US Destroys 16 Iranian Minelaying Vessels Near Strait of Hormuz + Half of Iranian Ballistic Missiles Fired at Israel Have Cluster Bomb Warheads + Additional B-52 Bombers Land at RAF Fairford

For review:1.The Swedish Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, published its global arms export and import report on Monday, comparing the arms exports of various countries in the years 2016–2020 to 2021–2025.2. Kurdish rebels say they are ready to fight the Islamic Republic, but hope for an uprising before they intervene, with or without US support.3. In a press conference at the Pentagon, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that Tuesday would be “the most intense day of strikes” on Iran. “The most fighters, the most bombers, the most intelligence, more defined and better than ever.”At the same time, he said, the last 24 hours saw the lowest number of missiles Iran has fired over the course of one day in the ongoing campaign.4. The US military said it destroyed 16 Iranian minelaying vessels near the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, the key waterway, through which roughly a fifth of global oil shipments travel.“US forces eliminated multiple Iranian naval vessels, March 10, including 16 minelayers near the Strait of Hormuz,” the US Central Command wrote on X.5. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said Tuesday that Israel was not seeking an “endless war” in Iran, while hosting German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul in Jerusalem.While declining to give a timeline for the operation, Mr. Sa’ar said Jerusalem does not aim to continue the conflict indefinitely and would coordinate with Washington on when to end the fighting.6. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tuesday his country would keep fighting as long as necessary, casting doubt on US President Donald Trump’s insistence the previous day that the conflict would be over “soon.”And the Islamic Republic’s security chief, Ali Larijani, dismissed Trump’s “empty” threats, insisting that the people of Iran did not fear them.7. About half of the roughly 300 ballistic missiles Iran has launched at Israel in the current war carried cluster bomb warheads, according to Israel Defense Forces assessments published Tuesday.8. British warplanes have begun “defensive air sorties” in support of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and taken out drones elsewhere in the Middle East amid the ongoing war, the UK defense ministry says.More US B-52 bombers landed at the UK air force base in Fairford, in southwestern England, today, AFP witnessed, after a first one landed on Friday.9. Saudi Arabia says that it has intercepted seven ballistic missiles in separate attacks targeting an airbase and its eastern region.10. The IDF says it has launched a wave of airstrikes against Hezbollah infrastructure in Beirut’s southern suburbs.The strikes come after the military on Tuesday reiterated its warning to evacuate the area, a Hezbollah stronghold known as the Dahiyeh.