Windsor Johnston

Republican Senator Roger Wicker, who chairs the Armed Services Committee, calls the operation pivotal and necessary to protect Americans and American interests.

Iran has launched missiles and drones in counterattacks against Israel and hit a U.S.

base in Bahrain.

It says Israeli and American interests in the Middle East are now potential targets.

NPR's Jane Araf reports.

As the U.S.

and Israel carry out strikes, reports say a school in Iran has been hit, killing at least 53 female students.

This is NPR.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has declared the AI firm Anthropic as a risk to national security.

As NPR's Jeff Brumfield reports, it's an unusual decision that could hurt the company's business.

In a statement Friday, Anthropic says it plans to sue the Trump administration and that, quote, no amount of intimidation or punishment from the Department of War will change our position.

A U.S.

civil rights agency says the federal government can bar transgender employees from using bathrooms aligned with their gender identity.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission decided against a civilian IT specialist for the Army who asked to use bathrooms and locker rooms that aligned with her gender identity.

I'm Windsor Johnston, and you're listening to NPR News from Washington.

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston.

Air raid sirens echoed across Israel today, where a special state of emergency is in place after the United States and Israel launched airstrikes against Iran today.

Just a short time ago, a loud boom was heard in Tel Aviv as the military intercepted an Iranian missile.

The attack on Iran follows a massive U.S.

military buildup in the region and weeks of escalating tension.