Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-04-11 at 18:02

HEADLINES
- Netanyahu Israel first to operate inside Iran
- Two Israeli soldiers killed in Lebanon
- Iran links Hormuz Strait to Lebanon ceasefire

The time is now 6:01 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 spoke to the media about the campaign against Iran. He said Israel was the first to break the barrier of fear by operating inside Iran and that Israel acted first because it knew what was at stake. He noted that if told a year ago that Israeli pilots would fly in Iran, and that the United States would fight alongside Israel for nearly 40 days against a common enemy, few would have believed it. But it happened because Israel initiated and acted. He stressed that the campaign against Iran is not over and that there is still enriched material in Iran that must be removed, either by agreement or by other means. Netanyahu also said Israel created a security buffer in Lebanon of eight to ten kilometers and that Israel seeks a real peace agreement with Lebanon that will last for generations.

In Regional Impacts, an IDF soldier was severely injured during an operational accident in central Gaza and was evacuated to a hospital for medical treatment; his family has been notified. The IDF has said that two soldiers were killed over the last week in fighting in southern Lebanon: Sergeant First Class Guy Ludar, 21, of Yuvalim, in the Maglan Unit of the Commando Brigade, was killed by friendly fire last Friday, and another soldier was heavily injured. The other is Staff Sergeant Touvel Yosef Lifshiz, 20, from Beit She'an, who served in the Golani Brigade's 13th Battalion and was killed on Wednesday.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, Iranian state television reported that the coming hours could be decisive, either toward a comprehensive ceasefire or a return to broad escalation. Iran continues to tie the question of opening the Hormuz Strait to the broader ceasefire in Lebanon, making that a central condition in the exchange.

In Israeli Economy and Business, the Financial Times says that even if the Hormuz Strait opens tomorrow, it will take about six months for the markets to return to normal.

In Uplifting News, Simon Betuel, 46, is a cosmetics producer by day and an artist by night. Raised in a traditional Jewish home in Ukraine, he faced antisemitic hostility growing up and later made aliyah to Israel in 1991 at age 12. Betuel draws on the palettes of Rubens, Klimt, Vrubel, and especially El Greco to create deeply Jewish paintings in both figurative and abstract styles.

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/selena_updates/61631
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-892636
https://t.me/newssil/198765
https://t.me/newssil/198764
https://t.me/newssil/198766
https://t.me/newssil/198771
https://www.jpost.com/aliyah/article-892544