Iran Damages $100M US F-35 Fighter As Middle East War Escalates
A US Air Force F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter jet was struck by suspected Iranian fire during a combat mission over Iran on March 19, 2026, forcing an emergency landing at a regional US airbase in the Middle East, with the pilot confirmed safe but the incident now under active military investigation.
Iran Hits Back at Multiple Gulf Refineries After Israeli Strike on Its Offshore Gas Field
Iran launched a sweeping retaliatory campaign against Gulf energy infrastructure on Thursday, striking facilities in Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE hours after Israel bombed the South Pars gas field — the world's largest — sending oil prices above $110 a barrel and triggering a diplomatic rupture between Doha and Tehran.
US State Dept Cuts 80 Middle East Experts As Iran War Strands Citizens
The US State Department eliminated more than 80 positions in its Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs and disbanded its dedicated Iran office well before hostilities erupted on February 28, 2026 — a decision now exposing critical gaps in America's ability to manage an active war and evacuate its citizens from the region, according to multiple current and former officials interviewed by leading news organizations.