Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-06-12 at 02:01

HEADLINES
Trump halts Iran strikes as crisis looms
Preliminary Torah Study law passes amid crisis
High Court splits IDF over women tanks

The time is now 2:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In US Military Role, the Middle East came within hours of a major escalation after President Donald Trump reportedly canceled planned strikes on Iran only three hours before they were to begin. According to US officials, American forces had already received attack orders, Navy warships were in position, munitions were prepared, and military planners were awaiting the final green light when Trump abruptly announced that a deal with Tehran had been reached and the operation was called off. The reversal caught senior officials and key allies by surprise, and reports indicate Israel was not part of the agreement and was blindsided by the announcement, while military officials were reportedly more shocked by the cancellation than by the prospect of launching the strikes themselves. The aborted operation highlights how close Washington and Tehran came to direct confrontation. One moment, US forces were preparing for another round of attacks; the next, Trump was talking about a diplomatic breakthrough that could reshape the region. Whether the agreement holds — and what was promised behind closed doors — remains one of the biggest unanswered questions.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, hopes grew on Friday for peace between Iran and the United States after President Donald Trump said a deal could be signed as soon as this weekend, even as Tehran said it had not made a final decision on a pact. The deal, if confirmed, would be the most significant diplomatic breakthrough yet to end the three-month-old war, which has killed thousands and sent global energy prices sharply higher after Iran all but closed the Strait of Hormuz to shipping. "We just made a great settlement of the war with Iran," Trump told reporters at the White House on Thursday. "The strait will officially open as soon as we sign, which could be soon, very soon, maybe over the weekend in Europe," he said, adding that Vice President JD Vance would attend the deal signing. Asked if Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei had approved the deal, Trump said, "I understand the answer is yes." Since mid-March, Trump has repeatedly claimed a deal with Iran to end the war was close. The two sides have traded strikes this week, straining a ceasefire announced in April. Separately, Trump proclaimed, "We ended the war with Iran today. They agreed never to possess nuclear weapons."

In Israeli Domestic Politics, the preliminary passage of Basic Law: Torah Study should be remembered as one of the ugliest moments in the Knesset’s long history of dressing political surrender in sacred language. This is not a law about Torah. It is a law about power, money, and avoidance. It is a last-minute effort to turn a coalition crisis into a constitutional shield for draft evasion, at the very moment when soldiers and reservists are carrying an unbearable national burden. The bill passed on Wednesday in its preliminary reading by 56 votes to 43. Likud MKs Dan Illouz and Yuli Edelstein, New Hope MK Sharren Haskel, and Religious Zionist Party MK Moshe Solomon broke ranks and voted against it. Solomon later paid a political price for refusing to lend his hand to what he called a moral injustice. His explanation was the only honest one: He could not look bereaved families in the eyes and vote for a law implying that Torah and military service need not meet. The original version reportedly went even further, seeking to equate the status of long-term Torah learners with that of IDF soldiers. After fierce criticism, that explicit comparison was removed, according to reports. But the remaining wording is still contentious. The piece frames the move as a clash over power and principle at a moment when national service and religious obligations intersect in a deeply political moment.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, Editor's Notes: High Court ruling on women in tanks deepens religious divide in IDF notes that there are few places on earth as intimate as a tank. Four soldiers share the same air and space inside a steel box, and the tank has become the site of a confrontation between the IDF and the religious Zionist world in years. Last month, the High Court of Justice ordered the army to launch a pilot program by November examining the integration of female combat soldiers into the Armored Corps. In response, the heads of 12 hesder yeshivot published a letter declaring that service in the corps under such conditions is prohibited by halacha and they will no longer send their students to tanks. Within days, the number of yeshivot grew to 25. The IDF answered that no option under consideration involves men and women serving in the same framework, and a senior officer described the dilemma: a few female soldiers each year weighed against dozens of yeshivot avoiding deployment. The dispute underscores a deep religious-secular fault line over service in elite units and the future of mixed-gender combat roles.

In Uplifting News, a combined rescue operation saved Halil, a loggerhead sea turtle, after it became entangled in a fishing line off the coast of Haifa. Haifa's Mayor Yona Yahav called Halil a reminder of how beautiful and vulnerable the marine environment remains. Three lifeguards from the Haifa Municipality's Coastal Department, along with Professor Roee Diamant from the University of Haifa's School of Marine Sciences, aided the rescue, which was also supported by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority hotline. The turtle was recovered and taken for treatment at the National Sea Turtle Center in Mikhomoret. Diamant noted the area has a large amount of ghost nets and fishing gear that pose hazards to wildlife, and he explained that such rescues are not unusual in the region. Halil, named after one of the team members who helped in the operation, represents a hopeful moment as conservation efforts continue amid environmental challenges.

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://worldisraelnews.com/trump-pulled-back-from-striking-iran-just-hours-before-launch/
https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2026/06/trump-says-iran-war-deal-close-strait-hormuz-tensions-linger
https://t.me/ILtoday/19288
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-899170
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-899171
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-899196