Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-06-29 at 05:02

HEADLINES
Khamenei Burial Sparks Free Iran Week
Rising Iranian cyberattacks target Israel
Houthis test missiles vow Gaza intervention

The time is now 5:02 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Iranian Retaliation, Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi called for a Global Week of Action for a Free Iran to run July 4 through July 9, aligning with the regime’s planned burial of former supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and marking six months since the protests began, which he described as a massacre. He posted that Iranians worldwide would gather outside US embassies and that Iranians inside Iran should join covertly, for example by recording videos, to show the world the true face of Iran and to honor the fallen heroes of Iran’s Lion and Sun Revolution. He urged the American people and government to stand with the Iranian people and not deal with terrorists. The campaign begins on the US Independence Day. Separately, Israeli security officials say Iranian cyberattacks against Israel have risen since the start of the US-Israeli offensive against Iran this year, with Yossi Karadi, director general of Israel’s National Cyber Directorate, telling Die Welt that in June 2025 there were about 1,600 hostile cyber incidents, rising to roughly 4,800 incidents in June 2026. The attacks targeted critical infrastructure, central organizations, small and medium-sized companies, and the public, with law firms and accounting firms among smaller targets; Israel says it has managed to fend off threats to critical infrastructure, though some groups remain highly capable and there is no ceasefire in cyberspace, with some incidents wiping computer systems.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, Western intelligence sources told The Jerusalem Post that the Iran-backed Houthis are using the current ceasefire to improve missile capabilities, conducting tests intended to increase range and accuracy. Since resuming attacks on March 28, they have fired about six missiles and five drones toward Israeli territory, after having suspended attacks during the Gaza ceasefire in October 2025. Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi warned they would intervene in support of Hamas if the IDF launches a new operation in the Gaza Strip, and said they are in continuous coordination with other resistance fronts and will act in response to any new escalation. Hamas maintains control over Gaza after deterring Palestinian protests, with analysis noting Hamas monitored a social-media campaign calling for protests on June 26, prepared deterrence measures, and publicized the executions of people suspected of collaborating with Israel. It also launched a countercampaign against Israel and envoy Nikolay Mladenov over talks, and Israeli assessments suggest Hamas urged demonstrations near the Yellow Line; a Walla report indicates the IDF controls about 70% of the Gaza Strip following engineering operations, though the protests did not unfold as planned. In Lebanon, IDF forces destroyed a 650-foot underground Hezbollah tunnel complex in Majdal Zoun, described as a key asset built with technology and knowledge from the Iranian regime, containing hundreds of weapons, four launch shafts, and a route more than 200 meters long and 25 meters deep. The site was located in the security zone in southern Lebanon. Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said he would work to thwart the US-brokered framework agreement between Israel and Lebanon, declaring that it will not pass and will not be implemented; Berri is a close ally of Hezbollah.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, Shin Bet chief David Zini discussed canceling the agency’s trips to Poland, where the trips are intended to give Shin Bet employees a first-hand look at concentration camps and the magnitude of the Holocaust. Zini indicated he did not understand the need for the trips, saying, “We do not absorb values on foreign soil.” The Shin Bet responded that Zini sees importance in preserving Holocaust memory, and that the organizational establishment of an Israeli trip to Gaza-area communities as part of a journey of correction and instilling lessons is being considered. On the Netanyahu trial, the defense opposes expanding hearing days; the panel ruled hearings would return to Jerusalem after Netanyahu completes his testimony, and beginning October 4, hearings are to run Sunday through Thursday. The defense attorney argued that five days a week would be unrealistic and slow the trial, comparing the pace to the Eichmann trial and warning that it would prevent thorough witness preparation. In Maale Adumim near Jerusalem, a large group of haredi protesters halted the arrest of a draft dodger, with police leaving the scene; footage shows a officer telling protesters, “I didn’t even bring any patrol cars, I came alone.” The broader draft-arrest campaign has drew thousands of hard-line demonstrators blocking major roads, amid ongoing tensions over conscription and policing around Gaza.

In Israeli Economy and Business, Romania’s Ministry of National Defense and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems signed a record SPYDER air-defense deal valued at more than €2 billion. The contract stands as Rafael’s largest in its history and the second-largest defense deal in Israeli defense-industry history after the Arrow 3 sale to Germany. The initial order forms part of a strategic framework valued at over €2 billion and positions SPYDER as a central component of Romania’s SHORAD-VSHORAD modernization effort. The package includes one integrated SHORAD-VSHORAD system, three VSHORAD systems, one SHORAD system, launchers, interceptors, radar, training arrays, and logistical support, with initial operational capability planned within 36 months and deliveries of the first two VSHORAD systems expected within three years, with operator training beginning ahead of acceptance.

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
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https://worldisraelnews.com/massive-hezbollah-drone-fortress-tunnel-destroyed-in-lebanon/
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https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-900785
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