Livewire Operation Epic Fury Day Ten 1/2

9 Mar 2026

The military operation against Iran entered its tenth day on Monday. Iran’s new Supreme Leader is settling into the role,but is reportedly already wounded. President Trump has blasted the selection as a “big mistake” and has suggested that the younger Khamenei may not be long for the role.

Monday’s live updates below. All updates in Eastern time

7:50 PM:U.N. complains conflict in Iran bad for climateKEK!

Stephane Dujarric, an official spokesman for United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, said on Monday that the U.N. is“particularly concerned” over the recent strikes on Iran’s oil infrastructure.

He said it could have “serious environmental consequences” across the region, potentially affecting water and air quality.

7:00 PM:Deadly Iranian attack in Bahrain

The Ministry of the Interior for Bahrain said on Monday evening thatat least one person was killed and multiple others were left injured in an Iranian attack on a residential building in the Persian Gulf island nation’s capital of Manama.

Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed thatIran had struck its consulate in the Kurdish region of Iraq. No injuries were reported.

6:30 PM:U.S. will not allow Iran to hold global oil supply “hostage”

President Trump said that America is “putting an end” to the ability of the Islamist regime in Iran and its terrorist proxies to launch attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, which he said will ultimately result in lower energy costs for Americans. Trump said thathe will “not allow a terrorist regime to hold the world hostage and attempt to stop the globe’s oil supply”.

“In the meantime, during this brief disruption, theUnited States is offering political risk insuranceto any tankers operating in the Gulf…We are also waiving certain oil related sanctions to reduce prices… when the time comes, the U.S. Navy and its partners will escort tankers through the Strait if needed,” he said.

6:10 PM:U.S. has hit over 5,000 targets in Iran

In his first press conference since launching Operation Epic Fury, President Donald Trump said on Monday that the United States has hit over 5,000 targets in Iran, including the sinking of 51 Iranian naval vessels andrecent B2 bomber strikes, with “2,000-pound bombs to destroy missile launchers all over Iran, buried deep in Iranian soil.”

“We’re also annihilating the manufacturing base that the regime uses to build drones and missiles,” President Trump said.

“On the very first day I came down the escalator in 2015, I said, ‘I will stop Iran from getting nuclear weapons’ — and all I’m doing is keeping my promise,” he added.

5:50 PM:Australia to grant asylum to Iranian soccer players after Trump pressure

Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said that the five female Iranian soccer players who faced threats in their homeland for refusing to sing the Islamist regime’s national anthem during a match last week have been granted asylum, saying Monday evening that they are “welcome to stay in Australia”.

This came after U.S. President Donald Trump publicly lobbied on their behalf, during which he called on Canberra to offer the women asylum.

5:30 PM:Israel conducts fresh wave of strikes on Tehran

The Israel Defense Forces said onMonday evening that it has begun an “extensive” round of new airstrikes on the Iranian capital targeting holdoutsof the Islamist regime. According to the Times of Israel, it is the second round of such strikes on Tehran on Monday.

5:00 PM: “Little excursion” in Iran, Trump says

Speaking at the House Republicans’ annual retreat at Doral, Florida, U.S. President Donald Trump said that the military operations in Iran are going to be a “short-term excursion” to get “rid of some evil” in Tehran.

Stocks rallied, and oil prices dropped earlier today after President Trump suggested that the conflict in Iran is ahead of schedule and will potentially be completed soon.

https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2026/03/09/livewire-operation-epic-fury-day-ten-the-latest-news-from-iran-and-the-middle-

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4:00 PM:Stocks soar after Trump suggest Iran operations nearly complete

According to CNBC, stocks rebounded on Monday after President Donald Trump suggested that the conflict in Iran could be coming to a close soon.

The financial news outletreported that the Dow Jones added 250 points, or 0.5 per centin the wake of the president’s comments, while thebroad market index climbed 0.8 per and the Nasdaq Composite rose by 1.2 per cent.

Meanwhile, the price of oil also fell significantly after Trump suggested that the U.S. military could take over control of the Strait of Hormuz to protect international energy shipments.

3:45 PM:Trump floats idea of U.S. “taking over” Strait of Hormuz, says war nearly done

Speaking to CBS News Senior White House Correspondent Weijia Jiang on Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump said that he is considering taking further action to secure the Strait of Hormuz, the critical waterway spanning from Iran to Oman through which a fifth of global oil supplies flow annually.

Trump said thatwhile some ships are moving through the Strait despite the Iranian threat, he said that he is “thinking about taking it over.”

The President added that Operation Epic Furyis “very far” ahead of schedule, perhaps suggesting the conflict could come to a close earlier than the initial four- to five-week estimate.

“I think the war is very complete, pretty much. They have no navy, no communications, they’ve got no Air Force,” he remarked.

3:10 PM:UK may not deploy aircraft carrier after all

Despite reports over the weekend speculating that British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was intent on getting past his dithering early response to the conflict in Iran by deploying the HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carrier, Downing Street has downplayed the notion on Monday. Breitbart London Bureau Chief Oliver JJ Lane has more here.

Meanwhile, the leader of Britain’s longest rival, French PresidentEmmanuel Macron, posted glamour shots of himself touring the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrierafter it was deployed last week in a demonstration ofFrench power projection.KEK …

Continues at link below

https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2026/03/09/livewire-operation-epic-fury-day-ten-the-latest-news-from-iran-and-the-middle-east/

9 Mar, 2026 19:35

Putin and Trump hold phone call – Kremlin aide

The presidents discussed the conflicts between the US and Iran and between Russia and Ukraine, Yury Ushakov has said

Russian President Vladimir Putin has held a phone conversation with his US counterpart, Donald Trump, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov has told journalists.The American president initiated the call to discuss the latest international developments, he said.

The conversation focused on the Iran conflict and thetrilateral talks between Moscow, Washington and Kievaimed at settling the Ukraine conflict, according to the aide. The dialogue between thetwo presidents was “business-like, open and constructive,” Ushakov said, adding thatboth leaders expressed their readiness to continue regular contacts.

Putin and Trump talked for about an hour, he stated.

The US presidentreaffirmed Washington’s interest in seeing the hostilitiesbetween Moscow and Kiev end and reaching a long-term settlement of the Ukraine conflict.Putin thanked Trump for his administration’s continued mediation efforts, according to Ushakov.

Putin also shared his thoughts on the ongoing conflictin Iran andtold Trump about his conversations with the leaders of the Gulf nationsand Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian he had last week.Trump, in turn, expressed his opinion about the situation, Ushakov said,adding that they had a very “substantive” discussion on the issue.

Trump has described his conversation with Putin as “a very good call,” telling a press conference later on Monday that the leaders discussed both the Iran war and the “never-ending fight” in Ukraine.

The last timethe two presidents helda phone call was in December. The White House described it as “positive==” at the time.

Earlier on Monday, Putin warned that continued conflict in the Middle East risks seriously disrupting global oil and gas flows, particularly given the de-facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key seaborne route.

Theconflict could lead to a halt in Gulf oil production and a “new… price reality,” he told a government meeting.Moscow remains a “reliable energy supplier,” the president said, adding that it will continue to provide oil and gas to the nations it sees as reliable partners.

Moscow has condemned the US and Israeli bombing campaign against Iran as a “premeditated and unprovoked act of aggression.”Putin himself did not provide any public assessments of the operationas a whole but described the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as a “cynical violation” of morality and international law.

https://www.rt.com/news/634304-putin-trump-phone-call/

9 Mar, 2026 19:23

EU reveals total spent on Ukraine

The bloc has given Kiev €195 billion in aid since 2022, top diplomat Kaja Kallas has said

The European Union has spent €195 billion on Ukraine since the escalation of its conflict with Russia four years ago, according to the bloc’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas.She revealed the updated figure amid growing unease and divisions among member statesabout Brussels’continuing military and financial aid to Kiev.

“To date, the EU is Ukraine’s number one supporter,with €195 billion ($225 billion) since 2022,” Kallas said on Monday during a keynote speech at the EU Ambassadors’ Conference in Brussels. The previous estimate released by Kallas in December stood at over €187 billion.

The figure “does not include the €90 billion ($105 billion) loan support in the works,”she added.

The loan faces an uncertain future, as Hungary blocked it last month as part of a dispute about Kiev halting Russian oil supplies via the Druzhba pipeline. Slovakia has also signaled it may veto the loan, with Prime Minister Robert Fico slamming it as essentially a “gift” that Kiev would not repay.

Last week, Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky issued a thinly veiled threat against Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban for blocking the funds, saying he would let the Ukrainian military “speak to him in their own language.”

Meanwhile, fresh concerns about corruption in Ukrainehave been raised after Hungarian authorities seized tens of millions of dollars in cash and nine kilograms of gold from Ukrainian armored vehicles near Budapest last week.

Ukrainian officials accused Hungary of “theft,” and “state banditism,” while Budapest demanded “immediate answers”from Ukraine,stating the shipment raised “serious questions about a possible link to the Ukrainian war mafia.”

Kiev has been hit by multiple corruption scandals in recent months. In November, anti-corruption agencies uncovered a $100 million kickback scheme involving state nuclear operator Energoatom. The investigation led to the resignations of several high-ranking officials, including Energy Minister German Galushchenko, and Zelensky’s influential chief of staff, Andrey Yermak.

https://www.rt.com/news/634293-eu-ukraine-funding-kallas/

9 Mar, 2026 19:22

Right-wing AfD makes historic gains in west German election

The partygained record-breaking supportin the state of Baden-Wurttemberg outside of its political heartland

The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has scored a record result in Baden‑Wurttemberg’s regional elections, doubling its vote share from the previous election and achieving its highest result outside its traditional heartland.

The right-wing party finished third in the election held over the weekend, behind the Greens and Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU). It secured nearly 19% of the vote, up from just under 10% in 2021. The result also marks AfD’s highest score outside the former East German states, which are its traditional stronghold.

AfD’s previous best result in former West Germany was in the 2023 regional election in Hessen, where it won 18.4% of the vote.

The party’s federal co-chair, Tino Chrupalla, called the result “a huge success.” AfD regional co-chair Emil Saenze said his party would be willing to cooperate with the CDU or even join a coalition – something the Christian Democrats have ruled out so far.

The other regional co-chair, Markus Frohnmaier, said AfD and the CDU were the only two parties to make gains, adding that most voters supported “conservative” parties – a “clear signal” for change.

The Greens – a party known for its pro-EU, Atlanticist stance, which dominated the political landscape in the state over the past two electoral cycles – still narrowly defeated the CDU, with the margin between them under 1%. Both parties received roughly 30% of the vote.

The AfD has been steadily gaining ground across Germany over the past years, fueled by rising dissatisfaction with mainstream parties and debates over immigration and EU policies.

It remained the most popular opposition party throughout most of 2025 following the February elections, where it got 20% of the vote, taking second place to the CDU/CSU bloc. It continues to remain popular, with the latest polls suggesting it is supported by between 24% and 25% of Germans, just one point behind the CDU/CSU.

https://www.rt.com/news/634302-afd-historic-gains-german-election/

8 Mar, 2026 04:25

Hungary refusing to return ‘war mafia’ cash to Ukraine (VIDEO)

The dispute over seized funds and gold bars exacerbated the multilayered tensions between Budapest and Kiev

A Ukrainian state-owned bank has demanded that Hungary return tens of millions of dollars in cash and gold bars seized from an armored truck convoy, which Budapest claims could be tied to what officials have described as a “Ukraine war mafia.”

The dispute adds to mounting tensions between the neighboring countries over Russian oil, sanctions, financial aid to Kiev, and the conscription of ethnic Hungarians into the Ukrainian army, which recently prompted Vladimir Zelensky to issue a personal threat to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Earlier this week, Hungarian police stopped two armored vehicles carrying around $80 million in US dollars and euros as well as nine kilograms of gold on suspicion of money laundering. Seven Ukrainian nationals traveling with the convoy were detained and later deported.

In a statement released on Sunday,Ukraine’s Oschadbank demanded the return of what it described as “illegally seized”assets that had been deposited in the bank by Ukrainian citizens and businesses. According to Oschadbank, the funds were being transported from its partner, Austria’s Raiffeisen Bank, as part of a routine transfer.

Orban questioned the legitimacyof the funds, saying that Ukraine had not explained why such a large sum was being transported through Hungary or where it came from.

“We just want to know what the Ukrainians are doing with all this money in Hungary,”he said at a campaign rally in Debrecen. “All we have right now are questions, but we will find the answers,” Orban added.

Budapest has accused Kiev of deliberately shutting down a Soviet-era pipeline that delivers Russian oil to Hungary through Ukrainian territory.

Ukraine, which has been pressuring Hungary to stop buying the oil, claimed that the pipeline was damaged by a Russian strike.

Last month, Hungary blocked a $105 billion EU loan to Ukraine, after which Zelensky threatened to reveal Orban’s address to Ukrainian troops so they could “call him and speak with him in their own language.”Hungary and the EU have denounced the threat as unacceptable.

https://www.rt.com/news/634138-hunagry-ukraine-cash-fight/

Balázs Orbán

@BalazsOrban_HU

Watch the moment the “Ukrainian gold convoy” was stopped.

In the video: armored cash vehicles carrying $40M, €35M and 9 kg of gold through Hungary toward Ukraine. Among those detained was a former Ukrainian intelligence general.

This is not an ordinary transfer. Since January alone, over $900M, €420M and 146 kg of gold have reportedly moved through Hungary toward Ukraine.

Convoys of cash and gold escorted by intelligence-linked individuals raise serious questions.

Hungarian authorities are investigating — now those behind this operation must explain exactly what this money was meant to finance.

10:35 AM · Mar 6, 2026

840.2K

Views

https://x.com/BalazsOrban_HU/status/2029943840442909062?s=20

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