Tennessee
Tennessee officials react to strikes, operations in Iran on Feb. 28
Breaking down the US, Israeli strikes on Iran
The United States launched military strikes and “major combat operations” against Iran, targeting the country’s missile capabilities.
The United States launched military strikes and “major combat operations” against Iran on Feb. 28, President Donald Trump said, targeting the country’s missile capabilities.
“Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, a vicious group of very hard, terrible people,” Trump said, calling the strikes “a massive and ongoing operation.”
The attack follows weeks of rising tensions as Trump repeatedly threatened to attack Iran if negotiations over its nuclear and missile development programs fail.
Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, was directly targeted, a Middle Eastern official familiar with the matter told USA TODAY. Khamenei’s fate was unknown.
Iran launched retaliatory drone and missile strikes against American and Israeli targets after the joint U.S.-Israeli attack, hitting a U.S. Navy base in Bahrain. Iran said its enemies would be “decisively defeated.”
Images from Tehran early Saturday showed smoke rising from the Iranian capital as residents ran for cover. Iran said 40 people were killed in a strike at a girl’s school in the south.
Officials from the Volunteer State reacted.
‘It’s time,’ says Sen. Marsha Blackburn
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, praised the operation on Saturday morning, Feb. 28.
“The Iranian regime has chanted ‘Death to America’ for decades,” she said, in a statement on X. “It’s time to end the reign of terror.”
Alongside her statement, she shared the announcement made by Trump early Saturday morning.
“A short time ago, the United States military began major combat operations in Iran. Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, a vicious group of very hard terrible people,” Trump said in a video statement, which he delivered from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
The Trump administration has for weeks held negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program while also building up its military presence in the region. Tehran refused to abandon its nuclear ambitions, the U.S. president said, prompting the overnight airstrikes, which sent smoke plumes over Iran.
“They just wanted to practice evil,” Trump said in the video posted on social media. “And we can’t take it anymore.”
Sen. Bill Hagerty, Rep. Chuck Fleischmann support the operation in Iran
U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty stated his support for the operation.
“The world knows the death and destruction that Iran has perpetrated for decades,” he said, in a statement on social media. “The regime must be held accountable.
“(Trump) knows that strength—not weakness—brings peace. The president will not pass the buck to avoid necessary decisions to protect the American people. May God bless America, our Service Members, and our Allies.”
U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann echoed Hagerty.
“For decades, Iran and its theocratic dictatorship have been the world’s largest state sponsor of terror, threatening the United States and the peace of the world,” he said on social media. “President Trump will always defend America’s national security and interests. May God bless the men and women of our armed forces and our coalition partners.”
Rep. Andy Ogles thanks Trump and Israeli Prime Minister
U.S. Rep Andy Ogles thanked Trump, alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for the operation.
“I firmly stand with the people of Iran and support their right to take their country back from the mass murderer the Ayatollah. Thank you (Trump) and the White House for your leadership and (Netanyahu) for your partnership in securing freedom in the region.”
However, not everyone agreed with the strikes.
State legislator calls strikes ‘dangerous’
Rep. Justin Jones, D-Nashville, called the strikes “dangerous for us all.”
“The leader of his proclaimed ‘Board of Peace’ is dragging us into an illegal war to deflect from his failures and profit donors in the war industry,” he said. “We are being led by a madman with no check from Congress and no clear justification to the American people.”
Gov. Bill Lee has not yet released a statement or responded to requests for comment.
The reactions are nearly identical to previous reactions when Trump announced a number of strikes on Iran in June 2025, which Trump called a “spectacular success.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth
The former Fox News host turned Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, who is also a resident of Tennessee, kept his comment brief as of the morning of Feb 28, simply resharing a post from the Department of War’s official account stating, in all caps, “OPERATION EPIC FURY” beside an American flag emoji.
Hegseth lives in Sumner County, and last week spoke the National Religious Broadcasters Conference in Nashville, where he cited claims at the center of widespread dispute about the intent of America’s founding documents and forefathers to shape civic life according to certain Christian ethics.
This is a developing story.
Have a story to tell? Reach Angele Latham by email at alatham@gannett.com, or follow her on Twitter at @angele_latham
Francesca Chambers, Kim Hjelmgaard, Will Carless, Sarah D. Wire, Cybele Mayes-Osterman, Bart Jansen and Jeanine Santucci of USA Today contributed to this report.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — A bill moving through the Tennessee Legislature could reshape how pharmacies do business in the state, with CVS warning it could lead to widespread store closures.
The Tennessee Senate has passed legislation that would change the way pharmacies can operate. The proposal has been dubbed “the CVS bill” because it directly impacts the drugstore chain.
Under the bill, drugstores would no longer be allowed to negotiate prices directly with insurance providers or government programs. Instead, a third party would be required to step in.
The bill is now under debate in the House. CVS says the change would force more than 100 of its pharmacies to close across Tennessee, but lawmakers disagree.
Tennessee football star Jermod McCoy is the player who will likely hear his name called first from the Tennessee program in the upcoming NFL Draft. There are many teams he would fit well, but these three teams are the teams I believe he is the best fit with at this moment.
1. Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are in need of a cornerback in the draft class, and they are likely to spend one of their first two picks on one. They are selecting at No. 12 and No. 20 in the draft as of now, and McCoy could hear his name called. He would be joining a decent group of cornerbacks, but he would be an immediate starter, likely alongside a later selection that they make with a cornerback.
It would be shocking if the Cowboys pass on him if they select at 12 and he is still on the board. McCoy would be an immediate starter and would be someone who could shut down a whole side of the field for the Cowboys early in his career.
2. Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins is one of the better fits for Jermod McCoy, and it would make the most sense, as the Dolphins could use almost every position after a major haul of their players. They are in a major rebuilding phase and drafting at No. 11 leaves many to believe that McCoy could be in play.
McCoy would likely be their No. 1 cornerbakc the day he got to the franchise, and would have the chance to dominate the way he did in his one season on the field with the Vols. This selection would depend on who drops out of the first ten selections. If he is one of the better players remaining (highly likely) he very well could hear his name called at pick 11.
3. New York Jets
The New York Jets have the chance to be very good when it comes to the draft, as they are drafting at both No. 2 and No. 16. I believe they will be looking to get a cornerback with their No. 16 pick, which would make a lot of sense considering they had to get rid of Sauce Gardner.
McCoy would be the perfect replacement, as they could find themselves in one of the better situations on the defensive side of the football. He can shutdown a side of the field, and I would bet that he would be a great fit with the Jets because of that exactly.
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Tennessee
Nashville Sounds and Autism Tennessee partner to host inclusive Beyond the Label Day for local children
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — At a ballpark built for noise, there is space for something quieter.
During the Nashville Sounds’ “Beyond the Label Day,” kids are learning, playing and experiencing baseball in a way that works for them. Autism Tennessee volunteers stepped in to guide kids through sensory play designed to calm and focus.
From spinning toys to textured fidgets, these tools help turn overwhelming moments into manageable ones. Children engaged with the activities, pointing out shapes like a circle, noticing items like candies, and expressing how nice the experience was.
Adam English, general manager of the Nashville Sounds, said making space for everyone is the goal, even as the stadium announcer calls another Sounds strikeout.
“It’s important for us to raise awareness about autism, but also just make sure that First Horizon Park is an inclusive place for everybody” English said.
The Sounds stadium even has a sensory room for families at every game.
“There’s huge baseball fans that sometimes shy away because of loud crowds and we want to make sure every game out here available” English said.
For Autism Tennessee leaders like Jessica Moore, days like this are about more than awareness. They are about belonging.
“Typically events like this can be super overwhelming… so this is just a way for people to feel like they can come and still be successful” Moore said.
What are your thoughts on making sports venues more inclusive for all fans? Watch the video to see the sensory room in action, and share your experiences with me at kim.rafferty@NewsChannel5.com.
In this article, we used artificial intelligence to help us convert a video news report originally written by Kim Rafferty. When using this tool, both Kim Rafferty and the NewsChannel 5 editorial team verified all the facts in the article to make sure it is fair and accurate before we published it. We care about your trust in us and where you get your news, and using this tool allows us to convert our news coverage into different formats so we can quickly reach you where you like to consume information. It also lets our journalists spend more time looking into your story ideas, listening to you and digging into the stories that matter.
Checking in on Cole: Gallatin rallies around teen battling brain tumor with prayer vigil
Austin Pollack brings us an update on a remarkable young man facing great odds, and his family has one simple request: pray for Cole. I believe in the power of prayer and hope you’ll join me in lifting up Cole and his family.
– Carrie Sharp
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