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Friday, March 13, 2026

03/12 Links Pt1: The UN Can Condemn Attacks on Civilians. Just Not Israeli Ones; 60 wounded after Iranian missile strike in northern Israel; Israel targets Iran’s Basij members

From Ian:

Douglas Murray: Trump’s decision to fight Iran is historic — but he needs to finish the job
For years excitable figures have warned that any attack on Iran would start World War III. The fact that the regime in Iran has spent decades trying to develop a nuclear weapon was always a problem for these people. After all, if a terrorist regime is developing a nuclear weapon and says it is going to use that weapon, what exactly is the world meant to do? Sit back and let it happen?

That’s what much of the world seemed happy to do. Or rather, they hoped that someone would take the problem off the world’s hands for them.

And so it fell to the governments of Israel and the United States of America to step up. To do what the German chancellor recently called the world’s “dirty work” for the rest of the planet.

But there are reasons why World War III has not remotely kicked off.

The first is that for the past three years the Israelis have taken out each of the Iranian Revolutionary Government’s terrorist armies one by one.

They smashed Hamas in Gaza, killing all their senior leadership and thousands of their terrorists.

They destroyed the infrastructure and leadership of Iran’s terrorist army in Lebanon — Hezbollah. They did that from the land, the skies and through history-making operations like the pager attack which killed or disabled thousands of Hezbollah’s terrorists.

They did it by taking out the leadership and weapons stores of Iran´s terrorist army in Yemen — the Houthis.

And now for the past two weeks, with America leading the way, they have taken the battle to the head of the snake.

People should be under no illusions. The success of this American-led campaign has been extraordinary.

The world’s biggest sponsor of terror has been hit in every single place where it hurts.
Khamenei Cemented the U.S.-Israel Alliance
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei should be credited with elevating the Israel-U.S. military alliance to an unprecedented peak. Demonizing the "twin devils" of America and Israel was central to Khamenei's ideology and his regime. His followers murdered Americans, Israelis and Jews worldwide. The network of terror and nuclear ambition that this malevolent matchmaker built ultimately forced the U.S. and Israel to integrate their militaries in ways that would have been almost unimaginable a few years ago.

The moment that symbolized this transformation came with Khamenei's death. Central Intelligence Agency information from a human source pinpointed the location of the supreme leader. The intelligence was passed on to Israel, which sent 100 aircraft into Tehran to attack Khamenei's compound, killing him alongside other top officials.

Today, the operations are completely merged. American and Israeli F-15s and F-35s are flying almost side-by-side simultaneous strike packages, guided by shared intelligence. Hundreds of Israeli sorties have already been refueled by U.S. Air Force tankers. For the first time, the Israeli and American militaries are fighting the same war, in the same battle space, at the same time. Khamenei created the conditions for the most powerful military alliance the region has ever seen.
America Is Fighting a War that Iran Chose
Critics of the latest U.S. military attacks against Iran argue that the Iranian threat was insufficiently imminent to justify self-defense. However, this campaign continues an ongoing and long-term armed conflict with Iran. Iran's assaults against U.S. personnel, bases, ships and Israel over the years triggered the right to act in self-defense in response to an actual or imminent unlawful armed attack under Article 51 of the UN Charter. That U.S. right of self-defense continues until Iran's willingness or capacity to continue such aggression ends.

International law does not require a distinct self-defense justification for every attack conducted once the right of self-defense is triggered. Once that right is initiated, military action is justified to achieve the overall self-defense objective, in this case terminating Iran's capacity to strike the U.S. and its allies.

There are strong arguments that the conflict has been ongoing for the 47 years since the Iranian Revolution. Iran has been held responsible for the deaths of 603 U.S. troops in Iraq between 2003 and 2011, 241 service members in the 1983 U.S. Marine barracks bombing in Beirut, three soldiers in Jordan in January 2024, and dozens of U.S. civilians. That the U.S. has historically chosen to tolerate acts of Iranian aggression or respond in limited ways in no way negates the reality of this conflict.

It is logical and legally valid for the U.S. to target enemy military sites when and where such strikes are most likely to accomplish objectives and produce maximum advantage. This approach is inherent in the numerous times U.S. presidents and military officials have stated the U.S. will respond to Iranian aggression "at a time and place of our choosing."

International law does not require the U.S. and its allies to endlessly endure and absorb Iranian aggression. The U.S. military is engaged in decisive action to permanently stop Iranian attacks. America is fighting a war that Iran chose.


Billboards across Israel thank Trump for his leadership in Iran war
A nationwide billboard campaign thanking U.S. President Donald Trump has appeared across Israel, with signs along major highways and central intersections in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv bearing the message: “Thank you God & Donald Trump!”

The campaign was launched by Mike Evans, founder of the Friends of Zion Heritage Center in Jerusalem and a longtime evangelical supporter of Israel. Evans said the initiative is intended to express gratitude for what he described as a historic moment in the Middle East amid the ongoing war involving Israel, the United States and Iran.

“This is nothing less than a Purim miracle,” Evans said. “The courage and leadership shown by President Trump, combined with the faith of millions who believe in God’s protection over Israel, are changing the course of history in the Middle East. Many believe the events unfolding in Iran could ultimately bring freedom to the Persian people and greater security for the Jewish people in Israel.”

Evans arrived in Israel on Feb. 26, two days before the war began, saying he wanted to stand in solidarity with Israelis and document events for the global evangelical community that strongly supports Israel.

During his visit, Evans traveled across the country with a professional camera crew, visiting missile impact sites and communities affected by the war. He also met with Israeli soldiers, visited wounded civilians in hospitals, attended funerals and spoke with Holocaust survivors.

His team documented how Israeli society has been functioning during wartime while exploring ways to provide practical assistance to communities affected by the conflict.

According to a statement from Friends of Zion (FoZ), Evans later departed Israel via Egypt and traveled to Washington, D.C., where he is continuing public and diplomatic efforts in support of Israel.


What the Critics Have Wrong about the Iran Conflict
Nearly all critics of the joint U.S.-Israeli decapitation strike against the Iranian regime on Feb. 28 claim support for the demise of the bloody-handed Iranian leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, while simultaneously expressing outrage that the operation itself has supposedly violated a litany of laws, norms and other requirements that were necessary to proceed.

The primary objectives of the operation are obvious and reasonable. For nearly 50 years, the Iranian regime has been at war against America and its interests in the region, and over the past decade it had been escalating dramatically. Not only was Tehran moving ahead full steam toward a nuclear weapons capability, it radically increased its support for terror proxies in the region, culminating with the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led massacre in Israel.

Repeated criticism that the administration hasn't yet offered a specific "endgame" for the operation misses the point entirely - the only requirement is an Iran no longer able to threaten the region, or beyond.

The notion that the action is "unconstitutional" or "unlawful" betrays a misunderstanding of both the Constitution and historic practice. Ever since Thomas Jefferson waged "undeclared" war against North African pirates in the Mediterranean, all presidents have claimed such authority. And while the 1973 War Powers Act tried to curb its excesses, the Trump administration met the letter of that law by informing Congressional leaders prior to the strike, and now has 60 days to garner formal approvals.

America's international allies were by no means neglected. If the initial military operation aimed at taking out Khamenei and his inner circle was to have any chance of success, extreme secrecy was required. Attempting to form an international coalition in advance - while the regime in Tehran prepared for war - would have been impractical and unwise.

The charge that the Trump administration ignored the possibility that diplomacy could achieve better outcomes than military action belies reality. White House envoys made several attempts at diplomacy, but the barriers between the two sides - mostly centered on eliminating Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile threats - were all but unbreachable. Diplomacy with this regime had been a dead end for decades.

This was not a specific "regime change" operation requiring a direct U.S. long-term commitment. It was a rare opportunity to eliminate a decades-old security threat to the region and the world, and offer the possibility of a better future for the Iranian people. We can all join in wishing for its success.
What Is the Definition of Victory in Iran?
A patient Trump can achieve what no modern president before him came anywhere close to: the irreversible elimination of the Iranian threat. By contrast, if victory is not decisive, Iran's surviving leaders could conclude that America lost its nerve and was too weak to defeat them.

One level of success would be that the U.S. eliminates the regime's ability to project force beyond its borders. The U.S.-Israeli combined force is systematically dismantling Iran's air, ground and naval forces, its command and control, nuclear and ballistic missile stockpiles and production capacity, and terrorist infrastructure. "We're not just hitting what they have," says Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command. "We're destroying their ability to rebuild."

There are thousands more targets that need to be hit, but if the U.S. and Israel finish the job, Iran will be militarily neutered - unable to launch missiles, drones or rockets or to provide these weapons to its terrorist proxies. That will be a world-changing accomplishment. But this success will be temporary and reversible if the current Iranian regime survives with its will intact.

The greatest risk would be in ending the military campaign too soon before the Iranian regime collapses. Not only would that represent a lost opportunity, but regime remnants could conclude that they had actually won a contest of wills with Trump. For them, any form of survival is victory. Indeed, they may take the lesson that they were saved by providence to continue their campaign of jihad against the West.
The United Nations Can Condemn Attacks on Civilians. Just Not Israeli Ones.
This Wednesday, March 11, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 2817 condemning the Islamic Republic of Iran for missile and drone attacks against the Gulf states and Jordan. It explicitly condemned the targeting of civilian infrastructure and residential areas in those countries and declared that Iran’s attacks constitute a violation of international law and a threat to international peace and security.

Notably absent from the resolution, however, is any mention of attacks on Israeli civilians, despite Israeli civilians also being targeted by Iranian missile and drone barrages, and attacks by Iranian proxies.

In other words, when civilians in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, or Jordan are targeted, the Security Council has no difficulty using clear moral language.

It condemns the attacks. It names the aggressor. It recognizes that deliberately targeting civilians is unacceptable.

But there is one category of civilians for whom the Security Council cannot seem to find worth mentioning, Israelis.

Today’s resolution condemns Iranian attacks on civilian infrastructure in Arab states. It recognizes those acts as violations of international law. It affirms the right of those states to defend themselves.

The resolution doesn’t extend the condemnations against Israeli civilians, or right to self defense to Israel.

The message sent by UNSC Resolution 2817 is impossible to ignore.

The omission is deliberate. By refusing to mention Israel while condemning attacks on civilians elsewhere in the region, the Security Council sends a message about whose lives count and whose do not.


Iranian diplomats in Australia, Denmark seek asylum
Iranian diplomats in Denmark and Australia have applied for asylum in their host countries, Iran International reported Thursday, citing sources familiar with the matter.

The two asylum seekers were identified as Alireza Sohbati of the Iranian Embassy in Copenhagen and Mohammad Pournajaf of the Iranian Embassy in Canberra. Pournajaf had previously served as the chargé d'affaires of the Islamic Republic’s embassy in Australia, according to the anti-regime publication. Trump urges diplomats to seek asylum amid Operations Epic Fury and Roaring Lion

This comes one week after US President Donald Trump urged Iranian diplomats to seek asylum during an address at the East Room of the White House as part of a ceremony hosting Inter Miami CF on March 6.

The US "urges Iranian diplomats around the world to request asylum and to help us shape a new and better Iran," he said.

Israel and the US launched Operations Roaring Lion and Epic Fury in the early morning on February 28, with the stated aim of creating conditions for regime change. Iran retaliated by firing across the Middle East at Gulf nations and US military bases in the region.

A total of four Iranian diplomats have sought asylum since the beginning of 2026
Per the Iran International report, these two diplomats are the first two to seek asylum in their host nations since the outset of the current war, but they are not the first to do so in recent months.


Iran’s new impotent Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei releases first statement — after reports he’s in coma, had leg amputated
Iran’s new Supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei released his first statement Thursday vowing to use the “lever” of closing the Strait of Hormuz to international energy shipping — after reports circulated that he was in a coma and had his leg amputated after being severely injured in the US-Israeli strikes that killed his father and other family members.

The lengthy message was read out on Iranian state TV by an anchor as an image of Khamenei was displayed on screen, a break from tradition.

No explanation was given for why the 56-year-old did not appear in the flesh, with experts suggesting the message was a sign that Khamenei is little more than a figurehead and that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) remains the real center of power.

“I assure everyone that we will not refrain from avenging the blood of your martyrs,” the supreme leader said. “The retaliation we have in mind is not limited only to the martyrdom of the great leader of the revolution [Ayatollah Ali Khamenei]; rather, every member of the nation who is martyred by the enemy constitutes a separate case in the file of revenge.”

“Our sincere thanks go to our brave fighters who, at a time when our nation and beloved homeland have been unjustly attacked by the leaders of the front of arrogance, have blocked the enemy’s path with their powerful blows and dispelled their illusion of being able to dominate our beloved country or possibly divide it,” he added.

Khamenei, who specifically noted avenging those killed in the strike on the Shajarah Tayyebeh elementary school building in Minab, said Iran would “obtain compensation” from its enemy, meaning the US and Israel.

“If it refuses, we will take from its assets to the extent we deem appropriate, and if that is not possible, we will destroy its assets to the same extent,” he said.

The message was a clear call for Iran’s allies abroad to take revenge, according to Khosro Isfahani, the research director for the Washington-based National Union for Democracy in Iran (NUFDI) think tank.

“It hints at activating terror cells, like the warnings that have come out of Europe and the US, and the reports of preparing strikes on the West Coast,” Isfahani told The Post.
Cracks emerging between Iran’s political, military leaders, FM Sa'ar tells 'Post'
In recent days, since the war by Israel and the United States against Iran began, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar has not been getting much sleep.

“It’s not only because of the sirens,” he told The Jerusalem Post. “There are quite a few discussions, meetings, and also phone calls with counterparts that continue late into the night.”

Sa’ar was one of the insiders who participated in planning the war and in the discussions convened by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to deliberate on the joint Israeli-American operation.

The operation, which dramatically shifted the balance of power in the Middle East, stood out not only for its kinetic success but also for the US’s close involvement.

Sa’ar rejected claims that Jerusalem had dragged Washington into the campaign or persuaded it to join, emphasizing instead the complete alignment of interests between the two allies.

“I have no intention of sharing the content of the dialogue between us and the administration, but President Donald Trump saw, and continues to see, the situation exactly as we do,” he said. “That was reflected in their joining the military action in June 2025. All the more so now. This was not merely participation; it was a joint operation with joint planning, and that speaks for itself.”

Against the backdrop of Trump’s remarks that the war might be nearing its end, and concerns among some Israeli officials that Washington and Jerusalem might define “victory” differently, Sa’ar addressed the war’s ultimate objective. He stressed that the definition of victory held by the Israeli government and the American administration is the same.

“We don’t want to enter a new war every year or every two years,” he said. “Therefore, our goal is to remove the existential threats that Iran poses to Israel for the long term, not just temporarily.”
Israel-Somaliland ties could lead to Red Sea Israeli base, intel. gathering on Houthis - report
Israel’s recognition of Somaliland has secured the state its first ally across from Yemen, which could lead to an Israeli base on the coast of the Red Sea, Khadar Hussein Abdi, Somaliland’s minister of the presidency, told Bloomberg on Wednesday.

In addition to potentially establishing an Israeli presence in the Red Sea, Somaliland would allow Israel to use its strategic location to gather intelligence and operate against Yemen’s Houthis, two anonymous Somaliland officials told Bloomberg.

“In terms of security, we will have a strategic relationship, and that encompasses a lot of things,” Abdi told Bloomberg. “We haven’t discussed with them if it becomes a military base, but definitely, there will be an analysis at some point.”

In late December, Israel became the first country to recognize the Republic of Somaliland, a northeastern part of Somalia that has claimed independence for decades. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had said Israel would seek immediate cooperation in agriculture, health, technology, and the economy.

Just days before the launch of Operation Roaring Lion, Israel welcomed Somaliland’s first official delegation for a visit focused on establishing professional relations, with the primary objective of exporting technology in the agricultural and water-recycling sectors.

Though the Houthis have not formally entered the Israel-Iran conflict, a long-term presence closer to the terrorist group could allow for protection from missiles and drones aimed at Israel, as well as from attacks launched by the Houthis on boats in the Red Sea.

With Israel's continuous strikes against Hamas and Hezbollah since 2023, the Houthis have steadily grown to be Iran’s strongest proxy.

“The Israeli relationship with Somaliland matters in large part because the Houthis are expanding along the Horn of Africa,” Ari Heistein, a research fellow at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, told Bloomberg.

“If the ongoing US-Israel campaign degrades Iran’s ability to support the movement, the region could become an even more critical strategic arena for them.”


US refueling plane crashes in Iraq due to apparent accident, rescue efforts ongoing
The US Central Command on Thursday said a KC-135 refueling aircraft crashed in Iraq in an apparent accident involving another tanker.

“The incident occurred in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury, and rescue efforts are ongoing. Two aircraft were involved in the incident. One of the aircraft went down in western Iraq, and the second landed safely,” CENTCOM said in a statement.

CENTCOM said the aircraft was part of the operation against Iran but that the incident was “not due to hostile fire or friendly fire.”

It added that more information would be made available “as the situation develops.”

The second tanker involved in the incident landed at Ben Gurion Airport earlier in the evening. The aircraft had sent a “squawk code” of 7700, an international emergency signal, according to flight tracking data.

It wasn’t immediately clear if there were any casualties. Both US President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have warned that the Iran war would likely claim more American lives before it ends.

KC-135s, which have been in operation for more than 60 years, generally have a crew of three — a pilot, a copilot and a third who operates the boom used to refuel other aircraft, according to the US Air Force. But some KC-135 missions require a navigator, and the aircraft can carry up to 37 passengers, an Air Force factsheet said.


Tehran targets oil supply, threatens to bring down world economy
Iran on Wednesday threatened a “war of attrition” that would destroy the global economy as it targeted oil tankers and neighboring energy infrastructure.

Rear Adm. Ali Fadavi, adviser to the IRGC commander-in-chief, a member of the military’s “war command room” and former deputy commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, told Iranian state television on Wednesday that the U.S. and Israel “must consider the possibility that they will be engaged in a long-term war of attrition that will destroy the entire American economy and the world economy.”

Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry reported on Thursday that its air defenses intercepted ​a drone ​heading ‌toward the Shaybah ‌oilfield. Iranian attack boats set fire to two Iraqi fuel tankers near the Iraqi port city of Basra earlier that day.

On Wednesday, three merchant vessels were hit near the Strait of Hormuz by “unknown projectiles.” One Indian sailor was killed.

Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, which accounts for 20% of the world’s oil supplies, about 25–27% of all seaborne oil trade.
FDD: 3 Ships Struck by Projectiles Near Strait of Hormuz
Latest Developments
3 Vessels Struck Off Iranian Coast: “Unknown” projectiles struck three ships near the Strait of Hormuz on March 11, United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported. According to Reuters, the Thai-flagged Mayuree Naree, the Japan-flagged ONE Majesty, and the Marshall Islands-flagged Star Gwyneth sustained damage. Mayuree Naree’s operator, Precious Shipping, stated, “Three crew members are reported missing.”
Iranians Threaten Strait: Iranian security chief Ali Larijani threatened that the “Strait of Hormuz will either be a strait of peace and prosperity for all or will be a strait of defeat and suffering for warmongers.” On March 11, Iran’s unified military command center spokesman warned, “We will never allow even a single liter of oil to pass through the Strait of Hormuz for the benefit of America, the Zionists or their partners.”
Trump Threatens Harder Strikes if Iran Mines Strait of Hormuz: President Donald Trump said on March 10 that “if Iran has put out any mines in the Hormuz Strait … we want them removed, IMMEDIATELY! If for any reason mines were placed, and they are not removed forthwith, the Military consequences to Iran will be at a level never seen before.” U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) later stated that “U.S. forces eliminated multiple Iranian naval vessels, March 10, including 16 minelayers near the Strait of Hormuz.”

FDD Expert Response
“Successful opening of the Strait of Hormuz requires two broad steps. First, the United States needs to destroy the Iranian missile, mine, drone, and fast attack craft threat. This will take three to four weeks and reduce transit risk to manageable levels. Second, establish a vessel convoy schedule utilizing ‘unblinking eye’ capabilities, air-defense-equipped destroyers, Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS)-equipped fighter aircraft, and armed helicopters. Only when the conditions for these two steps are set should we consider the strait ‘reopened.’” — RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, Senior Fellow and Senior Director of FDD’s Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation
Israel targets Iran’s Basij members and drones, as Tehran’s missile attacks continue
Israel and the US continued to strike targets across Iran on Thursday, the 13th day of the conflict, as Iranian missiles repeatedly targeted Israel and the Islamic Republic continued to strike Gulf states.

At least six salvos of Iranian missiles targeted Israel throughout Thursday, sending millions of Israelis from Eilat in the south to Kiryat Shmona in the north to shelters. According to initial military assessments, a small number of missiles were launched and were intercepted. No serious injuries were reported.

The IDF said it continued to strike key strategic targets across Iran, while the US military said it had struck around 6,000 targets since the start of the war. Among the targets hit by US forces were more than 90 Iranian vessels — around 60 ships and 30 minelayers — according to US Central Command, which is responsible for American forces in the region.

Targets struck by Israel included members of Iran’s Basij paramilitary force as well as its drone operations and capabilities.

According to the IDF, the Basij established checkpoints in several areas of Iran’s capital in recent days. Following the identification, the Israeli Air Force struck the Basij checkpoints and members of the force, the IDF said.

Iranian media reported that several members of Iran’s internal security forces and Basij stationed at checkpoints were killed.

“These armed forces are part of the Iranian regime’s security apparatus and have for years been responsible for carrying out terror activities,” the Israeli military said, adding that “these forces lead the main repression operations against internal protests, particularly in the recent period, employing severe violence, widespread arrests, and the use of force against civilian demonstrators.”

The IDF also said Thursday that its strikes had destroyed more than 250 Iranian drones and dozens of launchers, and killed numerous soldiers and commanders in Iran’s unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) array.

During one wave of strikes, the military said, the Air Force identified Iranian soldiers from the UAV array preparing to launch drones at Israel. Within a short while, the launcher and the soldiers were struck by the IAF, thwarting the planned attack, the military said.

“So far, the Air Force has struck more than 250 unmanned aerial vehicles, launchers, and dozens of launch sites. In addition, many commanders and soldiers in the UAV array responsible for numerous launches toward the State of Israel have been eliminated,” the IDF said in a statement.


Katz: If Beirut fails to stop Hezbollah, IDF will ‘take control of the territory’
If Lebanon’s government fails to prevent Hezbollah rocket and drone attacks on Israel, Jerusalem will “take control of the territory and do it ourselves,” Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened on Thursday.

“The prime minister and I have instructed the Israel Defense Forces to prepare to expand its operations in Lebanon and to restore quiet and security to the northern communities,” the defense minister stated.

“We promised quiet and security to the northern communities, and that is exactly what we will do,” Katz added in a Hebrew-language statement.

Hezbollah overnight on Wednesday launched its largest rocket barrage at the Jewish state since the start of the current war, in what the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said was a combined assault that also included several volleys of ballistic missiles launched by Iran.

According to the Magen David Adom emergency response group, two people sustained light wounds from “flying objects” during the attacks.

The two—a woman with a head injury and a man with a hand wound—were taken to Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya. In addition, several people were treated for injuries sustained while running for shelter.

Speaking during an operational briefing at IDF Northern Command on Monday morning, Katz said that the decision to advance into Lebanon following Hezbollah’s March 2 decision to join the war on Iran’s behalf was “morally and operationally correct, and enables what comes next.”

“It gives confidence to the communities that what happened will not return,” the minister stated, referencing Jerusalem’s past decision to evacuate northern communities for well over a year in response to Hezbollah’s cross-border attacks that started on Oct. 7, 2023, and paused following a U.S.-brokered ceasefire on Nov. 27, 2024.
IDF orders Southern Lebanon residents north of Zahrani River
The Israel Defense Forces issued an unprecedented directive on Thursday ordering all residents of Southern Lebanon to evacuate north of the Zahrani River.

IDF Arabic-language Spokesperson Col. Avichay Adraee announced the warning in a message posted on X, citing intensified Hezbollah activity in the area.

The IDF “does not intend to harm civilians,” he said, urging immediate evacuation “for your safety” and warning that anyone near Hezbollah sites or operatives “is putting their life in danger.”

The order marks the first time Israel has instructed all civilians north of the Zahrani River, which runs north of the Litani River and enters the Mediterranean Sea about nine miles south of Sidon.

It comes amid continued Hezbollah rocket and drone firing, as well as Iranian missile launches into Israel on Thursday. Sirens sounded in the afternoon in Safed and nearby towns in the Galilee as the Iranian terrorist proxy launched a rocket across the border with no injuries reported.

No injuries were reported in Iran’s latest ballistic missile attack on Israel Thursday afternoon, the fifth since midnight. A small number of enemy missiles were launched and intercepted, according to initial military assessments. Air-raid sirens sounded across central Israel during the attack.
Hezbollah still holds over 1,000 long-range missiles to strike Israel
Hezbollah has over 1,000 long-range missiles to continue to hammer Israel's home front, in addition to potentially tens of thousands of shorter-range missiles, The Jerusalem Post has learned.

With the terrorist group's situation intensifying, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir on Wednesday ordered significant reinforcements to the North, in a sign that the military may deepen its ground forces involvement in Lebanon.

According to the military, Zamir instructed the IDF to reinforce the Northern Command and move the Golani Brigade from southern operations in Gaza to the northern sector.

The Golani Brigade is the IDF's foremost large-scale offensive invasion force, and is usually not brought into a new area just to carry out guard duty.

Already, the IDF has sent Divisions 36 and 91 deeper into southern Lebanon than the original plans dictated.

IDF expected to approach 1,000 attacks in Lebanon
IDF Divisions 146 and 210 have also expanded operations in southern Lebanon beyond the five outposts that Israel has maintained near the border since the November 2024 ceasefire with Hezbollah, but have not advanced as deeply to date.

In the coming days, the IDF is expected to approach 1,000 attacks in Lebanon, including dozens of major strikes in Hezbollah's stronghold of Dahiya in Beirut.

Moreover, the IDF has reported a growing trend of direct confrontations with Hezbollah on the ground in southern Lebanon, with more updates of killing cells of fighters it is uncovering as it patrols new areas.

In addition, the IDF is uncovering more areas within southern Lebanon where Hezbollah hid weapons.

Despite these successes, Hezbollah has managed several ambushes on IDF forces.


Iron Beam’s limits exposed as Hezbollah drones breach northern Israel's skies
The Iron Beam high-energy laser air defense system was meant to provide a robust solution to the threats from UAVs and drones in Israel's northern skies. In practice, since Hezbollah joined the current round of fighting, dozens of unmanned aircraft have penetrated the border.

Just in Kiryat Shmona and Kibbutz Dafna, there have been eighteen UAV warnings, and some of these aircraft flew around undisturbed until they were shot down by conventional means, fired at from helicopters or even with assault rifles.

This state of affairs raises questions, especially given that the laser system carried out successful interceptions in the Northern Arrows operation in 2024. It completed the trials stage in 2025, was declared operational at the end of the year, and initial units have been delivered to the IDF.

As far as is known, the IDF has only a small number of laser systems at present. Negligible use has been made of them in the current campaign, and the IDF spokesperson has refused to comment on their contribution to the fighting in the north.

The lack of clarity on the matter has spawned fake news: at the beginning of the operation, a forged video clip was distributed on social networks showing a laser beam knocking out missile salvoes one after another.

The reality is that the system is not designed to deal with ballistic missiles and, contrary to what appears in the video, the laser beam is not visible from a distance.
Nearly 60 wounded after Iranian missile strike in northern Israel
Some 58 people were wounded after a ballistic missile struck Israel during the third Iranian missile barrage targeted the country's north on early Friday morning, Magen David Adom said in a statement.

Seven firefighting teams from the Nof Galilee Station responded to the scene, Israel's Fire and Rescue Authority said on Friday morning.

According to the authority, the missile struck near four houses, heavily damaging one of the homes, as well as several cars.

The strike also sparked a fire in a nearby building, which quickly spread into an open field.

MDA said that it has evacuated one person moderately wounded from shrapnel and 57 others mildly wounded by glass shards to nearby hospitals for further medical treatment.

“When we arrived at the scene, we saw damage to several homes and shattered glass," MDA EMT Eran Abo said. "We saw a 34-year-old woman suffering from a back injury caused by shrapnel, and her condition is defined as moderate, as well as a 17-year-old girl who was mildly injured by broken glass."

Emek Medical Center in Afula said that it has admitted 30 of those wounded in the strike, including 15 adults and 15 children. Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa said it has admitted the additional 28, including 12 children.

Medical personnel also evacuated an additional 15 people suffering from anxiety to the hospital.


Herzog meets widower of Filipino caregiver killed in Iranian missile attack
President Isaac Herzog met on Thursday with the widower of a Filipino caregiver killed in an Iranian missile strike on Tel Aviv on Feb. 28, expressing condolences and praising the contributions of Israel’s Filipino community.

The meeting at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem brought together Herzog, Bernie Galsim Lavarias, who was married to caregiver Mary Ann V. De Vera, and Aileen Mendiola, the Philippines’ ambassador to Israel.

De Vera was the first person killed in Israel during “Operation Roaring Lion.” Her death has drawn condolences from officials in both Israel and the Philippines. Her remains are being prepared for repatriation to the Philippines on the first available flight, her family said.

Herzog described De Vera as a hero who acted to protect the woman she cared for, Rachel Shihror.

“We are devastated by the terrible loss of Mary Ann,” Herzog said. “On behalf of the State of Israel, I send my deepest condolences to her family and the entire nation of the Philippines.

“Mary Ann was an angel,” he added. “She was a hero, as she saved Mrs. Rachel Shihror during the missile attack. So many Israelis were hurt by and took to heart the loss of Mary Ann.”

Herzog also thanked the Filipino community in Israel for its longstanding role in supporting Israeli families.


IDF top lawyer cancels charges against troops accused of abusing Palestinian detainee
In a bombshell decision, Military Advocate General Maj. Gen. Itai Ofir on Thursday ordered the cancellation of an indictment against five IDF reserve soldiers who were accused of severely abusing a Palestinian security detainee at the Sde Teiman detention facility in 2024.

According to the indictment filed last year, the five soldiers severely beat and assaulted the prisoner after he was brought to the detention facility, leaving him with grave injuries, including broken ribs and an internal tear in his rectum. The case made headlines around the world.

The IDF said that Ofir’s decision to cancel the charges came in the wake of “significant developments” in the case since the indictment was filed, and following a review of all considerations, evidence, and relevant circumstances.

A document summarizing the reasons behind Ofir’s decision to cancel the charges listed several factors, including “complexity regarding the existing evidence,” and the release of the detainee himself back to Gaza in the October 2025 ceasefire, without him testifying on the matter.

It also cited an “abuse of process” claim by the defendants against the indictments — in reference to the scandal involving the leak by the former military advocate general of security camera footage from Sde Teiman purportedly showing the abuse, which the defendants claimed compromised the legal process.

Ofir’s decision also took into consideration “procedural difficulties” regarding the transfer of investigative materials from the police investigation, “in a manner that harms the defendants’ right to a fair trial.”

The Prime Minister’s Office and several cabinet ministers all hailed the cancellation of the indictments, with the PMO and others calling the charges against the five “a blood libel” that damaged Israel’s international image.


IDF soldiers foil ramming, shooting attack in Judea and Samaria
Israel Defense Forces soldiers killed two terrorists, who tried to carry out a ramming and shooting attack at Tapuach Junction in Judea and Samaria, the Israeli army said on Thursday.

Soldiers stationed at the scene fired back, neutralizing the perpetrators and no injuries were reported, the IDF said.

The Israel Police said that it is investigating whether a stabbing attack in Ramat Gan earlier in the day had an ideological motive.

An assailant stabbed a 47-year-old man, who sustained serious injuries and was hospitalized, on Bialik Street of the central Israeli city, the police said.

Police and Border Police officers, who were dispatched to the area, found a 20-year-old suspect from Jatt, an Israeli-Arab local council southeast of Haifa. The suspect is being questioned, police said.


Man seriously wounded in Ramat Gan stabbing; police suspect terror motive
The head of Ramat Gan’s religious council was stabbed and seriously wounded Thursday afternoon, in an attack police were investigating as a likely terror attack.

The suspected perpetrator, a 20-year-old from the central Arab town of Jatt, was arrested by officers shortly after the incident and transferred for interrogation, police said.

The victim, 47-year-old Gedalyahu Ben Shimon, was in very serious condition after sustaining several stab wounds. Paramedics rushed him to Tel Aviv’s Ichilov Medical Center, where he underwent emergency surgery, after which he was in stable condition.

The rabbi had no previous acquaintance with his attacker, according to Tel Aviv District police chief Haim Sargaroff, who spoke to the press at the scene.

Security camera footage of the stabbing showed a man dressed in a black sweatshirt and pants as he unsheathed a knife and proceeded to lunge at his unsuspecting victim’s back.

The attacker stabbed the man several times before he collapsed to the ground, still conscious. After the knife appeared to fall from the younger man’s grip, he resorted to beating his victim.


Call Me Back Podcast: Is the Iran War Ending? - with Rich Goldberg
Is the Iran War actually heading toward an end, or just getting started?

Almost two weeks into the conflict, the United States and Israel have laid waste to Iran’s external war capabilities. As the Pentagon signals the end of "Phase One," the focus shifts from destroying missile launchers to a much bigger question: can advanced technology and air superiority achieve what was once thought possible only with boots on the ground? Dan is joined by Rich Goldberg, senior advisor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, to unpack the military scorecard, the high-stakes messaging of the oil markets, and the "science fiction" reality of modern AI-driven warfare.

In this episode:
05:20 – Military Progress: Assessing the Damage to Iran’s Arsenal
09:25 – Economic Warfare: Using Presidential Messaging to Control Oil Prices
11:05 – Breaking the Siege: Ending Iran's Control of the Strait of Hormuz
14:05 – Intelligence Debates: Is the Iranian Regime Near a Tipping Point?
26:10 – The Ground War Debate: Why Air Superiority Might Be Enough
31:40 – The High-Stakes Mission to Extract Buried Nuclear Material
36:35 – Beyond Iraq: How AI and Technology Have Changed War-Fighting
42:45 – The Future of the US-Israel Defense Tech Partnership


Ben Shapiro: CATASTROPHE?! Oil Shocks and Drone Threats As Iran Strikes Back
Scary headlines dominate the news as the Iranian government makes its final stand: attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, possible drone attacks in California, and a botched attack on an Iranian girls’ school. So, are we really losing?


Commentary Podcast: The Strait and Narrow
FDD's Jonathan Schanzer joins a full house to discuss the developments in the Iran war - Hezbollah's desperate rocket volley against Israel, Iranian attempts to mine the Strait of Hormuz, Hamas receiving a breather as focus shifts away from Gaza, and the debate surrounding regime change.
Victor Davis Hanson: A MAGA Split Over Iran? What MAGA Split?
Following the initiation of Operation Epic Fury, there has been a lot of talk about a supposed MAGA split among Trump supporters. After all, the America First credo was no optional wars in the Middle East following disgust with the 20-year misadventures in Afghanistan and Iraq. But Iran is not Afghanistan or Iraq.

This is a top-down, air-only military conflict whose stated mission objectives do not necessitate ground forces, and the MAGA base understands this, argues Victor Davis Hanson on today’s edition of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words.”

00:00 MAGA Split Claims
01:54 Why This War Differs
02:50 Tech-Driven Decapitation
03:30 Endgame Options and Polls
08:48 Midterms and Wrap-Up




The Brink: Navy Commander Issues Stark Warning Over Britain’s Navy Crisis
In this episode of The Brink, we are joined by military analyst and former Royal Navy officer Tom Sharpe to examine Britain’s response to the escalating crisis in the Middle East and the deeper problems facing the UK’s armed forces.

We begin by looking at the current military situation around Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, including the role of naval deployments, missile threats, and the strategic importance of keeping global shipping lanes open. Tom explains why the UK’s naval presence matters in this kind of conflict and what capabilities British forces could realistically contribute alongside the United States.

The conversation then turns to a wider critique of Britain’s defence posture. From delays in deploying ships to chronic shortages of equipment and personnel, we explore how decades of decline have left the Royal Navy and wider armed forces stretched dangerously thin. Tom also breaks down the failures in defence procurement, the waste within the system, and why Britain struggles to translate a large defence budget into real military capability.

Finally, we discuss the strategic choices facing the UK. Should Britain focus on European security and the Russian threat, or continue playing a global role alongside the United States in regions like the Middle East? And what would it actually take to rebuild a military capable of meeting the challenges of an increasingly unstable world?

This is a candid and sobering discussion about Britain’s military decline, the realities of modern warfare, and the urgent reforms needed if the UK is to remain a credible power.


Free Press: A Message for Iran Regime Apologists
Since the start of the Iran–Israel–U.S. war, there has been reasonable criticism of how the war is being conducted, as well as questions about the clarity—and viability—of its end goals. At The Free Press, we have published a range of voices reflecting many sides of that debate.

Then there are the people who take it a step too far. Conspiracy theorists have spiraled on both the far right and far left—in some cases, bleeding into overt antisemitism or apologism for the Iranian regime.

Take far-right influencer Nick Fuentes: There is “very little upside for Americans and for the United States. As we know, the upside all belongs to Israel. The risk is ours. Blowback, collateral damage, loss of life: That’s ours. That belongs to us. And it’s really looking like we’re being drawn further and further.”

Of President Donald Trump, he said: “You are a demonic force. You are a liar. You are diabolical. You are a traitor.”

Tucker Carlson has suggested that the Chabad movement, one of the largest Jewish organizations in the world, is helping orchestrate the military campaign against Iran.

Meanwhile, on the left, responses have ranged from a popular TikToker composing a ballad for Mojtaba Khamenei—the new Supreme Leader of Iran—to a Students for Justice in Palestine account glorifying an Iranian strike on a U.S. Navy base, to widespread “Hands Off Iran” protests where people are filmed shouting, “The biggest threats in the world today are Israel and the USA.”

How has anti-war sentiment on both extremes of the political spectrum morphed into pro-regime propaganda, anti-Americanism, and antisemitism?

Elica Le Bon is an Iranian attorney and activist. She explains how the far right and far left found common cause, and how this convergence is shaping the global information war around Iran. She also discusses the privilege of living in a liberal democracy, how that can cloud people’s judgment about dictatorial regimes, and the risks of a scenario in which the regime is weakened but ultimately remains intact.


travelingisrael.com: Will the IRANIANS succeed where the ARABS failed?
If the Iranian regime collapses, will Iran descend into chaos like Iraq, Libya, or Syria — or could it become something very different? I explain why Iran’s history, culture, and society may give it a unique chance to succeed where the Arab Spring failed. And why the future of Iran may be one of the most important geopolitical questions of the 21st century.




Ex-Iranian soccer star breaks down sharing story of father’s tragic death, talking women’s team
Shiva Amini, a former Iranian women’s professional soccer player who was banned from the team and later forced to leave the country after she was photographed playing without a hijab around her head, suggested Wednesday that the players coming back to the country faced an uncertain future.

Six Iranian women’s national soccer team players received asylum in Australia after the team was bounced from the Women’s Asian Cup.

The Australian government stepped in and worked with some players to attain a humanitarian visa.

Amini appeared on Fox News Channel’s “The Story” and said she understood what the players are going through.

“I can totally understand what those Iranian soccer players are going through because I’ve been in their shoes,” she said.

“The Iranian regime put you in this situation. You have to say goodbye to everything that you have in Iran … Anything could happen to you when you go to Iran. You can face prison, you can face rape, you can face execution. … The regime don’t care about who you are.”

Amini was granted asylum in Switzerland over threats from the Islamic regime in Iran.


Foreign Office staff celebrated Islamic revolution at Iranian embassy
Foreign Office staff attended a party at the Iranian embassy to celebrate the Islamic revolution just weeks after the regime massacred thousands of its own people.

As smartly dressed guests, including UK civil servants, gathered at the London event, embassy officials hailed Iran’s “remarkable accomplishments” in spite of “unjust” Western sanctions. Video footage shows attendees standing in silence for a rendition of Iran’s national anthem.

On the same day as the event, Feb 12, the US-based group Human Rights Activists News Agency announced that at least 7,000 people had been killed in Iran, including 219 children. Anti-regime campaigners previously said up to 30,000 protesters may have been murdered.

Reports had reached the West of injured protesters being killed in hospital by the regime’s feared Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and people on the streets being shot in the head and neck at close range.

Demonstrators said the drains of Tehran ran crimson with the blood of the dead.

Back in London, Seyed Ali Mousavi, Iran’s ambassador to the UK, gave a speech praising the Iranian regime and attacking Western sanctions on Tehran.


Piers Morgan asks Mehdi Hasan 7 times if he’s happy Ali Khamenei no longer ruling Iran — but gets no answer: ‘good question’
Piers Morgan asked Mehdi Hasan a whopping seven times in a row whether he was happy that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was no longer ruling Iran after his assassination — but the former MSNBC host refused to answer, calling it a “loaded question.”

During his show “Piers Morgan Uncensored” on Wednesday, Morgan asked Hasan — the founder of Substack newsletter Zeteo — whether he was glad Khamenei was no longer ruling the nation after joint US and Israeli strikes last month killed the leader and many of his possible successors.

“It’s a good question. I don’t take pleasure in killing anyone. I don’t think you should illegally kill the leader, the foreign leader of a nation,” Hasan replied.

“He wasn’t just a political ruler, he was a spiritual ruler. And to kill him, to assassinate him on day one of the war, will have insane consequences.”

In a long-winded response to the question, Hasan warned that the assassination could lead to “terrorism” and “revenge attacks.”

He tore into the Trump administration’s “Operation Epic Fury,” jibing that the “regime-change war” was a “real high-level success” in replacing Khamenei with his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, who is “apparently more hard-lined … than his father.”

“Strategically it’s a disaster, and legally and morally, no, you can’t just kill people you don’t like,” Hasan said. “I don’t like [Israeli Prime Minister] Benjamin Netanyahu … but I don’t support anyone assassinating him.”

A stunned Morgan replied: “My actual question was brilliantly deflected. My actual question was are you pleased that he’s no longer ruling Iran?”

Hasan gave another rambling answer that delved into the morality of killing foreign leaders, but Morgan insisted he answer his initial question.




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