Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan from ToI's Jerusalem offices.

Iran’s mission to the United Nations said on Friday that if Israel embarks on a “full-scale military aggression” in Lebanon against Hezbollah, “an obliterating war will ensue.” This came a day before Iran’s sole reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian and ultraconservative Saeed Jalili qualified for a runoff presidential election, which will be held on Friday. Who are these two candidates and what does either candidate mean for Israel and the region?

US President Joe Biden’s halting debate performance has led some in his own party to question whether he should be replaced on the ballot before November. At the same time, many in Israel began to wonder, is Biden really up to being the man holding the wheel on the war in Gaza? Berman weighs in.

Even while IDF drones struck dozens of Hamas sites in Gaza City’s Shejaiya over the past day and troops located weapons, raided Hamas combat complexes — some of which were booby-trapped — and killed several gunmen, Berman proposes that the IDF is still far from reaching its two war goals. What does this mean for the ongoing Gaza War -- and a looming war in the north.

For more updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog.

Discussed articles include:

Hardliner, moderate to face off in 2nd-ever Iranian runoff, after record low turnout

Iran’s UN mission threatens ‘obliterating war’ if Israel launches Lebanon offensive

PM warns visiting former US officers Iran seeks to conquer Jordan, Saudi Arabia

As poor debate showing roils Democrats, Bidens implore donors to stay course

Rafah operation and Gaza war are winding down; Israel is no closer to its goals

THOSE WE HAVE LOST: Civilians and soldiers killed in Hamas's onslaught on Israel

THOSE WE ARE MISSING: The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown

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ILLUSTRATIVE IMAGE: US President Joe Biden speaks about the protests over Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza that have roiled US college campuses, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on May 2, 2024. (Drew Angerer / AFP)

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