US attacks Isfahan in Iran as gas price average tops $4 dollars

Click here for the latest coverage

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said on Wednesday that it eliminated Mahdi Vafaei, the head of the Engineering Branch of the Quds Force’s Lebanon Corps in the Mahallat area of Iran.

According to the IDF, Vafaei “advanced underground projects” in Lebanon and Syria, and led efforts to “establish and manage underground terrorist infrastructure sites for Hezbollah and the Assad regime.”

The military said Vafaei managed dozens of subterranean projects in Lebanon used for the storage of advanced weaponry.

The IDF said Vafaei’s death “deals a significant blow” to Hezbollah’s ability to develop underground infrastructure and disrupts the Iranian regime’s efforts to carry out terror operations across the Middle East.

An 11-year-old girl was severely injured following a missile strike in Israel, according to Magen David Adom.

The agency said she was in serious condition and suffering from shrapnel injuries.

A 13-year-old boy and a 36-year-old woman were also wounded in the strike and sustained moderate injuries, MDA said.

Another 11 people suffered mild injuries.

Iran is building a decentralized drone warfare capability in Tehran’s apartment building basements powered by inexpensive technology sourced from China, a leading defense expert has warned.

Draganfly’s Cameron Chell also said this emerging system — centered on first-person-view (FPV) drones — could pose a threat not only across the Middle East but potentially to the U.S. homeland.

"The FPVs are Iran’s Hail Mary because they are very hard to defend, are incredibly effective and can be delivered in a manner without having to have a central command," Chell told Fox News Digital.

"So, whether it's the Iranian army, whether it's militia groups or Iranian patriots, they can all create or procure their own FPVs and get offensive."

He added that "Iran could be reiterating FPVs and churning out more than 100,000 a month over time."

"Iran's got either militias or sleeper cells in the states who can, in my estimation, already build this equipment," Chell clarified.

Chell’s warning comes as recent incidents in Iraq highlight the growing use of FPVs.

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News' Emma Bussey

Pope Leo issued a direct appeal to President Donald Trump on Tuesday, urging him to look for an “off-ramp” to end the conflict in Iran.

"I'm told that President Trump has recently stated that he would like to end the war," Leo told reporters.

"Hopefully he's looking for an off-ramp," he continued. "Hopefully he's looking for a way to decrease the amount of violence."

The pope said he hopes the war ends before Easter, which falls on Sunday, April 5.

"There have been so many deaths, including innocent children," he said. "Let's continually appeal for peace."

"There are too many people who promote fighting, violence (and) war," he added.

Trump said Tuesday that the U.S. could end its military operation in two to three weeks.

The president is expected to address the nation Wednesday evening with an “important update” on Iran.

Reuters contributed to this report.

JetBlue is raising its checked bag fees by up to $9 as the war in Iran continues to impact global oil supply and fuel prices.

The Associated Press reported that most domestic economy passengers will see the cost of a first checked bag rise from $35 to $39.

The fee will increase from $40 to $49 during peak travel periods, including spring break, major holidays and the summer.

The airline also increased its charge for a second bag from $50 to $59 during off-peak periods, and from $60 to $69 during peak travel times.

Jet fuel prices have risen nearly 85% since the conflict in Iran began late last month, adding to airlines’ operating costs.

In a statement to The Associated Press, JetBlue said, “While we recognize that fee increases are never ideal, we take careful consideration to ensure these changes are implemented only when necessary.”

The new fees are expected to take effect Monday.

An Iranian drone attack on Wednesday sparked a large fire at Kuwait International Airport, according to the state-run KUNA news agency.

KUNA reported that the airport’s fuel depots were hit by drones, igniting a “massive blaze.”

The attack caused “significant damage” to the fuel tanks, the agency said. No casualties were reported.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced late Tuesday that it has carried out more than 800 airstrikes and used roughly 16,000 munitions since it began its military campaign against Iran more than a month ago.

More than 2,000 Iranian military personnel have been killed during “Operation Roaring Lion,” according to the IDF.

The Israeli military said it has struck more than 4,000 targets since the war began.

Most recently, the IDF said it struck an Iranian research and development facility used to transfer lethal chemical substances.

The military said the facility, owned by the Tofiq Daru Company, supplied fentanyl to the SPND Organization, which it said is responsible for developing chemical weapons.

The United Arab Emirates has reportedly barred Iranians from air travel amid the ongoing conflict in Iran.

Airlines Emirates, Etihad and Flydubai announced that Iranian nationals would no longer be allowed to enter or transit through the UAE.

The airlines said travelers with a 10-year Golden Visa residency would still be permitted to enter the country.

The travel ban comes after Dubai previously shut down the city-state’s Iranian Hospital and Iranian Club.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said Tuesday that a tanker was struck by an “unknown projectile” off the coast of Qatar.

The incident occurred about 17 nautical miles north of Doha, according to UKMTO.

A projectile struck the port side of the vessel, damaging its hull above the waterline, the agency said.

UKMTO added that the crew was safe and there was no environmental impact.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) on Tuesday evening refuted media reports that U.S. forces struck a sports hall and residential area in Iran late last month.

“Several media outlets recently reported accusations of U.S. forces striking a sports hall and residential area in the city of Lamerd, Iran, on Feb. 28. After looking into the reports, U.S. Central Command has confirmed the accusations are false,”CENTCOM spokesman U.S. Navy Capt. Tim Hawkins said in a statement.

“U.S. forces did not launch any strikes at any time into the city of Lamerd or anywhere within 30 miles during the opening day of Operation Epic Fury,” Hawkins continued. “Furthermore, video footage circulated by media outlets alleging U.S. involvement does not show a Precision Strike Missile (PrSM). A PrSM is 13 feet in length. The munition depicted in the video appears to be twice as long, consistent with the dimensions and silhouette of an Iranian Hoveyzeh cruise missile”

Hawkins added, “U.S. forces do not target civilians, unlike the Iranian regime which has attacked civilian locations in neighboring countries more than 300 times.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that Tehran and Washington could have a “direct meeting” at some point, signaling a future thaw even as the Trump administration maintains a hard line on Iran.

Speaking on “Hannity,” Rubio also emphasized that the U.S. remains cautious about Tehran’s intentions.

“There is the potential for a direct meeting at some point,” Rubio said.

“We're always going to be open to that, but what President Trump is not going to allow is that he's not going to allow fake negotiations to be used as a delay tactic, to buy more time, to buy themselves space,” he warned.

“That's what he's not going to allow.”

“We're going to finish the job here,” he confirmed before reiterating that the U.S. is “very, very close to achieving our objectives on all of these things that I've outlined.”

Rubio’s comments come amid U.S. efforts to achieve its objectives in dealing with Iran.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that Iran had been moving toward becoming “the next North Korea,” while arguing the country is now at its weakest point in decades.

In an appearance on "Hannity", Rubio pointed to recent U.S. actions against Tehran roughly five weeks ago as a key factor in Iran’s current position.

He claimed Iran had been developing missile capabilities that could eventually reach the continental United States.

“That’s what they were aiming to do,” Rubio told host Sean Hannity. “They were aiming to become the next North Korea.”

Rubio also described the Iranian regime as difficult to interpret, calling it “troublesome and hard to understand.” He emphasized that, in his view, Iran’s current condition marks a historic low point.

“This is the weakest Iran has been in 25 years,” he said. “This is the weakest Iran has ever been.”

Syria will keep out of the ongoing conflict in Iran unless it is targeted, the country’s interim president confirmed on Tuesday.

President Ahmad al-Sharaa made the remarks during an event hosted by the Chatham House think tank while visiting London, according to The Associated Press.

“Certainly, unless it is directly targeted by any party, Syria will stay out of this conflict,” he said responding to a question about the war.

“Fourteen years of war are enough for Syria, during which we have paid a very high price. We are not ready to go through a new experience. Anyone who has been through war knows the value of peace.”

Syria is one of the few countries in the Middle East that has stayed on the sidelines of the war.

Iran is reportedly “upset” over a five-point peace plan initiated Tuesday by the foreign ministers of China and Pakistan, according to Al Jazeera.

Citing an informed source, the outlet said Tehran’s concern centers on not being consulted in advance of the proposal.

“As both are friendly countries, we expected prior consultation,” the source said.

The five-point plan calls for restoring “normal passage” through the Strait of Hormuz and safeguarding civilian sites and critical infrastructure, including energy, desalination, and power facilities, as well as peaceful nuclear infrastructure.

The proposal also urges initiating “peace talks as soon as possible” as part of broader efforts to de-escalate tensions and stabilize the region.

Tehran does not have to make a deal with Washington to end the war in Iran, President Donald Trump said Tuesday.

But speaking to reporters at the White House, the president also stressed that Iran must not acquire a nuclear weapon.

"Iran doesn't have to make a deal, no," Trump said when asked if successful diplomacy was a prerequisite to the U.S. ending the war.

"No, they don't have to make a deal with me," he said before explaining that winding down the military operation would mean Iran would be "put into the Stone Age," without the ability to acquire a nuclear weapon.

"Then we'll leave," Trump added.

Iran is assessing whether UK military bases could be targets for strikes, the Islamic regime’s ambassador to the UK warned Tuesday.

The remarks came after Prime Minister Keir Starmer allowed American bombers to carry out “defensive strikes” against Iran’s missile launchers from RAF Fairford and Diego Garcia.

"This is a very important matter we are considering. This is a very important matter for our self-defense," Seyed Ali Mousavi told The Times of London.

"The military sections of our system will decide appropriately. It depends on your activities.

“It depends on the British decision on this matter. Every option should be considered. We are very careful and delicate about how to defend ourselves," he said.

The comments came as tensions reignited between President Donald Trump and Starmer.

Trump said Tuesday the UK had “refused to get involved in the decapitation of Iran” and needed to “start learning how to fight for itself.”

An Iranian research and development facility used to transfer lethal chemical substances to the Iranian regime was struck Tuesday, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed.

The factory, owned by the Tofiq Daru Company, was a major supplier of fentanyl to the SPND Organization, which is responsible for the development of chemical weapons for the Iranian regime, the IDF said.

Although operating under the guise of a civilian company, the facility supplied chemical substances — including fentanyl — for use in chemical weapons research and development.

The Tofiq Daru Company knowingly and consistently supplied this substance to the SPND Organization for use in its chemical weapons program, the IDF said.

“The strike on the Tofiq Daru Company impaired the Iranian terror regime's chemical weapons production capabilities,” the IDF added.

The IDF also said that before the strike, “precautionary measures were taken to minimize harm to civilians to the greatest extent possible.”

As previously reported by Fox News Digital, concerns existed about Iran's chemical weapons program.

A new report from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) said policymakers paid little attention compared with Iran's highly scrutinized nuclear weapons program.

The FDD report outlined how the Iranian regime may have resorted to the unconventional use of chemical weapons while it faced protests in 2025.

Any use of chemical weapons by Iran would be in defiance of its obligations under the 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that the U.S. attack on Iran was intended to eliminate what he described as Iran’s nuclear threat permanently.

In a video shared on X, Rubio said that from day one, the mission was “crystal clear.”

“This was the final, best chance to wipe out Iran’s threat for good — so they can never have a nuclear weapon,” he said.

"They could have nuclear energy like all the other countries in the world have it. And that is, you import the fuel and you build reactors above ground. That's not what Iran has done," he said in the video shared by the White House.

"They build their reactors and their facilities deep in mountains away from the public glare, and they want to enrich that material, the same equipment that they could use to enrich material for energy they could use to quickly enrich it to weapons-grade."

“We were on the verge of an Iran that had so many missiles and so many drones that no one could do anything about their nuclear weapons program,” Rubio said, calling it an “intolerable risk.”

He also said the operation aims to destroy Iran’s missile and drone capabilities so it “can’t hide behind it” and must engage with the international community over its nuclear ambitions.