HEADLINES
AI Targeting System Drives Israeli Strikes
Iran Sends Ceasefire Reply via Pakistan
Israel Grants Ministers Power Over Key Posts

The time is now 11:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Direct Israel-Iran Clashes, the report centers on an AI-powered targeting system that Israel acknowledges using in its operations. Ahmad Turmus got in his car, started it, and drove off; less than 30 seconds later, missiles struck his vehicle. The drone presence above him was constant as an Israeli officer, speaking in accented Arabic, asked, “Ahmad, do you want to die with those around you or alone?” Turmus answered simply, “Alone.” The targeting of Turmus illustrates a long-running intelligence-focused approach that has grown with the use of data from smartphones, security and traffic cameras, Wi‑Fi signals, drones, government databases, and social media to identify and strike targets. The system represents a high-stakes dimension of the ongoing conflict, built on an information-based war that Israeli authorities say Hezbollah has yet to counter.

In Iranian Retaliation, Iran’s response to the latest US ceasefire proposal has been submitted to Pakistani mediators, Tehran’s official media reported. Iran’s reply centers on “ending the war in the region,” with emphasis on ending hostilities in all arenas, notably Lebanon, and on maritime security in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. A Pakistani diplomatic source told Al Jazeera that Tehran’s reply was conveyed to the United States. President Trump had said Iran has one week to respond to the peace proposal, while Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said the proposal is currently being evaluated.

In Regional Impacts, the United Arab Emirates said its air defenses intercepted two drones coming from Iran on Sunday, part of renewed attacks after four weeks of relative calm since a ceasefire in the Iran war. Tehran has denied conducting operations against the UAE in recent days, but warned of a “crushing response” if actions are taken from the UAE. The UAE previously shifted to remote learning for schools, though authorities announced in-person classes would resume. Qatar’s prime minister told Iran’s foreign minister that using the Strait of Hormuz as a pressure tool would deepen the crisis, and urged all parties to engage with mediation efforts to end the war.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, a package of bills backed by Justice Minister Yariv Levin cleared a major hurdle as the Ministerial Committee for Legislation advanced plans to overhaul how senior civil servants are appointed and removed. The proposals would replace much of the current professional screening with a model that grants ministers and the government broader control, applying to posts including the IDF chief of staff, police commissioner, Shin Bet chief, Mossad chief, Israel Prison Service commissioner, civil service commissioner, attorney-general and deputies, ministry directors-general, and any post requiring government approval. Under the plan, a minister would nominate a candidate and send the name to a government-appointed qualifications committee, which would have a set seven-day deadline to determine issues related to qualifications and potential political concerns. Separately, an opinion piece argues Israeli politics has shifted from institutional decline to perpetual negation, driven by chaos and information overload, noting the Itamar Ben-Gvir controversy and drawing on Martin Gurri’s The Revolt of the Public to describe how current dynamics shape leadership. In a separate development, the state asked the High Court for a 30-day extension to respond to a petition seeking the immediate release of six Arab citizens’ bodies withheld by the state, a request opposed by the petitioners’ Adalah representation, while the court has not yet ruled. Another development saw IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant-General Eyal Zamir pressing the Knesset to draft larger numbers of haredim into the military and to pass laws expanding the IDF, arguing the service remains a national institution even as manpower concerns rise, and warning that the army must avoid being drawn into politics.

In Israeli Economy and Business, 18x Elite Impact, an entrepreneurship program for IDF reservists and veterans, reports that 150 startups were created by program participants over the past year, with more than $15 million raised in investment. The fundable ventures come as Israel’s Innovation Authority notes roughly 1,000 new projects across the broader landscape, along with 500 startups pursuing seed funding in 2024 and 178 in the first half of 2025, illustrating a continued flow of veteran-led companies entering the market and seeking capital.

In Uplifting News, British paratroopers conducted a humanitarian airdrop to Tristan da Cunha, delivering medical personnel and supplies in what the Ministry of Defence described as the first such parachute operation by the UK military to provide humanitarian aid. Six paratroopers and two medical clinicians from 16 Air Assault Brigade jumped from an A400M aircraft after routes from Oxfordshire to Ascension Island and then to Tristan da Cunha, with oxygen and other medical aid delivered to support a case of suspected hantavirus; the patient, a ship passenger, is reported stable and isolated. In a separate philanthropic note, the Koum Family Foundation donated $200 million to Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem, the largest single gift to a Israeli hospital. The donation will fund a new 24-story medical tower and prompt the hospital to be renamed Koum Shaare Zedek Medical Center, reflecting the foundation’s support for medical innovation and care.

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.jpost.com/defense-and-tech/article-895697
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-895690
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-895692
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-895698
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-895489
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-895695
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-895689
https://www.jpost.com/business-and-innovation/tech-and-start-ups/article-895682
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-895696
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-895694