Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-03-20 at 13:02

HEADLINES- Iran declares resilience amid missiles near Jerusalem- US beefs up Marines in Middle East- DoJ sues Harvard over antisemitismThe time is now 1:02 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.In Direct Israel-Iran Clashes, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei used a Nowruz address to urge Iranian media to refrain from dwelling on weaknesses and to emphasize resilience. He designated the new year as the "Resistance Economy under National Unity and National Security" and mourned the regime's martyrs. He reiterated that Tehran was not involved in recent what he called false-flag attacks attributed to Iran on Turkey and Oman, calling such claims a Zionist tactic intended to sow discord with Iran's neighbors. He also described three ongoing military and security wars Iran faces, noting casualties among top commanders and scientists in the broader conflict with Israel. Separately, reports indicate Iranian ballistic missiles landed near Jerusalem's Temple Mount, underscoring the expanding reach of hostilities. A second report described a missile impact near the Western Wall and Temple Mount, highlighting the vulnerability of sacred sites amid the conflict.In Iranian Retaliation, Iran's Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani praised Tehran's "resistance front" and its regional allies for fighting the US and Israel in the current conflict, in his first statement since Israel's killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on February 28 at the start of the US-Israeli campaign against Iran. The publication notes this as his first public remark since that incident. In a separate development reported in Hebrew, hours after a notable incident in a city, an unexploded Iranian mortar device weighing about 2.5 kilograms was found in the streets, with bomb squads securing the area and investigators evaluating the device amid broader regional security chatter. Another Hebrew briefing references a new message from Khamenei marking Nowruz and addressing regional tensions, including signals aimed at Turkey, described in the context of the ongoing conflict and allied maneuvers around Hormuz and other flashpoints.US Military Role, The United States is deploying thousands of additional Marines and sailors to the Middle East as the US-Israel campaign against Iran intensifies. Three US officials told Reuters the move would bolster the region’s capacity for future operations, with the USS Boxer and its Marine Expeditionary Unit among the forces dispatched. Officials cautioned there has been no decision to send troops into Iran itself, and the plan would add to the roughly 50,000 American troops already in the area. The administration has been pressed for clarity on troop movements, with President Trump telling reporters he is not deploying forces “anywhere,” and noting he would not disclose such actions to journalists if he chose to do so.Regional Impacts, The region is viewed through a strategic lens as Azerbaijan emerges as a pivotal actor, with an opinion outlining the so-called “Azerbaijani Way.” The piece argues Baku has become a stabilizing pivot for regional energy routes and trade, capable of maintaining dialogue with rivals while strengthening alliances, aided by its geography that borders both Russia and Iran. In Jerusalem, footage circulated by Palestinian outlets purportedly shows a moment of a fall in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City, underscoring the fragility of security in contested areas. In diplomatic signaling, Tehran is described as pursuing predictable steps to reassure Ankara in Turkey as part of broader regional calculations. NATO, meanwhile, has scaled back and temporarily suspended elements of its mission in Iraq, with the operation not formally ended; evacuations are being carried out in phases, including Spain relocating about 100 troops to Turkey as a precaution while conditions in Iraq deteriorate. At Incirlik Air Base in Turkey, air raid sirens were activated amid an incoming Iranian missile threat.US Policy Concerning Israel, Washington reportedly rejected Moscow’s proposal to halt intelligence sharing with Ukraine in exchange for ending cooperation with Kyiv, a plan described by Politico as a Russian offer turned down by the United States. Separately, President Trump characterized NATO as a paper tiger without the United States, underscoring his position on alliance commitments and the US role in European security.Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, Czech investigators are probing an overnight fire at an industrial complex in Pardubice, about 75 miles east of Prague, amid media reports that a protest group opposing Israeli weapons claimed responsibility for the blaze at a site linked to Israeli drone work; authorities are examining whether the incident was deliberate. In a separate federal action, the US Department of Justice has sued Harvard University, alleging the school remains deliberately indifferent to hostility toward Jewish and Israeli students and has not consistently enforced campus rules when those students are targeted; the department seeks billions in relief to address the alleged discrimination, and Harvard has said it is addressing antisemitism through policy updates and training.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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