**Livewire** Operation Epic Fury Day Five: The Latest News From Iran and the Middle East

The military operation against Iran entered its fifth day on Wednesday. Iran is attempting to choose a new supreme leader, while the U.S. and Israel continue strikes, including on Tehran and Lebanon.

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**Wednesday’s live updates below. All updates in Eastern time**

10:45 PM: U.S. and Israel have made “historic gains” against Iran, says Jerusalem

Shosh Bedrosian, spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said on Wednesday evening that the strikes on the Islamist Iranian regime were necessary because there was evidence to suggest that Tehran had planned “to attack Israel and American forces in the Middle East.”

“Israel and the United States have together made historic gains to protect our citizens and the civilized world,” she said per the Times of Israel.

9:30 PM: Last two U.S. casualties for attack in Kuwait named

The Pentagon has disclosed the final two names of the six soldiers killed during a drone strike in Kuwait during the early hours of Operation Epic Fury.

The Department of War identified the first casualty as Maj. Jeffrey R. O’Brien, 45, of Indianola, Iowa, died on March 1, 2026, in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait. He was assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command, Des Moines, Iowa.

Also identified was Robert M. Marzan, 54, of Sacramento, Calif., whom the Pentagon said was “at the scene of the incident on March 1, 2026, in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait, and is believed to be the individual who perished at the scene.” However, a positive identification still needs to be conducted by a medical examiner.

Four other service members were killed in the attack, previously revealed as Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Florida, Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska, Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota, and Sgt. Declan J. Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, Iowa.

8:50 PM: UAE evacuates space around U.S. Embassy

The Ministry of Interior for the United Arab Emirates said Wednesday evening that, as a “temporary precautionary measure”, it has decided to evacuate residents living within the vicinity of the U.S. Embassy.

7:50 PM: Arab League calls on Iran to “come to its senses”

Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, condemned the Iranian attacks on countries throughout the Gulf in the wake of the strikes by the United States and Israel against the Islamist regime in Tehran.

“The attacks carried out by Iran are wholly condemnable. They constitute not only a flagrant violation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations, but also an assault on the principles of good neighbourliness. They are creating an unprecedented state of hostility between Iran and its Arab neighbours, and are producing a deep rift between Iran and this neighbourhood that will leave a profound imprint on the future,” the Arab League leader said on Wednesday.

“It is extremely dangerous for the current confrontation to expand and for these conditions to persist without swift correction on Iran’s part. Iran must come to its senses and rectify the situation with all the states that have been targeted before it is too late.”

7:50 PM: FNC’s Griffin: Kurdish invasion at “very early stages”

In another update, Fox News Chief National Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffin said that the situation on the Iraqi-Iranian border is “extremely fluid” and acknowledged that there have been “conflicting reports”.

Regarding the purported Kurdish ground invasion against the Iranian regime, Griffin said: “Sources tell Fox News that this movement is in the very early stages.”

Earlier, unverified reports have claimed that the Trump administration was backing Kurdish fighters to take on the Islamist regime in Tehran to avoid U.S. ground troops being deployed.

6:55 PM: Saudis shoot down more Iranian missiles

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense said on Wednesday evening that it has intercepted and destroyed a further three cruise missiles from Iran outside the city of Al-Kharj, which is located close to the Saudi capital of Riyadh.

6:45 PM: Iranian Kurds, not Iraqi Kurds, says Fox News

Fox News Chief National Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffin has issued a clarification to her earlier report on an alleged Kurdish invasion of Iran.

While Griffin initially reported that thousands of “Iraqi Kurds” were crossing the border into Iran to launch a ground invasion against the Islamist regime in Tehran, she has since clarified: “I am told these are Iranian Kurds who fled in the past and have been living in Iraq.”

“They are returning with the hopes of starting an uprising so that the people of Iran feel comfortable rising up against the remnants of the regime. US official confirms to Fox News that thousands of Kurds have launched a ground offensive in Iran. They are crossing in from Iraq,” she reported.

This came after Deputy Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister of the Iraqi Kurdistan region, Aziz Ahmad, said that the first report was “patently false” and that “not a single Iraqi Kurd” had crossed the border into Iran.

5:15 PM: U.S. Senate backs Trump on War Powers

A majority of U.S. senators voted down a bill that would have halted President Trump’s military operation in Iran until it was authorized by Congress. According to Time, 53 voted against the measure, compared to 47 in favour, representing a victory for the White House.

While the vote was mostly partisan, Democrat Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania voted with Republicans, while Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky voted with the Democrats.

5:00 PM: Maltese-flagged ship hit with two missiles in Strait of Hormuz

The state-owned Oman News Agency (ONA) reported that a cargo ship sailing under the flag of Malta was struck by two missiles “in the vicinity of the Strait of Hormuz” on Wednesday. The Royal Navy of Oman said it rescued the ship’s 24 crew members, all of whom were in good health.

The Times of Malta reported that it was the Egyptian container ship Safeen Prestige, which was sailing through the contested waterway from Dubai en route to Saudi Arabia. The attack on the Maltese-flagged ship comes amid claims from the Islamist Iranian regime that it will strike ships going through the Strait in response to the conflict with the United States and Israel.

4:30 PM: Kurdish fighters launch ground invasion of Iran, Fox claims

According to a report from Fox News Chief National Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffin, citing an unnamed U.S. official, thousands of Kurdish fighters in Iraq have launched a ground invasion of neighbouring Iran.

Earlier on Wednesday, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt admitted that President Trump had spoken with “Kurdish leaders with respect to our base that we have in northern Iraq”.

However, Leavitt denied reports that claimed the U.S. has been arming Kurdish groups in preparation for a potential ground invasion.

On Tuesday, CNN, citing “multiple people familiar with the plan” reported that the Central Intelligence Agency was “working to arm Kurdish forces with the aim of fomenting a popular uprising in Iran.”

3:50 PM: Rubio says Iran missile toward Turkey “unacceptable”

Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott said that Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan that the Iranian attacks on Turkey’s sovereign territory, which apparently included a ballistic missile that was shot down by NATO defenses this morning, are “unacceptable and pledged full support from the United States.”

3:30 PM: Trump touts war effort against Iran

During a White House round table event on Wednesday, President Trump said that the military operation against the Islamist regime in Iran has been very successful, saying: “Somebody said on a scale of 10 where would you rate it, I said: ’15’.”

“We are in a very strong position now, and their leadership is just rapidly going. Everyone who seems to want to be a leader, they end up dead,” Trump said.

“It’s an amazing thing that’s taking place before your eyes because for 47 years we were pushed around… and you see the tremendous progress that’s being made, you see their missiles being wiped out rapidly, their launchers are being wiped out,” he continued.

“It was a nation that was out of control, and they would have used it on us if we let them, if we waited any longer… When crazy people have nuclear weapons, bad things happen.”

2:50 PM: Another major shipping firm shuts down Gulf operations

Germany’s Hapag-Lloyd container shipping company, one of the largest such firms in the world, said on Wednesday that it will suspend all bookings to and from the Persian Gulf “until further notice”. It comes amid concern that Iran will strike cargo ships amid the conflict with the United States and Israel. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the U.S. is prepared to send the Navy to protect energy tankers through the Strait of Hormuz if needed.

2:45 PM: Putin suggests cutting off the taps to Europe

Amid a potential energy crisis brewing in the Middle East over the Iran conflict, Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested on Wednesday halting all energy shipments to Europe, ahead of planned sanctions from Brussels.

“They’re still planning, as you just said, to impose restrictions on the purchase of Russian gas, including liquefied gas, in a month, on the 24th—the last day—and on the 25th. And a year later, in 2027, further restrictions, up to and including a complete ban. Now other markets are opening up. And perhaps it’s more advantageous for us to stop supplying the European market right now. To enter the markets that are opening up and gain a foothold there,” Putin said per state media.

2:40 PM: Spain denies it has agreed to cooperate with U.S. on Iran

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed on Wednesday that Madrid had capitulated to allow the United States to use its military bases for the operation in Iran following public pressure from President Donald Trump, who threatened a full trade embargo against the NATO ally.

“Spain has agreed to cooperate militarily in the last few hours,” Leavitt said from the briefing room.

However, El País reported that Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares has “categorically denied” that Spain will cooperate militarily with the United States on Iran.

1:55 PM: Iranian regime thanks Spain

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian hailed socialist-run Spain on Wednesday for Madrid’s “responsible conduct in opposing the Zionist-American coalition’s flagrant human rights violations and military aggression against countries, including Iran.”

Pezeshkian said that Spain’s conduct “shows that ethics and awakened consciences still exist in the West,” adding: “I commend Spanish officials for their stances.”

The government of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was an early opponent of the military operation against the Islamist regime in Iran and has refused to allow the United States to use military bases in its country to launch strikes. In response, U.S. President Donald Trump has suggested the White House may impose a trade embargo on the NATO ally.

1:45 PM: Power blackouts across Iraq

According to the local Shafaq News Agency, most provinces across Iraq “experienced a complete power outage on Wednesday evening”. The broadcaster reported that Basra Electricity Control Center claimed the outage was a result of a “technical malfunction that affected the network”.

1:35 PM: Zelensky to dispatch Ukraine troops to Gulf

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday that Ukrainian military drone experts will “operate on-site” in the Gulf to help defend against the Iranian Shahed attack drones, which have been used by Russia against Ukraine for years in the Eastern European conflict.

“Our military possesses the necessary capabilities. Ukrainian experts will operate on-site, and teams are already coordinating these efforts. And we are ready to help protect lives, defend civilians, and support real efforts to stabilize the situation and, in particular, restore safe navigation in the region,” Zelensky said.

“We expect the European Union, European countries, and the G7 to take active measures both in dismantling the Iranian regime’s terrorist capabilities and in protecting lives in the region and global stability. We will continue to coordinate with our partners,” he added.

12:05 PM: U.S. hit over 20 Iranian naval vessels

According to the U.S. Central Command, the Navy has “struck or sunk to the bottom of the ocean” over 20 ships belonging to the Iranian Navy. This includes a Soleimani-class warship, which U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth described as the “prize” of the Iranian regime.

11:55 AM: Over 17,500 Americans have come home from Mid East

Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs Dylan Johnson said that over 17,500 American citizens have returned to the U.S. from the Middle East since the start of Operation Epic Fury in Iran on Saturday, including over 8,500 Americans on Tuesday alone. The State Department has urged U.S. citizens to evacuate from over a dozen countries in the region.

The 24/7 State Department task force has helped nearly 6,500 U.S. citizens return home in recent days, Johnson said.

11:50 AM: The Israel Defense Forces said on Wednesday that it has bombed a major military complex in Tehran that served as the “headquarters for the entire Iranian security apparatus”. According to the IDF, the complex housed bases for the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, the Quds Force, the Basij paramilitary, the Internal Security Special Forces, Cyber Commands, and the Internal Security Assistance and Protest Suppression Unit.

11:40 AM: NATO shoots down Iranian missile heading towards Turkey

The Turkish Defense Ministry said that a ballistic missile was shot down by NATO air defense systems in the Eastern Mediterranean after it was fired from Iran towards Turkey.

Addressing the potentially incendiary incident, U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said that there is currently no indication that the strike would justify the triggering of Article Five of the NATO treaty, which would require fellow alliance members to come to Turkey’s defence.

10:05 AM: Israel has dropped over 5,000 bombs on Iran

The Israeli Air Force said that it has dropped over 5,000 munitions on Iran since the conflict began on Saturday, and that its fighter jets will “continue to deepen air superiority across all of Iran, with an emphasis on the Tehran area.”

09:55 AM: Vatican condemns “preventative war”

The Cardinal Secretary of State of Vatican City, Pietro Parolin, the Holy See’s top diplomat, lamented the “erosion of international law” and it being replaced by the “law of force”, in the context of the Iran conflict.

Without specifically condemning the United States, Cardinal Parolin told Vatican News: “If states were to be recognized as having a right to ‘preventive war,’ according to their own criteria and without a supranational legal framework, the whole world would risk being set ablaze.”

09:35 AM: QatarEnergy declares force majeure

The state-owned QatarEnergy declared force majeure on its liquefied natural gas shipments on Wednesday, likely leading to further price spikes. The contractual clause indemnifies a firm against liability arising from extraordinary and unforeseeable events, such as natural disasters or war. QatarEnergy, which accounts for around a fifth of global liquid natural gas exports, said on Monday it was halting LNG production due to the conflict in Iran and the uncertainty in the Strait of Hormuz, through which its gas is exported.

08:50 AM: Iran’s missile and drone capabilities slashed

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said that Iran’s military capabilities have been greatly diminished since the start of Operation Epic Fury, saying that the number of ballistic missiles fired from Iran are down by 86 per cent since fighting began on Saturday, and 23 per cent down in the past 24 hours, alone. General Caine added that the number of Iranian one-way attack drones sent off have fell by 73 per cent since the start of the conflict.

08:45 AM: U.S. submarine sank Iranian warship in international waters

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said that a U.S. Navy submarine sank an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean that “thought it was safe in international waters” on Tuesday evening. “Instead, it was sunk by a torpedo,” Hegseth said.

Hegseth added that the U.S. Navy also sank Iran’s “prize ship”, the IRIS Shahid Soleimani, named after former Islamic Revolutionary Guard commander Soleimani Qasem, who was assassinated by the United States in 2020.

“Looks like POTUS got him twice,” Hegseth quipped.

08:35 AM: Hegseth: Attempted Trump assassin eliminated

The leader of the Iranian unit who allegedly attempted to assassinate U.S. President Donald Trump has been “hunted down and killed” during Operation Epic Fury, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said.

“Iran tried to kill President Trump, and President Trump got the last laugh,” Hegseth said.

08:30 AM: Iran is ‘toast’, Hegseth says

U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday morning that “America is winning—decisively, devastatingly, and without mercy,” adding: “They are toast, and they know it… and we have only just begun to hunt, dismantle, demoralize, destroy, and defeat their capabilities— just four days in.”

Secretary Hegseth said that within the next few days, the United States and Israel will have “complete control of Iranian skies”.

“Operation Epic Fury has delivered twice the airpower of Shock and Awe of Iraq in 2003 — minus Paul Bremer and the nation-building… We are just getting started,” he said.

07:25 AM: IAEA says no damage to nuclear sites in Iran

Contrary to claims from Tehran, the United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency said on Wednesday that based on the latest available satellite imagery, it has seen “no damage to facilities containing nuclear material in Iran and therefore no radiological release risk at this time.”

“Near Isfahan nuclear site, damage is visible at two buildings. No additional impact detected at Natanz after previously reported damage at entrances, and no impact at other nuclear sites, including Bushehr NPP,” the IAEA said.

07:10 AM: Ayatollah’s funeral ceremony delayed

The Iranian state-backed Tasnim News Agency has reported that the “farewell program for the holy body” of slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, which was scheduled for Wednesday, has been delayed amid the ongoing strikes on the regime by the United States and Israel. The state media outlet claimed that the delay was due to a “high volume of requests” to attend the funeral.

Meanwhile, reports have indicated that the remnants of the Islamist regime in Tehran are preparing to select the son of the slain Ayatollah, Mojtaba Khamenei, as the next Supreme Leader of Iran.

07:05 AM: Israel issues evacuation warning to southern Lebanon

The IDF has urged residents of southern Lebanon to evacuate their homes and head north of the Litani River as it continues its operations against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah terrorists, who broke the 2024 ceasefire on Sunday by launching rockets into Israel in a “revenge” strike for slain Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The Times of Israel said that Lebanese state media has reported witnesses seeing the Israeli Army making a land incursion into the country, with troops reportedly reaching the southern Lebanese town of Khiam.

According to the paper, the last time the IDF issued such a broad evacuation order for the region was during its October 2024 ground operation against Hezbollah.

07:00 AM: UAE and Qatar Thwart Iranian strikes

The Ministry of Defence of the United Arab Emirates reported that its air defence systems successfully intercepted three ballistic missiles on Wednesday. The MoD said that 121 drones were also successfully intercepted; however, eight drones fell within the UAE.

In total, 189 ballistic missiles have been launched by Iran towards the UAE since the start of the conflict on Saturday, 175 of which were destroyed, 13 of which fell into the sea, and one which landed inside UAE territory. Additionally, 941 Iranian drones have also been sent towards the Gulf state, 876 of which were destroyed and 65 of which landed. Eight Iranian cruise missiles have also been destroyed, the ministry said.

Meanwhile, Qatar’s Ministry of Defense said on Wednesday that it has also intercepted ten Iranian attack drones and two cruise missiles.

06:55 AM: Israel shoots down Iranian fighter

An Israeli Air Force F-35 successfully shot down an Iranian Yak-130 jet over Tehran on Wednesday. The downing of the Russian-made fighter marks the first time that an F-35 has shot down a manned Iranian aircraft, the IDF said per the Times of Israel.

06:45 AM: Unrestricted naval warfare against Iran continues

Warships can be among the most costly assets owned by any government, and perhaps as a consequence, naval battles are comparatively rare compared to clashes between troops and airstrikes. So the Iran operation is proving an interesting exception to the rule and an abject demonstration of the reach of American power as the Iranian navy continues to be destroyed wherever found.

We already reported on the CENTCOM claim that the entire Iranian navy in the Gulf of Oman area has been eliminated in strikes, but now we hear from the Sri Lankan government that a Iran navy ship has been sunk in their territorial waters, some 2,000 miles away. Reuters states that the Iranian frigate Dena broadcast a mayday call around 0600 Colombo time (0030 London) off the southern coast of Sri Lanka, prompting the dispatch of two Sri Lankan warships and air assets for a search-and-rescue mission.

It is unclear how many fatalities there have been, but Reuters states Sri Lankan government spokesman have talked of over 100 missing and many injured.

While it is claimed the Iranian warship was sunk by a submarine, this hasn’t been confirmed, and who was operating the submarine is likewise unknown.

Iranian warship Dena was one of a class of at least six ‘Moudge’ class frigates built indigenously, but based on an earlier 1960s class of Alvand Frigates. Designed by Vosper Thornycroft, those warships were built in the United Kingdom and exported to Iran shortly before the Islamic Revolution. Venerable hull designs or not, the ships have been updated with new Chinese anti-ship missiles, keeping them a relevant threat in the seas around Iran.

Several of both classes are said to have been destroyed in recent days, including an Alvand that was burned at its moorings at the Konarak naval base over the weekend.

If the loss of the Dena is confirmed to have been by submarine, it would be the first time a hostile warship would have been sunk by a submarine in decades. Indeed, the last acknowledged attack was against the Argentinian cruiser General Belgrano by a British submarine in 1982. This was also the first time a ship had ever been sunk in war by a nuclear-powered submarine.

It is possible that other ships have been sunk by submarines since, however. A South Korean corvette was sunk by torpedo in 2010, with Seoul blaming the attack on a North Korean ‘midget’ submarine, which Pyongyang denied.

For earlier livewire updates from Tuesday please click here