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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-01-20 at 16:08
Published 1 month, 1 week ago
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HEADLINES
Israeli AI startup Legato raises $7M
Kurds mobilize Syria deployment, warn Western inaction
Israel orders multi-year earthquake preparedness plan
The time is now 11:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
At 11:00 a.m., a briefing of notable developments across the region and related global implications:
Israeli tech sector sees international investment and expansion. Legato, an Israeli AI startup founded by Dana Rochman and Shlomit Tennenbaum in 2025, announced a seven million dollar investment round led by S Capital VC with participation from Cerca Partners. Legato says its platform embeds AI into SaaS environments, enabling non-technical users to describe requirements in plain language and generate production-ready applications with governance and visibility. The round will be directed toward research and development and expanding the AI team. Company officials say the technology is designed to shorten customization cycles for business users, partners, and internal teams, potentially extending beyond software as a service to sectors such as financial services, healthcare, telecom, and energy.
On the regional security front, the Kurdistan Freedom Party told The Jerusalem Post it plans to fight alongside Kurdish forces in Rojava and to move logistics and troops into Syria for immediate deployment. The statement, attributed to an office spokesman, characterizes Western inaction as untenable and signals a willingness to coordinate with Kurdish groups inside Syria. The remarks come as Kurdish communities and their allies mobilize in solidarity with Rojava amid ongoing violence and political uncertainty, with commentary from Kurdish and international voices highlighting concerns about regional stability and the broader implications for US and European policy in the area.
In Israel’s domestic arena, the High Court of Justice blocked autopsies of two infants who died in Monday’s Jerusalem daycare disaster. The court’s decision preserves the dignity of the deceased while police pursue an ongoing probe into alleged neglect at an unlicensed facility. The case has ignited protests by ultra-Orthodox groups, some of which turned violent, including confrontations with drivers and clashes on major roadways. Police officials reported several arrests as authorities sought to manage ongoing demonstrations while also completing forensic and investigative steps.
Israel’s earthquake preparedness program moved to the forefront of national security planning. Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered a multi-year plan to fortify strategic sites, upgrade early-warning capabilities, and clarify civil-defense and ministry responsibilities in the event of a major quake. The plan, due for initial review within two months, prioritizes training for local authorities, coordination among emergency agencies, and addressing potential civil-disaster scenarios drawn from lessons learned in past regional crises. The effort signals a push to strengthen civilian resilience in parallel with ongoing security concerns in a volatile region.
A long-form analysis in the Hebrew press examined the career of Syrian official Ahmed al-Sharaa, portraying him as a wily strategist who has navigated multiple shifts in the Syrian conflict landscape. The piece traces his trajectory through a series of organizational rebrandings and realignments, culminating in a position of influence within a post-conflict order. Observers warn that any settlement in Syria will hinge on managing competing actors, including Kurdish groups, the Assad-era security apparatus, and regional powers, with potential consequences for neighboring states and regional security dynamics.
In a separate assessment of security cooperation, Israel’s defense ministers and regional partners continued discussions on trilateral and cross-border deterrence. Greek an
Israeli AI startup Legato raises $7M
Kurds mobilize Syria deployment, warn Western inaction
Israel orders multi-year earthquake preparedness plan
The time is now 11:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
At 11:00 a.m., a briefing of notable developments across the region and related global implications:
Israeli tech sector sees international investment and expansion. Legato, an Israeli AI startup founded by Dana Rochman and Shlomit Tennenbaum in 2025, announced a seven million dollar investment round led by S Capital VC with participation from Cerca Partners. Legato says its platform embeds AI into SaaS environments, enabling non-technical users to describe requirements in plain language and generate production-ready applications with governance and visibility. The round will be directed toward research and development and expanding the AI team. Company officials say the technology is designed to shorten customization cycles for business users, partners, and internal teams, potentially extending beyond software as a service to sectors such as financial services, healthcare, telecom, and energy.
On the regional security front, the Kurdistan Freedom Party told The Jerusalem Post it plans to fight alongside Kurdish forces in Rojava and to move logistics and troops into Syria for immediate deployment. The statement, attributed to an office spokesman, characterizes Western inaction as untenable and signals a willingness to coordinate with Kurdish groups inside Syria. The remarks come as Kurdish communities and their allies mobilize in solidarity with Rojava amid ongoing violence and political uncertainty, with commentary from Kurdish and international voices highlighting concerns about regional stability and the broader implications for US and European policy in the area.
In Israel’s domestic arena, the High Court of Justice blocked autopsies of two infants who died in Monday’s Jerusalem daycare disaster. The court’s decision preserves the dignity of the deceased while police pursue an ongoing probe into alleged neglect at an unlicensed facility. The case has ignited protests by ultra-Orthodox groups, some of which turned violent, including confrontations with drivers and clashes on major roadways. Police officials reported several arrests as authorities sought to manage ongoing demonstrations while also completing forensic and investigative steps.
Israel’s earthquake preparedness program moved to the forefront of national security planning. Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered a multi-year plan to fortify strategic sites, upgrade early-warning capabilities, and clarify civil-defense and ministry responsibilities in the event of a major quake. The plan, due for initial review within two months, prioritizes training for local authorities, coordination among emergency agencies, and addressing potential civil-disaster scenarios drawn from lessons learned in past regional crises. The effort signals a push to strengthen civilian resilience in parallel with ongoing security concerns in a volatile region.
A long-form analysis in the Hebrew press examined the career of Syrian official Ahmed al-Sharaa, portraying him as a wily strategist who has navigated multiple shifts in the Syrian conflict landscape. The piece traces his trajectory through a series of organizational rebrandings and realignments, culminating in a position of influence within a post-conflict order. Observers warn that any settlement in Syria will hinge on managing competing actors, including Kurdish groups, the Assad-era security apparatus, and regional powers, with potential consequences for neighboring states and regional security dynamics.
In a separate assessment of security cooperation, Israel’s defense ministers and regional partners continued discussions on trilateral and cross-border deterrence. Greek an