Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-05-19 at 12:02

HEADLINES
Probe suggests US role in Minab blast
Gaza rebuilding plan faces urgent funding gap
ICC seeks arrest warrant against Smotrich

The time is now 12:02 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In US Military Role, the CENTCOM chief told Congress that the blast at a girls’ school in Minab is being treated as a complex case because the facility sits on an active Iranian cruise missile site, and an initial internal US assessment suggested US forces were likely responsible for the destruction. The Pentagon has elevated the probe, and the February 28 strike on the first day of the conflict killed 168 children, mostly girls, according to Iranian officials. Adm. Brad Cooper noted that Iran has hanged dozens of people since the ceasefire and has repeatedly targeted civilians in the region, while adding that US bombing has dramatically reduced Iran’s ability to threaten its neighbors and US interests, with Tehran’s defense industry said to be set back by about 90 percent. He also declined to address reports that Iran retains significant missile and drone capabilities cited by US intelligence sources. Separately, President Trump said he was “an hour away” from ordering an attack on Iran before several Middle Eastern governments urged him to wait for negotiations, with leaders from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, and others working with the United States. He indicated he would wait two days to early next week for Iran to reach an agreement, and suggested any deal would require Iran to remove enriched uranium immediately, a goal complicated by Iran’s reported constraints. He later described a two- or three-day window for Iran to reach a deal or face a US strike.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, the Trump Gaza rebuilding plan faces a funding gap that the board named to oversee the effort says must be closed urgently as the program, estimated at about $70 billion, moves forward. The board, recognized by the UN Security Council but not by many of Washington’s key Middle Eastern allies, argues there are no funding constraints and that the money is to pay for reconstruction and support a new US-backed transitional Gaza government. Reuters had reported that the board had received only a small fraction of the $17 billion pledged by members, a claim the board rejected, saying it is an execution-focused organization that calls capital as needed. The plan remains contingent on donor participation and timely disbursement to avoid cash shortages that could stall reconstruction efforts.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, the High Court of Justice ordered the Senior Appointments Advisory Committee to reconvene and fill in missing parts of its recommendation for IDF Major-General Ronen Gofman, with an updated opinion due within a week. The court’s interim decision could clarify what information was known about Gofman and whether any public integrity breach applies to the Mossad chief candidate, following transfers of a classified affidavit to those with proper security clearance. Separately, Israelis filed 30,366 complaints with the Public Complaints Commission in 2025, a 41 percent rise from the previous year, with 56 percent of decided cases upheld as justified—the highest rate since the body’s founding. The Labor Ministry received the most complaints, with 7,082, and 91 percent of those against the ministry were found justified; other top areas included Transportation, the National Insurance Institute, the Tax Authority, and population and immigration agencies. In befit of the international spotlight on Israel, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said the International Criminal Court prosecutor has sought an arrest warrant against him, accusing the Palestinian Authority of pushing for the move. Smotrich pledged retaliation by ordering the evacuation of Khan al-Ahmar in the occupied West Bank, while the ICC prosecutor’s office said it could not comment on any specific application.

In Uplifting News, more than a hundred boys who lost a parent, including in the October 7 war, gathered for a joint bar mitzvah at the Western Wall, marking a day-long celebration with their families as they were called up to the Torah and presented with new tefillin before a dinner and gala at Jerusalem’s Binyanei Hauma; the event was organized by Colel Chabad to support bereaved families with ongoing aid, tutoring, and counseling. In another sign of resilience, the Israel Air Force is quietly creating the Arad unit, an all-women special commando force within the 7th Wing, designed to be a rapid-response intervention team capable of infiltrating, raiding, and stabilizing threats near air bases. The unit reflects lessons from the October 7 attacks and Operation Iron Swords and will operate alongside existing forces such as Shaldag and the 669 unit, providing first-on-scene response and early stabilization to protect critical assets.

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/iran-news/article-896724
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-896722
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/sj22qlc1mg
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-896710
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-896721
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-896704
https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2026/05/israel-finance-minister-says-icc-seeks-arrest-warrant-against-him
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-896713
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-896703