HEADLINES
Iran rounds up Mossad-linked separatists, arms seized
Historic Lebanon-Israel direct talks under US mediation
Turkey-Israel rift widens as missiles breach airspace

The time is now 12:02 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Direct Israel-Iran Clashes, Iran said it has detained 35 members of a separatist terror group it ties to Mossad and other American-Zionist services, across six provinces, with explosives and firearms seized. The regime’s Intelligence Ministry announced the crackdown, and Tasnim News Agency reported the arrests of 35 individuals described as terrorists, separatists and arms smugglers. One detainee was identified as the founder and leader of a Zionist-associated group attempting to secede from Khuzestan Province; authorities said the group carried out assassination and bombing operations in the province, including against intelligence officers and Basij personnel. The leader was reportedly arrested in Isfahan Province, according to ISNA. Officials said 11 additional members were arrested and five others killed by security forces in the past two months, and they said several people tied to the Zionist regime’s media headquarters were seized for efforts to turn people into traitors.

In Regional Impacts, Lebanon’s government has pressed for direct talks with Israel, a shift supported by President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. Prime Minister Netanyahu said he had instructed the cabinet to begin negotiations as soon as possible. The talks were held in the United States, with Israel’s ambassador Yechiel Leiter and Lebanon’s Nada Hamadeh Mouawad meeting under American mediation. This marks the first open direct negotiations between the two countries since the 1980s, aside from a 2022 indirect maritime arrangement. An Israeli ambassador described the discussions as excellent and conducted in a very positive atmosphere, with both sides aligned on the need to move Lebanon away from Hezbollah. The big question remains why Lebanon, which once boycotted Israel, is pursuing engagement now.

Separately, the conflict has pushed Israel-Turkey relations into a more dangerous phase. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan condemned the US-Israeli strikes on Iran from the outset, and Iranian missiles reportedly entered Turkish airspace as Israeli officials accused Ankara of directing more fury at Jerusalem than at Tehran. The rupture has sharpened debates over deterrence, regional order and who is escalating the war. The long arc of ties—from the Mavi Marmara raid in 2010, to a 2022 restoration, to a 2023 recall and 2024 trade suspensions—has culminated in a visible break by 2026, with Israeli diplomats having left the Istanbul consulate long ago and the building attacked by gunmen leaving a hollowing effect on contact.

Forecasts suggest that a full naval blockade of Iran would raise the immediate risk of a broader conflict with the United States and trigger a global economic shock, especially affecting China. Iran’s oil-reliant economy could collapse within roughly three months, likely accompanied by large-scale street protests driven by subsidy cuts and inflation. In this scenario, Iran’s authorities have warned that any attack on ports would be met with retaliatory strikes against ports across the region, while the IRGC has continued to block the Strait of Hormuz and has threatened US vessels as the blockade is enforced following failed negotiations in Islamabad.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, Syrian authorities in Homs discovered a tunnel used by Hezbollah to smuggle weapons across the border into Lebanon. Authorities also seized warehouses containing weapons and ammunition prepared for smuggling. A later report identified attempts to smuggle a large shipment of explosive lighting materials, about 6,000 electric components likely intended for improvised explosive devices, intercepted near al-Nabk, north of Damascus, near the Syria-Lebanon border opposite Baalbek. Hezbollah’s position in Syria is believed to have weakened since December 2024, when Ahmed al-Sharaa’s Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham displaced the Assad regime’s grip, and Sharaa—a figure with a history of leading Sunni Islamist groups—has taken a tougher stance against Iran and its proxies, including Hezbollah, on operations such as terror acts and smuggling.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, two masked men threw two firebombs and a brick at the Finchley Reform Synagogue in London before dawn on Wednesday. None of the bottles ignited and no damage occurred, according to police and security groups. No arrests had been made by Wednesday evening. The Metropolitan Police and the Community Security Trust said investigators are seeking information and surveillance footage to aid the inquiry, with Counter Terrorism Police support, and residents were urged to expect an increased security presence as the investigation continues. No injuries were reported.

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/middle-east/iran-news/article-893110
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-893129
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-893119
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-893114
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-893120
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-893115