Good morning and welcome to way too early, the show that's wishing you a happy St. Patrick's Day.

You can't see it, but I've got green somewhere in this sweater. Don't pinch me.

I'm Ali Vitale on this Tuesday, March 17th, and we will start with the news because attacks continue across the Middle East this morning, now 18 days into the war with Iran.

Rockets and drones were launched at the U.S. Embassy

in Baghdad earlier today, with Iraqi security sources describing the strikes to Reuters as the

most intense since the start of the conflict. A witness telling the paper an explosion was heard in the

Iraqi capital, as fire and smoke can be seen rising from the area. The UAE, meanwhile, briefly shut down its airspace this morning, as its military said it was responding to missile and drone threats from Iran.

Flights later resumed, but shortly after, authorities sent a missile warning alert to the people in Dubai as explosions were heard in the city.

And in Israel, the military says it launched new attacks across Tehran,

in addition to expanding its ground operations in Lebanon. The Lebanese government says

Israeli strikes have displaced roughly 20% of the population. It all comes as the U.S. military says

the number of American troops wounded in this war has risen to at least 200 so far.

And President Trump claimed yesterday that U.S. forces destroyed 30 mine-laying ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

After making that statement, he was asked why the crucial waterway couldn't be immediately reopened. Watch.

Well, we could, but it takes two to tango. We have to get people to take their billion

dollar ship and, you know, drive it up. When Pepe has his big sugar ships coming around and

they cost a billion dollars, we say i think it's

okay now pepe take your ship drive it through the strainer for him as he may say let me wait a little

while because it takes it takes uh ship owners and the you know these ships are very expensive they can cost up to two billion

dollars so they don't want to take a chance that gee i think we i think you'll be okay they got to

know it so they don't have to set you know we don't know if they even set any minds but the

thought that they may have is enough

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