Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-05-11 at 13:02

HEADLINES
CIA leak reshapes Iran missile threat
US weighs broader Project Freedom mandate
Ali al-Zaidi risks militias veto in Iraq

The time is now 1:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Direct Israel-Iran Clashes, a Washington Post report based on CIA officials’ leaks questions the speed and nature of Iran’s ballistic missile threat, challenging the narrative that Israel’s and its allies’ strike capability had largely reduced that risk; the piece emphasizes misunderstandings about what “ballistic missile” means in different contexts and how assessments were framed, and notes that from the Israeli perspective the war was launched over more nuanced considerations than simple threat counts. The article also points to the Israeli view that US messaging has sometimes muddied the picture, and it cites reporting that, ahead of key decisions in February, IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant-General Eyal Zamir presented a sophisticated argument to US Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Caine and to the head of US Central Command.

In US Military Role, the ceasefire with Iran is described as being on life support, and President Trump said he is considering renewing Project Freedom with a broader mandate beyond escorting vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, while stressing no final decision has been made; he criticized the Iranian terms as unacceptable and asserted there is no pressure, arguing that the Iranian people want change and recounting disappointment in Kurdish allies, and he noted that Iran had told him the United States would need to retrieve uranium dust from its facilities because it is buried too deep, though he did not say how that would be accomplished.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, Ali al-Zaidi, Iraq’s prime minister-designate endorsed by Trump, would face risk if he sought to exclude Iran-backed militias from his government, a move that could provoke retaliatory violence given how entrenched those militias are in Iraq’s political structure; analysts cited by the Wall Street Journal note that al-Zaidi’s bank, Al Janoob, has conducted transactions tied to figures sanctioned by the United States for links to the IRGC and Hezbollah, complicating the endorsement. Separately, in the Lebanon border area, the IDF announced a soldier was sentenced to 21 days in military prison for defacing a Virgin Mary statue in Debel, a nearby Maronite Christian village; another soldier received 14 days in prison for filming the incident, which followed earlier disciplinary actions in April after a statue of Jesus was damaged in the same village, with the military saying it respects freedom of religion and continually reinforces conduct around sensitive sites.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, a Jerusalem man in his 60s was arrested after a complaint alleging threats to harm National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir; police said the complaint, filed on Sunday, led to an investigation and the suspect’s detention for questioning at the Hebron police station, with security officials notified as part of ongoing protective measures; Ben-Gvir has previously faced threats and plots, including an explosive drone plan reported in September 2025, which investigators said involved a cell that explored an attack during a visit to Hebron’s Cave of the Patriarchs but did not finalise the plan, with alleged funding linked to Hamas figures in Turkey.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, ABC Watch’s new report argues that coverage by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation of the Gaza war has shown bias and has at times promoted narratives that cast Israel in a harsh light, contributing to antisemitism in the Australian community; the report cites a famine narrative using distressing imagery of children and other examples, noting the Royal Commission into antisemitism has been reviewing such coverage. In Berlin, Iranian rights activist Kosar Eftekhari, who lost an eye to regime security force violence in 2022, was confronted by pro-regime protesters while waving the Lion and Sun flag and calling out regime supporters, with video showing a confrontation that prompted police intervention as Berlin debates how public demonstrations should be managed. In London, a 39-year-old woman was arrested in Hackney on suspicion of racially aggravated assault against a 15-year-old Jewish boy and a 35-year-old man, part of a broader spate of antisemitic incidents reported on Sunday by Shomrim and the Metropolitan Police. In Sydney, a 42-year-old woman was charged for antisemitic abuse directed at a Jewish girls’ netball team at Maroubra, including dehumanising language; the incident led to the parent stepping in and police charging the woman with offensive language near a public place, with Netball Australia saying the league will suspend her pending investigation.

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/defense-and-tech/article-895822
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-895813
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-895819
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-895809
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/crime-in-israel/article-895812
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-895821
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-895820
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-895816
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-895810