Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-09-05 at 20:07

HEADLINES
Tentative Israel-Iran de-escalation holds, risk remains
Hostage Alon Ohel may lose sight
Houthis threaten shipping, destabilize region

The time is now 4:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

4:00 PM update. A fragile pause holds on the most dangerous lines in the region as Israel and Iran appear to be in a tentative state of de‑escalation. Officials describe an uneasy ceasefire in place, with quiet between the two sides after days of exchanges that raised the prospect of a broader confrontation. While lines of communication remain open, there is no durable agreement and both sides warn the risk remains high as regional actors posture and maneuver for leverage.

Turning to Iran’s regional reach, the picture of its proxies remains strained. In Lebanon, Hezbollah’s ability to project power has been visibly degraded by Israeli actions, and Lebanese authorities have signaled a determination to expel the group’s influence and weaponry from their soil. In Syria, observers note the altered balance of power as new governance structures struggle to consolidate, with Tehran’s networks feeling pressure from shifting alliances and competition for influence. In Iraq, political leaders reported Iran’s requests to establish cross‑border facilities that would move large sums of cash to Hezbollah via Syria were rejected, a sign of Baghdad’s intent to curb the most destabilizing Iranian leverage on its doorstep.

In Gaza, Hamas’s capacity to wage war appears diminished compared with previous years, even as the group maintains a grip on power in Gaza and sustains its hostage campaign. Families of hostages and officials say the situation remains dire and fluid. One Israeli family said a hostage in Gaza—Alon Ohel—has likely suffered significant vision loss, a stark reminder of the human toll and the uncertainty surrounding any possible resolution. The broader hostage picture remains a central focus of diplomacy and public concern, with international actors urging renewed negotiations and humanitarian efforts.

From Yemen, Houthi attacks persist, continuing to threaten shipping and regional stability. The threat’s persistence underscores how conflicts outside Israel’s borders echo back into its security considerations and influence global markets and diplomatic calculations.

On the international front, European capitals and Western allies weigh their options against the backdrop of a broader realignment. Belgium’s foreign minister this week described the European Union’s foreign policy credibility as collapsing in the face of Gaza war inaction, while Belgium also moved to recognize a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly and discuss sanctions against Israel over humanitarian concerns. The development signals how Europe’s internal divisions over strategy toward Israel and the Palestinian question complicate the path to peace through strength, and it foreshadows ongoing diplomatic friction with Jerusalem.

In this environment, US policy signals continue to matter. The administration under President Donald Trump has framed its approach as working closely with Israel to pursue peace through strength, emphasizing security guarantees for Israel while pressing for hostage releases and greater regional coordination against Iran’s influence. In other high‑level exchanges, President Trump has voiced disappointment in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closer alignment with China’s Xi Jinping, a reminder of the shifting sands in great‑power diplomacy that affect Middle East calculations and the willingness of adversaries and allies to cooperate on security and peacemaking.

Domestically in Israel, public discourse remains deeply engaged with a broad spectrum of opinions about the war, protests, and the country’s long‑term security strategy. Analysts note that protests—long a...