Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-06-21 at 05:01

HEADLINES
Soroka Hospital Rebuild Looms After Iranian Strike
Hormuz Strait Closed to Global Shipping
Cairo Meeting Spurs Regional Engagement

The time is now 5:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Direct Israel-Iran Clashes, Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba is in the advanced planning stages for reconstruction one year after an Iranian ballistic missile struck the hospital. The attack on June 19, 2025, forced the evacuation of patients a day earlier and left 144 inpatient beds out of service. There were no casualties. Deputy director general Yarden Nevo said the hit destroyed many wards, treatment rooms, operating rooms, and laboratories, including the ophthalmology department which was completely destroyed. More than 30% of operating rooms were destroyed, but operations were quickly resumed. The area hit remains visible from Nevo’s office, and he says the missile created a major opportunity for Soroka to move forward. Funding for the reconstruction is being sought.

In Regional Impacts, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says the Strait of Hormuz remains closed to international shipping until further notice.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan attended a Cairo meeting with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, and US senior adviser Massad Boulos, illustrating ongoing regional engagement as the Iran war appears paused and with Libya also discussed in the talks. The gathering underscores Washington’s engagement with multiple regional partners on Iran, Gaza, and Libya. Israeli government minister Orit Strook said President Trump recognizes that Israel cannot and will not withdraw from Southern Lebanon until Hezbollah no longer poses a threat, and that he will stand firm on that position in talks with Iran.

In Uplifting News, David Nipo at Rothschild Fine Art presents The Anatomy of a Gaze, an exhibition at Rothschild Fine Art in Tel Aviv that pairs his hyper-realistic still lifes with Adina Nipo’s poetry. The show, And Love, What will become of it?, invites viewers to engage with intimacy, perception, and looking itself as a form of observation. The artist describes painting his field of vision rather than the flowers themselves, inviting a sustained attention to seeing.

Eyal Wahab reconnects with Yemenite heritage at Jerusalem’s Hullegeb festival, where he leads the Ethiopian Yemenite Takzina ensemble with upcycled instruments and original material that reflects traditional colors within a contemporary Israeli context. The festival runs June 23-25 at Confederation House, which is steered by CEO and artistic director Effie Benaya, and highlights Israeli artists with Ethiopian roots.

מרגש 🇮🇱 ההישראלית איילה אוחנה שחולה במחלה גנטית נדריה בשם "גושה" מגישה את הכדור לשופטים במשחק בין צרפת לסנגל במונדיאל 2026.

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/israel-news/article-899998
https://t.me/ILtoday/19355
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-900008
https://t.me/ILtoday/19356
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/culture/article-899882
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/culture/article-899854
https://t.me/newssil/204893