State Department tells Americans worldwide to 'exercise increased caution'
The war entered its fourth week on Saturday.
President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israel strikes attack targeting military and government sites, officials said.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was among those killed in Tehran on the first day of strikes and his son Mojtaba Khamenei was chosen to succeed him. Iran is responding with missile and drone attacks targeting Israel, regional U.S. bases and multiple Gulf nations. Iran is also attempting to block some shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
Israel is also intensifying its long-running strike campaign against the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia in Lebanon.
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Key Headlines
- Strait of Hormuz 'is not closed,' Iranian foreign minister says
- Iran says Strait of Hormuz open to all except 'enemies,' state media, Iranian president say
- 'Iran endangers the entire world,' Netanyahu says
- Iran warns of retaliatory strikes if US attacks power plants, state media says
- Trump threatens to 'hit and obliterate' Iranian power plants if Strait of Hormuz not opened in 48 hours
Gabbard says US has less clear picture of Iranian leaderships' intentions, positions
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard testified to Congress that the U.S. has a less clear picture on the intentions and positions of Iranian leadership now in power, telling members of Congress that the intelligence community believes Iran’s new supreme leader is more hardline than his father, who was assassinated by Israel.
Gabbard testified that the intelligence community assesses that Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is so hardline, some of Iran's leaders thought he was too aggressive. He was also involved in ordering the killing of Iranian protesters in recent waves of protest across the country, Gabbard said.
Asked if the U.S. is "less certain" of the positions of Iranian leadership now than it was 60 days ago, Gabbard said "yes."
Gabbard also said it was “unknown at this time” whether Mojtaba would uphold or lift a fatwa issued by his father in 2003 which barred Iran from pursuing nuclear weapons.
Japan, 5 European countries condemn Iranian attacks on commercial vessels in Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz
Japan, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands have issued a joint statement condemning Iranian attacks on commercial vessels in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz as the war continues.
"We call on Iran to cease immediately its threats, laying of mines, drone and missile attacks and other attempts to block the Strait to commercial shipping," the countries said.
Adding, "We express our readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait. We welcome the commitment of nations who are engaging in preparatory planning."
4th woman dies in West Bank strike
A fourth woman has died due to the impact of an interceptor missile in the town of Beit Awwa in Hebron, in the West Bank, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.
Aseel Samir Masalma, 32, was 6 months pregnant and evacuated to hospital critically injured on Wednesday, the ministry said.
The missile struck a women’s salon made of metal adjacent to a residential house, resulting in multiple fatalities and injuries, according to officials.
US 'holds the cards,' Hegseth says after Israel's strike on oil facilities
Asked about Israel potentially pursuing objectives that diverge from U.S. interests in Iran, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said the U.S. "holds the cards."
"The United States military controls the fate of that country," he said. "Iran has the ability to make the right choices. It should not going, forward target, Arab allies, Arab countries."