Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-06-29 at 18:03

HEADLINES
Venezuela Earthquakes Kill 1,700 Leave Thousands Homeless
IDF Blast Splits Majdal Zoun Village
Netanyahu Opens Hatayelet Promenade in Migdal Oz

The time is now 6:02 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Death toll rising from Venezuelan earthquakes, 16,000 left homeless, The death toll from last week's twin earthquakes in Venezuela has risen to more than 1,700 people, top lawmaker Jorge Rodriguez said on Monday. 5,034 were wounded in the disaster, and more than 15,866 were left homeless, Rodriguez added in an address on state television. This is a developing story.

In The massive explosion carried out by the IDF overnight in the southern Lebanese village of Majdal Zoun, aimed at destroying Hezbollah infrastructure, left behind a large crater that now effectively divides the village into two sections. The second photo shows the same village before and after the explosion of Hezbollah's underground infrastructure last night.

In Rubio, Witkoff to address Congress on US-Iran agreement, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff will brief Congress on the US-Iran agreement on Monday. Rubio and Witkoff will address Congress virtually, as some Representatives are still traveling back to Washington, before the House goes into session Monday night, and the Senate is on a two-week July 4 recess. While the briefing will be unclassified and open to all House and Senate members, a separate, classified briefing is expected later this week for members on select committees. This is a developing story.

In טראמפ מנמיך ציפיות בנוגע לפגישה עם איראן בקטר: ״הפגישה בדוחה עשויה להיות חשובה, ואולי לא.״ נגלה בהמשך., Trump lowers expectations regarding a meeting with Iran in Qatar, saying the Doha talks may be important, or perhaps not; more details to come.

In Netanyahu attends unveiling of new 'Hatayelet' neighborhood in Kibbutz Migdal Oz, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday attended the inaugural ceremonies of the Hatayelet (Promenade) neighborhood in Kibbutz Migdal Oz in Gush Etzion. The prime minister was accompanied by his wife, Sara Netanyahu, Noam Leiter, son of US Ambassador Yechiel Leiter, and Ofri Nir, whose father was killed in combat in Gaza in January of 2024. Netanyahu spoke of the community's growth as a “symbolic act” of historical return, national survival, and continuity. The inauguration comes amid a broader government push to expand Jewish communities in the West Bank, particularly in the wake of Hamas’s October 7 terror attacks in southern Israel in 2023. Since the war's onset, the government has approved dozens of new settlements and witnessed the rapid establishment and expansion of at least 100 unauthorized outposts, according to the United Nations and the Israeli anti-settlement group, Peace Now. Hatayelet’s inauguration marks another step in the development of Kibbutz Migdal Oz, which, according to the Prime Minister's Office, is expected to "double its size within a year."

In שב"ח נפצע באורח בינוני מירי משטרתי בתל אביב במהלך ניסיון הימלטות ובריחה https://t.me/newssil, A Shin Bet operative was moderately injured by police gunfire in Tel Aviv during an attempted escape.

In Mamdani: ‘I can’t tell you I support’ Israel as a Jewish state, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he could not endorse states that privilege one religion over another, including Israel and Saudi Arabia, during a one-on-one interview with ABC’s Jonathan Karl on Sunday. Mamdani said equal rights for all people should be the standard, and that while he has consistently stated he supports “the state of Israel as a state with equal rights,” he cannot back a state that privileges one religion over another. The interview came as Democratic Socialist candidates for Congress swept the New York Democratic primaries.

In A tale of two marches: LGBTQ Jews face cheers, heckles at NYC Pride, Dillon Perez waved a large rainbow flag with a Star of David at New York City’s Pride March on Sunday. Perez was greeted with cheers and cries of “Jewish pride” from spectators during an initial Pride contingent, but later joined a second Jewish contingent hosted by the liberal pro-Israel group Zioness and faced heckling and chants criticizing Israel. The experience reflected the complex realities many LGBTQ Jews describe at Pride events in the current era.

In IDF Home Front Command, Foreign Ministry, sending delegation to Venezuela to aid in quake recovery, Ambassador Yoed Magen, who grew up in Venezuela, will lead the Foreign Ministry’s activities within the delegation while Home Front Command Chief of Staff Brigadier-General Elad Edri will command the IDF delegation. Engineering professionals from the Home Front Command and representatives from the Foreign Ministry will also join, with additional experts from the Home Front Command and the National Emergency Management Authority expected to join later. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar described the move as a demonstration of the State’s humanitarian commitment to those affected by the disaster.

In Palestinian-Israeli filmmaker's tragedy about honor killings wins top prizes at Monte-Carlo, Fadia, written, directed by, and starring Palestinian-Israeli filmmaker Shady Srour, has earned major recognition at the 2026 Monte-Carlo Television Festival, winning Best Film, Best Actress for Yara Jarrar, and the Jury Special Prize. It was produced both as a four-part television series for Makan, Israel’s Arabic-language public television channel, and as a feature-length work for theatrical and festival release, tackling the issue of honor killings as a broader tragedy shaped by rumor, social pressure, and silence.

In Shalom Los Angeles, Shalom Los Angeles

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.

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