NEW: Hamas urges Iran to stop “targeting neighbouring countries.”

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani created a new Mayor’s Office of LGBTQIA+ Affairs and appointed Taylor Brown as its first director.

Brown, a civil rights attorney and openly transgender advocate, becomes the first transgender person to lead a NYC government office.

Israeli "settlers" literally trying to hunt unarmed civilians in northern Hebron, Palestine.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said Serbia is preparing for a potential attack following a new defense cooperation agreement between Croatia, Albania and Kosovo, while highlighting Belgrade’s advanced missile capabilities.

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North Korea launched about 10 ballistic missiles toward the Sea of Japan.

The missiles were fired from the Sunan area near Pyongyang and landed in the sea outside Japan’s EEZ, with no damage reported.

Israel Plans Major Ground Offensive in Lebanon

Israel is preparing a major ground invasion of Lebanon aimed at seizing territory south of the Litani River and dismantling Hezbollah’s military infrastructure, officials say, in what could become the largest offensive since 2006.

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WATCH: Newly released videos show U.S.–Israeli strikes in Iran.

One clip, reportedly from Isfahan, shows repeated massive explosions behind a street lined with repair shops.

Another video, said to show a March 7 strike on a police command building in Borujerd, shows destroyed vehicles, severe damage to surrounding buildings, and debris from a powerful blast, with a body visible near a wrecked car.

Source: BBC Persian

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticized the US for temporarily lifting sanctions on Russian oil, calling it “the wrong move” and highlighting that six G7 members opposed the decision amid rising energy prices and global supply tensions.

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Before the war, Gen. Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, warned Trump that a U.S. strike on Iran could lead Tehran to close the Strait of Hormuz using mines, drones, and missiles.

Trump acknowledged the risk but believed Iran would likely back down before shutting the strait, and said that even if it tried, the U.S. military could handle it.

Source: WSJ

Trump:

The Fake News Media hates to report how well the United States Military has done against Iran, which is totally defeated and wants a deal - But not a deal that I would accept!

France Returns Stolen Colonial Era Artifact to Ivory Coast

Ivory Coast welcomed the return of the "Djidji Ayokwè" talking drum from France on Friday, the first artifact repatriated from the former colonial power. The 3-meter drum looted in 1916 symbolizes growing pressure on Europe to return stolen cultural heritage.

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Privately, Trump’s team has shown him polling they say proves the Iran war remains popular with his supporters.

Some allies skeptical of the operation have quietly appeared on TV, including Fox News, to warn against deeper U.S. involvement.

Source: WSJ

Gulf allies are privately angry at Washington, blaming the U.S. for triggering a conflict that put them at risk.

Trump has been calling regional leaders this week to reassure them, according to people familiar with the talks.

Source: WSJ

Iran’s missile attack on Saudi Arabia’s Prince Sultan Air Base reportedly damaged five US Air Force tanker aircraft.

This brings the total to at least 7 U.S. refueling planes lost or damaged recently.

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Protesters in Morón, Cuba set fire to a local Communist Party headquarters during demonstrations over worsening fuel shortages and widespread blackouts.

A close adviser to Trump has urged the US to seek an exit from its conflict with Iran.

David Sacks, Trump’s AI and crypto tsar, said on the All-In podcast: “This is a good time to declare victory and get out.” He added that ending the conflict “is clearly what the markets would like to see.”

Some insiders believe Trump may be using his defence secretary Pete Hegseth as a political “human shield” during the Iran war.

Hegseth has taken the most aggressive public stance—appearing in interviews, boasting about crushing the enemy, and saying the war is “just beginning.”

Meanwhile, Trump has sometimes struck a more moderate or contradictory tone, suggesting the conflict could end soon.

Former officials say this contrast could be intentional: if the war becomes unpopular or goes badly, Hegseth would absorb the criticism, protecting Trump politically.

Source: The Telegraph

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