Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-09-06 at 06:05

HEADLINES
Trump Signs Detention Sponsorships Deterring Hostage Diplomacy
Israel Expands Khan Younis Humanitarian Corridor
US Admiral Visits Israel Hezbollah Disarm Focus

The time is now 2:00 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order paving the way for states to be designated sponsors of wrongful detention, a measure the White House described as a deterrent against hostage diplomacy by Iran and other regimes that seek to use detainees as leverage in international crises.

On the ground in Gaza and along the Israel-Lebanon front, Israel continues military operations aimed at weakening Hamas’ capacity in Gaza while expanding a humanitarian corridor in Khan Younis. The Israeli military said the expanded humanitarian space will host essential infrastructure such as field hospitals, water lines, and desalination facilities, and will remain open to regular food, shelter, medicines, and medical supplies. Coordination for this space is said to continue with the United Nations and international partners, with the aim of delivering relief while the operation in Gaza broadens.

In Lebanon and across the wider region, US military diplomacy persists as Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of US Central Command, visited Israel this week for the first time in his tenure. He met with the Israeli Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, to discuss regional security and the enduring US-Israel military partnership. The visit is described as part of a broader tour that could include Beirut, where US officials have indicated renewed attention to Lebanon’s efforts to disarm Hezbollah, in alignment with Lebanon’s government priorities for security and stability.

Within Israel, several domestic incidents have drawn attention. Nine people were lightly injured in a residential fire in Modiin, with medical teams treating and transferring patients to Shamir–Assaf Harofeh Hospital. In Ashkelon, a 40-year-old man was seriously injured in a street altercation and airlifted to hospital, while a separate traffic collision near the Rokach interchange left a 31-year-old man dead after a crash between a truck and a private vehicle. These events underscore ongoing domestic safety concerns amid a region-wide security environment.

International and regional political developments also feature prominently in this update. The World Zionist Congress has finalized results showing gains for Orthodox and right-wing slates, producing a new majority within the American delegation for the first time. In the diplomatic arena, a high-profile case continues to stir debate as prosecutors and scholars weigh in on the Gaza conflict; a number of academics have called on IAGS to retract a declaration labeling Gaza’s situation as genocide, arguing that Hamas’ role and other historical factors have not been fully accounted for in recent resolutions.

In the aftermath of the Qatar tension story, a former suspect has issued what he describes as a legally grounded response, arguing that Israel sought Qatar’s involvement and criticizing critics for what he calls spin and double standards. Meanwhile, Serbia has signaled that it is pursuing efforts to recover hostages, including a video release of a prisoner of Serbian citizenship, which officials say is a positive development in ongoing negotiations to bring hostages home.

From the American front, a noteworthy point of friction remains the US approach to Afghanistan. After a devastating earthquake killed more than 2,200 people and left tens of thousands homeless, US relief officials say Washington has yet to authorize emergency aid, with USAID shuttered earlier in the year and the White House reiterating that aid to Afghanistan must avoid flowing to the Taliban regime. The international community has pressed for relief, with aid from Britain, South...