Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-07-09 at 09:02

HEADLINES
Iran retaliates with strikes on US assets
Hormuz tanker traffic nearly stopped
UK protests tied to IRGC network

The time is now 9:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Iranian Retaliation, Sirens sounded across the Middle East as Iran launched retaliatory strikes on US assets in the Gulf Region on Thursday. Kuwait said its armed forces had engaged with a cruise missile, three ballistic missiles and 10 drones in its airspace, and that one person had been injured from falling shrapnel. Iran's air force is flying fighter jets to secure the skies over the funeral procession of the former supreme leader Ali Khamenei in Mashhad, the regime-affiliated Fars news agency said. The retaliatory strikes come after the US struck around 90 sites overnight from Wednesday to Thursday in Iran. The most recent round of US strikes was completed early Thursday morning in Iran. The US military struck various sites throughout southern Iran "to further degrade Iran's ability to attack commercial shipping and innocent civil mariners in the Strait of Hormuz," the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement on X/Twitter. Iranian officials said the US attacks had killed 14 people and injured 78 across five provinces on Wednesday and Thursday, state media reported. Fars said one US strike had hit a rail bridge used for trade with Russia and China, while Mehr news agency reported several explosions in the Bushehr province, which is home to a Russian-built nuclear power plant. CENTCOM also released a statement justifying the strikes, saying, "The United States is ..."

In Regional Impacts, Oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz was at a near standstill on Thursday, according to data and sources, as shipping risks escalated after the US renewed airstrikes on Iran, triggering retaliation by Tehran in the Gulf. Just two tankers had so far sailed through the strait in the early hours of Thursday. They included the crude supertanker Berg 1, which had loaded at Iran's Kharg Island and is subject to US sanctions, according to analysis from Kpler. The Marshall Islands-flagged chemical tanker Well Sail, also transited the strait, Kpler analysis showed. Its previous loading destination was near Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, according to LSEG ship tracking data. Shipping industry sources said vessels were increasingly switching off their public AIS tracking transponders, making it harder to see all of the ships crossing. "Tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has essentially stopped, which tells you more about risk perception right now than any statement from Washington or Tehran," Jorge Leon, head of geopolitical analysis at Rystad Energy, wrote in a report. LATEST FLARE-UP LEAVES US-IRAN TRUCE TEETERIN...

In US Policy Concerning Israel, An analysis argues that Israel doesn't need unconditional US support to be confident in its own strength. The piece sits at the crossroads of which policy works best in the US-Israel relationship: whether Israel needs more "tough love" or unconditional love. It notes that Israel is a dynamic, rapidly growing country with a strong economy, defense exports at an all-time high and a rising defense budget. Rahm Emanuel, a former White House Chief of Staff and a key figure in the US Democratic Party, visited Israel this week and spoke there; he previously served as ambassador to Japan and mayor of Chicago. The author suggests that despite headlines about crises, the broader picture is positive and policy choices remain central to the relationship.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, A man was seen carrying an axe close to an IDF recruitment center in Haifa, Israel Police confirmed on Thursday. Police officers arrived at the scene shortly after the report, and the man was detained and brought in for investigation. There were no injuries or perceived danger to the public, and the incident remains under investigation. This is a developing story. In addition, an IDF combat engineer from the Yahalom unit who battled cancer and set marathon records has died at 29. Yoav Shriker had previously broken Israeli records by running a half marathon carrying 35 kg and a full marathon carrying 32 kg, and he and his brother competed to join Israel's team for the international ice swimming championship. Friends described his determination and noted he collaborated with the University of Hong Kong to develop improved methods for detecting mouth cancer.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, Anti-Israel protests organized by global NGO network tied to IRGC, Islamists, NGO Monitor reveals. NGO Monitor presented a 129-page report in the UK’s House of Lords on Wednesday showing the anti-Israel protests that erupted across the United Kingdom after October 7 are organized by a globally connected and financed network of NGOs aimed at promoting IRGC propaganda, Islamist and anti-Western narratives, and Israel eliminationism. The report argued that 80% of the UK's protests were orchestrated by NGOs, with many circumventing UK transparency laws by raising funding through US-based charitable vehicles. It also found that at least 11 of the 40 major post-October 7 protests and mobilization campaigns in the UK have links to extremist organizations and/or officials who have met or cooperated with extremist actors, including the IRGC, Hamas, Hezbollah, the PFLP and the Muslim Brotherhood.

In Uplifting News, Secrets of Huqoq: New Galilee exhibit premieres mosaics, coins found at ancient Jewish settlement. The ruins of the ancient settlement of Huqoq, which reached its peak during the Roman-Byzantine period, sits in the heart of the Amiad Forest in an open space near a spring of the same name. A new exhibit of the Huqoq settlement at the Yigal Allon Center will offer the public its first glimpse into one of the most intriguing archaeological sites uncovered in Israel in recent years, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced on Thursday morning. At the heart of the exhibit sits two unique finds: a complete floor mosaic depicting Samson carrying the gates of the ancient Philistine city of Gaza on his shoulders found in the ancient settlement’s synogogue, and a never seen before cache of bronze coins uncovered at the site. The ruins of Huqoq, which peaked during the Roman-Byzantine period, sit in the heart of the Amiad Forest in an open space near a spring of the same name. Visible from the museum’s windows, Huqoq is best known for the impressive ancient synagogue uncovered during excavations by an archaeological mission led by Professor Jodi Magness of the University of North Carolina, where archaeologists unearthed several extraordinary mosaics, including rare biblical and extra-biblical scenes. “The range of the Huqoq mosaics are unequalled by any other synagogue in Israel,” IAA noted. The original Samson Mosaic...

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/iran-news/article-902037
https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2026/07/oil-tanker-traffic-through-hormuz-near-standstill-attacks-strain-iran-truce
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-902027
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/crime-in-israel/article-902017
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-902004
https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-901977
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-901981