Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-07-16 at 16:02

HEADLINES
- Iran weaker post Epic Fury seeks peace
- US widens Iran strikes, risks escalation
- 150,000 illegal weapons threaten Israel's stability

The time is now 4:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Iranian Retaliation, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Iran is not the once very strong, powerful terrorist state that they were before Operation Epic Fury, and that Tehran’s leadership remains in contact with the United States and has expressed interest in reaching another peace deal after the collapse of the previous memorandum of understanding. She argued that the MoU was violated by Iran, specifically by strikes on vessels moving through the Strait of Hormuz, and said President Trump will not allow such acts to go unanswered, noting that the recent strikes in the Strait are connected to the rationale behind Epic Fury.

In US Military Role, sources say the Trump administration is expected to broaden the scope of its military campaign against Iran, potentially widening strikes and expanding targets. Officials cautioned that it remains unclear when the next phase will begin or how extensive the escalation will be. Iran has warned it will escalate missile attacks if Washington intensifies its campaign, while an Israeli official suggested Tehran is likely to avoid a new front with Israel as long as the United States does not escalate, though there is caution that any expansion could provoke a broader confrontation.

In Regional Impacts, analysts warn of a multi-front threat to Israel involving external actors and internal unrest, with concerns about as many as 150,000 illegal weapons in the hands of Judea and Samaria Arabs potentially triggering massive disruption and straining IDF resources. Observers highlight a growing partnership between Turkey and Egypt, including joint exercises that integrate American-made F-16s and a range of drones, creating a substantial conventional threat on Israel’s southern front. Separately, Kuwait said its air defenses intercepted 32 one-way attack drones since the previous day and formally accused Iran of strikes against critical infrastructure on Kuwaiti territory.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, Arab leaders privately urged President Trump to rethink his support for Prime Minister Netanyahu, describing him as an obstacle to Trump’s regional ambitions and expressing growing doubt in Netanyahu’s leadership and the current Israeli government as Israel heads toward late-October elections. Jordan’s foreign minister, for his part, stated there are no American bases in Jordan and that US troops are in the country only within a framework of military cooperation between Jordan and Washington.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, Israel’s Knesset finished its legislative blitz ahead of dissolution, with major bills moving quickly. One of the flagship measures, pushed by ultra-Orthodox parties, would enshrine Torah study as a fundamental value in the Basic Law, defining Torah study as a core national value and raising questions about mandatory military service obligations and the status of yeshiva students who avoid service while receiving state benefits. A second major bill is noted but not described in detail. The government approved a sweeping reform to help with the spike in wounded and traumatized soldiers, based on the June 7 Mor-Yosef committee recommendations, proposing changes to how the Defense and Finance ministries handle about 50,000 trauma cases and aiming to accelerate benefits and emotional support as the war’s toll grows toward projections of over 100,000 wounded by 2028. Security officials warned of intensified plots against senior officials and online influence campaigns ahead of elections, with Shin Bet disrupting several planned attacks and exposing foreign-operated campaigns such as a Telegram channel posing as an Israeli outlet. Finally, the Knesset approved a controversial overhaul of Israel’s broadcasting sector by a narrow margin, granting the government broad control over broadcasters and drawing concerns that press freedom could be harmed and that right-leaning outlets may gain at the expense of others, in what supporters call a necessary reform and critics label an erosion of pluralism.

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/international/article-902789
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-902792
https://worldisraelnews.com/what-if-pa-arabs-invaded-greater-tel-aviv-when-turkey-egypt-attacked-israel-from-outside-analysis/
https://t.me/selena_updates/67240
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-902694
https://t.me/newssil/206871
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-902793
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-902786
https://worldisraelnews.com/israeli-security-agency-reports-thwarting-plots-against-senior-officials-online-influence-operations/
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-902758