Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-07-09 at 00:02

HEADLINES
Iran strikes Gulf states, warns Hormuz open
US hits Iran again as tensions surge
Deal collapse fuels US political realignment

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 Iranian Retaliation, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed responsibility for strikes on Gulf states on Thursday morning. Sirens sounded in Bahrain for a second time, with Bahrain's interior ministry and state media attributing the alerts to Iranian missiles. Kuwait reported that air defenses were confronting rocket and drone attacks, and Qatar sent an elevated security alert to mobile phones with an all-clear issued within about 10 minutes. Iranian Parliament Speaker Muhammad Bagher Ghalibaf posted on X that the strikes were in response to American attacks on southern Iran, warning that if the United States strikes again, it will be hit, and that the Strait of Hormuz will open only with Iranian arrangements rather than American threats.

In US Military Role, the United States carried out a second wave of strikes against Iran, targeting more than 90 military sites including air defenses, missile and drone facilities, naval assets, and coastal defense infrastructure along Iran’s coastline. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps retaliated with missile and drone attacks on US bases in Bahrain and Kuwait, triggering air-raid sirens and prompting Kuwait to activate its defenses. Israel was placed on high alert as regional tensions rose, and Washington redeployed aerial refueling aircraft to the region. Separately, the US military said it struck two railway bridges in northern Iran with cruise missiles, the first such attack on Iranian infrastructure since the April ceasefire. In Ankara, President Trump departed the NATO summit aboard the older Air Force One on the Secret Service’s recommendation, a precautionary measure not tied to any specific threat, with officials noting the newer aircraft lacks some defensive systems and that the older plane would be used to allow service members to see a “magnificent” aircraft.

In Regional Impacts, massive crowds came to mourn for the slain Iranian leader Khamenei, in Karabala, Iraq.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, an editorial argues that President Trump must not abandon his pledge to the Iranian people as the Tehran deal appears to be collapsing, warning of broader regional consequences and underscoring how Iran, its nuclear program, and its regional influence shape regional dynamics. Rahm Emanuel, former White House chief of staff and ambassador to Japan, said Democrats who support Israel can still lead the party to the White House, but they must reexamine the existing alignment with Israel, calling the current “status quo” unacceptable. In Michigan, Haley Stevens criticized Netanyahu as a danger to Jews in America and around the world, while Abdul El-Sayed described Israel as a rogue nation, highlighting how debates over Israel are shaping Democratic primary politics and pointing to donor ties connected to AIPAC. Separate exchanges circulated in which Trump and reporters discussed Iran’s willingness to negotiate and questions about threats against high-profile US assets, underscoring the ongoing tensions surrounding Iran and the potential for diplomacy amid a challenging regional landscape.

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-901944
https://t.me/JewishNews24/56914
https://worldisraelnews.com/middle-east-on-edge-as-us-pounds-iran-tehran-strikes-gulf-bases/
https://t.me/DefenderDome/22065
https://t.me/beholdisraelchannel/78221
https://t.me/beholdisraelchannel/78220
https://t.me/selena_updates/66874
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-901921
https://www.jpost.com/american-politics/article-901947
https://www.timesofisrael.com/pro-israel-democrat-slams-netanyahu-anti-israel-candidate-rails-at-aipac-in-michigan-senate-debate/
https://t.me/JewishNews24/56905
https://t.me/JewishNews24/56906