Chapter 1: What recent events have escalated tensions in the Strait of Hormuz?
The situation in Iran is going very well. We'll see what's happening with the straits. After the U.S. takes out a critical Iranian target in the Persian Gulf, Trump calls on other countries to join the effort to open the Strait of Hormuz.
And we learn more about the terror suspects who struck Virginia and Michigan last week.
I'm Daily Wire executive editor John Bickley with Georgia Howe. It's Monday, March 16th. This is Morning Wire.
Facing economic turmoil, Cuba opens up talks with Washington. And Cubans torch a Communist Party headquarters building.
Chapter 2: How is the U.S. responding to the Iranian threat in the Persian Gulf?
And the Trump administration's mass deportation effort faces yet another major obstacle in the courts.
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As the war in Iran enters its third week, the U.S. looks to reopen the Strait of Hormuz amid increased threats of terror at home.
Cabot Phillips, host of Wired and Live, joins us now to break it down. Morning, Cabot. So new details coming in about the terror attacks last week here at home. We want to get to those, of course.
But first, let's start with the latest from Iran.
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Chapter 3: What economic challenges is Cuba currently facing?
Well, the bombardment continued all weekend long. The White House says we've now hit more than 6,000 targets across the country, sinking more than 65 naval vessels. And then Iran's ballistic missile attacks are now down 90 percent from the start of the war. while drone attacks are down 95%.
Chapter 4: What actions are Cubans taking amid their economic turmoil?
And over the weekend, the U.S. for the first time targeted Karg Island. That is a critical landmass in the Persian Gulf through which about 90% of Iran's oil supply passes. President Trump said those strikes focused only on military targets like air defense systems and underground storage facilities for mines.
But he also threatened to destroy in the future the island's oil infrastructure if the Iranians maintain their blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. For their part, the Iranians said, quote, if this happens, all oil and gas infrastructure in the region in which the U.S. and its allies have interests will be set on fire and destroyed.
All right, so threats that this will backfire on us if we take that action. Now, as you've mentioned, the Strait of Hormuz continues to be the focus in this campaign.
Chapter 5: How is the Trump administration's deportation agenda being challenged?
Now, have we made progress on that front?
Well, President Trump says that we have. He reiterated over the weekend that the U.S. has, quote, Now, from a tactical standpoint, Trump is no doubt well on his way to achieving his pre-war objectives of destroying the regime's nuclear program, missile supplies, and production capabilities.
But the reality here is that as long as Iran is actively blocking Strait of Hormuz, it will be very difficult to end this conflict and pull out completely. Gas prices in the U.S. have already jumped by about 25% since the war began, and oil has increased to back over $100 a barrel globally. And that is likely to get worse the longer this blockade remains in place.
For his part, Energy Secretary Chris Wright acknowledged this weekend that oil prices are likely to remain elevated as long as this conflict goes on and the trade is blocked. But he was quick to shift the conversation to how much higher prices were under President Biden. So you can hear some of the White House messaging on that front.
We were very aware, very aware that we would have short-term disruption. Prices today are still far below what they were in the Biden administration, where they were begging, bartering, and bribing Iran to behave better.
And another interesting development this weekend, President Trump began urging other nations, even China, to join our effort to open the strait. He wrote on Truth Social, quote, Hopefully China, France, Japan, South Korea, the UK, and others that are affected by this artificial constraint will send ships to the area so that the Hormuz Strait will no longer be a threat.
He went on to tell NBC that at least some countries had answered that call, but it's not yet clear who that might be. And as this war enters its third week, the U.S. death toll now sadly has reached 13. The Pentagon confirmed that six more service members were confirmed dead after a refueling plane crashed over Iraq.
An Iranian terror proxy claimed responsibility for that incident, but the Pentagon says it was caused by neither hostile nor friendly fire. They're investigating to determine exactly what went wrong. but there is widespread speculation it was caused by a midair collision.
That's something we hate to hear, and our hearts definitely go out to those families. Now, as we mentioned at the top, new details about the Virginia and Michigan attacks have come to light. What have we learned now?
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