Displacement in Southern Lebanon Grows as Israel Orders Evacuation South of Litani River

Civilians fleeing villages near the border are moving north into Sidon as fears rise that the river could become the next major military line.

[SIDON, Lebanon] Sidon, the largest city in southern Lebanon, is filling with civilians displaced from villages south of the Litani River after new Israeli evacuation orders pushed residents north, raising fears that the river could again become the main military line in the Israel-Lebanon conflict. Many of those arriving have nowhere to go, and the humanitarian strain is already visible in the city’s streets and along its seafront.

“It breaks my heart to see all the people sleeping on the Corniche,” Malik, a Sidon native who owns a trucking company, told The Media Line while standing in front of one of the bombed buildings in the city. Only one wall of the building remains standing. The shelling has left it twisted and unstable, with pieces of the staircase scattered from the upper floors. Malik, 59, has his trucks parked next to this Muslim Brotherhood building and said he left three minutes before the first shell hit. “They hit it twice,” he said. Luckily, this time he saved all his trucks. “Each one is worth $100,000, and during the Beirut port explosion [in 2020], I already lost two,” he said.

“This will be the last war; Hezbollah will keep fighting until the end, they won’t give up, but we can’t take it anymore. We’re tired,” says Malik, his hands blackened from removing debris that landed on his vehicles. Not everyone in Sidon sees the war ending soon.“This won’t be the last war, because Israel can’t achieve its goal,” the 21-year-old Palestinian-Lebanese student from Sidon tells The Media Line. According to Sara, Israel’s objective is not only to disarm Hezbollah but also to seize a large part of Lebanese territory. “It’s a very, very important geographical position; that’s why Lebanon has suffered so many wars,” she said.

The Litani River has long been central to the conflict between Israel and Lebanon, both as a geographic marker and a strategic military line. Known in classical sources as the Leontes and believed to derive from an older Semitic name, the river lies about 30 kilometers north of the border between the two countries and runs 140 kilometers from its source in the Bekaa Valley to its outlet in the Mediterranean Sea north of Tyre.  (Ed note: Sidon, a very ancient city is located on the Mediterranean Sea and has a population of it is thought about 163,000 people.)   (Read More)

Southern Lebanon is actually northern Israel - opinion

Historically speaking, southern Lebanon is in fact northern Israel, and the roots of the Jewish people in the area run deep.

As the IDF battles to clear southern Lebanon of Hezbollah terrorists, it is worth highlighting an intriguing historical fact, one that many seem to have forgotten. Having grown up with an international boundary between the Jewish state and our neighbors to the north, we take it for granted that this is how it has always been and should be. But the truth is that the current border between Israel and Lebanon is little more than a century old and is entirely artificial, a relic of a time when European colonialists whimsically drew lines on maps over a bottle of brandy in smoke-filled rooms.

Historically speaking, southern Lebanon is in fact northern Israel, and the roots of the Jewish people in the area run deep. Whether or not this can or should be translated now into a political reality is a far more complex question, but there is simply no denying our connection to the land. Indeed, back in biblical times, southern Lebanon was clearly part of the Land of Israel. In the Book of Genesis (10:19) it says, “and the borders of Canaan reached from Sidon toward Gerar as far as Gaza, and then toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Tsevoyim as far as Lasha.” Sidon, a city in Lebanon, is about halfway between the current Israeli border and Beirut. 

Just prior to his death, our biblical patriarch Jacob blessed his 12 sons, and the blessing he gave to Zevulun was “Zevulun will live by the seashore and become a haven for ships; his border will extend toward Sidon” (Genesis 49:13). The Book of Joshua (13:6) mentions Sidon explicitly as being promised to the Jewish people, and it also says (19:28) that the border of the tribe of Asher extended to Sidon. INTERESTINGLY, THE midrash in Bereishit Rabbah (39:8) says it was in Tyre, a city now 12 miles (19 kilometers) north of the Israeli border, that God promised the Land of Israel to Abraham. (Ed note: This article was posted on JPost on Nov 16, 2024 and is still very timely for today.)  (Read More)

IDF reinforces northern front, moves Golani Brigade from south

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir orders reinforcement of Northern Command sector, transfer of the Golani Brigade following situational assessment.

IDF Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir on Wednesday held a situational assessment with additional commanders following recent developments in Operation “Roaring Lion." The Chief of the General Staff instructed to reinforce the Northern Command sector and to transition the Golani Brigade to operations from the Southern Command to Operations in the Northern Command sector.

Subsequently, and in accordance with the situational assessment, a decision will be made regarding additional reinforcements. "The IDF is operating with determination against the Hezbollah terrorist organization as a result of the terrorist organization's decision to deliberately attack Israel on behalf of the Iranian terror regime, and will not tolerate any harm to the residents of the State of Israel," the IDF stated. (Source)

US military says it destroyed 16 Iranian minelaying vessels Tuesday in Strait of Hormuz

The American military says it has destroyed 16 Iranian minelaying vessels near the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday. “US forces eliminated multiple Iranian naval vessels, March 10, including 16 minelayers near the Strait of Hormuz,” the US Central Command says on X, attaching a video showing some of the strikes.

Earlier, several American media reports claimed that US intelligence had started seeing indications that Iran is taking steps to deploy mines in the Strait of Hormuz.

Following the reports, US President Donald Trump said that the American military had destroyed “10 inactive mine laying boats and/or ships, with more to follow!” (Source)

US destroys mine-laying vessels as Trump warns Iran over Strait of Hormuz

The US military "eliminated" 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels near the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, the US Central Command said in a statement, as President Donald Trump warned that any mines laid in the Strait by Iran must be removed immediately. Trump previously said the US had "completely destroyed" 10 inactive mine-laying vessels.

In apparent response to media reports that Iran had begun laying mines in the waterway, a key passage for oil shipments, Trump posted on Truth Social: "If Iran has put out any mines in the Hormuz Strait, and we have no reports of them doing so, we want them removed, IMMEDIATELY!" He said that if Tehran did not do so, it would face military consequences, but he did not provide details. Trump also said the US was using the same technology deployed against drug traffickers to "permanently eliminate any boat or ship attempting to mine the Hormuz Strait."

In recent months, the US has carried out a series of strikes on vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific that it alleges were carrying drugs, killing dozens of people. The Pentagon said earlier on Tuesday that it was striking Iranian mine-laying vessels and ​mine storage facilities. The US-Israel war against Iran has already effectively halted shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, along Iran's coast, where a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas normally passes. (Read More)

IDF hits wave of targets in Iran, destroying regime’s repression apparatus

Internal Iranian security forces "have for years been responsible for executing terror activities," the Israeli military said.

The Israel Defense Forces on Tuesday declared it had dismantled most key assets of Iran’s internal security forces in Ilam province, a western region that became a flashpoint during the anti-regime protests that swept the Islamic Republic earlier this year. Security forces and members of the Basij—the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ volunteer militia—”carried out many terror attacks and brutally repressed internal protests during demonstrations that took place across Iran in the December–January period,” the IDF stated

Since the start of “Operation Roaring Lion” on Feb. 28, Israeli Air Force jets struck the local headquarters of Tehran’s internal security forces, including barracks of a special forces unit; an office of the regime’s Intelligence Ministry; an IRGC command center responsible for battalions that suppress protests; and several Basij and IRGC infrastructures used to reinforce the regime’s control, it said.The IDF noted that the damage to repression and control mechanisms in the Ilam province, which borders Iraq and has a significant Kurdish population, was just “one example of many” of its recent operations.

The security forces “form part of the Iranian regime’s security apparatus and have for years been responsible for executing terror activities,” said the army, noting that they also lead Tehran’s main “repression efforts against internal protests, particularly in recent periods, using severe violence, mass arrests, and force against civilian demonstrators.” (Ed note: GOOD! The "Basij" is a volunteer militia group that rides around on their motorcycles and shoots the kids in the streets. The Basij also has gone into the hospitals, shot the wounded, then shot the doctors who try to intervene) (Read More)

Navy strike on Beirut hotel overnight killed five top IRGC commanders, IDF says

Military says the five were members of Quds Force’s Palestine and Lebanon corps, were involved in aiding Hezbollah and Hamas; targeted hotel was housing people displaced by war. The Israel Defense Forces said Sunday that five top commanders in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were killed in an Israeli Navy strike targeting a hotel room in Beirut overnight.

The IDF, in a statement, said the commanders who were killed “while hiding in a civilian hotel” were members of the Quds Force, the IRGC’s extraterritorial arm, in its Palestine and Lebanon corps, and were involved in aiding Hezbollah and Hamas with funds and intelligence. “The Iranian terror regime systematically operates among civilian populations in both Iran and Lebanon, cynically exploiting residents and using them as human shields to further terrorist objectives,” the IDF said in a statement prior to publishing the names of the targets.

The five were named as:

 *Majid Hassini, a senior moneyman in the Lebanon Corps, who the IDF says was responsible for transferring funds from Iran to proxy groups in Lebanon, including Hezbollah and Hamas

* Ali Reza Bi-Azar, chief of intelligence in the Lebanon Corps
* Ahmad Rasouli, chief of intelligence in the Palestine Corps
* Hossein Ahmadlou, a lower-ranking intelligence operative in the Lebanon Corps
* Abu Muhammad Ali, Hezbollah’s representative in the Palestine Corps

Lebanese officials had said the strike killed at least four people at a Ramada hotel. An AFP photographer at the bombed seafront hotel saw shattered windows and heavy damage to one room while security forces sealed off the area. Last week, the Israeli military issued an unusual threat against Iranian regime officials in Lebanon, warning that they will be targeted if they do not leave the country. Reuters reported on Saturday that following those threats, more than 150 Iranian nationals, including diplomats and their families, had left Lebanon. (Ed note: Did you notice it was the Israeli Navy? But doesn't that Navy operate on the Mediterranean Sea? Very interesting.) (Read More)

Hezbollah preparing for long war, US pours cold water on Lebanon-Israel talks proposal

Amid the increasing rocket fire from Hezbollah, Israeli officials estimate that the group is preparing for a prolonged campaign, an Israeli source told The Jerusalem Post. In recent days, the attacks on northern Israel have not stopped. Anti-tank missile incidents targeting IDFpositions along the northern border have also continued. Among many Israeli officials and foreign diplomats, the question being asked is: “What is the terrorist organization trying to achieve with this move, which seems completely illogical?”

While officials in Lebanon say they want to pursue a diplomatic initiative and hold talks with Israel, the United States is reportedly angered by the Lebanese government’s conduct. According to a source who spoke with the Post, Washington believes Lebanon is not acting firmly enough against Hezbollah and is therefore, at least for now, “pouring cold water” on the Lebanese proposal.

A Western diplomat told the Post that Hezbollah believes it has reached a point where it has nothing to lose. “In light of Iran’s weakening, the removal of members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps from Lebanon, and the blocking of financial transfers to Hezbollah, the organization feels it has reached a point where it must act.”

Two Israeli officials told the Post that Hezbollah aims to deter the Lebanese government from taking action against it by demonstrating its capabilities. At the same time, it is trying to pressure Israel into withdrawing from its line of military positions inside Lebanese territory. On Monday, Israel hinted that the IDF would make Hezbollah pay a price for the attacks on Israel. Defense Minister Israel Katz, during a visit to Northern Command, said: “Not only will we not withdraw in the face of Hezbollah, but we will seize the opportunity to strike it.” On Monday evening, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a meeting with senior security officials and Defense Minister Katz to discuss the war with Iran and the fighting in Lebanon. (Source)

Head of the International Atomic Energy Agency says Iran is hiding enriched uranium

'Up to 60 percent of enriched uranium is still stored in tunnels in Isfahan, allowing Iran to produce a nuclear bomb in a short period of time,' says Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

While President Trump claims that Iran’s nuclear program was destroyed in Operation “Midnight Hammer" (Rising Lion) in June 2025, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) asserts that the enriched uranium is still hidden in tunnels beneath the city of Isfahan. Rafael Grossi, head of the IAEA, stated in a press briefing in Paris that half of the uranium enriched to 60 percent is being concealed by Iranian authorities in tunnels in Isfahan.

At the outbreak of Operation Rising Lion in June 2025, Iran possessed 440.9 kg of uranium enriched to 60 percent, which would allow it to produce 10 nuclear bombs in a short time. Speaking to reporters, Grossi said, “We believe that in Isfahan, until our most recent inspection, there were a little over 200 kg, maybe slightly more, of uranium enriched to 60 percent. The stockpile is mainly in Isfahan, and some of the stockpile that was held elsewhere may have been destroyed."

According to him, “The prevailing assumption is that the material is still there. Therefore, we have not seen-and not only us, I think generally anyone observing the facility via satellite images and other means to see what is happening there-any movement indicating that the material has been removed." Since Operation Rising Lion in June 2025, Iranian authorities have not cooperated with the IAEA, nor disclosed how much enriched uranium they possess and where it is hidden. The US and Israel attacked nuclear facilities in Natanz and Fordow, but Grossi claims that enriched uranium is still present in Natanz as well. “There is a quantity of uranium enriched to 60 percent also in Natanz, and in our view it is still there," Grossi said. (Source)

Araghchi: Iran no longer willing to negotiate with US, shifts blame on destabilized oil production

"I don't think the question of talking with Americans or negotiation with the Americans once again would be on the table," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told PBS News Hour in an interview on Monday. According to Araghchi, the US has soured the potential of future negotiations by repeatedly attacking in the middle of diplomatic talks - first last year in June, and then as the opening to Operation Epic Fury. "This year, they tried to convince us that this time is different. They promised us that they don't have any intention to attack us," Araghchi said. "So I don't think talking with Americans anymore would be on our agenda anymore."

Araghchi also denied that Iran was intentionally putting pressure on the US and Israel by targeting oil productionin other nations in the region. He claimed that oil tankers are "scared to pass through the Strait of Hormuz," but that "We are not preventing them to navigate in that strait." Instead, the minister shifted the blame onto the US and Israel's aggression towards Iran, arguing that by attacking, they have destabilized the region.

"This is a war imposed on us," he stated, "What we are doing is only defending ourselves. We are facing an act of aggression, which is absolutely illegal. And what we are doing is the act of self-defense, which is legal and legitimate. Well, we have already warned everybody in the region that if the US attacks us, since we cannot reach the American soil, we have to attack their bases in the region, their facilities, their installations, their assets. And as a result, the war would be spread into the whole region. So these are the consequences, the consequence of the US aggression against us. We are not responsible for that.” (Source)

Meet the Next Khamenei: Iran Appoints U.S.-Sanctioned Son to Replace Dad as Supreme Leader

Iranian state media on Monday confirmed the selection of Mojtaba Khamenei, the 56-year-old son of slain Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to become the new Supreme Leader. Iran’s terrorist Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) immediately swore fealty to the new dictator and launched another wave of missiles and drones at Israel and the Gulf Arab states to commemorate his ascension.

The previous “supreme leader” was killed in the opening moments of Operation Epic Fury last week along with dozens of other high-ranking Iranian officials. The 86-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was only the second Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, following the leader of the 1979 revolution, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Khamenei’s second son Mojtaba has been a reclusive figure until now, often seen orbiting the highest levels of power in the Iranian theocracy but rarely stepping into the spotlight. He has no official resume and no previous positions of responsibility.

As Al-Mayadeen delicately put it on Monday, Mojtaba Khamenei “ascended through informal channels, building an extensive network of relationships across Iran’s security apparatus, religious institutions, and political circles.” Al-Mayadeen struggled to make Mojtaba look like a refreshing out-of-the-box choice for supreme leader, praising the “scholarly foundation” that supposedly distinguishes him from other “Iranian political figures,” but this is a tormented way of saying that the younger Khamenei has no real experience at governing — and his selection might annoy Iranians who believe in the Islamic Republic’s mythology of revolution against the hereditary monarchy of the Shah of Iran. (Ed nore: It is said that the son has very close ties to theAs Al-Mayadeen delicately put it on Monday, Mojtaba Khamenei “ascended through informal channels, building an extensive network of relationships across Iran’s security apparatus, religious institutions, and political circles.”

Al-Mayadeen struggled to make Mojtaba look like a refreshing out-of-the-box choice for supreme leader, praising the “scholarly foundation” that supposedly distinguishes him from other “Iranian political figures,” but this is a tormented way of saying that the younger Khamenei has no real experience at governing — and his selection might annoy Iranians who believe in the Islamic Republic’s mythology of revolution against the hereditary monarchy of the Shah of Iran. (Ed note: It is said that the son has very close ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Does the apple fall far from the tree?) (Read More)

PLO warns against Passover Sacrifice on Temple Mount

The Palestine Liberation Organization denies the historical and religious Jewish connection to the Temple Mount and warns against plans to perform the Passover sacrifice during the upcoming holiday.

The Palestine Liberation Organization's (PLO) department for “Al-Quds affairs" warned about what it described as intentions by “settlers" to carry out the commandment of the Passover sacrifice on the Temple Mount during the upcoming Passover. In a statement it published, the organization said these were systematic Israeli attempts to change the existing historical and legal status on the Temple Mount by using a religious narrative to justify a policy of establishing facts on the ground.

According to the PLO, far-right elements in the Israeli government are providing backing for moves intended to allow shared religious worship at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound (the Temple Mount) by Jews as well, and to hold ceremonies that it says contradict the “religious and historical character of the site." The PLO stressed its false claims that the entire Temple Mount area is an exclusively Islamic place of worship and that decisions by the United Nations and UNESCO affirm this. Therefore, it said, any attempt to hold Jewish religious rituals there would constitute a blatant violation of international law.

In a recent weekly lecture, Yitzhak Barda, one of the leading rabbis of Tunisia, spoke in favor of ascending to the Temple Mount in accordance with Jewish law after ritual immersion and removing one’s shoes. He also called on the Israeli government to cancel existing restrictions there in order to allow the Passover sacrifice to be offered at its proper time already this year. (Ed note: The Passover will begin on April 1st this year. Does the PLO think that something is going to happen this year? Israel has that Red Heifer ready to go. Stay tuned folks!) (Source)

UAV operator tells JNS about missions ‘some did not think possible’

The Israeli Air Force’s unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) array is playing a central role in the unprecedented scale of aerial strikes during the ongoing Operation Roaring Lion, conducting continuous missions deep inside Iran to hunt ballistic missile launchers and degrade the regime’s other military capabilities.

Maj. G, an experienced UAV reservist operator with nearly two decades of operational experience, described to JNS in an exclusive interview the intricacies of the historic long-range operations. Having participated in the opening waves of both the current campaign and the June 2025 Operation Rising Lion, he emphasized the sheer magnitude of the current offensive.

“First of all, it’s an honor to be a partner to such an opening flight,” Maj. G stated. “This is the largest opening flight the State of Israel has ever done, including more than Operation Focus in the Six-Day War.” Some 200 IAF aircraft took part in the February 28 opening strike, eliminating 40 of the top Iranian military and terror leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei at a Tehran compound.

Maj. G expressed hope that this effort will go on to create quiet for many years for the State of Israel. He operates the Israel Aerospace Industries-made Heron 1 UAV, known in Hebrew as the Shoval, a domestically produced UAV that he described as a force multiplier. The Heron UAV is operated by the IAF’s Squadron 200, which is known as the first UAV squadron and the oldest squadron of drones in the Israeli Air Force. (Read More)

Report: Trump Weighing Special Ops Raid to Secure Iran’s Enriched Uranium Stockpile

President Donald Trump is weighing options that could include deploying special operations forces into Iran to secure or destroy highly enriched uranium stockpiles as part of his pledge that Tehran “will not have a nuclear bomb,” according to multiple reports Saturday. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump suggested the possibility of a ground operation had not been ruled out, saying U.S. forces could move in at a later stage of the conflict if necessary. “Right now we’re just decimating them, but we haven’t gone after it,” Trump said, referring to Iran’s nuclear material. “But something we could do later on. We wouldn’t do it now.”

Axios reported Saturday that U.S. and Israeli officials have discussed sending special operations forces into Iran to secure the regime’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium once Tehran’s military capabilities are sufficiently degraded. The outlet reported that Iran possesses roughly 450 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent, material that could potentially be converted to weapons-grade fuel within weeks.

According to the report, officials have debated whether the material would be physically removed from Iran or diluted on site by nuclear specialists working alongside special operations units, possibly including scientists from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Secretary of State Marco Rubio hinted at the challenge earlier this week during a congressional briefing when asked if Iran’s uranium would be secured.

“People are going to have to go and get it,” Rubio said, without specifying which country’s forces might carry out such a mission. A U.S. official told Axios the operational questions remain complex, including determining the precise location of the uranium and how troops would safely reach and secure it. “The first question is, where is it?” the official said. “The second question is, how do we get to it and how do we get physical control?” (Read More)

Iran may still have access to enriched uranium at site bombed by US last year – report

NY Times says US intelligence believes there’s a ‘very narrow access point’ through which uranium at Isfahan could be moved; Trump doesn’t rule out ground op to secure stockpiles.

Iran may be able to access and move highly enriched uranium that had been previously thought to have been buried underground by US strikes on the Isfahan nuclear facility last June, according to a New York Times report. The Saturday report said US intelligence agencies have determined that there is now a “very narrow access point” through which the uranium could potentially be retrieved. The newspaper, writing based on anonymous interviews with US officials, said that American spy agencies are constantly surveilling the Isfahan facility and believe they will know of any Iranian attempts to relocate the enriched uranium. US officials have reportedly been debating options of how to secure the uranium for several weeks.

Since the US and Israeli bombings last June, Iran has refused to show what happened to its stockpile of highly enriched uranium or allow International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors access to sites where enrichment took place. US President Donald Trump said on Saturday he would not rule out the idea of sending ground troops into Iran to secure the country’s stockpiles of enriched uranium.

“At some point maybe we will. That would be a great thing,” he told reporters during a briefing aboard Air Force One. “We haven’t gone after it but it’s something we could do later.” Some critics of the US-Israeli war on Iran launched last Saturday have said airstrikes alone are unlikely to achieve the stated goals of destroying Iran’s military capacity and preventing it from developing a nuclear bomb. Asked about the use of ground troops in general, Trump did not rule it out, saying: “Could there be? Possibly, for a very good reason — it’d have to be a very good reason.”  (Read More)

Mossad can detect, catch if Iranian nuclear officials move enriched uranium, US intel suggests

US President Donald Trump might consider a covert mission to seize it once the Islamic regime is more decimated.

The New York Times on Sunday expanded on a September 2025 exclusive by The Jerusalem Postregarding the ability of intelligence agencies to catch the Iranians with their remaining 60% enriched uranium if they tried to access it for use. Previously, the Post reported that the Mossad had a sufficient handle on the location of Iran’s enriched uranium – not struck during June 2025’s Operation Rising Lion – and could intervene if Tehran appeared to be trying to use that uranium to move in the direction of a nuclear weapon.

Further, the Post noted that the Mossad would place a heavy focus on the issue until, at a minimum, the Islamic Republic granted the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) access to nuclear inspectors.
During the June 2025 operation, Israel and the US destroyed much of Iran’s three major nuclear facilities – Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan. They also damaged dozens of other nuclear facilities.

However, a major dispute and source of speculation was the 60% enriched uranium – 400 kilograms worth of close-to-weapons-grade material – that was not destroyed by Israel and the US during Operation Rising Lion. In theory, this volume of 60% enriched uranium could be further enriched and used to produce around half a dozen nuclear bombs. In late June 2025, some Israeli critics claimed that the Islamic Republic could even rush out a nuclear bomb in a matter of months, since the uranium had not been struck. (Read More)

Netanyahu: IDF has ‘many surprises’ in store for Islamic Republic

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Saturday that the Jewish state’s military still had “many surprises” in store aimed at destabilizing the Islamic Republic and enabling change in Tehran. “We have many more targets and I will not detail them here,” the premier stated in a Hebrew-language address to the nation on Saturday night. Jerusalem is working according to “an organized plan,” he continued.

“To Revolutionary Guard operatives, those who tyrannize the Iranian people in the streets, I say only this: You, too, are in the crosshairs,” Netanyahu said, adding that “no harm” would come to those who surrender and lay down their weapons. “Through our daring pilots and those of the U.S., we achieved almost total control of Iranian skies,” he said. “With each passing day, we’re peeling away more and more of the Iranian regime’s capabilities.”

Netanyahu noted that in the first week of the joint Israeli-U.S. campaign, the two militaries eliminated “the tyrant” Ali Khamenei; killed “dozens” of top Revolutionary Guards operatives and hundreds of terrorists; destroyed Iranian military, nuclear and government facilities; and bombed hundreds of ballistic launchers used to attack Israel. Jerusalem and Washington embarked on “Operation Roaring Lion/Epic Fury” on Feb. 28 after Khamenei ordered the restoration of nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities destroyed by Israel and the U.S. in 2025, he said. (Read More)

Iran FM: We will never surrender to Trump’s demands

Iran’s foreign minister says Tehran will not accept 'unconditional surrender,' claims Iran is acting in self-defense, and discusses leadership transition.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected US President Donald Trump's demand for "unconditional surrender," saying Iran would continue to resist as the conflict continues. "We never give up, we never surrender, and we continue to resist as long as it takes," Araghchi said in an interview with NBC News 'Meet the Press.' "We continue to defend ourselves, and we are defending our territory, our people, and our dignity. And our dignity is not for sale."

During the interview, Araghchi also addressed the current leadership setup, explaining that an interim leadership council is currently governing Iran while the Assembly of Experts prepares to select a new supreme leader. "The council of the interim leadership council is now in charge, and they are doing their act in the absence of the leader, while a new supreme leader is going to be elected soon by the assembly of experts," Araghchi said. "And the president and the cabinet are also in there, are doing their duties. Parliament, everything is in its place."

Asked about reports that the Assembly of Experts had already decided on a new supreme leader, possibly Mojtaba Khamenei, the foreign minister said no decision has been announced. "Nobody knows. Actually, there are lots of rumors around, but we have to wait for the assembly of experts to convene and vote for the new supreme leader and the one who is elected by them," he said. Araghchi also rejected the possibility of outside involvement in the leadership selection process after US President Donald Trump said he should choose Iran's next leader. (Read More)

Black clouds over Tehran rain down oil drops after Israel strikes oil facilities

The sky over Iran’s capital was blanketed with thick, choking smoke Sunday morning, hours after Israeli strikes hit oil facilities in Tehran. Residents reported the smell of burning lingering in the air, with many saying it appeared dark even as the sun rose and rain poured on the city. Some residents reported oil-saturated raindrops from black clouds raining down on the city hours after the strikes.

Iran’s environmental authorities urged Iranians to remain indoors to avoid respiratory problems and other health consequences. The Iranian Red Crescent said the oil depot explosions released into the air “significant quantities of toxic hydrocarbon compounds, sulfur, and nitrogen oxides.” “In the event of precipitation, the resulting rain is extremely dangerous and highly acidic,” it added in a statement, warning of skin burns and severe lung damage.

Fars news agency reported that Saturday’s strikes hit four oil storage facilities and an oil production transfer center in Tehran and Alborz. Four tanker drivers in the center were killed, Fars reported. The strikes sent up pillars of fire that could be seen in videos as a glow against the Saturday night sky. It appeared to be the first time a civil industrial facility has been targeted in the war. With the sun blotted out Sunday morning, disoriented people in the Iranian capital had to turn on their lights to see through the gloom. “I thought my alarm clock was broken,” a driver in his 50s told AFP on condition of anonymity. (Read More)

IDF pushes further into Lebanon as Beirut says it’s ready to resume talks with Israel

Overnight, the Israeli military says, it pushed deeper into southern Lebanon as part of its “enhanced forward defense posture” after Hezbollah began attacking Israel a week ago. Troops of the 7th Armored Brigade, under the 36th Division, raided the Rab al-Thalathine area, west of the Israeli border community of Misgav Am, with the aim of locating and clearing the Lebanese village of Hezbollah infrastructure and operatives, the army says.

Before the ground troops pushed into the area, the IDF says it carried out numerous air and artillery strikes. “This operation is part of the effort to establish a forward defense that will create an additional security layer for the residents of the north,” the IDF says.

In the past week, the military says it has hit more than 700 targets in Lebanon, including 120 in the past day. More than 30 multi-story buildings in Beirut, used by Hezbollah, have been destroyed in the strikes, it says. The IDF says it estimates that more than 300 members of Hezbollah and other terror groups have been killed in the strikes. (Ed note:The Rab al-Thalathine area is located about 23 miles south and east of the city of TYRE, Lebanon.)  (Source)

Israelis value women’s wartime role but cite major representation gap, WIZO study finds

While the regional shadow of the Iranian conflict and the ongoing war continue to dominate the spaces where mainstream Israeli leadership resides, a new study released on Sunday by the Women’s International Zionist Organization suggests a deep disconnect between the nation’s leadership and the women sustaining its home front. According to data from the Roshink Research Institute, only 23% of Israelis believe women have a tangible influence on national decision-making, despite their outsized role in civic and security life since the outbreak of war.

These findings, presented at the “Initiate. Act. Influence.” conference, highlight a stark reality: while 58% of the public now supports women serving in significant combat roles, only 12% of government ministers in 2026 are women, with even lower representation among ministry director-generals. The psychological toll of the prolonged conflict remains a primary concern for social advocates. While the Israeli economy and employment sectors have shown signs of stabilization, the population's emotional well-being has not followed suit.

Rivka Neumann, director of WIZO’s Division for the Advancement of the Status of Women, noted that 52% of women report a deterioration in their mental health, a figure that has remained stagnant for a year. Neumann characterized the findings as a wake-up call for the government, arguing that the lack of a robust civilian support system is placing an unsustainable burden on the families of those serving on the front lines. (Read More)

Iran’s strikes expose failure of the Gulf states, tests regional stability - opinion

“Tehran breached a gentlemen’s agreement between the countries,” said Anwar Gargash, adviser to the president of the United Arab Emirates. According to him, this agreement meant that Gulf territory would not be used to attack Iran in exchange for Iranian non-aggression. This statement encapsulates the shock and astonishment that have gripped Gulf rulers following the launch of ballistic missiles and drones from Iran at the territories of all the Gulf states – Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Bahrain. Even Oman – the mediator – was not spared an attack.

What lies behind these attacks? Iran justified them as targeting American bases, but in practice they extended to other military and civilian targets. The primary logic behind these strikes, as explained by the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, identified with Hezbollah, is threefold.

First, to pressure Gulf rulers to use their leverage with US President Donald Trump to stop the war. Iran’s decision to close the Strait of Hormuz was intended to add an element of economic pressure on the Gulf states and other countries dependent on Gulf oil and gas. The second reason is psychological: to influence the Gulf states. If reports are accurate that Qatar and the UAE are working with Trump and also in Europe to halt the fighting, then these first two objectives are indeed being served. The third reason is to send a message that no state assisting the United States is safe. (Read More)

Gulf states in shock as Iranian missile strikes strain trust - opinion

As long as the present regime remains in power in Iran, there will be no genuine revival of Gulf-Iran relations. Only a new regime could mend the rifts.

"Tehran breached a gentlemen’s agreement between the countries,” said Anwar Gargash, adviser to the president of the United Arab Emirates. According to him, this agreement meant that Gulf territory would not be used to attack Iran in exchange for Iranian non-aggression. This statement encapsulates the shock and astonishment that have gripped Gulf rulers following the launch of ballistic missiles and drones from Iran at the territories of all the Gulf states – Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Bahrain. Even Oman – the mediator – was not spared an attack.

What lies behind these attacks? Iran justified them as targeting American bases, but in practice, they extended to other military and civilian targets. The primary logic behind these strikes, as explained by the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, identified with Hezbollah, is threefold. First, to pressure Gulf rulers to use their leverage with US President Donald Trump to stop the war. Iran’s decision to close the Strait of Hormuz was intended to add an element of economic pressure on the Gulf states and other countries dependent on Gulf oil and gas.

The second reason is psychological: to influence the Gulf states. If reports are accurate that Qatar and the UAE are working with Trump and also in Europe to halt the fighting, then these first two objectives are indeed being served. The third reason is to send a message that no state assisting the United States is safe. For now, the Gulf states are cautious in their response. Their concern is understandable, given their limited military capabilities and the vulnerability of their oil and gas facilities. Yet, Qatar already responded militarily, while the United Arab Emirates closed its embassy in Tehran and may later sever relations. (Read More)

IDF carries out targeted strikes against IRGC Lebanon Corps commanders operating in Beirut

The IDF carried out a targeted strike against key commanders of the(IRGC)Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps  Quds Force’s Lebanon Corps operating in Beirut, the military confirmed early Sunday morning. The statement followed local reports of a targeted strike on a hotel in Beirut, which claimed to have killed at least four and injured ten.

"Commanders in the Quds Force’s Lebanon Corps had been working to advance terror attacks against the State of Israel and its citizens from Lebanese territory," the statement said. It also added that "The Iranian terror regime operates systematically within civilian populations in Iran and Lebanon, cynically exploiting residents and using them as human shields to advance terrorist objectives."

Lebanon Corps serves as a direct link tying Hezbollah to Iran's regime, functioning as a supporting body to "Hezbollah’s military buildup and force development," noted the IDF. "The IDF will not allow Iranian terrorist elements to establish themselves in Lebanese territory and will continue to carry out targeted eliminations of commanders of the Iranian terror regime wherever they operate," the statement concluded.

Earlier on Saturday, the IDF announced that it had begun a new wave of strikes against Hezbollah infrastructure in Beirut, adding separately that it had destroyed the rocket launcher used to target northern Israel. (Read More)

Massive Explosion Rocks Iranian Army Ammunition Depot in Bushehr | WATCH

A powerful explosion has torn through a major ammunition warehouse belonging to the Iranian Armed Forces in the port city of Bushehr. According to reports from Iran International, the facility was targeted in an precision strike, causing secondary detonations that were heard across the coastal region. Thick plumes of black smoke are rising over the southern port of Bushehr following what local residents described as a "massive, earth-shaking blast." Iran International and local eyewitnesses report that the explosion occurred at a military logistics hub and ammunition storage depot used by the Iranian Army (Artesh) and IRGC naval units.

The strike appears to be part of the ongoing "broad wave" of aerial operations under Operation Epic Fury. Initial reports indicate that the warehouse was hit by high-precision munitions, leading to a chain reaction of explosions within the facility. Secondary Blasts: Video footage circulating on social media shows multiple secondary explosions, a hallmark of an ammunition depot being successfully neutralized.

Nuclear Plant Safety: While the strike occurred within the Bushehr province, the IAEA and Russian state agency Rosato have indicated that the nearby Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant itself was not targeted and remains structurally intact, though personnel have reported hearing the blasts "just kilometers away." Damage Assessment: Local sources suggest that a significant portion of the regional missile and conventional artillery supply for Iran's southern naval command has been destroyed in the fire.

Why target Bushehr?

1. Weakening the Southern Front: Bushehr serves as a critical node for Iran’s maritime and missile operations in the Persian Gulf. By taking out this depot, the coalition is effectively limiting Iran's ability to sustain prolonged barrages against Gulf neighbors and international shipping.

2. Tactical Surprise: Despite Iranian air defenses being on high alert, the strike successfully bypassed regional batteries, further demonstrating the technical gap between coalition sensors and Iranian countermeasures.   (Source)

UAE strikes desalination facility in Iran, marking Gulf state's first offensive move of war

The United Arab Emirates was said to have struck an Iranian desalination facility on Sunday, in its first retaliatory attack to Iranian drone and missile fire as part of Israel and the US's war on the Islamic regime, a source familiar with the details confirmed to The Jerusalem Post. The strike marked UAE's first reported offensive participation in the war which had Abu Dhabi had reportedly contemplated whether it should react after it, along with a host of Gulf nations, was attacked by Iran since Israel and the US launched strikes on February 28. Last week, authorities in the United Arab Emirate of Fujairah extinguished a fire caused by debris after interception of a drone by air defenses in the Fujrairah oil industry zone.

A Wall Street Journal report from Friday said that the UAE is considering freezing billions of dollars worth of assets belonging to Iran, a move which would cripple the country's connection to the global economy. Later on Sunday, the UAE Defense Ministry also announced that the death toll from Iran's attacks had risen to four.

Along with the UAE, the governments of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Bahrain reported Iranian drone attacks in their countries on Saturday and early Sunday, with a huge fire engulfing a government office block in Kuwait. Kuwait's interior ministry said two of its officers were killed "while performing duties." In an apparent attempt to cool anger across the Gulf, Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian apologized to neighboring states for its attacks on US bases in those countries on Saturday. (Source)

Israel attacks Iran's oil containers

IDF strikes 30 oil depots on Iran, in first since start of war; opposition leader MK Yair Lapid offers rare praise.

The IDF on Saturday evening launched an attack on Iran’s national oil sites, for the first time since the start of the war. The strike targeted 30 oil storage tanks. A source in Iran’s Oil Ministry said: "Israeli fighter jets attacked three oil depots this evening - in Kohak, Shahran, and Karaj." The IDF confirmed: "The Israeli Air Force, with the guidance of IDF intelligence, struck a number of fuel storage facilities in Tehran a short while ago."

"The military forces of the Iranian terrorist regime make direct and frequent use of these fuel tanks to operate military infrastructure. Through them, the Iranian terrorist regime distributes fuel to various consumers, including military entities in Iran. "This is a significant strike that constitutes an additional step in deepening the damage to the military infrastructure of the Iranian terrorist regime. The IDF will continue to operate with determination in order to significantly degrade the regime’s capabilities and remove threats to the State of Israel." 

 
 The IDF will continue to operate with determination in order to significantly degrade the regime’s capabilities and remove threats to the State of Israel." Opposition leader Yair Lapid praised the strikes, writing on X that "Israel must destroy all of Iran’s oil fields and the Iranian energy industry on Kharg Island." "This is what will crush Iran’s economy and bring down the regime," he added. "This war must end with the fall of the regime in Iran, the destruction of the nuclear facilities, the destruction of the entire ballistic missile industry, and the destruction of Hezbollah in Lebanon." (Source)

Israel Air Force strikes Iranian oil facilities, military source says

Earlier, Iranian state media had reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps said it had targeted the Haifa oil refinery in response.

IDF sources confirmed to The Jerusalem Post on Saturday night that the air force has attacked significant oil resources in the Tehran region of Iran. According to the sources, the oil resources being attacked are directly connected to Iran's military industrial complex. It was unclear what distinctions the IDF would make in such attacks regarding differing oil sites, but there was a clear effort by the sources to emphasize the military nature of the sites, which might otherwise be framed as harming Iran's economic power more broadly, even if a new regime might later take over.

In the past, senior Israeli sources have told the Post that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has in recent years taken over certain portions of the economy, especially in the oil sector. Iranian opposition reports indicated that as many as 30 sites might be under attack.

This vector of attack on the Islamic regime's power is the newest front after prior attacks on air defenses, ballistic missiles, top Iranian leaders, ballistic missile supply chain locations, and regime repression forces. (Source)

Iran threatens to nuke Israel with chilling image showing missile obliterating Tel Aviv

Iran has shared a chilling image of a nuclear missile striking an Israeli city, which appears to be Tel Aviv. In a post on X, the account previously belonging to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that "Khorramshahr is ahead", in reference to the ballistic missile named after the Iranian city. Included in the post was also a striking image of the missile being developed underground, fired from a mobile launcher, and hitting what appears to be the Israeli city. In another post, the account promised consequences, "by God's grace", for "the Zionist regime".

tt said: "The Zionist regime has made a big mistake, and its consequences will make the regime desperate, by God's grace." The city depicted in the image appears to be Tel Aviv, with an Israeli flag and coastal skyline visible. This comes after Tehran launched an overnight attack of cluster bombs targeting Tel Aviv, which were seen in shocking videos flying through the air before crashing into the ground.

Huge blazes erupt as they smash into their targets, with witnesses watching on and filming the explosions. The cluster bombs open up as they zero in on their targets, sending around twenty smaller munitions flying out in a radius of roughly five miles. Each of the smaller missiles carries around 2.5kg of explosives, potentially causing huge damage. (Read More)

Trump mocks Iranian de-escalation efforts, warns of ‘complete destruction’

US President Donald Trump said Saturday that Iran “will be hit very hard,” as he lashed out at Tehran and mocked Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian following comments suggesting the Islamic Republic would suspend attacks against neighboring countries unless attacked from their territory. In a sharply worded statement, Trump said Iran, which he claimed was “being beat to HELL,” had “apologized and surrendered to its Middle East neighbors” and pledged not to fire at them anymore only because of the “relentless US and Israeli attack.”

Trump also mocked Iran’s standing in the region, calling it “THE LOSER OF THE MIDDLE EAST,” and warned that additional targets could now be considered. “Today Iran will be hit very hard!” Trump said, adding that areas and groups previously not under consideration for attack were now being weighed for “complete destruction and certain death.”

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said earlier on Saturday that its temporary leadership council had approved the suspension of attacks against neighboring countries unless an attack on Iran came from those countries. "I must apologize on my own behalf and on behalf of Iran to the neighbouring countries that were attacked by Iran," he said. (read More)

Iranian officers abandon posts, conscripted troops amid US and Israeli strikes - report

Amid the ongoing Israeli and US strikes against the Iranian regime, some officers in the Islamic regime’s armed forces have abandoned their barracks, leaving behind the soldiers under their command to remain on guard duty, a number of conscripts told Iranian opposition outlet Iran International. The soldiers who spoke with the outlet reported that since the killing of former supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday, confusion has erupted within the Iranian military.

Several soldiers stationed at a military base in Lorestan province told Iran International that they were uncertain about the command structure and were uneasy about the deteriorating security situation. One soldier told the outlet that many commanders had, fearing strikes, abandoned their posts, leaving conscripted soldiers behind without support.i

Some soldiers, also fearing American and Israeli strikes, have been spending nights in open areas outside of the base for fear of being hit in an airstrike, the soldier said, adding that leadership was not paying adequate attention to the needs of the regular troops. The Iran International report comes as the US and Israel have vowed an escalation in the campaign against Iran’s regime. (Ed note: 

The area now known as 'Lorestan province' was located in the northern and mountainous part of the 

Elamite territory, specifically within the Zagros Mountains, north of the central Elamite plain of Susa.)    (Read More)

Trump said to privately mull deployment of some US ground forces to Iran

US President Donald Trump has privately expressed interest in deploying ground forces to Iran, according to NBC News.

In a report citing several sources, the US broadcaster says that Trump has raised the idea with White House aides and Republican officials while laying out his vision for Iran after the war, which he envisions will include cooperation between Tehran and Washington on oil similar to the US and Venezuela.

The sources cited in the report say Trump hasn’t discussed a major ground offensive in Iran, but instead a small group of US forces to carry out missions that the report describes as having specific strategic purposes. The sources add that Trump hasn’t yet made any decision on the matter. (Source)

Israel backing Iranian Kurdish push to seize Iran border areas, sources say

Israel has been bombing parts of western Iran to support Iranian Kurdish militias who hope to exploit the US-Israeli war on Iran to seize towns near the frontier, according to three sources familiar with Israel's talks with the factions. The notion of an offensive by Iranian Kurdish forces based in Iraq gained attention on Friday when US President Donald Trump told Reuters it would be "wonderful" if they crossed the border.

A Kurdish insurgency could have serious consequences for Iran as it defends itself against the air campaign. The militias have consulted with the US about how and whether to attack Iran's security forces, Reuters has reported. Israel has been holding its own talks with Iranian Kurdish insurgent groups based in the semi-autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan for around a year, two Iranian Kurdish sources said, while an Israeli source said talks had been "long-term."

The two Iranian Kurdish sources have direct knowledge of the armed dissident groups and the source from Israel has direct knowledge of its engagement with them. All spoke on condition of anonymity. Israel's government and the Israeli military did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and Israel has not commented publicly on such engagement during the current war. An initial goal of the Kurdish factions would be seizing Iranian territory along the border, the three sources said. One of the Kurdish sources said their aim was to seize the towns of Oshnavieh and Piranshahr, among others. (Read More)

The Islamic Republic: A theocracy misread by the West

For nearly half a century, Western policy toward Iran has rested on a foundational misreading: the assumption that the Islamic Republic behaves like a conventional nation-state pursuing rational interests. It has never been one. By design, by constitution, and by the lived reality of its citizens, Iran is a theocracy in which the mosque is the state, the Qur’an provides constitutional logic, and eschatology shapes foreign policy. The regime’s national resources are not directed toward economic development or social prosperity but toward advancing a transnational Shia ideological project rooted in divine mandate.

This misunderstanding has had catastrophic consequences. Western governments negotiated with Tehran as though it were a hostile but ultimately pragmatic state with negotiable grievances, rather than a messianic system animated by theological imperatives. This category error enabled Iran to wage a revolutionary campaign across the Middle East, destabilize multiple states, and project military power through proxies from Lebanon to Yemen—all while Western diplomacy misread theology as rhetoric.

Western policymakers, shaped by Enlightenment assumptions and the separation of church and state, believe governments respond primarily to material incentives: sanctions, relief, investment, diplomatic isolation. This logic collapses when applied to a system that claims its legitimacy from divine revelation. Western analysis treats religious language as ornamental, not operational; symbolic, not strategic. Yet Iranian leaders routinely justify policy through explicit theological reference. These are not metaphors—they are the blueprint. By filtering Iran’s behavior through secular categories, Western policymakers project their own worldview onto a system that rejects it entirely. The regime behaves consistently, but its consistency is theological, not geopolitical.

A major source of misinterpretation lies in Tehran’s adept use of Marxist political vocabulary—“resistance,” “struggle,” “anti-imperialism.” These terms resonate deeply with Western activists and institutions, creating the illusion of shared political language. But the terminology is camouflage. The regime’s true motivations are written plainly in its constitution, clerical literature, and military doctrine: they are religious, not material. Negotiation is not a path toward moderation but a tool for delay. Diplomacy buys time for an ideology whose end goal is expansion, not coexistence.  (Ed note: A somewhst long, but important and necessary read to understand the Islamic mind.) (Read More)