Israel at War Day 580: What happened in Israel, Gaza, West Bank?

The IDF and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) struck several Hamas terrorists who were operating in the area of Jabalya, in northern Gaza, the security forces announced on Friday.

Four Palestinians were killed, Walla reported.

"Prior to the strike, numerous steps were taken to mitigate the risk of harming civilians, including the use of precise munitions, aerial surveillance, and additional intelligence," the military said, adding, "The terrorist organizations systematically violate international law, exploiting civilian infrastructure and the Gazan population as human shields for terrorist activity."

Trump administration officials reportedly signaled openness in talks with Egypt to delaying the issue of Hamas' disarmament until after a ceasefire agreement is reached, an Egyptian source told Qatari-backed Al-Araby Al-Jadeed on Friday. 

If the US gets Iran to voluntarily shift away from an enrichment program, that is the most permanent way to make sure that they never get a nuclear weapon, US envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff told Breitbart News Network on Friday. 

"If we get them to voluntarily shift away from an enrichment program where they can enrich to not have centrifuges, to not have material that can be enriched to weapons-grade levels 90 percent, if we can get them to voluntarily do that that is the most permanent way to make sure that they never get a weapon," Witkoff said.

Witkoff said that he believes in US President Donald Trump's policy of attempting to settle the Iranian conflict through dialogue.

Israel will not be part of distributing aid in Gaza, US Ambassador Mike Huckabee said on Friday morning.

Israel will be involved in security in the Gaza Strip, he added. Huckabee said, "President Trump wants food distributed in Gaza safely and efficiently."

Huckabee spoke about the need to transfer humanitarian aid to Gaza, stating, "There is a desperate need for humanitarian aid in Gaza, but Hamas is not capable or willing to provide it."

Spanish airline, Air Europa, announced that Sunday's flights between Tel Aviv and Madrid have been cancelled "due to the situation in Israel," according to a Friday statement on their official social media.

Global airlines have been cancelling flights over the past week due to fears of a recurring Houthi missile attack, after an interception failure led a missile to crash near an access road to Ben-Gurion Airport on Sunday morning, temporarily halting takeoffs and landings.

Air Europa is part of SkyTeam, a major airline alliance which includes Delta Air Lines, Virgin Atlantic, KLM, and Air France, among other global partners.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed his concern about the fate of the hostages and the humanitarian plight in Gaza in a phone call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a German government spokesperson said in a statement on Friday.

Merz "expressed his hope that negotiations on a ceasefire would soon get underway," said the spokesperson, who added that the situation in Syria was also discussed in the Thursday call.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth canceled his scheduled visit to Israel next week, prior to President Donald Trump's visit to the region, a source familiar with the matter told The Jerusalem Post.

The IDF on Friday morning released the names of two soldiers who fell in battle in Rafah's al-Jeninah in the southern Gaza Strip on Thursday.

US President Donald Trump met Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer on Thursday and discussed the nuclear talks with Iran and the Israel-Hamas War, Axios reported, citing two sources briefed on the meeting.

Less than 24 hours between two Israeli Air Force (IAF) strikes that hit deep into Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen, marking a significant escalation in Israel's aerial operations against regional threats.

The attack, carried out by Squadron 69 - nicknamed "The Hammers" - targeted key terror infrastructure in the port city of Hudaydah and the capital, Sanaa. According to the IDF, the missions aimed to disrupt the Houthis' weapons supply chain and degrade their ability to operate through strategic maritime and aerial routes.

The first operation took place earlier this week, with dozens of F-151 "Ra'am" fighter jets departing from Hatzerim Airbase. Preparations unfolded inside the squadron's subterranean facilities, where technical crews moved swiftly between aircraft, and pilots engaged in briefings focused on terrain analysis and real-time intelligence.

The primary targets included Houthi assets at the Hudayah seaport and a concrete plant allegedly used for constructing underground bunkers. Aircraft were dispatched on separate flight paths - some aimed at inland infrastructure, others at coastal military sites.

“When they return, my first look is at the empty weapons racks,” said an armorer from the squadron. “It’s very satisfying to know you built that—and now it was used in a historic mission.”

Israeli Air Force preparing for IAF strike on Houthi-controlled Yemen (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)

Within hours, preparations began for second strike

Within hours of the jets returning from the Hudayah operation, preparations began for a second strike - this time focused on the Houthi-controlled airport in Sanaa, several power stations, and an additional concrete production facility linked to a tunnel network.

A fighter pilot from Squadron 69 participated in both missions. In the first, he led the planning team. Less than a day later, he was back in the air for the second sortie.

Despite his operational experience, the pilot said the mission stood out for its pace and precision. “When flying to a new location, you’re always struck by how similar the view from above is to the maps you studied. That’s when you know the preparation was done right.”

According to the IDF, the Sanaa airport served as a conduit for weapons and financial transfers. The attack, combined with strikes on power stations, aimed to disrupt the Houthis' logistics chain and deliver a message: no area used for terror is immune.

Upon returning to base, the pilot described a moment of quiet satisfaction. “When I landed back from Sana’a,” the pilot said. “I took a breath, embraced the ground crew and fellow pilots. Knowing the mission succeeded brought immense satisfaction.”