NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Tuesday, March 3, 2026

Episode Date: March 4, 2026

Drone strikes near U.S. consulate in Dubai as Iran expands attacks; Gas prices spike as war in Iran hits fourth day; Investigations underway into plane incidents; and more on tonight’s broadcast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Breaking news tonight, American embassies and consulates under attack across the Middle East. As Americans trapped in the region, plea for help to get out. Plus, the four soldiers killed in action just identified. The new strikes tonight, the consulate in Dubai, on fire after a strike. Flames and smoke pouring out of the building as America and Israel pound Iran, even hitting where clerics were set to meet to elect the new Ayatollah. Plus, the stunning moments down U.S. fighter pilots are found on the ground, one pilot initially facing off of Kuwaitis who found him.

The race to get out as explosions rocked the region, Americans trapped with airports closed, America making plans to send in military aircraft to get them out. The Secretary of State's plea tonight. President Trump defending his decision to strike and what he said about how the leaders they thought they could succeed the Ayatollah were also killed. Plus, are Keir Simmons in Dubai? The city under attack, his up-close look at down drones and missiles will show them to you. Back at home, gas prices spiking, stocks tumbling, the president's new plan to keep gas prices down.

The high-stakes primary race in Texas, Democrat and Republican races both down to the wire, how today's votes could help decide who controls Congress. The father of a Georgia school shooter found guilty after his son's deadly rampage. Is this a new precedent? Another miracle on the Hudson after a Sessna plunged into the icy river, plus new video of passengers evacuating a plane after the engine caught fire. And there's good news tonight. The heroic off-duty officer rescuing a man from this fiery crash as he fights his own personal battle,

his inspiring message for us all. Nightly news. Starts right now. This is NBC Nightly News with Tom Yamas. And good evening. We begin tonight with the war in the Middle East and Iran's fierce retaliation against America, targeting our bases, embassies, and consulates across the region. One barrage, you see it right here, striking near the U.S. consulate in Dubai, sending balls of fire

and smoke into the air. And just moments ago, we learned the CIA headquarters in Saudi Arabia, was just hit at the U.S. Embassy in Jordan today this warning. Duck in cover, you heard it right there. This all comes as we learn, just as we were coming on the air, some of the names of the first Americans to die in this conflict. There are the names just identified four of the six we know that have now been killed. But amid all of this, the U.S. and Israel have not let up on the onslaught. We have new footage tonight showing strikes on drone after drone after drone to try and hobble the Iranian counteroffensive.

And take a look at this, Israel bombing the very building where the Ayatollah successor was going to be chosen. The structure reduced to twisted metal and rubble. Now across the region, there's a mad scramble for Americans to get out. The U.S. State Department now working to evacuate the thousands still there. We're tracking all of that, plus the impacts here at home, including gas prices spiking. It responds to the president announcing a new plan late today to protect the oil supply from the region. Our teams have this covered from around the globe,

but we start with Kierz Simmons in Dubai, which is under attack tonight. Tonight, the new strike, a drone attack near the American consulate in Dubai. Parts of the building engulfed in flames. Authorities say no injuries, as Iran has unleashed new attacks against Arab countries. A fourth night with Dubai under threat,

threat from Iranian drones. With President Trump touting success in the U.S. and Israeli operation, CENTCOM saying over 1,700 Iranian targets have been hit. They have no Navy. It's been knocked out. They have no air force that's been knocked out. They have no air detection that's been knocked out. Their radar has been knocked out.

And just about everything's been knocked out. And Israel expanding its war too, now launching strike. against Hezbollah across Lebanon. But Iran remains the main target. This video showing a demolished building where clerics were expected to select a new supreme leader to replace the Ayatollah who was killed.

Israel reportedly targeting the site. So these are bad people and the leader of the pack is gone. There was another hit today on the new leadership and it looks like that was pretty substantial also. So they're getting hit very hard. And now the rush by Americans to try to get out of the region. After the State Department urged U.S. citizens in 14 countries in the Middle East to leave on commercial travel.

Late tonight, the State Department says it's actively securing military aircraft and charter flights for Americans who wish to leave. Airspace is closed, so there's no idea on how to get out. We spoke to Americans, Kieran Ali and her husband, who have heard Iranian strikes here in Dubai. It sounded like a cannon. All as the Pentagon says. It's destroyed all 11 major Iranian naval vessels and new video shows U.S. forces taking out missile launchers, which Sencom says Iran has been using two indiscriminately fire missiles at multiple countries, including civilian targets. They hit countries that had nothing to do with what's going on.

They were sort of leaving everything alone. All of a sudden, they had missiles shot in, which shows you the level of evil that we're dealing with. President Trump today meeting with Germany's Chancellor. We are supporting the United States and Israel to get rid of this terrible terrorist regime. And there are growing signs. Iranians are fed up with their unpopular government. The Iranian woman's soccer team in an apparent protest against the Iranian regime, staying silent while the Iranian national anthem played in a match in Asia.

The Iranian regime has been. brutally cracked down on protesters demanding women's rights. All as we're getting new images of those American pilots who safely ejected after being hit by friendly fire from Kuwaiti air defenses, this video showing Kuwaitis rushing to help a US pilot found on a beach, thanking her for fighting against Iran. You're fine? Really?

You need something to help you? No problem, you're not safe. You're not safe. You're safe. safe. Everything good? No problem. Thank you for helping us. While a group of Kuwaitis was ready to attack another US pilot thinking he was Iranian, when they found out he was an American, they helped him into an SUV to get medical attention. And here in Dubai, we're getting a close-up look at some of the Iranian drones unleashed on this region. Iran has struck high rises and luxury hotels. Today, the United Arab Emirates,

displaying some of the over 1,000 Iranian projectiles it's shot down just since Saturday, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and... The remains of a suicide drone. We've intercepted and destroyed over 100, over 800 of these over the last three to four days. They cost around $50,000 each so they can be mass produced. Iranian drones so basic, they even come. with a wooden propeller, and yet they are terrifying civilians in this war. The UAE is shooting more than 90% of them down, but they keep coming.

And tonight they are relentless. Kier joins us live from Dubai. Kier, we heard from Americans who want to get out, but how quickly could that happen? Well, Tom, that depends on how many want to leave. 50,000 Americans live here in the UAE alone. President Trump just posting that if you want to get out, register with the State Department for a charter flight. But Tom, I've spoken to one American couple who've booked commercial flight after commercial

flight only for them to be canceled. Tom. Keir Simmons leading us off tonight. Keir, thank you. Now to President Trump's decision to strike. The president tonight saying he was not influenced by Israel's move to hit Iran, telling reporters he believes Iran was planning to attack first. Here's Garrett Hake.

President Trump tonight defending his decision to launch preemptive strikes on Iran. Based on the way the negotiation was going, I think they were going to attack first, and I didn't want that to happen. And dismissing criticism, Israel's own plans to attack may have forced his hand. If anything, I might have forced Israel's hand. But Israel was ready, and we were ready, and we've had a very, very powerful impact. Administration officials say the Iranians were hiding components of their nuclear program, including lying about the purpose of a research reactor in Tehran. while stockpiling ballistic missiles to ward off any attack.

Secretary Rubio briefing lawmakers tonight. Iran is run by lunatics, religious fanatic lunatics. They have an ambition to have nuclear weapons. They intend to develop those nuclear weapons behind a program of missiles and drones and terrorism. The president said this is the weakest they've ever been. If we don't hit them now, a year from now, a year and a half from now, no one will be able to touch them. But Democrats tonight unconvinced. There is no evidence that has been presented to us that the United States was under threat of imminent attack from Iran.

All as there are new questions about the U.S. plan for what comes next. Well, most of the people we had in mind are dead. President Trump was pressed about a worst case scenario. I guess the worst case would be we do this and then somebody takes over who's as bad as the previous person, right? That could happen. We don't want that to happen. Garrett joins us now live from the White House. Garrett, let's go back to the president's comments there in your story.

He said about the new potential regime, most of the people we had in mind are dead. Are these the people the U.S. was hoping would take over? Well, Tom, we don't know exactly who the president was referencing, but today when he was asked if the son of the Shaw would be a candidate, he said he would prefer a popular, moderate leader from inside the country to take over if any such person exists. Tom. All right, Garrett, thank you. Gas prices surged today with the war in Iran. now in its fourth day. The stock market took a major hit as well. Christine Romans joins us here live. Christine, explain what's happening out there. Yeah, Tom, gas prices jumped here. Look from about

$3 a gallon, under $3 a gallon yesterday to about $3.3.11. That is 11 cents. That hasn't happened in one day since 2022 after Russia invaded Ukraine. And look at here, it's because of what's happening here in the Strait of Hormuz on Iran's southern coast. All of these red dots, These are ships that are sitting there and waiting instead of bringing 20% of the world's oil supply through this checkpoint. And you had stocks down across the board dragged lower as the conflict widens in Stokes new inflation worries. And then late today, President Trump posted on social media that the United States will ensure the free flow of energy to the world. He said the U.S. will provide insurance for ships traveling in the Gulf and that the U.S. Navy will escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz if necessary, Tom. All right, Christine Romans, we thank you for that. Let's pick it up right there. Colonel Steve Warren is our NBC News

military analyst. And Colonel, we saw these type of escorts back in the 80s with Kuwaiti tankers, but now weapons are so much more sophisticated. So how would this work? In the 80s, we escorted one ship, escorting one tanker. Now, and you can see in this Iranian video, the weapons are much more sophisticated. They've got fast boats. They've got anti-ship missiles. In order to protect against that, and if we look at the straits here, you can see how tightly, you can see how tightly, you constrained the waterway is. This can become a target-rich environment. How do you protect it? You place anti-ballistic ship missiles in various areas and create essentially a protective dome over the strait. It's now an envelope that tankers can safely transit. But this is still incredibly

dangerous, right? Because these tankers are carrying hundreds of thousands of gallons of oil. They're essentially floating bombs. Tom, a direct hit from an anti-ship missile could potentially be catastrophic, a massive fireball. But on top of that, we would also see really an environmental catastrophe as all that oil spills into the sea. Colonel Steve Warren for us, Colonel, we thank you for that. We're going to turn now to politics because it's a big night, tight primaries that could be decided and could help who controls Congress in the fall. Melanie Zanona is in Texas watching the critical races on both sides of the aisle. Tonight, a Texas-sized showdown that could determine control of the Senate with brutal and expensive primaries for both parties in the

the Lone Star State. On the Republican side, four-term Senator John Cornyn being challenged from the right by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Congressman Wesley Hunt, a long shot. Cornyn has backing from GOP leaders and bills himself as the most electable candidate. Paxton was impeached on bribery charges in 2023, but was acquitted. Now he's going through a messy public divorce. Yet he's leading the polls and positioning himself as the most MAGA candidate. I want you to know, I'm not going up to Washington, D.C. to join the Swamp Club. Cornyn is called Paxton a liability for Republicans in November, releasing this ad. Crooked Ken Paxton cheated on his wife.

She's divorcing him on biblical grounds. I don't think we can risk either politically or as a state having somebody like that at the top of the ticket. Some Republican voters also say they're worried Democrats would have a good chance against Paxton. A friend of mine said that you'd have to have a lot. to shoot yourself in the foot for the Texas Republican Party to lose this Senate seat. But by God, they have the gun. It's loaded, and it's pointed squarely at our feet. Whoever wins will face off against either Democratic state rep, James Talley,

or Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, who are locked in an intense matchup of their own. People are hurting right now, and they really do want someone that is going to genuinely fight for them. I feel it in my bones that we are going to win this election. Democrats hoping all the time and money Republicans spend bruising each other will help them flip the seat this fall. And if no Republican candidate gets more than 50% of the vote, then this primary is heading to a runoff in May, which is very likely to happen given the split field. Tom. Melanie Zanona on primary night for us. Melanie, thank you. When we return in 60 seconds, another plane crashes into the Hudson River. Plus the new dramatic video of passengers sliding to safety after a United Jets engine catches fire. We're back with a shocking emergency landing, a plane made on the icy Hudson River.

Tonight, the incredible way those on board survived. Here's NBC's Tom Costello. Mayday over the icy Hudson River. I think we're losing our engines. A small Cessna unable to make New York's Stewart Airport. The plane making an ice landing near the Newburgh Beacon Bridge just after 8 p.m. Both the student pilot and instructor swimming to shore. Ultimately, they were treated for hypothermia.

They had to swim approximately 50 feet in the river. Private pilot Brandon Gallagher heard the radio traffic and circled the crash site until rescuers could arrive. He must have had an amazing skill to be able to keep that Cessna completely upright and not, you know, knows it over. New York's governor calls it a second miracle on the Hudson after Captain Sully's famous river landing in 2009. Meanwhile, dramatic video of Monday's emergency landing at LAX.

Passengers evacuating from a United Flight bound for Newark after a reported engine fire. As smoke billowed from the engine, passengers ran from the plane some screaming, a temporary ground stop at LAX. And today, the right wing of a Singapore Airlines flight hit the tail of a Spirit Airlines flight at Newark International. Amazingly, only minor injuries reported from the Iceland. landing and the LAX emergency. The FAA now investigating all three cases. Tom. Okay, we're back in a moment with the father of a school shooter found guilty. Is this a new precedent? Plus a body cam blocks a bullet saving a deputy's life. We'll show you how it happened. We're back now with the landmark verdict out of Georgia. The father of an alleged school shooter found guilty of second

degree murder and involuntary manslaughter. Colin Gray was accused of giving his son Colt access to the firearm used to carry out a mass shooting at Appalachie High School in 2024, killing two students and two teachers and injuring nine others. He faces nearly 250 years in prison. And in Florida, body camera saves an officer's life. Watch this. Video shows a sheriff's deputy in Volusia County investigating a vandalism incident when the suspect comes out and starts firing. striking the deputy twice. Officials say the body cam he was wearing stopped a fatal shot to the chest and as you can see right here, it's badly damaged but saved that officer's life. And a daring nighttime rescue in California, video shows lifeguards in Redondo Beach,

helping a man stuck on a cliff before fire crews arrived to hoist him out. Officials say the life guards found the man trapped in thick brush and lowered him to the base of the cliff so Cruz could get him out. Okay. When we come back, Back tonight, the selfless rescue and officer rushing towards danger to save another man's life as he was fighting for his own. We'll explain next. Finally, there's good news tonight about an incredible story of heroism. A police officer in New York rushing to save a man's life all while fighting for his own.

You can hear the boom from the fiery crash. Two vehicles colliding head on. One, catching fire and flipping. That's when off-duty NYPD officer Joseph Wetzel, who was at a nearby diner with his dad, jumped into action. When I looked over, I saw that there were two cars in an accident, that one was flipped over. That's Wetzel right there, running towards the burning crash. I'm off duty. There's one in the driver's seat upside down, still sucking the seatbelt, barely conscious.

Body cam video shows him moments after he pulled a man to safety. I ran across, broke the window, pulled the guy out. Then you guys showed up. The man survived, thanks to Wetzel's bravery. If I am in a position to help people, even if I'm all duty, I will do so, even if I'm sick like I am. That's right. Officer Wetzel helped save a life while fighting for his own. The recently married 29-year-old is being treated for stage 3 colon cancer.

All I can do is give my family, my parents, my wife, the best memories possible, and live to day as good a life that I can make. His dad, full of pride. I have never been prouder. He had the perfect excuse to sit there. Instead, he went right to where he was needed. I love you, Judge. I'm so proud of you. Wetzel says he's drawing strength from that day to keep fighting.

It's fairly likely this might be the last good thing that I can do from my community. And that was profoundly beautiful to be able to do. I'm grateful. And we are all sending our best to Officer Wetzel. A big thank you to our NBC, New York station, for their help on that story. That's nightly news for this Tuesday. I'm Tom Yamas. Thanks so much for watching.

Tonight and always, we're here for you. Good night.