Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine held a press conference Monday as the U.S.-Israeli Operation Epic Fury entered its third day, with Hegseth stating the mission aims to destroy Iranian missiles, missile production, and naval infrastructure to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. The Pentagon confirmed a fourth American service member has been killed in the operation, following three deaths in Kuwait over the weekend, while Kuwait also shot down three U.S. F-15s in a friendly fire incident. Casualties in the broader conflict include at least 11 killed in Israel and 555 in Iran, according to the Iranian Red Crescent. President Trump has said the operation will continue until all objectives are achieved, estimating a timeline of four weeks or less.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Dan Caine held a press briefing to update reporters on U.S. military operations in Iran. The article provides no additional details beyond the announcement of the briefing itself.
A US-Israeli military operation against Iran continues to escalate, with President Trump stating the conflict could last up to four weeks and reporting that 48 Iranian leaders have been killed in strikes. The fighting has expanded regionally, with Israeli forces striking Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, Iranian drones and missiles hitting Gulf states including Qatar, the UAE, and Kuwait, and a drone strike damaging Britain's RAF Akrotiri base in Cyprus. Major travel disruptions have resulted from widespread airspace closures across the Middle East, while a friendly fire incident downed three US fighter jets over Kuwait and a fourth US service member has died from wounds sustained in the conflict. China and Russia have condemned the strikes, with China calling them a violation of international law, while Iran's foreign minister accused Trump of derailing nuclear negotiations that were reportedly close to a deal.
Private correspondence between Jeffrey Epstein and Steve Bannon reveals the two men scheming in 2019 to use Frédéric Martel's book *In the Closet of the Vatican* — which alleged widespread homosexuality among Catholic clergy — as the basis for a documentary intended to undermine Pope Francis. Bannon, who had been recruited by Cardinal Raymond Burke to develop a curriculum for conservative Catholic activists, sought Epstein as executive producer for the project, framing it as part of his broader effort to align his global reactionary movement with traditionalist Catholic forces opposed to Francis's progressive reforms. The plan collapsed when Burke disavowed the documentary and distanced himself from the Dignitatis Humanae Institute, and Epstein was arrested weeks after the exchange. The released documents also show Epstein had longstanding interest in Vatican politics and finances, including connections to anti-Francis Catholic figures in Europe.
Senator Mark Warner told NPR that families of U.S. sailors deployed in the conflict area have "no idea why their sons and daughters are being put in harm's way." Warner is calling on President Trump to appear before Congress and formally request a declaration of war, raising questions about whether an imminent threat from Iran justified the military action. The episode reflects broader congressional concerns about the administration's war goals and transparency regarding the conflict with Iran.
Past statements from Trump administration officials are resurfacing in light of U.S. and Israeli military strikes against Iran, with critics noting apparent contradictions between current actions and prior rhetoric. Trump, JD Vance, Tulsi Gabbard, and Stephen Miller all made statements emphasizing opposition to war with Iran and portraying Trump as a peace candidate during the 2024 campaign. Gabbard's past remarks are particularly striking, as she previously warned that war with Iran "would make the Iraq War look like a cakewalk" and even sold anti-war merchandise, before later endorsing Trump as the pro-peace candidate. The strikes, part of "Operation Epic Fury," have drawn mixed reactions in Congress, with some lawmakers seeking a war powers resolution while others, including Sen. Lindsey Graham and Sen. John Fetterman, praised the operation.
Alberta's separatist movement has gained unprecedented momentum, fueled in part by apparent support from U.S. officials and ideological alignment between Premier Danielle Smith's government and the Trump administration. A fringe group called the Alberta Prosperity Project, led by lawyer Jeffrey Rath, claims to have held secret meetings with U.S. officials to discuss the strategic benefits of Albertan independence, including access to the province's vast oil reserves. Experts warn the situation mirrors foreign interference tactics used elsewhere, with some characterizing the coordination as a potential national security threat and even treason. Despite the escalating rhetoric, current polling shows fewer than 30 percent of Albertans support separation, with less than 10 percent fully committed to independence.
A strike during the opening U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran on Saturday hit a girls' elementary school in Minab, in southern Iran's Hormozgan province, during school hours. Iranian officials and teachers' union representatives report that more than 100 children were killed, with the death toll cited by various Iranian officials ranging from 108 to 180; TIME has not been able to independently confirm the figures. UNESCO condemned the attack as "a grave violation of the protection afforded to schools under international humanitarian law," while the Pentagon said it was aware of civilian harm reports and was looking into them. The school is reportedly located on the grounds of an IRGC base, which a verified video showed being struck during the same wave of attacks.
Israel and the U.S. have launched missile strikes on Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who had ruled since 1989. Iran retaliated by firing on Israel and Gulf states hosting U.S. military bases, with the death toll rising, including reportedly more than 100 children killed in Iran. The Guardian's senior international correspondent Julian Borger discusses how the conflict, which experts say violates international law, may develop further.
President Donald Trump has warned that additional U.S. military casualties are expected as American and Israeli forces continue operations against Iran, following the deaths of three U.S. service members in Iranian retaliatory strikes. Trump indicated that Operation Epic Fury could last several weeks. The conflict has broadened, with Israel and Hezbollah exchanging fire and Israeli strikes hitting Beirut's southern suburbs, while oil prices have surged after Iran warned tankers to avoid the Strait of Hormuz. The UK has also announced it will permit the U.S. to use British military bases, and reports indicate Mossad and the CIA are working toward the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Three U.S. service members have been killed and five seriously wounded on the second day of U.S.-Israel military operations against Iran, with President Trump warning more casualties are likely. In Israel, nine people were killed in a missile strike on Beit Shemesh, while Iranian officials report at least 153 people, including children, were killed in a strike on a school, which Iran has attributed to the U.S. and Israel — claims both parties have not confirmed. The conflict has also spread regionally, with three people killed in the UAE and one in Kuwait due to Iranian attacks. U.S. Central Command said it was looking into the reported school strike, while the Israeli military said it was unaware of any IDF operations in the area.
In closed-door briefings with congressional staff, Trump administration officials acknowledged there was no intelligence indicating Iran planned to attack U.S. forces first, according to two sources familiar with the matter. Officials emphasized that Iran's ballistic missiles and regional proxy forces posed an imminent threat to U.S. interests, but stopped short of claiming evidence of a planned Iranian first strike against U.S. forces.
