What's Going On In Israel 20th July Onward

 Nadene Goldfoot                                        

     Israel Katz                      PM Netanyahu

                                 

 

    

Defense officials,  Minister of Defense Israel Katz, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (who leads the Security Cabinet), and Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir,  say that they do not expect an imminent missile attack from Iran, although the situation could deteriorate quickly  Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and Israel Katz remain on high alert. 

 Former Israeli foreign minister and longtime ally of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, here Israel Katz was sworn in as defence minister on Thursday in 2025. Netanyahu had abruptly fired Katz's predecessor, Yoav Gallant, on Tuesday over persistent disagreements during Israel's war in Gaza – a decision largely derided by Netanyahu's opposition.                          

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir (center) is seen with his office manager, Lt. Col. Tomer Sayag (left) and Central Command chief Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth at the Judea and Samaria Division headquarters near Beit El in Judea/Samaria  July 19, 2026. (Israel Defense Forces)

A fire destroyed 13 homes in the settlement of Havat Gilad in Samaria on Saturday. Two Palestinians were arrested today on suspicion of involvement in setting the fire. Jerusalem is in Judea.  Havat Gilad (Hebrew: חַוַּת גִּלְעָד, lit. 'Gilad Farm') is an Israeli settlement in the West Bank. Located about 1km from the Israeli settlement of Kedumim, Havat Gilad was established as an unauthorized outpost in 2002, after which it was dismantled by official forces and rebuilt by settlers several times until it was granted legal status by the Israeli government in February 2018.

Israeli troops poised to continue Gaza offensive on June 29, 2006, so this is old hat by today's standard of 2026.  

Thousands of Israelis gathered near the Gaza border in a rally this 2026  calling for the reestablishment of Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip. Among those attending were Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich—who also serves as a minister in the Defense Ministry, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Economy Minister Nir Barkat, Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli, Social Equality Minister May Golan, Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman, Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu and Deputy Minister Almog Cohen.The rally, held under the slogan "Returning home after 21 years," featured speeches from prominent government officials, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. Activists originally planned to march closer to the border to overlook the ruins of former settlements evacuated in 2005, but they were stopped by the Israeli military, which declared parts of the western Negev a closed military zone

 Last month Smotrich said, "We are ready to establish three communities in northern Gaza immediately, as soon as the prime minister gives the green light."

                                          

      Hezbollah shooting missiles at Aqaba

 Iran fired 4 missiles at the Jordanian port city of Aqaba, adjacent to Eilat, on Sunday, all of which were intercepted.

 Iron Dome interceptors were launched to intercept debris from the missiles that were going to fall on Israeli territory.

 Meanwhile, U.S. aerial refueling aircraft continue arriving in Israel at a rate of five to eight aircraft a day, according to Israeli defense officials.                    

      American aircraft parked in Israel

They said a record number of American tankers are expected to be stationed in Israel this week, exceeding even the deployments seen during Israel's most recent direct military confrontation with Iran.