RUBIO: ‘WRITE THEM DOWN’: For days now, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been working to lower expectations of what Operation Epic Fury can achieve through its undeniably effective air campaign. Notably, Rubio makes no mention of regime change, recovery of Iran’s enriched uranium, help for the long-suffering Iranian people, or even securing the Strait of Hormuz for international shipping.
In a pair of interviews yesterday, underscored by a post on X, Rubio outlined four carefully circumscribed goals, which he said were achievable within weeks, not months.
“I hear a lot of talk about we don’t know what the clear objectives are,” Rubio said on ABC’s Good Morning America. “Here they are. You should write them down. Number one, the destruction of their air force. Number two, the destruction of their navy. Number three, the severe diminishing of their missile launching capability. And number four, the destruction of their factories so they can’t make more missiles and more drones to threaten us in the future.”
“Here’s the problem. These are all ‘tactical’ objectives. They are not strategy. Because there IS NO strategy,” Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) said in a rebuttal posted on X. “Why the change? Because we are failing in the original mission. Iran still has most of their missiles.”
“We CANNOT destroy all their drones. Their drone attacks continue,” Murphy argued. “Their ‘navy’ isn’t what closes the Strait of Hormuz. It’s thousands of speed boats and suicide boats. And like their drones, we can’t destroy them all.”
As if to underscore the point, Iran struck a fully-loaded Kuwaiti oil tanker off the coast of Dubai. Officials said there were no injuries or oil leakage reported.
RUBIO: US UNSURE IF IRANIAN LEADERS NEGOTIATING WILL END UP IN CHARGE
RUBIO: U.S. NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR REOPENING STRAIT: Rubio is setting the political condition for the U.S. portion of the war to end with the fate of the Strait of Hormuz. “When this operation is over, it will be open, and it will be open one way or another,” Rubio said in an interview with Al Jazeera. “It will be open because Iran agrees to abide by international law and not block the commercial waterway, or a coalition of nations from around the world and the region, with the participation of the United States, will make sure that it’s open. But one way or the other, it’s going to be open.”
Speaking to reporters in Paris last week, Rubio suggested that despite the fact that the U.S.-Israeli war led to the closure of the vital waterway that carries 20% of the world’s oil supply, it should not be up to the U.S. alone to reopen the Strait. “We don’t have to lead that plan, but we’re happy to be a part of it.”
“Countries … all over the world have a lot at stake and should contribute greatly to that effort to ensure that neither the Strait of Hormuz or, frankly, any international waterways should ever be something that’s controlled or tolled by a nation-state or by a terroristic government like the one that exists in Iran today.”
Meanwhile, the Iranian military scoffed at President Donald Trump’s Sunday claim that Iran was allowing 20 “big boats of oil” through the strait as “a sign of respect” for him and a signal that the negotiations are going well.
“Contrary to the insinuations of the US media and Trump himself, no vessel has passed through the Strait of Hormuz without an agreement with Iran and a ‘we-for-our-price’ payment,” the military said in a post on X. “No enemy cargo has and will not pass through the Strait.”
The passage of Pakistani-flagged tankers is something Iran has permitted since the start of the war, as it considers Pakistan, which is seeking to mediate potential peace talks, an ally.
TRUMP STATES ‘PREFERENCE’ TO TAKE OIL FROM IRAN LIKE WITH VENEZUELA
BOLTON: BLOCKADE A BETTER OPTION: In an appearance on CNN, former Trump national security adviser John Bolton said that Trump’s threat to hit desalination plants, which could spark a water war in the region, is a bad idea.
“I wouldn’t recommend that,” Bolton said. “Mostly because I’m concerned about retaliation to our Gulf Arab allies.”
“I think the president’s focused on one thing and one thing only, and that’s the international price of oil,” Bolton said. “Not thinking about nuclear weapons, ballistic missiles, terrorism. He’s thinking about the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.”
Rather than send U.S. ground to secure Iran’s Kargh island distribution point or take over islands in the mouth of the Gulf, Bolton said the U.S. should close the Strait to all traffic. “The better answer is to blockade the Strait of Hormuz and not let any Iranian oil out. If our Gulf Arab allies can’t ship oil, then neither should the Iranians, nor should they be able to earn the proceeds from that, which in one way or another filter back to their war effort to kill American service members.”
TRUMP THREATENS OBLITERATION OF IRAN’S ENERGY SITES IF NEW DEAL ISN’T REACHED WITH ‘NEW REGIME’
Good Tuesday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre’s Daily on Defense, written and compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre) and edited by Christopher Tremoglie. Email here with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at DailyonDefense.com. If signing up doesn’t work, shoot us an email and we’ll add you to our list. And be sure to follow me on Threads and/or on X @jamiejmcintyre.
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HAPPENING TODAY: War Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine are scheduled to provide an update on the war to Pentagon reporters at 8 a.m. The briefing, the seventh of the monthlong campaign, will be livestreamed on the Pentagon’s website.
The briefing comes as President Trump posted on Truth Social last night what appeared to be a U.S. attack on an underground ballistic missile and ammunition stockpile in Isfahan, employing a 2,000-pound “bunker buster” bomb.
The video, which showed a massive explosion, was posted without comment.
TRUMP SHOWS VIDEO OF IMMENSE BLAST AFTER US AIRSTRIKE USING BUNKER BUSTER BOMBS
HEGSETH DENIAL: ‘WE DEMAND AN IMMEDIATE RETRACTION’: The Pentagon’s chief spokesman has issued a flat denial of a story published by the Financial Times that alleged that a stock broker from Morgan Stanley, acting on behalf of Pete Hegseth, “attempted to make a big investment in major defense companies in the weeks leading up to the US-Israeli attack on Iran.”
Citing “three people familiar with the matter,” the FT reported the broker “contacted BlackRock in February about making a multimillion-dollar investment in the asset manager’s Defense Industrials Active ETF, shortly before the U.S. launched military action against Iran.
“This allegation is entirely false and fabricated. Neither Secretary Hegseth nor any of his representatives approached BlackRock about any such investment. This is yet another baseless, dishonest smear designed to mislead the public,” Hegseth spokesman Sean Parnell posted on X. “We demand an immediate retraction.”
“Secretary Hegseth and the Department of War remain unwavering in their commitment to the highest standards of ethics and strict adherence to all applicable laws and regulations,” Parnell wrote.
IS TRUMP CONTEMPLATING A WAR CRIME?: There’s been a lot of talk about whether President Trump’s Monday Truth Social post, in which he threatened to “conclude our lovely ‘stay’ in Iran by blowing up and completely obliterating all of their Electric Generating Plants, Oil Wells and Kharg Island (and possibly all desalinization plants!)” amounts to a threat to commit potential war crimes.
Under international law, which Trump has previously said he doesn’t feel bound by, targeting infrastructure that primarily provides essential services to the civilian population is prohibited.
At yesterday’s briefing, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was pressed on the question by NBC reporter Garrett Haake. “Why is the President threatening what would amount to potentially a war crime with the U.S. military? And how do you square that with the administration repeatedly saying that the U.S. does not target civilians?”
“Of course, this administration and the United States Armed Forces will always act within the confines of the law,” Leavitt answered. “But with respect to achieving the full objectives of Operation Epic Fury, President Trump is going to move forward unabated.”
“To that end, which of those objectives would destroying a desalination plant most help?” Haake followed up. Leavitt simply moved on without answering.
On CNN, former NATO commander retired Adm. James Stavridis said the criteria for legally striking infrastructure are tied to how much it directly supports military capability.
“Let’s take all three things that were mentioned there. So striking oil. No, I don’t see that as illegal under international law. The electric grid is kind of in a gray area. Depends if you are striking portions of it that supported military activity,” Stavridis said. “Going after the water supplies, that would be extremely hard to justify under international law.”
“And leaving aside the legalities, the practical effect would be batteries released against the Gulf Arabs’ desalination plant,” Stavridid added. “If this thing turns into a water war, it’s going to take years for the region to come back. I doubt we will actually fulfill that portion of the threat.”
US MILITARY ‘LOOKING INTO’ POSSIBLE SECOND STRIKE THAT HIT CIVILIAN TARGET IN IRAN
THE RUNDOWN:
Washington Examiner: Trump threatens obliteration of Iran’s energy sites if new deal isn’t reached with ‘new regime’
Washington Examiner: What are the most important energy assets in the Iran war?
Washington Examiner: Trump states ‘preference’ to take oil from Iran like with Venezuela
Washington Examiner: Houthis’ entry into Iran war could have significant reverberations
Washington Examiner: UAE pushes US to invade Iran as Gulf states lobby Trump to continue war
Washington Examiner: Rubio: US unsure if Iranian leaders negotiating will end up in charge
Washington Examiner: Netanyahu says Iran war ‘beyond the halfway point,’ tells Trump to ignore anti-war polls
Washington Examiner: US military ‘looking into’ possible second strike that hit civilian target in Iran
Washington Examiner: Iran war sparks lobbying gold rush for defense and energy sectors
Washington Examiner: Six states that have seen biggest bump in gas prices during Iran war
Washington Examiner: Trump greenlights oil shipments to Cuba as Russian tanker on its way
Washington Examiner: Russian aid to Iran expanding Middle East conflict, Europe warns
Washington Examiner: Army authorizes combat patches for troops deployed to Iran war zone
Washington Examiner: Taiwanese opposition leader agrees to meet Xi Jinping ahead of Trump summit
Washington Examiner: Army reviewing video of Apache helicopter hovering outside Kid Rock’s home
AP: Iran strikes fully loaded Kuwaiti oil tanker off Dubai’s coast
New York Times: Iran’s Fractured Leadership Is Struggling to Coordinate, Officials Say
Washington Post: Israel targets Iran’s leaders with lethal expertise using new AI platform
Wall Street Journal: America Downs Cheap Drones With Million-Dollar Missiles. A Fix Is In the Works.
New York Times: Is Trump Threatening to Commit a War Crime?
Washington Post: Israel suspends battalion that detained CNN crew in West Bank
AP: US Central Command releases video of military strikes in Iran
CBS News: Special Operations Forces, Marines, and Army Troops Now in Middle East, Sources Say
AP: Gulf Allies Privately Make the Case to Trump to Keep Fighting Until Iran Is Decisively Defeated
Time: White House Signals Willingness to End Iran War Without Reopening Strait of Hormuz
The War Zone: Dozens Of A-10 Warthogs Appear Poised oo Join Epic Fury
The Hill: Spain Closes Airspace to US Warplanes in Iran Operation
The Hill: Opinion: A ground invasion of Iran would be a huge mistake
AP: Seizing Kharg Island would risk US troops’ lives and may not end war, experts say
CNN: Behind the scenes and in front of cameras, Hegseth serving as top cheerleader for military power in Iran war
Financial Times: Pete Hegseth’s broker looked to buy defence fund before Iran attack
Defense News: Missile-Wielding Airbus Interceptor Engages One-Way Attack Drone in Test
Air & Space Forces Magazine: First USAF F-35s Permanently Based in Japan Arrive at Misawa
Air & Space Forces Magazine: Construction Begins on Prototype Silo for New Sentinel ICBM
DefenseScoop: Air Force, Space Force Get New CIO
Air & Space Forces Magazine: New Acquisition Czars Say They’re Not Trying to Blow Up the System
THE CALENDAR:
TUESDAY | MARCH 31
10 a.m. — Atlantic Council’s Strategic Litigation Project; the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Washington, D.C.; the International Partnership for Human Rights; and C4ADSnvirtual launch of a report: “From Tehran to Kyiv: The Islamic Republic of Iran’s Role in Russia’s Drone War,” with Anastasiya Donets, team lead of International Partnership for Human Rights Ukraine Legal Team; Celeste Kmiotek, senior staff lawyer at the Strategic Litigation Project; Allen Maggard, senior analyst for conflict affected states at C4ADS; and Holly Dagres, senior fellow for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy’s Viterbi Program on Iran and U.S. Policy https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event/holding-enablers-accountable
12 p.m. — Foreign Policy webinar: “Iran’s Evolving War Plan,” with Ali Vaez, director, International Crisis Group’s Iran Project; and Ravi Agrawal, editor in chief of Foreign Policy https://foreignpolicy.com/live/ali-vaez-iran-leadership-war-plan/
1 p.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual discussion: “U.S. Navy Fighting Instructions,” with Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle; retired Navy Rear Adm. Raymond Spicer, CEO and publisher, U.S. Naval Institute; and Kari Bingen, director, CSIS Aerospace Security Project https://www.csis.org/events/us-navy-fighting-instructions-chief-naval-operations
2 p.m. — The Government Executive Media Group and Splunk, Inc., a CISCO company virtual discussion: “Commanding the Digital Domain: Owning the Digital Battlefield,” with Michael Frank, Deputy CTO of the Department of the Navy; and Melissa Andrews, director DoD solutions engineering at Splunk, Inc. and co-lead of the Cisco Connected Black Professionals AMER Chapter https://events.govexec.com/commanding-the-digital-domain/register/
5 p.m. 16th St. NW — Institute of World Politics discussion: “The European Union as a Defense Actor,” with European Union Ambassador to the U.S. Jovita Neliupsiene https://www.iwp.edu/the-european-union-as-a-defense-actor/
WEDNESDAY | APRIL 1
9 a.m. 1700 Army Navy Dr., Arlington, Virginia — Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies fourth annual Spacepower Security Forum, withGen. B. Chance Saltzman, chief of space operations; andLt. Gen. Dennis Bythewood, commander, U.S. Space Forces, Army Navy Country Club, 1700 Army Navy Dr., Arlington, Va. https://www.mitchellaerospacepower.org/events/2026-spacepower-security-forum/
9:30 a.m. 1779 Massachusetts Ave. NW — Carnegie Endowment for International Peace discussion: “Regional Shockwaves: Long-Term Implications of the U.S.-Israel-Iran War,” Abigail Hauslohner, Financial Times Mideast and Africa foreign affairs correspondent; Marwan Muasher, CEIP vice president for studies; Karim Sadjadpour, CEIP Middle East Program senior fellow; Sarah Yerkes, CEIP Middle East Program senior fellow; and Nicole Grajewski, CEIP Nuclear Policy Program nonresident scholar https://carnegieendowment.org/events
THURSDAY | APRIL 2
11 a.m. — Washington Institute for Near East Policy virtual forum: “Diplomacy During War: Priorities for the Trump Administration,” with Emily Harding, director, Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Intelligence, National Security, and Technology Program; Richard Nephew, WINEP adjunct fellow; Michael Singh, WINEP senior fellow; and Nancy Youssef, defense journalist at the Atlantic https://washingtoninstitute-org.zoom.us/webinar/register
2 p.m. — Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft virtual discussion: “What is the New Paradigm of U.S.-Venezuela Relations Post-Maduro?” with Francisco Rodriguez, professor of practice of international and public affairs, University of Denver School of Global and Public Affairs; Julia Buxton, professor, justice studies at Liverpool John Moores University; Orlando Perez, professor, political science at the University of North Texas at Dallas; and Lee Schlenker, research associate with the Quincy Institute’s Global South Program https://quincyinst.org/events/what-is-the-new-paradigm-of-u-s-venezuela-relations
FRIDAY | APRIL 3
10 a.m. — National Institute for Deterrence Studies virtual seminar: “The Challenges to Ensuring Nuclear Deterrence,” with Air Force Lt. Gen. Jason Armagost, deputy commander, Global Strike Command https://thinkdeterrence.com/events/the-challenges-to-ensuring-nuclear-deterrence11 a.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual discussion: “Adapting Under Fire: Ukraine’s Race to Reinvent Modern Defense,” with active-duty air defense operators from the Ukrainian army and air force, and Kateryna Bondar, fellow, CSIS Wadhwani AI Center https://www.csis.org/events/adapting-under-fire-ukraines-race-reinvent-modern-defense
