The Israeli Defense Forces recovered the remains of St‑Sgt‑Maj Ran Gvili, the last Israeli hostage taken during the Oct. 7 assault, after a month‑long covert effort that began with the capture and interrogation of an Islamic Jihad operative who disclosed the burial site at al‑Batesh cemetery in northern Gaza; the IDF exhumed and examined roughly 250 bodies, using dental experts, fingerprint, and DNA analysis to confirm Gvili’s identity, then promptly notified his family and arranged a funeral in Meitar, while senior officials—including Prime Minister Netanyahu, IDF Chief of Staff Lt‑Gen Eyal Zamir, and President Isaac Herzog—publicly celebrated the recovery as the final fulfillment of Israel’s promise to bring every captive home; the operation also highlighted ongoing intelligence coordination, the involvement of rabbinic advisers, and the broader context of heightened Israeli‑Palestinian tensions over ceasefire negotiations and the Rafah crossing. Click here to read more.

Israel is accelerating its quantum‑technology program to stay competitive in a global arms race dominated by the United States and China, leveraging a €1.1 billion Horizon Europe grant (2021‑2024) and a national budget that grew from NIS 1.25 billion in 2018 to over NIS 1.7 billion by 2022, while seeking deeper ties with the U.S., EU, and regional partners such as Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, the UAE and Saudi Arabia; despite these efforts, U.S. investment in Israeli quantum work remains modest (≈ $47 million in 2023) compared with the EU’s vastly larger contributions, and Israel faces infrastructure constraints, uncertain EU‑Israel relations, and the need to develop post‑quantum encryption before NIST mandates a 2030‑2035 transition—experts estimate that a truly universal, error‑corrected quantum computer may still be eight to ten years away. Click here to read more.

Greece and Israel have signed a cooperation pact to share expertise on counter‑drone systems and cybersecurity, with Defense Ministers Nikos Dendias and Israel Katz agreeing to exchange know‑how on detecting and neutralizing drone swarms and to coordinate responses to cyber threats; the deal builds on their existing air‑training center, recent joint drills, and a broader trilateral alliance that also includes Cyprus, which recently affirmed a strategic partnership and announced progress on the India‑Middle‑East‑Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC); Greece’s €25‑28 billion defence modernization program will integrate Israeli technologies such as Barak MX, David’s Sling, Spyder and PULS rocket artillery into its new “Achilles’ Shield” air‑defence network, bolstering deterrence against regional challenges. Click here to read more.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi published a stark op‑ed in the Wall Street Journal, warning that Iran will fire back with “everything we have” if the United States attacks, and insisting the warning reflects reality, not a threat. He blames Israel and U.S. proxies for any escalation, claims the two nations were close to a “middle‑way” deal in Oman that collapsed, and accuses Washington of pursuing sanctions, cyber assaults, and potential military action. Araghchi also portrays the recent Iranian protests as hijacked by foreign‑backed terrorists, denying reports of a massive civilian crackdown that human‑rights groups estimate has killed thousands and led to tens of thousands of arrests. While he asserts Iran prefers peace and remains ready for genuine negotiations, the piece sparked controversy and led to his exclusion from the Davos summit. click here to read more.

Iran’s massive protests peaked in early January, but a brutal crackdown that killed thousands and jailed tens of thousands has likely stalled any chance of toppling Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei unless President Donald Trump orders a military intervention; after briefly hinting at help, Trump aborted a strike amid doubts about targets, limited U.S. resources, and opposition from Arab states and Israel, while the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier moves toward the region and Tehran eases its repression to avoid provoking a U.S. attack. Analysts outline five U.S. options—symbolic strikes, assaults on the IRGC and Basij, attacks on missile and nuclear sites, cyber operations, or supporting provincial autonomy—each with distinct risks and limited prospects for quickly overturning the regime. click here to read more.