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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Tuesday that the United Kingdom is sending a warship and two Royal Navy Wildcat helicopters to Cyprus after an Iranian drone hit the British Royal Air Force (RAF) base of Akrotiri Monday morning on the east Mediterranean island.

In a social media post, Starmer said he spoke with the president of Cyprus, and the U.K. is deploying helicopters with counter-drone capabilities and the air-defense destroyer HMS Dragon to the region.

"The UK is fully committed to the security of Cyprus and British military personnel based there," he wrote in the post. "We’re continuing our defensive operations… We will always act in the interest of the UK and our allies."

The strike, which came days after Starmer reaffirmed his country was not involved in the conflict, hit a runway at the air base just after midnight Monday morning.

TOMAHAWKS, B-2 STEALTH BOMBERS AND ATTACK DRONES POUND OVER 1,000 IRANIAN TARGETS IN 24-HOUR BLITZ

While there were no injuries, minor damage was reported.

British Defense Secretary John Healey said the country is "moving quickly" to further reinforce its defensive presence in the Eastern Mediterranean.

"HMS Dragon brings world-class air defence capability, and our Wildcat helicopters are armed with Martlet missiles to counter the growing drone threat," Healey wrote in a statement. "I am deeply proud of the professionalism and bravery of our Armed Forces personnel who have, in recent days, successfully taken action across the region to protect our allies and defend British interests."

The HMS Dragon, a type 45 destroyer, will strengthen the U.K.’s ability to detect, track and destroy aerial threats — including drones.

The ship is fitted with the world-leading Sea Viper missile system, which can launch eight missiles in under 10 seconds and guide up to 16 missiles simultaneously. 

The deployment comes as the British armed forces successfully shot down multiple drones across the region over the last 24 hours.

RAF F-35B jets shot down drones over Jordan — the first time an RAF F-35 has destroyed a target on operations — supported by Typhoon jets and a Voyager tanker aircraft. 

A British counter-drone unit neutralized drones in Iraqi airspace heading toward coalition forces, while an RAF Typhoon operating with the joint U.K.-Qatar 12 Squadron shot down an Iranian one-way attack drone directed at Qatar using an air-to-air missile on Monday.

Prior to the strike in Cyprus, Starmer released a video explaining that Iran launched sustained attacks across the region, on countries that did not attack them. 

"They've hit airports and hotels where British citizens are staying. This is clearly a dangerous situation," Starmer said. "We have at least 200,000 British citizens in the region. Residents, families on holiday and those in transit. I ask all our people in the region to please register your presence. And follow foreign office travel advice. I know this is a deeply worrying time, and we will continue to do all we can to support you."

GULF STATES CONDEMN IRANIAN RETALIATORY STRIKES ON THEIR TERRITORIES FOLLOWING US-ISRAELI OPERATION

He added that the British armed forces are also "at risk," noting Iran hit a military base Saturday in Bahrain, "narrowly missing British personnel." 

"The death of the supreme leader will not stop Iran from launching these strikes," Starmer said. "Their approach is becoming even more reckless and more dangerous to civilians. Our decision that the U.K. would not be involved with the strikes on Iran was deliberate. Not least because we believe that the best way forward for the region and for the world is a negotiated settlement — one in which Iran agrees to give up any aspirations to develop a nuclear weapon — but Iran is striking British interests nonetheless, and putting British people at huge risk, along with our allies across the region. That is the situation we face today."

He said partners in the Gulf asked them to "do more" to defend them, prompting a decision to allow the U.S. to use British air bases for targeted strikes against Iranian missile launchers and storage depots.

"We have British jets in the air as part of coordinated defensive operations, which have already successfully intercepted Iranian strikes. But the only way to stop the threat is to destroy the missiles at source — in their storage depots or the launchers which are used to fire the missiles," Starmer said. "The basis of our decision is the collective self-defense of long-standing friends and allies, and protecting British lives… We are not joining these strikes, but we will continue with our defensive actions in the region."

"I want to be very clear: We all remember the mistakes of Iraq, and we have learned those lessons," he continued. "We were not involved in the initial strikes on Iran, and we will not join offensive action now. But Iran is pursuing a scorched earth strategy. So we are supporting the collective self-defense of our allies and our people in the region because that is our duty to the British people. It is the best way to eliminate the urgent threat and prevent the situation spiraling further. This is the British government protecting British interests and British lives."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

FIRST ON FOX: As Israel wages what it describes as an existential campaign against Iran, IDF spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said the war has reinforced a fundamental strategic shift in how Israel sees itself and its alliances, particularly with the United States and regional partners.

"Israel was never part of this region. We thought we were part of Europe," he said. "Since the Abraham Accords started, we are having good relations with our neighbors. We are part of this region now."

He described the 2020 agreements as transformative, building on the peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan. "The military cooperation is great. Some of the things are overt and some covert," Defrin said in his first English-language media interview since the beginning of the conflict. "Iran is a regional threat, and that is clear to everyone now."

But he stressed the campaign against Tehran is not only regional.

"It’s a worldwide problem, it’s a global problem, it’s a regional problem and it’s also an Israeli problem," he said. "They are not hitting only Israel."

ISRAEL STRIKES IRANIAN LEADERSHIP MEETING CHOOSING KHAMENEI SUCCESSOR

The spokesperson revealed that the operation was preceded by months of strategic deception.

"It was a strategic and operational deception," he said.

On the eve of the strike, senior officials deliberately maintained routine appearances.

"Friday night we went to dinner at home. The chief of staff and I returned late in cars that were not our official vehicles. The official cars stayed at home, and we made sure that from satellite imagery it would not look like the Kirya (ministry of defense) was full while all the planes were armed and ready."

He said Iran was caught off guard. "For many long months there was deception, so they were surprised. They fired what they had pre-planned in their preset response."

The spokesperson said the strike that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, was carried out in coordination with the Trump administration. "It was a mutual operation," he said. "The cooperation between us and the American military is amazing. We have mutual planning and mutual executing for the plans in Iran and beyond."

HEGSETH LAYS OUT 'CLEAR' 3-PART MISSION AGAINST IRAN, SAYS WAR ‘IS NOT ENDLESS'

He framed the operation as part of unprecedented U.S.-Israeli military coordination. The entire operation in Iran is a mutual and coordinated campaign," he said.

He also described a broader international dimension. "It’s a problem with the United States of America as well," he said, citing attacks by Iranian-backed groups that have killed American service members and threatened shipping lanes.

"They are posing a threat to the Red Sea… the movement of naval ships in the Suez Canal dropped by 90% since the Houthis started shooting at ships in the Bab al-Mandab Strait," he said. "It’s a global problem. It’s a terror regime. They are acting all over the world. And again, we had to act."

He added that regional states increasingly understand the threat. "Israel is here to stay. You see the countries of the region placing their trust in Israel."

Addressing reports that dozens of senior Iranian figures were eliminated in a strike on Tuesday, including claims that 88 members of Iran’s Assembly of Experts were killed, he dismissed the figures.

"We struck a few targets involved in terrorism. We still don’t have any battle damage assessment. Once we have it, we will publish it. It’s too early."

He emphasized that the targets were military. "We struck military targets," he said. "They are attacking population centers."

According to the spokesperson, Israeli intelligence shows Iran is deliberately aiming at civilians "to exact a price," including launches toward civilian infrastructure.

EX-CIA CHIEF WARNS NOT TO UNDERESTIMATE IRAN’S RESPONSE AFTER OPERATION EPIC FURY EXPOSED REGIME ‘ARROGANCE’

Explaining the decision to launch the campaign, the spokesperson described Iran as an imminent existential threat.

"We didn’t have another choice, unfortunately. It’s an existential imminent threat. This is a terror regime," he said.

"They declared it. Whatever they declared, they did."

Asked whether regime change is an objective, he drew a distinction between military aims and political outcomes.

TRUMP ADMIN WARNED LAWMAKERS ISRAEL WAS 'DETERMINED TO ACT WITH OR WITHOUT US' BEFORE MASSIVE IRAN STRIKES

"As a member of the military, I cannot say we have an aim to remove the regime," he said. "But definitely, we want to weaken it and create the conditions that one day this regime will be removed by its own people."

As fighting expands to Lebanon following renewed Hezbollah fire, he reiterated Israel’s view of Iran as the head of a regional network.

"Hezbollah is an octopus. The head of the octopus is in Iran."

For Israel, he said, the campaign has clarified a strategic reality shaped by the Abraham Accords and deepened U.S. cooperation. "We are part of this region now."

The Israel Defense Forces released a video Tuesday showing the Israeli Air Force destroying the "Iranian regime’s missile launchers, defense systems, and live-fire arrays." 

The IDF said more than 60 strikes recently were carried out in waves across western Iran, hitting targets including vehicles carrying ballistic missiles, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and loaded missile launchers. 

The development comes as Iran "once again" fired missiles containing cluster sub-munitions toward Israeli civilians on Tuesday in central Israel, according to IDF international spokesperson Lt. Nadav Shoshani. 

"The Iranian regime’s war crimes continue," he wrote on X.

NEW SATELLITE IMAGES SHOW FIRES, NAVAL BASE DAMAGE ACROSS IRAN AFTER US-ISRAELI STRIKES

Shoshani also said in a video that, "Our forces, along with the U.S. armed forces, continue degrading the Iranian regime's military capabilities." 

"Yesterday, Iran’s main terrorist proxy, Hezbollah, launched dozens of rockets and UAVs from southern Lebanon at Israeli civilians in northern Israel," he continued. "Our forces have been prepared to strengthen and protect all borders as part of this operation and are more than ready." 

ISRAELI MINISTER OUTLINES IRAN MISSION GOALS, SAYS IRANIAN PEOPLE NOW HAVE CHANCE TO ‘REGAIN THEIR FREEDOM'

"We are preparing for the possibility of Hezbollah expanding their attacks against Israeli civilians," Shoshani warned. "This includes reinforcing aerial defense systems and troops presence."

"Overnight, IDF troops were positioned in southern Lebanon at several points near the border area as part of an enhanced forward defense posture. Let me be clear: this is not a ground maneuver into Lebanon. It is a tactical step to create an additional level of security for the residents of northern Israel," Shoshani added. 

"Let me remind you, on Oct. 8th, the day after the Oct. 7 massacre, Hezbollah took control of vantage points near the northern border and fired RPGs and missiles indiscriminately towards Israeli civilians in the northern border. As a result, Israel had to evacuate around 60,000 civilians from their homes for many months. We will not let that happen again," he said. "Overnight, we carried out a series of preventative strikes on Hezbollah military infrastructure across Lebanon in order to neutralize the continuous fire towards our civilians." 

Israeli forces struck a meeting of Iran’s Supreme Council on Tuesday as officials gathered to choose a successor to the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a senior Israeli official told Fox News.

"Israel struck while they were counting the votes for the appointment of the supreme leader," the official said.

The strike underscored the depth of Israeli intelligence penetration inside Tehran and marked one of the most dramatic escalations yet in the joint U.S.-Israeli campaign aimed at dismantling Iran’s political and military leadership from the top down.

It came as Iran’s leadership structure appeared increasingly hollowed out.

ISRAELI MINISTER OUTLINES IRAN MISSION GOALS, SAYS IRANIAN PEOPLE NOW HAVE CHANCE TO ‘REGAIN THEIR FREEDOM'

More than 40 of Iran’s most senior leaders — including Khamenei — have been killed since the operation began, with 49 eliminated in the opening salvo of Operation Epic Fury early Saturday, fracturing the regime’s command structure and dealing a crippling blow to its military leadership and command-and-control networks.

Israeli analysts estimated that more than 1,000 enemy combatants have been killed inside Iran since the United States launched Operation Epic Fury and Israel launched its parallel campaign, Operation Roaring Lion, on Saturday. The estimate came from Israel’s latest battle damage assessment, according to a senior Israeli official.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu framed the conflict as part of a broader effort to neutralize Iran’s ballistic missile and nuclear ambitions.

KEY MILITARY SITES TARGETED INSIDE IRAN AS PART OF COORDINATED US-ISRAELI STRIKES

"With these ballistic missiles, these weapons of mass death, these weapons, they bombed all these countries," Netanyahu said. "And when they developed these ballistic missiles, they'll try and eventually they'll bomb you. This is what President Trump understood."

Vice President JD Vance said the administration had set a clear, limited objective for the operation.

"There's just no way that Donald Trump is going to allow this country to get into a multi-year conflict, with no clear end in sight and no clear objective," Vance said. "He's defined that objective as Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon and has to commit long-term to never trying to rebuild the nuclear capability."

The joint U.S.-Israel assault entered its fourth day Tuesday, with no signs of slowing down.

President Donald Trump said the plan was ahead of schedule following the early elimination of Iran’s top leaders.

The U.S. urged Americans to leave 14 countries across the Middle East as Iran’s counterattacks intensified. The State Department also closed two embassies in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

The Gulf Cooperation Council warned Iran it would take "all necessary measures," including possible military action, in response to Tehran’s missile and drone attacks.

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee described what he believes is the "best option" for Americans looking to flee Israel amid the ongoing unrest across the Middle East. 

Huckabee said overnight, "We are getting a lot of requests regarding evacuating from Israel from American citizens who are currently in Israel or who have family here," and that there are "very limited" options available. 

"As of now, the best is utilizing Israel's Ministry of Tourism shuttle bus to Taba, Egypt and getting flights from there or going on to Cairo for flights back to the U.S.," Huckabee said on X. "Not sure when Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv will reopen.  Hopefully soon, but even when it does, there will be VERY limited flights with priorities to those who already were ticketed by El Al. Doubtful that other airlines will fly in/out for a while." 

"The Ministry of Tourism is operating buses to Taba. That crossing is further away, but it’s open 24/7. There are some flights from Taba, but there are also options to get to Cairo, and it’s operating normally except to Middle Eastern countries. To get out, it’s the best option for now," Huckabee added. 

LIVE UPDATES: IRANIAN BARRAGES TEST ALLIED INTERCEPTOR RESERVES AS US SOUNDS ALARM FOR AMERICANS IN REGION

Huckabee also said he does not recommend Americans exit via Jordan at this time, as "Flights are not consistent and access across the Allenby crossing has limited hours." 

"All of our personnel from [the] embassy are sheltering in place, but I realize you may need to get people out and back home and not continue to incur hotel costs," the ambassador wrote. 

NETANYAHU INSISTS US AND ISRAEL'S STRIKES ON IRAN WON'T LEAD TO ‘ENDLESS WAR’

U.S. Embassy Jerusalem said in a statement early Tuesday morning that it is "not in a position at this time to evacuate or directly assist Americans in departing Israel." It also mentioned the Israeli Ministry of Tourism’s buses to Taba.

"To be added to the passenger list for a shuttle, you must register via the Ministry’s evacuation form," it said.  

"The U.S. Embassy cannot make any recommendation (for or against) the Ministry of Tourism’s shuttle. If you choose to avail yourself of this option to depart, the U.S. government cannot guarantee your safety," it added. 

Vice President JD Vance confirmed Monday that negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program collapsed after U.S. officials concluded Tehran’s claims "did not pass the smell test," prompting President Donald Trump to authorize Operation Epic Fury.

Speaking on "Jesse Watters Primetime," Vance said U.S. envoys — including Steve Witkoff, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Jared Kushner — had conducted rounds of "deliberate" talks in Geneva with the Iranian delegation.

The discussions were aimed at curbing Tehran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief and averting a broader conflict, he said, but ultimately broke down.

"But the Iranians would come back to us and they'd say, ‘Well, you know, having enrichment for civilian purposes, for energy purposes, is a matter of national pride,’" Vance said.

WHY TRUMP INVOKED REGIME CHANGE IN ATTACKING IRAN, AND THE MEDIA MUST LEARN FROM PAST MISTAKES

"And so we would say, ‘OK, that's interesting, but why are you building your enrichment facilities 70 feet underground? And why are you enriching to a level that's way beyond civilian enrichment and is only useful if your goal is to build a nuclear bomb?’" he said.

"Nobody objects to the Iranians being able to build medical isotopes; the objection is these enrichment facilities that are only useful for building a nuclear weapon," Vance clarified.

"It just doesn't pass the smell test for you to say that you want enrichment for medical isotopes, while at the same time trying to build a facility 70 to 80 feet underground," he explained.

TRUMP DECLARES 'I GOT HIM BEFORE HE GOT ME' AFTER IRAN'S SUPREME LEADER KILLED IN STRIKE

Vance spoke as Operation Epic Fury ended its third day. Launched on Feb. 28, U.S. and Israeli forces carried out coordinated precision strikes deep inside Iran aimed at crippling Tehran’s missile arsenal and nuclear infrastructure.

A key issue had been Iran enriching uranium to high levels, including material around 60% purity — a fraction of weapons-grade but far above limits set under the 2015 nuclear deal — keeping international alarm high over proliferation risks.

"We destroyed Iran's ability to build a nuclear weapon during President Trump's term," Vance told Watters. "We set them back substantially. But I think the President was looking for the long haul," he said.

"Trump was looking for Iran to make a significant long-term commitment that they would never build a nuclear weapon, that they would not pursue the ability to be on the brink of a nuclear weapon."

FIRES RAGE AT IRAN'S BANDAR ABBAS NAVAL HEADQUARTERS, STRAIT OF HORMUZ TRAFFIC STALLED

"He wanted to make sure that Iran could never have a nuclear weapon, and that would require fundamentally a change in mindset from the Iranian regime."

"The President is not going to rest until he accomplishes that all-important objective of ensuring that Iran can't have a nuclear weapon, not just for the next few years, not just because we obliterated for dough or some other."

"There's just no way that Donald Trump is going to allow this country to get into a multiyear conflict with no clear end in sight and no clear objective," Vance added while describing that the administration would prefer to see "a friendly regime in Iran, a stable country, a country that's willing to work with the United States."

Iranian drone strikes forced Qatar to halt liquefied natural gas (LNG) production Monday, jolting global energy markets and raising fears about supply disruptions as Tehran increased its attacks on regional infrastructure.

QatarEnergy, the state-owned giant and one of the world’s largest LNG producers, suspended operations at two facilities after drones launched from Iran hit the sites, according to reports.

Qatar’s Ministry of Defense also said in a statement, that two drones hit facilities in the country, though no casualties were reported.

The attacks also targeted a water tank at a power plant in Mesaieed and a key energy installation in Ras Laffan.

AMERICA STRIKES IRAN AGAIN — HAS WASHINGTON PLANNED FOR WHAT COMES NEXT?

Qatar’s Ras Laffan complex is the world’s largest LNG export facility, making it one of the most critical energy hubs in the world.

About 20% of global LNG trade transited the Strait of Hormuz in 2024, primarily from Qatar, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Markets reacted Monday with Europe’s benchmark natural gas futures surging by the largest margin since the 2022 energy crisis triggered by the Ukraine war, Bloomberg reported.

GULF SHIPPING OPERATIONS GRIND TO HALT NEAR IRAN, US QUIETLY PREPARES FOR POSSIBLE STRIKE: 'HEIGHTENED RISK'

Bloomberg also reported Dutch TTF natural gas prices rose by 50% after news of the shutdown. Asian LNG prices also recorded gains as traders tried to assess the scale and length of the disruption.

"The threat to security of supply is here and now," Simone Tagliapietra, an analyst at Bruegel, told Bloomberg. "The extent of it will depend on the duration of the shutdown, but we are now into a new scenario."

In Saudi Arabia, another drone attack caused a fire at the kingdom’s Ras Tanura oil refinery, forcing a partial shutdown there as well.

Saudi authorities have not reported casualties, but the attack heightened fears of broader instability in the Gulf’s energy corridor, according to reports.

Iran is conducting "indiscriminate" targeting of vessels across the Gulf of Oman and the wider Persian Gulf following the launch of U.S.-Israeli strikes under Operation Epic Fury, according to a maritime intelligence firm.

Windward AI noted the sanctioned Palau-flagged tanker Skylight was hit as the conflict across the Middle East entered its second day, with the tanker also holding Iranian nationals among the crew and ties to the regime.

"Analysis of vessel affiliations, targeting patterns, and cargo data points to a strategy of indiscriminate area denial — not precision targeting — aimed at demonstrating Iran's capability to disrupt the Strait and deter commercial shipping," the firm said Monday.

GULF STATES INTERCEPT HUNDREDS OF IRANIAN MISSILES AND DRONES, ISSUE JOINT CONDEMNATION WITH US

Iran has been retaliating with missiles and drones targeting U.S. and allied positions across the region, including in Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.

Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which links the Gulf of Oman to the Persian Gulf, is the world’s most critical energy chokepoint.

While three other vessels were reported attacked since the hostilities escalated Feb. 28, Windward described Skylight as "the highest-risk vessel in the group and the most anomalous target."

The UKMTO Operation Centre also later confirmed attacks on Skylight, MKD Vyom and Hercules Star, warning of significant military activity across the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, the North Arabian Sea and the Strait of Hormuz.

Skylight had been sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control in December 2025, and was used to transport Iranian petroleum products, according to reports.

It was operated by United Arab Emirates-based Red Sea Ship Management LLC, which Windward noted has documented ties to front companies linked to Iran’s Ministry of Defense.

The vessel had been at anchor since Feb. 22 and carried 20 crew members — 15 Indians and five Iranians.

DUBAI HOTEL FIRE APPEARS TO BE CAUSED BY IRANIAN STRIKE; INJURIES REPORTED

"The Skylight anomaly — striking a vessel with an Iranian crew, Iranian operational ties, and active OFAC sanctions — is the single strongest piece of evidence against deliberate targeting by affiliation," Windward said.

Reuters also reported March 1 that the Palau-flagged tanker was hit off Oman’s Musandam Peninsula in the Gulf of Oman, injuring four.

Oman’s Maritime Security Center said in a post on X that Skylight was attacked about 5 nautical miles north of Khasab Port, caught fire and was evacuated.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth warned that some traditional U.S. allies are "hemming and hawing about the use of force" as Washington presses forward with its campaign against Iran, raising fresh questions about NATO cohesion at a moment of escalation.

Spain has refused U.S. permission to use certain bases for strikes on Iran, calling for de-escalation and adherence to international law. Turkey has criticized the operation and warned of broader regional destabilization, while President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said he was "saddened" by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s death and denied that Turkish territory was used in the campaign. 

In a statement released on Saturday, French President Emmanuel Macron said that, "The outbreak of war between the United States, Israel and Iran carries grave consequences for international peace and security." He added, "The ongoing escalation is dangerous for all. It must stop."

HEGSETH LAYS OUT 'CLEAR' 3-PART MISSION AGAINST IRAN, SAYS WAR ‘IS NOT ENDLESS'

During Monday's media briefing, Hegseth drew a sharp contrast between Israel and what he described as hesitant allies. "Israel has clear missions as well, for which we are grateful. Capable partners, as we've said since the beginning. Capable partners are good partners, unlike so many of our traditional allies, who wring their hands and clutch their pearls, hemming and hawing about the use of force."

The criticism reflects growing frustration inside the administration that while some European capitals have issued statements of support, operational backing has not matched the rhetoric.

President Donald Trump also voiced dissatisfaction with allied hesitation. In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, Trump said he was "very disappointed" in British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for initially blocking U.S. use of British bases and that Starmer took "far too much time" to reverse course.

The United Kingdom later authorized U.S. use of key facilities, including Diego Garcia, after raising initial legal objections and following a drone strike on RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus.

Justin Fulcher, former senior adviser to Hegseth, told Fox News Digital the moment represents "an absolutely critical inflection point where NATO should act in a unified way in support of what the United States is doing."

He framed the issue as larger than the current campaign. "Symbolically, the U.S.-NATO alliance is critical when looking at actually restoring deterrence globally," Fulcher said, arguing that visible unity would send a message not only to Tehran but to other geopolitical rivals watching how the alliance responds under pressure.

FROM MISSILES TO MINERALS: THE STRATEGIC MEANING BEHIND THE IRAN STRIKE

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has sought to downplay suggestions of division.

"I spoke with all the key European leaders over the weekend," Rutte said on Fox News. "There is widespread support for what the president is doing."

He added, "Europe is stepping up, is doing what is necessary to make sure this operation can go ahead and deliver all the enablement necessary."

Germany has struck a more cautious tone. Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned in Sunday that strikes risk an Iraq- or Afghanistan-style quagmire and that Europe would bear the consequences.

At the same time, he said Berlin would not "lecture" the U.S. "We recognize the dilemma," he said, explaining that repeated attempts over past decades had not put Iran off trying to acquire nuclear weapons or oppressing its own people. "So we're not going to be lecturing our partners on their military strikes against Iran."

"Despite all the doubts, we share many of their aims," he said.

ISRAELI MINISTER OUTLINES IRAN MISSION GOALS, SAYS IRANIAN PEOPLE NOW HAVE CHANCE TO ‘REGAIN THEIR FREEDOM'

Fulcher contrasted the current hesitation with the strong reactions from some NATO capitals during past alliance disputes, including tensions surrounding Greenland.

"When you look at Greenland, that was obviously a very touchy subject for some countries in the Alliance," Fulcher said. "Iran for decades has been a huge promoter and funder of terrorism all across the globe — attacks that have happened in Europe, in many NATO and European countries," he said. "For me, it is quite shocking that we’re seeing a difficult time for many NATO members to fully unify and step up in support of the United States and what the U.S. and Israel is doing in Iran."

He argued that Europe has a significant strategic incentive to see Iranian capabilities degraded.

"I think actually Europe and NATO have the most to gain from neutralizing the threat that emanates from Iran," Fulcher said. "When you look at whether the ballistic missile threat or some of the state-sponsored terrorism threats, Europe has been on the receiving end of much more of these threats than the United States has in some cases."

He stressed that support should extend beyond public endorsements.

"Some of our European allies can do a lot more to not just support with words, which should be the bare minimum here, but also support with actual tangible action," Fulcher concluded.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Six American military service members have been killed amid Iran's retaliation over U.S. and Israeli attacks over the weekend, officials said Monday. 

The U.S. Central Command, or CENTCOM, said U.S. forces recently recovered the remains of two previously unaccounted for service members from a facility that was struck during Iran's initial attacks in the region. 

"Major combat operations continue. The identities of the fallen are being withheld until 24 hours after next of kin notification," a CENTCOM post on X states. 

TOMAHAWKS, B-2 STEALTH BOMBERS AND ATTACK DRONES POUND OVER 1,000 IRANIAN TARGETS IN 24-HOUR BLITZ

Following U.S. attacks that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Tehran launched a series of strikes on U.S. military bases in Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arab, as well as against Israel. 

On Monday, Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said more U.S. troops were headed toward the Middle East amid escalations by Iran. 

DOZENS OF TOP IRANIAN REGIME OFFICIALS, SUPREME LEADER KILLED IN ISRAELI STRIKES

The U.S. mission in Iran, Caine said, is to "prevent Iran from (the) ability to project power outside its borders."

War Secretary Pete Hegseth said the mission is to prevent Tehran from producing a nuclear weapon, as well as destroying some of its military capabilities.

Over the weekend, Iran had 11 ships in the Gulf of Oman where it has disrupted commercial shipping, CENTCOM said, but that number declined to zero by Monday.

"The Iranian regime has harassed and attacked international shipping in the Gulf of Oman for decades. Those days are over," it said. "Freedom of maritime navigation has underpinned American and global economic prosperity for more than 80 years. U.S. forces will continue to defend it." 

Satellite images released Monday show fires burning and vast plumes of black smoke rising from Iran’s main naval headquarters at Bandar Abbas, with at least one vessel ablaze following a strike.

The images, from Planet Labs, were released within days of the U.S. and Israel launching targeted strikes on Iran, and ahead of President Donald Trump saying he would not rule out sending U.S. troops into Iran if "necessary" amid Operation Epic Fury.

The escalation comes as commercial tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has effectively stalled, according to maritime intelligence firm Windward AI. 

US SURGES FORCES TO MIDDLE EAST AS PENTAGON WARNS IRAN FIGHT ‘WILL TAKE SOME TIME'

According to the Times of Israel, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) commander also said the Strait of Hormuz was closed Monday, with Iran claiming it would set fire to any vessel trying to pass.

Fox News National Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffin confirmed the Strait of Hormuz was not closed, according to CENTCOM.

Bandar Abbas, the capital of Hormozgan Province, occupies a key position along the Strait of Hormuz and the port is a key base serving as the headquarters of the Iranian Navy.

"As of 10:56 a.m. GMT on March 2, 2026, the Port of Bandar Abbas is experiencing multiple active fires, including one aboard a berthed vessel, while maintaining a significant combined military and commercial presence at port facilities," Windward AI reported.

FROM MISSILES TO MINERALS: THE STRATEGIC MEANING BEHIND THE IRAN STRIKE

"Three distinct fires are currently reported in the vicinity. Two are located at port infrastructure facilities, and one involves a vessel currently at berth."

Seventeen military vessels and five commercial ships remained docked despite the fires, the firm said, noting that the continued military concentration suggests "a heightened defensive posture rather than evacuation."

Windward warned that active fires at Iran’s principal naval and commercial port introduce "additional operational uncertainty" and raise the risk of secondary maritime disruption across the Gulf.

Video footage also shared by Iran International appeared to show an attack targeting Iranian naval air facilities in Bandar Abbas.

KEY MILITARY SITES TARGETED INSIDE IRAN AS PART OF COORDINATED US-ISRAELI STRIKES

Satellite imagery analyzed by BBC Verify identified a damaged vessel about 230 meters (750 feet) long — consistent, it said, with a Makran-class forward base ship operated by the Iranian Navy.

The Makran, a converted tanker measuring about 228 meters, is also a mobile maritime base and helicopter carrier capable of deploying up to five helicopters and fast-attack boats.

The strike at Iran's naval HQ came on the third day of open conflict, with U.S. Central Command saying it had sunk 11 Iranian vessels in the Gulf of Oman.

"Two days ago, the Iranian regime had 11 ships in the Gulf of Oman, today they have ZERO," CENTCOM said on X.

Trump has said "annihilating" Iran’s naval forces is a core objective of Operation Epic Fury, and that the U.S. has destroyed nine Iranian naval ships so far.

The Islamic Republic’s opaque and fractured governing system following the killing of its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei selected radical cleric Ayatollah Alireza Arafi to its interim leadership council on Saturday.

Ben Sabti, an Iran expert at the Institute of National Security Studies in Israel, said that, "His name was brought up in the last two or three years. He is not a kind of politician but is part of exporting the revolution from the propaganda side." A foundational pillar of the birth of the 1979 Islamic Republic was to export its violent Shiite ideology and foster radical Islamist revolutions across the globe.

"He's been marinating in Khomeinist ideology his entire career. Khomeinism is a threat to U.S. interests," Jason Brodsky, policy director of United Against Nuclear Iran, told Fox News Digital.

The founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran in 1979, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's "Death to America" pledge is a core feature of Khomeinism, according to experts.

TRUMP SAYS IRAN WANTS TO TALK BUT WHO WILL LEAD AFTER KHAMENEI?

According to a UANI report, Arafi has long been agitating against the U.S. and Israel. "America will take its wish for Iran to abandon production of military hardware to the grave," he is quoted as saying, and in a 2019 Friday Prayer sermon he announced, "We will stay with our imam and leader to the end, when we humiliate [global] arrogance. Together with the Sayyed of the resistance, we say: Oh great leader of the world of Islam, we will be with you until the end, when the arrogant people in the world are defeated, and Israel is erased."

Brodsky continued, "The fact that Iran’s system elevated Alireza Arafi to membership on the interim leadership council is a signal that he could be a leading candidate to replace Ali Khamenei as supreme leader. 

Arafi is also being watched in Washington. In an interview with Fox News Digital on Sunday, Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, described Arafi as ""a very hard-line cleric."

He noted that, "Arafi has been promoted through the ranks — heading Iran’s Seminary, leading Al-Mustafa University, and serving as a member of the Guardian Council and Assembly of Experts. Additionally, he has been Friday Prayer Leader of Qom, which is the center of the Iranian clergy. This provides him with religious, educational and government experience to replace Khamenei as supreme leader."

IRAN'S SUPREME LEADER RUNS 'STATE WITHIN A STATE' THROUGH SECRET 4,000-PERSON NETWORK, REPORT SAYS

According to UANI, Arafi promised "death" to protesters who knock over the turbans of Iranian Islamic clerics. "Those who attack the turbans of the clergy should know that the turban will become their shroud," Arafi said.

Brodsky added that, "Arafi helped make Al-Mustafa University into a training ground and recruiting center for the IRGC [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps]. Al-Mustafa University was later sanctioned by the U.S. government under counterterrorism authorities. A weakness in his candidacy to replace Khamenei is that he has never been a core member of the military-security establishment in Iran and has never led a branch of the Islamic Republic’s government apparatus.

"He is also not a Sayyid. [sign of high respect for people of lineage from the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Shiite tradition.] But his serving on an interim leadership council will expose him to foreign policy and security issues to a greater extent, and position him as a formidable contender. Alireza Arafi is an indoctrinated follower of Khomeinism and spearheaded an effort to further Islamize Iran’s university and seminary system," he said.

IRAN'S SUPREME LEADER ALI KHAMENEI DEAD AFTER IDF STRIKE HITS TEHRAN COMPOUND, ISRAELI SOURCE CONFIRMS

According to Iran Wire, an independent Iranian diaspora news outlet, "Alireza Arafi is a prominent hardline cleric, a member of the Guardian Council and the head of Iran’s seminaries, positions that place him at the center of the country’s religious establishment. His selection matters because the third member of the Temporary Leadership Council must be a theologian chosen by the Expediency Discernment Council — and Arafi is widely seen as a staunch loyalist to the core ideology of the Islamic Republic."

Mardo Soghom, a veteran journalist and Iran expert, told Fox News Digital, "What I can say at this point is that there is no unified government with sufficient control over the country. The foreign minister admits the IRGC is on its own. Arafi would never have the authority or the control Khamenei had. It is a compromise candidate whom the IRGC can control and is not a threat to two factions."

Mariam Memarsadeghi, Senior Fellow at Macdonald-Laurier Institute and founder and director of the Cyrus Forum for Iran’s Future, told Fox News Digital,"The regime or what remains of it is no different from a terrorist group. Now that the U.S. and Israel are bombing the U.S. and Israel ,every leader the terror group chooses will be rightly eliminated. The Iranian people are elated. All decent human beings who believe in freedom should be elated."

As sirens sound again across Israel amid escalating Iranian attacks, the country is confronting not only a new battlefield but old psychological wounds. In a stable in central Israel, Danny, is getting some healing.

On October 7, Danny (not his real name) said he was called up from home. Within days, he said, his unit was evacuating bodies from Kibbutz Kissufim under live fire. He spent six months in the war, moving between combat zones in Gaza and evacuating severely wounded soldiers. "We were shot at while evacuating the dead," he recalled. "I saw the wounded arrive in pieces. These are things I will never forget."

Since coming home, he says he is constantly on edge — sensitive to noise, tense, struggling to resume normal life. Once a week, he comes to work with a large dark horse named King. "There’s something that waits for me here," he said. "It’s the one day I can relax and leave the chaos behind. There’s something waiting for me here."

VIRGINIA MADSEN SAYS VETERANS AREN’T TRAINED TO COME HOME AFTER NEPHEW’S SUICIDE

His story is one of many emerging from a country that is facing a mental-health crisis with many of its troops suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. A recent Reuters report citing Israel's Defense Ministry said it has witnessed "a nearly 40% increase in PTSD cases amongst its soldiers since September 2023, and predicts the figure will increase by 180% by 2028." It also said that some 60% of all wounded troops suffer from PTSD, according to those figures.

Alex, 35, is another veteran who found his way to the same stable. Standing beside a horse named Donna, he prepares for another therapy session. A victim of another one of Israel's war he was stabbed seven times during Operation Cast Lead in 2009. He says the assault altered the course of his life.

"Pain you can get used to," he says. "But post-trauma — you cannot get used to."

He has been coming here for two months. "With Donna I feel the quiet and peace that I can’t feel at home when I’m alone and my thoughts go elsewhere," he says. "The treatment with the horses is changing my life. Every week more and more, and I don’t want it to end.

"The Transcending Trauma Project was founded by Dr. Anita Shkedi, a pioneer in therapeutic horseback riding in Israel since the 1980s. After years in the field, she came out of semi-retirement following the Oct. 7 attacks to launch the program under a new charity she created, Brothers of Jonathan.

The initiative provides equine-assisted therapy to reservists, soldiers, veterans, Nova music festival survivors and family members struggling with the psychological aftermath of war.

‘SHEEPDOG’ SHINES LIGHT ON THE WAR AFTER WAR, AS VETERANS CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE WITH LIFE BACK HOME

For Shkedi, the project is deeply personal.

Her son, Jonathan Boyden, was mortally wounded during a rescue mission in Lebanon in 1993 and died weeks later from his injuries. For years, she said, she felt she had never fully honored his memory. "When he was alive and serving in the army, he always said to me, ‘Do something and help the injured soldiers,’" she recalled. "So I put everything together and felt this was the right thing to do — to start a charity called Brothers of Jonathan and help people in the way I know best, which is with the horse."

Since launching in late 2023, the program has delivered more than a thousand therapy sessions and now operates with a growing waiting list. From the outset, Shkedi said her goal was not only treatment but prevention. "Right from the beginning, I was interested in prevention — if we can get to people early, maybe we can prevent symptoms of trauma from turning into chronic PTSD," she said. "We need to save this generation."

Many participants arrive in what she describes as "survival mode," stuck in cycles of fear, anxiety and hypervigilance. But she warns that another psychological wound is emerging alongside classic PTSD symptoms.

"There will be a high level of moral injury — shame and guilt — alongside fear, anxiety and depression," Shkedi said. "When that combines with PTSD, it is very shattering for a person."

MARINE-TURNED-PSYCHOLOGIST'S BRAIN BREAKTHROUGH IS HELPING VETERANS STILL FIGHTING INSIDE

In the stable, she says, something shifts.

"Traumatized people need a safe place. Sometimes home is not a safe place," she explained. "When they come to the horses, they attach easily. The environment becomes safe for them — and they start to feel safer inside."

The therapy is structured and trauma-informed. Participants learn first to regulate themselves alongside the horse and eventually to guide and care for the animal.

"We don’t get rid of trauma. Trauma has happened," Shkedi said. "Our job is to build resilience and post-traumatic growth — to help people move from co-regulation to self-regulation."

For some, she said, the bond has been lifesaving.

"We have had people who were struggling with suicidal thoughts. The fact that they can attach themselves to the horse has really helped them."

Looking ahead, Shkedi hopes to expand. "The dream is to have a place in Israel where people can come 24/7," she said. "A place that says: you are safe here."

As the war continues and more soldiers rotate home, she believes the psychological toll is only beginning to surface.

"We are not just here for people to ride a horse," she said. "We are here to help them move forward."

Several Gulf states on Monday said they intercepted hundreds of Iranian missiles and drones over the past 24 hours as regional tensions escalated in response to U.S. and Israeli strikes against Tehran.

Bahrain's National Communication Center said its air defenses intercepted 70 missiles and 59 drones targeting the kingdom.

Qatar said it downed two Iranian Su-24 fighter aircraft and intercepted seven ballistic missiles and five drones.

The United Arab Emirates Ministry of Defense reported intercepting nine ballistic missiles, six cruise missiles and 148 drones.

3 US WARPLANES SHOT DOWN BY KUWAITI AIR DEFENSES, PILOTS BAIL OUT IN FRIENDLY FIRE INCIDENT, CENTCOM SAYS

Since the start of Iran’s retaliatory attacks, the UAE said it has detected 174 ballistic missiles launched toward the country, destroying 161 while 13 fell into the sea. Officials also said 689 Iranian drones were detected, with 645 intercepted and 44 falling within the country’s territory.

On Sunday, the UAE announced it was closing its embassy in Tehran and withdrawing its ambassador and diplomatic staff in response to the strikes.

Kuwait said its air defenses have intercepted and destroyed 97 ballistic missiles and 283 drones since the attacks began, according to the state-run Kuwait News Agency.

TOMAHAWKS, B-2 STEALTH BOMBERS AND ATTACK DRONES POUND OVER 1,000 IRANIAN TARGETS IN 24-HOUR BLITZ

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Energy said Monday two drones were intercepted near the Ras Tanura oil refinery, with debris causing minor damage, according to the state-run Saudi Press Agency.

In response to the large-scale attacks, the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait and the United States released a joint statement condemning Iran’s "indiscriminate and reckless" missile and drone strikes across the region.

The countries said the strikes endangered civilians, damaged infrastructure and violated the sovereignty of multiple states.

TRUMP SAYS US MISSION IN IRAN IS ‘AHEAD OF SCHEDULE,’ VOWS TO ‘EASILY PREVAIL’ OVER REGIME

"The targeting of civilians and of countries not engaged in hostilities is reckless and destabilizing behavior," the statement reads in part. "We stand united in defense of our citizens, sovereignty, and territory, and reaffirm our right to self-defense in the face of these attacks. We remain committed to regional security and commend the effective air and missile defense cooperation that has prevented far greater loss of life and destruction."

Jordan’s military said it intercepted 49 Iranian projectiles on Saturday, including 13 ballistic missiles, according to the Jordanian outlet Roya News.

The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad on Monday urged Americans in Iraq to shelter in place until further notice, citing heightened security threats across the country.

In an alert, the embassy advised U.S. citizens to exercise increased caution, avoid crowds and keep a low profile amid ongoing riots and demonstrations against the United States following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. 

It said protests, particularly near the July 14th Bridge in Baghdad, have turned violent, prompting Iraqi authorities to close the International Zone in central Baghdad with limited exceptions.

The U.S. Mission in Iraq also directed all staff to shelter in place and suspended consular operations, including routine services.

STATE DEPT ORDERS EVACUATION OF NON-EMERGENCY US PERSONNEL FROM EMBASSY IN BEIRUT

Iraqi airspace is currently closed, officials said, and travelers were advised to contact airlines directly for updates.

The State Department maintains a Level 4 "Do Not Travel" advisory for Iraq, urging Americans not to travel to the country for any reason and advising those already there to review personal security plans and consider departing when conditions allow.

TRUMP TELLS IRANIANS THE ‘HOUR OF YOUR FREEDOM IS AT HAND' AS US-ISRAEL LAUNCH STRIKES AGAINST IRAN

"Iran-aligned terrorist militias continue to pose a significant threat to public safety," the U.S. embassy said in a post on X. "Reports of missiles, drones, and rockets in Iraqi airspace continue."

The U.S. military presence in Iraq has shifted in recent years, with Iraqi officials announcing in January the formal handover of Al-Asad Air Base from U.S. forces to Iraqi control.

US JOINS ISRAEL IN PREEMPTIVE STRIKE ON IRAN AS TRUMP CONFIRMS ‘MAJOR COMBAT OPERATIONS’

The country's defense ministry described the move as part of a broader transition toward long-term security cooperation with the United States, Britain, France, Italy, Spain and other countries, focused on training and advisory support. 

Iraqi officials said international coalition forces are scheduled to withdraw from their headquarters in Erbil by the end of September 2026 under agreed-upon timelines.

An Israeli official tells Fox News Digital that the U.S.-Israeli mission in Iran has two main goals that may provide an opportunity to change the course of the future of the Middle East as their military forces continue to pummel the Iranian regime.

Israeli Minister of Diaspora Affairs Amichai Chikli said in an interview on Monday that the first of the two goals is to remove existential threats such as Iran’s ballistic missiles that were rapidly being repaired following last year’s Operation Midnight Hammer, which targeted key Iranian nuclear sites.

Chikli said these missiles are "capable of sending these missiles into the heart of our cities, into hospitals," and must be destroyed.

Of Iran’s nuclear program, he added that there are "still components that need to be removed."

KEANE WARNS IRAN STRIKE BECOMING ‘REGIONAL WAR,' SAYS THREE GULF STATES PREPARING FOR COMBAT

The second goal of the mission is to create conditions to change the regime in Iran, Chikli said.

"We are well aware of the fact that not the IDF and not the U.S. Army is going to replace the regime in Iran," he said. "It’s up to the Iranian people who have now the biggest opportunity in the last 40-plus years since the beginning of the revolution to do something in order to create a different reality in Iran and regain their freedom."

President Donald Trump on Saturday encouraged the Iranian people to take over their government once the U.S. and Israel finished combat operations in Iran, telling them to "seize control of [their] destiny."

DOZENS OF TOP IRANIAN REGIME OFFICIALS, SUPREME LEADER KILLED IN ISRAELI STRIKES

"The hour of your freedom is at hand. Stay sheltered. Don't leave your home. It's very dangerous outside. Bombs will be dropping everywhere. When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take," Trump said. "This will be, probably, your only chance for generations."

A U.S. senior official previously confirmed to Fox News that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was among five to 10 top leaders killed after an Israeli strike in Tehran as part of "Operation Epic Fury."

Chikli discussed a situation where Iran can be aligned with "the West, with freedom, with human dignity," adding that "we need to push forward to achieve this kind of change in Iran."

"Iran is a major state with a lot of resources, and it can be an ally," he said. "An ally of Israel, it can be an ally of the U.S., it can be an ally of the UAE, it can be an ally of Kuwait and every moderate regime in the region."

Iran's retaliation against the American and Israeli attacks has been focused on Israel and U.S. assets in the Middle East, including in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Jordan.

Iran’s actions prompted many Arab countries to condemn the regime’s strikes and affirm solidarity with one another.

The past 48 hours in Tel Aviv have been unlike anything seen before, a leading security analyst has said, as sirens blared amid missile threats following Operation Epic Fury and U.S.-Israeli strikes in Iran.

"We are facing a biblical event — nothing less," Kobi Michael, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies and the Misgav Institute, told Fox News Digital, speaking from his shelter in the city.

Like many Israelis, Michael said he had spent hours in reinforced rooms during the ongoing barrage, adding that he was "very experienced in this."

"But this all requires time and determination, and I do hope that Trump will also have them both," he said, speaking shortly after the president released a video message stating that the military operation would continue "until all of our objectives are achieved."

IRANIAN 'DICTATOR' DEATH CELEBRATED ON AIR BY SKY NEWS AUSTRALIA PRESENTER, TELLING HIM TO 'ROT IN HELL'

"Trump is the only one who can make the change — and that change will impact the entire region and the international order for years to come," Michael added.

As of Sunday, Tel Aviv remained under a state of emergency following Iranian missile attacks that caused casualties and widespread damage.

According to The Associated Press, Iranian missile and drone strikes have killed approximately 11 Israeli civilians and wounded dozens more in retaliation for the U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran.

Shrapnel from missile impacts damaged at least 40 buildings in Tel Aviv, and authorities reported at least one death in the area from falling debris.

The Philippine Embassy in Israel confirmed the death of a Filipino national after a missile strike hit Tel Aviv on Saturday.

TOMAHAWKS, B-2 STEALTH BOMBERS AND ATTACK DRONES POUND OVER 1,000 IRANIAN TARGETS IN 24-HOUR BLITZ

"We enter our shelter once the siren is heard and stay there until the Home Front Command announces that we can leave," Michael said.

"Usually, it is about 20 to 30 minutes — unless there are further sirens during our stay. Since yesterday morning, it has happened around 30 times."

Israel's President Isaac Herzog also visited an impact site in Tel Aviv Sunday, delivering a message of resilience.

"The people of Israel and the people of Iran can live in peace. The region can live in peace. But what undermines peace time and again is terror instigated by this Iranian regime," Herzog said.

EXILED IRANIAN CROWN PRINCE SAYS US STRIKES MARK 'BEGINNING OF THE VERY END' FOR REGIME

Following the reported killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and roughly 40 senior Iranian officials, Iran formed a provisional leadership council.

Iran named Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, President Masoud Pezeshkian and Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i to lead roles.

"The Supreme Leader did not complete the necessary groundwork regarding his own succession," Michael added.

"Pezeshkian will face very troubling challenges due to their heavy losses, severe disruptions to control and command systems, and the massive bombing and attacks across Iran, including Tehran," he said.

"Even if this regime doesn’t collapse, it will never be able to reconstitute itself, recover or return to its previous position," Michael added.

The U.S. has been cleared to use British bases for limited strikes on Iran’s missile capabilities after Prime Minister Keir Starmer signed off on the plan, and while U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey stated on Sunday Britain had "stepped up alongside the Americans."

"The only way to stop the threat is to destroy the missiles at source, in their storage depots or the launchers which are used to fire the missiles," Starmer confirmed in a recorded statement to the nation.

"The U.S. has requested permission to use British bases for that specific and limited defensive purpose," he said. "We have taken the decision to accept this request."

The decision came amid escalation across the Middle East in the wake of U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory missile and drone attacks, raising fears of a broader regional conflict.

HORMUZ ERUPTS: ATTACKS, GPS JAMMING, HOUTHI THREATS ROCK STRAIT AMID US-ISRAELI STRIKES

On Feb. 28, in the wake of Operation Epic Fury, Starmer confirmed British planes "are in the sky today" across the Middle East "as part of coordinated regional defensive operations to protect our people, our interests and our allies."

Healey went on to disclose Sunday that two Iranian missiles were fired in the direction of Cyprus, where Britain maintains key sovereign base areas.

The Royal Air Force confirmed that Typhoon jets operating from Qatar as part of the joint U.K.-Qatar Typhoon Squadron successfully intercepted an Iranian drone heading toward Qatar.

About 300 British personnel are stationed at a naval facility in Bahrain, where Iranian missiles and drones struck nearby areas.

"We’re taking down the drones that are menacing either our bases, our people or our allies," Healey told "Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips" on Sky. "We’ve stepped up alongside the Americans. We’ve stepped up our defensive forces in the Middle East. We’re flying those sorties."

ISRAEL'S LARGEST EVER MILITARY FLYOVER HAMMERS IRANIAN MILITARY TARGETS

Healey also made sure to stress that the U.K. had "no part" in the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran and insisted all British actions were defensive. "All our actions are about defending U.K. interests and defending U.K. allies," he said.

When asked if the U.K. would join the U.S. in offensive action, Healey said, "I'm not going to speculate," according to Sky News.

Downing Street also confirmed Feb. 28 that Starmer and President Donald Trump had spoken by phone about the "situation in the Middle East," the BBC reported.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Downing Street for comment.

U.S. forces launched a sweeping military assault on Iranian targets on Saturday, unleashing overwhelming air, sea and missile power in a coordinated operation with Israel.

The mission — dubbed "Operation Epic Fury" — began at 1:15 a.m. and struck more than 1,000 sites across Iran within its first 24 hours, according to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and dozens of senior regime officials were eliminated in the strikes.

The barrage featured B-2 stealth bombers, F-22 and F-16 fighter jets, A-10 attack aircraft, EA-18G electronic warfare planes, and an array of airborne early warning and communications platforms, CENTCOM said.

SUSTAINED WAR WITH IRAN COULD DRAIN US MISSILE STOCKPILES, TEST ESCALATION CONTROL

Missile defense systems, including Patriot interceptors and THAAD anti-ballistic missile defenses, were deployed as part of the operation.

Other assets included RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft, MQ-9 Reaper drones, HIMARS rocket systems, nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, guided-missile destroyers, refueling tankers, and C-17 and C-130 transport aircraft, CENTCOM said.

The command also released images of Tomahawk cruise missiles, as well as F-18 and F-35 fighter jets roaring into combat, according to Reuters.

CENTCOM additionally confirmed it deployed one-way attack drones in combat for the first time.

DOZENS OF TOP IRANIAN REGIME OFFICIALS, SUPREME LEADER KILLED IN ISRAELI STRIKES

The Low-Cost Unmanned Combat Attack System — known as LUCAS — is modeled after Iran’s Shahed drones.

"CENTCOM's Task Force Scorpion Strike — for the first time in history — is using one-way attack drones in combat during Operation Epic Fury," CENTCOM wrote on X. "These low-cost drones, modeled after Iran's Shahed drones, are now delivering American-made retribution."

Developed by Arizona-based engineering firm SpektreWorks, the LUCAS drone can be launched from catapults, vehicles or mobile ground platforms, according to Business Insider. 

The drones cost roughly $35,000 each, Reuters reported.

KEY MILITARY SITES TARGETED INSIDE IRAN AS PART OF COORDINATED US-ISRAELI STRIKES

The strikes targeted command and control centers, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Joint Headquarters and Aerospace Forces Headquarters, integrated air defense systems, ballistic missile sites, Iranian Navy ships and submarines, anti-ship missile sites and military communications infrastructure, according to CENTCOM.

Iran retaliated by launching waves of missiles across the Middle East, targeting major U.S. bases in Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, Business Insider reported.

Three U.S. service members were killed and five others were "seriously wounded" as part of Operation Epic Fury, CENTCOM said Sunday morning. The joint military operation is expected to carry on for days.

CENTCOM did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Reuters and Fox News Digital's Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.

The Strait of Hormuz region became a flashpoint Sunday after U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran under Operation Epic Fury triggered electronic warfare activity and multiple "attacks" on vessels along one of the world’s most critical energy waterways, according to reports.

The sudden escalation followed a Feb. 28 warning from U.S. maritime authorities urging commercial vessels to avoid strategic waterways if possible, including the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea, citing heightened security risks.

"It is recommended that vessels keep clear of this area if possible," the advisory warned.

"The Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and adjacent waters are the most dangerous place right now for commercial shipping," Jakob P. Larsen, head of maritime security at BIMCO, told Fox News Digital.

"Ships in the Persian Gulf are under threat from Iranian attacks," Larsen said.

HISTORIC US-ISRAEL STRIKES ON IRAN UNDERWAY AS TEHRAN FACES REGIME SURVIVAL TEST

"To protect themselves, most ships stay as far away from Iran as they can," he added before describing how ships are "trying to depart from the Persian Gulf to get away from the threat."

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) and regional authorities reported multiple maritime incidents listed as "attacks" Sunday.

One vessel west of Sharjah, UAE, was rocked by an explosion from an unknown projectile that detonated close alongside, and another tanker north of Muscat, Oman, was struck above the waterline, sparking a fire that was later brought under control, according to data.

A third vessel northwest of Mina Saqr, UAE, was also hit by a projectile that ignited a blaze aboard, the organization reported.

Compounding the physical threats is a surge in electronic warfare with maritime intelligence firm Windward reporting widespread GPS and Automatic Identification System (AIS) interference, impacting 1,000-plus ships.

IRAN FIRES MISSILES AT US BASES ACROSS MIDDLE EAST AFTER AMERICAN STRIKES ON NUCLEAR, IRGC SITES

Windward cited widespread navigation disruption near Iran’s Bandar Abbas port, with ships falsely appearing at airports, a nuclear power plant and inland locations.

Several new AIS jamming clusters were also identified across Emirati, Qatari, Omani and Iranian waters, Windward said.

Major shipping company Maersk announced it would reroute some services away from the region, citing crew and cargo safety.

Roughly 20% of global oil and gas exports pass through the Strait, and traffic has already thinned, with some tankers reversing course or switching off AIS signals.

Industry groups also warned of Houthi retaliation in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, while analysts cautioned that Iran could seize vessels tied to U.S. or Israeli interests.

"The Houthis have threatened to resume attacks on ships in the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb Strait and Gulf of Aden," Larsen explained.

KEANE WARNS IRAN STRIKE BECOMING ‘REGIONAL WAR,' SAYS THREE GULF STATES PREPARING FOR COMBAT

Ships with business connections to U.S. or Israeli interests are considered more likely targets, though others could be struck deliberately or in error, he said.

Tanker owners’ association Intertanko also warned members that "the expectation is that the Houthis may respond and recommence attacks on shipping," although immediate intelligence remained unclear.

"There are no signs of Iranian attempts to close the Strait with sea mines or naval mines, although this can change at short notice," Larsen added before confirming that GPS interference has "increased significantly following the initiation of hostilities."