Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-05-02 at 14:01

HEADLINES
Iraq appoints Ali al-Zaidi PM after deadlock
Israel strikes 120 Hezbollah targets in Lebanon
Nativ program enrolls 58k Jewish soldiers abroad

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

In Regional Impacts, Iraq has a new prime minister, Ali al-Zaidi, after almost six months of uncertainty that followed the November 2025 elections. The prime minister is chosen by Shi’ite political parties to reflect that Shi’ites are the largest group in Iraq, while the Kurds receive the presidency. The autonomous Kurdistan Region is hoping the new leadership will bring stability. The region has endured about 800 drone and missile attacks in the wake of US and Israeli strikes on Iran, with Iranian-backed militias in Iraq and Iran itself carrying out strikes on the Kurdistan Region. The Kurdish Iranian political party PDKI says it has suffered around 114 attacks since February. On May 2, Iraqi Prime Minister-designate Ali al-Zaidi arrived in Erbil and was received at the airport by the Kurdistan Region Prime Minister.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, new documentation shows Israeli strikes in Zotar al-Sharkiyeh north of the Litani. Over the weekend, the Israeli military conducted air strikes against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, destroying a large number of targets. Reports say about 120 targets were struck, including roughly 70 buildings used for military purposes and 50 of Hezbollah’s infrastructure sites across various areas. The operations reportedly hit Hezbollah command centers, a weapons warehouse, and other infrastructure used to advance attacks against Israeli forces and civilians.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, the Nativ program, which trains Jewish soldiers from abroad to integrate into the IDF, began with a Trustee Committee in 1998 and was adopted as a military program in 2000. To date, more than 58,000 soldiers have begun the program, and close to 20,000 have completed conversion. Bella, a Jewish American who joined the IDF after antisemitism at a New England university, described leaving the campus and joining a combat unit in Israel, learning Hebrew on the way, and finding the Nativ program helpful in connecting with religious peers while serving. A separate item notes that Lapid responded to Netanyahu in his own training.

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/middle-east/article-894881
https://t.me/abualiexpress/121539
https://t.me/newssil/200614
https://www.jpost.com/judaism/article-894761
https://t.me/newssil/200618