Israeli media began the day discussing the prolonged Gaza operation and political tensions around hostage negotiations, including the "Qatargate" affair leading to a key negotiator's suspension. Mid-day, a Houthi missile with a splitting warhead launched towards Israel quickly became the primary focus. This immediately triggered extensive IDF retaliatory airstrikes across Yemen, notably targeting Sana'a's presidential palace, power stations, and missile bases, with reports detailing their scale and impact. Later, a new domestic political development emerged as the Chief of Staff publicly urged Prime Minister Netanyahu to accept a hostage deal, asserting the IDF had created conditions for release and cautioning against risks during the impending Gaza City conquest. Concurrently, a terror plot in Tel Aviv was foiled, resulting in multiple arrests.
