Government orders closure of event halls, culture venues, gyms, bars, nightclubs By TOI staff Netanyahu says country ‘a step away’ from full lockdown as cabinet announces dramatic new virus restrictions; synagogues capped at 19 worshipers, all gatherings capped at 20 people

‘We’ve lost control’ of pandemic, top Israeli adviser says as active cases spike By TOI staff

Where we went wrong: Expert says these 3 blunders caused new Israeli COVID chaos By Nathan Jeffay The intensity of the second wave reflects government’s failures, says former Health Ministry chief Prof. Gabi Barbash

Health Ministry ranks virus risk for activities as daily cases hold below 800 By TOI staff   Government pushes bill to let it enact virus restrictions before Knesset okay By TOI staff

Live updates (closed) Report: Mossad foiled Iranian attacks on Israeli embassies in Europe, elsewhere By Joshua Davidovich Unsourced report comes as tensions between Israel and Iran on rise following claims that Jerusalem behind devastating bombing of Natanz nuclear facility

Israel media review Death of a thousand cases: 5 things to know for July 6 By Joshua Davidovich Ministers mull new restrictions amid prophecies of virus doom and gloom, and handwringing over how badly country screwed up its return to normal and is still messing up tracking

Phone tracking sends thousands to isolation, but many say system makes mistakes By TOI staff   Top ultra-Orthodox MK threatens party will exit coalition if yeshivas shuttered By Sam Sokol

Israel was behind blast at Iran nuclear site, Mideast intel official tells NYT By TOI staff and AP Officials says powerful bomb was used to damage building involved in centrifuge production at Natanz, denies Israeli connection to other recent fires in the Islamic Republic

Iran admits fire at Natanz nuclear site set back its centrifuge program By TOI staff and AP   Iran claims to have built underground ‘missile cities’ on Gulf coast By TOI staff

With Iran in its sights, Israel launches new spy satellite into orbit By Judah Ari Gross Ofek-16, an ‘optoelectronic reconnaissance satellite with advanced capabilities,’ undergoing tests after entering orbit. Netanyahu: Boosts ability to tackle enemies ‘near and far’

Liberman appears to accuse Mossad head of leaking Israeli role in Iran attack By TOI staff   Mossad chief’s term extended, amid speculation of covert war with Iran By TOI staff

Top Ops

Rachel Sharansky Danziger Israel’s social workers are on strike; my sister is one of them So often, social workers remain at their posts, with compassion and care for their clients, in spite of their abysmal working conditions and offensive salaries. No longer   Naomi Chazan Why bother listening when you can just issue a decree? The government announcement of a blanket ban on in-person university exams is a textbook example of how not to lead during a pandemic

inside story Joy Bernard Ready for action and hopeful for change: Meet Blue and White’s 4 new female MKs 3 attorneys and a journalist thought their dreams of entering the Knesset were over. Then a new law reshuffled the cards

Flubbed split means Jewish Home’s Peretz may not be legally serving as minister By Noam Eynav

Israeli-owned NYC Mediterranean takeout brand may be restaurant of the future By Gabe Friedman

IDF strikes Hamas targets in response to Gaza rocket fire By Judah Ari Gross and TOI staff Israeli military bombs observation post, apparent underground rocket launchers, after 3 projectiles fired into Israel from the Strip

Three rockets fired at Israel from Gaza as border region heats up By TOI staff and Judah Ari Gross

Israel taps first-ever Bedouin ambassador to head Eritrea mission By TOI staff Decision comes weeks after Ishmael Khaldi, who was also first-ever Bedouin diplomat, made headlines by accusing security guards in Jerusalem of kneeling on his neck

Prominent diplomatic correspondent, a Netanyahu critic, loses his TV job By AP

covid-19 crisis Shoshanna Solomon Health largely OK, but job prospects for the young on life support amid pandemic If young unemployed don’t get back to work quickly, they can get stuck on the margins of the labor force for good

Protesting working conditions, social workers launch open-ended strike By TOI staff

More Headlines

Driver in fatal 2015 West Bank terror ramming sentenced to life By Jacob Magid   Soccer players suspected of statutory rape named as Omer Atzili, Dor Micha By TOI staff   Kansas newspaper removes cartoon likening mask mandate to the Holocaust By Marcy Oster   Government okays plan to bolster Diaspora Jewry, but sparse on details By Raphael Ahren   Iran negotiating 25-year ‘strategic accord’ with China By AFP   Epstein associate Maxwell took pic with Kevin Spacey on Queen Elizabeth’s throne By TOI staff and Agencies   Drones, pollution sensors aim to make work at Ashdod port smarter By Shoshanna Solomon   6 injured as settlers and Palestinians clash in northern West Bank By Jacob Magid and Aaron Boxerman   Conspiracy theorist Congress candidate demonizes Soros, claims Beyoncé not Black By TOI staff   Egypt arrests doctors, silences critics over virus outbreak By AP