Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-11-28 at 01:06

HEADLINES Afghan Attacker Linked to CIA-Backed Unit Jenin Killings Prompt War-Crime Accusations Hundreds of Millions Fuel Hezbollah via Dubai The time is now 8:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report. A shooting in Washington, DC, has left one National Guard member dead and another seriously wounded, as investigators identify the attacker as an Afghan national who previously worked with a CIA‑backed unit in Afghanistan before arriving in the United States in 2021. The fallen service member was Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and the injured Guardsman, Andrew Wolfe, 24, was reported to be fighting for his life. Authorities say the shooter’s ties to a security‑related unit raised questions about security screening and the network that brought him to the capital, though investigators are focusing on the events of the day and the exact motive. Across the region, security incidents in the West Bank underline ongoing tensions that have persisted since the Gaza war began in 2023. In Jenin, two Palestinian men, identified by the Palestinian Authority as 37-year-old Yussef Ali Asa’sa and 26-year-old Al-Muntasir Billah Mahmud Abdullah, were shot dead after appearing to surrender to Israeli Border Police during a counter‑terrorism operation. Israeli forces said the men were suspected of involvement in bombing and shooting attacks and that the operation was conducted with the aim of disrupting a local terror network. The incident, filmed from multiple angles, drew immediate condemnation from the Palestinian Authority, which called it a brutal execution and a war crime, while Israeli officials described the men as armed suspects who posed a threat. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir publicly backed the troops involved, saying terrorists must die, a stance that drew swift criticism from Palestinian officials and human rights groups. The Jenin episode followed a broader Israeli military push in the northern West Bank, including operations in Tubas, Tammun, and al‑Aqaba, aimed at disrupting efforts by Palestinian militant groups to reestablish a presence in the area. Israeli Air Force helicopters were reported to have supported the ground campaign, though no casualties were announced in those strikes. The violence around Route 60 and other flashpoints near Jerusalem has continued to flare, with past attacks layered onto ongoing raids and arrests. Palestinians and their supporters have warned that such incidents threaten regional stability and risk further escalation, while Israeli authorities say the operations are necessary to prevent attacks on security forces and civilians. International reaction to the latest West Bank events has grown more coordinated. Germany, Italy, France, and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement urging Israel to adhere to international law and protect Palestinian civilians, while calling on Israel to reverse plans for new housing in the E1 corridor and to resume tax transfers to the Palestinian Authority to support stability. The statement also underscored support for a two‑state framework as a path to lasting peace, even as Israel has signaled it does not envision PA governance for Gaza in a post‑war arrangement, while signaling tentative openness to aspects of the broader US plan for a future role for the PA following reforms. Separately, a longstanding security concern in the region involves Iran’s support networks for allied groups. The Wall Street Journal reported that Tehran has funneled hundreds of millions of dollars to Hezbollah via money‑laundering channels in Dubai within the past year, a development officials say is part of a broader effort to rebuild Hezbollah’s capabilities after the group’s losses in battle with Israel. The report cites private channels and Hawala networks that move funds to Lebanon, with some transfers routed through informal exchanges and other intermediaries. The United Arab Emirates publicly said it is working with international partners to stop such activities, and US officials have noted that Washington has stepped up sanctions enforcement connected to Hezbollah’s financing. The Iraqi, Iranian, and Gulf dynamics that feed these networks remain a central element of regional security concerns. In other Middle East developments, international engagement continues around the broader security landscape. In the wake of the flare‑ups in the West Bank, European partners reiterated support for stability and for a two‑state approach, underscoring the importance of preventing further escalations that could pull in neighboring states and complicate diplomacy with both Israel and the Palestinians. Israel has faced domestic debates over its security posture and political calculations as it pursues a strategy to neutralize threat networks while maintaining essential civilian protection. The administration and allies have emphasized the need for restraint and for adherence to international norms in all operations, even as se