Pete Hegseth posted tonight: “Back to the Stone Age,” echoing rhetoric used earlier by Donald J. Trump during his address to the nation, in which he warned of potentially devastating strikes against Iran if demands are not met. The phrase mirrors language Trump has used publicly and on social media, signaling a continuation of hardline messaging from senior U.S. leadership amid the escalating conflict.

Trump on Iran: "If there is no deal, we are going to hit each and every one of their electric generating plants very hard, and probably simultaneously."

Video footage showing an alleged Iranian ballistic missile impact earlier tonight on Naval Support Activity Bahrain, the home of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet Headquarters, located within the Kingdom of Bahrain’s capital Manama on Awal Island in the Persian Gulf.

Oil prices jumped after President Donald Trump said the U.S. would hit Iran “extremely hard” in the coming weeks and reiterated threats against its oil and power infrastructure, with WTI rising from about $98 to nearly $104 per barrel and Brent crude climbing from just under $100 to almost $106.

Trump compares ongoing Iran war length to World Wars 1 and 2, the Korean War, and Vietnam.

Trump: "Iran's navy is gone. Their air forces in ruins. Their leaders, most of them, terrorist, regime they led are now dead."

Trump on Iran: "We are going to hit them extremely hard over the next 2–3 weeks. We are going to bring them back to the Stone Ages, where they belong."

Wild footage filmed by a passenger onboard a nearby plane captured today’s launch of Artemis ll from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island, Florida.

According to The New York Times, citing U.S. officials, multiple American intelligence agencies have recently assessed that Iran is not currently willing to engage in negotiations to end the war. Officials say Tehran believes it is in a relatively strong position and does not feel compelled to accept U.S. demands, making near-term diplomatic progress unlikely.

Artemis ll, the first manned Lunar Mission by the United States since the 1970s, has successfully lifted off from Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, bound for a journey around the Moon. View quoted note →

Donald Trump: "Tonight I'm making a little speech at 9 o'clock and basically I'm gonna tell everybody how great I am."

According to recent remarks by the French naval chief, there is currently no confirmed evidence that the Strait of Hormuz has been mined, casting doubt on earlier reports—particularly from CNN—which suggested Iran had begun laying naval mines in the waterway.  His comments align with broader uncertainty among Western officials, as investigations into possible mines are still ongoing and no definitive proof has been established.  This comes as European nations, led in part by France, are exploring the formation of a new “coalition of the willing” aimed at addressing the conflict and eventually reopening the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz. 

Secretary of State Rubio, addressing the nation from behind a small desk, argues that the U.S. war against Iran aims to prevent the country from getting a nuclear weapon.

U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Chris Coons (D-DE) release joint statement saying the United States will remain in NATO no matter what Trump does. “NATO is the most successful military alliance in history. It has underpinned the security of the United States for more than 70 years. The only time NATO has gone to war has been in response to an attack on America. NATO troops fought and died in Afghanistan and Iraq alongside American forces. The United States must not take this sacrifice — nor our allies’ commitment to make it again — lightly. Alliance disputes are as old as the alliance itself. Americans are safer when NATO is strong and united. It is in our interest for all allies to tend this unity with care. United States joined NATO in 1949 when the Senate voted to ratify the NATO treaty, and the United States will remain in it. The Senate will continue to support the alliance for the peace and protection it provides America, Europe, and the World.”

NASA on today’s Artemis II launch: “We’re sending astronauts around the Moon for the first time in 50 years—come watch with us.” Artemis II is scheduled to launch from Kennedy Space Center on April 1, with a two-hour launch window opening at 6:24 p.m. EDT (22:24 UTC). The four-member crew includes: • Reid Wiseman, commander • Victor Glover, pilot • Christina Koch, mission specialist • Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist (Canadian Space Agency)

Red skies seen as dust storms hit Tobruk, Libya.

According to Reuters, citing a person briefed on the matter, U.S. Vice President JD Vance has recently communicated with Pakistani intermediaries regarding the ongoing conflict with Iran. Through these channels, Vance reportedly signaled that Donald J. Trump is open to a ceasefire. He has also been tasked by Trump as the lead U.S. decision-maker overseeing negotiation efforts. However, the message conveyed to Iran was that no ceasefire would be agreed to unless key U.S. demands are met—primarily addressing Iran’s nuclear program, reopening the Strait of Hormuz, and ending support for non-state actors across the Middle East.

According to Donald J. Trump in an interview with Reuters, the United States will be “out of Iran pretty quickly,” while noting that in a post-conflict scenario, the U.S. could return for “spot hits.” Trump also reiterated his criticism of NATO over what he described as insufficient support for U.S. operations against Iran and efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, adding that he is “absolutely” considering withdrawing the United States from the alliance.

According to a statement from the UK Ministry of Defence, Royal Air Force gunners successfully shot down 10 Iranian drones overnight in “high-threat areas.” The release also noted that around 1,000 British personnel are currently deployed to the Middle East in support of UK interests, echoing remarks from the defence secretary. UK F-35s and Typhoon jets continue to carry out defensive operations over Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Cyprus, Jordan, and Bahrain.

Kurdistan Region media report that the British Castrol motor oil company in Erbil was hit by at least two Iranian Shahed drones early Wednesday, causing a massive fire. No casualties reported.