Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-03-18 at 17:02

HEADLINESIsrael US raid on South Pars escalatesQatar expels Iranians after Ras Laffan attackIsrael absorbs 60,000 wartime immigrantsThe time is now 5:02 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.In Operation Lion's Roar, Israel says it struck Iran’s South Pars gas field in a coordinated move with the United States amid Hormuz tensions, underscoring the field’s status as the world’s largest natural gas resource shared by Iran and Qatar. Explosions were reported at Bandar Anzali on the Caspian Sea coast as the Israeli Air Force carried out strikes targeting Iranian Navy vessels, and Israel later announced that its air force, acting on navy and IDF intelligence, began striking targets in northern Iran for the first time in the operation. The Israeli Defence Forces, in another development tied to the same campaign, said it had for the first time this operation targeted sites in northern Iran.In Direct Israel-Iran Clashes, damage was caused to a home in a southern Israeli community by a cluster munition from an Iranian ballistic missile, with rescue services reporting no injuries. Sirens sounded in southern Israel as a missile attack from Iran was launched, with damage reported to a home.In Regional Impacts, Palestinian reports say four to six people were killed in the southern Hebron Hills from Iranian missile fire. Other reports describe damage to a building in the Lachish region in the latest strike. A Chinese satellite image from Mizar Vision shows damage to Qatar’s Ras Laffan energy facilities following the Iranian attack. Qatar’s Foreign Ministry has declared all Iranians working in the military and security attachés offices in Doha as persona non grata, ordering them to leave Qatar within 24 hours, in the wake of tonight’s Iranian missile attack against Ras Laffan Industrial City.In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, a post on Telegram raises questions about whether Iran’s Revolutionary Guards arranged the elimination of a figure named Arijani, presenting it as a claim tied to the broader conflict.In Israeli Domestic Politics, President Isaac Herzog visited the Jerusalem absorption center Ulpan Etzion, where officials said more than 60,000 new immigrants have arrived in Israel since October 7, 2023. Herzog described wartime immigration as a sign of faith and the deep bond between the Jewish people and their state, commending staff for their dedication. Separately, a KAN report said several IDF soldiers refused to report to posts due to a lack of bomb shelters, describing ongoing gaps in protective arrangements at bases. On the political front, experts say the timing of the next elections could be influenced by wartime results, with the possibility of moving up the date from the current plan at the end of October. A post titled “Netanyahu Rumor = Fake News” also circulated, suggesting a rumor about the prime minister was not accurate.In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, the Orthodox Yeshiva World News site was hacked in what appeared to be an Iranian cyberattack, briefly displaying Farsi messages and imagery before service resumed. The incident comes amid a broader DHS warning about Iranian-aligned hacktivists targeting US networks. Also, authorities released a photo of Michigan synagogue attacker Ayman Mohamad Ghazali showing him holding what investigators believe is the weapon used in the attack.In Uplifting News, So true.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/israel-strikes-irans-south-pars-gas-field-in-coordinated-move-with-us-over-hormuz-tensions/https://t.me/selena_updates/58859https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1298203https://t.me/JewishNews24/51507https://t.me/selena_updates/58857https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1298205https://t.me/newssil/195892https://t.me/newssil/195891https://t.me/abualiexpress/118043https://t.me/JewishNews24/51505https://t.me/JewishNews24/51506https://t.me/newssil/195890https://t.me/newssil/195889https://t.me/beholdisraelchannel/73137https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1298199https://t.me/newssil/195888https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-890468https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-890441https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-890463https://t.me/beholdisraelchannel/73136https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-890462https://t.me/JewishNews24/51508https://t.me/beholdisraelchannel/73134