por coherencia, responsabilidad y humanidad. pic.twitter.com/cnTt7Kc5rk

— Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) May 15, 2026

IDF says it intercepted Hezbollah rocket targeting troops in south Lebanon

A rocket fired by Hezbollah at Israeli troops in southern Lebanon was intercepted a short while ago, the military says.

No injuries were caused.

IDF declares Rosh Hanikra-Achziv coastline a closed military zone after Hezbollah drone attack

Following yesterday’s Hezbollah drone attack on the Rosh Hanikra area, which wounded four civilians, the chief of the Northern Command has declared the nearby coast a closed military zone.

The order, signed by Maj. Gen. Rafi Milo, covers the entire coastline from Rosh Hanikra to the Achziv area, and it is valid until the end of the month.

The IDF has not yet officially commented on the order.

82% of 2025 religiously-motivated hate crimes in Toronto targeted Jews — report

Police investigate the site of North York's Temple Emanu-El after it was targeted by gunfire late on a Monday night, Toronto, March 3, 2026. (Nick Lachance/Toronto Star via Getty Images via JTA)

The Jewish community was the most targeted group for hate crimes in Toronto in 2025, according to a report presented yesterday to the Toronto Police Services Board.

The annual hate crime statistical report found that Jews, who make up less than 3 percent of Toronto’s population, were the targets of 82% of all religiously motivated hate crimes and 35% of all reported hate incidents in the city.

Police recorded 81 anti-Jewish hate crime occurrences, and officials said a Jewish resident was now 14 times more likely to experience a hate incident than other Toronto residents.

The report comes amid what Jewish organizations describe as a sharp rise in antisemitic violence across Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area. Since February, synagogues have been targeted with gunfire, Jewish-owned businesses vandalized and shot at, and visibly Jewish individuals assaulted in public.

Toronto police also reported a 24% increase in hate crimes compared with the same period last year.

Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs Vice President Michelle Stock calls the findings “deeply alarming.”

“Jewish Canadians are being targeted simply for who they are,” Stock says, urging governments, police and civic leaders to take coordinated action against antisemitism, extremism and hate-motivated violence.

IDF chief, visiting snap exercise on Jordan border: Oct. 7 taught us we must always be ready

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir is seen with troops of the Israeli Air Force's Shaldag Unit during a drill on the Jordan border, May 15, 2026. (Israel Defense Forces)

Visiting a snap training drill on the Jordanian border this morning, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir says that one of the main lessons learned from Hamas’s October 7, 2023, onslaught “is the need for a high and constant level of readiness for a surprise attack on our borders.”

“This is what we are practicing here today, a General Staff exercise simulating defense against a wide-scale terrorist attack with complex scenarios in a challenging sector, with the mission of defending our borders and the residents of the area as our top priority,” he says.

“This exercise is an important and significant drill that reflects the lessons we have learned and implemented, as well as the great importance we place on these sectors. It is our duty to strengthen our preparedness and remain alert and vigilant in the face of a surprise attack scenario,” Zamir adds.

The pre-planned drill, dubbed “Sulfur and Fire,” began overnight and is scheduled to last until the afternoon hours today.

The military says the drill will “examine the IDF’s level of alertness and preparedness for a variety of sudden operational scenarios, while drilling headquarters and forces at all levels, from the General Staff to troops operating on the ground,” with a focus on the 96th and 80th divisions, tasked with the Jordanian border.

During his visit, the IDF says, Zamir held an assessment and examined the forces’ conduct.

NYC mayor’s wife curated virulently anti-Israel playlists on Spotify – report

Rama Duwaji, the wife of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, appears to have curated two public Spotify playlists in the first months of the Gaza war that included virulently anti-Israel songs, some of which contained classic antisemitic tropes, according to an exposé in The Free Press.

The playlist, called “hungry but sexy for palestine,” included songs with titles like “Amrikkka,” “Intifada,” and “Ana Bakrah Israel,” which translates to “I Hate Israel.”

A second playlist, created in January 2024, included a song called “FREE PALESTINE,” with the lyrics: “Free Palestine bitch, Israel gon’ die bitch. Ni**a, it’s they land, why you out here tryna rob it. Bullshit prophets, y’all just want the profit and No shalom bitch, ni**a, this Haram bitch.”

The playlist also included a song titled “ACAB” — short for “All Cops Are Bastards.”

Duwaji and the mayor’s office decline to comment on the article, which delves into the first lady’s digital footprint and challenges her assertion that she has remained a private citizen since her husband’s election.

Though she does not confirm that the Spotify account is hers, the playlists went private after the FP reached out for comment, and before the article was published, the report says.

Duwaji has apologized in the past for using “harmful” language online, but has not addressed anti-Israel content specifically.

Consumer prices rose 1.2% in April, Central Bureau of Statistics says

Consumer prices continued to rise in April, led by increases in the costs of foreign travel, gasoline, and fresh fruit, the Central Bureau of Statistics reports in new data.

On a monthly basis, the consumer price index (CPI), a measure of inflation that tracks the average cost of household goods, rose in April by 1.2 percent, from March. Before the announcement, analysts’ expectations were split between a 1.1% and 1.3% increase.

The monthly reading takes annual inflation over the past 12 months to 1.9%. The inflation rate is still within the government’s annual target range of between 1% and 3%.

In April, key price increases were recorded in the following categories: fresh fruit, which rose by 7.8%, transportation, increased by 4.9%, culture and entertainment, was up by 3.4%, clothing and footwear by 2.4%, and home maintenance costs by 0.5%.

Foreign travel costs soared by 27.9% and gasoline prices by 12.7%.

Rents on renewal of contracts soared 2.6% and rents on contracts for new tenants jumped 3.6%.

These were offset by a decline in the health category, which fell by 0.1%.

IDF arrests suspected driver in West Bank hit-and-run weeks ago that killed soldier

The Israel Defense Forces announces it has arrested the suspected driver of a stolen vehicle that struck and killed soldier Sgt. Netanel Ayala, 20, in a hit-and-run earlier this month.

The suspect, a resident of Luban e-Sharkiya in the northern West Bank, is a man in his 30s.

He was arrested before dawn by soldiers from the Duvdevan commando unit and police officers from the Binyamin region, the army says in a statement.

He had fled on foot from the scene of the deadly crash, which took place at around 1:30 a.m. on May 3, on Route 60, near the village.

Ayala, who had been on a motorcycle at the time, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Trump says he may lift sanctions on Chinese companies that buy Iranian oil

US President Donald Trump walks to board Air Force One, on May 15, 2026, at Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

US President Donald Trump says he is weighing lifting sanctions on Chinese companies that buy Iranian oil and will have a decision soon.

“We talked about that and I’m going to make a decision over the next few days,” he tells reporters aboard Air Force One shortly after leaving Beijing following his two-day summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Trump also says he is OK with Iran suspending its nuclear program for 20 years, but that there has to be a “real” commitment from Tehran.

Iran’s FM Araghchi: Tehran has ‘no trust’ in US, will only negotiate if it’s serious

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)

Tehran has “no trust” in the US and is interested in negotiating with Washington only if it is serious, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says, as talks on ending the war remain on hold.

All vessels can pass through the Strait of Hormuz except those at war with Tehran, Araghchi tells reporters in New Delhi during a visit to attend the BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting, adding that vessels wanting to transit should coordinate with its navy.

The situation around the key conduit is “very complicated,” he says.

“Contradictory messages” have made Iran reluctant about the real intention of the Americans on negotiations, Araghchi says, adding that the mediation process by Pakistan has not failed but is in “difficulty.”

Iran is trying to keep the ceasefire to give diplomacy a chance but is also prepared to go back to fighting, he says.

Araghchi’s statement on Friday comes hours after US President Donald Trump said his patience with Iran was running out and that he’d agreed in talks with Chinese President Xi ​Jinping that Tehran must reopen the strait.

Araghchi says Iran would “appreciate any country who has the ability to help, particularly China.”

BRICS ministers fail to issue joint statement over Mideast conflict

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, third right, talks to Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia, Waleed bin Abdulkarim, second right, as Indian Foreign Minister S.Jaishankar, right, South Africa's Minister of Foreign Affairs Ronald Lamola, second left, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, left, and and Vietnam Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Hang, third left, watch at a photo call of Government representatives and partner countries of BRICS during a two day meeting in New Delhi, India, on May 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

A two-day meeting of foreign ministers from the BRICS nations concludes in New Delhi without a joint statement because of “differing views among some members” on the situation in the Middle East, host India says.

The Indian statement says members expressed “their respective national positions and shared a range of perspectives” on issues including sovereignty, maritime security, and the protection of civilian infrastructure and civilian lives in the Middle East.

It also includes a footnote saying that “a member had reservations” about parts of sections dealing with Gaza and security in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb Strait.

BRICS includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Ethiopia, Egypt, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia.

Divisions among members have become more visible during the Iran war, particularly between Iran and the UAE.

Yesterday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi urged BRICS nations to condemn the US and Israel over what he described as their “unlawful aggression.” He also called on member states to resist what he said was the politicization of international institutions.

UAE tried, failed to persuade fellow Gulf states to attack Iran together early in war – report

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)

The United Arab Emirates tried unsuccessfully to persuade fellow Gulf states to join a coordinated attack on Iran shortly after the US and Israel launched their campaign against the Islamic Republic, Bloomberg reports.

According to the news site, UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed spoke over the phone with other leaders in the region, including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, arguing for a collective campaign, but his counterparts refused.

This response may explain recent breaks between the UAE and fellow Gulf states, including the Emirates’ decision last month to leave the OPEC cartel.

Bloomberg also reports, citing people familiar with the matter, that Saudi Arabia struck Iran in March, but pivoted shortly thereafter to supporting Pakistani-led mediation efforts.

The UAE was reportedly upset it was not invited to play more of a role in that process.

According to the report, Qatar mulled retaliating after Iran hit its Ras Laffan liquefied natural gas plant — the largest in the world — but opted not to.

US President Donald Trump’s administration was aware of the UAE’s effort to set up a joint military response, and wanted Saudi Arabia and Qatar to join, the report said.

IDF launches wave of airstrikes on Hezbollah infrastructure in Tyre area

The IDF says it has launched a wave of airstrikes on Hezbollah infrastructure sites in the Tyre area on the coast of southern Lebanon.

Earlier, the military issued an evacuation warning for several villages on the outskirts of Tyre.

Explosive drones launched by Hezbollah strike Israeli territory; no injuries

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

The drones triggered sirens in several communities in the Western Galilee.

No injuries were caused in the attack.

The IDF says the attack is a “blatant violation of the ceasefire understandings by the Hezbollah terror organization.”

Honduras designates IRGC, Hamas as terror groups

Honduras designates Hamas and the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps as terrorist entities, stressing Tegucigalpa’s “commitment to peace, international security and the fight against terrorism in all its forms.”

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar’s commends Honduran President Nasry Asfura for his decision.

This is another important reinforcement in the global campaign against terrorism, which endangers security throughout the world, including in Latin America,” writes Sa’ar.

Gofman says AG ‘not acting in good faith’ in case against his appointment as Mossad head

From L to R: Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, at the Knesset, in Jerusalem, September 30, 2025. (Oren Ben Hakoon/Flash90); Incoming Mossad head Maj. Gen. Roman Gofman arrives at the Knesset, in Jerusalem on February 5, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Roman Gofman, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s pick to lead the Mossad, accuses Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara of acting in bad faith, in her case against his appointment.

In a notice filed with the High Court of Justice, Gofman’s lawyer says that Baharav-Miara’s account of a recent meeting between his client and a senior Mossad official was “not true (to put it lightly).”

“It is very unfortunate that the attorney general, who is supposed to be a [democratic] gate-keeper, is not acting in good faith toward an IDF major general,” the lawyer says, referring to Gofman. “There isn’t room here to elaborate and detail all the procedural flaws [Baharav-Miara] has caused.”

The Attorney General’s Office filed a notice to the court yesterday morning informing it of two meetings Gofman held with officials in the Mossad after his appointment as the next head of the spy agency was approved.

The legal officials said Gofman should have told the court in the framework of the petitions against him, but the court quickly dismissed the attorney general’s concerns, saying the meetings and what was discussed in them weren’t relevant.

Jeremy Sharon contributed to this report.

5 suspects, including teen, indicted in deadly northern Israel shooting caught on camera

More than three months after a young Arab Israeli man was shot and killed on a street in northern Israel, police say charges will be filed against five individuals suspected in the homicide.

Wael Saeida, 22, was fatally struck by a stray bullet outside a bakery in his hometown of Umm al-Ghanem on February 23. He had left his house to buy bread after breaking his Ramadan fast that night.

Footage of the shooting shows a car stopping in the middle of the street before a black-clad assailant disembarks with an assault rifle, opening fire on the bakery. According to the Ynet news site, the shooter is 16 years old.

Saeida was critically injured by the gunfire and taken to the hospital by paramedics, where doctors were later forced to pronounce him dead.

An assailant opens fire on a bakery in Umm al-Ghanem, leading to the death of 22-year-old Wael Saeida by a stray bullet on February 23, 2026. (Israel Police)

According to police, the shooting was linked to a brawl that began at a high school in Shibli, a town just north of Umm al-Ghanem. One of the students, an 18-year-old, allegedly stabbed three other boys. Police note that an indictment has been filed against him.

Three weeks later, Saeida was shot and killed outside the bakery. Police say the incident was part of a spate of shootings targeting businesses owned by a relative of one of the students involved in the brawl.

The five suspects include both minors and adults. They will be indicted in the Nazareth District Court on Sunday next week, police say.

Report: US expected to announce extension of Israel-Lebanon ceasefire

The Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, which is affiliated with Hezbollah, reports that the United States is expected to issue a statement today summarizing the two rounds of negotiations held so far between Israel and Lebanon and announcing an extension of the ceasefire, alongside a “declaration of intent” regarding the continuation of the talks.

According to the report, the declaration will focus on a gradual end to Israel’s presence in Lebanon alongside a full Lebanese move to disarm Hezbollah.

The report also says the United States has been discussing with Israel what it describes as the “general outlines of an actual plan” to be implemented with Lebanon, amid efforts to separate the Lebanon issue from a possible agreement with Iran.

Two drones target Iranian opposition headquarters north of Iraq’s Erbil

Two drones targeted the headquarters of the Iranian Kurdish opposition group north of Iraq’s Erbil, security sources tell Reuters.

India signs pacts with UAE on defense and petroleum, as Modi visits

India and the United Arab Emirates have signed pacts on strategic defense cooperation, petroleum reserves and supply of liquefied petroleum gas, an Indian government official says.

The pacts are signed during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the UAE.

Australia bans neo-Nazi network under new law that criminalizes hate groups

Australia identifies a neo-Nazi network as the second organization being banned under its new law criminalizing hate groups and support for them.

The group, formerly known as the National Socialist Network and sometimes called White Australia, said it would disband after the government in January passed the law allowing certain organizations to be banned.

The law was in response to the antisemitic attack on a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach in December 2025, in which 15 people were killed.

The National Socialist Network “changed their name, but didn’t change the fact that they were still an organization and were still engaging in the same sort of behavior that met the thresholds for this legislation,” Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke tells reporters in Canberra.

The ban, which will take effect later today, makes it illegal to support, fund, train, recruit, join or direct the group, including if it was reformed under a new name, Burke said. Breaking the law is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

IDF intercepts apparent Hezbollah drone over southern Lebanon, where troops are deployed

The IDF says that a short while ago, it intercepted an apparent Hezbollah drone over an area of southern Lebanon where troops are deployed.

No injuries are reported in the incident.

UAE to accelerate oil pipeline project to expand ability to bypass Hormuz

The United Arab Emirates will accelerate construction of a new oil pipeline to double its export capacity through Fujairah by 2027, the government’s Abu Dhabi Media Office says, vastly expanding its ability to bypass the Strait of Hormuz.

It does not disclose the original timeline for the project.

The UAE’s existing Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline (ADCOP), also known as the Habshan-Fujairah pipeline, can carry up to 1.8 million barrels per day, and has proved crucial as the country seeks to maximize direct exports from the Gulf of Oman coast.

The UAE and Saudi Arabia are the only Gulf producers with pipelines that export crude outside the Strait of Hormuz, while Oman has a long coastline on the Gulf of Oman.

The narrow waterway between Iran and Oman was effectively shuttered by Iran in response to a US-Israeli air and naval campaign that began on February 28, choking off about a fifth of global oil supplies that normally flow to Asia and elsewhere.

Israel’s Noam Bettan will perform 3rd in Eurovision grand final tomorrow night

Israel's Noam Bettan celebrates qualifying for the grand final, during the first semifinal of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria, May 12, 2026. (AP/Martin Meissner)

Israel’s Noam Bettan will perform 3rd in the running order at the Eurovision Song Contest grand final tomorrow night.

With 36 hours to go, Israel is currently ranked 4th in the betting odds to win the competition, after Finland, Australia and Greece.

At last night’s second semifinal, Denmark, Australia, Romania, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Albania, Czechia, Malta, Norway and Cyprus qualified for the grand final.

They will join Tuesday’s qualifiers — Israel, Finland, Greece, Sweden, Moldova, Croatia, Serbia, Poland, Lithuania and Portugal — as well as the “big four” countries, Germany, Italy, the UK and France, and host country Austria, in vying for the top prize.

An anti-Israel protest is slated for tomorrow in Vienna and expected to draw a couple of thousand activists, with police on high alert.

IDF chief Eyal Zamir, other army officials said to have visited UAE amid Iran war

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir (center) is seen with officers in the West Bank on May 13, 2026. (Israel Defense Forces)

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir reportedly visited the United Arab Emirates during the war with Iran.

According to the Kan public broadcaster, Zamir was joined by other military officials.

During the visit, Zamir met with Emirati officials, including President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Kan reports.

The military has not commented on the report.

It comes after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that he also visited the UAE during the Iran war — prompting a denial from the UAE.

It was also reported that the heads of the Shin Bet and Mossad visited the Gulf nation during the war.

And earlier this week, senior US officials confirmed previous reports that Israel had also sent an Iron Dome battery to the UAE, along with soldiers to operate it.

AG to suspend witness intimidation case against PM’s aides, until Einhorn extradited

From left to right: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's adviser Jonatan Urich (Avshalom Sassoni); Netanyahu's attorney Amit Hadad (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90); former Netanyahu aide Yisrael Einhorn (KAN screenshot).

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara notifies court authorities that the state has decided to suspend the witness intimidation case against three of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s aides, amid a failure to extradite one of the suspects, Yisrael Einhorn.

“The state informed the Petah Tikva Magistrate’s Court that due to the non-arrival to Israel of Yisrael Einhorn for trial, it was decided to delay the legal proceedings,” her office said in a statement.

“The proceedings will be renewed with his coming,” it said.

Einhorn, Jonatan Urich, and Ofer Golan were indicted in February 2025 on charges of witness intimidation for having sent a car with a megaphone in 2019 to the home of Shlomo Filber, a key witness in Netanyahu’s corruption trial, in order to harass him, as part of an apparent effort to get him to retract his testimony against the premier.

Einhorn, however, lives in Serbia, and has refused to return to Israel for the purposes of the legal proceedings. He is also a suspect in the both the Bild leaked documents affair and the so-called “Qatargate” affair, as is Urich.

In light of the prosecution’s inability to have Einhorn extradited, Judge Dror Kleitman asked the state attorney’s representatives last month to inform the court if it wished to proceed with the trial against Golan and Urich or if it will instead withdraw the indictment.

IDF: Hezbollah rocket launcher used to fire at Kiryat Shmona last night destroyed

The IDF says it destroyed a Hezbollah rocket launcher used to fire a barrage at the Kiryat Shmona area last night.

Overnight, the launcher in the town of Zebdine was struck and destroyed, alongside several buildings that the IDF says were used by Hezbollah for military purposes.

The rockets launched at Kiryat Shmona were intercepted or hit open areas, with no injuries caused.

במהלך הלילה: צה"ל השמיד את המשגר ממנו חיזבאללה שיגר רקטות לעבר שטח הארץ אמש

במהלך הלילה, צה"ל תקף והשמיד את המשגר ממנו ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה שיגר מספר רקטות לעבר מרחב קריית שמונה אמש.

המשגר הותקף במרחב זבדין שבדרום לבנון.

לצד המשגר, הותקפו מספר מבנים ששימשו את ארגון הטרור… pic.twitter.com/hwrKr9KZgz

— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) May 15, 2026

Smotrich: Time has come to erase the lines between Areas A, B, and C in West Bank

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich is seen at Damascus Gate in Jerusalem’s Old City during Jerusalem Day celebrations, May 14, 2026. (Jamal Awad/Flash90)

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich told a Jerusalem Day gathering yesterday that “the time has come to erase, permanently, the lines distinguishing between Areas A, B, and C,” Hebrew media report.

According to the Oslo II Accords, signed in 1995 by Israel and the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank is divided into three areas, A, B and C. While Area C is under full Israeli control, Area B is under Palestinian civilian control and Israeli security control, and Area A is under full Palestinian control.

The remarks were made at the Mercaz Harav yeshiva, a cornerstone institution of religious Zionism. Speaking to students, the far-right minister declared: “The nation of Israel is coming home, and this time for good.”

Reports: Settlers set fire to mosque and several vehicles in West Bank village

Palestinian media outlets report that settlers overnight set fire to a mosque and several vehicles in the village of Jibiya in the Ramallah area.

Graffiti was reportedly also sprayed on the mosque, including the phrase “For the liberation of Jerusalem” — apparently in reference to Jerusalem Day being marked today.

No injuries are reported.

???? مليشيات المستوطنين تحرق مسجدا وعددا من المركبات في قرية جيبيا شمال رام الله. pic.twitter.com/76H3DH1MsG

— شبكة يافا الإخبارية (@yaffa_ps) May 15, 2026

NYC’s Mamdani condemns swastika flag, resembling Israel’s, spotted at NYU

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani waves to attendees during a May Day rally at Washington Square Park in New York, on May 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani condemns a flag — resembling the Israeli flag, with two swastikas on it flanking a Star of David, with the letters ‘NYU’– that was briefly flown over New York University on Wednesday.

“I am outraged that a swastika flag was raised overlooking Washington Square Park. This hateful antisemitic act was meant to spread fear among and intimidate Jewish New Yorkers. It has no place in our city,” Mamdani writes on X.

“Our administration is committed to fighting antisemitism in all its forms and protecting the safety of Jewish New Yorkers,” says the socialist mayor, who has been reluctant to criticize some violent rhetoric when ostensibly directed at Israel.

Mamdani says the New York Police Department’s Hate Crime Task Force is “investigating this despicable act, and I am confident those responsible will be held accountable.”

The university has said it was “shocked and deeply troubled” by the incident, and campus security removed the flag within some fifteen minutes of its being raised.

Flag with 2 swastikas spotted on Steinhardt roof during Grad Alley https://t.co/FpZDgLrb7i via @nyunews

— Hemingwaypaws (@Hemingwaypaws) May 14, 2026

Trump says he and Xi agree to keep Iran from having nuclear arms

President Donald Trump talks with China's President Xi Jinping at the Zhongnanhai leadership compound, Friday, May 15, 2026, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, Pool)

US President Donald Trump says he discussed Iran with Chinese President Xi Jinping and that they do not want Iran to have nuclear weapons and “want the straits open.”

The two leaders met at the walled-off Zhongnanhai complex in Beijing as Trump wraps up his state visit to China.

“We’ve settled a lot of different problems that other people wouldn’t have been able to solve,” Trump says.

IDF issues ‘urgent’ evacuation warning for Lebanese villages near Tyre, ahead of strikes

The IDF issues an “urgent” evacuation warning for several Lebanese villages on the outskirts of Tyre in southern Lebanon, ahead of strikes on Hezbollah.

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: شبريحا, حمادية (صور)، زقوق المفدي, معشوق, الحوش

????في ضوء قيام حزب الله الارهابي بخرق اتفاق وقف اطلاق النار يضطر جيش الدفاع على العمل ضده بقوة. جيش الدفاع الإسرائيلي لا ينوي المساس بكم.

????حرصًا على سلامتكم،… pic.twitter.com/r8DeyVezsr

— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) May 15, 2026

Hezbollah rocket intercepted after triggering sirens; no injuries reported

A rocket launched by Hezbollah from Lebanon at the Lower Galilee was intercepted, the military says.

The rocket triggered sirens in the communities of Masad and Eilabun.

No injuries are reported.

The IDF says the rocket fire is a “blatant violation of the ceasefire understandings by the Hezbollah terror organization.”

Rocket sirens sound in Lower Galilee

Sirens warning of rocket fire sound in the Lower Galilee communities of Masad and Eilabun.

The IDF says it is investigating.

IDF says Staff Sgt. Negev Dagan killed by Hezbollah shell in Lebanon

Staff Sgt. Negev Dagan, 20, was killed in Lebanon on May 14, 2026. (Courtesy of the IDF)

An IDF soldier was killed by Hezbollah mortar fire in southern Lebanon last night, the military announces.

The slain soldier is named as Staff Sgt. Negev Dagan, 20, of the Golani Brigade’s 12th Battalion, from the southern community of Dekel.

Dagan is the sixth IDF soldier to be killed in southern Lebanon since the start of a ceasefire, and the nineteenth since hostilities escalated amid the Iran war. A civilian contractor was also killed.

Florida’s Palm Beach airport to be renamed for Trump effective July 9

US President Donald Trump board Air Force One at Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Florida, May 2, 2026, en route to Miami. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

The Federal Aviation Administration says Palm Beach International Airport in Florida will be officially renamed after US President Donald Trump effective July 9, the latest in a series of buildings, institutions, government programs, warships and money to bear his name.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said earlier the airport’s three-letter code will be changed from PBI to DJT, denoting Trump’s initials.

IDF conducting snap drill to test readiness on Jordan border

The IDF announces that it is conducting a snap military drill on the Jordanian border, simulating sudden events, to test its preparedness.

The pre-planned drill, dubbed “Sulfur and Fire,” began overnight and is scheduled to last until the afternoon hours today.

The military says the drill will “examine the IDF’s level of alertness and preparedness for a variety of sudden operational scenarios, while drilling headquarters and forces at all levels, from the General Staff to troops operating on the ground,” with a focus on the 96th and 80th divisions, tasked with the Jordanian border.

Representatives from the IDF Comptroller Unit are stationed at various bases to examine the forces’ conduct, the military says.

Increased movement of troops and aircraft in the Dead Sea area and along the rest of the border with Jordan will be noted, the army warns.

Jews protest outside NY Times office against Kristof column alleging sexual abuse of Palestinian inmates

Protesters rally against a column accusing Israeli officials of systematic sexual abuse of Palestinian inmates, outside the New York Times office, May 14, 2026. (Luke Tress/Times of Israel)

Jews in New York City protest outside the New York Times’ Manhattan office against a recent column by Nick Kristof alleging systematic Israeli sexual abuse of Palestinian inmates. The column has come under heavy criticism from the Israeli government and supporters of Israel.

Around 200 demonstrators gather on the sidewalk, chanting, “New York Times, shame on you,” and, “We will not be silent.”

The protest is organized by the End Jew Hatred group, Hineni, and groups that oppose anti-Zionism.

The demonstrators hold signs that say, “Antizionism gets Jews killed,” and “J’accuse” next to the Times logo, a reference to the Dreyfus affair in 19th-century France in which a Jewish army officer was falsely accused of treason. One sign compares the paper to Der Sturmer, a Nazi newspaper.

“Hamas abuse covered up! Nick Kristof made stuff up!” one man shouts.

Trump posts that ‘the military decimation of Iran’ is ‘to be continued’

US President Donald Trump speaks at a dinner for members of his administration and law enforcement organization leaders, during National Police Week, in the White House Rose Garden, in Washington, May 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Listing his administration’s purported successes in a lengthy social media post, US President Donald Trump includes “the military decimation of Iran.”

“To be continued,” he adds in the Truth Social post, suggesting he may resume the war against Iran after he returns from his trip to China on Friday.

Republican-led US House rejects bid to rein in Trump Iran war powers by one vote

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-NY, speaks as the House of Representatives convenes the 119th Congress with a slim Republican majority, at the Capitol in Washington, January 3, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

The Republican-led US House of Representatives narrowly defeats a Democratic-led resolution aiming to stop the Iran war until hostilities are authorized by Congress, but the effort to rein in Republican US President Donald Trump’s military campaign fails by the closest possible margin.

The House votes 212 to 212 on the war powers resolution, meaning it fails by one vote because it needed a simple majority to pass.

It is the third House vote this year on an Iran war powers resolution, and the first since the conflict hit a 60-day deadline on May 1 for Trump to come to Congress about the war. Trump declared then that a ceasefire had “terminated” hostilities against Iran.

The votes have been getting tighter, with Trump’s fellow Republicans holding just a slim majority. The last war powers resolution failed on April 16 by a vote of 213-214, with one member voting “present.”

The votes have also have been getting tighter in the Senate, where a war powers resolution was blocked by 50-49 on Wednesday as three Republicans joined every Democrat except one in voting to advance the measure.

Ship allegedly carrying stolen Ukrainian grain that attempted to unload in Israel now trying Turkey

File: Ukraine's ambassador to Israel, Yevgen Korniychuk, gives a statement to the media in Tel Aviv, on March 11, 2022. (Avshalom Sassoni‎‏/Flash90)

The ship that Ukraine says is carrying grain stolen by Russia is waiting for permission to enter a Turkish port after unsuccessfully attempting to unload in Israel, Ukraine’s ambassador tells The Times of Israel.

“We hope they do the right thing like Israel did,” says Ambassador Yevhen Korniychuk.

In April, Israeli importer Zenziper decided not to accept the shipment, after a public spat between Ukraine and Israel.

According to Korniychuk, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry and prosecutor general are working to convince Ankara not to accept the shipment.

The ship, Panormitis, reached the Turkish port of Iskenderun on May 13, according to Turkish reports.

IDF says it intercepted apparent Hezbollah drone in Lebanon; no injuries

The IDF says it intercepted an apparent Hezbollah drone over an area of southern Lebanon where troops are deployed a short while ago.

No injuries are reported in the incident.

IDF says troops killed masked Palestinian who threw stones at Israeli drivers on highway

The IDF says troops shot dead a masked Palestinian who was hurling stones at Israeli motorists in the West Bank a short while ago.

According to the military, troops of the 636th Combat Intelligence Collection Unit identified three Palestinians who were throwing stones at cars on the Route 60 highway, near the village of Lubban ash-Sharqiya.

“The soldiers opened fire at the terrorists and eliminated a masked terrorist,” the IDF says, adding that a second suspect was hit, and that troops have launched a pursuit after him and the third Palestinian.

Earlier this evening, the Palestinian Authority’s Wafa news agency reported that Israeli settlers attacked Lubban ash-Sharqiya.

‘Productive’ daylong talks between Israeli, Lebanese ambassadors in DC conclude, will resume tomorrow

The first day of the third round of ambassador-level talks between Israel and Lebanon at the US State Department in Washington, DC, has concluded, an Israeli official tells The Times of Israel.

They lasted from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. local time, with a break in the middle.

Talks will pick back up tomorrow.

Negotiations are still in their early stages, with the sides trying to draft peace and security deals. That will be difficult to accomplish as Lebanon wants Israeli forces to withdraw from the country’s south, and Israel wants Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah — something the Lebanese army has been unable to do to date and the Iran-backed terror group has roundly rejected.

The State Department calls the talks “productive.”

“We look forward to continuing this tomorrow and hope to have more to share then,” it adds in a statement.