Operation Epic Fury is underway, and the so-called Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Khamenei is dead. Despite the histrionics from the Left and right-wing podcasters who warned about Trump initiating a military attack: there will be no World War 3. The myth of inevitable and uncontrolled escalation has once again been busted. The United States has agency and can decide on its terms when to initiate a military campaign with clearly defined and achievable military and political objectives. The United States and Israel, together, are carrying out a sophisticated multi-pronged military campaign. President Trump laid out U.S. objectives. Because the Iranian regime refused to end its ideologically motivated hostilities against the United States and its allies, and would not eliminate its dangerous nuclear missile program, the United States will eliminate the threats posed by Islamic Republic. Operation Epic Fury will: “raze” the regime’s missile industry, “annihilate”  the Iranian navy, hit Iranian nuclear facilities and “ensure that the region’s terrorist proxies can no longer destabilize the region or the world and attack our forces.” And while Epic Fury is overwhelming the regime’s ability to respond, Iran’s backers China and Russia are not coming to its rescue. China buys more than 80% of Iranian oil and has been aiding Iran’s efforts to rebuild its air defenses after the United States and Israel’s successful campaign to wipe them out and establish air dominance last summer. Russia has been a longtime partner in arms dealing with Iran. Russian leaders condemned the U.S. attack on Iran, just as they condemned the U.S. operation to arrest the illegal dictator of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro. But in both cases, the Russians were as feeble to help their authoritarian friends as their air defenses were to thwart American special forces. And although the now-eliminated Khamenei believed he was the leader of the entire Muslim world, Muslim nations that host American forces have condemned Iranian aggression and sided with America. As of now, more than 24 hours since the start of the attack, Iran’s missiles and drones have been smaller in scale than the previous offenses over the last two years, and the United States and Israel have total supremacy of the skies in Iran. President Trump did warn the American people that in this campaign, there is a risk that there may be some casualties in service of this noble mission to protect Americans and to end the reign of Islamist terror. Over the decades of the Islamic Republic’s iron fist, the regime trained, armed, and funded terrorist proxies throughout the Middle East. Those Islamist proxies have murdered and maimed Americans, thwarted and threatened global shipping, and, in recent years, tried to assassinate Americans including President Trump and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo who served in the first Trump administration and supported the successful operation that eliminated Qassam Soleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Quds Force. And lest we forget, when U.S. forces were searching for Al Qaeda terrorists after their attacks on Americans on September 11, Iran provided Al Qaeda sanctuary. After the formal confirmation of the Islamist dictator’s death, Trump posted on Truth Social: “This is the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their Country,” and said Khomeini’s elimination is justice “not only for the people of Iran, but for all Great Americans” killed or harmed by the regime. Bibi Netanyahu sent the Iranian people the same message: “This is an opportunity, do something. Do not sit with your arms crossed,” he said. “You have to complete this work and you have to bring down and eradicate this regime.” Under the direction of Khamenei and his loyalists, the regime brutally repressed the Iranian people. Just weeks ago it slaughtered over 32,000 innocent young people who opposed the regime in defiance of President Trump’s direct order to the regime not to kill protesters, drawing a bright red line. He then encouraged the protesters to persevere in their protests against the regime and issued a promise to the Iranian people that the United States would send help. Trump has now enforced that red line and with Netanyahu is delivering the conditions for the Iranian peoples’ liberation. But the Iranian people must take over control of their own government and their future. Trump made that clear and continues to send that message. The most realistic path forward for a transition government to emerge is through the formation of a coalition of factions within Iran including those who defect from the Iranian police force, the standing Army and even the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Trump offered defectors immunity if they lay down their arms, a great alternative to executions and civil war. Over the next few days the United States and Israel will carry out more attacks, hunting missile launchers and destroying the facilities where new nuclear weapons activity was ongoing. There is uncertainty about the duration of the campaign, but it should not be surprising if it ends in a matter of days or a couple of weeks, but only once the will of the remaining regime leaders is broken. Only then can the Iranian people take their country back, and in doing so, bring greater peace to the Middle East and to the detriment of the Islamic Republic’s authoritarian backers and to the benefit of America and its allies. Rebeccah L. Heinrichs is a senior fellow and director of the Keystone Defense Initiative. She specializes in US national defense policy with a focus on strategic deterrence. The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

This article is part of Upstream, The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you. *** I’m in a very Chinese time in my life. No, you didn’t misread that. A new trend has emerged on TikTok where Chinese-American girls are sharing the Eastern lifestyle with the rest of us. The videos have taken off, garnering millions of views from non-Chinese users looking to improve their health with the help of generations-old wellness routines. It’s not cultural appropriation; it’s cultural appreciation. “Tomorrow, you’re turning Chinese,” Chinese-American TikToker Sherry, one of the viral creators behind the craze, told her followers in a recent video. “I know it sounds intimidating, but there’s no point fighting it now. You are the chosen one.” The viral fad has taken off as more and more young women are looking for ways to make America healthy again and turn to natural and homeopathic remedies. It has even converted the macho men of Barstool Sports, who are now starting their days with an “ancient Chinese” workout featuring “lymphatic hops” in the hopes of getting shredded. Day 2 of the Chinese work out. We’re both insanely sore but we’re here and about to dominate the day pic.twitter.com/tBtv1aG7wG — Big Cat (@BarstoolBigCat) February 18, 2026 KB may be too brolic for the Ancient Chinese Workout™️… https://t.co/r4kcmNyATm pic.twitter.com/4TCg5aJSLD — The Yak (@BarstoolYak) February 23, 2026 I tried some of the ancient practices for a week to see if the routine would change my physical and emotional health. Each day, I started my morning with warm tea before I ate anything. I then went on a short walk to promote digestion after eating my breakfast, which was usually eggs and toast. The key is to keep your digestive system warm and not shock it first thing in the morning with cold food or ice water. A study released last year by San Diego State University found that individuals who consumed cold drinks had “increased anxiety, more sleep disturbances, and greater feelings of abdominal fullness.” On the other hand, those “who drank more hot beverages … reported lower levels of depression, improved sleep quality, and fewer digestive symptoms.” “Researchers found food and beverage temperature, long recognized in traditional Asian medicine, has measurable links to anxiety, insomnia and gut discomfort,” the university said in a release at the time. I wore slippers and never went barefoot, which Sherry explains is meant to prevent illness. Some of the Chinese creators also say it promotes kidney health and fertility by keeping the womb and abdomen warm. “You’re letting cold enter your body and thus you’re weakening your body,” Sherry said in one video. “But if you’re wearing house slippers, you’re more likely to maintain that warmth and you’re less likely to get sick.” Some of the girls behind the trend suggested drinking broth first thing in the morning. The broth wasn’t for me and felt too heavy to start my day. Instead, I opted for peppermint tea. If I drank or ate anything cold, I would balance it out with a hot tea to keep my digestive system warm, as directed by the Chinese baddies. I also had a warm apple drink, which I made by boiling apples, ginger, honey, and goji berries, which are used in traditional Chinese medicine to support the kidney and liver detoxification systems. It was really delicious, but didn’t change my life in a week. @jenniethereporterChinese baddie tea!♬ Relaxed and chill lofi hip hop long version(1580488) – Koko ni studio The routine has also helped me prioritize self-care. I’ve found myself journaling, praying, reading, and adopting tasks that promote mindfulness. One of the biggest differences I noticed was that a few days into walking after meals, I craved movement. I am usually a low-impact workout kind of girl and like doing pilates and yoga a couple times a week. But as I adopted more of the “Chinese baddie” lifestyle of increasing my movement throughout the day, I started going ham in the gym. For days, I’ve been lifting and even running on the treadmill. The endorphins were addicting, and so were the points on my Oura ring. I found I was walking for longer periods and exceeding 10,000 steps per day. @mollymyattporter Woke up a Chinese baddie #chinesebaddie ♬ original sound – alex Another mood boost came from spending more time outside. As a result, I found myself interacting with the outside world more, rather than spending most of my day mindlessly scrolling on my phone. In many of the viral TikTok videos, Chinese-American girls said they intentionally make time to phone a friend or have social time in the morning to promote longevity. When I was out with the dog in the park during my walks, I ran into neighbors whom I’d never before interacted with and quickly fostered new friendships with them. Former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy in 2023 declared an “epidemic” of “loneliness and isolation” in America. Loneliness affects somewhere between “one third to well over half of people in industrialized societies,” says Steven Crane, a research scholar at Stanford University. “While healthy networks of social connection provide powerful protective health effects, increasing odds of long-term survival by 50%, loneliness itself is associated with many distinct detrimental health impacts on sleep, physical health, and mental health,” Crane says. Overall, I see no harm in implementing the “Chinese baddie” routine in your day, even if it’s just one of your habits. After this week of wellness, I plan to continue walking in the morning after breakfast and keeping my slippers on at home. But I probably will ditch drinking warm water as soon as the Texas heat takes hold. *** The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR), chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, explained on Sunday what comes next in the Iran offensive after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s death. Appearing on CNN’s “State of the Union” with host Dana Bash, Cotton first noted that Iran has crossed numerous red lines over the decades. “The red lines have been crossed … red lines of the civilized world, going back to the 1979 hostage crisis, the bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut, the bombing of the Khobar Towers, killing and maiming thousands of troops in Iraq and Afghanistan — those are the red lines that have been crossed,” Cotton said. “President Trump has finally put his foot down and made it clear that we will no longer tolerate the revolutionary violence of the Islamic Republic of Iran.” Bash pressed the senator on what comes next: “But the question is the people below them, and whether or not you are confident, based on what you’re seeing, that enough of the Iranian regime was taken out that there really can be a change in leadership. And then the next question is, how does that work?” Cotton explained that the first priority is destroying Iran’s military power, which the Islamic nation uses to attack Israel and Arab allies in the region. He added that just as Iran cannot be allowed to have a nuclear weapon, it cannot be allowed to have thousands of missiles in its arsenal either, “much more than the United States and Israel have in missile defense combined.” “So what the American people see in the days ahead is going to be a methodical and systematic focus on Iran’s missiles, its missile launchers, and ultimately, its missile manufacturing capability, so they can’t continue to threaten our troops in Israel and our other friends in the region,” Cotton stated. The senator concluded that while we don’t know exactly what the future holds for the Iranian regime, the people of Iran now have the opportunity to take their country back after decades of brutal oppression. Intelligence Committee Chairman, Sen. Tom Cotton (R) tells Dana Bash Iran has crossed red lines: “There’s no doubt, though, that Iran is going to continue to target our bases in the region, our Arab friends, and Israel. That’s why it was so vitally necessary that we put an end to… pic.twitter.com/mE4TxM2S40 — State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) March 1, 2026

'President Trump tried to negotiate'

U.S. Central Command reported three casuaties in the first 24 hours after the strike on Iran.  Another five were seriously wounded in Operation Epic Fury.  “Several others sustained minor shrapnel injuries and concussions–and are in the process of being returned to duty,” U.S. Central Command said in a social media post Sunday. “Major combat operations continue and our response effort is ongoing.” CENTCOM UpdateTAMPA, Fla. – As of 9:30 am ET, March 1, three U.S. service members have been killed in action and five are seriously wounded as part of Operation Epic Fury.Several others sustained minor shrapnel injuries and concussions — and are in the process of being…— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 1, 2026 Central Command is not yet releasing the names of the casualties.  “The situation is fluid, so out of respect for the families, we will withhold additional information, including the identities of our fallen warriors, until 24 hours after next of kin have been notified,” the Central Command post says.  Iranian authorities said more than 200 people were killed by the strikes, the Associated Press reported. Israel reported eight people were killed and 28 wounded in a strike that hit a synagogue.  The air strikes killed the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and targeted Iranian military sites to stop the country’s ability to develop and deliver nuclear weapons.  Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said in speech Sunday, “You have crossed our red line and must pay the price,” the Associated Press reported. “We will deliver such devastating blows that you yourselves will be driven to beg.” President Donald Trump posted a warning to Iran on Truth Social after midnight.  “Iran just stated that they are going to hit very hard today, harder than they have ever hit before,” Trump posted. “THEY BETTER NOT DO THAT, HOWEVER, BECAUSE IF THEY DO, WE WILL HIT THEM WITH A FORCE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE!”  Donald J. Trump Truth Social Post 12:25 AM EST 03.01.26Iran just stated that they are going to hit very hard today, harder than they have ever hit before. THEY BETTER NOT DO THAT, HOWEVER, BECAUSE IF THEY DO, WE WILL HIT THEM WITH A FORCE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE! Thank…— Commentary Donald J. Trump Posts From Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) March 1, 2026 Iran claimed that it struck the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln, which Central Command said was not true in a post.  ?Iran’s IRGC claims to have struck USS Abraham Lincoln with ballistic missiles. LIE.?The Lincoln was not hit. The missiles launched didn’t even come close. The Lincoln continues to launch aircraft in support of CENTCOM’s relentless campaign to defend the American people by… pic.twitter.com/AjaeHMemtA— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 1, 2026 Trump also told CBS News Sunday morning a diplomatic solution is “Much easier now than it was a day ago, obviously.” He added, “Because they are getting beat up badly.” The post Bloodshed and Bluster: US Confirms Casualties as Iran and Trump Trade Threats appeared first on The Daily Signal.

A larger number of Georgia voters support stricter voter registration requirements and voter ID at polling places, two of the policy proposals contained in the SAVE America Act. The results from the Georgia survey show the popularity of the measure, even though most Democrats—including Georgia’s two senators—oppose it. Nearly 70% of Georgians said voters should be required to prove their U.S. citizenship to vote. The poll also found that 82% believe legal voters should not be diluted by ballots cast by people who are not eligible, and 79% said this voter registration standard should apply to all states. Heritage Action recently conducted state-level polling in Alaska, Georgia, Maine, North Carolina, and Ohio to gauge voter sentiment on the SAVE America Act. Trump’s Endorsement President Donald Trump called on Congress to pass the bill during his State of the Union speech Tuesday: “Congress should unite and enact this commonsense, country-saving legislation right now and it should be before anything else happens.” Tiffany Justice, Heritage Action executive vice president, echoed the urgency of Trump’s message, calling on Congress to act quickly. “American voters are smart, and they know that showing an ID to vote is a simple way to protect their ballots,” Justice said. “Voting is a privilege of American citizenship, and it should be defended by commonsense measures that apply equally to all states. Allowing non-citizens to cancel out the votes of law-abiding Americans threatens the very foundation of our republic.” Awaiting Senate Action Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., called on his Senate colleagues to vote on the SAVE America Act.. “We’re seeing Americans demand that they make sure that their vote is going to count,” said Collins, who is running for U.S. Senate this year. BREAKING: Congresman Mike Collins (R-GA) announces his support for the talking filibusterin order to pass the SAVE America Act. Thank you, @RepMikeCollins. ? pic.twitter.com/0iNhlzzXzQ— ThePersistence (@ScottPresler) February 23, 2026 Collins challenged critics of the legislation, “Stand up in front of God and the rest of this country and tell people and talk and tell them why you are opposed to this legislation.” He said the SAVE America Act would give Americans confidence in election outcomes. If we live in the greatest country on earth, Collins asked, “why shouldn’t we have the most secure elections on earth?” The bill’s sponsors, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, said the legislation would standardize voter registration and prevent ineligible voting, while critics argue it is an effort to limit access to voting rights. Democrat Opposition Sen. Raphael Warnock, D?Ga., wrote on X, “Let’s be crystal clear about what’s happening. President Trump is going to try and interfere in the 2026 elections.” Let’s be crystal clear about what’s happening.President Trump is going to try and interfere in the 2026 elections.— Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (@SenatorWarnock) February 18, 2026 His colleague, Sen. Jon Ossoff, D?Ga., shared his thoughts on the SAVE Act as the bill made its way through the House last year. Ossoff said at the time, “This is a nakedly partisan, totally unworkable, bad-faith bill cynically intended to disenfranchise millions of eligible voters.” With a vote approaching soon, the Senate could soon decide whether voter ID will be a standard across all states. The post Georgia Voters Support SAVE America Act—Even as State’s Democrat Senators Oppose It appeared first on The Daily Signal.

NEW: Netanyahu Promises to Intensify Attacks On Tehran – As Iranians Celebrate