Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-05-23 at 08:06

HEADLINES
1. Israel Strikes Gaza Targets Amid Rising Tensions
2. Iran and US Face Critical Nuclear Negotiation Deadlock
3. Yemen Missile Intercepted as Israel Faces Regional Threats

The time is now 04:00 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

Today in Israel, the security situation remains tense amid ongoing military operations and regional developments. The Israeli military announced that over the past 24 hours, it struck more than seventy-five targets across the Gaza Strip, including weapons storage facilities, sniper posts, and launchers, as part of its ongoing campaign to degrade militant infrastructure. This comes as a recent poll shows a slim majority of Israelis support the continued military operations in Gaza, with 51% in favor and 39% opposed. Support among coalition voters remains high, with 87% backing the effort, whereas opposition voters are mostly against further fighting.

In political developments, a poll indicates that the current balance of power in the Knesset remains stable, with the coalition holding 48 seats and opposition 62, excluding Arab parties. The Democratic Party has experienced a decline, losing four seats following controversial remarks by its leader, Yair Golan, who criticized the military campaign and called for restraint. Most of those seats have shifted to Yesh Atid and Yisrael Beiteinu, led by Yair Lapid and Avigdor Liberman, respectively.

On the security front, the IDF announced that it neutralized over twenty suspects involved in recent terror activities in the West Bank, seizing weapons and explosives, and arresting individuals linked to planned attacks. Simultaneously, bomb disposal teams have safely dismantled twenty-seven explosive devices intended for use against security forces.

Regional tensions persist as reports confirm that Yemen's Houthi militants launched a missile towards Israel overnight, triggering alert sirens in southern regions. The missile was intercepted by the Iron Dome system, and no casualties have been reported. This marks the twelfth missile alert in Israel this month, reflecting the fragile state of regional stability.

Meanwhile, in international diplomacy, the United States and Iran are set to hold their fifth round of nuclear negotiations in Rome today. The talks, mediated by Oman, aim to resolve the long-standing dispute over Iran's nuclear program. Despite public disagreements over uranium enrichment levels, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi emphasized the simplicity of reaching an agreement: "Zero nuclear weapons equals a deal; zero enrichment means no deal." He stated that Iran is willing to accept certain limits but requires ironclad guarantees that the future agreement will not be violated. US negotiator Steve Witkoff echoed the importance of compromise, but both sides remain divided on key issues, including Iran's uranium stockpile and missile program. Tensions are heightened by Iran's escalation of uranium enrichment beyond the limits of the 2015 nuclear accord, which the United States withdrew from in 2018, reimposing sanctions that have crippled Iran's economy.

In other security developments, reports confirm that Israeli forces targeted Hamas leadership in Khan Younis yesterday, killing senior military officials, including the group's military commander, Mohammed Sinwar. The operation involved precise airstrikes on a meeting of high-level Hamas members, who were gathered in violation of security protocols. The body of Sinwar was recovered and buried quietly to prevent retaliation.

Domestically, the political debate continues over the appointment of the next head of the Shin Bet security service. Prime Minister Netanyahu announced the appointment of Major General David Zini, despite a High Court ruling that his dismissal of the previous head, Ronen Bar, was unlawful due to conflicts of interest....