Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-06-29 at 06:01

HEADLINES
US-backed Lebanon pact launches security zones
Miran blasts Smotrich over hostage claim
Hezbollah threat tests Lebanon-Israel pact

The time is now 6:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, the Israel-Lebanon framework brokered by the United States moves from diplomacy to implementation, with a signing in Washington on June 26 that sets a path toward ending the conflict and restoring Lebanese sovereignty. The arrangement envisions Lebanon's armed forces taking full security responsibility in two initial pilot zones in southern Lebanon, while Israeli forces would redeploy from those areas once the disarmament of nonstate armed groups and the dismantling of their military infrastructure is verified. Future pilot zones would be agreed by Israel and Lebanon with US support and verification. The framework also contemplates ongoing US backing and verification to monitor progress and help move toward peaceful neighborly relations, though the hardest test remains Lebanon's ability to enforce state authority in the south while Hezbollah remains armed, powerful, and opposed to the arrangement.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, Miran, father of former Gaza hostage Omri Miran, sharply criticized Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich after Smotrich claimed in an interview that “all the hostages are here because of me.” Speaking on 103FM, Miran said Smotrich’s conduct during the two years Israelis were held in Gaza “reflects poorly” on him, and added that Smotrich is not hardhearted but that the claim shows a lack of thought. “I don’t know what drug he drank from his mother’s breast when he was a baby,” Miran said, arguing Smotrich took credit for a deal he did not secure and created obstacles to freeing the remaining hostages. He noted that members of Knesset proposed uniform compensation for hostages returning from Gaza, without discrimination, contrasting that approach with Smotrich’s stance.

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/middle-east/article-900787
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-900774