Iran confirms security chief Larijani killed
Israel says it launched overnight strikes on Iran’s security council, killing Larijani, the most senior Iranian official to be killed since Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
…
Meanwhile, Donald Trump criticises Nato and other US allies, saying he has been told they “don’t want to get involved” in the Iran war
It comes after a growing list of nations turned down his request to help protect the Strait of Hormuz – our diplomatic correspondent analyses the situation…
Trump Ditches Appeal for Help in Iran War, Slamming Allies
US President Donald Trump abandoned his effort to recruit partners for the war with Iran and scolded allies who openly rejected his appeals, even as he repeated claims the conflict would end soon.
…
The US president on Tuesday scolded NATO allies in particular, denouncing their “foolish mistake” not to get involved. “I’ve long said I wonder whether or not NATO would ever be there for us,” Trump said at the White House. “This was a great test because we don’t need them, but they should have been there.”…
‘Never heard him so angry’: Trump is furious that global allies aren’t pitching in in Iran
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a key proponent of the operation in Iran and a close allies of the president, said he spoke to the president over the phone on Tuesday. Graham wrote on X Tuesday that “never heard him so angry in my life.”
“I share that anger given what’s at stake,” he said. “The arrogance of our allies to suggest that Iran with a nuclear weapon is of little concern and that military action to stop the ayatollah from acquiring a nuclear bomb is our problem not theirs is beyond offensive.”…
Israel’s Decapitation Strategy Wipes Out Another Two Top Iranians
His killing could hurt the regime’s command and control, said Sima Shine, formerly head of research and evaluation at Israel’s Mossad foreign spy agency. Combined with Tuesday’s successful attack on Basij chief Brig. Gen. Gholamreza Soleimani, it could lead top figures in the regime to keep a lower profile and cut back communications for fear of being targeted, rendering the country’s decision-making more difficult, she said…
Ali Larijani Killing Fuels Anxiety in Iran
Two Iranian officials described their security concerns. One said he received calls from other officials, worrying about the safety of Iran’s leaders, as well as their own safety. They all wondered who would be next to be targeted, he said.
Another official said he shook when he received a call with the news of Mr. Larijani’s killing. There was a pervasive sense of anxiety, he said, that Israel would not stop until all of Iran’s leaders were killed and the Islamic Republic toppled…
Israel Keeps Killing Key Iranian Leaders. Will It Work?
Israeli officials trumpeted airstrikes that killed Iran’s de facto leader and the commanders of a militia notorious for violently suppressing protests. But “decapitation has its limits,” an analyst warns…
Gulf States Want the U.S. to Cripple Iranian Regime Before Ending War
Battered by Iranian strikes and the disruption of the Strait of Hormuz, the United Arab Emirates and some fellow Persian Gulf states have come to view Iran’s theocracy as an existential enemy. They now want the regime they once courted to be neutered, if not dismantled, when the conflict ends—so the ordeal is never repeated…
Rift Widens Among Republicans Over Israel and War in Iran
The debate reflects a widening rift within the American conservative movement. For decades, conservatives were stalwart supporters of the Jewish state, but over the last few years, some have grown disenchanted with Israel and its role in American politics. The disagreements have only intensified since the attacks began on Feb. 28…
Netanyahu Posts ‘Proof of Life’ Video as A.I. Sows Doubts About What’s Real
The unusual video is the latest demonstration that artificial intelligence is undermining trust — even in footage that is authentic…
Russia Is Sharing Satellite Imagery and Drone Technology With Iran
The technology provided includes components of modified Shahed drones, which are meant to improve communication, navigation and targeting, the people said. Russia has also been drawing on its experience using drones in Ukraine, offering tactical guidance on how many drones should be used in operations and what altitudes they should strike from, said the people, who included a senior European intelligence officer…
Israel urges Iranians to revolt but privately assesses they’ll be ‘slaughtered’
Senior Israeli officials have told U.S. diplomats that Iranian protesters will “get slaughtered” if they take to the streets against their government even as Israel publicly calls for a popular uprising, according to a State Department cable reviewed by The Washington Post…
Hormuz Reopening Looks Unlikely Without a Ceasefire in Iran War
“It could take several weeks to secure the Strait of Hormuz,” said Bob McNally, president of Rapidan Energy Group and a former White House official. “Until we’ve neutralized Iran’s layered, asymmetric capabilities — mines, fast attack craft, submarines and drones — we won’t want to put commercial or even escort ships through.”…
More:
Diagramming the Latest Blows to Iran’s Leadership