June 27, 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 formatSubscribeJune 27, 2026UpdatesParents in northern Israeli Arab city announce general strike after far-right lawmaker plans school inspectionsParents and community leaders in Umm al-Fahm, Israel's third-largest Arab city, announced Saturday a general strike in all schools after far-right lawmaker Zvi Succot said he would visit the city Sunday in his role as chair of the Knesset Education Committee. Religious Zionism lawmaker Tzvi Succot, in the Knesset, December. Credit: Olivier FitoussiReligious Zionism lawmaker Tzvi Succot, in the Knesset, December.Credit: Olivier FitoussiIn a Facebook post, Succot of the Religious Zionism party said he plans to visit to ensure "a single shekel of state funding" does not go to schools he said invite terrorist organizations to lecture students.The city's parents' committee said it would shut all educational institutions, including special education programs, citing safety concerns and tensions, calling the visit a "provocative step" and an attempt to politicize schools.Hadash party head Yousef Jabarin, a city resident, called Succot "an inciter and racist," saying residents would oppose what he described as hate speech.Earlier this month, Succot was filmed attempting to break into a school in Tuba Zangariyye, a Bedouin village in the Upper Galilee, using a disc saw to cut through a fence. His spokesperson confirmed the incident and said students were present.RECAP: Hezbollah chief condemns Israel-Lebanon deal as Israel says it won't withdraw, launches southern Lebanese air raid Here are Saturday's latest updates:■ Hezbollah ‌chief Naim ‌Qassem bashed the Israel-Lebanon framework agreement that was signed on Friday in Washington, saying it cedes the right of displaced Lebanese residents to return to their homes and calling the agreement "a surrender of Lebanon's sovereignty."■ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the agreement between Israel and Lebanon strengthens both countries while weakening Iran and Hezbollah. Turning to domestic politics, Netanyahu said he aims to build a broad national coalition but would not form a government dependent on Arab parties.■ Israel's defense minister Israel Katz said Israel will not withdraw from Lebanon and will continue holding the self-declared "buffer zone" captured by the Israeli military. ■ The Israeli air force launched a raid on the southern Lebanese town of Nabatieh al-Fawqa, striking the town four times, Lebanon's official National News Agency reported.■ About 150 demonstrators gathered in Tel Aviv for an alternative Pride march protesting what organizers described as pinkwashing, Israel's use of LGBT rights for propaganda.Netanyahu says Lebanon deal strengthens Israel while weakening Hezbollah and IranPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saturday that a new agreement between Israel and Lebanon strengthens both countries while weakening Iran and Hezbollah. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses reporters at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem, June. Credit: Olivier FitoussiPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses reporters at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem, June. Credit: Olivier FitoussiSpeaking to reporters, Netanyahu said the Israeli military has destroyed about 90 percent of Hezbollah's rocket and missile stockpiles, killed Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah and commanders of the Radwan Force, and killed more than 9,000 Hezbollah militants since the start of the war, including more than 200 in the past two weeks.He said Israel controls several points in southern Lebanon, including Beaufort Castle, Al-Awida Ridge and the area around the Shiite village of Bint Jbeil. Netanyahu added that Israel still needs to address Hezbollah's drone capabilities, which he described as a "global problem." The prime minister also said the government will allocate 20 billion shekels (about $6.5 billion) for reconstruction and development in northern Israel, and that restoring security to residents in the region remains a priority.On foreign policy, Netanyahu said he plans to send a delegation to the United States to outline Israel's position on an emerging U.S.-Iran deal, with a focus on Iran's nuclear program."We weren't party to the agreement," he said, "but we have interests and we will express them."Turning to domestic politics, Netanyahu said he aims to build a broad national coalition after what he described as "removing the Iranian existential threat." He said he would not boycott political actors but would not form a government dependent on Arab parties.He said any party could join a future government if it accepts core principles including recognition of Israel as a Jewish nation-state, protection of individual rights, a free-market economy and strengthened security independence.Netanyahu also claimed arrests carried out by the Israel Police in yeshivas harm efforts to enlist the ultra-Orthodox. In practice, police do not enter yeshivas to arrest draft dodgers. "Yeshivas are sending me a message saying: when you send people into the yeshivas, no one enlists," he said. "If I told you that in Europe the police are sent into yeshivas and take young men who are studying Torah and put them in prison – wouldn't you be shocked?"Israel launches air raid on southern Lebanon's Nabatieh district, local media says The Israeli air force launched a raid on the southern Lebanese town of Nabatieh al-Fawqa, Lebanon's official National News Agency reported. According to the report, Israeli planes struck the town four times, targeting the town's central square and the nearby al-Manzala area. Nabatieh al-Fawqa is located near the Ali al-Taher Ridge, which has become a key focus of Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon. Last week, four soldiers were killed in the nearby town of Tebnit, including the commander of the IDF's 52 Armored Battalion, when their tank was hit by Hezbollah fire. Israel's defense minister: IDF to prepare for 'extended' stay in southern Lebanon 'buffer zone' amid dealIsrael's defense minister Israel Katz, referring to the deal struck between the United States, Israel and Lebanon on Friday, said Israel will not withdraw from Lebanon and will continue holding the self-declared "buffer zone" captured by the Israeli military, including the strategic mountain topped with the Beaufort Castle, a Crusader-built castle in southern Lebanon, near Nabatieh, where Israeli strikes were reported throughout Saturday. According to Katz, the deal conditions an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon with the disarmament of the militant group Hezbollah throughout Lebanon. Katz added that he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have "instructed the IDF to prepare for an extended stay in the security zone." The defense minister also said "Iran tried to force Israel into withdrawing from Lebanon through threats and pressure on the United States – and failed.""If Iran attempts to attack Israel to prevent the implementation of the agreement, we will act against it with great force and demonstrate the power gap that exists between us," he said. According to the agreement, Israel and Lebanon agreed to establish pilot zones in southern Lebanon where Hezbollah infrastructure would be dismantled and control gradually transferred to the Lebanese Army, with the United States expected to oversee Lebanese Army activity in those areas.Under the agreement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would maintain "operational freedom" in southern Lebanon during a transitional period and remain deployed in most of the "buffer zone" it currently holds until Hezbollah is disarmed.Report: U.S. expands Strait of Hormuz shipping routes to counter Iranian controlVessels are anchored in the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, in June. Credit: Stringer/ReutersVessels are anchored in the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, in June. Credit: Stringer/ReutersThe United States has expanded a shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz near Oman, CNN reported Saturday, in a move designed to increase traffic in and out of the Persian Gulf and counter Iranian claims over the strait. According to the U.S.-led Joint Maritime Information Centre, the threat level in the strait is now "substantial" following recent attacks on commercial vessels.On Thursday, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps struck a Singapore-flagged cargo vessel in the strait. The Iranian authority charged with managing the strait also said it would no longer guarantee safe transit for vessels passing outside its designated routes.Hezbollah chief calls Israel-Lebanon agreement 'null,' 'surrender,' calls for implementation of U.S.-Iran deal insteadHezbollah chief Naim Qassem addresses crowds on a screen in Beirut's southern suburbs, June. Credit: AFP/ANWAR AMROHezbollah chief Naim Qassem addresses crowds on a screen in Beirut's southern suburbs, June. Credit: AFP/ANWAR AMROHezbollah ‌chief Naim ‌Qassem bashed the Israel-Lebanon framework agreement that was signed on Friday in Washington, saying it cedes the right of displaced Lebanese residents to return to their homes and calling the agreement "a surrender of Lebanon's sovereignty."Linking Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon to Hezbollah's disarmament throughout the country is a "very dangerous move," Qassem said, emphasizing that the agreement is "null" and illegitimate.Qassem added that the agreement is a "humiliation, a disgrace, and a surrender of national sovereignty," and called for the U.S.-Iran preliminary agreement to be implemented instead. That deal, as read out by a U.S. official, declared "the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon," and pledged to ensure Lebanon's "territorial integrity and sovereignty."He further stressed that Hezbollah will continue its operations on the ground "until the occupation is removed," and that the organization opposes any diplomatic settlement that harms Lebanon's sovereignty or the rights of its citizens.Read the full articleDemonstrators gather in Tel Aviv for anti-'pinkwashing' Pride parade About 150 demonstrators gathered in Tel Aviv on Saturday for an alternative Pride march protesting what organizers described as pinkwashing, Israel's use of LGBT rights for propaganda. Demonstrators march at an alternative pride march in Tel Aviv, Saturday. Credit: Moti MilrodDemonstrators march at an alternative pride march in Tel Aviv, Saturday. Credit: Moti MilrodSpeaking to Haaretz, organizers said they chose not to participate in the annual Tel Aviv Pride Parade because of concerns over their freedom of expression. "In the regular parade, we have to submit to bland slogans and not shout radical things, and here we can call for liberation," Kim Abraham said, adding that the alternative march was held under the banner of universal rights for Palestinians, women and members of the LGBTQ community, "not only for the personal rights of the queer community." Demonstrators march through Tel Aviv on Saturday in protest of Israel's actions in Gaza and pinkwashing, the use of LGBTQ rights for state propaganda. Yair Foldes/XOrganizers said they requested approval from the Israel Police to avoid a confrontation with officers and to protect Palestinian participants of the march. Officers were seen filming participants, despite an advisory note from organizers noting that "some individuals attending the march are at risk if their images are made public." Read the full articleRECAP: Israeli drone strike hits southern Lebanon day after security dealHere are Saturday's latest updates:■ An Israeli drone struck the Nabatieh area in southern Lebanon, Lebanon's state news agency reported, a day after Israel and Lebanon signed the U.S.-brokered security arrangement aimed at reducing tensions along the border.■ Israeli forces will withdraw from areas of southern Lebanon only after the Lebanese army verifies that Hezbollah has been disarmed and its infrastructure dismantled, according to the text of the U.S.-brokered agreement released on Saturday. The deal also establishes two pilot zones where the Lebanese army will assume full security responsibility.■ Hundreds of Hezbollah supporters demonstrated in Beirut overnight against the Israel-Lebanon agreement, blocking roads and burning tires before the Lebanese army dispersed several protest sites by force. Hezbollah lawmakers denounced the deal and vowed the group would not give up its weapons.■ Iran said it carried out "defensive strikes" against targets linked to U.S. forces in response to American airstrikes on its southern coast, and warned Gulf states against allowing their territory to be used for attacks on Iran. Iran's Mehr news agency, citing a local source, reported that no damage was caused to the port of Sirik following U.S. strikes in the area.■ Bahrain condemned what it said were Iranian drone attacks on its territory, calling them a violation of its sovereignty and saying it reserved the right to defend itself.■ A tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz was struck by an unidentified projectile, the U.K. Maritime Trade Operations agency said. The vessel's bridge was damaged but all crew members were reported safe. Iran's state television reported that more ships are seeking permits to transit the Strait of Hormuz after non-authorized vessels were met with warning shots.■ Israeli settlers entered a Palestinian home in the West Bank village of Kabalan, south of Nablus, with IDF forces taking more than 45 minutes to remove them. No arrests were reported.■ Palestinian officials said Israeli settlers and IDF forces raided the A-Ras Mosque in the old West Bank city of Hebron, expelled worshippers and hung Israeli flags at the site. The IDF had not responded.Israeli drone strike hits southern Lebanon day after security deal An Israeli ‌drone struck the ⁠Nabatiyeh area ⁠in southern Lebanon on Saturday, Lebanon's state news agency ‌said.An Israeli military vehicle drives near a damaged building with a large Israeli flag in Lebanon, after Israel and Lebanon signed a framework agreement following U.S.-mediated talks, as seen from northern Israel, June 27, 2026. REUTERS/Amir Cohen TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY Credit: Amir Cohen/REUTERSAn Israeli military vehicle drives near a damaged building with a large Israeli flag in Lebanon, after Israel and Lebanon signed a framework agreement following U.S.-mediated talks, as seen from northern Israel, June 27, 2026. REUTERS/Amir Cohen TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY Credit: Amir Cohen/REUTERSThe ‌reported strike came a day after Israel and Lebanon signed a ⁠U.S.-brokered security arrangement aimed ‌at ⁠reducing tensions ‌along their border following months ⁠of cross-border hostilities with Hezbollah.Read the full article15 hours agoIsrael to withdraw from Lebanon only after Hezbollah disarmed, deal saysIsraeli forces would only withdraw from southern Lebanon areas where the Lebanese military has proved that it disarmed Hezbollah and dismantled its infrastructure under an agreement signed by Israeli and Lebanese officials in Washington on Friday, according to the the deal's text released on Saturday.Israeli, Lenabese and U.S. representatives sign an agreement, in Washington, on Friday. Credit: Screencap from State Department streamIsraeli, Lenabese and U.S. representatives sign an agreement, in Washington, on Friday. Credit: Screencap from State Department streamREAD THE FULL TEXT OF THE TRILATERAL AGREEMENTThe two countries signed an initial agreement on Friday, after four days of fervent negotiations mediated by the United States, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying that "there is still a lot of work ahead of us."Israeli and Lebanese flags, in northern Israel, on Saturday. Credit: Ariel Schalit / APThe text did not specify how this would be verified, instead calling for mechanisms that would be outlined in a Security Annex not yet disclosed.Israeli and Lebanese flags, in northern Israel, on Saturday. Credit: Ariel Schalit / APIsraeli and Lebanese flags, in northern Israel, on Saturday. Credit: Ariel Schalit / APUnder the agreement, two agreed-upon "pilot zones" in southern Lebanon will be set up, where the Lebanese army will assume "full and effective security responsibility," allowing for return of displaced residents, internationally supported reconstruction efforts and the creation of future similar pilot zones.Read the full articleIn the NewsArmed Settlers Take Over Palestinian Home in PA-controlled Area BThe New Israel-Lebanon Deal Contradicts the U.S.-Iran Memorandum. Now What?Northern Israel Mayors Welcome Lebanon Deal, but Doubt Hezbollah DisarmamentIsrael Admits State-religious Schools Are Better Subsidized Than Secular OnesNearing 1,000 Days Since Oct. 7, anti-Netanyahu Gov't Rallies Held Across IsraelRemembering and rebuilding two years laterICYMIAs the World Watched Gaza, Israeli Settlers Charged Ahead in the West Bank. A Clash Is ImminentWhere Does Andy Burnham Stand on Israel and Palestine?Israel, the Country We Love, the Country We're Ashamed OfDonald Trump Has Fulfilled My Dream: For Israel to Pay for Its ActionsIsraeli Killed in Montreal Attack, Shooter Allegedly Linked to Incel IdeologyA Collapsing Society: Israel Suffers National Mental Crisis Due to the War