CIA working to arm Kurdish forces to spark uprising in Iran, sources say: CNN

State Department securing military aircraft, charter flights to get Americans out of Middle East

Iran International is claiming (unverified) Iran's Assembly of Experts chose Mojtaba Khamenei as new Ayatollah under heavy IRGC pressure to ensure hardline continuity and regime stability after his father's death

Drone hits CIA station in Saudi Arabia, also reportedly a consulate in Dubai. WaPo: A suspected Iranian drone attack hit the CIA's station in Saudi Arabia in what would amount to a significant symbolic victory for the Islamic Republic as it lashes out at U.S. targets and personnel across the Middle East.

IAEA's Grossi says there has been no evidence of Iran building a nuclear bomb; Iran's large stockpile of near-weapons grade enriched Uranium and refusal to grant IAEA full access are cause for serious concern

Trump Weighs Backing Militias to Dislodge Iran's Regime. Future insurgency fragmentation and Iraq-style nightmare coming to Iran?

Trump tries to articular war justification: says if we have a little high oil prices, could be for a little while, but they will drop, and could even be below the levels before, but that he 'had to' act or else Iran would have 'used nukes'. Claims Israel didn't force America's hand. Admits leadership vacuum.

US to offer military protection to ships/insurance in the Strait of Hormuz 

The Pentagon has released Operation Epic Fury's objectives; 1- Demilitarization of Iran: destruction of its missile forces, production facilities, and naval fleet 2- Elimination of the terrorist regime 3- Protection of the United States from current and future threats 4-  Ensuring that Iran does not possess nuclear weapons

UAE mulling joining US-Israel attack on Iran, and the Saudis too, to stop Iranian missile and drone strikes on their countries.

The American Embassy in Riyadh has been hit in another drone attack, with WSJ reporting it was struck twice Tuesday, resulting in damage to the roof. More embassies across region are shuttering, including the US Embassy in Beirut.

President Trump mulling arming anti-Tehran militias. But he hasn't decided yet while urging Iranians to rise up and be Washington's 'boots on the ground.'

The Israelis just struck the meeting of the Iranian Supreme Council where officials were gathering to choose a new Supreme Leader, a senior Israeli official told Fox News. "Israel struck while they were counting the votes for the appointment of the supreme leader."

US-Israel bombing is expanding inside Iran. Explosions heard in the northwestern cities of Tabriz and Urmia, as the capital no longer the only focus.

Iraq's crude oil output is being significantly curtailed. An update from Iraq specifies a shutdown of 460,000 bpd at West Qurna 2 and a cut of 700,000 bpd at Rumaila, while warning that more than 3 million bpd could be forced offline in the coming days if tanker access remains limited.

Export crude bottlenecks are developing across Iraq. Storage at southern export terminals is nearing critical capacity because tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has been paralyzed. Iraq has also halted most Kurdistan-to-Turkey exports via Ceyhan, leaving only about 50,000 bpd for domestic use.