As millions of Americans prepare to travel for Spring Break, health officials are warning about a surge in measles cases across the United States.

Dr. Giridhar Mallya, senior policy officer for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, said there have already been almost 1,300 confirmed measles cases nationwide so far this year. He emphasized vaccination is the best way to keep that number from rising.

RELATED STORY | South Carolina measles outbreak shows little sign of slowing, surpasses Texas' 2025 total

"Measles is a highly, highly contagious illness. It's spread through the air," Mallya told Scripps News. "And if you're unvaccinated and exposed to somebody who has measles, there's close to a 90% chance that you may contract it yourself. So the most important thing that you can do for yourself and for your children is to make sure you're up to date on your measles vaccines."

Busy travel seasons can increase the risk of measles spreading, Mallya noted, because crowded spaces such as airports, planes and buses create ideal conditions for the virus to transmit.

"I think people across the country should be on alert and to be sure that they have gotten their two doses of measles vaccine," he said. "Most people have gotten them in childhood. But if you're unsure about your measles vaccine status, you can actually get a quick blood test through your doctor to make sure you have immunity for measles."

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"The good news is that the measles vaccine is incredibly effective," Mallya added. "If you get the two doses of the vaccine, it is 97% effective at preventing measles illness and all the complications that come alongside it."

Watch Scripps News full interview with Dr. Giridhar Mallya in the video player above.

A recall of Manila clams is impacting restaurants and food retailers across nine states over possible norovirus contamination.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, the clams were collected by Lummi Indian Business Council and sent to Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Nevada, New York, Oregon and Washington.

Oysters harvested from the same area by Drayton Harbor Oyster Company could also be infected, the FDA said. Those oysters were sold in Washington.

ICYMI | Trader Joe's issues frozen food recall over glass contamination concerns

Both the clams and oysters were collected between Feb. 13 and March 3.

The FDA said the seafood should be thrown away. Officials warn that norovirus-infected food can look, smell and taste normal.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, norovirus symptoms usually develop 12 to 48 hours after being exposed.

The most common symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and stomach pain.

REVIEW THE LATEST RECALLS

Researchers at Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming have spotted the first grizzly bear of the 2026 spring season.

According to the National Park Service, biologists working in the northern part of the park witnessed the grizzly on March 9 in the backcountry, feeding on the remains of a bull bison carcass. This is a common tactic among bears emerging from hibernation, with many seeking elk or bison that died over the winter.

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Male grizzly bears are usually the first to come out of hibernation in early March, while females with cubs tend to emerge in April or early May. The earliest grizzly sighting at Yellowstone last year occurred on March 14. In 2024, the first reported sighting came slightly earlier, on March 3.

Park officials warn visitors to avoid getting close to or interacting with the bears, as they may react aggressively. Here are some tips to protect yourself from a potential encounter:

Carry bear spray, know how to use it and ensure it is readily accessible. Travel in groups of at least three, stick to maintained trails and make noise. Avoid hiking at dusk, dawn or night. Never run from a bear. Stay at least 100 yards one football field away from black and grizzly bears. Approaching them from within that distance is strictly prohibited. Store all food, garbage, grills or other items that may attract a bear in vehicles or in bear-proof food storage containers provided at nearly all developed roadside campgrounds. Report any bear sightings or encounters to a park ranger.

RELATED STORY | Yellowstone pleads with visitors to leave wildlife alone

Officials note that bear spray has proven effective at deterring bears if they attempt to approach you. While firearms are allowed in the park, discharging a firearm violates park regulations.

For more safety tips when visiting Yellowstone, click here.

Stryker's headquarters in Portage, Michigan, closed Wednesday as the medical technology company deals with a cyberattack that's affecting its global systems.

The Scripps News Group in Grand Rapids has learned Stryker fell victim to the attack, which is wiping phones and computers tied to the company's systems, according to Portage Public Safety. The Wall Street Journal reported that the logo of an Iran-linked hacking group has appeared on login pages.

A Stryker spokesperson confirmed it was targeted through its Microsoft suite of technology which disrupted its networks in facilities across the world. The company said it has contained the situation, noting no evidence of ransomware or malware has been found.

The scope of the impact was still being evaluated as of Wednesday afternoon. Stryker said it was continuing to support customers and partners through the cyberattack.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Hackers say they wiped out $90 million from Iran cryptocurrency exchange

Meanwhile, a sign posted on the front door of Stryker's headquarters reads:

"Stryker is currently experiencing a Global Systems Issues. As a precaution, we are closing the 1941 facility for the day. Please stay off the network and refrain your computer and connecting to WiFi on phones until systems are restored. For work phones it's recommended to remove the Stryker Management profile."

When the Scripps News Group's Julie Dunmire called Stryker for details on the situation, an automated message said the facility was experiencing a "building emergency." The parking lot at Stryker's headquarters which would typically be full of cars on a weekday was also empty.

Stryker employs more than 50,000 employees globally.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.This story was originally published by Julie Dunmire with the

Scripps News Group in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Jill Biden is breaking her silence about Joe Biden's decision to abruptly end his 2024 presidential reelection bid under pressure from Democrats concerned about his age, health and viability against Republican Donald Trump in a rematch of their 2020 campaign.

A political spouse for nearly 50 years, Jill Biden said she has never publicly discussed her feelings about the three-week stretch when her husband ended his political career, instead saving her thoughts for the pages of her soon-to-be-released memoir.

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Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, on Wednesday announced that her book, View from the East Wing: A Memoir, is scheduled to be published June 2.

Jill Biden told The Associated Press in a brief telephone interview that the book is a reflection of my four years as first lady and that writing it was somewhat healing.

It was kind of cathartic for me to write it, and I wrote about all the, you know, sometimes painful but other times, most of it really beautiful moments that Joe and I shared during his presidency, she said.

Jill Biden declined on Tuesday to discuss any of those moments, good or bad including watching her husband work his way to the decision to end his five-decade-long political career by dropping out of the 2024 presidential race.

In an announcement video shared on Instagram, she said she wants to set the record straight.

The last chapter of her husband's political career

In April 2023, then-President Joe Biden was 80 and the oldest president in U.S. history when he announced he was running for a second term. His age and fitness to serve another four years which would take him to age 86 became a source of concern for the public. Some fellow Democrats began to pressure him to step aside after he turned in a disastrous debate performance against Trump in June 2024 in which he struggled, in a raspy voice, to land his debating points and often appeared to lose his train of thought. Aides blamed the poor performance on a cold.

Joe Biden at first insisted that he would stay in the race, but after a few weeks he withdrew from the campaign and endorsed Democrat Kamala Harris, his vice president. Harris became the partys presidential nominee but lost to Trump in the November 2024 election.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING | If shes shining, hes dimmed: Kamala Harris recounts strained ties with Biden team

Jill Biden said that, with the book, I have put things in perspective, presenting what she describes as a more balanced view of her husband's time as president.

The memoir is also a tribute of the sorts to women who, like herself, juggle multiple roles.

It's also a story about my being able to balance life, you know, as a working woman and as a mother, a grandmother, a first lady, she said.

During her four years in the role, Jill Biden, 74, made history as the first first lady to continue the career she had before entering the White House. She had taught English and writing for decades at the community college level, and she continued teaching twice a week at a Northern Virginia school while serving as first lady.

Joe Biden doing well after his cancer diagnosis

The former president's office announced in May 2025 that he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer and that it had spread to his bones. He's receiving treatment.

RELATED STORY | Former President Joe Biden diagnosed with prostate cancer

Jill Biden said it was quite a shock getting the diagnosis for her husband, who's now 83.

The fact that it is in his bones means that he will have cancer, you know, all his lifetime, Jill Biden said. She said the doctors say he will live out his natural life.

Like most retired couples, he'll probably drive me crazy till the end of it, she joked.

She said he visits Washington at least once a week for meetings or to give speeches.

A unique period in American history

The former first lady also writes in the book about serving during a unique period in U.S. history, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the aftermath of the insurrection at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, according to the publisher.

Her husband was sworn into office on the steps of the Capitol on Jan. 20, 2021, just two weeks after a mob of Trump supporters, spurred by his false claims that the Republican lost because of election fraud, stormed the building in a violent attempt to keep lawmakers from certifying Joe Biden's victory.

Joe Biden's first year in office was dominated by the federal response to the pandemic and, while he mostly stayed at the White House, Jill Biden wore face mask and traveled around the country to encourage people to get their vaccinations. She also continued her advocacy on behalf of military families, education and community colleges, cancer prevention and women's health initiatives.

Before she became first lady, Jill Biden was second lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017, when her husband was Barack Obama's vice president. She currently chairs the Milken Institute's Women's Health Network.

Jill Biden is also the author of Where the Light Enters, published in 2019, in which she writes about meeting Joe Biden, then a U.S. senator from Delaware, and marrying and building a life with him. She also has written three children's books.

Inflation stayed stubbornly elevated last month as gas prices rose in a snapshot of what consumer prices looked like before the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran sent energy costs soaring.

Consumer prices rose 2.4% in February compared with a year earlier, the Labor Department said Wednesday, matching Januarys 2.4% increase. Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices climbed 2.5% from a year ago, also matching Januarys level, which was the lowest in five years. Both figures are above the Federal Reserve's 2% target.

Wednesdays data has been overtaken by the conflict that began when the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, which has caused wild gyrations in oil prices as shipping lanes through the Persian Gulf have suffered a rare shutdown. Gas prices have already jumped and are expected to push inflation much higher when inflation data for this month is released in early April.

RELATED STORY | The number that moves markets every month just got a new formula. Here's what changed.

The price spike will challenge officials at the Federal Reserve and could slow consumer spending, which drives two thirds of the nations economic growth each year. The increase could be a one-time event and potentially reverse if the war ends soon, as President Donald Trump has hinted. But the spike in gas prices threatens to worsen inflation for at least a few months with Americans already worn down by nearly five years of stubbornly high prices. Affordability is already a thorny political issue for congressional Republicans who will face voters in midterm elections later this year.

On a monthly basis, prices rose 0.3% in February from the previous month, up from 0.2% in January. Increases at that pace for an extended period would push yearly inflation higher. Core prices moved up just 0.2%, down from a 0.3% rise in January.

Grocery prices rose more quickly, continuing a trend that has hammered family budgets. They rose 0.4% in February and were up 2.4% from a year earlier. Gas prices increased 0.8% last month, though were down 5.6% compared with a year ago.

Oil prices soared as high as nearly $120 a barrel late Sunday before falling closer to $87 by Wednesday after Trump suggested that the conflict would be a short-term excursion. Still, he has also threatened ongoing attacks and it isnt clear when the conflict might end.

Some analysts warn prices will move much higher if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, which has removed roughly three-quarters of the Persian Gulf region's oil production from world markets, according to Wood Mackenzie, an energy analytics firm. On Wednesday, a projectile hit a Thai cargo ship off the coast of Oman in the Strait of Hormuz, setting it ablaze.

Iran is also targeting oil fields and refineries in Gulf Arab nations, aiming at generating enough global economic pain to pressure the United States and Israel to end their strikes.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Forbes 2026 World's Billionaires List is here. Some rankings may surprise you

Oil prices could soar to $150 a barrel in the coming weeks, the firm forecasts, if shipments don't resume.

That would push gas prices still higher in the United States, where they jumped to $3.58 a gallon on average nationwide Wednesday, according to AAA, an increase of about 20% just in one month.

Higher oil prices will lift other costs as well, including air fares and shipping costs, which could make groceries and restaurant meals more expensive.

At the same time, given the volatility of oil prices U.S. crude prices rose 3% Wednesday after falling nearly 9% to $86.55 the day before it is difficult to forecast how big the impact will be. If shipments resume in a week or so, gas prices will likely decline fairly soon, though they typically fall much more slowly than they rise.

Laura Rosner-Warburton, senior economist at MacroPolicy Perspectives, a consulting firm, expects inflation could jump by as much as 0.9% in March from the previous month, when that data arrives in early April. It would be the largest monthly gain in nearly four years. Yearly inflation could easily surpass 3% in that case and potentially near 4% in the following months.

The jump in gas prices so far this month has been the largest since March 2022, and before that since June 2009, Rosner-Warburton said.

That is enormous, she said. Increases of that magnitude are highly unusual.

Core prices will be much less affected this month, but could tick higher over time as more expensive gas pushes up airline fares and shipping, and other transportation costs. Core inflation is expected to have increased 0.3% in February from the previous month.

Even if the sharp rise is short-lived, it will almost certainly delay any interest-rate cut by the Federal Reserve, which meets next week. It cut its key rate three times last year before leaving it unchanged at its last meeting in January.

The Fed is already deeply divided over whether it needs to keep its rate at its current level of about 3.6% to push inflation down closer to its 2% goal, or whether it should reduce the rate to support borrowing, spending, and hiring.

Last Friday, the government reported an unexpectedly sharp job loss in February, as employers slashed 92,000 jobs and the unemployment rate ticked up to 4.4%, from 4.3%.

The weak jobs report puts the Fed in an especially difficult position: It would normally reduce rates to boost growth and hiring, but it typically raises rates or at least keeps them where they are if they are worried about inflation.

That's always the worst-case scenario for the central bank, said Austan Goolsbee, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, on Bloomberg Friday. "As we get more uncertainties, I kind of think that the time at which it makes sense to act keeps getting pushed back.

Gregory Daco, chief economist at EY-Parthenon, a consulting firm, said that normally the Fed would expect an oil price shock to have at most a temporary impact on inflation and might still cut rates if the economy needed lower borrowing costs.

But Fed policymakers were burnt just a few years ago when they initially said the post-COVID inflation spike in 2022-23 the worst in four decades would be temporary, Daco said. As a result, they will be reluctant to take the risk of prematurely lowering rates. A few officials even mentioned during the January meeting that they might have to hike rates soon, rather than cut them, according to the meeting's minutes and that was before the Iran war.

They do not want to be burned again, Daco said.

Major storms whipped up tornadoes in parts of Illinois and Indiana that leveled homes, killing at least two people and injuring others, and another round of rain, hail and strong winds made its way through the region Wednesday, authorities said.

Please do not come here. Do not try to help right now, Newton County Sheriff Shannon Cothran said in a video update in front of what looked to be a destroyed home in the small northwestern Indiana community of Lake Village.

The deaths in Lake Village were confirmed by Laurie Postma, a spokeswoman for the Lake Township Fire Department, at a news conference held by the sheriff, state police and local authorities on Wednesday. Their names were not released.

She said fewer than 10 people were hurt in Tuesday's storms, which also knocked down trees and power lines.

Multiple homes in the community were destroyed in an apparent tornado, and Indiana State Police Cpl. Eric Rot said people had been injured. He wasn't able to provide an exact number or their conditions.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Tornadoes kill 6 people in Michigan and Oklahoma

David Ferris, a paramedic in a neighboring county who lives in Lake Village, just south of the area that was hit, said he, his wife, and their dogs rode it out in our downstairs bathtub. They were unscathed, except for losing power. He went out to help with rescue efforts and helped people who suffered cuts, scrapes and bumps to the head.

We had another house where a guy crawled out, Ferris told The Associated Press in an interview. He was having some trouble breathing because he was covered in house insulation.

Ferris said the local Family Dollar store was destroyed, as well as a gas station across the street. He said multiple large trees were uprooted.

Severe storms dumping rain and hail in parts of the Midwest were threatened to bring intense tornadoes, damaging winds and very large hail from the southern Plains to the southern Great Lakes, according to the National Weather Service. Parts of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio were under a tornado watch Wednesday morning.

Several tornadoes formed across northeastern Illinois and northwestern Indiana, but the exact number wont be available until officials conduct damage surveys, said Andrew Lyons, a meteorologist with the weather service Storm Prediction Center.

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Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said in a post on the social platform X that he'd been briefed on the storm and tornado damage.

Keeping in our thoughts all Illinoisans impacted by the severe weather well be here to help them recover, he said.

A tornado struck down near the Kankakee fairgrounds, about 57 miles (92 kilometers) south of Chicago, before traveling northeast into Aroma Park, where it caused extensive damage, according to the Kankakee County Sheriffs Office. No injuries have been reported.

I want to remind area residents to check on their neighbors and loved ones but to avoid unnecessary travel, if at all possible, Kankakee County Sheriff Mike Downey said in a statement.

In video shared on social media, the twister is seen ripping across a field of farmland near an airport while vehicles lined the road.

More than 2 million Americans were at a moderate risk of severe weather in Illinois and Indiana. Nearly 22 million were at a slightly lesser risk in a zone that includes Chicago, Fort Worth, Texas, and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Bam Adebayo scored 83 points, the second-best scoring effort in NBA history, to carry the Miami Heat to a 150-129 win over the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night.

Adebayo had 31 points in the first quarter, 43 by halftime and 62 by the end of the third quarter. He finished 20 for 43 from the field, 36 for 43 from the foul line and 7 for 22 from 3-point range.

Adebayo's free throw makes and attempts both set NBA records for a game. The record for attempts was 39 by Dwight Howard who got to the line that many times on two occasions. The record for free throws made in a game was 28, set by Wilt Chamberlain and Adrian Dantley.

Chamberlain got the 28 free throws on the night he scored 100 points in 1962 the only game better than Adebayo in NBA history. Adebayo passed his basketball idol, Kobe Bryant, for the second-highest scoring game ever; Bryant's career-best was 81.

LeBron James had the previous Heat single-game scoring mark; his 61-point effort against Charlotte happened on March 3, 2014. Denver's Nikola Jokic had the previous season high in the NBA this season with 56.

RELATED STORY | Maria Taylor makes history as first Black woman to present Lombardi Trophy

Adebayo passed them both in the third quarter and just kept going.

Simone Fontecchio scored 18 points for Miami (37-29), which has won six straight and moved a season-best eight games over .500. The Heat were without Norman Powell (groin), Tyler Herro (quadriceps), Nikola Jovic (back) and Andrew Wiggins (toe).

Alex Sarr had 28 points for the Wizards, who were without Trae Young held out with right knee injury management. Will Riley added 22 and Jaden Hardy scored 17 for Washington, which has lost nine straight.

Democrat Shawn Harris and Republican Clay Fuller advanced to an April 7 runoff for Marjorie Taylor Greenes former U.S. House seat in Georgia after no candidate won a majority in Tuesdays special election.

President Donald Trump in February endorsed Fuller, a district attorney who prosecutes crimes in four counties, to succeed Greene.

Fuller has called Trumps endorsement rocket fuel for his candidacy, but it did not boost him to a majority of the vote in a 14-candidate field that included nine Republicans, three Democrats, a Libertarian and an independent. All the candidates ran together regardless of party, with the top two moving on to the runoff.

Harris, a cattle farmer and retired brigadier general, is likely to face an uphill battle to win a majority in the heavily Republican district. Nevertheless, Democrats are likely to boast of his first-round showing as a further success in a period when they have focused on strong performances in special elections. Harris has promised moderation and a focus on the districts problems, contrasting himself with Greenes bomb-throwing style.

The winner will serve out the remaining months of Greenes term. A Republican win in northwest Georgias 14th Congressional district would bolster the partys majority in the House. The district stretches from suburban Atlanta to the Tennessee state line.

Fuller was a White House fellow in the first Trump administration and is a lieutenant colonel in the Georgia Air National Guard. He finished fourth in the 2020 Republican primary that Greene won before becoming a district attorney. Fuller had set an outright win as his goal for Tuesdays vote.

RELATED NEWS | Talarico triumphs, CornynPaxton runoff caps chaotic start to midterms

This round of voting is only the first step in an elections marathon in the Georgia district. Republicans and Democrats seeking a full two-year term are set for a May 19 party primary, and possibly a June 16 party runoff, before advancing to the general election in November.

Last week, 10 Republicans and Harris qualified to run in November's election for a full two-year term. That includes Fuller, as well as Colton Moore, a former state senator and favorite of far-right activists who drew attention for a vociferous attack on Trumps prosecution in Georgia for alleged election interference.

For some, support for Trump hasn't wavered. Presley Stover of Dallas, Georgia, voted for Fuller. She said she doesn't agree with the president on everything, but supports him on the whole.

I think as of right now, hes doing a great job," she said. Hes definitely helping us a lot more than Biden did. I mean, as of now, theyre not the best, but youre not gonna change anything overnight.

Some Republicans, though, were unaffected by Trump's nod.

God, no. That's not going to sway me one way or the other, said Brendon OLaughlin of Dallas, noting he voted for Brian Stover, a Republican from his area. OLaughlin said he was looking for a change in style from Greene.

Those who backed Democrats said they were repelled by Trump and eager to reduce his power.

There just needs to be checks and balances and I don't think we have many of those right now," said Matthew Wisniewski, a Dallas resident who voted for Harris.

But voters on a whole in the district embraced Greenes hard-right campaign in 2020, when she parachuted into the district after aborting a campaign in a more closely contested district closer to Atlanta.

Greene was one of the most well-known members of Congress until she left in January. She remained loyal to Trump after he lost to Democrat Joe Biden, promoting Trumps falsehoods about a stolen election. When Trump ran again in 2024, she toured the country with him and spoke at his rallies while wearing a red Make America Great Again hat.

But Greene began clashing with Trump last year after he and other Republicans pushed back against her running for U.S. Senate or governor. Greene criticized Trumps foreign policy and his reluctance to release documents involving the Jeffrey Epstein case. The president eventually had enough, saying he would support a primary challenge against her. Greene announced a week later that she would resign.

Returning another Republican to Congress would bolster the party's narrow majority in the House. Republicans currently control 218 House seats to Democrats 214.

MORE ON ELECTIONS | Could a Democrat flip Georgias most Republican district after Greenes exit?

Thanks to the explosion of artificial intelligence, booming markets and friendly fiscal policies, a record number of entrepreneurs, heirs and others made the 2026 World's Billionaire's List by Forbes.

In total, more than 3,400 people made this year's list and they're richer than ever worth a record total of over $20 trillion. And while many names at the top may look familiar, where some others rank could come as a surprise.

Here's a snapshot of the top 10 richest of the rich (Name, Net Worth, Source):

1. Elon Musk $839B (Tesla SpaceX)

2. Larry Page $257B (Google)

3. Sergey Brin $237B (Google)

4. Jeff Bezos $224B (Amazon)

5. Mark Zuckerberg $222B (Meta)

6. Larry Ellison $190B (Oracle)

7. Bernard Arnault & family $171B (LVMH)

8. Jensen Huang $154B (Semiconductors)

9. Warren Buffett $149B (Berkshire Hathaway)

10. Amancio Ortega $148B (Zara)

Honorable mentions:

14. Alice Walton $134B (Walmart)

19. Bill Gates $108B (Microsoft)

26. Zhang Yiming $69.3B (TikTok)

56. Miriam Adelson & family $37.5B (Casinos)

84. Mackenzie Scott $28.6B (Amazon)

87. Peter Thiel $28.4B (Facebook/Investments)

112. Rupert Murdoch & family $22.7B (Newspapers/TV network)

402. Les Wexner & family $8.8B (Fashion/Retail)

645. Donald Trump $6.5B (Real Estate)

2,052. Taylor Swift $2B (Music)

3,332. Beyonce Knowles-Carter $1B (Music)

See the full 2026 World's Billionaire's List

here.

While it may come as a surprise to some that someone as prevalent as President Donald Trump wasn't higher on the list, Chase Peterson-Withorn, senior editor at Forbes, noted that the rankings don't tell the whole story.

"[2025 was] a monster year for billionaires and that includes the billionaire commander-in-chief Donald Trump $1.4 billion richer than he was a year ago," he told Scripps News. "A lot of that has to do with crypto dealings. You know, World Liberty Financial he sold a stake and sold a lot of crypto coins. Then the other big thing is that his civil fraud penalty in the state of New York was thrown out and while he appeals that he's no longer on the hook for about half a billion dollars. So it's a good year for Donald Trump's fortune."

Watch Scripps News' full interview with Chase Peterson-Withorn, senior editor at Forbes, in the video player above.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday warned Iran not to lay sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz, threatening retaliation if the country proceeds with any plan to jeopardize transit through the vital waterway.

"If Iran has put out any mines in the Hormuz Strait, and we have no reports of them doing so, we want them removed, IMMEDIATELY! If for any reason mines were placed, and they are not removed forthwith, the Military consequences to Iran will be at a level never seen before," the president wrote in a social media post.

Just minutes later, the president announced that the U.S. had begun eliminating inactive Iranian minelaying vessels.

'I am pleased to report that within the last few hours, we have hit, and completely destroyed, 10 inactive mine laying boats and/or ships, with more to follow!" he wrote.

RELATED STORY | Gas and travel prices could continue to spiral as tanker traffic stalls near Iran

The Strait of Hormuz is a critical chokepoint. Oil tankers and other vessels move roughly 20% of the world's supply of petroleum liquids through the waterway every day.

Disruptions to that flow due to the war against Iran have already caused immediate economic repercussions.

Since the start of the war, Iran has attacked several ships in the strait and threatened tankers that try to pass through it, effectively closing it off even without the presence of any mines.

The price of a barrel of crude oil topped $100 on Monday for the first time since 2022.

In the U.S., the average price for a gallon of regular gas on Monday was $3.48, up nearly 50 cents from a week ago.

And disruptions to the strait's oil cargoes could also affect other market sectors that depend on natural gas and oil, says supply chain management professor Sequin Ozkul.

"We're going to be seeing definitely some huge impacts. Fertilizers may impact food prices. Petrochemicals are going to impact eventually consumer goods, plastic, packaging. So all of this has some ripple effects," Ozkul said.

IRAN WAR'S ENERGY IMPACTS | What is the war in Iran going to do to oil and gas prices?

Iranian state TV announced Sunday that Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the country's late supreme leader, has been named his successor.

The younger Khamenei had long been considered a contender, even before an Israeli strike killed his father at the start of the war, and despite never being elected or appointed to a government position.

Irans powerful paramilitary Revolutionary Guard answers to the supreme leader, and now Khamenei will have the central say in war strategy. The announcement came on the ninth day of the war and after signs of a rift among Iranian officials as the country awaited a decision by the 88-seat Assembly of Experts, a group of clerics that selects Irans supreme leader.

RELATED STORY | US service member dies from injuries sustained in Iranian attack in Saudi Arabia, US military says

U.S. President Donald Trump told ABC News earlier Sunday he wants a say in who comes to power once the war is over; a new leader is not going to last long without his approval, Trump added. The U.S. and Israel killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the wars opening airstrikes.

Regional anger grows over strikes

The war toll on civilian targets grew as Bahrain accused Iran of striking a desalination plant vital to drinking water supplies, and oil depots in Tehran smoldered following overnight Israeli strikes.

In a sign of rising regional anger, the Arab League chief lashed out at Iran for its reckless policy of attacking neighbors, including ones that host U.S. forces. Gulf countries have been struck by hundreds of missiles and drones since the war started on Feb. 28, and Irans president has vowed to expand attacks.

Saudi Arabia reported its first deaths, saying a military projectile fell onto a residential area and killed two people of Indian and Bangladeshi nationality. Foreign residents and workers have made up most of the wars deaths in Gulf nations.

Israel reported its first soldier deaths, saying two were killed in southern Lebanon, where its military is fighting the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah. The U.S. military said a service member died of injuries from an Iranian attack on troops in Saudi Arabia on March 1. Seven U.S. soldiers have now been killed.

The war has killed at least 1,230 people in Iran, at least 397 in Lebanon and at least 11 in Israel, according to officials.

Irans president toughens tone

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian backtracked from conciliatory comments a day earlier in which he apologized for attacks on neighbors soil. Iranian hard-liners had swiftly contradicted him, saying war strategy wouldnt change.

The more pressure they impose on us, the stronger our response will naturally be, Pezeshkian said Sunday.

Pezeshkian has urged neighboring states not to take part in U.S. and Israeli attacks. The U.S. strikes have not come from the Gulf Arab governments but from U.S. bases and vessels in the region.

The geography of some countries in the region both overtly and covertly is in the hands of the enemy, and those points are used against our country in acts of aggression. Intense attacks on these targets will continue," judiciary chief Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Ejei wrote on X on Saturday.

RELATED STORY | Trump warns Iran of complete destruction

Mohseni-Ejei and Pezeshkian are part of the three-member leadership council overseeing Iran since Khamenei was killed.

Desalination and oil facilities attacked

Bahrain, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia reported additional Iranian missiles launched toward them.

Bahrain accused Iran of indiscriminately attacking civilian targets and damaging one of its desalination plants, though its electricity and water authority said supplies remained online.

Desalination plants supply water to millions of residents in the region and thousands of stranded travelers, raising new fears of catastrophic risks in parched desert nations.

The desalination plant strike came after Iran said a U.S. airstrike damaged a desalination plant there. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the strike on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz had cut into the water supply to 30 villages.

He warned that in doing so the U.S. set this precedent, not Iran.

In response, CENTCOM spokesperson U.S. Navy Capt. Tim Hawkins said that "U.S. forces do not target civilians period.

Iranian authorities also said Israel's overnight strikes on four oil storage tankers and a petroleum transfer terminal killed four people. Witnesses in Tehran said the smoke was so thick that it looked as if the sun had not risen.

Israels military said the oil depots were being used by Irans military for fuel to launch missiles.

The Iranian Red Crescent Society warned Tehran residents to take precautions against toxic air pollution and the risk of acid rain.

It also said about 10,000 civilian structures across the country had been damaged, including homes, schools and almost three dozen health facilities. It also

Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf warned it soon could become harder to produce and sell oil. Some regional producers, including in Iraq, have curbed output amid dangers in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran maintains sufficient fuel, Veys Karami, managing director of the National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company, told the state-run news agency.

Lebanon says a half-million people displaced

Lebanon said over a half-million people have been displaced in the week of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.

The actual number is likely higher. Lebanons count of 517,000 refers to those who registered on the governments online portal. Israel over the past week has called on residents in dozens of villages across southern Lebanon and the entirety of Beiruts southern suburbs to evacuate as fighting intensifies.

Health Minister Rakan Nassereddine said 83 children and 82 women have been among those killed.

In Beirut, sheltering families crammed into schools, slept in cars or in open areas near the Mediterranean Sea, where some burned firewood to keep warm. The government said it would open a sports stadium to shelter thousands more.

Israels renewed offensive began last week after Hezbollah launched rockets toward northern Israel during the war's opening days. The strikes have been the most intense since a November 2024 ceasefire. Israel has continued near-daily strikes, primarily in southern Lebanon, saying Hezbollah had been trying to rebuild its positions there.

The U.S. military announced Sunday that a service member has now died of injuries they sustained during an Iranian attack on American troops stationed in Saudi Arabia last weekend.

U.S. Central Command said the identity of the person will be witheld until 24 hours after next of kin has been notified. They are the seventh U.S. service member to die since the U.S. and Israel began launching attacks on Iran.

CENTCOM UpdateTAMPA, Fla. Last night, a U.S. service member passed away from injuries received during the Iranian regimes initial attacks across the Middle East. The service member was seriously wounded at the scene of an attack on U.S. troops in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 8, 2026

The announcement comes a day after President Donald Trump attended a dignified transfer to pay respects to six other U.S. soldiers killed in the war with Iran. Trump was joined by first lady Melania Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and several other administration officials.

The service members were killed on March 1 in a drone strike at a U.S. military installation in Kuwait. They were members of the 103rd Sustainment Command based in Des Moines, Iowa.

The war with Iran is now in its second week, with no sign of ending anytime soon. On Saturday, Trump said Iran will be hit very hard, noting the country is under serious consideration for complete destruction for certain death.

"We knocked out their air force, we knocked out their communications and all telecommunications is gone," Trump said in a speech at a summit in Miami Saturday morning. "I dont know how they communicate but I guess they will figure something out. Its not working out too well and theyre bad people."

RELATED STORY | Trump warns Iran of complete destruction

Iran's foreign minister responded to Trump with a defiant statement of his own.

"If Mr. Trump seeks escalation, it is precisely what our Powerful Armed Forces have long been prepared for, and what he will get," Abbas Araghchi said.

The Kansas City International Airport reopened for travel Sunday following a brief evacuation due to a potential threat.

FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement that the threat was "determined to not be credible" and that normal operations at the airport had resumed.

"Threats like these are a federal crime," he added. "FBI and law enforcement partners will fully investigate and bring to justice anyone responsible."

An update on the earlier threat at Kansas City International Airport:@FBI and our law enforcement partners quickly responded to the scene and secured the area. The threat was reviewed and determined not to be credible. Terminal has been swept, cleared, and normal operations FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) March 8, 2026

Hours earlier, a spokesperson with the Kansas City Aviation Department said they were notified of "a situation" at the airport around 11:15 a.m. local time. As a precaution, travelers were evacuated onto the tarmac while authorities, including the FBI, investigated.

Jonathan Stein: Evacuation at KCI on March 8Video courtesy Jonathan Stein.

Some travelers shared that their flights were stuck on the taxiway due to the incident, while others reported being diverted. Southwest Airlines confirmed four flights bound for Kansas City were diverted.

"Nothing is more important to Southwest than the safety of its Customers and Employees," a Southwest spokesperson said in a statement.

A similar incident unfolded on Dec. 31, 2025, when travelers were evacuated due to a "potential threat in the unsecured area" of the airport. Ultimately, law enforcement determined there was "no credible threat to the airport or those inside the terminal" in the New Year's Eve incident.

Addi Weakley with the

Scripps News Group in Kansas City

contributed to this report.

Bahrain accused Iran of striking a desalination plant on Sunday, raising fears that civilian infrastructure may become fair game in the war, as Irans president vowed to expand the country's attacks on American targets across the region in the face of intense U.S. and Israeli airstrikes.

A late-night Israeli strike on an oil facility engulfed parts of Irans capital, Tehran, in smoke on Sunday, while Israel renewed attacks in Lebanon. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to press ahead with the nine-day-old campaign, which has rippled across the region and appears to have no end in sight.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian threatened Sunday to step up attacks on American targets across the Middle East. He appeared to backtrack from conciliatory comments toward his Gulf neighbors on Saturday. Those comments, in which he apologized for attacks on their soil, were quickly contradicted by Iranian hard-liners.

RELATED STORY | Trump warns Iran of complete destruction as war reaches one-week mark

In Lebanon, Israeli strikes pushed the death toll to above 300 after Israel ordered tens of thousands to evacuate ahead of an offensive aimed at stamping out the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.

The war, which Israel and the United States launched with airstrikes on Feb. 28, has so far killed at least 1,230 people in Iran, over 300 in Lebanon and about a dozen in Israel, according to officials. Six U.S. troops have also been killed.

The conflict has rattled global markets, disrupted air travel and left Irans leadership weakened by hundreds of Israeli and American airstrikes.

Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, the speaker of Irans parliament, said on Sunday that the wars effect on the oil industry would continue to spiral, warning it could soon become harder to both produce and sell oil.

Some regional producers, including in Iraq, have already curbed output amid dangers in the Strait of Hormuz.

Irans president toughens tone

When we are attacked, we have no choice but to respond. The more pressure they impose on us, the stronger our response will naturally be, Pezeshkian said in video comments Sunday. Our Iran, our country, will not bow easily in the face of bullying, oppression or aggression and it never has.

The remarks came a day after Pezeshkian said Iran regretted regional concerns caused by Iranian strikes and urged neighboring states not to take part in U.S. and Israeli attacks against Iran.

While multiple Gulf states reported intercepting more incoming missiles and drones from Iran, Pezeshkian said the country wasn't looking to battle them and accused the U.S. of trying to pit countries against one another.

Iranian hard-liners quickly contradicted those remarks. Judiciary chief Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Ejei wrote on X: The geography of some countries in the region both overtly and covertly is in the hands of the enemy, and those points are used against our country in acts of aggression. Intense attacks on these targets will continue."

Mohseni-Ejei and Pezeshkian are part of a three-member leadership council that has overseen Iran since an earlier strike killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Pezeshkians remarks Sunday reinforced pledges that Iran would not surrender despite U.S. and Israeli threats, with Trump and Netanyahu saying their aim remains the replacement of Irans leaders.

Were not looking to settle, Trump told reporters Saturday aboard Air Force One. Theyd like to settle. Were not looking to settle.

Desalination and oil facilities attacked

The Gulf nations of Bahrain, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, reported additional Iranian missiles launched toward them on Sunday, including several that hit new categories of civilian infrastructure.

The United Arab Emirates said that Iran launched more than 100 missiles and drones in new barrages. Only four drones fell at unnamed locations, the countrys defense ministry said.

Bahrain accused Iran of indiscriminately attacking civilian targets and damaging one of its desalination plants, though its electricity and water authority said supplies remained online. The island nation, home to the U.S. Navys Fifth Fleet, has been among the countries targeted by Iranian drones and missiles. Attacks have hit hotels, ports and residential towers and killed at least one person.

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The desalination plant strike came after Iran said a U.S. airstrike damaged an Iranian desalination plant. Abbas Araghchi, the country's foreign minister, said the strike on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz had cut into the water supply for 30 villages. He warned that in doing so the U.S. set this precedent, not Iran.

Neither U.S. Central Command and Israel's military had immediate comment on the plant.

Desalination plants supply water to millions of residents in the region, raising new fears of risks in multiple parched desert nations.

Iran also said on Sunday that overnight strikes from Israel hit four oil storage tankers and a petroleum transfer terminal, killing four people. Witnesses in Tehran said the smoke was so thick from a fire that engulfed the north Tehran oil depot that it felt as if the sun had not risen.

The Iranian Red Crescent Society said on Sunday that about 10,000 civilian structures across the country had been damaged, including homes, schools and medical facilities. It warned Tehran residents to take precautions against toxic air pollution and the risk of acid rain after Israeli strikes set fires at oil depots in the area.

Iran maintains sufficient fuel, Veys Karami, Managing Director of the National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company, told Irans state-run news agency. Israel's military said on Saturday that the targeted oil depots were being used by Irans military.

More strikes hit Lebanon

Israel renewed its assault early Sunday on parts of Lebanon, where health officials reported at least 394 people have been killed in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

Health Minister Rakan Nassereddine said on Sunday that 83 children and 82 women were among those killed. The Israeli military has ordered large swaths of the country to evacuate. Lebanese officials have reported more than 400,000 displaced during an offensive that Israel's military has said is aimed at stamping out Iran-supported forces there.

In Beirut, sheltering families crammed into schools, slept in cars or in open areas near the Mediterranean Sea, where some burned firewood to keep warm while awaiting basic supplies. The government says its soon repurposing in a large sports stadium to shelter thousands more.

Israels renewed offensive began last week after Hezbollah launched rockets toward northern Israel during the opening days of the war. The subsequent strikes have been the most intense since a November 2024 ceasefire.

Israel withdrew from most of southern Lebanon at that time but continued near-daily strikes, primarily in southern Lebanon, saying that Hezbollah had been trying to rebuild its positions there. Hezbollah said last week that after more than a year of abiding by a ceasefire as Israels strikes continued on Lebanon, its patience has ended, leaving it with no option but to fight.

President Donald Trump attended a dignified transfer on Saturday, paying respects to the six U.S. soldiers killed in the war with Iran.

Trump was joined by first lady Melania Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and several other administration officials.

The service members were killed on March 1 in a drone strike at a U.S. military installation in Kuwait.

Those killed were Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Florida; Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota; Sgt. Declan J. Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, Iowa; Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert M. Marzan, 54, of Sacramento, California; and Maj. Jeffrey OBrien, an Army Reserve soldier from Waukee, Iowa.

The soldiers were members of the 103rd Sustainment Command based in Des Moines, Iowa. The unit provides logistics and supply support for other military units.

RELATED STORY | Trump warns Iran of complete destruction as war reaches one-week mark

The war with Iran is now in its second week, with no sign of ending anytime soon. Earlier in the day, Trump said Iran will be hit very hard, noting the country is under serious consideration for complete destruction for certain death.

"We knocked out their air force, we knocked out their communications and all telecommunications is gone," Trump said in a speech at a summit in Miami Saturday morning. "I dont know how they communicate but I guess they will figure something out. Its not working out too well and theyre bad people."

Iran's foreign minister responded to Trump Saturday with a defiant statement of his own.

"If Mr. Trump seeks escalation, it is precisely what our Powerful Armed Forces have long been prepared for, and what he will get," Abbas Araghchi said.

RELATED STORY | How they got him: Khamenei confirmed dead after CIA tracked Iran's Supreme Leader for months

Newly released videos showing the fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen by a federal immigration agent in Texas last year call into question assertions by the Department of Homeland Security that a driver intentionally rammed an agent with his car immediately before he was killed.

The videos, including from officer body cameras, offer the first visual account of the shooting of Ruben Ray Martinez, 23, during a beach trip last year. Hours of footage and other law enforcement records were released Friday following a public records request from The Associated Press and other news outlets.

Martinezs death was the earliest of at least six fatal shootings by federal agents since President Donald Trump launched a nationwide immigration crackdown in his second term, and is among several cases in which video has called into question the administrations initial narratives.

The Texas Rangers closed their investigation into the March 15, 2025, shooting after a grand jury declined last week to file any criminal charges against Homeland Security Investigations Supervisory Special Agent Jack Stevens, who fired the fatal shots, according to records released by the Texas Department of Public Safety.

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In a written statement included in the files, Stevens said he fired to protect his fellow agents, police officers and the public from what he feared was a potential terrorist attack intended to cause mass casualties. A DHS spokesperson said last month the HSI agent fired defensive shots after the driver intentionally ran over his fellow agent, resulting in him being on the hood of the vehicle.

The newly released body camera videos, taken from behind Martinezs car, do not clearly show the vehicle striking an agent.

Another video shows Joshua Orta, who was riding in the car with Martinez, telling investigators that his friend had not intended to harm federal officers but had panicked because he feared getting arrested for driving while intoxicated.

He didnt know what to do. Like he definitely didnt want to go to jail, Orta said. But as far as like running over an officer ... he wouldnt do that.

Spokespersons for DHS did not respond to requests for comment about the videos.

Shots fired, shots fired

While local media reported at the time the shooting involved a police officer, DHS did not publicly disclose its agents were involved until after the AP and other media outlets reported it last month.

Martinez was just days past his 23rd birthday when he and Orta drove from their hometown of San Antonio down to South Padre Island, a popular spring break party destination. They drank with friends and smoked marijuana before heading back out on the town, Orta told investigators.

Martinez was driving his blue Ford sedan when, shortly after midnight, they came upon the scene where South Padre police officers were directing traffic around a two-car collision at a busy intersection. Also at the scene were three HSI agents from a maritime border security task force redirected to conduct immigration enforcement, according to documents.

In body camera footage captured by two of the island's police officers, Martinezs car can be seen slowly approaching the intersection, appearing to go straight as vehicles were being instructed to turn left. Martinez's car slows to a crawl nearly a full stop for pedestrians in the crosswalk. Once the pedestrians are out of the way, the car slowly pulls into the intersection before stopping again as the HSI agents approach, shouting instructions for the driver to stop.

One of the HSI agents, identified in documents as Special Agent Hector Sosa, moves in front of the car. Stevens is on the drivers side and reaches toward the door.

Get him out, get him out, one of the officers can be heard shouting.

Martinez's car begins slowly moving forward and turning to the left, where other vehicles were traveling. Stevens, on the drivers side of the car, is keeping pace and appears to be leaning in toward the open drivers side window. As officers yell for Martinez to stop, Stevens pulls his weapon and rapidly fires three shots through the window before quickly backing away.

Shots fired, shots fired, one of the police officers wearing a camera yells into his radio.

The entire incident transpires in about 15 seconds.

Agents pull the driver from the car

The blue Ford quickly comes to a full stop and Martinez is pulled from the vehicle and handcuffed by multiple officers. Orta is also pulled from the passenger seat and handcuffed.

Martinez remains in cuffs and on the ground, unmoving, for about a minute before paramedics already on the scene of the earlier traffic accident begin to provide medical aid.

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An autopsy report shows all three shots fired by Stevens hit Martinez, with bullets traveling through his left arm before entering his torso and piercing his heart, lungs, liver and other organs. The autopsy report also showed that Martinez's blood alcohol level was 0.12%, well above the legal limit to drive in Texas of 0.08%.

In a three-page written statement provided to the Texas Rangers almost two months after the shooting, Stevens said he fired his weapon as Martinez accelerated forward, striking Special Agent Sosa who wound up on the hood of the vehicle." He also said he narrowly avoided being run over, being struck by the driver's side and causing the mirror to break off of the vehicle. A photo from the scene showed the mirror damaged, but still on the car.

As he fired, the agent said that still fresh on his mind were recent domestic and international events, including a man who had driven a pickup truck into a crowd of New Years revelers in New Orleans weeks earlier.

The drivers eyes were open widely, fist clenched to the steering wheel, and he was looking past the officers on scene as he failed to comply with the loud and repeated verbal commands of multiple law enforcement officers, Stevens wrote. This is a behavior I have observed in my training and experience as a pre attack indicator and sign of noncompliance as the suspect is looking in the path of their intended movement and is not indicative of compliance. This path of movement, if left unmitigated, would, using the vehicle as a weapon, have resulted in numerous casualties."

As reported by AP last month, an internal U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigation said the agent struck by the car was treated for an unspecified knee injury at a nearby hospital and released. The newly released videos show the agent after the shooting arresting Orta and walking without any visible injury or limp.

That's when he panicked and turned the wheel'

Orta said Martinez had been drinking earlier that night several shots and a beer and smoked marijuana when he approached the traffic checkpoint where a vehicle accident had occurred earlier.

One officer spotted an open alcoholic beverage near Martinez but directed the car to keep moving and turn to the left. Instead, Martinez continued straight, toward the accident and more officers.

Thats when he panicked and turned the wheel, and he didnt floor the gas but we kind of went a little bit and I guess they thought he was like trying to run the cop over or something," Orta said.

Orta said that their car came to a full stop at first. Then Martinez turned to the left with the car barely moving.

I saw the officer kind of get on the hood. Like he didnt hit him, but like he kind of like, you know what I mean, caught his feet, Orta said. It was just slowly moving and they started shooting.

Orta died Feb. 21 in a car accident in San Antonio.

Lawyers representing Martinez's mother, Rachel Reyes, said in a statement the newly released videos and other evidence showed his car was barely moving when Stevens fired at point-blank range.

This batch of evidence shows no justification for Rubens killing," lawyers Charles M. Stam and Alex Stamm said. Still, our pursuit of full transparency will continue until we have all the facts. We, and the public, have yet to see all of the evidence held by the government.

President Donald Trump warned on Saturday that Iran would face more severe consequences as the conflict between Tehran, the United States and Israel continues to escalate.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said Iran will be hit very hard, noting the country is under serious consideration for complete destruction for certain death.

Trumps message came one week after the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran that killed several senior leaders, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

RELATED STORY | How they got him: Khamenei confirmed dead after CIA tracked Iran's Supreme Leader for months

Since the start of the war, U.S. forces have struck more than 3,000 targets, according to U.S. Central Command.

Iran has retaliated with rockets and drones fired toward Israel, many of which have been intercepted. Iranian forces have also targeted U.S. bases in the region, while Gulf states have been drawn into the conflict. The Associated Press reported that Iranian missiles and drones over the past day disrupted flights at Dubai International Airport and targeted an oil facility in Saudi Arabia.

In an apparent shift in tone, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian apologized Saturday to neighboring countries affected by the fighting.

From now on, they should not attack neighboring countries or fire missiles at them, unless we are attacked by those countries. I think we should solve this through diplomacy," Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said.

RELATED STORY | Russia providing intelligence to Iran as war with U.S., Israel continues

Pezeshkian also responded to Trumps earlier demand that Iran accept unconditional surrender.

Thats a dream that they should take to their grave, he said.

Despite the more conciliatory tone, it remains unclear how much control Pezeshkian has over Irans military. He is part of a leadership council governing the country following Khameneis death. However, Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi, a spokesman for Irans armed forces, said the country had not hit countries that did not provide space for America to invade our country, according to The Associated Press.

Meanwhile, attention has turned to who could succeed Khamenei as Irans next supreme leader. One possible successor is Mojtaba Khamenei, the 56-year-old son of the late leader. If the Shiite cleric takes power, analysts say it could strengthen hardliners seeking to maintain Irans current political system.

Grant County leaders said tornado sirens went off in Wakita, Oklahoma, around 10:30 Thursday night, prompting some residents to take shelter in a safe location.

Linda Wade, who lives in Wakita and owns the Twister the Movie Museum, said she received multiple warnings before the storms arrived.

"I had several chaser calls last night. Warning me to be prepared. We do have a county building shelter. That's where a lot of us spent a couple of hours last night," Wade said.

Grant County leaders told 2 News Oklahoma one home lost its roof just a few miles west of Medford. Winds also ripped a machinery shed to pieces, with large pieces of debris pushed across the street and down the lagoon blocks down the road.

Power lines got stuck in the road near the reported damage.

Storm chasers from Arkansas, following the storms, made their way to Wakita.

Jesse Bear, a storm chaser with Chase-Ex, said he and others reached out to friends in the area ahead of the storms.

"We look out for our neighbors. On the way here we've got some friends here. We knew that storm was going to be intense and probably a long-tracked storm. So we actually called and texted some friends in the area to let them know that you've got something coming that's going to be serious. You need to be paying attention," Bear said.

Grant County leaders said no injuries from the storms have been reported so far.

The Twister the Movie Museum in Wakita commemorates the 1996 film, parts of which were shot in the city. The movie's 30th anniversary is coming up in May.

This story was

originally published by CJ Maclin

with the Scripps News Group station in Tulsa, Oklahoma.This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.