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US Lawmakers Worry Trump May Put ‘Boots on the Ground’ in Iran

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By Reuters. Democratic U.S. senators expressed alarm on Tuesday about the Iran war, saying they were worried that President Donald Trump could deploy U.S. ‌ground forces and noting the high risks given Russian support for Tehran’s military.

“We know ‌that Russia is already helping with intel, providing that to Iran, and that there’s an axis with Russia and China, ​Iran and North Korea that puts at greater risk the United States and our national security,” Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire said on CNN.

Speaking after a classified briefing from administration officials to the Senate Armed Services Committee, Shaheen called on the administration to send officials to testify publicly in ‌Congress.

Two sources familiar with U.S. ⁠intelligence reports have said that Russia is providing Iran with targeting intelligence on U.S. bases and ships.

Shaheen and other senators said a series of closed-door briefings ⁠from Trump aides have left them with more questions than answers, especially about the cost and expected duration of the war, and whether U.S. forces would be sent into Tehran. (Read more from “US Lawmakers Worry Trump May Put ‘Boots on the Ground’ in Iran” HERE)

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Hegseth Vows US Will ‘Go as Far as We Need’ to Topple Iranian Regime as Conflict Escalates — Including Possible ‘Boots on Ground’

By New York Post. War Secretary Pete Hegseth vowed he and President Trump will do whatever it takes to topple the Iranian regime — and didn’t rule out sending US ground troops into Tehran as Operation Epic Fury rages on.

“We’re willing to go as far as we need in order to be successful,” Hegseth told CBS News’ Major Garrett during a “60 Minutes” sit-down interview that aired Sunday night.

“We reserve the right. We would be completely unwise if we did not reserve the right to take any particular option, whether it included boots on the ground or not boots on the ground.”

Trump told The Post last week that US forces could be sent into Iran if that is deemed necessary.

Hegseth told Garrett that if a decision is made to deploy American troops — whether overtly or covertly — to the Middle East, it wouldn’t be shared publicly with the press. (Read more from “Hegseth Vows US Will ‘Go as Far as We Need’ to Topple Iranian Regime as Conflict Escalates — Including Possible ‘Boots on Ground’” HERE)

Trump Threatens Iran With ‘Death, Fire, and Fury’ if Oil Flow Disrupted

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Donald Trump posted a stark warning to Iran on Truth Social Monday evening, threatening military retaliation if the country interferes with oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.

“If Iran does anything that stops the flow of Oil within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit by the United States of America TWENTY TIMES HARDER than they have been hit thus far,” Trump wrote in the post.

Trump escalated his rhetoric further, writing, “Additionally, we will take out easily destroyable targets that will make it virtually impossible for Iran to ever be built back, as a Nation, again — Death, Fire, and Fury will reign upon them — But I hope, and pray, that it does not happen!”

Trump framed the warning as beneficial to multiple nations, saying: “This is a gift from the United States of America to China, and all of those Nations that heavily use the Hormuz Strait. Hopefully, it is a gesture that will be greatly appreciated.”

The Strait of Hormuz is a critical chokepoint for global oil trade. Roughly one-third of all seaborne oil passing through the waterway between Iran and Oman. (Read more from “Trump Threatens Iran With ‘Death, Fire, and Fury’ if Oil Flow Disrupted” HERE)

Trump says he and Israel’s Netanyahu will make ‘mutual’ decision on ending Iran war

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President Trump revealed Monday that he will confer with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about when to end the military campaign against Iran, suggesting the decision would be “mutual” between the US and its Middle Eastern ally.

“I think it’s mutual… a little bit,” Trump told The Times of Israel in a phone interview, adding that he and Netanyahu have “been talking.”

“I’ll make a decision at the right time, but everything’s going to be taken into account,” the president added.

Trump previously suggested that the war against Iran could last approximately four weeks, but other members of his administration have been reluctant to provide a specific timeline.

The president has also demanded “unconditional surrender” from Iran, and the White House has stressed that the objective of the Operation Epic Fury campaign is to degrade Iran’s navy and ballistic missile arsenal as well as ensure the regime does not obtain a nuclear weapon or continue to arm terrorist proxies across the Middle East. (Read more from “Trump says he and Israel’s Netanyahu will make ‘mutual’ decision on ending Iran war” HERE)

US Argues ‘Emergency’ of Iran War Means Israel Needs 20,000+ More Bombs Without Congressional Approval

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The US State Department is hiding behind the war against Iran that was started by US President Donald Trump last week to justify an emergency order to ship more than 20,000 bombs—estimated at a value of $660 million—to Israel, skirting a pending approval process for the sale by Congress.

In a statement issued quietly on Friday night, the State Department said 12,000 BLU-110A/B general purpose, 1,000-pound bombs had been determined for approval, noting that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has “provided detailed justification that an emergency exists that requires the immediate sale to the Government of Israel of the above defense articles and defense services is in the national security interests of the United States, thereby waiving the Congressional review requirements under Section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act.”

Not included in the statement, according to the New York Times, were additional parts of the sale that “include 10,000 bombs of 500 pounds each and 5,000 small-diameter bombs.”

According to the Times:

The State Department did not mention these details in the announcement, but two current US officials and a former, Josh Paul, who worked on weapons transfers at the State Department, said they were part of the emergency sale. The current officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive arms transactions.

This is the first time that the second Trump administration has formally declared an emergency, allowed under the Arms Export Control Act, to bypass Congress to sell arms to Israel. The administration has bypassed the informal approval process in Congress three times to sell arms or send weapons aid to Israel, but previously has not declared an emergency.

(Read more from “US Argues ‘Emergency’ of Iran War Means Israel Needs 20,000+ More Bombs Without Congressional Approval” HERE)

Trump Admin Reportedly ‘Dismayed’ With Israeli Barrage on Iranian Oil Depots: ‘First Significant Disagreement’

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The “first significant disagreement” of the Iran war between the United States and Israel has developed over Israel’s strikes on 30 Iranian oil facilities, Axios reported Sunday.

Reporters Barak Ravid and Marc Caputo wrote that the strikes “went far beyond what the U.S. expected when Israel notified it in advance.”

The Axios report cited “a U.S. official, Israeli official and a source with knowledge.”

Late Saturday, Israel struck the oil facilities, “sending huge balls of fire and smoke into the air and rocking Tehran and the neighboring city of Karaj with explosions,” as evidenced by viral social media video “verified by The New York Times” in that outlet’s reporting.

The Axios report continued, “The U.S. is concerned Israeli strikes on infrastructure that serves ordinary Iranians could backfire strategically, rallying Iranian society to support the regime and driving up oil prices.” (Read more from “Trump Admin Reportedly ‘Dismayed’ With Israeli Barrage on Iranian Oil Depots: ‘First Significant Disagreement’” HERE)

Seventh U.S. Service Member Killed During Iran Conflict

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A seventh U.S. service member has been killed following strikes against the Islamic Republic of Iran; no identity has been revealed.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed the passing Sunday in a post on X.

“Last night, a U.S. service member passed away from injuries received during the Iranian regime’s initial attacks across the Middle East. The service member was seriously wounded at the scene of an attack on U.S. troops in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on March 1,” the post said.

“This is the seventh service member killed in action during Operation Epic Fury. Major combat operations continue. The identity of the fallen warrior will be withheld until 24 hours after next of kin notification,” it added.

(Read more from “Seventh U.S. Service Member Killed During Iran Conflict” HERE)

The Iran Conflict Will Be the ‘Straw That Breaks the Camel’s Back’ for the U.S. Economy if It Goes on Much Longer, Nobel Laureate Paul Krugman Warns

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The U.S. economy has been on unsteady footing for a while now, but the catalyst to tip it over the edge could be an event playing out on the other side of the world.

The conflict in Iran is not even a week old, but observers are already seeing ways the war could cascade and contribute to a broader economic downturn on U.S. soil. If the war goes on for much longer, and if belligerents begin to target energy infrastructure important to the global oil and gas trade, the U.S. is likely to feel the economic pinch, according to Nobel Prize–winning economist Paul Krugman.

With initial hopes for a swift, decisive victory in Iran rapidly fading, the U.S. has entered a delicate “war of whim” with no clear endgame and a rising daily price tag, Krugman wrote in a Substack post Wednesday. It’s a potential shock the U.S. might be able to deal with in isolation, he added, but combined with an increasingly fragile and uncertain outlook back home, America’s latest foray in the Middle East could end up coming at an enormous cost.

“It isn’t occurring in isolation,” Krugman wrote. “There are many stresses on our economy, and this could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back—a straw that becomes heavier the longer the war goes on.”

The primary economic risk stemming from the conflict has to do with energy—specifically oil and gas. The Strait of Hormuz—a narrow waterway connecting the Persian Gulf to global trade routes—has been effectively closed since the war’s onset, cutting off the approximate 20% of both liquefied natural gas and petroleum products that ordinarily transit through the strait. (Read more from “The Iran Conflict Will Be the ‘Straw That Breaks the Camel’s Back’ for the U.S. Economy if It Goes on Much Longer, Nobel Laureate Paul Krugman Warns” HERE)

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White House Releases Wild Video Montages Pairing Iran Strikes With Hollywood Blockbusters: ‘Justice the American Way’

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The Trump White House released a chaotic video montage of US military strikes on Iran combined with iconic movie scenes Thursday night, drawing backlash from both sides of the aisle for making light of the Middle East war.

The X video — which stitched together memorable moments from Hollywood blockbusters like “Gladiator” and “Top Gun: Maverick” with footage of strikes on Iranian targets — was posted by the White House with the message, “JUSTICE THE AMERICAN WAY,” and later boosted by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.

Hegseth himself made a brief appearance in the 42-second montage, which was crammed with clips from “Transformers,” “Braveheart,” “Breaking Bad,” “Better Call Saul,” “Iron Man,” and “Star Wars” as well as the popular video games Halo and Mortal Kombat — with a voice proclaiming a “flawless victory” at its end.

“White House trying to get every copy right [sic] strike known to man,” one X user quipped.

Actor Ben Stiller later called on Trump aides to “please remove the Tropic Thunder clip.”

(Read more from “White House Releases Wild Video Montages Pairing Iran Strikes With Hollywood Blockbusters: ‘Justice the American Way’” HERE)

53 House Democrats Vote ‘No’ on Declaring Iran a ‘State Sponsor of Terrorism’

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A significant number of House Democrats voted “no” on declaring the Islamic Republic of Iran a “state sponsor of terrorism.”

Sponsored by Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL), the resolution passed the U.S. House on Thursday by a 372-53 vote. Two Democrats voted present. While squad members like Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) were expected to vote “no,” a full 53 proved somewhat surprising.

Their names, per Fox News:

Donald S. Beyer Jr.
Suzanne Bonamici
André Carson
Greg Casar
Joaquin Castro
Yvette D. Clarke
Steve Cohen
Danny K. Davis
Maxine Dexter
Lloyd Doggett
Dwight Evans
Lizzie Fletcher
Valerie Foushee
Maxwell Alejandro Frost
Robert Garcia
Jesús “Chuy” García
Al Green
Raúl M. Grijalva
Val Hoyle
Jared Huffman
Sara Jacobs
Pramila Jayapal
Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr.
Robin Kelly
Ro Khanna
Raja Krishnamoorthi
Summer Lee
Sarah McBride
Morgan McGarvey
James P. McGovern
LaMonica McIver
Christian D. Menefee
Robert Jacobsen “Rob” Menendez Jr.
Gwen Moore
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Ilhan Omar
Chellie Pingree
Mark Pocan
Ayanna Pressley
Delia Ramirez
Emily Randall
Luz Rivas
Linda T. Sánchez
Janice D. “Jan” Schakowsky
Lateefah Simon
Mark Takano
Rashida Tlaib
Lori Trahan
Lauren Underwood
Nydia M. Velázquez
Maxine Waters
Bonnie Watson Coleman
Nikema Williams

The resolution said nothing about President Trump’s strikes on Iran, while saying the regime “remains the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism and provides substantial financial and military support to groups including Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis,” adding that it “poses a direct and persistent threat to the United States and is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American citizens,” (Read more from “53 House Democrats Vote ‘No’ on Declaring Iran a ‘State Sponsor of Terrorism’” HERE)

China Slashes Fuel Exports As War In Iran Magnifies Key Vulnerability

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China is demanding domestic oil refiners stop exporting fuel and renegotiate or cancel existing contracts as the conflict in Iran threatens the communist nation’s crude supplies.

Officials from China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), responsible for planning the nation’s economy, ordered oil executives to stop exporting refined fuel, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday. The stockpiling comes as U.S. and Israeli military forces continue strikes on Iran as part of Operation Epic Fury. China is the world’s top oil importer and one of Iran’s top trade partners, reportedly purchasing over 90% of the Islamic Republic’s crude oil between 2024 and 2025.

The communist country also imports 30% of its liquefied natural gas and 40% of its oil through the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran effectively closed at the start of the conflict. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that any ships belonging to Western allies “will certainly be hit,” and although the Strait remains open for China, oil tankers are beginning to avoid the conflict zone. Bloomberg reported Wednesday that three “very large crude carriers” turned away from the Persian Gulf, attempting to avoid the increasing instability in the region.

China is one of Asia’s three biggest oil exporters, shipping over 43 billion barrels of oil in 2023. Beijing exports billions of dollars worth of refined oil to countries in southeast Asia including Singapore and the Philippines, meaning a freeze on exports will likely create price instability in the region. (Read more from “China Slashes Fuel Exports As War In Iran Magnifies Key Vulnerability” HERE)