Trump was initially told that Thursday’s ceasefire would cover the Middle East, including Lebanon—a view shared by mediators, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Iran’s Araghchi. However, after a call between Netanyahu and Trump, the U.S. position shifted. Source: CBS News

BREAKING: First lady Melania Trump denied ever having a relationship with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein and said the claims about it are defaming her reut.rs/4c6glx2

🇮🇷 Iranian forces turned back a tanker that was attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump said that it’s ‘totally illegal’ for Iran to have young people surround power plants as human shields, adding that "they’re not allowed to do that" Trump also said "you'll have to figure that out" when asked about his "a whole civilisation will die tonight" comment.-NBC News

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi of Japan, who is facing public pressure to stave off an energy crisis, told Parliament that she would seek talks with the Iranian government, perhaps as soon as Wednesday.

*HEGSETH ASKED ARMY CHIEF TO STEP DOWN: CBS

Whoa, quite a pivot: Trump’s speech tonight will inform the public that we may require the use of ground troops to round up uranium in Iran. -FOXNews

CENTCOM is contradicting BBC and NYT reporting that PrSM missiles hit Lamerd, Iran, killing 21 people. CENTCOM is claiming the video shows a Hoveyzeh missile, and is too long to be a PrSM. The shape, and dimensions aren't consistent with CENTCOM's claim.

The United Arab Emirates is preparing to help the U.S. and other allies open the Strait of Hormuz by force, Arab officials said, a move that would make it the first Persian Gulf country to become a combatant, after being hit by Iranian attacks.-WSJ

I wrote about this last year. what awaits these people is almost unimaginable www.patreon.com/posts/129696...

Pentagon prepares for weeks of ground operations in Iran www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...

Why? The totally not a war, “excursion” has already been won.

Thank you to law enforcement for stopping this plot. How horrifying that such a serious threat even existed in the first place. No matter your beliefs, all of us should wholeheartedly condemn this attempted act of violence. Such extremism is never, ever acceptable.

France confirms oil crisis, says 30-40 percent of Gulf energy infrastructure destroyed www.france24.com/en/france-co...

Houthis statement: They will join if these conditions occur: The joining of any other alliances with America and Israel against the Islamic Republic in Iran and the axis of jihad and resistance.

BREAKING via WSJ Trump weighs sending another 10,000 ground troops to the Middle East. Full Story: on.wsj.com/47LmlKD

President Trump is considering "a significant action" soon to 'shake' the Iranians and pressure them to advance the talks.-i24 News

Trump on a deal with Iran: "I'm the opposite of desperate. I don't care."

Iran says it has sent a formal reply to US proposals and is waiting for Washington’s response. Tehran’s conditions include: ending attacks and assassinations, guarantees the war won’t restart, full compensation for damages, and a region-wide end to fighting involving allied groups.

Iran has sent extra troops and air defenses to Kharg Island as it prepares for a potential US offensive. Iranian forces have also started deploying anti-personnel and anti-armor landmines around the island.-CNN

U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC): "Just walked out of a House Armed Services briefing on Iran. Let me repeat: I will not support troops on the ground in Iran, even more so after this briefing."

White House official: The talk of Iran preferring to negotiate with Vance is incorrect.-Fox News

IRAN REFUSES PEACE TALKS WITH TRUMP'S 'BACKSTABBING' NEGOTIATORS - TELEGRAPH

Land-Based Marine Corps F-35Cs Are Now Moving Towards The Middle East www.twz.com/news-feature...

I've said this before, but part of why I continue to be bleak on prospects of prompt war termination are because Iran has *very strong incentives* to continue pain infliction (against the US/Israel/GCC and the broader world) to deter a future war by credibly communicating the magnitude of costs.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard (IRGC), in response to regional mediation efforts, demands guarantees that the war wouldn’t restart, an end to Israel’s strikes on Hezbollah, the closure of US bases in the Gulf and compensation for its losses.-WSJ

Trump tells reporters the Strait of Hormuz may be jointly controlled by “me and the Ayatollah.”

IEA CHIEF BIROL: THIS CRISIS WORSE THAN THE TWO OIL CRISES OF THE 1970S PUT TOGETHER (

President Trump added: “They’ve been very bad for 47 years (Iran). Now they’re getting their comeuppance.”-Channel 13 Israel

Phone call interview with President Trump today about Iran: Asked about his ultimatum: “You’ll find out what’s gonna happen”. Will they cave in to the ultimatum? “You’re gonna find out soon. It’s gonna be very good. Total decimation of Iran. It’s gonna work out very good.”

American officials tell allies that the US will probably be forced to launch a ground operation to capture Iran's Kharg Island, according to two sources familiar with the matter.-i24 News

Bessent: "Sometimes you have to escalate to deescalate"

Six dead and a hundred injured in the Iranian strike on Arad.

@lowrhoufo.bsky.social @gravitysra1nbow.bsky.social @sharonk.bsky.social @sky.skymarchini.net I thought you all would like to know more marines are being sent to the middle east.

The Boxer Amphibious Ready Group includes the USS Boxer amphibious assault ship—which serves as a mini aircraft carrier—and USS Portland and USS Comstock amphibious landing ships. There are roughly 2,500 Marines in the group.

Boxer Amphibious Ready Group and the embarked 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit is deploying ahead of schedule from the West Coast and is expected to sail to the Middle East region after the Navy was ordered to surge additional fire power.

There is a video just released by FARS (Iranian media) claiming to show the F-35 hit by a SAM system (non MANPADS).

Trump: No im not putting troops anywhere, if I were I certainly wouldn’t tell you.

Haifa oil refinery POV: 32.794977, 35.076775 looking 275°

Qatar says Iran missiles damage more liquefied natural gas sites, 'causing sizable fires and extensive further damage.'-AP

> @reuters.com

Qatari authorities are dealing with a fire in the Ras Laffan area, where key gas facilities are located, following an Iranian attack, Qatar's Interior Ministry said. Earlier, the IRGC threatened to attack several oil & gas facilities in the region, including Ras Laffan.-i24 News

Harris accused Altman of being the “Goebbels of the Trump administration.” But on Tuesday, Harris said by email: “It was late and I had a few too many martinis so I misspoke when I said Goebbels… I should’ve said Friedrich Flick.”

Trump plans to take control of the Strait of Hormuz by force, in a move that could also last several weeks, according to an Israeli source. Israel is also preparing to increase operations in the Strait of Hormuz.-Kan News

Important to note that Iranian ‘kamikaze’ boats (explosive laden crewed or uncrewed speedboats) do exist www.hisutton.com/IRGC-USV.html