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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-02-18 at 09:01
Published 1 week, 4 days ago
Description
HEADLINES
US pivots assets to Middle East
Iraq factions jockey for top leadership
IDF friendly fire death in Gaza
The time is now 9:01 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 United States is moving a large volume of air force and naval assets toward the Middle East as tensions with Iran rise, with regional partners largely remaining silent and taking a cautious, wait-and-see approach. Reports indicate a continued draw of US assets into the region, even as many regional actors who opposed a new conflagration in the past have maintained a restrained posture. The shift comes amid broader regional dynamics, including attendance at the Munich Security Conference, which underscored concerns in Syria, the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq, and neighboring states. In Iraq, political maneuvering continues as factions seek to determine who will assume top leadership roles, with the Shi’ite Coordination Framework and the Kurdish KDP and PUK engaging in horse-trading. At the same time, several regional governments have joined the Palestinian Authority in condemning recent Israeli moves in the West Bank.
In the Disputed Territories (Gaza, Judea and Samaria, East Jerusalem), the Jerusalem Post roundup notes that an IDF soldier was killed by friendly fire in Gaza, and to the program’s report Melissa Francis discusses Tucker Carlson and Ambassador Huckabee.
In US Policy Concerning Israel, Tucker Carlson visited Israel briefly for a filmed sit-down with US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, conducted inside the Ben-Gurion Airport complex and not venturing beyond the airport area. He departed Israel around 3 p.m., after a short visit that occurred during a period of heightened focus on American conservative views toward Israel. Carlson has increasingly positioned himself as a critic of US policy toward Israel and of Christian Zionism, situating his visit in a moment of intensified internal debate within the Republican coalition over Middle East policy.
In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, an exclusive report says President Donald Trump urged Tucker Carlson and other conservatives to de-escalate their internal fight over Israel, calling for a lowering of the temperature to preserve unity at a time of rising tensions. The piece portrays the move as an effort to prevent Israel from becoming a divisive issue within the Republican camp. A separate opinion piece takes aim at a Super Bowl ad produced by the Blue Square Alliance, arguing that the effort to confront Jew-hatred fell short and, in some views, underscored a misreading of Jewish strength.
In Israeli Domestic Politics, a Lod District Court ruling upheld an order requiring Omri Assenheim to hand over raw interview footage to police as part of the Bild leak and midnight meeting investigations, with the court emphasizing the competing public interests in criminal probes and press freedom. The journalist had challenged the order, but the court maintained that the needs of the investigations outweighed journalistic privilege. Separately, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said his party will push after the upcoming election to annul the Oslo Accords, dismantle the Palestinian Authority, and promote mass Palestinian emigration.
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.
SOURCES
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-887100
https://www.jpost.com/podcas
US pivots assets to Middle East
Iraq factions jockey for top leadership
IDF friendly fire death in Gaza
The time is now 9:01 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 United States is moving a large volume of air force and naval assets toward the Middle East as tensions with Iran rise, with regional partners largely remaining silent and taking a cautious, wait-and-see approach. Reports indicate a continued draw of US assets into the region, even as many regional actors who opposed a new conflagration in the past have maintained a restrained posture. The shift comes amid broader regional dynamics, including attendance at the Munich Security Conference, which underscored concerns in Syria, the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq, and neighboring states. In Iraq, political maneuvering continues as factions seek to determine who will assume top leadership roles, with the Shi’ite Coordination Framework and the Kurdish KDP and PUK engaging in horse-trading. At the same time, several regional governments have joined the Palestinian Authority in condemning recent Israeli moves in the West Bank.
In the Disputed Territories (Gaza, Judea and Samaria, East Jerusalem), the Jerusalem Post roundup notes that an IDF soldier was killed by friendly fire in Gaza, and to the program’s report Melissa Francis discusses Tucker Carlson and Ambassador Huckabee.
In US Policy Concerning Israel, Tucker Carlson visited Israel briefly for a filmed sit-down with US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, conducted inside the Ben-Gurion Airport complex and not venturing beyond the airport area. He departed Israel around 3 p.m., after a short visit that occurred during a period of heightened focus on American conservative views toward Israel. Carlson has increasingly positioned himself as a critic of US policy toward Israel and of Christian Zionism, situating his visit in a moment of intensified internal debate within the Republican coalition over Middle East policy.
In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, an exclusive report says President Donald Trump urged Tucker Carlson and other conservatives to de-escalate their internal fight over Israel, calling for a lowering of the temperature to preserve unity at a time of rising tensions. The piece portrays the move as an effort to prevent Israel from becoming a divisive issue within the Republican camp. A separate opinion piece takes aim at a Super Bowl ad produced by the Blue Square Alliance, arguing that the effort to confront Jew-hatred fell short and, in some views, underscored a misreading of Jewish strength.
In Israeli Domestic Politics, a Lod District Court ruling upheld an order requiring Omri Assenheim to hand over raw interview footage to police as part of the Bild leak and midnight meeting investigations, with the court emphasizing the competing public interests in criminal probes and press freedom. The journalist had challenged the order, but the court maintained that the needs of the investigations outweighed journalistic privilege. Separately, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said his party will push after the upcoming election to annul the Oslo Accords, dismantle the Palestinian Authority, and promote mass Palestinian emigration.
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.
SOURCES
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-887100
https://www.jpost.com/podcas