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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-12-16 at 08:05
HEADLINES
Bondi Beach massacre kills 15, ISIS links
Fuentes visit sparks NYC antisemitism row
Mount of Olives center fuels Jerusalem tensions
The time is now 3:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
This is the hourly news update. In New York City, tensions rose over antisemitism as the far right figure Nick Fuentes claimed he received an invitation and traveled to the city, while the New York Young Republican Club said he was never formally invited. The episode underscored ongoing debates about antisemitism and political rhetoric in the United States, including how events are organized and who may participate.
In Bondi Beach, Australia, authorities are investigating what they call the worst mass shooting in the country in nearly three decades. A man and a 50-year-old father and his 24-year-old son have been identified by investigators as two of the attackers who killed fifteen people during a Sunday celebration. Ahmed al Ahmed, a 43-year-old tobacco shop owner who reportedly wrestled a firearm from one of the attackers, is recovering in hospital after being hailed as a hero. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited Ahmed, and a GoFundMe campaign has raised more than two million Australian dollars to support him. Australian police said ISIS flags and explosives were found in a car used by the terrorists, adding to the shock and urgency of the investigation.
In a related development, the United States Southern Command said it targeted narco-traffickers in international waters, noting that intelligence confirmed vessels were transiting known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and were engaged in narcotics trafficking. The operation highlighted ongoing cooperation in the region to disrupt illicit networks that cross oceans and threaten stability.
In Europe, a new study found that an insect-borne bacterium is turning a harmless reed leafhopper into a major agricultural pest, threatening sugar beet crops as the pest spreads. The finding underscores the broader, population-wide impacts of evolving plant pathogens on food security and farming communities.
In the Philippines, authorities confirmed a visit by individuals linked to the Bondi incident in the context of terrorism concerns, as investigators continue to assess possible links and protective measures in the region.
Back in the United States, former president Donald Trump signaled a shift in federal policy by saying the administration is examining loosening marijuana restrictions and treating cannabis as a Schedule III drug, a move that would mark a significant change in federal policy and would require careful coordination across agencies.
Italy’s deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini weighed in on security concerns, arguing that Italy faces greater risk from immigration and Islamic radicalism in the south rather than from the east, a perspective tied to national security considerations and ongoing debates about migration and border policy.
The ongoing war in Gaza continues to affect civilians and international discourse. In a piece from The Times of Israel, the Mount of Olives cemetery near Jerusalem is described in depth, including its long history and symbolic significance for Jewish history and Israeli statehood. The article details how the International Committee for Har Hazeitim has funded and managed security upgrades and a planned visitor center at the foot of the Mount of Olives, intended to educate visitors about Jewish history while improving safety for mourners and tourists. The center, a joint government and private donor project, is planned to open in 2027 and will include a research library, classrooms, a synagogue, gardens, and an amphitheater. Supporters say the project will strengthen safety and education by providing modern infrastructure and technology, such as augmented reality descr
Published on 23 hours ago