HEADLINESNetanyahu eyes broad normalization amid security focusGaza disarmament seen as path to peaceIran confronts economy, pursues regional leverageThe time is now 12:00 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.At 12:00 AM, the Middle East stands at a moment of recalibration driven by security concerns in Israel, shifting regional alignments, and a series of diplomatic tests that could redefine the balance of power in the years ahead. Observers say the coming months will be defined less by a single event than by a constellation of moves in Jerusalem, Washington, Riyadh, and beyond, all orbiting around Israel’s security needs and the prospects for broader regional normalization.In Israel, security remains the central imperative as the government faces a set of high-stakes questions. Prime Minister Netanyahu has signaled an openness to large-scale diplomatic strides, including deals with Arab states that could reshape the regional framework and, in his view, bolster Israel’s strategic position. Yet domestic considerations persist as significant forces. The government is navigating contentious debates over the haredi draft and potential steps toward West Bank annexation, issues that carry long-term security implications and could affect Israel’s relations with its own minority communities and with partners abroad. In public security terms, the government continues to press for policies that would curb threats from adversaries and stabilize frontlines in the Gaza vicinity, while pressing for international support to deter Hamas, prevent a relapse of war, and manage humanitarian needs in Gaza.Across the region, the Gaza question remains central to any credible path toward lasting security. Israel and its allies are pursuing a broader project that would disarm Hamas, demilitarize the Gaza Strip, and lay groundwork for expanded peace deals with Arab states. Officials caution that achieving such an outcome requires credible verification, durable ceasefires, and a political settlement that can withstand stress on multiple fronts, including continued violence and political volatility inside Gaza and the West Bank. The strategy reflects a long-term bet: that reducing Hamas’s military capabilities and stabilizing the Gaza perimeter would help unlock a wider regional opening, even as critics warn of the fragility of any such arrangement and the risk of renewed unrest if conditions deteriorate.Meanwhile, Iran remains the region’s most consequential variable. Tehran’s regime has faced crushing economic pressures at home and ongoing international pressure abroad, and observers describe a leadership facing a difficult balancing act between domestic discontent and regional ambition. The last round of conflicts involving Iranian-backed groups exposed vulnerabilities that some analysts interpret as openings for strategic pressure against the regime. Still, the prospect of regime change remains uncertain and fraught with risk, and policymakers stress that any shift in Iran’s trajectory would have profound implications for security throughout the region, including for Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Hamas. The United States and its allies continue to weigh their options, seeking ways to deter aggression, sustain deterrence, and avoid unintended consequences as the regional architecture evolves.Diplomacy and normalization also feature prominently in current discussions. Reports from US officials and regional partners indicate ongoing dialogue about possibilities for broader normalization with Saudi Arabia and other Arab states. Overflight rights, security cooperation, and potential trade and investment initiatives are among the topics under consideration, with observers noting that any substantive breakthroughs would transform the regional map and could accelerate a more comprehensive set of agreements under the Abraham Accords framework. The exact timing remains uncertain, and the terms, including security guarantees and civilian protections, will hinge on a complex set of domestic and international negotiations. A central question is whether such deals can proceed in a manner that respects Palestinian aspirations and stabilizes the broader political process in the region.The United States continues to play a pivotal role in these discussions, balancing consistent support for Israel’s security with attention to humanitarian considerations and the realities on the ground. US policy remains influenced by the need to deter threats and sustain a coalition that can manage a volatile security environment, while exploring pathways that could lead to incremental progress toward broader peace and stability. The recent diplomatic activity around Ukraine—framed, in part, by efforts led by American and allied partners—also underscores the US interest in constructive diplomacy as a tool to manage multiple conflicts and deter broader instability that could spill over into the ...
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