Iran names Mojtaba Khamenei supreme leader as war fuels spike in oil prices

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Australia granted asylum to five players from the Iranian women’s soccer team who were visiting for a tournament when the U.S.-Israeli attacks against Iran began.

"Last night I was able to tell five women from the Iranian Women’s Soccer team that they are welcome to stay in Australia, to be safe and have a home here," Australia's Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke said on X.

The move comes after the team refused to sing the Iranian anthem before one of their matches.

"I don't want to begin to imagine how difficult that decision is for each of the individual women, but certainly last night it was joy, it was relief," Burke said after signing the documents. "People were very excited about embarking on a life in Australia."

Vice President JD Vance arrived at Dover Air Force Base Monday to oversee the dignified transfer of the seventh U.S. service member killed in the war with Iran.

Army Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington, 26, of Glendale, Kentucky was the latest American service member to die in support of Operation Epic Fury.

Pennington was injured in a strike on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia and died days later from his injuries, according to officials.

A 2017 graduate of Central Hardin High School, Pennington was active in the school’s automotive program before enlisting in the Army. He grew up in Glendale.

The dignified transfer followed a similar event days earlier when Vance, President Trump and other officials attended the transfer of six other U.S. troops who were killed in an Iranian drone attack on a military base in Kuwait.

More than 5,000 targets have been hit by the U.S. military since Feb. 28, at the start of Operation Epic Fury, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced Monday.

In a post shared on X, CENTCOM released the new data and actions during the Iran war and said, “CENTCOM forces are striking targets to dismantle the regime,” before setting out a list including more than 5,000 targets struck and Iranian ships that have been destroyed or damaged, at 50-plus.

The post also included mentions of U.S. assets deployed, including stealth bombers, stealth fighters, electronic attack aircraft and the U-2 Dragon Lady.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) eliminated a terrorist cell at a site in a Christian area in southern Lebanon on Monday, officials reported.

In an update on Operation Roaring Lion, the IDF said that the broad joint operation was to “thoroughly degrade the Iranian terrorist regime and to remove existential threats to Israel over time.”

“The Iranian regime has not abandoned its plan to destroy Israel,” the statement said. “The regime has continued financing, training and arming its proxies positioned on Israel’s borders. These actions constitute an existential threat to Israel and pose a danger to the Middle East and the world as a whole.”

The IDF added that troops from the 300th Brigade, under the command of the 146th Division, are operating in southern Lebanon as part of a forward defensive effort.

“During an activity, the forces identified a Hezbollah terrorist cell entering a site in a Christian area in southern Lebanon,” the statement said.

“Following the identification, the troops directed an Israeli Air Force fighter jet, which struck and eliminated the terrorist cell,” it continued, adding that the “presence of terrorists in the area constitutes another example of the cynical exploitation of civilian infrastructure for terrorist activity by Hezbollah.”

President Trump said Monday that Chinese tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz may get help from the U.S. as the conflict with Iran disrupts one of the world’s most critical waterways.

Trump’s comments came as Operation Epic Fury impacts global energy flows, with oil and liquefied natural gas shipments face risk transiting the Strait.

“You have to keep the straits flowing with all of that. It affects other countries much more than it does the United States,” Trump said.

“We have tremendous oil and gas, much more than we need. We have Venezuela now as our new partner and a great partner,” he said

“But it's very unfair to other parts of the world, like China as an example,” Trump added.

The Strait of Hormuz handles roughly 20% of the world’s crude oil and about one-fifth of global LNG exports, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, but as the world’s largest importer of oil and LNG, China is more vulnerable.

“I mean, we're doing this for the other parts of the world, including countries like China,” Trump told reporters in Florida.

“They get a lot of their oil through the straits. So we're doing this. We have a very good relationship with President Xi and China.”

“We're really helping China here and other countries because they get a lot of their energy from the straits,” he added.

President Trump said Monday that the U.S. military operation against Iran had been “very, very powerful” and “very effective,” suggesting the conflict against the clerical regime could end “very soon.”

Speaking to reporters in Florida, Trump asserted that the Iranian clerical regime was effectively “gone,” claiming that key elements of its leadership structure had been eliminated.

“And very soon. Look, everything they have is gone, including their leadership,” Trump said of the end of the campaign. “In fact, there are two levels of leadership. And even actually, as it turns out, more than that. But two levels of leadership are gone.”

He added that key figures involved were not widely known.

“Most people have never even heard about the leaders that they're talking about,” he said. “So, it's obviously been very, very powerful, very effective.”

President Trump described his call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday as positive, saying the Russian leader expressed interest in being "helpful" regarding the Middle East.

“I had a very good call with President Putin,” Trump told reporters in Florida.

“We had a lot of people on the line from our side and from his side. We were talking about Ukraine, which is just a never-ending fight,” he said.

Trump also noted the tensions between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

“There’s tremendous hatred between President Putin and President Zelenskyy. They can’t seem to get it together,” he said, before again describing the conversation as positive.

“But I think it was a positive call on that subject. And we obviously talked to them about the Middle East. And he wants to be helpful.”

Trump said he also encouraged Putin to focus on ending the war between Russia and Ukraine.

“I said you could be more helpful by getting the Ukraine-Russia war over with. That would be more helpful. But we had a very good talk, and he wants to be very constructive,” he said.

President Trump on Monday defended the impact of Operation Epic Fury, telling reporters in Florida that U.S. military action had dramatically reduced Iranian missile and drone launches and prevented Tehran from advancing its nuclear capabilities.

Speaking during an update on day 11 of the operation, Trump said the mission — including “Midnight Hammer” in June 2025 — was critical in stopping what he described as an imminent nuclear threat from Iran and in protecting Israel from "annihilation."

“If we didn't knock out Midnight Hammer, if we didn't knock out their Iranian potential, if we didn't do that with Midnight Hammer, they would have had a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.

“They would have used it long before now, and at a minimum, Israel would have been annihilated,” he said.

Trump also pointed to what he described as significant battlefield gains since Feb. 28.

“We could take them all out in one day, but it's all resulting in a 90% decline in various things, but in particular, Iranian missile launches and an 83% drop in drone launches,” he said before describing how advanced systems now take down Iranian missiles.

“As soon as they sent a missile up from a launcher, we were able to knock out that launcher within a period of five minutes or less, accurately,” he said. “We're ahead of our initial timeline by a lot,” Trump explained.

“We're putting an end to all of this threat once and for all,” he said.

The joint U.S. and Israeli military operation against Iran is crushing the regime in what President Donald Trump described Monday as an “overwhelming display of technical skill and military force.”

Trump spoke on Day 11 of Operation Epic Fury which is aimed at neutralizing the Iranian regime's security apparatus and military capabilities.

“Together with our Israeli partners, we're crushing the enemy,” Trump said before describing “an overwhelming display of technical skill and military force.”

“Iran's drone and missile capability is being utterly demolished. The Navy is gone. It's all lying at the bottom of the ocean. 46 ships.” He added.

Trump also warned that the campaign is decimating Iran’s leadership structure.

“Their terrorist leaders are gone, or counting down the minutes until they will be gone... and now nobody has any idea who the people are that are going to be the head of the country and we will not relent until the enemy is totally and decisively defeated,” Trump said.

Speaking at the Republican Members Issues Conference, Trump also pointed to recent military funding approved by lawmakers.

“The representatives in this room provided the pivotal votes in securing a record $1 trillion for the United States military this year. And now the world is witnessing the importance of that investment with one of the most complex and stunning operations ever conducted. And it's Operation Epic Fury," the president stated.

Fox News chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst was reporting live from Tel Aviv on Monday when a barrage of deadly rockets erupted from the direction of Lebanon, forcing him and his crew to seek cover.

As Yingst stood on camera, explosions were heard overhead and sirens wailed across the city. “Now we have some incoming fire toward Tel Aviv,” he said, pointing toward the sky as the first rockets came into view.

Yingst said that there had been no early alerts issued before the barrage and that Israel’s advanced air defense systems were trying to intercept the projectiles. “You can see Israel’s advanced air defense systems right now trying to shoot down this incoming fire. This may be from Lebanon,” he said, counting at least five rockets approaching.

Moments later Yingst and his crew rushed toward the safety of a bomb shelter.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) carried out a wave of new strikes against six military airfields in Iran Monday, continuing to “deepen aerial superiority over Iranian skies,” officials said.

“Last night, a wave of strikes against six major Iranian military airfields was completed,” the IDF said in a statement.

“As part of the strikes, numerous aircraft were dismantled, including Quds Force aircraft belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Iranian combat helicopters.”

The IDF also reported that runways, defense and detection systems intended to operate against IAF aircraft operating in Iranian airspace were struck.

“The airfields that were struck were used by the Iranian terror regime to arm and finance terrorist proxies across the Middle East, including Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthi terrorist regime.” The IDF said before confirming that the strikes were to “impair the Iranian military’s ability to operate its air power against IAF aircraft and disrupt the regime’s ability to rearm—not only for the regime itself, but also for its terrorist proxies across the Middle East.”

President Donald Trump spoke with President Vladimir Putin Monday about the war in Iran, according to reports.

The call also focused on other related issues, the Kremlin said.

According to The Associated Press Putin’s foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov said the conversation was “frank and businesslike” and lasted about one hour.

He also said that Putin “voiced a few ideas aimed at a quick political and diplomatic settlement” of the conflict following his conversations with Gulf leaders and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

He added that Trump offered his assessment of the developing situation “in the context of the ongoing U.S.-Israeli operation.” The two leaders had a “specific and useful” exchange of views.

The discussion came after Putin gave his “unwavering support” for the Iranian regime and congratulated Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei on becoming the Islamic Republic’s new leader.

“At a time when Iran is opposing armed aggression, your tenure in this high post will undoubtedly require great courage and dedication,” Putin said in a letter shared on Telegram.

“I am sure that you will honorably continue your father’s work and unite the Iranian people,” Putin added.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that missiles had been launched from Iran toward Israel Monday evening, local time, which prompted defensive measures and emergency alerts.

According to the IDF, Israel’s air defense systems were operating to intercept the incoming threats at the time.

“In the last few minutes, the Home Front Command issued a preliminary directive directly to mobile phones in the relevant areas,” the IDF said in a post shared on X.

“The public is requested to exercise responsibility and act in accordance with the directives — they save lives. One must enter protected spaces upon receiving the alert, and remain in them until a new announcement.”

“Exit from the protected space will be permitted only after receiving an explicit directive; continue to act in accordance with Home Front Command directives,” the IDF said.

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev congratulated Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei Monday, expressing hope that the two countries would strengthen relations “in a spirit of mutual respect and trust.”

The president sent the letter to Khamenei, and made the announcement in a post shared on X.

“Once again, I extend my condolences to you on the tragic passing of your father, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei,” he wrote.

“Relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Islamic Republic of Iran stem from the will of our peoples, who have historically lived in an atmosphere of good-neighborliness and friendship. I hope that together we will make further efforts to develop interstate relations in a spirit of mutual respect and trust, in accordance with the interests of our peoples,” the letter read.

“Once again, I convey my congratulations on your appointment to this high position and wish the friendly and brotherly people of Iran peace and security,” Aliyev wrote.

Aliyev’s message came despite tension between Baku and Tehran, which escalated on March 5 after Azerbaijan accused Iran of firing drones at its Nakhchivan exclave — an allegation Tehran denies.

Drones were fired from Iranian territory, striking the Nakhchivan International Airport terminal and areas near a school in the village of Shakarabad.

At the time, Azerbaijan condemned the attack as a violation of its sovereignty and warned it reserved the right to respond.

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi rejected the accusations, stating, "We do not attack our neighbouring countries."

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) released footage Monday showing the destruction of a Hezbollah rocket launcher in southern Lebanon, as the U.S.-Israel military offensive on Iran continues.

In a statement, the IDF said troops from the 401st Brigade, operating under the command of the 91st Division, are carrying out operations in southern Lebanon as part of a forward defense posture aimed at thwarting terrorist infrastructure belonging to the Hezbollah terrorist organization.

“During operational activity in the area, the troops located a Hezbollah rocket launcher that had been used to fire rockets toward Israeli territory,” the IDF said.

“The troops dismantled the launcher, and during the strike a Hezbollah terrorist operating in the area — who was involved in terrorist activity and in launching fire toward Israeli territory — was struck and eliminated.”

The military added that “IDF troops will continue operating to strengthen the forward defense posture and to prevent the Hezbollah terrorist organization from rebuilding its capabilities.”

FIRST ON FOX: More than 36,000 American citizens have departed the Middle East and returned to the United States since Feb. 28, according to a new update provided by assistant secretary Dylan Johnson.

Johnson said the departures come as the State Department continues evacuation and assistance operations across the region under President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The department has completed more than two dozen charter flights, helping move thousands of Americans out of the region, even as commercial flight availability has improved. "At this time, seats available on the Department's charter options are significantly greater than the demand from Americans in the region.  Many Americans continue to depart on commercial options," Johnson said.

In many cases, citizens who initially requested assistance later declined government-arranged departures.

Through its 24/7 task force, the State Department has directly assisted more than 23,000 Americans abroad, providing security guidance and coordinating travel support as needed, according to the department.

President Donald Trump on Monday announced he will hold a news conference at 5:30 p.m. local time in Miami, Florida, before returning to Washington, D.C., later that evening.

Trump posted on Truth Social that he will speak from a ballroom at the Trump National Doral Golf Club.

“Many important meetings and phone calls taking place today while I am at Trump National Doral, in Miami,” the post read. “Additionally, I will be going to Speaker Mike Johnson’s (who is doing a fantastic job!) fundraising event, at 4 P.M., and then, prior to leaving for D.C., I will hold a News Conference from a Doral Ballroom at approximately 5:30 P.M. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

Trump did not elaborate on what he would be addressing during the news conference, though there is high public interest in Operation Epic Fury against Iran and the funding of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

President Donald Trump on Monday told the New York Post that he’s “nowhere near” ordering boots on the ground in Iran to secure enriched uranium reportedly stored at Iran’s Isfahan nuclear complex.

“We haven’t made any decision on that. We’re nowhere near it,” Trump told the outlet over the phone.

Trump’s remark comes after reporters aboard Air Force One on Saturday asked him about the potential ground troops being to be deployed in the Iran operation.

Trump said at the time that there would "have to be a very good reason.”

"And I would say if we ever did that, [Iran] would be so decimated they wouldn't be able to fight at the ground level," Trump added on Saturday.

Trump has also said that he was disappointed in Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, telling the outlet he is “not happy” that the younger Khamenei has succeeded his father.

As for what Trump plans to do regarding Iran’s new leader, he told the Post: “Not going to tell you. Not going to tell you. I’m not happy with him.”

Trump had told ABC News on Sunday that whoever becomes Iran’s new leader is “not going to last long” without “approval from us.”

Airfares could rise in the weeks ahead as the Iran conflict disrupts energy markets and squeezes jet-fuel supplies, increasing costs for airlines and passengers. 

Fuel traders are watching the Strait of Hormuz closely, because disruptions from U.S.-Israeli strikes and retaliatory Iranian drone and missile attacks could quickly ripple through global oil and gas flows. 

Just about 21 miles wide at its narrowest, the Strait of Hormuz, between Iran and Oman, is a global energy choke point. Roughly 20 million barrels of oil move through the waterway each day, along with about one-fifth of global liquefied natural gas (LNG), making it a high value target when regional tensions flare. 

When that energy bottleneck tightens, crude and refined fuel markets can jump. Jet fuel is typically one of airlines' biggest operating costs, so even a modest spike can ripple into ticket prices and fees. 

Jaime Brito, an energy market analyst, said distributors and airlines value supply security enough to pay a premium, so jet fuel is typically bought in advance through long-term contracts.  

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News Digital’s Amanda Macias.

U.S. Central Command on Monday morning issued a “fact check” on a Russian and Iranian media claim that a U.S. patriot missile struck a Bahrain neighborhood by accident. 

Russian and Iranian media claimed that a U.S. patriot missile missed intercepting an Iranian missile or drone and inadvertently hit the neighborhood, according to the command. 

The command called the claim a “lie.” 

“What really happened: An Iranian drone struck a residential neighborhood, injuring 32 civilians in Bahrain, including children who required medical treatment, according to Bahrain’s government,” the command said, adding “TRUTH.”

A seventh U.S. soldier who died from injuries sustained while he was supporting Operation Epic Fury in Saudi Arabia last week has been identified, the Department of War announced.

Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington, 26, of Glendale, Ky., died of his wounds on Sunday after he was injured during “an enemy attack” on March 1 at Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, the department said.

He was assigned to 1st Space Battalion, 1st Space Brigade, Fort Carson, Colo.

The department said the incident is under investigation.

Six other U.S. soldiers were killed in Kuwait during a drone attack on March 1.

A senior U.S. official said another eight “seriously” injured servicemembers are still fighting for their lives, Fox News’ Jennifer Griffin reports.

All the injuries occurred in the first weekend of Operation Epic Fury and the first wave of counterstrikes by the Iranians between Feb. 28 and March 1.

There have been no deaths from attacks or serious injuries since that first weekend.

Iran’s “terroristic regime” is “trying to hold the world hostage,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday morning in brief remarks about the ongoing U.S. Operation Epic Fury against Iran.

Rubio spoke on the threat Iran poses at the U.S. Hostage & Wrongful Detainee Flag Raising Ceremony at the State Department.

“I think we are all seeing right now the threat that this clerical regime poses to the region and to the world,” he said. “They are trying to hold the world hostage. They are attacking their neighbors. They are attacking neighboring countries, their energy infrastructure, their civilian population.”

Rubio added that the U.S. military is “getting the job done” in Iran, striking the regime’s military capabilities.

“I want everyone to know your military is getting the job done,” he said. “And every single day this regime in Iran has less missiles, has less launchers, their factories work less, and their navy is being eviscerated, and the world is going to be a safer and a better place when this mission is accomplished.”

He added: “And we are well on our way to achieving that objective every single day with overwhelming force, with overwhelming precision.”

President Donald Trump on Sunday hinted that the decision to end the war in Iran will be a “mutual” one that he will make with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Trump made the remarks during a brief phone interview with the Times of Israel.

“I think it’s mutual… a little bit,” Trump said, adding that he and Netanyahu have “been talking.”

“I’ll make a decision at the right time, but everything’s going to be taken into account,” Trump said. The president then added that while Netanyahu will have input, the final say will ultimately be his own.

Trump has made previous comments that the war against Iran could last about four weeks, and that the U.S. was “ahead of schedule.” Trump administration officials have not provided any specific timelines.

An Iranian ballistic missile was launched toward Turkey was “neutralized” in its airspace, the Turkish Ministry of Defense said Monday.

NATO air and missile defense assets in the Easter Mediterranean intercepted and destroyed the Iranian missile, the ministry said in a statement.

Missile debris fell onto vacant land in Gaziantep, a city in south-central Turkey, though no casualties or injuries were reported.

It was the second Iranian ballistic missile that has targeted Turkey, a NATO member, in the last week.

“Türkiye places great importance on good neighborly relations and regional stability,” the ministry said in a statement. “However, we once again emphasize that all necessary measures will be taken decisively and without hesitation against any threat directed at our country’s territory and airspace.”

“We also reiterate that it is in everyone’s interest to heed Türkiye’s warnings in this regard,” it added.

The incident comes a day after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi insisted to NBC News’ “Meet the Press” that Iran wasn’t intentionally attacking its neighbors in the region.

“We are attacking American bases, American installations, American assets, which are unfortunately located in the soils of our neighbors,” Araghchi said.

Oil prices passed $100 per barrel on Sunday as the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran disrupts production and shipping in the Middle East.

This is the first time in nearly four years that oil prices reached this mark.

The price for a barrel of Brent crude, the international standard, rose to more than $107 after trading resumed on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, a 16.5% jump from its Friday closing price of $92.69.

West Texas Intermediate, produced in the U.S., was up to about $106.22 a barrel, a 16.9% increase from when it closed on Friday at $90.90.

This comes after Brent climbed 28% and WTI rose 36% last week prior to the latest upticks.

Oil prices have jumped as the war impacts areas crucial to the production and shipping of oil and gas from the Persian Gulf.

About 15 million barrels of crude oil, which makes up about 20% of the oil around the world, are typically moved daily through the Strait of Hormuz, according to independent research firm Rystad Energy.

Maryam Rajavi, president of the Paris-based National Council of Resistance of Iran, blasted the move to install Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s new supreme leader, calling it an attempt to turn the country’s clerical system into a hereditary monarchy.

“Tonight, the absolute clerical rule (Velayat-e Faqih) has effectively turned itself into a hereditary monarchy by placing Mojtaba Khamenei on the throne,” Rajavi wrote. “But it cannot save the shipwrecked vessel of religious fascism.”

Rajavi argued that the leadership change will not restore legitimacy to Iran’s ruling system, comparing it to the monarchy overthrown in 1979 and accusing the regime of once again denying the Iranian people their sovereignty.

“For more than three decades, Mojtaba Khamenei, alongside his father, has been among the principal architects of repression, the export of fundamentalism and terrorism, and the plundering of the Iranian people’s wealth,” she said. “In practice, he has long functioned as his father’s de facto successor.”

Rajavi said the new leader bears responsibility for massacres and the suppression of popular uprisings, as well as controlling Iran’s resources and economy and the systematic looting of national wealth. The latter, Rajavi said, resulted in the regime imposing the harshest oppression and exploitation on the majority of Iranians, especially women.

“Outraged Iranian people, who have risen up in successive uprisings to overthrow this regime, will not retreat in the face of the clerical mafia ruling Iran,” Rajavi wrote. “The destiny of Iran will be written by its people.” 

Iranian American journalist Masih Alinejad is urging the Australian government to protect members of Iran’s women’s national soccer team after she said the players were labeled “war-time traitors” and flashed what she described as an SOS hand signal while returning to Iran.

Alinejad said the team refused to sing Iran’s national anthem following the reported killing of Ali Khamenei, a move she framed as a public act of defiance against the regime.

“Hello Australia, this is your moment. We need your support. Iran’s women’s football team refused to sing the regime’s anthem right after the killing of Ali Khamenei,” she wrote in a post on X.

“State TV called them ‘war-time traitors.’ Now they’re on a bus back to Iran, flashing the SOS hand signal through the window.

“I call on [the] Australian government…Don’t send them back to danger. Please give them protection,” Alinejad added.