Transcript of Israel and Iran Trade Airstrikes, Trump Meets Japan PM, Kharg Island Future New

Israel launched more airstrikes on Tehran.

The Israeli prime minister also answered questions. What is Benjamin Netanyahu saying about Iran's nuclear program and claims that he pushed the U.S. into war?

I'm Leila Faldin. That's Stephen Skeap. And this is Up First from NPR News. Japan's prime minister spoke warmly of President Trump in a visit to the White House.

I firmly believe that it is only you, Donald, who can achieve peace across the world.

Trump took the occasion to compare his surprise attack on Iran with Japan's on Pearl Harbor.

Also, how could 2,200 U.S. Marines change the war? The strike force is on its way to the Persian Gulf. Stay with us. We've got the news you need to start your day. We are at the end of a week that called attention to U.S. cooperation with Israel in the war against Iran.

This week, a Trump administration official resigned, saying that Israel had pressure pressured the U.S. into war. Israel struck Iranian natural gas infrastructure, and President Trump claimed no one warned him. Now, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is giving his account of those events while Israel's military launches a new wave of airstrikes across Iran.

NPR's Carrie Kahn is covering all this from Tel Aviv. Hi there, Carrie. Hi.

Good morning.

How is Benjamin Netanyahu talking through all this?

Yesterday, at a press conference with foreign reporters, he said Israel acted alone striking that Iranian gas compound and said, quote, President Trump asked us to hold off on any future attacks, and we're holding off.

I don't think any two leaders have been as coordinated as President Trump and I. He's the leader. I'm, you know, his ally.

Even though Trump claims the U.S. didn't know about the Israeli strike in advance, just want to tell you that a person briefed on the matter did tell NPR that the U.S. and Israel are coordinating on all targets. And again, Netanyahu says it's fake news to say Israel dragged the U.S. into this war. He said nobody can tell President Trump what to do. And he claimed Iran no longer has the capacity to enrich uranium. He made that claim in Hebrew only, and he did not provide any evidence. And yesterday, an oil refinery in the northern city of Haifa was hit here. There was no significant damage. That's according to Israel's energy minister. And I just need to tell you, it's been a very active morning here in central Israel with multiple anti-missile sirens sounding, two just minutes ago.

Yeah, I know you've had to go down to the shelters a couple times. We've been preparing for this report. Remarkable that Netanyahu would claim that one of Israel's war aims and U.S. war aims has been achieved, but he doesn't give evidence. We'll look for more there. And what else is happening in the war?

Well, in the Gulf, it's been active morning too. Dubai reporting heavy explosions there as its air defense systems engaged incoming missiles and drones. An oil refinery in Kuwait was also hit today, and Qatari officials tallied damage estimates from an Iranian strike to a major natural gas complex there. They say it will top $20 billion $1 billion in lost revenue. And yesterday, Saudi Arabia's foreign minister had words of caution to Iran. He said the kingdom's patience is, quote, not unlimited, and said it, quote, reserves the right to take military action.

Okay. So a lot is happening at a time that should be a holiday or is a holiday for many people across the Middle East, the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. What's the mood like?

It's not celebratory mood here for sure. It's tense here in Israel. Israeli police used tear gas to disperse a group of Muslim worshippers. This morning walking toward the Old City in Jerusalem. Since the war, Israeli authorities have closed the Al-Aqsa Mosque, one of Islam's holiest sites. They cite safety concerns because of incoming missile fire, and they say the compound doesn't have adequate shelter. But Mustafa Abu Sway, a member of the Islamic Authority that manages the mosque, says those security concerns ring hollow. He told me they are an excuse for Israel to exert more control over the sacred site. He says people are sad and need to come together to pray, he says.

So if you tell them don't go to pray, that's the only place where they could have some hope.

What else can they do to find hope and community, he says, in these tough times? And of course, in Lebanon, the humanitarian crisis there is dire. More than 1.2 million people now displaced and the death toll topping 1,000. And that's all from the pounding Israeli airstrikes there against Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants that continue firing missiles into northern Israel.

NPR's Carrie Kahn is in Tel Aviv. Carrie, thanks so much.

You're welcome.

President Trump met Thursday with an ally whose help he wants in reopening the Strait of Hormuz: I expect Japan to step up because, you know, we have that kind of relationship, and we step up with Japan.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takeuchi sat with Trump at the White House. She also joined 5 other U.S. allies, including the U.K. and France. In a statement, supporting a coalition to reopen the strait, but they did not commit to sending military aid. During the Oval Office meeting, Trump was also asked about the $200 billion the Pentagon is reportedly asking for to help pay for the war.

NPR's Franco Ordoñez is here. Franco, good morning.

Good morning, Steve.

Okay, could Japan turn into an ally, a player in the Middle East?

Yeah, I mean, they definitely could. I mean, one reason is that Trump just has so much leverage with Japan because of how much oil it receives from the Middle Chinese oil and gas flows through the Strait of Hormuz. Trump pointed out that as much as 90% comes through the strait. But also, clearly, the prime minister wants to remain friendly with Trump for a lot of reasons, and she was very careful, speaking through an interpreter yesterday, to acknowledge Trump's power globally. But even against that backdrop, I firmly believe that it is only you, Donald, who can achieve peace across the world.

Frankel, I'll just note she even kept her composure when Trump brought up Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor in World War II. He was at the time defending the U.S. surprise attack against Iran by saying Japan did the same thing in 1941. Let's listen. Who knows better about surprise than Japan?

Okay, why didn't you tell me about Pearl Harbor?

Okay. And you, you were watching Franco. She maybe flinched a little bit but had nothing to say about that. With that said, she also did not promised military support.

Yeah, I mean, that's right. I mean, look, the two are clearly friendly, but she does have some constraints constitutionally, but she's also moved to increase Japan's defense spending. Alexander Gray, who served as Chief of Staff at the National Security Council in the first Trump administration, he's now at the Atlantic Council. He told me that Japan is the US's most important ally because of where they sit, that they're linked by the biggest threat that they both face, which of course is China.

I think when you watch the discussion about Iran or you watch the discussion about other global flashpoints in the context of the US-Japan alliance, you have to think about it in that larger context of the competition with China.

And I'll just add that I met with Japanese officials last night who echoed this point about keeping relations strong.

Uh, Franco, the other story here, the president spoke openly now about asking Congress for $200 billion to finance the war.

Yeah, that's a really big ask, and it's going to be a real test for lawmakers. It's midterm season, and while Trump did not ask Congress for authorization to go to war, this debate will essentially be that.

And what are the political implications here, very briefly?

They're going to be big. There's so much uncertainty, but really there's also the question about the nuclear capabilities. You know, what's going to happen if he can get rid of the nuclear program? That's going to be a big deal. But if it drags on, that's going to be a real challenge for Republicans.

NPR White House correspondent Franco Ordoñez, thanks.

Thank you.

Now, President Trump yesterday said he is not sending ground troops into the war with Iran and added to reporters that if he did, quote, "I certainly wouldn't tell you." It's known that a Marine unit, 2,200 troops, was dispatched to the region with their vehicles, support ships, and aircraft.

We don't know the objective, if any, and we'll look this morning at one possibility: Khark Island. It's in the Persian Gulf. It's the main location for Iran's oil infrastructure. The U.S. has already bombed its defenses from the air, and President Trump has been talking about bombing it again.

As you know, we attacked Kharg Island and knocked it—

knocked it—

literally destroyed everything on the island except for the area where the oil is. I call it the pipes.

NPR Pentagon correspondent Tom Bowman is asking what it would mean and what it would take to seize and hold a chunk of Iranian territory. Tom, good morning.

Hey, Steve.

OK, so what is known first about the government's interest in Karg Island?

Well, Steve, first of all, you know, Trump has talked about seizing the island back in the late 1980s when he was plugging one of his books, and so has the military, especially the Marines, for decades now. You either seize Karg Island or several sites on the mainland for a foothold, including a place called Bandar Abbas. And I'm told you could see even more Marines heading to the Middle East for that job as well. And Steve, I remember having lunch with a senior officer. It was like a decade ago. When talk turned to Iran and a possible war. And this guy was saying, well, first of all, we would take some of their islands. And his aide said, sir, we're heading into classified territory. Let's talk about something else. So now we have this 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit out of Okinawa, 2,200 Marines, as you said, heading to the Middle East. Now, of course, no one is talking about what the mission is. It could be, you know, helping evacuate embassies, humanitarian mission, or boarding ships. But again, it could be what they've talked about for decades, seizing some Iranian territory, and that could be this Kharg Island.

You're telling me a valuable thing. It seems likely that the Marines have plans off the shelf that they've had for years, ready for any occasion. Of course, the question though is whether you execute in this situation, and that we do not know. What would it look like if they tried to take an island in the Persian Gulf?

Well, the retired senior officers I talked with say the Marines aboard ship could punch through the Strait of Hormuz with the help of American destroyers and land Marines and their armored vehicles ashore. They have an infantry battalion, of about 800 Marines that could seize the 3 oil facilities on the island, 2 in the south and 1 in the west. The Marine unit also has F-35 aircraft as well as Cobra attack helicopters, along with drones and also anti-drone technology to help with any threats.

I'm just thinking, though, the reason you would do this would be to seize control of Iran's oil income. They've still got oil flowing. They've still got money coming in, and this would stop that. I would imagine Iran would resist.

Yeah, Iran would resist, of course, and, you know, with the missiles and drones in particular, you know, and we've seen the US drop several 5,000-pound bombs on missile sites on the Iranian coast. You know, that could be preparing the battlefield for these Marines to seize Kharg Island, or it could be just getting ready for US escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz. But again, the Marines are heading there, Steve, and we just don't know what they'll be doing.

How would sending in ground troops, if the United States were to do so, fit with President Trump's preference for no foreign wars and when he does get into one, making it short?

It would not fit in any way whatsoever. All you have to do is look at Iraq and Afghanistan.

NPR's Tom Bowman, thanks so much.

You're welcome.

And that's Up First for this Friday, March 20th. I'm Steve Inskeep.

And I'm Leila Fawzan. In the military, trans service members are being forced out unless they stay hidden.

Like, in my head, I know I'm doing nothing wrong. I feel like I'm hiding something. But I shouldn't have to hide it.

The Trump administration's latest transgender ban requires active-duty trans service members to go before separation boards.

We know that the outcome is generally predetermined and that the government has really set itself up to purge these people out of our ranks.

This weekend on The Sunday Story, the Pentagon's push to remove trans troops and how it may affect mission readiness. Listen to the Sunday story right here on NPR's Up First podcast.

Today's Up First was edited by Hannah Bloch, Rebecca Metzler, Andrew Sussman, H.J. Mai, and Alice Wolfley. It was produced by Ziad Butch and Eva Puketsch. Our director is Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Stacey Abbott, and our technical director is Carly Strange. Our executive producer is Jay Shaler. Join us again on Monday.