Good evening, everyone. Here is the final update for tonight. Donald Trump has confirmed that the United States will continue bombing Iran without interruption for as long as he says is necessary, following reports of the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader. This marks a dramatic escalation with potentially far-reaching consequences.
At the same time, I will not stop pressing for transparency on the Epstein files. It has now been 48 hours since Hillary Clinton’s deposition and 24 hours since Bill Clinton’s, and the transcripts have still not been released. The public deserves answers. Silence only fuels distrust.
I also want to address what we’ve seen in today’s news cycle. This is another example of the overwhelming flood of information we’ve experienced over the past year. The pace is relentless. The volume is staggering. And whether intentional or not, the effect is the same: exhaustion, confusion, and a growing sense that the truth is impossible to pin down.
After a year of chaos, many Americans are tired, and skeptical of everything coming out of Washington. That erosion of trust is serious. It matters.
My job as a journalist is to help you cut through that noise, to slow it down, verify what we can, question what we must, and separate signal from distraction. I did my best to do that today, and I will continue through the night and into tomorrow.
As a reminder, tomorrow morning’s update will focus on good news, unless something significant breaks overnight. We are likely entering a prolonged and complex conflict in the Middle East, and there will be many developments ahead. We will take them one at a time.
Here’s the news:
- Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a joint U.S.-Israeli airstrike, according to President Trump, creating a major power vacuum in Tehran and uncertainty over succession as Iran retaliated with regional missile strikes and Trump vowed continued bombing, framing the moment as an opportunity for regime change. The Iranian government has yet to confirm the death of the Supreme Leader.
- Trump said “heavy and pinpoint” U.S. bombing in Iran will continue uninterrupted “as long as necessary” to achieve “peace,” claiming Iranian security forces and IRGC members are seeking immunity and urging them to defect or face death.
- Rep. Yassamin Ansari said that while Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s death is “nothing to be mourned,” removing him alone would not dismantle the regime, warning that military force without a clear strategy risks further danger and calling for a serious, accountable plan to support Iranians in achieving democracy.
- A joint U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran poses significant risks to global energy markets, as Tehran sits along the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for about 20% of the world’s oil and gas, raising fears of shipping disruptions, higher crude prices, and broader regional conflict that could send oil toward $80 a barrel and increase costs for consumers.
- U.S. Gulf allies that had urged Washington to avoid striking Iran are now bracing for escalation after Tehran retaliated against targets in Bahrain, the UAE, Qatar and elsewhere, forcing Gulf Cooperation Council states to weigh difficult choices including allowing expanded U.S. operations from their territory or taking their own defensive action, even as they fear a wider regional war and economic fallout.
- A concourse at Dubai International Airport sustained minor damage in an early Sunday incident that injured four staff members, prompting evacuations and earlier flight suspensions; social media videos showed smoke inside the terminal and witnesses reported ambulances rushing to the scene, as the major global aviation hub advised passengers to contact airlines for updates.
- The FBI raised its terrorism alert level after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, with Director Kash Patel ordering counterterrorism teams on high alert amid fears of retaliation, monitoring pro-Iran rhetoric and groups like Hezbollah, though officials said no specific threats to U.S. targets had been identified.
- Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene sharply criticized President Trump’s strikes on Iran, accusing him of betraying his anti-war supporters and arguing that Americans were promised no more foreign wars, while other Republicans defended the operation as putting America first:
- U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz told the U.N. Security Council that American strikes on Iran were “lawful actions,” describing “Operation Epic Fury” as narrowly targeted at missile, naval and proxy capabilities to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, and arguing diplomacy cannot succeed without a genuine partner willing to cease aggression.
- Videos and social media posts show people in Karaj and other Iranian cities celebrating in the streets—dancing, cheering and lighting fireworks—after reports that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in U.S.-Israeli strikes, with celebrations marking a public display of joy amid deep discontent with the regime.
- Protesters gathered in Times Square to denounce U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, chanting “Shame!” and holding signs like “Solidarity with Iran” and “Stop U.S. and Israeli war,” with some waving Palestinian flags in support of Gaza.
- Rep. Ro Khanna says roughly half of the Epstein investigative files — including millions of pages and key FBI 302 summaries — remain unreleased or heavily redacted, warns that the “worst stuff” may still be hidden, and signals possible lawsuits and congressional action to force the DOJ to comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
- According to the New York Times, newly released Epstein files show a network of elite doctors provided VIP care to Jeffrey Epstein and women in his orbit, with some allegedly bending ethical rules by sharing patients’ medical information with him, arranging discreet STD treatment to avoid reporting links to Epstein, performing procedures outside hospital settings, and accepting donations, gifts or financial support, raising questions about consent, conflicts of interest and professional misconduct.
- President Trump privately rebuked FBI Director Kash Patel after video showed Patel chugging beer and celebrating in the Team USA locker room following the Olympic hockey gold medal win, with Trump reportedly upset over the optics and Patel’s use of a government aircraft for the trip to Milan, which drew scrutiny over taxpayer costs, even as the White House publicly expressed confidence in Patel and he defended the visit as official business.
- After the administration’s move against Anthropic, OpenAI announced a new deal with the Defense Department to deploy its AI models on classified networks, with CEO Sam Altman saying the agreement includes safeguards against domestic mass surveillance and autonomous lethal weapons and keeps humans responsible for use of force decisions.
- Los Angeles schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho was placed on paid leave after the FBI executed search warrants at his home and district headquarters as part of a federal investigation, with no charges announced; the probe comes after the district’s failed $3 million AI chatbot deal with ed-tech firm AllHere, whose founder was later indicted for fraud.
See you in the morning.
— Aaron