LiveLive Updates July 24, 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 formatSubscribeJuly 24, 2026UpdatesIsraeli death toll in West Bank clashes rises to two; IDF names soldier killedThe Israeli death toll from Friday's clashes in the West Bank village of Tell near Nablus has risen to two, with one soldier and one settler serving in a local security squad killed during the violence. One additional Israeli was seriously wounded. Four Palestinians were also killed, according to Palestinian reports.Mourners wheel the body of a Palestinian killed by Israeli forces near the village of Tell, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry, after his body was brought to Nablus Speciality Hospital in the West Bank city of Nablus, Friday. Credit: Majdi Mohammed/AP Mourners wheel the body of a Palestinian killed by Israeli forces near the village of Tell, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry, after his body was brought to Nablus Speciality Hospital in the West Bank city of Nablus, Friday. Credit: Majdi Mohammed/AP The IDF cleared for publication the names of the two Israelis killed after notifying their families. The military said they "fell during operational activity in the area of Tell."Maj. Yuval Ezra, 27, from Herzliya, was killed while serving as a battery commander in the 411th Battalion of the 282nd Brigade.Benayahu Mellet, 32, from Yitzhar, and Major Yuval Ezra, 27, from Herzliya. Credit: IDF Spokesperson's UnitBenayahu Mellet, 32, from Yitzhar, and Major Yuval Ezra, 27, from Herzliya. Credit: IDF Spokesperson's UnitThe second Israeli killed was Benayahu Mellet, 32, from Yitzhar, a member of the local security squad at the Havat Gilad settlement. The IDF identified him as a combat commander of the Jerusalem Brigade, and said he "fell during operational activity while serving as a local defense security guard in the area of Tell." Mellet left behind a wife and two daughters.According to an initial IDF inquiry, armed settlers entered Tell for an unauthorized tour and encountered Palestinians near a mosque. The military said the confrontation continued near the outskirts of the village, closer to Havat Gilad, and that Israeli gunfire was exchanged during the incident. The IDF said it is investigating whether some of the casualties were caused by crossfire.Documentation of the shooting incident in the village of Tel in the Nablus area. Section 27A of the Copyright LawPalestinian residents told Haaretz that a group of Israelis arrived near the village, approached homes and that a confrontation broke out between them and local residents. They said the Israelis were armed and that, after an Israeli weapon was taken by one of the Palestinians, gunfire was opened at Palestinians after Israeli forces arrived at the scene.Mellet's funeral began Friday, with residents of Havat Gilad and others gathering to accompany him to burial. He is survived by his wife and two daughters.The funeral of Benyahu Mellet at the Gilad settlement, Friday. Credit: Hillel Ben OrThe funeral of Benyahu Mellet at the Gilad settlement, Friday. Credit: Hillel Ben OrThe IDF has classified the incident as a terror attack and imposed a closure on Nablus and a curfew on the villages of Tell and Burin.According to figures from the Palestinian Authority, 87 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank this year, including 21 killed by Israeli settlers. United Nations figures indicate some 850 Palestinians have been wounded in the context of attacks by Israeli settlers since the start of the year.Jordan says it intercepted seven Iranian missiles, drones targeting kingdomJordan's military said Friday that its air defense systems and air force intercepted seven missiles and six drones launched by Iran, amid Tehran's continued attacks on U.S. allies in the region.The military said the interceptions "resulted in no casualties or material damage."Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, meanwhile, said it launched an attack on the U.S. air base at Al Azraq in Jordan, according to Iranian state television. It was not immediately clear whether the reported attack was related to the missiles and drones intercepted by Jordan.Netanyahu, Katz push new West Bank outposts after deadly clashes near NablusPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said they have instructed the IDF to accelerate the legalization of farms and outposts in the West Bank and establish new ones following recent clashes in the Nablus area.Defense Minister Israel Katz, Netanyahu and Zamir Credit: Maayan Toaf/GPODefense Minister Israel Katz, Netanyahu and Zamir Credit: Maayan Toaf/GPOFollowing a meeting of the security cabinet's limited forum, Netanyahu and Katz said they also ordered the demolition of the home of the Palestinian suspect accused of the fatal shooting of Israeli settler Benayahu Mellet, and directed the military to carry out an "intensive operation" in Palestinian villages they identified as centers of militant activity.Mellet was part of the civilian defense team from the settlement of Havat Gilad.The measures include weapons seizures, revoking work permits for Palestinians, reinforcing IDF forces across the West Bank, and increasing separation between Israeli and Palestinian traffic routes through checkpoints and road restrictions.Read the full articleIDF transfers forces from Gaza, Lebanon fronts to West Bank amid rising tensions The IDF said Friday that it is preparing for an 'extensive counterterrorism operation' in the Nablus area and reinforcing its forces in the West Bank.A military cordon has been imposed on Nablus, along with curfews in surrounding villages, following Friday morning's deadly shooting.The military said the decision to bolster forces in the West Bank was made amid heightened tensions, including preparations for a possible escalation with Iran.According to the IDF, there are currently 126 settler outposts across the West Bank that the military is struggling to protect, prompting a decision two weeks ago to redeploy troops from the Gaza and Lebanon fronts.The military also expressed concern over Palestinian security committees established to protect residents from settler violence, saying around 70 such groups have been formed across the West Bank.Third West Bank settler attack since Friday morning reported; four Palestinians wounded according to the Red CrescentIsraeli settlers wounded eight Palestinians, according to the Red Crescent, during an attack on the Palestinian village of Far'ata, southeast of Nablus, the third such incident reported in the West Bank since Friday morning.Six people were wounded by live fire, including two who are in critical condition after being shot in the head and chest. Another person suffered a head injury after being struck by a stone, while an eighth was wounded by rubber bullets. The Red Crescent said all of the wounded received medical care, either after being evacuated or from its teams at the scene.Iranian media reports U.S. strikes in northern IranIranian state media reported on Friday that the United States had struck targets in northern Iran, including a naval base on the Caspian Sea, marking a shift from attacks that had largely been confined to the south.Black smoke rises following explosions near a military base hosting U.S. forces in the northern Iraqi city of Irbil, Friday, July 24, 2026. Credit: Stella Martany/AP Black smoke rises following explosions near a military base hosting U.S. forces in the northern Iraqi city of Irbil, Friday, July 24, 2026. Credit: Stella Martany/AP Iran's state news agency IRNA, citing the deputy governor of Gilan province, said a naval base on the Caspian coast had been hit. In a separate report, the news agency said projectiles also struck the northwestern town of Piranshahr, near the Iraqi border, citing local emergency services. The reports could not be independently verified.The U.S. military said overnight it had struck command centers, drone depots and coastal surveillance installations in Iran.8 hours agoIsraeli, four Palestinians killed in West Bank shooting after clashes eruptAn Israeli and four Palestinians were killed in a shooting in the northern West Bank on Friday after clashes erupted between a group of Israelis and Palestinians, according to the Israeli military and the Palestinian Health Ministry.According to the IDF, a group of Israelis was hiking near Nablus in the village of Tal when they encountered Palestinians who attacked them near the village mosque.The military said a Palestinian seized a weapon from a security guard from the nearby Havat Gilad settlement and opened fire on the group. However, footage from the scene appears to show an armed person standing near a group of people, with IDF forces visible behind him without intervening. Use under Section 27A of the Copyright LawTwo other Israelis were seriously and moderately wounded, according to Israeli emergency services, while the Palestinian Health Ministry said four Palestinians were wounded, three critically.The IDF said it was treating the incident as a terrorist attack and had encircled the nearby area and several entrances to Nablus.In the NewsAs It Sinks Deep Into West Bank, the IDF Launches a Greater Israel Unit PatchSnake in Brazil 80 Million Years Ago Lived in Burrow, to Surprise of ScienceNetanyahu Vows to Turn Israel Into an AI Superpower, but Can He?After October 7, Many Wrote Off the DSA. Then It Started WinningIDF Set to Launch West Bank Offensive After Deadly Israeli-Palestinian ClashesRemembering and rebuilding two years laterICYMIThe Most Optimistic Israeli in Jerusalem Is Leaving the CountryAs Ground Invasion Looms, U.S. and Iran Want Wild-card Israel Out of the FightThe Original Ozempic Society of Ancient RomeBetween Messi and Milei: How Argentina Became Israel's Team at the World Cup'Choose Hope': Natalie Portman Backs Arab-Jewish Party Ahead of Israeli ElectionHélène Cixous: 'I Accept Israel's Existence, but I Don't Identify With It'