Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-09-15 at 12:07

HEADLINES
- Abraham Accords drift to cold peace
- Kurdish autonomy tests Syria unity
- Doha strike on Hamas leadership

The time is now 8:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

This is the 8:01 AM update on the Middle East and related developments. A fragile, uneasy calm persists in the region as officials monitor a tense balance between Israel and Iran and the broader constellation of Tehran’s proxies. The ceasefire that has kept fronts relatively quiet in recent weeks remains fragile, with both sides signaling restraint but warning that any misstep could widen the conflict and draw in regional and global powers.

On the strategic frame, observers describe the Abraham Accords as a five‑year experiment that has drifted toward a “cold peace.” An expert assessment notes that the accords have cooled in the wake of the October 7 attacks and the continuing war environment, but leaves open the possibility that shifts in regional security dynamics could revive momentum if leadership on all sides ties normalization to tangible security gains and stability. In broader terms, regional diplomacy remains focused on deterring escalation, managing crises, and seeking incremental steps toward stability, even as core adversaries press for leverage.

In Syria and the wider Levant, a recalibrated power structure is taking shape. The ascent of a new Syrian leadership cycle, including figures who rose to prominence after the Assad era, has started to reshape how minorities and regional actors view the future of Syria. Kurdish authorities in the northeast and Druze communities in the south are weighing their options as decentralization conversations and security arrangements test the country’s path toward unity. Turkey has signaled it may pursue a Kurdish settlement strategy that could involve military or diplomatic tools, while Washington emphasizes the importance of a stable, inclusive Syria. Across these dynamics, Israel continues to emphasize its commitment to protecting its borders and ensuring that any settlement framework respects minority rights and avoids a renewed spillover of conflict.

In Gaza, the battlefield remains active in political and military terms even as fighting ebbs at times. The strike against Hamas leadership in Doha drew international condemnation and prompted strong rhetoric from Israel, with Prime Minister Netanyahu arguing that Hamas would not escape accountability and that a future of escalation can be avoided only if Hamas ceases to hold hostages and ceases anti‑Israeli operations. The United States, under a Trump-era policy frame that prizes a strong, coordinated approach to defeating Hamas and restoring stability, underscored unwavering support for Israel’s security objectives and emphasized that any lasting peace must come with Hamas’s dismantling and the safe, permanent return of hostages. The hostage situation in Gaza remains a central and highly sensitive element in any calculus about resolving the Gaza crisis.

On the international stage, the Doha strike has amplified debates at international bodies. The United Nations Human Rights Council is scheduling an urgent debate on Israel’s operation in Qatar, a move welcomed by some regional states and criticized by Israel, which argues that the forum often singles out one democracy in a biased manner. The discussion comes as Gulf states seek to calibrate their regional posture amid evolving security calculations and Arab League‑led diplomacy. In parallel, a broad set of diplomatic signals—ranging from US statements of support for Israel to European cautions about escalation—continues to shape how the Gaza crisis threads into global politics.

Domestically in Israel, security and resilience remain central themes. The government has signaled that it will pursue security measures and deterrence in tandem with political and...