Israel sends troops into southern Lebanon as Hezbollah says it is ready for ‘open war’

BEIRUT (AP) — Israel sent troops into southern Lebanon on Tuesday and warned residents of more than 80 villages to evacuate as the Iran-backed militant Hezbollah group said it was ready for an “open war” with Israel in the wake of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. The development came after Hezbollah fired rockets and launched drones early Monday toward northern Israel. Israel retaliated with a wave of airstrikes that killed 50 people in Lebanon, including seven children as well as a Palestinian militant and a Hezbollah intelligence official in Beirut’s southern suburbs.

That death toll is a revised figure from an earlier one reported by the Health Ministry, which originally said Monday that 52 people died in the strikes. Lebanese Health Minister Rakan Nassereddine then on Tuesday reduced that number to 40, then later raised the toll to 50. Lebanon also said 335 people were wounded and that tens of thousands were displaced. The U.N. refugee agency said Tuesday that 30,000 displaced people were staying in collective shelters in Lebanon, “while many others slept in their cars, on sides of the roads as they could not yet find safe shelter.”

Hezbollah fired two salvos of rockets toward northern Israel, the militant group said while Israeli airstrikes overnight damaged a building housing Hezbollah’s television and radio stations. Beirut’s southern suburbs also saw a series of strikes on Tuesday afternoon that came without warning. The Israeli military later said it targeted Hezbollah officials.

The Israeli military’s Arabic spokesman, Avichay Adraee, warned residents of more than 80 villages and towns in southern Lebanon to leave, adding that people should not return to these areas until further notice. A senior Hezbollah official said that after more than a year of abiding by a ceasefire as Israel’s strikes continued on Lebanon, the group’s patience has ended, leaving it with no option but to fight Israel. “The Zionist enemy wanted an open war, which it has not stopped since the ceasefire agreement,” Mohamoud Komati said. “So let it be an open war,” added the Hezbollah official. (Read More)

BREAKING: IDF Ground Forces Enter Lebanon

IDF troops have begun seizing dominant tactical positions on the Lebanese side of the border. Forces are currently focusing on the immediate security zone to neutralize Hezbollah threats. In a significant tactical development on the fourth day of Operation Roaring Lion, the IDF has transitioned from holding fixed border outposts to seizing "controlling points" on the Lebanese side of the frontier. According to military correspondent Yinon Yatach, the strategy of maintaining presence at only five specific strategic outposts (a carryover from previous ceasefire arrangements) has been abandoned in favor of a more fluid, offensive posture. 

 Current Tactical Status

* Dominant Positions: IDF ground units have begun moving into Lebanese territory to take control of ridges and high-ground positions that overlook Israeli border communities. This move is designed to deny Hezbollah direct line-of-sight for anti-tank missiles and sniper fire.

* The "Security Zone": For now, military sources indicate that the forces are remaining within the immediate security zone (the area directly adjacent to the Blue Line). The goal is to create a "buffer of safety" rather than a deep territorial conquest at this stage.

* Operational Goal: By holding these high points, the IDF can more effectively monitor and strike Hezbollah cells attempting to approach the fence or launch short-range projectiles.

Chief of Staff's Directive

This maneuver follows a clear directive from IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, who stated yesterday that there would be "no more evacuations" of Israeli towns. To fulfill this promise, the IDF is now moving the "front line" several hundred meters into Lebanese territory to ensure that any combat takes place on the enemy's side of the border. Reports indicate that Hezbollah's elite Radwan forces approached the Israel-Lebanon border, and that's what caused this shift. (Read More)

Watch: Broad strikes on Hezbollah and Hamas targets in southern Lebanon

The IDF carries out broad strikes on Hezbollah and Hamas terror targets in southern Lebanon, including weapons depots and launchers in Tyre and Sidon.

The IDF on Tuesday evening completed additional broad-scale strikes targeting Hezbollah terrorist targets in southern Lebanon. Among the targets struck were weapons storage facilities, missile launchers, command centers, and a number of terrorist infrastructure sites belonging to the Hezbollah and Hamas terrorist organizations in areas of Tyre and Sidon in southern Lebanon.

The IDF noted that the infrastructure sites were used by the terrorist organizations to advance and carry out various terror attacks against IDF troops and Israeli civilians. Prior to the strikes, measures were taken to minimize the risk of harm to civilians, including advance warnings, the use of precision munitions, and aerial surveillance.

“The IDF is operating determinedly against Hezbollah following the terrorist organization’s decision to deliberately attack Israel in defense of the Iranian terrorist regime and will not allow any harm to the civilians of the State of Israel," said the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit. (Source)

Hezbollah targets Tel Aviv area for first time since 2024 ceasefire

The Iranian-backed Hezbollah terrorist group fired three rockets into Israel on Tuesday night, targeting the Tel Aviv region for the first time since the November 2024 ceasefire, the Israel Defense Forces said.“Following alerts that were activated a short time ago in the center and north of the country, several launches were identified crossing from Lebanese territory,” the IDF stated. The Air Force shot down two projectiles, and one rocket fell in an open area, the army added. The attacks activated air-raid sirens in the center and Tel Aviv, as well as parts of the north, including Haifa, sending millions running for shelter.

The Magen David Adom emergency response group said an Israeli man in his 40s sustained a head wound when running to a bomb shelter in Holon, a city just south of Tel Aviv. The man was evacuated to Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center’s Ichilov Hospital in moderate condition. The IDF on Wednesday morning announced a series of fresh strikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon’s capital, Beirut, in response. 

The Iranian-backed terror army in Lebanon launched dozens of rockets and several unmanned aerial vehicles across the Jewish state’s northern border throughout the day on Tuesday, injuring at least one Israeli. In response, the IDF struck approximately 60 Hezbollah targets in Southern Lebanon, the military announced late on Tuesday night. (Read More)

Lindsey Graham urges Trump to join Israel in striking Hezbollah

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) called on President Trump on Tuesday to join Israel in striking the Hezbollah terrorist organization in Lebanon. The appeal came as the IDF struck Hezbollah targets and sent troops across the border into southern Lebanon. The moves followed Hezbollah’s violations of the ceasefire in Lebanon by firing rockets toward Israel and joining Iran’s attacks during the ongoing US-Israeli war.

Speaking to reporters and quoted by CBS, Graham said, "I'm calling on President Trump today: Join Israel to attack Hezbollah. Avenge the Marines," referring to a 1993 suicide bombing of a US barracks in Lebanon that killed hundreds of American service members, an attack the United States has blamed on Hezbollah. Graham, a close ally of Trump and a hardliner on Iran, also defended the president’s military campaign against Iran. He argued the Iranian regime is in its "death throes" and said that "the demise of this regime is at hand."

Responding to criticism from Democrats who argue Iran did not pose an imminent threat to the United States, Graham said, "The idea that you're going to let a homicidal maniac get to the imminent stage, to me, is misplaced." Graham has long taken a tough line on Iran and spoke out against a deal between the US and Iran, arguing that true peace in the Middle East would only be possible once the Iranian regime falls. (Source)

Report: Israel hacked Tehran traffic cameras to track Khamenei ahead of assassination

Israel hacked into Tehran’s extensive traffic camera network in order to track the bodyguards of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other top Iranian officials ahead of Saturday’s assassination of the supreme leader, the Financial Times reported on Monday, citing two people familiar with the matter. Iran’s cameras are believed to be part of the state’s surveillance apparatus, allowing authorities to identify and pursue protesters and regime opponents. But the Mossad, Israel’s spy agency, was able to co-opt the network for use against the regime, the report said.

The FT said Israel gained access to the cameras years ago, and found that one particular camera was angled in such a way that it showed where members of Khamenei’s security team parked their cars. Through the cameras, Israeli intelligence built files on the guards’ addresses, work schedules, and who they were assigned to protect. On the day of the attack, Israel and the US also disrupted cellular service on Tehran’s Pasteur Street, where Khamenei was assassinated, so those trying to reach the bodyguards and deliver possible warnings would receive busy signals, per the report.

“We knew Tehran like we know Jerusalem,” an Israeli intelligence official told the Financial Times. “And when you know [a place] as well as you know the street you grew up on, you notice a single thing that’s out of place.” Israel used AI tools and algorithms it had developed to sort through mountains of data it was amassing on Iran’s leadership and their movements, according to an official who spoke with the British daily, which said the bulk of the work was performed by the IDF’s Unit 8200. The massive data mining operation allowed the military to track Khamenei to the Saturday meeting where he was struck, and assured Mossad and the CIA that senior officials were on their way to the meeting. (Read More)

Russia halts construction work at Iran’s Bushehr nuclear plant due to strikes nearby

MOSCOW — Russia’s state nuclear corporation, Rosatom, has halted construction work at new units of Iran’s nuclear power plant in the port city of Bushehr because of the US-Israeli air assault on Iran, its chief Alexei Likhachev said Tuesday. Likhachev had earlier warned of the threat posed by strikes near Iranian nuclear facilities, and said explosions could be heard “just kilometers away” from the plant, although the facility itself was not being targeted. Work has been stopped at the construction sites of the second and third units of the plant, he told journalists.

“It is difficult to predict the further course of events, given the ongoing military operations against Iran, but our people will remain there in any case, and this facility will be among our priorities,” he said. Likhachev said there was no telephone or electronic communication with the leadership of the Iranian nuclear industry, but contact with colleagues at the construction site remained.

Some 639 Russian personnel remain in Iran, and some who were already in the capital Tehran are leaving, Likhachev said. Nearly 100 workers and their families were evacuated on Saturday, when US and Israeli attacks on Iran began, and Likhachev said evacuations of staff would continue during breaks in airstrikes. (Source)

IDF destroys secret nuclear site, over 300 ballistic missile launchers across Iran

The IDF destroyed a secret Iranian nuclear weapons development site on Tuesday, IDF Chief Spokesman Brig.-Gen. Effie Defrin revealed in a press conference. Separately, the IDF stated that, since the start of the war, the air force had destroyed some 300 Iranian missile launchers.

Naming the site as Min Zadai, on the northeast outskirts of Tehran, Defrin said that the site was linked to weapons development. He said that IDF intelligence followed nuclear scientists who tried to travel there clandestinely. By following these scientists, he said, the IDF was able to learn about the dangerous nature of these activities that could help Tehran resume aspects of weapons development for a nuclear bomb.

Most of the global media attention focuses on uranium enrichment since it is the hardest issue to conquer and can take many years to master. But without a number of weapons components being developed, enriched uranium cannot be delivered as a weapon. In June 2025, Israel’s bombing campaign destroyed dozens of sites relating to weapons development, essentially shutting down that side of the nuclear coin. Defrin’s revelation is the first public statement made by the IDF regarding Iran’s new progress with rehabilitating aspects of its weapons development since the 12 Day War in June 2025. (Source)

US Navy will protect Gulf shipping as Iran threatens Strait of Hormuz, according to President Trump

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the US Navy will protect commercial shipping in the Middle East “if necessary” and that his administration will offer government-backed insurance to safeguard maritime trade, as tensions with Iran disrupt global energy markets.

In a social media post, President Trump said Washington would provide “at a very reasonable price, political risk insurance and guarantees for ALL Maritime Trade, especially Energy, traveling through the Gulf.” He added that the plan “will ensure the FREE FLOW of ENERGY to the WORLD.”

His announcement came as oil and gas prices climbed amid concerns over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow passage between Oman and Iran that is vital to global supply. In 2025, about 13 million barrels of oil transited the route each day, representing roughly 31% of the world’s seaborne crude shipments, according to energy intelligence firm Kpler. Brent crude, the global benchmark, rose 2.6% to around $80 per barrel and is nearly 10% higher since the conflict began. Analysts have warned that a prolonged disruption could drive prices above $100 per barrel. (Read More)

Syria deploys thousands of troops to border with Lebanon, officials say

Syria has reinforced its border with Lebanon with rocket units and thousands of troops, eight Syrian and Lebanese sources said Tuesday, after the Lebanese terror group Hezbollah attacked Israel in support of Tehran amid the war that the US and Israel launched against Iran on Saturday. The sources included five Syrian military officers, a Syrian security official and two Lebanese security officials who spoke on condition of anonymity. The Syrian officers said the Syrian reinforcement operation began in February but sped up in recent days. The Syrian and Lebanese armed forces did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The Syrian officers, including a senior member of the military, said the move was aimed at preventing arms and drugs smuggling, and at blocking Iran-backed Hezbollah and other armed groups from infiltrating Syria. A Syrian officer told Reuters that military formations from several Syrian army divisions, including the 52nd and 84th Divisions, have expanded their presence along the border in western Homs countryside and south of Tartus. The reinforcements include infantry units, armored vehicles and short-range Grad and Katyusha rocket launchers, the official said.

The Syrian security official said Damascus had no plans for military action against any neighboring country. “But Syria is prepared to deal with any security threat to itself or its partners,” he said. Still, the move has fueled concern among some European and Lebanese officials over a possible incursion. The Syrian military officers vehemently denied any such plans, saying Syria wants balanced relations with its neighbor after decades of strained ties linked to Syria’s outsized influence in Lebanon and Hezbollah’s support for the former government of Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad during a 14-year civil war. Syria had troops stationed in Lebanon from 1976 until 2005 including during Lebanon’s civil war that ended in 1990. (Ed note: Always keep that one eye on the state of Syria.)  (Read More)

IDF says Lebanon invasion possible, Israel Katz declares Hezbollah chief Qassem a target

With an enormous potential of five IDF divisions on call, IDF Chief Spokesman Effie Defrin on Monday said that it was still possible that the military might invade southern Lebanon in response to Hezbollah’s rocket attacks overnight. Defrin did not commit to such an invasion but notably did not rule it out. Overnight, Hezbollah fired rockets around the northern border and as deep into Israel as the Haifa area. Late Monday night, the terror group also tried to attack Israel with drones, which were reportedly shot down.

No one was killed by the rocket fire, and there was little in terms of reporting of even damage to physical sites, leading to speculation that Hezbollah had intended a symbolic attack that it hoped would lead to a moderate response from Israel. The IDF chief spokesman emphasized that the IDF had ordered the evacuation of over 50 southern Lebanese villages overnight.

Multiple Israeli defense sources, however, indicated to The Jerusalem Post that Israel will take advantage of Hezbollah’s decision to carry out a large operation against it both to physically eliminate many of its capabilities and leaders, as well as to try to further pressure it into disarming vis-à-vis the Lebanese military.

Supporting the narrative of a possible invasion, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir held a briefing on the northern border. The briefing saw an unusually large turnout, with no fewer than five IDF division commanders, including divisions 210, 91, 146, 162, and 36, the largest number assembled during the 2023-2025 war invasions of Gaza or Lebanon. (Ed note: Are we looking at Bible prophecy? In Psalm 83:7 we have GEBAL which is now called Jbeil and is about 62 miles north of the border of Israel, and the city of TYRE, which is only about 12 miles north of the border of Israel. Not named in the prophecy of Psalm 83, but very relevant in prophecy is the city of SIDON, which is about 25 miles north of the border of Israel. Could we see that prophecy as found in Ezekiel 28:21-23 in the coming days?) Read More)

IDF strike kills Hezbollah intel chief; Lebanon to ban terror group’s military activity

Beirut demands group hands over weapons and tells army to prevent it from attacking Israel; Israeli strikes across Lebanon kill senior PIJ commander, hit Hezbollah-linked banks.

Israel said Monday that the head of Hezbollah’s intelligence arm was killed in an overnight strike and Beirut said it would ban the terror group’s military activities, hours after the Iran-backed organization fired rockets and drones at Israel, leading to major retaliatory strikes overnight and throughout Monday.
The Israel Defense Forces confirmed that the overnight strike in the Lebanese capital killed Hussein Makled, whom it called “the head of Hezbollah’s intelligence headquarters.”

The military said Makled was responsible for “forming the intelligence picture using various intelligence collection tools to provide the Hezbollah terror organization with intelligence assessments regarding IDF troops and the State of Israel.” “He also closely cooperated with senior commanders in Hezbollah who planned and advanced terror attacks against Israel and its citizens,” the IDF added. The terror group’s overnight attacks — which it said were in retaliation for the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei in the opening minutes of the joint Israeli-US assault on Iran on Saturday — led to waves of Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon, including in the capital.

One overnight strike in southern Beirut killed a senior commander in Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s al-Quds Brigades. The terror group identified him as Adham al-Othman, 41, and described as “commander of al-Quds Brigades in the Lebanese arena.” Later Monday, the IDF carried out a wide wave of airstrikes across southern Lebanon, after it issued evacuation warnings to Lebanese civilians. According to the military, it struck some 70 Hezbollah weapon depots and rocket launching sites. The military also carried out a major wave of strikes against branches of the Al-Qard al-Hasan association, which the IDF said is used by Hezbollah to store money, manage salaries for its operatives, transfer funds from Iran, and purchase weapons. (Ed note: Didn't the Hezbollah commanders get the reorder on their new pagers?)  (Read More)

IDF sends troops further into south Lebanon and strikes Beirut amid Hezbollah attacks

The Israel Defense Forces said Tuesday it had deployed troops deeper into southern Lebanon, beyond the five posts it currently holds, “as part of an enhanced forward defense posture” amid attacks by the Hezbollah terror group. The expanded deployment came after Iran-backed Hezbollah began launching rockets and drones at northern Israel early Monday in response Israel’s killing of the Islamic Republic’s supreme leader. Israel has retaliated with an intensive bombing campaign. The terror group fired more rockets and drones overnight and Tuesday morning.

“To prevent the possibility of direct fire at Israeli communities, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I have authorized the IDF to advance and hold additional dominant terrain in Lebanon and defend the border communities from there,” Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement. “The IDF continues to operate forcefully against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. The terrorist organization is paying and will pay a heavy price for firing at Israel,” he added. Soldiers of the 91st “Galilee” Regional Division were “positioned at several points near the border area as part of an enhanced forward defense posture,” the army said.

The army said it was “working to create an additional layer of security for residents of northern Israel.” “Northern Command has moved forward, taken control of the dominating terrain, and is creating a buffer, as we promised, between our residents and any threat,” IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said at a press conference. (Read More)

Rubio on Iran: The hardest hits are yet to come

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a stark warning on Monday that "the hardest hits are yet to come" for Iran, signaling a more forceful phase in US military operations. Speaking from the Capitol, Rubio stressed that the campaign would continue until Iran's missile and naval capabilities are fully neutralized. "They're suffering a tremendous amount of damage," Rubio stated. "I'm not going to give away the details of our tactical efforts, but the hardest hits are yet to come from the US military. The next phase will be even more punishing on Iran than it is right now."

Although Rubio did not provide specifics on the timeline, he emphasized that the U.S. had clear objectives in its sights and would press forward until those goals were met. "I don't know how long it will take," he said, "but we will do this as long as it takes to achieve those objectives and we will achieve those objectives. The world will be a safer place when we're done with this operation." Rubio also highlighted the urgency of the operation, warning that without military action, Iran would soon become untouchable. "This operation needed to happen because Iran, in about a year or a year and a half, would cross the line of immunity," he said. "They would have so many short-range missiles, so many drones that no one could do anything about it because they could hold the whole world hostage."

The Secretary of State pointed to the current damage Iran has already sustained as evidence of the success of the operation. "Look at the damage they're doing now," he remarked. "And this is a weakened Iran… imagine a year from now." Rubio noted that the operation was launched with awareness of Israeli intentions and the potential repercussions for the US "Obviously, we were aware of Israeli intentions and understood what that would mean for us, and we had to be prepared to act as a result of it," he explained. Further elaborating on the broader goals of the US mission, Rubio emphasized the destruction of Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities. "Our mission is the destruction of Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities and their ability to manufacture them," he said.    (Read More)

Strait of Hormuz: Key oil route in middle of Iran crisis

The Strait of Hormuz is a strategic chokepoint for seaborne oil that Iran has long used as a geopolitical bargaining chip, with Tehran repeatedly threatening to close it during times of crisis. A senior naval commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards again threatened its closure in the event of an attack in late January. On Saturday, US President Donald Trump made good on his warnings of military action should the Islamic Republic fail to cut a deal to curb its nuclear program, with the US and Israel launching a joint operationtargeting regime sites and military facilities across Iran. Despite its frequent warnings of a blockade, Tehran has never acted on them, though it closed part of the strait briefly for “safety” reasons during recent military drills. Here are the key points to know about the waterway.

Gateway to the Gulf

The Strait of Hormuz links the Gulf to the Indian Ocean and is situated between Iran and Oman’s Musandam exclave, at the tip of a peninsula. Its narrowness, at around 50 kilometers (30 miles), and shallow waters, at no more than 60 meters (200 feet) deep, make it vulnerable to being sealed off militarily. 

The strait is dotted with sparsely inhabited or desert islands, which are strategically important, notably the Iranian islands of Hormuz, Qeshm, and Larak. Also among them are the disputed islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Mussa, which lie between the UAE and Iran and provide a vantage point over the Gulf, and have been under Iranian control since 1971. 

Oil transit hotspot

The strait is a vital corridor connecting the oil-rich Gulf with markets in Asia, Europe, North America, and elsewhere. According to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), the Strait of Hormuz is “one of the world’s most important oil chokepoints.” About one-fifth of global oil and petroleum product consumption flows through the strait, averaging 20 million barrels per day in 2024, according to the EIA.

Around one-fifth of the global liquefied natural gas trade also transited the Strait of Hormuz in 2024, primarily from Qatar, it said. Saudi Arabia and the UAE have infrastructure to bypass the strait, potentially mitigating disruption, but their transit capacity remains very limited — around 2.6 million barrels a day. “Large volumes of oil flow through the strait, and very few alternative options exist to move oil out of the strait if it is closed,” the EIA warned. (Read More)

Breaking: Iran Implements De Facto Blockade of the Strait of Hormuz

Iran’s IRGC has effectively blockaded the Strait of Hormuz, threatening to target any vessel in the waterway. Global shipping has plummeted by 70% as oil prices surge amid the escalating conflict. Iranian officials have announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global chokepoint for oil and gas shipments. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has warned that any ship attempting to pass through the strait will be targeted and "set on fire," according to multiple reports from Iranian state media and international sources. 

The announcement follows joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iran that began on February 28, 2026, including the assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, prompting retaliatory Iranian missile and drone attacks on U.S. bases and Israeli territory. Vessels in the region have reported receiving VHF radio warnings from the IRGC prohibiting navigation through the strait "until further notice."

As a result, commercial ship traffic has plummeted by 70% or more, with over 150 tankers and other vessels anchoring on either side of the strait, effectively halting transit. The Strait of Hormuz, connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, handles about 20% of the world's oil supply and a similar share of liquefied natural gas. At least three tankers have been damaged in recent attacks, with one seafarer killed, heightening risks for maritime operators.

Major maritime insurers have begun canceling war risk coverage for vessels in the Gulf and adjacent waters, effective March 5, further deterring passage. While Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that Tehran has no intention of officially closing the waterway, the threats and de facto blockade have already disrupted global supply chains. Oil prices surged 8% today, with Brent crude trading in the high $70s, and analysts warn of potential spikes above $100 per barrel if the closure persists. (Read More)

Saudi Aramco shuts down Ras Tanura refinery, its biggest, after Iran drone strike causes blaze

Defense ministry says two drones intercepted, shrapnel fell, no injuries; social media videos show flames and smoke billowing from oil facility, one of the world’s largest.

Saudi Arabia’s state oil giant Aramco shut its Ras Tanura refinery after a drone strike caused a blaze, an industry source said on Monday, after Tehran launched strikes across the region in response to the US-Israeli attack on Iran. Videos posted to social media purporting to show the facility after the attack showed flames and a thick cloud of black smoke billowing into the sky. A Saudi defense ministry spokesman said two drones had targeted the refinery, Saudi Arabia’s biggest and one of the world’s largest, and been intercepted, according to a statement posted by the Saudi Press Agency on X. 

“A limited fire resulted from falling shrapnel during the interception operation, with no civilian casualties,” the spokesman said. A source familiar with the incident told AFP the blaze had already been extinguished. The Ras Tanura complex, on the kingdom’s Gulf coast, houses one of the Middle East’s largest refineries with a capacity of 550,000 barrels per day (bpd) and serves as a critical export terminal for Saudi crude. It was shut as a precautionary measure, and the situation is under control, the source said. 

Aramco did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

On Sunday, Saudi Arabia intercepted Iranian missiles targeting Riyadh’s international airport and the Prince Sultan Airbase, which houses US military personnel, a Gulf source briefed on the matter told AFP. Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry said it summoned the Iranian ambassador. Saudi Arabia’s heavily fortified energy facilities have been targeted previously, most notably in September 2019 when unprecedented drone and missile attacks on the Abqaiq and Khurais plants temporarily knocked out more than half of the kingdom’s crude production and roiled global markets. Though the Iran-backed Houthi rebel group in Yemen claimed responsibility, the US blamed Iran for carrying out the attack itself. (Read More)

US economy faces new test after Trump's attacks on Iran, risking global uncertainty - analysis

Trump’s decision to launch open-ended attacks on Iran risks shaking the US economy, with global trade, oil prices, and inflation all in the balance. The uncertainty is just beginning. A United States economy that has weathered a year of trade, immigration, and other shocks now faces a new test likely to ratchet up uncertainty after US President Donald Trump's decision to launch open-ended attacks against Iran with the stated goal of toppling the Middle Eastern country's long-ruling Islamist government.

With counter-strikes underway throughout the region and Trump saying the conflict could go on for weeks at least, analysts are focused on a long list of imponderables as oil prices jumped over the weekend from $70 to nearly $80 a barrel before slipping back somewhat, and shipping through the strategic oil lanes in the Strait of Hormuz began grinding down. Though the US is more buffered from energy shocks than many other developed countries because of domestic oil and gas production, the global impact on trade, prices, and investment could spill back and undermine what had been a developing bullish growth outlook for this year.

A recent Conference Board survey showed CEOs' confidence in the outlook for the US economy and their particular industries had jumped, but nearly 60% said there was a high risk that geopolitical tensions could be a disruptive force. The World Bank, in its most recent review of the US economy, described the outlook as "buoyant," an assessment that will now have to survive the tumult of an unpredictable conflict in a key oil-producing region, with implications for global shipping, supply chains, and commodity prices. (Read More)

WATCH: B-2 stealth bombers used to strike Iran, Trump confirms at least nine Iranian vessels sunk

US B-2 stealth bombers struck Iran's reinforced ballistic missile facilities with 2,000-pound bombs, US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed on Sunday. The strikes occured on Saturday night as part of Operation Epic Fury, CENTCOM clarified. "No nation should ever doubt America's resolve," the military stated. The B-2 stealth bombers played a key role in the US's strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, particularly Natanzunderneath Pickaxe Mountain, in June 2025, due to their ability to carry heavy munitions that other bombers cannot.

Later on Sunday, US President Donald Trump announced that the US had "destroyed and sunk 9 Iranian Naval Ships," in a post on Truth Social. "Some of [the nine ships were] relatively large and important," Trump wrote.

"We are going after the rest - They will soon be floating at the bottom of the sea, also!" he added. "In a different attack, we largely destroyed their Naval Headquarters," he continued. Earlier on Sunday, CENTCOM confirmed the sinking of an Iranian ship in the Gulf of Oman. (Source)

IDF destroys IRGC Intelligence, Air Force HQ in Tehran

After achieving air superiority over Tehran, the IDF struck dozens of IRGC and intelligence headquarters, degrading Iran’s command-and-control.

In a large-scale wave of strikes conducted over the past several hours, after the Israeli Air Force achieved air superiority over Tehran, the IDF struck dozens of the regime’s military command centers, including headquarters belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), intelligence headquarters, IRGC Air Force command centers, and internal security headquarters.

The strikes were directed at command centers in which IDF intelligence had identified active operational presence of Iranian regime personnel responsible for managing combat operations and planning terror campaigns against the State of Israel and regional countries. One of the emergency compounds targeted served the Operations Directorate and the Directorate of Intelligence of the Iranian terror regime. From this site, regime officials managed combat activities and developed operational and intelligence assessments.
From this site, regime officials managed combat activities and developed operational and intelligence assessments. The IDF noted that the completed wave of strikes significantly degrades the Iranian regime’s command-and-control capabilities, including the elimination of personnel operating within its most central military headquarters. (Source)

Former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad killed in Israeli-US strikes - report

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who served as Iranian president from 2005 until 2013, was killed in an Israeli-US airstrike, the Iranian Labor News Agency reported on Sunday.

The strike hit Ahmadinejad's residence in Narnak, northeast Tehran, killing him and several bodyguards, the pro-regime outlet claimed. The strike hit Ahmadinejad's residence in Narnak, northeast Tehran, killing him and several bodyguards, the pro-regime outlet claimed.

The strike in Narnak likely occured late on Saturday, according to international media reports. Before becoming president, Ahmadinejad served as Ardabil Province governor and Tehran mayor. After his two terms in office, he was appointed by then-supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to the Expediency Discernment Council - a 48-member advisory council to the Office of the Supreme Leader. (Ed note: Remember him?)   (Source)

Ayatollah who once received UK ‘tolerance’ grant issues fatwa for Muslims to avenge Khamenei

One of two high-profile Shiite religious leaders in Iranwho issued fatwas following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, formerly received a religious tolerance' £15,000 'religious tolerance' grant from Brent Council. On Sunday, following the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei by the US and Israel, Grand Ayatollah Hossein Nouri Hamedani and Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi have issued fatwas calling on Muslims worldwide to take revenge.

Hamedani responded in writing to a request from the presidium of the Assembly of Seminary Students and Scholars in Qom, saying that "avenging the blood of the martyred leader of the revolution is obligatory for all Muslims."

"Without doubt, criminal America and the bloodthirsty Zionists have reached the end of their path, and this time the powerful armed forces will deliver a decisive and unforgettable response," he warned. Shirazi issued a fatwa calling Israel and the US the "most wicked enemies of humanity" and "the principal perpetrators of this crime." "The people of Iran and the Islamic world are the avengers of the blood of the martyred leader of the Revolution," he said, adding that "seeking revenge is the religious duty of all Muslims worldwide so that the evil of these criminals may be removed from the world." (Read More)

Israel preparing for ground incursion into Lebanon

Israel is preparing to expand the campaign in Lebanon, including the possibility of a ground incursion, an Israeli security source told the Saudi channel Al-Hadath. Since the Hezbollah terror group violated a November 2024 ceasefire early Monday morning, the IAF has struck in Beirut and in approximately 30 towns in southern Lebanon. Lebanese reports indicate 31 fatalities and 150 wounded. Overnight, senior Hezbollah officials were targeted in the Beirut area, along with a key Hezbollah terrorist in southern Lebanon. According to reports, the head of Hezbollah’s faction in the Lebanese parliament, Mohammad Raad, who served as deputy leader of the organization, was eliminated in the strikes.

Earlier on Monday morning, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned, "The Hezbollah terrorist organization will pay a heavy price for firing toward Israel, and Naim Qassem, Hezbollah’s Secretary-General, who decided on the launch under Iranian pressure, is now a marked target for elimination. Whoever follows in Khamenei’s path will soon find himself alongside him in the depths of hell with the rest of the eliminated members of the axis of evil. We will not return to the rules of engagement that existed before October 7 and will defend the residents of the north and all citizens of the State of Israel with full force."

Katz added, "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I have instructed the IDF to act forcefully against Hezbollah, while continuing to carry out the primary objective: crushing and defeating the Iranian terrorist regime and neutralizing its capabilities in Operation Roaring Lion, in order to remove the threats over the State of Israel and enable the citizens of Iran to rise up against it and overthrow it." (Ed note: Might that "possibility of a ground incursion" include such cities as Gebal, now called Jbeil, Sidon and Tyre as found in Psalm 83?) (Source)

BREAKING: IDF Launches Massive Counter-Strike Against Hezbollah; Israel Weighs "Decisive Blow" Following Rocket Barrage

IDF retaliates against overnight rocket fire, weighing a "crushing blow" against Hezbollah's weakened infrastructure despite recent Israeli withdrawals. In the early hours of Sunday, March 1, 2026, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) initiated a large-scale counter-offensive against Hezbollah positions across Lebanon. The operation comes in direct response to a heavy wave of rocket and drone launches directed at Israeli territory tonight.

IDF Spokesperson stated: "A short while ago, the IDF conducted a targeted strike on senior Hezbollah terrorists in the Beirut area. Simultaneously, the IDF struck a key operative from the Hezbollah terror organization in Southern Lebanon." The sudden flare-up follows a period of strategic ambiguity. Despite Hezbollah’s significantly weakened state following the intensive campaigns of 2024 and early 2025, and Israel’s subsequent withdrawal from most Lebanese territories, it remained unclear whether the terror group would attempt to re-engage in a full-scale conflict.

Tonight’s barrage from Lebanon has effectively ended that uncertainty, prompting an immediate and forceful Israeli military response. Reports circulating in Israeli media suggest that the political and military leadership may view this escalation not merely as a retaliatory measure, but as a strategic opening. Reports in Israeli media indicate that the IDF is prepared to exploit the current momentum to deliver a "crushing blow" to Hezbollah’s remaining infrastructure, one that could potentially surpass the scale of operations seen over the past two years. (Read More)

Hezbollah confirms it fired rockets at Israel as ‘revenge’ for Khamenei

Lebanon’s Hezbollah terror group claims responsibility for firing rockets at northern Israel tonight for the first time since the November 2024 Israel-Lebanon ceasefire. The rocket attack is “revenge for the blood of the Supreme Leader of the Muslims, Ali Khamenei,” the Iranian proxy group says, referring to Iran’s supreme leader, who was killed in the opening salvo of the US-Israeli bombing campaign on the Islamic Republic on Saturday.

Hezbollah claims it targeted a missile defense site south of Haifa in the attack. The IDF said it intercepted one rocket fired at northern Israel from Lebanon and let several other fall in open spaces. There were no reports of injuries or damage. Hezbollah suggests that the rocket attack constitutes a “warning” to Israel to “withdraw from occupied Lebanese territory,” referring to the five border posts Israel has held on to in Lebanon, citing security concerns, despite being required to withdraw under the 2024 ceasefire.

Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem said in January that the group would not be “neutral” if the US struck Iran, and vowed to confront US threats to Khamenei, but stopped short of committing to intervene in a regional war. After the US and Israel struck Iran on Saturday, the government in Beirut, which seeks to disarm Hezbollah, said it would not let anyone drag Lebanon into war. (Source)

Saudi Arabia, Israel pushed Trump to strike Iran for weeks before Operation Epic Fury - report

US President Donald Trump’s decision to launch Operation Epic Fury against Iran on Saturday in a joint operation with Israel followed weeks of behind-the-scenes pressure from Israel and Saudi Arabia, the Washingron Post reported on Sunday, citing accounts from officials and regional sources. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly pushed for strikes against Iran, while Saudi Arabia’s role appeared more complex. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly made several private phone calls to Trump over the past month, pushing for an attack despite publicly endorsing a diplomatic solution, the Washington Post reported.

Simultaneously, Riyadh released a statement that the state would not allow its territory to be used in the event of an attack. Salman reportedly warned US officials that if the strike didn’t happen soon, Iran would come away stronger and more dangerous. On Saturday, Trump told Axios that Operation Epic Fury was launched for two reasons: the first being the collapse of the US-Iran nuclear talks in Geneva, and the second being that the regime had begun to rebuild the nuclear facilities that had been struck during the Israel-Iran war in June

"The Iranians got close and then pulled back - close and then pulled back. I understood from that that they don't really want a deal," Trump explained. Additionally, while preparing his speech announcing the operation, Trump requested his team compile a list of every Iranian-linked attack around the world over the past 25 years, and found that “every month they did something bad, blew something up or killed someone.” (Source)

Historic Israeli Air Force operation: 200 fighter jets hammer Iran

Two hundred fighter jets streaked across Israel’s skies with a thunderous roar, in “the largest military flyover” in Israeli Air Force history, the Israel Defense Forces said on Saturday. “The IDF completed an extensive attack against the missile array and the defense systems of the Iranian terror regime in western and central Iran,” the military said in a statement. The operation, based on high-quality military intelligence, involved hundreds of munitions targeting roughly 500 objectives, including surface-to-surface missile launchers and aerial defense systems. The strikes significantly degraded Iran’s anti-aircraft capabilities and thwarted planned missile attacks against Israeli civilian population centers.

Among the targets was a missile site near Tabriz, used by Iran’s surface-to-surface missile units and assessed as a launch point for planned large-scale attacks on Israel. The IDF said the destruction of key air defense systems enabled Israeli aircraft to operate more freely over Iranian territory, expanding aerial superiority and reducing threats to both IAF planes and Israeli civilians.

The operation follows Israel’s June 2025 campaign targeting Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile infrastructure, which severely degraded Tehran’s air defense network and contributed to Israel’s ability to quickly establish effective control of the skies over key operational areas. The military said operations remain ongoing, adding that Israel will continue efforts to degrade “every aspect of the Iranian regime.” (Source)

Iran increases ballistic missile attacks after admitting Khamenei death

Iran increased its volume and pace of ballistic missile attacks early Sunday on Israel with several rounds of air siren warnings ringing out across the country one after another, in response to admitting the death of its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Although it turns out Khamenei was killed likely in the war's opening moments by around 30 bombs around 8:00 a.m. Saturday morning, the more intense response only came later. The Islamic Republic only acknowledged his death after 3:00 a.m. Sunday morning and it appeared to take a couple more hours to organize a full coordinated response

While the IDF is still not confirming the volume of missile attacks, anecdotally, the pace of salvos and the volume of booms Sunday morning was unprecedented for this round of fighting and more comparable to the worst large rounds of attacks in June 2025, some of which involved up to 200 ballistic missiles. In contrast, on Saturday, if around 150 missiles might have been fired at Israel over the course of the entire day, salvos appeared to be limited to a dozen, or at most a couple dozen per salvo, spread out in around 10 salvos over 24 hours.

In total, Tehran entered this latest round of conflict with around 2,000 ballistic missiles. However, it has also already fired hundreds of missiles on five other Sunni Arab countries in the region with American bases. Likewise, US and American attacks appear to have destroyed at least 100 ballistic missiles, though that number could be significantly higher. In June 2025, Iran had 2m500 ballistic missiles and 400 missile launchers. Israel destroyed around half of both over 12 days, eventually reducing the Islamic Republic's ba;llistic missile volume from 200 per day to around 10 per day. (Source)

Operation Roaring Lion: Live updates

Eight people were killed on Sunday in Beit Shemesh following a direct missile impact.
Medical teams treated two victims in serious condition, three in moderate condition, and another 18 who were lightly injured. Rescue and security crews continue to operate on the scene to search for and tend to additional victims. The missile struck the roof of a shelter where people had gathered in response to the red alert sirens. It was also reported that in the latest barrage, a 50-year-old man was moderately injured by shrapnel in a community in central Israel.

MDA EMT Yosef Laufer: “Upon receiving the report at MDA’s 101 dispatch center about a missile strike on several buildings with significant destruction, large numbers of ambulances and mobile intensive care units were dispatched to the scene. When we arrived, we saw extensive damage and residents who had been rescued from the building. We provided medical treatment to several casualties, including a 10-year-old girl in serious condition, as well as a number of other injured individuals with varying degrees of injuries. MDA teams remain at the scene to continue treating additional casualties who have not yet been rescued."

The IDF stated: "Home Front Command search and rescue forces, together with numerous medical teams and a helicopter for casualty evacuation, are currently operating at the impact site in Beit Shemesh. The Commander of the Home Front Command is on his way to the scene." "The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit clarifies that following a review, the early warning system functioned as planned and was activated in the Beit Shemesh area of impact. The circumstances of the impact are under review," the IDF stated. (Ed note: Take a look at the real life pictures from Israel National News in this article.)  (Read More)

Israeli official: Khamenei killed in strike on Tehran

An Israel Defense Forces strike killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, an Israeli official told local media on Saturday night. According to Israel’s Channel 12, the body of the 86-year-old, described as riddled with shrapnel, was recovered from the rubble after his compound in Tehran was targeted during the opening phase of “Operation Roaring Lion.” Documentation supporting the assessment was in Israel’s possession and had been presented to the prime minister and senior members of the security establishment, the reports said.

“We are speaking about Khamenei—the Hitler of the 2000s—and this is one of the reasons the State of Israel was created, after Hitler murdered six million of our people,” Likud legislator Moshe Passal told JNS on Saturday night. “When there is someone preparing a [nuclear] weapon and saying that he will destroy all the Jews in the world, this is the inevitable side to be on. “We need to be thankful to God that we are living in these times,” he continued. “My grandmother was in Auschwitz; she would have wanted the fighter jets of Israel and our strong army to exist at that time. Thank God, we have the possibility to fight our enemies and crush them.

“It’s very clear to me that we have the hand of God helping us,” Passal added. Satellite images published earlier Saturday by The New York Timesshowed extensive destruction at the Iranian leader’s compound, including collapsed structures and a large plume of black smoke rising from the fortified complex, which serves as both Khamenei’s primary residence and the site where he receives senior regime officials. An Israeli official confirmed that several senior Iranian leaders were targeted in the airstrikes carried out by the IDF. (Read More)

Israel may have killed dozens of senior Iranian officials, with Ali Khamenei as top target

Dozens of top Iranian officials may have been assassinated collectively at a few different meetings on Saturday, with indications that Israel focused on this part of the joint US-Israel bombings, while American forces focused on other issues, such as attacking the ballistic missile apparatus, naval targets, and nuclear targets. The top-targeted official is Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Israeli confidence has grown over the course of the day that he has been assassinated, and Iranian news sources confirmed his death early on Sunday morning. His well-known command center in Tehran was bombed, but reports indicated that he was not there. However, Khamenei's daughter, grandchild, daughter-in-law, and son-in-law were killed in US-Israeli strikes, Iranian state media reported on Sunday.

However, in June 2025, Israel managed to assassinate top Iranian officials, also at their backup secret locations. Ali Larijani, who has been Khamenei's stand-in to run the country in recent weeks, as the ayatollah went underground to try to avoid assassination, may also have been killed. Ali Shamkhani, another top security aide to Khamenei for over a decade, has been confirmed killed, though he was also thought to be killed in the June 2025 Operation, and at that time survived. Islamic Revolutionary Guard Chief Gen. Mohammad Pakpour, who just recently replaced his predecessor, who was killed in June 2025, has been confirmed killed. (Read More)

Iran stored highly enriched uranium at underground site, IAEA report says

Some of Iran's most highly enriched uranium was stored in an underground area of its nuclear site in Isfahan, stated a report from UN nuclear watchdog the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The report was sent to member states on Friday, according to Reuters. This is the first time the IAEA has reported the location of uranium that has been enriched to up to 60% purity, close to the 90% that weapons-grade uranium holds. The tunnel complex's entrance was hit by US and Israeli military strikes in June, but the facility seems largely unharmed, diplomats say.

The IAEA does not currently have access to any of Iran’s four declared uranium enrichment facilities and therefore cannot provide any information on the current size or the whereabouts of Iran’s enriched uranium stock, or whether it has suspended all enrichment, the report said. As of June 13th, Iran’s stock of uranium enriched to 60% purity is still estimated at 440.9 kg. According to the IAEA’s definition, around 42 kg of uranium enriched to 60% is theoretically enough, if enriched further to produce a nuclear bomb.

The IAEA expressed concern that Iran has never granted the agency access to its enrichment facility at Isfahan, and that it does not know the precise location of the facility. It is critical for the IAEA to conduct verification activities in Iran without further delay, the report said. (Source)

Israel OKs 1,300 homes in Samaria’s Kedumim

The planned Nahalat Esther neighborhood will more than double the size of the community.

The Supreme Planning Council of the Israeli Defense Ministry’s Civil Administration on Thursday approved the construction of more than 1,300 housing units in the western Samaria community of Kedumim. The 1,338 homes in the planned Nahalat Esther neighborhood will more than double the size of Kedumim, which currently has some 4,850 residents living in around 1,050 households, Israel National Newsreported. The roughly 60-acre neighborhood will feature a green valley at its center.

In total, the Kedumim Local Council is planning 3,000 homes in four planned neighborhoods, according to the report. Kedumin Local Council head Oziel Vatik welcomed the final approval of Nahalat Esther, calling it a “historic day” in the community’s 50th year. “We are setting out on a new path of growth, construction and renewal, for the benefit of the founding generation and for generations to come,” he said. “Kedumim, a pioneer of settlement in Samaria, is now rising to the next level of development as it continues to grow, expand and lead.”

Vatik in the statement thanked Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a resident of Kedumim who also serves as a minister in the Defense Ministry responsible for civilian matters in Judea and Samaria. (Ed note: Kedumim is an Israeli settlement in Samaria, not a city. The planned Nahalat Esther neighborhood is a 60 acre development within Kedumim.) (Read More)

Israeli officials informed Khamenei assassinated in Iran strike, body said to be found in rubble

The body of Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader since 1989, was reportedly found under the rubble in Tehran. His death marks a major turning point for the Islamic Republic’s leadership.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was assassinated in an Israeli strike on Tehran, with his body found under the rubble caused by an Israeli airstrike, senior Israeli officials were informed on Saturday evening. Documentation of Khamenei's body was reportedly shown to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

In a televised address on Saturday evening, Netanyahu said there were "growing indications" that Khamenei was killed, but did not provide additional details. Khamenei has ruled the Islamic Republic of Iran since 1989, previously serving as president under Ruhollah Khomeini’s regime from 1981 until his ascension to supreme leader. He was 86 years old.

Earlier on Saturday, Iranian officials promised to release a recording from Khamenei soon after Israeli strikes targeted his Tehran compound. The preliminary assessment among Israeli officials was that Khamenei was hurt in the strike. No official confirmation has been received by Israeli, American, or Iranian sources. (Read More)

Missiles cloud Mideast skies over the Persian Gulf. Iran shuts down the Strait of Hormuz. Arab oil is choked off to world markets. Hezbollah and Hamas launch scores of missiles into Israel.  Global economies begin to collapse. Radioactivity permeates the skies over Bushehr’s nuclear reactor. 

About 2600 years ago the Hebrew prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel issued parallel end times prophecies concerning modern-day Iran. Today the rogue country is becoming a nuclear nation and aggressively advancing its hegemony throughout the greater Middle East. Nuclear Showdown in Iran, The Ancient Prophecy of Elam is a non-fiction thriller taking the reader on a journey of discovery through the eyes of the prophets and the minds of today’s key national players.Can anything good come from the evil that is about to befall us? The ancient prophecy of Elam will reveal what God has ordained, what the prophets saw and what you need to know and do now  (Ed note: A must read from Dr Bill Salus, especially now.)  (CLICK HERE)