HEADLINES
- Iran vows Gulf and Red Sea blockade
- Two-week ceasefire extension stalls amid denials
- Gaza aid flotilla sails from Barcelona

The time is now 9:02 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Iranian Retaliation, Commander of Iran's Khatam-al Anbiya / Army Central Headquarters, Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi, warned that if the American blockade continues, Iran will not allow exports or imports in the Gulf and the Sea of Oman. He said the armed forces will also block the flow of trade in the Red Sea, and that continued naval pressure would be a prelude to a violation of the ceasefire.

In Regional Impacts, mediators of the US-Iran peace talks are pushing to extend the two-week ceasefire, though both sides deny reports of an extension. An Associated Press report said mediators are close to securing an extension, but a senior US official told The Jerusalem Post that the US has not formally agreed to one, while Iranian officials deny the extension. Separately, the Revolutionary Guard warned Tehran will disrupt shipping through the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman and Red Sea if the US lifts the Hormuz blockade, as mediators press to extend the fragile ceasefire. Dubai's Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai will undergo an 18-month renovation led by Paris-based interior architect Tristan Auer; the project is described as not linked to the March drone incident, though the sail-shaped hotel suffered facade damage from debris intercepted in March. A staff member said the hotel is offering alternative accommodations to guests with bookings, and the period of closure is subject to change. In the past 24 hours, 20 merchant ships were allowed to exit the Strait of Hormuz, with Iran permitting their departure, as did the US, since those vessels were not involved in trade with Iran; a photograph accompanying the report shows the US naval blockade in response to Iran’s closure of the Strait.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, the US State Department offered up to $10 million for information on Ahmad al-Hamidawi, the leader of Kataib Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Iraqi militia described as responsible for attacks on US facilities and the kidnapping of US citizens. American officials also denied an Associated Press report that the ceasefire had been extended, saying they have not formally agreed to an extension.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, the Tel Aviv District Court convicted crime boss Ismail Jarushi and 12 co-defendants in an extortion and shooting case tied to a Tel Aviv money-changer, admitting to a debt of about one million shekels and signaling guilty pleas as part of a plea bargain. Adult defendants face prison terms ranging from 13 to 45 months, while sentencing for the minors was not yet set. A separate report from central Jerusalem described a suspect in a drugs case barricading himself on the rooftop of his building and threatening to detonate a device, with police negotiators and a special negotiation unit managing the situation. Judges proposed creating a mechanism to enforce the settlement between Ben-Gvir and the government secretary, who reportedly rejected the idea. The Independence Day flyover was canceled. A 60-year-old woman died in a road crash on Highway 91 near Mishmar HaYarden.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a law criminalizing antisemitism on Holocaust Remembrance Day, amending Article 161 of the Criminal Code to cover violations of equality based on race, nationality, religious beliefs, or disability, with penalties that include fines, restrictions of liberty, or imprisonment, and provisions addressing violence, deception, and threats tied to antisemitism. Separately, Regan Darby Prater, a 28-year-old white supremacist from Tennessee, pleaded guilty to providing Hezbollah with a list of 35,000 individuals alleged to be affiliated with Israel, and to planting a napalm-based device that caused substantial damage at the Highlander Center.

In Israeli Economy and Business, the dollar exchange rate fell below 3.00 shekels for the first time in recent history.

In Uplifting News, a Gaza aid flotilla of about 40 boats set sail from Barcelona to Gaza in a renewed effort to break the blockade and deliver humanitarian aid, with the Global Sumud Flotilla beginning their voyage after weather-related delays; additional vessels had departed from Marseille and are planned to depart from Syracuse, Sicily, as the mission includes a stop in southern Italy for non-violence training and draws activists from numerous countries.

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://t.me/selena_updates/61890
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https://t.me/selena_updates/61888
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-893051
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https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1310293
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-893088
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https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2026/04/gaza-aid-flotilla-sets-sail-barcelona