Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-12-29 at 17:06 cover art

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-12-29 at 17:06

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-12-29 at 17:06

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 HEADLINESIran Protests Grow as Bank Shakeup LoomsHamas Spokesman Dies in Gaza AftermathGreece Israel Cyprus Expand Defense TiesThe time is now 12:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.Here is the latest hourly update. Across the Middle East, Iran’s street protests continue to grow as the Iranian rial sinks and inflation remains high, with merchants and students taking part in demonstrations in Tehran and other cities. The government has moved to reconstitute the central bank leadership and present a new budget aimed at calming prices, but officials acknowledge inflation remains elevated. In Tehran and other urban centers, security forces have used tear gas to disperse crowds, while university campuses have seen solidarity actions by students. At the same time, Iran’s government frames the protests as internal political challenges and external pressure, even as regional tensions persist.In the Gaza conflict’s aftermath, Israel’s defense establishment is examining the conduct and phases of the war that began last June, seeking to understand Hamas’s regrouping and how commanders performed. In parallel, Hamas disclosed the death of its long time spokesman and several senior officers, signaling transitions within its communications network as the group maintains public messaging during a fragile ceasefire period. Military and intelligence assessments underscore the ongoing risk of renewed violence and the need to adapt defenses and deterrence, especially given persistent regional instability and continuing threats from proxies.In Washington’s orbit, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s discussions with US lawmakers and policymakers, including a meeting in Florida with a senior American official, occurred as the two allies weigh the path forward on Gaza diplomacy. US officials have signaled concerns about advancing to a second stage of any ceasefire arrangement without clearer guarantees, while focusing on broader regional security interests. Separately, US defense planners are reassessing missile defense stockpiles after extensive use in recent conflicts, with officials acknowledging that replenishment timelines and manufacturing capacity will influence future defense planning. Analysts caution that a sustained missile threat from Iran would complicate any future Israeli security scenario, even with existing multi-layered defenses.In Europe’s eastern Mediterranean, Greece, Israel, and Cyprus announced plans to intensify defense cooperation, including joint air and naval exercises in 2026 and expanded intelligence sharing, to address both asymmetrical and conventional threats. Greek officials described a broader defense collaboration that could include training exchanges and energy interconnections, while Cyprus participates as part of a trilateral framework aimed at stability, security, and regional resilience amid Turkey’s regional posture. The arrangement follows high-level discussions in Jerusalem and Nicosia and signals deeper strategic alignment among the three states in a crowded and competing regional landscape.On the West Bank, the government has extended visiting hours for Israeli pilgrims at Joseph’s Tomb in Nablus, allowing organized visits to continue into the morning to support prayers while maintaining security oversight. The change comes after a series of security incidents and amid ongoing coordinated efforts to manage Jewish access to religious sites in Area A under Palestinian Authority control. Separately, Israeli authorities conducted contingency operations in the Bedouin community of Tarabin after clashes and vandalism linked to tensions surrounding security visits by national officials.In security developments close to Gaza’s edge, reports surfaced of a large Hamas tunnel exposed roughly 800 meters from the border near Kissufim after heavy rains, with the Israel Defense Forces assessing whether it is part of Hamas’s underground network. The discovery underscores ongoing concerns about tunnel infrastructure and the potential for renewed activity along the boundary.In other regional and diaspora headlines, Israel’s recognition of Somaliland has not translated into easy travel for Israelis. Airlines and visa regimes complicate direct journeys, illustrating how political recognition does not automatically yield practical travel routes in a highly fragmented diplomatic environment. In parallel, Israel’s Aliyah and immigration ministry reported several thousand new arrivals in 2025, with a sizable share aged 18 to 35 and a growing flow from European communities, reflecting ongoing shifts in population movements and demographic priorities.Back in Israel, questions about domestic governance and the judiciary continued to echo through the political sphere after a senior finance minister’s vehement remarks about the Supreme Court. Critics argued that aggressive rhetoric risks inflaming public discourse, while ...
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