Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-06-29 at 20:02

HEADLINES
US Framework Deepens Middle East Military Ties
Concrete Fills Hamas Tunnels Remains Held
Lebanon Blast Wounds IDF Reserve Soldier

The time is now 8:02 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In US Military Role, CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper met with Israeli and Lebanese leaders during his Middle East trip to discuss implementing the new US-brokered framework agreement. He also visited US troops in Israel, recognizing top performers as more than 50,000 American service members remain deployed across the region.

In Regional Impacts, 30,000 cubic metres of concrete was poured to fill up a Hamas tunnel network in Gaza. This was the same tunnel network where the remains of Israeli hero Lt Hadar Goldin were held for 10 years.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, an IDF reserve soldier was severely injured by an explosion in southern Lebanon and evacuated to a hospital, with his family notified. Three targets within a Hamas underground terror infrastructure site in Deir al-Balah in Gaza were struck to dismantle it, as Hamas had been attempting to restore the infrastructure in violation of the ceasefire.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, Jonathan Conricus, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and a former international spokesman for the IDF, says the US-Iran memorandum gives Tehran sanctions relief and diplomatic breathing room without confronting its nuclear ambitions, missile program, or support for proxy groups. He described the Lebanon track as the big news of the weekend and said it could signal an opening toward peace between two sovereign states, while noting that the response reveals who is for a peace deal and who is against it. Separately, New York State Democratic Chairman Jay Jacobs acknowledged that opposition to Israel played a significant role in last week's Democratic primary results, saying the issue energized progressive voters and benefited candidates aligned with Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the Democratic Socialists of America.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, an ultra-Orthodox rabbi cursed IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir during a Bnei Brak anti-draft protest on Monday, calling for his name to be erased. The rally drew hundreds of haredi men and was led by former Sephardi chief rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, following arrests of yeshiva students who had not reported for military service. Defense Minister Israel Katz condemned the incitement, and members of the Shas party were present at the rally.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, the Canadian Museum for Human Rights opened its Nakba exhibit amid pushback from Jewish leaders. The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs condemned the exhibit as one-sided and urged federal accountability for the museum’s leadership; the museum’s only Jewish board member, Mark Berlin, resigned in protest.

In Uplifting News, a tale of two marches at NYC Pride showed LGBTQ Jews facing both cheers and heckles as they joined different Jewish identity contingents, highlighting the intersection of Jewish and LGBTQ identities. Separately, a ceremonial chair believed stolen from Damascus' Old City synagogue has been recovered, with Damascus’ Jewish Quarter residents helping locate it and facilitate its return to the synagogue.

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://t.me/JewishNews24/56432
https://t.me/beholdisraelchannel/78067
https://t.me/JewishNews24/56431
https://t.me/JewishNews24/56436
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-900889
https://t.me/JewishNews24/56422
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-900890
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-900888
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-900887
https://t.me/JewishNews24/56433