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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-03-19 at 14:03
Published 4 weeks, 2 days ago
Description
HEADLINES
Israel's new tactic broadens Iran air campaign
US F-35 lands after Iranian strike claim
Ghalibaf leads Iran's war effort
The time is now 2:02 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
In Operation Lion's Roar, the air force has broken down Iran's air defenses, focusing on mobile anti-aircraft missiles. The top tier of Iran's remaining defenses consists of mobile missiles that are often deployed in groups of a dozen or more on a vehicle, and about 92% of those have been destroyed. The next layer is an Iranian version of the RIM-66 Standard, which can strike aircraft at a distance of roughly 60 to 75 kilometers; about 75% of these systems have been destroyed in June 2025 and in the current conflict. There are older and less threatening systems, with about 75% destroyed in June 2025 and around 80% in the current rounds. The long-range radar systems have also suffered, with around 70% destroyed in June 2025 and around 80% destroyed so far in the current round. Israel has also pursued new tactics to extend its striking capacity, including a method that reduces fuel needs on long missions.
Israel's air force has integrated new tactics in the current war that it did not use in three prior rounds against Iran, allowing a far larger number of fighter jets to strike the Islamic Republic. The tactic accelerates jets to high altitude on a much faster, steeper takeoff to save fuel. By climbing quickly to high altitude, many jets can reach Iran without refueling, a distance of about 1,500 to 2,000 kilometers depending on where they take off from. This approach reduces air friction and fuel burn, enabling longer missions with fewer midair refuels and expanding the scale of sorties that can be flown.
War by the numbers: How many strikes, targets, and missions has Israel carried out? Israel has dropped about 12,000 bombs since the war began, including 3,600 within the Tehran region alone. The operation has included 40 top Iranian officials killed by 40 bombs in the first 40 seconds of the war. Some 540 fighter jet waves were sent to central and western Iran, with another 50 waves aimed at more distant parts of the country, totaling about 5,700 sorties. In Lebanon, about 2,200 bombs have been dropped on Hezbollah across roughly 1,000 sorties, with 220 Hezbollah targets tracked and hunted and about 100 targets attacked as part of Hezbollah’s overall war effort.
In Direct Israel-Iran Clashes, Israel makes progress against Iran missiles, but disputes within IDF about the extent of the damage have emerged. One top IDF source said the air force had destroyed or neutralized about 75% of Iran's roughly 470 missile launchers, while another senior IDF source put the figure at around 60%. The discrepancy underscores ongoing uncertainty about the pace of damage, as officials note that missile fire has fallen from roughly 100 launches per day to about 20 per day, and on some days to four or five. The estimates illustrate the challenge of accurately measuring the remaining missile threat amid an ongoing campaign.
The IRGC claims that it targeted the Haifa and Ashdod refineries in its latest missile barrage at Israel, using the Nasrallah enhanced and guided missile system for the first time. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says the refineries were hit with the Nasrallah system, though independent verification of these claims was not provided here.
A US F-35 fighter jet was forced to make an emergency landing at a US base in the Middle East after being struck, with Iranian media claiming the IRGC was behind the hit. The US Central Command said the aircraft landed safely and the pilot is in stable condition, and the incident is under investigation. The report notes this would be the first time Iran has hit a US aircraft in the war, and it reminds audiences that both the US and Israel operate F-35s, each costing
Israel's new tactic broadens Iran air campaign
US F-35 lands after Iranian strike claim
Ghalibaf leads Iran's war effort
The time is now 2:02 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
In Operation Lion's Roar, the air force has broken down Iran's air defenses, focusing on mobile anti-aircraft missiles. The top tier of Iran's remaining defenses consists of mobile missiles that are often deployed in groups of a dozen or more on a vehicle, and about 92% of those have been destroyed. The next layer is an Iranian version of the RIM-66 Standard, which can strike aircraft at a distance of roughly 60 to 75 kilometers; about 75% of these systems have been destroyed in June 2025 and in the current conflict. There are older and less threatening systems, with about 75% destroyed in June 2025 and around 80% in the current rounds. The long-range radar systems have also suffered, with around 70% destroyed in June 2025 and around 80% destroyed so far in the current round. Israel has also pursued new tactics to extend its striking capacity, including a method that reduces fuel needs on long missions.
Israel's air force has integrated new tactics in the current war that it did not use in three prior rounds against Iran, allowing a far larger number of fighter jets to strike the Islamic Republic. The tactic accelerates jets to high altitude on a much faster, steeper takeoff to save fuel. By climbing quickly to high altitude, many jets can reach Iran without refueling, a distance of about 1,500 to 2,000 kilometers depending on where they take off from. This approach reduces air friction and fuel burn, enabling longer missions with fewer midair refuels and expanding the scale of sorties that can be flown.
War by the numbers: How many strikes, targets, and missions has Israel carried out? Israel has dropped about 12,000 bombs since the war began, including 3,600 within the Tehran region alone. The operation has included 40 top Iranian officials killed by 40 bombs in the first 40 seconds of the war. Some 540 fighter jet waves were sent to central and western Iran, with another 50 waves aimed at more distant parts of the country, totaling about 5,700 sorties. In Lebanon, about 2,200 bombs have been dropped on Hezbollah across roughly 1,000 sorties, with 220 Hezbollah targets tracked and hunted and about 100 targets attacked as part of Hezbollah’s overall war effort.
In Direct Israel-Iran Clashes, Israel makes progress against Iran missiles, but disputes within IDF about the extent of the damage have emerged. One top IDF source said the air force had destroyed or neutralized about 75% of Iran's roughly 470 missile launchers, while another senior IDF source put the figure at around 60%. The discrepancy underscores ongoing uncertainty about the pace of damage, as officials note that missile fire has fallen from roughly 100 launches per day to about 20 per day, and on some days to four or five. The estimates illustrate the challenge of accurately measuring the remaining missile threat amid an ongoing campaign.
The IRGC claims that it targeted the Haifa and Ashdod refineries in its latest missile barrage at Israel, using the Nasrallah enhanced and guided missile system for the first time. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says the refineries were hit with the Nasrallah system, though independent verification of these claims was not provided here.
A US F-35 fighter jet was forced to make an emergency landing at a US base in the Middle East after being struck, with Iranian media claiming the IRGC was behind the hit. The US Central Command said the aircraft landed safely and the pilot is in stable condition, and the incident is under investigation. The report notes this would be the first time Iran has hit a US aircraft in the war, and it reminds audiences that both the US and Israel operate F-35s, each costing