Trump predicts Iran war will end ‘soon,’ as Tehran threatens oil blockade

President Donald Trump signals a quick end to the war in Iran. But Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the attacks are “only just the beginning.”

Plus, Australia grants asylum to five Iranian women’s soccer players after they refused to sing their country’s national anthem.

And a Florida woman faces attempted murder charges after police say she fired multiple shots outside Rihanna’s Los Angeles home.

These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Tuesday, March 10, 2026.

Trump predicts war will end ‘soon,’ warns of wider strikes if oil flow is cut

President Donald Trump said the Iranian conflict could end “soon,” but cautioned about the possibility of wider strikes if Iran attacks global oil supplies. When asked, the president declined to give a specific timeline for when the fighting might end.

Trump’s comments also contrast with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has said the recent U.S. strikes are “only just the beginning.”

Meanwhile, Iran has warned it might shut down oil exports from the region. A military spokesperson said that if U.S. and Israeli attacks continue, Iran “will not allow the export of even one liter of oil.”

Trump responded Monday night on social media, saying if Iran blocks shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, the United States would hit Iran “20 times harder.”

A senior Iranian official also told CNN that his country is ready for a prolonged war with the United States and suggested Iran might continue targeting Gulf countries to pressure Washington into de-escalating.

“I don’t see any room for diplomacy anymore. Because Donald Trump had been deceiving others and not keeping with his promises, and we experienced this in two times of negotiations — that while we were engaged in negotiations, they struck us.

There’s no room unless the economic pressure would be built up to the extent that other countries would intervene to guarantee (the) termination of aggression of Americans and Israelis against Iran.”

— Kamal Kharazi, Iranian foreign policy adviser

All the while, the fighting continues.

Iran launched new missile and drone attacks Tuesday, with sirens sounding in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv as residents were warned to take cover. And in Tehran, multiple explosions were reported overnight as joint U.S. and Israeli strikes continue.

Verified video shows blast beside Iranian elementary school playground

A newly surfaced video shows an explosion near an elementary school in western Iran during the first day of U.S.-Israeli strikes on the country. The footage documents a second known blast near a school on Feb. 28, the opening day of the conflict.

The video, verified by The New York Times, comes from security cameras a Imam Reza Elementary School for boys in the city of Abyek, in Iran’s Qazvin Province west of Tehran.

It shows students outside during recess shortly before the explosion.

The footage shows about 40 boys on the playground during the morning break. Some stand near a soccer goal while others gather in small groups.

Moments later, an explosion erupts on a nearby hillside where a communications tower stands. Windows at the school shatter, and debris appears to strike the playground as students scatter.

The Times reported that satellite imagery and geolocation analysis indicate the apparent target was a communications tower on a nearby hill, less than 400 feet from the school. The U.S. military has not commented on the apparent strike.

This is the second known strike near a school that day. As reported Monday, a video verified by The Times shows a Tomahawk cruise missile striking an Iranian Revolutionary Guard naval base next to a girls’ school in Minab.

Iranian officials said 175 people were killed, most of them young school girls. Neither the United States nor Israel has publicly confirmed responsibility for that strike. However, President Trump told reporters yesterday that the U.S. is still investigating.

Australia grants asylum to Iranian soccer team after anthem protest

Australia has granted asylum to five members of Iran’s women’s national soccer team. They were in the country for a tournament when war broke out in Iran.

The decision follows requests from Iranian groups in Australia — and even President Donald Trump — urging the government to provide protection.

Early Tuesday morning, police escorted the five players from their hotel on the Gold Coast to what officials called a safe location after they requested asylum. Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said he met with the players before their humanitarian visas were approved.

The team gained worldwide attention last week when the players refused to sing Iran’s national anthem before their first match in Australia. Iranian state media later labeled them “traitors,” calling the move “the pinnacle of dishonor.”

It’s a 26-person team. Burke said the rest of the team has also been offered the opportunity to stay in Australia.

“Australia has taken the Iranian women’s soccer team into our hearts. These women are tremendously popular in Australia, but we realize they are in a terribly difficult situation with the decisions that they’re making. But the opportunity will continue to be there for them to talk to Australian officials if they wish to.

These women have been weighing up an incredibly difficult decision, incredibly difficult decision, and I respect that, you know, even though the offer continues to be there for other members of the team, it is quite possible and indeed likely that not every woman in the team will make a decision to take up the opportunity that Australia would offer to them. What matters here is that they have the best agency they can over those decisions.”

— Tony Burke, Australian Home Affairs Minister

It’s unclear when the other players are expected to return to Iran.

But tensions escalated Tuesday when protesters tried to block a bus reportedly carrying team members from their hotel. Local media reported that the team later took a flight from Gold Coast Airport.

Alexander brothers convicted on sex‑trafficking charges

Once known as real estate’s “A-Team,” the Alexander brothers have now been convicted on all ten counts in a sex trafficking case by a federal jury.

A federal jury in New York convicted Oren and Alon Alexander, along with their brother Tal, on all charges after a five-week trial featuring testimony from 11 women.

Prosecutors said the brothers used their wealth, access and party-and-travel lifestyle to lure women into their circle — then drugged and sexually assaulted them.

Several women testified to jurors that they felt intoxicated or out of control after drinking or nights out, and they reported that the assaults occurred after invitations to exclusive parties and trips.

The brothers pleaded not guilty and denied the allegations.

Defense lawyers told jurors the encounters were consensual and argued that prosecutors failed to prove a sex trafficking conspiracy.

After the verdict, U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton described the crimes as “chilling, reprehensible and unacceptable,” and commended the women who came forward.

The family called the decision disappointing, and defense attorneys said they plan to appeal.

Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 6.

Shots fired at Rihanna’s home; police arrest woman on attempted‑murder charge

A Florida woman faces an attempted murder charge after police say she opened fire outside Rihanna’s Los Angeles home over the weekend. Authorities identified the suspect as 35-year-old Ivanna Lisette Ortiz.

Investigators said she drove to the entrance of the singer’s Beverly Hills property Sunday afternoon and started shooting from her car. Police said multiple rounds were fired, some striking the gate and a nearby vehicle on the property.

Rihanna was at home with A$AP Rocky and their three young children at the time, but no one was hurt.

Investigators said Ortiz then fled the scene in a white Tesla, but officers tracked the vehicle to a shopping center parking lot in nearby Sherman Oaks, where she was taken into custody about half an hour later.

Police said they recovered an AR-15-style rifle and shell casings from the vehicle.

Ortiz is now being held on bail set at over $10 million.

Uber rolls out women‑driver option for female riders

Uber has officially launched a new safety feature aimed at protecting women. The rideshare app’s new “women preferences” feature pairs female riders with female drivers across the country.

Women can now request a female driver using the “women drivers” option in the app. They can also reserve rides in advance with a female driver.

Female users can set a preference for women drivers in their account settings — which increases the chances of being matched with one, but doesn’t guarantee it.

Teen account users will also have the option to request women drivers.

And female drivers can set their own preferences to accept trips from female riders.

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More from Straight Arrow News:

Americans didn’t largely oppose war. Military strikes in Iran changed that

America’s joint military strikes with Israel have largely been met with disapproval from Americans as many see oil prices rise and President Donald Trump’s remarks on American casualties. The opinions are a stark difference from support for other prominent military actions in the past 25 years.

Several polls conducted in the past week revealed between 43% and 59% of Americans disapproved of the military strikes Trump ordered against Iran in what his administration coined as Operation Epic Fury. The results showed a division between Americans and Trump about the optics of the Iran War. Read the full story now>

Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief