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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-01-23 at 13:07
Published 1 month ago
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HEADLINES
Torq hits unicorn status with $1.2B funding
Gantz rallies for broad unity government
US weighs Iran options as Lincoln nears
The time is now 8:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
At eight o’clock in the morning, here is the latest update on the Middle East and related global developments.
A leading Israeli cybersecurity firm has reached unicorn status as Torq announced a funding round valued at about one point two billion dollars, following an infusion of roughly three hundred thirty-two million dollars. The round brings in Merlin Ventures alongside a roster of strategic investors including Insight Partners, Bessemer Venture Partners, Greenfield Partners, Evolution Equity Partners, Notable Capital, and JPMorgan Private Bank. Torq specializes in automating security operations through artificial intelligence agents, aiming to move beyond traditional security operations centers and automatic responses to more dynamic, agent-guided threat management. The company, founded in two thousand twenty, has grown to more than three hundred fifty employees with offices in New York, Tel Aviv, Amsterdam, London, and other global locations, and plans to hire up to two hundred more. Clients cited include Marriott, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, Siemens, Uber, and Virgin Atlantic, with expansion expected into public sector markets in the near term. Executives stressed that the funding will accelerate growth in both commercial and government markets as Torq works to scale its AI-powered security operations platform.
On the political front in Israel, the commentary around unity and reform continued to dominate discourse ahead of elections. Benny Gantz and the Blue and White Party have regained momentum, with surveys signaling renewed electoral viability. A central argument in his campaign is the call for a broad government of moderates, designed to exclude extremes on both the left and the right. Gantz has indicated openness to joining a national unity government if a Netanyahu-led coalition collapses into a narrow arrangement, and he has pressed for Arab inclusion in national service and for a reset of the balance of power and judicial authority. Analysts note that these pledges carry potential consequences for traditional party lines, with risks for both the center-left and center-right blocs as they evaluate how a merged or reconfigured list might perform in a realistic post-election configuration. The broader question for Israelis remains how to address security, civil rights, and governance in a climate of heightened regional risk and political polarization, and whether a broad-based approach can muster the stability many voters say they seek.
Turning to regional security and diplomacy, questions surrounding Iran’s posture continue to echo through Washington and the region. A claim circulating in recent days asserted by then-President Donald Trump that he halted more than eight hundred executions in Iran was disputed by Iran’s Prosecutor-General, who said there was no such decision from the judiciary and that Tehran’s systems remain independent of foreign orders. In parallel, US discussions about decisive options for responding to Iran persisted in reporting, with the Wall Street Journal noting ongoing deliberations among senior officials as the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln moved closer to the region. The United States has signaled a readiness to pursue a range of options, from limited strikes to broader pressure campaigns, while refraining from a public order to escalate at this moment.
In the West Bank, the Kalandia Training Centre—home to about three hundred fifty young men learning practical trades—faces potential shutdown as Israeli authorities contemplate land expropriation. The closure would cut off the only formal education avenue for a large cohort of Palestinian refugees and could affect
Torq hits unicorn status with $1.2B funding
Gantz rallies for broad unity government
US weighs Iran options as Lincoln nears
The time is now 8:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
At eight o’clock in the morning, here is the latest update on the Middle East and related global developments.
A leading Israeli cybersecurity firm has reached unicorn status as Torq announced a funding round valued at about one point two billion dollars, following an infusion of roughly three hundred thirty-two million dollars. The round brings in Merlin Ventures alongside a roster of strategic investors including Insight Partners, Bessemer Venture Partners, Greenfield Partners, Evolution Equity Partners, Notable Capital, and JPMorgan Private Bank. Torq specializes in automating security operations through artificial intelligence agents, aiming to move beyond traditional security operations centers and automatic responses to more dynamic, agent-guided threat management. The company, founded in two thousand twenty, has grown to more than three hundred fifty employees with offices in New York, Tel Aviv, Amsterdam, London, and other global locations, and plans to hire up to two hundred more. Clients cited include Marriott, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, Siemens, Uber, and Virgin Atlantic, with expansion expected into public sector markets in the near term. Executives stressed that the funding will accelerate growth in both commercial and government markets as Torq works to scale its AI-powered security operations platform.
On the political front in Israel, the commentary around unity and reform continued to dominate discourse ahead of elections. Benny Gantz and the Blue and White Party have regained momentum, with surveys signaling renewed electoral viability. A central argument in his campaign is the call for a broad government of moderates, designed to exclude extremes on both the left and the right. Gantz has indicated openness to joining a national unity government if a Netanyahu-led coalition collapses into a narrow arrangement, and he has pressed for Arab inclusion in national service and for a reset of the balance of power and judicial authority. Analysts note that these pledges carry potential consequences for traditional party lines, with risks for both the center-left and center-right blocs as they evaluate how a merged or reconfigured list might perform in a realistic post-election configuration. The broader question for Israelis remains how to address security, civil rights, and governance in a climate of heightened regional risk and political polarization, and whether a broad-based approach can muster the stability many voters say they seek.
Turning to regional security and diplomacy, questions surrounding Iran’s posture continue to echo through Washington and the region. A claim circulating in recent days asserted by then-President Donald Trump that he halted more than eight hundred executions in Iran was disputed by Iran’s Prosecutor-General, who said there was no such decision from the judiciary and that Tehran’s systems remain independent of foreign orders. In parallel, US discussions about decisive options for responding to Iran persisted in reporting, with the Wall Street Journal noting ongoing deliberations among senior officials as the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln moved closer to the region. The United States has signaled a readiness to pursue a range of options, from limited strikes to broader pressure campaigns, while refraining from a public order to escalate at this moment.
In the West Bank, the Kalandia Training Centre—home to about three hundred fifty young men learning practical trades—faces potential shutdown as Israeli authorities contemplate land expropriation. The closure would cut off the only formal education avenue for a large cohort of Palestinian refugees and could affect