Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-07-08 at 00:02

HEADLINES
US strikes Iran Tehran vows steadfast resistance
Pakistan opens Iran China trade corridors
Emanuel warns Greater Israel endangers US alliance

The time is now 12:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Iranian Retaliation, after a broad wave of strikes against more than 80 targets across Iran, Tehran vowed it won’t fold as Washington’s actions escalate the confrontation. US Central Command said the operation targeted air defenses, radar systems, command centers, anti-ship missiles, and more than 60 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps boats, a move the Pentagon said was meant to curb Tehran’s ability to threaten one of the world’s vital trade routes through the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, US War Secretary Pete Hegseth is expected to arrive in Israel for his first visit since taking office, with plans to meet Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Katz as discussions surrounding Iran and the sale of F-35 fighters to Turkey dominate the talks. Tehran’s top military command later described Washington’s strikes as a blatant act of aggression, and parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said US strikes, oil sanctions and Israeli attacks in Lebanon violate a fragile MOU. Separately, Bahrain’s interior ministry said alarm sirens were active as a new wave of Iranian strikes appears to be underway, urging people to seek shelter.

In Regional Impacts, Pakistan has launched two new overland trade corridors through Iran and China, offering Central Asian countries alternative access to Pakistani ports after Islamabad closed key Afghan crossings for security concerns. The corridors, operational since April 2026, run through Iran’s Gabd-Rimdan border crossing and China’s Sost Dry Port, and more than 14,000 metric tons of cargo have already moved along the routes. One corridor was formally inaugurated at a coordination ceremony in Karachi attended by representatives from Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, with the first convoy carrying frozen meat and other exports to Tashkent and Bishkek and Pakistan dispatching its first export shipment from the Karachi Export Processing Zone to Kyrgyzstan via Sost. Pakistan describes the routes as a permanent alternative for Central Asian countries seeking access to global markets without Afghan transit. Egypt’s new State Strategic Command Headquarters, the “Octagon,” was inaugurated with the facility’s charter signed and the Armed Forces flag raised over the site. The Octagon spans about 22,000 acres and includes eight interconnected octagonal outer buildings arranged around two central command structures, a design meant to symbolize the integration of Egypt’s armed forces and state institutions, signaling a regional ambition that dwarfs the footprint of the Pentagon by comparison.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, veteran Democrat Rahm Emanuel is set to tell a Tel Aviv audience that the pursuit of Greater Israel is a corrosive fantasy and as destructive and as fanatical as the chant “from the river to the sea.” He will warn that Prime Minister Netanyahu’s leadership is pushing Israel toward a dead end and risk turning the United States–Israel alliance into a pariah status unless conditions and consequences accompany support, according to an advance copy of his remarks. In a separate development, American Priorities PAC, an anti-AIPAC super PAC, says it will spend to support Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan’s Democratic US Senate primary despite his pledge to reject super PAC funding, arguing the effort will proceed regardless of his stated position and that the group will operate within legal bounds to back his candidacy.

In Uplifting News, Israel’s humanitarian mission to Venezuela has been praised as illustrating the country’s national character. Venezuela’s Interim President Delcy Rodríguez thanked Israel for sending a highly specialized and professional group after the twin earthquakes, noting that the mission was organized with help from Venezuela’s Jewish community and connected the country with the Israeli government. The 30-member IDF delegation led by Brigadier-General Elad Edri was tasked with engineering assessment, mapping roughly 1,300 damaged buildings to determine which could be salvaged and which should be demolished, and advising on debris removal and salvage operations. The disaster has left 3,535 dead, 16,740 injured, and 17,854 homeless, with Israel’s Foreign Ministry, Health Ministry, KKL-JNF, SID Israel, IsraAID and others contributing to the relief effort, reflecting Israel’s long‑standing humanitarian response.

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://worldisraelnews.com/iran-vows-defiance-as-us-war-chief-heads-to-israel/
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/sk4dpejxmg
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-901809
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-901808
https://t.me/DefenderDome/22010
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-901812
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-901811
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-901789