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The Times of Israel liveblogged Friday’s events as they unfolded.
Man shot dead in Jaffa, 10-year-old son injured — police
A man in his 50s was shot dead on the street in Jaffa, and his 10-year-old son was lightly to moderately injured in the shooting, police and Hebrew media reports say.
The man, named by the Ynet outlet as Abed Abu Hasira, was severely injured in the shooting and later pronounced dead after being taken to a hospital.
Police say the shooting is being investigated as a criminal act.
New Iranian missile attack detected, sirens set to sound in central Israel
Another ballistic missile attack from Iran has been detected by the IDF.
Sirens are expected to sound in central Israel in the coming minutes.
Missile attack from Iran on southern Israel intercepted; no injuries reported
No injuries are reported following Iran’s latest ballistic missile attack, the fifth since midnight and the first in some nine hours.
The missile, which triggered sirens in Beersheba and surrounding towns in southern Israel, was intercepted by air defenses, according to the IDF.
US special envoy Steve Witkoff says US hopeful of meetings with Iran soon
US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff says the United States is hopeful that there will be meetings with Iran soon.
“We think there will be meetings this week. We’re certainly hopeful for it,” Witkoff says at an investment forum in Miami, Florida, without specifying whether he is referring to the current week or the coming one.
“We have a 15-point deal on the table that the Iranians have had for a bit of time. We expect an answer from them, and it would solve it all,” he says, referring to the US proposal to end the monthlong war.
According to an Axios report, Witkoff says the conditions include ending Iranian uranium enrichment so there’s “no second North Korea in the Middle East.”
He also reportedly says, “We have an extension of the deadline for Iran. We see it as a real positive. We are negotiating with the Iranians. We may have a different definition of negotiating than they do. But we are talking to them.”
He adds that Iran letting some ships through the Strait of Hormuz is a “good sign,” according to the report.
“The president wants a peace deal. But without pressure, you don’t get anybody to the table. We are prepared to solve this diplomatically,” he says, according to the report.
Mamdani: Man accused of trying to firebomb anti-Israel activist’s home belonged to extremist Jewish Defense League
Nerdeen Kiswani, the leader of Within Our Lifetime, at a protest in Manhattan on September 17, 2021. (Luke Tress)
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani says the man accused of trying to firebomb the home of Nerdeen Kiswani, a leading anti-Zionist activist in the city, is a member of the extremist Jewish Defense League.
Mamdani also says the defendant planned to flee to Israel.
Alexander Heifler, 26, of New Jersey, was charged with plotting to firebomb Kiswani’s residence earlier today.
“Last night, an alleged member of the Jewish Defense League —- designated by the FBI as a ‘known violent extremist organization’ —- attempted to blow up the home of Nerdeen Kiswani in a chilling act of political violence and an apparent assassination plot. The defendant allegedly planned to flee to Israel following the attack,” Mamdani says.
Elon Musk joined private call between Trump and Modi on Iran war — NYT
US President Donald Trump, from right, speaks during a news conference with Elon Musk as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent listen in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, May 30, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Elon Musk joined a private phone call between US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the Iran war on Tuesday, The New York Times reports.
Why the world’s richest man joined the call between the two major heads of state is unclear, says the report, which cited two US officials. But Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds are invested in Musk’s companies, and he has sought to grow his business in India, the Times says.
The leaders reportedly discussed Iran’s blocking the Strait of Hormuz, a key pathway for the global oil supply.
The White House and Musk did not comment on his presence on the call. Musk had a senior role in the Trump administration last year before a falling-out between the men that appears to have been somewhat patched up.
Iranian missile attack detected, sirens set to sound in southern Israel
A new ballistic missile attack from Iran has been detected by the IDF.
Sirens are expected to sound in southern Israel in the coming minutes.
Air Force launches ‘extensive’ wave of strikes against Hezbollah in Beirut — IDF
The Israeli Air Force has launched a new “extensive” wave of strikes against Hezbollah infrastructure sites in Beirut, the IDF announces.
No further details are immediately given.
The IDF has struck dozens of Hezbollah targets in the Dahiyeh, south of Beirut, in the past month, and the military has repeatedly called on Lebanese civilians to evacuate the area.
Iran agrees to ‘facilitate and expedite’ humanitarian aid through Strait of Hormuz
Iran's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Ali Bahreini, holds a press conference at the UN Offices in Geneva on March 3, 2026. (Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP)
Tehran has agreed to “facilitate and expedite” humanitarian aid through the Strait of Hormuz, the Iranian ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva says.
Ali Bahreini says Tehran has accepted a request from the UN to allow the safe passage of humanitarian aid and agriculture shipments through the critical waterway, a key artery for the world’s oil supply.
“This measure reflects Iran’s continued commitment to supporting humanitarian efforts and ensuring that essential aid reaches those in need without delay,” Bahreini writes in a post on X.
The UN earlier announced a task force to address the ripple effects the Iran war has had on the passage of aid.
Iran says US attacks while calling for talks ‘intolerable,’ response undecided
A senior Iranian official says US attacks on Iran while it simultaneously calls for talks are “intolerable,” adding that Tehran has yet to decide whether to respond to a US proposal due to attacks on industrial and nuclear infrastructure.
Israel struck two Iranian nuclear sites today.
Iran’s response to US proposals to end the war was expected to be delivered today or tomorrow, the official adds.
UN nuclear watchdog repeats call for ‘restraint’ in Iran war after Israeli strikes
International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi is interviewed at United Nations headquarters, October 29, 2025. (AP/Richard Drew)
The United Nations atomic watchdog repeats its call for “restraint” in the Middle East war after Israel struck two Iranian nuclear facilities — a yellowcake facility and a heavy water reactor.
“IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi reiterates (his) call for military restraint to avoid any risk of a nuclear accident,” the International Atomic Energy Agency said on X, reporting “no increase in off-site radiation levels” at the Shahid Rezayee Nejad Yellowcake Production Facility.
Iran’s foreign minister vows to ‘exact heavy price’ after strikes on key facilities
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi speaks during the 17th edition of the Al-Jazeera Forum in Doha, Qatar on February 7, 2026. (Karim JAAFAR / AFP)
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says Tehran will exact a “HEAVY price for Israeli crimes” after Israeli attacks on two of the country’s largest steel factories and nuclear sites.
“Israel has hit 2 of Iran’s largest steel factories, a power plant, and civilian nuclear sites, among other infrastructure. Israel claims it acted in coordination with the US,” says Araghchi in a social media post.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards also warned employees of industrial sites in the region “that have American shareholders as well as heavy industries allied with the Zionist regime… to leave their workplaces immediately” as they vowed to carry out retaliatory attacks.
Rubio: US can achieve Iran goals without ground troops, but deployments give Trump options
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives at Paris-Le Bourget Airport, in Le Bourget, France, March 27, 2026, to take part in the G7 foreign ministers' meeting. (Brendan Smialowski/Pool Photo via AP)
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the United States can achieve its objectives in Iran without the use of any ground troops, despite recent deployments of additional forces to the region.
Rubio speaks to reporters before returning to the US after he discussed the US-Israeli war with Iran with G7 foreign ministers in France.
Rubio says the US was achieving its objectives in the war, which he said were destroying Iran’s missile and drone capabilities and factories to produce those weapons, as well as its navy and its air force.
“We are ahead of schedule on most of them, and we can achieve them without any ground troops, without any,” Rubio says.
Rubio says recent deployments of thousands of more troops to the region are intended to give US President Donald Trump options to respond to contingencies in the conflict, but declines to go into operational details.
“In terms of why there’s deployments, number one, the president has to be prepared for multiple contingencies… We are always going to be prepared to give the president maximum optionality and maximum opportunity to adjust the contingencies, should they emerge,” he says.
Warning sirens have sounded more than 78,000 times since start of war — report
People take cover in a bomb shelter after missiles are fired by Iran, in Tel Aviv, March 22, 2026. (Yossi Aloni/Flash90)
A total of 78,109 sirens warning of missile, rocket and drone attacks from Iran and Hezbollah have sounded across Israel since the start of the war with Iran nearly a month ago on February 28, according to a tally on Channel 12.
Kiryat Shmona, the embattled city close to the Lebanese border, has had the most warning sirens, with 154. The city has been attacked frequently by Hezbollah both during the current fighting and in Israel’s previous conflict with the Iran-backed Lebanese terror group, from 2023-2024
The second-most sirens, 146, have sounded in the northern border town of Misgav Am, the Tel Aviv-area Ariel Sharon Park and eastern Ramat Gan in central Israel, the network says. And 145 have sounded in the central city of Holon and its surrounding area.
By contrast, several locations in the south, including the town of Mitzpe Ramon, have had only one siren during the war.
The most common time for sirens to sound is at 10 a.m., the report says, with 7,122 sirens going off at that time. But one hour earlier, at 9 a.m., only 1,404 sirens have sounded.
Missile launches from Iran typically come with early warnings, giving residents a few minutes to head to shelters. Sirens warning of salvos from Hezbollah, by contrast, give residents a matter of seconds to head to shelter.
Germany’s Merz expresses doubts that US-Israeli action in Iran will lead to regime change
German Chancellor and leader of Germany's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) Friedrich Merz gives a speech during his CDU's party congress in Stuttgart, southern Germany, February 20, 2026. (Thomas Kienzle / AFP)
Chancellor Friedrich Merz expresses skepticism that the United States and Israel have a clear strategy to end the war in Iran, but he says Germany will in principle be ready to take part in an international stabilization mission after the end of hostilities.
“I’m just not convinced that what’s happening right now – what Israel and America are doing – will actually lead to success,” he says at a conference hosted by the FAZ newspaper.
“Is regime change really the goal?” he says. “If that’s the goal, I don’t think you’ll achieve it. It’s mostly gone wrong” in past conflicts, he said, pointing to the Afghanistan war.
More than 300 US troops injured since start of Iran war, most have returned to duty
Illustrative: In this January 25, 2018 photo, American troops coordinate with Iraqi counterparts to launch airstrikes and artillery from a small complex in the town of Qaim, Iraq. (AP Photo/Susannah George)
More than 300 US troops have been wounded since the start of the Iran war on February 28, US Central Command says.
“Since the start of Operation Epic Fury, approximately 303 US service members have been wounded. The vast majority of these injuries have been minor, and 273 troops have returned to duty,” US Navy Captain Tim Hawkins says.
A US official who asks not to be identified tells AFP that 10 troops remain seriously wounded.
A further 13 troops have been killed in the war, according to the latest figures, with seven killed in the Gulf and six in Iraq.
In a separate development today, Iran’s military says that hotels housing US soldiers in the region will be considered targets.
“When all the Americans (forces) go into a hotel, then from our perspective that hotel becomes American,” armed forces spokesman Abolfazl Shekarchi told state television yesterday.
Iran’s government has not released an updated casualty toll, but a US-based activist group said on March 23 that some 1,167 Iranian troops had been killed and the status of 658 troops is unknown. AFP is not able to independently verify tolls in Iran due to reporting restrictions.
Hezbollah rocket barrage on Haifa suburbs intercepted, IDF says; no injuries reported
The IDF says a barrage of rockets launched from Lebanon at the Krayot suburbs of Haifa a short while ago was intercepted.
No injuries are reported.
IDF confirms strike on yellowcake plant in Iran, ‘only one of its kind’ in country
The IDF confirms bombing a yellowcake production plant near the central Iranian city of Yazd, saying it came as part of the ongoing efforts against Iran’s nuclear program.
The military describes the site as a “uranium extraction facility.”
“This facility is the only one of its kind in Iran, where raw materials mined from the ground undergo mechanical and chemical processing so that they can later be used as precursor materials for uranium enrichment,” the military says, adding that it is a “highly important process for the nuclear weapons program advanced by the regime.”
The strikes hit the “central infrastructure used in the site’s unique production processes,” the military says.
Iranian media reported earlier that the Ardakan yellowcake production plant was hit in strikes.
Yellowcake is a uranium concentrate in powder form and an early step in uranium processing. It is produced by mining uranium ore from rocks and separating the uranium from the rocks by bathing them in acid. The yellowcake can then be converted, enriched to raise its purity, and then used for weapons or energy production.
Sirens warning of Hezbollah rocket attack sound in Haifa suburbs
Sirens sound in the Krayot suburbs of Haifa amid a Hezbollah rocket attack from Lebanon.
There are no immediate reports of injuries or damage.
Rubio says US ‘concerned’ by settler violence, insists Israel will act against it
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives at Paris-Le Bourget Airport, in Le Bourget, France, March 27, 2026, to take part in the G7 foreign ministers' meeting. (Brendan Smialowski/Pool Photo via AP)
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says Washington is “concerned” by settler violence in the West Bank but claims that Israel will take action against the largely unchecked, daily phenomenon.
Asked about settler violence while taking questions from reporters in France, Rubio responds, “We’re concerned about that” and notes that US President Donald Trump has previously expressed his opposition last year “against any sort of change in the status quo in the West Bank.”
Trump in September said he would not allow Israel to annex the West Bank amid efforts by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition to take the controversial step.
“There’s a lot going on in the world right now, but that’s a topic we follow very closely,” Rubio says, referring to matters in the West Bank.
The top US diplomat goes on to insist that the Israeli government is taking the issue seriously, noting that in addition to largely attacking Palestinians, the assailants have sometimes targeted Israeli security forces.
“The Israelis themselves have expressed [concern]… You’ve seen that some of these groups and individuals — maybe they’re settlers, maybe they’re just street thugs — have attacked Israeli security forces as well, so I think you’ll see the government there do something about it,” Rubio says.
The last time Netanyahu publicly weighed in on the issue was in December, when he downplayed the problem and characterized the assailants as a “handful of kids.”
His government has meanwhile poured millions of dollars into the outpost enterprise, even as those wildcat communities have been hotbeds for violence against neighboring Palestinians.
As settler violence has escalated, the IDF earlier this week diverted a battalion that was supposed to go to Lebanon, sending it instead to the West Bank.
Nonetheless, settler attacks have continued daily, with the vast majority of them not resulting in arrests.
IDF confirms bombing Iran’s heavy water reactor, ‘key’ nuclear facility, in Arak
Technicians work at the Arak heavy water reactor's secondary circuit, as officials and media visit the site, near Arak, Iran, December 23, 2019. (Atomic Energy Organization of Iran via AP, File)
The IDF confirms bombing Iran’s Arak heavy water reactor, saying it targeted the “key infrastructure for producing plutonium for nuclear weapons” after Iran worked to restore the site.
The Israeli Air Force had bombed the partially built complex, officially known as the Khondab Heavy Water Research Reactor, in central Iran during the June 2025 war.
“Repeated reconstruction attempts by the Iranian terror regime at the site were later identified. Therefore, the IDF has struck the facility once again,” the military says.
The IDF issued a warning ahead of today’s strike on the Arak reactor and urged residents in nearby areas to flee.
The Arak site was originally designed in a way that would make it capable of easily producing plutonium, which could be used to produce nuclear arms.
Under the 2015 agreement on Iran’s nuclear program, the heavy water plant was redesigned to reduce the nuclear weaponization risk, and its core was removed and filled with concrete.
The IDF says in a statement that even in its current state the heavy water “can also be used as a neutron source for nuclear weapons” and that “despite explicit international commitments, foremost among them the nuclear agreement, the Iranian terror regime has systematically avoided converting the reactor so that it would not enable the production of weapons-grade plutonium, and even deliberately ordered that the conversion not be completed.”
The IDF says the plant was also a “significant economic asset for the terror regime and served as a source of income for the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization, generating tens of millions of dollars for the regime each year.”
US expects operation in Iran to conclude in ‘weeks, not months,’ Rubio says
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to reporters before his scheduled House and Senate Intelligence Committees briefing about Iran on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the US expects its operation in Iran to conclude in “weeks, not months” after he meets with G7 foreign ministers in France.
The US had initially set out a timeline of four to six weeks for the war, a window of time that begins tomorrow.
Rubio also says Iran may decide to set up a tolling system for the Strait of Hormuz.
Axios and Channel 12 reporter Barak Ravid adds in a post on X that Rubio put the timeline for the war at two to four weeks and said the US is committed to achieving its goals in the operation. The report cites three sources with direct knowledge of Rubio’s remarks
Visiting Lebanon, IDF chief discusses ‘significant plans’ for fight with Hezbollah
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir is seen in southern Lebanon, March 27, 2026. (Israel Defense Forces)
During a visit to southern Lebanon, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir says the military has “additional significant plans” for the offensive against Hezbollah.
“We are at a historic crossroads. We are operating according to a plan, on the offensive, to fundamentally change the security situation, from Tehran to Beirut,” he says.
Zamir says the IDF will “continue to operate and remain here as long as necessary to cause significant blows [to Hezbollah] and remove the threat in the north.”
“We have additional significant plans for the continuation of the campaign,” he adds.
IDF on alert in Gaza as ‘weakened’ Hamas thought to be trying to rearm amid Iran war
Illustrative: Armed members of Hamas and Islamic Jihad greet people gathering for Eid al-Fitr prayers in Gaza City, March 20, 2026. (AP/Abdel Kareem Hana)
The IDF remains on high alert in the Gaza Strip amid the ongoing war with Iran, though there do not appear to be any indications that the Hamas terror group is set to join the fighting alongside Tehran’s other proxies.
According to Israeli military officials, Hamas has likely been attempting to rearm amid the ongoing ceasefire in the Strip, which began in October 2025, but is nowhere near attaining the strength it had before the war.
The IDF assesses these efforts as “very limited,” largely because the group no longer has access to its primary weapons-smuggling routes.
Nevertheless, IDF officials stress that the threat is not being taken lightly. They believe Hamas is manufacturing improvised explosive devices and possibly even rockets, albeit in very small quantities.
“This is not the same Hamas; it is a significantly weakened organization,” the officials say.
Hamas is also still believed to possess hundreds of rockets manufactured before the war that were not destroyed during the IDF’s two-year-long ground offensive, as troops did not reach all areas of the Strip.
During the ongoing war with Iran over the past month, the IDF has destroyed some eight kilometers’ worth of Hamas tunnels in the Strip, the military says.
In addition, over 60 terror operatives who either crossed the ceasefire line or planned attacks on troops have been killed, the IDF says.
The military says that even during the war in Iran and the conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Southern Command “maintains forces on alert for a wide range of scenarios, including dedicated ground forces and aerial support.”
The IDF says it will “continue to thwart any emerging threat before it materializes to protect the security of the residents of the Gaza border communities and IDF troops in the area.”
Leading NYC anti-Israel activist reportedly targeted in assassination plot
Nerdeen Kiswani speaks at an anti-Israel Nakba day protest on May 15, 2025, in Brooklyn, New York. (Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images via JTA)
Nerdeen Kiswani, one of the most prominent anti-Israel activists in New York City, has been targeted in an assassination plot, The New York Times reports.
Kiswani is the leader of Within Our Lifetime, a hardline anti-Zionist group that regularly holds protests in the city.
The New York Times says Kiswani was notified by the FBI of an assassination plot yesterday, citing a federal law enforcement official and a lawyer for Kiswani.
There is no information available about the suspects or motive, her lawyer told the Times. The FBI carried out a search in Hoboken, New Jersey, the report says, adding that the New York Police Department was also involved.
“Late last night, the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force informed me that a plot against my life that was “about to” take place, and that agents had conducted an operation in Hoboken related to this plot,” Kiswani says on X. “I will have more to say as additional details come to light. I will not stop speaking up for the people of Palestine.”
Kiswani’s group organizes disruptive rallies calling for Israel’s destruction that have targeted holiday events, transportation hubs, museums and hospitals, often celebrating “resistance” against Israel. Kiswani has posted support for Hamas online.
Within Our Lifetime backed the October 7, 2023, Hamas invasion of Israel, demanding support for “Palestinian resistance in all its forms. By any means necessary.”
Iranian yellowcake facility, part of uranium enrichment process, said targeted in strike
A yellowcake production plant near the central Iranian city of Yazd was targeted in an airstrike a short while ago, Iranian media reports.
The Fars news agency cites the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran as saying that the Ardakan yellowcake production plant was hit by “an American-Zionist enemy attack.”
“Initial assessments indicate that this incident has not resulted in any release of radioactive materials outside the facility, and therefore, there is no concern for citizens or surrounding areas,” the statement reads.
Yellowcake is a uranium concentrate in powder form and an early step in uranium processing. It is produced by mining uranium ore from rocks and separating the uranium from the rocks by bathing them in acid. The yellowcake can then be converted, enriched to raise its purity, and then used for weapons or energy production.
جمعه ۷ فروردین ساعت ۱۷:۵۰
حمله به نیروگاه خنداب
تقریبا ده بار زد
از نیروگاه داره دود سیاه میاد
یه چیزی زد که داره میسوزه pic.twitter.com/SzdpXVNe9G— مملکته (@mamlekate) March 27, 2026
3 more suspects arrested for attacks on synagogues in Netherlands
A blaze caused by an explosion outside a Rotterdam synagogue on March 13, 2026 (Screen grab via X used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)
Dutch prosecutors say three men have been arrested on suspicion of being involved in an antisemitic attack on a synagogue or for helping to prepare a similar attack.
Two Dutch men, aged 20 and 23, were arrested for their alleged roles in the attack on a synagogue in Rotterdam on March 13, the prosecutors say.
Seven suspects are now in custody for the Rotterdam attack.
Another 18-year-old man is arrested for his alleged involvement in preparing for an attack on a synagogue in the town of Heemstede.
Police last week already arrested two minors, who they said had been plotting to set off an explosion at a synagogue in that town, 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) west of Amsterdam.
Iran’s response to US proposal to end war expected today, source says
People gather with Iranian flags along Enghelab (Revolution) Square in central Tehran on March 25, 2026. (AFP)
Iran’s response to a US proposal aimed at ending the war in the Middle East is expected later today, according to a source briefed on the matter.
US President Donald Trump and top White House officials have been told via interlocutors that Iran’s counter-proposal will likely arrive today, the source says.
IDF said to bomb Iran’s Arak heavy water reactor, no casualties reported by local media
Following an evacuation warning, the Israeli Air Force bombed Iran’s Arak heavy water reactor, according to Iranian media.
The Fars news agency reports that the strikes on the complex “did not result in any human casualties, and due to prior safety measures, there is no danger threatening the local people.”
The IDF had issued an “urgent warning” to evacuate the nuclear complex and another industrial area in the Arak area earlier.
Israel already bombed the Arak complex during the June 2025 war.
جمعه ۷ فروردین ساعت ۱۷:۵۰
حمله به نیروگاه خنداب
تقریبا ده بار زد
از نیروگاه داره دود سیاه میاد
یه چیزی زد که داره میسوزه pic.twitter.com/SzdpXVNe9G— مملکته (@mamlekate) March 27, 2026
IDF says it has killed at least 770 Hezbollah operatives since conflict renewed this month
Smoke rises from an Israeli airstrike targeting Hezbollah that hit Zibbikin village as seen from Tyre, Lebanon, March 26, 2026. (AP/Hussein Malla)
The Israeli military says it has killed at least 770 Hezbollah operatives in Lebanon since hostilities escalated amid the war with Iran.
They include hundreds of members of the terror group’s elite Radwan Force, according to the IDF.
The number only includes operatives that Israeli intelligence officers have definitively identified. That means the true number of killed Hezbollah fighters is likely higher, IDF officials say.
Lebanon’s health ministry says Israeli attacks have killed over 1,000 since the war began. The figure does not differentiate between combatants and civilians.
G7 foreign ministers demand an end to attacks on civilians in Iran war
The foreign ministers of the G7 group of nations call for an immediate stop to attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure in the Iran war.
In a joint statement agreed on the second day of a G7 meeting in France – this year’s host country – the ministers say they had underscored the importance of minimizing the impact of the conflict on regional partners, civilian populations and critical infrastructure.
“We focused on the value of diverse partnerships, coordination and supporting initiatives, including to mitigate global economic shocks such as disruptions to economic, energy, fertilizer and commercial supply chains, which have direct impacts on our citizens,” they say in the statement seen by Reuters.
The ministers also reiterate the need to restore safe and toll-free freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, a key sticking point in the war.
The G7 members are the United States, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan, along with the European Union.
EU energy ministers to hold extraordinary video call on Iran war
European Union countries’ energy ministers will hold an extraordinary video call on Tuesday on the impact of the Iran war on European energy security of supply, a spokesperson for Cyprus’ EU presidency says.
Cyprus holds the EU’s rotating presidency and chairs meetings of EU countries.
Air Force launches new wave of strikes in Iran targeting regime infrastructure — IDF
The Israeli Air Force has launched a new “extensive” wave of airstrikes in Iran, the IDF announces.
The military says it is targeting Iranian regime infrastructure sites in three areas of Iran simultaneously.
The strikes are taking place at the same time as a wave of strikes against Hezbollah in Beirut.
US not arming Iranian Kurd opposition in Iraqi Kurdistan, official says
A senior Iraqi Kurdistan official says the United States is not arming Iranian Kurdish opposition groups exiled in his autonomous region, reiterating that his government opposes any involvement by these groups in the Middle East war.
“We have not seen any attempts by the United States, any branch of the United States, to arm Iranian opposition groups in Kurdistan,” deputy prime minister of the autonomous northern region, Qubad Talabani, tells AFP in an interview.
Regional authorities tell the groups it would be “very unwise” for them to take part from Iraqi Kurdistan, he said, adding: “We would not allow that to happen from here.”
Iran-linked hackers breach FBI director’s personal email, publish excerpts online
FBI Director Kash Patel speaks during a news conference with President Donald Trump in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, August 11, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Iran-linked hackers have publicly claimed the breach of FBI Director Kash Patel’s personal inbox, publishing photographs of the US investigative agency director and other documents to the internet.
On their website, the hacker group Handala Hack Team says Patel “will now find his name among the list of successfully hacked victims.” A Justice Department official confirms that Patel’s email has been breached and that the material published online appears authentic.
The FBI does not immediately respond to a request for comment. The hackers do not immediately respond to messages.
Handala, which calls itself a group of pro-Palestinian vigilante hackers, is considered by Western researchers to be one of several personas used by Iranian government cyberintelligence units.
Handala recently claimed the hack of Michigan-based medical devices and services provider Stryker on March 11, claiming to have deleted a massive trove of company data. It has also claimed to perpetrate hacks on former prime minister Naftali Bennett and his longtime ally, former justice minister Ayelet Shaked.
Reuters is not able to independently authenticate the Patel emails, but the personal Gmail address that Handala claims to have broken into matches the address linked to Patel in previous data breaches preserved by the dark web intelligence firm District 4 Labs.
A sample of the material uploaded by the hackers and reviewed by Reuters appears to show a mix of personal and work correspondence dating between 2010 and 2019.
Air Force launches new wave of strikes on Hezbollah sites in Beirut — IDF
The Israeli Air Force has launched a new wave of strikes against Hezbollah infrastructure sites in Beirut, the IDF announces.
No further details are immediately given.
The IDF has struck dozens of Hezbollah targets in the Dahiyeh, south of Beirut, in the past month, and the military has repeatedly called on Lebanese civilians to evacuate the area.
Herzliya luxury hotel damaged in recent Iranian missile attack; no injuries reported
Damage to a hotel in Herzliya following an Iranian ballistic missile attack, March 27, 2026. (Israel Police)
A hotel in the central Israeli city of Herzliya, the luxury Dan Accadia Resort, was damaged by falling fragments or a possible cluster submunition, following Iran’s ballistic missile attack earlier today, according to rescue services.
No injuries were caused.
Activists aiding families of terror victims, fallen soldiers get Israel Prize for Lifetime Achievement
Education Minister Yoav Kisch announces that the Israel Prize for Lifetime Achievement will be awarded to two leaders of NGOs aiding families of terror victims and of fallen IDF soldiers.
The laureates of the prize, considered the country’s highest honor, are Chantal Belzberg, founding director of OneFamily, which aids families of terror victims, and Irit Oren Gunders, founder and CEO of Or L’Mishpachot (Hebrew for Light for Families), which aids bereaved parents of fallen security forces.
“The prize is awarded to both for their extensive and moving activity to support bereaved families and terror victims,” Kisch posts on X. “These are exemplars of leadership, giving and national responsibility, who have devoted their lives to accompanying, strengthening and giving hope to those who have paid the highest price for the security of the state.”
The prize will be awarded on Independence Day, which will fall on April 22.
שמחתי לבשר היום לגב' שנטל בלזברג והגב' עירית אורן גונדרס שהן שותפות להישג כלות פרס ישראל לשנת תשפ"ו בתחום מפעל חיים – תרומה מיוחדת לחברה ולמדינה.
הפרס מוענק לשתיהן על פעילותן הענפה והמרגשת לתמיכה במשפחות השכולות ובנפגעי טרור. מדובר בדמויות מופת של מנהיגות, נתינה ואחריות לאומית,… pic.twitter.com/MMkaVSsYZp
— יואב קיש Yoav Kisch (@YoavKisch) March 26, 2026
Air Force bombs two large steel factories in Iran partially owned by IRGC
The Israeli Air Force bombed two of Iran’s largest steel factories a short while ago, according to Iranian media and Israeli security sources.
The Fars news agency reports that the strikes hit Khuzestan Steel near Ahvaz and Mobarakeh Steel in Isfahan.
The strikes on the factories, which are partially owned by the IRGC, are expected to cause major damage to the Iranian economy.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz had ordered the strikes. Earlier, Katz said that Israel would intensify its strikes against Iran.
IDF to extend warning times for Lebanon attacks after pushing Hezbollah back from border
Trails of rockets launched by Hezbollah from southern Lebanon at Israel are pictured from the southern city of Tyre on March 25, 2026. (Kawnat Haju/AFP)
The IDF Home Front Command says it will be extending the warning times for rocket fire from Lebanon, as Hezbollah has been pushed back further from the border.
The move means that those in northern border communities that until now had to seek shelter immediately or within 15-30 seconds, will now have slightly more time.
As the IDF has pushed forces into southern Lebanon, the military says it has identified that Hezbollah is launching most of its rocket attacks on Israel from deeper within the country, including from areas north of the Litani River.
The Home Front Command, along with other military bodies, analyzed Hezbollah’s rocket fire and the IDF’s detection systems, and determined that numerous communities near the border can get slightly longer warning times.
As part of the changes, the Home Front Command says a total of 58 communities where the time to seek shelter was immediate will now have 15 seconds; another eight communities where the time to seek shelter was immediate will now have 30 seconds; and six communities where the time to seek shelter was 15 seconds will now have 30 seconds.
There are another 10 communities on the northern border, where the time to seek shelter is immediate, or 15-30 seconds, where no changes will be made at this stage, as the Home Front Command says it currently does not have enough data to adjust the warning times.
The move will take effect in the coming days, according to the Home Front Command, and may eventually also expand to other areas deeper in Israel following further review of Hezbollah’s attacks.
The change to the time to seek shelter from Hezbollah attacks out of Lebanon is unrelated to the early warnings issued by the Home Front Command for ballistic missile attacks from Iran. Missile attacks from Iran take around 10 minutes to reach Israel, whereas rocket fire from Lebanon occurs in a matter of seconds.
In recent days, the IDF has identified an uptick in Hezbollah’s rocket attacks, though most bombs have targeted troops in southern Lebanon, rather than Israel. The pace of Iran’s attacks on Israel has, meanwhile, remained steady at around 10 missiles a day in recent days, according to the military.
IDF issues ‘urgent’ evacuation warning to central Iranian city, heavy water reactor
The IDF issues an “urgent warning” to Iranians in the central city of Arak, ahead of planned airstrikes.
One of the sites marked on the map issued by the IDF is Iran’s Arak heavy water reactor, which the Israeli Air Force bombed during the June 2025 war.
“Urgent warning to all individuals located in the northwest of the city of Arak and those located in the Kheirabad industrial area in the Arak region. In the coming hours, the IDF will operate in the area, as it has in recent days across Iran, to strike military infrastructure of the Iranian regime,” says the IDF’s Persian-language spokesman, Lt. Col. (res.) Kamal Penhasi in a statement.
“For your safety and well-being, we ask that you immediately leave the area indicated on the map,” he adds.
‼️هشدار فوری به کلیه افراد مستقر در شمال غرب شهر اراک و افراد مستقر در ناحیه صنعتی خیرآباد در منطقه اراک بر اساس ناحیه مشخص شده قرمز رنگ بر روی نقشه ضمیمه.
⭕️ارتش اسرائیل همچنان که در روزهای اخیر در سراسر ایران برای حمله به زیرساخت های نظامی رژیم ایران اقدام کرده است، طی ساعاتی… pic.twitter.com/eetW53MQmy
— ارتش دفاعی اسرائیل | IDF Farsi (@IDFFarsi) March 27, 2026
US can only confirm about a third of Iran’s missile arsenal destroyed, sources say — Reuters
Illustrative: Domestically built Iranian missiles are displayed as part of a permanent exhibition in a recreational area of northern Tehran, Iran, on March 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
The United States can only determine with certainty that it has destroyed about a third of Iran’s vast missile arsenal as the US-Israeli war on the country nears its one-month mark, five people familiar with the US intelligence tell Reuters.
The status of around another third is less clear but bombings likely damaged, destroyed or buried those missiles in underground tunnels and bunkers, four of the sources say. The sources speak on condition of anonymity given the sensitive nature of the information.
One of the sources says the intelligence was similar for Iran’s drone capability, saying there was some degree of certainty about a third having been destroyed.
The assessment, which has not been previously reported, shows that while most of Iran’s missiles are either destroyed or inaccessible, Tehran still has a significant missile inventory and may be able to recover some buried or damaged missiles once fighting stops.
The intelligence stands in contrast to US President Donald Trump’s public remarks yesterday that Iran has “very few rockets left”. He also appeared to acknowledge the threat from remaining Iranian missiles and drones to any future US operations to safeguard the economically vital Strait of Hormuz.
The Pentagon and White House do not immediately respond to requests for comment.
US strikes have hit more than 10,000 Iranian military targets as of Wednesday and, according to Central Command, have sunk 92 percent of the Iranian navy’s large vessels.
Still, Central Command has declined to state precisely how much of Iran’s missile or drone capability has been destroyed.
One source says part of the problem is determining how many Iranian missiles were stockpiled in underground bunkers before the war started. The US has not disclosed its estimate of the size of Iran’s pre-war missile stockpile.
One senior US official voices skepticism about the United States’ ability to accurately assess Iran’s missile capabilities, in part because it is unclear how many are underground and accessible in some way. “I don’t know if we’ll ever have an accurate number,” the official says.
Elite Navy force nabs large Hezbollah weapons cache at Lebanon school, IDF says
During a recent raid in southern Lebanon, forces of the Israeli Navy’s elite Shayetet 13 unit captured a large cache of Hezbollah weapons at a school in the town of Khiam, the military says.
The IDF says the naval commandos set out for the raid following intelligence “indicating the presence of weapons in the school in the village of Khiam.”
At the school, the troops located hundreds of weapons, including anti-tank missiles, mortars, grenades, rocket launchers, assault rifles, mines, explosive charges and more, the army says.
The military says it also located items bearing the logo of UNHCR, the United Nations agency for refugees, alongside the weapons.
Weapons found by IDF troops at a school in the southern Lebanon town of Khiam, in a video issued on March 27, 2026. (Israel Defense Forces)
Vance reportedly knocked PM in difficult phone call for overselling chances of Iran regime change
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, speaks alongside US Vice President JD Vance at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem, October 22, 2025 (Marc Israel Sellem/POOL)
US Vice President JD Vance held a tense phone call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier this week, in which he chided the premier for making overly optimistic predictions about the war in Iran, Axios reports.
Vance took Netanyahu to task over how likely the latter said regime change would be, the outlet reported.
“Before the war, Bibi really sold it to the president as being easy, as regime change being a lot likelier than it was. And the VP was clear-eyed about some of those statements,” a US official tells Axios, using Netanyahu’s nickname.
Following the call, a US official claims to the outlet that Israel is undermining Vance, who has taken a leading role in negotiating a ceasefire with the Islamic Republic. Vance, a longtime public opponent of open-ended foreign wars, is joining the talks alongside US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
The US official accused Israel of being behind reports that Iran wants to negotiate with Vance, seeing him as more amenable to reaching a deal to end the war.
“It’s an Israeli op against JD,” the US official tells Axios. The outlet says there is no evidence of such an operation.
The outlet quotes another official saying Vance would be most likely to reach a deal with Iran.
“If the Iranians can’t strike a deal with Vance, they don’t get a deal. He’s the best they’re gonna get,” a senior US official tells Axios.
Lebanon at real risk of ‘humanitarian catastrophe,’ UN refugee agency says
United Nations humanitarian aid parcels are unloaded in the Christian border village of Qlayaa in south-eastern Lebanon on March 27, 2026. (AFP)
Nearly a month into the Middle East war, Lebanon is facing a deepening humanitarian crisis that now risks teetering over into a catastrophe, the UN refugee agency warns.
Since March 2, more than a million people — one in five residents — have been forced to flee their homes, said the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
“The situation remains extremely worrying and the risk of a humanitarian catastrophe… is real,” Karolina Lindholm Billing, the agency’s representative in Lebanon, tells reporters in Geneva, speaking from Beirut.
Escalation in Middle East possible in coming days, Polish PM says
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Warsaw on March 28, 2024 (Wojtek Radwanski / AFP)
There are reasons to believe that there could be an escalation in the war in the Middle East in the coming days, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk says.
“I have reasons to believe, also based on information we’ve received from our allies, that stabilization is unlikely in the coming days. On the contrary, a new escalation may occur,” Tusk, whose nation is a NATO member, told reporters.
Air Canada latest airline to suspend flights to Israel until September due to war
A Boeing 737 MAX 8 operated by Air Canada lands Wednesday, March 27, 2019, at Boeing Field in Seattle (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
Air Canada extends its suspension of all flights to and from Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport, as well as Dubai, through September 8, citing the “ongoing military situation in the Middle East.”
Previously, Air Canada cancelled all flights to and from Tel Aviv through May 2, after Israel’s airspace was closed on February 28 following the outbreak of war with Iran.
“Due to the ongoing situation in the Middle East, flights to and from Dubai (DXB) and Tel Aviv (TLV) remain suspended,” Air Canada says in a statement. “If you are in either of these regions, please do not head to the airport unless you have a confirmed flight with another airline, and your flight is operating as scheduled.”
IDF says troops killed Hezbollah operative coming out of Lebanon tunnel
The entrance to a tunnel in southern Lebanon where the IDF says troops killed a Hezbollah gunman, in a handout photo published March 27, 2026. (Israel Defense Forces)
The IDF says troops killed a Hezbollah operative who emerged from a tunnel and tried to attack them during recent operations in southern Lebanon.
Troops of the 401st Armored Brigade spotted the operative as he emerged from the tunnel and opened fire on the forces, the military says.
The IDF says the troops quickly engaged the gunman and killed him, with no injuries caused to the forces.
Troops of the elite Yahalom combat engineering unit then scanned the tunnel, where the IDF says they located weapons, military equipment and maps.
Fitch keeps Israel’s ‘A’ credit rating, negative outlook amid rise in public debt, war-related risks
Fitch Ratings affirms Israel’s “A” credit rating, but maintains a negative outlook, as the rating agency warns that the country faces “continued rise in public debt,” and “war-related tail risks” that could weaken its growth prospects.
The rating agency says it maintains Israel’s credit rating, citing “a diversified, resilient and high value-added economy and strong external finances against a high public debt/GDP ratio, still high security risks, and a record of unstable governments that have hindered policymaking.”
“Israel’s recent and ongoing military operations have somewhat diminished geopolitical risks to the ratings and demonstrated a highly effective defensive capability,” says Fitch. “The duration and scope of the war are uncertain, but our baseline assumes the current war will likely greatly diminish Iran’s threat to Israel.”
Fitch maintains a negative outlook on Israel’s rating, meaning that the country could be facing further downgrades. A lower rating raises credit costs for the government, businesses, and households.
The negative outlook “reflects a fractious domestic political environment that may hinder fiscal consolidation,” Fitch cautions.
“A broadening of the conflict, including large-scale military operations in Lebanon that would involve a high level of reservist mobilization, represents the main risk to our fiscal projections,” Fitch says. “We expect Israel will scale down military expenditure after the end of the wars in Iran and Lebanon, while remaining above pre-war levels.”
IDF says it found Hezbollah tunnel built beneath south Lebanon church
IDF troops operate at a church in the southern Lebanon town of Khiam, where the military says it uncovered a Hezbollah tunnel, in a handout photo issued on March 27, 2026. (Israel Defense Forces)
The IDF says it has uncovered a Hezbollah tunnel that was built underneath a church in the southern Lebanon town of Khiam.
During scans conducted by the Givati Brigade in Khiam, troops located “an underground route that had been established in the church area,” the military says.
The IDF says the site had been used by Hezbollah in the past, noting that in December 2024, troops had cleared the area of weapons and operatives.
During the latest scans of the church, troops located three new tunnel shafts that the army says had been built by Hezbollah amid the 2024-2026 ceasefire, “indicating the reactivation of the infrastructure in the area.”
“The renewed use of this area proves the recurring pattern of operation of the Hezbollah terror organization, in which it continues to cynically exploit the civilians of the State of Lebanon as human shields and systematically uses religious institutions and civilian infrastructure for military purposes,” the IDF says in a statement, adding that “the deliberate use of civilian religious institutions for military needs constitutes a violation of international law.”
UK doctor, known for anti-Israel and antisemitic posts, charged with inviting support for Hamas
Dr. Rahmeh Aladwan, who's had her medical registration suspended for 15 months over antisemitic social media posts, speaks to an interviewer. She is wearing an "O7" necklace alluding to Hamas's Oct. 7 attack. (Screen capture via ATTRITION podcast on YouTube)
NHS doctor Rahmeh Aladwan, known for making several anti-Israel and antisemitic statements on social media, has been charged with inviting support for the Hamas terror group, UK media reports.
Aladwan was arrested yesterday at her home for violating bail conditions from previous arrests. She was set to appear in court today.
On the second anniversary of the October 7, 2023, massacre, Aladwan praised the assault as “the day ‘Israel’ was humiliated.”
“Their supremacy shattered at the hands of the children they forced out of their homes. The children who watched foreign Jews execute their loved ones, rape their land and live on their stolen soil,” she wrote,
She wrote, “Glory to the breaking of the 17-year-long illegal siege,” and posted a picture of a bulldozer plowing through the Gaza border fence.
She has also made posts reading, “The UK is occupied and controlled by Jewish supremacy – in fact most Christian majority countries are” and “Rabbis need to reject the Amalek commandment and the notion that non-jews are lesser than goyim.”
Last year, the British Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service decided to allow Aladwan to continue practicing despite her posts.
Iran launches small number of missiles, with at least one cluster bomb, in 4th salvo today
A small number of missiles, including at least one carrying a cluster bomb warhead, were launched by Iran at Israel, in the fourth salvo since midnight.
The missile fire triggered sirens in both southern and central Israel.
The missiles fired at the south were intercepted by air defenses, according to the IDF.
One missile fired at the center apparently carried a cluster bomb warhead, which spread bomblets over a wide area, while another missile hit an open area.
No injuries are reported.
Sirens also sounded in the northern city of Nahariya and nearby towns due to Hezbollah rocket fire from Lebanon.
IDF detects Iranian missile fire toward central Israel
As sirens sound in southern Israel due to an Iranian ballistic missile attack, an early warning is issued in central Israel after the IDF identified another launch from Iran.
Sirens are expected to sound in the center in the coming minutes.
78% of Jewish Israelis back Iran war, but fervent support dropping, IDI survey finds
People take cover in a bomb shelter after missiles are fired by Iran, in Tel Aviv, March 22, 2026. (Yossi Aloni/Flash90)
Seventy-eight percent of Israel’s Jewish public support the ongoing war against Iran, but the intensity of that backing has dropped over the past month, an Israel Democracy Institute survey finds.
The full survey will be released next week.
While a majority of the Jewish public backs the war, 11.5% oppose it, up from 4% in the previous two surveys taken during the war. Additionally, only 50% of people strongly support the war, down from 74% at the beginning of the month.
A majority of Arab Israelis remain opposed to the war, as was found in previous surveys.
Only 19% of Arab respondents support the war, down from 27% at the start of the month, the IDI finds.
Iran launches another ballistic missile attack targeting southern Israel
A new ballistic missile attack from Iran has been identified by the IDF.
Sirens are expected to sound in southern Israel in the coming minutes.
Katz warns strikes on Iran will ‘intensify’ as Iran continues to attack civilians
Defense Minister Israel Katz says Israeli strikes on Iran will “intensify.”
“The prime minister and I warned the Iranian terror regime to stop the missile fire toward the civilian population in Israel. Despite the warnings, the fire continues, and therefore IDF strikes in Iran will intensify and expand to additional targets and domains that assist the regime in building and operating weapons against Israeli civilians,” he says during an assessment with military officials.
“They will pay heavy and increasing prices for this war crime,” Katz adds, according to remarks provided by his office.
No injuries reported in latest Iranian ballistic missile attack
No injuries are reported following Iran’s latest ballistic missile attack, the third since midnight.
The missile, which triggered sirens in the Jerusalem area, in the West Bank and parts of central Israel, was likely intercepted by air defenses, according to the IDF.
IDF says airstrikes targeted ballistic missile launch sites, Iranian soldiers
First responders inspect a building hit in a US-Israeli strike in Tehran, Iran, March 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
The Israeli Air Force bombed dozens of military targets in Iran overnight, including ballistic missile launch sites and Iranian soldiers who the IDF says had been preparing to carry out fire on Israel.
According to the military, strikes in the Tehran area hit dozens of weapon manufacturing sites and other targets, including a military base where anti-aircraft systems were stored, a production site for “key components for ballistic missiles,” a production site for batteries for various weaponry, and a weapons production site of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Also overnight, the IAF struck several ballistic missile launch sites — including one belonging to the IRGC — air defense systems, and surveillance posts of the IRGC and Iranian army, the military says.
The IDF says it also identified Iranian soldiers from Iran’s ballistic missile array at a building in Tehran. “Minutes after the identification, the Air Force struck and eliminated the soldiers who were planning to advance fire toward the State of Israel,” the military says.
Iran launches new ballistic missile attack at Israel
The IDF has identified a new ballistic missile attack from Iran.
Sirens are expected to sound in central Israel and Jerusalem area in the coming minutes.
US burning through Tomahawks at rate that has alarmed some Pentagon officials — report
Illustrative photo of a Tomahawk cruise missile fired from aboard a US destroyer. (Wikimedia Commons)
The US military has fired over 850 Tomahawk cruise missiles in four weeks of war with Iran, burning through the precision weapons at a rate that has alarmed some Pentagon officials and prompted internal discussions about how to make more available, the Washington Post reports, citing people familiar with the matter.
Reuters could not immediately verify the report. The US Department of Defense and the White House did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.
Hezbollah fires several rockets at Western Galilee, striking open areas
Several rockets were fired by Hezbollah at the Western Galilee a short while ago, triggering sirens in several towns.
The IDF says the rockets struck open areas, “according to protocol.”
No injuries are reported.
IDF officer, soldier severely hurt in accident during clash with Hezbollah, military says
An IDF officer and a soldier were severely wounded in an “operational accident” during an encounter with Hezbollah operatives in southern Lebanon overnight, the military says.
The two troops were taken to a hospital in serious condition and their families were notified, the army says.
According to an initial IDF probe, the pair were injured by a grenade that mistakenly exploded near them.
IRGC warns of ‘harsh measures’ against transit of Israeli, US-linked vessels in Strait of Hormuz
A cargo ship carrying vehicles sails through the Arabian Gulf toward the Strait of Hormuz in the United Arab Emirates, March 22, 2026. (AP)
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says that shipping “to and from ports of allies and supporters of the Israeli-American enemies” is prohibited through any corridor or to any destination, Iranian state media reports.
The IRGC adds that the Strait of Hormuz is closed and any transit through the waterway will face “harsh measures.”
Three container ships of various nationalities were turned back from the Strait of Hormuz after warnings from the IRGC navy, media reports.
Iran says 120 museums, historic sites damaged in war
TEHRAN, Iran — US and Israeli strikes on Iran have damaged at least 120 museums and cultural and historic sites across the country since the start of the war, the head of Tehran city council’s cultural heritage committee says.
“At least 120 museums, historical buildings and cultural sites across various provinces were directly targeted and sustained serious structural damage,” Ahmad Alavi says.
He is quoted by state TV as naming UNESCO-listed Golestan Palace, along with other sites damaged in the war, including Saadabad Palace, the Marble Palace, and Teymourtash house, also known as the War Museum.
Gaza disarmament plan proposes ‘one authority, one law, one weapon’ in 8-month timeline
Illustrative: Armed members of Hamas and Islamic Jihad greet people gathering for Eid al-Fitr prayers in Gaza City, March 20, 2026. (AP/Abdel Kareem Hana)
CAIRO, Egypt — Hamas would be required to allow the destruction of its vast Gaza tunnel network as it lays down its arms in stages under a disarmament plan that was presented to the terror group by US President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace,” and viewed by Reuters.
The plan follows an eight-month timeline that begins with a US-backed committee of Palestinian technocrats taking security control of Gaza and concludes with Israeli forces withdrawing completely upon “verification that Gaza is free of weaponry.”
Hamas’ disarmament is a critical sticking point in talks to implement Trump’s plan for Gaza and cement an October ceasefire that halted two years of full-blown war. Hamas has long rejected calls to lay down its weapons, which are believed to have largely been transported and stored in tunnels under Gaza.
The plan’s full text, which was first reported by Al Jazeera, was shared with Reuters by two Palestinian officials involved in the talks. A Hamas official confirmed its authenticity. The Board of Peace presented the plan to Hamas last week. Hamas has not commented publicly on it.
The plan includes two components: a 12-point document titled “Steps to Complete the Implementation of Trump’s Comprehensive Peace Plan for Gaza,” and a five-stage timeline during which Hamas would surrender its arms over eight months.
The document says that all terror factions in Gaza, including groups like Islamic Jihad, will participate in a disarmament process that will be overseen by the Palestinian technocrats, known as the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza.
“Gaza will be governed under the principle of one authority, one law, one weapon, whereby only individuals authorized by (NCAG) may possess weapons, and all armed factions will cease military activities,” the document says.
The disarmament process will be “verified by the Weapons Collection Verification Committee,” a body that will be set up by Nickolay Mladenov, the Board of Peace’s lead envoy, the document says.
Reconstruction will only be allowed in areas that are designated as demilitarized, it says.
The 12-point plan makes no mention of Palestinian statehood or independence. A Hamas official says the group was studying the document.
According to the plan’s timeline, the first stage, consisting of 15 days, would see NCAG take security and administrative control of Gaza and begin preparatory steps for weapons collection.
In the second stage, days 16-60, Israel would remove all heavy weapons from areas under its control, including heavy artillery and tanks, and an international security force would be deployed.
The third stage, from days 30-90, would be the most intensive: Hamas would give all its heavy weapons and military equipment to NCAG, and “will allow the destruction of all tunnels, explosives, and military infrastructure.”
In the fourth stage, from day 91-250, NCAG’s police forces would collect and register all remaining weapons, including guns and rifles. Israeli forces begin to withdraw in stages.
The fifth stage is described as “final verification” of disarmament, and would see “Israeli forces withdraw completely from Gaza except for a presence in a security perimeter, and the start of comprehensive reconstruction efforts.”
UN probe says multiple parties in Sweida violence in July may have committed war crimes
Syrian government security forces stand guard at a checkpoint in the village of Walgha, near the city of Sweida, on July 21, 2025. (Bakr ALkasem / AFP)
GENEVA, Switzerland — More than 1,700 people were killed, nearly 200,000 displaced, and multiple actors, including Syrian government forces, tribal fighters, and Druze armed groups, committed acts that may amount to war crimes during a week of violence in southern Syria in July 2025, a UN investigation says.
The 85-page report by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic finds that at least 1,707 people were killed in Suweida Governorate, the majority civilians of the Druze minority sect, alongside members of the Bedouin community, and at least 225 government personnel.
Up to 155,000 people remain displaced, the report said, describing a humanitarian situation still unresolved months after a fragile ceasefire.
Separately, a Syrian government-appointed inquiry committee into the same events said on March 17 it had documented 1,760 deaths and 2,188 injuries “from all sides.” It also concluded there were “many human rights violations” by multiple parties, including local armed groups and individuals linked to ISIS, in addition to members of government and security forces, many of whom had been arrested.
The government committee, formed shortly after the violence, said its work relied on evidence collection and witness accounts and that its findings were submitted to the Justice Ministry.
Iran’s FM accuses US of ‘calculated’ attack on Iranian school on first day of war
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi delivers a speech at a United Nations conference on February 17, 2026. (Valentin Flauraud / AFP)
GENEVA, Switzerland — The deadly bombing of an Iranian school on the first day of the Middle East war was a “calculated” assault by the United States, Iran’s foreign minister says.
In a video address to the United Nations Human Rights Council, Abbas Araghchi slams the “calculated, phased assault” on an elementary school “in the city of Minab, south of Iran, where more than 175 students and teachers were slaughtered in cold blood.”
“The United States’ contradictory remarks aimed at justifying their crime could not, in any manner, elude their responsibility,” he said, describing the February 28 attack as “a war crime and a crime against humanity.”
Police arrest parents suspected of causing death of their infant child
Police say they arrested a mother and father on suspicion of causing the death of their infant child in the southern city of Dimona.
The baby, just a few weeks old, was brought to Soroka Medical Center after having suffered severe injuries, including bruises and fractures.
Believing the baby was hurt in an “unnatural and intentional” manner, hospital staff called the police, prompting them to launch an investigation.
Officers arrested the deceased infant’s father yesterday and arrested his mother today. The father’s remand was extended by a court, and he will undergo psychiatric testing during his detention.
The infant succumbed to his wounds before dawn today, police say. His body was transferred to Abu Kabir forensic institute for further examination.
British FM says Iran holding global economy ‘hostage’ with Strait of Hormuz blockade
From Left: Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga, EU High Representative and Vice-President for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas, Britain's Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan, Germany's Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, Canada's Foreign Minister Anita Anand, France's Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, South Korea's Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, India's Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Japan's Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, Brazil's Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira and and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio pose for a family picture during a G7 Foreign Ministers' meeting at the Vaux-de-Cernay Abbey in Cernay-la-Ville outside Paris, France, March 27, 2026. (Brendan Smialowski/Pool Photo via AP)
CERNAY-LA-VILLE, France — The UK’s Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper urges a “swift resolution” to the Middle East war, accusing Iran of holding the global economy hostage by blocking shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
“We are very clear we need to see a swift resolution to this conflict that restores regional stability,” Cooper says ahead of a meeting of G7 foreign ministers in France attended by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Referring to the refusal of Iran to allow vessels through the key Strait of Hormuz, she adds: “Frankly, Iran cannot be able to just hold the global economy hostage as a result of a Strait which is about international shipping routes and the freedom of navigation.”
IRGC urges civilians in Mideast to stay away from US forces
TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps urges civilians across the region to stay away from areas near US forces, nearly a month into the war with the United States and Israel.
“The cowardly American-Zionist forces… are attempting to use civilian locations and innocent people as human shields,” the Guards say in a statement on their Sepah News website.
“We recommend that you urgently leave locations where American forces are stationed so that no harm comes to you.”
Heightened security alert sent to residents in Qatar ahead of expected attack
Qatar’s emergency services sends a heightened security alert to residents’ phones, urging them to stay indoors ahead of an expected Iranian missile attack.
It is the first such alert sent in a week.
UN rights chief says deadly school bombing in Iran evokes ‘visceral horror,’ calls for ‘justice’
In this aerial handout picture released by the Iranian Press Center, mourners dig graves during the funeral for children killed in a reported strike on a primary school in Iran's Hormozgan province in Minab on March 3, 2026. (Iranian Press Center / AFP)
GENEVA, Switzerland — The deadly bombing of an Iranian school on February 28 spurred “visceral horror,” the UN rights chief says, urging Washington to conclude its probe and demanding justice “for the terrible harm done.”
“The bombing of the Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School in Minab evoked a visceral horror,” Volker Turk tells the United Nations Human Rights Council, stressing that “the onus is on those who carried out the attack to investigate it promptly, impartially, transparently and thoroughly.”
“Senior US officials have said the strike is under investigation. I call for that process to be concluded as soon as possible, and for its findings to be made public. There must be justice for the terrible harm done,” he insists.
Long-haul Arkia flights to depart from Ben Gurion Airport instead of Aqaba, resulting in mass cancellations
An Arkia flight at Ben Gurion International Airport, February 25, 2026. (Yossi Aloni/FLASH90)
Israeli airline Arkia says that flights to New York, Bangkok, and Hanoi will take off from Ben Gurion Airport instead of Jordan’s Aqaba Airport from Sunday.
Due to rules restricting outgoing flights to 50 passengers, the decision will lead to the cancellation of flights for thousands of Israelis ahead of the Passover festival.
No injuries reported after latest Iranian ballistic missile attack
Illustrative: An Iranian ballistic missile seen above the coastal city of Netanya, on March 27, 2026. (JACK GUEZ / AFP)
No injuries are reported following Iran’s latest ballistic missile attack, the second since midnight and the first in some eight hours.
The missile, which triggered sirens across southern Israel, was likely intercepted by air defenses, according to initial IDF assessments.
After 8-hour lull, Iran launches new ballistic missile attack targeting southern Israel
After a lull of nearly eight hours, the IDF has detected a new ballistic missile attack from Iran.
Sirens are expected to sound in southern Israel in the coming minutes.
Settlers reportedly attack Palestinian in Hebron area, steal livestock
Settlers attacked the home of a resident of the village of Birin in the Hebron area overnight, Palestinian media outlets report.
Security camera footage shows the four settlers arriving with sticks and throwing stones at the house and the camera. One of them is also seen attempting to pepper-spray the interior of the home.
According to the homeowner, the settlers stole 25 sheep from him.
מתקפת הטרור היהודי: מתנחלים קיצוניים הגיעו לאחד הפלסטינים בכפר בירין, החלו ליידות אבנים לעבר הבית, תקפו את בעל הבית, זרקו על המצלמות, התיזו גז פלפל לתוך בית איפה שיש גם ילדים, ולפי מה שמספר בעל הבית, גנבו 25 כבשים ונמלטו מהמקום.
אני מקווה שצה״ל לא יוציא הודעה ויגיד שזה ״חיכוך״ pic.twitter.com/S6weV3n7XX— Yossi Eli (@Yossi_eli) March 27, 2026
Iran warns it will attack hotels in region housing US soldiers
Illustrative: Workers inspect damage caused by an Iranian drone strike overnight at the Address Creek Harbour hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, March 12, 2026. (AP/Fatima Shbair)
TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s military has warned that hotels housing US soldiers across the region would be targets in its war with the United States and Israel.
“When all the Americans (forces) go into a hotel, then from our perspective that hotel becomes American,” armed forces spokesman Abolfazl Shekarchi tells state television on Thursday.
“Should we just stand by and let the Americans strike us? When we respond, naturally, we have to strike wherever they are.”
IDF says it bombed Iran’s ‘most central’ naval arms production site
This handout picture provided by the Iranian Defence Ministry on March 12, 2024 shows the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy frigate IRIS Dena (75) at sea in the Gulf of Oman (Iranian Army office / AFP)
The Israeli Air Force bombed Iran’s “most central” site for the production of naval missiles and mines, the military says.
The IDF says the facility in Yazd was used by Iran to plan, develop, assemble, and store “advanced missiles intended for launch from cruise vessels, submarines, and helicopters toward mobile and stationary maritime targets.”
“This is a site where most of the missiles and naval mines are developed by the Iranian navy forces,” the military says.
The strike, which was carried out following intelligence provided by the Military Intelligence Directorate and Naval Intelligence Division, “constitutes a significant blow to the production capabilities of the naval forces,” the IDF adds.
The strike also comes a day after Israel killed the commander of the IRGC Navy and other top officers.
Kuwait’s main port damaged in Iranian drone attack
KUWAIT CITY, Kuwait — Kuwait’s main commercial port was damaged in a drone attack today, authorities say, as Iran pressed on with its campaign in the Gulf in retaliation for US-Israeli strikes.
The Shuwaikh port was targeted at dawn “by enemy drones, preliminary reports revealed material damage but no human casualties,” the Kuwait port authority says in a statement on X.
US and Iran preparing for direct talks ‘very soon in Pakistan,’ German FM says
Vehicles move along Revolution Square in central Tehran, Iran, on March 25, 2026. (AFP) /
FRANKFURT, Germany — Germany’s foreign minister says that the United States and Iran have had indirect negotiations and that representatives from both sides plan to meet shortly in Pakistan.
“Based on my information, there have been indirect contacts, and preparations have been made to meet directly. That would be very soon in Pakistan, apparently,” Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul tells Deutschlandfunk radio.
IDF says it struck ballistic missile production sites in Iran overnight
Overnight, the Israeli Air Force struck Iranian ballistic missile production sites and air defense systems in Iran, the military says.
The IDF says that in Tehran, IAF aircraft hit “infrastructure and sites used by the regime for the production of weapons, with an emphasis on ballistic missile production sites.”
In western Iran, the IDF says, it struck ballistic missile launchers and storage sites, “that pose a threat to the State of Israel.”
The IDF says it will provide further details on its overnight strikes later.
Israeli strike reportedly hits Beirut’s southern suburbs
BEIRUT, Lebanon — Lebanese media reports an Israeli strike hit Beirut’s southern suburbs, as AFP correspondents heard several explosions from the Hezbollah stronghold that Israel has repeatedly struck since the war erupted this month.
AFPTV footage shows smoke billowing from the area after the raid.
Lebanon’s official National News Agency reports that “enemy aircraft” carried out a raid on Tahouitet al-Ghadir in the southern suburbs at dawn.
Israel has previously issued sweeping evacuation warnings for the area, but provided no specific warning in advance of this morning’s strike.
The usually densely populated area has largely emptied of residents since the hostilities erupted, and it was unclear whether there were any casualties.
UAE says it would take part in force to open Strait of Hormuz — report
The Liberia-flagged tanker Shenlong Suezmax, carrying crude oil from Saudi Arabia, that arrived clearing the Strait of Hormuz, is seen at the Mumbai Port in Mumbai, India, March 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
The United Arab Emirates has told Washington and other Western allies that it would participate in a multinational maritime task force intended to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the Financial Times reports, citing people familiar with the matter.
Reuters cannot immediately verify the report.
IDF issues evacuation warning for southern Lebanon village
The Israel Defense Forces issues an evacuation warning for the village of Sejoud in southern Lebanon.
The IDF’s Arabic spokesperson warns that the military is set to operate against Hezbollah targets in the village.
#عاجل ‼️ انذار عاجل إلى سكان لبنان وتحديدًا سكان قرية سجد بجنوب لبنان
????أنشطة حزب الله تجبر جيش الدفاع على العمل ضده بقوة في القرية. جيش الدفاع لا ينوي المساس بكم.
????حرصًا على سلامتكم عليكم اخلاء منازلكم فورًا والانتقال إلى شمال نهر الزهراني pic.twitter.com/8499gYyz5h
— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) March 27, 2026
Rocket sirens sound in Kiryat Shmona, nearby areas
Incoming rocket sirens are sounding in the northern city of Kiryat Shmona and the surrounding areas of Margaliot and Tel Hai.
Rocket Alert [07:22:25] – 3 Alerts:
• Confrontation Line — Margaliot, Tel Hai, Kiryat Shmona
Population: 46,000 pic.twitter.com/W0EvEmGoYF
— ILRedAlert (@ILRedAlert) March 27, 2026
UN Security Council to hold closed-door meeting on Iran
General view of the United Nations Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East at the UN headquarters in New York on February 28, 2026. (CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP)
The UN Security Council has scheduled a closed consultation on Iran for Friday morning.
Russia asked for the meeting on US-Israeli attacks on civilian infrastructure in the country, two UN diplomats say, speaking late Thursday on condition of anonymity because the meeting is not public.
The United States, which holds the Security Council presidency, scheduled the meeting.
Rocket sirens sound in Kiryat Shmona and other Lebanon border communites
Rocket warning sirens sound in the northern city of Kiryat Shmona and several neighboring communities near the Lebanon border.
IDF says it carried out another wave of ‘extensive’ strikes on regime targets in Tehran
The IDF says it completed another round of “extensive” airstrikes on regime targets in Tehran, with more details to be released later.
Pentagon weighing deployment of another 10,000 US ground troops to Mideast — WSJ
The Pentagon is looking at sending up to 10,000 additional ground troops to the Middle East to give US President Donald Trump more military options even as he weighs peace talks with Tehran, the Wall Street Journal reports, citing Defense Department officials with knowledge of the planning.
Israeli strike reportedly hits Hezbollah stronghold in Beirut without advance warning
Lebanese media report an Israeli strike hit Beirut’s southern suburbs early Friday, as AFP correspondents hear several explosions from the Hezbollah stronghold, which Israel has repeatedly struck since war erupted on March 2.
AFPTV footage shows smoke rise from the area after the raid. Israel has previously issued sweeping evacuation warnings for the area, but provided no specific warning in advance of Friday’s strike, which came in the early hours of the morning.
Thai ship struck in Hormuz reportedly runs aground off Iran’s Qeshm Island
A Thai-flagged cargo ship that was hit by unknown projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz earlier this month has run aground off Iran’s Qeshm Island, Iran’s Tasnim news agency says.
Thailand said 20 crew members were rescued by the Omani navy, while three were missing after an explosion in the stern of the ship, Mayuree Naree, caused a fire in the engine room.
IDF detects Iranian ballistic missile fire targeting central Israel
The IDF detects another Iranian ballistic missile attack targeting central Israel, with sirens sounding in communities throughout the area.
Senior Hamas official assails Board of Peace envoy for conditioning reconstruction on disarmament
Bassem Naim, an official in Hamas's political wing, speaks in Istanbul, Turkey, December 5, 2024. (AP/Francisco Seco)
Senior Hamas official Bassem Naim lays into Board of Peace High Representative Nickolay Mladenov for his remarks at the UN Security Council earlier this week in which he urged the international community to pressure Hamas to disarm.
“Mladenov attempted to be ‘more royal than the king himself,'” Naim says in a statement, taking issue with the Board of Peace envoy’s conditioning of the IDF withdrawal from Gaza and reconstruction efforts in the Strip on Hamas’s disarmament.
In the terror group’s first response to Mladenov’s revelation of the principles in the disarmament proposal that mediators submitted to Hamas earlier this month, Naim claims that this conditionality goes against previous understandings.
Mladenov “is attempting to reverse the course of events in a manner that serves the agendas of the occupation, while completely overlooking the fact that the occupation has failed to implement *any* part of the first phase of the agreement, nor has it offered *any* guarantees regarding the fulfillment of future commitments,” Naim writes.
Mladenov “is threatening the Palestinians with a return to war, acting on behalf of Netanyahu and his fascist government, rather than truly serving as an envoy for a board that purports to be the Board of Peace,” the Hamas official continues.
Naim also takes issue with Mladenov for refraining from blaming either side for ceasefire violation, as 750 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli strikes since the truce was announced in October, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants.
Naim claims Mladenov is seeking to “appease the Americans and the Israelis.”
“Enough is enough. This approach has yielded nothing but catastrophes, emboldening the Israelis in their brutality and fascism and failed to deliver any measure of security or stability for anyone—whether within the region or beyond,” Naim adds.
Ministers said to approve legalization of 30 outposts amid surging settler violence
Illustrative: View of an illegal Jewish outpost in Wadi Ajheish near the Palestinian village of Samou in the West Bank, November 1, 2025. (Wisam Hashlamoun/Flash90)
The security cabinet on Wednesday night approved the legalization of 30 more wildcat outposts throughout the West Bank, Ynet reports, citing unnamed Israeli officials.
The reported decision was made at security cabinet meeting during which IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir sounded the alarm over the army’s manpower crisis, with the establishment of new communities deep in the West Bank set to further stretch security forces in the territory.
It also comes days after the IDF diverted a battalion to the West Bank that was supposed to go to Lebanon due to rampant settler violence against Palestinians.
The outposts that have reportedly been regulated by the government were previously deemed illegal, even under Israeli law, as they were built without the necessary approvals.
Such outposts have mushroomed across the West Bank over the past two years and have been hotbeds for violence against Palestinians, which has gone overwhelmingly unchecked.
While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reported to privately have urged the IDF to crack down on the phenomenon, he hasn’t publicly weighed in on the matter for months and his government continues allocating resources toward the settlement enterprise.
Trump confirms CIA told him Iran’s new supreme leader is gay
A woman holds a portrait of Iran's supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei as people march in support of the Iranian armed forces in central Tehran on March 25, 2026. (AFP)
US President Donald Trump confirms having received a Central Intelligence Agency briefing informing him that Iran’s new ayatollah, Mojtaba Khamenei is gay.
The New York Post first made the revelation on March 16, reporting that the CIA believes Khamenei’s since-slayed father Ali feared his son’s sexuality made him unsuitable to replace him as supreme leader.
Trump was reportedly tickled by the CIA assessment that the younger Khamenei had been having a long-term sexual relationship with his male childhood tutor.
Asked in a Fox News interview whether the CIA had indeed told him that Khamenei is gay, Trump responds, “They did say that, but I don’t know if it was only them. I think a lot of people are saying that, which puts [Khamenei] off to a bad start in that particular country.
Trump then appears to swiftly pivot to criticizing feminist and queer supporters of Palestinians.
“I sort of have to smile to myself when I see people trying to defend the Palestinian regime for women — women for Palestine. But they kill women if you don’t… wear certain cloth all over your face,” Trump says.
“When I look at ‘Gays for Palestine,’ but they kill gays… and I’m saying, who are the ‘Gays for Palestine,” Trump says.
No injuries reported after southern Israel targeted in 10th Iranian missile attack of the day
No injuries are reported following Iran’s latest ballistic missile attack, the tenth in the past day.
The missile, which triggered sirens across southern Israel, was likely intercepted by air defenses according to the IDF.
Trump to Fox News: Iranians are ‘petrified’ of taking to the streets against regime
US President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House on March 26, 2026. (Jim WATSON / AFP)
US President Donald Trump phones in to a Fox News talk show, where he is asked to respond to voters who are upset about him launching a war against Iran after campaigning on not getting into such conflicts.
“I have to do something in terms of making America great and keeping America great,” Trump says, arguing that Iran with a nuclear weapon would undermine those goals.
To make his point, he recalls his uncle, who was a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for 41 years and would tell him “horrible” stories about the potential of nuclear power.
Trump is then asked about the potential for Iranians to take to the streets as he urged them to do in his February 28 speech announcing the launch of the war.
Trump has since tapered down his enthusiasm about the idea of regime change, as the Islamic Republic appears to be weathering the war after nearly four weeks.
The US president tells Fox News that Iranians are “petrified” of taking to the streets.
“One side has guns, and they have very nasty guns… and what they do is they shoot you. The people are brave, but they’re not brave when they see people gunned down left and right,” Trump says.
“It started with the women about a year ago. We had 250,000 women. They had women being shot right between the eyes from snipers,” he says, apparently referring to the Women, Life, Freedom protests that took place in Iran three and a half years ago, not last year.
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