Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-05-24 at 20:02

HEADLINES
Gulf Says Trump Won't Strike Iran
Hezbollah Chief Rejects Disarmament, Praises Drones
Slovenian Jews Hope New Government Recognizes History

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 Gulf states couldn't bear cost of another war, pressure Trump to avoid attacking Iran - analysis, regional officials describe a sharp split over Washington's next move. By the middle of last week, senior Israeli officials and their Gulf counterparts had rarely appeared more divided over one question: What will US President Donald Trump decide regarding the war with Iran? In Israel, the prevailing conclusion was that Trump was going to strike. “It’s not a question of if, but when,” senior Israeli officials said. Israel also raised its level of military alertness in anticipation of a potential attack. In contrast, the consensus in the Gulf states was entirely different: “President Trump may threaten to strike, but he does not want to attack, and he will find a way to reach an agreement.” Gulf officials advanced a compelling argument: Trump does not want oil prices to surge to $250 per barrel just months before the US midterm elections for Congress and the Senate in November. Avoiding a regional energy crisis, they argued, would remain a top priority. As of Sunday, it appears that the Gulf officials were right. Over recent weeks, leaders across the region—from the Gulf states to Israel—understood that President Trump had little desire to launch a military attack. However, in Jerusalem, the assessment was that negotiations would continue.

In Hezbollah chief downplays calls to disarm terror group, praises success of FPV drone attacks, Naim Qassem denounced the concept of Hezbollah disarming as unacceptable. He argued that there is no such thing as exclusivity of weapons or disarming Hezbollah, and that disarmament would remove Lebanon's defensive capability, describing it as extermination. He noted that Israel's withdrawal in 2000 was the first liberation in the Arab region without an agreement with the Israeli entity. He praised Hezbollah's FPV drones, saying they made Israel dizzy and listing attacks on IDF soldiers. He claimed that the attacks killed several named officers, while the IDF said they were injured. Qassem also denounced the United States, saying it is not a mediator and criticizing Washington's sanctions.

In Slovenian Jewish community approaches new government with "cautious hope" - interview, Robert Waltl, director of the Jewish Cultural Center in Ljubljana and a leader of Slovenia's Jewish community, told The Jerusalem Post that the community received virtually no systematic state support from the previous government. He said he approaches every new government with cautious hope and democratic respect. He stressed that the Slovenian Jewish community is not a foreign political actor but an indigenous historical community with more than 700 years of continuous presence on the territory, a presence that was almost destroyed during the Holocaust. He noted a rise in radical anti-Israel rhetoric after October 7 and said parts of the political left failed to distinguish between legitimate criticism of Israel and antisemitism, adding that the community hopes the new government will recognize its history and concerns.

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/article-897180
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-897173
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-897182