9 hours ago<\/p>\n
Pinned<\/p>\n
Iran’s supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei mourns IRGC Navy commander<\/p>\n
Iran\u2019s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei on Monday mourned IRGC Navy Chief Commodore Alireza Tangsiri, calling him a \u201cbrave commander\u201d who \u201cattained martyrdom after years of struggle,\u201d according to state news agency<\/a> IRNA.<\/p>\n Khamenei also described Tangsiri as courageous and central to Iran\u2019s role in the Persian Gulf, adding that he \u201cdied for his country\u201d so its military \u201cmay continue on the path of Iran\u2019s maritime authority and resistance, stronger and more firmly than in the past.\u201d<\/p>\n Tangsiri, 64, died of injuries sustained while on duty, the IRGC said, after working to strengthen Iran\u2019s coastal defenses, though Israel says he was killed in an airstrike targeting a naval base in Bandar Abbas.<\/p>\n This marks only the fourth public written message from Khamenei since succeeding his father, who died in a strike Feb. 28.<\/p>\n 20 mins agoIranian foreign minister alleges attacks on Gulf Arab states only target US forces<\/p>\n Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Tuesday claimed that Tehran\u2019s attacks on the Gulf Arab states target only U.S. forces, although some civilian infrastructure has been struck throughout the region.<\/p>\n Araghchi\u2019s comments, addressed to Saudi Arabia, come as Gulf Arab states are becoming frustrated with Iran, prompting them to encourage the U.S. to continue its military campaign<\/a> against the Middle Eastern nation.<\/p>\n “Iran respects the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and considers it a brotherly nation,” Araghchi wrote on X. “Our operations are aimed at enemy aggressors who have no respect for Arabs or Iranians, nor can provide any security … High time to eject U.S. forces.”<\/p>\n The Associated Press contributed to this report.<\/p>\n 1 hour agoAverage US gas prices reach $4 a gallon as Iran war continues to choke global energy supply<\/p>\n The U.S. national average retail price of gasoline surpassed $4 per gallon on Monday, the first time it has reached that mark in more than three years, according to data from price-tracking service GasBuddy.<\/p>\n The $4-per-gallon milestone was last reached in August 2022, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine earlier that year.<\/p>\n Fuel prices have surged after Iran\u2019s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key global trade chokepoint that has disrupted energy shipping and production.<\/p>\n U.S. national average gasoline prices have jumped about $1.06 per gallon, or 36%, since U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran<\/a> began late last month.<\/p>\n This comes after President Donald Trump pledged to lower energy prices and boost U.S. oil and gas production just weeks before the start of the conflict.<\/p>\n Reuters contributed to this report.<\/p>\n 2 hours agoPair of Indonesian UN peacekeepers died in Lebanon while on escort duty<\/p>\n Two Indonesian United Nations peacekeepers died in southern Lebanon<\/a> while on escort duty in support of United Nations Interim Force operations, according to the Indonesian Ministry of Defense.<\/p>\n The ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that two other soldiers were also seriously injured amid regional tensions.<\/p>\n The exact cause of the incident remains under investigation by UNIFIL in accordance with established procedures, the statement added.<\/p>\n An Indonesian soldier also reportedly died and several others were injured the day before.<\/p>\n “The Ministry of Defense emphasizes that the safety of peacekeeping forces must be the top priority,” the statement said. “All parties involved in the conflict are expected to respect international humanitarian law and ensure the safety of peacekeeping personnel.”<\/p>\n The Associated Press contributed to this report.<\/p>\n 4 hours agoTrump shares video showing massive military strike in Iran at night<\/p>\n President Donald Trump shared a video on Truth Social <\/a>on Monday showing a military strike in Iran at night.<\/p>\n The video showed explosions lighting up the sky.<\/p>\n According to reports, the U.S. carried out a massive strike on an ammunition depot in Isfahan Monday.<\/p>\n A U.S. official told The Wall Street Journal<\/a> the depot contained a high volume of 2,000-pound penetrator munitions.<\/p>\n 4 hours agoRussia helping Iran deploy drones against US targets, Zelenskyy warns<\/p>\n President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that Russia is assisting Iran in developing and deploying drones to target U.S. assets in the Middle East.<\/p>\n The Ukrainian leader said Russians are sharing battlefield knowledge gained during their invasion of Ukraine, including guidance on how to carry out drone attacks.<\/p>\n Russia has also recently released a new first-person drone known as the KVS, developed after earlier drones faced limitations during shorter flights, according to reports<\/a>.<\/p>\n Cooperation between Russia and Iran has expanded since 2022, when Moscow began deploying Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones\u2014rebranded as the Geran-1\u2014against Ukraine.<\/p>\n Zelenskyy also told Axios<\/a> that Russia is teaching Iran how to deploy drones against U.S. and allied targets.<\/p>\n The Russians have also shared satellite imagery of U.S. and Gulf nations\u2019 military bases with Iranian officials, Zelenskyy said.<\/p>\n “I think Russia is supporting Iran directly, 100 percent. The same format of sharing satellite images like they did in the case of Ukraine,” he told Axios.<\/p>\n “I am sure Russia wants a long war. They have benefits: The U.S. is focusing on the Middle East and may decrease military help to Ukraine. Sanctions are partially lifted. I see only benefits for Russia from the war with Iran continuing,\u201d Zelenskyy said.<\/p>\n 5 hours agoIran’s new IRGC chief is a hardliner, wanted by Interpol: report<\/p>\n A new central figure has emerged to shape Iran\u2019s military and survival following the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and is now leading the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), according to reports.<\/p>\n The Jerusalem Post <\/a>said Ahmad Vahidi\u2019s profile increased as President Masoud Pezeshkian attempted to navigate a collapsing economy and international isolation, with Vahidi representing the old guard and the generation that rose from the 1979 Iranian Revolution.<\/p>\n \u201cVahidi is among the first commanders of the Quds Force,\u201d said Nati Tubian, an expert on Iranian affairs, told the outlet.<\/p>\n \u201cHe is truly flesh of the regime\u2019s flesh \u2014 a product of the IRGC\u2019s foundational years who has climbed every rung of the ladder.\u201d<\/p>\n Vahidi, a former Quds Force commander in the 1990s, is officially wanted by Interpol for his alleged role in the bombing of the AMIA Jewish community center in Argentina.<\/p>\n Tamar Eilam-Gindin, of the University of Haifa\u2019s Meir and Miriam Ezri Center for Iran and Persian Gulf Studies, said his career is a roadmap of Iranian state-sponsored terrorism.<\/p>\n \u201cThe 1990s were characterized by intense Islamic Republic activity in foreign countries,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cThere were numerous assassinations on European soil, as well as the major bombings in Argentina. Vahidi was a core part of that operational circle.\u201d<\/p>\n Appointed defense minister in 2009 under then-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, he later became interior minister in 2022 and played a key role in the crackdown on protests following the death of Mahsa Amini.<\/p>\n \u201cAs interior minister, he was responsible for the logistics and \u2018security\u2019 of the regime, which in practice meant the systematic crackdown on civilians,\u201d Tubian said. \u201cHe is a fundamentalist with Iranian blood on his hands.\u201d<\/p>\n Vahidi\u2019s IRGC is now launching attacks against Gulf states, signaling to the world, Iran\u2019s neighbors and the Iranian public that diplomats do not hold the reins of power, The Jerusalem Post reported.<\/p>\n \u201cVahidi belongs to the hardline core that prefers to fight \u2018whatever it takes\u2019 rather than accept a ceasefire,\u201d Tubian said.<\/p>\n \u201cUnlike the president or the foreign minister, Vahidi cannot be described as a pragmatist or a reformist,\u201d she said. \u201cHe is a fundamentalist who believes in the path of resistance above all else.\u201d<\/p>\n 6 hours agoUAE privately pushes Trump to order ground invasion of Iran: report<\/p>\n Gulf allies of the U.S. claim Iran\u2019s leadership has not been sufficiently weakened by the ongoing U.S.-Israel military campaign and do not want it to end, according to reports.<\/p>\n Officials from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain made the remarks in private conversations, The Associated Press<\/a> reported, with claims the UAE is pushing for Trump to put troops on the ground.<\/p>\n The officials also said they need to see a broader shift in Iranian behavior, the outlet added.<\/p>\n While regional leaders are currently supportive of the U.S. campaign, there are signs of division within the Gulf.<\/p>\n One diplomat indicated that Saudi Arabia <\/a>and the UAE are leading calls to increase military pressure on Tehran.<\/p>\n The diplomat also said the UAE has emerged as perhaps the most hawkish of the Gulf countries and is pushing for Trump to order a ground invasion.<\/p>\n However, the diplomat said Saudi Arabia has argued to the U.S. that ending the war now won\u2019t produce a \u201cgood deal,\u201d one guaranteeing security for Iran\u2019s Arab neighbors.<\/p>\n The alleged private talks come as President Donald Trump warned that the war could escalate further if a deal is not reached soon.<\/p>\n 6 hours agoNetanyahu says US-Israel mission against Iran is past halfway point<\/p>\n The U.S. and Israel are more than halfway through their mission against Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed Monday, before questioning whether Europe will recognize the growing threat posed by Tehran.<\/p>\n \u201cWe’re beyond the halfway point in terms of mission success,\u201d Netanyahu told Newsmax<\/a>, adding that the IDF\u2019s current focus is on destroying the remaining nuclear capabilities of the Iranian regime.<\/p>\n \u201cWe’ve already degraded their missile capabilities, destroyed factories, and eliminated key nuclear scientists,\u201d he explained, and warned, \u201cThey are pursuing nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them to American cities. That’s what this war is about, preventing that outcome.\u201d<\/p>\n Speaking about an attempted missile strike near Diego Garcia that failed to hit the island, Netanyahu pointed to the expanding range of Iran\u2019s weapons and the implications for Europe.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, it wasn’t an intercontinental missile, but it’s getting there \u2014 about 4,000 kilometers (2,500 miles),\u201d Netanyahu said. \u201cThat puts much of Europe within range.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe question is whether the West will wake up,\u201d Netanyahu said. \u201cIran has been pursuing nuclear weapons and delivery systems for years, yet many ignored it.\u201d<\/p>\n In contrast, he praised President Donald Trump<\/a> for addressing the nuclear threat early.<\/p>\n \u201cPresident Trump didn’t ignore it,\u201d he said. \u201cHe recognized the threat decades ago and acted decisively, including leaving the Iran nuclear deal.\u201d<\/p>\n Netanyahu also outlined potential solutions to the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n “Long-term solutions include rerouting energy pipelines westward, across Saudi Arabia to the Red Sea and Mediterranean, bypassing Iran’s geographic choke point,” Netanyahu said.<\/p>\n 7 hours agoTanker struck by unknown projectile and set ablaze near Dubai, all crew reported safe<\/p>\n The UK Maritime Trade Operations <\/a>(UKMTO) issued a warning Monday that a tanker was struck by an unknown projectile about 31 nautical miles northwest of Dubai, United Arab Emirates.<\/p>\n According to the vessel\u2019s company security officer, the projectile impacted the starboard side, causing a fire on board, UKMTO said.<\/p>\n \u201cAll crew members are accounted for and reported safe. No environmental damage was observed,\u201d it said in a statement.<\/p>\n \u201cAuthorities are currently investigating the incident. Vessels in the area are advised to exercise caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO,\u201d the maritime organization warned.<\/p>\n Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) also said that one of its very large crude carriers, Al Salmi, was directly targeted in what it described as an Iranian attack while anchored at the anchorage area of Dubai port.<\/p>\n According to the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), the incident caused damage to the vessel and sparked a fire on board. <\/p>\n “Kuwaiti very large crude carrier “Al-Salmi” was directly attacked by Iranian forces while positioned in the anchorage area of Dubai Port in the UAE,” it confirmed in a post on X<\/a>.<\/p>\n 7 hours agoIRGC allegedly using over 70 civilian sites for military purposes amid US-Israeli strikes: report<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s security and military forces have moved personnel, weapons and equipment into at least 70 civilian locations during U.S.-Israeli airstrikes, according to an investigation by Iran International<\/a>.<\/p>\n The outlet also identified what appears to be a broader pattern of using public spaces for military purposes.<\/p>\n The sites linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) span 17 provinces, 28 cities and two villages. Nearly half of them \u2014 34 in total \u2014 were primary or secondary schools, the report said.<\/p>\n Other locations identified through eyewitness accounts and documents reviewed by Iran International included hospitals, stadiums, universities, mosques, parks and government offices.<\/p>\n While Iran International could not independently verify every account, it geolocated visual evidence from seven reported sites, all of them schools.<\/p>\n The deployment of military forces at civilian sites \u201cshifts battlefield risks onto civilians,\u201d a regional security source who requested anonymity told the outlet, adding that using these locations for military purposes is prohibited under international law.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen security or paramilitary forces move into schools, hospitals or mosques, they endanger civilians physically, degrade protected civilian services and may turn those sites into military objectives,\u201d the source said.<\/p>\n At least three mosques were also identified in eyewitness accounts as having been used for military deployments.<\/p>\n 7 hours agoIran tells Saudi Arabia it’s ‘high time to eject US forces’ after missile strike injured Americans<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s foreign minister on Monday urged Saudi Arabia to expel U.S. forces and reiterated Tehran\u2019s claim that its regional attacks are directed only at its adversaries.<\/p>\n \u201cIran respects the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and considers it a brotherly nation,\u201d Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X. <\/p>\n \u201cOur operations are aimed at enemy aggressors who have no respect for Arabs or Iranians, nor can provide any security. \u2026 It is high time to eject U.S. forces.\u201d<\/p>\n Araghchi’s remarks followed an incident in which 12 Americans were injured after a ballistic missile struck Prince Sultan Air Base<\/a>, located about 80 miles southeast of the Saudi capital, Riyadh.<\/p>\n Saudi Arabia\u2019s Defense Ministry also said that on March 27, six ballistic missiles were launched toward the Riyadh area. <\/p>\n Two were intercepted, while the remaining four fell into the waters of the Arabian Gulf and uninhabited areas.<\/p>\n 8 hours agoIsrael orders ‘immediate evacuation’ of southern Lebanon villages, military action intensifies<\/p>\n The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Monday ordered residents in six villages in southern Lebanon to evacuate, citing ongoing military activity in the area.<\/p>\n \u201cTo ensure your safety, we call on you to move immediately north of the town of Qaraoun (Bekaa),\u201d IDF Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee said in a post on X<\/a>.<\/p>\n Adraee listed the affected villages as Zalaya, Lbaya, Yahmar, Sahmar, Qalaya and Dalafi, warning that \u201cany movement south may put your lives at risk.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHezbollah’s terrorist activities are forcing the Israel Defense Forces to act against it forcefully in those areas, and we do not intend to harm you,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n The evacuation order comes amid reports that Israel plans to maintain \u201ceffective control\u201d of southern Lebanon for a period after the Iran conflict ends, based on the assumption that Hezbollah will not fully disarm, according to defense sources cited by The Jerusalem Post<\/a>.<\/p>\n The outlet also reported large-scale displacement during the conflict. with several neighborhoods reportedly almost completely emptied, while others remain partially evacuated.<\/p>\n 8 hours agoTrump says US will learn ‘in about a week’ if Iran\u2019s parliament speaker wants a deal<\/p>\n President Donald Trump confirmed Monday that the U.S. will soon find out whether the speaker of Iran\u2019s parliament wants to work with the administration.<\/p>\n In an interview with the New York Post<\/a>, Trump said he also would respond to an Iranian attack on Israel\u2019s largest oil refinery \u201cshortly,\u201d before urging Iran\u2019s regime to make a deal.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re gonna find out,\u201d Trump <\/a>said when asked about Iran\u2019s Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf working with the U.S. <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll let you know that in about a week.\u201d<\/p>\n Trump also said the old regime leaders had been wiped out and replaced by a new group.<\/p>\n \u201cThere has been total regime change because the regimes of the past are gone, and we\u2019re dealing with a whole new set of people,\u201d Trump told the outlet. \u201cAnd thus far, they\u2019ve been much more reasonable.\u201d<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Ghalibaf issued his own response on social media, saying that hitting Iran\u2019s infrastructure would be a \u201cbig mistake.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe enemy promotes its desires as news while threatening our nation at the same time. Big mistake. If they hit one, they\u2019ll take several back. God willing, the people of Iran, under the leadership of the Supreme Leader, will make the enemy regret the aggression and reclaim their rights,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n 9 hours agoFBI says man who rammed Michigan synagogue was Hezbollah-inspired<\/p>\n A man who rammed his pickup truck into a suburban Detroit synagogue in March carried out the attack after being inspired by Hezbollah, the FBI said Monday.<\/p>\n Authorities identified the suspect as Ayman Ghazali, a 41-year-old U.S. citizen from Dearborn Heights. <\/p>\n Before the attack on Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township, Ghazali had recorded a video in which he said he wanted to \u201ckill as many of them as I possibly can,\u201d according to Jennifer Runya, head of the FBI\u2019s Detroit field office.<\/p>\n Investigators said Ghazali had learned that four of his family were killed in an Israeli airstrike in his native Lebanon, the Associated Press<\/a> reported. <\/p>\n Israel\u2019s military has said that one of those killed, his brother Ibrahim Ghazali, was a Hezbollah commander. U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard also told a Senate committee that Ghazali had family ties to a Hezbollah leader.<\/p>\n The attack unfolded on March 12 after Ghazali spent several hours sitting in the synagogue\u2019s parking lot. <\/p>\n He drove his pickup truck through closed doors and into a hallway near an early childhood education area, striking a security guard.<\/p>\n Authorities said Ghazali exchanged gunfire with another guard before fatally shooting himself.<\/p>\n His Ford F-150 was found to be loaded with commercial-grade fireworks and containers of gasoline, which ignited during the confrontation, according to the FBI.<\/p>\n 9 hours agoRubio says Strait of Hormuz will open ‘one way or another,’ warns Iran of ‘real consequences’<\/p>\n The Strait of Hormuz will be opened \u201cone way or another,\u201d U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday, before emphasizing Washington\u2019s commitment to achieving its war objectives within weeks.<\/p>\n In an interview with Al Jazeera, Rubio said the U.S. remains focused on its military goals and does not expect the conflict to drag on indefinitely.<\/p>\n Turning to the Strait of Hormuz, Rubio rejected Tehran\u2019s demand that it maintain sovereignty over the strategic waterway as part of any agreement to end the war.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Strait of Hormuz will be open when this operation is over \u2026 one way or another,\u201d Rubio said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt will be open because Iran agrees to abide by international law and not block the commercial waterway, or a coalition of nations around the world and the region, with the participation of the United States, will make sure that it\u2019s open.\u201d<\/p>\n He warned there would be \u201creal consequences\u201d if Iran continues to block the strait after the fighting ends.<\/p>\n Rubio also clarified there have been indirect communications between the U.S. and Iran during the conflict.<\/p>\n Rubio said President Donald Trump \u201calways prefers diplomacy, always prefers an outcome \u2026 and we could have done this before.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe would always welcome a scenario in which Iran was led by people that had a different view of the future and had a different view,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd if that opportunity presents itself, we\u2019re going to take it,” he said.<\/p>\n Rubio also told Al Jazeera <\/a>that the administration does not expect the war to last months, pointing to progress already made.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have very clear objectives that we\u2019re trying to achieve here. Those objectives are the destruction of their air force, which has been achieved; the destruction of their navy, which has largely been achieved; [and] a significant reduction in the number of missile launchers that they have, which we\u2019re well on our way to achieving.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd we are going to destroy the factories that make those missiles and those drones that they are using to attack their neighbors and the United States and our presence in the region,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd that\u2019s something that\u2019s not going to take months. I\u2019m not going to tell you exactly how many weeks, but a matter of weeks, not months,\u201d Rubio said.<\/p>\n 10 hours agoIsrael advances bill to bring back death penalty for terrorists<\/p>\n Israel\u2019s Knesset approved a bill Monday advancing the death penalty for terrorists, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu<\/a> voting in favor. <\/p>\n The legislation, backed by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir\u2019s Otzma Yehudit party, is meant to deter terrorism and provide justice for victims.<\/p>\n The bill, which passed its first reading in January and has been debated in committee, would mandate the death penalty for terrorists who intentionally kill as part of an attack. <\/p>\n Under the current proposal, executions would be carried out by hanging within up to 90 days of sentencing.<\/p>\n Opposition leader Yair Lapid criticized the measure, saying: \u201cWhat is on the Knesset table here is not a law. It is a distorted public-relations stunt, cynically using the justifiable pain and anger of Israeli citizens for political gain.\u201d<\/p>\n The proposal also includes provisions affecting West Bank terrorists and replaces an earlier plan for lethal injection with hanging.<\/p>\n The bill has drawn international criticism with Germany, France, Italy and the UK warning it has a \u201cde facto discriminatory character\u201d and risks \u201cundermining Israel’s commitments to democratic principles.\u201d<\/p>\n 10 hours agoIDF expands Iran campaign to economic targets after dropping 13,000 bombs: report<\/p>\n The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have been ordered by Israeli leaders to start targeting \u201ceconomic\u201d assets of the Iranian regime after completing the initial list of military objectives set at the start of the war with Iran, according to The Times of Israel<\/a>.<\/p>\n So far, the IDF has carried out hundreds of waves of strikes across Iran, dropping more than 13,000 bombs <\/a>on regime and military targets.<\/p>\n On March 28, IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said that \u201cwithin a few days,\u201d the military would complete targeting all \u201ccritical\u201d assets tied to Iran\u2019s military production industries\u2014specifically those involved in developing weapons that threaten Israel.<\/p>\n The outlet said Israel\u2019s defense establishment believes Iran\u2019s weapons production capabilities have been severely degraded, potentially setting the country back by years.<\/p>\n Officials also assess that efforts to \u201ccreate the conditions\u201d for the Iranian regime to collapse have exceeded expectations.<\/p>\n Now, senior officials have ordered the military to expand its campaign to include targets that would deal economic blows to the Iranian regime.<\/p>\n These efforts have already included a strike on major gas infrastructure in southern Iran nearly two weeks ago, as well as attacks on two of the country\u2019s largest steel factories on March 27, The Times of Israel said.<\/p>\n 10 hours agoNATO says it will ‘always do what is necessary’ as intercepts another Iranian missile over Turkey<\/p>\n A missile launched from Iran was intercepted by NATO air defenses<\/a> Monday after it entered Turkish airspace, Turkey\u2019s Ministry of National Defense said in a statement.<\/p>\n The ballistic missile was “neutralized by NATO air and missile defense assets deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean,” officials said.<\/p>\n This marks the fourth time NATO has intercepted a projectile from Iran as it approached or entered Turkish airspace. Iran has previously denied launching projectiles at Turkey.<\/p>\n NATO spokesperson Allison Hart also confirmed the interception on X<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cOn Monday, 30 March, NATO again successfully intercepted an Iranian ballistic missile heading to T\u00fcrkiye,\u201d Hart said.<\/p>\n \u201cNATO is prepared for such threats and will always do what is necessary to defend all Allies,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n 11 hours agoLeavitt says US-Iran talks are ‘going well’ despite Tehran’s ‘public posturing’<\/p>\n Talks between the United States and Iran are ongoing and making progress, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Monday. <\/p>\n Speaking to reporters at the White House, Leavitt pushed back on what she described as \u201cpublic posturing\u201d from Tehran and inaccurate media reports.<\/p>\n \u201cDespite all of the public posturing you hear from the regime and false reporting, talks are continuing and going well. What is said publicly is, of course, much different than what\u2019s being communicated to us privately,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Leavitt also pointed to increased oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz as evidence of behind-the-scenes diplomacy. <\/p>\n She said the movement of 10 previously announced vessels, along with roughly 20 more expected in the coming days, reflects both direct and indirect engagement between Washington and Tehran.<\/p>\n According to Leavitt, President Donald Trump<\/a> is aiming to finalize a deal with Iran by April 6, signaling that the window for negotiations is narrowing. <\/p>\n She added that Trump is also open to asking Arab nations to help share the financial burden associated with the conflict.<\/p>\n 11 hours agoStarmer says UK won’t be ‘getting dragged into the Middle East conflict,’ defends national interest<\/p>\n Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Monday that the U.K. will not be \u201cgetting dragged into the Middle East conflict<\/a>,\u201d emphasizing his government\u2019s focus on national interests.<\/p>\n In a post shared on X<\/a>, Starmer said: \u201cI will always make decisions that are in the national interest. It\u2019s why we aren\u2019t getting dragged into the Middle East conflict, and why we are fighting to protect your living standards.\u201d<\/p>\n He also drew a contrast with opposition parties, adding: \u201cAnd while opposition parties have responded by dividing communities, we respond with hope and pride \u2014 pride in our communities, and the hope of a country that\u2019s better for our children.\u201d<\/p>\n So far, Starmer has adopted a cautious approach to the escalating conflict between Iran and the U.S.\/Israel, describing it as \u201cnot our war\u201d while limiting the U.K.\u2019s role to what he has called \u201cdefensive\u201d support.<\/p>\n 12 hours agoUS has destroyed 11,000 enemy targets in Iran, White House says<\/p>\n The U.S. has destroyed 11,000 targets within Iran since Operation Epic Fury kicked off, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt<\/a> said Monday.<\/p>\n The Pentagon estimates that over 90% of Iran’s air force and navy have been destroyed in the conflict. Over 70% of their missile stores have also been destroyed, Leavitt said.<\/p>\n President Donald Trump has imposed a 10-day pause on strikes against Iran’s energy infrastructure, which has so far been intentionally spared from attacks.<\/p>\n Posted by Anders Hagstrom<\/p>\n 12 hours agoGOP lawmaker draws line on Iran ground war as Pentagon weighs options<\/p>\n Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., said\u00a0the Iranian people\u00a0will have to “grab the bull by the horns” amid their fight against the Iranian regime because U.S. lawmakers don’t have “a will for ground conflict between America and Iran.”<\/p>\n Burchett’s comments<\/a> came during an appearance on NewsNation on Sunday in response to exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi’s speech\u00a0at CPAC. Pahlavi urged American military leaders to “stay the course” and to continue to “pave the way for the Iranian people to finish the job” to ensure a free Iran.<\/p>\n “I don’t think there’s a will for a ground conflict between America and Iran,” Burchett said. “I know a lot of Republicans don’t support that, and I know all the Democrats won’t support it.”<\/p>\n Last Wednesday, Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C.,\u00a0posted\u00a0on X that she “walked out of a\u00a0House Armed Services briefing\u00a0on Iran.”<\/p>\n “Let me repeat: I will not support troops on the ground in Iran, even more so after this briefing,” Mace posted on X.<\/p>\n This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News’ Elaine Mallon.<\/p>\n Posted by Anders Hagstrom<\/p>\n 13 hours agoNATO intercepts Iranian missile aimed at Turkey<\/p>\n NATO intercepted Iranian missiles targeting Turkey, a NATO spokesperson announced on Monday.<\/p>\n “NATO again successfully intercepted an Iranian ballistic missile heading to T\u00fcrkiye,” the spokesperson said in a statement.<\/p>\n “NATO is prepared for such threats and will always do what is necessary to defend all Allies,” the statement continued.<\/p>\n The interception comes as President Donald Trump has criticized NATO for a lack of involvement in the Ira war.<\/p>\n Posted by Anders Hagstrom<\/p>\n 14 hours agoPresident Trump identifies Iranian official leading negotiations with US<\/p>\n President Donald Trump confirmed Monday that the U.S. is negotiating with Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf<\/a>, according to the New York Post.<\/p>\n Trump had not previously identified who was representing Iran in the ongoing cease-fire talks.<\/p>\n Trump reportedly said he is not yet sure whether Ghalibaf is reliable, saying we will “find out in about a week.”<\/p>\n Posted by Anders Hagstrom<\/p>\n 14 hours agoIsraeli Defense Forces pulls battalion from operational deployment over \u2018inappropriate\u2019 incident<\/p>\n The\u00a0Israel Defense Forces<\/a>\u00a0removed an entire battalion from action in the West Bank after soldiers detained and allegedly assaulted a CNN crew, the IDF announced on Monday.\u00a0<\/p>\n CNN reporter Jeremy Diamond reported that his crew\u2019s photojournalist was assaulted by Israeli soldiers while covering an attack in the West Bank, allegedly by Israeli settlers. Diamond said the IDF detained his crew for two hours in the Palestinian village of Tayasir.<\/p>\n “The soldiers detained the team, after one of the soldiers placed CNN photojournalist Cyril Theophilos in a chokehold, bringing him to ground and damaging his camera,” CNN reported, noting that the ordeal was under investigation by Israel\u2019s military police.\u00a0<\/p>\n Diamond relayed in a video\u00a0that the soldiers pointed their rifles at them as they approached and ordered them to sit. He said he and his team were posing no threat, and he said the outpost established by Israeli settlers was illegal, even under Israeli law.<\/p>\n The\u00a0IDF\u00a0announced Monday that its “inquiry found several failures in the conduct of the soldiers toward the reporters.”<\/p>\n “In addition, deficiencies were identified in behavioral norms, deviations from IDF orders, and inappropriate communication with members of the press in violation of established procedures,” the IDF posted on\u00a0social media.\u00a0<\/p>\n “The IDF respects and enables freedom of the press in the area and regrets the incident,” the IDF continued. “Therefore there was an immediate suspension of the battalion\u2019s operational deployment in the area.”<\/p>\n IDF Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir also condemned the incident in a statement, making it clear the way the CNN crew was treated was unacceptable.<\/p>\n This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News’ Brian Flood.<\/p>\n Posted by Anders Hagstrom<\/p>\n 16 hours agoCENTCOM shares photo of massive B-52 Stratofortress refueling over Middle East<\/p>\n U.S. Central Command<\/a> released a photo of a B-52 Stratofortress during a combat flight in the Middle East on Monday.<\/p>\n “A U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress is refueled during a combat flight supporting Operation Epic Fury, March 26,” CENTCOM wrote in a post on X.<\/p>\n Posted by Anders Hagstrom<\/p>\n 16 hours agoIran allows 20 oil ships through Strait of Hormuz amid talks with US<\/p>\n President Donald Trump<\/a> says Iran will allow 20 cargo ships to transport oil through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday.<\/p>\n The concession comes as the U.S. and Tehran are engaged in ceasefire talks this week, as Trump says there is a “new and more reasonable” regime in power.<\/p>\n Posted by Anders Hagstrom<\/p>\n 17 hours agoIran’s internet blackout is concealing true damage of US, Israeli strikes: Israeli official<\/p>\n Israeli officials say Iran’s internet blackout is concealing the full extent of the damage that U.S. and Israeli strikes have delt to the Iranian regime in recent weeks.<\/p>\n Fox News’ Trey Yingst<\/a> says Iranians have spent nearly 30 days without internet access, which has been cut off by the regime in Tehran.<\/p>\n “700+ hours without internet in Iran,” Yingst wrote in a post on X. “Israeli officials are now sounding the alarm about the ongoing blackout.”<\/p>\n “When this blackout is lifted, the full extent of the damage to the regime will become clear,” a senior Israeli intelligence official told Fox News.<\/p>\n Posted by Anders Hagstrom<\/p>\n 18 hours agoTrump reiterates threat to target Iranian energy sites if deal not reached ‘shortly’<\/p>\n President Donald Trump<\/a> says the U.S. and Tehran are in “serious discussions” about ending the war in Iran and have made “serious progress” Monday.<\/p>\n “The United States of America is in serious discussions with A NEW, AND MORE REASONABLE, REGIME to end our Military Operations in Iran,” Trump wrote.<\/p>\n “Great progress has been made but, if for any reason a deal is not shortly reached, which it probably will be, and if the Hormuz Strait is not immediately ‘Open for Business,’ we will conclude our lovely ‘stay’ in Iran by blowing up and completely obliterating all of their Electric Generating Plants, Oil Wells and Kharg Island (and possibly all desalinization plants!), which we have purposefully not yet ‘touched,’ Trump continued.<\/p>\n “This will be in retribution for our many soldiers, and others, that Iran has butchered and killed over the old Regime\u2019s 47 year ‘Reign of Terror,'” he added.<\/p>\n Posted by Anders Hagstrom<\/p>\n 18 hours agoSpain closes airspace to US warplanes, declares Iran war ‘profoundly illegal’<\/p>\n Spain closed its airspace to U.S. warplanes operating in the war against Iran on Monday.<\/p>\n Spanish Defense Minister<\/a> Margarita Robles announced the closure in a statement to reporters, saying the nation’s government had been “clear” on its stance against the war in Iran.<\/p>\n \u201cThis was made perfectly clear to the American military and forces from the very beginning. Therefore, neither the bases are authorized, nor, of course, is the use of Spanish airspace authorized for any actions related to the war in Iran,\u201d Robles told reporters.<\/p>\n \u201cI think everyone knows Spain\u2019s position. It\u2019s very clear,\u201d Robles said, going on to declare the war \u201cprofoundly illegal and profoundly unjust.\u201d<\/p>\n Posted by Anders Hagstrom<\/p>\n 18 hours agoIran’s war against the US and Israel is being fueled by North Korean weapons, expert warns<\/p>\n