Compilation of news reports – IAK staff
(While a “ceasefire” is ostensibly in place, Israel has continued its assault on Gaza without interruption. If Americans Knew considers the war to be ongoing, and in its 876th day.)
Israel on Friday killed at least six Palestinians in Gaza, 3 of them youths.
Since the “ceasefire” began on October 11, Israel has killed at least 651 Palestinians. Over 1,741 have been injured. Death toll figures are tentative.
Israel has so far violated the 11 October ceasefire deal in Gaza at least 1,620 times (as of Feb. 1, 2026). More statistics below.
WAR ON IRAN NEWS & HEADLINES:
Why is If Americans Knew covering the war on Iran? It can not be overemphasized that Israel has been the impetus behind US policies and actions vis-a-vis Iran for years. This is especially true right now, under Donald Trump. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has been pushing the US to attack Iran for decades.
The American people have made clear that they do not want to go to war with Iran, but Israel partisans and the Israel lobby use their massive political clout to bring about whatever is beneficial to Israel – including putting the US military in harm’s way. For more background on Israel’s role in American wars, watch IAK’s short film, “The Israeli Hit List.”
Death toll (all numbers are tentative):
- 11 US troops have been killed since the war on Iran began, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM).
- In Israel, 15 people have been killed and 1,929 injured, the majority with minor injuries.
- In Iran, 1,444 people have reportedly been killed since the conflict began.
- In Lebanon, at least 773 people have been killed (at least 91 of them children).
- In other Arab states, at least 46 people have been killed.
IRAN:
Over 42,000 civilian structures damaged in US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran: Non-military damages: 36,489 residential units, 6,179 commercial facilities sustained damage so far, says Iranian Red Crescent Society.
U.S./TRUMP ADMINISTRATION:
All six crew members confirmed dead after US military plane crash in Iraq: Number of American troops killed in war on Iran after incident in western desert now stands at 13.
Up to 5,000 US marines and sailors dispatched to Middle East: Report: A dispatch of up to 5,000 more American marines and sailors is headed to the Middle East, The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, along with several warships. The move suggests Washington is not seeking to wind down its war on Iran anytime soon, despite repeatedly boasting of operational successes.
What would ground troops in Iran mean for the US? Boots on the ground would bring home the war in a way that Americans haven’t experienced since the 2003 invasion of Iraq, where US casualties quickly led to a drop in support of the war – which, like the Vietnam War, became synonymous with US military overreach and misadventure.
Hegseth Whines About Iran War Coverage, Demands “Patriotic Press” Instead: The Defense Secretary also claimed Iran’s leaders were “underground,” despite video evidence showing otherwise.
‘No clear goal’: lack of Iran war plan has unleashed chaos and could stymie US military for decades, say critics: The White House contends with reality of shoddy preparations for war and unclear conditions for victory.
Trump calls Iran leaders ‘deranged scumbags’ as Middle East violence spirals: In a post on social media, Trump wrote: “Watch what happens to these deranged scumbags today … They’ve been killing innocent people all over the world for 47 years, and now I, as the 47th President of the United States of America, am killing them. What a great honor it is to do so!”
Analysts say US threat of ‘no quarter’ for Iran violates international law: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said there would be ‘no quarter, no mercy’ as US continues to pummel Iran.
Two weeks in, Iran strikes inflict nearly $4B in US military losses: The largest items driving the cost are damaged and destroyed AN/TPY-2 radar components belonging to THAAD missile defense systems, valued at an estimated $2 billion. This expense is not part of the $11.3 billion already calculated as the cost of the first week of the war.
ISRAEL:
Israel planning massive ground invasion of Lebanon, officials say: This could be the largest Israeli ground invasion of its northern neighbor since 2006, dragging Lebanon to the epicenter of the escalating war with Iran. “We are going to do what we did in Gaza,” a senior Israeli official said, referring to the flattening of buildings Israel says Hezbollah uses to store weapons and launch attacks.
LEBANON & MIDDLE EAST:
12 paramedics killed, 1 injured in Israeli airstrike on medical center in southern Lebanon: Health Ministry says attack violates international humanitarian law.
Lebanon to pay ‘heavy price,’ warns Israel: “The Lebanese government will pay a heavy price through strikes targeting Lebanese national infrastructure [i.e. civilian targets] and the loss of territory used by Hezbollah militants until it fulfills its basic commitment to disarm the group,” Defense Minister Israel Katz said.
Over 822,000 displaced in Lebanon amid ongoing Israeli bombardment, UN says: UN says ‘actual number of displaced’ could be ‘much higher’, reiterates ‘need for safe and unsustained humanitarian access.’
EUROPE & BEYOND:
Pope urges Christians involved in war to examine their conscience: “One might ask: do those Christians who bear serious responsibility in armed conflicts have the humility and courage to make a serious examination of conscience and to go to confession?” he said.
NEWS & HEADLINES FROM GAZA
(For some basic info on the Palestine-Israel conflict, go here. For more critical context, skim this, this, and this. To read about a remarkable but underreported, 20-month-long peaceful protest in Gaza against Israel, go here.
No let-up in attacks on Gaza as Israel takes on Iran, Lebanon: According to the Guardian, “Israeli strikes in Gaza, which had averaged around 10 a day across the devastated territory over the last five months, have continued even as Israeli jets carry out bombing campaigns in Iran and Lebanon.”
Israeli-backed Palestinian militias* step up operations against Hamas in Gaza: Armed groups appear to have increased their firepower as they carry out raids deep in Hamas-controlled territory.
*NOTE: These so-called “militias” are actually criminal gangs of Palestinians in Gaza who have actively collaborated with Israel throughout the genocide. Read more here and here.
Israel’s Deadly Blockade Traps 7 U.S. Doctors in Gaza: The temporary suspension of travel is the latest in a crushing set of restrictions that Israel has used to sever Gaza’s contact with the outside world, compounding shortages for a population subjected to more than two years of genocide.
New footage shows scale of destruction in Gaza brought by Israel:
David Mcintosh, who worked at Gaza aid sites, shares new footage showing the scale of destruction brought by Israel. pic.twitter.com/IIh7aQHb0i
— HatsOff (@HatsOffff) March 13, 2026
⚡️🇺🇸🇮🇱JUST IN:
David McIntosh, who worked at Gaza aid sites [GHF], shared unseen videos saying that the IDF “openly fire on civilians for fun.”
He said aid workers tried to help starving Palestinians, but the IDF sabotaged their work and “freely commit war crimes with ease.”… pic.twitter.com/pniJpLTN2d
— Suppressed News. (@SuppressedNws1) March 13, 2026
NEWS & HEADLINES FROM THE OCCUPIED WEST BANK/EAST JERUSALEM:
Every day, Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem endure dozens of incidents like the ones below, at the hands of Israeli soldiers and/or settlers. For background on the West Bank, read this and this. For information on the significance of Israeli settlers in the West Bank, read this and this.)
Hebron: Colonizers Run Over a Girl: An illegal Israeli colonizer ran over a 6-year-old girl on Friday in front of her home in Masafer Yatta, south of Hebron in the southern occupied West Bank. She was evacuated to the hospital with head injuries.
Israel Uses Iran War as Pretext to Torture Thousands of Prisoners: Thousands of Palestinian prisoners have reportedly been removed from cells and tortured this week, under the pretext of the Israeli-U.S. war with Iran. Palestinian prisoners are held without rights or access to lawyers, and over 40 have been tortured to death by Israeli guards over the past 2.5 years, with no repercussions.
RECOMMENDED: Israel Is the Global Rape, Torture Capital
Rising Wave of Journalist Abductions in 2026: The Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate’s Freedoms Committee has documented a sharp escalation in Israel’s targeting of Palestinian journalists since the start of 2026, recording 22 abductions so far, including four female journalists.
Israeli Colonizers Burn Poultry Habitation, Assault Youth in Qusra and Rashayda
Invasions And Violations In West Bank, Friday
Israel Confiscates 133 Dunams [about 33 acres] of land in Jenin and Salfit
NEWS & HEADLINES FROM ISRAEL:
(Israel is a tiny country, about the size of New Jersey, with a population smaller than the US state of Georgia – about 10 million (of which about 20 percent are Palestinians), yet it is in the news constantly. As has been demonstrated again and again, however, mainstream media rarely covers Israel accurately. IAK gets the facts – sometimes from Israeli media sites, where we can get a glimpse inside this country that is rife with turmoil and contradictions, and that receives $63 million a day from America.)
Israeli army infiltrates Syria’s* Quneitra countryside: Report: Israeli soldiers on Saturday advanced to Tal al-Dhuhur in southern Syria and set up tents at the site, according to Syrian media.
*NOTE: Although Israel is not at war with Syria, the Israeli army has carried out over 1,000 airstrikes and 400 cross-border raids on Syria since December 2024, killing approximately 30 Syrians. The situation appears to meet the criteria for occupation – and where occupation exists, the occupying power is bound by extensive legal obligations.
MORE NEWS & HEADLINES:
War on Iran Is Enriching Weapons Firms as It Tanks the Global Economy
Palestinian actor who starred in Hind Rajab film can’t attend Oscars because of US travel ban
NEWS: The man who rammed his explosives-laden truck into a Michigan synagogue today was named Ayman Ghazaleh, according to a source familiar with the situation. Ghazaleh posted photos overnight of his family members, including young children, who were killed in a recent Israeli… pic.twitter.com/KEBeJPAZsD
— Ryan Grim (@ryangrim) March 12, 2026
ICYMI, A SELECTION OF YESTERDAY’S HEADLINES:
(Read yesterday’s daily update here.)
- More than 250 US orgs oppose spending billions on war in Iran
- The Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire was built to fail
- 5-year-old child killed by Israeli forces in northern Gaza
- Israeli forces kill two Palestinians in occupied West Bank
- Israeli army drops charges against soldiers caught on video raping* Palestinian detainee
- Michigan synagogue attacker’s family was killed in Israeli airstrike
STATISTICS OCTOBER 7, 2023 – MARCH 13, 2026*:
- At least 73,261 Palestinians killed, 183,839 injured – including:
- At least 72,136 killed (~22,000 children, 33,000 women and girls), 172,839 injured in Gaza
- At least 1,125 killed (~232 children), 11,700 injured in the West Bank
*NOTE: Thousands of those killed in Gaza have yet to be identified, and an estimated 8,000 more are still buried under rubble (some sources put the number of missing as high as 14,000); 3,000 more are reportedly missing.
Additionally, the numbers of injured and starved are very conservative estimates. Only the dead who are brought to hospitals are included in the official fatality count.
Reported Israeli death toll from October 7, 2023 – March 13, 2026: ~1,661 – including ~1,139** on October 7, 2023 (~36 children), 472 military forces since the ground invasion began in Gaza, about 52 military and civilians (by one count, there have been 59 victims) in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Israel (these numbers do not include deaths from the conflict with Lebanon or the war with Iran).
By one count, Israeli attacks have killed approximately 281 Palestinian journalists and media workers (as of Jan. 21, 2026); Palestinians have killed 4 Israeli journalists (other groups have tallied between 215 and 333 Palestinian journalists killed – depending on the criteria used).
**NOTE: It is unknown at this time how many of the deaths and injuries of Israelis on October 7 were caused by Israeli soldiers.
- Human rights reports on Israel-Palestine (regularly updated)
- ‘Of Course’: IDF Drops Case Against Soldiers Accused of Raping Palestinian Prisoner
- Don’t Fall for the Regime Change Talk. Israel Is ‘Mowing the Lawn’ in Iran
- Will Israel and the US wreck the Gulf States along with Iran?
- US so far burned through ‘years’ of munitions in Iran war: Report
- How the Israeli Tail Wags the American Dog
- Outdated intel likely led to deadly U.S. strike on Iranian elementary school, sources say
- Pentagon insider says high U.S official Douglas Feith reported to Netanyahu
- In fond memory of Walid Khalidi, the historian of Palestine
- Are we on the precipice of World War III?
- Israeli strategic plans to “remake the Middle East” from the 1950s and since
- Honoring Gaza’s women who refused to let the world look away
- Israel Decided the War, But Trump’s America Fights and Pays the Bill
- Conscientious Objector Group: Phone ‘Ringing Off Hook’ As Huge Mobilization Underway
- U.S. support for Israel continues to plummet, despite media’s best efforts
