Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-05-07 at 17:02

HEADLINES
Iran Downs Two U.S. Drones at Abadan
CIA Says Iran Could Endure Hormuz Blockade
US Seeks UN Backing as Veto Looms

The time is now 5:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Iranian Retaliation, two American intelligence and reconnaissance drones were shot down at Abadan port by Iran's air defense system.

In US Military Role, US officials cautioned that Iran could endure the Strait of Hormuz blockade for months. A confidential CIA analysis cited by The Washington Post suggested Iran could survive three to four more months economically, with leadership growing more radical and confident they can outlast US political will and sustain domestic repression. Iran is reportedly adapting by storing oil on tanker ships, reducing oil-field production, and potentially moving some oil by rail through Central Asia as an economic buffer. Another senior official said the blockade is causing real, compounding damage. There are additional reports of an exchange of fire between Iran and a US warship after Iran blocked an Iranian tanker from passing the Strait, with Iran firing missiles and Americans responding; the Iranian side reportedly sustained damage. The Revolutionary Guards have also conducted drills in the Hormuz area, highlighting continued activity in the region.

In Regional Impacts, explosions near Bandar Abbas and the Strait of Hormuz may have been UAE action, Tasnim reported, though not officially confirmed and with the UAE likely to bear costs if confirmed. Mehr News Agency reported defenses shot down two hostile drones over Bandar Abbas and Qeshm. A Fox News report cited a senior US official claiming the US carried out strikes on Bandar Abbas and Qeshm, though such claims could not be independently confirmed. US naval units operating in the area reportedly came under Iranian missile fire after an American strike on an Iranian oil tanker and were forced to retreat; timing of these events remained unclear.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, the United States urged UN member states to back a resolution demanding Iran halt attacks and the mining of the Strait of Hormuz, but Chinese and Russian vetoes are anticipated. A Chinese veto would be awkward ahead of President Trump’s trip to China, where the Iran issue is expected to figure prominently. The draft resolution, authored by the United States and Bahrain with support from Gulf partners, seeks a path to peace, following a previous UN Security Council resolution that failed after Russia and China vetoed. Diplomats emphasized that opposing such a simple measure would set a dangerous precedent.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, Israeli police stopped the alleged wedding of a 14-year-old girl and a 41-year-old man in Yavne’el, southwest of Tiberias. Some community members characterized the event as an engagement party, complicating legal assessments, as footage showed wedding paraphernalia and a bride in a gown. Investigations were opened into reports of another illegal wedding involving a young girl in the ultra-Orthodox community. Separately, Yair Golan urged Eisenkot to join either the Democrats or the Bennett-Lapid alliance, arguing there must be no fragmentation in the bloc seeking change; he called on the opposition to consider including Ra’am as a coalition partner and urged Eisenkot to decide whether joining would enlarge the bloc for change or merely shift mandates within the camp.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, outrage grew over open letters at a German university calling to end cooperation with the Halle Jewish Community Organization. The letters, circulated as part of a counter-antisemitism project, accused Halle’s Jewish organization of Zionism and urged disinvitation and termination of collaborations with Israeli universities, while urging a stance against apartheid and genocide. The Israeli embassy in Berlin and Jewish groups noted the letters’ antisemitic tenor, even as some said the letters voiced a perspective others kept private. University administration reported the flyers were removed while the debate continued.

In Uplifting News, five Jewish couples from Russia and other former Soviet republics married in Brazil before Lag Ba’omer, in a ceremony attended by about 900 Jewish students and young adults on a YAHAD education trip organized with Chabad emissaries. The couples—Ruslan and Esther, Eliezer and Elena, Asher and Malka, Meir and Polina, Netanel and Michal—were introduced to Jewish life in their youth and embraced through local study, study programs, and travel organized by YAHAD.

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/76010
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-895523
https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/05/07/israeli-source-confirms-iran-us-exchange-fire-in-strait-of-hormuz/
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-895532
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-895528
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-895526
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-895522
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-895520
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-895500