Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-09-06 at 18:06

HEADLINES
Gaza War Escalates as Civilians Flee
Lebanon Moves to Disarm Hezbollah, Tensions Rise
Ohel Family Publishes Hamas Photo, Urges Restraint

The time is now 2:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

This is the hour by hour news update at two o’clock in the afternoon. The overall security picture remains one of fragile calm amid a broader contest over legitimacy, deterrence, and hostage diplomacy. In the last 24 hours, quiet in some theaters has given way to reminders that the region’s fuse is still short and humanitarian strain is high.

In the Gaza theater, Israeli forces continued operations as civilians move south ahead of anticipated moves. The military says it has targeted locations linked to Hamas and flattened several high rise structures in Gaza City that had been used to support tunnels and military activity. Residents are streaming away from the city toward westerly and southern areas as the campaign expands, and aid workers warn that crowded displacement sites and limited basic services complicate relief. The renewed emphasis on urban clearance and population movement underscores the persistent fear of a broader ground operation and the risk to civilians caught in the crossfire.

Across the border in Lebanon, the Lebanese government welcomed a plan to disarm Hezbollah, signaling a potential shift in the internal balance of power. Hezbollah responded with hardened rhetoric, saying that only God can take its weapons, a reminder of the group’s enduring insistence on its own security doctrine even as state institutions seek to assert control. The Integrated security problem remains: the Lebanese stance shapes regional calculations and the risk of spillover into Israel’s north.

In the meantime, a notable security development inside Israel concerns the hostage issue. The family of Alon Ohel has authorized publication of a photo from Hamas captivity and urged the public and media outlets to refrain from participating in Hamas’s psychological warfare. The family’s action reflects ongoing efforts by relatives to keep public attention on the fate of captives while balancing considerations of media exposure amid a volatile environment.

Across security and intelligence leadership, a former head of Israel’s internal security service was named in connection with the investigation into the kidnapping of German millionaires’ children. The development illustrates how security networks and cross-border criminal activity intersect in a time of heightened alert, though authorities have not provided all details publicly.

On the ground in Israel, police reported the arrest of a suspect in a stabbing in Haifa. A 21-year-old woman sustained moderate injuries in what investigators described as a drug-related incident. The suspect, a 36-year-old resident of Afula, was located and detained by police after rapid investigative work and was being held for further questioning as the case progresses.

Meanwhile, the United States military continues to engage with Israel at the highest levels. United States Central Command’s commander, Admiral Brad Cooper, completed his first official visit to Israel as a guest of the chief of staff and the Israeli military high command. The visit included a briefing on the latest operational picture, discussions of ongoing coordination, and a tour of settlements near Gaza aimed at assessing security conditions and the humanitarian impact. The dialogue emphasizes continued military and strategic alignment between the two allies.

In governmental circles abroad, observers note a pattern of global attention to the hostage crisis and to the region’s political maneuvering. A senior Hamas delegation has arrived in Cairo to discuss the continuation of negotiations toward a ceasefire, according to reports from Qatar-based media. The talks come as Egypt...