Intelligence feed

Events

Showing 741–760 of 1550 events tracked across the Iran conflict

2026-03-20

20 events

Trump administration strategizing to secure or extract Iran's nuclear materials — ground troops option on table

The Trump administration has been strategizing methods and options to secure or extract Iran's nuclear materials, according to multiple people briefed on the discussions. At stake: approximately 970 pounds of enriched uranium that Iran could use for nuclear weapons. A ground troop deployment to physically seize the material is described as the most daunting option under consideration. AP, CBS News, and NYT confirmed the planning discussions.

Washington DC / Iran nuclear sites

HIGHPOLITICAL·22:00 UTCVERIFIED

White House: Trump's 'Operation Epic Fury' predicted 4-6 weeks — tomorrow marks week 3

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt revealed the official US operation name — "Operation Epic Fury" — and confirmed Trump and the Pentagon predicted the mission would take 4-6 weeks. Tomorrow (Day 22, March 21) marks week 3. Leavitt: "Day by day, the Iranian Regime is being crippled, and their ability to threaten the United States and our allies is being significantly weakened. President Trump is laser focused on one thing: total and complete VICTORY."

White House, Washington DC

HIGHMILITARY·22:00 UTCVERIFIED

Saudi Arabia intercepts 22 Iranian drones in eastern province — 10 then 12 more

Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Defence confirmed interception of 22 drones in two waves: 10 then 12 additional drones, all in the eastern region. The eastern province contains Aramco's Abqaiq and Ras Tanura oil infrastructure. Iran has targeted Saudi Arabia alongside UAE and Kuwait as Gulf energy sites in its retaliatory campaign.

Eastern Province and Northern Saudi Arabia

CRITICALPOLITICAL·21:00 UTCVERIFIED

Trump signals Iran war wind-down on Truth Social, lists 5 military objectives 'nearly met'

US President Trump posted on Truth Social that the US is 'getting very close to meeting our objectives as we consider winding down our great military efforts' against Iran. He listed 5 objectives: (1) degrade Iranian missile capability; (2) destroy Iran's defense industrial base; (3) eliminate Iran's navy and air force; (4) prevent nuclear capability; (5) protect Middle Eastern allies. On Hormuz: 'it will have to be guarded and policed by other nations who use it — the United States does not.'

Washington DC, United States

HIGHECONOMIC·20:30 UTCVERIFIED

Iran rejects Bessent's oil-sanctions-lift offer: 'No surplus crude oil left for international markets'

Iran's oil ministry spokesman Saman Ghoddoosi rejected US Treasury Secretary Bessent's signal that Washington could lift sanctions on Iranian oil at sea: 'Currently, Iran basically has no surplus crude oil left on the water or for supply in other international markets.' Ghoddoosi said Bessent's statement 'is solely aimed at giving hope to buyers' — implying Iran cannot deliver meaningful oil supply even if sanctions were lifted, making the offer strategically hollow.

Tehran, Iran

HIGHMILITARY·20:00 UTCVERIFIED

IDF orders Beirut Dahiyeh evacuation citing 'increasing force' operations against Hezbollah

IDF spokesman Col. Avichay Adaree called again on Lebanese civilians to evacuate Beirut's southern suburbs (Dahiyeh), a Hezbollah stronghold, warning the IDF 'continues to operate and attack the military infrastructure belonging to the Hezbollah terror organization throughout the Dahiyeh area with increasing force.' The IAF has struck dozens of Hezbollah targets in Dahiyeh over the past three weeks; the 'increasing force' language signals potential further escalation on the Lebanon front.

Dahiyeh (southern suburbs), Beirut, Lebanon

STANDARDECONOMIC·20:00 UTCVERIFIED

S&P 500 falls 1.5% as oil surges on Iran war disruption fears

Wall Street stocks closed sharply lower on Day 21, with the S&P 500 falling 1.5% to 6,506.54 points, concluding a turbulent week. All three major indices were in the red. The selloff was driven by surging oil prices on fears that lengthy Hormuz supply disruptions could lead to a global economic downturn.

New York Stock Exchange, United States

CRITICALMILITARY·19:45 UTCVERIFIED

Iran fires 2nd cluster bomb warhead — bomblet craters playground in Kiryat Ono, central Israel

Iran fired a ballistic missile carrying a cluster bomb warhead at central Israel; a bomblet impacted a playground in Kiryat Ono, leaving a small crater. No injuries were reported. Police and IDF dispatched forces to impact sites; Home Front Command search and rescue soldiers deployed. This is Iran's second confirmed cluster munition use on Day 21 — the first struck homes in Rehovot. Footage shows the playground crater.

Kiryat Ono, central Israel

CRITICALPOLITICAL·19:30 UTCVERIFIED

Trump rules out ceasefire, says Israel will end war when US ready; calls on SK/Japan/China for Hormuz

Speaking to reporters outside the White House, US President Trump explicitly ruled out a ceasefire with Iran: 'You don't do a ceasefire when you're literally obliterating the other side.' He said Israel will agree to end the war when he is ready ('I think so, yeah'), and called the US-Israel relationship one where 'we want victory — both of us — and that's what we've got.' Trump also called on South Korea, Japan, and China to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, and declined to comment on Kharg Island reports.

White House, Washington DC

CRITICALMILITARY·18:45 UTCVERIFIED

US dispatches thousands more Marines, sailors and 3 warships to Mideast amid Kharg deliberations

The United States military is deploying thousands of additional Marines and sailors to the Middle East, along with three more warships, three US officials told Reuters on Friday. The deployment comes as Trump's administration deliberates occupying or blockading Iran's Kharg Island to force Hormuz reopening, and as the White House confirmed the US 'can take out Kharg Island at any time.' The buildup is separate from the USS Boxer MEU departure announced earlier in the day.

Persian Gulf / US CENTCOM Area of Operations

HIGHDIPLOMATIC·18:30 UTCVERIFIED

US ambassador endorses Lebanon's proposal for direct talks with Israel — potential ceasefire track

US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa welcomed Lebanese President Aoun's proposal for direct negotiations with Israel to end the Hezbollah-Israel conflict, calling it an important decision. Issa cautioned that Israel "has decided not to stop" striking Lebanon yet, and that Lebanon must decide whether it can meet Israel under these conditions. Aoun first proposed direct talks on March 9 (Day 9); Israel has since said no talks are planned. The US endorsement opens a potential diplomatic track distinct from the France-led ceasefire push.

Beirut, Lebanon

CRITICALECONOMIC·18:00 UTCVERIFIED

Iraq declares force majeure on foreign oilfields — Hormuz disruption; exports reach zero by Day 23

Iraq declared force majeure on all oilfields developed by foreign oil companies after Strait of Hormuz disruptions halted crude exports via Basra. Iraq's 3.4 million barrels per day southern export capacity is effectively offline. By Day 23 (March 22), Iraq's Oil Ministry declared a state of emergency as crude inventories reached maximum capacity and exports reached zero, with the country unable to ship oil through Hormuz. International oil companies instructed to reduce production. Argus Media confirmed the near-complete halt in transit. Iraq loses approximately $300-400 million per day in oil revenues.

Basra, Iraq (Southern Iraq oilfields)

HIGHMILITARY·18:00 UTCVERIFIED

USS Tripoli group with 2,000+ Marines departing Japan — expected in Gulf soon

In addition to the USS Boxer MEU departing San Diego, the USS Tripoli group carrying more than 2,000 Marines from the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit is transiting from Japan and expected to arrive in the Gulf soon, two US officials confirmed to NPR. CENTCOM would not comment on the deployment or its mission. The Tripoli arrival would substantially augment the US amphibious force posture in the region.

Western Pacific / Persian Gulf transit

STANDARDINTELLIGENCE·18:00 UTCVERIFIED

FBI/DOJ seize 4 Handala Hack Team domains; Iran-linked unit restores site within hours

The FBI and Department of Justice seized four internet domains used by Handala Hack Team, an Iranian MOIS-linked hacking unit that claimed a March 11 destructive malware attack on US medical device maker Stryker. Within hours, Handala restored its website on a new domain, calling the seizures "desperate attempts to silence" it. Experts noted Iranian cyber actors routinely survive domain takedowns and rebuilds are trivial.

United States / Iran (cyber)

HIGHPOLITICAL·17:30 UTCVERIFIED

Trump calls NATO 'cowards' for refusing to help open Hormuz; says war on Iran militarily won

US President Trump posted on social media calling NATO allies 'cowards' for not wanting to help open the Strait of Hormuz, while declaring that the fight against a nuclear-armed Iran is 'Militarily WON.' Trump: 'Without the U.S.A., NATO IS A PAPER TIGER! They didn't want to join the fight to stop a Nuclear Powered Iran. Now that fight is Militarily WON, with very little danger for them, they complain about the high oil prices.'

Washington DC, United States

CRITICALMILITARY·17:30 UTCVERIFIED

UK authorizes US to use British military bases for strikes on Iranian missile sites attacking Hormuz shipping

The British government formally authorized the United States to use UK military bases to carry out strikes on Iranian missile sites attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz. A Downing Street statement confirmed: 'The agreement for the US to use UK bases in the collective self-defence of the region includes US defensive operations to degrade the missile sites and capabilities being used to attack ships in the Strait of Hormuz.' British ministers met to discuss the Iran war and Hormuz blockade earlier today.

Downing Street, London; RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus

HIGHHUMANITARIAN·16:30 UTC

British couple detained in Iran used as 'human shields' at Evin prison near strike zones, family says

The family of British nationals Lindsay and Craig Foreman — sentenced to 10 years in Iran for alleged espionage — say the couple is being used as 'effective human shields' during the US-Israel war. A blast near Evin prison in Tehran blew out window panels in Craig's ward and caused plaster to fall on inmates. Their son described the couple living 'under a drone of drones — the constant, maddening buzz of 600 machines in the sky,' sharing cells with rats and cockroaches on metal bunks.

Evin Prison, Tehran, Iran

CRITICALMILITARY·16:00 UTCVERIFIED

Trump weighing Kharg Island occupation or blockade to force Iran to reopen Hormuz — Axios/4 officials

The White House officially stated the US military 'can take out Kharg Island at any time if the President gives the order,' after Axios reported Trump was weighing an occupation or blockade. White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly added: 'President Trump knew full well that Iran would try to stop freedom of navigation and free flow of energy, and he has already taken action to destroy over 40 minelaying vessels.' The Trump administration's rationale: a Kharg Island takeover would 'catch Iran by the balls' and lead to capitulation. No final decision made, but the public posture is now explicit.

Kharg Island, Iran (Persian Gulf)

HIGHMILITARY·15:00 UTCVERIFIED

NATO fully evacuates Iraq mission — all personnel relocated to Europe, mission continues from Naples

NATO's Iraq mission has completed the relocation of all its personnel from the Middle East to Europe, SACEUR Gen. Alexus Grynkewich announced. NATO Mission Iraq will now operate from Joint Force Command Naples. The advisory mission — which trains Iraqi security forces and is not combat-involved — follows Poland's earlier withdrawal. The complete NATO personnel exit from Iraq reflects the alliance's assessment that the Iran war has made Iraq untenable for Western military presence.

Iraq / JFC Naples, Italy

HIGHPOLITICAL·14:45 UTCVERIFIED

Mojtaba Khamenei issues Nowruz statement — denies Iran attacked Turkey or Oman, marks Persian New Year

Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei issued a written statement marking the Persian New Year (Nowruz) — the second significant public statement of his tenure. He specifically denied that Iran has attacked Turkey or Oman. The denials suggest Iran has received diplomatic complaints or accusations from those countries about Iranian strikes or stray missile impacts, and Mojtaba is managing relationships with Turkey and Oman — both of which have served as potential back-channel intermediaries.

Tehran, Iran