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1 Iran Conflict: Iran Says It's "Waiting" For Possible US Ground Assault
Iran's parliament speaker delivered a defiant message yesterday, saying his country is ready and waiting for American troops to attempt a ground invasion. Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf accused the United States of publicly seeking negotiations while secretly drawing up plans for a ground assault, and warned that Iranian fighters were prepared to face U.S. soldiers if they set foot on Iranian soil. His comments came hours after the Washington Post reported the Pentagon has already drafted plans for weeks of ground operations in Iran, stopping short of a full-scale invasion. President Trump has publicly said he is not sending ground troops into Iran, though he added that he would not announce it publicly if he were. Thirteen U.S. service members have been killed since the conflict began, with two more deaths from non-combat causes.
2 TSA Officers Still Calling Out Sick, Even After Trump's Directive To Pay Them
TSA officers are still calling out sick in large numbers at airports across the country, even after President Trump signed an order directing the Department of Homeland Security to begin paying them. The workers have gone without paychecks for 44 days, the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, stemming from a standoff between Democrats and Republicans over how federal immigration agents have been operating. On Saturday, more than 10-percent of all scheduled TSA workers called out sick nationwide. In addition to calling out from work, more than 500 TSA officers have quit since the funding crisis began in mid-February. Trump signed a directive Friday telling his newly confirmed DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin to find funds with a connection to TSA operations to get workers paid. The TSA said officers should begin seeing money as early as today.
3 Oil Jumps Three Percent With The Houthis Entering Middle East Conflict
Oil prices jumped overnight after Yemen's Houthi militants launched their first missile strikes on Israel since the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran began, widening the conflict in the Middle East. Brent crude rose about 2.8-percent to $115.73 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate climbed about 3.1-percent to $102.77 a barrel, building on sharp gains from the previous Friday. The Houthis said they fired ballistic missiles at Israeli military targets in solidarity with Iran and Hezbollah. Israel's military said it intercepted the incoming missile, but analysts warned that further Houthi involvement could threaten shipping lanes and push prices even higher.