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.

ABC News [3/1/2026 11:19 PM, Luke Barr, 34146K] reports the Department of Homeland Security has warned of potential lone-wolf and cyberattacks amid the ongoing strikes in Iran, according to a law enforcement bulletin obtained by ABC News. "Although a large-scale physical attack is unlikely, Iran and its proxies probably pose a persistent threat of targeted attacks in the Homeland, and will almost certainly escalate retaliatory actions—or calls to action—if reports of the Ayatollah’s death are confirmed," according to the bulletin. "In the short-term, we are most concerned that Iran-aligned hacktivists will conduct low-level cyber attacks against US networks, such as website defacements and distributed denial-of-service attacks,” officials said in the bulletin. The alert was issued on Saturday, a day before a gunman opened fire in Austin, Texas, and authorities are investigating whether or not the suspect was inspired by the situation overseas. Law enforcement sources told ABC News the suspect was wearing a sweatshirt with “Property of Allah” on it and underneath, a shirt with “Iran” and the Iranian flag on it. Officials are also investigating whether the suspect had mental health issues. The bulletin said physical attacks are rare for those inspired by Iran. "Lone offenders in the Homeland have not historically been motivated by issues related to Iran, the IRGC, or Shia violent extremism; however, the existential threat to the Iranian regime and increased US or Israeli actions could prompt some US-based violent extremists or hate crime perpetrators to attack targets perceived to be Jewish, pro-Israel, or linked to the US government or military," officials said in the bulletin. Derek Mayer, the former assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Secret Service’s Chicago field office, said law enforcement is always on alert for a lone offender. "I think law enforcement authorities are concerned about attacks happening every day. And obviously, yesterday with the bombings taking place in Iran, the attacks could come even at a higher rate, but it’s your schools, it’s your churches, it’s at your airports,” Mayer, now the chief security officer and vice president of executive protection at P4, said. "The current threat environment in the United States and across the world is, it’s very dangerous right now, but it’s also to say the last quarter of a century, since the September 11th attacks of 2001, the landscape across the United States and also across the world has been very dangerous."

FOX News [3/1/2026 1:06 PM, Amanda Macias, 37576K] reports American counterterrorism agencies are quietly monitoring suspected sleeper cells on U.S. soil in the wake of joint U.S.–Israel strikes on Iran, stepping up surveillance amid heightened fears of possible retaliation from Iran-linked operatives or sympathizers. Federal and local law enforcement have also boosted on-the-ground security in major U.S. cities as part of a precautionary posture, even though no specific, credible threats have been publicly identified. The move comes on the heels of a Saturday morning operation, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, that resulted in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several senior Iranian officials in a coordinated U.S.–Israeli military campaign. Security experts warn that the fallout could extend beyond the Middle East. "If ever there’s going to be a Hezbollah cell or a Hamas cell act in the United States in a violent way, it’s now," Chris Swecker, a former assistant FBI director, told Fox News. "Both organizations are Iranian-backed all the way. Both organizations have had a presence in the United States since the 1980s," he added. Swecker said U.S. authorities have long been aware of domestic networks and sympathizers. "We know that they have cells here. We also know that there are lone sympathizers, many of whom have come out in these protest groups," he added. He also warned that border security vulnerabilities may have compounded the risk. "We just come off four years of open borders, and I have said before that that was an open door for terrorists to terrorist cells and terror sympathizers to infiltrate. Many were already here, but it’s impossible that they would not infiltrate into these particular groups and sort of act as catalysts, as enablers.". Jason Pack, a retired FBI supervisory special agent and Fox News contributor, said heightened monitoring is routine when U.S. military operations intersect with adversaries that have historically responded through indirect or unconventional means. "The intelligence and counterterrorism communities work on this kind of scenario continuously, long before any conflict begins," Pack said. "When the United States commits to a joint military campaign with Israel, the domestic threat environment doesn’t simply remain static. It could shift, potentially significantly.". Meanwhile, 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 heightened alert comes as parts of the Department of Homeland Security face a partial shutdown, raising additional questions about resources and operational strain at a time when federal agencies are on elevated watch.

Reported similarly:
New York Post [3/1/2026 5:50 PM, Chris Nesi, 40934K]

Axios [3/1/2026 7:03 PM, Rebecca Falconer, 17364K] reports U.S. counterterrorism and intelligence teams are on high alert and law enforcement in major cities has bolstered security in the wake of this weekend’s strikes on Iran. FBI director Kash Patel instructed federal counterterrorism and intelligence to "mobilize all assisting security assets needed" after placing them on high alert Saturday, per a post to X, while law enforcement in D.C., New York City and Los Angeles are among those to take additional steps. The announcements come amid reports that a gunman in an early Sunday mass shooting that the FBI is investigating in Austin, Texas, wore a shirt with an Iranian flag design.

Daily Wire [3/1/2026 7:57 AM, Drew Berkemeyer, 2314K] reports the Department of Homeland Security is marking its 23rd anniversary Sunday, celebrating more than two decades since its creation in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, even as the agency finds itself in the crosshairs of Democrats amid a partial government shutdown. Formed in November 2002 and formally commencing operations on March 1, 2003, DHS was established to unify the nation’s domestic security apparatus under one umbrella. Today, it oversees border security, immigration enforcement, cybersecurity, disaster response, counterterrorism operations, and maritime interdiction. "As the threat landscape continues to evolve, DHS is there. By air, land, sea, or in cyberspace, the DHS workforce boldly confronts the threats our nation faces every day," Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement marking the anniversary. "We are working diligently to prevent cybersecurity and terror threats, safeguard the southern border, reform our broken immigration system, and help Americans in the face of natural disasters. Our mission could not be achieved without your extraordinary courage and commitment. I am especially grateful to those of you who are serving during the current shutdown without a paycheck.". With conflict recently erupting in Iran, Noem also emphasized vigilance at home, writing on X that 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 anniversary comes at a politically charged moment. DHS has announced it must take steps to preserve limited funds and personnel during the shutdown, even as it continues core national security functions. Under President Donald Trump and Secretary Noem, department officials point to a slate of enforcement and security actions over the past year as evidence that DHS is fulfilling its founding mission. According to a statement from the department obtained by The Daily Wire, Border Patrol has recorded nine consecutive months of zero migrant releases at the southern border, ending what officials describe as the Biden administration’s "catch and release" policy. DHS also reports that total border apprehensions during Trump’s first year back in office were lower than a single average month under the previous administration. Over the last 13 months, nearly 3 million illegal aliens have left the United States amid the administration’s immigration crackdown, including an estimated 2.2 million self-deportations and more than 713,000 deportations, according to DHS. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the department says, arrested 1,538 known or suspected terrorists and removed 1,534, along with thousands of gang members tied to groups such as Tren de Aragua and MS-13.

The New York Times [3/2/2026 3:17 AM, Pooja Salhotra, Sonia A. Rao, Chelsia Rose Marcius and Ramón Ramirez, 330K] reports a shooting that killed two people and injured 14 others at a downtown Austin bar popular with University of Texas students rocked the Texas capital early Sunday morning and is being investigated by the F.B.I. as a potential act of terrorism. Gunfire broke out shortly before 2 a.m. on Sunday after a gunman who was driving a large S.U.V. passed in front of the bar, Buford’s, and opened fire from his vehicle. The bullets struck patrons outside of the bar and on its patio, local officials said at a Sunday news conference. The shooter then drove to a nearby street, parked and left his car, and began shooting at passers-by with a rifle, the authorities said. He walked toward an intersection, where he was shot and killed by the police. The Austin Police Department identified the suspected shooter Sunday evening as Ndiaga Diagne, a 53-year-old man. Mr. Diagne was a naturalized American citizen from Senegal, according to a law enforcement official with knowledge of the investigation, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly. Public records indicate that Mr. Diagne previously resided in New York City. He lived about 30 miles north of Austin at the time of the shooting, records show. When he carried out his attack, Mr. Diagne wore a sweatshirt emblazoned with the words “Property of Allah,” and a Quran was recovered from his vehicle, the official said. Alex Doran, acting special agent in charge at the F.B.I.’s San Antonio field office, which is assisting with the investigation, said it was too early to determine an exact motive, but certain “indicators on the subject and in his vehicle” pointed to a “potential nexus to terrorism.” The F.B.I.’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is involved in the investigation, he said. Heightened tensions and security concerns have emerged across the country after attacks on Iran by the United States and Israel, and subsequent retaliation by Iran, over the weekend. Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas issued a warning in a statement on Sunday: “To anyone who thinks about using the current conflict in the Middle East to threaten Texans or our critical infrastructure, understand this clearly: Texas will respond with decisive and overwhelming force to protect our state.” The governor also said that he had directed the Texas Military Department on Saturday to activate patrols to protect infrastructure, including energy facilities and ports. Following the shooting, he said, he directed the Department of Public Safety to increase patrols in downtown Austin. “This act of violence will not define us, nor will it shake the resolve of Texans,” he said. The AP [3/1/2026 8:53 PM, Jack Myer, 35287K] reports that the suspect drove past the bar several times before stopping and shooting from the window of his SUV at people on a patio and in front of the bar, according to Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis. He then parked, got out with a rifle and began shooting at people walking along the street before officers rushed to the intersection and shot him, Davis said. Three of the injured were in critical condition Sunday morning, she said. The gunman was identified as 53-year-old Ndiaga Diagne, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement. Authorities haven’t provided a clear motive for the attacks but found “indicators” on the gunman and in his vehicle leading them to look into the possibility of terrorism, said Alex Doran, the acting agent in charge of the FBI’s San Antonio office. “It’s still too early to make a determination on that,” Doran said Sunday morning. Diagne first entered the U.S in 2000 on a B-2 tourist visa and became a lawful permanent resident six years later after marrying a U.S. citizen, according to DHS. He became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2013, the department said. Diagne was originally from Senegal, according to multiple people briefed on the investigation who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the investigation. The Washington Post [3/1/2026 5:50 PM, Jeremy Roebuck and Molly Hennessy-Fiske, 24826K] reports Diagne was a naturalized U.S. citizen from Senegal with a history of past encounters with state authorities for mental health episodes, the people familiar with the matter said, though the exact nature of those incidents was not immediately clear. The FBI activated the Joint Terrorism Task Force to assist with the investigation and said agents are treating the incident as a potential act of terrorism. “Obviously, it’s still way too early in the process to determine the exact motivation,” Alex Doran, acting head of the FBI’s San Antonio field office, told reporters Sunday. “But there were indicators on the subject and in his vehicle that indicate a potential nexus to terrorism.” Security concerns have emerged throughout the country since the U.S. and Israel launched coordinated strikes against Iran on Saturday, and several local law enforcement agencies have reported that authorities are on heightened alert over possible retaliation. Authorities do not believe Diagne was working directly in coordination with any groups connected or sympathetic to the Iranian regime, the people familiar with the investigation of the Austin shooting said. They cautioned, however, that the probe remains in an early stage and information could change. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump had been briefed on the shooting. “This is a really tough, tough time for the city of Austin,” Lisa Davis, the city’s police chief, said at a news conference early Sunday. She credited officers and emergency responders, who regularly patrol the area during popular weekend hours, for their swift response to the scene.

Reported similarly:
Breitbart [3/1/2026 9:07 AM, Randy Clark, 2238K]
ABC News [3/1/2026 10:03 PM, Staff, 34146K] Video: HERE
FOX News [3/1/2026 2:25 PM, Michael Dorgan, et al., 37576K]
FOX News [3/1/2026 6:20 PM, Staff, 37576K]
USA Today [3/1/2026 7:09PM, James Powel, 70643K]
NewsNation [3/1/2026 2:58 PM, Julianna Russ, Chelsea Moreno and Addy Bink, 4464K] Video: HERE
Washington Examiner [3/1/2026 11:20 AM, Claire Carter, 1147K]

Bloomberg [3/1/2026 2:43 PM, Myles Miller, 18082K] reports federal authorities are investigating whether a mass shooting outside a bar in Austin early Sunday was a reaction to the US-Israeli strikes on Iran, people familiar with the investigation said. Federal authorities are investigating whether a mass shooting outside a bar in Austin early Sunday was a reaction to the US-Israeli strikes on Iran, people familiar with the investigation said. Three people were killed and 14 others wounded shortly before 2 a.m. when a gunman opened fire in the city’s downtown entertainment district. Police officers shot and killed the suspect after confronting him near the scene, officials said. Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said the attack began at 1:58 a.m. when a large sport-utility vehicle circled the block several times near Buford’s bar. The driver rolled down his window and fired a pistol at patrons gathered outside on the patio and sidewalk. The suspect then drove west, parked, exited the vehicle with a rifle and continued shooting at people walking nearby, Davis said. Officers, already staged in the area as part of routine weekend staffing, responded within roughly 55 seconds and encountered him at an intersection, where they shot him. The people familiar with the investigation said a Quran was recovered from the vehicle and that he was wearing a hooded sweatshirt bearing the words “Property of Allah.” Seventeen people were treated, according to Austin-Travis County EMS Chief Rob Luceritz. Three were pronounced dead at the scene and 14 were transported to hospitals, including three in critical condition. Medics began treating patients within 57 seconds of the first call, he said. The Daily Caller [3/1/2026 1:40 PM, Mark Tanos, 803K] reports that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is now probing whether the rampage constituted an act of terrorism. Acting Special Agent in Charge Alex Doran said his office found troubling evidence tied to the suspect and his vehicle, KVUE reported. The bureau deployed evidence response and digital forensics units to work the scene. "Obviously it’s still way too early in the process to determine an exact motivation," Doran said. "But there were indicators that on the subject and in his vehicle that indicate potential nexus to terrorism." The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told the Daily Caller the gunman was identified as Ndiaga Diagne, who "entered the U.S on March 13, 2000, on a B-2 tourist visa. In June 2006, he adjusted to lawful permanent resident (IR-6) based on marriage to a U.S. citizen. He naturalized as a U.S. citizen on April 5, 2013 under the Obama administration. In 2022, he was arrested in Texas for a collision with vehicle damage.". The attack started shortly before 2 a.m. at Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden on West Sixth Street. Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said Diagne drove a large SUV around the block repeatedly, activated his flashers and opened fire with a pistol toward bar patrons on the patio, according to KVUE. He then left the vehicle near Wood Street and continued firing the handgun at pedestrians before switching to a rifle as he moved along Sixth Street. Officers stationed nearby confronted and killed him. Davis confirmed the attacker never set foot inside the bar, and police recovered only a pistol and rifle. Diagne wore clothing bearing the phrase "Property of Allah" and may have also been wearing an undershirt displaying an Iranian flag or Iranian imagery, Fox News’ Bill Melugin reported, citing multiple federal law enforcement sources. CNN [3/2/2026 4:02 AM, Amanda Musa and Hanna Park, 19874K] reports Diagne entered the United States on March 13, 2000, on a B‑2 tourist visa, a Department of Homeland Security official told CNN. In June 2006, he adjusted his status to lawful permanent resident based on marriage to a US citizen and naturalized on April 5, 2013.

Reported similarly:
CNN [3/2/2026 12:00 AM, Chris Boyette, 612K]

CBS News [3/1/2026 8:32 PM, Brian Dakss, 51110K] reports a new photo has emerged of the gunman who police say killed two people and wounded 14 at a bar in Austin, Texas. The gunman, who was shot and killed by police, was wearing a sweatshirt that said "Property of Allah" during the attack, according to two sources familiar with the investigation. The description matches a photo obtained by Fox News that appears to show the gunman carrying a long gun. There were indicators on the suspect and in his vehicle that suggest a "potential nexus to terrorism," FBI Acting Special Agent Alex Doran said during a briefing Sunday, though he cautioned that it was too early to determine the motive. Officials executed a search warrant at the gunman’s home on Sunday and found an Iranian flag and pictures of Iranian leaders, according to an official with direct knowledge of the investigation. Sources told CBS News that the Quran was found in the gunman’s vehicle. The shooter was identified by Austin police as 53-year-old Ndiaga Diagne. Multiple U.S. officials told CBS News he was a naturalized American citizen born in Senegal. Investigators believe the gunman acted alone. Police say he had a handgun and a rifle during the attack. Two law enforcement sources told CBS News that investigators say the shooter had had prior mental health episodes in Austin. They are looking at whether the shooter was influenced by extremist ideology and if there is a nexus to international terrorism, but cautioned that the individual had prior mental health issues. The investigation is ongoing, and findings are subject to change, but investigators are looking at whether the suspect self-radicalized. The shooting took place a day after the United States and Israel launched a massive military operation on Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday. An official from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence told CBS News that its National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) is working with its partners in Austin, the FBI and local law enforcement to probe any potential ties to foreign terrorism, and that NCTC reps are in constant communication with ODNI’s 24/7 operations center in Washington, D.C., to deliver the most timely, accurate intelligence. President Trump has been briefed on the shooting in Austin, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Sunday.

Reported similarly:
FOX News [3/1/2026 10:30 PM, Landon Mion, 37576K]
Free Beacon [3/1/2026 5:22 PM, Staff, 317K]
Daily Wire [3/1/2026 12:04 PM, Hank Berrien, 2314K]
Daily Signal [3/1/2026 4:09 PM, Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell, 474K]
Washington Examiner [3/1/2026 3:53 PM, Claire Carter, 1147K]

NewsNation [3/1/2026 10:57 PM, Taylor Alanis, Kelly Wiley, Dalton Huey, David Barer, 4464K] reports neighbors of the gunman who killed two and injured more than a dozen others at a downtown Austin bar reacted Sunday after SWAT officers searched a residence believed to be connected to 53-year-old Ndiaga Diagne. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Diagne entered the U.S. on a tourist visa in March 2000. Since then, he became a lawful permanent resident and gained citizenship. It was unclear what led him to open fire outside Buford’s Bar on West Sixth Street early Sunday morning. DHS confirmed Diagne came to the country March 13, 2000, on a B-2 tourist visa. Six years later, in June 2006, Diagne became a lawful permanent resident and received an IR-6 visa, DHS said. The visa was based on Diagne becoming married to a U.S. citizen. Diagne was naturalized as a U.S. citizen on April 5, 2013. KXAN learned that Diagne was issued a drivers license with an address on Kickapoo Cavern Drive in Pflugerville in 2017. Diagne does not have a known criminal history. However, DHS said he was arrested in Texas in relation to a collision with vehicle damage in 2022. A source told KXAN the FBI was conducting a search warrant connected with the shooting at an apartment complex on the 5200 block of Ross Road in Del Valle, at the East Ridge Apartments Sunday morning. Neighbors said they heard shouting outside from law enforcement officers who were telling someone to come out of one of unit 814. Neighbors said they heard loud noises like gunshots and a flash-bang as FBI agents entered the unit. KXAN crews saw FBI agents going in and out of the apartment into Sunday evening. Neighbors were shown a photo of the man, later identified by APD as the shooter, that had been circulating on social media. They confirmed he was the man who lived in unit 814. Neighbors seemed shocked, saying Diagne was friendly. They confirmed the shooter owned a black SUV and saw the vehicle parked, as usual, around 7 p.m. Saturday night. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Reported similarly:
Breitbart [3/1/2026 2:21 PM, Randy Clark, 2238K]

Breitbart [3/1/2026 1:47 PM, Bob Price, 2238K] reports Texas Governor Greg Abbott has ordered the Texas Military Department to activate service members under Operation Fury Shield, launching expanded patrols at energy facilities, ports, and the southern border as state leaders brace for potential retaliation following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran. The deployment includes heightened cybersecurity operations and coordinated security efforts with DPS and federal partners, according to the governor’s announcement. "Yesterday, I directed the Texas Military Department to activate service members under Operation Fury Shield to work alongside state and federal partners to safeguard our communities and critical infrastructure," Abbott said in a written statement on Sunday. "Patrols have been increased at vital energy facilities, ports, and along our border. We have bolstered cybersecurity personnel and deployed unmanned aerial surveillance to monitor and protect critical infrastructure sites.". The governor also ordered law enforcement and the Texas Military Department to increase patrols around potential targets for terrorists’ retaliation actions in the Lone Star State. "I also directed the Texas Department of Public Safety and Texas National Guard to intensify patrols and surveillance," the governor stated. "Texas is relentlessly working with our federal partners to ensure every necessary resource is deployed to defend our communities.". Abbott also responded to the apparent act of terrorism in Austin on Sunday, where a mass shooting incident left three people dead, including the shooter, and 17 people injured, as Breitbart Texas’s Randy Clark reported. "Today, I directed the DPS to increase patrols and add law enforcement personnel in the 6th Street District in downtown Austin during weekends," the governor added. "We must ensure enough boots on the ground to discourage criminal activity.". Members of the FBI Joint Terrorist Task Force team joined the investigation in Austin after reports surfaced of possible links to terrorism.

Reported similarly:
Houston Chronicle [3/1/2026 10:39 AM, Jarrod Wardwell, 2493K]

New York Times [3/1/2026 3:27 PM, Chelsia Rose Marcius, 148038K] reports the New York Police Department operates one of the largest municipal law enforcement intelligence bureaus in the United States, with officers stationed around the world, including in the Middle East. Rebecca Weiner, the deputy commissioner of intelligence and counterterrorism, oversees the bureau. At its 15 outposts, 12 of which are abroad, officers in the international liaison unit are gathering information about potential threats to New York City following the U.S.-Israeli attacks in Iran, according to an internal police document. So far, the bureau has not identified any specific or credible threats. But the airstrikes in the Middle East have prompted heightened security measures in New York, the country’s biggest city, which is home to large Jewish and Muslim communities and is a frequent site of mass protests. On Saturday, the Police Department said it enhanced its patrol presence at sensitive locations, including diplomatic and religious sites. Ms. Weiner, a 20-year Police Department veteran and former legal counsel at the bureau who oversees about 1,500 officers and civilian intelligence analysts, brings a deep knowledge of the region to her role, having also served as team leader for the Middle East and North Africa. In an interview on Saturday with CBS News, she said the city had been in a “heightened threat environment” since June, after President Trump ordered U.S. warplanes to aid Israel’s attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities.

New York Times [3/1/2026 7:19 PM, Dodai Stewart, 148038K] reports among elected officials and Iranian Americans in the New York City area, the response to the U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran and the killing of the country’s longtime leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, ranged from fervent opposition to unrestrained celebration. New York City’s mayor, Zohran Mamdani, condemned the attacks on Saturday as “a catastrophic escalation in an illegal act of war of aggression.” Mr. Mamdani, a Democrat, added: “Americans do not want this. They do not want another war in pursuit of regime change. They want relief from the affordability crisis. They want peace.” Brad Lander, the former city comptroller who is running for Congress, had even stronger words on Sunday. “This is an illegal war being waged by a sociopathic president whose goal is to distract people from his failing administration,” Mr. Lander said. Other New York politicians were more restrained in their criticism. Mr. Lander’s opponent in the Democratic primary, Representative Dan Goldman, said in a statement that Iran had a “treacherous regime” but added, “Recent history has taught us that toppling Middle East dictators in the name of regime change is the beginning — not the end — of a process that too often results in expensive and deadly forever wars.”

Breitbart [3/2/2026 12:28 AM, Jeff Poor, 2238K] reports that, during this week’s broadcast of Fox News Channel’s "Sunday Night in America," Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), an outspoken supporter of U.S. military strikes against Iran approved by President Donald Trump, offered his assessment of what was to come. According to the South Carolina Republican U.S. Senator, the communist dictatorship in the island nation of Cuba would be next to go. "All I can say is President Trump finished the job that President Reagan failed to do," he said. "I’m a big admirer of Ronald Reagan, but I’m here to tell you that Donald Trump, in my opinion, is the gold standard for Republicans, maybe any president, when it comes to foreign policy. Maduro, everybody talked about him. Well, Donald Trump has got him in jail. Cuba is next. They are going to fall. This communist dictatorship in Cuba, their days are numbered.". Graham continued, "The Iranian regime, the mothership of international terrorism, is about to collapse. The captain of the ship, the Ayatollah, is stone-cold dead. All those people around him who helped him perpetuate this terrorism — they’re on the run, or they’re dead. Finish the job. We’ve lost three Americans. God bless those Americans who sacrifice for their country. They died in a noble cause.".

FOX News [3/1/2026 5:03 PM, Staff, 37576K] Video: HERE reports Fox News chief congressional correspondent Chad Pergram reports on planned votes on war powers resolutions for Iran and Department of Homeland Security funding on ‘Fox Report.’

NewsMax [3/1/2026 8:49 PM, Staff, 3760K] reports House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told fellow Republicans on a conference call Sunday that the House will likely vote Thursday on a war powers resolution aimed at limiting President Donald Trump’s authority to take further military action against Iran, ABC News reported. The resolution, sponsored by Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., would require congressional approval before the president could authorize additional military strikes. Democrats, joined by a small number of Republicans, have pushed for the vote in the wake of U.S. action against Iran. Republican leaders, however, are urging members to oppose the measure, arguing it would undercut the commander in chief at a critical moment. Johnson also told lawmakers that the House plans to take up another vote this week on funding for the Department of Homeland Security as a partial government shutdown continues. GOP leaders have sought to advance DHS funding amid broader budget disputes, while negotiations with Senate Democrats remain ongoing.

Washington Times [3/1/2026 5:52 PM, Staff, 1323K] reports the U.S.-Israel military offensive against Iran has ignited a fierce debate on Capitol Hill over war powers and congressional authority, while simultaneously intensifying the standoff over funding for the Department of Homeland Security. Democrats are pushing for a war-powers vote, contending that President Trump overstepped his authority by launching the military operation without congressional approval. Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, a senior member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees, has scheduled a war-powers vote this week, arguing that the Constitution supersedes the War Powers Resolution of 1973 and that Trump failed to notify most lawmakers before acting. “This is an illegal war,” Kaine said on “Fox News Sunday,” citing the Constitution’s requirement that Congress declare war. Most Republicans are standing behind the president, pointing to the 1973 War Powers Resolution, which they say grants Trump up to 60 days to act before requiring congressional authorization. Sen. Dave McCormick of Pennsylvania, a Foreign Relations Committee member and combat veteran, dismissed Democratic criticism as partisan hypocrisy, noting that similar military actions were taken under Democratic administrations without the same objections. “For 50 years, Democratic presidents and Republican presidents have been making this claim,” he said. Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania broke with his party to side with Republicans, arguing that Iran posed a serious and immediate threat and that Trump was on firm legal ground. “I don’t understand why we can’t just say, ‘Thank God,’” Fetterman said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” The most prominent Republican dissenters are Sen. Rand Paul and Rep. Thomas Massie, both libertarian-leaning Kentucky Republicans, who have also called the strike unconstitutional. The Iran offensive has also sharpened the fight over DHS funding, which lapsed on Feb. 14. The shutdown was triggered by Democratic opposition to aggressive ICE enforcement tactics, including the deaths of two U.S. citizen protesters in Minnesota who were attempting to interfere with an ICE operation. Democrats are demanding concessions on immigration enforcement before agreeing to fund the department. Republicans argue the Iran strike makes restoring DHS funding more urgent, warning that the shutdown leaves the country exposed to potential counterattacks.

New York Post [3/1/2026 11:35 AM, Ryan King, 40934K] reports the US is operating without a fully funded Department of Homeland Security — the nation’s first line of defense against terror threats, especially during conflicts — prompting dire warnings from the GOP. "This is certainly not the time to play games," House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rick Crawford (R-Ark.) told Fox News on Saturday — as Tehran was vowing deadly retribution against the US over its joint strikes with Israel against Iran. "If this doesn’t move the needle for our Democrat friends, I don’t know what does," Crawford said, referring to the dangerous international situation and the Dems’ stalling over additional funding for the crucial agency. Republicans were ramping up the pressure on Democrats to end the partial DHS funding shutdown that has raged on since Feb. 14. Crawford is a member of the "Gang of Eight," a group of four Republicans and four Democrats who get access to the most highly classified briefings given to Congress. The US strikes on Iran with Israel under Operation Epic Fury began hours after a slew of federal workers at DHS were hit with their first major lapse in full pay during the funding shutdown. Democrats have leveraged the current 60-vote Senate filibuster scenario to block funding for DHS to issue demands for sweeping reforms to immigration enforcement policy. A DHS funding measure has already cleared the House. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and US Customs and Border Protection are already funded under the One Big Beautiful Bill. But other critical DHS agencies, such as the Transportation Security Administration and Coast Guard, are not. The urgent concerns for DHS funding have done little to sway Democrats who are locked in on the shutdown. "They went to war with Iran (which nobody in America was asking for) so they could conjure an excuse to allow ICE to keep murdering Americans and teargassing schools here at home with impunity (which nobody in America was asking for)," Sen Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) claimed of the GOP on X.

FOX News [3/1/2026 11:00 AM, Alex Miller, 37576K] reports the ongoing government shutdown over Homeland Security funding could disrupt security planning for the FIFA World Cup, raising concerns among lawmakers as U.S. cities prepare to host matches this summer. Congressional Republicans warn that with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shuttered amid the funding lapse, host cities in both blue and red states gearing up for the games later this year could fall behind in planning. "I think it’ll be a concern real fast if we’re not able to get [DHS] reopened," Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., told Fox News Digital. The World Cup kicks off in June and will be held across the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Several U.S. cities are set to host matches, including East Rutherford, New Jersey, New York, Boston, Dallas, Houston, St. Louis, Atlanta, Miami, Philadelphia, the San Francisco Bay Area and Seattle. DHS is the chief agency responsible for securing host cities as local officials prepare for an influx of fans from around the world. The agency has been shuttered for two weeks, with negotiations between the White House and Senate Democrats stalled. Congressional Democrats have blocked funding for DHS in a bid to enact reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), but neither side has reached an agreement on a path forward.

USA Today [3/1/2026 3:44 PM, Josh Meyer, 70643K] reports Federal counterterrorism agencies are on high alert for a potential retaliatory attack on U.S. soil after U.S. and Israeli forces launched strikes on Iran that killed the nation’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and other top officials. The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security have both announced they are on war footing, as they have been in the past over whether U.S. strikes, ordered by President Donald Trump, on Iranian targets would prompt the Tehran regime and its proxy forces to seek revenge. And while officials from both agencies declined comment to USA TODAY on March 1 about their heightened operations, veteran Iran watchers said there is good reason for them to be worried. "Iran has developed this capability to carry out attacks abroad over many years," including in the United States, former FBI and Treasury Department counterterrorism official Matthew Levitt said. "If there was ever a time the regime would want to act on it, it would be now.". Already, Iran has responded with a wave of retaliatory strikes across the Middle East, including targeting countries hosting U.S. military bases like Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian vowed March 1 that "bloodshed and revenge" is Iran’s "legitimate right and duty.". Three American service members have been killed and five others have been seriously injured in the ongoing conflict. The Iranian regime has a long history – dating back at least 46 years – of assassinations and other terrorist plots on U.S. soil and against Americans overseas. The United States went on high alert last June 22 over concerns of retaliation from Tehran after the bombing of three Iranian nuclear sites a day earlier. Major U.S. cities from New York to Los Angeles stepped up their security, and the U.S. government issued warnings to U.S. citizens at home and abroad. On Feb. 28, FBI Director Kash Patel said the bureau is "fully engaged on the situation overseas," and that he has instructed the FBI’s Counterterrorism and intelligence teams, including its 200-plus Joint Terrorism Task Forces across the country, to be on high alert and to "mobilize all assisting security assets needed.". Patel called on "everyone to please report anything that may seem suspicious to law enforcement" via the FBI’s 1-800-CALL-FBI tip line and tips.fbi.gov website. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the Department of Homeland Security is on similar heightened alert for potential U.S.-based attacks. "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," Noem said in an X post.

FOX News [3/1/2026 6:00 PM, Taylor Penley, 37576K] Video: HERE reports former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., is sounding alarms as the FBI places its counterterrorism teams on high alert, warning Democrats that stalling funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) could carry serious national security consequences. "If there is some type of attack within America, it is going to be on the Democrats who faulted by not funding DHS during this critical time and allowing the border to be open during [the Biden administration]," McCarthy told "The Sunday Briefing.". "If I was a Democrat – I usually don’t like to give them advice, but this is too critical for the security of America – go back to Washington, fund DHS now," he said. McCarthy’s comments came Sunday, as American counterterrorism agencies quietly monitored suspected sleeper cells on U.S. soil in the wake of joint U.S.–Israel strikes on Iran. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

FOX News [3/1/2026 6:58 PM, Elizabeth Elkind, 37576K] reports several House Republicans are pushing Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to go to war with the Senate GOP over an election security bill that has little chance of passing the upper chamber under current circumstances. House GOP leaders convened a lawmaker-only call on Sunday in the wake of a massive military operation against Iran launched by the U.S. and Israel. After leaders briefed House Republicans on how the chamber would respond to the ongoing conflict — including a vote on ending Democrats’ weeks-long government shutdown targeting the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) — Fox News Digital was told that several lawmakers raised concerns about the Senate not yet taking up the Safeguarding American Voter Eligiblity (SAVE America) Act. Among other provisions, the act would require voters in federal elections to produce valid ID and proof of citizenship. Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., was among those pushing the House to reject any bills from the Senate until the measure was taken up, telling Johnson according to multiple sources on the call, "If we don’t get this done, or at least show that we’ve got some backbone, we’re done. The midterms are over.". At least three other House Republicans shared similar concerns. Sources on the call said Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, argued that GOP voters were "not enthused" heading into November and that "the single biggest thing" to turn that around would be forcing the Senate to pass the SAVE America Act.

Daily Signal [3/1/2026 12:00 PM, Reagan Campbell, 474K] reports a larger number of Georgia voters support stricter voter registration requirements and voter ID at polling places, two of the policy proposals contained in the SAVE America Act. The results from the Georgia survey show the popularity of the measure, even though most Democrats—including Georgia’s two senators—oppose it. Nearly 70% of Georgians said voters should be required to prove their U.S. citizenship to vote. The poll also found that 82% believe legal voters should not be diluted by ballots cast by people who are not eligible, and 79% said this voter registration standard should apply to all states. Heritage Action recently conducted state-level polling in Alaska, Georgia, Maine, North Carolina, and Ohio to gauge voter sentiment on the SAVE America Act. President Donald Trump called on Congress to pass the bill during his State of the Union speech Tuesday: "Congress should unite and enact this commonsense, country-saving legislation right now and it should be before anything else happens.". Tiffany Justice, Heritage Action executive vice president, echoed the urgency of Trump’s message, calling on Congress to act quickly. "American voters are smart, and they know that showing an ID to vote is a simple way to protect their ballots," Justice said. "Voting is a privilege of American citizenship, and it should be defended by commonsense measures that apply equally to all states. Allowing non-citizens to cancel out the votes of law-abiding Americans threatens the very foundation of our republic.".

Breitbart [3/1/2026 6:25 PM, Olivia Rondeau, 2238K] reports Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) is still dragging his feet on using the "talking filibuster" tactic to get the SAVE America Act passed, arguing that there is not a "unified Republican conference" to do so and that it would be "very hard" to end the ongoing partial government shutdown. Even after President Donald Trump directly called on him to enact the filibuster to get the voter ID bill, also called the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, through the Senate during last Tuesday’s State of the Union address, Thune has resisted doing so. When asked by reporters on Thursday if he was going to force a "talking filibuster" to make Senate Democrats debate the voter ID bill on the floor so Republicans can bypass the 60-vote cloture threshold and pass it, Thune said, "If we were to go down that path, it’s very hard to pivot and get back to open up the government." "I frankly think we ought to — we need to make sure that DHS, TSA, Coast Guard, FEMA, all those agencies, are funded," he explained, listing off agencies under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that remain unfunded while Democrats fight to restrict Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE). "And so I’m hopeful there will be a breakthrough… that’s going to require some, you know, obviously cooperation from the Democrats, who we haven’t seen a lot of so far," Thune continued. There is also a bipartisan housing bill awaiting Senate approval.

FOX News [3/1/2026 2:00 PM, Marc Tamasco Fox, 37576K] reports independent journalist Nick Shirley discussed a possible voter registration loophole in California that he suggested could allow illegal immigrants to vote during a Wednesday appearance on "The Riley Gaines Show.". During his discussion with Gaines, Shirley recounted visiting San Diego County’s Registrar of Voters office last week, where he said he asked an employee why a government-issued ID is not required to register to vote. "Because when you sign your affidavit, you’re swearing that you’re telling us the truth. And we compare the signature that you put on your application to the signature that you sign…" the employee responded. Shirley then asked the woman whether requiring identification "leaves any room for error" in the registration process and whether illegal migrants are voting in the state. The employee denied the notion that illegals could be voting and asked Shirley how that would be possible. "If they don’t have their ID, and they could just sign on behalf of ‘Richard Sherman,’ then they could technically vote, right?" he proposed. "Yeah, but they would be lying…" she responded, later adding that she doesn’t believe illegal immigrants would abuse the state’s registration process in order to vote. Gaines asked Shirley whether the employee was simply naive as to how the system could be abused or if she was "attempting to be politically corrupt." The host added that she was amazed by how "gullible [the employee] was to believe that there aren’t bad actors out there who would be intentional in some sort of fraud in the voting realm" as Shirley allegedly exposed. "Yeah, and God bless this lady because she’s just doing her job, right? It’s not her responsibility for what’s happening in California, but it just goes to show how easy it would be for anyone to vote," he argued. Shirley went on to share that he was contacted by a noncitizen who said they traveled to California just to show how easy it was to illegally vote in the state. "I mean, somebody reached out to me after I posted that video, and [they were] like, ‘I actually am a Canadian and I came down to California to vote just to show you how easy it was,’" he claimed.

Washington Post [3/1/2026 7:00 AM, Marianna Sotomayor and Kadia Goba, 24826K] reports House Democrats, who hope to regain the majority in the November midterms, are already charting an aggressive strategy of investigating the Trump administration next year, including using subpoena power to compel testimony from President Donald Trump and launching impeachment proceedings against Homeland Security Secretary Kristi L. Noem. Rep. Robert Garcia (D-California) said in an interview that if he is given the gavel to lead the House Oversight Committee next term, a Democratic majority would “absolutely” pursue an interview with Trump regarding convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Garcia justified such a bold move by arguing that the GOP-led committee set “a new precedent” by deposing former president Bill Clinton in Chappaqua, New York, on Friday about his past relationship with Epstein as part of a broader investigation. “We want to talk to the president, and so there’s a long list of subpoenas that we will be engaged in,” Garcia said, referencing Trump. Top Democrats on the House Judiciary and Homeland Security committees asserted that there is enough evidence that Noem has committed impeachable offenses, related in part to the killings of two people in Minneapolis by federal immigration personnel, to guarantee such a vote in the new year. And they hinted that Attorney General Pam Bondi could also be targeted, in part for how the Justice Department has responded to a federal law that requires the release of Epstein case files. After this weekend’s massive operation against the Iranian government and its missile and nuclear programs, leading Democrats on the House Armed Services Committee have become even more eager to investigate Trump’s use of the military. “It’s a long list and I confess I haven’t yet written it down because it grows by the week, sometimes by the day, but absolutely,” said Rep. Adam Smith (Washington), the top Democrat on the panel. Democrats on relevant committees are filing lawsuits, drafting legislation, talking to whistleblowers, and holding “shadow” hearings into the president, his family and Cabinet officials so that the caucus can be prepared to pursue investigations readily if they regain power in the chamber next year. White House officials have dismissed such talk as being driven by politics rather than actual transgressions. “President Trump is focused on implementing policies that will improve the lives of the American people — from passing massive tax cuts for working Americans to urging Congress to prevent corporations from purchasing single-family homes,” said White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson. “Democrats have no agenda for the American people, just plans to target the Administration that’s delivering results.”

CBS News [3/1/2026 7:00 PM, Bill Whitaker and Heather Abbott, 51110K] reports when the Supreme Court recently struck down President Trump’s tariffs, he lashed out at two Justices he had nominated calling them fools and lapdogs. The president has frequently railed against judges when they rule against him. What often happens next is a barrage of violent threats from his followers against those judges. We spoke with 26 federal judges – nine Democratic appointees, 17 Republican, both sitting and retired. The sitting judges told us they feel under siege. Most would not appear on camera, fearful for their safety. Judge John Coughenour – appointed by Ronald Reagan - is one of the few who would. He blocked President Trump’s bid to end birthright citizenship. He wasn’t prepared for what happened next. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Washington Post [3/1/2026 1:06 PM, Andy Beshear, 24826K] reports the Hamas paragliders, who were tentacles of Iran, began today’s war on Oct. 7, 2023, igniting one of history’s most spectacular backfires. Iran’s regime and its terrorism multipliers, Hamas and Hezbollah, have unintentionally magnified Israel’s security. And Iran’s regime, whose mantra since its inception in 1979 has been “Death to America,” is near death by the clasped hands of Israel and America. The wielders of Iran’s regime, which is founded on fear, surely experienced a sudden, terrifying epiphany when the aerial attacks, unlike previous ones, began in daylight: The attackers knew when and where the regime’s senior officials would be meeting in Tehran that day. Precision munitions, directed by spectacular intelligence, enabled a decapitation strategy. The at least 30,000 protesters who perished in Iran’s streets in early January did not die in vain. The 1956 Hungarian Revolution failed to topple a tyranny, but refuted the then-common pessimism that tyrants can assure their permanence by controlling the consciousness of their publics. (George Orwell in “1984”: “If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face — for ever.”) Iran’s protesters dramatically underscored the regime’s barbarism, so those who today regret the regime’s demise reveal their barbarism. Some say that U.S. involvement in Iran constitutes a “war of choice.” That too casually bandied phrase rarely fits untidy reality. America’s Civil War was a choice: Lincoln chose not to heed those — they were not few — who agreed with the prominent publisher Horace Greeley. He said of the seceding Southern states, “Let the erring sisters go in peace.” Lincoln chose against such national suicide. Donald Trump’s administration has chosen not to wager U.S. safety on Iran’s abandoning its multi-decade pursuit of nuclear weapons, or on Iran’s acquiring them but not really meaning “Death to America.” For Israel, the death of Iran’s self-proclaimed genocidal regime was a choice only in the sense that Israel chose to believe the regime when it called Israel a “one-bomb country.” Tyrants lie promiscuously, but occasionally are candid. In 1939, Adolf Hitler said a world war would mean “the annihilation of the Jewish race in Europe.” Israel exists because Hitler meant that. Israel’s survival depends on forever thinking that nothing is unthinkable. The U.S. action for regime change in Iran is not sufficient to produce regional tranquility. It is, however, a necessity for beginning to reestablish a precondition for a more peaceable world: the credibility of U.S. deterrence.

New York Post [3/1/2026 11:30 AM, Daniel Batlle, 40934K] reports the killing of cartel boss Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera by Mexican special forces a week ago is the biggest blow to organized crime in Mexico in years. The danger is that Washington takes the wrong lesson: That Mexico can handle the cartels on its own, if only it musters the political will. It can’t. Not without serious American help. President Claudia Sheinbaum had already broken from her predecessor’s passive approach, which had allowed the cartels to become far too powerful. She ramped up fentanyl seizures and handed cartel members to the United States. But going after the kingpin of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Mexico’s most dangerous criminal organization, was a different order of magnitude. President Donald Trump’s repeated threats to order unilateral strikes on Mexican cartels were likely a deciding factor; the Mexican government had recently come to believe a US incursion was likely. Whatever mix of conviction and calculation drove Sheinbaum’s decision, the costs are falling squarely on Mexico. Within hours, CJNG demonstrated its reach, burning trucks and buildings across 20 states and killing 25 National Guard members. The longer-term costs — a succession war inside the cartel, rival groups grabbing territory, months of escalating violence — are still ahead. Trump got the result he wanted. The question is whether he will help manage the consequences. The stakes are immense for Mexico, but also for the United States.

CBS’ Face The Nation [3/1/2026 11:49 AM, Staff, 1292K] Senator Chris Murphy called for Congress to return to Washington and to vote on whether to try to essentially halt this military action. No War Powers Resolution has ever overcome a presidential veto. Why does he think he needs to take one? "Nobody in this country is asking for war with Iran. Just like months ago, no one in this country was asking for war with Venezuela. This President is intentionally tanking our economy. He’s the most corrupt president in the history of our nation, and Americans want him to focus on the crises here at home. Instead, he is busy getting us involved in quagmires overseas that already are becoming deadly to American soldiers. This is a disaster. It is illegal, and the President is obligated under the Constitution to come to Congress and ask for an authorization of military force. He wouldn’t get that authorization if he asked for it. Congress wouldn’t vote to give him the permission to do it, but he’s obligated to come to Congress." Murphy states.

ABC’s This Week With George Stephanopoulos [3/1/2026 11:39 AM, Staff, 2756K] reports Ayatollah Khamenei led a regime that brutalized its own people, launched attacks around the world for almost 40 years. Was the president right to take him out? "No. You’re right about the ayatollah. He was a brutal dictator. This is a murderous regime. But at the same time, it posed no imminent threat of attack to the United States. They had not reconstituted their nuclear program, which the president just months ago said had been obliterated. They do not have ballistic missiles capable of hitting the United States. There was simply no basis to go in with this massive military campaign, with the goal of regime change. And the concern here is that we have unleashed factors in the region now that we cannot control. If the Iranian people do rise up, as the president has called upon them to do, maybe they’re successful. Maybe they get slaughtered in reliance on the president’s implicit promise that we will be there to help them. Maybe the regime just takes a new form, an equally depraved regime. And then what have we accomplished? Maybe our service members are killed, as the president pointed out that risk. And I hope and pray they remain safe. Both those that are carrying out the mission and those that are in bases in the region." Schiff states.

ABC’s This Week With George Stephanopoulos [3/1/2026 11:39 AM, Staff, 2756K] reports Iranian foreign minister says the US attack was unprovoked. Senator James Lankford responds: "I would hope that Iranian TV is carrying Marco Rubio today, the same as y’all just carried the Iranian foreign minister today. We certainly have been provoked on this. Just a year ago, we had over 180 attacks from Iran on Americans, either through their proxies or directly from Iran. They continue to be able to fund the attack of ships off the coast of Yemen. Obviously, there are -- they’re funding Hezbollah, the Shiite militants. They have continued to be able to attack us now for decades. And that has accelerated. So, just because we have blocked their attacks doesn’t mean they’re not attacking us. So, this becomes the situation where you’re shooting at a police officer and telling him you can’t fire back unless they hit you. We’ve continued to be able to block them, find ways to be able to prevent their attacks, but they have certainly been attacking us."

CNN’s State of the Union With Jake Tapper and Dana Bash [3/1/2026 12:43 PM, Staff, 614K] reports this morning, the world is waking up to a new paradigm in Iran. After 37 years in power, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is dead, killed in a joint U.S.-Israeli strike aimed at destroying the regime’s military capabilities and decimating its leadership. Other leaders killed in the attacks include Iran’s defense minister, the head of the Iranian Security Council, and the commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. In a tragic development, U.S. Central Command confirms this morning that three American service members have been killed. Five more are seriously wounded. With three U.S. service members dead, Senate Armed Services Committee and a veteran of the Iraq War, Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego gives his reaction. Gallego says that its important to have real leadership that understands the consequences of war. "We’re putting potentially tens of thousands of our families going through that, with a president, by the way, that’s not had one real press conference to really explain to the American public, why are we putting our men and women in danger? What is the national interest of our country being -- going to war right now? And why are we going to expend potentially the blood of Americans and potentially destabilize a whole area? There is no leadership right now that’s coming from this president, and we’re in the middle of dropping bombs right now, and men and women are dying." Gallego states.

CBS’ Face The Nation [3/1/2026 11:49 AM, Staff, 1292K] reports the President of the United States warned the American public that there could be casualties, American casualties. Does that mean the U.S. is putting boots on the ground in Iran? Senator Tom Cotton says no. "The president has been clear that what we should expect to see is an extended air and naval campaign that’s designed not only to continue to set back Iran’s nuclear ambitions, but most importantly, to destroy its vast missile arsenal. Many more missiles than the United States and Israel have air defenses combined, as well as the missile launchers and its missile manufacturing capability. Now obviously one risk of that kind of campaign is that an aircraft could be shot down, and the president would never leave a pilot behind. So no doubt we have combat search and rescue assets in the region that are prepared to go in and extract any downed pilot." Cotton states.

NBC’s Meet the Press [3/1/2026 12:14 PM, Staff] reports the world is on alert with the United States, together with Israel, launching a war with Iran with air strikes across the country starting Saturday and continuing into Sunday morning. Targeting military and nuclear sites. Killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and as President Trump told me in a phone call Saturday, “a large amount of leadership” in Iran was also killed in the attacks. This morning, Israel says at least 40 military commanders were killed. Iran responding across the region. Hitting a high rise in Bahrain. A strike against an iconic hotel in Dubai. Civilians running from an incoming missile in Qatar. All home to U.S. military bases. And this morning a new warning for Iran. President Trump posting that if Iran strikes back today, quote, “we will hit them with a force that has never been seen before.” Is the United States at war with Iran? "I think the Ayatollah would say yeah. I don’t know if this is technically a war, but we’re — here’s what I can say the headline is for me Sunday. The mothership of terrorism is sinking. The captain is dead. The largest state sponsor of terrorism, Iran, is close to collapsing. The leader of the largest state sponsor of terrorism and his inner team are dead. The mothership that fuels the proxies is in — is in sinking mode. The goal of this operation is to change the threat, not the regime. When this operation’s over, no matter who takes over in Iran, they will not have ballistic missiles to hurt us, Israel, or the region. They will not have the capability to be the largest state sponsor of terrorism. Whether it’s their cleric or a group of representatives of — of the country, where there’s an election, it doesn’t matter right now. Iran in the future will no longer be the largest state sponsor of terrorism. They cannot reign terror on the region. They cannot commit mass murder. That’s the goal of this operation. Again, the mothership of terrorism is sinking. The captain is dead. Well done, President Trump. It’s been the policy of this country for decades to eliminate this regime. President Trump did it. Admiral Cooper came up with a military plan that’s unbelievable. We’re not done yet, but when — when it is done, Iran will no longer be capable of being the largest state sponsor of terrorism. That is the goal, and that goal will be achieved." Graham stated.

NBC’s Meet the Press [3/1/2026 12:14 PM, Staff] reports in a social media post Sunday, President Trump wrote "Hopefully the IRGC and police will peacefully merge with the Iranian patriots and work together as a unit to bring back the country to the greatness it deserves.” Is hope the plan for the future of Iran? "No. The future of Iran is going to be determined by the Iranian people. The new Iran, whatever it is, whether it’s a cleric or — or a representative democracy, our goal is to make sure it cannot become, again, the largest state sponsor of terrorism. That’s a win for us." Graham stated.

Politico [3/1/2026 7:00 AM, Kyle Cheney, 21784K] reports federal judges in one of the Trumpiest states in the country have suddenly become a firewall against President Donald Trump’s mass deportation agenda. District court judges in West Virginia describe rampant lawlessness by masked ICE agents, defiance of court orders and a wanton infliction of fear and intimidation by the federal government after the Trump administration deployed a targeted immigration enforcement operation in the state last month. “Operation Country Roads,” a partnership with federal and local law enforcement that netted an estimated 650 arrests in January, primarily focused on targeting immigrants driving along the state’s roadways. It has resulted in a flood of lawsuits by people — most without criminal records and with longstanding ties to the U.S. — seeking release from ICE custody. Though federal judges in other states have raised alarms, four judges in deep-red West Virginia who have been inundated by Country Roads cases are using their rulings to grab Americans by the shoulders and warn against a descent into authoritarianism — often in terms they acknowledge are un-judicial. “Antiseptic judicial rhetoric cannot do justice to what is happening,” U.S. District Judge Joseph Goodwin, a Clinton appointee, wrote in a Feb. 19 opinion. “Across the interior of the United States, agents of the federal government — masked, anonymous, armed with military weapons, operating from unmarked vehicles, acting without warrants of any kind — are seizing persons for civil immigration violations and imprisoning them without any semblance of due process.” “The systematic character of this practice and its deliberate elimination of every structural feature that distinguishes constitutional authority from raw force place it beyond the reach of ordinary legal description. It is an assault on the constitutional order,” he continued.

Breitbart [3/1/2026 5:40 PM, Amy Furr, 2238K] reports an illegal alien with over 30 prior arrests is accused of killing a woman at a Virginia bus stop on Monday, and the blame is being placed at Democrat officials’ feet. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodged a detainer requesting Virginia authorities not release the suspect, Abdul Jalloh, who is from Sierra Leone, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced Saturday. The agency said the criminal illegal alien has over 30 arrests once the Fairfax County Police Department charged him for fatally stabbing 41-year-old Stephanie Minter of Fredericksburg at a bus stop. A local business owner spotted the suspect on Tuesday and alerted police to his location. Jalloh was arrested and charged with murder and he was also "charged with petit larceny for an additional crime that occurred earlier in the day," the DHS press release said, noting he entered the United States illegally in 2012. He was previously arrested on charges of rape, malicious wounding, assault, drug possession, identity theft, trespassing, larceny, firing a weapon, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and pickpocketing. "ICE previously lodged a detainer against Jalloh in 2020, and he was granted a final order of removal by a judge who found he could be removed to any country other than Sierra Leone. This case illustrated the importance of third country removals to get criminal illegal aliens out of the U.S.," DHS explained.

Reported similarly:
New York Post [3/1/2026 10:55 PM, Zoe Hussain, 40934K]

Univision [3/1/2026 3:34 PM, Staff, 4937K] reports for nearly a decade, Nicolth Hernandez-Lucero has followed a migration process to obtain citizenship, but a traffic stop led to the Colombian fighter with political asylum in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Nicolth, who is engaged in professional wrestling, was driving his father’s car on February 11, 2026. She was back home when she was arrested by an immigration agent. The 24-year-old was on a phone call with her husband, Noah Lazega, at the time of the arrest, so the man recorded everything that happened and shared the audio with different media outlets. “You’re going to come with us,” you hear a male voice say. “Is there any reason why I was stopped?” Nicolth asks the agent, who replies that there is and explains that it is “his father”, who is the owner of the vehicle, but he was not on board. According to Lazega, agents said they were “in the area reviewing license plates” when they detained her near the Episcopal Church of San Ambrosio, in Fort Lauderdale. He added that his wife asked about the probable cause, but did not receive a clear explanation. The young woman was taken to an ICE detention center, where she has remained since, waiting for her immigration process to progress. She is not incommunicado and telephones her husband; she is also in contact with her lawyer. “The legal process to fight for his release is complex and expenses pile up quickly, which is a huge financial pressure on us at an already difficult time,” her husband said in an online collection.

Telemundo [3/1/2026 8:52 PM, Staff, 162K] reports U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) asked the City of Miami not to release a man accused of groping a female driver and causing a crash in Little Havana because, according to the agency, he is in the country without authorization. Oscar Ernesto Sánchez-Aguire, 26, faces several charges related to the January 31 incident, including assault and reckless endangerment. According to ICE, Sánchez-Aguire is an undocumented immigrant from El Salvador. In a statement, former Deputy Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said, "This is another example of how years of open border policies have resulted in a heartbreaking number of preventable attacks. This monster should never have been in our country and had the opportunity to prey on this innocent woman. Every day we work to remove unlawfully present aliens from the country before more innocent Americans are victimized." According to the report, Sánchez-Aguire is accused of covering the victim’s mouth and groping her while she was providing transportation services. Subsequently, according to authorities, the driver lost control of the vehicle and crashed into another car in the area of Southwest 6th Avenue and 7th Street in Little Havana. A video posted on Only in Dade shows the aftermath of the collision. The hood of one of the cars is badly damaged, and debris is scattered across the roadway. It was not immediately reported whether anyone was injured. Authorities said Sánchez-Aguire allegedly fled on foot but was later arrested in a nearby parking lot. His bail was set at $1,450. A judge ordered him to stay away from the victim and he was subject to immigration detention. The arraignment hearing is scheduled for Monday.

FOX News [3/1/2026 9:11 PM, Sophia Compton, 37576K] reports at least 54 people were arrested Sunday during protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis, law enforcement officials said. The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office said 38 individuals were cited and released, and one person was booked into jail. The Minnesota State Patrol confirmed an additional 15 arrests. In a statement posted to Facebook, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office said deputies issued dispersal orders after protesters allegedly blocked streets and access to local businesses, scattered glass in the roadway, and threw rocks, chunks of ice, and water bottles at law enforcement. "This morning, our deputies issued dispersal orders at an unlawful assembly outside the Whipple Building after individuals blocked roadways, blocked access to local businesses, dumped glass into the street, and threw rocks, ice chunks and water bottles at law enforcement creating a serious public safety hazard," the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office wrote. "Arrests are being made.". Officials emphasized that peaceful protest is constitutionally protected, but criminal behavior will not be tolerated.

NPR [3/2/2026 4:41 AM, Kate Wells, 34837K] reports in Minneapolis, underground healthcare networks of volunteer doctors and nurses bring care into the homes of families too scared of immigration enforcement to seek help. [Editorial note: consult audio at source link]

Breitbart [3/1/2026 7:58 PM, Lowell Cauffiel, 2238K] reports an eye-popping discovery was made in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, when customs officers confiscated a shipment of dozens of swords and arrowheads that date back 4,000 years to the Bronze Age. Customs and Boarder Protection officers seized 36 copper-alloy short swords and 50 copper-alloy arrowheads on February 18 that they have determined were unlawfully imported to the United States. The shipment initially arrived on an express delivery flight from the United Arab Emirates on October 16 and was destined to an address in Jacksonville, Florida. CBP officers contacted the National Targeting Center’s Antiquities Unit, which solicited assistance from an archaeologist affiliated with a local Philadelphia university with extensive experience working in the Middle East. On Feb. 13, the archaeologist authenticated the short swords and arrowheads as antiquities dating back to the later 2nd millennium BCE, 1600-1000 BCE, from an area along the southwestern Caspian Sea near the lush Talish Mountains region of Iran.

CBS Boston [3/1/2026 7:04 PM, Staff, 51110K] reports TSA workers won’t be paid until a deal is reached to fund the Department of Homeland Security. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Bloomberg [3/1/2026 7:20 AM, Myles Miller, 18082K] reports the US Secret Service heightened security around the White House, the homes of former presidents and other protected locations Saturday, citing the agency’s active monitoring of the situation in Iran. The agency said the public may notice an increased law enforcement and federal presence near those sites but declined to detail specific protective measures, citing operational security concerns. The Secret Service said it’s coordinating closely with local and federal partners, and that local law enforcement will communicate any temporary traffic or pedestrian disruptions in affected areas. The heightened posture came as Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel put his counterterrorism and counterintelligence teams on high alert after the US and Israel launched a sweeping military assault on Iran.

NewsMax [3/1/2026 9:04 AM, Sandy Fitzgerald, 3760K] reports the U.S. Secret Service has increased its security presence at the White House, President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, and other protected sites across the country in the wake of the battle in Iran. "The US Secret Service is actively monitoring the situation in Iran and remains in close coordination with our federal and local partners," the agency said in a statement Saturday afternoon. "The agency’s protective model is designed to be adaptable to meet the needs of the current security environment and ensure the continued safety of our protectees, protective sites, and the surrounding communities," it added. "The public may notice an increased law enforcement and federal presence around U.S. Secret Service-protected sites.". The increased security includes all locations involving Trump, Vice President JD Vance’s residence, and the residences of all former presidents as well as the FBI, reports ABC News. The presence at Mar-a-Lago had already been significant after an armed man carrying a shotgun and a gas can was killed by two Secret Service agents and a deputy sheriff after making his way into the estate’s inner perimeter. Trump and Vance were reportedly hundreds of miles apart from one another when they orchestrated Saturday’s strikes on Iran, reports the New York Post.

FOX News [3/1/2026 8:00 AM, Peter D’Abrosca, 37576K] reports the North Carolina man shot and killed after breaching the north gate at President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home was described as a "good kid" and had no prior run-ins with the law, but his background remains shrouded in mystery as authorities investigate. Austin Tucker Martin, 21, was killed on Trump’s property around 1:30 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 22, by a Palm Beach County sheriff’s deputy and two Secret Service agents, according to Sheriff Ric Bradshaw. Fox News confirmed that he walked onto the property through an open gate as a vehicle was exiting. A family member reported him missing to a Moore County, North Carolina, sheriff’s deputy at about the same time. But according to friends, family and law enforcement, nothing about Martin set off alarm bells before authorities said he entered Mar-a-Lago with a shotgun and gas can and ignored orders to drop his weapon before being killed. "The Moore County Sheriff’s Office had no prior history involving Martin before the missing person report," that agency said in a press release. Martin had only a small social media presence, in the form of an Instagram page connected to him that featured illustrations, mostly of golf courses. A website linked to that Instagram page, freshskyillustrations.com, is adorned with similar illustrations which are for sale, and which contain Martin’s artist signature. North Carolina business filings show that a person named Austin Martin founded Fresh Sky Illustrations LLC in June of last year. An address for the company is associated with a Martin family member’s address in the city of Cameron, North Carolina. Only two images of Martin have surfaced online since the incident, and Fox News Digital could not verify the validity of either.

DefenseScoop [3/1/2026 11:40 PM, Drew F. Lawrence, 150K] reports multiple defense officials told DefenseScoop Sunday that a viral message purporting to be from U.S. Cyber Command wasn’t sent by the command. The message claimed Cybercom was warning troops to turn off location services from their electronic devices and that multiple commercial applications were compromised, all amid the ongoing military operations against Iran. The message — reviewed by DefenseScoop — was circulating in some military circles and social media Sunday. It urged “all U.S. service members” to turn off location services from their electronic devices. It also said that Uber, Snapchat and a food delivery service that operates in the Middle East known as Talabat were “compromised.” “Due to operational security concerns, U.S. Cyber Command does not comment nor discuss cyber intelligence, plans, operations, capabilities, or effects,” one official told DefenseScoop, requesting attribution as a Department of War official, the preferred name for the Pentagon under the Trump administration. “The command did not issue messages to US service members to turn off location services on their electronic devices and did not issue messages that applications had been compromised.” The statement did not address where the correspondence originated from and why it was circulating in the military community.

Reuters [3/1/2026 11:31 AM, Staff, 38315K] reports a wave of cyber-enabled operations took place early Saturday morning alongside the joint U.S.-Israeli attack on targets across Iran, according to cybersecurity experts and observers. The operations included the hacking of multiple news websites to display various messages and the hack of BadeSaba, a religious calendar app with more than 5 million downloads, which displayed messages telling users "It’s time for reckoning" and urging armed forces to give up weapons and join the people. Reuters could not establish contact with BadeSaba’s chief executive. A spokesperson for U.S. Cyber Command did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Internet connectivity in Iran dropped precipitously at 0706 GMT, and then again at 1147 GMT, with only minimal connectivity remaining, Doug Madory, director of internet analysis at Kentik, said in a post on X. The cyberattack on BadeSaba was a smart move because government supporters use it and they tend to be more religious, said Hamid Kashfi, a security researcher and founder of cybersecurity firm DarkCell. Cyber operations also struck a variety of Iranian government services and military targets to limit a coordinated Iranian response, the Jerusalem Post reported on Saturday. Reuters has not been able to independently verify the claims. "As Iran considers its options, the likelihood increases that proxy groups and hacktivists may take action, including cyberattacks, against Israeli and U.S.-affiliated military, commercial, or civilian targets," said Rafe Pilling, the director of threat intelligence with cybersecurity firm Sophos. The attacks could include the amplification of old data breaches presented as new, unsophisticated attempts to compromise internet-exposed industrial systems, and potentially direct offensive cyber operations, Pilling said.

FOX News [3/1/2026 1:05 PM, Mitch Picasso, 37576K] reports nine people were injured in a mass shooting early Sunday at the Riverfront Live music venue in Cincinnati’s East End, authorities confirmed, as police launched an investigation into the gunfire that erupted during a birthday celebration. The shooting happened just after 1 a.m. at the venue, according to local Fox19. All nine victims were taken to local hospitals. Most suffered non-life-threatening injuries; however, one person remains in critical condition. Police have not released information about a suspect. A band, Solid Gold Dancer, was performing nearby when the incident occurred. "We saw a bunch of people running from this side of the building while we were out on a break in between sets," Sam Steinher, a band member, told a local news outlet. "At first, we didn’t realize the severity of the situation. But someone said that people had been firing shots off.". Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval called the shooting "senseless" and thanked first responders and law enforcement in a post on social media. "Overnight in the East End, our community was victim to a senseless mass shooting. Thank you to the officers on site, the first responders for their immediate action, and all the hospital staff who worked to save lives this morning," Pureval said on X.

USA Today [3/2/2026 3:01 AM, Eduardo Cuevas, 70643K] reports that, days after chaotic displays of cartel-related violence in the Mexican state of Jalisco, Eva Zarate’s group chats, with family in Mexico and the United States, went quiet. Cars and Oxxo convenience stores burned across the region, including where her relatives live in Guadalajara. The unrest was in apparent retaliation for the Feb. 22 Mexican military operation in Jalisco, which officials said led to the capture and death of drug cartel boss Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes. Many Mexican Americans like Zarate, a 33-year-old therapist who lives in Oakland, California, sent flurries of WhatsApp messages and calls checking on family. They continuously try to work out how their families can remain safe in their cities, towns and villages amid the country’s decades-long, bloody war against organized crime, including the most recent takedown of another wanted drug trafficker. Families in the United States are waiting to see how normalcy returns for relatives in Mexico, and what policies in both countries mean for families on either side of the border. “I feel like this simmering anxiety and tension these past few days,” Zarate said. Zarate and her husband had visited her family in Guadalajara the day before the Mexican military operation. It was her husband’s first visit. Zarate had taken him to her grandparents’ tombstones. Her aunt made them Zarate’s grandmother’s recipes, including the Guadalajara staple of carne en su jugo, a stew of beef, bacon cuts and beans in tomatillo sauce. Back in Oakland, they awoke on Sunday, Feb. 22, to news outlets reporting cars aflame, burned buildings and shootouts. In newly formed WhatsApp group chats, Zarate scrambled to account for relatives who had sheltered indoors. As she called and messaged families, Zarate realized relatives were much closer to violent clashes than she previously thought. "I think it was like just hearing the gunshots," she said. Zarate said family members sent videos showing they were safe, including them driving past cars still on fire on the side of the road or inside watching television. Some made jokes about the situation. Relatives messaged that they were glad Zarate and her husband left before the unrest. Then, the chats became quiet as people hunkered down. The operation and ensuing retaliation, while resulting in the deaths of 25 Mexican National Guard members and 34 suspected gang members, resulted in only one known civilian death, according to Reuters. Jalisco issued a code red that shuttered businesses and schools for days.

Washington Examiner [3/2/2026 3:54 AM, Staff, 1147K] reports the head of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc in Lebanon’s government was killed during a military strike conducted by Israeli Defense Forces on Sunday. Mohammad Raad was among ten people killed by airstrikes in Beirut, Lebanon. Raad was a member of the Lebanese Shia Islamist party and leader of the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc, according to reports. He had served in the position since 2000. In 2019, Raad was one of the members of Lebanon’s parliament sanctioned by the U.S. for his role in terrorist activities and “providing support to terrorists.” His son was a member of Hezbollah’s special operations forces but was killed during the conflict with Israel after the Oct. 7 attacks. “Hezbollah uses its operatives in Lebanon’s parliament to manipulate institutions in support of the terrorist group’s financial and security interests and to bolster Iran’s malign activities,” Sigal Mandelker, U.S. under-secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said at the time. Sunday’s IDF strikes were explicitly aimed at Hezbollah strategic targets and leadership in Lebanon after the Iranian-backed paramilitary group took credit for rocket attacks on northern Israel, according to the Times of Israel. Hezbollah’s attack in Israel was in turn a retaliation for Israel’s attack on Iran on Saturday and the death of Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Hezbollah’s retaliatory strikes in northern Israel were the group’s first action against Israel since a ceasefire agreement was signed in November 2024.

Wall Street Journal [3/1/2026 8:05 PM, James Benedict, Sune Engel Rasmussen, and Benoit Faucon, 646K] reports the U.S. and Israel have killed a large number of Iran’s top leaders in the military campaign that began Saturday, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Here’s a look at the Iranian leaders who have died in the assault, and those who have survived. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Age: 86, confirmed killed. Position: Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic. Ali Larijani. Age: 67, presumed alive. Position: Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. Masoud Pezeshkian. Age: 71, presumed alive. Position: Iran’s president. Ali Shamkhani. Age: 70, confirmed killed. Position: Secretary of Iran’s Defense Council. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. Age: 64, presumed alive. Position: Speaker of Iran’s Parliament, military coordinator. Gen. Mohammad Pakpour. Age: 65, confirmed killed. Position: Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Aziz Nasirzadeh. Age: 62, confirmed killed. Position: Defense Minister.

New York Times [3/1/2026 8:15 PM, Zolan Kanno-Youngs, David E. Sanger, and Tyler Pager, 148038K] reports President Trump said on Sunday that the U.S. military intends to sustain its assault on Iran for “four to five weeks” if necessary, insisting that it “won’t be difficult” for Israel and the United States to maintain the intensity of the battle even as he warned of the possibility of more American casualties. In a brief telephone interview with The New York Times, Mr. Trump offered several seemingly contradictory visions of how power might be transferred to a new government — or even whether the existing Iranian power structure would run that government or be overthrown. Among the options he suggested was an outcome similar to what he engineered in Venezuela, in which only the top leader was removed during an American military strike and much of the rest of the government remained in place, but newly willing to work pragmatically with the United States. The assault on Iran is considered far more complex and risky than the operation to capture Nicolás Maduro, who was Venezuela’s leader, in part because Iran’s leadership oversees extensive military abilities and because of deep divides in Iranian society over the country’s course. And unlike Venezuela, Iran has sustained an active nuclear program. The interview with Mr. Trump seemed to reflect the degree to which his administration remains uncertain about how the next few weeks will unfold, both on the battlefield and in the creation of a replacement government in Tehran. But he insisted the Pentagon retained plenty of forces, missiles and bombs to sustain the military assault “if we have to.” Asked how long the United States and Israel could keep up this level of attacks, he responded: “Well, we intended four to five weeks.” “It won’t be difficult,” Mr. Trump added. “We have tremendous amounts of ammunition. You know, we have ammunition stored all over the world in different countries.” He made no mention of the Pentagon’s concerns that the conflict could further deplete reserves that military strategists have said are critical to retain in scenarios like a conflict over Taiwan or Russian incursions into Europe.

Daily Signal [3/1/2026 1:42 PM, Fred Lucas, 474K] reports by afternoon Sunday, the U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran sunk nine Iranian ships and took out dozens of Iranian leaders, President Donald Trump announced. "I have just been informed that we have destroyed and sunk 9 Iranian Naval Ships, some of them relatively large and important," Trump posted on Truth Social Sunday. "We are going after the rest–They will soon be floating at the bottom of the sea, also!" Trump’s post continued. "In a different attack, we largely destroyed their Naval Headquarters. Other than that, their Navy is doing very well!". Separately, Fox News reported that Trump said 48 Iranian leaders were wiped out in the strikes. Most notably, the air strikes killed the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and targeted Iranian military sites to stop the country’s ability to develop and deploy nuclear weapons. U.S. Central Command reported Suday afternoon that B-2 stealth bombers, armed with 2,000 pound bombs hit Iran’s ballistic missile facilities. Minutes after Trump’s post, the Associated Press reported that a senior White House official said the "new potential leadership" in Iran suggested they were open to talks. CBS News reported that Trump told CBS News Sunday morning a diplomatic solution is "Much easier now than it was a day ago, obviously." He said that’s since "they are getting beat up badly.". U.S. Central Command also reported three U.S. service members had been killed, five were seriously wounded in Operation Epic Fury.

ABC News [3/1/2026 7:17 PM, Nicholas Kerr, Meghan Mistry, Fritz Farrow, and Selina Wang, 34146K] reports as President Donald Trump departed Mar-a-Lago for the White House Sunday afternoon, he posted a video on social media acknowledging for the first time on camera the deaths of three U.S. troops killed during the operation against Iran over the weekend. The president said he was sending "our immense love and eternal gratitude to the families of the fallen" before warning that more U.S. troops will "likely" be killed as the operation rages on. "Earlier today, CENTCOM shared the news that three US military service members have been killed in action. As one nation, we grieve for the true American patriots who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, even as we continue the righteous mission for which they gave their lives, we pray for the full recovery of the wounded and send our immense love and eternal gratitude to the families of the fallen," Trump said. "And sadly, there will likely be more before it ends. That’s the way it is -- likely be more, but we’ll do everything possible. But that won’t be the case. But America will avenge their deaths and deliver the most punishing blow to the terrorists who have waged war against, basically, civilization," Trump added. The New York Post [3/1/2026 7:07 PM, Alex Oliveira, 40934K] reports President Trump demanded that those left in Iran’s regime lay down their arms or face "certain death" while cautioning that more US troops were likely to die after three were killed during Iran’s response to the Saturday assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. "I once again urge the Revolutionary Guard, the Iranian military, the police, to lay down your arms and receive full immunity, or face certain death," Trump said in a video message posted to Truth Social Sunday. "It will be certain death," he added. "It won’t be pretty." The president also pledged that the US-Israeli strikes on Iran won’t end until all objectives were achieved, insisting the attacks were part of a "righteous mission" to keep the US and the world safe from Iran-sponsored terrorism. "They are the world’s number one state sponsor of terror," he said. "We are the world’s greatest and most powerful nation, so we can do something about what they do.

Reported similarly:
NewsMax [3/1/2026 9:11 PM, Staff, 3760K]

Reuters [3/1/2026 11:24 PM, Phil Stewart and Humeyra Pamuk, 38315K] reports Trump administration officials acknowledged in closed-door briefings with congressional staff on Sunday that there was no intelligence suggesting Iran planned to attack U.S. forces first, two people familiar with the matter said. The United States and Israel launched their most ambitious attacks on Iran in decades on Saturday, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, sinking Iranian warships and hitting more than 1,000 targets so far, officials say. But Sunday’s remarks to Congress appeared to undercut one of the key arguments for the war made by senior administration officials. They told reporters the day before that President Donald Trump decided to launch the attacks in part because of indicators that Iranians might strike U.S. forces in the Middle East "perhaps preemptively.". Trump, one of the officials said, was not going to "sit back and allow American forces in the region to absorb attacks.". Pentagon officials briefed Democratic and Republican staff of several national security committees in both the Senate and the House of Representatives for more than 90 minutes on the unfolding U.S. attack in Iran, White House spokesperson Dylan Johnson said earlier. In the briefings, administration officials emphasized that Iran’s ballistic missiles and proxy forces in the region posed an imminent threat to U.S. interests, but there was no intelligence about Tehran attacking U.S. forces first, the two sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters. Trump said the attack, which is expected to run for weeks, aimed to ensure Iran could not have a nuclear weapon, contain its missile program and eliminate threats to the United States and its allies. He has urged Iranians to rise up and topple the government.

FOX News [3/2/2026 1:12 AM, Staff, 37576K] reports ‘Fox News @ Night’ panelists look at the potential Iranian proxies that could join in on the ongoing conflict and assess the success of the initial US-Israeli strikes. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

AP [3/1/2026 8:01 AM, Staff, 35287K] reports the chairman of the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee says a priority for the military campaign against Iran is Iran’s “vast missile arsenal.” Republican Tom Cotton of Arkansas tells CBS’ “Face the Nation” those missiles threatened American troops “from bases as far flung as the Indian Ocean to Western Europe.” “We’re stopping a lot of them from being fired before Iran can fire them. It’s much easier to kill the archer on the ground than it is to shoot his arrows out of the sky,” he said in the television interview.

CNN [3/1/2026 11:09 AM, Kevin Liptak, et al., 612K] reports for months, Israeli and American intelligence agencies — including the CIA — had been secretly watching Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei for just the right moment. They were monitoring for his daily patterns — where he lived, whom he met with, how he communicated and where he might retreat under threat of attack, five people familiar with the matter told CNN. They were keeping tabs, too, on Iran’s senior political and military leaders, who rarely gathered in the same place with the ayatollah, the country’s supreme leader for nearly four decades. Over the last several days, they found their opportunity. Top Iranian officials, including Khamenei, planned to meet Saturday morning at separate sites on a Tehran compound that is home to the offices of the ayatollah, the Iranian presidency and the national security apparatus. The overly cautious supreme leader felt less vulnerable during daylight hours, an Israeli source said, and let down his guard. It was an opening some Israeli and US officials believed was too good to pass up. Attack plans for a dark-of-night assault were adjusted to a daytime assault, three of the people said. In a note to Israeli air force pilots, the chief of staff of Israel’s military, Eyal Zamir, laid out the stakes. "On Saturday at dawn, Operation Roaring Lion begins," he wrote. "You are cleared to strike your targets. We’re making history. I trust you. Good luck to us all.". In broad daylight, around 6 a.m. in Israel, Israeli war planes fired into the compound in the opening salvo of a coordinated wave of strikes from the US and Israel. They were equipped with highly accurate munitions and long-range missiles, sources said. All three sites with the various leaders at the compound were hit simultaneously. Hours later, President Donald Trump announced Khamenei was dead. "He 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 wrote in his announcement on social media. It’s still not clear what prompted Iran’s senior-most leaders — including the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the defense minister — to convene in the middle of Tehran in the same rough location as Khamenei, and at a moment when the US had amassed extensive military firepower in the region to make good on Trump’s threats to attack. Israeli intelligence had determined Khamenei’s top advisers, including Aziz Nasirzadeh, the minister of defense; Adm. Ali Shamkhani, the head of the Military Council; Mohammad Shirazi, the deputy intelligence minister; Mohammad Pakpour, the commander in chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps; and Seyyed Majid Mousavi, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Aerospace Force, were present, among others. Nor was it clear who would replace them.

Reported similarly:
ABC News [3/1/2026 2:59 PM, Kevin Shalvey and David Brennan, 34146K]
FOX News [3/1/2026 4:44 PM, Staff, 37576K] Video: HERE

Reuters [3/2/2026 4:49 PM, Andrew Mills, 38315K] reports Qatar has intercepted Iranian attacks that targeted civilian infrastructure, including the international airport, the Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson told CNN on Monday, adding that such attacks could not remain unanswered. Majed Al Ansari also said that Qatar was not engaging with Iran at the moment.

Bloomberg [3/1/2026 12:30 PM, Tony Czuczka, 111K] reports a senior Senate Democrat said Donald Trump’s rationale for the US-Israeli attack on Iran isn’t convincing and the US president owes an explanation to the families of American service members killed in action. “What I know as a member of the gang of eight on the Intelligence Committee, that there was no imminent threat to America,” Mark Warner, the Senate Intelligence Committee’s top Democrat, said Sunday on Bloomberg This Weekend. He was referring to the group of congressional leaders who are briefed on classified US intelligence. “So what are his goals?” Warner said. “He owes it to not only the families of those three deceased service members.” US Central Command on Sunday reported the first American casualties during operations against Iran, including three dead and five seriously wounded. When Trump announced the start of “major combat operations” early Saturday, he said the goal was to “defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats” from Iran.

{End of Report} RETURN TO TOP