Preparing for new Iran war, Israel escalating Lebanon strikes to cripple Hezbollah – report

According to Maariv, since the start of February, the IDF has killed 12 Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad terrorists in the country. Flames and smoke errupt from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted a house in the southern Lebanese village of Tair Filsay on November 19, 2025.(photo credit: COURTNEY BONNEAU/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images) BySAM HALPERN FEBRUARY 17, 2026 08:58Updated: FEBRUARY 17, 2026 10:08 The IDF has been escalating its strikes on terror targets in Lebanon in recent days in preparation for another round of war with Iran, N12 News reported on Monday evening. According to the outlet, the military’s ramping up of …

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Hamas continues staunch refusal to disarm

In interview with Drop Site, senior Hamas official Basem Naim rejects unilateral disarmament and links any weapons talks to ceasefire and statehood. Israel National News Published: Feb 17, 2026, 7:51 AM (GMT+2) Hamas terrorists in GazaAbed Rahim Khatib/Flash90 Senior Hamas official Basem Naim has told the far-left American outlet Drop Site that the terrorist organization will not agree to unilateral disarmament demands. The interview comes as President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have reiterated calls for the demilitarization of Gaza as part of efforts to move forward with reconstruction and a potential second phase of a ceasefire arrangement. Naim, who has …

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US Air Force orders 30,000-pound GBU-57 bunker busters as Iran tensions rise

After using 14 GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOP) during Operation Midnight Hammer against Iranian nuclear facilities, the USAF needs to replenish its arsenal. B-2 bomber drops a GBU-57 during a test(photo credit: US AIR FORCE)ByANNA AHRONHEIMFEBRUARY 16, 2026 10:25Updated: FEBRUARY 16, 2026 17:44 Amid high tensions between the US and Iran, the US Air Force has awarded Boeing a sole-source contract to replenish its arsenal of GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bunker buster bombs, which the US dropped over a dozen on Iranian nuclear facilities in June during Operation Midnight Hammer. According to a partially redacted justification notice posted online last week, the US …

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Israel warns: Hamas setting conditions for second stage of ceasefire

Ahead of transition to second stage of ceasefire, Gaza reconstruction, Hamas demanding to control Gaza politically. Israel National News Published: Feb 16, 2026, 8:07 AM (GMT+2)   Hamas terrorists in Gaza (illustrative)Ali Hassan/Flash90 Ahead of the transition to Phase B of US President Donald Trump’s plan for rebuilding Gaza, Hamas has set a new demand: to […]

US transports nuclear microreactor for first time, showcasing potential to deploy nuclear power

“This gets us closer to deploy nuclear power when and where it is needed to give our nation’s warfighters the tools to win in battle,” said Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment. Cooling towers at the former Three Mile Island Nuclear power plant during a tour by Constellation Energy in Londonderry Township, Pennsylvania, […]

Netanyahu: Israel ready to phase out US military aid

At Jerusalem gala, Prime Minister outlines strict Iran terms, vows to disarm Hamas, phase out US aid and confront rising antisemitism. Israel National News Published: Feb 15, 2026, 9:09 PM (GMT+2)   Netanyahu, William Daroff, Betsy Berns Korn, Malcolm HoenleinCourtesy, Conference of Presidents Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the opening gala of the Conference of Presidents […]

Syria assumes control of another base from US forces, the second within days

Syrian Arab Army takes over Al-Shadadi in northeast of country, close to Jordan-Iraq border; site formerly housed prison where Kurdish forces held Islamic State members By AFP15 February 2026, 3:12 pm   Fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) sit atop an armoured personnel carrier on the outskirts of the town of al-Shadadi in the northeastern […]

Syria demands full Israeli withdrawal

Syrian foreign minister says talks focus on Israel withdrawing from lands seized after Assad’s fall. Dalit Halevy Published: Feb 15, 2026, 2:42 PM (GMT+2)   The Chod Hachanit brigade in SyriaIDF Spokesperson Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani said that the current talks with Israel are focused on Israel’s withdrawal from territories it occupied in southern Syria […]

PM and Trump reportedly agree to ‘full force’ economic pressure campaign against Iran

Blocking Iranian oil exports to China among the options, US official tells Axios; Geneva to host next round of US-Iran talks, though second American official sees ‘zero chance’ of deal By ToI Staff14 February 2026, 11:23 pm US President Donald Trump (R) shakes hands with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as Trump listens to a question from […]

Trump told Netanyahu he’d back Israeli strikes on Iran if talks fail – report

Discussion of potential attack is ongoing, CBS reports; as 2nd round of US-Iran talks set to start, PM demands Iran remove enriched uranium, dismantle facilities, limit missiles By Agencies and ToI Staff15 February 2026, 11:13 pm US President Donald Trump (R) shakes hands with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as Trump listens to a question from a reporter at […]

Cabinet OKs new West Bank land registration process, critics decry ‘de-facto annexation’

An initial NIS 244 million is allocated for land registration for years 2026-2030, process could take 30 years. Levin, Smotrich laud ‘deepening grip’ on West Bank By Jeremy Sharon  15 February 2026, 9:31 pm The illegal settlement farming outpost of Hesed Olam in the central West Bank where a ‘conference of appreciation’ for illegal farming outposts […]

Taliban will offer aid to Tehran if US strikes Iran, group spokesperson confirms

Mujahid clarified that the Taliban would show sympathy and possibly cooperate with Iran if requested, but the group is not committing to joining a retaliatory war against the US. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid speaks during a news conference in Kabul, Afghanistan November 10, 2021.(photo credit: REUTERS/Ali Khara/File Photo)ByJAMES GENN FEBRUARY 16, 2026 01:41Updated: FEBRUARY 16, 2026 02:39The Taliban will aid […]

Iran willing to compromise on nuclear deal if sanctions relief on table, diplomat says

Deputy FM tells BBC ‘ball is in America’s court,’ says talks have been ‘positive’; Iran won’t give up missiles, senior diplomat says, calling them ‘defensive capabilities’ By ToI StaffToday, 11:21 am   Screengrab of Majid Takht-Ravanchi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister for political affairs, in an interview with the BBC, aired February 2026. (BBC) Iran is ready […]

US pushes for progress as Geneva set to host separate talks on Iran, Ukraine-Russia on Tuesday

A US delegation, including envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, will meet with the Iranians on Tuesday morning. Iranian, American flags against backdrop of Iranian nuclear site. (illustration)(photo credit: Shutterstock/L_B_Photography, em_concepts)ByMIRIAM SELA-EITAM, REUTERSFEBRUARY 15, 2026 09:12Updated: FEBRUARY 15, 2026 13:19Two sets of diplomatic negotiations on Ukraine and Iran are scheduled to take place in Geneva on Tuesday, a […]