Purim guidance and Homefront assessments

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 Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Rockets and drones launched from Lebanon set sirens blaring across northern Israel in the early hours of Monday, as the Hezbollah terror group entered the fray to assist its backer, Iran, after the killing of the supreme leader. Fabian describes how this strike from the terror group has allowed the IDF to add Hezbollah heads to an ongoing campaign to decapitate the leadership of Iran.

Nine people were killed and more than 40 were injured when a missile destroyed a Beit Shemesh synagogue and caused extensive damage to a public bomb shelter beneath it, as well as surrounding homes. Fabian explains what we know about the failure to down this missile and why the impact was so deadly.

Three American soldiers have been killed, and five have been seriously wounded in the ongoing conflict with Iran, the US Central Command said Sunday, announcing the first US casualties in the conflict. We also learn how a strike on a UK base in Cyprus has potentially changed its willingness to aid the effort against Iran.

Fabian turns back to 8:10 a.m. on Saturday and explores how the conflict began. Israeli Air Force fighter jets have dropped over 2,000 bombs in strikes against hundreds of Iranian regime targets and military sites since the start of the war with the Islamic Republic on Saturday morning. How does this compare with the June 12-day war?

And finally, as Purim is set to begin this evening for most of the Jewish world, are Israelis allowed to gather for the reading of the Book of Esther?

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

IDF strikes in Beirut after Hezbollah enters fray and fires rockets, drones at north

Four of the 9 victims of Iranian missile strike on Beit Shemesh named by authorities

9 killed as Iranian missile destroys synagogue, smashes bomb shelter in Beit Shemesh

‘Everything is gone’: Deadly Iranian strike on Beit Shemesh leaves residents reeling

3 American soldiers killed, 5 seriously injured in war with Iran — US military

Drone hit British military base in Cyprus, local and UK officials say

IDF: Over 2,000 bombs dropped on Iran in 30 hours, air supremacy achieved on 1st day

Trump says he’s agreed to talk to Iran’s leaders, but estimates operation will take weeks

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Adina Karpuj.

IMAGE: Hezbollah supporters wave their group's flags and an Iranian national flag during a protest in Beirut, Lebanon, February 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)

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