Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-04-02 at 03:02

HEADLINES
Iran uses civilian sites for missiles
Gulf States Plan Haifa Route Bypassing Hormuz
US policy unsettled on Iran NATO rift

The time is now 3:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Direct Israel-Iran Clashes, a leaked secret document from Iran’s intelligence service, a 33-page briefing obtained by the hacker group Adalat Ali, outlines Tehran’s policy to use civilian infrastructure, garages and service centers as legitimate launch sites for missiles. The report is paired with additional details that four people were wounded in Bnei Brak and two in Kiryat Shmona, with a building damaged in Shfar’am. Updates described a building collapse in a Tel Aviv neighborhood described as pancake-shaped. The material also references a long-unsolved IDF casualty whose burial place was unknown, identified after 78 years, with a 60-year-old man killed by a vehicle near the Eshkolot junction. The document closes with a characterization of Iran’s aim to crush Israel’s plans and notes that Tehran is increasing its support for Hezbollah.

In Regional Impacts, The Financial Times reports that Gulf states are weighing a wholesale plan to bypass the Strait of Hormuz by building a new network of pipelines, roads and railways that would connect the Arabian Peninsula with the Mediterranean via the port of Haifa. The report notes Saudi Arabia has kept its oil exports flowing largely through the East-West pipeline, which links its fields to the Red Sea port of Yanbu and bypasses Hormuz. A senior Gulf energy executive described the East-West pipeline as a masterstroke in hindsight. The FT piece also references other potential projects that would create a broader network to reduce reliance on Hormuz. A separate report highlights a revealed mechanism used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps to pressure vessels in the Hormuz Strait, described as a coercive tactic against ships transiting the area.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, observers note that President Trump’s comments on NATO pose a direct challenge to alliance cohesion, while contemporaneous coverage suggests uncertainty surrounding Washington’s posture on Iran. A separate analysis summarizes Trump’s messaging on the Iran situation as contradictory: he cited an appeal attributed to what he described as “Iran’s new president” for a ceasefire, but it remains unclear whom he meant, and whether that figure is even functional. Trump’s public stance implies that a ceasefire would hinge on the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, with hints that some nuclear questions had already been settled, even as the broader conflict and missile issues remain unresolved. The reporting underscores a lack of an official Iranian response and continuing questions about what comes next.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, a high-ranking air force official reassures the public that Israel possesses interceptors for a prolonged conflict and that there is no cause for alarm. A separate briefing offers a more optimistic note, saying Israel will continue producing interceptors and bringing additional systems online. A report on air defense describes a breakthrough in technology used in the field, noting that what once took days during major operations now transpires in minutes. Another defense official cautions that lasers cannot be relied upon as the sole solution, highlighting the complexity of defending against evolving threats.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, at Ohio University, influencer Myron Gaines performed a Nazi salute and mocked the Holocaust, delivering antisemitic conspiracy theories during a campus appearance, including remarks about Holocaust tolls and accusations that Jews control America. The event drew immediate backlash from campus communities and observers. In Australia, a Bondi Beach attacker suspect, Naveed Akram, facing 59 criminal charges including murder and terrorism offenses, lost a bid to keep the identities of his family anonymous; the judge ruled that open reporting serves the public’s right to know in such a high-profile case.

In Uplifting News, Mehran Rezvani, a 60-year-old originally from Qaem Shahr in Iran, has become an unlikely volunteer for Israel. He is part of a group of eight Norwegian volunteers working at the Eitanim Mental Health Center near Jerusalem, assisting through Nachamu Nachamu Ami, a Dutch humanitarian organization. Rezvani defected from Iran in his youth and has found a new purpose supporting Jewish communities abroad and in Israel, demonstrating that individual journeys can cross borders in unexpected ways.

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-1304268
https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1304267
https://www.jpost.com/business-and-innovation/energy-and-infrastructure/article-891934
https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1304269
https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1304265
https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/04/02/trump-clouds-path-to-ceasefire-with-conflicting-messages-on-iran/
https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1304262
https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1304261
https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1304260
https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1304259
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-891931
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-891930
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-891782