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Locals: ‘First time we’ve seen anything like this since the attacks started’ Check this wild footage from Karaj moments ago !

Donald Trump’s apparent interest in regime change in Iran is a welcome development. The opening days of the US-Israeli military campaign against the ayatollahs and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (“IRGC”) have proceeded beyond expectations, although harder days undoubtedly lie ahead. The Pentagon’s planning and professionalism are on full display. By contrast, the political side of this politico-military assault on the Tehran regime is hurting.

Aghdasieh oil depot in Sohank, at the end of Artesh highway is gone! Israeli fighter jets targeted three oil storage facilities in Koohak, Shahran and Karaj in Iran. Fardis Karaj oil depot Shahran oil refinery in Tehran

In a recent piece for National Review, Philip Klein astutely points out a fundamental difference between a potential confrontation with Iran and the quagmire that became the Iraq War: There will be no full-scale U.S. ground invasion under President Trump. Klein argues that with Iran’s military already crippled by sanctions and precision strikes, and Trump unwilling to commit to a major land advance, this won’t devolve into another endless occupation. He’s right, but the analysis stops short of the full picture. A war with Iran, should it come to that amid escalating tensions, would be short, sharp, and transformative, not...

Francis and Konstantin break down the rapidly escalating Middle East crisis LIVE with former MI6 spy Aimen Dean and NYT bestselling national security journalist Richard Miniter. Trade on what happens next with Kalshi. Subscribe to Triggernometry: https://triggernometry.substack.com ABOUT OUR GUESTS Aimen Dean spent 8 years as MI6's top spy inside al-Qaeda. Author of "Nine Lives: My Time As MI6's Top Spy Inside al-Qaeda." Host of the Conflicted podcast. 🎙️ / @conflictedyoutube 🔗 https://linktr.ee/conflictedpod Richard Miniter is a New York Times bestselling investigative journalist and author of Losing Bin Laden, Shadow War, and Mastermind. Former Wall Street Journal and Sunday Times...

Some of the supposed character “flaws” of @realDonaldTrump are precisely those that are needed to be a courageous and bold global leader." Gad Saad You’ve got to think: if the US military can pinpoint one room in Teheran with a Grand Ayatollah and 39 other high officials in it, then the US military can figure out where Iran’s missiles are being launched from and put a stop to that, too. With no high command left, Iran’s missile batteries have been on their own since Saturday, desperately trying a kind of last-ditch “Samson option” to light up the whole region and...

Reports from Iran indicate that Mojtaba Khamenei, an Iranian cleric and political figure best known as the second son of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and long discussed as a possible successor, has been killed in the strike on the presidential palace

People in Iran have prepared for attacks. "It's war again. We don't know what to do," a Tehran resident told TT. The Iranian population has been preparing for a possible war for weeks. Many have stockpiled water and bought tens of kilos of dry goods and other necessities. Freezers have been emptied in anticipation of a power outage, and on Saturday many families kept their children at home, even though it is a school day in Iran. "We hope for victory," says a Tehran resident. For many Iranians, however, victory is about overthrowing the regime, rather than Iran winning militarily...

China is highly concerned over the military strikes against Iran launched by the U.S. and Israel, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Saturday, noting that China calls for an immediate stop of the military actions. The spokesperson made the remarks when asked to comment on the military strikes against Iran launched by the U.S. and Israel on Saturday, Beijing time. China calls for an immediate stop of the military actions, no further escalation of the tense situation, resumption of dialogue and negotiation, and efforts to uphold peace and stability in the Middle East, the spokesperson emphasized.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan voiced deep concern and sadness on Saturday over U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran, while condemning Tehran's drone and missile strikes on brotherly Gulf nations, APA reports citing Daily Sabah. Turkish Erdoğan added ⁠that the U.S.-Israeli ⁠attacks on Iran violated Iran's ​sovereignty ​and targeted ⁠the peace of the Iranian people. In a speech in Istanbul, he said ⁠Iran's ⁠attacks on Gulf countries were also unacceptable and he warned that without restraint and diplomacy the ⁠region risked being "dragged into a circle of fire."

Dubai news live updates: Dubai airport suspended all flight operations at the International airport until further notice after several explosions were heard near the airport, Reuters reported. This came after the US and Israel launched a major attack on Iran on Saturday, with President Donald Trump urging the Iranian public to “seize control of your destiny.” Hours after the US and Israel struck Iran, Tehran retaliated by targeting US military bases in the Persian Gulf. Missiles were intercepted in cities around the Middle East, including Doha and Abu Dhabi. Smoke seen near hotel in Dubai's Palm Jumeirah Meanwhile, loud explosions...

Smoke all around Burj Khalifa Dubai

The assessment in Israel is that Khamenei was killed, but there is no final confirmation yet.

CHINA / DIPLOMACY Chinese Embassy in Israel advises Chinese nationals to monitor security, avoid unnecessary outings By Global Times Published: Feb 27, 2026 09:48 PM latest news latest news The Chinese Embassy in Israel, in an announcement posted on its official WeChat account on Friday, advised Chinese nationals in Israel to closely follow the developments of the situation and the security alerts issued by the Israeli government, and to refrain from unnecessary outings in light of the further escalation of security risks in the Middle East. Chinese nationals in Israel are urged to maintain a high level of vigilance, strengthen...

The UK has temporarily withdrawn staff from its embassy in Tehran, as the threat of US strikes against Iran prompts warnings from a number of countries to their citizens in the Middle East. The UK Foreign Office said it was a "precautionary measure" and that its embassy in Iran's capital continued to operate remotely. Meanwhile, the US embassy in Israel told some non-emergency staff and their families on Friday that they could leave the country. US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee advised staff who wished to leave to "do so TODAY", the New York Times reported. It comes a day...

ASTANA, Kazakhstan, February 27. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan has advised its citizens presently residing in Iran to depart the country, Trend reports via the ministry. “Citizens of Kazakhstan who are currently in Iran are advised to leave the country, as well as to observe heightened safety measures, remain vigilant and cautious, follow the news, and strictly adhere to the recommendations of local authorities,” the statement says. The ministry also advises Kazakh citizens to temporarily refrain from visiting Iran until the situation stabilizes. Additionally, Kazakhstan urged its citizens to “carefully consider travel plans to Middle Eastern countries, taking...

Iran killed hundreds of Americans across the Middle East, with its Hezbollah proxy being the most effective terrorist group against the U.S. prior to Al-Qaeda's terror attacks on 9/11. The revolutionary Iranian regime — which may possibly find itself in a war with the United States in the coming days — has positioned itself as an adversary of the U.S. ever since it came into power decades ago in 1979. President Donald Trump appears to be moving toward striking Iran, with the U.S. military moving significant military assets into the region, insisting he would prefer to strike a deal with...

Before we move to the big picture of the Middle East, I want to remind you that the fight in Gaza is still not over. If you follow my Telegram channel, you know that nearly every day I am reporting on terrorists who exit their tunnels on nefarious business. The IDF is doing what it can to address the situation, but the task is enormous. They’ve destroyed 150km of tunnels (about 100 miles), but that’s less than a third of the 500km of tunnels that originally existed. The work is difficult and dangerous. Early yesterday morning, St.-Sgt. Ofri Yafe, 21,...

President Donald Trump issued another warning to Tehran on Friday, saying “Iran should make a deal.” At a news conference, he described the situation as very sad and said the Iranian people are better than their leaders, adding that 32,000 protesters were killed in a short period of time. Amid the threats, The New York Times reported that Washington is preparing for a range of scenarios, including a broader confrontation than last year’s. Pentagon officials said hundreds of troops have been evacuated from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, and personnel have also been moved from a cluster of US...

The United States has directed its military forces in the Middle East to prepare for potentially extended operations against Iran, positioning them for action should President Donald Trump order strikes on the Islamic Republic. It remains unclear whether Trump will pursue a diplomatic solution or move toward military action against the Iranian regime. Speaking to U.S. forces at a base in North Carolina on Friday, Trump said it has "been difficult to make a deal." "Sometimes you have to have fear. That's the only thing that really will get the situation taken care of," Trump told the U.S. troops. White...