HEADLINES
French center shields ships amid Gulf standstill
Israel raises Yellow Alert on Lebanese Border
Iran via Pakistan proposes ceasefire to US

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 Regional Impacts, a dozen members of the French navy scour screens for blinking lights indicating movement thousands of kilometres away near the Strait of Hormuz. Since the start of the Iran war in late February, staff at a maritime security centre in western France have been helping merchant ships trapped in the Gulf. Twin Iranian and US blockades have left more than 750 civilian ships stranded on the Gulf side of the passageway, through which a fifth of global crude oil and LNG transited before the conflict. If the Maritime Information Cooperation and Awareness Center detects any bombardment, it immediately sends nearby ships an encrypted message. "We share the nature of the event, its context and exact position," commanding officer Thomas Scalabre tells AFP in a basement in the French city of Brest. "They can respond quickly, moving away from the danger if there are shots or debris, or even turn off their transponders so as not to be detected," he adds. This information is sent within a radius of 50 nautical miles.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, the IDF's Home Front Command on Friday restored some security guidelines for the northern border towns with Lebanon, reversing the area safety rating from Green back to Yellow. Following Israeli civilians being wounded on Thursday by Hezbollah attacks and continuous attacks into Israel of one to three drones per day over the last week, the IDF decided that it could not keep the northern border towns completely in normal conditions. Educational institutions will still be allowed to meet if there is a nearby safe room. The same will apply to businesses. Outdoor groups will be allowed to assemble up to 200 people. Indoors, assemblies of people will be able to reach up to 600 people. The IDF is concerned that attacks from Hezbollah in the area will continue for some time.

In the US Policy Concerning Israel, Iran sends revised ceasefire proposal to US via Pakistan. In a statement read in the name of Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran said the US has "no place" in the Persian Gulf, even as Tehran sent a new, undisclosed proposal to Washington via Pakistani mediators as part of talks to end the war. War in the Middle East: latest developments adds that Iran’s judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei said Tehran was open to talks with the United States but would not accept policy "imposition" and stressed that Tehran has never shied away from negotiations but will not accept pressure. Air defences were activated in Tehran for about 20 minutes before returning to a normal state. The US urged a meeting of Israeli and Lebanese leaders as fighting in the region continued and Israeli strikes in the south of Lebanon were reported amid a ceasefire.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, Bennett argues the political echelon must allow the IDF to operate in Lebanon unhindered to win, saying soldiers should not be left exposed to attacks by Hezbollah while political restrictions remain in place. IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant-General Eyal Zamir hailed this generation of soldiers as the greatest since the 1947-1949 War of Independence during a visit to the 36th Division in southern Lebanon. The topic also carries opinion pieces on the Bennett-Lapid alignment: one asks whether their fourth Israeli alliance can endure, noting past partnerships in Israeli politics have often faltered; another argues the Bennett–Lapid merger signals Israel’s search for unity and a reset after years of gridlock. The section also covers the Gaza flotilla episode: Israel says about 175 activists from the Gaza-bound Global Sumud flotilla were moved to Crete after the seizure of vessels in international waters, with two detainees identified as Saif Abu Keshek, suspected of ties to a terrorist organization, and Thiago Ávila, described as a organizer of flotillas and suspected of illegal activity. After coordination with Greece, the activists disembarked on Crete, while two were to be brought to Israel for questioning. Israel described the flotilla as Hamas-led and a provocation; several other boats associated with the flotilla were detained, and the United States condemned the move as part of broader tensions around Gaza.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, a New Hampshire Republican lawmaker faced a disciplinary hearing after tweeting a reference to a Nazi phrase aimed at a Jewish colleague. The colleague called for expulsion, saying the remark invoked the Holocaust and crossed a line. The lawmaker defended the comment as a joke and criticized the disciplinary process as a "kangaroo court," while the incident adds to ongoing discussions about antisemitism within the party and in public life.

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.al-monitor.com/originals/2026/05/french-hub-monitors-hormuz-tensions-afar
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-894833
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rjp0j7f0be
https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2026/05/war-middle-east-latest-developments
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-894834
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-894786
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-894686
https://worldisraelnews.com/israel-sends-175-flotilla-passengers-to-crete-2-detained-on-suspicion-of-terror-ties-illegal-activities/
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-894831
https://worldisraelnews.com/nh-lawmaker-reprimanded-for-final-solution-joke-aimed-at-jewish-colleague/