Trump warns Iran over Qatar attack; FBI probes Kent over intel leak

Iran hits a major gas facility in Qatar.

President Trump says do it again, and the U.S. will hit back hard.

Plus, with the price of oil soaring past $100 a barrel, gas prices are surging, what

you and I can expect to pay when we fill up our tanks.

And senators pushed for a yes or no.

Was Iran an imminent threat or not?

The director of national intelligence on the hot sea.

The stories that matter clear and credible from across the country to around the world.

These are your unbiased updates from straight-air on news.

Good morning, I'm Craig DeGrali.

President Trump is now threatening to destroy Iran's largest gas field, as the war expands

across the region's energy infrastructure.

In a post overnight, Trump warned the U.S. would massively blow up Iran's South-Pars

gas field if Iran launches another attack on Qatar.

He said Israel acted alone, in striking that same field earlier, and that neither the

United States nor Qatar had prior knowledge.

That Israeli strike hit part of South-Pars, the world's largest natural gas field, shared

by Iran and Qatar.

You can see the flames here.

Iran responded within hours.

Missiles struck Qatar's main energy hub, sparking fires, and causing extensive damage

to liquefied natural gas facilities.

Qatar says production had already been halted before the latest strikes.

Iran is now expanding its targets across the Gulf.

Saudi Arabia says Iranian missiles and drones target energy sites near Iran.

The Kingdom says it intercepted incoming attacks, but warned it may take military action

if strikes continue.

Saudi officials say they will not hesitate to defend their energy infrastructure.

Iran is also tightening its grip on regional shipping lanes.

More vessels have been hit near the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil.

Meanwhile, fighting continues between Israel and Iran.

Air raid sirens sounded across Tel Aviv as missiles were intercepted with debris damaging

buildings.

No injuries or casualties were reported in those attacks.

In the West Bank, missile debris struck a civilian area, killing at least three people.

More national counterterrorism center director Joe Kent is now at the center of two developments.

His resignation over the Iran War and an FBI leak probe that sources say began before he

stepped down.

Semaphore was first to report the FBI opened a probe months ago into whether Kent improperly

shared classified information.

CBS News says the Bureau's criminal division is handling the case.

Kent resigned Tuesday, writing that Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation and that

the war was driven by pressure from Israel and what he called its powerful American lobby.

In an interview with Tucker Carlson, Kent said his concerns were squashed before they

reached the White House.

He said key decision-makers were blocked from giving President Trump a sanity check before

the war and that there was no intelligence showing Iran was preparing a major surprise

attack.

The White House is pushing back.

Press Secretary Caroline Levitt called Kent's claims insulting and laughable and said his

resignation letter included false statements.

She also insists Iran did pose an imminent threat.

As prices are climbing fast and the Iran War is driving the surge.

Drivers are now paying an average of $3.84 a gallon according to AAA up nearly a dollar

in the past month.

It's the highest level since September of 2023.

The spike tracks with rising oil prices.

Crude has jumped sharply since the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, tightening

supply and rattling global markets.

For many drivers, the impact is immediate.

I do a lot of traveling around for my job, so I mean the gas is a pretty big deal and

then I'm going to see my daughter later play softball, which is about an hour and 15 minutes

there and back, so it's tough right now, these prices are in the roof.

The war has also slowed shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global

oil.

That disruption is pushing prices higher worldwide.

Diesel is also rising, topping $5 a gallon nationally with some states now over $6.

I would love to see the war in because I don't know what it's for.

I don't know what happened, what started it.

I would love to see the gas prices go down because everyone might not be financially able

to meet the demands of these hot prices, look at that.

The White House is trying to ease the pressure, including a temporary waiver on shipping rules.

But analysts say it may not move prices very much, with markets focused on what happens

next in the Middle East region.

And for now, drivers are paying the price.

On Capitol Hill, President Trump's pick to lead Homeland Security faced a tense confirmation

hearing with sharp questions about his past comments and how he would run the agency.

Senator Mark Wayne Mullin appeared before the Senate Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday,

making his case to replace outgoing Secretary Christie Nome.

Lawmakers pressed him on immigration enforcement, disaster response, and his leadership style.

But the hearing quickly turned personal when Republican Senator Rand Paul confronted

Mullin over past remarks about a 2017 assault on Paul.

You told the media that I was a freaking snake, and that you completely understood why

I had been assaulted.

I was shocked that it would justify and celebrate this violent assault.

It caused me so much pain in my family, so much pain.

I just wonder if someone who applauded violence against their political opponents is the

right person to lead an agency that has struggled to accept limits to the proper use of force.

If you recall back in my house days, we actually did have this conversation because remarks

that I made, you were in a room.

I simply addressed that I said I could understand because of the behavior you were having, but

I could understand why the neighbor did what he did.

As far as my terms is snake in the grass, sir, I work around this room to try to fix problems.

I've worked with many people in this room.

Seems like you fight Republicans more than you work with us.

Mullin said if confirmed, he would change course from gnome in key areas.

He told lawmakers he would require judicial warrants for agents entering homes, and roll

back a policy that slowed disaster aid by requiring top level approval.

He also said FEMA should be restructured, not eliminated.

After the hearing, Senator Paul told reporters, he will be voting no on Mullin.

The Democrat John Federman said he's open to possibly voting yes.

Well, I came up with an open mind, and I'm going to maintain that.

That was always my commitment to do that.

And if you've listened to anything I've said, I think I would have emerged with, like I said,

uniformly positive things.

Despite Paul's opposition, Mullin is expected to advance.

The committee could vote as early as today on sending the nomination to the full Senate.

Also on Capitol Hill, a sharp exchange over Iran and intelligence.

The nation's top intelligence officials faced tough questions from lawmakers during the

annual worldwide threats hearing.

Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, told Senators, Iran's regime is still

in place, but weakened after weeks of war.

She also said American strikes last June destroyed Iran's nuclear program with no Iranian

effort to rebuild it.

Impressed on whether Iran posed an imminent threat, Gabbard declined to give an answer.

Was it the assessment of the intelligence community that there was a, quote, imminent nuclear

threat posed by the Iranian regime, yes or no?

Senator, the only person who can determine what is and is not an imminent threat is the

president.

False.

This is the worldwide threat hearing where you present to Congress, national intelligence,

timely objective and independent of political considerations.

We've stated today that the intelligence community's assessment is that Iran's nuclear

enrichment program was obliterated and that, quote, there had been no efforts since then

to try to rebuild their enrichment capability.

Was it the intelligence community's assessment that nevertheless, despite this obliteration,

there was a, quote, imminent nuclear threat posed by the Iranian regime, yes or no?

It is not the intelligence community's responsibility to determine what is and is not an imminent

threat.

Here's the problem.

No, it is precisely your responsibility to determine what constitutes a threat to the

United States.

This is the worldwide threats hearing.

Lawmakers also pushed for answers on what intelligence was shared with President Trump

before the war, including the risk that Iran could disrupt global oil routes and attack

American allies in the Middle East.

Officials declined to discuss those conversations.

They will testify before the House Intelligence Committee later this morning.

All right, let's take a breath and end on something a bit lighter today.

Are you a dog person than this story likely hits home?

The American Kennel Club is out with its list of the most popular breeds.

The French bulldog is still on top, cute, adaptable and well-suited for apartment living.

It's held the number one spot since 2023.

Some of the big movers doxons back in the top five and gaining in popularity.

They're known as a lot of dog in a small package and breeders say they're quite expressive.

Long nose, long ears, lung body, lung tail, short legs so that they're amusing to look at.

They're also very expressive dogs.

They let you know what they're thinking.

For door retrievers and golden retrievers also make the list, both reliable family dogs.

German shepherds come in at number four, a breed the AKC says people continue to respect.

Poodles and beagles round out the rankings and the AKC's advice.

If you're thinking about adopting, do your homework and make sure the dog fits your lifestyle.

Kind of something for everybody there, right?

Great.

All right, before we head out, here's what we're tracking today.

This morning, the latest read on unemployment claims, a key snapshot of the labor market

right now.

At 11, President Trump welcomes Japan's prime minister to the White House where they will

hold a bilateral meeting.

At 145, the Supreme Court holds a special session honoring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.

And tonight at 8, Artemis 2 rolls back out onto the launch pad after last month's setback.

The news, cleaner, smarter, faster, sign up for our unbiased updates newsletter, go to

SACN.com slash newsletters.

Those who are unbiased updates for this Thursday will see you back here tomorrow, Friday.

We love that.

By the way, folks, today is the last day of winter, right?

For some of us, good riddance.

We had a blizzard here in Omaha, Nebraska on Sunday, minus 15 on Monday.

It was 75 yesterday, 70 again today, hello spring for all of us at Strait Arrow News.

I'm Craig DeGrali, have a great day.