Iran War Updates Tuesday March 17

10:40 pm

- Ballistic missile interceptions with shrapnel falling. Reports of cars on fire in Cholon from impact.  Several other areas with falling fragments reported.

- Another salvo of incoming missiles from Iran. Alerts issued for central regions Yehuda Shomron and Bet Shemesh 

 -All clear given

Sirens sounding in Beer Sheva

- Incoming missiles from Iran alerts issues to the south and never region 

Centcom: A few Hours ago, U.S. forces successfully employed multiple 5,000-pound deep penetrator munitions on hardened Iranian missile sites along Iran’s coastline near the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian anti-ship cruise missiles in these sites posed a risk to international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

- BDE: Two Israelis killed  tonight  by iranian missle that fell in Ramat Gan The two murdered - a couple in their 70s. HYD

- Direct hit in Bnei Brak in front of a  home on Anilevich Street B"H no injuries as onlookers come by to see the miracle dancing and thanking Hashem.

-Damage, including at Tel Aviv train station, petach Tilva, reported after Iranian missile attacks

                    At the scene in Bnei Brak

- The US State Department Passed The Buck To An Overloaded El Al, Now It’s Time For The State Department To Pull Its Own Weight; Here’s What You Can Do! see more at Dans Deals

-The Jerusalem Post Scores of Americans who fled Israel through the evacuation non-profit Grey Bull Rescue have come to its defense after criticism of it by one mother on social media went viral.

- Russia is expanding the scope of its assistance to Iran, providing the regime with satellite images and upgraded drones to improve the accuracy of strikes on American forces in the region (Wall Street Journal).Amit Segal 

-Senior political source: There is a growing assessment in Israel and the United States that toppling the regime in Iran is once again realistic (i24)

- Israel estimates it will take "a few weeks" to destroy the ballistic missile threat from Iran. "It will take a few weeks more," a senior Israeli military official told Fox News. "They still have the capability to launch missiles." The official added that Iran aimed to launch tens of missiles a day at Israel, but aren't able to do so. This is due to Israel and the United States striking the missiles and launchers belonging to the regime. "We are hunting them," the official added. Fox News Trey Yingst

- A major barrage of rockets (over 40) from Hezbollah at Israel

- President Trump is preparing a major operation to secure the Strait of Hormuz that could last several weeks, an Israeli source told Kan News. Israel is expected to increase activity in the area as well. 

 -Trump" “If they got a nuclear weapon, I would say they would have used it within 24 hours after having it, and they would have had it if we didn’t bomb them out from there.”

“You would have had a nuclear war in the Middle East and maybe beyond. I think it would have hit Europe.” - President Trump

- Trump on Joe Kent’s resignation: I always thought he was a nice guy, but I always thought he was weak on security—very weak on security. But when I read his statement, I realized that it’s a good thing that he’s out.

- White House spokeswoman in response to the letter from the head of the U.S. Counterterrorism Center: "The absurd claim that President Trump made the decision under the influence of others, even foreign countries, is insulting and ridiculous.

- Trump on Iran: “We're not ready to leave yet, but we will be leaving in the near future. We're leaving pretty much in the very near future."

-Trump: “The United States has been informed by most of our NATO Allies” that they don’t want to get involved with our Military Operation against the Terrorist Regime of Iran...I am not surprised by their action, however, because I always considered NATO, where we spend Hundreds of Billions of Dollars per year protecting these same Countries, to be a one-way street We will protect them, but they will do nothing for us, in particular, in a time of need."

-Trump on Macron: He’ll be out of office very soon

- The IDF is briefing military reporters: Hezbollah is planning to fire increased barrages toward the north “once every few days” in order to create fear among the public.

- Delta has stopped sales on Israel flights until 6/1, and United has stopped sales of Newark-Tel Aviv flights until 6/15 and other Tel Aviv flights until September. Expect cancellations to follow in the coming days.(DansDeals)

- Trump's Director of National Counterterrorism Kent resigns: "I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby."

- Arkia and Israir add  more tickets available on existing flights as restrictions have eased. Travel agencies have bought out these seats and charging an additional $165.

- No injuries are reported in Iran’s latest ballistic missile attack on Israel, the sixth since midnight. However fragments fell in several cities in central Israel causing damage in Rishon,Lod, Herzeliya and Gush Dan region.

- Red alert incoming Iranian rockets towards center of country.

- Defense Minister Katz: 

"I was just updated by the Chief of Staff that the Secretary of the National Security Council to Larijani, and the Basij chief – Iran’s central repression force – Soleimani, were eliminated last night. They have joined Khamenei, the head q the annihilation program, and all the defeated members of the Axis of Evil in the depths of hell."

- IDF confirmed killing Gholamreza Soleimani, who commanded Iran's Basij force for six years and led violent suppressions of civilians. The same operation targeted Ali Larijani, a top Iranian security official.

- Israeli Security official: We attacked 8 checkpoints of the Basij in Tehran a short time ago. 

- Hundreds of French yeshiva bochurim returned  home today for Pesach bein hazmanim on a charter flight from Egypt arranged by ichud bnei Hayeshivos.

- 2 more El Al flights took off this morning to NY

The Israeli airlines Arkia Israir and airHaifa are the only companies flying out of Ben Gurion Airport. With limited seating due to restrictions  the flights are not full. People are waiting all day for standby tickets to get out.

- The U.S. State Department has suspended its special evacuation flights following its arrangement with El Al. In response, El Al has increased the number of its planned flights to the United States from six to eight.

These flights are intended to accommodate both passengers with existing El Al tickets and those without tickets or holding tickets on other airlines. However, at this time, only El Al ticket holders have been assigned seats on these flights. Non–El Al passengers have not yet been successfully ticketed, although El Al has reportedly committed to the U.S. State Department to accommodate all U.S. citizens.(Matzav)

- The Israel Defense Forces said today that it has pushed even more forces deeper into southern Lebanon to create an expanded buffer zone, as Hezbollah attacked towns in northern Israel with rockets and drones.

- Reuters: Gulf states are pressuring Trump to continue the attacks on Iran and even to increase the pressure.