Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-06-25 at 12:02

HEADLINES
US Israel push Lebanon ceasefire terms
Yemen car bomb kills Al Arabiya reporter
Russia pressures Belarus for new Ukraine front

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, CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper will be visiting Israel to meet with IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant-General Eyal Zamir in the coming days, though the exact date remains undisclosed. For security reasons, Cooper’s visits are typically publicized after they occur. The two leaders will represent Israel and the United States on one side while Iran, Pakistan, Qatar, Lebanon, and the United States led by other diplomatic envoys will meet on the opposing side to negotiate the terms of the Lebanon ceasefire and the IDF’s withdrawal from parts of southern Lebanon. In recent days, the IDF has exchanged fire with Hezbollah about twice daily when Hezbollah operatives approach IDF positions, including near the Ali al-Taher Ridge, a site cited as one of Israel’s deepest infiltrations into Lebanon. Despite these shoots, the ceasefire has largely held since the weekend. Israel is proposing modest withdrawals, possibly from Tibnin and the Ali Taher Ridge, which the IDF recently seized, as part of the effort to finalize terms of the ceasefire and the withdrawal.

In Regional Impacts, a reporter for Saudi Arabia’s Al Arabiya television was killed by a car bomb in Mukalla, in Yemen’s Hadramout region. Mohammed Aydah, a Yemeni correspondent for Al Arabiya and its sister channel Al Hadath, was killed late on Wednesday after a bomb exploded on his car. Authorities warned about threats to his life roughly a month earlier, but no group has claimed responsibility. The killing comes amid ongoing tensions after clashes between Saudi-backed forces and UAE-backed separatists, with Mukalla changing hands in recent months. The Southern Transitional Council condemned the assassination, citing broader security issues in Hadramout related to the dismantling of units that helped oust al Qaeda from the region in 2016. The head of Yemen’s presidential leadership council condemned the attack, underscoring the broader security challenges in the area.

Russia has been pressuring Belarus to open a new front against the war in Ukraine and to allow the use of Belarusian territory to launch additional drones into Ukraine, with the Kremlin also floating the possibility of operations against NATO countries in Europe. Belarus, which stores tactical nuclear weapons, has shown caution about such moves. In 2022, Russia used Belarusian territory to invade Kyiv, but Minsk has largely avoided renewed offensives since then. President Alexander Lukashenkosaid it is absolutely unacceptable for the war to spill over into Belarus. US officials have visited Belarus in recent years in efforts to sway Lukashenko away from Putin, and the Trump administration lifted some sanctions on the country.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, the October Council held a Thursday press conference ahead of next Thursday’s mark of 1,000 days since the October 7 massacre. The event, titled “1,000 Days of Shiva (Seven/Mourning),” brought bereaved families, hostage families, survivors, and representatives who urged the public to demand the establishment of a state commission of inquiry into what organizers describe as Israel’s greatest disaster. Dozens of memorial, protest, and testimony events are planned across the country next Thursday, accompanied by a nationwide minute of silence at 10:00 a.m., a “1,000 Days March,” and a central rally at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, reactivated for the day. Organizers emphasized that the day is not a routine protest but a moment to pause, remember, and demand the truth.

In Israeli Economy and Business, the Health Ministry announced that two Zol Begadol supermarket branches found baby food jars tainted with sedative drugs and barred the stores from selling edible products or cosmetics until they establish an extensive quality assurance system. Five tainted products were identified, with three handed over by customers and two found on shelves; all five appeared tampered before purchase. The stores will be allowed to sell only non-edible, non-cosmetic products until the system is in place, which must include restricting access to the products, regular inspections, staff training to recognize damaged items, and immediate reporting of any suspicion to the Health Ministry. Police investigations are ongoing. Laboratory tests confirmed the presence of clonazepam and lorazepam in jars of Prinok baby fruit puree from the two branches. Separately, Israeli-founded Immunai announced a discovery collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim to identify novel T-cell targets across immuno-oncology and autoimmune diseases using Immunai’s single-cell AI platform. The collaboration, valued at up to $15 million and running through 2027 with potential expansion, aims to build a shared data foundation spanning cancer and autoimmune disease and apply AI analysis to thousands of patient samples to reveal patterns of T-cell dysfunction that could point to new drug targets. The effort is designed to integrate cancer immunology and autoimmune research rather than treating them as separate fields, with the most promising findings to be shared as they emerge.

In Uplifting News, Cape Verde, the underdog of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, is drawing global attention with roots traced to Moroccan and Gibraltar Sephardi Jewish communities that settled in Cabo Verde in the mid-19th century after Portugal ended the Inquisition in 1821. The island nation, with about 600,000 people, held Uruguay to a 2-2 draw in Miami after opening its World Cup campaign with a 0-0 draw against Spain. Coach Bubista, Pedro Leitão Brito, said the team’s mission extends beyond results to highlight Cabo Verde’s culture, music, history, supporters, and its Jewish history. Separately, Taiwan’s Jewish community inaugurated its first-ever cemetery in Taipei with the burial of a 73-year-old Israeli man who had lived in Taiwan for more than 20 years. Chabad Taiwan called the milestone significant, and ZAKA’s International Division assisted with purification and burial, with help from volunteers from Hong Kong. The deceased had previously been buried abroad, and the new Taipei cemetery marks a notable development for Taiwan’s Jewish community.

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-900548
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-900550
https://www.jpost.com/international/internationalrussia-ukraine-war/article-900534
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-900543
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/crime-in-israel/article-900546
https://www.jpost.com/business-and-innovation/article-900538
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-900540
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-900536