★ISRAEL

1. Espionage and Cyber Tensions Escalate Across Israel-Iran Conflict

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard claimed to have dismantled a US-Israeli spy network spanning multiple provinces, announcing dozens of arrests after coordinated raids and issuing new laws for harsher espionage penalties following major intelligence setbacks during the June war. Simultaneously, Israeli security forces arrested several citizens—including at least one in Tel Aviv—accused of collecting military site data for Iranian operatives in exchange for cryptocurrency, and revealed over 20 espionage cases linked to Tehran since October 2023. The crackdown comes alongside pro-Hamas, Iranian-linked cyber actors breaching Israeli defense contractors and leaking confidential Redback armored vehicle documents, signaling rising operational risks to US, Israeli, and allied defense interests as hostile networks target critical infrastructure.

2. Pro-Hamas Iranian Cyber Toufan Breaches Israeli Australian Defense Contractors

Australian and Israeli media confirm a pro-Hamas, Iranian-linked group called Cyber Toufan breached Israeli defense contractors by exploiting a supply-chain vendor, Maya Technologies, leaking confidential 3D blueprints and contract documents tied to the Australian Army’s $7 billion Redback armored vehicle program with Elbit Systems. Technical plans, internal communications, and visual renderings were shared on Telegram, raising significant concerns about defense supply chain security for both Israel and Australia. Officials from both countries acknowledge the breach’s gravity but maintain that, so far, classified battlefield data, such as operational deployment details, have not been exposed even as some technical components and procurement plans were compromised. The hack is viewed as part of a coordinated campaign targeting at least 17 Israeli firms and affiliated projects, primarily aimed at disrupting Israeli and allied military capabilities while demonstrating advanced state-backed cyber capabilities linked to Iran.

3. Israeli President Condemns West Bank Settler Arson Violence Attacks

President Isaac Herzog condemned masked Israeli settlers who attacked Palestinian villages near Beit Lid in the occupied West Bank, torching trucks, Bedouin tents, farmland and a dairy factory, wounding at least four Palestinians before assaulting IDF soldiers and damaging military vehicles when confronted. Israeli police arrested four suspects as the attack unfolded Tuesday evening amid what the UN confirms is the highest monthly surge of settler violence since 2006, with over 260 attacks in October alone and approximately 1,500 incidents recorded this year. Herzog called the incidents shocking, stating perpetrators crossed a red line and urging authorities to eradicate settler violence as IDF commanders warned anarchist attacks would undermine security stability and endanger Israeli strategic interests.

4. Macron Abbas Announce Committee To Draft Palestinian State Constitution

French President Emmanuel Macron and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas launched a joint Franco-Palestinian committee to draft the legal and constitutional foundation for Palestinian statehood, following France’s formal recognition; Macron pledged €100 million for Gaza’s humanitarian needs, welcomed the Palestinian Authority’s abolition of prisoner payments, warned any Israeli West Bank annexation would cross a “red line,” and committed stronger French security and technical support to prevent Hamas’s return in Gaza.

5. Israel Hires Trump Campaign Manager, Ex-Envoy For Pro-Israel Push

Israel contracted Trump’s former campaign manager Brad Parscale for multimillion-dollar pro-Israel outreach targeting US evangelicals with digital ads, influencer campaigns, and AI-driven content; simultaneously, Trump’s former ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, took charge of NSO Group, the controversial Israeli spyware company, strengthening Israel’s coordination with US conservative networks and political influencers.

6. Netanyahu Faces 52nd Court Day As Trump Seeks Pardon

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu resumed testimony in Tel Aviv District Court on November 12, 2025, marking his 52nd cross-examination day in the ongoing “Case 1000” corruption trial over alleged gifts of cigars, champagne, and jewelry from businessman Arnon Milchan and associates. Meanwhile, Israeli media went viral with a letter from President Trump to President Herzog requesting a formal pardon for Netanyahu, citing his wartime leadership and calling the proceedings “unjustified persecution.” Herzog thanked Trump but emphasized that Israeli law requires a formal pardon petition from the defendant, which Netanyahu has not submitted, and clarified that a pardon cannot be issued until after a verdict is reached.

==========

★IRAN

7. Iran Expands Sudan Proxy War With Arms, Drones, and Advisors

Iran is deepening its role in Sudan’s war by supplying the Sudanese Armed Forces with drones, artillery, and military advisors, enabling government offensives against rival UAE-backed paramilitaries and intensifying Darfur’s human tragedy. Iranian weapons and training have facilitated SAF advances, but the backing of Islamist elements, control over gold smuggling routes, and proliferation of proxy actors has fueled atrocities, instability, and immense civilian suffering across Sudan, mirroring Iran’s pattern of intervention throughout the region.

8. Iran Expands Weapons Smuggling, Judea Samaria Becomes Terror Hub

Iran has intensified efforts to arm terrorist groups in Judea and Samaria by covertly smuggling advanced weaponry—drones, anti-tank missiles, explosives, and rockets—into the territory through Jordan and Lebanon, according to Israeli intelligence and independent analysts. Israeli forces have intercepted multiple Iranian arms shipments, while surveillance photos reveal local missile production facilities, with more than two dozen militant groups now active in the area. 

9. Iranian Student’s Self-Immolation Sparks Nationwide Rebellion Against Iranian Regime

The death of 20-year-old Ahmad Baledi, who set himself on fire in Ahvaz to protest the demolition of his father’s stall by Iranian municipal authorities, triggered a wave of rebellious youth operations, including arson attacks on regime offices and paramilitary bases across Tehran, Mashhad, and ten other cities. Iranian authorities arrested multiple officials and activists following the incident, which has become a symbol of public outrage toward regime brutality and economic hardship. 

==========

★LEBANON

10. Hezbollah Rejects Disarmament, Demands Israeli Withdrawal Before Talks

Hezbollah deputy leader Naim Qassem rejected US and Israeli demands to disarm, insisting no security agreement is possible before Israel fully withdraws from Lebanese territory and ceases military operations. Qassem characterized foreign pressure and sanctions as unacceptable interference in Lebanese sovereignty and warned that Hezbollah’s arms will not be subject to external negotiation, escalating risks for further conflict if demands persist. 

==========

★IRAQ

11. Iraq Elections See Strong Turnout With Sudani Bloc, Kurds Leading

Iraq’s 2025 parliamentary elections recorded 56% turnout as vote counting continues; Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani’s coalition and Kurdish parties, especially the KDP, are leading across most regions, while alternative and independent alliances show limited preliminary gains. Kurdistan provinces posted the highest participation rates, with Duhok above 76%, and Baghdad districts lagged behind at just over 41% in Rusafa. Early reports confirm no major upsets and ongoing influence jockeying, with the next government likely to mirror current power centers and coalition building expected to be protracted as smaller reforms-oriented parties struggle to break through.

12. Iraq and Syria Commission Experts to Study Kirkuk-Baniyas Pipeline Revival

Iraq and Syria have jointly appointed an international consultant to assess the feasibility of reopening the historic Kirkuk-Baniyas oil pipeline after two decades of inactivity, forming a technical committee to evaluate the line’s structural integrity and rehabilitation options. The project aims to restore an 800-km corridor linking Iraqi oil fields to the Mediterranean, providing Iraq an alternative to Gulf export routes and Syria a potential revenue stream to aid economic recovery. Analysts warn significant restoration costs and require stable security and investment guarantees, while both countries have yet to disclose the consulting firm’s identity.

==========

★Turkiye

13. Turkish Military Cargo Plane Crashes Near Georgia Border, 20 Killed

A Turkish C-130 military cargo plane carrying 20 soldiers crashed near the Azerbaijan-Georgia border on November 11 while returning from Azerbaijan to Turkey. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed the recovery of 19 bodies at the site and ongoing search for the remaining victim. The plane’s black box has been retrieved, and investigations into the cause are underway. Video footage shows the aircraft breaking apart mid-air before impact. Turkish defense officials are coordinating with Georgian and Azerbaijani authorities. The incident has drawn condolences from regional and Western partners including the US and NATO, highlighting the loss suffered by Turkey’s armed forces.

==========

★SYRIA

14. Israel Intensifies Ground Operations, UNDOF Flag Raised Near Golan

Israeli forces have carried out multiple ground raids and set up new military checkpoints within Syria’s Quneitra province over the last 72 hours, advancing less than a kilometer from Tel Ahmar al-Gharbi—the site of an Israeli military base established after Assad’s fall. Syrian sources confirm at least four cross-border incursions since early November, with Israeli troops using tanks, armored vehicles, and bulldozers to restrict civilian movement, search homes, and inspect local residents around Rasm al-Qita and neighboring villages. These repeated operations follow the destruction of forest and farmland and arrests of civilians, amplifying tensions along the Golan border. Meanwhile, the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) raised its flag at a post in western Quneitra, signaling its renewed monitoring role on a frontline now marked by the sustained Israeli presence, ongoing checkpoint erection, and persistent Syrian complaints of sovereignty violations.

15. Syria Faces Worst Rainfall Drought in Decades, Food Crisis Risks Multiply

Syria is enduring one of its most severe droughts in recent history, with cumulative rainfall in 2025 leaving dams and rivers at historic lows and groundwater dropping sharply. Crop failures are widespread and wheat harvests are expected to meet less than half of national demand, deepening food insecurity. 

==========

★YEMEN

16. Houthis Suspend Red Sea Attacks Pending Gaza Ceasefire’s Fate

Yemen’s Houthi movement announced a pause in Red Sea and anti-Israel attacks but warned combat would resume if the Gaza ceasefire collapses. In a letter to Hamas, new military chief Yusuf Hassan al‑Madani confirmed the naval blockade’s lifting while signaling readiness to renew hostilities if Israeli operations restart.

Espionage tensions escalate between Iran and Israel

Israel prosecuted suspected Iranian operatives, including a 27-year-old who allegedly filmed Tel Aviv locations for cryptocurrency payments. 

==========

★ Disclaimer: This publication is a digest of various news sources compiled by the Early Phoenix team and edited by Rania Kisar. The items are curated, concise summaries of news items hyperlinked within each story. The items and summaries presented do not necessarily represent the views of the American Center for Levant Studies.