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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-04-16 at 17:02
Published 11 hours ago
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HEADLINES
US to lead Hezbollah disarmament push
Hormuz crisis prompts G7 energy relief plan
Senate backs Israel aid as disapproval fails
The time is now 5:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
In Regional Impacts, the Strait of Hormuz remains a flashpoint as France’s finance minister says it must reopen but not at any price, and that the G7 leaders stand ready to mitigate the economic fallout from war. The Middle East conflict erupted after US-Israeli strikes targeting Iran on February 28, prompting Tehran to virtually block the strait in retaliation, sending energy prices higher as the strait serves as a key transit route for oil and gas. French officials noted the G7 discussion in Washington touched on support for Ukraine and cooperation on critical minerals, with Finance Minister Roland Lescure saying that officials will monitor how risks tilt in the weeks ahead and, if needed, act, as they did by releasing inventories recently. The group is due to reconvene in about a month in Paris to reassess the situation.
In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, a senior Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post that the United States now intends to actively lead efforts to disarm Hezbollah and is prepared to deploy American resources to achieve this goal, with President Trump pressing for greater involvement. The official described current ceasefire terms as significantly better than those in November 2024, noting Hezbollah has suffered a substantial blow and that Israeli forces remain on the ground from Naqoura to Syria, with no withdrawal planned. Iran is viewed as weaker in its ability to support the organization, while hundreds of thousands of displaced residents in southern Lebanon remain unable to return, adding pressure on negotiations. Israel will continue to act against Hezbollah infrastructure as security needs require. Hours after a ceasefire was announced, Hezbollah barrage left three wounded in northern Israel, with five others treated for anxiety and eight evacuated to Galilee Medical Center. Earlier, Netanyahu faced questions in a security cabinet meeting about why Israel agreed to a ceasefire, with Trump pressing for a halt and Aoun signaling that meaningful progress on the ground would be necessary for any leaders’ call. Aoun later said there would be a ceasefire, and Trump pledged that such a halt would occur if negotiations on the ground showed progress. In the hours before the ten-day truce, Lebanon renewed barrages into northern Israel, including strikes in Karmiel and Nahariya, as the IDF warned of possible escalation and emergency teams responded to multiple impact sites.
In the US Policy Concerning Israel, the Senate rejected blocking military aid to Israel, but the votes showed broad Democrat backing for the overall package. Senate Joint Resolution 32, aimed at disapproving the sale of D9R and D9T bulldozers and related support, failed 40 to 59, while Joint Resolution 138, aimed at disapproving the sale of twelve thousand BLU–110A/B general purpose bombs, failed 36 to 63. Seven Democrats voted against Joint Resolution 32, with 38 Democrats and one independent supporting it. Eleven Democrats rejected the disapproval of Joint Resolution 138, while 34 supported it. Senator Bernie Sanders characterized the results as a sign that the coalition backing Israel aid is growing, even as he pursued these measures with allied lawmakers.
In Israeli Domestic Politics, Bennett launches a national disability inclusion plan, pledging accessibility reforms if elected. He said there are 1.2 million people with disabilities in Israel and that the state has been failing to integrate them into society. The plan aims to raise employment among people with disabilities to 60%, advance accessibility technologies, and incentivize businesses to become accessible, including a track for integrating people with
US to lead Hezbollah disarmament push
Hormuz crisis prompts G7 energy relief plan
Senate backs Israel aid as disapproval fails
The time is now 5:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
In Regional Impacts, the Strait of Hormuz remains a flashpoint as France’s finance minister says it must reopen but not at any price, and that the G7 leaders stand ready to mitigate the economic fallout from war. The Middle East conflict erupted after US-Israeli strikes targeting Iran on February 28, prompting Tehran to virtually block the strait in retaliation, sending energy prices higher as the strait serves as a key transit route for oil and gas. French officials noted the G7 discussion in Washington touched on support for Ukraine and cooperation on critical minerals, with Finance Minister Roland Lescure saying that officials will monitor how risks tilt in the weeks ahead and, if needed, act, as they did by releasing inventories recently. The group is due to reconvene in about a month in Paris to reassess the situation.
In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, a senior Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post that the United States now intends to actively lead efforts to disarm Hezbollah and is prepared to deploy American resources to achieve this goal, with President Trump pressing for greater involvement. The official described current ceasefire terms as significantly better than those in November 2024, noting Hezbollah has suffered a substantial blow and that Israeli forces remain on the ground from Naqoura to Syria, with no withdrawal planned. Iran is viewed as weaker in its ability to support the organization, while hundreds of thousands of displaced residents in southern Lebanon remain unable to return, adding pressure on negotiations. Israel will continue to act against Hezbollah infrastructure as security needs require. Hours after a ceasefire was announced, Hezbollah barrage left three wounded in northern Israel, with five others treated for anxiety and eight evacuated to Galilee Medical Center. Earlier, Netanyahu faced questions in a security cabinet meeting about why Israel agreed to a ceasefire, with Trump pressing for a halt and Aoun signaling that meaningful progress on the ground would be necessary for any leaders’ call. Aoun later said there would be a ceasefire, and Trump pledged that such a halt would occur if negotiations on the ground showed progress. In the hours before the ten-day truce, Lebanon renewed barrages into northern Israel, including strikes in Karmiel and Nahariya, as the IDF warned of possible escalation and emergency teams responded to multiple impact sites.
In the US Policy Concerning Israel, the Senate rejected blocking military aid to Israel, but the votes showed broad Democrat backing for the overall package. Senate Joint Resolution 32, aimed at disapproving the sale of D9R and D9T bulldozers and related support, failed 40 to 59, while Joint Resolution 138, aimed at disapproving the sale of twelve thousand BLU–110A/B general purpose bombs, failed 36 to 63. Seven Democrats voted against Joint Resolution 32, with 38 Democrats and one independent supporting it. Eleven Democrats rejected the disapproval of Joint Resolution 138, while 34 supported it. Senator Bernie Sanders characterized the results as a sign that the coalition backing Israel aid is growing, even as he pursued these measures with allied lawmakers.
In Israeli Domestic Politics, Bennett launches a national disability inclusion plan, pledging accessibility reforms if elected. He said there are 1.2 million people with disabilities in Israel and that the state has been failing to integrate them into society. The plan aims to raise employment among people with disabilities to 60%, advance accessibility technologies, and incentivize businesses to become accessible, including a track for integrating people with