Give former vice president and 2024 Democratic standard-bearer Kamala Harris some very marginal credit: She's zagging where other establishment figures are zigging. Of course, that might not help her very much of things go awry. Which, you know, they tend to whenever you co-sign anything that Rep. Jasmine Crockett puts...

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.