President Donald Trump is promising to avenge the deaths of those lost in Operation Epic Fury. U.S. Central Command reported three fatalities in the first 24 hours after the strike on Iran.  The United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran in what Trump characterized as the beginning of “major combat operations” early Saturday morning. “As one nation, we grieve for the true American patriots who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation,” Trump said in a video address Sunday night. “Even as we continue the righteous mission for which they gave their lives, we pray for the full recovery of the wounded and send our immense love and eternal gratitude to the families of the fallen.” Trump said “sadly” there will “likely” be more deaths before the operation in Iran ends. “It is likely be more, but we’ll do everything possible where that won’t be the case, but America will avenge their deaths and deliver the most punishing blow to the terrorists who have waged war against basically, civilization,” he said. “They have waged war against civilization itself.” President Donald J. Trump provides an update on Operation Epic Fury: pic.twitter.com/Vte8QKpISn— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 1, 2026 Trump said the resolve of the United States and Israel has never been stronger. “America is now again the richest, most powerful nation in the world by far,” he said. “But the only reason we enjoy the quality of life that we do and the freedom and security is we have done things that others are unable to do, but it’s because of warriors who are willing to lay down their lives to do battle with our enemies, and they do battle better than anybody.” Trump again called the Iranian military and police to relinquish their weapons to “receive full immunity or face certain death.” He also encouraged protesters “to seize this moment to be brave, be bold, be heroic and take back your country.” “America is with you,” he said. “I made a promise to you, and I fulfilled that promise.” Trump said the voices of celebrating Iranians could be heard across the world last night after the ayatollah was killed. “This wretched and vile man had the blood of hundreds and even thousands of Americans on his hands and was responsible for the slaughter of countless thousand of innocent people all across many countries,” he said. “Last night, all over Iran, the voices of the Iranian people could be heard cheering and celebrating in the streets when his death was announced.” The post Trump Responds to American Casualties in Iran, Predicts More appeared first on The Daily Signal.

The suspect gunman who killed two people at a bar in Texas early Sunday was wearing a hoodie that said “Property of Allah,” and another shirt with an Iranian flag design, the Associated Press confirmed. The mass shooter that left two dead and 14 others wounded has been identified as 53-year-old Ndiaga Diagne. Diagne was naturalized U.S. citizen who was born in Senegal and lived in Pflugerville, Texas. According to the FBI, the shooting was “potentially an act of terrorism.” FBI agent Alex Doran told reporters on Sunday “there were indicators on the subject, and in his vehicle, that indicate a potential nexus to terrorism.” The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is working with the Austin Police Department on the investigation, which includes staff from the federal agency’s evidence response and digital forensic teams, Doran said in a press conference on Sunday.   DEADLY RAMPAGE: The FBI says the downtown Austin, Texas, shooting that killed three people and wounded 14 others was “potentially an act of terrorism.”Federal law enforcement sources tell FOX News the suspect is a 53-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen born in Senegal.FOX News… pic.twitter.com/slFi8Ay8k1— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 1, 2026 The shooting came a day after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran in what President Donald Trump characterized as the beginning of “major combat operations.” Trump said that Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is dead, following reports of his killing in a joint military operation conducted by the United States and Israel. By afternoon Sunday, the U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran sunk nine Iranian ships and took out dozens of Iranian leaders. Trump told The Daily Mail the operation could go on for four weeks, or less. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump was briefed on the shooting. “Today, President Trump has spoken with the leaders of Israel, Bahrain, and the UAE,” she wrote on X. “The President has also been briefed on the shooting in Austin, Texas.” The shooting began shortly before 2 a.m. outside Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden on West Sixth Street. According to the Austin American-Statesman newspaper, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said the shooter drove a large SUV around the block multiple times before stopping, turning on his hazard lights, rolling down the window and firing on patrons on Buford’s patio and in front of the bar, according to the Austin American-Statesman newspaper. Law enforcement and emergency services were already in the area because of crowds that tend to gather there on weekends, Davis said. The speed of response saved multiple lives, she said.  Reuters contributed to this story. The post ‘Potentially an Act of Terrorism’: Texas Shooter Was Wearing ‘Allah’ T-Shirt appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Early Saturday morning, President Donald Trump announced the start of what he described as “major combat operations in Iran.” In a statement, Trump outlined what he said were decades of hostile actions by the Iranian government, along with more recent failed efforts to reach diplomatic settlements. Trump said Iran’s refusal to halt its pursuit of nuclear weapons poses a threat to U.S. national security and Western stability. The announcement sent shockwaves around the world, prompting the U.S. embassy in Israel to issue a shelter-in-place order and triggering widespread flight cancellations across the region. Beyond the immediate military and diplomatic consequences, the announcement raises broader moral questions. Military strategies must be carefully planned, and service members must be supported. But as history shows, decisions of war are often weighed in the balance of objective morality. Those who govern are meant to protect the rights given to people from God. While there are countless rational questions to ask in these circumstances, considering what it means for there to be a just war is certainly one of them. So, what makes for a just war? The Catholic tradition of just war theory was most notably articulated by St. Augustine and later developed by St. Thomas Aquinas. In his section on war in his groundbreaking work, Summa Theologiae (Summary of Theology), Aquinas outlines three basic criteria that must be met for a war to be considered just. First, a war must be declared by the supreme authority. This was clearly met with Trump’s order for war against Iran. As president, he has the most authority in the land. Second, St. Thomas says that a just cause is required. This is where most cases of consideration for a just war find ambiguity. Trump claims the assault against Iran is warranted because of Iran’s clear refusal to cease production of nuclear weapons. The country’s unwavering desire for “death to America” and harm to the West leaves the world endangered. Trump’s act claims to be preventive but also the result of numerous chances for Iran to reconsider its pursuit of nuclear arms and support of terrorism. The third criteria for a just war is that the one waging war “should have a rightful intention, so that they intend the advancement of good, or the avoidance of evil.” Trump said the goal of the operation is to prevent what he described as a “radical dictatorship” from threatening U.S. security interests. The president’s intention is to protect his nation, and others, from harm while preventing evil from occurring that would further place global harmony at risk. Based on those three criteria alone, the conflict meets the classical definition of a just war. However, the Catholic Church’s teaching expands on this framework. In the Catechism of the Catholic Church (#2309), the church states that nations have a right to protect themselves against an unjust oppressor. Catholics are not pacifists. Along with the criteria from Aquinas, the Catechism notes that war should be a last resort. In his remarks, Trump said: “We tried. They wanted to do it. They didn’t want to do it. Again, they wanted to do it. They didn’t want to do it. They didn’t know what was happening. They just wanted to practice evil. But Iran refused, just as it has for decades and decades. They’ve rejected every opportunity to renounce their nuclear ambitions.” Trump appears to truly believe that all other means to bring about peace had been traversed. There was nothing more he could do. As citizens who don’t have clearance for top secret documents nor insights into the ins and outs of Iranian-American diplomacy, we don’t have perfect answers. Critics of Trump would claim that this criteria for a just war was not met, arguing that diplomatic avenues had not been fully exhausted and that military action risks escalating the conflict. Supporters counter that Iran’s actions left the administration with no viable alternatives, and view Trump’s efforts as proactive and strong regarding American interests. The Catechism also teaches that in a just war the harm inflicted must be proportional to the harm that would be prevented or extinguished and that there must be a reasonable chance of success in winning the war. These final two criteria will be more known as the days and weeks ahead. Church teaching further holds that attacks on civilians are never morally permissible, even in wartime. Some might also claim that the religious and ideological stubbornness of the Iranian regime appears to be immovable, and that any attempt to shift the regime’s mindset regarding America and the West is futile. Can this type of worldview really be defeated? This war is happening, and there is not much we can do to stop it. The best course of action would be to consider how we practice justice in our daily lives and how we can be peacemakers in our own families and communities. For evil can only be defeated if human hearts are converted to seeing and clinging to the true and the good. Let us pray for our troops and for our world. May justice reign, good triumph, and God be with all those in harm’s way. We publish a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Daily Signal. The post Is This a Just War? appeared first on The Daily Signal.

THE DAILY CALLER NEWS FOUNDATION—Journalist Masih Alinejad took to the streets of New York City Saturday to celebrate the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. President Donald Trump confirmed Khamenei’s death in a post on Truth Social Saturday afternoon, hours after he announced Operation Epic Fury early that morning. Alinejad posted the video of her celebration on X Saturday afternoon. “Every morning I wake up reading that my people are being killed by Ali Khamenei, but this is the first morning in my life that I get the good news, but I wanna run,” Alinejad said. “I wanna run. I wanna run. I wanna run. I wanna just run. I wanna just run and shout and shout and shout out of joy, out of joy, out of joy, out of joy.” In January 2023, three men were indicted on charges relating to a plan to assassinate Alinejad, roughly a year and a half after the U.S. Justice Department charged an Iranian intelligence network with plotting to kidnap her and forcibly return her to Iran, where she would be killed. Alinejad then went out on the streets of New York, where at least two women hugged her as she celebrated the death of the Ayatollah. Alinejad learned of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s remarks about Khamenei’s death from CBS News anchor Major Garrett Saturday. “I also want to give you some other information we’ve just gotten in my ear,” Garrett told Alinejad. “So, in an address a short time ago, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there were signs that Iran’s Supreme Leader is ‘no longer,’ no longer, but he didn’t, he didn’t go anything farther than that. He didn’t confirm his death, but he did say no longer. What does that indicate to you, if anything?” “Khamenei’s dead?” Alinejad asked Garrett, her hand coming to her chest. “If he’s really dead, this is a day of celebration. I call every Iranian, every American, if Ali Khamenei is gone, do not mourn. Do not even dare to mourn for the killing of a terrorist, because removing a terrorist is not tragedy. It’s a sign of justice,” Alinejad told Garrett. “Let’s not forget Nar Sultan. Let’s not forget Pouya Bakhtiari, Pewan, Massina Amini, Aida the doctor. Let’s not forget the Innocent unarmed civilians being killed because of him. He ordered my killing three times. He ordered the killing of innocent Iranians for 47 years, and that’s the dream of me to be alive, to tell Iranians, celebrate this moment when Osama bin Laden was killed in America.” “What did Americans do, my fellow American citizen? What did you do? Did you mourn the killing of Osama bin Laden?” Alinejad continued. “No, because you saw this as a sign of justice for the victims of September 11th. If Ali Khamenei is killed, this is a sign of justice for the family members of thousands of unarmed, innocent people who have faced a massacre, who have been executed because of this guy. Do not dare to mourn for terrorists, and I hope, I hope this is the truth, and I’m sure that millions of Iranians will celebrate the killing of their [oppressor].” Alinejad previously criticized the Biden administration for giving Iranian President Sayyid Ebrahim Raisolsadati, also known as Ebrahim Raisi, a visa to enter the United States in order address the United Nations General Assembly. Her outspoken criticism of Khamenei’s regime was said to be a reason for the assassination plots from Iran. “[Alinejad] was targeted for exercising the rights to which every American citizen is entitled. [Alinejad] publicized the Iranian Government’s human rights abuses; discriminatory treatment of women; suppression of democratic participation and expression; and use of arbitrary imprisonment, torture, and execution,” then-Attorney General Merrick Garland told reporters in January 2023. “This activity posed such a threat to the Government of Iran that the Chief Judge of Iran’s Revolutionary Courts warned that anyone who sent videos to [Alinejad] criticizing the regime would be sentenced to prison—especially videos contrary to criminal laws mandating that women and girls wear head coverings in public.” Originally published by The Daily Caller News Foundation. The post Journalist Marked for Death by Khamenei Celebrates His Demise appeared first on The Daily Signal.

How does an organization like the Boy Scouts of America restore trust after betraying its values? Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has given the Boy Scouts a chance, but it remains unclear whether the historic organization will take it. Fickle human hearts often lead us to sully our integrity. The biblical history of Israel presents a recurring pattern: God’s chosen people reject him to worship idols, so he delivers them into the hands of their enemies. Only when they cry out to God does he rescue them, restoring their integrity as God’s people, before the cycle repeats. The external motivation of God’s judgment leads them to repent, but is the repentance genuine? Something similar is happening with Scouting America, the institution that has rejected its original name, the Boy Scouts. After standing firm for traditional values in the 1990s by rejecting the pressure to admit openly homosexual boys—and winning at the Supreme Court—the Boy Scouts caved on homosexuality in 2013 and 2015, and then embraced transgender ideology in 2017. In 2020, it announced solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and introduced a merit badge celebrating “diversity and inclusion,” now mandatory for the rank of Eagle Scout. As an Eagle Scout, I felt utterly betrayed. The Boy Scout Betrayal It’s hard to grasp the full extent of this betrayal. The Boy Scouts of America, founded in 1910 to teach young men survival skills, foster friendships, and train boys to become citizens and leaders, has helped form many of America’s heroes, including Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong, and Mike Rowe. The Scout Oath runs, “On my honor, I will do my best, to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law, to help other people at all times, to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.” The Scout Law states, “A scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.” These values aren’t inherently conservative or liberal. They set a moral standard for honesty and integrity. In recent years, however, the Left has warped basic words to advocate radical social positions, and its ideology corrupted the Boy Scouts. Transgender ideology represents a fundamental betrayal of the pledge to be trustworthy and reverent. What is less trustworthy than promoting the lie that a boy can become a girl and vice versa? What is less reverent than saying God made a mistake when he created each person male and female, and a person’s supposed internal sense of gender justifies Frankensteinian “treatments” to force their male or female body to resemble that of the opposite sex? As for “diversity, equity, and inclusion,” it sounds noble, but it often cloaks the Marxist poison of critical race theory, which teaches that America is systemically racist such that only a radical transformation akin to a revolution can bring about justice. This ideology teaches that white people are inherently racist and oppressive, while black people are inherently oppressed. Adopted in the middle of the Black Lives Matter riots in the wake of George Floyd’s death, the pro-DEI merit badge sent the message that the Boy Scouts was aligning with the divisive racial movement inspiring violence on the streets, rather than the men and women in uniform whom the movement demonized. Hegseth’s Wake Up Call Last year, Hegseth drew a line in the sand. The Boy Scouts, and now Scouting America, enjoyed a long and fruitful relationship with the U.S. military, and President Donald Trump had rightly declared that transgender ideology and DEI are antithetical to his administration’s priorities and the good of America. If Scouting America wanted to maintain its benefits with the U.S. military, it needed to return to its core values. That pressure paid off. Hegseth announced that Scouting America agreed to review and replace DEI language; to revoke the “Citizen in Society” merit badge that encouraged DEI and asked scouts to engage in activism; and to allow membership based only on biological sex, not gender identity. The Department of War has officially put Scouting America on notice. It’s time to get back to basics — and DoW is leading the charge. pic.twitter.com/EnY9mvaFLX— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) February 27, 2026 External pressure should not have been necessary to deliver these concessions—they represent a return to the politically neutral position the Boy Scouts of America had historically prided itself on. Scouting America released its own statement, noting that its moves reinforce its “commitment to scouting’s foundational ideas: leadership, character, duty to God, duty to country and service.” The group noted that it would not revert to its original name, because girl troops have played a role since the 1960s. Scouting America needs to not just celebrate the new policies, but explain what went wrong, and hold the leadership accountable. The organization’s president, Roger Krone, has served as chief scout executive since November 2023. Before that, he served as the CEO of Leidos from 2014 to 2023. During that time, Leidos received a perfect 100% score with the LGBTQ activist group the Human Rights Campaign. Krone needs to address this and explain why he won’t keep advocating transgender ideology at the Boy Scouts—or he needs to step down. The rejection of DEI and transgender ideology represents a step in the right direction, but alienated conservatives need to see more. It will take time for Scouting America to reverse the serious damage it did to its own honor. Like God’s judgment on Israel, Hegseth’s pressure campaign represents a call for the Boy Scouts to return to its original mission and restore its integrity. It may feel like punishment at first, but it will help restore the organization in the long run. The post ‘ON MY HONOR’: Can the Boy Scouts Restore Trust After Betraying Its Values? appeared first on The Daily Signal.