Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-06-26 at 04:01

HEADLINES
US mediates Lebanon talks on security zones
Likud gains seats amid Lebanon stance
Rambam treats opioid withdrawal with brain tech

The time is now 4:01 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 continue under US mediation, extending into a fourth day after 11 hours of talks focused on Hezbollah’s future and a new security framework for southern Lebanon. The Israeli Embassy in Washington says the talks will resume at the State Department in the morning, as negotiators seek an in-principle commitment to a security arrangement. A key point under discussion is the idea of pilot areas, where security responsibility would transfer to the Lebanese Army after US screening to rule out ties to Hezbollah. Lebanon is pressing for a timetable for Israeli withdrawal from areas the IDF currently holds, while Israel demands that any agreement include Hezbollah’s disarmament. The discussions reflect substantial gaps between the sides. Overnight, an IDF officer was moderately injured, and an additional officer and two soldiers were lightly injured in a close-quarters encounter with a terrorist in Beit Yahoun, southern Lebanon. In response, Israel carried out airstrikes in the Beit Yahoun area, and today it targeted terrorist sites in Nabatiyah Al-Fawqa in southern Lebanon.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, a Maariv poll shows Likud gaining one seat amid Prime Minister Netanyahu’s Lebanon stance and his ongoing trial, amid a broader downward trend for the Bennett-Lapid merger. The joint party has shed about 10 seats in roughly two months and stands at 18 seats this week; Yeshar!, led by Gadi Eisenkot, remained stable this week and has risen to 21 seats since the merger. During Operation Roaring Lion, Likud stood at 28 seats, later declining to 21, and this week it edged up to 22. The opposition bloc holds about 60 seats, while the coalition has around 50, with Arab parties totaling about 10; Blue and White, Balad, and the Reservists party do not pass the electoral threshold. IDF Chief voices friction with ministers over Lebanon ceasefire restrictions, as Netanyahu says troops can respond to immediate threats while hard-right ministers push for stronger action against Hezbollah and oppose any withdrawal from southern Lebanon. A vetting panel blocked Heritage Minister Amichay Eliyahu’s nominee to lead the Israel Antiquities Authority after finding the tender used to select Esther Schreiber lowered criteria illegally; Ben Gvir argued the “deep state” blocked a religiously observant woman, while the High Court had previously declined to block the appointment, and a hearing was set for later.

In Uplifting News, Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa has treated its first Israeli opioid-addiction patient with an experimental noninvasive brain technology, helping to ease withdrawal in about 20 minutes. The patient, H., a 40-year-old man, had struggled with dependence after a neck injury led to long-term pain and escalating pill use, reaching about 130 pills a day. The intervention targeted the brain’s nucleus accumbens, the core of the reward system, as part of a painkiller detox program at Rambam.

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://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-900600
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hkz5csjzfe
https://www.timesofisrael.com/vetting-panel-disqualifies-heritage-ministers-nominee-for-antiquities-authority-chief/
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-900599