Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-07-16 at 17:02

HEADLINES
Iran Attacks Gulf Bases and Closes Hormuz
US Expands Iran Campaign Targets Infrastructure
Knesset Enshrines Torah Study in Basic Law

The time is now 5:01 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, noting that its leadership remains in contact with the United States and has shown interest in a new peace deal after the collapse of the memorandum of understanding. She said the MoU collapsed because Tehran violated its terms, including firing on commercial vessels moving through the Strait of Hormuz, and that President Trump will ensure Iran pays consequences for those actions as part of the ongoing response, with the recent strikes in the Strait seen as a consequence of that behavior.

In US Military Role, the Trump administration is expected to broaden the scope of its campaign against Iran, with a wider range of strikes and a larger target list, though when the next phase begins and how intense it will be remains unclear. Iran has warned it would escalate with missile attacks if Washington deepens its campaign, with a military spokesman saying that if Trump carries out his threat to hit Iranian infrastructure, Iran will destroy all infrastructure throughout the region. An Israeli official said Tehran is likely to continue refraining from attacking Israel as long as the United States does not significantly escalate, while calibrating its response to US moves. Washington has told Jerusalem it plans to target infrastructure and energy facilities, and the campaign has extended into a fifth night of strikes, with Israel said to be staying out unless directly targeted. Any expansion could prompt a change; an Iranian attack or a US request could alter the calculus.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, Iran’s recent actions include a wave of missile and drone strikes targeting US military bases and facilities across the Gulf, including Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, Oman, and Jordan, triggering air raid sirens, damage, and injuries from debris. The IRGC has intensified its campaign in the Strait of Hormuz, attacking commercial vessels, declaring the waterway closed to navigation, and threatening to halt regional energy exports. This dual-front assault directly threatens US military interests and global energy security by combining kinetic strikes with aggressive naval operations. Notably, Iran has not fired a missile at Israel in this period, a restraint defense analysts say arises from several referenced factors.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, Arab leaders privately urged President Trump to reconsider support for Prime Minister Netanyahu, describing him as an obstacle to Trump’s regional ambitions; Haaretz and KAN News cited sources saying Arab governments lack confidence in Netanyahu’s leadership and view his role as a constraining factor for broader regional plans. The reports arrive as Israel heads toward elections in late October. Analyst Matt Spetalnick notes that Trump has stepped up US air strikes on Iran and threatened broader escalation, yet there is little sign that the current approach will yield concessions from Tehran. With the interim ceasefire collapse, the crisis has persisted, pushing oil markets higher and widening financial volatility, while Trump has discussed remains of action with aides and signals the possibility of pressuring Iran’s regional posture, including potential moves that could pull Yemen’s Houthis into the conflict if US pressure on Iran’s power infrastructure escalates.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, Israel’s Knesset completed its legislative blitz ahead of its dissolution on July 17, with four major bills passing, including one pushed by ultra-Orthodox parties to enshrine Torah study as a fundamental value in the country’s Basic Law; critics warn this could hinder challenges to draft exemptions for yeshiva students and protect related state benefits amid a soldier-shortage. The explainer notes a second major bill pushed by ultra-Orthodox factions as part of that drive. Separately, the government approved a comprehensive reform for wounded soldiers based on the June 7 recommendations of a government committee led by Prof. Shlomo Mor-Yosef, aiming to better handle about 50,000 trauma cases while projecting the total wounded to exceed 100,000 by around 2028, with changes spanning the Defense and Finance ministries to streamline benefits and emotional care. The Shin Bet security service warned of ongoing and likely rising efforts to influence public opinion ahead of Israel’s upcoming elections, including disrupting plots against senior political and security figures and exposing foreign-linked online campaigns, such as a Telegram channel identified as Bnei Eretz that investigators say posed as an Israeli channel while being run by a hostile foreign actor.

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://www.ynetnews.com/article/hjsh4s8nge
https://worldisraelnews.com/us-expands-iran-strikes-as-israel-says-it-will-stay-out-unless-directly-targeted/
https://worldisraelnews.com/the-reason-iran-has-avoided-attacking-israel-so-far/
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-902694
https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2026/07/analysis-trump-threatens-new-iran-escalation-and-risks-repeating-old-mistakes
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/sjb9inlvfx
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/