EPISODE · Mar 16, 2026 · 4 MIN
Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-03-16 at 18:02
from Israel Today: Ongoing War Report · host Noa Levi
HEADLINESIsrael widens war with strikes on IranAl-Askari death hits Iran proxy networkUS Iran backchannel talks denied by TehranThe time is now 6:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.In Direct Israel-Iran Clashes, President Trump said that Israel would never use nuclear weapons against Iran in response to an adviser’s warning that the United States should avoid getting pulled into a conflict that could push Israel toward such a move. Separately, Israel signaled it has carried out strikes against a base perceived to have hit Gulf states, saying it bombed the base that hit you the most and signaling its intent to protect regional interests. Israeli officials also cautioned that the war could extend across two fronts, with some estimates indicating fighting might continue for weeks and possibly into May, as the air force targeted multiple sites in Iran, including Tehran, Shiraz, and Tabriz. In the same vein, Israeli military intelligence described cracks in Iran’s resolve, saying the regime’s command-and-control networks, along with security and suppression machinery such as the Basij, have been hit, with thousands of regime commanders and fighters affected. Reports from the same period also noted a direct attack on a house in Nahariya leaving eight people injured, one of them moderately.In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, Israeli authorities cited a clear link between Tehran’s war effort and its proxies, saying Iran remains the central arena and that weakening the regime would diminish Hezbollah’s capabilities and the broader Iranian-backed network. The assessment frames the fight as interconnected, with pushes against Iran expected to ripple through allied groups. Separately, Abu Ali al-Askari, a senior commander in the Iran-backed Hezbollah Brigades in Iraq, was killed in what sources described as an airstrike; Elizabeth Tsurkov, a former captive, has said he was personally involved in holding her and spreading false claims about her. In addition, Kataib Hezbollah confirmed al-Askari’s death but did not specify the cause, and noted a leadership change with Abu Mujahid al-Assaf taking the spokesperson role. Following the announcement, rockets were fired toward the US Embassy in Baghdad and drones were directed at the Green Zone, underscoring ongoing volatility around Iraqi fronts tied to Iran’s regional network.In US Policy Concerning Israel, Iran’s foreign minister denied any recent direct contact with the US envoy, disputing reports that a back-channel had been reactivated. Iran’s Abbas Araghchi posted that his last contact with the US envoy occurred before the war began and rejected suggestions of renewed direct talks, calling such claims misleading. By contrast, Axios had cited US officials and others saying a direct line between the US and Iran had been reestablished in recent days, though it remained unclear how substantive any messages had been. Iranian officials emphasized they were not engaging on the matter, while US officials indicated publicly that Washington was not pursuing direct dialogue with Tehran at this time.In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, a new UK-wide poll from the Union of Jewish Students found that one in five UK university students would not be open to sharing a flat with a Jewish roommate. The Time for Change report also noted that 23% of respondents had witnessed behavior targeted at Jewish students because of religion or ethnicity, and 26% said friendships with Jewish peers had become more distant or strained, rising to 36% at Russell Group institutions. The findings include an Exeter University case in which a student faced hostility at a party over being seen as a Zionist, illustrating the challenges Jewish students report on campus.In Uplifting News, an aviation-sector update highlights a claim of a significant achievement for the air force, stating that a command post directing operations against Israel was destroyed and that thousands were killed in the strike. The report portrays this as a major tactical success in disrupting enemy command-and-control capabilities, underscoring ongoing efforts to degrade opposing leadership structures.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. Find the code and more details in the podcast description.SOURCEShttps://worldisraelnews.com/trump-said-israel-would-never-use-nuclear-weapons-against-iran/https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1297265https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1297264https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1297261https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1297263https://www.ynetnews.com/article/r1ia11giqzehttps://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-890170https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-890175https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-890177https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1297262
What this episode covers
HEADLINESIsrael widens war with strikes on IranAl-Askari death hits Iran proxy networkUS Iran backchannel talks denied by TehranThe time is now 6:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.In Direct Israel-Iran Clashes, President Trump said that Israel would never use nuclear weapons against Iran in response to an adviser’s warning that the United States should avoid getting pulled into a conflict that could push Israel toward such a move. Separately, Israel signaled it has carried out strikes against a base perceived to have hit Gulf states, saying it bombed the base that hit you the most and signaling its intent to protect regional interests. Israeli officials also cautioned that the war could extend across two fronts, with some estimates indicating fighting might continue for weeks and possibly into May, as the air force targeted multiple sites in Iran, including Tehran, Shiraz, and Tabriz. In the same vein, Israeli military intelligence described cracks in Iran’s resolve, saying the regime’s command-and-control networks, along with security and suppression machinery such as the Basij, have been hit, with thousands of regime commanders and fighters affected. Reports from the same period also noted a direct attack on a house in Nahariya leaving eight people injured, one of them moderately.In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, Israeli authorities cited a clear link between Tehran’s war effort and its proxies, saying Iran remains the central arena and that weakening the regime would diminish Hezbollah’s capabilities and the broader Iranian-backed network. The assessment frames the fight as interconnected, with pushes against Iran expected to ripple through allied groups. Separately, Abu Ali al-Askari, a senior commander in the Iran-backed Hezbollah Brigades in Iraq, was killed in what sources described as an airstrike; Elizabeth Tsurkov, a former captive, has said he was personally involved in holding her and spreading false claims about her. In addition, Kataib Hezbollah confirmed al-Askari’s death but did not specify the cause, and noted a leadership change with Abu Mujahid al-Assaf taking the spokesperson role. Following the announcement, rockets were fired toward the US Embassy in Baghdad and drones were directed at the Green Zone, underscoring ongoing volatility around Iraqi fronts tied to Iran’s regional network.In US Policy Concerning Israel, Iran’s foreign minister denied any recent direct contact with the US envoy, disputing reports that a back-channel had been reactivated. Iran’s Abbas Araghchi posted that his last contact with the US envoy occurred before the war began and rejected suggestions of renewed direct talks, calling such claims misleading. By contrast, Axios had cited US officials and others saying a direct line between the US and Iran had been reestablished in recent days, though it remained unclear how substantive any messages had been. Iranian officials emphasized they were not engaging on the matter, while US officials indicated publicly that Washington was not pursuing direct dialogue with Tehran at this time.In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, a new UK-wide poll from the Union of Jewish Students found that one in five UK university students would not be open to sharing a flat with a Jewish roommate. The Time for Change report also noted that 23% of respondents had witnessed behavior targeted at Jewish students because of religion or ethnicity, and 26% said friendships with Jewish peers had become more distant or strained, rising to 36% at Russell Group institutions. The findings include an Exeter University case in which a student faced hostility at a party over being seen as a Zionist, illustrating the challenges Jewish students report on campus.In Uplifting News, an aviation-sector update highlights a claim of a significant achievement for the...
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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-03-16 at 18:02
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