Latest / Israel Today: Ongoing War Report / Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - September 17, 2026, 10 PM Eastern

Transcript

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - September 17, 2026, 10 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: In developments concerning Iran and regional security, the United States
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: Treasury announced sanctions on Bitbank, an Iranian cryptocurrency exchange controlled
• 0:21
  Speaker 1: by financier Babak Zanjani. The Treasury accused the exchange of
• 0:25
  Speaker 1: processing payments for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz and
• 0:29
  Speaker 1: routing hundreds of millions of dollars to the Islamic Revolutionary
• 0:32
  Speaker 1: Guard Corps. According to the Treasury statement, Bitbank is a
• 0:36
  Speaker 1: key component in Iran's digital assets-based sanctions evasion infrastructure, operating
• 0:41
  Speaker 1: under its Operation Economic Outcast, to isolate Iran economically. Zanjani
• 0:46
  Speaker 1: has a history in Iran's sanctions evasion networks. Separately, President
• 0:51
  Speaker 1: Trump indicated he is approaching a critical decision regarding Iran.
• 0:55
  Speaker 1: In comments to Axios, he stated that anything could happen.
• 0:59
  Speaker 1: and that he is considering whether to resume large-scale US
• 1:02
  Speaker 1: military action or pursue another path, adding he plans to
• 1:06
  Speaker 1: consult leaders from all six Gulf Cooperation Council countries during
• 1:10
  Speaker 1: the UN General Assembly. In broader regional policy, the US
• 1:14
  Speaker 1: State Department has approved a potential $ 24. 3 billion deal for 48F,
• 1:20
  Speaker 1: A fighter jets to Saudi Arabia. Jonathan Roo, a fellow
• 1:24
  Speaker 1: for American strategy at the Jewish Institute for National Security
• 1:27
  Speaker 1: of America, told the Jerusalem Post that any such sale
• 1:31
  Speaker 1: must preserve Israel's qualitative military edge, a requirement Congress wrote
• 1:35
  Speaker 1: into law. Roux also stressed the importance of integrating Saudi
• 1:39
  Speaker 1: Arabia into a US-led regional security architecture. Meanwhile, the Trump
• 1:44
  Speaker 1: administration has reportedly approved visas for Iranian President Massoud Pesachian
• 1:49
  Speaker 1: and Foreign Minister Abbas Arachi to attend the UN General
• 1:53
  Speaker 1: Assembly in New York. State Department Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Piggott
• 1:58
  Speaker 1: stated that the Iranian delegation will face strict travel restrictions
• 2:02
  Speaker 1: and will not be permitted to engage in luxury shopping,
• 2:05
  Speaker 1: contrasting their privileges with the repression and shortages faced by
• 2:09
  Speaker 1: ordinary Iranians. Pigott also accused Tehran's leaders of diverting Iran's
• 2:13
  Speaker 1: wealth to support terrorist proxies. Turning to Israeli domestic politics,
• 2:19
  Speaker 1: the upcoming general election on October 27 is being framed
• 2:23
  Speaker 1: as a significant referendum on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. and
• 2:27
  Speaker 1: his government's response to the October 7th attack. Among the
• 2:30
  Speaker 1: candidates running are figures directly impacted by the Hamas attack.
• 2:35
  Speaker 1: Sharon Sharabi, brother of hostages, is campaigning on Avigdor Lieberman's list,
• 2:40
  Speaker 1: stating his mission is to ensure Hamas is defeated. The
• 2:43
  Speaker 1: Likud party has also placed figures like Talik Jivili, mother
• 2:47
  Speaker 1: of an officer killed on October 7th, on its list,
• 2:50
  Speaker 1: with political analysts noting a public hope that those who
• 2:53
  Speaker 1: have suffered most can bring change. In diplomatic news, Israel
• 2:57
  Speaker 1: and Morocco have agreed to open full embassies and exchange ambassadors,
• 3:01
  Speaker 1: significantly upgrading their ties nearly six years after Morocco joined
• 3:05
  Speaker 1: the Abraham Accords. As Jewish communities prepare to observe the
• 3:09
  Speaker 1: high holidays, New Jersey governor announced an additional $ 7 million
• 3:14
  Speaker 1: in funding for the non-profit security grant program. The governor
• 3:18
  Speaker 1: stated the investment aims to provide greater security for Jewish
• 3:21
  Speaker 1: New Jerskans as they focus on their faith, emphasizing that
• 3:25
  Speaker 1: hatred and bigotry have no place in the Garden State.
• 3:29
  Speaker 1: On a personal and memorial note, former Gaza hostage Bar
• 3:32
  Speaker 1: Kuperstein marked the one-year anniversary of his release from Hamas
• 3:35
  Speaker 1: captivity with a prayer service at Tel Aviv's Hostages Square. Kuperstein,
• 3:40
  Speaker 1: a paramedic kidnapped from the Nova Music Festival, shared a
• 3:44
  Speaker 1: powerful message of faith and gratitude for the Israeli public's
• 3:48
  Speaker 1: sustained support during his captivity, and also urged continued efforts
• 3:52
  Speaker 1: to find missing individuals. In a separate memorial event, the
• 3:56
  Speaker 1: Israel Police's southern district held a ceremony dedicating a Sefer
• 3:59
  Speaker 1: Torah in memory of Sergeant Major Rani Jivili, a Najaf
• 4:04
  Speaker 1: YASAM officer killed while defending Israeli communities on October 7.
• 4:09
  Speaker 1: For continuing coverage of antisemitism around the world, listen to
• 4:13
  Speaker 1: Antisemitism Watch from Clockwork Media. Find it at clockworkmedia.org slash watch.
• 4:19
  Speaker 1: That's all for today's report. I'm Noah Levi, thanks for
• 4:22
  Speaker 1: joining me on Israel Today ongoing war report. Stay safe
• 4:25
  Speaker 1: and informed. Follow Israel Today, ongoing war report in your
• 4:29
  Speaker 1: podcast app so you don't miss the next update. Keep
• 4:32
  Speaker 1: in mind that this AI-generated report may contain occasional inaccuracies,
• 4:37
  Speaker 1: so consult multiple sources for a comprehensive view.