Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-05-13 at 04:02

HEADLINES
- IDF strikes Hezbollah vehicle in Lebanon
- US returns two ancient coins to Israel
- Smart Shooter clinches 10.7M US Army deal

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 the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, the latest update.
The IDF struck a Hezbollah vehicle on Al-Jiyyeh road, southern Lebanon.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, two ancient coins were returned to Israel this week.
Two rare and ancient coins allegedly smuggled from Israel were returned to the country by the United States earlier this week, the Israel Antiquities Authority revealed on Wednesday. The coins were formally repatriated during a handover ceremony in New York City on Monday following an international operation conducted by the IAA Theft Prevention Unit in cooperation with Homeland Security and the Antiquities Trafficking Unit at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. After being illegally excavated and smuggled from Israel, the two coins were brought to the US and recently put up for auction. Intelligence led to the seizure of the coins at the auction house and their return to Israel. One coin depicts the Temple’s seven-branched menorah and was minted during the Hasmonean period in Jerusalem under the last Hasmonean king; the other, the second of its kind ever found, was minted in ancient Ashkelon.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, the latest developments.
The Tel Aviv District Court approved a one-time allocation of about NIS 200,000 from the Ida Abush public endowment to purchase laptops and essential equipment for children from low-income families in northern Israel and conflict-line communities, the Justice Ministry’s Corporations Authority announced this week. The request was submitted by the endowment’s trustee and the Registrar of Endowments after they formulated a plan allowing urgent emergency assistance while preserving the endowment’s original public purposes. Under the court-approved framework, the funds will be directed toward remote learning needs of children affected by the security situation in the North. The court found that the proposed use had a substantive connection to the endowment’s goals and allowed a flexible interpretation of those goals under emergency circumstances. The allocation will be limited, targeted, and one-time only, with safeguards to ensure the endowment can continue to fulfill its purposes in the future. The distribution will be carried out through the endowment’s designated channels. Separately, a survey finds that one in four Israeli middle schoolers do not feel fully safe at school; about a third report more violence over the past year, 53% say schools fail to properly handle incidents, and one in ten say they were victims, heightening concern amid recent attacks.

In Israeli Economy and Business, a new contract milestone.
Israeli defense-tech developer Smart Shooter has secured a $10.7 million contract with the US Army to supply its AI-powered SMASH fire control systems, the company announced. The deal will provide American soldiers with advanced one-shot, one-hit technology designed as a counter-drone weapons system. The contract comes as part of broader efforts to defend frontline troops against small, low-cost drones, with Smart Shooter noting that AI and computer vision enable infantry to lock onto and neutralize fast-moving aerial targets. Deliveries are expected in the third quarter of 2026. This latest contract builds on a $13.4 million contract signed in May 2025 between Smart Shooter and the US Army with the DoD's JIATF-40 task force.

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/76238
https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-896001
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-895992
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/syrztqbygg
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-895971