A sharp exchange erupted Sunday between Rep. Ilhan Omar and Rep. Nancy Mace after the South Carolina Republican suggested that Omar and Rep. Rashida Tlaib were grieving the death of Iranian Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The dispute began when Mace posted a sarcastic message online following news of Khamenei’s death. “My heart goes out to Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib tonight.
“Sending them thoughts and prayers,” she wrote in a post accompanied by a picture of Khamenei.
Omar and Tlaib, the first Muslim women elected to Congress, are members of the progressive bloc known as “The Squad.”
Omar responded forcefully on X, accusing Mace of intoxication. “I hope you aren’t drunk and took your staff’s advice, Rashida and I don’t know this man and feel confident he didn’t care about us,” she wrote.
She continued, “Please restrain [sic] from drinking too much as you have been warned from your staff and stay off social media when you are drunk. I pray in his holy month you find peace and respect for your self [sic].”
Omar’s remarks appeared to reference prior allegations made by former Mace staff members claiming she fostered a hostile work environment.
A New York Magazine article published last month alleged that Mace consumed alcohol “excessively” and required staff to make late-night liquor store runs on her behalf.
Mace has strongly denied those claims, even as several former aides have publicly supported them. She has said she suffers from hemochromatosis, describing it as a “lifelong genetic affliction that prevents me from consuming much alcohol.”
Hemochromatosis is a disorder in which excess iron accumulates in vital organs such as the heart, pancreas, and liver.
Mace fired back at Omar with a jab at her grammar, writing, “Honey, it’s ‘please refrain’ not ‘please restrain.’ This is what happens when your staff is from the Third World and can’t speak proper English,” Mace needled Omar in response.
Mace, who is running for governor of South Carolina, has praised the killing of Khamenei and supported efforts to weaken Iran’s ruling regime.
The two lawmakers have a history of public disputes on social media.
Earlier this year, Mace sought to have the House Oversight Committee issue a subpoena for records related to allegations that Omar married her brother.
On Shabbos, Omar criticized President Trump for authorizing the Operation Absolute Fury strikes against Iran, in which Khamenei was killed during joint U.S.-Israeli military action.
“The American people are sick and tired of endless wars built on false promises and paid for with innocent lives. Congress must immediately pass [the] Khanna-Massie War Powers Resolution,” Omar wrote on X.
Before the strikes took place, Omar had also expressed frustration over the timing of U.S. military actions during Ramadan.
“The US apparently loves to strike Muslim countries during Ramadan and I am convinced it isn’t what these countries have done to violate international law but about who they worship,” she wrote.
Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting, prayer, and reflection, runs this year from Feb. 17 through March 19.
{Matzav.com}
Iran is intensifying efforts to disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most vital energy corridor, raising fears of a major supply shock that could rattle global markets, Newsmax reports. While no formal blockade has been declared, escalating warnings, vessel strikes, and maritime disruptions suggest Tehran is seeking to exert leverage in the strategic waterway without officially closing it.
If Iran were to successfully shut down the narrow passage connecting the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean, oil prices could surge dramatically, triggering economic turbulence worldwide.
In the past three days, Iranian authorities have broadcast warnings over marine Channel 16 telling commercial ships that the strait is “closed,” despite the absence of any internationally recognized declaration to that effect.
When vessels continued navigating the corridor, tensions rose. Since March 1, at least three ships have reportedly been hit, fueling concern that Iran may be shifting from rhetorical threats to physical enforcement.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center in Dubai confirmed that Iranian forces were issuing closure announcements but emphasized that such declarations carry no legal authority.
The Combined Maritime Forces, a multinational naval coalition headquartered in Bahrain, described the situation as “critical,” cautioning that there are “active kinetic hazard conditions” and widespread GPS interference affecting navigation.
Tracking data from the automatic identification system on March 1 indicated a sharp drop in traffic within designated shipping lanes. Many tankers were observed anchoring near Dubai, Fujairah, and Khor Fakkan rather than attempting to transit the strait.
The mounting tensions have already had real-world effects.
According to Reuters and maritime security officials, several vessels reported receiving VHF messages from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards declaring that “no ship is allowed to pass.”
Oman’s Maritime Security Centre said the tanker Skylight was struck in Omani waters near the Musandam Peninsula, injuring crew members.
Other incidents reportedly involved damage to the crude carrier MKD Vyom and the product tanker Hercules Star.
Severe GPS spoofing has further complicated maritime movement, with ships’ tracking signals appearing inaccurately on land or looping in circular patterns, creating navigational confusion.
Even in the absence of an official blockade, tanker movements have slowed significantly.
Major carriers such as Hapag-Lloyd have halted sailings through the area, while Maersk said it is coordinating closely with security partners.
The International Association of Independent Tanker Owners stated that the U.S. Navy had warned it could not guarantee safe passage throughout the broader Gulf region.
War-risk insurance rates have climbed sharply, and some insurers have withdrawn coverage entirely for voyages through Hormuz.
At its narrowest shipping point, the Strait of Hormuz measures just 21 miles across, with traffic lanes roughly two miles wide in each direction.
Yet its economic significance is enormous. In 2024, approximately 20 million barrels of oil per day passed through the strait, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. That represents about 20 percent of global oil consumption and nearly a quarter of worldwide seaborne oil trade.
The estimated annual value of oil and gas transported through Hormuz approaches $500 billion.
Liquefied natural gas shipments are equally vital. Roughly one-fifth of global LNG trade, much of it originating from Qatar, moves through the strait.
About 84 percent of crude and condensate exports and 83 percent of LNG cargoes are bound for Asian markets, particularly China, India, Japan, and South Korea.
Alternative export routes are limited. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates maintain some pipeline capacity that bypasses the strait, but those systems could not fully compensate for a complete closure.
Iraq, Kuwait, and Qatar remain largely dependent on Hormuz access for exports.
Energy markets are already preparing for volatility.
U.S. crude oil settled Friday at $67.02 per barrel, reflecting a 17 percent increase this year. Brent crude closed at $73.21, up 20 percent year to date.
Rystad Energy analysts warned that Brent could climb by as much as $20 if disruptions persist.
UBS analysts said a significant interruption might send Brent above $120 per barrel.
Prediction markets currently suggest a strong likelihood that U.S. crude could rise above $73 in the near term.
Barclays has projected that Brent could reach $100 if the disruption continues. Even a partial interruption affecting 20 percent of flows could trigger a 20 percent price increase within days.
Higher oil prices would likely reignite inflationary pressures worldwide, delay anticipated central bank rate cuts, and place strain on airlines and transportation-intensive industries. Emerging market currencies could also face renewed stress.
A sustained rise toward $100 oil would complicate Federal Reserve policy in 2026, as elevated fuel costs feed into broader inflation data.
Iran does not need to formally declare a blockade to disrupt shipping.
Its asymmetric capabilities include naval mines, fast attack craft, coastal missile systems, submarines, drone operations, and electronic warfare.
Mining the narrow shipping lanes would be particularly disruptive, requiring complex multinational efforts to clear.
Selective vessel seizures, GPS interference, and targeted strikes could effectively create conditions resembling a closure by deterring insurers and shipping companies.
Approximately 3,000 ships transit Hormuz each month. Even temporary interruptions can create immediate supply bottlenecks and rapid price swings.
However, a sustained full shutdown would also harm Iran.
Iranian oil exports use the same route, and any prolonged closure would likely provoke a strong international military response.
The United States has expanded its naval presence in the Gulf, deploying carrier strike groups, missile defense systems, and surveillance assets.
President Donald Trump said military operations will continue until American objectives are achieved, though he also signaled openness to negotiations.
The Pentagon has indicated that freedom of navigation missions will persist, and allied naval forces are escorting commercial vessels.
Historically, the United States has treated attempts to block Hormuz as a red line.
In previous crises, mine-clearing operations and naval escorts were launched quickly to maintain open transit.
Current alerts from the Combined Maritime Forces and the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations suggest coalition forces are preparing for such contingencies.
Even a partial disruption would mark one of the most severe energy supply shocks in decades.
With roughly one-fifth of global petroleum consumption passing through a single corridor, the systemic risk is immense.
Asian economies would feel the immediate impact, but consequences would ripple globally through higher fuel costs, rising freight rates, market volatility, and potential recessionary pressures if elevated prices persist.
The episode also highlights how maritime chokepoints remain powerful strategic leverage points.
Electronic interference, drone attacks, and hybrid tactics blur the boundary between harassment and outright warfare, complicating military and diplomatic responses.
For now, the Strait of Hormuz remains technically open.
But with ships damaged, insurers withdrawing, and traffic thinning, Iran appears to be pursuing disruption without a formal declaration.
In already volatile energy markets, that strategy alone may be sufficient to drive oil prices higher and intensify geopolitical tensions, bringing both economic and political risk in its wake.
{Matzav.com}
President Donald Trump said Sunday that he acted decisively against Iran’s leadership, asserting that he moved before Ayatollah Ali Khamenei could carry out what he described as another attempt on his life.
“I got him before he got me. They tried twice. Well, I got him first,” Trump said in an interview with ABC News.
His comments come as U.S. military operations against Iran intensify and as renewed attention focuses on allegations that Tehran sought to target him during the 2024 presidential campaign.
Last year, federal prosecutors announced charges against several individuals accused of involvement in assassination schemes allegedly connected to Iran and aimed at then-candidate Trump.
The Justice Department stated that individuals linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps attempted to recruit people inside the United States to execute attacks. Authorities said the alleged plans were in retaliation for the 2020 American drone strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani.
In one instance, officials said a suspect sought to contract individuals who turned out to be undercover FBI agents in what became a law enforcement sting operation.
Prosecutors characterized the alleged activity as part of a wider Iranian effort to target both current and former U.S. officials. Iranian authorities have denied any role in the reported plots.
Trump said Sunday that the latest American military action significantly altered Iran’s leadership landscape.
He also told ABC News that individuals previously viewed as possible successors within Iran’s ruling structure had already been identified prior to the strikes but were killed during the initial phase of the assault.
“The attack was so successful it knocked out most of the candidates,” Trump said. “It’s not going to be anybody that we were thinking of because they are all dead. Second or third place is dead.”
{Matzav.com}
As security tensions intensify under Operation Roaring Lion, the Health Ministry announced sweeping new measures Sunday night, including the mass early discharge of hospital patients to create surge capacity. Community clinics will operate under emergency protocols, well-baby clinics will remain closed, and urgent care centers will significantly expand their services.
Reflecting a system-wide move to Alert Level Dalet, the ministry said hospitals are being prepared for extreme scenarios. Under the updated directives, efforts to release patients early from all hospitals will continue, and well-baby clinics will remain closed.
Continuing policies implemented over the past 24 hours, the ministry clarified that services on Monday will focus on urgent care only. Health funds have been instructed to keep open those clinics and medical facilities that comply with Home Front Command protection guidelines.
The directive states that only essential activity should take place in the community, alongside measures designed to minimize hospital visits. Health funds are required to strengthen telephone hotlines and expand remote medical services as alternatives to clinics that have been closed due to sheltering limitations.
In an effort to maintain continuity of care and prevent overcrowding in emergency rooms, health funds have been ordered to extend the operating hours of urgent care centers into the morning and afternoon, and in certain areas to run them 24 hours a day. General hospitals have likewise been directed to continue early discharge of inpatients to preserve their ability to absorb casualties, while elective and outpatient procedures are being significantly curtailed.
The measures also apply to the mental health system, where hundreds of calls have been reported to emergency hotlines, as well as to geriatric and rehabilitation hospitals, which have been instructed to create reserves of available beds. Despite the strict restrictions, the Health Ministry sought to convey cautious optimism, stating that it intends to ease some of the limitations in the coming days where possible. However, officials emphasized that all well-baby clinics will remain closed Monday, and district health offices will operate only for the most urgent cases.
{Matzav.com}Iranian state television was briefly overtaken in a major cyber intrusion that aired a direct video message from Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, replacing regular programming with wartime visuals and a call aimed at the Iranian public.
The interruption opened with a split-screen display of smoke-filled scenes and destruction, accompanied by Persian-language text asserting that the Iranian government is collapsing and that “only the people of Iran should decide about their own future and the future of their country”.
Netanyahu then appeared on screen, declaring that Israel plans to target “thousands of targets of the terrorist regime” in the days ahead. He described the current moment as a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” for Iranians to “liberate themselves from the chains of tyranny”.
As the broadcast ended, Netanyahu addressed viewers directly, encouraging them to prepare for action. “Don’t sit on your hands,” he warned. “Soon your moment will arrive, the moment you will be required to take to the streets”.
{Matzav.com}Israeli Police arrested a suspect Sunday after footage circulated online showing individuals cheering as air raid sirens sounded warning of Iranian rocket fire toward Israel.
The video, which spread across social media and came to the attention of officers in the Judea region of the Shai District, shows several Palestinians alongside Israeli activists celebrating as sirens blared, signaling that Iran had launched missiles at Israel.
Following a brief intelligence investigation, police identified one of the suspects as a 60-year-old resident of Samu. He was taken into custody for questioning, and authorities said additional arrests are expected among others seen rejoicing in the footage.
In a statement, police said: “The Israel Police will act decisively against anyone who exploits the security situation during wartime to incite against the State of Israel, encourage the enemy, and support harm to the security of Israel’s citizens, wherever they may be.”
{Matzav.com}Israeli fighter jets have unleashed more than 2,000 bombs on Iranian regime positions and military installations since the fighting with the Islamic Republic began on Shabbos, the Israel Defense Forces announced, describing an extensive and fast-moving aerial campaign across Iran.
According to the military, the volume of ordnance released during the first 30 hours of combat amounts to roughly half of what the Israeli Air Force expended during the entire 12-day war in June 2025.
The IDF said that since the launch of the current operation, Israeli aircraft have flown over 700 missions and secured control of Iranian airspace within the first day. The military added that numerous air defense systems in western Iran were neutralized as part of the opening phase of the assault.
“In recent hours, air force aircraft have been operating with air superiority over the skies of Tehran, striking and destroying numerous targets,” the IDF said in a statement.
With control of the air established, Israeli pilots were able to deploy “stand-in” munitions directly over Tehran — meaning bombs dropped straight onto their targets rather than relying on long-range missile fire.
Throughout Sunday, Israeli forces struck a wide range of sites across Iran, including ballistic missile launchers, air defense batteries, and military headquarters, reportedly facing little resistance from remaining Iranian defenses.
After signaling that its campaign would move into the “heart” of the Iranian capital, the IDF later said it had demolished dozens of regime command centers in Tehran, including the headquarters of Iran’s internal security forces, in a large-scale assault involving dozens of fighter jets.
The military said the internal security headquarters “served as a command and control center responsible for linking the command echelon with the Iranian terror regime’s forces on the ground, and led the brutal repression against the Iranian people.”
The IDF also reported the destruction of a facility used by the Thar-Allah Headquarters, an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps unit responsible for securing the Tehran region.
In a subsequent wave of attacks later Sunday, more than 100 aircraft targeted additional regime command centers affiliated with the IRGC, including intelligence, air force, and internal security branches, IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said during an evening briefing.
“These are significant and powerful strikes. These headquarters operated against Israel and the entire world. Today they were destroyed along with everyone operating in them,” Defrin said.
Beyond command hubs and missile infrastructure, the military said it destroyed two Iranian F-4 and F-5 fighter jets that were positioned for departure at Tabriz airport in western Iran.
The IDF said the strike on those aircraft was intended to “cause a blow to activities of the Iranian Air Force and to deepen the damage to the regime’s defense systems.”
During a meeting with senior commanders Sunday night, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said Israel had already achieved major gains inside Iran.
“We are less than 48 hours into the campaign we are engaged in; many more days of fighting lie ahead. We will do everything and operate to the best of our abilities to accelerate the achievements, and we are sparing no effort,” Zamir said in a video released by the IDF.
“We opened with a powerful surprise and with very significant achievements that have affected the development of the campaign and its results. Already now we can say that the achievements we reached at the outset will influence our end-state,” he added.
At the same time, Iran continued firing missile barrages at Israeli territory. Nine people were killed when a projectile struck Beit Shemesh. Military officials said an inquiry was underway into why the missile was not intercepted, while reiterating longstanding warnings that air defense systems cannot provide complete protection. Later Sunday evening, additional injuries were reported after an Iranian missile hit a roadway.
The IDF said the missile interception rate has been “high,” though it did not release specific figures. It added that Israeli fighter jets, helicopters, and air defense batteries have shot down more than 50 drones launched from Iran.
As the confrontation widened, the military confirmed it had called up 100,000 reservists in connection with the conflict, apparently in addition to the 50,000 already serving.
The IDF said ground forces were reinforced along Israel’s borders with Syria, Lebanon, and the Gaza Strip, as well as in the West Bank.
The Home Front Command alone mobilized 20,000 reservists, primarily assigned to search-and-rescue missions, while additional reinforcements were deployed to the Air Force, Navy, and Intelligence Directorate.
{Matzav.com}
