Prepared by and sent from Jewish Federations of North America’s Israel Office 

  • US-Iran fighting intensifies with at least two US soldiers killed.
  • Israel remains out of the fighting for now, but on high alert
  • Tisha B’Av – the saddest day in the Jewish calendar – begins

Today’s update is being sent a day earlier than usual, as our Israel office closes along with much of Israel for Tisha B’Av, the saddest day in the Jewish calendar.

President Isaac Herzog delivered a public address last night, where he said,

“Tomorrow evening, the fast of the 9th of Av begins. On this day, both Holy Temples of the Jewish people were destroyed. For two thousand years, this day has reminded us of the price of polarization, division, and hatred among us. This year, that message carries even greater weight, as we enter the period of elections….. It is no secret that we are living through a period of disagreements… I turn to elected representatives, activists, and all candidates from all parties, and demand that you do not cross red lines. Do not turn rivals into enemies. Let us remember the historical lesson: baseless hatred destroyed our home. Twice in the history of our people, we merited independent sovereignty in our land. Twice we failed. We must not repeat the mistakes of the past. We have a historic responsibility to the generations who came before us, and to generations to come.”

Iran

  • Over the past week, the US-Iran conflict has continued to intensify following the collapse of the June memorandum of understanding between the two sides. US forces have now carried out ten consecutive nights of strikes against Iranian military facilities, missile and drone infrastructure, coastal surveillance systems, maritime assets, command centers, and air-defense sites.
  • Iran has responded with missile and drone attacks against US positionsand allies across the region. Over the past several days, Tehran has claimed strikes against facilities connected to the United States in Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain, while continuing efforts to pressure traffic in and around the Strait of Hormuz. Kuwaiti authorities reported intercepting Iranian missiles and drones, while Bahraini authorities activated nationwide warning sirens and instructed residents to seek shelter. Jordanian air-defense systems also intercepted Iranian missiles crossing the kingdom’s airspace.
  • The most significant military development came after an Iranian attack on a US installation in Jordan. According to US military statements, two American service members were killed, one was initially reported missing, and several others were injured, prompting a new round of retaliatory US strikes against Revolutionary Guard targets. Subsequent US reports indicated possible additional fatalities among American personnel as the fighting expanded, making this the deadliest period for US forces since the current phase of the conflict resumed.
  • President Donald Trump has declared that the previous ceasefire framework is effectively finished and warned that attacks could expand further if Iran does not return to negotiations on terms acceptable to Washington.
  • Iranian leaders have adopted an equally confrontational tone. Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned that continued American attacks would bring “unforgettable lessons,” while Iranian officials announced that Tehran was suspending its commitments under the interim agreement.
  • Much discussion has taken place this week over Iran’s heavily fortified “Pickaxe Mountain” facility, located near the Natanz nuclear complex. According to intelligence assessments shared by Israeli officials with the United States, Iran may have transferred thousands of uranium-enrichment centrifuges into tunnels deep inside the mountain after previous strikes damaged key parts of its nuclear infrastructure. The site, which Iran calls Mount Kolang, is believed to be buried more than 100 meters beneath solid rock and may be even deeper and more protected than the Fordow enrichment facility. International inspectors have not been granted access to the complex, fueling concerns in Washington and Jerusalem that Iran could be attempting to preserve or rebuild elements of its enrichment program beyond the reach of most conventional military strikes. President Trump said yesterday that the facility “may be hit very soon.”
  • Despite the escalation, Iran has continued to focus its military activity on US and Gulf targets rather than on Israel. No missile or drone attacks have been launched against Israel during the current round of fighting, and the IDF’s Home Front Command has not imposed special restrictions. Israeli officials have continued monitoring developments closely, while several commentators have argued that Iran may be deliberately avoiding attacks on Israel in order to prevent direct Israeli military involvement.
  • Beyond the threat of Iran attacking the Jewish state, Israelis also remain concerned over regional spillover which has already taken place. This week Iran launched missiles toward the Jordanian port city of Aqaba, directly across the border from Eilat, on numerous occasions. Multiple interceptions were carried out by US, Jordanian, and Israeli air-defense systems, with loud explosions heard in Eilat and smoke visible from the city. Israeli authorities warned of the possibility of debris crossing into Israeli territory, and the IDF intercepted objects that posed a risk to the Eilat area.

Lebanon

  • Lebanese President Joseph Aoun made the first visit by a Lebanese head of state to the White House in nearly two decades, meeting with President Donald Trump on Tuesday as part of efforts to advance the June framework agreement between Israel and Lebanon. In the friendly meeting, Aoun pressed for a complete Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon, arguing that it is necessary for the Lebanese state to extend its authority throughout the country. The Lebanese president also appeared to warmly welcome a more permanent normalization treaty with Israel.
  • The meeting took place as implementation of the agreement with Israel entered its first practical phase. Under the agreement, the IDF will begin withdrawing from villages where it has cleared Hezbollah terrorists, as Lebanese Army forces take their place to ensure they remain Hezbollah-free. Yesterday, Lebanese military units began patrols in three villages included in the initial pilot zones. The development marks the first transfer of territory under the new framework and is being closely watched as a potential model for further withdrawals elsewhere in southern Lebanon.
  • Hezbollah has continued to sharply oppose the Israel-Lebanon framework agreement and the steps now being taken to implement it. Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem has rejected the agreement outright, arguing that it serves Israeli interests and warning that linking Israeli withdrawals to Hezbollah’s disarmament crosses the organization’s “red lines,” even hinting that it could lead to civil war. Hezbollah has also criticized the Lebanese government’s direct talks with Israel and efforts to expand Lebanese Army control in the south, while insisting that any Israeli withdrawal should take place without conditions.
  • The IDF has revealed details about a massive Hezbollah underground complex beneath the Beaufort Ridgearea of southern Lebanon. Military briefings said a fortified tunnel network stretching deep into the mountain and serving as a major Hezbollah command and operational center has been uncovered. The revelations provided one of the most detailed public looks to date at Hezbollah’s military infrastructure north of the border.

Elections and Politics in Israel

  • Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is continuing to try to expand his influence over the Likud candidate list ahead of the elections. Internal party bodies approved a plan allowing Netanyahu to personally select eight candidates in key slots on the party’s Knesset slate. The move has generated considerable controversy inside Likud, with critics arguing that it weakens the party’s traditional democratic primary system, while supporters say it will help Netanyahu build a stronger electoral list. The changes remain the subject of legal and internal party challenges, and a provision was made allowing a small group to select the entire list if the security situation prevents primaries from taking place. Only Likud, Religious Zionism, and the Democrats (the new merger of Labor and Meretz) hold primary votes.
  • The Democrats party held primaries yesterday and finalized its Knesset slate ahead of the October election. More than 97,000 members participated in the digital vote, with party chairman Yair Golan retaining the top spot and MK Naama Lazimi securing second place. The results solidify the party’s leadership team and provide one of the first completed electoral lists of the campaign season. Some commentators noted that many of the successful candidates were leaders of the protest movements against judicial reform and against prolonging the war in Gaza; while other candidates who focused on an anti-religion platform did less well.
  • Polling continues to show a highly fragmented electorate. Most recent surveys indicate that Likud remains the largest single party, but that Netanyahu’s traditional coalition bloc remains well below the 61 seats needed for a majority. At the same time, Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party continues to perform strongly in polls, while much attention is focused on whether new parties on the center-right will merge, split votes, or emerge as potential kingmakers after the election.
  • Efforts are continuing on the center-right to create a new political framework outside both Netanyahu’s coalition and the traditional opposition bloc. Yuli Edelstein, Ayelet Shaked, Benny Gantz, Gilad Erdan, and other figures have reportedly been exploring possible alliances aimed at attracting voters dissatisfied with both major camps.

Other Developments

  • A potentially significant shift in Middle East nuclear policy emerged this week following reports that President Trump has approved a long-term civilian nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia. According to the reports, the deal could eventually allow the kingdom to develop domestic uranium-enrichment capabilities with American support, following joint feasibility studies and congressional review. The proposed agreement has already raised concerns In Israel and among some US lawmakers and nonproliferation experts, who argue that allowing enrichment could trigger a broader regional nuclear competition.
  • A political dispute in the United States spilled into the debate over Israel this week after New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani called on the federal government to arrest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visits the United States. The remarks prompted a sharp response from US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who wrote: “Would be easy to say NY Mayor is just an ignorant bigot, but he is not dumb. He’s an evil anti-Semite who deliberately lies about serious things like ‘genocide’ to stoke Jew hate. If anyone should be arrested, it’s the Mayor of NY for incitement. NYC should be ashamed.” Netanyahu is expected to visit New York for the annual opening of the UN General Assembly in September.
  • A political and public storm erupted this week after remarks by Rabbi Dov Landau, one of the most influential leaders in the Lithuanian Haredi community, were leaked from a private meeting. In the recording, Landau sharply criticized Religious Zionist leaders who encourage military service and questioned certain wartime decisions, comments that were widely interpreted as an attack on Religious Zionist soldiers serving in the IDF. The remarks drew condemnation from across much of the political spectrum, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who defended religious, secular, and Haredi soldiers alike and said they deserve the gratitude and support of the entire nation. In response to the backlash, Landau said his comments had been taken out of context and distorted after being made in a private conversation, while his supporters argued that he had been criticizing ideology and policy rather than the soldiers themselves.
  • New figures from the Central Bureau of Statistics showed that, despite the Iran war, 439,700 visitors entered Israel during the first half of 2026, compared to 610,900 during the same period in 2025. The United States remained Israel’s largest source market, accounting for 36% of all visitors. While June recorded a year-on-year increase in arrivals as more airlines resumed service, overall tourism remains well below pre-war levels after airspace disruptions earlier this year slowed the sector’s recovery.
  • Five members of Israel’s Council for Higher Education resigned in protest over recently approved legislation permitting expanded gender-segregated academic programs. The resignations came amid broader criticism from university leaders and medical school deans, who warned that the changes could affect academic standards and international recognition of Israeli degrees.
  • One person was killed and several others were trapped in a bakery after the collapse of a balcony in central Jerusalem, just minutes’ walk from Jewish Federations of North America’s Israel office. Rescue teams, including Home Front Command units, worked for hours to locate and extract those trapped beneath the rubble, while authorities opened an investigation into the cause of the collapse.
  • Archaeologists announced the discovery of charred wooden beams dating to the destruction of the First Temple in 586 BCE, just outside Jerusalem’s Old City. The remains were uncovered during excavations in the City of David area, and are believed to have been part of a First Temple courtyard destroyed during the Babylonian conquest. When the building was set ablaze, plaster from the Temple’s walls melted, encasing the burnt wooden beams, and thus protecting them from decay in the 2,500 years that have since passed. The Israel Antiquities Authority said the find provides additional physical evidence of the destruction of Jerusalem described in biblical and historical sources.
  • Data released by the Population and Immigration Authority showed thatimmigration to Israel has remained at historically elevated levels since October 7. More than 75,000 new immigrants have arrived since the outbreak of the war, with particularly strong aliyah from France, North America, and the former Soviet Union. Immigration from France has remained at record levels, while North America continues to be one of Israel’s fastest-growing sources of new olim. Aliyah from Australia is up more than 100%. Officials also reported that aliyah applications from several Western countries remain significantly higher than pre-war levels, indicating expected ongoing levels of immigration.
  • An Israeli Home Front Command disaster-response mission has now entered its third week in Venezuela, making it the longest humanitarian assistance deployment in the history of the Command. Approximately 32 Israeli experts remain on the ground, helping Venezuelan authorities transition from emergency response operations to long-term recovery and rehabilitation following the devastating earthquakes. The team is assisting with national planning, damage assessment, prioritization, and reconstruction efforts, with a particular focus on sharing expertise developed through Israel’s experience responding to major disasters at home and abroad.

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