Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-05-16 at 13:01

HEADLINES
- Ford Carrier Returns After Vietnam-Era Deployment
- Haddad Killing Spurs Hamas Disarmament Talks
- Israel Strikes Tyre in Southern Lebanon

The time is now 1:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In US Military Role, after 326 days at sea, the US aircraft carrier Gerald Ford has returned home, with Defense Secretary Pete Hagst greeting the sailors arriving back. The homecoming followed a notably extended deployment, its length linked in the report to the Iran-focused operation labeled “זעם אפי,” and it stands as the longest continuous carrier deployment at sea since the Vietnam era.

In Regional Impacts, sirens were heard in Shlomi as tensions persist along the region. A Gaza-related development described in the section includes a Gaza reconstruction official saying Hamas could disarm in a possible next phase following the killing of Hamas military leader Izz ad-Din Haddad, with the report outlining steps such as bringing a technocratic panel and Palestinian police into IDF-held areas. The piece also notes recent Israeli strikes in Gaza: over the past two weeks, the IDF eliminated two Hamas militants in northern Gaza, Hamer Iyad Muhammad Almatouk and Khaled Muhammad Salem Joudeh, who had infiltrated Israeli territory during the October 7 attacks and had been attempting further assaults on IDF troops. Earlier in the week, an additional strike in central Gaza targeted Abd al-Rahman Mahmoud Jumaa Shaafi, a Hamas operative from the Bureij Battalion who advanced attacks against Israeli forces.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, southern Lebanon saw a series of airstrikes by the Israeli Air Force on the city of Tyre and its surroundings in the last hour, part of ongoing regional activity connected to the broader conflict dynamics in the area.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, the opinion piece argues that the existential choice facing Israel’s next election should center on policy rather than personal attacks, emphasizing the need for meaningful, logical solutions and social cohesion over political tribalism as the country approaches the next electoral cycle. Separately, Hadash elected former Knesset member Yousef Jabareen as party chairman, replacing Ayman Odeh. Jabareen called for building the broadest and strongest Joint List and for unity to push back against the Netanyahu-Benn-Gvir-Smotrich bloc, stressing equality, democracy, and peace as guiding objectives.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani marked Nakba Remembrance Day with a post that included a video interview with a Palestinian New York resident identified as Inea. The post describes displacement and features Palestinian imagery, including a 1936 Visit Palestine poster created by Frank Krausz, a Holocaust survivor and Zionist Jew, drawing reactions from figures such as Israeli activist Hen Mazzig. Separately, a London demonstration described as bringing together British patriots, Iranians, and Jews was noted.

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
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https://t.me/abualiexpress/122466
https://t.me/abualiexpress/122461
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-896209
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-896367
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-896366
https://t.me/beholdisraelchannel/76386