Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-07-22 at 13:02

HEADLINES
Iranian FM survives Israeli strikes warns vulnerabilities
Lebanon Israel talks scheduled in Italy
ZOG conspiracy posts surge in war study

The time is now 1:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Operation Lion's Roar, Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi says he survived Israel's opening strikes after narrowly escaping a compound where senior officials had gathered, including the premises of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He described the panic and destruction that followed, and he acknowledged serious security vulnerabilities within Iran. Araghchi recalled that he was at nine o'clock with Ali Hejazi, the Supreme Leader's chief of staff, when the attack came, and the blast left the building in ruins as they moved through debris. He also suggested Israel's intelligence inside Iran extends beyond technological surveillance. The account was given in a more than 90-minute interview with journalist Javad Moghouei.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, Lebanon and Israel are set to hold the next round of US-brokered talks on August 4 in Italy. Delegations will discuss the technical details and guidelines of pilot zones in southern Lebanon as the two countries begin implementing a plan for Israeli withdrawals and Lebanese army deployments. Ambassador-level meetings are unusual, given they remain formally at war. A framework deal produced by five prior talks with the United States foresees Hezbollah's disarmament, a phased Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon, and the deployment of Lebanese troops.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, the US Embassy in Jerusalem issued a security alert warning Americans in Israel to be cautious of organized crime activity. The alert notes a spike in violence linked to rivalries between Israeli organized crime groups, with attacks targeting homes and businesses in Tel Aviv, Jaffa, and Herzliya. Israeli National Police have responded with enforcement operations to disrupt violent criminal activity and to arrest the leaders believed responsible. The embassy says its office in Jerusalem and its Tel Aviv branch are operating normally. Americans are advised to stay alert, prepare a personal security plan, maintain contact with loved ones, and avoid areas with police activity, especially in central commercial districts and during late hours.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, MK Gilad Kariv says Israel should ultimately divide the land and establish a demilitarized Palestinian state as part of a regional agreement, while accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of building up Hamas through unilateral steps. He outlined his party's diplomatic vision, calling for separation and a demilitarized Palestinian state within a regional framework, and said that at the end of the diplomatic process, land would be divided and a demilitarized Palestinian state would stand alongside Israel. The comments come as the war continues. In the same topic, Defense Minister Israel Katz has publicly attacked IDF Central Command Chief Major General Avi Bluth, signaling moves to curb Jewish extremist violence in the West Bank. Katz has tied Bluth's hands on that issue before and now suggests further limits as violence among Jewish extremists rises. Bluth has been aggressive in countering Palestinian terror and has aided settlement expansion through domestic channels, but his ability to act has been constrained by a previous decision in 2025 to limit administrative measures.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, a Fighting Online Antisemitism study shows the ZOG conspiracy posts surged more than threefold during the 2026 Iran war. The study compared two 38-day periods: baseline January 21 to February 27, 2026, and the war period February 28 to April 6, 2026. It found the prevalence of ZOG-related content rose from 49% to 63%. Public engagement also grew, with likes roughly doubling and shares rising about tenfold compared with pre-war levels. The baseline period included 988 posts, of which 485 were explicitly ZOG-related.

In Uplifting News, Israel's Attention Revolution fights child smartphone addiction, expanding nationwide with the goal of involving about one in ten school children within the next two years. The program works through a social contract among parents at the class level, with support from municipalities, communities, and schools. Organizers say the initiative is building a new norm for how digital technology is used and when children should start using it.

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/article-903349
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-903343
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/crime-in-israel/article-903337
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-903341
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-903340
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-903348
https://www.jpost.com/health-and-wellness/parenting/article-903344