Episode Details

HEADLINES
Taliban vows support if US strikes Iran
IDF kills Ahmad Bayouk amid Gaza strikes
Deni Avdija makes Israeli NBA All Star

The time is now 10:01 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, the Taliban will aid and assist the Islamic Republic of Iran in the event of US strikes on the country, the group's spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid told Radio Iran's Pashto-language service on Sunday. Afghanistan's people would show sympathy and possibly cooperate with Iran if requested. Mujahid clarified that this would not automatically pull the Sunni group into a retaliatory war against the United States, and the Taliban prefer to pursue diplomatic measures and continued negotiations over Iran's nuclear program. He said Iran has won the 12-day war with Israel and the US in June and will win again if attacked, asserting that Iran is capable and has the right to defend itself. The Taliban condemned Israel's strikes on the Islamic Regime's nuclear enrichment facilities and leadership, and tensions have existed between Iran and Afghanistan along fault lines between Shia and Sunni, with Iran following Twelver Shiism, while Afghanistan seeks to avoid conflict with either side.

In the Disputed Territories (Gaza, Judea and Samaria, East Jerusalem), Israeli forces attacked terrorists in the northern Gaza Strip, as well as Gaza City in the central region and Khan Yunis in the south. The IDF killed Ahmad Bayouk, who filmed himself infiltrating Re'im base as part of the October 7 massacre, during a series of military actions in the Gaza Strip on Sunday, the military confirmed. This flurry of activity is a response to ceasefire violations on Saturday in which several armed Gazans emerged from the rubble of a building about two kilometers east of the Yellow Line, the IDF noted. The armed group, spotted near an IDF post in Beit Hanun, appeared to have entered the territory in the eastern section of the Gaza Strip via subterranean tunnels, the IDF stated. The IDF also announced on Sunday that they killed Azem Abu Huli, head of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad's Nukhba Array in the central region, during last week's operations in the strip. The IDF also struck Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists in the Majdal Anjar area in central Lebanon, an area that borders Syria. Meanwhile, IDF observers and the Aerial Control Center intercepted a drone attempting to smuggle three M-16 rifles into Israel on Friday.

In Uplifting News, Israeli basketball star Deni Avdija makes history as the first Israeli to play as a National Basketball Association All-Star. The Portland Trail Blazers forward, 25, is on Team World against Team USA Stars at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, and he described the moment as a dream come true while donning Team World colors with his number 8. Avdija began the All-Star Game by starting for Team World and scored 5 points in the opening game of the tournament, which features 12-minute games. Team World was eliminated after Game III. Off the court, Avdija has been released to a breakout season, averaging about 25.5 points per game for Portland in his sixth NBA season, after a stint with the Wizards. He holds Israeli and Serbian citizenship, and his father played for the Yugoslav national team before moving to Israel, a path that led Avdija to consistently represent Israel in international play.

Thank you for tuning in to this Israel Today: Ongoing War Report update.
I'm Noa Levi. Stay safe and informed.
Keep in mind that this AI-generated report may contain occasional inaccuracies, so consult multiple sources for a comprehensive view. Find the code and more details in the podcast description.

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