Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-09-12 at 00:06

HEADLINES
Doha strike targets Hamas leaders ceasefire hangs
Gaza war spillover buries Yemen civilians
UN urges deescalation as hostage talks continue

The time is now 8:00 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

This is an hourly update on events shaping the security landscape from the Middle East to Washington, presented in a steady, on‑the‑air style.

The situation around a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Iran’s regional network remains tense but largely holding at this hour, even as the Gaza war continues to echo across the region. Israel remains clear in its insistence that Hamas and allied groups cannot threaten Israeli civilians with impunity and that the country will defend itself with precision when attacked. In recent days, a high‑profile Israeli strike in Doha targeted leaders of Hamas outside Gaza, an action that drew swift international attention and a rare joint condemnation from the United Nations Security Council. The council urged de‑escalation and emphasized the urgency of releasing hostages held by Hamas, while stopping short of naming Israel in its statement. Israel argues there is no sanctuary for terrorists and that those responsible must be pursued wherever they hide. Israeli officials have indicated that the operation, aimed at the leadership in Doha, may not have eliminated all senior figures, and Israeli intelligence teams are reviewing the outcome as mediation efforts by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States continue to press for progress toward a ceasefire and hostage releases. In public comments at the United Nations, Israel’s ambassador stressed that the fight against leaders of terror cannot be confined by borders or diplomacy alone; the threat is global, and action must be global.

On the ground in Gaza, the hostage issue remains the dominant humanitarian and strategic thread. President Trump has publicly said he hopes the Doha strike does not derail efforts to secure the release of hostages, a point echoed by Israeli officials who have repeatedly linked hostage negotiations to regional stabilizing steps. The broader international effort continues to hinge on mediation arrangements that involve Qatar, Egypt, and Washington, with the goal of ending Gaza’s war while securing the safety and return of captives. Hamas, for its part, has maintained its line that it will not yield the hostage issue to outside pressure, even as it publicly signals a readiness for talks in some forums. The precise impact of the Doha strike on the group’s leadership and the hostage negotiations remains a matter of intense debate among regional observers.

Beyond Gaza, the war’s spillover into Yemen remains a marked feature of the regional dynamic. Yemen’s Houthis report that Israel’s airstrikes in recent days have caused civilian casualties in Sanaa and the al‑Jawf province, while acknowledging that they, too, have suffered losses in their own operations. Yemen’s Health Ministry, under Houthi control, tallies show at least 46 dead and about 165 wounded from Wednesday’s attacks in Yemen, amid ongoing exchanges between Israeli forces and Houthi targets in the Red Sea and Yemeni territory. Israel says it intercepted launches, including missiles and a drone, attributed to the Houthis and linked to the broader Gaza conflict. In parallel, Israeli forces have continued counterstrikes against Houthi positions in Yemen, including the Hodeidah area, as part of a broader strategy to deter spills of warfare beyond Gaza’s borders. The Houthis insist their actions are in support of Palestinians in Gaza, and they have signaled readiness to widen retaliation if they see further Israeli moves against them.

Internationally, the security environment is being shaped by a mix of diplomacy and hard security measures. The United Nations Security Council’s joint statement—backed by the United States—emphasized the...