Trump says Iran requested ceasefire

The U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Iraq issued a warning Thursday urging U.S. citizens to immediately depart the country as the conflict with Iran continues.

The embassy said in a security alert that Iraq-based terrorist groups aligned with Iran may conduct new attacks in central Baghdad within the next 24 to 48 hours, noting that Iran-aligned militias have previously carried out attacks against U.S. citizens and U.S.-linked targets throughout Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region.

Additionally, the embassy warned that Iran-aligned militias have targeted Americans for kidnapping.

U.S. citizens are urged not to travel to the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad or the Consulate General in Erbil due to security concerns surrounding missiles, drones and other projectiles in Iraqi airspace.

The embassy reiterated that the U.S. State Department has issued a Level 4 Travel Advisory: “Do Not Travel” for Iraq.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Wednesday evening posted on X, “Back to the Stone Age,” echoing comments made by President Donald Trump.

Earlier that night, Trump said in remarks addressing the conflict in Iran that the U.S. was going to hit Iran “extremely hard over the next two to three weeks.”

“We’re going to bring them back to the stone ages where they belong,” he said.

On Wednesday morning, Trump posted on Truth Social that Iran had asked the U.S. for a ceasefire and again suggested sending Iran “back to the Stone Ages.”

"Iran’s New Regime President, much less Radicalized and far more intelligent than his predecessors, has just asked the United States of America for a CEASEFIRE! We will consider when Hormuz Strait is open, free, and clear. Until then, we are blasting Iran into oblivion or, as they say, back to the Stone Ages!!!" Trump said in the post.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said Wednesday she would oppose any additional U.S. military aid to Israel.

Ocasio-Cortez said the Israeli government is able to fund its defense systems, including the Iron Dome, on its own, allowing it to protect its citizens from incoming missile attacks.

“Consistent with my voting record to date, I will not support Congress sending more taxpayer dollars and military aid to a government that consistently ignores international law and U.S. law,” she said in a post on X.

The New York congresswoman said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his political allies approved a $45 billion defense budget, adding that he said in January he was interested in withdrawing from a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the U.S.

“Our allies who need our military aid must understand that we will provide it consistent with the Leahy Amendment and the Foreign Assistance Act,” Ocasio-Cortez said.

Democratic leaders quickly slammed President Donald Trump following his speech Wednesday evening addressing the conflict in Iran.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer posted on X, “Has there ever been a more rambling, disjointed and pathetic presidential war speech?”

“Donald Trump’s actions in Iran will be considered one of the greatest policy blunders in the history of our country, failing to articulate objectives, alienating allies, and ignoring the kitchen table problems Americans are facing,” he said.

Schumer added that Trump is unfit to be commander in chief.

Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a statement that the American people are “sick and tired of the chaos, high costs and extreme Republican agenda.”

He called on the president to end “his reckless war of choice in the Middle East.”

In a video message posted on X, Kamala Harris said she would not watch the president’s speech before asserting that he “brought America into a war that people do not want.”

“He has put American troops in harm’s way,” she said. “Costs are rising by the day, and meanwhile he has done nothing to address the needs of the American people.”

Harris asserted that Trump would try to “claim victory” during his address.

“But the reality is, we’re watching what he does instead of listening to what he says,” she said.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio reacted to President Donald Trump’s address on the conflict in Iran, calling it a “powerful speech” that laid out U.S. objectives.

The objectives in Iran, Rubio said, were to destroy the country’s weapons production facilities, navy and air force, as well as its ability to obtain a nuclear weapon.

“The President’s leadership sends a message to the world that the United States will defend its people and its interests, and uphold peace through strength,” Rubio added.

Oil prices increased and Asian stocks fell shortly after President Donald Trump’s address Wednesday evening regarding the conflict in Iran.

Following the president’s remarks, Brent crude rose 5% to $106.22 per barrel, while benchmark U.S. crude climbed more than 4% to $104.36 per barrel.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 was down roughly 1.5% in early trading Thursday.

South Korea’s Kospi lost 3.4%, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell 0.8%.

Additionally, U.S. futures were down more than 0.7%.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Several members of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet attended his address Wednesday evening.

In the audience in Cross Hall at the White House were Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, among others.

Multiple members of the military also attended the address.

President Donald Trump on Wednesday urged Americans to keep the timeline of the ongoing conflict in Iran in perspective, noting that prior wars lasted much longer.

“It’s very important that we keep this conflict in perspective,” he said. “American involvement in World War I lasted one year, seven months and five days. World War II lasted three years, eight months and 25 days.”

Trump continued that the Korean War lasted more than three years, the Iraq War lasted more than eight years, and the Vietnam War lasted more than 19 years.

In comparison, the president said the current conflict with Iran has lasted 32 days, describing the military operation as “so powerful” and “so brilliant.”

Iran, he added, has “been eviscerated and is essentially no longer a threat.”

President Donald Trump on Wednesday said U.S. military strikes had dismantled Iran’s weapons capabilities, declaring Iran is no longer “the bully of the Middle East” amid a looming nuclear threat.

In remarks outlining “Operation Epic Fury,” Trump said Iran had been “right at the doorstep” of developing a nuclear weapon and argued that years of warnings meant little without action.

“We are systematically dismantling the regime's ability to threaten America,” he said.

He described Iran as having once been “the bully of the Middle East,” but added, “the bully is no longer.”

Trump concluded his address by praising the U.S. military’s “power, strength and brilliance” and cast the operation as an investment in long-term security, saying it would leave the U.S. “safer, stronger, more prosperous, and greater than it has ever been before.”

“The whole world is watching and they can't believe the power, strength and brilliance,” he said.

“They just can't believe what they're seeing — the brilliance of the United States military,” Trump added.

President Trump said Wednesday that the U.S. military is on track to complete its objectives soon.

“We are going to hit them extremely hard over the next two to three weeks,” he said, adding that "discussions" are ongoing.

Trump said regime change was not the goal but has effectively occurred because the country’s original leaders are dead.

He described the new leadership as “less radical and more reasonable,” but warned that if no deal is reached, the U.S. could strike key targets, including electric generating plants.

“Regime change was not our goal. We never said regime change,” he added.

“We have not hit their oil… because it would not give them even a small chance of survival or rebuilding,” he added.

Trump also said nuclear sites struck by B-2 bombers were “obliterated” and are under close satellite surveillance.

“If we see them make a move, we’ll hit them with missiles very hard,” he said.

President Donald Trump addressed the nation Wednesday, providing an update on Operation Epic Fury in Iran. He warned that the Iranian regime would have committed mass murder “behind a nuclear shield” if left unchecked.

Trump focused on what he described as a “murderous regime,” claiming it had recently killed 45,000 of its own citizens during protests in Iran.

“45,000 dead,” Trump said.

“For these terrorists to have nuclear weapons would be an intolerable threat,” he continued.

“The most violent and thuggish regime on earth would be free to carry out their campaigns of terror, coercion, conquest, and mass murder from behind a nuclear shield.”

“I will never let that happen, and neither should any of our past presidents,” Trump added before stating that "No one would dare stop them, so we had to do it."

Former Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi has been seriously wounded in a strike that also killed his wife, Iranian media reported Wednesday.

According to The Times of Israel, newspapers Shargh, Etemad and Ham Mihan reported that his home in Tehran was targeted in a joint U.S.-Israeli strike. Kharazi was badly injured in the attack and has been hospitalized.

Kharazi was a moderate politician and had served as an adviser to former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an Israeli strike on Feb. 28.

High oil and gas prices in Europe stemming from the Iran war will not return to normal levels soon, and even if it ends tomorrow, the European Union’s energy commissioner said Tuesday.

Dan Jørgensen said that, although there are no immediate oil and gas supply shortages in the EU bloc, there is pressure on diesel and jet fuel supplies, as well as “increasing constraints” in global gas markets that are resulting in higher electricity prices.

“What I find extremely important is to state as clearly as I can that, even if that peace is here tomorrow, still we will not go back to normal in the foreseeable future,” Jørgensen told a news conference after a meeting of EU energy ministers, the Associated Press reported.

Iran launched a barrage of ballistic missiles at Israel late Wednesday, while Hezbollah fired rockets from Lebanon, forcing millions of Israelis into bomb shelters as they were beginning Passover observances.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) warned that a missile attack was likely, noting the timing coincided with one of the most widely observed Jewish rituals of the year, the Times of Israel reported.

According to the IDF, around 10 ballistic missiles were fired toward central Israel in what it described as the largest Iranian salvo targeting the area since the early stages of the war.

Minutes later, sirens sounded again across central and northern Israel as the military reported another round of Iranian missile launches — marking the sixth such barrage that day.

In the early hours of Thursday, the IDF also said its air defense systems were working to intercept further incoming threats.

“A short while ago, the IDF identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel.

Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat,” the military said in a statement posted to its official Telegram channel.

Official inflation data from Iran shows prices rising sharply again amid the war with the U.S. and Israel.

According to a new report, costs are now more than five times higher than in 2021, with food prices increasing even faster and hitting poorer, rural households hardest.

The Statistical Center of Iran reported a Consumer Price Index (CPI) of 542.3 for March 2026 (base year 2021 = 100), indicating a cumulative price increase of about 442% over four years. Year-on-year inflation reached 71.8%, while annual inflation rose to 50.6%.

The biggest increases are in food and essential goods, piling pressure on lower-income households where expenses make up a large share of Iranian's spending, Iran International reported.

French prosecutors are looking to detain four people suspected of “terrorist criminal conspiracy,” with possible links to Iran, after police foiled a bomb attack outside a Bank of America building in Paris.

One suspect was arrested early Saturday outside the bank, where officers found a homemade device made from a gasoline-filled container taped to a powerful firewor, the Associated Press reported.

The bomb contained about 650 grams (23 ounces) of explosives — an unusually large amount — and could have caused a major fireball and blaze.

Prosecutors have asked for all four suspects, including three minors, to be held pending trial as a formal investigation continues.

Authorities are also examining a potential link to a pro-Iran group, Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, after a propaganda video circulated before the planned attack that named the bank as a target.

The group has claimed responsibility for other incidents across Europe, including a recent attack in London.

Prosecutors say the Paris plot appears “likely linked” to the group, though the connection has not yet been formally confirmed.

The White House on Wednesday released a Seinfeld-style video clip on X featuring Secretary of State Marco Rubio, just hours before President Donald Trump is set to address the nation on Operation Epic Fury.

The edited video cuts back and forth between Rubio and comedian Jerry Seinfeld, echoing the tone and style of the sitcom.

Alongside the clip, the White House posted a message framing the administration’s military campaign against Iran.

“For decades, Iran has targeted Americans and destabilized the world,” the White House said. “Day One of Operation Epic Fury: the mission was clear. Tonight, President Trump addresses the nation. Let’s go over it again.”

In a separate press release also issued Wednesday, the White House outlined the objectives of the “decisive campaign of American strength” aimed at dismantling Iran’s ability to threaten the United States and its allies.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, the U.S. military is executing this mission with unmatched power and precision,” the statement said.

The administration listed its objectives as eliminating Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal and production capabilities, destroying its naval forces, cutting off support for terrorist proxy groups, and preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

“Since the launch of Operation Epic Fury, the Trump Administration has repeatedly and unambiguously reaffirmed these core objectives,” the statement said.

The release also cited Trump’s framing of the mission: “First, we’re destroying Iran’s missile capabilities and their capacity to produce new ones. Second, we’re annihilating their navy. Third, we’re ensuring that the world’s number one sponsor of terror can never obtain a nuclear weapon. And finally, we’re ensuring that the Iranian regime cannot continue to arm, fund, and direct terrorist armies outside of their borders.”

Statements from Vice President JD Vance, Rubio, and U.S. Central Command commander Adm. Brad Cooper were also included.

The U.S. Air Force may be preparing to deploy a significant number of A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft across the Atlantic, according to recent flight-tracking data.

The potential movement would involve a flight of A-10s linking up with three KC-135 Stratotankers that have already departed RAF Mildenhall in England.

These are expected to meet with “TABOR 71,” a formation of eight A-10 Warthogs currently heading in the opposite direction.

Additional indicators suggest a larger buildup may be underway, with reports pointing to as many as 20 A-10C aircraft gathering at Portsmouth International Airport at Pease in New Hampshire, a well-established staging point for trans-Atlantic deployments.

From there, aircraft typically proceed to RAF Lakenheath in the United Kingdom, which has seen a surge in U.S. combat aircraft in recent weeks following the start of Operation Epic Fury.

Former Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday called for “fundamental reforms” in the country’s policymaking, while urging officials to prepare for what he described as an honorable end to the war, even as resistance continues.

“Alongside heroic resistance, we must be prepared to bring the war to an honorable end in the interest of the country and the people,” Rouhani said, according to Iran International.

Speaking before the Supreme National Security Council, Rouhani emphasized the need to evaluate multiple scenarios for both continuing and ending the conflict and to place those options within a formal legal decision-making framework.

“Preserving the country and the system requires immediate fundamental reforms in policymaking; the people have made their position clear to the authorities,” he said.

Rouhani also stressed the importance of coordinating national resources to prevent attacks in the Persian Gulf region and to maintain control over the Strait of Hormuz.

Two Iranian political prisoners have been held in an undisclosed location since March 29, according to the Iran Human Rights NGO (IHRNGO), which reported the case on Wednesday.

The organization said authorities have not revealed the whereabouts of Vahid Baniamerian and Abolhassan Montazer.

“Holding prisoners incommunicado at undisclosed locations, carrying out secret executions, and withholding bodies amount to enforced disappearance and constitute a serious breach of fundamental human rights,” said Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, director of the organization in a post shared on X.

“The war must not overshadow the Islamic Republic’s atrocities against its own people. Vahid Baniamerian and Abolhassan Montazer are at imminent risk of execution. The world must act now to save them,” he added.

Thousands of sailors and Marines are ready in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, officials said Wednesday, referring to the USS Tripoli.

“Daily operations and training continue for the 3,500 sailors and Marines aboard the USS Tripoli (LHA-7), who are staying sharp and maintaining peak warfighting readiness in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility,” CENTCOM said in a post shared on X.

The post came after the flagship for the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit arrived over the weekend with troops in tow, U.S. Central Command said Saturday.

The Tripoli was forward-deployed to Sasebo, Japan and took time to get to the Middle East.

China should take a more active role in efforts to restore traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, as the number of vessels transiting the waterway is insufficient, France’s navy chief said on Wednesday.

“We have not seen China’s navy step in to reopen the strait. On the other hand, there is direct political dialogue between Chinese and Iranian authorities to ensure that a certain number of vessels can pass,” Adm. Nicolas Vaujour said at the War & Peace Security Conference in Paris.

“Will that be enough to restore normal traffic flows? I don’t believe so,” he added.

Vaujour suggested that China may need to become more directly involved, signaling its frustration that the strait remains closed.

“As a result, China will probably have to engage more directly in the debate and show its impatience with the fact that the strait remains closed,” he said.

He also said France is working to bring multiple countries together to define the conditions needed for a lasting reopening of the waterway

The U.S. State Department has announced a reward of up to $3 million for information related to recent attacks on its facilities in Iraq.

The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, the Baghdad Diplomatic Support Center, and the U.S. Consulate General in Erbil have all been targeted since the start of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran on Feb. 28.

In a statement posted on X, the State Department’s Rewards for Justice Program called for public assistance, saying: “If you have information on Iranian-aligned terrorist militia groups or others responsible for these attacks, send us your tips today.”

The program added that people who come forward with credible information may be eligible for both financial compensation and relocation.

The United Arab Emirates’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday rejected a report claiming the country was preparing to assist the United States and its allies in forcibly reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

The Wall Street Journal had reported that UAE officials were lobbying for a United Nations Security Council resolution that would authorize the action.

According to the report, diplomats encouraged the U.S. and partners in Europe and Asia to unite against Iran and if necessary use force to secure the waterway.

In response, the UAE said the Strait of Hormuz “cannot be subject to disruption or coercion by any state, particularly in ways that threaten global economic stability and international security.”

According to the Jerusalem Post, the ministry said that while the UAE supports international efforts to protect maritime security and ensure the free flow of trade, any measures must strictly comply with international law.

“The UAE maintains a defensive posture focused on protecting its sovereignty, its people, and its infrastructure, and reserves its right to self-defense in response to ongoing unlawful and unprovoked attacks,” the statement said.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian urged the American public to question the purpose of a potential war with Iran in an open letter released Wednesday by Press TV.

“Iran … has never, in its modern history, chosen the path of aggression, expansion, colonialism, or domination,” Pezeshkian wrote.

He added that Iranians “harbor no enmity toward other nations, including the people of America,” arguing that portraying Iran as a threat is “the product of the political and economic whims of the powerful.”

“This raises a fundamental question: Exactly which of the American people’s interests are truly being served by this war?” he asked in the letter.

Pezeshkian also alleged that the United States was acting on Israel’s behalf in its conflict with Iran.

“Is it not also the case that America has entered this aggression as a proxy for Israel, influenced and manipulated by that regime?” he wrote, warning that attacks on infrastructure and continued military action would increase instability and human suffering.

“Continuing along the path of confrontation is more costly and futile than ever before,” he added.

Repression of civic space and freedom of expression has intensified in Iran and across the Middle East since the U.S. and Israeli military campaign started, according to U.N. human rights chief Volker Türk.

“We are witnessing a sharp securitization of civic space across the region, with severe restrictions imposed by governments on people exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly,” he said in a statement Wednesday.

Türk also said that arrests and crackdowns have seen more than 2,300 people detained ion national security-related charges since the start of the conflict.

“This is outrageous. As if the pain and suffering brought on by the war is not enough, some Iranians are being arbitrarily rounded up, jailed, prosecuted without due process and, in some cases, even executed by their own government,” he said.

He also said that executions should immediately stop and warned the internet blackout is getting worse.

“Across the region and linked to the conflict, my office is receiving disturbing reports of arbitrary detentions and other forms of state repression,” said Türk.

“We fear vague security claims related to this conflict are being used instead to further repress and violate people’s fundamental human rights — often members of minorities, and those already marginalized,” he said.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Wednesday defended NATO after President Donald Trump signaled the United States could reconsider its membership once the war with Iran ends.

“NATO is the single most effective military alliance the world has ever seen,” Starmer told reporters during a press conference at Downing Street. “It has kept us safe for many decades, and we are fully committed to NATO.”

In a statement, Starmer also pointed to an upcoming summit with European Union leaders.

“Because as the world continues down this volatile course, it is clear that our long-term national interest now requires closer partnership with our allies in Europe — and with the European Union,” he said.

“We have made progress on this front since the election, on agriculture, electricity, emissions trading — and more. But Brexit did deep damage to the economy. And the opportunities to strengthen our security and reduce the cost of living through partnership are simply too big to ignore.”

“So in the coming weeks, we will announce a new summit with our EU partners,” he added.

Starmers remarks came as a coalition of U.S. allies was reportedly preparing to persuade Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and was considering potential sanctions if the critical global oil chokepoint remains closed, Bloomberg reported.

Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s new supreme leader, has reaffirmed Tehran’s continued backing of anti-Israel forces across the Middle East, including Hezbollah.

In a recent message delivered in a statement read on state television, Khamenei voiced strong support for militant groups, reinforcing that he is exercising power behind the scenes.

“I firmly declare that the consistent policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, in continuing the path of the late Imam and martyred leader, is based on continuing to support the resistance against the Zionist-American enemy,” Khamenei said in comments from a letter addressed to the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

Security analysts warned the remarks could signal an escalation in Iran’s regional posture.

Dr. Ehud Eilam, a former analyst at Israel’s Defense Ministry, told Fox News Digital that the statement highlights a “serious risk” of future attacks.

“Mojtaba Khamenei is talking about terror attacks that could be carried out by Iranians or their supporters inside and outside the Middle East, such as in Europe, South America, and the United States,” Eilam said.

He added that sleeper cells pose a particular concern if they target high-value infrastructure.

“Sleeper cells could be a serious risk, especially if they manage to hit critical targets such as energy facilities,” Eilam said, noting such attacks could be carried out in “different ways, including drones or infiltration of sites, potentially using civilian disguises.”

President Donald Trump suggested Wednesday that Iran may be seeking a ceasefire, but analysts say real power lies with hardline figures inside the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including newly prominent Commander Ahmad Vahidi.

Trump did not name the Iranian figure he was referring to, but his comment likely pointed to President Masoud Pezeshkian, writing: "Iran’s New Regime President, much less Radicalized and far more intelligent than his predecessors, has just asked the United States of America for a CEASEFIRE! We will consider when Hormuz Strait is open, free, and clear. Until then, we are blasting Iran into oblivion or, as they say, back to the Stone Ages!!!"

Experts caution, however, that Iran’s president does not control decisions of war and peace.

"He clearly does not have the authority to turn on or turn off a major military conflict with the United States," Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital.

Instead, analysts say real power lies with senior figures tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including Vahidi, Parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and security official Mohammad Zolghadr, all of whom operate within overlapping centers of influence.

Attention is turning to the new terror chief seen as an extremist pulling strings, Vahidi — a longtime Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander whose reemergence highlights a broader shift underway inside Iran’s leadership.

Beni Sabti, an Iran expert at the Israeli Institute for National Security Studies, warned that even when Iran signals interest in a "ceasefire," it may not reflect a Western understanding of the term.

"He is a very violent man and belongs to a generation that fought in guerrilla warfare," Sabti told Fox News Digital.

Click here to read the full story by Fox News Digital's Efrat Lachter.

Since the start of Operation Epic Fury Feb. 28, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has struck more than 12,300 targets, conducted 13,000 combat flights and damaged or destroyed 155 Iranian vessels, according to a fact sheet released by officials.

CENTCOM's extensive target list focuses heavily on crippling Iran's offensive and defensive capabilities, with a focus on Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) headquarters and intelligence sites, command and control centers, and integrated air defense systems.

The strikes are also targeting ballistic missile and drone manufacturing sites, weapon production and storage bunkers, and Iranian Navy ships and submarines, according to officials.

While a list of U.S. assets CENTCOM is employing was released to the public, it noted there are other "special capabilities we can't list here!"

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) shared a series of new photos aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA-7), which experts say hosts aircraft that could be used to strike Iran or control coastal positions along the Strait of Hormuz.

CENTCOM said daily operations and training continue for the 3,500 sailors and marines aboard the ship.

"[Personnel] are staying sharp and maintaining peak warfighting readiness in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility," officials wrote in an X post.

USS Tripoli's mission in the war with Iran could include maritime interdiction, airstrikes, air assault or controlling key sea lanes and terrain ashore, according to Rebecca Grant, vice president of the Lexington Institute.

FIRST ON FOX: Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., said an alleged Iranian state actor recently targeted him with a phishing scheme disguised as a television interview request, in what he described as an apparent effort to access his personal email account.

"A skilled impersonator created something appearing just like Newsmax to attempt to do an interview with me," Fine told Fox News Digital in an interview, explaining that his staffer began interacting with the message in email, as the office normally does, before realizing "the links didn’t work." 

The phishing scheme was allegedly designed to gain access to his personal Google account, Fine explained. 

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Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon accused President Donald Trump of waging "an illegal war of choice" and asserted that Trump has much to explain.

"Tonight Trump plans to speak to the nation about the war in Iran. He has a lot to explain," the lawmaker asserted in a post on X.

"Why did he launch an illegal war of choice that has strengthened the hardline government of Iran, undermined the reformers, shut down the Strait of Hormuz, raised energy prices, enriched Russia, and cost American lives and treasure?" Merkley asked.

President Donald Trump indicated to Reuters that he will convey his disgust with NATO during his speech on Wednesday night.

The president told the outlet that he is "absolutely" thinking about seeking to yank the U.S. out of NATO.

"They haven't been friends when we needed them," Trump stated, according to the outlet. "We've never asked them for much ... it's a one-way street."

The president is slated to deliver an address to the nation on Wednesday night at 9 p.m. ET. to deliver "an important update on Iran," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt noted in a Tuesday post on X.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a Passover-related statement amid the ongoing war against Iran, which the nation is waging in conjunction with the U.S.

"My brothers and sisters, citizens of Israel, on the eve of this Festival of Freedom, Israel is stronger than ever. The entire world hears our lion’s roar in our struggle against the evil regime in Iran, a struggle in which we have achieved immense, enormous accomplishments," Netanyahu noted in part of the lengthy statement.

But he also mentioned "painful costs," noting, "yesterday, we lost four of our best sons."

"In the spirit of the upcoming Passover holiday, since the beginning of the 'War of Redemption,' we have dealt ten plagues upon the Axis of Evil: The blow to Hamas in Gaza, the blow to Hezbollah in Lebanon, the blow to Assad in Syria, the blow to terrorist organizations in Judea and Samaria, the blow to the Houthis in Yemen, and five more blows to Iran: The blow to their nuclear program, the blow to their missiles, the blow to the regime's infrastructure, the blow to the forces of oppression, and the 'Plague of the Firstborn', or in our case, the blow to the senior leadership," he asserted.

The AAA national average price for regular gas as of April 1 is $4.064, slightly more than a dollar higher than the month ago average of $2.984.

The AAA national average price for diesel has risen to a whopping $5.49 as of April 1, compared to the month ago average of just $3.761.

Americans have been feeling pain at the pump as prices have surged since President Donald Trump unilaterally launched the U.S. war against Iran more than four weeks ago in conjunction with close American ally Israel.

President Donald Trump said in a Wednesday morning Truth Social post that Iran has asked the U.S. for a ceasefire.

But the president indicated that the U.S. will only entertain the prospect once the Strait of Hormuz is open for ships.

"Iran’s New Regime President, much less Radicalized and far more intelligent than his predecessors, has just asked the United States of America for a CEASEFIRE! We will consider when Hormuz Strait is open, free, and clear. Until then, we are blasting Iran into oblivion or, as they say, back to the Stone Ages!!!" Trump asserted in the post.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) indicated in a Wednesday morning post on X that American forces have flown more than 12,000 combat flights in support of the U.S. war against Iran.

"To date, U.S. forces have flown over 12,000 combat flights directly supporting Operation Epic Fury," the CENTCOM post noted.

President Donald Trump said he is strongly considering pulling the United States out of NATO over the alliance’s refusal to join his administration’s efforts in the Iran conflict, according to a report.

"I was never swayed by NATO," Trump told The Daily Telegraph in an interview published Wednesday.

The president, long a critic of the military alliance, which has been pivotal in maintaining global order since World War II, said reconsidering the matter was "beyond consideration."

"I always knew they were a paper tiger, and Putin knows that too, by the way," Trump told the British outlet.

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The Israel Defense Forces announced that the Israeli Navy took out Hezbollah figure Hajj Yusuf Ismail Hashem in a strike.

“ELIMINATED: Hajj Yusuf Ismail Hashem, the Commander of Hezbollah’s Southern Front,” the IDF wrote in a post on X.

“Hashem, eliminated by the Israeli Navy in a strike in Beirut, was a senior commander with 40+ years of experience, and was a central figure in Hezbollah that led its rehabilitation & commanded attacks toward Israel,” the post added.

President Donald Trump is set to address the nation on Wednesday night, providing an update on the situation in Iran.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced the address in a post on X, stating: “Tune in: Tomorrow night at 9 p.m. ET, President Trump will give an Address to the Nation to provide an important update on Iran.”

The announcement comes as tensions between the United States and Iran remain high, with ongoing military developments in the region.

President Donald Trump indicated on Tuesday that the U.S. will finish attacking Iran within two to three weeks.

The president indicated that he thinks within that time frame, "We'll leave."

"I had one goal: They will have no nuclear weapon. And that goal has been attained. They will not have nuclear weapons," the president said.

"But we're finishing the job. And I think within maybe two weeks, maybe a couple a days longer, to do the job," he said. "Now it's possible that we'll make a deal before that."

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