Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-07-17 at 06:01

HEADLINES
US strikes Iran as prices nearly double
EU force to replace UN Lebanon mission
Israel Parliament dissolves ahead of elections

The time is now 6:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In US Military Role, a new wave of US attacks on Iran has plunged Iranians back into uncertainty and anxiety after a period of relative calm while a shaky ceasefire held. Iranians described mounting economic problems and worries about what comes next, with reports of pre-war prices nearly doubling. A software engineer in western Iran said he had married shortly before the conflict began, and residents described the stress of living with the back-and-forth of war and peace making it hard to plan for the days ahead. Separately, US forces launched a major wave of strikes against Iranian military targets, with observers noting that no deal is seen as solving the problem and some saying only toppling the regime would change the dynamic.

In Regional Impacts, Germany’s foreign minister proposed replacing the expiring UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon with an EU-mandated force to prevent a security vacuum, arguing that a European mission could create conditions for an Israeli withdrawal without Hezbollah returning. The proposal comes as Lebanon’s stabilizing government is viewed as a hopeful development in the region. In a separate development, a tanker was struck about 19 nautical miles east of Khasab, Oman, causing minor structural damage to its port side, highlighting continued regional tensions and the vulnerability of maritime traffic near the Strait of Hormuz.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman declared the Nile crocodile a cultivated wild animal to enable National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s proposed crocodile prison, a move meant to facilitate a containment plan around prisons, though it faced opposition from her ministry’s legal adviser and the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, which argued the proposal was not feasible under existing rules. Meanwhile, Israel’s parliament dissolved ahead of elections slated for October 27, after lawmakers advanced a late-session push of bills; observers note the last full term without early elections was in 1988 as the country moves toward a potentially contentious electoral cycle. Also, Shin Bet chief David Zini plans to summon Channel 12 journalists for questioning in connection with a leak regarding the timing of a potential attack on Iran.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, Jewish advocacy groups in Australia condemned universities over revelations to a royal commission into antisemitism and social cohesion, saying campus leadership allowed anti-Israel activism and antisemitism to go largely unchecked, particularly after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack. The criticism also referenced the presence on some campuses of Hizb ut-Tahrir, a group Australia has prohibited since early 2026, as hearings in Melbourne focus on how antisemitism has been addressed on campuses and the response from university leadership.

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/iranians-suffer-new-uncertainty-and-anxiety-us-steps-attacks
https://t.me/hnaftali/23922
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-902824
https://t.me/selena_updates/67259
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-902827
https://worldisraelnews.com/israels-parliament-dissolves-ahead-of-oct-27-elections/
https://t.me/newssil/206891
https://worldisraelnews.com/jewish-advocacy-group-blasts-australian-higher-education-establishment-over-antisemitism-revelations/