HEADLINES
- Australia Declares IRGC a Terror Sponsor
- West Bank Raid Kills Attacker Detains 60
- 900 Gaza Students Learn in Makeshift Classrooms

The time is now 11:00 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

Good evening. Here is the news at 11:00 PM, with a focus on developments across the Middle East and their broader international implications.

Australia has designated Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a state sponsor of terrorism, announcing the move after an intelligence assessment linked the IRGC to attacks against Australia’s Jewish community. The decision follows an earlier period in which Australia accused Iran of directing two antisemitic arson attacks in Sydney and Melbourne, actions that prompted the expulsion of Tehran’s ambassador—the first such move since World War Two. Officials said the designation reflects a determined assessment of threats and aims to constrain a group long viewed as a principal instrument of Iran’s regional influence.

In the West Bank, Israeli forces conducted a large counterterror operation in the north, during which an assailant was killed after throwing an explosive at soldiers. The army said the operation involved multiple brigades and air support, with strikes carried out to isolate the area prior to ground actions. Palestinian sources reported that around 60 people were detained and later released, including the mayor of Tammun, a development described by some Palestinian groups as reflecting ongoing disruption to local governance amid heightened security tensions. The army noted the operation was intended to disrupt terror networks and infrastructure, and while one Palestinian was killed, it underscored the broader pattern of nightly raids that have accompanied waves of violence since the Hamas-Israel conflict escalated last year. The Palestinian Authority’s health ministry and other local organizations have tallied casualties and noted concerns about civilian harm amid a broader cycle of violence, with clashes and arrests continuing in multiple towns. In a parallel trend, the Israel Defense Forces say the past year has seen a sharp rise in nationalist violence by settlers toward Palestinians and property, with a rising tally of incidents recorded in the West Bank.

Back in Gaza, education remains a critical concern as children return to makeshift classrooms after years of disruption. An estimated 900 students are attending new shifts at Al-Louloua al-Qatami school in Gaza City, where teachers and administrators are coping with the lack of books, notebooks, and standard classroom materials. The school system, which previously relied on prewar facilities, is adapting with a focus on mental health and basic instruction amid widespread damage to schools and infrastructure. United Nations agencies and Gaza’s education ministry say that the vast majority of Gaza’s schools sustained some damage during the conflict, and the UN estimates that hundreds of thousands of students face disrupted or incomplete access to education. In this context, emergency programs and international assistance, including learning spaces and basic supplies, are being deployed to help pupils continue their studies, even as families contend with shortages of water, bread, and electricity. Despite these challenges, some students express hope about resuming studies and pursuing aspirations such as medicine and other professions, underscoring the resilience of communities in the face of profound hardship.

Separately, a report from regional and international observers highlights a disturbing pattern in the region’s security landscape: an Iranian-linked effort to surveil Israeli interests abroad. A Ugandan worker was identified in discussions surrounding Iranian intelligence networks, with accusations that analysts say illustrate Tehran’s reach and its use of proxies to monitor Israeli embassies in Africa. Iran has denied these claims, describing them as unfounded, but observers warn that such allegations point to the ongoing complexity of Tehran’s security operations across multiple theaters.

In the broader security environment, an attack on Iraq’s Khor Mor gas field disrupted gas flow and caused power outages across northern regions as authorities investigated the incident. The strike damaged key infrastructure and interrupted supplies to power stations, prompting concerns about the resilience of energy networks in a country already contending with volatility and political fragmentation. Investigations are ongoing as officials assess the source and scale of the damage and its implications for regional energy stability.

Religious diplomacy also advanced, as Pope Leo XIV began his first overseas trip as pope with a visit to Turkey, including a meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and a subsequent leg to Lebanon. The pope’s itinerary is designed to emphasize dialogue with Islam and reconciliation across Christian and Muslim communities amid a region fraught with tensions. Observers note that the visit comes at a moment when regional crises, refugee flows, and intertwined security concerns require sustained engagement from religious and political leaders alike.

In Yemen, a major seizure of narcotics and performance-enhancing substances by Yemeni authorities and international partners is being described as a landmark development in the global fight against cross-border drug trafficking. The operation netted hundreds of kilograms of illicit materials and is seen as part of a broader effort to disrupt trafficking networks tied to Syrian and Iranian drug producers and to curb activities linked to the Iranian-backed Huthi movement. Officials say this crackdown signals a new level of transnational cooperation against such networks, though Iranian authorities have rejected the assertions.

On the diplomacy and policy front, ongoing debates in Washington touch on immigration and security, with remarks from national figures calling for renewed scrutiny of migration and asylum policies connected to Afghanistan and other regions. While the precise political implications vary by audience, the discussions underscore a continuing emphasis in regional and global policy circles on border management, national security, and the integration of evolving security challenges with humanitarian considerations.

Looking ahead, the region’s security calculus will continue to be influenced by how states confront Iran’s regional posture, how humanitarian needs are addressed amid protracted conflict, and how international partners sustain dialogue across faiths, borders, and competing interests. As night settles, the horizon remains crowded with questions about deterrence, resilience, and the prospect for stability in a landscape shaped by enduring tensions and persistent humanitarian imperatives.

Thank you for tuning in to this Israel Today: Ongoing War Report update.
I'm Noa Levi. Stay safe and informed.
Keep in mind that this AI-generated report may contain occasional inaccuracies, so consult multiple sources for a comprehensive view. Find the code and more details in the podcast description.

SOURCES
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-876353
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-876352
https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2025/11/australia-lists-irans-islamic-revolutionary-guard-state-sponsor-terrorism
https://www.timesofisrael.com/attacker-killed-idf-says-60-reportedly-detained-in-northern-west-bank-operation/
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-876351
https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2025/11/trump-says-us-must-re-examine-afghan-immigrants-who-came-when-biden-was-president
https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2025/11/schools-no-books-gazas-children-return-makeshift-classrooms
https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2025/11/pope-meet-erdogan-turkey-first-overseas-trip
https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2025/11/yemeni-drugs-seizure-landmark-moment-say-wada
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-876350
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-876349