Jerusalem, 19 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Israeli authorities have detained 10 people allegedly involved in a drone-based smuggling network supplying drugs and weapons across the country’s southern borders, the Israeli Police announced on Monday. Investigators said the suspects set up shell companies and falsified invoices to launder money and conceal their operations.

Coordinated raids on the suspects’ homes on Monday morning resulting in the seizure of documents and other assets. Officials allege the drones were purchased in bulk and then handed to criminal groups to carry out the illicit shipments.

The suspects are scheduled to appear in Beer-Sheva Magistrate’s Court for a hearing on extended detention.

Minister Regev: “The line will provide continuous connection from north to south and strengthen connectivity between residential, employment, and service centers. This is a project that combines transportation innovation with environmentally friendly solutions.”
Another significant step towards promoting a high-capacity public transportation system. The National Infrastructure Committee (VATAL) today (Monday) approved the plan of the Ministry of Transportation and Netivei Ayalon Company (NTA) for the establishment of the yellow line of the Metronit (BRT) in the Gush Dan area, as well as the establishment of the necessary terminals for its operation. This is part of the National Master Plan for Mass Transit in Israel.
The Yellow Line will pass through six local authorities: Ramat HaSharon, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Ramat Gan, Givatayim, Bnei Brak, and Holon. The line is approximately 16 kilometers long and is expected to serve about 140,000 residents living near the route, as well as an additional 56,000 employees who are within walking distance of the line.
The line is intended to create continuous transportation connectivity from north to south in eastern Tel Aviv and its neighboring cities, and to serve as a complementary layer to the mass transit system in the metropolitan area. As part of its operation, the line will connect with nine central public transportation systems, including three metro lines, three light rail lines (Red, Green, and Purple), two Israel Railways stations, the Blue Line (BRT) promoted by Netivei Ayalon Company, and regional bus terminals.
The project is expected to serve tens of thousands of passengers daily, contribute to reducing road congestion, improve accessibility between residential, employment, and service centers, and strengthen public transportation as an efficient alternative to private vehicles. The line is being promoted in the National Infrastructure Committee as part of Tatal 200, led by the Senior Department of Metro and Mass Transit.
Minister of Transportation and Road Safety, Brigadier General (Res.) Miri Regev: “The approval of the Yellow Line is a significant milestone in the realization of the public transportation system in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area. The line will provide continuous connection from north to south and strengthen connectivity between residential, employment, and service centers. This is a project that combines transportation innovation with environmentally friendly solutions. I am proud of the teams at the Ministry of Transportation and Netivei Ayalon Company for the professional work that led to the rapid approval of the plan.”
Director General of the Ministry of Transportation, Moshe Ben Zaken: “The Yellow Line is a central component of the mass transit system in Gush Dan and will improve the mobility of residents and workers in the area. It will connect with a variety of existing and future transportation systems, thus providing a comfortable, fast, and efficient travel experience. The line is expected to alleviate road congestion and support national environmental goals. The Ministry of Transportation is committed to promoting projects that connect the public to life centers in the city and its surroundings.”

Minister Regev: “The line will provide continuous connection from north to south and strengthen connectivity between residential, employment, and service centers. This is a project that combines transportation innovation with environmentally friendly solutions.”
Another significant step towards promoting a high-capacity public transportation system. The National Infrastructure Committee (VATAL) today (Monday) approved the plan of the Ministry of Transportation and Netivei Ayalon (NTA) for the establishment of the Yellow Line of the Metronit (BRT) in Gush Dan, as well as the establishment of the terminals required for its operation. This is part of the National Master Plan for Mass Transit in Israel.
The Yellow Line will pass through six local authorities: Ramat HaSharon, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Ramat Gan, Givatayim, Bnei Brak, and Holon. The length of the line is approximately 16 kilometers, and it is expected to serve about 140,000 residents living near the route, as well as an additional 56,000 employees who are within walking distance of the line’s route.
The line is intended to create continuous transportation connectivity from north to south in eastern Tel Aviv and its neighboring cities, and to serve as a complementary layer to the mass transit system in the metropolitan area. As part of its operation, the line will connect with nine central public transportation systems, including three Metro lines, three light rail lines (Red, Green, and Purple), two Israel Railways stations, the Blue Line (BRT) being promoted by Netivei Ayalon, and regional bus terminals.
The project is expected to serve tens of thousands of passengers daily, contribute to reducing road congestion, improve accessibility between residential, employment, and service centers, and strengthen public transportation as an efficient alternative to private vehicles. The line is being promoted in the National Infrastructure Committee as part of TATA L 200, led by the Senior Department for Metro and Mass Transit.
Minister of Transportation and Road Safety, Brig. Gen. (Res.) Miri Regev: “The approval of the Yellow Line is a significant milestone in the realization of the public transportation system in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area. The line will provide continuous connection from north to south and strengthen connectivity between residential, employment, and service centers. This is a project that combines transportation innovation with environmentally friendly solutions. I am proud of the teams at the Ministry of Transportation and Netivei Ayalon for the professional work that led to the rapid approval of the plan.”
Director General of the Ministry of Transportation, Moshe Ben Zaken: “The Yellow Line is a central component of the mass transit system in Gush Dan and will improve the mobility of residents and workers in the area. It will connect with a variety of existing and future transportation systems, thus providing a convenient, fast, and efficient travel experience. The line is expected to alleviate road congestion and support national environmental goals. The Ministry of Transportation is committed to promoting projects that connect the public to the centers of life in the city and its surroundings.”

Jerusalem, 19 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — The Geological Survey of Israel reports that an earthquake with a magnitude of 3.7 occurred in the area of the Hula Valley and Sea of Galilee at 3:40 PM.

Many police forces from the Northern District and MAGAV raided several targets in the village of Kana last night and arrested 10 suspects on suspicion of involvement in shooting incidents and acts of violence as part of a dispute between two families.

Following several incidents of violence that occurred in the village of Kana as part of a dispute between two families, dozens of police officers, including YASAM forces, detectives, and MAGAV fighters, raided targets last night and arrested ten suspects involved in violent incidents and shooting events. 

The suspects were arrested for investigation at the police station, and this morning eight suspects will be brought for a hearing before the court at the police’s request to extend their detention.

Northern District police officers are conducting extensive activity in the fight against violent crime. The activity is carried out on all fronts, from thwarting smuggling and arms trafficking, through covert operations to thwart criminal activity before it is carried out, to rapid response to every incident of violence through constant presence and activity for the sake of maintaining public safety. In the past year, over 1000 weapons were seized in the Northern District, and armed cells were arrested.

Significant strengthening of the Israeli energy economy. The plan of the Ministry of Transport and the Israel Ports Company (IPC) to establish marine connectors (underwater connections) at the Port of Ashdod was approved today (Monday) in the plenum of the National Infrastructure Committee (VATAL). This, after professional and intensive work by the Ministry of Transport and the Israel Ports Company.
The plan constitutes a central pillar in strengthening the functional continuity of the Israeli energy economy, both in routine and in emergencies. As part of its implementation, old marine fuel lines will be replaced by marine connectors with new lines, meeting the most advanced engineering and environmental standards, including systems for settling fuel vapors, in order to significantly reduce air pollution and environmental risk.
The plan was promoted in accordance with the government’s decision to examine and plan the establishment of port infrastructure for the import of crude oil, fuel distillates, and gas (LPG) in the Ashdod Port area, and to bring it for approval by the authorized planning institutions. Minister Regev assigned the task to the Israel Ports Company, which operated on an extremely fast schedule for examination, planning, and promotion of a statutory plan in VATAL.
In addition, the plan allows for the establishment of dedicated infrastructure for the import and export of LPG in the Ashdod Port area, in accordance with the government’s decision, thereby supporting the national move to close the refinery complex in the Haifa Bay. This is a project of national importance, managed by the Prime Minister’s Office, whose goal is to reduce air pollution in Haifa Bay, alongside freeing up hundreds of dunams for urban development and high-quality residential construction.
Minister of Transport and Road Safety, Brig. Gen. (Res.) Miri Regev: “The approval of the plan to establish marine connectors at the Port of Ashdod is a strategic step to strengthen Israel’s energy security in routine and emergency. This is advanced, safe, and more environmentally friendly infrastructure that will replace old lines and significantly reduce environmental risks and air pollution. This is the realization of a government decision of national importance, which was promoted on a fast schedule thanks to the professional and thorough work of the Ministry of Transport and the Israel Ports Company.”
Director General of the Ministry of Transport, Moshe Ben Zaken: “The plan approved today reflects long-term planning and national responsibility for Israel’s energy and maritime transport economy. The marine connectors will meet the most advanced engineering and environmental standards, and will contribute to safety, functional continuity, and the reduction of environmental nuisances. In addition, this is complementary infrastructure to the national move to close the refineries in Haifa Bay and to promote high-quality urban development.”
Director General of the Israel Ports Company, *Pinchas Tzurya: “This is a project of the highest national importance, which strengthens the independence of Israel’s energy economy and its ability to function continuously both in routine and in emergencies. The Israel Ports Company operated on a fast schedule and in cooperation with all parties, in order to promote modern, safe, and more environmentally friendly infrastructure, which also supports the national move to reduce pollution in Haifa Bay.”
VP of Strategic Planning, Michal Tuchler Aharoni: “Promoting the plan for fuel and LPG connectors in the Ashdod port area required complex planning and engineering coordination with a wide range of infrastructure, environmental, and regulatory bodies. The plan offers a robust solution for upgrading marine energy infrastructure, while meeting advanced environmental standards, reducing risks, and supporting the functional continuity of the energy economy.”

Jerusalem, 19 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — In a crackdown on tax-evaders in northern Israel, authorities seized 12 vehicles and uncovered illegal weapons overnight, the tax authority and Israel Police said.

Raids took place in the areas of Nazareth, Illut, and Yafia.

During the operation, police recovered a Carlo-type automatic weapon and packaged ammunition after a suspicious object was thrown from a suspect’s home.

Jerusalem, 19 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Israel’s Rafael Advanced Combat Systems’ Trophy Active Protection System will become the standard defense for the next-generation Leopard 2 A8 tanks of Lithuania, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, and Croatia.

The system, also known as “Windbreaker,” provides real-time detection and neutralization of anti-tank threats while enhancing situational awareness and NATO interoperability. Trophy was contracted through EuroTrophy GmbH — a German joint venture with KNDS Deutschland — under a €330 million ($383 million) agreement covering supply, spare parts, training, and long-term support.

Tzepi Friedkin, Director of the Produce, Markets, and Environment Division at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development: “The new pilot will connect the field to the community and Israeli agriculture to a national social mission. This is an important pilot for examining the streamlining of food rescue and the reduction of food loss, which will allow for an increase in the volume of rescued produce, shorten and streamline processes, and reduce environmental damage resulting from food landfilling.”

In a reality where 2.6 million tons of food are thrown away in Israel every year – food rescue and the reduction of food loss are important and central issues. To reduce food loss and prevent unnecessary landfilling of unrescued food, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in cooperation with the “Leket Israel” organization, is launching an innovative pilot these days aimed at examining the rescue of surplus agricultural produce from farmers across the country and its transfer to those in need. 

The pilot, which will be launched as part of the implementation of the principles of the National Food Security Program 2050, is based on the development of a GIS-based application that will allow farmers to report in real-time on surplus produce arising in the field or packing house, and will enable the “Leket Israel” organization to reach and rescue it. Thus, thousands of kilograms of edible produce, which might have been sent to landfill, will be transferred to those in need, helping to increase the accessibility of many and diverse populations to fresh, healthy, and nutritious food. Beyond its significant social contribution, the pilot is also expected to reduce the environmental damage caused by food landfilling and strengthen the connection between farmers and the community.

Until this initiative, the farmers’ reporting system to the organization was based on telephone contact, which involved lengthy processing times and high operational costs. The new application will allow a transition from a reactive system to a proactive and digital system, thereby enabling more efficient response, shorter collection times, and ensuring that the produce collected will be fresher and have a longer shelf life. 

The pilot integrates with the interim goals of the National Food Security Program, which aims to ensure by 2050 a regular supply of healthy, diverse, and affordable food for all residents of the country, while promoting sustainable local agriculture. In particular, the development of the application is the product of the work of one of the six working groups that formulated the program, the Food Loss group, which recommended providing incentives and raising awareness for reducing loss and rescuing food through the implementation of technologies and practices to reduce losses along the value chain. One of the program’s goals in this context is to reduce food lost per person by 20% by 2035, and by 50% by 2050. 

Gidi Kroch, CEO of Leket Israel: “After more than 20 years of activity, we are excited to launch today together with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development the new application for rescuing surplus agricultural produce. This is an important step that will connect farmers to the community, enable advanced and innovative and efficient management of the food collection process. The application will contribute to reducing food loss alongside strengthening food security and reducing environmental damage. I thank the Ministry of Agriculture for the significant cooperation.”