[45787] Peak tension with Iran, expansion of fighting in the north, and political upheaval

The campaign against Iran and the US

Against the backdrop of increasing regional tension in 2026, President Donald Trump and the top US military brass are discussing a strike plan dubbed "The Final Blow" against Iranian infrastructure. President Trump states that although Iran is interested in an agreement – and has even conveyed a new proposal through Pakistan – he is not satisfied with the terms and demands complete nuclear disarmament. At the same time, senior IDF officials warn that without removing uranium from Iran, the recent operations will be considered a failure. A CNN investigation reveals that Iran has attacked more than half of the US military facilities in the Middle East since the outbreak of the war. In addition, geopolitical instability and threats to the Strait of Hormuz are leading to sharp fluctuations in the global oil market, which drew a jab from the Prime Minister of Slovakia who linked oil prices to Trump's mood.

The Northern Front: Expansion of fighting and restrictions on the home front

The IDF continues to expand the fighting in southern Lebanon, with targeted strikes that have created a "kill zone" around Nabatieh (Haboush) and claimed a number of lives. Conversely, Hezbollah is increasing its use of explosive drones, one of which wounded an officer and a reservist in Misgav Am, alongside UAV penetration that triggered sirens in Rosh HaNikra. On the diplomatic front, the President of Lebanon is freezing his visit to Washington due to a lack of guarantees.

On the home front, the Home Front Command tightened the guidelines in the confrontation line, which led to a dramatic reduction of the Lag BaOmer celebration in Meron to only 200 participants in an open area. Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu called on the public to heed the guidelines and stand by the soldiers. At the same time, it was reported that the Home Front Command is expected to extend alert times in northern towns such as Acre and Karmiel.

Politics and domestic affairs: Upheaval in the polls and digitalization

The political arena is in turmoil following a "Maariv" poll presenting an upheaval: the 'Together' party, a connection between Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, is overtaking the Likud and winning 28 mandates, while the opposition bloc is approaching 60-61 mandates. In the index of suitability for Prime Minister, Gadi Eisenkot is surpassing both Netanyahu and Bennett. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Netanyahu is promoting a broad government plan for digitalization and the integration of artificial intelligence to improve service to the citizen and reduce bureaucracy.

World news: American tariffs and countering antisemitism

• USA and the European Union: President Trump announced the imposition of a 25% tariff on cars and trucks from the EU, with the aim of encouraging American production. At the same time, new videos were revealed from the assassination attempt on Trump during the White House Correspondents' Dinner.


• Europe and the Diaspora: In North Macedonia, seven suspects were arrested for attempting to set fire to the Jewish community. In London, an indictment for attempted murder was filed against a terrorist who stabbed two Jews. In Spain, violent protests were recorded outside the Israeli embassy in protest of stopping a flotilla to Gaza, and meanwhile, in the Moroccan parliament, an initiative to grant citizenship to descendants of the country's Jews is being promoted.


• Technology and security: Ukraine is using the network game GTA V to train military drone operators, and the Israeli company "Rafael" signed a memorandum of understanding to purchase a Volkswagen factory in Germany for the production of Iron Dome components.

Civil events, society, and economy in Israel

During the last day, a number of emergency events were recorded in Israel: an 87-year-old man drowned to death at Poleg beach in Netanya; a paraglider was rescued in moderate-to-severe condition after being electrocuted and getting stuck on power lines in the Arava; a young man was stabbed and seriously wounded at a nature party in Yerucham; and a man was arrested on suspicion of attacking a nun in the Old City of Jerusalem. On the consumer level, the drop in the dollar exchange rate led to a wave of online shopping in Israel and the return of free shipping from Amazon.