Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-03-31 at 20:01

HEADLINES
Trump vows Iran war end in weeks
Israel strikes Hezbollah leaders near Beirut
Syria pursues talks as Iran meddles

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

In US Military Role, President Donald Trump said the United States could end its military campaign against Iran within two to three weeks, telling reporters in the Oval Office that the exit could come within two weeks, maybe two weeks, maybe three. The remarks were Trump’s clearest to date that he intends to wind down a month-long war that has reordered the Middle East, disrupted global energy markets, and changed the trajectory of his presidency. He noted that Tehran does not have to strike a deal with Washington to end the conflict, saying, "Iran doesn't have to make a deal, no." The condition, he argued, was that Iran be "put into the stone ages," effectively blocking its path to a nuclear weapon before the US withdraws. Earlier in the day, Defense Secretary Hegseth described the coming days of Operation Epic Fury as decisive. The timeline context comes as US public opinion shifts toward ending the conflict quickly, even without fully achieving the stated military objectives.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, Israel Defense Forces said they attacked a senior Hezbollah commander and another senior terrorist in two separate strikes in the Beirut area. In Khalde, south of Beirut, an Israeli airstrike targeted a vehicle, with initial reports of two people killed.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iran was “on the verge” of having a weapons program too strong to overcome in a video posted to the White House’s X/Twitter page on Tuesday night, reiterating the goal that the United States aims to eliminate any possibility of Iran gaining a nuclear weapon. Rubio argued Iran has been offered opportunities to pursue nuclear energy rather than weapons, and that if Iran wanted nuclear energy its facilities would not be built underground away from public view. He said Iran has repeatedly turned these opportunities down. The policy discussion is set against Trump’s stated aim of preventing a nuclear-armed Iran, a stance reflected in clips where Trump says the US will leave the Iran War in two or three weeks and in remarks portraying Iran under a new regime as unacceptable.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa said during a London event that Syria had reached good points in normalization talks with Israel but that Israel changed its mind at the last minute, according to Israeli media. Al-Sharaa said direct and indirect dialogue and negotiations were pursued, and that Iran’s intervention in Syria has harmed the Syrian people. He added that Syria has no problem with Iran in Tehran, but has concerns about Iran in Damascus, and that Syria prefers negotiations over wars that carry greater risks. He reaffirmed Syria’s commitment to avoiding involvement in Hezbollah, while noting that as long as Syria is not attacked by any party, it will stay outside the conflict.

In Uplifting News, Maccabi Tel Aviv kept Play-In hopes alive with a 104-100 overtime win over Dubai, a result that moved Oded Katash’s team to 17-16 with five games remaining and a tiebreaker edge over Dubai in the race for one of the Play-In spots. The win came despite significant injuries, with Iffe Lundberg out for 2-3 more weeks, TJ Leaf having undergone season-ending surgery, and other players limited. In Budapest, Israeli chess player Yarden Bloch faced an Iranian opponent in an official international tournament, a rare match-up amid the broader Israel-Iran conflict. Bloch expected a forfeit, but the Iranian player arrived, shook hands, and sat down to play, a moment she described as notable given the tense context surrounding the sport.

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/middle-east/iran-news/article-891855
https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2026/03/trump-says-us-could-end-iran-war-two-three-weeks-0
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bkc0frkjzx
https://t.me/beholdisraelchannel/74275
https://t.me/JewishNews24/52251
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-891857
https://t.me/JewishNews24/52255
https://t.me/JewishNews24/52257
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-891856
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/sports/article-891853
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-891852