Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-11-18 at 15:07 cover art

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-11-18 at 15:07

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-11-18 at 15:07

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 HEADLINESIsrael weighs ankle monitors to curb violenceUS-Saudi talks hinge on $600B investmentUN backs demilitarization tied to Gaza aidThe time is now 10:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.Israel moved this week to convene a cabinet session focused on escalating West Bank settler violence, with discussions expected on measures including attaching ankle monitors to individuals already under restraining orders as a way to bolster security and deter further incidents. In Washington, senior United States officials signaled anticipated agreements with Saudi Arabia spanning defense cooperation, nuclear energy, and artificial intelligence, with the Saudi investment pledge of approximately six hundred billion dollars a centerpiece of the talks as President Donald Trump hosts Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House. The discussions reflect a broader effort to align regional security and energy priorities, while underscoring the ongoing US role in shaping security and technology partnerships in the Middle East.In Syria, the first trials opened over a wave of violence along the coastal region that followed the fall of the Assad government, a bitter episode that observers say tested the promises of accountability in a country emerging from years of conflict. A dozen defendants were brought to court in Aleppo, accused of involvement in attacks against Alawite communities and government forces, with charges including fomenting civil war, murder, and looting. Prosecutors say hundreds of people tied to both sides of the fighting face charges related to the broader violence that erupted in March and reshaped the country’s political landscape.Turning to Israel’s home front, the state comptroller released a sweeping assessment of the way reservists were supported during the Gaza war, describing systemic gaps that require sweeping reforms. The report details hundreds of thousands mobilized from October 2023 onward, with many serving far longer than peacetime norms, and a heavy burden falling on a relatively small segment of the population. It highlights a compensation system that left some reservists underpaid and legal protections that were fragmented and unevenly applied, risking employer hesitation and gaps in the workforce when mobilizations recur. The comptroller called for reforms across compensation, employment protections, and higher education support, urging better data sharing, clearer distinctions between combat and noncombat service in law, and a national plan to ensure students can complete their studies despite repeated reserve duties.In the United Kingdom, six pro-Palestinian activists were brought to trial over an August attack on an Elbit Systems facility in Bristol, with prosecutors saying the group planned to inflict significant damage and employ violence to further their aims. The case adds another layer to the international debate over the ethics and consequences of actions against arms manufacturers linked to the broader Gaza crisis.In the Gaza arena, an ongoing debate over reconstruction and disarmament continued to shape international debates. The United Nations Security Council endorsed a US-backed plan that links reconstruction assistance to demilitarization, a stance that some outlets described as a disciplined push for accountability and security. The Wall Street Journal has lauded what it calls muscular diplomacy in resisting external pressure on Israel while seeking a clearer path to humanitarian relief and reconstruction. Hamas has warned that any disarmament framework could affect the pace of aid, while those tracking the situation say a credible plan for demilitarization remains a point of contention between international actors and the factions controlling Gaza.In related reflections on the broader war, Hadar Goldin’s brother emphasized that the Gaza conflict cannot end while Israeli hostages remain in the hands of adversaries, describing hostages as bargaining chips even as formal arrangements for release are reportedly in motion. The remarks underscore the human dimension of the negotiations and the tightrope faced by leaders striving to end the war while safeguarding national security.On the humanitarian front, Gaza’s water system faced a fresh disruption after authorities suspended services and cut water supply by roughly half following the detention of a staff member at the main supplier. The move jeopardized the water needs of more than a million residents and highlighted the fragility of essential services in a conflict zone already strained by violence.Digital disruptions also punctuated the day’s headlines. A global outage at Cloudflare briefly knocked large swathes of the Internet offline, affecting access to social platforms and widely used online tools, illustrating how internet infrastructure underpins public communication and security operations even in conflict settings.In the Lebanon theater,...
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