ICC Expected to Issue Five New Arrest Warrants Against Israeli Officials Including Defense Minister, IDF Chief

Reports emerged on May 24, 2026 — corroborated by multiple Israeli and international media outlets — that the International Criminal Court was expected to issue five new sealed arrest warrants against senior Israeli officials: Defense Minister Israel Katz, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir, and Southern Command Chief Maj.-Gen. Yaniv Asor. The ICC's office officially denied that warrants had been issued, consistent with the court's standard practice of maintaining secrecy on active warrant proceedings. The prospective warrants would add to the two confirmed active warrants already held by former Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Gallant, both issued in November 2024 for war crimes and crimes against humanity. The Smotrich application was reported to be the first-ever ICC warrant to include an apartheid charge as a standalone count. Israeli officials called the anticipated warrants 'a declaration of war' and signaled non-compliance. The warrants — if issued — would legally require all 124 ICC member states to arrest the listed individuals on entry, creating major constraints on diplomatic travel for the named officials.