Conservative Blogger
Saturday, February 28, 2026
US and Israel Attack Iran as Trump Says US Begins 'Major Combat Operations'
The U.S. and Israel launched a major attack on Iran on Saturday, with President Donald Trump calling on the Iranian public to “seize control of your destiny” and rise up against the Islamic leadership that has ruled the nation since 1979. Some of the first strikes appeared to hit areas around the
offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and Iranian media
reported strikes nationwide. Smoke could be seen rising from the
capital. It wasn’t immediately clear whether the 86-year-old leader was
in his offices at the time of the strike.
“When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations,” Trump said in a video announcing “major combat operations” were underway. “For many years, you have asked for America’s help, but you never got it.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu echoed that sweeping goal. “Our joint operation will create the conditions for the brave Iranian people to take their fate into their own hands,” Netanyahu said. The strikes opened a stunning new chapter in U.S. intervention in Iran and marked the second time in eight months that the Trump administration has used military force against the Islamic Republic. They also came just weeks after Trump ordered a military operation to capture Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, and bring him and his wife to New York to face federal drug conspiracy charges. Tensions have soared in recent weeks as American warships moved into the region. Trump said he wanted a deal to constrain Iran’s nuclear program at a moment when the country is struggling at home with growing dissent following nationwide protests. The immediate trigger for Saturday’s strikes appears to be the unsuccessful latest round of nuclear talks. But they also reflect the dramatic changes across the region that have left Iran’s leadership in its weakest position since the Islamic Revolution nearly half a century ago. Israeli and American strikes last June greatly weakened Iran’s air defenses, military leadership and nuclear program. A regionwide war, sparked by Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, has left Iran’s network of proxies across the Middle East greatly weakened. U.S. sanctions and global isolation, meanwhile, have decimated Iran’s economy. Iran responded to the latest strikes as it had been threatening to do for months — first launching a wave of missiles and drones targeting Israel. It followed with strikes targeting U.S. military installations in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar. The United Arab Emirates and Iraq shut down their airspace. Iran’s Foreign Ministry issued a defiant statement, saying that the country “will not hesitate” in its response. In a statement posted on X, the ministry said: “The time has come to defend the homeland and confront the enemy’s military assault.” Forty people were reported killed at a girls’ school in southern Iran in the Israeli-U.S. strikes, according to Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency. At least 45 others were wounded in the attack in Minab in Iran’s Hormozgan province. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on reported strike on the school. In an indication of the scope of the conflict, air defense fire thudded over Dubai, the commercial capital of the United Arab Emirates, Saturday afternoon. Associated Press journalists saw the aftereffects of the blast from an interceptor. Four people were also killed by an Iranian missile striking a building in Syria’s southern city of Sweida, according to Syrian state television. Shrapnel from an Iranian missile attack on the capital of the UAE killed one person, state media said. The attacks came after weeks of the U.S. military massing forces in the region even as U.S. and Iranian envoys held talks in Switzerland and Oman aimed at finding a diplomatic solution to head off an American military operation. Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, a key mediator in the U.S.-Iran nuclear talks, said in a post on X that he was dismayed that U.S. and Israel moved forward with the operation. “Active and serious negotiations have yet again been undermined,” said al-Busaidi, who traveled to Washington on Friday to meet with Vice President JD Vance for talks. “Neither the interests of the United States nor the cause of global peace are well served by this. And I pray for the innocents who will suffer. I urge the United States not to get sucked in further.” Israel said the operation was carried out as a “broad, coordinated, and joint operation against the regime” that has been planned for months between the Israeli and U.S. militaries. Trump, in justifying the military action, claimed that Iran has continued to develop its nuclear program and plans to develop missiles to reach the U.S. He also acknowledged that there could be American casualties, saying “that often happens in war.” It was a notable call on Americans to brace themselves from a U.S. leader who swept into office on an “America First” platform and vowed to keep out of “forever wars” that had bogged down his recent predecessors. Trump’s statement indicated the U.S. was striking for reasons far beyond the nuclear program, listing grievances stretching back to the beginning of the Islamic Republic following a revolution in 1979 that turned Iran from one of America’s closest allies in the Middle East into a fierce foe. The U.S. president said he was aiming to “annihilate” the Iranian navy and destroy regional proxies supported by Tehran. He also called on the Iranian Revolutionary Guard to lay down its arms, pledging that members would be given immunity, while warning they would face “certain death” if they didn’t. “They’ve rejected every opportunity to renounce their nuclear ambitions, and we can’t take it anymore,” Trump said. Trump had threatened military action — but held off — following Iran's recent crackdown on protests spurred by economic grievances and evolved into a nationwide, anti-government push against the ruling clerics. The Human Rights Activists News Agency says it confirmed more than 7,000 deaths in the crackdown and that it is investigating thousands more. The government has acknowledged more than 3,000 killed, though it has undercounted or not reported fatalities from past unrest. Iran has said it hasn’t enriched since June, but it has blocked international inspectors from visiting the sites America bombed during a 12-day war then. Satellite photos analyzed by The Associated Press have shown new activity at two of those sites, suggesting Iran is trying to assess and potentially recover material there. Iran currently has a self-imposed limit on its ballistic missile program, limiting their range to 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles). That puts all the Mideast and some of Eastern Europe in their range. There is no public evidence of Iran seeking to have intercontinental ballistic missiles, though Washington has criticized its space program as potentially allowing it to one day. Iran had hoped to avert a war, but maintains it has the right to enrich uranium and does not want to discuss other issues, like its long-range missile program or support for armed groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. The strikes could also have a huge impact on global markets, particularly if Iran is able to make the Strait of Hormuz unsafe for commercial traffic. More than 14 million barrels per day of oil passed through the strait in 2025, about a third of total worldwide oil exports transported by sea. Iranian media reported strikes nationwide. Roads to Khamenei's compound in downtown Tehran had been shut down by authorities as other blasts rang out across the capital. Khamenei has not made a public appearance in recent days and wasn't immediately seen after. During the 12-day war in June, he was believed to have been taken to a secure location away from his Tehran compound. In Tehran, witnesses heard the first blast by Khamenei’s office. Iranian state television later reported on the explosion, without offering a cause. More explosions struck Iran’s capital after Israel said it was attacking the country. Authorities have offered no casualty information from the strikes. Targets in the Israeli campaign included Iran’s military, symbols of government and intelligence targets, according to an official briefed on the operation, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss nonpublic information on the attack. Hours after the strikes, Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said it launched a “first wave” of drones and missiles targeting Israel, where a nationwide warning was issued as the military said it was working to intercept incoming Iranian missiles. There was no immediate word on any damage or casualties from the ongoing attack. Meanwhile, Bahrain said that a missile attack targeted the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet headquarters in the island kingdom. Witnesses heard sirens and explosions in Kuwait, home to U.S. Army Central. Explosions could be also be heard in Qatar. Iraq and the United Arab Emirates closed their airspace, and sirens sounded in Jordan. Iraqi officials also reported a drone strike hit a headquarters of the Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah militia in Iraq, killing two people and wounding three Saturday. The group had earlier threatened to enter the fray should Iran come under attack. An Israeli military official said Israel was not aware of any Israeli strikes on Kataib Hezbollah headquarters in Iraq. The Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen, meanwhile, vowed to resume attacks on Red Sea shipping routes and on Israel, according to two senior Houthi officials. They spoke on condition of anonymity because there was no official announcement from the Houthi leadership. U.S. embassies or consulates in Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Israel posted on social media that they told staffers to shelter in place and recommended all Americans “do the same until further notice.” |
Missouri Draws the Line: No More Expiration Dates on Protecting Girls’ Sports
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Is it just me, or does it seem like common sense is starting to bloom? The Missouri House voted to remove the expiration date on its law protecting women’s sports. The bill passed along party lines. Republicans said what most parents already know: If you want fairness in girls’ athletics, you have to protect the category itself. Democrats said the state needs more “study” and more “discussion.” It'll be nice to see whether the word "woman" still means something in law. In 2023, the Missouri General Assembly passed a law
that barred biological males from competing in girls’ and women’s
sports. It also restricted gender procedures for minors. Senate
Democrats filibustered. The compromise included a four-year sunset
clause. In other words, the law would expire unless renewed. Now House Republicans want to remove that ticking clock. State Rep. Brian Seitz of Branson said the expiration was “a matter of capitulation.” He is right. A sunset clause is what you add when you do not have the votes to stand firm. Making the protections permanent, he argued, ensures female athletes have a level playing field. That phrase matters: level playing field. It is the entire point of Title IX. Congress passed Title IX in 1972 to guarantee equal opportunities for women in education and athletics. It recognized that biological differences exist and that separate categories are sometimes necessary to protect fairness. If you erase the category, you erase the protection. RELATED: Where's Gavin? Once Again, Trans Athlete Breaks the Hearts and Dreams of California Girls U of Nevada-Reno Players Now Slamming 'Emotional Blackmail' in Title IX Case State Rep. Cathy Jo Loy of Carthage put it plainly. "If we erode sex based protections in athletics...we would collapse the very category that allowed generations of women to compete fairly." Is that the sound of logic in the air? Before the 2023 law, decisions were left to groups like the Missouri State High School Activities Association. From 2012 to 2022, 12 transgender athletes tried out for Missouri school sports under policies that allowed participation after a year of hormone suppression. Democrats are leaning hard on that number. State Rep. Wick Thomas argued that more bills have been filed than the number of transgender athletes in the state. He called it a misuse of time and taxpayer dollars to “attack” those 12 kids. Here is the problem with that framing. Laws are not written only for today’s numbers. They are written for principles that must hold tomorrow. If fairness matters, it matters whether one athlete or one hundred athletes are involved. And let’s be honest about the science. Even after hormone therapy, biological males retain advantages in bone density, muscle mass, lung capacity, and fast-twitch muscle fibers. You can read the data from groups like the American College of Sports Medicine. This is not a secret. It is basic physiology. Democrats say the “learning process” is not complete. They want more study. But girls who lose roster spots, scholarships, and podium finishes do not get those years back. There is no retroactive fairness. Some opponents of the bill raised concerns about enforcement. State Rep. Raychel Proudie worried about invasive testing and about Black female athletes being unfairly scrutinized. Those concerns deserve sober discussion. No one wants humiliating inspections or witch hunts. But here is what often gets left unsaid. The current law is already in effect. Removing the sunset does not create a new regime. It simply keeps existing protections from disappearing in four years. If there are gaps in enforcement language, fix them. If there are safeguards needed to prevent abuse, add them. That is what legislatures are for. But do not pretend that protecting girls’ sports is itself an act of aggression. When I watch my tiny niece chase a soccer ball across that field, ponytail bouncing, shin guards too big for her skinny legs, I don’t see politics. I see innocence. I see effort. I see a little girl learning courage in real time. She runs as hard as she can. She falls. She pops back up. She grins like she just won the World Cup after every goal. That field is where she is building confidence brick by brick. If a biological male ever stepped onto that field and knocked her around because adults were too cowardly to protect her category, I would move from spectator to participant in about three seconds flat. We spent decades telling young women they deserve equal opportunity. We've spent the last eight years being told that protecting that opportunity is somehow bigotry. Missouri’s House is saying no. The bill now heads to the Senate. Democrats will likely resist again. There will be speeches about inclusion and identity. There will be accusations of hate. If the category of women’s sports disappears, it will not be because voters demanded it. It will be because lawmakers were too timid to defend what everyone knows is true. Missouri Republicans have decided that compromise has an expiration date. Fairness should not. |
Ayatollah's Compound Demolished and Some Big Iranian Leaders Bite the Dust
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As RedState reported, President Donald Trump reached his breaking point on Saturday with Iran, launching a massive joint air assault in conjunction with the Israelis. The attacks are expected to last for several days, and unlike the 12 Day War, this operation appears to have a more final endgame: The end of the Iranian Islamic regime. See: President Trump Confirms Major Combat Operations in Iran For weeks, the Trump administration attempted to achieve a diplomatic outcome, only to have those efforts rebuffed with arrogance and an unwillingness to move on key issues. While Iran's negotiators claimed to be garnering concessions, the American president kept publicly expressing his increasing discontent with the situation. With the
arrival of the USS Gerald Ford carrier group into the region, the stage
was set to end the obvious stalling by the Iranians, and the show has
now started. According to multiple reports, the first round of strikes,
which were carried out by the IAF, directly targeted the regime's
leadership, and some big names have been eliminated.
Mohammad Pakpour was appointed during the 12 Day War after his predecessor was eliminated, promising to "keep going until the end." Well, he did that, I suppose. Damage assessments are ongoing, but the expectation is that a significant part of Iran's military and political leadership has been taken out. That these strikes were launched in broad daylight, in mid-morning, was certainly part of that strategy. The Iranians likely believed that any attack would begin under the cover of darkness.
Of course, the big question is whether Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, was hit. We don't know that yet. What we do know is that he was targeted. Videos of his compound being leveled have emerged.
It's going to take time to really get a feel for what's happening on the ground. I would say not to get lulled in by what you see online and on television. It's easy to see the same three videos being played on a loop and assume this is a smaller operation than it is. All indications are of a large-scale, widespread assault on Iran, and you can bet that most of their navy is already at the bottom of the sea as well. This is a developing story, and as we know more, we'll be sure to report it. |
I'm Stunned USA Today Published This Op-Ed From a Dem About Trump's State of the Union
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I’m surprised that a liberal publication did this, but it has happened before, even in more left-leaning outlets, which I will mention shortly. USA Today featured a brief article by Joni Werner,
a Democrat from Texas. She watched Trump’s State of the Union address and aligned with nearly everything he said. Uh, Joni, are you certain you’re a Democrat? Werner believed the
president’s message and agenda were correct for the nation and vital for
restoring the economy. She was also disgusted that Democrats did not
support the heroes present and failed to give Mr. Trump equal
opportunity to govern:
Amen, Joni. Also, feel free to change parties anytime. We’d love to have you. |
US-Israel Launches Major Airstrikes on Iran, Extensive Strikes Slated to Continue
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Has it begun? For weeks, President Trump has warned that severe consequences could befall the Iranian regime if it couldn’t work out a deal regarding its nuclear ambitions. Tehran, weakened since Operation Midnight Hammer last summer, has been bracing as the U.S. has deployed massive military assets into the region. With no deal hashed out and the Iranians rejecting all overtures, the
time for action is now, and it could be happening as we speak. As we
speak, there have been “assassination” strikes around Tehran. These
U.S.-Israeli strikes have now expanded to the rest of the country,
occurring about an hour after Trump's deadline with Iran expired. The
president has vowed that Tehran would never be able to acquire nuclear
weapons (via WSJ):
Israel has closed its airspace and has essentially gone on lockdown since the strikes began.
This isn't Midnight Hammer. Yes, these are targeted strikes, but this operation is part of a longer campaign against the world's largest state sponsor of terrorism. They had a chance to talk. They fumbled it. Now, we have to bomb them.
This air campaign could last days. UPDATE: Iran prepares "crushing" response. So, a new AI video?
UPDATE II: Trump delivers remarks about the airstrikes. — Townhall.com (@townhallcom) February 28, 2026
UPDATE III: The Iranian defense minister and the head of the judiciary have reportedly been eliminated.
|
Kansas invalidates transgender birth certificates and driver’s licenses after Republicans override veto
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The state of Kansas has invalidated all driver’s licenses and birth certificates for transgender-identifying residents whose legal documentation does not align with their biological sex. In an 87-37 vote, the Kansas Legislature’s Republican majority overrode a veto by Governor Laura Kelly (D-Kan.) to approve Senate Bill 244, which took effect on Thursday. This means that an estimated 1,700 Kansas residents will need to
obtain a new $26 standard driver’s license, effective immediately.
Representative Abi Boatman (D-Wichita), the legislature’s one transgender member, told Axios that the immediate deadline poses a major risk to those who drive to work.
Nonetheless, the KDOR had already sent out letters before the law took effect, notifying residents that there would be no grace period for the rule. The letters were dated February 23rd, 2026. Meanwhile, government entities also face a $25,000 civil penalty for a first-time failure to align with the new regulations and $125,000 for each subsequent violation. SB 244 defines “the term ‘gender’ to mean biological sex at birth” and counters definitions of “gender” that separate the term from biological realities in favor of modern ideology and “chosen or subjective experience of gender.” Since the bill’s enactment, left-wing critics have argued that the legislation creates a framework for state-sanctioned “persecution.” They contend that by retroactively invalidating identification documents and criminalizing the use of specific restrooms, the state is maliciously targeting the LGBTQ community.
Governor Kelly, responding to the override of her veto, reiterated her criticism of the bill as “a poorly drafted bill with significant, far-reaching consequences.”
Last year, Kelly also vetoed Senate Bill 63, the “Help Not Harm Act,” which would have banned sex change surgeries and other medical interventions, such as hormone treatments and puberty blockers, for minors. The legislature overrode this veto, as well. On the flip side, many conservatives argue that allowing driver’s licenses to display a gender marker that doesn’t align with a person’s biological sex can create significant safety risks in several key areas, particularly during emergencies or interactions with authorities. Medical Emergencies and Treatment Errors In situations like car accidents where someone might be unconscious or unable to communicate, emergency responders and medical professionals rely on quick, reliable information from IDs to guide initial care. Biological sex influences critical factors such as drug dosages, as certain medications affect men and women differently, diagnostic approaches, anatomical considerations, or even pregnancy-related risks for those who are biologically female. A mismatched marker could “blind” first responders, leading to potentially life-threatening mistakes or delays in treatment. Law Enforcement and Public Safety Accurate sex markers help police and correctional officers make safe decisions during arrests, searches, or detentions. For instance, knowing biological sex ensures appropriate pat-downs, to avoid claims of misconduct or discomfort from opposite-sex searches, and proper placement in holding facilities or jails. Mismatched IDs can complicate identification and hinder effective law enforcement, potentially endangering officers, detainees and the community. Ultimately, Republicans see the bill not only as a restoration of biological truth, but also as a significant victory for women and girls by mandating that private gendered spaces remain segregated by biological sex. A 2025 STRIVE study of transgender “male-to-female” primary care patients found that only 12% of respondents had undergone vaginoplasty, meaning the large majority retain their male genitalia. This fuels legitimate concerns among many girls and women about privacy — such as avoiding exposure to male genitalia in shared spaces — and potential safety risks, including the possibility of sexual assault in women-only facilities like bathrooms, locker rooms or shelters. |
Mexican Senator Unmasks President's Shocking Cartel Ties on TV
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Well, folks, things are heating up on the U.S.-Mexico border, and we’re not just talking about the temperatures. In a surprising twist, the border is quite literally on fire. Flames of chaos are rising as the cartels, whom we’ve all suspected might have a say in local politics, are now dominating the scene more publicly than ever before. It seems they decided to take matters into their own hands and set the border alight with flaming vehicles to blockade states and disrupt commerce. This raises serious concerns about what’s happening south of our border and way too close for comfort. Now, Mexico, which some argue isn’t
quite the bastion of democracy it likes to present itself as, is
looking like a scene out of an action movie. President Claudia Sheinbaum
finds herself at the center of this fiery controversy. Protests have
been erupting around her presidential palace, with crowds voicing their
discontent over alleged connections between her government and the
cartels, making it feel more like a cartel capital than a democratic
state. The rumor mill is running wild, suggesting that the very folks
tasked with keeping law and order might be more aligned with the
outlaws. If this sounds like a plot twist, hold on tight. President Donald Trump, never one to shy away from a good fight, has proposed a bold strategy: land strikes on those nefarious cartels trotting their illegal wares across the border. Echoing the sentiments of many alarmed citizens, Trump’s approach comes across as a much-needed exit from the chaos, perhaps a beacon of hope that someone might finally stand up to the powerful grip of the drug lords. After all, a country should be run from the presidential palace, not a cartel stronghold, right? On the flip side, brave souls like Mexican Senator Lilly Téllez are stepping into the spotlight. Armed not with weapons but with the fiery truth, Téllez doesn’t mince her words — Mexico is firmly in the clutches of the cartels. Facing threats of imprisonment from what she dubs a cartel-friendly regime, Téllez is like a lone voice in a raging storm, appealing desperately for U.S. intervention. Her gripping tales of corruption and fear paint a picture that aligns surprisingly well with what critics have suspected all along. But here’s the kicker, folks. While our friends across the border grapple with their cartels, the conversation here in the U.S. turns to open borders and policies that welcome anyone looking to cross uneven lines drawn in the sand. So, as fire glimmers on the horizon, we can’t help but ask: who’s really running the show down there? And more importantly, what’s the cost of ignoring those flames licking the borders? It might be time to stop playing patty-cake with progressive narratives and start addressing the real threats knocking at our door. |
Bill Clinton's Straight Talk Rocks Epstein Probe
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Former President Bill Clinton sat for a closed-door deposition before the House Oversight Committee on February 27, 2026, telling lawmakers he “saw nothing” and “did nothing wrong” with regard to Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes. That blunt, short answer under oath stunned those who expected evasions, and it was captured in opening remarks Clinton shared publicly as the hearing began. The day before, Hillary Clinton
had also been questioned by the panel, prompting sharp exchanges and
sparking complaints that the inquiry was partisan theater. Republicans
on the committee pushed for answers about travel, photos, and the
Clintons’ ties to Epstein, insisting these depositions were necessary
despite Democratic objections. House Oversight Chair James Comer wasted no time framing Friday’s testimony as vindication, saying Bill Clinton’s answers effectively exonerated President Trump and calling the proceedings a rebuke to Democratic theatrics. Comer’s statement that Clinton was the “third witness” to clear Trump under oath underscores how the committee is using sworn testimony to push back against what Republicans call weaponized investigations. Conservatives should welcome sworn testimony that undermines the fevered accusations hurled at a sitting president. For too long the left has used media-driven smears and selective leaks to punish political opponents; when witnesses under oath say there’s no evidence, common sense and the rule of law demand the smear campaign stop. Democrats who championed endless probes ought to explain why they pursued pageantry instead of facts, and they must answer for turning a legitimate inquiry into a political circus. The American people are tired of investigations that feel engineered to ruin reputations rather than to find truth, and these depositions exposed that bias in a stark way. Chairman Comer deserves credit for forcing long-overdue answers out of powerful figures who previously shrugged off scrutiny. Whether you cheer or scoff at his tactics, the result was plain: sworn testimony that contradicted the narrative Democrats were pushing, and that should lead to a recalibration of priorities in Washington. If Washington is ever to be restored to decency, oversight must be relentless, even-handed, and focused on facts rather than headlines. Friday’s depositions were a reminder that sworn truth still matters, and conservatives should press that advantage until accountability and fairness return to the center of American public life. |
Friday, February 27, 2026
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