Israelis grapple with Iran’s attritional missile fire

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Mar 19, 2026

David Horovitz, founding editor of The Times of Israel and longtime analyst of Israeli politics and security, walks through Israel's struggle with Iranian and Hezbollah missile barrages. He explains the chaos of cluster warheads and airport disruptions. He outlines how daily life is coping under sustained strikes and the high-stakes strategic dilemmas facing regional leaders.

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ANECDOTE

Cluster Bombs Killed Civilians Who Couldn't Reach Shelters

Cluster munitions caused deaths in Ramat Gan and a foreign worker plus three Palestinian women overnight.
Horovitz recounts Ramat Gan victims couldn't reach their safe room and cluster warheads disperse unpredictable fragments.

ADVICE

Stay In A Safe Room During Cluster Attacks

Go to somewhere safe and stay there during missile alerts.
David Horovitz warns cluster warheads scatter fragments widely, making safe rooms and staying put life-saving even if not absolute protection.

INSIGHT

Airport Capacity Cut Because Cluster Debris Hits Planes

Airport operations were curtailed because cluster munitions and debris hit parked private planes.
Horovitz explains filling full planes takes too long during alerts, so authorities halved passenger loads on some long-haul flights to reduce risk on tarmac.

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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.

ToI founding editor David Horovitz joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

Following overnight Iranian cluster warhead fire that killed four, Horovitz discusses the complex challenge of intercepting the warheads that can fall in multiple locations. He also details the specific aspects of safeguarding Ben Gurion International Airport, which is now reducing the number of people allowed on each outgoing flight due to the fraught realities.

As the war nears the end of its third week, Horovitz examines the attritional aspects of the missile attacks, as Iran and Hezbollah keep up multiple strikes.

He also talks about what he regards as the existential threat posed by the Islamic Republic, as well as whether the Iranian people will rise against the regime if and when the US and Israel signal that the time is ripe to do so.

Horovitz looks at the divergence in messaging from US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, even as they and their militaries maintain close alignment, and whether this war will end with Iran retaining its enriched uranium stockpile and able to advance its rogue nuclear program.

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

For further reading:

Iranian cluster bombs kill foreign worker in Israel, 4 Palestinian women in West Bank

Passenger limits reimposed on outbound flights after private jets hit by missile debris

Regimes are ousted from within, but the US and Israel must not let up until that happens in Iran

PM urges Iranians to celebrate Persian fire festival, in apparent bid to spark protests

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: A U.S. Air Force Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is seen on the runway at Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv amid ongoing missile attacks from Iran toward Israel, March 5, 2026 (Yossi Aloni/Flash90)

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