Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), who has been the subject of a command investigation for allegedly inciting military insubordination, took to X on Sunday night to lob a rhetorical grenade at the Trump administration’s conduct of the war against Iran.
Kelly, who is reportedly considering a 2028 presidential run, seized on a colorful remark from President Donald Trump and a &#8220;no quarter&#8221; comment from War Secretary Pete Hegseth, a phrase historically meaning no mercy for enemy forces, to claim the administration is rudderless.
&#8220;The ‘no quarter’ comment by the SecDef and this ‘just for fun’ remark by the President tells me there was never a clear strategy for this war,&#8221; Kelly posted on X. He went on to accuse the administration of &#8220;making up objectives as they stumble along&#8221; while putting troops at risk and driving up gas prices.
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The ‘no quarter’ comment by the SecDef and this ‘just for fun’ remark by the President tells me there was never a clear strategy for this war. And at this point, three weeks in, they are just making up objectives as they stumble along all while our troops are put at risk and…
&mdash; Senator Mark Kelly (@SenMarkKelly) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenMarkKelly/status/2033347926085521616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Over the weekend, Trump threatened more strikes on Iran’s Kharg Island, saying U.S. attacks had &#8220;totally demolished&#8221; much of the island and adding, &#8220;We may hit it a few more times just for fun.&#8221;
Hegseth made the &#8220;no quarter&#8221; remark during a Friday press briefing alongside Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine.
&#8220;With every passing hour, we know and we know they know that the military capabilities of their evil regime are crumbling,&#8221; Hegseth said. &#8220;They can barely communicate, let alone coordinate. They&#8217;re confused and we know it. Our response? We will keep pressing. We will keep pushing, keep advancing, no quarter, no mercy for our enemies.&#8221;
The problem for Kelly is this: The actual record of the administration’s objectives is &#8220;clear, decisive, and achievable&#8221; — words used by Hegseth himself in that very press briefing. He said the mission is to &#8220;defeat the missiles, missile launchers, and defense industrial base &#8230; defeat the Navy, and deny Iran the ability to have a nuclear weapon.&#8221;
General Caine echoed that assessment, noting that CENTCOM was working to dismantle Iran’s ability to threaten U.S. forces and global energy supplies.
&#8220;Destroy the Iranian Navy to ensure freedom of navigation,&#8221; Caine stated, specifically targeting Iran’s mine-laying capabilities. He added that the goal is to ensure Iran &#8220;cannot rebuild the capabilities that can harm America&#8217;s interests.&#8221;
Hegseth further clarified that targeting ballistic missiles is the strategic lever intended to force Iran to &#8220;give up their nuclear capabilities.&#8221; In short, the objectives have been &#8220;laid out from day one.&#8221;
Kelly’s sudden concern for the &#8220;good order and discipline&#8221; of military operations rings hollow to those following his own legal troubles. The retired Navy Captain is currently the subject of an official Department of War investigation following his participation in a video — dubbed the &#8220;Seditious Six&#8221; by Hegseth — where he and five other Democrats urged military members to &#8220;refuse illegal orders.&#8221;
Hegseth has previously shredded the video as &#8220;despicable, reckless, and false,&#8221; noting that Kelly, as a retiree, remains subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).
While Kelly claims the administration is putting warriors in danger through a lack of strategy, the Department of War has suggested it is Kelly’s own rhetoric — encouraging troops to second-guess their chain of command — that &#8220;sows doubt and confusion&#8221; and undermines the safety of the force.
As the U.S.-Israeli coalition enters its third week of operations, Kelly appears less interested in the military’s clearly stated goals of neutralizing a nuclear-hungry regime and more interested in a political strategy that relies on ignoring the facts of the Friday briefing.

Mark Kelly

Mark Kelly Accuses Trump Of ‘Making Up’ Iran War Objectives. Pentagon Already Laid Them Out.

Congress

Dan Caine

Iran

Pete Hegseth

Politics

Trump Administration

Liberal outlet MS NOW — formerly MSNBC — ran a segment on Saturday during which one of the cohosts complained about the way that President Donald Trump&#8217;s administration have described the &#8220;opponent&#8221; in recent American military action against the Iranian regime.
Antonia Hylton, during Saturday&#8217;s broadcast of &#8220;The Weekend: Primetime,&#8221; complained that &#8220;racism&#8221; was fueling the way President Trump and War Secretary Pete Hegseth talked about Iran and the regime&#8217;s terrorist proxies.
&#8220;The other piece of this that I found really disturbing in the messaging around the war recently — and Ayman, I really want your thoughts on this in particular — is some of the language in the description of their opponent,&#8221; Hylton said, describing the regime that has murdered more than 1000 Americans, both military and civilian.
&#8220;Sort of the way they seem to create this image of the Iranians and all of their sort of proxies or allies, the sort of imagery that they conjure up,&#8221; she continued. &#8220;And I think that it takes a certain amount of arrogance and I’m also going to say it, a bit of racism, to constantly talk about people like they are savages. That is a word that we have heard Hegseth use. [They] talk about people as though they are subhuman, too stupid to engage in a war with the United States, incapable of possibly out-maneuvering us, and then find ourselves in the exact position in which it appears they are consistently out-maneuvering us.&#8221;
The <a href="https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2026/03/06/iranian-and-iranian-backed-attacks-against-americans-1979-present/">Iranian regime&#8217;s efforts</a> to kill Americans have stretched across the decades since the Islamic takeover in 1979. In 1983, 258 Americans were killed between a suicide bombing at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, and a truck bombing in the same city. Iran-backed Hezbollah killed 19 U.S. Airmen in Saudi Arabia at the Khobar Towers in 1996. Iranian proxies are estimated to have killed nearly 700 between the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and nearly 50 Americans were killed by Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists during the attack on Israel that took place October 7, 2023.

US-POLITICS-TRUMP

Lefty Network Melts Down Over How Trump, Hegseth Describe Iran’s Evil Regime

Lefty Network Melts Down Over How Trump, Hegseth Describe Iran's Evil Regime

Donald Trump

Media

The United States is reportedly expanding its armada in the Middle East, sending warships and thousands of Marines toward the Strait of Hormuz as attacks on commercial vessels disrupt traffic through the critical shipping lane that carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply.
U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth approved a request to deploy an Amphibious Ready Group and an attached Marine Expeditionary Unit consisting of several warships and thousands of Marines and sailors, The Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/us-israel-iran-war-news-2026/card/pentagon-sends-marine-expeditionary-unit-to-middle-east-WeoODg0XIIe31W3np2aI?mod=e2tw">reported</a>. 
An Amphibious Ready Group typically includes an assault ship, two transport docks, and a support vessel carrying an embarked Marine Expeditionary Unit of about 2,200 Marines, along with additional aircraft, according to The War Zone.
At a press briefing on Friday, Hegseth acknowledged the challenges posed by Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz and stated confidently that &#8220;we don’t need to worry about the strait.&#8221;
“Iran is exercising sheer desperation in the Strait of Hormuz,” Hegseth said. “It’s something we are dealing with and have been dealing with, and we don’t need to worry about the strait.”
According to the report, the Japan-based USS Tripoli and its embarked Marines are heading toward U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility, which includes the Middle East and the waters surrounding the Persian Gulf.
Photos released March 12 by U.S. Indo-Pacific Command show sailors aboard the USS Tripoli conducting live-fire exercises ahead of the deployment.
The Navy said the training was intended to “sharpen warfighting proficiency and ensure U.S. naval forces remain ready to operate across the Indo-Pacific.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Sailors aboard the USS Tripoli (LHA 7) conduct a live-fire exercise, March 12, 2026.
Routine live-fire training sharpens warfighting proficiency and ensures U.S. naval forces remain ready to operate across the Indo-Pacific. 🌏⚓
📍 U.S. 7th Fleet AOR 
📸 MC3 Colten Bradley… <a href="https://t.co/JoNx9ICfwN">pic.twitter.com/JoNx9ICfwN</a>
— U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (@INDOPACOM) <a href="https://twitter.com/INDOPACOM/status/2032263966185980382?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The USS Tripoli is an America-class amphibious assault ship operating alongside the guided-missile cruiser USS Robert Smalls and destroyer USS Rafael Peralta, <a href="https://www.surfpac.navy.mil/lha7/">according to the Navy</a>. Launched in 2017, the ship can carry F-35B fighter jets, MV-22 Osprey aircraft, and helicopters while supporting amphibious assaults and Marine Expeditionary Unit operations.
Military analysts say such a force could be used for a range of missions if tensions escalate, including clearing naval mines, protecting commercial vessels, or conducting operations along Iran’s coastline to stop attacks on shipping.
One possible target frequently discussed by analysts is Kharg Island, Iran’s primary oil export terminal and a critical hub for the country’s energy exports. Located about 16 miles off Iran’s coast, the island serves as the loading point for <a href="https://abcnews.com/International/kharg-island-iranian-petroleum-site-takes-center-stage/story?id=130964671">roughly</a> 90% of the regime’s fuel exports. 
Cutting the regime off from Kharg Island would deal a devastating blow to Iran’s economy, though seizing it may require boots on the ground and significant equipment, including air defenses. 
<div id="attachment_1059637" style="width: 586px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1059637" class="size-large wp-image-1059637" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2265505252-576x576.jpg" alt="" width="576" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2265505252-576x576.jpg 576w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2265505252-300x300.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2265505252-150x150.jpg 150w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2265505252-768x768.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2265505252.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 576px) 100vw, 576px" />Kharg Island (Photo by Elif Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images)</div>
Despite its importance, Trump told Fox News Radio host Brian Kilmeade <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/03/13/us-news/trump-says-us-seizing-kharg-island-not-high-on-the-list-of-iran-war-priorities/">on Friday</a> that seizing the Kharg Island was not currently a top priority.
“It’s not high on the list, but it’s one of so many different things, and I can change my mind in seconds,” Trump said.
Others have speculated that a Marine Expeditionary Unit could instead be used to secure sections of Iran’s coastline to prevent further attacks on vessels moving through the strait.
Hegseth pushed back on suggestions that Iran has already mined the waterway, through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes.
“We’ve heard them talk about it, just like you’ve reported recklessly and wildly about it,” he said. “But we have no clear evidence of that.”
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also suggested the United States could soon begin escorting commercial vessels through the waterway.
“My belief is that as soon as it is militarily possible, the U.S. Navy, perhaps with an international coalition, will be escorting vessels through,” Bessent told <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/us-navy-to-escort-oil-tankers-through-strait-of-hormuz-treasury-secretary-tells-sky-news-13518742">Sky News</a> on Thursday. 
He noted that some ships are still passing through the strait despite the tensions.
<div id="attachment_1059641" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1059641" class="size-large wp-image-1059641" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2242929815-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2242929815-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2242929815-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2242929815-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2242929815.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Strait of Hormuz (Photo by Gallo Images/Orbital Horizon/Copernicus Sentinel Data 2025)</div>
“There are, in fact, tankers coming through now — Iranian tankers, and I believe some Chinese-flagged tankers have come through,” Bessent said. “So we know that they have not mined the straits.”
Still, attacks on shipping have disrupted traffic through the critical waterway that is usually responsible for roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil shipments. The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/03/12/business/energy-environment/iran-war-ship-attacks.html?unlocked_article_code=1.SlA.aBH-.rshEbTbbVOD2&amp;smid=url-share">reported</a> that at least 16 vessels have been attacked since the war with Iran, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, began on February 28.
Shipping activity has dropped sharply as companies avoid the increasingly dangerous route. Only 77 ships have crossed the Strait of Hormuz so far in March as the conflict disrupts one of the world’s most vital shipping lanes, according to maritime data cited <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/iar-war-cuts-hormuz-strait-transit-to-77-ships-maritime-data-firm-says/">by AFP.</a>
A Defense Department official declined to comment on the specific mission of the amphibious force. 
“Due to operational security, we do not discuss future or hypothetical movements,” the official told The Daily Wire.

USS Tripoli

All Eyes On The Strait Of Hormuz — Is America About To Move On Iran’s Coastline?

Department of War

Strait of Hormuz

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth didn&#8217;t just drop bombs on the IRGC today; he nuked the mainstream media’s &#8220;fake news&#8221; narratives that have been shielding a crumbling Iranian regime.
Speaking from the Department of War, less than two weeks into a conflict that has redefined modern warfare, Hegseth delivered a &#8220;bottom line up front&#8221; that should send shivers down the spines of the mullahs—and some editors at CNN. The reality on the ground? The Iranian military is functionally extinct.
Hegseth, a veteran of the media world himself, didn&#8217;t hold back:
<blockquote>
Some in this crew, in the press, just can&#8217;t stop. Allow me to make a few suggestions. People look up at the TV and they see banners. They see headlines. I used to be in that business. And I know that everything is written intentionally.  For example, a banner or a headline, “Mid-East War Intensifies,” splashing on the screen the last couple of days alongside visuals of civilian or energy targets that Iran has hit because that&#8217;s what they do. What should the banner read instead? How about “Iran Increasingly Desperate.” Because they are. They know it and so do you, if it can be admitted.
</blockquote>
“Or more fake news from CNN,” he continued. “Reports that the Trump administration underestimated the Iran war&#8217;s impact on the Strait of Hormuz. Patently ridiculous, of course. For decades, Iran has threatened shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. This is always what they do: hold the Strait hostage. CNN doesn&#8217;t think we thought of that. It&#8217;s a fundamentally unserious report.”
“Another example of a fake headline that I saw yesterday: ‘War Widening,’” he noted. “Here&#8217;s a real headline for you for an actual patriotic press. How about ‘Iran Shrinking, Going Underground’? You see, Iran&#8217;s leaders are hiding in bunkers and moving into civilian areas. The only thing that is widening is our advantage.”
Hegseth detailed an unprecedented air campaign, a lethal symphony between the U.S. Air Force and the Israelis that has conducted over 15,000 strikes in less than two weeks, more than 1,000 strikes a day. He said Iran has no air force and no navy—at least not one that isn&#8217;t currently decorating the floor of the Persian Gulf. Their missile volume is down 90%, and their drone capability has been slashed by 95%.
But Hegseth emphasized the most critical blow: it’s not just what they’ve lost; it’s what they can never replace.
&#8220;Every company that builds every component of those missiles has been functionally defeated, destroyed,&#8221; Hegseth declared. &#8220;Buildings, complexes, and factory lines—all across Iran—have been destroyed.&#8221;
The Secretary also pulled back the curtain on the state of the Iranian leadership. He described the &#8220;so-called not-so-supreme leader&#8221; as a wounded, disfigured coward hiding in a bunker, unable to even produce a video or voice recording to prove he’s still functional.
&#8220;Who&#8217;s in charge? Iran may not even know,&#8221; Hegseth said, contrasting the &#8220;confused&#8221; regime with the &#8220;unshakable&#8221; will of the American people and President Trump.
Despite the tragic loss of a U.S. KC-135 tanker crew—heroes Hegseth promised to meet at Dover—the mission remains clear: Peace through strength. Hegseth confirmed that today will see the highest volume of sorties and bomber pulses yet.
With President Trump’s hand &#8220;firmly on the throttle,&#8221; the objective is total victory: the destruction of the defense industrial base, the elimination of the navy, and the absolute denial of a nuclear weapon. As Hegseth put it: &#8220;We’re going up. They’re going down.&#8221;

US-POLITICS-SECURITY-HEGSETH

‘I Used To Be In That Business’: Hegseth Exposes Media’s Iran War Spin

Hegseth Decimates Media's Iran War Coverage: 'I Used To Be In That Business'

Legacy Media

For years, the radical Left has treated America’s civilian universities as laboratories for anti-American indoctrination — peddling &#8220;whiteness studies,&#8221; seminars on gender-based genocide, and even the celebration of Hamas. On Thursday, War Secretary Pete Hegseth made it clear that toxic &#8220;woke&#8221; rot ends at the doors of the Department of War.
Hegseth delivered a blistering ultimatum to the military’s educational bureaucracy, directing the Undersecretary of War for Personnel and Readiness to establish an immediate task force. Hegseth announced a 90-day &#8220;scorched earth&#8221; assessment of the nation’s senior service colleges, including the Army War College and National Defense University. The mission? To &#8220;rip out&#8221; the DEI playbook and return the focus to what actually matters: lethality, meritocracy, and winning wars.
“Seminars on genocide through the analytic of gender. Hmm, sounds interesting,” Hegseth mused. “So-called ‘whiteness studies.’ Courses that celebrate the history of Hamas, where a professor calls Islamist militants and their attacks ‘astounding’ and ‘incredible.’ Graduate studies that focus on the abolition of law enforcement. Classes on leadership that are just recycled garbage from the old DEI, diversity, equity, and inclusion playbook: These are examples of classes that our leaders in our civilian colleges and universities too often celebrate.”
“The truth is, they help cultivate a radical hate America agenda, and we can&#8217;t afford that same toxic ideology in America&#8217;s War Department,” he declared. “It degrades our readiness. It&#8217;s a risk to our forces. And it undermines our mission of peace through strength.”
He continued:
<blockquote>
At the Department of War, we have a duty to ensure that our professional military education develops real leaders, warfighters who dominate into the future. We&#8217;re committed to making our own senior service colleges maintain the highest of standards, that those places align with President Trump&#8217;s commitment to the American people, that our military will remain the strongest in history.
That&#8217;s why I&#8217;m directing the Undersecretary of War for Personnel and Readiness to establish a task force effective immediately. The mission of that task force is to evaluate our senior service colleges, where we educate our own. Think places like the Army War College, or National Defense University, the Naval War College, Marine Corps University, or the Air War College, where our senior officers go to continue their education.
We&#8217;re going to ensure that the professors, administrators, and curriculum of those institutions are focused on national security, strategy, history, and overall excellence, confirm that high standards and meritocracy are forefront, and make sure that what we&#8217;ve seen in our civilian institutions never surface in our military education institutions.
Trust me, I&#8217;ve heard the stories. I know some of our own senior service colleges, some of those that I just listed, have similar courses and similar ideologies. We need to rip ‘em out, and we&#8217;re going to.
This task force will have 90 days to assess whether our senior service colleges — the list I just provided — are actually effective. They&#8217;re going to identify any deficiencies and make sure they&#8217;re focused on core national security issues.
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Professional Military Education should produce warfighters and leaders—not wokesters.
That’s why we are establishing a Task Force to evaluate our Senior Service Colleges and ensure the focus is where it belongs.
No distractions. Just warfighting. <a href="https://t.co/zQhUA2bk9I">pic.twitter.com/zQhUA2bk9I</a>
&mdash; Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar/status/2032271118665396517?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The move is a sharp course correction from the Lloyd Austin era under the Biden administration, where the Pentagon became a playground for Critical Race Theory and gender-neutral linguistics. In 2021, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-cotton-reveals-military-whistleblower-complaints-on-woke-training-bidens-secdef-insists-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-is-important-to-this-military?utm_source=chatgpt.com">exposed</a> hundreds of whistleblower complaints from service members forced into &#8220;privilege walks&#8221; and told that the U.S. military was a &#8220;fundamentally racist&#8221; institution. In 2022, academics even <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/marines-receive-woke-report-which-says-to-stop-calling-drill-instructors-sir-maam?utm_source=chatgpt.com">pressured</a> the Marines to drop &#8220;sir&#8221; and &#8220;ma&#8217;am&#8221; to avoid &#8220;misgendering.&#8221;
Hegseth’s directive signals a total rejection of those priorities. By targeting the curriculum and the administrators of senior service colleges, the War Department — a name restored to emphasize the military’s true purpose — is shifting back to the warrior ethos. Hegseth emphasized that if the military is pulling officers out of civilian universities because they have become too &#8220;woke,&#8221; the military’s own institutions must be beyond reproach.
The Secretary’s mandate is clear: the task force will evaluate whether these schools are effectively producing critical thinkers grounded in the principles of the Founding Fathers. No more &#8220;white fragility&#8221; readings; no more &#8220;abolition of law enforcement&#8221; studies. As Hegseth noted, the focus is now on ensuring those rising to the highest ranks are prepared to dominate the battlefield.
Under the new leadership, the era of treating diversity and inclusion as a &#8220;warfighting imperative&#8221; is over.

US-IRAN-ISRAEL-WAR

‘RIP ‘EM OUT’: Hegseth Declares War On Wokeness In Military Schools, Launches 90-Day Review

Social Issues

Wokeness

President Donald Trump on Friday teased a massive attack targeting “deranged scumbags” in Iran as Pentagon officials promised the most intense day of strikes since the operation began. 
“We are totally destroying the terrorist regime of Iran, militarily, economically, and otherwise, yet, if you read the Failing New York Times, you would incorrectly think that we are not winning,” Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/116219996530067941">wrote</a> on Truth Social early Friday morning. “Iran’s Navy is gone, their Air Force is no longer, missiles, drones and everything else are being decimated, and their leaders have been wiped from the face of the earth.”
“We have unparalleled firepower, unlimited ammunition, and plenty of time — Watch what happens to these deranged scumbags today,” Trump added. “They’ve been killing innocent people all over the world for 47 years, and now I, as the 47th President of the United States of America, am killing them. What a great honor it is to do so!”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said during a Friday morning press briefing that the United States would carry out its most intense day of strikes so far. 
“Today will be yet again the highest volume of strikes that America has put over the skies of Iran and Tehran, the number of sorties and the number of bomber pulses, the highest yet, ramping up and only up,” Hegseth said. 
Hegseth said combined American and Israeli strikes have reached approximately 15,000 since the operation launched on February 28, averaging more than 1,000 per day. He added that Iranian missile launches have decreased by more than 90% over the course of the campaign. 
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine echoed Hegseth’s comments, describing Friday as &#8220;our heaviest day of kinetic fires across the operating area.&#8221;
&#8220;Centcom continues to attack ballistic missile and drone capabilities so that they are no longer a threat to U.S. forces, our bases, or our partners,” Caine said. “They&#8217;re continuing to destroy the Iranian Navy, to ensure freedom of navigation, and this means going after Iran&#8217;s mine laying capability and destroying their ability to attack commercial vessels.”
Earlier this week, Hegseth described Tuesday as the “most intense” day of strikes up to that point in the Iran operation.

Trump Teases Massive Attack On ‘Deranged Scumbags’ In Iran

Operation Epic Fury

After years of ignoring — and often enabling — fraud, waste, and abuse, many Democrat officials and left-wing pundits have finally found what they consider to be a financial “scandal” worth caring about: Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s end-of-fiscal-year spending included just over $20 million in ribeye steaks, lobster tails, and crab legs.
Assuming these expenses must have been for lavish nonsense, Democrats from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to California Governor Gavin Newsom sprang to social media, mocking Hegseth, heaping scorn on the Trump administration, and promising a full-scale congressional investigation.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
In addition to billions of taxpayer dollars being burned in this war in Iran, reports are showing that Sec. Pete Hegseth blew $93 billion in federal DOD funding at the end of last year on:
$3.5 billion for cable TV 
$225 million for furniture 
$15.1 million for ribeye steaks 
$6.9…
— Rep. Melanie Stansbury (@Rep_Stansbury) <a href="https://twitter.com/Rep_Stansbury/status/2031500011700367429?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Source: @Rep_Stansbury/X.com
None of them stopped to ask why the Department of War might spend this money on “surf and turf.” Longtime Democrat consultant Paul Begala, former chief strategist for Bill Clinton, even insisted in a ridiculous cable news display that Secretary Hegseth was eating all the steak and lobster himself.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
CNN&#8217;s Paul Begala falsely claims Pete Hegseth purchased ribeye steaks and lobster tails for himself, not the troops.
Scott Jennings, &#8220;Internet do something.&#8221;
Here are the receipts: <a href="https://t.co/VZ6j4j2sn2">pic.twitter.com/VZ6j4j2sn2</a>
— Thomas Hern (@ThomasMHern) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThomasMHern/status/2031911892109721777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Source: @ThomasMHern/X.com
In their desperation to dunk on the Trump administration, Democrats humiliated themselves, insulted America’s servicemen, and reminded the general public of previous “waste, fraud, and abuse” they had endorsed, hid, and protected themselves – while illustrating just how little they understand the American military.
A <a href="https://openthebooks.substack.com/p/pentagon-should-focus-on-defense">March 9 opinion piece</a> by Open the Books, a government spending and campaign finance watchdog group, criticized spending reports from the Department of War near the end of September 2025 — near the end of the fiscal year — which listed several purchases in the millions of dollars for fine foods, technology, and furniture. These included $2 million on Alaskan king crabs, $6.9 million on lobster tails, $15.1 million on ribeye steaks, $1 million on salmon, and several hundreds of thousands of dollars on desserts.
To the average American, this is meant to sound bizarre and corrupt. Are generals, admirals, and Pentagon bureaucrats feasting on surf-and-turf nightly? That’s what Open the Books’ report, subsequent legacy media meltdowns, and Democrat officials’ craven pearl clutching is intending to convey. Just look at Newsom’s “Press Office” account on X, picturing AI slop of Hegseth reclining amid piles of lobster tail.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
HEGSETH BLOWING $93 BILLION OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS IN 1 MONTH !! <a href="https://t.co/L8GmyWQ2bt">pic.twitter.com/L8GmyWQ2bt</a>
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovPressOffice/status/2031441496801529864?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Source: @GovPressOffice/X.com
Even the libertarians got in on the lie, with Reason’s Eric Boehm <a href="https://reason.com/2026/03/11/war-rations/?utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=reason_brand&amp;utm_content=autoshare&amp;utm_term=post">fabricating a thumbnail</a> showing the Secretary of War at a table with a bright red lobster in front of him using Midjourney AI.
Far-left outlets like The New Republic attempted to whip this assertion into a frenzy, <a href="https://newrepublic.com/post/207555/pete-hegseth-billions-dollars-fruit-basket-stands-chairs-crab">claiming</a> “a good chunk of the budget wasn’t used for anything that could be considered a pertinent military expense,” thereby implying soldiers are left with MREs while the brass enjoys Hunger Games-in-the-Capital-style feasting.
But if this was all true, it wouldn’t just be liberal Karens and Democrat officials shouting about it — it would include the voices of angry former servicemen, veterans outraged over such frivolous spending.
It didn’t, because they know this is all a lie.
Serving surf-and-turf to troops — <a href="https://x.com/EODHappyCaptain/status/2031519972447465799?s=20">lobster tail</a>, <a href="https://x.com/infantrydort/status/2031495562072060271?s=20">crab legs</a>, ribeye steaks — right before deployment or after a stressful mission is a tried and true tradition of the United States military, not to mention a few American civilian and military contracting groups, too. With many units, <a href="https://x.com/MostlyPeaceful/status/2031800839455613332?s=20">surf-and-turf Fridays</a> are a common and well-deserved expense for our men and women in uniform.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
To all the idiots criticizing the pentagon for surf and turf here’s a story for you <a href="https://t.co/ZsC7JYI4dI">pic.twitter.com/ZsC7JYI4dI</a>
— Joey Jones (@Johnny_Joey) <a href="https://twitter.com/Johnny_Joey/status/2032120815781564850?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
It has long been an inside joke, a meme among America’s troops, to <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNi_o4uy1WZ/?hl=en">beware being served the surf-and-turf</a> before a long briefing with battalion staff. Similar memes, videos, and jokes have long <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFjEAlNuq82/">celebrated camaraderie</a> over surf-and-turf following a large operation.
And this is just what our nation’s veterans ruthlessly mocked Democrats with all over social media.
The lack of self-respect in most of this reporting is simply pathetic. Eric’s Reason was comfortable enough with the deliberately misleading assertion to AI generate a picture for it (strange we couldn’t get photo after photo from Getty Images or Reuters of Hegseth chowing down on lobster tail, considering how much of it he apparently devours!), but had to cover his tracks later in the article.
All of this consternation about government spending is part of Democrats’ absurd pivot away from all the waste and fraud in the welfare programs they have favored for years. Where was their objection to the USAID revelations showing the millions upon millions the Biden administration had spent on transgender theater in South America, “Iraqi Sesame Street” for the Middle East, or spreading atheism in Nepal? Where was <a href="https://x.com/MollyJongFast/status/2031402915731034131?s=20">Molly Jong Fast’s criticism</a> of Pete Buttigieg spending almost $7.5 billion on just eight charging stations at random interstate rest stops?
All of the sudden, I’m supposed to be outraged because Hegseth’s Department of War spent money on giving our soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, guardians, and coastguardsmen a decent meal? Do these weeping masses of outrage buying ice cream machines not remember that the United States had multiple Navy craft dedicated to delivering ice cream to our troops during the Second World War?
When billions in grants go to NGOs, fraudulent programs, and silly social adventures, the Department of War can afford to spend a drop in the bucket to give our troops a decent meal, replace old phones, computers, and furniture, or (God forbid) replace a piano.
Our troops deserve better than a nothingburger. Give them a good steak and some lobster. They deserve it.
* * *
Tony Kinnett is the host of The Tony Kinnett Cast at The Daily Signal. Connect with him on X: <a href="http://twitter.com/thetonus">@TheTonus</a>
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Soldier in tactical gloves holding canned MRE food.

Surf-And-Turfgate: Democrats Melt Down Over Steak And Lobster For Our Heroes

Defense Spending

Democrats

Food

Opinion

Pentagon

Over a dozen Republican attorneys general demanded Wednesday that the Trump administration suspend or yank funding for a taxpayer-funded scientific organization over politically biased climate change activism, according to a letter obtained by The Daily Wire.
Led by Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, the GOP officials <a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/1010506858/AG-Letter-To-DOT-DOW-And-DOE">said</a> that a chapter included in the “Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence: Fourth Edition” produced by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine failed to disclose links to climate litigation advocacy. Knudsen demanded that the Departments of Energy, War, and Transportation cut funding to the National Academies over the chapter in question. 
Knudsen <a href="https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/MTAG/2026/03/10/file_attachments/3579240/2026-03-11%20AGs'%20Ltr%20to%20Agencies%20re%20NASEM_ex%20A.pdf">wrote</a> that the chapter “was designed to influence judges in multi-billion-dollar climate cases, was funded by climate litigation funders, was written by academics with little relevant scientific expertise and documented financial and institutional ties to climate litigation advocacy, and was shaped by a climate plaintiffs’ attorney.”
The letter was addressed to Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. The Pentagon declined to comment.
Knudsen said that the academies should be suspended or disbarred from “all federal contracts and grants across the executive branch.” The National Academies received tens of millions of dollars in grant money every year from the federal government. 
&#8220;Taxpayer dollars should not be used to fund efforts that impartially influence judges. Given multiple opportunities, NASEM and NSF still refuse to take responsibility for publishing a biased climate science manual violating their public commitments and legal obligations,” Knudsen told The Daily Wire. “The organizations producing these manuals and pushing their climate agendas on judges must be investigated and all funding to them should stop. As Attorney General, I will continue to sound the alarm until we put an end to their deception.”
The <a href="https://www.nationalacademies.org/read/26919/chapter/1">manual</a> was produced with the Federal Judicial Center to serve as a guide for federal judges. Last month, the judicial center <a href="https://www.wsj.com/opinion/reference-manual-on-scientific-evidence-climate-science-elena-kagan-federal-judges-f8e8604a?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=AWEtsqenuW1BIeQcsljVCaPocCtWHummF76Pu_cnQ0KlguiQAeIUNm7GcmAXGmI1sSg%3D&amp;gaa_ts=6997208c&amp;gaa_sig=wVTzH3siKR3DaS1OsCzap4UGuaUWOHjVYeBgLh2Y2IVt5AfO9iotN2ZjJgaB3QunvcBEg3kfNQRJ2dCjybLV0Q%3D%3D">removed</a> the climate chapter from its version of the book after more than two dozen Republican attorneys general warned it could improperly influence their decisions. They <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/taxpayer-funded-science-org-faces-demands-from-gop-officials-over-climate-activism">urged</a> the National Academy in February to do the same. 
One issue raised by Knudsen regarding the flagged chapter was that the manual was funded in part by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation has <a href="https://capitalresearch.org/article/the-activist-side-third-party-litigation-support/">reportedly</a> donated to the Collective Action Fund, a group that has <a href="https://freebeacon.com/latest-news/anti-energy-lawfare-congressional-investigation-uncovers-dark-money-fueling-climate-change-lawsuits-nationwide/">contributed money</a> to climate litigation firm Sher Edling. The attorneys general argue that this creates a conflict of interest and violates the terms of an $875,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to the National Academy to develop the manual. 
The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation told The Daily Wire that it donated $100,000 to the Collective Action Fund in 2017 and hasn&#8217;t provided any more funds to the group since then.
&#8220;We were not involved in either the development or review of the final guide,&#8221; the foundation said. &#8220;As you have likely seen on our website, the focus of our environmental work is not climate-driven but instead focused on conservation of landscapes and seascapes.&#8221;
The attorneys general also pointed to the ties between the chapter’s authors and reviewers and climate change advocacy. Jessica Wentz, one of the authors, is a fellow at Columbia Law School’s Sabin Center for Climate Change Law. She wrote in an <a href="https://climate.law.columbia.edu/sites/climate.law.columbia.edu/files/content/Willow%20amicus%20brief%20-%20FILED.pdf">amicus brief</a> opposing the development of an oil drilling project in Alaska that “the world needs to phase out fossil fuels as rapidly as possible in order to avert potentially catastrophic levels of global warming and climate change.”
The Sabin Center has <a href="https://climate.law.columbia.edu/content/support-us">received support</a> from the Rockefeller Family Fund, which has, in turn, <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/05/28/nx-s1-4977572/rockefellers-profited-on-fossil-fuels-these-days-theyre-taking-aim-at-the-industry">reportedly</a> funded “a wave of litigation” against the fossil fuel industry. 
Radley Horton, another co-author of the chapter in question, is a professor at Columbia University’s Climate School. Horton, who has <a href="https://www.eli.org/vibrant-environment-blog/educating-judges-climate-litigation-today-and-tomorrow">previously</a> trained judges on climate litigation, has <a href="https://therealnews.com/rhorton1127climate">said</a> that “it’s absolutely critical that there be a global effort to do everything we can to dramatically draw down emissions.”
Columbia University’s Climate School, which has a Center for Sustainable Development <a href="https://ccsi.columbia.edu/donate/">funded</a> by the Rockefeller Brothers, a group that has also donated to the Collective Action Fund. 
Those acknowledged in the chapter included Michael Burger, who is representing Honolulu in litigation against energy companies, and Michael Gerrard, who has advocated for “decarbonization” through climate-related lawsuits. Burger serves as counsel for Sher Edling, the climate activist firm. 
In the initial stages of planning for the fourth edition of the manual, it was <a href="https://www.nationalacademies.org/read/26231/chapter/1">suggested</a> by the National Academies that the new manual would be “accessible to judges who might be more skeptical of climate science’s methods and conclusions.” Scientists skeptical of climate change theories were listed off as “not credible.” 
The attorneys general also say that no reviewers of the manual represented “materially different viewpoints on climate science,” which they said was a violation of the National Science Foundation grant. 
In light of these issues, the Republican officials say that the Trump administration should cut funding for the National Academies, which in 2024 received $84 million in contracts or grants from the Department of Transportation, $7 million from the Department of Energy, and $33 million from the Department of War. 
They also called for Congress to initiate an investigation into the development of the manual.
Other states that signed on include Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
The National Science Foundation declined to comment.

Republican Presidential Nominee Donald Trump Holds Rally In Bozeman, Montana

Top Science Org’s Taxpayer Lifeline In Jeopardy Over Climate Activism

Chris Wright

Climate Change

Department of Energy

Department of Transportation

Montana

Science

Sean Duffy

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said Tuesday would mark the “most intense” day of strikes against Iran since the launch of the joint U.S.-Israeli military operation. 
“Today will be yet again our most intense day of strikes inside Iran: the most fighters, the most bombers, the most strikes, intelligence, more refined, and better than ever,” Hegseth said during a press briefing Tuesday morning. “On the other hand, the last 24 hours have seen Iran fire the lowest number of missiles they&#8217;ve been capable of firing yet.”
During the same briefing, General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said more than 5,000 Iranian targets have been struck since the operation began. He also said that Air Force bombers had dropped dozens of 2,000-pound GPS-guided penetrating weapons on deeply buried missile launchers in recent days. 
“On day 10 of Operation Epic Fury, we are winning with an overwhelming and unrelenting focus on our objectives,” Hegseth said. “No hesitation, no half measures. As President Trump declared yesterday, we&#8217;re crushing the enemy in an overwhelming display of technical skill and military force. We will not relent until the enemy is totally and decisively defeated.”
Hegseth also defended the U.S. military&#8217;s record on minimizing civilian casualties. 
“No nation takes more precautions to ensure there is never targeting of civilians than the U.S.,” he said. “From the boat strikes in the Caribbean to this campaign here, no nation in the history of warfare has ever attempted in every way possible to avoid civilian casualties.”
Hegseth added that the U.S. military investigates any incidents where questions arise.
“It’s a point that isn’t appreciated enough,” he said. “Where things happen that need to be investigated, we’ll investigate.”
Those comments came after the Pentagon said it was investigating reports that an Iranian girls&#8217; school had been struck during the operation. 
During the briefing, Caine and Hegseth outlined the three primary objectives of the campaign. First, Caine said the goal was to destroy Iran’s ballistic missile and drone capabilities to prevent attacks on U.S. forces and regional partners.
“That means attacking launch sites, command and control nodes, and stockpiles before they can threaten our personnel, our facilities, and our partners,” he said.
Second, Caine said the U.S. military is targeting Iran’s naval forces while protecting shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz. 
The third goal, Caine said, is targeting Iran’s military and industrial base, including weapons production facilities, research sites, and related infrastructure.

Secretary Pete Hegseth Hosts Americas Counter Cartel Conference In Florida

Pentagon: Most Punishing U.S. Strikes Yet On Iran Happening Now

U.S. Military

Defense officials were pushing for unrestricted lawful use of Anthropic’s AI models. Anthropic agreed—with two caveats. The leading AI company did not want its technology deployed for autonomous weapons systems or for mass domestic surveillance. The Biden administration previously agreed to these terms under a contract in 2024, but Trump administration Undersecretary of War Emil Michael is pushing back.
“I looked at the contracts and was like, holy cow. You can’t use them to plan a kinetic strike. You can’t use their AI model to move a satellite,” Michael said, arguing that the terms are incompatible with the Pentagon’s mission.
“I need to have terms of service be rational relative to our mission set,” he added.
Negotiations reached a climax when the Department of War designated Anthropic as a &#8220;supply-chain risk.&#8221; Historically, that label has only been used for foreign companies. 
During talks, Anthropic agreed to make exceptions to their rules for certain scenarios, such as planning for a drone swarm or responding to a Chinese hypersonic missile—but those carve-outs were not enough for the Pentagon.
“The exceptions [don&#8217;t] work,” said the undersecretary of War. “I cannot predict for the next twenty years all the things we might use AI for, so all lawful use seems like a good thing. If Congress wants to act, great. We have our own internal policies; we’ll follow them. It’s our province to decide how we fight and win wars.”
Michael also raised concerns about operational risk.
&#8220;If they&#8217;re willing to impose red lines that limit lawful military use, what&#8217;s to stop them from enforcing a shutdown if they disagree with how we&#8217;re applying it?” He added, “If in the middle of an operation they decide it violates something and shut it down, that&#8217;s not just unreliable—it&#8217;s dangerous to the troops depending on it.&#8221;
Senior employees at Anthropic have <a href="https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=cd133ae2d49e3551&amp;rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS1183US1185&amp;sxsrf=ANbL-n6QiThSAILMq57dIAMIniqyHLAwXw:1772902370049&amp;udm=7&amp;fbs=ADc_l-aN0CWEZBOHjofHoaMMDiKpaEWjvZ2Py1XXV8d8KvlI3ppPEReeCOS7s1VbbZz2TLt2sOibMbYx2XAHg-v8xM5VswWDsYo9WtqkvCRRg9-K9YK9-rwJY6otdILLcL1llHf6wa6fD9SWKWQ3hafveoFnDlzP7RXdVXDjm5FT8bTXZrAumtXaqFa-mzfvg6g4QfqAeDxEdIS5054TbMKRJVNt4dwQNA&amp;q=tarun+chhabra&amp;sa=X&amp;sqi=2&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjh0_P_n46TAxXiMlkFHZPEDdEQtKgLegQIFRAB&amp;biw=706&amp;bih=775&amp;dpr=2#fpstate=ive&amp;vld=cid:ee0a1859,vid:09BzmFm6lDU,st:0">publicly acknowledged</a> the company restricts model access when it believes usage violates its policies.
“We know what Russia and China and North Korea and others are trying to do with these models right now. We catch them. We turn it off,” said Tarun Chhabra, a senior member of Anthropic’s national security team, a team involved in negotiations with the Pentagon. Chhabra previously served as a member of Biden’s National Security Council.
Trump administration AI Czar David Sacks has stated that Biden-era policies would cause America to lose the global artificial intelligence race and <a href="https://x.com/DavidSacks/status/2028160240974188590">highlighted</a> that many Biden AI staffers have joined Anthropic. &#8220;Guess where those Biden AI staffers went to work as soon as the admin was over? Anthropic.&#8221;
Biden alum Elizabeth Kelly currently leads Anthropic&#8217;s Beneficial Deployments team and Biden&#8217;s special assistant Benjamin Merkel serves as a legislative analyst.
Anthropic told The Daily Wire that while the company has employed staff from the Biden administration, they recently appointed Trump alum Chris Liddell to the company&#8217;s board of directors.
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei added that despite the Trump administration&#8217;s unprecedented decision to deem his company a supply-chain risk, the company will allow the Pentagon to continue using its technology. 
“We have offered continuity. We&#8217;re actually deeply concerned about this. We&#8217;re deeply concerned about the kind of interruption of service, which is exactly what&#8217;s happening when we&#8217;re designated a supply chain risk,” Amodei <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/anthropic-ceo-dario-amodei-full-transcript/">said</a>.
Secretary of War Pete Hegeseth <a href="https://x.com/SecWar/status/2027507717469049070">confirmed</a> the continued usage, saying, “Anthropic will continue to provide the Department of War its services for a period of no more than six months to allow for a seamless transition to a better and more patriotic service.”
​​Michael explained the unprecedented designation is needed because he didn’t want the risk of Anthropic’s policy bias to enter into any part of the defense enterprise. “If their model has this policy bias based on their constitution, their culture, their people, I don’t want Lockheed Martin using their model to design weapons for me.”
Dean Ball, a former Trump administration official who left his AI advisory position six months ago, said he sympathizes with Anthropic’s stance.
“I’m very sympathetic to—if I built something that was powerful and dangerous and uncertain, and the government was excitedly buying it for uses that could be very profound in how they affect people’s lives—wanting to be very careful that I didn’t sell them something that went horribly [expletive] wrong. And then I am blamed for it by the public and by the government,&#8221; said Ball.
Anthropic’s position differs from other AI companies. Elon Musk’s Grok and Google’s Gemini agreed the Pentagon could use their software for all lawful use cases.
Anthropic CEO Amodei <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/anthropic-ceo-dario-amodei-full-transcript/">told</a> CBS his hesitation to give the Pentagon full lawful use of Anthropic’s technology is because the &#8220;technology is not ready.&#8221; He added, “We don&#8217;t want to sell something that we don&#8217;t think is reliable, and we don&#8217;t want to sell something that could get our own people killed or that could get innocent people killed.”
Secretary of War Hegseth <a href="https://x.com/SecWar/status/2027507717469049070">argues</a> that unelected tech executives such as Amodei should not make that call and should leave operational risk decisions to the United States military, and ultimately, President Trump.
“The Commander-in-Chief and the American people alone will determine the destiny of our armed forces, not unelected tech executives,&#8221; he stated.

Anthropic AI – Photo Illustration

Are Biden-Era AI Ties Behind Pentagon Showdown In Trump’s War Department?

Artificial Intelligence

Biden Administration

Defense

Executive

In a stunning demonstration of precision military power, Israeli forces reportedly struck deep into the heart of Tehran on Friday, obliterating an underground bunker built beneath the Iranian regime’s leadership compound — a site long believed to be one of the Islamic Republic’s most protected command centers.
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בלב טהרן: צה&quot;ל השמיד את הבונקר התת-קרקעי של עלי ח&#39;אמנהאי שהוקם מתחת למתחם ההנהגה של המשטר
כ-50 מטוסי קרב של חיל האוויר תקפו הבוקר בהכוונה מדויקת של אמ&quot;ן ובשיתוף אמ&quot;ץ, את הבונקר התת-קרקעי של עלי ח&#39;אמנהאי, שהוקם מתחת למתחם ההנהגה של משטר הטרור האיראני בלב טהרן.
לכל הפרטים… <a href="https://t.co/EWg4mPZDEI">pic.twitter.com/EWg4mPZDEI</a>
&mdash; צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) <a href="https://twitter.com/idfonline/status/2029878689907835294?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;
According to military statements and released footage, approximately 50 Israeli fighter jets took part in the operation, which officials described as a devastating blow to the regime’s strategic infrastructure.
The target, according to the Israel Defense Forces, was a sprawling subterranean facility built beneath a compound used by Iran&#8217;s late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. According to Israeli military sources, the bunker <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/03/06/world-news/50-fighter-jets-destroy-ayatollah-khameneis-secret-underground-bunker-video">functioned</a> as an emergency war-management center, featuring multiple entry points and meeting rooms designed for senior regime officials. The facility reportedly stretched beneath several city streets, serving as a critical component of Iran’s command-and-control network.
The attack came just days after Khamenei was killed in a separate precision operation, reportedly before he could retreat into the hidden stronghold that was meant to shield him from retaliation. Israeli officials say the underground complex had remained in use by senior members of the Iranian regime even after the assassination, making it a high-value strategic target.
Aerial footage released by the IDF appeared to show approximately 100 bombs raining down in a wave of explosions that reduced the facility to rubble. Israeli military statements indicated that the bunker had been built to enable the regime’s leadership to conduct wartime operations from deep underground, a symbol of the theocracy’s reliance on fortified secrecy. Analysts noted that destroying the site further cripples Tehran’s ability to coordinate military actions.
The strike, reportedly conducted during “Operation Epic Fury,” represents what Israeli officials characterize as a sustained campaign to dismantle Iran’s strategic military leadership infrastructure, degrading the regime’s command apparatus.
U.S. military leaders have praised the IDF for its efforts as they teamed with Americans to fight against the Iranian terror regime. War Secretary Pete Hegseth said the mission was being carried out with &#8220;unmatched skill and iron determination,&#8221; adding that &#8220;fighting shoulder to shoulder with such a capable ally is a true multiplier.&#8221;
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine <a href="https://www.ynetnews.com/article/syn8eemkbg?utm_source=chatgpt.com">said</a> U.S. Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and other units “worked in extraordinary coordination with the IDF” during the operation.

Multiple strong explosions reported in Tehran

WATCH: Precision Strike Blows Apart Iran Regime Secret War Bunker

Israel Defense Forces (IDF)

Tehran

An Iranian ayatollah on Thursday called for the “shedding of Trump’s blood&#8221; in a message broadcast on Iranian state television. 
“We are now on the verge of a great test and we must be careful to fully preserve this unity, to fully preserve this alliance,” said Ayatollah Abdollah Javadi Amoli in the message, <a href="https://apnews.com/live/iran-war-israel-trump-lebanon-march-05-2026#0000019c-bcd4-d21d-a1dc-fefd3c7e0000">going on</a> to call for “the shedding of Zionist blood, the shedding of Trump’s blood.”
Invoking the &#8220;Imam of the time,&#8221; Amoli said, &#8220;Fight the oppressive America, his blood is on my shoulders.” 
The remarks came a day after Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said a commander of an Iranian unit that had allegedly plotted to assassinate Trump was killed in a U.S. strike. 
&#8220;While that was not the focus of the effort by any stretch of the imagination, in fact never raised by the president or anybody else, I ensured and others ensured that those who were responsible for that were eventually part of the target list,&#8221; Hegseth said during a press briefing on the war. 
In a separate development on Thursday, another Iranian official <a href="https://x.com/araghchi/status/2029435610922996100?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">threatened</a> the United States following the sinking of an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka by a U.S. naval torpedo strike.
&#8220;The U.S. has perpetrated an atrocity at sea, 2,000 miles away from Iran&#8217;s shores. Frigate Dena, a guest of India&#8217;s Navy carrying almost 130 sailors, was struck in international waters without warning. Mark my words: The U.S. will come to bitterly regret the precedent it has set,&#8221; said Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi.
The Sri Lankan navy <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/sri-lanka-rescues-30-people-board-distressed-iranian-ship-foreign-minister-says-2026-03-04/">rescued</a> 32 Iranians after the ship was sunk and transported them to a hospital, while recovering another 87 bodies from the water.
&#8220;We found people floating on the water,” Sri Lankan navy spokesman Commander Buddhika Sampath said, adding that there were only oil patches and life rafts left of the ship. 
The Department of War shared footage of the strike on social media on Wednesday. 
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<a href="https://t.co/PiqQpVIrMu">https://t.co/PiqQpVIrMu</a> <a href="https://t.co/Wc1e0B0um7">pic.twitter.com/Wc1e0B0um7</a>
— Department of War 🇺🇸 (@DeptofWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/DeptofWar/status/2029193757162139762?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2026</a></blockquote>
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“An American submarine sunk an Iranian warship that thought it was safe in international waters,” Hegseth said. “Instead, it was sunk by a torpedo — quiet death — the first sinking of an enemy ship by a torpedo since World War II. Like in that war — back when we were still the War Department — we are fighting to win.”
Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine added that the torpedo attack was an “incredible demonstration of America’s global reach” and only the kind of thing that the United States could do.

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