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Prepared for the Office of Public Affairs (OPA)
U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Editorial Note: The DHS Daily Briefing is a collection of news articles related to Department’s mission. The inclusion of particular stories is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse the political viewpoints or affiliations included in news coverage.

FOX News [2/28/2026 1:43 PM, Michael Dorgan, Peter Doocy, Kelley Kramer, 37576K] reports FBI Director Kash Patel said Saturday that he has placed the bureau’s counterterrorism and intelligence teams on high alert as U.S. operations against Iran unfold. Patel added that while the U.S. military is handling force protection overseas, the FBI "remains at the forefront of deterring attacks here at home" and will continue working around the clock to protect Americans. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said she is "in direct coordination with our federal intelligence and law enforcement partners as we continue to closely monitor and thwart any potential threats to the homeland." The alert also unfolds during a partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security. Meanwhile, the U.S. Secret Service said it is actively monitoring the situation and coordinating with federal and local partners. The agency said its protective model is adaptable to the current security environment and that the public may notice an increased law enforcement presence around protected sites. Police urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity. Just The News [2/28/2026 1:32 PM, Nicholas Ballasy, 736K] reports the Department of Homeland Security and FBI are on heightened alert after the U.S. and Israeli strikes in Iran. FBI counterterrorism teams are on elevated alert nationally, Fox News reported, citing an official, after "Operation Epic Fury" was launched. Meanwhile, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said she is in "direct coordination with our federal intelligence and law enforcement partners as we continue to closely monitor and thwart any potential threats to the homeland." DHS is currently grappling with a shutdown right now as Congress and the White House continue to negotiate a funding deal. Some major cities such as Washington, D.C. are beefing up security after the launch of the Iran operation.

Washington Examiner [2/28/2026 2:50 PM, David Zimmermann, 1147K] reports the Secret Service has enhanced security for its high-profile protectees in Washington, D.C., and elsewhere after President Donald Trump ordered a U.S. strike on Iran in coordination with Israel. The federal agency responsible for protecting the president said it is “actively monitoring” the ongoing operation in Iran and is cooperating with federal and local partners. “While we do not discuss our specific protective measures for operational security reasons, the public may notice an increased law enforcement and federal presence around U.S. Secret Service protected sites,” the Secret Service said in a statement on Saturday. “Any temporary traffic or pedestrian impacts will be communicated by our local law enforcement partners.” “We appreciate the public’s continued cooperation and awareness,” the agency added. “As always, if something appears unusual or concerning, individuals are encouraged to report it to law enforcement.” The statement means higher security around the White House or wherever the president may be at any given moment.

FOX News [2/28/2026 8:15 PM, Charles Creitz, 37576K] reports the partial government shutdown has Department of Homeland Security employees missing their paychecks even as the U.S. has engaged Iran with airstrikes that have brought the nation to the brink of war. On Saturday, the U.S. and Israel commenced targeting Iranian positions, including the palace of dictator Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei, who was later declared dead by Jerusalem officials. The strikes have prompted concerns of retaliation, possibly inside U.S. borders. "I am in direct coordination with our federal intelligence and law enforcement partners as we continue to closely monitor and thwart any potential threats to the homeland," DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement. As Friday rolled into Saturday, Transportation Safety Administration officers began effectively working pro bono, and the agency called them "true models of selflessness and sacrifice.” "Right now, the men and women of TSA are showing up to work without a paycheck due to the reckless DHS shutdown despite the fact that Democrat members of Congress are still getting paid," the agency said in a statement, calling out Democrats’ "political theater making life harder for these officers and their families.” Lawmakers took notice of the disparity on Saturday as eyes turned to the security of America’s homeland amid Iran’s pledge to strike back. "Given developments in the Middle East and the ongoing threat posed by Iran and its terrorist proxies, Democrats in the House and Senate must cease the politics and must immediately fund the Department of Homeland Security," said Rep. Daniel Meuser, R-Pa. The Blue Mountain congressman, whose district is home to the agency’s latest immigration center purchase in Shartlesville, added that blocking DHS funding is "irresponsible and dangerous" amid the rising global tension. "Democrats in Congress must join Republicans, act responsibly and stop blocking efforts to fund DHS," Meuser said. Meuser added that protecting Americans is a fundamental federal responsibility and that the U.S. cannot afford national security-related delays. His Keystone compatriot, Sen. David McCormick, echoed that sentiment Saturday. "Now would be a good time for Democrats to drop their opposition to DHS funding and pass the bill to support our homeland security," McCormick said. "Continuing to play political games with our national security given the unfolding situation in the Middle East is dangerous.”The Washington Examiner [2/28/2026 4:28 PM, David Sivak, 1147K] reports House Homeland Security Chairman Andrew Garbarino (R-NY) joined other Republicans on Saturday in urging Democrats to end a two-week shutdown at DHS, an agency tasked with safeguarding America against terrorist attacks. He cited the "heightened threat landscape" after the U.S. launched strikes on Iran and past attempts by Iran to target dissidents and President Donald Trump on American soil. "It is more important now than ever that we fully fund the Department of Homeland Security," Garbarino said on Saturday. "We cannot afford delays. We must ensure DHS is operating at maximum readiness to prevent and respond to threats against our homeland." His Democratic counterpart, ranking member Bennie Thompson (D-MS), did not address DHS funding specifically but accused Trump of making the U.S. "more vulnerable to ensuing terrorism attacks" because of the operation, launched in coordination with Israel to topple Iran’s leadership and dismantle its nuclear program. "I am deeply concerned about the administration’s attention to possible threats and its ability to protect Americans," he added. Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem said Saturday that she was in "direct coordination with our federal intelligence and law enforcement partners as we continue to closely monitor and thwart any potential threats to the homeland.”

Reported similarly:
Washington Times [2/28/2026 3:15 PM, Mary McCue Bell, 1323K]

Breitbart [2/28/2026 8:41 PM, Staff, 2238K] reports hundreds of people gathered outside the White House in Washington, D.C., and at other locations across the capital on Saturday in protest of the country’s attack on Iran. Organizers coordinated protests within hours after President Donald Trump announced a coordinated U.S.-Israeli military strike on several locations in Iran. Hundreds have died in the attacks, including, Trump says, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Demonstrations were also planned in other major U.S. cities, including New York City, Chicago, Denver, Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Cincinnati, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami and Minneapolis, The Hill reported. Others were scheduled for Sunday in Albany, N.Y.; Ellensburg, Va.; Chattanooga, Tenn,; Decorah, Iowa; Gainesville, Fla.; and Springfield, Mo. A group of organizations that included the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, 50501 DC and Code Pink coordinated the protests outside the White House. The demonstrators later marched along streets in the city, Washington Post reported. Some in the crowd chanted, "No hate, no fear, Iranians are welcome here." Others: "From D.C. to Iran, stop the war, stop the bombs.” Metropolitan police officers and Secret Service agents were on hand for the D.C. gatherings, in some cases blocking roads to let marchers pass. The Metropolitan Police Department said on X that it was monitoring events in Iran and coordinating with other law enforcement agencies to protect people in the capital. "At this time, there are no known threats to D.C.," the post read. "We are prepared to increase our presence as needed.” Groups also took to Times Square to denounce the strikes, WABC-TV in New York City reported. One protester, Mammad Mah, said his 78-year-old mother was in Iran and he hadn’t heard from her since the strikes took place. Internet and phone service in Iran had been cut off. "There’s no one that hates the ayatollahs, hates the mullahs as much as we do," he said. "But none of that justify attacking a nation and killing innocent people.” A University of Maryland poll taken earlier this month found that 49% of Americans were opposed to attacking Iran and 30% were unsure. Twenty-one percent supported the United States initiating an attack on Iran. Among Republicans, 40% favored action, 25% opposed and 35% were unsure. Six percent of Democrats favored action, 74% opposed and 19% were unsure. Among Independents, 21% favored action, 51% opposed and 28% were unsure.

Washington Post [2/28/2026 6:33 PM, Jasmine Golden and Liam Scott, 24826K] reports Ermiya Fanaeian has lived in the United States since she was 1, but still has family in her home country of Iran. On Saturday, as word spread of attacks there by Israel and the U.S., she grew concerned about her relatives and other Iranians. She decided to protest the military action. “It hits close to home,” Fanaeian, a 25-year-old PhD candidate in political science at Howard University, said. “I also know that the people in Iran are the ones who are going to experience the most, the biggest consequences from these attacks.” Fanaeian was among hundreds of demonstrators who gathered near the White House and other D.C. sites Saturday afternoon to protest the strikes targeting the Iranian government and the country’s missile and nuclear program. Some protesters held signs that read, “No bombs on Iran” and “No New US War in the Middle East.” Less than a half-mile away, near the World War I Memorial, a group of people waving American and Israeli flags chanted, “Thank you Trump,” appearing to celebrate the strikes. Earlier in the day, the president told The Washington Post the strikes were an effort to bring “freedom for the people” in Iran.

San Francisco Chronicle [2/28/2026 10:39 PM, Lucy Hodgman, 3833K] reports that, less than 24 hours after the United States and Israel launched a wave of missile strikes against Iran, hundreds of protesters blocked off a downtown San Francisco street Saturday to demonstrate against escalation abroad. Tensions between the U.S. and Iran have risen sharply in recent weeks, culminating in President Donald Trump’s Saturday announcement that the latest attacks had killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Democratic Party leaders, while also sharply critical of Khamenei’s regime, were quick to condemn the intervention as an illegal overstep. Iranian American demonstrator Yasmine Mortazavi said she had been anxiously reading the news morning and night, waiting for “something like this to happen.” Mortazavi is a member of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, which joined the overnight, multigroup scramble to organize the protest after news of the airstrikes broke. “Today is the day the war started,” Mortazavi said. “I don’t think I was completely shocked, but I’ve felt a little bit numb.” She added that the size and diversity of Saturday’s protest was a testament to Americans’ general opposition to war abroad. The protesters outside the Speaker Nancy Pelosi Federal Building included young children in strollers, older couples and college students. They waved Palestinian flags and passed out literature for local political candidates, chanting “Bombing Iran is a crime” and “No boots on the ground, no bombs in the air.” Dina Saadeh, an organizer with the Palestinian Youth Movement, told the Chronicle that organizers selected the federal building as the site of the demonstration so their voices would be better heard by lawmakers, both in Washington, D.C., and at home in the Bay Area. “We’re sending a clear message to our elected officials, even the political elite here in S.F.,” Saadeh said. “We reject the rampant imperialism that they serve to gain from. … People here are engineering a better world simply by showing up and saying, ‘We reject this.’” A broadly anti-Trump sentiment loomed over the event: Many protesters carried “ICE out” signs, and one man wore an oversize Trump mask and carried a sign reading “War is peace.” But demonstrators were also wary of Democratic leaders, who they said had failed to condemn the Israeli government more strongly amid its ongoing conflict in Gaza. As they marched from the federal building down Market Street, protesters stopped to boo and chant “shame” outside the Golden Gate Theater, where California Gov. Gavin Newsom appeared that night for a discussion of his new memoir. Newsom, who has long been floated as a likely 2028 presidential candidate, condemned the airstrikes and said in a statement that Trump is “putting Americans at risk abroad because he is unpopular at home.” Edward Hasbrouck, 66, attended Saturday’s demonstration with the same “Don’t invade Iran” poster he took to protests in the wake of the 1979 Iranian Revolution, in which the U.S.-back shah was overthrown and replaced with an Islamic ayatollah. The marker-drawn poster has been in Hasbrouck’s basement for decades, he said — and the fact that he’s had to break it out regularly over the years proves to him that the issue goes beyond either major political party. “Getting rid of Trump isn’t going to be enough,” Hasbrouck said. “We’re still going to need a peace movement, and we still need to be here to get the Democrats to recognize that war is not popular. Part of their opposition should be taking a stand for peace.”

New York Post [2/28/2026 6:48 PM, Zain Khan, 40934K] reports hundreds of demonstrators from Los Angeles’s Iranian-American community took the streets Saturday to celebrate the US-Israeli airstrikes that killed Iran’s supreme leader. "I want to cry. I want to scream. I want to dance. I want to laugh — but above all, I just want to celebrate," said LA resident Shervin Khorramian, 55, waving an Iranian flag as he joined the elated crowd outside of the Wilshire Federal building in Westwood. "I feel absolutely elated, and I feel hopeful," Khorramian added. "For the first time in a long time, I feel hopeful that this really could be the turning point for Iran.” Saturday morning’s unprecedented joint military attack in Iran killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and 10 high-ranking leaders in his fortified compound, as well over 40 top Iranian security and regime figures, Israeli officials said. Demonstrators in LA — home to the largest Iranian community in the US and affectionately known as "Tehrangeles" — marched outside the federal building waving American, Iranian and Israeli flags and holding posters thanking President Trump.

New York Post [2/28/2026 3:22 PM, Patrick Hedlund, 40934K] reports the Los Angeles Police Department will increase patrols around the city after the US and Israel launched airstrikes against Iran early Saturday morning. LA Mayor Karen Bass said that cops would be out in force following the attacks, adding “that many Angelenos are affected and deeply concerned.” “We are closely monitoring for any threats to Los Angeles’ public safety amid military action in the Middle East,” Bass’s office said in a statement. “While there are no known credible threats at this time, LAPD has stepped up patrols near places of worship, community spaces, and other areas of the city, and we will remain vigilant in protecting our city.” The warning comes as protesters plan to take to the streets of downtown LA on Saturday to demonstrate against the military action. A group of organizations — including the Democratic Socialists of America, the National Iranian American Council and American Muslims for Palestine — are planning to gather for a “national day of action” at City Hall at 2 p.m. The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services also issued an alert saying it was “closely monitoring the evolving situation in Iran and the surrounding region.” “Our homeland security and emergency management teams are working with federal partners to prepare for any impacts here at home,” the office stated. The heightened security follows a wave of demonstrations against the Iranian regime in recent months across Southern California.

Univision [2/28/2026 4:03 PM, Staff, 4937K] reports the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, as well as the Miami Beach Police Department, and other law enforcement agencies in South Florida reported that they are taking security measures in light of the events in Iran. “In light of recent international events related to Iran, the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office is taking immediate security measures , increasing patrols to ensure the safety of our residents. To date, no local threats have been identified in our community . Deputies have increased their presence around places of worship, cultural centers, and schools,” said Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz in a statement. “We are maintaining close coordination with our federal, state, and local partners. Our thoughts and prayers are with the military personnel protecting our national security interests around the world. We will continue to monitor the evolving situation. Public safety remains our top priority,” the statement concluded. Similarly, the Aventura Police Department, whose city is home to one of the largest Jewish communities in the U.S., stated that “we are monitoring the current situation in the Middle East with our local, state, and federal partners. Currently, there are no known or credible threats to the U.S. or Miami-Dade County. As a precautionary measure, we have increased security with patrols focused on our religious facilities and other sensitive locations.” Likewise, Miami Beach police said they have increased their presence at synagogues, schools, and other locations in the city.

USA Today [3/1/2026 5:04 AM, Zachary Schermele, 67103K] reports the Department of Homeland Security has been shut down for more than two weeks, jeopardizing airport security, disaster relief, coastline safety and even pay for members of the Secret Service as they guarded the president during the State of the Union. The Trump administration sent its latest proposal to Senate Democrats to reopen the agency on Feb. 27, but the negotiations between the White House and Capitol Hill have been happening largely behind closed doors. There’s still no end in sight to the funding impasse. Members of both parties have continued talking past each other, at least publicly, in recent days. Patty Murray, the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, told reporters Feb. 25 the Trump administration had yet to start negotiating earnestly about demands to reform federal immigration enforcement. Hours later, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, contradicted Murray, pointing to the fact that top administration officials and Senate Democrats were trading paper. "The White House, I think, has been, in good faith, trying to come to the table and work out some of the differences that the Democrats have," he said, "but in ways that don’t jeopardize or undermine the ability of our law enforcement officials to do their jobs, and do them in a way that keeps them safe." It was an indication of how far apart both sides still remain in the shutdown standoff – the third occasion in President Donald Trump’s second term during which funding for the 9/11-era Cabinet agency has lapsed.

Washington Post [2/28/2026 6:02 PM, Reza Pahlavi, 24826K] reports early Saturday morning, U.S. and Israeli forces launched Operation Epic Fury against the regime in Iran. Its leader, Ali Khamenei, was killed, according to the U.S. and Israeli governments. In announcing the strikes, President Donald Trump laid out the grave threats the world’s foremost sponsor of terrorism poses to the United States and its allies. He also addressed the Iranian people — the regime’s longest-suffering victims — declaring that “the hour of your freedom is at hand.” Mr. President: Thank you. Those words gave the Iranian people strength, and I am certain they will meet this moment. For nearly half a century, the Islamic Republic has not behaved as a state among states. Instead, it has operated as an expansionist revolutionary enterprise, subverting neighbors’ sovereignty, fueling conflicts around the world, and pursuing nuclear weapons and the long-range missiles to deliver them.

New York Post [2/28/2026 8:34 PM, Miad Maleki, 40934K] reports the strikes President Donald Trump launched against Iran Saturday are not just military operations — they are the answer to decades of prayers by Iranians who have suffered under tyranny. And they represent the first time an American president has truly come to the rescue of the Iranian people. I was born and raised in Iran, where my family lived under the grip of an authoritarian theocracy. Growing up in the 1980s, my classrooms were filled with anti-Western indoctrination and "Death to America" chants. Yet to most of us, America was a symbol of justice and freedom from fear. In those same classrooms, we passed around forbidden tapes of Bon Jovi, Guns N’ Roses and Red Hot Chili Peppers, letting us experience a taste of the joy and liberty possible in America. After my family fled the regime’s persecution targeting those of our Jewish and Baha’i faith, America gave us something we had never had: freedom. When I told my parents I wanted to join the US Air Force, they didn’t hesitate; my serving the country that gave our family refuge was, to them, the most meaningful way we could honor it. That same conviction later led me to the US Treasury, where I served for nine years, designing and implementing the sanctions that held the Iranian regime accountable for its terrorism, ballistic-missile program, and systematic brutalization of its own people. Yet after the 2015 nuclear deal, I was charged with dismantling those same sanctions in the hope that the regime could be reasoned with. How do you build a lasting peace with a regime that sent 12-year-olds to help Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad gas his own citizens? A regime that has never and will never represent or protect its own people? Every US president since Jimmy Carter has sat across the table from Iran and bought what they were selling. Trump is the first one who didn’t.

NBC News [2/28/2026 7:00 AM, Bruna Horvath, 42967K] reports the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence has made it easier than ever for bad actors to create child sexual abuse material, leaving prosecutors and lawmakers struggling to keep up. Despite efforts by tech companies, law enforcement and activists, offenders consistently exploit system loopholes, open-source AI models and ready-made sexual exploitation platforms to generate imagery of both identifiable and nonexistent children, according to experts and law enforcement officials who spoke with NBC News. Between January and September of 2025, NCMEC’s CyberTipline — the official online sexual exploitation tip line in the U.S. — received over a million reports related to generative AI, according to Fallon McNulty, the executive director of the center’s exploited children division. The material is becoming more realistic and harder to differentiate from real images, posing new issues for prosecutors and law enforcement. Michael Prado, the deputy assistant director of Homeland Security Investigations’ Cyber Crimes Center (C3), said that in the first six months of 2025 alone, reports of child exploitation and generative AI increased by over 600% compared to 2023 and 2024 combined. Now, it’s not uncommon to find AI-generated CSAM mixed in with troves of "traditional" CSAM featuring real children, according to Prado.

New York Times [3/1/26 5:01 AN, Ruth Graham, 148038K] reports as the Trump administration has dramatically increased the number of people held in federal immigration detention facilities, detainees’ access to medical care, sufficient food, basic hygiene and legal counsel have all come under scrutiny. But the past couple of weeks have also shed light on another basic necessity that advocates say detainees are being deprived of — the ability to worship. Their concerns have intensified as two major seasons, Lent and Ramadan, began for Christians and Muslims. To gain access, some religious groups have sued the Department of Homeland Security. Others, like the American Roman Catholic Bishops, have called out the lack of access in statements condemning the immigration enforcement tactics of the Trump administration. In some cases, that pressure has been successful. In others, however, it has left detainees — there are currently close to 70,000, the majority being Christians — with little or no access to religious services at a time of year central to their faiths. “It feels like there’s a hypocrisy in an administration or a party that has regularly advocated for things like posting the Ten Commandments in public spaces, but denied people the actual practice of their faith,” said Fr. Brendan Busse, a priest at Dolores Mission Church in Los Angeles, who was denied access to a detention facility on Ash Wednesday.

CBS News [2/28/2026 7:11 PM, Kristie Keleshian, 51110K] reports several hundred protesters in Roxbury, New Jersey, took to the street Saturday expressing outrage over plans to build a United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in their town. Residents spoke out alongside political leaders who are working on a bill designed to make it harder to build more detention sites. ICE says it bought vacant space up the road from Roxbury Town Hall, saying they will not be warehouses, but "very well-structured detention facilities meeting our regular detention standards." Ann Mauro, who has lived in Roxbury for nearly 30 years, says there’s been a lack of transparency. "DHS hasn’t really provided any details to the town, so they don’t know what really is gonna be the impact," she said. Residents are concerned over the site possibly straining resources to local communities, even saying that Roxbury could lose out on much-needed tax revenue because government-owned buildings are exempt from property taxes. "The town is going to now lose out on $1.8 million annually in property tax revenue from that property," Mauro said. But ICE claims the town will benefit, saying the sites "will undergo community impact studies and a rigorous due diligence process to make sure there is no hardship on local utilities or infrastructure prior to purchase. The Roxbury facility and its construction are expected to bring 1,300 jobs." [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

NJ.com [2/28/2026 4:00 PM, Matthew Enuco] reports a passionate crowd held signs and chanted along Route 46 in Roxbury on Saturday where a warehouse is expected to be converted into an immigration detention center after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security purchased the building. “We are here!” one protestor at the mic blared out as part of a call-and-response. “Because we ... love our neighbors!” The No ICE North Jersey Alliance, which has rallied against the potential facility since it was first reported U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was eyeing the location for a detention center, said on Feb. 20 it will continue to oppose the detention center. “Our goal remains the same, though the fight has today taken on a different dimension,” said spokesperson William Angus. “Both public protests and pressure on elected officials and involved parties will continue — because the only acceptable outcome is for the property to remain a warehouse for goods, not people.” DHS purchased the building for $129.3 million on Feb. 19 from DG Roxbury Property Owner, L.P., an affiliate of Dalfen Industrial, which purchased the property in 2023. Goldman Sachs, a New York investment bank, was the majority ownership partner in the warehouse which was part of a real estate investment fund they managed before the sale. “This property, which sat vacant for two years, was held in a real estate investment fund that we manage,” a spokesperson for Goldman Sachs said in a statement. “We had a fiduciary obligation to investors in the fund to sell it.” The sale sparked a flurry of legislative proposals from members of New Jersey’s congressional delegation and a letter of protest to U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem from Gov. Mikie Sherrill, a Democrat.

Washington Examiner [2/28/2026 9:36 AM, Brady Knox, 1147K] reports the man who allegedly stabbed a woman to death at a Fairfax bus stop was revealed by the Department of Homeland Security to be an illegal immigrant who had been arrested and released over 30 times. Abdul Jalloh, 32, is alleged to have stabbed Stephanie Minter, 41, earlier this week. He was caught shortly after her body was discovered at a bus stop. After his arrest, Department of Homeland Security officials told several news outlets that Jalloh was an illegal immigrant from Sierra Leone with an extensive rap sheet. He had been arrested over 30 times for crimes including rape, malicious wounding, assault, identity theft, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, assault, and pick-pocketing. Jalloh had committed his litany of crimes in a relatively short period of time, after arriving in the U.S. illegally in 2012, according to the DHS. Immigration officials lodged an immigration detainer against him in 2020, and he was granted a final order of removal by a judge allowing his deportation to anywhere but his native country, the outlet reported.

Axios [2/28/2026 3:11 PM, Staff, 17364K] reports hundreds of Lincoln Park High School students left class early Friday to protest ICE, joining a growing wave of Chicago-area students speaking out against federal immigration tactics. The protests underscore how profoundly stepped up ICE raids over the last year have affected Chicago Public Schools. They also suggest that the next generation of Chicago voters cares deeply about the issue. Several 18 year olds at the rally vowed make their voices heard at the ballot box this year. The march was organized by the LPHS chapter of Civic Leaders of America, which organized its yearly student rally around "No Kings" last year and chose immigration as its focus this year. While immigration actions have subsided in recent months, some federal officials have vowed to remount a local surge in March. "No one should have to fear walking out their homes or face discrimination for the color of their skin," LPHS senior London Robison tells Axios. "No one is illegal on stolen land." "I think it’s really important to use our voices to create opportunities and make the world a better place for everybody," junior Sophie Lejeune told Axios. "We all have to work together to show those who fear they might be taken away that we’re with them."

AP [2/28/2026 2:45 PM, Garance Burke, Adam Geller and Valerie Gonzalez, 35287K] reports when the Obama administration opened Dilley in 2014, nearly all families detained there had recently crossed the border from Mexico. Detentions at the facility were scaled back by the Biden administration in 2021, before it was closed three years later. Since being reopened by President Donald Trump’s administration last spring, life inside Dilley — a compound of trailers and other prefabricated buildings — has been shaped by three decisive changes. The number of detained families has risen sharply since last fall. The government is holding many children well beyond the 20-day limit set by longstanding court order. And many detainees have lived in the U.S. for several years, with roots in neighborhoods, workplaces and schools, according to lawyers and other observers. ICE booked more than 3,800 children into detention during the first nine months of the new Trump administration, according to an Associated Press analysis of data from the University of California, Berkeley’s Deportation Data Project. On an average day more than 220 children were held, with most of those detained longer than 24 hours sent to Dilley. More than half of Dilley detainees during that period were children. Nearly two-thirds of children detained by ICE were eventually deported and almost 1 in 10 left the country when their parents accepted voluntary departure, according to an AP analysis of the latest comprehensive data. About a quarter were released in the U.S., requiring their parents to check in regularly with ICE as their legal cases proceed. The number of detainees at Dilley has risen sharply since the period covered by the data, nearly tripling between last fall and late January to more than 1,300, according to Relevant Research, which analyzes immigration enforcement data. The increased detention of children comes as the Trump administration has gutted a Department of Homeland Security office responsible for oversight of conditions inside Dilley and other facilities. DHS did not respond to detailed questions about Dilley submitted by the AP. But both DHS and ICE sharply refuted allegations of poor care and conditions there.

Univision [2/28/2026 10:38 AM, Staff, 4937K] reports a professional wrestler was detained by Immigration agents, who, although they weren’t looking for her, just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time; now, stars of Lucha Libre have joined together to demand her release. While driving and three minutes from her home, Nicolth was stopped by a Border Patrol officer. The officers were looking for her father, the owner of the car, who is under asylum proceedings, but since he wasn’t in the car, they took her, who is also under the same immigration process. Nicolth left Colombia and arrived in the United States when he was 15 years old, and although she has followed all the steps of his immigration process, it has been almost a decade since the authorities resolved it for her. For now, the judge has set bail at $2,500, but the fight doesn’t end there because after 10 years Nicolth will still be waiting to see if Immigration approves or denies her asylum application.

AP [2/28/2026 10:36 AM, Garance Burke, Adam Geller and Valerie Gonzalez, 35287K] reports many Americans were alarmed recently when immigration officers in Minneapolis took custody of a 5-year-old boy and sent him and his father to a Texas detention center. But he was no outlier. The government has been holding hundreds of children and their parents at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center, about 75 miles south of San Antonio. Some have been detained for months. The Department of Homeland Security has strongly defended the quality of care and conditions there. Here are key findings from an Associated Press report on how the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement is shaping life inside the facility.

Breitbart [2/28/2026 10:32 AM, Randy Clark, 2238K] reports a drag queen show host from Reynosa, Tamaulipas, and a cosmetologist pleaded not guilty to their alleged roles in a cocaine smuggling scheme that took place in Hidalgo, Texas. Axl Omar Palacios, 27, who lives in the Mexican border city, entered a not guilty plea on Tuesday at the federal courthouse in McAllen, Texas. According to court records, Palacios is suspected of operating a stash house used to facilitate receiving narcotics from smugglers after crossing the border and transferring them to others for transportation further into the United States. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents first encountered Palacios after a vehicle suspected of transporting narcotics entered the United States from Mexico in late January. According to a report at ValleyCentral, HSI Special Agent Mark Cruz testified in federal court that the vehicle followed by authorities had "alerts" for drug trafficking. The suspect vehicle was observed arriving at an apartment complex in Hidalgo, Texas, just south of McAllen, shortly after leaving the port of entry.

CBS News [2/28/2026 6:47 PM, Christa Swanson, 51110K] reports a man has been accused of a hit-and-run in the Denver metro area involving two U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement vehicles. Around 9:58 a.m., Lakewood police were called to the 200 block of S. Ingalls Street. ICE agents reported that they were attempting to detain a suspect when that person rammed two of their vehicles with his car, injuring one of the agents. That suspect then left his car and entered a nearby apartment, according to a Lakewood PD spokesman. A crowd of people began gathering near the scene. According to LPD, officers set up a perimeter around the area due to concerns for community safety, but said the officers didn’t engage with the suspect or the ICE operation. After federal agents obtained a warrant and additional agents arrived at the scene, the department said a police presence was no longer necessary. They stated that the officers left as federal agents began to search the apartment building for the suspect. However, officers returned to the area sometime later after reports of altercations and injuries, per LPD’s John Romero, in order to protect fire department medics who were called to the scene. The people injured refused treatment, and the fire department left. The LPD asserted that its officers did not interact with the suspect and were only at that location to ensure public safety. They added that several officers helped community members who asked them to escort their family members out of the apartment building. Authorities have not yet released information on the suspect or whether he has been taken into custody. Footage of the scene appears to show a person being led away in handcuffs.

Washington Times [2/28/2026 10:17 AM, Stephen Dinan, 1323K] reports a federal judge scorched ICE on Friday for the way it’s carried out immigration in Oregon, saying the deportation agency “intended to strike fear” in the state, and he ordered severe limits on how arrests can be made. U.S. District Judge Mustafa Kasubhai, a Biden appointee, was withering in his criticism of the enforcement surge under President Trump, repeatedly putting the word “voluntary” in quotes when he spoke of migrants who chose deportation rather than fight. He said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers are casting “dragnets” over the state, then swooping in, asking “few questions” before “shattering windows, handcuffing people and detaining them at an ICE facility in another state.” The issue before him was ICE’s ability to make immigration arrests without a warrant. Judge Kasubhai, though, said officers need to make individualized assessments before the risk of escape in each case — and document them. He said that hasn’t been happening. ICE denied there was any pattern or practice of warrantless arrests, but the judge said the arrests he’d seen belie that. He said officers make arrests while asking few questions, meaning they couldn’t have made an individualized determination. Judge Kasubhai previously put a hold on warrantless arrests. His new ruling is a more lasting preliminary injunction. He joins judges in Colorado and the District of Columbia in ordering limits on warrantless arrests.

FOX 13 Tampa [2/28/2026 6:22 PM, Louis Casiano, 37576K] reports an illegal immigrant who reported to a U.S. Border Patrol site in Florida to perform some Information technology contractual work was arrested when authorities were made aware of his citizenship status, officials said. Angel Camacho, a Venezuelan citizen, reported to a USBP center in Dania Beach, Florida, Jan. 6 to do some IT work when U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials began vetting him, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told Fox News Digital. During its investigation, it was revealed Camacho was in violation of U.S. immigration laws, authorities said. "CBP vets all external visitors before allowing them to enter secure facilities to ensure safety and operational integrity," DHS Deputy Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in a statement. "During the vetting process, CBP uncovered this individual was a tourist visa overstay in the country for over five years." Camacho was arrested and transferred to ICE custody, Bis said. His criminal history includes theft and resisting a Florida Highway Patrol officer, officials said. Federal authorities have nabbed several illegal immigrants in the process of trying to obtain employment in law enforcement and education.

Los Angeles Times [2/28/2026 2:13 PM, Wendy Fry and Khari Johnson, 12718K] reports on a cracked two-lane road on the eastern edge of San Diego County, James Cordero eased his Jeep onto the shoulder after something caught his eye. It looked like an abandoned trailer. Inside he found a hidden camera feeding a vast surveillance network that logs the license plate of every driver passing through this stretch of remote backcountry between San Diego and the Arizona state line. Cordero, 44, has found dozens of these cameras hidden in trailers and construction barrels on border roads around San Diego and Imperial counties: one on Old Highway 80 near Jacumba Hot Springs; another outside the Golden Acorn Casino in Campo; another along Interstate 8 toward In-Ko-Pah Gorge. They started showing up after California granted permits to the Border Patrol and other federal agencies to place license plate readers on state highways in the last months of the Biden administration. Now as many as 40 are feeding information into Trump administration databases as the Democratic-led state chafes over the federal government’s massive deportation program. The cameras are raising concerns with privacy experts, civil liberties advocates and humanitarian aid workers who say California should not be supporting the surveillance and data-collection program, which they view as an unwarranted government intrusion into the lives of Americans who’ve committed no crime. Moreover, they say the program conflicts with state law. Supporters say the devices allow law enforcement to quickly identify and locate people they suspect of serious crimes. They also argue the cameras help agencies spot patterns in drug and human trafficking, and could be used to help locate missing persons, such as children or other vulnerable people.

ABC News [2/28/2026 7:54 PM, Staff, 34146K] Video: HERE reports that, in response to the military campaign against Iran, the FBI and Secret Service are on high alert—increasing security in all locations involving the president, the vice president’s residence.

Washington Times [2/28/2026 10:32 AM, Brad Matthews, 1323K] reports the U.S. Coast Guard said Friday that it recently intercepted a suspected smuggling boat carrying cocaine and marijuana worth $1.3 million. On Feb. 21, the Coast Guard Cutter Richard Etheridge found and boarded the vessel 8 miles offshore from Miami. Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations personnel boarded the alleged smuggling boat and found 17 pounds of marijuana and 174 pounds of cocaine, the Coast Guard said in its release. Two suspects on board the boat were taken into custody by Homeland Security Investigations. The suspects are Rudalph Hylton and Aldon Delano Brown. Mr. Hylton told law enforcement that he and Mr. Brown are Jamaicans and that he had taken the boat to their home country out of Fort Lauderdale about a month prior, according to a criminal complaint cited by the Miami Herald. Mr. Hylton also told law enforcement that, while in Jamaica, he was offered $100,000 to smuggle the drugs into the U.S., according to the complaint. Mr. Hylton is facing charges of importation of a controlled substance within the U.S., possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute it and conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with the intent to distribute it, according to records for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

Politico [2/28/2026 7:00 AM, John Sakellariadis, 21784K] reports the interim chief of the nation’s top cyber defense agency had convinced many people he was not up to the task long before his sudden reassignment late Thursday. But the one person who mattered most — Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem — stood firm on keeping him in place. In his roughly nine months as acting director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Madhu Gottumukkala made a series of decisions that alienated career staff, created friction with Trump appointees and provoked scrutiny from influential lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. Nine current and four former cyber officials who spoke with POLITICO over the last several weeks said his tenure was so chaotic that it was hampering the agency’s core mission: protecting sensitive government networks from a crush of cyberattacks. All were granted anonymity for fear of retribution. Several who spoke with POLITICO said the agency was long overdue for a leadership change. Under Gottumukkala, said one current official, the agency was “devolving every day.” The frustration with Gottumukkala was shared by several administration officials, two of whom told Noem as far back as November that Gottumukkala should not be in charge at CISA, according to three current cybersecurity officials with knowledge of those conversations. But Noem was hesitant to remove Gottumukkala until recently because she and DHS special adviser Corey Lewandowski — President Donald Trump’s former campaign manager — feared it would reflect poorly on her, as she was already facing immense pressure over DHS’s immigration crackdown and other issues, two of those three officials said. Noem’s reversal comes just days before a long-awaited Tuesday appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee, where she is expected to face tough questions from lawmakers in both parties. POLITICO reached out to CISA and its parent agency, DHS, 24 hours before Gottumukkala’s move was announced. In response to this reporting, Marci McCarthy, director of public affairs at CISA, shared a statement it also provided to other outlets confirming Gottumukkala’s move. “Madhu Gottumukkala has done a remarkable job in a thankless task of helping reform CISA back to its core statutory mission. He tackled the woke, weaponized, and bloated bureaucracy that existed at CISA, wrangling contracts to save American taxpayer dollars,” McCarthy said. She added Gottumukkala will “continue his work to save taxpayer money” as DHS’s new director of strategic implementation. The specific responsibilities of this role are unclear, and it is not listed on the department’s leadership website. Gottumukkala did not respond to a request for comment.

Breitbart [2/28/2026 9:26 AM, Ildefonso Ortiz, Brandon Darby, 2238K] reports the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) formally charged two top lieutenants of the Sinaloa Cartel with terrorism and is offering a $10 million reward for information leading to their capture. This week, the U.S. DOJ announced a superseding indictment naming 42-year-old Rene "La Rana" Arzate Garcia and his brother, 52-year-old Alfonso "Aquiles" Arzate Garcia. The indictment charges the two men with various counts of narco-terrorism, providing support to terrorism, and various drug-related charges. As part of the announcement, authorities announced a $5 million reward for information leading to the capture and conviction of each brother. Federal authorities describe La Rana as the Sinaloa Cartel Plaza Boss or regional leader in the Tijuana, Baja California area, with his brother as his right-hand man. The two men are described as extremely violent and are reportedly responsible for numerous kidnappings and murders in the region. Federal authorities point to the Tijuana cell of the Sinaloa Cartel as being responsible for moving multi-ton quantities of various drugs, including fentanyl and meth, as well as other drugs such as cocaine and marijuana. Rene Arzate is also linked to a large-scale extortion operation in Tijuana on behalf of the Sinaloa Cartel.

CBS News [3/1/2026 6:51 AM, Brian Dakss, 39474K] reports gunfire rang out at a bar in Austin, Texas early Sunday and at least three people were killed, the city’s police chief said. Lisa Davis told reporters the shooter was killed by officers at the scene. Fourteen others were hospitalized and three were in critical condition, Austin-Travis County EMS Chief Robert Luckritz said. He said paramedics got the call at 1:59 a.m. and first responders were on-scene in less than a minute. There was no initial word on the shooter’s identity or motive. Davis noted how fortunate it was that there was a heavy police presence in Austin’s entertainment district at the time, enabling officers to respond quickly as bars were closing. "Officers immediately transitioned ... and were faced with the individual with a gun," Davis said. "Three of our officers returned fire, killing the suspect." She called the shooting a "tragic, tragic" incident. Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said his heart goes out to the victims, and he praised the swift response of first responders. "They definitely saved lives," he said. Davis said federal law enforcement is aiding the investigation.

Reported similarly:
New York Post [3/1/2026 5:53 AM, Nicholas McEntyre, 40934K]
Axios [3/1/2028 6:48 AM, Nicole Cobler, 12972K

CBS News [2/28/2026 4:19 PM, Stephen Smith, 51110K] reports the body of the notorious cartel leader known as "El Mencho," who was killed in a military operation last week, was returned to his family, Mexico’s attorney general’s office said on Saturday. Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, who had a $15 million U.S. bounty on his head, was wounded by Mexican security forces in Jalisco and died while being flown to Mexico City, officials said. The death of "El Mencho" — who led the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel — sparked a wave of violence by the cartel across a large swath of Mexico, killing dozens of people, including 25 members of Mexico’s National Guard. In a statement released Saturday, Mexico’s attorney general’s office said it performed genetic tests to match the cartel leader’s remains to the family who requested the body. The office did not indicate where the handover took place or identify the relatives who took the body.

Washington Post [2/28/2026 8:25 PM, Tara Copp, Ellen Nakashima, Alex Horton and Lior Soroka, 24826K] reports the United States and Israel launched strikes across Iran in a bold daytime attack Saturday that struck hundreds of missile and air defense sites and eliminated layers of leadership in the Iranian regime, most significant among them the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. “Khamenei, one of the most evil people in History, is dead,” President Donald Trump posted to Truth Social. “This is not only Justice for the people of Iran, but for all Great Americans.” “This is the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their country,” Trump added. Trump’s announcement capped a day of still ongoing U.S. and Israeli strikes that began at roughly 1:15 a.m. Eastern, when U.S. warships fired Tomahawk cruise missiles and U.S. Navy and Air Force jets fired air-launched missiles at scores of Iranian sites. The two allies had built an extensive target list; sites struck ranged from surface missile locations to Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command and control buildings. Israel Defense Forces said that the operation involved more than 200 Israeli jets, which dropped hundreds of munitions against more than 500 targets. The Pentagon has so far disclosed very little about the operation — called Epic Fury — and the U.S. military did not provide specifics on how many of its own jets were used or how many targets they struck. In response, Iran launched broad retaliatory strikes that targeted not only Israel but U.S. military sites in Bahrain and other locations in Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates using missiles and one-way, explosive-laden attack drones known as Shaheds, according to videos posted online and verified by Washington Post. One key air base in Kuwait, Ali al-Salem, was attacked with missiles that were intercepted, Kuwaiti officials and analysts said. An air base in Erbil, Iraq, where U.S. troops are housed and conduct operations, also appeared to be attacked by drones and missiles, according to analysts from the American Enterprise Institute’s Critical Threats Project and the Institute for the Study of War. U.S. Central Command said no U.S. service members had been injured or killed, and no U.S. warship had been hit in Iran’s retaliatory strikes. The U.S. also used for the first time its own one-way attack drone against Iranian targets. The drones — known as the Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System, or LUCAS — are modeled after Iran’s Shahed fleet. U.S. military officials said they were looking into at least one strike that may have killed civilians. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said dozens of children were killed in an Israeli strike on a girls’ school in the Iranian city of Minab. Central Command spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins said the matter was being examined. The Israel Defense Forces said in a statement that it “eliminated” seven Iranian senior officials, including the secretary of the Iranian Security Council, the commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps and the defense minister of Iran. For weeks, Trump has threatened military strikes to get Iran to cease any further development of its nuclear weapons program, and today’s strike followed an hours-long bombing campaign in June, in which B-2 stealth bombers and other assets hit Iran’s nuclear weapons facilities at the Fordow Uranium Enrichment Plant, the Natanz Nuclear Facility and the Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center. At the time, Trump said Iran’s capability had been “obliterated”; U.S. intelligence showed that the program had been deeply damaged, but could reconstitute.

CBS News [2/28/2026 8:12 PM, Margaret Brennan, Elizabeth Palmer, and James LaPorta, 51110K] reports Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed after a massive U.S. and Israeli military operation Saturday, President Trump said, joining multiple Israeli official sources and a senior U.S. intelligence official who had confirmed the news to CBS News. "Khamenei, one of the most evil people in History, is dead," Mr. Trump posted on social media. He added that the U.S. government is "hearing that many of their IRGC, Military, and other Security and Police Forces, no longer want to fight, and are looking for Immunity from us." Mr. Trump continued that the "heavy and pinpoint bombing, however, will continue, uninterrupted throughout the week or, as long as necessary to achieve our objective of PEACE THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST AND, INDEED, THE WORLD!" [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

AP [2/28/2026 8:45 PM, Edith M. Lederer and Farnoush Amiri, 31753K] reports the United States and Israel clashed with Iran at an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council on Saturday where the U.N. chief and many countries urged a halt to their attacks and a return to negotiations to prevent the conflict from spreading further into the region and beyond. Secretary-General António Guterres told the council that everything must be done to prevent an escalation. “The alternative,” he warned, “is a potential wider conflict with grave consequences for civilians and regional stability.” Guterres said the U.S. and Israeli airstrikes violated international law, including the U.N. Charter. He also condemned Iran’s retaliatory attacks for violating the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, insisted the U.S. military action was lawful. “Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” he told the council. “That principle is not a matter of politics. It’s a matter of global security. And to that end, the United States is taking lawful actions.” Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon defended the airstrikes as necessary to stop an existential threat. “We are stopping extremism before it becomes unstoppable,” he said. “We will ensure that no radical regime armed with nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles can threaten our people or the entire world.” Amir Saeid Iravani, Iran’s ambassador to the U.N., told the council that the airstrikes have killed and injured hundreds of Iranian civilians, which he called a war crime and a crime against humanity. He blasted the U.N. and the Security Council, its most powerful body, for not heeding Tehran’s warnings about the “warmongering statements” by the U.S. in recent weeks and urged the council to act now.

Reuters [2/28/2026 10:51 PM, Staff, 38315K] reports Israel’s military said on Sunday it launched a broad wave of strikes in the heart of Tehran after its air force carried out a large-scale operation that killed Iran’s supreme leader, raising fears of widespread instability in the Middle East. Over the past day Israel’s air force conducted strikes to open the "path to Tehran", it added. Hours after the U.S. and Israel said an air strike killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the military campaign to overthrow the government of the Islamic Republic, Iran’s state media confirmed the 86-year-old leader had died. Under Iran’s constitution, the Supreme Leader is appointed by the Assembly of Experts, an 88-member clerical body that supervises and in theory can sack that figure. The Supreme Leader holds ultimate power in Iran, acting as commander-in-chief of the armed forces and deciding on the direction of foreign policy, defined largely by confrontation with the United States and Israel. An adviser to Khamenei, Iran’s top security official Ali Larijani said a temporary leadership council would be set up based on the constitution until the next leader is chosen. Two U.S. sources and a U.S. official familiar with the matter said Israel and the U.S. timed their attack on Saturday to coincide with a meeting Khamenei was holding with top aides. Insiders in Iran said the ruling establishment would immediately seek to name a successor to Khamenei to signal stability and continuity. In another blow for Iran’s leadership, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Abdolrahim Mousavi was killed in the strikes, broadcaster Iran TV said. After Iran retaliated with airstrikes around the Gulf, Anwar Gargash, adviser to the president of U.S. ally and oil power the United Arab Emirates, urged Tehran to "go back to your senses", saying the war is not with Iran’s Gulf Arab neighbours. The UAE has so far borne the heaviest brunt of Iran’s retaliation. President Donald Trump warned on Sunday that the U.S. would hit Iran "with a force that has never been seen before" if it strikes back after the attacks on it. "Iran just stated that they are going to hit very hard today, harder than they have ever been hit before," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. He added, "THEY BETTER NOT DO THAT, HOWEVER, BECAUSE IF THEY DO, WE WILL HIT THEM WITH A FORCE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE!". In remarks directed at Trump and his ally Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said "we will strike you with such terrifying blows that you yourselves will be driven to beg". "I say to Trump and Netanyahu and their agents and proxies, I repeat, I say to these two filthy criminals and to all their agents: you have crossed our red line, and you must pay the price for it.”

New York Post [3/1/2026 3:55 AM, Nicholas McEntyre, 40934K] reports US intelligence officials had tracked Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei for months, learning and understanding his movement until he met with top regime officials inside his fortified compound during the deadly strikes Saturday. The CIA had familiarized itself with the patterns of the 86-year-old tyrant before obtaining new intelligence of the fateful meeting in the center of Tehran, New York Times reported on Sunday, citing anonymous sources. Upon learning of the critical gathering, American and Israeli military officials moved the attack, dubbed "Operation Epic Fury," from the cover of darkness to the surprise daylight strikes that wiped out Khamenei and roughly 40 senior Iranian officials, including the Minister of Defense, Head of Intelligence, and the Supreme Leader’s Advisor for Security Affairs and Secretary of the Defense Council. Two of the military leaders killed were Rear Adm. Shamkhani and Maj. Gen. Pakpour, the outlet reported, citing Iranian-state media IRNA. Abdolrahim Mousavi, Iran’s Armed Forces Chief of Staff Abdolrahim Mousavi, the country’s highest ranking military official, was among the regime’s leaders who were killed in the US-Israeli airstrikes, state television said Sunday. The successful attacks, described as a "tactical surprise," were planned out by Israeli officials for months. Fighter jets launched out of Israel Saturday morning and arrived in Tehran just before 10 a.m., where they struck the fortified government compound where the officials were gathered. The senior officials and Khamenei were in two separate buildings of the compound obliterated by the strikes. President Trump confirmed Khamenei’s death on Saturday, calling him "one of the most evil people in history. "This is not only Justice for the people of Iran, but for all Great Americans, and those people from many Countries throughout the World, that have been killed or mutilated by Khamenei and his gang of bloodthirsty THUGS," Trump wrote on his Truth Social Saturday.

Washington Examiner [2/28/2026 9:37 PM, Zach LaChance, 1147K] reports U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz defended the U.S.’s strikes on Iran’s ballistic missile and nuclear programs at an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council on Saturday. "Iran’s continued pursuit of advanced missile capabilities, coupled with its refusal to abandon nuclear ambitions despite diplomatic opportunities, presents a grave and mounting danger," Waltz told the council. "Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. That principle is not a matter of politics; it is a matter of global security. And to that end, the United States is taking lawful actions.” The rationale was echoed by Israel, which launched strikes of their own against Iranian leadership including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed. "We are stopping extremism before it becomes unstoppable," Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon said at the meeting. "We will ensure that no radical regime armed with nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles can threaten our people or the entire world.” U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres and other countries on the security council, however, sharply disagreed. Guterres said both countries violated international law, while also condemning Iran’s retaliatory attacks on nations across the Middle East. He urged the U.S. and Iran to return to the negotiating table, warning of a "wider conflict with grave consequences for civilians and regional stability" if strikes continue. The United Kingdom, France, Russia, and China similarly called for a resumption of the nuclear talks that yielded little progress after three rounds over the past month. Waltz poured cold water on a return to diplomacy, saying it "cannot succeed where there is no genuine willingness to cease aggression, where there is no genuine partner for peace.” Iran was also present at the meeting, with its ambassador, Amir Saeid Iravani, suggesting the U.S. and Israel are using force to "determine the political future" of Iran. Iravani would later spar directly with Waltz, telling him to "be polite," saying it "would be better for yourself and the country you represent.” Waltz then fired back, "Frankly, I am not going to dignify this with another response, especially as this representative sits here in this body representing a regime that has killed tens of thousands of its own people and imprisoned many more simply for wanting freedom from your tyranny.” Waltz’s defense mirrors Trump’s own after the attacks on Iran began. Early Saturday, Trump justified the strikes as preventing a "very wicked, radical dictatorship from threatening America and our core national security interests." He also said regime change was one of the mission’s goals.

New York Post [2/28/2026 2:24 PM, Katherine Donlevy, 40934K] reports President Trump and Vice President Vance orchestrated Saturday’s monumental strikes on Iran hundreds of miles apart from one another, according to a report. The president and his national security team gave orders for the attack from Mar-a-Lago. He is spending the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Dan Caine, was also with the president, a source told the Associated Press. Vance was dialed into a conference line with Trump from the Situation Room at the White House, where he was joined by US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, as well as the Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, another insider said. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Saturday that Trump was monitoring the situation in the Middle East from Mar-a-Lago and had spoken to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by phone. "The President and his national security team will continue to closely monitor the situation throughout the day," she wrote in a post on X.

AP [2/28/2026 8:43 PM, Aamer Madhani, Josh Boak, 3833K] reports that, with Saturday’s military operation against Iran, President Donald Trump demonstrated a dramatic evolution in risk tolerance, adjusting in just a matter of months how far he was willing to go in using American military might to confront Tehran’s clerical rule. Guardrails were tossed aside, as Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered up a battle plan that included targeted strikes on Iran’s leadership, including the 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei whose death Trump triumphantly announced in a social media post hours after launching the military operation. For Trump, it was a far cry from where he stood just eight months ago. At Israel’s urging during its 12-day war with Iran last June, he agreed to deploy B-2 bombers to pummel three key Iranian nuclear sites — but drew a bright red line when Israelis presented his administration with a plan for killing Khamenei. The president peppered the supreme leader with thinly veiled threats back in June that he could have killed him if he wanted to. But he rejected the Israeli plan out of concern that it would destabilize the region. That caution was set aside on Saturday with Trump announcing Khamenei had been killed, while the Israeli military announced it had taken out Iran’s defense minister and the commander of its Revolutionary Guard. Iranian state media early Sunday reported the 86-year-old Supreme Leader’s death, without elaborating on a cause. Khamenei “was unable to avoid our Intelligence and Highly Sophisticated Tracking Systems and, working closely with Israel, there was not a thing he, or the other leaders that have been killed along with him, could do,” Trump said. “This is the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their Country.” Trump had pursued talks with Iran for months. Administration officials told reporters that they offered Iran many ways to have a peaceful nuclear program that could be used for civilian purposes, including an offer of free nuclear fuel in perpetuity. But the officials, who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said it was clear to them that Iran wanted enriched uranium for a nuclear weapon. One of them said that Iran has met their offers with “games, tricks, stall tactics.” The order to launch strikes came just two days after Trump dispatched his special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, for another round of talks with Iranian officials. Middle East and European allies were urging the U.S. administration to give negotiations more time as Trump signaled he was running out of patience. “The consequences are likely to be as far-reaching as they are uncertain: Within the system that has held power for nearly five decades, between the government and a dissatisfied populace, and between Iran and its adversaries,” said Ali Vaez, Iran project director at the International Crisis Group. “And although the regime is weakened, a sense that this showdown is an all-or-nothing struggle for its very survival could lead it to respond with every tool still at its disposal.”

Washington Post [2/28/2026 7:31 PM, Michael Birnbaum, John Hudson, Karen DeYoung, Natalie Allison and Souad Mekhennet, 24826K] reports President Donald Trump launched Saturday’s wide-ranging attack on Iran after a weeks-long lobbying effort by an unusual pair of U.S. allies in the Middle East — Israel and Saudi Arabia — according to four people familiar with the matter, as Israeli and U.S. forces teamed to topple Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei after nearly four decades in power. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman made multiple private phone calls to Trump over the past month advocating a U.S. attack, despite his public support for a diplomatic solution, the four people said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, meanwhile, continued his long-running public campaign for U.S. strikes against what he views as an existential enemy of his country. The combined effort helped lead Trump to order a massive aerial campaign against Iran’s leadership and military, which in its initial hour led to the death of Khamenei and several other senior Iranian officials. The attack came despite U.S. intelligence assessments that Iran’s forces were unlikely to pose an immediate threat to the U.S. mainland within the next decade. Saturday’s attack on Iran was a break from decades of U.S. decision-making to hold back from a full-scale effort to depose the regime of a country of more than 90 million people. It also marked a stark shift from Trump’s own previous military forays, which until now have been far narrower in scope. Now Trump will bear the risk of the bet he has placed: that a major military operation conducted from the air can achieve political goals on the ground. “No president was willing to do what I am willing to do tonight,” Trump told Iranians in a video address posted as U.S. bombs rained down on targets across Iran. “Now you have a president who is giving you what you want, so let’s see how you respond.” The Saudi push for an attack came as presidential envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner pursued negotiations with Iranian leaders over the country’s nuclear and missile programs. As those talks proceeded, Riyadh issued a statement, following a phone call between the crown prince and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, that Muhammed would not allow Saudi airspace or territory to be used in an attack on Iran. In his discussions with U.S. officials, however, the Saudi leader warned that Iran would come away stronger and more dangerous if the United States did not strike now, after amassing the largest military presence in the Middle East since the 2003 invasion of Iraq, said the people, who, like others, spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive situation. Mohammed’s position was reinforced by his brother, Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman, who held closed-door meetings with U.S. officials in Washington in January and warned about the downsides of not attacking, the people said. The Saudi leader’s complicated position probably reflected his desire to avoid Iranian retaliation against his country’s vulnerable oil infrastructure, weighed against his view of Tehran as Riyadh’s ultimate foe in the region, said those familiar with his thinking. Iran, dominated by Shiite Muslims, and Saudi Arabia, led by Sunnis, have long had an intense rivalry that has generated proxy wars in the region. Following the initial U.S. attack on Saturday, Iran did retaliate against Saudi Arabia. Riyadh issued a furious statement condemning the attack and calling on the international community to “take all necessary and decisive measures” to confront Iran. The Saudi Embassy did not respond to a request for comment.

Telemundo [2/28/2026 9:43 PM, Brian Melley, 2524K] reports the United States and Israel attacked Iran on Saturday in a massive operation that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a targeted strike against military capabilities aimed at eliminating the threat of Tehran developing a nuclear weapon. Khamenei’s death was confirmed by Iran’s state news agency, Mehr, hours after US President Donald Trump announced it on social media. Earlier, two Israeli officials had also told The Associated Press news agency that the Iranian leader had been killed. In counterattacks, Iran fired drones and missiles at Israel and launched attacks on US military facilities in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar. The exchanges of fire continued into the night. Iranian state media, citing the Red Crescent, reported on Saturday night that at least 201 people were killed and more than 700 wounded. Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s National Security Council, said Israel and the US would "regret their actions." The attacks came two days after the latest talks between the United States and Iran, as Trump pressed Tehran to reach an agreement limiting its nuclear program, thereby increasing his fleet of warships in the region. The Iranian theocracy has also grappled with growing dissent following nationwide protests that began over the economy but turned into anti-government demonstrations. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

NewsMax [2/28/2026 8:25 PM, Staff, 3760K] reports a tense exchange unfolded Saturday at the U.N. Security Council as American and Iranian diplomats confronted each other hours after U.S. and Israeli forces carried out coordinated strikes on Iranian military and leadership targets. Iran’s ambassador to the U.N., Amir Saeid Iravani, cautioned the U.S. delegation in the emergency session. "I advise to the representative of the United States to be polite," he said, adding that "it would be better for yourself and the country you represent.” U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz responded bluntly. "Frankly, I am not going to dignify this with another response," he said, criticizing Tehran’s leadership as a regime that has "killed tens of thousands of its own people and imprisoned many more simply for wanting freedom from your tyranny.” The emergency meeting was convened after French President Emmanuel Macron called for urgent consultations after news broke of the U.S.-Israeli operation. He warned of "grave consequences for international peace and security" if the confrontation escalates. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also urged restraint. "The alternative is a potential wider conflict with grave consequences for civilians and regional stability," he said while arguing the strikes violated international law, including the U.N. Charter. Waltz rejected that characterization, saying the U.S. is "taking lawful actions" and reiterating that Iran "cannot have a nuclear weapon.” Iravani accused the U.S. and Israel of committing a war crime and said civilians were killed in the strikes. Earlier Saturday, President Donald Trump announced that Ali Khamenei, Iran’s leader for decades, was killed in the opening phase of the operation. Khamenei’s death was confirmed later in the day by Iranian state media. Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon defended the campaign, telling the council that "we are stopping extremism before it becomes unstoppable" and vowing that no "radical regime armed with nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles" would be allowed to threaten Israel or the broader international community. The European Commission said it will convene a special security session Monday to assess the fallout as diplomatic and military tensions continue to rise.

Bloomberg [3/1/2026 4:57 AM, Rakteem Katakey and Alex Longley, 18082K] reports a small oil tanker, which appears to be sanctioned by the US for helping Iran export fuels, was targeted off Oman’s northern coast, the first maritime attack since war broke out in the Middle East over the weekend. Oman’s Maritime Security said the Skylight tanker was targeted north of Khasab port, according to a post on X. There are two vessels with the name Skylight, but only one appears off the coast of Oman. That ship was sanctioned by the US last last year for being an “enabler of Iranian petroleum exports.” The vessel’s 20-person crew were evacuated and four people were injured, Oman said. It was unclear who targeted the Skylight off the Omani coast. The US Central Command didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. The reported hit on what could be a dark fleet vessel comes as ships have been largely avoiding the Strait of Hormuz that lies between Iran and Oman’s northern coast since the war in the Middle East started over the weekend. Multiple ships reported on Saturday hearing radio broadcasts purporting to come from the Iranian navy announcing that transit through the waterway was banned. Tehran has threatened American vessels, but has not made a formal announcement around the status of the waterway or announced its closure. While traffic has dropped off sharply, there are still vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

New York Post [2/28/2026 4:13 PM, Geoff Earle, 40934K] reports Iran may use proxies to carry out terror attacks in the wake of the punishing US and Israeli attacks on the Islamic Republic — but their capabilities have been greatly diminished over the past few years, security experts told The Post. Lebanon-based Hezbollah is the prime candidate to carry out so-called "asymmetric" retaliatory attacks for Iran, but the group has been on the run since Israel unleashed attacks on its leaders after the Oct. 7th, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. In November, Israel took out Hezbollah’s acting chief of staff, Ali Tabtabai. In 2024, it killed longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah by bombing his headquarters. On February 21, Israel said it took out Hezbollah command centers. The Lebanese government said 10 people were killed. "They’re greatly degraded," said Joel Rayburn, a DC-based military expert at the Hudson Institute. "Is Hezbollah really going to attack Israel again? It’s suicidal," he continued. Hezbollah condemned the strikes against Iran Saturday but stopped short of calling for attacks on Israel. "We’re certain that the American-Israeli enemy will be dealt a major blow, and reap nothing but failure from its criminal, tyrannical aggression," it said. Lebanon’s president, Joseph Aoun, said the Israelis delivered a message through the US ambassador, Michel Issa, saying Israel wouldn’t attack if it didn’t encounter hostilities from the Lebanese side. Yemen-based Houthi forces, who announced Saturday they would resume attacks on Israel and shipping routes, are "too far away to do any damage," Rayburn said.

FOX News [2/28/2026 4:39 PM, Staff, 37576K] reports Fox News chief national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin reports that the U.S. air base in Saudi Arabia is under attack amid retaliation after air strikes on Iran. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

FOX News [2/28/2026 2:04 PM, Staff, 37576K] reports chief national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin discusses the ongoing missile strikes between the U.S., Israel and Iran. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Reuters [2/28/2026 3:40 PM, Staff, 38315K] reports Russia said ⁠at ⁠recent talks in ⁠Geneva it would accept the U.S. proposal for Ukraine’s post-war security guarantees, Ukrainian President Volodymyr ‌Zelenskiy’s chief of staff ‌said on Saturday. "At the last talks, the ⁠Russian ⁠side said for example that they would accept ​the security guarantees offered to Ukraine by the United States," said top aide Kyrylo Budanov in an ​interview aired on Ukrainian television. U.S. President Donald Trump is ⁠urging ⁠Moscow and Kyiv to ⁠strike ​an agreement to end Europe’s biggest war since 1945, ​though Zelenskiy ⁠has complained that his country is facing more pressure to make concessions. Ukraine is seeking iron-clad security guarantees which commit the U.S. and its ⁠European allies to action if Russia attacks again after a ⁠peace deal is reached. The last round of peace talks, which took place in Geneva last week, did not achieve a breakthrough and was described as difficult by Kyiv and Moscow, although Washington said it saw "meaningful progress." Budanov also said that at present, Russia had ⁠not agreed to a summit between Zelenskiy and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which had been floated earlier as a possibility by U.S. ​special envoy Steve Witkoff.

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