Israel Weighs Expanding Ben Gurion Flights After Iran Ceasefire Announcement
Israel’s Israel Airports Authority and the Transport Ministry are examining plans to expand flight activity at Ben-Gurion Airport following the ceasefire announcement, the authority said Wednesday (8th).
In a statement, the Airports Authority said it is conducting ongoing situational assessments with relevant partners and considering a gradual expansion of operations at its facilities, in line with security directives and guidance from the Transport Ministry.
Despite the announcement, aviation officials have cautioned that resuming full activity could take time. Officials cited by the Kan public broadcaster said the continued presence of US Air Force personnel and aircraft at the airport, alongside efforts to assess the stability of the ceasefire with Iran, is expected to slow the pace of a complete return to standard operations.
In the meantime, authorities are reportedly focusing on increasing passenger capacity per flight as a first step toward lifting restrictions. Narrow-body aircraft are expected to allow up to 120 passengers, while wide-body aircraft could accommodate up to 150 passengers. The changes could come into effect as soon as next week.
Officials are also considering reopening Ramon Airport in southern Israel as an additional international gateway for outbound travel.
Sirens Sound Across Israel Early Wednesday Morning As Iran Launches Missile Barrages, Despite Ceasefire Agreement
Iran launched a series of missile barrages towards Israel Wednesday morning (8th), hours after a ceasefire agreement between the US, Israel, and Iran was announced by US President Donald Trump.
Sirens sounded across southern, central, and northern Israel, including Tel Aviv, Haifa, and the Jerusalem area.
Magen David Adom (MDA) reported three shrapnel fall sites in central and northern Israel.
Additionally, fallen missile cluster fragments were reported in the Sharon area. Central District police, Border police, and bomb disposal experts were dispatched to the scenes to investigate and conduct safety assessments.
Four people were lightly injured in the southern Bedouin town of Tel Sheva, according to MDA. 15 people were reported to be suffering from anxiety.
Additional police were dispatched to sites in the Negev region after interceptor fragments fell in the area, causing property damage.
Netanyahu Refutes Pakistan PM’s Claims Of Lebanese Inclusion In Ceasefire Deal
Iran’s initial 10-point ceasefire proposal included demands for Israel to halt its strikes on Hezbollah in Lebanon, which have persisted since Hezbollah joined the war by launching rocket attacks on Israel.
Earlier on Tuesday (7th), before the ceasefire was announced, the IDF issued evacuation warnings for Lebanese residents in Tyre, Shabriha, and in Al-Abbasiya, as the military prepared for strikes against Hezbollah in the area.
Residents were instructed to evacuate north of the Al-Zahrani River.
Hezbollah activity forces the IDF to act against it. The IDF does not wish to harm you,” said IDF Arabic Spokesperson Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee in a post on X. “For your safety, you must evacuate your homes immediately.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refuted claims made by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shebbaz Sharif that Lebanon would be included in the ceasefire agreement between the U.S, Israel, and Iran.
Shebbaz had announced that Lebanon would be included in a Wednesday morning (8th) post on X.
“With the greatest humility,” he wrote, “I am pleased to announce that the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America, along with their allies, have agreed to an immediate ceasefire everywhere, including Lebanon and elsewhere, EFFECTIVE IMMEDiATELY.”
The announcement came following strong speculation that Hezbollah would likely be included in the agreement, according to reports by Lebanon’s MTV news channel, which cited undisclosed Lebanese sources.
Also prior to the ceasefire, the IDF’s 98th Commando Division joined ground operations in Lebanon, according to the military, with forces positioned on the anti-tank line.
The IDF noted that the division was the latest to join fighting in Lebanon over the past week as the military expanded ground operations in southern Lebanon, alongside divisions 91, 35, 146 and 162.
“The IDF completed its positioning on the ‘anti-tank line’ and continues operations in the area to strengthen the front-line defense and remove the threat to the northern residents,” said the IDF spokesperson.
Iran, Hezbollah Launch Missiles At Israel As Second Passover Eve Began, IDF Warned Of Widening Escalation
Iran and Hezbollah launched missiles at Israel and rocket attacks on Tuesday evening (7th), as the second Eve of Passover began, underscoring continued escalation across multiple fronts.
Air raid sirens sounded across central Israel, following ballistic missile and rocket launches from Iran and Hezbollah. Emergency services said there were no immediate reports of injuries.
Magen David Adom said that, as of early evening no casualties had been reported despite impacts in several locations. Police said forces were operating at multiple impact sites in central Israel.
The Home Front Command later announced that civilians could leave protected spaces after the immediate threat passed. Several of the missiles were intercepted, while others fell in open areas, in line with defense policy.
At the same time, the military warned of additional threats from the north. The IDF issued an unusual maritime warning calling on vessels off the coast of southern Lebanon to move north towards Tyre.
“Hezbollah activity endangers vessels in the maritime area between Tyre and Ras Naqoura, which compels the IDF to act against it in the Maritime domain,” IDF Arabic -language spokesman Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee said.
Separately, the Home Front Command reported a suspected drone infiltration in the Kiryat Shmona area and surrounding communities. Residents were later cleared to leave protected areas.
IDF Chief of Staff LTG. Eyal Zamir said Tuesday (7th) that Israel is approaching a decisive phase in its campaign against Iran.
“We are approaching a strategic crossroads in the joint campaign against Iran, “ Zamir said during a military assessment. “So far, we have achieved significant accomplishments in relation to the objectives we set at the start of the operation. We will continue to act with determination and deepen the blows to the regime.”
He added that Israeli forces are continuing ground operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon, working to establish a defensive zone to prevent rocket fire on Israeli communities, while simultaneously targeting launch capabilities deeper inside Lebanese territory.
The attacks come as tensions remain high following weeks of Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iranian military and infrastructure targets raising concerns of a broader regional conflict.
Chinese Construction Workers In Israel: ‘I’d Rather Be Bombed Than Live In Poverty’
Scores of Chinese construction workers in Israel have chosen not to evacuate the country, with some saying they would rather face bombs than poverty and starvation.
Since the start of the war, the Chinese Embassy in Israel has been organizing evacuations of Chinese citizens via the Taba Port in Egypt. There are an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 Chinese construction workers employed in Israel’s construction industry.
However, despite the option to leave, many Chinese workers said they were unwilling to leave, noting higher wages in Israel.
In a video on X, one Chinese construction worker said, “I’m working here, everything is normal. If there is an air raid siren, you have cover. We’re used to it by now. I hope everyone won’t worry too much. People have asked whether I’ll go back. I’ll tell you, I’ll visit family eventually, but I won’t go back right now. Life isn’t just about having enough to eat. We want freedom. We want to live with dignity.”
In another video, taken from inside a dormitory, a Chinese worker said, “I’d rather be bombed to death than die in poverty.”
Workers told NTD television – an anti-PRC channel-that they work 12 hours a day at construction sites in Israel, earning between 30,000-40,000 yuan per month at the low end and up to 70,000-80,000 yuan at the high end. This translates to around $4,100 to $11,000 a month. According to them, Israeli employers do not delay wages.
“As a carpenter, I make 1,800 yuan a day, 45,000 a month,” one worker told NTD. “I’m not going home until I’ve made two million.”
The worker added that he got injured and had surgery. “The hospital was excellent,” he said. “They arranged a Chinese interpreter for me. The doctors were great.”
Another worker said he came to Israel to lay tile on construction sites, earning 60,000 to 70,000 yuan a month.
“Laying tile, I make two to three thousand a day,” he said. “In five years, that’s two million. Back home, I could barely support myself, let alone my kid and my parents. The pressure was enormous. Here, if I work seven or eight years, maybe ten, I can earn enough to retire on.”
Israel Enjoys An Historic Peak In Cooperation With U.S. – Or Shaked
Israeli UN Ambassador Danny Danon said, “We are at an historic peak in terms of U.S.-Israel cooperation. This is a rock-solid alliance built on shared values and interests – but it has never reached the level it is at today. We are truly fighting together, sharing intelligence at the highest levels, and in the diplomatic arena too – shoulder-to-shoulder.”
“One of the reasons we are not attacked more [at the UN] is because the U.S. is part of this Iran campaign. If Israel were facing Iran alone, you would see a completely different discourse in the Security Council, in the positions, in the debates, even from the UN Secretary-General. Everyone is being careful.”
“I sit and write my speeches, and the U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz sits with his team – and suddenly you realize the speeches sound as if they were written together. We speak the same language, and that is significant,”
American support has been visible in Lebanon as well. The U.S. saw “that the other side hadn’t kept its commitments. Now that we are acting, they told us, “You were right, you gave it time, you shared the intelligence, the other side didn’t deliver – and now you have our backing to do what needs to be done.”
Why Israeli Youth Remain Positive During War – Lilac Sigan
One of the most striking findings of the latest World Happiness Report is that young Israeli adults under 25 ranked 3rd in the world in life satisfaction scores, says Anat Fanti, a happiness and well-being researcher at Bar-Ilan University. This is in contrast to a well-being crisis among young adults in the U.S, who ranked in 60th place.
“The 2026 report is dedicated to the impact of social media use on the well-being of young people,” she explains. “It applies particularly to platforms driven by algorithmically selected content, like Tik Tok, that pushes young people to endlessly scroll through negative or distressing content online. Such platforms tend to show a distinctly negative correlation with mental well-being.
“It’s not that Israeli youth are unaffected… but in Israel, at 18, you join the military and your life changes. There’s the moment when the young adult from the social media world meets real life in its full intensity, especially in the past 2.5 years of war. Young people here can’t really live in the illusion of social media – they are forced to confront reality.”
“In Israel, the reality encountered within the IDF… ultimately produces something far healthier – far more communal and meaningful. In 2025, Israeli youth ranked first in the world in the quality of their social connections. That contributes enormously to happiness and well-being.”
“Young adults 25 and under in Israel are those serving in the military and doing reserve duty, carrying an enormous weight of responsibility towards the entire population. That’s the sense of meaning and clear purpose that Israeli existence provides, in addition to the fact that Israel is a country with an extraordinary family and friendship infrastructure, where everyone feels that every soldier in the IDF is their own child.”
“These young people are our future. They are negatively affected by social media like every other young person in the world, but in the end, they are more grounded through real-life situations, their friends, their family, and the entire country’s social support and mutual generosity.”
