Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

It is day 251 of the war with Hamas. Diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman and military reporter Emanuel Fabian join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Yesterday, Hezbollah launched some 215 rockets and several more missiles and drones at northern Israel. The barrages marked the largest attack carried out by Hezbollah during ongoing fighting on the Lebanon border amid the war in the Gaza Strip. This came after the Israel Air Force struck southern Lebanon and killed Hezbollah top commander Taleb Abdullah on Tuesday night. Fabian fills us in.

After the past several days of conflict along the northern border -- due to an escalation from both side -- Berman examines what a war between Israel and Hezbollah would not look like.

The IDF said Wednesday it would recognize a reservist with post-traumatic stress disorder who took his own life as a fallen soldier, and he will receive a military burial as his family had requested. Fabian tells us more about the case of combat engineer Sgt. Maj. (res.) Eliran Mizrahi.

White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said today while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a Group of Seven (G7) meeting of leaders in southern Italy that Israel is standing behind a ceasefire proposal for the eight-month-old war in the Gaza Strip, and the goal is to bridge gaps with Hamas and get to a deal soon. Berman examines Hamas's statements and the ability to carry on negotiations.

A UN Commission of Inquiry alleged on Wednesday that both Israel and Hamas committed war crimes in the early stages of the Gaza war, saying Israel’s actions also constituted crimes against humanity because of the immense civilian losses, and that they included acts of “extermination.” What happens next?

For more updates, please check out The Times of Israel's ongoing live blog.

Discussed articles include:

215 rockets fired at north after IDF killing of ‘most senior’ Hezbollah officer yet

IDF to recognize reservist with PTSD who took own life as a fallen soldier

Blinken pans Hamas response to Israeli offer, says some of its changes ‘not workable’

UN reports accuse Israel of ‘extermination,’ crimes against humanity; Hamas of war crimes

THOSE WE HAVE LOST: Civilians and soldiers killed in Hamas's onslaught on Israel

THOSE WE ARE MISSING: The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. 

IMAGE: The coffin of Taleb Abdallah, known as Abu Taleb, a senior field commander of Hezbollah who was killed in what security forces say was an Israel strike, is carried during his funeral in Beirut's southern suburbs on June 12, 2024. (Anwar Amro / AFP)