Oct. 13: Trump says his administration to ‘make a decision on Iran very soon’

Man shot dead in suspected feud between families in Bedouin town of Segev Shalom

A man aged around 20 has been shot dead in the Bedouin town of Segev Shalom in the northern Negev, police say.

A second man, aged 38, is moderately injured in the incident.

The incident is said to be a suspected feud between families.

It comes amid an extended crime epidemic in Israel’s Arab community.

FBI issues actress Selma Blair a summons accusing her of assaulting flight attendants on plane

Selma Blair arrives at the Variety’s Power of Women on September 23, 2026, at The Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. (AP/Chris Pizzello)

US actress Selma Blair has been issued a summons accusing her of assaults that occurred aboard a plane after she was taken into custody following a flight from Los Angeles to New York for being abusive and injuring two flight attendants, authorities say.

The charges listed on the violation notice issued by the FBI are assaults within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States, according to a federal law enforcement official speaking with the AP on condition of anonymity. The matter will be handled through the petty violations court in federal court in Brooklyn. No date has been set for her appearance.

Police took Blair, 54, into custody late Sunday when the Delta Air Lines plane was parked at the gate at New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey say in a statement.

Blair and one of the flight attendants were taken to a hospital for evaluation, the Port Authority says.

Delta says in a statement it “has zero tolerance for unruly or unlawful behavior, as the safety of our customers and crew always comes first.” The airline does not provide details about injuries and defers further comment to law enforcement.

The FBI, which is responsible for investigating all assaults aboard aircraft, declines to release details.

“Yesterday, we were informed by our partners at Port Authority Police Department of a potential assault aboard a flight that arrived into JFK. As per long-standing DOJ policy, we do not comment on ongoing investigations,” says Sydney Kleinmann, a spokesperson for the FBI NY.

Messages seeking comment from the state and federal prosecutors’ offices in New York, as well as Blair’s publicist and attorney, have also been sent.

In a statement to several media outlets, a Blair representative says she had a medical emergency that led to the alleged conduct.

Blair, who is Jewish, had major roles in films including 1999’s “Cruel Intentions,” 2001’s “Legally Blonde” and 2004’s “Hellboy.”

In recent years, she has advocated for disability rights. She was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2018. In 2023, she joined then-US president Joe Biden at the White House to celebrate the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

In 2016, Blair apologized for making statements she regretted on a flight from Cancun to Los Angeles, saying that she mixed alcohol with medication, which made her black out.

UK launches public inquiry into killing of two Jewish men in 2025 synagogue attack

An armed police officer speaks to member of the public near the scene of terror attack at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue, in Crumpsall, Manchester, England, on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year, October 2, 2025. (AP/Ian Hodgson)

Britain’s Interior Minister Shabana Mahmood announces a public inquiry into the deaths of two Jewish men who died during an attack at a synagogue in Manchester in October 2025.

Adrian Daulby and Melvin Cravitz were killed during the attack at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

Jihad Al-Shamie, a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent, told police he was acting for Islamic State before officers shot him dead.

Mahmood tells lawmakers that a public inquiry “will ensure that all evidence can be heard, including any sensitive national security material that could not otherwise be fully heard.”

Qatar Airways suspends its flights to Riyadh and Dammam

A Qatar Airways plane prepares to take off at San Francisco International Airport during the coronavirus pandemic in San Francisco, December 22, 2020. (AP/Jeff Chiu, File)

Qatar Airways says it has temporarily suspended flights to and from Riyadh and Dammam in Saudi Arabia due to the “current situation,” as Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group intensifies attacks on the kingdom.

The Houthis carried out deadly strikes on airports in Saudi Arabia on Saturday and Sunday, killing at least 14 people.

Etihad cancels flights to Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah over ‘regional disruption’

In this May 4, 2014, photo, an Etihad Airways plane prepares to land at the Abu Dhabi airport in the United Arab Emirates. (AP/Kamran Jebreili)

Etihad Airways says it has canceled flights between Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam due to “regional disruption,” as Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group continues to carry out attacks on the Saudi kingdom.

All flights between Abu Dhabi and Riyadh have been canceled until October 19, it says.

High schooler killed in explosion near Lebanon border named as 9th grader Elazar Yair Wilensky

Elazar Yair Wilensky, killed in an explosion near the Lebanon border on October 12, 2026. (Courtesy)

The high school student killed in an explosion yesterday of unexploded Hezbollah ordnance near the Lebanon border is named as 9th grader Elazar Yair Wilensky.

A statement from the family says Wilensky, 13, was the youngest of his five siblings and was “smart, wise and full of joy for life. A loving and good friend, whose whole life was ahead of him.”

Meanwhile, the Rambam Medical Center in Haifa says the teacher who was wounded in the explosion underwent surgery and is in the ICU in serious but stable condition.

Four of the victims remain in serious condition, according to Hebrew media reports.

Report: Three Palestinians injured in settler attack on West Bank home

Palestinian media report that three Palestinians were injured overnight when settlers attacked a home in the village of Talfit, south of Nablus.

There are no details on the condition of the injured individuals.

Pope to enter Rome hospital for removal of a lung nodule

A mosaic of Pope Leo XIV is displayed inside a shop selling religious items near St. Peter’s Square, in Rome, October 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Pope Leo XIV is expected to be admitted to a Rome hospital today for the removal of a lung nodule in an operation experts say will determine whether the lesion is malignant and if other treatment is needed.

Leo has offered a rare level of transparency about the first publicly disclosed major health problem of his 17-month papacy. He revealed the discovery of the small, localized nodule during his Sunday noon prayer and announced that he would have it removed.

The Vatican said Leo would be admitted to the Gemelli hospital later this morning, but there was no immediate word on the timing of the operation itself.

The surgery, which is usually performed under general anesthesia, will require a weeklong hospital stay and the Vatican yesterday canceled all Leo’s audiences through Oct. 20.

“These are things that can be treated very well, if the words he used reflect the clinical situation,” says Dr. Lorenzo Spaggiari, director of thoracic surgery at the European Institute of Oncology, or EIO, in Milan, who is not involved in the pope’s care but knows the team at Gemelli.

5 terror operatives killed in recent Gaza strikes, IDF says

Five terror operatives were killed in Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip in recent days, the military announces.

The IDF says that one strike on Sunday in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis killed three members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, as they gathered to plan attacks on troops.

They are identified by the military as Muhammad Abu Hajjaj, an engineering operative, Yousef Abu Razak, a deputy squad commander, and Abdelhamid Jadallah, a rocket operative.

A separate strike yesterday in southern Gaza killed Salah a-Din Iyad Abd al-Hamid and Izz a-Din Iyad Diab Barhoum, identified by the army as members of Hamas’s elite Nukhba Force in the terror group’s Rafah Brigade.

The IDF says the five had been advancing attacks against troops and civilians and attempting to restore the capabilities of the two terror groups, “in systematic violation of the ceasefire.”

חיל-האוויר תקף במרחב ח'אן יונס שלשום (א') וחיסל שלושה מחבלים בזרוע הצבאית של ארגון הטרור גא״פ, בעת שנפגשו לקדם מתווי טרור נגד כוחותינו.
המחבלים שחוסלו:

* מחמד אבו חג'אג – פעיל הנדסה
* ⁠יוסף אבו רזק – סגן ראש חוליה
* ⁠עבדאלחמיד ג'אדאללה – פעיל במערך הרקטי

בתקיפה נוספת בדרום… pic.twitter.com/VxLKSYTPKe

— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) October 13, 2026

Trump says he does not believe China and Russia are helping Iran ‘at all’

US President Donald Trump attends a campaign rally at the Covelli Centre, in Youngstown, Ohio, October 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

US President Donald Trump says he does not believe that China and Russia were helping Iran “at all,” adding that Moscow and Beijing had “too much to lose” if they enabled Tehran.

Trump says on Truth Social that he had seen comments from his critics and opponents that China and Russia were helping Iran.

“If they are, it’s at a very low level, but I don’t believe they are at all. They have too much to lose, and we would know about it, and know about it very fast,” Trump writes.

Trump said in July he trusted China and Russia not to help Tehran in the Iran war, but warned that if they did get involved “it would be very bad for them.”

Trump has previously described Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin as “neutral” during the Iran war.

Moscow and Beijing maintain close ties with Tehran. Russia has said the Iran war could lead to a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. Beijing has condemned Washington’s attacks on Tehran as a brazen violation of Iran’s sovereignty.

Last month, Trump warned Xi against providing support to Iran when the Chinese leader visited Washington, and received assurances that China would not do so, the US ambassador to China said at the time.

The warning came amid reports that China had supplied Iran with shoulder-fired ​air-defense missile launchers and that Tehran had found ways to evade sanctions on its oil sales with Chinese ​help.

In September, Trump brushed aside a report that Iran acquired satellite images of a base in Jordan from Chinese entities before an attack that killed three US troops there in July.

An official told Bloomberg last week that Russia is providing the Islamic Republic with missiles.

Hamas confirms terrorist who shot dead Border Police officer in 2021 was killed in Gaza 2 years ago

Border Police officer Barel Shmueli who was critically wounded in a shooting on the Gaza border, on August 21, 2021. He died of his injuries on August 30. (Border Police)

Hamas confirms that a member of the terror group who killed Border Police officer Staff Sgt. Barel Hadaria Shmueli during a riot on the Gaza border in August 2021 was killed during fighting in the Strip two years ago.

On August 21, 2021, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip held a large demonstration along the Gaza border, near the defunct Karni Crossing. At one point during the demonstration, dozens of rioters rushed the border barrier, up to a hole in the concrete wall that was being used by Israeli snipers as a firing position.

Hamas operative Muhammad Maher Abu Jasser approached the hole in the wall, stuck his pistol through it, and fired three times. One of these shots struck Shmueli in the head, critically wounding him. He died of his injury days later.

During a ceasefire in January 2025, Palestinian media reported that the body of Abu Jasser was found following fighting between the terror group and the IDF in northern Gaza’s Jabalia.

Hamas yesterday published an obituary video for Abu Jasser, saying that he was killed on December 6, 2024. The video shows Abu Jasser confirming he was the terrorist who killed Shmueli in 2021.

The Israeli military and Shin Bet security agency have not commented.

نشرت كتائب #القسام مشاهد للشهيد "محمد ماهر أبو جاسر"، من كتيبة سهيل زيادة بلواء شمال #غزة، الذي قتل قناصاً إسرائيلياً بمسدس من خلف الجدار خلال مسيرة العودة عام 2021.

وتوثق المشاهد جانباً من مشاركته في حرب "طوفان الأقصى" وإعداده كمائن لآليات الاحتلال، إلى جانب وصيته التي دعا فيها… pic.twitter.com/0LyhalGBgk

— عربي بوست (@arabic_post) October 12, 2026

Palestinian man says his family, including teen daughters, beaten by settlers posing as soldiers

Yusuf Abu Aisha, a resident of the village of Talfit, south of Nablus, tells The Times of Israel that settlers posing as soldiers beat him and three members of his family overnight, while IDF troops were operating in the village.

According to Abu Aisha, there was a knock at the door at around 3 a.m., and people outside identified themselves as soldiers and told him to open it.

When he opened the door, he saw five masked settlers dressed in black civilian clothing and carrying sticks. They proceeded to beat him, his wife and their two teenage daughters, aged 14 and 18.

“They grabbed me and tried to choke me. They beat anyone who came near them,” he says.

All four were taken to the hospital following the attack.

Abu Aisha says his wife suffered a head injury that required 30 stitches. One of his daughters suffered a broken leg, while the other sustained chest injuries. Abu Aisha himself also suffered chest injuries.

Abu Aisha’s younger children were also at home during the incident but were not injured.

The IDF has not yet commented.

Palestinian with alleged history of terror offenses arrested for filming at Bnei Brak light rail station, police say

Police say they arrested a Palestinian man who was in Israel illegally yesterday after security guards at the Aharonovich light rail station in Bnei Brak saw him recording footage of the underground platform.

The 32-year-old suspect initially gave arresting officers an Israeli ID number and claimed to be from the Arab town of Taibeh in central Israel, police say.

Investigators discovered he was from the West Bank and “was allegedly involved in committing terrorist attacks against Israeli targets,” police say, without specifying where in the West Bank the suspect is from or the nature of the attacks.

The suspect will be brought today before the Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court for a hearing on keeping him in custody, police add.

5 children remain in serious condition after yesterday’s deadly blast of Hezbollah munition near Lebanon border

Medical personnel walk past a banner saying entry for hikers is banned, near the site of an explosion of an unexploded Hezbollah munition during a school hike on the outskirts of Yiftah near the Lebanese border, in northern Israel, October 12, 2026. (Jalaa MAREY/AFP)

Five children remain in serious condition following an explosion yesterday of previously unexploded Hezbollah ordnance near the Lebanon border that killed a 15-year-old.

Ziv Medical Center says it has two children in serious condition, with one sedated and ventilated, nine children in good condition, and two adults in mild to moderate condition.

A total of eight children were admitted to Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya. Three are severely injured, one is moderate and four have mild injuries, the hospital says.

Three children and one adult are in stable, moderate condition at Haifa’s Rambam Health Care Campus.

The Health Ministry says that a treatment center for individuals suffering from acute stress has been opened at Ziv Medical Center, staffed by a specialized team dedicated to child and adolescent mental health.

The group of students and teachers from the ORT Ma’alot school was hiking in the Ramim Ridge area when a piece of unexploded ordnance, believed by the Israel Defense Forces to be a cluster submunition from a Hezbollah rocket, detonated.

One of the schoolchildren is believed to have come across the unexploded submunition during the hike and put it in his backpack. Several minutes later, the submunition exploded, according to a preliminary probe by authorities.

IDF: 4 Islamic Jihad operatives planning terror attack nabbed in West Bank raids

Four Palestinian Islamic Jihad operatives who were allegedly planning a terror attack were apprehended by Israeli troops in the northern West Bank this week, the military says.

The IDF says that following intelligence provided by the Shin Bet, troops carried out two raids in the towns of Qabatiya and Arraba and nabbed four Islamic Jihad operatives who planned a terror attack in the area.

In a separate raid this week in the village of Beit Rima, the army says troops captured a Palestinian arms dealer.

The suspects were handed over to the Shin Bet for questioning.

Delta plane given all-clear at Ben Gurion Airport after anonymous bomb threat

A Delta Air Lines aircraft that landed at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport has been cleared after undergoing security checks following an anonymous report alleging that a “suspicious” device was on board.

Passengers on the aircraft arriving from New York disembarked the plane swiftly upon landing at Ben Gurion.

After the Delta aircraft was moved to a remote area at the airport to allow for security checks, there were no “unusual findings,” the Israel Airports Authority says.

“The aircraft was thoroughly inspected by Ben Gurion Airport security personnel,” the IAA says. “Operations have returned to normal.”

IDF: Unidentified object that triggered sirens in north on Saturday was likely a balloon

An unidentified flying object that triggered sirens in the Lebanon border community of Arab al-Aramshe, October 10, 2026. (Social media; used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)

The Israeli military says it has determined that an unidentified flying object that triggered sirens in a northern border community on Saturday night was likely a balloon.

The object set off sirens in the Western Galilee village of Arab al-Aramshe, near the Lebanese border.

Following an “in-depth investigation,” the military says  it was “most likely a balloon-like object or a device that floats using hot air.”

“At this stage, it is not possible to determine its origin or purpose with certainty,” the military says, but adds that it can be determined that the object was “not a drone or UAV.”

“It may have been a harmless object that drifted into Israeli territory,” the military says.

העצם הבלתי מזוהה כפי שנקלט אתמול באחד היישובים בגליל המערבי – והוביל לסריקות נרחבות במהלך הלילה ופריסת מחסומים. שקית? בלון? מצנח רחיפה? עב"ם? pic.twitter.com/6G2fHmTerB

— איתי בלומנטל 🇮🇱 Itay Blumental (@ItayBlumental) October 11, 2026

The IDF says Israeli Air Force surveillance and detection systems detected the object, and “tracked it and directed forces on the ground as they handled the incident.”

The military says it reinforced security in communities in the area, “until all checks related to the matter were completed.”

As of now, the IDF has not located the object, but there are no changes in the Home Front Command guidelines for civilians.

The IDF also comments on recent false aerial detections and interceptor launches over southern Lebanon, saying that the Air Force has been constantly working to thwart threats while prioritizing the safety of Israeli civilians and troops.

“The difference between a drone and a bird is very small, and therefore no risks are taken,” the military says, adding that “once a threat is detected, a rapid process is carried out until the target is intercepted.”

“The IDF continues to conduct searches in the area, both in the air and on the ground, while continuously examining its detection systems to improve identification capabilities and draw lessons from operational incidents of this kind,” the military adds.

School hike tragedy: Education Ministry says approved route did not cross into restricted area

Medical personnel walk past a banner saying entry for hikers is banned, near the site of an explosion of an unexploded Hezbollah munition during a school hike on the outskirts of Yiftah near the Lebanese border, in northern Israel, October 12, 2026. (Jalaa MAREY/AFP)

The Education Ministry says that the approved route for the hike in which a middle school student was killed in an explosion of Hezbollah ordnance yesterday did not cross into restricted area.

The statement comes amid questions as to why authorities approved the school hike, despite a sign in the area posted by the KKL-JNF Jewish National Fund warning of “war damage,” and announcing a ban on entering forests and campsites.

“The Education Ministry acted in accordance with KKL restrictions and had prohibited activities in the area in question due to war-related damage; the planned hiking route did not traverse the restricted zone,” the statement says.

“As part of the trip approval process, explicit safety instructions were issued, including a strict prohibition against touching missile debris or unexploded ordnance, alongside a directive to report such items immediately,” the ministry says.

The ministry also says that the “route actually taken” is being examined by the IDF, police and the ministry, suggesting the group may have strayed off the approved trail.

Elazar Yair Wilensky, 13, was killed and five children seriously injured in a blast yesterday. A number of other children and adults are in moderate or good condition. Reports say a preliminary investigation indicated a student had found unexploded ordnance and placed it in his bag before it exploded.

Houthis say multiple Saudi airstrikes hit areas in Yemen under their control; no comment from Riyadh

The rebel-run al-Masirah satellite television says two airstrikes hit the Houthi-held Red Sea island of Kamaran, while a third hit Qanawis district, 55 kilometers (34 miles) northwest of the port city of Hodeida.

The station also reports airstrikes in the province of Jawf, which borders Saudi Arabia.

Al-Masirah blames Saudi Arabia for the strikes, but doesn’t provide further details.

The Iran-backed rebels also say they shot down a Saudi drone over the Houthi stronghold province of Saada, which is in northern Yemen on the border with Saudi Arabia.

There is no immediate comment from Saudi Arabia.

The strikes came hours after Saudi Arabia sounded air raid sirens in the capital, Riyadh, and residents heard explosions.

The Houthis also said they fired a ballistic missile toward King Khalid International Airport, which has been hammered by a string of deadly attacks in recent days.

Southern official calls for government action on rat infestation in wake of Gaza destruction

The head of the Western Negev region, encompassing 11 local and regional authorities, calls on the government to help fight an invasion of rodents that is harming agriculture and entering homes and communities.

Speaking to a local radio station, Bella Alexandrov says a rodent infestation following massive destruction in Gaza is expanding within the Strip and beyond, and has led to kindergartens being closed and children being bitten.

“You can’t always leave the authorities to deal with everything alone,” she says, noting that the local authorities have already invested considerably in pest control.

“We need a roundtable, resources and significant synchronization between the parties,” Alexandrov urges.

Fitch Ratings keeps Israel’s ‘A’ credit rating on negative outlook

Fitch Ratings says Israel’s “A” credit rating remains on negative outlook, as the rating agency warns that the country faces “continued rise in public debt, unresolved security issues,” and “a fractious domestic political environment” that could weaken its growth prospects and fiscal trajectory.

The rating agency notes that Israel’s rating is “supported by a diversified, resilient and high value-added economy and strong external finances against a high public debt/GDP ratio, still high security risks, and a record of unstable governments that has hindered policymaking.”

“Israel’s national election, scheduled for 27 October, remains highly competitive, with no consistent polling evidence that either of the main blocs can secure a 61-seat majority at the Knesset,” Fitch says. “We believe the outgoing government may remain in office as a caretaker government for a few months, before a coalition is eventually found or new elections called.”

Fitch’s negative outlook on Israel’s rating means the country could face a downgrade. A lower rating raises credit costs for the government, businesses, and households.

Man killed, another lightly wounded in shooting in Umm al-Fahm, medics say

A man was killed and another lightly wounded in a shooting in the northern Arab city of Umm al-Fahm this morning, according to first responders.

The deceased man is identified in Arabic media as Nimer Jabareen, 20.

Medics rushed him in critical condition to HaEmek Hospital in Afula, the Magen David Adom ambulance service says. He was later pronounced dead.

Officers are gathering evidence at the scene in Umm al-Fahm, police say, adding that the shooting is “apparently criminal” in nature, rather than nationalist.

IDF Home Front Command expands public awareness campaign on danger of unexploded ordnance

Israeli security and rescue forces evacuate injured people near the site where suspected unexploded ordnance detonated during a school trip, killing a 15-year-old student and injuring 19 others near Kibbutz Yiftah in the Ramim Ridge area, close to the Israeli border with Lebanon, October 12, 2026. (Ayal Margolin/Flash90)

The IDF Home Front Command is expanding a public awareness campaign on the danger of unexploded ordnance, following yesterday’s deadly incident, the military says.

The IDF says the Home Front Command will distribute guidelines on unexploded ordnance “in cooperation with local authorities, with an emphasis on reaching the general public.”

“The expanded awareness efforts are intended to increase public awareness of the risk and reinforce familiarity with the rules of conduct required to protect human life,” the army says.

The IDF adds that it shares in the grief of the family of 9th grader Elazar Yair Wilensky, who was killed by a remnant of a Hezbollah cluster bomb yesterday, and is continuing a “comprehensive investigation into the circumstances of the incident.”

Egypt FM urges end to Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia in call with Iranian counterpart

This image from CCTV video released by Saudi Arabia’s Media Ministry shows passengers taking cover as flames and smoke fill part of King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, during what authorities described as a strike at the airport on October 10, 2026. (Saudi Media Ministry via AP)

Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty calls for an immediate halt to attacks on Saudi Arabia by the Iran-backed Houthis.

Abdelatty says during a phone conversation with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, that there was “no justification for these attacks and they cannot be accepted.”

Abdelatty also urges prioritizing diplomacy and finding a political solution to the conflict between Iran and the US to avert “further escalation and instability” in the region, according to the Egyptian readout of the call.

— Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.

Man detained over assault of Palestinian and car theft, is found with suspected stolen military gear – police

Police say they arrested a suspect in an attack on a Palestinian man in the central West Bank village of Yabrud on Sunday in which an Israeli vehicle allegedly rammed a resident’s car and then masked assailants robbed it and stoned the local.

The suspect, who lives in the northern West Bank and is in his 20s, was caught driving a car that matched the description of the attackers’ vehicle, police say.

Officers spotted the car, ordered the suspect to stop and, when he failed to comply, blocked him on Route 60, near the Ramallah-area settlement of Ofra, and took him into custody, according to police.

Officers who searched the car found suspected stolen military equipment as well as an air gun, dagger, pepper spray, drone, three slingshots and a face mask, police say.

According to WAFA, the Palestinian Authority’s official news agency, the car that was stolen on Sunday belonged to the Yabrud village council and was serving locals in the annual olive harvest season.

The settlers who stole the car during the harvest also reportedly stole several bags of olives, as well as agricultural equipment that was in the vehicle.

WAFA said Israeli forces fired tear gas during a clash that ensued between Palestinians and settlers.

Qatar’s emir urges greater Gulf coordination on security, says Israeli officials should be held accountable for Gaza ‘genocide’

Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani meets with US President Donald Trump, not seen, during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G7 summit, June 16, 2026, in Evian-les-Bains, France. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Qatar’s emir calls for closer security coordination among Gulf countries as the conflict between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia escalates, following months of Iranian attacks across the region during its war with the US and Israel.

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani also calls for stepped-up efforts to secure maritime routes in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz and energy infrastructure.

Speaking to the Shura Council, the Qatari emir also lashes out at Israel, accusing it of committing crimes in Gaza that constitute “genocide,” a charge Israel vehemently denies.

The emir called for holding Israeli officials accountable.

Qatar served as a mediator between Israel and Hamas while allowing top officials from the terror group to live in Doha.

Israir halts Marrakech ticket sales until security guidelines clarified in wake of flydubai attack

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

Israel’s Israir says it has temporarily halted ticket sales on the route to Marrakech, Morocco, pending clarification of new security directives by local authorities, including flights by Israeli airlines operating leased foreign aircraft and crews.

The Israeli carrier says it has decided to pause ticket sales on the route until local authorities clarify final security guidelines and approvals. The new guidelines come after a stream of gaping flaws emerged in Israel’s security arrangements for foreign airlines since last month’s terror attack on a flydubai airliner from Dubai to Tel Aviv.

“Following the incident on a flydubai flight and the subsequent new security directives, Israir has decided to freeze its plans to expand operations to Marrakech for the time being, including the move to lease an additional aircraft,” Israir says. “Pending clarification of the situation, the company has halted sales for all flights to Marrakech.”

Most flights ostensibly operated by Israir use aircraft leased, along with their crews, from foreign airlines, and their operations are not subject to all of the stringent Israeli security requirements and protections.

The route between Ben Gurion Airport and Marrakech was resumed last month by Israir for the first time in almost three years. The carrier had been preparing to expand its operations on the route to Marrakech, with three weekly flights starting in November, pending approvals by local authorities.

“As part of these preparations to increase flight frequency, the company had been negotiating the lease of an additional aircraft,” Israir says.

The airline says it will “continue to operate in accordance with security directives, prioritizing the safety and security of its passengers and flight crews.”

Germany’s Nuremberg airport closes due to aviation emergency

Germany’s Nuremberg airport says that flight operations have been suspended because of an aviation emergency.

In a statement on its website, the airport does not further specify the reason and says more information would follow.

“We received a report of an unclear air emergency,” police say on X, adding that in the meantime, the aircraft had landed safely in Nuremberg. “Investigations into the cause are currently underway.”

3 drones intercepted near Riyadh, Saudi-led coalition says

Three drones were intercepted north of Riyadh, says the Saudi-led anti-Houthi coalition on X.

The report comes amid a steady escalation between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis, after a 2022 ceasefire between the Shiite rebel group and the internationally backed Yemeni government fell apart in July.

Early this morning, Saudi Arabia sounded air raid sirens in the capital, and residents heard explosions.

The Yemen-based Houthis said that the Saudis carried out a series of airstrikes on rebel-held territory earlier today.

Ben Gvir rules out surplus-vote deal with Winter, calls him ‘Bennett 2’

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir arrives for a hearing on a request to disqualify Balad chairman Sami Abu Shehadeh at the Central Elections Committee at the Knesset in Jerusalem, September 23, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Far-right Otzma Yehudit chairman National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir says his party will not sign a surplus-vote agreement with former IDF general Ofer Winter’s right-wing People of Israel party ahead of the October 27 election, amid speculation that the two parties were preparing to strike a deal.

“Winter is Bennett 2, and therefore Otzma Yehudit will not sign a surplus-vote agreement with him,” Ben Gvir says, referring to former prime minister Naftali Bennett.

The comparison comes despite Winter’s repeated insistence that he will only recommend Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to form the next government and has ruled out serving in a government led by one of the current opposition parties.

Surplus-vote agreements allow parties to pool leftover votes in the allocation of the Knesset’s final seats, potentially helping one gain an additional seat, provided both independently cross the 3.25% electoral threshold.

Otzma Yehudit is polling at around six seats, while People of Israel has been hovering around the electoral threshold. Parties have until October 16 to submit their agreements.

Iran and Russia ramping up hybrid campaigns in Britain, UK spy chief says

Director General of MI5 Ken McCallum speaks at Thames House, the headquarters of the UK's Security Service in London, Oct. 13, 2026. (Jonathan Brady/PA via AP, Pool)

Iran is ramping up attempts to hit harder targets such as military sites in Britain while Russia is escalating its hybrid warfare as it lashes out against Ukraine’s allies, the UK’s domestic spy chief says.

In his annual speech on wide-ranging threats to Britain, MI5’s Director General Ken McCallum also says the greatest concern about the misuse of AI was terrorists being able to develop bioweapons or even create new novel pathogens.

McCallum says state threats have quadrupled over the last decade, meaning his organization now devotes more resources to the issue than during the Cold War.

Yesterday, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Tehran was “highly likely” behind a suspected plot against RAF Fairford, which had been used by US bombers to carry out strikes on Iran. It prompted a massive security alert and led to US President Trump withdrawing planes from the air base.

McCallum says he cannot speak about the Fairford incident because of an ongoing investigation, but he says there has been a major shift this year in “Iranian ambitions to come at harder targets, like military sites.”

“The RAF Fairfield incident… is not unique. There have been other examples, not just in the UK but around the world,” he says.

On Russia, which likewise denies involvement in hostile acts in Britain, the UK spy chief said it remained the “aggressor number one.”

Videos show Haredi youths tearing down signs of new Charedi Public party

Videos circulating online show ultra-Orthodox youths tearing down election campaign signs belonging to the newly formed Charedi Public party, led by Moti Leitner, in Jerusalem and Bnei Brak.

“The old Charedi establishment parties recognize the major shift in support toward HaTzibur HaCharedi, and they are scared,” the party says in a statement responding to the footage.

“We sharply condemn the removal of any election signs for any party. We will not be silenced.”

Although the party is polling below the 3.25 percent electoral threshold and is not currently expected to enter the Knesset, it poses a potential challenge to the ultra-Orthodox political establishment, both by competing for its traditional voter base and by advocating policies that break sharply with those of the mainstream Haredi parties, Ashkenazi United Torah Judaism and Sephardic Shas.

The party has attracted attention for its calls to tackle poverty in the Haredi community by promoting secular education and workforce participation, as well as military conscription for ultra-Orthodox men who are not studying full-time in yeshiva, in contrast to the positions of the established Haredi parties.

It is also the first ultra-Orthodox party to include women on its electoral slate, with political psychology researcher Dr. Nechumi Yaffe and Zivva Glantz placed third and fourth, respectively. Both would enter the Knesset if the party crossed the electoral threshold and won at least four seats.

Even if it fails to enter the Knesset, the party could potentially weaken Shas and UTJ by drawing away votes that would otherwise go to the established Haredi factions.

המוקד: הלחץ לקראת הבחירות: המתקפה של המפלגות החרדיות נגד לייטנר מחלחלת לשטח. דקות ספורות לאחר שפעילי מפלגת "הציבור החרדי" עמלו שעות ארוכות באמצע הלילה לתליית שלטים – פעילים הגיעו ובאלימות תלשו את השילוט pic.twitter.com/6yB2Wrhs0D

— חדשות המוקד (@hamoked_il) October 13, 2026

Yemen’s Houthis warn of ‘tough response’ if Saudis strike Sanaa

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis warn Saudi Arabia against hitting Sanaa, shortly after the Saudi-led coalition said it would conduct an operation in the Yemeni capital.

“The Yemeni Armed Forces warn the Saudi enemy that any targeting of the capital, Sanaa, will be met with a tough and painful response in the enemy’s capital of Riyadh,” Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree posts on X.

Erdogan to bin Salman: Turkey will stand with Saudi Arabia amid Houthi attacks

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (left) and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. (Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP, Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP)

Condemning ongoing attacks by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan tells Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in a phone call that Ankara will stand by Riyadh, according to Erdogan’s office.

Yesterday, Erdogan said that efforts continue to build up the infrastructure of the Joint Defense Agreement between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan.

Katz announces ban on fiber optic drones in Israeli airspace

A fiber optic-guided FPV drone is seen in footage published by Hezbollah on May 7, 2026. (Hezbollah media office)

Defense Minister Israel Katz says he will sign an order banning the use of fiber optic cable-guided and cellular-guided drones in Israeli airspace.

The “special security order” will be signed on Sunday, and it will be valid for six months, Katz’s office says, adding that it is a temporary measure “intended to provide a security response until additional solutions are found.”

The order will only apply to drones that are guided by fiber optic cable or carry SIM cards, and utilize commercial mobile networks, rather than standard radio frequencies.

The proposed wording of the decree carves out specific exemptions for activities carried out by or on behalf of security agencies, as well as for fiber-optic and SIM-controlled drones that received approvals from Israel’s Civil Aviation Authority before the order is slated to take effect.

The order also establishes “an exemptions committee to consider requests for exemptions from the order,” according to Katz.

Katz’s office says the decision was made “against the backdrop of concrete intelligence and growing threats from Israel’s enemies, both inside and outside the country, including drone attacks, attempts to harm senior officials, the use of drones by criminals and crime families, intelligence gathering, and smuggling.”

“Given the severity and variety of the threats, a response is required both in security zones and along the borders, as well as to drone terrorism inside Israel,” the statement says.

Katz says the flight ban is just one step in a series of measures intended to contend with the drone threat, which also include import restrictions and other regulatory measures.

The move was approved by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Katz in a recent security cabinet meeting, following discussions and staff work led by the National Security Council in cooperation with security agencies, the statement says.

Hezbollah vows to compensate owners of Lebanese homes destroyed in war with Israel

Ali Daamoush, head of Hezbollah’s Executive Council, speaks during a news conference in Beirut, Lebanon, October 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)

Hezbollah will pay up to $14,000 in aid to families whose homes in Lebanon were destroyed or made uninhabitable during the war with Israel, the head of the Iran-backed terror group’s Executive Council says.

At a news conference, Ali Daamoush accuses the Lebanese state of failing to carry out its duties to help the displaced.

He said families who lost their homes in Beirut and its southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold, will receive $14,000 each, while those elsewhere in Lebanon will get $12,000. Each payment includes $8,000 for furniture, with the rest intended to cover rent.

Daamoush does not say how many families stand to benefit or how much the payments will total. The money will most likely come from Iran, which has supplied Hezbollah with billions of dollars and weapons over decades.

The initiative appears aimed at bolstering support among Hezbollah’s base and signaling defiance to the Lebanese government and the United States, which has sought to cut off Hezbollah’s funding.

The press conference was the group’s first on such payments since it instigated its latest two conflicts with Israel, which killed more than 8,000 people and destroyed tens of thousands of homes in Lebanon.

In recent years, the United States has increased its sanctions on individuals and institutions that Washington says Hezbollah uses to funnel money into Lebanon. Flights from Iran to Lebanon have been banned for nearly two years as part of efforts to pressure the group.

About 1.2 million people were displaced in Lebanon at the height of the most recent Israel-Hezbollah conflict. Most have returned home since the ceasefire, but more than 300,000 remain displaced, according to the International Organization for Migration.

A framework agreement signed by Lebanon, Israel and the United States in Washington on June 26 commits Lebanon and the US to preventing reconstruction funds from reaching entities or individuals affiliated with non-state armed groups and taking available legal measures to prohibit their activities. Hezbollah has rejected the agreement.

Yemen’s Houthis warn civilians, employees to evacuate Saudi Aramco oil facilities

Yemen’s Houthis warn civilians and employees to evacuate areas near Saudi Aramco facilities, after the Saudi-led coalition said it planned to target an oil company in Sanaa.

“The Yemeni Armed Forces warn all employees and citizens near any facility belonging to Aramco oil to evacuate it and move away from it, as it is a legitimate target for our forces,” military spokesman Yahya Saree posts on X.

Multiple attacks reported during West Bank olive harvest; 2 Palestinian women hospitalized

The Palestinian news agency WAFA reports that two Palestinian women were injured in a settler attack during the olive harvest in the village of Beit Lid, near Tulkarem. The women were taken to a hospital for treatment.

Settlers also reportedly prevented Palestinians from reaching their olive groves in the village of Beit Imrin, despite the land being located in Area A of the West Bank, which is meant to be under Palestinian Authority civil and security control.

Separately, masked individuals are filmed throwing stones at Palestinian olive pickers near the village of Abu Falah, in the Ramallah area.

BREAKING: Israeli settler terrorists are attacking Palestinians harvesting olives in the village of Abu Falah in the West Bank. pic.twitter.com/5CxGzD4Ww2

— Ihab Hassan (@IhabHassane) October 13, 2026

Footage also shows what appear to be stun grenades and tear gas, apparently deployed by IDF troops.

The IDF has not yet commented. There are no reports of injuries in the incident.

الأهالي يتصدون لهجوم المستوطنين على قرية أبو فلاح شرق رام الله وفرارهم عقب إطلاق الألعاب النارية باتجاههم pic.twitter.com/FXM3DmyESr

— إذاعة صوت الغد (@sawtelghad) October 13, 2026

Winter tells Ben Gvir to ‘grow up’ after minister rules out surplus-vote deal

Ofer Winter (left) and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90, Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Former IDF general Ofer Winter’s People of Israel party lashes out at Itamar Ben Gvir, chair of Otzma Yehudit, for refusing to sign a surplus-vote agreement between the parties.

The far-right Ben Gvir, Israel’s national security minister, dismissed the idea earlier today. Surplus-vote agreements allow parties to pool leftover votes in the allocation of the Knesset’s final seats after the October 27 election, potentially helping one gain an additional seat.

Ben Gvir called Winter “Bennett 2.” That epithet, used by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, implies that Winter will ally with anti-Netanyahu parties despite being right-wing.

People of Israel slams Ben Gvir following his statement.

“Itamar, grow up. People are fed up with the gimmicks, the rhetoric and this way of doing things,” the party says.

“Just a moment ago, you said these elections were fateful and now you’re announcing that you’ll throw votes in the trash,” it adds, accusing Ben Gvir of running a “dishonest campaign” against a fellow right-winger.

“Instead of defeating our enemies, you’re busying yourself with an unsuccessful attempt to destroy your brothers,” the party says, arguing that Ben Gvir’s approach will only harm the right-wing camp.

Otzma Yehudit is polling at around six seats, while People of Israel has been hovering around the electoral threshold, raising the possibility that it will not win enough votes to enter the Knesset. Parties have until October 16 to submit their surplus-vote agreements.

Houthi-run TV reports attack on Yemen oil facility after Saudi coalition evacuation order

Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV reports an attack on the Yemen Oil Company in Sanaa.

The reported attack comes shortly after the Saudi-led coalition ordered the evacuation of the facility ahead of a military operation.

Anti-Zionist group in Toronto announces Wikipedia editing event and training

A Wikipedia logo at the Wikimedia Foundation office in San Francisco, California, January 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

An anti-Zionist group in Toronto announce an event to train attendees to edit Wikipedia, followed by an organized editing session.

The activist group, called Stop Art Washing, calls the event the “Free Palestine Wiki Edit-a-Thon,” and says its goal is to “populate Wikipedia entries honoring martyred Palestinian artists and exposing the Canadian Zionist backers of genocide.”

The event will include a “Wikipedia 101 session and hands-on editing,” organizers say.

“Against attempts to erase Palestinian martyrs and conceal the Imperialist perpetrators of Israel’s genocide, this Wiki Edit-a-Thon remedies the narrative, towards Palestinian liberation,” organizers say.

The event appears to violate Wikipedia regulations against “showcasing,” propaganda and promotional articles, and its rule that all content must be written from a neutral point of view.

Anti-Zionist activists have previously coordinated editing online, according to prior reports, and there was at least one anti-Israel Wikipedia “edit-a-thon” held in London in 2024.

Wikipedia has massive influence on the online information ecosystem because the platform is often a first stop for research, and because the site feeds into other platforms like search engines and artificial intelligence platforms. Pro-Israel activists have previously complained of an anti-Israel bias in the site’s content.

Teen to be charged with joining ISIS, planning to attack troops in Old City — police

Jews pray at the Western Wall, beside the Temple Mount, known to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary, or the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, in the Old City of Jerusalem, October 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell)

An 18-year-old from the northern Arab city of Umm al-Fahm was arrested over the past month on suspicion of planning to attack Israeli soldiers in the Old City of Jerusalem after swearing allegiance to the Islamic State jihadist group, police and the Shin Bet say.

Officers who searched his home found “evidence and digital material that reinforce the suspicion of his support for the terrorist organization and involvement in planning the terror attack,” the agencies say in a joint statement, without specifying the method of the planned attack.

A prosecutor’s statement was filed today ahead of an indictment against the suspect on charges of membership in a terrorist organization and planning a terrorist attack, according to the statement.

Qatar’s revenues drop 42 pct over war, ruler says

Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani meets with US President Donald Trump, not seen, during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G7 summit, June 16, 2026, in Evian-les-Bains, France. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Qatar’s revenues fell 42 percent in the first half of 2026, its emir says, as gas infrastructure and exports took a severe hit during the Iran war.

Qatar, the world’s second-largest exporter of liquefied natural gas after the US, lost a “significant proportion” of its exports, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani tells the annual session of the Shura Council advisory body in Doha.

“The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, together with the direct damage inflicted on some energy facilities in Ras Laffan Industrial City, disrupted a significant portion of the country’s exports,” the emir says. “It is only natural that the crisis would have a negative impact on public finances, as the total revenues declined by 42 percent during the first half of the year.”

Iranian strikes badly damaged the Ras Laffan site and Qatar’s exports have been hobbled by Iran’s blockade of Hormuz — the only route for its natural gas shipments.

However, a major expansion of North Field, the world’s biggest gas field, is going ahead, the emir says.

Qatar is one of the Gulf countries hit hardest by the war. The International Monetary Fund forecasts a 15.6% drop in its GDP this year in its latest global report.

3 children remain in serious condition after northern border hike tragedy

Injured students and teachers arrive at Ziv Medical Center in Safed, northern Israel, following an explosion of suspected unexploded ordnance during a school trip near the Israeli border with Lebanon, October 12, 2026. (David Cohen/Flash90)

Three children remain in serious condition following an explosion yesterday of unexploded Hezbollah ordnance near the Lebanon border, which killed a 15-year-old.

Ziv Medical Center says it is treating two children in serious condition, with one sedated and ventilated, and two adults in mild to moderate condition. Out of the 14 injured who arrived yesterday, 11 have been discharged.

A total of eight children were admitted to Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya. One is in the pediatric intensive care unit but no longer sedated or ventilated. The other seven children are in the pediatric orthopedic unit and are suffering mostly from shrapnel wounds, the hospital says.

Three children and one adult are in stable, moderate condition at Haifa’s Rambam Health Care Campus.

Israel returns 22 artifacts as Greece pushes to bring antiquities home

Greek antiquities dating to the 6th and 5th centuries BCE are displayed during a repatriation ceremony at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, Greece, October 13, 2026, after 22 artifacts illegally removed from Greece were returned by Israel. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

Israel returns 22 ancient artifacts that had been illegally removed from Greece, as Athens steps up an international repatriation campaign ultimately aimed at securing the return of sculptures taken from the Acropolis.

Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni receives the objects from the Israel Antiquities Authority and Amir Ganor, director of its theft prevention division, at a ceremony held at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens.

“It is the first time that Israel has returned antiquities to Greece, marking the starting point of closer cooperation between the two countries for the protection of cultural heritage,” Mendoni says. “Every return of a cultural object to its place of origin has a broader symbolic and moral dimension.”

The collection includes a small bronze statuette of a woman and pottery comprising slender oil flasks, two-handled amphorae and drinking cups decorated with mythological scenes and geometric motifs. The objects are provisionally dated to between about 700 and 320 BCE.

Athens is broadening bilateral cultural ties as part of its campaign to secure the return of the Parthenon Marbles. The 2,500-year-old sculptures were removed from the Acropolis and are now displayed at the British Museum in London.

Greece, under its current conservative government, and Israel have strengthened energy and defense ties in recent years. In August, Israel signed an approximately $3.5 billion deal to build an air defense system in Greece, dubbed Achilles Shield, in what was described as the largest defense deal between the two countries.

Greek and Israeli officials do not disclose how the artifacts were discovered in Israel or the circumstances of their illegal removal from Greece. In previous cases, antiquities returned from private collections abroad have often been traced to illicit excavations.

Pninat Yanay, the Israeli ambassador to Greece, says the items were recovered during an “investigation by the Israeli authorities into the illegal antiquities trade.”

She adds, “In both Greece and Israel, archaeology has a special place in national life. It helps us understand where we came from and who we are.”

Saudi cabinet vows Yemen’s Houthis will face ‘consequences’ for attacks

Saudi Arabia’s cabinet, chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh, said Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis will face “consequences” for their repeated attacks on the kingdom, Saudi state media reports.

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report. 

UK spy chief: Al Qaeda, ISIS inspiring plots; extreme right views leading to terror intent

Director General of MI5 Ken McCallum speaks at Thames House, the headquarters of the UK's Security Service in London, Oct. 13, 2026. (Jonathan Brady/PA via AP, Pool)

The UK’s MI5 spy chief Ken McCallum says in his annual speech that terror groups Al Qaeda and the Islamic State continue to inspire plots, and that MI5 is still having to respond to attempts to carry out mass-casualty attacks, after the country raised its national terrorism ​threat level to “severe,” meaning an attack within the next six months is highly likely.

He says the most marked trend of the last year has been the increase in cases where extreme right-wing anti-immigration and anti-Muslim grievances are tipping over into terrorist intent.

An investigation into one 13-year-old who had been radicalized by extreme right-wing ideology has led to an unnamed foreign partner thwarting a lethal attack on its soil, he says.

He adds that a 16-year-old was sentenced to 10 years in prison for planning to firebomb a Muslim center, according to The Guardian.

Mamdani says ‘no plans’ to fire NYPD commissioner Tisch as activists announce rally

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks about the unstable building at 235 East 42nd Street and the surrounding buildings that were evacuated, July 7, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani says he has no plans to fire NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, a Jewish moderate, as far-left activists announce a rally to double down on demanding her ouster.

Pressure has been mounting on Mamdani to fire Tisch since anti-Zionist protesters targeted the mayor last week on the anniversary of the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, invasion of Israel.

The following day, federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents shot a man in the city, escalating calls to remove Tisch, although the NYPD was not involved in the shooting itself. Protesters and police clashed after the shooting.

“Jessica Tisch is the police commissioner. I have no plans to change that,” Mamdani tells reporters ahead of an event.

“The reason that I made the decision to have Jessica Tisch as the police commissioner is because of her record of uprooting corruption from the upper echelons of the NYPD, while lowering crime across our city,” he says.

Mamdani has previously also said he has “no plans” to fire Tisch.

.@nycmayor says he won’t be firing Commissioner Tisch pic.twitter.com/jnN68gbfxz

— katie honan (@katie_honan) October 13, 2026

Mamdani and Tisch also appear together at a ceremony for fallen NYPD officers.

“It is a solemn privilege to be here alongside Commissioner Tisch and NYPD leadership as we remember 42 members of the New York City Police Department who gave their lives in service,” Mamdani says, hailing officers killed during the 9/11 attack and its aftermath and sympathizing with their families.

Mamdani and Tisch do not mention the controversy during their speeches.

Mamdani had canceled a press gaggle that was scheduled for earlier this morning.

Meanwhile, far-left and anti-Zionist activist groups announce a Wednesday protest demanding that Mamdani fire Tisch.

The rally, at the City College of New York, is backed by six campus anti-Zionist and socialist student groups, and the Young Democratic Socialists of America.

“We DEMAND Zohran Mamdani to use his position of power as mayor to dismantle the SRG and fire Jessica Tisch,” the groups say in a statement. The SRG is the Strategic Response Group, a police unit that sometimes responds to protests.

Some other DSA subgroups also issue fresh calls to fire Tisch.

Tisch is viewed in the Jewish community as a bulwark and responsible steward of the police force, and she has spoken about how anti-Israel activity can lead to antisemitism. Mamdani’s decision to keep her as NYPD chief assuaged concerns about his handling of police among Jews and moderates.

Trump: I ‘haven’t even thought’ about endorsing in Israeli election, but may do so

US President Donald Trump walks to board Air Force One, October 13, 2026, at Joint Base Andrews, Md. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Asked why he hasn’t made an endorsement in Israel’s October 27 election, US President Donald Trump says he hasn’t thought about doing so, but that could change.

“We haven’t even thought about it. I may be doing something,” he says at a press gaggle.

Trump has remained coy when asked in the past about whether he will make an endorsement in the closely fought race.

Trump says Yemen’s Houthis are ‘behaving very badly,’ may ask Erdogan to intervene

US President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media before departing on Marine One from the South Lawn of the White House, October 10, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nathan Howard)

US President Donald Trump says Iran-backed Houthi rebels who control vast swaths of Yemen are “behaving very badly” in the conflict with a Saudi-backed coalition.

The group has recently escalated attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and the vital Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The Houthis launched attacks on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport in recent days, killing 13 people, wounding more than 300, and closing the skies above the Saudi capital.

Trump tells reporters that he “might” ask Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to intervene and support Saudi interests.

“President Erdogan, I think, would do as I ask,” Trump says.

‘Our country, our control’: Visiting West Bank, PM warns against attacking Israel

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a state memorial ceremony for civilians murdered in the October 7 massacre, marking three years since the Hamas attack, at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem, October 5, 2026. (Olivier Fitoussi/POOL)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warns that Israel is prepared for potential attacks in the West Bank, including the possibility of Palestinian Authority security forces turning their weapons against Israeli troops.

“Our enemies are thinking about testing us in these days leading up to the elections,” Netanyahu reiterates during a visit to the area around the territory’s border near Tulkarem, alongside Defense Minister Israel Katz and senior security officials.

“We are prepared for any scenario, including what is known as a ‘turning of guns,’” he says, warning that Israel would respond to an attack by the Palestinian forces with “a level of force you have never imagined.”

PA security forces have long coordinated on West Bank security with Israel and attacks on Israelis by their members are rare.

Netanyahu also vows that the IDF will maintain control of the area around Tulkarem, where Israeli forces have conducted extensive counterterrorism operations.

“There will be no Arab army west of the Jordan River,” he declares, referring to the area encompassing Israel, the West Bank and Gaza.

“We are guarding from the Jordan River to the sea. Our country, our control,” he says.

The area around Tulkarem is especially sensitive because of its proximity to the city of Netanya and Israel’s heavily populated coastal plain, where the country narrows to roughly 15 kilometers (9 miles) between the West Bank and the Mediterranean Sea.

Feiglin: Rabin was a ‘useful idiot,’ Netanyahu driven by ‘Oslo mindset’

Moshe Feiglin attends a Health Committee meeting at the Knesset, on November 16, 2021. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

Far-right politician Moshe Feiglin calls former prime minister Yitzhak Rabin a “useful idiot” in a podcast interview.

Feiglin, who is running together with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s far-right Religious Zionism slate, also says Israel was defeated after the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attack because Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was driven by the mindset of the Oslo Accords, the 1993 Israeli-Palestinian peace deal embraced by Rabin.

“What led to the defeat after October 7 is the fact that the Oslo mindset continued to drive the prime minister,” says Feiglin, a longtime outspoken critic of the Oslo process, in a clip of the interview aired on Channel 12. It is unclear what preceded that statement.

Rabin was assassinated by a right-wing Jewish extremist in 1995 while pursuing Israeli-Palestinian peace. Asked in the interview if Rabin, a former IDF chief of staff and defense minister, was a progressive, Feiglin says: “Rabin was a useful idiot.”

Houthi-run health ministry says two killed in oil company strike

Yemen’s Houthi-run health ministry says two people were killed when an oil company in the Red Sea province of Hodeidah was attacked, blaming Saudi Arabia for the strike.

There is no immediate Saudi confirmation.

Ship-to-ship oil transfers around Strait of Hormuz at risk, military institute says

The sun sets over commercial vessels anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas, Iran, with the city’s skyline in the background, September 6, 2026. (AP/Vahid Salemi)

Iran appears to be targeting commercial vessels conducting ship-to-ship oil transfers in and near the Strait of Hormuz in order to try to undermine vessels’ ability to move energy through the strait, the Institute for the Study of War says.

Iran may be developing its anti-ship missile capabilities, the US-based think tank says in a post on X.

The UK’s Maritime Trade Operations Centre posted on X Monday that at least three vessels had been attacked by unknown projectiles in the strait a day earlier. There were no immediate claims of responsibility.

But Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s top security body, told state TV on Saturday that Iranian forces were striking an average of five “smuggling ships” every night.

Rezaei appeared to be referring to US efforts to guide oil shipments through the strait before the oil is transferred to larger tankers waiting in the Gulf of Oman.

Kushner, Red Cross mark one year since final living hostages freed from Gaza

US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner speaks during a joint press conference with Ukrainian president following their talks in Kyiv on September 6, 2026, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Genya SAVILOV/AFP)

Senior US envoy Jared Kushner and the International Committee of the Red Cross mark the first anniversary of the release of the final 20 living hostages from Hamas captivity, recalling the captives’ emotional reunions with their families and the diplomatic efforts that made their return possible.

“One year ago today, all 20 remaining living Israeli hostages finally came home after two years of unimaginable suffering in Gaza,” Kushner writes on X, describing witnessing their return as “one of the most special moments of my life.”

Kushner thanks US President Donald Trump for his leadership and determination, alongside Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and other top officials from Israel, Qatar, Egypt and Turkey who helped secure the October 2025 agreement.

One year ago today, all 20 remaining living Israeli hostages finally came home after two years of unimaginable suffering in Gaza.

Welcoming them home and seeing them reunited with their families was one of the most special moments of my life. After so much pain, uncertainty, and… pic.twitter.com/u1oX43703Z

— Jared Kushner (@jaredkushner) October 13, 2026

Separately, Julien Lerisson, head of the ICRC delegation in Israel, tells The Times of Israel that the release of the hostages demonstrates the life-saving power of diplomacy.

“Seeing them reunited with family members who had waited anxiously every day for this moment is something that will stay with me,” Lerisson says.

He stresses that the ICRC repeatedly called for the unconditional release of all hostages throughout their captivity.

The operation, he emphasizes, would not have been possible “without the agreement between the parties and the significant efforts of the mediators.”

“When political agreements are reached, lives can be saved,” Lerisson says. “There is no substitute for the political will to protect human life.”

While the hostages were held in Gaza, the ICRC came under heavy ridicule in Israel for the perception that it could have done far more to push for their release.

Trump: ‘We’ll make a decision on Iran very soon’

US President Donald Trump talks to reporters as he walks on the South Lawn upon his arrival to the White House, October 8, 2026, in Washington. (AP/Jose Luis Magana)

US President Donald Trump says that Washington is going to make a decision on Iran “very soon.”

Speaking to reporters outside the White House, Trump calls Iran a “failed country.”

“They have no economy. They have 300% inflation. They have no money. They’re not paying their troops. They’re not paying anybody,” he says.

“We’ll make a decision on Iran very soon,” he concludes, amid reports of discussions about a resumption of fighting before Israel’s October 27 election and the United States’ November 3 midterm elections.

Trump has made similar comments repeatedly in the past, without following through with renewed strikes.

Last week, he said the US would not attack Iran before the US midterms.

‘We might have gone too far’ in killing Iran’s leaders, we ‘don’t know who the hell we’re dealing with,’ Trump quips

US President Donald Trump quips at a campaign rally that the US “might have gone too far” in its campaign to assassinate Iran’s leaders during the war, because now the US doesn’t “know who the hell we’re dealing with.”

Trump made the apparently off-the-cuff remarks at a campaign rally in Ohio yesterday evening. He seemed to be speaking in a lighthearted manner and was smiling.

“They got no ships, they got no nothing, they got no leaders, even, that’s the problem,” Trump said. “We might have gone too far with the leaders because we don’t know who the hell we’re dealing with.”

Trump on Iran:

We might have gone too far with the leaders because we don't know who the hell we're dealing with anymore.

We're having a hard time figuring out who the hell to deal with, to be honest with you. I think we went too far.

We could have stopped at level one. Level… pic.twitter.com/So3NMfViQm

— Clash Report (@clashreport) October 13, 2026

Trump has made similar comments in the past.

“Nobody wants to be the president of Iran,” he says, appearing to mix up the Islamic Republic’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, who is alive and in office, with the country’s late supreme leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the war’s opening strikes on February 28. Khamenei’s son and successor, Mojtaba, was injured in that strike and has not been seen in public since.

“They have roll calls: ‘Who would like to be the president?’ Nobody. ‘I don’t want it,'” he says, mimicking such a scenario.

Police: Bnei Brak man arrested on suspicion of breaking into mayor’s car, stealing tablet

Police arrest a suspect who allegedly broke into Bnei Brak Mayor Hanoch Zeibert's car and stole a tablet, October 13, 2026. (Israel Police)

Police say they arrested a man a short while ago who allegedly broke into Bnei Brak Mayor Hanoch Zeibert’s car yesterday and stole a tablet.

The suspect is a 25-year-old resident of the central Haredi city, police say.

Saudi authorities issue ‘danger’ alerts in Riyadh, kingdom’s Eastern Province

Saudi authorities briefly issue an alert warning of danger in the kingdom’s Eastern Province, shortly before announcing that the danger passed, hours after Yemen’s Houthis threatened to strike an Aramco site.

Residents of the Eastern Province received phone alerts that said, “Warning, the area is facing a hostile aerial threat,” before being informed that the threat had passed.

A danger alert is then issued in the capital of Riyadh.

Vatican says pope’s lung nodule surgery was successfully completed

Pope Leo XIV arrives at the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome, October 13, 2026, where he’s expected to be operated to remove a lung nodule. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Pope Leo XIV underwent surgery today to remove a lung nodule and the Vatican says the operation was completed “successfully, on schedule and as planned.”

The 71-year-old Leo returned to his room after the surgery at Rome’s Gemelli hospital, according to a statement from the Vatican spokesman, who promises further information at a later time.

Leo had walked into Rome’s Gemelli hospital through the main entrance earlier in the day and waved to dozens of well-wishers who had gathered to greet him. The Vatican said the surgery would be performed by a team led by Gemelli’s chief thoracic surgeon, Dr. Stefano Margaritora.

The operation got under way as medical staff recited the Rosary prayer in the hospital chapel Tuesday evening. “Let us join together in prayer, asking the Lord to sustain our bishop, Pope Leo, and to comfort all those who are hospitalized here,” said the Vicar of Rome, Cardinal Baldassare Reina, at the start of the prayer.

The American pontiff has offered a rare level of transparency about the first publicly disclosed major health problem of his 17-month papacy. He revealed the discovery of the small, localized nodule during his Sunday noon prayer and announced that he would have it removed.

Oncologists say even if the nodule turns out to be cancerous, Leo’s prognosis is “excellent” since it will have been removed at an early stage.

The surgery, which is usually performed under general anesthesia, requires a weeklong hospital stay. The Vatican yesterday canceled all of Leo’s audiences through October 20.

Saudi coalition says targeted oil firm in Sanaa, other facilities in Yemen

The Saudi-led coalition confirms it targeted a Yemeni oil company facility in Sanaa and two sites in other provinces, hours after urging civilians to evacuate the area of the strike in the Houthi-held capital.

Coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki says on X that the facilities, including those in Saada and Dhamar provinces in western Yemen, were used to “supply the war effort” by the Houthis to “threaten the kingdom, Yemen, the southern Red Sea and waterways.”

Iran summons British ambassador over Fairford airbase incident, foreign ministry says

Police officers guard a road leading to RAF Fairford, after an incident in Fairford, England, September 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Iran summoned the British ambassador to Tehran over “accusations” linking Tehran to a suspected plot against Fairford airbase in Britain, Iran’s foreign ministry says.

The move comes after British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said yesterday that a suspected plot targeting the base, which had been used by US bombers to carry out strikes on Iran, was “highly likely” to have been coordinated in Iran. Tehran denied any link to the incident.

The ministry says its director-general for Western Europe told the ambassador, “The British government must, as soon as possible, provide the documents and evidence supporting its accusations against Iran regarding the alleged incident. Otherwise, the Islamic Republic of Iran will seriously reconsider its bilateral relations.”

Berlin coalition talks called off due to concerns over deal on curbing antisemitism

The Die Linke (Left Party’s) main candidate Elif Eralp celebrates on stage following exit polls in Berlin’s state elections in Festsaal Kreuzberg in Berlin on September 20, 2026. (Jens SCHLUETER/AFP)

Germany’s Greens and center-left Social Democrats (SPD) break off exploratory talks on forming Berlin’s next state government with the Left Party, a far-left faction, in order to assess whether antisemitism measures agreed to last week still stand.

The proposed measures would allow lawmakers accused of antisemitism to be expelled if a panel came to consensus on the matter; if they disagreed, experts would be called in.

The decision comes after the Left (Die Linke) admitted lawmaker Vanessa Emde, who has sparked controversy over her stance on Israel, as part of the state of Berlin’s new parliamentary group.

“We expect the Left to clarify the extent to which they intend to take the agreements we made seriously and implement them,” say the two parties in a joint statement after the Left held a constituent meeting.

The Left, a hard-left party represented in Berlin by lead candidate Elif Eralp, emerged from the September 20 state election as the largest force, with 25.7 percent of the votes.

The Left does not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment on the ended exploratory talks.

Tensions over antisemitism and the Gaza war have become a major fault line in German politics, with the SPD and Greens insisting on binding safeguards before entering exploratory coalition talks with the Left.

Candidate leaves Ofer Winter’s slate following pressure, fear of wasting votes

Screen capture from video of Davidi Ben Zion, Deputy mayor of the Samaria Regional Council. (YouTube)

Davidi Ben Zion, a candidate running for the Knesset with Ofer Winter’s People of Israel party, is leaving the race two weeks before the October 27 election, Channel 12 reports.

Ben Zion, the acting head of the Samaria Regional Council, which includes settlements in the northern West Bank, made the decision out of fear that the party would not enter the Knesset, which would mean that its voters’ ballots would go to waste, according to the network. Polls have placed the party on the verge of entering the Knesset, with some showing it falling short.

Ben Zion was No.8 on the slate, and therefore had no realistic prospect of making it into the Knesset.

Ben Zion also faced a pressure campaign, with pro-Netanyahu activists allegedly putting up billboards calling on him to drop out. The billboards were placed near his home and at the bus stop his children use en route to school, according to Channel 12.

The billboards read, “Davidi, step down! Don’t endanger the country.”

The People of Israel party laments his departure in a statement, thanking him for joining the campaign.

“Dear Davidi, we love you,” it says. “We feel bad about the pressures, the threats and the harassment your children and family were made to endure from those who aren’t ready for new, clean forces to enter Israeli politics. Not everyone can take the illegitimate and despicable pressures that you and your family faced.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has repeatedly attacked Winter, congratulates Ben Zion on the decision, calling it “important” and telling Winter’s other candidates to follow suit.

Netanyahu calls for criminal investigation into those involved in his corruption prosecution

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sits for an interview on the pro-government Channel 14, October 13, 2026. (Screenshot)

In an interview with the pro-government Channel 14, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calls for a criminal investigation into those involved in prosecuting him on corruption charges, including former attorney general Avichai Mandelblit, who brought the indictment, former state attorney Shai Nitzan, and state prosecutors Liat Ben-Ari and Yehudit Tirosh.

“This trial never should have started and should certainly end immediately,” he says on the talk show “The Patriots.”

He adds, “And I think we need to do a criminal investigation of everyone who was involved in its fabrication.”

“It is now clear,” he says, that his prosecution is “a political witch hunt.”

He alleges that this included “the blackmailing of witnesses, the forging of protocols, and fraud.”

Netanyahu has been on trial in three corruption cases since he was indicted in January 2020. He faces charges of fraud and breach of trust in the cases known as Case 1000 and Case 2000, and charges of receiving a bribe, as well as fraud and breach of trust, in Case 4000.

Netanyahu strenuously denies any wrongdoing, and has argued that the charges against him were fabricated in an attempted political coup by his political rivals.

Later in the interview, Netanyahu claims that the balance of power between the branches of government has been broken, and that “there is a dictatorship by the judicial system and its emissaries, including the attorney general.”

Netanyahu: IDF presented plan for situation in which PA turns its weapons against Israel

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sits for an interview on the pro-government Channel 14, October 13, 2026. (Screenshot)

The IDF has drawn up a “powerful” plan to deal with the possibility that Palestinian Authority security forces might turn their weapons against Israel, says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The plan was presented 10 days ago, he tells the pro-government Channel 14 talk show “The Patriots.”

If needed, he says, Israel will use “massive force.” He mentioned the possibility of the PA security forces turning their guns on Israel in a speech earlier today in the West Bank.

Netanyahu says his plan for Gaza is “simply to eliminate Hamas.” He does not elaborate on how that might be accomplished following Israel’s two-year war with the terror group, which began with the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, onslaught and largely ended a year ago with a ceasefire that divided Gaza between Israeli and Hamas control.

He says that he isn’t ordering the implementation of such a plan right now because the election will take place in two weeks, and he would be accused of starting a war for political reasons.

Israel, he claims, has completed 90% of the mission in its conflicts with Hamas and Hezbollah.

Netanyahu: Egyptian intel chief was in Israel before Oct. 7, he didn’t meet with me

This official government handout photo shows Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hosting Egyptian spy chief Abbas Kamel at his official residence in Jerusalem, May 30, 2021. (Amos Ben Gershom/GPO)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirms reports that Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel secretly flew to Israel days before the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack.

“He didn’t meet with me,” claims Netanyahu, “because I was in a memorial ceremony for IDF soldiers at that time.”

“He didn’t meet with me, he didn’t speak with me,” he continues. “When does an intelligence chief meet with a head of state?”

In fact, Netanyahu hosted Kamel in Jerusalem in 2021.

Kamel reportedly told Israeli officials that Hamas was planning a major attack if Israel didn’t agree to a deal including a prisoner release and economic concessions.

Netanyahu claims he doesn’t know who Kamel met with: “The head of the Egyptian intelligence was here. He spent something like 50 minutes on the ground. I want to know who he met,” he says.

When reports of the warning came out, Netanyahu said in a statement, “No early message came from Egypt and the prime minister did not speak or meet with the intelligence chief since the establishment of the government — not indirectly or directly.”

The reports about Kamel are among a series of allegations that Netanyahu received early warnings of a major attack from Gaza in the lead-up to October 7, but did not act on them. Netanyahu has flatly denied the reports and blamed the security establishment for the failures surrounding the attack.

Netanyahu also denies that he blocked a viable deal in Gaza that would have secured the earlier return of hostages and saved the lives of some who died in captivity, saying that there was a readiness by some for complete capitulation in Gaza, which was unacceptable to him, and would not have even guaranteed the return of all the hostages.

Saudi employee arrested for allegedly hiding bug in OpenAI office

The OpenAI logo is seen on a mobile phone in front of a computer screen which displays the ChatGPT home Screen, March 17, 2023, in Boston, Massachusetts. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

A Saudi employee of OpenAI was arrested after an investigation found they had secretly planted a recording device in one of its San Francisco offices, the tech company and federal prosecutors say.

“We discovered a sophisticated recording device that was hidden inside one of our offices” and “referred the matter to the FBI,” OpenAI tells AFP in a statement.

OpenAI’s security team found the device late last month, and the employee, a Saudi national, was arrested on October 9, the US Justice Department says.

Netanyahu vows to build new Jewish communities, farms to ensure Jewish majority in Galilee and Negev if he wins election

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that if he wins this month’s elections, he will build new Jewish communities and farms in the Galilee and in the Negev, as has been done in the West Bank.

The goal is to create a clear Jewish majority in those regions, he tells Channel 14.

He won’t be moving the Arabs out, he says, but rather “moving in residents of the center” of the country, with new transport and residential infrastructure to encourage them.

If the opposition wins, there will be “Arab autonomies” in the Galilee and Negev, claims Netanyahu.

He also claims a “miracle” has been unfolding in the West Bank, with the expansion of settlements that will ensure there is no Palestinian state. “What was going to be a Palestinian state won’t rise,” he says, unless he loses power.

PM: Iran working to orchestrate attack to influence election, maybe through Hamas and Hezbollah

A man talks on his cellphone while sitting on a motorbike in front of a billboard showing portraits of the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, center, late leaders of Lebanon’s Hezbollah group Hassan Nasrallah, second right, and Hashem Safieddine, left, late commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Quds Force, Gen. Qassem Soleimani, second left, and a top commander of the guard Gen. Abbas Nilforoushan, who were killed in Israeli and US strikes, at the Islamic Revolution Square in Tehran, Iran, October 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

Iran is trying to orchestrate an attack to influence Israel’s October 27 election — possibly through its Hezbollah and Hamas terror proxies, says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during an interview with Channel 14.

Asked about reports of such a plan, Netanyahu says, “I can tell you that’s right. Just right. They want to do it directly or via one of their proxies.”

He adds that Iran may want to orchestrate such an attack in the West Bank as well.

“They say openly, ‘We have to bring down Netanyahu’,” he says, listing not only Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas, but also PA President “Mahmoud Abbas and “Mansour Abbas” — the leader of the Israeli Arab party Ra’am. They all say they want to oust him, he says, because “they want to destroy Israel. In order to prevent this, we have to win.”

Earlier Tuesday, Netanyahu warned Israel’s enemies not to test it in the lead-up to elections.

Asked whether Saudi Arabia has asked for help in the fight against the Houthis, Netanyahu answers, “There are barely any Middle Eastern states that aren’t asking us for help.”

He adds that Western countries publicly condemning Israel are also asking for help and defense technology from Israel.

Netanyahu: Security chiefs didn’t wake me up on Oct. 7 because they feared ‘miscalculation’

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claims that Israel’s security chiefs did not wake him up on the night of October 7, 2023, despite signs indicating a Hamas attack, because they were afraid he would cause a “miscalculation” by hitting the terror group hard.

In an interview with Channel 14, he says that the intelligence and military heads believed Hamas was carrying out a drill or preparing for a minor attack.

They saw Hamas terrorists putting Israeli SIM cards into their phones, and senior Hamas commanders heading underground, he says, but “they were locked in a conception that it was a drill, or a small thing.”

“If they had woken me up, they knew I’d have woken everybody and canceled Nova and put the air force on alert,” he goes on.

“If we wake up the prime minister, he’ll cause Hamas to attack us without meaning to,” Netanyahu asserts the security chiefs believed.

Eisenkot: Netanyahu is ‘a liar’ and ‘dangerous to Israel’

Yashar party chairman Gadi Eisenkot at a youth conference at the International Convention Center in Jerusalem, October 11, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Gadi Eisenkot, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s main election rival, denounces Netanyahu after his hour-long appearance on Channel 14 this evening, tweeting that Netanyahu is “a liar” who is “dangerous to Israel.”

In his Channel 14 interview, Netanyahu reiterated his claims that Eisenkot would close the pro-Netanyahu outlet, arrest right-wing opponents and install a judicial dictatorship.

He also claimed that if an Eisenkot-led alliance wins the elections, “we’ll lose everything,” specifying, among other things, that a Palestinian state would be established, that Israel would withdraw from the territory it is currently occupying inside Lebanon and Syria, and that nothing would be done to ensure the fall of the regime in Iran. He also ridiculed the notion that Eisenkot could emulate the unprecedented relationship he has established with US President Donald Trump.

Netanyahu is “in a complete panic,” tweets Eisenkot.

In an earlier tweet, the Yashar party leader asserted that Netanyahu’s “scare tactics no longer make an impression on anyone, and declared that “the claim that ‘only Benjamin Netanyahu knows how to provide security’ collapsed three years ago.”

“What I can promise you,” Eisenkot went on, “is worthy, courageous leadership that is concerned with making decisions for the citizens of Israel.”