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Stealth bombers landing at UK bases 'in days' after Trump pressures Starmer: report
American stealth bombers are expected to land at U.K. military bases within days to join the U.S.-Israel campaign against Iran, according to reports.
Citing unnamed senior Western officials, The Telegraph reported Wednesday that air bases at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean and RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire are being readied for the arrival of B-2 Spirit stealth bombers — the $2 billion strategic bomber is also known as the world's most expensive aircraft.
The bombers are understood to be landing at the U.K. bases "in a matter of days" as Washington intensifies operations in the region, the outlet reported.
As previously reported by Fox News Digital, the U.S. military used stealth B-2 bombers to strike Iranian ballistic missile facilities Feb. 28 as part of the launch of Operation Epic Fury.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that B-2 stealth bombers, which were equipped with 2,000-pound bombs, struck Iranian "hardened" ballistic missile sites.
The U.S. was cleared to use British bases for limited strikes on Iran’s missile capabilities on Feb. 29 after Prime Minister Keir Starmer signed off on the plan, and while U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey stated Britain had "stepped up alongside the Americans."
Starmer said the authorization was granted to protect U.K. and U.S. allies as the conflict escalated. He had previously said he would not allow American forces to use U.K. bases for offensive operations in the region.
Tensions have since been heightened in the U.K. by security incidents in Cyprus. RAF Akrotiri, a key British military base on the island, was struck by a suspected drone on March 2, causing minor damage.
The unmanned aircraft was reported to resemble an Iranian-made Shahed drone, similar to models used by Russia in Ukraine and by Tehran’s regional proxies.
The Ministry of Defense said force-protection measures were at the "highest level" and that the base had taken steps to defend personnel. About 4,000 service members and their families are based at RAF Akrotiri.
The U.S. State Department raised its travel advisory for Cyprus to Level 3, urging Americans to reconsider travel because of the threat of armed conflict and limited consular assistance in parts of the country.
Non-emergency embassy staff and family members were authorized to leave. Officials said the advisory change reflected adjustments in embassy operations rather than a direct change in underlying risk.
Trump had called Britain "uncooperative" and slammed Starmer as "not Winston Churchill" after Starmer initially rebuffed a U.S. request to use U.K. bases to attack Iran, according to The Associated Press.
Trump has also condemned Britain’s agreement to hand over the Chagos Islands, home to the Diego Garcia base, to Mauritius.
Held at gunpoint at 9, Iranian refugee turned pastor now prays for Iran’s hour of freedom
An Iranian refugee held at gunpoint at school before fleeing Iran during the 1979 revolution is calling for hope, democracy and prayers for his homeland as the U.S. joins Israel in targeting Iran’s ruling clerical regime.
David Nasser, now an American pastor, spoke to Fox News Digital six days after Operation Epic Fury was launched in Iran, which reignited haunting memories for him and of the time when he was 9 years old.
"As a child, my family and I were forced to escape Iran and run for our lives," Nasser, President and CEO of David Nasser Outreach recalled.
EXILED IRANIAN CROWN PRINCE SAYS US STRIKES MARK 'BEGINNING OF THE VERY END' FOR REGIME
"We found safe harbor as refugees granted political asylum here in the United States," Nasser said, describing how his father had been a high-ranking officer in Iran’s military, meaning "his family became targets as the government collapsed."
"One of my most vivid memories of realizing that nothing was ever going to be the same again was at a school assembly on a military base — a soldier called out three names and mine was called first," he said.
"When I got to the front, the soldier dropped a piece of paper, took a gun out of his holster and put it to my head and quoted the Quran. He told me that he was sent to make an example out of me," Nasser added.
The principal intervened, but the message he relayed was unmistakable. Nasser recalled.
"They’re killing everybody who’s anybody. They’re trying to make an example out of people like our family, and they’re using fear," he remembered hearing at the time.
"That’s one of my first memories of the revolution, but really just being completely scared for my life."
Soon after, Nasser's family devised an escape plan. They would pretend Nasser’s mother needed emergency heart surgery in Switzerland and buy round-trip tickets to avoid raising suspicion.
"We bought round-trip airline tickets like we were going and coming back, but we weren’t coming back. We were running for our lives," he said.
KHAMENEI IS DEAD — AND IRANIANS DARE TO HOPE FOR FREEDOM AGAIN AFTER DECADES OF TYRANNY
At the airport, Nasser remembers gripping his father’s hand tightly and hearing words he will never forget.
"'If they find out we’re escaping, they’re going to kill us right here on the spot,' my father said as his hands shook, holding mine. The last time I was in Iran, I was a 9-year-old little boy running for my life," he said.
Now, watching events unfold in Iran from the safety of the U.S., Nasser said his heart remains with millions of desperate Iranians facing uncertainty.
"We see them — I see them, I hear them. My heart is beating really fast for them right now with hope and with prayers for their protection and their provision," Nasser said.
"Protection. I’m praying for protection for them. I want to be a part of the provision for them. If Iran transitions from a theocracy to a democracy, I want to help rebuild."
ISRAEL HAMMERS IRANIAN INTERNAL SECURITY COMMAND CENTERS TO OPEN DOOR TO UPRISING
"If this moment actually comes, and they go from a theocracy to a democracy, I want to be a part of the solution — for that 9-year-old little boy that I once was. I want to do this for him."
Beyond political change, Nasser, who is also teaching pastor at New Vision Baptist Church, said he takes solace in what he describes as spiritual transformation already underway, calling it "the fastest-growing church in the world right now or the underground church in Iran."
"We know there’s at minimum 4 million, at maximum 8 million Christians right now in Iran," he said.
"In Iran, if you convert from Islam to Christianity, that can be a death sentence. If they come into your home, and you’re gathering for Christian worship, they will take your home title, you will lose your home.
"They’re in prison. They’re being tortured. They’re being ridiculed. They’re being mocked.
"Above all, I came to America, and it was a land of opportunity. And I was given the gift of democracy. So, I would love to see democracy in Iran, where all the boys and girls are afforded what I was afforded when I managed to escape."
As airstrikes rain down on the Iranian regime, can a fractured opposition unite to lead if it falls?
As U.S. and Israeli air forces continue to attack Iran’s leadership and facilities with devastating military strikes, there are intense discussions unfolding on who will rule the country if the regime falls.
One of the biggest questions being asked by Iran experts is whether the fragmented opposition groups can come together and unite in defeating the regime.
Lawdan Bazargan, an Iranian political and human rights activist who was imprisoned by the regime for her dissident activities in the 1980s, told Fox News Digital that there is a dangerous precedent for a total unified opposition. "Unity cannot mean everyone stands under my flag."
TRUMP SAYS IRAN WANTS TO TALK BUT WHO WILL LEAD AFTER KHAMENEI?
She said, "That model failed Iran once before. In 1979, one figure [Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini] absorbed moral authority while claiming he wasn’t seeking office and ended up consolidating absolute power. It’s also not fair to automatically position someone who has not lived in Iran for decades as the interim authority of over 90 million people. That fuels more mistrust, not less."
She also warned about the need to avoid a Venezuela situation where Nicolás Maduro was replaced by his devotee Delcy Rodríguez.
Mariam Memarsadeghi, a senior fellow at Macdonald-Laurier Institute and founder and director of the Cyrus Forum for Iran's Future, told Fox News Digital that "When it comes to helping unite opposition forces, the crown prince [Reza Pahlavi] has the most responsibility because he is leading. It is to everyone’s advantage for him to build true alliances and real cooperation."
She added,"He can start through reconciliation with prominent figures who once were in collaboration with him, before spoilers in his own ranks were propelled by regime manipulation and infiltration to turn on others. It will be tempting to think that, because he is popular, he does not need others. But there is much hard work ahead."
IRAN'S SENIOR CLERICS ‘EXPOSED’ AFTER BUILDING STRIKE IN QOM, SUCCESSION CHOICE LOOMS
Reza Farnood, a researcher, writer and activist, told Fox News Digital "In 48 years of activism and struggle, I have never experienced such broad unity and alignment. Even those who for years held firmly leftist views and were staunch opponents of the Shah and the Pahlavi family are now openly supporting the prince. Inside Iran, people are openly and courageously chanting his name."
Yet others remain skeptical of Pahlavi. Alireza Nader, an Iran expert, said: "Unfortunately, the Iranian opposition is more divided than ever. And I blame much of it on Reza Pahlavi and his team. Take the announcement of the formation of the new Kurdish Iranian coalition. Pahlavi attacked the coalition as soon as it was formed, labeling them as ‘separatists'… But then Pahlavi had to walk back his statement after he found out that President Trump had called Kurdish leaders, an important development."
Nader said, "The Kurds are very organized and capable. And they are armed. Anyone who wants to free Iran has to work with them. The regime is a deeply entrenched system in Iran. It’s an ideology and belief system that will not be uprooted with air strikes. And the regime has been preparing for this moment for decades. The individual leaders may not matter as much as the system."
FIREBRAND ANTI-AMERICAN CLERIC ALIREZA ARAFI SEEN AS CONTENDER TO REPLACE IRAN’S KHAMENEI
Yet while many voices claim Pahlavi should be the rightful successor to bring democracy to Iran, others point to the influential Mojahedin-e-Khalq (MEK), the Iranian exile organization that has attracted supporters like former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
The group was reportedly the first to highlight Iran’s nuclear weapons ambitions and regularly posts videos on its social media showing its active units operating against the regime. A post on X dated March 3 shows attacks against regime targets: "Resistance Units step up anti-regime activities nationwide," it said, adding that there have been 30 operations in 15 cities, including Tehran, in the last days.
IRANIAN JOURNALIST URGES TRUMP TO 'FINISH THE JOB,' SAYS IRANIANS FEAR 'WOUNDED REGIME'
Its Paris-based leader, Maryam Rajavi, says she supports a secular provisional government. Ali Safavi, an official with the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Paris-based National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), told Fox News Digital, the organization "has consistently argued that unity must be built on principles — republicanism, popular sovereignty, human rights and the separation of religion and state — rather than on personalities or nostalgia for past systems."
The NCRI is the umbrella organization for groups that fall under the rubric of MEK.
Andrew Ghalili, the policy director for the National Union for Democracy in Iran (NUFDI), defended Pahlavi's standing: "There is no figure within the Islamic Republic who has legitimacy with the Iranian people or who would be a credible partner for the U.S."
TRUMP SAYS IRAN’S SUCCESSION BENCH WIPED OUT AS ISRAELI STRIKE HITS LEADERSHIP DELIBERATIONS
He added, "As for opposition unity, the pro-democracy opposition is more united than it gets credit for. At the Munich Security Conference in 2025, a broad coalition came together around Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi and four core principles for democratic transition. That includes monarchists, republicans, human rights advocates, ethnic minority representatives — all committed to a democratic, territorially intact Iran."
Ghalili claimed, "When people say the opposition is ‘fractured,’ they're usually lumping in groups like the MEK, which is universally reviled inside Iran and has no democratic credentials or aspirations, or separatist movements that don't reflect what Iranians, including ethnic minorities, actually want. The real pro-democracy opposition is already uniting. The world, and international media, should recognize it."
Bazargan warned that "If the West truly wants stability and not a Venezuela-style managed authoritarian transition, it should not anoint personalities. It should push for a structured transition that guarantees free and fair elections within 12 months, with distributed authority and real safeguards against concentration of power. Iran does not need another supreme figure, even a secular one. It needs an accountable transitional framework so every Iranian feels they have a stake in their future. Without that, fragmentation will continue, and fragmentation only helps the regime survive."
Her warning was echoed by Memarsadeghi, who said, "The Iranian people will not trust in any process that leaves in power any vestige of the regime that massacred them."
$4.2M US torpedo detonates under Iranian warship in historic ‘No Mercy’ strike
A multi-million-dollar U.S. Navy torpedo detonated underneath an Iranian warship in a nighttime submarine strike off Sri Lanka’s southern coast — an attack, War Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday in a Pentagon update, was the first of its kind since World War II.
The weapon, identified as a Mark 48 Advanced Capability (ADCAP) torpedo, underscored the scale of force used, and signaled to Tehran that "the gloves really are off," according to a former U.S. submarine commander.
"The Mark 48 is one of the most lethal anti-ship weapons in the U.S. inventory," Thomas Shugart, an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, told Fox News Digital.
The torpedo carries an 800-pound warhead and is designed not to strike a ship directly, Shugart said, but to detonate beneath it, creating a massive vapor bubble that breaks the vessel’s back and splits it in half.
US STRIKES MORE THAN 1,700 TARGETS IN IRAN DURING FIRST 72 HOURS OF OPERATION EPIC FURY
"This torpedo detonated underneath the stern of the Iranian ship and lifted it up out of the water, and so it sank in a matter of minutes," he added.
The torpedo costs approximately $4.2 million per unit, according to recent data, with Shugart likening the strike to rare submarine attacks in modern naval history.
In addition to World War II, he pointed to the 1982 Falklands War as one example of a submarine-launched torpedo sinking a major surface combatant.
"This was the second time ever that a nuclear-powered submarine has fired a torpedo and sunk a ship," Shugart said.
"The only other time that happened was a British submarine called HMS Conqueror, which similarly sank an Argentine cruiser, the General Belgrano, during the Falklands War in 1982," he added.
TRUMP SAYS US MISSION IN IRAN IS 'AHEAD OF SCHEDULE,' VOWS TO 'EASILY PREVAIL' OVER REGIME
The naval submarine operation, he said, would have involved increased surveillance, forward naval deployments and targeted actions designed to demonstrate U.S. maritime dominance.
"It definitely seems to me like a message that the gloves really are off," Shugart added.
"There are other ways that the U.S. military could have disabled that ship or even sunk it, but in a manner that I wouldn't say was more merciful, but in a manner that wasn't quite as violent and without any warning."
"An American submarine sank an Iranian warship that thought it was safe in international waters," Hegseth said at the Wednesday briefing.
Hesgeth described the strike as "a quiet death," adding that it marked the first sinking of an enemy ship by torpedo since World War II.
"The U.S. Navy submarines are very highly mobile, very, very quiet, and our crews are extremely well-trained," Shugart explained. "This was not a challenge for a U.S. Navy submarine to fire a torpedo."
"To hunt down and sink an Iranian ship like that is not — that's not a challenging task for a U.S. nuclear-powered submarine," he said.
The targeted vessel, identified as the IRIS Dena, was the newest frigate in Iran’s naval fleet and was equipped with surface-to-air missiles, anti-ship missiles, torpedo launchers and other heavy weaponry.
According to Sri Lanka’s Foreign Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath, the country’s coast guard received a distress call at 5:08 a.m. local time Wednesday from the Iranian vessel reporting an explosion.
"I'm not sure Iran has any operational submarines anymore, but if they were operational, their biggest submarines would be at least 20 or 30 years old," Shugart said.
"They would be ex-Russian diesel-electric submarines, so they're not nuclear-powered like the U.S. ones, with satellite communications and unlimited mobility."
"They can operate at high speed for as long as they want with unlimited endurance, other than the food on board. They carry the most advanced weapons, the most advanced sensors."
"This strike sent a message that if there are any Iranian warships left or any Iranian government-owned ships, they should expect no mercy," he added.
Iran postpones Tehran farewell ceremony for Khamenei where large crowds were expected to gather
Iran postponed a planned farewell ceremony in Tehran for its late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed Saturday in U.S.-Israeli strikes as part of Operation Epic Fury.
The three-day program was scheduled to begin Wednesday at 10 p.m. local time at Imam Khomeini Prayer Hall, where large crowds were expected to gather to pay their respects, according to Tasnim, a semi-official Iranian news agency.
Hojjatoleslam Seyed Mohsen Mahmoudi, head of the Islamic Propaganda Coordination Council of Tehran Province, said the postponement followed widespread requests to participate and the need to provide adequate infrastructure and facilities to accommodate attendees.
"It was decided to hold the ceremony at a more appropriate time," he explained.
AS IRAN’S LEADERSHIP SHIFTS AMID WAR, HEZBOLLAH MOVES TO RESET THE BALANCE: EXPERT
No additional reason for the postponement was given, and it was not immediately clear when the ceremony would be rescheduled.
Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Iranian leadership in a post on X that any successor who tries to "destroy Israel, to threaten the United States and the free world and the countries of the region, and to suppress the Iranian people" will be an "unequivocal target for elimination."
"It does not matter what his name is or the place where he hides," Katz said.
TRUMP SAYS US SANK 10 SHIPS IN IRAN STRIKE, ‘LAST, BEST CHANCE’ TO ACT
The funeral of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, drew massive crowds in the country’s capital on June 11, 1989, with an estimated 10.2 million people in attendance, roughly one-sixth of the nation’s population at the time.
According to Guinness World Records, it drew the largest percentage of a population ever recorded at a funeral.
IRANIAN JOURNALIST URGES TRUMP TO ‘FINISH THE JOB,’ SAYS IRANIANS FEAR ‘WOUNDED REGIME’
Khamenei’s death triggers a closely watched succession process overseen by Iran’s Assembly of Experts, the clerical body responsible for appointing the supreme leader.
"The IRGC is a key stakeholder in this process, and will heavily influence its outcome," Jason Brodsky, policy director at United Against Nuclear Iran, told Fox News Digital.
74 retired US generals, admirals back Iran strikes, warn Tehran seeks to ‘spill American blood’
A group of 74 retired U.S. generals and admirals recently voiced strong support for the joint U.S.-Israel military operation targeting Iran, calling it a necessary response to decades of threats from the Islamic Republic against the United States, its allies and regional stability.
The endorsement came in an open letter published Tuesday by the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA) and signed by dozens of former senior American military commanders.
The letter backs the current military actions, known as Operations Epic Fury and Roaring Lion, which aim to degrade Iran’s ability to threaten U.S. forces and partners across the Middle East.
"As retired senior American military leaders, we support the joint U.S.-Israeli military action to degrade and weaken the Iranian regime’s ability to threaten the United States, our allies and partners, and the Iranian people," the letter states. "And we commend the valor of the outstanding United States Military and our Intelligence Community engaged in this operation."
ISRAEL STRIKES IRANIAN LEADERSHIP MEETING CHOOSING KHAMENEI SUCCESSOR
Among the prominent signatories are former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Edmund P. Giambastiani Jr., who served during the height of the Iraq War; former Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jerome Johnson; former Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. W.L. Nyland, who held the post during the early Iraq War; former Supreme Allied Commander Europe and Commander of U.S. European Command Gen. Philip M. Breedlove; and former U.S. Pacific Command chief Adm. Timothy J. Keating.
The retired commanders argue that Iran’s leadership has spent decades threatening American interests and supporting militant groups across the region.
"Since its inception 47 years ago, the radical regime, whose slogan is ‘Death to America, Death to Israel,’ has committed to endangering the lives of U.S. troops, diplomats, and civilians across the Middle East and here at home," the letter says, noting that "hundreds of Americans have lost their lives at the hands of the Islamic Republic and its terrorist proxies."
According to the signatories, the current military campaign is a direct response to Iran's continued efforts to expand its military capabilities.
"U.S.-Israel military action is a response to Iran’s unstinting efforts to make those ambitions a reality," the letter states. "Following last summer’s 12-Day War, Tehran has redoubled its missile building program to hold at risk our bases, our partners, and ultimately our homeland."
Iran’s regional proxy network also remains a central concern, the letter warns. "Its proxy forces in Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon, and elsewhere continue to threaten U.S. targets, Israel, and freedom of navigation in some of the world’s most vital waterways."
The letter further argues that Iran has continued pursuing nuclear capabilities despite previous military setbacks.
"Since Operation Midnight Hammer against its main enrichment sites last June, Iran has attempted to rebuild elements of its destroyed nuclear infrastructure," the letter states.
The signatories also point to Iran’s domestic repression as evidence of the regime’s nature.
"The regime’s brutal crackdown on protestors showed the entire world just what it is willing to do to keep its people and the region under its thumb," they wrote.
ISRAEL STRIKES IRANIAN LEADERSHIP MEETING CHOOSING KHAMENEI SUCCESSOR
At the same time, the letter stresses that coordination between the United States, Israel and regional partners will be critical for the campaign’s success.
"For all these reasons, it is noteworthy that the United States is working so closely with Israel and other regional partners," the letter states. "Such cooperation is vital to degrade and eliminate the regime’s arsenals, undermine its organs of oppression, and signal unmistakably that it cannot continue threatening not only core U.S. interests, but the broader security and prosperity of the Middle East and its own population."
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth described the joint campaign as a decisive military operation aimed at dismantling Iran’s missile and air defense networks.
Speaking Wednesday, Hegseth said the Israeli and U.S. air forces were quickly establishing air superiority over Iran.
"Starting last night and to be completed in a few days … the two most powerful air forces in the world will have complete control of Iranian skies. Uncontested airspace," Hegseth said.
Critics, however, have warned the operation could have the opposite effect, increasing the risk of a wider regional war.
French President Emmanuel Macron urged restraint following the strikes, warning that further escalation could destabilize the region, while U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres cautioned that the confrontation could spiral into a broader conflict and called for renewed diplomatic efforts.
Several Democratic lawmakers have also raised concerns about the strikes.
Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., said he believed the operation amounted to "a war of choice with no strategic endgame."
Senator Mark Warner, D-Va., said after attending a classified briefing that he had not seen evidence of an immediate Iranian threat.
Blaise Misztal, vice president for policy at JINSA, said the letter reflects the perspective of commanders who witnessed the Iranian threat firsthand.
"For more than two decades, Iran has been targeting and killing U.S. men and women in uniform," Misztal said. "The retired senior military leaders who signed this letter have seen that threat up close and firsthand. They understand the threat that Iran poses to America, the urgent need to address it, and the tremendous capabilities that the United States and Israel have to do so, together."
While supporting continued military pressure, the signatories concluded that Iran’s long-term future ultimately lies with its citizens.
"It will ultimately be up to the Iranian people to bring down the regime and enable a better future for Iran and the world," the letter states.
Israel hammers Iranian internal security command centers to open door to uprising
The Israeli military's latest wave of airstrikes in Iran dealt a serious blow to the country's brutal internal security apparatus, opening the door for a potential uprising.
During the strikes, Israel "dropped dozens of munitions on the Basij and internal security command centers that are subject to the Iranian terror regime," the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement on Wednesday. "The targeted command centers were used by the Iranian regime to maintain control throughout Iran and maintain the regime’s situational assessments."
Since the start of Operation Epic Fury, the U.S. has hit nearly 2,000 targets as it carries out a sweeping military campaign aimed at dismantling the regime's security apparatus and neutralizing threats. Adm. Brad Cooper of U.S. Central Command confirmed the number of targets hit in a video message.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Basij militia, Iran's volunteer paramilitary force, were behind the violent crackdown on protesters in January. The bloody crackdown saw regime actors firing on crowds and conducting mass arrests of Iranian protesters. Some had seen the protests as a sign that regime change in Iran was getting nearer, though it did not occur.
EXILED IRANIAN CROWN PRINCE SAYS US STRIKES MARK 'BEGINNING OF THE VERY END' FOR REGIME
Israeli and U.S. officials have hinted at the possibility of regime change in Iran as both countries take aim at Tehran's military and security sites.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video message announcing the launch of Operation Epic Fury, which Israel calls Operation Rising Lion, that it was time for Iranians "to rid themselves of the yoke of tyranny." Similarly, President Donald Trump said in a message to the Iranian people on Feb. 28 that "the hour of your freedom is at hand."
"When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be, probably, your only chance for generations," Trump said.
"America is backing you with overwhelming strength and devastating force. Now is the time to seize control of your destiny, and to unleash the prosperous and glorious future that is close within your reach. This is the moment for action. Do not let it pass," the president added.
Ali Vaez, director of the Iran project at the International Crisis Group, told The Wall Street Journal that the path to regime change through foreign airstrikes and popular uprising on the ground has "a bet that rests on no clear historical model." Vaez also warned that the idea "ignores the resilience of entrenched authoritarian systems like the Islamic Republic."
The IDF said on Monday that Israel had hit headquarters, bases and regional command centers that belonged to the regime's internal security apparatus.
"These bodies were responsible for, among other things, suppressing protests against the regime through violent measures and civilian arrests," the IDF said.
It is unclear who will lead Iran after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed on the first day of the operation. Since then, Israel and the U.S. have made it clear that regime leaders chosen to replace him would be targets. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned on Wednesday that anyone chosen to replace Khamenei would be considered "a target for elimination" if they continued to threaten Israel, the U.S. and regional allies.
The killing of key leaders might not be enough to cause an uprising, as the regime has a monopoly on weapons in most of Iran, the WSJ reported, adding that Basij militants are still patrolling the streets.
Fox News Digital's Morgan Phillips and Efrat Lachter contributed to this report.
Israel says fighter jet took down Iranian warplane, the first shootdown of its kind
Israel’s military said Wednesday that one of its F-35I "Adir" stealth fighter jets shot down an Iranian Air Force Yak-130, marking the first time the advanced aircraft has downed a manned fighter in combat.
"The historic shootdown over the Tehran skies is a testament to the strength of the Israeli Air Force and to your personal determination," said Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar, the commander of the Israeli air force.
"The war continues – return home safely. Get some rest," he told the pilots. "The next mission is already waiting for you."
The F-35I is Israel’s customized version of the U.S.-made F-35 Lightning II, a fifth-generation stealth fighter that anchors the country’s air fleet.
ISRAEL'S MILITARY RELEASES VIDEO SHOWING OBLITERATION OF IRAN'S MISSILE LAUNCHERS, DEFENSE SYSTEMS
According to the F-35 program’s official website, Israel became the first country to select the aircraft through the U.S. government’s Foreign Military Sales process, signing a letter of agreement in October 2010.
The site says the Israeli air force gave the jet the Hebrew name "Adir," meaning "Mighty One," and received its first F-35 on June 22, 2016.
The Yak-130 is a Russian-made, two-seat combat training aircraft designed by the Yakovlev Design Bureau, according to United Aircraft Corporation, the state-owned Russian aerospace company that manufactures the jet.
It made its maiden flight in 1996 and is currently in active production.
Iran’s air force received its first Yak-130 training aircraft in September 2023, according to Press TV, Iran’s state-run English-language broadcaster.
In November 2023, Brig. Gen. Mahdi Farahi, Iran’s deputy defense minister, told Tasnim, a semi-official Iranian news agency, that plans had been finalized for Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets, Mil Mi-28 attack helicopters and Yak-130 trainers to join the country’s armed forces.
Tasnim reported that Iran previously acquired MiG-29 fighter jets from Russia in the 1990s.
Iran's senior clerics ‘exposed’ after building strike in Qom, succession choice looms
Senior Iranian clerics would have been left "exposed" after an Israeli airstrike hit a meeting place where they were supposed to be convening Tuesday — days after a strike leveled the Tehran compound of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a defense analyst has claimed.
The clerics, members of the Assembly of Experts, had reportedly planned to meet at the location in Qom to deliberate succession plans for Khamenei, who was killed in the strikes, according to The Times of Israel.
"This second strike would be another embarrassment to what has been left of the regime," Kobi Michael, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies and the Misgav Institute, told Fox News Digital.
"It indicates intelligence dominance and superiority because any movement is detected, meaning they would feel exposed," Michael added.
TRUMP SAYS IRAN’S SUCCESSION BENCH WIPED OUT AS ISRAELI STRIKE HITS LEADERSHIP DELIBERATIONS
"As of now, the leadership would feel insecure and hunted, with all of their plans collapsing one after another."
"They would feel totally isolated and understand that the biggest risk might come from home — from a potential uprising next," he added.
Israel Defense Forces spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin confirmed that the Israeli Air Force struck the building where senior clerics had planned to assemble, The Times of Israel reported.
KHAMENEI’S DEATH OPENS UNCERTAIN CHAPTER FOR IRAN’S ENTRENCHED THEOCRACY
It remains unclear how many of the 88 members were present at the time of the strike, according to an Israeli defense source cited by the outlet. The second strike on Iran's leadership comes amid a broader military campaign.
As previously reported by Fox News Digital, U.S. forces have struck more than 1,700 targets across Iran in the first 72 hours of Operation Epic Fury, according to a U.S. Central Command fact sheet.
The campaign is aimed at dismantling Iran’s security apparatus and neutralizing what officials describe as imminent threats.
According to U.S. Central Command, targets have included command-and-control centers, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Joint Headquarters, the IRGC Aerospace Forces headquarters, integrated air defense systems and ballistic missile sites.
FIREBRAND ANTI-AMERICAN CLERIC ALIREZA ARAFI SEEN AS CONTENDER TO REPLACE IRAN’S KHAMENEI
"We need strategic patience and determination, and in several weeks most of the job will be accomplished," Michael added. "Even if the regime does not collapse, Iran will not be like we used to know.
"I assume that the U.S. and Israel will establish a very robust monitoring mechanism that will enable them to react whenever the regime tries to reconstitute its military capacities again."
Iran’s drone swarm attacks unleash ‘exponential costs’ on US, prolonging war: 'Asymmetric capability'
Iran is waging a mass drone campaign across the Middle East, unleashing waves of low-cost, one-way attack drones also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), against Western-linked targets to impose "exponential cost on the U.S.," a defense expert has warned.
As Tehran reportedly launched thousands of Shahed drones across the region and Iranian state media shared footage of underground stockpiles, Cameron Chell, CEO of drone maker and tech company Draganfly, said Iran's strategy is designed to force high-end defenses to counter cheap aerial threats.
"Even a hundred of these drones in the hands of a decentralized unit can cause terror in a neighboring state like never before imagined," Chell told Fox News Digital. "The Iranians cannot win the war with these drones, but like the [communist] Viet Cong [during the Vietnam War], they have an asymmetric capability that can prolong this war and create political pressure."
GULF STATES INTERCEPT HUNDREDS OF IRANIAN MISSILES AND DRONES, ISSUE JOINT CONDEMNATION WITH US
"Iran can drive terror in unimaginable ways and drive exponential costs on the U.S. side, having to target these small, very hard-to-detect drone units," he added.
Chell’s warning comes as tensions spiraled following Saturday's joint U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran targeting nuclear sites, missile facilities and leadership that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several commanders.
The Iranian drones have proved deadly, having killed six U.S. service members in an attack on a tactical center in Kuwait earlier this week.
A CIA station in the U.S. Embassy in the Saudi capital of Riyadh was struck in an Iranian drone attack Tuesday, causing a limited fire but no reported injuries.
In Bahrain, drones reportedly identified as Iranian Shahed models smashed into the upper floors of the Era View Tower in Manama, about one mile from a U.S. Navy base.
An Iranian drone also struck a parking lot outside the U.S. Consulate in Dubai, while the United Arab Emirates said it intercepted Iranian missiles and drone attacks targeting the country.
"Based on the engine sound, the apparent attack angle and the implied speed, to the best of my knowledge, this was a Shahed-class one-way attack drone," Chell said of the Dubai consulate attack video before suggesting the drone footage showed "a Shahed 191."
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Fars News Agency also released footage purporting to show scores of attack drones stockpiled in vast underground tunnels in Iran.
The video appeared to show rows of triangular-shaped drones on rocket launchers, missiles lined up, four to a launcher vehicle and walls adorned with Iranian flags and photographs of Khamenei. Outlets noted that the video’s timing and location remain unverified.
"It is hard to confirm that Iran has the capability now to produce these drones in these volumes during wartime," Chell said of the stockpiling footage.
"To the extent they were producing these in those numbers, a more-than-significant portion would have been for delivery to Russia — which does not seem impossible. That said, the drones in the underground propaganda video are Shahed 191 drones."
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A new report from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace also underscored Chell’s comments on expense and range.
"Right now, Iran is using a mixture of ballistic missiles and attack drones," said senior fellow Dara Massicot. "The methods are effective, but targeting drones in this way is resource-intensive and expensive, and it will drain certain types of interceptors quickly."
"Ground-based air defense interceptor missiles are not infinite, and the United States and its partners and allies have had stockpile challenges in this area for years," she added.
Another senior fellow, Steve Feldstein, added, "An important point is that the world is entering a new age of drone war as unmanned aircraft are proliferating on the battlefield in major conflicts and smaller ones."
As Iran’s leadership shifts amid war, Hezbollah moves to reset the balance: expert
Hezbollah escalated its involvement in the widening conflict between Iran and the U.S. and Israel Tuesday, launching long-range missiles from Lebanon within 48 hours of coordinated strikes on Iran amid Operation Epic Fury.
The militant group also declared it was ready for an "open war," The Associated Press reported.
The Iranian-backed militant group fired rockets into northern Israel, prompting Israeli retaliation, according to The Times of Israel. Two were intercepted by air defenses, the military said.
"Hezbollah is putting everything they have into the fight to add to the challenges Israel will face in this war," Ross Harrison, senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, told Fox News Digital.
"But Hezbollah also knows that if the Iranian regime falls, they could be degraded," he said before highlighting that "Israel could not totally disarm Hezbollah."
Hezbollah was formed in the early 1980s with Iranian backing during Lebanon’s civil war and has grown into Tehran’s most powerful proxy.
For decades, Iran has funded, armed and trained the group as part of its broader strategy to confront Israel and expand its regional influence.
"Iran believes that it has to reestablish deterrence before the end of this war with the U.S. and Israel, so expanding it using Hezbollah and attacking Gulf Arab states and Cyprus is part of this," Harrison warned.
Israel responded to Hezbollah’s escalation with additional airstrikes on Beirut and expanded its ground operations, with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) taking positions near the border.
The U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon reported seeing Israeli troops enter and exit Lebanese territory, though the IDF insisted its forces continue to operate there, according to The Associated Press.
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The U.S. Embassy in Beirut also announced Tuesday that it would close until further notice in a post on X.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said, "To prevent the possibility of direct fire at Israeli communities, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I have authorized the IDF to advance and hold additional dominant terrain in Lebanon and defend the border communities from there.
"The IDF continues to operate forcefully against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. The terrorist organization is paying and will pay a heavy price for the fire toward Israel."
"Hezbollah, this is an octopus. The head of the octopus is in Iran. The arms are all over the region," IDF spokesperson Effie Defrin told Fox News Digital.
"Last night, they launched missiles into Haifa, into a city center in Israel. They started it, they knew the consequences of that."
The IDF also announced that it had killed Daoud Ali Zadeh, commander of the Iranian Quds Force’s Lebanon Corps, in Tehran.
The Quds Force acts as a key liaison between Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC, and Hezbollah leadership, facilitating the transfer of advanced weaponry and enhancing proxy firepower.
"The Quds Force is the arm of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC, responsible for Iran’s relations with its allied militias, such as Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the Kata’ib Hezbollah in Iraq, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen," Harrison clarified.
"The Quds Force is the IRGC’s expeditionary force, designed to give Iran strategic depth," he said.
"They are (or were) significant in managing Iran’s relations with shadowy militia organizations, and it has been challenged over the last couple of years as Hamas and Hezbollah have been degraded."
On Saturday, the U.S.-Israeli airstrike campaign had also targeted Iranian leadership in Tehran, killing Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, dramatically escalating tensions across the Middle East and triggering regional retaliation.
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An interim Leadership Council made up of President Masoud Pezeshkian, Chief Justice Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i and Ayatollah Alireza Arafi is temporarily in charge of Iran, acting as the de facto head of state.
"If Iran ends the war prematurely, then they believe the U.S. and Israel can come back later," Harrison said.
"If they escalate, then they have a shot at recreating deterrence. It is a high risk, as it could bring them down. But the danger is they feel they have little choice, and Hezbollah is part of this for Iran.
"If the Iranian regime can hang on, they win. That said, Iran cannot win militarily, but if they can deny the U.S. a victory, they win.
"Fundamentally, the Iranian regime is trying to increase the pain of both Israel and the Gulf Arab states to be able to reestablish deterrence lost since the June 2025 war," Harrison added.
"Attacking civilian areas and economic pain points alongside Hezbollah is also part of this strategy."
Fox News' Efrat Lachter contributed to this report.
UK deploying warship, helicopters to Cyprus after drone strike
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Tuesday that the United Kingdom is sending a warship and two Royal Navy Wildcat helicopters to Cyprus after an Iranian drone hit the British Royal Air Force (RAF) base of Akrotiri Monday morning on the east Mediterranean island.
In a social media post, Starmer said he spoke with the president of Cyprus, and the U.K. is deploying helicopters with counter-drone capabilities and the air-defense destroyer HMS Dragon to the region.
"The UK is fully committed to the security of Cyprus and British military personnel based there," he wrote in the post. "We’re continuing our defensive operations… We will always act in the interest of the UK and our allies."
The strike, which came days after Starmer reaffirmed his country was not involved in the conflict, hit a runway at the air base just after midnight Monday morning.
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While there were no injuries, minor damage was reported.
British Defense Secretary John Healey said the country is "moving quickly" to further reinforce its defensive presence in the Eastern Mediterranean.
"HMS Dragon brings world-class air defence capability, and our Wildcat helicopters are armed with Martlet missiles to counter the growing drone threat," Healey wrote in a statement. "I am deeply proud of the professionalism and bravery of our Armed Forces personnel who have, in recent days, successfully taken action across the region to protect our allies and defend British interests."
The HMS Dragon, a type 45 destroyer, will strengthen the U.K.’s ability to detect, track and destroy aerial threats — including drones.
The ship is fitted with the world-leading Sea Viper missile system, which can launch eight missiles in under 10 seconds and guide up to 16 missiles simultaneously.
The deployment comes as the British armed forces successfully shot down multiple drones across the region over the last 24 hours.
RAF F-35B jets shot down drones over Jordan — the first time an RAF F-35 has destroyed a target on operations — supported by Typhoon jets and a Voyager tanker aircraft.
A British counter-drone unit neutralized drones in Iraqi airspace heading toward coalition forces, while an RAF Typhoon operating with the joint U.K.-Qatar 12 Squadron shot down an Iranian one-way attack drone directed at Qatar using an air-to-air missile on Monday.
Prior to the strike in Cyprus, Starmer released a video explaining that Iran launched sustained attacks across the region, on countries that did not attack them.
"They've hit airports and hotels where British citizens are staying. This is clearly a dangerous situation," Starmer said. "We have at least 200,000 British citizens in the region. Residents, families on holiday and those in transit. I ask all our people in the region to please register your presence. And follow foreign office travel advice. I know this is a deeply worrying time, and we will continue to do all we can to support you."
GULF STATES CONDEMN IRANIAN RETALIATORY STRIKES ON THEIR TERRITORIES FOLLOWING US-ISRAELI OPERATION
He added that the British armed forces are also "at risk," noting Iran hit a military base Saturday in Bahrain, "narrowly missing British personnel."
"The death of the supreme leader will not stop Iran from launching these strikes," Starmer said. "Their approach is becoming even more reckless and more dangerous to civilians. Our decision that the U.K. would not be involved with the strikes on Iran was deliberate. Not least because we believe that the best way forward for the region and for the world is a negotiated settlement — one in which Iran agrees to give up any aspirations to develop a nuclear weapon — but Iran is striking British interests nonetheless, and putting British people at huge risk, along with our allies across the region. That is the situation we face today."
He said partners in the Gulf asked them to "do more" to defend them, prompting a decision to allow the U.S. to use British air bases for targeted strikes against Iranian missile launchers and storage depots.
"We have British jets in the air as part of coordinated defensive operations, which have already successfully intercepted Iranian strikes. But the only way to stop the threat is to destroy the missiles at source — in their storage depots or the launchers which are used to fire the missiles," Starmer said. "The basis of our decision is the collective self-defense of long-standing friends and allies, and protecting British lives… We are not joining these strikes, but we will continue with our defensive actions in the region."
"I want to be very clear: We all remember the mistakes of Iraq, and we have learned those lessons," he continued. "We were not involved in the initial strikes on Iran, and we will not join offensive action now. But Iran is pursuing a scorched earth strategy. So we are supporting the collective self-defense of our allies and our people in the region because that is our duty to the British people. It is the best way to eliminate the urgent threat and prevent the situation spiraling further. This is the British government protecting British interests and British lives."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Top Israeli military official reveals operation against Iran involved 'strategic and operational deception'
FIRST ON FOX: As Israel wages what it describes as an existential campaign against Iran, IDF spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said the war has reinforced a fundamental strategic shift in how Israel sees itself and its alliances, particularly with the United States and regional partners.
"Israel was never part of this region. We thought we were part of Europe," he said. "Since the Abraham Accords started, we are having good relations with our neighbors. We are part of this region now."
He described the 2020 agreements as transformative, building on the peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan. "The military cooperation is great. Some of the things are overt and some covert," Defrin said in his first English-language media interview since the beginning of the conflict. "Iran is a regional threat, and that is clear to everyone now."
But he stressed the campaign against Tehran is not only regional.
"It’s a worldwide problem, it’s a global problem, it’s a regional problem and it’s also an Israeli problem," he said. "They are not hitting only Israel."
ISRAEL STRIKES IRANIAN LEADERSHIP MEETING CHOOSING KHAMENEI SUCCESSOR
The spokesperson revealed that the operation was preceded by months of strategic deception.
"It was a strategic and operational deception," he said.
On the eve of the strike, senior officials deliberately maintained routine appearances.
"Friday night we went to dinner at home. The chief of staff and I returned late in cars that were not our official vehicles. The official cars stayed at home, and we made sure that from satellite imagery it would not look like the Kirya (ministry of defense) was full while all the planes were armed and ready."
He said Iran was caught off guard. "For many long months there was deception, so they were surprised. They fired what they had pre-planned in their preset response."
The spokesperson said the strike that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, was carried out in coordination with the Trump administration. "It was a mutual operation," he said. "The cooperation between us and the American military is amazing. We have mutual planning and mutual executing for the plans in Iran and beyond."
HEGSETH LAYS OUT 'CLEAR' 3-PART MISSION AGAINST IRAN, SAYS WAR ‘IS NOT ENDLESS'
He framed the operation as part of unprecedented U.S.-Israeli military coordination. The entire operation in Iran is a mutual and coordinated campaign," he said.
He also described a broader international dimension. "It’s a problem with the United States of America as well," he said, citing attacks by Iranian-backed groups that have killed American service members and threatened shipping lanes.
"They are posing a threat to the Red Sea… the movement of naval ships in the Suez Canal dropped by 90% since the Houthis started shooting at ships in the Bab al-Mandab Strait," he said. "It’s a global problem. It’s a terror regime. They are acting all over the world. And again, we had to act."
He added that regional states increasingly understand the threat. "Israel is here to stay. You see the countries of the region placing their trust in Israel."
Addressing reports that dozens of senior Iranian figures were eliminated in a strike on Tuesday, including claims that 88 members of Iran’s Assembly of Experts were killed, he dismissed the figures.
"We struck a few targets involved in terrorism. We still don’t have any battle damage assessment. Once we have it, we will publish it. It’s too early."
He emphasized that the targets were military. "We struck military targets," he said. "They are attacking population centers."
According to the spokesperson, Israeli intelligence shows Iran is deliberately aiming at civilians "to exact a price," including launches toward civilian infrastructure.
Explaining the decision to launch the campaign, the spokesperson described Iran as an imminent existential threat.
"We didn’t have another choice, unfortunately. It’s an existential imminent threat. This is a terror regime," he said.
"They declared it. Whatever they declared, they did."
Asked whether regime change is an objective, he drew a distinction between military aims and political outcomes.
"As a member of the military, I cannot say we have an aim to remove the regime," he said. "But definitely, we want to weaken it and create the conditions that one day this regime will be removed by its own people."
As fighting expands to Lebanon following renewed Hezbollah fire, he reiterated Israel’s view of Iran as the head of a regional network.
"Hezbollah is an octopus. The head of the octopus is in Iran."
For Israel, he said, the campaign has clarified a strategic reality shaped by the Abraham Accords and deepened U.S. cooperation. "We are part of this region now."
Israel's military releases video showing obliteration of Iran's missile launchers, defense systems
The Israel Defense Forces released a video Tuesday showing the Israeli Air Force destroying the "Iranian regime’s missile launchers, defense systems, and live-fire arrays."
The IDF said more than 60 strikes recently were carried out in waves across western Iran, hitting targets including vehicles carrying ballistic missiles, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and loaded missile launchers.
The development comes as Iran "once again" fired missiles containing cluster sub-munitions toward Israeli civilians on Tuesday in central Israel, according to IDF international spokesperson Lt. Nadav Shoshani.
"The Iranian regime’s war crimes continue," he wrote on X.
NEW SATELLITE IMAGES SHOW FIRES, NAVAL BASE DAMAGE ACROSS IRAN AFTER US-ISRAELI STRIKES
Shoshani also said in a video that, "Our forces, along with the U.S. armed forces, continue degrading the Iranian regime's military capabilities."
"Yesterday, Iran’s main terrorist proxy, Hezbollah, launched dozens of rockets and UAVs from southern Lebanon at Israeli civilians in northern Israel," he continued. "Our forces have been prepared to strengthen and protect all borders as part of this operation and are more than ready."
"We are preparing for the possibility of Hezbollah expanding their attacks against Israeli civilians," Shoshani warned. "This includes reinforcing aerial defense systems and troops presence."
"Overnight, IDF troops were positioned in southern Lebanon at several points near the border area as part of an enhanced forward defense posture. Let me be clear: this is not a ground maneuver into Lebanon. It is a tactical step to create an additional level of security for the residents of northern Israel," Shoshani added.
"Let me remind you, on Oct. 8th, the day after the Oct. 7 massacre, Hezbollah took control of vantage points near the northern border and fired RPGs and missiles indiscriminately towards Israeli civilians in the northern border. As a result, Israel had to evacuate around 60,000 civilians from their homes for many months. We will not let that happen again," he said. "Overnight, we carried out a series of preventative strikes on Hezbollah military infrastructure across Lebanon in order to neutralize the continuous fire towards our civilians."
Israel strikes Iranian leadership meeting choosing Khamenei successor
Israeli forces struck a meeting of Iran’s Supreme Council on Tuesday as officials gathered to choose a successor to the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a senior Israeli official told Fox News.
"Israel struck while they were counting the votes for the appointment of the supreme leader," the official said.
The strike underscored the depth of Israeli intelligence penetration inside Tehran and marked one of the most dramatic escalations yet in the joint U.S.-Israeli campaign aimed at dismantling Iran’s political and military leadership from the top down.
It came as Iran’s leadership structure appeared increasingly hollowed out.
More than 40 of Iran’s most senior leaders — including Khamenei — have been killed since the operation began, with 49 eliminated in the opening salvo of Operation Epic Fury early Saturday, fracturing the regime’s command structure and dealing a crippling blow to its military leadership and command-and-control networks.
Israeli analysts estimated that more than 1,000 enemy combatants have been killed inside Iran since the United States launched Operation Epic Fury and Israel launched its parallel campaign, Operation Roaring Lion, on Saturday. The estimate came from Israel’s latest battle damage assessment, according to a senior Israeli official.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu framed the conflict as part of a broader effort to neutralize Iran’s ballistic missile and nuclear ambitions.
KEY MILITARY SITES TARGETED INSIDE IRAN AS PART OF COORDINATED US-ISRAELI STRIKES
"With these ballistic missiles, these weapons of mass death, these weapons, they bombed all these countries," Netanyahu said. "And when they developed these ballistic missiles, they'll try and eventually they'll bomb you. This is what President Trump understood."
Vice President JD Vance said the administration had set a clear, limited objective for the operation.
"There's just no way that Donald Trump is going to allow this country to get into a multi-year conflict, with no clear end in sight and no clear objective," Vance said. "He's defined that objective as Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon and has to commit long-term to never trying to rebuild the nuclear capability."
The joint U.S.-Israel assault entered its fourth day Tuesday, with no signs of slowing down.
President Donald Trump said the plan was ahead of schedule following the early elimination of Iran’s top leaders.
The U.S. urged Americans to leave 14 countries across the Middle East as Iran’s counterattacks intensified. The State Department also closed two embassies in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
The Gulf Cooperation Council warned Iran it would take "all necessary measures," including possible military action, in response to Tehran’s missile and drone attacks.
Ambassador Huckabee describes 'best option' for Americans looking to flee Israel
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee described what he believes is the "best option" for Americans looking to flee Israel amid the ongoing unrest across the Middle East.
Huckabee said overnight, "We are getting a lot of requests regarding evacuating from Israel from American citizens who are currently in Israel or who have family here," and that there are "very limited" options available.
"As of now, the best is utilizing Israel's Ministry of Tourism shuttle bus to Taba, Egypt and getting flights from there or going on to Cairo for flights back to the U.S.," Huckabee said on X. "Not sure when Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv will reopen. Hopefully soon, but even when it does, there will be VERY limited flights with priorities to those who already were ticketed by El Al. Doubtful that other airlines will fly in/out for a while."
"The Ministry of Tourism is operating buses to Taba. That crossing is further away, but it’s open 24/7. There are some flights from Taba, but there are also options to get to Cairo, and it’s operating normally except to Middle Eastern countries. To get out, it’s the best option for now," Huckabee added.
Huckabee also said he does not recommend Americans exit via Jordan at this time, as "Flights are not consistent and access across the Allenby crossing has limited hours."
"All of our personnel from [the] embassy are sheltering in place, but I realize you may need to get people out and back home and not continue to incur hotel costs," the ambassador wrote.
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U.S. Embassy Jerusalem said in a statement early Tuesday morning that it is "not in a position at this time to evacuate or directly assist Americans in departing Israel." It also mentioned the Israeli Ministry of Tourism’s buses to Taba.
"To be added to the passenger list for a shuttle, you must register via the Ministry’s evacuation form," it said.
"The U.S. Embassy cannot make any recommendation (for or against) the Ministry of Tourism’s shuttle. If you choose to avail yourself of this option to depart, the U.S. government cannot guarantee your safety," it added.
Iran nuclear talks 'didn't pass the smell test' before Trump launched strikes, says Vance
Vice President JD Vance confirmed Monday that negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program collapsed after U.S. officials concluded Tehran’s claims "did not pass the smell test," prompting President Donald Trump to authorize Operation Epic Fury.
Speaking on "Jesse Watters Primetime," Vance said U.S. envoys — including Steve Witkoff, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Jared Kushner — had conducted rounds of "deliberate" talks in Geneva with the Iranian delegation.
The discussions were aimed at curbing Tehran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief and averting a broader conflict, he said, but ultimately broke down.
"But the Iranians would come back to us and they'd say, ‘Well, you know, having enrichment for civilian purposes, for energy purposes, is a matter of national pride,’" Vance said.
WHY TRUMP INVOKED REGIME CHANGE IN ATTACKING IRAN, AND THE MEDIA MUST LEARN FROM PAST MISTAKES
"And so we would say, ‘OK, that's interesting, but why are you building your enrichment facilities 70 feet underground? And why are you enriching to a level that's way beyond civilian enrichment and is only useful if your goal is to build a nuclear bomb?’" he said.
"Nobody objects to the Iranians being able to build medical isotopes; the objection is these enrichment facilities that are only useful for building a nuclear weapon," Vance clarified.
"It just doesn't pass the smell test for you to say that you want enrichment for medical isotopes, while at the same time trying to build a facility 70 to 80 feet underground," he explained.
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Vance spoke as Operation Epic Fury ended its third day. Launched on Feb. 28, U.S. and Israeli forces carried out coordinated precision strikes deep inside Iran aimed at crippling Tehran’s missile arsenal and nuclear infrastructure.
A key issue had been Iran enriching uranium to high levels, including material around 60% purity — a fraction of weapons-grade but far above limits set under the 2015 nuclear deal — keeping international alarm high over proliferation risks.
"We destroyed Iran's ability to build a nuclear weapon during President Trump's term," Vance told Watters. "We set them back substantially. But I think the President was looking for the long haul," he said.
"Trump was looking for Iran to make a significant long-term commitment that they would never build a nuclear weapon, that they would not pursue the ability to be on the brink of a nuclear weapon."
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"He wanted to make sure that Iran could never have a nuclear weapon, and that would require fundamentally a change in mindset from the Iranian regime."
"The President is not going to rest until he accomplishes that all-important objective of ensuring that Iran can't have a nuclear weapon, not just for the next few years, not just because we obliterated for dough or some other."
"There's just no way that Donald Trump is going to allow this country to get into a multiyear conflict with no clear end in sight and no clear objective," Vance added while describing that the administration would prefer to see "a friendly regime in Iran, a stable country, a country that's willing to work with the United States."
Iranian drone strikes shut down Qatar LNG production facilities, as energy prices surge
Iranian drone strikes forced Qatar to halt liquefied natural gas (LNG) production Monday, jolting global energy markets and raising fears about supply disruptions as Tehran increased its attacks on regional infrastructure.
QatarEnergy, the state-owned giant and one of the world’s largest LNG producers, suspended operations at two facilities after drones launched from Iran hit the sites, according to reports.
Qatar’s Ministry of Defense also said in a statement, that two drones hit facilities in the country, though no casualties were reported.
The attacks also targeted a water tank at a power plant in Mesaieed and a key energy installation in Ras Laffan.
AMERICA STRIKES IRAN AGAIN — HAS WASHINGTON PLANNED FOR WHAT COMES NEXT?
Qatar’s Ras Laffan complex is the world’s largest LNG export facility, making it one of the most critical energy hubs in the world.
About 20% of global LNG trade transited the Strait of Hormuz in 2024, primarily from Qatar, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Markets reacted Monday with Europe’s benchmark natural gas futures surging by the largest margin since the 2022 energy crisis triggered by the Ukraine war, Bloomberg reported.
Bloomberg also reported Dutch TTF natural gas prices rose by 50% after news of the shutdown. Asian LNG prices also recorded gains as traders tried to assess the scale and length of the disruption.
"The threat to security of supply is here and now," Simone Tagliapietra, an analyst at Bruegel, told Bloomberg. "The extent of it will depend on the duration of the shutdown, but we are now into a new scenario."
In Saudi Arabia, another drone attack caused a fire at the kingdom’s Ras Tanura oil refinery, forcing a partial shutdown there as well.
Saudi authorities have not reported casualties, but the attack heightened fears of broader instability in the Gulf’s energy corridor, according to reports.
Iran starts ‘indiscriminate’ strikes across Gulf of Oman, hits shadow tanker tied to regime
Iran is conducting "indiscriminate" targeting of vessels across the Gulf of Oman and the wider Persian Gulf following the launch of U.S.-Israeli strikes under Operation Epic Fury, according to a maritime intelligence firm.
Windward AI noted the sanctioned Palau-flagged tanker Skylight was hit as the conflict across the Middle East entered its second day, with the tanker also holding Iranian nationals among the crew and ties to the regime.
"Analysis of vessel affiliations, targeting patterns, and cargo data points to a strategy of indiscriminate area denial — not precision targeting — aimed at demonstrating Iran's capability to disrupt the Strait and deter commercial shipping," the firm said Monday.
GULF STATES INTERCEPT HUNDREDS OF IRANIAN MISSILES AND DRONES, ISSUE JOINT CONDEMNATION WITH US
Iran has been retaliating with missiles and drones targeting U.S. and allied positions across the region, including in Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.
Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which links the Gulf of Oman to the Persian Gulf, is the world’s most critical energy chokepoint.
While three other vessels were reported attacked since the hostilities escalated Feb. 28, Windward described Skylight as "the highest-risk vessel in the group and the most anomalous target."
The UKMTO Operation Centre also later confirmed attacks on Skylight, MKD Vyom and Hercules Star, warning of significant military activity across the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, the North Arabian Sea and the Strait of Hormuz.
Skylight had been sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control in December 2025, and was used to transport Iranian petroleum products, according to reports.
It was operated by United Arab Emirates-based Red Sea Ship Management LLC, which Windward noted has documented ties to front companies linked to Iran’s Ministry of Defense.
The vessel had been at anchor since Feb. 22 and carried 20 crew members — 15 Indians and five Iranians.
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"The Skylight anomaly — striking a vessel with an Iranian crew, Iranian operational ties, and active OFAC sanctions — is the single strongest piece of evidence against deliberate targeting by affiliation," Windward said.
Reuters also reported March 1 that the Palau-flagged tanker was hit off Oman’s Musandam Peninsula in the Gulf of Oman, injuring four.
Oman’s Maritime Security Center said in a post on X that Skylight was attacked about 5 nautical miles north of Khasab Port, caught fire and was evacuated.
Trump presses NATO partners on support as Hegseth blasts hesitation
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth warned that some traditional U.S. allies are "hemming and hawing about the use of force" as Washington presses forward with its campaign against Iran, raising fresh questions about NATO cohesion at a moment of escalation.
Spain has refused U.S. permission to use certain bases for strikes on Iran, calling for de-escalation and adherence to international law. Turkey has criticized the operation and warned of broader regional destabilization, while President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said he was "saddened" by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s death and denied that Turkish territory was used in the campaign.
In a statement released on Saturday, French President Emmanuel Macron said that, "The outbreak of war between the United States, Israel and Iran carries grave consequences for international peace and security." He added, "The ongoing escalation is dangerous for all. It must stop."
HEGSETH LAYS OUT 'CLEAR' 3-PART MISSION AGAINST IRAN, SAYS WAR ‘IS NOT ENDLESS'
During Monday's media briefing, Hegseth drew a sharp contrast between Israel and what he described as hesitant allies. "Israel has clear missions as well, for which we are grateful. Capable partners, as we've said since the beginning. Capable partners are good partners, unlike so many of our traditional allies, who wring their hands and clutch their pearls, hemming and hawing about the use of force."
The criticism reflects growing frustration inside the administration that while some European capitals have issued statements of support, operational backing has not matched the rhetoric.
President Donald Trump also voiced dissatisfaction with allied hesitation. In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, Trump said he was "very disappointed" in British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for initially blocking U.S. use of British bases and that Starmer took "far too much time" to reverse course.
The United Kingdom later authorized U.S. use of key facilities, including Diego Garcia, after raising initial legal objections and following a drone strike on RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus.
Justin Fulcher, former senior adviser to Hegseth, told Fox News Digital the moment represents "an absolutely critical inflection point where NATO should act in a unified way in support of what the United States is doing."
He framed the issue as larger than the current campaign. "Symbolically, the U.S.-NATO alliance is critical when looking at actually restoring deterrence globally," Fulcher said, arguing that visible unity would send a message not only to Tehran but to other geopolitical rivals watching how the alliance responds under pressure.
FROM MISSILES TO MINERALS: THE STRATEGIC MEANING BEHIND THE IRAN STRIKE
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has sought to downplay suggestions of division.
"I spoke with all the key European leaders over the weekend," Rutte said on Fox News. "There is widespread support for what the president is doing."
He added, "Europe is stepping up, is doing what is necessary to make sure this operation can go ahead and deliver all the enablement necessary."
Germany has struck a more cautious tone. Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned in Sunday that strikes risk an Iraq- or Afghanistan-style quagmire and that Europe would bear the consequences.
At the same time, he said Berlin would not "lecture" the U.S. "We recognize the dilemma," he said, explaining that repeated attempts over past decades had not put Iran off trying to acquire nuclear weapons or oppressing its own people. "So we're not going to be lecturing our partners on their military strikes against Iran."
"Despite all the doubts, we share many of their aims," he said.
Fulcher contrasted the current hesitation with the strong reactions from some NATO capitals during past alliance disputes, including tensions surrounding Greenland.
"When you look at Greenland, that was obviously a very touchy subject for some countries in the Alliance," Fulcher said. "Iran for decades has been a huge promoter and funder of terrorism all across the globe — attacks that have happened in Europe, in many NATO and European countries," he said. "For me, it is quite shocking that we’re seeing a difficult time for many NATO members to fully unify and step up in support of the United States and what the U.S. and Israel is doing in Iran."
He argued that Europe has a significant strategic incentive to see Iranian capabilities degraded.
"I think actually Europe and NATO have the most to gain from neutralizing the threat that emanates from Iran," Fulcher said. "When you look at whether the ballistic missile threat or some of the state-sponsored terrorism threats, Europe has been on the receiving end of much more of these threats than the United States has in some cases."
He stressed that support should extend beyond public endorsements.
"Some of our European allies can do a lot more to not just support with words, which should be the bare minimum here, but also support with actual tangible action," Fulcher concluded.
Reuters contributed to this report.
