Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-07-14 at 14:02

HEADLINES
Kish Island blast sparks US strikes
Trump urged Israel redeploy troops from Syria
Katz pushes Azaria pardon sparking backlash

The time is now 2:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In US Military Role, US forces have continued strikes near the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf aimed at Iranian threats, with officials saying operations focus on weapons systems capable of targeting ships while avoiding major infrastructure and senior Iranian officials. A US projectile reportedly exploded near a water and electricity facility on Kish Island, Iran, and explosions were heard on Qeshm Island; the causes of those blasts were not known. In the wider Gulf region, Kuwait’s Armed Forces said they were countering hostile aerial targets described as missile and drone threats within their airspace, and Bahrain’s Interior Ministry reported rocket sirens sounded in the country. The strikes are described as centered on threats along the strait and on peripheral targets near Hormuz, with officials noting a focus on capabilities that could threaten ships.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, President Donald Trump allegedly told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel should redeploy its forces and pull IDF troops from Syria and Lebanon, arguing that the presence of troops in those areas could create tension and escalation. Axios, citing US and Israeli officials, described Trump as saying the troops’ presence could provoke conflict. Israeli IDF sources told The Jerusalem Post there was no ground change and no indication of an imminent shift, and they were surprised by the report. The situation is being treated as developing.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, Defense Minister Israel Katz’s push to pardon Hebron shooter Elor Azaria drew sharp criticism: Azaria was convicted of manslaughter for his 2016 actions and sentenced to 18 months; opponents note the prosecution argued for a longer sentence and point to the fact that the sentence was reduced twice by the IDF chief and parole boards. The IDF opposed a pardon, and former president Reuven Rivlin declined to grant one. Police arrested a 16-year-old Palestinian from Nahaleen who admitted planning to attack an IDF soldier after an attempted infiltration into the Gush Etzion settlement of Neve Daniel; he said he wanted to die as a martyr, showed investigators the route he took and where a weapon was hidden, and a kitchen knife found at the scene. The Knesset Finance Committee discussed a transfer of 393 million NIS to the Prime Minister’s Office, including nearly 100 million for security around the PMO and the Netanyahu family and 12 million for family security, along with 8.5 million for security for former minister Dermer; critics warned the funds would come at the expense of education, health, welfare, and infrastructure. In Bnei Brak, the city is set to become Israel’s first with gender-segregated streets, designating sections of Shlomo Hamelech and Ezra streets near event halls as segregated, a policy the municipality said reflects a letter from local rabbis and could expand to other streets in the future; the move comes amid debates over ultra-Orthodox norms and public life, and echoes a 2017 Supreme Court decision regarding Beit Shemesh. Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel resigned after the Knesset passed legislation freezing arrests of haredi draft evaders, saying she could not support a government she believes harms national security during wartime; she had opposed the bills and warned she would resign if laws encouraging draft evasion were enacted. Finally, Gadi Taub, a historian, author, and podcaster, is profiled as a prominent figure who grew up in Jerusalem’s academic-civic triangle and has become one of the Israeli Left’s most critical voices, even as he maintains support for Netanyahu in certain contexts and argues that the Left has sometimes relied on narratives that misinform.

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-902515
https://t.me/newssil/206660
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-902520
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-902517
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/crime-in-israel/article-902516
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-902452
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-902513
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-902514
https://www.jpost.com/podcast/jpost-sits-down-with/article-902511