Israel - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

Israel cover image

Israel

August 25, 2026

Tel Aviv 12:10 am

26°C

Palestinian militant group Hamas police officers stand guard as people attend the opening of the Fatah party's eighth general conference at Al-Azhar University in Gaza City on May 14, 2026.

Ex-defense minister: Israel in ‘worst possible’ Gaza situation as Hamas gains strength

Former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant criticized the Israeli government for allowing Hamas to retain control over half of the Gaza Strip.

A merchant ship "Jabotinsky" (former "Altalena"), chartered by Jewish military group Irgun Zvaei Leumi to carry weapons for Israeli fighters, burns near Tel Aviv beach, after being shelled by the Haganah, Israel, June 27, 1948.

Wreck of ship sunk by Israeli military in Irgun clash found after 78 years

The wreck of the Irgun underground's Altalena ship, bombed by the Israeli military in 1948 and deliberately sunk in 1949, was located off Israel's coast at a depth of 1,650 feet.

ilia YEFIMOVICH / AFP via Getty Images

Israel tightens election safeguards as public distrust surges: What to know

Israelis have lost trust in the government and in its ability or willingness to conduct free and fair elections.

Latest News

Analysis

Why Turkey sees Israeli strikes in Syria as warning over its military role, Mecca Pact

A Turkish soldier from the 1st Border Regiment Command looks out over the border wall to Syria during alert drills at a military outpost on the Turkey/Syria border on March 2, 2017 in Kilis, Turkey.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Analysis

Turkey bets on US deconfliction as Israel widens Syria red lines

Turkey/Syria border

Ezgi Akin

Rina Bassist

By Ezgi Akin , Rina Bassist

Analysis

Israel fears Turkey’s Syria ambitions and doubts Trump will stop them

ANKARA, TURKEY - JULY 7: U.S. President Donald Trump (L)shakes hands with with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) during a formal arrival at the Bestepe Presidential Palace during the NATO summit on July 7, 2026 in Ankara, Turkey. Leaders from NATO's 32 countries, plus NATO allies like Ukraine, gathered in the Turkish capital to discuss a range of issues involving spending targets, defense industrial production, and support for Ukraine, among other topics. (Photo by Emrah Gurel - Pool/Getty Images)

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

Turkey seeks Interpol Red Notices for Netanyahu over Gaza flotilla

Murat Kocabas / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images

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

Israeli forces and emergency personnel gather near the Hamra junction, in the northern part of the Jordan valley in the occupied West Bank, following a shooting attack on April 7, 2023. - Two women were killed and another seriously wounded today in the shooting attack on a vehicle in the occupied West Bank, the Israeli army and medics said. (Photo by Jaafar ASHTIYEH / AFP) (Photo by JAAFAR ASHTIYEH/afp/AFP via Getty Images)

Two Israelis killed, third in critical condition in West Bank attack

On the backdrop of growing tensions and fire exchange on both the Gaza and Lebanon borders, two Israelis were killed at a shooting attack in the Jordan Valley region.

The Palestinian Hamas movement's leader Ismail Haniyeh flashes the victory sign following a speech at a public rally during his visit to the southern Lebanese city of Saida, on June 26, 2022. (Photo by MAHMOUD ZAYYAT / AFP) (Photo by MAHMOUD ZAYYAT/AFP via Getty Images)

Lebanon’s Hezbollah hosts Hamas chief as rockets fly over Israel border

The delegation has reportedly discussed efforts to coordinate action against Israel.

Smoke rises above buildings in Gaza City as Israel launches air strikes in Gaza

Israel launches airstrikes in Lebanon, Gaza following rocket attacks

In the most serious escalation since 2006, Israel has carried out airstrikes inside Lebanon following a barrage of rockets that was launched from southern Lebanon earlier in the day.

An engineer sets up new beehives, part of the high-tech Beehome project, in Israel's Kibbutz Bet Haemek in the northern Galilee, on May 14, 2022. - They function as normal hives, but apiaries built at a kibbutz in Israel's Galilee are decked out with high-tech artificial intelligence systems set to ensure longevity for these vital pollinators. (Photo by JACK GUEZ / AFP) (Photo by JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images)

Growing demand for AI to spare Israel from prolonged tech downturn

The medium-term prospects for Israel's AI sector look uniquely strong.

David Rosenberg

David Rosenberg

In Tel Aviv, reporting on business and tech

AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP via Getty Images

Israeli forces storm Al-Aqsa, arrest over 300 as clashes resume with Hamas

Violent clashes at the Temple Mount/Al-Aqsa compound led to heavy rocket fire overnight from the Gaza Strip toward Israeli localities.

Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives in Downing Street to meet Britain's Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak,on March 24, 2023 in London, England. Benjamin Netanyahu visits London against a backdrop of unrest at home. Protests are being held weekly across Israel against legislation being pushed through the Knesset by his government to restrain the judiciary. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)

UAE’s Mohamed bin Zayed calls Israel’s Netanyahu amid tensions

The call follows continued rescheduling of Netanyahu’s trip to the UAE and the Gulf state’s criticism of new coalition.

Mourners attend the funeral procession for two of Iran's revolutionary guard forces killed by Israel in Syria, held in Tehran on April 4, 2023. - The two Iranian fighters, identified as Milad Heidari and Meghdad Mahghani, were killed on March 31, 2023 when Israel launched several missiles from the occupied Golan Heights against pro-regime positions near Damascus. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP) (Photo by ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images)

Iran vows revenge against Israel after deadly Syria strikes

As tensions escalated, Iran's promise of vengeance was also coupled with a pledge to further bolster Syria's defenses against Israel.

Israeli security forces inspect the scene of a stabbing attack near Tzrifin military base on the outskirts of Tel Aviv, on April 4, 2023. - Two soldiers were injured, and an alledged attacker arrested, following a stabbing attack in central Israel, police and medics said. (Photo by GIL COHEN-MAGEN / AFP) (Photo by GIL COHEN-MAGEN/AFP via Getty Images)

Two Israeli soldiers stabbed by a Palestinian near army base

Two IDF soldiers were injured in a stabbing attack near an army base in central Israel.

Benjamin Netanyahu

Analysis

Israel fears US will push for interim nuclear deal with Iran

Israel is concerned about increasing efforts by the Biden administration to reach some sort of a deal with Tehran, almost at all cost.

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

A F-15 fighter jet takes part in an aerial display during the graduation ceremony of Israeli air force pilots at the Hatzerim base in the Negev desert, on June 23, 2022.

Fourth suspected Israeli strike on Syria in five days kills two

Two Iranian officers were killed by Israeli missiles late last week.

Passengers arrive on the Jordanian side of the King Hussein Bridge (also known as Allenby Bridge) crossing between the West Bank and Jordan on July 19, 2022. - The border crossing, which serves as a border crossing between Israel and Jordan mainly for the Palestinians and foreign tourists, has witnessed an issue with crowding with passengers stuck on the Jordanian side. (Photo by Khalil MAZRAAWI / AFP) (Photo by KHALIL MAZRAAWI/afp/AFP via Getty Images)

Israel expands border crossing hours for Palestinians going to Jordan

Following up on a promise made to US President Joe Biden, Israel agreed to expand the operation hours of the Allenby Bridge crossing point into Jordan.

This picture taken on August 23, 2022 shows a view of the exterior of the headquarters of the Bank of Israel, the country's central bank, in Kiryat Ben-Gurion in Jerusalem. (Photo by AHMAD GHARABLI / AFP) (Photo by AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP via Getty Images)

Bank of Israel raises interest rate again, warns about judicial fallout

The OECD is predicting GDP growth rate to slow in Israel this year, while the Bank of Israel has worked out different scenarios based on fallout from the judicial reform controversy.