Rust and Kindel help the Penguins beat the Golden Knights 5-0

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Bryan Rust, Ben Kindel and Justin Brazeau each had a goal and an assist, helping the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Vegas Golden Knights 5-0 on Sunday.

Golden Knights Penguins Hockey

Rickard Rakell and Egor Chinakhov also scored as Pittsburgh improved to 10-1-3 in its last 14 games. Erik Karlsson had two assists, and Arturs Silovs made 22 saves in his first shutout since opening night on Oct. 7 at the New York Rangers.

Vegas goaltender Adin Hill stopped 17 shots. The Golden Knights dropped to 4-7-2 in their last 13 games.

Vegas captainMark Stoneleft late in the first period with an undisclosed injury. Penguins defenseman Kris Letang gave Stone aseemingly harmless shoveto the left arm with his stick in the neutral zone, though it may have caught him in the gap between his elbow and shoulder pads. Stone grimaced in pain, went down to one knee and skated off.

Kindel, a first-round pick in the 2025 draft who turns 19 on April 19, scored his 15th goal with 5:04 left in the first.

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The Penguins grabbed control with three more goals in the second. Rust and Rakell each scored on the power play.

Brazeau made it 5-0 with 5:01 left in the third. It was Brazeau's 16th on the season, extending his career high.

Up next

Both teams play again on Tuesday night. The Golden Knights visit Buffalo, and the Penguins are at Boston.

AP NHL:https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

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18:06

Rust and Kindel help the Penguins beat the Golden Knights 5-0

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Bryan Rust, Ben Kindel and Justin Brazeau each had a goal and an assist, helping the Pittsburgh Penguin...

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Exclusive: Trump crossed a ‘very dangerous red line’ with killing of supreme leader, Iranian official tells CNN

US President Donald Trump has crossed "a very dangerous red line" by killing Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the Iranian deputy foreign minister Saeed Khatibzadeh told CNN in an exclusive interview on Sunday.

Khatibzadeh said many Shiite followers across the world will react to the killing of Khamenei.

"Of course, from a religious aspect, he was a great religious leader, so many of Shiite followers across the region and around the world are going to react to that, and this is very obvious because President Trump passed a very dangerous red line," Khatibzadeh said.

"We have no option but to respond," he added.

Following the strikes Saturday, Iran responded with an unprecedented wave of strikes across the Middle East, targeting several countries that host US military bases, including Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. Strikes have continued throughout the weekend, killing civilians, damaging property and bringing air and water traffic to a standstill.

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Khatibzadeh said that Iran had communicated with Gulf Arab states to shut down US bases which Tehran considers a threat.

"We communicated with them: either to shut down those American bases that are constantly threatening Iran and are constantly using to offend on Iran, or we have no option just to push back," he said.

Iran "cannot reach out to American soil, so we have no option just to attack any bases which is under US jurisdiction," he added.

Asked whether diplomacy is still an option, he said the US has "disappointed" Iran several times and there was "no necessity to start this aggression."

"If President Trump didn't want to see Iran hitting back … President Trump should have not started this war from the beginning," the official said. "It was a war of choice."

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Exclusive: Trump crossed a ‘very dangerous red line’ with killing of supreme leader, Iranian official tells CNN

US President Donald Trump has crossed "a very dangerous red line" by killing Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Kham...

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Knicks end Spurs' 11-game winning streak with early surge leading to decisive 114-89 victory

Aftergoing undefeated in February, the San Antonio Spurs began March with a loss. The Spurs'11-game winning streakended on Sunday at Madison Square Garden with a defeat to the New York Knicks.

Initially, San Antonio appeared to be on its way to a 12th consecutive win. The Spurs took a 19-7 lead in the first quarter on a Stephon Castle 3-pointer with 4:56 remaining in the frame and looked like they were in full control.

However, the game then took a 180-degree turn. Jalen Brunson scored New York's final 11 points of the first, putting the Knicks on top with a 3. Brunson's outburst was part of a 26-2 Knicks run that ended with Mikal Bridges getting a fast-break dunk off a Victor Wembanyama miss, resulting in a 33-21 lead.

San Antonio scored the final five points of the first half to close the Knicks' lead to 51-41, and cut the deficit to eight points to begin the third quarter. But every time the Spurs tried to start a rally, New York quickly answered with a basket to maintain a double-digit lead.

Playing the fourth game of a five-game road trip, the Spurs seemed to finally run out of fuel in the fourth quarter and the Knicks capitalized, going on a 17-6 run to begin the closing 12 minutes. A 3-pointer from Landry Shamet essentially put the game out of reach, giving New York a 104-82 lead with 3:37 remaining.

From there, Spurs coach Mitch Johnson pulled his starters from the game and emptied the bench.

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Bridges led the Knicks with 25 points (hitting 5-of-9 3-pointers), along with 5 rebounds and 5 steals. Brunson added 24 points with 4 rebounds and 7 assists. Mohamed Diawara provided a surprise off the bench with 14 points (knocking down 4-of-13 3-point tries).

Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby each scored 12 points, but struggled against Wembanyama near the basket. Towns also grabbed 14 boards.

The win boosted the Knicks' record to 39-22, keeping them close to the Boston Celtics (39-22 going into their Sunday night matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers) forthe No. 2 spot in the Eastern Conference. New York has won four of its past five games and 14 of its past 18. The Knicks face the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday before matchups versus the Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets later in the week.

Wembanyama scored 25 points for the Spurs, adding 13 rebounds and 4 blocks. Devin Vassell followed with 18 points and 7 rebounds, but Castle was the only other San Antonio player to score in double figures.

Three-point shooting was a major asset for the Spurs during their 11-game winning streak, but they struggled from long range on Sunday. San Antonio shot only 26% (9-for-34) on 3-point tries, and Vassell was the only Spur to hit more than one, going 3-for-9.

The Spurs finish their Eastern road trip on Tuesday versus the 76ers and then begin a six-game homestand against the Detroit Pistons, who they defeated last week,114-103, in arguably the most impressive win during their 11-game streak.

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Knicks end Spurs' 11-game winning streak with early surge leading to decisive 114-89 victory

Aftergoing undefeated in February, the San Antonio Spurs began March with a loss. The Spurs'11-game winning streak...

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CIA tracked Iranian leaders for months ahead of attacks that began with 3 strikes in 60 seconds

WASHINGTON (AP) — Israeli and American authorities spent weeks tracking the movements of senior Iranian leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, sharing information that allowed the strikes to be carried out in a surprise daylight attack, according to an Israeli military official and a person familiar with the operation.

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The eventual barrage ofU.S.-Israeli attacks on Irancame so quickly that they were nearly simultaneous — with three strikes in three locations hitting within a single minute — killing Khamenei and some 40 senior figures, including the head of the Revolutionary Guard and the country's defense minister, the Israeli military official said Sunday.

The official insisted on anonymity to more fully detail the attack, but said that a variety of factors created a golden opportunity to take out much of Iran's leadership, like weeks of training and monitoring the movements of senior figures as well as intelligence in real-time before the attack began that key targets were gathered together.

Striking by day also gave an additional element of surprise, said the official, who said that so many major, rapid-fire strikes were critical to keep key officials from fleeing after the first strike. The official said Israel closely cooperated with its U.S. counterparts and had used a similar tactic at the beginning of last June's war — which resulted in the killing of several senior Iranian figures.

The official also noted Khamenei having posted defiant tweets taunting President Donald Trump in the days before the attack.

The details about the strikes came as the conflict entered its second day, with Trump saying in a video message Sunday that he expected it would continue until "all of our objectives are achieved." He did not spell out what those objectives were.

The Republican president also said the U.S. military and its partners hit hundreds of targets in Iran, including paramilitary Revolutionary Guard facilities, Iranian air defense systems and nine warships, "all in a matter of literally minutes."

CIA had long tracked top Iranian leaders

Before the attacks, the CIA had for months tracked the movements of senior Iranian leaders, including the country's supreme leader.

The intelligence was shared with Israeli officials, and the timing of the strikes was adjusted in part because of that information about the Iranian leaders' location, according to the person, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The intelligence-sharing between U.S. and Israel reflects the preparation that went into the strikes, which continued for a second day Sunday afterKhamenei's killingthrew the future ofthe Islamic Republicintouncertaintyand raised the risk of escalating regional conflict.

Arkansas Republican Sen. Tom Cotton, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, told CBS' "Face the Nation" that tracking the movements of the supreme leader and the heads of other adversarial nations "is obviously one of the highest priorities of our intelligence community."

The U.S. regularly shares intelligence with allies including Israel. Those partnerships, and the accuracy of the intelligence they yield, is often critical not only to the success of a military operation but also to thepublic's support for it.

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Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the senior Democrat on the committee, told The Associated Press that, historically, "our working relationship with the Mossad and Israel is really strong." Mossad is the Israeli spy agency.

Warner said he has serious concerns about the justification for the strikes, Trump's long-term plans for the conflict and the risks that U.S. service members will face. The military announced that three American troops had been killed in the Iran operation.

"No tears will be shed over their leadership being eliminated, but always the question is: OK, what next?" Warner said.

Iran has signaled it's open to talks with the US

A senior White House official said Iran's "new potential leadership" has suggested it is open to talks with the United States. That official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal administration deliberations, said Trump has indicated he's "eventually" willing to talk but that for nowthe military operation "continues unabated."

The official did not say who the potential new Iranian leaders are or how they made their alleged willingness to talk known. Separately, Trump told The Atlantic that he planned to speak with Iran's new leadership.

"They want to talk, and I have agreed to talk, so I will be talking to them," he said Sunday, declining comment on the timing.

The potential future diplomatic opening comes as the details were emerging aboutthe detailed planning that went intothe U.S.-Israeli strikes and some of the targets that were hit in Iran.

U.S. Central Command said that B-2 stealth bombers struck Iran's ballistic missile facilities with 2,000-pound bombs. That mirrors the approach that the military took in June, when Trump agreed to deployB-2 bombersto attack three key Iranian nuclear sites.

Trump said during hisState of the Union speechlast week that Iran had been building ballistic missiles that could reach the U.S. homeland — a justification he repeated again Saturday as he announced that the bombardment of Iran was underway.

Iran has not acknowledged that it is building or seeking to build intercontinental ballistic missiles. The U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency, however, said in anunclassified reportlast year that Iran could develop a militarily viable intercontinental ballistic missile by 2035 "should Tehran decide to pursue the capability."

Federman reported from Jerusalem. Associated Press writers Matthew Lee, Will Weissert and Ben Finley contributed to this report.

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CIA tracked Iranian leaders for months ahead of attacks that began with 3 strikes in 60 seconds

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Texas moves to No. 1 seed in latest NCAA women's bracket preview, joins UConn, UCLA, South Carolina

Texas joined UConn, UCLA and South Carolina asNo. 1seeds in the women'sNCAA Tournamentif it began now.

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The Longhorns replaced Vanderbilt as the fourth top seed in the second reveal by the NCAA basketball selection committee of teams in line for the top 16 seeds Sunday. Texas was a No. 2 seed in theinitial reveal on Feb. 14, which was shown right after the Longhorns lost to Vanderbilt.

"We were all viewing it the same way, in the conversation it was so close and that head-to-head tipped the scales last time," NCAA women's basketball selection committee chair Amanda Braun told The Associated Press in a phone interview. "The loss (by Vanderbilt) tipped it back. The overall resume of Texas is stronger than Vanderbilt in a few different ways."

Undefeated UConnwas still the overall No. 1 seed, edging UCLA and South Carolina.

"We had some conversations, obviously it's not all cut and dry, but we feel good where we landed," Braun said. "We do look at it as what has happened since last reveal and none of those three lost and had pretty convincing wins against really good teams."

The committee uses 12 criteria to determine who belongs in the field and where teams should be seeded.

"Things can still happen in the next two weeks," the chairwoman said.

The top 16 seeds in the 68-team field will host first- and second-round games, with the regional rounds being played at two neutral sites for the fourth straight year. Fort Worth, Texas, will host half of the Sweet 16, and Sacramento, California, will host the other eight teams.

UConn and South Carolina were projected as the top seeds in the Fort Worth Regional, with UCLA and Texas in Sacramento. The Huskies, as the top overall seed, would potentially have the Friday-Sunday games on the second weekend, allowing them an extra day of rest before the Final Four.

Joining UConn in its bracket was No. 2 seed LSU, third-seed Louisville and fourth-seed Maryland.

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The Bruins would have No. 2 seed Vanderbilt, No. 3 seed Duke and fourth-seeded Ohio State in their region.

The Big Ten had seven of the top 16 seeds and the SEC had five.

"When you watch them those are really good teams. Every element we look at, the Big Ten has a lot of really good teams," Braun said. "We don't really know how many are going in as we are doing it one-by-one and then they are seven of the best 16."

Joining the Gamecocks in Fort Worth would be No. 2 Michigan, No. 3 TCU and No. 4 Minnesota. The Longhorns would have No. 2 Iowa, No. 3 Oklahoma and fourth-seed Michigan State in California.

TCU is hoping to be in one of the Fort Worth brackets so that Horned Frogs wouldn't have to leave home. The arena where the regional is being played is roughly 10 minutes from campus.

Teams just outside the top 16 included Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina and West Virginia. Ole Miss was in the initial top 16 reveal.

The Final Four will be played in Phoenix on April 3 and the NCAA championship game is two days later.

The NCAA has been doing in-season reveals since 2015 to give teams an early idea of where they could be come selection night. Sunday's reveal did not factor in the games scheduled for later that day, which included South Carolina-Kentucky, Duke-North Carolina and Vanderbilt-Tennessee.

Next up will be the reveal of the top 16 teams in alphabetical order a day before Selection Sunday on March 15. It's the first time the NCAA will do that so as to gives schools an extra day to sell tickets as well as to give ESPN more time to get its equipment in place to broadcast the tournament.

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign uphere. AP women's college basketball:https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-pollandhttps://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball

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Texas moves to No. 1 seed in latest NCAA women's bracket preview, joins UConn, UCLA, South Carolina

Texas joined UConn, UCLA and South Carolina asNo. 1seeds in the women'sNCAA Tournamentif it began now. T...

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Americans worldwide urged to be cautious after US operations in Iran

The State Department has issued a worldwide caution for Americans, not just in the Middle East.

Americans worldwide urged to be cautious after US operations in Iran

"Following the launch ofU.S. combat operations in Iran, Americans worldwide and especially in the Middle East should follow the guidance in the latest security alerts issued by the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate," theState Department announcedFeb. 28. "The Department of State advises Americans worldwide to exercise increased caution."

A number of U.S. embassies and consulates across the Middle East have advised U.S. citizens toshelter in place.

Travelers hoping to either leave or enter the region are also being limited by temporary airspace closures.

US-Iran live updatesIsrael, Iran trade strikes after Khamenei killed

Airports, airspace closed

In the United Arab Emirates, one person was killed and seven people were hurt by falling debris after a drone targetingZayed International Airportwas intercepted, according toAbu Dhabi Airports.The airport and UAE airspace are currently closed.

Four workers were hurt when a concourse sustained minor damage at Dubai International Airport, one theworld's busiest, according toDubai Airports.A spokesperson said most terminals had already been evacuated at the time. The airport and Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International have both suspended flights until further notice.

Several workers suffered minor injuries in a drone attack on Kuwait International Airport, a spokesperson for the country's civil aviation authority told state-ownedKuwait News Agency KUNA.

Bahrain International AirportandHamad International Airportin Qatar have suspended flight operations due to airspace closures over their respective countries. Israel has also closed its airspace and evacuated passengers at Ben Gurion International Airport and Haifa Airport, according to itsAirports Authority.Some of Israel's land border crossings are also closed.

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The vast majority of El Al, Emirates, FlyDubai, Gulf Air and Qatar Airways flights for March 1 are cancelled, according toflight tracking website FlightAware. More than half of Etihad Airways' flights are canceled as well.

What travelers should do

U.S. citizens currently abroad or heading out of the country are urged to enroll in the State Department's freeSmart Traveler Enrollment Programfor important updates and easier reach in the event of an emergency.

"Also follow our WhatsApp channel 'U.S. Department of State – Security Updates for U.S. Citizens' and@TravelGovsocial media," State Department Assistant Secretary for Consular AffairsMora Namdar posted on X,adding that the safety and security of Americans is their highest priority. "Americans in the Middle East region who need consular assistance can call 24/7 at +1-202-501-4444 from overseas or +1-888-407-4747 from the U.S. and Canada."

Travelers trying to rebook flights to the Middle East should reach out to their respective airlines.

In a statement to USA TODAY, a spokesperson for Israel's El Al said the airline is proactively reaching out to existing ticketholders and will give them first priority once flights are allowed to resume. Ticket purchases for other flights have been closed until March 21 or until existing ticketholders can be rebooked.

"Closing ticket sales is intended to ensure full priority for customers whose tickets were issued before the current situation and to guarantee their travel as soon as possible," the airline said, directing customers toEl Al's websiteand social media for the latest updates.

The U.S. Department of Transportation requires travelers to be given a refund if their flight is canceled for any reason and they choose to no longer fly.

Travelers who already purchasedtravel insurance for their tripsmay have additional options. However, Squaremouth Travel Insurance notes, "Most standard travel insurance plansexclude cancellation coverage for military action, acts of war, or government-imposed airspace closures."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Americans urged to exercise caution abroad: What travelers should know

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Americans worldwide urged to be cautious after US operations in Iran

The State Department has issued a worldwide caution for Americans, not just in the Middle East. Americans worl...

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Iran live updates: 3 US service members killed, 5 wounded, CENTCOM says

Watch "Shockwaves: The Attack on Iran – ABC News Special," airing Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on ABC and streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.

President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Saturday, with daytime strikes in the joint U.S.-Israel attack targeting military and government sites, officials said.

On Sunday, Iranian state television confirmed that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was among those killed by airstrikes in Tehran on Saturday.

Iran is responding to the U.S.-Israeli operation with missile and drone attacks targeting Israel, regional U.S. bases and several Gulf nations. On Sunday, Israel said it was again bombing targets in Tehran.

Latest Developments

Mar 1, 1:47 PMOmani foreign minister says Iran open to 'any serious efforts' to reduce tensions

Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, told his Omani counterpart on Sunday that Tehran welcomes "any serious efforts contributing to de-escalation and the restoration of stability," according to a social media post from the Oman News Agency.

The post said Omani Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidii, who had been mediating the negotiations between the United States and Iran leading up to Saturday's joint U.S.-Israel military operation, spoke with Araghchi by phone.

Araghchi "conveyed the position of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which calls for peace, noting that the Israeli-US attack upon his country had exacerbated tension and alarm throughout the region, while affirming the Iranian side's openness to any serious efforts contributing to de-escalation and the restoration of stability," the post read.

The post further said al-Busaidii "affirms the Sultanate of Oman's continued advocacy for a ceasefire and a return to dialogue and negotiation to resolve the ongoing conflict through diplomatic means."

-ABC News' Somayeh Malekian

Mar 1, 1:01 PMIran's state-run TV building targeted, broadcaster says

Iran's state-run Islamic Republic State TV announced Sunday that its broadcasting building was targeted in the joint U.S.-Israel attacks.A state TV presenter said that an American-Israeli attack targeted the country's broadcasting building. The presenter added that state TV broadcasting continues as usual as technical teams assess the situation.-ABC News' Somayeh Malekian

Mar 1, 12:54 PMTrump says 9 Iranian naval ships 'destroyed and sunk'

President Donald Trump claimed on Sunday that U.S. military forces "destroyed and sunk" nine Iranian naval ships and that Iran's naval headquarters had also sustained major damage since strikes against the country began on Saturday."I have just been informed that we have destroyed and sunk 9 Iranian Naval Ships, some of them relatively large and important," Trump said in a social media post. "We are going after the rest -- they will soon be floating at the bottom of the sea, also!"

The president said Iran's Naval Headquarters was also attacked, adding, "We largely destroyed their Naval Headquarters. Other than that, their Navy is doing very well!"

Earlier Sunday, U.S. Central Command said in anonline postthat "an Iranian Jamaran-class corvette was struck by U.S. forces during the start of Operation Epic Fury. The ship is currently sinking to the bottom of the Gulf of Oman at a Chah Bahar pier."-ABC News' Nicholas Kerr and Cindy Smith

Mar 1, 12:09 PMCIA had been tracking Khamenei for months prior to attack

The CIA had been tracking Iran's Ayatollah Khamenei for months prior to Saturday's U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran, a source familiar with the intelligence confirmed to ABC News.When they learned there would be a meeting of top leaders on Saturday with the Supreme leader, the timing of the attack was moved, the source said, adding that the agency had high confidence in their analysis.

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These details were first reported by The New York Times.Khamenei was killedin Saturday's attacks.A second source told ABC News that Israel had been planning for months with its own intelligence to target Iranian leadership, according to a person familiar with the operation.-ABC News' Cindy Smith and Anne Flaherty

Mar 1, 11:34 AMIsrael 'striking the heart of Tehran,' Netanyahu says

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli forces were "striking the heart of Tehran with increasing strength, which will increase even more in the coming days."Netanyahu's comments were part of a recorded video message in which said he had "given instructions for the continuation of the campaign" after meeting with senior Israeli officials, including "the minister of defense, the chief of staff and the head of the Mossad," Israel's national intelligence agency.

Netanyahu also said the joint U.S.-Israeli attacks had "eliminated dozens of senior officials of the oppressive regime" in addition to "the dictator Khamenei," referring to Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in Saturday's attacks.He also addressed reports of Israelis killed and injured in retaliatory strikes on Israel, saying "These are painful days. ... My heart goes out to the families.""We are in a campaign in which we are bringing the entire strength of the IDF, as never before, to this campaign to ensure our existence and our future," Netanyahu said. "But we are also bringing to this campaign the assistance of the United States, my friend, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, the U.S. military. This combination of forces allows us to do what I have been hoping to do for 40 years: to strike the terrorist regime squarely in the face. I promised, and so we will."-ABC News' Victoria Beaule

Mar 1, 8:35 AMIsrael reports 9 dead, 49 injured in 'missile barrage'

Israeli Emergency Services said on Sunday that nine people were killed and 49 were injured in a "missile barrage" in the Beit Shemesh region in central Israel.A spokesperson for the emergency service, also known as MDA, announced that paramedics were treating casualties after a missile barrage fired at Israel on Saturday and overnight.The injured were taken to hospitals in Jerusalem and Shamir, including three people in serious condition, three "moderately injured" and 43 "lightly injured," according to the MDA.

Rescue operations were also underway to locate any people who may be trapped in debris from the attacks, according to the Israel Fire and Rescue Service.-ABC News' Dorit Long and Victoria Beaule

Mar 1, 8:54 AMIran forms interim leadership council, state TV reports

The interim leadership council of Iran has been formed following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iranian state TV reported Sunday.According to the Islamic Republic's constitution, the interim leadership council is comprised of the president, the head of the judiciary and one of the members of the six "faghihs" – Islamic jurists who are scholars of Islamic law – of the Guardian Council.

According to the spokesperson for Iran's Guardian Council, since the faghih member of the Guardian Council to join the interim leadership council has been chosen, the leadership council is already formed."The constitution provides for the current situation and the Leadership Council will be in charge until the leadership is determined," the Guardian Council spokesman said on state TV.According to the law, the leadership must be determined as soon as possible, given the war conditions, according to a post on Iranian state TV's Telegram account.-ABC News' Somayeh Malekian

Mar 1, 8:06 AM3 killed in Iranian attacks on UAE, Defense Ministry says

The United Arab Emirates' Defense Ministry said in a statement on Sunday that three people had been killed and 58 people injured in Iranian attacks since Saturday.

The ministry said that since the start of the conflict, Iran had launched 165 ballistic missiles, two cruise missiles and 541 drones toward the country. Of those, 152 ballistic missiles, both cruise missiles and 506 drones were intercepted. Thirteen ballistic missiles also fell into the sea, the ministry said.Thirty-five drones "fell within the country's territory" causing "material damage" and casualties, the ministry said. Those killed were from Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh, the statement said.

Mar 1, 8:06 AMLarijani says attacks on regional nations are targeting US bases

Ali Larijani, the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, said in a post to X on Sunday that Tehran is launching attacks on regional nations to target U.S. military installations there.

"To the countries of the region: We are not seeking to attack you," Larijani wrote. "But when the bases located in your country are used against us, and when the United States carries out operations in the region relying on these forces, then we will target those bases.""These bases are not part of the land of those countries; rather, they are American soil," he added.Since the U.S. and Israel began their strikes on Iran on Saturday, Iranian forces have launched missile and drone attacks at Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Oman.

Mar 1, 7:25 AMUS Embassy in Bahrain advises citizens to avoid hotels after attack

The U.S. Embassy in Bahrainadvised U.S. citizensin the country "that hotels might be a target for future attacks" and encouraged them to avoid hotels in the capital Manama, following a reported strike on the city's Crowne Plaza Hotel.

The Bahrain Interior Ministry said on Sunday that the hotel was targeted resulting in material damaged but no loss of life.The U.S. Embassy said it was "tracking confirmed reports the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Manama was struck on March 1, 2026, resulting in injuries."Bahrain has reported being attacked with multiple waves of Iranian missiles and drones since Saturday.-ABC News' Victoria Beaule

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Iran live updates: 3 US service members killed, 5 wounded, CENTCOM says

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Former NFL safety Vonn Bell joining Deion Sanders' Colorado staff as an analyst

Former NFL safety Vonn Bell is now a member of Deion Sanders' coaching staff at Colorado, while Pro Football Hall of Famer Warren Sapp is not.

Bell was revealed as an analyst for the Buffaloes ahead of the 2026 season as the program revealed its defensive coaching lineup on Saturday. Former Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Chris Marve is now leading the Buffaloes defense followingthe departure of defensive coordinator Robert Livingston to the Denver Broncos.

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Bell last played in the NFL in 2024 when he returned for a fourth season with the Cincinnati Bengals. He played 139 games across nine seasons in the league after starting his career with the New Orleans Saints before joining Cincinnati ahead of their run to the Super Bowl in the 2020 season. He played one season in Carolina in 2023 before coming back to the Bengals.

Earlier in the week, Colorado said that Sapp had resigned from the coaching staff "to pursue other opportunities." Sapp was an analyst during the 2024 season and was the team's pass rush coordinator in 2025. After a nine-win season in 2024, Colorado was an abysmal 3-9 in 2025.

Longtime college football and NFL assistant Clancy Pendergast is also now a member of Colorado's coaching staff. Pendergast was a defensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals and Kansas City Chiefs before serving as defensive coordinator for both Cal and USC in the 2010s.

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Former NFL safety Vonn Bell joining Deion Sanders' Colorado staff as an analyst

Former NFL safety Vonn Bell is now a member of Deion Sanders' coaching staff at Colorado, while Pro Football Hall of ...

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World leaders urge return to talks after US and Israeli strikes kill Iranian leader Ali Khamenei

BRUSSELS (AP) — World leaders urged peace and a return to talks as the military strikesby the United States and Israel on Iranraised concerns about whether the violence could spread across the region and tensions rose with Iran vowing devastating blows after the killing ofIran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Germany Iran US Israel

A massive explosion rocked the Iranian capital on Sunday morning as the Israeli military said it was targeting the "heart" of the city after stating it cleared the path to the capital Tehran the day before. Meanwhile, Iran pressed on with its retaliation campaign targeting U.S. military bases in Gulf states.

The demise of Khamenei, who had no designated successor, will likely throw Iran's future into uncertainty and exacerbate already growing concerns of a broader conflict. But it has also been giving hope to Iranians who have suffered from political repression.

Speaking on Sunday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz recognized the complexities of the situation. In recognition of the legal ambiguity of the U.S. attack, Merz said that, globally, international law was being respected less and less and there was little point in lecturing allies.

He said the Iranian regime was a "terrorist" one, endangering its citizens and the region and therefore Germany essentially agreed with the goals of the U.S. action.

"The Federal Government shares the relief of many Iranians that this mullah regime is now coming to an end," Merz said. "Together with the United States and Israel, we share the interest in ending this regime's terror and stopping its dangerous nuclear and ballistic armament."

The evolution of the situation was hard to predict, the German chancellor said. Not only is it unclear how far Iran is willing to go with its counterattack, but also "we do not know whether the plan to bring about political change from within through external military strikes will succeed."

To reduce risks, Merz set out four principles his country would pursue in its further actions the region: creating a new order in the Middle East in which all neighbors recognize Israel's right to exist; pursuing a treaty that commits Iran to ending its nuclear and ballistic missile program; supporting the future economic development of Iran and helping Iranians to freely determine their future.

World leaders urge resumption of talks

Fears about the conflict spreading were amplified on Sunday, when British Defense Minister John Healey said Iranian missile and drone strikes came within a few hundred yards (meters) of a group of 300 British military personnel in Bahrain, and that two missiles were even fired in the direction of Cyprus, where the U.K. has bases.

"We don't believe they were targeted at Cyprus, but nevertheless, it's an example of how there is a very real and rising threat from a regime that is lashing out widely across the region, and that requires us to act," Healey told Sky News.

He said British planes will intercept any Iranian drones and missiles they see.

Cyprus government spokesman Constantinos Letymbiotis posted on X that reports suggesting missiles had been fired toward Cyprus are not valid and that "there is no indication whatsoever that any threat to the country has occurred."

Top diplomats from the 27 European Union nations are holding an emergency meeting Sunday to discuss the situation around Iran and the next steps for the bloc.

"The death of Ali Khamenei is a defining moment in Iran's history. What comes next is uncertain," said EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on Sunday. "But there is now an open path to a different Iran, one that its people may have greater freedom to shape."

Pope Leo XIV said Sunday he was "profoundly concerned" about the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran and urged both sides to "stop the spiral of violence before it becomes an irreparable abyss."

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During a U.N. Security Council on Saturday, the U.N. chief and many countries urged a halt toattacksand a return to negotiations to prevent the conflict from expanding further into the region and beyond.

Secretary-General António Guterres told the council that everything must be done to prevent an escalation. "The alternative," he warned, "is a potential wider conflict with grave consequences for civilians and regional stability."

Perhaps cautious about upsetting already strained relations with Trump, many nations, including several in the Middle East, refrained from commenting directly or pointedly on the joint strikes but condemned Tehran's retaliation.

The 22-nation Arab League called the Iranian attacks "a blatant violation of the sovereignty of countries that advocate for peace and strive for stability." That coalition of nations has historically condemned both Israel and Iran for actions it says risk destabilizing the region.

"Return to your senses ... and deal with your neighbors with reason and responsibility before the circle of isolation and escalation widens," Anwar Gargash, an adviser to the United Arab Emirates' president, told the Iranian theocracy on Sunday.

Condolence messages

On Sunday, Russian leader Vladimir Putin blasted Khamenei's killing, which he called "a cynical violation of all norms of human morality and international law."

"The blatant killing of the leader of a sovereign state and the incitement of regime change are unacceptable," China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a phone call with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, according to China's official Xinhua News Agency.

"These actions violate international law and the basic norms governing international relations."

He said attacking a sovereign state without U.N. Security Council authorization undermines the foundation for peace established after World War II.

Protests and celebrations

At least nine people were killed in clashes with police Sunday after hundreds of protesters stormed the U.S. Consulate in the Pakistani port city of Karachi, authorities said.

Hundreds of Iraqis wore black and waved flags belonging to Iran-backed Iraqi militias and red flags that symbolize vengeance in the Shiite Muslim faith as they marched across Sadr City to decry the killing of Khamenei.

Demonstrations were also held from New York to Berlin and beyond by members of the Iranian diaspora and their supporters, celebrating the end of Khamenei's rule.

Iranians in Berlin and Vienna were seen cheering and dancing on Sunday in celebration. Some of the demonstrators waved flags of the Iranian monarchy, with Israeli and U.S. flags also on display. Hopeful Iranians also took to the streets in multiple U.S. cities.

Ciobanu reported from Warsaw and Metz from Ramallah, West Bank. Reporters around the world contributed to this report.

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in Celebrities, Lifestyle, Politics, ShowBiz, Sports

09:34

World leaders urge return to talks after US and Israeli strikes kill Iranian leader Ali Khamenei

BRUSSELS (AP) — World leaders urged peace and a return to talks as the military strikesby the United States and Israel on...

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