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Rubio Says ‘Hardest Hits Are Yet to Come’ as Trump Predicts Weeks of War

President Trump said on Monday that the United States would attack Iran for as long as it took to leave it incapable of posing a threat, and his secretary of state signaled that the military campaign would escalate, in comments that indicated that the expanding war in the Middle East could intensify and continue for weeks or more.

“Whatever the time is, it’s OK, whatever it takes,” Trump said at his first public event since U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iran began on Saturday. “Right from the beginning we projected four to five weeks, but we have the capability to go far longer than that.” On Capitol Hill, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that “the hardest hits are yet to come from the U.S. military.”

Speaking ahead of a classified briefing for congressional leaders, Rubio argued that U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran were intended to address an “imminent threat,” but then went on to describe an attack undertaken preemptively, on the expectation that Israel would begin strikes even without the United States and that Iran would include U.S. targets in its retaliation. He said the United States would strike Iran until it had achieved its objectives, including the destruction of Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities.

Listing those objectives at the White House earlier in the day, Trump said, “We’re destroying Iran’s missile capability, and we’re doing that hourly.” He said the strikes were “annihilating their navy,” and ensuring that “this sick and sinister regime” in Tehran “can never obtain a nuclear weapon” or continue to sponsor militant groups across the Middle East.

The Pentagon said the death toll of U.S. service members killed in Iranian strikes had risen to six. And three U.S. jets were shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses in what the U.S. military called an “apparent friendly fire incident.” All six crew members from the planes ejected safely and were recovered, the U.S. said.

The New York Post reported that the president had said in an interview on Monday: “I don’t have the yips with respect to boots on the ground — like every president says, ‘There will be no boots on the ground.’ I don’t say it.”

As U.S. and Israeli planes pounded targets in Iran for the third day, the fighting expanded into Lebanon, where the Iranian-allied militia Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel, prompting Israel to bombard the militia’s strongholds outside Beirut. Early Tuesday, the Israeli military said it was attacking again in Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah command centers and weapons storage facilities in the capital, Beirut.

Around the same time, the United Arab Emirates’ ministry of defense said its air defenses were “dealing with a barrage of ballistic missiles” from Iran. And within hours, the Saudi defense ministry said that U.S. Embassy in Riyadh had been attacked by two drones, resulting in a “limited fire” and minor damage.

A senior Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps official vowed on Monday that “not a single drop of oil” would pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the conduit for about one-fifth of the world’s supply. Ebrahim Jabari, an adviser to the Revolutionary Guards commander, said on Iranian state TV, that Iran would “set on fire” any ships attempting to transit the strait. Traffic through the strait has already slowed to a trickle, after the Revolutionary Guards warned ships away over the weekend, but Iran had not directly threatened them.

In another sign of an expansion of attacks in the Middle East, Qatar’s ministry of defense said its air force had shot down two Su-24 bombers coming from Iran, the first report that Iran, which has fired missiles and drones at its Gulf neighbors and Israel in retaliation for the Israeli-U.S. assault, had also sent warplanes into their airspace.

Iranian leaders remained defiant. The country’s top security official, Ali Larijani, denied news reports that Iran’s new leaders were seeking to negotiate with Washington, denouncing Mr. Trump for “delusional fantasies” and for plunging the Middle East “into chaos.” Iran, he said in a string of fiery social media posts on Monday, “has prepared itself for a long war.”

Read More : Iran Live Updates: Trump Predicts Weeks of War, and Rubio Says U.S. Ground Troops Are Possible - The New York Times
US Appeals Court Denies Trump Bid to Delay Tariff Refund Lawsuits

A US federal appeals court on Monday rejected President Donald Trump's push to delay legal proceedings linked to tariff refunds, allowing the battle to proceed in a lower court.

The Supreme Court last month delivered a stinging rebuke of Trump's signature economic policy by striking down his global tariffs -- opening the door to a complicated legal fight as companies sue for their money back.

The tariffs ruled illegal had generated over $130 billion for the US government as of late-2025.

The Trump administration argued Friday for a delay of up to four months before litigation on refunds is brought up again at the US Court of International Trade.

But the demand was denied Monday in an order by the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

A group of small businesses whose case is before the court said in an earlier filing Monday that the Trump administration's call for a months-long delay was "plainly unreasonable."

"This Court should not accept the government's invitation to grant forms of relief the Supreme Court obviously found inappropriate," they argued.

The Supreme Court decision does not impact Trump's sector-specific duties.

- Rush for refunds -

Trump's global tariffs have triggered a barrage of legal pushback.

The Liberty Justice Center, a group representing some of the small businesses challenging the tariffs, estimates that more than 900 claims seeking refunds have been filed in federal court.

These include claims by major firms like delivery and freight giant FedEx, which filed a suit last month, and warehouse retailer Costco, whose challenge came before the Supreme Court's ruling.

Others that have filed cases recently include appliances maker Dyson and cosmetics giant L'Oreal.

Some analysts estimate that over 1,000 corporate entities are already involved in the fight for repayments.

The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled in August last year that many of Trump's tariffs were illegal but would return the question of refunds to the Court of International Trade.

It held off on returning the case to the lower court as Trump appealed to the Supreme Court -- though on Monday lifted the halt.

"For months, the government insisted there was no irreparable harm because businesses could always be made whole through refunds," the Liberty Justice Center said in a statement last week.

"The government cannot have it both ways. It cannot argue there is no harm because refunds are available -- and then delay when the time comes to return the money," it added.

After the high court struck down his country-specific tariffs, Trump tapped a different law to impose a new 10-percent duty on imports. He has threatened to hike the level to 15 percent.

On Friday, Trump again slammed the ruling on social media: "Is a Rehearing or Readjudication of this case possible???"

Read More : US Appeals Court Denies Trump Bid to Delay Tariff Refund Lawsuits | Newsmax.com
Victim’s DNA found inside home at center of Mobile County kidnapping case, judge sends case to grand jury

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - A Mobile County judge determined Monday there is sufficient evidence to present kidnapping charges against Hector Gamaliel Argueta-Guerra to a grand jury. This after a preliminary hearing in which a major crimes detective testified about DNA results, surveillance footage, and cell phone data.

Argueta-Guerra faces three counts of kidnapping in connection with the disappearance of 18-year-old Niurka Zuleta-Choc, her 2-year-old brother Anthony, and their mother Aurelia Choc. The family has been missing since Jan. 31. Argueta-Guerra, who is in the country illegally from El Salvador, has pleaded not guilty.

DNA results, blood evidence detailed in court

A major crimes detective testified that DNA results confirm blood found inside the home belongs to Niurka Zuleta-Choc. The detective said blood was found on a couch, on white shoes in the living room, on a bed, on a white trash bag in a bedroom, and on the master bathroom floor. Investigators have not released DNA results from a confiscated van.

Surveillance video, cell phone data cited

The detective testified that surveillance videos from nearby businesses linked the van to the abduction. Cell phone data placed Argueta-Guerra traveling the same route three times to and from the house the night of Jan. 30 into the early morning hours of Jan. 31.

Argueta-Guerra borrowed the van from his boss, who is dating his sister, the detective testified. When first interviewed by detectives and the FBI, Argueta-Guerra denied being near the Choc home. He said the van belonged to his boss but confirmed the tracked cell phone was his and that no one else uses it. Investigators said they are still retrieving data from his phone.

Investigators also say the owner of the van is not being ruled out as a suspect, but he is cooperating with authorities.

The detective said no fingerprints or footprints were recovered from the home and that there are no witnesses to the alleged abduction.

Arrest, criminal history

Argueta-Guerra was arrested in Baldwin County after bailing out of a car and hiding under a home from law enforcement. He has pending charges for that out of Baldwin County.

Investigators said he has a lengthy criminal past, including warrants out of El Salvador for alleged gang activity, and that he is a member of the Sureños gang.

Search efforts ongoing

The detective said investigators have searched areas along the route Argueta-Guerra allegedly traveled the night the family disappeared. Additional searches are planned once more resources become available.

Anyone with information about the family’s whereabouts is asked to contact authorities

Read more : Victim’s DNA found inside home at center of Mobile County kidnapping case, judge sends case to grand jury