Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-01-26 at 20:09 cover art

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-01-26 at 20:09

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-01-26 at 20:09

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 HEADLINESHistoric Mossad Iran ties reshape future securityUN Iran crackdown on protests shocks worldTrump backs Hamas disarmament for Phase IIThe time is now 3:02 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.This hour in the Middle East, the regional landscape is shifting in ways that blend historical intelligence contacts, domestic unrest, and emerging alignments that could shape security calculations for months to come. Across Tehran, Tel Aviv, Riyadh, Beirut, and beyond, governments and intelligence communities are weighing risks, opportunities, and red lines as the region’s power dynamics recalibrate under a broader reset in Washington’s approach and regional actors’ recalibrated strategies.Historically, the Mossad’s ties to Iran before the 1979 revolution were extensive in practice even as the two states never formalized diplomatic recognition. Reports describe a relationship that included high‑level access within SAVAK after the shah’s departure, and a dynamic in which joint operations, training, and intelligence sharing occurred against a backdrop of shifting regional threats. A notable anecdote involves a request from Iran’s interim prime minister in 1979 to consider the assassination of Ayatollah Khomeini at his exile residence—a bid that, according to historical disclosures, did not come to fruition. The point for current readers is not the specifics of that moment, but the demonstrated depth of nontraditional cooperation that existed between Iranian and Israeli security officials in a time when both sides faced shared regional risks, even as the United States remained the leading partner. Some accounts emphasize that Iran and Israel worked regionally on common Sunni Arab challengers and on technology and training, including in the early development of Iran’s security apparatus, and that Tehran offered Israel a particular strategic space in a perilous neighborhood. The question now is how such a historical footprint would influence any future Israeli posture should Iran undergo political change that reduces confrontation or alters strategic calculus. Observers note that even in a post‑revolution scenario, the absence of hostility could lessen the urgency of covert activity, while access to Iranian terrain could open new intelligence avenues for Israel, with implications for neighboring Iraq, Turkey, and Pakistan. At the same time, any return to a markedly adversarial stance by Iran would likely keep Mossad and allied agencies in a high‑alert posture in a region where the borders are porous and the threats remain diffuse. In recent public remarks, Israel’s security establishment has signaled ongoing involvement in regional dynamics, underscoring a continued focus on Iran as a central variable in regional stability.In a separate assessment window, a United Nations special rapporteur on Iran described a crackdown on protests that has drawn sharp international concern. Reports from Mai Sato indicate that security forces have removed wounded protesters from hospitals and detained individuals, actions framed as violations of medical neutrality under international law. Families report ransom demands for bodies, and hospitals across multiple provinces described security‑state interference alongside restrictions that deter the sick and injured from seeking care. While tolls remain disputed publicly, rights organizations have cited figures that far exceed official counts. The situation reinforces a broader pattern of domestic unrest that has persisted since December and intensified in the wake of economic stress and political repression. The international community has pressed for accountability and unhindered access to medical care, as the protests persist despite internet shutdowns that complicate independent verification.Meanwhile in Gaza, the political clock continues to tick toward the next phase of a broader ceasefire framework. In an interview with a United States journalist, President Trump indicated that Hamas must disarm as part of Phase II, while praising the group for efforts to recover remains of a missing Israeli soldier. The remarks reflect a persistent US insistence on disarmament as a prerequisite for broader stability, even as humanitarian concerns and the risk of renewed violence keep the situation highly volatile. The hostage issue remains a central emotional and strategic hinge, and regional actors watch closely as negotiators seek a path that could reconcile security demands with political realities on the ground.On the diplomatic front, Saudi Arabia’s conduct in the region continues to illustrate a multi‑vector strategy. The kingdom has broadened engagement with Russia, Iran, China, and Turkey, signaling a shift away from dependence on a single power center while still navigating shared concerns about Iran’s posture and regional influence. For allies and rivals alike, the question is whether this ...
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