Hourly Roundup 09:00 Israel · 17 May 2026

Stories in this hour

Israeli soldier slain in Hezbollah drone attackAn Israel Defense Forces soldier was mortally wounded in a Hezbollah drone strike in Southern Lebanon, the military confirmed on Saturday night. Capt. Maoz Israel Recanati, 24, from the Samaria town of Itamar, served as…
Regardless of election results, voters must let the government govern - editorialA May poll published by the Jewish People Policy Institute found that while 65% of Israelis indicate they will accept the election results, the ideological breakdown was striking.
Residents claim: Police set fire to outpost on ShabbatResidents claim they evacuated the site following a military order, but only minutes later were shocked to see black smoke rising above the hilltop.
Gut feeling: Hebrew University shows how your body’s stem cells fight Salmonella - study“Our findings show that intestinal stem cells are not only responsible for tissue regeneration, but also the early defense against bacterial infection,” explained study supervisor Dr. Matan Hofree.
Early this morning right-wing activists chained themselves to the Syrian borderDozens of right-wing activists chained themselves to the fence, on the old border line with Syria, between Majdal Shams and the village of Khadr, demanding that they be permitted to set up a community on…
At least eight injured after car ramming attack, attempted stabbing in Italian city of ModenaHe had been receiving treatment for psychiatric disorders, a source in the Interior Ministry said, without elaborating on the man's motivations or whether terrorism was a factor.
To Save the Country, We Must Stop Hiding the Truth about the IDF | Yitzhak BrikThe IDF is not a sacred cow. We must stop worshipping it. The political echelon indeed failed greatly, but to say the IDF fought excellently "is a half-truth worse than a lie." This is what…
Head of Yeshiva Bids Farewell to Maoz Rakanti: "A Great Loss to the People of Israel"The head of the Hesder Yeshiva in Itamar, Rabbi Yehoshua Van Dyke, eulogized Captain Maoz Israel Rakanti, may God avenge his blood, who fell in southern Lebanon, and described him as "a young man of…
Bismut on Soldier's Punishment: 'Not Proportionate nor Just'Chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee MK Boaz Bismut spoke with the parents of the Nahal soldier sentenced to prison for wearing a messianic patch, and attacked the decision. According to him, "The…
Captain Maoz Killed a Month Before Wedding: "A Quiet Guy — and Powerful"Maoz Rekanti, a platoon commander in the Golani Brigade, was killed by an explosive drone in Lebanon — a month before his planned wedding to Rani. He is the ninth casualty of the Itamar Yeshiva…
Report: Keir Starmer Plans to Resign – When Is It Expected to Happen?Has the countdown begun? Starmer wants to retire on his own terms, but a fateful political test stands in the way. While his advisors urge him to wait for the polls, the British Prime Minister…
Infiltrator Attacks Man with Screwdriver in South Tel Aviv, Arrested with DrugsFollowing an argument, the suspect attacked the victim with a screwdriver in his upper body and head. In a swift operation, officers from the Tel Aviv Central Station located and arrested the suspect, a foreign…

Torah perspective

Capt. Maoz Israel Recanati carried a name that spoke his essence. "Maoz" means fortress or strength, and "Israel" is the name given to Yaakov after wrestling with the divine and prevailing. He fell a month before his wedding, a sacrifice that echoes the terrible price of guarding the land. The verse says "The name of the wicked will rot, but the name of the righteous will be blessed." A name like Maoz Israel does not fade; it becomes part of the spiritual fortress of the people. His engagement to Rani Leah, a name meaning "song" and "weary," captures the bitter tension of this moment: song entangled with exhaustion. May his family in Itamar be comforted among the mourners of Zion, and may his merit stand as a shield.