Episode Details

HEADLINES
- US hits drug-smuggling ship, two dead
- Lebanon and Israel condemn Iran regional attacks
- Israel thwarts Hezbollah fiber drones on Syria

The time is now 2:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Iranian Retaliation, Lebanon & Israel jointly condemn Iran's retaliatory ‘attacks’ across the region for undermining West Asia stability. The two allies say these actions threaten stability across West Asia.

In US Military Role, the US military said on Wednesday that it carried out a strike on a vessel in the eastern Pacific, killing two people. According to US Southern Command, intelligence assessments determined that the vessel was engaged in narcotics trafficking operations. The military announced the strike in a post on X/Twitter. The strike is described as the latest in a series of operations targeting suspected drug-trafficking networks conducted under the Trump administration.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, IDF’s new reality in Syria: looting, Jewish infiltrators and fears of Turkish troops on border, and the Defense Ministry sees progress in battle against Hezbollah's fiber-optic drones. Outgoing 474th Brigade commander Colonel Benny Kata says Israel may remain beyond the fence for years, as the new Syrian regime keeps Hezbollah weapons and ISIS operatives away from the frontier while struggling to restore control. The Defense Ministry reports progress against Hezbollah's fiber-optic drone threat, with some anti-drone systems deployed and others in development as part of a plan to address detection, warning, passive defense, missile defense, drone interceptors, and energy-based defeat methods; officials say demonstrations occur daily and some systems are already operational.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, Trump cannot claim to be Israel's defender when he won't let it defend itself - editorial, and Iran demands frozen assets be released in initial phase of deal with US, leading to stalemate. The editorial flags a heated exchange between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, noting Trump’s claim that “If there wasn’t me, there would be no Israel” and arguing that such interference with Israel’s judicial and legal processes is unacceptable given Israel’s current security challenges. Separately, negotiations between the United States and Iran have reached a stalemate, with Tehran insisting that billions of dollars in frozen assets be released in Phase A of any agreement; a humanitarian fund was proposed by mediators, but US officials have rejected the demand, saying sanctions relief and fund unfreezing must follow verifiable Iranian actions.

In Uplifting News, Hapoel Tel Aviv evens basketball quarterfinals, Hapoel Jerusalem reaches semifinals. Hapoel Tel Aviv defeated Maccabi Rishon Lezion 95-69, with Vasilije Micić and Oz Blayzer delivering standout stretches to level the series at 1-1 and force a decisive third game on Thursday. The Reds controlled the game from early on, built a solid lead at halftime, and stretched their advantage in the second half as Micić and Yam Madar took over. The winner advances to a semifinal against Hapoel Jerusalem, which swept Hapoel HaEmek to reach the last four.

Thank you for tuning in to this Israel Today: Ongoing War Report update.
I'm Noa Levi. Stay safe and informed.
Keep in mind that this AI-generated report may contain occasional inaccuracies, so consult multiple sources for a comprehensive view. Find the code and more details in the podcast description.

SOURCES
https://t.me/beholdisraelchannel/77193
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-898332

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