Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-07-03 at 00:01

HEADLINES
- Trump touts Iran denuking, US respected again
- Israeli draft bill elevates soldiers over Torah
- Arab lecturer jailed for killing Jewish protester

The time is now 12:00 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, Trump claims he's the 'best president in Israel's history' in CNBC interview. During a CNBC interview in the Oval Office, the US president defended his decision to go to war with Iran, arguing that this is not a war per se but the de-nuking of Iran, and that the four-month conflict is relatively short. He asserted that he is "the best president in the history of Israel," saying that "they’re not laughing anymore" and that the US has had "very bad presidents." He also contended that not one ship got through to Iran in the Strait of Hormuz, calling the blockade "a wall of steel," and he claimed that the United States is respected again under his leadership.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, Soldiers are 'most important resource' Zamir says as haredi draft bill advances in Knesset. IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant-General Eyal Zamir, speaking at a general staff situational assessment, said soldiers should be Israel's "priority" as a Knesset bill moves to equate Torah study with army service. He noted that "Today marks 1,000 days since the outbreak of the longest war in our history," describing it as a war that began with grave failure and the worst tragedy in the state's history, but that from that tragedy Israel rose, recovered, and achieved unprecedented war-producing accomplishments. He described the current interim period across all theaters of operation, with arenas active at varying levels of intensity and interconnected, emphasizing that "the guardians of the nation’s walls"—the combat soldiers on the front lines—are first and foremost those who bear the burden, supported by others as conditions require.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, Editor's Notes: Countries didn't ban athletes from flying to Israel, they let the paperwork do it. The piece recalls a movement born when Jews were shut out of a gym in Constantinople, a force that built the Maccabiah Games so Jews could always take part. This year, Jews seeking entry were said to be blocked by paperwork from friendly governments. The author describes the torch ceremony crossing the country by motorcycle convoy in tribute to early riders, with performances by Idan Raichel and, at Teddy Stadium, Daniella Gilboa—a hostage in Gaza—singing to her people, while Yuval Raphael, a survivor of Nova, opened the night.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, Arab lecturer gets one year for killing Jewish protester in California. In California, Loay Abdel Fattah Alnaji, 53, was sentenced to one year for involuntary manslaughter in the death of Paul Kessler, 69, during dueling pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian protests, a sentence condemned by Jewish groups.

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/iran-news/article-901302
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-901299
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-901289
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bjtkthgmge