HEADLINES
- Gas prices spike amid Iran-linked energy crisis
- Democrats demand disclosure of Israel's undeclared nuke
- Smotrich: Ra’am pact worse than Hamas

The time is now 12:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Regional Impacts, the price of a gallon of regular gasoline rose 31 cents in the past week, reaching an average of $4.48 per gallon on Tuesday, a gain that comes as prices have climbed about 50% since the war with Iran began. The rise at the pump is driven by a global energy crisis tied to that conflict.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, a group of Democrats in Congress is urging the administration to publicly acknowledge Israel’s undeclared nuclear weapons program, a move that would break decades of official policy. The letter, signed by more than two dozen lawmakers led by Joaquin Castro and sent to the Secretary of State, argues that Washington’s silence is unjustifiable given the war in Iran and the risk of military escalation, noting that the issue has long been considered an open secret among intelligence officials since the late 1960s. Some officials in the current administration reportedly share concerns that Israel’s red lines are not clearly understood and that Israel’s threshold for a nuclear response may be lower than in the past.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said that forming a government with the Arab party Ra’am would be worse than the October 7 Hamas massacre in 2023, a remark critics say crosses a moral line. Smotrich described the massacre as a terrible failure but a tactical one, adding that forming a government with Mansour Abbas is far worse and arguing that comparing disasters is inappropriate, even as the interviewer pressed him on the issue and he stood by his stance and sought to temper the fallout.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, backlash has grown over R. F. Kuang’s upcoming Taipei Story after a leaked excerpt identified an Israeli character, fueling criticism and calls for a boycott from some readers who view it as normalizing Israel in the wake of the Gaza war. Separately, the NYPD has secured an almost three-block perimeter around Park East Synagogue where an Israeli real estate event is being held, as pro-Palestinian protesters gather on surrounding streets nearby.

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/JewishNews24/53942
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-895241
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-895230
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/culture/article-895245
https://t.me/JewishNews24/53944