Iran’s regional strikes have pushed Gulf states to weigh direct involvement after retaliatory strikes followed an attack on Iran’s largest oil field, eroding trust among neighbors. Capitol Hill intensified bipartisan talks to end a DHS funding lapse that began Feb. 14, with leaders warning of consequences if no deal is reached. In other headlines, cast members raised abuse concerns tied to a reality-show producer, record March heat baked parts of the Southwest, and Hawaii struggled with catastrophic rainfall.
Gulf States Weigh Joining Conflict After Iran Strikes; DHS Funding Talks Heat Up — Reality Show Cast Raises Abuse Concerns
Skiiers remove clothing as temperatures rose into the 50s at Breckenridge Ski Resort in Colorado on Wednesday. (Michael Ciaglo / Getty Images)(Michael Ciaglo)
Iran’s recent strikes across the Gulf have forced neighboring states to confront a stark choice: whether to become directly involved in an escalating regional conflict. The bombardment, which followed an attack on Iran’s largest oil field, marked a dramatic uptick in tensions and raised fresh concerns about risks to the global economy and local stability.
Some strikes detonated near a Riyadh hotel while regional representatives were meeting to discuss the fighting. At that gathering, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said trust between Iran and neighboring states has been shattered and warned that the possibility of other countries entering the fight cannot be dismissed.
Gulf governments are eager for the fighting to end, but their priorities differ. Some governments want the United States to press for a diplomatic off-ramp quickly, while others fear a U.S. approach that could leave Iran intact but more vengeful, U.S. officials told reporters. Omani diplomats, once optimistic about steps toward an agreement between Washington and Tehran, are reportedly scrambling to protect their populations. Officials in the United Arab Emirates, which has sustained multiple strikes, have expressed frustration about how the situation unfolded.
Capitol Hill: DHS Funding Talks Intensify
On Capitol Hill, bipartisan talks to end a monthlong lapse in Department of Homeland Security funding have gained urgency. Top Senate Republicans and Democrats met with White House border adviser Tom Homan, and Senate Majority Leader John Thune warned he might cancel the Senate’s two-week Easter recess unless negotiators reach a deal.
Funding for DHS lapsed on Feb. 14 amid a standoff over immigration enforcement reforms. The lapse has left thousands of DHS employees unpaid, strained airport operations and raised national security concerns after several suspected security incidents. Democrats have proposed measures to continue pay for TSA, FEMA and Coast Guard staff while negotiating broader reforms; the administration has said it is open to some changes such as body-worn cameras and limits on civil immigration enforcement in sensitive locations. Republicans continue to press for full DHS funding rather than piecemeal measures.
Other National Security and Political Items
The Department of Justice said it seized four domains tied to Iranian actors, including one linked to a hacking group that claimed a cyberattack on a U.S. company. Separately, sources report that former FBI director James Comey has been subpoenaed in an investigation led by a federal prosecutor appointed by the Department of Justice; court documents and official confirmation remain limited.
Leila Register / NBC News; Courtesy Ahmad Aburob; Courtesy Andy Bracco(Leila Register)
After meeting with families of six service members killed in the fighting, a defense official said the families shared a consistent plea to "finish this." One family member later disputed that account, underscoring tensions and differing perspectives around the war and U.S. policy.
Entertainment: Cast Raises Concerns Over Abuse Allegations
Cast members of Hulu’s reality series The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives told ABC executives during a March 7 Zoom meeting that they were worried about continuing the show while "MomTok" founder Taylor Frankie Paul remained involved, according to audio obtained by news outlets. The actors said the situation jeopardized their careers and the show’s brand amid allegations involving Paul and her partner, Dakota Mortensen.
Salt Lake County records show Paul was charged in 2023 with assault, criminal mischief and domestic-violence-related counts. Court records indicate Paul later entered a plea agreement in which at least one charge was resolved; other legal matters remain the subject of open or ongoing investigations, officials say. TMZ published a 2023 video that appears to show Mortensen recording an altercation in which Paul pushes and kicks him and throws barstools while a child cries in the background. After the video surfaced, a Disney spokesperson said ABC pulled Paul’s season of The Bachelorette, which had been scheduled to premiere.
Weather Extremes and Other Briefs
An early-season heat wave smashed records across the Southwest. In Yuma County, Arizona, the Martinez Lake community hit 100°F — reported as an unprecedented March high — while Palm Springs, California, reached 107°F, setting a March record for the city. Unseasonably warm weather was also recorded in parts of Oregon, Idaho and Colorado.
At the same time, Hawaii experienced extraordinary rain. From March 10 to March 16, parts of Maui received more than five feet of rainfall, and the Haleakalā crater reported nearly 33 inches in a 24-hour period. Residents in areas still recovering from previous wildfires reported debris moving downslope and onto streets after the heavy rains.
Other items: calls grew to rename public tributes to Cesar Chavez amid new abuse allegations; the FCC approved Nexstar’s $6.2 billion acquisition of Tegna, creating the nation’s largest local-TV group; and James Paul Gracey, a University of Alabama student who had been missing in Barcelona, was found dead, authorities said.
Follow live coverage as events continue to unfold across the region and at home. Reporting and audio referenced in this summary were originally published by NBC News, TMZ and other outlets.
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