Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-06-28 at 14:02

HEADLINES
US-backed Lebanon-Israel pact disarms Hezbollah zones
Bipartisan group blocks F-35 sale to Turkey
Likud postpones primaries to August 4

The time is now 2:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Regional Impacts, Lebanese reports say the commander of the US Central Command, Brad Cooper, will visit Lebanon in the coming hours.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, a new Israel-Lebanon agreement backed by a US guarantee makes clear that Israel will withdraw from southern Lebanon only after Hezbollah has been disarmed in the area. The deal, negotiated in Washington, involves two areas in southern Lebanon to be taken over by the Lebanese Army as pilot zones where disarmament plans will be implemented in the coming weeks, with the Israeli delegation led by Ambassador Yechiel Leiter and Brigadier-General Amichai Levin present. The arrangement underscores Tehran’s involvement in Lebanon and the different demands Iran has raised, including its view that any future comprehensive agreement with the United States should require an IDF withdrawal from the border. The IDF has informed families of those killed in the tank incident in Lebanon that the event was caused by a Hezbollah explosive drone.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, a bipartisan group of US House lawmakers is urging the Trump administration not to approve the sale of F-35 stealth fighters to Turkey, arguing that Ankara's continued use of the Russian-made S-400 system and defense ties with Moscow pose a serious threat to US military technology. In a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, lawmakers warn that moving forward with the sale would jeopardize American national security, weaken trust among key regional allies, and reward Turkey despite longstanding concerns about its defense ties with Moscow. They caution that the Russian system could enable intelligence gains affecting US aircraft if the systems operate together, and would erode credibility with allies that have supported Washington's interests in the Eastern Mediterranean.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, the Likud Constitution Committee voted unanimously to postpone the party primaries to August 4, with updated rules expected to be released this week. The move comes amid debate over whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would control the highest-ranked slots, and followed the previous July 28 primary date; the voter registry deadline had been July 7, with a request to extend to July 10. Separately, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said the hostages are home thanks to his opposition to an earlier Gaza deal, arguing that his stance with Netanyahu helped push for the agreement that led to the release of hostages after October 7. And Defense Minister Israel Katz called to advance a proposal to temporarily freeze the arrests of ultra-Orthodox draft evaders, urging the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee to convene this week; the plan would define who counts as a yeshiva student and include other conditions.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, more than 70 non-Jewish Canadians published an open letter condemning antisemitism as part of the Stopping Antisemitism movement, which is endorsed by Prime Minister Mark Carney and other leaders. The group calls for a consistent national approach to law enforcement, prosecution, and sentencing, and for terrorist organizations and their proxies not to operate in Canada. Separately, a man yelled antisemitic abuse at an Orthodox Jewish woman in a Waitrose store in Harrow, London; the Metropolitan Police are investigating as a religiously aggravated hate crime and have urged the victim to come forward, while staff at the store were reported to have not contacted police at the time of the incident.

In Uplifting News, Tel Aviv plans to establish a new beit oleh to support immigrants and lone soldiers. The facility will be a space where olim hadashim can work, share Shabbat dinners, celebrate holidays, attend lectures, stage performances, and organize events, with Tel Aviv officials saying it will serve about 25,000 new immigrants in the city.

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
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https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-900740
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-900736
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-900738
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-900744
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-900743
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-900739