Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-12-18 at 17:07 cover art

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-12-18 at 17:07

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-12-18 at 17:07

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 HEADLINESEgypt Israel $30B gas deal purely economicIsrael Germany Arrow-3 expansion worth $3.1BUS pushes SDF Syria integration by year-endThe time is now 12:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.At 12:00 PM, a set of developments across the Middle East and the wider region are shaping regional security, diplomacy, and policy calculations for governments and international partners.Egypt says the reported roughly $30 billion gas deal with Israel is a commercial arrangement, not a political linkage to the Gaza conflict. Cairo describes the agreement as economically motivated, intended to bolster Egypt’s role as a regional gas hub and to involve international energy firms, including Chevron. The government emphasizes that the deal stands on its own merits and is not contingent on progress in Gaza or Palestinian statehood talks.In Washington, US special envoy Steve Witkoff is scheduled to meet Friday in Miami with Qatari, Egyptian, and Turkish officials to discuss the Gaza deal and related diplomatic steps. The meeting reflects ongoing US efforts to coordinate regional positions on Gaza and humanitarian issues, while seeking to maintain channels of dialogue among key regional actors.Diplomatic and religious leaders also weighed in on broader regional dynamics. Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Pope Francis discussed the rise of antisemitism worldwide ahead of Christmas, with the pope highlighting pride in Israel’s diverse Christian communities and indicating continued engagement with Israel on shared concerns.On the security front, Israel and Germany signed a contract valued at about $3.1 billion to expand the Arrow-3 air and missile defense system. The expansion supplements a prior agreement, with the total value of the two arrangements now around $6.7 billion. The deal underscores enduring defense cooperation and the emphasis Israel places on maintaining robust ballistic defense capabilities amid regional threats.In the West Bank, Israeli officials announced a national emergency plan to address illegal waste fires viewed as a security and environmental threat. The plan contemplates aggressive enforcement, possible seizures of Palestinian waste trucks, large-scale waste removal, and the creation of a new disposal site in central West Bank. The anticipated costs are to be borne by the Palestinian Authority, matching longer-standing disputes over funding and responsibility for waste management infrastructure.Tensions inside Israel’s cities flared again as ultra-Orthodox protesters clashed with police in Jerusalem, injuring multiple officers and prompting a police response that included tear gas and multiple detentions. The confrontations occurred during demonstrations linked to draft evasion debates and a broader political dispute about ultra-Orthodox exemptions from military service. Opposition figures characterized the events as a governance failure, while security officials and some coalition allies urged adherence to the rule of law and the enforcement of enlistment policies.The security focus also extended to a case in Beit Lid, where a 17-year-old was arrested in connection with a fatal arson attack that targeted Palestinian property during November’s violence. Authorities indicated it was the third arrest in the case as the investigation continues.In regional diplomacy and conflict management, Reuters reports that Syria, Kurdish-led forces, and the United States are scrambling to meet a year-end deadline for progress toward integrating Kurdish forces with the Syrian state. Damascus has sent a proposal allowing the Kurdish-led SDF to reorganize into three divisions, on condition of some command shared arrangements and openness to other Syrian government units. While some officials say the path to a comprehensive settlement remains unlikely by year-end, others caution that progress could be framed as a face-saving step to sustain talks. The SDF has emphasized its autonomy and concerns about ceding authority, while Turkey has signaled patience is running thin and reiterated it does not rule out military options if integration stalls further.Meanwhile, US leadership at the International Criminal Court continues to draw attention. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced personal sanctions on two ICC judges for actions aimed at Israeli nationals without Israel’s consent, noting that the United States and Israel do not belong to the ICC. The move signals Washington’s stance toward what it sees as politically motivated investigations, even as it calls for international accountability within its own security framework.In related developments, Iran-linked cyber activity and other regional security concerns persisted. Reports describe ongoing online activity tied to Iranian actors and discussions about security and deterrence, underscoring the importance of intelligence and cyber domains in regional stability.On travel security and aviation, ...
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