NPR News: 03-28-2026 11AM EDT

The NPR News Now broadcast from March 28, 2026, rounds up developments including Houthi attacks on Israel, market corrections tied to prolonged war impacts, fallout from a partial government shutdown, Russian drone strikes on Ukraine, concerns over AI in schools, and planned Trump administration events nationwide.

Middle East Escalations

Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen launched a missile toward Israel—the first direct attack since the current war began two months ago. Israel's military intercepted it successfully, but a Houthi spokesman vowed continued strikes until "the aggression on all resistant fronts stops." The Houthis, based in Yemen, had previously targeted cargo ships in the Red Sea during Israel's Gaza operations. Separately, Iran struck multiple sites near Tel Aviv and Jerusalem on Saturday using cluster bombs, which detonate at high altitude to disperse smaller bomblets. These munitions challenge Israel's multi-layered air defenses by covering wider areas and are harder to intercept. Notably, dozens of countries have ratified a treaty banning cluster munitions, but Iran, Israel, and the U.S. have not.