Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-04-21 at 04:02

HEADLINES
Iran vows new moves as ceasefire nears
Shipping scams strike Gulf amid Hormuz blockade
DP World eyes Gaza port and logistics

The time is now 4:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Iranian Retaliation, Iran warns it is ready to escalate as the ceasefire deadline approaches. Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf told on Monday that the Islamic Republic is prepared with new military surprises for the United States should hostilities resume. Ghalibaf and other senior Iranian officials have accused Washington of violating the two-week truce by blocking key Iranian maritime routes, including the Strait of Hormuz. “Trump, by imposing a blockade and violating the ceasefire, seeks, in his view, to turn the negotiating table into a table of surrender or to justify renewed warmongering,” he wrote on his official X account. “We do not accept negotiations under the shadow of threat, and over the past two weeks, we have prepared to reveal new cards on the battlefield,” he added. The temporary ceasefire is set to expire Wednesday evening, with both sides signaling readiness to return to fighting. Washington has indicated it remains open to diplomacy.

In Regional Impacts, Iran’s judiciary chief said the blockade of Iranian ports and attacks on Iranian shipping are war crimes and will be answered decisively, a stance noted in three responses. Amid ceasefire talks, fraudulent messages promising safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for cryptocurrency have been sent to some shipping companies stranded west of the waterway, a maritime risk firm warns. MARISKS said the messages are scams and not sent by Iranian authorities, and there was no immediate comment from Tehran. Hundreds of ships and about 20,000 seafarers remain stranded in the Gulf. The Strait of Hormuz, which Tehran has lifted and re-imposed at times, handles roughly a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas, underscoring how the current standoff and any disruption to traffic through the chokepoint could have wide-reaching effects.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, the commander of an elite unit told his fighters that the mission in Beit Jnoble? Beit Jibil will continue until completion. He said Memorial Day catches them in the middle of fighting—not as a pause, but as a direct continuation of the mission and responsibility. The force is in intense, historic combat in Beit Jbeil, a place where the 2006 actions by the Israeli defense forces are recalled. In the area where Nasrallah once sought to portray Israel as weak, these troops are operating with strength, engaging in operations in stadiums and the old city, eliminating terrorists and achieving significant operational gains. All of this is made possible by those who fell and sacrificed for the important missions.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, representatives of President Trump’s Board of Peace have held talks with the Dubai-based DP World about managing Gaza logistics and infrastructure projects. Rehabilitation of Gaza, after two years of bombardment that global institutions estimate at around 70 billion dollars, is the context for the discussions, which center on a potential partnership to run logistics, including warehouses, tracking systems, and security. The talks also floated the possibility of building a new port in Gaza or on the Egyptian coast, potentially enabling a free-trade zone in the Strip. The conversations are part of long-running proposals to privatize services and infrastructure in Palestinian territories under plans for a “new Gaza.” A draft proposal seen by the Financial Times envisions a DP World-led project to create a secure and traceable supply chain system.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, Memorial Day ceremonies proceed with a nationwide two-minute siren as the country honors fallen soldiers and victims of terror, with Mount Herzl in Jerusalem serving as the site for state ceremonies broadcast in English by ynet Global.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, a new Ipsos/Jewish Agency poll finds that less than half of European Jews feel safe in their home countries. The survey, conducted with 1,428 Jewish adults across Israel, the United States, Canada, France, the United Kingdom, and several European and Latin American nations between September and October 2025, shows 22% of French Jews feel safe, and 45% of European Jews overall feel safe. It also finds that 43% of European Jews say they or a family member experienced antisemitism in the past year.

In Uplifting News, Hadar Goldin’s family marks Remembrance Day with closure, as his remains—returned from Gaza after more than 11 years in captivity—allow them to participate in the day in new, personal ways. Goldin’s sister described this as the first Remembrance Day the family can function as a bereaved family, expressing mixed but powerful emotions at the milestone. Rivka Cohen, whose son Pinchas “Pini” Cohen was killed in 2002, transformed his memory into a refuge for soldiers and at-risk youth by opening Beit Pini in the Ofra settlement, ensuring his spirit lives on through acts of kindness. In another note, the Chief of Staff met with IDF servicemen whose relatives fell during the war, expressing emotion and hope for those who carry their stories forward. An opinion piece calls for a Digital Marshall Plan to empower Iranians with broad access to the internet, proposing hundreds of thousands of Starlink terminals to overcome information blackouts and help citizens share the truth.

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://worldisraelnews.com/iran-threatens-trump-with-new-cards-if-fighting-resumes/
https://t.me/abualiexpress/120802
https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2026/04/scam-messages-offering-ships-safe-transit-through-hormuz-security-firm-warns
https://t.me/abualiexpress/120803
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-893678
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/syse2jepze
https://worldisraelnews.com/just-22-of-french-jews-45-of-eu-jews-feel-safe/
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-893681
https://www.jpost.com/podcast/jpost-podcast/article-893679
https://t.me/newssil/199663
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-893671