Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-07-12 at 10:02

HEADLINES
Israel strikes Mahrata Gaza after evacuation warning
Germany bills criminalize denial of Israel existence
Ultra-Orthodox protest disrupts Jerusalem light-rail

The time is now 10:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Iranian Retaliation, President Donald Trump described Iranians as bad and sick, saying they had agreed to a deal and that yesterday they attacked a ship with a drone.

In Regional Impacts, Israeli fighter jets struck the Mahrata area on al-Sana'aa Street in western Gaza City shortly after an evacuation warning, a location previously targeted by a drone attack that killed four Gazans. Separately, US President Donald Trump said the Strait of Hormuz is open to commercial traffic, though the United States and Iran continue to exchange attacks that raise safety concerns on one of the world’s most important oil shipping routes, remarks delivered during NBC’s Meet the Press.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, protesters from the ultra-Orthodox community disrupted light-rail construction and blocked traffic on Bar Ilan Street in northern Jerusalem, with police and Border Police on the scene attempting to disperse them. Tzohar urged the High Court to reject the state’s bid to void its newly issued kashrut license, arguing that the central claim is contradicted by the facts and the court’s prior rulings; a November 2 hearing has been scheduled, and the dispute centers on whether the Chief Rabbinate Council was consulted before the license was granted on July 1. Also noted is a symbolic development: until nine days after Tisha B’Av, the government will need to update the High Court on the formation of a commission of inquiry into the events of July 7–10.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, Germany’s parliament advanced a bill to criminalize denial of Israel’s right to exist, potentially punishable by up to five years in prison. The legislation would extend the criminal code to cover existential denial of Israel, with the Bundesrat citing a rise in antisemitic incidents—from 1,957 in 2020 to 8,627 in 2024—as part of the justification, while noting that peaceful protests regarding the Israel-Hamas War and civilian suffering were also observed.

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/newssil/206431
https://t.me/abualiexpress/126392
https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2026/07/trump-says-strait-hormuz-open-commercial-traffic
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-902245
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-902235
https://t.me/newssil/206430
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-902237