Defense Minister Israel Katz

Jerusalem, 15 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz signed a proclamation today (Thursday) defining Iranian State Bank Melli as a terrorist organization. He did so at the request of security agencies and on the recommendation of the Headquarters for Combating Economic Terrorism at the Ministry of Defense, and in accordance with its authority under Section 11 of the Counter-Terrorism Law.

Bank Mali is a key factor in the Iranian regime’s transfer of funds to terrorist organizations, and serves as the regime’s central financial arm in financing terrorist activity throughout the Middle East and beyond, said Katz’s office.

This is a government bank in the service of the regime that operates one of the regime’s most extensive cover networks, for the purpose of circumventing international sanctions and laundering money. Among other things, the bank provides extensive financial services to Iran’s security forces, including providing bank accounts and transferring funds to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and the Quds Force, which are directly involved in financing, directing, and operating terrorist organizations.

“Declaring Bank Mali a terrorist organization will help thwart one of the main funding routes for Iran’s terrorist proxies,” said Katz’s office noting that it was declared a terrorist organization by the United States in 2018.

Israel’s Defense Ministry added that this move, alongside the previous similar decisions regarding the Central Bank of Iran (CBI), Bank Mellat, and Bank Shahr, constitutes “another layer in the ongoing effort by the security establishment to damage the economic infrastructure of Iranian terrorism and prevent the financing of the activities of terrorist organizations operating against the State of Israel and its citizens.”

Jerusalem, 15 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Israel’s Defense Ministry will relocate its headquarters and other security facilities to Jerusalem, the ministry and municipality announced on Monday.

The deal, signed by Defense Minister Israel Katz and Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion, will establish a new defense headquarters at the city’s entrance, relocate the military’s colleges from Herzliya to Jerusalem, and create a research and development site.

Plans also include upgraded induction centers, housing projects for career officers, and an army museum. The ministry says the colleges will serve hundreds of personnel and enhance local neighborhoods, while making military education more accessible via Jerusalem’s public transport network.

“This is a strategic move that will create new centers of power for the city, strengthen the urban economy and deepen Jerusalem’s status as a city that leads the State of Israel forward,” Lion said.

In response to the detonation of a Hamas explosive device that wounded our forces today in the Yellow Area of the Gaza Strip, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and defense minister Israel Katz directed that the senior hamas terrorist Raad Saad, be eliminated.
 
Saad was one of the architects of the October 7 massacre, and in recent days had been engaged in rehabilitating the terrorist organization and in planning and carrying out attacks against Israel and rebuilding an attack force, in blatant violation of the ceasefire rules and Hamas‘s commitments to adhere to President Trump’s plan.
 
Instead of promoting demilitarization, he was engaged in rearming for acts of terrorism.
 
Whoever raises his hand against Israel and harms IDF soldiers, his hand will be cut off in Gaza and everywhere else.
 
On behalf of all the citizens of Israel, the Prime Minister and the Defense Minister wish a speedy recovery to our wounded fighters.
 

Jerusalem, 11 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz will submit his decision to close the IDF’s (Israel Defense Forces) Galei Tzahal military radio station to the government for its approval on Sunday, December 21, 2025.

Since Katz first made the announcement of his intentions, the closure of the military radio station has sparked a political controversy in Israel.

Katz said the decision was made because the station had become politicized during the war in Gaza and was no longer needed.

Jerusalem, 19 November, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Israel’s security buffer zone in Syria today (Wednesday), along with Defense Minister Israel Katz, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, IDF (Israel Defense Forces) Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, Shin Bet head David Zini, Deputy head of the National Security Agency, Gil Reich, Israeli Ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, and other military leaders.

At the beginning of the visit, the Prime Minister arrived at an IDF post where he conducted an observation of the sector, and then held a security discussion.

In addition, the Prime Minister met with regular and reserve fighters, praised their activities during the war and in maintaining security in the region, and answered their questions.

“We attach enormous importance to our defensive and offensive capabilities here, it’s a task that can develop at any moment,” said |Netanyahu. “We attach enormous importance to our ability, both defensive and offensive, here, to protecting our Druze allies, and especially protecting the State of Israel and its northern border across the Golan. This is a mission that could evolve at any moment, but we trust you.”

“I really appreciate not only what you are doing, but also the fact that your families are joining in on this,” he added. “I want to convey to you my thanks not only from the government of Israel, but also from the citizens of Israel, from the State of Israel. Thank you very much.”