Hegseth and Trump Claim Around 90% of Iranian Missiles Neutralized in Operation Epic Fury as Trump Vows Further Strikes
U.S. officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and President Trump, said Operation Epic Fury has struck thousands of targets across Iran—reportedly damaging or sinking dozens of vessels and neutralizing roughly 90% of Iranian ballistic‑missile launches—after an intense U.S.–Israeli air campaign that has caused heavy regional damage and casualties. Trump vowed further strikes and demanded Iran’s “unconditional surrender” as markets and global logistics reacted—oil prices spiking, OPEC+ agreeing to a modest output boost, widespread flight and shipping disruptions—and regional partners warned the conflict could widen with serious humanitarian and economic consequences.
📌 Key Facts
- The U.S.–Israeli campaign 'Operation Epic Fury' has struck thousands of targets inside Iran; official tallies reported in stages from roughly 1,000 targets in the first 24 hours to more than 15,000 targets by March 13, 2026.
- Pentagon officials and CENTCOM say the strikes have severely degraded Iranian strike capabilities—reporting roughly a 90% reduction in ballistic‑missile launches and an ~80–95% decline in drone attacks since the operation began—while acknowledging some Iranian strikes and launches have continued.
- The conflict has produced heavy casualties and damage: Iranian and allied death tolls reported by Iranian and Lebanese authorities range from the low thousands (variously reported as ~1,200–1,800+ in Iran and roughly 400–500 in Lebanon), and U.S. officials report at least seven American service members killed and about 140 wounded.
- Maritime and energy markets have been severely disrupted: multiple vessels (dozens reported attacked or struck in the Gulf and Strait of Hormuz), commercial shipping rerouted (including some carriers diverting around the Cape of Good Hope), airspace and major Gulf hub airports closed or hit, oil briefly spiked near $120/barrel before pulling back, and U.S. pump prices rose—reports cite U.S. gasoline up as much as roughly 50 cents/gal in some periods; OPEC+ agreed to add 206,000 barrels per day in April and some countries released strategic reserves or coordinated waivers to ease supply pressure.
- U.S. and allied forces report substantial maritime and air gains against Iranian forces: CENTCOM and U.S. officials say dozens to more than 90 Iranian vessels and multiple naval facilities have been damaged or destroyed (including a reported submarine‑torpedo sinking of an Iranian warship near Sri Lanka), and the U.S. claims broad control of key Iranian airspace corridors.
- Operational scale and logistics: U.S. commanders describe a large regional buildup—tens of thousands of U.S. personnel (figures such as ~50,000 have been cited), hundreds of aircraft, carrier strike groups and bombers committed—and administration officials say U.S. munitions stocks are substantial even as Gulf partners warn they are running 'dangerously low' on interceptor missiles and seek expedited resupply.
- Top U.S. political and military leaders have issued hardline messaging: President Trump repeatedly demanded Iran's 'unconditional surrender,' vowed further strikes (including threats to strike far harder if Iran tries to stop oil flows), and signaled he wants a role in Iran’s post‑war leadership; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other senior commanders publicly framed the campaign as aimed at rendering Iran 'combat‑ineffective' and urged Iranians to abandon the regime.
- The war produced wide international fallout beyond the battlefield: thousands of flights were canceled and hundreds of thousands of travelers were stranded after Gulf airports closed or were struck; major shipping lines suspended transits through Suez/Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz region; governments and agencies (IEA, G7 members) signaled coordination on market responses; and diplomatic and domestic political tensions intensified, including congressional war‑powers disputes and global calls for de‑escalation.
📊 Relevant Data
As of March 2026, up to 3.2 million people have been internally displaced within Iran due to the ongoing US-Israeli war.
Up to 3.2 million people displaced inside Iran by conflict, UN says — Reuters
Black and Latino households in the US pay 13–18% more on average for energy per square foot of housing compared to White households.
Race, rates, and energy insecurity: exploring racial disparities in electricity costs and consumption in U.S. utility service areas — Scientific Reports (Nature)
In a 2023 survey, support for using US troops to defend a NATO ally from Russian attack was 48% among Black Americans, compared to 63% among White Americans and 70% among Asian Americans.
Race, Ethnicity, and American Views of U.S. Military Power Abroad — New America
📊 Analysis & Commentary (9)
The questions Trump must answer today
"A Politico Playbook analysis critiques and questions the Trump administration’s U.S.–Israeli strikes on Iran (and the reported killing of Khamenei), arguing the rapid escalation has greatly increased U.S. costs and regional risk while offering no clear endgame or legal/strategic answers and demanding that the president and his advisers publicly explain their objectives and plans."
LISA DAFTARI: This Purim, we are all targets of the Iranian regime
"This op‑ed links the U.S.–Israeli strikes on Iran to the ancient Purim story—arguing Iran functions like Haman—warns that Tehran conducts a hybrid war of missiles, proxies and sophisticated information operations targeting Jews and democracies, and urges vigorous military and informational responses and societal unity."
MICHAEL OREN: Iran has waged war on America for 47 years — time to end it
"Michael Oren’s column defends Operation Epic Fury — arguing Iran’s long hostility gives the U.S. a legitimate casus belli, rebuts legal and strategic criticisms, and claims a sustained air campaign is justified to prevent Iran becoming a nuclear threat."
Iran (Probably) Won’t Surrender
"A skeptical critique of assertions that Iran will 'unconditionally surrender,' arguing that hawkish rhetoric misreads military effects and underestimates the costs, endurance, and asymmetric responses that make a quick victory unlikely."
How the Iran War Ends
"The piece argues that despite U.S. air superiority, the Iran campaign has not achieved strategic success—Tehran has been able to inflict economic and political pain (notably via oil disruptions), there is no sign of an internal moderating movement, and Washington must choose between accepting a limited outcome or escalating to a costly ground war."
Trump’s dynamic duo needs more work
"The Politico Playbook piece critiques the White House’s reliance on Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff as a small, overtaxed envoy team handling Iran, Ukraine and Gaza — noting signs the administration may be seeking an off‑ramp even as Trump sends mixed public signals and defenders insist the tight team is adequately backed by senior officials."
What Regime Change Could Mean for Iran
"The piece critiques the push for regime change in Iran — spotlighting the disconnect between triumphant political rhetoric and military reality — and warns that toppling Tehran risks heavy costs, regional instability, strengthened hardliners, and an unclear postwar plan."
Opposing Trump Isn’t a Global Strategy
"Rahm Emanuel criticizes President Trump’s recent shift to aggressive, regime‑change military actions (notably against Iran), argues air campaigns alone won’t achieve durable outcomes, and urges Democrats to offer a clear, results‑focused foreign‑policy alternative rather than only procedural objections."
Iran Will Define Trump’s Legacy
"The WSJ opinion argues that despite Operation Epic Fury’s tactical achievements (as reported in accounts of the campaign), Iran’s continued disruption of the Strait of Hormuz and refusal to yield mean the conflict risks becoming a costly stalemate that will define President Trump’s legacy."
📰 Source Timeline (86)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
March 15, 2026
3:17 PM
Iran war rages with no end in sight as gas prices soar
New information:
- CENTCOM issued a fresh statement that 'strikes from U.S. forces continue to be unpredictable, dynamic, and decisive' and boasted that 'U.S. dominance builds over vast swaths of Iran,' elaborating on how the military is characterizing the campaign’s progress.
- The article situates this rhetoric on day 16 of the war, indicating the campaign is ongoing with additional U.S. troops and warships headed to the region.
- It connects the continuing strikes and campaign posture directly to the evolving economic impact at home, particularly the sharp increase in gasoline prices.
March 14, 2026
7:45 PM
Iran is receiving ‘military cooperation’ from Russia and China, foreign minister says
New information:
- Araghchi rejects U.S. portrayals of a crippled Iranian command structure, insisting that 'there is no problem with the new supreme leader' and that the system is functioning despite U.S. and Israeli claims that Mojtaba Khamenei was wounded and Iran’s leadership 'wiped' out.
- He underscores that Iran still considers itself capable of keeping the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed and of hitting regional energy targets if provoked.
7:04 AM
These are the casualties and cost of the war in Iran 2 weeks into the conflict
New information:
- Numerical confirmation that the U.S.–Israeli campaign has hit more than 15,000 targets in Iran and the region, according to Hegseth and Gen. Caine.
- Operational data that more than 90 Iranian vessels have been damaged or destroyed and that more than 30 Iranian minelayers have been destroyed, per U.S. Central Command.
- UK Maritime Trade Operations reporting that 16 ships in the region have been struck during the conflict.
March 13, 2026
4:53 PM
Trump vows to hit Iran 'very hard' after obliterating nearly '90 percent' of regime missiles
New information:
- Trump tells Fox News the U.S. has 'knocked out close to 90% of [Iran’s] missiles' and is 'hitting them harder than anybody’s been hit since World War II.'
- He says the U.S. has taken out the 'majority' of Iran’s missile and drone manufacturing sites and vows the U.S. will be 'hitting them very hard over the next week.'
- Trump claims the U.S. has 'virtually unlimited ammunition' and that Iran has already been 'damaged... so badly it would take years for them to ever rebuild.'
- He states the U.S. is prepared to escort vessels through the Strait of Hormuz 'if we needed to' to protect oil shipments.
- In a Truth Social post, Trump asserts that 'Iran’s Navy is gone, their Air Force is no longer, missiles, drones and everything else are being decimated, and their leaders have been wiped from the face of the earth,' and tells followers to 'watch what happens' to Iranian leaders 'today.'
3:14 PM
WATCH: Hesgeth says more than 15,000 enemy targets have been hit in Iran conflict
New information:
- At a March 13 Pentagon briefing, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said U.S. and allied forces have struck 'over 15,000 enemy targets' in Iran, averaging more than 1,000 a day since the war began on Feb. 28.
- Hegseth claimed Iran’s missile volume is down 90% and its drone volume down 95% as a result of the air campaign.
- He reiterated that Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is 'wounded' and 'likely disfigured,' but did not provide evidence for this assertion.
- Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, gave additional detail on the KC‑135 crash in western Iraq, describing it as occurring 'over friendly territory' and reaffirming that it was not caused by hostile or friendly fire, with four airmen recovered.
- Hegseth publicly lauded Vice President JD Vance as a 'key voice' and 'incredible member, leader of this team' on Iran policy, even as past comments show Vance had argued there was 'no chance' of a drawn‑out war.
- Hegseth characterized Iran’s efforts to block the Strait of Hormuz and disrupt oil flows as 'sheer desperation' and said the U.S. is working to ensure 'energy flows' through the strait.
3:12 PM
Hegseth Vows Lethal Day in Iran as Air War Intensifies
New information:
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth publicly stated that Friday would be the ‘most intense and lethal’ day of the U.S. air campaign in Iran so far.
- Gen. Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, said it would be the ‘heaviest day of kinetic fires across the operating area.’
- Hegseth said long‑range munitions now make up only about 1% of ordnance used in the campaign, reflecting a major shift toward aircraft dropping relatively cheap precision‑guided bombs after successful suppression of Iranian air defenses.
- The article underscores that the declared strategy is to destroy Iran’s ability to project force and to ‘ratchet up the pain’ on Iranian leadership to compel capitulation to U.S. demands.
March 12, 2026
10:58 PM
U.S. fired at Iranian vessel that approached aircraft carrier, officials say
New information:
- An Iranian vessel sailed too close to the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea earlier this week, prompting U.S. forces to fire on it.
- A U.S. Navy ship attempted multiple shots with its 5-inch/54-caliber Mark 45 deck gun but missed the Iranian vessel.
- A helicopter from the carrier group then fired two Hellfire missiles that struck the Iranian vessel; the status of the ship and crew is unknown.
- CENTCOM declined public comment on the incident, with a defense official telling CBS, “We have nothing for you on this.”
- Officials say American forces have damaged or destroyed more than 90 Iranian vessels since the Iran war began.
10:56 PM
U.S. military plane crashes in Iraq as status of crew is unknown, officials said
New information:
- A U.S. KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling aircraft involved in the Iran operation crashed in western Iraq near Turaibil on the Iraqi–Jordanian border, with recovery efforts underway.
- CENTCOM says a second KC-135 was damaged in the same incident but managed to land safely, and states the event was not caused by hostile fire or friendly fire.
- This is the fourth publicly acknowledged U.S. aircraft loss in Operation Epic Fury, following the previously confirmed friendly-fire shootdown of three F-15E Strike Eagles in which all six crew members survived.
- Flight-tracking data indicate a KC-135 declared an emergency before landing in Tel Aviv on the same day, which CENTCOM links to the same incident.
- The article explains that Tactical Recovery of Aircraft and Personnel (TRAP) missions have been launched to secure the crash site, recover crew, and protect or destroy sensitive equipment.
2:15 PM
US destroys aging Iranian warplanes, video shows
New information:
- CENTCOM released video showing U.S. forces destroying Iranian aircraft parked on the ground, saying the regime is 'losing air capability day by day' and U.S. forces are 'methodically dismantling' Iranian threats.
- CENTCOM publicly denied an IRGC claim that Iran shot down a U.S. F‑15 south of Tehran, stating flatly that no U.S. fighter aircraft have been shot down by Iran and that U.S. forces maintain air superiority over 'vast swaths of Iran.'
- CENTCOM previously confirmed that three U.S. F‑15E Strike Eagles were downed in an 'apparent friendly fire incident' on March 2, when Kuwaiti air defenses mistakenly shot them down during combat, with all six aircrew safely ejecting and being recovered.
10:00 AM
Iran’s drone swarms challenge US air defenses as troops in Middle East face rising threats
New information:
- UAE officials report that their air defenses detected nine ballistic missiles and 35 drones launched by Iran, intercepted eight of the missiles with one falling into the sea, and shot down 26 of the drones while nine crashed on UAE soil.
- The article specifies that a March 1 Iranian one‑way attack drone strike near Camp Arifjan in Kuwait killed six American service members and wounded dozens when it hit a tactical operations center.
- Defense sources describe a “math problem” for U.S. and allied air defenses, in which very expensive missile interceptors are being used against large numbers of relatively cheap Iranian drones, prompting an accelerated Pentagon push for a layered counter‑drone strategy including high‑energy lasers and electronic warfare.
March 11, 2026
12:39 PM
Live Updates: Japan and Germany to Release Oil as War in Iran Threatens Global Supply
New information:
- Japan, Germany and Austria are now releasing oil from their strategic reserves due to war‑related disruptions in Middle East supply.
- G7 leaders are slated to discuss a joint strategic oil release with the IEA, signaling coordinated consumer‑country action beyond military operations.
- The number of vessels attacked in and around the Strait of Hormuz has reached 13 since Feb. 28, indicating sustained maritime pressure despite reduced missile launches.
- U.S. national average gasoline has risen to $3.58 per gallon after 11 consecutive days of increases, reflecting the domestic cost consequences.
- The conflict’s death toll has surpassed 1,800, mostly in Iran, giving a fuller picture of the human cost tied to the same campaign affecting oil flows.
2:20 AM
Hezbollah, Iran unleash coordinated cluster bomb strikes on Israel in major escalation
New information:
- An Israeli confirmation, cited via AP, that Iran is firing cluster munitions at Israel, with warheads that break up into multiple bomblets and are difficult to intercept.
- Kobi Michael, a senior researcher at Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies and the Misgav Institute, says Hezbollah has ‘fully joined the war’ and is ‘very well coordinated with Iran,’ launching rockets and drones simultaneously with Iranian missiles.
- Fox’s on‑scene correspondent reports that roughly half of incoming Iranian missiles are cluster weapons, which are much harder for Israel’s air defenses to defeat.
- Reuters reporting, echoed here, that Hezbollah is reverting to small‑unit guerrilla tactics in south Lebanon, minimizing electronic communications and rationing anti‑tank munitions as it prepares for a potentially protracted conflict and possible Israeli ground offensive.
- Michael describes heavy bombardment in northern Israel toward the Haifa area and ongoing emergency conditions and frequent sheltering in Tel Aviv, underscoring the intensity of the current phase of attacks.
March 10, 2026
10:02 PM
Iranian Military Shows It Knows How to Adapt, U.S. Officials Say
New information:
- Senior U.S. defense officials say Iran has begun deliberately targeting key American air defense and radar systems in the region as the U.S.–Israeli bombing campaign continues.
- Iranian‑backed militias have attacked hotels known to house American troops, including a drone swarm strike on an upscale hotel in Erbil, Iraq.
- Multiple U.S. military officials assess that Iran has accepted it cannot match U.S. and Israeli firepower and instead aims to claim victory by surviving the barrage and exploiting perceived U.S. vulnerabilities.
- The Pentagon now reports seven American troops killed and 140 injured in the first 11 days of the war, with 108 of the wounded having returned to duty.
9:27 PM
White House aware of Gulf countries' fears about interceptor shortage, sources say
New information:
- Multiple sources tell CBS the White House is aware Gulf states say they are running short on missile interceptors and are having to choose which incoming objects to shoot down.
- Gulf partners were told Washington was creating a task force to expedite interceptor resupply, but sources say this is not moving as fast as the allies need.
- On 60 Minutes, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth publicly responded to CBS’ reporting, claiming the U.S. is 'very prepared,' that Iran’s missile capability has been reduced by 90%, and that U.S. munitions projections are 'well beyond what we would need.'
- Hegseth said the U.S. can help allies restock or 'crossload' interceptors but stressed U.S. forces and bases will be supplied first.
- Despite U.S. claims of degraded capabilities, Iran has continued firing missiles and drones at Gulf states on Monday and Tuesday, including a deadly strike on a Bahrain apartment building that killed a woman, according to Bahrain’s Interior Ministry.
4:13 PM
WATCH: Hegseth says Tuesday will be 'most intense day of strikes' on Iran
New information:
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said at a March 10 Pentagon briefing that 'today will be yet again our most intense day of strikes inside Iran.'
- Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine said the U.S. military is moving into the 11th day of its operation against Iran.
- Caine reported that Iranian ballistic‑missile attacks have fallen 90% and one‑way attack drones 83% since the first day of the U.S. campaign.
- Caine said the military is considering, but has not yet been asked to conduct, tanker escorts through the Strait of Hormuz and is preparing options to present to President Trump.
- Hegseth cited Trump’s threat to increase strikes on Iran by 20 times if Tehran stops oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, framing Iranian attacks on neighbors as 'desperate.'
- Pressed on accountability for the Tomahawk strike that hit near an Iranian girls’ school, Hegseth said the U.S. takes such incidents 'very, very seriously' and warned against relying on 'open source information' to determine responsibility, even as outside analyses and at least one U.S. official assessment point to a U.S. missile as the likely cause.
2:12 PM
Iran war, 11 days in: US controls skies, oil surges and the region braces for what’s next
New information:
- Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine now explicitly describe the U.S. and Israel as having 'total air dominance' and 'near‑uncontested' access over key corridors of Iranian airspace.
- Caine says U.S. forces have struck more than 5,000 targets in the first 10 days, including 'dozens' of deeply buried missile launchers hit with 2,000‑pound penetrating bombs.
- Adm. Brad Cooper reports that Iranian ballistic‑missile launches have dropped by roughly 90% and drone attacks by more than 80% from the opening days of the conflict, attributing this to sustained strikes on launchers and infrastructure.
- The article links these battlefield claims to rising oil prices and notes that the overall conflict appears to be expanding in scope despite U.S. officials’ confident rhetoric.
- It also folds in the succession of Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s new supreme leader as a factor hardening Tehran’s posture and reducing the odds of a quick diplomatic off‑ramp.
1:49 PM
Iranian barrages target Israel and Gulf countries as Hegseth warns Iran of 'most intense day of strikes'
New information:
- Iran launched new missile and drone attacks on Israel and multiple Gulf Arab countries on Tuesday, including a strike that killed a 29‑year‑old woman and injured eight in Manama, Bahrain.
- Saudi Arabia reported destroying two drones over its oil‑rich eastern region, Kuwait’s National Guard said it shot down six drones, and the UAE said an Iranian drone strike caused a fire at the Ruwais industrial city, home to petrochemical plants.
- U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters that Tuesday would be 'our most intense day of strikes inside Iran' with the 'most fighters, the most bombers, the most strikes,' while Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Dan Caine said U.S. forces have hit more than 5,000 targets with three stated objectives: degrading Iranian ballistic missile and drone capabilities, attacking Iran’s navy to secure the Strait of Hormuz, and striking deep into Iran’s military and industrial base.
- Iranian leaders publicly rejected a cease-fire, with parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf saying Iran is 'definitely not looking for a ceasefire' and Ali Larijani issuing a personal warning to President Trump on X.
- Brent crude briefly spiked near $120 a barrel on Monday and was still about $90 on Tuesday—roughly 24% higher than when the war began on Feb. 28—linking the latest Iranian barrages and energy‑infrastructure strikes directly to ongoing market volatility.
12:13 PM
Watch Live: Hegseth, Caine hold news briefing as Iran launches new attacks
New information:
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Dan Caine held a Pentagon news briefing Tuesday morning as airstrikes continued overnight in the Middle East.
- Hegseth said the U.S. military has struck more than 3,000 Iranian targets in the first week of operations and insisted Iran’s leaders are 'desperate, scrambling' while the U.S. and allies are 'winning.'
- The article reiterates that seven American service members have died in the war so far.
- President Trump told CBS News on Monday that the war is 'very complete, pretty much' and that 'there's nothing left in a military sense,' while the Defense Department simultaneously posted a video captioned 'We have Only Just Begun to Fight.'
- Hegseth, in a 60 Minutes interview referenced in the piece, framed Trump’s demand for Iran’s 'unconditional surrender' as 'we're fightin' to win' and 'bringing your enemy to their knees.'
- The story notes oil prices spiked intraday to $119 a barrel on Monday, the highest since 2022, amid Trump’s talk of possibly 'taking over' the Strait of Hormuz if Iran blocks the waterway.
- Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told PBS that Iran is prepared to continue attacking Israel with missiles 'as long as needed and as long as it takes,' underscoring that Tehran is not signaling de‑escalation.
11:18 AM
Live Updates: Trump Sends Mixed Signals on When Iran War Might End
New information:
- Trump told CBS on Monday that the war 'is very complete, pretty much,' sending oil prices down and stocks up, then later the same day told Republican lawmakers, 'We have won in many ways, but not enough,' and answered 'No' when asked if the war would be over this week, adding only 'soon, very soon.'
- Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Iran is 'absolutely' not seeking a cease-fire, signaling no interest in ending the conflict.
- Israel announced a new wave of strikes in Tehran after Netanyahu publicly urged Iranians to oust the Islamic Republic and said 'ultimately, it is up to them' when the war ends, explicitly tying war’s end to regime change.
- Updated casualty figures: Iranian officials now say about 1,300 people have been killed by U.S. and Israeli strikes in Iran, while Iranian attacks across the region have killed at least 30; Lebanese state media report nearly 500 dead from Israeli strikes and President Joseph Aoun says more than 600,000 people have been displaced.
- Regional escalation details: Bahrain reports one person killed in an Iranian strike on a residential building in Manama; Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the UAE report intercepting or responding to drone and missile attacks; Hezbollah has stepped up attacks on Israeli forces and Israel is carrying out fresh airstrikes in southern Lebanon and ordering evacuations.
- Pakistan is now escorting merchant vessels with its navy through the Strait of Hormuz to protect its own energy supplies as shipping there continues to be disrupted.
- The Pentagon is scheduling its first war operational update briefing since the previous Thursday, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Dan Caine to speak at 8 a.m. Eastern.
11:12 AM
Trump gives mixed signals on Iran war. And, how Epstein built ties to scientists
New information:
- At a March 9 press conference at Trump National Doral Miami, Trump said the U.S. has begun striking Iran’s drone facilities and locations where Iranian missiles are made and delivered, and he alternated between suggesting the war’s end was near and that it was not.
- NPR’s reporting says Trump is now comparing Iran’s situation to Venezuela, where 'the regime stays in place, but the leader changes,' and he did not directly answer questions about whether avoiding explicit regime change contradicts his promises to secure Iranians’ freedom.
- Iranian health officials now report about 1,200 people killed in Iran from the U.S.–Israeli campaign, while Lebanese authorities report roughly 500 deaths amid fighting linked to Hezbollah’s rocket attacks and Israeli strikes.
- Lebanese President Joseph Aoun is seeking direct negotiations with Israel and international support to equip the Lebanese Armed Forces to disarm Hezbollah, and an unnamed Israeli official told NPR Israel views Beirut’s approach 'positively' but intends to continue the war.
- Federal authorities charged two Pennsylvania men, Emir Balat (18) and Ibrahim Kayumi (19), with terrorism‑related offenses after an alleged attempted ISIS‑inspired bomb attack using IEDs at an anti‑Muslim protest outside New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s official residence; court documents say Balat wrote that he had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State and wanted an attack 'bigger than the Boston Marathon bombing.'
- According to court filings summarized by NPR, Balat and Kayumi waived their Miranda rights and told investigators they had watched ISIS material on their phones.
11:00 AM
Defiant Iran vows to keep fighting war with U.S. "as long as it takes"
New information:
- Iranian military commander publicly asserted that 'Iran will determine when the war ends,' directly contradicting Trump’s assurances the war will end 'very soon' and is already 'very complete, pretty much.'
- Iran launched new drone and missile attacks on Gulf Arab states, including a strike on a residential building in Manama, Bahrain, killing a 29-year-old woman and wounding eight others; Saudi Arabia and Kuwait reported shooting down multiple drones.
- The UAE reported its consulate in Erbil, in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, was hit in what it called an unprovoked 'terrorist drone attack,' causing material damage but no injuries.
- Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to continue strikes on Iran and intensified operations against Hezbollah in southern and eastern Lebanon, framing the goal as encouraging Iranians to 'cast off the yoke of tyranny.'
- Asian markets reacted to Trump’s 'short excursion' rhetoric with a risk-on move: crude fell roughly 5% overnight and European gas prices dropped about 15% after a prior surge of up to 30% on fears of a prolonged conflict.
9:35 AM
Trump gives mixed messages about when the war with Iran will end
New information:
- U.S. military now says it has struck more than 5,000 targets in Iran and damaged or destroyed more than 50 Iranian vessels in the 11‑day‑old war.
- In a phone call with CBS News on Monday, Trump said 'the war is very complete,' but at a separate event in Miami with Republican lawmakers he said the U.S. has not yet 'won enough' and must achieve 'ultimate victory.'
- In a late‑night social media post, Trump warned that if Iran tries to stop oil flowing through the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. will hit it 'TWENTY TIMES HARDER' than it has so far.
- Oil prices briefly surged to nearly $120 a barrel on Monday as markets reacted to fears of supply disruptions, then pulled back after Trump suggested the war might end soon.
- Updated casualty figures: more than 1,200 people killed in Iran, nearly 500 in Lebanon, 11 in Israel, and seven U.S. soldiers killed, according to Iranian and Lebanese health officials, Israeli authorities, and the Pentagon.
- Israel says it carried out new strikes in Lebanon targeting the Al‑Qard Al‑Hassan Association, described as a Hezbollah‑linked financial arm used for weapons purchases and salaries.
- Iran continued firing drones and rockets across Gulf countries; Saudi Arabia reported intercepting two drones over its eastern oil region, Kuwait’s National Guard said it downed six drones in northern and southern areas, and the UAE condemned a drone attack on its consulate general in Iraq’s Kurdistan region.
- Turkey’s Defense Ministry says a U.S. Patriot air‑defense battery has been deployed to Malatya province to bolster protection of the Kurecik NATO radar base against Iranian missile threats.
12:40 AM
Trump says Iran war will be over "very soon"
New information:
- At his Doral, Florida press conference, Trump said the war with Iran will be over 'very soon' but explicitly stated it will not end this week.
- Trump claimed that after 10 days of fighting, U.S. forces are at the point planners expected to reach only after about a month of war, and listed what he characterized as the destruction of Iran’s navy, air force, air defenses, radar, telecommunications, and the 'decimation' of its leadership, asserting 'It’s all gone.'
- He said 'the big risk on that war has been over for three days,' suggesting he sees the most dangerous phase as already past.
- Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps responded via state media that they 'are the ones who will determine the end of the war' and threatened not to allow the export of 'one litre of oil' from the region if U.S. and Israeli attacks continue; Trump answered with a counter‑threat on Truth Social.
- Trump tied his 'very soon' language to oil markets, arguing the current spike is short‑term and that once Iran can no longer threaten regional shipping, prices will stabilize, while warning that any Iranian attempt to harm oil supply will bring even stronger U.S. strikes.
- He said he was 'disappointed' that Mojtaba Khamenei was named Iran’s new supreme leader, predicted it would mean 'more of the same problem,' and hinted at possible further U.S.–Israeli action to change Iran’s leadership if a different course isn’t adopted.
March 09, 2026
8:59 PM
Trump set to hold a press conference as U.S.-Israel-led Iran war enters second week
New information:
- Trump told CBS News on March 9, 2026 that he thinks "the war is very complete, pretty much" and asserted that Iran now has "no navy, no communications, they've got no air force," with missiles and drones largely neutralized.
- NPR reports crude oil prices nearly hit $120 a barrel on Monday before falling back, with average U.S. gasoline prices spiking and becoming a growing political problem for Trump.
- Trump publicly dismissed concern about higher gas prices over the weekend, saying oil prices will "come down very fast" and describing the Iran campaign as a "short excursion" that should have been undertaken decades ago and that "no president had the guts" to do.
- He framed the U.S.–Israeli operation as working to "get rid of a major, major cancer on the face of the earth," referring to the Iranian regime, and said the administration is looking at ways to ease the cost burden on Americans while insisting the price spike is worth it.
- The article notes new NPR/PBS/Marist polling showing a majority of Americans oppose U.S. military action in Iran and disapprove of how Trump is handling Iran, highlighting the political headwinds as he heads into the Doral press conference.
8:42 PM
Trump to hold news conference and give updates on Iran
New information:
- Trump will hold his first formal news conference on the Iran war at Trump National Doral in the Miami area around 5:30 p.m. ET on March 9, 2026.
- Earlier the same day, Trump told a CBS reporter he thinks the war is 'very complete, pretty much' and said he is 'thinking about taking [the Strait of Hormuz] over.'
- The Pentagon posted on X that 'We have Only Just Begun to Fight' and 'no mercy,' underscoring a much more expansive view of the campaign.
- Markets have been down since the war began but major U.S. stock indexes closed up Monday as oil prices fell back from an earlier double‑digit intraday surge.
- The piece reiterates that seven American service members have died so far in the U.S.–Iran war.
7:53 PM
Trump tells CBS News "the war is very complete"
New information:
- In a Monday phone interview with CBS News, President Trump said the U.S. war with Iran is 'very complete, pretty much' and claims Iran has 'no navy, no communications, they've got no air force' and that 'if you look, they have nothing left' militarily.
- Trump said commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has effectively ground to a halt, asserted the strait is 'open now' and that ships have been entering, and said he is 'thinking about taking it over,' warning that if Iran 'try anything cute' it would mean 'the end of that country.'
- The same afternoon Trump described the war as nearly complete, the Department of Defense posted on X that 'We have Only Just Begun to Fight' and 'no mercy,' highlighting an internal messaging gap.
- Trump reiterated that he initially estimated the war would last about a month but now says 'we're very far ahead of schedule' and that 'wrapping up is all in my mind, nobody else's.'
- The article notes seven Americans have died so far, with Vice President JD Vance scheduled to attend the dignified transfer of Sgt. Benjamin Pennington later Monday after his death from a March 1 attack at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.
- Trump said he has 'no message' for newly named Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and claimed he has 'someone else in mind to lead the country,' without elaboration.
2:09 PM
The war in Iran has entered a second week. Here's where things stand
New information:
- Updates the U.S. casualty count: seven U.S. soldiers have been killed in the Iran war so far.
- Reports that Trump attended the return of fallen soldiers’ remains (a Dover‑style dignified transfer), putting a human face on those casualties.
- Quotes U.S. military warnings to Iranian civilians to stay indoors because, according to the Pentagon, Iran is launching attacks from densely populated areas.
1:50 PM
Hegseth warns ‘more casualties’ expected in Operation Epic Fury against Iran
New information:
- Hegseth told CBS's '60 Minutes' that 'there will be more casualties' in Operation Epic Fury and framed U.S. combat deaths as stiffening American 'spine and resolve.'
- The article reports that seven U.S. service members have been killed so far in connection with Operation Epic Fury: six in a March 1 Iranian drone attack on Port Shuaiba, Kuwait, and a seventh in an Iranian attack on U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia the same day.
- Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi told NBC's 'Meet the Press' that Iran has 'very brave soldiers' ready to fight and kill any enemy ground troops that enter Iranian territory, vowing Tehran will 'never surrender' and that its 'dignity is not for sale.'
- Aboard Air Force One, President Trump said deploying U.S. ground troops into Iran would require 'a very good reason' but added that if such a move happened Iran would be 'so decimated they wouldn't be able to fight at the ground level.'
1:02 AM
Hegseth says Iran will eventually have no choice but to surrender
New information:
- Hegseth tells CBS that President Trump’s demand for Iran’s 'unconditional surrender' will occur 'whether [Iran] wants to admit it or not,' even if Tehran never holds a formal surrender ceremony.
- He says the U.S. has already struck 3,000 targets inside Iran and insists 'this is only just the beginning,' describing the campaign as designed to bring Iran 'to their knees.'
- Hegseth confirms no U.S. ground forces have yet been deployed inside Iran but explicitly refuses to rule them out, saying the U.S. is 'willing to go as far as we need to in order to be successful.'
- He links current economic pain to the war, noting oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz have stalled and U.S. gas prices are up nearly 50 cents a gallon, and says Trump will 'take care of' the strait through 'American firepower' after largely destroying the Iranian navy.
- Hegseth rebuts critics who say Netanyahu dragged Washington into the conflict, asserting the U.S. has 'always [been] controlling the throttle' to advance American interests and protect lives.
March 08, 2026
11:02 PM
On Iran strikes, Hegseth says, "this only just the beginning"
New information:
- Hegseth tells CBS that more than 50,000 U.S. military personnel are involved in Operation Epic Fury and that roughly 3,000 targets inside Iran had already been struck when he spoke.
- He says “this is not a fair fight” and asserts that when U.S. and Israeli air forces are combined they amount to “the two most powerful air forces in the world,” emphasizing that the campaign with 500‑, 1,000‑ and 2,000‑pound gravity bombs “hasn’t even really begun.”
- Hegseth defines Trump’s demand for Iran’s “unconditional surrender” as fighting until Iran is “combat‑ineffective,” predicting that “they will surrender” whether or not Iranian leaders publicly admit it, and says Trump will “set the terms” of that surrender.
- He distances the administration from a ‘mission accomplished’ framing, saying they are not declaring the war nearly over despite comments from the House speaker, while insisting the campaign is “on track, on plan.”
- He rejects criticism that Netanyahu dragged the U.S. into a war that does not put American interests first, saying he’s “in the room every day” and that Trump is prioritizing “America, Americans, and American interests.”
4:33 AM
Trump dismisses threats from Iran's security chief: "I couldn't care less"
New information:
- Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, posted on social media Saturday that Trump must 'pay the price' for U.S.–Israel strikes, and Trump told CBS he has 'no idea' who Larijani is and 'couldn’t care less.'
- Trump claimed in the interview that Iran’s navy, air force and 'every single element' of its military are 'gone,' specifying that 42 ships had been sunk in six days and asserting that Iran’s 'leadership is gone.'
- CENTCOM is quoted as saying at least 43 Iranian ships have been damaged or destroyed and more than 3,000 targets struck since the war began, a more concrete tally than earlier broad references to heavy damage.
- Trump said of traditional U.S. allies that 'I couldn’t care less. They can do whatever they want. The loyal ones are already in,' downplaying the need for additional allied participation and brushing off the U.K.’s readiness of two carriers.
- The article reports Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian released, then partly walked back, a video that apologized to neighboring states for Iranian retaliatory strikes and then insisted Iran has only targeted U.S. bases and not 'friendly and neighboring countries.'
- The piece underscores that with Khamenei killed on Feb. 28, Larijani and an interim three‑person council that includes Pezeshkian are now key power centers, complicating which Iranian figures the U.S. might engage diplomatically.
2:11 AM
Trump says US, Israel shattered Iranian military capabilities, presses leaders to surrender: 'Cry uncle'
New information:
- Trump tells reporters aboard Air Force One that U.S. and Israeli forces have 'wiped out' Iran’s navy (claiming 44 ships sunk), 'wiped out' Iran’s air force ('every plane'), and destroyed 'most' of its missiles, calling Iran’s military 'almost non-existent.'
- He reiterates that he is seeking Iran’s 'unconditional surrender,' defining it as Iran 'crying uncle' or being rendered militarily 'useless,' and boasts that U.S. operations have already 'wiped out' multiple tiers of Iranian leadership.
- Trump labels the conflict a 'minor excursion' that will result in 'a much safer world,' likens Iran to a 'cancer on the face of the earth,' and dismisses concern over rising gasoline prices by predicting they will 'come down very fast.'
- He says joint forces have not yet secured enriched uranium at Iranian nuclear sites but describes attacks on those facilities as 'a total obliteration' and suggests sending ground forces to secure material is an option 'we could do later.'
March 07, 2026
9:58 AM
Iran’s president apologizes for strikes on neighbors as missiles and drones still pound their cities
New information:
- Pezeshkian explicitly apologized 'on my own behalf' to neighboring countries hit by Iranian strikes and said Iran should not attack neighbors or fire missiles at them unless attacked by those countries, urging diplomacy instead.
- The piece reports that Iran’s three‑man leadership council has been in contact with the armed forces but highlights that the Revolutionary Guard, which controls Iran’s ballistic missiles, appears to be picking its own targets independent of civilian leaders.
- Pezeshkian said an order to halt attacks on neighbors was given Friday, yet Iranian missiles and drones still hit targets in Gulf states, including attacks that disrupted flights at Dubai International Airport and targeted a major Saudi oil facility and Bahrain.
- The article specifies fresh strikes on Bahrain, Saudi Arabia’s Shaybah oil field, and a ballistic missile shot down near Prince Sultan Air Base, and notes Dubai’s activation of air defenses and temporary movement of passengers into tunnels at Dubai International Airport.
- U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on television that the 'biggest bombing campaign' of the war is still to come, as the Trump administration approved a new $151 million arms sale to Israel and U.S. officials warned of even more intense bombing ahead.
- Updated casualty figures are provided: at least 1,230 dead in Iran, more than 200 in Lebanon, 11 in Israel, and six U.S. troops killed so far in the conflict.
8:35 AM
Iran's president defies U.S. demands while apologizing for strikes on neighbors
New information:
- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, in a prerecorded March 7 address, calls the U.S. demand for Iran’s 'unconditional surrender' a 'dream that they should take to their grave.'
- Pezeshkian apologizes for Iranian attacks on neighboring countries, blames miscommunication and post‑leadership chaos for loss of command and control, and suggests Iran will halt such regional strikes.
- The article details new Iranian attacks on Bahrain, attempted drone and missile strikes on Saudi Arabia’s Shaybah oil field and Prince Sultan Air Base, and unexplained blasts over Dubai that briefly shut down all flights at Dubai International Airport.
- Emirates initially suspends all flights to and from Dubai 'until further notice,' then reverses the decision, with passengers sheltering in airport train tunnels after an alert and a loud boom overhead.
- U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent publicly says the 'biggest bombing campaign' by the U.S. in the war is still to come, reinforcing prior administration warnings of an even more intense air campaign.
- Updated casualty counts put the toll at at least 1,230 dead in Iran, more than 200 in Lebanon, about a dozen in Israel, and six U.S. troops killed so far in the conflict.
6:38 AM
Iranian attacks target Gulf States as US warns bombing will intensify
New information:
- Reports that Iranian missiles and drones targeted Gulf Arab states early Saturday, triggering sirens in Bahrain and Saudi claims it shot down drones near the Shaybah oil field and a ballistic missile aimed at Prince Sultan Air Base, which hosts U.S. forces.
- Trump administration approval of a new $151 million arms sale to Israel as the conflict enters its second week.
- Qatar’s energy minister warns the war could "bring down the economies of the world," predicting a possible widespread shutdown of Gulf energy exports that could push oil to $150 a barrel; benchmark U.S. crude has already risen above $90 for the first time in more than two years.
- U.S. intelligence indicates Russia has provided Iran with information that could help target American warships, aircraft and other assets, marking the first reported Russian operational support to Iran in this war.
- Updated casualty figures: at least 1,230 killed in Iran, more than 200 in Lebanon, around a dozen in Israel and six U.S. troops killed so far.
- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian says unspecified countries have begun mediation efforts, and Iranian state TV reports a leadership council is discussing how to convene the Assembly of Experts to select a new supreme leader.
1:38 AM
Trump says US 'doing very well' on Iran nearly 1 week into joint action against Tehran
New information:
- At a White House college sports roundtable Friday, Trump said the U.S. is ‘doing very well’ in Iran and rated the operation ‘a 12 to a 15’ on a 0–10 scale.
- Trump claimed Iran’s ‘army is gone,’ ‘navy is gone,’ ‘air force has been wiped out entirely,’ ‘communications are gone,’ and that all 32 of Iran’s ships ‘are at the bottom of the ocean.’
- When pressed by Fox’s Peter Doocy about reports that Russia is helping Iran target Americans, Trump brushed it off as ‘an easy problem’ and called the question ‘stupid’ in the context of the sports event.
- On Truth Social earlier Friday, Trump again vowed the U.S. would accept only Iran’s ‘UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!’ and said that after choosing ‘GREAT & ACCEPTABLE Leader(s),’ the U.S. and allies would work to ‘Make Iran Great Again (MIGA!).’
March 06, 2026
11:55 PM
Trump demands 'unconditional surrender' as war on Iran enters new phase
New information:
- PBS confirms that nearly a week into the U.S.–Israel war with Iran, President Trump again publicly demanded that the Islamic Republic 'surrender' and repeated that he wants a hand in choosing Iran’s next leader.
- The Iranian Red Crescent is cited as saying that more than 1,300 people have now been killed by American‑Israeli bombing.
- The segment underscores that Trump’s regime‑change rhetoric is continuing even as casualty counts mount, framing this as a new phase of the war.
8:17 PM
3 pledges Trump has made on Iran
New information:
- Trump, in an Axios interview Thursday and follow‑up remarks Friday, framed himself as an architect of Iran’s post‑war political order and explicitly opposed Mojtaba Khamenei’s expected succession to his assassinated father, signaling U.S. resistance to that outcome.
- He issued a direct appeal to IRGC members, the military and police to 'lay down their arms,' promising they would be 'perfectly safe with total immunity, or you'll face absolutely guaranteed death,' a new, starkly worded pledge not detailed in prior coverage.
- Trump said additional action to 'dramatically increase the stability' of the Middle East, oil prices and stock markets is 'imminent' and offered 'political risk insurance and guarantees' for energy tankers, while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a 30‑day waiver allowing India to resume buying Russian oil.
- Experts quoted — Srinjoy Bose and Daniel Schneiderman — warn that Trump’s Venezuela‑style approach to regime engineering is unlikely to translate cleanly to Iran given the IRGC’s deep embedment in society and that there is little chance of a leadership transition that meets White House preferences.
- The article notes U.S. gasoline prices have risen nearly 11% since the war began and underscores that this energy shock is an 'unintended strategic consequence' of the decision to go to war.
6:49 PM
Israel strikes slain Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's underground military bunker
New information:
- Clarifies that the compound now said to be "dismantled" was Khamenei’s multi‑entrance underground bunker in central Tehran, which the IDF describes as among the regime’s most important command centers.
- Adds Israeli claims that Khamenei and dozens of senior leaders were located directly above the bunker when the opening strike of Epic Fury killed nearly 50 of them in roughly 50 seconds.
- Introduces allegation that an Israeli‑American deception operation, including carefully calibrated Trump public statements and even IDF commanders going home the night before, was key to persuading Khamenei he was safe.
3:21 PM
Trump rules out talks absent Iran's 'unconditional surrender' as Israel strikes Lebanon
New information:
- Trump now publicly conditions any talks on Iran’s 'unconditional surrender' and links postwar reconstruction aid to Iran selecting a 'GREAT & ACCEPTABLE Leader(s),' underscoring a de facto regime‑change posture.
- The article frames the strikes on Beirut as the heaviest since the 2024 Israel–Hezbollah war and notes more than 95,000 people have fled Beirut’s suburbs and southern Lebanon after Israeli evacuation warnings.
- Qatar’s energy minister explicitly connects the war to the risk of $150 oil and warns that even an immediate cease‑fire would still leave Gulf energy exports disrupted for 'weeks to months,' after an Iranian drone hit Qatar’s largest LNG plant.
- Trump publicly urges ordinary Iranians to 'help take back your country' and promises 'immunity' without specifying legal mechanisms, further blurring lines between external military pressure and internal political agitation.
8:14 AM
Live Updates: Tehran, Beirut and Tel Aviv Are Targeted in Attacks and Counterattacks
New information:
- Israeli forces conducted their most intense strikes since 2024 on Hezbollah targets in Beirut’s Dahiya district early Friday, collapsing at least three buildings and forcing hundreds of displaced people to sleep in downtown streets.
- Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched a new wave of drones and missiles at targets in Tel Aviv on Friday, even as U.S. officials claim a roughly 90% drop in Iranian ballistic‑missile attacks and an 83% drop in drone attacks since Saturday.
- President Trump told Reuters and Axios he believes he should have a role in choosing Iran’s next leader and called Mojtaba Khamenei, son of slain Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, an 'unacceptable' successor, marking his most explicit statement on U.S. involvement in Iran’s post‑Khamenei political order.
- The article reiterates that a U.S. submarine sank an Iranian frigate near Sri Lanka with a torpedo and notes Iran’s foreign minister publicly labeled it an 'atrocity at sea' as Sri Lanka agreed to bring more than 200 Iranian sailors from a second vessel to shore.
- In Washington, the House voted 219–212 to block consideration of a bipartisan war‑powers measure aimed at curbing Trump’s authority to continue the Iran war without explicit congressional approval.
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the administration will let Indian refiners keep buying Russian oil for 30 days to ease global supply concerns triggered by the Iran conflict.
12:58 AM
Operation Epic Fury destroys Iran's navy and cuts missile attacks by 90% in ongoing campaign
New information:
- Adm. Brad Cooper says U.S. strikes have now destroyed or sunk "over 30" Iranian ships, up from the previously cited 24, including an Iranian drone carrier "roughly the size of a World War II aircraft carrier" that is burning after being hit.
- Cooper states that ballistic missile attacks from Iran have decreased by 90% since day one of Operation Epic Fury and drone attacks have decreased by 83%, attributing this to destruction of launchers, missile sites, and disrupted command-and-control.
- Hegseth publicly characterizes Iran’s navy as "combat ineffective" and says the U.S. has "only just begun to fight," emphasizing that additional "multiples" of current combat power are still flowing into the region for a sustained campaign.
March 05, 2026
9:02 PM
Watch Live: Pete Hegseth, Adm. Brad Cooper give news conference
New information:
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters in Tampa that Iran is counting on U.S. inability to sustain the campaign but asserted the U.S. can 'sustain the fight for as long as it takes' and that 'our timeline is ours and ours alone to control.'
- Hegseth stated the U.S. has 'no shortage of munitions,' even as prior CBS reporting the same day noted Gulf Arab states are running dangerously low on missile interceptors.
- Adm. Brad Cooper, making his first press briefing since the campaign began, said the next phase will focus on 'systemically dismantl[ing] Iran's missile production capability' and that this mission is already underway but will 'take some time.'
- Cooper disclosed updated operational scale figures: nearly 2,000 targets hit with over 2,000 munitions and more than 50,000 U.S. troops, 200 fighter aircraft, two carrier strike groups and bombers committed, described as the largest U.S. buildup in the Middle East in a generation.
- The article reiterates that six U.S. Army Reserve members were killed when an incoming munition hit a tactical operations center in Kuwait, tying that casualty figure to Operation Epic Fury.
4:23 PM
Pummeled by airstrikes, Iran launches new wave of attacks against Israel and U.S. bases
New information:
- Provides specific examples of new Iranian strikes on Gulf territory and U.S. bases — including a drone downed near Al Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi that wounded six people and a reported missile attack on Doha that prompted evacuations near the U.S. embassy.
- Shows that Gulf states are not only worried about interceptor stockpiles but are now actively under fire in the current attack wave, reinforcing concerns about the adequacy and speed of U.S. air‑defense resupply.
3:21 PM
Arab states running dangerously low on interceptors in Iran war, officials say
New information:
- Two regional officials tell CBS Arab states in the Persian Gulf are running 'dangerously low' on interceptors to shoot down Iranian‑fired missiles and have asked Washington to expedite new supplies.
- Those officials say the U.S. has told them it is creating a task force to speed interceptor deliveries, but that the effort is not moving as fast as they need as Iran also launches hundreds of drones.
- Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, publicly pushes back on supply concerns, insisting there are sufficient 'precision munitions for the task at hand, both on the offense and defense.'
- The article highlights that more than a year into his term President Trump still has no confirmed ambassadors in key countries including Lebanon, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait, leaving gaps in high‑level diplomatic channels during the war.
- Kuwait has also been hit by incoming fire from militias in Iraq, and Qatari authorities arrested 10 people believed to be Iranian agents on suspicion of planning attacks.
- Regional officials voice concern that Kurdish fighters expected to enter Iran could inflame sectarian conflict and strain relations with Turkey.
March 04, 2026
9:46 PM
White House insists weapons stash can go 'much further' but calls defense giants for pivotal Trump chat
New information:
- White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the U.S. has 'more than enough capability' not only to execute Operation Epic Fury but to 'go much further,' claiming weapons stockpiles exist 'in places that many people in this world don’t even know about.'
- A White House official told Fox News that top executives from major U.S. defense contractors are coming to the White House on Friday to discuss ramping up production of American‑made weapons.
- President Trump posted on Truth Social that at 'medium and upper medium' grades the U.S. has a 'virtually unlimited supply' of munitions that could allow wars to be 'fought “forever” and very successfully' using those stocks, while acknowledging high‑end munitions are not yet at desired levels and are partly stored in 'outlying countries.'
- Leavitt linked Trump’s push for fast production to what she called a 'significant' defense budget increase and used the briefing to attack the previous administration for 'giving away' U.S. weapons to Ukraine.
8:57 PM
Physicist lawmaker warns US lacks clear plan for Iran’s enriched uranium
New information:
- Rep. Bill Foster, a physicist and Illinois Democrat, says after a classified briefing that the administration 'never had a plan' to destroy, seize, or place under international inspection Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
- Foster states that securing or neutralizing the stockpile would likely require 'boots on the ground' and U.S. forces going deep underground into fortified nuclear sites, with high expected casualties — a step he says officials did not present any plan to take.
- He warns that leaving the underground uranium intact means Iran could still fashion several Hiroshima-style nuclear devices deliverable by non-missile means, potentially making the country closer to a usable bomb despite extensive airstrikes on missile and military infrastructure.
- Satellite imagery is cited showing damage to support buildings and access points at Natanz, but deepest underground enrichment infrastructure and stockpiled material remain unconfirmed as primary targets in the current bombing campaign.
7:53 PM
Leavitt says ground troops in Iran not currently being considered, doesn't rule it out
New information:
- White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said ground troops in Iran are not part of the current Operation Epic Fury plan but she will not take the option off the table for the president.
- Leavitt outlined four explicit U.S. objectives for Operation Epic Fury: eliminate Iran's ballistic‑missile threat, destroy its naval capability, disrupt its missile and drone production infrastructure, and cut off its pathway to a nuclear weapon.
- She confirmed the U.S. and Israel have hit nearly 2,000 targets in Iran and that more than 17,500 Americans have returned home from the Middle East since the operation began.
- Leavitt reiterated that the administration does not want Iran led by a 'rogue terrorist regime' but stopped short of embracing explicit regime‑change as an official objective.
- Secretary of War Pete Hegseth publicly claimed the U.S. is 'decisively, devastatingly and without mercy' winning the campaign, declared that Iran is 'toast,' and said U.S. and Israeli air forces will soon have 'complete control' of Iranian airspace.
4:27 PM
Americans stranded in Dubai face repeated flight cancellations amid Iran escalation
New information:
- American tourists in Dubai report multiple cancellations of flights home to Washington, D.C., and elsewhere as Dubai International Airport operations are repeatedly disrupted.
- A drone strike occurred near the U.S. consulate in Dubai, close enough that a stranded American heard intense fighter‑jet activity around midnight, adding to security concerns.
- A second American, from New Hampshire, describes hundreds of missiles and drones over the weekend, renewed explosions, and a strike on a nearby hotel as she also faces rolling flight cancellations.
4:17 PM
Middle East cruise nightmare deepens as Iran airstrikes leave passengers stranded
New information:
- At least six cruise ships from four companies—including MSC Euribia, Celestyal Journey and Celestyal Discovery—have been ordered to halt activity or remain in port in the Gulf region due to the Iran conflict.
- Cruise lines report thousands of passengers stranded as more than 12,000 flights were canceled Tuesday across seven major Middle East airports, severely constraining evacuation options from hubs like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Muscat.
- MSC Cruises says it is working with Emirates and Etihad to secure return flights, seeking priority for its passengers and exploring charter flights from Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Muscat.
- Celestyal Journey is being held in Doha until at least March 7, with passengers allowed to remain onboard or disembark; Celestyal Discovery passengers currently cannot disembark in Dubai and must wait for local approval before the line can move them to Abu Dhabi airport.
- Security contractor Global Guardian describes direct fire or debris from Iranian missiles and drones as the primary danger and says Iran has targeted airports and prominent hotels, while UAE–Oman land crossings are overwhelmed with people trying to exit by road.
3:13 PM
WATCH: U.S. sank Iranian warship, Hegseth announces
New information:
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said a U.S. submarine fired a torpedo that sank an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean on Tuesday night, calling it the first U.S. enemy‑ship torpedo sinking since World War II.
- Sri Lankan authorities reported rescuing 32 people from the Iranian warship off their coast and said more died, without giving a number.
- The article reports that on the fifth day of the conflict Israel struck Basij and internal security command buildings in central Tehran and near Beirut, and that Iranian media showed damage in Tehran and Qom, including to a clerical selection body’s facility.
- Iran fired on Bahrain, Kuwait and Israel, while Turkey said NATO defenses intercepted an Iranian ballistic missile before it entered Turkish airspace.
- Iranian state TV has begun branding the conflict the 'Ramadan war' and postponed mourning ceremonies for Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei due to the intensity of strikes, while Adm. Brad Cooper said of the U.S. campaign, 'We’ve just begun.'
2:27 PM
Israel hammers Iranian internal security command centers to open door to uprising
New information:
- IDF says it dropped 'dozens of munitions' on Basij and other internal security command centers across Iran in the latest strike wave.
- IDF characterizes those command centers as core tools for maintaining regime control and situational awareness nationwide.
- U.S. Central Command’s Adm. Brad Cooper is cited as confirming the U.S. has hit nearly 2,000 targets under Operation Epic Fury.
- New on-the-record framing from Netanyahu and Trump urging Iranians to 'rid themselves of the yoke of tyranny' and 'take over your government,' presented as a 'probably only chance for generations.'
- International Crisis Group’s Ali Vaez publicly warns that the airstrikes-plus-uprising theory of regime change has 'no clear historical model' and underestimates the resilience of entrenched systems like Iran’s.
1:18 PM
Israel says fighter jet took down Iranian warplane, the first shootdown of its kind
New information:
- Israel’s air force says an F-35I 'Adir' stealth fighter shot down an Iranian Air Force Yak-130 over Tehran, described by the IAF commander as a 'historic shootdown.'
- This is the first time an F-35 variant has been publicly reported to down a manned fighter aircraft in combat.
- The downed Iranian jet was a Russian-made Yak-130 trainer/light attack aircraft that Iran only began receiving in 2023 as part of its modernization with Russian hardware.
12:33 PM
Watch Live: Hegseth, Caine brief on Iran war operations
New information:
- Confirms that the broader Epic Fury campaign now includes over 2,000 total targets struck across Iran, beyond the previously documented damage at Bandar Abbas.
- Adds U.S. casualty figures (six killed, 10 seriously wounded) that were not in the Bandar Abbas–focused satellite imagery piece.
- Announces a fresh Pentagon briefing that may update on the naval and Hormuz theater specifically.
March 02, 2026
9:13 PM
Fires rage at Iran's Bandar Abbas naval headquarters, Strait of Hormuz traffic stalled
New information:
- Planet Labs satellite imagery shows multiple active fires and large smoke plumes at Iran’s main naval headquarters in Bandar Abbas, including one berthed vessel ablaze.
- Windward AI reports that as of 10:56 a.m. GMT on March 2, 2026, three distinct fires are burning at port facilities and on a vessel, with 17 military and 5 commercial ships still docked.
- BBC Verify analysis indicates a damaged vessel roughly 230 meters long consistent with a Makran-class forward base ship, a key Iranian Navy asset.
- Windward and Fox report commercial tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has "effectively stalled," even as CENTCOM disputes an IRGC claim that the Strait is formally closed.
- CENTCOM says it has sunk 11 Iranian vessels in the Gulf of Oman and asserts Iran now has "zero" ships there, aligning with Trump’s stated objective of “annihilating” Iran’s naval forces.
5:56 PM
Tehran police stations bombed, massive death toll expected
New information:
- CBS reports that police stations, intelligence‑related centers and paramilitary bases "all around Tehran" have been heavily bombarded.
- The network says a "massive" death toll is expected from these attacks, though precise casualty figures are not yet available.
- The targets are explicitly characterized as internal security and intelligence facilities in and around Iran’s capital, not just military or missile sites elsewhere in the country.
5:05 PM
The Iran conflict matters more for inflation than growth
New information:
- U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude rose about 6% to roughly $71 a barrel and gasoline futures were up about 4% on Monday morning following the latest U.S.–Israeli strikes on Iran.
- Despite the energy spike, U.S. stocks were only slightly down and Treasury yields moved higher, signaling markets see more inflation risk than recession risk from the conflict at this stage.
- The article emphasizes that because the U.S. has been a net oil exporter for roughly five years and energy is a smaller share of consumer spending than in the 1970s–1990s, an Iran‑driven oil shock is more likely to reshuffle winners and losers across regions and sectors than to trigger a broad U.S. downturn.
- Analysts warn that another energy‑price 'one‑off' comes after several previous shocks (pandemic supply disruptions, Biden‑era stimulus, Trump tariffs) and could further unanchor inflation expectations, complicating Fed rate‑cut plans even if growth holds up.
4:00 PM
Travel chaos intensifies with airports closed, flights canceled amid Iran war
New information:
- Airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha remained shut after being directly hit by Iranian strikes, closing key hubs that connect Europe, Africa and the Americas to Asia.
- Dubai announced a limited resumption of flights at Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central (DWC) starting Monday evening, with passengers told not to come to the airport unless contacted by airlines.
- Emirates will operate a limited number of flights Monday night, prioritizing previously booked passengers, while Qatar Airways says all flights remain suspended with another update due Tuesday.
- Roughly 58,000 Indonesian pilgrims are stranded in Saudi Arabia after visiting Mecca and Medina during Ramadan, and about 30,000 German tourists are stuck on cruise ships, in hotels, or at closed airports.
- Jordan closed its airspace 'until further notice' and Iraq extended its complete civilian airspace closure by at least 48 hours due to the security situation.
- The U.K. is building support systems and contingency plans, including potential government-assisted evacuations to get an estimated 300,000 Britons out of the Gulf region; Germany says a military airlift is currently impossible because of airspace closures.
3:55 PM
Death toll climbs in Israel after strike near Jerusalem
New information:
- Israeli officials say at least nine people were killed when an Iranian missile obliterated a house near Jerusalem.
- CBS reports this strike as part of Day 3 of the Iran war, clarifying the current phase of the campaign.
- The report visually confirms extensive destruction at a residential structure rather than only infrastructure or military targets.
3:40 PM
Gas prices could jump as Middle East tensions threaten global oil supply
New information:
- Economist Stephen Moore projects U.S. gasoline prices could rise 25–50 cents per gallon in the short term if Middle East disruptions persist.
- GasBuddy’s Patrick De Haan reports oil prices are already up about $5 per barrel and wholesale gasoline is up 11 cents per gallon, with national average retail gas potentially hitting $3 per gallon as soon as Monday.
- OPIS executive Jaime Brito quantifies that the Strait of Hormuz accounts for around 25% of global oil trade and 23% of LNG trade, underscoring the scale of risk.
- Maersk has announced it is suspending all vessel crossings through the Strait of Hormuz until further notice, warning of delays to Arabian Gulf ports.
3:38 PM
Missiles above, newborns below: Israeli hospitals shift critical care underground
New information:
- Israeli Health Ministry reports 777 people evacuated to hospitals since the start of the joint Israeli–U.S. war against Iran.
- At least 10 people have been killed directly by Iranian missile attacks on Israel, with two additional deaths occurring as people tried to reach shelters.
- Hospitals nationwide, including Schneider Children’s Medical Center and Rabin Medical Center, have restructured operations to move critical care and as many as 500 beds into underground facilities up to 60 meters below ground.
- Pediatric patients on artificial hearts, bone marrow transplant recipients, neonatal intensive-care infants and others have been physically relocated to subterranean levels with backup power, oxygen and fortified shelters designed to survive direct hits.
- Hospitals are limiting themselves to emergency surgeries and improvising fortified operating rooms and ICUs underground while preparing for potential mass‑casualty influxes of children.
3:30 PM
Gaza's ceasefire had momentum. Now, some fear a new war in Iran will distract the world
New information:
- Reports that in the wake of U.S.–Israeli strikes on Iran, COGAT has closed all Gaza crossings and frozen the movement of humanitarian workers, citing inability to safely operate crossings under fire.
- Palestinian residents describe renewed hoarding and sharp price spikes for basics like flour, milk and diapers as they fear a repeat of last year’s famine conditions in parts of Gaza City.
- The article details that even under the Oct. 10 U.S.-brokered ceasefire, Israeli fire in Gaza has continued, and that the closure coincides with Ramadan, further tightening food access during a period of religious fasting and evening meals.
2:42 PM
Oil prices surge and stocks fall amid fears over Iran war
New information:
- Iran has declared the Strait of Hormuz closed following U.S. and Israeli attacks, and tanker traffic through the strait has 'essentially' come to a halt, with four vessels hit in Gulf waters so far.
- Brent crude jumped about 8%, briefly topping $80 before settling in the high $70s, while the Dow fell more than 400 points and the S&P 500 dropped 0.7% on Monday trading as investors reassessed inflation risks.
- European natural-gas prices have surged more than 20% because LNG flows through Hormuz are disrupted; the U.S., now the world’s largest LNG exporter, stands to profit on exports even as higher gas prices feed into U.S. electricity costs.
- GasBuddy analyst Patrick de Haan estimates U.S. retail gasoline prices will rise 10–30 cents per gallon on average in the next few days, with some stations seeing jumps as high as 85 cents.
1:18 PM
Stock futures dive, oil prices jump as U.S. war in Iran rattles investors
New information:
- U.S. stock futures fell in premarket trading Monday, with S&P 500 and Dow futures down about 1.1% and Nasdaq futures down 1.6%, as investors reacted to the expanding U.S.–Israeli strikes in Iran.
- Brent crude surged nearly 9% to $79.31 per barrel, its highest level in more than a year, amid fears of disruption to oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
- Eurasia Group reported that oil and gas tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has 'ground to a near halt' as shippers pause voyages, warning that even a few days’ interruption would significantly disrupt global supply.
- The article notes that Iran exports roughly 1.6 million barrels of oil a day, mostly to China, and that any diversion in China’s sourcing would add upward pressure on global energy prices.
- It also ties in hotter‑than‑expected U.S. wholesale inflation at 2.9% in the latest report, which could push the Federal Reserve to delay interest‑rate cuts.
12:38 PM
Iran attack on giant Saudi refinery pushes up oil prices
New information:
- Iranian attack debris from intercepted drones caused a limited fire and precautionary shutdown of some units at Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura refinery, one of the world’s largest, though Saudi officials report no injuries.
- Brent crude briefly jumped to about $82 per barrel when markets opened and is now around $79, nearly 9% above Friday’s close, signaling a significant but not yet worst‑case supply shock being priced in.
- Tankers are increasingly diverting around the Strait of Hormuz, with insurance rates for ships transiting the area spiking even without a formal blockade, and analysts warn that weeks of such avoidance could cause serious supply and price problems, especially in Asia.
- Analysts highlight that European natural gas prices are also surging, and some onshore oil and gas sites in the broader Middle East have been shut pre‑emptively as the conflict spreads risk to energy infrastructure.
10:10 AM
Deaths, travel chaos mount as Iran lashes out at U.S. allies across Gulf
New information:
- Iran’s latest retaliatory salvo included missiles against a U.S. air base in Kuwait and vessels in the Indian Ocean, with blasts reported in at least six Gulf capitals or major cities: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Doha, Manama, Kuwait City and Muscat.
- Kuwaiti officials say several U.S. warplanes crashed in Kuwait during the attacks, but all crew members survived and have been evacuated to hospitals in stable condition; Kuwait and the U.S. are conducting a joint investigation into the crashes.
- Fire and smoke were seen rising from inside the U.S. Embassy compound in Kuwait after an apparent Iranian strike, with embassy staff sheltering in place and a formal warning issued to Americans in-country not to approach the compound and to take cover at home.
- Updated casualty figures: at least three U.S. service members killed in Kuwait, at least 11 people killed in Israel, and 555 people killed in Iran according to the Iranian Red Crescent.
- CBS describes severe air-travel disruption across the region, with key Gulf hub airports closed and tens of thousands of passengers stranded, while the U.S. so far declines to join other countries planning citizen evacuations.
- Trump reiterates that the joint U.S.–Israeli operation will continue 'until all of our objectives are achieved,' saying that could be 'four weeks or less' but warning Americans to expect further U.S. casualties.
10:00 AM
Trump campaign peace promises loom large over wartime presidency
New information:
- Axios emphasizes that Trump has attacked seven nations overall as president, including first‑ever U.S. strike campaigns against Iran, Nigeria and Venezuela.
- It frames the Iran operation as 'the most aggressive, high‑risk foreign policy act of Trump's presidency' and explicitly describes it as a regime‑change effort.
- It details that Trump told Americans to expect more U.S. casualties in a video statement while vowing to 'avenge their deaths,' underscoring a willingness to sustain losses.
- The piece captures domestic political dissonance by highlighting MAGA movement figures attacking the war as a betrayal of Trump’s anti‑war promises.
7:40 AM
Container Shipping Companies Divert Vessels Following Military Strikes on Iran
New information:
- Major container shipping companies Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd and CMA CGM are rerouting vessels around the Cape of Good Hope to avoid the Suez Canal and Strait of Hormuz following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.
- Maersk has formally paused trans-Suez sailings through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, citing a deteriorating security situation in the Middle East.
- Lines had only recently resumed using the Red Sea/Bab el-Mandeb route after more than two years of Houthi attacks on shipping following the October 2023 Hamas attack and Israel’s Gaza operations.
7:38 AM
US futures and Asian shares open lower, oil prices soar as US and Israel attack Iran
New information:
- Reports specific immediate market reaction in U.S. equity futures: S&P 500 futures down 1.4% and Dow futures down 1.2% in early Monday trading.
- Details Asian equity moves at the open: Japan’s Nikkei 225 initially fell more than 2% before closing 1.4% lower; Hang Seng -2%; Sensex -1.8%; Shanghai Composite +0.5% on 10% limit‑up gains in major Chinese oil stocks.
- Quantifies intraday oil and gold moves in the first Asian session after the strikes: WTI crude up about 7.5% to $72.06, Brent up 8% to $78.69, and gold up 2.7% to about $5,392 per ounce.
- Notes strengthening of the U.S. dollar against the yen (to 156.99 from 156.27) and a small euro decline, indicating flight‑to‑safety currency flows.
- Provides analyst commentary emphasizing that roughly one‑fifth of global oil and LNG flows transit the Strait of Hormuz and that prolonged disruptions could raise production costs 'in every market everywhere.'
1:06 AM
Iran launches drone and missile strikes across Gulf countries in retaliation
New information:
- Confirms that Iran’s response now includes multiple days of drone and missile launches across Gulf countries, reinforcing the threat environment that has already rattled oil markets.
12:58 AM
Trump Says Iran War Could Last Weeks and Gives Competing Visions of New Regime
New information:
- Trump tells The New York Times the U.S. military intends to sustain its assault on Iran for 'four to five weeks' if necessary.
- He asserts it 'won’t be difficult' for the U.S. and Israel to maintain the current intensity of operations, while acknowledging the risk of more American casualties.
- Trump floats several competing visions for Iran’s political future, including a Venezuela‑style scenario where only the top leader is removed and the rest of the government stays in place but 'pragmatic' toward Washington.
- The interview underscores that the administration has not settled on a clear model for post‑strike governance in Tehran even as large‑scale operations proceed.
12:38 AM
Oil prices rise sharply in market trading after attacks in Middle East disrupt supply
New information:
- Confirms WTI at about $72 and Brent around $79 on Sunday night, both up roughly 8% from Friday closes, with explicit Friday price baselines.
- Details that two vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz were attacked, contributing to shipping disruptions.
- Reports Iran temporarily shut parts of the Strait in mid‑February for a military drill, showing prior interruptions before the latest strikes.
- Adds that OPEC+ decided at a previously scheduled meeting to increase production by 206,000 barrels per day in April, listing participating countries and noting the increase was above analyst expectations.
- Notes Iran exports roughly 1.6 million barrels per day, mostly to China, and that any disruption could force China to seek alternative supplies, tightening global markets.
12:14 AM
Tomahawks, B-2 stealth bombers and attack drones pound over 1,000 Iranian targets in 24-hour blitz
New information:
- Details that the strikes are part of 'Operation Epic Fury' and consist of more than 1,000 targets in the first 24 hours.
- Identification of specific weapons systems and platforms employed, including first‑time combat use of one‑way attack drones (LUCAS).
- Confirmation that three U.S. service members were killed and five seriously wounded in the operation.
12:03 AM
Oil prices rise sharply in market trading after attacks disrupt supply
New information:
- Reports West Texas Intermediate crude at about $72 per barrel Sunday night, up roughly 8% from about $67 on Friday, as the immediate market reaction.
- Details that about 15 million barrels per day—around 20% of global oil supply—move through the Strait of Hormuz, underscoring its role as 'the world's most critical oil chokepoint.'
- Notes that two specific vessels were attacked transiting the Strait of Hormuz amid the broader U.S.–Israeli/Iran exchange of strikes, raising direct shipping‑security concerns.
- Reports OPEC+ decision, at a previously scheduled meeting, to increase crude production by 206,000 barrels per day in April, exceeding analysts’ expectations, with named producers including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, UAE, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria and Oman.
- Highlights analyst commentary that if Gulf flows are constrained, spare production capacity and modest OPEC+ increases offer only 'limited immediate relief' because the real pinch is at the export‑route level, not just on paper output.
- Emphasizes Iran’s roughly 1.6 million barrels per day of exports, mostly to China, as an additional pressure point if its own shipments are disrupted.
March 01, 2026
11:45 PM
Iran conflict spurs early oil price surge
New information:
- Brent crude traded around $79.20 per barrel in initial Sunday trading, more than $6 above Friday’s close and over 8% higher.
- Axios frames this as the highest crude level in slightly more than a year and the first clear market readout on the strikes’ supply-risk premium.
- Energy analyst Jason Bordoff is quoted saying markets are now pricing not just lost barrels but a wider range of escalation scenarios.
10:22 PM
Hormuz erupts: Attacks, GPS jamming, Houthi threats rock Strait amid US-Israeli strikes
New information:
- UK Maritime Trade Operations and regional authorities reported multiple vessel 'attacks' on Sunday: one ship west of Sharjah, UAE, was rocked by an explosion from an unknown projectile; another north of Muscat, Oman, was struck above the waterline and caught fire; and a third northwest of Mina Saqr, UAE, was also hit and ignited.
- Maritime intelligence firm Windward reports widespread GPS and Automatic Identification System interference around Iran’s Bandar Abbas and in Emirati, Qatari, Omani and Iranian waters, affecting more than 1,000 ships and causing vessels to appear at impossible inland locations.
- Major carrier Maersk is rerouting some services away from the Strait of Hormuz region, and traffic through the Strait has already thinned, with some tankers reversing course or switching off AIS transponders.
- Industry experts quoted by name (including BIMCO’s Jakob P. Larsen) describe the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz as currently 'the most dangerous place' for commercial shipping and warn of likely Houthi retaliation in the Red Sea, Bab el‑Mandeb and Gulf of Aden.
- The article notes a Feb. 28 U.S. maritime advisory recommending that commercial vessels avoid the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea if possible due to heightened security risks.
9:40 PM
OPEC+ boosts oil production after attacks on Iran and throughout region
New information:
- Eight OPEC+ countries — Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, UAE, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria and Oman — agreed to boost oil output by 206,000 barrels per day in April at a Sunday OPEC+ meeting.
- The decision was taken as U.S. and Israeli forces launched major attacks on Iran and Iran retaliated with strikes on Israel and U.S. installations, with at least two vessels attacked in or near the Strait of Hormuz.
- Rystad Energy estimates about 15 million barrels per day, roughly 20% of global oil supply, transit the Strait of Hormuz, and warns that if flows are constrained, extra OPEC+ production will offer only 'limited immediate relief.'
- Analysts at Rystad anticipate Brent crude could spike by as much as $20 per barrel when trading opens, from Friday’s seven‑month high close of $72.87.
8:56 PM
Hundreds of thousands of travelers stranded following U.S.-Israel attacks on Iran
New information:
- Airspace or airports in Israel, Qatar, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and the UAE are closed, shutting down key Middle East corridors.
- More than 2,800 flights to and from Middle East airports were canceled Sunday, with further cancellations expected beyond that day.
- Cirium estimates at least 90,000 people connect daily through Dubai, Doha or Abu Dhabi on Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad alone, indicating hundreds of thousands of stranded travelers.
- Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha airports—including Dubai International, one of the world’s busiest—were directly hit by strikes, and two UAE airports reported being struck by what authorities called Iranian ballistic missiles.
- Major carriers including Emirates, Air India and EL AL have suspended or reshaped routes, with Emirates halting all Dubai flights until at least Monday afternoon and Air India suspending service to and from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Israel and Qatar until Tuesday.
3:31 PM
Oil prices fallout: OPEC producers boost output after Iran strikes
New information:
- OPEC+ has agreed to raise production by 206,000 barrels per day next month, a slightly larger boost than traders expected, as an explicit response to the risk of disruption from the Iran strikes.
- Tanker and cargo traffic is already diverting away from the Strait of Hormuz out of precaution, which analysts estimate could amount to an effective loss of 8–10 million barrels per day of crude export capacity, even without a formal Iranian blockade.
- Eurasia Group and Rystad Energy analysts warn that while major, lasting damage to Gulf infrastructure is unlikely due to hardened defenses, any successful Iranian or proxy strike on facilities like those in Saudi Arabia would significantly amplify oil price spikes.
- The International Energy Agency says it is actively monitoring the situation and consulting with producers and member governments, underscoring that global stockpiles remain comfortable for now but that OPEC+ spare capacity, apart from Saudi Arabia, is thin.
- Analysts note that most OPEC+ members are already close to maximum output and that releasing barrels from storage won’t help much if shipping lanes like Hormuz are constrained, limiting how much the production increase can actually cushion markets.
2:14 PM
Trump says strikes on Iran will continue "as long as necessary"
New information:
- CBS segment reports that on Saturday the Trump administration launched military strikes on Iran 'in the midst of negotiations with Iranian leaders over their nuclear program.'
- President Trump, who campaigned on avoiding foreign conflicts, stated the bombing will continue 'as long as necessary' to achieve peace.
- Democratic critics are quoted warning that the strikes are not worth the risk to American lives and could cause chaos in the region.
1:55 PM
Thousands of travelers stranded after strikes snarls travel in the Middle East
New information:
- More than 2,400 flights were canceled Sunday across airports in the Middle East as countries closed their airspace in response to U.S.–Israeli strikes on Iran and Iranian retaliation.
- Airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Manama were closed; Emirates suspended all flights to and from Dubai until at least Sunday afternoon, and Qatar’s main airport is closed until at least Monday morning.
- United Airlines canceled all U.S.–Tel Aviv flights through March 6 and all U.S.–Dubai flights through March 4 due to regional airspace closures, while El Al is planning a recovery operation once Israeli airspace reopens.
- Cirium estimates Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad normally move about 90,000 passengers per day through their hubs, underscoring the scale of the disruption.
- Aviation experts say airlines are rerouting over Saudi Arabia, adding hours of flight time and fuel costs that could quickly drive up ticket prices if the conflict persists.
February 28, 2026
3:30 PM
How could the U.S. strikes in Iran affect the world's oil supply?
New information:
- IEA estimate that Iran was exporting around 1.9 million barrels per day of oil as of December 2025 despite sanctions.
- Clarification that most Iranian exports go to China on 'shadow fleet' tankers, and that China’s large strategic and commercial reserves could cushion a loss of Iranian barrels.
- Explicit quantification that about 20 million barrels per day — roughly 20% of global oil demand — move through the Strait of Hormuz daily.
- Expert assessment that the primary market risk is not Iran’s own exports but potential Iranian retaliation against Saudi, Kuwaiti, UAE or Qatari facilities or closure of the Strait.
- Reiteration that the world is currently oversupplied with oil, which has so far tempered price spikes despite mounting war fears.
2:45 PM
How the US attack on Iran could shake oil prices
New information:
- Confirms that joint U.S.–Israeli overnight military strikes on Iran have now occurred, shifting the risk from hypothetical to actual conflict.
- Highlights specific energy-market flashpoints: possible disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s Kharg Island export terminal, and potential Iranian retaliation against other Gulf producers’ infrastructure.
- Cites expert estimates that oil prices could rise about 5%–10% and U.S. gasoline could move from roughly $3.00/gal to about $3.10–$3.15 over the next couple of weeks, on top of seasonal summer‑blend and refinery‑maintenance pressures.
- Notes that global oil supply is currently ample and demand growth modest, which could limit the duration and magnitude of any conflict‑driven spike, and that OPEC+ is meeting imminently and may adjust output plans in response.
February 20, 2026
10:00 AM
Why filling up the gas tank will soon get more expensive
New information:
- Refiners are about to begin the mandated switch from cheaper winter gasoline to more expensive summer blends that are less prone to evaporation, increasing refining costs.
- Analysts say the shift to summer blends, more post‑winter driving, and routine pre‑summer refinery maintenance together typically add 25–65 cents per gallon between late February and April–May.
- GasBuddy’s Patrick De Haan estimates current Iran‑related oil moves are only adding a few cents per gallon so far, with high winter‑blend inventories temporarily blunting the impact.
- AAA’s Aixa Diaz notes average U.S. gas prices are now the cheapest for this time of year since 2021, meaning the seasonal run‑up will start from a relatively low base.
February 19, 2026
8:28 PM
How a U.S. strike on Iran could affect American drivers and borrowers
New information:
- Benchmarked U.S. crude has risen to $66.71 a barrel, up about 16% since the start of the year, with analysts explicitly tying the move to elevated risk of U.S. attacks on Iran.
- Capital Economics estimates oil could rise toward $100 per barrel if Iranian oil infrastructure is hit and/or shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is disrupted, with a $100 price adding roughly 1 percentage point to inflation in advanced economies and $80 adding about 0.5 percentage points.
- The article notes that Iran produces about 4.7 million barrels per day, around 4.4% of global supply, and that even a limited disruption—most of Iran’s barrels go to China—could still push up global petroleum prices and delay further Federal Reserve rate cuts that would lower borrowing costs.
February 16, 2026