IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir sent a dire warning to the political leadership today regarding the unprecedented shortage of combat soldiers in the Israeli army.

At a time when Israel most needs combat soldiers, the IDF is thousands of men short of what would be considered base combat readiness.

Zamir insisted the situation be remedied by January 2027, else the IDF may not be able to face the challenges to come.

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Israel's government has approved a $2 billion budget for reserve soldiers for 2026, as well as an outline that will reduce the service of reservists by about a third.

Defense Minister Israel Katz:

“This is our way of telling reserve soldiers—men and women—that the State of Israel sees them, values them, and will always stand behind them and their families.”

Many Israeli reservists, especially those filling combat roles, have been called upon to serve hundreds of days over the past two years, many of them on multiple fronts, including Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria.

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated US President Donald Trump on what he called “an incredible first year” of his second term in office.

“Congratulations to President [Trump] and the United States of America for an incredible first year of a second term—A year like no other.”

Two Israeli Arab men were indicted for a series of terrorist attacks in the central Israel city of Ramla, including shootings and arson targeting a predominantly Jewish street.

According to the indictment, one suspect also threw a grenade at a vehicle in a Jewish neighborhood, though it failed to detonate.

Authorities say the attacks were meant to intimidate the public and send a message to security forces.

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Netanyahu: No Turkish or Qatari troops in Gaza

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday acknowledged the disagreement between Israel and the Trump administration over the makeup of the post-war Gaza "Board of Peace" and "International Stabilization Force."

Netanyahu told the Knesset:

"In the Gaza Strip, we stand before the second phase of the Trump plan. The second phase says a simple thing: Hamas will be disarmed, and Gaza will be demilitarized.

"We are adhering to these objectives, and they will be achieved. Either the easy way or the hard way. Turkish soldiers or Qatari soldiers will not be in the Gaza Strip."

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European tanks to be protected by Israeli tech

EuroTrophy and KNDS Deutschland have signed a €330 million deal to equip the Leopard 2A8 tanks used by Lithuania, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, and Croatia with the “Windbreaker” defense system developed by Israeli defense contractor Rafael.

The agreement includes maintenance and training.

Rafael said the deal establishes “Windbreaker” as the protection and survivability standard for NATO’s modern armored forces.

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IDF chief: We'll hit Iran hard if they attack

IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said the Israeli home front is ready and that the Jewish state will hit Iran very hard if it dares to attack.

"The IDF is prepared to employ unprecedented offensive capabilities in their intensity against any attempt to harm the State of Israel."

Zamir said the IDF is preparing for the possibility of a surprise war launched by Iran's collapsing regime.

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🚨 Smotrich: “It is either us or them.”

Israel’s finance minister is calling for a total break with the Trump-led plan for Gaza — and demanding the return of Jewish communities to the Strip.

He says the 2005 withdrawal was a “sin” that led to massacre, and warns that the CMCC (the US-run coordination HQ in Kiryat Gat) must be dismantled immediately.

👉 Full report on what Smotrich said, and what it signals for Israel’s next steps:
https://www.israeltoday.co.il/read/smotrich-calls-for-end-to-trump-led-gaza-plan-urges-jewish-resettlement/

🚨 Church leaders denounce Christian Zionism as “damaging” — claim to speak for all Christians in Israel.

A new joint statement from top Catholic and Orthodox patriarchs blasts pro-Israel Christians as misleading and harmful — even suggesting support for Israel threatens Christian life in the Middle East.

But is that true? And who do these leaders actually represent?

👉 Full report on the backlash, the deeper facts, and why their claim to exclusive authority is being challenged:

https://www.israeltoday.co.il/read/patriarchs-attack-christian-zionism-claim-to-solely-represent-christian-life-in-holy-land/

🚫⚽ Banning Israeli football fans. Ignoring jihad slogans. Fabricating threats.

The scandal that forced a UK police chief into early retirement wasn’t just about football—it was about truth twisted by fear, and antisemitism hiding in plain sight.

While Iran guns down protesters by the thousands, British police silence Jewish presence in the name of “public order.” And no one seems to notice the double standard.

👉 A powerful look at propaganda, persecution, and the urgent need for moral clarity.

Israel joins Trump’s Board of Peace—but on its own terms.

PM Netanyahu has agreed to join the US-led Gaza peace framework, but made it clear: Israel will not be dictated to. No foreign troops on the ground. No compromise on security.

“Shameful and disgraceful.”

President Isaac Herzog slams foreign governments for blacklisting top Israeli officials over Gaza. He’s calling for immediate reversal of sanctions on those leading Israel’s defense in wartime.

Iranian spies in the Galilee?

Shin Bet has issued a public warning: Iran is trying to recruit Israeli citizens—including in Tiberias. The mayor has launched a city-wide awareness campaign after arrests and confirmed contacts.

F-35s for Saudi Arabia — at what cost to Israel?

In a bid to secure normalization with Riyadh, Netanyahu may be prepared to break a sacred pillar of Israeli defense: air superiority.

The potential US-Saudi arms deal—the largest in history—could deliver stealth jets to a regime still flirting with China and once hostile to Israel.

Security officials are warning of long-term risks. The question: will normalization justify the gamble?

👉 Inside the deal, the warnings, and what’s really at stake for Israel’s military edge.