US-Israel-Iran war LIVE updates: Radioactive fallout will end life in GCC capitals, not Tehran, warns Araghchi

US-Israel-Iran war LIVE updates:

As hostilities continue in West Asia, the United States and Israel continue to strike Iran. Tehran has retaliated by striking across the Gulf and blocking the strategic Strait of Hormuz, warning that any vessels passing through the waterway could be targeted. The war has triggered a global energy crisis and trade disruptions. The conflict began on February 28 when the US and Israeli military launched strikes on Iran, killing Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei and several other top Iranian officials. The operation was named ‘Epic Fury’ by the US and ‘Lion’s Roar’ by Israel. The attacks came amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran and ongoing talks over Iran’s nuclear program.

US President Donald Trump has proposed a peace plan to end the war with Iran, which has been going on for over a month now. He has reiterated that talks are ongoing despite Tehran rejecting the claims of any negotiations taking place. In his 15-point peace plan, Trump has demanded that Iran end all uranium enrichment and close Natanz, Isfahan and Fordow nuclear facilities. However, Tehran has rejected the proposal and laid out its own terms, demanding guarantees.

In a recent development, Iran has shot down an American F-15E fighter jet. A rescue operation managed to recover one of the two crew members, while the fate of the second remains unclear. Iran has also claimed downing a US UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter while an A-10 Warthog reportedly crashed in the Persian Gulf near the Strait of Hormuz. In his first comments on the jet incidents, Trump said the downing of an American military jet would not affect negotiations with Iran. 

 
Radioactive fallout will end life in GCC capitals, not Tehran, warns Araghchi

"Israel-U.S. have bombed our Bushehr plant four times now. Radioactive fallout will end life in GCC capitals, not Tehran," says Araghchi after attack near nuclear plant.  (Ed note: That was all FM Araghchi said in this article.)   (Source)

Trump Was Wrong: New Leaked Intel Reveals Iran’s Arsenal Survived Massive Strikes

New intel contradicts President Trump’s claims on Iran: Thousands of drones and underground bunkers remain operational, posing a frightening and very real risk to the region. 

More than a month into the war involving Israel, the United States, and Iran, a new intelligence report obtained by CNN reveals a stark disconnect between official government rhetoric and the reality on the ground. Despite weeks of intensive airstrikes, the report suggests Iran’s military infrastructure remains a potent threat. While President Donald Trump stated last Wednesday that Iranian capabilities had been "dramatically curtailed" and weapon factories "blown to smithereens," the internal intelligence data tells a different story:

* Missile Launchers: Approximately 50% of Tehran’s missile launchers remain intact.

* Drones: Thousands of kamikaze drones are still operational within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard 

   Corps (IRGC) arsenal. 

* Subterranean Fortifications: Intelligence officials explain that official estimates often overlook launchers stored in deep underground bunkers and mountain caves. While strikes on entrances have rendered some sites temporarily inaccessible, the hardware inside remains largely undamaged. 

The report highlights a critical and ongoing threat to the maritime sector. Despite the near-total destruction of the regular Iranian Navy, the IRGC Navy has managed to preserve roughly half of its operational capacity.

* Coastal Defense: A high percentage of Iran’s coastal defense cruise missiles are untouched.

* Asymmetric Warfare: The IRGC maintains thousands of fast attack boats and unmanned surface vessels designed for "swarm" tactics. 

* Strategic Impact: These remaining assets allow Tehran to maintain a credible threat against freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital chokepoint for global oil supplies.

While Israeli and American strikes have achieved significant tactical successes, the report concludes that the core of Iran’s asymmetric and long-range strike capabilities is still very much active. (Ed note: We'll just have to wait and see on this one. If the news source is CNN and the IRGC, One just don't have a lot of faith in their ability.  (Source)

Iran reportedly recovering bombed missile bunkers within hours after being struck

Iranian personnel are digging out underground missile bunkers and silos from the rubble, bringing them back into service hours after being struck by the US and Israel, according to US intelligence reports cited by the New York Times.

American intelligence also assesses that Tehran has preserved a notable amount of missiles and mobile launchers, and has cast doubt on how close Washington has come to its goal of destroying the Islamic Republic’s missile capability, the Times reports.

According to the report, Washington cannot be certain how many missile launchers have been destroyed because Iran has deployed decoys. (Ed note: If true, this is not a good look for President Trump.) (Source)

US intelligence report: Half of Iran's missile launchers unharmed

US intelligence believes Iran still capable of launching missiles and UAVs, despite US President Donald Trump's more optimistic claims.

A Thursday night report by CNN revealed a more complex and less encouraging picture regarding Iran’s military capabilities, after over a month of airstrikes by Israel and the US. According to three sources familiar with the intelligence details, Iran’s arsenal is far from destroyed, and large portions of it have not been hit at all.

According to the sources, about half of Iran’s missile launchers remain intact and operational. Many of them survived the strikes thanks to an extensive network of “missile cities" - underground tunnels and caves built over decades that are extremely difficult to detect or destroy from the air. Estimates indicate that around 50% of Iran’s suicide drone arsenal remains intact, leaving the regime with thousands of UAVs capable of operating across the Middle East.

A significant portion of the cruise missiles belonging to Iran’s Navy also remain intact, largely because the US chose not to focus its strikes on coastal military assets. In addition, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps still possesses hundreds or even thousands of fast boats and unmanned vessels. On Wednesday evening, US President Donald Trump claimed that Iran's ability to launch missiles and drones has been "dramatically curtailed, and their weapons factories and rocket launchers are being blown to pieces, very few of them left." Though there has been a 90% drop in launches since the start of the war, intelligence indicates that this is due to a drop in usage, not a drop in ability. (Source)

Netanyahu vows to continue crushing Iranian regime during security assessment

“Together with our American friends, we continue to crush the terror regime in Iran. We are eliminating commanders, bombing bridges, striking infrastructure,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to crush the Iranian regime during a security assessment at the Kirya in Tel Aviv on Friday. “In full coordination between myself and President Trump, between the IDF and the United States Army, we will continue to crush Iran. This regime is weaker than ever - Israel is stronger than ever,” Netanyahu stated. He detailed that the Air Force has destroyed around 70% of the regime’s steel production capacity, describing the move as “a tremendous achievement that deprives the Revolutionary Guards of both financial resources and the ability to produce many weapons.”

“Together with our American friends, we continue to crush the terror regime in Iran. We are eliminating commanders, bombing bridges, striking infrastructure,” Netanyahu said of Operation Roaring Lion and Operation Epic Fury. He added that Israel is also continuing its operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon, stating that the IDF will “continue to strike Hezbollah decisively.”

“We are continuing to expand the security zone and establish it in order to protect the northern communities. Netanyahu also commended the citizens of Israel for maintaining their resilience and for following Home Front Command guidelines even during the Passover holiday. “With God’s help, we will continue to fight and achieve all our objectives. Happy holidays,” Netanyahu concluded. (Source)

Inside the Red Unit: the IDF women trained to think like the enemy

The soldiers of the all-female Red Unit study Hezbollah and Hamas down to the smallest tactical detail – then use that knowledge to expose every gap in Israel's defenses before the shooting starts for real. 

  

Imagine you are a fighter in an IDF elite unit. In two days, a critical mission in Lebanon awaits. Before the operation, you are taken for a final drill at one of the military's training grounds – to sharpen your combat edge and make sure every shot you fire hits the enemy's kill zone dead on. You enter the training compound according to procedure. Everything is advancing smoothly, including the preparations for commendation. Then, in the very last room, a split second before the finish line, a corporal leaps from a hiding spot and shouts at you, "Fire, fire." That's it – you've been neutralized.

Congratulations. You have just had a close encounter with one of the IDF's enemy simulators – a soldier who outsmarted you and caught you in a moment of inattention. From that incident, you are meant to emerge stronger and equipped with lessons that will sharpen your performance in real combat, against a real enemy. "We were waiting for a force inside a large building, and the fighters simply didn't check one of the rooms. I shouted 'Fire, fire' first," recalled Cpl. S. (19), a soldier in the IDF's Red Unit, which simulates enemy forces. "A few months later, I was on guard duty at a base with some fighters, and one of them said to me, 'I remember you from that drill – you and your friends really caught us off guard.'"

The Red Unit was established six years ago and comprises 80 female fighters. Over the course of three and a half months, they undergo specialized training, and their primary mission is to get inside the mind of a Hamas terrorist or a Hezbollah fighter, understand how the enemy operates and what drives him, and then simulate him as realistically as possible in drills against IDF forces.

"When I enlisted, I didn't know the Red Unit existed," 2nd Lt. S. (21), a company commander in the unit, said. "My assignment sheet said 'enemy-forces simulator,' so at least I figured I wouldn't be sitting in an office every day and that I'd be able to influence the combat readiness of fighters in the field. It sounded cool to get to know the enemy, to understand how he operates. I was excited, and in training, a whole new world was opened up to me. (Read More)

Iraqi PMF presence in Iran raises alarm over crackdown, potential US ground war

PMF units reportedly entered Iran last January and assisted the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in the massacre of civilians.

State media in Iran have published images showing Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) fighters entering Khuzestan, provoking anger and revulsion among many Iranians, who say these proxy forces are repeatedly brought into the country to kill protesters and defend the ruling system.

On Tuesday, Masoud Pezeshkian, the president of the ruling establishment, wrote in a post on X/Twitter, a platform that has been blocked for ordinary Iranians for years, thanking the “Muslim people of Iraq” for standing by the people of Iran in what he called this “unjust” war. He also wrote, “I warmly shake the hands of the people, officials, and fighters of Iraq in Mesopotamia.” Although domestic media have not disclosed how many PMF fighters have entered Iran, residents of Khuzestan say at least 1,000 armed members of the force, carrying its official flags, have entered the province under the guise of a “relief convoy,” arriving with vehicles and military equipment.

They add that others may also have entered the country unofficially and covertly. Under Article 146 of the Islamic Republic’s own constitution, the stationing of armed foreign military forces on Iranian soil is illegal. In previous years, the deployment of Russian forces at a military base inside Iran drew sharp criticism from the press and even from some members of parliament on precisely those grounds. (Read More)

US intelligence said to assess around half of Iran’s missile launchers still intact

Estimate differs from Israel’s, possibly due to not counting launchers that are merely inaccessible; Trump says Israel a ‘team player’ on Iran, ‘will stop when I stop.'

US intelligence has assessed that around half of Iran’s ballistic missile launchers are still intact despite over a month of US and Israeli bombardment across the country, CNN reported early Friday, citing three sources familiar with the intelligence. Some of the remaining missile launchers are not believed to be accessible at present, due to having been buried under rubble amid the waves of airstrikes, the report said.

Israel said in March that it had destroyed or disabled around 60 percent of Iran’s estimated 470 ballistic missile launchers. However, the discrepancy between the two estimates could be put down to differences in how Israel and the US classify launchers that are intact but inaccessible, the report indicated. By Israel’s assessment, around 200 launchers were destroyed in strikes, while another 80 are not considered to be operational after the IAF struck tunnel entrances to subterranean facilities where they are stored. Separately, US intelligence assessments have also indicated that Iran still has thousands of attack drones stockpiled and ready for use, the report said.

The Islamic Republic also remains in possession of “a large percentage” of its coastal defense cruise missiles, which play a key role in Iran’s threats to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Additionally, sources said that while Iran’s navy has largely been taken out, the naval forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) still have about half of their capabilities intact, including “hundreds, if not thousands, of small boats and unmanned surface vessels.” The IRGC is largely responsible for the harassment of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. (Read More)

Trump vows more Iran strikes after bridge attack

The U.S. president posted footage on social media showing the destruction of a major bridge linking Tehran with the nearby city of Karaj.

President Donald Trump warned on Friday that U.S. forces have not yet “started destroying what’s left in Iran,” vowing more attacks on critical infrastructure following airstrikes that destroyed the country’s tallest bridge. In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “Bridges next, then Electric Power Plants! New Regime leadership knows what has to be done, and has to be done, FAST!” Trump on Thursday again urged Iran to “make a deal before it is too late,” after the strike on a major bridge connecting Tehran to the nearby city of Karaj. “The biggest bridge in Iran comes tumbling down, never to be used again—much more to follow,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, sharing footage of the attack. “It is time for Iran to make a deal before it is too late, and there is nothing left of what still could become a great country!” the president added.

The B1 bridge, part of a central transit route between the western part of the Iranian capital and Karaj, is considered the tallest bridge in the Middle East, with a height of at least 446 feet. In response, Iranian state media said that bridges across the region had become “legitimate targets” for the Islamic Republic. Outlets linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps specifically mentioned the Arik Bridge on Route 87 in Israel, linking the Lower Galilee to the Golan Heights. On Wednesday, Trump said that the U.S.-Israel military campaign against Iran could conclude within two to three weeks as the “core strategic objectives” are near completion.

“Never in the history of warfare has an enemy suffered such clear and devastating large-scale losses in a matter of weeks. Our enemies are losing and America, as it has been for five years under my presidency, is winning and now winning bigger than ever before,” Trump said in an address to the nation from the White House. “We are going to hit them extremely hard over the next two to three weeks; we’re going to bring them back to the Stone Age, where they belong,” he vowed. The president stressed that his administration did not seek regime change in Iran, but that has already transpired after its original leaders were killed. He threatened that if an agreement is not reached, “we are going to hit each and every one of their electric generating plants very hard and probably simultaneously. We have not hit their oil even though that’s the easiest target of all, because it would not give them even a small chance of survival or rebuilding. But we could hit it and it would be gone, and there’s not a thing they can do about it.” (Source)

Katz to Hezbollah chief Qassem: You won't live to see Israel’s full response to Passover attacks

"You and your friends will pay a very heavy price for the increased shooting at Israeli citizens while they are sitting down to celebrate the Seder Night,” Katz told Qassem in a video message.

Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a stark warning to Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem on Thursday, saying he would not live to see the “very heavy price” for attacks on Israel during Passover and would end up “at the bottom of hell” with other eliminated Iranian proxy leaders. Katz’s comments came in a video message following a Thursday situational assessment with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and other top military officials at “the pit,” the IDF’s command center beneath the Kiyra military compound.

"I have a clear message to Naim Qassem, Secretary-General of the Hezbollah terrorist organization: You and your friends will pay a very heavy price for the increased shooting at Israeli citizens while they are sitting down to celebrate the Seder Night,” Katz said. Previously, the IDF on Wednesday warned that Iran and Hezbollah might launch coordinated attacks on Israel at the start of the holiday that evening. Iran then fired around 10 ballistic missiles minutes before Passover began in one of the most significant barrages from the Islamic Republic in weeks.

“You will no not be able to see [the heavy price], because you will be at the bottom of hell together with Nasrallah, Khamenei, Sinwar, and all the eliminated members of the axis of evil,” Katz said, adding, “but the Hezbollah terrorist organization, which you now head, and its supporters in Lebanon will pay the heaviest prices.” (Ed note: Perhaps there is a new pocket pager in Qassem's short future.) (Read More)

Hezbollah fires some 130 rockets at north on Passover; 4 lightly injured

Four people were lightly injured as Hezbollah fired around 130 rockets at northern Israel on Wednesday and Thursday, the start of the Passover holiday, as the military struck dozens of sites in Lebanon belonging to the Iran-backed terror group. The bombardment as Israelis celebrated the first two days of the Passover festival sent hundreds of thousands of people into shelters, as Iran continued to also launch missiles at the country, including the north. Two men, aged 34 and 85, were wounded Thursday when a rocket struck a building in Kiryat Shmona, according to the Magen David Adom ambulance service.

Later, two men in their 30s and 40s were lightly wounded when a Hezbollah rocket struck the northern town of Bi’ina, Magen David Adom emergency personnel said. Footage showed scenes of property damage after the barrages in the north, including a McDonald’s restaurant near Kibbutz Ma’ayan Baruch with many of its windows blown out. Damage was also caused to an empty daycare in the northern city of Nahariya, according to rescue services. Rocket sirens also sounded in the Krayot suburbs of Haifa, though according to the IDF, most of the rockets were intercepted and others were allowed to hit open areas, “according to protocol.” No injuries were reported.

The IDF said on Thursday that more than 40 Hezbollah operatives were killed and dozens of sites belonging to the terror group in Lebanon were struck in the past day. The Israeli Air Force bombed dozens of Hezbollah command centers, weapons depots, rocket launchers and anti-tank missile launch posts, according to the military. The IDF said the Israeli Navy also struck a Hezbollah weapons depot in southern Lebanon. Meanwhile, ground forces continued operations in southern Lebanon. (Read More)

Hezbollah fires missiles at central Israel on Passover eve

Hezbollah fires two surface-to-surface missiles toward central Israel on Passover eve, hours after a major Iranian ballistic missile barrage. One missile intercepted, the second lands in open area.

Hezbollah terrorists on Wednesday evening fired two surface-to-surface missiles from Lebanon towards central Israel. The launches, which came as Israelis mark the start of the holiday of Passover, triggered sirens in Tel Aviv and the area, as well as south of that area, in Ashdod, Ashkelon and the Central Coastal Plain. One of the missiles was successfully intercepted, and the second one landed in an open area. Magen David Adom said no reports of injuries were received.

The missiles from Lebanon came hours after the Iranian regime launched an unusually large salvo of eight to ten ballistic missiles toward central Israel. In some locations, missile sirens sounded five times within a few minutes. Following the barrage, rescue forces were dispatched to several impact sites in Tel Aviv, Ramat Gan, Bnei Brak, and Savyon.

Magen David Adom teams searched ten different scenes from which calls were received and found no physical injuries. At the same time, they treated a small number of people suffering from anxiety and five cases of injuries sustained by civilians on their way to protected areas. IDF spokesman Effie Defrin addressed the citizens of Israel on Wednesday, shortly before the onset of Passover, amid Operation Roaring Lion against Iran, and warned of the possibility of missile launches at the country during the holiday. (Source)

Gulf states consider bypassing Strait of Hormuz with new oil pipelines via Haifa - FT

The Financial Times reported that the Gulf states aim to create a new network of pipelines, roads, and railways to stop relying on the Strait of Hormuz.

The Gulf states are considering expanding their oil pipelines beyond the Strait of Hormuz in a bid to bypass dependence on the crucial Persian Gulf waterway for exports, The Financial Times reported on Thursday morning. One of the main options examined reportedly includes a trade route that would connect the Arabian peninsula with the Mediterranean through the port of Haifa. According to the report, Saudi Arabia has been the only Gulf state to maintain a steady flow of oil exports amid the war, mainly thanks to the East-West pipeline, which connects its oil fields to the Red Sea port of Yanbu and bypasses the Strait.

“In hindsight, the East-West pipeline looks like a genius masterstroke,” a senior Gulf energy executive told FT. The report mentions that the new projects being considered include not only a new pipeline or the expansion of current infrastructure, but rather the creation of a new network of pipelines, trains, and roads that would allow us to stop relying on the Strait of Hormuz. Christopher Bush, the chief executive of the Lebanese construction company Cat Group, which was one of the main builders of the Saudi East-West pipeline, confirmed to FT that the company "had inquiries about various pipelines." The main project mentioned in the FT report is the US-led IMEC, which would connect India to the Mediterranean Sea via a network of roads, railways, and pipelines. The main challenge for this plan would be securing Saudi Arabia's agreement to include the port of Haifa on the route.

Yossi Abu, the chief executive of Israeli company NewMed Energy, said that the pipes to the Mediterranean were needed for people "to control their own destinies, with their friends." “You need oil pipelines, railway connectivity throughout the region, onshore, without giving others bottlenecks to choke us,” Abu told FT. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that the only solution to the Strait of Hormuz crisis would be to reroute the pipelines to gain easier access to the Mediterranean. (Read More)

The Real Hormuz Crisis Is Only Beginning

The world needs one barrel of this fuel for every three people on Earth, every single day. It can’t be replaced with any other fuel. And virtually every industrial and agricultural process depends on it. I’m not talking about oil. Or gasoline. I’m talking about the fuel that powers every economy on Earth: diesel. Every day, the world consumes roughly 29 million barrels of diesel and similar gasoil fuels. Global oil demand of all kinds is about 105 million barrels per day. So diesel alone is only about a quarter of that. But it’s the most important fraction. And it’s impossible to replace.

Diesel is no ordinary commodity. It is distilled from crude oil in a precise alchemy that begins when raw barrels – pumped from the deserts of Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and the UAE – are heated in towering refinery columns. Lighter fractions rise first (gasoline and naphtha), followed by the middle distillates boiling between 315°F and 450°F that yield diesel.

Hydrotreating these middle distillates scrubs out sulfur to meet ultra-low-sulfur diesel standards. The result: a dense, high-energy fuel that powers 99% of the heavy trucks, locomotives, ships’ auxiliary engines, farm tractors, mining haulers, and emergency generators that underpin modern civilization. Virtually every long-haul truck on every continent runs on diesel. Without it, global supply chains seize. One barrel of crude typically yields about 23% diesel after refining – far more than gasoline in many complex facilities – making it the workhorse of freight, agriculture, and construction. In large-population economies, the stakes are existential:

* Indonesia’s 270 million people rely on diesel for inter-island ferries and the trucks that move rice, palm oil, and manufactured goods

* Europe’s 450 million people depend on it for cross-border trucking that delivers everything from German auto parts to French produce

* China’s 1.4 billion keep factories and ports alive with diesel-powered logistics 

  

If the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, the world’s economy will collapse, and the reason it will collapse is diesel. In a typical year, New York Harbor ultra‑low‑sulfur diesel trades somewhere in the $2.25 to $3.25 per gallon range. When diesel pokes above $3.50, people in the business start using words like “tight.” On March 20, the price hit $4.71. If you own a trucking fleet, your single largest operating cost just went vertical. The only time prices have ever been higher was at the beginning of the Russian-Ukraine war. The price hit $5.33 on May 11, 2022. Europe has its own benchmark called ICE Low Sulphur Gasoil. In calm times it trades between $600 and $900 per metric ton. But when Russia rolled into Ukraine in February 2022, that contract raced up, peaking around $1,250. Today, it’s trading over those previous records around $1,400. (Ed note: A somewhat long, but very interesting article.) (Read More)

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)

THE FUTURE WAR PROPHECIES

In the last days, mankind will dwell in a war-torn world! Conventional battles, nuclear exchanges and supernatural demonic invasions are coming.

The FUTURE WAR Prophecies book and DVD locates the battlefields, identifies the participants, explains the motives, provides the details and explores the outcomes of these coming world changing conflicts which include:

• Israel vs. Iran and its proxies,
• The destruction of Damascus in Isaiah 17,
• The final Arab-Israeli war of Psalm 83,
• The Russian coalition’s invasion of Israel in Ezekiel 38,
• The two Christian-killing crusades of the Tribulation Period,
• The demonic invasion that torments unsaved people for 5 months,
• The 200-million demonic army that kills one-third of humankind,
• The war in heaven between Michael the archangel vs. Satan,
• The battle of Armageddon between Jesus Christ vs. Antichrist,
• The final Gog of Magog War at the end of the Millennium.

These wars and more are covered in this revealing book. Don’t be caught in the crossfire! Discover what wars are coming so that you can keep yourself and your loved ones out of harm’s way. (CLICK HERE)

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)