US Iran News Highlights: White House calls Iran ‘rogue terrorist regime’ in defense of US strikes

The Israel Defense Forces said two soldiers were wounded Wednesday by anti-tank fire while operating in southern Lebanon.

The incident occurred amid Israeli ground activity near the village of Khiyam.

Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the attack, saying its fighters targeted Israeli troops advancing toward Khiyam.

Israel said Tuesday its forces were moving deeper into Lebanon to establish “forward defensive positions.”

Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares rejected claims that Spain altered its stance on US military operations against Iran.

Albares publicly contradicted White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.

“I can refute (the White House spokesperson),” Albares told Spanish radio station Cadena Ser. “The position of the Spanish government regarding the war in the Middle East, the bombing of Iran and the use of our bases has not changed one iota.”

Albares addressed the issue in Madrid soon after White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that Spain had shifted its stance and “agreed to cooperate with the U.S. military.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt asked whether US strikes hit a girls’ school in Iran, responded: “Not that we know of.”

She said US defense officials are “investigating this matter.”

Leavitt emphasized that the United States does not target civilians, contrasting U.S. policy with what she called the “rogue Iranian regime.”

Iranian authorities and state media claimed a strike on the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls’ school in Minab, Iran killed many students during recent US–Israeli military operations. Details on responsibility remain unverified.

The reported strike has drawn international attention and calls for investigation amid differing accounts of what happened.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt rejected criticism that the US didn’t do enough to ensure Americans could leave the Middle East after the US military actions against Iran.

Leavitt stated that “there have been plans in place” and that the State Department has clearly advised Americans in the region to leave immediately.

She emphasized: “We will help every single American who wants to come home if they’re making that request of the State Department.”

The White House highlights that Americans abroad are being informed of evacuation options and can seek assistance directly from the State Department.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked about reports that President Donald Trump spoke with Kurdish leaders in Iraq and sought military support for Iranian Kurdish groups.

Leavitt confirmed Trump “did speak to Kurdish leaders with respect to our base that we have in northern Iraq.”

She strongly denied claims suggesting the President agreed to any plan supporting Iranian Kurdish groups, calling such reports “completely false”.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said she will not remove military options from consideration on behalf of the President.

Leavitt noted that past leaders sometimes took options off the table without fully understanding how situations could evolve.

She clarified that the option in question “is not part of the current plan, but emphasized it remains available for the President if needed.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump believes Americans support the Israel-US strikes on Iran, despite not giving a national address to explain his case.

Leavitt described Iran as a “rogue terrorist regime” that has threatened the US, its allies, and Americans for 47 years.

Leavitt said Americans are “smart enough to know that” and *“smart enough to listen to the president himself”, citing both his first and second terms.

US President Donald Trump plans to attend the dignified transfer of US troops killed in the Middle East at Dover Air Force Base, a solemn duty of the commander in chief.

The US has reported that six soldiers were killed in the recent Middle East conflict.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt described the soldiers as “heroes” who represent the very best among us.

* *Significance:* The ceremony underscores the solemn responsibilities of the presidency in honoring fallen service members and provides a moment of national reflection.

Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health Lebanon reported 72 killed and 437 wounded due to Israeli strikes over the past three days.

Haneed Sayed said more than 83,000 people have been displaced amid the conflict.

Iran-aligned Hezbollah entered the conflict Monday, launching missiles and drones into Israel for the first time in over a year.

The escalation began three days ago, marking a sharp rise in hostilities along the Israel-Lebanon border. (AP)

The US State Department said it has offered Americans assistance or information on leaving the Middle East amid ongoing conflict.

The department is arranging charter flights and other transportation, despite challenges from embassy closures and Iranian missile and drone strikes that have disrupted airports and airspace.

Over 17,500 Americans have returned to the US since Saturday, with more than 8,500 arriving on Tuesday alone.

The majority of Americans traveled via commercial flights without government assistance.

Iraq’s Ministry of Electricity Iraq reported that the national power grid has completely shut down across all provinces.

The exact reason for the blackout was not immediately clear.

Crews are working to repair power stations and transmission lines to restore electricity.

Outages had already hit the semi-autonomous Kurdish region after a key gas field halted operations due to security concerns. (AP)

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said his government *pursued diplomacy to avoid war but was forced to defend itself after US and Israeli attacks.

Pezeshkian emphasized on X that Iran respects the sovereignty of neighboring countries* and believes *regional security must be achieved collectively.

Iran has fired missiles and drones at Israel and US bases in the Gulf.

Many of the munitions and debris from interceptions have struck civilian areas, raising humanitarian concerns.

Tehran positions its strikes as defensive retaliation while calling for regional cooperation and stability.

The Israel Defense Forces said it struck a compound in eastern Tehran housing multiple Iranian units:

-Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)

-Quds Force

-Intelligence directorate

-Basij paramilitary force

-Iran’s cyber unit

-Internal Security unit responsible for suppressing protests

The strike involved more than 250 bombs dropped by over 100 fighter jets, described as “wide-scale” by an Israeli military official.

The official spoke anonymously because he was not authorized to speak publicly, AP reported.

The strike targeted key Iranian military and intelligence infrastructure involved in regional operations and internal security.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the US-Israeli air campaign amid criticism that the administration has not publicly presented evidence of an imminent threat from Tehran.

“This decision to launch this operation is based on a cumulative effect of various direct threats that Iran posed to the United States of America,” she said.

She described Iran as “a rogue terrorist regime that has been threatening the United States, our allies and our people for 47 years,” adding, “the American people are smart enough to know that.”

US intelligence agencies are monitoring reports that Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Iran’s slain supreme leader, has emerged as a frontrunner to succeed him.

“We’ve seen those reports as well, of course, and this is something that our intelligence agencies are looking at,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters. “The truth is, we’ll have to wait and see.”

President Donald Trump is consulting with his advisers on what role the United States could play in Iran after the ongoing military campaign concludes, the White House said.

She added that Trump is actively discussing potential US involvement in Iran’s future once the operation ends, while emphasizing that the immediate priority remains the military campaign.

Russia accused the United States of using an “imaginary” Iranian threat as a pretext for striking the country.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the alleged threat was “invented” and repeatedly cited over many years.

She claimed it was a cover for a “long-cherished plan to violently overthrow the constitutional order of a sovereign state.”

Zakharova described calls for Iranians to overthrow their government as “cynical and inhumane.”

Without naming Donald Trump, she criticized Western statements urging Iranians to seize power.

The New Zealand government will deploy two Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules operated by the New Zealand Defence Force to the Middle East.

Around 3,000 New Zealand citizens are officially listed as living across the Middle East.

Authorities advise New Zealanders to stay put or take safe opportunities to leave if available.

Foreign Minister Winston Peters says the primary focus is assisting citizens amid a rapidly evolving security crisis.

- Israeli officials reveal the Iran offensive was originally planned for next year.

- Timeline Shifted Due to “Developments and Circumstances”.

- Changing conditions inside Iran prompted acceleration of the operation.

- Defense Minister Israel Katz cites the stance of the President of the United States as a key consideration.

US Joint Chiefs chair Dan Caine reports a decline in Iranian ballistic missile launches compared with the opening days.

- Ballistic Missile fire down 86% since start of conflict

- 23% decrease in missiles in last 24 hours

- Drone attacks fell 73% from opening phase

- One-way attack drone launches by Iran have dropped significantly as well

Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Iran’s ambassador, Mohammad Hassan Habibollahzadeh, to issue a formal protest over a ballistic missile fired from Iran that was intercepted before entering Turkish airspace.

The US military is making “space available” seats on incoming Boeing C-17 Globemaster III and other aircraft to help Americans depart the Middle East region.

Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine says flights are being used to move civilians out when possible.

Officials did not disclose how many Americans have been assisted so far.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told Qatar’s foreign minister that Iranian missile attacks were aimed at US interests, not at Qatar.

Qatar’s top diplomat, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, “categorically rejected” Iran’s claim.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar said on X that Doha called for an immediate halt to Iran’s attacks.

Sheikh Mohammed said Qatar would respond to any aggression using its “right to self-defence.”

Pete Hegseth said the US eliminated a leader of a group he claims was involved in an alleged assassination attempt against Donald Trump.

He stated the US has long been aware of Iranian efforts to target the president and other senior American officials.

“While that was not the focus of the effort by any stretch of the imagination… I ensured, and others ensured that those who were responsible for that were eventually part of the target list,” Hegseth said.

US Joint Chiefs Chair Dan Caine addressing concerns raised in recent debates on whether US has enough munitions to sustain its military operations against Iran, told reporters at the Pentagon:

"I know there have been a lot of questions about munitions. We have sufficient precision munitions for the task at hand — both on the offense and defense," he told reporters. He added: "I know there's been a great debate about that. I appreciate the interest, but just know that we consider that an operational security matter."

Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the US military will begin expanding its campaign deeper into Iranian territory, marking a new phase in the conflict.

“We will now begin to expand inland striking progressively deeper into Iranian territory and creating additional freedom of maneuver for U.S. forces,” Caine said at the Pentagon.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during a news briefing at the Pentagon said:

In under a week, he said the US and Israel would “have complete control of Iranian skies, uncontested airspace.”

“I hope all the folks watching understand what uncontested airspace and complete control means,” he said. “It means we will fly all day, all night, day and night, finding, fixing and finishing the missiles and defense industrial base of the Iranian military,”

“Iran will be able to do nothing about it,” he added.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said at a news conference:

“We are punching them while they’re down, which is exactly how it should be,” Hegseth said.

“They are toast, and they know it, or at least, soon enough, they will know it, And we have only just begun, to hunt, dismantle, demoralize, destroy and defeat their capabilities,” he added.

The Consulate General of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Mumbai officially denied media reports about potential leadership candidates selected by Iran’s Assembly of Experts.

A post on the consulate’s official X (formerly Twitter) account said the circulating reports “have no official source and are officially denied.”

The statement was issued in response to coverage suggesting that Iran’s clerical body had chosen a successor after the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The denial came after some foreign media outlets reported that figures like Mojtaba Khamenei were candidates for the role.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said “Iran cannot outlast us” when asked about the war’s duration.

Hegseth indicated the timeline remains flexible, saying it could last “four weeks… six… eight… or three.”

He said the US sets the “pace and tempo” of the conflict.

According to Hegseth, Iran is “off balance”. He said the gap between Iran’s offensive capabilities and US defensive strength is widening “every day.”

General Dan Caine, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, during a news briefing at the Pentagon, said Iran is firing fewer missiles compared to the start of the war on Saturday.

He said Iran’s military capabilities have been “greatly diminished.”

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that their military sank an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka.

He described it as the first sinking of an enemy ship by torpedo since World War II.

“An American submarine sunk an Iranian warship that thought it was safe in international waters. Instead, it was sunk by a torpedo. Quiet death,” Hegseth said.

At least 80 people were killed in a US submarine strike on an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka’s deputy foreign minister said.

The attack occurred off the coast of Sri Lanka, with the Iranian vessel reportedly sunk after the strike.

The warship was returning to Iran from an eastern Indian port when it was hit, the deputy foreign minister told local TV. (Reuters)

Wall Street futures were mixed early Wednesday amid Gulf tensions.

President Donald Trump said the US Navy may escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil transit route handling about 20% of global supply.

Futures for the S&P 500 fell 0.1% before the bell.

Dow Jones Industrial Average futures slipped 0.2%.

Nasdaq futures were largely unchanged.

Oil prices have surged about 11% since the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran five days ago.

US benchmark crude eased slightly to $73.94 per barrel early Wednesday.

Brent crude fell 37 cents to $81.03 per barrel.

Five incoming and outgoing flights to and from West Asia were cancelled at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport on Wednesday.

The cancellations were due to the ongoing conflict in the Gulf region.

Affected routes included Doha, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

The Sri Lanka Navy said it rescued 32 Iranian sailors from a sinking Iranian naval ship off Sri Lanka’s southern coast.

Several bodies were recovered near the distress location, though the exact number has not been confirmed.

Navy spokesperson Buddhika Sampath said a large oil slick was observed, indicating the vessel had sunk.

Authorities rejected media reports claiming the ship was sunk in a submarine attack.

The vessel was identified as IRIS Dena, which had been part of a joint naval exercise hosted by Indian Navy.

There was no immediate comment from the Indian Navy.

Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath said the emergency message was received at 5:08 am, about 40 nautical miles off Galle.

Around 180 personnel were believed to be on board the ship. The cause of the sinking remains under investigation. (PTI)

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that a container ship was struck by an “unknown projectile.”

The incident occurred in the Strait of Hormuz, off Oman’s north coast.

The projectile hit the vessel just above the waterline.

The impact caused a fire in the ship’s engine room.

The crew abandoned the vessel following the strike.

All crew members are accounted for.

No injuries have been reported. (NBC News)

The United States military carried out a strike on an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka.

Three US officials confirmed the development to Reuters.

One official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the strike was conducted by a US military submarine.

Sri Lankan authorities rescued 32 people who were on board the vessel.

Several bodies were recovered from the sea following the strike.

Further details on casualties, the identity of the ship, and the circumstances leading to the strike were not immediately available. (Reuters)

The Turkish Defence Ministry said on Wednesday that NATO air and missile defence systems in the eastern Mediterranean shot down a ballistic missile fired from Iran before it could enter Turkish airspace, after it passed over Syria and Iraq. This is the first time a NATO member has been dragged into the war in the Middle East.

As the US-Israel war with Iran enters Day 5, fresh explosions were heard in Tehran and Jerusalem. Explosions also hit Iran-backed Lebanon. In Iran, nearly 800 people have been killed in Iran, including some Trump said he had considered as possible future leaders of the country.

As the security situation remains tense, Air India said that it was deploying additional capacity to Toronto, Frankfurt, and Paris (Charles de Gaulle).

“From 5 to 11 March, we’re operating 3 additional flights between Delhi and Toronto. From 7 to 10 March, we’ve added three flights between Delhi and Frankfurt, and one flight between Delhi and Paris (Charles de Gaulle).”

“These additional services will provide more flight options to travellers on these select routes with convenient connections beyond Delhi to destinations across Air India’s vast domestic India and Southeast Asia networks,” it said.

The United Nations nuclear watchdog IAEA has reported some damage near Iran's Isfahan nuclear site, but no radiological risk.

The UAE said its air defence systems successfully intercepted three ballistic missiles and 121 drones, preventing any damage or casualties.

Israel Army has told the residents of south of Lebanon's Litani river to move north, suggesting launch of a flurry of missile attack.

Hezbollah has said that it had targeted the headquarters of Israel Aerospace Industries, in central Israel, overnight with a drone attack while also saying it launched a missile at a drone control base.

In a statement, Hezbollah said that it “struck the headquarters of the Israeli Aerospace Industries (IAI) company in central occupied Palestine with a swarm of attack drones…in response to the criminal Israeli aggression that targeted dozens of Lebanese cities and towns.”

The Iranian Government via the Consulate General in Mumbai has rubbished reports that emerged from Israeli media that Mojtaba Khamenei was named as his late father Ayatollah Khamenei's successor.

“Reports circulating on media regarding potential candidates for leadership selected by Iran’s Assembly of Experts have no official source and are officially denied,” Consulate General of the IR Iran in Mumbai said.

Senior adviser to Khamenei has said that Iran won't negotiate with the United States, suggetsing that it can ‘continue the war’.

Israeli military has said that it has downed an Iranian fighter jet over Tehran.

The Israel Defense Force (IDF) in a post on X said that is struck “Basij and internal security command centers in Tehran belonging to the Iranian terror regime.”

It added, “The targeted command centers were used by the Iranian regime to maintain control throughout Iran. The IDF also struck the regime’s missile launchers and other systems.”