Trump Ready For Longer War, Vows Massive Attack On Iran
Blames Tehran’s missile projects for attack; asks Iranians to takeover power US sinks 9 Iranian naval vessals; Kuwait downs 3 US jets in friendly fire
WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump is recognizing three U.S. Army soldiers with the Medal of Honor at the White House on Monday, with two of the commendations being awarded posthumously.
Retired Command Sgt. Maj. Terry P. Richardson will be recognized for actions during the Vietnam War that were credited with saving the lives of 85 other service members.
Staff Sgt. Michael H. Ollis, who was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2013, is being recognized for valor during the combat that resulted in his death.
Master Sgt. Roderick W. Edmonds, who died in 1985, is being recognized for his leadership and resistance as a prisoner of war in Germany during World War II.
The Medal of Honor is given by U.S. presidents, in the name of Congress, to recognize combat service that goes beyond the call of duty and risks one's own life.
What to know:
- In a brief phone interview with the New York Post, the president said he wasn’t ruling out U.S. forces in Iran if “they were necessary.” “I don’t have the yips with respect to boots on the ground. Like, every president says, ‘There will be no boots on the ground.’ I don’t say it,” Trump told the newspaper. “I say, ‘Probably don’t need them,’ (or) ‘if they were necessary.’” Trump has said since the start of U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran that American military casualties were likely, as they are in any war, but he hasn’t committed to having U.S. forces on the ground long term. Before the strikes began, Vice President JD Vance told The Washington Post that there was “no chance” the U.S. would be pulled into a drawn out war in the Middle East.
- The wife of Iran's slain supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei died Monday after succumbing to wounds sustained during the US-Israeli attack, Iranian media reported. Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, 79, had been in a coma since strikes on Saturday killed Khamenei, the Tasnim news agency said.
- Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Monday their missile attacks have targeted the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the headquarters of the Israeli air force commander. "The office of the criminal prime minister of the Zionist regime and the headquarters of the regime's air force commander were targeted," the Guards said in a statement carried by Fars news agency. It said Kheibar missiles were used in the attack.
- The war in the Middle East expanded on multiple fronts Monday, with attacks from Iran and Iranian-backed militias hitting Israel and Arab states. A senior Iranian official signaled that there would be no negotiations with the United States, and the Iranian Red Crescent Society said at least 555 people have been killed so far in the Islamic Republic.
- Strikes by Israel and the United States were happening in Iran, and Israeli forces were hitting targets in southern Lebanon where at least 31 were killed, in a war that began with the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei . A strike in Iran on Monday apparently took Iranian state television off air.
- Trump says more US service members ‘will likely’ be killed: Trump said the U.S. would “avenge” the deaths of three service members before adding: “Sadly, there will likely be more, before it ends.”
- Iran’s foreign minister says Islamic Republic spent 2 decades studying US military: Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the Islamic Republic had spent “two decades” studying U.S. military operations in the region and has since “incorporated lessons accordingly.” “Bombings in our capital have no impact on our ability to conduct war,” Araghchi said on X.
- CIA tracked the movements of senior Iranian leaders for months: That’s according to a person familiar with the operation who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke Sunday on condition of anonymity. The intelligence was shared with Israeli officials, and the timing of this weekend’s strikes was adjusted in part because of that information, the person said.
Live Updates
- 3 March 2026 12:55 AM IST
Kuwait military says navy sergeant killed while on duty
Kuwait military says navy sergeant killed while on duty
KUWAIT CITY, March 2, 2026 (AFP) - Kuwait's military said a navy sergeant was killed Monday while on duty, without elaborating further on the circumstances of his death.
"The General Staff of the Army mourns... Sergeant Walid Majid Sulaiman," it said, adding he was killed "while performing his duty as part of the national missions entrusted to the armed forces".
- 3 March 2026 12:20 AM IST
Khamenei's wife dies: Iran media
Khamenei's wife dies: Iran media
Tehran, Mar 2 (AP) Iranian media said Mansoureh Khojasteh, wife of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, died on Monday.She had been in a coma since Saturday's strikes on her husband's office.Khojasteh, 78, was the only wife of Ali Khamenei. They married in 1964.Separately, an Iranian human rights activists' group cited an education ministry spokesperson as saying that 171 students were killed across Iran in the past 48 hours.According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency, the ministry spokesperson said the deadliest strike hit the Shajareh Tayebeh girls' elementary school in Minab, where 168 students died and 95 were injured.Additional casualties included two students in Tehran and a 9-year-old child in Abyek, Qazvin, while three others were injured in separate incidents in two districts of Tehran. (AP - 3 March 2026 12:19 AM IST
Trump lists 'clear' Iran war objectives as conflict spreads
Trump lists 'clear' Iran war objectives as conflict spreads
WASHINGTON, United States, March 2, 2026 (AFP) - President Donald Trump on Monday sought to counter criticism that his war on Iran lacked clear purpose, listing four explicit goals including ensuring the country never obtained a nuclear weapon.He said the strikes were the "last, best chance" to hit Iran, an arch foe of the United States for decades."Our objectives are clear," he told an event at the White House after US officials gave a changing variety of reasons for the US-Israeli offensive."First, we're destroying Iran's missile capabilities... Second, we're annihilating their navy... Third, we're ensuring that the world's number-one sponsor of terror can never obtain a nuclear weapon."Finally we are ensuring the Iranian regime can't continue to arm, fund and direct terrorist armies outside of their borders," he said.Trump has previously justified the war saying that Iran was attempting to rebuild its nuclear program and could soon have missiles able to strike the United States.But he had not previously listed four reasons, including preventing Iran from supporting regional militant groups such Hezbollah and Hamas.US and Israeli forces have so far struck hundreds of targets across Iran, including the Islamic republic's missiles, navy and command-and-control sites. - AFP - 3 March 2026 12:16 AM IST
Qatar downs Iran jets as Tehran targets oil and gas in spiralling Gulf crisis
Qatar downs Iran jets as Tehran targets oil and gas in spiralling Gulf crisis
DOHA, March 2, 2026 (AFP) - Qatar downed two Iranian bombers and halted LNG production on Monday, as Tehran widened its attacks to hit oil facilities in Saudi Arabia and the UAE in a sharply escalating Gulf crisis that has sent prices soaring.Qatar's air force shot down two Sukhoi Su-24 bombers, the defence ministry said -- the first time a Gulf country has hit Iranian planes, after Tehran began region-wide attacks in retaliation for US and Israeli strikes that have devastated its leadership.Iran's retaliatory attacks have hit ports, airports, residential buildings and hotels along with military sites across the wealthy region of oil giants and staunch US allies.Six people have been killed and dozens injured since the attacks began.But as the attacks widened to energy facilities, QatarEnergy, one of the world's biggest liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporters, suspended production due to drone strikes on two of its sites.European natural gas prices leapt more than 50 percent, while oil surged nearly nine percent on fears of disruption to supplies."Qatar Emiri Air Force successfully shot down two (Su-24) aircraft coming from the Islamic Republic of Iran," the defence ministry said, without mentioning the jets' crews.The Gulf militaries have so far focused on intercepting the hundreds of missiles and drones launched by Iran after US-Israeli strikes killed its supreme leader.- 'Full alert' -Meanwhile, a source close to the Saudi government warned that a "concerted" Iranian attack on oil facilities could trigger a military response.The warning followed a drone strike at Saudi Aramco's Ras Tanura refinery -- one of the region's biggest -- which forced it to halt some operations."It depends if this is seen as a direct attack on Aramco by the Iranian leadership or a rogue drone," the source told AFP, referring to the state oil giant.Saudi Arabia would target "Iranian oil facilities if Iran mounts a concerted attack on Aramco", the source added.Another source told AFP that the Saudi army had raised its readiness level to "full alert".In Abu Dhabi, a drone struck a fuel tank terminal, causing a fire though operations were not impacted."Abu Dhabi authorities have responded today to a fire resulting from the targeting of a Musaffah fuel tank terminal by a drone. The situation was promptly contained. No injuries were reported and there was no impact on operations," the Abu Dhabi Media Office said in a statement.Iran's unprecedented bombardment has rattled a region long seen as an oasis of stability in the turbulent Middle East.Blasts echoed across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Manama on Monday. Security analyst Anna Jacobs called the war a "nightmare scenario" for the Gulf."These sorts of attacks just completely obliterate the image of these countries as a safe haven," she told AFP.- Friendly fire -Earlier on Monday, smoke poured out of Kuwait City's US embassy, an AFP correspondent saw. The embassy did not say it had been hit, but warned people to stay away.Three F-15E Strike Eagles were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defences in a friendly-fire incident late on Sunday, the US Central Command said.The crews parachuted to safety.Shrapnel fell at Mina Al Ahmadi refinery, one of Kuwait's biggest, injuring two workers, but did not disrupt production, the Kuwait National Petroleum Company said.In northern Kuwait, smoke billowed over a power station, three witnesses told AFP. An energy ministry spokeswoman said a fuel container was hit by shrapnel after a drone interception.Kuwait was hard-hit on Monday with 19 people injured, the health ministry said. The small, oil-rich country has a large US military presence.Bahrain suffered its first death when debris from an intercepted missile sparked a fire on a ship in the port city of Salman, killing one Asian worker and seriously injuring two others, the interior ministry said.Italy said it was helping evacuate hundreds of citizens from the majority-expat United Arab Emirates, which halted flights on Saturday.However, limited flights resumed from Dubai, the world's busiest airport for international passengers, and Abu Dhabi on Monday. Thousands of tourists remain stranded in the country.Despite days of attacks, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi insisted Iran had "no hostility" towards the Gulf countries, in a call with his Chinese counterpart. - 3 March 2026 12:14 AM IST
Flights Cancelled, Uncertainty Grows for Karnataka Residents Stranded in UAE
Flights Cancelled, Uncertainty Grows for Karnataka Residents Stranded in UAE
Haveri/Ballari, March 2: Uncertainty and anxiety have gripped families in parts of Karnataka as several tourists and residents from districts including Ballari and Haveri remain stranded in the UAE amid reports of missile and shell attacks.With explosions shaking nearby buildings and roofs collapsing in some areas, those stuck abroad are waiting for immediate measures from the government, while their families back home anxiously await news of their safety.According to sources in Ballari district, a total of 32 people are stranded in Dubai, including five members of the family of Ballari City MLA Nara Bharat Reddy. About 16 members of one family had traveled to Dubai for the first time on a sightseeing trip.They were scheduled to return on February 28, but confusion arose as all flights were cancelled, leaving them unable to come back.Dubai Kannadigas, along with the MLAs of Ballari City and Rural constituencies, are in contact with the stranded individuals and are checking on their health and well-being.Sources said office-bearers of the Dubai Kannadigas Association have stepped forward to assist people from Ballari and other parts of Karnataka who had gone on trips and are now facing difficulties. Several Kannadiga businesspersons living in Dubai have also visited the stranded tourists and assured them of help.Meanwhile, Raghavendra Kudari, an engineer from Haveri district living in Abu Dhabi, described the situation to the media. He stated that missiles had struck a building near his residence, leaving his family frightened.According to sources, Raghavendra, who had been living alone in Abu Dhabi, recently brought his wife and two children to join him. - 2 March 2026 11:53 PM IST
Trump awards the Medal of Honor to 3 US Army service members in a White House ceremony
Trump awards the Medal of Honor to 3 US Army service members in a White House ceremony
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump recognized three U.S. Army soldiers with the Medal of Honor at the White House on Monday, with two of the commendations being awarded posthumously.Retired Command Sgt. Maj. Terry P. Richardson was recognized for actions during the Vietnam War that were credited with saving the lives of 85 other service members.Staff Sgt. Michael H. Ollis, who was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2013, was recognized for saving a Polish Army officer's life.Master Sgt. Roderick W. Edmonds, who died in 1985, was recognized for his leadership and resistance as a prisoner of war in Germany during World War II.“There’s no ceremony that can be more important than this,” Trump said to begin the East Room ceremony that included the recipients’ family members and the officer Ollis shielded from enemy fire.“Bravery is amazing,” Trump said. “You never really know who’s brave and who’s not until they’re tested.”The Republican president also used the ceremony to talk about his decision to launch a war in Iran , his immigration crackdown, expansion of the White House and curtains that he chose at the executive mansion during his first presidency. On Iran, the president defended the preemptive action as necessary to block Tehran from rebuilding its nuclear program and becoming “an intolerable threat to the Middle East but also to the American people.”The Medal of Honor is awarded by U.S. presidents, in the name of Congress, for combat service that goes beyond the call of duty and risks one's life.Richardson led a Vietnam reconnaissance mission On Sept. 14, 1968, Richardson was a staff sergeant on a reconnaissance mission as a platoon leader in the vicinity of Loc Ninh, part of the Republic of Vietnam.According to his citation, Richardson, a native of Cass City, Michigan, came under fire from the North Vietnamese Army, including heavy machine gun fire as he rescued three wounded soldiers. After the rescues, he led his unit to its intended destination, a hilltop identified as a place to direct airstrikes. He found the location to be part of an enemy camp but remained for at least seven hours, directing strikes even after being wounded by a sniper.Enemy forces eventually fled. Richardson, when found by other U.S. forces, declined medical evaluation so he could remain with his troops.“His gallant and selfless actions ... spared the lives of 85 fellow soldiers,” the White House said.Trump praised Richardson, who attended with some members of his unit, as a “brave man” and described him as “central casting.”“You feel like fighting? I think we could take him today,” Trump said, joking with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.Ollis was killed shielding someone else in Afghanistan attack As a staff sergeant at Forward Operating Base Ghazni, Ollis was a skilled infantryman who led soldiers during an attack on the base by enemy combatants on Aug. 28, 2013.Ollis, 24 at the time, first directed soldiers to a bunker before returning to the building where they had been to check for any more endangered people, according to his citation. The Staten Island, New York, native came upon a Coalition Forces officer Lt. Karol Cierpica of Poland. They moved toward combatants who breached the base perimeter and joined other coalition forces.During fighting, one enemy combatant confronted Ollis and Cierpica.“With complete disregard for his own safety, he positioned himself between the insurgent and the Coalition Forces Officer, who had been wounded and unable to walk,” his commendation reads. “Staff Sergeant Ollis fired on the insurgent and incapacitated him, but as he approached the insurgent, the latter’s suicide vest was denotated, mortally wounding him.”Called to the podium by Trump, Cierpica at times grew emotional as he paid tribute.“A soldier is not something you are from time to time. It is who you are forever,” Cierpica said, later adding, “I am deeply moved, happy and grateful to God.”Cierpica named his son, Michael, after Ollis, and he addressed members of Ollis' family by name, calling them “my second family from Staten Island” and the U.S. his “second homeland.”Edmonds led resistance in POW camp during World War II A master sergeant, Edmonds was the ranking non-commissioned officer among American prisoners of war at a German camp in early 1945.According to the commendation, the Germans announced on Jan. 26, 1945, that “only Jewish-American prisoners would fall out for roll call the following morning, at the threat of execution.”Edmonds, who enlisted from South Knoxville, Tennessee, determined that allowing that segregation would result in the torture or death of 200 Jewish American POWs. He directed officers to have all 1,200 American troops present themselves for roll call.With a German commandant enraged, Edmonds stood his ground and invoked prisoners' rights under international law.“We are all Jews here,” Edmonds said in a quote that Trump recounted Monday.The German officer relented and made no further efforts to identify the Jewish American soldiers.“Really amazing, right? It's an amazing story,” Trump said.Weeks later, as Allied forces advanced toward the camp, the Germans ordered POWs to prepare for evacuation. Edmonds prepared the POWs to assemble in formation and resist. German forces eventually retreated from the camp.“Without regard for his own life Master Sergeant Edmonds gallantly led these prisoners in a relentless pursuit of opposition and resistance, forcing the Germans to abandon the camp leaving the 1,200 American prisoners behind,” the White House said.Edmonds' son, Chris, first learned of the story when reading his father's journals after his death, then interviewing surviving veterans who also were POWs. Chris Edmonds spent years pushing for the official recognition and on Monday accepted the medal from Trump on his father's behalf. - 2 March 2026 11:51 PM IST
Indian killed in oil tanker hit by unmanned boat
Indian killed in oil tanker hit by unmanned boat
Dubai, March 2: An Indian was killed on Monday when an explosive-laden drone boat struck an oil tanker off the coast of Muscat Governorate, according to officials.In a statement, Oman's ministry of defence said that the Maritime Security Centre reported that the oil tanker MKD VYOM was hit by an unmanned boat 52 nautical miles off the coast of Muscat Governorate.It said that the attack resulted in a fire and explosion in the engine room and the death of one crew member. The remaining 21 crew members were evacuated.The Embassy of India in Oman expressed its “deepest condolences” on the tragic demise of the Indian crew member on board MKD Vyom.The mission said it is in close coordination with local authorities in Oman to facilitate the safe and early repatriation of our nationals on board the vessel. “We remain committed to extending all possible assistance in this matter,” it said.State-run Oman News Agency reported that the attack triggered a fire and explosion within the main engine room, resulting in the fatality of one crew member of Indian nationality.In coordination with the Maritime Security Centre, the tanker's complement of 21 crew members -- 16 Indian nationals, four Bangladeshi nationals, and one Ukrainian national -- was evacuated via the commercial vessel MV SAND, which flies the flag of the Republic of Panama, it said.A vessel from the Royal Navy of Oman is monitoring the condition of the stricken tanker and issuing the necessary navigational warnings to vessels transiting the same maritime zone, it added.The tanker, flagged to the Republic of the Marshall Islands, was carrying an estimated 59,463 metric tons of cargo.A day earlier, another oil tanker came under attack in the Strait of Hormuz. The attack on the MV Skylight injured four crew members.The state-run Oman News Agency said the crew were from India and Iran.On Monday, the Indian mission in Oman said it was in constant touch with local authorities who are carrying out search operations for missing crew members following the incident involving MV Skylight.It is learnt that out of the two missing crew members, one is an Indian national.“We are also coordinating with officials in Oman for the repatriation of the crew members who have been rescued from MV Skylight and will continue to render all possible assistance in the matter,” the Embassy of India in Oman said in a post on X.The Strait of Hormuz is located between Oman and Iran and connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. It is one of the world's most important oil chokepoints.— PTI - 2 March 2026 11:32 PM IST
IndiGo to operate 10 relief flights from Jeddah
IndiGo to operate 10 relief flights from Jeddah
New Delhi: The Union civil aviation ministry on Monday night said IndiGo will operate 10 special relief flights from Jeddah to India on Tuesday to facilitate the return of stranded passengers, subject to regulatory approvals and prevailing airspace conditions.The ministry said IndiGo was coordinating with the Consulate General of India in Jeddah for passenger facilitation.Air India, in a separate statement, said it had extended the temporary suspension of all its flights to and from the Middle East region until 11.59 pm IST on Tuesday due to continued closure of multiple airspaces. However, the airline said it had resumed scheduled operations to destinations in the USA, Canada, Europe and the UK, prioritising safety of passengers and crew.The ministry stated that Indian carriers had undertaken calibrated schedule adjustments, with long-haul and ultra long-haul services being progressively resumed through alternative routings avoiding restricted airspace. Aircraft and crew repositioning measures were under way to restore operational stability.It added that special arrangements were being made for stranded passengers, with airlines deploying additional capacity where required and coordinating with foreign aviation authorities and Indian missions abroad.The developments were reviewed at a high-level meeting chaired by civil aviation minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, attended by civil aviation secretary Samir Kumar Sinha and senior officials.The ministry said it was closely monitoring the evolving airspace situation in parts of the Middle East and its impact on international operations. It noted that foreign carriers operating between India and the Gulf region were also undertaking limited operations subject to airspace conditions.Advising passengers to check flight status directly with airlines before proceeding to airports, the ministry said all carriers had been directed to maintain transparent communication and adhere to regulatory requirements relating to refunds, rescheduling and passenger assistance. It added that coordination was ongoing with airlines, airport operators, regulators and the Ministry of External Affairs to ensure safe and orderly restoration of services. - 2 March 2026 11:30 PM IST
Israel strikes 70 Hezbollah targets
Israel strikes 70 Hezbollah targets
Jerusalem, March 2: The Israeli military said on Monday it hit more than 70 Hezbollah targets including missile launchers in a wave of strikes against the Iran-backed armed group in southern Lebanon.“A short while ago, the (Israeli military) completed a broad wave of strikes on Hezbollah terrorist organisation targets in southern Lebanon. As part of the strikes, more than 70 weapons storage facilities, launch sites, and missile launchers belonging to the Hezbollah terrorist organisation were struck in a number of locations,” a military statement said.Lebanon's government has decided on an “immediate ban” of Iran-backed Hezbollah's military and security activity, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Monday, in an unprecedented move.Hezbollah condemned on Monday the Lebanese government's decision to ban its military activities, while Israel carried out retaliatory strikes in response to rockets fired by the Iran-backed group.In a statement, Mohammed Raad, the head of the group's parliamentary bloc, condemned Beirut's “swaggering decisions”, saying that “the Lebanese were expecting a decision rejecting the (Israeli) aggression”. — Agencies - 2 March 2026 11:14 PM IST
Israeli strikes on Lebanon kill 52, wound 154: new official toll
Israeli strikes on Lebanon kill 52, wound 154: new official toll
BEIRUT: Israeli strikes on Lebanon killed at least 52 people and wounded 154 on Monday, the Lebanese government said in an updated toll.
A previous toll shared by the health ministry said 31 people were killed and 149 wounded.
The bombings of southern and eastern Lebanon and Beirut's southern suburbs also displaced more than 28,500 people, according to the government's disaster and management unit. - AFP
