U.S. Refueling Plane Crash In Bring U.S. Death Toll In War With Iran To 13

Written By Guest User

Plus: Airport TSA Lines Stretch Out The Door As Govt. Shutdown Hits One Month

Good afternoon,

Before we get to the news, here’s a taste of what we’re up to this weekend in our weekly Cheers To The Freakin’ Weekend section:

What We’re Watching:

What We’re Reading:

What We’re Eating:

Mo News Team

A special thank you to Mo News intern Claire Lazerwitz, whose last day with us is today. For the past seven months, Claire has been a fantastic contributor to the team. She has helped out with the Instagram feed, the podcast, and this very newsletter — in addition to countless office tasks that help keep our organization moving. We’re sad to see her go, but we are excited to see what she accomplishes next! 💫

🚨 ONE THING WE’RE FOLLOWING

Refueling Tanker Crash Kills Six U.S. Troops; Israel Expands Strikes Against Hezbollah In Lebanon

Six U.S. service members died after a U.S. military refueling tanker crashed in western Iraq on Thursday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed Friday. The crash brings the total number of U.S. service members killed in operations related to the war against Iran to at least 13.

  • THE DETAILS: The Pentagon said the crash was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire, and is being investigated as a possible mid-air collision. Military protocol dictates that the identity of the soldiers will be revealed 24 hours after their family is notified.

  • HEGSETH RESPONDS: “War is hell. War is chaos,” Hegseth said during a joint briefing Friday with Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine. “We will greet those heroes at Dover [Air Force Base in Delaware], and their sacrifice will only recommit us to the resolve of this mission.”

    • Hegseth, President Trump, and other White House officials attended a dignified transfer ceremony last weekend at Dover for six American troops who were killed in Kuwait during the first few days of the war with Iran. Another soldier also died last weekend from injuries sustained in an Iranian drone strike in Saudi Arabia early into the war.

HEGSETH ON MOJTABA
During the same briefing, Hegseth said “the United States is decimating the radical Iranian regime’s military” and that the Iranian regime’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is likely wounded and disfigured.

  • No photos or videos of Khamenei have been released since the war began on Feb. 28, or following his ascent to the regime’s most powerful position.

    • The regime previously released a photo of him that was manipulated by AI.

    • In a written statement purportedly put out by Khamenei on Thursday, he threatened revenge on the U.S.

ISRAEL-HEZBOLLAH CONFLICT ESCALATESIsrael threatened Friday to widen its counterattacks in Lebanon against the Hezbollah terrorist group, dropping leaflets in Beirut warning of Gaza-scale devastation if Hezbollah does not disarm. Hezbollah, which is armed and sponsored by the Iranian regime, launched strikes on Israel days after the US and Israel began their military campaign in Iran.

After more than a week of fighting, more than 680 people have been killed, and about 800,000 are displaced, Lebanese officials said Wednesday. Israeli evacuation orders now cover parts of Beirut and southern Lebanon, with roughly 10% of the country under evacuation notices.

  • ISRAEL’S THREAT: Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Friday that Israel will target Lebanese national infrastructure used by Hezbollah, Iran’s most powerful regional terror group, after the IDF struck a bridge it said terrorists were using to move operatives from the north to south.

    • Israel says the strikes are targeting Hezbollah fighters, missile launchers, command infrastructure, and weapons depots as part of a broader campaign to weaken the Iran-backed group. They are calling on the Lebanese government to follow through with agreements it signed to disarm Hezbollah.

  • RESUMED CONFLICT: Hezbollah fired about 200 rockets into northern Israel on Wednesday — its largest barrage so far in the current conflict. The Iran-backed group resumed attacks after breaking a 2024 ceasefire with Israel on March 2, two days after joint U.S.–Israeli military operations began targeting the regime.

    • Hezbollah has already been significantly degraded since the 2024 war, including losses among its leadership — including in the September 2024 pagers attack —and about two-thirds of its missile stockpile.

  • HOW DOES IT END? Lebanon’s government has appealed to U.S. and European leaders to intervene, offering to hold talks with Israel and seize Hezbollah’s arsenal, but Israel rejected the proposal. Officials told CNN that Lebanon failed to disarm the group as it had promised under a November 2024 deal.

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🚨 ONE THING ELSE WE’RE WATCHING

TSA Lines Stretch Out The Door At Austin Airport As Govt. Shutdown Leaves Agents Unpaid

Security lines at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport stretched outside the terminal early Friday morning, as spring break travel ramps up and TSA agents miss their first full paycheck due to the continuing partial government shutdown.

As of 5:30 am Friday, lines for the security checkpoints were seen stretching outside the terminal in Austin. By 7:00 am, the lines had returned inside.

AUSTIN AND DHS RESPONDThe airport released a statement in response: “AUS is experiencing higher passenger volumes as spring break travel coincides with Austin’s spring festival season…The partial federal government shutdown remains in effect, and unanticipated delays may continue to occur.”

Significant multi-hour lines have also been seen at airports in Houston, Atlanta and New Orleans over the last week.

The Department of Homeland Security responded Friday:

SHUTDOWN WATCH
The lapse in funding has left about 50,000 TSA agents working without pay for nearly four weeks. More than 300 TSA officers have also left the workforce, and unscheduled absences have doubled since the shutdown began. Statistics show that about 95% of TSA officers are still showing up to work as of last week.

  • The partial government shutdown — which affects only Department of Homeland Security funding — began Feb. 14. DHS oversees the TSA, FEMA, and immigration enforcement. The shutdown stems from Democrats' disagreement with the Trump administration's immigration enforcement.

    • The shutdown has had little impact on Immigration and Customs Enforcement after Congress approved tens of billions of dollars of funding for Trump's immigration agenda last year.

⏳ THE SPEED READ

🚨NATION

  • Michigan synagogue attacker’s relatives killed in Israeli airstrike in Lebanon, officials say (CNN)

  • Old Dominion University ROTC cadets disarm ISIS supporter shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ during shooting (FOX): official Shooter was released from prison early after completing drug program (NBC)

  • Hegseth says there’s “no clear evidence” Iran is placing new mines in Strait of Hormuz (CBS)

  • Florida passes voter measure modeled after SAVE Act (THE HILL)

🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

  • Cuban president confirms talks with Trump officials amid US blockade (GUARDIAN)

    • Memo lays out Trump’s squeeze on Cuban doctor program (POLITICO)

  • U.S. allows temporary purchases of Russian oil already at sea to stabilize energy markets (CNBC) Zelenskyy says US 30-day waiver on Russian oil sanctions is ‘not the right decision’ (AP)

  • Taiwan parliament authorizes signing of stalled $9 billion U.S. arms deals (NBC)

  • China slams Trump’s trade investigation, as it approves a 5-year economic plan (NPR)

📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

  • Cracks emerged in a resilient U.S. economy before war in Iran sent oil prices rocketing (AP)

  • Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen says he will step down after company installs successor (CNBC)

  • Colon cancer now leading cause of cancer deaths under 50 in U.S. (GUARDIAN)

  • Alexa+ gets a new ‘adults only’ personality option that curses but won’t do NSFW content (TECHCRUNCH)

🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

  • Leaked audio reveals Rebel Wilson’s PR team plotted to smear movie producer as sex trafficker (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER)

  • Labrinth Says ‘F— “Euphoria”’ in cryptic social media post: ‘I’m done with this industry’ (VARIETY)

  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scores 20 points for 127th straight game, breaking Wilt Chamberlain’s record (NBC)

  • Dana White: UFC to issue 85,000 free tickets for White House card (ESPN)

ICYMI FROM THE 📲

In case you will miss it… The 98th Academy Awards are on Sunday, hosted by Conan O’ Brien at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles at 4 pm PT/7 pm ET. Just under a third (31%) of Americans say they plan to watch at least some of the ceremony, according to a YouGov poll.

Here are the 10 Best Picture nominees, and where to watch them:

  • Bugonia — Streaming on Peacock, available to rent

  • F1 — Streaming on Apple TV, available to rent

  • Frankenstein — Streaming on Netflix, available to rent

  • Hamnet — Streaming on Peacock, available to rent

  • Marty Supreme — Available to rent

  • One Battle after Another — Streaming on HBO Max, available to rent

  • The Secret Agent — Streaming on Hulu/Disney+, available to rent

  • Sentimental Value — Available to rent

  • Sinners — Streaming on HBO Max, available to rent

  • Train Dreams — Streaming on Netflix, available to rent

The online betting platform, Kalshi, predicts One Battle After Another will win Best Picture.

Guest User
Next

Two Attacks: Truck-Ramming Attack At Michigan Synagogue; ISIS-Linked College Shooting