Trump admits there may be 'very good reason' to send US troops into Iran - as fresh wave of airstrikes pummel Tehran: Live updates

Trump admits there may be 'very good reason' to send US troops into Iran - as fresh wave of airstrikes pummel Tehran: Live updates
By: dailymail Posted On: March 08, 2026 View: 47

President Donald Trump admitted he may 'possibly' deploy US troops on the ground in Iran, but said there would have to be a 'very good reason' for him to do so. 

The president floated the idea on Air Force One on Saturday, after attending the dignified transfer of the remains of six US servicemembers killed so far in his war with Iran.  

His remarks came as Israel launched a fresh wave of airstrikes on Tehran, engulfing the Iranian capital in fireballs as plumes of black smoke filled the skies across the region. 

Stunning footage circulating social media showed apocalyptic scenes in the capital on Saturday night, which came as the Israeli military said it was moving into a 'new phase' of the war by targeting Iranian oil refineries and storage sites. 

Hours earlier, Iran sent another barrage of retaliatory strikes at its Gulf neighbors, with debris from an intercepted missile striking the luxury 23 Marina skyscraper in Dubai

In a separate incident in Dubai, one man was killed after debris from an 'aerial interception' fell on his car, and Dubai Airport was evacuated following an Iranian drone attack. 

The strikes were launched while Iran's de facto leader Ali Larijani told state media that the nation would not cede to Trump's demands for 'unconditional surrender', and he vowed that the United States 'must pay the price' for killing late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. 

The tit-for-tat strikes have threatened to spiral the war across the Middle East out of control, with Trump earlier warning that he was considering sending a mega-strike he dubbed 'the big one' this weekend. 

Breaking:US soldiers 'possibly' being sent to Iran, Trump says. 'Have to be a very good reason'

President Trump says he may 'possibly' deploy US troops on the ground into Iran, but there would need to be a 'very good reason.'

Asked on Air Force One about reports that he is 'seriously considering' sending US soldiers into Iran, Trump initially brushed off the question, saying he didn't think it was 'appropriate.'

'I don’t even want to talk about it now,' he said.

'You know, I’m not going to answer it. Could there be? Possibly, for very good reason, have to be very good reason.

'I would say if we ever did that they would be so decimated that they wouldn’t be able to fight at the ground level.'

Trump's admission that he may end up deploying US ground troops comes after the White House denied an NBC News report on Friday night claiming that he was 'seriously considering' making the move.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt slammed the report, alleging it was 'based on assumptions from anonymous sources who are not part of the President’s national security team and are clearly not read into these discussions.'

'President Trump always, wisely keeps all options open, but anyone trying to insinuate he is in favor of one option or another proves they have no real seat at the table,' Leavitt said at the time.

IN FLIGHT- MARCH 7:U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media traveling on Air Force One while heading to Miami on March 7, 2026. President Trump and other members of the government attended the dignified transfer of six soldiers from the 103rd Sustainment Command who were killed in action by an Iranian drone strike on March 1 in Port Shuabia, Kuwait during

Huge fireball erupts over Tehran as Israel destroys oil refinery

A huge fireball erupted over Tehran on Saturday night after Israel struck an oil refinery, causing a catastrophic explosion.

Images from the capital showed the oil refinery up in flames, as black smoke filled the skies over the city.

The refinery that was struck was among several targets hit on Saturday evening, located near to the Mehrabad Airport which was also hit on Friday.

TOPSHOT - An explosion erupts following strikes near Azadi Tower close to Mehrabad International Airport in Tehran on March 7, 2026. The United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran on February 28, sparking swift retaliation by the Islamic republic which responded with missile attacks across the region. The war has dragged in global powers, upended the world's energy and transport sectors, and brought chaos to even usually peaceful areas of the volatile region. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP via Getty Images)
Explosions erupt following strikes in Tehran on March 7, 2026. The United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran on February 28, sparking swift retaliation by the Islamic republic which responded with missile attacks across the region. The war has dragged in global powers, upended the world's energy and transport sectors, and brought chaos to even usually peaceful areas of the volatile region. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP via Getty Images)
TEHRAN, IRAN - MARCH 07: A large plume of smoke rises over Tehran after explosions were reported in the city during the night on March 07, 2026 in Tehran, Iran.  (Photo by Contributor/Getty Images)

Trump dismisses threats from Iran's de facto leader that he will 'pay the price' for strikes

President Trump brushed off threats from Iran's de facto leader that he 'must pay' for his strikes on the country that killed late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei.

'I have no idea what he's talking about, who he is,' Trump said of Ali Larijani, the Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security and de facto leader.

'I couldn't care less. I couldn't care less,' Trump told CBS News on Saturday evening. 'He's already been defeated.'

Larijani said in an address to state media on Saturday night that he would avenge Khamenei's death, as he cautioned: 'Americans must know that we will not let them go.'

In response, Trump mocked Larijani, saying in a late night phone call: 'He intended to take over the Middle East and he's conceded and surrendered to all of those countries because of me.

'He's already surrendered to all of the Middle Eastern countries because he was trying to take over the entire Middle East. That's why all of those rockets were long ago aimed at those countries. He had that planned, long before this started.'

MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 7: U.S. President Donald Trump arrives at Miami International Airport on March 7, 2026 in Miami, Florida.  Trump will attend the first Shield of the Americas summit at his golf club, Trump National Doral Miami, with leaders from Latin American countries.  (Photo by Roberto Schmidt/Getty Images)

Kuwait hit with drone strike blitz, government says

Kuwaiti officials said a high-rise government building was hit by drone strikes in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The Public Institution for Social Security headquarters sustained 'material damage' in a drone strike, the Kuwait News Agency said.

Footage showed the building, situated in the affluent Al Soor district in Kuwait City center near the Four Seasons Hotel Kuwait, set on fire after being hit by the drone.

Hours earlier, two fuel depots at Kuwait International Airport, storing US military resources, were also hit by drone attacks.

Trump may consider special forces operation to target Iranian nuclear sites, military sources say

President Trump's options for deploying troops on the ground in Iran include sending Special Operations units to seize and destroy key nuclear sites, military sources told Semafor.

Trump said Saturday that he was 'possibly' looking to send soldiers on the ground, but said he would need a 'really good reason' to make the move.

According to military experts and insiders familiar with the options on the table, Trump may consider a 'counter-WMD mission', which would see Delta Force infiltrate and destroy material that could be used in a nuclear weapon.

Trump previously declared that he 'obliterated' Iran's nuclear facilities in a strike last June, but some sites are still believed by analysts to be safely holding enriched uranium - the main ingredient in a nuke.

Explosions erupt following strikes at Shahran Oil Refinery in Tehran on March 7, 2026. The United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran on February 28, sparking swift retaliation by the Islamic republic which responded with missile attacks across the region. The war has dragged in global powers, upended the world's energy and transport sectors, and brought chaos to even usually peaceful areas of the volatile region. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP via Getty Images)

Over 30 drones intercepted by Saudi Arabia - including one aimed at Embassy district

Saudi Arabia's defense ministry said it intercepted over 30 drones in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The ministry said many of the drones were targeting the capital Riyadh, including one aimed at the Diplomatic Quarter, where a number of foreign embassies are located.

The interceptions caused no damage or injuries, officials said.

The ministry did not identify the source of the attacks, with the drone aimed at the embassy district coming as US embassies in Oslo and Baghdad were attacked.

Rockets fired at US Embassy in Baghdad

Rocket attacks have been launched at the US Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq.

Iraqi officials blamed 'rogue groups' for the attack in the Iraqi capital on Saturday evening.

Footage showed a US Army C-RAM interceptor shooting down the rocket fire, sending a stunning red laser across the skies as it took down the munitions.

A security source told AFP that four rockets were launched toward the embassy, and three were intercepted while one fell in an open area in the embassy's airbase.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani indicated the attack was launched by a rebel group, saying that he ordered his security forces to find the perpetrators of the 'terrorist act of launching projectiles toward the US embassy.'

'The perpetrators of these attacks are committing an offence against Iraq, its sovereignty, and its security. These rogue groups that operate outside the framework of the law in no way represent the will of the Iraqi people,' the Prime Minister said

At 1am local time in Norway, a large explosion was also reported outside the US Embassy in Oslo, resulting in 'minor injuries.'

U.S. Army C-RAM activity over the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, in response to an incoming drone attack.

Breaking:Explosion at US Embassy in Oslo, Norway

A large explosion was reported outside the US Embassy in Oslo, Norway.

A large police presence was seen descending on the embassy at around 1am Sunday local time.

The explosion caused 'minor injuries' and damage to the consular entrance of the embassy, Oslo Police Chief Michael Dellemyr told NKR

The source of the explosion or who was responsible is unclear, police said.

Smoke ​was ⁠seen rising from the area around the ​embassy compound, eyewitnesses told ​Norwegian ⁠outlet Verdens Gang.

The incident unfolded shortly after the US Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq was also attacked with rockets, as the US-Israeli campaign against Iran continues to escalate.

Israeli strike on hotel in Beirut kills at least four and injures 10, Lebanon says

An Israeli airstrike on a hotel in Beirut on Saturday night killed at least four people and injured 10 others, Lebanon's health ministry said.

The strike hit the center of Beirut, marking an escalation of Israel's targeting of the country as previous strikes have focused on the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs.

The Israeli Defense Force said in a statement the attack was a 'precise strike' on key commanders in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’s Quds Force’s Lebanon Corps.

'Prior to the strike, steps were taken to mitigate harm to civilians, including the use of precise munition and aerial surveillance,' the statement said.

Several Gulf nations report new strikes from Iran

Nations across the Persian Gulf reported new airstrikes and interceptions in their airspace in the early hours of Sunday morning (local time).

Kuwait said it sustained a 'wave of hostile drones' striking fuel storage sites at the Kuwait International Airport.

Further strikes on Kuwait also saw a high-rise building set ablaze by a strike. It is unclear if the strike caused injuries or deaths.

A number of drone attacks were also reported by Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Defense, which said it intercepted at least 21 drones.

Iran also launched airstrikes at Bahrain in Sunday morning, with officials saying a fire at the Mina Salman seaport was caused by 'Iranian aggression.'

The latest wave of strikes from Iran come after Israel began a 'new phase' of the war by destroying oil refineries and fuel depots across Tehran, which caused huge explosions across the capital on Saturday night.

Iran's de facto leader warns America 'must pay the price' for killing Khamenei

Ali Larijani, the Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council and the nation's de facto leader, said in an address to state media that the nation would not cede to Donald Trump's demands for surrender.

Larijani warned that the United States 'must pay the price' for killing late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, in a furious speech on Saturday night.

'Americans must know that we will not let them go,' Larijani said.

Larijani said Iran was determined to avenge the death of Khamenei, who was killed in an airstrike last Saturday on the first day of the US-Israel campaign in Iran.

'When the enemy attacks us from military bases in the region, we will respond, this is our right and our policy,' he added.

'We don’t want the region to be destabilized but the essence of this war will destabilize the region.'

Iranian Secretary of Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani, speaks during a press conference after his meeting with the Lebanese parliament speaker Nabih Berri, in Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)

Trump rules out help of Kurdish forces in war against Iran: 'The war is complicated enough'

President Trump said Saturday that the United States does not want the help of Iranian Kurdish groups in its war with Iran.

'We’re not looking to the Kurds going in. We’re very friendly with the Kurds, as you know, but we don’t want to make the war anymore complex than it already is,' Trump told reporters on Air Force One.

'Yeah, I have ruled it out. I don’t want the Kurds going in… They’re willing to go in, but I’ve told them, I don’t want them to go in,' Trump said.

'The war’s complicated enough without getting the Kurds involved.'

Trump's comments come after CNN reported this week that the CIA was arming Kurdish forces in hopes of stoking an uprising in Iran.

IN FLIGHT- MARCH 7:U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media traveling on Air Force One while heading to Miami on March 7, 2026. President Trump and other members of the government attended the dignified transfer of six soldiers from the 103rd Sustainment Command who were killed in action by an Iranian drone strike on March 1 in Port Shuabia, Kuwait during
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  • UK government set to charter flight from Dubai 'early next week' for stranded Brits
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  • Donald Trump vows Iran will be 'hit very hard' TODAY
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  • Three more American bombers arrive at British RAF base
  • Iranian President apologises for attacking neighbours and promises 'end' to strikes
  • Dubai airport evacuated after drone attack

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