Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-03-19 at 00:02

HEADLINESTrump says Israel struck Iran's South ParsIsrael Faces Iran Attacks Hezbollah StrikesSaudi Warns Iran Hormuz at RiskThe time is now 12:02 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.In Operation Lion's Roar, President Donald Trump said early Thursday that the attack on Iran's South Pars gas field was carried out by Israel, and that the United States and Qatar were not involved, adding that the United States knew nothing about the strike. The South Pars field, the world’s largest natural gas reserve, is jointly operated by Iran and Qatar. Trump wrote that “Israel, out of anger for what has taken place in the Middle East, has violently lashed out at a major facility...in Iran,” and that Qatar “was in no way involved.” The Wall Street Journal had reported that Trump did not want any further strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure after Israel's attack, and that Trump supported the strike as a message to Tehran and could back more Iranian energy facilities depending on Tehran's actions in the Strait of Hormuz. Israel has not publicly claimed responsibility for the South Pars attack, and Tehran has said Israel struck facilities in South Pars, prompting threats to hit oil and gas targets in response. The reports cited US officials. The Reuters report noted Trump said Israel would refrain from future attacks on Iranian facilities in South Pars unless Iran attacked Qatar, and that the United States would retaliate if Iran acted against Doha.In Direct Israel-Iran Clashes, alarms sounded across northern Israel after launches from Iran toward the north, with sirens reported in the Emek, the Lower Galilee, the southern Golan and other parts of the Galilee region. A man in his 30s was killed by shrapnel in the southern Sharon area, and at least three women were reported killed in Hebron; a 40-year-old woman was killed in Lod; a missile hit a home in the moshav Neta, causing extensive damage. Hezbollah reportedly deployed heavy artillery and fired missiles toward the south for the first time. Israel's defense systems were active as multiple launches were identified, including a third launch within an hour. There were further alerts issued for the north Golan, the Upper Galilee and surrounding areas. A missile fell in an open area with no casualties.In Regional Impacts, Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud warned that Riyadh reserves the right to act militarily against Iran and that trust with Tehran has been shattered, following Iranian missile strikes against neighboring states. He said both political and non-political responses are possible, and urged collective action to protect freedom of navigation, referencing Iran’s anti-ship missile sites along the Strait of Hormuz. He pressed Iran to curb its proxies and described the latest round of Iranian missiles as a direct challenge to regional stability.In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, alarms in Avivim in the Galilee region followed rocket fire from Lebanon, underscoring the spillover of the Israel-Iran confrontation. Hezbollah reportedly fired heavy artillery and missiles toward southern Israel for the first time, marking a significant escalation. Iran is said to have believed it had seen everything from the Israeli Air Force, but tonight its leadership was said to be stunned by the actions and responses from the region.In Israeli Domestic Politics, the Home Front Command said the incident ended in the declared northern zones, including north Golan, south Golan, the frontline, the valleys, upper Galilee, central Galilee, lower Galilee, the Bay, and the Carmel. The update noted that, at this stage, there were no calls to the Magen David Adom emergency number 101, with a plan to issue updates as needed.In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, New York City synagogues are boosting security as a Department of Homeland Security shutdown stalls federal funding. A new Short-Term Security Guard Reimbursement Program is helping Jewish institutions hire additional guards for a four-week period, funded through the Community Security Initiative, the UJA-Federation of New York and key donors. The program aims to support congregations that have one or no guards and wish to add one or two for a limited period amid what security officials describe as a heightened threat environment.In Uplifting News, they sit side by side: Ex-husband, ex-wife and new partner share one safe room. Eight years after their divorce, Tali and Shai Shemesh still live near each other in Ra’anana and move between safe rooms with their new partner, Sharon Dagan, demonstrating to their children that families can endure separation without bitterness.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-890486https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2026/03/trump-says-israel-attacked-iran-gas-field-without-us-and-qatari-involvement-warnshttps://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1298279https://t.me/beholdisraelchannel/73150https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1298277https://t.me/beholdisraelchannel/73148https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1298274https://t.me/beholdisraelchannel/73145https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1298273https://t.me/beholdisraelchannel/73138https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-890485https://t.me/beholdisraelchannel/73151https://t.me/beholdisraelchannel/73147https://t.me/beholdisraelchannel/73146https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1298278https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1298276https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1298275https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-890484https://www.ynetnews.com/magazine/article/hynhblkc11l