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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-02-04 at 06:03
Published 3 weeks, 5 days ago
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HEADLINES
Women join Shahaf unit to target Hezbollah
Trump signs $4B Israel defense Iron Dome
Court demands Netanyahu justify Ben-Gvir retention
The time is now 6:03 AM 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, a new company of female IDF intelligence collection technology officers will soon join the Shahaf 869 intelligence unit within Division 91 to help prevent Hezbollah’s rearmament efforts. Focusing on southern Lebanon, Shahaf has already helped locate and kill around 60 Hezbollah terrorists over the last year and has located and enabled the destruction of dozens of Hezbollah terror facilities, weapons storage areas, and observation-lookout positions. Shahaf has also assisted the air force and artillery units in better targeting Hezbollah positions in hundreds of operations, with the main focus for Shahaf being southern Lebanon. The announcement comes as debate reignites about the place of women in military combat units.
In the Disputed Territories (Gaza, Judea and Samaria, East Jerusalem), Jewish extremist violence against West Bank Palestinians substantially harms Israeli national security, and Major General Ghassan Alian, the IDF Civil Administration Commander, said Israel must act more aggressively to reduce and eliminate this trend. He noted that, in his role supervising humanitarian aid in Gaza, efforts have helped stave off worse delegitimization, and he cited humanitarian deliveries during the war, including 112,000 aid trucks into Gaza, about 1,700,000 tons of food, and 9,600 tons of medical items. Separately, in Gaza, one of 13 suspects set to face indictment in a smuggling case was released without conditions; authorities had tied him to terror-related security offenses, though his lawyer said the accusations had no basis.
In US Policy Concerning Israel, President Trump signed a defense budget of 2026 that allocates more than $4 billion in security-related support for Israel, combining long-standing aid with expanded cooperation in defense technology and new constraints on funding for certain international organizations. The package includes $3.8 billion in direct security assistance and $500 million for missile defense programs, including Iron Dome and Arrow. Beyond the core aid, the legislation designates $47.5 million for emerging technology cooperation, reflecting a $27.5 million increase, with counter-drone and directed energy collaboration receiving $75 million (up by $20 million) and anti-tunnel defense cooperation at $80 million (up by $32.5 million). The law also allocates $37.5 million for the Nita Lowey Middle East Partnership for Peace Act to promote economic cooperation.
In Israeli Domestic Politics, the Epstein Files show former prime minister Ehud Barak telling Jeffrey Epstein that Israel could “easily absorb another million” immigrants from Russian-speaking countries, with the possibility of being more selective and using social pressure, while adding that Barak recalled urging Putin and praising the impact of the 1990s immigration wave. Former Moscow Chief Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt commented on the exchange, noting the discussion of selecting immigrants. Elsewhere, farmers delivering milk to Jerusalem protested Smotrich’s dairy reform, blocking Highway 1 as they urged a halt to the reform; after resuming milk supply, the government pressed for an end to the strike and argued the reform would open imports and reduce prices, while small dairy producers faced concerns about harm to their livelihoods. The Supreme Court ordered Prime Minister Netanyahu to explain why he would not fire National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, with a nine-judge panel expanded for the case, and Ben-Gvir promising there will be no coup. A separate court action sought explanation for Netanyahu’s refusal to fire the minister. In political campaigning, Bennett’
Women join Shahaf unit to target Hezbollah
Trump signs $4B Israel defense Iron Dome
Court demands Netanyahu justify Ben-Gvir retention
The time is now 6:03 AM 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, a new company of female IDF intelligence collection technology officers will soon join the Shahaf 869 intelligence unit within Division 91 to help prevent Hezbollah’s rearmament efforts. Focusing on southern Lebanon, Shahaf has already helped locate and kill around 60 Hezbollah terrorists over the last year and has located and enabled the destruction of dozens of Hezbollah terror facilities, weapons storage areas, and observation-lookout positions. Shahaf has also assisted the air force and artillery units in better targeting Hezbollah positions in hundreds of operations, with the main focus for Shahaf being southern Lebanon. The announcement comes as debate reignites about the place of women in military combat units.
In the Disputed Territories (Gaza, Judea and Samaria, East Jerusalem), Jewish extremist violence against West Bank Palestinians substantially harms Israeli national security, and Major General Ghassan Alian, the IDF Civil Administration Commander, said Israel must act more aggressively to reduce and eliminate this trend. He noted that, in his role supervising humanitarian aid in Gaza, efforts have helped stave off worse delegitimization, and he cited humanitarian deliveries during the war, including 112,000 aid trucks into Gaza, about 1,700,000 tons of food, and 9,600 tons of medical items. Separately, in Gaza, one of 13 suspects set to face indictment in a smuggling case was released without conditions; authorities had tied him to terror-related security offenses, though his lawyer said the accusations had no basis.
In US Policy Concerning Israel, President Trump signed a defense budget of 2026 that allocates more than $4 billion in security-related support for Israel, combining long-standing aid with expanded cooperation in defense technology and new constraints on funding for certain international organizations. The package includes $3.8 billion in direct security assistance and $500 million for missile defense programs, including Iron Dome and Arrow. Beyond the core aid, the legislation designates $47.5 million for emerging technology cooperation, reflecting a $27.5 million increase, with counter-drone and directed energy collaboration receiving $75 million (up by $20 million) and anti-tunnel defense cooperation at $80 million (up by $32.5 million). The law also allocates $37.5 million for the Nita Lowey Middle East Partnership for Peace Act to promote economic cooperation.
In Israeli Domestic Politics, the Epstein Files show former prime minister Ehud Barak telling Jeffrey Epstein that Israel could “easily absorb another million” immigrants from Russian-speaking countries, with the possibility of being more selective and using social pressure, while adding that Barak recalled urging Putin and praising the impact of the 1990s immigration wave. Former Moscow Chief Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt commented on the exchange, noting the discussion of selecting immigrants. Elsewhere, farmers delivering milk to Jerusalem protested Smotrich’s dairy reform, blocking Highway 1 as they urged a halt to the reform; after resuming milk supply, the government pressed for an end to the strike and argued the reform would open imports and reduce prices, while small dairy producers faced concerns about harm to their livelihoods. The Supreme Court ordered Prime Minister Netanyahu to explain why he would not fire National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, with a nine-judge panel expanded for the case, and Ben-Gvir promising there will be no coup. A separate court action sought explanation for Netanyahu’s refusal to fire the minister. In political campaigning, Bennett’