Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-07-21 at 05:01

HEADLINES
US refueling buildup threatens Ben Gurion flights
New command system keeps Ben Gurion running
IRGC targets Bahrain Amazon and Jordan bases

The time is now 5:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In US Military Role, a renewed buildup of US Air Force aircraft at Ben Gurion Airport is raising concerns about disruptions to civilian air travel. If seven more refueling aircraft arrive to bring the total to 40, the loss of parking stands for commercial airliners would force airport authorities to begin canceling about 30 passenger flights each day starting August 1, affecting roughly 5,000 travelers daily. The airport is nearing its maximum parking capacity as the United States continues to station aerial refueling aircraft amid escalating regional tensions during the peak summer travel season.

In Regional Impacts, Israeli security and aviation authorities have completed a series of directives and an advanced command and control system that will allow Ben-Gurion Airport to continue operating even under the threat of missiles and drones. The system coordinates threat monitoring, air traffic management, and the operations of air defense systems, instructing pilots to remain on the ground or to circle in the air depending on the latest security assessment. The objective is to prevent the shutdown of Israel’s main national air transportation hub, with the approach built on the operational experience of civilian pilots. Separately, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed to have targeted Amazon infrastructure in Bahrain and United States military sites in Jordan, including a claimed destruction of a missile defense radar and a US Air Force F-15 fighter jet in Jordan. Bahrain said it intercepted attacks but did not specify targets; the IRGC also claimed strikes on drone maintenance facilities at Bahrain’s Sakhir Air Base and vessel preparation sheds at Salman port, with Camp Arifjan in Kuwait allegedly struck.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, Senior rabbi Dov Lando, the spiritual leader of the Degel Hatorah faction, said his remarks attacking the religious Zionist community were misinterpreted after the criticism they drew this week. He described his comments as private and distorted, explaining that we must be careful in arguments with people who differ from our way of life and that our views come from our rabbis. Lando had argued that some wars invoked by the religious Zionist community were not for Israel’s protection. Separately, Effi Shkedi, chairman of Effi Capital, has redirected much of his energy since October 7 from building neighborhoods to building trust between the ultra-Orthodox community and the Israeli military, an effort aimed at bridging one of Israel’s deepest divides.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, the Hind Rajab Foundation filed an urgent criminal complaint with the Belgian federal prosecutor against an IDF veteran who attended Tomorrowland, the world’s largest electronic music festival, near Antwerp and Brussels. The organization says the young man remained in Belgium after the festival and claims he was involved in war crimes, urging immediate investigative and preventive measures and asking that the case be referred to an investigating judge to ensure the suspect remains available to Belgian authorities. The complaint highlights concerns over the festival’s two-weekend schedule and the risk the individual could depart the country.

In Israeli Economy and Business, MAFAT chief Yishai Cohen described how Israel’s defense ecosystem transformed since October 7. He said MAFAT moved quickly to deploy software updates to frontline weapon systems within days, placed new capabilities on purchase orders within weeks, and expanded startup partnerships to more than 300 companies, with some capabilities used against Iran having been in development for two decades prior to fielding. Cohen noted ongoing efforts across AI, drone warfare, and countering threats such as fiber-optic guided drones, Iran’s buried tunnel networks, and missile arsenals, while defense exports reached about $19 billion last year and continue to rise. Israel also unveiled plans to build a national quantum computing hub for industry and research with a NIS 100 million investment to establish a national R&D infrastructure. The project calls for proposals to create a platform that integrates at least three quantum technologies, enabling companies and universities to test, compare, and adopt quantum systems and to develop applications and algorithms. The Israel Innovation Authority said the initiative aims to position Israel at the forefront of quantum technology development. Separately, Archer Aviation and Anduril unveiled an autonomous aircraft platform, with a defense variant named Thunder designed to operate alongside crewed aircraft, reflecting a broader push to accelerate defense and commercial applications through specialized, purpose-built autonomous systems.

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://worldisraelnews.com/us-air-force-buildup-at-ben-gurion-threatening-civilian-flights/
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-903143
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-903144
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-903148
https://www.ynetnews.com/magazine/article/hkhfoq3nzl
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-903162
https://www.jpost.com/podcast/article-903155
https://worldisraelnews.com/israel-launches-plan-to-build-national-quantum-computing-hub-for-industry-and-research/
https://www.jpost.com/defense-and-tech/article-903142