URL: https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-security/2026-04-19/ty-article-live/iran-negotiator-says-war-could-resume-at-any-moment/0000019d-a350-d834-abbd-fbd019850000 Title: Netanyahu: Iran war not over, any moment can bring new developments Live Live Updates April 19, 2026 April 19, 2026 36 minutes ago ### [IDF soldier filmed smashing Jesus statue in southern Lebanon](https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-security/2026-04-19/ty-article-live/iran-negotiator-says-war-could-resume-at-any-moment/0000019d-a350-d834-abbd-fbd019850000?liveBlogItemId=121471898#121471898) ![An IDF soldier seen smashing a statue of Jesus in Deir Siryan, southern Lebanon, in footage circulating on social media on Sunday.](https://img.haarets.co.il/bs/0000019d-a6ec-d834-abbd-ffec427e0001/8e/c6/90e6b9f94986a5fab8adbdb0ba39/whatsapp-image-2026-04-19-at-7-48-47-pm.jpeg?&width=420&height=473&cmsprod "An IDF soldier seen smashing a statue of Jesus in Deir Siryan, southern Lebanon, in footage circulating on social media on Sunday. Credit: Use under Section 27A of the Copyright Law") ![An IDF soldier seen smashing a statue of Jesus in Deir Siryan, southern Lebanon, in footage circulating on social media on Sunday.](https://img.haarets.co.il/bs/0000019d-a6ec-d834-abbd-ffec427e0001/8e/c6/90e6b9f94986a5fab8adbdb0ba39/whatsapp-image-2026-04-19-at-7-48-47-pm.jpeg?&width=420&height=473&cmsprod "An IDF soldier seen smashing a statue of Jesus in Deir Siryan, southern Lebanon, in footage circulating on social media on Sunday. Credit: Use under Section 27A of the Copyright Law") An IDF soldier seen smashing a statue of Jesus in Deir Siryan, southern Lebanon, in footage circulating on social media on Sunday. Credit: Use under Section 27A of the Copyright Law An IDF soldier seen smashing a statue of Jesus in Deir Siryan, southern Lebanon, in footage circulating on social media on Sunday. Credit: Use under Section 27A of the Copyright Law An IDF soldier was filmed smashing a statue of Jesus in the village of Deir Siryan near the Litani River in southern Lebanon. Footage circulating on social media showed the soldier swinging a sledgehammer at the head of the statue, which was set upside down against a pole. ### [Iran officially rejects talks with U.S.](https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-security/2026-04-19/ty-article-live/iran-negotiator-says-war-could-resume-at-any-moment/0000019d-a350-d834-abbd-fbd019850000?liveBlogItemId=1751096373#1751096373) Iran rejected taking part in the second round of talks with the United States set to take place in Pakistan, the country's official Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported. "Iran stated that its absence from the second round of talks stems from what it called Washington's excessive demands, unrealistic expectations, constant shifts in stance, repeated contradictions, and the ongoing naval blockade, which it considers a breach of the cease-fire," the state-run outlet said. ### [Netanyahu says Iran war not over, jokes that Milei visits before 'something big'](https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-security/2026-04-19/ty-article-live/iran-negotiator-says-war-could-resume-at-any-moment/0000019d-a350-d834-abbd-fbd019850000?liveBlogItemId=1284602902#1284602902) ![Left to right: Argentine Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno, Argentine President Javier Milei, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar in Jerusalem, Sunday.](https://img.haarets.co.il/bs/0000019d-a697-d31c-a1df-ae97b1620002/6d/39/121f946f4faebb0dea4d686001ec/whatsapp-image-2026-04-19-at-18-59-18.jpeg?&width=420&height=280&cmsprod "Left to right: Argentine Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno, Argentine President Javier Milei, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar in Jerusalem, Sunday. Credit: Shlomi Amsalem/GPO") ![Left to right: Argentine Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno, Argentine President Javier Milei, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar in Jerusalem, Sunday.](https://img.haarets.co.il/bs/0000019d-a697-d31c-a1df-ae97b1620002/6d/39/121f946f4faebb0dea4d686001ec/whatsapp-image-2026-04-19-at-18-59-18.jpeg?&width=420&height=280&cmsprod "Left to right: Argentine Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno, Argentine President Javier Milei, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar in Jerusalem, Sunday. Credit: Shlomi Amsalem/GPO") Left to right: Argentine Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno, Argentine President Javier Milei, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar in Jerusalem, Sunday. Credit: Shlomi Amsalem/GPO Left to right: Argentine Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno, Argentine President Javier Milei, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar in Jerusalem, Sunday. Credit: Shlomi Amsalem/GPO Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Iran war is not over, saying Israel and the United States "fight the battle of civilization against barbarism." ![Jonathan Lis](https://img.haarets.co.il/bs/0000017f-da25-d249-ab7f-fbe5d9bd0000/83/03/86d54343cb6228e072625dd53a0a/1018316866.jpg?precrop=500,500,x260,y133&width=40&height=40&cmsprod "Jonathan Lis. Credit: Tomer Appelbaum") ### [Netanyahu meets Argentina's Milei in Jerusalem office](https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-security/2026-04-19/ty-article-live/iran-negotiator-says-war-could-resume-at-any-moment/0000019d-a350-d834-abbd-fbd019850000?liveBlogItemId=1017411956#1017411956) ![Argentine President Javier Milei (left) and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in Jerusalem, on Sunday.](https://img.haarets.co.il/bs/0000019d-a650-d834-abbd-ffd080e20001/13/8e/2044afd64f8093db51da8784c3b3/whatsapp-image-2026-04-19-at-5-57-51-pm.jpeg?&width=420&height=280&cmsprod "Argentine President Javier Milei (left) and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in Jerusalem, on Sunday. Credit: Kobi Gideon/GPO") ![Argentine President Javier Milei (left) and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in Jerusalem, on Sunday.](https://img.haarets.co.il/bs/0000019d-a650-d834-abbd-ffd080e20001/13/8e/2044afd64f8093db51da8784c3b3/whatsapp-image-2026-04-19-at-5-57-51-pm.jpeg?&width=420&height=280&cmsprod "Argentine President Javier Milei (left) and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in Jerusalem, on Sunday. Credit: Kobi Gideon/GPO") Argentine President Javier Milei (left) and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in Jerusalem, on Sunday. Credit: Kobi Gideon/GPO Argentine President Javier Milei (left) and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in Jerusalem, on Sunday. Credit: Kobi Gideon/GPO ![Rawan Suleiman](https://img.haarets.co.il/bs/00000198-a886-d825-a39a-fbce431f0001/59/68/d2aa638c4b8e927516521fc29ccf/rawan-suleiman.png?precrop=1017,1017,x261,y167&width=40&height=40&cmsprod "Rawan Suleiman.") ### [Syria foils Hezbollah, pro-Assad forces' plan to attack 'outside Syria'](https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-security/2026-04-19/ty-article-live/iran-negotiator-says-war-could-resume-at-any-moment/0000019d-a350-d834-abbd-fbd019850000?liveBlogItemId=1885046428#1885046428) ![Syrian forces arrest suspected pro-Assad cell members in Quneitra, near the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, Sunday.](https://img.haarets.co.il/bs/0000019d-a619-df26-a1bf-a7db22230001/b4/70/831a32904a3db5be74dc43a8c20f/whatsapp-image-2026-04-19-at-4-44-05-pm.jpeg?&width=420&height=236&cmsprod "Syrian forces arrest suspected pro-Assad cell members in Quneitra, near the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, Sunday. Credit: Syrian Interior Ministry") ![Syrian forces arrest suspected pro-Assad cell members in Quneitra, near the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, Sunday.](https://img.haarets.co.il/bs/0000019d-a619-df26-a1bf-a7db22230001/b4/70/831a32904a3db5be74dc43a8c20f/whatsapp-image-2026-04-19-at-4-44-05-pm.jpeg?&width=420&height=236&cmsprod "Syrian forces arrest suspected pro-Assad cell members in Quneitra, near the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, Sunday. Credit: Syrian Interior Ministry") Syrian forces arrest suspected pro-Assad cell members in Quneitra, near the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, Sunday. Credit: Syrian Interior Ministry Syrian forces arrest suspected pro-Assad cell members in Quneitra, near the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, Sunday. Credit: Syrian Interior Ministry The Syrian Interior Ministry announced that security forces had foiled several attacks by pro-Assad forces near the Golan Heights. ### [Knesset deputy speaker defends IDF enforcing religious rules: 'No need for protests'](https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-security/2026-04-19/ty-article-live/iran-negotiator-says-war-could-resume-at-any-moment/0000019d-a350-d834-abbd-fbd019850000?liveBlogItemId=346718854#346718854) Knesset Deputy Speaker Nissim Vaturi from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party said enforcing religious norms in the Israeli military is the price Israel must pay for drafting ultra-Orthodox Jews. 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