US strikes Houthis for second time, IDF prepares to return to fighting
Israel to continue hostage talks • IAF strikes terrorist cell in the Beit Lahiya
Former IRGC officers speak out against Islamic regime in rare interview with Israeli media
The testimonies provide a rare window into the fractures within Iran’s military and growing discontent among its ranks.
Several Iranian officers do not believe that Hamas and Hezbollah will not recover in strength and have also spoken out against the Islamic Republic regime in a rare interview with N12 published on Saturday.
Javad, a former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) operative, spoke publicly for the first time to Israeli media, revealing his past involvement in suppressing protests, his recruitment into the extremist Basij militia, and shared details into the Islamic Republic’s reaction to the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July of last year.
“It was an incredibly precise intelligence operation,” he said. “Mossad knew exactly where he was staying, down to the room number. It showed just how deeply Israeli intelligence had penetrated the IRGC.
Go to the full article >>Liberman announces intention to run for PM, slams Netanyahu for stalling hostage deal
Liberman criticized Netanyahu's handling of the hostage crisis, accusing him of stalling the hostage deal and claiming that it benefits him politically.
Yisrael Beytenu head MK Avigdor Liberman said he intends to run for the Prime Minister of Israel in an interview with 103FM on Sunday.
Liberman was asked in the interview if he would support National Unity Party MK Gadi Eisenkot as leader, to which he responded that he has "great respect for him, but we are completely different—both in political-security views and in social issues, and he is certainly also comparable to Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz.
"Everyone has a completely different worldview, so I will run based on my own vision and path," he later clarified. He also emphasized that he has the credentials for the position. "I have a clear doctrine. I have a proven track record in both security and economic matters. I was the only one who warned—not in hindsight, but in real time—about everything that happened on October 7."
Go to the full article >>Two Hezbollah operatives eliminated in drone strike in southern Lebanon
Two Hezbollah operatives were eliminated in a drone strike on a vehicle in southern Lebanon on Saturday morning, the IDF said.
The two were responsible for directing terrorist operations in the southern Lebanese cities of Yatar and Mais al-Jabal.
The report came shortly after the Hezbollah-affiliated outlet Al-Manar reported that one person was killed in an Israeli strike in the Lebanese city of Mais al-Jabal.
Go to the full article >>IDF ready to pull trigger on Hamas leadership in Gaza if hostage talks fall through
Military sources stated that Hamas leadership in Gaza remains in hiding, “and therefore believes it is immune, prolonging the situation.”
IDF sources expect the Israeli government to authorize military operations in the Gaza Strip if no last-minute breakthrough occurs in the hostage deal.
According to military sources, the IDF Intelligence Directorate, the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), and the Southern Command expanded the bank of potential Hamas targets across the Gaza Strip during the ceasefire.
“This target bank will enable the government to escalate operations in stages to apply pressure on Hamas leadership if negotiations for a hostage release stall,” the sources said.
Go to the full article >>Top US diplomat informs Russia about Yemen strikes, State Department says
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke on Saturday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to inform him about US strikes on Yemen's Houthis as well as the next steps following meetings in Saudi Arabia, the US State Department said.
Go to the full article >>'Returning to Life' program provides holistic support for Gaza hostages and families
The National Insurance Institute and Sheba Medical Center join forces to offer medical and emotional care for former captives and their families through free personalized treatment plans.
The National Insurance Institute and Sheba Medical Center are launching the "Returning to Life" program, which will provide medical, rehabilitative, and emotional support for Gaza hostages and their families.
The initiative will operate through Sheba BEYOND Virtual Hospital, and will assist former hostages and their families as well as families of hostages who have not yet returned.
Go to the full article >>PM tells hostage negotiators to prepare to continue talks
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed the hostage negotiating team to prepare for the continuation of talks, the prime minister announced on X/Twitter on Saturday night.
Go to the full article >>'You will not execute me like ISIS': Former hostage Tal Shoham describes Gaza captivity
Shoham had spent 505 days in captivity in the Gaza Strip, when he was finally released on February 22, 2025.
"If you want to kill me, kill me, but you will not execute me like ISIS," were reportedly the words former hostage Tal Shoham told Hamas terrorists on October 7, according to his interview with Fox News released on Saturday. This marks his first interview since his return from Gaza last month.
Go to the full article >>'Hell will rain down': Trump's message behind the strikes on the Houthis - analysis
The Trump doctrine is clear on the Houthis. He is saying their time is up and their attacks need to stop. He says “hell will rain down.”
The US strikes on the Houthis are intended to send a message that the Trump administration is not going to repeat the mistakes of the past. However, time will tell if the strikes actually have an impact.
Go to the full article >>'Message to Iran': US launches large-scale strikes on Houthis in Yemen, officials confirm
US official to 'Post': Strike on Houthis a message to Iran • US President Donald Trump: Houthis, your time is up, hell will rain down upon you
The United States struck Houthi targets in Yemen on Saturday evening in a message to Iran, at a time when the administration is proposing to open negotiations on its nuclear program, a US official told The Jerusalem Post.
The strikes will last "days, possible weeks" an official told Reuters.
Go to the full article >>Important facts
- Hamas launched a massive attack on October 7, with thousands of terrorists infiltrating from the Gaza border and taking some 240 hostages into Gaza.
- Over 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals were murdered, including over 350 at the Supernova music festival and hundreds of Israeli civilians across Gaza border communities.
- 59 hostages remain in Gaza.
- 49 hostages in total have been killed in captivity, IDF says.
- The IDF launched a ground invasion of Lebanon on September 30.
- The Israel-Lebanon ceasefire came into effect on November 27 at 4 a.m.
- Netanyahu confirmed the first phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire on January 17, 2025.
- 735 terrorists will be released as part of the hostage deal.