Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-12-29 at 16:08 cover art

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-12-29 at 16:08

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-12-29 at 16:08

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 HEADLINESMossad urges Iranians to protest in FarsiGaza front Hamas leadership shifts tunnel foundSudan al-Fashir siege leaves thousands displacedThe time is now 11:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.Across Iran, Israel, Gaza and related theaters, this hour’s developments illuminate a regional security picture shaped by protests, diplomacy and shifting deterrence. In a move that publicizes a rare channel between intelligence services and internal protesters, Mossad issued a public Farsi message urging Iranians to take to the streets and to persist in demonstrations, saying it stands with the people amid a wave of economic pressure and rising public unrest. The message underscores a broader international interest in Iran’s domestic turmoil and its potential implications for regional security dynamics.In Iran itself, reports describe street clashes and police responses across multiple cities, including Tehran, as demonstrations widen against the regime. Officials describe what they frame as enemy psychological warfare aimed at destabilizing the state, even as the rial’s slide reflects mounting economic strain. The protests arrive as observers monitor how Tehran’s leadership may adjust its security posture and messaging in response to sustained domestic pressure.Turning to defense and proliferation in the broader region, analysts note growing concerns about missile defense readiness in the face of renewed Iranian activity. The summer and fall fighting exposed strain in defense stocks on both sides, with American and Israeli systems playing central roles. In the United States, stockpiles of interceptors have been drawn down, and while efforts to accelerate production are underway, these measures may not yield rapid replenishment. Several assessments point to a risk that future conflicts could test the combined defenses of Israel and its American partner more intensively, particularly if adversaries move to sustained volley patterns or introduce new missiles or propulsion advances.In Gaza and along the Israel-Gaza front, Israel’s security apparatus continues a methodical reassessment of the war’s phases. An internal IDF review is examining how Hamas regrouped after initial invasions, how commands performed across the campaign, and what lessons emerged about the pace and scale of tunnel networks that complicated the fighting. This review arrives alongside newly disclosed battlefield realities, including a significant Hamas tunnel exposed roughly 800 meters from the Gaza border near Kissufim after heavy rains caused ground collapse. The discovery has the IDF probing whether it represents a newly uncovered portion of Hamas’ underground network or a remnant of earlier tunneling, reinforcing a persistent concern about tunnel-enabled threats to border communities.Complicating the Gaza picture are ongoing political and military shifts inside Hamas. The organization confirmed the deaths earlier this year of its longtime spokesman Abu Ubaida and senior Gaza commander Mohammed Sinwar, and it introduced a new spokesperson for its military wing. The publicizing of leadership changes occurs as analysts weigh how such transitions might influence strategy, messaging and command structures in any future confrontation.In Washington and in Jerusalem there is a continuing tension between the desire to maintain tactical momentum against Hamas and the need to manage diplomatic realities. Reports from both sides indicate that Prime Minister Netanyahu and American officials have discussed broader security fronts, including Iran’s capabilities and regional proxies. In recent appearances during a US trip, Netanyahu engaged with US lawmakers and the administration on technology cooperation and regional security challenges, including transportation and defense matters, while also navigating a US assessment of whether to advance to the next stage of a ceasefire framework with Hamas. Some White House aides have expressed concern that Israel is hesitant to move beyond current terms, underscoring the fragility and delicacy of any ongoing ceasefire diplomacy.In the West Bank, steps to facilitate religious practice for Jewish worshippers near Joseph’s Tomb in Nablus reflect a broader consolidation of Israeli influence in the territory. Beginning in the coming weeks, visiting hours for Jews will be extended to overnight hours and into the morning, enabling prayers at the tomb under coordinated security arrangements. The change, approved by Defense Minister Israel Katz and allied lawmakers, signals continued policy choices aimed at expanding access to sites in Areas under Palestinian Authority administration, even as security conditions remain volatile and periodic clashes occur. The adjustment follows a string of security incidents and extracts by security forces, including at Jericho, as Israeli and Palestinian authorities manage a delicate balance between religious ...
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