War Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday that American forces were preparing to launch what he called the most powerful round of strikes so far in the ongoing military campaign targeting Iran.
Hegseth delivered the remarks during a Pentagon briefing alongside Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine.
According to Hegseth, the upcoming phase of the operation will significantly increase both the scope and the tempo of the air assault that has been underway since the United States began leading attacks against Iranian military infrastructure.
He explained that Tuesday’s strikes are intended to further damage Iran’s missile capabilities, naval assets, and weapons manufacturing facilities.
“Today will be the most intense day of bombing so far,” Hegseth said, emphasizing that U.S. forces were prepared to carry out a large number of coordinated strikes across multiple targets inside Iran.
Hegseth told reporters that the campaign — which the Pentagon has described as a focused military effort — aims to dismantle Iran’s ability to launch missile and drone attacks and prevent the country from advancing toward nuclear weapons capabilities.
He insisted the United States is making significant progress in achieving those objectives.
Caine then outlined the military results of the operation to date, stating that Iran’s offensive capacity has been dramatically weakened since the campaign began.
According to Caine, Iranian ballistic missile launches have dropped by roughly 90% and drone attacks have declined by more than 80% as coalition forces have targeted key military infrastructure.
Caine said Iran’s military response so far has not exceeded what U.S. officials expected when the campaign began.
“They’re fighting, and I respect that,” he said. “I don’t think they’re more formidable than we thought.”
Caine said U.S. forces have also struck naval assets and weapons manufacturing sites, including missile and drone production facilities, as part of a broader effort to limit Iran’s ability to sustain attacks across the region.
He added that the campaign has already destroyed dozens of Iranian ships and significantly weakened Tehran’s naval operations.
Even as the air campaign intensifies, Hegseth stressed that the United States is not attempting to topple Iran’s leadership, describing the mission as a limited military operation rather than a war aimed at regime change.
The Pentagon briefing came amid a widening regional confrontation. Iran has fired missiles and launched drones toward Israel and several Gulf countries, heightening concerns that the conflict could spread further across the Middle East while also shaking global energy markets.
Hegseth said the United States intends to continue the offensive until Iran’s ability to threaten the region is substantially diminished, noting that the duration of the campaign will depend on when U.S. strategic goals are met.
{Matzav.com}
Several police officers were injured Tuesday after a gunman opened fire near a shul in Baltimore, Maryland.
Authorities rushed to the scene on a block along Park Heights Avenue in the city’s northwest section after receiving reports of a suspect shooting from a window in a building located near the Agudah of Baltimore.
Two officers were struck during the incident. One was transported to Shock Trauma in serious condition, while the second officer sustained injuries that authorities said were not life-threatening.
Police said the suspect was also shot during the confrontation, though officials did not release further details regarding the individual’s condition.
{Matzav.com}
Emes Travel says that it has assisted hundreds of passengers in leaving Israel through Egypt during the current crisis, and stated that all travelers using its arrangements have completed the trip safely.
In a letter dated today, the company wrote, “Since the beginning of this time of need, Emes Travel has helped hundreds of passengers arrange and complete travel packages via Egypt for those departing Israel — including coordinated ground transportation, guided border crossings, and onward international flights through Sharm el-Sheikh Airport.”
The company said the departures were handled with extensive support from staff and local teams. “Each departure was carefully managed in partnership with experienced local teams, with our staff available around the clock to answer questions and guide travelers through every step of the process,” the letter stated.
Emes Travel also addressed concerns that have reportedly been circulating about the route, saying that those claims have not been borne out by its own experience. “Baruch Hashem, all travelers have completed their trips safely, with no injuries and no substantiated security incidents reported,” the company wrote.
The letter continued, “We are aware that unsubstantiated claims regarding security concerns along this route have been circulating. To date, none of these claims have been verified, and they are not reflective of the experience of any of our travelers.”
According to the company, those who have used the service have responded positively. “The feedback we have received has been overwhelmingly positive, with travelers expressing appreciation for the attentiveness of our staff and the peace of mind that came from having a dedicated team in their corner,” the statement said.
Emes Travel said additional options remain available for those still seeking to leave Israel. “For anyone still in need of assistance, we encourage you to visit emestravel.com/marketplace to view our current offerings — including departures on Wednesday, March 11 and Sunday, March 15,” the company wrote.
The agency added that travelers whose needs are not met by the currently scheduled departures can join a waiting list. “If these don’t meet your needs, you can sign up for our waitlist to be notified as soon as new options become available,” the letter said.
Emes Travel closed by reaffirming its focus on passenger safety. “Emes Travel remains committed to providing responsible, well-supervised travel solutions, with the safety and well-being of every passenger as our highest priority,” the letter concluded.
{Matzav.com}
Fox News host Sean Hannity revealed in a new interview that he no longer has contact with Tucker Carlson and strongly disagrees with much of Carlson’s recent public commentary, marking a clear break between the two longtime conservative media figures.
Speaking on “The Katie Miller Podcast,” Hannity addressed the current state of his relationship with Carlson and indicated that the two have not communicated since Carlson’s departure from Fox News in 2023.
Carlson’s exit from the network two years ago marked a turning point in his media career, after which he began publishing content on alternative platforms such as X and YouTube.
Since leaving Fox News, Carlson has used those platforms to conduct a series of high-profile and often controversial interviews. Among them were discussions with Russian president Vladimir Putin and Nick Fuentes, a white nationalist and Holocaust denier who has expressed admiration for Adolf Hitler.
Those appearances drew significant criticism, particularly because Carlson was accused of giving a platform to figures widely described as Holocaust revisionists and white nationalists, including Fuentes.
The controversy intensified in 2024 when Carlson hosted podcaster Darryl Cooper, whom he called the “best and most honest popular historian” in the U.S.
During that interview, Cooper sparked outrage by portraying the Holocaust as an “unintended consequence” of logistical failures rather than a planned genocide. He also described Winston Churchill, Allied Prime Minister from 1940 to 1945, as the “chief villain” of WWII.
Following Carlson’s comments and the broadcast of that interview, both the White House and several Jewish organizations publicly criticized him, accusing him of amplifying Nazi propaganda. The backlash added to the scrutiny Carlson has faced since leaving Fox News.
Against this backdrop, Hannity said the views Carlson has recently expressed are far removed from the colleague he once worked alongside during their years together at Fox.
“I don’t ever talk to him, ever,” Hannity said. “I wish him well. I’ve read a lot of what he says. I just completely disagree with it. And it’s not the person that I knew when he was at Fox.”
Carlson’s positions have also contributed to growing tensions within the broader MAGA movement, particularly over his strong criticism of President Donald Trump’s military strikes against Iran.
During the podcast interview, host Katie Miller asked Hannity whether he believed conservative media figures had been spending too much time attacking one another. Hannity said he shares that concern and explained that he deliberately avoids participating in such conflicts.
“I do . . . And I’ve stayed out of it, if you’ve noticed . . . That’s by design. To me, the big fight in this country is against the radical left. And [if] they all want to kill each other, have at it,” he continued.
Hannity, who has been with Fox News since 1996, also discussed personal changes in his life. He recently relocated his home and his broadcasting base from Long Island, New York, to Florida, where he now lives.
Reflecting on the controversies and disputes that have emerged in conservative media circles, Hannity said he no longer feels compelled to engage in public feuds.
“I’m way past the point in my career, Katie, that I care at all about what other people are doing or saying,” Hannity added. “I watch it ’cause I have to be aware — and I read so much news, I can’t miss it. However, my interest in involving myself in it is zero. I don’t believe my success is predicated on tearing somebody else down, or their failure.”
{Matzav.com}
Tehran staged a highly unusual show of loyalty, as supporters of the Iranian regime gathered for a public ceremony pledging allegiance to Mojtaba Khamenei, the country’s newly appointed supreme leader. Instead of appearing in person, however, Mojtaba was represented by a life-size cardboard cutout placed prominently at the event.
State television aired footage from Revolution Square showing large crowds waving Iranian flags and chanting in support of the son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The younger Khamenei was recently elevated to the position of supreme leader after his father was killed in Israeli airstrikes on February 28.
Despite the public display of loyalty, Mojtaba himself did not attend the ceremony. Reports circulating in recent days suggest that he was wounded in a separate Israeli strike last week and has remained out of public view since then. Some reports claim he may still be unconscious, leaving the regime to rely on a cardboard likeness during the ceremony rather than risk exposing his condition.
The unusual spectacle came as Iran’s leadership works to project stability during an intensifying conflict with Israel and the United States. Shortly after Ali Khamenei’s death, hardline clerics in Iran’s powerful Assembly of Experts moved quickly to name Mojtaba as the next supreme leader, seeking to demonstrate continuity within the regime.
At the ceremony, commanders from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and representatives of allied militias were seen publicly declaring their loyalty to Mojtaba, reinforcing the regime’s effort to rally supporters and maintain internal cohesion.
{Matzav.com}
