Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-04-23 at 13:02

HEADLINES
Damascus detainees beaten amid Palestinian crackdown
Hezbollah hideout unearthed 25 meters underground
Israeli Air Force technicians spy for Iran

The time is now 1:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Regional Impacts, Syrian forces have carried out a wave of arrests of Palestinians in Damascus over the past weeks, rights organizations and Arab media reports say. The Action Group for Palestinians of Syria said at least 14 men were arrested from the Khan al-Shih camp, the Jaramana camp, the Rukn al-Din neighborhood, and the town of al-Hameh. Two men from Khan al-Shih were released on Wednesday, and the group said detainees were subjected to beatings and electric shocks during interrogations. The Palestinian Refugee Portal reported that those arrested over alleged ISIS affiliations were released about 14 hours after arrest, with no explanation given for their detention. Community members described the detentions as a show of force at the expense of civilians, while the NGO denied any reason had been provided; its director, Faez Abu Eid, said families were informed of a range of allegations, including ISIS affiliations.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, the IDF said combat teams uncovered a Hezbollah stronghold 25 meters underground inside a clothing store in southern Lebanon, with weapons and several rooms used to manage Hezbollah’s operations found at the site. The army said the underground complex was part of ongoing efforts to expose and destroy terrorist infrastructure south of the forward defense line, with the operation carried out by the 769th Brigade Combat Team under the 91st Division. In a separate case, two Israeli Air Force technicians were indicted on charges of spying for Iran, after months of contact with Iranian intelligence. The indictment says they carried out missions for Iran, including sending training materials to an Iranian agent and gathering information about former IDF chief Lieutenant-General (ret.) Herzi Halevi and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir; the suspects said contact was cut off after they refused weapons-related assignments, but tried to reestablish contact afterward, with one charged with aiding an enemy in wartime and passing information to the enemy. In Lebanon, President Joseph Aoun told ministers that reports he intended to contact Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were incorrect, and that a Washington meeting aimed at extending the ceasefire would also seek to halt the destruction of homes and harm to civilians, journalists, places of worship, and medical and educational institutions; he added that if progress continues, he would travel to Washington to meet with President Trump, while the Lebanese ambassador to the United States would work toward the objective. Separately, the Israeli military said it killed two Hezbollah militants in the Aynata area of southern Lebanon.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, defense minister Katz’s remarks were reported, with no further detail provided in the briefing. Separately, the Home Front Command’s policy for civil defense remained unchanged through Tuesday night.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, the Justice Ministry’s Police Investigation Department (PID) is examining after a man wearing a kippah with a Palestinian flag was detained by Modi'in police, who reportedly told him his kippah was against the law. Dr. Alex Sinclair, 53, of Modi'in, wrote online that police confiscated the kippah even after he explained it was not illegal; two officers arrived and the incident led to an ongoing investigation. In Silicon Valley, during Memorial Day ceremonies, Israel’s Consul General to the Northwest, Ambassador Marco Sermoneta, faced protests as attendees interrupted his remarks with chants of “shame” and “disgrace,” while some sang the Israeli national anthem; Sermoneta continued his address, prompting backlash from critics who said the disruption was not adequately addressed. In Slough, a 48-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of racially or religiously aggravated assault and racially or religiously aggravated public order after an attack on an Orthodox Jew; police said the suspect, who allegedly directed antisemitic language at the victim and attempted to grab the victim’s phone, remains in custody as the investigation continues.

In Israeli Economy and Business, Yaniv Golan, a general partner at Lool Ventures, spoke on AI, deep tech, and the future of Israeli innovation in a Jerusalem Post Business and Innovation Podcast. He said AI is transforming the startup landscape by lowering entry barriers so individual developers can create more, but that this also erodes the speed-based edge once enjoyed by founders. Startups must move beyond speed to build lasting advantages through proprietary data, specialized hardware, or regulatory barriers. As AI makes software development easier, public SaaS valuations have contracted, prompting a shift in how startups compete and sustain growth, with emphasis on durable differentiation rather than rapid delivery alone.

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/article-893986
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-893998
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https://t.me/selena_updates/62478
https://t.me/newssil/199922
https://t.me/beholdisraelchannel/75427
https://t.me/newssil/199925
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-894000
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-893995
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-893993
https://www.jpost.com/podcast/jpost-podcast/article-893982