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PDB Afternoon Bulletin | March 12th, 2026: Mojtaba Khamenei Issues First Message & Iran Launches Cyberattack on U.S. Company
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Mike Baker
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Mike Baker
It's Thursday, the 12th of March. Welcome to the PDB Afternoon Bulletin. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. All right, let's get briefed. First up, Iran's new supreme Leader breaks his silence. Well, sort of. A written statement, reportedly from Mojtab Al Khamenei is released by Iranian state media, warning that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed and threatening continued attacks on U.S. bases across the region. Later in the show, the war with Iran may be expanding beyond the battlefield. A major US Medical technology company is hit by a suspected Iranian cyber attack, knocking thousands of employee devices offline. But first, today's afternoon spotlight. Iran's new supreme leader, Ayatollah Moshtab Al Khamenei, has broken his silence, or at least has issued a written statement. Or, well, at least. Iranian state media issued a statement claiming it's from Khamenei. Perhaps a more trusting person would take their word for it. Iranian state media on Thursday broadcast what it described as the first message from the country's new leader since he assumed power after the death of his father. As noted, the message came in an unusual form. Khamenei didn't appear on camera. Instead, the statement was read aloud by a news anchor on Iranian state television, while an image of the new supreme leader appeared on screen. Still, the message itself was clear enough. Regardless of who wrote it, the statement declared that Iran intends to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed, calling the move a quote, tool of pressure against the US and its allies. And for that, Khamenei, or whomever wrote the statement receives today's PDB statement of the obvious award. As we've been reporting, the Strait of Hormuz is one of the most critical shipping lanes in the world, with roughly 20% of global oil shipments normally passing through that narrow waterway. Choking off the Strait has become a central part of Iran's strategy in the war. In other words, the message was that Iran intends to keep up the Pressure not just on the battlefield, but on global energy markets and the broader regional security environment. The statement also included fresh warnings aimed at U.S. forces in the region. It said Iran will continue targeting American military bases across the Middle east and called on Gulf countries hosting those bases to remove them entirely. Khamenei, or whomever, also praised what Iran calls the Resistance Front, the network of proxy groups that Tehran has cultivated across the Middle East. The statement specifically thanked Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthi rebels in Yemen and Iranian backed militias in Iraq, urging them to continue fighting alongside Iran. And it sounds like an awards ceremony acceptance speech. Oh, I'd like to thank my agent, the rebels in Yemen, of course, my publicist, and a big thank you to my militia bros in Iraq, end quote. Okay, that wasn't an actual quote. The statement also referenced the strike earlier this month on a girls school in the southern Iranian city of Manape. Iranian officials say the attack killed more than 180 people, including many children. The US military has said it's investigating whether an American missile may obstruct the school. The White House has stated that it was an Iranian, not an American missile. At least they stated that initially. But the investigation is ongoing and it's not determined yet which side is responsible. However, the statement vowed revenge for the victims, saying Iran would be especially sensitive to what it described as the blood of our children. Finally, the message paid homage to the former Supreme Leader, Mujtab Al Khamenei's father, describing him as a mountain of strength. Now, to be fair, there wasn't much in this statement that should surprise anyone. The themes were largely familiar. Iran intends to keep the Strait of Hormuz under pressure. It plans to continue targeting U.S. forces in the region. And it's encouraging its network of proxy militant groups to remain engaged in the fight. So despite the dramatic leadership change in Tehran, the broad outlines of Iran's strategy appear unchanged. At the same time, one major question remains unanswered. Despite supposedly issuing this message, Mustab Al Khamenei still has not been seen or heard publicly since the war began. There are, of course, a few possible explanations for that. First, as Iran's new supreme Leader, he is now a declared target in the conflict. Tehran may simply be keeping his location and movement secret for security reasons. Second, Iranian state media has acknowledged that Mustafa Khamenei was injured during the early days of the war in the same strike that killed his father. However, they've offered few additional details. It's possible the regime is choosing to keep the full extent of those injuries. Quiet. But the reality is that outside of intelligence reporting, there's no way to know exactly what is happening behind the scenes in Tehran. Anything beyond those basic facts would be speculation. Alright, coming up next, Iran may be opening a new digital front in the war. A major US medical technology company is hit by a suspected Iranian cyber attack, knocking thousands of employees, phones and laptops offline. I'll be right back. Hey, Mike Baker here. Now, if you're like me, you've probably tried and probably tossed out a number of wallets in the past, right? Either they they don't hold up or they don't hold enough, or maybe they hold too much. You know what I'm talking about there, right? One of those big leather brick wallets. It's overstuffed, it's falling apart, and it's uncomfortable in your back pocket. Well, that's when I switched to Ridge. Their slim modern wallet holds up to 12 cards plus cash in case you happen to still use cash. 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Mike Baker
See full terms@mintmobile.com with VRBoCare help is always ready before, during and after your stay. We've planned for the plot twists so support is always available because a great trip starts with peace of mind welcome back to the PDB Afternoon Bulletin. As Iran searches for ways to retaliate against the U.S. the regime may be opening another front, this time in cyberspace. A major cyber attack disrupted operations at an American medical technology company in what hackers say is a response to the US Campaign. The company targeted in the attack is Stryker. It's a Michigan based medical manufacturer that produces everything from joint implants to robotic surgical systems. The company employs approximately 56,000 people, and suddenly many of them found their work devices had stopped functioning. Shortly after midnight on Wednesday, employees began reporting that their corporate phones and laptops were suddenly wiped or disabled. Devices running Microsoft Windows operating system were no longer functioning, leaving staff locked out of key systems and services. And that's what it quickly became clear that this was not a routine technical issue. The disruption was widespread enough that Stryker instructed employees to disconnect from company networks and avoid turning on corporate devices while engineers worked to determine what had happened. According to the Wall Street Journal, an internal message to employees at the medical technology company warned staff not to click on suspicious links. Yes, that's always a good piece of advice, and advised them to remove corporate device management software even from their personal phones. Sources familiar with the breach said internal login screens had been replaced with the logo of a hacking collective known as Handala. So what do we know about Handala, this hacking group? The group emerged around 2022 and presents itself as a pro Palestinian hacking collective. It's claimed responsibility for a series of cyber attacks targeting Israeli companies and organizations across the Gulf. Several threat. Intelligence firms say the group is linked to Iranian state backed cyber operations, though the attackers often portray themselves as independent activists to obscure those ties. In this case, the group quickly claimed responsibility for the Striker breach. In a message posted to its telegram channel, Handela said the attack was retaliation for a supposed US Strike inside Iran that state media says killed more than 160 children at an elementary school. The Pentagon is said to be investigating that incident. If you've been following our coverage here on the pdb, you know Iran's retaliation has largely been taking place across the Gulf. Iran has launched missile and drone strikes, of course, against US Military bases, fired rockets toward Israel and threatened and has since attacked commercial shipping moving through the Strait of Hormuz, causing global oil prices to skyrocket. But the attack on Stryker suggests the regime may now be widening its response. In other words, American companies could increasingly find themselves in the crosshairs. An official at the White House said that the Trump administration is closely monitoring potential cyber threats tied to the conflict and coordinating responses with federal law enforcement and infrastructure protection agencies. And although Iran's cyber capabilities are generally considered less sophisticated than those of other American adversaries like China or Russia, analysts say that the regime's hackers remain capable of carrying out significant disruptive attacks. And that, my friends, is the PDB Afternoon bulletin for Thursday 12th March. Now, if you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me@pdbhefirsttv.com and to listen to the show ad free. It's very, very simple. Just become a premium member of the President's Daily brief by visiting BDB premium.com I'm Mike Baker and I'll be back tomorrow. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool. Hey, Mike Baker here. Now you probably heard me talk about this terrific company, Brunt Workwear, right? Brunt B R U N T Just like it sounds. It's a terrific company making comfortable, tough and durable work boots and work wear. And listen to this. They're so confident that you'll love their gear. Brunt Workwear will actually let you wear their boots to the job site before deciding if you want to keep them. Now, one of my favorites from their their lineup is their Marin boots. Right? Comfortable, right out of the box. That's important. It means there's no break in, period. 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