HEADLINESGraham urges restraint, Saudi join Iran conflictIran blocks oil, US vows tougher strikesFrance defends Cyprus amid drone incidentsThe time is now 12:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.In Direct Israel-Iran Clashes, Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina urged Israel to rein in attacks on Iranian oil infrastructure and called on Saudi Arabia to participate in the fight, warning that targets should be chosen carefully as the goal is to empower the Iranian people without crippling their chance for a new future when the regime falls. He said the oil economy of Iran will be essential to that effort, noting reports that US officials were alarmed by weekend strikes that hit about 30 Iranian fuel depots and that US gas prices rose to their highest levels since 2024.In Iranian Retaliation, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they would not allow “one litre of oil” to be shipped if US and Israeli attacks continue, and President Trump warned that the United States would strike Iran much harder if exports are blocked. Markets seesawed as concerns grew that Iran’s security establishment was rallying behind Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. Trump said the United States had inflicted serious damage on Iran’s military and suggested the conflict could end well before the four-week window he had described, though he did not define victory. Officials describe Israel’s aim as overthrowing Iran’s clerical rule, while US officials say the aim is to destroy Iran’s missile capabilities and nuclear program, though Trump has said the war ends only with a compliant Iranian government. The reporting noted a toll of at least 1,332 Iranian civilians killed and thousands wounded since the start of the crisis. Photos published by the White House showed tonight’s Dignified Transfer at Dover Air Force Base for US Army Sergeant Benjamin N. Pennington, with Vice President JD Vance in attendance. In another filing, Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and other senior officials attended the Dover transfer; Sergeant Pennington, 26, of Glendale, Kentucky, was assigned to 1st Space Battalion, 1st Space Brigade, Fort Carson, and was killed in an Iranian strike on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia on March 1, making him the seventh US service member killed in Operation Epic Fury.In US Military Role, Republican Sen. John Kennedy was asked by NBC News about the bombing of the girls’ primary school in Iran on the first day of Operation Epic Fury, which reportedly killed about 175 children and appears to have been carried out inadvertently by the US Air Force/Navy. He said, “It was terrible. We made a mistake,” adding that the Department of Defense is investigating and that the incident is a sobering reminder of the costs of war.In Regional Impacts, French President Emmanuel Macron pledged Europe’s defense of Cyprus during a visit to Paphos, meeting with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides, underscoring that the defense of Cyprus is a key issue for Greece, France, and the European Union. Reports noted multiple drone incidents targeting Cyprus, including drones sent from Lebanon, two intercepted by British jets and a third that crashed into a British base, with US reconnaissance aircraft reportedly being held. Macron also announced a purely defensive, purely supportive mission in coordination with allies. Separately, Macron led Sailors in the national anthem La Marseillaise aboard the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle off Crete, as the carrier group prepares to deploy to the Middle East amid the Iran conflict. The Kuwait National Guard said it successfully intercepted and downed six one-way attack drones within Kuwait’s areas of responsibility.In US Policy Concerning Israel, six Democratic senators pressed for immediate hearings on the Iran war, with senior members of the Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees asking Republican chairs James Risch and Roger Wicker to convene hearings with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State and Acting National Security Adviser Marco Rubio testifying, arguing for swift action to end the conflict and safeguard American troops. Separately, reports cited by The Times of Israel said some Trump aides have urged him to articulate a war exit plan; White House officials denied the report, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt calling the piece “full of crap” and stating that the president’s aides remain focused on continuing Epic Fury and determining an eventual conclusion under the commander in chief.In Uplifting News, Australia granted asylum to five Iranian women soccer players after they protested their national anthem, including team captain Zahra Ghanbari. Interior Minister Tony Burke said the players sought protection after being branded “wartime traitors” for refusing to sing before an Asian Cup match. The players were moved to a ...
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