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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-01-15 at 19:10
Published 1 month, 1 week ago
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HEADLINES
- Alawites Seek Safety Amid Syrian Marginalization
- Exiled Prince Pushes Cyrus Accords for Iran
- Phase II Gaza Governance Plan
The time is now 2:00 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
At 2:00 PM, the latest from the Middle East and related global developments highlights shifting dynamics among Syria’s minority communities, evolving leadership questions inside Iran, and ongoing debates among Washington, Jerusalem, and regional partners about security, governance, and conflict management.
In Syria, a long arc of sectarian tension continues to influence the fate of the Alawite community, which has historically held power but also endured persistent discrimination and violence. An interview with Dr. Tamim Khromachou, president of the Levant Council of the United States and Americans for Levant Foundation, emphasizes that Alawite communities have faced centuries of marginalization, intensified under recent regimes. He describes a social freedom in earlier periods that did not translate into political liberty, and notes that extrajudicial killings, religious discrimination, and torture have persisted even as some voices once opposed to the regime remained silent. Khromachou points to regime attacks against Alawites, Kurds, Christians, moderate Sunnis, and Druze as evidence that exclusionary politics have endured. He recalls how minority neighborhoods suffered during periods of intense violence, and he stresses that many Alawites distanced themselves from opposition movements as a matter of survival. Following the March massacre in Latakia, where a large number of residents were killed, Khromachou observes that international attention did not consistently translate into action on the ground, and he notes a perception that aid groups and NGOs did not respond to the crisis with the urgency seen in other nearby conflicts. He also describes how the regime’s portrayal of Israel as a distant adversary has been reinforced by propaganda at home, and how real-world events—such as the Latakia killings and media coverage of them—have altered attitudes within Syria about the war and its broader regional implications. The Alawite perspective Khromachou shares is one of cautious realism: the community seeks stability and safety, even as it questions whether a future Syria can be governed by a centralized authority without further marginalization of minority populations. He cites concerns about the regime’s intentions to isolate minorities and to control territory in ways that would make future violence less predictable or less preventable. He also points to how domestic and international reactions to sectarian violence are filtered through a complicated web of political interests, noting that Israel was among the few actors to publicly condemn certain atrocities, while broader international responses were sometimes viewed as delayed or inconsistent. The piece also touches on how changes within Syria’s leadership and security structures could affect regional security and the prospects for minority protection, with implications for international diplomacy and humanitarian access.
On Iran, the mass protests that began in late 2023 have persisted into 2026, reshaping the political landscape in ways that challenge the regime’s legitimacy and test regional stability. Official figures acknowledge thousands killed during the unrest, while human rights groups and opposition networks argue that the toll could be much higher. Prominent internal figures have begun to articulate a path forward that could redefine Iran’s future. Reza Pahlavi, crown prince in exile who has re-entered the Iranian political imagination, has proposed an interim transition framework designed to stabilize the country after revolution. The Iran Prosperity Project emphasizes continuity and technocratic management, pledging to protect pensions, restore central-bank in
- Alawites Seek Safety Amid Syrian Marginalization
- Exiled Prince Pushes Cyrus Accords for Iran
- Phase II Gaza Governance Plan
The time is now 2:00 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
At 2:00 PM, the latest from the Middle East and related global developments highlights shifting dynamics among Syria’s minority communities, evolving leadership questions inside Iran, and ongoing debates among Washington, Jerusalem, and regional partners about security, governance, and conflict management.
In Syria, a long arc of sectarian tension continues to influence the fate of the Alawite community, which has historically held power but also endured persistent discrimination and violence. An interview with Dr. Tamim Khromachou, president of the Levant Council of the United States and Americans for Levant Foundation, emphasizes that Alawite communities have faced centuries of marginalization, intensified under recent regimes. He describes a social freedom in earlier periods that did not translate into political liberty, and notes that extrajudicial killings, religious discrimination, and torture have persisted even as some voices once opposed to the regime remained silent. Khromachou points to regime attacks against Alawites, Kurds, Christians, moderate Sunnis, and Druze as evidence that exclusionary politics have endured. He recalls how minority neighborhoods suffered during periods of intense violence, and he stresses that many Alawites distanced themselves from opposition movements as a matter of survival. Following the March massacre in Latakia, where a large number of residents were killed, Khromachou observes that international attention did not consistently translate into action on the ground, and he notes a perception that aid groups and NGOs did not respond to the crisis with the urgency seen in other nearby conflicts. He also describes how the regime’s portrayal of Israel as a distant adversary has been reinforced by propaganda at home, and how real-world events—such as the Latakia killings and media coverage of them—have altered attitudes within Syria about the war and its broader regional implications. The Alawite perspective Khromachou shares is one of cautious realism: the community seeks stability and safety, even as it questions whether a future Syria can be governed by a centralized authority without further marginalization of minority populations. He cites concerns about the regime’s intentions to isolate minorities and to control territory in ways that would make future violence less predictable or less preventable. He also points to how domestic and international reactions to sectarian violence are filtered through a complicated web of political interests, noting that Israel was among the few actors to publicly condemn certain atrocities, while broader international responses were sometimes viewed as delayed or inconsistent. The piece also touches on how changes within Syria’s leadership and security structures could affect regional security and the prospects for minority protection, with implications for international diplomacy and humanitarian access.
On Iran, the mass protests that began in late 2023 have persisted into 2026, reshaping the political landscape in ways that challenge the regime’s legitimacy and test regional stability. Official figures acknowledge thousands killed during the unrest, while human rights groups and opposition networks argue that the toll could be much higher. Prominent internal figures have begun to articulate a path forward that could redefine Iran’s future. Reza Pahlavi, crown prince in exile who has re-entered the Iranian political imagination, has proposed an interim transition framework designed to stabilize the country after revolution. The Iran Prosperity Project emphasizes continuity and technocratic management, pledging to protect pensions, restore central-bank in