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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-01-20 at 02:04
Published 1 month, 1 week ago
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HEADLINES
Iran to restore internet, tighten controls
Israeli protests over autopsies for babies
Shaddadi breakout sparks manhunt for detainees
The time is now 9:00 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
This is the 9:00 PM update on developments in the Middle East and nearby, with emphasis on security concerns, humanitarian issues, and the evolving regional outlook.
Iran says nationwide internet access will be restored by the end of the week, with officials stating that restoration should occur within the next day or two and that fixed IP options are being considered for large companies. The announcement comes as Iran resumes a communications service after an extended blackout that began on January eighth amid nationwide protests. Human rights groups caution that even when connectivity returns, it may not return to previous conditions, noting that the regime could tighten controls and limit access to foreign platforms. Analysts have underscored the distinction between mere connectivity and meaningful access, stressing that policy may shift toward more restricted, supervised internet use.
In Israel, hundreds of ultra-Orthodox protesters clashed with police in Jerusalem and Beit Shemesh Monday night as authorities prepared to perform autopsies on two babies who died in an overcrowded, unlicensed daycare in the Romema neighborhood. The infants, four-month-old Leah Goloventzitz and six-month-old Aharon Katz, are believed to have died from heat-related illness linked to a faulty heating system, as investigators work to determine the exact cause of death. Parents oppose the autopsies on religious grounds, and are seeking to appeal a court decision that allowed them to proceed. Police said protesters disrupted traffic and public transportation, and three caregivers at the daycare were detained for questioning as emergency crews evacuated the remaining fifty-three children, who showed varying signs of respiratory distress. Organizers indicated further demonstrations are planned for Tuesday, underscoring the ongoing tension over how the investigation is being conducted and how the community’s concerns are being weighed against public safety and investigative needs.
In Syria, officials provided competing accounts of a prison breakout at Shaddadi. Syria’s interior ministry said about one hundred twenty Islamic State detainees escaped, while Kurdish-led sources had earlier reported as many as one thousand five hundred escaped. The Syrian army and ministry special forces descended on Shaddadi, recapturing eighty-one escapees in the ensuing sweep, with efforts to arrest the remainder continuing. The incident follows days of fighting as the Kurdish-led forces withdraw from Raqqa and Deir al-Zor, zones previously controlled by the group, including areas containing major oil facilities. The evolving security situation in eastern Syria remains fluid as authorities pursue those who fled.
Turning to humanitarian outlooks in the broader region, the World Food Programme reports a severe hunger emergency in Afghanistan, where about seventeen million people are estimated to be facing acute hunger, and estimate that three million more could fall into that category. Winter conditions have intensified hardship for returning Afghans and those already living in poverty, as aid programs have faced funding constraints from donor governments. The United States and other partners withdrew international forces in twenty twenty-one, and the humanitarian community has warned that reduced donor contributions are slowing relief efforts at a time of acute need. Aid workers describe crowded clinics and supply shortfalls, with families relying on whatever food and medicines can be secured, as winter deepens. The broader regional picture remains one of volatility—political disruptions, security concerns, and humanitarian pressures intersect i
Iran to restore internet, tighten controls
Israeli protests over autopsies for babies
Shaddadi breakout sparks manhunt for detainees
The time is now 9:00 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
This is the 9:00 PM update on developments in the Middle East and nearby, with emphasis on security concerns, humanitarian issues, and the evolving regional outlook.
Iran says nationwide internet access will be restored by the end of the week, with officials stating that restoration should occur within the next day or two and that fixed IP options are being considered for large companies. The announcement comes as Iran resumes a communications service after an extended blackout that began on January eighth amid nationwide protests. Human rights groups caution that even when connectivity returns, it may not return to previous conditions, noting that the regime could tighten controls and limit access to foreign platforms. Analysts have underscored the distinction between mere connectivity and meaningful access, stressing that policy may shift toward more restricted, supervised internet use.
In Israel, hundreds of ultra-Orthodox protesters clashed with police in Jerusalem and Beit Shemesh Monday night as authorities prepared to perform autopsies on two babies who died in an overcrowded, unlicensed daycare in the Romema neighborhood. The infants, four-month-old Leah Goloventzitz and six-month-old Aharon Katz, are believed to have died from heat-related illness linked to a faulty heating system, as investigators work to determine the exact cause of death. Parents oppose the autopsies on religious grounds, and are seeking to appeal a court decision that allowed them to proceed. Police said protesters disrupted traffic and public transportation, and three caregivers at the daycare were detained for questioning as emergency crews evacuated the remaining fifty-three children, who showed varying signs of respiratory distress. Organizers indicated further demonstrations are planned for Tuesday, underscoring the ongoing tension over how the investigation is being conducted and how the community’s concerns are being weighed against public safety and investigative needs.
In Syria, officials provided competing accounts of a prison breakout at Shaddadi. Syria’s interior ministry said about one hundred twenty Islamic State detainees escaped, while Kurdish-led sources had earlier reported as many as one thousand five hundred escaped. The Syrian army and ministry special forces descended on Shaddadi, recapturing eighty-one escapees in the ensuing sweep, with efforts to arrest the remainder continuing. The incident follows days of fighting as the Kurdish-led forces withdraw from Raqqa and Deir al-Zor, zones previously controlled by the group, including areas containing major oil facilities. The evolving security situation in eastern Syria remains fluid as authorities pursue those who fled.
Turning to humanitarian outlooks in the broader region, the World Food Programme reports a severe hunger emergency in Afghanistan, where about seventeen million people are estimated to be facing acute hunger, and estimate that three million more could fall into that category. Winter conditions have intensified hardship for returning Afghans and those already living in poverty, as aid programs have faced funding constraints from donor governments. The United States and other partners withdrew international forces in twenty twenty-one, and the humanitarian community has warned that reduced donor contributions are slowing relief efforts at a time of acute need. Aid workers describe crowded clinics and supply shortfalls, with families relying on whatever food and medicines can be secured, as winter deepens. The broader regional picture remains one of volatility—political disruptions, security concerns, and humanitarian pressures intersect i