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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-07-02 at 07:02
Published 2 weeks, 5 days ago
Description
HEADLINES
CENTCOM Eyes Negev Base for US Forces
Iran Escalates Drone Strikes on KDPI Base
US Deploys Troops to Implement Hezbollah Disarmament
The time is now 7:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
In US Military Role, CENTCOM is weighing options to relocate its base operations from Bahrain, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia to Israel to increase distance from Iranian missile and drone attacks, The Wall Street Journal reported last Thursday. One option is to establish a new base in the Negev large enough to hold the American army’s forces, or to expand one of the Negev’s air force bases and allocate an American compound there. The move would also involve renewing supply contracts between the US Department of Defense, the US Army, the Ministry of Defense, and the IDF through 2030, and possibly beyond. The consideration follows Iran’s damage to at least 20 US sites across the Middle East since the start of the war, including NSA Bahrain, and comes with an estimated $400 million price tag to rebuild NSA Bahrain, excluding debris removal and the rebuilding of two satellite communication facilities. In a separate development, the US Defense Department intends to send ground troops to Lebanon to implement the recent US-brokered Israel–Lebanon agreement requiring Hezbollah's disarmament.
In Regional Impacts, Iran increases attacks on Kurdish opposition following days of clashes. After days of clashes between the Kurdish Free Life Party PJAK and Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the Iranian regime has stepped up strikes against other Kurdish opposition groups. Two drones targeted a base belonging to the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran in Erbil's Degala sub-district late Wednesday, according to Kurdish media outlet Rudaw. It appears Iran is aiming to deter KDPI from joining clashes with PJAK. The KDPI voice described the Degala strike as carried out by drones, and noted that no Peshmerga were present at the site, preventing casualties. Rudaw reported that the Kurdistan Region has been hit by at least 865 drones and missiles since late February, with the tally continuing to rise as the campaign unfolds.
In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, Syrian foreign minister visits Beirut after Trump suggests Syria should fight Hezbollah. Syria's foreign minister Asaad al-Shibani traveled to Beirut to meet Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on his first stop, then headed to meet Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, an ally of Hezbollah. Syria's government under former al Qaeda commander Sharaa has emerged as a US ally since 2024 and has largely stayed out of the regional war between the US, Israel, and Iran. President Trump had floated the idea of Syrian forces combating Hezbollah in Lebanon, saying he had discussed the matter with Sharaa and criticizing Israel for not resolving the threat. Reuters noted that the United States had encouraged Syria to consider such action, according to March reporting.
In US Policy Concerning Israel, The Sixth Eye: Reframing US security assistance to Israel- opinion argues that Washington should view Israel not merely as an aid recipient but as a defense partner that strengthens the US defense industrial base as a new bilateral framework is negotiated to replace the current MoU, which expires in 2028. The piece traces how US security assistance has been a cornerstone of American strategy in the region, noting that the partnership has delivered benefits beyond aid, including to industry, innovation, and the warfighter. It reminds listeners that US assistance to Israel has roots going back to 1948 and accelerated after the 1973 Yom Kippur War, highlighting that the relationship yields strategic value for American interests as much as it supports Israel. Separately, officials yesterday told the Jerusalem Post that no frozen Iranian funds have been released, and none will be released until Ir
CENTCOM Eyes Negev Base for US Forces
Iran Escalates Drone Strikes on KDPI Base
US Deploys Troops to Implement Hezbollah Disarmament
The time is now 7:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
In US Military Role, CENTCOM is weighing options to relocate its base operations from Bahrain, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia to Israel to increase distance from Iranian missile and drone attacks, The Wall Street Journal reported last Thursday. One option is to establish a new base in the Negev large enough to hold the American army’s forces, or to expand one of the Negev’s air force bases and allocate an American compound there. The move would also involve renewing supply contracts between the US Department of Defense, the US Army, the Ministry of Defense, and the IDF through 2030, and possibly beyond. The consideration follows Iran’s damage to at least 20 US sites across the Middle East since the start of the war, including NSA Bahrain, and comes with an estimated $400 million price tag to rebuild NSA Bahrain, excluding debris removal and the rebuilding of two satellite communication facilities. In a separate development, the US Defense Department intends to send ground troops to Lebanon to implement the recent US-brokered Israel–Lebanon agreement requiring Hezbollah's disarmament.
In Regional Impacts, Iran increases attacks on Kurdish opposition following days of clashes. After days of clashes between the Kurdish Free Life Party PJAK and Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the Iranian regime has stepped up strikes against other Kurdish opposition groups. Two drones targeted a base belonging to the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran in Erbil's Degala sub-district late Wednesday, according to Kurdish media outlet Rudaw. It appears Iran is aiming to deter KDPI from joining clashes with PJAK. The KDPI voice described the Degala strike as carried out by drones, and noted that no Peshmerga were present at the site, preventing casualties. Rudaw reported that the Kurdistan Region has been hit by at least 865 drones and missiles since late February, with the tally continuing to rise as the campaign unfolds.
In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, Syrian foreign minister visits Beirut after Trump suggests Syria should fight Hezbollah. Syria's foreign minister Asaad al-Shibani traveled to Beirut to meet Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on his first stop, then headed to meet Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, an ally of Hezbollah. Syria's government under former al Qaeda commander Sharaa has emerged as a US ally since 2024 and has largely stayed out of the regional war between the US, Israel, and Iran. President Trump had floated the idea of Syrian forces combating Hezbollah in Lebanon, saying he had discussed the matter with Sharaa and criticizing Israel for not resolving the threat. Reuters noted that the United States had encouraged Syria to consider such action, according to March reporting.
In US Policy Concerning Israel, The Sixth Eye: Reframing US security assistance to Israel- opinion argues that Washington should view Israel not merely as an aid recipient but as a defense partner that strengthens the US defense industrial base as a new bilateral framework is negotiated to replace the current MoU, which expires in 2028. The piece traces how US security assistance has been a cornerstone of American strategy in the region, noting that the partnership has delivered benefits beyond aid, including to industry, innovation, and the warfighter. It reminds listeners that US assistance to Israel has roots going back to 1948 and accelerated after the 1973 Yom Kippur War, highlighting that the relationship yields strategic value for American interests as much as it supports Israel. Separately, officials yesterday told the Jerusalem Post that no frozen Iranian funds have been released, and none will be released until Ir