July 19: In rare interview with Israeli TV, former Saudi general urges ‘serious consequences’ for Iran’s ‘barbaric’ actions

Hungarian PM nominates Jewish chess grandmaster Judit Polgár to serve as interim president

Judit Polgár attends the 'Queen Of Chess' Premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at Eccles Center Theater on January 27, 2026, in Park City, Utah. (Dia Dipasupil/ Getty Images/ AFP)

Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar says he has nominated Jewish Hungarian chess grandmaster Judit Polgár to serve as an interim president, after outgoing president Tamas Sulyok signed a constitutional amendment yesterday to end his term in office.

Sulyok was asked to sign the amendment as part of Magyar’s drive to dismantle former prime minister Viktor Orban’s bastions of power, after ousting the strongman in an April election landslide.

In a post on Facebook, Magyar says that Polgár is the right person to serve as head of state, as her “name has been synonymous with talent and perseverance for decades.”

“Our country needs unity, peace, and a president whom every Hungarian can be proud of,” he writes. “The presidency is not a job, not a workplace, but the highest service. The president’s task is to serve and represent every Hungarian.”

Polgár’s fame, he says, “is not due to her political affiliation or connections, but to her exceptional talent, diligence, exemplary burden-bearing, and integrity.”

If she accepts the role, which Magyar expresses hope that she will, she will serve in the role until the adoption of a new Hungarian constitution.

He expresses hope that she will accept the invitation, saying it would be “a huge honor” if she does.

Reuters contributed to this report.

US military says ‘unidentified remains’ found at site of Friday’s deadly Iranian missile attack on Jordan

The US military says unidentified remains were located at the site of an Iranian ballistic missile attack in Jordan on Friday, where two US soldiers were killed, and one was declared missing in action.

“After a thorough search, US military personnel found unidentified remains at the location earlier today. An examination process to verify the remains is ongoing,” the US Central Command says.

In a separate incident, CENTCOM announces that a US servicemember was killed in northern Iraq on Saturday, “during a controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian one-way attack drone.”

A second American soldier suffered a minor injury from that incident, CENTCOM adds.

Kuwait condemns ‘dangerous escalation’ after Iran targets civilian infrastructure

The Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry condemns what it describes as an Iranian attack on a power generation and water desalination facility, calling it a direct strike on vital civilian infrastructure.

The repeated targeting of civilian facilities amounted to a dangerous escalation and violated international law, the UN Charter and UN Security Council Resolution 2817, the ministry says in a statement.

It says Iran bears full legal and moral responsibility for the attack and its consequences.

In rare interview with Israeli TV, former Saudi general urges ‘serious consequences’ for Iran’s ‘barbaric’ actions

Abdullah bin Ghanem Al-Qahtani, a former general in the Royal Saudi Airforce, speaks to Israel's Channel 12 on July 19, 2026. (Screenshot via Channel 12)

In a rare engagement with Israeli media, a former Saudi general condemns Iran’s strikes across the region in recent weeks, telling Channel 12 that they could not be allowed to pass without “extremely serious consequences.”

“What Iran is doing in the region is extremely dangerous. It is directed against the region itself,” says Abdullah bin Ghanem Al-Qahtani, who served as a major general in the Royal Saudi Air Force and is now a security and strategic affairs analyst.

“This is a grave threat that cannot be met with silence. It simply cannot be allowed to pass without extremely serious consequences, given that Iran is targeting virtually everything in the region,” Al-Qahtani says in Arabic, adding that “it is clear that the Iranian revolutionary regime does not want to fall unless it is certain that everyone else has been destroyed first — before it is itself destroyed… or overthrown.”

Public criticism of Tehran from Saudi officials is not unusual, but interviews with Israeli media by prominent Saudi figures remain rare, as diplomatic tensions, especially over the Palestinian issue, continue to complicate US efforts at normalization between Riyadh and Jerusalem.

Al-Qahtani did not call explicitly for further escalation by the US or Israel, but said Israel “must resolve the Palestinian issue,” and that the US “must help everyone in this region ensure that terrorism does not return, and that neither Iran nor anyone else has another pretext to exploit.”

“The sensible people in Israel must resolve the outstanding problems between Israel and the Arab states,” he says.

Settler activists breach at least 4 IDF checkpoints in march to Gaza border; security forces do little to stop them

Israeli settler activists march through southern Israel toward the Gaza border as they call to resettle the Palestinian enclave, on July 19, 2026. (Tsafrir Abayov/Flash90)

At least four army checkpoints erected on the route to the Gaza Strip’s northern border have been breached by radical settler activists marching in support of renewed Jewish settlement in the Palestinian territory, with little resistance from security forces.

Despite the fact that the march is taking place in a closed military zone and in spite of the IDF’s express orders, the “March of Thousands” has enjoyed broad support from members of Israel’s government. According to organizers in the Nachala settler group, it has been attended by 28 ministers and coalition lawmakers.

Speaking about a kilometer from the border at the thousands-strong march, Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi (Likud) expresses his support for Jewish settlement in Gaza.

He calls to “settle in all the regions of land granted to our forefathers, to show our enemies that it’s not worth messing with us, to show a meaningful picture of victory.”

He continues to urge Israelis to “plant deep roots in every land granted to our forefathers, including the Gaza region.”

Earlier today, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich was seen shaking hands with and offering his support to the marchers near the beginning of the route.

After breaching the first barricade near Zikim Beach, marchers split off into several directions, hiking up sand dunes to skirt around army jeeps and policemen.

Some made it to a hill abutting the Gaza border fence. It is unclear whether any marchers succeeded in crossing into the territory.

Jerusalem said preparing to join fight with Iran as US weighs next steps

Israel is preparing for the possibility of joining an expanded US military campaign against Iran, after the security establishment assessed in high-level government discussions that the likelihood of a significant escalation in the near future has greatly risen, a senior Israeli official tells Channel 12.

“We are in continuous dialogue with the Americans, but one thing is a fact: [US President Donald] Trump is unpredictable. At the moment, it appears that [the US seeks] to step up the intensity of American strikes in Iran,” an Israeli official tells the Hebrew network.

However, the official notes that senior Trump envoys, primarily Steve Witkoff, as well as mediator Qatar, continue to try to bring the sides back to negotiations.

In light of that, Israel is “preparing for every possibility and building immediate and strategic operational options,” the official adds, saying, “If the Americans decide to escalate or involve Israel, or if the Iranians carry out an unexpected and unwise move against us, we will be ready.”

Report: Israel suspects foul play after third Israir plane damaged at Luton Airport in under a year

An Israir flight takes off from Ben Gurion International Airport, outside of Tel Aviv, August 25, 2024. (Yossi Aloni/ Flash90/ File)

Israeli aviation officials suspect foul play in an incident at London Luton Airport last week, when an Israir plane was damaged by the aircraft tug while it was being towed ahead of takeoff, Channel 12 reports.

According to the report, Israel suspects the damage was caused maliciously, with “nationalistic” intent, and is in contact with the relevant authorities in England to determine whether that is indeed the case.

Israir previously said it was the third instance of its planes being damaged at the London airport within less than a year, further increasing suspicion that it was not accidental.

The incident on Thursday evening left approximately 300 people waiting aboard the Israir plane as it sat on the tarmac for several hours.

The passengers had no air conditioning for part of the time, leading to “some medical incidents,” a passenger recounted after.

Israir blamed Luton for the three instances of damage, saying that “to our knowledge, no orderly investigation has been carried out by the airport’s management into these incidents.”

Netanyahu’s office says Mamdani is trying to distract from failed policies by exploring PM’s arrest

Responding to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s announcement that he is reviewing ways to arrest Benjamin Netanyahu if he comes to New York, the Prime Minister’s Office says the mayor is looking to distract the public from his failed policies.

“The ICC is a kangaroo court that has no jurisdiction over Americans or Israelis,” says the PMO, referring to the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

“Its bogus arrest warrant against Prime Minister Netanyahu was issued by a disgraced former ICC prosecutor, Karim Khan, a few days before allegations of sexual misconduct against him became public,” Netanyahu’s office continues. “It was a clear attempt by Khan to divert public attention and seek protection from scrutiny.”

Israel, says the PMO, “has taken unprecedented wartime measures to minimize harm to civilians while confronting Hamas, a genocidal terrorist organization that uses Palestinians as human shields and deliberately targets innocent Israeli civilians.”

“Instead of backing Khan’s criminal behavior, Mr. Mamdani should focus on fixing the damage his policies have caused New York,” it continues.

“Like Karim Khan, Mamdani appears interested in diverting public attention from his follies and attacking the leader of the Jewish state and the only democracy in the Middle East.”

Likud grants Netanyahu 8 reserved spots on party list, option to cancel primaries in wartime

Illustrative. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu waves to his supporters after the first exit poll results for the Israeli parliamentary elections at his Likud party's headquarters in Jerusalem, March. 24, 2021. (AP/ Maya Alleruzzo/ File)

The Likud Constitution Committee agrees to grant Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu eight reserved slots on the Knesset list, which he will be able to allocate to his preferred candidates, and to cancel primaries altogether if they cannot be held because of a possible “wartime situation.” The agreement effectively capitulates to the premier’s months-long push for unprecedented control over the party’s candidate list, according to Hebrew media reports.

Seven of Netanyahu’s preferred candidates will be placed in the first 30 spots on the list —  in spots 3, 5, 9, 11, 18, 22, and 29 — and the eighth will be further down the list, should the Likud win more than 30 mandates. Election polls have consistently shown the party winning an amount of seats in the low to mid-twenties.

Under the plan, the decision to grant the reserved slots to Netanyahu will not require any further approval by the party’s 4,500-member Central Committee, which was supposed to vote on the matter on Thursday.

The committee also authorizes Netanyahu to convene a five-member organizing committee of Likud mayors to determine the party’s candidate list if security guidelines, such as restrictions on large gatherings, prevent the primaries from taking place.

Addressing committee members, Netanyahu reportedly claimed that he remains “in favor of primaries,” but argued that “there is a possibility that we could find ourselves in an exceptional security situation that would make it difficult to hold campaign events.”

“It could fall on the day of the vote or beforehand, and that would make voting difficult,” he said.

The decision gives Netanyahu both the enlarged quota of reserved slots he had demanded and a contingency route to replace the primaries with a committee, after he previously threatened to cancel the internal election altogether if his demands were not met, and despite previous resistance from Likud lawmakers and local authority heads, who opposed both measures.

The approval comes days after a court temporarily halted a previous vote on the proposed primary rules following a legal challenge by the Likud Social Forum, which alleged procedural and non-democratic flaws. As part of the agreement, the party’s primaries are expected to be postponed until August 17.

Drone of unknown origin shot down by Israel over Syrian border, IDF says

A drone was shot down by Israeli air defenses over the Syrian border near Mount Hermon a short while ago, the military says.

The origin of the drone is under review, the IDF adds.

No sirens sounded, as no towns were under any threat.

Zamir: IDF ‘closely monitoring’ situation with Iran, ready to resume fight if needed

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir (center) is seen with his office manager, Lt. Col. Tomer Sayag (left) and Central Command chief Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth at the Judea and Samaria Division headquarters near Beit El in the West Bank, July 19, 2026. (Israel Defense Forces)

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir says the military is “closely monitoring the developments in Iran and maintaining a high level of readiness.”

“We monitored the launch toward the Aqaba area today, and our air defense array is on alert to protect the citizens of Israel,” Zamir says, during a visit to the West Bank today, according to remarks provided by the military.

“We are prepared to immediately resume fighting and will act with great force against anyone who harms us,” he adds.

Rubio lauds Lebanese president’s ongoing push to disarm Hezbollah

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised Lebanese President Joseph Aoun’s efforts to disarm the Hezbollah terror group during their meeting in Washington today, Rubio’s office says.

Rubio “commended the courage of the Government of Lebanon, under President Aoun’s leadership, for their determined effort to reclaim Lebanon’s sovereignty, disarm Hezbollah and dismantle its terrorist infrastructure, and move towards peace,” says the US readout.

IDF says several Hamas weapon sites destroyed in overnight Gaza strikes

Several Hamas weapons sites were destroyed in Israeli strikes overnight, the military announces.

The IDF says it struck a weapons depot, a weapons manufacturing site, and a rocket-launching position in several areas of the Strip.

“The weapons were intended to be used to harm IDF soldiers” operating in Gaza and Israeli civilians, and were destroyed to “remove the threat,” the military adds.

New details emerge around Israel’s massive influence operation in the US — report

The Wall Street Journal publishes new details of alleged Israeli government efforts to stem growing anti-Israel sentiment in the US through media companies and influencers.

Last week, Time magazine reported that Brad Parscale, whom it described as “Trump’s former presidential campaign manager and digital guru,” and his company, Clock Tower X, were tapped in September 2025 by an ad agency to conduct an influence campaign in the US on behalf of Israel.

The $45 million contract includes millions of AI texts sent to US cellphones by a group called Friends for Peace, according to the WSJ, which adds that Israel retained six firms over the past year, and that around three dozen Americans have registered as new foreign agents for Israel.

The AI texts are produced by Sparkfire, according to the report, which has been paid at least $6.5 million.

Parscale is expected to ensure “integration of narrative messaging into Salem Media Network properties and aligned distribution channels.” Parscale is a senior executive at the network.

He pitched his company to Israeli officials in late 2024, according to the report.

Salem Media and Parscale both tell the WSJ that the money does not go toward telling hosts what to say, but rather toward ads on the network.

Parscale is also creating websites and posts with pro-Israel messages, so that AI platforms will produce a more positive picture of the country.

Another organization, Show Faith by Works, is focusing on Christian college students and worshipers at megachurches. The $3 million campaign is designed to create “positive associations with the Nation of Israel while linking the Palestinian population with extremist factions.”

IDF: Interceptor missile fragments fell near Eilat during Iranian attack on Jordan

The IDF says interceptor fragments fell in an open area near the southern city of Eilat earlier, during an Iranian ballistic missile attack on Jordan.

Three missiles launched by Iran at the Jordanian city of Aqaba were shot down by an American air defense system, while a fourth hit an open area in Jordan.

The IDF says it also launched several Iron Dome interceptors at the falling fragments, which potentially threatened the nearby city of Eilat.

As a result, interceptor fragments fell in an open area near Eilat, without causing any damage or injuries, the military says.

No sirens were activated in Eilat as the resort city was not under any threat.

As of now, there are no changes to the Home Front Command’s guidelines for civilians.

Rubio, Lebanese president conclude Washington meeting

The meeting between Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington has ended, according to Aoun’s office.

Aoun is slated to meet US President Donald Trump on Tuesday.

New ultra-Orthodox party launches ahead of elections, seeks representation within existing Haredi parties

Ultra-Orthodox men at the United Torah Judaism party's Beit Shemesh headquarters during the municipal elections, February 27, 2024. (Yaakov Lederman/Flash90)

A new ultra-Orthodox political party called “The Haredi Public” has announced plans to participate in the upcoming elections in response to what it describes as a growing “sense of disconnect” between the Haredi community and its political leadership, the Haaretz daily reports.

According to the report, the fledgling party led by Beit Shemesh Deputy Mayor Moti Leitner says it represents working and new immigrant Haredim seeking greater influence within the existing ultra-Orthodox political establishment.

While estimating that it could win around three seats if it ran independently – below the electoral threshold – the party says its goal is to secure representation within major ultra-Orthodox parties United Torah Judaism and Shas, both part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition.

The Haredi Public reportedly pledges to address poverty and the issue of military conscription, while promoting core curriculum studies and employment opportunities in ultra-Orthodox communities, and identifies itself as part of Israel’s right-wing bloc.

Accompanied by Likud minister, dozens of settler activists breach IDF checkpoint en route to Gaza Strip

Over a hundred radical pro-settlement Israelis, accompanied by Economy Minister Nir Barkat, of Likud,  have breached an IDF checkpoint to enter a closed military zone around the Gaza Strip as they push forward in a bid to enter the Palestinian enclave.

The demonstrators are at the forefront of a march intended to cross into Gaza with the goal of resettling the territory and reestablishing Israel’s Gush Katif settlement bloc there.

The so-called “March of Thousands,” organized by the Nachala settler group, prompted the IDF to declare the area surrounding the Gaza Strip a closed military zone until tomorrow morning.

Nevertheless, the activists are passing through the checkpoint with little resistance from security forces in the area.

Several IDF officials at the scene confirm to The Times of Israel that no permit has been given to cross into the closed military zone.

The group is still within Israel, and has not yet reached the Gaza border.

Religious Zionist extremists breach an army checkpoint meant to block their way into Gaza, as they march to resettle the territory. Likud Economy minister Nir Barkat is at the scene in support of the marchers pic.twitter.com/tFcVnHhHB8

— charlie summers (@cbsu03) July 19, 2026

Egyptian TV channel sparks controversy with interview of Israeli journalist

Israeli journalist and Haaretz columnist Gideon Levy was interviewed recently by Egyptian channel Al-Qahera Wal Nas, prompting sharp criticism in Egypt of both the channel and of the interviewer, Ehab Qassem.

As a rule, the Egyptian media boycotts Israeli journalists and does not interview them.

Following the interview, the Egyptian Journalists Syndicate announced that it has barred Qassem from appearing in any media outlets pending an investigation, saying he had violated “the code of professional ethics.”

In addition, the channel pulled the interview from its platforms after it garnered widespread criticism, saying it “respects all opinions and comments it receives from the public.”

During the interview, Levy referred to the Sinai Peninsula and said that Israelis do not view the territory as belonging to Egypt, a remark that also drew criticism online.

Qassem later addressed the controversy in an interview with another Egyptian channel, Al-Qahera 24, saying that Gideon Levy had described Israel as “an extremist terrorist state,” and said that he supports the Palestinian cause. He noted that Levy is a journalist who is interviewed on platforms around the world.

بعد مداخلة صحفي إسرائيلي.. الإعلاميين تمنع ظهور إيهاب قاسم مذيع القاهرة والناس علي أي وسيلة إعلامية وإحالته للتحقيق#هنا_مصر pic.twitter.com/WZtUf7VV2d

— Huna Masr هنا مصر (@hnamasr) July 18, 2026

Lebanese president arrives at State Department ahead of Rubio meeting

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun arrives at the State Department to meet with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, says Aoun’s office.

Aoun is slated to meet with US President Donald Trump on Tuesday.

This is the first visit to Washington by a Lebanese president since 2009, and comes amid US-backed direct Lebanon-Israel talks.

Katz orders Democrats party candidate removed from IDF reserves over call to refuse service in anti-government protest

The Democrats party leader Yair Golan (left) shakes hands with new member Omri Ronen at a faction meeting at the Knesset in Jerusalem, February 16, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Defense Minister Israel Katz has instructed IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir to remove reservist Omri Ronen, a member of the Brothers in Arms movement and of Yair Golan’s Democrats party, from any reserve duty after he encouraged refusal to serve on political grounds, according to a statement issued by the Defense Ministry.

Ronen, an officer in the elite Maglan unit who served more than 350 days of reserve duty since October 7, 2023, told Channel 12 yesterday that Israelis should “do everything to prevent a coup d’état… including refusing to report” for military service.

The ministry says Katz views such statements by serving reservists “with great severity” and reiterates his policy that there is “no place in the reserve forces” for anyone who explicitly or implicitly calls for refusal to serve or incites against military service.

In a statement, Katz declares “zero tolerance” for refusal to serve, saying he has instructed Zamir to ensure Ronen is removed “from any framework of service in the IDF.”

“I will not allow the scourge of refusal to return to the ranks of the IDF – for any reason,” Katz says, adding that the same policy will apply in any similar future case and insisting the military “must remain outside political disputes and only serve Israel’s security.”

In the months leading up to the multifront war sparked by Hamas’s October 7 attack, leaders of Brothers in Arms announced that some 10,000 reservists would suspend their volunteer reserve duty in protest of the government’s plans at the time to overhaul the judicial system, referred to by critics as an attempted judicial coup.

Despite the threat, the IDF experienced an unprecedented 120% turnout rate for reservists on October 7, 2023.

Disgruntled New Hope MK petitions High Court over stalled merger with Likud, says parties trying to deny her legal rights

Deputy Foreign Minister MK Sharren Haskel attends a Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee meeting at the Knesset in Jerusalem, December 2, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Former deputy foreign minister and New Hope MK Sharren Haskel petitions the High Court of Justice to order Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar’s New Hope to formally complete their merger, arguing the parties have deliberately left the process unfinished to prevent her from splitting off as a one-member faction and taking with her the state funding attached to her Knesset seat.

Haskel, who entered the Knesset as part of Sa’ar’s New Hope party, opposed its March 2025 merger with Likud and has refused to run on the joint list.

While the two parties have since functioned as what she describes as “a single political entity,” with Sa’ar expected to secure a reserved spot on the Likud list and his lawmakers running in the party’s primaries, Haskel alleges that the parties have “deliberately refrained” from submitting the merger for formal approval by the Knesset House Committee to prevent her from leaving.

Under the law, an MK who opposes the merger of their party with another faction is entitled to break away as a one-member faction and keep the share of publicly funded state party financing tied to their Knesset seat.

The petition follows Haskel’s resignation last week from her position in government after the Knesset passed a law banning the arrests of Haredi draft dodgers. She has since announced the launch of her new political party, “Israel First,” following months of speculation over the possible formation of a new breakaway Likud party led by former Likud MK Yuli Edelstein and former minister Gilad Erdan.

The episode also marks the latest escalation in Haskel’s increasingly public rift with Sa’ar, following a widely circulated handwritten resignation note in which she accused the foreign minister of betrayal, writing: “You lied to me. You lied to the nation of Israel.”

Jordanian army: 3 Iranian missiles targeting Aqaba intercepted, fourth fell in open area

The Jordanian military says three Iranian ballistic missiles launched at the southern city of Aqaba were intercepted while a fourth hit an open area, according to a statement carried by the official Petra news agency.

There are no reports of injuries in the attack.

The missiles were shot down by an American air defense system. The IDF also fired Iron Dome interceptors to shoot down fragments that potentially threatened the nearby city of Eilat.

Israeli tourists attacked by axe-wielding man in Mongolia — reports

A group of Israeli tourists was attacked in Mongolia by an assailant allegedly armed with an axe and shouting antisemitic slurs, according to Hebrew media reports.

According to the reports based on accounts from the tourists, a group of six Israeli travelers was preparing to spend the night at a campsite in the northern part of the East Asian country last week when a man heard them speaking Hebrew and confronted them.

The man, who appeared to be intoxicated, shouted “Heil Hitler” and told the Israelis to get out before running toward them with an axe, the reports said.

Three men, who had served in the IDF, fought back long enough for the group to escape, but one man was struck in the face and suffered a fractured jaw, they said. He was flown back to Israel for medical treatment.

Local authorities invited the Israelis to file a police complaint, but they declined, the report said. The incident was condemned by Mongolian officials.

Mongolia has generally been seen as a safe destination for Israeli travelers, even as antisemitism has spiraled out of control in much of the world.

Trump calls for Iran to be added to Russia sanctions bill

US President Donald Trump calls for Iran to be added to a Russia sanctions bill sponsored by the late senator Lindsey Graham.

Writing on Truth Social, Trump says that “Republicans should add Iran to the Russian Sanctions Bill. That’s what Lindsey wanted to do, and it was going to happen. IMPORTANT!!”

The bill — which has the support of over 60 senators across both parties — would impose 100% secondary sanctions on countries buying Russian oil and natural gas, as well as target Russia’s shadow fleet of tankers meant to evade sanctions.

US downs Iranian missiles over Aqaba, Israel fires interceptors at fragments

Missiles launched from Iran at Jordan’s southern city of Aqaba a short while ago were intercepted by American air defense systems, according to initial IDF assessments.

The Israeli military says it also launched Iron Dome interceptors amid the missile attack to shoot down fragments that had potentially threatened the nearby city of Eilat.

No sirens sounded in Eilat as the fragments were shot down.

IDF has identified missiles launched from Iran in Jordan's southern city of Aqaba. Explosions were heard in Eilat from an interception. The IDF warns the public that there may be debris that spills over. pic.twitter.com/DhPKZsqm9x

— Emily Schrader – אמילי שריידר امیلی شریدر (@emilykschrader) July 19, 2026

Booms heard near Eilat, no sirens sound

Initial reports indicate large booms were heard over Eilat, as interceptors attempted to shoot down Iranian missiles targeting the nearby Jordanian city of Aqaba.

Pictures and video shared on social media show plumes of smoke over the Red Sea resort city.

???? Reports of strong explosion sounds heard in Eilat. probably interceptions. https://t.co/RRa4X2FizQ pic.twitter.com/6f1GZ1LmrH

— Iris (@streetwize) July 19, 2026

No sirens were activated in Eilat.

Iran firing at Aqaba in Jordan, may spill over into Israel, IDF warns

The Israeli military says it has detected the launch of ballistic missiles from Iran toward the southern Jordanian city of Aqaba.

“There may be spillover into Israeli territory as a result of the fire,” the IDF warns, adding that in such a case sirens will sound.

As of now, there are no changes to the Home Front Command’s guidelines for civilians.

Paris plaque honoring family that saved Jewish child in 1942 vandalized ahead of ceremony

Arno Klarsfeld arrives at ceremony marking the 84th anniversary of the 1942 Vel d’Hiv police roundup in Paris, July 19, 2026. (AP/Thomas Padilla)

A plaque in Paris honoring a couple and their daughter who saved a 13-year-old child during the Vel d’Hiv roundup was vandalized ahead of a ceremony marking the mass arrest of Jews in the city in 1942, French authorities say.

The plaque at 15 rue Louis-Braille had commemorated Arsène and Angele Richard, and their daughter Marcelle, who were recognized by Israel as Righteous Among the Nations. A photo shared by the mayor of Paris shows it broken and cracked.

Au 15 rue Louis Braille, dans le 12e arrondissement de Paris, une plaque commémorative rendant hommage à un couple de Justes et à leur fille, qui sauvèrent un enfant lors de la rafle du Vél’ d’Hiv’ a été dégradée.
 
À l’heure où l’antisémitisme progresse chaque jour dans la… pic.twitter.com/5wYjgqjbFA

— Emmanuel Grégoire (@egregoire) July 17, 2026

“To attack the Righteous is to desecrate the entire universe,” says deputy defense minister Alice Rufo at the memorial. “The plaque will be restored. Their memory remains undiminished. In the face of antisemitism, in all its forms, the Republic will not yield an inch.”

French police under the Vichy regime rounded up thousands of Jews over two days in July 1942, wresting children from their mothers’ arms and dispatching everyone to Nazi death camps. At a time of rising antisemitism, France honors those victims every year as it tries to keep their memory alive.

France is home to Europe’s largest Jewish population and has seen a surge in antisemitic acts, including threats, vandalism and physical violence, following the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel and the ensuing war in Gaza.

Top Iran diplomat says intel breach that allowed Israel to kill Khamenei ‘probably still exists’

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi speaks during the 17th edition of the Al-Jazeera Forum in Doha, Qatar on February 7, 2026. (Karim JAAFAR / AFP)

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says that an intelligence breach that allowed Israel to assassinate Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has likely not been patched.

In a Persian-language interview, Araghchi says that he told President Masoud Pezeshkian on the morning of February 28 that “the atmosphere is war.” He says that he then met with Khamenei aide Ali Asghar Mir Hijazi at 9 a.m., shortly after which Israel carried out the deadly attack on a Tehran compound where Khamenei was having a high-level meeting.

Khamenei was killed in the opening salvo of the campaign, during which 40 other senior commanders were assassinated as well.

Araghchi says at the time of the strike, Khamenei was in his office, the advisory Strategic Council for Foreign Relations was holding its weekly meeting, and the Defense Council had also convened.

“Holding simultaneous meetings was not unusual in those days,” says Araghchi, “but the enemy’s knowledge of these meetings was the result of an information breach that probably still exists.”

Araghchi also says that he has yet to meet with new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei in person. “Only a handful of people have met him,” he says.

Far-right minister claims protesters seeking Gaza settlements won’t cross fence during march

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir leads a meeting of his Otzma Yehudit faction at the Knesset, in Jerusalem, on June 15, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/ Flash90)

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir says pro-settlement protesters holding a march on Gaza do not intend to cross the border into the Palestinian enclave.

“To the best of my knowledge… there is no intention to cross the fence,” he tells Army Radio, citing a conversation he had last night with organizer Daniella Weiss.

The army declared the area around Gaza a closed military zone, restricting access, ahead of a march advertised as a “return” to settlements inside the Strip that were evacuated in 2005. Ben Gvir is one of several cabinet members slated to attend the demonstration, along with over a dozen more government lawmakers.

A military source said the closed zone was ordered over worries that protesters would try to enter Gaza.

“The army needs to come to a compromise with the organizers,” says Ben Gvir, who is in charge of Israel’s police. “They are allowed to protest. If leftists are allowed to protest wherever, then they are allowed to protest as well.”

Ben Gvir says protesters’ demand that settlements be re-established in Gaza is “the most legitimate thing in the world,” and adds that they should also be calling for the government to encourage a mass exodus of Gazans out of the Strip.

The march is slated to begin at 5 p.m.

Likud tribunal clears way for key vote on Netanyahu bid to expand sway over party slate

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara cast their votes during elections for the Likud Central Committee at the International Convention Center in Jerusalem, November 25, 2025. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

A key Likud vote on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s controversial bid to expand his influence over the party’s Knesset slate is set to take place this evening after an internal party tribunal blocked attempts to introduce a competing proposal, following a tense overnight hearing, Hebrew media reports.

Any such competing proposals, the court reportedly said, would amount to “changing the rules in the middle of the game.”

The tribunal ruled that conference delegates must first vote on primary voting regulations approved last week by the Constitution Committee and backed by Netanyahu, rejecting attempts to introduce alternate rules before that vote is held.

The decision effectively prevents veteran Likud MK Haim Katz from advancing a rival proposal.

According to reports, the Likud court also ruled that delegates will hold a separate vote on whether current and former ministers and Knesset members should be allowed to compete for slots on the party slate reserved for specific districts – the central point of contention in the dispute.

The decision comes after a vote by the 4,500-member Likud conference on Netanyahu’s proposal was halted at the last minute last week when the Lod District Court issued a temporary injunction.

Under the proposal, approved by Likud’s Constitution Committee as part of a compromise with Katz, Netanyahu would receive eight reserved slots on the Likud list – including three in the top 10 – up from the three reserved spots among the top 30 candidates he was granted in the party’s last primaries, in 2022.

The proposal has sparked fierce opposition within Likud led by senior MK David Bitan. The primary, which will determine the party’s Knesset slate in the October 27 election, has already been already postponed by two weeks, to August 17, amid the ongoing dispute.

Iran says US struck unfinished nuclear power plant

Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization condemns a US attack on the site of the nuclear power plant under construction in Darkhovin, saying the strike violated international law, Mehr news agency reports. It does not say when the strike occurred.

Construction of the plant in southwestern Iran’s Khuzestan province began in 2022.

Jordan denies evacuating airport, seaport, after US warning

Jordanian government spokesman Mohammad Al-Momani denies a US Embassy claim that the kingdom issued evacuation orders for its international airport and seaport in the Red Sea city of Aqaba, the country’s official Petra news agency reports.

“The relevant authorities have not issued any evacuation orders at the Aqaba Airport or seaport,” the report reads.

Al-Momani says authorities in the Hashemite kingdom have not recorded any potential threats to Aqaba over the last several hours.

Both the Aqaba airport and seaport are operating normally, he adds, according to Petra.

The US Embassy had cited a “specific and credible threat,” apparently related to Iran.

Two US soldiers were killed in an Iranian strike in Jordan on Friday.

Iran Guards says ships transiting Hormuz with US backing involved in ‘accident’

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards says two ships were involved in an “accident” after attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz via an “unsafe route,” while two other vessels abandoned the route, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reports.

The IRGC says the four vessels had ignored Iranian warnings and acted with US backing.

“Vessels that are influenced by the words of the Americans and enter unsafe routes will certainly face accidents,” it warns in a statement.

Jordan evacuating Aqaba airport due to ‘credible threat,’ US embassy says

View of the Jordanian city of Aqaba, as seen from the Israeli city of Eilat. November 10, 2019. (Moshe Shai/FLASH90)

Jordan is evacuating the King Hussein International Airport and seaport in the Red Sea resort town of Aqaba “due to a specific and credible threat,” says the US Embassy in the kingdom.

The embassy strongly advises US citizens to avoid travel to both sites, and to refrain from traveling to military bases in Jordan.

Aqaba sits adjacent to the Israeli Red Sea resort city of Eilat.

Two US troops were killed in an Iranian attack on a US base in Jordan on Friday, and one soldier remains missing.

Foreign Ministry says it dealt with record number of antisemitic incidents abroad over past year

Antisemitic vandalism seen at the King David Burger restaurant in Athens, Greece, on July 12, 2025. (Screenshot/Social media)

Over the past year, Foreign Ministry consular services received 45 reports about Israelis who were harmed in antisemitic incidents abroad and required assistance, a new record compared to previous years, according to information provided by the ministry.

“Over the past year, we have witnessed a phenomenon on a scale we had not encountered before,” says Eliyahu Yifrach, deputy director of the ministry’s Consular Division.

Incidents tallied from July 2025 to July 2026 included physical assaults, altercations, spitting, verbal abuse, refusal of service, and expulsion from hotels, cafes, and restaurants, the ministry says.

Global antisemitism against Jews and Israelis has been on the rise since the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre in Israel and the ensuing war in Gaza.

The year 2024 saw a 340 percent increase in total antisemitic incidents worldwide compared to 2022, according to a 2025 report published by the World Zionist Organization and the Jewish Agency for Israel.

Kurdish rebels in Iraq report Iranian attack on camp near Erbil

A drone strike in Iraq’s Kurdistan region wounded eight Iranian Kurdish rebels on Sunday, an exiled opposition group says, blaming the attack on Iran.

Adib Khaldian from the exiled Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK) tells AFP Iranian forces carried out a drone attack on a camp belonging to the party near Erbil at 2 a.m.

“Eight of our members were wounded,” Khaldian says, blaming the attack on Iran.

On Friday, drone and rocket attacks also blamed on Iran killed nine members of the Komala Party, another Iranian Kurdish opposition group.

The latest attacks are the biggest escalation against these groups, which Iran has continued to strike even after a ceasefire was announced in April.

In Erbil, the capital of autonomous Kurdistan, AFP journalists reported hearing loud blasts before dawn after air defenses were activated in the city.

In recent days, the US-led anti-jihadist coalition’s air defenses shot down several explosive-laden drones over the city, which is home to a major US consulate complex and houses military advisers attached to the coalition at its airport.

Kurdistan’s prime minister blamed Iran and urged it to stop “unjustified attacks” on the region.

Belgium agrees to ban goods from Israeli settlements

Amid a last-minute wave of legislation before adjourning for the summer, Belgium’s federal government agrees to implement an import ban on products from Israeli settlements.

The government committed to imposing a ban on settlement goods last September amid a wave of Palestinian statehood recognitions and other measures in Europe to punish Israel for its policies in the Gaza Strip. The measure has been stuck in political deadlock since then, according to the Euractiv news outlet.

Specific details of the import ban have not been released.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry declines to issue a response to the move.

The decision comes as the European Union is also pushing for EU-wide trade restrictions on Israeli communities over the Green Line and in the Golan Heights. Last week, all 27 EU ambassadors debated a trade ban with settlements, but no decision was made.

Air raid sirens sound in Bahrain

Air raid sirens sound in the tiny Gulf kingdom of Bahrain, authorities in Manama say after Iran and the United States traded fresh strikes overnight.

“The siren has been sounded. Citizens and residents are urged to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place,” the interior ministry says in a statement.

An AFP journalist in Manama confirms sirens ringing out in the capital.

Police reportedly seeking to free to house arrest crime boss suspected in sushi joint blasts

A view of a Japanika restaurant branch owned by businessman Barak Abramov that was damaged in a shooting in Herzliya, July 14, 2026. (Tal Gal/Flash90)

Police are expected to request that a senior underworld crime figure arrested in connection with a spate of grenade blasts in central Israel be released to house arrest today, the Ynet news site reports.

Mob boss Yossi Musli was nabbed Tuesday evening following a series of explosions near several branches of the Japanika fast food chain. Investigators suspect the incidents are linked to an escalating conflict between the Musli and Jarushi crime families.

Musli and three other suspects arrested with him are due for a remand hearing in the Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court today, where officers will request they be released from custody and instead placed under house arrest, Ynet claims.

Police believe the owner of the restaurant chain, Barak Abramov, who also runs the Beitar Jerusalem soccer team, has ties to the Jarushi family, after once having been close to the Musli family.

According to the Kan public broadcaster, Abramov franchised several branches of the Japanika chain to active members of the Jarushi family. At least nine of the restaurant locations targeted are under the crime family’s purview, the outlet claims.

This morning, police announced they were investigating a stun grenade blast that occurred overnight outside a private residence in northern Tel Aviv. Officers are probing whether the homeowner has ties to either crime family,  according to Hebrew-language outlets.

Likud minister urges defiance of High Court over media overhaul law freeze

Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi (left) and Justice Minister Yariv Levin shake hands in the Knesset after the coalition's media overhaul law is passed, on July 16, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi calls on the government to defy the High Court of Justice after it earlier today froze parts of his sweeping media overhaul law passed last week in the Knesset, insisting the court “has no authority to suspend or strike down laws” and declaring that the legislation “remains fully in force.”

Announcing that he will boycott the legal proceedings, Karhi argues that an order issued “without authority has no legal validity” and says he will not participate “as long as there is an outrageous interim order that arbitrarily nullifies a law passed by the Knesset with the stroke of a pen.”

Karhi also calls on Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana to pass a special parliamentary resolution rebuking the court and vows that, if the right wins the October election, it will complete its judicial overhaul by appointing a new attorney general, a state attorney and a majority on the High Court, while reversing what he calls the court’s “absurd” judicial doctrines.

Karhi has in the past vowed to defy other High Court rulings.

Other senior coalition ministers also seize on the ruling as a pitch to voters, with October 27 elections looming. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir accuses the justices of “trampling the will of the people’s elected representatives” and says the next right-wing government will “clean out the stables of the judicial system and dismantle the rule of the deep state.”

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich notes that the justice who froze the Knesset legislation was also behind the temporary injunction stopping implementation of  the government’s law halting the arrests of draft dodgers. Such “utter madness” shows the High Court “has completely lost all restraint in its war against the Knesset and the government of the national camp.”

He warns right-wing values will be increasingly trampled unless it wins the election and is able to complete its project to overhaul the judiciary.

Ukraine says Russian ballistic missile attack largest yet

Debris surrounds a missile crater in the foreground of a building following a Russian missile attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, July 19, 2026. (AP/Efrem Lukatsky)

Kyiv’s acting foreign minister says Russia struck Ukraine with the largest number of ballistic missiles in a single attack since the start of its full-scale war over four years ago.

“Russia unleashed the largest number of ballistic missiles since the start of the war — around four dozen — in a brutal terrorist attack on the Ukrainian capital, killing and injuring people,” Andrii Sybiha writes on X.

“We urge appropriate and strong responses. We need devastating pressure on Moscow to end this terror,” he adds.

Russia launched 41 missiles and 125 attack drones across Ukraine overnight, according to the Ukrainian air force. President Volodymyr Zelensky said most of the missiles had targeted the capital.

One person was killed and 16 were wounded in the overnight attack, local authorities said.

The attack began at around 1:30 a.m. local time and continued for several hours, with explosions echoing across the capital.

Saudi outlet, citing Israeli source, claims new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei ‘not in Iran’

A man holds a picture of Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei at the Imam Khomeini Mosalla Grand Mosque, during funeral ceremonies for slain supreme leader ayatollah Ali Khamenei and members of his family in Tehran, Iran, July 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

An Israeli security source cited by the Saudi al-Hadath outlet says Iranian leader Mojtaba Khamenei “is not in Iran.”

Khamenei, who was appointed supreme leader shortly after his father was killed in US-Israeli strikes on February 28 and has only communicated via written statements since, has had no public appearances.

The source tells al-Hadath that Khamenei’s messages are written by new Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps chief Ahmad Vahidi and other members of the IRGC.

“Iran’s internal divisions are deep and threaten the existence of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps,” the source is cited as saying.

The Israeli source also says that the US does not want Israel to participate in strikes on Iran, even if Tehran attacks Israel.

Kuwait reports fresh attack by Iranian missiles, drones

Kuwait’s army says alarms are sounding amid an Iranian missile and drone attack, in what appears to be the second attack on the small Gulf country within hours.

The army says air defenses are working to intercept the threat.

Iran said earlier Sunday that it had targeted US military assets and equipment at Kuwait’s Al-Adiri camp and Ali Al Salem Air Base in a drone attack, in retaliation for US strikes on Iran overnight.

Police confirm mosque fire being investigated as criminal matter

Police say they are investigating following an overnight fire at a West Bank mosque that locals allege was an arson attack carried out by Israeli settlers.

A statement from police says officers searched for perpetrators and a crime forensics team collected evidence from the scene in Tuwani, in the southern Hebron Hills.

A car was torched and damage was caused to a “house of prayer” along with graffiti, police say. Pictures from the scene show a Star of David and the words “Havat Gilad” painted on a wall, referring to a northern West Bank settlement where several homes caught fire Saturday.

Israeli colonists set fire to two Palestinian homes and a mosque in the village of Al-Tuwani in the Masafer Yatta area, south of Hebron, overnight, causing extensive damage. pic.twitter.com/2X17FClFUE

— Government Communication Center (@pal_gcc_en) July 19, 2026

“An investigation into the cause of the incident… is ongoing,” the statement reads, without directly noting the arson suspicions.

In the same statement, police also note that arson investigators are continuing to look into a wildfire that engulfed homes in Havat Gilad, west of Nablus, on Saturday.

An initial probe had indicated that the blaze was started by a lit cigarette flicked out of the window of a car. Police say authorities are continuing to investigate “to reach the truth and locate those involved.”

High Court freezes parts of controversial media overhaul law

The High Court of Justice has frozen implementation of parts of a sweeping media industry overhaul bill passed by the Knesset in its final hours before disbanding last week.

The order covers parts of the bill that were slated to go into effect immediately, but notes that much of the bill’s main thrust will not be implemented yet and thus no emergency stay was necessary.

In its petition, the Movement for Quality Government in Israel had raised concerns that parts of the law going into effect immediately would “cause irreversible damage to the media market” and be used to sway the October 27 election.

Other petitioners had alleged a slew of severe procedural flaws in the legislative process.

In the ruling, Justice Ofer Grosskopf calls those claims “weighty” and also notes concerns about its effects being irreversible. The freeze is in effect until an interim order is issued, with the government given a week to respond in the meantime.

The law significantly expands government control over Israel’s broadcast media and news sector by overhauling media regulation. It removes longstanding oversight mechanisms, minimum journalistic standards, obligations to invest in original Israeli productions and restrictions on cross-ownership. And it gives the government greater influence over television ratings and state advertising allocation.

Military closes area around Gaza ahead of settler march into Strip

Pro-settlement activists gather near the Gaza Strip on July 9, 2026. (Tsafrir Abayov/Flash90)

The Israel Defense Forces says it has declared the entire Gaza periphery region a closed military zone, ahead of a mass march to the area by a right-wing group seeking to reestablish Israeli settlements inside the Strip.

The closed zone, in effect from 8 a.m. Sunday to 8 a.m. Monday, covers the entire Gaza periphery from Yad Mordechai, north of the enclave, to Route 232 to its east all the way to Kerem Shalom at its extreme south.

The March of Thousands, organized by the Nahala settler group, is expected to depart from the Yad Mordechai area at 5 p.m., with the goal of “returning home after 21 years,” according to organizers, a reference to the 2005 evacuation of Israel’s Gush Katif settlement bloc inside Gaza.

Organizers have set their sights specifically on re-establishing settlement in the northern part of the Strip.

A military source says the closed zone was issued due to the march’s “intention of entering the Gaza Strip illegally.”

A poster advertising the march lists over a dozen right-wing groups and political parties as co-sponsors, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party.

Several members of the cabinet are expected to attend the march, according to the flyer, including Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, among other Likud Ministers, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who is also in charge of the Defense Ministry’s administration of settlements in the West Bank.

The army regularly issues closed military zone orders as a crowd control measure.

US says it targeted IRGC forces who attacked troops in Jordan

The US military says overnight strikes targeted Iranian forces who launched a deadly attack on American soldiers stationed in Jordan, announcing the completion of an eighth consecutive night of airstrikes amid spiraling tensions in the region.

The Pentagon’s Central Command, or CENTCOM, does not provide any details on the retaliatory strike by “American military assets” against Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces or its results.

CENTCOM says air strikes also “successfully hit Iranian military coastal surveillance and air defense facilities, maritime capabilities, and missile and drone storage sites to continue degrading Iranian military capabilities.”

US Central Command said Saturday that two service members were killed in an Iranian ballistic missile attack on Jordan a day earlier. It said a third US service member was missing in action and four others were wounded.

https://t.co/K11184scG0

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 19, 2026

Iran says it targeted US bases in Kuwait with drones in response to overnight strikes

The Iranian military army says it targeted two US bases in Kuwait with drones in response to American attacks on Iranian territory.

The Islamic Republic’s army said it carried out “large-scale attacks with kamikaze drones against the US military’s ammunition depot at Camp Udairi and the Patriot radar system and air surveillance radar at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait,” according to a statement carried by the state broadcaster.

Iran reports US strikes around Hormuz, Qeshm Island; Iranian Kurdish dissident group in Iraq hit by drone

Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reports that an area near Sirik, on the Strait of Hormuz, was targeted around 1:30 a.m. local time, citing local authorities in southern Hormozgan province.

A location near Hajiabad, in the same province, was also targeted, and explosions were heard in Bandar Abbas, according to IRNA. An area near Qeshm Island, inside the strait, was also targeted, according to Iran’s state-run broadcaster, IRIB.

In neighboring Iraq, a base of the Kurdistan Freedom Party, an Iranian Kurdish dissident group, near Irbil was struck by a drone early Sunday, wounding eight of its members, Rebaz Sharifi, a military official with the group, says.

Residents of Irbil, the capital of Iraq’s semi-autonomous northern Kurdish region, also heard explosions from air defenses early Sunday.

Irbil has been targeted by drone attacks multiple times over the past four days, which coincided with a visit by new Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi to Washington last week and an ongoing escalation between the U.S. and Iran.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, but in the past, both Iran and Iran-backed Iraqi militias have launched attacks in the Kurdish region, where both US troops and armed Kurdish Iranian dissident groups are present.

Palestinians report settler arson attack on mosque in Tuwani, in the West Bank

Palestinians report an Israeli settler attack on the West Bank village of Tuwani, in the South Hebron Hills.

According to the reports, the attackers set fire to a mosque and a Palestinian vehicle.

Images circulating on social media appear to show a Star of David was also painted on the exterior wall of the mosque.

There are no reports of injuries.

BREAKING: Israeli settler terrorists attacked the Palestinian village of Tuwani in the West Bank, setting a mosque and a vehicle on fire and spray-painting a Star of David on the mosque's wall. pic.twitter.com/m1nCyx1aRk

— Ihab Hassan (@IhabHassane) July 18, 2026

Ten goal thriller: England beats France by a stunning 6-4 to win World Cup’s third place play-off

England’s midfielder Jude Bellingham celebrates scoring his team’s sixth and final goal during the 2026 World Cup third-place match between France and England at the Miami Stadium in Miami on July 18, 2026. (CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP)

England beats France by a staggering 6 goals to 4, to take third place in the World Cup.

The 10-goal thriller in Miami is the highest-scoring World Cup game since 1982, when Hungary beat El Salvador 10-1, and the standout match of this year’s tournament.

England raced to a 4-0 lead at half-time, with Declan Rice opening the scoring in the third minute, completely overwhelming France. But France came out reinvigorated for the second half and would not be beaten.

With Kylian Mbappe leading the charge, France pulled back to 4-3, before England pushed further ahead to 5-3.

But France scored again for 5-4, and went looking to tie the game, only for England to complete the thrilling victory with a sixth goal, a glorious solo effort by Jude Bellingham, in stoppage time.

Bukayo Saka scored a hat-trick for England — two in the first half and a second-half penalty.

Mbappe scored twice for France, in the process becoming the top scorer in World Cup history with 22 goals. Mbappe has scored his goals over three World Cups, and is now one ahead of Argentina’s Lionel Messi.

Messi’s Argentina plays Spain on Sunday in the World Cup final.

England had been at a low going into the game, having lost 2-1 to Argentina after leading 1-0 in Wednesday’s semi-final, with coach Thomas Tuchel heavily criticized for packing his team with defenders to try to retain the lead for the final half-hour of the game, only for a Messi-inspired Argentina to score twice in the game’s dying minutes.

Ahead of tonight’s game, it had been reported that neither side was too happy about having to play, with the contest for third place a marginal encounter following the two sides’ defeats in their respective semi-finals. France had lost 2-0 to Spain on Tuesday.

In the event, however, the lack of pressure led to a remarkably open game, with France’s ferocious but thwarted comeback and England’s insistent and delighted victory indicating that both teams had, in fact, been extremely determined to win.

Hungary’s Orban-backed president signs law ending his term in office

Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok has signed a constitutional amendment passed by Prime Minister Peter Magyar’s ruling Tisza party that ends his term as head of state, Sulyok says in a statement.

The legislation was part of Magyar’s drive to dismantle former prime minister Viktor Orban’s bastions of power, for which Magyar says he received a strong mandate from voters after ousting the right-wing leader in an April election landslide.

The amendment will end Sulyok’s term immediately, citing society’s “serious loss of confidence” in a leader elected in early 2024 by lawmakers from Orban’s Fidesz party.

Sulyok says he had no choice but to rubber-stamp the legislation as it respected the letter of the law. However, the former Constitutional Court judge warned the reform has harmed the rule of law in Hungary.

“The seventeenth amendment to the Constitution has marked a watershed in Hungary’s constitutional democracy,” Sulyok said.

“By removing public office holders in a manner that openly violates the rule of law … it sets a negative precedent that inflicts a deep wound on the constitutional values of democracy, the separation of powers, and the rule of law.”

Parliament, where Magyar’s centre-right Tisza party has a two-thirds majority that allows it to change any laws, will elect a new president until a new constitution takes effect, or for a maximum of five years.

The amendment also imposes a 12-year term limit on lawmakers and sets a retirement age of 70 for Constitutional Court judges, which will force the court’s current president, Orban ally Peter Polt, to retire.

Since ousting Orban in April, Magyar has repeatedly called on Sulyok to step down, accusing him of failing to represent national unity on major issues and of serving the interests of Orban and his government.

US launches airstrikes on Iran for eighth night in a row

The US military has begun a new round of airstrikes against Iran, for the eighth consecutive night.

US Central Command says the strikes are intended to “swiftly punish” Tehran for the deadly attacks against US service members in Jordan yesterday, and to “further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.”

US issues Worldwide Caution alert amid concern that Iran will target Americans overseas

A worldwide caution alert issued by the US State Department in light of fighting between the US and Iran, on July 18, 2026. (Screenshot via X)

The US State Department issues a Worldwide Caution alert for US citizens “due to heightened tensions in the Middle East.”

It urges US citizens worldwide, and “especially in the Middle East,” to “follow the guidance in security alerts issued by the nearest US embassy or consulate.”

“Flight cancellations and periodic airspace closures may cause travel disruptions. US diplomatic facilities, including outside the Middle East, have been targeted,” it says, without offering further details.

It warns that “groups supportive of Iran may target other US interests overseas or locations associated with the United States” around the world.

The US had already issued a travel warning for the Middle East in light of the escalated fighting with Iran, and the US Embassy in Jerusalem warned Americans to avoid traveling to northern Israel, Gaza, and to the Egyptian border.

Worldwide Caution: Due to heightened tensions in the Middle East, the security environment remains complex with the potential for unforeseen escalation. We remind Americans in the region of the continued need for caution and encourage them to monitor the news for breaking… pic.twitter.com/A3LKEQSRiO

— TravelGov (@TravelGov) July 18, 2026