The Times of Israel Daily Briefing

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.
US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.
During a briefing and in a one-on-one phone interview with Magid, US President Donald Trump discusses a possible timeframe for ending the war with Iran, a decision he says will be made with Israel. The US leader notes that if the regime harms oil exports, he will strike Iran harder than before.
Magid notes that Trump is not happy with the choice of the new Iranian leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, but isn't discussing his removal, unlike Israel, which has not ruled out his assassination. He also discusses whether Trump is betraying anti-regime protestors by not creating a government that will support them.
There appears to be some behind-the-scenes discomfort with the war against Iran from Vice President JD Vance, reports Magid, although the Vice President has been publicly supportive of the continued operation.
Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.
For further reading:
Trump: Iran war could be over soon, but not this week; oil disruption would trigger harsher strikes
Trump to Times of Israel: It’ll be a ‘mutual’ decision with Netanyahu regarding when Iran war ends
Netanyahu tells Iranians freedom is near as Israel hits Iran’s oil depots for first time
Trump: ‘I have to be involved’ in picking Iran’s next leader, Khamenei’s son ‘unacceptable’
Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.
IMAGE: President Donald Trump speaks at a news conference, Monday, March 9, 2026, at Trump National Doral Miami in Doral, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.
Diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.
Overnight, the Israeli military says, it pushed deeper into southern Lebanon as part of its “enhanced forward defense posture” after Hezbollah began attacking Israel a week ago. While there are Israeli boots on the ground, Berman clarifies that the IDF is not -- yet -- taking part in a ground maneuver.
We turn to Iran and the question of a potential schism between the US and Israel over Israel's targeting of Iranian oil sites. How long can the US continue the conflict in light of the ripple effects on the global economy?
The Times of Israel's US bureau chief Jacob Magid conducted a telephone interview with US President Donald Trump yesterday. We hear the main headlines today, and Magid will fill us in on the rest of the conversation on the podcast tomorrow.
And finally, we speak about the choice of Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his father, Ali Khamenei, as supreme leader. Berman discusses who he is and how the move is a direct rebuke to US President Donald Trump, who had declared the son “unacceptable.” We also delve into the apparent differences of opinion among the leadership as Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian apologized Saturday for attacks on regional countries, even as its missiles and drones flew toward Gulf Arab states
Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.
For further reading:
Two IDF soldiers killed in Hezbollah attack in southern Lebanon
Black clouds over Tehran rain down oil drops after Israel strikes oil facilities
Trump to Times of Israel: It’ll be a ‘mutual’ decision with Netanyahu regarding when Iran war ends
Trump: Next Iranian supreme leader ‘not going to last long’ without US approval
More hardline than his father, Mojtaba Khamenei’s appointment signals defiance and revenge
Pezeshkian apologizes for attacks on Gulf neighbors even as Iran forces step up strikes
Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Gabriella Jacobs produced this episode and Ari Schlacht edited.
IMAGE: A thick plume of smoke from a U.S.-Israeli strike on an oil storage facility late Saturday lingers in the cloudy sky over Tehran, Iran, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.
Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.
Following a long weekend of Iranian and Hezbollah strikes that sent Israelis to shelter multiple times, Fabian notes that while the frequency of Iranian strikes has remained similar, the threat level is possibly lower, given the smaller number of missiles in each strike, making it easier for Israeli air defense systems to intercept each missile.
At the same time, Hezbollah in Lebanon has been ramping up its rocket strikes and drones on northern Israel, notes Fabian.
Israel's Air Force conducted many waves of strikes in Iran, bombing the regime's oil and fuel depots, Fabian reports, hitting the infrastructure involved in ballistic missile production, which forms the biggest threat to Israel.
Fabian also discusses the rare IDF operation to search for the body of airman Ron Arad in Lebanon, as ground forces have moved deeper into the country in recent days.
Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.
For further reading:
Black clouds over Tehran rain down oil drops after Israel strikes oil facilities
2 soldiers hurt in Hezbollah missile attack; IDF says it hit 600 of terror group’s targets
Israel pounds Iran missile sites, airport as Tehran fires back repeated salvos, threatens Europe
Israel says commando raid deep in Lebanon failed to find remains of Ron Arad
Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.
IMAGE: Israelis take shelter in an underground parking lot in Tel Aviv during the war with Iran and Lebanon as missiles are fired toward Israel, March 6, 2026 (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe.
We are one week into a stunning US-Israel bombing campaign against the Islamic Republic. Senior Iranian leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, have been eliminated, and Iran's ability to attack its neighbors and to defend itself has been severely damaged.But it is still fighting, and launching attacks on countries across the region.
What are US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu trying to achieve in this war? And if it is regime change, is that even possible without sending in ground troops?
A possible way to thread that needle -- to avoid committing US or Israeli forces but to still take ground from the Islamic Republic -- is to use local opposition forces. The Kurds are being talked about as a possible vanguard of ethnic uprisings against the regime.
That is probably overambitious. There are only a few thousands Iranian Kurds under arms, and they have ample reasons to be wary of American promises.
Still, every day that goes by sees the US and Israel degrade Iranian forces, while they gain more freedom of action over the country. But there is still a long way to go before Trump and Netanyahu can consider ending the campaign while still achieving their goals.
Lazar Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by Gabriella Jacobs and video edited by Ari Schlacht.
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Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with author and public intellectual Micah Goodman.
In the sixth day of the United States and Israel's joint war against the Iranian Islamic Republic, Goodman takes stock and allows himself to wonder: What if we actually won this war against the evil regime?
We discuss the trickle effect on the Iranian people, the Mideast region and the world at large.
At this historic juncture, Goodman is hopeful that not only will World War III be averted, but peace may come to the region as Israel's existential threats are neutralized.
And so this week, we ask Micah Goodman, what matters now.
What Matters Now podcasts are available for download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Eli Katzoff and edited by Ari Schlacht.
IMAGE: Dr. Micah Goodman/ A billboard showing a portrait of the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran, Iran, March 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
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