Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-02-01 at 11:03 cover art

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-02-01 at 11:03

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-02-01 at 11:03

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 HEADLINESRafah crossing reopens under ceasefire quotasIsrael strikes Lebanon, kills Hezbollah's Ali AmitsUS unlikely to strike Iran this weekThe time is now 11:02 AM 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), the Rafah crossing has reopened under the ceasefire with Hamas. Passport checks operate on the Gaza side, the IDF monitors remotely from an unmanned post, and Palestinian Authority staff run the terminal under European Union supervision. Journalists in Gaza have reported daily quotas for passages: exit from the Strip would be limited to 50 patients plus 100 escorts (two escorts per patient) for a total of about 150 people per day, while entries to the territory would be limited to about 50 people per day, creating a daily deficit that could amount to roughly 100 people and an annual shortfall near 30,000, with entry and exit identities subject to Israeli security approval. In other developments, the New York Post reports that a Hamas colonel was posing as a Gaza doctor and writing op-eds for the New York Times, a case that the paper says involved Hussam Abu Safyia, who is described as a Hamas operative in uniform and who asserted claims of genocide against Israel after October 7, with the Times accused of providing a platform to a terrorist.In the conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, Lebanese sources say there were casualties in an Israeli drone strike on a vehicle in the Abba al-Duwer area of Nabatieh in southern Lebanon. Yemen’s Houthi leadership, including prominent figure Hazam al-Ahmed, warned Israel that patience is wearing thin and that continued aggression and killings could open gates of hell from the Yemen front. Israel conducted a targeted UAV strike in Al-Dweir, south Lebanon, in which Ali Amits, a Hezbollah operative, was eliminated and three others were injured. Meanwhile, the IDF notes ongoing operations in southern Lebanon by the 769th Brigade aimed at dismantling Hezbollah’s terrorist infrastructure, including an anti-tank missile storage facility and other weapons depots, and a structure used to direct anti-tank missiles toward Israeli territory.In US Policy Concerning Israel, Israeli officials say a US military strike on Iran this week looks unlikely, with assessments pointing to action measured in weeks rather than days and highlighting gaps in information, assessment of intentions, and limits on how Israel can influence Washington’s pace. Across the analysis sphere, some military experts argue Israel should prioritize its own vital interests rather than acting as a proxy for US policy. In a separate thread, Israel’s top general, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, made a confidential trip to Washington to brief senior US defense officials, stressing intelligence on Iran and discussing military options, including concerns that any agreement might freeze uranium enrichment without fully addressing ballistic missiles. He noted that the missile threat remains significant even if Iran’s overall capabilities have not yet returned to their prior peak. A public statement from Ambassador Mike Waltz echoed President Trump’s stance that the era of blank checks to the United Nations is over.In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, Encyclopaedia Britannica announced amendments to its Britannica Kids content following a complaint from UK Lawyers for Israel about erasure of Israel from maps and history. The revisions include removing present-tense descriptions that defined Palestine as the entire territory between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea and updating maps to reflect the existence of Israel. Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama spoke at an antisemitism conference in Jerusalem, saying that antisemitism is not merely hatred of Jews but an assault on humanity itself, with a warning that protecting Jewish lives is intertwined with protecting humanity. Additional coverage notes that Britannica later edited further entries and that World Israel News reported another instance in which Britannica is accused of erasing Israel by replacing it with Palestine on certain maps or entries.In Israeli Domestic Politics, opposition leader Yair Lapid plans to table a Knesset bill to designate Qatar as an enemy state, arguing that Doha acts against Israel’s security interests by supporting and financing terrorist groups such as Hamas, and calling on factions to back the move to align with potential US congressional support. MK Ram Ben-Barak criticized former Mossad chiefs for revealing sensitive methods on television, saying such disclosures offer little beyond pride and could harm national security. The KKL-JNF approved a multi-year funding package for northern and southern communities affected by the conflict, including up to 120 apartments in Kiryat Shmona and rental units in Ofakim, along with a substantial boost to the education budget and a central assistance target of ...
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