There is no coverage of Israel in the British print media this morning, though the Guardian online reported a story from Arabic newspaper Al-Arabi al-Jadeed which claimed Hezbollah tried to assassinate former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in 2009, while he was out of Israel, as revenge for Israel’s alleged killing of Hezbollah military leader Imad Mughniyeh. The plot was reportedly foiled by a Hezbollah double-agent working for Israel.

The Independent reports that US President Barack Obama will formally seek authorisation from Congress to battle ISIS. If approved, the wider authorisation would allow the US military greater freedom of action against ISIS anywhere in the world.

The Guardian reveals that a large Hezbollah offensive against Syrian rebels has begun, with a focus on the Golan Heights area.

In Israeli media, Haaretz also reports a big movement of Syrian army and Hezbollah forces into the Syrian side of the Golan border, and suggests that they are succeeding at forcing out # opposition forces which have controlled the border area for some months.

Yediot Ahronot, Haaretz and Israel Hayom all cover the IDF’s interception of a small boat smuggling liquid fibreglass into Gaza from the Sinai. The smugglers admitted that they were bringing in the fibreglass for Hamas to use in rocket and mortar manufacturing.

A televised election debate seemed more likely yesterday after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated he might be prepared to join. Israel Hayom reports that Netanyahu might agree to debate Zionist Union leaders Isaac Herzog and Tzipi Livni. Labour MK Eitan Cabel called on the TV channels to ‘empty-chair’ the prime minister if he refuses to join debates.

In an interview with the Jerusalem Post, Zionist Union leader Isaac Herzog said he expected the Likud party to change leaders if he were to win the election and to replace Benjamin Netanyahu. Herzog also suggested he would be open to Likud joining his coalition if he became Prime Minister.

The row over the Israel Prize committee continues. Haaretz makes it the lead story for the second day running, after Benjamin Netanyahu justified his decision to veto appointments to the prize-awarding committee. In a Facebook note, Netanyahu said the prize committee had become “radical” and was lacking “authentic representatives” of the whole nation.

The weather leads many Israeli papers, taking the front page in Israel Hayom as Israel suffered a major dust-storm which made it hard to breathe and dangerous to leave the house. Haaretz describes it as the worst dust-storm in five years and notes that nearly 400 people were treated by emergency services. Maariv this morning noted that the dust-storm is beginning to give way to a rainstorm with some snow settling in northern Israel.