ATLANTA — A newly proposed bill in the Georgia General Assembly seeks to fundamentally alter how law enforcement officers conduct stops and searches, specifically targeting the controversial marijuana “smell test.”
Introduced for the 2025–2026 legislative session by state Rep. Jasmine Clark and a coalition of co-sponsors, Georgia House Bill 496 (HB 496) would prohibit police from using the scent of cannabis as the sole justification to stop or search citizens.
If passed, the legislation would amend Georgia’s criminal procedure code to explicitly state that the odor of marijuana, cannabis or hemp — whether burnt or unburnt — cannot independently establish reasonable suspicion or probable cause. Under the bill’s provisions, officers would be barred from stopping pedestrians, pulling over motorists or initiating searches of vehicles, drivers or passengers based exclusively on the smell.
HB 496 Sponsor Jasmine Clark said the bill does not limit legitimate police practices but instead clarifies that officers must rely on objective factors. (Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder)
During a Feb. 25 meeting of the House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee, Clark defended the proposal, arguing that odor alone is not reliable evidence of criminal conduct.
“The smell alone is not an indication that there is any illegal activity happening,” Clark told committee members.
Clark said the bill does not limit legitimate police practices but instead clarifies that officers must rely on objective factors. She pointed to the state’s 2019 legalization of hemp, noting that hemp, which is legal, and marijuana, which remains illegal in Georgia, are virtually indistinguishable by smell.
“You cannot distinguish between the two,” Clark said. “We want to make sure that police officers are using something that is measurable, objective, verifiable, and not something that could get tied up in court.”
Advocacy groups, including the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, argue the “smell test” relies on subjective, unverifiable observations. Supporters contend that allowing searches based solely on an officer’s sense of smell grants excessive discretion that can lead to biased policing practices and erode trust between law enforcement and communities.
But the proposal is drawing pushback from some Republican lawmakers and law enforcement officials.
Sen. Brian Strickland told Now Georgia the bill would undermine public safety. (Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder)
Sen. Brian Strickland, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a candidate for Georgia attorney general told Now Georgia limiting officers’ ability to rely on their senses would undermine public safety.
“Taking away our law enforcement officers’ ability to use their God-given senses to identify individuals that may be using illegal substances or may be unsafe to drive as a result of consuming anything that impacts someone’s ability to drive, is not a good idea,” Strickland said. “While it may be more difficult these days for everyone to navigate our laws concerning hemp, law enforcement needs all the tools available to protect Georgia families from those that get behind the wheel under the influence of any substance that impacts their ability to drive safely.”
Opponents of the measure argue that traffic stops initially prompted by the smell of marijuana often lead to the discovery of more serious crimes, including illegal weapons and trafficking of drugs such as cocaine and fentanyl.
Habersham County Sheriff Robin Krockum said his office would comply with any changes to state law.
“We will follow any new law passed or any updated case law as a result,” Krockum said.
HB 496 remains under consideration in the House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee as lawmakers continue debate during the 2025–2026 regular session.
Barbara Porter Armstrong, age 94, of Cornelia, Georgia, passed away on Saturday, February 28, 2026.
Mrs. Armstrong was born on February 1, 1932, in Tampa, Florida, to the late Harry and Nellie Porter. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her loving husband of 68 years, Jack Armstrong; brothers, Orvis Porter and William Porter. Barbara was a member of Level Grove Baptist Church. Barbara was a homemaker and will be remembered as a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.
Survivors include daughter, Jackie Armstrong Thomas, of Cornelia; son and daughter-in-law, Michael and Jean Armstrong, of Cornelia; grandchildren and spouses, Lisa and Marty Harrell; Eric and Jessica Armstrong, Elizabeth Armstrong Delanoy and Nate Delanoy; great-grandchildren, Thomas, Zach (Grace), Abigail (Frank), Hadley, Carson, Camille; great-great grandchildren, Sofia, Kayden, and Nelli.
Memorial Services will be held Saturday, March 7th, at 11:00 A.M. at Level Grove Baptist Church.
The family will receive friends on Saturday, March 7th, from 10:00 A.M. until the hour of service at the church.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Level Grove Baptist Church, P.O. Box 416, Cornelia, Georgia 30531.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the Whitfield Funeral Homes & Crematory, North Chapel at 245 Central Avenue, Demorest, Georgia 30535. Telephone: 706-778-1700.
FILE PHOTO - Demorest City Council (Carly McCurry/NowHabersham.com)
DEMOREST, Ga. — The Demorest City Council will take up a mix of personnel, development and fire services matters when it meets Tuesday for its monthly work session and regular meeting at the Demorest Municipal Conference Center.
The council’s work session begins at 6 p.m., followed by a regular session and public hearing at 7 p.m., both at 250 Alabama St.
Among the key items on the agenda are a proposed rezoning for a 34-lot subdivision, amendments to the city charter related to quorum and voting, and multiple actions involving fire equipment and intergovernmental agreements.
Proposed rezoning for Saluda Drive
During the 7 p.m. public hearing, council members will consider a request from McCain Investment Properties LLC to rezone approximately 10.74 acres off Saluda Drive from Agricultural to R-2 (Multi-Family Residential).
The rezoning would allow for a 34-lot single-family detached subdivision. The property is identified as part of Tax Map Number 078087A and lies within Habersham County’s District 10.
The City of Demorest will hold the public hearing Tuesday night before considering the request for final adoption at a future meeting.
133 Blue Ridge Ave. preliminary plat
Council also is scheduled to discuss and consider preliminary plat approval for property at 133 Blue Ridge Ave. during both the work session and regular meeting.
Details of the proposed plat were not included in the posted agenda, but the item signals potential additional development activity within the city.
Charter amendment on quorum and voting
Council members are expected to discuss and consider a home rule ordinance to amend Section 2.21 of the city charter regarding “quorum; voting.”
The proposed ordinance would define what constitutes a quorum, provide a procedure for handling tie votes and vacancies, repeal conflicting charter provisions and establish an effective date.
Fire services and equipment actions
Several agenda items focus on fire department operations and equipment.
Council will consider approval of a $24,800 payment to MPE Services for installation of an East Mize Road pump/motor.
Members also will discuss and consider an intergovernmental agreement for a fire station lease and a separate lease agreement for an E-One pumper truck.
In addition, the council is slated to consider an intent to sell Demorest fire equipment to the Habersham County Fire Department and a letter of intent from the City of Gainesville Fire Department to purchase equipment.
Employee benefits proposal
Another item on the agenda is consideration of a proposal from the Georgia Municipal Employee Benefit System.
Council members will first discuss the proposal during the work session before taking it up for possible action during the regular meeting.
Tonight is the night! Watch and listen as two vocalists with local ties compete in two popular TV singing competitions.
One of the youngest competitors on The Voice is 14-year-old AJ Robinson. He is from Columbus, lives in Cataula, and attends Calvary Christian School. AJ discovered his love for music when he was just 5 years old. He continued to play over the years and advanced quickly to become a pianist and performer. At 10 years old, AJ also started playing the guitar and writing songs.
In The Voice competition, three judges select a contestant to mentor. All of the judges, including Kelly Clarkson, John Legend, and Adam Levine, were impressed with AJ’s distinct country tone and maturity at an early age.
He earned his spot in the next level of competition with a performance of Lainey Wilson’s “Watermelon Moonshine.”
John Legend will be his mentor for tonight’s Battle Round, where AJ will be paired with another contestant from Team Legend to perform a duet, to be selected by Legend and advance further in the competition. The show airs on WLTZ NBC 38 at 9:00 pm.
Music is AJ’s passion, and he continues to pursue his dream of becoming a successful musician and songwriter. He believes all the gifts and talents he has been given came straight from God, to share with others and to somehow make a difference in the world.
The next step for AJ Robinson is the Battle Round on The Voice. (Photo by NBC, The Voice and AJ Robinson)
Philmon Lee competes on American Idol
Just up the road in Lagrange, Georgia, Philmon Lee Thompson, stage name Philmon Lee, earned a Golden Ticket to perform at Hollywood Week, this year held in Nashville, Tennessee.
Philmon is a Lagrange native and graduated from Lagrange High School. He is a 26-year-old insurance agent by day, but a singer dedicated to his profession by night, especially now that he is competing to be the next American Idol. His friends call him PJ, and he has a loyal following on social media.
Lagrange native Philmon Lee has earned a spot for the next step in American Idol. (Photo/Philmon Lee)
Like AJ, PJ is trusting in God to lead him down the path of his journey. He credits his dad, Philmon Thompson, as his musical mentor and inspiration. His dad was a singer and performer in a gospel quartet and Southern rock band, sparking his son’s interest in music from a young age.
“He’s a humble young man, a loving brother to his sisters, to his girlfriend, and to his family, as well as a hard worker who keeps his head down. He is someone who has trusted God each step of this journey and prayed about his decisions. If you do that long enough, dreams come true!” said Philmon’s dad.
Philmon’s performance of “Lose Control” by Teddy Swims from Conyers. GA wowed the judges. Luke Bryan exclaimed, “You were born to sing.”
Tonight’s American Idol performance, airing on WTVM at 8:00 pm, will determine whether Philmon Lee advances to the Top 30. All of Lagrange and beyond hope that PJ will be one of them when the competition moves on to Hawaii and America’s vote.
A river runs through it and so does the music
The Lower Chattahoochee River Valley region begins, in the north, at Troup County, Georgia, and Chambers County, Alabama. There, the Chattahoochee first touches Alabama as it flows southward from its origins in the North Georgia Mountains.
Ma Rainey sang the blues. (Photo/obsidiantea.com)
Music seems to flow with the river. The area has produced historic musicians, including Ma Rainey, Mother of the Blues, another blues legend, Robert Cray, and Justin Guarini, a runner-up on the first season of American Idol.
Perhaps AJ Robinson and Philmon Lee will join the list of musicians who have made history in the Chattahoochee Valley. Stay tuned.
The Cornelia City Commission. (Patrick Fargason/Now Habersham)
CORNELIA, Ga. — The Cornelia City Commission will consider a proposed charter amendment, updates to water and sewer tap fees and several significant contracts when it meets Tuesday night.
At the center of the agenda is a resolution requesting local legislation to amend the city charter to remove the current 20-mill cap on the city’s millage rate. The existing charter limits the millage rate to 20 mills, with certain exceptions for general obligation debt.
Last month, city leaders discussed the need to amend the charter as part of broader efforts to secure favorable financing terms for the planned downtown amphitheater project. City Attorney Steve Campbell told commissioners the millage cap can be viewed as a constraint by lenders, even if the city has no intention of raising property taxes. Removing the limitation would make Cornelia more competitive when seeking loans.
If approved by the commission and advanced through the local legislative process, the amendment would allow the city to set its millage rate by ordinance without the 20-mill limitation and continue to provide for payment of taxes in installments or in a lump sum.
The charter discussion comes after the commission last month cleared key financing steps for the amphitheater project, including actions related to bond agreements through the Urban Redevelopment Agency. City officials said at that time the charter change would strengthen the city’s financial position as it moves forward with borrowing for the project.
Utility fee updates
Commissioners are also expected to review and potentially approve updates to the city’s water and sewer tap fee schedule.
According to the agenda packet, Delta Municipal Supply increased the cost of large water meters, prompting the proposed changes.
The updated schedule outlines revised tap, meter, connection and administrative fees based on meter size, along with corresponding sewer tap fees.
The proposal specifies that developers must install meters according to city specifications and that meters may not be removed or relocated without approval. It also reiterates that restaurants and other food establishments must have grease interceptors inspected by the city, with an annual inspection fee.
Contracts and project approvals
The commission’s new business agenda includes several project-related items.
Commissioners will consider approval of a grant administrator and an engineering firm for Community Development Block Grant projects.
They are also scheduled to review bids for the city’s 2026 paving project and discuss a proposal for flock cameras.
Other items include an automatic aid agreement with Baldwin for fire service, an emergency HVAC repair for the Community House, and a budget adjustment for fire department equipment. A resolution related to a technology fee for municipal court is also on the agenda
Board appointment
Commissioners will consider appointing Audrey Davenport to the Historic Preservation Commission. Davenport is principal and creative director of Soque Street LLC and holds degrees from the Savannah College of Art and Design. She has served as a consultant to the Cornelia City & Tourism Board and as a board member of Better Hometown.
The commission will also consider appointing Brooke Shedd, owner of Way2Baked in Cornelia, to the Downtown Development Authority to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of Alex Michelle.
The meeting will begin with approval of the agenda, minutes from the Feb. 10 meeting and the city manager’s monthly report. A public forum will allow residents to address the commission on items not scheduled for a public hearing.
the Hall County Sheriff’s Office arrested Heather Thuy Rodriguez, 31, of Gainesville, on Feb. 26, following an investigation into their eight-year-old son bringing a gun to school. (Hall County Sheriff's Office)
GAINESVILLE, Ga. — The parents of an 8-year-old boy who brought a loaded handgun to a Hall County elementary school last week have been charged, authorities said.
Investigators with the Hall County Sheriff’s Office arrested Heather Thuy Rodriguez, 31, of Gainesville, on Thursday afternoon, Feb. 26, following the initial investigation. The child’s father, Cristian Ruben Rodriguez-Martinez, 31, of Gainesville, turned himself in at the Hall County Jail on Friday afternoon.
Each parent was charged with misdemeanor reckless conduct for allegedly leaving the weapon unsecured and accessible to their son, according to sheriff’s office Public Information Officer Derreck Booth.
According to the preliminary investigation, the child removed the weapon from the console of his parents’ vehicle and took it into his room on Wednesday evening, Feb. 25. He then carried the firearm to school the following morning.
At approximately 8:15 a.m. Thursday, the boy showed the gun to a classmate, who reported it to a teacher. The school principal searched the student, confiscated the handgun and immediately notified the school resource officer, prompting a law enforcement investigation.
Authorities said the firearm had a loaded magazine but no round in the chamber.
Heather Rodriguez posted a $1,300 bond and was released from jail late Thursday night. Cristian Rodriguez-Martinez posted a $1,300 bond and was released early Saturday morning.
Qualifying begins today for local candidates (Robbie Watson/NowGeorgia)
Qualifying begins in Muscogee County for local candidates who want their name on the ballot for the upcoming election. Five city council seats and the mayor’s race will be on the ballot. Five people have filed a Declaration of Intention to run for mayor. According to the Elections and Registration Office two seats on the local school board are also being contested.
The qualifying fees established in a resolution by city council are as follows:
City Councilor- $360
Mayor- $1950
School Board- $360
State Court Judge- $4,943
Each candidate has until week’s end to officially qualify and pay the assigned fee before their name will appear on the ballot. Voters in Muscogee County can vote early beginning April 27, 2026. The election is May 19, 2026.
Mayoral candidate Isaiah Hugley hosts meet and greet (Robbie Watson/NowGeorgia.com)
Isaiah Hugley is hitting the campaign trail with a series of meet and greets across town. The former city manager said there is one overriding theme emerging from his conversations with people in Columbus. “When I talk to people, they’re concerned about the chaos not just at the national level or state level but the chaos that they are witnessing right here in Columbus, Georgia,” Hugley said.
“And with that chaos the message that I send to them is that I want to unite this city. I will unite this city. I think I can because of the relationships I have built over the years and I share with them that hope is going to be our compass. Unity through reconciliation is our path but one Columbus is our purpose, and I intend to get us there. I want that to be my legacy that Isaiah Hugley became the 71st mayor of Columbus, GA and he was able to bring this city back together.”
In a controversial move, the city council voted to terminate Hugley as city manager in May of 2025 just six months prior to his scheduled retirement. If elected mayor Hugley could potentially be tasked with naming his own replacement as city manager. He said his hiring process would look different than that of current mayor Skip Henderson. “Well, I’m not clear on the mayor’s process regarding hiring a city manager but my process would perhaps be a little different,” Hugley said.
“I would have maybe an internal group and an external group of colleagues whom I know because I was city manager for 20 years and I would bring a team together and we would go through a vetting process, but I can tell you there are two great deputy city managers there at the city right now. They have delivered over the 15 or more years each one of them and I have no problem with a deputy city manager becoming the next city manager of Columbus because they’ve proven themselves but certainly my process would be different than the current mayor.”
The former city manager heads into qualifying week having already raised thousands more in campaign donations than his opponents. According to the most recent financial disclosures he has raised nearly $128K in donations. Hugley told Now Georgia that doesn’t necessarily make him the man to beat on election day. “I would not say that I am the frontrunner,” Hugley said.
“I think the campaign donations because I’ve outraised others tells us that the people are with the Hugley for Mayor campaign. It tells us it’s a people powered campaign and they want to see me become mayor because they believe the vision, the platform, the message that I’m putting out to them. They’ve watched me over 20 years deliver as city manager and they believe in the different capacity I will be able to deliver as mayor and so those campaign donations tell me that they support the campaign.”
Qualifying for local races on the ballot in Muscogee County begins Monday March 2nd, 2026. Election day is May 19th, 2026.
Rep. Joseph Gullett, a Dallas Republican, has sponsored a measure that would prevent the public from accessing law enforcement audio and video recordings that show a person’s death. (Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder)
Lawmakers are contemplating a measure that would prevent the public from accessing law enforcement audio and video recordings that show a person’s death after the bill’s sponsor argued that new restrictions are needed to preserve the dignity of the people depicted in the footage.
But the legislation, House Bill 1223, has prompted criticism from First Amendment advocates, who say that the change could unnecessarily restrict both journalists and the public from accessing evidence of potential police misconduct and reduce internal incentives for police to hold themselves accountable.
Rep. Joseph Gullett, a Dallas Republican who sponsored the bill, said the change would prevent bad actors from posting recordings, such as those from police body camera footage, online in order to monetize it.
“Ultimately, it’s about the dignity of the family who’s lost a loved one, and the situation that they’re going through,” he said in an interview.
The bill came up in the House Judiciary Committee earlier this week, but did not receive a vote. Lawmakers from both parties expressed hesitation during the committee hearing about the scope of the bill.
“Oftentimes it’s the government who is the perpetrator of the killing,” said Rep. Matt Reeves, a Duluth Republican. “In situations where you’ve got unanswered questions about ‘how did the person get killed?’ I think it could be a good idea to be able to let the responsible journalist investigate and ask questions about the matter.”
Rep. Scott Holcomb. (Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder)
Rep. Scott Holcomb, an Atlanta Democrat, also voiced concerns about the bill.
“I’m totally with you in terms of protecting the dignity of the deceased, but I also want to make sure that we don’t go too far in limiting the public’s access to [evidence of police misconduct],” Holcomb said during the hearing.
An amendment creating an exemption for members of the press was proposed but not added to the bill.
Under existing state law, recordings captured by police remain confidential while law enforcement investigations into police shootings or alleged misconduct are ongoing, but can be publicly released once the investigation is complete. If the bill passes, the footage would be available to police investigators, certain family members and those who are directly involved in a lawsuit where the recordings are relevant.
Anyone else seeking access to the footage would need a court order, according to Sarah Brewerton-Palmer of the Georgia First Amendment Foundation.
The process would be “a huge burden” to journalists and the public, she said.
“You’d have to hire a lawyer and go to court, and Lord knows how long it might take to actually get an order. And there’s no standard for what you’d actually have to show to get a court order compelling disclosure of this type of evidence,” Brewerton-Palmer said.
The Georgia First Amendment Foundation has come out against the bill, arguing that it could unnecessarily restrict reporters and members of the public from accessing information about their government.
“This kind of video footage is really important to the public’s understanding of how their tax dollars and other resources are being used, or misused,” Brewerton-Palmer added. “To just completely carve out this category of documents from the Open Records Act entirely because there may be some bad actors who are misusing it is a serious overreaction that could have pretty drastic consequences for oversight of law enforcement in the state.”
She also expressed concern that the bill could include footage captured from jails and prisons, reducing the opportunity for oversight in those contexts as well.
This and other bills have until Friday, March 6 to clear at least one chamber in order to have a smooth path to the governor’s desk. The Legislature adjourns April 2.
TFS swimmer Selah Wiltshire made her decision to swim at the next level and continue her academic career at Lynn University. (Tallulah Falls School)
TALLULAH FALLS — Tallulah Falls School senior Selah Wiltshire will continue her academic and swimming career at Lynn University, signing with the NCAA Division II program in Boca Raton, Florida.
Wiltshire, a native of St. John, Antigua, has been swimming since she was seven months old and has competed for 12 years. She said the opportunity to compete at the collegiate level marks an exciting new chapter.
“I’ve been swimming since I was just seven months old, and I’ve been competing competitively for 12 years,” Wiltshire said. “Swimming has always been a huge part of my life, and over the years I’ve grown not only as an athlete but as a person. Being able to compete at the next level is incredibly exciting for me. I feel proud of how far I’ve come, and I’m motivated and ready to take on new challenges. I’m looking forward to pushing myself, improving even more, and seeing what I can accomplish in this next chapter of my swimming journey.”
Wiltshire recently capped her high school career with back-to-back team state championships. She set a school record in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 53.83 seconds, finishing third overall in the event.
She also played a key role in two other record-setting relay teams. Wiltshire anchored the 200-yard medley relay team that posted a time of 1:49.19 to win a state title. That mark also stands as the Georgia Independent Athletic Association state record. She swam the leadoff leg on the 200-yard freestyle relay team that recorded a 1:40.63 and secured another state championship.
Over the past two seasons, Wiltshire earned second- and third-place finishes in both the 100 freestyle and 50 freestyle. She also placed third in the 100 breaststroke this season. In total, she claimed four gold medals, including back-to-back state titles in the 200 medley relay and 200 freestyle relay.
Lynn University competes in the Sunshine State Conference and is led by coach Niki Alvarez, who has coached multiple All-Americans and three individual NCAA Division II national champions.
Wiltshire said academics also played a significant role in her decision.
“I chose Lynn University because of its strong academic programs and great internship opportunities,” she said. “I also love that it gives me the chance to continue swimming while getting a quality education.”
Wiltshire becomes the 10th swimmer in Tallulah Falls School history to compete at the collegiate level and the 114th overall athlete from the school to advance to the next level. She will be recognized alongside other members of the Class of 2026 at the school’s annual Next Level Signing Ceremony in May.
The casket of the Rev. Jesse Jackson arrives for public visitation at Rainbow PUSH Coalition headquarters in Chicago, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — After a long career of fighting for civil rights, the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. is visiting his home for one last time to lie in state at the South Carolina capitol on Monday.
The final full honors from the state where he was born is a far cry from his childhood in segregated Greenville, where in 1960 he couldn’t go inside the local library’s much better funded whites-only branch to check out a book he needed.
Jackson led seven Black high school students into that segregated branch, where they sat down and read books and magazines until they were arrested. The branches closed, then quietly reopened for all.
With that action, Jackson launched his career — and crusade — fighting for equality for all. He would catch the attention of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and join the voting rights march King led from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama.
The South Carolina services are part of two weeks of events. It began with Jackson’s body lying in repose and the public invited last week to his Rainbow PUSH Coalition’s Chicago headquarters.
After South Carolina, Jackson will be returned to Chicago for a large celebration of life gathering at a megachurch and the final homegoing services at the headquarters of Rainbow PUSH. Plans for a service in Washington, D.C., to honor him have been postponed until a later date.
Nationally, Jackson advocated for the poor and underrepresented for voting rights, job opportunities, education and health care. He scored diplomatic victories with world leaders.
Trough his Rainbow PUSH Coalition, he channeled cries for Black pride and self-determination into corporate boardrooms, pressuring executives to make America a more open and equitable society. He stepped forward as the Civil Rights Movement’s torchbearer after King’s assassination, and would run for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988.
Jackson continued to be active in his home state, pushing in 2003 for Greenville County to honor King by matching the federal holiday in his honor and in 2015 by advocating for removing the Confederate flag from South Carolina Statehouse grounds after nine Black worshipers were killed in a racist shooting at a Charleston church.
Jackson is just the second Black man to lie in state at the South Carolina capitol. State Sen. Clementa Pinckney was honored in 2015 after he was shot and killed in the Charleston church shooting.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran and Iranian-backed militias fired missiles at Israel and Arab states, apparently hitting the U.S. Embassy compound in Kuwait, while Israel and the United States pounded targets in Iran as the war expanded on Monday with statements of defiance and increasing casualties.
Meanwhile, the Iranian Red Crescent Society said Monday that the U.S.-Israeli airstrike campaign on Iran has killed at least 555 people so far in the Islamic Republic. It added that 131 cities across Iran have come under attack so far in the war.
In Kuwait City, as fire and smoke rose from inside the U.S. Embassy compound, the country’s defense ministry said “several” American warplanes had also crashed in the country. The US military later reported that Kuwait ‘mistakenly shot down’ 3 American F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft during combat. The pilots had been taken to a hospital and were in stable condition.
The embassy compound was hit not long after U.S. issued a warning to Americans there to take cover and for others to stay away. There were no immediate reports on damage or casualties.
Meantime, as the American and Israeli airstrikes continued, top Iranian security official Ali Larijani vowed on X that “we will not negotiate with the United States.”
In Iraq, a pro-Iranian militia claimed responsibility for a drone attack targeting U.S. troops at the Baghdad airport, the day after it said it fired at a U.S. base in the city of Irbil in the north, and Cyprus said a drone attack targeted a British base on the Mediterranean island nation.
Israel and the U.S. bombed Iranian missile sites and targeted its navy, claiming to have destroyed its headquarters and multiple warships.
Iran expands attacks to regional oil infrastructure
With world markets already rattled by the fighting and oil prices soaring, Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura oil refinery came under attack Monday from drones, with defenses downing the incoming aircraft, a military spokesman made the announcement on the state-run Saudi Press Agency.
Online videos from the site appeared to show thick black smoke rising after the attack. Even successfully intercepted drones cause debris that can spark fires and injure those on the ground.
Ras Tanura, near Dammam, has a capacity over half a million barrels of crude oil a day.
Iran’s decision to expands its attacks to major regional oil infrastructure add a new element to the war gripping the Middle East, directly targeting the lifeblood of the area’s economy.
Already, Iran has been threatening ships in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of all oil traded passes. Several ships have been attacked as well there.
Hezbollah fires on Israel, prompting massive response
Iraqi Shiites hold pictures of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed by a U.S. airstrike in Tehran, during a symbolic funeral, in Najaf, Iraq, Sunday, March 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Anmar Khalil)
As the attacks on Iran continued, Hezbollah said it fired missiles from Lebanon into Israel early Monday in response to the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and “repeated Israeli aggressions.” There were no reports of injuries or damage, and Israel said that it had intercepted one projectile while several fell in open areas.
Israel retaliated with strikes on Lebanon, killing at least 31 people and wounding 149 others, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. About two thirds of the dead were in the country’s south.
Lebanon’s government said it was holding an emergency meeting after Hezbollah’s attack on Israel triggered the Israeli airstrikes.
Iran has been firing missiles at Israel and Arab states in a counteroffensive since the joint America-Israeli attack Saturday that killed Khamenei and many top Iranian officials.
Casualties rise as attacks spread across the region
Gulf Arab states have warned that they could retaliate against Iran after strikes that hit key sites and killed at least five civilians, and U.S. President Donald Trump promised Washington would “avenge” the deaths of three American troops who were killed in Kuwait, while predicting more casualties.
“Sadly, there will likely be more before it ends,” Trump said. “That’s the way it is.”
Trump has urged Iranians to “take over” their government and, while he has also signaled he would be open to dialogue with new leadership there following the death of Khamenei, suggested Sunday there was no end in sight to the military operations.
“Combat operations continue at this time in full-force, and they will continue until all of our objectives are achieved,” he said in a video message. “We have very strong objectives,” he added, without elaborating.
The U.S. military said B-2 stealth bombers struck Iran’s ballistic missile facilities with 2,000-pound bombs. Trump said on social media that nine Iranian warships had been sunk and that the Iranian navy’s headquarters had been “largely destroyed.”
Others have mostly stayed out of the war and pressed for diplomacy. But in an indication that the conflict could draw in other nations, Britain, France and Germany said Sunday they were ready to work with the U.S. to help stop Iran’s attacks.
Early Monday, Cyprus said an uncrewed drone “caused limited damage” when it hit a British air base on the southern coast. Further details were not immediately available, but it came after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the U.K. would help the U.S. in the war against Iran.
The weekend attacks were the second time in eight months that the U.S. and Israel had combined against Iran, in a startling show of military might for an American president elected on an “America First” platform and pledged to keep out of “forever wars.”
In the 12-day war last June, Israeli and American strikes greatly weakened Iran’s air defenses, military leadership and nuclear program. But the killing of Khamenei, who ruled Iran for more than three decades, creates a leadership vacuum, increasing the risk of regional instability.
Iranian proxies join the fray
Hezbollah’s launch of missiles at Israel was the first time in more than a year that the militant group has claimed an attack.
Iran’s proxies were a chief concern for American and Israeli officials before they suspended negotiations with Iran last week and moved ahead with strikes on Iran.
Israel said the Lebanese militant Hezbollah group had “joined the campaign” alongside Iran as it retaliated with strikes on Beirut, Lebanon’s capital.
Associated Press journalists in Beirut were jolted awake by a series of loud explosions that shook buildings and caused windows to shatter. Warplanes could be heard flying low overhead.
“The strikes continue,” said Maj. Gen. Rafi Milo, head of Israel’s Northern Command. “Their intensity will increase.”
The Iraqi Shiite militia Saraya Awliya al-Dam claimed a drone attack Monday targeting U.S. troops at the airport in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, further widening the retaliation over the killing of Khamenei. It had claimed a drone attack on Sunday against a U.S. air base in Irbil, in Iraq’s north.
The group is one of a number of Shiite militias operating in Iraq. The U.S. and Iraq did not immediately comment on the claims.
In the Persian Gulf, Iran’s retaliatory strikes pushed the conflict into cities that have long marketed themselves as regional safe havens. Three people were reported killed in the United Arab Emirates and one each in Kuwait and Bahrain.
In the United Arab Emirates, authorities said most Iranian missiles and drones were intercepted. But some either got through or fell as debris, causing the deaths and significant damage. Bahrain and Kuwait said Iranian strikes in both countries hit civilian targets outside the U.S. bases where Iran had pledged to retaliate.
With hundreds already dead, WHO calls for protection of civilians
Tehran’s streets are largely deserted as people have been sheltering during airstrikes, witnesses told The Associated Press, speaking anonymously for fear of retribution. The paramilitary Basij, which has played a central role in crushing protests, set up checkpoints across the city, they said.
In Israel, rescue services have confirmed several locations have been hit by Iranian missiles, including Jerusalem and a synagogue in Beit Shemesh, where nine people were killed and 28 wounded, bringing the overall death toll in the country to 11.
The World Health Organization called Monday for sparing civilians and healthcare facilities in the Middle East amid the escalating conflict.
“The protection of civilians and health care must be absolute,” Hanan Balkhy, regional dietitian at WHO wrote on social media. “All parties must … ensure medical facilities remain protected.”
