The Times of Israel is liveblogging Thursday’s events as they unfold.

Trump reportedly told US could hit Iran as soon as Saturday, as he mulls potential strikes

US President Donald Trump has been told by his top national security advisers that the American military could launch strikes on Iran as soon as Saturday, CBS News reports, though he has still yet to make a decision on whether to green light an attack.

Citing sources familiar with the matter, the US broadcaster says the timeline for a decision is expected to extend beyond this weekend, adding that the Pentagon is temporarily shifting some personnel out of the Middle East in the coming days as it readies for a potential Iranian counterattack if the US strikes.

Amid Iran tensions, Rubio to meet with Netanyahu in Israel on Feb. 28 — US official

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will visit Israel on February 28 to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a US official confirms to The Times of Israel, amid heightened tensions over Iran.

A senior US official tells Reuters that in the wake of US-Iran talks in Geneva on Tuesday, Iran is expected to submit a written proposal on how to avoid its standoff with the United States.

Top national security advisers met in the White House Situation Room to discuss Iran and were told all US forces deployed to the region should be in place by mid-March, the official says.

Tucker Carlson and Huckabee had ’emotional’ interview in attempt to mend rift in GOP, says former Fox host who was present

Conservative anti-Israel podcast host Tucker Carlson and US Ambassador Mike Huckabee engaged in a long, productive, and “emotional” conversation earlier today at Ben Gurion Airport, says a friend of both men who helped set up the interview and was present for it.

“Tucker asked a lot of questions that a lot of Americans are asking,” Melissa Francis, a former Fox and CNBC host, tells The Times of Israel in Jerusalem after the interview.

“They came together and did a really good job of answering Tucker’s questions and the ambassador correcting the things that he felt like were wrong,” says Francis, who is in Israel for the 8th time since the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on southern Israel.

“Huckabee called him out on all those things and challenged him and corrected him today,” she says.

Carlson never the left VIP terminal at Ben Gurion Airport, though Huckabee invited him to remain in Israel for several days.

The meeting between the leading Israel critic and an outspoken Christian Zionist was “professional,” says Francis.

“I think it was emotional,” she continues. “There are strong opinions, but I thought it was a great exchange of views.”

“The ambassador is so well-informed and is an ambassador, a pastor, a governor, and a television extraordinaire, so he’s more than capable dealing with it,” says Francis. “So it just it seemed like it was a great match.”

Francis says that she had dinner with Carlson in Florida a few weeks ago and she invited him to come along for a visit to Israel. He responded that US President Donald Trump has asked him to rein in the fight within the Republican Party over Israel, out of a concern that it was helping the Democratic Party.

According to Francis, Carlson said that he reached out to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to arrange a meeting in Israel, but never received a response.

Francis urged Huckabee to do an interview with Carlson. “I think we all realized that this infighting is terrible for Republicans,” she says.

Former PM Bennett condemns Tucker Carlson as ‘a chickenshit’ and ‘a phony’

Former prime minister Naftali Bennett denounces Tucker Carlson as “a chickenshit”and “a phony,” after the right-wing American commentator claimed he was detained and interrogated at Ben Gurion Airport.

“The guy who’s been spouting lies about Israel for the past two years, landed today at Ben Gurion Airport, took a quick picture in the logistics zone, tweeted it to pretend he’s actually IN Israel (so he can later claim that he’s a serious reporter who toured Israel), didn’t even step foot in country, then made up a story that he’s being supposedly harassed by our security (didn’t happen), whined about it, got back into the private jet and flew off,” Bennett writes on X.

“Next time he talks about Israel as if he’s some expert, just remember this guy is a phony!”

Israel, US envoy reject Tucker Carlson’s claim he was detained and interrogated at airport

Conservative anti-Israel media personality Tucker Carlson claims that he was detained by Israeli security staff at Ben Gurion Airport after interviewing US Ambassador Mike Huckabee, which Israel — and Huckabee — firmly deny.

“Men who identified themselves as airport security took our passports, hauled our executive producer into a side room and then demanded to know what we spoke to Ambassador Huckabee about,” Carlson tells the Daily Mail. “It was bizarre. We’re now out of the country.”

The Israel Airports Authority “firmly rejects” the claims.

“Contrary to the reports, Tucker Carlson and his entourage were not detained, delayed, or interrogated,” the IAA says in a statement shared by the Foreign Ministry. “Mr. Carlson and his party were politely asked a few routine questions, in accordance with standard procedures applied to many travelers.

“The conversation took place in a separate room within the VIP lounge solely to protect their privacy and to avoid conducting such a discussion in public.”

“EVERYONE who comes in/out of Israel (every country for that matter) has passports checked & routinely asked security questions,” he writes on X. “Even ME going in/out with Diplomatic Passport & Diplomatic Visa.”

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