Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-09-05 at 14:01

HEADLINES
Iran economic pressure could spark street protests
NATO vows zero tolerance for hybrid warfare
Israel's religious bloc overtakes Likud

The time is now 2:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Iranian Retaliation, former NSC adviser Jacob Nagel says six to nine months of sustained economic pressure could push Iranians back into the streets, creating the conditions for a popular uprising, while warning Tehran would not hesitate to retaliate. Nagel, a former national security adviser and head of the National Security Council who now serves as a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, says the United States is pursuing a strategy of applying sustained economic pressure on Iran rather than launching additional strikes, aiming to weaken Tehran by targeting its main revenue sources. He stressed that the United States is a powerful actor and that the approach is to choke Iran’s economy, while acknowledging Iran continues to export fuel despite the pressure and questioning the exact figures, suggesting for discussion that exports could be halved from prewar levels. Nagel argued that the pressure on Iran’s economy is designed to disrupt revenue streams and, if sustained, could create conditions for domestic upheaval while leaving room for Tehran to respond.

In Regional Impacts, NATO will not tolerate hybrid actions against members, US envoy says. US ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker warned that NATO must not tolerate deliberate hybrid-warfare actions and pledged American support to member states as they confront such incidents. He noted last month’s attempted drone attack at Germany’s Leipzig/Halle Airport, which Berlin has blamed on Russia, as more troubling than other recent hybrid incidents, alongside Russian drones used in Ukraine that drifted off course. Whitaker said NATO must be prepared and vigilant and, when possible, publicly condemn such actions. If the identity of the perpetrators can be established, as Germany has done, the alliance should express that the behavior is unacceptable and that it will not be tolerated. He also cautioned that critical infrastructure, including energy assets, could become targets and should be monitored by national authorities, with responses primarily at the national level though the United States stands by its allies.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, religious right is slowly but surely becoming the religious bloc, an opinion piece contends, noting a shift within the Israeli right over decades. The author observes a pattern of defections from Likud and related figures — from Ariel Sharon who formed Kadima, to Tzipi Livni moving to the political center, to Ehud Olmert, Dan Meridor, Benny Begin, Moshe Ya’alon, and Avigdor Liberman — with current figures like Gilad Erdan and others aligning with a constituency that is increasingly religious and messianic. The piece argues that the traditional Israeli Right was largely secular, nationalist, and security-minded, but the bloc that is replacing it is more religious, more messianic, and more oppositional to liberal ideals such as the rule of law and civil rights.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, an Australian man is charged over alleged antisemitic threats against a Zionist council. A 52-year-old man from Mossman in northern Queensland, Chris McCombs, is facing two hate crime offenses after allegedly making threats targeting Jews and Israelis with calls for expulsion from Australia. The Queensland Zionist Council confirmed it received the online message, while police protected the identity of the council representative who received it. The council and the Zionist Federation of Australia supported not disclosing the individual’s identity and used the case to highlight what it calls a growing, dangerous trend: the deployment of terms like “Zionists” and “anti-Zionism” as a cover for statements aimed at Jews and Israelis. The council said anti-Zionism has increasingly become a tool for a modern form of anti-Jewish hatred, presenting itself as political commentary while the intent remains targeted at Jews and Israelis.

In Israeli Economy and Business, Rome and Athens: Israel’s unlikely new gateways to North America is a column describing how Europe’s hubs are becoming central stops for Israelis heading to the United States and Canada. The piece says Rome’s Fiumicino and Athens’ Eleftherios Venizelos airports function as de facto “Terminal Four” and “Terminal Five,” offering more routes, lower fares, and the opportunity to turn a layover into a short break. The author recalls a cab ride to Ben-Gurion Airport where the driver asked whether Terminal One or Three was preferred, and uses the contrast with the ongoing staff disruption to argue the appeal of European hubs. The column asserts that many Israelis flying to North America pass through these European hubs, and it advocates recognizing Rome and Athens as expanded gateways to ease travel options without new construction.

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/iran-news/article-907634
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-907642
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-907453
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-907638
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-907639