UAE dismantles Iran-linked terror cell as Tehran's attacks spread tensions across Middle East

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President Donald Trump declined to detail a potential strike targeting Kharg Island, Iran’s major oil hub.

When asked by reporters about his plans for the island, which handles about 90% of Iran’s oil exports, Trump declined to elaborate.

“You know I may have a plan or I may not, but why would I ever say that to a reporter?” Trump said.

Trump added, “I can't tell you that… It’s certainly a place that people are talking about, but I can't say.”

Iran has recently been exporting roughly 1.1 million to 1.5 million barrels of oil per day, mostly to China.

Fox News Digital’s Efrat Lachter contributed to this report.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Friday he would oppose any request approaching $200 billion to fund the war in Iran, calling the proposal “dangerous.”

“That will never happen,” Schumer said, speaking from the Senate floor. “It's a preposterous and dangerous risk.”

He continued, “We should never accept giving Donald Trump a blank check to wage war in Iran in perpetuity.”

Schumer said that even a “fraction” of the $200 billion request was “unacceptable for a war without a plan, without an endgame, without the support of the American people.”

The multibillion-dollar request is expected to face steep resistance in Congress, where lawmakers are likely to push for spending offsets that could prove difficult following recent budget cuts.

Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., told CNN Thursday she is opposed to sending another $200 billion to fund the Iran war, warning that such efforts are endangering Republican chances in the midterms.

"I will not vote for a war supplemental. No. I am a ‘No.’ I’ve already told leadership, ‘I am a no on any war supplementals,'" Boebert told CNN's Manu Raju.

"I am so tired of spending money elsewhere. I am tired of the industrial war complex getting all of our hard-earned tax dollars. I have folks in Colorado who can’t afford to live."

"We need America First policies right now, and that — I’m not doing that."

In the past few months, there has been a growing internal battle among President Donald Trump’s MAGA coalition over whether he has fulfilled the campaign promises he ran on for years.

Some podcasters who have praised or been friendly with Trump in the past, ranging from comedian Andrew Schulz to Joe Rogan, have blasted the Iran war as a huge departure from Trump’s rhetoric on ending such foreign conflicts.

Now the GOP is struggling to wrangle enough support to keep funding the military operation in Iran. 

In her declaration to CNN that she will not back the Pentagon’s bid for $200 billion in supplemental funding, Boebert echoed the common sentiment that the military operation is putting Republican chances in the midterms at risk, and other initiatives are far more pressing.

"We need the SAVE America Act, FISA with warrants. There’s a lot of hard lines that I have right now, and we’ve got to get our act together if we want to keep this majority, and the path that we’re going doesn’t look very promising," she said.

This is an excerpt of an article by Fox News Digital's Alexander Hall.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) on Friday released video showing a series of strikes on Iranian targets, as commanders say Tehran’s military capabilities are weakening.

“Iran’s capabilities are declining,” CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper said in the post.

The unclassified video shows multiple explosions and apparent strikes on moving targets, part of ongoing operations under Operation Epic Fury.

U.S. forces have carried out thousands of strikes aimed at degrading Iran’s missile, drone and naval capabilities.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Friday the U.S. will temporarily allow the sale of Iranian oil already stranded at sea in an effort to stabilize global energy markets amid the war.

The Treasury Department authorization will bring roughly 140 million barrels of oil into circulation, expanding supply as prices surge.

“By temporarily unlocking this existing supply for the world, the United States will quickly bring approximately 140 million barrels of oil to global markets,” Bessent said.

The move is limited to oil already in transit and does not permit new purchases or production, officials said.

Bessent framed the decision as part of a broader strategy to counter Iran while easing pressure on global energy supplies.

“In essence, we will be using the Iranian barrels against Tehran to keep the price down,” he said.

The authorization runs through April 19, according to Treasury.

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby warned employees that surging fuel prices tied to the Iran war could add billions in costs, even as the airline pushes forward with growth plans.

“Jet fuel prices have more than doubled in the last three weeks,” Kirby said in a message to staff Friday.

“If prices stayed at this level, it would mean an extra $11B in annual expense just for jet fuel,” he added.

Kirby said the airline is preparing for oil to reach as high as $175 per barrel, and stressed United is positioned to withstand the shock better than competitors.

“We’re ready, we have a plan and we’re going to continue executing that plan,” he said.

The Department of War (DoW) said Friday that U.S. forces are “dominating the air and sea” 20 days into Operation Epic Fury against the Iranian regime, as strikes continue across the region.

In a video update shared on social media, DoW Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson touted the scope of the campaign.

“20 days into this operation, we are dominating the air and sea while our forces have hit thousands of Iranian targets and we will continue to deliver devastating combat power,” Wilson said.

She added that roughly 50,000 U.S. service members are supporting the mission.

“To the 50,000 service members supporting this mission and their families, we are thinking about you and we are beyond proud of your resolve and resiliency,” she said. "You are the very best of our great nation.

Wilson also noted that President Donald Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine attended a dignified transfer this week.

"The President, Secretary Hegseth, and General Caine honored our fallen, attending a dignified transfer for the KC135 crew members who made the ultimate sacrifice during Operation Epic Fury," Wilson added.

Switzerland has halted weapons exports to the United States over the ongoing war with Iran, citing its longstanding neutrality policy.

“The export of war materiel to countries involved in the international armed conflict with Iran cannot be authorised for the duration of the conflict,” the Swiss government said Friday, according to Reuters.

“Exports of war materiel to the USA cannot currently be authorised,” it added.

The move follows U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran that began Feb. 28. Swiss officials said no new export licenses to the U.S. have been issued since.

Switzerland has also recently rejected some U.S. military flight requests tied to the war, citing the same neutrality laws.

Officials said the restrictions will remain under review as the conflict develops.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) warned Friday that Iran-linked cyber actors are using Telegram to deploy malware against dissidents, journalists and opposition figures worldwide.

In a FLASH alert, the FBI said hackers tied to Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security used the platform as a command-and-control system to infect targets’ devices and extract data.

The campaign has led to “intelligence collection, data leaks, and reputational harm,” the FBI said.

Hackers used social engineering, often posing as trusted contacts, to trick victims into downloading malware disguised as common programs. Once installed, it enabled remote access, including file theft and audio recording.

The FBI said the activity dates back to at least 2023 and warned the malware “could be used to target any individual of interest to Iran.”

Officials urged users to avoid downloading files from unknown sources and to enable basic cybersecurity protections.

It is unclear if the FLASH alert has any connection to the ongoing Operation Epic Fury against the Iranian regime.

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., on Friday amplified remarks from President Donald Trump condemning Iran’s regime following the execution of 19-year-old wrestler Saleh Mohammadi.

“Co-sign this,” Fetterman wrote in a social media post, sharing a screenshot of a report on Trump’s reaction to the executions.

“What else to describe a regime that tortures and publicly hangs teenagers for wanting democracy for their country?” he added.

Mohammadi, a champion wrestler, was executed in a public hanging. Iran International reported he was killed alongside two other men after being accused of killing police officers during nationwide protests earlier this year.

Trump addressed the executions earlier Friday during a press gaggle.

“We’ve been hitting them awfully hard. I mean, I don’t know if you can possibly get hit harder, but these are thugs and animals and horrible people,” Trump said.

“But you can’t hit anybody harder than we’ve hit them. But I’m not surprised. They executed three young people for protesting,” he added.

Fox News Digital's Jackson Thompson contributed to this reporting.

President Donald Trump said Friday the United States is “getting very close” to achieving its military objectives against Iran, signaling a potential winding down of Operation Epic Fury after nearly three weeks.

“We are getting very close to meeting our objectives as we consider winding down our great Military efforts in the Middle East,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.

He outlined five core goals of the campaign, including “completely degrading Iranian Missile Capability,” “destroying Iran’s Defense Industrial Base,” and “eliminating their Navy and Air Force.”

Trump also outlined that the U.S. would “never” allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons and would remain ready to respond “quickly and powerfully” if needed.

The president said protecting regional allies including Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) remains a top priority.

On the Strait of Hormuz, Trump suggested the U.S. should not take the lead in securing the critical waterway.

“The Hormuz Strait will have to be guarded and policed, as necessary, by other Nations who use it — The United States does not!” he wrote, adding the U.S. would assist if asked but “it shouldn’t be necessary once Iran’s threat is eradicated.”

President Donald Trump on Friday said the Strait of Hormuz will "open itself," despite NATO's unwillingness to assist the U.S. in securing the key waterway.

"It's a simple military maneuver," Trump told reporters. "It's relatively safe, but you need a lot of help ... you need ships, you need volume. NATO could help us, but they so far haven't had the courage to do so, and others could help us."

The president added that "it'll open itself at a certain point."

"We've defeated the enemy and they are an enemy," he said. "There is a sick group of people. The leadership is gone. The Navy is gone. The Air Force is gone. The anti-aircraft equipment that they have, the radar they have — it's all gone. ... We're doing a good job, but it would be nice if the countries [that use the strait], including China, ... would get involved."

The Netherlands is increasing security for Iranian activists after Dutch Justice Minister David van Weel said an Iranian man, "who is known to be critical of the authorities in Tehran" was shot, according to a report from Reuters.

It is unclear what led to the shooting, and if it was politically motivated. 

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Home Front Command rescue and salvage teams are working to clear debris at a fall site in the Old City of Jerusalem near the Temple Mount.

Debris from the missile injured at least one person, according to a report from The Jerusalem Post.

The update comes hours after Iran threatened to target tourist sites worldwide and launched missiles toward Israel.

The Home Front Command asked the public to continue to heed the life-saving instructions and act accordingly

Iran’s instability is unlikely to trigger a Syrian- or Afghanistan-style refugee crisis, a top immigration expert told Fox News Digital, even as questions mount over what comes next for the Iranian people once the fighting subsides.

With Ayatollah Ali Khamenei killed in an airstrike, several top officials dead and competing factions vying for control, questions are mounting over whether Iran’s turmoil could trigger a refugee crisis.

However, given the geography and environment in Iran, a mass refugee exodus appears unlikely, according to Andrew "Art" Arthur – a nationally-recognized national security and immigration expert at the Center for Immigration Studies.

"It's actually an interesting question, and there are a couple of things to keep in mind," Arthur said in a recent interview.

"One is Iran is about twice the size of Texas. It's, I think, roughly the size as Alaska. It is a huge country, and I think there are 93 million people there, but it's still a big country and most of it is untouched by the conflict, so it's not like individuals couldn't relocate in-country and be perfectly safe."

Unlike Afghanistan, he added, the U.S. and the West don’t have a previous footprint on the ground and don’t have people inside the country offering assistance.

"[W]e don't have the ability to do something like President Biden did where we load up C-130s with everybody we can get our hands on and fly them to the United States. So, that's a huge distinction."

The Israel Defense Forces said Friday that the Old City in Jerusalem, "right near the Temple Mount, was impacted by Iranian missile fragments."

"The Iranian regime once again proves they fire indiscriminately — whether at civilian areas or holy sites — all with the intention of destroying the State of Israel," it said.

The IDF shared an image on X of a plume of smoke rising into the air.

It later said, "Home Front Command Search and Rescue forces, both regular and reserve, are currently operating at the impact site in the Old City of Jerusalem, adjacent to the Temple Mount, where debris fell."

Fox News' Yonat Friling contributed to this report.

Nearly two-thirds of Americans think that President Donald Trump will send U.S. ground troops into the fighting against Iran, a new national poll indicates.

A Reuters/Ipsos survey, conducted Tuesday through Thursday (March 17–19), also indicates that a majority of Americans, 55%, say they don't support sending ground troops into the operation against Iran.

The poll's release comes as the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran are about to close out their third week.

Only 7% of those questioned in the survey said they'd support a large-scale strike by American ground forces, with 34% saying they'd back a more limited-in-scope incursion by U.S. special forces.

Fourteen percent of Republicans surveyed said they'd support a large ground force operation, with 63% saying they'd back inserting special forces into a ground action. Twenty-one percent of Republicans gave a thumbs-down to sending in American ground troops.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, at a Pentagon briefing earlier this month, declined to rule out the use of U.S. ground forces.

Trump said on Thursday that he was "not putting troops anywhere," when asked by a reporter about his war plans.

President Donald Trump said Friday that, “Over the past few weeks, the world has seen the true strength and might of our sailors and aviators as they fought in one of the most complex and successful military operations of all time against the Iranian regime.” 

“And it's amazing... I don't want to get too crazy here, not a contest. It's not even a contest. They do whatever they want,” Trump said at the White House during the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy Presentation, where he was honoring the U.S. Naval Academy football team.  

“They had a lot of great equipment. Russian equipment, Chinese equipment, a lot of, they had plenty of money. That equipment was useless against us, useless,” Trump said about Iran. 

“No force on earth can beat the American sailors or the American military, we’re the strongest in the world by far. To those standing behind me who will soon be joining these missions, I say sail fast, stay strong and go Navy,” he added.