HEADLINES
Tyre strikes widen as Hezbollah drones kill
Disqualification bid targets Ra’am in elections
UN lists Israeli authorities for sexual violence

The time is now 3:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, authorities report morning strikes damaged the A-Rafaei neighborhood of Tyre in southern Lebanon, with video from the city showing the damage as residents assess the scene. Footage from Tyre after the morning air force strikes circulated, illustrating the reach of the latest clashes in the area. In a separate near-border incident yesterday, Hezbollah explosive drones attacked northern Israel near the Lebanon frontier, killing Sergeant Rotem Yanai, 20, from Giv'at Ada, a service conditions NCO in the 435th Battalion of the Givati Brigade, and wounding two reservists; sirens sounded as the drones approached, and none were intercepted.

In the Israeli Domestic Politics, five people were arrested during three West Bank counterterrorism operations carried out Tuesday and Wednesday with Shin Bet intelligence, including a Jenin arrest of a person suspected of planning a future attack, a Zeita arrest of a Hamas-affiliated operative, and in the Kalandiya and El-Bireh area three detainees taken into custody, including an armed individual who incited terror activity and another involved in assembling explosives. All detainees were held for questioning. Officials close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are pursuing moves to disqualify the United Arab List, Ra’am, and its chair Mansour Abbas from running in the next elections, in connection with efforts to designate Ra’am’s parent body, the Southern Faction of the Islamic Movement, as a terrorist organization; Ra’am denounces the move as anti-democratic, while the Shin Bet is urged to uphold legal norms and the democratic order. Overnight in Shechem, Magav special forces arrested two Hamas operatives who planned an immediate attack; the suspects surrendered and were handed to Shin Bet for interrogation.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, the United Nations has added Israeli entities to its blacklist of countries committing sexual violence in conflict zones, a list that now includes the Israeli Prison Service and other Israeli authorities under monitoring for potential inclusion in 2026; Hamas was added to the list in August 2025 after assessments by the UN’s envoy on sexual violence in conflict regarding acts during the October 7 period. Israel contends there was pressure to include Israel on the list and has criticized the Secretary-General’s action; in a separate reaction, Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, condemned the decision and argued the UN chief should uphold the democratic order and refrain from politically motivated moves in an election period.

In the Israeli Economy and Business, Etihad Airways announced a major expansion of its Tel Aviv–Abu Dhabi service, increasing to 42 weekly flights beginning June 15 with six daily flights, making the route the busiest in Etihad’s network; more than 100,000 passengers traveled between Tel Aviv and Abu Dhabi in the first quarter, about a 30% year-on-year rise, with roughly 70% using Abu Dhabi as a stopover for onward travel to Asia, and sample fares for high-demand routes showing Bangkok round-trips starting around $974 without a bag and $1,014 with a bag. Hungarian low-cost carrier Wizz Air has resumed flights to Israel, renewing service to Tel Aviv from major European cities and planning a full summer schedule; prior to the current tension with Iran, Wizz Air was the largest foreign carrier by passenger volume in Israel and had planned to open a Ben-Gurion hub.

In Uplifting News, excavations at a building near the Ghetto Fighters’ House in Bedzin, Poland, uncovered Jewish relics including a Star of David band and a siddur dating to 1934, found concealed under attic floorboards behind a constructed hatch, with researchers describing the locate as thoughtfully preserved and three-stage attic work to protect potential finds. Separately, a feature reflecting on history notes that not all fronts are visible, pointing to unseen forces—intelligence, deception, faith, technology, and timing—that have shaped events, including Israel’s ongoing conflict with Iran.

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.

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