Japan’s Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi speaks with media after meeting with South Korea’s Defense Minister at the headquarters of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Yokosuka District, south of Tokyo, Japan, 30 January 2026. Photo by EUGENE HOSHIKO / EPA
March 29 (Asia Today) — Japan will establish a new Pacific-focused defense unit and expand surveillance and infrastructure in remote island areas as part of efforts to counter China’s growing military presence, officials said.
Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi announced Saturday that the Defense Ministry will create a “Pacific Defense Planning Office” in April, citing what he described as gaps in Japan’s current defense coverage across vast Pacific air and maritime zones.
Speaking after attending a joint U.S.-Japan memorial ceremony on Iwo Jima, Koizumi said strengthening Pacific defenses was an urgent priority.
Japanese media, including the Yomiuri Shimbun, reported that Tokyo plans a comprehensive review of the structure and deployment of the Self-Defense Forces. The initiative will be reflected in planned revisions to key national security documents, including the National Security Strategy, later this year.
The government also plans to expand port facilities and radar networks across the Pacific, particularly in the Ogasawara Islands, which officials view as strategically vulnerable.
About 400 Self-Defense Forces personnel are currently stationed on Iwo Jima, but shallow coastal waters limit the ability of large vessels to dock. Authorities plan to begin feasibility studies next year to upgrade port infrastructure and establish supply systems for fuel and ammunition to support rapid fighter jet deployments. Runway reinforcement and measures to address volcanic risks are also under review.
Japan is also considering establishing an air defense identification zone over the Ogasawara Islands, where no such zone has been formally set since World War II, leaving what officials describe as a surveillance gap. The Defense Ministry plans to deploy mobile radar systems and build a permanent monitoring network in the area.
The moves come amid increased Chinese naval activity in the Pacific. China’s aircraft carrier Liaoning entered the Pacific beyond the so-called second island chain for the first time last year, and there have been instances of simultaneous carrier deployments. Japanese officials have also cited incidents involving Chinese aircraft tracking Japanese military planes near Okinawa.
Koizumi said deepening the U.S.-Japan alliance would be key to maintaining regional stability, adding that the new office would serve as a central hub for reorganizing Japan’s Pacific defense posture.
Iwo Jima, the site of one of the fiercest battles of World War II, remains a strategic location. Nearly 29,000 casualties were recorded there during the 1945 battle between U.S. and Japanese forces. Today, it is being repositioned as a key forward base in Japan’s evolving defense strategy.
March 25 (UPI) — Environmental organization Oceana has accused the Mexican government of maintaining an opaque response to an oil spill that has affected at least 390 miles of coastline in the Gulf of Mexico.
The oil has largely impacted the southern part of Veracruz state and the northern part of Tabasco state since early March, with dozens of contaminated sites still not receiving attention.
The spill has lasted nearly three weeks without an identified cause or confirmed responsible parties, affects the southwestern Gulf of Mexico reef corridor, a key ecological area that stretches along the coast between both states.
President Claudia Sheinbaum said the Office of the Attorney General is investigating, with support from environmental and energy agencies, while an interdisciplinary team analyzes the causel.
Sheinbaum stated that the spill originated from a private vessel, not state-owned oil company Pemex.
Veracruz Gov. Rocío Nahle said she will meet with officials from Petroleos Mexicanos to evaluate the installation of containment barriers in coastal areas following requests from fishermen.
Nahle said cleanup efforts are intensifying and that specialized mesh barriers are being installed at strategic points along the coastline to contain residues, with plans to expand the work depending on marine current movements.
Crisis ambiental en el Golfo
El derrame de petróleo ya afecta más de 630 km de costa en Veracruz y Tabasco. Hay fauna muerta, playas contaminadas y pérdidas para pescadores y turismo.
Denuncian abandono: el chapopote sigue ahí… y nadie lo retira.
Oceana warned that the situation constitutes a “crisis of transparency and accountability,” noting that official information has been insufficient and contradictory compared to the scale of damage reported by coastal communities.
“The opacity surrounding this spill generates impunity. Without clarity on those responsible, the causes and the impacts, it is impossible for authorities to be held accountable and guarantee reparations,” said Renata Terrazas, the group’s executive director.
According to citizen reports and local organizations, at least 51 sites with the presence of oil have been identified along the coastline, while more than two dozen have not yet received attention.
Reports also indicate impacts on key ecosystems. At least 14 marine species have died, including sea turtles, manatees and various species of fish, and thee has been damage to coral reefs and lagoon systems on which fishing communities depend.
Greenpeace Mexico released an interactive map with real-time reports on the expansion of the spill, including citizen records of thick residues and their impact on wildlife and coastal ecosystems.
However, Veracruz governor downplayed the impact, saying in interviews that it involves “traces” or small “drops” of oil on beaches and asserting that reports of dead wildlife were false — an assessment that contrasts with reports from communities and environmental organizations.
Apenas ayer la gobernadora Rocío Nahle aseguraba que los reportes de fauna muerta eran falsos, las cámaras de N+ confirmaron este martes la muerte de un delfín en Alvarado, Veracruz. El ejemplar presenta presuntos restos de hidrocarburos tras el reciente derrame en la zona. pic.twitter.com/Nat4dYQx8B— NMás (@nmas) March 24, 2026
Oceana called on the government to establish “transparent, agile and binding” interagency coordination mechanisms and to adopt structural measures to prevent the Gulf from facing another environmental crisis without responsible parties or clear information.
“The Gulf of Mexico and its communities cannot continue to be treated as an environmental sacrifice zone,” Terrazas said.
This is first big step by the ChatGPT maker to focus its business on potentially more lucrative areas, such as coding tools.
Published On 25 Mar 202625 Mar 2026
OpenAI is shutting down its social media app Sora, which went viral towards the end of last year as a place to share short-form videos generated by artificial intelligence but also raised alarms in Hollywood and elsewhere.
OpenAI said in a brief social media message on Tuesday that it was “saying goodbye to the Sora app” and that it would share more soon about how to preserve what users had already created on the app.
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“What you made with Sora mattered, and we know this news is disappointing,” it said.
The company behind ChatGPT released Sora in September as an attempt to capture the attention, and potentially advertising dollars, that follow short-form videos on TikTok, YouTube or Meta-owned Instagram and Facebook.
But a growing chorus of advocacy groups, academics and experts expressed concerns about the dangers of letting people create AI videos on just about anything they can type into a prompt, leading to the proliferation of nonconsensual images and realistic deepfakes in a sea of less harmful “AI slop”.
OpenAI was forced to crack down on AI creations of public figures – among them, Michael Jackson, Martin Luther King Jr and Mister Rogers – doing outlandish things, but only after an outcry from family estates and an actors’ union.
Disney, which made a deal with OpenAI last year to bring its characters to Sora, said in a statement on Tuesday that it respects “OpenAI’s decision to exit the video generation business and to shift its priorities elsewhere”.
But Disney did not see the move coming, the Reuters news agency reported.
On Monday evening, Walt Disney and OpenAI teams were working together on a project linked to Sora. Just 30 minutes after the meeting, the Disney team was blindsided with word that OpenAI was dropping the tool altogether, a person familiar with the matter said.
OpenAI announced the move publicly on Tuesday.
“It was a big rug-pull,” according to the person, who requested anonymity to discuss the matter.
Messy process
The move is the first big step by the ChatGPT maker to focus its business on potentially more lucrative areas, such as coding tools and corporate customers.
But the abrupt cancellation of Sora illustrates how messy the streamlining process may become as OpenAI prepares for a stock market debut that could come as early as later this year.
The Sora decision means the end of a blockbuster $1bn deal between Disney and the ChatGPT maker that was announced a little more than three months ago. As part of the three-year deal, Disney said it would invest $1bn in OpenAI and lend more than 200 of its iconic characters to be used in short, AI-generated videos.
But the transaction between the companies never closed, two other people familiar with the matter said, and no money changed hands.
Should Paramount Skydance prevail in its $111-billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, the Larry Ellison family would control two historic Hollywood film studios, dozens of cable channels, HBO and two legendary newsrooms, CBS News and CNN.
Concerns about the potential loss of more Hollywood jobs, and questions about newsroom independence dominated a hearing Friday to address Los Angeles’ crisis of shrinking film and TV production jobs.
Paramount wants to wrap up its Warner merger by September — a rapid timetable. The takeover deal, which was struck last month after Netflix bowed out, would put HBO and CNN under the control of Larry Ellison and his son David, the chairman of Paramount, which includes CBS.
Both Ellisons maintain friendly relations with President Trump. Those bonds, along with challenges to legacy media and changes at CBS News in recent months, sparked handwringing during the hearing called by Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) and Rep. Laura Friedman (D-Glendale).
“The questions surrounding this merger go beyond jobs, contracts and consumers,” Schiff said. “They also go to editorial independence of two of America’s most significant news organizations, CNN and CBS News.”
Trump has long agitated for changes at CNN, and members of his cabinet, including War Secretary Pete Hegseth, have openly cheered for an Ellison takeover of CNN.
To pave the way for the Ellisons’ purchase of Paramount, the company paid $16 million to Trump last summer to settle his lawsuit over edits to a “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris in October 2024. Most 1st Amendment experts had deemed Trump’s suit “frivolous.”
Since the Ellisons took the helm, there has been a change in direction at CBS News and a reduction in its size and scope. Staff members at CNN are bracing for similar changes, including to the tone of its newscasts.
In addition to the long-term health of Los Angeles’ film economy, the merger’s fate could determine “whether we have state sponsored media … or whether we have journalists who can truly follow the story,” Friedman said.
Paramount Chairman David Ellison has vowed to “build a stronger Hollywood,” by increasing the creative output of the two legendary movie studios — Paramount and Warner Bros. — to 30 theatrical releases a year. Warner Bros., which owns such prominent franchises as “The Matrix,” Batman, Harry Potter, “The Big Bang Theory,” and “Friends,” has long been one of Hollywood’s most prolific studios.
But Paramount has suffered from years of under-investment and Ellison and his team have been working to boost the film pipeline.
“HBO will continue to operate independently under our ownership, enabling it to create more of the world-class content it is renowened for,” Ellison wrote in the Feb. 28 letter to Schiff and Friedman, responding to their concerns about consolidation.
During Friday’s hearing, the lawmakers turned to former CNN anchor Jim Acosta, who famously jousted with Trump during his first term, for his reflections. He was asked whether any “guardrails” could protect against potential merger harms.
“If this merger goes through, the guard-rails are gone,” Acosta said bluntly. “If we continue to go down this road it will be lights-out for the news industry… We need media options that are not controlled by the wealthiest and most powerful people in the country.”
The hearing occurred the same day that CBS News imposed another sweeping round of layoffs and disbanded its CBS News radio network. It also came the same week as Trump’s Federal Communications Commission approved a massive television station merger, which will allow Texas-based Nexstar Media Group to control more than 250 stations, despite a legal challenge from state attorneys general.
The proposed Paramount-Warner merger would prompt at least $6 billion in cost savings, according to Paramount. Industry veterans warn that billions more in cuts may be necessary to make the deal math work.
A combined Paramount-Warner would carry nearly $80 billion in debt, a legacy of the proposed leveraged buyout and the mergers that came before it.
The hearing at Burbank City Hall —“Lights, Camera, Competition”: Promoting American Film Production,” — was wide-ranging. Award-winning actor Noah Wyle, the star and a producer of Warner Bros.’ “The Pitt,” discussed the need to bring more productions back to Los Angeles where thousands of out-of-work film professionals have been suffering. “The Pitt” is filmed in Burbank.
“Over the last six years, the aggregate effect of projects leaving the state in search of tax credits, the pandemic and last year’s fires has been a near cratering of our once thriving industry,” Wyle said. “We lost 42,000 film and TV jobs between 2022 and 2024.”
The hearing unfolded down the road from the massive Warner Bros. studio complex, and was held to explore ways to boost the Hollywood economy, including the potential for a national tax credit under consideration in Congress. The campaign is intended to keep film jobs in the U.S. amid an increased migration to Britain, where Warner Bros. maintains an expansive studio complex in London, and other countries that offer generous subsidies.
“Work in the entertainment industry is precarious,” said Matthew D. Loeb, International President of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE). “Past studio mergers have meant fewer jobs.”
Intelligence briefings have warned of the potential for extremists and criminals to target the FIFA World Cup 2026 at a time when hundreds of millions of dollars of approved security funds have been delayed, causing United States preparations to fall behind.
The previously unreported briefings from US federal and state officials and FIFA, the international federation overseeing the World Cup, outlined the risk of extremist attacks, including attacks on transportation infrastructure and civil unrest related to President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.
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The football World Cup, one of the globe’s biggest sporting events, will be held in June and July this year across three countries – the United States, Canada and Mexico.
While security at such events is always intense, US law enforcement officials have been on especially heightened alert since the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran, and have raised concerns over retaliatory threats.
Officials working to prepare for the World Cup in the US have increasingly sounded alarms in recent weeks over a stalled $625m in federal security grants for the event that were part of a Republican-backed spending bill passed in July 2025.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency, tasked with distributing the money, said in November that it was expecting to allocate the funds no later than January 30.
Following inquiries by Reuters this month after officials and organisers complained that they had still received nothing, FEMA announced on Wednesday that it had awarded the grants, saying the money would “bolster security preparations”.
With the first matches kicking off in Mexico on June 11 and then the US and Canada the next day, states and cities hosting the events are deep into planning, including how to safeguard from possible attacks. The delayed funding and threat warnings have compounded an already complex process, multiple officials involved told Reuters.
The grant money distribution process normally takes months, and efforts to buy technology and equipment can take even longer, according to Mike Sena, president of the National Fusion Center Association, which represents a network of 80 information centres across the US that facilitate federal, state and local intelligence sharing.
“It will be extremely tight,” he said.
A December 2025 intelligence report from New Jersey looking at potential threats to matches in the state – which will include the final – flagged recent domestic attacks, disrupted terror plots and a proliferation of extremist propaganda. The report also noted the possibility of spontaneous gatherings related to tensions between countries.
Another intelligence report, dated September 2025, described an online post appearing to encourage attacks on railroad infrastructure during the World Cup that said there were “plenty of opportunities for us to knock it off the tracks” and highlighted matches on the West Coast of the US and Canada. The documents were obtained through open records requests by the transparency nonprofit Property of the People.
Delayed funding risks lead to growing concerns, while ICE worries mount
Democrats have blamed outgoing US Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem for delaying the release of the money. Under Noem’s leadership, the DHS also withheld hundreds of millions of dollars in homeland security funds last year from a dozen Democratic-led states and Washington, DC, while pressing them to increase immigration enforcement.
In response to a request for comment, White House spokesman Davis Ingle faulted Democrats for the delayed funding, citing disagreements over immigration enforcement tactics.
“The president is focused on making this the greatest World Cup ever while ensuring it is the safest and most secure in history,” Ingle said in a statement. “The Democrats need to stop playing games.”
Trump’s immigration crackdown has already cast a pall over the event and raised concerns about the presence of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. Since Trump took office in January 2025, masked immigration agents have rounded up suspected immigration offenders in US cities and detained some tourists at airports.
That has coincided with a Trump-era dropoff in overall international visitors, according to US Commerce Department data. Early signs have, however, indicated still strong appetite for flight bookings and ticket sales for the tournament.
In a FIFA weekly intelligence briefing dated January 28, analysts warned that anti-ICE activism in US cities in response to immigration enforcement could lower the barriers “to hostile actions by lone actors or extremist elements”.
Trump has also placed full or partial travel bans on nationals of more than three dozen countries, including Iran, which is in talks with FIFA to move its matches to Mexico due to its current conflict with the United States. Three other countries whose fans face Trump travel bans – Haiti, Ivory Coast and Senegal – have also qualified for the tournament.
Security concerns extend to FIFA World Cup 2026 fan events
Several World Cup and state officials have said “FIFA Fan Festival” events are of particular concern. The events allow large numbers of people to watch matches together on open-air screens.
A Fan Festival event that had been planned in Liberty State Park in Jersey City for the duration of the tournament was cancelled unexpectedly last month and replaced with smaller gatherings.
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill said at the time that many smaller events would allow more people in the area to enjoy the experience. Security concerns also factored in the decision, a person familiar with the planning said.
US Representative Nellie Pou, a Democrat representing a district in New Jersey that includes MetLife Stadium, one of the sites where games will be played, said that each of the World Cup’s 104 matches would be equivalent to a Super Bowl.
“Local government, local law enforcement, will certainly have their hands full,” Pou said. “They need every single dollar that they are eligible to receive, and they need it now.”
A view of South Korea’s first commercial nuclear reactor, Kori-1, in the southeastern port city of Busan. YONHAP / EPA
March 17 (Asia Today) —This commentary is the Asia Today Editor’s Op-Ed.
South Korea’s ruling Democratic Party and the government have decided to raise the operating rates of nuclear and coal-fired power plants to respond to rising oil prices triggered by the war in the Middle East, a move critics say marks a late reversal of the party’s long-standing opposition to nuclear energy.
Ahn Do-geol, secretary of the party’s economic task force on the Middle East crisis, said Monday the government will expand electricity generation from nuclear and coal plants to manage supplies of liquefied natural gas, or LNG, which has relatively limited reserves.
Under the plan, the government will lift a cap limiting coal-fired power generation to 80% of installed capacity and accelerate repairs on six nuclear reactors currently under maintenance. Two reactors are expected to return to service by the end of this month and four more by May, raising nuclear utilization rates from the current high-60% range to about 80%.
The decision signals a clear shift for the Democratic Party, which long supported a phase-out of nuclear energy.
Former President Moon Jae-in formally declared a nuclear phase-out policy in 2017, pledging to abandon nuclear-centered electricity generation after attending a ceremony marking the permanent shutdown of the Kori Unit 1 reactor.
At the time, Moon argued South Korea should move toward a nuclear-free era and halted or scrapped most plans to build new nuclear plants.
The party’s stance began to soften after the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022, which triggered global energy supply disruptions. Near the end of his presidency, Moon said nuclear power would need to remain a major baseload energy source for decades and called for delayed reactors including Shin Hanul Units 1 and 2 and Shin Kori Units 5 and 6 to begin operations as soon as possible.
The latest shift reflects renewed energy concerns linked to instability in the Middle East, which has pushed oil prices higher.
Supporters of nuclear power argue it remains a critical energy source despite safety risks highlighted by past disasters such as the Fukushima accident in Japan.
Opponents warn that nuclear accidents can cause catastrophic damage, pointing to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in Ukraine, which has faced repeated safety concerns amid the ongoing war.
However, critics of the phase-out policy argue that abandoning nuclear energy without reliable alternatives risks creating energy shortages.
South Korea currently has only about nine days’ worth of LNG reserves, raising concerns about energy security during geopolitical crises.
Supporters of the policy shift say governments must adjust energy strategies as global conditions change but argue that long-term policies on energy and food security should be developed with careful planning rather than reactive decisions.
Gen Z views music and fashion trends as economic recession indicators.
Traditional economic indicators show no current signs of a recession.
Gen Z uses social media to discuss economic theories.
The U.S. has not been declared in a recession by the National Bureau of Economic Research.
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Generation Z is using social media to voice concerns about a potential U.S. recession, drawing attention to signs they believe are indicators of economic stress: from Lady Gaga’s newest album to 2000s-style low-rise jeans. Is this an exaggerated response to uncertainty, or is Gen Z tapped into early economic warning signs that might typically go unnoticed?
While it can be tempting to get sucked into these theories, ultimately, experts and data suggest that these are unreliable indicators and that a recession is not looming. Here’s what to know.
Insights from Gen Z on Economic Trends
Generation Z is interpreting the return of 2000s trends as indicators of an impending recession. The resurgence of fashion styles such as low-rise jeans, cheetah print, and rhinestone apparel parallels the cultural trends leading up to the 2008 Great Recession. In turn, Gen Z is concluding that these are warning signs of a similar time period, rather than turning to actual economic data and expert analysis.
Music is another way Gen Z is interpreting recession indicators. For instance, Lady Gaga’s latest album has led TikTok users to comment on how the country is heading toward economic turmoil due to the album’s similarity to her pre-recession era music. Newer artists, such as Chappell Roan, are also sparking commentary on the resemblance of 2000s-styled music, reinforcing this theory.
Important
Social media plays a primary role in spreading Gen Z’s economic theories. For example, Gen Z has started incorporating these discussions in trending TikTok formats, such as “Get Ready with Me”-styled videos.
Economic Data Analysis: Understanding the Trends
So, is there any merit to what Gen Z sees as cultural cues to a souring economy? Established economic indicators suggest no. Traditionally, economists look at gross domestic product (GDP), unemployment rates, and the stock market to gauge recession risk. Let’s break down where each of these stands.
GDP
Government data reports that GDP grew at an annual rate of 1.4% in the fourth quarter of 2025. Increases in consumer spending and investment contributed to the GDP increase. For a recession to start, there needs to be an increase in the unemployment rate and a decrease in GDP for two consecutive quarters.
J.P. Morgan anticipated a 0.25% annualized growth rate in GDP for the second half of 2025. Based on their data, they estimated that the probability of a recession has decreased from 60% to 40% due to a reduction in tariffs on China by the United States.
Unemployment Rates
Economists and policymakers use the Sahm rule to identify if there is a recession, as described by the U.S. Congress. The rule signals a recession if “the three-month moving average of the unemployment rate increases by 0.5 percentage points or more relative to its low in the previous 12 months.”
Unemployment rates are currently at 4.4%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. For comparison, the unemployment rate before the 2008 recession was 5%. Thus, the rule has not been triggered, indicating that there is no recession, though it remains a useful early indicator of a potential recession.
Important
The National Bureau of Economic Research has not declared the U.S. to be in a recession.
Gen Z’s recession indicators, such as music and fashion, may be persuasive, but their concerns do not reflect actual trends. While the pressures of federal layoffs and tariff tensions persist, most traditional indicators signal a moderately stable environment and do not suggest the country is in a recession.
Ultimately, while Gen Z’s recession interpretations may not be reliable, they do highlight a cultural shift in how younger generations understand the economy, relying on cultural cues rather than traditional data.
Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.
Iran’s ability to launch missiles and drones at U.S., Israeli, and other allied targets in the Middle East has been severely degraded, two top American military leaders said Wednesday morning. Partly as a result, War Secretary Pete Hegseth and Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also downplayed concerns about the magazine depth of U.S. offensive and defensive munitions.
You can catch up with our latest coverage of ongoing operations against Iran here. All of the other latest updates can be found lower on the page.
“Iran’s theater ballistic missile shots fired are down 86% from the first day of fighting, with a 23% decrease just in the last 24 hours, and their one-way attack drone shots are down 73% from the opening days,” Caine told reporters, including from The War Zone, at a Wednesday morning press conference. “This progress has allowed CENTCOM to establish localized air superiority across the southern flank of the Iranian coast and penetrate their defenses with overwhelming precision and firepower. We will now begin to expand inland, striking progressively deeper into Iranian territory and creating additional freedom of maneuver for U.S forces.”
Caine did not break down the numbers of Iranian missiles and drones fired. However, on Tuesday, the head of CENTCOM provided some statistics.
“The Iranian regime has launched over 500 ballistic missiles and over 2,000 drones,” Adm. Brad Cooper said in a video message.
As we have previously mentioned, one of the big concerns about Epic Fury is whether Iranian missile and drone barrages would outlast the ability of the U.S. and allies to defend against them. Despite four days of intensive attacks, Tehran still possesses thousands of missiles and drones, though a significant number of these weapons and their launchers — specifically the longer range ballistic missile types —have been destroyed or prevented from being accessed by crews.
In a closed-door Congressional hearing on Tuesday, Hegseth and Caine “told lawmakers…that Iran’s Shahed attack drones represent a major challenge and US air defenses will not be able to intercept them all, according to a source in the briefing,” CNN reported.
Trump admin officials acknowledged during a closed-door briefing on Capitol Hill Tuesday that Iran’s Shahed attack drones represent a major challenge and US air defenses will not be able to intercept them all. The drones, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint…
However, both military leaders also “made an attempt to downplay concerns about the drones and noted that Gulf state partners had been stockpiling interceptors,” CNN reported.
During Wednesday’s press conference, both Caine and Hegseth stated that the U.S. has the weapons it needs.
A night vision picture of a B-2 bomber supporting Operation Epic Fury. CENTCOM
“We used more exquisite standoff munitions at the start, but no longer need to,” the secretary proclaimed. “Our stockpiles of those, as well as Patriots [air defense interceptors], remain extremely strong. The enemy can no longer shoot the volume of missiles they once did. Not even close.”
Another big factor in the reduction in Iranian missile launches could be how CENTCOM has concentrated striking command and control (C2) nodes, degrading Tehran’s ability to communicate and direct fires.
Iranian (C2) “structures in a bad way,” Caine posited. “Admiral Cooper has been continuing to pressure the [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] IRGC C2 and other military elements, and will continue to do so.”
A graphic the Pentagon released today offering details about the first 100 hours of Operation Epic Fury against Iran. US Military
As a result of how the operation has unfolded, “CENTCOM is now shifting in day four already from large deliberate strike packages- using standoff munitions at range outside an enemy’s ability to shoot at us – now into stand-in precision strikes overhead Iran.”
Caine said the U.S. is now using “joint direct attack munitions [JDAMs], which are GPS-aided free-fall weapons and other things like [AGM-114] Hellfires, etc. This will allow the joint force to deliver significantly increased precision effects on the target.”
A USAF MQ-9 Reaper fires a AGM-114 Hellfire at a Iranian ballistic missile TEL, which had just revealed its position by firing. pic.twitter.com/gWP4sdxrzh
TWZ has frequently described how important it is for the U.S. to move as quickly as possible from standoff to direct attacks on Iranian targets, which will significantly increase the number of strikes that can occur and widen the range of effects that can be realized via the employment of more varied weaponry. This is especially true for going after fortified targets with bunker buster munitions.
The U.S. Air Force continues to execute a high volume of airstrikes into Iran. The two most powerful air forces in the world (🇺🇸+🇮🇱) are dominating the skies over the world’s largest state sponsor of terror. pic.twitter.com/0nfwY3zdCL
Hegseth further explained that “we moved the vast majority of American troops – over 90% of Americans that were on our bases – off the X out of the range of Iranian fire. Our defensive shield is equally formidable. The most sophisticated air and missile defense network ever fielded. Thousands of Iranian missiles and drones have been intercepted and vaporized, tens of thousands of American allied lives protected. We have pushed every counter-UAS [uncrewed aerial systems] system possible forward, sparing no expense or capability.”
“I know there have been a lot of questions about munitions,” Caine acknowledged. “We have sufficient precision munitions for the task at hand, both on the offense and defense, but I want to tell you teammates, as a matter of practice, I don’t want to be talking about quantities, and I know there’s been a great debate about that, and I appreciate the interest, but just know that we consider that an operational security matter.”
Regardless of the public stance taken by Hegseth and Caine, the Trump administration “plans to meet with executives from the biggest U.S. defense contractors at the White House on Friday to discuss accelerating weapons production, as the Pentagon works to replenish supplies after strikes on Iran and several other recent military efforts,” Reuters reported, citing “five people familiar with the plan.”
(Reuters) – The Trump administration plans to meet with executives from the biggest U.S. defense contractors at the White House on Friday to discuss accelerating weapons production, as the Pentagon works to replenish supplies after strikes on Iran and several other recent…
Still, Trump has gone out of his way to present a problem he has mentioned as being concerning many times before, as a non issue:
“The United States Munitions Stockpiles have, at the medium and upper medium grade, never been higher or better,” Trump said Tuesday on his Truth Social platform. “As was stated to me today, we have a virtually unlimited supply of these weapons. Wars can be fought “forever,” and very successfully, using just these supplies (which are better than other countries finest arms!). At the highest end, we have a good supply, but are not where we want to be. Much additional high grade weaponry is stored for us in outlying countries…”
Following reports from various media outlets that stockpiles of U.S. munitions, including air defense interceptors for Patriot and THAAD systems, were running low, President Trump posted to TruthSocial that the U.S. has a “virtually unlimited supply” and that “wars can be fought… pic.twitter.com/7m6xEjVnfM
So, as it sits today, there is still a race against who will run out of munitions first when it comes to Iran’s long-range strike capabilities, but it seems as if the tide is turning in favor of the U.S., Israel, and the Arab Gulf states based on the information we are seeing. With direct attacks now ramping up on Iranian targets deeper and farther east in Iran, the momentum will more likely than not continue in that direction. This does not address the stockpile’s concerning state in regard to a potential conflict with China or even Russia. It is in a far worse state than it was at the start of this war, and these weapons take years and huge sums of money to build.
The two military leaders also discussed several other topics, including:
“Yesterday, the leader of the unit who attempted to assassinate President Trump has been hunted down and killed,” said Hegseth. “Iran tried to kill President Trump, and President Trump got the last laugh.”
“Over the next 24 to 48 hours, CENTCOM will continue to strike infrastructure and naval capability and will continue to assess our progress against the military objectives,” said Caine.
“Our partners are answering the call to defend themselves right alongside us,” Caine noted. “Jordan, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait, are all defending their people with their own combat capability, with precision and restraint.”
“We’ve got a lot of autonomous systems, or systems that are that – drones and others incorporated with smart AI aspects to them, but a lot of which I can’t talk about here,” Hegseth stated.
Hegseth addressed Iranian claims that the U.S. struck a girl’s school in southern Iran, killing more than 175 people. “All I can say is that we’re investigating that,” he avowed. “We. of course, never target civilian targets, but we’re taking a look at investigating.”
“I am not going to comment on U.S. boots on the ground,” Caine said. “I think that’s a question for policymakers, and I don’t make policy. I execute policy.”
The rest of our ongoing coverage of the conflict continues below, with the latest updates at the top.
UPDATE: 4:12 PM EST –
U.S. Central Command has issued another set of denials regarding claimed U.S. losses in the ongoing conflict, including that U.S. naval vessels and aircraft have been destroyed by enemy fire.
More fake news from the Iranian regime: 🚫The regime claims U.S. forces are withdrawing. 🚫They say they sank a U.S. destroyer. 🚫IRGC claims to have taken down U.S. fighter aircraft. 🚫The regime says they killed 100 U.S. Marines. ALL LIES.
In another new data point about the apparent slowing pace of Iranian missile launches, the IDF’s Home Front Command says it is easing restrictions on public gatherings and movements imposed at the start of the conflict. Another reassessment is now set to occur on Saturday, which could lead to further easements.
As the rate of Iran’s ballistic missile fire on Israel slows, the IDF Home Front Command says it is easing restrictions that were imposed on the Israeli public at the start of the conflict.
Following a fresh assessment, the Home Front Command says that from tomorrow at noon, the… pic.twitter.com/xYGj9EbZhx
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) March 4, 2026
Iranian-backed militants in Iraq have threatened to attack the interests of France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and other NATO nations if they “interfere in Iraq or the region,” according to Reuters. Pro-Iranian militants also reportedly carried out a drone attack on a majority Christian neighborhood in Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s northern Kurdish autonomous region.
IRAQ’S ISLAMIC RESISTANCE SAYS ANY ENTITY THAT AIMS TO INTERFERE IN IRAQ OR THE REGION, INCLUDING NATO, FRANCE, GERMANY AND BRITIAN, WOULD HAVE ITS INTERESTS AS ‘LEGITIMATE TARGETS’ FOR THE GROUP
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed Operation Epic Fury on Tuesday.
“Well, they’re not part of the plan for this operation at this time, but I certainly will never take away military options on behalf of the president of the United States or the commander in chief, and he wisely does not do the same for himself,” she said in response to a question about whether the U.S. military could commit ground troops to the operation. “I know there’s many leaders in the past who liked to take options off of the table without having a full understanding of how things could develop. So again, it’s not part of the current plan, but I’m not going to remove an option for the president to act that is on the table.”
“I don’t want to commit to a timeline, but certainly it’s something that is being calculated actively by both the Department of War and the Department of Energy. They’re working very closely. Both secretaries are in all of the briefings on this subject with the president, and this is again something they’re monitoring,” she also said when asked when U.S. Navy ships might begin escorting commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. “And if and when necessary, the United States Navy will provide assistance to escort oil tankers through the Strait.”
“Obviously, as the president has said numerous times, do we want to see Iran being led by a rogue terrorist regime? No, of course, not,” she said on the topic of regime change. “So any day the United States of America is taking out a terrorist is a good day for our country and a good day for our people.”
When it comes to what role the United States could have after the conflict ends, “I think it’s something the president is actively considering and discussing with his advisors and his national security team,” she added. “But again, right now, the focus minute-by-minute, hour-by-hour, day-by-day, is on ensuring the quick and effective success of Operation Epic Fury.”
Q: Has the president considered how he views a US role in Iran post-conflict?
“I don’t have any updates for you on congressional asks from the president. As you know, under this president, we have significantly increased our defense budget, which is a good thing for the United States, for our national security and for protecting our homeland,” when asked about concerns about stocks of anti-air interceptors. “With respect to munitions, ammunition, weapons stockpiles, the United States of America has more than enough capability to not only successfully execute operation Epic Fury, but to go much further. And we have weapons stockpiles in places that many people in this world don’t even know about.”
Leavitt: “With respect to munitions, the United States has more than enough capability to not only successfully execute Operation Epic Fury but to go much further. We have weapons stockpiles in places that many people in this world don’t even know about. Unfortunately we had a… pic.twitter.com/qNHmQLp1Gc
“I will also add, President Trump has rightfully been calling on defense contractors in this country to rapidly and aggressively produce American-made weapons because they are the best in the world,” she added.
The Israeli Air Force has released pictures showing F-16I jets heading out for strikes on Iran carrying stand-in munitions.
The IDF continues to target Iranian ballistic missile capabilities in the central and western parts of the country.
An “extensive” wave of Israeli airstrikes in central and western Iran earlier today destroyed dozens of Iranian ballistic missile launchers and air defense systems, the military says.
According to the IDF, some of the missile launchers were armed and they were struck while… pic.twitter.com/GeBw8bNYda
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) March 4, 2026
The IDF has pushed back on the suggestion that attacks from Iran and Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon today were directly coordinated.
“It is true, there was fire at the same time, more or less, you can say simultaneously, from Iran and Lebanon,” IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said at a press conference, according to The Times of Israel. “I don’t possess any intelligence information that says this was coordinated.”
IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin says the military has no intelligence indicating that today’s concurrent fire from Iran and by Hezbollah in Lebanon was a coordinated effort.
“It is true, there was fire at the same time, more or less, you can say simultaneously, from Iran…
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) March 4, 2026
New satellite imagery from Planet Labs shows damage resulting from strikes on an Iranian missile base in Kermanshah.
Planet imagery shows airstrike related damage at the Kermanshah missile base (North), Iran, most of the buildings associated with the site have been destroyed, strikes also extend to the underground tunnel entrances pic.twitter.com/9XfPW1rkbu
Axios has reported that the White House denied reports of back-channel communications with the regime in Iran in response to queries from Israeli authorities.
🇮🇱🇺🇸🇮🇷Netanyahu sought clarifications from the White House earlier this week after intelligence suggested Trump administration officials might be communicating with Iran. The White House told him no such talks had taken place. My story on @axioshttps://t.co/RRvVnXrPEF
“We need to act with clarity, with purpose, and with a cool head. The protection of U.K. nationals is our number one priority,” U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said today. “American planes operating out of British bases, that is the special relationship in action… hanging on to President Trump’s latest words is not.”
Has the PM’s “dithering” response to the week’s events made the UK-US “relationship stronger or weaker?” Tory MP Gareth Bacon asks
Spanish authorities have denied White House claims that they agreed to support current U.S. operations in the Middle East following economic threats from President Donald Trump. Yesterday, Trump had threatened to cut off all trade with Spain after authorities in Madrid blocked the use of bases in the country to support strikes on Iran.
“I categorically deny it. I heard about these statements on my way here, and I’ve had time to look into them and listen to them a little,” Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said. https://t.co/TS7xwBCyOr
French President Emmanuel Macron has issued a statement after speaking with the leaders of Israel and Lebanon. Macron called on Hezbollah to cease attacks on Israel and for Israel to preserve Lebanon’s territorial integrity.
Israeli Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar has written that his service’s “special units are currently carrying out extraordinary missions that could ignite the imagination” in a letter, according to Ynet News. No further details about the letter’s origins or how it was obtained are provided. This comes amid other unconfirmed reports of unusual military activity in the Najaf Desert in Iraq. Israeli special operations forces have conducted spectacular raids in the past, including one targeting an Iranian-linked underground missile production facility in Syria in 2024. TWZ noted at the time that this sent a signal to Iran that its critical underground facilities were not untouchable.
MORE: Israeli Air Force commander Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar said today that IAF special forces are currently carrying out “extraordinary missions that could ignite the imagination.”
Israeli Air Force operates elite special units such as Shaldag (Unit 5101) and Unit 669, which conduct… https://t.co/S0Yvx4kZYe
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) say they have now dropped 5,000 munitions on targets in Iran since the start of the current conflict, and that operations “continue to deepen air superiority throughout Iran, with an emphasis on the Tehran area.” The IDF also continues to release footage from those strikes.
The Israeli Air Force has dropped over 5,000 bombs during strikes in Iran since the start of the conflict, the military says.
The military says that IAF fighter jets “continue to deepen air superiority throughout Iran, with an emphasis on the Tehran area.”
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) March 4, 2026
An armed Iranian ballistic missile launcher in the Kermanshah area was destroyed by an Israeli Air Force F-35 fighter jet today, the military says. pic.twitter.com/W9BihQbtPI
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) March 4, 2026
The IDF has also released the video clip below showing a strike on what looks to be one of Iran’s Russian-made Mi-17 Hip helicopters. However, there are questions about whether it may have been a decoy.
Looks like the Israeli Air Force struck a decoy of an Iranian Mil Mi-17 helicopter painted on the ground. pic.twitter.com/mtEznE308A
— Status-6 (War & Military News) (@Archer83Able) March 4, 2026
The IDF has also provided details about targets struck during another round of strikes on Iran’s capital, Tehran.
🎯STRUCK: A large Iranian terror regime military compound in eastern Tehran.
Struck command centers in the compound include:
* The IRGC headquarters * The Intelligence Directorate headquarters * The ‘Basij’ headquarters * The ‘Quds Force’ headquarters * The Internal Security… pic.twitter.com/XBvXqks29R
The Israeli Air Force says it carried out “large-scale” airstrikes in Tehran targeting a massive Iranian military compound, which housed headquarters and personnel from across Iran’s security apparatus.
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) March 4, 2026
Israeli forces are also continuing to conduct ground operations in southern Lebanon, ostensibly targeting Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants.
The IDF publishes footage of its new deployment in southern Lebanon, after Hezbollah began attacking Israel.
Troops have pushed deeper into southern Lebanon in recent days, with the IDF saying it assumed “forward defensive positions to establish an additional defensive layer to… pic.twitter.com/cnsKfLXgfB
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) March 4, 2026
The IDF says Lebanese civilians in all of southern Lebanon should evacuate to north of the Litani River, amid the ongoing fighting against Hezbollah. pic.twitter.com/d9eTOzSo92
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) March 4, 2026
U.S. Central Command also continues to release footage from strikes on targets in Iran.
While the Iranian regime indiscriminately targets civilians with missiles and drones, U.S. forces continue to aggressively hunt and destroy Iranian missile launchers with precision. pic.twitter.com/1RIhMcg0Jm
CENTCOM has also now explicitly confirmed the use of Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) short-range ballistic missiles in strikes on Iran. This detail had already emerged, as TWZ previously reported.
In a historic first, long-range Precision Strike Missiles (PrSMs) were used in combat during Operation Epic Fury, providing an unrivaled deep strike capability.
“I just could not be prouder of our men and women in uniform leveraging innovation to create dilemmas for the enemy.”… pic.twitter.com/bydvIv5Tn5
Israeli authorities are still planning around one to two more weeks of operations against Iran, at least, according to the Times of Israel.
The Israeli military is planning for at least one or two more weeks of operations in Iran, during which it aims to hit thousands more Iranian regime targets, The Times of Israel has learned.
Israel’s goal is a systematic degradation of the Iranian regime and its military sites.…
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) March 4, 2026
Imagery continues to emerge, said to show strikes on targets in Iran’s capital, Tehran.
Massive clouds of smoke rising over several neighborhoods of the capital of Iran, Tehran, following continued American/Israeli strikes on Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/ksuZvvFiZh
— Status-6 (War & Military News) (@Archer83Able) March 4, 2026
US/Israeli airstrike this morning in Tehran, targeting an Iranian site in the government and military-heavy District 4. pic.twitter.com/uWKAM0aj9n
The video below is said to show the crew of a commercial vessel somewhere in the Middle East watching as U.S. Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles pass overhead toward targets in Iran.
The Telegraph newspaper in the United Kingdom has reported that U.S. Air Force B-2 bombers could soon be flying strikes on Iran from RAF Fairford in that country, as well as Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. There were reports in the lead-up to the current conflict, that British authorities had denied use of those same bases to support any future operations against Iran.
BREAKING: American B-2 stealth bombers are expected to land at British military bases “in a matter of days” to join attacks on Iran. Bases at Diego Garcia and at RAF Fairford, in Gloucestershire, are being prepared for their arrival, Western officials said today.
“Based on analysis of [the] latest available satellite imagery, IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency] sees no damage to facilities containing nuclear material in Iran and therefore no radiological release risk at this time,” according to a new statement from the Agency today. “Near [the] Isfahan nuclear site, damage is visible at two buildings. No additional impact detected at Natanz after previously reported damage at entrances, and no impact at other nuclear sites, including [the] Bushehr NPP [nuclear power plant].”
Based on analysis of latest available satellite imagery, IAEA sees no damage to facilities containing nuclear material in Iran and therefore no radiological release risk at this time. Near Isfahan nuclear site, damage is visible at two buildings. No additional impact detected at… pic.twitter.com/boUtjRTpAk
— IAEA – International Atomic Energy Agency ⚛️ (@iaeaorg) March 4, 2026
CNN has reported again on the possibility of armed Iranian Kurdish groups launching a ground incursion in support of the current U.S.-Israeli operation, citing an unnamed source. That outlet has also reported that the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency has been working to arm those groups.
Asked about this today, Hegseth told reporters that “none of our objectives are premised on the support of the arming of any particular force. So what other entities may be doing, we’re aware of, but our objectives aren’t centered on that.” https://t.co/76MI2irOKE
Saudi Arabian authorities say they intercepted two Iranian cruise missiles in the vicinity of Al Kharj, a city situated near Prince Sultan Air Base. That base has been a major hub for U.S. air operations in the current conflict.
BREAKING: Saudi Ministry of Defense says two cruise missiles were intercepted and destroyed in Al-Kharj, a town near Prince Sultan Airbase
The New York Times says satellite imagery that it has reviewed shows damage to several radars, as well as communications systems and other facilities, at multiple military bases in the region as a result of Iranian retaliatory attacks.
A tent surrounded by satellite dishes was destroyed at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. Some of the dishes were most likely damaged as well. Al Udeid is the regional headquarters for the US Central Command, and was similarly struck by Iran last June. pic.twitter.com/TyuqZWHUL3
Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait sustained damage to at least eight buildings or structures adjacent to satellite communications infrastructure. pic.twitter.com/oToNYRLTQg
An AN/TPY-2 radar system appears to have been stationed next to a building at a military installation outside of Al Ruwais, UAE since June of last year. Sat imagery from Sunday shows a building adjacent to it had been damaged (unclear if radar was hit) pic.twitter.com/Bp80VxDdU1
While this analysis is not comprehensive (as evidenced by what appears to be yet another radar system damaged during the strikes visible in newly released sat imagery!), it does suggest Iran has been aiming to disrupt US communication and coordination https://t.co/cb2ToNwP9p
Qatar has reportedly fully halted gas liquefaction in the country, according to Reuters. It could take up to a month for production to return to normal levels once the decision is made to do so, as well.
NEW: Qatar will fully shut gas liquefaction, two sources say. Initial estimates suggest it would take about two weeks to restart operations and at least another two weeks to return to full capacity – Reuters
The United Kingdom Marine Trade Operations (UKMTO) organization, which is managed by the Royal Navy, says it has received reports of another ship coming under attack in the Strait of Hormuz.
Dutch authorities are reportedly considering a request from France to deploy military assets to help safeguard commercial shipping, according to The New York Times. There are also reports that a Dutch warship could take up station in the Eastern Mediterranean to bolster defenses against Iranian threats.
The Netherlands is weighing a request from French President Emmanuel Macron to use its military to help secure international shipping routes, according to the New York Times.
The Netherlands is preparing to send HNLMS Evertsen (F805) with France’s CSG to the Eastern Mediterranean as part of a defensive deployment against Iranian attacks.
Notably, Evertsen will be able to provide ballistic missile tracking and engagement data. pic.twitter.com/0wWxZuOcSN
“EUNAFOR [European Naval Forces] ASPIDES assets in the area of operation monitors the situation, remain on high alert and stand ready to contribute within means and capabilities to protect lives at sea, contributing to freedom of navigation and enhancing Maritime Security through one of the most vital and vulnerable sea trade corridors,” a spokesperson for the European Union-led Operation Aspides has told TWZ. “ASPIDES conducts daily assessments of potential risks, making necessary operational adjustments where required.”
In the event of a resumption of Houthi attacks – which remains a possibility – we are present and ready to implement our mandate,” they added, referring to Iranian-backed militants in Yemen. “There [is] no such tasking (escort ships through or near the Strait of Hormuz) for ASPIDES.”
“We expect significantly higher costs i.e. for bunker, insurance, container storage at different ports due to closed or unreachable ports” and “delays have to be expected especially in the Middle East, but also in other trades,” German shipping company Hapag-Lloyd has also told TWZ. “All ports within [the] Persian Gulf can not be served. This is why we need to find alternates [sic] in the region. Many other ports [are] not being served as well. We have a booking stop for all import/export cargo in the region.”
Danish shipping company Maersk is also “suspending most cargo bookings in and out of the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia until further notice,” according to Reuters.
COPENHAGEN, March 4 (Reuters) – Maersk said on Wednesday it is temporarily suspending most cargo bookings in and out of the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia until further notice.
All of this follows comments yesterday from U.S. President Donald Trump about the possibility of U.S. Navy ships escorting commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, which you can read more about here.
The American Jewish Committee has compiled data from open sources regarding total Iranian ballistic missile launches at countries in the region. Though the full tallies may be incomplete, the indication is that the United Arab Emirates has been most heavily targeted so far.
Nearly 50% of the missiles and UAVs fired by the Iranian regime have been aimed at the UAE.
Tehran’s actions threaten U.S. partners across the region and put broader Middle East stability at risk. pic.twitter.com/s581ZmMAjl
— American Jewish Committee (@AJCGlobal) March 3, 2026
Turkish Authorities say that “NATO air and missile defense elements” intercepted a “ballistic munition” that had been tracked passing over Iraq and Syria in the direction of the Eastern Mediterranean. Debris subsequently fell inside Turkish territory.
There are reports that the weapon was aimed at Cyprus, but went off course. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan subsequently spoke by phone with his Iranian counterpart, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and warned against “any steps that could lead to the spread of the conflict.”
A Turkish official, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, said the missile had been “aimed at a base in Greek Cyprus but veered off course”. https://t.co/Q7rj2j3OSB
A ballistic missile from Iran crossing Iraq and Syria was intercepted by NATO in the Eastern Mediterranean before entering Turkish airspace. No casualties reported. Türkiye summoned Iran’s ambassador and called for restraint.https://t.co/JTBeeYVDKx
Local media in Cyprus has reported that Greek F-16 fighters now operating in the country intercepted two incoming drones earlier today.
The New York Times has reported that there have been back-channel, indirect talks between U.S. and Iranian officials, including members of the respective intelligence services, about possible off-ramps to the current conflict. That report also says that American authorities are so far skeptical. Iran’s quasi-official Tasnim News Agency says the country’s Intelligence Ministry has denied that any such talks are taking place.
NEW: The Secret Channel Between Iran and the US
In public, Iran’s surviving leaders have defiantly refused to negotiate with President Trump to end the American and Israeli assault on their country. But a day after the attacks began, operatives from Iran’s Ministry of…
Iran denies that its Intelligence Ministry reached out to the CIA for talks, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reports, citing a ministry source.
“Iran’s future must not be decided outside its borders” and the international community’s support should “go to the people, not to geopolitical calculations,” Farah Pahlavi, widow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran, has said in an interview with AFP in France.
She has also said that the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is “a moment of historic significance,” but “does not automatically mean the end of a system.”
➡️ Elle estime aussi que la mort du guide suprême Ali Khamenei constitue “un moment d’une portée historique” mais “ne signifie pas automatiquement la fin d’un système”.
“The government of the Republic of Korea, with grave concern, is closely monitoring the developments in the Middle East involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, and is actively undertaking multifaceted efforts to ensure the safety and protection of Korean nationals currently in the region, as well as to safeguard our economic security, including the stable supply of energy resources,” that country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said in a statement.
The government of the Republic of Korea, with grave concern, is closely monitoring the developments in the Middle East involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, and is actively undertaking multifaceted efforts to ensure the safety and protection of Korean nationals currently… pic.twitter.com/iyhfpjvOhc
