Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-04-08 at 05:02

HEADLINES
Israel halts Iran final barrage with airstrikes
IRGC Quds chief killed in Tehran
Bahrain intercepts six missiles and 31 drones

The time is now 5:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Operation Lion's Roar, Iran was planning to launch a much bigger final barrage at Israel last night as the ceasefire went into effect, but the IDF says it conducted a massive wave of airstrikes against Iranian missile launchers that prevented such a barrage. The IDF says it has been ordered to cease fire in Iran but remains ready to respond to any violation, and operations in Lebanon continue, the Israeli military stated.

In Direct Israel-Iran Clashes, just before the ceasefire, reports in Iran described the elimination of Brigadier General Haj Yazdan Mir-Safari, commander in the Quds Force along with his family in Tehran.

In Iranian Retaliation, after the ceasefire announcement, Benny Savti told News 12 in a morning interview that “Morning not good,” and explained that while Western metrics show a win, the way Iran views it is different; what the public supporting the regime sees at the end is that the regime’s word won.

In Regional Impacts, Bahrain announced that it intercepted six missiles and 31 drones in the last hours. Arab media commentary in the region argued that Iran had lost and abandoned three red lines, while other outlets suggested Iran faced two bad choices—surrender or a much worse scenario. Behind-the-scenes diplomacy was described as a breakthrough that allowed the ceasefire to move forward, with sources saying the move required the assent of Iran’s leadership. In Lebanon, the IDF renewed the evacuation order for people north of the Zahrani River, and warned that the ceasefire does not include Lebanon and residents must evacuate.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, the IDF warned residents of Beirut’s Dahieh neighborhood to evacuate ahead of strikes on Hezbollah targets located there. Officials then issued a renewed evacuation order for the Dahieh district in Beirut.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, Benny Savti voiced anger at Trump, saying the ceasefire again allows the regime in Iran to buy time, expressing frustration in an interview on News 12. Separately, President Trump told AFP that he believes China got Iran to negotiate a ceasefire in the war against Israel and the United States, while China’s foreign ministry welcomed the ceasefire and said Beijing had its own efforts toward lasting peace in the Middle East.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, opposition leader Yair Lapid condemned the ceasefire as a political and strategic disaster, arguing that Israel was not part of the discussions and warning of long-term consequences for security. Otzma Yehudit MK Zvika Fogel criticized the president, writing that “Donald, you really wimped out.” The Education Ministry announced that schools could reopen tomorrow, if authorities can prepare in time.

In Israeli Economy and Business, global markets rallied and oil fell below $100 a barrel after the ceasefire announcement. West Texas Intermediate crude traded about 16% lower, Brent roughly 15% lower, and Tokyo-traded crude about 1.3% below the day before. Natural gas prices were down about 5%. The S&P 500 and NASDAQ-100 opened modestly higher, while in Asia the Nikkei rose about 5.4% and the KOSPI gained around 6.8%, with broader Asia-Pacific indices also higher.

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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