Sep 04, 2026

Israel News Today: Netanyahu Calls Toppling Iran's Regime 'Within Reach' as IDF Clears Hezbollah's Ali Taher Tunnels

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Israel's top military command that toppling the Iranian regime is the country's "central mission" and that the goal is "within reach," while the IDF announced it had finished clearing Hezbollah's underground complex beneath the Ali Taher Ridge in southern Lebanon. Israel also began releasing five Lebanese civilian detainees in exchange for Beirut's help in locating the remains of Lebanese Jewish community leaders, and the High Court struck down a law shielding Haredi draft-dodgers from arrest.

Netanyahu: Toppling Iran's Regime Is Israel's "Central Mission"

Speaking at a Rosh Hashanah toast with the IDF General Staff Forum in Tel Aviv, Netanyahu said the Iranian regime is "faltering" and "fighting for its survival," according to The Times of Israel. "That is the central mission that still lies ahead of us, but it is close. It is not impossible. It is within reach," he said. Earlier in the day, Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that if Iran attacks Israel, the military will target all of the regime's infrastructure, "including energy infrastructure," and held a "multifront" security assessment with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir.

IDF Finishes Clearing Hezbollah's Ali Taher Ridge Facility

The IDF said troops of the 36th Division have completed clearing Hezbollah's underground facility beneath the Ali Taher Ridge and are now working to demolish it, The Times of Israel reported. The military described the site as strategic infrastructure built over two decades and financed and planned by Iran, with command centres, weapons rooms and living quarters. The IDF disputed an earlier Reuters report that members of Iran's Revolutionary Guards were inside the tunnels, saying there was no indication of that.

Israel Frees Lebanese Detainees as Beirut Helps Search for Jewish Remains

Netanyahu's office confirmed that Israel agreed to release five Lebanese civilians detained in areas of southern Lebanon under IDF control, in return for Lebanon's assistance in efforts to locate and return the remains of leaders of Lebanon's Jewish community who were abducted and murdered in the mid-1980s, according to The Times of Israel. The US State Department said the arrangement was the result of US-brokered talks. The first detainee was handed over with the help of the Red Cross; Lebanese broadcaster LBCI reported that the handover of the other four was delayed until Friday morning.

High Court Annuls Law Barring Arrest of Haredi Draft-Dodgers

The High Court of Justice unanimously annulled a law passed in July that barred the arrest of ultra-Orthodox draft-dodgers for seven months, citing a severe procedural flaw in the legislative process, The Times of Israel reported. An eight-to-one majority also found that the law severely harmed the principle of equality, because non-Haredi draft-dodgers remained subject to arrest.

Election Campaign: Gotliv Leaves Likud, Blocs Neck and Neck

Likud announced that MK Tally Gotliv will leave the party to run on Itamar Ben Gvir's Otzma Yehudit slate in the October 27 election, according to The Times of Israel. A new Zman Yisrael poll found Likud and Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar neck and neck, with the pro-Netanyahu bloc at 50 seats and the anti-Netanyahu bloc at 55 — both short of a 61-seat majority, The Times of Israel reported.

Defense Industry Warns Over Budget Delay

The heads of Israel's major defense companies warned Netanyahu that production lines for some munitions could close within a month unless the Finance Ministry transfers NIS 40 billion promised for defense spending, Channel 12 reported, as cited by The Times of Israel.

Jerusalem Café Ends Shabbat Opening After Haredi Protests

A Jerusalem café announced it will no longer open on Shabbat following protests by Haredi residents, saying the decision was made "after prolonged deliberation and with a heavy heart," JTA reported.