HEADLINES
Be’eri hostage body identified, family mourns
IDF trainee dies at base, investigation opened
Iran asks UN to hold US accountable

The time is now 6:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

Six o’clock update. Here is your on‑the‑air briefing.

The body of Meny Godard, a 73‑year‑old Israeli hostage who was abducted from Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7, 2023, has been identified after his remains were handed over from Gaza to Israeli authorities. Israeli officials confirmed the identification and conveyed to his family that the beloved Be’eri striker and youth coach had been killed by Palestinian Islamic Jihad militants and whose body was later recovered from the Gaza Strip. Godard’s death leaves three hostages who were killed and remain in Gaza, two Israelis and one foreign national, according to Israeli authorities and allied reporting. The government says it remains committed to the effort to recover all hostages and to ensure dignified burials for those who were killed, while demanding Hamas fulfill its commitments under mediator arrangements. The family and community of Be’eri mourn the loss, tempered by the knowledge that more than two years have passed since the initial seizure, and that the process of identifying remains continues alongside the broader effort to resolve the hostages issue.

Separately, Israeli authorities reported the death of an IDF trainee, Corporal Ermias Bahata, 18, from Ma’ale Adumim, who collapsed at a southern training base in what investigators described as an apparent allergic reaction. Bahata was posthumously promoted from private to corporal as the military, police, and investigative bodies launched a formal inquiry to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.

In the broader regional and international arena, Iran has asked the United Nations to hold the United States accountable for directing Israeli strikes last June on Iran’s nuclear sites. In a letter to UN Secretary‑General Guterres and the Security Council, Iran’s Foreign Minister declared that Washington bears criminal responsibility for the strikes, asserted that Israel and the United States should face reparations and compensation for damage, and tied recent public remarks by former US President Trump about directing Israeli actions to a broader claim of US control during a period of cross‑regional hostilities. The United States and Israel have not immediately commented on the letter, and the UN options toward the matter remain under discussion. The Iranian side also signaled openness to pursuing a peaceful nuclear agreement with the United States in the future, even as it framed the current moment as a prosecution of what it calls unlawful US and Israeli aggression.

Canada’s domestic intelligence service chief, CSIS director Dan Rogers, disclosed in a rare public address that Canadian authorities have thwarted several lethal threats linked to Iran directed at individuals deemed by Tehran as enemies. Rogers said Iranian intelligence services and their proxies had been re‑prioritized to target such individuals and that Canadian agencies disrupted plots aimed at Jewish communities in Canada, while also noting Tehran’s attempts to illicitly acquire Canadian goods and technologies through Russia‑linked networks. The remarks highlighted the continuing challenge of extremist and state‑backed threats in North America, and the role of Canada in countering those threats.

Saudi Arabia signaled imminent steps to bolster commercial ties with Lebanon after Lebanese authorities demonstrated efficacy in curbing drug smuggling to the kingdom in recent months. A senior Saudi official indicated that measures would be taken to ease certain import controls and to promote exports as part of a broader effort to normalize economic relations. The backdrop remains Lebanon’s still‑fragile state structures and the longstanding debate over Hezbollah’s role; Riyadh wants Lebanon to disarm the group as a condition of deeper economic engagement. The United States has pressed Lebanon to move forward with disarmament plans, warning that Hezbollah’s capabilities continue to pose regional security risks, including potential spillovers into Israel’s security environment.

In other developments, US officials reportedly raised concerns about a Saudi bid to purchase F‑35 jets, with a Pentagon intelligence assessment arguing that a sale could risk transfer of sensitive aircraft technology to China if not properly safeguarded. The New York Times cited sources familiar with the assessment, noting ongoing deliberations within Washington over the sale and its national security implications.

Turning to internal security and education, a Times of Israel report highlighted antisemitism on university campuses in the United Kingdom. At University College London, a PhD researcher taught a lecture referencing the Damascus Affair and presented antisemitic blood libel allegations about Jews, prompting swift university action including banning the lecturer from campus and suspending the student group involved. University officials publicly apologized and stressed that antisemitism has no place on campus, while pursuing a broader review of safeguarding and academic conduct. The incident underscores ongoing tensions surrounding free speech, academic inquiry, and antisemitism in higher education.

On the Holocaust remembrance front, prominent Holocaust survivors have continued to pass away in recent months. Among those cited were figures described as a “librarian of Auschwitz” and the last surviving fighter from the Warsaw Ghetto, marking another chapter in the aging generation of survivors whose firsthand experiences frame discussions about memory, education, and the implications of antisemitism today.

In a different thread of regional security, Israeli reporting noted ongoing efforts to identify and repatriate missing and deceased hostages while maintaining pressure on Hamas to fulfill its obligations under mediator accords. The Israeli government reiterated its commitment to returning all hostages and to addressing the families and communities affected by the crisis, even as the broader fight against militant groups continues in Gaza.

Finally, on the political–security leadership front within Israel, reports indicate continued debate over senior appointments in intelligence leadership, including consideration of leading candidates for the Mossad post. Media outlets noted a leading candidate, identified only as “A,” who reportedly has support within the Mossad, with formal confirmation to come only after the leadership decision is finalized. The selection process remains closely watched given the security environment and the need for steady leadership across intelligence and security agencies.

In sum, today’s landscape combines a solemn update on the return and identification of a hostage, continued loss and tragedy among hostages and security personnel, and a broad array of security, diplomatic, and social dynamics—ranging from Iran’s posture toward the UN and the United States to Western university debates over antisemitism, to Saudi–Lebanese economic outreach and North American security assessments. The overarching message remains clear: governments and communities are navigating a complex web of alliances, commitments to hostages and victims, and the ongoing task of preventing further escalation while pursuing avenues for dialogue and stability.

This concludes the 6:00 PM update. We will continue to monitor hostages’ status, regional security developments, and international diplomacy as the situation evolves.

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.

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