Podcast Episode Details
Back to Podcast Episodes
Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-09-24 at 19:08
HEADLINES
Fragile Ceasefire Holds as Iran Proxies Escalate
700000 Gaza Residents Flee as Civilians Pay
Houthi Drone Attack Hits Eilat Wounds 22
The time is now 3:00 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
This is the 3:00 PM hourly update. The region remains in a tense balance sheet of war and diplomacy, with a fragile ceasefire footing amid a shifting proxy map, growing international pressure, and domestic political maneuvering in Israel as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepares for a trip to the United States.
First, the security front. The uneasy ceasefire between Israel and Iran and its regional proxies shows no clear settlement. Israel says it will continue to defend itself against what it calls hostile activity emanating from Iran and its allied networks, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthi movement in Yemen. Iran, for its part, insists it does not seek nuclear weapons and has denounced what it calls aggression against Iranian cities, even as it faces renewed Western pressure over its nuclear program and sanctions. The back-and-forth comes as the United States emphasizes diplomacy “through strength,” with Washington pressing a path to contain escalation while keeping pressure on Tehran and its proxies.
On the diplomatic and political front, the situation in New York looms large. Prime Minister Netanyahu, ahead of a flight to New York for the United Nations General Assembly and meetings in the United States, has characterized Palestinian state recognition by other governments as a “disgraceful capitulation.” He is slated to meet US President Donald Trump on Monday during the trip and is expected to return to Israel on Tuesday morning. In Washington, US special envoy Steve Witkoff voiced guarded optimism, saying there could be a breakthrough on Gaza in the coming days as talks around Donald Trump’s 21-point peace plan circulate among leaders at the UN and beyond.
A parallel diplomatic thread centers on a broader regional vision. Reports from World Israel News and other outlets describe Trump promoting a postwar framework in which Muslim-majority states would assume a larger role in Gaza’s future governance, potentially reducing Hamas’s influence. While such outlines are contested and debated among regional actors, they reflect a US-Israel effort to pursue “peace through strength” and a security architecture that preserves Israel’s security while seeking long-term regional stability.
In Syria and Lebanon, the posture remains highly dynamic. Syria’s leadership used the UN General Assembly stage to press for dialogue and renewed ties, with President Ahmad al-Sharaa delivering the first Syrian UN address by a head of state since 1967 to condemn ongoing Israeli actions while reaffirming Syria’s commitment to diplomacy. In Lebanon, President Michel Aoun urged an immediate end to Israeli aggression and called for a transition that would see the Lebanese Army and UNIFIL take greater, sustained responsibility on southern borders, even as Hezbollah’s maneuverability and leadership have faced significant setbacks in the wake of last year’s clashes. Across the region, Iraqi, Moroccan, and Spanish officials used the gathering to press their own agendas for a ceasefire and a two-state framework, while stressing humanitarian access and reconstruction.
Hamas and the hostage crisis in Gaza remain central to the strategic outlook. Israeli leaders reiterate a combined military-diplomatic effort aimed at defeating Hamas and securing the return of all hostages. The fate of those held in Gaza continues to drive US-Israel consultations and regional diplomacy, with American officials denying or reframing reports of a potential long-term ceasefire deal that would tie hostage releases to broader security arrangements. At the same time, the Gaza Strip’s humanitarian and civilian toll continues to weigh
Published on 1 month, 1 week ago