Episode Details
Back to Episodes
Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-02-02 at 14:02
Published 1 month ago
Description
HEADLINES
Iran fears US strike could reignite protests
Two foreign activists detained in West Bank
Karhi plans March blackout of Galei Tzahal
The time is now 2:02 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
In the conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, Iran's leadership is increasingly worried a US strike couldbreak its grip on power by reigniting protests after the bloodiest crackdown since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, with six current and former officials telling Reuters that in high-level briefings the Supreme Leader was told public anger has reached a point where fear is no longer a deterrent. One official said, “The wall of fear has collapsed. There is no fear left.” Officials warned that many Iranians could confront security forces again and that external pressure, such as a limited US strike, could embolden them and inflict irreparable damage to the political establishment, while an official cautioned that enemies are seeking more protests to end the regime and that an attack combined with demonstrations could lead to a collapse of the ruling system. A separate opinion piece argues that Western actions have effectively handed the regime its survival, noting how statements by Western leaders appeared to embolden protesters while the crackdown left tens of thousands dead, and it suggests an ongoing dynamic in which Western responses may have unintended consequences for regime stability. In parallel, a regional diplomat told Reuters that Arab states including Qatar will join US-Iran talks in Istanbul as Iran demands a US pullback, while Israel assesses that Trump is preparing for a strike, underscored by a US-Israel naval show of force in the Red Sea.
In the Disputed Territories (Gaza, Judea and Samaria, East Jerusalem), Israeli authorities arrested two foreign activists on Sunday after they entered a closed military zone in the West Bank, which had been declared off-limits by order of the regional military commander. The pair were detained at the scene, transferred for questioning, and brought before a hearing as authorities move forward with deportation proceedings, citing violations of security regulations governing restricted areas under military control.
In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, two Sydney nurses pleaded not guilty at Downing Center District Court to charges arising from a viral 2025 video in which they threatened Israeli patients; their defense will challenge the video’s admissibility, they were suspended for two years, and the trial is set for August 31. Separately, a Jewish primary school in Paris was vandalized over the weekend, with windows smashed and surveillance equipment damaged, and a plaque ripped from the building; prosecutors opened an investigation into aggravated criminal damage, citing two aggravating factors – that the offense was committed by a group and that it was motivated by religion.
In Israeli Domestic Politics, a Hebrew-language report says Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi has devised a move that could stop Galei Tzahal’s broadcasts as early as the beginning of March, but implementation hinges on Defense Minister Israel Katz, with the simple action of sending one letter required. The piece also references a broader arc: it mentions an arrest warrant in France against two Israelis in a case described as an attack in Iran, reports from Tehran that Vitkof will land in Israel tomorrow and that his visit is not incidental, and notes that the Rafah crossing has opened with the number of Palestinians entering the Gaza Strip rising quickly; it also notes a recent strike against Hezbollah operatives in southern Lebanon.
In Israeli Economy and Business, Israeli tourism to Azerbaijan surged 139% last year versus 2024, with Israelis spending about 184 million shekels and being among the top ten nationalities visiting Baku; industry officials say expanded weekly
Iran fears US strike could reignite protests
Two foreign activists detained in West Bank
Karhi plans March blackout of Galei Tzahal
The time is now 2:02 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
In the conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, Iran's leadership is increasingly worried a US strike couldbreak its grip on power by reigniting protests after the bloodiest crackdown since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, with six current and former officials telling Reuters that in high-level briefings the Supreme Leader was told public anger has reached a point where fear is no longer a deterrent. One official said, “The wall of fear has collapsed. There is no fear left.” Officials warned that many Iranians could confront security forces again and that external pressure, such as a limited US strike, could embolden them and inflict irreparable damage to the political establishment, while an official cautioned that enemies are seeking more protests to end the regime and that an attack combined with demonstrations could lead to a collapse of the ruling system. A separate opinion piece argues that Western actions have effectively handed the regime its survival, noting how statements by Western leaders appeared to embolden protesters while the crackdown left tens of thousands dead, and it suggests an ongoing dynamic in which Western responses may have unintended consequences for regime stability. In parallel, a regional diplomat told Reuters that Arab states including Qatar will join US-Iran talks in Istanbul as Iran demands a US pullback, while Israel assesses that Trump is preparing for a strike, underscored by a US-Israel naval show of force in the Red Sea.
In the Disputed Territories (Gaza, Judea and Samaria, East Jerusalem), Israeli authorities arrested two foreign activists on Sunday after they entered a closed military zone in the West Bank, which had been declared off-limits by order of the regional military commander. The pair were detained at the scene, transferred for questioning, and brought before a hearing as authorities move forward with deportation proceedings, citing violations of security regulations governing restricted areas under military control.
In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, two Sydney nurses pleaded not guilty at Downing Center District Court to charges arising from a viral 2025 video in which they threatened Israeli patients; their defense will challenge the video’s admissibility, they were suspended for two years, and the trial is set for August 31. Separately, a Jewish primary school in Paris was vandalized over the weekend, with windows smashed and surveillance equipment damaged, and a plaque ripped from the building; prosecutors opened an investigation into aggravated criminal damage, citing two aggravating factors – that the offense was committed by a group and that it was motivated by religion.
In Israeli Domestic Politics, a Hebrew-language report says Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi has devised a move that could stop Galei Tzahal’s broadcasts as early as the beginning of March, but implementation hinges on Defense Minister Israel Katz, with the simple action of sending one letter required. The piece also references a broader arc: it mentions an arrest warrant in France against two Israelis in a case described as an attack in Iran, reports from Tehran that Vitkof will land in Israel tomorrow and that his visit is not incidental, and notes that the Rafah crossing has opened with the number of Palestinians entering the Gaza Strip rising quickly; it also notes a recent strike against Hezbollah operatives in southern Lebanon.
In Israeli Economy and Business, Israeli tourism to Azerbaijan surged 139% last year versus 2024, with Israelis spending about 184 million shekels and being among the top ten nationalities visiting Baku; industry officials say expanded weekly