HEADLINES
- Trump Signs Counterterrorism Strategy Targeting Cartels Antifa
- ASEAN Faces Middle East Crisis Energy Security
- Nabtia Attack Highlights Iran Proxy Conflict

The time is now 7:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Regional Impacts, conflicts far beyond Southeast Asia are expected to dominate discussions of ASEAN leaders meeting in the Philippines, with the Middle East crisis posing significant challenges for its fuel import-dependent economies. The two-day gathering on Cebu will involve leaders and foreign and economic ministers from the 11-member bloc, with energy and food security as top priorities for nearly 700 million people, according to Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro. Philippine officials say the chairmanship will be tested as it coordinates a regional response while trying to keep broader flashpoints, including Myanmar’s civil war and last year’s border tensions between Thailand and Cambodia, from crowding out the agenda. Analysts say cushioning the economic fallout could outweigh other immediate regional issues. Separately, Iran has signaled to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, with ports ready to provide support and general maritime services.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, a report describes an attack in Nabtia.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, US President Donald Trump has signed a new national counterterrorism strategy that focuses in part on neutralizing hemispheric threats by incapacitating cartel operations until they are unable to bring their drugs, their members, and their trafficked victims into the United States, White House adviser Sebastian Gorka said on Wednesday. Gorka said the document was signed on Tuesday, driven by the principle that America is our homeland and must be protected. The United States has destroyed dozens of boats as part of a counternarcotics campaign linked to an operation that included the ouster of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro this year. The strategy will also focus on identifying and neutralizing violent, secular political groups whose ideology is anti-American, such as Antifa, and will use all constitutionally available tools to pursue these aims.

In Uplifting News, the annual Jewish pilgrimage to the El-Ghriba Synagogue in Tunisia drew a modest but notable return of international visitors this year, worshipping together under tight security after a deadly 2023 attack disrupted the festival. Visitors came from France, China, Ivory Coast and Italy, including France’s ambassador to Tunisia, a symbolic gesture after two French citizens were among those killed in the 2023 attack. A national guardsman shot and killed five people at the El-Ghriba synagogue soon after the festival that year, spreading fear among the local Jewish population and international pilgrims. A grandmother and her five grandchildren were rescued overnight after becoming stranded on steep cliffs in northern Israel while attempting to reach Lag BaOmer celebrations in Meron. The group, from Safed, lost their way while traveling on foot through the Nahal Amud area and became trapped on a slippery slope following rainfall; rescue teams used night operations, search equipment and a drone to locate the family.

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/energy-crisis-front-and-centre-asean-leaders-prepare-summit
https://t.me/newssil/201072
https://t.me/newssil/201073
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-895391
https://t.me/JewishNews24/53969
https://t.me/JewishNews24/53970