Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-03-18 at 04:02

HEADLINES- Iran Leadership Unshaken After Larijani Killing- Iran Strikes Ramat Gan, Two Dead- IDF Strikes Hezbollah Gas Stations in LebanonThe time is now 4:02 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.In Direct Israel-Iran Clashes, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran’s political system remains intact despite the assassination of senior official Ali Larijani, stressing that the presence or absence of a single individual does not affect this structure. He argued that leadership changes would not disrupt governance and that replacements are provided promptly even after leaders are targeted. Araghchi warned that officials could again be targeted in the fighting, noting that political figures, civilians, scientists, and university professors have all been targeted. He referenced attacks on 53 hospitals as well as schools and residential areas, and he said Iran did not start this war, describing it as an American action.In Iranian Retaliation, Iran launched a missile strike in Ramat Gan in central Israel, with a cluster munition attack that caused widespread damage across residential areas. The attack left two Israelis dead and five wounded.In Regional Impacts, reporting from sources aligned with Hezbollah describes Israeli forces striking Alamana fuel stations in southern Lebanon villages to hinder vehicle movement in the area. In Israel, a 71-year-old man lost consciousness while going to a shelter after an early warning in Rishon LeZion and was in critical condition, with medics performing CPR before transporting him to Shamir-Assaf Harofeh hospital. Alarms were activated in the Gush Dan and Shfela regions as updates continued to come in. Additional notes referenced ongoing nighttime incidents, including a fatality in the Tel Aviv area and other casualty updates, alongside summaries of the shifting threat landscape as sirens and alerts persisted.In The Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, the IDF said that despite Iran’s deadly overnight ballistic missile attack, it had reduced Hezbollah’s ability to stage a larger rocket assault, with Hezbollah allegedly planning about 100 launches yesterday but managing only around 40. The force is described as dispersing launchers across a long line of locations, making them harder to detect, with estimates indicating Hezbollah still possesses thousands of short-range rockets. Last night the IDF struck dozens of gas stations in Lebanon used by Hezbollah. Analyses describe Hezbollah’s new tactics as dispersing remaining short-range rockets across wide areas and operating the Radwan unit in small cells, limiting large-scale barrages while increasing operational stealth. Reports also reference direct eliminations in Sidon and multiple Beirut targets within the past several hours, with the names of the alleged winners to be published soon.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://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-890337https://worldisraelnews.com/iranian-missile-strike-in-ramat-gan-kills-2-wounds-5/https://t.me/abualiexpress/117950https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1297858https://t.me/beholdisraelchannel/73031https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-890342https://www.ynetnews.com/article/sjxvprdc11xhttps://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1297859https://t.me/beholdisraelchannel/73051https://t.me/newssil/195780https://t.me/beholdisraelchannel/73047https://t.me/beholdisraelchannel/73046