In the UK media today, all the broadsheets report on the Islamic Jihad prisoner who has now ended his hunger strike. An agreement was reached between his lawyer and the Justice Ministry to release him in the middle of April, three weeks earlier than originally expected. BBC online reports that IAEA inspectors in Iran have been refused entry into several nuclear sites. The Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mirror note Iran’s deputy military chief Mohammad Hejazi’s threats that Iran could launch first at Israel and could order proxy militant groups in Gaza and Lebanon to fire rockets into Israel. The Financial Times and the Times cover discussions among US policy makers over whether to help Syrian rebels militarily. Meanwhile the Financial Times speculates that any weakening of the Syrian-Iranian axis would leave Hezbollah vulnerable. The Daily Telegraph and City AM London report that tensions with Iran have pushed oil prices to an eight-month high, sparking fears it could reach $150 a barrel by the end of the year. The Independent and the Guardian run comment pieces warning against attacking Iran. The Independent reports that Israeli tennis star Shahar Peer has been invited to play in a tournament in Dubai, having been refused a visa in the past.

Israeli media this morning is dominated by the decision of the Israeli High Court of Justice to declare a law exempting ultra-Orthodox men from military service unconstitutional. All the papers carry this as their front-page lead, with Yediot Ahronot calling it a ‘bombshell’, and Israel Hayom declaring it ‘history’. Also widely covered are the developments in the Israeli Prime Minister’s office following the resignation of National Information Directorate head Yoaz Hendel. The resignation comes after Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed distrust toward leading advisors who accused former chief of staff Natan Eshel of harassing a female colleague. Eshel left his post earlier this week. In other news, the Jerusalem Post reports the discovery of another suspected Iran-Hezbollah bomb plot against Jewish or Israeli targets, this time in Azerbaijan. Haaretz and Israel Hayom report on their front pages the threat by a senior Iranian military commander to take pre-emptive action against Iran’s enemies. Online this morning the media cover the breaking news of Iran’s failure to cooperate with IAEA inspectors. Haaretz and Jerusalem Post also cover prominently the decision of Palestinian Islamic Jihad operative Khader Adnan to call off his hunger strike after his lawyers agreed a date for his release from his administrative detention. The media also cover the controversial call from the Tel Aviv municipality to begin public transport services on Shabbat, which is opposed by ultra-Orthodox communities.