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Entry requirements

This information is for people travelling on a full ‘British citizen’ passport from the UK. It is based on the UK government’s understanding of the current rules for the most common types of travel. 

The authorities in the US set and enforce entry rules. If you’re not sure how these requirements apply to you, contact the US Embassy or a consulate in the UK .

COVID-19 rules

There are no COVID-19 testing or vaccination requirements for travellers entering the US.

Passport validity requirements

To enter the US, your passport must be valid for the length of your planned stay.

If you’re travelling through another country on your way to or from the US, check the entry requirements for that country. Many countries will only allow entry if you have at least 6 months validity remaining on your passport. 

Dual nationals  

US law requires US citizens to enter and exit the US using a US passport. Contact the US Embassy or a consulate in the UK for more information.

Visa requirements

To enter or transit through the US, you must have either an  Electronic System for Travel Authorisation ( ESTA ) visa waiver  or a visa .

The US State Department has more information on visas .

Applying for an ESTA visa waiver 

Apply for an ESTA visa waiver through US Customs and Border Protection. You can also apply using the ESTA Mobile app .

You cannot apply for an ESTA visa waiver if you have:

• been arrested (even if the arrest did not result in a criminal conviction)
• a criminal record
• been refused admission into, or have been deported from the US
• previously overstayed under an ESTA visa waiver

You cannot normally apply for an ESTA visa waiver if you were in the following countries on or after March 2011: 

• North Korea

You cannot apply for an ESTA visa waiver if you travelled to or were in Cuba on or after 12 January 2021. 

If you are not eligible for an ESTA , you must instead apply for a US visa.

Applying for a visa

The US Embassy in London has information on how to apply for a visa .

US visa appointments

Visa appointments at the US Embassy in London are limited. Plan your application as far ahead as possible before travel. If you need to travel urgently, you can request an expedited interview through the US Embassy’s appointment service provider.

The US Embassy has more information on visa appointments .

Children and young people

Anyone aged 17 and under must:

• have a valid visa or ESTA visa waiver on arrival
• be able to provide evidence about the purpose, location and length of their visit if asked by immigration officials
• have written consent from one or both parents if travelling alone, with only one parent, or with someone who is not a parent or legal guardian

The US authorities can stop you entering the country if they have safeguarding concerns about a child. If this happens, the US authorities will take the child into their care, and their return from the US could take months. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office ( FCDO ) cannot speed up the return of British nationals aged 17 and under from the US.

The US government has information about children travelling to the US . If you have questions, contact the US Embassy in the UK .

Vaccine requirements

For details about medical entry requirements and recommended vaccinations, see TravelHealthPro’s US guide .

Customs rules 

There are strict rules about goods you can take into or out of the US . You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.

Global Entry programme

The US Customs and Border Protection programme Global Entry allows pre-approved travellers through border control faster at some US airports. If you’re a British citizen, you can  register to get a UK background check . If you pass the background checks, you’ll be invited to apply for Global Entry.

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Heathrow urges government to scrap £10 fee for transit passengers

London hub says charge for overseas travellers using UK airports puts country at competitive disadvantage

Heathrow has called on the government to scrap a new £10 charge for overseas travellers using UK airports to connect to other flights, warning that it puts UK airports at a competitive disadvantage compared with other European rivals.

The government introduced the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) in November for Qatari nationals travelling to the UK from Qatar, with a wider rollout for other countries throughout 2024.

The ETA is largely based on the US Electronic System for Travel Authorization (Esta) system, and requires travellers to apply to enter the country before departing and pay a £10 fee.

This applies not only to direct flights from the country but also for those who are using UK airports for more than two hours to connect to other flights.

Heathrow said while it supported the overall rationale behind the ETA, transiting passengers needed to be exempted as this was hitting passenger numbers.

The airport pointed to the impact it had on travellers from Qatar – it said there had been 19,000 fewer transit passengers coming through the airport in the first four months of ETA rules applying. It added that each month recorded the lowest proportion of transiting passengers from the country for 10 years.

The update said: “This is a huge blow to UK competitiveness as many long-haul routes, which are highly important to the UK’s economy, exports and wider connectivity, rely on transit passengers. With more connecting passengers expected to choose other hubs as the scheme expands, minsters need to take action to remove this measure.”

Heathrow recorded its busiest Easter weekend this year, with 936,000 passengers using the airport across the bank holiday period. This contributed to 7 million people travelling through the London hub in March, the highest ever for that month.

The chief executive, Thomas Woldbye, said: “The government needs to exempt airside transit passengers from the ETA scheme to avoid encouraging passengers to spend and do business elsewhere. We need to level the playing field, so the UK aviation industry continues to be world class.”

A Home Office spokesperson said: “We are introducing an electronic travel authorisation scheme to enhance border security by increasing our knowledge about those seeking to come to the UK and preventing the arrival of those who pose a threat.

“Requiring transit passengers to obtain an ETA stops people who may use connecting flights to avoid gaining permission to travel to the UK. We are keeping this under review as we continue to roll out the scheme.”

• Airline industry
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Blog The Education Hub

https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2024/04/02/how-to-claim-15-hours-free-childcare-code/

Thousands of parents of two-year-olds benefit from 15 hours free childcare - here's how

We’re making the  biggest investment  by a UK government into childcare in history, doubling the amount we expect to spend over the next few years from around £4 billion to around £8 billion each year.  

We've already started to rollout the first phase of the expansion. As of April 2024, eligible parents of children who have turned 2-years-old before 1 April are getting help with their childcare costs by accessing 15 hours of government-funded childcare.

The rollout of support is part of our plan to help families – freeing thousands of couples from having to choose between having a family and a career.

This builds on existing government-funded childcare and later in the year the support will be extended to include some children from when they turn 9-months-old.

• Currently, eligible working parents of 3 and 4-year-olds can access 30 hours of childcare support.  
• Eligible working parents of 2-year-olds are also now able to access 15 hours childcare  support.
• From  September 2024 , 15 hours childcare support will be extended to eligible working parents with a child from 9-months-old.  
• From  September 2025 , support will reach 30 hours for eligible working parents with a child from 9-months-old up to school age.  

When can I apply?  

Applications are now open for eligible working parents whose children will be 2 or older by the 31 August to receive 15 hours childcare, starting from September 2024.

And from 12 May, eligible working parents whose children will be aged between 9- and 23-months old on 31st August, can apply to receive 15 hours childcare starting from September 2024.

It’s important to remember that codes need to be renewed every three months, so parents applying close to 12 May will need to renew their code prior to the offer starting in September.

You are able to claim your place the term after your child turns the relevant age. This gives local authorities and childcare providers enough time to prepare.

How do I apply?   

You apply online here on   Gov.uk once you have checked our  eligibility criteria .  

You’ll need to make sure you have the following information to hand before starting the application:  

• your national insurance number (or unique taxpayer reference if you are self-employed)  
• the date you started or are due to start work  
• details of any government support or benefits you receive  
• the UK birth certificate reference number (if you have one) for your child.  

You may find out if you’re eligible straight away, but it can take up to 7 days.  

Once your application has been approved, you’ll get a code to give to your childcare provider.  

Eligible parents are also able to access Tax-Free Childcare through the same application system. You can apply for Tax-Free Childcare at any time. However, you don't need to apply for Tax-Free Childcare to be eligible to apply for the 15 hours childcare scheme.   

What happens once I receive my code?  

Once you receive your code, you’ll need to take it to your childcare provider, along with your National Insurance number and your child’s date of birth.  

Your childcare provider will process the code to provide your place.  

Places will be available for September in every area of the country, but a significant minority of settings hold waiting lists of over six months. If you have a preferred nursery for September, you should reach out now to secure a place for your child ahead of receiving your code.  

Your local authority can provide support for finding a government-funded place in your area.  

What if I’m already registered for Tax Free Childcare?  

Parents must reconfirm that they are still eligible for Tax-Free Childcare every 3 months.  

Parents who are already claiming Tax-Free Childcare and need to reconfirm their eligibility between 1 April and 12 May will be automatically issued a code in the post from HMRC soon after the 12 May.   

This is to ensure every parent can give their code to their provider in good time. This code will be valid to apply for 15 hours of government-funded childcare from September.   

If I receive a code in a letter from HMRC, does this make my code on my Childcare Account invalid?  

No. Both codes will be valid.   

Do I need to wait for my reconfirmation window to add another child to my account?  

A parent who is already using the childcare service for another child can add a new child to their account at any time.  

Your reconfirmation cycle for your current Tax-Free Childcare will not affect this.  

How are you making sure there will be enough childcare places for eligible parents?  

Parents that have a preferred place for September should reach out now to their local provider to secure a physical place for their child ahead of time.  

To make sure there are enough places available, we’re investing over £400 million in 2024-25 to increase the hourly rates paid to local authorities.  

The Institute for Fiscal Studies has independently reported that the average funding rates for two-year-olds and under 2s paid by government from April 2024 are projected to be substantially higher than the market rate paid by parents last year, and we have committed to further increases to provider rates for the next two years.  

We have also committed to increasing hourly funding rates over the next two years by an estimated £500 million, to make sure providers can increase places at each phase of the rollout.    

You may also be interested in:

• Budget 2023: Everything you need to know about childcare support
• Before and after school childcare: Everything you need to know about wraparound care
• Free childcare: How we are tackling the cost of childcare

Tags: 15 hours free childcare , Applying for 15 hours free childcare , Childcare , Free childcare 2024 , Free childcare eligibility , tax-free childcare , When to apply for 15 hour free childcare

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Watch the Skies

When and How to Spot the ‘Devil Comet’

Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks is one of the brightest known periodic comets . It earned the nickname of “devil comet” in 2023 when an outburst caused the comet to have an asymmetrical appearance, like having horns. It comes around every 71 years and is currently getting brighter as it flies toward the Sun.

In the Northern Hemisphere, the comet is best viewed with binoculars or a small telescope – right after the Sun dips below the horizon, look West just beneath the Moon, and just right of Jupiter. An hour after sunset, the comet drops so low, it will be difficult to see without a perfectly clear view of the horizon. The comet then sets an hour later.

Bill Cooke, who leads the Meteoroid Environment Office at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, encourages viewers to have more realistic expectations about what they might see. “Many images depict a bright comet with a long green tail,” Cooke said. “That’s not going to happen.”

By July, it will be too dim to view even with binoculars.

As for viewing this comet with the naked eye, it might be possible in the coming days, but by mid-April, it will be too close to the Sun and then growing fainter as it makes its way away from the Sun.

The brightest stars are a magnitude 1, the faintest are a magnitude 6. Comet 12P will peak around a magnitude 5 unless an outburst occurs.

However, Cooke warns that outbursts are unpredictable. “There have been minor outbursts roughly once a month but it’s impossible to predict them,” he said. “The last one was on Leap Day, Feb. 29.”

Will the comet be visible during the eclipse ?

It is certainly a possibility. If Comet 12P remains around a magnitude 5, it would only be visible in binoculars during the few minutes of totality. Consider enjoying the main spectacle instead of using that time to locate Comet 12P and attempt to view it at another time.

For more skywatching highlights in April, check out Jet Propulsion Lab’s What’s Up series.

By Lauren Perkins NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center

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• International

April 11, 2024 - Israel-Hamas war

By Heather Chen , Antoinette Radford, Tori B. Powell , Aditi Sangal and Elise Hammond , CNN

Our live coverage of Israel's war on Hamas in Gaza has moved  here .

UN committee fails to reach consensus on full Palestinian membership, Security Council president says

From CNN’s Richard Roth and Michael Rios

A specialized UN committee failed to reach a consensus Thursday on Palestinian membership in the United Nations, according to the president of the UN Security Council.

Two-thirds of the committee members were in favor of moving on with membership, with many countries arguing that “Palestine fulfills all the criteria that are required” to be granted full state member status, Malta's Ambassador and Security Council President Vanessa Frazier said. 

She added that no one explicitly objected to the membership qualifications.

Frazier also said she would circulate a draft report on the deliberations as soon as Friday. If the committee doesn’t agree on the report, it could hold another meeting to iron out any differences.

Asked whether the process of deliberating Palestinian membership in the committee is now over, Frazier said, “Unless the next step of agreeing (to) the report of the committee warrants another meeting to iron out the differences, it’s not foreseen that there would be any further committee action.”

But she noted that any UN Security Council member can still table a resolution to vote on Palestinian membership at any time, regardless of the committee's report.

The US and Middle East brace for a possible Iran attack that could escalate the conflict. Here's the latest

From CNN staff

Concerns about a possible Iranian attack against Israel has prompted many diplomatic conversations around the globe.

Here are some developments on diplomacy around the threat of an attack:

• Iran's statement: The imperative for Tehran to "punish" Israel for the deadly strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus last week might have been avoided if the attack had been condemned at the United Nations, Iran’s Mission to the UN said Thursday.
• US and UK diplomacy: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with the foreign ministers of Turkey, China and Saudi Arabia on Wednesday night and Thursday morning to tell them that countries should be urging Iran not to escalate the conflict in the Middle East after  threats made by Tehran against Israel,  according to a State Department spokesperson. The top US general for the Middle East is also in Israel . Additionally, Britain's foreign secretary warned his Iranian counterpart on Thursday that Tehran “must not draw” the Middle East into a wider conflict .
• Israel receives US support: Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant spoke with Blinken and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. The US officials expressed the country's support for Israel against Iranian threats. Gallant warned that such an attack could lead to a regional escalation.
• Travel restrictions: The US State Department restricted the travel of US government personnel in Israel in the wake of public threats against Israel by Iran. “The security environment remains complex and can change quickly depending on the political situation and recent events,” the alert noted. US officials  are on high alert  for a potential retaliatory strike by Iran or its proxies against Israel.

Meanwhile, here's some other updates:

• Hamas on hostages: A member of Hamas' political bureau said   a prisoner-hostage exchange is being discussed as part of larger ceasefire negotiations. "Part of negotiations is to reach a ceasefire agreement to have enough time and safety to collect final and more precise data" on the hostages held in Gaza, Basem Naim said in a statement on Thursday. "Because they (hostages) are in different palaces, (being held) by different groups, some of them are under the rubble killed with our own people, and we negotiate to get heavy equipment for this purpose."
• Updates on aid to Gaza: It is clear that Israel is working to ramp up humanitarian aid to Gaza, but it has not yet implemented all of the measures it has announced, a top United Nations humanitarian official said. Aid coming in trucks from Israel has to be "segregated from water, from food, from medical items" before it goes into Gaza, said Jamie McGoldrick, the UN’s humanitarian coordinator in Jerusalem. “Getting 400 trucks from Kerem Shalom doesn't mean 400 trucks go into Gaza,” he said, adding that the logistical complications are numerous, and take time to resolve. He also said Israel’s restrictions on movement inside the strip complicate matters.

Anera charity resumes work in Gaza after pausing when Israeli strike killed 7 World Central Kitchen staff

From CNN's Tala Alrajjal and Mohammed Tawfeeq

American Near East Refugee Aid (Anera) has resumed Gaza operations "after a temporary pause" following an airstrike that killed seven World Central Kitchen (WCK) aid workers on April 1.

"As you know, the decision to temporarily pause our operations was not an easy one. We followed the direction of our staff in Gaza, who've faced death, loss, and destruction since the start of the war," Sean Carroll, the president and CEO of Anera, said in a statement on Thursday. "After the killing of Anera staff member Mousa Shawwa , followed by the attack that killed seven aid workers from World Central Kitchen, we made the difficult but necessary decision to pause aid operations on April 2," Carroll added in the statement.

Carroll said Israeli authorities informed him during a meeting Thursday that "certain measures would be taken to protect humanitarian aid workers in Gaza – including Anera's staff."

"With the full support of our Gaza team, we have determined that the circumstances have changed sufficiently to resume our vital humanitarian work in Gaza," Carroll said. 

Anera on Thursday resumed "full operations in Gaza to deliver meals, food parcels, hygiene kits, tents, medical treatments, and more to families in dire need," according to the statement.

Iran says its imperative to punish Israel could have been avoided had UN Security Council condemned attack

From CNN’s Natalie Barr and Adam Pourahmadi

The imperative for Tehran to "punish" Israel for the deadly strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus last week might have been avoided if the attack had been condemned at the United Nations, Iran’s Mission to the UN said Thursday.

“Had the UN Security Council condemned the Zionist regime’s reprehensible act of aggression on our diplomatic premises in Damascus and subsequently brought to justice its perpetrators, the imperative for Iran to punish this rogue regime might have been obviated," the  mission said on X.

The UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the attack on April 1, according to a statement from the UN spokesperson Stephan Dujarric. A Security Council discussion was held on April 2 to discuss the attack, but differences among members prevented any formal action or condemnation from taking place.

The United States is on high alert and actively preparing for a “significant” attack by Iran targeting Israeli or American assets in the region  in response to the strike in Damascus  that killed top Iranian commanders.

UK foreign secretary warns Iran not to draw Middle East into wider conflict

From CNN's Natalie Barr

Britain's foreign secretary warned his Iranian counterpart on Thursday that Tehran “must not draw” the Middle East into a wider conflict following a series of escalating threats made by Iran toward Israel.

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron told Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian that the United Kingdom was "deeply concerned about the potential for miscalculation leading to further violence. Iran should instead work to de-escalate and prevent further attacks," according to a post on X .

Iran's state-aligned Tasnim news agency on Thursday reported that Amir-Abdollahian had told Cameron that the silence from the UK and the United States following Israel’s attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus last week only served to encourage Israel to continue waging war in Gaza and expand its conflict in the region.

US and Israeli defense leaders discuss fears of Iranian attack

From CNN’s Michael Conte in Washington, DC, Tamar Michaelis in Jerusalem and Larry Register in Atlanta

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant today to “reaffirm the US ironclad commitment to Israel’s security against threats from Iran and its proxies,” according to a Pentagon spokesperson.

The call comes a day after Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Israel " must be punished and it will be" following a strike on an Iranian embassy compound in Syria that killed seven Iranian officials.

Israel “will not tolerate an Iranian attack on its territory,” the statement read, adding that the two defense leaders also discussed detailed preparations “for an Iranian attack against the State of Israel.”

Gallant said an Iranian attack on Israel could lead to a regional escalation.

It is the second discussion held between Gallant and Austin over the past week, according to the statement. Gallant expressed his appreciation for Austin’s personal commitment to the security of the State of Israel and for the deepening cooperation between the defense establishments of both countries, as well as between the Israel Defense Forces and US CENTCOM.

State Department restricts personnel travel in Israel amid concerns over Iranian threats

From CNN's Jennifer Hansler

The US State Department has restricted the travel of US government personnel in Israel in the wake of public threats against Israel by Iran.

“Out of an abundance of caution, U.S. government employees and their family members are restricted from personal travel outside the greater Tel Aviv (including Herzliya, Netanya, and Even Yehuda), Jerusalem, and Be’er Sheva areas until further notice,” a  security alert  posted by the US Embassy Thursday said. “U.S. government personnel are authorized to transit between these three areas for personal travel.” “The security environment remains complex and can change quickly depending on the political situation and recent events,” the alert noted.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said he would not “speak to the specific assessments that led to us to restrict our employees and family members’ personal travel, but clearly we are monitoring the threat environment in the Middle East and specifically in Israel.”

“We have seen Iran making public threats against Israel in the past few days,” Miller said. “Israel is in a very tough neighborhood and we have been monitoring the security situation. You saw us slightly adjust for travel warnings at the beginning of this conflict and we conduct ongoing assessments all the time about the situation on the ground.”

US officials are on high alert for a potential retaliatory strike by Iran or its proxies against Israel.

Hamas says ceasefire with Israel is essential to collect data on hostages held in Gaza by different groups

From CNN's Abeer Salman and Mohammed Tawfeeq

A member of Hamas' political bureau said   a prisoner-hostage exchange is being discussed as part of larger ceasefire negotiations.

"Part of negotiations is to reach a ceasefire agreement to have enough time and safety to collect final and more precise data" on the hostages held in Gaza Basem Naim said in a statement on Thursday. "Because they (hostages) are in different palaces, (being held) by different groups, some of them are under the rubble killed with our own people, and we negotiate to get heavy equipment for this purpose," he added.

Naim's statement was in response to questions from media outlets about whether Hamas has been rejecting the latest proposal, which was made in Cairo over the weekend, because it can not release 40 hostages in the first phase of a three-stage ceasefire deal.

According to an Israeli official and a source familiar with the discussions, Hamas indicated it is currently unable to identify and track down those 40 Israeli hostages, raising fears that more hostages may be dead than are publicly known. 

CNN's record of the conditions of the hostages also suggests there are fewer than 40 living hostages who meet the proposed criteria.

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• International

April 6, 2024 Israel-Gaza news

By Heather Chen , Sophie Tanno, Adrienne Vogt , Tori B. Powell and Matt Meyer , CNN

Our live coverage of Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza has moved here .

UK deploys Navy to boost Gaza aid through new maritime corridor

From CNN's Mia Alberti

The UK has deployed a Navy ship to boost aid through Gaza as it joins international efforts to set up a new maritime corridor from Cyprus, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said in a statement on Saturday.

“The situation in Gaza is dire and the prospect of famine is real. We remain committed to getting aid to those who so desperately need it," Cameron said.

Joining efforts with the US, Cyprus and other partners, the UK is setting up a new temporary pier off the coast of Gaza to get aid in, according to Cameron.

The corridor is expected to be operational in early May. It will allow for the delivery of "tonnes of aid pre-screened in Cyprus", the British Foreign Office said.

The Royal Navy ship is already en route and will work on "military and civilian" operations, such as life-saving missions in the eastern Mediterranean and the delivery of aid from Cyprus to Gaza.

The Foreign Office is also committed to providing logistical expertise and equipment, including forklift trucks and storage units, and up to £9.7 million in aid deliveries, the statement said.

Marking six months of war, Cameron called for an "immediate humanitarian pause leading to a sustainable ceasefire," and also welcomed the recent opening of the Erez crossing and the Port of Ashdod.

Thousands of protesters march in Tel Aviv as the war in Gaza reaches 6 months. Here's what you should know

From CNN staff

Thousands of protesters marched in Tel Aviv and other major cities Saturday night, demanding the resignation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and calling for early elections to be held.

For weeks, Israelis have expressed growing frustration with Netanyahu's handling of the war and his failure to bring home hostages being held in Gaza.

A protester was arrested for punching and injuring a police officer during an  anti-government rally  in Tel Aviv on Saturday, Israeli police said in a statement. Authorities also urged demonstrators not to spark bonfires, as crowds swell to massive sizes.

Here are other headlines you should know:

• Marking six months of the war: Israeli President Isaac Herzog made a social media post Saturday marking six months since the October 7 attacks by Hamas in Israel, which left about 1,200 people dead and more than 200 taken hostage. "Half a year our sisters and brothers have been held by a cruel enemy," Herzog wrote in the post on X. Since the attack, Israel’s offensive in Gaza has killed at least 32,916 people, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health, and has led to a spiraling humanitarian crisis in which many more are at risk of starving.
• Analyzing Israel's exit strategy: After half a year of war, the  patience of Israel’s allies is running out , CNN's Ivana Kottasová writes in a new analysis piece. As the death toll in the enclave continues to climb, it’s becoming increasingly clear that Israel has no viable plan for how to end the war — or what comes next. The determination to continue pursuing Hamas in Gaza despite the  horrific humanitarian consequences  is leaving Israel increasingly isolated on the global stage, with its government facing pressure from all sides, Kottasová writes.
• Israeli strike on Iran's embassy: The US is on high alert and actively preparing for a “significant” attack by Iran targeting Israeli or American assets in the Middle East, a senior administration official tells CNN. The attack is expected  in response to an Israeli strike Monday in Damascus , which killed top Iranian commanders. Speaking from a  funeral procession  Saturday for one of the slain military officers, Iran's highest-ranking commander vowed the strike will not go unanswered. The situation underlines the danger of a wider Middle Eastern war spreading from the conflict in Gaza, as Israel engages in escalating clashes with Tehran and its proxy groups.
• Hostage developments: The body of Israeli hostage Elad Katzir, who the Israeli military says was likely killed in January, was rescued overnight from Khan Younis and returned to his family in Israel, according to the Israeli military. His sister told CNN that Katzir might still be alive today if a ceasefire-hostage deal had been struck.

Israeli officer punched during anti-government protests, police say

From CNN's Eugenia Yosef and Mohammed Tawfeeq

A protester was arrested for punching and injuring a police officer during an anti-government rally in Tel Aviv on Saturday, Israeli police said in a statement.

The Israel Police also warned protesters not to light bonfires as demonstrators march through the streets, saying it can be "life-threatening" around the crowd.

"We will act with zero tolerance towards those who disrupt the order and behave violently towards police officers," authorities said in a statement.

Remember: Thousands of protesters are marching in Tel Aviv and other major cities tonight, demanding the resignation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and calling for early elections to be held. For weeks, Israelis have expressed growing frustration with Netanyahu's handling of the war and his failure to bring home hostages being held in Gaza.

Israeli hostage Elad Katzir may have been saved if a deal had happened earlier in the year, his sister says

The family of Israeli hostage Elad Katzir, who the Israeli military says was likely killed in January, said he might be alive today if a ceasefire-hostages deal had been struck.

Katzir's body was rescued overnight from Khan Younis and returned to his family in Israel following identification procedures, according to an earlier joint statement by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Israeli Security Agency (ISA).

He "could have been saved if a deal had happened in time," Carmit Katzir, his sister, said at a small rally held in Tel Aviv on Saturday.

Katzir's body was rescued overnight from Khan Younis and returned to his family in Israel following identification procedures, according to an earlier joint statement by the Israel Defense Forces and the Israeli Security Agency. He was abducted from kibbutz Nir Oz by Palestinian Islamic Jihad militants on October 7. IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari said Katzir was likely killed in January, according to Israeli intelligence.

"Our leadership is cowardly and driven by political considerations and that is why it did not happen. He might be recognized as a casualty of hostilities, but the exact term is casualty of acts of neglect," his sister said.

She made similar comments earlier Saturday on Facebook as well.

Katzir's body was recovered overnight from Khan Younis and returned to his family in Israel following identification procedures, according to an earlier joint statement by the Israel Defense Forces and the Israeli Security Agency. He was abducted from kibbutz Nir Oz by Palestinian Islamic Jihad militants on October 7.

IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari said Saturday that Katzir was likely killed in January, citing Israeli intelligence.

"Katzir was murdered by his captors," Hagari said when he was asked whether Katzir was murdered and not shot by Israeli forces by mistake, adding that "we know this from a very credible piece of intelligence."

CNN is not able to independently confirm the information provided by Hagari. 

Anti-government protesters in Israel call for Netanyahu's resignation and early elections

From CNN's Lauren Izso, Eugenia Yosef and Mohammed Tawfeeq

Protesters once again took to the streets of Tel Aviv, Caesarea and Haifa on Saturday, demanding the resignation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and early elections.

Demonstrators also called for the release of all Israeli hostages held in Gaza ahead of the six-month mark of hostilities. 

Many people waved Israeli flags and held up signs with images of hostages, calling on the government to bring them home alive.

In Tel Aviv, protesters were heard chanting:

"We are not afraid; you destroyed the country, and we will fix it. We want them (hostages) back alive and not in coffins."

Other protesters were seen by a CNN team on the ground holding flags and banners, with one reading, "The government that destroyed the country and tore the nation apart."

Another banner called for the "division of religion and state," and one stated that "Netanyahu is dangerous to Israel."

Protesters in Haifa called the government a failure, saying Netanyahu is "guilty, guilty, guilty."

"Elections now!" read one banner held by a protester.

Analysis: Israel has no exit strategy and no clear plan for the future after 6 months of war in Gaza

Analysis by CNN's Ivana Kottasová

The war in Gaza has been raging for six months and the  patience of Israel’s allies is running out . As the death toll in the enclave continues to climb, it’s becoming increasingly clear that Israel has no viable plan for how to end the war or what comes next.

The determination to continue pursuing Hamas in Gaza despite the horrific humanitarian consequences is leaving Israel increasingly isolated on the global stage, with its government facing pressure from all sides.

Multiple international organizations have warned Israel may be committing genocide, and even the country’s closest allies are now openly criticizing Prime Minister Benjamin   Netanyahu. Calls to halt arms shipments to Israel are growing in the United States and the United Kingdom.

At the same time, Netanyahu and his government are under mounting pressure at home, with  protesters back on the streets  in large numbers calling for his resignation.

Israel launched the war immediately after the deadly October 7 terror attacks by Hamas. At that time, the Israeli government said the operation had two goals: eliminating Hamas and bringing back the hostages taken by the militants to Gaza.

Six months into the conflict, neither goal has been reached.

What to know about the Israeli strike on Iran's embassy in Syria, as top general vows revenge

Speaking from a funeral procession Saturday for a slain military officer, Iran's highest-ranking commander vowed that an Israeli strike on its embassy complex in Damascus will not go unanswered.

The remarks come as the US braces for a significant Iranian attack on US or Israeli assets in the Middle East, according to a senior administration official.

The situation once again underlines fears that the war in Gaza could spread into a broader regional conflict.

Here's what to know:

• The strike killed at least seven Iranian officials in Syria on Monday: Among them were Mohammed Reza Zahedi, a top commander in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, whose funeral was held today. The airstrike  destroyed the Iranian consulate building in the Syrian capital of Damascus and also killed at least six Syrian citizens, according to Iranian state TV. An Israel Defense Forces spokesperson told CNN this week that intelligence showed the building was not a consulate but “a military building of Quds forces disguised as a civilian building.”
• The attack dealt a significant blow to Iran's military: Zahedi — a former commander of the IRGC’s ground forces and air force, and the deputy commander of its operations — is the most high-profile Iranian target killed since the US assassination of IRGC Gen. Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad in 2020. At least one other senior commander was among those killed, according to Iran's foreign ministry.
• Tehran has vowed to respond: Maj. Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, the chief of staff of Iran's military, said Saturday that the Damascus strike "won’t remain unanswered,” according to Iran's semi-official news outlet Tasnim. His remarks follow similar vows by Iran's supreme leader and its president.
• The US says it was uninvolved: The US was quick to tell Iran that the Biden administration was not involved and had no advance knowledge of Monday’s strike on the embassy. It has warned Iran against coming after American assets. Nonetheless, Bagheri said Saturday that Washington bears the "main responsibility" for the Damascus attack. He has previously said the US supply of weapons to Israel makes it complicit in its ally's attacks.
• Washington is bracing for retaliation: The US is on high alert and actively preparing for a “significant” attack by Iran that could come as soon as the coming week, targeting Israeli or American assets in the region, a senior administration official tells CNN. Senior US officials believe an attack by Iran is “inevitable,” the source said.
• How this ties back to the war in Gaza: Israel's ongoing conflicts with Iran and its proxy groups — like the Houthis in Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon — have intensified since the October 7 attacks by Hamas, which is also backed by Tehran. Israel has carried out numerous strikes on Iran-backed targets in Syria, but the targeting of the embassy itself marks a significant escalation. Iran's response could further escalate the already tumultuous situation in the Middle East.

Israeli opposition leader will meet with senior US government officials during Washington visit

From CNN's Eugenia Yosef

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid will meet with top US government officials in the White House and State Department, as well as senior Democratic and Republican senators, during his visit to Washington.

Lapid will leave for the US tonight, according to a Telegram post from his office on Saturday.

According to the post, Lapid will meet with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US national security adviser Jake Sullivan, as well as Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Sen. Ben Cardin, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham.

On Wednesday, Lapid called for Israel's current government to resign , after Israeli war cabinet minister Benny Gantz — also a main political rival of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — urged for parliamentary elections in September.

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