Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-05-18 at 12:02

HEADLINES
Iranian proxies accused in Wimbledon knife attack
Pakistan mobilizes 8,000 troops to Saudi Arabia
Iran forms Strait Authority to control Hormuz

The time is now 12:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Iranian Retaliation, a London court was told that a team of Romanian men acted as proxies for the Iranian government to carry out a knife attack on Pouria Zeraati, a UK‑based journalist for Iran International, in Wimbledon in March 2024. Prosecutors described the assault as deliberate and planned violence, preceded by reconnaissance and ordered by a third party acting on behalf of the Iranian state. Iran has denied involvement. Two suspects, Nandito Badea and George Stana, deny the charges, while a third participant was not named in the filing.

In Regional Impacts, Pakistan has deployed about 8,000 troops, a squadron of fighter jets, and an air defense system to Saudi Arabia under a mutual defense pact, a move described by security officials as a substantial, combat‑capable force intended to support Saudi Arabia if attacked. The force includes around 16 aircraft, mostly JF‑17 fighters built with China, and was sent in early April. The terms of the defense agreement remain confidential, but the arrangement obligates mutual defense in the event of an attack. Separately, Iran announced the Persian Gulf Strait Authority to assert control over the Strait of Hormuz, with officials saying transit permits would require disclosure of vessel ownership, insurance, crew, and cargo. Israeli‑linked vessels would be banned and US ships face restrictions under the authority’s rules; JPMorgan forecast the tolls could generate an eleven‑figure annual revenue.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, the IDF said it killed Palestinian Islamic Jihad commander Wael Mahmoud Abd al‑Halim in a targeted strike in Lebanon’s Baalbek area in the Bekaa region, noting that Halim had led PIJ’s integration into Hezbollah’s combat operations and that steps were taken to minimize civilian harm. The operation follows the killing of Hamas military leader Izz ad‑Din al‑Haddad in the Gaza Strip last Friday, which the IDF described as a significant operational achievement. In a separate development, Israeli naval forces, led by the Shayetet 13 commando unit, boarded the Gaza‑bound Global Sumud Flotilla, detaining activists as video showed forces on deck and detainees being transferred to a larger Israeli vessel. The Foreign Ministry framed the flotilla as a provocation and tied it to Hamas, naming two Turkish groups behind the flotilla, Mavi Marmara and IHH, with IHH designated as a terrorist organization. An Iranian report published by Iranian media claimed that Iran had captured a large stockpile of weapons the United States had provided to the Kurds.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, Axios reported that the White House views Iran’s updated proposal as insufficient to meet the requirements for a deal, describing it as containing only symbolic improvements and stronger wording on Iran’s commitment not to pursue nuclear weapons but lacking detailed commitments to suspend uranium enrichment or transfer its existing stockpile. A senior American official warned that if Iran refuses to move on, negotiations may continue “through bombs,” adding that “we are in a very serious place today” and that pressure is being applied for Iran to respond correctly. The official stressed that no sanctions relief would be granted without reciprocal action from Iran, while noting Iranian state media claims that the United States had agreed to waive oil sanctions.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, four suspects were arrested near Hadera after police received a report that a Palestinian Authority resident planned a terror attack in the area; all four were apprehended at the scene and were being transferred for questioning at the Hadera police station. Separately, Jewish and Arab Israeli activists launched their own counter flotilla outside Herzliya, declaring “We did our own flotilla” in a move aimed at signaling sovereignty and insisting the Gaza‑bound Global Sumud Flotilla would not reach Gaza; organizers framed the action as a response to supporters of Hamas. Also, the restricted cabinet was convening to discuss Israel’s readiness to return to fighting Iran.

In Uplifting News, Israel’s first protected hyperbaric medicine center opened at Sheba Medical Center. The Michal and Dr. Avraham Kedar Center features two advanced hyperbaric chambers, among the largest of their kind in Israel, enabling treatment for up to about two dozen patients simultaneously. The center, established at Sheba’s Rehabilitation Hospital in Tel Hashomer, was funded with a donation of about 22 million shekels from the Kedar family and has begun receiving patients from Sheba and other hospitals. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is used for a range of conditions, including complex wounds, radiation damage, diabetes‑related complications, severe infections, and chronic wounds.

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/international/article-896588
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-896585
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-896582
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-896576
https://www.jpost.com/podcast/article-896577
https://t.me/newssil/201878
https://t.me/hnaftali/23043
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/crime-in-israel/article-896584
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-896579
https://t.me/newssil/201879
https://worldisraelnews.com/israels-first-ever-protected-hyperbaric-medicine-center-opens-at-sheba-hospital/