Overnight Israel: IDF Beard Revolution, Shekel Slumps, and Netanyahu’s Court Drama

Beards. Nail polish. Trade wars. Courtroom fatigue. And a heartfelt plea for hostages.

Here’s everything that happened overnight while you were sleeping — and why it matters.

IDF to Relax Grooming & Uniform Rules in Major Cultural Shift.

The Israeli military is about to get a makeover.

The IDF is reportedly set to approve a sweeping overhaul of its dress code and for the first time, all soldiers will be allowed to grow beards without needing special religious approval. The move marks a significant cultural shift, especially in a military long known for strict grooming standards.

Other updates in the works?

Female soldiers will be permitted to wear nearly any color of nail polish, expanding beyond the previously limited options like pink and grey. And soldiers heading home on furlough will no longer be required to wear dress uniforms — they can now leave base in tactical gear. While not yet officially signed into regulation, the changes are expected to be approved later today, reflecting a growing push inside the IDF to modernize and accommodate individual expression — even within military discipline.

Tariffs Hit Hard: Shekel Sinks, Markets Slide

Israel’s financial markets woke up to turbulence this morning as the shekel dropped sharply against both the dollar and the euro, following the implementation of sweeping new U.S. tariffs under President Trump.

The shekel is now trading at 3.82 to the dollar, its weakest level since August 2024, and down nearly 2% against the euro. The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange also took a hit: the TA-125 dropped 1%, with similar dips in other major indexes.

The trigger? A new wave of U.S. tariffs targeting nearly 60 countries, with China being hit the hardest — in some cases facing tariffs over 100%.

Israeli financial institutions, heavily invested in U.S. markets, are now rebalancing by buying dollars and offloading shekels — further weakening the local currency.

The message from economists is clear: this is global economic warfare, and Israel’s economy is not immune.

Back from Washington, Netanyahu Heads Straight to Court

Just two hours after landing back in Israel from Washington, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared at the Tel Aviv District Court to testify in his ongoing criminal trial.

But according to his lawyer, he wasn’t in great shape.

“The prime minister is very tired,” attorney Amit Hadad told the judge. “He didn’t sleep last night.” The defense argued that it wouldn’t serve the court to have Netanyahu testify while “bleary-eyed.” The judge responded noncommittally, saying the court would monitor the situation.

The moment underscored the strange reality of Israeli politics: a sitting prime minister stepping off a diplomatic mission straight into a criminal courtroom with the stakes as high as ever.

‘We Owe Our Lives to You’: Freed Hostages Praise Trump

In a powerful scene at a Republican fundraiser in Washington last night, three freed Israeli-American hostages took the stage to personally thank Donald Trump for his efforts in securing their release.

Keith and Aviva Siegel, along with Iair Horn, all previously held by Hamas, said the former president’s pressure during hostage negotiations helped save 33 lives.

“We owe our lives to you,” Keith Siegel told the crowd. His wife Aviva echoed the sentiment, while Horn — who spent nearly 500 days in captivity — said that hearing of Trump’s re-election gave him hope that action was finally on the way.

Horn made a direct plea to Trump to help free his brother, Eitan, still believed to be in captivity in Gaza. “We want him home for Passover,” he said.

Their message was emotional, clear, and deeply personal — a reminder of the human toll this war continues to exact, and the political power involved in trying to end it.