Netanyahu backs off Iran oil strikes; Denmark prepped for US threat
New strikes and retaliation persist across the Middle East as the Iran war enters its third week. Costs climb and there is still no clear timeline for how the conflict will end.
Plus, President Donald Trump invokes Pearl Harbor during an Oval Office meeting with Japan’s prime minister. The remark draws attention as the U.S. manages a growing conflict in the region.
And a University of Alabama student who went missing in Spain is found dead in the Mediterranean. Police say the death appears to be an accident after he became separated from friends.
These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Friday, March 20, 2026.
Israel, Iran trade strikes as war in the Middle East continues
Israel has again targeted Tehran, launching what it calls a wave of strikes inside the Iranian capital. The attacks hit infrastructure linked to the regime as Iran marked the Persian New Year.
Iran responded overnight, firing another wave of missiles into Israel. Sirens sounded across the north and debris from intercepted missiles fell in several areas. There were no fatalities reported.
Meanwhile, Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu is putting distance between the strike on Iran’s South Pars oil field, saying it was carried out solely by Israel. The comments contradict reports that it was a joint operation with the United States.
“Israel acted alone against the Asaluyeh gas compound,” Netanyahu said. “Fact number two, President Trump asked us to hold off on future attacks, and we’re holding out.“
That strike on Iran’s gas field helped push oil prices higher, with global benchmarks spiking above $100 a barrel. Analysts say prices could stay elevated, with energy infrastructure damaged and shipping disrupted.
The Strait of Hormuz remains a major problem. Iran has effectively shut down the waterway, which handles about 20% of the world’s oil.
The U.S. military is now targeting Iranian mine-laying vessels, while international groups work on a plan to get ships out safely.
The U.K. has sent military planners to work with the U.S. on options to reopen the strait, but there’s still no agreement on how to do it.
Back in the U.S., the cost of this war is now front and center. The Trump administration is preparing to seek as much as $200 billion from Congress, and even some Republicans are already questioning the expense.
President Donald Trump is defending the cost:“We want to be sure. And it’s a small price to pay to make sure that we stay tippy-top.”
With no clear timeline for how this ends, lawmakers are demanding more details before signing off on any new money.
Trump invokes Pearl Harbor in meeting with Japanese Prime Minister
Trump referenced Pearl Harbor during a meeting with Japan’s prime minister. The exchange took place in the Oval Office on Thursday when a Japanese reporter asked Trump why the United States did not alert allies — including Japan — before the strikes on Iran.
A reporter asked, “Why didn’t you tell U.S. allies in Europe and Asia, like Japan, about the war before attacking Iran?”
Trump said the U.S. kept the operation secret to maintain surprise, then referenced Japan’s 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor.
“Well, one thing you don’t want to signal too much, you know, when we go in, we went in very hard, and we didn’t tell anybody about it because we wanted surprise,” Trump said. “Who knows better about surprise than Japan, okay? Why didn’t you tell me about Pearl Harbor, okay, right?”
The comment drew a reaction in the room, with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi appearing a bit taken aback, but she did not respond.
Later on X, the White House posted a photo of the two leaders smiling with thumbs up, highlighting what officials described as a positive meeting.
President Donald J. Trump and Japanese Prime Minister @takaichi_sanae.
pic.twitter.com/grhiffju8t
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 19, 2026
Pearl Harbor remains one of the most sensitive moments in U.S.-Japan history. The 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, killed more than 2,400 Americans and brought the U.S. into World War II.
In the decades since, American presidents have largely avoided raising the attack in meetings with Japanese leaders, focusing instead on the alliance between the two countries.
The U.S. and Japan have been formal allies since 1952.
Denmark prepared for possible US strike, report says
Denmark reportedly planned for the possibility of a U.S. attack on Greenland earlier this year, with contingency plans that included destroying key runways to keep American aircraft from landing there.
Danish broadcaster DR reported that in January, Danish forces flew blood supplies and explosives to Greenland as Trump publicly pushed for U.S. control of the territory, and warned it could happen “the hard way.”
The explosives were meant for runways in Greenland’s capital, Nuuk and at another airfield farther north, all part of a plan to prevent U.S. aircraft from landing.
The blood supplies were intended to treat wounded if fighting broke out.
Danish officials grew more concerned after the U.S. military operation in Venezuela in early January. Some sources compared the moment to 1940, when Denmark was invaded by Nazi Germany.
The deployment was formally presented as a NATO exercise called “Arctic Endurance,” but sources say it was a real operation, not routine training.
Dr. Peter Viggo Jakobsen, a strategy professor at the Royal Danish Defense College, told Straight Arrow News, earlier this year, “If the U.S. were to attack an ally and take over part of its territory, it would be doing exactly the same as Russia did when it attacked Ukraine in 2022.”
Divers recover missing Alabama student’s body near Barcelona nightclub
Just days after a University of Alabama student went missing during spring break in Barcelona, divers recovered the body of 20-year-old James Gracey in the Mediterranean on Thursday, near the nightclub where he had been with friends earlier in the week.
Barcelona police told CNN the death appears to be an accident, not a homicide.
During spring break, Gracey was in Spain visiting friends when he went missing. Friends say he got separated from the group at the club and never made it back to their Airbnb. They reported him missing after he didn’t return.
Police have recovered his wallet and cell phone.
Gracey was a junior at the University of Alabama. His family traveled to Spain to join the search, and in a statement, called him a “deeply loved son, grandson, brother and friend.”
They added, “We are profoundly grateful for the outpouring of love, support and prayers. So many helped share Jimmy’s story so others could know him.”
Former FBI agents sue over firings, allege political retaliation over 2020 case
Two former FBI agents are suing the federal government, alleging they were fired for their work on the investigation into Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The lawsuit accuses FBI Director Kash Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi of political retaliation.
The agents, identified as John Doe 1 and John Doe 2, claim they were removed last fall after being linked to the internal investigation known as “Arctic Frost.” According to the filing, neither agent was given notice, a hearing or any evidence supporting their termination.
The lawsuit argues both men had only minor roles in the case, performing administrative tasks rather than leading the investigation. That probe was overseen by special counsel Jack Smith.
The agents are requesting a federal judge to reinstate them, claiming their First and Fifth Amendment rights were violated. Their attorneys say the firings were due to their perceived political disloyalty to the president.
“Political support for President Trump is not a legal or appropriate requirement for the effective performance of plaintiffs’ respective roles within the FBI,” the lawsuit states. “Accordingly, perceived lack of political support for President Trump is an impermissible basis for termination of plaintiffs’ FBI Employment.”
The lawsuit comes as multiple former agents challenge what they describe as a broader effort to remove officials tied to investigations involving Trump.
The Justice Department has not responded to the lawsuit.
Federal panel approves Trump image for gold coin marking 250th anniversary
A new commemorative coin is in production, and this one features a sitting president.
A federal arts commission has authorized the creation of a 24-karat gold coin depicting President Donald Trump, as part of the celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary.
The design shows Trump at a desk, with “liberty” and “in God we trust” inscribed on the coin, and a bald eagle on the reverse side. The image is based on his portrait, which is already hanging at the Smithsonian.
The approval paves the way for the U.S. Mint to begin production, although the final size and value are still being decided.
“As we approach our 250th birthday, we are thrilled to prepare coins that represent the enduring spirit of our country and democracy, and there is no profile more emblematic for the front of such coins.”
— U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach
The move has garnered attention because federal law generally prohibits living individuals, including sitting presidents, from appearing on U.S. currency.
Treasury officials say they can move forward here because commemorative gold coins fall under different authority.
This isn’t the only coin being discussed. The administration has also floated a separate $1 coin featuring the president, including a design showing Trump after the 2024 assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania.
It’s part of a larger pattern — with Trump’s name also appearing on buildings like the Institute of Peace, cultural icons like the Kennedy Center and even a new class of battleships.
The gold coin would be made in limited quantities and could fetch thousands of dollars.
More from Straight Arrow News:
14% of families spend more on day care than housing. What’s the fix?
Brittany Dunbar and her husband pay about $3,100 a month for child care in suburban Baltimore — roughly $300 more than the mortgage on their $550,000 home.
Before having a child, Dunbar expected to pay around $2,000 per month for child care. But when it came time to enroll her daughter, most centers in that range either had long waitlists or environments she wasn’t comfortable with, such as dirty, disorganized spaces or staff distracted on their phones.
Today, Dunbar describes the national branded day care her daughter attends as “pretty standard.” Read the full story now>
Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
