Police arrest arson suspect, fires continue to blaze accross Israel

A man was arrested for allegedly attempting to ignite an open field in southern Jerusalem, Israel Police announced on Wednesday.

A civilian reported the suspect, a man in his 50s from Umm Tuba, a neighborhood in east Jerusalem, and the man was caught after a short pursuit.

"A lighter, cotton, and additional incendiary materials were found in his possession. The suspect, in his 50s, was taken in for questioning," police stated.

Israel Meteorological Service warned on Wednesday about the continuation of severe weather conditions affecting much of the country as fires rage throughout the Jerusalem area and central Israel. 

A combination of strong winds, extremely high temperatures, and low humidity in the country has been intensifying the risk and spread of wildfires.

In many regions, temperatures have reached between 36° and 38° Celsius, with some areas peaking at 39°. The most extreme heat has been recorded in the Shfela region, the southern coastal plain, and parts of the western to northwestern Negev.

Bulldozers are breaking highway barriers to allow for the emergency evacuation of vehicles on Highway 1 following fires that broke out in the Jerusalem area on Wednesday.

כדי לאפשר פינוי כלי רכב: דחפורים פורצים את ההפרדה בין הנתיבים בכביש 1@amirbarshalom pic.twitter.com/PIl61vj1Jx

— גלצ (@GLZRadio) April 30, 2025

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar has appealed to the international community for assistance -- including neighboring countries Greece, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, and Bulgaria -- as fires continue to rage across the country on Wednesday.

Assistance is not currently expected to arrive before nightfall.

Firefighters have closed Highway 1 in Jerusalem to traffic and are attempting to contain the fire there, the authority said in a statement. The public has been urged to stay away from the area, and people have begun abandoning their cars on the road. 

A massive wildfire broke out Wednesday afternoon in the Jerusalem hills, prompting evacuations and forcing the closure of Highway 1 in both directions between Anava and Shoresh. The fire erupted near the site of last week’s blaze and has been rapidly spreading due to strong winds in the area.

Motorists who were trapped on Highway 1 were forced to abandon their vehicles as flames and thick smoke approached. Nine people have so far been rescued from areas impacted by the heavy smoke. Three private vehicles and a truck—none of them occupied—were reported to be burning at the scene.

Fire and Rescue Commissioner Eyal Caspi has activated the fire service’s emergency protocols and raised the national alert level to its highest. Israel has submitted a formal request for international assistance in battling the blaze.

As fires rage near Jerusalem, one of the world’s largest firefighting aircraft—the Boeing 747 Supertanker—has been dispatched from Greece to assist Israeli emergency crews battling the blaze. 

The aircraft, which has earned a reputation as a flying firefighter, is capable of dropping tens of thousands of liters of water or fire retardant in a single mission, making it one of the most powerful tools available in the fight against wildfires. 

What is the Supertanker?

The Supertanker is a converted Boeing 747-400, originally designed for commercial aviation but later transformed into a specialized firefighting aircraft. It was first developed by Evergreen International Aviation and most recently operated by the American-based company Global SuperTanker Services. 

A treetop and forest fire broke out in Eshtaol Forest between Mesilat Zion and Neve Shalom in the Judean Hills on Wednesday morning, Israel's Fire and Rescue Authority reported.

Around 50 fire crews, 10 firefighting planes, and a helicopter have been deployed to extinguish the blaze. A fire station has been established in the Latrun area to manage the complex firefighting effort. Additionally, the authority said a Red Torch Order was declared, meaning a national mobilization of assistance, including aircraft, reinforcement teams from additional districts, and logistical forces. 

"The founding and existence of the State of Israel is an unbreakable chain of pain and sacrifice," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during his speech at the Remembrance Day ceremony for Israel's fallen soldiers at Mount Herzl.

"This also defines the spirit of our fighters in the current war—the War of Rebirth," he continued.

The IDF struck a gathering of an extremist group in Syria that was reportedly preparing to continue attacks against the Druze population in the town of As-Suweida in Syria’s Damascus Governorate on Wednesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz announced in a joint statement on Wednesday.

"Israel will not allow harm to come to the Druze community in Syria, out of a deep commitment to our Druze brothers in Israel, who are tied by family and historical bonds to their Druze brothers in Syria," the statement read.

Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar spoke at the Remembrance Day ceremony on Wednesday morning at Mount Herzl, where he said, "We will continue to fight alongside our partners in the security forces. We will do everything necessary to return the 59 hostages.

"This is an open wound," he continued. "We will continue to pursue the perpetrators and accomplices of the October 7 massacre, every last one of them.

"We will continue to be a symbol of statesmanship, integrity, and truth in Israeli society, which must move towards healing and reconciliation."