Articles by Shlomi Diaz

President Donald Trump delivered a brief statement this evening, saying he feels Iran "deceived him." Iran responded with a threat of its own.

A U.S. federal court sentenced Haji Najibullah, a former Taliban commander convicted in the abduction of American journalist David Rohde. He was arrested several years ago in Ukraine and extradited to the United States.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a recorded message in English aimed at the Lebanese people, stressing: "Israel wants peace. Once Hezbollah is dismantled, the possibilities for both peoples will be endless, and the sky is the limit."

Nearly a year after Brazil’s government announced it would not accept Israel’s new ambassador, Brazil has now also decided to reject Israel’s request to appoint a consul general there. The diplomatic crisis has deepened.

Khaled al-Aidi, a dual Ukrainian-Syrian citizen, was arrested in Lebanon by Hezbollah about six months ago on suspicion of helping Israel’s Mossad carry out assassinations of senior figures in the terror group. Now it has emerged that he took advantage of an Israeli strike three months ago in Dahieh and escaped.

Lebanese media aligned with Hezbollah published a piece urging President Joseph Aoun to back away from efforts to advance an agreement with Israel, while also threatening to reveal secrets tied to his past.

U.S. Central Command said just before midnight that it had launched a series of strikes on targets in Iran, describing the operation as a response to the downing of an American combat helicopter. Kurdish outlets also reported casualties after drone and missile strikes on their bases in Iraq.

Israel’s Health Ministry is continuing its ongoing assessments בעקבות reports of another spread of the Ebola virus in Africa. Five African countries have reported hundreds of deaths from the virus.

Fourteen members of Knesset voted in favor, with no opposition, as the plenum approved a bill to limit attorneys’ fees. The law is meant to protect those eligible through the Rehabilitation Department and the National Insurance Institute from excessive legal charges.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir toured the northern border. He addressed the strike in Iran and emphasized that the IDF is prepared to strike again if necessary. Regarding Lebanon, Zamir said: "We are continuing to fight."

A district court in Nazareth convicted Tahrir Safadi, a resident of Mas'ade, of espionage. Safadi was in contact with Hossam Zidan, a Syrian resident and reporter for the Iranian network "Al-Alam."

State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman said in a special report that the IDF and Israel Prison Service were not prepared for a scenario in which thousands of terrorists would be detained after the war. The result, he found, was a severe shortage of prison space and the release of detainees. The report also found major failures in Israel’s handling of cyber threats.

Italy’s prosecutor general announced that an investigation has been opened into Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, following a complaint filed by several activists from the Gaza flotilla who were detained at sea and brought to Israel.

The Knesset has given final approval to a new criminal law targeting smuggling outside official border crossings. The bill states that "smuggling into the country, mainly באמצעות drones, creates a real threat to state security."

The Knesset has passed a law in its second and third readings to deduct funds from transfers to the Palestinian Authority over damages caused by terror attacks. The money will first go to families of terror victims, with any remaining balance transferred to the state treasury.

After Israel and Iran announced a halt to their mutual attacks, the Home Front Command canceled the restrictions imposed last night. Schools will reopen tomorrow. In the confrontation-line communities, restrictions remain in place over concerns about fire from Lebanon.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a brief statement to the media, stressing: "I firmly stand by our right to act against our enemies. Israel has every right to self-defense, and we are exercising that right."

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas announced new sanctions against Iran and Iranian entities, saying that "Iran poses a danger to international maritime traffic."

The Iran-backed terror group in Yemen announced that ships connected to Israel will be barred from entering the Red Sea through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, warning that vessels that ignore the demand could be targeted with missiles.

Staff Sgt. Ohad Yaari, of blessed memory, a Givati soldier who fell in Lebanon, was laid to rest. His cousin, Yehuda Shmuel Sherman, of blessed memory, was murdered about three months ago at the “Shuva Yisrael” farm near Homesh.