US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth acknowledged that Iran still possesses the ability to launch missile strikes despite a month of joint US-Israeli attacks. Speaking at a Pentagon briefing on Tuesday, he said the decision on when the war will end ultimately rests with President Trump. Hegseth stated that Iran retains retaliatory capacity but claimed its military strength has been significantly weakened.

This was the first official Pentagon briefing on the war situation in about two weeks, following the last one on March 19. Hegseth also revealed that he made an unannounced visit to US troops stationed in the Middle East, where he observed their morale and urgency to conclude operations quickly. He asserted that the United States is now closer to victory than ever before.

The ongoing conflict has already placed heavy pressure on the global economy, with energy markets becoming unstable and fuel prices rising in the United States. Analysts believe Iran’s limited yet effective missile capability and strategic position are prolonging the war, making a swift resolution uncertain without diplomatic efforts from the White House.

US President Donald Trump has again criticized the United Kingdom and other allied nations for not joining the United States in the ongoing war with Iran. In a social media post, Trump said countries like the UK, which are struggling to obtain jet fuel due to the Strait of Hormuz situation, should either buy fuel from the US or show courage by taking control of the strait themselves. He also singled out France, calling it 'very uncooperative' for not allowing supply aircraft to fly over its territory.

According to the report, Trump has been repeatedly criticizing European nations for their lack of military support since the start of the Iran offensive. His latest remarks continue that pattern, highlighting tensions between Washington and its traditional allies over the conflict.

The comments come amid rising fuel prices worldwide and growing casualties reported by Iran’s Red Crescent, underscoring the broader regional and economic impact of the war.

Questions are rising over why the United States, despite being a global military and economic superpower, has been unable to swiftly end its ongoing war with Iran. Analysts suggest that while the balance of visible power appears one-sided, the reality is far more complex. Iran, though militarily weaker, is exploiting strategic advantages that have turned the conflict into a major challenge for Washington.

One key factor is Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global energy route through which massive volumes of oil are transported daily. By threatening to restrict or close this passage, Tehran has demonstrated its ability to disrupt global markets. Analysts note that any U.S. military attempt to reopen the strait could trigger Iranian retaliation and escalate the conflict, posing political risks for President Donald Trump. Deploying ground troops would also increase U.S. casualties and domestic political pressure.

Experts warn that without an effective diplomatic resolution, the conflict could become prolonged and further destabilize the global economy, as both sides engage in a test of strategic endurance rather than direct military confrontation.

Several thousand paratroopers from the US Army’s elite 82nd Airborne Division have begun arriving in the Middle East, according to two US officials cited by Reuters. The deployment started on Monday as discussions continue over President Donald Trump’s possible next steps in the conflict with Iran. The troops departed from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, joining additional US naval, marine, and special operations forces already stationed in the region.

Reuters previously reported on March 18 that the Trump administration was considering sending thousands more troops to the Middle East, potentially including deployments inside Iran. The latest movement follows the arrival of about 2,500 US Marines over the past weekend, signaling a significant buildup of American military presence in the area.

The expanded deployment underscores Washington’s growing military posture in the Middle East as tensions with Tehran remain high, though no official statement has clarified the ultimate scope or duration of the mission.

U.S. President Donald Trump has told his aides he is willing to conclude the American military campaign against Iran even if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, according to a Wall Street Journal report citing U.S. officials. The report notes that such a move could prolong Tehran’s control over the vital waterway and complicate future efforts to reopen it.

Officials said Trump and his team recently reviewed the situation and believe that forcing the strait open could extend the conflict beyond the president’s preferred four-to-six-week timeframe. The president’s main objective, according to the report, is to destroy Iran’s naval and missile stockpiles, then de-escalate the conflict while applying diplomatic pressure on Tehran to allow free trade.

Washington may also press its European and Gulf allies to take the lead in reopening the strait if necessary. Although military options remain available, Trump is reportedly not prioritizing them at this stage.

A 19-year-old Bangladeshi woman named Nishat Jannat was killed after being struck by a garbage truck while crossing the road near Jackson Heights in New York’s Woodside area around midnight on Sunday local time. Police said the truck, traveling west on Roosevelt Avenue, hit her while turning right onto 62nd Street. Emergency medical personnel declared her dead at the scene. Nishat was a student at City College of New York and worked as a receptionist at a parking garage on Parsons Boulevard in Jamaica.

Her father, Helal Uddin, an imam at Baitul Jannah Mosque in Woodside, said the family moved to New York eight years ago seeking a better future. Nishat was the second of four daughters. Her funeral prayer will be held Tuesday after noon at Baitul Jannah Mosque, followed by burial in New York.

Police confirmed that the 38-year-old female truck driver remained at the scene and received minor treatment. No arrests have been made, and the NYPD Highway District’s Collision Investigation Squad is investigating. The truck’s owner, Royal Waste Services, said it is cooperating with police, while its parent company, Waste Connections, expressed deep condolences to the victim’s family.

U.S. President Donald Trump believes the ongoing war in Iran could last between four and six weeks, according to White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt. She made the statement during a press briefing on Monday when asked about the president’s current assessment of the conflict’s duration.

Levitt said President Trump has maintained this timeline since the beginning of the operation and that his view remains unchanged. She added that diplomatic discussions between the United States and Iran are continuing and progressing positively. While Trump has not ruled out the possibility of deploying ground troops in Iran, Levitt emphasized that diplomacy remains his first choice.

The remarks come amid ongoing tensions in the region, with the U.S. administration signaling both readiness for military engagement and preference for a diplomatic resolution.

CBS News, citing its sources, reported that hundreds of US special forces members, including Navy SEALs and Army Rangers, are currently stationed across the Middle East. The report added that thousands of US Marines and paratroopers have already been deployed to the region. The deployments are reportedly intended to give US President Donald Trump options for potential military actions concerning Iran.

According to the CBS sources, possible operations could include reopening the Strait of Hormuz, taking control of oil facilities on Kharg Island, or seizing Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) declined to comment on the matter. Earlier, CENTCOM confirmed that the USS Tripoli had arrived in the Middle East carrying about 3,500 sailors and Marines.

The report did not specify whether any immediate military action was planned, leaving the scope and timeline of potential operations uncertain.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the United States’ primary goal in the ongoing war against Iran is to achieve its defined military objectives. In an interview with Al Jazeera, Rubio emphasized that the US remains steadfast in pursuing these objectives.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump outlined several ultimate goals regarding the US-Israel alliance’s war efforts surrounding Iran. These include weakening Iran’s regional military capabilities, destroying its leadership and nuclear program, and bringing about a change in the country’s governing system.

The report also noted that hundreds of US special forces are currently stationed across the Middle East, according to CBS, underscoring the scale of American military involvement in the region.

NASA is set to send humans to the Moon for the first time in more than five decades through its Artemis-2 mission. Four astronauts selected for the mission have arrived in Florida and are completing final preparations for launch, which is scheduled to take place by April 1 from the Kennedy Space Center using NASA’s Space Launch System rocket.

The Artemis-2 crew includes NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. The team will travel aboard the Orion crew capsule, designed for deep-space missions. The approximately 10-day journey will take them around the Moon at high speed before returning to Earth.

Among the crew, three astronauts have prior spaceflight experience, while Hansen will make his first trip to space. The mission marks a major step in NASA’s renewed lunar exploration efforts after more than fifty years.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Al Jazeera that it was “very disappointing” for the United States that NATO allies, including Spain, blocked the use of their airspace and bases for the US’s war on Iran. Rubio said the decision by Spain had raised serious concerns in Washington about alliance cooperation during the conflict.

He stated that the United States would re-examine the value of NATO once the war with Iran concludes. The remarks highlight growing tension within the alliance over differing national positions on the US-led military campaign. Rubio’s comments suggest that the US may reconsider its strategic commitments to NATO depending on how member states respond during the ongoing conflict.

The statement underscores potential strains in transatlantic relations as Washington evaluates the reliability of its European partners in future military operations.

US lawmakers have voiced strong reactions after reports emerged that the Pentagon is planning a multi-week ground operation in Iran. Republican Senator James Lankford, speaking on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press,’ said it is essential to understand why troops are being deployed. He added that whether President Donald Trump needs congressional approval depends on how the forces would be used.

Democratic Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey warned that Trump is pushing the country into a conflict without congressional authorization and without a clear exit strategy. Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen told ABC News’ ‘This Week’ that the war is costing American lives and billions of dollars daily, while also driving up oil and gas prices.

The debate underscores growing concern in Washington about the potential escalation of the Iran conflict and the constitutional limits on presidential war powers.

Anthropic’s AI assistant Claude has experienced a sharp rise in paid consumer subscriptions in early 2024, according to data analyzed by Indagari for TechCrunch. The analysis, based on billions of anonymized U.S. credit card transactions, shows record growth in paid sign-ups between January and February, with continued momentum through early March. Most new subscribers joined at the $20-per-month Pro tier. Anthropic confirmed that paid subscriptions have more than doubled this year, though it has not disclosed total user figures.

The surge coincided with heightened public attention from Anthropic’s humorous Super Bowl commercials mocking ChatGPT’s ad model and the company’s public dispute with the U.S. Department of Defense. The feud centered on Anthropic’s refusal to let its AI be used for lethal autonomous operations or mass surveillance, leading to a temporary federal court block on the DOD’s attempt to label the company a supply risk.

New features such as Claude Code, Claude Cowork, and the Computer Use tool have also driven subscriptions. Despite the growth, Indagari’s data indicates that OpenAI’s ChatGPT remains the largest consumer AI platform.

An Iranian attack destroyed a US Air Force E-3 Sentry radar aircraft at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, raising concerns about Washington’s ability to monitor threats from Iran. Analysts said the loss could weaken the United States’ long-range detection and control capabilities in the Middle East. CNN’s analysis of satellite images showed the aircraft’s tail broken and its distinctive radar dome collapsed on the ground.

Former US Colonel Cedric Leighton described the incident as a major blow to American surveillance operations, warning that it could complicate the control of combat aircraft and their defense against enemy missiles. The E-3 Sentry, part of the Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS), has long been a key component of US military intelligence, capable of monitoring up to 120,000 square miles of airspace. The US operates 17 such aircraft.

CNN confirmed the strike location through satellite imagery and reported that at least ten US service members were injured, though no fatalities occurred.

Republican Representative Nancy Mace has called for Congress to have a formal vote before any decision to deploy US troops to Iran, highlighting growing divisions within President Donald Trump’s party. Her remarks on Sunday followed a classified House briefing on the ongoing war, which she said raised concerns about the administration’s plans. The comments coincided with a Washington Post report that the Pentagon is preparing for limited ground operations in Iran, including potential raids on Kharg Island and near the Strait of Hormuz.

Mace told CNN that any conventional ground operation involving Marines or the 82nd Airborne Division would constitute a ground war requiring congressional authorization. She emphasized that “we don’t want troops on the ground” and urged the administration to seek proper authority if such action is pursued. The White House did not deny the Pentagon’s preparations but said they were part of routine planning to provide the president with options.

The debate comes as the US expands its military presence in the Middle East, with thousands of additional troops arriving. Some Republican lawmakers and Trump allies, including Matt Gaetz, have warned that a ground invasion could lead to higher costs and prolonged conflict.