LiveLive Updates July 30, 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 30, 2026UpdatesIDF says two Israelis crossed into Syria from Mount Hermon area, returned to IsraelThe IDF said Thursday that two Israeli civilians crossed the border into Syria from the Mount Hermon area and were returned to Israel after soldiers were dispatched to locate them.Israeli soldiers patrol on snow along Mount Hermon in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights bordering Lebanon and Syria, January. Credit: AFP/JALAA MAREYIsraeli soldiers patrol on snow along Mount Hermon in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights bordering Lebanon and Syria, January. Credit: AFP/JALAA MAREYThe civilians were transferred to the Israel Police for further handling, the military said."The IDF strongly condemns such incidents, which constitute an additional incident that disturbs the soldiers' operational activity in the area and puts them in danger," the army said.The IDF added that "law enforcement authorities are required to bring those involved to justice and to prevent those individuals from repeatedly engaging in this incident, which constitutes a criminal offense."Ambulance driver charged with aiding Iranian intelligence, gathering hospital informationAn ambulance driver from the northern Israeli town of Bi'ina was charged Thursday with carrying out missions for Iranian intelligence operatives, including collecting information on hospitals, documenting protests and photographing the residence of a senior security figure, the Shin Bet and Israel Police said.According to the indictment, Amir Hisham Mohammed Titi, 34, used his access as an ambulance driver to gather and transfer information and images about hospital operations during routine periods and emergencies. In one case, he allegedly documented a senior official during a visit to a hospital in northern Israel.The Shin Bet and police said Titi was also instructed to photograph Hostages Square in Tel Aviv while holding a sign featuring hostage images, a protest at the Horev Center in Haifa, and a town in the Sharon region where a senior security figure lives.A protest marking 1,000 days since October 7, at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, early July. Credit: Moti MilrodA protest marking 1,000 days since October 7, at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, early July. Credit: Moti MilrodAccording to the authorities, Titi received tens of thousands of shekels for carrying out the assignments, with payments transferred through relatives' bank accounts and a digital wallet.He was arrested on June 29 in an operation by the Shin Bet, the Northern District Police's Central Unit and Border Police undercover forces. An indictment was filed against him Thursday at the Haifa District Court.RECAP: Gaza reports four killed, including two children, in Israeli strikesHere are Thursday's latest updates:■ U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed frustration over the difficulty of reaching a deal to end the war with Iran and the lack of agreement among his advisers over a path forward, NBC News reported, citing U.S. officials and a Trump ally. A Trump ally said Trump was "exasperated" and had not expected negotiations with Tehran to be so difficult. The White House denied reports that Trump had lost his temper.■ The United States military said it struck dozens of IRGC targets in Iran, including military command centers, drone facilities and maritime capabilities, in a two-hour operation launched after Tehran fired ballistic missiles at U.S. forces in Jordan. Iran's state media reported that three people were killed in strikes on Qeshm Island.■ Palestinian reports said three people, including two children, were killed and others wounded in Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip overnight and early Thursday morning. The IDF said it killed a Hamas sniper cell commander in the Nuseirat Battalion and a Hamas operative who infiltrated Israel during the October 7 attack.■ Egypt said initial investigations found that a drone caused a fire on two ships at the Mediterranean port of Damietta. British maritime security firm Ambrey had earlier said a drone struck a U.S.-owned gas storage tanker at the port. No party has claimed responsibility.■ Kuwait's Defense Ministry said an Iranian attack struck a building belonging to a Chinese company in northern Kuwait, killing one worker and causing significant damage.■ A QatarEnergy-controlled gas tanker exited the Strait of Hormuz via an Iran-designated route for the first time since a tanker was struck in early July, according to shipping data and Iranian state media. Twelve commodity ships passed through the waterway on Wednesday, according to Kpler data.■ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continued meetings in Washington with U.S. senators, AIPAC leaders and evangelical figures, thanking them for their support of Israel and the U.S.-Israel alliance.Trump ‘exasperated’ on Iran as top officials can’t agree on strategy, sources sayU.S. President Donald Trump has expressed frustration over the difficulty of reaching a deal to end the war with Iran and the lack of agreement among his advisers over a path forward, NBC News reported, citing U.S. officials and a Trump ally.Despite publicly portraying the campaign against Iran as successful, Trump and senior officials remain dissatisfied with the state of the conflict, according to the report. One U.S. official said there was still no consensus inside the administration on how to proceed.A Trump ally who has spoken with the president in recent weeks told NBC News that "the president is exasperated" and said Trump had not expected negotiations with Tehran to be so difficult.U.S. President Donald Trump speaks about Dulles International Airport modernization, in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, in Washington. Credit: Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP U.S. President Donald Trump speaks about Dulles International Airport modernization, in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, in Washington. Credit: Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP "He did not intend this to be a long, drawn-out war," the ally said.White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt denied that Trump had lost his temper over the issue, saying, "This is false. The president has a great team whom he trusts, and everyone on the team knows he's the final decision-maker."According to NBC News, administration officials have struggled to define the war's objectives, including whether the focus is preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, reopening the Strait of Hormuz or dismantling Iran's missile and drone capabilities.A U.S. official said the military had been preparing for a renewed offensive without clear guidance, warning, "We have had a series of tactical victories. But are facing a strategic defeat without clear policy guidance or a decision about where this is going."Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the Defense Department was "locked and loaded" to carry out Trump's directives and that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, CENTCOM Commander Adm. Cooper and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine were aligned on the mission.Former hostage Evyatar David says he is battling PTSD, flashbacks after Hamas captivityFormer Hamas hostage Evyatar David said Thursday that he is struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder and flashbacks following his release from captivity, in his first public message since returning to Israel.David wrote on social media that after spending more than two years in captivity, he believed he would be able to overcome any challenge once he returned home. "But slowly I understood that even when you return home, not everything comes back with you," he wrote."Surviving captivity is one thing. Truly recovering is another battle," David said.Israeli hostage Evyatar David in a video published by Hamas, last August.Israeli hostage Evyatar David in a video published by Hamas, last August.David, who was abducted from the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023, said that during his captivity he was sustained by thoughts of his family, friends and the hope that people would continue fighting for his release.After returning home, he said, he received "more love than can be imagined" from Israelis and people who had prayed for his return. "After everything I saw there, the people of Israel reminded me that there is also good in the world," he wrote.David said he is now undergoing a difficult rehabilitation process. "There are moments when I am in a safe place, surrounded by people I love, but my mind is still back there," he wrote.Released hostage Evyatar David arrives in Kfar Sava, October. Credit: Itai RonReleased hostage Evyatar David arrives in Kfar Sava, October. Credit: Itai Ron"I am not writing so people will feel sorry for me. I am writing because I want to win this battle as well," he added.David's family and friends launched a crowdfunding campaign to help him focus on his recovery. He said his goal is to rebuild his life, marry, start a family and "truly return to living."Gaza beekeepers try to rebuild hives as war destroys farmland and cropsFor Gaza's beekeepers, rebuilding after more than two years of war means trying to restore a livelihood amid destroyed farmland, lost equipment and a drastically reduced bee population."Bees require trees, we are raising bees amongst rubble," beekeeper Ibrahim al-Dabba said as he inspected a honeycomb frame on the roof of a war-damaged building overlooking the ruins of Gaza City.Before the war, Gaza's beekeepers maintained around 30,000 hives, according to agricultural engineer and beekeeper Rateb Sammour. Sammour estimates that only around 700 hives remain, with beekeepers dividing existing colonies in an effort to preserve their numbers.Honey production has fallen to about 10 percent of its prewar levels, Sammour said. Production had already declined in previous years, dropping from roughly 400 metric tons annually due to changing flowering seasons linked to climate conditions.A Palestinian beekeeper inspects a beehive in Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip, early July. Credit: RAMADAN ABED/REUTERSA Palestinian beekeeper inspects a beehive in Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip, early July. Credit: RAMADAN ABED/REUTERSAcross Gaza, beekeepers are attempting to salvage what remains of their industry. Some have moved hives onto rooftops because farmland has been destroyed or is inaccessible, while others are using sugar supplements to feed bees in areas where natural forage has disappeared.Dabba, 49, said he hoped after the cease-fire to return to a profession passed down through generations, but found little left. "We couldn't find bees, we couldn't find equipment, we couldn't find frames, we couldn't find anything to get us back to bees.""We are even forbidden from entering agricultural areas," he added, referring to areas near the Yellow Line military demarcation established under the cease-fire.Dabba said restarting his apiary came at a steep cost, paying 10,000 shekels ($3,245) for three hives alone, without equipment.After pressure from Netanyahu party lawyer, Haaretz ad campaign removed from billboards across central IsraelAn advertising campaign launched this week by Haaretz newspaper has been removed from billboards across Tel Aviv and central Israel, after pressure from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling Likud party, which argued that it constituted illegal electioneering.Haaretz's advertising campaign at the Azrieli Center in Tel Aviv. Credit: Hadas ParushHaaretz's advertising campaign at the Azrieli Center in Tel Aviv. Credit: Hadas ParushThe Haaretz Group rejected Likud's claim, calling the party's complaint "an attempt lacking all legal or factual basis to use election laws to silence a critical media outlet." In a statement, the newspaper accused Likud of "artificially attributing a political character to a commercial campaign solely due to the identity of the advertiser."The Haaretz campaign was launched earlier this week on social media and billboards ahead of the Knesset elections scheduled for October 27. According to the statement, the central message of the Haaretz campaign is that "free, professional and credible journalism is not self-evident; it is an essential condition for democracy."The centerpiece of the campaign is a teaser with the caption "It's possible," which leads to a landing page detailing the main messages of the campaign.Shortly after the campaign went live, however, Ilan Bombach, an attorney representing Likud, sent a letter to Gali Arnon, the CEO of the Haaretz Group, threatening legal action if the campaign was not removed.Read the full articleEgypt says drone caused fire on two ships at Damietta portEgypt's Cabinet said initial investigations found that a fire on two ships at the Mediterranean port of Damietta was caused by a drone, but no party has claimed responsibility for the attack.British maritime security firm Ambrey said Wednesday that a drone struck a U.S.-owned gas storage tanker at Damietta port, causing a fire that spread to another vessel. Egypt's Petroleum Ministry confirmed that a fire broke out on a gasification vessel and a storage vessel at the port, saying it was quickly contained by firefighting and security teams. The ministry said there were no injuries or fatalities. The Cabinet said authorities were continuing their investigation and taking "necessary measures to protect Egypt's interests and national security." A drone hit a U.S.-owned gas storage ‌tanker at Egypt's Mediterranean port of Damietta, British maritime security firm Ambrey said.The vessels were identified as the U.S.-owned Energos Winter floating storage and regasification unit and the Gaslog Salem, according to maritime security sources.It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the attack, which occurred shortly after Iran launched a missile attack against U.S. forces in Jordan and Washington and Saudi Arabia carried out strikes against Iran-backed militias in Iraq. U.S. President Trump previously implied that Iran was responsible without offering details.Read the full articleIranian strike on Chinese company building in Kuwait kills worker, ministry saysAn Iranian attack struck a building belonging to a Chinese company in northern Kuwait, killing one worker and causing significant damage, Kuwait's Defense Ministry said.The ministry spokesperson, Maj. Gen. Saud Abdulaziz Al-Otaibi, said in a statement posted by the Kuwaiti army that the "heinous Iranian aggression" targeted the building, resulting in the worker's death and extensive material damage.بيان رقم (80)