The Day the Haifa Refineries Were Struck

Morning reports were dominated by the late-night approval of the 2026 budget, which editors across the political spectrum characterized as a "hijack" of funds for the Haredi sector, alongside news of three soldiers seriously wounded in Lebanon. By early afternoon, editorial attention shifted to a combined Iranian and Hezbollah missile barrage that successfully struck the Haifa Bay oil refineries, causing significant fires and visible smoke. This strategic escalation led President Trump to issue an ultimatum, threatening the total destruction of Iran’s energy infrastructure and Kharg Island if a deal is not reached immediately. In the evening, the Knesset passed the final reading of the death penalty for terrorists with the Prime Minister's support. The day concluded with the resumption of Iranian missile fire targeting central Israel after a sixty-hour lull, while the IDF intensified its retaliatory strikes in Tehran.