Israel kills three key Iranian officials; top U.S. counterterrorism official resigns over war.
Meanwhile, 90 oil tankers have moved through the Hormuz Strait since the start of the war, and the biggest U.S. aircraft carrier will head to Crete for repairs.
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The latest news this hour:
ISRAEL KILLS THREE TOP IRANIAN LEADERS: Iran’s top security official, head of Basij forces, and minister of intelligence were all killed by Israeli strikes within 24 hours, Israel confirmed.
Esmail Khatib was the minister of intelligence, whose death was confirmed Wednesday. Ali Larijani was Iran’s security chief, who was central in strategic decision-making, and who is the most senior official to be killed since Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to the BBC. Gholamreza Soleimani was the head of the paramilitary Basij force.
Iran retaliated with cluster munitions toward Israel, which killed two in Ramat Gan, a city near Tel-Aviv.
TOP U.S. COUNTERTERRORISM OFFICIAL RESIGNS OVER WAR: Joe Kent, National Counterterrorism Center director, announced his resignation on Tuesday over his refusal to get behind Trump’s war. He is now the highest-profile figure within the Trump administration to publicly criticize the U.S. attacks on Iran, according to the BBC. Kent is a retired Green Beret who served in the U.S. Army for 20 years, where he was deployed multiple times to the Middle East.
He wrote on Twitter: “Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”
Trump addressed Kent’s resignation, a long-time MAGA supporter, from the Oval Office, saying, “it’s a good thing that he’s out because he said that Iran was not a threat.”
… AND TOP U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY OFFICIALS TO BE PRESSED ON IRAN: Top U.S. national security officials will attend a series of congressional hearings on Wednesday and Thursday and will be pressed to talk about the war in Iran, including the alleged U.S. strike on a girls’ school in Iran that killed.
NOT EVERYBODY’S OIL IS STUCK IN THE STRAIT: 90 oil tankers have crossed the Strait of Hormuz since the start of the war, and Iran has been able to export 16 million barrels of oil, the AP reported. Most of the ships making a dash across the strait are sanctioned by Western countries and have ties to Iran and, more recently, India and Pakistan. This comes as Trump has unsuccessfully called on the international community to secure the strait in an attempt to allow vessels to pass through.
WORLD’S BIGGEST AIRCRAFT CARRIER NEEDS REPAIRS IN CRETE: The USS Gerald R. Ford — a $13 billion vessel with a 4,000+ strong crew — will be sent to Crete for repairs after a fire broke out in the laundry room, destroying 100 beds and injuring sailors. The vessel, which has been supporting the U.S. in its war in Iran from the Red Sea, has repeatedly had technical issues, including reports of toilets being clogged, which need to be cleared with an acid flush and cost $400,000.
The vessel plays a critical role in the U.S. offensive against Iran, in which it supports dozens of warplanes
IRANIAN NUCLEAR POWER PLANT ATTACKED: Iran’s Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant was attacked on Tuesday evening. The strike was in “close proximity to the operating unit” according to Rosatom’s CEO, a Russian company closely involved in operating the power plant. No Iranian or Russian authorities have reported the leakage of nuclear material or casualties from the attack, but 480 Russian nationals still remain at the plant while authorities are preparing for an evacuation, the Rosatom CEO reported.
IRAQI OIL EXPORTS HELP BRING OIL PRICES DOWN: Iraq has agreed to resume exporting its crude oil from the Kirkuk fields through Iraq’s Kurdish area to Turkey, which has helped ease the recent hike in oil prices. The North Oil Company said it will start with exporting 250,000 barrels per day. This does not change the fact that the Strait of Hormuz is blocked up and Iran is attacking key energy infrastructure.
RUSSIA EXPANDS INTEL FOR IRAN: Russia has been providing Iran with satellite imagery and drone tech, enabling Iran to target U.S. forces more effectively, the Wall Street Journal reported. The tech includes components from Shahed drones, which Iran originally provided to Russia. Russia has since drawn on its experience in Ukraine and modified this tech, which will allow Iran to hone its communication and navigation capabilities. The satellite imagery Russia is providing is exposing the location of U.S. forces and regional allies and has helped Iran to strike U.S. radar systems.
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Alessandra and Jacqueline