President Donald Trump stated that U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran are going "very well," describing Iran as "essentially incapacitated" and claiming that "a lot" of Iranian leadership has been killed in the attacks. Trump told ABC News by phone that the operation could last "as long as we wanted to," citing significant damage already inflicted. He also indicated that the U.S. has identified potential next leadership for Iran following the strikes. Trump had earlier announced "major combat operations" against Iran, with joint U.S.-Israel daytime strikes carried out on Saturday.
# Summary
The United States and Israel have launched large-scale military strikes against Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, dozens of senior military and government officials — including Revolutionary Guards commander Gen. Mohammad Pakpour and Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh — along with at least 133 civilians, according to human rights monitors. President Trump stated that 48 Iranian leaders have been killed and that operations are "ahead of schedule," while warning of even greater force if Iran retaliates. Iran has responded with missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and several Gulf states, including Dubai, Doha, Bahrain, and Kuwait, and Iranian state media reported threats to close the Strait of Hormuz. A temporary Iranian leadership council comprising President Masoud Pezeshkian, judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, and senior cleric Alireza Arafi has been formed to govern during the transitional period.
Three U.S. service members were killed and five were seriously wounded in "Operation Epic Fury," a joint U.S.-Israel strike on Iran announced by the military on March 1. North Carolina political leaders, including Governor Josh Stein, Senator Ted Budd, Senator Thom Tillis, and U.S. Senate candidates Roy Cooper and Michael Whatley, issued statements offering condolences and prayers for the fallen troops and their families. While most leaders expressed support or mourning, former Governor Cooper also called on the government to clarify the long-term objectives, risks, and exit strategy of the conflict. Senator Tillis expressed support for President Trump's decision, citing Iran's history of sponsoring terrorism and its pursuit of nuclear weapons.
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz stated Sunday on "Face the Nation" that there was "no indication" Iran was close to obtaining nuclear weapons following U.S. and Israeli military strikes, citing the devastating impact of the bombings on Iran's nuclear facilities. Cruz acknowledged he lacked current intelligence on Iran's post-strike nuclear rebuilding efforts, but maintained that a year ago Iran had an "active and ongoing nuclear weapons program" that was largely dismantled. He described Trump's decision to strike Iran as "the single most important decision of his presidency," citing Iran's role as the leading state sponsor of terrorism and the failure of diplomatic efforts, during which Iran refused to halt uranium enrichment.
Three U.S. service members were killed and five seriously wounded in Iranian counterattacks following U.S. and Israeli air strikes that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, according to U.S. Central Command. Iran established a ruling council to select a new supreme leader and stated its military capability remained intact, while no signs of public uprising emerged in Tehran, where security forces patrolled mostly empty streets. The Trump administration expressed hope that Iranians would rise up and choose new leadership, but critics including Democratic senators questioned whether a clear strategic plan existed. Internationally, the attack drew condemnation and sparked violent protests at the U.S. Consulate in Karachi, Pakistan, where ten people were killed in clashes with security forces.
Based on the article, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has died, triggering widespread celebrations both inside Iran and among the diaspora, with residents in multiple Iranian cities filming themselves dancing and honking in the streets. Iranian state television confirmed the news in the early hours of Sunday, declaring 40 days of national mourning and a week-long public holiday. The Assembly of Experts is expected to convene to determine a successor, though wartime conditions complicate the process. Reactions ranged from joy and disbelief to grief over lives lost under the Islamic Republic, with exiled Prince Reza Pahlavi declaring the regime's end was near.
Despite claiming during the State of the Union that he "will always allow people to come in legally," President Trump's administration has enacted sweeping restrictions on legal immigration, including ending humanitarian parole programs affecting roughly 2.5 million people, implementing travel bans on 19 countries, and pausing visa and immigration processing for dozens more. The administration has also nearly dismantled the U.S. refugee program, resettling only 506 refugees between February and October 2025 compared to 100,000 in Biden's final year, and setting a record-low resettlement cap of 7,500 for fiscal year 2026. Legal immigrants have also been caught up in deportation efforts, with some arrested during mandatory green card interviews or routine immigration check-ins. The Cato Institute has characterized these cumulative actions as the largest restriction on legal immigration since the 1920s, excluding the COVID-19 pandemic year of 2020.
Republican Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) posted a pointed criticism on X following President Trump's announcement that the U.S. had joined Israel in striking Tehran, suggesting the military action was an attempt to distract from the unreleased Epstein files. Massie, a consistent Trump critic, wrote that "bombing a country on the other side of the globe won't make the Epstein files go away." The Kentucky congressman has previously co-authored legislation to force disclosure of the Epstein files and claimed in February that redactions in the documents are protecting the identities of at least six men who may be implicated. Massie also suggested that more Republican defections from the Trump administration are likely after primary season concludes, citing private agreement from colleagues and a growing "retirement caucus."
While charity gala guests danced in Mar-a-Lago's ballroom Friday evening, President Trump used a curtained-off section of the Palm Beach club as a makeshift Situation Room to oversee a major military operation against Iran, including strikes that resulted in the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and three American service members. Top national security officials — including the CIA director, secretary of state, secretary of defense, and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff — gathered at the club ahead of Trump's arrival. Trump did not deliver a live public address or hold a press conference, with White House-released photos serving as the primary images of his involvement. Mar-a-Lago has increasingly served as an operational command center, with Trump having also authorized strikes on Syria, operations against Houthi rebels, and other sensitive military actions from the property.
Three U.S. service members were killed during "Operation Epic Fury," a military operation against Iran, prompting a wave of social media responses from Trump allies including UN Ambassador Mike Waltz, influencer Laura Loomer, billionaire Bill Ackman, and Sen. Lindsey Graham. Several of these responses drew significant public backlash, with critics accusing the figures of being callous, performative, or using the deaths to advocate for further military escalation. Former Trump ally Marjorie Taylor Greene publicly attacked Laura Loomer, accusing her of "celebrating" the deaths and blaming her influence on Trump for the conflict. None of the civilian figures who commented — Waltz, Loomer, Ackman — have served in the military.
On Steve Bannon's War Room program, guest Curt Mills of The American Conservative sharply criticized President Trump's joint strikes with Israel against Iran, calling it "an open betrayal of the base" given Trump's repeated campaign promises to end rather than start wars. Mills expressed uncertainty about American public appetite for casualties and suggested Israel may seek to escalate the conflict to maintain U.S. involvement. The strikes drew broader criticism from within MAGA circles, including from Fox News host Tucker Carlson, congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna, and former ally Marjorie Taylor Greene. Trump has defended the strikes as necessary for national security and vowed to continue the campaign "as long as necessary."
Pam Bondi, now U.S. Attorney General under the Trump administration, grew her net worth from $1.5 million to approximately $5 million between 2019 and 2025, largely through lobbying work that earned her over $1.5 million annually before she took her current role, which pays $235,100 per year. During her tenure as Florida's attorney general, she accepted more than $51,000 in gifts — primarily travel, hotel stays, and meals — from law firms and lobbying organizations, raising concerns about conflicts of interest. Bondi has also spent lavishly on personal expenses, including a $2 million home renovation in Tampa, attendance at a $75,000-per-person Trump fundraiser at the Kentucky Derby, and a $2,000 designer jacket worn during a Fox News appearance. Plastic surgeons have estimated that her apparent cosmetic procedures could total over $70,000 across several years.
