Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-06-26 at 03:02

HEADLINES
Israel demands Hezbollah disarmament in talks
Albanian protests fuel antisemitism amid EU bid
Haifa Rambam brain therapy ends painkiller binge

The time is now 3:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, talks between Israel and Lebanon under American mediation stretched into a fourth day in Washington after 11 hours of discussions aimed at an in-principle security arrangement. The talks focus on Hezbollah’s future and new security mechanisms in southern Lebanon, including a pilot-area concept under which security responsibility would shift to the Lebanese army in vetted zones after US-screened checks to rule out Hezbollah ties. Lebanon is pressing for a timetable for an Israeli withdrawal from areas the IDF currently holds, while Israel is demanding that any agreement include Hezbollah disarmament. In related security events, overnight an IDF officer was moderately injured and another officer and two soldiers were lightly injured in a close-quarters clash with a terrorist in Beit Yahoun, southern Lebanon, after which Israel carried out airstrikes in the area. Separately, today Israel conducted airstrikes on terrorist targets in Nabatiyah Al-Fawqa in southern Lebanon. Lebanese channels reported this morning that the IDF destroyed and set fire to homes in the village of Marqabah in the Marjayoun District. In a separate clash near Beit Yahoun, four IDF troops were wounded as US-backed talks advance on a phased Israeli pullback from parts of Lebanon and Lebanese army deployment in areas cleared of Hezbollah.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, a Maariv poll suggests Likud has gained one seat, ending a recent downward trend as the Together party continues its decline since the Bennett-Lapid merger, down to 18 seats. Yeshar! led by Gadi Eisenkot remained stable at 21 seats this week. The Likud, which had surged to around 28 seats at one point, now stands at 22 seats after the latest gain. The opposition bloc is placed at 60 seats, the coalition at 50, and Arab parties at 10; Blue and White, Balad, and the Reservists party remain below the electoral threshold.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, Albanian protesters have seen antisemitic rhetoric woven into broader demonstrations, with observers pointing to Russia, Iran and Turkey as actors trying to sow unrest as Albania pursues European Union membership. Posters depict Prime Minister Edi Rama as a Hasidic Jew, and slogans accuse of a Zionist takeover, even as organizers insist the protests are not against Israel or Jews but targeted at Rama and rival Berisha. Trolls are also spreading fake headlines and AI-generated videos across social media.

In Uplifting News, a new Israeli technology used at Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa helped a man wean off painkillers in about 20 minutes. The patient, a 40-year-old, had been taking as many as 130 painkiller pills daily after a neck injury. The noninvasive brain treatment targets the nucleus accumbens, a key brain region involved in reward and dependence, and was performed in the institute’s detox clinic, marking a breakthrough in rapid opioid-detox therapy.

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/article-900602
https://t.me/selena_updates/66263
https://t.me/abualiexpress/125413
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/h1hitqifmg
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-900600
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-900597
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-900599