Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-09-13 at 15:06

HEADLINES
Israel strikes Hamas highrise Gaza civilians flee
Lebanese army disarms Palestinian camps near Tripoli
Qatar summit denounces strike charts Arab security

The time is now 11:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

At 11:00 AM, the evolving security picture across the region remains fragile but focused on Gaza and the broader effort to constrain militant groups while navigating diplomacy that may shape a longer-term balance of power. In Gaza City, the Israeli military says it struck a high-rise building used by Hamas, part of ongoing operations that underscore Israel’s commitment to degrade Hamas’s command and control while also managing humanitarian fallout. Israeli officials report that evacuation orders have compelled hundreds of thousands of residents to move south, with the Defense Ministry and army emphasizing the need to reduce civilian risk while pursuing strategic objectives against Hamas and its networks. The spokesman for the Israeli army in Arabic, Avichay Adraee, has repeatedly urged residents to relocate to safer areas, and estimates currently circulating place the number of people who have left Gaza City in the hundreds of thousands, illustrating the scale of displacement tied to current military activity and safety considerations.

In Lebanon and along the border, the Lebanese army has received new consignments of weapons from Palestinian camps as part of a broader move to extend state control and begin disarmament. Reports say five truckloads from Ain al-Hilweh and three trucks from the Bedawi camp near Tripoli have been handed over, with the army surrounding camps to deter unauthorized access as discussions continue about weapons disposal. While the disarmament push gains momentum, Hamas and Islamic Jihad are not part of the umbrella disarmament process and have publicly maintained their arsenals in Lebanon as regional pressures mount. The border dynamic remains deeply complex, with Lebanese officials and international partners pressing for a transition away from non-state armed groups in areas adjacent to Israel, even as tensions persist and regional alignments shift.

Across the Gulf, a new regional diplomacy track is underway. Qatar is hosting a summit of Arab and Muslim leaders to denounce Israel’s recent strike in Doha and to demonstrate solidarity with Qatar in the wake of what officials describe as aggressive action. The gathering is also looking ahead to consider a draft resolution on Israel’s operations there. Egypt is signaling openness to a NATO-style Arab security framework, potentially including approximately 20,000 of its own military personnel, aimed at defending Arab states under threat. While discussions suggest a possible mechanism for activation and coordination, officials acknowledge practical obstacles—ranging from defense pacts to regional sensitivities—before any such alliance could become operational. Observers say the summit signals a push to set clear lines of accountability and deter aggression, while preserving regional stability and diplomacy with the United States playing a coordinating role.

In London and across the United Kingdom, large demonstrations have drawn tens of thousands of participants, with organizers highlighting themes around national identity and immigration. Estimates place the turnout in the hundreds of thousands as crowds gathered in major cities, including a prominent march in London. The protests reflect a domestic debate that intertwines with global security concerns and the broader geopolitical climate in which Western capitals weigh their approaches to immigration, security, and national identity.

On the diplomatic front in Washington, a presidential message line has resurfaced as a hinge point in how NATO and allied nations respond to Russia’s war in Ukraine. President Donald Trump says the United States is prepared...