Month: March 2026

Voters in the Republic of Congo will choose their next president on Sunday, although longtime leader Dennis Sassou Nguesso is likely to be elected unchallenged, analysts say.

The central African nation, which has been led almost continuously by Nguesso for more than 40 years, is one of the most politically repressive in the world, with Freedom House giving it a 17 out of 100 rating for freedom.

The country is Africa’s third-largest oil exporter. It sells between 236,000 and 252,000 barrels per day, alongside copper and diamonds.

Congo is also highly biodiverse. Sprawling expanses of tropical rainforest in the country form part of the Congo Basin – the second-largest rainforest network in the world after the Amazon. The Nouabale-Ndoki National Park in the north is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is home to elephants, endangered lowland gorillas, and chimpanzees.

Still, the country of 6 million people is racked by economic woes. Corruption and mismanagement, analysts say, contribute to Congo being 171st of 193 countries on the United Nations Human Development Index.

A fractured political opposition, meanwhile, has only allowed Nguesso’s governing Congolese Labour Party (PCT) to consolidate power over the years, although a newcomer is raising hopes.

Here’s what we know about Sunday’s polls:

When do polls open?

Polls will open on Saturday, March 15, between 6am (05:00 GMT) and 6pm (05:00 GMT). More than 2.6 million people are eligible to vote; that is, they are more than 18 years old and have been registered.

Voter turnout in 2021 — during the last election — was 67.70 percent according to the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES). Authorities have announced that borders will be closed during voting.

Candidates with an absolute majority usually win the elections, or in rare cases, a run-off will be called between the two top polling candidates.

Presidential terms in Congo are for five years. While the constitution had previously allowed a maximum of two terms and an age limit of 70, those were removed in 2015.

Who’s running?

Dennis Sassou Nguesso: The 82-year-old was first elected to office in 1979 and led the country for 12 years under a one-party state. He lost elections after opposition lawmakers voted to introduce a multiparty system. On his second attempt in 1997, he seized power in a bloody civil war and has remained in office since. He is Africa’s third-longest serving ruler.

Nguesso’s legacy has been one of gross underdevelopment and corruption, said Andrea Ngombet, the exiled founder of Sassoufit, a group advocating for Nguesso’s exit. In 2015, Nguesso pushed through a controversial referendum that reset presidential term limits from two to three. It also completely removed age restrictions, allowing him to run for the fifth consecutive time in 2021.

A strong hold on the country’s judiciary and the Independent National Electoral Body (CENI) has helped secure Nguesso’s hold, analysts say. His strategic international alliances, from Beijing to Moscow to Paris, have ensured foreign investments and boosted his influence, according to Ngombet. However, since 2013, France has launched investigations into his family’s numerous assets in Europe and the US under pressure from civil society. French authorities seized property belonging to his son, Denis-Christel Sassou Nguesso, in 2022.

Melaine Deston Gavet Elengo: At only 35, Elengo’s candidacy has caused ripples. The oil sector engineer leads the Republican Movement and is the youngest contender in the race. Although a first-time presidential candidate, Elengo appears to be pulling an unusual amount of interest as he presents himself as a departure from the old system. His campaign has emphasised a government built on transparency, an independent justice system, and inclusive development.

“He could secure at least 20 percent of the vote, signalling a generational shift,” Ngombet said.

“His unique advantage lies in the unspoken support from UPADS dissidents frustrated with the boycott,” he added, referring to the opposition party, Pan-African Union for Social Democracy (UPADS), which boycotted the March 21, 2021, presidential election over concerns of integrity. UPADS is doing the same this year but has called on its supporters to go out and vote according to their “conscience”.

Elengo is also closely allied with political heavyweights like the opposition Union of Humanist Democrats, founded by the popular opposition figure, late Guy-Brice Parfait Kolelas, who came second in 2016.

Joseph Kignoumbi Kia Mboungou, 73: The veteran lawmaker is the leader of the political party The Chain and represents the southwestern Lekoumou department. He has run several times in the past without much success, with his 2021 bid resulting in just 0.62 percent of the vote. Mboungou’s campaign promised political change and an economy that diversifies from oil, while reducing poverty.

Uphrem Dave Mafoula, 43: The economist is leader of the New Start party. He is making his second bid for the top post after running as the youngest candidate in 2021 and securing just 0.52 percent of the vote. Mafoula’s goal, he says, is to implement governance reforms, create jobs, and reduce inequalities.

Vivien Romain Manangou, 43: The independent first-timer is a university lecturer campaigning on institutional reforms, improving public finances, and promoting national unity.

Mabio Mavoungou Zinga, 69: Running under the opposition coalition Alliance party, the retired customs inspector and former member of parliament promises to tackle corruption and free jailed opposition leaders. It’s his first bid.

Anguios Nganguia Engambe, about 60: The president of the Party for Action of the Republic is running for his fourth time as presidential candidate. In 2021, he won only 0.18 percent of the vote. This time, he has pledged to bridge political divisions in the country and foster better political participation.

Which opposition leaders have been targeted?

Several opposition leaders are either jailed or have fled into exile. Some are:

Jean-Marie ⁠Michel Mokoko,78: A former chief of the army and an adviser to Nguesso, who turned against the president and ran for elections in 2016. He called for protests after the results showed that he won 13.74 percent and placed third. He was arrested afterwards on charges of undermining state security and was in 2018 sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Andre Okombi Salissa: a one-time leading member of the governing Congolese Labour Party, and a former minister, Salissa also switched to the opposition in 2016 to contest the polls. He was arrested shortly after, also on security charges. In 2019, he was sentenced to 20 years of hard labour.

What are the key issues?

Poverty despite oil riches

Analysts have long warned that a lack of economic diversification hurts the country’s prospects. As Africa’s third-largest oil producer, Congo earns more than 80 percent of its export revenue from oil, according to the World Bank,  making the economy vulnerable to shocks.

Government investment in hydrocarbons has only intensified in recent years. In 2015, authorities aimed to boost daily output to 500,000 barrels of oil per day within three years. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) production and export also began in 2024.

Despite this, around half the population lives below the poverty line. Most live in the main cities of Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire where access to electricity and roads is available but dismal. The situation is even worse in rural areas, analysts say.

While the population is young, with nearly half under 18, job creation is weak. Many young people with degrees have to turn to menial work for survival. The unemployment rate hovers at approximately 40 percent, with inadequate electricity being one of the major barriers for business, according to the World Bank.

Forests and agriculture

Before it began extracting oil in the 1970s, agricultural produce and timber were the biggest revenue generators in Congo.

However, Congo has become reliant on food imports amid the shift to oil.

Although the country has up to 10 million hectares (24 milllion acres) of arable land, only a small percentage is being cultivated, and that’s mostly for low-yield subsistence farming.

The government has touted plans to boost cassava, maize, sorghum, and soy farming, along with developing fisheries and poultry.

Meanwhile, deforestation in the Congo Basin, which encompasses parts of Congo and five neighbouring countries, nearly doubled between 2010 and 2020, compared to the previous decade.

Political freedom and post-Nguesso race

Protests are rare in the country as authorities don’t provide permits and respond with violence when demonstrators gather, according to the Africa Center for Strategic Studies.

Opposition members are routinely jailed. Nguesso appoints national judges himself, meaning the judiciary is not independent.

Many Congolese expect Nguesso to win Sunday’s elections, so much attention is now on who will likely take over leadership in the country in the coming years.

Analysts say an intense succession race is already brewing behind the scenes.

Denis-Christel Nguesso, the president’s son and minister of international cooperation, is the clear favourite, but he faces challenges from the president’s nephew and Head of National Security Jean-Dominique Okemba.

The Nguessos’ cousin, Jean-Jacques Bouya, who is currently the minister of planning and works, is another contender.

It was so big it couldn’t use the English Channel, Suez Canal or Panama Canal.

The biggest ship in the world was longer than both the Eiffel Tower and the Empire State Building. It was known as the Seawise Giant and became one of the longest self-propelled ships in history.

The boat, later called Happy Giant, Knock Nevis and Mont, was built in Japan between 1974 and 1979. It had the greatest deadweight tonnage of a ship ever recorded.

Fully laden, it was 657,019 tonnes and was the heaviest in the world. Seawise Giant had a draft of 24.6 meters (81ft) and a length of 458.45 meters (1,504.1 ft).

Due to its size, it was incapable of navigating the English Channel, the Suez Canal or the Panama Canal.

The ship has a long history, and was created by Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd in Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan, as an Ultra Large Crude Carrier.

It remained unnamed for a long time and was identified as its hull number, 1016. The ship suffered severe vibration problems during sea trials, and an unknown Greek owner refused to take delivery of it.

Eventually, the Japanese shipyard sold the ship thanks to a deal with Hong Kong Orient Overseas Container Line. Yet, they wanted to lengthen the ship by several meters and add 146,152 tonnes of cargo capacity.

Two years later, the ship relaunched as the Seawise Giant. In 1988, it was damaged during the Iran-Iraq war after fires erupted aboard the ship, and oil spread into the water.

The ship was still intact but was so damaged it was not deemed economical to repair.

However, a Norwegian investment firm bought the damaged ship. Over the next few years, it was repaired and renamed Happy Giant.

Up until 2004, the ship was owned by various Norwegian investment firms. It was then purchased by First Olsen Tankers and renamed Knock Nevis.

The ship was converted into a primarily moored storage tanker in the Persian Gulf.

However, it was then taken on by new owners Amber Development and named Mont. It had one final voyage to India where the ship was scrapped.

The ship was beached in December 2009 and due to its size, it took until the end of 2010 for it to be scrapped. The Seawise Giant’s anchor was saved and is on public display in Hong Kong.

It goes down in history as the longest ship ever constructed at 458.45 meters and is taller than many of the world’s tallest buildings. The Eiffel Tower stands at 330 meters and the Empire State Building at 443 meters.

2026 is shaping up to be an amazing year for theme park fans with a huge number of new rides and attractions set to launch in the coming months, from thrill rides to family-friendly lands

There is plenty for UK theme park fans to look forward to in the year ahead.

Many are preparing to reopen their doors for the spring season in the next couple of weeks, while some are launching new rides and even entirely new lands. From thrill rides to attractions based on kids’ shows, there are plenty of upcoming openings to get in the calendar.

Here’s a roundup of some of the UK’s biggest and most popular theme parks and what new attractions visitors can expect in 2026.

Paultons Park

Paultons Park is adding an entirely new themed land to its map. Valgard: Realm of the Vikings opens May 16, just in time for half term. It will include three Viking-themed rides: Drakon, the park’s first inverting rollercoaster with a dramatic vertical lift, Vild Swing, which will swing riders 39ft into the air, and Raven, a bobsled ride previously known as the Cobra coaster, which has been redesigned to match the theme.

The new land will also feature a Viking-themed playground and dining hall for a truly immersive experience. Theme park fans can book Paultons Park tickets online for the opening day.

Paultons Park is perhaps best known as home to Peppa Pig World, and its new land is aimed more at older kids and adults, adding new thrill rides to the park. However, if you are bringing little ones, be sure to stop by Peppa Pig World to meet the family’s newest member, Evie.

Chessington

Chessington’s new World of PAW Patrol will be here on the double, although no official opening date has been set. So far, the park has confirmed it’ll open in spring 2026 and will feature four rides. Chase’s Mountain Mission, a rollercoaster suitable for young kids, Skye’s Helicopter Heroes, which will take kids on a high-flying mission, and Marshall’s Firetruck Rescue, where kids can take a ride on a shiny red truck.

Zuma’s Hovercraft Adventure will be a ‘drifter’ ride, which promises to be the first of its kind in the UK. There will also be Rubble and Rocky’s Playzone, where kids can “climb, slide and explore”. Meet and greets will be available with the pups, and fans can even book a sleepover in one of the PAW Patrol-themed rooms at Chessington’s Azteca hotel. These colourful rooms sleep up to five and include themed bunk beds for the kids.

Alton Towers

Bluey the Ride: Here Come The Grannies! opens to Alton Towers’ guests on March 28, just in time for Easter. It’s the world’s first Bluey roller coaster and will be suitable for little fans of the show. Teaser images for the ride show Bluey and Bingo dressed as the iconic grannies Janet and Rita, and the ride is set in the Heelers’ back garden. More Bluey rooms are also being added to the CBeebies Land hotel and you can book online for spring dates and beyond.

Thrill ride fans can also enjoy the Toxicator, which opened last March. This neon-green coaster throws riders in the air and spins them around at high speed, creating an adrenaline-pumping experience.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach

In spring 2026, Blackpool Pleasure Beach will be opening a new £8.72 million gyro swing ride named Aviktas. At 138ft, it will be the tallest of its kind in the UK. While the exact opening date has not yet been confirmed, theme park enthusiasts can buy VIP tickets for the launch event, ensuring they are among the first to try the new ride.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach also celebrates its 130-year anniversary in 2026. In March, visitors can get half-price tickets if they book online in advance, with eTickets costing £30. Or if you’re going as a family, you can get four tickets for £100, giving you access to all the park’s rides for the day.

Crealy

Crealy will offer two new rides in 2026, and one might be familiar to theme park enthusiasts. Spring will see the arrival of Pirates’ Plummet, an 80ft tall drop tower which will be the South West’s tallest ride. It used to be situated in Paultons Park, where it was called Magma, and is now being rebuilt at the Devon theme park.

In the summer, Rotor, an inverting air race ride, will be open. The ride will spin punters around and upside-down for a thrilling experience. No date is confirmed for either ride’s opening yet, but you can book short breaks or tickets on the Crealy website.

Pleasurewood Hills

Pleasurewood Hills was sold to new owners last year, and there are plans for four new rides to revamp the family-friendly Suffolk park. According to BBC reports, the new rides would include Star Flyer (a 30-metre-tall thrill ride), Spinning Coaster, Apple Coaster, and the Big Wheel. Planning approval for the new rides is expected in April, with no date announced as to when they’d open if approved.

Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com

The Pentagon is reportedly moving a Marine Expeditionary Unit and additional warships to the Middle East, as the war with Iran continues. The move, reported by The Wall Street Journal, will help respond to the Iranian campaign of attacks against shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. So far, Tehran has remained committed to its pledge of paralyzing oil tanker traffic through the strategic waterway.

The WSJ reports that U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has approved a request from U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) for an element of an Amphibious Ready Group and attached Marine Expeditionary Unit, citing three U.S. officials. An Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) typically includes an assault ship, two transport docks, and a support vessel that carries an embarked Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) of at least 2,200 Marines.

Two of those officials said that the ARG would be centered around the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli, said to be now headed for the Middle East from its normal base in Japan.

It’s possible other Amphibious Ready Groups could also deploy to the Middle East, if called upon.

A Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) is a highly versatile, self-sustained, rapid-response force. Embarked aboard amphibious assault and landing ships, each MEU has fully integrated air, ground, and logistics components. Its four key elements are as follows:

Command Element: Serves as the headquarters for the entire unit and allows a single command to exercise control over all ground, aviation, and combat service support forces.

Ground Combat Element: Provides the MEU with its main combat punch. Built around a Marine infantry battalion, and reinforced with artillery, amphibious vehicles, engineers, and reconnaissance assets.

Aviation Combat Element: The ACE consists of a composite medium helicopter squadron containing transport helicopters of various models and capabilities, attack helicopters and jets, air defense teams, and all necessary ground support assets.

Logistics Combat Element: Providing the MEU with mission-essential support such as medical assistance, motor transport, supply, equipment maintenance, and landing.

A MEU would bring a wide range of capabilities to the fight. This can include additional aircraft to strike targets inland, including F-35Bs, and to execute sea control missions, going after Iranian small boats for instance. The latter can be done by embarked AH-1Z and UH-1Y helicopters, as well as F-35Bs. Then there is the assault component, with the ability to airlift Marines anywhere within the reach of its rotary wing component, which also includes MV-22s and CH-53s. The Aviation Combat Element can be tailored to the mission. This can include loading the deck with F-35s or putting a much higher priority on air assault capabilities. The USS Tripoli, which is aviation-focused and lacks a well deck, is specifically built for this kind of augmented air combat element, including being turned into a F-35 “Lightning Carrier.” You can read all about this here.

The MEU can also support beach landing and heavy surface logistical support. The Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) that makes up the entire flotilla also includes surface combatant escorts that can lend their Aegis capabilities to the fight and launch Tomahawks on demand.

While the carrier strike groups get the most attention for their ability to hit hard from a distance, the MEU/ESG is truly America’s most versatile maritime capability.

In other news, in his latest update on the war on Iran, Secretary Hegseth claims that Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has been “wounded and likely disfigured” in the ongoing U.S.-Israeli attacks. The defense secretary also pushed back on claims that Iran has begun mining the Strait of Hormuz as it continues its campaign against international shipping in the strategic chokepoint.

In a press conference today, the defense secretary said, “We know the new so-called not-so-supreme leader is wounded and likely disfigured. He put out a statement yesterday — a weak one, actually — but there was no voice, and there was no video. It was a written statement.”

As to why a written statement was issued, and Mojtaba Khamenei didn’t appear in person, Hegseth added: “I think you know why.”

Hegseth also promised that today will see the highest number of U.S. strikes so far against Iranian targets.

“Their production lines, their military plants, their defense innovation centers; defeated,” Hegseth claimed. “Iran’s leadership is in no better shape. Desperate and hiding, they’ve gone underground, cowering — that’s what rats do.”

Hegseth said the Iranian regime will only see the stars and stripes of the United States and Israel’s star of David, which he describes as “their worst nightmare.”

The Iranian regime has been the number one threat to peace and stability in the Middle East for years. U.S. forces continue to take decisive steps to neutralize Iran’s power projection capabilities. pic.twitter.com/JOT7rRGH7L

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 13, 2026

In the Strait of Hormuz, Hegseth said that the U.S. military is “dealing with” Iran’s attacks on shipping, and that this is not something it needs to be worried about.

Hegseth dismissed suggestions that Iran has mined the strait, through which around a fifth of the world’s oil passes.

“We’ve heard them talk about it just like you’ve reported recklessly and wildly about it. But … we have no clear evidence of that,” he explained.

Hegseth says there is “no clear evidence” Iran has placed mines in the Strait of Hormuz.

— Lucas Tomlinson (@LucasFoxNews) March 13, 2026

Asked when the Strait of Hormuz might become operational again, Hegseth said: “The only thing prohibiting traffic in the strait at the moment is Iran shooting at shipping.” He said that the United States “has a plan for every option” and that it will not allow the strait to remain “contested.”

Hegseth: “The only thing prohibiting transit in [Hormuz] right now is Iran shooting at shipping.”

“It is open for transit should Iran not do that” pic.twitter.com/MZ4vx7NQnj

— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) March 13, 2026

According to a report in The New York Times, at least 16 oil tankers, cargo vessels, and other commercial ships have been attacked in the Persian Gulf since the war against Iran began nearly two weeks ago.

Iran has claimed responsibility for several of the attacks. Hegseth also criticized as “bad reporting” the suggestion that Iran could launch a drone attack on California.

“There’s a lot of things Iran has said it could do for a long time, including engaging their proxies and getting them involved in the fight, which they haven’t been able to do. So, we’re watching that very closely,” he said.

Citing multiple sources familiar with the matter, CNN reports that the Pentagon and National Security Council “significantly underestimated” Iran’s willingness to close the Strait of Hormuz in response to U.S. military strikes while Operation Epic Fury was being planned.

“Top Trump officials acknowledged to lawmakers during recent classified briefings that they did not plan for the possibility of Iran closing the strait in response to strikes.”https://t.co/dgNukmCUA9

— Ryan Goodman (@rgoodlaw) March 13, 2026

BREAKING: The Trump administration planned for missile retaliation, proxy attacks, and cyber operations. It did not plan for Iran to weaponize the most important energy chokepoint on Earth.

The Strait of Hormuz.

According to a CNN report on internal US discussions, senior… pic.twitter.com/TIFzXCZR9h

— Ragıp Soylu (@ragipsoylu) March 13, 2026

The headline in the Hezbollah-linked Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar this morning reads: “Iran Activates the Hormuz Weapon. Going All the Way.”

הכותרת הבוקר של העיתון אל-אח’באר הלבנוני המזוהה עם חיזבאללה: “איראן מפעילה את נשק הורמוז. הולכים עד הסוף” pic.twitter.com/2xS9cuTTo7

— roi kais • روعي كايس • רועי קייס (@kaisos1987) March 13, 2026

SCOOP: President Trump told G7 leaders this week that Iran is “about to surrender.”

The Iranian regime has shown no signs of imminent surrender or collapse — and on Day 14 of the war, is moving to gain more leverage by choking off the Strait of Hormuz. https://t.co/qHzPkisGKe

— Axios (@axios) March 13, 2026

In an interview with Fox News, U.S. President Donald Trump said that the U.S. military planned on hitting Iran “very hard” over the next week. A similar comment was posted on Trump’s Truth Social today, in which he said: “Watch what happens to these deranged scumbags today. They’ve been killing innocent people all over the world for 47 years, and now I, as the 47th President of the United States of America, am killing them,” he wrote. “What a great honor it is to do so!”

Gen. Dan Caine, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, today commented on the use of the new Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) short-range ballistic missile, which he confirmed saw its combat debut in the operation against Iran.

Caine said that the PrSM “reaching deep into enemy territory”. He said he spoke to one member of the crew of the system. “I asked him to walk me through a fire mission, not just what they do but what they feel,” he explained. “One of them just looked at me and said: ‘It’s awesome.’”

According to Caine, the U.S. military has hit 6,000 targets so far. In the process, Iran’s naval forces have been rendered “ineffective,” although Tehran still has the capability to harm “friendly forces” and commercial shipping.

This morning, another three U.S. Air Force B-52H bombers arrived at RAF Fairford in England. There are now six B-52s at the base, alongside 12 B-1B Lancers. Reports from the ground indicate that GBU-31 Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs) equipped with BLU-109 2,000-lb bunker buster warheads continue to be prepared for strikes on Iran.

More B52 Stratofortress long range bombers have arrived at RAF Fairford. Three landed this morning. There are now six on the ground. They join a fleet of 12 B1 Lancers. Two B1 bombers took off this morning. Supplies of JDAM bunker busting bombs continue to be moved around the… pic.twitter.com/XxwfWSRKQD

— Richard Gaisford (@richardgaisford) March 13, 2026

Air defenses in the United Arab Emirates intercepted 27 drones and seven ballistic missiles today, the UAE defense ministry said. Since the start of the conflict, UAE air defenses have shot down 285 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles, and 1,567 drones heading toward their territory.

In Oman, two people were killed today after air defenses intercepted a drone over the Al Awahi industrial area, according to state media. The drone was one of two that were shot by air defences on Friday, but the second one did not cause any injuries.

The Israeli military has launched a new campaign across Iran, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said today.

The IDF said its most recent wave of strikes included targets in Tehran, Shiraz, and Ahvaz. The IDF had earlier issued evacuation warnings for parts of Tehran and Qazvin, northwest of the capital.

Iranian state TV today reported explosions heard across Tehran. 

It appears that at least some of the strikes on the capital may have been deliberately timed to coincide with large-scale demonstrations against Israel and the United States, which have also involved some key regime figures.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi:

Today is Quds Day in Iran, and despite the brutal attacks by the Zionist regime and the United States, millions of Iranians have taken to the streets in Tehran and other cities, demonstrating their strong will and determination.

The… pic.twitter.com/GvRkfZw1HT

— Clash Report (@clashreport) March 13, 2026

Another WOW, Iranian top regime official, Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i, the chief of judiciary, is also participating in a march in Tehran.

Amid Israeli strikes in the vicinity.

This guy is among a few people who actually run Iran. pic.twitter.com/FmsTkx85BI

— Ragıp Soylu (@ragipsoylu) March 13, 2026

BREAKING: Huge marches and protests across Iran supporting the government while chanting “Death to Israel” and “Death to America”.

They really failed the regime change. pic.twitter.com/N1ttuazeqx

— Sulaiman Ahmed (@ShaykhSulaiman) March 13, 2026

Strikes reported in Tehran near the “Al-Quds Day” march. Iranian officials Ali Larijani and police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan attend the march pic.twitter.com/eZOxK5Da5p

— Faytuks Network (@FaytuksNetwork) March 13, 2026

BREAKING: A large explosion struck a square filled with demonstrators in Iran’s capital, Tehran, Iranian state television reported. The cause of the blast was not immediately known. Israel warned it could strike in the area just before the blast. https://t.co/YBy6NTDrj8

— The Associated Press (@AP) March 13, 2026

Funerals of eight Basijis militiamen were being held in southeastern neighborhood of Khavaran in Tehran today when a Israeli/Us drone struck – Hamshahri newspaper pic.twitter.com/hnJQ8DuIEh

— Fazel Hawramy (@FazelHawramy) March 13, 2026

Speaking yesterday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had reportedly said that one of the Israeli goals of the war is to create the conditions for regime change, rather than forcing it directly. Whether regime change is achieved depends on the Iranian people, Netanyahu reportedly asserted.

President Trump has also urged Iranians to take to the streets once the bombing stops, but has also acknowledged that it will be very difficult for them to overthrow the regime.

“I really think that’s a big hurdle to climb for people that don’t have weapons. I think it’s a very big hurdle… It’ll happen, but… maybe not immediately,” Trump told Fox News Radio.

Trump:

Iran’s regime will fall, “but maybe not immediately.”

— Clash Report (@clashreport) March 13, 2026

Former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice added her thoughts on the matter of regime change, noting that this was always very hard to achieve from the air, “and it is also very hard to shape the politics afterwards from the air.”

Former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice:

It’s very hard to change a regime from the air, and it is also very hard to shape the politics afterwards from the air. pic.twitter.com/YSKPmUVOC9

— Clash Report (@clashreport) March 13, 2026

Dubai has also been on the receiving end of Iranian attacks. There were reports of in Dubai, where videos posted to social media showed a large cloud of smoke over a central area of the financial hub. Authorities there confirmed a fire in an industrial area.

🚨🚨
دبي .. اندلاع النيران في أحد أبراج منطقة كريك هاربور عقب استهدافها بطائرة مسيّرة pic.twitter.com/sW9S6iEQ3E

— حمود أبو مسمار (@ThayirAljanub) March 12, 2026

Explosions rattled buildings in Dubai and a large cloud of smoke hung over a central area of the financial hub on Friday, AFP correspondents report.

Sirens could be heard coming from the direction of Sheikh Zayed Road, the United Arab Emirates city’s main artery pic.twitter.com/M945PQl7un

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) March 13, 2026

Israel continues fighting on a second front in Iran, with the latest targets including the Zrarieh Bridge spanning the Litani River.

The IDF says it struck a bridge on the Litani River that was being used by Hezbollah as a “key crossing” to move from northern to southern Lebanon.

The Zrarieh Bridge was struck a short while ago.

According to the military, Hezbollah used the bridge “to move from the north to… pic.twitter.com/7Fq8nvrt0H

— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) March 13, 2026

Israeli Minister of Defense Israel Katz vowed today that the Lebanese government “will pay increasing costs through damage to infrastructure and loss of territory” until Hezbollah is disarmed. “This is only the beginning,” Katz said, according to a report from Reuters.

🎯STRUCK: Hezbollah’s infrastructure across southern Lebanon:

📍Beirut: Assets of the “Al-Quard Al-Hassan”” Association and other significant financial assets of Hezbollah were struck. The recent strikes against the association have effectively and completely disrupted its… pic.twitter.com/g6BRa5LHjD

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) March 13, 2026

NATO air and missile defence assets have shot down another Iranian missile fired into Turkish airspace, Turkey’s defense ministry confirmed today. “All necessary measures are being taken decisively and without hesitation against any threat directed at our country’s territory and airspace,” the ministry said in a statement.

Turkey’s Defense Ministry says “a ballistic munition launched from Iran and entering Turkish airspace” was intercepted by NATO air defenses in the Eastern Mediterranean. The statement does not explicitly mention the reported incident near Incirlik Air Base last night. https://t.co/KxSV3uNEwq

— Julia Hahn (@juliahahntv) March 13, 2026

The video below purports to show the Iranian ballistic missile over Incirlik Air Base in Turkey.

Another video showing what appears to be a ballistic missile, likely launched by Iran, in the sky tonight over NATO’s Incirlik Air Base, located near Adana, Turkey. pic.twitter.com/Tyb79Rg99Q

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) March 13, 2026

According to Jake Epstein of Business Insider, the Iranian ballistic missile was brought down by the Arleigh Burke class destroyer USS Oscar Austin, using a Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) anti-missile interceptor. This is said to be the third time in the last two weeks that a U.S. Navy destroyer has used SM-3s to intercept an Iranian missile in Turkish airspace. SM-3 series interceptors are capable of engaging ballistic missiles outside of the Earth’s atmosphere during the mid-course portion of their flight.

New: A defense official tells me the USS Oscar Austin launched an SM-3 interceptor to shoot down the Iranian ballistic missile.

It’s a third time in the last two weeks that a US Navy destroyer in the Eastern Med has used SM-3s to intercept an Iranian missile in Turkish airspace. https://t.co/gHxjdyLirZ

— Jake Epstein (@byjepstein) March 13, 2026

French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed the first French military death of the war. He said that said a French soldier had been killed in an attack in Erbil in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region. Several other soldiers were wounded, he said. French Army soldiers had been engaged in training with Iraqi partners during the drone attack in the region.

Je m’incline devant la mémoire de l’adjudant-chef Arnaud Frion, mort pour la France cette nuit, lors d’une attaque dans la région d’Erbil, en Irak.
⁰Belle figure de soldat et de chef, il incarnait les plus hautes vertus d’un combattant de l’armée de Terre.⁰Mes pensées vont à sa… pic.twitter.com/cBXnGpJbJf

— Chef d’état-major de l’armée de Terre (@CEMAT_FR) March 13, 2026

Yesterday, Reuters reported that at least ​six French soldiers ‌were wounded in ​a ​drone attack targeting ⁠a ​joint Peshmerga-French ​base in the Makhmour area ​of ​Iraq.

Reports out of India suggest that New Delhi is set to repatriate the 183 crew members of the Iranian naval vessel IRIS Lavan as early as today. The sailors had been in the Indian port of Kochi since the Iranian amphibious vessel docked there on March 4 as tensions in the Middle East escalated.

India to repatriate 183 Iranian sailors from warship IRIS Lavan in Kochi. Repatriation can happen as early as today.

Reporting:https://t.co/8dTBLDSisc

— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) March 13, 2026

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) office has provided an update on an incident in which a cargo vessel was reported to have been hit by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, which resulted in a fire onboard. The incident is said to have occurred 11 nautical miles north of Oman. The vessel had requested assistance, and the crew was previously said to be evacuating the vessel. While the fire onboard the vessel has been extinguished, as of today, at least some of the crew remain unlocated.

Footage has emerged showing the demise of the unique KC-747 aircraft formerly used by the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) during an attack on Mehrabad Air Base last week. The tanker version of the 747 was not flown anywhere else in the world, and Iran had just one flying example. You can read all about the aircraft in this past article. 

An unnamed IDF official talking to the Israeli N12 news channel provided their assessment of the interdiction campaign against Iranian missile launchers.

“We destroyed between 160 and 190 launchers, disabled another 200, and around 150 remain active,” the official claimed, noting that the United States “didn’t believe we would succeed in the decapitation strike.”

A senior military official:

“The Americans didn’t believe we would succeed in the decapitation strike.
We destroyed between 160–190 launchers, disabled another 200, and around 150 remain active. The missile crews are afraid to go out; there are desertions and refusals to…

— Amit Segal (@AmitSegal) March 13, 2026

Noteworthy, however, is an assessment from Bloomberg today, which states that the number of Iranian missile launchers has held steady after a week of unrelenting airstrikes, based on Israeli and Western estimates. “Finding the vehicles in such a large country, especially when some airspace is still dangerous for U.S. and Israeli aircraft, poses a huge challenge,” the article says.

There are rumors that the Iranian missile attack on Ali Al Salem Air Base last week may have destroyed three Kuwait Air Force Typhoon fighters that were based there. This remains unverified at this stage, although satellite evidence confirms that the facility was struck.

I’m hearing the attack on Ali Al Salem air base last week – 5/6 March – destroyed three Kuwait Air Force Typhoons. Those Iranian missiles appear to be very accurate. Doesn’t bode well for those without effective ballistic missile defences…

— Alan Warnes (@warnesyworld) March 13, 2026

LATEST UPDATES:

We have concluded our live coverage for the day.

4:20 PM EST –

In a post on X, the House Select Committee on China railed against the Chinese AI firm MizarVision’s assistance to Iran. 

The company owns no satellites, but “pulls imagery from multiple commercial providers, including VANTOR Technologies, Airbus Defence and Space, and China’s Jilin-1 satellite constellation, according to Military AI.

MizarVision’s AI software “scans vast volumes of satellite imagery, automatically identifying equipment ranging from aerial tankers like the KC-135 to missile defense systems like the Patriot,” the outlet noted.

Chinese AI firm @MizarVision is reportedly compiling satellite imagery from providers like @vantortech and @AirbusSpace to map U.S. military deployments across the Middle East.

Companies tied to the CCP are turning AI into a battlefield surveillance tool against America. The…

— Select Committee on China (@ChinaSelect) March 13, 2026

Vice President JD Vance told reporters it is unclear whether the new Supreme Leader of Iran was wounded in an attack by the U.S. or Israel.

NEWS: @VP tells us it’s not clear if the wounds that the new Supreme leader of Iran suffered are from a US strike, given much fire in this war, but it was likely from either Israel and US. “We know that he’s hurt. We don’t know exactly how bad, but we know that he’s hurt,” Vance… pic.twitter.com/5l9BwmYW1J

— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) March 13, 2026

Earlier today, U.S. military officials said tonight would see the most intense bombardment of the war. Now the Israelis are making that claim.

An Israeli leading military journalist is saying that tonight is going to be a very intense night in #Iran in terms of airstrikes, adding “might be the most significant one since the beginning of the war”.
He also says that the attack again Iran’s top intel leadership seems to… https://t.co/HSBIqt9aT7

— Nadav Pollak (@NadavPollak) March 13, 2026

Both Iran and Israel are getting pummeled.

Video emerged on social media showing massive attacks on Tehran.

Meanwhile, there is also video of Iranian ballistic missiles striking central Israel.

3:44 PM EST –

The Tripoli ARG, reportedly tapped to join Epic Fury, is speeding toward the Middle East from Asia, notes open-source investigator MT Anderson.

HIGH-SPEED SURGE: USS Tripoli ARG Sprints for the Middle East

OSINT Update (Mar 12 imagery): Following the announcement that the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group is heading to the Middle East for Operation Epic Fury, visual evidence confirms she wastes no time.

She is already… https://t.co/Mk5NvCriwp pic.twitter.com/NJ5NnHqgu9

— MT Anderson (@MT_Anderson) March 13, 2026

In a YouTube video, the Economist offers some insights into how the war in Iran has widespread implications across the globe.

“The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz—a slim waterway between Oman and Iran through which a large proportion of global oil and gas supply flows—has consequences for much of the world,” the publication noted. “The fall-out will not be felt evenly. Russia has a lot to gain from the escalating conflict.”

Is Russia the real winner from the war in Iran? | The Economist

A cyber attack by Iran-linked hackers “has paused the supply of essential medical equipment to UK hospitals,” TheIPaper reports. “Handala – a hacktivist group linked to Iranian intelligence – successfully breached the IT systems of a global medical technology firm supplying the NHS, pausing orders of mouth swabs and defibrillators to UK hospitals.”

NEW: A cyber attack by Iran-linked hackers has paused the supply of essential medical equipment to UK hospitals.

Handala – a hacktivist group linked to Iranian intelligence – successfully breached the IT systems of a global medical technology firm supplying the NHS, pausing…

— Richard Holmes 🕵🏻‍♂️ (@Richard_AHolmes) March 13, 2026

Despite proclamations from Hegseth to the contrary, the number of Iranian missile launchers has held steady after a week of unrelenting airstrikes, Bloomberg News reported, citing Israeli and western estimates. This highlights “the difficulty of finding small, mobile targets without having complete control of the skies,” the outlet explained.

3:00 PM EST—

CENTCOM has published this video showing B-2 Spirit bombers taking off for a raid on Iran. Flying global non-stop missions from their home base in Whiteman, Missouri, America’s stealth bombers have so far targeted Iran’s missile caves. These facilities are built deep under mountains and are primarily used for storage, but some of them actually have the ability to launch ballistic missiles through apertures in their ceilings.

B-2 stealth bombers takeoff to conduct a mission during Operation Epic Fury, delivering long-range fire to not only eliminate the threat from the Iranian regime today, but also eliminate their ability to rebuild in the future. pic.twitter.com/ebyUYNnOLo

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 13, 2026

2:50 PM EST—

The U.K. Ministry of Defence says that a British counter-drone unit shot down “multiple drones overnight” following recent strikes on coalition bases in Iraq. Meanwhile, U.K. Royal Air Force Typhoon fighters flew air defense operations over Bahrain for the first time, the MoD said in an update shared on X.

It added: “British Typhoon and F-35 jets are now flying in defence of British interests and allies across Qatar, Cyprus, UAE, Jordan, and Bahrain. U.K. defences in the eastern Mediterranean now include Typhoon and F-35 jets, air defense and counter-drone units, Wildcat and Merlin helicopters, and a further 400 air defense personnel are currently deployed to protect British lives and interests.”

2:30 PM EST—

Sri Lanka today repatriated the remains of 84 Iranians killed in the U.S. attack on the frigate IRIS Dena, sunk by a U.S. Navy submarine, local officials said.

The sailors were killed when the IRIS Dena was torpedoed on March 4 just off the coast of Sri Lanka, in an incident that you can read more about here.

An Airbus A340 chartered by Iran “left a short while ago carrying the remains of the sailors,” an airport official at Mattala International Airport in the island’s south told AFP earlier today.

The destination of the flight was not disclosed.

This is the Turkish Antalya A340, chartered by Iran to repatriate the remains of 84 sailors killed in a US submarine attack on March 4 just off Sri Lanka’s southern coast. The aircraft has landed at Mattala,- often dubbed Sri Lanka’s ‘ghost airport’ and the world’s emptiest. https://t.co/Yn6ryI9H18 pic.twitter.com/n8Gy5SfTnf

— Ranga Sirilal (@rangaba) March 13, 2026

2:25 PM EST—

Only 77 ships have so far crossed the Strait of Hormuz this month, as the war continues to disrupt one of the world’s most vital shipping routes. This data was provided today by Lloyd’s List Intelligence. Significantly, Lloyd’s said that most of these vessels belonged to the so-called ‘shadow fleet’ — ships used to evade Western sanctions and regulations, typically linked to Russia and Iran.

The 77 transits recorded so far this month compare with 1,229 passages in the same period last year, according to Lloyd’s List.

🚨 Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has collapsed amid the Middle East war.

Just 77 ships have crossed so far in March, compared to 1,229 during the same period last year, according to Lloyd’s List Intelligence.

Most vessels making the passage belong to sanction-evading… pic.twitter.com/WKoNAAl2eA

— Mossad Commentary (@MOSSADil) March 13, 2026

1:48 PM EST—

There are reports that India has cut a deal with Iran to allow their energy shipments to pass through the Strait.

Iran and India cut a deal: two LPG tankers get through the strait.

That countries are engaging in bilateral discussions with Iran points to the success of the Iranian strategy–as well as the ongoing failure of the US to resolve the security crisis in the strait.…

— Gregory Brew (@gbrew24) March 13, 2026

The Ford is still in the Red Sea and gaining destroyer escorts. It isn’t clear what the plan is for the carrier, but it could move through the tumultuous Bab el Mandeb Strait, which the Houthis again threatened, in order to be in a better striking position in the Arabian Sea. The ship suffered a fire in a laundry facility and is on its second deployment extension. How long it can stay on station remains a major question.

THE BUILDUP CONTINUES: 3rd Destroyer Joins the Ford

OSINT Update (Mar 12 imagery): Tracking the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) as she continues to hold off the coast of Al Wajh in the Northern Red Sea.

She has shifted her box slightly to ~100km offshore, but the critical tactical… pic.twitter.com/lR1p6qSbmI

— MT Anderson (@MT_Anderson) March 13, 2026

Some commentary on the Marine deployment to the Middle East from TWZ‘s editor:

When you think of a Marine Expeditionary Unit in the context of this conflict, one target comes to mind: Kharg Island, where the majority of Iran’s oil exports flow. Untouched by the conflict yet, due to its strategic value and critical infrastructure. Seizing it would be a huge deal and would be a risky operation. Not just the seizing, but more so the staying. If Iran thought it was lost, they could bombard it with pretty much everything they have. Also, unlikely to push the MEU into the Persian Gulf. Would be an aerial operation, also not without risks.

There are also a number of islands in and around the Strait of Hormuz that could be used to help put up a screen against shipping attacks, etc. Also risky for obvious reasons.

There are also a number of islands in and around the Strait of Hormuz that could be used help put up a screen against shipping attacks etc. Also risky for obvious reasons. pic.twitter.com/0nolqdew9J

— Tyler Rogoway (@Aviation_Intel) March 13, 2026

Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com

ANGRY locals must wait to have a say on Alan Carr’s new castle renovation reality show after a meeting was delayed by “unprecedented” interest.

Producers behind the project planned to hold the gathering at a 120-capacity bowling club — but 600 people wanted to attend so it was held over.

Expectation TV are now looking for a larger venue to allow locals a chance to voice their concerns on the revamp and restrictions to their access to 19th century A-listed Ayton Castle in the Scottish Borders.

Comic Carr, 49, paid around £3.25million for the baronial mansion, which will feature on the Disney+ show.

He did so after winning the first Celebrity Traitors at Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands.

Speaking about the upcoming series, he said: “Some men, when they have a mid-life crisis, buy a Lamborghini or grow a ponytail.

GREAT SCOT

Scottish town with popular holiday park is next to Alan Carr’s new castle

KEEP CARR AND CARRY ON

Alan Carr’s new show to get second series before first even finishes

“But me, I want my very own castle.

“I’ve always dreamt big and have always been enchanted with the history and romance of a stately home.

“As I turn 50, I feel that it’s time.

“All I want is a turret to call my own — get me over that drawbridge.”

Ayton Community Council revealed the meeting’s postponement in an online post.

It said interest from the wider public and press had led to the cancellation.

A production team source said the meeting’s new venue would soon be made known.

In remarks that are likely to stoke concerns through the corridors of CNN, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said Friday he is looking forward to Paramount’s ownership of the network.

“The sooner David Ellison takes over that network the better,” Hegseth said during a morning briefing.

Hegseth’s invoking the name of the Paramount Skydance chief executive — whose company will take control of CNN once its deal to merge with Warner Bros. Discovery is finalized — amplified the fear many have that the cable news channel will seek to appease the Trump administration.

The typically combative Hegseth made the remarks after blasting CNN’s reporting on the U.S. military action in Iran. CNN said the Trump administration underestimated the impact its attack would have on the Strait of Hormuz, echoing the claims of other media outlets. Oil tankers have been unable to get through the passage due to attacks by Iranian drones, escalating gas prices as a result.

“CNN doesn’t think we thought of that,” Hegseth said. “It’s a fundamentally unserious report.”

Paramount declined to comment on the remarks by Hegseth, a former Fox News host who has a lot of experience in bashing the mainstream media. A CNN representative said the network stands by its reporting.

Trump has a friendship with Ellison’s father, Larry, and the two have reportedly discussed changes to CNN once Paramount takes ownership. But it’s the rare time such expectations have been offered up publicly by a top member of the administration.

Trump, who has long expressed disdain for CNN, expressed his preference for Paramount to prevail over Netfilx in its pursuit of Warner Bros. Discovery so that CNN would be in the hands of the Ellisons.

In his last public statement about CNN, David Ellison said he wants to be in the “truth business” and insisted there would be no corporate interference in the network’s coverage.

“CNN is an incredible brand with an incredible team, and we absolutely believe in the independence that needs to be maintained, obviously, for those incredible journalists, and we want to support that going forward,” Ellison told CNBC on March 5.

Paramount has been forced to battle the perception of that its news organizations will tilt to the right under its stewardship. One of David Ellison’s first moves after his company Skydance Media took over CBS was installing Bari Weiss as editor in chief of the network’s news division despite having no experience in TV news. Ellison acquired Weiss’s the Free Press, a centrist digital news site that often targets excesses of the political left and is staunchly pro-Israel.

The acquisition and the appointment of Weiss were seen as a way to help smooth the regulatory approval of Skydance’s acquisition of Paramount last year. CBS News has been under intense scrutiny for signs that is shifting its coverage to please the administration.

A number of CBS News journalists unhappy over the division’s direction under Weiss have already departed. Scott MacFarlane, the Justice Department correspondent who announced his exit Monday, was said to be particularly unhappy over the network’s handling of the anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters who wanted to overturn the 2020 election results.

Anderson Cooper also passed on signing a new deal with “60 Minutes,” where he has been a correspondent since 2007. But with the merger, the CNN anchor will still be a part of the company.

Weiss’ has had some early missteps. The Jan. 6 story was among several highly criticized segments during the first week of “CBS Evening News with Tony Dokoupil.” She delayed a “60 Minutes” segment on the government’s use of an El Salvador prison to detain undocumented migrants for more reporting, only to have it air with minor changes. The delay prompted charges that Weiss was trying to placate the White House, which CBS denied.

Notwithstanding the controversy, some insiders contend there has
not been a significant shift in how CBS News is covering most stories.

The network was among the first to report that the severity of injuries to U.S. service members from an Iranian drone attack in Kuwait were far more serious than the government initially said.

CBS News is also moving ahead with the hiring of Jeremy Adler, once a top advisor to former congresswoman and outspoken Trump nemesis Liz Cheney, to handle communications for Weiss, according to people familiar with the plan who were not authorized to speak publicly.

Axios — citing unnamed sources — reported that White House officials are angry about Adler joining the network, as Cheney was vice chairman of the committee that investigated the Jan. 6 insurrection.

Cheney, the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney and one of the most conservative members of Congress during her time, supported Trump’s opponent Kamala Harris in the 2020 election.

Adler was Cheney’s deputy chief of staff and senior communications advisor from 2019 to 2023. He also served as a regional press secretary on now-Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s 2016 presidential campaign.

Marcus Rashford could return to Manchester United in the summer, Tottenham draw up potential replacements for Igor Tudor and Arsenal prepare Leon Goretzka deal.

England forward Marcus Rashford, 28, could return to Manchester United after his loan spell at Barcelona, who are interested in Chelsea and Portugal winger Pedro Neto, 26, as an alternative. (Mundo Deportivo – in Spanish), external

Rashford wants to stay at Barca, but talks have hit a stumbling block and sporting director Deco has proposed a second season-long loan to allow the Spanish side more time to pay off an option-to-buy fee to Manchester United. (Talksport), external

Tottenham are drawing up potential options to replace Igor Tudor as head coach if they decide another managerial change is needed. (Athletic – subscription required), external

While Tottenham boss Tudor is set to remain in charge in the short term, he has already alienated a number of players. (Talksport), external

Manchester United have a five-man shortlist of managers who could replace caretaker Michael Carrick in the summer – Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner, Aston Villa‘s Unai Emery, Andoni Iraola of Bournemouth, former Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi and Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann. (Sun), external

Napoli will trigger the 44m euro (£38m) clause to buy Denmark forward Rasmus Hojlund, 23, and make his loan deal from Manchester United permanent. (Fabrizio Romano), external

Arsenal are preparing a formal offer to sign Bayern Munich and Germany midfielder Leon Goretzka, 31, as a free agent in the summer. (Teamtalk), external

However, AC Milan are also interested in Goretzka, who Bayern Munich have already confirmed will leave the club at the end of the season. (Goal), external

Liverpool will have competition from Barcelona if they pursue a move for Inter Milan and Italy centre-back Alessandro Bastoni, 26. (Sport – in Spanish), external

Manchester United are frontrunners to sign Bournemouth and United States midfielder Tyler Adams in the summer, with Chelsea and Liverpool also interested in the 27-year-old. (Teamtalk), external

Arsenal could earn about £1.7m if Juventus move for ex-Gunners and Poland defender Jakub Kiwior, 26, who joined Porto on loan in September with an obligation to buy for about £23m. (Sun), external

March 13 (Asia Today) — Several candidates from South Korea’s conservative People Power Party publicly urged Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon on Friday to apply for the party’s nomination for the upcoming local elections, as his refusal to do so has prolonged internal tensions.

Oh has delayed submitting his candidacy application while calling for broader party reforms, prompting criticism from party members who say the standoff is deepening divisions ahead of the June 3 local elections.

Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok, who has secured the party’s nomination for his reelection bid, visited the party’s headquarters in Seoul and called on Oh to move forward with the nomination process.

“The party is in confusion,” Yoo said. “I hope Mayor Oh will quickly apply for the nomination and confidently join the party’s path forward.”

Yoo also urged former nomination committee chairman Lee Jung-hyun – who abruptly resigned earlier in the day – to reconsider his decision and return to the role.

“I ask Chairman Lee to withdraw his resignation and fulfill his responsibility to ensure a successful nomination process,” Yoo said, while also calling on party leader Jang Dong-hyuk to strengthen unity within the party.

South Chungcheong Province Gov. Kim Tae-heum also called on Oh to demonstrate leadership as a senior party figure.

“I understand Mayor Oh’s position,” Kim said. “But as a senior member of the party, I hope he will show dedication to keeping the party united.”

Kim had previously delayed submitting his own nomination application alongside Oh but completed the process Thursday after discussions with party leadership.

Some party figures have issued sharper criticism.

Lee Sang-kyu, a People Power Party candidate for Seoul mayor, accused Oh of creating unnecessary pressure within the party while insisting on the creation of an “innovation campaign committee.”

Another mayoral hopeful, Yoon Hee-sook, wrote on social media that it is not the time for internal disputes over candidate registration.

“Primary candidates must unite and focus on confronting the Lee Jae-myung administration while working toward party reform,” she said.

Criticism has also emerged within the party leadership over Oh’s proposal to launch a reform-oriented campaign committee.

Park Jun-tae, chief of staff to the party leader, questioned whether the proposal effectively amounted to a demand for Jang to step down.

“If the proposal implies that the party leader should resign, it would be difficult for the party to accept,” Park said.

Senior lawmaker Na Kyung-won also criticized Oh’s position in a social media post Thursday, urging him to stop escalating tensions within the party.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260313010004055

DOLLY Parton has issued a major announcement about Dollywood after taking time off for a health crisis.

She opened the amusement park, which is located in her native Tennessee, back in 1986 and it hosts nearly three million guests each year.

Now it’s been revealed that Dollywood is officially open for the new 2026 season.

She shared the exciting news on her Instagram feed with a throwback picture of herself standing at her theme park.

The 80-year-old penned: “I look just like the girls next door… if you happen to live next door to an amusement park.

“@dollywood is officially open for the 2026 season!”

READ MORE ON DOLLY PARTON

GOLLY DOLLY!

Dolly Parton’s $180m Tennessee real estate portfolio revealed

DOLLY GOOD SHOW

Dolly Parton on how she’s defied time as she celebrates 80th birthday

Fans flocked to the comments section to share their excitement as one said: “Yayy I love Dollywood!!”

Another person commented: “The girl next door who owns an amusement park. Because Dolly showed us, girls can do anything.”

Somebody else enthused: “Can’t wait to go back!!”

Yet another expressed: “The Queen of Tennessee, beautiful Dolly.”

While a fifth added: “Going in August – taking a family vacation and Dollywood is definitely on the itinerary.

This comes after Dolly sparked health concerns last fall when she canceled several performances.

At the beginning of fall in 2025, the Tennessee native announced she was forced to postpone her Las Vegas residency after dealing with a number of “health challenges.”

Dolly’s shows were scheduled for six dates in early December at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace.

Tim McGraw subsequently took her place and the rescheduled shows have been set for September 2026.

In her message to fans, Dolly explained that she couldn’t perform due to doctor’s orders and had to undergo “a few procedures.”

“He is telling me to slow down right now so I can be ready for more big adventures with all of you.

“I love you and thank you for understanding.”

She assured fans that she would be back on stage soon, writing, “And don’t worry about me quittin’ the business because God hasn’t said anything about stopping yet.

After taking some time off, she returned last month as she told her fans some exciting news.

Looking incredible while sitting in a colorful room, Dolly delivered the news that East Tennessee Children’s Hospital was officially becoming Dolly Parton Children’s Hospital.

In the video, she explained how she believed every child should grow up healthy and with a fair chance.

She then revealed the hospital’s name change before saying, “I can’t do it all myself,” and asking for people to get involved via her website.

Meanwhile, the caption of the video read: “A new chapter begins.

“East Tennessee Children’s Hospital is proud to share we are becoming Dolly Parton Children’s Hospital.

“Inspired by Dolly’s commitment to children, this transformation represents more than a name change, it’s a promise. A promise to bring hope, healing and world-class care to patients and families across our region.

“Together, we’re building a future where every child has the chance to grow, thrive and feel the comfort of compassionate care.

“The same dedicated team. The same trusted care. Now carrying a name that reflects the heart of our mission. Learn more at DollyChildrens.org.”

President Trump announced on social media Friday that Richard Grenell, the former ambassador to Germany who Trump appointed as president of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts more than a year ago, is stepping down. Grenell will be replaced by Matt Floca, the vice president of facilities operations at the center.

Change has been the only constant at the Kennedy Center since Trump fired the center’s board in early February of last year and had himself appointed chairman. A week later amid mass artist defections that included Shonda Rhimes and Renée Fleming, Trump appointed Grenell, a close ally, as interim executive director, a post Grenell held until now.

“Ric Grenell has done an excellent job in helping to coordinate various elements of the Center during the transition period, and I want to thank him for the outstanding work he has done,” Trump posted on Truth Social, adding that after an upcoming two-year closure for renovations, the center “will be, at its completion, the finest facility of its kind anywhere in the World!”

News of the center’s imminent closure came as a surprise to employees and arts fans still reeling from Trump’s announcement late last year that the board had voted to rename the venue the Trump-Kennedy Center, which prompted another wave of performance cancellations, including by composer Philip Glass. The Washington National Opera also announced in early January that it would leave the center.

Grenell’s tenure was marked by controversy every step of the way, which Grenell met with combative defiance, often slamming artists that criticized the center’s decisions. He also was known for not granting interviews to press that he deemed unfriendly, instead speaking on the record only to right-leaning news organizations.

The Kennedy Center did not respond to a request for comment on Grenell’s departure.

SACRAMENTO — Delaney Shiring, a 5-foot-10 senior at El Dorado High, kept delivering clutch baskets when her team needed them most during a nerve-racking second half that enabled the Golden Hawks to win their first state girls’ basketball championship with a 42-40 win over San José Valley Christian in the Division III final on Friday at Golden 1 Center.

“It’s amazing,” said Shiring, who finished with 15 points and six rebounds. “It’s meant to be. Everything is so historic. We bought into those big moments.”

El Dorado (24-14) appeared to have a comfortable nine-point lead midway through the third quarter when Kenedi Nomura, who scored 18 points, helped ignite a Valley Christian rally. A basket by Shiring near the end of the quarter ended a 5-0 Warriors run.

Shiring’s biggest basket came with 47 seconds left for a 41-38 lead. The lead dropped to 41-40 with 38 seconds left on a basket by Anaya Bannarbie. Then Riley Morikawa made one of two free throws with 13.1 seconds left for a two-point advantage. Valley Christian never got off a potential tying shot.

Kennedy Wood of El Dorado focus on making free throw in Division III state final.

(Greg Stein)

“They had some really good defenders,” Shiring said. “I really focus in big moments when the shot matters.”

El Dorado made the Southern Section playoffs as an at-large team before surging in the postseason under coach Matt Raya, winning a Division 4 section title and Division III regional title.

March 13 (UPI) — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Friday thanked security personnel for risking their lives to thwart a potentially deadly attack on a temple this week.

Whitmer spoke at a news conference one day after a person drove a vehicle into Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Mich., calling the attack “anti-Semitism at its absolute worst.”

Her comments followed the attack at the temple on Thursday, where more than 100 children were attending school at the time.

“I want to thank Temple Israel’s security personnel — they were selfless in their courage and they saved lives,” Whitmer said. “Let’s be very clear: Yes, this is a place of worship, but at the time that this attack occurred, it was a school. One hundred and four children aged 5 and younger.”

The attacker, according to police, drove through the doors of the temple and down a hallway “with purpose” when a fire started inside the vehicle.

A security guard was hit by the vehicle, but security guards also responded to the driver with gunfire and the driver died.

Temple Israel is one of the largest reform Jewish congregations in the country, Whitmer noted, attracting more than 1,000 people for Friday night Shabbat services.

“Parents bring their children to daycare and school, and it’s a place of peace, unity, light and life,” Whitmer said. “Yesterday’s attack was anti-Semitism. It was hate, plain and simple.”

“We will fight this ancient and rampant evil,” she said.

There has been an uptick in anti-Semitic incidents in recent years and, according to the American Jewish Committee, roughly 70% of all religiously motivated hate crimes in the United States are committed against Jewish people.

Welcome to Bunker Talk. This is a weekend open discussion post for the best commenting crew on the net, in which we can chat about all the stuff that went on this week that we didn’t cover. We can also talk about the stuff we did or whatever else grabs your interest. In other words, it’s an off-topic thread.

This week’s second caption reads:

CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN AIR FORCE STATION, Colo.—Runners participating in the North American Aerospace Defense Command 5k Tunnel Run exit the Cheyenne Mountain Complex through the north portal at Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station, Colorado, May 10, 2018. The run was open to all local military personnel, friends and family and was held to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of NORAD and the U.S. Canadian binational NORAD agreement.. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Dennis Hoffman)

Also, a reminder:

Prime Directives!

• If you want to talk politics, do so respectfully and know that there’s always somebody that isn’t going to agree with you. 
• If you have political differences, hash it out respectfully, stick to the facts, and no childish name-calling or personal attacks of any kind. If you can’t handle yourself in that manner, then please, discuss virtually anything else.
• No drive-by garbage political memes. No conspiracy theory rants. Links to crackpot sites will be axed, too. Trolling and shitposting will not be tolerated. No obsessive behavior about other users. Just don’t interact with folks you don’t like. 
• Do not be a sucker and feed trolls! That’s as much on you as on them. Use the mute button if you don’t like what you see.  
• So unless you have something of quality to say, know how to treat people with respect, understand that everyone isn’t going to subscribe to your exact same worldview, and have come to terms with the reality that there is no perfect solution when it comes to moderation of a community like this, it’s probably best to just move on. 
• Finally, as always, report offenders, please. This doesn’t mean reporting people who don’t share your political views, but we really need your help in this regard.

STRANGER Things sensation Millie Bobby Brown is one of the top ten highest-paid Hollywood screen stars — aged just 22. 

The Brit actress earned a whopping £19.6million last year, Forbes magazine has revealed. 

Her bumper pay makes her the youngest star to grace the business bible’s annual highest-paid actors list.

It comes after Millie’s hit Netflix sci-fi show ended with its fifth and final series last year — becoming one of the streamer’s most-watched shows of all time. 

Topping Forbes’ 2025 list is US actor Adam Sandler, 59, known for his comedy roles.

He reportedly made £36.2million last year from producing and starring in Happy Gilmore 2, and co- starring in Netflix comedy drama Jay Kelly. 

GIRL POWER

Harper Beckham, 14, to be UK’s Kylie Jenner after shooting first beauty campaign

checking out

Huge chart-topping pop star QUITS music in row over soundtracking hit

Tom Cruise, 63, came in second with a £34.7million payday off the back of Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning.

Scarlett Johansson, 41, was fourth and the best-paid woman in the industry, raking in some £32.4million. 

While Hollywood pay is still huge, the combined earnings of the top 20 actors actually fell from 2024’s £551million — down to £445million. 

When Maria Corina Machado comes to town, you expect a lot of emotions. This week in Santiago, millennial bros swooned over her. Young women elbowed each other for a selfie. Cops had to contain throngs of people looking for a hug or a kind word. 

“Do you think I could take a picture with her?” inquired an anxious teenager. “She made me cry,” said an expressive professional woman. “She gives us all hope,” declared a curmudgeonly older gentleman with a trembling voice.

Mind you, this was the reaction from the Chileans.

Witnessing Maria Corina in action, particularly after her Nobel Prize win, is a sociological phenomenon. It’s not about her. It’s the effect she has on others. After a day tagging along to three different events, I felt I was seeing something very special. 

The irony is that these events happened on the same day that the New York Times reported that Trump had asked her not to go back to Venezuela just yet. The most popular figure in the country, the one who can really unite Venezuelans behind a bold new agenda aligned with Washington’s interests … and they want her stored in a cupboard a little longer. 

It’s baffling.

First off, the obvious: her political capital remains intact. If anything, it is bigger and more intense, surrounded by the veneer of real accomplishments and international recognition. The effect this political supernova has on Venezuelans, at least in this part of the world, is as strong as ever. Nobody in the country can conjure up this amount of goodwill. Give it up folks – it’s not even close.

But her aura goes beyond Venezuela. 

One event hosted by a local university brought together a veritable who’s-who of Chilean society – all the politicians, all the businesspeople, many academics … and me, el marido de Katy, lurking in a corner.

Maria Corina made her entrance with Chile’s new President, José Antonio Kast, and his wife Pía. People enthusiastically applauded Kast – which is natural, since he had been inaugurated the day before, won with 60% of the vote, and let’s face it, this was his crowd. 

Until the US realizes what they have, Maria Corina remains an elusive icon, patiently waiting for her time, planning, gaining strength, and keeping hope alive.

But Maria Corina garnered not one, not two, but three standing ovations. Hell, they stood up to applaud her when they announced her name. Kast and all the others were gracious enough to recognize the star power and bask in her aura. María Corina, if anything, seemed a bit embarrassed by it all.

Where does this come from?

It’s easy to reduce Maria Corina’s appeal to her masterful handling of emotions. We all know she talks about families ripped apart, about hugging, about the heroic 2024 campaign. “Mis adorados venezolanos” peppers her speeches.

However, I think it goes beyond that. The key to her connection with people is trust.

As the great Frances Frei explains, trust in leadership depends on three things: empathy, logic, and mastery.

The empathy part we know. Her speeches are tinged with the tragedy that has befallen us all: lost dreams, broken families, violence that belies belief. 

Yet it’s in the logic and the mastery that she brings it home.

The way that she frames the Venezuelan drama makes all the logical sense in the world—it’s about good and evil, about criminal networks controlling the State, and about a regime that has sown division. Fifteen years ago, we at Caracas Chronicles used to dismiss this rhetoric as extreme. It was all true, and now we know, and it all makes sense.

And that is where the mastery part comes in. Her speeches also contain a nod to the learning that has happened in Venezuela. People listening seem to know—now—that freedom is worth fighting for, that there is no free lunch, that respect and decency have a place at the table. Expropiar es robar. Indeed.

Her speech, delivered impeccably, with no teleprompter, links these three elements together in a way that makes both the cynic and the true believer nod in agreement.

How on Earth does the US administration not see that this is a rare political asset that needs to be deployed? 

Mind you, she wasn’t perfect. At that event, I thought she missed an opportunity to talk about the business opportunities a free Venezuela would have for Chilean companies. In her speeches, she does not effectively address the raging xenophobia many Venezuelans abroad face. 

But those are minor things.

Venezuela faces many tough choices in the coming years. Policy decisions will not be easy, and it’s going to take an enormous amount of political skill to see them through. Only someone like Maria Corina can conjure up the trust of the Venezuelan people that can deliver the difficult decisions that lie ahead. 

The US has an ally waiting to work on what needs to be done. Nobody in the country has what she has. She is aligned with you. She gave you her damn medal. She’s right there.

Until the US realizes what they have, Maria Corina remains an elusive icon, patiently waiting for her time, planning, gaining strength, and keeping hope alive. You won’t see these kinds of events in Miami or Houston. It’s not part of her plan. They want her to keep a low profile, for now. That’s a shame. 

She’s a star. Interrupted.

Wakefield Trinity fought back to edge a fiercely-contested West Yorkshire derby with Leeds Rhinos, while Super League leaders Wigan Warriors made short work of Bradford Bulls in round four of the Challenge Cup.

Following a lengthy delay caused by a power failure at the DIY Kitchens Stadium, Wakefield took the lead through Harvey Smith.

Leeds hit back through two tries from in-form Maika Sivo and one from Ash Handley but Oliver Pratt’s score on the stroke of half-time reduced Wakefield’s deficit to two points at the break.

Matty Storton sent the hosts in front and Ky Rodwell went over to make sure of a 24-14 win and confirm Wakefield’s place in the quarter-finals for the second successive season.

Leeds have now failed to reach the last eight since winning the competition in 2020.

Wigan overpowered Bradford at the Brick Community Stadium, scoring first-half tries through Luke Thompson, Zach Eckersley and Liam Marshall.

Adam Keighran added a fourth for Warriors before Ethan Ryan scored Bradford’s only try and debutant Dajon Sambou completed the scoring to round off a 30-6 win for the home side.

March 13 (UPI) — The USS Tripoli, and the 2,500 Marines on the amphibious assault ship, are headed to the Middle East to bolster U.S. military power there as the war in Iran enters its third week.

The Tripoli, along with Marines of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Group, had been operating in the Philippine Sea but is now headed west south of Taiwan through the Luzon Strait, USNI News reported.

Although the Tripoli had been with the USS San Diego and USS New Orleans in the Philippine Sea, it is not clear if the San Diego and the New Orleans are also being moved closer to Iran.

As Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz to most traffic, and is targeting vessels that transit it, the move comes as U.S. Central Command asked the Pentagon for additional military options in the conflict, Axios reported.

The 31st MEU can conduct ground operations, which have not been announced but have not been ruled out, according to the Trump administration.

The deployment comes as President Donald Trump said he is considering sending U.S. Navy vessels to escort shipping vessels through the strait, the military is planning to take out anti-ship missiles that have been sent by Iran to the area.

CENTCOM is particularly focused on ensuring freedom of navigation in the straight, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Gen. Dan Caine told reporters on Friday, which “means going after Iran’s mine-laying capability and destroying their ability to attack commercial vessels.

Oil prices have surged over the last week after Iran shut down the strait, though Caine noted that some traffic is moving through it.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also said Friday that the military is “dealing with” Iranian attacks on the strait, saying that “we have been dealing with it and don’t need to worry about it.”

Hegseth added that as the military campaign continues and Iran’s military capabilities weaken, the United States has also been taking out Iranian defense companies to prevent the ability to build more weapons.

A big rise in infections has been detected in a report published today

Health officials have issued an alert of a ‘high risk’ of being infected with a potentially lethal virus at one of the world’s most beautiful holiday destinations. In an alert issued today (Friday March 13) the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said gthere has been a huge surge in cases in people returning from this hotspot.

It said that since November 2025, more than 110 travel-related cases of chikungunya virus disease have been reported by 13 EU/EEA countries among travellers returning from Seychelles. In a report today it said: “This represents a marked increase compared with

the earlier months of 2025, and no cases have been reported in preceding years. The emergence of chikungunya virus disease in the Seychelles aligns with a broader regional spread throughout the Indian Ocean. Notably, Réunion (France) experienced a major outbreak in 2025.

“According to local health authorities, chikungunya virus has become more prevalent in the Seychelles compared with other circulating arboviruses.”

Approximately 20,000 to 30,000 people from the UK travel to the Seychelles annually, with 19,870 visitors recorded in 2023. The beaches of the Seychelles have been described as being the most beautiful in the world.

The Republic of Seychelles, to give the official name, is an archipelago consisting of 115 separate islands most of which are uninhabited. The islands are set in the western part of the Indian Ocean at a distance of between 480 and 1600 km from the east coast of Africa and to the north of Madagascar. At a latitude of 4 to 10 degrees south of the equator, they form what has been described as a tropical island paradise.

The ECDC report said: “The current likelihood of chikungunya virus infection for travellers to the Seychelles is high. Given that the peak travel period to the Seychelles occurs between February and April, it is important to strengthen communication to travellers and travel medicine clinics regarding the ongoing outbreak and the need for reinforced preventive measures.

“Vaccination of travellers may be considered, based on national recommendations. The likelihood of onward transmission of chikungunya virus in mainland Europe following introduction by a viraemic traveller is currently considered low, as environmental conditions are not favourable for Aedes mosquito activity at this time of year.”

The UK Health Security Agency said: ”In 2024, there were 112 confirmed and probable cases of chikungunya reported among travellers returning to England, Wales and Northern Ireland – nearly one and a half times the number reported in 2023. Travel to India accounted for the majority of these cases, followed by travel to Pakistan and Brazil – all popular destinations for people travelling from the UK.”

It explained Chikungunya spreads through the bite of infected Aedes mosquitoes, particularly Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus species. Mosquitoes breed in natural and human-made sources of standing and stagnant water such blocked gutters and drains, litter, tarpaulins, open buckets, bins, plant pots and discarded items like tyres, and these are a risk factor for transmission if left around human habitation. Unlike malaria-carrying mosquitoes that are active at night, these insects are most active during the day, and particularly at dusk and dawn. This timing makes them troublesome for travellers engaged in daytime activities.

The UKHSA said: “The first symptoms of the disease are usually a high fever and severe joint pain, often more severe in the small joints or where there have been previous injuries. Many patients also experience muscle pain, headaches, sensitivity to light, and distinctive skin rashes. While most people recover fully within 1 to 2 weeks, the joint pain can persist for months or even years in some cases, with up to 12% of patients still experiencing discomfort 3 years after infection.

Serious complications are rare, occurring in approximately one in every 1,000 cases. However, certain groups face higher risks, including young babies, elderly people, and adults with underlying health conditions. Occasional complications affecting the eyes, nervous system, heart, and digestive system have been reported.”

For more information from the UKHSA click here.

The disclosure of an FBI alert warning about the possibility of an Iranian drone attack on targets in California in retaliation for U.S. and Israeli strikes on its territory got a lot of attention earlier this week. The notice described a scenario involving drones launched from a ship off the coast. It has since been confirmed that the alert was based on raw, unverified intelligence, and was sent out of an abundance of caution rather than any fears of an imminent threat. However, this episode has served to highlight what is still a highly plausible mode of attack that TWZ has been drawing direct attention to for years now. The U.S. authorities themselves now regularly highlight growing threats posed by drones, in general, despite continuing to play catch-up in establishing domestic defenses against them.

ABC News first reported on the alert on March 11. The FBI had sent out the notice to members of a Joint Terrorism Task Force last month, ahead of the current conflict in the Middle East. The United States and Israel began launching strikes on Iran on February 28.

The main body of the alert, which the FBI has now released, reads:

“We recently acquired unverified information that as of early February 2026, Iran allegedly aspired to conduct a surprise attack using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) from an unidentified vessel off the coast of the United States homeland, specifically against unspecified targets in California, in the event the U.S. conducted strikes against Iran. We have no additional information on the timing, method, target, or perpetrators of this alleged attack.”

The alert is marked as unclassified, but also as “law enforcement sensitive.” It declares up front that “NOT FOR DISSEMINATION TO THE PUBLIC OR PRESS” and that “THIS MESSAGE CONTATINS [sic] RAW INFORMATON [sic] SUBJECT TO REVISION AND IS PROVIDED FOR YOUR SITUATIONAL AWARENESS ONLY.”

Subsequent reporting from the Los Angeles Times, citing anonymous California law enforcement sources, said that the alert was based on intelligence the U.S. Coast Guard had received.

Additional context

Overall, much still remains unknown about the underlying intelligence behind the FBI’s drone attack alert. For unclear reasons, ABC‘s original report, which has since been updated, also did not note that the warning was the product of unverified intelligence or that it had been sent out as a precautionary measure.

For its part, the FBI had initially declined to comment in response to queries for more information from multiple outlets, including ABC and TWZ. We also reached out to U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM), the principal U.S. military command for defense of the homeland, which directed us to contact the FBI. We contacted the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the White House, as well.

“No such threat from Iran to our homeland exists, and it never did,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote in a post on X on Wednesday, which also called for a full retraction of ABC‘s piece.

This post and story should be immediately retracted by ABC News for providing false information to intentionally alarm the American people.

They wrote this based on one email that was sent to local law enforcement in California about a single, unverified tip. The email even… https://t.co/jKey9ahsNk

— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) March 12, 2026

“I am in constant coordination with security and intelligence officials, including at @Cal_OES [California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services], to monitor potential threats to California – including those tied to the conflict in the Middle East,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom wrote in his own post on X on March 11. “While we are not aware of any imminent threats at this time, we remain prepared for any emergency in our state.”

I am in constant coordination with security and intelligence officials, including at @Cal_OES, to monitor potential threats to California — including those tied to the conflict in the Middle East.

While we are not aware of any imminent threats at this time, we remain prepared…

— Governor Gavin Newsom (@CAgovernor) March 11, 2026

“It’s all-around intelligence collecting, and it’s all about a posture of preparedness for the worst-case scenario,” Gov. Newsom said in response to ABC’s initial reporting, as well, according to The Sacramento Bee. “We have been gaming those out for some time as it relates to, again, what the FBI has been warning of. Again, it’s not a surprise, and it’s sort of a large part of the larger spectrum of considerations that we have as it relates to doing what we can to support our federal partners and local partners at the state level, in terms of what could happen next.”

“Law enforcement sources experienced in intelligence said such alerts are cautionary in nature,” the Los Angeles Times had also reported. “The source is experienced in counter-terrorism and said ‘that it’s not been deemed credible at this time.’ The sources stressed the warning was cautionary and there was no indication Iran was planning an attack or that it could successfully launch one.”

“This is not actionable,” a “California-based federal law enforcement official” separately told CBS News.

“All this means is we got this information and we want to get it out to law enforcement executives to make sure they’re up to speed on it,” a second law enforcement official from California also said, per that outlet. “There is absolutely nothing more to it.”

🚨Multiple US and state law enforcement and intel officials told @CBSNews there is no credible intelligence underpinning the bulletin distributed on the unverified possibility that Iran could retaliate for American attacks by launching drones at the West Coast. “This is not… https://t.co/gcdUBdgDX6

— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) March 11, 2026

Generally speaking, there are long-standing concerns that Iran and/or other actors operating on its behalf could seek to launch asymmetric attacks on targets in the United States, as well as elsewhere outside of the Middle East, in retaliation for large-scale strikes. The risks of Iranians deciding to take such action have historically been seen as especially high in any scenario where they might be an existential threat to the regime in Tehran.

Earlier this week, ABC News also reported that U.S. federal authorities had issued another alert to law enforcement agencies after they “intercepted encrypted communications believed to have originated in Iran that may serve as ‘an operational trigger’ for ‘sleeper assets’ outside the country.”

“Although a large-scale physical attack is unlikely, Iran and its proxies probably pose a persistent threat of ​targeted attacks in the Homeland, and will almost certainly escalate retaliatory actions — or calls to action – if reports of the Ayatollah’s death are confirmed,” the DHS’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis also warned in a threat assessment published on February 28 also said, according to a story last week from Reuters.

On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump had said “no, I’m not,” when asked about whether he was worried that Iran might attempt to attack targets in the United States in response to ongoing U.S.-Israeli operations, per Reuters.

Trump says he is not worried about Iran-backed attacks on US soil

— Phil Stewart (@phildstewart) March 11, 2026

“It’s being investigated, but you have a lot of things happening, and all we can do is take them as they come,” Trump also said later in the day.

“I have been,” the President added at the time when asked if he had been briefed about Iranian “sleeper cells” in the United States. “We know where most of them are. We’ve got our eye on all them, I think.”

Doocy: What have you heard about this bulletin about an Iran revenge plot in California — some kind of boat offshore launching drones?

Trump: It’s being investigated. You have a lot of things happening. pic.twitter.com/n4nj3LIPe1

— Acyn (@Acyn) March 12, 2026

DOOCY: If Iran tries to hit us back, have you been briefed about how many Iran sleeper cells there could be inside the US right now?

TRUMP: I have been, and a lot of people came in through Biden with his stupid open border. But we know where most of them are. pic.twitter.com/3mKVmq1uh9

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 11, 2026

Trump had previously downplayed concerns about attacks on the U.S. homeland in retaliation for the ongoing conflict against Iran in an interview with Time, which was published last week.

“I think they’re worried about that all the time. We think about it all the time. We plan for it,” he said. “But yeah, you know, we expect some things. Like I said, some people will die. When you go to war, some people will die.”

A real threat vector

Regardless, the prospect of a drone attack, launched by the Iranians or other actors, on targets in coastal areas of the United States is very plausible. The threat here is not new, and is something TWZ has been sounding this alarm for years now, especially when it comes to the clear dangers this reality poses to the U.S. homeland.

Long-range one-way attack drones with endurance measured in many hundreds of miles, if not more than a thousand miles, are increasingly a staple in military arsenals globally, and have also been proliferating to larger non-state actors.

Firms in Israel have been and continue to be pioneers in this space. However, Iran and its regional proxies have also emerged as leaders in this domain. Iranian designs have also now become a fixture in Russian attacks on Ukraine and have been cloned in the United States. U.S. Low-Cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System (LUCAS) kamikaze drones, reverse-engineered from the Iranian Shahed-136, have been launched at Iran in the current conflict.

The Shahed-136 has become a particularly dominant example of this broad category of weapons, due in large part to Russia’s heavy use of variants and derivatives of the design in the ongoing war in Ukraine. However, it represents just one class of one-way attack drone, and there are many other types being produced globally with different capabilities.

In addition to being relatively low-cost, many of these kamikaze drones are very flexible in terms of where and how they can be launched. Iran and the U.S. military have notably demonstrated how Shahed-136-type and other kamikaze drone designs can be readily fired from ships, even smaller ones, and do not require significant deck space to be employed in this way. This also makes it easier to conceal the drones and their launchers before use. A warship with a purpose-built launch system is definitely not required. Even smaller commercial vessels could fire off multiple long-range one-way attack drones.

Iran Navy unveils its first drone division in the Indian Ocean

“Bravo Zulu. U.S. Navy forces in the Middle East are advancing warfighting capability in new ways, bringing more striking power from the sea and setting conditions for using innovation as a deterrent.” – Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM Commander https://t.co/TgQ4WLbph3 pic.twitter.com/WUiAVojTht

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) December 18, 2025

Once launched, the drones fly relatively low and slow, under the long-range radar horizon, creating complications for defenders. They are also relatively small and can be difficult to spot on radar, as well as by their infrared and acoustic signatures, making them even harder to spot and track. These complexities would be further amplified by a surprise attack launched from anywhere in the massive swaths of ocean ranging out many hundreds of miles from America’s shores.

For years, the U.S. military itself has been highlighting the danger of standoff cruise missile attacks on the homeland launched from ships offshore, potentially including cargo ships and other unassuming civilian vessels. Russia, China, Iran, and the United States have all developed launchers that can fit inside standard shipping containers. Cruise missiles proliferating to non-state actors has also been a major factor dating back two decades.

Cruise missile threats to the homeland from rogue states and actors were a major factor in the U.S. Air Force deciding to install new active electronically-scanned array radars on F-15C Eagles primarily belonging to the Air National Guard. Up until recently, Guard F-15C units were tasked with guarding America’s ocean borders. Today, F-35As share that responsibility. Over a decade later, F-16 Viper fighters charged with the homeland defense mission also began getting AESAs, in part due to the need to better defend against drones and cruise missiles. The F-16 radar upgrade effort has since expanded to hundreds of other jets. This was also the key driver behind the abortive Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor System (JLENS) radar blimp program.

So, yes, for many years the military has been very concerned with surprise standoff attacks coming from far off its shores from non-traditional platforms, enough for that threat to drive critical procurement initiatives. And all this was before the long-range one-way attack munition became a primary threat.

“Our potential adversaries have created significant capacity to reach us asymmetrically. Our forward layers, our allies, our partners, our forward combatant commands and geographic commands, have largely kept those threats away from the United States,” U.S. Air Force Col. Kristopher Struve, then Vice Director of Operations for the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), said during a virtual roundtable the Missile Defense Advocacy Association (MDAA) hosted back in 2021. “As we look into threats from cyber actors, space threats, as well as kinetic conventional cruise missiles, which have [seen] significant improvement on the part of China and Russia in recent years, those create avenues that can create havoc in the homeland while we are trying to project our power forward to potentially a regional conflict.”

Struve also said at that time that the U.S. homeland was “not a sanctuary any longer” and called for expanded defenses, including new surface-to-air missile batteries, to protect domestic critical infrastructure.

TWZ has noted in the past that the line between traditional cruise missiles and long-range kamikaze drones, as well as decoys, is increasingly blurry. Long-range one-way attack drones are definitely more accessible, and often have greater reach, than most traditional cruise missiles.

“We’re behind. I’ll just be candid. I think we know we’re behind,” Lt. Gen. Charles Costanza, commander of the U.S. Army’s V Corps, said at a panel discussion at the Association of the U.S. Army’s (AUSA) main annual symposium last year. “We’ve been talking about counter-UAS [uncrewed aerial systems] and UAS capability for a better part of a decade, since, really, we watched the war in Armenia and Azerbaijan [in 2020] go on, and saw very much the beginning of the drone UAS capabilities.”

“We aren’t moving fast enough,” Costanza continued. “And it really took Russia’s invasion of Ukraine [in 2022], and the way they’re innovating, and Ukrainians are innovating, to realize, hey, we need to move fast.”

Vessels sitting off the coast could also be vectors for near-field drone attacks using shorter-ranged types. The barrier to entry is already especially low when it comes to employing weaponized commercial designs, even by non-state actors and lone wolf terrorists, and it only continues to drop. It has been well established at this point that smaller armed uncrewed aerial systems, whether they are purpose-built or improvised in nature, also inherently lend themselves to covert and clandestine employment. Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb’s unprecedented attacks on multiple airbases across Russia last year, as well as Israel’s near-field drone and missile attacks to destroy Iranian air defenses in the opening phases of the 12 Day War last June, are prime examples.

СБУ показала унікальні кадри спецоперації «Павутина», у результаті якої уражено 41 військовий літак стратегічної авіації рф

➡️ https://t.co/OSxqEsI9CD pic.twitter.com/aGSZNEsoX3

— СБ України (@ServiceSsu) June 4, 2025

TWZ just highlighted the overall drone threat ecosystem and the dangers it presents this past weekend in the context of Iranian attacks on prized missile defense radars in the Middle East. As we wrote:

“Now, long-range one-way-attack drones, as well as increasingly capable cruise and ballistic missiles, continue to proliferate steadily, including to smaller nation-state armed forces and even non-state actors. An attack could even come from a small drone with a C4 charge launched from a fishing trawler 10 miles away from one of these critical radar installations. The threat of these kinds of near-field attacks has largely been overlooked for years, even as the low-end drone threat has exploded and ‘democratized’ precision-guided weaponry, as they did not fit the established aerial threat matrix and the countermeasures used to repel those threats.“

The potential for shorter-range drone attacks to come from vessels offshore, specifically, is also not simply an academic assessment of the available technology and its accessibility. U.S. authorities at least explored the possibility that a Hong Kong-flagged bulk carrier, the M/V Bass Strait, might have been tied to still mysterious drone swarms that harassed U.S. Navy ships off the coast of southern California back in 2019, which TWZ was first to report. Whether the Bass Strait or another nearby ship was the source of the harassment, or when it came from somewhere else, potentially further away, remains unknown, at least publicly.

More recently, authorities in Europe have raised the possibility that Russia has been launching drones for harassment purposes from a ‘shadow fleet’ of oil tankers it otherwise uses to skirt international sanctions.

It’s also worth noting that Representative Jeff Van Drew, a New Jersey Republican, alleged that there was an “Iranian mothership off the coast of the United States launching … drone incursions” at the height of a rash of reported sightings of uncrewed aerial systems over various parts of the United States in late 2024. The U.S. military categorically denied this assertion at the time, and Van Drew subsequently retracted his claims. That wave of drone sightings blurred the line between hysteria and real national security concerns.

The FBI’s alert about the possibility of an Iranian drone attack also comes at a time when the U.S. government continues to lag behind in establishing counter-drone defenses domestically, despite how long the threat has been apparent. Significant progress has been made under the Trump administration in addressing this threat, including the fielding of new counter-drone capabilities and the reworking of legal and other frameworks to enable their use in a more effective manner. At the same time, much work is still clearly to be done, as was evidenced by a sudden airspace closure over El Paso, Texas, last month and the chaos that ensued. That incident was prompted by the use of a counter-drone system featuring a laser-directed energy weapon, as you can read more about here.

From what is known now, the FBI’s warning about a potential Iranian drone attack on California does not appear to have reflected an imminent cause for concern, and it remains unclear exactly what triggered it. Still, even if this specific threat has not turned out to be credible, the danger of such an attack is certainly well within the realm of possibility.

Contact the author: joe@twz.com

ZENDAYA grows back in time with a classic floral dress.

The actress, 29, posed in the gown, featuring a gilded ­hibiscus flower on the shoulder, at an awards bash this week.

Sarah Jessica Parker’s character Carrie Bradshaw strutted in it in 2008’s Sex and The City film.

And Whitney Houston wore a similar dress on a tribute issue of Life magazine in 2012.

Zendaya appeared to confirm she has wed Spider-Man co-star Tom Holland, 29, at the Essence Black Women in Hollywood Awards in LA.

The host asked for “a signal” on whether she should send a wedding gift, prompting Zendaya to show a gold band on her ring finger.

SECRET CEREMONY

Zendaya shows off ‘wedding ring’ for first time since marriage claims

NEWLYWEBS

Secrets of Zendaya & Tom Holland’s low-key relationship as stars ‘tie knot’

Zendaya’s stylist Law Roach has told how the A-List couple, both 29, have gotten hitched after getting engaged last year.

The singer has now been snapped at a Louis Vuitton fashion show, flaunting what appears to be her “wedding ring.”

She was spotted donning a thin gold band on her ring finger hidden among three huge silver rings.

Zendaya looked incredibly chic, flashing her legs in a white bubble skirt.

The US star wore a long sleeved white shirt with dramatic collars and cuffs and finished the outfit off with a chunky black belt and matching heels.

Her short brunette locks were tightly curled and tucked behind her ears.

Speaking on the red carpet at the Actor Awards earlier this month, Law told Access Hollywood: “The wedding has already happened. You missed it.”

When asked to spill more details by the reporter, the stylist laughed and said: “It’s very true.”