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Video shows flaming oil flooding Tehran streets after strikes

Published 10 days ago • 5 min read

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Major Developments

SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES

 

Israeli Airstrikes Ignite Massive Fires at Tehran Oil Depots

Large fires and thick black smoke engulfed parts of Tehran Saturday night after Israeli airstrikes targeted multiple fuel depots and energy facilities in and around the Iranian capital, according to media reports and officials.

Footage shared on social media showed flames lighting up the night sky as powerful explosions struck oil storage sites, including the Shahran depot, one of the major fuel storage facilities in Tehran. (Read More)​

Mojtaba Khamenei Named Iran’s New Supreme Leader

Iran’s Assembly of Experts has officially appointed Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s new supreme leader, state media reported on Sunday.

The announcement follows the death of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in joint U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian territory on February 28. According to The Jerusalem Post, the Assembly of Experts met on Thursday, with the majority attending online, to discuss the appointment after “heavy pressure” from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to name Mojtaba as the new supreme leader. (Read More)​

$136 Million Ohio Data Center Receives 10 Years Tax-Free While Only Creating 10 Jobs

The Ohio Tax Credit Authority has approved a ten-year state tax exemption for Ark Data Centers’ $136 million expansion in Northeastern Ohio.

The $4.5 million incentive, which applies to newly purchased equipment at the company’s Akron and Independence facilities, has drawn scrutiny because the project is expected to generate only 10 permanent jobs, far fewer than other recent developments. By comparison, Fit Precast in North Carolina is adding 125 jobs with a $102 million facility, while Becton Dickinson’s $110 million expansion in Columbus will create 120 positions. (Read More)​

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The Tear Line

QUICK UPDATES

CONFLICT UPDATES

➤ A U.S. service member has died from injuries sustained during an Iranian strike on March 1 in Saudi Arabia, CENTCOM said Sunday. The attack coincided with a separate Iranian drone strike in Kuwait that killed six Army Reserve soldiers. (Read More)​

➤ An overnight Israeli strike on a Beirut hotel killed five Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commanders, whom the Israel Defense Forces said were providing financial and intelligence support to Hezbollah and Hamas. (Read More)​

➤ An Israeli airstrike in Tehran eliminated Abu al-Qassem Baba’iyan, whom the Israel Defense Forces identified as the head of Iran’s Supreme Leader’s military office and a key coordinator of Iranian attacks against Israel. (Read More)​

SECURITY UPDATES

➤ Norwegian police said an explosion at the U.S. embassy in Oslo early Sunday morning may have been a terrorist act. The blast, which happened at 1 a.m. outside the consular section, caused minor damage but no injuries. (Read More)​

➤ A Southwest Airlines flight from Nashville to Fort Lauderdale made an emergency landing in Atlanta Friday after a mid-air security threat. Tactical officers boarded the plane and detained a passenger, while passengers were seen with hands raised. Authorities have not confirmed any bomb threat. (Read More)​

➤ Kansas City International Airport reopened Sunday afternoon after a precautionary evacuation over a potential bomb threat. Officials with the Kansas City Aviation Department said the terminal was cleared and deemed safe following a sweep by airport police and the FBI. (Read More)​

TECHNOLOGY UPDATES

➤ The UAE Ministry of Defense released footage showing Emirati AH-64E Apache helicopters shooting down Iranian one-way attack drones over the Persian Gulf. The helicopters used their M230 Chain Guns to intercept multiple drones targeting the region. (Read More)​

➤ Images from the Israeli Air Force show an F-16C/D Barak carrying two 2,000-pound GBU-31 JDAMs with unusual markings. The bombs feature a red nose band and red-painted nose plug, alongside the standard yellow high-explosive band, suggesting they may carry an incendiary or specialized payload. No official explanation has been provided for the markings. (Read More)​

➤ A “naked” B-1B Lancer, 86-0115 “Rage,” was photographed venting fuel during a post-depot functional check flight over Abilene, Texas. The aircraft, recently regenerated from the Boneyard, was captured at high altitude as it conducted routine tests before returning to active service. (Read More)​

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Special Interest

SPECIAL CATEGORY

➤ The United States has held three secret meetings to address the long-running Western Sahara conflict between Morocco and the Polisario Front, according to Middle East Eye. Despite these efforts at the foreign minister level, progress remains limited due to disagreements over regional autonomy and the role of the Sahrawi people.

➤ Outdated routers from Linksys and Cisco could be exploited by hackers, the FBI warns. The agency lists 12 models that have reached end-of-life, recommending replacement to prevent malware access and potential cyberattacks.

➤ Kalshi is facing a $54 million class-action lawsuit after traders alleged that the prediction market invoked a "death carveout" clause to avoid paying out bets tied to the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, according to Reuters.

On this day in history: On the night of March 9, 1945, U.S. warplanes launched a massive incendiary bombing campaign against Tokyo, dropping 2,000 tons of bombs over 48 hours. The raid incinerated nearly 16 square miles of the Japanese capital and killed between 80,000 and 130,000 civilians, making it the deadliest firestorm in recorded history.
Special Interest

SENTIMENT COLLECTION

Saturday’s Results:

Do you think AI chatbots are making people dumber?

  1. Yes (88.5%)
  2. Unsure (7.9%)
  3. No (3.6%)
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