Latest / Israel Today: Ongoing War Report / Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - September 4, 2026, 11 PM Eastern

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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - September 4, 2026, 11 PM Eastern · Israel Today: Ongoing War Report

• 0:08
  Speaker 1: You're listening to Israel Today ongoing war report. I'm Noah Levi.
• 0:12
  Speaker 1: We begin today with developments in Yemen, where the Iran-backed
• 0:15
  Speaker 1: Houthi rebels have escalated their fight in recent days. According
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: to reports from the New York Times, cited by jpost.com,
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  Speaker 1: their primary objective is to seize territory that would give
• 0:26
  Speaker 1: them greater control over the Bab al-Mandab Strait. a crucial
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  Speaker 1: chokepoint for international shipping routes at the entrance to the
• 0:33
  Speaker 1: Red Sea. Fighting has intensified around western Taiz as the
• 0:36
  Speaker 1: Houthis attempt to reach the port city of Mokka, less
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  Speaker 1: than 50 miles from the strait. This escalation follows the
• 0:43
  Speaker 1: Houthis' declaration of a blockade on Saudi oil tankers in
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  Speaker 1: July and subsequent missile and drone attacks on passing ships
• 0:51
  Speaker 1: and Saudi facilities. Control of Mokka would significantly enhance their
• 0:55
  Speaker 1: ability to influence ships transiting the Bab al-Mandab Strait. Turning
• 0:59
  Speaker 1: to issues of antisemitism, actor Mark Ruffalo is facing accusations
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  Speaker 1: of antisemitism for his recent social media comments. Jpost.com reports
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  Speaker 1: that Ruffalo linked Paramount's guidance CEO David Ellison, whose father
• 1:13
  Speaker 1: Larry Ellison is a prominent Jewish figure and supporter of Israel,
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  Speaker 1: to the tech giant Oracle's alleged role in an apartheid
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  Speaker 1: system of oppression in Gaza. Critics have pointed to these
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  Speaker 1: comments as invoking tropes about Jewish wealth and power. However,
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  Speaker 1: a significant group of about 170 notable Jewish personalities, including entertainers,
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  Speaker 1: rabbis and a physician, have released an open letter defending Ruffalo,
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  Speaker 1: calling the accusations a false and dangerous weaponisation of charges
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  Speaker 1: of antisemitism. George Clooney has also publicly defended Ruffalo. Also
• 1:47
  Speaker 1: concerning antisemitism, the Times of Israel highlights a parallel approach
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  Speaker 1: by two US political figures, Republican Vice President J.D. Vance
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  Speaker 1: and and Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, in how they
• 2:00
  Speaker 1: handle accusations of anti-Semitism against influential associates. Vance, described as
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  Speaker 1: a friend of Tucker Carlson, who has made numerous comments
• 2:08
  Speaker 1: decried as anti-Semitic, has been reluctant to disavow him. Similarly, El-Sayed,
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  Speaker 1: who invited streamer Hassan Paika to campaign for him, Paika
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  Speaker 1: has recently charged that Jews were making anti-Semitism worse, and
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  Speaker 1: warned action would be taken against them, has also sidestepped
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  Speaker 1: calls to disavow his friend, despite condemnation of PICA's remarks
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  Speaker 1: by prominent Democrats. The Times of Israel notes this reflects
• 2:32
  Speaker 1: a changing discourse on antisemitism and a collapsing firewall between
• 2:36
  Speaker 1: politicians and those accused of extremism. Broader analysis of the
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  Speaker 1: forces driving anti-Israel sentiment suggests that Israel has become a
• 2:44
  Speaker 1: convenient organising target for diverse grievance coalitions on the left,
• 2:50
  Speaker 1: a concept echoed by scholar Ruth Wyss. On a more
• 2:53
  Speaker 1: proactive note, a workshop in Queens, New York, organised by Impact,
• 2:57
  Speaker 1: is focusing on empowering Jewish community members, particularly those aged
• 3:02
  Speaker 1: 55 and up, with artificial intelligence and social media skills
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  Speaker 1: to combat online antisemitism and amplify Jewish pride. I'm Noah Levi,
• 3:10
  Speaker 1: thank you for listening to Israel Today ongoing war report.
• 3:14
  Speaker 1: Stay safe and informed. Follow Israel Today ongoing war report
• 3:18
  Speaker 1: in your podcast app so you don't miss the next update.
• 3:21
  Speaker 1: Keep in mind that this AI-generated report may contain occasional inaccuracies.
• 3:26
  Speaker 1: so consult multiple sources for a comprehensive view.