Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-07-09 at 12:02

HEADLINES
Iran strikes US assets amid Khamenei funeral
Danon demands UN emails behind Israel blacklist
Shas UTJ coalition reshapes Torah bill

The time is now 12:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Iranian Retaliation, mourners in Mashhad chanted slogans demanding revenge on US President Donald Trump as the funeral cortege for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei arrived, with his body transported by truck toward the Shrine of Imam Reza for a private family burial and crowds pressing along the streets beneath flags and photographs. The burial, the culmination of a week of mourning and ceremonies across Iran and Iraq, comes as the regime faces a renewed spate of tensions with the United States; Khamenei’s son Mojtaba is reportedly hidden from public view after injuries in the strike that killed his father, while his other sons were expected to take part in the processions. Separately, Iran launched retaliatory strikes on US assets in the Gulf as sirens sounded across the region and Tehran mobilized fighter jets to secure skies during the funeral, in what Iranian officials described as retaliation for US strikes inside Iran that they said killed 14 people and injured 78 across five provinces. Reports from state media and allied outlets said a rail bridge used for trade with Russia and China was hit, with other explosions reported in Bushehr as Iran’s army said it had launched attacks at multiple targets; Kuwait said its forces intercepted attacks in its airspace, recording one injury from falling shrapnel.

In US Military Role, Iranian state media is reporting that the United States hit the perimeter of the Bushehr nuclear plant, citing an official.

In Regional Impacts, Tehran is using recent Gulf attacks to press Gulf states into accepting Iran’s oversight of the Strait of Hormuz, and analysts warn that the effort exposes the absence of a durable peace framework in the region. A new assessment by the Institute for the Study of War says Iran is employing military coercion to shape maritime governance, challenging the spirit of Clause 5 of a memorandum of understanding that called for dialogue with Oman and other littoral states to define future administration and safe passage within international law. Parliamentarian Alaeddin Boroujerdi reiterated that commercial traffic through the strait should occur under Iranian oversight, ostensibly through the IRGC Navy, while Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei asserted that Clause 5 confirms Iran’s responsibility to determine safe passage arrangements, dismissing reports that a Qatari vessel was targeted.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, Israel’s UN ambassador Danny Danon has demanded the full release of all communications between Pramilla Patten and the UN Secretary-General to expose what he called undue influence over her decision to place Israel on the UN blacklist for sexual violence in conflict, alongside Hamas and other groups. Danon criticized Patten during a Security Council discussion, saying she yielded to the secretary-general and did not verify the evidence. The UN had added Israeli entities to the blacklist at the end of May, following this broader process and amid ongoing disputes over the report’s portrayal of incidents attributed to Israel.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, the haredi parties Shas and United Torah Judaism reached a coalition agreement with Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government to amend the contentious Torah study bill so it can advance in the Knesset’s House Committee after earlier objections to wording. The agreement, announced under senior Torah leadership guidance, aims to limit changes to the bill so that it remains declarative in nature, while Legal Adviser Sagit Afik warned that the proposed wording could provide benefits to those avoiding military service unless clarified. The joint statement emphasizes that the law will include only the central clause declaring Torah study a fundamental value in the heritage of the people.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, Norway’s police have dropped the case against Bassam Hussein, a project management professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology who had called the October 7 attacks “the most beautiful thing this century.” The complaint was dismissed because the remarks occurred at an event outside the campus and were not university business, with NTNU officials noting the statement may be perceived as praise for terror even as they said Hussein spoke as an individual with Gaza roots, not on behalf of the university. An anti-antisemitism group had filed the complaint, but authorities said the conduct did not meet the threshold for prosecution.

In Israeli Economy and Business, the Tel Aviv Regional Labor Court blocked Walla from pushing ahead with planned layoffs and organizational changes until talks with the Union for Journalists in Israel were completed, rejecting the company’s request to skip that process. The court ruled that, in a unionized workplace, a company must provide the union with the information needed to understand the plan, raise questions, and propose alternatives. If Walla proceeds, it must follow the process laid out in its collective agreement, including furnishing financial data, the economic basis for cuts, the expected savings, and the considered alternatives.

In Uplifting News, Gaza’s humanitarian picture shows a reassuring surge in aid during the ceasefire period, with COGAT reporting that roughly 1.78 million tons of food and other supplies entered Gaza between October 2025 and June 2026—more than three times the World Food Programme’s stated requirement. The report notes a 72% drop in food prices from September 2025 to May 2026 and says water supply exceeded 70,000 cubic meters per day, with price movements largely driven by internal market conditions and taxes. In the Netherlands, shop owners are preparing for tonight’s World Cup match between Morocco and France, reflecting the global reach of the tournament as fans anticipate the game.

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-902045
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-902037
https://t.me/JewishNews24/56919
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-902040
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-902046
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-902047
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-902038
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-902043
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-902024
https://t.me/abualiexpress/126259