CIA Director Ratcliffe Warns Congress of Iran Conflict Escalation as US Fighter Jets Shot Down

John Ratcliffe, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, has been at the center of recent developments in the escalating tensions with Iran. According to the New Indian Express, Ratcliffe testified before Congress alongside Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard, revealing that President Donald Trump had been warned about potential fallout from US actions against Iran. This testimony came amid reports of Iran shooting down a United States F fifteen E and A ten fighter jet, prompting searches for missing crew members as of Saturday. The KSAT news gallery highlights Ratcliffe listening intently during a House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence hearing on Thursday, March nineteen, two thousand twenty six, examining worldwide threats. That session underscored ongoing global risks, including those now playing out in the Gulf. Trump declared victory in Operation Epic Fury on Wednesday, only to extend the conflict by two more weeks on Friday due to Iranian retaliation. He expressed surprise at Iran attacking other Gulf nations and choking the Strait of Hormuz, despite the prior warnings from Ratcliffe and Gabbard. The president threatened to obliterate Iranian power plants unless the strait reopens, echoing earlier United States Israel strikes on nuclear and missile sites. Joe Kent, chief of counterterrorism and a supporter of Trump, resigned, arguing Iran posed no imminent threat to the United States and blaming pressure from Israel and its lobby. On Saturday, Trump posted on Truth Social, asking, Keep the oil, anyone? The CIA World Factbook, a long standing free resource for global data, has also ended, marking a shift under Ratcliffe's watch, as noted in KSAT reports. These events highlight Ratcliffe's key role in briefing on intelligence amid fast moving military and diplomatic challenges. Thank you for tuning in, listeners. Please subscribe for more updates. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai. For more http://www.quietplease.ai Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOta This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.