Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-07-05 at 00:02

HEADLINES
Hormuz fees begin Iran allies with Oman
Trump seeks Putin help on Ukraine peace
Court forces new comptroller election in Israel

The time is now 12:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Regional Impacts, Iran’s ambassador to China said Saturday that new fees would be charged to ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, a move Washington has rejected. He added that friendly nations could receive special treatment as part of new arrangements being developed with Oman to guarantee the security of passage, supervision of vessels, and environmental safeguards. The initial deal to end the war between Iran and the United States allowed free transit for 60 days, and discussions about what comes after that period are ongoing. Rahmani Fazli said Iran would definitely charge service fees, noting they would not be a toll. He said the country is working in collaboration with Oman on new arrangements.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, US President Donald Trump spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin by telephone for nearly 90 minutes and offered to help find a diplomatic solution to the Ukraine conflict, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. He said Trump made the offer in the context of his participation next week at the NATO summit in Turkey. Ushakov noted that Washington's envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, would continue trying to broker a settlement and could make another trip to Moscow. Putin described battlefield progress as Russian forces advancing and liberating localities, while Kyiv and its European allies were accused of hoping to extend the conflict and to wage terrorism against civilians.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, the country is entering an interim period without a sitting state comptroller as Matanyahu Englman’s term ends and attorney Michael Rabello’s appointment is frozen after a Supreme Court ruling that the second-round vote for state comptroller contained a secrecy breach and must be repeated in the Knesset. The High Court of Justice also ordered a new Knesset election for the position, and the interim order leaves Israel’s central oversight body without a leader until the new vote is held. Separately, anti-government demonstrations marked the 1000th day since Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack, with Gil Dickmann, cousin of Carmel Gat, criticizing Prime Minister Netanyahu for saying he returned all hostages and recalling Yoni Netanyahu’s Entebbe raid to challenge the claim.

In Uplifting News, an editorial marking 250 years of American independence argues that the nation’s enduring promise of equality remains worth defending, noting that slavery existed, women could not vote, and Native Americans were excluded, yet the Declaration’s words became a standard by which to judge the nation and inspired figures from Abraham Lincoln to Martin Luther King Jr. to push for greater equality. Israel’s Olympic judo bronze medalist Peter Paltchik is auctioning the gi he wore at the Paris 2024 Olympics to fund PTSD treatment for ZAKA volunteers and their families, with a minimum bid of $50,000 and a pledge that he will personally call the winner. Danielle Yablonka was crowned Miss Universe Israel 2026 by the Miss Israel Organization after controversy over the pageant’s legitimacy, with the ceremony held at the FIU Jewish Museum of Florida and attended by Joseph Shine and Ofir Korsia; Yablonka had previously been First Runner-Up at Miss Universe Israel 2025, and due to the ongoing conflict the Miss Israel pageant was not held this year, with the selection committee appointing her to represent Israel. Beauty mogul Terry de Gunzburg, founder of By Terry, discusses making aliyah to Israel, describing her journey from Egypt to France, her new home in Herzliya, and why even war has not driven her away.

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.timesofisrael.com/iranian-diplomat-says-country-will-definitely-collect-hormuz-fees-defying-us/
https://www.jpost.com/international/internationalrussia-ukraine-war/article-901401
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-901405
https://www.timesofisrael.com/cousin-of-slain-hostage-to-netanyahu-would-you-have-also-said-yoni-came-back-from-entebbe/
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-901396
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-901403
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-901402
https://www.ynetnews.com/magazine/article/rkciozm7fl