Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-07-10 at 02:02

HEADLINES
Gaza rubble cleanup soars to $2.5B
Yashar tops Likud in pivotal poll
Skapion seals $36M seed for drone swarms

The time is now 2:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Regional Impacts, the destruction in the Gaza Strip after more than two and a half years of fighting is estimated at about 40 million tons of rubble, with the cleanup bill put at roughly $2.5 billion.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, a Maariv poll shows Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party overtaking Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud for the first time, with Yashar at 22 seats and Likud at 21, while Bennett and Lapid’s Together party slips to 18 seats. The new party led by Chili Tropper and Yoaz Hendel drew 2.9% of the vote and did not cross the electoral threshold, but it pulled support from Religious Zionist voters, pushing that bloc down to four seats and narrowing Netanyahu’s coalition to 49 seats. Arab parties remain at 11 seats. The poll also projects several shifts if elections were held today, with Yashar at 22, Likud 21, Yisrael Beytenu and the Democrats at 10, Otzma Yehudit, Shas and United Torah Judaism at eight each, Hadash-Ta’al at six, Ra’am at five, and Religious Zionist Party at four.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, a 65-year-old Pennsylvania man, Richard John Franklin, was arrested after allegedly directing antisemitic slurs at Governor Josh Shapiro and threatening arson at the governor’s mansion. He faces charges including terrorist threats, ethnic intimidation, harassment, and disorderly conduct. Franklin had visited a district office seeking help with unpaid taxes; authorities say he admitted using an antisemitic slur and described his arson-threat remarks as sympathetic because the governor and his family had survived an arson attack in the past.

In Israeli Economy and Business, Skapion, an Israeli defense technology company, announced a $36 million seed round led by UP.Partners and Khosla Ventures, with participation from Fusion VC, Stratos Ventures, TBD VC and q Fund. Skapion is developing a mobile, end-to-end Native Counter Swarm system to detect, engage, and neutralize drone swarms at scale, designed to operate in environments with limited communications. The technology aims to complement maneuvering forces, fixed installations, and critical infrastructure as drones become a rising factor on modern battlefields, including cheap fiber-optic drones used by groups in the region.

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.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1342862
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-902098
https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1342865
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-902101
https://www.jpost.com/defense-and-tech/article-902100