The Pentagon, Washington, U.S. File
| Picture Credit score: Reuters
Trump administration officers acknowledged in closed-door briefings with congressional workers on Sunday (March 1, 2026) that there was no intelligence suggesting Iran deliberate to assault U.S. forces first, two individuals conversant in the matter stated.
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America and Israel launched their most formidable assaults on Iran in many years on Saturday (February 28, 2026), killing Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, sinking Iranian warships and hitting greater than 1,000 targets up to now, officers say.
However Sunday’s (March 1, 2026) remarks to Congress appeared to undercut one of many key arguments for the struggle made by senior administration officers.
They advised reporters the day earlier than that President Donald Trump determined to launch the assaults partially due to indicators that Iranians may strike U.S. forces in West Asia “maybe preemptively.”
Mr. Trump, one of the officers stated, was not going to “sit again and permit American forces within the area to soak up assaults.”
Pentagon briefings lasted greater than 90 minutes
Pentagon officers briefed Democratic and Republican workers of a number of nationwide safety committees in each the Senate and the Home of Representatives for greater than 90 minutes on the unfolding U.S. assault in Iran, White Home spokesperson Dylan Johnson stated earlier.
Within the briefings, administration officers emphasised that Iran’s ballistic missiles and proxy forces within the area posed an imminent menace to U.S. pursuits, however there was no intelligence about Tehran attacking U.S. forces first, the 2 sources, talking on situation of anonymity, advised Reuters.
Mr. Trump stated the assault, which is anticipated to run for weeks, aimed to make sure Iran couldn’t have a nuclear weapon, include its missile program and get rid of threats to the US and its allies.
He has urged Iranians to rise up and topple the federal government.
Democrats criticise ‘Conflict of Selection’
Nonetheless, Democrats have accused Mr. Trump of waging a struggle of alternative and have taken purpose at his arguments for abandoning peace talks that mediator Oman stated nonetheless held promise.
Mr. Trump has argued, with out presenting proof, that Iran was on monitor to quickly safe the flexibility to strike the US with a ballistic missile.
His missile declare was not backed by U.S. intelligence stories and gave the impression to be exaggerated, sources conversant in the stories have advised Reuters.
Questions concerning the justification for the struggle come because the U.S. navy revealed on Sunday the primary American casualties of the battle.
Three U.S. troops killed, 5 wounded
Three U.S. troops have been killed, and 5 severely wounded, U.S. Central Command stated on Sunday (March 1, 2026), including that a number of different U.S. troops suffered minor shrapnel accidents and concussions.
U.S. plane and warships have struck greater than 1,000 Iranian targets since Trump ordered the beginning of main fight operations, the navy stated.
The strikes embody B-2 stealth bombers dropping 2,000-lb (900-kg) bombs on hardened, underground Iranian missile services.
A Reuters/Ipsos ballot on Sunday confirmed 27% of Individuals accredited of the strikes, whereas 43% disapproved and 29% weren’t positive.
Printed – March 02, 2026 10:48 am IST