News Digest — 6/27/25
Netanyahu Interested In Meeting Trump In Coming Weeks, Sources Say
“Exploratory talks and initial discussions” have taken place between the Prime Minister’s office and the White House to arrange a meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump, sources familiar with the matter told The Jerusalem Post.
“There is no doubt both sides have a shared interest in holding a “Victory party after the war with Iran,” a senior Israel official told Walla.
The two main issues to be discussed in such a meeting would be a hostage deal (if it has not been finalized by then) and expanding the Abraham Accords, two interconnected issues.
As several officials shared with the Post: “Without ending the war in Gaza, there’s a limited chance, if at all, to expand the Abraham Accords to more countries.”
Regarding the hostage deal negotiations, the Post reported that the idea of exiling senior Hamas officials and other terrorists from the Gaza Strip has recently resurfaced in discussions.
This proposal was previously raised multiple times, but was rejected by Hamas. Lately, it has returned to the table as part of ending the war.
Netanyahu said Israel was seeking “a dramatic expansion of peace agreements” in a Thursday (26th) statement.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir addressed these developments on Thursday evening, (26th) including criticizing negotiations that could lead to a Palestinian state.
“I find it hard to believe that the prime minister would negotiate the establishment of a Palestinian terror state or dangerous concessions. The people of Israel want victory, not more attempts to appease terror under the guise of peace.”
Ben-Gvir continued,”The prime minister knows as well: Only a decisive victory, conquest, settlement, and governance, is the true answer to the Palestinian lie, not withdrawal and surrender to terrorists disguised as human beings.”
IDF Said Two Hezbollah Operatives Killed In Southern Lebanon Strikes
The military said Thursday (26th) that it had eliminated two Hezbollah operatives in separate airstrikes in southern Lebanon in the space of two hours.
According to an Israel Defense Forces statement, one of the targets was a commander in Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force, who was killed in Baraachit on Thursday (26th). Shortly afterwards, a second strike targeted and killed a member of the group’s observation unit in the Beit Lif area.
In statements carried by the official National News Agency, Lebanon’s Health Ministry said a man was wounded “in an Israeli enemy drone strike targeting his bulldozer,” as well as “another injured in a strike on a motorcycle,” both died in the hospital.
The IDF also said that an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon on Tuesday (24th) killed the head of a currency exchange company, who the military said was involved in transferring funds from Iran to Hezbollah.
Israel has continued to carry out targeted strikes on Hezbollah operatives and infrastructure since it signed a ceasefire with Lebanon in late November, alleging violations of the truce agreement.
According to the IDF, over 180 Hezbollah operatives have been killed during that time period.
The ceasefire agreement brought to an end more than a year of fighting with the Iran-backed Hezbollah including two months of open war in southern Lebanon late last year.
Hezbollah began attacking military outposts and communities in northern Israel unprovoked on October 8, 2023, in a show of support for fellow Iranian terror proxy Hamas in Gaza after it led an invasion and onslaught in southern Israel a day earlier.
Under the terms of the ceasefire, Hezbollah was required to withdraw its fighters north of the Litani River and dismantle all military infrastructure in southern Lebanon. Israel was to withdraw from Lebanon, while maintaining the right to strike threats to its security.
Since then, the Lebanese state has been working methodically to dismantle the terror group’s infrastructure in the south of the country, and is estimated to have seized the majority of the terror group’s weapons stockpile in the same area.
Neutrality Or Benefit? Why Syria Allowed Israel To Strike Iran From Its Airspace
When Israel began Operation Rising Lion on June 13, questions arose concerning why Syria allowed Israel to use its airspace for the operations.
In addition, Syria remained silent during the operation and did not condemn Israeli strikes even though it has an alliance with Iran.
In an interview with Ma’ariv, University of Haifa Professor Amatzia Baram said that, first of all, Syrian leader Ahmed Al Sharaa did not wish to contend with Israel’s air force, and second, he realized that the strikes on Iran could benefit Syria.
“If I were in al-Sharaa’s place, I would tell my people that even if I could make it difficult for the Israeli Air Force, I have no interest in doing so,” Baram said, explaining the new Syrian thinking. “I have an interest in the Israelis attacking Iran as much as possible.”
Israel’s weakening of Iran through its strikes means that Damascus should benefit from the diminishment of its rival.
“Every blow to Iran is pure-benefit to al-Sharaa’s regime,” Baram continued, adding that Syria would not have confronted Israel even if it could have done so.
Political analyst Samir Abdullah, a professor of international relations at Damascus University, told The Media Line that Syria was not in a position to fight with Israel. “Syria’s fragile economy and its deteriorated military capacity after more than a decade of civil war does not allow it to engage in any new political or military adventure, regardless of pressure from allies,” he said.
Although Syria did not want to abandon its alliance with Iran, it remained neutral, apparently influenced by Russia to avoid becoming involved.
“Moscow has warned Damascus against overt involvement or allowing any party to openly use its territory against Israel, as this could lead to uncontrollable escalation and put Russia’s own military presence at risk,” a Western diplomatic source in Beirut, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Media Line.
In addition, Russia has a substantial military presence at the Hmeimim air base in Latakia province and wants to protect its interests by keeping Syria out of the fray.
US Ambassador: Soroka Hospital Is A ‘Miracle,’ Not A Military Target
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee on Thursday morning (26th) visited Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba, after it was struck by an Iranian missile last week.
“This medical center is an amazing miracle,” he said, noting that the missile caused extensive damage but resulted in almost no casualties.
He emphasized that the hospital is a vital medical institution serving both Palestinians and Arabs, stating clearly: “This is not a military target – this is an important medical center.”
Last Thursday’s (19th) Iranian missile attack was one of the larger barrages launched by the Iranian regime and caused damage to at least seven impact sites, including three in Gush Dan. and the one at Soroka Hospital which sustained a direct hit. At the Ramat Gan strike 20 buildings were damaged by the blast.
A spokesperson for Soroka confirmed that there was “damage to the hospital and extensive damage to various areas close by.
Dr. Shlomi Codish, Soroka’s director, stated, “A missile struck the surgical inpatient building. This is a relatively old building, which has been evacuated from the departments. The building was severely damaged, and there is extensive damage to other buildings due to the blast. The entire staff was in protected areas.”
He noted that all those injured suffered light injuries from the blast, stressing, “The building is only operational now for life-saving cases, and the medical teams are busy now mapping out the different areas.”
Israel Launches ‘Mossad Farsi’ On X To Help Iranians Needing Medical help
Israeli intelligence services reached out directly to Iranian citizens on Thursday (26th), establishing a dedicated medical consultation service in Farsi through social media platforms. The initiative appeared on an X account identifying itself as the “Mossad Farsi,” accompanied by a video message from journalist Menashe Amir The Mossad declined to comment regarding the publication.
The social media post addressed Iranian citizens directly, stating that “the ceasefire has been implemented and the damage is now becoming clear.” Intelligence officials claimed that “the regime focuses on its senior officials and not on treating its citizens” while announcing the establishment of a medical advisory center staffed with specialists in cardiology, diabetes treatment, pulmonary medicine, infectious diseases, and oncology, as well as support services for pregnant women and psychological counseling.
The medical consultation service offers comprehensive healthcare guidance, including treatment for wounds, injuries, emergency first aid, pain management, disease consultation, and other telemedicine services. All medical professionals speak Persian fluently, and Iranian citizens can communicate in either Persian or English.
Iranian citizens seeking medical advice are advised to use VPN services to access the consultation platform, which operates Sunday through Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Iran time. Citizens can contact through WhatsApp, Telegram, or Signal using Israeli, Czech, and Dutch telephone numbers provided in the social media post.
Journalist Menashe Amir,formerly responsible for Voice of Israel’s Farsi-language broadcasts, addressed the broader economic context in a separate video message: “One of the basic conditions for state leaders who want to enter war and threaten that they will destroy us in a minute, is that they have a strong economy,” Amir observed. Amir described Iran’s deteriorating economic conditions, noting years of shortages in electricity, water, and heating infrastructure. “People don’t have sufficient income, inflation is raging, banks are not functioning,” Amir explained, describing a situation where “we hear about people who buy prescription medicines at subsidized prices and then sell them on the black market to get money to buy bread.”
The “Axis Of Resistance” Is Shattered – Tony Badran
A few months before he was buried under the rubble of his Beirut bunker, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah repeated to his followers that Israel was “weaker than a spider’s web.” The “resistance” was led by Iran, a rising power with bases on Israel’s borders. It controlled four Arab capitals and dominated the landmass across Iraq through Syria into Lebanon. In addition, Iran was allied with Russia and China.
In reality, Iran’s winning hand was a mirage. It took Israel 21 months to blow through it. Gaza, Iran’s southern front, is now a wasteland. Next to go was Hezbollah, the best equipped of Iran’s assets and the lynchpin of its regional network. Within a span of three months in 2024, Israel eliminated the group’s entire command structure. Israel has maintained operational freedom and continues to take out cadres and arms caches inside Lebanon at will.
In December 2024, the Assad regime, the Islamic Republic’s strategic ally since the 1979 revolution, was gone. The new Sunni regime in Damascus is now intercepting weapons destined for Hezbollah. Iran’s multiple militias in Iraq displayed little motivation to get slaughtered on behalf of Iranian adventurism. Now, Iran’s nuclear dreams have gone up in smoke, much like its regional enterprise.
A Justified War Can Potentially Create A More Just World – Gil Troy
Many Americans refused to see how deranged, dangerous, and dishonest the Iranian Mullahs and Revolutionary Guards have been for decades. Their worldviews often rely too much on diplomacy and underestimate the evil of some enemies.
Most Israelis don’t take this war – or any military action – lightly. We know what it’s like to see wonderful young people die just because we want to live in the Jewish homeland. In the last week alone, we’ve seen apartment towers collapse, hospitals bombed, research labs destroyed, hundreds injured, and Arabs, Jews, and Ukrainians seeking cancer treatment, murdered. So Israelis know what war is like, yet don’t avoid it when it is justified.
Since my children enlisted, many American Jews ask me, “How much longer do your kids have to serve?” as if their sacred army service is a prison sentence. Most Israelis ask, “Where are your kids serving and is it meaningful?” My American Jewish friends say, “Boy, I hope this war ends quickly.” Most Israelis say, “I hope this war ends successfully.”
Speak to friends in the Persian community if you believed diplomacy was working or ever would work with Iran’’s Islamist theocrats. Speak to friends in the Israeli community if you want to better understand how a justified war can potentially create a more just world.
The writer, a Distinguished Scholar of North American History at McGill University, is a Senior Fellow in Zionist Thought at the Jewish People Policy Institute. (Los Angeles Jewish Journal)
