By JON GAMBRELL, RUSS BYNUM and SALLY ABOU ALJOUD

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Intense Israeli airstrikes pounded the capitals of Iran and Lebanon early Friday as the U.S. apparently struck an Iranian drone carrier at sea, intensifying its campaign targeting the Islamic Republic’s fleet of warships.

Iran launched new retaliatory attacks in the Middle East at the end of a full week of bombardment, which U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned was “about to surge dramatically.”

Israel’s military said Friday morning it had begun “a broad-scale wave of strikes” on Tehran, Iran’s capital. Witnesses described the Israeli airstrikes as particularly intense, shaking homes in the area. Others reported explosions around the Iranian city of Kermanshah in an area that is home to multiple missile bases.

The Israeli military said strikes have already destroyed most of Iran’s air defenses and missile launchers.

The war has escalated to affect countries across the Middle East and beyond. Early Friday, Iran fired missile and drone attacks into Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, all countries that host U.S. forces. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

In Lebanon, where the war has intensified fighting between Israel and Iran-allied Hezbollah militants, Israel launched a series of airstrikes late Thursday into Friday in the southern suburbs of Beirut and other areas. Motorists jammed roads trying to flee or seek shelter.

The U.S. and Israel have battered Iran with nationwide strikes, targeting their military capabilities, leadership and nuclear program.

Iran’s attacks have targeted their Arab neighbors, disrupted oil supplies and snarled global air travel. The war has killed at least 1,230 people in Iran, more than 120 in Lebanon and around a dozen in Israel, according to officials in those countries. Six U.S. troops have been killed.

U.S. says it struck an Iranian drone carrier

The U.S. military said early Friday that it struck an Iranian drone carrier, setting it ablaze.

The U.S. military’s Central Command released black-and-white footage of the burning carrier. The Iranian military did not immediately acknowledge the attack.

The drone carrier, the IRIS Shahid Bagheri, is a converted container ship with a 180-meter-long (yard) runway for drones. The vessel can travel up to 22,000 nautical miles without needing to refuel in ports, reports said at the time of its 2005 inauguration.

Adm. Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command, described the carrier as “roughly the size of a World War II aircraft carrier.”

“And as we speak, it’s on fire,” Cooper told reporters.

Speaking alongside Cooper, Hegseth gave few details Thursday when he promised an upcoming surge.

“It’s more fighter squadrons, it’s more capabilities, it’s more defensive capabilities,” Hegseth said. “And it’s more bomber pulses more frequently.”

Iran targets country’s hosting U.S. forces

Qatar’s Defense Ministry reported early Friday it intercepted a drone attack targeting Al Udeid Air Base, which hosts the forward headquarters of the U.S. Central Command.

Saudi Arabia intercepted and destroyed three ballistic missiles fired early Friday toward Prince Sultan Air Base south of Riyadh, which hosts U.S. forces, said a spokesperson for Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense.

Air raid sirens sounded in Bahrain, where the Interior Ministry said Iranian strikes targeted two hotels and a residential building. It said there were no casualties. In Kuwait, where the six U.S. soldiers were killed Sunday, the Kuwaiti army said its air defenses were activated when missile and drone attacks breached Kuwait’s airspace.

Trump again urges Iranians to “take back” their country

In brief remarks at the White House on Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump again urged the Iranian people to “help take back your country.” This time he promised the U.S. would grant them “immunity” amid the war and ongoing dangers under the current Iranian regime.

“So you’ll be perfectly safe with total immunity,” Trump said, without giving any details about what that meant. “Or you’ll face absolutely guaranteed death.”

In an interview with the news website Axios, Trump said he should be involved in choosing Iran’s new supreme leader to replace Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the opening strikes of the war. Trump spoke dismissively of Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, being a front-runner to replace his father, calling him “a lightweight.”

“We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran,” Trump said.

Iranian official says there’s no trust to resume talks with U.S.

Iran has not requested talks with the U.S. to bring an end to the widening war, Iran’s ambassador to Egypt told the Associated Press on Thursday. Ambassador Mojtaba Ferdousi Pour denied comments by Trump that Iran wants to negotiate.

He said a lack of trust makes such engagement impossible after talks for a possible nuclear deal twice failed and ended with war.

“There will be no trust in Trump,” Ferdousi Pour said.

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused the U.S. Navy of committing “an atrocity at sea” for sinking the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean, killing at least 87 crew members.

The Iranian ship was returning from an exercise hosted by the Indian navy that the U.S. also joined. Sri Lankan authorities said 32 crew members were rescued. Araghchi said it had been carrying “almost 130” crew.

An Iranian cleric later called on state television for the shedding of both Israeli and “Trump’s blood.”

Israel hits Lebanon with multiple airstrikes around Beirut

Israel carried out at least 11 airstrikes late Thursday and early Friday, targeting the southern suburbs of Beirut. Fires broke out near a gas station.

The Israeli army issued a warning Thursday evening, urging residents to “save your lives and evacuate your homes immediately.” Two hospitals evacuated patients and staff. No casualties were immediately reported.

The Lebanese health ministry said the death toll has risen to 123 since the resurgence of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, which struck Israel in the opening days of the war.

A spokesperson for the U.N. peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon, Tilak Pokharel, said Thursday that peacekeepers had seen and heard clashes, including ground combat, in southern Lebanon as more Israeli forces have moved across the border.

___

Bynum reported from Savannah, Georgia, and Abou AlJoud from Beirut, Lebanon. AP journalists around the world contributed.

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Max Cullen and the Moorhead Spuds are still in pursuit of their second-straight state title.

But senior goalie Keaton LeGrande and his Lakeville South teammates made them work for it.

Cullen scored two goals to lift Moorhead past the Cougars 4-1 in the Class 2A state quarterfinals Thursday night at Grand Casino Arena.

But the Spuds (25-3-1) had a difficult time getting the puck past LeGrande for much of the game, despite managing 33 shots-on-goal.

Still, it is Moorhead — the tournament’s No. 2 seed — advancing to face the winner of Thursday’s late matchup between surprising No. 6 seed Andover and No. 3 seed Edina in the semifinals at 8 p.m. Friday.

The Spuds are attempting to become the first Class 2A team to repeat as state champions since Edina in 2013 and ’14.

Lakeville South (14-12-3) managed a few shots early before Moorhead began steadily keeping the puck on the opposite side of the ice.

But the Cougars defense did a good job in front of LeGrande, who played well – finishing the first period with nine saves.

Senior forward Carter Ernst managed to get off Lakeville South’s first shot in over six minutes late in the period, but after Spuds sophomore Will Arnold recorded the save, Cullen took the puck down the ice to score unassisted on the other end with 4:31 to play.

It was his 26th goal of the season and put Moorhead on top 1-0 going into the first intermission.

The Spuds kept up the pressure in the second period, taking 11 shots-on-goal in the first 10 minutes of play to the Cougars’ two. But even after Moorhead went on the power play with 6:32 remaining, LeGrande continued to assure they came up empty.

In fact, the best opportunity to score in that stretch came on a short-handed shot from directly in front of the Spuds’ net by Lakeville South junior Charlie Hunst that was stopped by Arnold.

Yet Moorhead finally struck again with 28 seconds left in the period on Cullen’s second goal of the game, extending its lead to 2-0 going into the third.

The Spuds went on another power play early in the final period, but the Cougars again killed it off. Then, seconds later, senior forward Tristan Lawrence got to a rebound off a shot by Hunst and drove it home to cut the gap to 2-1 with 14:08 to play.

But Lakeville South could not tie things up, despite gaining a five-on-three advantage for almost a minute-and-a-half.

That left it to Max’s cousin Joey, a sophomore forward, to put things out-of-reach on a goal with 6:01 remaining.

After killing off a Cougars’ power play, the Spuds added a final goal from senior Mr. Hockey finalist Tyden Bergeson with 2:51 to go.

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Minnesota Democrats are saying the departure of Secretary Kristi Noem from the Department of Homeland Security is overdue, while Republicans have yet to comment.

President Donald Trump announced Noem’s departure in a Truth Social post on Thursday. He tapped Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin to replace Noem — a move that would require Senate confirmation.

“The current Secretary, Kristi Noem, who has served us well, and has had numerous and spectacular results (especially on the Border!), will be moving to be Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas, our new Security Initiative in the Western Hemisphere we are announcing on Saturday in Doral, Florida. I thank Kristi for her service at ‘Homeland,’” Trump wrote.

The ousting comes on the heels of the months-long DHS Operation Metro Surge, which resulted in the fatal shootings in January of Alexi Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis at the hands of federal agents, triggering civil unrest and pushback locally and nationally over immigration enforcement.

House Leader Zack Stephenson, DFL-Coon Rapids, said it is just the start of accountability and “really does show the power of ordinary Minnesotans when they stand up to the kind of heartless and unconstitutional and unlawful activity we saw.”

“This president has demonstrated time and time again that there’s nothing he likes better than a scapegoat,” Stephenson said Thursday night. “He’s not up for owning his own failures and misjudgment. He just finds someone to blame and then trucks on, so it’s not that surprising. And beyond that, as I said, I don’t have a ton of hope that her replacement is going to be a significant improvement. Having said that, I believe in accountability, and she certainly deserved to be fired.”

While several House Republicans had already left for the weekend, three who were asked by Forum News Service to comment Thursday night at the Capitol declined. A request for comment from Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson, R-East Grand Forks, was not answered by the time of publication.

Minnesota’s Republican congressional delegation had not responded to a request for comment from Forum News Service by the time of publication.

Rep. Isaac Schultz, R-Elmdale Township, said he thinks Trump is “going to choose the people who can best execute the mission to make America great again.” He said he supports Trump’s immigration goals and that “this move likely helps achieve that mission.”

“Our job is to demand better of government, and I think that in this instance, we want to see immigration enforcement be more effective and done better and protecting people’s constitutional rights,” Schultz said. “And I believe that the best ability for the President to execute this mission, is if we do this work better, and I think that that’s what the President is committed to.”

Noem’s departure also comes after she underwent a series of hearings before Congress on the conduct of DHS under her leadership. U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., at the Tuesday Senate hearing pressed Noem on the use of the term “domestic terrorists” to characterize the fatal shootings of Pretti and Good.

“Alex Pretti and Renee Good should be alive today,” Klobuchar said in a statement Thursday. “Secretary Noem’s overdue removal from the Department of Homeland Security is a step toward accountability, but it is only the beginning.”

Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn, echoed Stephenson’s concerns about Noem’s successor and urged Senate Democrats not to support Mullin’s nomination or fund ICE.

“Minnesotans know we are not out of the woods yet and we can’t afford another rubber stamp for Trump’s immigration agenda leading DHS,” Craig said. “And even though we’ve seen that loyalty is a one-way street for this president, that’s exactly what Markwayne Mullin will be.”

In reacting to Noem’s departure, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan said in an X post, “Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said in an X post, “Good riddance.”

Gov. Tim Walz said in a statement Thursday that “Kristi Noem has done a stunning amount of damage and it’s good she’s gone.

“But this doesn’t change the fact that we need a complete overhaul of DHS, impartial investigations into the killings of two American citizens, and information on children that were taken from Minnesota,” Walz said.

Trump said Noem will leave her role as homeland security chief on March 31.

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Lionel Messi bestowed President Donald Trump with a bejeweled pink soccer ball during a White House ceremony honoring Inter Miami for winning last year’s MLS Cup.

Miami beat the Vancouver Whitecaps in December for the Major League Soccer title, and the Argentinian superstar was named the league’s MVP for the second consecutive season.

“Leo, you came in and you won, and that’s something very hard to do, very, very unusual and frankly, there’s a lot more pressure put on you than anyone would know, because you sort of expected to win, but almost nobody wins,” Trump said.

President Donald Trump receives a soccer ball trophy from Lionel Messi during an event to honor the 2025 Major League Soccer champions Inter Miami in the East Room of the White House, Thursday, March 5, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Messi, who entered the ceremony alongside Trump, joined Inter Miami in mid-2023 to great fanfare. He did not speak during the event, which turned political at times with Trump addressing the war with Iran, the situation in Venezuela, a possible future announcement regarding Cuba and even tariffs.

Addressing Messi — who famously avoids speaking out on politics — the president stuck mostly to sports.

“You could have gone anywhere in the world. You could have chosen any team in the world, and you chose to go to Miami. I don’t blame you. The weather’s extremely good. Do you go to Doral? You go to Doral and play golf?” Trump said, referencing a golf course he owns. “I just want to thank you for bringing us all on this ride, because you are hot and talented and a great person.”

Among the other Inter Miami stars in attendance were Luis Suárez, Tadeo Allende and Rodrigo De Paul. MLS Commissioner Don Garber sat next to Andrew Giuliani, head of the White House’s World Cup task force. Also attending were retired baseball star Alex Rodriguez and members of Trump’s cabinet.

Inter Miami was the first MLS team to be invited to the White House during Trump’s two terms in office.

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Messi, an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, led Argentina to the World Cup title in 2022. The 38-year-old is expected to play again for Argentina this summer when the tournament is hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Soccer’s global showcase has been clouded by recent events, including the war with Iran and turmoil in Mexico following the death of cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera in a military operation.

Iran is part of the World Cup field of 48 teams and is set to play a pair of games at SoFi Stadium in Southern California and another in Seattle during the group stage.

Trump opened the ceremony with comments about the conflict with Iran but did not mention the World Cup.

Following military action by the United States and Israel last week, Iran’s top soccer official, Mehdi Taj, said the country could not look to playing in the World Cup with “hope.”

“I really don’t care” if Iran participates, Trump told Politico this week. “I think Iran is a very badly defeated country. They’re running on fumes.”

It’s not clear what would happen if Iran pulled out of the World Cup. No team that has qualified for the tournament has withdrawn in the past 75 years.

The World Cup kicks off on June 11 when Mexico plays South Africa in Mexico City.

During the ceremony, Trump spoke about how he saw Brazilian great Pele play with the New York Cosmos. He looked to Messi: “You may be better than Pele,” then asked the crowd, “Who’s better?”

Inter Miami owner Jorge Mas said his team has “changed the culture of football in the United States of America forever.”

“We can play with the big boys, we can play with the heavyweights. Our league can be one of the top leagues in the world,” Mas said. “And it is this ability to dream, to persevere, to have no obstacles ahead of us, that we will continue to be successful. And hopefully, Mr. President, this is not our only visit here celebrating an MLS Cup championship.”

It was the first White House visit for Messi. He was invited by the Biden administration to be presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in January 2025 but could not attend because of a scheduling conflict.

Inter Miami will remain in the area to play D.C. United on Saturday.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer