12PM ET 03/16/2026 Newscast

Summary

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Fox News Hourly Update — 12PM ET 03/16/2026

Overview

The 12PM ET Fox News Hourly Update covers top international and domestic news stories on March 16, 2026. Lead topics include the latest developments in Israel’s military operations against Iran and Hezbollah, severe weather impacting the United States, shifting US-Cuba relations, labor unrest in Colorado, and stock market news. The report captures both high-level summaries and on-the-ground insights from correspondents.

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Top Headlines & Key Discussion Points

1. Israel Escalates Operations Against Hezbollah and Iran

• Israeli Ground Operation in Southern Lebanon

  • Israel launched a limited ground operation targeting Hezbollah, Iran's largest proxy, amid week three of "Operation Epic" ([00:03]–[00:20]).
  • "The Israelis announced they've launched a ground operation into southern Lebanon. Officials telling Fox News this is considered limited right now." — Trey Yingst ([00:10])
  • Operations are being conducted in coordination with US forces, focusing also on Iranian targets.

• US-Israeli Strikes on Iran

  • Ongoing joint US-Israeli military action in Iran targets critical infrastructure and missile sites.
  • "They say they've taken out 70% of those launchers so far." — Trey Yingst ([00:22])
  • International attention is centered on the Strait of Hormuz after Iranian threats against Gulf countries.

• Diplomatic Tensions Over Strait of Hormuz

  • Iran’s foreign minister states the strait will be closed to "Iran's enemies."
  • Former President Trump urges NATO and Asian allies to secure the flow of oil: "President Trump suggests NATO allies and China, Japan and South Korea should send ships to help ensure free passage of oil tankers." — Lisa Brady ([00:48])

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2. Severe and Disruptive Weather Across the US

• Flight Disruptions and Storms

  • Over 8,000 flights canceled or delayed nationwide due to weather, especially a strong winter storm in the Midwest ([00:48]–[01:09]).

• Blizzard Conditions in Michigan

  • "The weather here is as extreme as it gets in the winter." — Robert Ray, Fox Weather ([01:09])
  • Marquette, MI, faces sustained whiteout conditions, with up to 4ft of snow and wind gusts approaching hurricane force.
    • "This has been going on for over 24 hours and we have another 24 hours ahead of us... hurricane force winds... a full on blizzard." — Robert Ray ([01:23])
  • Additional threats: Ongoing tornado warnings from Texas to the Carolinas; new wildfire activity in Nebraska, resulting in at least one death ([01:42]).

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3. Cuba Allows Expatriate Business Ownership Amid US Pressures

• Policy Change in Cuba

  • Cuba's government will permit expatriates, including US residents, to own businesses in Cuba ([02:40]).
  • This move stems from ongoing reforms and negotiations with the Trump administration.

• Skeptical Reaction from Cuban Americans

  • In Miami’s Little Havana, skepticism is widespread.
    • "I think that's a big lie and this is just manipulation so that the current government go easy on Cuba." — Cuban American Interviewee ([03:05])
  • Many families recall previous asset seizures by the Cuban regime; trust remains low that the reforms will be honored ([03:15]).

• US Policy Context

  • The US maintains a tight oil embargo and President Trump hints at further action, though he signals operations in Iran are the immediate priority.
    • "President Trump has suggested the US could take more action against the island... though also saying he intends to finish operations in Iran first." — Lisa Brady ([03:31])

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4. Major Labor Action at Colorado Meatpacking Plant

• Strike at Swift Beef Co. Plant

  • 3,800+ workers strike for higher pay and enhanced safety; union alleges unfair negotiations and intimidation ([03:49]).
  • "They want higher pay and better safety protocols. The union... also accuses plant owner JBS Foods of unfair negotiating practices." — Chris Foster ([03:49])
  • JBS Foods maintains operations are legal and will remain open; production to be shifted if necessary.

• Historic Context

  • This is the first major strike at a US slaughterhouse since 1985 ([04:21]).

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5. Markets and Closing Updates

• Stocks Rallying
  • As of the broadcast, the Dow is up 369 points, briefly surpassing 47,000; S&P and Nasdaq are also higher ([04:21]).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Israeli-Iranian Operations:
  "They say they've taken out 70% of those launchers so far."
  — Trey Yingst (00:22)

• Forecasting the Blizzard:
  "The weather here is as extreme as it gets in the winter."
  — Robert Ray (01:09)

• Cuban American Sentiment:
  "I think that's a big lie and this is just manipulation so that the current government go easy on Cuba."
  — Cuban American Interviewee (03:05)

• Labor Unrest Historic Note:
  "The union says it's the first strike at a US slaughterhouse since 1985."
  — Lisa Brady (04:21)

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Timestamps of Important Segments

• Israel’s Ground Operation / Iran Strikes: 00:03 – 00:48
• Strait of Hormuz/Trump Response: 00:48
• Weather and Flight Cancellations: 01:09 – 01:42
• Blizzard in Michigan: 01:09 – 01:23
• Tornado and Wildfire Threats: 01:42
• Cuba’s Expatriate Business Reform: 02:40 – 03:31
• Colorado Meatpacking Plant Strike: 03:49 – 04:21
• Stock Market Update: 04:21 – 04:38

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This update provides rapid-fire coverage of key global and domestic developments, with ground reports and local voices highlighting both urgency and context that define these events.

Transcript

[Lisa Brady]

Israel takes the fight to Iran's largest proxy Hezbollah on Lisa Brady, FOX News. Now in week three of Operation Epic

[Trade Yanks]

fury with the US Overnight, the Israelis announced they've launched a ground operation into southern Lebanon. Officials telling Fox News this is considered limited right now.

[Lisa Brady]

Fox's trade Yanks in Tel Aviv.

[Trade Yanks]

The Israelis still looking to the east, though, where they are launching alongside US Forces new strikes against the Iranian regime, targeting infrastructure in the capital of Tehran and going after many of those ballistic missile launching positions in the western part of the country. They say they've taken out 70% of those launchers so far. International focus, though, still remains on the Strait of Hormuz amid incoming Iranian attacks against Gulf countries and a new statement over the weekend by Iran's foreign minister.

[Lisa Brady]

The Iranian foreign minister saying the strait is only closed to Iran's enemies as President Trump suggests NATO allies and China, Japan and South Korea should send ships to help ensure free passage of oil tankers. More than 8,000 flights canceled or delayed across the US from a combination of severe weather, including a winter storm pounding parts of the Midwest.

[Robert Ray]

The weather here is as extreme as it gets in the winter. Up in the Upper peninsula of Michigan,

[Lisa Brady]

Fox Weather's Robert Ray on the shores of Lake Superior in Marquette, where it's a whiteout and up to 4ft of snow possible by tomorrow morning.

[Robert Ray]

This has been going on for over 24 hours and we have another 24 hours ahead of us of these kids. Conditions up to hurricane force winds. That's 75 mph wind gusts. We're going through at least 40 to 50 mile an hour wind gusts right now and whiteout conditions, a full on blizzard.

[Lisa Brady]

And after more than 100 tornado warnings yesterday from Texas to the Carolinas, a threat of more severe weather today from The Carolinas to D.C. meantime, multiple wildfires. Crews are battling in Nebraska already blamed for at least one death. America is listening to FOX News.

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[Lisa Brady]

Cuba's government says it will allow expatriates living abroad, including in the US to own businesses on the island as part of reforms prompted by ongoing discussions with the Trump administration. But not everyone's buying that.

[Eben Brown]

Cuban Americans in Miami's Little Havana have their doubts that Cuba's regime will make good on its word to President Trump that they will allow Cubans not living in Cuba to own businesses there.

[Cuban American Interviewee]

I think that's a big lie and this is just manipulation so that the current government go easy on Cuba.

[Eben Brown]

Outside the famed Versailles restaurant in Little Havana. That new policy is expected to begin today and concerns a number of Cuban American families who once had businesses and assets seized by the Castro regime without compensation. In Miami, Eben Brown, Fox News.

[Lisa Brady]

The U.S. has imposed a strict oil embargo on Cuba, and President Trump has suggested the US could take more action against the island, telling reporters he thinks something will happen pretty quickly, though also saying he intends to finish operations in Iran first. Workers walk off the job at a meatpacking plant in Colorado.

[Chris Foster]

About 3,800 workers are on strike at the Swift Beef Co. Plant in Greeley, Colorado, one of the largest in the country. They want higher pay and better safety protocols. The union, United Food and commercial workers Local 7 also accuses plant owner JBS Foods of unfair negotiating practices and trying to intimidate workers into quitting. The union. JBS USA says the company operates in full compliance with federal and state labor and employment laws. It says anyone who does not want to strike will have work and be paid. And it plans to maintain operations at the Greeley plant and move production as needed to other facilities. Chris Foster, FOX News.

[Lisa Brady]

The union says it's the first strike at a US slaughterhouse since 1985. Wall Street's rallying right now. The Dow's up 369 points after getting back over 47k for a while. The S and P and the Nasdaq also higher. And Lisa Brady, FOX News.

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