Sep 17, 2026

Israel News Today: Rabbi Attacked in Milan, Sweden Expels Iranian Diplomat Over Jewish Threat, and IDF Eliminates Nukhba Terrorist Who Breached Erez on 7 October

A rabbi was assaulted in Milan, Sweden expelled an Iranian embassy staffer after Tehran threatened Jewish and Israeli targets, and the IDF eliminated a Hamas Nukhba terrorist identified as one of the October 7 Erez Crossing infiltrators. A former Shin Bet official has also warned Israeli gun owners to bring weapons to synagogues ahead of Yom Kippur.

Milan: Rabbi Beaten at Bus Stop Near Jewish Neighbourhood

A 60-year-old rabbi from Milan's Jewish community was attacked on Tuesday while waiting for a bus near the city's Jewish quarter, according to Walla News. Three young men assaulted him with kicks and punches. A 20-year-old Tunisian suspect was arrested on suspicion of "religiously motivated violence," with two further suspects also under investigation for alleged involvement, Walla reports.

The attack is the latest in a pattern of antisemitic incidents in Western Europe that diaspora communities have been tracking with growing alarm.

Stockholm: Sweden Expels Iranian Embassy Staffer Over Threats to Jewish and Israeli Targets

Sweden summoned the Iranian ambassador to the Foreign Ministry in Stockholm for a formal reprimand and informed him that a member of the embassy's staff was required to leave the country, Walla News reports. Sweden's Justice Minister accused Tehran of conducting activities against regime opponents and Jewish and Israeli targets in Sweden, including through the use of criminal networks, according to the report.

The expulsion underscores the direct threat Iran poses not only to Israeli citizens but to Jewish communities and Israeli-linked institutions across Europe.

IDF Eliminates Hamas Nukhba Terrorist Who Infiltrated Erez Crossing on 7 October

The IDF eliminated two Hamas Nukhba terrorists in Gaza who were plotting new attacks and working to rebuild Hamas's operational capabilities, Arutz Sheva reports. One of the two had infiltrated the Erez Crossing on 7 October as part of the Hamas massacre. Maariv's breaking news desk separately confirmed the elimination of the Nukhba operative who breached Erez on that day.

However, a source cited by the Jerusalem Post from the Board of Peace cautioned that targeted killings of individual Hamas officials will not lead to the group's elimination. "Israel is eliminating individual Hamas members, but not Hamas itself," the source warned, adding that the Board of Peace is calling for the "complete dismantling and elimination of Hamas."

Yom Kippur Security Warning: Former Shin Bet Official Urges Armed Worshippers

With Yom Kippur approaching, a former senior Shin Bet official has warned that it is "impossible to provide airtight security for every synagogue" in Israel, according to the Jerusalem Post. The official, identified as Barbing, called on licensed gun owners to bring their weapons to synagogue during Yom Kippur prayers, describing them as "the first line of defence" for worshippers.

The warning carries weight for diaspora communities as well. With synagogues across the UK, Germany and the United States hosting their largest congregations of the year on Yom Kippur, community security organisations in all three countries have been urging heightened vigilance and coordination with local police.

Patriots for Europe Adopts IHRA Antisemitism Definition and Backs Israel

The Patriots for Europe parliamentary group has adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, the Jerusalem Post reports. During the group's conference, participants expressed support for Israel and for settlement in Judea and Samaria, while opposing sanctions and boycotts targeting them, according to the Post.

The move by one of the European Parliament's significant political groupings is a notable development for Jewish advocacy organisations that have spent years pressing European institutions to formally adopt the IHRA definition.

Syria Building Military Force That Could Eventually Target Israel, Security Sources Say

While European governments engage with Syria's new leadership in order to facilitate refugee returns, President Ahmed al-Sharaa is investing the country's resources in building a standing army designed initially to confront Hezbollah and Iraqi militias, Walla News reports, citing security sources. According to Walla, security sources in Jerusalem are monitoring the situation, with concern that the force could, at a later stage, be directed against Israel.

NYT Deletes Line Saying Israelis Merely 'View Themselves' as October 7 Victims

The New York Times deleted a line from a recent article that described Israelis as people who "view themselves" as victims of the October 7 massacre, the Jerusalem Post reports. The Times attributed the removal to an "editing error." The sentence had appeared in a piece by NYT correspondent Isabel Kershner examining backlash in Israel against the NAZA documentary film, according to the Post.

The episode drew widespread criticism from Jewish readers and media watchdogs, who argued the original phrasing cast doubt on the reality of the attack. For diaspora Jews, such framing in major Western newspapers contributes directly to the climate of denial and minimisation they encounter in workplaces, universities and public debate.

Knesset Member Charged Over Prison Attack — "You Are Settlers, We Will Kill You"

An indictment was filed following an attack inside Nitzan Prison in which the alleged perpetrators reportedly threatened: "You are settlers, we will kill you," according to Maariv. No further details on the defendants were available from the sources supplied.

Houthis and Eilat Shipping: Strategic Damage Already Done, Analysis Warns

Even before the Houthis' latest gains at Bab el-Mandeb and their threat to Saudi oil shipping routes, the group had already registered a significant strategic achievement against Israel by disrupting regular commercial shipping to the Port of Eilat, according to a Jerusalem Post analysis. The analysis describes Israel's Eilat shipping crisis as unresolved, with the Houthi threat now compounding existing pressure on regional trade.

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