Holy Land

TEL AVIV — In a dramatic escalation spanning the last three days, Israel and Iran have traded increasingly severe air and missile strikes, prompting Israel to shore up its defenses even as Washington hesitates to join the conflict directly. According to Axios, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has urged President Donald…

TEL AVIV / TEHRAN — For the second consecutive day, Israel and Iran continued to trade airstrikes and missile attacks, following a preemptive Israeli strike targeting Iranian nuclear sites, senior military figures, and scientists.    Iran’s armed forces declared that their response would know no boundaries and warned that any…

TEL AVIV / TEHRAN — In a dramatic escalation that marks the most significant direct attack on Iran since the 1980s, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, a sweeping aerial offensive early Friday, striking nuclear sites and top military leadership across Iran. A statement from IDF Spokesperson BG Effie Defrin on…

This article is based on reporting from Sophie Holloway for Lacuna Magazine and Marinella Bandini for the Catholic News Agency. JERUSALEM — In the shaded lanes of Jerusalem’s Armenian Quarter, a centuries-old community is locked in a bitter struggle over the future of its historic enclave. Once safeguarded by arcaded…

Jerusalem — The Israeli military has recovered the body of a Thai national abducted by Hamas during the October 7, 2023, attack, according to a statement released by Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Saturday.  The hostage, identified as Natthapong Bentha, was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz during the surprise…

JERUSALEM – A leading Palestinian snack company has come under fire from Christian communities in Arab areas and beyond for a now-deleted advertisement that parodied Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper,” replacing the iconic Christian imagery with sheep-headed figures and popular snack products. The ad, released by Al-Qasrawi Commercial and…

TEL AVIV / ANKARA — US Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy to Syria Thomas Barrak met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior officials during a visit to Israel, while Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler reaffirmed Ankara’s position against withdrawing its troops from Syrian territory.  Barak’s visit…

BEIRUT — Israeli fighter jets carried out airstrikes early Friday on military sites and missile storage facilities in Syria’s coastal region, amid rising regional tensions and international calls for de-escalation.  According to the Israeli military, the strikes targeted sites near Latakia that were storing shore-to-sea missiles, which Israel says pose…

GAZA / TEL AVIV — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has approved a US-proposed ceasefire plan for the Gaza Strip, Israeli media reported. The initiative, presented by US Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff, aims to halt hostilities and initiate humanitarian measures in the region. The proposed ceasefire includes a 60-day…

DOHA — Cease-fire negotiations between Israel and Hamas broke down this week in Doha, as both sides accused each other of derailing the talks. The indirect discussions, aimed at halting the conflict in Gaza and facilitating the release of Israeli hostages, failed to progress due to entrenched demands and mutual…