Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-07-15 at 23:02

HEADLINES
US Hits Iran Targets Including Bandar Abbas
Hezbollah Militants Eliminated Near Beit Yahoun
House Rejects Amendment Cutting Israel Aid

The time is now 11:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In US Military Role, the US military says it completed its latest wave of strikes on Iran, carried out at the direction of President Trump, with Bandar Abbas among the targets. CENTCOM said US forces struck Iranian command centers, air defense sites, missile and drone capabilities, and coastal surveillance facilities. The statement noted additional targets in multiple locations, including Bandar Abbas, Iran’s principal port on the Strait of Hormuz, and earlier this morning American forces struck coastal defense and cruise missile sites on Greater Tunb Island during a 90‑minute wave. Trump this week reiterated threats to hit Iranian energy targets while also threatening to target bridges next week. The 1949 Geneva Conventions on humanitarian conduct in war prohibit attacks on sites considered essential for civilians.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, Israeli forces say three armed Hezbollah terrorists, who were carrying combat equipment, were eliminated in the Beit Yahoun area within the Security Zone in southern Lebanon. The terrorists were eliminated to remove the threat they posed to IDF soldiers operating nearby.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, the House of Representatives defeated an amendment to cut Israel aid, 314 to 104, despite more than 100 Democrats voting to support it. The measure, offered by Representative Thomas Massie, would have barred any funding for Israel and blocked $3.3 billion in annual security assistance, reflecting a sharp split among Democrats over the Gaza war. A video excerpt shows the president saying he does not like giving deadlines, but adversaries “pretty much know — they know the story. They better behave.” Israel’s Knesset held a moment of silence for US Senator Lindsey Graham, who died at 71; preliminary medical findings attributed his death to an aortic dissection linked to cardiovascular disease, and Netanyahu called him one of Israel’s greatest friends as lawmakers honored his legacy. A Channel 13 News poll shows the anti‑Netanyahu bloc reaching the 61‑seat majority needed to form a government for the first time, with the Trooper‑Hendel party crossing the threshold with 4 seats, while Yair Golan rises to 11, Bezalel Smotrich to 6, Gadi Eisenkot leads with 21, and Naftali Bennett holds 15.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, the haredi draft question should be decided by voters, not outgoing lawmakers, editorially arguing that Israelis cannot reasonably be expected to back legislation even the prime minister could not vote for. The Knesset on Tuesday passed a bill freezing arrests of haredi draft evaders for at least six months, 58 in favor and 54 against, a move Netanyahu left before the vote and which the High Court suspended from entering into force pending further notice. The piece portrays the measure as a political maneuver to preserve haredi participation in the coalition rather than address equal sharing of the national service burden. A new Channel 13 News survey shows the anti‑Netanyahu bloc reaching the 61‑seat majority needed to form a government for the first time, with Trooper‑Hendel crossing the threshold for 4 seats, and other shifts including Yair Golan at 11, Bezalel Smotrich at 6, Gadi Eisenkot at 21, and Naftali Bennett at 15. The government approved a plan to move about 497 million shekels from Arab sector funding to Shin Bet and the police, to bolster internal security and combat illegal weapons, with allocations of roughly 364.5 million for Shin Bet, 35 million to hire 130 personnel, and about 132.4 million to the Police to establish an Arab‑sector crime unit and expand technology and operations. The funding is drawn from a 2021 decision intended to reduce gaps between Arab society and the rest of the population, covering employment, vocational training, education, transportation, infrastructure, industrial zones, and related programs.

In Uplifting News, Saving Gaza's past, one artefact at a time, volunteers inside a large tent in Gaza brush dust from a stone mosaic before placing it into storage as part of an effort to preserve cultural heritage hit by war. More than 160 historic and cultural sites across the Palestinian territory have been damaged, according to the United Nations, and many artefacts date back thousands of years. Mohammed Abu Lahia, a Palestinian visual artist taking part in the effort in Khan Yunis, says some mosaics have been lost or destroyed, and that reviving this art is important to remind communities of their heritage and Palestinian cause. Beyond ancient treasures, more recent artefacts are at risk from rubble, and the UN notes that over the conflict’s course more than 90 percent of Gaza’s buildings have been damaged or destroyed, with centuries marking the influence of Persians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, and Ottomans on the region.

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.al-monitor.com/originals/2026/07/us-military-says-it-completed-latest-strikes-iran-targets-included-bandar-abbas
https://t.me/JewishNews24/57228
https://www.jpost.com/american-politics/article-902655
https://t.me/JewishNews24/57230
https://t.me/JewishNews24/57227
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-902642
https://t.me/JewishNews24/57226
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/crime-in-israel/article-902653
https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2026/07/saving-gazas-past-one-artefact-time