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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-06-12 at 02:07
HEADLINES
US Iran Talks Aim to Ease Middle East Tensions
Iran-Backed Militia Threatens US in Iraq
Gaza Aid Workers Killed in Brutal Attack
The time is now 10:00 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
At 10 p.m., the situation in the Middle East remains extremely tense, with multiple fronts of conflict and diplomatic activity shaping the regional landscape.
In a significant diplomatic development, a senior American official has announced that United States Special Envoy for the Middle East, Steven Weitkoff, is scheduled to meet with Iran’s Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, in Muscat, Oman, this coming Sunday. The talks are expected to focus on the future of the nuclear agreement and seek avenues to de-escalate tensions between Washington and Tehran.
Meanwhile, in Iraq, an Iranian-backed militia leader has issued a stark warning: if war erupts, they will “bring down the United States for the second time.” Abu Al-Laa’ Al-Wilay’ei, secretary-general of the pro-Iranian “Said Quds Brigades,” declared that “if conflict breaks out, hundreds of suicide fighters will humiliate America again, as they did in Iraq when they withdrew defeated. He emphasized that no trace of the US or its allies will remain in the region, and regime changes are inevitable.”
In the Israeli domestic arena, the Knesset’s vote on dissolving itself concluded with 61 voting against and 53 in favor, meaning the parliament will remain in session. This decision comes amid ongoing political uncertainty and debates over national security and governance.
Adding to the regional turmoil, a tragic attack occurred in Gaza. The humanitarian relief organization GHF reports that around 10:00 tonight, a bus carrying over twenty humanitarian workers was brutally attacked near the western Khan Younis area. At least five aid workers were killed, with others injured or possibly abducted. These aid workers were local Palestinians assisting the American-led efforts to deliver essential aid to Gaza. The organization condemned the attack as “barbaric and planned,” emphasizing that these were individuals on a mission of compassion risking their lives to help others.
In Israel, a major legislative development took place. A first-of-its-kind law proposal, which includes restrictions on yeshiva students and certain young men of draft age, was discussed. The agreement reportedly introduces three categories of restrictions: permanent limits on yeshiva students studying Torah without regard to academic or employment goals; partial restrictions on driving licenses and travel for those engaged in Torah study; and sanctions on subsidies to women’s dormitories for failing to meet certain educational or employment targets. The law also aims to regulate the status of those who received draft notices due to the absence of a legal framework. The restrictions on driving licenses are set to apply until age 23, with a special committee to consider exceptions.
In Israel’s political sphere, the ultra-Orthodox faction, Agudat Israel, announced support for the current move to dissolve the Knesset, citing the absence of a formal draft law for yeshiva students and following the guidance of leading rabbinical authorities.
On the international front, US President Donald Trump has announced that American personnel are being repositioned from the Middle East amid rising fears of conflict. This comes as diplomatic negotiations between Iran and the United States over the nuclear deal have stalled, with Iran warning it will target US military bases if hostilities escalate. Tehran’s Defense Minister, Aziz Nasirzadeh, declared that all US bases within reach in the region are vulnerable and that Iran is prepared to strike them if necessary.
The US has been reducing its diplomatic and military footprint, citing security concerns, as Iran’s
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