Amos Harel

Tensions are rising in various parts of the Middle East, and recent incidents are feeding off each other.

Brig. Gen. Aviv Kochavi reportedly tells Knesset committee that IDF did not present worst-case scenarios to government during preparations for interception of a Gaza-bound aid flotilla in May.

The question now is: are Israel and Lebanon able to lower tensions and prevent an eruption into full-scale conflict in the days ahead?

Hamas, by giving more rope to World Jihad groups in Gaza, is sending a message to Israel, the PA and especially the Arab states, not to ignore it.

In the past two months Barak has attempted to defuse some of the tensions between Jerusalem and Ankara, which peaked with the Gaza flotilla incident at the end of May.

IDF believes Hezbollah broadcasting network sent the plane as provocative measure to mark four years since Lebanon war.

Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, Gabriela Shalev, sent a letter of protest to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon over the rocket attack.

Despite the horror of the helicopter crash, the IDF will not put the Yasur out to pasture, nor will it - or should it - end joint training exercises with foreign armies.

Radical change in level of security coordination between Israel and the PA in the West Bank has allowed the government to make more confidence-building gestures to the Palestinians.

PM, IDF claim Netanyahu wasn't told until his son's birthday party was in full swing. But there are grounds for skepticism.

Israel, Romania to hold memorial for IAF soldiers, Romanian liaison officer who lost their lives when a helicopter crashed in the Carpathian Mountains.

Two days after helicopter crash in Romania, Israel Air Force commander Ido Nehushtan says IAF has broadened its training and its pilots fly increasingly complex routes during exercises.

Investigators have begun collecting evidence at the site of accident in the Carpathian Mountains, north of Bucharest.

IDF search and rescue team retrieves bodies of six IAF servicemen who died in helicopter crash in Romania on Monday; the bodies will be flown to Israel on Thursday after memorial ceremony at Romanian military base.

The investigation into Monday's crash in Romania is expected to look into whether it was caused by a technical malfunction or human error, possibly due to bad weather.

Decisions to replace helicopters, like the CH-53 that crashed in Romania on Monday, are complex, involve heavy costs and take a long time.

Both bureaus deny suggestions from various sources that Barak had hinted to Ashkenazi that he would not approve latter's trip abroad until he received the report.

Though relations with Hamas remain hostile and tense, things in the West Bank are so calm that Israel's security establishment is considering further easing of restrictions there.

The son of assassinated Lebanon PM Rafik Hariri may be playing down Hezbollah's alleged role in his father's death in order avoid another civil war.

IDF supports move in light of what it considers as the impressive improvement in security cooperation between Israel and the PA.

Israel's approach to dealing with violations of the laws of war during Operation Cast Lead has shifted radically since the fighting ended a year and a half ago.

Was a deal formulated under which the U.S. would play ball on Iran while Israel would make concessions in favor of the Palestinians?

The American weekly Defense News said the collapse of the deal presents the Israel Navy with major difficulties in renovating its aging fleet of ships and submarines.