ABC World News Tonight with David Muir Full Broadcast - March 2, 2026

David Muir, ABC's World News Tonight, America's. most watched newscast. Now streaming same day with all the breaking news. of the day on Disney+. Most watched, most trusted. Now on Disney+ every night. Tonight breaking news, at least six American. service members now killed after the attack on Iran. The Pentagon confirming six U.S. service members have been killed after. Iran struck a tactical operations center in Kuwait. Also tonight, here harrowing images showing an American.

F-15 fighter jet falling from the sky. One of three F-15s shot down over Kuwait by friendly fire, all six crew members ejecting safely. Tonight, the U.S. now sending additional troops to the region. President Trump back at the White House, not ruling out American boots on the ground. And late today, Secretary of State Marco Rubio. and the evolving explanation about why the US attacked. Iran when it did. Ian Pannell standing by live from the region. with late reporting.

Tonight, the war escalating across the region. Now and just in, the US State Department. is now urging all Americans to leave the Middle East. The growing conflict now involving at least 11 countries. A hotel struck in the UAE. Travelers evacuated from one of the world's busiest airports. And just in tonight, after at least three ships were attacked, Iran now saying the Strait of Hormuz, where much of. the world's oil passes through, is now closed. What does this mean for oil prices moving forward?

James Longman, standing by live in Turkey. Tonight, ABC News with new satellite images. showing the extent of the U.S. military operation. Iranian Navy ships on fire, a nuclear complex hit. Martha Raddatz shows us what's been destroyed. The threat here in the U.S. tonight after the attack on Iran, the FBI now investigating. a horrific and deadly shooting. The suspect with a rifle wearing a T-shirt. with the Iranian flag. And what was found in his vehicle? two American college students killed,

many others wounded. In other news tonight, the dramatic images. on the runway, a United Airlines flight landing. reports of an engine fire, and then the emergency slides. Passengers can be seen running from the plane. The Nancy Guthrie disappearance, and tonight Savannah Guthrie, her sister and brother-in-law, returning to Nancy. Guthrie's home. Their tears laying flowers at the memorial. left outside the home by the community. And what the sheriff is now saying tonight. We're tracking snow and rain moving into the northeast, Philadelphia, New York, right up to Boston, and then the.

major change right behind it. And the beautiful sight in the sky coming tonight. When to look and you'll be joined by billions. From ABC News World Headquarters in New York, this is World. News Tonight with David Muir. Good evening. We begin tonight here with the. breaking news, the U.S. military operation in Iran. The Pentagon now confirming six American troops have. been killed after Iran attacked a tactical. operations center in Kuwait.

And tonight, the dramatic images coming in an F 15. American fighter jet seen falling from the sky, one. of three hit by friendly fire over Kuwait, struck by. Kuwaiti defense systems, all six crew members ejecting. safely. U. S. Central Special Command releasing new. images tonight saying B-1 bombers struck deep inside Iran, targeting the regime's ballistic missile capabilities. Explosions rocking Tehran for a third day now, black smoke. seen rising from buildings. More than 1,200 targets reportedly hit in 48 hours.

Iran tonight expanding its retaliation, an oil facility. in Saudi Arabia among the new targets. At least 11 countries have now been pulled into this war. Late today, Secretary of State Marco Rubio briefing. lawmakers offering a new explanation in front of the. cameras about why the U.S. struck Iran when it did. President Trump making his first public comments. from the White House today, saying he's not ruling out. American troops on the ground in Iran if necessary. ABC's chief foreign correspondent Ian Pannel. leading us off from the region again tonight.

Tonight, the U.S. The death toll rising as the war against Iran escalates. The Pentagon now confirming six American service members have. been killed after an Iranian attack on a tactical. operations center in Kuwait. At least 80 more service members have been seriously. wounded in this operation. As the US now says it's sending more forces into the region. President Trump saying he's not ruling out US forces. on the ground and of the operation he says the biggest.

wave is coming soon. In his initial words after. the attack the president talking about regime. change but during his first public comments of the White. House today offering this rationale for attacking. Iran. An Iranian regime armed with long-range. missiles and nuclear weapons would be an intolerable. threat to the Middle East but also to the American people. Our country itself would be under threat. And late today, Secretary of State Marco.

Rubio and the evolving message now saying Israel was about. to attack Iran and that the US attacked to defend itself. from Iran's potential retaliation. There absolutely was an imminent threat and the imminent. threat was that we knew that if Iran was attacked and we. believed they would be attacked, that they would immediately. come after us. And we were not going to sit there and absorb a. blow before we responded. Obviously we were aware of Israeli intentions. and understood what that would mean for us. The president warning the US military operation could last.

several weeks, but signalling it could go even longer. Video posted online showing just how dangerous that mission is. A U.S. warplane on fire, spiraling out of control. One of three U.S. F-15 fighter jets shot down over Kuwait by.

friendly fire, the pilots safely ejecting. You're safe, you're safe. All six survived. And tonight, the Pentagon releasing a detailed timeline. of how the attack unfolded. At 3.38 Eastern, Friday afternoon, President. Trump giving the green light while on a visit. to Texas. The president directed and I quote Operation Epic. Fury is approved. No aborts. Good luck. Close close quote. The Pentagon saying the US first knocked out Iran's defense.

and radar systems crippling their ability. to see, communicate and respond. Then at 115 In eastern Saturday morning, 9.45am Tehran time, the US and Israel launching major combat. operations, a first wave of more than 100 warplanes. sweeping in bombing targets. This was a daylight strike based on a trigger event conducted. by the Israeli defence forces enabled by the US. intelligence community. That trigger event, sources say, was based on CIA.

and Israeli intelligence. When officials learned Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah. Khamenei was above ground in his office, meeting with top. officials Saturday morning, the timing of the attack was moved. up. The CIA had been tracking the. Ayatollah for months, down to his daily routine, the White. House releasing images of President Trump. monitoring the attack in real time from Mar-a-Lago. The President today saying the Ayatollah was having breakfast. at the time of the attack and thought he was safe because.

it was broad daylight. Trump says 49 leaders were killed. in the strike, the Ayatollah's wife reportedly among the dead. The US striking more than 1,200 targets in the first 48 hours. Explosions ripping through neighborhoods in Tehran. B-2 stealth bombers dropping 2,000-pound bombs on. underground facilities. The strikes targeting Iranian ballistic missile capabilities, their missile launchers, fighter jets. Multiple Iranian navy ships attacked,

sinking into the water. Iran's Revolutionary Guard headquarters destroyed. U.S. B-1 long-range bombers taking off in the darkness, striking missile systems deep inside Iran. Iran unleashing a deadly barrage of missile and drone attacks. on U.S. bases and countries in the region. Retaliation for the Supreme Leader's assassination. Iran says hundreds have been killed in US-Israeli attacks,

that a school and a hospital have been hit. Qatar now saying it shot down two Iranian bombers. The first report of Iran sending war planes. into Qatar's airspace, an ominous sign. this war is widening. Tonight, Secretary Pete Hegseth addressing concerns. the US might get dragged into another protracted. war in the Middle East. -We didn't start this war, but under President Trump, we are finishing it. This is not Iraq. This is not endless.

-David, the president warning there could be more casualties. in an operation that looks like it's gonna go on. far longer than initially predicted. David? -Ian Pannell leading us off. here again tonight, Ian. And tonight, just a short time ago, the US State Department now urging all Americans. to leave the Middle East. The growing conflict now pulling in at least 11 countries. and Iran tonight saying that the Strait of Hormuz. Where 20 of the world's oil passes through is. now closed. James longman from turkey tonight. "Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God, oh my God.".

Chaos across the Middle East tonight as the war further. engulfs this entire region. Iran now involving at least 11 countries, including Cyprus, the first European nation and home to an important UK. airbase in the Mediterranean. The EU and NATO now forced to defend their facilities but. say they won't join in US and Israeli operations in Iran. But other allies in the Gulf are weighing their options.

as their citizens now become targets. In videos circulating online, explosions rocking. the UAE, a luxury hotel in Dubai on fire and. in Bahrain a missile hitting a high-rise residential building. Scenes like this across the region too. Police clashing with pro-Iranian protesters. storming US embassies. The US is investigating a large fire at its embassy in Kuwait. And in Jordan, all personnel are temporarily leaving.

because of an unnamed threat. Tonight the State Department is now urging all Americans to. leave the Middle East, citing serious safety risks. But for those trying to get out, airspace is on lockdown. This flight tracker shows just how many. flights are staying away. The world's biggest airport, Dubai, reopened. for the first time in days after being targeted. multiple times. Watch as smoke fills this terminal after a drone strike. Israel is now expanding its operation to Lebanon. and to Iranian proxy Hezbollah, while Iranian.

proxies in northern Iraq attack US positions. Iran is widening its response, now aiming to paralyse the. economic lifeblood of this region, oil and gas production. Iranian drones aimed at the biggest refineries. from Qatar to Saudi Arabia. This facility usually has a capacity of 550,000. barrels a day. Now reportedly halted after debris from. a drone sparked a fire. Satellite images reveal the damage. And tonight David with oil prices jumping. just moments ago, Iran warned it will set fire to.

any ship that tries to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. That's the vital shipping lane where some 20% of the world's. oil and gas passes. David. James Longman live in. Turkey tonight, James, thank you. Tonight, ABC News with new satellite. images here showing the extent of the U.S. military operation. Iranian Navy ships on fire, a nuclear complex. hit. Martha Raddatz shows us what's been destroyed. The U.S.-Israeli strikes across Iran have been vast and.

relentless, missiles pounding close to 2,000 targets. in at least 50 locations. New satellite images shared with ABC News show extensive. damage at the Qanarak Air, Drone and Naval bases. in southern Iran. Multiple Iranian ships on fire at Bandar Abbas naval base. These images of an Iranian warship blown apart by. a U.S. missile strike. And at Iran's Natanz nuclear complex, these just-released images show damage on numerous buildings.

This was a massive, overwhelming attack across all domains. A major focus of the strikes, Iran's missile launchers, its. stockpiles and those deadly one-way attack drones that are. now wreaking havoc across the Gulf, hitting both civilian. and military targets. But as many targets as the U.S. and Israel have hit, Iran still has thousands of missiles. in its arsenal that still pose a significant threat.

And David, the U.S. is taking out as many Iranian targets. as possible, like those ships at Bandar Abbas Naval. Base, a principal target. David? Martha Raddatz with. us again tonight. Martha, thank you. At the White House tonight, President Trump not ruling. out U.S. troops on the ground in Iran if necessary. And what the president told ABC News when asked who could. lead Iran next, saying it's not going to be anyone. we were thinking of because they're all dead. Here's Rachel Scott. Tonight, President Trump declaring the United States will.

easily prevail in the new war he just launched. in the Middle East. We have the strongest and most powerful by far military in. the world, and we will easily prevail. The president dismissing concerns held higher. of the fight if it lasts beyond the four to. five weeks he's projected. Somebody said today, they said, oh, well, if the president. wants to do it really quickly after that he'll get bored. I don't get bored. There's nothing boring about this.". President Trump did not fully lay out his case for war to.

the American people before launching the attack. And tonight, the commander-in-chief. is sending mixed messages on how it will end. and what he sees as Iran's next chapter. Over the weekend, he said he hopes Iran's Revolutionary. Guard and police, which have brutally repressed Iranians. for decades would quote, "peacefully merge with. the Iranian patriots and would work. together as a unit.". So far, there's been no evidence that that's happening. And overnight, the president telling our John Carl. that before the strikes, he had identified some possible.

future leaders of Iran. But Trump telling John, "The attack was so successful, it knocked out most of the candidates,". adding, "It's not going to be anyone. that we were thinking of because they're all dead. Second or third place is dead.". Tonight I asked the president about the prospect of. American boots on the ground. Mr. President, are you considering sending troops in? Will you send troops in? The president did not answer. The president is now not ruling out sending American. troops on the ground in Iran. He says this whole campaign could last four to five weeks,

but he also said it could go a lot longer, David. Rachel Scott at the White House tonight. Rachel, thank you. And to the threat here in the U.S. after the attack on Iran, the FBI. tonight now investigating a deadly shooting. The suspect with a rifle wearing a t-shirt. with the Iranian flag. Here's Pierre Thomas. Today, FBI officials confirming that they're urgently trying. to determine why that gunman who went on a murderous rampage. in Austin, Texas, was wearing a t-shirt bearing the flag. of Iran only hours after the U.S.

launched that massive attack, killing. the supreme leader. You can see that T-shirt in the startling new photograph. of the gunman who was killed in a confrontation with. police early Sunday morning. The gunman, seen here holding a rifle wearing a sweatshirt with. the words "Property of Allah," officially identified as Jagha. Jung, 53, a U.S. naturalized citizen originally from Senegal. Sources telling ABC News, in addition to. the flag, authorities have discovered writings. about Iran and its leadership after searching his car.

and other properties. More than a dozen wounded, two killed. Today we learned their identities. Two college students, one from Texas Tech and the other. from the University of Texas, Austin. And today, more signs of increased security. We learned Capitol Police will have a show of force in response. to the U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran. David? here, Thomas tonight, Pierre. Thank you. To other news, the frightening moments. on the runway at L. A. X. A United Airlines flight reports of an engine.

fire. The emergency slides passengers then running. from the plane. Here's Trevor Alt. tonight. A terrifying escape from a plane. with its engine on fire. Passengers evacuating on slides after this Boeing. 7 87 Dreamliner landed at Los Angeles. International Airport. Leave all bags. I repeat, do not bring your bags. In this video, you can hear the crew. telling the 256 passengers on board. to leave their bags and get down those slides. as fast as they can.

United Airlines flight 2127 took off for Newark. around 11 o'clock local time, but soon had to turn. around and come back. Listen to the pilot. We are going to evacuate. People will be coming out the right side, side towards the runway. Airport officials ordering a ground stop as. crews on the tarmac worked to put out the fire. It took nearly an hour before. they could tow the plane out of the area. And David, only minor injuries were reported. The F.

A. A. Is now investigating David Trevor. Alt with the dramatic images tonight. Thank you. Now to the disappearance of. Nancy Guthrie today, Savannah Guthrie, her sister and. brother in law, tearfully laying flowers at the. memorial outside their mother's home created. by the community. Here's Aaron Kaczorski. Tonight, for the first time since their mother. was abducted a month ago, Savannah Guthrie, her. sister and her brother in law, making an emotional. visit to Nancy Guthrie's home. The family sobbing, holding one another and laying. flowers at the growing garden beneath the.

mailbox of yellow blooms, ribbons, candles and notes. expressing hope for Nancy's return. Savannah then sharing this photo on. instagram writing, we feel the love and prayers from. our neighbors, from the Tucson community and. from around the country. The family has offered a million dollar reward. for Nancy's recovery and Savannah is begging. whoever knows where she is to please be the one. that brings her home. And tonight, David, the sheriff says he believes DNA is still.

a viable lead, a possible way to identify a suspect. David, let's hope so. Aaron Guterski on this again tonight. Thank you, Aaron. When we come back, more news ahead here tonight. We're tracking this storm moving into the northeast, how much. snow and where tomorrow, and there's going to be something. spectacular in the sky tonight. The best time to see it in a moment here. Tonight here we're tracking this wintry mix snow. and rain moving into the Northeast tomorrow morning. New York City can expect snow and rain followed. by scattered showers. Boston and parts of New England, 3 to 6 inches of snow, much warmer by midweek.

and New York City in the sixties by next weekend. When we come back here, the special honor today. for the late Jesse Jackson and the stunning sight. in the sky tonight. The best time to look in a. To the index honoring the late Reverend Jesse Jackson. in his home state of South Carolina. Jackson lying in state at the state house in Columbia. near where he grew up. Thousands paying their respects today. The funeral is this weekend in Chicago. When we come back here tonight, something beautiful. in the sky tonight. If you look, you'll be joined by billions.

- ABC World News Tonight with David Muir, sponsored by Chewy. - Tonight before we go, a beautiful sight. for nearly three billion people all over the world. coming overnight. A total lunar eclipse creating a blood moon. when the Earth moves directly between the sun and the moon, casting a shadow. The moon will appear a deep reddish orange color. A partial eclipse at 4.50 a.m. Eastern, the total lunar. eclipse around 6 a.m. Send us your picks. I'm David Muir, I'll see you right back here. tomorrow night, good night.

- David Muir, the most trusted anchor in America, the most watched anchor in America. Thank you for making World News Tonight. with David Muir, the number one newscast in America.