Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-07-18 at 23:01

HEADLINES
Eighth night of US strikes near Hormuz
Iranian drones strike US bases in Kuwait
Beirut exhibit honors homes lost to Israel

The time is now 11:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In US Military Role, the United States is conducting a new wave of strikes against Iran, marking the eighth consecutive night of attacks, CENTCOM announced on X. The command said the strikes are designed 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 attacked American service members in Jordan last night. Iranian media reported targets near the city of Hajiabad, with explosions heard near Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island, and Tasnim said a location near Shadegan was struck. Iran’s state television later cited the Iranian Army as saying it had targeted two US military bases in Kuwait. Earlier, CENTCOM disclosed that two US service members were killed in action, one is missing in action, and four were injured during Iranian strikes in Jordan, with the wounded evacuated and later discharged and others evaluated for minor injuries having returned.

Separately, reports from Iran’s state media and outlets describe retaliatory moves, including claims of drone strikes against two US bases in Kuwait. Iran’s army spokesman said large-scale drone attacks targeted the US ammunition depot at Camp Udairi and the Patriot radar system at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait. Iran’s state-run media also cited actions near Sirik on the Strait of Hormuz, and near Hajiabad, with additional explosions reported in Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island. In Iraq, a drone attack hit a Kurdistan Freedom Party base near Irbil, wounding eight members, according to a military official with the group.

In Regional Impacts, a Beirut museum exhibition titled Hkeeli ya Jnoub, or Tell me, O South, foregrounds the memory of destruction in southern Lebanon, where keys hanging like windchimes symbolize homes lost to Israel. Visitor Fatima Hajj Ali, among thousands displaced from places like Nabatieh al-Fawqa, recalls expecting to return and finding only the memory of a door that no longer exists. The installation sits amid a broader context of intermittent Israeli strikes and ongoing demolitions in and around occupied villages, with a lull in fighting since a memorandum between the United States and Iran was signed on June 17. The exhibit conveys how many residents cannot return to their homes, even as the region endures renewed cycles of conflict.

In Jordan, Najat al-Shamali, a 15-year-old Israeli national from Ramla, died after falling from a height inside a hotel where she was staying with family. Jordanian police opened an investigation into the circumstances of the incident.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, former Likud minister Yuli Edelstein is criticizing the governing party over proposed draft legislation that would exempt many ultra-Orthodox men from military service. He said hundreds of thousands of reservists feel “slapped in the face” and argued the change could carry a political price. Edelstein also criticized colleagues who attacked the IDF chief of staff after the officer opposed the legislation, calling such reactions political and unfounded. He suggested that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s apparent priority may be maintaining his alliance with ultra-Orthodox parties, while noting that the IDF has an immediate need for soldiers.

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/iran-news/article-902889
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog-july-19-2026/
https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2026/07/lebanon-museum-keys-without-homes-evoke-destruction-south
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rypoyokvzl
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-902895