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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - September 16, 2026, 03 AM Eastern · Israel Today: Ongoing War Report

• 0:08
  Speaker 1: You're listening to Israel Today ongoing war report. I'm Noah Levi. Today,
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  Speaker 1: we're tracking escalating regional tensions and important diplomatic engagements. First,
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  Speaker 1: Saudi Arabia announced on September 15th that its air defences
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  Speaker 1: successfully intercepted and destroyed a drone launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels,
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  Speaker 1: south of the holy city of Mecca. Saudi officials described
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  Speaker 1: the incident as a significant escalation and a potential red line,
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  Speaker 1: warning it was likely to upset millions of Muslims globally.
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  Speaker 1: This comes amid recent Houthi advances along the Red Sea coast. However,
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  Speaker 1: Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sari has denied the accusations, calling
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  Speaker 1: them fabrications and lies, and asserting that Houthi operations are
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  Speaker 1: directed at oil facilities and military bases, far removed from
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  Speaker 1: holy sites. Sari also claimed that Houthi forces downed a
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  Speaker 1: Royal Saudi Air Force F-15 jet over Marib Governorate. The
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  Speaker 1: Times of Israel notes that while Saudi Arabia reported the
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  Speaker 1: drone interception, a Muslim umbrella body has denounced the alleged attack,
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  Speaker 1: even as the Houthis deny it. Shifting to international political discourse,
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  Speaker 1: a Labour MP in the United Kingdom, Tahir Ali, called
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  Speaker 1: for Britain to consider taking military action against Israel during
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  Speaker 1: a House of Commons debate. Ali questioned why disarmament demands
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  Speaker 1: should be confined to Hamas, asking if it wasn't time
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  Speaker 1: for military action against Israel as well. Other MPs, including
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  Speaker 1: Liberal Democrat Richard Ford, rejected drawing equivalences between the two.
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  Speaker 1: Middle East Minister Stephen Doughty affirmed the UK's security relationship
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  Speaker 1: with Israel, while also acknowledging serious disagreements over conduct in
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  Speaker 1: Gaza and Judea and Samaria. In Geneva, Nata Hyman-Mina, daughter
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  Speaker 1: of a former Gaza hostage, addressed the UN Human Rights Council,
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  Speaker 1: confronting the organisation over its continued funding of UNRWA. Mina
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  Speaker 1: stated that an UNRWA teacher held her mother captive for
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  Speaker 1: 48 days and alleged other UNRWA employees were linked to
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  Speaker 1: the October 7 massacre. She questioned the UN's decision to
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  Speaker 1: entrust Gaza's future education to individuals involved in such acts.
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  Speaker 1: This comes as UN Watch reports that UNRWA has allegedly
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  Speaker 1: overstated its reform progress, with underlying issues of terrorism and
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  Speaker 1: incitement persisting. Meanwhile, Palestinian networks have shared unusual documentation showing
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  Speaker 1: an IDF commando force rappelling from a helicopter into a
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  Speaker 1: house in a Hebron-area village. In Israeli domestic politics, journalist
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  Speaker 1: Mohamed Majidallah reported that Gadi Eisenkot met with eight Arab-Bedouin
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  Speaker 1: local authority heads who expressed support for his prime ministerial candidacy,
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  Speaker 1: a development seen as a setback for the Rayam party. However,
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  Speaker 1: Moed Elahib, head of the Taubazangaria Council, clarified his party
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  Speaker 1: did not endorse Eisenkot's party as claimed. but rather insisted
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  Speaker 1: on Ram's inclusion in the next government, a promise he
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  Speaker 1: attributes to Eisenkot. Eisenkot himself issued a firm statement, refuting
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  Speaker 1: alleged claims and outlining that any coalition government would require
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  Speaker 1: adherence to core principles. Acknowledging the Declaration of Independence, recognising
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  Speaker 1: Israel as a Jewish and democratic state, and service for all.
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  Speaker 1: He added that parties not recognising Hamas as a terrorist
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  Speaker 1: organisation to be destroyed would be excluded. Separately, Culture and
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  Speaker 1: Sports Minister Mickey Zohar has asked the head of Shin
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  Speaker 1: Bet to investigate the materials used by the creators of
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  Speaker 1: the film, Neza. Finally, in defence and business news, Rafale
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  Speaker 1: Advanced Defence Systems and Lockheed Martin are expediting the integration
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  Speaker 1: of Spice 1000 missiles onto Israel Air Force F-35 Adia
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  Speaker 1: stealth fighters. This joint initiative, taking place at Lockheed Martin
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  Speaker 1: facilities in the US, was detailed in a recent Pentagon
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  Speaker 1: acquisition report. The Spice 1000 offers a standoff range of 125km,
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  Speaker 1: and the Spice family has seen extensive operational use, including
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  Speaker 1: in long-range missions against Iran and from F-15 and F-16 aircraft.
• 4:08
  Speaker 1: For continuing coverage of antisemitism around the world, listen to
• 4:12
  Speaker 1: Antisemitism Watch from Clockwork Media. Find it at clockworkmedia.org slash watch.
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  Speaker 1: I'm Noah Levi, thank you for listening to Israel Today
• 4:20
  Speaker 1: ongoing war report. Stay informed and stay safe. Follow Israel Today,
• 4:25
  Speaker 1: ongoing war report in your podcast app so you don't
• 4:28
  Speaker 1: miss the next update. Keep in mind that this AI-generated
• 4:31
  Speaker 1: report may contain occasional inaccuracies, so consult multiple sources for
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  Speaker 1: a comprehensive view.