Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-05-13 at 16:02

HEADLINESHistoric UAE Meeting Signals New Israel TiesWFP Slashes Syria Aid, 7.2m At RiskHezbollah Drones Kill Soldiers as IDF StrikesThe time is now 4:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.In Operation Lion's Roar, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu traveled to the United Arab Emirates to meet President Mohammed bin Zayed at the start of Operation Roaring Lion, the Prime Minister's Office announced. It marked the first publicly announced meeting between the two leaders since the Abraham Accords in 2020, described by the PMO as a historic breakthrough in Israel-UAE relations. During the operation, Mossad chief David Barnea and Shin Bet chief David Zini visited the UAE to coordinate on war-related matters. US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said Israel had sent UAE Iron Dome batteries to help defend against Iranian attacks, signaling ongoing cooperation. Reports also note the UAE’s role in recent strikes on Iranian assets, including an April attack on Lavan Island’s refinery, according to The Wall Street Journal.In Regional Impacts, the World Food Programme said it has halved emergency food assistance in Syria due to funding shortages, reducing the number of people served to about 650,000 in May from 1.3 million and trimming operations in all 14 Syrian governorates to seven. The agency warned that 7.2 million people remain acutely food insecure, including 1.6 million facing severe hunger, and it halted a bread subsidy program that supported more than 300 bakeries with fortified flour. The United States, once the biggest donor, has cut foreign aid along with other countries, intensifying a broader funding crisis. Separately, after meeting Prime Minister Netanyahu, Nickolay Mladenov, director-general of the Board of Peace, said seven months into Gaza’s ceasefire the door to Gaza’s future remains closed, not delivering what Palestinians were promised or what Israel needs for security, noting daily violations and ongoing humanitarian access challenges. In Syria, Palestinians face questions of belonging under new governance, with online attacks and state-linked platforms targeting Palestinian individuals, highlighted by debates over identity and concerns about legal status for Palestinian refugees.In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, the Israeli military downplays the Hezbollah drone campaign as a tactical challenge rather than a strategic threat, even as drones from Lebanon have caused casualties since the ceasefire took effect on April 17. Three soldiers and one civilian have been killed by exploding drones, but officers from Givati’s Sabar Battalion emphasize that the threat is real and being countered with ongoing measures, while some voices at home suggest the danger is being exaggerated. Separately, authorities report significant activity in the campaign, with IDF footage noting that more than 400 Hezbollah terrorists have been eliminated and over 1,000 weapons linked to Hezbollah have been located since the operation began.In Israeli Domestic Politics, coalition whip Ofir Katz submitted a bill to dissolve the Knesset with the backing of coalition faction leaders, setting the stage for a potential early election vote next week in the Knesset House Committee as the crisis over the haredi draft bill deepens. The move could lead to elections before October, with Degel Hatorah pressing for dissolution amid disagreements over the draft. At a separate campaign event in Tel Aviv, former prime minister Naftali Bennett, alongside opposition leader Yair Lapid, urged dissolving the Knesset and outlined plans for a future government to enshrine a constitution, reform the education system, draft haredim into the IDF, and rebuild after the October 7 attacks. The Together party, now led by Bennett and Lapid, has framed itself as the alternative bloc to Netanyahu’s Likud ahead of elections no later than October, and thousands attended the event as Bennett received standing ovations.In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, non-Jewish activists in Durban wore shirts identifying with the anti-Israel Jewish group Jews for Free Palestine during a protest in front of the Durban Holocaust and Genocide Centre. The absence of a local SAJFP chapter in Durban led SAPM to say solidarity with a global call for a Free Palestine, while the South African Jewish Board of Deputies criticized the incident as political theater, arguing that fringe Jewish voices are being used to provide cover for campaigns targeting Jewish spaces. The Board noted the irony of improvising in the absence of local Jewish participants and urged vigilance against campaigns that obscure real issues affecting Jewish communities.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. 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