Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-04-06 at 09:02

HEADLINES
IRGC Intelligence Chief Killed in Lion's Roar
Israel Strikes Iran's Asaluyeh Petrochemical Facility
Golani Brigade Destroys Hezbollah Sites in Lebanon

The time is now 9:02 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Operation Lion's Roar, reports indicate Majid Khademi, the head of Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps intelligence, has been eliminated. He was described as one of the IRGC’s most senior commanders with long experience, involved in efforts to advance terrorist attacks globally and in monitoring Iranian civilians as the regime suppresses internal protests; a separate overnight update described him as the IRGC's intelligence chief and second-in-command who had survived prior targeting attempts until this operation. In the same developments, Asghar Bagheri, commander of the Quds Force’s Special Operations Unit, was also eliminated, with accounts noting he led numerous attacks against Israel and worldwide and personally commanded operations targeting IDF soldiers along the Syrian-Israeli border. Separately, Israel's defense minister said the Israeli Air Force struck Iran's largest petrochemical facility in Asaluyeh, a facility responsible for roughly half of the country's petrochemical production; the strike, combined with a prior hit, reportedly took offline sites accounting for about 85 percent of Iran's petrochemical exports and was described as a severe economic blow worth tens of billions of dollars. The minister added the industry is a key funding source for the IRGC and said the IDF has orders to continue targeting Iran's national infrastructure.

In Direct Israel-Iran Clashes, rescuers say all four victims have been recovered from the rubble of the Iranian ballistic missile strike on a Haifa residential building, including a man and a woman in their 80s, a man in his 40s, and a 35-year-old woman. In a related update, a cluster submunition strike in central Israel wounded a 44-year-old and left about 30 bomblet impact sites across the area. A senior Home Front Command officer described the 18-hour operation to recover the Haifa victims as among the war’s most complex, noting the bodies were found in an inner room near a stairwell rather than a protected safe room, and that the effort required careful work amid fears of unexploded ordnance as teams tunneled through debris. Across central Israel, sirens and alerts were reported as authorities monitored additional rocket launches from Iran, with officials noting multiple zones in the center under warning and further updates indicating new missiles were identified and launches continued.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, two espionage investigations in Ashkelon and Jerusalem tied to Iranian intelligence surfaced as authorities described suspects who allegedly provided services to Iranian elements, including possible production of explosive material and digital recruitment efforts, though many details remain under publication restrictions. An extensive series of Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon targeted terrorist infrastructure, with reports of strikes on locations including areas near Toul, Doueir, Ali Al-Taher forest, Ansariyeh, and other sites, alongside a wave of targeted assassinations of three vehicles and a motorcycle in the south. The Israel Defense Forces later said Golani Brigade forces destroyed more than 300 Hezbollah infrastructure sites in southern Lebanon, including weapons warehouses, booby-trapped buildings, and enemy positions, with dozens of terrorists killed, more than 10 underground shafts uncovered, and hundreds of weapons seized. Troops from the Golani Brigade, under the 36th Division, continued targeted ground operations in southern Lebanon, dismantling hundreds of additional terror infrastructure sites, and increasing the tally of weapons seized while expanding the reach of the operation.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, a petition challenging Israel's death penalty law reached the High Court on Monday, filed by MK Gilad Kariv, the Zulat Institute, and Rabbis for Human Rights, seeking to void the law and to declare it has no legal force in the West Bank, where the statute would require the defense minister to order amendments within 30 days to make death the mandatory sentence for certain Palestinian defendants tried in military court; the petition argues the measure violates rights to life, dignity, equality, and due process and questions the Knesset’s authority to apply it in the West Bank. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he spoke with Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav to convey condolences for the four victims and ordered immediate assistance for their families and the municipality, stressing that following Home Front Command guidance, especially staying in protected areas, greatly reduces risk and urging residents, particularly in the north, to adhere to safety guidelines.

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.

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