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Even after two decades since the Second Lebanon War, we remember your loved ones, our loved ones, who gave their lives. They acted with endless devotion, heroism, and sacrifice to defeat those who sought our lives. The infantry soldiers, the engineering and artillery units, the air force pilots, the aircrews, the navy crews, and all the other forces alongside them, overcame the enemy in every direct clash. In every single direct contact, they had the upper hand. Yoni Setboun, now a colonel in the reserves, participated in the Battle of Bint Jbeil alongside Roi Klein, whom I mentioned. In his book, ‘Under Fire’, Yoni encapsulates the moment his uniform was soaked in his friends' blood. He writes: 'Contrary to what one might think, I felt a tremendous sense of strength and pride for the privilege that fell to me despite the difficulty and pain. We knew we had carried out what was expected of us as combat soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces.' All of this was on the front lines. Meanwhile, on the home front, which also became a front line under the volleys of rockets from Lebanon, Israeli society demonstrated a resilience that was a sign of things to come. The poignant public debate that followed the war yielded one decisive conclusion: In the next significant confrontation, the achievement must be resounding. And indeed, at the beginning of the war, the War of Redemption, Hezbollah once again ignited a destructive fire in the Land of the Cedars. It attacked us savagely, but we remembered your loved ones, the sacrifice, and the lessons. Of course, we did not sit idly by. There were those who tried to frighten us with talk of massive numbers of casualties, of towers falling in Israeli cities, of the destruction of the state. My colleagues and I did not accept this. We knew we had to strike Hezbollah with all our might, also for the sake of your loved ones, a link in the chain, your loved ones, who went out to the battlefield in 2006. We broke through the barrier of fear. We initiated. We attacked. We surprised. We prevented the Radwan Force from invading the north of the country. We executed the pager operation. We decapitated Hezbollah's top leadership in Dahiyeh in Beirut, eliminating the master-murderer Nasrallah and the organization's leadership. Since the start of the war, we have eliminated over 9,000 terrorists, 3,500 just since Operation Roaring Lion. That is 15 times the number of terrorist casualties from the Second Lebanon War. But they paved the path. They showed us the way. We destroyed the vast majority of the 150,000 missiles and rockets that were intended to strike every point in Israel. We destroyed a significant portion of the terror villages in southern Lebanon adjacent to our border. We captured the Beaufort Fortress, which overlooked the Galilee panhandle. And now, we are the ones looking down on Lebanon from above. And perhaps the most important lesson: we created a wide buffer zone along the entire northern border. We do not accept a reality where a terrorist army borders our frontier, able to build tunnels, the depth of which is hard to imagine; one must see it to believe it, that are ready and able to infiltrate our border. This security space separates those who wish us harm from the citizens of Israel. We will remain in the defensive strip in southern Lebanon for as long as necessary. And we will restore security and prosperity to the residents of the North, just as we did for the residents of the South. The western Negev today is inside Gaza. The 'Lebanon buffer zone today is inside Lebanon. This is a critical lesson.

Remarks by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the State Memorial Ceremony for the Fallen of the Second Lebanon War, at Mount Herzl Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today (Wednesday, 1 July 2026) at the state memorial ceremony for the fallen of the Second Lebanon War at Mount Herzl [translated from Hebrew]: "Distinguished guests all, and first among them today, my brothers and sisters –the relatives of those who fell in the Second Lebanon War and the civilian casualties of that campaign. I embrace every family in its pain from the bottom of my heart, with true appreciation and recognition of the magnitude of your grief and its continuous nature. A few months ago, I was moved to see the father of the late Major Roi Klein, one of the heroes of the Second Lebanon War, presenting his son Roi's beret to his grandson. The grandson, Roi's son, joined the Golani Brigade as a combat soldier. Both the grandfather and the grandson proudly preserve the legacy of Roi Klein, who blocked a hand grenade with his body during the Battle of Bint Jbeil, thereby saving the lives of his soldiers. The baton being passed from generation to generation in the Klein family is now held by all of our soldiers and commanders in the current war, the War of Redemption. Lebanon was an intense battleground 20 years ago, and it remains a central arena today. This is happening because Hezbollah's jihadist fanatics turned large parts of Lebanon into massive terrorist bases. As an Iranian proxy to our north, Hezbollah chose to attack us, completely ignoring the price of the war that Lebanon is enduring because of it. But we have proven two things to Hezbollah: First, that Israel will not be held hostage by the operational arm of the evil regime in Iran. Anyone who constantly provoked us, anyone who threatened our citizens and our communities, has felt the heavy hand of our might in ways they never imagined. And the second thing we proved to Hezbollah: Not only is Israel not 'as weak as a spider's web,' as the murderer Nasrallah famously said at the time – Israel is as strong as steel webs! Lebanon is a beautiful country, very beautiful. I came to know it at the beginning of my military service in the General Staff Reconnaissance Unit. First, when we landed at the Beirut airport in one operation. There were other operations. I finished my service, on the very last day of my service, in Lebanon in an attempt to capture senior Syrian general staff officers in order to exchange them for our captive pilots in Damascus. I remember leaving Lebanon on foot with my soldiers and driving to the induction center to be discharged. Along the way, I saw the cedars of Lebanon, which King Solomon used. I saw the beauty of the land, and I thought back then: A beautiful and miserable country. And its tragedy is that it is very close to Israel. Its tragedy is that there is no natural border—certainly not up to the Litani River. A thicket, it is easy to enter. This tragedy first brought Fatah there, and when we removed them from Lebanon, it brought Iran and its proxies. Lebanon is a beautiful country, and there are beautiful people there too. But its tragedy is that it has been seized by a fanatical sect and the patron power of that sect, and they want to destroy us by launching a raid from its territory. And this is what we have resolved, and what generations of ours have resolved, to prevent with their bodies and souls, including the generation of heroes we remember today. The Defense Minister and I visited our forces in southern Lebanon yesterday. We were standing at the exact spot where Nasrallah delivered his arrogant speech the day after Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon in the year 2000. We looked out toward Bint Jbeil, which is not far. And during the visit, I thought to myself: The one who spoke back then about spider webs has himself disintegrated like a spider's web!

On the Gulf and the new space of alliances, Baram said: "The war has sharpened, for every actor in the region, the price of Iran's military buildup. It has created a shared interest in forging a broader alliance, from India through the UAE to Greece and Cyprus. Israel's strengths in technology, proven operational experience, and defense innovation, combined with the Gulf's financial power, could enable a new security-economic front. Expanding our strategic partnerships is not a substitute for our partnership with the United States, but it will allow Israel to broaden its room to maneuver and its standing on the international stage, and will allow us to diversify our strategic footing." On accelerating interceptor production, Baram stated: "Over the past year, as Director General, I was compelled to invoke the full range of emergency powers. We attacked bottlenecks head-on, conducted critical cross-continental procurement of raw materials, signed export deals to expand domestic production lines, and recruited a dedicated workforce for the industries involved. Thanks to these emergency measures, taken in real time, Israel today has a stockpile of Arrow, David's Sling, and Iron Dome interceptors that continues to grow even amid fighting, but the work is not yet done." Attached photo credit: Israel Ministry of Defense Media and Public Affairs Bureau Israel Ministry of Defense For any media-related queries, please contact Nina Zaydenberg, IMOD Spokesperson to International Media: 0544622513 | 0506291093 | Dover@mod.gov.il

Israel Ministry of Defense Spokesperson's Statement Israel MOD Director General Baram: Israel Must Prepare for a New Regional Architecture as Iran Threat Grows Addressing the Herzliya Conference, Baram calls for tailored force buildup, a broader alliance stretching from India through the UAE to Greece and Cyprus, and a new US-Israel security MOU built on hard interests and shared values. Israel Ministry of Defense (IMOD) Director General Maj. Gen. (res.) Amir Baram spoke to the Herzliya Conference at Reichman University today (Wednesday): "The war has sharpened, for every actor in the region, the price of Iran's military buildup. It has created a shared interest in forging a broader alliance, from India through the UAE to Greece and Cyprus." Baram warned that "the agreements now taking shape around the world, which could channel hundreds of billions of dollars into Iran, could dramatically accelerate its military buildup." Facing this danger, he said, "the State of Israel must prepare through tailored force buildup and advance a new regional architecture, first and foremost with our strategic ally, the United States, and with others." On the US partnership and the security MOU now under negotiation, Baram addressed the domestic criticism of Washington's approach: "We cannot afford to judge current American policy through a provincial lens. What some in Israel perceive as weakness or folly, an apparent disregard for every warning sign on the ground, is viewed in Washington as cold, calculated, and clear-eyed risk management in an era of shifting global attention. The difference between us is not in how we understand the threat, but in our priorities: for us, Iran is an existential threat; for the United States, it is a chronic regional challenge, while China and the Indo-Pacific theater remain the core concern. We think Tehran, they think Taiwan." "From the Pentagon's perspective, with American munitions stretched between supporting current wars and preparing for a potential confrontation in the Taiwan Strait, a prolonged war in the Middle East runs counter to America's global posture," Baram added. "At the same time, based on my deep familiarity with the range of views within the American system, if there is one thing Americans hate more than this war that has dragged on for them, it is losing a campaign they have already won. Either way, as the United States operates under an America First approach, our partnership cannot rest on shared values alone. It must also rest on hard interests: a strong, independent, and proactive Israel that stabilizes the Middle East is the very asset that allows the United States to redirect resources toward Asia. This is the foundation of the next Memorandum of Understanding on security cooperation now being formulated. The agreement will need to generate security, economic, and strategic benefits for both countries for years to come.

Prime Minister Netanyahu visits the Security Zone in southern Lebanon Prime Minister Netanyahu in the Security Zone in Lebanon: "As long as Hezbollah is present here and poses a threat to us – we will remain. Our directive to the fighters: if you identify a threat – act!" Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited today (Tuesday, 30 June 2026) the security zone in southern Lebanon, together with Defense Minister Israel Katz and Deputy Chief of the General Staff Maj. Gen. Tamir Yadai. The Prime Minister and the Defense Minister received a comprehensive briefing on the activity in the sector from the Commander of the Northern Command, Maj. Gen. Rafi Milo, the Commander of the 91st Division, and the brigade commanders in the field. Additionally, the Prime Minister and the Defense Minister were presented with a showcase of innovative ammunition and weaponry for tackling the drone threat. Prime Minister Netanyahu told the fighters [translated from Hebrew]: "I have come here together with the Defense Minister, the Deputy Chief of Staff, the Commander of the Northern Command, and your commanders with whom I spoke – the division commander and the brigade commanders – and I salute you. You have done tremendous work here, and essentially, what we have done is take the Iranian axis and start crushing it. We struck inside Iran itself, something no one believed, and we removed an existential threat. The most important link in the Iranian axis was here – Hezbollah. There were 150,000 missiles and rockets, the highest density of missiles and rockets on planet Earth. Today, they have about 8% left. It is still significant, but it is no longer what it was. In your operations, we have eliminated 9,000 terrorists, hundreds of terrorists in recent weeks. And of course, the main thing we did – and this is what you are doing here – is to create buffer zones, security zones, not on our side of the border, but on their side. So we are doing this in Lebanon. We have done it in Gaza. These security zones are a paradigm shift. The meaning is that we no longer allow an army of terrorists to have a foothold on our border. We push them back – that is what you are doing. And we destroy, above ground and underground, basically anything that served them as a means of attacking us. Infiltration, attack, terror tunnels, terror villages – all of that is eliminated. This is the directive: leave nothing behind, and you are doing that. I believe that the most important thing for you to know, first and foremost, is that our directive – mine and that of the Defense Minister, Chief of the General Staff and Deputy Chief of the General Staff – is to protect yourselves as your first priority. If you identify a threat to your security, to your lives or the lives of your soldiers – act! Do not wait, act – this is an ironclad directive. Since we have achieved – thanks to your operations here – Lebanon's recognition of Israel and Israel's recognition of Lebanon, we say to both Iran and Hezbollah: get out of here, you have no business being here. There are two sovereign states that want to make peace between them; want to truly restore a reality of security and prosperity to the residents of the North and also to the residents of Lebanon. 'You must leave' – this is a slap in the face, a blow to the face of the Iranian axis, and it won't necessarily go unchallenged. We are very proud of what we have achieved thanks to your brave action and also the decisions we have made. Our insistence is that we will not leave southern Lebanon until the threat is eliminated. And as long as Hezbollah is armed and present here, posing a threat to us – we will remain here." Accompanying the Prime Minister were Head of the National Security Council Shmuel Ben Ezra and the Prime Minister's Military Secretary, Maj. Gen. Guy Markizeno. Attached photos credit: Haim Zach (GPO)

“Every citizen belongs in the State of Israel, even when he or she is part of a minority. A citizen can lose an election, but not lose the state. A citizen can win an election, and not think he has been given permission to erase half of society. A citizen can support the government without being an enemy of democracy. Or oppose it, without becoming an enemy of the people. That sounds simple. But even the simple things bear repeating: elections are not a civil war. Elections are our way of resolving disagreements without violence. That is why there is a civic duty to participate in them, to respect them, and to respect their results. And I call on the public: go out, participate, vote, exercise your right to make your voice heard! We must remember: elections replace governments. They do not replace a people. “We need the rule of law — a rule of law that speaks to social developments, but with one law. For everyone. And we need a strong democracy with institutions, in which we set clear boundaries between the branches of government.” Link for Video of President Herzog's Address at the 2026 Herzliya Conference (in Hebrew): https://www.jumbomail.me/en/gallery/66684D417363312F314344464B3342347436653838673D3D/1604055988 Video credit: Dotan Guetta (GPO) Sound credit: Avner Dvir (GPO) Attached photos credit: Ma'ayan Toaf (GPO) Benjamin Lee, benjaminl@president.gov.il, 050-6169572

(Communicated by the President’s Spokesperson) Tuesday, 30 June 2026 / 15 Tammuz 5786 President Herzog Addresses the 2026 Herzliya Conference On June 30, 2026, President Isaac Herzog addressed the 2026 Herzliya Conference at Reichman University. President Herzog’s speech addressed the need to renew the shared Israeli contract in light of the profound changes Israeli society is undergoing, particularly against the backdrop of the ongoing war, ahead of the upcoming elections, and in the face of the danger of social disintegration. President Isaac Herzog’s remarks: “Some believe the law is merely a recommendation. And since the law is supposedly no longer binding, discourse gives way to shouting, to threats, to fake news, to violence. And from there it is a short road to the conclusion that whoever disagrees with me is not merely wrong — he is, in fact, my enemy. News reports of violence in the streets have long since ceased to surprise us. Anarchists take the law into their own hands. Gang wars claim the lives of innocent civilians, in Arab and Jewish cities alike. Or roads are suddenly blocked, regardless of which side is responsible. All of these and more are warning lights flashing above our heads. “Instead of being a diverse and thriving society of brothers and sisters, who quarrel and yet reconcile, we risk becoming a landmass that has broken apart into a handful of islands. Islands of exhausted, worn-out people. Islands of those who feel like persecuted minorities, armed with a sense of absolute righteousness. “As we stand on the eve of elections, I am declaring: this is a civic state of emergency, and in the same breath, I add: a state of emergency of responsibility and hope. Not a state of emergency that seeks to erase identities, but one that seeks to strengthen them. To build and be built within frameworks. Frameworks that will allow all of us to grow together, to change together, and to grow here together. “We are called upon to rewrite the Israeli contract. A contract that says: it is permitted to fight to advance our ideas, but we will never break the rules that apply to all of us. A contract that allows us to disagree sharply with others and to express our views, but never, ever to turn those who disagree with us into enemies. A contract that says: we are a free people, but freedom is not lawlessness. “Without one law, there is no shared state. It is possible to argue about policy, opinions, or ideas. It is possible and necessary to criticize our elected officials, our authorities, and our institutions. But it is impossible to live in a state where every group lives by its own law and its own order. We must not allow a situation in which criminals become heroes simply because they are supposedly our criminals. Criminality must not be tolerated from any quarter.

IMDO Director, Moshe Patel: "Throughout the war, and even more so during Operation Roaring Lion, we confronted an unprecedented reality of relentless barrages that demanded extraordinary operational flexibility and real-time field support under peak conditions. The Iron Dome system remains a central pillar of Israel's multi-layered defense concept for countering missiles and ABT threats. During this test series, we also exercised the integration of the Iron Beam laser system into the Iron Dome command and control architecture - elevating the system's capabilities and its importance to the defense of the home front. Alongside broader system upgrades, the IMDO is leading multiple initiatives to accelerate interceptor production rates in both Israel and the United States, thereby strengthening readiness for any scenario. The defense establishment continues to upgrade Iron Dome and Iron Beam capabilities - in the air, on land, and at sea - even under fire during wartime, to increase the effectiveness of Israel's air and missile defense array and enable civilian normalcy even during periods of active conflict." Rafael CEO, Yoav Tourgeman: "Rafael is proud to conclude another advanced test series of the Iron Dome defense system, during which new capabilities were successfully validated across complex scenarios - including the integration of the Iron Beam laser system, developed by Rafael and delivered to the IDF several months ago. Iron Dome, a central pillar of Israel's defense, continues to prove itself time and again, even during periods of intense combat, and to stay ahead of future threats. The test series, conducted together with our partners in the Israeli Air Force, the IMDO, and the test and evaluation corps, represents a further expansion of the system's capability envelope, which will be integrated into the IDF's air defense array. The innovation, creativity, and commitment of Rafael's scientists and engineers enable us to continue leading the field of air defense and to provide the State of Israel with advanced, effective, and operational solutions for the protection of its citizens and its security." Attached for your use: High-resolution photo download link: https://www.jumbomail.me/j/S5U6aby5AEqzMan High-resolution video download link: https://www.jumbomail.me/j/-aJqcsSVm0esSRL Photo and Video Credit: Israel Ministry of Defense Media and Public Affairs Bureau Israel Ministry of Defense For any media-related queries, please contact Nina Zaydenberg, IMOD Spokesperson to International Media: 0544622513 | 0506291093 | Dover@mod.gov.il

Israel Ministry of Defense Spokesperson's Statement Iron Dome Receives Additional Upgrade: Israel MOD and Rafael Successfully Complete Comprehensive Test Series The Israel Missile Defense Organization (IMDO) at the Directorate of Defense Research & Development (DDR&D) within the Israel Ministry of Defense (IMOD), together with Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, successfully concluded a comprehensive test series of the Iron Dome aerial defense system against a wide range of advanced threats, incorporating operational lessons learned during the war. The test series examined several upgrades integrated into the system to further enhance its performance against scenarios simulating existing and future threats, including rockets, cruise missiles, and UAVs, as well as technological enhancements that improve the system's ability to contend with high rates and volumes of fire. In addition, as part of the operational integration of the Iron Beam high-power laser system, developed by DDR&D's R&D Unit as a complementary system to Iron Dome, the series also included joint operational scenarios integrated within the Iron Dome battle management center (BMC). The new capabilities demonstrated during the test series represent a significant leap in the system's ability to counter a wide range of attack scenarios and constitute an additional pillar in the IMOD's strategy to enhance readiness for a demanding decade ahead on the security front, while preserving the IDF's qualitative and strategic advantage in both defensive and offensive future systems and capabilities. The Iron Dome defense system, which was delivered to the Israeli Air Force and declared operational in 2011, is a major component of Israel's air and missile defense array. Throughout the war, the system successfully intercepted thousands of rockets and air-breathing threats (ABT), preventing loss of life and damage to strategic assets. Rafael Advanced Defense Systems is the primary developer for the Iron Dome defense system, in collaboration with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) through its ELTA Systems division, and mPrest. Rafael Advanced Defense Systems is the primary developer of the Iron Beam system, with subcontractor Elbit Systems responsible for the laser source, and additional defense industries, including SCD and Shafir Production Systems.

Statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this morning (Tuesday, 30 June 2026) [translated from Hebrew]: “I strongly condemn the shameful remarks made against the Chief-of-Staff yesterday in Bnei Brak. Even when there are disagreements among us, there is absolutely no place for severe incitement against the IDF and its commanders, who protect us all.”

”But Iran’s desire to become a nuclear threshold state is a tangible threat to Israel, and Iran’s audacity to dictate the future of Lebanon undermines the possibility of moving towards peace and security. The most recent MOU between Israel and Lebanon, signed in Washington a few days ago, is a major breakthrough for peace and can serve as a cornerstone moving forward. It requires the removal of Hezbollah and enables a platform for a true peace agreement between the countries. ”I thank President Trump and Secretary Rubio and the Administration for sponsoring this important step, and I call upon the European Union and the international community to support it, to support the stability and economy of Lebanon, and the security of Israel. “I thank the Romanian government for standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Israel, in defense of regional resilience, in defense of the moral architecture we have all worked to build, and I have spoken about it at length today with President Dan.” Attached is the full text of President Herzog’s address to the Romanian Parliament. Video of President Herzog's Address to the Romanian Parliament President Herzog’s remarks on Iran and the MOU between Israel and Lebanon: https://mab.to/t/JBJeXopbEah/eu2 Full speech: https://mab.to/t/tC7kUwGpoJs/eu2 Video credit: Roi Avraham (GPO) / Sound credit: Nir Sharf (GPO) Attached photo credits: Kobi Gideon (GPO) Benjamin Lee, benjaminl@president.gov.il, 050-6169572

(Communicated by the President’s Spokesperson) Monday, 29 June 2026 / 14 Tammuz 5786 President Isaac Herzog Addresses Joint Plenary of the Romanian Parliament President Isaac Herzog: “The most recent MOU between Israel and Lebanon, signed in Washington a few days ago, is a major breakthrough for peace and can serve as a cornerstone moving forward. I thank President Trump and Secretary Rubio and the Administration for sponsoring this important step, and I call upon the European Union and the international community to support it” On June 29, 2026, President Isaac Herzog delivered an address before the joint plenary of the Romanian Parliament during his state visit to the country. Upon his arrival at the Palace of the Parliament in Bucharest, President Herzog met with the President of the Senate, Mircea Abrudean. He then met with the President of the Chamber of Deputies, Sorin Grindeanu, and additional senior government officials. President Isaac Herzog’s remarks: “I am honored and humbled and moved to be welcomed here today in the Parliament of Romania, sanctuary of democracy and supreme symbol of the values that sustain the Romanian nation as a free, open society. I thank President Nicușor Dan for inviting me to visit the Republic of Romania, and I am delighted to join you today in your nation's capital, beautiful Bucharest. “The relationship between Israel and Romania has evolved in so many spheres and has ripened into a strategic anchor of stability and collaboration. In recent years, both nations have played an increasingly important role in bolstering each other's security and regional and international security. “Romania has become a global role model in Holocaust remembrance, historical accountability, and education. I have seen how your efforts to combat antisemitism, hate speech and xenophobia, and your proactive adoption of the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism, have served as a gold standard in protecting thriving democracies from the poison of hate. I commend your robust legislation, including the bill initiated by our friend, MP Silviu Vexler, and adopted by this distinguished chamber. We all hope to see the implementation of the most recent bill combating antisemitism. “Romania’s principled position is exactly what is required from the international community at this particular point in our geopolitical reality. Because by now there can be no doubt: the threat posed by the Iranian regime and its proxies extends far beyond the Middle East. It challenges global stability, naval freedom, and democracies. “The Americans and Israelis went to war with Iran to prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons, and prevent this Empire of Evil and its proxies from threatening all peace-loving nations in the Middle East. I commend US President Donald J. Trump and Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu for their leadership in this war. I must stress, to you and to the world: Israel is not opposed to a diplomatic outcome of the war. On the contrary, we seek peace. We dream of peace on all frontiers; it is our fondest hope and deepest yearning.