US intelligence assessments indicate Iran currently unwilling to negotiate end to war - report

According to assessments conducted by multiple US intelligence agencies, the Iranian regime believes it is in a strong enough position to continue the war and not cede to US demands.

United States intelligence assessments have indicated that the Iranian regime is currently unwilling to engage in negotiations to end its ongoing war with the US and Israel, the New York Times reported on Wednesday, citing US officials familiar with the assessments. According to assessments conducted by multiple US intelligence agencies, the regime believes it is in a strong enough position to continue the war and not cede to US demands.

The report additionally indicated that Iran is willing to keep diplomatic channels open, but does not trust the US or think US President Donald Trump is serious about engaging in negotiations. Two Iranian officials and one Pakistani official told the NYT that the Iranian regime could engage in diplomacy under the right conditions. Still, they needed to see that the US is willing to seriously discuss ending the war rather than negotiating a temporary ceasefire.

US and Iranian officials both confirmed that the two countries have been exchanging messages through intermediaries, but are not discussing ceasefire terms or ending the war. A senior Iranian source told Reuters on Wednesday that Iran demands a permanent end to the war and that no mediator-facilitated talks have taken place regarding a temporary ceasefire.  (Read More)

Report: Vance tells mediators Trump is impatient on Iran

Vice President JD Vance reportedly conveyed President Trump's impatience for an Iran deal, warning of increased pressure on Iranian infrastructure unless Tehran agrees to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

US Vice President JD Vance told intermediaries between the US and Iran that President Donald Trump is “impatient" to reach a deal to end the war, a source familiar with the conversations said, according to a CNN report on Wednesday. Vance, who has adopted a newly prominent role in brokering an end to the conflict, spoke to representatives from the mediating countries which include Pakistan and Turkey as recently as Tuesday.

The source said Vance delivered a “stern message" to relay to Iran: that there would be increased pressure on Iran’s infrastructure sites “unless the Iranians made a deal," the source said. Trump has previously threatened to target power plants and water desalination facilities in Iran if the country does not agree to allow oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Trump, who is planning to address the nation Wednesday on Iran, instructed Vance in his private communications to convey the president’s willingness to agree to a ceasefire if US demands for the war are met, according to CNN.

That includes reopening the strait, which Trump stated in a social media post Wednesday must be unblocked before the US agrees to halt the war. In that same post, Trump also said that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had asked for a ceasefire.Iran denied Trump’s claim, with its Foreign Ministry calling it "false and baseless."

In a separate statement, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps declared that the Strait of Hormuz "is firmly and decisively under the control" of its forces.n a separate statement, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps declared that the Strait of Hormuz "is firmly and decisively under the control" of its forces. "This strait will not be opened to the enemies of this nation through the ridiculous spectacle by the president of the United States," it added. (Source)

Iran fears Israel’s 'new strategy' after major strikes on steel industry

Mobarakeh, the largest industrial company in Iran and the biggest steel complex in the Middle East, was considered a cornerstone of the country’s economy.

Iran’s largest steel producer, Mobarakeh Steel Company, has reported heavy losses to its production units following joint US-Israeli strikes on its facilities during the war, with attacks hitting multiple sites in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province. Mobarakeh, the largest industrial company in Iran and the biggest steel complex in the Middle East, was considered a cornerstone of the country’s economy. Reactions on social media platforms reflected both anger at the regime and growing concern over the broader implications of the strikes. 

“Mobarakeh was the pride of Iran’s steel industry and a supplier of raw materials for thousands of factories. The most prominent company in Iran is gone,” one journalist wrote. Another journalist said, “Unfortunately, I have learned from two independent sources that the extent of the damage to Mobarakeh is severe, and there are also casualties. It appears that this key industry will not return to production for a long time.” 

Criticism of Iran’s leadership also intensified online. “It is difficult for all of us to hear this news. But we must remember that we need to continue along this path and move beyond the cursed regime of the Islamic Republic. A free Iran can be rebuilt, but Iran in the hands of bloodthirsty terrorists will always move toward destruction. As long as the regime does not surrender, we are likely to hear more bad news like this. To hell with the Islamic Republic,” another post read. (Read More)

War and inflation batter Iran’s workforce

Iran’s economy is entering the new fiscal year under the weight of a profound wartime shock, with inflation reaching levels not seen in decades and essential goods becoming increasingly unaffordable for much of the population. Official figures released at the end of fiscal year 1404 (March 2026) show annual inflation at 50.6 percent, according to data compiled by government bodies including the parliament’s Research Center. Prices rose 5.6 percent in March alone.

But economists say the headline figure understates the severity of the crisis. The more revealing measure—point-to-point inflation—shows how sharply living costs have risen over the past year. Government statistics indicate that prices in March 2026 were 71.8 percent higher than a year earlier, a surge that has sharply eroded household purchasing power. In major cities such as Tehran, the increase is believed to be even higher, particularly for food. 

The shock has unfolded as weeks of US and Israeli strikes have disrupted economic life across the country. In Tehran, where many residents have temporarily left the city, large parts of the capital’s commercial activity have slowed sharply. Many businesses remain closed and those who have stayed behind often limit their movements, wary of being caught in unpredictable air strikes. 

Attacks on what the attackers describe as “regime infrastructure” have also begun to hit the industrial economy more directly. Recent strikes on major steel production facilities—among the country’s most important industrial employers—have disrupted supply chains and raised fears of wider job losses in manufacturing regions. For working-class and rural families, the situation is especially acute. Following the removal of preferential exchange rates (arz-e tarjihi), monthly food inflation has climbed above 100 percent, turning basic nutrition into the central economic struggle for many households. (Read More)

Iran, Hezbollah launch attacks as Israelis host Passover Seders, sending millions to shelters

Four lightly hurt, including two babies, by bomblet from Iranian cluster warhead that struck Bnei Bnei overnight as Israel comes under attack before and during holiday’s first night.

Sirens sounded repeatedly in central Israel Wednesday evening, surrounding the start of Passover, as Iran fired a major ballistic missile barrage and Hezbollah launched rockets from Lebanon, sending millions to bomb shelters and safe rooms as families across the country hosted their Seder meals. The attacks continued into early Thursday morning, with Iranian ballistic missiles fired at central Israel, the Jerusalem area and the north, while Hezbollah rocket fire from Lebanon triggered sirens near Haifa.

One of the Iranian missiles was carrying a cluster warhead, spreading bomblets across central Israel, with the Magen David Adom ambulance service reporting that a 12-year-old and two 7-month-olds in Bnei Brak were lightly injured from shattered glass. A 24-year-old was also lightly injured in the same incident, according to MDA. On Wednesday morning there, an 11-year-old girl was injured by shrapnel in another missile strike and she remains in critical condition, the medical service added. The overnight attack on Bnei Brak also damaged a water main in the city.

The IDF had previously warned that a missile attack was expected on Seder night, one of the most widely observed Jewish rituals. According to initial IDF assessments, some 10 ballistic missiles were fired at central Israel, in the largest Iranian salvo on Israel since the early days of the war. Minutes later, sirens again sounded in central and northern Israel, as the IDF detected another Iranian ballistic missile launch, the sixth such salvo of the day. Around the same time, sirens sounded in the Golan Heights and Galilee due to rocket fire by Hezbollah from Lebanon. (Read More)

Lebanese Army Withdraws from Christian Villages, Leaving Locals Exposed on Holy Week

The Lebanese Army on Tuesday withdrew from four border villages, two of them Christian-majority towns whose residents have refused to follow instructions from Israel to evacuate the area while the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) battle the Iran-backed terrorists of Hezbollah.

The three villages that lost Lebanese Army coverage were Rmeish, Ain Ibl, and Braasheet in the Bint Jbeil district, plus Beit Yahoun in Nabatieh. Rmeish and Ain Ibl are Christian towns. “The army has indeed withdrawn from Rmeish, and we would have preferred it to stay, but we, as residents of the town, will remain despite the risks. We understand the army’s reasons for leaving, but our decision is to stay,” said Hanna al-Amil, head of the Rmeish municipal council. The army was apparently stung by criticism over its withdrawal plan, because on Wednesday it announced that some Lebanese troops would remain in the border villages.

“Following the escalation of Israeli aggression against Lebanon, particularly in areas facing enemy incursions around border localities, which result in encircling, isolating, and cutting off supply lines to deployed units, the army carried out a redeployment and repositioning operation that included a number of these units,” the Lebanese Army said. By “enemy,” the army meant Israel, not Hezbollah. Hezbollah is the malevolent actor that dragged Lebanon into the war by launching unprovoked attacks on Israeli civilians with weapons it was not supposed to have. Having effectively admitted that it cannot control Iran’s heavily armed terrorist proxy, the Lebanese government is increasingly turning its ire against Israel for invading Southern Lebanon and attempting to create a buffer zone.

The Lebanese Army statement stated that Israeli attacks are “indiscriminately targeting both military personnel and civilians in various regions,” and lashed out at “some media outlets and social media platforms” for questioning how Lebanese officials are responding to the crisis. (Ed note: The Bint Jbeil district is less than 3 miles from the Israeli border.) (Read More)

The Iran and Sudan Connection: A new Empire crosses the Red Sea

Iran is great at turning battlefields into bases for its ideology, and Sudan's military culture is soaking this up. If no one stops them, they will control the Red Sea and Khartoum will host permanent Iranian drone teams, electronic spying stations, and naval advisors reaching deep into Africa's interior.

 

While Gaza, Lebanon, and the Gulf get all the attention, a quieter Iranian move is unfolding across the Red Sea right in the middle of Sudan's civil war, affording another reason the current war must achieve a decisive outcome. Tehran and Khartoum restored their diplomatic ties in October 2023 after being apart for 32 years. Since then, Iran has steadily supplied weapons to General Abdel Fattah al Burhan's Sudanese armed forces. This turned a local power struggle into the western base of Iran's alliance network.

Late March 2026 battlefield videos show Iranian drones flying over Khartoum and Iranian military trainers teaching Sudanese recruits. Tehran's revolutionary ideas are also mixing into Sudan's military culture. This is more than just basic military help. It creates a loyal and dependent ally on Africa's strategic Red Sea coast, looking a lot like what Iran did with the Houthis in Yemen. 

Since the civil war between the army and the Rapid Support Forces started in April 2023, Burhan's regular troops have struggled against his rival's fast movements, Gulf funding, and early drone advantage. Tehran stepped in to help. Starting in late 2023, flights from Iran to Port Sudan brought multiple types of attack and spy drones. By early 2025, these weapons changed the army's luck. They took back Omdurman, secured state TV towers, and hit rival positions hard from Darfur to Sennar. 

Iran trades its hardware for a great location. They get a foothold on the Red Sea, which is vital after the US and Israel damaged Houthi weapons. Sudan is becoming Tehran's listening post, right across the water, to track naval movements from the US, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE Iran's real genius is using belief as a weapon in the middle of chaos. The al Baraa bin Malik Brigade is a perfect example. This group is tied to the Sudanese Muslim Brotherhood and was sanctioned by the US in 2025. Once just a small militia, these fighters are now trained by Iran and fight alongside the main army. They take territory and use religious slogans that link them to groups like Hezbollah and the Houthis. (Read More)

Behind the scenes: IAF fighters refuel en route to strike Iran

Air Force tanker aircraft, which have carried out approximately 2,000 aerial refuelings, enable Israel's sustained air superiority in Iran over time.

Since the start of Operation Roaring Lion, hundreds of Israeli Air Force combat aircraft have been operating in Iranian airspace, striking targets of the Iranian terror regime. Aerial refueling is a critical component of the Air Force’s operations over Iran, enabling sustained air superiority in the area over time.

Air Force tanker aircraft support the combat aircraft and have conducted approximately 2,000 aerial refuelings. (Ed note: Did you know that the fighter jet and the fuel tanker must be moving through the air at the same speed, which is about 300 to 400 miles per hour? While the fuel tanker is flying at a high consistent speed, the fighter jet must match that speed and connect the fuel hose or boom, and do so in often turbulent air.) (Read More)

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Frustrated with allies, Trump tells countries needing fuel to go to Hormuz and ‘just take it’

US President Donald Trump expressed frustration Tuesday with allies who have been unwilling to do more to support the US war effort, telling them to “go get your own oil” as the conflict with Iran and its closure of the Strait of Hormuz sent average US gas prices past $4 a gallon. Trump singled out Britain and France as unhelpful in the month-long war that has roiled global markets, driven up energy prices, and seen Iran effectively close oil tanker traffic through the Strait.

“All of those countries that can’t get jet fuel because of the Strait of Hormuz, like the United Kingdom, which refused to get involved in the decapitation of Iran, I have a suggestion for you: Number 1, buy from the U.S., we have plenty, and Number 2, build up some delayed courage, go to the Strait, and just TAKE IT,” Trump said in a Truth Social post. “You’ll have to start learning how to fight for yourself, the U.S.A. won’t be there to help you anymore, just like you weren’t there for us. The hard part is done. Go get your own oil!” He also lashed out at France for not letting planes carrying military supplies to Israel fly over French territory.

“The Country of France wouldn’t let planes headed to Israel, loaded up with military supplies, fly over French territory. France has been VERY UNHELPFUL with respect to the ‘Butcher of Iran,’ who has been successfully eliminated!” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.

Allies have refused to get involved

The French military has previously said France allowed the US Air Force to use the Istres base in southern France, because it had guarantees that only planes not involved in carrying out strikes would land there. Spain, which has emerged as Europe’s loudest critic of the war, said Monday that it had closed its airspace for US planes involved in the conflict. Italy has refused permission for US military assets to use the Sigonella air base in Sicily for an operation linked to the offensive in the Middle East, an official with knowledge of the matter said, confirming a local press report.

The denial was issued a few days ago and concerned American aircraft, including bombers, which were supposed to land at the base before continuing toward the Middle East, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. The Italian government later insisted that its relationship with the US is “solid and based on full and loyal cooperation.” (Ed note: This could be a game changer with the US's relationship with both Europe and Nato, and  President Trump could pull the US out of Nato.)   (Read More)

Trump says US strongly considering NATO exit, Telegraph newspaper says

Trump described the alliance as a "paper tiger" and said removing the United States from the defense pact was now "beyond reconsideration," the newspaper reported.

US President Donald Trump said he was strongly considering pulling the United States out of NATO after allies failed to back US military action against Iran, according to an interview with Britain's Daily Telegraph. Trump described the alliance as a "paper tiger" and said removing the United States from the defense pact was now "beyond reconsideration," the newspaper reported.

He said he had long held doubts about NATO's credibility. "Oh yes, I would say [it’s] beyond reconsideration," Trump told the newspaper when asked about whether he would reconsider US membership of the alliance after the conflict.

"I was never swayed by NATO. I always knew they were a paper tiger, and Putin knows that too, by the way." (Source)

Rubio: US will re-examine relationship with NATO post-war

( Apr. 1, 2026 / JNS ) U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that the United States would have to reexamine its role in NATO in the wake of the refusal by some European allies to allow American forces to use their military bases during the war against Iran.

“We’re not asking them to conduct air strikes,” he said during an interview with Fox News. “When we need them to allow us to use their military bases, their answer is no, then why are we in NATO? You have to ask that question,” he added. “Why do we send trillions of dollars and have all of these American forces stationed in the region, if in our time of need, we won’t be allowed to use those bases?”

“Unfortunately, after this conflict is concluded, we’re going to have to re-examine that relationship,” he continued. Since the start of the war on Feb. 28, Spain has refused to allow the U.S to use its airspace, while France, Italy, and the United Kingdom have periodically withheld such permission as well. (Read More)

Trump lashes out at UK and France, telling allies ‘the U.S.A. won’t be there to help you anymore’

President Donald Trump on Tuesday warned the U.K. and France that the U.S. “won’t be there to help you anymore,” as he vented his frustration over the close allies’ refusal to join military action against Iran. Posting on Truth Social, Trump said, “the Country of France wouldn’t let planes headed to Israel, loaded up with military supplies, fly over French territory.” “France has been VERY UNHELPFUL with respect to the ‘Butcher of Iran,’ who has been successfully eliminated! The U.S.A. will REMEMBER!!!,” he said in one post.

In another post, the president singled out the U.K. for criticism while urging other countries to take action in the Strait of Hormuz, the vital oil route that Iran has effectively blocked during the war. “All of those countries that can’t get jet fuel because of the Strait of Hormuz, like the United Kingdom, which refused to get involved in the decapitation of Iran, I have a suggestion for you,” Trump wrote. “Number 1, buy from the U.S., we have plenty, and Number 2, build up some delayed courage, go to the Strait, and just TAKE IT.”

“You’ll have to start learning how to fight for yourself, the U.S.A. won’t be there to help you anymore, just like you weren’t there for us. Iran has been, essentially, decimated. The hard part is done. Go get your own oil!,” he wrote. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth piled on at a press briefing later Tuesday morning. “There are countries around the world who ought be prepared to step up on this critical waterway as well,” he said. “It’s not just the United States Navy. Last time I checked, there was supposed to be a big, bad Royal Navy that could be prepared to do things like that as well.” (Read More)

Trump said to tell aides he’s willing to end Iran war without reopening Hormuz

US president and his aides reportedly conclude op to reopen waterway would take too long; Iran’s decision-making said impeded due to killing of leadership, complicating talks.

US President Donald Trump reportedly told aides he is willing to end the military campaign against Iran even if the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed and leave a complex operation to reopen it for a later date. Trump and his aides had come to the conclusion that a mission to reopen the waterway would extend the length of the mission past his four- to six-week timeline, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, citing administration officials. It added that he had decided to focus on battering Iran’s missiles and navy, before looking to pressure Iran diplomatically to reopen the Strait.

Tehran has largely blocked the vital Strait of Hormuz oil route in retaliation for the US-Israeli attacks, pushing up global energy prices. The US national average retail price of gasoline crossed $4 a gallon for the first time in more than three years on Monday, data from price-tracking service GasBuddy shows, as the US-Israeli war with Iran rages on.

Trump on Monday touted “great progress” in negotiations for a deal to end the war, but warned that if a deal isn’t reached and the Strait of Hormuz isn’t “immediately ‘Open for Business,’” then the US would move ahead with “blowing up and completely obliterating all of their Electric Generating Plants, Oil Wells and Kharg Island (and possibly all desalinization plants!), which we have purposefully not yet ‘touched.’” Despite Trump’s insistence that a deal would likely be reached, the US has been deploying thousands of troops to the region over the past week in preparation for a potential ground operation. 

Reports have suggested that the preparations for a ground operation may be an attempt to pressure Tehran into acquiescing to American terms to end the war. Further complicating efforts to end the war, he New York Times reportedon Monday that the US-Israeli decapitation of Iran’s leadership since the outbreak of the war has hampered Tehran’s ability to make decisions. (Read More)

Report: Gulf allies urge Trump to continue strikes until Iran regime is crippled

Gulf allies led by Saudi Arabia and the UAE are pressing President Trump to prolong military operations against Iran until significant changes occur in Tehran's leadership or behavior, reports The Associated Press.

Gulf allies of the United States, led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, are urging US President Donald Trump to continue prosecuting the war against Iran, arguing that Tehran has not been weakened enough by the monthlong US-led bombing campaign, The Associated Press reported Monday, citing US, Gulf and Israeli officials.

After private grumbling at the start of the war that they were not given adequate advance notice of the US-Israeli attack and complaining the US had ignored their warnings that the war would have devastating consequences for the entire region, some of the regional allies are making the case to the White House that the moment offers a historic opportunity to cripple Tehran’s clerical rule once and for all. 

Officials from Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain have conveyed in private conversations that they do not want the military operation to end until there are significant changes in the Iranian leadership or there is a dramatic shift in Iranian behavior, according to the officials, who spoke to AP on the condition of anonymity. The push from the Gulf nations comes as Trump vacillates between claiming that Iran’s decimated leadership is ready to settle the conflict and threatening to further escalate the war if a deal is not reached soon. 

While regional leaders are broadly supportive now of the US efforts, one Gulf diplomat described some division, with Saudi Arabia and the UAE leading the calls for increasing military pressure on Tehran. The UAE has emerged as perhaps the most hawkish of the Gulf countries and is pushing hard for Trump to order a ground invasion, the diplomat told AP. Kuwait and Bahrain also favor this option. The UAE, which has faced more than 2,300 missile and drone attacks from Iran, has only grown more irritated as the war grinds on and the salvos threaten to tarnish its image as the safe, pristine and monied hub for trade and tourism of the Mideast. (Read More)

Israel refused normalization with Syria last minute, says Al-Sharaa

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa said during a visit to the UK that his government attempted to normalize relations with Israel “without success,” reported Israeli media on Tuesday. The president made the remarks during an event hosted by the Chatham House Royal Institute of International Affairs in London. “We tried direct and indirect dialogue and negotiations,” he said. “We reached good points, but Israel changed its mind at the last minute.”

Al-Sharaa also said that Iranian intervention in Syria had "allowed the last regime to uproot the Syrian people,” adding that Syria has “no problem with Iran in Tehran. We have a problem with Iran in Damascus.” The president explained that Syria has “maintained restraint” in its relations with Iran, adding that the conflict has affected all countries in the region. “Iran has a problem because it is trying to develop ballistic missiles and nuclear bombs and influence other countries,” he said, adding that Syria prefers negotiations “over wars that will lead to additional risks.”

"As long as Syria is not attacked by any party, it will remain outside any conflict,” he emphasized. Regarding Hezbollah, al-Sharaa reasserted Syria’s commitment to defending its borders and preventing the smuggling of weapons, adding that Syria has paid a heavy price due to Hezbollah’s presence in Lebanon. (Ed note: And of course, President Al-Sharaa neglected to say what he had requested of Israel that they could not agree with. Always keep one eye on the state of Syria.) (Source)

Vance Weighs In on UFOs: ‘I Don’t Think They’re Aliens – I Think They’re Demons’

Vice President J.D. Vance reveals his personal conviction that UFOs and unidentified aerial phenomena are not extraterrestrial, but rather supernatural entities with spiritual and potentially demonic origins, drawing parallels to...

Vice President J.D. Vance addressed the subject of UFOs and unidentified aerial phenomena in a new interview, saying he believes they are not extraterrestrial but instead something supernatural referenced in Scripture. Vance addressed the issue in an interview with Benny Johnson, who asked if the Trump administration plans to release the full range of UFO files in government archives. Vance said the administration is “working on it,” but added that his attention has been more focused on priorities such as the economy. But Vance said he has a keen interest in the subject.

“I have not been able to spend enough time on this to really understand it, but I am going to – trust me, I'm obsessed with this,” Vance said. “I've already had a couple of times where I'm like: alright, we're going to Area 51, we're going out to New Mexico … [to] get to the bottom of this – and then the timing of the trip just didn't work out. “But trust me, anybody who's curious about this – I'm more curious than anybody,” Vance said, adding he has three more years to investigate it during the current Trump-Vance term. “I'm gonna get to the bottom of it,” he said.

Vance then added that he believes such phenomena have a spiritual explanation. “I don't think they're aliens. I think they're demons anyway, but that's a longer discussion,” he said. Johnson, not willing to leave the topic there, asked the vice president to expand on his view. Vance said it is unwise, as a Christian, to assume all unexplained phenomena are extraterrestrial.

“I think that celestial beings who fly around, who do weird things to people – I think that the desire to describe everything celestial, everything as otherworldly – to describe it as aliens – I mean every great world religion, including Christianity, the one that I believe in, has understood that there are weird things out there, and there are things that are very difficult to explain.

“And I naturally go – when I hear about [some] sort of extra-natural phenomenon, that's where I go to, is the Christian understanding.” Vance said such beliefs align with a broader biblical view of spiritual reality.“ There's a lot of good out there, but there's also some evil out there, and I think that one of the devil's great tricks is to convince people he never existed.” (Read More)

Defense minister: 'IDF will hold security zone in Lebanon up to the Litani'

Defense Minister Israel Katz says that Israel’s objectives in Lebanon include maintaining security control up to the Litani River, adding that 'all homes in villages near the border in Lebanon will be demolished.'

Defense Minister Israel Katz held a special situation assessment Tuesday at the Kirya in Tel Aviv with senior IDF and defense officials. He opened by expressing condolences to the families of four Nahal reconnaissance soldiers killed in southern Lebanon and wished the wounded a speedy recovery. Katz said the IDF’s operations aim to protect northern residents and remove immediate threats, praising the troops’ bravery and calling on the public to support them and their families.

He described significant progress in the ground offensive, saying forces are entering villages with force, clearing Hezbollah militants, destroying terror infrastructure and weapons, and demolishing buildings used as militant positions. Looking ahead, Katz said that after the operation, the IDF will establish a security zone inside Lebanon, maintaining control up to the Litani River, including its bridges, while eliminating Radwan forces and their weaponry.

He added that, similar to Gaza, more than 600,000 displaced southern Lebanese residents will be barred from returning south of the Litani until northern Israel is secure, and that homes in border villages will be demolished to remove threats. Katz stressed that Israel is also acting against rocket fire from other areas in Lebanon and will intensify its efforts. He said the broader goal is to reduce Iran’s influence in Lebanon, weaken Hezbollah, and remove threats to Israeli civilians, vowing long-term IDF security presence and strict enforcement-similar to Syria and Gaza. (Source)

Katz: IDF to establish security zone 20 miles deep into Lebanon

( Mar. 31, 2026 / JNS ) The Israel Defense Forces would establish a security zone in Southern Lebanon, extending to the Litani River, following its campaign against Iranian-backed Hezbollah, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Tuesday. “At the conclusion of the operation, the IDF will position themselves in a security zone inside Lebanon, along a defensive line against anti-tank missiles,” Katz stated after a security assessment with senior military officials, including Deputy Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Tamir Yadai. The Litani River lies some 20 miles north of the Blue Line, which currently demarcates the unofficial border between Israel and Lebanon.

Katz announced that the 600,000-plus residents of Southern Lebanon who were evacuated northward in recent weeks would be barred from returning south of the Litani “until the safety and security of northern Israeli residents is ensured.” He also said that all homes in Lebanese villages near the Blue Line would be demolished to eliminate cross-border threats, citing models used by the IDF in the Gaza Strip’s Rafah and Beit Hanoun areas. Israeli forces continue to operate in Lebanon “to protect the residents of the north and to remove direct threats against them,” Katz said, adding that troops were entering villages “with great force,” eliminating Hezbollah terrorists, destroying infrastructure and weapons and demolishing buildings used as firing positions.

“We are determined to separate Lebanon from the Iranian arena and to pull the snake’s teeth and strip Hezbollah of its ability to threaten, changing once and for all the situation in Lebanon, with an IDF security presence in the necessary places—with strict enforcement and absolute deterrence, just as in Syria and Gaza,” the defense minister vowed. “We promised to protect the communities of the north, and that is exactly what we will do,” he declared. Iranian-backed Hezbollah began firing rockets and suicide drones at Israel from Lebanon on March 2, in retaliation for the Jewish state’s targeted killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Khamenei was killed in the opening strikes of “Operation Roaring Lion/Epic Fury” against the regime on Feb. 28.

In response to the terrorist organization’s violation of the U.S.-brokered Nov. 27, 2024, truce agreement, Jerusalem launched an aerial campaign against Hezbollah and ordered IDF troops to advance and take control of additional areas in Southern Lebanon to halt cross-border attacks. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on March 23 that the Israel Defense Forces should establish the Litani River as the Jewish state’s “new border with the Lebanese state.” (Ed note: Do you know that the city of TYRE is located about 6 miles SOUTH of the mouth of the Litani River, which acts as a major geographic, political, and military boundary in southern Lebanon?)  (Read More)

Rift deepens between Iran’s president and Guards chief over war, economy

Serious disagreements have emerged between Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian and IRGC chief-commander Ahmad Vahidi over how to manage the war and its damaging impact on people’s livelihoods and the economy, sources with knowledge of the matter told Iran International. Pezeshkian has criticized the approach of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps regarding escalating tensions and continuing attacks on neighboring countries, warning about the economic consequences of the situation, according to the sources who spoke on condition of anonymity. He has stressed that without a ceasefire, Iran’s economy could face total collapse within three weeks to one month, the sources said.

On March 7, Pezeshkian in a video message apologized for what he called “fire at will” attacks by the country’s armed forces on neighboring countries and instructed them to stop such attacks. However, the attacks continued shortly after the release of his message. Informed sources told Iran International that Pezeshkian has called for executive and managerial powers to be returned to the administration, a demand that has been firmly rejected by Vahidi. In response to the criticism, the IRGC commander blamed the current situation on the government’s failure to implement structural reforms before the conflict began, the sources said. In recent days, Israeli media have also reported signs of divisions within Iran’s ruling system. The Times of Israel, citing a senior Israeli official, wrote: “There are signs of cracks in the Iranian regime. We are now creating conditions for its overthrow, but ultimately everything depends on the Iranian people.” 

The Israeli outlet Ynet also reported similar internal divisions earlier this month. As the war enters its fifth week, its economic effects are increasingly visible. Reports from major cities indicate that many ATMs are out of cash, not functioning, or physically inaccessible, while online banking services for several major banks, including Bank Melli, are periodically disrupted. Government employees have told Iran International that salaries and benefits for large segments of workers have not been paid regularly over the past three months. In February, before the outbreak of the ongoing war, average inflation for basic necessities reached triple digits, estimated between 105% and 115%. (Source)

Iran war 'shock' is dimming outlook for many economies, IMF says

The International Monetary Fund warned that the war in Iran was causing a global, but asymmetric shock and leading to tighter financial conditions.

The war in the Middle East has caused serious disruption to the economies of frontline countries, and is dimming the outlook for many economies that had just started to recover from previous crises, the International Monetary Fund warned on Monday. In a blog published by the global lender's top economists, the IMF said the war launched by US and Israeli strikes against Iran on February 28 was causing a global, but asymmetric shock and leading to tighter financial conditions.

Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz and damage to regional infrastructure have caused the largest disruption to the global oil market in history, as 25%-30% of global oil and 20% of liquefied natural gas normally pass through the narrow waterway, according to the International Energy Agency. Oil prices on Monday were set for a record monthly rise.

The war's impact would depend on how long it lasts, how far it spreads, and how much damage it inflicts on infrastructure and supply chains, the IMF said, urging countries to carefully calibrate any measures to manage the shock. The IMF was also supporting member countries with policy advice and financial assistance, where needed and in coordination with the international community, the fund said.

The IMF statement came as finance leaders from the Group of Seven economic powers said they were ready to take "all necessary measures" to safeguard energy market stability and limit broader economic spillovers from recent volatility. The International Energy Agency's 32 members agreed earlier this month to release a record 400 million barrels of oil from strategic stockpiles to combat a spike in global crude prices. (Read More)

Iran’s leadership is struggling to function with internal chaos - report

Sources for the New York Times describe chaos in Tehran: the leadership is paralyzed, the IRGC is making the decisions, and Trump is frustrated by the lack of a negotiation counterpart.

Sources quoted by The New York Times overnight described a situation of deep dysfunction in Tehran, where decision-making has been severely disrupted following joint US and Israeli strikes. Officials said damage to communications infrastructure has fueled paranoia among senior figures, who now fear their conversations are being intercepted, leading many to avoid direct contact altogether. This has hindered coordination of military responses and stalled efforts to formulate positions in potential negotiations. 

According to the report, the breakdown in communication has also intensified internal power struggles. Intelligence assessments indicate that Mojtaba Khamenei currently serves largely as a symbolic figure, while decision-making authority has shifted to the remaining leadership of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. US officials said more hardline elements within the Guards have become increasingly influential, filling the vacuum left by weakened political and religious leadership.

A senior military official cited in the report said Iran’s central command structure has been significantly degraded, forcing a shift to decentralized operations. Local commanders are now acting independently, without coordination from Tehran, a development that has reduced the effectiveness of Iranian military actions. US officials also noted growing frustration within the Trump administration over the lack of a clear Iranian counterpart for negotiations. According to the report, the current leadership structure has made it difficult for Tehran to respond coherently to US diplomatic proposals.

People familiar with the intelligence assessments said Washington believes Iran would only agree to a deal under severe economic pressure. However, current officials assess that Tehran does not yet view itself as losing the conflict, contributing to the ongoing stalemate. Israeli officials speaking to The New York Times compared the situation in Iran to the breakdown experienced by Hamas in Gaza after its leadership was eliminated. They said communication challenges are forcing reliance on intermediaries and slow exchanges, complicating both military coordination and diplomatic efforts, and leaving uncertainty over who is authorized to make decisions on behalf of the Iranian government. (Source)

Israel shifts to hitting Iran’s economy, as it enters ‘completion phase’ of war

A month into the war with Iran, the Israeli military has almost completed bombing all of the targets it defined for itself at the start of the conflict, and has now been ordered by Israel’s political leadership to shift to hitting “economic” targets of the Iranian regime, The Times of Israel learned on Monday. Israel launched its campaign against Iran, alongside the United States, to degrade the regime’s military capabilities, distance threats posed by Iran — including its nuclear and ballistic missile programs — and “create the conditions” for the Iranian people to topple the regime, the military and other Israeli leaders have said.

The Israeli Air Force has conducted hundreds of waves of strikes in Iran, dropping over 13,000 bombs on Iranian regime and military sites, including air defense systems, ballistic missile launchers, weapon production sites, some nuclear facilities, and various headquarters. Israeli strikes have also killed dozens of top Iranian officials, including former supreme leader Ali Khamnieni, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Mohammad Pakpour, and many other senior military commanders.

On Saturday, IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said that “within a few days” the military would complete targeting all of the “critical” assets of Iran’s military production industries, sites used to develop weapons that threaten Israel. The military has also said it has taken out most of Iran’s ballistic missile launchers and air defense systems. Israel’s defense establishment is now in what it described as the “completion phase” of the goals it set out at the start of the war, meaning it believes it has largely achieved its objectives of degrading Iran’s military capabilities and “creating the conditions” for the Iranian regime to fall, The Times of Israel has learned. (Read More)

U.N. Nuclear Watchdog: Iran’s Nuclear Program Sustained ‘Enormous Damage,’ but Is Not ‘Destroyed’

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Rafael Grossi said on Sunday that Iran’s nuclear program has sustained “enormous damage,” but warned “elements that were not destroyed persist” in the wake of both last summer’s massive U.S. airstrikes and the current war in Iran.
Grossi told CNN host Fareed Zakaria that Iran’s nuclear ambitions have suffered major setbacks but have not been completely eliminated. “There was enormous damage, in particular during the 12-Day War last year, at Isfahan, Natanz, and Fordow,” he said, referencing Iran’s three main uranium enrichment sites.

Grossi said the month-long Operation Epic Fury has included “targets and objectives that go far beyond the range of the nuclear field,” but even combined with the damage from last year’s strikes, “not everything was destroyed.” Grossi also agreed with Zakaria’s observation that one “cannot bomb the knowledge away,” or eliminate Iran’s intellectual progress toward nuclear weapons with an aerial bombing campaign. “Don’t forget that this activity of uranium enrichment, which is rather complex, is not something that is impossible to do. The methodology is quite sophisticated. The centrifuges that spin at high velocity, to separate the isotope of uranium which is interesting from the one which is not – all of these things Iran has mastered over the years,” he said.

Grossi noted that uranium enrichment is “not, per se, a nuclear activity,” and if the Iranians are patient enough, it can be conducted in small-scale operations that would be difficult to hunt down and destroy. “You may have, in Iran, thousands – or perhaps more – of workshops, or small factories, where they could reproduce these capacities,” he said. Grossi agreed with U.S. intelligence estimates that the U.S. stealth-bomber strikes against Isfahan, Natanz, and Fordow inflicted “very considerable” damage, pushing Iran’s nuclear program back for years, but he said “there are things that remain.” (Read More)

"Food for Sharks": Iranian Commanders Issue Vicious Threat to U.S. Troops

Iranian military commanders have threatened to turn American soldiers into "shark food" while reports emerge that a top IRGC general has been assassinated in a targeted strike.

The rhetoric from the Iranian regime has reached a fever pitch as military leaders issue graphic threats against the United States and Israel. In a series of defiant statements, commanders from the Iranian Navy and the Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters have warned that any American attempt at a ground invasion or territorial occupation would end in a humiliating defeat. At the same time, regional reports indicate a major blow to the regime's internal stability; the Saudi channel Al-Hadath has reported the assassination of Hassan Hassanzadeh, a high ranking IRGC commander responsible for ground forces, the Basij, and internal security in Tehran.

The Commander of the Iranian Navy claimed that the regime has the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier group under "precise and continuous surveillance." He asserted that the eastern Strait of Hormuz and the Sea of Oman are under total Iranian control, stating that they are simply "waiting for the moment of revenge." Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the military warned that American commanders and soldiers would become "food for the sharks of the Persian Gulf" if they crossed into Iranian territory.

Amidst this aggression, Iranian diplomatic sources confirmed that their ambassador will refuse to leave Lebanon, despite an official deadline set by the Lebanese Foreign Ministry, signaling Tehran's intent to maintain its grip on its terror proxies regardless of diplomatic pressure. (Ed note: I go with our US Marines!)    (Source)

Report: Pentagon Preps Weeks‑Long Ground Ops in Iran as U.S. Marines Arrive in Theater

The Pentagon is preparing for what could become weeks-long ground operations inside Iran — including Special Operations raids and limited infantry missions — as U.S. forces, including a Marine expeditionary unit now in theater, continue to build up for a potentially more dangerous next phase of Operation Epic Fury, according to a report published Saturday.

U.S. officials told the Washington Post that the plans under discussion would stop short of a full-scale invasion and instead center on targeted ground missions involving a mix of Special Operations forces and conventional infantry. The report said the planning, underway for weeks, has included possible operations involving Kharg Island, Iran’s primary oil export hub, as well as raids on coastal positions near the Strait of Hormuz targeting capabilities used to threaten freedom of navigation through the strategic waterway.

It remained unclear Saturday whether President Donald Trump would approve any of the options being prepared. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the planning reflects standard military preparation, stating, “It’s the job of the Pentagon to make preparations in order to give the Commander in Chief maximum optionality. It does not mean the President has made a decision.”

Leavitt warned earlier this week the regime “should not miscalculate again,” adding that if Tehran refuses to recognize that it has been defeated and abandon its nuclear ambitions, President Trump is “prepared to unleash hell.” Separately, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday the United States can achieve its objectives “without ground troops,” while stressing the president must remain prepared for multiple contingencies as the situation continues to evolve. (Read More)

Report: Trump weighs military operation to seize Iran's uranium stockpile

President Trump is weighing a high-risk military operation to extract nearly 1,000 pounds of enriched uranium from Iran as part of efforts to prevent the Islamic regime from developing a nuclear weapon, according to The Wall Street Journal. US President Donald Trump is weighing a military operation to extract nearly 1,000 pounds of uranium from Iran, according to US officials who spoke to The Wall Street Journal on Sunday. The complex and risky mission would likely put American forces inside the country for days or longer. Trump has not yet made a decision on whether to give the order, the officials told the newspaper. They added that he is considering the danger to US troops. But the president remains generally open to the idea because it could help accomplish his central goal of preventing Iran from ever making a nuclear weapon. 

The president has also encouraged his advisers to press Iran to agree to surrender the material as a condition for ending the war, according to a person familiar with Trump’s thinking. Trump has been clear in conversations with political allies that the Iranians cannot keep the material. He has discussed seizing it by force if Iran will not give it up at the negotiating table. Pakistan, Turkey and Egypt have acted as intermediaries between the US and Iran. But Washington and Tehran have not yet engaged in direct negotiations to end the war. 

“It’s the job of the Pentagon to make preparations in order to give the commander-in-chief maximum optionality. It does not mean the president has made a decision," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. The Pentagon did not comment and a spokesman for US Central Command declined to comment.Before Israel and the US conducted a series of airstrikes on Iran in June last year, the country was believed to have more than 400 kilograms of 60 percent highly enriched uranium, and nearly 200 kilograms of 20 percent fissile material, which is easily converted into 90 percent weapons-grade uranium. (Read More)

Crippling the Arsenal: How Israel Just Set Iran’s Missile Program Back Years

Israeli fighter jets have completed a massive wave of 140 strikes, successfully destroying critical missile production facilities and UAV engine plants deep inside Iranian territory. The Israeli Air Force has delivered a crippling blow to the Iranian military industrial complex, conducting over 140 precision strikes in a single 24 hour period. The operation, directed by the Intelligence Directorate, targeted dozens of weapons manufacturing sites in Tehran and across central and western Iran. 

The primary objective was to dismantle the infrastructure used to produce ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Among the high value targets destroyed was a unique facility used by the Iranian Ministry of Defense to manufacture critical components for long range missiles, one of only two such sites in the entire country.

The overnight strikes were wide ranging and systematic. Israeli aircraft successfully hit sites dedicated to the production of ballistic missile engines, weapons storage bunkers, and factories producing engines for "suicide drones." Additionally, a central military facility used for the development of air defense systems and the storage of anti-aircraft missiles was neutralized. In the northern theater, the IDF also identified and destroyed a loaded missile launcher in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley that was ready for immediate firing toward Israel. By targeting the source of the weaponry, the IDF aims to significantly reduce the regime's capacity to continue its long distance war against Israeli citizens. (Source)

 

Netanyahu orders IDF to expand security zone in Southern Lebanon

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that he had instructed the Israel Defense Forces to “further expand the existing security zone” on the Lebanese side of the border with Israel to “finally thwart the threat of invasion and to keep anti-tank missile fire away.” Until 2000, Israel had maintained a buffer zone in Southern Lebanon, together with the now-defunct South Lebanon Army, a predominantly Christian entity with recruits from the Maronite minority of Lebanon. After the 2000 IDF pullout, Hezbollah became one of the best-armed terror groups in the world, capable of sustained fighting with the IDF.

“It must be understood that [slain Hezbollah leader Hassan] Nasrallah created a great force here. He believed that with this force he would destroy us. We eliminated Nasrallah. We eliminated thousands of Hezbollah terrorists, and above all, we eliminated the enormous threat of 150,000 missiles and rockets, which were intended to destroy Israeli cities,” Netanyahu said. “But Hezbollah still has a residual ability to launch rockets at us.”

Netanyahu said he’d discussed with the heads of the IDF Northern Command “ways to remove this threat as well,” though he added that he “cannot share these discussions.” The premier added “that we are determined to fundamentally change this situation in the north.” In a short address announcing the security buffer push, Netanyahu also provided an overview of what he presented as the achievements of the war against Iran and its proxies since the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, massacre. “We are in a multi-front campaign. We are striking with tremendous force at Iran and its proxies. We are bringing about tremendous achievements, achievements that are creating visible cracks in the terrorist regime in Tehran.”

Instead of those entities surprising Israel, “we are surprising them. We are the active party, we are the attacking party, we are the initiating side—and we are deep in their territory,” he said. Netanyahu recalled that shortly after the Oct. 7 Hamas invasion, he’d said that “we would change the face of the Middle East, and we did it. But we also changed our security concept. We are initiating, we are attacking, and we have created three security belts deep in enemy territory.” In Syria, he said, the buffer extends from the crest of Mount Hermon to the Yarmouk River; in Gaza, to more than half of the Strip. “And in Lebanon, I have now instructed to further expand the existing security zone,” Netanyahu said. (Source)

Israeli strike on Beirut earlier killed at least 3 Hezbollah members, security source says

BEIRUT, Lebanon — An Israeli airstrike on a residential building near Beirut’s southern suburbs killed at least three Hezbollah members, a security source tells AFP.

The strike “targeted an office used by Hezbollah, killing three members and seriously wounding three others,” while the Israeli army, for its part, announced it had “begun striking Hezbollah terrorist infrastructures in Beirut.”

An AFP photographer says the targeted apartment is located in a neighborhood crowded with shops and commercial establishments, several of which were damaged, adding that armed Hezbollah members set up a security cordon following the strike. (Source)

12 US troops wounded, 2 seriously, in Iranian attack on Saudi base — report

Several aerial refueling planes said damaged; ballistic missile and drones used in attack; 300 American soldiers injured since start of war, vast majority of casualties described as minor.

An Iranian attack on a base in Saudi Arabia has wounded at least 12 American soldiers, two of them seriously, US media reported Friday. Iran has kept up retaliatory attacks on Gulf nations it accuses of serving as a launchpad for US strikes on the regime, which began in a joint operation with Israel on February 28. The attack on the Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia included at least one missile and several drones, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal reported, citing unidentified officials.

The soldiers were inside a building at the base when it was struck, the Journal reported. Several aerial refueling planes also suffered damage in the attack, the reports said. Saudi Arabia has previously intercepted several missiles fired near the base. The Pentagon and US Central Command did not immediately respond to AFP requests for comment. Thirteen US military service members have been killed since the conflict with Iran broke out, with seven killed in the Gulf and six in Iraq. More than 300 more have been wounded.

According to US Navy Captain Tim Hawkins, the “vast majority” of the injuries have been minor, and most troops have already returned to duty.A US official who asked not to be identified told AFP that 10 troops remained seriously wounded. Iran’s government has not released an updated casualty toll, but a US-based activist group said on March 23 that around 1,167 Iranian troops had been killed and that the status of 658 troops was unknown. AFP is not able to independently verify tolls in Iran due to reporting restrictions. (Read More)

IDF slays Hezbollah ‘journalist,’ seizes hundreds of weapons in Lebanese school

Two Israeli officers were critically wounded during ground operations in Southern Lebanon. Commandos from the Israeli Navy’s Shayetet 13 unit raided a school in Al-Khiam, Southern Lebanon, seizing hundreds of weapons kept there, on March 27, 2026. Photos: IDF. In Southern Lebanon on Saturday, the Israel Defense Forces targeted and killed Ali Hassan Shaib, a Hezbollah Radwan Force terrorist who operated for years under the guise of a journalist for the terrorist organization’s Al-Manar television network, the military said in a statement.

In his journalist role, Shaib “consistently worked to expose the locations of IDF troops operating in Southern Lebanon and along the border, and maintained continuous contact with other operatives in [Hezbollah’s elite] Radwan Force in particular and within the organization in general,” the IDF said.
In addition, he engaged in incitement against IDF troops and civilians of the State of Israel, serving as Hezbollah’s mouthpiece for distributing propaganda materials, including during the ongoing “Operation Roaring Lion,” the army continued. The IDF will continue to act forcefully against the terrorist organization Hezbollah, which chose to join the fighting and operate under the auspices of the Iranian terrorist regime, and will not allow harm to the civilians of the State of Israel,” the military stressed.

According to the Al-Manar website in English, Fatima Ftouni, a correspondent of the Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Mayadeen channel, was also killed in the strike Ftouni’s brother, a videographer, and Shaib’s relative were also killed, Lebanese media reported. The group was struck by a drone while driving on the main road in Jezzine, located some 14 miles east to the coastal city of Sidon, reports added. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the strike, calling it “⁠a brazen crime that violates all treaties and norms through which journalists enjoy international protection in war,” Reuters reported.Meanwhile, IDF troops continued to press forward in Southern Lebanon over the weekend, clearing the area of terrorist elements responsible for attacks on Israelis.

As part of this effort, the Israeli Navy’s Shayetet 13 (“Flotilla 13") commando unit carried out a targeted raid on Friday following intelligence of the presence of weapons in a school in the village of Al-Khiam in the Nabatieh Governorate, northeast of the Israeli town of Metula, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said on Saturday. (Ed note: Did you know that the Israeli Navy had a commando unit?)    (Read More)

The US may be weighing a ground operation in Iran, and it could last for weeks - report

According to the report, any operation would not involve a full-scale invasion. US President Trump had not yet approved the plans due to the high risk they pose to American soldiers.

The Pentagon is preparing for a ground operation against Iran that could last weeks if US President Donald Trump decides to attack Tehran by ground, The Washington Post reported on Saturday, citing US officials. According to the report, any operation would not involve a full-scale invasion but would instead focus on special operations missions and specific infantry ground operations.

The report also mentions that, due to the high risk that these operations would represent for American soldiers, it was unclear as of Saturday night if Trump would approve of such an operation. “It’s the job of the Pentagon to make preparations in order to give the Commander in Chief maximum optionality. It does not mean the President has made a decision,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said when asked about the report of a possible ground operation.

The report comes as an expeditionary force of 2,500 US Marines, accompanied by 2,500 sailors, arrived in the Middle East on Sunday aboard the USS Tripoli amphibious ready group, according to The New York Times. The Washington Post also reported that the Pentagon did not respond to requests for comment. Senior US officials told The Jerusalem Post last week that it appears there may be no alternative but for the United States to launch a ground military operation to seize the Iranian island of Kharg.

The US attacked military targets on the island back on March 13, with Trump saying that it decided to "spare" the oil infrastructure on the island. Kharg is Iran's main oil processing site, with 90% of its exports passing through the island before being shipped. A US official confirmed to the Post that “the US military has accelerated the deployment of thousands of Marines and Navy personnel to the Middle East.” (Read More)