Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-04-13 at 09:02

HEADLINES
France UK form defensive Hormuz coalition
Reservists Party opens HQ under Hezbollah fire
Iron Nation funds Israeli startups to US

The time is now 9:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Regional Impacts, Iran is asking to be destroyed - opinion
A prominent opinion piece argues that the war against Iran has not gone off the rails and lays out what the authors say were the war’s objectives: to remove three threats, Tehran’s nuclear program, its ballistic missile arsenal, and its network of proxy forces across the Middle East. The piece notes that the United States and Israel understood that war involves unknowns and that no side can fully control how long it lasts, and that the pre-war intelligence picture is never complete. Taken together, the authors say, Washington and Tel Aviv knew that eliminating Iranian threats would be partial rather than total. Regime change was never formally defined as a goal. It was understood that after the strikes, Iran would begin rebuilding, with the extent of losses depending on the length of the conflict. To slow Iran’s military recovery, the article argues for continuing preemptive disruption to neutralize risks before they mature into major threats. It adds that if Iran had refrained from attacking its neighbors and closing the Strait of Hormuz, the consequences would have been more limited.

In Regional Impacts, French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that France and the UK will hold a conference of nations willing to participate in a multinational coalition aimed at restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. President Macron called it a strictly defensive mission, separate from warring parties, to include Iran and the United States. The plan envisions a coalition of participating nations working to ensure safe passage through the strategic waterway, with the defense objective framed as non-aggressive and aimed at stabilizing a key maritime route amid ongoing tensions in the region.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, Reservists Party opens HQ in Kiryat Shmona under Hezbollah fire, urges leaders to move north
The Reservists Party opened its headquarters in the northern city of Kiryat Shmona, saying it will directly support residents under attack from Hezbollah and will operate an assistance command center for people in northern Israel. Party leader and former communications minister Yoaz Hendel framed the move as a direct response to what he described as insufficient government action, urging ministers to take part and even relocate their offices to the city. He called on opposition leaders to set up headquarters there as well, describing the city as a decisive front in the battle for public consciousness in this war and inviting leaders from all parties to show up and take a stake in the northern crisis.

In Israeli Economy and Business, From crisis to capital: Iron Nation launches $60 million to help Israeli startups expand to US
Iron Nation, a growing Israeli venture capital firm, announced a $60 million fund to back Israeli startups in seed or Series B rounds. This marks the firm’s second fund since it was founded in the aftermath of the October 7 attacks, with a aim to support Israeli entrepreneurship during the conflict. Managing partners Chen Linchevski, Gil Friedlander, and Jason Wolf said the resilience of Israeli entrepreneurs has proven stronger than initial market risk perceptions and that what began as an emergency effort has evolved into a long‑term investment opportunity driven by innovation, execution, and global demand. The new fund will invest in companies with proven products, evidence of product-market fit, and strong growth potential, focusing on ready‑to‑scale projects with real return potential.

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://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-892470
https://t.me/selena_updates/61742
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-892845
https://www.jpost.com/defense-and-tech/article-892841