February didn’t exactly tiptoe out the door, did it? More on that in our top story below. There’s plenty on tap this week, too. Midterm election season begins Tuesday with several key races to watch. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem will testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee, where she’s expected to answer questions about the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. (It’s still TBD whether top Dems will go ahead with an impeachment vote.) And the February jobs report will cap off the week. It’s also Women’s History Month, and this year’s theme is all about sustainable transformation. Here’s why these three colors have become synonymous with the month-long celebration. Now, let’s get to the news…
— Marina Carver / Senior Editor / Brooklyn, NY
International
And We're Only Two Months in...
What's going on: The US and Israel launched a surprise attack on Iran over the weekend, an operation President Donald Trump said was aimed at crippling the country’s military and halting its nuclear ambitions. Dozens of Iranian leaders who had gathered at a compound were killed in a CIA-orchestrated attack. Among them: Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who ruled Iran for nearly four decades. In southern Iran, at least 115 people — most of them children — were killed when a strike destroyed a girls’ elementary school. Iran retaliated swiftly, immediately launching strikes across the Middle East, killing at least nine in Israel. Three US troops were killed in Kuwait, according to US officials.
What’s next: President Trump told The New York Times that the operation could last up to five weeks and warned that more American casualties are “likely.” As the fighting expands, some European countries have offered to support the US in an effort to stop Tehran’s retaliation in the region. The president said he’s open to speaking with Iran’s new leadership, which is expected to select a new supreme leader within the next few days. At the same time, he has urged Iranians to take over their government — but so far, no one appears to have answered his call. Tehran said it “will not negotiate” with the US.
What it means: The strikes represent a sharp turn for a president who campaigned on avoiding “forever wars” and keeping “America First,” and critics were quick to bring the Twitter receipts. Democrats blasted the president’s move, with one calling military action without congressional approval, “dangerously illegal.” The White House rejected claims it had acted in haste, saying Iran posed an “imminent threat,” but security intelligence doesn’t support that claim (Iran lacks missiles that can reach the US mainland). And while many Iranians celebrated the end of Khamenei’s authoritarian rule, his death has also left a leadership vacuum and raised the risk of instability across the region. Globally, the ripple effects showed up fast. Protests erupted at least at one US consulate, and markets are on edge amid fears the conflict will affect energy prices.
