Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-05-21 at 07:01

HEADLINES
Iran Keeps Near-Weapons Uranium Stockpile at Home
Israel Launches NILI to Track Hamas
Ireland to Curb West Bank Settlement Trade

The time is now 7:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Direct Israel-Iran Clashes, Iran's Supreme Leader has ordered that the country's near-weapons-grade uranium should not leave the country, a move that could further frustrate President Trump and complicate talks aimed at ending the US-Israeli war on Iran. Israeli officials have said Trump has assured Israel that Iran's stockpile will be sent out of Iran and that any peace deal must include a clause addressing this issue. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated the war will not be over until enriched uranium is removed from Iran, Tehran ends its support for proxy militias, and its ballistic missile capabilities are eliminated. Iranian officials have stressed that the stockpile should remain in the country, warning that shipping it abroad would leave Iran more vulnerable.

In Regional Impacts, Turkey will send flights to Israel to deport the expelled from the flotilla.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, Iran seeks more time for nuclear talks as Trump resists Netanyahu’s push for strikes. Enriched uranium remains a sticking point as Tehran studies a new US proposal and Israel expresses frustration.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, Israel has established an elite task force to hunt down Hamas terrorists who participated in or planned the October 7 attack. The unit, named NILI, signals a commitment that no victim will be forgotten and is aimed at locating and neutralizing those involved from leadership to the smallest participant, with a list of thousands of targets already started to be acted on. Separately, police in Bat Yam seized a large haul of illicit drugs and cash in a morning operation, arresting two suspects; a separate Ramle shooting left one person dead and another seriously injured, and security forces stopped a smuggling attempt of 26 handguns across the West Bank border, with the firearms recovered.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, My Word: Shavuot's striking legacy of Jewish pain, historic success - opinion reflects on Shavuot as a harvest festival with a history of attacks on Jewish communities and a record of military successes. The writer notes the festival’s refrain of deliverance and memory against a backdrop of the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led invasion, which marked a devastating moment with thousands killed or wounded and hundreds abducted. The piece also links Shavuot to other historical connotations related to Simchat Torah and Yom Kippur, and commemorates the reception of the Torah at Mount Sinai, framing the holiday within a broader Jewish historical narrative.

In Israeli Economy and Business, Ireland will introduce a long-promised bill to curb trade with settlements in the West Bank in the coming weeks, a measure that has drawn pressure from opposition politicians to include a ban on services as well as goods. Government officials say the bill will proceed, though questions about extending the scope to services have been raised, with legal and practical concerns cited about such an expansion. Spain has already introduced similar curbs. Separately, Keystone Infra is positioning itself as a gateway for investors seeking exposure to Israel’s growing infrastructure economy, highlighting long-term, predictable cash flow through public-private partnerships and Build-Operate-Transfer arrangements that finance, build, and operate essential projects, spanning power, transport, and data infrastructure since the company’s 2019 founding.

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-896962
https://t.me/hnaftali/23074
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/syzio8hyml
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-896955
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/crime-in-israel/article-896953
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-896887
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-896961
https://www.jpost.com/business-and-innovation/energy-and-infrastructure/article-896930