Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-04-12 at 05:01

HEADLINES
- Damascus foils Hezbollah plot near Bab Tuma
- High Court permits broader anti-war protests
- Executive power clash over Ben-Gvir dismissal

The time is now 5:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, a Damascus security operation thwarted a Hezbollah plot, according to Israeli and Syrian media citing the Syrian Interior Ministry. The target was named as Rabbi Michael Khoury by KAN and Radio Free Syria. A woman in the cell allegedly tried to plant explosives at the home of a religious figure near the Maronite Church in Bab Tuma. Initial investigations point to involvement by Hezbollah, and officials said the cell received training abroad. Hezbollah published a statement denying involvement, saying it has no activity, affiliation, or presence in Syria and reaffirming its commitment to the security and stability of the country.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, former prime minister Naftali Bennett on Sunday unveiled the first two candidates to join his party’s list in the upcoming elections, naming former government director-generals Keren Terner and Liran Avisar Ben Horin. Terner had served as director-general of the Communications Ministry, and Ben Horin served as director-general of the Finance and Transportation Ministries. Bennett described them as part of Israel’s “repair team,” saying they are among the most professional and experienced managers and that they will deliver the fastest turnaround the country has seen.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, the High Court of Justice on Friday allowed broader anti-war demonstrations to go ahead over the weekend under wartime restrictions, while noting that the state has not yet formed a policy balancing security considerations with rights. The justices ordered that a protest at Haifa’s Horev Center be permitted with no fewer than 150 participants, and that a protest at Tel Aviv’s Habima Square be permitted with no fewer than the number approved by Home Front Command for gatherings in that area at the time of the protest, taking into account the existence of a protected on-site space capable of accommodating.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, the government and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu argued in a joint response to the High Court that petitions to compel his dismissal of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir are an unlawful attempt to transfer core executive authority from the elected government to the court and the attorney-general. The filing comes ahead of Wednesday’s hearing on Ben-Gvir’s alleged unlawful involvement in police matters, a position that sharply diverges from Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara’s call for an absolute order to fire Ben-Gvir.

In Uplifting News, Lighting the torch: The survivors at the heart of Israel’s Holocaust Memorial Day ceremony, eight survivors will take part in key roles at the state ceremony on Monday evening at 8 p.m. Six will light torches, one will speak on behalf of the survivors, and one will recite the prayer for the souls of the departed El Maleh Rahamim. Their stories span Lithuania, Ukraine, the Netherlands, Poland, Libya, Hungary, and Romania, reminding us of the widespread reach of the Holocaust and the paths by which survivors arrived in Israel. One survivor, Saadia Bahat, born in 1928 in Alytus, Lithuania, endured the ghetto and a brutal sequence of camps as part of that history.

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-892677
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-892679
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-892675
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-892669
https://www.jpost.com/history/article-892550