Israeli journalist Nitzan Shpir reported on Telegram during the 7:17 PM to 7:46 PM UTC window on January 17, 2026, that loud explosions and artillery noises are expected in the coming hours in southern Israel, particularly in the Otef area, following IDF activity in the south of the Gaza Strip. Shpir's update, posted in the past 29 minutes, anticipates the sounds will be audible across the south of the country as a result of the ongoing military operations. In a separate development from Lebanon, Hezbollah leader Naïm Kassem called to either replace or impose silence on Lebanese Foreign Minister Joe Raggi, according to a video posted by L'Orient Le Jour on X during the same window.
