Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-05-20 at 21:01

HEADLINES
Pentagon weighs Cuba options for Trump
Mixed-gender IDF unit powers Lebanon defense
US lifts sanctions on UN human-rights envoy

The time is now 9:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In US Military Role, the Pentagon has begun actively developing military options against Cuba for President Trump, while the US intelligence community is evaluating how the country might respond to such action.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, a hi-tech mixed-gender IDF artillery and firepower unit, part of the Eitam program, is helping fill combat manpower shortages and has been active in protecting IDF troops in southern Lebanon during the current war. The unit coordinates artillery, drones, and elements of the air force to mount rapid counterattacks against Hezbollah and to identify and coordinate defenses against Iranian aerial threats, with some interviewees describing crucial contributions during the June 2025 conflict. Among the crew is Lieutenant S, a female combat logistics officer and former combat soldier.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, the United States has removed Francesca Albanese, the UN’s special rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories, from its sanctions list, a move that follows a federal judge’s block last week finding that the sanctions likely violated her free-speech rights after she criticized Israel’s war in Gaza. Albanese had urged ICC war-crimes prosecutions against Israeli and American nationals. Her husband and daughter, both US citizens, had sued the Trump administration in February over the measures, arguing they effectively debanked her. Albanese thanked her family in a post after the decision, and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez recently presented her with the Commander's Cross of the Order of Civil Merit.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, the government approved a NIS 250 million plan for the preservation and development of heritage and archaeological sites in the West Bank, including new heritage centers and tourism infrastructure and funding to combat looting and vandalism. The Knesset’s Education, Culture and Sports Committee is racing to finish a controversial bill seeking to extend Israeli civilian control over antiquities in the West Bank and Gaza for final votes. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the decision carries national and historical importance as Israel marks 60 years since the liberation of Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem, arguing the move will preserve the past to secure the future and strengthen the country’s hold on the land.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, survivors of Islamist terror attacks in the UK say Britain’s charity regulator is moving too slowly to curb organizations alleged to promote extremist and Iranian-linked propaganda. The Telegraph report cites victims who warn that the Charity Commission is not acting quickly enough to shut down charities that promote hate, amid ongoing investigations into groups with alleged links to the Iranian regime. The government has announced plans to strengthen the watchdog’s powers to shut down such charities, but those measures have not yet been implemented, fueling concerns about Britain's ability to counter hostile influence and prevent extremist narratives from spreading.

In Uplifting News, former Israeli national soccer captain Bibars Natcho has announced his retirement from the sport at age 38. The Partizan Belgrade midfielder and former Israel captain reflected on a two-decade career across Israel and Europe in a retirement video, saying his journey has come to an end. Natcho began at Hapoel Tel Aviv’s youth academy, rising to the senior team and contributing to domestic success and European qualifications, and in 2018 he was named the permanent captain of the Israeli national team.

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://t.me/JewishNews24/54650
https://t.me/DefenderDome/20837
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-896909
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-896912
https://www.timesofisrael.com/west-bank-and-gaza-antiquities-bill-advances-as-govt-okays-nis-250m-heritage-plan/
https://www.jpost.com/international/islamic-terrorism/article-896672
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/sports/article-896915