WAR WITH IRAN - DAY 03 - WILL THEIR BE A STOCK MARKET CRASH WHEN MARKETS OPEN TODAY.

 JEWISH KING JESUS IS COMING AT THE RAPTURE FOR US IN THE CLOUDS-DON'T MISS IT FOR THE WORLD.THE BIBLE TAKEN LITERALLY- WHEN THE PLAIN SENSE MAKES GOOD SENSE-SEEK NO OTHER SENSE-LEST YOU END UP IN NONSENSE.GET SAVED NOW- CALL ON JESUS TODAY.THE ONLY SAVIOR OF THE WHOLE EARTH - NO OTHER. 1 COR 15:23-JESUS THE FIRST FRUITS-CHRISTIANS RAPTURED TO JESUS-FIRST FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT-23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.ROMANS 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.(THE PRE-TRIB RAPTURE)

WAR WITH IRAN - DAY 03 - WILL THEIR BE A STOCK MARKET CRASH WHEN MARKETS OPEN TODAY.

THE NEXT US-ISRAEL HIT ON IRAN SHOULD BE VERSE 37. ALL OFFENSIVE NUKE SITES MISSLES,DRONES,AND OF COURSE KHEMENI AND THE IRGC GUARDS.THEN AFTER IRANS REGIME CHANGE. MUSLIMS COME TO JESUS BY THE MILLIONS.

JEREMEIAH 49:32-39 (IN IRAN AT THE BUSHEHR OR ARAK NUKE SITES AND ALL OFENSIVE WEAPONS DESTROYED IN IRAN)
Jeremiah 49:32-39    
32 Their camels shall be a booty, and the multitude of their cattle a spoil: and I will scatter to all winds those who have the corners [of their hair] cut off; and I will bring their calamity from every side of them, says Yahweh.
33 Hazor shall be a dwelling-place of jackals, a desolation forever: no man shall dwell there, neither shall any son of man sojourn therein.(Location & Size: It was strategically located along the Via Maris (Way of the Sea), a major trade route connecting Egypt with Syria and Mesopotamia.)
34 The word of Yahweh that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning Elam,(IRAN) in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying,
35 Thus says Yahweh of Hosts: Behold, I will break the bow of Elam,(IRANS OFFENSIVE WEAPONS) the chief of their might.(MISSLES AND NUKE SITES)
36 On Elam (IRAN) will I bring the four winds from the four quarters of the sky, and will scatter them toward all those winds; and there shall be no nation where the outcasts of Elam shall not come.(SINCE 1979 IRANIANS HAVE GOTTIN OUT OF IRAN BECAUSE OF KHEMENI AND HIS APOCOPOLIPTIC DEATH CULT BELIEF-BLACK HATER 12ERS)
37 I will cause Elam (IRAN) to be dismayed before their enemies, and before those who seek their life;(ISRAEL THE LITTLE SATAN AND THE U.S THE BIG SATAN) and I will bring evil on them, (MISSLES) even my fierce anger,(FIRE) says Yahweh; and I will send the sword after them,(IRANS OFFENSIVE WEAPONS) until I have consumed them; (DESTROYED THEM ALL NUKE SITES,MISSLES ETC)
38 and I will set my throne in Elam,(IRAN WILL BECOME A CHRISTIAN NATION) and will destroy from there king (KHEMENI, ISLAM) and princes, says Yahweh.(IRANIAN ARMY GUARDS)
39 But it shall happen in the latter days, that I will bring back the captivity of Elam,(IRAN) says Yahweh.(WERE IN THE LATTER DAYS NOW)

JEREMEIAH 49:23-27
23  Concerning Damascus.(SYRIA) Hamath is confounded, and Arpad: for they have heard evil tidings: they are fainthearted; there is sorrow on the sea;(WAR SHIPS WITH NUKES COMING ON SYRIA) it cannot be quiet.
24  Damascus is waxed feeble, and turneth herself to flee, and fear hath seized on her: anguish and sorrows have taken her, as a woman in travail.
25  How is the city of praise not left, the city of my joy!
26  Therefore her young men shall fall in her streets, and all the men of war shall be cut off in that day, saith the LORD of hosts.
27  And I will kindle a fire (NUKES OR BOMBS) in the wall of Damascus, and it shall consume the palaces of Benhadad.(ASSADS PALACES POSSIBLY IN DAMASCUS)

THESE LIBERAL PATHETIC DEMONS FROM HELL ARE TRYING TO STOP TRUMP AND ISRAEL FROM DESTROYING THE IRANIAN SEX FOR MURDER DEATH CULT OF PEDOPHILIA.

IT WOULD NOT SURPRISE ME IF CHINA HAD SOME SECRET WEAPON THAT THEY WOULD GIVE TO IRAN TO STRIKE AN AMERICAN CARRIER.SINCE CHINA AND RUSSIA CAME OUT AGAINST THIS ISRAEL-USA WAR.THEN I COULD SEE THE LIBERALS CALLING TO BRIING OUT THE UFO DEMONIC CULT TO COVER UP ALL THE LIBERAL PEDOPHILES WHO WERE INVOLVED WITH JEFFREY EPSTEIN.HOW TO GET RID OF THE EPSTEIN GUILTIES IN BOTH REUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC PARTIES. BRING OUT THE UFO DEMONS.AND GET EVERYBODY OBSESSED WITH THAT. A PERFECT FALSE FLAG TO COVER UP THE EPSTEIN CRIMINALS.

Concerns about China's ability to "take out" (destroy or neutralize) U.S. aircraft carriers have escalated, with U.S. officials and analysts indicating that Chinese hypersonic missile technology poses a significant threat to American naval dominance in the Western Pacific. 
Here are the key points based on recent intelligence and analysis:
Hypersonic Threat: According to reports, China’s DF-27 hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV) and YJ-21 anti-ship missiles are specifically designed to target high-value assets like aircraft carriers, with some warnings suggesting they could destroy US carriers within minutes of a conflict.
Targeting Capabilities: China has developed advanced AI-driven satellite systems and "carrier-killer" missile technology that allows them to track U.S. carrier movements in real-time.
Operational Risk: Analysts note that in a potential conflict over Taiwan or in the South China Sea, U.S. carriers would likely be forced to operate outside the range of Chinese anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) systems to avoid being sunk.
Vulnerability Concerns: Some U.S. defense commentary suggests that the Navy is not fully prepared for the massive casualties that would result from a "mission kill" on a carrier, highlighting concerns about the ability to manage a disaster involving thousands of sailors.
Numerical Disparity: Chinese naval forces already outnumber the U.S. Navy (roughly 400 to 295), and with the commissioning of new carriers like the Fujian, China is rapidly expanding its ability to challenge U.S. power projection.
Countermeasures: In response, the U.S. Navy is rushing to deploy laser weapons and other advanced defense systems to protect its carriers.Despite these warnings, experts also note that targeting a moving, defended carrier group is complex, and the U.S. has its own methods to target Chinese naval assets. 

Significant Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP/UFO) reports, including potential landings or low-altitude encounters, have occurred in both China and Europe, often shrouded in secrecy or immediate official denials.
 China
Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport (2010): A UFO hovering over the runway forced the closure of the airport and diversion of 18 flights. The incident was never fully identified by authorities, prompting intense investigation and media speculation.
Phoenix Mountain, Hong Tang (1994): Over 50 loggers witnessed a bright, mirror-like object hovering over trees, with some descriptions resembling a "huge plastic tent".
Shandong Province Fireball (September 2025): Multiple videos captured a bright, downward-streaking object (fireball) followed by two loud, artillery-like bangs, prompting local speculation of a "shot down" object.
Rizhao Naval Base (2023): An object was detected near the Yuchi naval base, with reports indicating that authorities initiated procedures to shoot it down. 

Europe
Rendlesham Forest, UK (1980): Known as "Britain's Roswell" U.S. Air Force personnel stationed at RAF Bentwaters/Woodbridge reported multiple nights of lights and a landed craft in the forest, one of the most famous, documented cases in Europe.
Swedish/Greek Investigations: Thousands of UFO sightings across Europe have triggered, at times, secret investigations by governments worried about foreign, experimental technology, particularly in Scandinavia.
1967 England Hoax: Six UFOs "landed" in various locations in England, triggering a major police and military response, which was later revealed to be a hoax by engineering apprentices at the Royal Aircraft Establishment. 

Contextual Notes
"Secret Landings": Reports of UAP near top-secret, high-security areas like China's Lop Nur are often met with immediate, strict security lockdowns and information control.
Misidentification: Many reported "landings" or "UFOs" in China are often found to be tests of new, classified military technology or, more recently, surveillance drones.
Historical Claims: Some UAP researchers suggest that "retrieval programs" for crashed craft have existed in Europe since as far back as 1933. 

AT 5.30AM THE DOW FUTURES ARE DOWN -522 POINTS.COULD THIS BE THE DAY IN ONE HOUR THE STOCK MARKET CRASH.AND WE WOULD THEN GO TO THE MICROCHIP ECONOMY. WE WILL SEE TODAY.

Revelation 18:17-King James Version
17 For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,

Kuwait says ‘several’ US warplanes crashed in the country, all crew survived-Footage shows at least one pilot ejecting; US embassy in Kuwait City closed as black smoke seen rising from compound-By Agencies Today, 11:40 am-MAR 2,26

Several American warplanes crashed in Kuwait but their crew survived, Kuwait’s defense ministry said Monday, as Iran said it targeted US Ali Al Salem base and black smoke was seen rising from the US embassy in Kuwait.“Several US warplanes crashed this morning. Confirming that all crew members survived,” a Kuwaiti defense ministry spokesman said in a statement, adding that the cause was under investigation.“Authorities immediately initiated search and rescue operations, evacuating the crews and transporting them to a hospital for medical evaluation and treatment. Their condition is stable,” the statement added.The number of planes that crashed was unclear — most reports suggested one or two.At least one pilot managed to eject, according to unconfirmed videos, and posts to social media suggested that at least one plane’s fall involved friendly fire.In videos, a jet was seen spiraling to the ground in a flat spin.There was no immediate comment from the American military.UPDATE: Based on shared footage online, it appears two separate F-15 jets may have crashed — one fully engulfed in flames, the other with fire visible near the right engine only. This could explain Kuwait’s announcement that several jets crashed. H/T: azyakancokkacan pic.twitter.com/Y07E0ke0cl — Clash Report (@clashreport) March 2, 2026-Meanwhile Monday morning, black smoke was seen rising from the US embassy in Kuwait, and the diplomatic mission told people not to come to the premises as Iran pressed on with a third day of attacks on the Gulf and Israel.Sirens earlier sounded over Kuwait City following the latest volley of Iranian attacks in retaliation for US and Israeli strikes.The embassy did not announce it had been hit, but issued a security alert urging people to stay away.There is a continuing threat of missile and UAV attacks over Kuwait. Do not come to the embassy,” the statement said. “US Embassy personnel are sheltering in place.”Kuwait’s interior ministry said it intercepted an unspecified number of drones targeting the country at dawn.Like some other US embassies in the Middle East, the outpost in Kuwait is a large, walled compound consisting of multiple buildings and recreational facilities.It is located near other embassies and residential areas to the south of central Kuwait City, and the ruling emir’s Bayan Palace is not far away.In December 1983, a truck packed with explosives heavily damaged parts of the US Embassy in Kuwait when it drove through a gate and detonated. The bombing was part of a series of attacks later blamed on Iranian-backed terror groups.Iranian attacks have so far killed five people in the Gulf, according to authorities, including one person in Kuwait.Earlier on Monday, loud explosions were heard across the Gulf cities of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Doha, Manama, and Kuwait.Iran’s continued and unprecedented bombardment of the Gulf has hit military bases but also civilian infrastructure, including residential buildings, hotels, airports, and seaports, rattling a region long seen as a haven of peace and security in the turbulent Middle East.

Analysis-What future for Iranian leadership after Khamenei’s death? Analysts say country’s clerical system was built to outlast any single leader, but Khamenei’s killing has set off a power struggle-By AFP Today, 11:24 am-MAR 2,26

The killing of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and the ongoing US-Israeli bombing campaign have ushered in a period of uncertainty for the Islamic Republic’s leadership.At the beginning of the air campaign, US President Donald Trump urged Iranians to seize power once it was over, having voiced support for mass protests against the clerical leadership that peaked in January before a deadly crackdown.Continuity for now-Today, “the country appears ‘tightly controlled,'” said Pierre Razoux, director of the Mediterranean Foundation for Strategic Studies (FMES), after authorities in recent days closed universities, deployed security forces in cities, and cut internet access.“Everything is being done to prevent protests. As long as the public is not convinced that the repressive apparatus — 600,000 Basij (volunteer paramilitary) and 250,000 internal security forces — has been neutralized, they are unlikely to take to the streets again.”Iran’s political system has procedures for the succession of the supreme leader, and his “removal does not mean the end” for a system with many centers of power and redundancies in place, Razoux told AFP.He expected a scenario of “continuity of the regime with new rules of the game — perhaps to the detriment of the clerics, but with the same people in charge.”Researcher Theo Nencini of Sciences Po Grenoble said: “The entire direction of the regime will depend on the choice of the new supreme leader.”In Venezuela in January, after US forces snatched President Nicolas Maduro, Vice President Delcy Rodriguez took charge with Trump’s endorsement, and the regime survived in return for concessions to Washington.French-Iranian sociologist Azadeh Kian speculated to broadcaster Franceinfo that Trump might be “looking to come to an understanding with a more moderate wing of the regime.”Khamenei’s killing “could give rise to significant rivalries within the circles of power between the Revolutionary Guards and the civilian leadership,” she said, “But for now, they are all working together to keep the system in place.”The Guards’ moment? “The alternative is a takeover by the Pasdaran,” the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Razoux said.While its commander, Mohammad Pakpour, was killed in Saturday’s strikes, the IRGC remains an extremely well-organized force, with considerable influence in Iranian society, politics, and the economy.“In reality, the rebalancing of power in favor of the Revolutionary Guards has already happened” in recent years, Nencini said.“But a transition toward a more militarized regime under their leadership is a possibility — a more conventional military regime, without the current Shiite religious framework. Still, I find it hard to imagine them doing away with the religious veneer altogether,” he added.The regular army-With a force of 350,000 men, according to the specialist publication Military Balance 2026, Iran’s army “does not carry political weight today, but it could still play a role in the future if the military decides to take a political direction different from that of the Guards,” Nencini said.Razoux said the Iranian army “may hold one of the keys, and its positioning will be crucial — in relation to the population, the leadership and the Guards alike.”“There is no indication of its intentions. At the moment, it is stretched thin, busy defending the country and trying to limit the damage,” he added.Moreover, in the event of a political shift, the armed forces will “need to demonstrate that they have fulfilled their role and carried out their mission.”The army could also rally behind another figure, but according to Nencini, there is “no credible political figure offering an alternative among the opposition.”Fractured opposition-The opposition inside Iran is repressed and imprisoned, illustrated by the case of jailed 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi.Opposition movements in exile have long been divided.The deposed shah’s eldest son, Reza Pahlavi, “is being promoted by Western media” and appears to be gaining popularity, Nencini said, but his credibility among Iranians remains unclear.“There is a spectrum of opponents in Iran who could take action in the future,” Kian said, also pointing to the emergence of demands from ethnic minorities such as the Kurds and Baluchis.But for these groups to carry real weight, they would need to form “a coalition,” she said, stressing that these minorities wouldn’t accept submission to Pahlavi, who “lacks the structures and institutions necessary to come to power.”

Inside story-Iran’s exiled crown prince touts himself as future leader. Is this what Iranians want? While the battered leadership of the Islamic Republic has announced interim transition plans after Khamenei’s killing, Pahlavi says he’s ready to lead a new, democratic Iran. But some fear he’s seeking a return to an absolute monarchy-By Agencies and ToI Staff Today, 11:12 am-MAR 2,26

After the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the Islamic Republic is facing its greatest political crisis since its inception, with US President Donald Trump urging Iranian protesters to overthrow the regime amid Israeli and US strikes.Iran has announced transition plans including the formation of an interim leadership council with the president, the head of the judiciary and a jurist from the Guardian Council, the body that oversees legislation and vets electoral candidates.However, talk of a future Iran after the fall of the Islamic regime has grown increasingly fervent in some quarters. And buoyed by cries heard during some of the protests in Iran of “Long live the shah” (the former monarch of Iran), the voices of royalists in the Iranian diaspora are everywhere.But is a return of the shah really what Iranians want, and what would be best for the country? What are the monarchists promising? Iran’s monarchy was ancient, but the Pahlavi dynasty that last ruled the country only came to power in 1925 when Reza Khan, a soldier in the army, overthrew the previous dynasty.Khan adopted the name Pahlavi, and attempted to bring Iran closer to Western social and economic norms.He was also an authoritarian leader, famous for banning the hijab, and was ultimately forced into exile by the British following the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran in 1941.His son, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, attempted to continue his father’s reforms, but was similarly authoritarian.Presiding over a government that tolerated little dissent, he was ultimately forced out by the huge tide of opposition during the Islamic Revolution of 1979.Now his US-based son, the exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi, 65, is being touted by many in the diaspora as the most credible and visible opposition figure to be able to lead the country if the Islamic Republic collapses.Pahlavi, who has not returned to Iran since before the 1979 Islamic Revolution that ousted the monarchy, is billing himself as the man to lead a democratic transition to a secular Iran, as the theocratic regime fights to survive.He penned an opinion piece in The Washington Post on Sunday in which he thanked US President Donald Trump for the strikes and again said that he was ready to lead a transition to a new Iran.He made clear that it would only be a transitional role, after fears by some critics that he is seeking a return to an absolute monarchy.“Many Iranians, often despite facing bullets, have called on me to lead this transition. I am in awe of their courage, and I have answered their call,” he wrote.“Our path forward will be transparent: a new constitution drafted and ratified by referendum, followed by free elections under international oversight. When Iranians vote, the transitional government dissolves.”Pahlavi, who visited Israel on an unprecedented trip in 2023, said that all Iranian opposition figures agreed on key principles including a separation of religion and state following the Islamic Republic.He said that the opposition groups also backed the territorial integrity of Iran, which has large minority communities, and agreed on “individual liberties and equality of all citizens.”Pro-monarchy groups such as the US-based National Union for Democracy in Iran (NUFDI) have become vocal supporters of Pahlavi.In early 2025, the NUFDI launched a well-coordinated and media savvy “Iran Prosperity Project,” offering what the group claimed was a roadmap for economic recovery in a post-Islamic Republic Iran. Pahlavi himself penned the foreword.Then, in July, the group released its “Emergency Phase Booklet,” with a vision for a new political system in Iran.Although the document is mostly written in the language of international democratic norms, it envisions bestowing the crown prince with enormous powers. He’s called the “leader of the national uprising” and given the right to veto the institutions and selection processes in a transitional government.One thing the document is missing is a response to the demands of Iran’s many ethnic minority groups for a federalist model of government in the country.Instead, under the plan, the government would remain highly centralized under the leadership of Pahlavi, at least until a referendum that the authors claim would determine a transition to either a constitutional monarchy or democratic republic.But students of Iranian history cannot help but note echoes of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini had promised a more democratic Iran with a new constitution, and without himself or other clerics in power.After the revolution, though, Khomeini quickly grasped the reins of power.Online attacks against opponents-When interviewed, Pahlavi has avoided discussing the autocratic nature of his father’s rule and the human rights abuses that occurred under it.But if Pahlavi tends to avoid hard questions, his supporters can be aggressive. At the Munich Security Conference in February, British-Iranian journalist Christiane Amanpour interviewed the crown prince.After the interview, Amanpour’s tough questions resulted in an explosion of anger from his supporters. In a video that has been widely shared on X, royalists could be seen heckling Amanpour, saying she “insulted” the crown prince.In online forums, the language can be even more intimidating. Amanpour asked Pahlavi point-blank if he would tell his supporters to stop their “terrifying” attacks on ordinary Iranians.While saying he doesn’t tolerate online attacks, he added, “I cannot control millions of people, whatever they say on social media, and who knows if they are real people or not.”Do Iranians want a monarchy? The monarchist movement talks as though it is speaking for the whole nation.But during the recent protests, some students could be heard shouting: “No to monarchy, no to the leadership of the clerics, yes to an egalitarian democracy.”The level of support for the shah within Iran is unclear, in part because polling is notoriously difficult and communication with the outside world is tightly controlled.

Saudi Aramco shuts down Ras Tanura refinery after drone strike causes fire-Defense ministry says two drones intercepted, shrapnel fell, no injuries; social media videos show smoke billowing from oil facility, one of the largest in Middle East By Agencies and ToI Staff Today, 9:57 am-MAR 2,26

Saudi Arabia’s state oil giant Aramco shut its Ras Tanura refinery following a drone strike, an industry source said on Monday, after Tehran launched strikes across the region in response to the US-Israeli attack on Iran.A Saudi defense ministry spokesman said two drones had targeted the refinery and been intercepted, according to a statement posted by the Saudi Press Agency on X.“A limited fire resulted from falling shrapnel during the interception operation, with no civilian casualties,” the spokesman said.A source familiar with the incident told AFP the blaze had already been extinguished.Videos posted to social media purporting to show the facility after the attack showed a thick cloud of black smoke billowing into the sky.The Ras Tanura complex, on the kingdom’s Gulf coast, houses one of the Middle East’s largest refineries with a capacity of 550,000 barrels per day (bpd) and serves as a critical export terminal for Saudi crude.It was shut as a precautionary measure, and the situation is under control, the source said.???????????????? Another view of Saudi Arabia's Aramco oil refinery following Iranian stoke: pic.twitter.com/erBJkRPDLj Advertisement — BRICS News (@BRICSinfo) March 2, 2026-Aramco did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.On Sunday, Saudi Arabia intercepted Iranian missiles targeting Riyadh’s international airport and the Prince Sultan Airbase, which houses US military personnel, a Gulf source briefed on the matter told AFP. Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry said it summoned the Iranian ambassador.Saudi Arabia’s heavily fortified energy facilities have been targeted previously, most notably in September 2019 when unprecedented drone and missile attacks on the Abqaiq and Khurais plants temporarily knocked out more than half of the kingdom’s crude production and roiled global markets. Though the Iran-backed Houthi rebel group in Yemen claimed responsibility, the US blamed Iran for carrying out the attack itself.The latest drone strike added to a wave of attacks on the Gulf, including on Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Doha, Manama, and Oman’s commercial part of Duqm. The strikes have paralyzed major shipping hubs in the United Arab Emirates and Oman and sent Brent crude futures LCOc1 surging roughly 10 percent on Monday.Traders were betting the supply of oil from Iran and elsewhere in the Middle East would slow or grind to a halt. Attacks throughout the region, including on two vessels traveling through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf, have restricted countries’ ability to export oil to the rest of the world. Prolonged attacks would likely result in higher prices for crude oil and gasoline, according to energy experts.West Texas Intermediate, the light, sweet crude oil produced in the United States, was trading at about $72 a barrel early Monday, up about 7.3% from about $67 on Friday, according to data from CME Group.A barrel of Brent crude, the international standard, was trading at $78.55 per barrel early Monday, according to FactSet, up 7.8% from its trading price of $72.87 on Friday, which had been a seven-month high at the time.Higher global energy prices could lead consumers to pay more at the pump for gasoline and to shell out more for groceries and other goods, at a time when many are already feeling the effects of elevated inflation.Roughly 15 million barrels of crude oil per day — about 20% of the world’s oil — are shipped through the Strait of Hormuz, making it the world’s most critical oil chokepoint, according to Rystad Energy. Tankers traveling through the strait, which is bordered in the north by Iran, carry oil and gas from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain, the UAE, and Iran.Iran had temporarily shut down parts of the strait in mid-February for what it said was a military drill, which led oil prices to jump about 6% higher in the days that followed.Against that backdrop, eight countries that are part of the OPEC+ oil cartel announced they would boost crude production on Sunday. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, in a meeting held before the war began, said it would increase production by 206,000 barrels per day in April, more than analysts had expected. The countries boosting output include Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria, and Oman.“Roughly one-fifth of global oil supply passes through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for world trade, meaning markets are more concerned with whether barrels can move than with spare capacity on paper,” said Jorge León, Rystad’s senior vice president and head of geopolitical analysis, in an email. “If flows through the Gulf are constrained, additional production will provide limited immediate relief, making access to export routes far more important than headline output targets.”Iran exports roughly 1.6 million barrels of oil a day, mostly to China, which may need to look elsewhere for supply if Iran’s exports are disrupted, another factor that could increase energy prices.

Analysis-Repeated blows to Iranian power and its proxies set the stage for US-Israeli attacks-As Gaza war spread, Iran-backed groups failed to realize that Israel was changing the status quo, experts say; now they seem wary of helping their sponsor By ADAM GELLER and ABBY SEWELL Today, 9:35 am-MAR 2,26

AP — As Israel unleashed a sweeping military response to the brutal October 7, 2023, assault by Hamas, it aimed punch after punch at the power of Iran, the terror group’s longtime sponsor, and its other proxies and allies in the region.The result has been a rapid and systematic degradation of Iran’s clout across the Middle East over the past two and a half years, a seismic change that led directly to this weekend’s devastating attacks on Iran by the United States and Israel.“Certainly the October 7 events were a turning point in this long conflict between Iran and Israel,” said Mehrzad Boroujerdi, an expert on Iranian politics at the Missouri University of Science and Technology. “I think it provided Israel with the argument or justification to deliver a strong blow.”The most devastating hit so far came this weekend when US President Donald Trump and Israeli leaders launched a wave of attacks on Iran, killing Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and inflicting widespread destruction. But the war, while still in its early stages, is part of a much longer continuum of events that have severely weakened Iran, Hezbollah, and other proxy militias, and upended political balance in the region.“It’s a very bloody, a very violent but transformative moment that the Middle East is going through,” said Renad Mansour, a senior research fellow focused on the Middle East at Chatham House, a British think tank. “We don’t know where this will end up.”The damage to Iran’s power radiated from the war in Gaza, where Israeli forces pursued Hamas after terrorists killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages during the October 7 invasion of southern Israel. The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry says more than 72,000 people in the Strip have been killed during the war — including over 600 since the October 2025 ceasefire — though the toll does not differentiate between civilians and combatants. Israel has said it seeks to minimize civilian fatalities and stresses that Hamas uses Gaza’s civilians as human shields, fighting from civilian areas including homes, hospitals, schools, and mosques.The conflict quickly expanded to include other groups in the Iran-sponsored Axis of Resistance.In Lebanon, the powerful terror group Hezbollah had long been considered Iran’s first line of defense in case of a war with Israel. It was believed to have some 150,000 rockets and missiles, and the group’s former leader, Hassan Nasrallah once boasted of having 100,000 fighters.After October 7, the group launched rockets across the border to Israel, seeking to aid its ally Hamas. The attacks forced the evacuation of 60,000 northern residents and caused widespread damage to some communities. That drew Israeli airstrikes and shelling, and the exchanges escalated into full-scale war in the fall of 2024.Israel inflicted heavy damage on Hezbollah, killing Nasrallah and other top leaders and destroying much of the terror group’s arsenal, before a US-negotiated ceasefire nominally halted that conflict last November. Israel continues to occupy parts of southern Lebanon and to carry out near-daily airstrikes, alleging repeated violations of the ceasefire.Hezbollah was further weakened when rebels overthrew the regime of key ally Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, cutting off a major supply route for Iranian weapons.Yemen’s Houthi rebels, also sponsored by Iran, joined the expanding conflict, firing rockets at vessels in the Red Sea and targeting Israel with ballistic missiles. US warships and the Israeli military returned fire.Israel left the status quo behind-As the conflict expanded, leaders of Iran and its proxies failed to recognize that Israel had abandoned the long-tense status quo and was trying to engineer a fundamental shift, Mansour said.The toll on Iran escalated last June when Israel launched a surprise offensive aimed at decimating Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program while Iran and the US were in negotiations for a nuclear deal. The 12-day war that followed saw bombing attacks on Iran’s energy industry and Defense Ministry headquarters.Iran’s weakened proxy groups largely stayed on the sidelines as their sponsor came under direct attack last year. Initially in the new war, they did much the same.“It’s very much about survival” for Hezbollah and the other Iran-backed groups, Mansour said. He noted that over time the Axis had become less driven by top-down orders from Iran, and the groups have become more autonomous. “And survival to them is based on calculations that aren’t necessarily about Iran’s survival.”Since Israel and the US launched a barrage of strikes on Iran on Saturday, Tehran’s allies and proxies in the region have had a minimal role in the response.Hezbollah appeared to change that early Monday, even though the group has been under great pressure by Lebanese officials not to enter the fray in defense of Iran out of fear of another damaging war in Lebanon.Hezbollah issued statements condemning the US-Israeli attacks on Iran and mourning the death of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Then it hinted it might get involved. Early Monday, it did, firing rockets and drones across the border. Israel promptly retaliated with strikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut. It was the first time in more than a year that Hezbollah had claimed a strike against Israel.

Hezbollah said in a statement that the strikes were carried out in retaliation for the killing of Khamenei and for “repeated Israeli aggressions.” Israel, vowing extensive retaliation, charged that Hezbollah was “destroying the state of Lebanon.”How might other proxy groups react? How other proxy groups could react to Khamenei’s death remains to be seen. Charles Lister, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, said Israel’s actions since 2023 may give such groups pause.“Previous bouts of conflict since October 7 appear to have underlined the existential risk associated with making yourself a target,” Lister said in an email responding to questions from The Associated Press.In Iraq, a coalition of Iran-backed militias calling itself the Islamic Resistance in Iraq has claimed several drone strikes targeting US bases in Erbil, the capital of the semi-autonomous Kurdish region in the country’s north. The extent of damage caused by the attacks is not clear. But the Kurdish region has seen widespread power outages after a key gas field that supplies much of the region’s electricity stopped operations, citing security concerns.Two officials with different Iran-backed militias in Iraq told the AP that a meeting took place two months ago between Iranian officials and allied Iraqi militias to make plans for a response in case Iran was attacked, including distributing tasks among the Iraqi armed groups.The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly. One of the officials said it was decided that the response would target US forces and interests in Iraq’s Kurdish region and in neighboring Jordan.There’s often a misconception that Iran issues orders to its proxy militant groups and they all fall in line, Boroujerdi said. But independent decisions the groups have made so far to stay clear of the conflict are a sign of the overall weakening of Iran’s network.“The dominoes started to fall with the October 7 events,” Boroujerdi said. “Just take note of everything that has changed since then in terms of the balance of power.”

Analysis-Dubai’s carefully built image as sun-filled safe haven shattered by Iranian strikes-The UAE is experiencing its ‘ultimate nightmare,’ expert says, as damage caused by hundreds of Iranian projectiles batters the Gulf state’s reputation with tourists By brian melley Today, 6:36 am-MAR 1,26

AP — The United Arab Emirates has sold itself to foreigners for years as a sunny, safe, tax-free oasis.That peaceful image was shattered Saturday as Iranian weaponry rained down on Dubai, setting fire to a five-star resort, threatening the world’s tallest building, and killing one person and injuring seven others at the airport in the capital city of Abu Dhabi.Iran has hit the UAE and several of its neighbors as it strikes back from the major attack by US and Israeli forces, causing fear and chaos in a place that until Saturday was predictably calm.“This is Dubai’s ultimate nightmare, as its very essence depended on being a safe oasis in a troubled region,” Cinzia Bianco, an expert on the Persian Gulf at the European Council on Foreign Relations wrote on X. “There might be a way to be resilient, but there is no going back.”Officials tried to reassure residents and visitors that the country’s air defense system was among the best in the world, blasting down drones and missiles.“I know it’s a scary time for a lot of the residents,” Reem Al Hashimy, minister of state for international cooperation, told CNN. “We don’t hear these types of loud sounds. But at the same time, those are sounds of interception. And where there has been damage — that has been primarily debris.”Fallout from the attacks has undermined the Emirates’ efforts to de-escalate tensions with Iran despite longtime suspicions of its neighbor across the Gulf. The UAE closed its airspace Saturday, shuttered its embassy in Tehran on Sunday, and withdrew its diplomats because of the attacks.“This decision reflects its firm and unwavering position against any aggression that threatens its security and sovereignty,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. It called the attacks an “aggressive and provocative approach” that threatens the region.‘Pretty surreal’The oil-rich federation of seven sheikhdoms has relied on its image as a place of serenity to lure wealthy tourists, businesspeople and future residents who want to live largely tax-free in luxury in the desert by the sea. Nearly 90% of the estimated 11 million residents are foreigners.Real estate firms sell glimmering high-rises and poolside villas to rich Europeans and Americans by promoting a welcoming climate and business-friendly policies, and touting it as one of the safest places on earth.Hundreds of drone and missile attacks later, though, that reputation has been rocked.“Last night was pretty surreal,” said British racehorse trainer Jamie Osborne, who was in Dubai for the Emirates Super Saturday. “You’re standing in the paddock watching missiles get shot through the sky.”The Ministry of Defense said Sunday that air defenses had dealt with 165 ballistic missiles, two cruise missiles and more than 540 Iranian drones over two days.While officials said they intercepted all air attacks Saturday, debris from the knocked-down weapons sparked blazes at some of Dubai’s most iconic locations.Social media videos and photos showed a fire outside the Fairmont hotel on the prestigious man-made Palm Jumeirah island, flames licked at the facade of the famous Burj Al Arab hotel, and smoke rose into the sky near Burj Khalifa, the 2,723-foot (830-meter) skyscraper.There was also a fire at Dubai’s Jebel Ali Port, the city’s main sea terminal and a major shipping hub, and the Dubai International Airport was damaged and four employees were injured, according to the Dubai Media Office.Kristy Ellmer, who was on a business trip from New Hampshire, said she was staying away from the windows of her hotel but felt relatively safe despite the numerous blasts.“You hear a lot of explosions at times, you know, there’s hundreds of them,” she said. “It’s unsettling. We’re not used to hearing bombs, right, or missiles.”Louise Herrle, an American tourist whose flight home with her husband from Dubai was scrapped, said it was her third time trying to visit the area. Previous trips were canceled by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 2023.With their current Abu Dhabi and Dubai tour over, she is less likely to return to the Emirates or the region.“I would probably be inclined to avoid this part of the world when there’s increased tensions, it just explodes so quickly,” Herrle said.Maybe, she said, “the universe was trying to tell us something.”

Zamir: Days-long ‘offensive op’ launched against Hezbollah-IDF strikes in Beirut after Hezbollah enters fray and fires rockets, drones at north-No reports of injuries or damage in Israel; terror group says attacks are ‘revenge’ for Khamenei’s killing; Lebanese PM condemns ‘irresponsible act’; IDF says Hezbollah ‘destroying Lebanon’By Shira Silkoff, Emanuel Fabian,Noam Lehmann and Agencies Today, 5:53 amUpdated at 8:22 am-MAR 2,26

Rockets and drones launched from Lebanon set sirens blaring across northern Israel in the early hours of Monday, as the Hezbollah terror group entered the fray to assist its backer, Iran, with its relentless attacks against the Jewish state.The terror group’s attacks — which it said were in retaliation for the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the opening minutes of the joint Israeli-US assault on Iran on Saturday — were met with an immediate response from Israel, with waves of airstrikes across Lebanon, including multiple strikes in the capital, Beirut, and the Dahiyeh suburb, a Hezbollah stronghold.The IDF charged that Hezbollah, having initiated conflict when warned by Israel and implored by the Beirut government not to do so, was “destroying the state of Lebanon.”Sirens were activated in the northern city of Haifa and surrounding areas shortly after 1 a.m., and the Israel Defense Forces confirmed not long after that the source of the rocket fire that set off the alarms was not Iran, but Lebanon. It then stated that Hezbollah was behind the attack, and Hezbollah acknowledged responsibility soon after.The military said that one rocket was intercepted by air defenses, and at least two others were allowed to fall in open areas.Alerts warning of a drone attack also sounded in the Upper Galilee shortly after, with air defenses shooting down at least two suspected drones, according to military sources.At least three more rockets launched from Lebanon struck open areas in northern Israel at around 3 a.m., without setting off sirens, “according to protocol,” the military said.There were no reports of injuries or damage as a result of the attacks.Hezbollah, in a statement claiming responsibility for launching “a barrage of precision missiles and a swarm of drones,” said it attacked as “revenge for the blood of the Supreme Leader of the Muslims, Ali Khamenei.”The terror group claimed that it had targeted a missile defense site south of Haifa.The attack came hours after Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem vowed that his group would confront Israel and the US over their strikes on Iran, despite the Lebanese government’s plea for it to remain on the sidelines as it had done during the previous 12-day war between Israel and Iran in June 2025.But the request fell on deaf ears as Hezbollah moved ahead with its attack, marking the first time that the Iranian proxy had fired at Israel since the US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon came into effect in November 2024.The attack, Hezbollah suggested, should constitute a “warning” to Israel to “withdraw from occupied Lebanese territory” — the five border posts Israel has held on to in Lebanon, citing security concerns, despite being required to withdraw under the 2024 ceasefire.In response to the rocket fire, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said the military launched an “offensive campaign” against Hezbollah that would likely last several days.“We have begun an offensive campaign against Hezbollah. We are not just on the defense, now we go on the offense,” he said during an assessment following Hezbollah’s rocket and drone attacks on Israel.“We need to prepare for several days of fighting, many. We need strong defensive readiness and continuous offensive preparedness, in waves,” he said.The IDF confirmed that it had begun striking Hezbollah targets across Lebanon, saying that it would “not allow the organization to pose a threat to the State of Israel and harm the residents of the north.”Alluding to the Lebanese government’s fear that Hezbollah would drag the country back into open hostilities, the IDF said the terror group was “destroying the state of Lebanon.”“Responsibility for the escalation lies with it,” the military said.IDF targets Hezbollah in Beirut, issues evacuation warnings in southern villages-According to the IDF, dozens of strikes in Beirut and in southern Lebanon hit Hezbollah headquarters and infrastructure, as well as a vehicle carrying two operatives from the terror group’s elite Radwan Force in the Kfar Dajjal area.In Lebanon’s capital, the military said it had targeted “senior” members of the terror group in a strike, without immediately providing further details.“We prepared for a multi-front scenario and for an offensive campaign against Hezbollah. Any enemy that threatens our security will pay a heavy price; we will not allow harm to the residents of the State of Israel or to the northern border,” Zamir said in remarks published by the military.The IDF also issued evacuation warnings for Lebanese civilians in dozens of villages in southern Lebanon, where Hezbollah is believed to be present. “For your safety, you must evacuate your homes immediately and move at least 1,000 meters away from the villages to open areas,” said Lt. Col. Ella Waweya, the IDF’s Arabic-language spokeswoman.More than a dozen explosions rocked Beirut, witnesses said, in the most intensive strikes on the southern suburbs since the war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2024. Lebanese security sources said airstrikes hit several areas of the southern suburbs of Beirut, known as Dahiyeh, a Hezbollah stronghold.People fled on foot and by car, clogging the roads, after the series of strikes began around 2:40 a.m.Beirut schools and shelters were reportedly being opened to accommodate a large exodus of people from Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon’s south and east.The Lebanese health ministry could not immediately be reached for a casualty toll.Lebanon’s PM denounces rocket fire-As the airstrikes shook Beirut, Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam sharply rebuked the perpetrators of the rocket fire, but avoided directly calling out Hezbollah by name.“Regardless of who is behind it, the rocket fire from southern Lebanon is an irresponsible and suspicious act that endangers Lebanon’s security and safety and gives Israel pretexts to continue its attacks on it,” Salam said on X.“We won’t let the country be dragged into new adventures, and we’ll take any necessary action to prosecute those responsible and protect the Lebanese,” he said.It was the latest effort by Lebanon’s leadership to assert its authority over Hezbollah, which it has been trying to disarm ever since the start of its ceasefire with Israel.On Saturday, upon the start of Israel and the US’s operations in Iran and the subsequent retaliatory fire from Tehran, Salam had warned that Lebanon refused to be dragged into war.And after Hezbollah vowed regardless on Sunday to take action against Israel and the US, Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun reiterated that “the decision of war and peace rests solely with the Lebanese state.”Arabic media reported that Salam has called for an emergency meeting of the Lebanese government at 8 a.m. local time in light of the rocket attack

Three tankers damaged in Gulf and one seafarer killed as US-Iran conflict escalates-Unclear who fired projectiles and drones that hit ships; over 200 vessels drop anchor around Strait of Hormuz, closed by Iran; major container shipping lines reroute round Africa By Agencies Today, 12:00 am-MAR 2,26

At least three tankers were damaged off the Gulf coast, and one seafarer was killed, as Iranian retaliation for US and Israeli strikes on Iran exposed ships to collateral damage, shipping sources and officials said on Sunday.Risks to commercial shipping have surged in the past 24 hours, with more than 200 vessels, including oil and liquefied gas tankers, dropping anchor around the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters, shipping data showed on Sunday.Iran has said it has closed navigation through the critical waterway, prompting Asian governments and refiners — key buyers — to assess oil stockpiles.The strait, situated between Iran and Oman’s Musandam exclave, is the Gulf’s only link to the open ocean and global markets.Shipping companies Maersk, MSC, and Hapag-Lloyd have all halted traffic through the strait.Major container shipping lines have rerouted around the Cape of Good Hope.⚡#BREAKING Reuters, citing maritime security sources: Marshall Islands crude oil tanker MKD VYOM hit by a projectile off the coast of Oman pic.twitter.com/SuNUCM1m8V — War Monitor (@WarMonitors) March 1, 2026-It was not immediately clear who launched the projectiles and drones that targeted or damaged ships on Sunday.A projectile hit the Marshall Islands–flagged product tanker MKD VYOM, killing a crew member on board, as the vessel sailed off the coast of Oman, vessel manager V.Ships said on Sunday.“The vessel suffered an explosion and subsequent fire after being struck,” V.Ships Asia said in a statement.“It is with great sadness that we confirm one crew member, who was in the engine room at the time of the incident, has died,” the statement said.The International Maritime Organization, the UN’s shipping agency, urged companies to avoid sailing through the affected area until conditions improved.A Palau-flagged oil tanker under US sanctions was also hit on Sunday off Oman’s Musandam peninsula, injuring four people, the country’s maritime security center said without specifying what hit the vessel.Another tanker in the UAE port of Jebel Ali was almost damaged by falling debris from an aerial interception after overnight Iranian attacks targeting Gulf states, maritime security sources said.A third oil-bunkering tanker was damaged off the UAE coast, two shipping sources said.A fourth vessel, an oil products tanker, was targeted with a drone off the coast of the UAE, although it managed to sail without being damaged, maritime security sources said.Port operations at Jebel Ali have been paused due to the situation, officials said on Sunday.US President Donald Trump said, meanwhile, that the United States had destroyed nine Iranian navy ships and pummeled Iran’s naval headquarters.‘Ships may be targeted deliberately or in error’“The US-Israeli attack on Iran dramatically increases the security risk to ships operating in the Persian Gulf and adjacent waters,” said Jakob Larsen, chief safety and security officer at shipping association BIMCO.“Ships with business connections to US or Israeli interests are more likely to be targeted, but other ships may also be targeted deliberately or in error,” Larsen said.As Tehran attacked targets across the Gulf on Sunday to avenge slain supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Strait of Hormuz’s status has raised fears of a global oil shock.Risk of mines-Vessels were advised to keep clear of the strait and wider Gulf of Oman because of the risk of retaliatory strikes by Iran, the US transport ministry’s Maritime Administration said in a note on Saturday.“Any US-flagged, owned, or crewed commercial vessels that are operating in these areas should maintain a standoff of 30 nautical miles from US military vessels to reduce the risk of being mistaken as a threat,” it said.There was also the potential risk of mines being laid by Iranian forces in the narrow lanes within the Strait of Hormuz, security sources said.The Iranian military loaded naval mines on vessels in the Persian Gulf in June, heightening concern in Washington that Tehran was gearing up to establish a Strait of Hormuz blockade, two US officials told Reuters in July.Global trade-Only Saudi Arabia and the UAE have pipelines that allow them to bypass it, but those carry a fraction of the crude oil that transits Hormuz.More than 80 percent of the oil and gas moving through the strait is destined for Asian markets, according to the US Energy Information Administration.That includes Iran’s own oil exports, 90% of which are bought by China, historically a key backer of Tehran.War has impacted the Strait of Hormuz before. Oil transit was disrupted in 1984 when warring Iran and Iraq attacked each other’s shipping, damaging or destroying more than 500 vessels.Maritime sources said they expected war risk insurance rates to surge when underwriters reviewed cover on Monday.War risk coverage is required when sailing into perilous areas and the Lloyd’s of London market has already listed Iran, the Gulf, and parts of the Gulf of Oman as high-risk.“We would estimate that near-term rate increases for marine hull insurance in the Gulf could range from 25% to 50%,” said Dylan Mortimer at insurance broker Marsh.