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(photo: Flash90)

Delegations from Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, which along with the United States make up the mediators of the current ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, met on Tuesday in Cairo to discuss the second phase of the deal, Egyptian state-linked media reported.

Al-Qahera News, which has ties to Egyptian intelligence, said the meeting included the Egyptian and Turkish intelligence chiefs alongside the prime minister of Qatar.

The delegates discussed working with the US “to ensure the successful implementation of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement” between Israel and Hamas, the channel reported.

(photo: AP)

Ukraine has signaled its acceptance of a U.S.-mediated plan to halt Russia’s nearly four-year-long assault, a senior American official told CBS News on Tuesday. 

According to the official, Kyiv has “agreed to a peace deal” shaped through the Trump administration’s diplomatic channel, marking the most concrete movement toward a potential ceasefire in months.

Rustem Umerov, Ukraine’s national security adviser, echoed that assessment, saying that negotiators from both sides have reached a “shared understanding” on the outline of a proposal. He emphasized, however, that several elements still require refinement before anything can be considered final.

U.S. and Ukrainian mediators emerged from two days of talks on Monday with a slimmed-down peace framework that sets aside contentious issues, as Ukrainian officials underscored their country’s “red lines” on territory, military capacity and foreign alliances.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine was at a “critical moment” and would soon determine its next steps. He spoke after high-level discussions in Geneva on Sunday in which Ukraine and its European allies laid out concerns about a draft of a 28-point peace proposal that was favorable to Russia on many issues.

President Trump, who is pushing Ukraine to agree to a settlement by Thanksgiving but has indicated that talks could continue, said on Monday that “something good just may be happening.”

(photo: AFP)

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is set to meet French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot in Paris on Wednesday for high-level diplomatic talks. 

According to the Quai d’Orsay, the meeting is part of ongoing exchanges that began several months ago, focusing on the Iranian nuclear program, regional tensions, and key bilateral issues prioritized by France.

A central topic of the discussions will be Iran’s nuclear activities. France aims to press Tehran to fully cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), whose inspections and verification mechanisms have been severely limited in recent years.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday urged Beirut to disarm Hezbollah, speaking after an Israel Defense Forces strike in the Lebanese capital killed the Iran-backed terror group’s “chief of staff.”

“I expect the government of Lebanon to fulfill its commitment to disarm Hezbollah,” said Netanyahu as he confirmed the death of Haytham Ali Tabatabai, the group’s No. 2 after Secretary-General Naim Qassem.

Only through Beirut fulfilling its commitments under the Nov. 26, 2024, ceasefire understandings with Jerusalem, Netanyahu said, “can a better future be made possible for every citizen in Lebanon—and only in this way can good and secure neighborly relations be established,” he said.

The Israel Defense Forces targeted Hamas terrorists in precision strikes across the Gaza Strip on Saturday in response to the Islamist group’s violations of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire, the military said on Sunday.

One of the strikes killed Alaa’ Haddadeh, the head of supply for the terrorist group’s production headquarters, the IDF said.

The slain terrorist was a “central source of knowledge” serving Hamas’s supply and production systems, according to the IDF. “During the war, he operated to transfer weapons from Hamas’s headquarters to battalion and field commanders for use against IDF troops.”

The IDF said Sunday it killed the Hezbollah terrorist group’s “chief of staff” in Beirut in a targeted airstrike, pledging to continue to act against its efforts to rebuild and rearm.

The military operation against the No. 2 leader in the terrorist organization—which was dubbed “Black Friday”—was the first Israeli strike on Beirut since July and came nearly a year to the day since a ceasefire entered into force.

“A short while ago, the IDF struck in the heart of Beirut the Hezbollah chief of staff, who led the terrorist organization’s military buildup and armament,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in the afternoon.

Just hours after the killing of Ali Tabatabai, Hezbollah’s number two and a key commander of the Radwan Force, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the nation Sunday evening in a firm, resolute statement. Netanyahu described Tabatabai as “one of the most dangerous strategists” within the Lebanese Shiite terrorist group, alleging that he had intended to “invade Galilee and massacre Israeli citizens.” 

Hezbollah announces the deaths of four operatives in an Israeli strike on Beirut today, in addition to its de facto military leader, Haytham Ali Tabatabai. They are named as Ibrahim Ali Hussein, Rifaat Ahmed Hussein, Mustafa Asaad Barrou and Qassem Hussein Barjawi.

Kyiv will engage with the Washington's 28-point plan to end the war with Russia and demonstrate it is open to substantive discussions, a senior Ukrainian official said on Saturday, even as an official from the U.S. administration of President Donald Trump indicated that the plan was not up for negotiation.  

"In the coming days in Switzerland we are launching consultations between senior officials of Ukraine and the United States on the possible parameters of a future peace agreement," Rustem Umerov, secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, wrote on his official Facebook account.

"Ukraine approaches this process with a clear understanding of its interests. This is another stage of the dialogue that has been ongoing in recent days and is primarily aimed at aligning our vision for the next steps," he further added. "We value the involvement of the American side and its readiness for a substantive discussion. Ukraine will continue to act responsibly, professionally, and consistently — as required by our national security."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that the US’s top diplomat assured him US legislation will prevent Saudi Arabia from buying the most sophisticated F-35 warplanes, directly contradicting President Donald Trump.

“Regarding the F-35, I had a long conversation with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who reiterated his commitment that the United States will continue to preserve Israel’s qualitative military edge in everything related to supplying weapons and military systems to countries in the Middle East,” Netanyahu said in a Hebrew-language interview widely circulated on X.

Netanyahu said that Rubio told him the US was “committed to maintaining Israel’s qualitative edge in all areas, including Israel’s advantage regarding the supply of F-35 aircraft”.

The United States is poised to launch a new phase of Venezuela-related operations in the coming days, four US officials tell Reuters, as the Trump administration escalates pressure on President Nicolas Maduro’s government.

Reuters is not able to establish the exact timing or scope of the new operations, nor whether US President Donald Trump had made a final decision to act. Reports of looming action have proliferated in recent weeks as the US military has deployed forces to the Caribbean amid worsening relations with Venezuela.

Two of the US officials say covert operations would likely be the first part of the new action against Maduro. All four officials quoted in this article speak on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the impending action by the United States.

New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani accused Israel of committing genocide and the United States government of funding it during a White House press conference with US President Donald Trump on Friday.

In response to one reporter who inquired about Mamdani’s view on US involvement in the Israel-Hamas War, the incoming mayor stated that he has “spoken about the Israeli government committing genocide and our government funding it,” continuing that he shared his concerns with Trump during their meeting.

Trump did not respond to the question nor deny the genocide accusation.

The incoming mayor did, however, praise Trump for his peacemaking efforts in the Middle East, stating that he “appreciates all efforts towards peace.” Trump stated that both he and Mamdani shared an interest in pursuing peace efforts.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Friday that the agreement between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was “killed by the US and the E3 (UK, France, and Germany).”

“Like the diplomacy which was assaulted by Israel and the US in June, the Cairo Agreement has been killed by the US and the E3,” Araghchi wrote in an X post. The agreement allowed for the IAEA to enter Iran and inspect their nuclear program.

According to the Iranian minister, the reasons behind this move stemmed from the US and the E3's decision to “gang up to censure Iran at the IAEA Board of Governors (BoG).”

US President Donald Trump hosted a delegation at the White House on Thursday of nearly all the hostages freed through as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal he brokered last month.

“You’re not a hostage anymore… today you’re heroes,” Trump told the former hostages and their families in a brief portion of his prepared remarks that were filmed and released by the White House.

The Israeli delegation was made up of 26 former hostages, including 17 of the 20 living captives who were released in the deal that took force in October.

The F-35 fighter jets under consideration for sale to Saudi Arabia will be delivered in a downgraded configuration compared to those operated by Israel, in accordance with longstanding U.S. policy to protect Israel’s qualitative military edge in the Middle East, Reuters reported Thursday, citing American officials and defense analysts.

According to the report, the aircraft intended for Riyadh would not include several of the advanced systems and capabilities integrated into Israel’s fleet. U.S. officials said the Saudi jets would lack sensitive electronic warfare packages, upgraded weapon systems, and other classified features that Israel is authorized to modify independently.

Israel enjoys unique permissions allowing it to customize its F-35s, including the integration of domestically developed munitions, specialized radar-jamming equipment, and a number of other enhancements that do not require American approval.

"The Prime Minister and the President of the United States and Israel have a longstanding understanding, which is that Israel maintains the qualitative edge when it comes to its defense. That was true yesterday, that has been true today, and the Prime Minister believes that will be true tomorrow and in the future, of course," the spokesperson said.

(image: Maxar)

Iran has asked Saudi Arabia to persuade the United States to resume nuclear talks, which demonstrates and highlights concern in Tehran over the possibility of renewed Israeli attacks in the country, Reuters reported Thursday. 

The news agency noted, citing two sources familiar with the details, that the prevailing anxiety is also due to fears of a deterioration in the country's economic situation. 

Iranian and Saudi media reported a day before the Saudi Crown Prince's visit to the White House that Mohammed bin Salman had delivered a letter to US President Trump on behalf of the Iranian president.

(photo: AP)

The UN nuclear watchdog's Board of Governors, composed of 35-nations, passed a resolution on Thursday stating that Iran must inform the board "without delay" the status of its enriched uranium stock and bombed atomic sites, diplomats at the meeting told Reuters.

The resolution's purpose was mainly to change the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) mandate to push Iran to report on aspects of its nuclear program, stating Iran must quickly provide the IAEA with the answers and information it has been requesting, five months after airstrikes by Israel and the US.

"Our message is clear: Iran must resolve its safeguards issues without delay. It must provide practical cooperation through access, answers, and restoration of monitoring, to enable the agency to do its job and help rebuild confidence," the US, Britain, France, and Germany said in a statement to the board.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday that Israel will press ahead to “complete the war on all fronts, including disarming Hamas and demilitarizing the Gaza Strip” after acknowledging the deadly Palestinian terrorist attack earlier in the day at the Gush Etzion Junction.

The premier made the remarks at a Torah scroll dedication ceremony in memory of Maj. (res.) Dr. Moshe Yedidya Leiter, a Shaldag Reconnaissance Unit commander who was killed in battle in the Gaza Strip in November 2023. The event honored Leiter, 39, the son of Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter, who served as a reservist paramedic and was a father of six.

(photo: Flash90)

The United States has launched an accelerated effort to assemble the new international stabilization force (ISF) for Gaza, only hours after the UN Security Council approved the resolution authorizing its deployment. 

According to a senior U.S. official who spoke to i24NEWS, the first troops in the multinational force are expected to arrive in the Gaza Strip in early 2026, signaling the beginning of the most significant international security mission in Gaza’s history.

The official confirmed that five countries have already expressed initial interest in contributing forces to the ISF. 

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman says Riyadh wants to be part of the Abraham Accords, the framework for normalization deals with Israel, but also wants to secure “a clear path [toward] a two-state solution.”

Bin Salman tells reporters alongside US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office that the pair had a “healthy discussion” on the issue.

“We’re going to work on that to be sure that we can prepare [for] the right situation as soon as possible to have that,” bin Salman says, referring to a pathway to a two-state solution.

The Israel Defense Forces has raised a formal objection to the possible U.S. sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, warning the move could harm Jerusalem’s qualitative military edge,Hebrew media reported on Tuesday.

An Israeli Air Force position paper shared with the country’s political echelon and obtained by Ynet warns that long-range operations carried out with the IAF’s F-35 fleet rely on exclusive access to the aircraft.

According to the IAF’s assessment, the deployment of identical stealth jets by Riyadh could undercut the Jewish state’s operational advantage.

Jerusalem applauds President Donald Trump and his “tireless and devoted team,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Tuesday morning following the United Nations Security Council’s endorsement of Washington’s 20-point peace plan for Gaza.

“The courage and sacrifice of our brave soldiers, along with President Trump’s diplomatic efforts, helped bring home all of the living hostages and most of the deceased ones,” the prime minister tweeted in English.

The Jewish state is convinced that Trump’s peace plan “will lead to peace and prosperity because it insists upon full demilitarization, disarmament and the deradicalization of Gaza,” he continued.

The resolution “will lead to further integration of Israel and its neighbors,” as well as the possible expansion of the Abraham Accords with Arab and Muslim nations, said Netanyahu.