HEADLINES
IDF seizes Beaufort Ridge Lebanon outpost
Supreme Court head warns of delegitimization
Israel hi tech fuels 58 percent exports

The time is now 8:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Regional Impacts, the IDF announced it had captured the Beaufort Ridge outpost in southern Lebanon as part of ongoing operations to remove the threat Hezbollah poses to communities in northern Israel. Photos released by the military show a commanding set of ruins perched atop an outcrop overlooking the Litani River, a vantage point that offers a view of the surrounding terrain and any approaching forces. Beaufort Castle, known locally as Qal'at al-Shaqif, was captured in 1139 by Crusader forces led by Fulk the Younger, who ruled from Jerusalem with his wife Melisende, a historic first female ruler in the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem. Aside from a smaller fortification at the site of the current Beaufort Castle, believed by some to date from the late Roman or Byzantine period, little is known about the site prior to its capture by Fulk and Melisende’s forces. After the capture, the castle was gifted by Fulk to the lords of Sidon, and construction of the stone fortress is estimated to have followed.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, Supreme Court President Isaac Amit warned that public discourse surrounding Israel’s judiciary had sunk to an unprecedented low, with incitement, fake news, and personal attacks on judges becoming normalized and threatening the court system’s ability to function. Speaking at the Israel Bar Association’s annual conference in Eilat, Amit said some judges were afraid to answer phone calls from unknown numbers because of threats and harassment, a development he described as detrimental not only to judges as individuals but to public trust in the rule of law. In a separate briefing, Israel’s Military Advocate General described what he called unprecedented delegitimization attacks from global bodies such as the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court, and the UN Secretary-General’s Office, noting high-profile cases and requests such as South Africa seeking to postpone proceedings and the ICC’s consideration of arrest warrants for senior Israeli officials. Former prime minister Bennett, speaking at a Ynet forum, argued that exemptions from enlistment for the Haredi public come at a cost to soldiers’ lives and called for a united political framework under his leadership, including urging former chief of staff Eisenkot to join.

In Israeli Economy and Business, Israel’s hi-tech sector accounted for 58% of total exports in 2025, according to the Israel Innovation Authority, driven largely by Software-as-a-Service projects that export services abroad and depend on foreign-currency income. The report notes that the shekel’s strength could make 2026 tougher for some firms, even as service exports remain the main hi-tech export, and it highlights hardware exports growing by 16 billion shekels with gains of about 20.7% for computers, electronics, and optical equipment and 12.5% for aircraft, spacecraft, and related equipment. The hi-tech sector contributed about half of the economy’s growth in 2025, with output rising 8.2%, from 324 billion shekels in 2024 to 352 billion in 2025. In global markets, stocks rose as AI-related demand pushed markets higher even as tensions in the Gulf lifted oil prices; the MSCI All-World index gained about 0.13%, with markets from Tokyo to Seoul trading near record highs, and Brent crude rising to around 94 dollars a barrel, reflecting a cautious but risk-positive mood despite ongoing geopolitical tensions.

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/history/article-897970
https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1327974
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-897982
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-897975
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/h1ilzc5efl
https://www.jpost.com/business-and-innovation/tech-and-start-ups/article-897966
https://www.jpost.com/business-and-innovation/all-news/article-897973