【Iran Crisis】Iranian officials hint at blocking the Red Sea entrance on the other side Trump: Oil companies should use the Strait of Hormuz (updating)

According to Peninsula Television, an unnamed senior Iranian military/security official issued a warning, stating that if the United States makes a strategic mistake, another strait will face a situation similar to the Strait of Hormuz. This statement is widely interpreted as referring to the Mande Strait at the southern entrance of the Red Sea, another critical route for oil transportation.

The official also added in the interview that the Middle East “may soon enter a regional war,” emphasizing that Iran “still has many cards to play.”

When asked by reporters, Trump responded, “They have lost their navy, lost their air force, have no air defense systems, no radar. Their leaders are gone. And we can do worse to each other. We left some things behind, and if we take them away, or if we can take them in just an hour this afternoon, they will never be able to rebuild that country.”

Trump stated that oil companies should use the Strait of Hormuz. “We nearly destroyed all their mine-laying ships in one night. We hit about 60 ships—I didn’t realize they had such a large navy. I’d say it’s big but ineffective. Nearly all their navy ships, almost all, are sunk at the bottom of the sea.”

He also claimed that Iran has not laid mines in the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump said Spain has not cooperated at all and considers them very poor partners. He suggested they might cut off trade with Spain.

$1 and below are Wednesday’s reports====

Iran plans to lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz with thousands of stockpiled mines. Trump: They will face unprecedented military consequences.

The Strait of Hormuz remains a global focus. CBS quoted US intelligence sources indicating Iran may be preparing to deploy mines in the strait. Iran might use small boats capable of carrying two to three mines for laying them, with an estimated stockpile of about 2,000 to 6,000 mines.

CNN reports, citing two US intelligence sources, that Iran has begun deploying naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz. Currently, only dozens of mines have been deployed, but Iran still has 80% to 90% of its small boats and minelaying vessels remaining.

Trump then posted on Truth Social: “If Iran has indeed laid mines in the Strait of Hormuz, and we have no reports of it, we demand they clear them immediately! If they have laid mines for any reason and fail to remove them promptly, Iran will face unprecedented military consequences. Conversely, if they remove any mines they may have placed, that would be a big step in the right direction! Also, we are using the same technology and missile capabilities—originally used to combat drug traffickers—to permanently eliminate any ships or vessels attempting to lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz. They will be swiftly and forcefully dealt with. Warning!”

Trump continued, “In the past few hours, we have hit and completely destroyed 10 inactive minelaying ships or vessels, and more will follow!”

US Energy Secretary made a false statement

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright falsely claimed on social media that the US Navy had escorted a tanker through the Strait of Hormuz. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified: “The US Navy has not escorted any tankers or ships at this time.”

“I noticed the post but haven’t had a chance to speak directly with the Secretary,” Leavitt said. “However, I know the post was quickly deleted.”

Wright previously posted: “The US Navy successfully escorted a tanker through the Strait of Hormuz to ensure the continuous global oil supply.”

The International Energy Agency (IEA) will hold a special meeting on Tuesday to discuss the possible release of emergency reserves. The organization’s more than 30 member countries, mainly developed economies in Europe, North America, and Northeast Asia, collectively hold 1.2 billion barrels of oil reserves.

Hegseth: The most intense day of strikes

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said, “Today will again be the most intense day of strikes inside Iran.” He pointed out that in the past 24 hours, the US saw “the lowest number of missiles launched by Iran so far,” and condemned Iran for attacking its Gulf neighbors without provocation, some of whom were once allies.

He said the targets include destroying Iran’s missile stockpiles and manufacturing capabilities; “destroying their navy”; and “permanently depriving Iran of the possibility of possessing nuclear weapons.”

Russia does not share intelligence with Iran

US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said that Russian leaders denied allegations of sharing intelligence with Iran during a call with Trump on Monday.

$1 and below are Tuesday’s reports====

Oil Tankers Halt Before Passing Through the Strait of Hormuz; Trump: Iran’s War Will End Soon but No Promised Timeline

Oil prices plunged nearly 10%, with Brent crude dropping 9% to as low as $90.3, and NYMEX crude falling 8% to as low as $87. According to shipping sources, dozens of oil tankers approached the Strait of Hormuz, seemingly attempting to pass through, led by a Gambia-flagged tanker FAREEDA 5, which reached near the strait but ultimately retreated back into the sea before passing. As of 1 p.m., no ships had yet passed.

According to semi-official Iranian media Fars News Agency, a senior Iranian military official warned, “Until further notice, we will not allow a single liter of oil to be exported to hostile parties and their allies.”

CNBC reports that Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson also warned that oil tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz “must be very cautious,” stating, “As long as the situation remains unsafe, I believe all tankers and all maritime navigation must remain highly vigilant.” He said that targeting US military bases and assets in the region is “legitimate” under international law, based on UN Charter Article 51.

🔴 One senior Iranian military official told Al Mayadeen: Until further notice, we will not allow a single liter of oil to be exported in the region to hostile parties and their allies.

— Fars News Agency (@FarsNews_Agency) March 9, 2026

US military transport aircraft appeared earlier today.

Trump stated that US forces have deployed strong military and mine-clearing equipment in the Strait of Hormuz, and will provide “political risk insurance” and direct escort for commercial ships if necessary. He emphasized that Iran will not be allowed to cut off global oil supplies.

Trump held a press conference, refusing to promise an end to the war “within days or this week,” but stressing it will be “very quick.” He said that because Iran’s military assets (navy, air force, radar, leadership, etc.) have been almost entirely destroyed, the operation will not take long. He noted that the current military progress is unprecedented; what was originally expected to take a month has already been achieved ahead of schedule.

He said the US aims to nominate a new peaceful leader for Iran. He expressed disappointment that Iran chose the son of Khamenei as the new supreme leader.

He emphasized that protecting the strait’s open passage is mainly to stabilize the global economy, and specifically mentioned that this action actually helps countries like China that rely on the route. “I want to keep it open. I want to keep it good. You know, it doesn’t affect us as much as it does China. We’re actually helping China and other countries because they get a lot of energy from the strait. But we have a very good relationship with China’s leader Xi Jinping. I will visit there soon. We are protecting the entire world from these evil plans of the madmen. And I must say, we are doing very well.”

Summary of the press conference:

“Over the past weekend, the US military and the Israeli Defense Forces continued to execute Operation Epic Fury with great success. Over the past nine days, we launched the most powerful and complex military strikes and tactical exercises ever seen in the world. If you add these actions to our other achievements—such as Operation Midnight Hammer, which completely eliminated Iran’s nuclear threat, and the significant successes in Venezuela and elsewhere—we have achieved tremendous victories everywhere.”

“Meanwhile, we have made major progress in achieving our military objectives. Some might say these goals are already quite well accomplished. We have thoroughly and completely eliminated every armed force inside Iran. Most of Iran’s navy has been sunk, at the bottom of the sea. Just received reports that a total of 51 ships have been destroyed. I didn’t even realize they had so many ships, but they didn’t last long. These are combat vessels, meant for fighting, but they are no match for us.”

“We continue to target Iran’s drone and missile capabilities. Their drone numbers have been greatly reduced. Their drone manufacturing facilities are under full attack from today. We have identified all their drone production sites and are destroying them one by one. Their missile capability has dropped to about 10%, maybe less. We are also precisely striking their missile manufacturing and transportation facilities. So far, we have hit over 5,000 targets, including very strategic ones. But we are holding back some of the most critical targets, in case we need to use them. If we do, it will take years for Iran to rebuild, involving their power plants and many other critical infrastructure. So, unless absolutely necessary, we do not intend to go that far. These targets are easy to hit, but once hit, they would cause catastrophic destruction. We are watching and waiting to see what happens before deciding whether to strike them. We could destroy all of them in a day.”

“But all these actions have already caused about 90% of Iran’s military and strategic infrastructure to decline across various sectors, especially their missile launchers. As you know, drone launchers have declined by over 83%. Their drone launchers are almost destroyed, and Iran’s missile launchers have declined by over 90%. These are highly sophisticated, hard-to-replicate equipment. Usually, with our advanced gear and top-tier personnel, we can precisely destroy a launcher within five minutes or less after it fires a missile.”

“So now, we have low-cost intercept systems that effectively counter Iran’s drones; our B-2 bombers recently dropped dozens of 2,000-pound bombs across Iran to destroy missile launchers, often penetrating deep into underground facilities that cannot withstand such penetrations. We are also destroying their industrial bases for manufacturing drones and missiles at an unprecedented speed. We know their locations exactly and are eliminating them rapidly. Our progress has far exceeded initial timelines; I dare say, we never thought we’d be this far after just a month.”

“Additionally, we have eliminated their top leadership two or three times, as you know. We had to intervene. We don’t want a future president (if it’s someone else) to hesitate to do what I decisively did, which could lead us back into the same quagmire in five or ten years. So, we believe they should nominate a new president or leader who can pursue genuine change peacefully. For 47 years, they have been killing. Forty-seven years! Whether it’s military explosions or the USS Cole attack, they have been deeply involved, despite denying it. They have been involved in all these tragedies caused by roadside bombs, and in the deaths of those who lost limbs or suffered severe facial injuries. This Iranian regime has been attacking Americans and spreading terrorism worldwide for 47 years.”

“Despite numerous opportunities to abandon nuclear ambitions—just recently, they clung to these ambitions and even told Witkoff that they wanted to continue building nuclear weapons. If we hadn’t launched Midnight Hammer and destroyed their nuclear capacity, they would have had nuclear weapons long ago and would have used them. At least Israel would have faced annihilation. We are very fortunate to have the courage to act, with talented pilots and excellent equipment. The B-2 bombers are incredible. (By the way, we’ve ordered 25 more upgraded, better versions.) We have the greatest military in the world, far ahead of anyone else. Wherever we go, you can see it. But you still need the best personnel to operate and use it, and those are the people we value most.”

“Even after thoroughly destroying their key nuclear facilities, Iran has never genuinely negotiated during Operation Midnight Hammer. They still insist on making nuclear weapons, refusing to enrich uranium to unacceptable levels. They even rejected a generous civilian proposal to supply nuclear fuel free of charge indefinitely. We proposed to supply them free nuclear fuel, but they weren’t interested because they only want to make nuclear weapons.”

“So, the regime is trying to secretly rebuild its weapons program elsewhere. They can’t go back to the three sites we destroyed, so they are working at another location, in a different concealed terrain, protected by hard granite. They want protection, and granite is very strong, but they want to go deeper underground. They have started this process while rapidly developing conventional ballistic missiles. They plan to advance both projects simultaneously, which directly threatens our overseas bases and could soon impact the US mainland. Their evil plan is to use this exponential growth of ballistic missiles to make it nearly impossible for the world to stop their eventual acquisition of nuclear weapons.”

“So, as you can see, they once had an astonishing number of missiles, most of which are now expended or destroyed, and their use has been very unsuccessful because we can intercept most of them. The Patriot missiles and other advanced systems perform astonishingly well. Our laser technology, which is about to go fully operational, will allow us to intercept targets with extremely low-cost lasers, hitting them precisely.”

“The situation is rapidly approaching an irreversible point, and the US considers this absolutely unacceptable. Based on intelligence—deeply involved—I believed they were about to attack us. I am convinced that if we hadn’t preempted, they would have intended to attack the US. If you notice, they did something extremely foolish—they attacked their neighbors. And their neighbors are basically neutral or at least not involved in the conflict, yet they were attacked without reason. This backfired strongly, and those neighbors immediately turned to us and began to fight back, very successfully. Look at Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and other countries—they are strong and smart, but they were attacked. When I first heard this, I said no, someone must have gotten the intelligence wrong. But it’s not a mistake. The UAE was hit by over 1,000 missiles but nearly all were shot down.”

“On my first day riding the escalator in 2015, I said, ‘I will stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.’ What I am doing now is just fulfilling that promise. Think about it—back in 2015, I issued warnings. It was a threat, which later became a bigger threat, but now it’s no longer a threat, at least for a long time. We want to keep this peace.”

“As we continue Operation Epic Fury, we are also highly focused on ensuring the smooth flow of global energy and oil. I will never allow a terrorist regime to hold the world hostage and try to cut off global oil supplies. If Iran takes any reckless action, they will face far more devastating strikes than now. I will destroy those critical infrastructure targets I just mentioned. We will do it very quickly. They will never recover. If they want to play this dangerous game, they better think twice. In the long run, without Iranian ships, drones, missiles, nuclear threats, or other threats, oil supplies will be much safer. The Strait of Hormuz will remain absolutely secure. We have deployed a large number of powerful navy ships there, and we have the world’s most advanced mine-clearing equipment. Again, most of their ships are already sunk.”

“But we will strike them so fiercely that they or anyone helping them will never regain influence in that region, as long as they dare to act recklessly. Over recent years, this regime and its terrorist proxies have indiscriminately attacked hundreds of commercial ships. We are ending this threat completely. The ultimate result will be a significant reduction in oil and natural gas prices for American families. We have already achieved that, bringing prices down very low. This is a necessary military action to address a problem that must be solved. We are very close to fully accomplishing this goal.”

“Meanwhile, during this brief interruption, the US will provide political risk insurance for any oil tankers operating in the Persian Gulf. We may also escort them personally through the strait if needed. We have the world’s strongest mine-clearing capabilities, the largest invincible fleet, and precise knowledge of their minefield locations. We will clear them very quickly. But we hope it won’t be necessary. Again, if they do this, if they play that sneaky game, we will strike them with unprecedented severity. We are winning this victory decisively. Our progress is far ahead of schedule. Our military is the greatest in the world, equipped with the best gear and top talent, unmatched by anyone.”

“Iran was once a very powerful, threatening country. They planned to take over the Middle East entirely. If we hadn’t preempted, they would have taken over the Middle East. They have stockpiled thousands of missiles and other deadly weapons since their last strike. Most of these have now been destroyed. But they still aim to take over the Middle East. These weapons are aimed at innocent Middle Eastern countries unrelated to this conflict. They want to dominate the Middle East and destroy Israel. We stopped all this madness in time. We are very proud to be part of it, and it will end very soon. If they restart again, they will face even harsher retaliation.”

$1 and below are Monday’s reports====

Iran: Willing to continue game if oil prices rise above $200; G7 has no consensus on releasing strategic reserves; oil prices surged 30% to nearly $120

The Strait of Hormuz remains nearly blocked, with Gulf countries planning to cut production. International oil prices soared by up to 30%, approaching $120 per barrel. After reports that the G7 would discuss jointly releasing strategic reserves, prices narrowed their gains.

France’s finance minister said that the consensus is to use all necessary tools to stabilize the market if needed, including releasing reserves.

The surge in oil prices has intensified global market turmoil, triggering circuit breakers in Japan and South Korea. US stock futures fell more than 1,000 points on Monday, with the Dow Jones futures down over 600 points at the open, the Nasdaq down 1.2%, and the S&P 500 down 80 points. The US dollar index was at 99.185.

The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has caused oil storage facilities to fill rapidly, with Kuwait and the UAE beginning to cut production. Reports indicate that two Saudi Aramco oil fields have started reducing output, though no details on the extent. Some domestic media suggest that Aramco is merely reallocating export supplies.

Additionally, French President Macron, speaking at the Paphos Air Force Base in Cyprus, announced that France plans to work with European and non-European countries to establish a “purely defensive” mission to escort cargo ships and oil tankers, aiming to gradually reopen the Strait of Hormuz after the most intense phase of conflict.

Iran: Willing to continue game if oil prices stay above $200; Prices may remain in triple digits for some time

Iran’s Hatam Anbia Central Command spokesperson issued a video statement warning the US and Israel to cease “inhuman actions.” The spokesperson told the US and Israel that if they can tolerate oil prices rising above $200 per barrel, “then keep playing this game.”

Iranian Parliament Speaker Qalibaf said that if the current conflict further expands to infrastructure, its economic impact will last longer regionally and globally. He said that under such circumstances, international oil prices could stay in triple digits for a considerable period.

The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a statement claiming they have carried out the 31st wave of “True Commitment 4” strikes, using heavy missiles to attack US-related targets. The IRGC also said that early this morning, IRGC naval forces used multiple drones and cruise missiles to attack and “destroy” US military helicopter bases in Kuwait, describing the operation as “extremely critical,” including destroying fuel tanks, helicopter parking ramps, and other logistics and support facilities.

Trump posted on Truth Social: “Short-term oil prices will drop rapidly once Iran’s nuclear threat is eliminated, which is a very small price for US and global security and peace. Only fools would think otherwise.”

Hojjat al-Islam Mojtaba Khamenei appointed as Iran’s new Supreme Leader

Iranian state media reported that the Assembly of Experts has selected Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as the country’s new Supreme Leader.

The IRGC issued a statement welcoming Mojtaba Khamenei’s appointment. The statement described him as “a comprehensive jurist, a young thinker, and highly knowledgeable on political and social issues,” expressing respect, loyalty, and obedience. It said members are “ready to fully obey and sacrifice themselves in carrying out the sacred command of the Guardian Jurist.”

$1 and below are daily reports====

Iran: Will choose new leader within 24 hours; UK plans to send two aircraft carriers; Trump: No need to wait for victory to fight

Trump, speaking on Air Force One early Monday (March 2), said, “Unconditional surrender means they surrender, or when they can no longer fight, and no one around them can surrender either, that might happen because you know we have eliminated their leadership many times.” Regarding no ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, Trump said, “That’s their choice. But we’ve cleared it out; we’ve destroyed their navy. Their navy is now sunk at the bottom of the sea.”

He added, “We expect oil prices to rise, and that’s expected. But they will also fall. They will fall very quickly.” Trump said he would use strategic reserves when appropriate.

As for deploying ground troops, Trump said it requires very solid reasons: “If we do that, they will face devastating strikes so they cannot fight on the ground.” He also said he does not want the Kurds involved, to avoid making the war more complicated, “I’ve told them I don’t want them to go in.”

Trump said, “We’ve taken out one leadership layer, then the second, and now they are at the third or fourth layer, and they have leaders nobody even knows.”

According to Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency, quoting expert assembly member Ayatollah Mozafari, Iran plans to hold a meeting within 24 hours to elect a new Supreme Leader. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) spokesman told national TV that Iran is “completely prepared to continue intense, full-scale war for at least six months at the current pace.”

Additionally, Iran’s president said he has instructed the military not to attack any countries that have not attacked Iran, despite attacks on the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and others.

Dubai Media Office issued a statement saying that Dubai International Airport has temporarily suspended all operations for safety reasons.

UAE President issued a rare warning to the country’s “enemies” not to mistake Dubai’s prosperity for weakness. He said during a hospital visit, “The UAE is tough and resilient, not an easy target,” and met with injured civilians from Iran attacks.

Several European officials have revealed that Saudi Arabia has increased direct contacts with Iran, trying to curb Middle East war, which has caused serious turmoil and pressure on global markets.

On the oil production front, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, the UAE’s largest oil producer, said it is “managing” offshore oil output levels to meet storage demands. The company continues to utilize export routes bypassing the Strait of Hormuz and its international storage facilities to ensure supplies reach global customers.

Trump posted on Truth Social: “The UK, our once-great ally—perhaps the greatest—finally considering sending two aircraft carriers to the Middle East. No problem, Prime Minister Sunak, we no longer need them—but we will remember. We don’t need to wait until we’ve won the war to come in!”

Trump also claimed that Iran, a country suffering heavy blows, has apologized to and surrendered to neighboring Middle Eastern countries, promising not to fire on them again. This promise was made solely because of relentless US and Israeli attacks. They originally aimed to take over and dominate the entire Middle East. This is Iran’s first defeat by neighboring Middle Eastern countries in thousands of years. They said, “Thank you, President Trump.” I replied, “You’re welcome!” Iran is no longer “the bully of the Middle East”; instead, they are “the losers of the Middle East,” and will remain so for decades until they surrender or, more likely, collapse entirely! Today, Iran will face a heavy blow! Due to Iran’s malicious actions, some areas and populations that have not yet been targeted are being seriously considered for total destruction and inevitable death.

$1 and below are Saturday’s reports====

US provides $20 billion reinsurance for oil tankers; Trump: Weapons production tripled

After Trump announced that the US Export-Import Bank (DFC) would provide reinsurance for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, DFC CEO Ben Black and US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen announced that the reinsurance mechanism would roll out up to approximately $20 billion in loss coverage, covering oil tankers and other maritime traffic, to promote safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.

Due to Iran’s war causing the Persian Gulf’s oil tanker traffic to stall, US crude oil prices surged over 13%, breaking above $91 per barrel. Some Gulf countries, unable to export oil via the strait, have begun reducing production.

Ben Black stated: “We are confident this reinsurance plan will enable oil, gasoline, liquefied natural gas (LNG), aviation fuel, and fertilizers to pass smoothly through the Strait of Hormuz and flow back into the global market.”

Source: https://www.dfc.gov/media/press-releases/dfc-announces-20b-plan-maritime-reinsurance-gulf

Meanwhile, Qatar is loading liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Trump posted on Truth Social: “Had a very successful meeting with our largest defense manufacturer, discussing capacity and production schedules. They agreed to increase production of the ‘Exquisite Class’ weapons by four times, as we want to reach maximum output as soon as possible.”

“Expansion efforts began three months ago, and many of these weapons’ factories are now under construction and production. We have nearly unlimited supplies of medium and upper-tier munitions, such as those used against Iran and recently in Venezuela. Still, we’ve increased orders for these types of weapons.”

Representatives from BAE Systems, Boeing, Honeywell Aerospace, L3Harris Missile Solutions, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon attended the meeting. A follow-up meeting is scheduled in two months. All states are currently bidding for the setup of these new factories."

Additionally, Secretary Yellen indicated that the US might lift further sanctions on Russian oil supplies, “The Treasury has agreed to allow our allies, India, to start purchasing Russian crude oil already at sea, to help alleviate the temporary global oil shortage. We are permitting them to receive this Russian oil. We may also lift sanctions on other Russian oil.”

$1 and below are Friday’s reports====

US visits White House, meets Trump; US War Department: B-2 bombers dropped dozens of 2,000-pound penetrating bombs; LOCUS drones indispensable

US bombed Iran on the seventh day. Trump met with Miami International FC champion, led by the US, at the White House. Trump said, “Messi (cheering crowd) is… my son asked, Dad, do you know who’s coming today? I said, I don’t know, I have a lot to do. He said, Messi. I said, really? He’s your biggest fan,” “You might say I’m old, but I’ve watched Billy play, he’s with the Cosmos. You might be better than Billy. Billy’s pretty good. Who’s better? Him or Billy? (pointing at Messi, crowd laughs) Messi! I agree. But… Billy’s also pretty good.”

Regarding Iran, Trump said, “I again call on all members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, military, and police to lay down their arms. Accept immunity, and we will give you immunity. Otherwise, you face absolute guaranteed death. And I don’t want to see that.”

“We also urge Iranian diplomats worldwide to seek asylum and help us shape a new, better Iran. It’s a country with great potential, with us.”

“Iran’s missiles targeted these countries: Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and many others. Those who are not really involved were targeted by their missiles long before the conflict started. They aimed at the entire Middle East. Then we came. We destroyed their party.”

The expansion of the Middle East conflict and supply disruptions have raised concerns about global supply. US benchmark crude (WTI) rose above $80 per barrel for the first time in over a year. US Secretary of the Interior, Bernhardt, said the Trump administration is considering a range of options to address soaring oil and gasoline prices during the Iran war, “All options are under consideration.” So far, the US has not taken measures to deploy strategic petroleum reserves.

US Defense Secretary Hegseth said, “We are not short of ammunition. Our stockpiles of defensive and offensive weapons allow us to sustain this campaign as needed. Ammunition levels will only increase with advantage,” “The operational forces capable of projecting over Iran, combined with Israel’s defense capabilities, are now several times greater.”

Joint Commander of Operation Epic Fury, Admiral Cooper, said over 50,000 troops are currently executing the mission. In the past hour, B-2 bombers dropped dozens of 2,000-pound penetrating bombs targeting buried ballistic missile launchers. They also struck an Iranian space command-like agency, weakening their ability to threaten Americans.

He said that compared to day one, Iran’s ballistic missile attacks have decreased by 90%, drone attacks by 83%. About 30 ships have been sunk or destroyed. In recent hours, they hit an Iranian drone carrier about the size of a WWII aircraft carrier, which is now on fire. The next phase is to systematically dismantle Iran’s future missile production capacity.

He responded to questions, saying they are adjusting Ukraine deployments to counter Iran’s drones.

He also said that reports of Iran’s F-15 being shot down are false; Iran claims 500 Americans have been killed, which is a lie.

Using $10,000 worth of weapons to shoot down $10,000 worth of drones.

Regarding LOCUS drones, he said new capabilities have been deployed for interceptors. Over time, the cost curve of drones has been somewhat reversed. Looking back a few years, the US used to shoot down a $200 million missile with a $50,000 drone. Now, it takes a lot of time and $10,000 weapons to shoot down a $100,000 drone.

But LOCUS drones are indispensable. They are originally designed by Iran. The US captured one, disassembled its parts, sent it back to the US, labeled it “Made in America,” and is now launching them back at Iran.

$1 and below are Thursday’s reports====

White House: Will fully control Iran’s airspace in the coming hours; Spain has agreed to cooperate with US forces

Sixth day of US bombing Iran. White House Press Secretary Leavitt said that so far, over 20 Iranian ships have been destroyed, including the first use of torpedoes since WWII last night, destroying Iran’s top submarine. Currently, no Iranian ships are sailing in the Arabian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, or Oman Gulf.

Leavitt pointed out that US forces have targeted over 2,000 targets, destroying hundreds of ballistic missiles, launchers, and drones. In the next few hours, they are expected to fully and thoroughly control Iran’s airspace.

Leavitt responded to who is giving orders in Iran, saying intelligence agencies are closely monitoring and paying attention.

Spain, which initially refused US military bases, agreed to cooperate after Trump’s pressure to cut trade.

Regarding the Strait of Hormuz, Leavitt said US Navy will begin escorting oil tankers through Hormuz at the “appropriate” time.

On increasing ammunition stocks, Leavitt said she has not heard the President considering this.

$1 and below are March 4 reports====

Hamad Khamenei’s son reportedly elected as new Supreme Leader; IRGC: Block Strait of Hormuz

Senior cleric responsible for electing Iran’s next Supreme Leader held a meeting on Tuesday (March 3). Iranian media quoted sources saying that Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is likely elected as the new Supreme Leader. The 56-year-old Mojtaba is the second son of Khamenei and currently commands Iran’s Basij militia.

As Iran’s war enters its fifth day, it has become a contest between the US and Iran over the Strait of Hormuz. Trump posted on Truth Social: “Effective immediately, I have ordered the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) to provide very reasonable prices for financial security and political risk insurance for all maritime trade, especially energy, passing through the Gulf region. This service will be available to all shipping companies.”

“Heads up, US Navy will start escorting tankers through the Strait of Hormuz as needed. Regardless, the US will ensure the free flow of energy to the world. Our economic and military strength is the strongest on Earth—more actions are coming.”

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a statement: “IRGC Navy has sent a message to the global shipping network, clearly stating that the Strait of Hormuz is now in a state of war from start to finish, and ships may face any damage risks from missiles or uncontrolled drones; therefore, ships should not transit in this area.”

“Given the multiple warnings issued by the IRGC Navy that the Strait of Hormuz is unsafe, more than 10 ships ignoring these warnings have been hit by various projectiles and caught fire.”

“As is evident, Iran has always pursued a policy of de-escalation, striving to create safety and stability in the Persian Gulf, region, and globally. However, Trump and Netanyahu’s foolish actions have triggered this war, causing regional turmoil and disrupting the global economic order.”

“Currently, the entire Strait of Hormuz is under the control of the Islamic Republic Navy.”

“It is worth noting that this important and strategic action by Iran has caused a sharp rise in global oil prices, impacting economies worldwide—especially the US and EU countries. Energy experts say that if this situation continues for three weeks, the global economy will face a serious crisis.”