Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-05-01 at 19:02

HEADLINES
Iran rebuilds missiles during fragile ceasefire
US approves $8.6B arms sales to allies
EU ties PA aid to antisemitism removal

The time is now 7:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Direct Israel-Iran Clashes, Iran is using the ongoing ceasefire to dig out missiles, munitions, and launchers that had been hidden underground or buried under rubble from previous airstrikes, according to a US official and two other people familiar with the matter. The United States believes Iran intends to rebuild its missile capabilities in preparation for resuming hostilities if negotiations fail. President Trump was set to meet with his national security team on Thursday to review options for opening the Strait of Hormuz and removing nuclear material, with a US official telling reporters that a decision could come in the days ahead. A White House official said Trump’s planned trip to China and a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, moved to mid-May, may influence the decision, and the White House has made the trip a priority to avoid further delay. United States Central Command's commander, Admiral Brad Cooper, was scheduled to brief the president and the team on the options.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, the US State Department said on Friday it was approving military sales worth more than $8.6 billion to Middle Eastern allies Israel, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. The announcement comes as the United States and Israel’s war against Iran marked nine weeks since it began and more than three weeks since a fragile ceasefire in the Iran war took effect.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, the European Union passed several resolutions condemning Palestinian Authority educational materials containing antisemitism and the glorification of jihad. The EU’s discharge report on respect of the implementation of the 2024 budget called for any future funding to the PA to be conditional on removing antisemitic content, incitement to violence, and the glorification of martyrdom and jihad from textbooks. The European Parliament’s budget report emphasized that EU financial assistance and engagement should support education that promotes peace, tolerance and coexistence and urged reforms to PA textbooks and educational systems that fail to adhere to UNESCO standards, including materials containing antisemitism, incitement to violence, or glorification of jihad and martyrdom, while rejecting violent conflict resolution. The EU views education as a central pillar of peacebuilding and preparation for a negotiated two-state solution.

In Uplifting News, during Remembrance Day week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke at the Yad Labanim ceremony in Jerusalem, warning that without action against existential threats, the names of sites tied to Iran’s nuclear program could join the ranks of the Holocaust’s death camps, a message shaped by memory as the nation moves toward Independence Day. The ceremony, which opens the national observances, reinforces the link between memory and resolve, as families, survivors, and public figures reflect on the past while looking to the future. Separately, a Yad Vashem exhibition titled The Synagogue and the Jewish Yearly Cycle chronicles Jewish life before and during the Holocaust, with the centerpiece a reconstructed synagogue and displays that trace the calendar year’s holidays and rituals. The exhibit underscores how ritual and memory endured even as communities faced unimaginable loss, including the figure of six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust.

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-894858
https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2026/05/us-approves-military-sales-over-86-billion-middle-east-allies
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-894857
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-894590
https://www.jpost.com/history/article-894789