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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-01-15 at 17:08
Published 1 month, 1 week ago
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HEADLINES
Iran protests swell as crackdown tightens
Ali Shaath to lead Gaza transition
US sanctions Iran to ramp up pressure
The time is now 12:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
Good afternoon. Here is your hourly update on the Middle East and related global developments.
Across Iran, nationwide protests continue to reverberate as demonstrators press for political change amid a harsh crackdown by security forces. Regime authorities report clashes in multiple cities and say they are restoring order, while rights groups and observers warn that thousands have been killed or wounded since demonstrations began to surge last month. The regime has intensified its use of security forces, including the Revolutionary Guard and Basij, and has cut internet access in large parts of the country to blunt protest organizing. The unrest began over economic hardship and has broadened into a challenge to the authorities’ legitimacy, drawing support from Iranians abroad and from Kurdish and other minority communities inside the country.
Amid the turmoil, questions continue about external involvement. A recent round of reporting highlights a long‑standing debate about covert activity by intelligence services, including speculation about involvement by Mossad in Tehran. Israel has long pursued a strategy of deterring the regime while avoiding direct exposure, and public statements by senior Israeli officials emphasize defense and restraint. At the same time, reports describe efforts by various actors to influence events inside Iran, including stories about third‑party channels and back‑channels used to support protesters or to apply pressure on Tehran. Israeli officials and security outlets have repeatedly stressed that, for security reasons, public acknowledgment of any intervention would risk broader escalation. Analysts caution that much of what is alleged remains difficult to verify in a closed, high‑temp environment, where information often travels in fragments.
In parallel, regional dynamics are shifting as Washington weighs its next steps. The United States has imposed new Iran‑related sanctions, targeting individuals and entities tied to the crackdown and to the broader regime apparatus. In a separate move, Washington signaled it could withhold a portion of funding to UN bodies unless they take steps to address what the United States terms anti‑Israel bias. Officials say the goal is to increase pressure on Tehran while maintaining channels for diplomacy, though the path forward remains uncertain. US authorities have also warned Iran’s leaders that they are tracking financial flows and emphasize that continued repression could carry costs for the regime in international finance and commerce.
The threat of American military action has not vanished from the horizon. Several Arab states have urged restraint and signaled that they do not wish to see a wider confrontation in the Middle East. Still, the possibility of a US strike against Iranian targets—an option repeatedly raised by President Trump and discussed in regional capitals—lingers as a contingent factor that could reshape regional calculations. In the interim, Washington is pressing partners to avoid actions that would destabilize oil markets or widen conflict, even as it emphasizes support for protesters’ desire for greater freedom and accountability.
Several non‑Iranian developments also bear on the region’s security balance. In the Gaza theater, a new phase of US‑backed arrangements has begun, with Palestinian administrator Ali Shaath named to oversee Gaza’s transitional governance. Shaath’s team is tasked with stabilizing the enclave, clearing rubble, and rebuilding essential infrastructure while talks about broader disarmament and a longer‑term peace framework proceed. Hamas has indicated a degree of cautious willingness to engage in the
Iran protests swell as crackdown tightens
Ali Shaath to lead Gaza transition
US sanctions Iran to ramp up pressure
The time is now 12:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
Good afternoon. Here is your hourly update on the Middle East and related global developments.
Across Iran, nationwide protests continue to reverberate as demonstrators press for political change amid a harsh crackdown by security forces. Regime authorities report clashes in multiple cities and say they are restoring order, while rights groups and observers warn that thousands have been killed or wounded since demonstrations began to surge last month. The regime has intensified its use of security forces, including the Revolutionary Guard and Basij, and has cut internet access in large parts of the country to blunt protest organizing. The unrest began over economic hardship and has broadened into a challenge to the authorities’ legitimacy, drawing support from Iranians abroad and from Kurdish and other minority communities inside the country.
Amid the turmoil, questions continue about external involvement. A recent round of reporting highlights a long‑standing debate about covert activity by intelligence services, including speculation about involvement by Mossad in Tehran. Israel has long pursued a strategy of deterring the regime while avoiding direct exposure, and public statements by senior Israeli officials emphasize defense and restraint. At the same time, reports describe efforts by various actors to influence events inside Iran, including stories about third‑party channels and back‑channels used to support protesters or to apply pressure on Tehran. Israeli officials and security outlets have repeatedly stressed that, for security reasons, public acknowledgment of any intervention would risk broader escalation. Analysts caution that much of what is alleged remains difficult to verify in a closed, high‑temp environment, where information often travels in fragments.
In parallel, regional dynamics are shifting as Washington weighs its next steps. The United States has imposed new Iran‑related sanctions, targeting individuals and entities tied to the crackdown and to the broader regime apparatus. In a separate move, Washington signaled it could withhold a portion of funding to UN bodies unless they take steps to address what the United States terms anti‑Israel bias. Officials say the goal is to increase pressure on Tehran while maintaining channels for diplomacy, though the path forward remains uncertain. US authorities have also warned Iran’s leaders that they are tracking financial flows and emphasize that continued repression could carry costs for the regime in international finance and commerce.
The threat of American military action has not vanished from the horizon. Several Arab states have urged restraint and signaled that they do not wish to see a wider confrontation in the Middle East. Still, the possibility of a US strike against Iranian targets—an option repeatedly raised by President Trump and discussed in regional capitals—lingers as a contingent factor that could reshape regional calculations. In the interim, Washington is pressing partners to avoid actions that would destabilize oil markets or widen conflict, even as it emphasizes support for protesters’ desire for greater freedom and accountability.
Several non‑Iranian developments also bear on the region’s security balance. In the Gaza theater, a new phase of US‑backed arrangements has begun, with Palestinian administrator Ali Shaath named to oversee Gaza’s transitional governance. Shaath’s team is tasked with stabilizing the enclave, clearing rubble, and rebuilding essential infrastructure while talks about broader disarmament and a longer‑term peace framework proceed. Hamas has indicated a degree of cautious willingness to engage in the