Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-01-30 at 13:11 cover art

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-01-30 at 13:11

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-01-30 at 13:11

Listen for free

View show details

About this listen

 HEADLINESRafah raid nets senior Hamas commanderUN warns of $1.5B funding gapTrump warns Iran deadline as navy massedThe time is now 1:10 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.This is the 1:09 PM update. Israeli forces say overnight operations in Rafah led to the capture of one of Hamas’s top remaining commanders. The operation followed a Friday strike in which eight militants were identified emerging from a tunnel; air power killed three of them. After the strikes, IDF troops and security agencies conducted searches in the area and apprehended a fleeing participant, later identified as a senior commander in Hamas’s Eastern Rafah Battalion. The army says searches and follow-up actions continue to locate and neutralize additional militants. This is a developing story.In other news, Israel is bracing for high air pollution as a dust storm from North Africa moves across the region this weekend. Health authorities urged sensitive groups to stay indoors and limit outdoor activity until Monday, with warnings extending to the general population to limit strenuous outdoor activity as a precaution. Officials said pollution could be high across the country from now through the weekend, driven by southwestern winds carrying desert dust. Monitoring data and updates will be provided as forecasts and measurements become available, and the public can track conditions on the air quality websites and apps.Médecins Sans Frontières, also known as Doctors Without Borders, said it will not share staff lists with Israeli authorities, citing safety concerns and a lack of assurances. MSF had been negotiating with Israeli authorities over new operational regulations but said it could not provide the staff details under the current circumstances, including worries about safety and independent management of operations. The organization notes it supports hospitals in Gaza and has faced broader questions as Israel has asked international groups operating in Gaza and the West Bank to provide personnel information. MSF’s decision comes amid broader international scrutiny of how aid actors are accommodated under security requirements in the area.United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the UN risks “imminent financial collapse” due to unpaid contributions and a rule that returns unspent funds to member states. A letter seen by Reuters dated January 28 described a liquidity crisis that could worsen, with the United States having reduced voluntary funding and delaying mandatory payments in recent years. The UN relies on contributions from member states, with the United States accounting for about 22 percent of core budget, and China next at about 20 percent. Guterres said outstanding dues could total roughly $1.5 billion, and that unless all member states honor their obligations, the organization may have to overhaul its financial rules to avert collapse. The issue comes as Washington has signaled greater scrutiny of UN spending and has conditioned funding on concrete steps to address perceived anti-Israel bias. In the 2026 funding package, the United States allocated 10 percent of its funding to UN bodies contingent on certification of reforms, and a reform task force known as UN80 continues its work to cut costs and improve efficiency. The secretary-general stressed that cash flow could run out by July if payments are not received.Police in Barcelona announced the arrest of a Chinese businessman suspected of financing Hamas through a beauty salon. Authorities say the man transferred some 600,000 euros in crypto assets to channels linked to Hamas to support its operations. Investigators traced at least 31 cryptocurrency transactions from wallets controlled by the suspect to addresses believed connected to entities used by Hamas. Authorities also reported seizures of more than 100,000 euros in cash, jewelry, and other items, and blocked several bank accounts. The US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control had announced sanctions targeting Hamas-linked charitable groups in Gaza, aiming to disrupt covert funding networks and reduce support to the organization’s military activities.In the region, the Israel Defense Forces said it struck Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon. Lebanese sources reported a series of airstrikes by Israeli jets in the border area around Tafahata, Wadi Masila, and Wadi Arza, with additional reports of heavy activity in southern Lebanon shortly before this update. The cross-border tension underscores the fragility of a regional security environment already shaped by ongoing operations in Gaza and shifting alignments along the Lebanon and Iranian fronts. UN peacekeepers have been monitoring the border as cross-border exchanges continue to be a focal point for concerns about escalation.On the broader strategic front, US President Donald Trump said Iran may be seeking a deal to avoid military action and described a large US...
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.