Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-04-22 at 17:02

HEADLINES
US Jets Shoot Iranian Drones Over Erbil
Five Killed in Gaza Beit Lahia Strike
US Calls Iranian Seizures Piracy Not Breach

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

In מטוסי קרב אמריקאים יירטו כטב"מים איראניים מעל ארביל, עיראק. דווח על פיצוצים כתוצאה מהיירוט, US fighter jets shot down Iranian drones over Erbil, Iraq, with reports of explosions tied to the intercept.

In לאחר שצה"ל תלו פסל חדש - כוחות הצבא האיטלקי יוניפי"ל בלבנון החליפו היום את הפסל שהושחת בכפר דבל בדרום לבנון https://t.me/newssil, Italian-led UNIFIL troops in Lebanon replaced the vandalized statue in the village of Debel in southern Lebanon. Palestinian media reported that five people were killed in an Israeli strike on Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip.

In White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has said that US President Donald J. Trump does not view the Iranian seizure of the MSC Francesca and Epaminodes as a violation of the ceasefire framework, saying that the vessels were not US or Israeli vessels. She also added that such actions only amount to piracy by the Islamic Republic of Iran.

In Messages of peace feature prominently in Herzog, Sa'ar Independence Day speeches, President Isaac Herzog and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar co-hosted the Independence Day reception at the President’s Residence, focusing on peace with Lebanon. The event, normally held later in the day, took place in the morning because the military ceremony was pre-recorded. Herzog called this a period of historic times and said that decisions by leaders and nations can affect the region’s future for generations to come, including in relation to the war with Iran and Hezbollah, stating, “This is a battle for the future of our children.” He noted that no Arab ambassadors or diplomats from Muslim countries were present and welcomed them on Israel’s 78th Independence Day.

In A lost film by Israeli B-movie director Sam Firstenberg gets a new life, Israeli-raised director Sam Firstenberg, known for action staples like American Ninja and Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo, is seeing a career revival as his overlooked 1989 film Riverbend screens for one night at Alamo Drafthouse theaters in five cities on April 29. Riverbend centers on a group of Black Vietnam veterans who arrive in a Southern town to liberate it from a racist sheriff, and the screening could spark renewed interest in Firstenberg’s body of work, which includes titles such as American Samurai, Cyborg Cop, Delta Force 3: The Killing Game, and Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo.

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://t.me/newssil/199864
https://t.me/newssil/199866
https://t.me/newssil/199865
https://t.me/DefenderDome/20447
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-893866
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-893868
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-893867
https://worldisraelnews.com/trump-awarded-israel-prize-for-special-contribution-to-the-jewish-people/