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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-01-25 at 17:07
Published 1 month ago
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HEADLINES
Grunis submarine probe sparks sweeping reforms
Iran crackdown escalates as protests spread
Rafah crossing talks advance amid hostage diplomacy
The time is now 12:00 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
This is your hour-by-hour briefing. A state inquiry into Israel’s submarine procurement scandal has delivered a sweeping critique of how defense decisions were made over a decade. The five-member Grunis committee found that governments avoided clear security policies, relying on ad hoc measures that did not reflect Israel’s broader security needs. It concluded that elected officials bore responsibility for state security but failed to exercise it, describing a process where policy was replaced by a series of individual decisions. The report also faulted the National Security Council for overstepping its advisory role and the Navy for deviating from established norms in dealings with civilian and political circles. Thirteen recommendations were issued to prevent future failures, including a binding process for force-building and a permanent professional committee to advise leaders on force structure. The committee stressed that security decision-making must be orderly, transparent, and aligned with actual threats, noting that reforms are not merely bureaucratic but existential for Israel after the Hamas-ruled Gaza crisis and recent regional tensions. The inquiry targeted several figures tied to the submarine deal and the Germany-to-Egypt submarine sales path, including Prime Minister Netanyahu, Mossad chief Yossi Cohen, and former Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon, among others, while signaling that individual responsibility would be addressed in subsequent proceedings.
Across the region, Iran faced renewed domestic pressure as the crackdown on protests intensified. The New York Times reported that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ordered suppression of demonstrations with “any means necessary,” a directive described as including shoot-to-kill instructions. Independent observers and rights groups documented violence in at least 19 Iranian cities, with hospitals overwhelmed and internet disruptions masking the full scope of casualties. Estimates vary widely: Iranian authorities have reported a lower toll, while Iranian human rights groups and monitoring outlets have tallied thousands of deaths, with some sources citing tens of thousands in the earliest days of the demonstrations. The reporting notes that medical staff were frequently compelled to treat victims in improvised settings as security forces redirected their response to quell the protests. The developments underscore a potential flashpoint for regional stability, given Iran’s role in supporting allied regimes and militias across the region.
In Gaza, Prime Minister Netanyahu scheduled a cabinet session to discuss the Rafah crossing, a focal point of Israel’s Gaza policy and hostage diplomacy. Israel has linked any opening to the return of slain hostage Ran Gvili, and US mediators have indicated readiness to move ahead with a phased opening for Gazans under agreed terms. Washington, Kushner, and other US officials have signaled alignment with steps toward Phase II of concepts associated with a broader Gaza arrangement, while also pressing for progress on the hostages as part of a broader ceasefire framework. The Cabinet confrontation over linking crossing access to hostage returns reflects ongoing tensions around security guarantees, border control, and humanitarian access in southern Gaza and the wider regional security calculus.
In domestic court matters, the Lod District Court extended restrictions on Yonatan Urich, a senior adviser in the Prime Minister’s Office, barring him from his PMO role for an additional 60 days amid investigations into the leak of classified material related to a German newspaper and related questions of state securi
Grunis submarine probe sparks sweeping reforms
Iran crackdown escalates as protests spread
Rafah crossing talks advance amid hostage diplomacy
The time is now 12:00 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
This is your hour-by-hour briefing. A state inquiry into Israel’s submarine procurement scandal has delivered a sweeping critique of how defense decisions were made over a decade. The five-member Grunis committee found that governments avoided clear security policies, relying on ad hoc measures that did not reflect Israel’s broader security needs. It concluded that elected officials bore responsibility for state security but failed to exercise it, describing a process where policy was replaced by a series of individual decisions. The report also faulted the National Security Council for overstepping its advisory role and the Navy for deviating from established norms in dealings with civilian and political circles. Thirteen recommendations were issued to prevent future failures, including a binding process for force-building and a permanent professional committee to advise leaders on force structure. The committee stressed that security decision-making must be orderly, transparent, and aligned with actual threats, noting that reforms are not merely bureaucratic but existential for Israel after the Hamas-ruled Gaza crisis and recent regional tensions. The inquiry targeted several figures tied to the submarine deal and the Germany-to-Egypt submarine sales path, including Prime Minister Netanyahu, Mossad chief Yossi Cohen, and former Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon, among others, while signaling that individual responsibility would be addressed in subsequent proceedings.
Across the region, Iran faced renewed domestic pressure as the crackdown on protests intensified. The New York Times reported that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ordered suppression of demonstrations with “any means necessary,” a directive described as including shoot-to-kill instructions. Independent observers and rights groups documented violence in at least 19 Iranian cities, with hospitals overwhelmed and internet disruptions masking the full scope of casualties. Estimates vary widely: Iranian authorities have reported a lower toll, while Iranian human rights groups and monitoring outlets have tallied thousands of deaths, with some sources citing tens of thousands in the earliest days of the demonstrations. The reporting notes that medical staff were frequently compelled to treat victims in improvised settings as security forces redirected their response to quell the protests. The developments underscore a potential flashpoint for regional stability, given Iran’s role in supporting allied regimes and militias across the region.
In Gaza, Prime Minister Netanyahu scheduled a cabinet session to discuss the Rafah crossing, a focal point of Israel’s Gaza policy and hostage diplomacy. Israel has linked any opening to the return of slain hostage Ran Gvili, and US mediators have indicated readiness to move ahead with a phased opening for Gazans under agreed terms. Washington, Kushner, and other US officials have signaled alignment with steps toward Phase II of concepts associated with a broader Gaza arrangement, while also pressing for progress on the hostages as part of a broader ceasefire framework. The Cabinet confrontation over linking crossing access to hostage returns reflects ongoing tensions around security guarantees, border control, and humanitarian access in southern Gaza and the wider regional security calculus.
In domestic court matters, the Lod District Court extended restrictions on Yonatan Urich, a senior adviser in the Prime Minister’s Office, barring him from his PMO role for an additional 60 days amid investigations into the leak of classified material related to a German newspaper and related questions of state securi