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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - September 18, 2026, 07 AM 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: New details have emerged regarding Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar's direct
• 0:15
  Speaker 1: warnings to Israel prior to the October 7th attack. Sofian Abouzaida,
• 0:20
  Speaker 1: a former Fatah official who identifies himself as the intermediary
• 0:24
  Speaker 1: known as Cole Eyes, revealed he personally conveyed Sinwar's messages
• 0:28
  Speaker 1: in September 2023. According to reports, Sinwar warned of an
• 0:32
  Speaker 1: impending huge surprise and earthquake, using the keyword zilzal. Abu
• 0:37
  Speaker 1: Zaidah met Sinwar in Gaza weeks before the attack, where
• 0:40
  Speaker 1: Sinwar urged him to tell Israelis, if they do not
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  Speaker 1: move forward I am preparing a huge surprise for them.
• 0:46
  Speaker 1: Fearing direct contact with the Shin Bet, Abu Zaidah passed
• 0:49
  Speaker 1: the warning to an advisor to UAE President Mohammed bin
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  Speaker 1: Zayed al-Nahyan. After analysing Sinwar's remarks, the UAE president reportedly
• 0:58
  Speaker 1: warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Abu Zaid also noted that
• 1:02
  Speaker 1: lengthy contacts had taken place between Israel and Hamas before
• 1:06
  Speaker 1: October 7 concerning potential hostage and prisoner exchanges. In regional
• 1:11
  Speaker 1: security news, Israeli security assessments indicate that Syrian President Ahmed
• 1:16
  Speaker 1: al-Sharrar is diverting significant national resources toward building a large
• 1:21
  Speaker 1: standing army and acquiring weapon systems. This military build-up which
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  Speaker 1: prioritises arms over infrastructure and civilian welfare, is raising concerns
• 1:31
  Speaker 1: within the intelligence community. According to IDF assessments, al-Sharar's operational
• 1:36
  Speaker 1: plans are reportedly aimed at striking Hezbollah in Lebanon and
• 1:40
  Speaker 1: pro-Iranian Shait militias in Iraq, with a potential timing linked
• 1:44
  Speaker 1: to a reduction in the US military presence in the region.
• 1:47
  Speaker 1: A year after France, Britain and other Western powers recognised
• 1:51
  Speaker 1: a Palestinian state on September 22, 2025, The situation on
• 1:56
  Speaker 1: the ground has reportedly worsened. Entrepreneur Adam Bader, living in Tolkien,
• 2:01
  Speaker 1: states that despite the recognition, there has been no improvement
• 2:04
  Speaker 1: and the situation is deteriorating daily. Israeli settler violence has increased,
• 2:10
  Speaker 1: Palestinians face confinement to smaller areas and the Palestinian Authority
• 2:14
  Speaker 1: has been weakened. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has maintained that
• 2:18
  Speaker 1: as long as he is Prime Minister, an Iranian-controlled Palestinian
• 2:21
  Speaker 1: state will not be established. Amid escalating fighting in Yemen
• 2:26
  Speaker 1: and threats to regional trade, Saudi Arabia has proposed a
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  Speaker 1: two-week ceasefire and direct talks with the Houthis, conveyed through Amman.
• 2:34
  Speaker 1: According to Lebanese newspaper Al-Akbar, the proposal aims to discuss
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  Speaker 1: humanitarian demands and reach a comprehensive agreement. Separately, a Mariv
• 2:43
  Speaker 1: poll indicates that 54% of Israelis support assisting Saudi Arabia
• 2:47
  Speaker 1: in its conflict with the Houthis, with 38% of those
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  Speaker 1: polled suggesting this aid should be contingent on a normalisation
• 2:54
  Speaker 1: agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia. President Donald Trump is
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  Speaker 1: preparing to address the UN General Assembly amidst significant regional instability.
• 3:04
  Speaker 1: Facing scepticism, Trump will speak six months into the war
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  Speaker 1: with Iran, a conflict that has disrupted oil shipments and
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  Speaker 1: seen advances by Houthi forces, impacting global energy prices and
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  Speaker 1: straining alliances. This comes after he previously touted bringing peace
• 3:19
  Speaker 1: between Israel and Iran. In Amsterdam, Thousands of mostly evangelical
• 3:24
  Speaker 1: supporters rallied to show solidarity with Israel, facing counter-protests from
• 3:29
  Speaker 1: pro-Palestinian groups. Authorities moved the counter-protesters away from the main
• 3:33
  Speaker 1: rally site due to past violence. The rally attendees also
• 3:37
  Speaker 1: condemned a new Dutch law that bans the import of
• 3:40
  Speaker 1: Israeli products from the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Golan Heights,
• 3:44
  Speaker 1: a move widely regarded as anti-Semitic. Domestically, Prime Minister Benjamin
• 3:49
  Speaker 1: Netanyahu is considering adding a stop in Texas, to his
• 3:52
  Speaker 1: brief two-day US visit for the UN General Assembly, with
• 3:56
  Speaker 1: an advance team examining the possibility. Texas holds significant trade
• 4:01
  Speaker 1: and investment ties with Israel. In a separate domestic security matter,
• 4:06
  Speaker 1: a teenager is suspected of firing a military anti-tank rocket
• 4:09
  Speaker 1: at a residential compound in Jaljulia, highlighting concerns about the
• 4:13
  Speaker 1: flow of IDF weapons into organized crime. Rapper McLemore has
• 4:17
  Speaker 1: pledged $ 1 million to Palestinian aid groups, But the Watchdog
• 4:21
  Speaker 1: NGO Monitor alleges that three of these recipients have ties
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  Speaker 1: to Hamas and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine,
• 4:29
  Speaker 1: citing internal Hamas documents. For continuing coverage of antisemitism around
• 4:33
  Speaker 1: the world, listen to Antisemitism Watch from Clockwork Media. Find
• 4:38
  Speaker 1: it at clockworkmedia.org slash watch. I'm Noah Levi, thank you
• 4:42
  Speaker 1: for listening to Israel Today ongoing war report. Stay safe
• 4:45
  Speaker 1: and informed. Follow Israel Today. ongoing war report in your
• 4:49
  Speaker 1: podcast app so you don't miss the next update. Keep
• 4:52
  Speaker 1: in mind that this AI-generated report may contain occasional inaccuracies,
• 4:57
  Speaker 1: so consult multiple sources for a comprehensive view.