Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-03-30 at 16:04

HEADLINES
Israel strikes Tehran infrastructure stoking global fears
Hezbollah mobilizes 1000 Radwan toward Israel
Houthis threaten Bab al Mandab Strait closure

The time is now 4:04 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Operation Lion's Roar, the Israeli Defense Forces completed a broad wave of strikes on Iranian regime infrastructure in central Tehran.

In Regional Impacts, a natural gas pipeline was blown up on the outskirts of Quetta in southern Pakistan, an official said, suspending gas supply to several parts of the city and at least five more districts. An 18-inch-diameter main gas supply pipeline was damaged by unknown assailants, and engineers were working to repair the line.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, defense sources said Hezbollah and Iran seriously weighed preemptive strikes on Israel prior to the current war, with Hezbollah even ordering 1,000 Radwan special forces to head south toward Israel and IDF forces. They indicated Hezbollah was unhappy with the level of Israeli strikes since the fall 2024 ceasefire and suggested possible ground incursions alongside rocket fire, though it remained unclear whether an invasion would occur. Israel plans to keep “effective control” of southern Lebanon after the war, using sensors, surveillance, aerial power, artillery, and tanks mixed with ground troops to prevent Hezbollah from reestablishing a foothold, while avoiding a heavy permanent deployment throughout the area and without plans for new permanent bases. The Houthis’ missile strike on Israel is described as a strategic signal; if the conflict widens, they could threaten to close the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The United States is deploying additional forces as Israel targets strategic assets, all aimed at pressuring Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has escalatory strikes against US positions in the Gulf, and Tehran appears to be bringing the Houthis into the conflict to broaden the battlefield and threaten the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The Houthis are said to have exercised strategic restraint so far, likely coordinated with Tehran, and there are references to Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps personnel tied to the broader effort.

In the US Policy Concerning Israel, defense sources said ending the IDF's war on Iran may hinge on decisions by US President Donald Trump on the Straits of Hormuz and the 60% enriched uranium potentially usable for nuclear weapons, which the Islamic Republic still possesses; without those US actions, Jerusalem might end its part in the conflict. They cautioned that Iran may not accept a deal being offered by Trump, and if not, Trump would decide how to address the Hormuz crisis, including the possibility of using ground forces to open the Straits and moving to pressure Iran further, such as potentially taking Kharg Island. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said Trump is interested in asking Arab states to help pay for the Iran war and that talks with Iran continue and are progressing, with Tehran privately agreeing to some points even as public statements differ, and that Tehran’s private messaging will be tested. Trump told the New York Post that a US response to Iran’s attacks on Israel’s refinery in Haifa and on a Kuwait water and power facility would come soon, suggesting a one-week deadline for a deal and noting questions about Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei’s health. Israel is assisting the United States with intelligence on the Strait of Hormuz crisis, with a senior defense official stating that Israeli intelligence is helping the US focus on the strategic waterway.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, the opposition mistakenly voted in favor of amendments to the 2026 state budget that would add hundreds of millions of shekels to haredi institutions, a move that was halted and deemed unlawful by the attorney-general. The Degel HaTorah faction leader insisted the budget was approved lawfully and properly by an unprecedented majority. Settler violence tied to the Iran war has surged, with NGO Yesh Din reporting an average of about ten incidents per day since Operation Roaring Lion began, totaling more than 250, and a week after Yehuda Sherman’s death, violence spiked with several riots and the killing of eight Palestinians by settlers, none of whom were arrested. Diaspora Jews urged President Isaac Herzog to intervene, a move supported by The London Initiative. Netanyahu also ordered the Church of the Holy Sepulchre opened after a Palm Sunday closure, with President Herzog subsequently calling Pizzaballa to reaffirm commitment to religious freedom.

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.

SOURCES
https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1303299
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-891706
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-891694
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-891690
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-891660
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-891707
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-891703
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-891699
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/b1rp2suobl
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-891704
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-891695
https://worldisraelnews.com/netanyahu-orders-church-of-the-holy-sepulchre-open-after-palm-sunday-closure-flares-tensions/