Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-05-17 at 06:01

HEADLINES
Ford Carrier Returns, Earns Presidential Unit Citation
IRGC Tightens Grip, Diaspora Divided Abroad
US Partially Accepts Iran Demands, Seeks Talks

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, the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group has returned to Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, after an 11-month deployment that kept more than 4,500 service members away from home for 326 days. The Ford was escorted in by the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers USS Bainbridge and USS Mahan as it returned with the carrier group. The ships spent the deployment operating in the North Sea, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, and the Red Sea in support of US operations, including Operation Epic Fury against Iran. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Daryl Caudle welcomed the fleet on arrival and addressed the crew. Hegseth called the deployment “an extraordinary amount of time for naval deployment,” and said, “I recognize that… The President of the United States recognizes that, and that's why we're here today - to honor your skill, your proficiency, your dedication, and your heroism.” He presented the crew with the Presidential Unit Citation, the highest collective honor a military unit can receive in the US Armed Forces.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, Khosro Isfahani, research director at the National Union for Democracy in Iran, spoke with The Jerusalem Post about the evolving state of the Iranian opposition, the growing grip of the IRGC on power, and Tehran’s overseas influence networks. Isfahani described the diaspora’s unity as hindered by ideological and personal divisions, and outlined the regime’s overseas activities, including propaganda, intimidation, espionage, and alleged criminal links in Europe and North America. He discussed the regime’s internal trajectory, its increasing reliance on the IRGC, the erosion of distinctions between moderates and hardliners, and what Iran could look like in the coming decade if current trends continue. He argued that longstanding Western policy toward Tehran has failed to produce meaningful change and warned of risks in avoiding decisive confrontation.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, according to reports, the United States has partially accepted the Iranian conditions. Washington reportedly sent Tehran a document setting five terms, including allowing Iran to operate only one set of nuclear facilities and rejecting compensation for the war. It also demanded that, while a ceasefire remains in place across theaters, negotiations should proceed toward ending the war. There has been confusion about the number of ballistic missiles Iran possesses.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Liberman accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of endangering Israel’s national security to pursue a personal political arrangement with US President Donald Trump, during a 103FM interview. Liberman said the arrangement was driven by efforts to cancel Netanyahu’s ongoing criminal trial and remove an international arrest warrant, describing the plan as turning Israel into a banana republic. He warned against forming coalitions with ultra-Orthodox factions. Separately, MK Moshe Arbel informed Shas chairman Aryeh Deri of his resignation from the Knesset, praising Deri in a personal letter and saying it would be a privilege to continue serving in line with the party’s values outside the Knesset.

In Israeli Economy and Business, German defense group Diehl Defense, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and EuroSpike announced successful firing tests of the Spike LR guided missile from the Ziesel unmanned ground vehicle. A total of 17 guided missiles were fired from the UGV over five days, with Diehl noting the platform demonstrated impressive performance and withstood operational stress. The tests followed the Ziesel launcher’s public debut at Enforce Tac 2025 in Nürnberg. The broader context notes Germany’s Bundeswehr aims to expand its conventional forces to about 460,000 troops by the mid-2030s, with a push toward technology-driven military capabilities by 2039. Unmanned ground vehicles are highlighted as a key technology in modern warfare.

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-896411
https://www.jpost.com/podcast/article-896419
https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1322356
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-896417
https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1322358
https://www.jpost.com/defense-and-tech/article-896414