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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-02-16 at 06:02
Published 2 weeks ago
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HEADLINES
IDF Hits Hezbollah Infrastructure in Lebanon
Hamas Used WhatsApp Emojis to Mobilize
US Replenishes Bunker Buster Bombs Against Iran
The time is now 6:01 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, the IDF says it struck and killed a terrorist involved in efforts to rebuild Hezbollah infrastructure in the Hanin area of southern Lebanon, a move the army says violated the ceasefire framework and threatened Israel’s northern communities. Over the past week, troops under the 91st Division eliminated three additional militants tied to the effort to restore Hezbollah infrastructure, and forces dismantled several structures and engineering vehicles used to advance planned attacks. Overnight, several Israeli citizens crossed the Syrian border illegally; the IDF arrived at the border, returned them to Israel, and handed them over to police, with authorities saying the motive remains unconfirmed and warning of risks to civilians and troops. In broader regional signals, the Taliban spokesman said they would assist Iran if Iran is attacked in wartime. In diplomacy, Iran says a deal delivering economic benefits to both sides—including energy, mining and aircraft deals—remains on the table in ongoing nuclear talks with the United States, with discussions likely to continue in Geneva under a US delegation led by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Separately, an Arab Israeli man was arrested for spying on former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on behalf of Iran.
In the Disputed Territories (Gaza, Judea and Samaria, East Jerusalem), Hamas’s military wing was found to have used coded emoji messages on WhatsApp to mobilize operatives hours before the October 7 attack, signaling last-minute instructions to move to mosques for briefing and to retrieve equipment from home or pre-prepared combat bags. Some operatives replaced Palestinian SIM cards with Israeli numbers to expand movement mapping and disrupt Israeli tracking, with a broader set of indicators pointing to preparations for a large-scale assault. Separately, authorities found bones outside Jerusalem that may belong to a Finnish tourist who went missing in March 2024, and a foreign passport linked to that missing person was recovered; police are pursuing forensic identification. In Rafah, the Israeli military said nine Hamas militants were killed in tunnels during operations over the past week as part of efforts against Hamas positions.
In US Policy Concerning Israel, the United States continues to deepen its regional footprint, with at least 163 flights by heavy cargo aircraft from the United States and Japan bound for the Middle East in the past month. The Pentagon has also moved to replenish its stock of GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator bunker buster bombs, awarding Boeing a sole-source contract to restore inventory used in operations against Iranian facilities; officials say the procurement is essential to maintain the capability and avoid delays that would come with a competitive award.
In Israeli Domestic Politics, Harmony Laboratories is urging a voluntary recall of three products from the DREAMORE line that were marketed without Health Ministry approval: hair treatment ampoules, a keratin serum, and a keratin mask. The Health Ministry asks customers to return the items to the point of purchase or to contact the marketer at 0534430843 for the recall process. In another development, Minister Bezalel Smotrich is quoted as saying, “We have not finished with Iran; we cannot speak about it yet.”
In Israeli Economy and Business, Turkey has shipped Patton M48 and M60 (Magach) tanks to Mogadishu, Somalia, a move noted as Turkey’s latest arms assistance to the region. Israeli defense industry previously refined and upgraded similar tanks for the Turkish army, known as the Sabra.
Thank you for t
IDF Hits Hezbollah Infrastructure in Lebanon
Hamas Used WhatsApp Emojis to Mobilize
US Replenishes Bunker Buster Bombs Against Iran
The time is now 6:01 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, the IDF says it struck and killed a terrorist involved in efforts to rebuild Hezbollah infrastructure in the Hanin area of southern Lebanon, a move the army says violated the ceasefire framework and threatened Israel’s northern communities. Over the past week, troops under the 91st Division eliminated three additional militants tied to the effort to restore Hezbollah infrastructure, and forces dismantled several structures and engineering vehicles used to advance planned attacks. Overnight, several Israeli citizens crossed the Syrian border illegally; the IDF arrived at the border, returned them to Israel, and handed them over to police, with authorities saying the motive remains unconfirmed and warning of risks to civilians and troops. In broader regional signals, the Taliban spokesman said they would assist Iran if Iran is attacked in wartime. In diplomacy, Iran says a deal delivering economic benefits to both sides—including energy, mining and aircraft deals—remains on the table in ongoing nuclear talks with the United States, with discussions likely to continue in Geneva under a US delegation led by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Separately, an Arab Israeli man was arrested for spying on former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on behalf of Iran.
In the Disputed Territories (Gaza, Judea and Samaria, East Jerusalem), Hamas’s military wing was found to have used coded emoji messages on WhatsApp to mobilize operatives hours before the October 7 attack, signaling last-minute instructions to move to mosques for briefing and to retrieve equipment from home or pre-prepared combat bags. Some operatives replaced Palestinian SIM cards with Israeli numbers to expand movement mapping and disrupt Israeli tracking, with a broader set of indicators pointing to preparations for a large-scale assault. Separately, authorities found bones outside Jerusalem that may belong to a Finnish tourist who went missing in March 2024, and a foreign passport linked to that missing person was recovered; police are pursuing forensic identification. In Rafah, the Israeli military said nine Hamas militants were killed in tunnels during operations over the past week as part of efforts against Hamas positions.
In US Policy Concerning Israel, the United States continues to deepen its regional footprint, with at least 163 flights by heavy cargo aircraft from the United States and Japan bound for the Middle East in the past month. The Pentagon has also moved to replenish its stock of GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator bunker buster bombs, awarding Boeing a sole-source contract to restore inventory used in operations against Iranian facilities; officials say the procurement is essential to maintain the capability and avoid delays that would come with a competitive award.
In Israeli Domestic Politics, Harmony Laboratories is urging a voluntary recall of three products from the DREAMORE line that were marketed without Health Ministry approval: hair treatment ampoules, a keratin serum, and a keratin mask. The Health Ministry asks customers to return the items to the point of purchase or to contact the marketer at 0534430843 for the recall process. In another development, Minister Bezalel Smotrich is quoted as saying, “We have not finished with Iran; we cannot speak about it yet.”
In Israeli Economy and Business, Turkey has shipped Patton M48 and M60 (Magach) tanks to Mogadishu, Somalia, a move noted as Turkey’s latest arms assistance to the region. Israeli defense industry previously refined and upgraded similar tanks for the Turkish army, known as the Sabra.
Thank you for t