Former Israeli chief of staff, now a political figure shaping emergency coalition talks amid a tight parliament and regional tensions.
Heavy rains have flooded tens of thousands of displacement tents across Gaza, killing several people and exposing nearly 400,000 displaced residents to collapse-prone buildings and contaminated runoff. The US-backed Board of Peace, the EU and UN agencies have said Israeli restrictions on winterisation and construction equipment remain insufficient; Israel says it has approved and allowed large shipments while blaming Hamas for hoarding and weaponising supplies.
Israeli and Palestinian authorities confront a stalled Gaza peace plan as winter intensifies the humanitarian crisis. Trump’s push for a Palestinian technocratic government faces resistance in Israel, while aid restrictions and a harsh weather outlook threaten hundreds of thousands of displaced Gazans.
Saudi air defences have intercepted multiple ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones launched by Yemen’s Houthi movement toward Riyadh, the southern and eastern regions. Falling shrapnel has caused limited damage to an administrative Aramco building in Riyadh’s King Abdullah Financial District; officials have reported no injuries. The UN Security Council has extended Yemen-related sanctions for one year.
Arab-Israeli voters are mobilising ahead of the October 27 election, with turnout surging among Palestinian citizens of Israel. Polls suggest Arab lists could be kingmakers, potentially shaping whether Netanyahu or Eisenkot leads the next government. The dynamic is redefining coalition math in a deeply divided Israel.
Israel has held tightly contested elections that have produced a record Arab-led Knesset presence: Ra’am has increased to eight seats and the Joint List to 11, giving Arab parties a combined 19 of 120 seats. Neither Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc nor Gadi Eisenkot’s opposition has reached 61 seats, leaving Arab lists with potential leverage over coalition formation.
Iran warns it will retaliate against any renewed attacks as shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz continue. Tehran says US-Israeli pressure has escalated tensions, while regional diplomacy seeks de-escalation amid talks with Mecca pact states and Mecca alliance discussions.
The Israeli military has launched a large-scale operation in Hebron following a deadly attack at a West Bank checkpoint. Netanyahu has ordered house-to-house searches and the demolition of suspected militant infrastructure, in a move framed as a security response ahead of elections. Palestinian residents face displacement and movement restrictions as tensions rise.
Israeli forces have launched a large operation in Hebron after two soldiers were killed at a checkpoint, displacing roughly 3,000 people, demolishing homes and infrastructure, and imposing a citywide lockdown. Israeli leaders have defended the raids as counterterror measures; UN officials and rights groups have warned the steps amount to collective punishment and risk ethnic cleansing.
Since Friday, Israeli forces have escalated a major operation in Hebron and across the West Bank, displacing thousands, sealing districts and barring Palestinian workers from most areas on Election Day. The raids have disrupted education, damaged livelihoods and drawn international concern over collective punishment and rights abuses.
Lebanese farmers are returning to olive groves along the southern border despite ongoing clashes with Israel. The Lebanese Army accompanies harvests as drone surveillance and past bombardments shape this season, with thousands of hectares burned and access limited since 2023. Local families say the harvest remains vital to income and sustenance, even as the danger persists.
Israeli election results show Netanyahu’s Likud bloc and Eisenkot’s Change Bloc locked in a tight race, with Arab-led parties emerging as potential kingmakers. Final results remain uncertain as absentee ballots are counted, and the president will start consultations to form a government amid ongoing coalition negotiations.
Gadi Eisenkot has been tasked with forming Israel's next government after securing endorsements that give his bloc a parliamentary lead. He has asked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to avoid major national security moves during the transition and has requested regular security briefings and a state inquiry into failures before the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks. Coalition arithmetic remains deadlocked with Arab-led parties holding a record 19 Knesset seats.
Final Israeli election results place Likud as the largest party with 27 seats; the anti-Netanyahu bloc trails. Arab parties reach historic high, complicating coalition talks. Turnout holds at 77.9% as Shin Bet probes possible foreign interference. President Herzog will begin consultations with party leaders to designate who will attempt to form the next government.
Israel has confirmed an ongoing Shin Bet inquiry into alleged foreign interference in the vote. Officials say suspicions are being thoroughly reviewed, and that the integrity of the electoral process remains intact. Arab-led parties achieved a record 19 seats, broadening coalition considerations amid a defused but tense political landscape.
Israel’s election results have left Netanyahu’s Likud short of a 61-seat majority, with Arab-led parties winning 19 seats. The opposition bloc is weighing alliances, while the Shin Bet and election committee investigate alleged foreign funding connected to Arab groups. Final seat distribution remains uncertain as counting continues and negotiations begin.
Palestinian parties in Israel have secured a historic 19 seats in the Knesset amid record turnout, challenging the Jewish political establishment and complicating coalition talks. Netanyahu’s bloc remains short of a majority, while Arab lists push for influence without entering a formal government coalition.
President Donald Trump has said the United States will stop providing about $3.8–4 billion a year in military aid to Israel at the end of 2026 and instead sell arms if needed. He has framed the move as a response to political criticism in the US and said he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed the change; officials in Washington and Jerusalem have not provided details.
The mediation efforts led by Qatar are accelerating as regional actors seek a phased deal to end the Iran-US conflict. Limited strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island have been reported, while US midterms are shaping new dynamics in Washington.
Israel has seen its long-standing security partnership with the United States come under renewed scrutiny as the US midterm results shift political dynamics. Netanyahu’s government is facing pressure to realign policy following a wave of criticism over military aid and regional policy.
Arab News reports a fragmented vote left Netanyahu's bloc with 53 seats and Eisenkot's 48, with Palestinian parties holding 19 seats. Neither side has a majority, forcing tense coalition negotiations and the possibility of new elections within months.
An Israeli strike has hit the surgery building at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, killing at least six people and wounding around 20–30. Israeli forces have said they targeted a senior Hamas commander they accused of operating inside the complex; hospital staff and Hamas deny militants were present. The attack has knocked out the hospital's surgical department.
Gadi Eisenkot has formally received the mandate to form Israel’s next government after polls indicated a fragmented Knesset. He is pursuing a national emergency government, seeking backing from Likud, Arab parties, and ultra-Orthodox groups, while avoiding another election and aiming to address Israel’s security and domestic challenges.
Israel’s longest-serving leader has seen his religious-nationalist coalition lose its majority in the October elections while remaining the largest bloc. Former military chief Eisenkot is poised to try forming a government, but faces a path that may require unusual coalitions or a unity approach. Arab parties hold the balance as negotiations unfold; the process has a defined deadline and could lead to a snap election if no government forms.
The United States has no immediate plans to strike Iran, while Tehran is warning of a decisive response as attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz intensify. Mediation efforts continue as new exchanges raise pressure on regional actors and global energy markets.
Shin Bet has found no evidence of foreign interference in the recent Israeli elections, countering claims by Prime Minister Netanyahu and the agency’s chief. Investigations have found no substantiation of funding from the PA or Arab states to Arab-led parties, challenging allegations that fuel cards and money influenced the vote. The attorney general is set to review findings.
The 26th Knesset opened with neither Netanyahu’s bloc nor Eisenkot’s opposition holding a majority. The president has tasked Eisenkot with forming a government within 28 days, with a possible extension. The opposition aims to push through a commission into the October 7 attacks and other reforms, while Netanyahu’s coalition remains under pressure. If talks stall, a new election could renew the political deadlock.
Arab-led parties are pivotal in post-election coalition talks as Abbas denies Hamas recognition; Eisenkot aims to form a government that includes Ra’am and the Joint List, while Netanyahu faces criticism over alleged attempts to influence Palestinian politicians.
As Israel weighs its options amid a contentious political climate, Netanyahu is pressing for a national unity approach while opposition leaders warn against actions that could drag the country into war. Caretaker leadership is shaping decisions on Iran and potential military action.
Gadi Eisenkot has called for respect for Israel's Arab minority as the two Arab-majority parties hold a combined 19 seats in the new parliament. Netanyahu and allies have accused Arab leaders of links to Hamas, while Arab parties condemn marginalisation. The move comes as Eisenkot seeks to form a government with cross-party support.