Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-09-13 at 14:06

HEADLINES
Fragile ceasefire holds amid Iran Israel tension
Syria reshapes power map after Assad exit
Gaza toll climbs as hostages remain held

The time is now 10:00 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

This is the 10:00 AM update on the ongoing conflict and its regional and international reverberations.

The ceasefire between Israel and Iran remains fragile, with both sides signaling restraint in the near term but refusing to concede costly vulnerabilities. Israeli officials say they are prepared to defend themselves against Iranian aggression and its networks, while Tehran has signaled it will respond if pressed, keeping a sharp edge around cross-border most likely flashpoints. The broader picture is one of a tense, micro-armed pause rather than a lasting settlement, as regional actors recalibrate their leverage in a volatile theater.

In the northern arena, Syria presents a reshaped political map. A new Syrian government has taken shape following what some observers describe as Bashar al-Assad’s ouster, a development that ripples through regional dynamics and complicates any stabilization calculus. The evolution has intensified concerns among nearby powers about the balance of power along the border and within allied circles of influence, including Iran’s presence and Hezbollah’s reach.

Lebanon remains a critical front. The Israeli Defense Forces say Hezbollah’s capabilities have been degraded by recent operations and border actions. Lebanese authorities are publicly signaling efforts to curb or expel the group, a stance that could alter the risk calculus along the Blue Line. Israel, for its part, reiterates that it will act decisively to counter what it views as existential threats emanating from across the border and from Gaza-linked networks.

In Gaza, Hamas’s military capacity is described by Israel as significantly diminished, though the group continues to hold dozens of hostages and remains at the center of any ceasefire dialogue. The Gaza Health Ministry’s figures remain grim: tens of thousands killed or presumed dead in the fighting, with civilians bearing the brunt of the conflict. Israel says it is focused on mission terms that guarantee the return of all hostages and an end to the war, while insisting that any security arrangement must include Hamas’s disarmament and a restructuring of governance in Gaza.

Meanwhile, the conflict’s spillover risk persists in Yemen and the broader region as Houthi attacks continue to test defenses and international diplomacy. The pattern of strikes and retaliations adds pressure on regional security arrangements and complicates humanitarian relief efforts.

International diplomacy and regional realignments are moving in tandem with battlefield developments. Qatar is slated to host a summit of Arab and Muslim leaders to denounce Israel’s actions in Doha and to express solidarity with Qatar, even as leaders gather to discuss a draft resolution on the Israeli operation against Hamas figures in Doha. The gathering underscores how regional allies seek to coordinate messaging and leverage, even as they watch a delicate balance between pressure and potential mediation.

Egypt, in particular, is cited in new discussions about a NATO-style Arab military alliance designed to deter aggression against Arab states. Reports say such a force could incorporate up to 20,000 Egyptian personnel and would be activated under a mechanism that respects regional sensitivities and mutual defense commitments. Negotiations highlight divergent views within the region about the force’s purpose—whether as a deterrent against Iran and its proxies, or as a means to shape a more decisive response to Israeli actions. Practical obstacles remain, including the details of mutual defense arrangements and command structure, but the conversations mark a...