Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-03-28 at 18:01

HEADLINES
Iran's war machine 70% damaged, targeting 90%
Lebanon War Displaces Over a Million
Houthis Enter War Threatening Global Trade

The time is now 6:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Operation Lion's Roar, Israeli defense officials say roughly 70% of Iran's military industry components have already been damaged, with a goal to raise that figure to about 90% within days. The campaign has targeted surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missile infrastructure, defense ministry production sites, ballistic systems manufacturing facilities, and a headquarters involved in developing naval weapons, according to a senior military officer cited by Walla. The officer said the strikes are designed not only to inflict immediate operational damage but also to weaken the regime's future production capacity through economic disruption. Some of the targeted facilities were also used to supply Hamas and Hezbollah. The senior officer added that Iran-related nuclear targets are being hit in a methodical manner and that munitions are not wasted. Previously struck sites, including in Arak, have been hit again, with officials declining to comment on restoration efforts. Later, the IDF spokesperson Brigadier-General Effie Defrin said that two sites in Iran had been attacked, and he declined to comment on attempts to restore activity there.

In Direct Israel-Iran Clashes, sirens sounded again in the north following the incursion of hostile aircraft. The IDF stressed that it does not waste bombs, underscoring a continued, targeted approach. The report notes that the name of a Tel Aviv attack victim was released in connection with Israel's strikes on Iran's steel industry. It also references retaliatory actions in Lebanon and broader efforts described as aimed at pressuring Iran, including impacts claimed on Iran’s economy in a single night.

In Regional Impacts, in Lebanon a classroom turned shelter for displaced families hosts a student continuing lessons on a tablet. Ahmad Melhem, 17, displaced from Beirut's southern suburbs, says, “I don’t want to regret not finishing my studies despite the difficult circumstances,” as he and others try to keep learning so they can pursue their goals, including engineering after high school. The crisis has left more than a million people displaced and killed more than 1,100 people, including 122 children. UNICEF says the war has affected almost half a million school-aged children in Lebanon.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, an air-raid siren was heard in the north after rocket fire from Lebanon. Separately, the Houthis’ entry into the Iran war raises fears of global shipping disruption in the Red Sea, with the Iranian proxy potentially resuming attacks in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, through which about 12% of global trade typically passes. A separate report says Hezbollah militia brigades in Iraq have announced deeper involvement in the war and will increase the pace of ballistic missile and drone launches toward Israel.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, police arrested at least 18 people as anti-war protests spread across Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Jerusalem. Thousands demonstrated at three main rallies—Tel Aviv’s Habima Square, Haifa near the Horev Center, and Jerusalem’s Paris Square—marking the first large-scale action in which anti-government groups participated alongside broader anti-war protests. The demonstrations also included opposition to the government’s judicial reform plans, and authorities emphasized that the right to protest remains a democratic cornerstone.

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.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-891471
https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1302416
https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2026/03/lebanon-kids-struggle-keep-studies-war-slams-school-doors-shut
https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1302413
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rjbkzahsze
https://t.me/beholdisraelchannel/74074
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-891473