Israel & the United States at War with Iran
Special Update from Israel

April 13, 2026

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

• Ceasefire between Iran and Israel + the US holding, even as negotiations break down
• Fighting with Hezbollah continues as talks between Israel and the Lebanese Government begin
• Unrelenting rocket attacks on Israel’s north continue
• US Blockade on the Strait of Hormuz is in place

Ceasefire

• The US‑brokered ceasefire between Israel and Iran has continued to hold formally, but senior US, Israeli, and Iranian officials have repeatedly warned that it remains extremely fragile.
• US‑Iran negotiations held in Islamabad, Pakistan, over the weekend ended without agreement after more than 20 hours of talks. The negotiations broke down principally over Iran’s refusal to commit to abandoning uranium enrichment and nuclear weapons capability. Iranian negotiators said US demands were excessive.
• The collapse of the talks immediately heightened uncertainty and triggered renewed economic and security fallout across the region. In response to the breakdown, President Trump announced that the US Navy has begun blockading Iranian ports and intercepting vessels connected to Iranian toll collection in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump warned Iran that failure to comply with US demands would lead to broader military action, including strikes on infrastructure, stressing that the United States would not tolerate what he described as “maritime extortion.” Some media reports said US President Donald Trump is considering resuming limited strikes inside Iran in parallel with the maritime blockade.
• Reports suggest that Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed deep skepticism toward US‑led diplomacy with Tehran, warning that halting pressure now could allow Iran to reconstitute military and nuclear capabilities. Israeli officials have emphasized that Israel was not a party to the ceasefire talks themselves and has not committed to broad de‑escalation beyond the Iranian front.
• President Donald Trump also said that negotiations have not yet collapsed. Still, he stressed that Washington would not tolerate prolonged ambiguity or violations, suggesting that the ceasefire remains conditional rather than open‑ended.
• Oil prices surged following the US announcement that it would impose a naval blockade on Iranian ports after US‑Iran talks collapsed. US crude rose roughly 8 percent to about $104 per barrel.
• Read: What this War has Proven

The War with Hezbollah

• Over the past several days, the war between Israel and the Hezbollah terror group in Lebanon has intensified, despite the ongoing ceasefire with Iran. Both Israel and the US have made it clear that the agreement with Iran does not include Lebanon, even as Iran argues that it was part of the deal. Israeli media have reported that President Trump has asked Israel to reduce the intensity of attacks against Hezbollah, and that Prime Minister Netanyahu has agreed to this request.
• Northern Israel absorbed sustained rocket fire from Lebanon, with large barrages triggering repeated sirens across the Galilee, Upper Galilee, and western border communities. Dozens of rockets and drones crossed into Israeli territory over the past several days, with a number evading interception and striking residential areas, causing damage to homes, power infrastructure, and public buildings. Emergency services treated multiple civilians for shrapnel injuries and blast‑related trauma, and at least one IDF reservist was seriously wounded, while additional residents were treated for anxiety after prolonged sheltering.
• The ongoing attacks have caused widespread disruption in northern cities and towns, reinforcing assessments that Hezbollah retains the capacity to inflict civilian harm despite continued Israeli strikes on launch sites and command infrastructure.
• In response, Israeli military operations against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon and the Beirut area have also intensified.  Airstrikes have continued against rocket launch sites, command infrastructure, and senior operatives. Lebanese authorities reported mounting civilian displacement and damage to infrastructure.
• IDF ground forces uncovered and destroyed Hezbollah infrastructure, including an underground tunnel that was located and demolished by a combat engineering unit yesterday. In a separate incident earlier in the week, troops killed a Hezbollah operative emerging from a tunnel shaft and seized weapons, including explosives, rockets, RPGs, and grenades.
• Israeli leaders have repeated that military pressure on Hezbollah would continue until rocket fire and cross‑border threats are fully neutralized, emphasizing the restoration of long‑term security to northern Israel and preventing Hezbollah from regrouping during any diplomatic pause.
• Alongside the fighting, Israel moved in recent days to open a diplomatic track with Lebanon, approving direct talks it said were aimed at disarming Hezbollah and stabilizing the northern border. Talks are being held in Washington with US mediation, led by Israel’s Ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter. In addition to an end to the fighting, media reports suggest that the aim is to disarm Hezbollah and begin talks on a peace treaty between Israel and Lebanon.

Israel's Home Front

• Home Front Command guidelines were updated following the ceasefire, allowing a return to full activity across most of the country, including reopening schools, while communities along the northern conflict line remained under restricted activity with schools closed.
• Out of more than 10,000 residents displaced at some point since the start of the operation, approximately 6,500 residents whose homes were damaged by missile strikes or interception debris are still living in hotels or community housing solutions.
• Since the ceasefire took effect, overall alert levels declined nationwide, and nearly all alerts continued to be concentrated in northern border communities, with more than 550 alerts issued in the first three days after the ceasefire began.
• According to Israel’s Finance Ministry, the direct cost of the war has now reached approximately $9.7 billion.
• The Health Ministry reported a gradual return of the healthcare system to routine operations, with most hospitals resuming above‑ground activity. However, two hospitals in northern Israel continued operating in fortified emergency settings. A survey conducted by Maccabi Healthcare Services (a leading HMO) found significant deterioration in the public’s mental and functional health one month into the operation, including widespread difficulties with concentration, daily functioning, and emotional resilience, with roughly 30 percent of respondents reporting a need for professional mental health support. Data analysis based on mobile behavior patterns similarly showed sustained elevated stress and depression indicators, with no measurable improvement following the ceasefire.
• Israel’s Health Ministry reported that 7,693 people had been hospitalized since the war began on February 28, including civilians and soldiers. As of today, 104 people remain hospitalized, with two in critical condition, 13 in serious condition, 31 in moderate condition, and 58 listed in good condition. The Ministry noted that some injuries were indirect, including those sustained while en route to shelters.
• Israel fully reopened its airspace and resumed regular operations at Ben Gurion Airport after the US‑Israel‑Iran ceasefire took effect. The Transportation Ministry said flight restrictions were lifted and terminal services, including duty‑free shops, reopened. Israeli carriers El Al, Arkia, and Israir began gradually expanding flight activity, while approvals were formally issued to foreign airlines and international aviation regulators.
• Several foreign airlines announced plans to resume service to Israel in the near future. Ethiad Airlines has said that it will recommence flights this week. Greek low-cost carrier Bluebird Airways became the first European airline to resume operations, including daily Tel Aviv–Athens flights yesterday, and plans to increase frequency later in the week. Hungarian low‑cost carrier Wizz Air said it reopened ticket sales for Tel Aviv routes starting April 25, initially flying to Budapest and gradually adding additional destinations, in line with international safety guidelines. Czech airline Smartwings also announced it would resume regular Tel Aviv flights from April 15, operating seven weekly services while continuing to monitor the security situation, as larger European and US carriers delayed their returns.
• Flight operations also resumed at Herzliya Airport and Ramon Airport near Eilat. A decision on reopening Haifa Airport was deferred pending updated security assessments, particularly given continued fighting with Hezbollah. Since the start of the operation, approximately 294,000 Israelis entered the country and 268,000 exited, with most movement occurring through land crossings until air traffic normalized.
• On Sunday, April 12, the Israeli Government’s Advisory Committee on Senior Appointments, chaired by former Supreme Court President Asher Grunis, approved Maj.-Gen. Roman Gofman as the next director of the Mossad. Following the committee’s decision, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed the appointment, setting Gofman’s five-year term to begin on July 2.

The Jewish Agency for Israel

• The Jewish Agency’s Roaring Lion Emergency Fund continued to provide direct support to victims of attacks, with 1,135 grants approved and an additional 487 applications in process. Total disbursements reached approximately $1.3 million and provided direct financial assistance to 14 municipalities.
• In parallel, Amigour, a Jewish Agency subsidiary, advanced upgrades to public shelters, completing renovations on 146 shelters out of 448 requests submitted.
• Special emphasis remained on northern Israel, where targeted respite programs were expanded for vulnerable populations. A total of 453 elderly individuals and families with children with disabilities from Kiryat Shmona, Tzfat, Maalot, Nahariya, and the Matte Asher region participated in five‑day Pesach and post‑Pesach retreats. In addition, a new program for high‑school students was launched in border communities within roughly 1.25 miles of Lebanon, with 90 11th and 12th graders from Marom HaGalil and Kiryat Shmona attending short educational and respite programs in Nitzana and Jerusalem that combined exam preparation, resilience workshops, and time away from daily security disruptions.
• More detailed data on municipal aid, small‑business support, and volunteer activity was made available through the Jewish Agency’s Emergency Dashboard.

Irgun Nechei Zahal | Beit Halochem

• Jewish Federations-supported Irgun Nechei Zahal is the State of Israel’s official organization responsible for the long‑term rehabilitation and support of IDF wounded veterans. They provide physical, psychological, vocational, and social services through their nationwide Beit Halochem centers. The organization has been operating for decades under government mandate and supports tens of thousands of wounded soldiers and their families across Israel.
• When Operation Roaring Lion began, Irgun Nechei Zahal was able to respond immediately because the infrastructure, partnerships, and trust built through past investments were already in place. Systems developed during Swords of Iron —hospital-based outreach, a national hotline, transportation and housing solutions, and family support frameworks—were rapidly reactivated and scaled to meet new needs. What supporters funded in previous emergencies became the backbone of today’s response, ensuring wounded soldiers and their families received seamless support from the moment of injury through recovery.

Jewish Federations continue to monitor the situation on the ground very closely and will report as needed.

For more information, please contact: Jewish Federations of North America’s Dani Wassner dani.wassner@jewishfederations.org. Subscribe to this weekly update here.