Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-04-29 at 06:02

HEADLINES
Pentagon probes Minab school strike US role
Jet fuel up 84% roils European airlines
Bondi victims concert canceled over Jewish choir

The time is now 6:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In US Military Role, five former US officials criticized the Pentagon for not publicly addressing possible American involvement in the deadly strike on a school in Minab, Iran, during Operation Epic Fury. The strike occurred on February 28 at the start of the war with Iran, with a missile hitting a primary school and killing 168 people, including around 110 children, according to Iranian officials. The Pentagon has said the incident remains under investigation. While initial headlines from US media suggested that military investigators believed American forces were likely responsible, no final conclusion has been reached, and the Pentagon has not commented on those reports. BBC reporting cited former officials who said it was unusual that the Defense Department had not released additional details after several weeks. A Pentagon official said the matter is still under review and that further information would be provided when available. In early March, President Trump accused Iran of hitting the school. Later, when US media reported that an American Tomahawk missile hit the base next to the school, he commented on that development.

In Regional Impacts, European airlines are facing their biggest challenge since the COVID-19 pandemic as the Iran war pushes up jet fuel prices and disrupts travel through the Middle East, casting a shadow over the summer holiday season. Carriers have been largely riding out the crisis with hedges that tamed costs even as jet fuel has risen nearly 84% since the start of the conflict on February 28, but they could face shortages if the war does not end soon. There is a risk that we'll see rationing of fuel supply, particularly in Asia and Europe, Willie Walsh, head of the International Air Transport Association, told Reuters, adding that supply remained robust for now. Walsh said the situation was not yet as bad as the disruption caused by the COVID pandemic in 2020, which crushed demand and battered finances. "What we're seeing here is, in effect, a cost issue for the airlines. The underlying demand for aviation remains solid." The war has weighed on airline shares, with volatility tied to peace talks.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, authorities are examining a 14-year-old Lebanese student who allegedly asked the IDF spokesperson to bomb her school, claiming Hezbollah stored weapons beneath it. The student, according to L’Orient Today, sent messages to IDF Arabic Spokesman Colonel Avichay Adraee; Lebanese authorities opened an investigation, and security forces searched the school and found nothing, according to Lebanese reports. The college principal denied the claim and said a female student admitted sending the messages as part of a game with a friend. The college added that any student proven to have harmed the school or violated the law would face accountability and could be investigated by intelligence services as the inquiry continues. Earlier this week, a Lebanese-tinged Telegram channel connected to Hezbollah and followed by tens of thousands of readers posted about the threat of explosive drones following Israel’s recent headlines, offering a perspective from a longtime critic of the war. Earlier this week, IDF soldiers identified two Hezbollah terrorists in the area south of the Forward Defense Line, posing an imminent threat; the Israeli Air Force, guided by the soldiers, eliminated the terrorists. In the past 24 hours, IDF soldiers located and confiscated numerous weapons, including firearms, grenades, magazines, missiles, and military equipment belonging to Hezbollah terrorists. Exclusive reporting shows Hezbollah cameras found in Lebanon, including in Mays al-Jabal, depicting children with guns, tunnels, and weapon caches; Yahalom and paratrooper troops said the material demonstrates that the enemy is watching and preparing.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, a charity concert intended to benefit the victims of the Bondi antisemitic terror attack was canceled after political objections to performing with a Jewish choir surfaced. The post Concert for Bondi victims cancelled over presence of Jewish choir appeared first on World Israel News. The Concert for Hope and Unity, planned to honor victims of the Bondi Beach attack, was scrapped after members of the Australian Hellenic Choir voted that they politically objected to sharing the stage with the Sydney Jewish Choral Society. The Australian reported that the majority of the Hellenic Choir voted to object, and some participants feared the event could become a target for terrorism. Organizers canceled the performance, with Anne Spira, chairwoman of the Syd..., noting that like many Jews in the arts since October 7, 2023, they have been canceled.

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/international/article-894538
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-894542
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-894555
https://t.me/abualiexpress/121359
https://t.me/selena_updates/62893
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/r1a5ml1cbx
https://worldisraelnews.com/concert-for-bondi-victims-cancelled-over-presence-of-jewish-choir/