Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-06-17 at 00:02

HEADLINES
Iranian Drones Threaten Hormuz Nightly US Intercepts
Narcoterrorist Vessel Struck One Killed
Three Nations Launch Israel Palestine Peace Fund

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 intercepts Iranian UAVs targeting Hormuz shipping every night since the deal, Iran has continued to launch unmanned aerial vehicles toward the Strait of Hormuz on a nightly basis, and US forces have been intercepting them. The memorandum of understanding accompanying the deal is described as deliberately vague and is viewed by observers as omitting key nuclear concessions discussed behind the scenes. Separately, at the direction of SOUTHCOM Commander General Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Southern Spear conducted a strike on a vessel operated by a designated terrorist organization involved in narcotics trafficking in the Eastern Pacific. According to the release, one male narco-terrorist was killed and two survived, and SOUTHCOM coordinated with the US Coast Guard to begin search and rescue operations for the survivors. A subsequent briefing notes that footage shows one suspect killed, two survivors rescued, and no US personnel injured.

In Regional Impacts, Senator Lindsey Graham says Saudi Arabia and Israel owe President Trump a lot, and it would be good for the region and the world for these two countries to make peace and do business together.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, Israelis deserve answers on US-Iran deal, not a campaign speech. The editorial argues Netanyahu’s address on the US-Iran deal left Israelis without straight talk about what the burgeoning deal means for them, focusing on political messaging rather than clarity on the agreement’s implications, and notes that Netanyahu indicated he does not yet know the details of the deal. Separately, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said that America’s foundations are deeply tied to Jewish history and heritage, stating that without Israel there would not be an America.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised that Israel will bring the entire Bnei Menashe community, about 6,000 people from India’s northeast, to Israel over the next four to five years, with roughly 1,200 expected to arrive by the end of this year. The government approved a proposal from the Aliyah and Integration Minister to relocate the entire community, which currently resides in Manipur and Mizoram, and about 600 have already moved this year, with another 600 anticipated by the end of 2026. Netanyahu said the community is an inseparable part of the Jewish people and that Israel will support their absorption and future in the Galilee and in Nof Hagalil.

In Uplifting News, Britain launches Israel-Palestine peace fund alongside Australia, Canada. The three countries unveiled an International Peace Fund to advance peace between Israelis and Palestinians and support a sustainable two-state solution, with each contributing 1 million pounds to launch the fund as part of a broader diplomatic effort. The announcement followed talks among UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand, and the fund is intended to complement humanitarian support and peace-building initiatives. Hidden for 1,700 years: Stunning Roman treasure uncovered in Israel. In northern Israel, two well-preserved 1,700-year-old Roman marble statues were found buried beneath an ancient winepress, likely once decorating a villa near Caesarea, with the identities of the figures and the reason for concealment not yet known. In African cave, Israeli, international scientists find signs of earliest use of fire. A collaborative study reports evidence that humans used fire as far back as about 1.8 million years ago in Wonderwerk Cave, South Africa, pushing back previous estimates and illustrating an earlier mastery of controlled fire, based on burns detected on fossilized bones using a new analytical approach.

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.ynetnews.com/article/bk000tk1gml
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https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-899623
https://www.jpost.com/american-politics/article-899637
https://www.jpost.com/aliyah/article-899638
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-899641
https://worldisraelnews.com/hidden-for-1700-years-stunning-roman-treasure-uncovered-in-israel/
https://t.me/JewishNews24/55863
https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-african-cave-israeli-international-scientists-find-signs-of-earliest-use-of-fire/