Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-05-17 at 10:02

HEADLINES
Barakah drone strike triggers generator fire
Israel covert bases uncovered in Iraqi desert
Coalition eyes dissolution amid haredi draft row

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 Regional Impacts, Abu Dhabi said a drone strike caused a fire at an electrical generator outside the inner perimeter of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the Al Dhafra Region. No injuries were reported, radiological safety levels were unaffected, and the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation said the plant’s essential systems are operating normally. The statement did not specify how the strike occurred. The International Atomic Energy Agency said radiation levels at Barakah remained normal and that it is in close contact with UAE authorities, ready to provide assistance if needed.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, The New York Times reported, citing unnamed Iraqi officials, that Israel built two secret bases in Iraq’s desert during the war with Iran. The base was allegedly discovered on March 3 by a Bedouin shepherd in the western Iraqi desert. The report follows a week after The Wall Street Journal said a first secret base had been built to support an airstrike in the war against Iran, with the base housing special forces from the Air Force and serving as a logistics facility. IDF troops were stationed there in case pilots were shot down. The report noted that the IDF nearly launched strikes against Iraqi troops that had almost discovered the base. On March 4, a local shepherd spotted unusual activity and tipped off the Iraqi military; Iraqi forces were said to be driven away with airstrikes. One Iraqi soldier was killed. A US source described to The Wall Street Journal that American forces were not involved.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, discussions on the coalition’s controversial haredi draft bill were scheduled to return to the Knesset’s agenda for advancement this coming Wednesday, ahead of its final readings, amid the crisis in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition with the haredi parties. The first vote on dissolving the Knesset was set for Wednesday, with backing from both the coalition and opposition, potentially triggering elections slightly earlier. Degel HaTorah members said they remained in favor of dissolving the Knesset, following instructions from their spiritual leader to support dissolution and not be drawn into political games. Reports also said Netanyahu informed United Torah Judaism representatives that the coalition did not have the majority. Separately, IDF Major-General Roman Gofman rejected the Attorney-General’s latest classified update to the High Court of Justice, accusing the A-G’s office of casting doubt on his integrity in petitions against his appointment as Mossad chief. His lawyers argued the office claimed to hold classified documents while those materials contained nothing secret or relevant to the petitions. Gofman is due to take the post on June 2 for a five-year term; the petitions center on the Ori Elmakayes affair, in which Elmakayes, then a minor, was allegedly used in an unauthorized IDF-linked operation connected to the 210th Division while he commanded it. Elmakayes was detained and indicted. An opinion piece within the same topic argues that the ultra-Orthodox conscription debate threatens long-standing Israeli coalitions, noting that the war strains the reserve system and coalition stability and that the haredi parties have long held leverage in government, making dissolution and realignments potentially consequential.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, Ancient blood libels continue to shape modern antisemitism - opinion argues that conspiracy theories with medieval roots persist and fuel prejudice and violence today. It recalls Simon of Trent, a Christian child whose disappearance and death in 1475 led to executions of Jewish men and the spread of blood libel across Europe, fueling persecution, expulsions, and massacres. It also notes the Black Death-era accusation that Jews poisoned wells, which contributed to widespread persecution, expulsions, and killings. The piece references Morocco’s late-17th-century Ibn Mashal conspiracy myth portraying Jews as exploiters of Muslims and reminds that antisemitic lies resurfaced in Nazi propaganda, where they were weaponized to justify violence.

In Israeli Economy and Business, former finance minister Moshe Kahlon is set to admit that he failed to ensure serious financial irregularities at UnetCredit were properly reported to the public during his time as chairman. The plea agreement, filed with the Tel Aviv District Court’s Economic Department, accompanies a broader indictment in the UnetCredit case, a major collapse in Israel’s non-bank credit sector. UnetCredit was a public company providing non-bank credit and traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. The case centers on concealment, circular financing, and misuse of the company’s funds by controlling shareholders and other senior figures. Under the agreement, Kahlon will admit violations of reporting duties under the Securities Law, with the court expected to consider a suspended prison term, a 180,000 shekel fine, and an 18-month restriction on serving as an officer in a public company; the plea is subject to court approval.

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-896446
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-896453
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-896460
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-896458
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-896180
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-896174
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-896454