US-Israel-Iran War News Live Updates: NATO making foolish mistake by not sending ships to Strait of Hormuz, says Donald Trump
US-Israel-Iran War Today News Live Updates: A top US counterterrorism official, nominated by President Donald Trump, resigned on Tuesday citing Washington’s war against Iran and said he “cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran”. Joe Kent was confirmed by the Senate in July last year.
In a post on X, Kent wrote, “I cannot support sending the next generation off to fight and die in a war that serves no benefit to the American people nor justifies the cost of American lives.” Earlier, Israeli defence minister Israel Katz announced that their military has eliminated Iran’s top security official Ali Larijani, along with Basij paramilitary force commander Gholamreza Soleimani. However, Iran is yet to comment on the fate of Larijani.
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“Guided by precise intelligence from Military Intelligence, the Air Force conducted a targeted strike yesterday in the heart of Tehran, eliminating Gholam Reza Soleimani, commander of the Basij unit over the past six years,” the Israeli military said on Tuesday.
Trump’s Iran War: Dissent from Within
Profile
Joe Kent — NCTC Director
Joe Kent served as head of the National Counterterrorism Center, the agency tasked with analyzing and detecting terrorist threats. He was confirmed to the post on a 52–44 vote. Before joining Trump’s administration, he ran two unsuccessful campaigns for Congress in Washington state.
11
Military deployments as a Green Beret
52–44
Senate confirmation vote
2
Failed Congress campaigns in Washington state
Controversies
Resignation
Kent says he “cannot in good conscience” back the war
Kent announced his resignation on Tuesday, citing deep concerns about the justification for U.S. military strikes in Iran. He stated publicly that Iran posed no imminent threat to the United States, and directly named Israeli pressure and its American lobby as the reason the war began.
“Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”
— Joe Kent, resignation statement
Speaker’s framing
Johnson: Israel was going to act alone
House Speaker Mike Johnson suggested the White House believed Israel was determined to strike Iran independently, leaving Trump with a “very difficult decision” — effectively cornering the U.S. into joining the strikes.
Then vs. Now
Gabbard once called an Iran war a catastrophe. Now she’s silent.
Tulsi Gabbard, now Director of National Intelligence under Trump, has not posted about Iran on social media since the strikes began last month. Her office declined to say whether she supports them.
“An all out war with Iran would make the wars that we’ve seen in Iraq and Afghanistan look like a picnic. It will be far more costly in lives, American lives, and American taxpayer dollars — and all towards accomplishing what goal?”
— Tulsi Gabbard, six years ago
What’s coming
Significance
Dissent is coming from Trump’s own flank
Kent’s resignation is not from a Democrat or a centrist — it is from a figure confirmed by a Republican Senate, with deep military-intelligence credentials and ties to the MAGA base. His public break signals that unease about the Iran war extends to the right of Trump’s coalition.
Unlikely alignment
Kent and Warner agree: no imminent threat existed
Sen. Mark Warner — the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee and a longtime Kent critic — validated the core of Kent’s resignation, stating there was no credible evidence of an imminent Iranian threat to justify the strikes. The left and the far-right are on the same page.
Sources: Associated Press · US Senate confirmation records
Iran stepped up its attacks targeting US embassies and oil facilities in the Middle East, with Tehran, on Tuesday (Mar 17), launching rockets and at least five drones at the US embassy in Baghdad from areas around the city. According to news agency Reuters, the Iraqi security sources described the attack as the most intense since the start of the US-Israel war with Iran.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said that he’s “not happy” with the UK after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said it would not be drawn into a “wider war” over Iran.
What is happening now: Israel carried out airstrikes on three Beirut neighbourhoods, striking a residential building. “A series of raids and artillery shelling targeted southern towns at dawn,” news agency AFP cited Lebanon’s national news agency reports.
“Israeli warplanes carried out two airstrikes targeting the Kafaat and Haret Hreik areas. In another raid, the aircraft struck a residential apartment on the upper floors of a building located at the end of Venice Street in the Doha Aramoun area.”
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5 latest developments:
IDF launches attacks targeting Beirut and Tehran: The Israeli military announced that it has launched “extensive” strikes against various targets in Beirut and Tehran. IDF said that in Iran, it is launching attacks targeting “infrastructure of the terror regime,” while in Beirut, the army said that they were striking Hezbollah targets.
Iran rejects ceasefire claims: Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran had not asked Washington for a ceasefire and does not see a reason to hold talks.
Attacks reported across the Middle East: Rockets and drones targeted Baghdad International Airport in Iraq, where the US operates a diplomatic mission.
Tanker hit near UAE’s Fujairah: A tanker was hit by an “unknown projectile whilst at anchor”, late on Monday (Mar 16), near the Emirati oil port of Fujairah, said the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) centre on Tuesday.
Lebanon toll rises as border tensions grow: Israel launched new strikes in southern Lebanon and moved tanks and troops towards the border, with the reported death toll in Lebanon reaching about 886.
The Indian Express Global Desk remains committed to rigorous verification. Follow our live blog below for real-time tracking of Operation Epic Fury, regional airspace status, and diplomatic efforts to contain the escalation.
Live Updates
