Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-04-18 at 17:01

HEADLINES
Hormuz traffic plunges to single digits
Barak Kalfon killed in Lebanon
Trump says IDF barred from Hezbollah strikes

The time is now 5:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Regional Impacts, traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen sharply, even after the ceasefire announced by US President Donald Trump and accepted by Israel, with inbound and outbound movement down to a fraction of normal levels. An expert from the Washington Institute for Near East Policy said the latest data show activity through the Strait is “still very weak,” with “at least five to six vessels.” Earlier in April, before the blockade took hold, the number had risen into double digits. “We were still seeing around between like 10 and 15 vessels,” the expert said, but now it’s back down to single digits. The point, the expert added, is not just how few ships remain but that the movement that does occur is not the kind of flow seen in a functioning waterway; “This is not normal flow,” the expert said, noting a lack of non-Iranian vessels. The public discussion in recent days has shifted as the ceasefire takes effect.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, Command Sergeant-Major (Res.) Barak Kalfon, 48, a combat soldier in the 226th Brigade from Adi, was killed during combat in southern Lebanon on Friday, the IDF announced Saturday evening. In the same incident, two soldiers were moderately injured and another was lightly injured; they were evacuated to a hospital and their families notified. Funeral plans were reported for Sunday, April 19, at 2:00 p.m. at the Adi Cemetery, with the family requesting no media coverage. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered condolences and said the nation would cherish his memory and support the wounded as they recover.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, reports indicated that President Trump’s public remarks about the IDF being “prohibited” from continuing strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon surprised Israeli officials, who sought clarification from the White House. The statements appeared to contradict the ceasefire framework, which still allows self-defense during the pause. Trump posted that the United States would work with Lebanon separately and handle the Hezbollah situation “in an appropriate manner.” Aides noted that the language created confusion and that Israeli officials and the ambassador to the United States were seeking clarity on any change to the ceasefire terms.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, a Brooklyn man was sentenced to three to nine years in prison for a series of hate-motivated crimes. Skiboky Stora, 42, had been convicted of two hate crime assaults in the third degree, hate crime stalking in the third degree, aggravated harassment in the second degree, and attempted hate crime assault in the third degree. In November 2023, a Jewish couple walking their dog in Union Square encountered Stora, who tore down posters of hostages taken by Hamas; when photographed, he followed them, shouting antisemitic and anti-white remarks, including “Die! Die, Jews!” The incidents were described as part of a pattern of violent, hateful conduct; Stora was sentenced accordingly.

British authorities reopened Kensington Gardens after police found no hazardous substances in items discovered near London’s Israeli embassy, and officials said the embassy was not attacked. The incident followed online claims from a protest group that drones would target the site. Security was heightened during the investigation, and police said they would continue to explore any possible links to the online video while keeping the area safe for the public.

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.jpost.com/middle-east/article-893422
https://t.me/hnaftali/22776
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-893418
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-893414
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-893423
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-893420