Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-09-15 at 13:07

HEADLINES
- Fragile Cold Peace Between Israel and Iran
- Gaza Looms: Ground Invasion, Hostages
- Hezbollah Weakened, Lebanon Pushes Restraint

The time is now 9:00 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

This is the 9:00 AM update. The region remains shadowed by an uneasy pause between Israel and Iran, even as both sides keep a lid on open conflict for now. Observers say the truce has taken on the character of a cold peace: enough to prevent a full collision, but fragile enough to fray under the weight of incidents, headlines, and shifting regional calculations. A leading analyst based in the United Kingdom, Ghanem Nuseibeh, notes that the Abraham Accords have cooled since their first glow, with the October 7th war and the continuing hostilities stirring doubts about durable normalization, even as there are whispers that changes on the ground could alter the dynamic in the months ahead. The broader takeaway is that the framework of coexistence remains threatened by the confrontation with Tehran and its network, even as Washington and its partners advocate for restraint and a long view toward peace through strength.

On the battlefield, Iran’s proxies and the shifting map of influence in the broader arena remain a lived reality for many communities. In Syria, the post-Assad order has become a litmus test for who governs on the ground, with shifts that reflect a realignment of local power and influence. Hezbollah, long a fulcrum of Iranian strategy in Lebanon, is widely observed as weakened by recent Israeli operations and ongoing pressure from Beirut to curb its activities along the border. In Lebanon, authorities and political actors are signaling a push to reduce the grip of armed groups that have tangled the country in rounds of retaliation and regional bargaining, even as social and economic strains complicate any effort to restore stability. Across the border, the balance is delicate, and officials warn that any significant misstep could redraw the threat landscape.

In Gaza, Hamas remains diminished in its capacity to project power, but the hostage crisis continues to shape every strategic calculation. Israel has been advancing its plans for a ground operation in Gaza City, with security officials indicating preparations are in place to move forward when deemed necessary. Families of hostages continue to press the Israeli leadership for clarity and action, underscoring that their loved ones are enduring in a perilous environment as military operations proceed in the area. The international response to Israel’s actions in Doha, where an airstrike targeted Hamas leaders and a Qatari officer was killed, has intensified the diplomatic friction. The United Nations Human Rights Council is preparing an urgent debate on the strike, a session requested by Pakistan on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and Kuwait on behalf of the Gulf Cooperation Council. Israel’s mission in Geneva has called the step an absurd overreach of a body it says has too often focused on attacking a democratic ally rather than addressing abuses worldwide.

In Washington, the US stance continues to emphasize unwavering support for Israel’s security and the goal of Hamas’s defeat. In recent remarks, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, or his successor, has underscored the need to end the hostilities and bring hostages home, while restating allied unity around Israel’s right to defend itself. The administration, working with Israel to pursue peace through strength, has signaled that it will not abandon its partners in the Middle East, even as regional powers push back against a direct military confrontation with Iran. In tandem with this, there is a sense that the adversaries are calculating the likelihood of escalation in hopes of influencing regional dynamics and international responses.

Domestically in Israel, the...