Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-07-14 at 23:02

HEADLINES
Netanyahu warns Iran of stronger strike
IRGC strikes escalate hitting US bases
US records show effort to block statehood

The time is now 11:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Direct Israel-Iran Clashes, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Iranian leaders against attacking Israel, saying Israel's response would be far more powerful than past strikes. "Gone are the days when someone would attack us and we wouldn’t strike back with a single blow," he declared.

In Iranian Retaliation, tit-for-tat strikes between Iran and the United States appear to be escalating, with Iran’s IRGC launching near daily drone and missile attacks against US bases across the Middle East, including those in Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait. Traders on Polymarket predict that Iran will once again carry out military action against a Gulf State on Friday, July 17, with chances currently sitting at around 65%. Iran struck a critical facility in Kuwait, causing multiple massive explosions and starting a fire, according to the IRGC-linked Fars News Agency; Kuwait's KUNA later said the blaze had been brought under control. Six teams, backed by the army and National Guard, responded to the strike, with no injuries reported, and Kuwait's air defenses confronted Iranian drone attacks. Overnight, US military sites at the Azraq base in Jordan were targeted, with Fars reporting a missile strike citing Iraqi media. The IRGC claimed responsibility for an attack on Kuwait's Mina Abdullah oil refinery, and the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the end of America's evils. A mineral water production factory in Dehloran, west of Baghdad, was targeted by Iranian strikes.

In US Military Role, BREAKING: President Trump announced that the Strait of Hormuz is now open to all international shipping except vessels tied to Iran, crediting the US military for securing the vital waterway. He said the US will impose a full blockade on ships traveling to or from Iranian ports or carrying Iranian cargo, while replacing a proposed 20% reimbursement fee with new trade and investment agreements from Gulf nations, and he added that Iran “will never have a nuclear weapon.” The United States also renewed a naval blockade and launched new strikes on Iranian military targets as the blockade took effect, while Iran reported explosions across the Gulf; Kuwait said it intercepted missiles and drones and Bahrain confirmed it was attacked. According to a release from US Central Command, in a seven-hour tranche of strikes, dozens of Iranian targets were hit, including missile and drone sites, naval capabilities, and coastal defense systems. During his visit to the US today, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi was hosted at the Pentagon by US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, who noted the US’s wish for Iraq’s government to deal with Iranian-backed non-state actors, as the secretary said Iranian-backed groups have been responsible for 600+ attacks on US forces this spring.

In Regional Impacts, Canadian wildfire smoke is drifting back into the New York metropolitan area, including New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, coming from a wildfire outbreak in Ontario; while it should not impact air quality much today, surface smoke could increase Wednesday into Thursday, potentially reducing visibilities and air quality. Visible commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains far below the normal average of 130+ ship transits per day, with fewer than a dozen vessels completing the transit over the past 24 hours, all utilizing the Iranian traffic separation scheme and none using the US-established southern route through Omani waters. Some ships may be transiting with AIS transponders disabled and thus not visible on MarineTraffic; the observable data indicate shipping through one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints remains severely disrupted amid the escalating conflict.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, newly revealed recording details US effort to stop declaration of Israeli statehood show rare testimony from Isser Harel about the high-stakes pressure on Ben-Gurion before Israel’s founding, including a US warning that declaring independence could lead to defeat without American support.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, Israel's government has approved a N1.075 billion plan (about $300 million) to build access and security roads for dozens of new communities in Judea and Samaria authorized during the war, with infrastructure for Homesh, Sa-Nur, Ganim, and Kadim; the funding will be split between the Transportation and Defense ministries, and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said the plan will strengthen security and support the establishment of additional communities across the region. Netanyahu is set for a Washington trip as he seeks a meeting with Trump, with no meeting scheduled yet; he is expected to fly to Washington Saturday night and attend Senator Lindsey Graham’s funeral, whose final date has yet to be determined.

In Uplifting News, good morning from Dubai! While the Persian Gulf and the nearby Strait of Hormuz remained anything but quiet during the night, all was well in Dubai. Jet lag had the reporter awake early, but the sense of gratitude was clear for being in Dubai and gathering with brothers and sisters in Christ from many nations to study God’s Word; moments like these are described as a reminder that God is gathering His people for His glory.

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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