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

HEADLINES
- Iran strikes 85 US targets, US retaliates
- Erdogan pushes lifting NATO defense restrictions
- Court orders new Rabello comptroller vote

The time is now 7:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Iranian Retaliation, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched missiles and drones at 85 US military targets in Bahrain and Kuwait early Wednesday, retaliating after American forces carried out a sweeping campaign against Iran the night before. US Central Command said the strikes hit more than 80 Iranian targets, including air defense systems, radar sites, and Revolutionary Guard naval assets. The US said the strikes were carried out after Iran attacked three commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, calling Tehran’s actions a clear violation of the ceasefire. Iran, for its part, accused Washington of violating the temporary ceasefire reached last week, arguing that US strikes and the reimposition of sanctions on Iranian oil rendered key provisions of the agreement ineffective.

In Regional Impacts, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told a NATO summit in Ankara that allies must lift defence-industry restrictions among them, pressing Ankara’s case to participate in Europe-only initiatives. He said restrictions on defence cooperation, especially in the defence industry, must be lifted and warned that excluding allies not members of the European Union would lead to artificial divisions in Europe. Erdogan also noted Turkey’s progress toward NATO’s 5% defence spending target by 2030. Separately, Kuwait’s Defense Ministry said its air defenses shot down a ballistic missile and 13 UAVs that crossed into the country’s airspace, signaling that regional tensions linked to Iran continue to destabilize the area.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, a new AP-NORC poll finds American Jews view NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani more favorably than Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Forty-four percent of American Jews view Mamdani favorably, compared with 32% for Netanyahu. Forty percent view Mamdani unfavorably, while 59% view Netanyahu unfavorably. The survey of 1,022 Jewish adults nationwide conducted between June 11 and June 17 also shows broad disapproval among Jewish respondents of Donald Trump’s handling of several issues, with 70% disapproval overall, including 74% on the economy, 69% on immigration, and 73% on Iran; on Israel, 58% disapproved of Trump’s handling.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, Justice Minister Yariv Levin urged the government to defy a High Court of Justice ruling that ordered a new Knesset vote for the appointment of attorney Michael Rabello as state comptroller. Levin said Rabello should assume the position and that there should be no revote, arguing there is no basis for another election. The High Court’s unanimous decision held that Rabello’s initial election was invalid due to a defect in the process and required a new vote. There has been no public response from Knesset Speaker Ohana on how he will proceed.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, rights organization ITIM filed a complaint against Sephardic Chief Rabbi David Yosef, alleging he urged mikveh attendants to shame women who want to immerse privately and suggested telling them they were defying the Torah. Yosef’s office said remarks were quoted out of context. Separately, a masked vandal smashed the entrance to Haaretz’s Tel Aviv offices with bricks, punching a hole through the glass door; police are investigating, and Haaretz has increased security while continuing its reporting mission after a second incident of this type in recent days following a separate attack on Channel 12.

In Israeli Economy and Business, unemployment in the hi-tech sector is rising, with more than 16,000 workers now registered as unemployed. The Israel Employment Service says this marks a threefold increase versus 2022 and is most acutely felt among developers—about half of whom are software workers with high exposure to artificial intelligence. Officials note a strong correlation between job losses and the accelerated adoption of AI, and they described programs to help experienced workers transition as the market shifts.

In Uplifting News, the Israeli aid delegation’s earthquake relief work in Venezuela will continue for an additional two weeks after interim president Delcy Rodriguez requested the extension, a decision approved by Prime Minister Netanyahu. The Israeli team, numbering 30, is mapping and categorizing roughly 1,300 buildings to determine which can be salvaged or demolished, with IDF engineers advising on debris handling as the reconstruction plan unfolds. This rapid effort comes as Venezuela seeks to begin implementing a nationwide plan. Also circulating online is a Hebrew-language post describing a chick’s confusion over why food no longer jumps to its beak, noting that its mother fed it since birth.

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-launches-missiles-at-us-bases-in-bahrain-and-kuwait/
https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2026/07/erdogan-urges-nato-allies-lift-defence-industry-restrictions-summit
https://t.me/hnaftali/23801
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-901839
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-901833
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-901843
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-901832
https://www.jpost.com/business-and-innovation/article-901826
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-901836
https://t.me/newssil/206166