Israel News Today: IDF Kills Two Terrorists Linked to October 7, Sinwar's Orders Released, and Trump Threatens Iran's Nuclear Sites as Election Looms

The IDF has eliminated two terrorists in Gaza identified as having roles in the October 7 massacre, while releasing documents showing Yahya Sinwar personally ordered attackers to film and broadcast atrocities. Simultaneously, Donald Trump has threatened to strike an Iranian nuclear facility and declined to endorse Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of Israel's October 27 election, as new polling shows the race on a knife's edge.

IDF Strikes Gaza: Two October 7 Terrorists Killed

The IDF carried out strikes at both ends of the Gaza Strip, killing two terrorists linked directly to the October 7 attack, according to the Jerusalem Post and Arutz Sheva.

One of those eliminated was al-Khalek Hala, identified by the Jerusalem Post as a commander in the weapons production headquarters of Hamas's military wing. The IDF said he was responsible for producing weapons and advancing Hamas's military presence in Gaza, and had infiltrated Israel on October 7. In a separate strike, the IDF also killed an Islamic Jihad terrorist, according to Arutz Sheva.

Two Years Since Sinwar's Death: IDF Releases Chilling Documents

Marking two years since Yahya Sinwar's elimination, the IDF has published a handwritten document in which the Hamas leader ordered terrorists to plan the documentation of atrocities during the October 7 attack, according to Arutz Sheva and the Jerusalem Post.

Sinwar's letter, released by the IDF on the second anniversary of his death, called on terrorists to plan producing what the Jerusalem Post describes as "horrific images," including shooting point-blank and slaughtering victims, with a view to broadcasting the footage.

The IDF also released a separate letter recovered by soldiers in the Gaza Strip in 2024, written by Sinwar's then-10-year-old son. The Jerusalem Post reports the letter featured drawings of tanks, missiles, and a Spider-Man sticker, and included the phrase "Shoot the Jews." The publication of these documents on the anniversary of his death underscores the deliberate, ideologically entrenched nature of the atrocities planned that day.

Trump Threatens Iran's Nuclear Site, Declines to Back Netanyahu

In a significant intervention ahead of Israel's election, US President Donald Trump threatened to strike what the Jerusalem Post describes as Iran's "Pickaxe Mountain" nuclear site. Trump did not confirm earlier reports that a GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb — the so-called "mother of all bombs" — would be used in any such strike, according to the Jerusalem Post.

Trump also disclosed that Iran had asked the United States to halt its attacks, according to Maariv, and said the war would end soon. When asked about Israel's upcoming election, Trump declined to endorse Netanyahu, telling interviewers "I don't trust anybody," according to the Jerusalem Post. He also claimed that "The people of Israel, they say if I ran for prime minister, I'd get 99% of them."

Separately, Maariv reports that Trump's nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia is drawing sharp warnings from two US senators, who say it risks triggering a nuclear arms race in the Middle East — a development with direct implications for Israeli security calculations.

Netanyahu Advisor: Israel "Very Close" to Conditions for Regime Change in Iran

Netanyahu's advisor Ophir Falk told the Jerusalem Post that Israel is "very close" to creating the conditions for regime change in Iran, according to Maariv. Falk also addressed the dismantlement of Hamas, the failures of Israel's public diplomacy, and the possibility of rapid normalisation with Saudi Arabia.

Settler Outpost Attempt at Gaza Border Blocked by IDF

The IDF blocked roads leading to the Gaza border after the Nahala settler movement attempted to establish an outpost overnight, the Jerusalem Post reports. Nahala claimed that over 700 people participated in the attempt to establish what they called the "Pioneers of Gaza" outpost, including families with children, rabbis, members of Knesset, bereaved families, and wounded IDF veterans.

Israeli Election: Polls, Political Turbulence, and Qatargate

With eleven days until the October 27 election, Israel's political landscape is shifting rapidly. A Maariv poll cited by the Jerusalem Post found that 48% of Israelis believe Gadi Eisenkot would make a better prime minister than Netanyahu, who received 41% support. A separate Maariv poll found Likud losing strength, with Arab parties gaining two seats and forcing near-parity between the two main blocs.

The same Jerusalem Post poll found that a majority of Israelis would favour a unity government if the election produces no clear winner. Israeli media is also reporting on contingency planning for voting under emergency conditions, with Ynet reporting that the working assumption is that elections will proceed even in a security emergency, with provisions for pausing voting at specific polling stations during rocket alerts.

On the Qatargate front, following previous reporting on the affair, former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett publicly criticised Netanyahu for continuing to support aide Yonatan Urich despite ongoing investigations, speaking on a podcast on Friday morning, according to the Jerusalem Post. Netanyahu's Likud party separately announced the prime minister would file a 500,000-shekel defamation lawsuit against former close aide Yoav Horowitz, who had called Netanyahu a "Qatari agent," according to Arutz Sheva.

Security Incident Near Kfar Kara

Israeli police, Border Police fighters, and volunteers conducted extensive searches — including aerial searches — near the Arab town of Kfar Kara following reports of a man seen wearing IDF uniform and a keffiyeh who was believed to be armed, according to Ynet. The Shin Bet was reported to be involved in the operation. Police asked the public to remain vigilant.

What This Means for Diaspora Jewish Communities

The release of Sinwar's handwritten orders — specifically his instruction to film and broadcast the murder of civilians — will be deeply disturbing for diaspora Jews who have spent two years confronting the denial and minimisation of what occurred on October 7. The documents provide further documented evidence of premeditated, organised atrocity.

The Jerusalem Post's editors address diaspora Jews directly in a comment piece today, warning that a break between Israel and American Democrats would hurt American Jews too, and calling on Israel to invest in Jewish education and cross-political engagement in the United States.

Trump's refusal to endorse Netanyahu, combined with poll leads for Eisenkot, suggests a genuine possibility of political change in Israel — an outcome that diaspora communities will be watching closely, given its implications for the war in Gaza, relations with Washington, and the prospect of hostage negotiations.

Meanwhile, the escalating sanctions map — 121 measures across 61 countries, according to Ynet — is a reminder that the diplomatic environment surrounding Israel continues to harden, with direct consequences for Jewish communities in Europe and North America navigating an increasingly polarised debate.

Sources

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