Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-07-21 at 20:02

HEADLINES
- US Strikes on Iran Enter Eleventh Wave
- Eisenkot's Yashar Leads Knesset Polls
- Limmud LA Returns with 100 Sessions

The time is now 8:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In US Military Role, US Central Command confirms the 11th consecutive wave of strikes on Iran began at the top of the hour. Footage reportedly shows strikes against IRGC and regime targets in Tabriz. A new round of US strikes is likely underway, with reports of attacks in Behbahani, Mahshahr, Chabahar, Bandar Abbas, and Tabriz, with more to come. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth testified to the Senate that the war has cost about $37.5 billion so far and urged approval of a supplemental funding package, saying the military would face critical shortfalls without the funds. Separately, reports say newly sworn-in British Prime Minister Andy Burnham approved the use of British bases for US attacks on Iran, a move described as defensive rather than an active war, with Starmer-era policy cited; Iran’s top military commander warned of retaliation if attacks target its nuclear facilities, and Arab Gulf states are pressing the US to curb Israeli actions in the region.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, Channel 12 poll shows Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar! would win 24 seats and would be the largest faction in the Knesset if elections were held today, with Eisenkot ahead of Prime Minister Netanyahu as the preferred premier. The poll conducted by Midgam Institute with iPanel found new parties shifting bloc alignments somewhat; opposition voters would prefer a government relying on outside support from an Arab party if their bloc fails to reach a majority, while coalition voters express satisfaction with Netanyahu’s agreements with ultra-Orthodox parties and want their participation in the next government. The distribution of seats between blocs reportedly remains unchanged from prior readings.

In Uplifting News, Limmud LA will return to Los Angeles over Martin Luther King Jr. weekend in January 2027, offering more than 100 sessions on Jewish religion, culture, history and contemporary life; the festival will run January 16–18 and start with a Saturday night celebration, expecting more than 1,000 participants from the Los Angeles area; organizers invite members of the public to propose sessions on Torah, Jewish history, comedy, cooking, music and other Jewish topics, with presenters selected in the fall and registration opening later; the festival continues the Limmud model that encourages participants to be both students and teachers, led by Meyer Shwarzstein and Susan Kahn in memory of their daughter Alex Shwarzstein. Powerball ticket sales in the United Kingdom will begin Tuesday, expanding to UK players for the first time a Powerball jackpot with the same minuscule odds as in the US; the expansion follows an April agreement between the Multi-State Lottery Association in the US and Allwyn UK, and will allow UK players to chase larger prizes than those offered by UK and European lotteries.

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://t.me/DefenderDome/22381
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https://t.me/DefenderDome/22375
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/skyyp00anzg
https://t.me/DefenderDome/22374
https://www.timesofisrael.com/iran-war-has-cost-us-37-5-billion-so-far-hegseth-tells-senate-as-he-asks-for-more-funds/
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-903236
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-903241
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-903239
https://t.me/JewishNews24/57489