Israel’s political leadership ordered the IDF to halt fire in Lebanon on Saturday, after a day of escalation. The instruction was given by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, following coordination with the United States, and was relayed to forces on the ground.
At the same time, Iran said it was closing the Strait of Hormuz to shipping, accusing Israel and the United States of violating ceasefire commitments. An Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman warned that if the sides do not honor their obligations, “the overall understanding will be in trouble.”
Separately, Israel’s Health Ministry said on Friday evening that a person suspected of having Ebola was being isolated. The patient returned to Israel three days earlier from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, sought medical care after developing fever and headache, and was admitted under isolation at Rambam Medical Center in Haifa while epidemiological tracing continued. Test results were expected within 24 hours.
The report also said the cause of a deadly tank blast in southern Lebanon remained under investigation after four soldiers were killed overnight. Investigators were still examining whether an anti-tank missile or another object penetrated the vehicle, or whether a malfunction caused ammunition inside the tank to explode. The article also cited an Ulpan Shishi poll showing 59% of respondents think Netanyahu should not run in the next election, compared with 33% who think he should and 8% who said they did not know.
