Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-05-16 at 00:02

HEADLINES
US-Nigerian raid kills ISIS deputy
Hamas chief Haddad strike hailed by ex-hostages
US open to twenty year enrichment halt

The time is now 12:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In US Military Role, President Donald Trump says the deputy commander of ISIS was killed in a joint American-Nigerian operation. The report also notes a high-profile reported attempt to eliminate Hamas’ top leader in Gaza, with questions about whether Iran directed the strike, and mentions remarks from Israel’s Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir, emphasizing the IDF’s unity as it faces regional pressures. It also notes ongoing questions in Israel about who will lead Fatah and related security risks in the region.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, ex-hostages hail strike on Hamas chief Haddad. Freed hostages Liri Albag and Emily Damari say Izz al-Din al-Haddad held them in Hamas tunnels and helped plan their abductions; Israel says it targeted the Gaza chief and the October 7 architect in a Gaza City strike, as Hamas prepares to choose a new political leader.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, Iran giving mixed signals on deals, US open to 20 year halt to enrichment deal, Trump says. Trump argues that the United States and Iran had agreed to a deal that Iran later repudiated, and says the arrangement would require Iran to provide enriched uranium, with only the US and China having the equipment to extract it from beneath rubble created by strikes. He asserts that Iran’s leadership is fragmented and discordant. He also claimed the United States Space Force has nine cameras monitoring the uranium site to prevent premature extraction before any agreement.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, NYT accuses Israel of trying to stifle journalism by taking legal action over op-ed. The New York Times says the PMO’s threat of legal action over a Nicholas Kristof column is part of a broader pattern to undermine independent reporting and stifle journalism; the PMO calls Kristof’s piece among the most distorted lies about Israel, while the Times defends the column as deeply reported and notes that any legal claim would be meritless. The Times also contrasts this incident with a prior 2025 controversy over a miscaptioned photo.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, Talarico won’t campaign with Democratic candidate calling for ‘a prison for American Zionists.’ Texas state representative James Talarico says antisemitic rhetoric has no place in politics and that leaders in both parties must stand against hate, distancing himself from Maureen Galindo, who has drawn attention for conspiratorial rhetoric about “billionaire Zionists.” New York: From freedom and pluralism to hatred, antisemitism - opinion. An opinion piece argues that antisemitism has surged in New York, noting tension around Mayor Zohran Mamdani and a social media incident involving Mamdani’s wife, Rama Duwaji, after a cafe encounter with an Israeli person, highlighting a broader shift in the city’s climate where antisemitism is increasingly visible in public discourse.

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.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1321929
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/r1ti3ls1ml
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-896343
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-896344
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-896345
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-895874