\u201cIt\u2019ll happen relatively soon, but it can\u2019t happen now,\u201d Wright said, of the planned naval escort mission. \u201cWe\u2019re simply not ready. All of our military assets right now are focused on destroying Iran\u2019s offensive capabilities and the manufacturing industry that supplies their offensive capabilities.\u201d Wright added that the Navy should be able to escort tankers through the strait by the end of this month.<\/p>\n
BREAKING: Iran\u2019s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei:<\/p>\n
We will not forgo avenging the blood of the martyrs.<\/p>\n
The Strait of Hormuz should still remain closed.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Clash Report (@clashreport) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Khamenei, it appears, is also resolute in his plan to keep the strait closed to all maritime traffic, reportedly having turned down approaches from several countries that were seeking an end to the attacks.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udea8 Lebanese Al-Akhbar newspaper, which is associated with Hezbollah: Official sources from Turkey, Egypt, India, and Pakistan approached Tehran demanding to stop the attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, but were met with a firm response stating that “security will be for everyone or\u2026<\/p>\n \u2014 Raylan Givens (@JewishWarrior13) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n U.S. President\u00a0Donald Trump<\/a>\u00a0said<\/a>\u00a0on March 3 that \u201cthe United States Navy will begin escorting tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, as soon as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n Putting a date of the end of this month on the escort mission is certain to trouble markets that are already feeling the pressure of the conflict. At the very least, this is an indicator that the war or its hostile aftermath will continue for weeks to come.<\/p>\n Equally pessimistically, there have been reports from analysts<\/a> suggesting that fully reopening the strait may require some kind of ground operation to seize the Iranian coastline adjacent to it.<\/p>\n \u201cStrategic priorities, like opening the Strait of Hormuz and securing what remains of Iran\u2019s nuclear stockpile, will likely require some ground troops if no diplomatic options are pursued,\u201d Brian Katulis, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, told The Wall Street Journal. \u201cWhat we are looking at is potentially a very messy situation.\u201d<\/p>\n Even without boots on the ground, which now seems like a remote prospect, running a tanker-escort mission, which would involve convoys protected by warships and accompanied by mine-clearing assets, is fraught with difficulty. Military unwillingness to take on missions of this kind is an issue we have explored in the past<\/a> at TWZ.<\/p>\n The warships involved in any such endeavor would also be at extreme risk, especially from Iranian ground-mobile anti-ship missiles, which are relatively small and can be easily disguised in utility trucks. Eliminating that threat is one potential driver for a ground operation along the coast of the strait.<\/p>\n The U.S. military has made extensive efforts in recent days to remove the Iranian minelaying capability, but, according to the U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey, there are now increasing signs<\/a> that Iran may have started mining the strait. Pointing to the difficulty in demining during wartime, Healey argued that a de-escalation of the conflict is the best option for reopening the strait.<\/p>\n UK’s Defence Secretary Healey: <\/p>\n Mine clearance is near impossible during conflict, the best way to reopen the shipping route is to de-escalate.<\/p>\n \u2014 Polymarket Intel (@PolymarketIntel) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n However, Scott Bessent, U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, provided a counter viewpoint, stating that Iranian and Chinese-flagged tankers are still going through the strait, indicating that it has not been mined.<\/p>\n Bessent: “That was always in our planning \u2014 the chance that the US Navy or perhaps an international coalition will be escorting tankers through. There are tankers coming through now. We know that they have not mined the Straits.” pic.twitter.com\/aycuYODMxw<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n While tanker traffic through the strait remains at a standstill, Iran continues its campaign against commercial tankers elsewhere in the region, with another two vessels set ablaze earlier today in Iraqi waters. Iraq reportedly halted all operations at its oil ports after the attack.<\/p>\n There are so many VLCCs oil tankers in the Gulf of Aden right now that one could walk from Djibouti to Socrota island wihtout getting their feet wet. <\/p>\n (\u2026 and no, contrary to some social media posts, the Houthis have not attacked any tankers \u2014 so far\u2026)<\/p>\n \u2014 Javier Blas (@JavierBlas) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n The Ambrey maritime security firm told us that a Malta-flagged crude oil tanker and another merchant vessel were targeted in an attack in Al Basrah Anchorage, Iraq. One fatality was reported. At least 38 individuals were rescued from both vessels, according to the Iraq Port Authority, with further search and rescue operations ongoing as of this morning.<\/p>\n Video footage of the incident shows a vessel engulfed in fire with a large plume of smoke rising from the area of impact. Fire can also be seen in the water as a result of the oil spill.<\/p>\n Unverified reports state that the two tankers were struck by uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs).<\/p>\n Iraq\u2019s State Organization for Marketing of Oil identified<\/a> the two vessels as crude oil tanker Safesea Vishnu and the combined chemical and oil tanker Zefyros. While the Zefyros is Malta-flagged, the Safesea Vishnu is owned by a U.S. company but was sailing under the Marshall Islands flag. A dramatic video has appeared that is said to show the moment of the explosion that targeted the Safesea Vishnu.<\/p>\n The moment of the attack on the oil tanker Safesea Vishnu by an Iranian explosive boat tonight in the Persian Gulf near Iraq.<\/p>\n One crew member was killed. The tanker is owned by a U.S. company and was sailing under the Marshall Islands flag. pic.twitter.com\/Xy2JKRoZt2<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Special Kherson Cat \ud83d\udc08\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@bayraktar_1love) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n In a statement, the IRGC said that it considered the Safesea Vishnu as an asset of the U.S. military and claims that it was struck after ignoring repeated warnings and alerts from the IRGC Navy.<\/p>\n Iran’s IRGC says it struck a US-owned vessel \u2018Safe Sia,\u2019 a vessel considered as an asset of the US army, early this morning in the northern Persian Gulf.<\/p>\n The vessel ignoed repeated warnings and alerts from the IRGC Navy. pic.twitter.com\/tkJDO5VUf1<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Arya Yadeghaar (@AryJeay) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Ambrey also reports that a container vessel was struck by an unknown projectile 38 nautical miles north-northeast of Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates. The strike was reported to have caused a small fire on board the vessel, and the crew was reported to be safe. <\/p>\n Another vessel, the Japanese-flagged container ship One Majesty, was reportedly also damaged while anchored in the Persian Gulf. The damage was only discovered later, around 60 miles from the Strait of Hormuz. There were no reports of casualties.<\/p>\n A Japanese-flagged container ship, One Majesty, was damaged while anchored in the Persian Gulf.<\/p>\n The crew felt a shock near the stern and later discovered damage while the ship was about 60 miles (96 km) southwest of the Strait of Hormuz. <\/p>\n All crew members are safe and the\u2026<\/p>\n \u2014 Clash Report (@clashreport) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n The vessel seen burning in the video below, from the perspective of crew members who evacuated on a liferaft, is the Thai-flagged cargo vessel, Mayuree Naree Bangkok, which was attacked near the Strait of Hormuz yesterday<\/a>.<\/p>\n The continued attacks on energy infrastructure and shipping by Iran, and concerns over the intensifying conflict in the Middle East, have seen oil prices spike. <\/p>\n The international benchmark Brent crude is back above $100 per barrel.<\/p>\n NEW: Iran war is “creating the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market,” International Energy Agency says. https:\/\/t.co\/bCKgzI6Mi8<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 NBC News (@NBCNews) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n In an effort to reduce concerns over global oil supplies, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has ordered the largest release of government reserves in its history. <\/p>\n Meanwhile, the government of Denmark is calling upon its citizens to reduce their consumption of fossil fuels.<\/p>\n Denmark\u2019s Energy Minister urged people to reduce fuel use amid the oil shock from the Iran war, saying: <\/p>\n \u201cPlease, please, please \u2014 if you do not need to drive, do not do so.\u201d<\/p>\n Source: CNBC pic.twitter.com\/gvCQbWSfnY<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Clash Report (@clashreport) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n This is what I think will ultimately drive Trump to seek a deal. “The S&P 500 was down 1.2 per cent in afternoon trading and the Nasdaq Composite was off 1.5 per cent. The continent-wide Stoxx Europe 600 closed 0.6 per cent lower.” https:\/\/t.co\/Kivfktmgik<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Shashank Joshi (@shashj) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n In a post on his Truth Social site, President Trump said he remained committed to ensuring Iran cannot develop nuclear weapons, despite the impact on the global oil trade.<\/p>\n \u201cThe United States is the largest Oil Producer in the World, by far, so when oil prices go up, we make a lot of money. BUT, of far greater interest and importance to me, as President, is stoping [sic] an evil Empire, Iran, from having Nuclear Weapons, and destroying the Middle East and, indeed, the World.\u201d<\/p>\n Trump:<\/p>\n The United States is the largest Oil Producer in the World, by far, so when oil prices go up, we make a lot of money. <\/p>\n BUT, of far greater interest and importance to me, as President, is stoping an evil Empire, Iran, from having Nuclear Weapons, and destroying the Middle\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/lp6As74W7h<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Clash Report (@clashreport) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n The day-to-day running of the conflict also comes with a high cost to the U.S. government. According to Reuters, officials from the Trump administration estimated during a congressional briefing this week that the first six days of the war on Iran had cost the United States at least $11.3 billion.<\/p>\n Officials from President Donald Trump’s administration estimated during a congressional briefing this week that the first six days of the war on Iran had cost the United States at least $11.3 billion, a source familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. @ReutersZengerle<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Idrees Ali (@idreesali114) March 11, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n The Israeli Air Force (IAF) has struck a nuclear site in Iran, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced today. The targeting of the Taleghan compound was part of a larger wave of strikes conducted over the past few days, the IDF\u00a0said<\/a>. Taleghan is part of the Parchin military complex, located around 20 miles southeast of Tehran. <\/p>\n The development comes after we reported on evidence of some kind of airstrike against the Taleghan compound, including the possibility that the hardened facility was hit by 30,000-pound\u00a0GBU-57\/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator<\/a>\u00a0(MOP) bunker buster bombs. You can read that analysis, based on satellite imagery, here<\/a>. <\/p>\n The Israeli military said that IDF intelligence had determined that Iran had been using the Taleghan compound to develop weapons and conduct experiments as part of AMAD, an Iranian\u00a0scientific project aimed at developing nuclear weapons.<\/p>\n \ud83c\udfafSTRUCK: The \u2018Taleghan\u2019 compound, a site used by the Iranian regime to advance nuclear weapons capabilities.<\/p>\n The compound was used to develop advanced explosives and conduct sensitive experiments as part of the covert \u2018AMAD\u2019 project in the 2000s.<\/p>\n \u2014 Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n According to a statement from the Israeli military:<\/p>\n \u201cDuring Operation Rising Lion, the IDF has operated systematically against knowledge centers and infrastructure related to the Iranian nuclear weapon program in order to eliminate the emerging existential threat to the State of Israel. Despite the significant damage inflicted on the program, the Iranian regime has continued efforts to advance and develop the capabilities required for the development of a nuclear weapon.\u201d<\/p>\n The IDF added that it had recently identified that Iran has taken steps to rehabilitate the compound after it was struck in October 2024.<\/p>\n The IDF says it recently struck an Iranian nuclear facility where the regime advanced “critical capabilities in the development of nuclear weapons.”<\/p>\n The site in Tehran, identified by the military as the Taleghan compound, was hit as part of waves of strikes carried out in the\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/4bYQLAv3CJ<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Israel\u00a0announced last week\u00a0<\/a>that it had struck Minzadehei, another nuclear site in Iran where it said scientists were covertly developing a key component for nuclear weapons.<\/p>\n \u201cThe strike is a part of the series of operations carried out throughout Operation Rising Lion aimed at further damaging the Iranian terrorist regime\u2019s nuclear aspirations.\u201d<\/p>\n Other recent targets of the IDF include Abu Dharr Mohammadi, described as the operations commander responsible for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps\u2019 (IRGC) missile unit within Hezbollah.<\/p>\n A member of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps who was operating as a commander in Hezbollah’s missile unit was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon this week, the IDF announces.<\/p>\n Abu Dharr Mohammadi, who the military says was a “central figure in the military\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/StV45w6qIZ<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cEarlier this week (Tuesday), the IDF struck and eliminated the terrorist Abu Dharr Mohammadi \u2026 Mohammadi was a central figure in the military coordination between Hezbollah and the Iranian terror regime, while coordinating and connecting between Hezbollah and Iranian senior officials,\u201d the IDF said.<\/p>\n \u201cMohammadi was a key figure in Hezbollah\u2019s military force build-up as it related to missiles, focusing on rehabilitating the program following Operation Northern Arrows,\u201d the IDF added.<\/p>\n For its part, Hezbollah continues to hit back against Israel.<\/p>\n According to the Israeli military, Hezbollah militants launched around 200 rockets and approximately 20 drones yesterday evening from Lebanon toward Israel. After reportedly detecting signs of an unusual buildup, the IDF said it carried out a preemptive strike to disrupt the firing and thwart terrorists.<\/p>\n \u2b55\ufe0f ~70 terror targets were struck including terrorist infrastructure, weapons storage facilities, central headquarters, key terrorists, and an IRGC Air Force HQ in Beirut. pic.twitter.com\/T8VBtiQmup<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n The IDF acknowledges that it was a mistake not to update the public ahead of Hezbollah’s large rocket and drone attack on northern Israel last night, especially once Israel’s assessments of the planned barrage were leaked on social media and published by international media.<\/p>\n The\u2026 https:\/\/t.co\/Ec9PX06xjK<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n The U.S. military has also continued airstrikes on Iran, with a recent video released by Central Command (CENTCOM) showing the destruction of a C-130 Hercules transport and a P-3F Orion maritime patrol aircraft (both of which were supplied to Iran before the 1979 Islamic Revolution) and an Ilyushin Il-76 Candid airlifter.<\/p>\n The Iranian regime is losing air capability day by day. U.S. forces aren\u2019t just defending against Iranian threats, we are methodically dismantling them. pic.twitter.com\/CrJj2nFtHB<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Of these aircraft, the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) P-3F was especially notable, since it was reportedly the last of the type that was still airworthy in Iranian service.<\/p>\n IRIAF P-3F 5-8704 from 71 ASW squadron is no more.<\/p>\n Iran’s five P-3Fs that started the war had unique camo patterns for ID, as well as you can partially make out the 5-___4 of the tail, which in of itself is a giveaway to the airframe’s ID. https:\/\/t.co\/1pPpdgJS9w<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/SvMBibwWdI<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Evergreen Intel (@vcdgf555) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Following attacks on Mehrabad and Bandar Abbas Air Bases, the runways at both have now been blocked by parked buses and helicopters, according to satellite imagery. The reason for this is unclear, but it is possible that it has been driven by concerns about a potential aerial assault on either of these locations. Alternatively, the aircraft and vehicles may have been arranged as decoys. The same thing has been seen in the war in Ukraine, as well as in Venezuela, earlier this year.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udef0\ufe0f Satellite images show runways at Tehran\u2019s Mehrabad and Bandar Abbas airports blocked with parked buses and helicopters.<\/p>\n The measure appears intended to prevent further strikes or aircraft use by making the runway unusable. pic.twitter.com\/s5KcmcOw3G<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Clash Report (@clashreport) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n U.S. airstrikes against Iranian missile systems have also continued. The CENTCOM video below is noteworthy since it shows (around the 0:07 mark) the destruction of a ballistic missile apparently in the process of being erected from its launch vehicle.<\/p>\n A U.S. strike overnight on three bases associated with the Iranian-backed Ansar Allah al-Awfiya militia reportedly killed dozens of militiamen. The bases near al-Qaim, al-Anbar, were used to fire projectiles at U.S. interests in Jordan. The following video purports to show the results of the attack on al-Qaim.<\/p>\n \u0645\u0627 \u0641\u0639\u0644\u0647 \u0627\u0644\u062d\u0634\u062f \u0628\u0627\u0644\u0639\u0631\u0627\u0642\u064a\u064a\u0646 \u0645\u0646 \u0642\u062a\u0644 \u0648 \u0630\u0628\u062d \u064a\u0631\u062a\u062f \u0639\u0644\u064a\u0647 \u0627\u0644\u064a\u0648\u0645<\/p>\n \u062a\u0645 \u062f\u0641\u0646 \u0639\u0646\u0627\u0635\u0631 \u0648\u0642\u0627\u062f\u0629 \u0627\u0644\u062d\u0634\u062f \u0627\u0644\u064a\u0648\u0645 \u062a\u062d\u062a \u0645\u0642\u0631\u0627\u062a\u0647\u0645 \u0641\u064a \u0627\u0644\u0642\u0627\u0626\u0645 \u063a\u0631\u0628\u064a \u0627\u0644\u0639\u0631\u0627\u0642 pic.twitter.com\/dK2rvCAJkG<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 \u0639\u0645\u0631 \u0645\u062f\u0646\u064a\u0647 (@Omar_Madaniah) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Footage has also emerged that apparently shows a U.S. military\u00a0Low-Cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System<\/a>\u00a0(LUCAS) kamikaze drone headed toward a militia target in Iraq.\u00a0Based on the Iranian\u00a0Shahed-136<\/a>, these weapons were\u00a0used in combat for the first\u00a0<\/a>time in the opening salvos of\u00a0Operation Epic Fury<\/a>\u00a0and repeatedly since.<\/p>\n Overnight attacks on Iraq also struck Erbil, home to an Italian military detachment in the country. According to reports, this has led to the temporary evacuation of the Italian presence from the base.<\/p>\n An Italian military base in Erbil, northern Iraq, was hit overnight by an airstrike, Italian defense officials said Thursday. No injuries were reported.<\/p>\n The strike was first thought to be a missile but was later identified as a drone that destroyed a military vehicle.<\/p>\n Source:\u2026<\/p>\n \u2014 Clash Report (@clashreport) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n NEW \u2014 \ud83c\uddee\ud83c\uddf9\ud83c\uddee\ud83c\uddf6\ud83c\uddee\ud83c\uddf7\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 Italy announces the “temporary” withdrawal of its forces from a military base in Iraq following attacks in the area.<\/p>\n \u2014 UK Report (@UK_REPT) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Mojtaba Khamenei has vowed to continue attacks on U.S. bases in the region, calling for American forces to leave them immediately, or face further strikes.<\/p>\n BREAKING: Iran\u2019s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei:<\/p>\n All US bases should immediately be closed in the region, and those bases will be attacked.<\/p>\n \u2014 Clash Report (@clashreport) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n While we have regularly seen Iranian ballistic missiles target Israel with cluster warheads, we now also have a view of how the separate munitions disperse, as seen from the vantage point of the cockpit of an IAF fighter jet.<\/p>\n In the United Arab Emirates, authorities have reportedly arrested a British tourist after they allegedly filmed missiles hitting Dubai. The 60-year-old Londoner faces two years in prison after being charged with a cybercrime, The Daily Mail reports.<\/p>\n He is reportedly one of 20 people to have been charged over videos and social media posts relating to recent Iranian missile strikes on the UAE.\u00a0<\/p>\n British tourist, 60, ‘who filmed Iranian missiles’ in Dubai is facing two years in prison after being charged with cybercrime offence https:\/\/t.co\/rtFMqtOiwt<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Daily Mail (@DailyMail) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n The on-off deal to get Ukrainian-made counter-drone technology into U.S. hands has apparently taken another turn.<\/p>\n Taking to X, Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Zelensky wrote that he had hoped to \u201csign a big drone production deal with the United States, but we needed the approval from the White House.\u201d <\/p>\n The deal, covering \u201cdifferent kinds of drones and air defense,\u201d has not been signed yet, Zelensky added.<\/p>\n \u201cI hope that maybe [our] American friends will be closer to this decision now, especially after such challenges as we see in the Middle East,\u201d the Ukrainian leader wrote.<\/p>\n We wanted to sign a big drone production deal with the United States, but we needed the approval from the White House. It was about different kinds of drones and air defense. They operate as one system and can defend against hundreds or thousands of Iranian \u201cshaheds\u201c and\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/KZX7MLcCZG<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Volodymyr Zelenskyy \/ \u0412\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0434\u0438\u043c\u0438\u0440 \u0417\u0435\u043b\u0435\u043d\u0441\u044c\u043a\u0438\u0439 (@ZelenskyyUa) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n A fire broke out aboard the aircraft carrier USS\u00a0Gerald R. Ford.<\/p>\n \u201cOn March 12, USS\u00a0Gerald R. Ford\u00a0(CVN 78) experienced a fire that originated in the ship\u2019s main laundry spaces,\u201d Naval Forces Central Command said in a statement on X. \u201cThe cause of the fire was not combat-related and is contained. There is no damage to the ship\u2019s propulsion plant, and the aircraft carrier remains fully operational. Two Sailors are currently receiving medical treatment for non-life-threatening injuries and are in stable condition. Additional information will be provided when available.\u201d<\/p>\n On March 12, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) experienced a fire that originated in the ship\u2019s main laundry spaces. The cause of the fire was not combat-related and is contained.<\/p>\n There is no damage to the ship\u2019s propulsion plant, and the aircraft carrier remains fully operational.\u2026<\/p>\n \u2014 U.S. Naval Forces Central Command\/U.S. 5th Fleet (@US5thFleet) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Earlier today, a U.S. official told<\/a> USNI News that the initial fire had been extinguished, but the crew was still working to control the damage. <\/p>\n Meanwhile, for the other U.S. Navy carrier in the region, USS Abraham Lincoln, and its strike group, it appears to be business as usual.<\/p>\n The United Arab Emirates is now using UH-60 Black Hawk series helicopters for counter-drone work, as seen in this video, which captures an engagement over Dubai.<\/p>\n UAE’s UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter intercepts an Iranian Shahed\/Geran-type long-range strike drone over Dubai.<\/p>\n Burj Khalifa seen in the background. pic.twitter.com\/c81YnAoRFU<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Status-6 (War & Military News) (@Archer83Able) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n According to a report from Reuters, citing U.S. intelligence officials, most of the Iranian leadership remains intact, and the regime is not currently at risk of collapse, despite the U.S.-Israeli campaign against it.<\/p>\n U.S. intelligence indicates that Iran’s leadership is still largely intact and is not at risk of collapse any time soon after nearly two weeks of relentless U.S. and Israeli bombardment, according to three \u200bsources familiar with the matter. @ErinBanco<\/a> @JonathanLanday<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Idrees Ali (@idreesali114) March 11, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Certainly, as far as public statements are concerned, the remaining elements of the Iranian leadership remain steadfast in their refusal to give up the fight. <\/p>\n Iranian Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf:<\/p>\n Any aggression against soil of Iranian islands will shatter all restraint.<\/p>\n We will abandon all restraint and make the Persian Gulf run with the blood of invaders.<\/p>\n The blood of American soldiers is Trump’s personal responsibility. pic.twitter.com\/hx2Hebt7s8<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Clash Report (@clashreport) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n UPDATES:<\/p>\n Our updates have now been concluded.<\/p>\n UPDATE: 2:20 PM EST\u00a0\u2013<\/p>\n A recently released<\/a> official photo shows an Israeli Air Force F-16D Barak fighter armed with a Delilah air-launched cruise missile under its port wing (with the datalink pod under the starboard wing). The Israel Military Industries (IMI) Delilah is a highly flexible and extremely accurate standoff weapon. Weighing just over 400 pounds, it can pack different warheads in the 50 to 75-pound weight class and flies to its target at subsonic speeds and at various altitudes. It has long been a frontline weapon of choice for the IAF, and has likely been heavily used against Iranian air defense sites.<\/p>\n Another dramatic video shows what is reported to be a U.S. military\u00a0LUCAS kamikaze drone in its terminal dive onto what is said to be an Iranian-backed militia target in Iraq.<\/p>\n WATCH \ud83d\udd34<\/p>\n First footage of the U.S.-made LUCAS kamikaze drone in action over Iraq, reportedly striking an Iran-backed PMF target.<\/p>\n Using the LUCAS<\/p>\n U.S. playing the reverse card pic.twitter.com\/HlDeCrUFfH<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Open Source Intel (@Osint613) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Tasteful or otherwise, sporting themes have again been chosen by the White House for their latest viral video on Operation Epic Fury. This time, footage of targets being struck in Iran is interspersed with AI-generated sports video games.<\/p>\n UPDATE: 3:40 PM EST\u00a0\u2013<\/p>\n New satellite imagery gives a better idea of the scale of damage at the IRGC ballistic missile production site in the Shahrud area, which the IDF says it hit last week<\/a>. According to the military, hundreds of IAF fighter jets struck the site, together with another missile production facility in Parchin.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is the facility where most of the missiles fired at Israel were manufactured,\u201d an IDF spokesperson said of Shahrud, in a statement last week.<\/p>\n The damage at the missile production facility in Shahrud is far more extensive than previously reported.<\/p>\n Additional peripheral components were struck, including bunkers used for the storage of explosives and other materials (outlined in the top dashed yellow circle). \u2014 Ben Tzion Macales (@BenTzionMacales) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n The IDF has published a video compilation that it says shows recent strikes against Iranian drone facilities \u2014 although it should be noted that the footage starts with a direct hit on a ballistic missile concealed in a truck. The Israeli military says it has so far destroyed over 250 drones as well as hundreds of launchers. <\/p>\n \u2b55\ufe0fOver 250 UAVs dismantled. The IDF expanded strikes on the Iranian terror regime\u2019s UAV array. In one strike, IAF aircraft identified operatives preparing a UAV launch toward Israel and quickly struck the launcher and operatives. pic.twitter.com\/2OdE9sQYYR<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 LTC Nadav Shoshani (@LTC_Shoshani) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n UPDATE: 3:50 PM EST\u00a0\u2013<\/p>\n The former U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Dan Shapiro, has taken to X to post his thoughts on the conflict so far and has urged Trump to find an off-ramp.<\/p>\n \u201cOf the military objectives U.S. commanders have described, there is not that much left to do,\u201d Shapiro contends.<\/p>\n The situation has now driven Tehran to expand the conflict by hitting other states in the region and to shut down the Strait of Hormuz. <\/p>\n \u201cIran is playing a long game. The regime thinks it will survive this war, weaker and with a degraded military and proxies. But for them, survival is a form of victory.\u201d <\/p>\n To prevent a global economic catastrophe, Shapiro argues that Trump should claim victory now, try to talk to the new leadership about the peaceful dismantling of its nuclear program, and \u201cshift our focus to helping the Iranian people in non-kinetic ways in fighting for their freedom and their nation.\u201d<\/p>\n President Trump needs to find an off-ramp.<\/p>\n Militarily, Iran is no match for the power of the US and Israel. Their combined campaign has done great damage to Iran’s leadership, missiles, nuclear sites, navy, and regime targets. Of the military objectives US commanders have\u2026<\/p>\n \u2014 Dan Shapiro (@DanielBShapiro) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n The U.K. Ministry of Defense has confirmed the aforementioned Erbil attack to Howard Altman of TWZ. \u201cOvernight, a British Counter-Uncrewed Aerial Systems unit in Iraq took down two drones in the region that were threatening lives on the ground,\u201d the MoD said.<\/p>\n The attack took place on a coalition base in Erbil. It \u201cresulted in no significant injuries\u201d to U.S. personnel, a U.S. official told us. \u201cAll U.S. personnel involved remain on duty.\u201d<\/p>\n The video below, which is unverified, claims to show militants from an Iranian-backed Iraqi faction using drones to attack the logistics support camp for the U.S. Embassy near Baghdad International Airport, as well as Harir Air Base in the Erbil governorate.<\/p>\n Footage released by an Iranian \ud83c\uddee\ud83c\uddf7 backed Iraqi \ud83c\uddee\ud83c\uddf6 faction calling itself the “Brigades of the Guardians of Blood” claim to show an attack on the logistics support camp for the US \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 embassy near Baghdad International Airport and Harir Air Base at Erbil Airport using a swarm of\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/GKsGqoutQl<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Saad Abedine (@SaadAbedine) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Multiple Israeli security sources have said that the IDF launched its operation against Iran without a realistic plan for regime change. According to an article<\/a> in The Guardian, there was a general expectation that airstrikes would lead to a popular uprising \u2014 something that the security sources slammed as \u201cwishful thinking.\u201d <\/p>\n Now, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly said that one of the Israeli goals of the campaign is to create the conditions for regime change, rather than forcing it directly. Whether regime change is achieved depends on the Iranian people, Netanyahu reportedly asserted.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udd34 Netanyahu: One of the goals is creating conditions for the regime change; that doesn\u2019t mean it will be achieved. It\u2019s up to Iranian people<\/p>\n \u2014 i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n In a television address, Netanyahu also issued direct threats to Mojtaba Khamenei and to Hezbollah\u2019s secretary-general, Naim Qassem.<\/p>\n UPDATE: 4:10 PM EST\u00a0\u2013<\/p>\n In his latest missive directed at the Trump administration, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi\u00a0has criticized U.S. officials for failing to \u201cgrasp the technical details\u201d of the Iranian proposal to give up any future plans for nuclear weapons. Araghchi also warned that the United States would not profit from surging oil prices and tariffs, since these serve only to \u201cenrich corporations and crush households.\u201d<\/p>\n Factual knowledge matters. <\/p>\n Case 1: Iran’s proposal to ensure NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS was dismissed because U.S. counterparts didn’t grasp the technical details.<\/p>\n Case 2: Americans won’t “make money” from surging oil prices and tariffs. They enrich corporations and crush households.<\/p>\n \u2014 Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n UPDATE: 4:20 PM EST\u00a0\u2013<\/p>\n The following photos show the apparent wreckage of an AGM-158B JASSM-ER stealthy standoff missile, said to have been shot down by Iranian air defenses. Key recognition features include the WDU-42\/B warhead and the Williams F107 turbofan engine. AGM-158Bs have been seen being loaded onto U.S. Air Force B-1B bombers at RAF Fairford<\/a> in England ahead of attacks against Iran.<\/p>\n Debris from an AGM-158B JASSM-ER missile shot down by Iranian air defenses was spotted near Ilam. Visible among the wreckage are the WDU-42\/B warhead and the Williams F107 turbofan engine used on the AGM-158B. AGM-158B JASSM-ER missiles were last seen being loaded onto B-1B\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/mplqg7n7tE<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Mintel World (@mintelworld) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n UPDATE: 5:06 PM EST \u2013<\/p>\n The Kobeissi Letter (KBL), a major global oil market analysis firm, said the Trump administration\u2019s move to release 172 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve will have widespread impacts.<\/p>\n \u201cUS oil reserves are set to decline by ~41% to their lowest levels since the 1980s after the US announced a 172 million barrel release,\u201d KBL stated on X. \u201cThis will drop US oil reserves to ~243.4 million barrels, or just ~34% of total capacity. On top of this, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve must keep about 150 million barrels in place to maintain operational flexibility. This leaves just ~93 million barrels available to draw, or less than 5 days worth of the oil supply that normally passes through the Strait of Hormuz.\u201d<\/p>\n BREAKING: US oil reserves are set to decline by ~41% to their lowest levels since the 1980s after the US announced a 172 million barrel release.<\/p>\n This will drop US oil reserves to ~243.4 million barrels, or just ~34% of total capacity.<\/p>\n On top of this, the Strategic Petroleum\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/PFeM4GPwo8<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n The IRGC Aerospace Force threatened to attack the Leviathan and Karish gas fields in the eastern Mediterranean. The fields are a main source of supply for Israel, as well as Egypt and Jordan.<\/p>\n In response to the message from the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, the IRGC Aerospace Force commander stated that the Leviathan and Karish fields, along with dozens of other new targets, are now within Iran’s scope.<\/p>\n Follow https:\/\/t.co\/B3zXG73Jym<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/gDmccL2KL6<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Press TV \ud83d\udd3b (@PressTV) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Moscow is currently providing Iran with various forms of intelligence, including satellite imagery and drone targeting tactics, in an effort to help Iran hit back at US forces in the region, Bloomberg News reported<\/a>, citing people familiar with US and Western intelligence.\u00a0<\/p>\n Russia is currently providing Iran with intelligence including satellite imagery and drone targeting tactics, according to people familiar with US and Western https:\/\/t.co\/lzaR3cDFLy<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Bloomberg (@business) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Israel has been using crowd-sourcing from inside Iran to target Basij checkpoints with drones, The Wall Street Journal reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n Israel is relying on targets sent by ordinary Iranians for strikes in Iran, according to a senior Israeli security official. This was the case on Wednesday night when an Israeli Hermes UAV struck Basij checkpoints in Teheran. My latest w @DovLieber<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/eRpByMNZlK<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Anat Peled (@AnatPeled1) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n The IDF released video of some of those checkpoint attacks.<\/p>\n The IDF has published footage showing Israeli Air Force strikes on Basij Force roadblocks and personnel established across Tehran pic.twitter.com\/xxlzsJj2GJ<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Faytuks Network (@FaytuksNetwork) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Several countries slated to participate in NATO\u2019s largest Arctic warfare exercise have withdrawn their military hardware, including warships and fighter jets, amid growing concerns over the widening conflict with Iran, Defense News reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n Latest: Several countries slated to participate in #NATO<\/a>\u2019s largest Arctic warfare exercise have withdrawn their military hardware, including warships and fighter jets, amid growing concerns over the widening conflict with #Iran<\/a>.https:\/\/t.co\/WUSbZG7nio<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Elisabeth Gosselin-Malo (@elisabethmalom1) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n UPDATE 5:16 PM EST \u2013<\/p>\n \u201cAt least \u200bsix French soldiers \u200cwere wounded in \u200ba \u200bdrone attack targeting \u2060a \u200bjoint Peshmerga-French \u200bbase in the Makhmour area \u200bor \u200bIraq, Erbil Governor \u200cOmed \u2060Koshnaw said a statement and \u200ba \u200bsecurity \u2060source informed \u200bof the \u200bincident \u2060said on Thursday,\u201d acccording to Reuters<\/a>. We\u2019ve reached out to the French Embassy for more information.<\/p>\n Video has emerged online purporting to show that attack.<\/p>\n A military base of the Peshmerga in which military forces from France are stationed in has been struck by at least 2 drones launched by Irans proxy forces, the PMF, in Iraq. <\/p>\n The base is located \u224840km south of Hawler (Erbil) near Mala Qara <\/p>\n 6 French soldiers were wounded,\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/4qA3n10hMK<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 ScharoMaroof (@ScharoMaroof) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Defense analyst Guy Plopsky offered his insights about Israel\u2019s Operation Rising Lion airstrikes on Iran in a new report<\/a> for the Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI).<\/p>\n Part one of my two-part chapter for @FPRI<\/a> on Operation Rising Lion’s air offensive is now available. The first part opens with a non-exhaustive chronology of IAF operations before proceeding to discuss strikes against Iranian nuclear sites in greater detail. It ends with a select\u2026<\/p>\n \u2014 Guy Plopsky (@GuyPlopsky) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cThe situation with Iran is moving along very rapidly,\u201d Trump proclaimed. \u201cIt\u2019s doing very well. Our military is unsurpassed, there\u2019s never been anything like it, nobody\u2019s ever seen anything like it.\u201d<\/p>\n PRESIDENT TRUMP: “The situation with Iran is moving along very rapidly. It\u2019s doing very well. Our military is unsurpassed, there’s never been anything like it, nobody\u2019s ever seen anything like it.”<\/p>\n “They really are a nation of terror and hate, and they\u2019re paying a big price\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/qGJb9mwLoc<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Fox News (@FoxNews) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Bloomberg News examined<\/a> the role AI played in developing plans for Epic Fury.<\/p>\n The US turned to Claude and other artificial intelligence systems to help shape its vision for AI warfare. In Iran that strategy is unfolding in real time https:\/\/t.co\/k9HyXk75cl<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Bloomberg (@business) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Video emerged online purporting to show members of Iran\u2019s Basij paramilitary hiding under bridges.<\/p>\n Iranian opposition channels have reported today that Iranian security forces are hiding under bridges, following recent airstrikes against checkpoints pic.twitter.com\/PXuScGNWE9<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Michael A. Horowitz (@michaelh992) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham says there is no need for ground troops in Epic Fury at the moment, but that could change.<\/p>\n Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said there isn’t a need for American ground troops in Iran, but “there are weeks more of this coming, then we’ll make an assessment.”<\/p>\n “I don’t see this conflict ending today. I think the mission is to make sure they cannot regenerate, that they’re\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/FIEBppSSqU<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 CBS News (@CBSNews) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n UPDATE: 6:11 PM EST \u2013<\/p>\n A KC-135 aerial refueling tanker has crashed in Iraq. You can read about that here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com<\/p>\n Thomas is a defense writer and editor with over 20 years of experience covering military aerospace topics and conflicts. He\u2019s written a number of books, edited many more, and has contributed to many of the world\u2019s leading aviation publications. Before joining The War Zone in 2020, he was the editor of AirForces Monthly.<\/p>\n \t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/HDOFvtWW4AAwQ9c.jpg\")
IAF <\/p>\n
In\u2026 https:\/\/t.co\/lSC6kyDIsO<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/2qh1q7MEZK<\/a><\/p>\n
Hundreds of launchers neutralized.<\/p>\n