Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-04-22 at 10:02

HEADLINES
- Ukraine Sky Map Joins Saudi Counterdrone Frontline
- Israel Weighs Lasting Changes on Northern Border
- Jerusalem Civil Cemetery Case Reaches High Court

The time is now 10:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In US Military Role, the US military has deployed Ukrainian counter-drone technology at a key air base in Saudi Arabia to counter attacks and protect aircraft and facilities from increasing drone threats. The deployment of a Ukrainian command-and-control platform called Sky Map at Prince Sultan Air Base, which had not previously been reported, signals how Ukraine’s drone and counter-drone tech have advanced through battle experience in its four-year war with Russia. Ukrainian military officials arrived in recent weeks to train US warfighters with Sky Map, which detects incoming drones, including Iranian-developed Shahed drones, and coordinates counter-attacks with interceptor drones. The Pentagon has stepped up investments in counter-drone technology as cheap, mass-produced drones play a large role in modern conflicts. Prince Sultan is about 400 miles from Iran and has endured waves of drones and missiles since the war began, illustrating the intensity of drone threats and the collaboration with Ukraine in defense technology.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, Israeli security researcher Zehavi argues that the core question is whether the current debate will produce lasting changes on Israel's northern border, beyond a temporary pause. Zehavi, founder and president of the Alma Research and Education Center, says the issue hinges on whether the discussions lead to durable security improvements rather than a short-term halt. She notes that from May 2000 through the end of the last major confrontation, there was no Israeli presence in Lebanon and no formal buffer zone, a situation she says persisted without effective enforcement. Following Israel’s maneuver in 2024, the army maintained a limited posture on five hills overlooking Israeli communities, a stance she views as inadequate. Hezbollah’s Radwan forces could maneuver near the border, and rockets remained a threat. Separately, the IDF reports weapons found south of the Forward Defense Line in southern Lebanon: in Al-Khiyam, weapons, surveillance equipment, an RPG launcher, ammunition and a Hezbollah flag were located; in Beit Lif, within structures used by Hezbollah, an RPG launcher, sniper weapons and additional military equipment were found; in Adshit al-Qusayr, drones and warheads, military equipment, ammunition crates, magazines and Kalashnikov rifles were located; in A-Taybeh, RPGs, an explosives activation kit, grenades and ammunition were located.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, the High Court of Justice ordered the state to explain why, three decades after Israel enacted its civil burial law, Jerusalem-area residents still do not have a state-funded civil cemetery. In a decision issued a day after a hearing, Justices directed the Religious Services Ministry, Finance Ministry and Jerusalem Jewish Burial Council to show why they have not acted to establish a civil cemetery for Jerusalem and its surroundings, allocate the required budget, grant a burial license to the lead petitioner Menucha Nechona Jerusalem after its establishment, and remove barriers that petitioners say have made it effectively impossible for non-Orthodox groups to operate such a site. The state must respond by July 1. The case was brought by Nechona Jerusalem, together with the Reform movement, Hiddush, the Masorti movement, and several private petitioners seeking access to civil burial. The dispute centers on recognizing the right to civil burial in law, but the practical implementation has lagged for decades.

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/international/article-893832
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-893840
https://t.me/JewishNews24/53135
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-893835