Author: mackenzie

The Pentagon announced Tuesday that it has awarded Boeing an $8.6 billion contract to supply Israel with advanced F-15 fighter jets, marking a major boost to the Israeli Air Force’s capabilities. The deal covers the acquisition of the F-15IA, Israel’s customized version of the American F-15EX. These next-generation fighters are designed to gradually replace older aircraft and significantly enhance Israel’s strategic reach and air superiority. The F-15IA is notable for its exceptional weapons-carrying capacity and extended operational range, making it well-suited for long-range strike missions. When combined with Israel’s fleet of F-35 Adirs, the aircraft will create a powerful mix…

The Lebanese army announced Thursday that it had completed the first phase of its plan to disarm Hezbollah, covering the area in the country’s south between the Israeli border and the Litani River. The announcement marked a potential milestone more than a year after a ceasefire ended a year-long war between the terror group and Israel. For decades, Hezbollah had been the most powerful force in Lebanon’s south. But Israel, which maintains a troop presence in a number of key locations in southern Lebanon to defend the border, was skeptical about the Lebanese claim. Continue reading this article on timesofisrael.com

On Friday, January 2, the IDF carried out strikes on several Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, including a training compound used by the terror group’s Radwan Force and nearby weapons depots. Images from the Jezzine district showed smoke rising after Israeli planes targeted positions in the Rihan Heights as part of ongoing efforts to blunt cross-border threats. The army said the targets were linked to efforts by Hezbollah to regenerate capabilities near the frontier. Recent weeks have seen periodic escalations, with Israel emphasizing that strikes are aimed at preventing rearmament and deterring incursions while maintaining readiness along the northern border.…

The IDF struck terror operatives in the western part of Gaza City on Thursday afternoon, Palestinian sources reported a “belt of fire” following the attack, in retaliation for the second violation of the ceasefire in less than a day. Earlier Thursday, a rocket was fired from northern Gaza and fell inside the territory near Israeli military positions — a launch that the military said was “unsuccessful.” The IDF said it detected the rocket launch toward Israel, but the projectile landed inside Gaza near a hospital. In a rapid response, the military said it targeted the launch site. “The IDF strongly…

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian declared on Saturday, December 27, that Iran is engaged in “total war” with the United States, Israel, and Europe, accusing Western powers of attempting to break Iran through military action, sanctions, and diplomatic pressure. He described the current confrontation as more complex than the Iran-Iraq War, claiming Iran now faces a coordinated, multi-front campaign aimed at weakening the regime and destabilizing the country internally. Pezeshkian pointed to the reimposition of UN sanctions tied to Iran’s nuclear program and blamed European governments for abandoning diplomatic engagement. He said talks earlier in 2025 collapsed after military escalation and…

A teacher was assaulted on Yefet Street in Jaffa by an unidentified assailant on Thursday evening. According to initial reports, the incident occurred shortly before 7 p.m., when Rabbi Netanel Avitan, 51, a teacher at the Shirat Moshe Hesder Yeshiva in Jaffa,  was walking to his car. The attacker allegedly struck him while shouting insults in Arabic, breaking the rabbi’s glasses before fleeing the scene. Magen David Adom paramedics treated Avitan at the scene and evacuated him to Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv. He is receiving treatment for facial wounds and reported headaches. His condition was described as stable. Continue reading this article on jpost.com

Golani Brigade troops uncovered a reinforced, walkable Hamas tunnel about half a mile from the Gaza fence opposite Kissufim after ground collapsed in heavy storms, raising concerns it was meant to move terrorists or hostages toward nearby refugee camp. The Israel Defense Forces has released the first documentation from inside a large Hamas tunnel uncovered near the Gaza border opposite Kibbutz Kissufim, after part of the ground collapsed during recent severe weather. In recent days, as weather conditions improved, the IDF renewed its examination of the tunnel, which was discovered about a week ago in central Gaza. Combat engineers from…

In an interview with Fox News on Wednesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the possibility of moving to stage two in the Gaza peace plan, stating the main condition for this development as the disarmament of Hamas. According to Netanyahu, there are currently about 20,000 armed Hamas operatives in the Strip with Kalashnikov weapons, who, combined, possess roughly 60,000 weapons and use them against Gaza civilians who oppose their continued rule. “They kill a lot of people who don’t want them,” he said in the interview. “Disarmament means taking away all their weapons and disposing of them, as well as dismantling the hundreds…

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to present President Donald Trump with options for renewed strikes on Iran during a meeting later this month at Mar-a-Lago. The discussions are described as being driven by deepening Israeli concern over Iran’s continuing efforts to rebuild and expand key military capabilities after the June conflict known as Operation Rising Lion. While Iran’s nuclear activity remains a central worry for Jerusalem, the most immediate focus described in the early details is the ballistic missile threat, which Israeli officials see as urgent and rapidly evolving. Israeli officials have voiced concern that Iran is not…

Senior officials from Israel, Greece, and Cyprus are in early-stage discussions on establishing a joint rapid reaction military force, according to three sources familiar with the matter who spoke to i24NEWS. The initiative is being examined as part of a broader effort to strengthen military-strategic cooperation among the three countries amid rising tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean. According to the sources, the proposed force would not be permanent but would be designed for rapid deployment during crisis situations at sea, in the air, and on land. The discussions are described as preliminary, with planning and assessments still underway. One source…