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The Times of Israel liveblogged Sunday’s events as they unfolded.
IDF says it still has ‘thousands of targets’ left to hit in Iran
Israeli Air Force F-35I fighter jets head to carry out strikes in Iran, in a photo published by the military on March 15, 2026. (Israel Defense Forces)
The IDF says it still has thousands of targets to hit across Iran, with new ones identified every day, as the war enters its third week.
“We have a precise plan. We still have thousands of targets in Iran, and we are identifying new targets every day,” military spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin says in a televised briefing.
Trump, Starmer discuss ‘importance’ of reopening Strait of Hormuz
US President Donald Trump, left, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer look at each other as they shake hands during a press conference at Chequers near Aylesbury, England, September 18, 2025. (Leon Neal/Pool Photo via AP)
US President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer speak today about the “importance” of reopening the Strait of Hormuz, currently blocked by Iran, the UK leader’s office says.
“The leaders discussed the ongoing situation in the Middle East and the importance of reopening the Strait of Hormuz to end the disruption to global shipping, which is driving up costs worldwide,” a Downing Street spokeswoman says in a statement.
Yesterday, Trump urged other countries such as China, France, Japan, South Korea, and Britain to send warships to help the United States secure the strait.
Iran’s military is effectively blocking the crucial waterway in retaliation for US-Israeli strikes, aiming to damage the world economy and pressure Washington as oil prices soar.
Starmer also “expressed his condolences for the American service personnel who have lost their lives during the conflict,” the statement says.
Missile fragment damaged US consul residence in Jerusalem
A fragment of an Iranian missile struck a residential building used by the US consul in Jerusalem, although the US State Department says there were no injuries to US personnel.
A State Department spokesperson says in a statement that debris struck a residential area following the intercept of a missile.
“The United States strongly condemns Iran and Iran-backed terrorist militias’ attacks on diplomatic, military, and civilian infrastructure, in the region,” the spokesperson says.
תיעוד | רסיס מטיל איראני פגע בבניין מגוריו של קונסול ארה"ב בישראל https://t.co/8xGgXhqOSh | @inbartvizer pic.twitter.com/iIe9DUeYC5
— החדשות – N12 (@N12News) March 15, 2026
Israeli officials tell Reuters: Jerusalem and Beirut to hold talks in coming days
An Israeli self-propelled howitzer artillery gun fires rounds towards southern Lebanon from a position near the border on March 15, 2026. (Odd Andersen/AFP)
Israel and Lebanon are expected to hold talks in the coming days aimed at securing a durable ceasefire that will see Hezbollah disarmed, two Israeli officials say.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s confidante Ron Dermer is leading the talks for Israel, the Israeli officials say, and France is involved in the initiative.
Beirut is forming a delegation for talks but no date has been set. Lebanon needed clarity on whether Israel would abide by President Joseph Aoun’s first point — a demand for a full ceasefire to allow negotiations to take place, three Lebanese officials said yesterday.
Earlier today, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar denied that there were any planned talks between Israel and Lebanon on confronting Hezbollah.
Air Force hit more than 200 targets in western and central Iran in past day, says IDF
Israeli Air Force F-35I fighter jets head to carry out strikes in Iran, in a photo published by the military on March 15, 2026. (Israel Defense Forces)
The Israeli Air Force hit over 200 targets in western and central Iran in the past day, the military says.
According to the IDF, the targets included command centers that were manned by Iranian soldiers, air defense systems and weapon storage and production sites.
ביממה האחרונה: צה"ל תקף יותר מ-200 מטרות במערב ובמרכז איראן
צה"ל ממשיך לפגוע במערך הטילים הבליסטיים ובמערכות ההגנה של משטר הטרור האיראני במערב ובמרכז איראן.
במהלך היממה האחרונה, צה"ל תקף יותר מ-200 מטרות של משטר הטרור האיראני. בין המטרות, הותקפו מפקדות כשבתוכן פעלו חיילים של… pic.twitter.com/3T1Fk5BRHO
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) March 15, 2026
Iraq says 5 wounded in rocket attack on Baghdad airport
A rocket attack today on Baghdad International Airport, which houses a US diplomatic facility, wounded five people including security personnel, Iraqi authorities say.
“Five rockets targeted Baghdad International Airport and its surrounding area, injuring four airport employees and security personnel, and an engineer,” the security media cell says in a statement.
It adds that rockets “struck the airport and a water desalination plant,” while others crashed near a prison where Islamic State group suspects are detained and an Iraqi airbase base next to a US diplomatic facility.
12 arrested at Al-Quds Day rally, counterprotest in London, say police
Police arrest a protester for not removing a face covering during an annual protest held by pro-Palestinian group Al-Quds in central London on March 15, 2026. (JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP)
Hundreds of people turn out in London for a pro-Palestinian march banned by the government after police said it was organized by a group “supportive of the Iranian regime.” Police later say that 12 people were arrested at the rally and nearby counterprotest.
Police kept people in the annual Al-Quds Day event and counterprotesters apart by allowing them to gather on opposite sides of the River Thames not far from parliament.
Pro-Palestinian protesters who were directed to the south side of the river waved flags and held up placards with slogans such as, “Stop Israeli war crimes.”
“I just feel so strongly that what has happened to the Palestinians is so unjust,” pensioner Jean Apps, 81, from Purley in south London, tells AFP. “And now I am here also because of the illegal attacks on Iran. I know Iran is not perfect, but the Iranian people should be left to sort out their own problems.”
On the other side of the river counter-demonstrators wave US and Israeli flags along with the the Lion and Sun Iranian flag favored by exiles. They also hold up placards with the words “Make Iran great again” and “Standing with my Jewish friends.”
“We are supporting the king of Iran, we are asking America and Israel to help us eliminate the IRGC,” Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, says Shiva, 37, an Iranian chef living in London. “They don’t care about the people, they are just killing us. It’s a cruel regime.”
Police say that officers made “12 arrests including for showing support for a proscribed organization, affray and for threatening or abusive behavior. We are also investigating chants made by a speaker at the Al Quds protest.”
Rafah Crossing between Gaza and Egypt to reopen Wednesday, says Israel
Palestinian children watch as patients prepare to leave the Gaza Strip for treatment through the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt after it was opened by Israel for a limited number of people, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, on February 8, 2026. (Bashar Taleb/ AFP)
The Rafah Crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt will reopen for the movement of Palestinians in both directions on Wednesday, after it was closed at the start of the war with Iran, Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories says.
COGAT says the decision was made following a fresh assessment and “an examination of the conditions enabling the resumption of operations at the crossing, while maintaining the necessary security restrictions in light of the security situation and the threats in the area.”
The crossing will operate under the same mechanism as it did before it was closed, COGAT adds.
IDF preparing to deploy more troops in south Lebanon and expand buffer zone
An IDF artillery unit deployed in northern Israel fires toward southern Lebanon on March 14, 2026. (Jalaa Marey/AFP)
The IDF is preparing to deploy more forces in southern Lebanon and expand its buffer zone to push away the threat of Hezbollah from the border, The Times of Israel has learned.
Last week, the military deployed troops deeper in southern Lebanon, beyond the five positions it already had, saying it aims to “establish a forward defense that will create an additional security layer for the residents of the north.”
Military officials say that Hezbollah, significantly weakened after the fighting in 2024, no longer poses an existential threat to Israel, and its weapon arsenal has been degraded by some 90 percent compared to before the war — which began on October 7, 2023.
Meanwhile, the IDF says that several Hezbollah operatives were killed in an airstrike during ground operations in southern Lebanon this past week.
According to the IDF, troops of the 769th “Hiram” Regional Brigade identified the operatives in their area of operations, and a short while later, they were targeted in a strike.
In another incident yesterday, the IDF says the troops identified a Hezbollah observation post and directed an airstrike against it.
במסגרת משימת ההגנה הקדמית: כוחות חטיבה 769 חיסלו חוליית מחבלים נוספת בדרום לבנון
כוחות אוגדה 769 פועלים תחת אוגדה 91 וממשיכים במשימת ההגנה הקדמית.
מוקדם יותר השבוע, זוהתה חוליית מחבלים במרחב בו פועלים כוחותינו בדרום לבנון, לאחר הזיהוי המחבלים חוסלו מהאוויר בהכוונת הכוחות בשטח.… pic.twitter.com/KnYARyuQAb
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) March 15, 2026
Karhi scraps international streaming investment from media reform bill after Trump request
Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi attends the Special Committee for the Communications Law at the Knesset, December 16, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/ Flash90)
Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi says a clause in his controversial media regulation bill to require international streaming services such as Netflix and Disney+ to invest in Israeli productions has been removed at the request of US President Donald Trump.
Speaking during a heated debate at the Knesset, Karhi says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided to remove the provision at Trump’s request, as part of ongoing economic negotiations between Israel and Washington.
The comment sparks outrage from opposition lawmakers and representatives of artists’ organizations who warn that exempting global streaming giants from funding local content will disadvantage Israel’s local film and television industry, as well as from the committee’s legal adviser and Justice Ministry representatives who argue that the move discriminates against local producers.
“The answer was unequivocal that the prime minister decided to remove it because it is a demand coming from the president of the United States,” says Karhi.
“What is this? Are we the 51st state?” exclaims Giora Walla, the head of the Israel Association of Cinema and Television Professionals (ACT). “Is this the legislature of the United States or of Israel? Whose interests are you serving? There won’t be original Israeli creation left here.”
Karhi responds that the prime minister made the decision as part of his “broader diplomatic considerations” and “that the partnership with the US president is [too important] for Israel’s survival,” amid the ongoing war with Iran.
“This is a US demand in economic negotiations between Israel and the United States,” he adds.
US official says strikes on Iran have so far cost $12 billion
US Air Force military ground personnel prepare Joint Direct Attack Munitions for a B-1 Lancer bomber on the tarmac at RAF Fairford in southwest England on March 12, 2026. (Henry NICHOLLS / AFP)
Director of the US National Economic Council Kevin Hassett says Trump administration attacks on Iran have cost the US $12 billion so far.
“The latest number I was briefed on was 12,” Hassett says, in an interview on CBS News’s Face the Nation.
Pentagon estimates provided to Congress said the war would cost $11.3 billion in its first week. Hassett did not specify the time frame for the $12 billion in spending.
Asked whether the US will need to request more money from Congress, Hassett responds: “I think right now we’ve got what we need. Whether we have to go back to Congress for more is something that I think that Russ Vought and OMB will look into.”
OMB is the United States Office of Management and Budget.
WHO releases $2 million in emergency funds to Lebanon, Iraq and Syria
A destroyed healthcare center building in the aftermath of an Israeli strike in the southern Lebanese town of Burj Qalawiya, March 14, 2026. (Kawnat HAJU / AFP)
The World Health Organization says it has released $2 million from its Contingency Fund for Emergencies (CFE) to support the health response in Lebanon, Iraq, and Syria amid the ongoing crisis in the Middle East.
$1 million has been allocated to Lebanon to strengthen the WHO’s emergency coordination through the Public Health Emergency Operations Center, scale up trauma care, reinforce disease surveillance, and procure and distribute essential medicines and medical supplies, the agency says in a statement.
Iraq and Syria have each been allocated $500,000 to support emergency coordination and mass-casualty management, procure and distribute essential medicines and supplies, provide health services for displaced populations, and strengthen disease surveillance and community outreach, it adds.
“At a time when health services are already facing significant challenges, support is essential to sustain frontline health workers and maintain critical care services,” says Hanan Balkhy, WHO regional director for the Eastern Mediterranean.
Knesset advances bill to increase tax credit for R&D in bid to keep tech companies in Israel
An Intel building in Jerusalem, May 18, 2016. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90/File)
The Knesset Finance Committee votes to advance a bill to reform tax credits for corporate research and development expenses in order to incentivize multinational tech companies to remain in Israel, amid concerns about stagnation and brain drain in the tech sector.
The “Research and Development Law” would introduce a direct tax credit — amounting to billions of shekels — for research and development expenses instead of simply deducting costs from taxable income, as is currently the case. It will also expand eligibility for the benefit and offer additional benefits to companies operating in the periphery.
The bill is part of the government’s sweeping Arrangements Law, a key part of the annual budgetary legislative package, which passed its first reading in the Knesset in January. It will now return to the Knesset for its second and third readings. If passed, it will apply retroactively to qualifying companies’ R&D expenses from January 1, 2026.
The proposed tax reform follows a new global minimum corporate tax set by the OECD and all member states, requiring companies with revenues above €750 million ($859,762,500) to pay at least 15 percent tax.
The Finance Ministry proposed the bill after being forced to raise taxes on large companies to align with OECD standards, and the measure is meant to offset the impact of the tax hike and help retain multinational firms in Israel’s tech sector, which remains the main engine of growth for the country’s economy, responsible for almost 20% of GDP and accounting for about 30% of payroll taxes collected by the government. It employs about 11% of the country’s workforce.
Sharon Wrobel contributed to this report.
UN says its peacekeepers in Lebanon came under fire from ‘non-state armed groups’
United Nations peacekeepers with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) drive past a destroyed healthcare center building in the aftermath of an Israeli strike in the southern Lebanese town of Burj Qalawiya on March 14, 2026. (Kawnat HAJU/ AFP)
United Nations observers apparently came under fire from Hezbollah operatives in southern Lebanon today.
In a statement, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) says that its “peacekeepers were fired upon, likely by non-state armed groups, on three separate occasions while conducting patrols around their bases in Yatar, Dayr Kifa, and Qallawiyah.”
“The fire in Yatar hit as close as five meters from the peacekeepers. The sources of fire in the two other incidents were about 100 and 200 meters away, respectively,” UNIFIL says.
The observer force says two patrols returned fire “in self-defense” and after the exchange of fire, they resumed planned activities.
No injuries were caused among the observers.
UNIFIL says that “it is unacceptable that peacekeepers performing Security Council-mandated tasks be targeted,” and that any attack on their observers “constitutes a grave violation of international humanitarian law and of Resolution 1701, and may amount to a war crime.”
Israel’s annual inflation picks up in February, led by travel costs
People walk through the shuttered BIG Fashion Glilot shopping center in central Israel, on March 5, 2026. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)
Israel’s annual inflation in February accelerated, led by increases in the costs of foreign travel and fresh fruit, according to data released by the Central Bureau of Statistics.
Annual inflation over the past 12 months advanced to two percent, from 1.8% in January, when it hit the lowest level since June 2021. The inflation rate is still within the government’s annual target range of between 1% and 3%.
On a monthly basis, the consumer price index (CPI), a measure of inflation that tracks the average cost of household goods, rose in February by 0.2%. Analysts’ expectations were split between no change and a 0.2% increase.
In February, notable increases were seen in the costs of fresh fruit, which were up 3.6%, entertainment and culture rose 0.8%, and housing and transportation costs 0.3% each. Expenses for travel abroad were up 2.3%.
Rents on renewal of contracts soared 2.7%, and rents on contracts for new tenants jumped 5.8%.
These were offset by declines in the prices of clothing, which fell 3.3%. The costs of fresh vegetables retreated 1.4%, and furniture and home equipment slipped by 0.2%.
Drones and rockets target US military base in Baghdad airport complex
Several drones and rockets target a military base at the Baghdad airport complex, which also houses a US diplomatic facility, three security sources tell AFP.
“Nine attacks with drones and rockets targeted the Victory military base in the airport,” a security official says, with an AFP journalist reporting hearing explosions in the capital.
Another security source says at least three drones were downed. It remains unclear if the military base was directly hit.
Urich, Braverman free to contact, work with Netanyahu after release conditions end
Jonatan Urich (right) embraces lawyer Amit Hadad (left) at a court hearing in the Qatargate investigation at the court in Lod, January 6, 2026. (Jonathan Shaul/Flash90)
Almost all restrictive release conditions on Jonatan Urich, a senior aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, are lifted and he will now be able to contact and work with prime minister after being barred from doing so for a year.
Urich is a key suspect in the Bild-leaked documents scandal and the Qatargate affair.
The decision by Rishon Lezion Magistrate’s Court to end the restrictions on Urich comes following an agreement between his attorneys and the police that was approved by the court today.
A ban on Urich leaving the country remains in place, and he is still barred from speaking about the investigations with Netanyahu or anyone else connected to the two cases.
Urich expresses joy upon the cancellation of his restrictions, posting excerpts from Jewish prayers in a post on X.
“We’re coming back in full force,” Urich writes enthusiastically. “Bibi, be available I’m on my way!!!”
Additionally, police decide not to appeal a decision by the same court to cancel the restriction on Tzachi Braverman — Netanyahu’s former chief of staff who is suspected of interfering in an investigation connected to the Bild-leaked documents affair — from contacting Netanyahu.
Braverman is, however, forbidden from discussing the case with the prime minister, or contacting anyone else involved in it.
The Rishon Lezion Magistrate’s Court ruled on Thursday against extending the restrictions, and the police decide today not to appeal the decision.
Braverman has been barred from contacting Netanyahu or going to the Prime Minister’s Office since January 11 this year when he was first arrested and questioned over the allegations that he said he could quash an investigation into the leaked documents affair.
Sirens sound in Galilee amid Hezbollah rocket fire
Sirens sound in the Galilee amid a rocket attack from Lebanon.
The alerts are activated in Beit Jann and nearby communities.
Hezbollah has carried out sporadic rocket and drone attacks on northern Israel today, with no reports of injuries. The terror group also fired one projectile at central Israel this morning.
Iranian FM: Tehran’s enriched uranium ‘under the rubble, we have no plan to recover’ it
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi speaks during an interview on CBS on March 15, 2026. (Screenshot/CBS)
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium is buried “under the rubble,” and that Tehran currently has no plan to recover it or negotiate its dilution amid the ongoing US-Israeli bombing campaign against the Islamic Republic.
Since Israel and the US bombed Iran’s nuclear facilities last June, its estimated 440 kilograms of enriched uranium “are under the rubble,” Araghchi says in an interview with CBS’s “Face the Nation.”
“Our nuclear facilities were attacked, and everything is under the rubble. Of course, you know there is the possibility to retrieve them, but under the supervision of the [International Atomic Energy Agency]. If one day we come to the conclusion to do that, it would be under the supervision of the agency. But for the time being, we have no program. We have no plan to recover them from under the rubble,” he tells the network.
Washington demanded that Iran relinquish its stockpile in nuclear talks that were halted by the bombing campaign. Iran is believed to be storing the uranium — enriched to up to 60% fissile purity, which can relatively easily be raised to the 90% level considered weapons-grade — deep underground at the Isfahan nuclear site. US President Donald Trump said last week he would consider at some point in the future sending in ground troops to secure the material.
In terms of Iran’s willingness to relinquish the stockpile, Araghchi says that “everything depends on the future. If any time in the future we decide to enter into negotiation with US or other interlocutors, you know, we may decide what to put on the table. For the time being, nothing is on the table.”
Energy group: Over 400 million barrels of emergency oil reserves to flow to global markets soon
Oil from the International Energy Agency emergency reserves will begin flowing to global markets soon, with member countries pledging to make available 411.9 million barrels, the agency says.
Governments have committed to make available 271.7 million barrels of oil from government stocks, 116.6 million barrels from obligated industry stocks and 23.6 million barrels from other sources, the statement says.
It adds that 72% of planned releases are in the form of crude oil and 28% are oil products.
Stocks from Asia Oceania countries will be available immediately and stocks from Europe and the Americas will be available at the end of March.
Flydubai airline suspends flights to Israel through April 30
Workers prepare a FlyDubai flight at Dubai International Airport in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell)
Dubai-based flydubai suspends all flight services to and from Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport through April 30 amid the war with Iran and the security escalation in the region.
Flydubai is joining a host of foreign airlines that have canceled flights to and from Israel in the coming weeks, after the country’s airspace was closed on February 28 with the outbreak of war with Iran.
As part of a government effort led by the Transportation Ministry, flydubai last week operated direct flights to repatriate Israelis stranded in Dubai to Ben Gurion Airport.
Egypt pledges unity with Qatar and other Gulf nations that have been struck by Iran
Egypt's President Abdel-Fatteh el-Sissi delivers a speech during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 21, 2026. (Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP)
Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi promises “full support and solidarity” in a message to Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.
Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, who is visiting Qatar today on the first stop of a tour of the Gulf region, delivers the president’s message.
Abdelatty calls for a de-escalation of hostilities in the region. He says activating a Joint Defense Treaty will “safeguard the security, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of Arab states.”
Iranian FM: Tehran ‘never’ asked US for ceasefire, is ‘ready to defend as long as it takes’
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi speaks during an interview on CBS on March 15, 2026. (Screenshot/CBS)
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says that Iran has not asked for a ceasefire or negotiations with the United States in its ongoing war with the US and Israel, despite US President Donald Trump claiming Tehran appeared ready to make an agreement on terms unsuitable to Washington.
“No, we never asked for a ceasefire, and we have never asked even for negotiation. We are ready to defend ourselves as long as it takes,” Araghchi says in an interview with CBS’s Face the Nation.
He denies the assessment that this is “a war of survival” for Iran, saying the country is “stable and strong enough. We are only defending our people, from [this] act of aggression.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says the regime is not in a war of survival, telling @margbrennan the regime is “stable and strong enough.”
“We don’t see any reason why we should talk with Americans, because we were talking with them when they decided to attack us, and… pic.twitter.com/AQdyeWBiFu
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) March 15, 2026
Araghchi also says that multiple countries have approached Tehran to negotiate the safe passage of oil and gas vessels through the Strait of Hormuz amid Iran’s efforts to block the strategic passage point.
“We are open to countries who want to talk to us about the safe passage of their vessels,” Araghchi says, adding, “We have been approached by a number of countries who wants to have a safe passage for their vessels,” though he declines to name which countries.
The Financial Times reported that France and Italy have approached Iran to try to arrange passage for their ships.
“This is up to our military to decide, and they have already decided to let, you know, a group of vessels belongs to different countries to pass in a safe and secure,” he continues, repeating claims by Iranian officials that certain countries were permitted to pass ships through the strait, while adding that some of these countries are, by choice, “not coming themselves because of the insecurity which is there, because of the aggression by the US.”
Turkmenistan sends humanitarian aid to neighboring Iran
Turkmenistan state media reports that four refrigerated trucks carrying medicine, medical supplies, clothing and food left the capital Ashgabat for Iran today.
The shipment, funded by a charitable foundation, was sent “to the people of the Islamic Republic of Iran, primarily children, as a sign of friendly and fraternal relations,” according to state media. It shows footage of a prayer being recited for the safe delivery of the supplies.
Officials says approximately 250 people from 16 countries have so far crossed into Turkmenistan, an isolated, gas-rich Central Asian nation, which shares a 1,148-kilometer (713-mile) border with Iran.
Turkmenistan maintains one of the strictest visa policies in the world. It provided safe passage to more than 4,000 foreign nationals from 52 countries during the Israel-Iran war last summer.
Netanyahu mocks conspiracy theories about his supposed death in new video
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits the National Health Command Center, March 9, 2026. (Kobi Gideon/GPO)
After conspiracy theories spread across social media that he had been killed in an Iranian strike, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu releases a video mocking the rumor.
Ordering coffee at a cafe, he says “I am dead… for coffee,” using a common Hebrew phrase that roughly translates to loving something to death.
“I love my nation to death,” he says, “and how they are conducting themselves.”
He also holds up both hands to show that he has 10 fingers, after rumors that his televised Thursday press conference was an AI version of him. One of the false claims on anti-Israel social media accounts was that the footage from the press conference showed him with six fingers on one hand.
Netanyahu says that Israelis should leave their homes for a breath of fresh air, but remain near shelters. He also promises that government restrictions on activity will be lifted as much as possible.
אומרים שאני מה? צפו >> pic.twitter.com/ijHPkM3ZHZ
— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) March 15, 2026
Italy-US airbase in Kuwait hit by drone, no injuries, says Rome
Italy’s military says there was been a drone attack today on the Ali Al Salem airbase in Kuwait hosting Italian and US forces, but says all its personnel were safe.
“This morning, Ali Al Salem base in Kuwait was the target of a drone attack that hit a shelter housing a remotely piloted aircraft of the Italian Task Force Air (TFA), which was destroyed,” the chief of the Defense General Staff, General Luciano Portolano, says in a statement posted by the military on X.
IDF: Israeli strikes hit Iranian regime targets in western Iran
Iranians gather in front of destroyed buildings following a military strike on the Iranian capital Tehran on March 15, 2026. (Atta KENARE / AFP) /
A wave of Israeli strikes in the Hamedan area of western Iran today targeted several Iranian regime headquarters, the IDF says.
The command centers belong to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Basij paramilitary force, according to the military.
The IDF says it is “expanding” its strikes against Iranian regime infrastructure in western and central Iran, “with the aim of broadly and systematically damaging the regime’s command and control capabilities.”
Lebanon says 850 dead since renewed fighting between Israel and Hezbollah
A man stands atop the rubble as smoke rises from a building destroyed in an Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh, Beirut's southern suburbs, Lebanon, March 14, 2026. (AP/Hassan Ammar)
Lebanon’s health ministry says that Israeli attacks have killed 850 people in the country during two weeks of war between Israel and Hezbollah.
The ministry statement says the toll includes 66 women, 107 children and 32 health workers, with 2,105 other people wounded.
The toll cannot be independently verified and doesn’t distinguish between combatants and civilians.
Hezbollah began firing at Israel on March 2 after US-Israeli strikes on Iran. Two Israeli soldiers were killed fighting in southern Lebanon a week ago.
Bereaved families demand Knesset halt discussions on October 7 political probe amid war
Illustrative: MK Simcha Rothman leads a Constitution, Law and Justice Committee meeting at the Knesset, January 19, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
Bereaved families of those killed during the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023, demand that Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana halt discussing legislation to establish a politically appointed panel to probe the failures of the attacks amid Israel’s ongoing war with Iran and its terror proxy Hezbollah.
The legislation is set to be discussed in the Knesset tomorrow and on Wednesday by the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee.
“We demand that you immediately cancel the discussion on establishing the political commission of inquiry. If you choose to ignore this demand and continue advancing the legislation during wartime, the responsibility for the consequences will be yours,” writes the October Council, representing hundreds of bereaved family members, in a letter addressed to Ohana and MK Simcha Rothman, who chairs the committee.
“We will block the entrances to the Knesset. We will block the exits of the homes of those promoting this law. Even under Iranian missiles, we will stand outside and protest,” the letter continues. “We have nothing left to lose. We have already lost what was most precious to us.”
The Council accuses the coalition of “exploiting” the current war with Iran to advance the controversial legislation “at a time when the State of Israel is once again under fire, when civilians are running from one siren to the next to their safe rooms, and when IDF soldiers are fighting in Gaza, in Lebanon and on the front against Iran.”
“This is not how a democracy operates. The Knesset is the house of the people. It cannot become a place where decisions are made in the shadows during wartime,” the letter continues.
Parliamentary activity was severely curtailed following the outbreak of the war with Iran on February 28 and was initially limited to discussions of legislation linked to the 2026 state budget and the war itself. However, on Thursday, Ohana’s office announced plans to increase the amount of activity at the Knesset, including advancing Likud MK Ariel Kallner’s bill to set up a politically appointed probe instead of an independent state commission of inquiry.
IDF says slain brother of Michigan synagogue attacker was a Hezbollah commander
Police tape hangs outside the Temple Israel synagogue March 13, 2026, in West Bloomfield Township, Michigan. (AP/Paul Sancya)
The brother of an armed man who rammed his truck into a Reform synagogue and preschool in Michigan last week was a Hezbollah commander, the IDF says, confirming earlier reports on the matter.
“Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Muhammad Ghazali was responsible for managing weapons operations within a specialized branch of the Badr Unit. The unit is responsible for launching hundreds of rockets toward Israeli civilians throughout the war,” the IDF says on X.
His brother, 41-year-old Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, carried out the Thursday attack.
The IDF says that Ibrahim was “eliminated in an IAF strike on a Hezbollah military structure.”
Several of Ghazali’s Lebanese relatives were killed in an Israeli airstrike earlier this month amid the renewed fighting between Israel and the Hezbollah terror group, multiple reports said.
An unnamed official had told NBC News that the strike killed two of Ghazali’s brothers, who were known to be members of the Hezbollah terror group, in addition to his niece and nephew.
IDF: Palestinian terror operative working for Iran killed in Lebanon
Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted an area in Beirut's southern suburbs on March 13, 2026. (AFP)
A Palestinian terror operative who was working on behalf of Iran was killed in an airstrike in Lebanon over the weekend, the IDF announces.
According to the military, Muhammad Majed Abd al-Salam Tawfiq Zidan was a “key Palestinian terrorist who operated under the intelligence of the Iranian terror regime and attempted to advance terror attacks” against Israel.
He was targeted in a strike on Friday.
צה"ל ושב"כ חיסלו מחבל מרכזי בלבנון שפעל במודיעין משטר הטרור האיראני
בפעילות משותפת של צה״ל ושב"כ חוסל בלבנון בסוף השבוע מחמד מאג׳ד עבד אלסלאם תופיק זידאן, מחבל פלסטיני מרכזי שפעל תחת המודיעין של משטר הטרור האיראני וניסה לקדם מתווי טרור בתוך שטח מדינת ישראל.
משטר הטרור האיראני… pic.twitter.com/PUt1UPJw0g
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) March 15, 2026
Hamas Interior Ministry: 8 police officers killed in IDF strike in central Gaza
Hamas’s Interior Ministry says the head of the “Intervention Police” unit in central Gaza, Iyad Abu Youssef, has been killed along with seven other Hamas police officers when an IDF strike hit a police vehicle on Salah a-Din Street at the entrance to the village of Zawayda in the Gaza Strip.
The Intervention Police is a unit within Hamas’s police force that, according to reports, is tasked with enforcing internal discipline among the civilian population in Gaza.
There is no immediate comment from the IDF on the strike.
مصادر محلية: نقل جثامين 8 شهداء إلى مستشفى شهداء الأقصى وسط قطاع غزة بعد قصف الاحتلال مركبة للشرطة الفلسطينية على شارع صلاح الدين قبل قليل pic.twitter.com/CS3vK1JVUJ
— شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) March 15, 2026
Iranian FM: Supreme leader ‘in excellent health,’ Strait of Hormuz open to all except US and its friends
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi delivers a speech at a United Nations conference on February 17, 2026. (Valentin Flauraud / AFP)
Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei “is in excellent health,” claims Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, “in control of the situation, and present at his post.”
“The timing of televised messages or direct appearances before the people is his prerogative,” he tells Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.
On Friday, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Khamenei is “wounded and likely disfigured.” No images have been released of him since an Israeli strike at the start of the war that killed much of his family, including his father and wife. His first apparent public comments came in a statement read out by a television presenter on Thursday.
Araghchi insists Iran will not agree to stop fighting until it receives guarantees it will not be attacked again, and is paid reparations.
He also says that the Strait of Hormuz is open, and is only closed to “America and its allies.”
Araghchi justifies Iran’s hundreds of strikes on its neighbors in the Persian Gulf region and beyond, saying that it is only targeting American bases situated in these countries.
“We did not attack any residential or civilian targets,” he says. “There may have been collateral damage in residential areas, which is normal in any war.”
Iranian drones and missiles have been fired at civilian infrastructure in the UAE and other US allies, including Dubai’s airport, landmark hotels and the financial hub.
He also boasts about striking Citibank offices in Manama and in Dubai in response to a US strike on an Iranian bank in Tehran that is used to pay Iranian security forces.
Araghchi also blames the US and Israel for strikes on Arab states, claiming that Iran has “recently received information indicating that the United States and Israel are also launching attacks from specific locations toward Arab countries.”
US envoy Mike Waltz: Trump is weighing options to hit Iran’s oil hub
US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz Mike Waltz speaks during a United Nations Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East at the UN headquarters in New York on February 28, 2026. (CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP)
UN Ambassador Mike Waltz says in an interview that US President Donald Trump is weighing options to hit Iran’s oil hub.
Waltz is asked on CNN whether the US president is prepared to target oil facilities on Kharg island, which handles 90% of Iran’s crude oil exports, and if so, if he is worried that that could risk even more of an escalation in the war.
“President Trump’s not going to take any options off the table,” Waltz says. “I would certainly think he would maintain that optionality if he wants to take down their energy infrastructure.”
US Central Command posted on X yesterday that it had struck military targets on the island, but preserved the oil infrastructure.
IDF has no shortage of interceptors, says military official
An Israeli missile defense system fires interceptors at missiles fired from Iran, as seen over central Israel, March 9, 2026. (Yossi Aloni/Flash90)
An Israeli military official says the IDF has no interceptor shortage as of now, rejecting a report that Israel is running “critically low” on air defense missiles.
“We prepared for a prolonged conflict. We are monitoring the situation at all times,” the official says.
Late last night the US news site Semafor reported, citing US officials familiar with the matter, that Israel informed the US this week that it is running “critically low” on ballistic missile interceptors.
2 brothers arrested in France for ‘deadly and antisemitic’ plot, say anti-terror prosecutors
Illustrative: Protesters hold a placard which reads as 'You get used to antisemitism, we don't,' at the Paris city hall square on June 19, 2024. (Alain Jocard/AFP)
A 22-year-old engineering student and his 20-year-old brother have been arrested in France over a “deadly and antisemitic” plot, anti-terror prosecutors say.
The two brothers, who are of Italian and Moroccan nationality, were arrested on Tuesday in northern France, the national anti-terror prosecutor’s office (PNAT) says.
While in police custody, they admitted that “they had been planning a terror attack in France for which they aspired to martyrdom,” the PNAT says in a statement.
US energy secretary says Iran war will end in ‘next few weeks’
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright listens as US President Donald Trump meets with Argentina's President Javier Milei in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, October 14, 2025. (AP Photo/ Alex Brandon)
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright says he expects the US war with Iran to end within “the next few weeks,” with oil supplies rebounding and energy costs declining afterwards.
“I think that this conflict will certainly come to the end in the next few weeks — could be sooner than that. But the conflict will come to the end in the next few weeks, and we’ll see a rebound in supplies and a pushing down in prices after that,” Wright tells ABC’s “This Week” program.
Iran women’s football captain said to withdraw Australia asylum bid; rights groups accuse Tehran of threats
Iran players pose for a team photo ahead of the Women's Asian Cup soccer match between Iran and the Philippines in Robina, Australia, on March 8, 2026. (Dave Hunt/AAP Image via AP)
The captain of the Iranian women’s football team that played in the Asian Cup in Australia has withdrawn her bid for asylum, Iranian state media says, making her the fifth member of the delegation to change her mind.
Zahra Ghanbari will head from Australia to Malaysia and from there fly back to Iran, the IRNA news agency says.
Three players and one backroom staff member had already in previous days withdrawn their bids for asylum and traveled to Malaysia.
Rights groups have repeatedly accused Iranian authorities of pressuring athletes abroad by threatening relatives or with the seizure of property if they defect or make statements against the Islamic Republic.
Seven members of Iran’s visiting football delegation competing in the Women’s Asian Cup had sought sanctuary in Australia after they were branded “traitors” at home for refusing to sing the national anthem.
Following the captain’s reported move to go back on her asylum request, only two of them are now set to remain in Australia. The players returning to Iran are at a hotel in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur awaiting their onward travel.
There is no immediate comment from Australian authorities on Ghanbari’s situation.
Last week one player had changed her mind, followed by two players and the one staff member who left Australia yesterday.
Senior Israeli official: There are ‘signs of cracks’ in Iranian regime, it may take time
There are “signs of cracks” in the Iranian regime, a senior Israeli official tells The Times of Israel.
“We are creating the conditions” for toppling the regime, he says, adding the caveat that “at the end of the day, it’s up to the Iranian people.”
“It may take time, but this is not an endless war and we are far ahead of schedule.”
Hamas official said killed in IDF strike in south Lebanon’s Sidon
An Israeli strike in south Lebanon’s Sidon area today killed a Hamas official, a source from the Palestinian terror group says.
The source, requesting anonymity, says the strike killed Hamas official Wissam Taha. State media had reported a strike on an apartment in a residential building in a northern district of Sidon.
IDF says it has plans for at least 3 more weeks of Iran operations: ‘No stopwatch or timetable’
Black smoke rises following an airstrike in Tehran, Iran, on March 13, 2026. (Elaheh ASIABI / FARS NEWS AGENCY / AFP)
IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin says the Israeli military has plans for at least three more weeks of operations in Iran, during which thousands of targets would be struck.
“We have thousands of targets ahead,” Defrin tells CNN.
“We are ready, in coordination with our US allies, with plans through at least the Jewish holiday of Passover, about three weeks from now. And we have deeper plans for even three weeks beyond that,” he adds.
Defrin also tells CNN that the IDF is “not working according to a stopwatch, or a timetable, but rather to achieve our goals.”
On Friday, The Times of Israel reported that the military was preparing for several more weeks of operations in Iran, as it still has many more targets to hit, both in Tehran and in other parts of the country.
Trump reportedly given US intel showing Ali Khamenei viewed his son as ‘not very bright, unqualified to be leader’
A statement read out on state TV, attributed to Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, is televised in Tehran on March 12, 2026. (AFP)
United States intelligence shared with US President Donald Trump showed that Iran’s late supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, was wary about his recently elected son, Mojtaba Khamenei, replacing him as ruler, sources familiar with the matter tell CBS.
The elder Khameini’s fears stemmed from the perception that Mojtaba was “not very bright, and was viewed as unqualified to be leader,” and from an awareness that Mojtaba had “issues in his personal life,” according to the sources, which are said to include people within the Trump administration, the US intelligence community, and figures close to the president.
In a possible reference to the intelligence he was allegedly briefed on, Trump told Fox News in a Friday interview that Mojtaba “is not somebody that the father even wanted.”
Trump has conveyed to confidants that he feels Iran is “essentially leaderless right now, with the younger Khamenei possibly dead,” and the White House believes Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps holds primary authority in the country, according to the CBS report.
UAE intercepts 4 missiles, 6 drones from Iran
The United Arab Emirates intercepted four ballistic missiles and six drones fired by Iran today, according to the Emirati defense ministry.
Since the beginning of the war on February 28, the UAE has shot down 298 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles, and 1,606 drones, says the country’s defense ministry.
Six people have died in the attacks, and 142 have been injured.
2 injured in latest ballistic missile attack from Iran, emergency services say in update
Two people were injured in Iran’s latest missile attack on central Israel, Magen David Adom says in an update.
In Bnei Brak, a man in his 60s was moderately hurt after a suspected cluster bomb munition struck an apartment building.
In Ramat Gan, a man in his 70s was lightly hurt by a blast following another impact.
Pope renews appeal for Mideast peace: ‘Cease fire! Let paths of dialogue be reopened!’
Pope Leo XIV gives a speech to the pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square during the Sunday Angelus prayer at the Vatican on March 15, 2026 (Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP)
Pope Leo XIV renews his appeal for peace in the Middle East, calling for an end to the war and reopening of dialogue.
“Dear brothers and sisters, for two weeks the peoples of the Middle East have suffered the atrocious violence of war,” the US pontiff says at his weekly Angelus prayer at the Vatican.
“Thousands of innocent people have been killed, and countless others have been forced to flee their homes.
“I renew my closeness to all those who have lost loved ones in the attacks that have hit schools, hospitals, and residential areas.”
Leo says the situation in Lebanon was a particular cause for concern.
“On behalf of the Christians of the Middle East and of all women and men of goodwill, I address those responsible for this conflict,” he says in Italian.
“Cease fire! Let paths of dialogue be reopened!
“Violence can never lead to the justice, stability and peace that people await.”
Man moderately wounded in 7th Iranian ballistic missile salvo fired at Israel since midnight
Emergency services at the scene of the impact of a cluster munition from an Iranian ballistic missile attack on central Israel on March 15, 2026 (Magen David Adom)
A man in his 60s is moderately hurt in central Israel following Iran’s latest ballistic missile attack, medics say.
Magen David Adom says the man was hit by glass shards, and he is being taken to a hospital.
The impact was likely the result of a cluster bomb munition, according to police and rescue services.
He is the fifth person to be injured in an Iranian missile attack on Israel since midnight, of which there have been seven.
No immediate reports of injuries in missile attack on central Israel
There are no immediate reports of injuries following Iran’s latest ballistic missile attack on Israel, the seventh since midnight.
The missile may have carried a cluster bomb warhead, according to the police. One impact in a central city, a cluster bomb munition or other falling fragments, caused damage to an apartment building.
IDF detects Iran missile launch at central Israel; drone warning sounds in north
The IDF says it had detected another ballistic missile launch from Iran.
Sirens are expected to sound in central Israel in the coming minutes.
Meanwhile, sirens warning of a drone attack from Lebanon sound in the Galilee.
Sa’ar denies reports of imminent Israel-Lebanon talks, says Beirut must first act against Hezbollah
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar speaks during a joint press conference in Asuncion as part of his official visit to Paraguay on November 24, 2025. (DANIEL DUARTE / AFP)
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar denies reports that Israel and Lebanon are set to hold direct talks in the coming days amid fighting with Hezbollah, speaking to foreign media at the site of an Iranian missile impact in the northern Bedouin town of Zarzir.
Asked by a Reuters reporter whether Sa’ar can confirm reports that Beirut and Jerusalem are expected to discuss an agreement on confronting Hezbollah and possibly broader cooperation, Sa’ar replies, “No.”
“If the Lebanese government and the Lebanese army want to change something, they should do something in order to stop the attacks being done by Hezbollah from Lebanese territory,” Sa’ar elaborates.
“Until now, they hadn’t done anything significant in order to stop [Hezbollah’s attacks],” he claims, saying that ever since the November 2024 US-brokered ceasefire with the Iran-backed terror group, “Lebanon hadn’t really done what it should have done in order to dismantle Hezbollah, and we see now the results. And we also expect to take some serious steps from their side to stop the shootings on Israel. This is the practical thing to do right now.”
“We are all for peace and normalization in the future, including with Lebanon. I think the problem in Lebanon is Hezbollah. We don’t have real disputes with the state of Lebanon. We have some minor border disputes that can be solved quite easily. But the problem is Hezbollah,” Sa’ar adds.
Army Radio reported this morning that former strategic affairs minister Ron Dermer recently visited Saudi Arabia to discuss with senior Saudi officials an initiative for a possible direct talks with the Lebanese government.
Sa’ar also denies recent reports that Israel informed the United States that it was running low on missile interceptors. When asked by the same reporter to confirm those reports, Sa’ar replies, “The answer is no,” but does not elaborate.
After Semafor reported yesterday that Israel is running “critically low” on air defense interceptors, the IDF said this morning that it is “prepared and ready to handle any scenario” while declining to officially comment on specific munitions.
CCTV footage shows cluster bomb munitions from Iranian missile striking Israeli street
Footage published by the police shows one of the cluster bomb munitions from an Iranian ballistic missile striking central Israel.
Multiple impact sites were reported across central Israel, wounding two lightly and causing damage.
Footage published by the police shows one of the cluster bomb munitions from an Iranian ballistic missile striking central Israel. pic.twitter.com/qvnWIXlr4v
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) March 15, 2026
Pregnant woman, 2 children among those said killed in Gaza strike
At least four Palestinians, including two boys and a woman pregnant with twins, were killed by an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip, hospital authorities say.
The strike hit a house in Nuseirat, killing a couple in their 30s and their 10-year-old son, according to the nearby Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital.
The fourth fatality, a 15-year-old neighbor, was taken to Awda hospital in Nuseirat. The boy’s young brother was wounded in the strike, the hospital says.
The toll cannot be immediately independently verified. The IDF later said it had targeted a Hamas commander in response to a violation of the ceasefire by the terror group.
“We were sleeping and got up to the strike of a missile. The strike was strong,” says Mahmoud al-Muhtaseb, a neighbor. “There was no prior warning.”
Note: This item has been updated with a response from the Israeli military.
IDF says it killed 20 terror operatives who violated Gaza ceasefire over past week
Over the past week, Israeli troops have killed some 20 Palestinian terror operatives who allegedly violated the terms of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, according to the military.
They include those who crossed the ceasefire line or allegedly planned attacks on soldiers.
One of those killed by troops of the 98th Division is identified by the IDF as a deputy company commander in Hamas’s elite Nukhba Force, from the Beit Lahiya Battalion, who the military says invaded Israel during the October 7 onslaught and had been planning a sniper attack on troops.
In the Khan Younis area, the IDF says troops of the Gaza Division located a rocket manufacturing site belonging to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. And in Rafah, a Hamas attack tunnel was demolished.
Over the past week, Israeli troops have killed some 20 Palestinian terror operatives who allegedly violated the terms of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, according to the military.
One of those killed by troops of the 98th Division is identified by the IDF as a deputy company… pic.twitter.com/EuDNMUi2TQ
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) March 15, 2026
Report: Dermer visited Saudi Arabia to discuss potential direct Lebanon talks
FILE: Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer speaks at the Jewish News Syndicate conference in Jerusalem, on April 28, 2025. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
Former strategic affairs minister Ron Dermer recently visited Saudi Arabia to discuss with senior Saudi officials an initiative for a possible agreement with the Lebanese government, Army Radio reports.
Dermer, a close Netanyahu confidant, has reportedly been brought back to head the Lebanon file for the prime minister.
According to Army Radio, Lebanon, the US, and France are also involved in the efforts to agree on what the Lebanon-Israel relationship could look like after the ongoing conflict between Hezbollah and Israel concludes. The anti-Hezbollah government in Lebanon wants to hold direct talks with Israel in a third country, says the report.
2 lightly injured in Iranian ballistic missile attack; cluster bomb warhead causes damage at multiple sites
A car burns in Israel as the result of a cluster bomb warhead in a ballistic missile attack from Iran on March 15, 2026 (Magen David Adom)
Two people were lightly injured in Iran’s latest ballistic missile attack on Israel, medics say.
The pair, two men in their 50s, were hurt in central Israel, Magen David Adom says, after a missile carrying a cluster bomb warhead spread submunitions across the area.
Damage and fires were caused at multiple sites in central Israel by the cluster munitions, according to rescue services.
No injuries reported in Iran missile attacks on Eilat, central Israel
No injuries are reported following Iran’s latest ballistic missile salvos on Israel, targeting the southernmost city of Eilat and the center of the country.
The Magen David Adom ambulance service says it is scanning several sites where impacts were reported.
It is not immediately clear if the reports refer to direct missile impact, submunitions from a cluster bomb warhead, or falling fragments following interceptions.
According to local authorities in Eilat, an Iranian ballistic missile with a cluster bomb warhead was shot down by air defenses over the city.
IDF detects missile launch from Iran, sirens to sound in central Israel
The IDF says it had detected a new ballistic missile launch from Iran.
Sirens are expected to sound in central Israel in the coming minutes.
Bahrain says it intercepted 125 missiles, 211 drones since start of Iran war
A photograph shows a damaged building in the aftermath of a drone strike in the Seef district of Manama on March 10, 2026. The oil-rich Gulf has borne the brunt of Iran's attacks in response to US-Israeli strikes that sparked the Middle East war, with Tehran targeting US assets but also civilian infrastructure, including energy facilities and airports. ( AFP)
Bahrain says its air defenses have intercepted 125 missiles and 211 drones since the Iran war began.
The small island nation — home to the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet — has been among the most affected by Iranian strikes, which have hit ports, a hotel, a refinery and a water desalination plant.
Similar in size to Singapore and less than one-third the size of Rhode Island, it relies on US-made air defense systems.
At least one person has been killed in the attacks.
Amid Iran war, coalition advancing contentious bills on AG, media reforms, politically appointed Oct. 7 probe
Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana at a plenum session held in a reinforced area of the Knesset in Jerusalem, March 11, 2026 (Oren Ben Hakoon/FLASH90)
After an apparent two-week respite amid the Iran war, parliamentary debate is set to resume on a number of highly controversial bills this week, prompting harsh pushback from the opposition.
The legislation set to return to the Knesset’s wartime agenda includes bills that would overhaul the media market, split up the role of the attorney general, and establish a politically appointed probe into the failures of October 7, 2023.
The opposition condemned the decision to resume work on the coalition’s legislative agenda during wartime, with Opposition Leader Yair Lapid accusing Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana and “all the extremists” of not caring that Israel is at war.
“While the entire country is standing together, the coalition is promoting its extremist agenda and stealing money for political purposes,” he said last night.
Former prime minister Naftali Bennett, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s main rival in the upcoming election, called the decision to renew work on the legislation “a punch in the stomach of IDF fighters and the public in a time of war.”
Lawmakers from Yair Golan’s The Democrats party sent a letter to Knesset legal advisor Sagit Afik “urgently demand[ing] that work on legislation unrelated to the war be suspended.”
Parliamentary activity was severely curtailed following the outbreak of the war and was initially limited to discussions of legislation linked to the 2026 state budget and the war itself. However, on Thursday, Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana’s office announced plans to increase the amount of activity at the Knesset.
IDF detects another ballistic missile launch from Iran; sirens expected in south
The IDF has detected another ballistic missile launch from Iran.
Sirens are expected to sound in southern Israel in the coming minutes.
Academy Awards beefs up security amid reported Iranian drone threat to Los Angeles
A man vacuums an empty red carpet March 14, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, the night before the 98th Academy Awards ceremony. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
The Academy Award organizers are beefing up security for the Oscars in the wake of a reported FBI memo alerting Los Angeles authorities of a potential surprise attack by Iran using drones against unspecified targets in California, Variety says.
The 98th Academy Awards will be held tonight at the Dolby Theatre.
California Governor Gavin Newsom posted on X last week that he’s “in constant coordination with security and intelligence officials” and not aware of any imminent threats.
The 98th Academy Awards will nevertheless be acting out of an abundance of caution, reports Variety.
During a press conference last week about the upcoming awards ceremony, executive producer Raj Kapoor said that the academy collaborates closely with the FBI and the LAPD.
Two Israeli filmmakers are nominated for this year’s Oscars, documentary filmmaker Hilla Medalia for her Best Documentary Short, “Children No More: “Were and are Gone,” and Meyer Levinson-Blount for Best Live Action Short Film with his film, “Butcher’s Stain.”
Palestinian docudrama “The Voice of Hind Rajab” is nominated for Best International Feature Film.
IDF indicates that it’s not running ‘critically low’ on missile interceptors, denying recent reports
Israeli air defense system fires to intercept missiles during an Iranian attack over Tel Aviv, Israel, March 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
Israel is not running “critically low” on air defense interceptors amid the war with Iran, the military indicates, denying the latest in a series of international reporting that the IDF’s stockpile of interceptor missiles is emptying out.
The Israel Defense Forces has said it is “prepared and ready to handle any scenario,” but officially declines to comment on specific munitions matters.
Military officials have told The Times of Israel that the operation in Iran was planned months in advance, and the planning took into account Tehran’s stock of ballistic missiles and drones that it could fire at Israel.
The officials also say that the IDF has prepared for a long war with Iran, which could last several more weeks, during which ballistic missile fire on Israel will likely continue.
Taking Iran’s missile stockpile into account means the IDF prepared ahead of time with enough interceptors to handle the threat.
Additionally, the officials say the IDF is actually running through fewer interceptors than it anticipated at this point in the operation.
Iran has launched around 300 ballistic missiles at Israel in over two weeks thus far, down from the 500 it fired at Israel during the 12-day war in June 2025.
During the June 2025 war, as well, the IDF denied repeated claims that Israel’s interceptor stockpile was low.
The interception rate of Iran’s ballistic missiles is high, according to the IDF, and at similar rates to the June 2025 war.
There have been multiple impacts in residential areas of Israel, including three ballistic missiles carrying Iran’s conventional warheads of several hundred kilograms and around a dozen with cluster bomb warheads. Twelve people have been killed.
The military has routinely emphasized that, as good as Israel’s multilayered air defenses are, they are not hermetic.
Last night, Semafor reported, citing US officials familiar with the matter, that Israel informed the US this week that it is running “critically low” on ballistic missile interceptors.
The report claimed the US has been aware for months that Israel has a low capacity, adding that the US is not running low on interceptors of its own.
Iran has only been firing several missiles a day at Israel, and a supposed “critical shortage” would mean Israel would have even fewer interceptors.
Additionally, the report claimed that Iran’s launch of cluster munitions “may exacerbate the depletion of the stock,” despite Israel’s use of shorter-range air defense systems like the Iron Dome and David’s Sling to shoot down the individual submuntions, rather than an anti-ballistic missile system.
Israel also uses the shorter-range systems to intercept attacks from Hezbollah in Lebanon, though the report did not say that Israel is running into a shortage of those interceptors as well as the anti-ballistic ones.
Daughter of Settlements Minister Orit Strock found dead; no suspicion of criminal involvement
Settlements and National Projects Minister Orit Strock attends a Religious Zionism faction meeting at the Knesset in Jerusalem, January 27, 2025. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
Settlements Minister Orit Strock’s daughter, Shoshana, 34, was found dead overnight in her home at a moshav in northern Israel, according to Hebrew media reports.
The minister announces her death in a post on Facebook, writing “I update with a broken heart on the passing of our beloved daughter, Shoshana.”
Details regarding the funeral have not yet been announced.
Police are investigating the circumstances of the death but there is not believed to be a suspicion of foul play, Hebrew-language media reports.
IDF says it struck Hezbollah rocket launchers ahead of imminent fire on Israel
During a wave of airstrikes in Lebanon yesterday, the IDF says it struck Hezbollah rocket launchers other infrastructure.
In the al-Qatrani area of south Lebanon, the military says it struck several Hezbollah rocket launching sites where operatives had planned “imminent” fire on Israel.
In Beirut, the IDF says it struck and destroyed commander centers of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force, where operatives had been “advancing terror attacks against Israel and its citizens.”
Israel launches new wave of ‘extensive’ airstrikes targeting regime in western Iran
The Israeli Air Force has launched a new wave of “extensive” airstrikes in western Iran, the IDF announces.
The military says the strikes are targeting Iranian regime infrastructure sites.
El Al to operate 6 flights to New York to repatriate US citizens stranded by war
An El Al plane takes off at Ben Gurion International Airport, outside of Tel Aviv, March 5, 2026. (Yossi Aloni/Flash90)
Israel’s flag carrier El Al will launch special flights tomorrow to help thousands of US citizens who’ve been stranded in the country since the outbreak of the Iran war to return home.
As part of an agreement with the US Department of State and the US Embassy in Jerusalem, El Al will operate six nonstop flights from Tel Aviv to New York designated exclusively for US citizens.
The flights are expected to depart at full seat capacity and will not be subject to the current 100-passenger cap per outbound flight, pending government approvals.
It was unclear why the flights would be permitted to operate at full capacity while restrictions remained on all other outbound flights from Israel.
El Al says it will proactively contact US citizens holding valid El Al flight tickets whose flights were canceled and have not yet been reassigned, and will offer them placement on the dedicated flights.
Tickets for these special flights will also be available for purchase to US citizens who do not hold El Al tickets via registration on the airline’s website.
Hezbollah rocket, drone fire triggers sirens in north
The Hezbollah terror group continues to fire rockets and launch drones at northern Israel, triggering sirens.
Sirens sound in Acre and nearby communities amid rocket fire from Lebanon
Sirens sound in Acre and surrounding towns amid Hezbollah rocket fire from Lebanon.
A little while earlier, a barrage of some 10 rockets was fired at the Haifa area.
Some 10 rockets fired by Hezbollah at Haifa area; no reports of injuries
Some 10 rockets were fired by Hezbollah at the Haifa area in the recent barrage, Hebrew media reports say.
There are no reports of injuries.
Rocket fire from Lebanon triggers sirens in Haifa area as Iran salvo targets south
Sirens sound in the Haifa area amid Hezbollah rocket fire from Lebanon.
At the same time, a missile salvo launched from Iran triggers sirens in the south.
108 people taken to hospital over past 24 hours as result of Iran war, Health Ministry says
Israeli security forces check the damage after a ballistic missile attack from Iran, in Holon on March 15, 2026 (Jack GUEZ / AFP)
The Health Ministry reports that in the past 24 hours, 108 injured people have been taken to hospitals as a result of the conflict with Iran.
Among those treated in hospitals, two are in moderate condition, and 96 are in good condition.
Nine people have been treated for anxiety.
The ministry does not give a breakdown of the causes of injuries, and some might be sustained by people trying to reach shelter rather than as a direct result of missile fire from Iran or rocket fire from Lebanon.
The ministry also says that since the beginning of the war with Iran on February 28, 3,195 people have been admitted to hospitals, 81 of whom are currently hospitalized. This number includes both civilians and soldiers.
Among those hospitalized, one person is in critical condition, nine people are in serious condition, ten people are in moderate condition, and 60 are in good condition.
IDF detects ballistic missile launch from Iran; sirens expected in Jerusalem area and south
The IDF has detected another ballistic missile launch from Iran.
Sirens are expected to sound in the Jerusalem area and southern Israel in the coming minutes.
No injuries reported in 6th missile salvo from Iran since midnight
No injuries are reported in Iran’s latest ballistic missile attack on Israel, the sixth since midnight.
Sirens sounded in a number of localities that had not received an early warning alert, reports say.
The missile was likely intercepted, according to initial military assessments.
IDF detects ballistic missile launch from Iran; sirens expected in north
The IDF has detected another ballistic missile launch from Iran.
Sirens are expected to sound in northern Israel in the coming minutes.
Iran attacks Saudi Arabia, UAE and Bahrain with missiles, drones
Sirens sound in Bahrain ahead of an assault from Iran, while the United Arab Emirates reports a missile attack, urging residents to shelter in safe locations.
Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry says its systems intercepted and destroyed 10 drones over the capital, Riyadh, and the kingdom’s eastern region.
20 arrested in Iran for allegedly sending info on military, security assets to Israel
Twenty people were arrested in northwestern Iran for allegedly attempting to cooperate with Israel, Tasnim news agency reports, citing a statement by the West Azerbaijan province’s prosecutor office.
They are accused of sending location details on Iran’s military and security assets to Israel. Iran frequently arrests people and accuses them of spying without providing evidence.
Israel has launched a new phase of its assault on Iran, targeting security checkpoints based on tip-offs from informants on the ground, a source briefed on Israel’s military strategy told Reuters last week.
A US official and an Israeli official told The Times of Israel that their countries’ ongoing airstrikes throughout Iran are targeting members of the regime’s forces that took part in the crackdown on anti-government protesters earlier this year, hoping to make it easier for demonstrators to return to the streets once the bombing subsides.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards vow to ‘pursue and kill’ Netanyahu
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivers a televised statement, March 7, 2026. (GPO Screenshot)
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards vows to target Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the war with Israel and the United States continues.
“If this child-killing criminal is alive, we will continue to pursue and kill him with full force,” say the Guards on their website Sepah News.
US orders non-emergency government employees, family members to leave Oman
The US State Department says it ordered non-emergency government employees and the family members of government employees to leave Oman, citing safety risks as the US-Israeli war on the Iranian regime continues.
No injuries reported in fifth Iranian missile attack since midnight
No injuries are reported in Iran’s latest ballistic missile attack on Israel, the fifth since midnight.
The missile was likely intercepted, according to initial military assessments.
Sirens had sounded across southern Israel, for the second time in some 20 minutes.
No injuries reported in Lebanon rocket fire at central Israel, as early warning issued for south
A long-range rocket launched by Hezbollah from Lebanon at central Israel was intercepted by air defenses, according to initial IDF assessments.
There are no reports of injuries.
Meanwhile, an early warning is issued in southern Israel after the military detected another ballistic missile launch from Iran.
No injuries reported in latest Iranian missile attack, fourth since midnight
No injuries are reported in Iran’s latest ballistic missile attack on Israel, the fourth since midnight.
The missile was likely intercepted, according to initial military assessments.
Sirens had sounded across southern Israel.
Long-range rocket fire from Lebanon sets off sirens in Tel Aviv, surrounding area
Sirens sound in Tel Aviv and the surrounding area in central Israel following long-range rocket fire from Lebanon.
The Hezbollah terror group has launched hundreds of rockets at Israel in the past two weeks, mostly targeting the north.
Sirens expected in southern Israel as Iranian missile launch detected
The IDF has detected another ballistic missile launch from Iran.
Sirens are expected to sound in southern Israel in the coming minutes.
No injuries reported in latest Iranian missile attack; missile or possible fragment strikes open area
No injuries are reported in Iran’s latest ballistic missile attack on Israel, the third since midnight.
The missile or a possible fragment struck an open area, according to initial military assessments.
Sirens had sounded in central Israel and areas of the south and West Bank.
Missile launch detected from Iran, sirens expected in central Israel, Jerusalem
The IDF has detected a new ballistic missile launch from Iran.
Sirens are expected to sound in central Israel and the Jerusalem area in the coming minutes.
US military identifies six soldiers killed in Iraq refueling jet crash
The Pentagon releases the identities of six US crew members killed during the crash of a refueling aircraft in western Iraq earlier this week, which authorities say was not caused by “hostile fire.”
The KC-135 aerial refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq on Thursday, bringing the number of US troops killed in operations against Iran to at least 13. A second aircraft involved in the operation landed safely.
The Pentagon says the six members killed in the crash were: John Klinner, 33, of Auburn, Alabama; Ariana Savino, 31, of Covington, Washington; Ashley Pruitt, 34, of Bardstown, Kentucky; Seth Koval, 38, of Mooresville, Indiana; Curtis Angst, 30, of Wilmington, Ohio; and Tyler Simmons, 28, of Columbus, Ohio.
The first three were members of the US Air Force, while the latter three were stationed with the US Air National Guard.
The crash remains under investigation, Pentagon officials say, but US Central Command previously stated that “the loss of the aircraft was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire.
Palestinian Authority says couple and their two sons shot dead by Israeli forces in West Bank; no comment from IDF
A Palestinian couple and two of their young children were killed by Israeli forces who opened fire on their car in the northern West Bank town of Tammun tonight, according to the Palestinian Authority.
The IDF does not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The PA’s Health Ministry identifies the dead as Ali Bani Awda, 37; his wife Wa’ad, 35; and their sons Muhammad and Othman, ages 5 and 7, respectively.
The father was shot in the head, chest, and left arm while the others were shot in the head, the PA ministry says. Their bodies were taken to the Turkish Hospital in nearby Tubas, according to the ministry.
WAFA, the PA’s official news agency, reports that another two of the couple’s sons, respectively aged 8 and 11, suffered light shrapnel wounds to the head.
The PA outlet says Israeli forces opened fire on the family car as “special units” of the IDF raided the town, arresting two people, including a 15-year-old boy.
Footage published by other Palestinian media shows the forces towing the vehicle away.
قوات الاحتلال تصادر المركبة التي أطلقت النار عليها، عقب مجزرة ارتكبتها في بلدة طمون جنوب طوباس، وأسفرت عن استشهاد أربعة أفراد من عائلة واحدة كانوا بداخلها. pic.twitter.com/RyNBeNKsT1
— شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) March 15, 2026
Medics say two lightly injured after latest Iranian missile attack on central Israel
Paramedics arrive at a site of the impact of a fragment from Iranian missile in central Israel on March 15, 2026. (Magen David Adom)
Two people were lightly injured in Holon, central Israel, following the latest Iranian ballistic missile attack, the Magen David Adom ambulance service says.
The injuries were caused following an impact in the area, possibly falling fragments following an interception. The IDF says it is investigating the circumstances.
Magen David Adom says a man in his 80s is receiving medical treatment at the scene for light injuries caused by glass shards, and a woman, also in her 80s, is being treated for symptoms of smoke inhalation.
Several other people are being treated for shock, MDA adds.
Missile launch detected from Iran, sirens expected in central Israel
A ballistic missile attack from Iran has been detected by the IDF for the second time since midnight.
Sirens are expected to sound in central Israel in the coming minutes.
Report: UK’s Starmer weighing sending anti-drone interceptors to Middle East
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer may send thousands of interceptor drones to the Middle East, The Telegraph reports.
Military officials are examining whether the “Octopus” interceptor anti-drone system, which is manufactured in the UK for Ukraine to use against Russia, can also be used to bolster British defenses against Iran’s Shahed drones, the report says.
Citing an anonymous defense source, the outlet says the UK is considering deploying the interceptors as a means to fight the Iranian and Russian “axis of aggression.”
Reuters can not immediately verify the report.
No injuries reported in latest Iranian missile attack
No injuries are reported in Iran’s latest ballistic missile attack on Israel.
Sirens had sounded in Eilat and the surrounding area.
Hebrew media reports that the missile was intercepted.
Missile launch detected from Iran, sirens expected in Eilat area
A ballistic missile attack from Iran has been detected by the IDF.
Sirens are expected to sound in Eilat and the surrounding area in the coming minutes.
Unconfirmed US report claims Israel running out of ballistic missile interceptors; some details do not appear to reflect IDF’s interception operations
Security and rescue forces inspect the damage at the site of an Iranian missile impact in Ness Ziona, March 14, 2026. (Roy Alima/Flash90)
Israel informed the US this week that it is running critically low on ballistic missile interceptors as the conflict with Iran continues, Semafor reports, citing US officials familiar with the matter.
There is no confirmation of the report, and some of its details did not appear to reflect known aspects of Israel’s interception processes and operations.
The report claims the US has been aware for months that Israel has a low capacity, adding that the US is not running low on interceptors of its own.
“It’s something we expected and anticipated,” a US official is quoted as saying. “We have all that we need to protect our bases and our personnel in the region and our interests.”
The official also says Israel is “coming up with solutions to address” the purported shortage, though Iran has only been firing several missiles a day, and a critical shortage would mean Israel would have fewer than ten interceptors left.
The report states that “it’s also unclear whether the US might seek to sell or share any of its own interceptors with Israel, which would pose its own strain on domestic supplies.” Israel, however, doesn’t currently use any American air defense systems.
Additionally, the report claims that Iran’s launch of cluster munitions “may exacerbate the depletion of the stock,” despite Israel’s use of Iron Dome — which is designed to counter rockets and other projectiles of shorter range — to shoot down the individual clusters rather than an anti-ballistic missile system.
Government transfers NIS 2.6b to Defense Ministry for ‘urgent defense procurement’
Interceptor missiles are fired at Iranian ballistic missiles over central Israel, March 9, 2026. (Yossi Aloni/Flash90)
In a late-night telephone vote, the government approves transferring an additional NIS 2.6 billion (around $826 million) in budget funds to the Defense Ministry for “urgent and essential defense procurement” amid the fighting in Iran and Lebanon.
The vote comes soon after the publication of a US news report that claims Israel is running critically low on ballistic missile interceptors. There is no confirmation of the report, on the news site Semafor, and some of its details do not appear to reflect known aspects of Israel’s interception operations and processes.
In a statement, the government says it will cut NIS 1.5 billion from the 2025-2026 budget for interest and commission payments, and take the other NIS 1.1 billion out of the 2025-2026 budgets of other ministries.
It says, however, that if the 2026-2027 budget is approved later this month, as scheduled, the NIS 2.6 billion will instead come from the Defense Ministry budget as normal.
The government voted last week on a revised version of the budget that boosted the Defense Ministry’s funds by NIS 32 billion in light of the war with Iran.
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