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DW
3 days ago
- Politics
- DW
Israel-Iran war: A political lifeline for Netanyahu? – DW – 06/26/2025
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has gained credit for his actions against Iran. However, his political future will depend on what happens next in the Gaza war. After a ceasefire between Israel and Iran took hold on Tuesday morning, albeit a fragile one, streets and coffee shops in Jerusalem were busy again. By evening, Israel's Home Front Command had lifted all public restrictions. At an open-air market, people were back shopping. Some were simply relieved that the 12-day war, which had frequently sent Israelis to bomb shelters was over. "I feel a little relieved that we are not at war anymore. But it could also be tricky because we never know whom to trust. One day we are in a ceasefire, the next day there won't be a ceasefire anymore," Liba Farkish told DW. Many here said that they were satisfied with the attack on Iran and praised Prime Minister Netanyahu. "I think we attacked them at a perfect time, exactly what we needed to do. I think Netanyahu did the best he could. They were really close to having a weapon against us, and honestly, we were saved at the last minute," Adina Bier, a high school student, told DW. Shopowner Avraham Levy said that what "Netanyahu did is not just for Israel, it's for the whole world. Iran is a radical religious regime whose aim is to eradicate Israel," Levy, a veteran supporter of Netanyahu's Likud party, told DW. About 82% of Jewish Israelis supported Israel's attack on Iran and the timing of the attack, according to a recent flash survey by the Viterbi Family Center for Public Opinion and Policy Research at the Israel Democracy Institute (IDI). To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Just a month ago, Netanyahu's political fortunes seemed to have taken a hit. Israel's longest-serving prime minister, often referred to as "the magician" because of his ability to maneuver political crises, had faced mounting domestic and international criticism over his handling of the war in Gaza and his apparent refusal to agree to a deal with Hamas to secure the release of the remaining hostages. Netanyahu can argue that he has delivered on his threat to attack Israel's archenemy and its nuclear program. Iran has long insisted that its nuclear program is peaceful, and US intelligence agencies have concluded that Tehran is not currently seeking to develop nuclear weapons. However, Israeli leaders have argued that Iran was close to assembling a nuclear weapon. The attack on Iran has helped to restore Netanyahu's image as a strongman after the massive security failures that led to the Hamas-led terror attacks on October 7, 2023. "Regarding the Iran attack, there are many unknowns, and we don't know all the details. But all the things that we've seen here since October 7, it's basically a master plan by the Iranians. And everybody understood that this needed to be taken care of. Nobody really trusted the diplomatic solution with them, only a military solution," Tal Schneider, a political correspondent for online outlet , told DW. While recent polls suggested that Netanyahu's Likud party gained more support in the wake of the perceived success of its military operation, the picture is more complicated. A closer look reveals that parties in Netanyahu's current coalition government are projected to fall far short of the 61-seat majority they would need to retain power. "Those polls suggested the situation for Netanyahu remains the same. He may have gotten some seats for his own party, but this came on the account of a close ally of his, the extreme right-wing Jewish Power Party of [Itamar] Ben-Gvir. It means that for Netanyahu, it doesn't give him much leeway for a new coalition after the next election," said Schneider. "He [Netanyahu] was not able to bring in voters from the center. So, people who oppose Netanyahu remained opposed to him. Even with the big military success and the big strategic success that no one is denying." Iranian missile strikes killed 28 people and injured over 1,000, according to Israel's Public Diplomacy Directorate. In Iran, according to official numbers, 606 were killed, with 5,332 people wounded, although those figures are believed to be higher. While Israeli commentators praised the military's performance in Iran, many questions remain as to whether the operation against the Iranian nuclear sites and its ballistic missile program was as successful as Netanyahu claimed. In a statement on Tuesday evening, he said that Israel had "achieved a historic victory, which will stand for generations." Attention in Israel has now turned again to the war with Hamas in Gaza. On Wednesday morning, Israelis woke up to the news that seven soldiers were killed in southern Gaza. Israel's national broadcaster Kan reported that they were inside an armored personnel carrier that caught fire because of an explosive device that was attached to it. "Sometimes you simply need to do the right thing. Trump did it. If Trump could do it, so can you. You need to put an end, here and now, to the needless war in Gaza," Ben Caspit, a veteran Israeli journalist, wrote in the daily newspaper, addressing Netanyahu in his article. "The best of our sons are dying there now, and for what? The destruction of more 'terrorist infrastructure'? Are you for real? Do you hear yourself?" Polls have consistently shown large support for a hostage deal with Hamas in Gaza to return the remaining 50 hostages — alive and dead — and which would also include the cessation of hostilities. "It's important for Netanyahu to get to some solution here because what we found out is a majority of his supporters think that the hostages should be brought home, even if this means a cessation of the war, not termination of the war," Tamar Herman, a senior research fellow at the Israel Democracy Institute (IDI) and the academic director of the Viterbi Family Center for Public Opinion and Policy Research, told DW. "So if he wants to increase his support, he should do something in this regard." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video This was echoed by some people on the streets of Jerusalem. "We lost just seven soldiers in Gaza. We are past that state with Hamas. We should try to make a deal, but on Israel's terms, we should not let them mess with us anymore. We own this land, it's our people, we need to get them back, we just need to find the right terms," Adina Bier said. Netanyahu's critics have long accused him of not wanting to end the war, claiming that he was unwilling to agree to a new deal with Hamas that would secure the release of the remaining hostages. His far-right coalition partners threatened to leave the coalition if he ended the war without toppling Hamas, which would have triggered early elections in Israel. "He needs to solve the problem in Gaza before he solves our problems in Iran. The most important thing: Gaza and the hostages," Inbal Leibovitch told view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
Mint
4 days ago
- Politics
- Mint
Iran-Israel Ceasefire: US Embassy in Jerusalem to open from today. Visa operations resume in Tel Aviv, too
Iran-Israel Ceasefire: The US Embassy in Jerusalem will be open as usual on Wednesday, June 25, a week after it was shut due to the Iran-Israel war The Home Front Command has lifted all restrictions after the ceasefire between Israel and Iran. The shelter in place orders for US government employees and their family members has also been lifted, according to the statement. 'Due to the ceasefire between Israel and Iran, Home Front Command has lifted all restrictions, and the US Embassy will be open as usual on Wednesday, June 25. The shelter-in-place orders for US government employees and their family members have been lifted,' said a statement by US Embassy in Jerusalem. The Home Front Command of the IDF operates in various emergency situations, specialising in the field of civilian protection The US government employees and their family members are, however, restricted from travel outside the greater Tel Aviv (including Herzliya, Netanya, and Even Yehuda), Jerusalem, and Be'er Sheva areas until further notice, the statement said. 'Transit between these three areas, including to and from Ben Gurion Airport, is authorized. Transiting Route 1 to and from Allenby Bridge is also permitted,' it said. The US Embassy in Jerusalem will be shut on June 18 due to the security situation in the region and to comply with Israeli guidance, the US State Department said. 'The US Embassy in Jerusalem will resume its normal regularly scheduled U.S. passport and Consular Report of Birth Abroad appointments on Wednesday, June 25. We will accept walk-ins (no appointment necessary) for U.S. citizens needing a limited-validity, emergency passport in both Jerusalem and Tel Aviv for those in line before 8:30AM. Visa operations will resume in both Jerusalem and Tel Aviv on Monday, June 30,' the statement said.
LBCI
5 days ago
- Politics
- LBCI
Flights to resume without restrictions in Israel after ceasefire: Airport authority
Israel's airport authority said Tuesday that all flights in the country will resume after the country's military lifted restrictions linked to the war with Iran as a fragile ceasefire took hold. "Following the Home Front Command's decision in the last hour regarding the lifting of restrictions, the airports authority announces the return to full activity for the Ben Gurion and Haifa airports," the authority said in a statement. AFP
Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Had to run for bunkers within 1 minute after sirens went off, say Odia students after return from Israel
1 2 3 Bhubaneswar: At least 13 students from Odisha, who were pursuing higher education in Israel, safely arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday amid escalating tensions in West Asia. The students were brought back as part of Centre's Operation Sindhu, launched to evacuate Indian nationals from the war-affected nations. Among them, three students reached Bhubaneswar airport from Tel Aviv via Jordan and thanked the Indian govt for their safe evacuation. "We are relieved after reaching home safe as the situation there was getting worse. We used to get messages on Home Front Command — a mobile app — minutes before the missile attacks. We used to get instructions to run to bunkers within 60-90 seconds once the sirens were blown. After 15-20 minutes, we got messages that it was safe to come out. Israeli people and authorities were very cooperative and took good care of us. After every missile attack, they used to call and ensure we were okay," recounted Venkatesh Varma, a 32-year-old research scientist at Israel Institute of Technology (Technion) in Haifa. Priti Subhadarshini, another research scholar at Tel Aviv University, said she has not slept properly since June 13 when the conflict started. "We had to stay awake as we had to rush to bunkers immediately after we got instructions. We used to run to bunkers every 2 to 3 hours, which made us sleepless and tired. The evacuation process was well-coordinated as we had to cross borders and come through Jordan. Indian embassy was very supportive throughout, unlike people from other countries who were asked to pass the borders on their own. " You Can Also Check: Bhubaneswar AQI | Weather in Bhubaneswar | Bank Holidays in Bhubaneswar | Public Holidays in Bhubaneswar However, Priti said the situation in Israel is not as bad as it is being shown in some social media platforms. "I would urge people not to believe what they see on social media because much misinformation is being circulated. There are AI-generated images of war-torn cities going viral on the internet, which are not accurate and should not be believed at all," said Priti, who is doing PhD in plant science. There are bunkers, fortified bomb shelters every 500 metres, which were frequented by residents due to the constant threat of missile attacks. The students said Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, Ramat Gan, Beersheba and Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot are the places that faced missile attacks from Iran. "We heard the first siren on June 13 when Israel launched Operation Rising Lion. Within 10 minutes, everything was closed. Missiles in Israel were nothing unusual, but the missiles launched from Iran were technologically advanced, though most of them were intercepted. During the missile attacks, we took shelter in bunkers, which got shaken. As days passed, the situation became worse with more frequent attacks, and anxiety levels increased," said Arup Sahu, another research scholar from Odisha who was in Haifa. "The evacuation was well-coordinated, from constant monitoring to providing shelter and finally evacuating us, everything was taken care of by the Indian embassy. We are just happy to be home," he added. State govt has been making arrangements for the arrival of other Odia students from Delhi to Bhubaneswar in subsequent flights on Tuesday night and Wednesday, official sources said.
Time of India
5 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Missiles hit near my university, recounts returnee from Israel
Coimbatore: "I haven't slept properly for 10 days. Sirens would go off at night, and we would rush to bunkers. A missile struck near my university; we heard explosions and the Iron Dome intercepting missiles," K Aparna, a PhD scholar from Coimbatore, recounted her ordeal after returning from war-hit Israel to the city. A total of eight people — five from Israel and three from Iran — returned to Coimbatore under Operation Sindhu on Tuesday. Aparna, who was pursuing her doctoral research at Tel Aviv University, was among the five students from Coimbatore evacuated from Israel. You Can Also Check: Coimbatore AQI | Weather in Coimbatore | Bank Holidays in Coimbatore | Public Holidays in Coimbatore "Iran launched missiles targeting various parts of Israel, including Tel Aviv. One missile landed near the campus. The attacks usually happened at night. We would get alerts 10 minutes before each strike through the Home Front Command app, and then the sirens would start. We had to immediately take shelter in bunker rooms," she said. Describing the atmosphere as "extremely tense," Aparna said the university remained closed for over 10 days following the attacks. "The sound of missiles and interceptors shook us every day. Though we were physically safe, the mental stress was overwhelming. The Indian Embassy stayed in constant contact with us and coordinated the evacuation," she added. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Salawag: Scholarships You Can Apply For (Start Now) College Scholarship | Google Search Search Now Undo She, along with four other students — pursuing master's, postdoctoral, and doctoral studies — first travelled to Jordan, then to Kuwait, and finally reached Delhi. From there, they took a connecting flight to Coimbatore. Among the evacuees from Iran was Padmanaban, a textile consultant from Singanallur in Coimbatore, who travelled to Iran about 20 days ago for work. "Although I was in a safe area in Yasuj, the missile attack in Tehran, which was around 900km away, created panic. Our families back home were extremely worried," he said. On advice from the Indian Embassy, Padmanaban travelled to Mashhad Airport, around 900 km from his location. A special evacuation flight arranged by the govt of India brought him and other Indians to Delhi, from where he flew to Coimbatore. "All the arrangements, including travel and accommodation, were taken care of by the govt. We are thankful to the officials who made our safe return possible," he said.
