Iran hits US targets, Congress to be briefed; Clinton depositions released

Congress is set to receive a classified briefing on the Iran strikes as fighting spreads across the region. Americans in 14 Middle East countries are ordered to leave, but flight disruptions complicate departures.

Plus, nine hours of sworn testimony from Bill and Hillary Clinton in the Epstein probe are now public. At one point, Hillary threatens to walk out.

And companies move to reclaim tariff payments after the Supreme Court struck down Trump’s global levies.

These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Tuesday, March 3, 2026.

US urges Americans to leave 14 Middle East countries as war in Iran intensifies

Back-and-forth attacks are intensifying as the war in Iran enters another day and spreads across the region. Iran targeted the U.S. embassy in Riyadh with a drone early Tuesday morning, according to regional officials.

U.S. officials have advised Americans to evacuate 14 countries in the Middle East, citing “serious safety risks.” Those countries include: Iran, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Syria, Yemen and the Palestinian territories. The U.S. has also ordered non-emergency personnel to depart six countries: the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait and Qatar.

Getting out may not be easy. Much of the region’s airspace remains restricted or closed, and multiple airports have suspended operations.

Thousands of travelers are stranded as airlines cancel flights.

Overnight, explosions rocked Tehran as American and Israeli airstrikes continued.

U.S. Central Command said American forces have “destroyed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command and control facilities, air defense systems, missile and drone launch sites, and military airfields” since the initial strikes Saturday.

U.S. forces have destroyed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command and control facilities, Iranian air defense capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and military airfields during sustained operations. We will continue to take decisive action against imminent threats… pic.twitter.com/0aHEyVHf5e

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 3, 2026

The Iranian Red Crescent says at least 787 people have been killed in Iran since the fighting began.

President Donald Trump posted overnight that the U.S. has a “virtually unlimited supply” of weapons and said wars can be fought “forever” using those resources.

Meanwhile, Iran and its allies are expanding retaliatory strikes, hitting Israel, Gulf States, and targets critical to the world’s oil and natural gas production.

Iran continues to block traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that carries about 20% of the world’s oil.

An Iranian military spokesperson warned any vessels attempting to get through that they would “set those ships on fire.”

Container ships are now stuck in limbo, waiting for new routing instructions amid the closure. Because one-fifth of the world’s oil passes through the strait,  financial markets are reacting sharply.

The conflict is also spreading to Lebanon, where the Iranian-supported militant group Hezbollah and Israel are exchanging attacks.

The Israeli Defense Forces also said they completed a series of strikes on Hezbollah command centers, weapons sites, and communications facilities in Beirut — including locations they said were operating under civilian cover.

The Lebanese army has redeployed some troops away from the border as the fighting escalates.

Clinton deposition video goes public, showing tense moment when a picture of her testifying was released

New video shows heated moments from Hillary Clinton’s deposition before the House Oversight Committee in its investigation tied to Jeffrey Epstein.

Clinton was pressed about emails related to a fundraiser for former Congresswoman Nita Lowey — and whether she had any knowledge of broader connections. She said she did not.

Then things turned tense.

Lawyers interrupted the session after learning photos of Clinton testifying were being released during what was supposed to be a closed-door deposition.

“You’re showing me an email from someone who I don’t recall knowing about a fundraiser that wasn’t for me, but was for Congresswoman Lowey,” Clinton said. “I have no information. I went to the fundraiser to support my friend Nita Lowey.”

Then a lawyer spoke up off camera, saying, “Excuse me, can I interrupt? There are photos that are being released of the secretary as she is testifying from inside this room. Can you please advise me as to whether or not that’s permissible and consistent with the rules, particularly given that we have asked for a public hearing? If there are photos that are being released of the secretary as she is testifying, can you please explain how…”

Clinton responded, saying, “I’m done with this. If you guys are doing that, I am done.”

She added, “You can hold me in contempt from now until the cows come home. This is just typical behavior.”

The committee also released a video of former President Bill Clinton’s deposition.

He acknowledged past contact with Epstein but denied any knowledge of criminal conduct.

Republicans say the videos show transparency.

Democrats call the release political theater.

Court rejects tariff delay bid, clearing path for refunds

Trump’s tariff fight is now moving quickly back to the lower courts.

A federal appeals court has rejected the administration’s request to delay implementation of the Supreme Court’s ruling that struck down most of Trump’s global tariffs. That clears the way for the U.S. Court of International Trade to begin working through what could be billions of dollars in refunds to businesses.  

Last month, the Supreme Court ruled 6-to-3 that the president did not have authority under federal emergency powers law to impose those sweeping tariffs.

The decision dismantled a major pillar of Trump’s economic policy, but it didn’t spell out how refunds should be handled. In fact, Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote that it would be a mess.

The administration asked for up to a 90-day delay, arguing the political branches needed time to consider options.

But small business plaintiffs pushed back hard.

In a court filing Monday, their lawyers wrote, “Nothing about the refund issue warrants any delay in issuing this court’s mandate, let alone a staggering three months’ delay… the proper time to issue the mandate is now.”

The appeals court agreed.

More than 900 refund claims have already been filed, including by companies like FedEx and Costco.

The tariffs in question generated more than $130 billion for the government, and some estimates put the figure at $175 billion. 

SCOTUS blocks California trans‑notification law

The Supreme Court has blocked a California law that would have prevented schools from automatically notifying parents if a student changes their gender identity or pronouns at school. In a 6-to-3 decision Monday, the court sided with parents challenging the law.

The measure prohibited schools from adopting automatic parental notification policies when students changed their pronouns or gender expression on campus.

Challengers argued the law allowed schools to withhold critical information and facilitate a child’s social transition without parental consent.

California officials countered that students have privacy rights, particularly if they fear rejection or harm at home.

The majority ruled that parents’ rights under the First Amendment’s free exercise clause were violated and that the parents also raised valid claims under the 14th Amendment.

The court split along ideological lines, with Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissenting.

Paramount to merge HBO Max and Paramount+ into single streaming service

Paramount plans to combine Paramount+ and HBO Max into a single streaming platform following its blockbuster deal to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery.

CEO David Ellison told investors that the two services together now reach more than 200 million direct-to-consumer subscribers worldwide, positioning the merged company to compete with the largest streaming players.

The combined platform would unite powerhouse franchises, from “Game of Thrones” and “The Sopranos” to “Yellowstone” and “Star Trek,” under one roof.

Ellison made one thing clear: “HBO should stay HBO.” He said the brand will keep its identity and creative independence.

The deal — valued at more than $ 100 billion, including debt — would also bring CNN under Paramount’s control. Ellison said there are no plans to spin off the cable assets right now.

Still, the merger is expected to face regulatory scrutiny because it would consolidate major film studios, streaming platforms and news networks under one parent company.

Ellison, the son of Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, said the move will strengthen Hollywood and make the streaming industry more competitive.

Now it’s up to regulators, investors and Trump to decide whether this media mega-merger will proceed.

Lost 1633 painting confirmed as Rembrandt

After a two-year investigation, experts in the Netherlands now say a painting long dismissed as not a Rembrandt is, in fact, authentic. The work, titled “The Vision of Zacharias in the Temple,” dates to 1633.

The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam says high-tech imaging and detailed analysis confirm that Rembrandt painted it shortly after moving to the Dutch capital.

A private collector bought the piece in 1961, even though experts at the time concluded it was not authentic.

That assessment has been reversed.

Using X-ray scans and comparisons with other known Rembrandt works, researchers determined that the biblical scene — depicting Zacharias, visited by the archangel Gabriel and told that he and Elizabeth will have a son, John the Baptist — matches the master’s hand.

The museum’s director says the owner had no idea what he possessed and describes the discovery as “like finding a needle in a haystack.”

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