Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-07-10 at 18:02

HEADLINES
- Egypt hawkish on Hamas in Gaza talks
- US pressures Iran to open Hormuz shipping
- Nabatele synagogue hovers over water at Venice

The time is now 6:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Regional Impacts, an Israeli delegation, including senior IDF officers, held strategic discussions with senior Egyptian military officers in Cairo in recent days as part of a strategic dialogue focused on shared interests in the region. The talks touched on advancing the next stage of Gaza reconstruction in line with Donald Trump’s Gaza plan, even as Hamas refused to disarm. Egyptian participants were described as more hawkish toward Hamas than Turkey or Qatar and were reportedly willing to receive surrendered weapons, while the Israeli defense establishment showed a preference for Egyptian mediators. The meetings were cordial, with Israeli officers watching the Egypt-Argentina World Cup match alongside their Egyptian hosts.

Separately, US officials have pressed Iran to publicly state that all channels of the Strait of Hormuz are open to shipping and that no ships are being attacked, while all lanes in the strait remain open with no tolls. They said conversations in recent days have been productive, but warned that the absence of a public commitment could lead to an unfavorable outcome for Tehran. Iran has said recent attacks on shipping in the strait came from an errant part of its system, and officials described a real-time power struggle between hardliners and pragmatists. Three Qatari and Saudi commercial tankers were among vessels affected.

Axios’ Barak Ravid reported that the Trump administration is demanding that Iran publicly declare the Strait of Hormuz open to commercial shipping and commit to ending attacks on merchant vessels by tomorrow, citing US officials. The report notes Tehran’s alleged violation of last month’s memorandum of understanding by targeting ships and references two rounds of US retaliatory strikes. Iranian and Omani officials were expected to meet in Muscat, with Washington signaling it expects Tehran to reaffirm freedom of navigation and halt further attacks. Diplomacy remains the preferred path, but officials warned that additional consequences could follow if Iran does not comply.

The UN shipping agency, the International Maritime Organization, urged countries to reject Iran’s claim of sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz and Tehran’s move to establish an entity to control traffic through the waterway. The IMO Council said the bid to regulate the strait was unacceptable, as Gulf states, the United States, and Iran clashed over the waterway amid renewed hostilities that threaten shipping and energy supply while the pursuit of a long‑term agreement continues.

In Uplifting News, Venice art installation grapples with its Jewish history at 61st International Art Exhibition, Nabatele, an outdoor piece by artist and architect Anna Kamyshan, imagines a shtetl-style synagogue hovering above the water, perched on a massive rock. The installation will be on view from July 16 to September 16 at Arsenale Nord in Venice’s Castello district and is presented in collaboration with the Montreal Jewish Museum, curated by Maria Veits and Yevgeniy Fiks. Nabatele is described as playful, spiritual, and unsettling, offering a vision of a Jewish house of worship without ground beneath it. Its continuously lit windows evoke Ner Tamid, symbolizing a persistent source of illumination amid war, displacement, and uncertainty. Kamyshan described the project as a personal search for identity, a thread running through the work as viewers contemplate memory, resilience, and belonging.

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/israel-news/defense-news/article-902133
https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2026/07/us-insists-iran-commit-stopping-attacks-hormuz-strait-say-us-officials
https://t.me/DefenderDome/22083
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-902135
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/culture/article-902035