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Wednesday, May 20, 2026

05/19 Links Pt1: Is a ‘New Middle East’ Still Possible?; Was Israel’s War on Iran a Success?; IDF reservist killed in southern Lebanon; Republican senators urge Trump to dismantle UNRWA, citing Hamas ties

From Ian:

Seth Frantzman: Is a ‘New Middle East’ Still Possible?
The real question hanging over the Middle East at the moment is what comes next in the post-Iran-War period. The outcome of the Iran War could resemble that of the 1991 Gulf War. Following that conflict, the state system of the region grew weaker, and extremist groups, led by Al Qaeda, filled the vacuum.

Speaking about Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, President George HW Bush said, “What is at stake is more than one small country; it is a big idea: a new world order, where diverse nations are drawn together in common cause to achieve the universal aspirations of mankind—peace and security, freedom, and the rule of law. Such is a world worthy of our struggle and worthy of our children’s future.”

However, the world order that was ushered in after 1991 did not live up to this aspiration. In the Middle East, in particular, it is clear that it did not. Instead, the Gulf War opened a Pandora’s box, unforeseen at the time. The chaos of the 1990s enabled Osama Bin Laden to plot attacks and receive shelter from the Taliban in Afghanistan. A weakened Saddam Hussein regime did not go away, but limped on until the US invasion of 2003. Various regimes in the region, including Assad in Syria and the Iranians, exploited the chaos in Iraq after 2003. After the Arab Spring of 2011 and the resultant Syrian Civil War, ISIS emerged in Syria and Iraq.

Now, in 2026, we are at a new turning point. Iran is weakened, but it may continue to limp along just as Saddam Hussein’s government did. Iran’s attacks have transformed the Gulf states. They are investing heavily in US armaments, $17 billion in recent purchases, according to The New York Times. Air defenses and armaments will only go so far. A tighter and more formidable security architecture in the region is also needed, which will mean closer partnerships with countries such as Pakistan, Egypt, Israel, and Turkey. The Gulf states may not all agree on which of these four regional countries is the best partner, but they are already seeking them out.

A major question for a changing Middle East is whether a weakened Iran will ditch its proxies. Iran has been supporting Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and militias in Iraq over the last few decades. Are all those groups strong enough to stand on their own without Tehran’s support? Hamas and Hezbollah have fought Israel for years and taken losses, but they are still in control of parts of Gaza and Lebanon. The Houthis appear to be cemented in Yemen as well. Iraq, which has a new prime minister after six months of uncertainty since elections in November, will find it hard to disarm Iranian-backed militias.

Depending on how the recent conflict with Iran is resolved, the likely trend in the Middle East will be a gradual shift away from the chaos that defined the era from 1991 to 2023. The October 7 war has led to a stronger Israel and also led to other countries stepping up to more assertive regional roles, including Turkey and Saudi Arabia, as well as countries that are further away, such as Pakistan. Pakistan has sought to mediate between Iran and the United States, for instance. The next era in the region will focus on the state-to-state relations among these regional powers.
Amit Segal: Was Israel’s War on Iran a Success?
Assessing this new reality, Hayman warns that Khamenei is more radical than his father and is no longer bound by the previous religious decree prohibiting the production of nuclear weapons. Because the Iranian leadership will likely conclude that “only nuclear deterrence can prevent the next war,” Hayman asserts that the defense establishment must operate under the working assumption that a clandestine Iranian nuclear weapons project is already underway.

Israel’s political ambition was the overthrow of the Iranian regime, whereas the IDF’s stated military objective was limited to the attrition of its capabilities.

Hayman’s article also reveals that it took Iran a full 40 hours of aggressive pressure to compel Hezbollah to enter the current campaign. Initially, Hezbollah attempted to deceive both Israel and the Lebanese public into believing their strikes were purely “symbolic.” To create the illusion of compliance with demilitarization agreements, the group intentionally withheld fire from south of Lebanon’s Litani River until March 5. However, Hayman notes that Hezbollah had secretly maintained combat infrastructure and fighters in that southern zone the entire time.

Although Hezbollah has been significantly degraded militarily, Hayman warns that retaining just 10 percent of its pre-November 2024 capabilities still leaves it with a formidable arsenal of approximately 15,000 rockets and missiles.

This looming threat is compounded by a frustrating tactical reality on the ground. Late last week, the U.S. announced a 45-day extension of the ceasefire in Lebanon. Yet, despite this truce on paper, the conflict continues; now the IDF operates under severe American constraints, with President Donald Trump largely prohibiting strikes in Beirut and the Beqaa valley.

Meanwhile, over the past two weeks, drone attacks and cross-border incidents have killed seven Israeli soldiers and civilians, wounding dozens more. While the establishment of the “Yellow Line” buffer zone in southern Lebanon has mitigated some direct fire, holding this territory places IDF forces on the ground at significant risk, Hayman writes.

He concludes with stark recommendations for the path forward. If diplomacy is the chosen route, an airtight, highly “stringent nuclear agreement” is an absolute necessity. Conversely, if the decision is to resume the war, it must be explicitly defined as a campaign to eliminate threats—with the Iranian nuclear program targeted first. While Trump currently appears to be leaning toward the military option, Hayman issues a clear warning regarding any future operation: “Aerial strikes alone will not be enough.”
Seth Mandel: Don’t Cry for Qatar
The Iran war has been pitched mostly as a battle of economic wills: with rising gas prices in the U.S. and cratering oil revenue in Iran. Who will blink first?

But it’s just as important to recognize how each side’s junior partners can influence the broader war strategy. Case in point: This afternoon, President Trump announced he was postponing the next round of planned Iran strikes because the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates told him negotiations had made real progress.

And who knows. Maybe it’s even true. But the timing is interesting. Yesterday, the New York Times’ correspondent in Doha published a fascinating article on how the Iran war was crushing the Qatari economy. It turns out that second to Iran, Qatar has the most to lose from a prolonged conflict and the most to gain from a deal.

The article sketches out the Qatari economic miracle. And it is quite the success story. But Qatar’s success has been terrible for the world. And a deal that Qatar is happy with would likely be a deal whose terms are to America’s detriment.

Qatar, let’s remember, does not have clean hands here. When the current phase of the larger U.S.-Iran-Israel war kicked off, on October 7, 2023, the Saudis and Emiratis were engaged in a diplomatic program that was bringing progress and peace to the region—and included concessions for the Palestinians too.

Hamas crushed all that. Which means Hamas’s patrons crushed all that—chiefly Iran, but Qatar too. The understanding that Israeli leaders had with the Qataris was that their involvement would bring stability to Gaza. Instead, it brought some of the worse war the region has seen.

Qatar contributes to any misery one might find in the Middle East but none of the progress. During the Gaza war, Qatar was at times startlingly useless. It had found itself in a position of power because of its wealth and because of its determination to use that wealth for evil purposes. Yet it was mostly unhelpful in putting out the fires it helped start.


IDF reservist killed in exchange of fire with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon
An IDF officer was killed in combat with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon on Tuesday morning, the military announced, as limited fighting continued with the Iran-backed terror group despite a newly extended ceasefire.

The slain officer was named as Maj. (res.) Itamar Sapir, 27, a deputy company commander in the 551st Brigade’s 7008th, from the West Bank settlement of Eli. Sapir also served in the Maglan commando unit during his regular service.

He is survived by his wife, Roee, their one-year-old son, Maayan, his parents and his brothers.

Sapir was killed during an exchange of fire when a Hezbollah operative began firing from inside a church at Israeli forces operating in the village of Qouza.

After the exchange of fire, the Israel Defense Forces responded by striking targets in the area in an attempt to hit the operative.

“Itamar always had a huge smile, and everyone who saw him understood what a kind smile and eyes he had, and how talented he was,” Sapir’s father-in-law Erez said.

“He had a desire to do good in the world, wherever he was. We, the whole family, were privileged to be a part of his life,” he added.


Republican senators urge Trump to dismantle UNRWA, citing Hamas ties
A group of 25 Republican lawmakers urged U.S. President Donald Trump to work with the United Nations to dismantle and defund the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, arguing ties to Hamas have compromised the agency.

In a letter sent on Monday, led by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), the legislators called for UNRWA’s dissolution, saying “achieving stability in Gaza requires ridding Gaza of the military, social and political infrastructure that fed Hamas’s power.”

The letter cited Israeli findings that at least 12 UNRWA employees participated in the Hamas-led terrorist attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and claimed roughly 10% of the agency’s Gaza staff have ties to terrorist organizations. It also referenced an investigation by the U.S. Agency for International Development that, according to the letter, identified three additional UNRWA employees involved in the attacks and 14 others affiliated with Hamas.

The lawmakers further alleged Hamas has exploited UNRWA infrastructure in Gaza.

“Since Oct. 7, Hamas has repeatedly diverted UNRWA’s supplies, used its facilities to hide weapons stockpiles and tunnel infrastructure, and even used its buildings to hold hostages,” the senators wrote.

“Take decisive action to fully dismantle UNRWA and eliminate it from the U.N. budget,” they wrote. “Any aid organization in Gaza or otherwise must be demonstrably free of ties to terrorism and committed to transparency, accountability and peace. We must ensure this failed system doesn’t continue reinforcing the conditions that have fueled terrorism for generations. The time to act is now.”

Cotton stated separately that “funding UNRWA is funding Hamas,” adding that “this terrorist-filled organization should never receive another dime of funding.”
Dem colleagues need ‘reasonable position’ on dismantling UNRWA, says House armed services panel ranking member
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, led 24 Republican colleagues in a letter on Monday urging U.S. President Donald Trump to work with the United Nations to dismantle and defund the U.N. Relief and Works Agency, or UNRWA.

On Tuesday, Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, told JNS that he thinks that his Democratic colleagues should have their own approach to dismantling UNRWA, which works with Palestinian refugees and which Israel, the United States and others have accused of having ties to terror groups in Gaza and Judea and Samaria.

“Just getting rid of UNRWA and not having anyone there to feed and house and help people empowers the more extreme elements,” the Washington Democrat told JNS.

The letter should have discussed creating an alternative to the U.N. agency, according to Smith, who is not Jewish but whose home anti-Israel protesters have picketed.

“If you want to dismantle UNRWA and come up with some alternative, I think that’s got to be part of it,” he told JNS. “I would like to see something that says, ‘And here’s what’s going to be there instead.’”

Smith thinks that Democrats should talk about their approach to replacing UNRWA, and that it would be a good idea for them to “stake out a reasonable position.”




IDF intercepts all ships in Gaza-bound flotilla, over 400 activists being transferred to Israel
The Foreign Ministry announced late Tuesday that the latest activist flotilla aiming to break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza has “come to an end,” with more than 400 activists taken to Israel.

Israeli commandos intercepted all of the more than 50 boats in the flotilla. A live feed on the Global Sumud Flotilla’s website showed soldiers boarding the vessels as activists in life vests put their hands up. The troops then destroyed cameras mounted on the ships.

“Another PR flotilla has come to an end,” the Foreign Ministry wrote in a post on X. “All 430 activists have been transferred to Israeli vessels and are making their way to Israel, where they will be able to meet with their consular representatives. This flotilla has once again proved to be nothing more than a PR stunt at the service of Hamas. Israel will continue to act in full accordance with international law and will not permit any breach of the lawful naval blockade on Gaza.”

The Global Sumud Flotilla later confirmed that all 50 boats were intercepted, saying 428 participants from more than 40 countries detained were detained, including 78 Turks.

Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani called for an urgent review of Israel’s use of force after Italian activists said soldiers fired rubber bullets at vessels, which was also reported by Hebrew media. Flotilla organizers claimed Israeli soldiers fired on five boats during the interdictions, with some damage. There were no reports of casualties.

“At no point was live ammunition fired,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement earlier on Tuesday. “Following multiple warnings, non-lethal means were employed toward the vessel – not toward protesters – as a warning.”

Additional footage circulating online appeared to show Israeli authorities blasting “Michelle” by Noam Bettan, Israel’s entry in the recent Eurovision Song Contest, through the speakers of at least one flotilla vessel. In similar footage circulated Monday, Israeli authorities were seen playing “Oops!… I Did It Again” by Britney Spears through at least one of the flotilla boats’ speakers.


US sanctions Gaza flotilla organizers, Muslim Brotherhood affiliates
The Trump administration imposed sanctions on Tuesday on several organizers and backers of the “Global Sumud Flotilla,” a Gaza-bound convoy intercepted by Israeli forces this week.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury said the effort was backed by Hamas-linked entities operating under the guise of humanitarian activism. Israeli authorities claim that no humanitarian aid was found on the vessels.

“The pro-terror flotilla attempting to reach Gaza is a ludicrous attempt to undermine President Trump’s successful progress toward lasting peace in the region,” Scott Bessent, the U.S. treasury secretary, stated. “Treasury will continue to sever Hamas’ global financial support networks, no matter where in the world they are.”

Treasury said the flotilla was organized by the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad and Samidoun, both of which are under U.S. sanctions for alleged ties to terrorist organizations.

Among those designated was Saif Hashim Kamel Abukeshek, a Jordan-based member of the PCPA’s General Secretariat and the flotilla’s steering committee. Israeli authorities detained him for questioning following the interception before releasing and deporting him, according to reports.

Also sanctioned were Hisham Abdallah Sulayman Abu Mahfouz, the Spain-based acting secretary-general and president of the PCPA; Mohammed Khatib, the Belgium-based European coordinator for Samidoun; and Jaldia Abubakra Aueda, Samidoun’s Madrid coordinator.

The United States designated Samidoun last year as a fundraising front for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization.

“The PCPA was established with funding from Hamas’s International Relations Bureau, and Hamas directs its activity through the placement of Hamas officials throughout the organization, including its executive body, the General Secretariat,” Treasury said.

The department advised those seeking to deliver “legitimate humanitarian assistance” to Gaza to do so through approved international channels.


Khaled Abu Toameh: The Plan to Eliminate Israel
The newly uncovered message reveals that the October 7 invasion was never intended to be a limited or isolated terrorist attack. It was conceived as the opening phase of a much broader regional war aimed at destroying Israel and replacing it with an Islamist entity backed by the Iranian regime and its proxies.

According to documents captured by the IDF, Hamas leaders had already begun formulating plans for a multi-front war against Israel as early as 2022.

Additional evidence of this strategic coordination emerged two months ago, with details leaked regarding a highly aggressive secret letter reportedly sent by Hamas leaders to Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. In the letter, the Hamas leaders urged Iran to "activate all fronts" simultaneously against Israel. They specifically called for coordinated military escalation from Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq and other arenas controlled by Iran-backed militias.

Most importantly, the documents expose the true objective behind the October 7 massacre: the total elimination of Israel.... Hamas leaders believed the assault could trigger a region-wide war that would overwhelm Israel totally in a "final solution."

[T]he documents demonstrate that ceasefires and negotiations with Hamas do not alter the group's core objective. Even while engaging in diplomatic talks, Hamas leaders were actively coordinating with Iran and Hezbollah regarding scenarios for Israel's complete destruction.

[T]he expose the failure of those in the West who continue to believe that Iran and its terror proxies can be somehow integrated into a stable regional order before fundamentally changing their ideology and behavior.

October 7, 2023 was not the end of the war waged by the Iranian regime and its terror proxies. In their eyes, it was only the beginning.
How to Break Iran's Stalling Game
Since the days of founder Ruhollah Khomeini, the regime in Tehran has viewed the restoration of Shiite Islam to what it sees as its rightful place in the Muslim world as a sacred mission. Its ambition is to export the revolution. The U.S. is demanding that Iran give up the main tool for carrying out that mission: its nuclear program, which is intended both to protect Iran and to provide a security umbrella for exporting the revolution and for Shiite proxies acting on its behalf across the Middle East. Beyond that, in the Shiite ethos, surrender is humiliation, which is worse than death.

Experts and security officials in the U.S. and Israel believe the regime will be forced to soften its position only if it faces a combined campaign of siege, economic sanctions, and destructive kinetic strikes on sensitive infrastructure such as electricity and oil. But that assumption is not necessarily justified.

The regime's senior figures act to a large extent out of a sense of religious mission, and are not particularly sensitive to the suffering or economic distress of the people. Moreover, the regime has built powerful defense mechanisms with the Revolutionary Guards and the Basij militia, which have already shown they have no problem killing thousands of civilians to suppress protests and unrest.

In addition, the Iranian regime believes it can withstand several more months of the American economic siege, while believing that Trump will be unable to withstand opposition to war in the U.S., rising fuel and food prices, and the need to justify a global energy crisis. The Iranians also believe that they can inflict heavy casualties and material damage on the Americans, Arab oil producers and Israel using the missiles and drones they can still operate. This leads the Iranians to think that time is working in their favor.

In light of this, instead of a short and powerful strike on essential infrastructure, what may be required is an intensive and broad joint military operation by the U.S. and Israel lasting one to two weeks across almost all of Iran, while avoiding harm to civilians as much as possible. The goal would be to expand the damage to what remains of Iran's launch and production sites for missiles and drones.

The feeling that Iran is exposed and suffering losses without the ability to respond is what led Ayatollah Khomeini in 1988 to accept the UN ceasefire terms, which effectively amounted to surrender in the war against Iraq.
NYT: Israeli-developed war plans sought to have Ahmedinejad run Iran after Khamenei killed
An Israeli-developed plan called for installing Holocaust-denying former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as Iran’s new leader after the killing of supreme leader Ali Khamenei and other top Iranian officials at the start of the US-Israel war against the Islamic Republic, according to the New York Times.

Ahmadinejad was reportedly consulted about the plan but became wary after being wounded in an Israeli strike in Tehran meant to spring him from house arrest, and has not been seen publicly since.

The newspaper notes that though Ahmadinejad has feuded with senior regime figures, he has called to “wipe Israel off the map” and backed Iran’s nuclear program, stressing that “to say he was an unusual choice would be a vast understatement.”

According to the report, having Ahmadinejad take power was one of the stages in Israel’s envisioned multiphase plan for the war, the first of which was the opening US and Israeli aerial campaign that killed top Iranian officials and a mobilization of Kurdish forces to fight against Iran.

After the strikes and planned Kurdish invasion that never materialized, the report said Israel believed Iran’s regime would be sufficiently destabilized and ultimately collapse due to political pressure and damage to key infrastructure, with an “alternative government” then able to take charge.


Seth Frantzman: Why Hezbollah’s Use of FPV Drones Against Israel Will Backfire
Zamir said in early May 2026 that no expense should be spared to stop drones. To that end, Israel is harnessing not only its defense industry but also key parts of its military bureaucracy, such as the Directorate of Defense Research and Development (MAFAT), along with other directorates and commands.

The laser focus from Israel’s prime minister, top defense officials, and the IDF reveals how quickly the country can move to address emerging threats. This is how Israel pioneered the Iron Dome, a defense system that has intercepted thousands of rockets. The Iron Dome has since been upgraded to address other types of threats as well. As a result, Israel now has one of the best defended airspaces in the world. It is likely that Israel will now develop some of the most advanced technology for countering drone threats as well.

As drones come in a wide variety of types and sizes, some may need to be shot down by Iron Dome interceptors, while others may be downed by small drones. Israeli companies have developed a range of systems for countering these threats. For example, Smart Shooter has developed a system that can be mounted on a rifle to shoot down drones. This system has already been used by the IDF in Lebanon, according to a recent video.

As Israel drives headlong to address the emerging Hezbollah FPV threat, its technological innovations will likely inform wider regional efforts to counter drone warfare, including against Iran’s proxy militias. For instance, Iranian-backed militias in Iraq have used drones to strike U.S. facilities in the country and target the Kurdistan Region of northern Iraq.

Meanwhile, Iran has deployed drones against Kurdish opposition groups based in Iraq. Iran has likewise used drones against Gulf states, particularly the UAE. In the latest such attack, an Iranian drone sparked a fire near the UAE’s Barakah nuclear plant on May 17.

Israel’s counter-drone efforts will lead to future security and undermine Hezbollah. Not only will Hezbollah see its wings clipped, but its attacks may also have sown the seeds of a regional counter-drone revolution.


Drone hit near power plant came from Iraq, says UAE
The United Arab Emirates said on Tuesday that six drones had been launched against it from Iraq in the past 48 hours, including one that caused a fire at a nuclear power plant in the Gulf state on Sunday.

The UAE's defense ministry said in a statement that it had intercepted all but one of the drones. It said three in total had been targeting the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, which is the Arab world's first commercial nuclear power station.

The drone that penetrated the UAE's defenses hit an electric generator outside the inner perimeter of the plant, the ministry said.

After that drone strike, the UAE's Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation said the plant remained safe and that no radioactive material had been released due to the attack. UAE has full right to respond to attacks, say Emirati officials

Emirati officials have said the UAE has the full right to respond to such "terrorist attacks."

Iraq is home to powerful Iranian-backed militia groups, which have claimed attacks against "enemy bases in Iraq and the region" during the US-Israeli war on Iran.

Later at the United Nations in New York, the UAE ambassador to the world body, Mohamed Abushahab, told a Security Council meeting called to discuss the attack on the Barakah plant that it was not an isolated incident.
Iraq condemns drone attacks on Saudi Arabia amid US pressure on Iranian-backed militias
Iraq is concerned about US pressure regarding Iranian-backed militias in Iraq.

As such, Baghdad and even the militias are trying to put out messaging that distances the militias from recent incidents. One incident is the US detention of a Kataib Hezbollah member, who was taken from Turkey to the US to face charges. In addition, Saudi Arabia has said three drones flew from Iraq in an attack on the Kingdom. Iraq is worried that these continued attacks will lead to pressure on the new government to dismantle the militias.

Shafaq News in Iraq has provided new details on Baghdad’s moves in recent days.

“The Iraqi government condemns the targeting of Saudi Arabia and expresses its readiness to cooperate with Riyadh in the investigation,” Shafaq noted on Monday. This follows Saudi anger on Sunday over the drone attacks.

Reports also indicate that Iranian-backed militias are suspected of being behind a large number of attacks in Saudi Arabia. New reports also indicate Saudi Arabia and Kuwait responded to attacks during the Iran conflict in March.

Iraq has asked Saudi Arabia to share information on drones. According to Shafaq, Iraq said, “We have not detected any indications. The Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its concern on Monday regarding reports of three drone attacks targeting facilities in Saudi Arabia, stressing Iraq’s rejection of any threat to the security of brotherly countries.”

Meanwhile, the ministry in Baghdad said that it had received information and “that the competent Iraqi authorities received initial information about Saudi Arabia being targeted by three drones, noting that they have begun verification and investigation procedures to determine the circumstances of the incident.”

Iraq claims it did not detect anything with its limited air defense systems. Iraq also didn’t detect two Israeli bases in the country, according to recent reports in The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times.
Iran’s parliament to vote on bill offering €50 million reward for killing Trump, Netanyahu
The Islamic Republic will soon vote on a bill that would see whoever kills US President Donald Trump, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and/or CENTCOM commander Brad Cooper awarded with a €50 million sum, Ebrahim Azizi, the chairman of Iran’s National Security Council, told state TV on Thursday.

The bill, titled “Reciprocal action by military and security forces of the Islamic Republic,” is one of several pieces of legislation aimed at formalizing the threats made by the regime against world leaders.

“We believe the vile president of the United States, the ominous and disgraceful Zionist prime minister, and the CENTCOM commander must be targeted and subjected to reciprocal action,” Azizi said, claiming the action was a necessary retaliation for the assassination of Iran’s former supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

'The president of the United States must be dealt with by any Muslim or free person'

“This is our right,” he asserted. “Just as our Imam was martyred, the president of the United States must be dealt with by any Muslim or free person.”

Mahmoud Nabavian, an Iranian Shia cleric and Member of Parliament, confirmed Azizi’s statement on the upcoming vote. Nabavian claimed there had been threats made against the new Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, and warned that Iran’s response to such a killing would be “devastating.”

The Iranian group Blood Covenant previously raised $40m. to offer as a bounty on Trump’s life, following the June bombing of three nuclear sites. The US-based Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) think tank reported that Blood Covenant runs “under the aegis of the Iranian regime.”
Iran stages mass weddings for couples pledging to sacrifice lives in war with US, Israel
Iranian authorities held mass public weddings in Tehran for couples who signed up to a state-sponsored scheme declaring their readiness to sacrifice their lives in the war against the US and Israel.

The ceremonies conducted late on Monday involved hundreds of couples in several major squares in the capital, including more than 100 in the vast Imam Hossein Square in central Tehran, according to reports in Iranian media.

They were broadcast on state TV in a bid to boost wartime morale, with US President Donald Trump repeatedly threatening new military action against Iran amid a shaky ceasefire which halted the fighting that began on February 28.

Those involved had signed up, according to Iranian media, for the so-called “self-sacrifice” scheme (janfada in Persian) where people pledged to put their lives on the line in the war by, for example, forming human chains outside power stations.

Iranian authorities say millions of people, including top figures such as the speaker of parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and President Masoud Pezeshkian, have put their names forward.

Couples arrived at the Imam Hossein Square in military jeeps with mounted machine guns and were married on a stage in a ceremony presided over by a cleric, AFP images showed.
IDF hits over 25 Hezbollah terror sites in Southern Lebanon
Israeli forces struck more than 25 Hezbollah sites across Southern Lebanon over the past 24 hours, the Israel Defense Forces said on Tuesday.

Targets included weapons storage facilities, command centers and other sites used by terrorists from the Iranian proxy to carry out attacks against Israeli forces and the State of Israel, the military said.

The IDF also reported striking terrorists in the Cristofani Ridge area and targeting rocket launchers used to fire at troops operating in Southern Lebanon and into Israeli territory.

Meanwhile, the IDF reported during the afternoon hours that Hezbollah had launched an explosive drone at IDF soldiers that detonated inside Israeli territory near the Lebanon border, and that a UAV from Lebanon that crossed into Israeli territory was intercepted after triggering sirens in several areas of northern Israel.


Hizbullah Waging War of Attrition Against IDF in Lebanon
Officially, a ceasefire remains in effect between the IDF and Hizbullah in southern Lebanon. In practice, however, the situation appears very different. The IDF Spokesperson announced on May 13 that since the ceasefire understandings came into force, the Israel Air Force has struck more than 1,100 Hizbullah targets and eliminated over 350 operatives.

Senior Israeli security officials confirm that Hizbullah has shifted to a "war of attrition" against the Israeli military presence in southern Lebanon. Hizbullah's strategy is aimed not only at inflicting casualties on the IDF, but also at undermining the Israeli home front's sense of security.

Hizbullah's recent operations indicate a transition from isolated rocket launches and sporadic drone attacks to coordinated and sophisticated strike formations. After an initial strike using an explosive drone or precision fire, rescue, evacuation, and reinforcement forces arriving at the scene are then targeted in subsequent attacks. Simultaneously, Hizbullah has expanded its use of coordinated attack drone swarms operating at the same time.
Palestinian detained over IED attack on Rachel’s Tomb
Israeli security forces arrested a Palestinian suspect in connection with the throwing of improvised explosives toward the Rachel’s Tomb compound near Jerusalem, Israel Police said on Tuesday.

According to a police statement, Border Police officers arrested the 17-year-old suspect during an operation in the Aida camp outside Bethlehem.

Police said last week’s attack targeted the religious compound in Judea, believed to be the burial place of the biblical matriarch Rachel, and posed a “real danger” to worshippers there.

The suspect, a resident of Aida, was transferred to the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) for further questioning, it added.

Palestinian terrorists targeted Israeli Jews in Judea and Samaria at least 5,051 times in 2025, according to figures published by the Rescuers Without Borders (Hatzalah Judea and Samaria) NGO.

Twenty-four Israelis were murdered in Judea and Samaria in 2025, and more than 400 others were wounded, per the group’s annual report.

The findings, which were cross-checked against official data from Israeli security agencies, included 3,299 instances of rock-throwing, 458 firebomb attacks, 655 attempts to blind drivers with laser pointers, 286 attacks involving explosives and 19 shootings.
Captured Hamas document shows how group used ceasefire to train new fighters
A captured Hamas military document found by IDF troops in the Gaza Strip in early 2025 shows how the terrorist organization used the ceasefire to train new fighters for a possible renewed war with Israel.

The document, which was revealed on Tuesday, outlines a compressed seven-day training course for 121 new recruits in Hamas’s Shejaia Battalion, including weapons training, battlefield first aid, counter-drone instruction, and lessons drawn from the October 7 massacre.

The training program was designed around a tight schedule, apparently due to Hamas concerns that the ceasefire could collapse. Recruits were instructed in the use of Israeli weapons, including M16 rifles and Tavor assault rifles, as well as attacks on tanks and armored personnel carriers from short and long range.

The document also described combat documentation meant for later distribution on social media as part of Hamas’s psychological warfare against Israel. The course reportedly included operational lessons from Hamas’s October 7 attack and procedures for protecting information security.

Hamas militants look on as they escort members of the Red Cross towards an area within the yellow line, in Gaza City, November 12, 2025.


Romanians stabbed Iranian journalist in London at behest of Tehran, UK court told
A team of Romanian men, acting as proxies for the Iranian government, carried out a knife attack on a journalist working for a Persian-language media organization in London, prosecutors told a British court on Monday.

Pouria Zaratifoukolaei, known as Pouria Zeraati, a British journalist of Iranian origin who works for Iran International, was stabbed in the leg three times in an attack near his home in Wimbledon, southwest London, in March 2024.

At the start of the trial of two of the three men accused of carrying out the stabbing, prosecutor Duncan Atkinson said they had targeted Zeraati, whose Saudi-funded TV employer is critical of Iran’s government and has been designated a terrorist organization by Tehran.

“This was no robbery, no fight that got out of control. It was deliberate, planned violence to achieve what it did, that is, serious injury to its target,” Atkinson told London’s Woolwich Crown Court.

They “committed a planned attack preceded by reconnaissance, and which was ordered by a third party acting on behalf of the Iranian state,” the prosecutor said.

Iran denied any involvement in the incident.

Nandito Badea, 21, and George Stana, 25, both deny charges of wounding with intent and unlawful wounding. The third man accused of involvement, David Andrei, was arrested in Romania, but is not involved in the trial.





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