Itai Blumenthal

Israel was prepared for a major U.S. military strike against Iran overnight between Friday and Saturday, but President Donald Trump reportedly delayed the operation at the last moment to provide a final window for negotiations. According to reports from YNET and military correspondents, the Israeli security establishment remained on peak alert throughout the night, anticipating a dramatic escalation that could have drawn Israel into a direct regional confrontation.

The United States has informed Israel of its intention to escalate offensive operations against Iran in the coming days, utilizing heavy strategic bombers for the first time in the current cycle of escalation. Military correspondent Itai Blumenthal reports that the two allies are coordinating closely as the U.S. prepares to expand its kinetic campaign, with Mount Hamakosh identified as a primary potential target.

The United States has formally notified Israel of its intention to significantly escalate offensive strikes against Iran in the coming days. According to Israeli and American security sources, the strategic dialogue between the two allies has raised the possibility that Tehran may respond by 'breaking the tools'—launching direct attacks against Israel that would inevitably trigger a major Israeli retaliation.

Israeli security sources have confirmed that Israel is not involved in the ongoing wave of U.S. military strikes across southern Iran. The clarification, conveyed by Kan 11 reporter Itai Blumenthal, comes as reports of heavy explosions and power outages emerge from strategic Iranian port cities and coastal infrastructure. While the U.S. military continues its operations in the Hormozgan Province, Jerusalem is maintaining a clear operational distance from the current kinetic phase of the American response.

Israel Katz is Israel's Minister of Defense and a senior Likud statesman currently directing the IDF's strategic posture, including multi-front operations against the Iranian regime and a 'security-first' policy in Judea and Samaria. In late 2026, his tenure is marked by strategic entrenchment in southern Lebanon, a push for massive defense budget increases, and a complex relationship with the military's high command regarding appointments and operational doctrine.

A general designation used by Israeli security forces and media to identify individuals of Palestinian origin suspected of involvement in security offenses, ranging from localized stabbings and car-rammings to organized terror plots and criminal activity with nationalistic motives.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is Iran's primary ideological military and political force, tasked with regime survival and regional expansion. In late 2026, the organization has shifted toward direct kinetic engagement, maritime economic coercion in the Strait of Hormuz, and large-scale ballistic missile strikes against U.S. and regional assets.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is Iran's primary ideological military and political force, tasked with regime survival and regional expansion. In late 2026, the organization has shifted toward direct kinetic engagement, maritime economic coercion in the Strait of Hormuz, and the establishment of covert operational cells in Iraq to bypass traditional militia structures.

Judea and Samaria, the historical heartland of the Jewish people, is a central highland region of the Land of Israel. In late 2026, it remains a critical strategic depth for the State of Israel, currently facing a potential shift toward all-out war against Palestinian Authority infrastructure following persistent Iranian-backed terror escalations.

Samaria, or Shomron, is the central highland region of the Land of Israel, serving as a vital strategic buffer and residential heartland for hundreds of thousands of Israeli citizens. In late 2026, the region has become the focal point of a potential strategic shift as the IDF prepares for a full-scale confrontation with Palestinian Authority infrastructure following persistent terror escalations.