Jerusalem, 14 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — U.S. cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike has acquired Israeli startup Seraphic Security for approximately $420 million. Seraphic’s technology secures employee access to SaaS and web applications without VPNs or VDI, supporting tools like Teams, Slack, and WhatsApp, complementing CrowdStrike’s endpoint protection.

Seraphic had raised $37 million from investors including Planven, GreatPoint Ventures, and CrowdStrike’s own venture fund, and was valued at $64 million in its January funding round.

Jerusalem, 14 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — The Israel Defense Forces reported that soldiers in Gaza destroyed two rocket launchers aimed at Israel.

The IDF said that one launcher with a loaded rocket was found in northern Gaza while another launcher with multiple pads and one rocket was destroyed in southern Gaza.

Jerusalem, 14 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Tailor Brands, an Israeli-founded company, has launched Tailor Embedded, a new platform that allows SaaS companies, fintechs, and online marketplaces to integrate business formation and compliance services directly into their products. The solution enables partners to offer LLC formation, filings, and ongoing compliance within their own interfaces, without managing complex legal and regulatory processes.

Built as a cloud-native, API-first platform, Tailor Embedded provides white-labeled workflows, real-time webhooks, and enterprise-grade security. By leveraging Tailor Brands’ experience supporting hundreds of thousands of businesses, the platform aims to help partners engage entrepreneurs at the earliest stages while streamlining compliance and regulatory requirements behind the scenes.

Jerusalem, 14 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — The Israel Tax Authority reported that in 2025 the import of white goods (major appliances) decreased compared to 2024, except for refrigerators. Imports of washing machines, dryers, and dishwashers decreased by 24.2%, 12.1%, and 1.1%, respectively. Imports of refrigerators, on the other hand, increased by a moderate rate of 2.2%.

In December 2025, compared to December 2024, there was a sharper decline in imports of white goods. Washing machines, dryers, and dishwashers decreased by 40.2%, 67.3%, and 38.9%, respectively. It should be noted that in December 2024, high imports were recorded, which is likely explained by an increase in consumption prior to the increase in the VAT rate from 17% to 18%. Imports of refrigerators, on the other hand, increased by 56.2% compared to December 2024.

Television imports recorded a decrease of 18.6% in 2025 compared to 2024. However, in December 2025 there was a moderate increase of 3.1% compared to December 2024.

Jerusalem, 14 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — In what the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) is calling a “serious violation of the ceasefire agreement” in Gaza, its forces eliminated six terrorists in the Rafah area.

Following Tuesday’s incident in which six armed terrorists were identified in the West Rafah area and after searches were carried out in the area, it can now be confirmed that the IDF’s 7th Armored Brigade’s combat team eliminated the six terrorists during the exchange of fire.

Various weapons were found on the eliminated terrorists.

The IDF said it views “any violation of the agreement as serious and will continue to act against any attempt by the terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip to carry out terrorist plots against IDF forces and citizens of the State of Israel.”

The IDF reported Tuesday evening that its surveillance identified six armed terrorists in the West Rafah area near IDF forces deployed in the southern Gaza Strip.

Immediately after the identification, tanks arrived at the location and fired on the terrorists. The terrorists fired at the forces in one of the tanks and an exchange of fire began, which included airstrikes in the area.

Jerusalem, 14 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — The Israel Tax Authority reported that the import of vehicles in 2025 totaled 240,188 (private) compared to 325,943 in 2024, a decrease of 26.3%. Commercial vehicle imports totaled 10,872, compared to 10,470 in 2024, an increase of 4.0%.

Imports of private vehicles were lower in the aggregate through December 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, following a massive advance in December 2024 on the eve of the reduction in the purchase tax benefit for electric vehicles, an update to the green taxation formula, and a green taxation outline. In December 2025, increased imports of electric vehicles were recorded prior to the purchase tax increase, but to a lower extent.

In December 2025, imports were higher than usual at 36,788 (private) vehicles, but as mentioned, significantly lower compared to 95,061 in December 2024. This is a decrease of 61.3%. Commercial vehicle imports totaled 1,146 vehicles compared to 1,488 in December 2024, a decrease of 23.0%.

Trend data indicates an increase in passenger vehicle imports starting in mid-2025.

Jerusalem, 13 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Nine suspects were arrested in an extortion “protection” case. Following an undercover investigation, Northern District police raided numerous targets, made the arrests and seized over a million shekels in cash as part of a large-scale extortion case. In addition, six vehicles were seized, one of which is suspected to be stolen with duplicate license plates.

The investigation revealed that behind the extortion incidents was a cell that called itself “Shabab Al Jabal,” which extorted protection money from innocent people and fired at the buildings of those who did not meet the payment demands.

Jerusalem, 13 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — The Government of Israel and Society Division in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) published for the first time the recommendations of the inter-ministerial team for innovation in government, with the intention of creating a leap forward in increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of service and responses to the public. This, said the PMO, is done by establishing a strategic, holistic and applicable action plan to concentrate efforts, connect and diversify measures, and by continuously identifying, supporting and accelerating innovative initiatives and ventures and removing systemic barriers to their advancement.

Among other things, the professional work lays out an outline and initial operating theory for institutional-process innovation in government, which includes a comprehensive approach to efforts in this context, and is not based solely on aspects of digitization and digital innovation.

Main recommendations:

Creating and managing a cross-cutting and measurable portfolio of government efforts based on shared conceptualization and operational theory.

A hybrid innovation management model supports, encourages, empowers, and values the initiatives and innovations that emerge from the field and, on the other hand, creates a strategic
framework/professional conceptual umbrella for the field from a COG (Center of Government) perspective.

Removing barriers to innovation as a key effort to enable innovation.

Accelerating and supporting entrepreneurs and initiatives throughout the government to realize and leverage capabilities, including in designated spaces.

Skills and tools for human capital – with an emphasis on focused development and implementation capsules.

The incentive of government bodies and risk management executives enables and promotes innovation.

Jerusalem, 13 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — The Coastal District Police Chief and the Carmel Region Police Chief succeeded in solving a case of attempted extortion of a doctor, with threats and shooting at a doctor’s home and vehicle, of millions of Shekels. An indictment was filed against the suspect in the act.

The suspect is a 20-year-old resident of Daliyat al-Karmel, a Druze town on Mount Carmel.