Israel's security establishment pressed ahead with strikes in Lebanon and Gaza overnight, even as tensions with Iran over the Strait of Hormuz escalated further. On the political front, the pre-election period brought fractious list-finalising, a collapsing 'third bloc', and renewed scrutiny of the prime minister's conduct on the morning of the Hamas-led attack.

Security

Lebanese reports indicate at least eleven people were killed in IDF strikes as Israel pushes to complete the destruction of Hezbollah infrastructure along a strategic ridge near Beit Yahoun, with residents evacuated from Roumine village amid continuing exchanges over drone incursions. Defence officials are watching closely for a possible intervention from Washington that could halt the operation, amid concern that Hezbollah could still draw Iran into the fray; once the campaign concludes, forces are expected to pull back to rear defensive lines. In Gaza, an IDF engineering vehicle struck an explosive device in the northern buffer zone without casualties; Israel responded by striking Hamas infrastructure, calling the incident a 'blatant violation' of the ceasefire. In the West Bank, a Palestinian was shot dead near the village of Haja after clashes involving settlers, stone-throwing and a military response to what the IDF described as 'key inciters', following an earlier incident in which Palestinians downed a security drone. Separately, the IDF is preparing to introduce a new medical fitness category, Profile 70, opening combat roles to conscripts previously limited to rear-echelon service.

Politics

With Knesset lists closing, attention has turned to how each party selects its candidates: Likud and Democrats relied on tens of thousands of registered members, Religious Zionism on a few hundred central committee figures, Yesh Atid and Yisrael Beiteinu on small committees, Bennett and Eisenkot on tightly centralised leadership decisions, and the Haredi parties on rabbinical rulings. Eisenkot's Yesh! party unveiled a symbolic 'honour list' closing out its roster, including released hostage families, the parents of captive soldier Liri Albag, and Rabbi Ovadia's daughter. Meanwhile, the attempt to build a viable 'third bloc' alternative to the binary Netanyahu debate has effectively collapsed, with Gideon Sa'ar and Yuli Edelstein out of the race, the reservists' party failing to gain traction, Naftali Bennett's ally Gadi Eisenkot merging efforts, Ayelet Shaked left without a list, and Benny Gantz refusing to withdraw despite polling below the electoral threshold. Within United Torah Judaism, the removal of veteran figures Moshe Gafni and Yaakov Litzman from senior positions has triggered fresh resentment among Lithuanian Haredi voters over the manner of their ousting. Separately, a dispute has broken out over the prime minister's actions on the morning of 7 October: Netanyahu's office released a detailed timeline showing consultations with ministers and a briefing for the opposition leader, but Yair Lapid disputed the account, saying the convoy could have departed within minutes and that Netanyahu 'barely functioned' during the crisis. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir ordered a freeze on police appointments amid controversy over a contested promotion, but the police commissioner proceeded to promote several senior officers regardless, setting up a further clash. Separately, Tal Gilboa has quietly resumed acting as Netanyahu's spokesperson, months after her formal appointment was cancelled following controversy over past remarks.

International

Iran has threatened to declare a 'restricted zone' around the Strait of Hormuz, warning that any vessel entering would be added to a sanctions list, prompting a combative response from Donald Trump, who circulated a reversed map of the Middle East mocking Tehran. Netanyahu warned that any Iranian attack would draw a blow 'beyond anything they can imagine', while the US energy secretary suggested a nuclear deal might wait for the next administration. Jared Kushner, visiting Kyiv, said Israel and the United States broadly agree on the endgame for Gaza but that Israeli decision-making is being complicated 'in some respects' by the country's 'crazy elections'; he added that disarming Hamas 'will not be easy' despite the group having signed an agreement. Separately, Israel's embassy in Brussels has demanded a formal apology from the Belgian government after it emerged that a man Belgium said was an aid worker killed in a 2024 IDF strike was in fact a Hamas operative in the Khan Younis battalion.

Other Developments

An algae bloom drifting from Egyptian waters last week forced the shutdown of five of Israel's six desalination plants, exposing the fragility of the national water system even though domestic supply was not interrupted; experts are now raising concerns about far more severe scenarios involving attacks on the electricity grid or cyber infrastructure.

Sources: Ynet