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Israel

May 8, 2026

Tel Aviv 12:05 am

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People gather at the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted Beirut's southern suburbs neighborhood of Haret Hreik on May 6, 2026.

Israel strikes Beirut in breach of Lebanon ceasefire

Israel has continued to carry out strikes in southern Lebanon but had not targeted Beirut since the ceasefire took effect.

Amirhossein KHORGOOEI / ISNA / AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Israel fears Trump seeking Hormuz win while sidestepping Iran nuclear issue

While President Donald Trump keeps pressuring Iran on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, Israel fears the American leader will decide to cut his losses and sideline the nuclear threat.

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

A man sits watching as Lebanese first responders search for human remains among the rubble the day after a house was targeted in an Israeli airstrike in the southern Lebanese city of Nabatieh, on May 1, 2026.

Culture

Lebanon's churches, mosques and archaeological sites damaged in Israeli strikes

Israeli strikes in Lebanon have damaged a growing number of cultural and religious sites, as sites in Israel have also sustained damage from Hezbollah and Iranian attacks.

Latest News

Analysis

Can Bennett, Lapid unite Israel’s opposition to unseat Netanyahu?

Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Yair Lapid (L) speaks to outgoing Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, during a meeting at the Knesset (parliament), in Jerusalem on June 30, 2022. - Final approval of the parliament dissolution bill was initially expected by midnight but was postponed to June 30 as coalition and opposition lawmakers sparred over last-minute legislative details, several sources familiar with the parliamentary said. (Photo by Menahem KAHANA / AFP) (Photo by MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP via Getty Images)

Rina Bassist

By Rina Bassist

In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs

Analysis

Iron Dome in Gulf: How Iran war turned UAE-Israel defense ties operational

AFP via Getty Images

Francesco Schiavi

By Francesco Schiavi

In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance

Analysis

Without exit strategy, Israel faces emboldened Hezbollah, limited options on Iran

Ibrahim AMRO / AFP via Getty Images

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

Samuel Wendel

Senior Market Research Analyst

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Adam Lucente

News and Business Correspondent

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Jack Dutton

Chief Business Correspondent

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Ben Caspit

Israel Columnist

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

Francesco Schiavi

In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance

Rina Bassist

Associate Editor (Israel)

In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs

Coalition

Diverse Israeli cabinet produces unheard-of alliances

Members of the coalition are voting in favor of bills proposed by their partners, instead of following their own ideologies and political worldviews.

Israeli Foreign Ministry

Israel, Sudan discuss next steps for normalization

Israel is hoping that Sudan will soon finalize the normalization process it agreed upon several months ago in the framework of the Abraham Accords.

Netanyahu Edelstein

Likud’s Edelsetein challenges Netanyahu over party leadership

The first to challenge former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over Likud party leadership is former Health Minister and Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein.

JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images

Israel's Lapid discusses Iran, Abraham Accords, US-Israel ties in Washington

On a three-day visit in Washington, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid met yesterday with US national security adviser Jake Sullivan, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Likud spokesperson's office

Year of changes place Abraham Accords supporters on rockier ground

The Abraham Accords did much to sideline the Palestinian issue, but the current Israeli government is increasingly communicating with the Palestinian Authority and President Mahmoud Abbas.

JALAA MAREY/AFP via Getty Images

Bennet outlines plan to settle more Israelis in Golan Heights

At a conference on developing the Golan Heights, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said he plans to greatly increase the number of Israeli residents of the contested region.

Rafi Ben Hakun/GPO

Israeli energy minister hails water agreement in Jordan

Israel’s Energy Minister Karin Elharar told Al-Monitor that the agreement she signed today doubling the water quantity supplied to Jordan is a sign of improving diplomatic relations between the two countries.

RONEN ZVULUN/AFP via Getty Images

After Merkel’s visit, Israel still waiting on submarine deal

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett tried to persuade outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel to finalize the deal for the IDF to purchase three next-generation submarines.

Israeli Religious Services Minister Matan Kahana arrives for a photo at the president's residence during a ceremony for the new coalition government, Jerusalem, June 14, 2021.

Israeli minister promotes controversial reform on conversion into Judaism

Minister of Religious Affairs Matan Kahana is determined to break the monopoly of ultra-Orthodox Chief Rabbinate over conversions into Judaism.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel meet with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and the female ministers of the Israeli Cabinet, Jerusalem, Oct. 10 2021.

Merkel hailed in final visit to Israel as German chancellor

Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, the Weizmann Institute, the Technion Technology Institute and other officials and groups all made efforts to warmly welcome in Israel outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Israel's Defence Minister Benny Gantz (L) and Prime Minister Naftali Bennett speak to each other at a Knesset (parliament) meeting during which Isaac Herzog, a veteran of Israel's left-wing Labor party, was sworn in as the Jewish state's 11th president, replacing Reuvin Rivlin, in Jerusalem, on July 7, 2020.

Tensions between Israel’s Gantz, Bennett threaten coalition stability

Defense Minister Benny Gantz is furious with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett over exposing a Mossad operation concerning long-years missing aviator Ron Arad.

Pious Jews join prayers from a terrace overlooking the spot where Jewish priests covered with black and white Talit prayer shawls perform the Cohanim prayer at the Western Wall, with the Dome of the Rock shrine seen in the background, during the Passover holiday, Old City of Jerusalem, April 22, 2019.

Israeli court approves quiet Jewish prayer at Temple Mount compound

In a landmark ruling, the Jerusalem Magistrates Court allowed Rabbi Aryeh Lippo to pray silently at the Temple Mount/Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.