Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-05-13 at 22:01

HEADLINES
Possible Renewed Strikes Prompt Operation Sledgehammer Rename
Remains of Two US Soldiers Recovered
Judge Blocks Albanese Sanctions Over Free Speech

The time is now 10:01 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 rename of the Iran war campaign to “Operation Sledgehammer” if the ceasefire fails and President Trump orders renewed strikes. Officials told NBC News that a new operation name could distinguish any renewed campaign from Operation Epic Fury, which began on February 28. If a bombing campaign resumes, CENTCOM notes the US military footprint in the region is larger now and commanders say they have greater firepower and capability than in February. A White House official indicated that the rename is one option among several and could help frame the operation as separate from Epic Fury, potentially affecting Congressional considerations after the initial 60 days. Separately, AFRICOM confirmed the remains of Specialist Mariyah Collington, 19, an air and missile defense crewmember, were found in Cap Draa, Morocco, after she had been missing since May 2 during the African Lion exercises. The remains of another US soldier, 1st Lieutenant Kendrick Lamont Key Jr., were recovered from the Atlantic Ocean on Sunday. The two service members disappeared near Tan Tan, Morocco, following a fall from a cliff during off-duty time on a hike, with US, Moroccan, and partner forces conducting coordinated search-and-rescue operations.

In Regional Impacts, Iran has again reframed the Bubiyan Island engagement, with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi saying the incident reflected Kuwaiti targeting of Iranian civilians and demanding their release, calling the episode an effort to sow discord. In Washington, Lebanon and Israel are slated to hold new peace talks starting Thursday as their latest ceasefire, though frayed, nears its end. The truce has been extended through Sunday and followed a April 23 White House meeting where President Trump voiced optimism for a historic summit that ultimately did not take place; Lebanese President Michel Aoun said a security framework and an end to Israeli attacks are prerequisites for such a summit. Since the ceasefire began on April 17, Lebanese authorities say Israeli strikes have killed more than 400 people, and Israel has pledged to continue pressuring Hezbollah despite the pause in fighting.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, a federal judge temporarily blocked US sanctions on UN Palestinian territories expert Francesca Albanese, saying the Trump administration likely violated her free-speech rights by sanctioning her. The measures barred her from entering the United States and banking there. Albanese, who has urged the ICC to pursue war-crimes prosecutions against Israeli and American nationals, has said the sanctions amount to debanking and interference with daily life for her family. US District Judge Richard Leon in Washington found that her residency outside the United States does not remove her First Amendment protections and that the sanctions appeared to target the “idea or message expressed.”

In Uplifting News, Albrecht Weinberg, a Holocaust survivor who returned to Germany in his eighties, has died at 101. Born in 1925 in Rhauderfehn, he moved back to Germany fourteen years ago and recently saw a film about his life premiere; Leer’s mayor spoke of his tireless storytelling about the Nazi era to warn against forgetting. Separately, an elite US Air Force unit rescued 11 plane crash survivors off the coast of Florida after a pilot was forced to ditch the aircraft miles offshore near Melbourne, guiding everyone onto a life raft and to safety.

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.jpost.com/international/article-896124
https://t.me/DefenderDome/20729
https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2026/05/lebanon-israel-hold-new-talks-us-ceasefire-nears-end
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-896122
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-896120
https://t.me/JewishNews24/54338