Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-06-29 at 16:02

HEADLINES
- Iran Threatens Hormuz Control If Oman Balks
- Secret Annex Sets Hezbollah Disarmament in Motion
- Opposition Slam Unity Government as Election Scam

The time is now 4:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Iranian Retaliation, The Iranians confirm what I wrote hours ago… How sad and even humiliating.
Officials say the reports match what was previously reported, signaling continued sensitivity over the developments.

In Regional Impacts, Iran’s Foreign Ministry: We are still in discussions with Oman regarding the future management of the Strait of Hormuz. If Oman is not interested in a joint mechanism for fees and services, we’ll simply manage the Strait ourselves.
Tehran says talks remain ongoing on the Strait’s future management, with the option of unilateral control presented if Oman rejects a joint mechanism for fees and services.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, Katz says Trump’s linking Lebanon to Iran conflict spared Hezbollah from devastating blow. Katz said that linking Lebanon and Iran fronts prevented Israel from carrying out a larger military campaign against Hezbollah, noting four conversations in which the Lebanon-Iran link was discussed and that President Trump pressed to connect the two theaters. He described adopting what he called “Plan B,” which involved deepening the Yellow Line while allowing residents to return to Beirut’s Dahiyeh district and parts of southern Lebanon. He said the approach reflected American interests and shaped Israel’s actions. Separately, reports about a secret military annex to the Israel-Lebanon framework revealed how the operational part of the agreement would proceed: the annex outlines the practical mechanism to enable disarmament of Hezbollah and the restoration of Lebanese state control in southern Lebanon, along with the redeployment of IDF forces outside Lebanese territory in a gradual, conditional, and verified manner. The annex details pilot zones, the clearing of terrorist infrastructure, third-party verification, Lebanese Army deployment, and an indirect military coordination mechanism between Israel and Lebanon as core elements of moving toward the framework’s goals.

In the US Policy Concerning Israel, Rubio, Witkoff to address Congress on US-Iran agreement. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff will brief Congress virtually on the US-Iran agreement on Monday evening. The briefing will be unclassified and open to all House and Senate members, with a separate classified briefing expected later this week for members on select committees. This briefing comes as lawmakers prepare for the session, with the House returning and the Senate on a two-week recess. US believes Israel-Syria normalization chances before Knesset elections 'very slim,' source to Post. US officials assess that progress on normalizing Israel-Syria ties before Israel’s elections is unlikely; Syria’s core demand is some form of withdrawal from the buffer zone created after the 1974 Disengagement Agreement. Defense Minister Katz reiterated that Israel intends to remain in the security zone in Syria, and US officials view meaningful progress as unlikely before the October elections.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, Opposition leaders blast Benjamin Netanyahu unity government proposal as pre-election scam. Opposition Leader Yair Lapid told a Knesset press conference for the Together Party that Netanyahu’s call for a broad national unity government is a political maneuver designed to siphon votes from the opposition bloc. Lapid warned that the move could pave the way for satellite parties aligned with Netanyahu to draw votes away from his bloc. He pointed to fast-tracked legislation, including the Basic Law: Torah Study, as part of the coalition’s recent push.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, Mamdani: ‘I can’t tell you I support’ Israel as a Jewish state. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani told ABC’s Jonathan Karl that he cannot endorse states that privilege one religion over another, including Israel. He said his position supports equal rights for all people and stressed that the Democratic Socialists of America no longer backs a two-state solution, while maintaining his own view on Israel as a state with equal rights.

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://t.me/beholdisraelchannel/78065
https://t.me/selena_updates/66423
https://worldisraelnews.com/katz-says-trumps-linking-lebanon-to-iran-conflict-spared-hezbollah-from-devastating-blow/
https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/06/29/secret-military-annex-to-israel-lebanon-agreement-revealed/
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-900875
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-900872
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-900874
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-900882