Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-07-05 at 08:01

HEADLINES
Khamenei funeral draws world leaders legal action
Hamas Hezbollah pact exposed ahead of Oct7
Aoun champions framework to disarm Hezbollah

The time is now 8:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Iranian Retaliation, Hundreds of thousands of people gathered in Iran for the funeral of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He was killed when the US and Israel attacked Iran in late February, and Iran is now burying him in a week-long ceremony. What is Iran trying to accomplish and say with this funeral? Here are a few angles that are worth paying attention to. Iran has indicated it is prepared to host dozens of world leaders during the funeral. However, overall attendance has come from dignitaries who are deputies or ministers rather than top leaders. Delegations have arrived from countries across the Middle East and Asia, signaling an attempt to appeal to the global south, even as Iran’s international position has grown more isolated in recent years. Central Asian countries, such as Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, sent delegations, with Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon expressing condolences and hopes for peace in meetings with Iranian leaders in Tehran, reflecting increasingly close ties.

Separately, Iran says it will pursue legal action against Israel and the United States over Khamenei’s assassination. The process of filing a complaint after collecting evidence and documentation has begun and is being followed up, the government spokeswoman said, with the Presidential Legal Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs coordinating the effort. Khamenei was killed in February during the opening strikes of Operation Roaring Lion, an attack that also left his son Mojtaba Khamenei wounded. On the funeral’s second day, Iranians were seen chanting “kill Trump, kill Bibi” in videos circulated by Iranian outlets, underscoring the charged atmosphere surrounding the proceedings and Iran’s broader grievances.

In Regional Impacts, Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun defended the framework agreement with Israel, telling journalists that he is not in love with Israel but asking for any alternative that could bring Lebanon out of war. He urged opponents to offer solutions or agreements that could end the fighting. The trilateral framework, signed by the United States, Israel, and Lebanon, outlines a process for disarming Hezbollah, dismantling terrorist infrastructure, and enabling the Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon once the Hezbollah threat is removed. The United States described the framework as a structured path, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would remain in the security zone in southern Lebanon and coordinate with the Lebanese army as it works to disarm Hezbollah. In a separate development, a commercial vessel in the Red Sea came under attack by unknown armed assailants, an incident that adds to regional security tensions and emphasizes the volatility of maritime routes in the area.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, Hamas documents released by Army Radio shed new light on coordination with Hezbollah in the years leading up to the October 7 attack on Israel. The documents show Hamas appealed to Hezbollah not to disappoint Palestinians and outline joint planning with Iran ahead of the operation. They also reveal Hezbollah’s false promise to join Hamas in its October 7 campaign due to fear of Israel’s retaliation. The material notes that in 2019 Hamas had begun to accelerate plans to defeat the Gaza Division, and Ismail Haniyeh, the former head of Hamas’s political bureau, wrote to Hassan Nasrallah expressing confidence that Hezbollah would not disappoint their Palestinian brothers and family in the campaign against Israel.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, the government approved a proposal by Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi and Justice Minister Yariv Levin stating that it will not respect a Supreme Court injunction freezing the newly appointed Second Authority for Television and Radio Council from meeting after petitions challenged the appointments. The injunction, issued by Supreme Court Justice Alex Stein in May, halted the council’s work and blocked the appointments of Yifat Ben-Hay Segev as chairwoman and council members Kinneret Barashi and Haim Shine. The government announced it would recognize decisions by the Second Authority even if the body does not meet the legal threshold, arguing that high court justices are not the Knesset and that an abuse of power does not erase explicit statutory assignments.

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://t.me/selena_updates/66630
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-901448
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-901461