Author - Akiva Van Koningsveld

The IDF has been deployed across Lebanon’s south following Hezbollah’s decision to join the war on behalf of Iran.

As of Jan. 1, 2026, 541,085 Jews lived in Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley, amounting to some 5.32% of the nation’s population.

The status quo at the site has generally barred Jewish visitors from bringing religious items such as prayer books and tefillin.

“No one can predict what tomorrow will bring in Iran, but one thing is clear: no matter what happens—Iran will not return to being what it was,” said the Israeli premier.

The Israeli prime minister told Fox News that “the point here is not to negotiate with Hamas,” adding: “Their job is to vanish.”

“Our role is to defend the citizens of Israel against every threat—and that is what we will do,” said the Israeli defense minister.

Jerusalem “will not allow Hamas murderers to rearm and threaten us again,” the premier vowed.

The statement came after Khaled Mashaal rejected the US- and UN-backed demands for Hamas to disarm and for the Strip to be demilitarized.

Global anti-Israel sentiment has created opportunities “to remove this entity [Israel] from our homeland,” said Khaled Mashaal.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed Acting National Security Council head Gil Reich “to send a representative on his behalf.”