Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-06-16 at 09:02

HEADLINES
- Hormuz reopening eyed as oil prices spike
- Israel not briefed on US Iran deal
- High Court allows Rabello election to stand

The time is now 9:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Regional Impacts, oil and gas majors expect a quick reopening of the Strait of Hormuz but they have few illusions that Gulf energy markets will return to pre-crisis normal after more than three months of closure. Even if a deal between Iran and the United States to end the Mideast war holds, analysts say the old market certainties are gone, and the new risks will probably require costly adaptations. A credible reopening of the strait would be one of the most important developments for the global economy, said Claudio Galimberti, chief economist at Rystad Energy. The near-doubling of oil prices since Iran effectively shut the waterway has fed inflation that could persist for months and threaten growth around the globe. Its closure exposed Gulf supply chains, and now the prospect of Iranian tolls on tanker and cargo traffic could raise costs for customers. Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei has floated maritime "service fees" on ships transiting the strait, costs companies would likely pass to customers. We’re in a whole new era, Chalmin said, underscoring the shift in risk and the need for potential changes in how Gulf energy is produced and moved.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, President Donald Trump described Lebanon as a minor war theater and suggested Syria could take on Hezbollah with American support if Israel cannot rein it in, arguing that Israel has fought Hezbollah for too long and civilians have suffered. He said Syria might do a better job at flushing out Hezbollah, praising Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa as capable and aligned with American aims. At the G7, Trump said the understandings with Iran had been "successful" and were moving to the "second stage," describing the deal as fair and stating the United States would not invest money in Iran, while stressing that preventing Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon remains paramount and that the United States would seek to control Iran’s enriched uranium. He also asserted that he had placed Jolani in Syria and that Jolani should be the one sorting Hezbollah out in Lebanon, not Israel.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, Netanyahu says Israel was not briefed on the US-Iran deal, and Trump weighs a $300 billion Iran fund, two items highlighted in a Jerusalem Post roundup of top stories. Separately, Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar told Army Radio that the United States decided not to send its soldiers into Iranian territory to topple the current regime, saying that if Washington had wanted regime change it would have done so. He praised Israel’s conduct of the war as “close to perfect” and argued the campaign has set Iran back by decades, with the leadership substantially diminished, while coalition ministers stressed that Israel must retain freedom of action even as Washington pursues understandings with Tehran.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, the High Court has no legal basis to overturn the Knesset election of State Comptroller-elect Michael Rabello, Rabello argued before the High Court of Justice. Rabello, Netanyahu’s personal attorney, was elected on June 3 after a dramatic and disputed vote in which the initial ballot tally was 60-57 in favor of retired Supreme Court justice Yosef Elron; a second round produced Rabello’s 61-57 victory. Petitions sought to cancel the election on grounds of alleged political dependence, conflicts of interest, and claims that coalition lawmakers photographed ballots behind the curtain, despite the secret-vote requirement.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, Holocaust survivors, Sen. Rick Scott condemn Kanye West’s Florida concerts. Scott, joined by Holocaust survivors and Tampa Jewish community leaders, held a press conference at the Florida Holocaust Museum to denounce West’s past antisemitic remarks and to call on authorities to resist funding antisemitism. West, who now goes by Ye, has June 26 and 28 shows at Raymond James Stadium, prompting opposition from the Tampa Jewish Federation and the Florida chapter of the National Organization for Women. The museum offered free admission for that weekend, and Scott sent an open letter to the Tampa Sports Authority arguing that taxpayer money should not support events for West.

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/2026/06/energy-firms-brace-new-era-despite-hormuz-deal
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-899575
https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/06/16/trump-israel-has-killed-too-many-in-lebanon-let-syria-handle-hezbollah/
https://t.me/hnaftali/23485
https://www.jpost.com/podcast/jpost-headlines/article-899579
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-899569
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-899582
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-899572