HEADLINESHoshen five-year plan 350B to modernize IDFIran protests surge as EU sanctions loomTurkey warns against foreign intervention in IranThe time is now 12:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.From Jerusalem to Tehran, from regional security to global diplomacy, this is the 12:00 PM update with a clear-eyed view of the Middle East and the broader arc of the region. We begin with the Israel Defense Forces, where a new five-year plan, known as Hoshen, is moving from concept to concrete steps under the leadership of Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir. The plan centers on a substantial budget framework—about 350 billion shekels over the coming decade—as Israel rebuilds readiness after recent years of sustained conflict and eyes future threats. Implementation is slated to begin on April 1, 2026, with twelve primary efforts guiding the program. Those efforts prioritize the welfare and readiness of personnel—conscripts, career soldiers, and reservists—alongside wartime preparedness, munitions stockpiles, and the rehabilitation of forces post-conflict. Border fortification stands as a core objective, reflecting lessons drawn from October 7 and the war since then, while air defense and low-altitude air combat receive heightened emphasis to address drones and evolving aerial threats. A new emphasis is placed on space, signaling organizational changes and operational planning beyond traditional domains. The plan also foresees expanded use of robotics and autonomous systems across air, sea, and land forces, sometimes operating independently and sometimes integrated with human troops. Artificial intelligence features prominently, with larger data centers and AI-driven management across operations. Robotics, autonomy, and new technologies are expected to contribute to ground maneuver, command and control, and intelligence gathering, alongside a broader focus on resiliency and readiness of the reserve and civilian workforce. In parallel, the plan contemplates the development of a defensive “beeper” concept, a reference to devices used in past operations, intended to deter or disrupt enemy movements on the border and potentially elsewhere. Details on deployment and placement remain to be clarified, including whether such devices would operate inside Israel, on its borders, or in potential adversary territory. The Hoshen plan is to be led by Planning Command Chief Major General Hedi Zilberman and will be reviewed annually, with a possible inclusion of US security assistance once a future framework is finalized. Israel’s security calculus also includes ongoing discussions with the United States over a new memorandum of understanding for security aid. The two sides have been negotiating since the expiration of earlier commitments, and discussions on the post-2018-2028 aid package—years in which about 38 billion dollars flowed from the United States to Israel—could influence Israel’s ability to fund technology-driven defense advances. In a broader strategic frame, the plan nods to space as a new theater, an area where rival developments in the region and beyond have accelerated. The push comes as Israel watches Iranian satellite launches with concern, a trend seen by Jerusalem and Washington as potentially eroding strategic advantages in space and related domains.In cultural life and public memory, a new film project emerges from the narrative of a city under siege. Jerusalem ’67 offers a human-centered portrayal of the Six-Day War in Jerusalem, focusing on ordinary residents whose lives intersect with extraordinary events. The English-language drama centers on Sarah, a medic and mother who treats the wounded amid the chaos, and on a diverse cast of Jerusalemites whose experiences illuminate the human dimensions of war. The director, Oded Raz, emphasizes that the film aims to portray resilience and humanity without reducing the conflict to a simple war movie. The production highlights how a city, with its ancient stones and modern pressures, becomes a character in its own right, shaping choices and fates on the ground.Turning to a different thread of regional security, Turkey’s governing party cautioned against foreign intervention in Iran as protests roil the country. After a weekend of demonstrations marked by mass participation and state violence, Ankara’s AKP acknowledged Iran’s internal grievances but warned that external involvement would likely exacerbate regional instability. The Turkish position aligns with a broader caution in regional capitals about foreign-led attempts to topple or weaken Iran’s regime, even as some allies in Washington and Europe debate how to respond to Tehran’s domestic turmoil. In official statements, Turkish officials stressed the importance of Iran’s own national processes and warned that intervention, including actions associated with Israel, could deepen crises rather than resolve them. This stance ...
Show More
Show Less
9 mins