LiveLive Updates August 08, 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 formatSubscribeAugust 08, 2026Report: Top U.S. general privately urges Trump officials to seek ‘off-ramp’ from Iran warChairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine has privately warned senior Trump administration officials that the United States needs a way to wind down its war with Iran, CNN reported Saturday, citing three sources familiar with the matter.U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine speaks in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., Monday. Credit: Evelyn Hockstein/REUTERSU.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine speaks in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., Monday. Credit: Evelyn Hockstein/REUTERSCaine has discussed his concerns with CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance, two of the sources said. In recent weeks, he has also held separate discussions with some of the officials to coordinate their positions ahead of meetings with President Donald Trump and emphasize the limitations and potential pitfalls of the military options available to the administration, including those that would not require deploying U.S. ground troops.Caine warned that further military escalation could backfire and that airpower alone is unlikely to achieve Trump's objectives in the war, according to CNN.One source told CNN that "Caine is looking for an off ramp," adding that he believed the general was seeking to protect the U.S. military. The source said Caine and other administration officials had been concerned about a plan late last month for a major attack on Iran, despite Trump's initial willingness to authorize what he described as a "massive" operation.Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, right, speaks as Jennifer Hegseth, from left, President Donald Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and guests listen during a meeting about military families, in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Credit: Alex Brandon,AP Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, right, speaks as Jennifer Hegseth, from left, President Donald Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and guests listen during a meeting about military families, in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Credit: Alex Brandon,AP The source said the only officials who supported the operation were elements of U.S. Central Command, while Israel also broadly supported an escalation.Caine's spokesman, Joseph Holstead, told CNN that the Pentagon does not discuss the chairman's confidential conversations with Trump, the defense secretary or other senior officials, and does not comment on "anonymous, agenda-driven characterizations" of those conversations by people who were not privy to them.Iran is getting closer to controlling the Strait of Hormuz without curbing its nuclear program | AnalysisThe script for the latest episode of the economic thriller "The Strait of Hormuz – How Did We Get Here and Where Are We Going?" is apparently about to be finished. A little more polishing, another period or comma, another visit to Pakistan by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and maybe, on Saturday or Sunday, the opening of this bottleneck full of mines can be announced.Ships in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday. If it opens, the Gulf states will have to compete against Iran, which can sell around 2 million barrels a day and increase that to 3.5 million fairly quickly. Credit: Stringer/ReutersShips in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday. If it opens, the Gulf states will have to compete against Iran, which can sell around 2 million barrels a day and increase that to 3.5 million fairly quickly. Credit: Stringer/ReutersAccording to the latest report by a "senior Iranian source" who spoke with the Arab and American media, there is already an agreement in principle on dividing control over the strait. Incoming ships will use the "Iranian channel" while outgoing ships will use the southern "Omani channel."This would be a major concession to Iran and significantly alter maritime transit arrangements. Before the war, the strait was open to all ships with no restrictions or supervision.Read the full articleLebanon, Israel agree on shortlist of countries that could send troops to verify Hezbollah disarmamentLebanon and Israel have agreed on a shortlist of countries that could send troops to verify the disarmament of Hezbollah ‌under a U.S.-brokered agreement, a Lebanese official said on Friday, with the United States due to pick countries from the list.Israeli and Lebanese flags near the northern border, on Saturday. Credit: Amir Cohen/ReutersIsraeli and Lebanese flags near the northern border, on Saturday. Credit: Amir Cohen/ReutersThe official declined to identify any of the countries on the shortlist or say how many there were. Another Lebanese official and two foreign diplomats have previously told Reuters that Israel and the United States had vetoed France.The list was produced during meetings between Lebanon and Israel at the U.S. embassy in Rome this week, the latest round of talks on how to implement a June 26 deal that links Israel's progressive withdrawal ⁠of troops from Lebanon to the disarmament of Hezbollah, which would be "verified" by a third party.Read the full article3 hours agoJerusalem braces for Saturday sabbath battles over downtown caféAfter years of relative calm, Jerusalem's long-running battles over Sabbath observance have erupted anew in recent weeks, with ultra-Orthodox protesters targeting a downtown café that has become the center of a growing dispute over businesses operating on Shabbat.A secular woman arguing with ultra-Orthodox protesters at Café Basimta, last week. Credit: Olivier FitoussiA secular woman arguing with ultra-Orthodox protesters at Café Basimta, last week. Credit: Olivier FitoussiThe demonstrations against Café Basimta ("Café in the Alley"), located between Agrippas Street and Jaffa Road, escalated last Saturday when protesters attempted to break into the compound, prompting activists from the liberal Democrats and Awakening in Jerusalem parties to block them physically.Then on Thursday, a 15-year-old was arrested on suspicion of throwing feces at the establishment, while police prepared to reinforce forces on standby in case tensions rise further.Longtime residents still remember the fierce protests over the opening of the Karta parking lot on Shabbat and the closure of Bar-Ilan Road, which have subsided over the years.Read the full articleIDF says gap found in fence in Gaza border kibbutz; military sweeping areaThe IDF is sweeping the area of kibbutz Zikim, near the Gaza border, after the kibbutz's security coordinator reported that a gap was found in a fence. Kibbutz Zikim, southern Israel. Credit: Eliahu HershkovitzKibbutz Zikim, southern Israel. Credit: Eliahu HershkovitzAccording to the IDF, no suspects have been found so far, and it is unknown when the gap in the fence was created. An examination of border surveillance found that it is unlikely anyone crossed from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory. One wounded after Israeli settlers open fire in Palestinian village, attack medics, report saysA Palestinian man was wounded by gunfire after Israeli settlers attacked the Palestinian village of Abu Njeim, southeast of Bethlehem in the West Bank, according to the Palestine News Agency.According to the report, the settlers targeted an ambulance that had arrived to provide medical care for the wounded resident, smashed its windows and sprayed pepper spray at its crew.Another report from the Palestine News Agency said Israeli settlers attacked the Palestinian village of Beit Dajan, east of Nablus, and wounded three Palestinian residents.RECAP: Yemen's ⁠Houthis attacked Saudi-backed forces, as strikes kill four and wound dozensHere are Friday's latest updates:■ Yemen's ⁠Houthis ‌said they struck Saudi-backed forces, ⁠depots, vehicles and military equipment, as attacks killed four and wounded dozens.■ Iraqi ⁠Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi ‌met Saudi General Intelligence Chief Khalid ⁠al-Humaidan to discuss ⁠coordination over regional security developments, the prime minister's office said.■ Iranian lawmaker Mohsen Rezaei said in a post on X that the planned defense deal between Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan would not bring security to the kingdom, and that Riyadh should instead "change its policies."■ UNICEF said at least 300 children have reportedly been killed in Gaza in the 300 days since a cease-fire was announced in October 2025, an average of one child killed each day despite the agreement to halt military operations and allow the full entry of humanitarian aid.■ Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a joint defense agreement in Mecca on Friday, according to a joint statement, reflecting what the three countries described as a shared commitment to further strengthening collective security.Yemen's Houthis say they struck Saudi-backed forces in MaribYemen's ⁠Houthis ‌said on Friday ‌that they struck Saudi-backed forces, ⁠depots, vehicles and military equipment ⁠at the Sahn al-Jinn camp with a number of missiles and drones.Yemen's state ‌television said earlier ‌on Friday that air defences shot down a number of drones launched by the Iran-aligned Houthis over Marib, east of Sanaa.A ship off the port of Aden, where traffic remained steady after the Iran-aligned Houthis said their forces had carried out missile and drone strikes on Saudi oil tankers, in Aden, Yemen in July. Credit: Stringer/ REUTERSA ship off the port of Aden, where traffic remained steady after the Iran-aligned Houthis said their forces had carried out missile and drone strikes on Saudi oil tankers, in Aden, Yemen in July. Credit: Stringer/ REUTERSYemen's state news ⁠agency SABA, citing local authorities in Marib, said ‌the Houthis ⁠had launched ‌ballistic missiles and drones at displacement camps and residential ⁠neighbourhoods in the city on Friday morning, killing two people and ‌wounding 14 others.Iraqi PM, Saudi intelligence chief discuss regional securityIraqi ⁠Prime ‌Minister Ali al-Zaidi ‌met Saudi General Intelligence Chief Khalid ⁠al-Humaidan on Friday to discuss ⁠coordination over regional security developments, the prime minister's office said.Zaidi said Iraq would ‌not allow its territory ‌to be used to launch actions or activities targeting any other country, reiterating Baghdad's commitment to protecting its sovereignty and preventing regional escalation, it added.The ⁠meeting came a day after a senior ‌Saudi official ⁠said the kingdom expected ‌imminent coordinated attacks by Iraqi militias from the north ⁠and Yemen's Houthis from the south, under the supervision of Iran's ‌Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.Colombian VP celebrates reinstatement of Colombia-Israel Free Trade AgreementColombian Vice President José Manuel Restrepo met with Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and celebrated the "beginning of a new dawn in relations between Colombia and Israel," which includes the reinstatement of the Colombia-Israel Free Trade Agreement.Colombian Vice President Jose Manuel Restrepo in July. Credit: Elizabeth Frantz/ REUTERSColombian Vice President Jose Manuel Restrepo in July. Credit: Elizabeth Frantz/ REUTERSRestrepo highlighted the restoration of diplomatic relations between the two countries and the decision to move Colombia's embassy to Jerusalem.In the NewsWe Were Sent to Rehab in Bnei Brak. We Discovered Another WorldIsrael's Leading Philosopher on Manipulation, Morality and the Future of ZionismJerusalem Braces for Another Saturday Battle Over a Cafe Open on ShabbatReport: Top U.S. General Seeks 'Off-ramp' From Iran War, Sources SayLebanon, Israel Agree on Countries That Could Verify Hezbollah DisarmamentRemembering and rebuilding two years laterICYMIHow Israel's Elbit Armed the United Arab EmiratesIsrael Captured 230 Square Miles of Lebanon, Razed Villages and Built New BasesIt's No Wonder Israelis Want War. Violence Has Become a Source of JoyHow a Teen, Not a Journalist, Debunked Israel's Gaza 'Voluntary Emigration' PlanFormer Mossad Chief Appointed to Lead U.S. Defense Technology CompanyAs Stevens Falters, Michigan Jews Ponder Their Place in the Democratic Party