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The U.S. weighs sending thousands more troops to the Middle East. Signs of an Iran strategy split emerge between the U.S. and Israel. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards tighten their grip on wartime decision-making. Trump's Homeland Security nominee Markwayne Mullin testifies before the Senate. And the Fed keeps rates unchanged amid an uncertain economic outlook.

*This episode has been updated to correct the spelling of Jon Ossoff.*

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* This episode has been corrected to remove an erroneous reference to the meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi being on Wednesday. It is scheduled for Thursday, March 19.

Iran hits Tel Aviv with cluster warheads. It’s retaliation for the killing of Tehran’s security chief and powerbroker, Ali Larijani, whose death leaves a vacuum that will make de-escalation efforts tricky. The head of the National Counterterrorism Center, Joe Kent, quits over the Iran war blaming Israel’s influence. And Japan’s Sanae Takaichi will have a tightrope to walk in her meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump.

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*This podcast has been corrected to remove an erroneous reference to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as president

Israel says Iran's security ​chief Ali Larijani has been killed. Rockets and drones were launched at the U.S. embassy in Baghdad as Iranian-backed militias target U.S. interests in Iraq. Sources say U.S. President Donald Trump was warned that attacking Iran could trigger retaliation against Gulf allies, despite his claims that Tehran's reaction came as a surprise. Afghanistan says 400 people have been killed in a Pakistan air strike on a Kabul hospital. Plus, Cuba’s national electric grid collapses. 

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Calls by U.S. President Donald Trump for help to reopen the Strait of Hormuz appear to fall on deaf ears. Tehran's ambassador to Saudi Arabia tells Reuters that Iran's relations with Gulf states require a "serious review." Trump says a deal with Cuba is close but hints action is possible. Airline bosses urge Congress to end the partial government shutdown. And One Battle After Another wins best picture at the Oscars. 

On Assignment: The Oscars industrial complex

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Iran arrests dozens of people it accuses of aiding Israeli strikes, as U.S. President Donald Trump threatens to hit Kharg Island “a few more times just for fun.” As oil prices rise, Trump wants allies' warships to help secure the Strait of Hormuz. Shipping snarls and drone attacks deepen a push Japan to release a record chunk of its oil reserves. India scrambles to support stranded sailors and calm protests over cooking‑gas shortages. Plus, Formula One wipes April off its calendar as conflict spreads across the Gulf.

Listen to the latest On Assignment episode: The Oscars industrial complex

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