Overview
- Israeli forces raised readiness after Northern Command chief Rafi Milo said a U.S. strike on Iran could prompt Iranian retaliation against Israel, with Hezbollah participation considered a key risk.
- A stormy cabinet session exposed sharp disagreement between the army and Shin Bet over Rafah inspection procedures, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu backed Shin Bet’s stricter approach for a limited pedestrian-only reopening under full Israeli oversight.
- The IDF said it recovered the last hostage remains from Gaza, removing a previously stated hurdle, and the government then added a new demand that Hamas hand over or neutralize its weapons before advancing to a second cease-fire phase.
- U.S. CENTCOM commander Gen. Brad Cooper made a brief stop in Tel Aviv during a regional tour, while airlines such as KLM suspended or rerouted flights over parts of the Middle East as a precaution.
- Reports of a rapid Chinese military airlift to Iran—cited by Defense Arabic and relayed by Israeli press—remain unverified, with no official confirmation to date.