Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-03-06 at 14:02

HEADLINESIranian officers abandon posts as leadership collapsesIran missiles target Kuwait UAE and IsraelUS moves thousands out of Middle EastThe time is now 2:02 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.In Operation Lion's Roar, Iranian officers abandon posts amid US and Israeli strikes, according to Iran International, with commanders fleeing after the death of former supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and conscripts left without adequate support; soldiers report confusion about command structure and deteriorating security, with some troops spending nights outside the base for fear of airstrikes and leadership not addressing the needs of regular troops. The report follows a campaign described by the United States and Israel as escalating. A separate item accompanying the report shows footage of the Israeli Air Force on its way to strike targets in Iran.In Direct Israel-Iran Clashes, red alert sirens were heard across central Israel as Iran continued to fire missiles at Israel. Reports tied missiles to targets including a US base and the Ali Al Salem base in Kuwait and the UAE’s Al Dhafra base, with a cruise missile intercepted east of Al Kharj in Saudi Arabia. On the Lebanon front, five fighters were reported seriously wounded near the Lebanon border. The Israeli military said it struck an Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps headquarters in Beirut that served the IRGC air force, along with three Hezbollah sites used by the group's naval force, executive council, and financial division. Lebanese footage also showed an Israeli airstrike destroying a multi-story building in Beirut's southern suburbs; the IDF says it has hit more than 500 targets across Lebanon since Hezbollah attacked Israel on Monday, including 170 rocket launchers, and more than 100 targets today alone, including a number in Beirut's southern suburbs.In Iranian Retaliation, sirens sounded across central Israel amid a missile attack from Iran, with Tel Aviv reportedly spared this time.In US Military Role, at least seven KC-135R Stratotankers with the US Air Force are returning to air bases in Israel after supporting fighter operations today, possibly by F-22 Raptors, over the Persian Gulf.In Regional Impacts, air raid sirens sounded across central Israel in cities including Tel Aviv, Petah Tikva, Ramat Gan, Givatayim, Herzliya, Bnei Brak, Holon, Bat Yam, Rishon LeZion, Raanana, Kfar Saba and Rehovot, as well as communities in the West Bank.In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, Iran conducted a new wave of strikes targeting Middle East bases, including missiles aimed at bases in Kuwait and the UAE, as well as toward a US base and the Ali Al Salem base in Kuwait, and at UAE’s Al Dhafra Air Base. Iranian missiles were also aimed at Kurdish armed groups in Iraq’s Kurdistan region. Saudi Arabia said a cruise missile was intercepted east of Al Kharj. Bahrain’s Interior Ministry reported attacks, saying a hotel and two residential buildings in Manama were hit by Iranian missiles early in the day, according to Iran International. A joint statement by the United States, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE condemned the strikes. In Beirut, the Israeli military said it struck IRGC headquarters and Hezbollah facilities in waves of airstrikes, and Lebanese footage showed a multi-story building destroyed in Beirut’s southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold.In US Policy Concerning Israel, President Trump said the United States is quietly moving thousands of people out of various Middle Eastern countries amid the military conflict and asserted there would be no deal with Iran, only unconditional surrender, touting Operation Epic Fury and the cooperation with “wonderful Israeli partners” to destroy Iran’s drone and missile capabilities. He noted Kurdish fighters had begun ground activity inside Iran near the Iraqi border, potentially opening an additional front, while Russia was said to be aiding Iran. White House officials said the Iran war could end in four to six weeks and that the United States is close to controlling Iranian airspace with enough weapons for the campaign, while evaluating potential leadership for the country after the conflict. A separate White House statement said the aims of the operation could be achieved in four to five weeks. An internal State Department cable described US efforts to prevent repatriations of Iranian crew and survivors from a sunk Iranian warship, with Sri Lanka offloading crew from a second Iranian vessel in its custody. The reporting underscores the widening geographic scope of the conflict and ongoing post-conflict planning.In Israeli Economy and Business, Israeli outbound flights are set to resume early Sunday, limited to 70 passengers per plane, with a maximum of two narrow-body aircraft departing per hour from Ben Gurion Airport, as repatriation flights are approved and inbound flights gradually reopen to help thousands of Israelis stranded abroad since the airspace closure began.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. 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