Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-05-19 at 00:01

HEADLINES
- Trump halts strikes as Iran deal nears
- Only 3% meet standard, minister protests
- Gulf allies urge restraint as deal nears

The time is now 12:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Regional Impacts, Asian markets were mixed Tuesday as oil prices eased on hopes of a United States-Iran deal, though elevated crude levels limited investor appetite for risk. Energy markets took center stage after President Donald Trump signalled serious negotiations with Tehran and called off planned strikes, lifting optimism that tensions could ease. The war that the United States and Israel began on February 28 has led to an effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, through which around 20 percent of global oil exports passed in peacetime. Leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates urged him to hold off on a planned military attack on Iran, saying negotiations were moving forward. Trump said he had instructed the United States military to be prepared to move forward with a full, large-scale assault on Iran on short notice if an acceptable deal is not reached. Speaking later at a White House event, Trump described a very positive development and said Arab allies believed a deal near that would leave Iran without nuclear weapons. President Trump said the attack was postponed by two to three days because Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE think they are getting very close to making a deal.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, Israel's education minister has challenged the data and the body that produced it. Only 3% of ninth-grade students who took Israel's national science assessment reached the high standard set by the Education Ministry, while more than half were at a low or medium-low level. Results in sixth-grade math and English and in ninth-grade English also showed large gaps between Israeli pupils and the ministry's expectations. The crisis has been linked to the COVID-19 pandemic years, the war years, overcrowded classrooms, and systems that do not teach core subjects seriously enough. Education Minister Yoav Kisch has accused the National Authority for Measurement and Evaluation in Education of serious failures and misleading publications.

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.al-monitor.com/originals/2026/05/asian-markets-cautious-oil-dips-after-trump-holds-iran-attack
https://t.me/beholdisraelchannel/76496
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-896606