Posted originally on CTH on March 1, 2026 | Sundance
President Trump makes remarks about the ongoing “Operation Epic Fury.”
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President Trump Delivers Updated Remarks About ‘Operation Epic Fury’
Tag Archives: Islam
Sunday Talks – Senator Tom Cotton Discusses U.S. Military Operation Against Iran – Video and Transcript
Posted originally on CTH on March 1, 2026 | Sundance
Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton appears on CBS Face the Nation to discuss the ongoing U.S. military operation against Iran. Video and Transcript Below
[TRANSCRIPT] – MARGARET BRENNAN: Imtiaz Tyab reporting from Muscat, Oman. We turn now to the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Arkansas Republican Tom Cotton, who joins us from Bentonville. Good morning to you, Senator.
SEN. TOM COTTON: Good morning, Margaret.
MARGARET BRENNAN: The President of the United States warned the American public that there could be casualties, American casualties. Does that mean the U.S. is putting boots on the ground?
SEN. COTTON: No, Margaret, the president has been clear that what we should expect to see is an extended air and naval campaign that’s designed not only to continue to set back Iran’s nuclear ambitions, but most importantly, to destroy its vast missile arsenal. Many more missiles than the United States and Israel have air defenses combined, as well as the missile launchers and its missile manufacturing capability. Now obviously one risk of that kind of campaign is that an aircraft could be shot down, and the president would never leave a pilot behind. So no doubt we have combat search and rescue assets in the region that are prepared to go in and extract any downed pilot. But barring that kind of unusual circumstance, Margaret, the president has no plan for any kind of large scale ground force inside of Iran.
MARGARET BRENNAN: The New York Times is reporting that it was the CIA that provided the intelligence in regard to the exact location of the Supreme Leader and then he was subsequently killed. You’re smiling as I say that. Are you confirming that it is true that it is the United States that pinpointed his location leading to his death?
SEN. COTTON: No, Margaret, I can’t confirm anything about the intelligence that the United States intelligence community collects. I can tell you that, of course, we have exquisite intelligence collection methods, that the location and the intentions of the Supreme Leader and the other Ayatollahs in Iran, or for that matter, the leaders of other adversaries around the world, is obviously one of the highest priorities of our intelligence community. But clearly, this operation is driven by intelligence collected by Israel and the United States that has once again proven that our nations have capabilities that no other nation on earth has.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Indeed. There are questions, though, about what happens next. Secretary of State Marco Rubio testified to Congress last month and was asked specifically, what happens if Iran’s regime fails. Take a listen.
[ON TAPE]
DATE: JANUARY 28, 2026 SECRETARY RUBIO: So I don’t think anyone can give you a simple answer as to what happens next in Iran if the Supreme Leader and the regime were to fall, other than the hope that there would be some ability to have somebody within their systems that you could work towards a similar transition.
[END TAPE]
MARGARET BRENNAN: That was a month ago. We’re seeing some succession planning happening inside Iran. Is this a managed regime change here, or is the United States betting on regime collapse?
SEN. COTTON: Well, Margaret, first, I want to stress what happens next in the days ahead and probably the weeks ahead. Iran does have a vast missile arsenal, and that’s going to be the prior- prior- priority objective for this military campaign. It is destroying that arsenal that threatened American troops from bases as far flung as the Indian Ocean to Western Europe, and making sure Iran can’t rebuild it–
[CROSSTALK]
MARGARET BRENNAN: –Many of those are being fired right now–
SEN. COTTON: –As far as the future- well, but we’re stopping a lot of them from being fired before Iran can fire them. It’s much easier to kill the archer on the ground than it is to shoot his arrows out of the sky. As far as the long term future of Iran’s government, Secretary Rubio is right, I don’t think anyone can give you a simple answer. There’s probably a lot of jockeying inside of Iran right now, they have a very consultative, deliberative process to replace the Supreme Leader. There’s a reason why he didn’t want to have a clear succession plan in place. It’s hard to do that when the United States is pummeling their leadership every moment of the day. I’m sure, though, that there are also some supreme- or there are also some leaders inside of Iran who might be jockeying to audition for the role of Iran’s Delcy Rodriguez.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay, but what you just described in terms of Delcy Rodriguez sounds like it is a managed transition, not regime change. Is that accurate?
SEN. COTTON: Margaret, again, as Secretary Rubio said, it’s not a simple answer–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –Right, but we’re in the middle of it now. So don’t you need an answer?
SEN. COTTON: –We’re going to continue to hit not just their military capabilities–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –At least an outcome, a goal?–
SEN. COTTON: –But we’re going to continue to hit their military capabilities, and we’re going to continue to hit their senior leadership, the ayatollahs, who have also been complicit in 47 years of heinous crimes, not only against Americans but against their own people. Again, there’s no simple answer for what’s going to come next. But as President Trump promised last month when the Iranian people were rising up against their own regime, help is on the way. Help has arrived.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, exactly. You’re talking about what comes next, but then you’re also telling me you don’t know what comes next. So do you believe that regime change is possible from air support alone? Has a leader of the opposition been identified? Is the opposition unified to deliver in a way that President Trump is calling on the people to do? Are we arming anyone to actually challenge the regime?
SEN. COTTON: Margaret, the opposition is 90 million Iranians who have suffered under the brutal Islamic Republic Revolutionary regime for the last 47 years.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes, and the president–
SEN. COTTON: –We’ve seen in recent months that there’s–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –called them to take over their government.
SEN. COTTON: And we would all celebrate if the Iranian people were able to rise up and reclaim their freedom and reclaim their destiny. And as the president said when he promised help is on the way, help has arrived. And that’s why you’ve already seen some protests out celebrating the death of the supreme leader, the man who has brutally repressed his own people for almost 40 years. Now, we can’t necessarily dictate what course that is going to take, but the help that the president promised is on the scene, and it’s going to continue to be on the scene for probably a few weeks, as we make sure that Iran’s military is no longer capable of threatening our own troops, our Arab friends in the region and Israel, and also repressing its own people.
MARGARET BRENNAN: This is a big gamble by the president. Before the strikes, according to CBS polling, 74% of Americans said that Trump would need approval from Congress for military action against Iran. He did not seek that. If this operation takes weeks, which is how you described it, do you believe the administration has effectively made its case to the American public to expect casualties to support this action?
SEN. COTTON: Margaret, I thought the president’s eight minute video yesterday was outstanding. It laid out Iran’s 47-year campaign of terror and revolutionary violence against the United States and our people and really, the civilized world. I’m sure the president will speak more in the coming days, will have briefings to Congress–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –47 years, he did not describe imminence or justify that in that video. Do you believe that the American public is owed something more than a Twitter video?
SEN. COTTON: Margaret, I think an eight minute address to the American people, whether the president posted on social media or whether it happens on your network, is in keeping with presidential custom of addressing the American people. Again, I’m sure that he’s going to be speaking more in coming days. The administration will be briefing Congress, and we’re going to have a vote in the Congress. The Democrats are forcing a vote–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –On the War Powers Act.
SEN. COTTON: I expect there’ll be overwhelming Republican support for our troops, for the, for our troops, and for the president’s decision to finally eliminate the threat of Iran. And I would invite Democrats in the Congress to join their Democratic colleagues like John Fetterman and Josh Gottheimer and Greg Landsman in supporting our troops, in finally putting America’s foot down against the Islamic Republic of Iran.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Senator Cotton, we appreciate you in your role in oversight of the Intelligence Committee, making the case for the administration. We have more questions, and we would love to put them to the administration as well. Thank you very much for your time this morning. Face the Nation will be back in one minute. Stay with us.
[End Transcript]
Mass Shooting in Austin, Texas Bar Killing 3 Injuring 14 Likely a Terrorist Incident
Posted originally on CTH on March 1, 2026 | Sundance
A former New York City resident and U.S. citizen immigrant originally from Senegal, opened fire at a crowded Austin, Texas, bar, killing three people and injuring 14 others. Sources have told media the attack may have been motivated by recent U.S. strikes on Iran. {UPDATE: Shooter Pictured Below Fold}
The shooter was found to have a Quran in his vehicle and was wearing what is described as Islamic attire. The FBI is probing the incident as a potential act of ideologically driven terrorism. (PROMPTED)
(Fox 7 – Austin) – At a press conference early Sunday, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said police received a call around 1:40 a.m. for reports of a “male shooting” at Buford’s, a beer garden in the city’s busy entertainment district.
When police arrived at the scene, they confronted a man with a gun and then “returned fire, killing the suspect,” Davis said. According to EMS Chief Robert Luckritz, three people died at the scene and 14 people were taken to hospitals. Three of those injured were in critical condition.
A spokesman for the FBI said at a news conference later Sunday morning that the gunman appears to have ties to a terror group, but that is still under investigation.
“Obviously, it’s still way too early in the process to determine an exact motivation, but there were indicators on the subject and in his vehicle that indicate potential nexus to terrorism,” the FBI spokesman said. “Again, it’s still too early to make a determination on that, but we are investigating that very closely with our partners at the Austin Police Department.”
Davis said that the gunman had two weapons during the shooting, but that he never entered the bar.
“He drove by, was firing outside the window with a pistol,” Davis said. “Once he exited the vehicle after parking on Wood, he exited with a rifle at that point.”
Davis said an explosives team was called in to evaluate the gunman’s vehicle after investigators found concerning items inside. No bombs were found, however. (more)
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Is Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei Alive or Dead? UPDATE: He’s DEAD
Posted originally on CTH on February 28, 2026 | Sundance
According to multiple confirmations following visible evidence of his body, news is now widely spreading throughout the middle east that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is DEAD.
This could rapidly escalate an end to the U.S. military operation, through regime change. We await confirmation of this news from President Donald Trump.
The very first strikes in Tehran by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) were targeted to the power circle in control of government in Iran.
In a nationally televised address, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu just said the strikes had targeted the compound of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
“There are growing signs that the tyrant is no longer alive,” Netanyahu said. However, earlier today, Iran’s foreign minister told NBC News that the country’s supreme leader and president were alive “as far as I know.”
Several of Iran’s top military leaders and family members of Khamenei are confirmed to have been killed, which seems to explain the unfocused attacks by Iran toward a host of middle east nations including Israel, Bahrain, Dubai, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in an Israeli airstrike this morning on Iran, with his body being found recently among the rubble, Israeli officials tell The Times of Israel. {Source}
Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin, an Israeli military spokesperson, says the strikes also killed other senior Iranian officials. Defrin says they included the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the defense minister, the head of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s military bureau and the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. {Source}
U.S. President Donald Trump has spoken with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, after the strikes on Iran, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Israel Launches Preemptive Missile Strike into Tehran, Iran
Posted originally on CTH on February 28, 2026 | Sundance
According to all regional reporting, Israel has launched a preemptive missile strike into Iran. The target is unknown, but some reports indicate the strikes were at/near the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Israeli Defense Ministry on X: “In the last few minutes, sirens were sounded all throughout Israel, with an advance instruction alert directly to cellular devices to stay within proximity to protected spaces. This is a proactive alert to prepare the public for the possibility of missiles being launched toward the state of Israel.”
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Israel launched a daylight attack Saturday on Iran’s capital, with a cloud of smoke rising from the city’s downtown. The apparent strike happened near the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
It wasn’t immediately clear whether the 86-year-old Khamenei had been in his offices at the time. He hasn’t been seen publicly in days as tensions with the United States have grown. But the attack comes as the United States has assembled a vast fleet of fighter jets and warships in the region to try to pressure Iran into a deal over its nuclear program.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz described the attack as being done “to remove threats.” He did not immediately elaborate.
In Tehran, witnesses heard the blast. Iranian state television later reported on the explosion, without offering a cause. (read more)
Democrats in Intel are Big Mad That Tulsi Gabbard Will Not Share Details of Gossip About Jared Kushner
Posted originally on CTH on February 26, 2026 | Sundance
The summary of the story basically circles back to that NSA/CIA whistleblower intercept they previously were using to attack DNI Tulsi Gabbard. Now that the whistleblower’s lawyer (same lawyer as last CIA whistleblower, Ciaramella) has leaked the subject of the conversation was Jared Kushner the democrats really want to know the details.
Two foreign nationals (unknown countries) were discussing the U.S. position toward Iran. In their conversation they talked about Jared Kushner. Their conversation was intercepted by NSA/CIA using an “exceptionally sensitive surveillance method.” The intercept was written, evaluated and determined to be “gossip” but given to the ODNI, Gabbard.
The whistleblower was upset the intercept was not shared with the larger intelligence apparatus. Thus, they were angry at Gabbard. The ODNI followed the distribution for the whistleblower complaint, but not the underlying intercepted details of the conversation.
The White House has now asserted “executive privilege” over the content of the intercept, thereby bolstering the position of not sharing what was previously determined to be gossip. The DNI was asked for the details, and Gabbard has told the Democrats the White House has asserted privilege. The House and Senate Intelligence committee democrats are now big mad they don’t get to read the gossip.
(VIA WSJ) – WASHINGTON—The Trump administration told Congress it won’t share with lawmakers the classified intelligence that led to a whistleblower complaint against U.S. spy chief Tulsi Gabbard, citing presidential claims of executive privilege.
In an email to Democratic congressional staffers sent on Feb. 13 and reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, Gabbard’s office said it was unable to provide the unredacted intelligence that underpinned the complaint “due to the assertion of executive privilege to portions” of the intelligence itself.
In a Tuesday letter to Gabbard, Sen. Mark Warner and Rep. Jim Himes, the top Democrats on the congressional intelligence committees, asked who asserted privilege over the intelligence report and on what basis.
[…] A spokeswoman for Director of National Intelligence Gabbard declined to directly address the decision to not share the underlying intelligence with Congress. She instead referred to a previous letter to lawmakers from the office’s general counsel that said Gabbard had met her requirements concerning notification to Congress about the complaint.
[…] The intelligence, which is at least in part about Iran, is said to derive from an exceptionally sensitive surveillance method. Officials have said any disclosure of the collection method could damage U.S. national security. Gabbard’s office ultimately shared the complaint with select lawmakers earlier this month, but redacted significant portions of it, also chiefly on grounds of executive privilege.
In the new letter, Warner and Himes said they weren’t able to confirm whether the discussion at issue was about Kushner because the version of the complaint they received was so heavily redacted. (more)
If I had to hazard a guess as to what is going on, based entirely on the current state of politics and what we know about how the IC and Democrats operate, overlaid against the domestic IC influence provocations currently underway, here’s my suspicion:
Bad actors within the CIA organized two friendly foreign intel officials to have a conversation. The script is about U.S. policy toward Iran, and the ‘gossip’ is that Jared Kushner is an Israeli intelligence asset, a blue sparrow, previously inserted into the Trump family. That ‘intercept’ would send everyone in the USA bananas regardless of truth or merit.
It sounds crazy, but that’s the level of conspiratorial nuttery, the sort of thing the IC would feed, to bolster the currently swirling year of crazy and further divide Trump’s base of support.
Whatever the underlying intercept consists of, it’s coming out of a highly political U.S. intelligence system; therefore, I would not give it any merit – unless, of course, you choose to cling to their prior construct of Trump colluding with Russia.
Tucker Carlson Interviews U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee
Posted originally on CTH on February 21, 2026 | Sundance
Tucker Carlson interviews U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee against the background of a potential U.S. military operation against Iran. Apparently, Carlson and Huckabee had some public disagreements on the subject of Israel, and this interview came about as Ambassador Huckabee invited Carlson for an interview.
The interview is filled with uncomfortable friction as Carlson asks many questions that come from ongoing reviews of the files of Jeffrey Epstein. Mr Carlson confronts Ambassador Huckabee with his personal opinion that the U.S. Ambassador works for Israel and not the best interests of the United States.
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JD Vance, Marco Rubio and Steve Witkoff Deliver Remarks During Board of Peace Inaugural Meeting
Posted originally on CTH on February 19, 2026 | Sundance
As the inaugural meeting of the Global Board of Peace gets underway, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff delivered speeches at the beginning of the Board of Peace session in Washington DC. WATCH:
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President Trump Participates in a Washington DC Assembly of the Board of Peace
Posted originally on CTH on February 19, 2026 | Sundance
President Trump invited global leaders to Washington DC to participate in the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace. U.S President Donald Trump, U.S. Vice President JD Vance, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner all delivered remarks during the event.
Participating countries include Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Cambodia, El Salvador, Hungary, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Mongolia, Pakistan, Paraguay, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.
The Vatican and Pope Leo rejected an invitation to participate, concerned the Global Board of Peace may overshadow the United Nations, and that would not be acceptable to the Catholic Church or the European Union. Full video of the event below:
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President Trump Announces Board of Peace Meeting February 19th at the Donald J Trump Institute of Peace
Posted originally on CTH on February 16, 2026 | Sundance
An interesting thing happened last weekend, President Trump went golfing with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. {SOURCE} Simultaneously, President Trump released the following statement from his Truth Social account.
(Via Truth Social) – “The Board of Peace has unlimited potential. Last October, I released a Plan for the permanent end to the Conflict in Gaza, and our Vision was unanimously adopted by the United Nations Security Council. Shortly thereafter, we facilitated Humanitarian Aid at record speed and secured the release of every living and deceased Hostage.
Just last month, two dozen distinguished Founding Members joined me in Davos, Switzerland, to celebrate its official formation, and present a bold Vision for the Civilians in Gaza, and then, ultimately, far beyond Gaza — WORLD PEACE!
On February 19th, 2026, I will again be joined by Board of Peace Members at the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace in Washington, D.C., where we will announce that Member States have pledged more than $5 BILLION DOLLARS toward the Gaza Humanitarian and Reconstruction efforts and have committed thousands of personnel to the International Stabilization Force and Local Police to maintain Security and Peace for Gazans.
Very importantly, Hamas must uphold its commitment to Full and Immediate Demilitarization. The Board of Peace will prove to be the most consequential International Body in History, and it is my honor to serve as its Chairman.” PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP
I said a few weeks ago that I would not be surprised to see President Trump announce the appointment of Ron DeSantis to be the Chief Executive Officer of the Board of Peace. DeSantis’ executive experience in combination with his relationship with Israel functionally makes him a good fit. Just a guess.
DeSantis is a political animal without much of a career path that does not lean heavily on his governorship. Ron and Casey DeSantis are the republican equivalent of Bill and Hillary.
DeSantis will need a job after his term expires this year. The traditional path would be to take a job as the CEO within a major company, make money then launch for the 2028 campaign later in 2027.
Keep watching this…
Centinel2012 