Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-07-18 at 19:01

HEADLINES
US strikes Iran after Jordan base attack
Latin American converts gain aliyah path
Shin Bet thwarts terror plots, foreign campaigns

The time is now 7:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Iranian Retaliation, three US service members were killed and dozens more were injured in Iranian missile strikes on the US base in Jordan in recent days.

In US Military Role, after two US troops were killed and another went missing in the Iranian attack on Jordan, Washington launched fresh strikes on Iran, warned Americans worldwide and sent more jets to the region, as Israel said its response depends on Tehran. The US Central Command later announced that a new wave of strikes began at the top of the hour, the first since the two American lives were lost in Jordan, with officials saying the operation is intended to further degrade Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and to swiftly punish Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces who launched attacks on American service members. Reports also describe the new strikes as far more expansive, with President Donald J. Trump reportedly telling military decision-makers to rain hell on Iran.

In Regional Impacts, A Crazy Week Is Ahead.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, the Nascent Sanhedrin is urging Israeli authorities to recognize Orthodox converts from Latin America and reopen a path long blocked by a takanah enacted in 1927, a decree that barred converts from joining established Jewish communities and has shaped aliyah options for decades. Separately, Israeli authorities arrested senior Health Work Committees officials as the Shin Bet said it thwarted alleged terror plots and foreign influence campaigns targeting Israeli society, including the dismantling of foreign-run social media networks such as a Telegram channel identified as Bnei Eretz, with officials signaling these campaigns may intensify ahead of the upcoming legislative elections.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, What Ro Khanna, Tucker Carlson, and Rahm Emanuel have in common - opinion examines critics across the political spectrum who are engaging Israel, noting Democratic congressman Ro Khanna’s uncoordinated visit to Judea and Samaria without IDF coordination, his confrontation with residents, and the broader argument that such visits and commentary are fueling debate about Israel and its policies.

In Uplifting News, "Out of the Sky": The Jewish parachutists who jumped into Nazi-occupied Europe - review recounts how Matti Friedman documents the missions of 37 young men and women who escaped to Mandatory Palestine and parachuted back into Nazi-occupied Europe in 1944, detailing the dangers, captures, and outcomes of these historic operations and the enduring questions about their impact and legacy.

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
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https://t.me/beholdisraelchannel/78341
https://www.jpost.com/aliyah/article-902708
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-902884
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/ryhui00ynme
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-902491
https://www.jpost.com/history/article-902726