HEADLINES
US Ready to Restart Iran Strikes
Israel Deepens Lebanon Push Amid Sirens
Mamdani Backs Chevalier Against Espaillat

The time is now 1:00 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In US Military Role, the Pentagon says the United States is prepared to restart attacks on Iran if no nuclear deal is reached. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told delegates at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore that “our ability to recommence if necessary…we are more than capable,” and that stockpiles are ample both in theater and around the globe. He said Washington can pursue two priorities at once, including “super-charging our defence industrial base” to raise munition production two to four times to fund operations worldwide. He noted that President Donald Trump is patient and wants to craft a “great deal” to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, with a White House meeting planned to make a final determination on a proposal related to the talks.

In Regional Impacts, red alert sirens sounded in Northern Israel.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli forces had pushed deeper into Lebanon as delegations from both countries held security talks in Washington. Israel continued heavy bombardment of south Lebanon, with President Michel Aoun urging all efforts to reach a ceasefire. The April ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah has never been observed, with Iran insisting that Lebanon be included in any end to the wider conflict. Netanyahu announced that Israeli forces had advanced beyond the Litani River to new commanding terrain, as direct talks between Israel and Lebanon began in April.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani endorsed Darializa Avila Chevalier for Congress in the 13th District. Chevalier, a democratic socialist and vocal critic of US support for Israel, says she would invest in communities rather than bombs abroad and backs the Block the Bombs Act. She has been arrested in protests outside offices tied to pro-Israel policy as she runs to unseat longtime Representative Adriano Espaillat.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, NJ-12 candidate Adam Hamawy decried antisemitism amid scrutiny of his Israel views. As a Muslim and a former trauma surgeon who worked in Gaza, Hamawy said he understands what it feels like to face bigotry and loyalty questions, noting recent attacks on synagogues and mosques and stressing that safety is intertwined for all communities. He is running in a crowded Democratic primary to succeed retiring Representative Adriano Espaillat and has been pressed about ties to Omar Abdel-Rahman, the “Blind Sheikh,” and related terrorism charges. Also, Adonis Georgiadis, Greece’s health minister who once promoted an antisemitic book, is described as Europe’s loudest Zionist today, a figure who has become one of the bloc’s fiercest voices against antisemitism and in support of Israel.

In Uplifting News, Neanderthals' toolkit included hammers and blades made from rhino teeth, study finds. Dental microwear analysis shows marks on rhino teeth likely made after the animals’ deaths, ruling out chewing or dietary wear. Teeth from El Castillo Cave in Spain and Pech-de-l’Azé II in France suggest Neanderthals deliberately collected rhino teeth for tools around 300,000 to 40,000 years ago. Evidence of ancient Native American life was uncovered near Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at the DeSoto site in Florida, dating to the Malabar II period. Middens yielded pottery fragments, conch shell hammers, shark tooth knives, and indications of ground corn access, with seafood remains pointing to a mixed diet while farming did not appear in the record.

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/pentagon-chief-says-us-ready-restart-strikes-iran-if-no-deal
https://t.me/StandWithUsBreakingNews/8197
https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2026/05/israeli-forces-push-further-lebanon-delegations-meet-us
https://www.timesofisrael.com/mamdani-endorses-former-organizer-of-columbia-anti-israel-encampment-for-us-congress/
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-897776
https://www.ynetnews.com/magazine/article/syx8ecpggl
https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-897761
https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-897763