HEADLINES
Khamenei Iran Defends Nuclear Tech Expels US
Spain Summons Israeli Envoy Over Gaza Flotilla
UAE Deepens US-Israel Ties Warns Iran

The time is now 6:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Iranian Retaliation, Khamenei vowed that Iranians will defend their nuclear and missile technologies as national assets, with the Supreme Leader saying the population will safeguard these capabilities as it does its borders. The written statement, read on state television and posted on Khamenei’s official X account, asserts that the United States’ presence in the Persian Gulf is the main source of regional instability and pledges the expulsion of foreign forces. The message speaks of a new chapter for the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz and declares that the region’s future will be without the United States, with nations’ progress, comfort, and prosperity served as a shared destiny with neighbors.

In Regional Impacts, Spain reportedly summons Israeli chargé d’affaires as protests erupt over Gaza flotilla seizure. Spain’s Foreign Ministry called in Israel’s Dana Erlich after Israel’s seizure of the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla, with 175 activists detained by the Israeli Navy, including 31 Spanish citizens. The flotilla had sailed from Barcelona in mid-April, and Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares remains in contact with the flotilla organizers and with foreign ministers of countries whose citizens were aboard. Albares had condemned Israel’s actions in a Thursday joint statement alongside foreign ministers from Turkey, Brazil, Jordan, Pakistan, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Colombia, Maldives, South Africa, and Libya. Following the seizure, protests formed outside Israel’s Consulate in Barcelona, drawing several hundred demonstrators who began at Plaça de Sants and marched to the consulate.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, Most Gaza flotilla activists to disembark in Greece, Israel to bring two in for questioning. The Foreign Ministry said almost all of the 175 activists detained aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla will disembark in Greece, with gratitude extended to the Greek government for permitting the move. Among those detained were 31 Spanish citizens and several New Yorkers. Two activists, Saif Abu Keshek, suspected of affiliation with a terrorist organization, and Thiago Ávila, suspected of illegal activity, will be brought to Israel for questioning. Israel maintains that it will not permit a breach of the lawful naval blockade on Gaza. The flotilla’s organizers describe the effort as Hamas-led, while the Gazan Board of Peace oversees humanitarian activity aboard the ships. The State Department previously described the flotilla as a pro-Hamas initiative and criticized it as a baseless, counterproductive move that undermines the Trump Peace Plan.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, Israel's arrest of Gaza flotilla activists a 'brazen violation of international law,' Mamdani charges. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani urged that the detention of 175 activists aboard the Gaza-bound flotilla was unlawful and a breach of international law, noting that several of those detained are New Yorkers and vowing that his team is coordinating with State and Federal partners to confirm conditions and whereabouts with calls for their release. Separately, after OPEC exit, UAE deepens US, Israel ties and warns against Iran’s role in Hormuz. A top UAE adviser said freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz depends on the international community rather than “Iranian arrangements,” as Abu Dhabi seeks to boost oil output, rebuild its war-hit economy, and strengthen ties with the United States and Israel.

In Uplifting News, Shabbat candle lighting times for Israel and US. The schedule shows candle lighting times around the early evening and Shabbat ends from about 7:55 p.m. to 8:35 p.m., with local times varying by area. Examples include candle lighting as early as roughly 6:39 p.m. with Shabbat ending around 7:59 p.m., and as late as roughly 7:34 p.m. with Shabbat ending around 8:35 p.m., reflecting the variety of locales covered. In Parashat Emor: The social revolution, the weekly portion read during the Counting of the Omer highlights the special status of the kohanim, who must maintain purity and avoid contact with the dead except for their closest relatives. The reading offers a broader message about mutual respect and love between people as preparation for receiving the Torah on Shavuot. It recalls that 24,000 of Rabbi Akiva’s students died because they failed to treat one another with respect, and it calls for repair of that flaw each year during the Omer period, emphasizing unity and harmony among the people.

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-894827
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-894824
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-894831
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-894829
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/by00gwxfazl
https://www.jpost.com/judaism/article-894830
https://www.jpost.com/judaism/torah-portion/article-894773