Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-06-15 at 00:01

HEADLINES
- Israel Won’t Pull Out of Lebanon
- Historic US-Iran Peace Deal Secures Permanent Ceasefire
- Hamas Seeks to Derail Saudi Israel Normalization

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 Direct Israel-Iran Clashes, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the US president that Israel will not withdraw from Lebanon and will keep acting against Hezbollah. Ministers say the cabinet fully backs him in defending Israel’s interests on the northern front.

In Regional Impacts, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres congratulated the US and Iran for reaching a peace agreement, saying it provides for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and a framework for further negotiations; he thanked Pakistan, Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and other partners for their roles in bringing the agreement to fruition. Separately, Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and then US President Donald Trump announced that a US-Iran peace deal has been reached, with both sides agreeing to a permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon; the signing ceremony is planned for Friday, June 19, in Switzerland.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, documents seized by Israel in the Gaza Strip show Hamas leaders discussed efforts to derail Saudi-Israeli normalization and described normalization as a strategic threat to Hamas and to the Palestinian issue. One document from 2022 said Hamas had established a dedicated body to lead its campaign against normalization, charged with shaping Hamas’s strategy, policy, and operational plan; another document cited calls to escalate on the ground in the West Bank and Jerusalem to disrupt the Saudi normalization process.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, in an interview with the New York Times, former US President Donald Trump claimed that Netanyahu almost derailed the US-Iran agreement and said Netanyahu should be very thankful to the United States for reaching the deal; Trump described Netanyahu as a very difficult guy and said that if Iran had a nuclear weapon, Israel wouldn’t be around for two hours. The memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington was announced on Sunday and will be signed on Friday in Switzerland, kicking off 60 days of further negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program and other issues. Trump warned that if no final nuclear agreement is reached, the US would restart attacks on Iran and become the guardian of the Middle East.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, a petition to suspend Israel’s Medical Association at the World Medical Association Congress would punish doctors for government policy and set a dangerous precedent for global medicine; supporters argue medical professionals have a moral obligation to condemn violations of international law and attacks on healthcare workers, and that the WMA was founded to ensure physicians uphold universal ethical principles for all patients. The petition would also challenge the independence of the IMA, a step critics say would move the organization in the wrong direction. Dozens of ultra-Orthodox demonstrators rallied outside Supreme Court President Isaac Amit’s home in Mevasseret Zion to protest the arrest of a Haredi draft dodger; police dispersed the protest, marking the latest in a series of demonstrations targeting a court official, following earlier attacks on the home of Deputy Supreme Court President Noam Sohlberg and mass protests called by the Jerusalem Faction that disrupted traffic and drew clashes with police.

In Uplifting News, Argentine President Javier Milei welcomed Argentina’s Maccabiah delegation at the Casa Rosada ahead of their departure for Israel to compete in the 2026 Maccabiah Games, reaffirming support for Israel and democracy in the Middle East and expressing interest in the sports in which Argentine athletes will participate. The delegation presented Milei with the team’s jersey bearing his name and a delegation jacket. In Israeli basketball, Maccabi Tel Aviv defeated Hapoel Holon 89-61 to complete a 3-0 semifinal sweep, while Hapoel Tel Aviv swept Hapoel Jerusalem 89-81, setting a finals derby for Tuesday at Yad Eliyahu; injuries to Gur Lavy and TJ Leaf will sideline Maccabi, with Tamir Blatt’s status to be determined. Some Jewish fans linked the Knicks’ June 13 championship to the number 613, the commandments in the Torah, with social media overtones noting the convergence of date and tradition and prompting reflections on faith and sports.

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
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https://www.jpost.com/international/article-899404
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-899400
https://www.timesofisrael.com/haredi-protesters-rally-outside-chief-justices-home-to-oppose-draft-dodgers-arrest/
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/sports/article-899412
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/sports/article-899411
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-899408