Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-04-12 at 16:02

HEADLINES
Holocaust Remembrance Day prerecorded amid Iran tensions
IDF tank rams UNIFIL vehicles twice
Israel appoints Roman Gofman Mossad chief

The time is now 4:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Regional Impacts, Israel to mark Holocaust Remembrance Day on Monday night with a prerecorded ceremony at Yad Vashem due to the Iran conflict, despite a pause in Iranian missile salvos and a relaxation of Home Front safety regulations. The Government Press Office announced that the annual state ceremony would be prerecorded and broadcast on Monday night, as the United States and Iran announced a tenuous two-week ceasefire. Yad Vashem subsequently confirmed there would be no live ceremony. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog will deliver addresses that will be broadcast as part of the ceremony. The prime minister, the president, Supreme Court President Yitzhak Amit, and Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana are set to lay wreaths at the Holocaust memorial and museum on Tuesday morning, after the nationwide siren and moment of silence. The official wreath-laying ceremony is closed to the public.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, UNIFIL says an IDF Merkava tank rammed its vehicles twice in southern Lebanon, causing significant damage, and fired warning shots nearby, raising concerns over safety and freedom of movement. UNIFIL reported the tank blocked a road in Bayada that access UNIFIL positions. The force also said Israeli soldiers have repeatedly blocked peacekeepers’ movements in recent days and destroyed force protection cameras at Naqoura and five other positions along the Blue Line. A warning shot landed a meter away from a peacekeeper who had dismounted. In a separate incident, Hezbollah rocket fire toward northern Israel struck the remains of a Byzantine-era church in Nahariya, damaging its modern protective infrastructure. The Israel Antiquities Authority said the mosaic at the site, dating to about 550 CE, remains undamaged beneath debris, though the protective structure was affected. The site features a large mosaic floor spanning more than 500 square meters, with greens, reds, yellows, browns, and other colors.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved Military Secretary Major-General Roman Gofman as the next head of the Mossad, after the vetting committee led by former Supreme Court chief justice Asher Grunis approved him following months of delay due to prior controversies. Gofman, 49, who moved to Israel from Belarus at age 14, will replace David Barnea on June 2 after Barnea’s five-year term began in 2021. Some observers noted there are forces opposed to his appointment, though there are also strong supporters. In a separate development, Government Secretary Yossi Fuchs claimed IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant-General Eyal Zamir backs the government’s controversial haredi draft bill, though the IDF later denied direct endorsement. The bill is being advanced as part of a package in the Knesset including three laws to extend mandatory service, a conscription law, and a reserve-duty law, amid a debate over manpower shortages. Fuchs told the High Court that Zamir had said, without these three laws, the IDF will collapse, while the IDF stated it does not endorse the legislation.

In Uplifting News, approximately 120 Holocaust survivors immigrated to Israel during the Gaza war, according to the Aliyah Ministry, though immigration by aging survivors is on a decline. Among those arriving in 2026 are a 96-year-old American and an 88-year-old French woman who moved to Ashdod; in 2025, three survivors from Russia, Ukraine, and Mexico aged 84 to 87 moved to Ashkelon, Rishon Lezion, and Bat Yam. Since 2016, 2,316 Holocaust survivors have made aliyah, with a peak of 815 in 2022. Aliyah Minister Ofir Sofer said that every survivor who chooses to immigrate is living testimony to resilience and to the continued presence of the Jewish people in Israel.

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-892756
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-892768
https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-892750
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-892765
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-892760
https://www.jpost.com/aliyah/article-892762