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

HEADLINES
- Tehran Bombarded as Direct Israel-Iran Clashes Escalate
- Iranian Drone Pounds US Radar in Qatar
- Hormuz Strait On Wartime Footing Oil Rises

The time is now 8:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Direct Israel-Iran Clashes, Tehran is under intense bombardment. The capital is reported to be enduring heavy bombardment as the conflict intensifies.

In Iranian Retaliation, Democrat Sen. Andy Kim told Roll Call after a closed-door briefing to lawmakers that officials said the US death toll is expected to rise, and that some of those deaths could stem from Iran’s targeting of embassies, with briefers noting casualties may include people beyond servicemembers. Satellite imagery from Planet Labs has now confirmed claims that an Iranian one-way attack drone or other projectile was able to strike and significantly damage the US Space Force’s AN/FPS-132 (Block 5) Ballistic Missile Early Warning Radar System in Qatar.

In US Military Role, CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper outlined a force posture that includes more than 50,000 troops, about 200 fighter jets, two aircraft carriers, and bomber aircraft including B-2, B-1, and B-52. He noted that to date more than 2,000 targets have been struck with more than 2,000 munitions in joint US-Israeli strikes, with hundreds of Iranian missiles and drones destroyed; B-1 and B-2 bombers conducted surgical strikes inside Iran and B-52s hit C2 nodes and ballistic missile posts. The update also cited the sinking of 17 Iranian ships, including Iran’s most advanced submarine, and that remaining mobile ballistic missile launchers are being tracked. Iran has launched more than 500 ballistic missiles and over 2,000 drones in response, with indications of indiscriminate targeting of civilian infrastructure. Naval operations describe two carrier strike groups hemming in Iranian forces from the sea, while air operations include high-volume strikes in Iran alongside the Israeli Air Force. In a separate note, a Kuwaiti F/A-18 Hornet was identified as the cause of the accidental shootdown of three US F-15Es in Kuwait, after initial reports pointed to a Kuwaiti Patriot battery; an F/A-18 fired three missiles, and all three aircraft were hit but the pilots ejected safely. Admiral Cooper also provided a full update on Operation Epic Fury, the ongoing strike campaign against Iran, and pilots faced a busy day in the skies.

In Regional Impacts, regional crisis developments include Iran’s Revolutionary Guards announcing that more than 10 oil tankers ignoring warnings were struck by missiles, and the Hormuz Strait being placed on a wartime footing with passage for oil tankers, merchant ships, and fishing boats described as not possible. The Hormuz area is said to be under Iranian naval control, with a sharp rise in oil prices and warnings from energy experts that a three-week continuation could threaten global economies. Reports also note continuing alarms along Israel’s northern front with Hezbollah activity toward the north and recurring air-raid alerts. An American official has indicated that the war is progressing and that Trump has a new naval plan on the table, while live coverage was interrupted as two foreign reporters were briefly detained near the central complex.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, Lebanon’s Jamaa Islamiya, the Islamic Group, says its Sidon headquarters were targeted by Israeli strikes. The group notes it was founded in 1964, has links to the Muslim Brotherhood, and has worked with Hezbollah, though it is Sunni and Hezbollah is Shi’ite. Pro-Iranian sources reported the destruction of the Sidon center, with the group saying the attack came from warplanes and evacuated beforehand; they framed the strike as divine providence preventing loss of life. In Iraq, powerful strikes targeted pro-Iranian militias Al-Hashd Al-Shaabi and Hezbollah Iraq.

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.

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