Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-02-01 at 16:02 cover art

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-02-01 at 16:02

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-02-01 at 16:02

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 HEADLINESIran warns miscalculation could trigger US warRas Ein al-Auja displacement case heats courtHussam Abu Safiya Hamas colonel revealedThe time is now 4:02 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.In the conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told CNN that miscalculations could trigger war with the United States and that Iran remains open to a deal on nuclear weapons. He said there are “certain elements” and “parties” pushing toward war for their own benefit, a line that appeared to reference regional and international actors, including Israel, parts of the US Jewish community, the Iranian diaspora, anti-regime movements, and Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi. Earlier, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that any war the United States starts would be a regional war, saying he is not afraid of war but concerned about miscalculations and misinformation. Araghchi stressed that any meaningful negotiation would need to be based on trust, noting that Iran has lost trust in the United States as a negotiating partner and that intermediaries from friendly regional countries are attempting to facilitate dialogue. Separately, Syrian authorities said they uncovered a terror cell that fired on Damascus using weapons provided by Hezbollah, including rockets and drones, and that the suspects planned additional drone attacks; Hezbollah has denied involvement in Syria.In the Disputed Territories (Gaza, Judea and Samaria, East Jerusalem), the High Court of Justice is set to hear a petition from Ras Ein al-Auja residents, a Palestinian herding community in the Jordan Valley, who allege sustained settler violence and failures by the IDF and police to intervene have driven a gradual displacement of families. In court submissions, the state rejected the core claims, saying security forces are present to prevent friction and maintain public order, and that several assertions are unsubstantiated or inaccurate. The petition describes months of harassment, grazing takeovers, infrastructure damage, and livestock theft linked to nearby illegal settler outposts, arguing the cumulative effect amounts to a quiet expulsion without a formal evacuation order. Separately, a Gaza doctor and hospital director who criticized Israel in two New York Times op-eds has been revealed to be a Hamas colonel. Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahiya, was arrested by the IDF on December 27, 2024, and is being held in an Israeli prison; Amnesty International and other activists have campaigned for his release, while Lyon granted him honorary citizenship. A 2016 photo has surfaced showing him in Hamas uniform at a gathering with Hamas elites. Finally, reservist Yoaz Hendel warned that reopening Gaza’s Rafah Crossing to pedestrian traffic signals a border opening that could allow Hamas to rebuild, as the crossing is now supervised by Egypt, the European Union, and the IDF’s COGAT; Hendel described the move as signaling a broader opening that could empower Hamas, noting the crossing was reopened after a period of closure.In the US Policy Concerning Israel, the US Navy says the missile destroyer USS Delbert D. Black has departed the Red Sea port of Ellat after a scheduled visit, with NAVCENT noting the stop highlighted the strong US–Israel maritime partnership and a shared commitment to security in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba; the visit was pre-planned and part of ongoing military cooperation. Axios reported that the United States has told Iran it is prepared to negotiate. Separately, during remarks on Iran, a reporter noted that the Iranian supreme leader warned attacks would spark a regional war, while President Trump responded, “Hopefully, we make a deal. If we don’t make a deal, we’ll find out whether or not he was right.” In Israeli Domestic Politics, families of hostages and missing persons say Brigadier-General (Reserve) Gal Hirsch threatened them into silence on Netanyahu, publishing a public letter accusing him of abusing his position as coordinator for the captives and missing and demanding that he resign, saying he should “remain silent forever.” The letter contends Hirsch’s recent comments against hostages’ families amount to a continuation of abuse and accuses him of being complicit in the deaths or mistreatment of hostages who could have been released. Separately, Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara told the High Court of Justice that the government has failed to implement a court directive to adopt effective enforcement measures for the conscription of ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students, a failure that risked a rule-of-law crisis amid wartime personnel shortages. The government has described an ongoing inter-ministerial process to map potential civilian-economic tools and to align them with the military conscription pipeline, following a December court instruction.Thank you for ...
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