Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Military reporter Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

As of this morning, Lebanese residents are still prohibited from moving south to a line of villages and their surroundings until further notice. We talk about what Israeli soldiers are currently doing in Lebanon to enforce the fragile ceasefire.

A series of Israeli strikes on border crossings between Lebanon and Syria just before a ceasefire with Hezbollah took effect Wednesday morning were intended to set back the terror group’s smuggling efforts, while driving home as a stark warning to Damascus that Israel will take severe action to prevent attempts to rearm Hezbollah with Iranian weapons via Syrian territory. Fabian discusses the large-scale smuggling efforts.

The IDF published a summary of its activities against Hezbollah in the past 14 months, including the capture of some 12,000 explosive devices and drones; 13,000 rockets, launchers, and anti-tank and anti-aircraft missile systems; and 121,000 pieces of communications equipment and computers. How degraded is Hezbollah as a fighting force?

The Shin Bet recently foiled an attempt by Iran to smuggle large amounts of advanced weapons, including rockets, to terror operatives in the West Bank for use in attacks on Israeli targets, the security agency revealed Wednesday. Fabian updates us on this foiled attempt and how widespread such efforts may be.

According to a report in The New York Times, Hamas is displaying increased flexibility in long-stalled talks for an elusive ceasefire and hostage deal in the Gaza Strip, and may agree to the Israel Defense Forces temporarily remaining on the enclave’s border with Egypt. Fabian explains how strategic this position is, especially to prevent any rearmament of Hamas.

For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog.

Discussed articles include:

As fresh truce holds, IDF says over 12,500 Hezbollah targets hit in 14 months of war

PM threatens ‘intensive war’ if truce breached, as restrictions end in much of Israel

IDF strikes Hezbollah rocket depot, launch sites after identifying truce violations

Israel warns Syria of ‘direct price’ to pay if it helps Hezbollah rearm

Israel says it nabbed large trove of Iranian arms destined for West Bank attack

Increasingly flexible Hamas said open to temporary IDF presence at Gaza-Egypt border

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IMAGE: Displaced Lebanese returning to their homes inspect the damage in the southern Lebanese village of Tair Debba on November 28, 2024. (Mahmoud Zayyat / AFP)

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