The Telegraph and the online edition of the Financial Times both cover Syrian reports that Israel fired two missiles close to a military air base near Damascus early yesterday. During the afternoon, Israel’s Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman confirmed that Israel was behind the missiles, saying that Israel takes such action in order to prevent Hezbollah from smuggling sophisticated weapons. He also raised concerns that Hezbollah is trying to smuggle weapons of mass destruction.

Writing in the Financial Times, David Gardner says that “hardliners” in Israel view Donald Trump’s forthcoming presidency as an opportunity “to bury long moribund talks about two states”. Such an outlook, says Gardner, will have the effect of “isolating Israel” and turn the ambition of closer alliances with Sunni Arab countries in the region into “a fantasy”.

The Independent reports that hackers interrupted Channel Two’s broadcast in parts of Israel yesterday evening, replacing regular programming with the Muslim call to prayer. The hack is thought to be a protest at the so-called “Muezzin Bill,” which would ban the use of loudspeakers to amplify the Muslim call to prayer between 11pm and 7am.

The Guardian reports that President Bashar al-Assad’s forces have taken Aleppo’s Old City in Syria, in an advance spearheaded by Assad’s Hezbollah allies. Rebel forces have apparently asked for a five-day ceasefire to evacuate remaining civilians. The Times says that the Assad regime is poised to conquer Aleppo, a victory which the Syrian President says will “completely change the course of the battle in all of Syria”.

An editorial in the Times warns that “Iran cannot be allowed to emerge as the victor in Syria,” given Tehran’s “malign influence”. The piece explains that not only do Gulf states and Saudi Arabia fear Iranian consolidation in Syria, but that Israel is “anxious” over the prospect of a “new threat on the Golan Heights”.

The Telegraph covers comments made by Prime Minister Theresa May at the Gulf Cooperation Council in Bahrain yesterday, during which she described the Iran nuclear deal as “vital”.

A Financial Times editorial argues against Donald Trump’s assertion that he will scrap the Iran nuclear deal, saying that the accord “offers the best chance for peace”. Scuppering it “would fuel a nuclear arms race in the Middle East”.

The Financial Times and City AM both report that Royal Dutch Shell has signed an agreement with Iran’s state oil company to explore future projects.

The Telegraph includes a picture of migrating cranes in northern Israel’s Hula Valley, where around 42,500 of the birds gathered yesterday.

Both the Daily Express and Metro cover new research by Israel’s Bar Ilan University, which has excavated a local Stone Age site and found a diet at the time consisting of a huge variety of nuts, seeds and plants.

In the Israeli media, Yediot Ahronot continues to lead with further revelations over the so-called “submarine affair,” in which it is claimed that a deal to purchase German submarines was influenced by the business interests of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s lawyer. Last week, Yediot Ahronot reported that a 4.5 per cent stake in the German manufacturer is owned by the Iranian government investment fund. This morning, it is reported that former-Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon was unaware of the Iranian involvement in the company.

Haaretz leads with reports of an Israeli air strike in Syria, to prevent the transfer of weapons to Hezbollah. It is also the top item in Maariv and Israel Hayom, which focus on Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman’s subsequent comment that Israel is also acting in these incidents to prevent Hezbollah from acquiring weapons of mass destruction.

Israel Radio news highlights that the Knesset yesterday passed a first reading of the Regulation Bill, which if it becomes law, would retroactively legalise a number of outposts in the West Bank. The vote was carried by 58 votes in favour and 51 against. The report quotes Likud MK Yoav Kisch, who said that the bill signals a change in political strategy regarding the West Bank, while representatives of the Joint Arab List suggested that if the bill becomes law, it could serve as the basis to indict government officials in the International Criminal Court. The bill must still pass a further two readings and survive expected legal challenges in order to become law.