Netanyahu and Katz Skip Military Ceremony as Iran Fighting Renewed

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz canceled their planned attendance at the National Security College graduation ceremony Wednesday evening, holding an urgent security consultation as Israel monitored renewed U.S.-Iran fighting. President Isaac Herzog and IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir represented the state at the 7 p.m. event instead. Katz told a Kirya headquarters meeting that the IDF was prepared in defense and offense with targets marked, after overnight U.S. strikes on Iranian sites and Trump's declaration that the ceasefire was over. Israeli officials said the country was on high alert while assessing a full-scale war was unlikely before U.S. midterm elections.