Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-07-14 at 00:02

HEADLINES
US strikes Iran again Hormuz blockade tightens
US imposes 20% Strait of Hormuz fees
Syria forms new assembly post Assad era

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 US Military Role, the US military said late Monday its forces have completed their latest wave of strikes on Iran that CENTCOM began earlier in the day at the direction of President Donald Trump. During a five-hour mission, US forces struck military targets across Iran including Bushehr, Chah Bahar, Jask, Konarak, Abu Musa, and Bandar Abbas. It marked a third consecutive night of strikes as Trump said he was reinstating a blockade of Iranian shipping and proposing to charge a 20% fee to guard the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's top joint military command said the US had no role in determining the future of the waterway and would not be allowed to intervene. Iran announced over the weekend it was closing the vital waterway.

In Regional Impacts, the Strait of Hormuz has become a focal point of the Iran war with both the United States and Iran claiming guardianship. President Trump reimposed a blockade on Iran and said the United States controls the strait and would charge fees for safe passage, while Tehran asserts sovereignty over the waterway and has attacked vessels not using its preferred route. The world has long considered the strait a free-to-use international waterway, but the episode comes as the United States and Iran ramp up attacks to assert control, raising the risk of a return to all-out war.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, Syria’s newly formed People’s Assembly opened with a quiet break from the Assad era. It elected constitutional law scholar Dr. Abdul Hamid al-Awak as speaker, with Mustafa Moussa and Dr. Madona Suhail Bashara as deputy speakers, in the legislature’s first session since the fall of former President Bashar Assad. The session, attended by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, saw 206 lawmakers take constitutional oath as the chamber forms its leadership and a temporary legal committee to oversee procedures. The 210-seat body comprises 140 elected members and 70 appointed by the president; four seats remain vacant. Al-Awak, from Hasakah, is a constitutional law scholar and former judge who defected from the previous government, identified as a leading figure in Syria’s transitional period.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, editorials and on-the-ground demonstrations reflect ongoing domestic tensions. An editorial argues that new documents about Hamas’s preparations for October 7 show a failure to foresee the threat, noting Hamas contemplated an invasion force of up to 10,000 fighters against more than 200 southern communities and IDF outposts, and that October 7 was the deadliest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, with more than 1,200 killed and 251 hostages. The piece contends Israel must reckon with how it understood the enemy it faced. Separately, protesters blocked roads in Jerusalem near Bar Ilan Street and near Zaks Junction, attempting to damage a light rail construction site. Police declared a public disturbance, used crowd-dispersal measures, and restored order as traffic disruptions and fires were reported.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, former Vice President Mike Pence denounces antisemitism after officials in his Indiana town say a costly fire may have been arson on an Israeli flag displayed outside a barn. The town said the FBI joined the investigation and officials were examining whether the arson may have been motivated by bias, though no determination has been made. Pence tweeted that there can be no tolerance for antisemitism or political acts of violence. Separately, PEN America’s president resigned after a report warned of threats to Jewish and Israeli authors, with Dinaw Mengestu saying the report failed to defend free-speech rights; PEN America said it respected his decision and noted past turmoil, and Mengestu indicated an interest in creating a new organization to rival PEN America.

In Uplifting News, Keren Hayesod appointed Ambassador Eli Vered Hazan as next World Chairman, to succeed Sam Grundwerg. Hazan is Israel’s ambassador to Singapore and previously served as Vice President for Public Diplomacy at the Jerusalem Institute for Justice, credited with strengthening Israel’s international relations and ties with Jewish communities and Christian friends of Israel. Grundwerg praised Hazan and said he was proud of what has been achieved over the past eight years. The organization says Hazan will lead efforts to strengthen Israeli society, promote Aliyah, and enrich the Jewish Diaspora. Separately, Secular Jerusalem girls-only school Inbar has grown from 17 students to about 300, with a waiting list twice its capacity and a first graduating class with 100% matriculation eligibility, defying critics to remain open and thriving.

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/opinion/article-902399
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-902424
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-902425
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-902413
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-902421
https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2026/07/us-says-it-has-completed-its-latest-wave-strikes-iran
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/crime-in-israel/article-902422
https://www.timesofisrael.com/so-who-actually-controls-the-strait-of-hormuz/
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-902420
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hyzvyxxngx