Weekend Recap: Iran tensions
By Sammy Tisser,
Trump said the US could strike Iran's Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site "very soon" if activity is detected there, repeating a threat he first raised in July. He described the broader conflict as a "military conflict" rather than a war, calling it "small potatoes" for the US, despite referring to it as a "war" in a Truth Social post earlier the same day.
CENTCOM said it disabled two Iranian Revolutionary Guard-linked oil tankers near Kharg Island and Jask, and destroyed a third in the Gulf of Oman, stating this followed IRGC fire on US warships. Iranian state media reported explosions near Kharg Island; one outlet cited an unverified claim that a tanker had been struck by the US, while another said no smoke was visible and the cause was unclear.
Israel-Lebanon
The IDF said Hezbollah launched an explosive drone at Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, which troops intercepted with no injuries reported; the military called it a ceasefire violation. Israel then carried out strikes on Hezbollah personnel and infrastructure in southern Lebanon. Lebanese health authorities reported three deaths from the strikes, near Nabatieh and Rmadiyeh.
West Bank
An unnamed military official told Channel 12 that the Shin Bet's unit responsible for addressing settler violence has been largely inactive and is not sharing intelligence with security forces, adding that five new outposts were established in the central West Bank in the past week. The official said outposts demolished by authorities have been rebuilt about 160 times in the past year, noted concern about potential friction during the coming olive harvest, and said some rabbis have told settlers they may drive on Shabbat to take part in West Bank operations, citing a recent incident in Qusra. According to the official, soldiers scheduled for rest or training have instead been deployed to the West Bank to help prevent clashes between settlers and Palestinians.
US Ambassador Mike Huckabee, visiting Palestinian-American residents in the West Bank, said crime and terrorism should carry consequences "when people do it," without directly criticizing Israeli policy. He also said there is no Israeli plan to remove Palestinians from Gaza against their will, responding to proposals floated by some Israeli ministers, and said the Israeli government has a responsibility to ensure safety for West Bank residents amid a rise in settler-related attacks.
Other incidents
Police in Netanya shot and killed a man after he fired at officers; no officer injuries were reported, and a motive has not been determined. The IDF said it fired an interceptor toward Gaza after misidentifying gunfire from its own forces inside the Strip as a hostile launch; no injuries occurred, and the military said the incident is under review.
Topics: Iran, Lebanon & Hezbollah, Gaza
Reported by Sammy Tisser for Bernie News Network. See our editorial standards and corrections policy.