Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-03-23 at 09:02

HEADLINESHezbollah fires renewed missiles on Israel borderTrump pauses strikes on Iranian power plantsEU weighs Iran war gas supply riskThe time is now 9:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.In Regional Impacts, the European Union's gas coordination group will meet on Thursday to assess the impact of the Iran war on Europe's gas supplies, a European Commission spokesperson told Reuters on Monday. The EU's gas coordination group includes representatives from member state governments, it monitors gas storage and security of supply in the EU, and it coordinates response measures during crises. Last week, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said she had spoken with United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres about freeing up transport of oil and gas through the Strait of Hormuz by replicating the deal that moves grain out of Ukraine during wartime.In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, residents along Israel's northern border face renewed missile attacks from Hezbollah, described as the long arm of Iran, renewing fear after a period of evacuations and a cautious return to daily life. Moshe Davidovich, head of the Mateh Asher Regional Council, said life in the border region has returned to alarms and uncertainty, with a heavy psychological toll as threats persist. In the Red Sea region, Saudi officials are working to keep Yemen’s Houthis out of the current war, with a US official saying preventing Houthi involvement is critical to avoid further disruption of energy shipments through the Red Sea, a major alternative route to Gulf shipping. If the Houthis join the conflict, observers say it would raise the stakes by drawing in more regional powers. The ultra-Orthodox Hashmonaim Brigade of the IDF carried out its first missions in Lebanon over the past week, including targeted raids in southern Lebanon as part of a forward defense. Brigade commanders said the unit will continue to operate bravely in any sector where needed while maintaining the ultra-Orthodox lifestyle of its fighters. Separately, the IDF said troops from the Givati Brigade located an anti-tank missile launcher and several weapons in southern Lebanon on Saturday as part of ongoing actions against Hezbollah.In the US Policy Concerning Israel, President Donald Trump said the United States and Iran have had very good and productive discussions over the last two days about a permanent end to the war, and he instructed the Department of Defense to postpone planned military strikes on Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for five days, subject to the progress of ongoing meetings. He noted the discussions were in depth, detailed, and constructive. An Iranian source denied direct contact. Israeli officials said they were not surprised and would go along with the Trump announcement, pointing to intensive contacts between Washington and Tehran, both directly and through mediation by Qatar and Turkey, aimed at reaching a deal. FOX reported renewed talks between the US and Iran occurred in the presence of Jared Kushner and Vitkoff. Some observers suggest the pivot could signal an American step back from the conflict, potentially leaving Israel to decide whether to continue striking on its own, while others caution that it is too early to judge the full implications.In Israeli Domestic Politics, the Knesset Finance Committee approved Israel’s 2026 state budget ahead of final second and third readings in the plenum on Thursday, following late-night committee debate. If the budget fails to clear all readings, the Knesset would dissolve and elections would be triggered. The budget sets an expenditure cap around 699 billion shekels, with the Defense Ministry budget about 142 billion; defense spending is up by more than 30 billion due to the ongoing war. Education is planned near 97 billion, National Insurance about 64 billion, and Health around 63 billion, within an overall government spending framework of roughly 850.59 billion for 2026.In Uplifting News, Pope Leo spoke out against aerial military strikes, saying they are indiscriminate and should be banned, in comments seen as part of his broader call for a ceasefire in the Iran war. He asserted that no one should fear death and destruction from the sky and noted that aerial bombings should have been banned long ago, calling the current situation a regression rather than progress.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/international/article-890908https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-890918https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-890906https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-890879https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-890907https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/03/23/trump-iran-negotiations-hormuz-ultimatum-israel/https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1300143https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1300140https://www.ynetnews.com/article/byzd13c9zghttps://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-890915https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2026/03/pope-leo-says-aerial-military-strikes-should-be-banned