Sources & Methods Live Q&A: Trump on Hormuz; Lebanon, counterattacks, the intel beat, and more
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Mar 31, 2026 
Greg Myre, NPR national security correspondent with deep Middle East experience, breaks down troop movements, Iran’s strikes and the tricky security of the Strait of Hormuz. Short takes on diplomacy, Russia-Iran drone links, Lebanon and Israel’s front, intelligence tracking, and the reporting hurdles inside closed countries.
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Troop Buildup Is Preparatory Not Full Invasion
- U.S. troop increases in the Middle East are largely preparatory and limited in scale.
- Greg Myre explains recent marine expeditionary units and 82nd Airborne additions raise forces to ~50,000 but are insufficient for a long ground occupation.
Iran Struck High-Value AWACS Deep In Saudi Arabia
- Iran executed precise strikes deep inside Saudi Arabia, hitting AWACS surveillance planes at Prince Sultan Air Base.
- Greg Myre says the attack required high-quality targeting data and struck expensive E-3 AWACS aircraft, signaling advanced intelligence support.
Possible Russian Intelligence Help To Iran
- There are credible concerns Russia provided targeting intelligence to Iran via satellites.
- Myre cites Volodymyr Zelensky's claim Ukraine found Russian satellite feeds being used to locate U.S. military positions for Iranian strikes.