HEADLINESIsrael airstrikes Gaza kill four commandersFormer CIA officer Iran leader assassination possibleWings of Dawn reunites Bnei Menashe familiesThe time is now 8:02 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.In the Disputed Territories (Gaza, Judea and Samaria, East Jerusalem), Israeli forces carried out airstrikes in Gaza on Saturday in response to ceasefire violations by Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The Israeli military said it struck four commanders and additional terrorists across the Gaza Strip, targeting a weapons storage facility, a weapons manufacturing site, and two Hamas launch sites in central Gaza. Palestinian health authorities run by Hamas reported a death toll from the strikes of 26. Later, Gaza’s civil defence agency updated the toll, saying 22 people were killed, describing strikes on residential apartments, tents, shelters and a police station in Gaza City. The strikes also included a police station in the city, and Israel said it additionally carried out a separate operation in southern Lebanon, hitting a Hezbollah fighter in the Markaba area. In parallel, Israel announced plans to reopen the Rafa crossing with Egypt on Sunday to facilitate humanitarian movement into Gaza, a development humanitarian officials said would aid aid deliveries.In the conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, a former CIA officer told British media that in a scenario of escalating confrontation, assassination of Iran’s supreme leader could be considered as an operational option with Israeli involvement and behind‑the‑scenes US support. Iran’s leadership appeared in public for the first time in weeks as authorities warned the United States and Israel against military action, with officials saying the country’s forces were on high alert and that its nuclear expertise cannot be eliminated. Tehran also sought to counter what it described as foreign pressure by asserting that protests have been exploited by external powers. Meanwhile, Iran announced a plan to conduct live-fire drills in the Strait of Hormuz, a move the US Central Command cautioned could raise risks near forces and shipping in the region. Across Iran, reports circulated of blasts in Bandar Abbas, Tabriz, Ahvaz, Farand, Tehran and Qeshm, with state-linked outlets offering varying explanations, from gas leaks to civilian incidents, while authorities and allied media denied targeted attacks on senior military figures. Separately, Iranian officials and media also noted a public‑facing stance by Supreme Leader Khamenei and warnings to foreign actors, and discussions of possible scenarios involving escalations around Iran’s military capabilities and proxies. An analysis piece noted that some observers view the Strait of Hormuz developments as a potential flashpoint amid broader US‑Iran tensions.In Israeli Domestic Politics, the government has launched a major initiative to complete aliyah and family reunification for the Bnei Menashe community. Known as Operation Kanfei Shahar (Wings of Dawn), the effort brings state support to facilitate integration, with coordination among the Aliyah and Integration Ministry, the Jewish Agency, the Chief Rabbinate, the Ma’arach Hagiyur conversion system, and several other ministries. The community, originally from the Indian states of Manipur and Mizoram and now numbering about 5,000 in Israel, largely resides in northern towns, with thousands more in India. The program focuses on reuniting families—spouses, children and parents—and is described by the ministry’s deputy director-general as a fundamental shift in state policy toward the community.In Other News, an explosion occurred at Iran’s southern port of Bandar Abbas, with Iranian media saying no casualties were yet confirmed and that residents were evacuated from the damaged building. Official Iranian outlets and security services denied reports of a targeted strike on an IRGC naval commander and said investigators were looking into a gas leak or other civilian causes. Reports also cited fires and blasts in other Iranian cities, including Ahvaz and Parand, and Tehran’s Farand district, with authorities and state media offering competing explanations and denying attacks on senior military figures. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused foreign powers of provoking protests that have roiled the country, while HRANA cites a heavy toll from the crackdown on demonstrations. Separately, there were ongoing references to no credible evidence of US or Israeli air strikes on Iranian territory, and Iranian opposition channels reported blasts in various locations around the capital region. In neighboring Pakistan, tens of thousands of families have fled the Tirah Valley amid warnings of possible military action against Islamist militants, even as winter snows blanket the region.Thank you for tuning in to this Israel Today: Ongoing War Report update.I'm Noa Levi. Stay safe and ...
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