The day was dominated by the fallout from Defense Minister Katz's live televised announcement that he was replacing Central Command chief Avi Bluth. Overnight, the IDF and Chief of Staff Zamir denied the move, calling it unauthorized and freezing all senior appointments until 2027. By morning, Katz backtracked, claiming he never called for Bluth's dismissal and that the general was performing well. The media focused on the institutional clash, with headlines highlighting the IDF's pushback and Katz's retreat. In parallel, Trump's Iran ultimatum escalated: after Iran denied talks, Trump accused its leadership of duplicity and threatened a deal or 'beheading' of the regime. Israeli outlets gave prominent coverage to the US-Iran tension, while a cabinet dispute over the Gaza peace plan saw ministers demanding a revote. The day's editorial priorities reflected a split between the domestic military-political crisis and the international confrontation.
