Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-01-11 at 14:07 cover art

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-01-11 at 14:07

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-01-11 at 14:07

Listen for free

View show details

About this listen

 HEADLINESArrow 3 expansion seals $3.1B dealNetanyahu aims to end US defense aidIran crackdown kills hundreds as protests rageThe time is now 9:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.At nine this morning, we bring you a roundup of significant developments across the Middle East andRelated regions, with focus on Israeli security concerns, European defense cooperation, and the broader international context shaping the day.Germany and Israel have signed a new agreement worth three point one billion dollars to expand the Arrow three missile defense system. The deal extends the prior arrangement signed two years ago, and comes on the heels of the initial Arrow three battery delivered to Germany that was deployed at a ceremony in Holzdorf Air Base last month. With this expansion, production of Arrow three interceptors and launchers will be accelerated to bolster Germany’s air and missile defense capabilities, according to statements from the German Federal Ministry of Defense and the Israeli Defense Ministry. The package now tops more than six point five billion dollars across both Arrow commitments, marking the largest Israeli defense export deal to date. German officials and Israeli partners note that the Arrow system sits at the core of Israel’s multi layered air defense architecture, designed to protect critical airspace and deter a range of threats. Observers say the agreement reinforces a long standing security partnership with Germany and signals a potential pathway for other European states to consider similar acquisitions as the security landscape in the region evolves.In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke this week about broad strategic shifts, including the aim to gradually reduce the United States security assistance Israel receives, with a view to ending this assistance within a decade. He described the move as part of Israel’s economic and security maturation and stressed that the intent is to strengthen Israeli defense programs through domestic development and private investment, while continuing to value the longstanding bilateral relationship with the United States. The remarks came in the context of broader discussions about Israel’s defense spending, industrial growth, and the goal of expanding regional security cooperation in a changing security environment.The situation in Iran remains a major point of international concern as anti-government protests persist into a third week. Rights groups and monitors report a sustained crackdown, with the Iran Human Rights organization citing hundreds of fatalities in the course of broader demonstrations that began over economic conditions and expanded into a challenge to the clerical leadership. The authorities have limited access to communications networks, complicating verification and information flow. In parliament, officials have warned against external or military intervention, even as other capitals signal readiness to act in response to violence against demonstrators. Against this backdrop of domestic turmoil, Israel’s leadership has warned of heightened regional risk and has called for careful, coordinated responses with its allies. United States officials have signaled ongoing consideration of options, including potential targeted actions in relation to Iran, while stressing a preference for de–escalation and diplomacy where possible. In the region, Israel has been on heightened alert in liaison with partners and has urged international partners to monitor the situation closely, including calls from Israeli officials for the European Union to designate Iran’s Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization.Across the Gaza Strip and the wider conflict zone, Israeli fire this morning killed at least three Palestinians in two separate incidents, according to Gaza health authorities. One death occurred in the Tuffah district of Gaza City, an area under Palestinian administration, and two others in the Bani Suhaila area east of Khan Younis, which remains under Israeli control in parts. The ceasefire agreement that ended a prior escalation in October has not prevented sporadic episodes of violence, and both sides have accused the other of violations. In parallel, Israeli forces conducted operations targeting infrastructure used by militant groups in southern Lebanon, including facilities believed to be used for storing weapons. The Israeli military described the strikes as part of ongoing efforts to deter Hezbollah threats and to enforce security understandings with Lebanon. The broader security picture in the border region remains tense, with the potential for escalation if provocations mount or if external actions influence the balance on the ground.In other regional developments, there is growing attention to European and regional responses to security threats and antisemitism. The Israeli Foreign Minister has urged the European Union to designate Iran’s ...
No reviews yet
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.