Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-05-13 at 20:02

HEADLINES
Pentagon Eyes Sledgehammer Rename If Ceasefire Fails
Israel Knesset Dissolution Bill Sparks Unity Push
Sailors' Remains Recovered Across Morocco and Atlantic

The time is now 8:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In US Military Role, the Pentagon is weighing a renaming of its Iran war campaign to "Operation Sledgehammer" if the ceasefire collapses and President Trump resumes active combat against Tehran. NBC News cited two US officials, and a White House official familiar with the discussions said a new operation name could help distinguish renewed strikes from Operation Epic Fury, with other names also under consideration. If Trump resumes bombing, the US military presence in the region is now larger than when Epic Fury began in late February, with officials noting more firepower and capability at hand. Renaming the operation could allow the administration to argue that Sledgehammer is a separate campaign from Epic Fury, potentially affecting the need for Congressional approval after 60 days of action, even as CENTCOM continues to enforce the Strait of Hormuz blockade.

In Regional Impacts, Washington is hoping to press China to play a more active role in curbing Iran’s actions in the Gulf, with Foreign Secretary Marco Rubio saying in a Fox News interview that the United States wants Beijing to help push Tehran to stop its activities. In a separate note, a report quotes a Gazan saying, "We are the ones who launched this war, and we will be the ones to end it. Until the last drop of our blood, we keep offering, and sacrificing until all of us die, for the sake of Allah." The Iran war has also unsettled Turkey’s peace process with Kurdish militants; Turkish officials and PKK representatives have pulled back from bold moves toward resolution, with Ankara warning of possible Kurdish mobilizations in Iran and Iraq and resisting reforms such as amnesty for former PKK fighters, while the PKK demands disarmament first and has not given the jailed PKK leader an official role in talks.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, an IDF soldier was sentenced to 30 days in military prison after Chief of Staff Lieutenant-General Eyal Zamir caught him wearing a "Messiah" patch on his uniform. The tour of the West Bank during which the incident occurred preceded disciplinary actions: the platoon commander received a suspended 14-day detention, the company commander was reprimanded, and the battalion commander received a formal mark. Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chair Boaz Bismuth criticized the punishment, calling it grave and scandalous.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, opposition leaders reacted to a bill to dissolve the Knesset. Yair Lapid said, "We are ready. Together," while Blue and White leader Benny Gantz called the move "the beginning of the end of the worst government in Israeli history" and urged a broad Zionist unity government. Yair Golan shared a clip implying readiness for battle, and coalition whip Ofir Katz framed the dissolution bill as a way to control the process; opponents warned the proposal could add legal complexity to the dissolution process.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, Irish writer Graham Linehan accused RTÉ of "disgraceful antisemitism" over not airing this year’s Eurovision final because Israel is participating, while RTÉ plans to air an episode of Father Ted instead. Linehan criticized the broadcaster and called for the resignation of RTÉ Director General Kevin Bakhurst, arguing the decision weaponizes Father Ted in an antisemitic gesture. Separately, at Sarah Lawrence College, Jewish students faced fierce pushback as they sought to form a campus chapter of J Street U; the Student Senate rejected the application, marking the first time a J Street U campus chapter has been turned down, even as the group notes roughly two dozen such chapters exist nationwide.

In Uplifting News, the search for missing service members in Africa Lion operations yielded a recovery in Morocco. Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces announced that the remains of Specialist Mariyah Collington, 19, an air and missile defense crewmember, were found May 12 at a rocky cliff site near Cap Draa, with AFRICOM corroborating the identification. Collington had been missing since May 2 during the exercises. In a separate development, the remains of another US service member, 1st Lieutenant Kendrick Lamont Key Jr., were recovered from the Atlantic Ocean on Sunday. Both sailors were missing after an off-duty incident during the exercise, and coordinated search-and-rescue efforts involving US and partner forces had been continuing with ground, air, and maritime assets.

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/iran-news/article-896121
https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1321174
https://t.me/beholdisraelchannel/76274
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-896114
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-896110
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-896117
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-896123
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-896115
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-896124