NPR News: 03-30-2026 5PM EDT

The NPR News Now episode from March 30, 2026, covers a range of developments including a domestic terror attack linked to foreign influence, an Iranian strike on U.S. assets, a Russian fuel delivery to Cuba amid U.S. sanctions, delays in federal disaster funding, risks at toxic waste sites, guidance on protein needs, and newly disclosed Ku Klux Klan records in Mississippi.

Synagogue Attack and Iranian Strike on U.S. Troops

FBI officials reported that Ayman Gonzalez Gonzali drove a pickup truck into a Detroit-area synagogue earlier this month in an attack inspired by the Iran-backed terrorist group Hezbollah. Gonzali recorded a video beforehand stating he wanted to "kill as many of them as I possibly can." He exchanged gunfire with a security guard before fatally shooting himself, but none of the 150 children and staff inside were injured.

Separately, an Iranian missile and drone attack on Friday targeted Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, wounding as many as 20 U.S. troops—several seriously—and damaging two E-3 Sentry aircraft, known as AWACS. These airborne early warning planes, along with U.S. drones and satellites, play a crucial role in deconflicting friendly aircraft and detecting threats. A U.S. official confirmed to NPR that Iran precisely struck the uncovered planes, highlighting vulnerabilities in their positioning.