Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-07-14 at 01:01

HEADLINES
US Strikes Iran Again, Looming Hormuz Blockade
Saudi Demands Netanyahu Ouster for Peace Deal
Israel Faces Reckoning Over October 7 Failures

The time is now 1:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In US Military Role, the United States says it has completed its latest wave of strikes on Iran. The US Central Command reported that during a five-hour mission, forces struck military targets across Iran including Bushehr, Chah Bahar, Jask, Konarak, Abu Musa, and Bandar Abbas. It marked a third consecutive night of strikes as President Trump said he was reinstating a blockade of Iranian shipping and proposed a 20 percent fee to guard the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s top joint military command said the United States had no role in determining the future of the waterway and would not be allowed to intervene, and Iran announced over the weekend that it was closing the waterway. The conflict began when the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28 and Iran responded with its own strikes on Israel and Gulf states that host US bases. US-Israeli strikes on Iran and Israeli attacks on Lebanon during the war have killed thousands and displaced millions. The war has also spiked oil prices.

In Regional Impacts, Saudi Arabia demands Netanyahu’s removal as condition for peace deal – report, Saudi Arabia has signaled it may be prepared to reopen negotiations over normalizing relations with Israel, but only after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is replaced and key policies advanced by Bezalel Smotrich in Judea and Samaria are reversed, according to an Israeli media report. Israel Hayom reported that representatives of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman delivered the message weeks ago to the White House, the State Department, and several members of Congress. The two principal demands are that Netanyahu no longer serve as prime minister following Israel’s October election and that a future Israeli government cancel measures implemented by Smotrich. The report noted that neither the White House, the State Department, nor the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office publicly confirmed the terms.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, A second failure? Israel's delay of an October 7 investigation is unacceptable - editorial, The editorial argues that the failures of October 7 were not limited to a single unit or decision. Newly revealed documents indicate Hamas contemplated an invasion force of up to 10,000 fighters against more than 200 southern communities and IDF outposts, while the actual invasion involved about 5,600 attackers across several waves. The piece notes that more than 1,200 people were murdered and 251 were taken hostage on October 7, underscoring what it calls a horrific breach of Israel’s defenses. If Hamas’s plan represented the upper limit, the editorial says Israel must confront a deeper failure in understanding the threat and the enemy it faced, and calls for a thorough, honest reckoning.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, Candidate vying to replace Platner claims Israel ‘committing genocide in Gaza right now’, JTA — Graham Platner withdrew his Senate bid, and Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, who seeks the ballot spot, said she agrees with Platner’s stance that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza and that taxpayers should not fund such actions. Bellows also reiterated that view in remarks to CNN, adding that she believes US taxpayer funds should not be used to support what she characterized as harm in Gaza.

In Uplifting News, Keren Hayesod appoints Ambassador Eli Vered Hazan as next World Chairman, The organization announced that Eli Vered Hazan, currently Israel’s ambassador to Singapore and former vice president for public diplomacy at the Jerusalem Institute of Justice, will succeed Sam Grundwerg as World Chairman. Hazan is credited with strengthening Israel’s international relations and deepening ties with Jewish communities worldwide. Grundwerg praised Hazan’s leadership and noted the organization’s achievements in fostering ties with Jewish communities and Christian friends of Israel, while boosting fundraising. Honduras’ president asked for help, Israel sent eye surgeons, An Israeli medical mission treated 155 Hondurans, including 136 who underwent eye surgery, after President Nasry Asfura requested urgent assistance as his government moved quickly to strengthen ties with Jerusalem. Rare Second Temple discoveries unearthed at ancient Shiloh, Israeli archaeologists have uncovered a series of rare Second Temple-era artifacts at the Ancient Shiloh National Heritage Site in southern Samaria, including a lavish ritual bath (mikveh), a clay cooking pot, and a rare purple-dye snail shell used to produce the prestigious dye for tzitzit and the High Priest’s garments, discovered during ongoing excavations led by the Civil Administration’s Archaeology Unit in cooperation with the Binyamin Regional Council; officials say the finds reinforce the deep historical connection between the Jewish people and Shiloh and were uncovered in a soil-sifting project involving local youth, occurring during the Three Weeks of mourning.

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.al-monitor.com/originals/2026/07/us-says-it-has-completed-its-latest-wave-strikes-iran
https://worldisraelnews.com/saudi-arabia-demands-netanyahus-removal-as-condition-for-peace-deal-report/
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-902399
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-902413
https://www.timesofisrael.com/candidate-vying-to-replace-platner-claims-israel-committing-genocide-in-gaza-right-now/
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-902421
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/b1ty6nmnfl
https://worldisraelnews.com/rare-second-temple-discoveries-unearthed-at-ancient-shiloh/