Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-07-23 at 09:02

HEADLINES
Israel weighs sweeping drone ban over Iran
Israeli forces kill Hamas operatives in Gaza
Iran Pakistan trade ties boost regional links

The time is now 9:02 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Direct Israel-Iran Clashes, Israel is weighing a total ban on the use of drones in its airspace amid fears of a potential Iranian attack. The proposal was discussed at a Security Cabinet meeting, with the defense establishment's view relayed to all Knesset ministers, and the move is driven by concerns that limited counter-drone capabilities could be exploited if Iran or Hezbollah launches a drone-focused strike. In parallel, municipal authorities in Ramat Gan, Eilat and Karmiel opened all public bomb shelters after assessments found the weekend risk of Iranian missile fire had increased and was no longer negligible. The action was described as a precaution, not prompted by a national alert, and officials urged building committees to ensure shared shelters are ready while stressing Israel remains prepared to respond to any escalation.

In Regional Impacts, Iran expands trade with Pakistan as experts claim it will ease the squeeze of the Hormuz blockade. The plan to raise truck trade with Pakistan to 2,000 vehicles per day aims to ease the squeeze of the United States’ blockade of the Strait of Hormuz without neutralizing it, counterterrorism analyst Roger Macmillan told The Jerusalem Post. Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni announced the agreement to raise bilateral trade from about $3 billion to at least $10 billion, saying a new border crossing would open at Kuhak and improvements would be made at Rimdan to facilitate higher traffic. The plan also seeks to boost agricultural trade to $5 billion and calls for infrastructure upgrades such as cold storage facilities on both sides. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi said officials would visit Iran on Thursday to discuss bilateral cooperation.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, IDF and Shin Bet kill Hamas terrorist who took part in the October 7 invasion in targeted strike. Abdallah Jahja, a member of Hamas’s naval force, was killed in the northern Gaza Strip along with Mohammed Al-Hawari, a Zeitoun Battalion commander, and Sabhi Saqallah, an intelligence operative in the same battalion, in a targeted operation. The military said Jahja contributed to planning several attacks against Israeli civilians and troops. On Saturday, the IDF and Shin Bet killed two Hamas terrorists who abducted and held Israelis hostage during the October 7 massacre; among them was Adham Ibrahim Sha’aban Nasman, Hamas’s Gaza City Brigade operations head in Gaza City, who led the Brigade’s infiltration into Israel and who previously held several former hostages.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, Trump ties Saudi civilian nuclear deal to normalization with Israel. The president said the agreement would allow only non-military nuclear facilities and no uranium enrichment, with final approval dependent on Riyadh joining the Abraham Accords.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, one in four Tel Aviv-Jaffa families is headed by a single parent, a rate well above the national average of 15 percent. The city has 13,412 single-parent families, including 6,730 headed by an unmarried parent, with women leading 96 percent of all single-parent households. The share has risen by four percentage points since 2015, according to a report by the Tel Aviv-Jaffa Municipality’s Center for Economic and Social Research using data from the Central Bureau of Statistics and other sources. The distribution spans northern and central Tel Aviv, Jaffa and southern Tel Aviv, and the eastern part of the city, with roughly 7,220 single-parent families in the north/central area, 2,290 in Jaffa and southern Tel Aviv, and 2,540 in the eastern sector. The report also notes demographic details, including the city’s female population and aging trends.

New Hope MK Sharren Haskel alleged in a sworn affidavit that members of the New Hope-United Right faction were required to film themselves voting for Michael Rabello as state comptroller and show the footage to Prime Minister Netanyahu as proof of how they voted. The claim conflicts with the position presented by Likud during the Rabello election proceedings, and the affidavit was filed in Haskel’s separate petition to break away from Gideon Sa’ar’s faction and be recognized as a one-member faction. Haskel had previously said coalition lawmakers had been photographed behind the voting curtain, a matter she said should be examined by the court.

Prosecutors say Muhammad Awad, a 29-year-old Nazareth man, repeatedly tried to contact Hamas and sought the terrorist group’s help to attack National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. He was indicted on two counts of contact with a foreign agent, obtaining instructions for a terrorist act, unlawful possession of ammunition and obstruction of justice. He has been in custody since June 28. Awad reportedly became interested in Hamas after consuming material connected to the October 7 massacre and emailed a Hamas Telegram channel in 2025, though Hamas did not respond. He also researched missiles, explosive mechanisms and discussed the possibility of using a drone or guided missile to attack Ben-Gvir.

Israel charges Jerusalem man for threatening foreign journalists, damaging vehicles in West Bank. A Jerusalem man in his 20s was indicted for blocking CNN and an Italian news organization’s vehicles north of Ramallah, threatening journalists with a club and a rock, attempting to slash a tire and striking a windshield with the club. Four suspects were arrested; the indicted man was remanded in custody while others were released under restrictive conditions as investigations continue.

Israeli man seriously wounded in West Bank terror stabbing, two Palestinian attackers killed. A 51-year-old Israeli man was seriously wounded near the Derech Avraham Farm after being attacked by two Palestinian assailants, who were killed by Israeli forces at the scene. The victim was evacuated by helicopter for medical treatment. Police said the stabbing occurred as the victim attempted to extinguish a fire set by residents of Beit Furik, a nearby village, with investigators coordinating with the Israel Fire and Rescue Services to determine the circumstances.

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/israel-news/article-903418
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-903421
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-903432
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-903436
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/h1d311fyrge
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-903434
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-903431
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/crime-in-israel/article-903427
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/crime-in-israel/article-903423
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-903417