LiveLive Updates May 18, 2026Share to FacebookShare to XArticle printing is available to subscribers onlyPrint in a simple, ad-free formatSubscribeComments: Zen reading is available to subscribers onlyAd-free and in a comfortable reading formatSubscribeMay 18, 2026UpdatesIDF seizing Turkish flotilla boats headed to Gaza StripThe Israeli Navy is seizing boats participating in the Turkish flotilla headed to the Gaza Strip.Israeli forces taking over one of the flotilla boats in the Mediterranean on Monday. Use under Section 27A of the Copyright LawEarlier Monday, the Foreign Ministry posted a statement on X attacking the flotilla that was dispatched from Turkey to Gaza a few days ago, saying that the flotilla's "purpose of this provocation" is to serve Hamas, to "divert attention" from the Palestinian group's refusal to disarm and to "obstruct progress" of President Donald Trump's "peace plan."Once again, a provocation for the sake of provocation: another so-called “humanitarian aid flotilla” with no humanitarian aid. This time, two violent Turkish groups - Mavi Marmara and IHH, the latter designated as a terrorist organization - are part of the provocation.
TheShow moreRead the full articleRafah crossing continues to be closed for patientsThe Rafah crossing, which usually is closed during the weekend and reopens on Sunday, has remained closed to patients traveling to and from the Gaza Strip since Sunday for unknown reasons and is expected to remain closed on Monday, according to reports in Gaza.According to the Red Crescent, the last patient crossing through Rafah was on Thursday.IDF kills Islamic Jihad commander in Lebanon, Lebanese media saysThe Israeli military attacked overnight into Monday in the city of Baalbek in eastern Lebanon, killing an Islamic Jihad commander along with his daughter, Lebanese state media said.According to the report, the attack killed Wael Abdul Halim, a commander in the Islamic Jihad organization, and his 17-year-old daughter Rama was killed along with him.Read the full articleNetanyahu's trial hearings canceled Israeli court granted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's request to cancel the hearing in his trial on Monday morning "for security and political reasons that do not allow the Prime Minister to appear."Since the courts resumed operations at the end of the Israel war with Iran, none of Netanyahu's testimony hearings have taken place as planned – they have all been shortened or canceled.Netanyahu requests his trial hearing be canceled 'for security and political reasons'Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu requested that the hearing in his trial be canceled "for security and political reasons." The judges announced that the hearing would not begin at 9:30 A.M. as planned and that the final decision about the hearing would be made later on Monday.The Attorney General's Office responded to Netanyahu's request, saying that the hearing should begin with the "conclusion of the events detailed in the request" and "continue until the evening hours."Source: Trump meets with senior security administration officials to discuss war with IranU.S. President Donald Trump met with top security officials in his administration to discuss the war with Iran, a source familiar with the meeting told CNN. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of Defense Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff were all present at the meeting at the president's golf club in Virginia, the source said. U.S. President Donald Trump arrives back to the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., Sunday. Credit: Elizabeth Frantz/REUTERSU.S. President Donald Trump arrives back to the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., Sunday. Credit: Elizabeth Frantz/REUTERSThe meeting took place just hours after Trump returned to Washington from a trip to China.RECAP: Ten Israeli civilians crossed into Syria, returned by troops and handed to policeHere are Monday's updates from the U.S.-Iran cease-fire and Israel's war with Hezbollah:■ U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to meet his national security team to discuss potential military options, according to an Axios report.■ Israel operated covert outposts in western Iraq during its war with Iran, including facilities used for refueling, air support, and medical support operations, according to a report by The New York Times. Iraqi officials claim the activity was tied to incidents that left civilians and soldiers dead, while Israel declined to comment on the report.■ Saudi Arabia's Defense Ministry said three drones entering its airspace from Iraq were intercepted, amid wider regional concerns following a reported drone strike on the UAE's Barakah nuclear power plant, which Abu Dhabi and Saudi officials condemned as a dangerous escalation.■ Israel's IDF warned that a proposed draft exemption bill will not resolve the military's long-term manpower shortage, especially amid ongoing operational demands since October 7.■ IDF Central Command chief Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth signed an order applying Israel's death penalty law for terrorism to Palestinians in the West Bank. Legal officials had previously warned against extending the law to non-citizens in the territory.■ The IDF said multiple groups of Israeli civilians attempted to cross the Israel–Syria border in recent days in several separate incidents. Troops returned them to Israeli territory and handed them over to police, calling the crossings a serious criminal offense.■ The government approved a controversial Defense Ministry compound on the site of the former UNRWA headquarters in East Jerusalem, near Ammunition Hill, a move expected to raise diplomatic tensions over foreign access to the planned IDF museum there.■ Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara submitted a classified affidavit to the High Court in petitions challenging the appointment of Roman Gofman as head of the Mossad, alongside requests to submit further sealed material.■ Shin Bet chief David Zini asked the High Court to hold three former agency heads in contempt after they refused to disclose the identities of officials who signed a petition opposing his appointment.■ The High Court will hear Haaretz's petition to unseal the Shin Bet's position regarding restrictions on Prime Minister's Office aides Yonatan Urich and Eli Feldstein.Report: Israel operated covert outposts in Iraq during war with IranIsrael operated at least two covert outposts in Iraq's western desert during its war with Iran, The New York Times reported Sunday, citing Iraqi and regional officials.According to the report, one of the sites had been under preparation since late 2024 and was used during the June 2025 conflict with Iran for refueling, air support and medical treatment. Iraqi officials told the Times that the installations helped shorten flight times for Israeli aircraft operating against Iranian targets.A shepherd leads his herd through the Najaf desert in southwestern Iraq on Tuesday. Credit: AFP/QASSEM AL-KAABIA shepherd leads his herd through the Najaf desert in southwestern Iraq on Tuesday. Credit: AFP/QASSEM AL-KAABIThe reported existence of one of the outposts came to light after an Iraqi shepherd, Awad al-Shammari, encountered what he described as soldiers, helicopters and tents near a landing strip in the desert near al-Nukhaib. After contacting Iraqi authorities, he was reportedly killed when a helicopter fired on his vehicle. Witnesses cited by the Times said his truck was later found burned in the desert.The Israeli military declined to comment on the alleged bases or the killing.The Times also reported that Iraqi military units sent to investigate the site came under fire, resulting in one Iraqi soldier being killed and two wounded. Iraqi officials later concluded the forces operating there were Israeli, according to the report.Senior Iraqi officials quoted by the newspaper questioned whether Washington had prior knowledge of the Israeli activity. Former senior U.S. military officials told the Times it was "inconceivable" that U.S. Central Command had been unaware of an Israeli presence in western Iraq, given the close operational coordination between the two militaries.Men gather around the husk of a destroyed pickup truck in the Najaf desert in southwestern Iraq on Tuesday. Credit: AFP/QASSEM AL-KAABIMen gather around the husk of a destroyed pickup truck in the Najaf desert in southwestern Iraq on Tuesday. Credit: AFP/QASSEM AL-KAABIThe report added that Iraq's government has not publicly acknowledged the alleged Israeli outposts.In the NewsIDF Seizes 15 Gaza-bound Flotilla Boats in International Waters, Organizers SayWhat It's Like When a Settler Brutally Assaults YouThe Smotrich Doctrine for Bringing Down the Palestinian AuthorityAmerica Loves Israel. Until Business Gets in the WayIDF Kills Islamic Jihad Commander in Lebanon, Lebanese Media SaysRemembering and rebuilding two years laterICYMIHundreds Protest at New York Times HQ Over Column Alleging Abuse by IsraelisStarlink Users, Beware – Israeli Tech Can Reveal Your IdentityWelcome to the Most Shameful Day in the Jewish CalendarIsraeli Teens Storm Muslim Quarter in Old City, Haaretz Reporter AttackedIsrael Attacks New York Times for Report on Sexual Violence by Israeli ForcesAbe Foxman's Death Marks the Demise of the American Jewish Establishment
