Tuesday morning news: March 10, 2026

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Trump indicates Iran conflict could be nearing completion » President Trump seems to be indicating the U.S.-Israeli military action against Iran could be nearing a close.

TRUMP: We’ve wiped every single force in Iran out very completely.

The president, talking to reporters Monday. They were asking follow-up questions about a comment he made during an interview earlier in the day, when he called Operation Epic Fury “very complete.”

Yet, he says there’s also still more work to be done in Iran:

TRUMP: We’ve already won in many ways, but we haven’t won enough.

That’s the president talking Monday to a gathering of Republican lawmakers.

Trump also says Iran is at the beginning of building a new country, and he’s threatened to take over the Strait of Hormuz. 

Those comments are feeding Democrat concerns of a prolonged conflict. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer warns Americans don’t want a repeat of the Afghanistan or Iraq wars.

SCHUMER: Americans simply don’t want that. And the brutal Iranian regime knows we don’t want it either. So they won’t be incentivized to negotiate.

A group of Senate Democrats is now demanding public hearings on Epic Fury. Trump insists the conflict will be short-term.

He also gave new rationale for taking military action, claiming Iran otherwise would’ve attacked the U.S. within a week, though other White House officials told congressional staffers privately that U.S. intelligence did not suggest Iran was about to launch a strike.

Iran, Ukraine discussed on Trump-Putin phone call » The military operation in Iran was also a topic of discussion during a phone call between Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin Monday.

TRUMP: He wants to be helpful. I said, ‘You could be more helpful by getting the Ukraine-Russia war over with. That would be more helpful.’ But we had a very good talk.

Putin has called for a ceasefire in the Middle East conflict. One of the Russian leader’s aides called the hour-long call businesslike and constructive.

Trump also said the leaders had a positive discussion about Russia’s war on Ukraine, though the president says there is tremendous hatred between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, adding the two leaders “can’t seem to get it together.”

Tehran hit hard in latest strikes » Iran’s capital got hit hard overnight.

SOUND: [Air raid siren]

Though that audio is from earlier in the conflict, sounds around the city were similar as bombers and warplanes struck the city of Tehran with the heaviest air raids since the operation began. 

The barrage happened around midnight and lasted about a half hour. There were similar explosions around other Iranian cities reported on social media. No word on casualties.

Strike on Iranian girls school likely carried out by U.S. » Meanwhile, newly publicized video is raising questions about whether the United States was responsible for an explosion at an Iranian school.

SOUND: [Airstrike video]

More than 160 people died in that strike.

Video circulated over the weekend by Iran's semiofficial Mehr news agency appears to show a munition falling on a building, sending a dark plume of smoke into the air.

The investigative group Bellingcat says the munition appears to be a Tomahawk cruise missile, suggesting the U.S. was responsible for the strike. 

Republican Nebraska Congressman Don Bacon:

BACON: We should investigate this fully, be transparent. And if it was us, own up to it. And I, I know it wasn't intentional, uh, but transparency is best in, in this situation.

But based on what he’s seen, President Trump insists the explosion was caused by Iran, which he says uses very inaccurate munitions.

Oil prices, U.S. stocks take wild swings Monday » Wild turns for U.S. stocks and global oil prices Monday.

The Dow, S & P, and Nasdaq all had early losses turn into solid gains by the end of the day, buoyed by optimism that the conflict in Iran could be wrapping up soon, in light of President Trump’s comments to the media.

And Interior Secretary Doug Burgum is working to tamp down concerns about rising oil prices.

BURGUM: We are absolutely not dependent on oil coming out of the Strait of Hormuz in the Middle East… We’ve never been more energy-independent.

Burgum, on Fox NewsChannel’s The Story with Martha MacCallum, echoing President Trump’s reassuring tone. The president said Monday he won’t let Iran hold the world hostage over oil.

Oil prices had risen to almost $120 dollars per barrel early in the day over fears of a drawn-out conflict in Iran, but dipped back below $90 dollars later on.

Wyoming governor signs six-week abortion ban » Wyoming is the latest state with brand new protections for unborn babies. 

WORLD's Travis Kircher has more:

TRAVIS KIRCHER: Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon signed new legislation yesterday protecting unborn babies from abortion after a heartbeat is detected.

That includes unborn babies conceived through rape or incest.

The law does make an exception in cases where the mother's life or health is threatened.

Critics of the law call it an attack on the rights of Wyoming residents to make what abortion advocates characterize as their own health care decisions.

A heartbeat is typically detectable at about six weeks gestation.

Gordon's signature makes Wyoming the fifth state to offer protections for unborn babies at that stage of the pregnancy.

For WORLD, I'm Travis Kircher.

And I’m Mark Mellinger.

Straight ahead: What Iran’s choice for its new supreme leader tells us about the nation’s posture amid its conflict with Israel and the U.S. 

This is The World and Everything in It.

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