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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-02-04 at 08:04
Published 3 weeks, 5 days ago
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HEADLINES
Iran missiles tested US talks risk collapse
Gaza smuggling indictments threaten donor backed aid
US clamps Gaza aid to Hamas disarmament
The time is now 8:03 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, Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal: Types, ranges, and regional impact - explainer. Tehran is set to resume nuclear talks with the United States in Oman, and Iranian officials again warn that its ballistic missile program is a red line in any negotiations. The latest publicly reported test occurred during the 12-day war in June 2025 with Israel, when Tehran fired salvoes of ballistic missiles into Israel, killing dozens and damaging buildings in the country’s center and north. An analysis by the Institute for the Study of War and the AEI Critical Threats Project says Israel likely destroyed around a third of Iranian missile launchers during that conflict. Iranian officials have repeatedly said Tehran has recovered from the damage of the war and that its capabilities are better than ever. A ballistic missile is a rocket-propelled weapon guided during its initial ascent but following a free-fall trajectory for most of its flight, delivering warheads—conventional or potentially other munitions—over varying distances, with classifications that depend on the system. Separately, reports describe a top-secret directive from Iran’s Supreme National Security Council aimed at crushing dissent.
In the Disputed Territories (Gaza, Judea and Samaria, East Jerusalem), Millions given to Gaza, Hamas: Twelve indicted in Gaza smuggling operation. Two indictments were announced against suspects said to be part of a smuggling operation that transported goods into the Gaza Strip, with prosecutors describing the operation as moving millions of shekels’ worth of goods for Hamas, both during the Gaza war and after the ceasefire began. The items smuggled included cigarettes and tobacco, cellphones, vehicle parts, batteries, and communication cables; Bezalel Zini, brother of Shin Bet Chief David Zini, is named as a suspect in one case though he has not been indicted yet. In separate developments, police, Shin Bet, and the Military Police Criminal Investigation Division have stepped up supervision at crossings to curb further smuggling. In a related thread, twelve Israelis were indicted for smuggling goods to Gaza during the ceasefire, with the security chief’s brother cited as a suspect in one case. Last night, a new batch of Arabs returned to Gaza via the Rafah crossing. Complicating the humanitarian picture, Gulf states say they will not release rebuilding aid until Hamas disarms and provides enforceable security guarantees, and the opening of Rafah has drawn attention to the broader challenges of border management and weapon control amid ongoing tensions.
In US Policy Concerning Israel, US struggles to secure Gaza reconstruction funds amid Hamas disarmament standoff. Washington faces hesitation from potential donors over Hamas disarmament, with officials noting that reconstruction funding is unlikely to move forward until Hamas begins disarmament talks and a plan for a demilitarized rebuilding process is in place. The reconstruction framework described envisions a board to oversee Gaza’s rebuilding, with the board chaired by the US President, and a pledge that funds would go to demilitarized reconstruction rather than renewed conflict. Separately, US preconditions for Iran talks are emerging, with a senior American diplomatic source outlining demands before a Istanbul meeting can proceed: Iran would need a timetable for handing over enriched uranium, a halt to the suppression of protesters, and release of those detained, among other points; these prerequisites would have to be accepted before broader discussions on other issues begin. In the domestic front, President Donald Trump signed a 2026
Iran missiles tested US talks risk collapse
Gaza smuggling indictments threaten donor backed aid
US clamps Gaza aid to Hamas disarmament
The time is now 8:03 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, Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal: Types, ranges, and regional impact - explainer. Tehran is set to resume nuclear talks with the United States in Oman, and Iranian officials again warn that its ballistic missile program is a red line in any negotiations. The latest publicly reported test occurred during the 12-day war in June 2025 with Israel, when Tehran fired salvoes of ballistic missiles into Israel, killing dozens and damaging buildings in the country’s center and north. An analysis by the Institute for the Study of War and the AEI Critical Threats Project says Israel likely destroyed around a third of Iranian missile launchers during that conflict. Iranian officials have repeatedly said Tehran has recovered from the damage of the war and that its capabilities are better than ever. A ballistic missile is a rocket-propelled weapon guided during its initial ascent but following a free-fall trajectory for most of its flight, delivering warheads—conventional or potentially other munitions—over varying distances, with classifications that depend on the system. Separately, reports describe a top-secret directive from Iran’s Supreme National Security Council aimed at crushing dissent.
In the Disputed Territories (Gaza, Judea and Samaria, East Jerusalem), Millions given to Gaza, Hamas: Twelve indicted in Gaza smuggling operation. Two indictments were announced against suspects said to be part of a smuggling operation that transported goods into the Gaza Strip, with prosecutors describing the operation as moving millions of shekels’ worth of goods for Hamas, both during the Gaza war and after the ceasefire began. The items smuggled included cigarettes and tobacco, cellphones, vehicle parts, batteries, and communication cables; Bezalel Zini, brother of Shin Bet Chief David Zini, is named as a suspect in one case though he has not been indicted yet. In separate developments, police, Shin Bet, and the Military Police Criminal Investigation Division have stepped up supervision at crossings to curb further smuggling. In a related thread, twelve Israelis were indicted for smuggling goods to Gaza during the ceasefire, with the security chief’s brother cited as a suspect in one case. Last night, a new batch of Arabs returned to Gaza via the Rafah crossing. Complicating the humanitarian picture, Gulf states say they will not release rebuilding aid until Hamas disarms and provides enforceable security guarantees, and the opening of Rafah has drawn attention to the broader challenges of border management and weapon control amid ongoing tensions.
In US Policy Concerning Israel, US struggles to secure Gaza reconstruction funds amid Hamas disarmament standoff. Washington faces hesitation from potential donors over Hamas disarmament, with officials noting that reconstruction funding is unlikely to move forward until Hamas begins disarmament talks and a plan for a demilitarized rebuilding process is in place. The reconstruction framework described envisions a board to oversee Gaza’s rebuilding, with the board chaired by the US President, and a pledge that funds would go to demilitarized reconstruction rather than renewed conflict. Separately, US preconditions for Iran talks are emerging, with a senior American diplomatic source outlining demands before a Istanbul meeting can proceed: Iran would need a timetable for handing over enriched uranium, a halt to the suppression of protesters, and release of those detained, among other points; these prerequisites would have to be accepted before broader discussions on other issues begin. In the domestic front, President Donald Trump signed a 2026