Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-09-11 at 11:06

HEADLINES
Tulkarm Strike Triggers West Bank Lockdown
Gaza Hostage Crisis Intensifies Israeli Strikes
Iran Proxies Escalate Region; Diplomacy Reacts

The time is now 7:00 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

This is the 7:00 a.m. update. The ceasefire dynamic in the region remains fragile as shadow lines between confrontation and pause persist. In the West Bank, a military vehicle strike near Tulkarm injured two Israeli soldiers, and the Israeli defense forces subsequently placed the city under lockdown with surrounding checkpoints and security measures in place.

Across the Lebanon border, Israeli forces continue to conduct operations aimed at Hezbollah as regional tensions surge. Reports indicate ongoing exchanges and air activity in the border region, with authorities emphasizing defense against attacks while Lebanon calls for the militants’ removal. Israel and its partners have repeatedly warned that Hezbollah and other proxies pose a continuing threat to civilians and to regional stability.

In Gaza, Hamas remains the central factor behind the hostage crisis that is shaping every movement of the conflict. The Israeli defense forces say they will intensify strikes in Gaza City to disrupt Hamas’s military infrastructure and operational capacity, while acknowledging the humanitarian emergency and the still uncertain fate of hostages held by Hamas. Hamas has publicly signaled openness to hostage deal talks, even as Israeli strikes continue and as international efforts attempt to broker a broader ceasefire or humanitarian pause.

The regional threat picture also includes moves by Iran’s allied networks. Iran’s proxies and allied groups in the region continue to adjust their posture in response to Israeli and American actions. The action around Doha and other Gulf capitals has drawn international attention to how Washington, Jerusalem, and their partners manage the balance between military action and diplomacy. Qatar’s leadership has voiced concern about what it sees as a dangerous tilt by the United States, while allied Arab states have urged restraint even as they express solidarity with Qatar and the Palestinian population.

In the air, Yemen’s Houthi movement remains a factor in the calculation of security in the region. Regional observers warn that the Houthis could pursue more aggressive and coordinated attacks in the near term, a development that would complicate Israeli defense planning and humanitarian corridors into Gaza. Israeli officials emphasize that any escalation by the Houthis would provoke a broad response aimed at limiting harm to civilians and preventing an expansion of the conflict.

International reaction to recent Israeli actions continues to be deeply polarized. The United States, under ongoing dialogue with Israel, has faced criticism from some partners while retaining a stance that stresses security through strength and a pursuit of peace through credible deterrence. Comments from European leaders range from calls for de-escalation to insistence on humanitarian protections and political accountability for all sides. In Doha, London, Madrid, and Ottawa, analysts examine the ripple effects of Israeli operations against Hamas leaders and the broader implications for regional diplomacy, alliance cohesion, and sanctions regimes.

Domestically in Israel, attention focuses on security governance and leadership. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has advanced the nomination process for the next head of the domestic security service, a move that has sparked debate among watchdogs and lawmakers about independence and civil oversight in a time of heightened risk. The defense ministry has also unveiled new border protection technology, including a rail-mounted robot designed to bolster border and facility protection. Meanwhile, other security developments unfold across...