HEADLINES
- Israel Hezbollah ceasefire near as IDF withdraws
- Iran halts US talks Trump ponders silence
- Mossad international chief steps down amid change

The time is now 3:02 PM 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, President Donald Trump spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about a potential ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. After the call, Trump said Israel had agreed that there will be no troops going to Beirut and that any troops on the way had already been turned back. He said Hezbollah had agreed that all shooting would stop, with Israel and Hezbollah pledging not to attack each other. The speaker of the Lebanese parliament, Nabih Berri, had informed US officials that Hezbollah was ready to commit to a comprehensive ceasefire and would guarantee its implementation, Axios reported, citing Berri's adviser Ali Hamdan. Hamdan said the United States had proposed a partial ceasefire in which Hezbollah would end its strikes on northern Israel, and in exchange, Israel would halt its attacks.

The Israeli military said its 146th Division completed its southern Lebanon operations after three months and would be withdrawn to Israel. During those operations, the IDF said it eliminated more than 550 terrorists and dismantled over 2,700 terrorist infrastructure sites, including more than 200 weapons storage facilities, with help from the IAF and the Yahalom Unit, and it weakened dozens of underground routes. The army also announced that ground forces had taken control of the Beaufort Ridge outpost and the Wadi al-Saluki area beyond the Litani River, a move the military described as carrying important operational significance for the fight against Hezbollah. In the same Lebanon theater, Captain Ori Yosef Silvester, an IDF captain and medic with the Shaked Battalion of the Givati Brigade, was killed in combat against Hezbollah; six other soldiers were injured, including three in critical condition.

In the US Policy Concerning Israel, President Donald Trump told NBC News that he had not heard Iran suspend talks with the United States, but indicated that going silent could be beneficial. “I think we’ve been talking too much,” he said, adding that going silent could be very good and might last a long time. He stressed that silence would not mean a raid; the blockade would remain while patience lasts. He later told CNBC that he could wait as long as Iran wants and noted that Iran is “losing a fortune” in the standoff. He also said he would ask Prime Minister Netanyahu what is going on with Lebanon. Iran, for its part, has reportedly halted talks with the United States over Israel’s military activity in Lebanon, according to Tasnim News Agency.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, Israelis are increasingly defining themselves as Jews first, with the 2026 Diaspora Index showing 57% of respondents identify primarily as Jewish and only then as Israeli, up from 34% the previous year. The survey also found that 87% are proud to be Jewish, and 85% agree Judaism is more than a religion and represents belonging to one people with a shared history and roots. Regarding relations with the diaspora, 94% of Israelis expect Jews worldwide to support Israel during wartime. The findings point to a strengthening personal Jewish identity alongside heightened awareness of intermarriage and assimilation as potential threats to the Jewish people. In Mossad news, D, the head of the Mossad’s international relations branch, announced stepping down after Roman Gofman was approved to lead the agency. Other senior officials are expected to follow in the coming days, KAN reported. Gofman’s appointment faced petitions and legal hurdles, including challenges filed with the High Court of Justice, which were rejected, clearing the way for his leadership.

In Uplifting News, We Shall Rise, a new immersive installation, opened to the public on the rooftop of the Azrieli Tel Aviv Mall. The project invites visitors to walk through a sequence of projections detailing Israel’s defining moments since the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attacks. Created by writer Noam Horev, with photography by Ziv Koren and design by DISKIN, the installation spans images from destroyed kibbutzim and wounded Israeli children to scenes of wars with Iran and stories of hostages being reunited with loved ones. Horev says the exhibit aims to show that, despite attempts to erase it, the country remains here.

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/middle-east/article-898026
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-898020
https://t.me/StandWithUsBreakingNews/8236
https://t.me/newssil/202835
https://t.me/hnaftali/23273
https://t.me/abualiexpress/123568
https://t.me/newssil/202830
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-898027
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-898030
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-898024
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/culture/article-898016