The Times, Reuters and the Daily Mail reports that Israel and Iran appear to be heading closer to a direct confrontation for the first time since the Syrian civil war began in 2011. The long-contested Golan Heights has been a site of increasing concern for the Israeli military, due to both the threat of direct conflict from Syria and also the recent arrival of Syrian refugees that have been pushed towards the Israeli border. The Times reports that “President Assad’s forces are pushing into the rebel pocket next to the Israeli border from the east” following their victory in the southern city of Daraa. It is believed that there are now more than “10,000 Iran-linked militiamen in Syria, and parts of the Syrian army are linked to the Iranian military command” which has caused significant concerns for Israel who have been determined to keep Iranian forces away from the Golan Heights. It quotes former IDF intelligence specialist Lieutenant Colonel Sarit Zehavi who explained that “the worst-case scenario is that Iran and Hezbollah will have control over Syria, and especially on our border. That way no one will be able to stop them from establishing a military infrastructure on the Israeli border”.

The Daily Mail reports that Israel has tightened the Gazan blockade due to the use of flying firebombs by Hamas. While the goods crossing of Kerem Shalom will remain open on a “case-by-case basis” to deliver medicine and food, “fuel deliveries will be suspended until Sunday”. The closure of crossings comes following the “heaviest exchange of fire between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza since a 2014 war”. On Saturday, Israel hit numerous targets in Gaza over the weekend, killing two Palestinian teenagers. Attacks by Hamas on Israel on Saturday, resulted in the injury of four Israelis when a rocket hit a house in the city of Sderot.

Business Insider via Reuters reports that Israeli lawmakers have passed a law which will allow Education Minister Naftali Bennet to ban groups critical of Israel’s policies towards Palestinians to give lectures or talks in schools. In a statement, Bennet claimed that “anyone who wanders around the world attacking IDF (Israel Defence Forces) soldiers, will not enter a school”. This law is said to attack left wing groups and has been criticised by those within the education sector who believe that the law will limit free speech.

All the Israeli media prominently cover the Trump-Putin summit in Helsinki yesterday. Israel Hayom has a positive perspective noting both US and Russia will work together to ensure Israel’s safety on the border with Syria. Yediot Ahronot refers to President Trump being on, “Putin’s side” and declares it “an own goal”. While Maariv is even more specific claiming, “Trump launches direct attack on US intelligence agencies with Putin”. Similarly Haaretz notes “Trump lauds Putin at US’s expense”.

Both Israel Hayom and Maariv prominently cover the IDF holding a large-scale military drill simulating a ground incursion into the Gaza Strip yesterday. The exercise involved infantry and armoured corps, and included urban warfare simulation inside the city of Beersheva.

Yediot Ahronot leads on a falcon dispatched from Gaza with explosive material attached to in on a string. The bird was found dead close to the border. The paper reports: “Israel is stepping up the pressure on the Gaza Strip and is basically signalling to Hamas that its policy has changed. In other words, Israel is now ready for any scenario, and if Hamas does not put an end to the kite terrorism – immediately – the IDF will not be deterred from responding powerfully, even at the price of a larger-scale clash.” Kan radio news relays a report from Al-Hayat that UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov conveyed a message to Hamas from Israel saying that if the incendiary kites and balloons continued, this would lead to a fourth war against the Gaza Strip. It reported that Mladenov said this to Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh at their meeting in Gaza this week.

Haaretz leads on a confrontation – European Union v Minister Erdan. The paper reveals the EU’s foreign minister, Federica Mogherini, sent a personal, sharply worded letter to Strategic Affairs Minister Gilad Erdan, asking him to provide proof of his ministry’s “vague and unsubstantiated” allegations that the EU is financing terror and boycott activities against Israel through nonprofit organizations. Her letter is a response to a report issued in May by the Strategic Affairs Ministry titled ‘The millions given by EU institutions to NGOs with ties to terror and boycotts against Israel’.

Maariv and Haaretz focus on the political tension within the security cabinet, after yesterday’s leaks were revealed. In Maariv Defence Minister Lieberman attacked Education Minister Naftali Bennett: “A politician who gains at the expense of the chief of staff, that person has no red lines. That is the most disgusting thing.” The Jewish Home responded with a statement: “Lieberman is a weak, confused and transparent  Defence Minister. Better he should focus on eradicating terrorism in southern Israel. Bennett suggested to the prime minister that ministers take lie detector tests and is willing to be the first. The question is whether Lieberman is willing to be the second.” Yisrael Beiteinu responded swiftly with its own statement: “We regret that in the middle of the fighting, the education minister and his party have begun the election campaign with a political campaign to smear the chief of staff and security establishment. The Yisrael Beiteinu party calls on Bennett to focus on preparing the schools for the start of the next school year and improving the results of Israel’s students.” Prime Minister Netanyahu said at yesterday’s Likud faction meeting: “You can’t run security cabinet meetings with tweets and leaks.” A Maariv leader strongly endorses the approach of Chief of Staff Eisenkot arguing he “stands out like a beacon of wisdom”. It adds: “He doesn’t belong to the morality police, he’s not a politician and he’s no commissar, either. But if he is capable of stating a moral and principled position, he absolutely deserves to be saluted and esteemed, because moral and principled positions make Israel stronger, not weaker.”

Israel Hayom reports on the Knesset passing a new law known as the “Breaking the Silence Law”, introduced by MK Shuli Mualem-Refaeli from the Jewish Home party. According to the law, the Education Minister is authorised to bar entry to schools by representatives of organisations that take action against IDF soldiers. State schools will be told that students must be educated to undertake meaningful service in the IDF or in national service. Kan radio news also reports on the new law and further notes Breaking the Silence’s response that this was a law to silence the occupation. They said that Education Minister Naftali Bennett wanted to teach the students his doctrine that it was justified to shoot eight year-old Palestinian children, but that settlers must not be removed from their homes.