Episode Details
Back to Episodes
Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-02-05 at 03:02
Published 3 weeks, 4 days ago
Description
HEADLINES
- IDF kills Hamas Nukhba commander Abu Assi
- IRGC boats chase US warship in Hormuz
- Beit Shemesh yeshiva student spied for Iran
The time is now 3:02 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, Israeli security forces are operating under the assumption that Yemen's Houthi militants would be prepared to strike back against Israel if the United States attacks Iran first. A report from KAN News says a Yemenite faction fighting the Houthis told Washington there could be a resumption of attacks on US ships in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea, and that the Houthis have begun moving missiles and drones in preparation for future strikes on US targets should Iran be attacked. At the same time, Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said nuclear talks with the United States were set to take place in Muscat, Oman, around 10:00 a.m. on Friday, a development Arab mediators reportedly helped entrench by persuading the Americans to soften their position and keep the talks on track.
In the conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, a video has been published showing Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps boats pursuing a US warship near the Strait of Hormuz. The clip depicts the encounter and comes amid ongoing attention to Tehran’s actions and the broader tensions between Iran and the United States in a volatile regional context. Separately, Ali Ahmad Alkhomayni, grandson of the founder of Iran’s Islamic Revolution, said in a contemporary interview that every Muslim country would do to Israel what Hamas did if they could, and that all of them want the destruction of Israel. The remarks were carried in Arabic and attributed to Alkhomayni in a report on Al-Maidin network.
Beit Shemesh yeshiva student Elimelech Stern, 21, was reported to have spied for Iran, communicating on Telegram with an account run by Iranian intelligence and agreeing to carry out various tasks in return for payment in cryptocurrency. That case adds to escalating concerns about Iran’s clandestine activity and its outreach to individuals in the region.
In the Disputed Territories (Gaza, Judea and Samaria, East Jerusalem), the Israeli Defense Forces on Wednesday eliminated Bilal Abu Assi, a Hamas Nukhba platoon commander who led the deadly infiltration into Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, in which civilians were murdered or abducted. The operation followed a ceasefire violation in which terrorists opened fire on IDF forces in northern Gaza, critically wounding a reserve officer. Abu Assi was involved in holding hostages and directing attacks on IDF troops throughout the war. The operation used precision intelligence and surveillance to minimize civilian harm, and the IDF said it regrets any uninvolved civilians who may have been harmed, including a medical staff member. Israel vowed to continue defending its forces and civilians and to pursue those responsible for October 7, even under ceasefire conditions.
In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, Patrol 36 is described as an Israeli neo-Nazi gang formed by immigrant youths that filmed racist attacks, spread propaganda online and drew inspiration from foreign extremists before police arrests, court convictions and prison sentences dismantled the group and sparked a national debate.
In Israeli Domestic Politics, the headline centers on the committee chaired by Grunis and the potential jeopardy to Zini’s position. The committee added a written caveat stating that if a relative of Zini is found to have engaged in “extreme acts” and the link is real, Zini’s tenure should be terminated. The discussion focuses on whether the case involving Zini’s brother, who is an IDF officer with responsibilities in the Gaza context, meets those criteria and how that might influence the trajectory of the appointment.
Thank you for tuning in to this I
- IDF kills Hamas Nukhba commander Abu Assi
- IRGC boats chase US warship in Hormuz
- Beit Shemesh yeshiva student spied for Iran
The time is now 3:02 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, Israeli security forces are operating under the assumption that Yemen's Houthi militants would be prepared to strike back against Israel if the United States attacks Iran first. A report from KAN News says a Yemenite faction fighting the Houthis told Washington there could be a resumption of attacks on US ships in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea, and that the Houthis have begun moving missiles and drones in preparation for future strikes on US targets should Iran be attacked. At the same time, Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said nuclear talks with the United States were set to take place in Muscat, Oman, around 10:00 a.m. on Friday, a development Arab mediators reportedly helped entrench by persuading the Americans to soften their position and keep the talks on track.
In the conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, a video has been published showing Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps boats pursuing a US warship near the Strait of Hormuz. The clip depicts the encounter and comes amid ongoing attention to Tehran’s actions and the broader tensions between Iran and the United States in a volatile regional context. Separately, Ali Ahmad Alkhomayni, grandson of the founder of Iran’s Islamic Revolution, said in a contemporary interview that every Muslim country would do to Israel what Hamas did if they could, and that all of them want the destruction of Israel. The remarks were carried in Arabic and attributed to Alkhomayni in a report on Al-Maidin network.
Beit Shemesh yeshiva student Elimelech Stern, 21, was reported to have spied for Iran, communicating on Telegram with an account run by Iranian intelligence and agreeing to carry out various tasks in return for payment in cryptocurrency. That case adds to escalating concerns about Iran’s clandestine activity and its outreach to individuals in the region.
In the Disputed Territories (Gaza, Judea and Samaria, East Jerusalem), the Israeli Defense Forces on Wednesday eliminated Bilal Abu Assi, a Hamas Nukhba platoon commander who led the deadly infiltration into Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, in which civilians were murdered or abducted. The operation followed a ceasefire violation in which terrorists opened fire on IDF forces in northern Gaza, critically wounding a reserve officer. Abu Assi was involved in holding hostages and directing attacks on IDF troops throughout the war. The operation used precision intelligence and surveillance to minimize civilian harm, and the IDF said it regrets any uninvolved civilians who may have been harmed, including a medical staff member. Israel vowed to continue defending its forces and civilians and to pursue those responsible for October 7, even under ceasefire conditions.
In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, Patrol 36 is described as an Israeli neo-Nazi gang formed by immigrant youths that filmed racist attacks, spread propaganda online and drew inspiration from foreign extremists before police arrests, court convictions and prison sentences dismantled the group and sparked a national debate.
In Israeli Domestic Politics, the headline centers on the committee chaired by Grunis and the potential jeopardy to Zini’s position. The committee added a written caveat stating that if a relative of Zini is found to have engaged in “extreme acts” and the link is real, Zini’s tenure should be terminated. The discussion focuses on whether the case involving Zini’s brother, who is an IDF officer with responsibilities in the Gaza context, meets those criteria and how that might influence the trajectory of the appointment.
Thank you for tuning in to this I