Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-06-25 at 09:02

HEADLINES
Moroccan Officers Join Gaza Stabilization Force
Turkey Emerges as Libya Peace Broker
Netanyahu Aide Urich Stays After Court Rejection

The time is now 9:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Regional Impacts, the International Stabilization Force welcomed its newest members from the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces, with the Board of Peace posting that their arrival strengthens the international effort to support the people of Gaza. The development comes as a Cyprus meeting of the Board is planned, and Gaza is seeing calls this week for protests against Hamas. Arab News reported that Moroccan officers, whose deployment was announced in February, arrived in Israel to join the nascent international force for Gaza, arriving at the ISF headquarters in southern Israel on June 18 and expected to contribute to the force’s overall structure and to bring policing expertise.

In Regional Impacts, Turkey is repositioning itself as a peace broker in Libya, signaling a shift from years of involvement that stoked tension in the region. Turkish Intelligence Chief Ibrahim Kalin met Lieutenant General Saddam Haftar, deputy commander of the Libyan National Army, in Benghazi on June 23. The talks reflect a major about-face from 2020, when Turkey backed the Government of National Accord and supplied drones and advisers. Observers note that while Ankara still pursues regional influence, it now emphasizes accommodation and dialogue as it seeks a potential peace role rather than outright conflict.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, an opinion piece argues that upgrading the partnership with the UAE could yield a strategic edge. The piece emphasizes the value of Israel’s technological capabilities paired with Emirati resources and industrial ambition, highlighting Abu Dhabi’s consistent commitment to regional stability beyond rhetoric. It notes the UAE faced more than 2,200 launches targeting its territory during the war, took firm public stances toward Iran, pursued practical steps to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, considered participation in a US-led military effort, and reportedly carried out strikes inside Iranian territory, while imposing measures aimed at increasing pressure on Tehran.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, Yonatan Urich, a senior aide to Prime Minister Netanyahu and one of the principal suspects in the Bild case, will remain at the Prime Minister’s Office after the Tel Aviv District Court rejected prosecutors’ bid to extend restrictive conditions. Prosecutors had alleged Urich tampered with evidence in the investigation into the transfer and use of classified material connected to Hamas hostage negotiations published by the German outlet Bild in September 2024. Urich was added to an amended indictment alongside former PMO spokesman Feldstein and IDF reservist Ari Rosenfeld. The indictment describes Rosenfeld contacting Feldstein on June 6, 2024, about urgently transferring material from military intelligence to the prime minister, and Urich helping shape the route after the military censor blocked publication in Israel.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, an opinion piece contends that Netanyahu’s political survival deal with ultra-Orthodox partners comes at Israel’s expense. The piece argues the arrangement enmeshes enlistment laws, budgets, and political moves that deepen a rift while the army and the public bear the war’s costs. It uses imagery of traffic jams on major roads to criticize what the author calls a deal that benefits a large Hasidic bloc at the country’s broader expense and questions the long-term impact on national unity and resilience.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, an elderly disabled Jewish woman was subjected to antisemitic abuse inside a Melbourne Vodafone store. A staff member called her a "dirty Zionist" after frustration with a pocket WiFi device, shouted "Free Palestine" at her, and filmed her without consent inside the Vodafone Elsternwick shop around 3:35 p.m. on Tuesday, June 23. The woman, who asked to remain anonymous, told the Anti-Defamation Commission’s Dr. Dvir Abramovich that she felt terrified and frightened by the encounter, and she has formally complained to Vodafone.

In Uplifting News, President Donald Trump awarded the Medal of Honor to Major James Capers Jr, the first living Black Marine recipient. At a White House ceremony last week, Capers was honored for his actions in Vietnam in the spring of 1967 near Phu Loc, where he led a nine-person reconnaissance team, sustained multiple wounds, and refused to board the evacuation helicopter until all of his Marines were safely extracted. Capers was born in 1937 in Bishopville, South Carolina, and joined the Marine Corps in 1956, becoming the first Black Marine to serve in Force Reconnaissance and the first Black Marine to receive a battlefield commission.

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-900526
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-900521
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-900266
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-900524
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-900506
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-900523
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-900312