NTD Good Morning

U.S. Central Command says Iran is losing air capability day by day, after releasing footage on Wednesday showing strikes on three Iranian aircraft. CENTCOM says U.S. forces aren’t just defending against Iranian threats, but methodically dismantling them. President Trump adding that the U.S. is striking the Iranian regime ‘harder than virtually any country’ has been hit in history, and it’s not done yet.

Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz are in the spotlight. The Trump administration is tapping into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to ease rising gas prices amid the war with Iran. The Department of Energy announced 172 million barrels of oil will be released beginning next week. Energy Secretary Chris Wright says it will take approximately 120 days to deliver based on planned discharge rates.

The Trump administration has launched new trade investigations under the ‘Trade Act.’ Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the probes will examine excess industrial capacity in 16 major trading partners. The investigations will determine whether foreign policies and practices are unfairly displacing U.S. manufacturing and restricting commerce. A second investigation will focus on imports produced with forced labor, targeting roughly 60 countries.

The Pentagon says U.S. forces destroyed 16 Iranian mine-laying boats near the Strait of Hormuz. A fifth of the world's oil travels through the waterway. The military says the vessels were part of a larger group of Iranian naval craft it targeted. President Donald Trump warns Iran that it must remove any mines placed in the strait, or face consequences. Severe storms across the South and Midwest are producing tornadoes and causing widespread damage. The threat stretches from the southern Plains to the Great Lakes, with several states under tornado watches. Meteorologists are reporting multiple tornadoes in parts of Illinois and Indiana. Homes have been leveled and emergency services have been overwhelmed as the storm system moves east. Crude oil prices are expected to drop below $80 a barrel by the end of 2026, according to a new energy report. Prices spiked above $115 this month after the Iran conflict disrupted the Strait of Hormuz. They then fell back to about $85.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine said on Tuesday that the U.S. was carrying out strikes against Iranian mine-laying vessels. This, as the Strait of Hormuz has been closed off, leaving tankers unable to sail for more than a week. President Trump is warning Iran not to block oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. Trump says if Tehran interferes with the key shipping route, the United States will respond with much stronger force.

An attack outside the New York City mayor’s residence is being treated as an act of terrorism. The FBI has joined the investigation into what the NYPD is calling 'an ISIS-inspired act.' The incident happened on Saturday during a protest, when two suspects tossed a homemade explosive into the crowd. The device did not detonate. Officials say the suspects are being charged with attempting to provide material support to ISIS using a weapon of mass destruction and several other charges related to explosives.

As America looks ahead to its 250th birthday, officials in Washington, D.C. unveil a special race course for the first-ever IndyCar Freedom 250 Grand Prix racing event. The event will be on August 23rd and will feature 1.7 miles of track and seven turns around iconic landmarks in D.C. The event will be free to the public and officials expect more than a million people to attend the event. The IndyCar race is taking place after President Trump signed an executive order in January. The president also plans to host an Ultimate Fighting Championship match at the White House in July.

U.S. Central Command said the Iranian regime has been launching one-way attack drones and ballistic missiles from civilian areas in cities including Dezful, Esfahan, and Shiraz. CENTCOM said locations used for military operations can lose their protected status under international law and may become legitimate military targets. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said that there would be no deal with Iran except unconditional surrender, saying, "We’re fighting to win."

President Trump welcomed Latin American leaders to Florida on Saturday, announcing a new coalition, called Shield of the Americas, to help eradicate drug cartels. At least a dozen leaders from Central America, South America, and the Caribbean joined Trump in Florida and signed a proclamation launching the coalition. Former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem now serves as special envoy for the Shield of the Americas.

The NYPD said a third suspicious device has been recovered in connection with an explosive thrown during dueling protests outside Gracie Mansion on Saturday. Officers found the device in a vehicle on East End Avenue between 81st and 82nd Streets, temporarily evacuating nearby buildings. The NYPD confirmed the device was safely removed for testing, though the area remains closed to traffic.

Democrats on Capitol Hill failed to cut short military operations in Iran. Both chambers rejecting a war powers resolution that republicans described as dangerous. Two Republicans, Thomas Massie and Warren Davidson, joined with most Democrats to stop the operation. Democrats have expressed concerns about the operation evolving into an endless war, a notion the Pentagon has repeatedly rejected.

The Israeli military says it destroyed 6 Iranian missile launchers primed for attacks on Israel. Military officials say 60% of Iran's missile launchers have been destroyed so far. Israel also saying a new wave of attacks against infrastructure is underway in Iran's capital, Tehran. The Israeli military is also striking terror targets inside Lebanon, and says an important leader of Hezbollah has been eliminated.

Secretary Kristi Noem is set to leave the Department of Homeland Security, and is expected to be replaced by Senator Markwayne Mullin. Mullin praised Noem for her work, while also outlining his plan going forward, saying he will be ‘laser-focused’ on protecting the homeland. In a post on Truth Social Thursday, the president said Noem will move to become Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas, the Trump administration's new security initiative in the Western Hemisphere.

The State Department saying the first U.S. evacuation flight departed on Wednesday. Israel says it will begin reopening its main international airport on Thursday for incoming flights. This is as civilians are scrambling to leave the Middle East as the war with Iran ramps up, with evacuation flights carrying thousands of passengers out of the region.

Senators rejected a push from Democrats on Wednesday to limit President Trump’s military authority amid ongoing operations in Iran. All Republicans except Senator Rand Paul rejected the Democrat measure. The only Democrat to vote with Republicans was Senator John Fetterman. A similar vote is expected to be forced in the House, with support for either side of the aisle still unclear, but a few Democrats are expected to reject it.

The Pentagon identified the last 2 of 6 soldiers killed in Operation Epic Fury.The Department of War confirming the death of Major Jeffrey O'Brien of Indianola, Iowa. The department believes the 6th soldier to be Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Marzan of Sacramento, California. A medical examiner will complete a positive identification.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine held a press conference at the Pentagon on Wednesday. General Caine said the U.S. military will begin expanding ‘inland’ and striking deeper into Iran. Caine added that their progress has let U.S. Central Command to gain ‘air superiority’ with ‘overwhelming precision and firepower.’

The 2026 midterm election season kicked off on Tuesday with several high-profile primary elections. In Texas, Senator John Cornyn has been pushed into a runoff against Attorney General Ken Paxton the state’s Republican Senate primary. On the Democrat side, James Talarico was declared the winner over Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett. The November matchup for the U.S. Senate race in North Carolina is set, with Republican Michael Whatley and Democrat Roy Cooper facing off.

Qatar's Defense Ministry said on Wednesday that an Iranian missile hit the Al Udeid U.S. airbase. Saudi Arabian state media is also reporting that the country intercepted and destroyed nine drones that entered its airspace. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also confirming an Iranian drone hit the U.S. consulate in Dubai. Rubio says all personnel are accounted for.

Saudi Arabia says the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh has been struck by two drones. The kingdom's defense ministry saying on Tuesday, the attack resulted in a limited fire and some material damage. The embassy has issued a "shelter in place" notice for U.S. citizens in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dhahran, and recommends they avoid the embassy until further notice.

As Iran strikes countries in the Middle East, Secretary of State Marco Rubio addresses Americans currently in the region, warning U.S. citizens to leave the Middle East immediately. The State Department saying it has ordered the departure of non-emergency U.S. government personnel and family members from Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan and the UAE, citing "serious safety risks.”

Israel is escalating air strikes on the Lebanese capital today. It says it is targeting areas controlled by the Hezbollah terrorist group. The Lebanese state news agency NNA reporting that at least 31 people were killed and 149 injured in the ongoing strikes. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaking on Fox News, saying action was necessary now in Iran because the regime had restarted its nuclear program.

U.S. Central Command says 3 U.S. fighter jets were shot down by Kuwaiti Air defenses in a friendly fire incident. 6 crew members ejected safely and are recovering in the hospital. Officials in Kuwait reporting their condition as stable. The cause of the incident is under investigation. There's currently an ongoing threat of missile and drone attacks over Kuwait. The U.S. government is warning Americans in the country to take cover indoors. Kuwait early this morning saying it intercepted a number of Iranian drones. The country is home to the forward headquarters of U.S. Army Central.

President Trump says the operation could last up to five weeks. Trump says it’s too early to make any commitment regarding future leadership in Iran, adding that operations are “quite ahead of schedule.” A drone strike also hit a British Royal Air Force base in Cyprus overnight. The island's president and Britain's Defense Ministry saying today the strike causing limited damage and no casualties. Israel is also launching new air strikes on Monday, targeting sites in Iran and expanding operations to include Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Oil prices are spiking after Iranian attacks disrupted shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. The price of oil in the U.S. surging around 9% as markets begin trading. Roughly 20 million barrels of oil move through the Strait every day, along with 100 billion cubic meters of natural gas. Shipping data shows more than 200 vessels, including oil and liquefied gas tankers, are stalled outside the Strait.

Former President Bill Clinton is expected to sit for a closed door deposition on Friday, as part of the House Oversight Committee’s investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. This follows former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s own closed door testimony on Thursday. Clinton said she never met with Jeffrey Epstein and had no knowledge of the crimes he committed.

Iran and the U.S. ending nuclear talks in Geneva without a deal, despite mediators saying they made significant progress. Iranian state media says Tehran will continue enriching uranium, rejecting key U.S. demands. President Trump is pushing for limits on Iran’s program, while Vice President JD Vance says any potential strikes would not lead to a drawn out war.

In the social media addiction trial unfolding in Los Angeles, jurors on Thursday heard directly from the plaintiff. The 20-year-old woman testified how social media negatively affected her mental health during childhood. She told jurors she had about 10 YouTube accounts, 15 Instagram accounts, and had posted more than 100 videos by the time she was 10. The CEO of Youtube is expected to testify sometime next week.