A video posted by President Donald Trump of a massive explosion in Iran&#8217;s central city of Isfahan overnight on Monday turned heads, leading to speculation of what target warranted the U.S. to drop a 2,000-pound bunker buster bomb.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth confirmed the strike during a Tuesday press briefing, pointing to the <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/116321041013301744">footage</a> shared by Trump on Truth Social that appears to show multiple secondary explosions likely caused by ignited ammunition or fuel stored at the site.
“The video the president posted last night of Isfahan — an ammo depot struck by U.S. bombers. You see, you don&#8217;t get to see many of those videos because, as a reminder, Iran has still shut off the internet to 99.9% of its population,” Hegseth said.
The use of 2,000-pound bunker buster munitions was confirmed by a U.S. official to <a href="https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/iran-war-news-updates/card/u-s-attacks-large-ammunition-depot-in-isfahan-2JHG6jkDzTmvVU7DtKBl?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=AWEtsqdbzlmwRziq5MKXL48abznmRVF0-7LwMx7l3uu_6bmbExcugKSFZa6WTVqt858%3D&amp;gaa_ts=69cbf54a&amp;gaa_sig=q3bQ5jFS7agBFf0gYMiX1FpUYRHGRCOqfI3li_XLWwE16RYrk7-hw78z3fq2Ao8hvIjgJilAfC2GulHVirz-jw%3D%3D">The Wall Street Journal</a>. While formidable, these weapons are a fraction of the roughly 30,000-pound bunker busters deployed against Iranian nuclear facilities during Operation Midnight Hammer in June, during the 12-Day War.
The strike adds to the list of over 11,000 targets struck so far since Operation Epic Fury began, according to U.S. Central Command.
Isfahan, the third-most populous city in Iran with 2.2 million residents, is a historic city that has, in recent years, become better known for its role in Iran’s nuclear program.
The city is home to the Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center, which was previously targeted by U.S. forces with B-2 bombers carrying bunker busters and nuclear submarines shooting Tomahawk cruise missiles.
Facilities in Isfahan are <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/20/opinion/iran-nuclear-materials-war.html">believed</a> to hold most of Iran’s 400 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60%, which is just below weapons-grade levels. In addition to uranium stockpiles, the city hosts several nuclear facilities, including conversion and manufacturing plants, and research centers.
The ammunition depot strike was not the only reported recent military action in the area.
Earlier this week, Isfahan University of Technology reported it had been struck for the second time since the war began. In a statement carried by the Iranian regime’s Fars News Agency, the university said the attack targeted one of its research institutes.
“According to initial reports, the attack on one of the university’s research institutes also caused damage to several other buildings and resulted in minor injuries to four university staff members,” the statement said.
The university described the strike as part of a broader campaign by “Zionist-American aggressors,” reflecting Iran’s characterization of joint U.S.-Israeli military operations.
CENTCOM did not respond to a request for comment.

B-2 Stealth Bomber in Flight

What Was The U.S. Aiming For With Massive Overnight Bunker Busters?

Global Politics

Iran

Iran Airstrike

An American was among three people arrested in connection with a fire that destroyed a warehouse in the Czech Republic linked to a company supplying drones to Ukraine.
Two suspects were <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/czechs-investigate-fire-after-reports-anti-israel-group-claiming-responsibility-2026-03-20/">arrested</a> in the Czech Republic, while a third was detained in Slovakia and faces possible extradition. Authorities are investigating the suspected arson attack as an act of terrorism. Police identified the suspects as U.S. and Czech nationals.
&#8220;Based on what we know so far, it is likely the incident may be related to ⁠a terrorist ​attack,&#8221; Interior Minister Lubomir Metnar said.
An unnamed protest group claimed responsibility for the fire in letters sent to Czech media outlets, according to multiple reports. The group reportedly said it had intended to target Czech defense firm ​LPP Holding, which operates in the same complex, alleging the company was supplying drones to Israel.
The group described the warehouse in Pardubice as a &#8220;key manufacturing hub&#8221; for Israeli weapons and stated that the fire was intended to end the company&#8217;s alleged role in the &#8220;genocide in Gaza.&#8221;
LLP Holding released a statement confirming that a fire had been reported at one of its facilities, but denied manufacturing Israeli drones. The company acknowledged that it had explored cooperation with Israeli firm Elbit Systems in 2023, but said nothing ever came of it.
&#8220;No Israeli drones have ever been manufactured at our facility,&#8221; LPP&#8217;s statement now.
One of the suspects has been identified as Youssef Morsi, who has been linked to a number of protest groups and has also been associated with pro-Palestinian activism.
Prague Youth Queer &amp; Intersectional Collective for Palestine, another organization to which Morsi has been linked, released a statement via Instagram saying that some &#8220;connected with the movement&#8221; had been approached by police in connection with the investigation and offered tips for anyone dealing with law enforcement.
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&#8220;The Charlie Kirk Show&#8221; producer Blake Neff <a href="https://x.com/BlakeSNeff/status/2036710489120809029">speculated</a> on the wild sequence of events, saying, &#8220;An Egyptian with U.S. citizenship (for some reason) went to the Czech Republic and burned down a factory making drones for Ukraine because he thought it was making them for Israel. Immigration gives us so many novel sentences and crimes we would not have otherwise. We are very enriched.&#8221;

CZECH-ISRAEL-FIRE

American Arrested, Accused Of Sabotaging Drone Factory Over Israel

Drones

Israel

Politics

Ukraine

“You know what we call a gram of coke here in Cuba?”
In the humid outskirts of Havana, I felt like I’d drifted into a sepia-tinted parallel timeline.
“A ‘Fidel’.”
My laughter wasn’t forthcoming. Not that it wasn’t funny. I was paralyzed by the surrealism. It was the last week of six decades of Castro rule and the final week of Raúl Castro’s presidency, yet here I was with his granddaughter Gabriella. And her boyfriend was selling me drugs.
Hadn’t her grandparents put people to death for selling drugs? Yes. Four high-ranking officials were executed by firing squad in 1989 for drug-smuggling. Despite this, her presence gave me an odd sense of safety. Some farm animals are more equal than others. And these, surely, were the most equal of all.
“And half a gram?”
He eyed me.
“…a ‘Raul’.”
Try as they might, Marxists can’t escape hierarchies. I wondered if they’d caught the irony. At least this one had a sense of humor. I turned to see if Gabriella was amused. The Castro name is quite a burden to carry. New World nobility. Her face remained stoic as a Castilian queen. She was more interested in the music.
If this was their way of welcoming me to their country, they went overboard with the midnight Lada racing through the capital. Cuba’s cocaine communists really put North London’s champagne socialists to shame.
Speaking of which, in the latest season of Radical Chic, eight years on from the Castros, a flotilla of useful halfwits has arrived.
From England comes cardigan-commie Jeremy Corbyn, Labour backbencher Richard Burgon, and YouTuber Owen Jones. Influencer Hasan Piker swapped Hollywood for Havana, wearing glasses worth $1,380 and a $690 T-shirt. “We have just been living la vida loca … Just peppering people with wads of cash,” he humbly divulged to the press — oblivious to what this revealed about which society better delivers material prosperity.
He was joined by fellow Americans Christian Smalls, the former Amazon unionist, the women-led anti-war group CODEPINK, and Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s daughter Isra Hirsi. Isra proudly following in her mother’s footsteps by siding with the enemies of the nation that so warmly welcomed her family from Somalia.
They are all part of the Nuestra América Convoy, which arrived in Havana this week. The delegation brought together over 650 people from 33 countries and 120 organizations, delivering roughly 20 tons of humanitarian aid. What a hoot. I only hope their phones have enough battery to capture selfies when they hear ordinary Cubans chanting “Down with communism!” through the blackouts.
And that is exactly what Cubans have been chanting in Morón, outside the local headquarters of the Communist Party of Cuba. But the Nuestra América Convoy is not there to protest decades of brutal dictatorship, but rather the US “blockade,” recently reinforced by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
On 29 January, the United States issued Executive Order 14380, titled “Addressing Threats to the United States by the Government of Cuba.” In it, President Trump declared that the situation with respect to Cuba “constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat” and announced a national emergency.
The real question is how long it will take Corbyn &amp; Co to realise they are on the side of Cuba’s dictatorial regime. After all, none of them have uttered a word about the lack of democracy in a country where only Communist Party members may hold office.
Not a peep about the breadlines — which I have witnessed on every one of my trips to Cuba over the last twenty years, both during and since the Castro era. Breadlines in Santiago de Cuba. Breadlines in Trinidad. Breadlines in Havana.
While there have been <a href="https://x.com/FoxNews/status/2036521369492725871?s=20">interesting reports</a> about how the Radical Chic Flotilla was funded by the US-born self-described Marxist billionaire Neville Roy Singham, the root of this idiocy was perhaps best articulated by the Irish rap band Kneecap.
If the Black Panthers had Leonard Bernstein, what does it say about the Nuestra América Convoy that their house band are Kneecap? The Belfast hip-hop trio is most famous for its vocal support of Hamas and Hezbollah — and the resulting terrorism charges against one member. On a Havana boulevard, they dish out their Radical Chic <a href="https://x.com/ultras_antifaa/status/2035502703804080378?s=20">insights to the press</a>.
Móglaí Bap, Kneecap’s rapper, has things to get off his chest: “I can’t remember the last time Cuba invaded a country.” Bless his cotton socks. They have. Panama and the Dominican Republic (1959), Algeria (1963–64), Congo (1965–67), Guinea-Bissau (1966–74), Angola (1975–91), Ethiopia (1977–89), Syria (1973–83), Mozambique (1975–80s), South Yemen (1970s–80s), Nicaragua (1979–90s), and Grenada (1979–83).
But it’s not just stupidity that motivates Kneecap. “They wanna isolate all these countries and make them feel like they have no support … and then when that happens, that’s when imperialism takes over.” Here Bap gets to the heart of it.
Anti-imperialism. It is the same blind ideology that has these rappers supporting the forces of evil wherever they emerge: Gaza, Tehran, Caracas. But it could not be more fitting than here in communist Cuba, for it is the central pillar of Castroism.
“I propose the immediate launching of a nuclear strike on the United States. The Cuban people are prepared to sacrifice themselves for the cause of the destruction of imperialism and the victory of world revolution.”
So said Fidel Castro in a telegram to Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev on 26 October 1962, at the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1992/10/23/opinion/castro-wanted-a-nuclear-strike.html">According to Fedor Burlatsky</a> — a member of Khrushchev’s inner circle — this was the real turning point. So shocked was Khrushchev by Castro’s brazen desire for national suicide that the Soviet leader immediately changed tack and sought a resolution with President Kennedy. Imagine an ideological derangement so potent it makes Soviets blush.
Today, despite the cries for “libertad!” from Cubans downtrodden by six decades of this anti-imperialist experiment, the ideology is thriving — not in Cuba, but in the coffee shops of Islington, the vegan restaurants of Beverly Hills, and the congressional district offices of Minnesota. Anti-imperialism is the ultimate luxury belief.
My last interaction with Gabriella Castro came as we stepped out of the car after racing around Havana. She’d made it clear she was staunchly anti-American, but I thought I’d poke a bit further.
“How does one say ‘friends’ in Spanish?” I asked, knowing the answer but pretending otherwise.
“Amigos.”
“But what if it’s male and female?”
“Amigos.”
“It’s still masculine?”
“Sí.”
“Isn’t that a little…”
“Sexist. Yes…”
She paused, looking seriously into the distance.
“…we should change it.”
***
This is republished with the author&#8217;s permission from Substack: <a href="https://www.winstonmarshall.co.uk/p/cocaine-with-the-castros">www.winstonmarshall.co.uk/p/cocaine-with-the-castros</a>.
Winston Marshall is a writer, musician, and host of &#8220;The Winston Marshall Show&#8221; podcast. His writing is available on his Substack, Winston Marshall:  <a href="https://www.winstonmarshall.co.uk/">https://www.winstonmarshall.co.uk/</a>.

Cuba – Cienfuegos: Old cyclist and revolutionary propaganda with picture of Fidel Castro on house wall.

Cocaine With The Castros

Communism

Cuba

Havana

In a <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/volkswagen-shift-production-missile-defense-one-factory-deal-with-israeli-2026-03-24">landmark deal</a> that marries German engineering prowess with Israeli combat-proven technology, Volkswagen is in advanced negotiations to transform its Osnabrück vehicle plant into a production hub for the Iron Dome missile defense system.
The partnership with Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems represents a strategic masterstroke, offering a lifeline to thousands of German workers while bolstering Western security at a time of unprecedented global volatility.
The move comes as Israel and the United States continue their high-stakes campaign to neutralize the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran and its regional proxies. While the conflict has sparked intense debate within the German halls of power—most notably from President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who recently <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/german-president-warns-trumps-return-marks-profound-rupture-transatlantic-ties-2026-03-24/">characterized</a> the war as a &#8220;disastrous mistake&#8221;—the VW-Rafael tie-up signals a more pragmatic, security-first approach from Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government.
The Osnabrück plant, previously facing closure due to a sluggish transition to electric vehicles, is set to become a cornerstone of the European Sky Shield Initiative. By producing launchers, generators, and heavy-duty transport trucks for the Iron Dome, Volkswagen is pivoting from a struggling automotive market to a booming defense sector.
For Israel, the deal is a testament to the enduring strength of the Berlin-Jerusalem alliance. Rafael officials noted that Germany was chosen specifically for its status as one of Israel’s most reliable partners. The collaboration aims to:
<ul>
<li data-path-to-node="6,0,0">Save 2,300 high-skilled jobs that were previously at risk of redundancy.</li>
<li data-path-to-node="6,1,0">Integrate &#8220;Battle-Proven&#8221; Technology into the European defense infrastructure.</li>
<li data-path-to-node="6,2,0">Strengthen Transatlantic Security by providing a localized supply chain for critical air defense components.</li>
</ul>
The industrial synergy stands in stark contrast to the pointed rhetoric from President Steinmeier, who on Tuesday warned of a &#8220;profound rupture&#8221; in ties with Washington. However, Chancellor Merz has <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/germanys-merz-calls-irans-territorial-integrity-be-preserved-2026-03-06">remained focused</a> on the broader strategic necessity of the mission. While expressing concern over regional stability and potential migration waves, Merz has affirmed that Germany shares the core goals of the U.S. and Israel: ending Tehran’s ballistic missile program and its support for global terrorism.
The transition at Osnabrück is expected to be seamless, requiring minimal new investment to convert existing assembly lines for defense hardware. Beyond the immediate economic boost, the partnership allows Germany to harness its excess industrial capacity to meet a €500 billion defense spending goal by 2030.
By choosing to produce the Iron Dome—a system <a href="https://www.rtx.com/raytheon/what-we-do/integrated-air-and-missile-defense/irondome">credited</a> with a 90% success rate in saving civilian lives—Volkswagen is not just saving a factory; it is participating in a vital effort to safeguard the democratic world.

70 years Karmann Ghia

Founded By Nazis, Volkswagen Faces Stunning Pivot Tied To Israel’s Defense

Iron Dome

Nazis

Volkswagen

World

Charlie Kirk&#8217;s closest advisor Andrew Kolvet says images of a private group-chat he gave to Joe Kent, the intelligence official who just resigned from the Trump administration, later ended up on the Candace Owens show.
Kolvet, who remains the host of the Charlie Kirk Show, said on Monday that he handed over messages to Kent because he had believed Kent to be trustworthy and seeking the same thing he was: the truth about Kirk&#8217;s assassination. Kolvet said Kent urged him to make the messages public. He declined, but then they ended up in the public sphere anyway.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Here are the facts: Yes, I shared the screen grab with Joe Kent because I was told I could trust him and I wanted EVERY possible lead pursued. We&#8217;ve done this quietly behind the scenes with countless items.
Yes he did suggest I make it public. I declined. A few weeks later the… <a href="https://t.co/Jx09MBIoPr">https://t.co/Jx09MBIoPr</a> <a href="https://t.co/7FzZEEtsRe">pic.twitter.com/7FzZEEtsRe</a>
— Andrew Kolvet (@AndrewKolvet) <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewKolvet/status/2036149087179850208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;I do want to confirm what I can confirm, and that is that, yes, in the immediate aftermath, I did provide the group chat to Joe Kent,” said Kolvet. “We don’t throw around accusations recklessly here, we don’t. There’s a lot people who do that online, we don’t do that. We think that’s keeping in the spirit of Charlie’s spirit, and the way we choose to do things is we try and be responsible. So, yes, in a spirit of looking at every lead, turning over every stone, we wanted everybody that needed to know, to know anything that we knew. Not just—I mean, and by the way, we’ve been accused of not being interested in the truth—”
Blake Neff, a co-host on the Charlie Kirk Show, interjected, &#8220;And just to remind people what this is referring to, this is after Charlie’s murder, there were text messages that, from a private group chat, that were made public and were used to, frankly, kick off the big conspiracy theory that we’ve run into over and over again, which is that Israel or the Jews had Charlie murdered. Which we do not believe.&#8221;
Kolvet complained that he thought he &#8220;could trust Joe Kent,&#8221; but was proven wrong.
&#8220;The actual fact of the matter is that behind the scenes, we have given everything we know to give, every single piece of information. This was one of them. I was told I could trust Joe Kent; I provided the screen grabs to Joe Kent, and I don’t know what happened to them at that point, okay? I just want to make that very clear,&#8221; Kolvet continued, adding that after some time had passed, Kent had suggested that he share the screen grabs publicly. Kolvet opted not to do so.
&#8220;I didn’t want to be reckless with them in the public; there could be innocent people on that group chat that would then be harmed. So I declined,&#8221; he explained. &#8220;But then, fast forward another week or two, and they were made public. So that’s what I know, is that Joe suggested that they be made public, I declined, then they were made public. Can I 100% categorically say that he leaked them? No. But those are the facts. Maybe somebody on his team, maybe they got passed around, maybe somebody else leaked them. But that’s—those are the facts of the matter. And that’s what I know.&#8221;
Kent is reportedly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/former-counterterror-chief-joe-kent-under-fbi-probe-for-leaking-classified-info">under investigation</a> for leaking sensitive information while working as a top intelligence official in the Trump administration. President Donald Trump on Monday raised the possibility that he was a leaker in comments to The Daily Wire.
&#8220;I hear they’re looking at him for leaking,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;That’s possible.&#8221;
Kolvet was pulled into the unfolding story when Rabbi Pesach Wolicki, on a recent podcast, said that Kent had leaked the screen grabs to Candace Owens — who used them to foment conspiracy theories tying Israel to Kirk&#8217;s murder in September 2025.
In the screen grabs, texts attributed to Kirk read, &#8220;Just lost another huge Jewish donor. $2 million a year because we won’t cancel Tucker. I’m thinking of inviting Candace,&#8221; and &#8220;Jewish donors play into all the stereotypes. I cannot and will not be bullied like this. Leaving me no choice but to leave the pro Israel cause.&#8221;
Tyler Robinson, the suspect facing trial for Kirk&#8217;s assassination, said in text messages obtained by police that he shot Kirk over his views on transgenderism.

Joe Kent

Was Joe Kent Behind The Leak Of Charlie Kirk’s Private Texts Too?

Charlie Kirk

Iran said on Sunday it would strike the energy and water systems of its Gulf neighbours in retaliation if U.S. President Donald Trump follows through with a threat to hit Iran&#8217;s electricity grid in 48 hours, escalating the three-week-old war.
The prospect of tit-for-tat strikes on civilian infrastructure could deepen the regional crisis and further rattle global markets when they reopen on Monday morning.
Air raid sirens sounded across Israel from the early hours of Sunday, warning of incoming missiles from Iran, after scores of people were hurt overnight in two separate attacks in the southern Israeli towns of Arad and Dimona.
The Israeli military said hours later that it was striking Tehran in response.
Trump threatened overnight to &#8220;obliterate&#8221; Iran&#8217;s power plants if Tehran did not fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours, barely a day after he talked about &#8220;winding down&#8221; the war. He made the new threat as U.S. Marines and heavy landing craft are heading to the region.
But while attacks on electricity could hurt Iran, they would be potentially catastrophic for its Gulf neighbors, which consume around five times as much power per capita. Electricity makes their gleaming desert cities habitable, and most of them produce nearly all of their drinking water by purifying it from the sea.
Iran&#8217;s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf wrote on X that critical infrastructure and energy facilities in the Middle East could be &#8220;irreversibly destroyed&#8221; should Iranian power plants be attacked.
Iran&#8217;s Revolutionary Guards said it would also mean the shipping lane where a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas normally transits along Iran&#8217;s southern coast would remain shut.
&#8220;The Strait of Hormuz will be completely closed and will not be opened until our destroyed power plants are rebuilt,&#8221; the Guards said in a statement.
More than 2,000 people have been killed during the war the U.S. and Israel launched on February 28, which has upended markets, spiked fuel costs, fuelled global inflation fears and convulsed the postwar Western alliance.
&#8220;President Trump&#8217;s threat has now placed a 48-hour ticking time bomb of elevated uncertainty over markets,&#8221; said IG market analyst Tony Sycamore, who expects stock markets to fall when they reopen on Monday.
Oil prices jumped on Friday, ending the day at their highest in nearly four years.
Markets already under severe strain from blockaded shipping were further rattled last week when Israel attacked a major gas field in Iran, and Tehran responded with strikes on neighbors Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait, raising the prospect of damage hindering energy output even if tankers resume sailing.
Iranian attacks have effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, causing the worst oil crisis since the 1970s. Its near-closure sent European gas prices surging as much as 35% last week.
&#8220;If Iran doesn&#8217;t FULLY OPEN, WITHOUT THREAT, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 HOURS from this exact point in time, the United States of America will hit and obliterate their various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST!&#8221; Trump posted on social media around 7:45 p.m. EDT (2345 GMT) on Saturday.
Iranian media quoted the country&#8217;s representative to the International Maritime Organisation as saying the strait remains open to all shipping except vessels linked to &#8220;Iran&#8217;s enemies.&#8221;
Ali Mousavi said passage through the waterway was possible by coordinating security and safety arrangements with Tehran.
Ship-tracking data shows some vessels, such as Indian-flagged ships and a Pakistani oil tanker, have negotiated safe passage through the strait. But the vast majority of ships have remained holed up inside.
Iran&#8217;s Khatam al-Anbiya military command headquarters said on Sunday if the U.S. hit Iran&#8217;s fuel and energy infrastructure, Iran would attack all U.S. energy, information technology and desalination infrastructure in the region.
Striking major Iranian power plants could trigger blackouts, crippling everything from pumps and refineries to export terminals and military command centers.
The United States and Israel say they have seriously degraded Iran&#8217;s ability to project force beyond its borders with their three weeks of intensive air strikes.
But Tehran fired its first known long-range ballistic missiles with a range of 4,000 km (2,500 miles) on Friday towards a U.S.-British Indian Ocean ‌military base, expanding the risk of attacks beyond the Middle East.
An Iranian strike also landed near Israel&#8217;s secretive nuclear reactor about 13 km (8 miles) southeast of the city of Dimona.
The war has been taking place alongside a confrontation on a separate front between Israel and Lebanon&#8217;s Hezbollah, backed by Iran, with Israel saying on Sunday its troops had raided a number of the armed group&#8217;s sites in southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah said it had attacked several border areas in northern Israel. Israeli emergency services said one person was killed in a kibbutz near the border. Israel later said it was checking whether the death was caused by Israeli fire.
Hezbollah has fired hundreds of rockets at Israel since it entered the regional war on March 2, prompting an Israeli offensive that has killed more than 1,000 people in Lebanon.
Israel said it had instructed the military to accelerate the demolition of Lebanese homes in &#8220;frontline villages&#8221; to end threats to Israelis, and to destroy all bridges over Lebanon&#8217;s Litani River which it said were used for &#8220;terrorist activity.&#8221;
Pope Leo appealed for an end to the conflict. &#8220;The death and suffering caused by this war are a scandal to the whole human family,&#8221; he said.
(Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali in Washington, Andrew Mills in Doha, Timour Azhari in Riyadh, Maayan Lubell in Jerusalem and Alexander Cornwell in Tel Aviv; Additional reporting by Reuters bureaus; Writing by Lisa Shumaker, Michael Perry, William Maclean; Editing by Alexander Smith, Peter Graff and Jon Boyle)

Missile

Iran Issues New Threat As Trump’s 48-Hour Ultimatum Hits Halfway Mark

Donald Trump

Israeli ambassador to the U.S. Michael Leiter discussed Iran’s attempted ballistic missile strike Saturday targeting Diego Garcia, the joint U.S.-U.K. military base in the Indian Ocean more than 2,000 miles from Iran.
Appearing Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union” with Dana Bash, Leiter was first asked about the missile strikes in Israel on Saturday evening that caused significant damage.
“Israel&#8217;s emergency response service declared a mass casualty event, as I mentioned. Can you give an update on the ground there? And also, what kind of response do we expect from Israel?” Bash asked.
Leiter said there were “a number of fatalities” and that more than 150 people were injured in the attacks on Arad and Dimona.
“The response is going to be to continue with this campaign until we bring this regime to its knees,” Leiter stated. “We cannot live anymore with a country that is malign, that has intent on destroying us, that declares it&#8217;s going to destroy us all the time, and is now firing ballistic missiles into all of its neighbors. This has to stop.”
Bash then pressed Leiter on the ICBMs that were fired at Diego Garcia: “Doesn&#8217;t that fly in the face of the claim by the president and the prime minister that the missiles that the Iranians have have been obliterated?”
Leiter hit back, saying that the missile launch reinforces the point that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump have made, which is that Iran lies.
“The Iranian regime lie. These are murderers who lie. It shouldn&#8217;t surprise us — and they said they don&#8217;t have intercontinental ballistic missiles. Well, now they prove that they do have them. Not only do they have them; they&#8217;re willing to shoot them,” the ambassador said. “They claimed, until now, there was no such thing as an ICBM in Iran. They didn&#8217;t develop them.”
Leiter then painted a frightening scenario, asking Bash to imagine that the ICBMs Iran lied about having don’t simply travel 2,000 miles, but 4,000 miles or more, which would allow them to strike a major city in the United States.
“That&#8217;s what they&#8217;re planning to do. Now, imagine that those ICBMs are tipped with nuclear warheads, which they were planning to do as well. So, we have to face a very difficult situation,” he said before noting that while gas prices are temporarily higher as a result of the war, they will return to normal.
“But this malign government is intent on taking lives. Lives don&#8217;t come back, okay? It’s a temporary issue we have to face economically in order to protect lives and save lives from malign regime interested in taking lives.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Israeli Ambassador to US Michael Leiter says the war in Iran will continue &#8220;until we bring this regime to its knees&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/z24YbIaCYZ">pic.twitter.com/z24YbIaCYZ</a>
— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) <a href="https://twitter.com/CNNSOTU/status/2035721927210225772?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Israeli Ambassador Reacts To Iran Strike With Message That Raises Stakes

Cuba is preparing for the possibility of military conflict with the United States, a top Cuban official warned Sunday, as tensions between the two countries continue to escalate.
“Our military is always prepared, and in fact it is preparing these days for the possibility of military aggression,” Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío said in an interview on &#8220;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/video/cuban-deputy-fm-reacts-to-trump-s-threats-to-take-over-cuba-full-interview-259825733583?utm_campaign=trueanthem&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm">Meet the Press</a>.&#8221; “We would be naïve” not to consider the possibility, he added, while insisting that Havana “truly hope[s] that it doesn’t occur” and sees “no justification whatsoever” for conflict.
The warning comes after a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-he-can-take-cuba-i-could-do-anything-i-want-with-it">series of statements</a> from President Donald Trump as his administration ramps up pressure on the island’s communist government. He said he would have the “honor” of “taking Cuba in some form … Free it. Take it. I think I could do anything I want with it.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio has <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/international/5787874-cuba-political-change-rubio/">also signaled</a> that Cuba’s leadership is in a precarious position, warning that those in power “don’t know how to fix” the country’s mounting crises.
Fernández de Cossío dismissed those remarks, insisting that regime change is “absolutely” not up for discussion. “The Cuban political system is not up for negotiation,” he said. “Cuba is a sovereign country … and would not accept becoming a dependent state of any other power.”
The standoff comes as Cuba faces a severe and worsening economic crisis, driven in large part by an energy shortage that has crippled the island. The Trump administration has moved to choke off fuel supplies by threatening penalties on countries that export oil to Cuba, a policy Cuban officials describe as a “very severe” blockade.
“What’s happening today is that the U.S. is threatening … any country that might export fuel to Cuba,” Fernández de Cossío said, arguing the pressure campaign “cannot be sustained forever.”
However, Cuba has already experienced repeated <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/anti-government-riot-breaks-out-in-cuba-over-blackouts?author=Reuters&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Anti-Government+Riot+Breaks+Out+In+Cuba+Over+Blackouts">nationwide blackouts</a> in recent weeks, including multiple grid collapses that left much of the island without electricity. With limited fuel, transportation, hospitals, and food distribution systems have all come under strain.
Tensions have also intensified following a U.S. military operation earlier this year that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, a key ally of the Cuban regime.
The loss of Venezuelan oil shipments, long a lifeline for Cuba’s economy, has compounded the island’s crisis and further strained relations with Washington.
Despite the rhetoric, both sides have acknowledged ongoing communication. Fernández de Cossío confirmed that Cuban and U.S. officials remain in dialogue on certain bilateral issues, though he stressed that core political questions such as leadership and single-party governance are off the table.
“No sovereign country negotiates its internal political system,” he said. Cuban officials have rejected calls for political reform, with Fernández de Cossío criticizing the U.S. system in return, noting that America itself operates under a two-party structure.
While Cuban officials emphasized readiness, they also sought to downplay the likelihood of imminent conflict. “Our country has historically been ready to mobilize … for military aggression,” Fernández de Cossío said. “We truly always see it as something far from us. We don’t believe it is something that is probable.” Still, he reiterated that failing to prepare would be a mistake given current global tensions.
The warnings come as Cuba faces one of the most precarious moments in decades: economic collapse, widespread blackouts, and growing public frustration. At the same time, the regime continues to reject any discussion of structural political change, even as pressure mounts from both abroad and within the island. For now, Havana is signaling two things at once: it wants to avoid war, but is preparing for it anyway.

Cuba. Havana. Theatre Detail

Cuba Prepares For Possible U.S. Military Action As Tensions Surge

Trump Administration

Venezuela

Cuba said it had begun efforts early on Sunday to restore power after its grid collapsed for the second time in a week amid a U.S. oil blockade that has dealt a major blow to the island&#8217;s already ailing energy infrastructure.
The grid collapsed Saturday evening at 6:32 p.m. (2232 GMT) after a major power plant in Nuevitas, in eastern Cuba&#8217;s Camaguey province, failed and went offline, grid operator UNE said, causing a cascade effect that knocked out power to the nation&#8217;s approximately 10 million people.
Cuba&#8217;s energy and mines ministry said early on Sunday it had established microsystems &#8211; smaller, closed circuits &#8211; in all of the island&#8217;s provinces to restore power for vital services like hospitals, water supply and food distribution.
The country&#8217;s two gas-fired power plants, operated by Energas, were running in Varadero and Boca de Jaruco, and electricity had reached the nearby Santa Cruz oil-fired plant, the energy ministry said on social media.
Shortly after sunrise on Sunday, the streets of the capital Havana were crowded with early risers sitting on doorsteps, lamenting the situation with neighbors and swatting mosquitoes in cool weather under clear skies.
&#8220;Life doesn&#8217;t change. We&#8217;re stuck in the same rut,&#8221; said Havana resident Leoni Alberto, who said he was forced to cook with firewood at least twice a week due to the outages. &#8220;It&#8217;s absolute madness. There&#8217;s no other way around it.&#8221;
Cellular service and internet was almost entirely unavailable in most areas, leaving many without communication of any kind.
Cuban prime minister Manuel Marrero said the recovery effort was taking place under &#8220;very complex circumstances.&#8221;
Cuba&#8217;s electrical grid has been teetering on the edge of collapse and unreliable for months, leaving the island&#8217;s residents in the dark for hours a day, and sometimes longer, even in better times.
But Saturday&#8217;s blackout incident marks the third major power outage this month, as a majority of the system went down on March 4 when a key thermoelectric generating plant failed. The power grid also went completely offline on Monday for unexplained reasons.
Cuba has experienced a series of total outages in recent years, but two nationwide blackouts in the space of a week is exceptional.
U.S. President Donald Trump began taking measures to block oil from reaching the Caribbean island after Washington deposed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on January 3. Venezuela had previously provided oil to its close ally on favorable terms.
Since then, Trump has cut off Venezuelan exports to Cuba and threatened other countries with punitive tariffs if they sell oil to the island.
Cuba has long blamed the U.S. trade embargo for economic failures including its obsolete power grid, while Washington has attributed the shortfalls to Cuba&#8217;s Soviet-style command economy.
(Reporting by Dave Sherwood in Havana; additional reporting by Anett Rios and Alien Fernandez, Editing by Hugh Lawson)

Cuba Begins Recovery Efforts After Second Grid Collapse In A Week

Energy

President Donald Trump on Saturday issued a stark 48-hour ultimatum to Iran, warning that the United States will begin targeting the country’s energy infrastructure if it does not reopen the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz.
“If Iran doesn’t FULLY OPEN, WITHOUT THREAT, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 HOURS from this exact point in time, the United States of America will hit and obliterate their various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST!” Trump wrote on <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116269822349947644">Truth Social</a> at 7:44 p.m. EST.
The warning marks one of the most direct threats yet on Iranian infrastructure as the conflict enters a dangerous new phase. The Strait of Hormuz is one of the most critical waterways in the world, carrying roughly one-fifth of the global oil supply during peacetime.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/live-updates-iranian-protests-intensify-as-citizens-demand-end-to-ayatollah-rule">Since early March</a>, traffic through the narrow passage has been severely restricted following Iranian military actions, including attacks on commercial vessels and the laying of naval mines, according to international statements.
The disruption has already sent oil prices surging, with global markets reacting to fears of prolonged instability in the region.
Trump signaled in <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2035083241695203791">recent remarks</a> that reopening the strait would not be overly complex militarily, though it would require significant coordination. “It’s relatively safe … you need ships, you need volume,” he told reporters Friday, describing the operation as a “simple military maneuver.”
At the same time, the president criticized NATO allies for failing to step in. “NATO could help us, but they so far haven’t had the courage to do so,” Trump said, after earlier <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116261796648776538">blasting</a> the alliance as “cowards.”
Despite Trump’s criticism, more than 20 countries, including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan and Canada have signed a <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/joint-statement-from-the-leaders-of-the-united-kingdom-france-germany-italy-the-netherlands-and-japan-on-the-strait-of-hormuz-19-march-2026">joint statement</a> condemning Iran’s actions. “We condemn in the strongest terms recent attacks by Iran on unarmed commercial vessels … and the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz,” the statement read.
The countries also signaled their “readiness to contribute” to ensure safe passage through the waterway, suggesting the early stages of a potential multinational response. Trump&#8217;s ultimatum comes just days after U.S. forces carried out strikes on Iranian anti-ship missile sites near the strait.
According to <a href="https://x.com/CENTCOM/status/2034040698954031326?ref">U.S. Central Command</a>, the operation involved 5,000-pound bunker-buster bombs, targeting capabilities believed to threaten maritime traffic. The escalation underscores how quickly the standoff is moving from economic pressure to direct military confrontation.
Iranian officials have pushed back on U.S. demands, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claiming in an interview with <a href="https://english.kyodonews.net/articles/-/72724">Kyodo News</a> that restrictions have only applied to countries involved in attacks on Iran. At the same time, Iran has issued its own warnings, <a href="https://x.com/mb_ghalibaf/status/2035665493307130044">threatening to target</a> U.S.-aligned energy infrastructure across the region if strikes continue.
Iran launched one of its most destructive attacks of the conflict over the weekend, with missiles striking southern Israel and injuring more than 100 people, including civilians in residential areas. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to retaliate “on all fronts,” as Israeli forces reportedly carried out additional strikes inside Iran.
Asian countries such as Japan are heavily dependent on oil shipments through the passage, with the Japanese already weighing potential military involvement, including minesweeping operations, if conditions allow. Meanwhile, global oil prices have surged past $100 per barrel multiple times during the conflict, raising concerns about inflation and economic disruption far beyond the Middle East.
Trump’s ultimatum now sets a clear deadline in a high-stakes staring contest: if Iran does not comply, the United States could move from targeting military assets to striking core infrastructure inside the country. With both sides escalating, the next 48 hours may determine whether the conflict remains contained or spirals into something far larger.

Trump Draws Red Line: 48 Hours To Open Strait Or U.S. Strikes Begin

Strait of Hormuz

A missile rips through the night sky — then a blinding fireball engulfs the scene as the strike hits, all caught on video.
The strike left around 75 people injured in Arad, including 10 who were seriously hurt and rushed to a hospital in Beersheba, according to <a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-890719">The Jerusalem Post</a>.
Arad Mayor Yair Ma’ayan said that no one who was in a shelter was injured.
Another missile struck the city of Dimona earlier on Saturday, injuring 33 people, according to first responders. Dimona is the location of the Shimon Peres Negev Nuclear Research Center. Children were among the injured in the attacks.
Attempted interceptions, according to the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/21/iran-hits-israeli-town-housing-nuclear-facility-in-retaliation-for-natanz-strike">Israeli military</a>, failed to stop the missiles.
Videos circulating on social media appear to show the missiles making impact and the significant damage they caused.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨🎥WATCH:
Dramatic footage shows an Iranian medium-range ballistic missile striking near Dimona in Israel’s Negev Desert.
A building has collapsed, with reports of multiple injuries.
Stay connected, follow <a href="https://twitter.com/MOSSADil?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MOSSADil</a>. <a href="https://t.co/lPqeDhKnWD">pic.twitter.com/lPqeDhKnWD</a>
— Mossad Commentary (@MOSSADil) <a href="https://twitter.com/MOSSADil/status/2035491000676696487?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The IDF confirms a 450 kg Iranian missile hit Arad after two failed interceptions, leaving at least 70 injured and four unconscious. <a href="https://t.co/wQppxDf622">pic.twitter.com/wQppxDf622</a>
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) <a href="https://twitter.com/Osint613/status/2035469580248748290?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Overhead drone footage from United Hatzalah shows the level of destruction caused to several residential buildings in the Southern Israeli city of Arad, following the direct impact earlier of a medium-range ballistic missile launched by Iran. <a href="https://t.co/GfB2B0gomG">pic.twitter.com/GfB2B0gomG</a>
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) <a href="https://twitter.com/sentdefender/status/2035480000355307638?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a <a href="https://x.com/netanyahu/status/2035473053703168504">statement</a> on Saturday evening following the attacks.
“This is a very difficult evening in the battle for our future. A short time ago, I spoke with the mayor of Arad, Yair Maayan, and asked him to convey, on behalf of all the citizens of Israel, our prayers for the peace of the wounded. I instructed the Director General of my ministry to provide all necessary assistance, along with all government ministries,” Netanyahu said. “I am strengthening the emergency and rescue forces currently operating in the field and I call on everyone to obey the Home Front Command&#8217;s instructions.”
“We are determined to continue to strike our enemies on all fronts,” the prime minister concluded.
Israel&#8217;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement calling the Iranian attack a &#8220;blatant war crime.&#8221;
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The Iranian regime devastated Arad and Dimona by deliberately striking civilians with missiles. Over 100 people were injured, including children. A blatant war crime. Pure terrorism. <a href="https://t.co/e0kpFpdZ6n">pic.twitter.com/e0kpFpdZ6n</a>
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) <a href="https://twitter.com/IsraelMFA/status/2035478814445224149?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The missile attacks come as U.S.-Israeli strikes continue to decimate military targets and eliminate political and military leaders in Iran. As the war drags on, the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20% of the world’s oil transits, has emerged as a major flashpoint as Iran threatens passing vessels.
Hours before the strikes, the IDF said it had targeted a key Iranian military research facility tied to the regime’s ballistic missile program and efforts to develop nuclear weapon components — underscoring the growing stakes on both sides.

VIDEO: Iranian Missile Screams Over Israel, Explosion Injures Dozens, Including Children

Benjamin Netanyahu

Hundreds of left-wing activists from the United States, Europe, and Latin America descended on Havana this weekend, meeting with communist officials, staying in upscale hotels, and traveling in air-conditioned buses as ordinary Cubans grapple with widespread blackouts and severe shortages of basic necessities.
The “Nuestra América Convoy,” also called the “Our America Convoy to Cuba,” brought roughly 650 delegates from 33 countries and more than 100 organizations to the island, transporting about 20 tons of humanitarian aid, according to organizers.
Delegates arrived by air from countries including Italy, France, Spain, and the United States, with additional participants traveling by sea in a flotilla from Mexico. Some activists arrived earlier in the week, delivering supplies to hospitals in advance of the main delegation.
Some delegates were reportedly housed in high-end accommodations, including five-star hotels, while others were seen traveling in air-conditioned buses and attending official meetings with Miguel Díaz-Canel at government facilities.
Large portions of the island have experienced prolonged blackouts, with outages in some areas stretching beyond 20 hours a day. The country’s fragile infrastructure has been pushed to the brink, leaving millions struggling to access food, water, and medical care.
The Cuban government and activists have blamed U.S. energy restrictions, particularly moves by Donald Trump to target oil shipments, for exacerbating the island’s economic collapse. Organizers framed the convoy as a direct challenge to what they describe as “collective punishment.”
“We cannot allow this,” said David Adler of Progressive International, one of the groups behind the effort. “We cannot normalize it.” Cuban officials echoed that message, with Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío insisting that the country’s political system is “not up for negotiation” in any talks with Washington. At the same time, critics argue the regime’s decades of centralized control and economic mismanagement have played a central role in the island’s long-running hardship.
The optics of foreign activists enjoying stable electricity and modern amenities while locals endure daily deprivation have drawn sharp backlash, particularly from Cuban exiles. “This is a gigantic mockery of the entire Cuban people,” said Mayra Dominguez, a Cuban living in exile in the United States, to the <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/03/21/world-news/tone-deaf-activists-flock-into-havana-staying-in-5-star-hotels-while-island-in-crisis-mockery-of-cuban-people/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThis%20is%20a%20gigantic%20mockery,It%20is%20outrageous%2C%E2%80%9D%20she%20added.">New York Post</a>. “The left visits Cuba as if it were a party at a zoo and they go to admire the misery from a luxury hotel.”
Cuban artist Salomé García Bacallao, now based in Miami, similarly criticized the government for welcoming foreign delegations while many Cubans remain barred from returning home.
The convoy includes a mix of activists, political figures, and organizations from across the global Left. Among them is leftist streamer Hasan Piker, who <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DVtURa3FFoa/">broadcast</a> from Havana to his large social media following while promising to produce additional “content” from the trip.
Other participants include international political figures such as Jeremy Corbyn and representatives from leftist parties across Latin America and Europe.
Some of the groups involved, such as The People’s Forum and Code Pink, have previously drawn scrutiny from U.S. officials over alleged <a href="https://naturalresources.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415189">ties to foreign influence networks</a>.
The effort has also been linked to Mariela Castro, daughter of former Cuban leader Raúl Castro, underscoring the close coordination between activists and the Cuban government. Organizers say the convoy delivered solar panels, food, and medical supplies, including cancer treatments, to help alleviate the island’s crisis.
Cuba has also received aid shipments from countries including Mexico, Brazil, and China in recent weeks, as concerns grow over a potential humanitarian emergency. Still, questions remain about how the convoy’s aid will be distributed, and whether it will reach ordinary Cubans or be funneled through government-controlled channels.
Such efforts often double as political theater, bolstering the regime’s narrative while doing little to address systemic issues. The images coming out of Havana this weekend highlight a jarring divide: foreign activists documenting their “solidarity” tour with reliable electricity, comfortable transport, and direct access to top officials. Meanwhile, millions of Cubans live through daily blackouts, food shortages, and a collapsing economy.
For many watching, especially those forced to leave the island, the contrast is not just striking, it&#8217;s infuriating.

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