Evacuation Warning Issued for Residents in Southern Lebanon, Reports of Fatalities in Tyre Strike

U.S. President Donald Trump was interviewed by The Wall Street Journal and commented on the incident in which a U.S. Air Force helicopter was hit in Hormuz. According to him, "The downing of the helicopter is not a serious matter." Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused the Americans on his X account of being behind the helicopter incident and called on them to leave the area: "Foreign forces near our territory are constantly at risk due to their own human errors, ordinary accidents, or the possibility of being caught in crossfire. To reduce the risk, the best solution is for them to leave. We prefer the language of diplomacy, but we speak other languages too." Transportation Minister Miri Regev launched a harsh attack against U.S. President Donald Trump during a discussion held with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and senior government officials. During the discussion with the prime minister, Regev said that Trump "does not attack, and also captures the airport."

In the security establishment and the IDF, disappointment was expressed over the way the latest round of strikes against Iran ended, and they are signaling that, from their perspective, the campaign is far from over. In the IDF, the political leadership is being recommended to change the response equation in the north, to strike forcefully in the Dahieh in Beirut in response to every shot fired at Israel, even at the cost of another round of fighting. In addition, the assessment is that another round with Iran may come soon.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed to cabinet ministers details of the late-night dialogue he held with U.S. President Donald Trump, just hours before the planes took off to attack in Iran. According to Netanyahu, the American president specifically asked him "not to attack." Netanyahu also told ministers that Trump justified the request by saying, "You did not have casualties," and urged Israel to show restraint, adding, "Do not hit them back."

U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on his social media account: "I was just informed by our magnificent military that last night the Iranians shot down one of our most sophisticated Apache helicopters while it was patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz. The incident involved two pilots, both healthy and unharmed. Nevertheless, the United States must, as a matter of reality, respond to this attack."

Giivati Brigade forces have been operating recently north of the Litani River. Since the start of operations in the area, more than 40 Hezbollah terrorists have been killed. In recent days, the forces found several weapons depots inside civilian buildings in the areas of Zotar al-Gharbiyya and Zotar al-Sharqiyya. The weapons found in the depots included Kalashnikov rifles, anti-tank missiles and launchers, magazines, grenades, communications devices, drones and additional combat equipment. One of the depots was set up in a civilian building and was used by operatives of the Radwan Force. Dozens of weapons were found in the depot alongside a baby crib and civilian infrastructure.

The Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, visited the north during the "Sederat HaEsh" drill, together with the Commander of the Ground Forces, Maj. Gen. Nadav Lotan, and other commanders. Among other things, he told the fighters that "the strike carried out in Iran was preparation for a much more significant and heavier blow. We are ready to return and inflict another severe and deep strike."

A terrorist armed with a handgun was killed after opening fire at IDF forces in the Ramat Naftali area, near the moshav Margaliot on the Lebanon border. The terrorist approached the security fence and opened fire at a military position in the area, and an IDF force at the scene returned fire and killed him. There were no casualties among the fighters. Following the exchange of fire and concern over the presence of additional terrorists in the area, residents in the Margaliot area were asked to remain inside their homes until further notice. At the same time, emergency squads in the communities of Manara, Misgav Am and Margaliot were called up and are on high alert, and the security coordinators are in full coordination with the commanders on the ground. The IDF said that "the incident is still ongoing. IDF forces continue to carry out searches, in addition to Air Force aircraft that were scrambled to the area. The IDF is in ongoing contact with the local authorities."

France, Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Norway imposed new sanctions against figures "responsible for the escalation of violence in the West Bank." In addition, France banned Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich from entering its territory, saying he is "promoting a policy that cannot be accepted by the international community." The British foreign secretary said the move was in response to the peak in settlement expansion as well as the rise in violence in Judea and Samaria.

In a statement from the IDF Spokesperson's Unit, it was said: "The IDF struck yesterday in the southern Gaza Strip and eliminated two terrorists from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist organization. The terrorists eliminated in the strike were: Iyad Mohammed Abdulaziz Nofal, a Nukhba commander in the Islamic Jihad organization, and Ahmed Abdulhamid Hamad Maarouf, head of a cell in the Islamic Jihad organization. Throughout the war, the terrorist carried out rocket fire plans against the territory of the State of Israel. The two terrorists planned to carry out terror plots against IDF forces in the immediate future and were eliminated to remove the threat."

The Iranian Revolutionary Guards-affiliated Tasnim news agency reported the funeral of two air defense soldiers who were killed in the Israeli strikes. The IDF struck on Sunday the main headquarters of Hamas's naval police in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, and the IDF Spokesperson's Unit said that several terrorists were eliminated in the strike, including Ismail Al-Laham, a cell commander in Hamas's military wing. In addition, last week the IDF destroyed three weapons depots belonging to the terrorist organization. The IDF Spokesperson's Unit said: "The naval police in the Gaza Strip operates under the military wing of the Hamas terrorist organization and works to advance, direct and carry out terror plots against IDF forces and the State of Israel. In the headquarters that was struck, efforts were made to restore and strengthen Hamas, in violation of the ceasefire agreement and by exploiting infrastructure presented as civilian."

Reuters reported that the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court in The Hague (ICC), Karim Khan, has been suspended from his position following an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment made against him. A diplomatic source said that after an investigation lasting about 18 months, the court's governing body's executive bureau determined that Khan had engaged in "serious misconduct," following allegations that he had engaged in non-consensual sex with a lawyer in his office. The governing body will send its findings to all 125 member states of the court, which will vote on Khan's fate at a special session to be held later. The prosecutor's lawyer denied the allegations and said he "strongly rejects the decision." He also said, "The decision is unlawful, procedurally unfair and unsupported by evidence." A court press release said that "the decision and related documents will remain confidential."

IDF Arabic-language spokesperson Col. Avichay Adraee issued an urgent evacuation warning to residents of the city of Tyre in southern Lebanon, including the Christian quarter and the surrounding camps and neighborhoods. "In light of the violation of the ceasefire and the firing toward the Israeli home front by the Hezbollah terrorist organization, the IDF has been forced to act against it with force. The IDF does not wish to harm you," Col. Adraee said. "For your safety, we call on you to evacuate your homes immediately, according to the area marked on the map, and move north of the Zahrani River."

According to an exclusive report by independent journalist Ken Klippenstein, the Pentagon secretly sent some fighters from the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne Division to Israel, a rapid response unit specializing in taking control of hostile territory, without disclosing it to the public. A military source involved in war planning claimed the move is linked to new American-Israeli contingency plans built since February, including the possibility of taking control of Kharg Island, Iran's main oil export hub, and even creating a controlled coastal area inside Iran. According to documents obtained by Klippenstein, a force from the "Geronimo" battalion was stationed in Israel on a "temporary mission," while the Pentagon publicly presented only a general deployment to Central Command.

U.S. President Donald Trump said overnight that his country is expected to announce a "total victory" in Iran within two weeks. "We are negotiating right now, they are ready to give us everything, and ready for there to be no nuclear weapons in Iran." At the same time, Vice President J.D. Vance said in an interview with Fox News that "our main goal is to prevent nuclear weapons from Iran, and we have created space for a long-term deal on the issue." Vance noted that "Israel may like it or not, but that is what is good for the United States."

An Apache attack helicopter of the U.S. Army crashed yesterday near the Strait of Hormuz, and the two crew members were rescued safely, according to a report in The New York Times. According to a source familiar with the details, the cause of the crash is not yet known. U.S. President Donald Trump addressed the crash and said a formal report would be issued on it tomorrow, and confirmed that "the pilots are fine."

Iran's ambassador to the UN, Amir Saeed Iravani, confirmed that contacts between the Americans and Iran are still ongoing and are being conducted with Pakistani mediation, with both sides continuing to exchange positions in an effort to reach a final version of an agreement. According to him, no final draft has yet been reached, but efforts continue. He also said that Iran sees the ceasefire as one that should apply to the entire region, including Lebanon, and insists on incorporating into the draft a condition that any arrangement in the Gulf will also apply in southern Lebanon.