Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-02-01 at 07:03 cover art

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-02-01 at 07:03

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-02-01 at 07:03

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 HEADLINESRafah Crossing Reopens in Pilot PhaseIranian Cyber Campaign Targets Dissidents Israeli FiguresIDF Chief Visits US Amid Iran TensionsThe time is now 7:02 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), a partial reopening of the Rafah border marks another step in Gaza’s ceasefire framework as of Sunday. The crossing between Gaza and Egypt reopens for a limited subset of travelers under tight supervision, described as a pilot phase intended to test operations ahead of full pedestrian passage, with movement in the near term limited to individuals and subject to security checks and oversight by international observers including the European Union Border Assistance Mission. The development follows a period of Israeli airstrikes in Gaza in response to ceasefire violations, and Israel says it has struck Hamas and Islamic Jihad targets after fighters were identified exiting underground facilities in eastern Rafah. Palestinians in Gaza reported casualties in those strikes, underscoring ongoing fragility around the agreement. In parallel, Israeli forces have conducted operations to clear areas near the Yellow Line in southern Gaza, with a tunnel found hundreds of meters long that contained three living quarters and a cache of weapons, including dozens of grenades, cartridges, Kalashnikov rifles, RPG launchers, explosives, and protective vests. The discovery comes after reports that Israeli forces had previously captured a Hamas commander during operations in Rafah. On the border, European-backed security measures are being weighed, with Hebrew-language reporting indicating plans for the crossing to operate on a fixed, pedestrian-focused basis under partial Israeli supervision beginning soon, and that the entry and exit of Gazan residents will occur in a staged, pilot fashion. In a separate international security development tied to the same theater, Spanish police reportedly arrested a Chinese hair salon owner accused of financing Hamas, with investigators seizing crypto assets, cash, thousands of cigars, jewelry, computers, and mobile phones during searches of the salon and the suspect’s home, reflecting broader concerns about financing networks connected to the Gaza conflict. The Rafah arrangements are described as part of the broader ceasefire framework agreed in October, with mentions of phase B of the Trump deal shaping the terms of how the crossing may operate in the days ahead. Some reports also indicate that patients will not cross today as the pilot phase proceeds, with plans calling for pedestrian movement to begin subsequent to preparatory steps.In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, a new cyber campaign attributed to Iranian-linked actors targets dissidents and Israeli figures, offering a stark reminder of the region’s cyber dimensions. The scheme allows alleged IRGC-affiliated hackers to capture photos from the victim’s device every five seconds, record audio in three-second segments, and geolocate the device every two seconds, signaling a pervasive surveillance capability. Beyond dissidents abroad, activists, Syrian opposition members, journalists, and Israeli diplomats are among those named as possible targets, with some indicators that individuals connected to Israeli media and policy circles have been approached or identified as targets. At the same time, the Israeli military has stepped up pressure on Hezbollah in Lebanon, with forces on high alert and intelligence assessments warning of threats to the Israeli home front amid renewed tensions. In Syria, authorities said they dismantled a Hezbollah-linked cell after attacks in Damascus, with drones and rockets seized near a military airport and several suspects arrested following strikes that damaged a mosque and surrounding sites but caused no fatalities. Meanwhile, a new statement attributed to Iran’s supreme leader signaled a broader, ongoing red line in regional confrontations, and Washington has signaled that any Iranian response would be met with significant consequences, reflecting an escalating regional calculus as the clock tightens for Tehran and its allies.In US Policy Concerning Israel, top military and political figures are engaging with the United States amid escalating tensions with Iran. In the background, a senior Israeli defense official confirmed that talks with American counterparts occurred in Washington over the weekend, underscoring continued US-Israel coordination as regional tensions rise. A separate report notes that the IDF chief traveled to the United States and held discussions with US officials amid Iran tensions, highlighting the ongoing alignment of security strategies.Reports also indicate that, from Washington’s side, there is a sense that the clock may be running down on Tehran’s options, with references to statements suggesting that while a strike on Iran is not off ...
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