Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-09-09 at 19:05

HEADLINES
Doha Strike Targets Hamas Leaders Mediation Warns
Lebanon Plans Disarm Hezbollah Within Three Months
Yemen Houthi Missiles Trigger Israeli Red Alerts

The time is now 3:00 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

Good afternoon. This is your hourly update. Tensions across the Middle East remain high as Israel presses ahead with a security focused approach while the broader conflict continues to influence regional diplomacy, hostage negotiations, and the risk of spillover across borders.

In the most immediate development, Israel conducted a strike against Hamas leaders gathered in Doha, a move Israel says was aimed at pressuring Hamas as talks on a hostage release and ceasefire were advancing. Hamas later described the operation as a failure, while insisting that several of its senior figures, including the exiled Gaza chief Khalil al Hayya, were among those targeted. Israel characterized the operation as a direct response to attacks from Jerusalem and other fronts while a new ceasefire framework with Hamas and its regional mediators was being considered. The strike drew sharp condemnations from Qatar and other Arab states, with Doha saying it jeopardized mediation efforts and the hostage talks underway under the United States and regional partners. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan joined the chorus of concern, stressing the need to protect sovereignty and regional stability, while reaffirming support for mediation efforts and a ceasefire.

On the American side, the White House said President Donald Trump viewed the Qatar strike as unfortunate in its timing and impact, noting it did not advance United States or Israeli goals. Still, officials said the targeting of Hamas leadership remains a legitimate objective in the broader conflict. Trump spoke to both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Qatar’s emir after the strikes and assured the Qatari leader that such incidents would not recur on Qatari soil.

Meanwhile the broader hostilities and regional maneuvering continue to unfold. Iran’s proxies and allied groups are watching closely as Lebanon’s government advances a plan to reassert state control over areas south of the Litani River. Beirut has outlined a three month timeline aimed at disarming Hezbollah to reduce cross-border risk, though the plan faces resistance from Hezbollah and from segments within Lebanon’s security establishment. Israel says the goal is clear: prevent Hezbollah rearmament, protect northern communities, and withdraw only after Hezbollah’s weapons caches are neutralized. The talk of disarmament follows a year of border clashes and strikes that punctuated a broader ceasefire framework between Israel and Hezbollah that has periodically frayed.

In Gaza, Hamas continues to signal its readiness to hold firm on the hostage issue, even as it negotiates through mediator channels. The fate of hostages remains a central hinge in regional diplomacy, with US special envoy Steve Witkoff in recent weeks pressing a framework for a ceasefire and staged prisoner exchanges. Washington has backed a path that includes a ceasefire, but insists that the hostages must be freed and Hamas’s military capabilities reduced as part of any comprehensive settlement. The strike on Doha comes as the hostages' fate again comes into sharper focus and as negotiators weigh the balance between concessions and security guarantees.

In the West Bank, security measures remain tight following recent violence. Israel has announced steps to curb illegal residency and to demolish some structures as part of a broader security and deterrence strategy. Those moves have drawn pushback from security officials who warn they could complicate day‑to‑day life for Palestinians and potentially heighten tensions. The international community continues to urge restraint and to support dialogue aimed...