Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-07-24 at 03:02

HEADLINES
- Iran Accelerates Gulf Strikes, Bahrain Braces
- Malaysia Defends Nonrecognition, Ambassador Summoned
- Likud Slips as Yashar Surges in Poll

The time is now 3:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Sirens sound in Bahrain as Iran completes second week of strikes against Gulf States, sirens sounded across Bahrain, the Interior Ministry announced on Friday morning, urging citizens to remain calm and head to the nearest shelter. The attack follows Iran's overnight strikes against Kuwait and US military infrastructure in Jordan. Iran's army quickly took responsibility for the strikes, reportedly having targeted the fuel tanks, warehouses, and accommodations of the United States's Sheikh Issa base in Bahrain using drones, according to Iran's semi-official news outlet ISNA. ISNA reported that the earlier strikes in Jordan had targeted US Air Force infrastructure at the American Al-Azraq base. This is a developing story.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, Malaysia's ambassador to the United States was summoned by the US State Department to explain Kuala Lumpur's position on Israel, state media reported, citing the foreign minister. Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan said that Ambassador Muhammad Shahrul Ikram Yaakob told the State Department that Malaysia's longstanding policy of not recognizing Israel was not new. "It has always been Malaysia's policy. Our immigration policy does not recognize the State of Israel or the Zionist regime. This has long been our position," he said. "There was an individual with dual citizenship, the US and Israel, who entered Malaysia using his US passport. However, subsequent checks revealed that he also held Israeli citizenship, and we asked him to leave," Bernama cited Mohamad as saying late on Thursday. Reuters has sought comment from the US embassy in Malaysia. The row was triggered after Network School, the "digital nomad" community founded in Malaysia by US investor Balaji Srinivasan, came under scrutiny after social media users alleged that it included participants from Israel. Malaysia does not have diplomatic ties with Israel and is known to be a staunch supporter of the Palestinian cause.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, a Maariv poll shows Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud at its weakest level since June 2025, sitting at 20 seats. By contrast, Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar gains a record 23 seats, establishing a three-seat lead over Likud. Former prime minister Naftali Bennett’s Together rises to 17 seats, Yisrael Beytenu to 10, and Yair Golan’s Democrats stay unchanged at 11. Within the coalition, Itamar Ben-Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit adds a seat to eight, matching Shas and United Torah Judaism, which remain at eight. Bezalel Smotrich’s Religious Zionist Party climbs to five. As a result, the opposition bloc holds 61 seats while Netanyahu’s coalition stands at 49, with Arab parties at 10. Yesodot Israel, led by Chili Tropper and Yoaz Hendel, failed to cross the electoral threshold, receiving 2.9% of the vote.

In Uplifting News, the oldest copy of Homer’s Odyssey in book form has joined Christopher Nolan’s film press tour. The Manchester Odyssey dates back to the third century BCE in Egypt, a period when bound books began to replace scrolls. It was copied into a codex on parchment, with page numbers still visible. The surviving fragments include sections from Books 12-15 and Books 18-24. Books 12-15 cover Odysseus’s voyage past Scylla and Charybdis, Poseidon’s wrath at the Phaeacians, his return to Ithaca, and Telemachus’s voyage home from Sparta; Books 18-24 describe Odysseus’s arrival at his palace, his scheme with Telemachus to outwit the suitors, Penelope’s test, and the final reveal. The Manchester Odyssey is housed in the John Rylands Library, which notes that the fragments bear evidence of a second ancient reader contributing to the text. The manuscript accompanied Nolan’s press entourage on the film’s tour.

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/iran-news/article-903537
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-903536
https://www.timesofisrael.com/malaysia-envoy-summoned-by-us-over-expulsion-of-american-israeli-dual-citizen/
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-903539
https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-903179