Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-01-31 at 20:04 cover art

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-01-31 at 20:04

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-01-31 at 20:04

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 HEADLINESGaza hospital commander photo resurfaces amid strikesIran tensions escalate as US weighs optionsUS approves 6.5B Israel military salesThe time is now 8:03 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), authorities report a mix of security, legal and human-interest updates this hour. Spain’s high criminal court opened an investigation into a 38-year-old man described by investigators as a Chinese national who ran a hair salon in L’Hospitalet de Llobregat; he was detained on Tuesday and released pending proceedings, with restrictions including surrendering his passport and reporting to court. Investigators say he sent about €600,000 in cryptocurrency to digital addresses allegedly linked to a Hamas-associated entity, documenting at least 31 transfers, with searches of his home and business yielding seized items. In Gaza, a decade-old photograph resurfaced showing Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, wearing a Hamas uniform alongside senior officers. Abu Safiya, a colonel in Hamas’s Military Medical Services, has been in Israeli custody since December 2024 after the Israeli raid on the hospital, which was alleged to have served as a command center; the image was uploaded by the MMS Facebook page and circulated by advocacy groups. Separately, the IDF said it struck four Hamas and PIJ commanders as well as additional militants across the Gaza Strip, including a weapons storage site, a weapons manufacturing site and two launch sites in central Gaza. In a broader commentary tied to ongoing regional dynamics, an opinion piece argues about whether the United States might apply a Gaza-style approach to Venezuela, noting US military assets and regional pressures as context for debate about potential foreign policy paths.In the conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, developments across diplomacy, security and military moves continue to unfold. President Trump said, “we’ll see what happens,” as the United States weighs military options against Iran if no nuclear deal is reached, even as Tehran reports progress toward a framework for negotiations; Washington officials reportedly fear engaging in talks prematurely. The IDF also reported it struck and eliminated a terrorist who helped attempts to reestablish Hezbollah terror infrastructure in the Markaba area of southern Lebanon. Meanwhile, a senior Gulf Cooperation Council official told Fox News that Saudi Arabia will not allow the United States to use its airspace or bases for strikes against Iran, signaling limits on regional military options. US Central Command warned Iran it will not tolerate any unsafe or unprofessional behavior near American forces ahead of Iran’s two-day live-fire drills in the Strait of Hormuz. Satellite imagery shows new roofs built over damaged structures at Iran’s Natanz and Isfahan facilities, with analysts saying the coverings could conceal inspection, repair or recovery work; Tehran responded with a new round of missiles tests, including medium-range missiles in skies over Karaj, Khuzestan and Isfahan and Fateh long-range missiles in Arak. The same day, President Trump reposted a message claiming the IRGC is in panic mode. In diplomatic exchanges, Qatar’s prime minister visited Tehran for a brief four-hour stop, meeting with Ali Larijani as part of a broader effort by regional players—including Turkey, Egypt and Qatar—to push for US–Iran negotiations, though officials say no breakthrough has occurred. A top Iranian official told Axios that progress is being made toward launching negotiations with the United States, with mediation efforts led by Egypt, Russia, Turkey and Qatar. The US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Iran’s interior minister Eskandar Momeni and two regime-linked cryptocurrency exchanges for roles in violence and corruption. Arab and Turkish media also circulated reports that a Turkish channel claimed the United States would strike Iran on Sunday morning. Separately, satellite imagery and other reporting noted renewed activity at Natanz and Isfahan, including roofs built over previously damaged sites, and there were reports of explosions in Bandar Abbas, Tabriz, Ahvaz, Parand, Tehran, Qeshm and Karaj attributed by Iranian officials to gas leaks, with casualties reported in some locations.The US Policy Concerning Israel section notes that the US State Department approved more than $6.5 billion in potential Foreign Military Sales to Israel, with notifications sent to Congress by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency on January 30, 2026, under the Trump administration.In Israeli Domestic Politics, extreme-right activists surrounded and blocked the car of former prime minister Ehud Barak on Saturday evening, a scene reflected in online videos. The scene follows earlier incidents in which Mordechai David, 26, was identified as a participant after ...
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