Prepared by Jewish Federations of North America’s Israel Office
Day 11 of the US/Israel War with Iran
–Two Israeli civilians killed in missile strike
–Significant increase in the level of rocket and drone fire from Lebanon
–Schools in Israel remain shuttered, and most restrictions continue
Join the Jewish Federations of North America at 8 a.m. Thursday, March 12, for a special briefing on the conflict between Israel, the United States, and Iran. We will be joined by Israeli journalist and political analyst Amit Segal, who will share insights and an update on the latest developments. Register Now
The War with Hezbollah
The IDF is conducting ground operations deep in southern Lebanon and has killed multiple Hezbollah operatives. The IDF also struck Hezbollah command centers and infrastructure by air overnight; they described the area as a launch point for rockets fired at Israel. The IDF says it issued an evacuation warning ahead of the strikes and again accused Hezbollah of embedding military assets in civilian areas; they called it a cynical exploitation of Lebanese residents.
Israel also issued new evacuation warnings for specific buildings in the Lebanese coastal cities of Tyre and Sidon, saying it would soon strike Hezbollah military infrastructure there and instructing civilians to move at least 300 meters away. It also reiterated a broader warning for civilians across southern Lebanon to evacuate north of the Litani River, saying airstrikes are ongoing and estimating that over 500,000 Lebanese civilians have already left their homes in the south. The repeated guidance indicates the IDF anticipates continued strikes across a wide geographic area.
Israel says it has expanded economic targeting, striking branches of Al‑Qard al‑Hasan, a Hezbollah-linked association. The military says yesterday’s wave hit assets and vaults, and that over the past week, roughly 30 assets connected to the institution were struck across Lebanon.
Israeli media have reported that the campaign against Hezbollah may continue even after the Iranian air campaign ends. Reports say that for now, IDF ground activity remains largely near the border, partly because air assets are heavily committed to the Iran front.
Syria’s state media reports that Hezbollah fired artillery shells into Syria from Lebanon, with shells landing west of Damascus. Syrian officials also claimed they observed Hezbollah reinforcements at the Syrian–Lebanese border and warned they would not tolerate aggression.
The War with Iran
Israel says a wave of overnight airstrikes in Tehran hit “vital infrastructure” tied to Iran’s military capabilities, including a subterranean weapons R&D complex at Imam Hossein University, which they described as part of the IRGC’s ballistic-missile development and production processes. The IDF says that the strike targeted an underground route used for experiments and tests, alongside infrastructure at the Quds Force’s main headquarters, additional weapons-production sites, and air-defense systems. The military framed the attack as a new stage of the war aimed at “deepening the blow” to core Iranian regime arrays and foundations.
Iran’s foreign minister says Tehran will continue missile attacks “as long as it takes,” insisting that negotiations with the United States are no longer on the agenda after previous talks and subsequent US strikes. In an interview, he argued that the US and Israel failed to achieve regime change in the war’s opening days and claims they are now “aimless.” He also said Iran is prepared for a prolonged confrontation, with continued launches presented as an open-ended commitment.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards declared that it “will determine the end of the war” and repeated its threats tied to energy shipping, saying they would not allow “one liter of oil” to be exported from the region if US and Israeli attacks continue. The statement positions Iran’s armed forces as the decisive actor vis-à-vis how and when the conflict concludes.
US President Donald Trump issued a series of remarks presenting the conflict as nearing a conclusion while simultaneously threatening vastly expanded force if Iran blocks oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz. In one message, he warned Iran would be hit “twenty times harder” and promised “death, fire, and fury” if oil shipments are impeded. He also claimed that the US has held back certain electricity-production targets but would strike them if Iran “doesn’t cooperate.” Trump added that he believes the war will end “soon,” although he declined to give a firm timeline and suggested renewed fighting would bring heavier strikes.
Turkey’s foreign minister told his Iranian counterpart that violations of Turkish airspace are “unacceptable,” warning Ankara would take all necessary measures to protect Turkey, which is also a member of NATO. Turkish sources say NATO air defenses shot down a second ballistic missile that entered Turkish airspace, and Turkey’s Defense Ministry says a US Patriot system has been deployed to Malatya as part of NATO measures to bolster air defenses amid missile threat.
Energy officials are concerned about deepening economic fallout as the Strait of Hormuz remains disrupted, with one senior Gulf energy official saying stopping the war is the only way to reopen the waterway for oil and gas movement. Saudi Aramco’s chief warned that the longer the disruption continues, the effects on oil markets could be “catastrophic,” calling it the biggest crisis the region’s oil and gas industry has faced. Separately, Bloomberg reported major producers cutting output sharply—Saudi Arabia by 2–2.5 million barrels per day, the UAE by 500,000–800,000, Kuwait by 500,000, and Iraq by about 2.9 million. Together, these signals reflect how quickly the conflict is reshaping expectations for energy supplies and price pressures.
Missile and Rocket Fire
Iran continues to fire missiles at Israel as Hezbollah fires both rockets and drones. The number of Iranian missiles fired daily has slowly been decreasing, presumably as a result of the Islamic regime’s diminished capabilities stemming from allied attacks. On the first day of the war, Iran fired 95 missiles. The next day (March 1), this dropped to 57, followed by 28 on Day 3; yesterday, the number was 10 missiles.
Two workers from Petah Tikva were killed in an Iranian ballistic missile attack using cluster bomb munitions at a construction site in Yehud, with the second victim dying of wounds the next morning. The victims were Rostam Golumov, 61, and Amid Mortozov; reports say they were not in a bomb shelter when the cluster munition struck the area. Another victim in a separate location was reported seriously wounded in the same attack.
Israel’s Health Ministry says 191 injured people were admitted to hospitals over the past 24 hours due to the conflict with Iran, including one in critical condition, three serious, two moderate, and 172 in good condition, alongside 10 treated for anxiety. It adds that since the war began on February 28, 2,339 people have been admitted to hospitals, with 95 currently hospitalized. Among those currently hospitalized, the ministry lists one critical, 11 serious, 11 moderate, and 69 in good condition.
Since the start of the war, Israel has experienced an unprecedented volume of Home Front Command alerts. Between February 28 and March 8, 35,000 alerts were activated nationwide — the highest rate ever recorded, compared with around 21,000 alerts during June 2025, including fire from Yemen. Most alerts have been concentrated in central Israel, including repeated warnings around Ben Gurion Airport, with the north also heavily affected, particularly after Hezbollah entered the fighting on March 4, leading to a sharp rise in alerts around Kiryat Shmona and border communities. The data shows a clear distinction between Iranian missile alerts, which are usually preceded by early warnings and cover wide areas, and fire from Lebanon, which typically allows only seconds to reach shelter and is more geographically focused. Alerts of hostile aircraft intrusions have been concentrated almost entirely along the northern border, especially in communities near the border with Lebanon.
Israel’s Home Front
A political dispute has emerged over the timing of reopening schools, after the Home Front Command announced nationwide restrictions would remain in place, forcing Education Minister Yoav Kisch to walk back an earlier outline for gradually resuming operations. Opposition leader Yair Lapid accused the government of pushing to reopen too early without adequate consultation, while Kisch said the outline was prepared with relevant groups.
British low-cost carrier EasyJet says it will not resume flights to Tel Aviv until at least the winter, postponing a restart that had been expected on March 29. The airline said the decision was part of an ongoing review of its flying program amid the war with Iran, and that customers have been offered options including full refunds or alternative flights. EasyJet joins other foreign airlines that have suspended services in the coming weeks after Israel’s airspace was closed on February 28 when the war began.
Since the start of the war, more than 3,400 residents have been forced to leave their homes due to missile impacts and interception debris. The damage has been recorded across 22 local authorities, with the most significant incidents in Tel Aviv–Jaffa, Be’er Sheva, Beit Shemesh, and additional communities.
Evacuees are currently housed in 21 hotels nationwide, primarily in Tel Aviv–Jaffa, Jerusalem, and Be’er Sheva, with efforts made to keep residents from the same municipality together. The vast majority of evacuations followed missile strikes during the first three days of the operation (February 28–March 2).
According to government data, approximately 985 evacuated children aged 0–18 have been identified, and the Education Ministry has opened 12 special education and learning centers in main absorption areas. A government decision on March 1 approved initial emergency grants of NIS 1,500 per evacuated household and NIS 500 per individual (about $395 and $130, respectively), with several municipalities already completing transfers and submitting reimbursement requests, while others are still in the process.
Diplomatic Developments
Russia says President Vladimir Putin’s mediation proposals remain on the table, with the Kremlin noting he offered different options “even before the military phase began.” A Kremlin spokesman said Russia is ready to assist “to the best of its ability,” while also acknowledging such efforts require multiple understandings and agreements. The comments followed a Putin–Trump phone call in which, according to the Kremlin, Putin shared proposals to end the Iran war quickly, though Moscow declined to provide details.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the end of Iran’s regime ultimately depends on the Iranian people’s willingness to “throw off the yoke of tyranny,” while asserting that Israel’s actions are already inflicting major damage. He said Israel’s “arm is still outstretched” and claimed there has been a “tremendous change” in Israel’s standing in the world.
Iran’s Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said Tehran is “absolutely not looking for a ceasefire” and argued the “aggressor must be punished” to prevent future attacks. Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana replied in Persian that “the only thing proposed to you was unconditional surrender,” declaring that a ceasefire is not on the table.
A new NGO Monitor report says that from the opening days of the 2026 Iran war, a network of highly politicized international NGOs issued immediate condemnations of Israel and the United States, accusing them of “aggression” and violations of international law, while largely ignoring Iran’s missile attacks on Israeli population centers and Tehran’s long‑standing role in arming and directing regional terror groups. According to the report, many NGOs framed the conflict using familiar ideological language, including claims of imperialism, genocide, and Western complicity, while omitting references to Iran’s nuclear weapons program and its support for Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and other proxies.
NGO Monitor documents statements from organizations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the World Council of Churches, and activist groups, arguing that their rhetoric relied on selective legal claims and double standards. The report concludes that these responses repeated long‑standing advocacy patterns in which Iranian actions and antisemitic terrorism are erased, while Israel’s legitimacy and right to self‑defense are challenged.
The Region
The UAE said that its air defenses are intercepting missile and drone threats from Iran, announcing an active response to incoming attacks. Separately, Bahrain’s interior ministry reported that an Iranian strike on a residential building in Manama killed one person and injured others, describing it as a blatant attack on a residential area.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards say they targeted the Al‑Harir Air Base in Iraq’s Kurdistan region with five missiles, calling it a headquarters of the “invading US army.” In a separate incident, the UAE says its consulate general in Iraqi Kurdistan was damaged in a drone attack. However, it reported no casualties and called it a dangerous escalation and a violation of international norms protecting diplomatic missions. Iraq has also seen daily air-defense activity around US facilities, including reported rocket interceptions near the US embassy in Baghdad and frequent drone interceptions over Erbil.
Pakistan has moved to protect shipping and energy supplies amid Gulf tensions, with its navy launching an operation to escort merchant vessels and ensure the flow of national energy supplies and maritime trade. Authorities also shuttered schools for two weeks and introduced austerity measures, including closing government offices one day a week and ordering 50% of staff to work from home, after fuel price hikes of about 20% reportedly triggered long lines at gas stations.
A loud blast was reported near the US embassy in Oslo, triggering a major police response. Norwegian police said there were no reports of injuries and that the cause remains unclear. Smoke was seen near the embassy compound amid heightened security alerts across Europe.
Jewish Federations and Partners
Jewish Federations of North America’s Israel office has activated our emergency protocols and is in close contact with the government of Israel and our partners.
Some Jewish Federations partner updates:
–American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC): JDC has expanded emergency operations across the country, integrating more than 2,000 volunteers and community leaders into municipal emergency systems in 13 municipalities. Volunteers are conducting welfare checks on older adults, assisting families in shelters, helping with repairs to safe rooms, delivering supplies, and providing emotional support. For children with disabilities spending prolonged periods in shelters, JDC has begun distributing accessible shelter kits with sensory and motor‑support tools; initial distributions have already taken place in northern communities, with further deliveries underway.
JDC has also continued to support local emergency response teams, building on work since October 7 that included the distribution of over 640,000 medical and rescue items to teams in 152 municipalities and training 420 volunteer first responders. Municipal officials in Be’er Sheva reported that JDC‑supplied rescue kits and training enabled rapid response following recent missile strikes, including the safe evacuation of elderly residents from damaged buildings. Alongside physical response efforts, JDC’s Nafshi national mental‑wellbeing platform has recorded more than 15,700 visits from over 14,000 users since the current escalation began, reflecting the growing demand for psychological support amid prolonged emergency conditions.
–The Jewish Agency for Israel: The Jewish Agency has expanded assistance to affected communities, with a focus on housing, welfare, and direct community support. In Be’er Sheva, vulnerable seniors were relocated to an absorption center to ensure safety and continuity of care. In parallel, the Agency has been working with the Property Tax Authority to repair and renovate homes damaged by missile strikes, with approximately 106 housing units currently under renovation in Be’er Sheva, Beit Shemesh, Tirat HaCarmel, and Ramat Gan.
Amigour, the Jewish Agency’s senior housing company, has supported approximately 7,300 elderly residents, including around 1,300 Holocaust survivors. Assistance has included distributing 2,655 food baskets across 22 residential buildings, extending staff hours to provide daily responses to residents’ needs, and volunteer visits, including holiday activities for residents unable to leave their homes. These efforts are intended to reduce the need for elderly residents to travel during disruptions and to maintain their daily routines.
Alternative housing solutions have also been provided through the absorption center system. Absorption centers, which are home to approximately 5,000 new immigrants across 20 locations, have served as temporary housing for families whose homes were destroyed and for elderly residents unable to remain in their apartments. Welfare teams were deployed to these centers from the first days of the escalation to provide emotional support, practical assistance, and coordination with local services.
Within absorption centers, ongoing welfare activities have included individual therapeutic support for high‑risk residents, resilience workshops conducted in shelters, emergency assistance for elderly residents, and tailored programs for children. In total, 950 children and youth have received structured support, including infants, kindergarten‑age children, primary school students, and teenagers. In addition, 3,045 young adults participating in Jewish Agency youth programs took part in relief and support activities. Educational continuity was supported through distance‑learning coordination with the Ministry of Education, including visits by teachers, soldier‑teachers, and mentors.
The Jewish Agency also activated the Roaring Lion Emergency Fund to provide immediate financial assistance. As of today, 970 requests for emergency grants have been received, with 305 grants already disbursed, totaling NIS 1.22 million (approximately $405,000). Grants were allocated to injured individuals, bereaved families, and families whose homes were destroyed, in coordination with municipal welfare departments.
A significant component of the Agency’s outward‑facing community response has been delivered through Youth Futures (Potechim Atid). Following the missile strike in Beit Shemesh, Youth Futures launched a free telephone support hotline for all residents of the city. The hotline is staffed by certified therapists from the Family Space clinic, which operates within the Youth Futures framework, and provides emotional support, professional consultation, and guidance for coping with the situation. The service is aimed primarily at parents of children aged 8–15 and is being promoted in cooperation with the municipality and welfare services. Youth Futures operates in Beit Shemesh across eight schools and has expanded the hotline beyond program participants to reach the wider community.
Internationally, Jewish Agency emissaries have maintained rapid‑response engagement with Jewish communities facing security incidents. Following a terror incident affecting the Jewish community in Liège, Belgium, the Agency coordinated immediate outreach, security support, and leadership engagement. After a shooting at synagogues in Toronto, the Agency offered briefings and joint sessions for community security teams in coordination with its Security Fund. Additional outreach has included contact with Jewish communities in the UAE, support for Israelis stranded abroad, and dedicated calls for parents of lone soldiers.
Through JReady, the Jewish Agency delivered briefings and webinars to Jewish communities and organizations abroad, including a large briefing for the Zionist Federation of South Africa, sessions for educational tourism organizations under Jewish Federations’ IETA, and English‑language webinars for parents of lone soldiers in the United States, Australia, and South Africa.
–SAHAR – Online Emotional Support and Listening: Since the launch of Operation “Lion’s Roar,” SAHAR has sustained uninterrupted online emotional support services, responding to hundreds of real-time chat requests from individuals experiencing distress related to the war. A significant portion of these conversations (approximately 40 percent) center on fear, anxiety, depression, and the challenge of coping with the ongoing security situation, underscoring the escalating mental health needs across the population.
In parallel, SAHAR’s volunteer monitoring unit, the “SAHAR Patrol,” is actively scanning social media platforms to identify signs of acute emotional distress. Through this proactive outreach, the team has already located and directly engaged with 112 high-risk posts, offering immediate support and connection to help.
To ensure continuity and quality of care throughout the crisis, SAHAR has expanded its volunteer support and supervision framework. This includes enhanced professional guidance and dedicated sessions designed to mitigate secondary trauma among volunteers managing high volumes of distress and crisis-related inquiries.
See Jewish Federations’ Joint Security Guidance for Jewish Institutions Following Strikes on Iran.
Jewish Federations continue to monitor the situation on the ground very closely and will report as needed.
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Preceding distributed by the Jewish Federations of North America.