Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-01-31 at 18:02 cover art

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-01-31 at 18:02

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-01-31 at 18:02

Listen for free

View show details

About this listen

 HEADLINESUS approves $3.8B Israel Apache saleVenezuela eyed Gaza-style technocratic councilSaudi warns Iran gains if Trump retreatsThe time is now 6:02 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.In the Disputed Territories (Gaza, Judea and Samaria, East Jerusalem), a Washington opinion piece argues Venezuela could face a Gaza-style technocratic council as a response to what it calls a failed state, noting Washington’s concern about armed foreign actors in Venezuela. It cites the aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford returning to Venezuelan waters and an MQ-4C Triton drone flying over Venezuelan airspace weeks before January 3, with CIA reporting pointing to the Cuban Intelligence Directorate as the backbone of SEBIN and the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence, alongside Russian S-300 systems and the presence of Hezbollah clans and Iranian operatives in the country; Interim President Delcy Rodríguez is described as a linchpin whose position could be upended, potentially prompting a self-coup. Separately, Qatar condemned Israel for allegedly breaching the ceasefire after an IDF strike that targeted terrorists, including a Hamas commander, following an incident in Rafah in which eight terrorists emerged from a tunnel.In the conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, Saudi defense minister Khalid bin Salman warned in a closed-door meeting that Iranian regime strength would grow if President Trump backs down on strikes, signaling that inaction could fortify Tehran and alter the regional balance.In US Policy Concerning Israel, the United States approved a possible $3.8 billion foreign military sale to Israel for 30 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters and 70 engines, plus advanced night-vision and targeting systems, radar, and support equipment, as part of modernizing the Israeli Air Force’s helicopter fleet. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency said initial delivery would include about 12 helicopters, with additional aircraft contingent on future budget decisions; Israeli defense officials have said roughly 30 Apaches are needed to address capability gaps highlighted during the war, and the package follows other major regional arms deals, including a Patriot missile sale to Saudi Arabia. In a separate interview, the US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said Trump is not making empty threats toward Iran and that no decision on a strike has been made yet, stressing the president’s willingness to act if necessary and noting that Turkey will not receive F-35s.In Israeli Domestic Politics, tens of thousands gathered in Tel Aviv to protest violence in Israel’s Arab society, marching from Hostages Square to Habima Square with signs calling for stronger law enforcement and safer streets. A bereaved mother addressed the crowd, and Rahat’s mayor Talal al-Krenawi criticized daily home demolitions and threats faced by Bedouin communities in the Negev, warning against broad punitive measures, urging that the law be enforced uniformly and that communities not be singled out.In Uplifting News, the Cunio brothers spoke at Nir Oz’s hostage rally, describing how their town was among Oct. 7’s hardest-hit communities, with 65 residents killed and 76 abducted; survivors were evacuated first to Eilat and later to temporary housing in Karmi Gat, and the event marked a moment of return for residents.In Other News, Australian IDF soldiers recalled Bondi attack memories while serving abroad, with Yedidia, Yuli, and Gidi—Australian olim in their early 20s—navigating the tension between personal safety and service in the IDF. An accompanying analysis noted that the US paraded captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in New York as a visible warning to global adversaries, signaling Washington’s willingness to project power on its own soil. Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer called for Prince Andrew to testify before US lawmakers over Epstein ties. Despite Trump’s warnings, Iraq’s Coordination Framework reaffirmed support for Nouri al-Maliki as prime minister, arguing the decision should be free from foreign interference. Observers warned that Iran’s regime, already weakened, could face internal challenges from elements within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the political elite, amid public protests. An archived email from 2009 cited Epstein asking a redacted official about a “torture video,” with the reply saying the contact was in China and would be in the US in early May. The Trump administration was reported to be acquiring industrial warehouses in at least eight states to establish a large immigrant detention network, including an 826,000-square-foot facility in Williamsport, Maryland for $102 million and a 418,400-square-foot site in Surprise, Arizona for $70 million; renovations were expected to allow detainees by April, with plans for 23 properties and a combined capacity of up to 80,000. A Kuwaiti-to-Dhaka flight reported by...
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.