Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Political reporter Tal Schneider and reporter Canaan Lidor join host Amanda Borschel-Dan on today's episode.

Yesterday, the Hamas terror group named Yahya Sinwar as the new head of its “political bureau,” the highest-ranking position in the organization, following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last week. Schneider explains what message Hamas is bringing with this appointment.

A Washington Post columnist wrote this morning that the United States’ diplomatic efforts to temper Iran’s retaliation for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh might be working and that Iran may yet rethink its plans after the US rushed its forces to the region and passed along messages to Iran warning of serious consequences for the new government of President Masoud Pezeshkian. Schneider delves in.

If hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah escalate, the northern port city of Haifa is likely to get hammered with dozens, if not hundreds, of rockets a day, possibly for weeks on end. Lidor was there on Sunday and reports back.

Dozens of ultra-Orthodox extremist protesters breached the Tel Hashomer army base on Tuesday, jumping over the fence in an attempt to disrupt the enlistment of yeshiva students to the Israel Defense Forces. Schneider and Lidor discuss the ongoing efforts of the IDF to conscript this population and the extreme pushback.

Several thousand residents of the Aramean Christian village of Jish, situated about 3.5 kilometers (2 miles) from the border, have not evacuated and are indeed hunkering down. Lidor illuminates this inspiring community.

For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog.

Discussed articles include:

October 7 mastermind Yahya Sinwar chosen to replace Haniyeh as Hamas leader

19 injured, one critically, as Hezbollah drones strike near northern city of Nahariya

In Haifa, locals meet the prospect of imminent war with calm resolve

Extremist Haredim storm IDF recruitment base to protest drafting of yeshiva students

In Jish, an indigenous Christian minority defiantly stays in Hezbollah’s crosshairs

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. 

IMAGE: Christian worshippers attend church in the Jish village in northern Israel near the Lebanon border on January 17, 2024. (Jalaa Marey / AFP)

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