Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-06-28 at 03:02

HEADLINES
Ben-Gurion Terminal 1 Reopens, Capacity Strains
Jaffa Car Blast Kills Man, Wounds Child
Iranian FM to Iraq Amid Militia Threats

The time is now 3:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Regional Impacts, Ben-Gurion's Terminal 1 reopened to domestic flights on Sunday, according to the Israel Airports Authority, which said international flights will begin from Terminal 1 on July 1 to meet the school holiday travel rush. Terminal 1 had been closed in March after the Iran war, with all flights moved to Terminal 3, and its return comes as the airport adjusts operations to ease capacity constraints that have already seen US Air Force refueling aircraft stationed there relocated to Israel Air Force bases, with IAF aircraft moved to other bases to make room. National Security Council Director Shmuel Ben-Ezra is overseeing the relocation, following remarks by the IAA Director General Sharon Kedmi in May that Ben-Gurion is operating at about one-third capacity. Also in the region, a car exploded in Jaffa on Sunday morning, killing at least one man and wounding another, including a six-year-old child, with police investigating the cause. The vehicle traveled roughly 100 meters before the blast, and a kindergarten sits about 50 meters from the site; investigators are examining possible links to a feud and whether the incidents are connected to recent violence in the area. In Bahrain, the Foreign Ministry condemned Iran’s actions as a deliberate pattern of aggression, describing Tehran’s latest strikes as a dangerous escalation and calling on the United Nations Security Council to convene an emergency session to hold Tehran accountable as air raid sirens sounded across Bahrain for the second time in as many hours, with officials stressing that Tehran’s conduct undermines stability in the region.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is heading to Iraq, signaling that Baghdad remains a partner of Tehran as Iraqi leaders seek to curb militias, according to Mehr News Agency citing Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei. The visit comes after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio highlighted the threat posed by Iranian-backed militias in Iraq, and amid rumors in Baghdad of a Green Zone raid tied to an anti-corruption drive that some observers say could target Iranian-linked figures or Sunni Arab parties; Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has been trying to demonstrate he can rein in chaos within the country. A separate argument piece notes that Lebanon’s defense against recent threats remains difficult, describing how a fiber-optic drone—using a glass fiber tether instead of traditional radio links—has given Iran’s allied groups a new, hard-to-stop capability that challenges Western air defenses. The article argues that the system’s low cost and direct video link undermine conventional defense measures. In another development, the IDF said it killed several armed terrorists who had entered the Security Zone in southern Syria over the weekend, and also struck near Nabatiya, destroying a Hezbollah rocket launcher as part of ongoing operations; the military described the incident as a developing story.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, a leaked draft reveals Trump’s Gaza Board of Peace seeks total legal immunity and free property for its members, including immunities for any arrest, detention or legal proceedings in Gaza. The four-page draft would extend protections to all BoP members and related parties, with Trump as board chair retaining the right to waive any member’s immunity; The Guardian published the leaked document, and legal specialists who reviewed it say the language leaves accountability questions unresolved and unclear how it would interact with international humanitarian law.

In Uplifting News, Shards of Laughter offers a fresh take on Shoah-themed works by inviting audiences to laugh through painful topics. The production follows a arc from 1924 Munkács through the Holocaust years to present-day Australia, balancing tragedy with humor so the intimate show passes quickly without feeling oppressive. Led by Gabi Lev, a Jerusalem-born actor who founded Theatre Company Jerusalem in 1982, the production is part of the Annual International Jewish Festival for Contemporary Performance, presenting a message that humor can coexist with memory and resilience.

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-900668
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/crime-in-israel/article-900666
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-900664
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-900673
https://www.jpost.com/defense-and-tech/article-900672
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-900665
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-900662
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/culture/article-900533