Trump on the attack on Iran: If we hadn’t done it, a nuclear war would have started and then World War III
Donald Trump said in remarks that if the United States had not attacked Iran, “we would have had a nuclear war that would have escalated into World War III.”
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari says Iranian attacks have targeted residential areas and Hamad International Airport, contradicting Tehran’s denial that is has been attacking civilian sites. pic.twitter.com/TSFt9f4sqC
— Al Jazeera Breaking News (@AJENews) March 16, 2026
New York Post: U.S. Intelligence Told Trump That Mojtaba Khamenei May Be Gay
New York Post: U.S. intelligence agencies told Donald Trump that Mojtaba Khamenei may be gay.
Donald Trump was informed last week that, according to information from U.S. intelligence services, Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei may be homosexual — and that his father, the late Ali Khamenei, had expressed concerns about his suitability to lead the Islamic Republic for this reason, according to sources cited by the New York Post.
The claim was described to the newspaper by two officials from the U.S. intelligence community and a third person with knowledge of developments at the White House.
All three sources reportedly said that the information, although it may sound unlikely, is considered credible by U.S. intelligence agencies and not disinformation intended to damage the 56-year-old Khamenei, who was chosen to succeed his father as leader on March 8.
Two of the sources stated that the intelligence suggests that Khamenei, while serving as a guardian of his elderly father, maintained a long-term sexual relationship with a teacher from his childhood.
The third source said that, according to intelligence information, the relationship involved an individual who had previously worked for the Khamenei family.
142 Injured Transferred to Israeli Hospitals in the Last 24 Hours
Israel’s Ministry of Health reported that in the past 24 hours, 142 injured individuals were admitted to hospitals as a result of attacks from Iran.
Among those who received hospital care, three are in moderate condition and 134 in good condition. Five people received treatment for anxiety.
The ministry does not provide detailed information on the causes of the injuries, and some may have been caused by people trying to reach shelters rather than as a direct result of missile attacks from Iran or rockets from Lebanon.
The ministry reports that since the start of the war with Iran on February 28, 3,369 people have been admitted to hospitals, of whom 81 are currently hospitalized.
Among those hospitalized, one person is in critical condition, seven in serious condition, 14 in moderate condition, and 59 in good condition. The ministry’s figures include both civilians and soldiers.
No Starmer for Trump on Sending Warships to the Middle East
The British Prime Minister yesterday evening refused Donald Trump’s request to “send warships” to the Middle East to protect oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.
The two leaders spoke by phone and, although they agreed “on the importance of reopening the strait to end the disruption of global shipping, which drives up costs worldwide,” as the Downing Street statement notes, they do not, at least for now, have a common approach on how order will be restored in the region.
As British analysts point out, when Iran warns of retaliation against the United Kingdom, it is understandable why, at this stage, there are no plans to send British warships to escort tankers. Instead, the UK government is preparing to provide unmanned drones for mine detection and missile interception as part of the international effort to secure shipping along the route.
Iran Threatens London-Based Iran International TV: Its Facilities Are “Our Target”
Iran’s military has warned Gulf countries not to cooperate with the London-based television network Iran International, stressing that the facilities used to support it are considered targets.
“By using the satellite capabilities and media infrastructure of some regional countries,” Iran International “acts to stir tensions, construct false narratives (…) in order to serve the goals of criminal America and the Zionist regime,” emphasized the Iranian Armed Forces General Staff, Khatam al-Anbiya, in a statement published yesterday evening, Sunday.
Furthermore, the Iranian military threatened to “include” in the “targets of the Islamic Republic” “any evidence of cooperation” with this “malicious network.”
Sirens Sound Again in Israel for Ballistic Missile from Iran Heading Toward the Country’s Heart
Kaja Kallas: EU to Discuss Keeping the Strait of Hormuz Open
European Union member states will discuss what can be done from the European side to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, said EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas today.
“It is in our interest that the Strait of Hormuz remains open, and therefore we are also discussing what we can do about this from the European side,” Kallas told journalists ahead of the EU foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels.
Fire in Industrial Zone in UAE Following Drone Attack
A fire broke out in an industrial area of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates following a drone attack, according to a statement from the Emirate’s press office.
The fire reportedly started after the unmanned aerial vehicle struck the area, prompting authorities to respond.
Civil defense teams are operating on-site to bring the fire under control, and so far no injuries have been reported, according to the same sources.
Iran will turn the bombed girls’ school into a museum
Iran plans to convert the girls’ school that was bombed on the first day of the war into a museum in memory of the nearly 200 victims of the strike.
“This school is a living document of the Americans’ willingness to commit crimes and must be recorded and documented so that it can be preserved in the historical memory of the Iranian people,” the Iranian government said in a statement issued today.
At least 168 schoolgirls, aged between 7 and 12, 26 teachers and four parents lost their lives in the attack that took place on February 28 in the southern Iranian city of Minab.
Various media reports point to the United States as responsible for the attack. Citing confidential sources, the New York Times and CNN have reported that the preliminary results of an investigation indicate American responsibility.
The United States is said to have targeted a base of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, to which the school building had previously belonged. Outdated location data is said to have led to the fatal mistake.
Further details about the plans for the museum have not yet been made known. The school will be rebuilt elsewhere in memory of the victims.
Flights suspended at Dubai airport
Flights have been suspended at Dubai International Airport after a fire broke out following an Iranian drone attack on Monday.
“A drone incident in the area of Dubai International Airport (DXB) caused damage to one of the fuel tanks,” Dubai’s press office said earlier on X.
The fire has been brought under control and no injuries have been reported.
The temporary suspension of flights could have global ripple effects, as Dubai airport is the world’s busiest for international traffic.
Some flights are being diverted to Al Maktoum International Airport, located about 50 km southwest.
Monday’s incident is the third at Dubai airport since the new war in the Middle East began.
Emirates announced that after 8:00 a.m. (Greece time) a limited flight schedule resumed.
Israeli army launches ground operations in southern Lebanon
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced Monday morning that forces from the 91st Division have begun targeted ground operations in southern Lebanon.
According to the statement, “this operation is part of efforts to establish forward defense, including the destruction of terrorist infrastructure and the elimination of terrorists operating in the area, in order to remove threats and create an additional layer of security for residents of the north.”
במסגרת מאמץ משימת ההגנה הקדמית: כוחות אוגדה 91 החלו בפעילות קרקעית ממוקדת בדרום לבנון
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) March 16, 2026
כוחות אוגדה 91 החלו בימים האחרונים בפעילות קרקעית ממוקדת ליעדי מפתח בדרום לבנון להרחבת מרחב ההגנה הקדמי.
פעולה זו היא חלק מהמאמץ לביסוס ההגנה הקדמית, ובה השמדת תשתיות טרור וחיסול מחבלים… pic.twitter.com/07Gzzh1H3r
Asian markets decline
Markets across the Asia-Pacific region are trading lower as investors assess persistently high oil prices and the latest developments in escalating tensions between the United States and Iran.
Goldman Sachs estimates that the rise in energy prices caused by the war with Iran could reduce global GDP by around 0.3% over the next year, while increasing overall inflation by 0.5% to 0.6%.
Javier Bardem shouts “No to war, free Palestine” at the Oscars
Javier Bardem used his moment on stage at the Academy Awards to express opposition to the war and support for Palestine while presenting the award for Best International Feature Film.
“No to war, free Palestine,” Bardem said into the microphone, receiving applause from the audience.
Trump: I’ve spoken with seven countries about ‘policing’ the Strait of Hormuz
During a flight from Florida to Washington, D.C. on Sunday night, Donald Trump answered questions about the possibility of forming a coalition to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
He said the US administration has spoken with “around seven” countries about “policing” the strait and mentioned China among those contacted.
Trump did not name other countries but referred to NATO and other states that, he said, should “defend their own territory,” defining that territory as “where they get their energy from.”
US crude and Brent rise above $100
Oil prices remained elevated Sunday night as the administration of Donald Trump considers potential military strikes on Iran’s main oil export facilities on Kharg Island, while the war has already entered its third week.
US crude temporarily exceeded $100 per barrel, before easing to about $98.9.
Meanwhile Brent crude oil, the global benchmark, rose 1.2% to $104.2 per barrel.
Macron calls on Iran to stop attacks
French President Emmanuel Macron urged Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to immediately end attacks carried out by Iran against countries in the region, either directly or through proxies, including in Lebanon and Iraq.
Saudi Arabia intercepts more than 60 drones overnight
Saudi Arabia intercepted more than 60 drones since midnight, according to new figures from the defense ministry.
The ministry said 61 drones were shot down overnight in the eastern part of the country.
UAE activates air defenses against Iranian missiles and drones
The defense ministry of the United Arab Emirates said its air-defense systems responded to threats from missiles and drones launched from Iran.
The ministry said loud sounds heard in some areas were caused by air-defense systems intercepting incoming projectiles.
Trump: Tehran not yet ready to end the war
Donald Trump said Sunday night that the US government is holding talks with Iran, but that Tehran is not yet “ready” to end the war.
“Yes, we are talking with them. But I don’t think they are ready,” he told reporters, adding that Iranian armed forces have been “decimated” amid ongoing air strikes by the United States and Israel since 28 February
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