ABC World News Tonight with David Muir Full Broadcast - March 9, 2026

David Muir, ABC's World News Tonight, America's most watched newscast, now streaming same day with all the breaking news of the day on Disney Plus. Most watched, most trusted now on Disney Plus every night.

Tonight, the breaking news just as we come on the air, what President Trump just said about the war in Iran, saying it could be ended soon. When asked by a reporter, does that mean this week? He said no. The president had originally said the war in Iran could take weeks, four to five weeks or more, but late today saying the war in Iran is, quote, very complete, pretty much. It comes amid major volatility in oil and gas prices around the world and here in the U.S. And as Iran, in act of defiance tonight elects the son of the late

supreme leader as the next supreme leader, President Trump had called the son, quote, a completely unacceptable choice. And the Pentagon tonight revealing a seventh U.S.

service member has died, a 26 year old from Kentucky. The president's new message tonight comes as here in the U.S. the cost of gas skyrockets. Overnight, oil prices surged well above $100 a barrel.

The national average for a gallon of gas in the U.S. up more than 50 cents in a week. Here in New York City tonight, the alarming scenes outside the official home of the mayor, Zohran Mamdani. Two suspects allegedly trying to detonate homemade bombs during a protest. Authorities say they wanted it to be bigger than the Boston Marathon bombing. Tonight, the travel chaos at many American airports, TSA checkpoints, the long lines, the partial government shutdown dragging on tonight.

TSA agents haven't had a full paycheck in weeks. We are tracking severe storms at this hour across multiple states, heavy rain, damaging winds, possible tornadoes from texas up to the Great Lakes over to the northeast tomorrow and Wednesday and ginger Z standing by with the forecast tonight. Five teenagers facing charges for a prank on their high school math teacher that turned deadly. One of the students accidentally

running over the teacher and tonight what that teacher's family is now asking of the authorities. Also tonight, breaking now the verdict just in at the trial of those three brothers, two of them real estate stars, accused of sexual assault. What the jury has decided. Tonight, the woman under arrest after police say she fired at singer Rihanna's home with an AR-15 style rifle under arrest on suspicion of attempted murder. Travis Kelsey making his decision tonight on his future of the NFL. Will he return to Kansas City

and punch the monkey and his stuffed orangutan? The video they have now sent in tonight you'll see it and look at this the American zoos trying the same thing two different zoos tossing in a stuffed monkey, but two very different reactions. You'll see it right here.

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From ABC News World Headquarters in New York, this is World News Tonight with David Muir.

Good evening. We begin tonight here with the breaking news. Just moments ago, President Trump speaking on the war in Iran, saying of the U. S. objectives that some would say they're pretty well complete in his words and suggesting the war is ahead of schedule. The president speaking about the Iranian missiles destroyed Iranian ships at the bottom of the sea. He said the war would be ended soon and warned if it starts again, Iran will get hit

even harder when asked by a reporter. what does ending soon mean, asking this week, he said no but soon. The president fully aware of the volatility in the markets, the cost of oil and gas. And what President Trump said about Iran, naming a new supreme leader, they've chosen the son of the late supreme leader killed in the strikes. ABC's chief foreign correspondent Ian Pannel leading us off tonight.

Tonight, the stunning statement from President Trump after initially saying America should prepare for weeks of war, now saying the operation will be ending soon.

We're achieving major strides toward completing our military objective. And some people could say they're pretty well complete.

In a move seen as a brazen act of defiance, Iran's top clerics electing the son of their dead supreme leader, 56-year-old hardliner, Mushtaba Khamenei, as their new leader, despite President Trump saying he'd be unacceptable.

Who's the man holding the ring? Hold it!

Thousands taking to the streets of Tehran chanting his name, pledging allegiance. Late today, President Trump speaking from Florida after warning any Iranian leader picked without his approval will not last long.

We think they should put a president in or the head of the country and that's going to be able to do something peacefully for a change.

And Amid reports that Russia is giving Iran intelligence on American troop locations in the region to make it easier for Iranians to target them, President Trump today speaking to Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin saying Putin suggested ideas on a quick end to the war. And it comes as the U.S. and Israel hit hundreds of targets across Iran. Dramatic videos circulating online showing people racing to escape as missiles

blasted this military base outside Tehran. Israel also striking multiple oil depots, turning the skies black with toxic smoke. Those attacks raising some concerns in the West about destroying valuable infrastructure.

And tonight a barrage of Iranian strikes across the region, killing at least one person in central Israel. Interceptor missiles streaking over the skies of Bahrain.

And Qatar releasing this video of Iranian drones shot out of the sky. Tonight the Pentagon identifying 26-year-old Army Sergeant Benjamin Pennington as the seventh U.S. service member killed in action. Officials say he died from injuries sustained during an Iranian missile strike on a military base in Saudi Arabia last week. Moments ago, Vice President J.D. Vance and top officials attending the dignified transfer for Sergeant Pennington at Dover Air Force Base.

Over the weekend, President Trump attending the dignified transfer of six more US service members who were killed in Kuwait. And tonight, video emerging of a strike near that Iranian girls' school where more than 160 people were killed.

A close review of the video appearing to show a US-made Tomahawk missile slamming into a building next to the school. Sources telling ABC News it is possible American forces are responsible for the strike, as the US was attacking a military base in the area at the time.

President Trump blaming the attack on Iran. The Pentagon says it's still investigating. David, the President's saying repeatedly that the US and Israel are winning decisively and that the war will end soon. He was pressed on whether it would end this week, replying no, giving no timetable. David?

Ian Pennell leading us off here tonight, Ian, thank you. President Trump's new words suggesting the war could be ending soon comes as the cost of gas skyrockets here at home. Overnight, oil prices surging well above $100 a barrel before easing a bit late today when the president gave an interview suggesting, I think the war is very complete pretty much. The national average for a gallon of gas in the US

now at $3.51, up more than 50 cents in a week. Our chief business correspondent, Rebecca Jarvis, on the ripple effect across the economy and why the White House knows the president's words are moving markets.

Tonight, the oil markets and gas prices here at home. Our riding on the president's every word and on the unfolding war in Iran overnight, a record surge in oil prices reaching nearly $120 a barrel before plunging late today amid word the president said the war is very complete pretty much. The wild volatility from this war in Iran

already reaching the gas pump across the U.S. tonight. Drivers like Michelle in Boston trying to fill up the tank but stunned by what she was seeing. I'm already at $65 and still pumping. The national average tonight now $3.51 a gallon, up 57 cents from a week ago.

This is truly a certainly unprecedented situation.

The war has triggered the biggest disruption to oil supplies in history, with the Strait of Hormuz effectively shut down. Tankers loaded with fuel have no place to go. OPEC oil producers Kuwait production. Analysts have

the disruption, the higher the ripple effect far beyo prices, airfare and the c for farmers and small companies. And for Michelle, by the time she was done at the gas pump, it cost more than $90 to fill up her SUV.

If it stays like this, it's going to be pretty bad.

And David, to give you a sense of just how volatile and fast-moving this situation is, just 24 hours ago, the price of oil was nearly $120 a barrel. Now it's more like 89. That is an unprecedented drop, and it shows just how price sensitive these markets are to what the president says and what happens

on the ground in Iran.

David?

Yeah, it really shows just how closely these markets are following what the president is saying day to day here. Rebecca, thank you. To the other news this Monday night, the alarming scene here in New York City outside the official home of Mayor Zoran Mamdani. Two suspects allegedly trying to detonate homemade bombs right during a

protest. Authorities say they wanted it to be bigger than the Boston Marathon bombing. Here's Eric Kaczorski.

You don't get to come from tonight. These dramatic new images show an 18 yearyear-old hurling a homemade bomb in what police say was meant to be a terror attack bigger than the Boston Marathon bombing. Another team then hands him a second device. He ignites it, sprints down a sidewalk, pops a police barricade, and is tackled while the device is still smoking.

This chaos interrupted dueling protests Saturday outside the home of New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani, started by far-right anti-Muslim provocateur Jake Lang.

The violent left! Calm down! Calm down!

They call it freedom of speech!

Police say 18-year-old Amir Balad and 19-year-old Ibrahim Qayyumi drove from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and told investigators they were inspired by ISIS.

This was not random violence. This was a planned attack motivated by extremist ideology and inspired

by a violent foreign terrorist organization.

The FBI says one of the teens watched ISIS propaganda videos on his phone and the other told them he wanted to carry out an attack bigger than the Boston Marathon bombing and lamented that attack caused only three deaths. The devices were made from mason jars, nuts and bolts. One of them tested positive for the highly volatile substance TATP used in attacks around

the world. Make no mistake, what happened this weekend was incredibly dangerous.

Tonight, David, the two teens are being held on a terrorism charge in use of a weapon of mass destruction. There were no injuries, but it's just the kind of

thing authorities have been fearing with America at war in the Middle East. David Aaron Katursky right here in New York. Aaron, thank you. Not at the travel chaos at many American airports. TSA checkpoints, the long lines, this partial government shutdown dragging on and TSA agents haven't had a full paycheck in weeks. Here's Gio Bonita's with the pictures tonight, miss flights and ruin vacations as TSA staffing

Usually I witnessed this on TV watching watching it. Now I'm a part of it.

At Louis Armstrong Airport in New Orleans, passengers started lining up right by their cars in the parking garage.

Two lines, two escalators.

The TSA short-staffed amid a partial government shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security. And because of that shutdown, the roughly 60,000 TSA officers who get you through security, haven't gotten a full paycheck in almost a month and many of them

aren't showing up to work to not

have your full entire paycheck come through that puts the strain on finances for your household. So they having to make very tough decisions.

And David, so far, big airports like Newark have been faring better but there's a real concern here about lines the longer this shutdown goes on. David

Gio Benitez reporting tonight Gio thank you. Tonight we're tracking severe storms across multiple states 75 million Americans under alerts. This is going to extend from Texas right up into the Great Lakes over to the northeast. Let's get right to chief meteorologist Ginger Zee with us here on a Monday night. Hi Ginger. Hi, Ginger.

Hi, David. Strongest severe thunderstorms are moving through now in northeastern Louisiana, right up to Tupelo, Mississippi, Birmingham to Huntsville, getting in on the mix tonight along that state line into Georgia tonight. It's the main hazard of damaging wind. But by tomorrow, that tornado risk ticks up and you'll see it in parts of Texas, like Abilene or San Angelo, through the later afternoon and evening, and then into the overnight,

a place like Quincy, Illinois, Kankakee, Illinois, Chicago, northwest Indiana like Rensselaer up to Valparaiso. We're watching that carefully. And baseball-sized hail comes along with that as well. And finally, we get another threat. Wednesday, Pittsburgh back to Alexandria, Louisiana.

David?

We'll track it right here with you. See you first thing in the morning on GMA. Thanks, Ginger. Tonight, five teenagers are facing charges for a prank on a beloved high school math teacher in Georgia. One of the students then accidentally running over the teacher.

Here's Faith Abube.

Tonight, five teenagers facing charges after the tragic death of a beloved teacher during a high school prank gone wrong. Police say on friday night, the students went to Jason Hughes home in Gainesville Georgia to throw toilet paper at his trees. The Hughes family telling abc news, the teacher knew the teenagers were coming and he was excited to catch them in the act. When

Hughes, a math teacher in North Hall high school when outside the students all 18 years old tried to flee in 2 vehicles authority say the teacher tripped and fell in the roadway and was struck by driver Jaden Wallace police say Wallace and his friends tried to render aid to the teacher but the 40 year-old later died of the hospital. The driver now charged with first degree vehicular homicide and reckless driving police

charging all five teenagers with criminal trespassing and littering on

private property. The family wants to make really clear is that they knew

these kids that they loved them and these kids loved the Hughes is this was not a malicious act. And David,

all five students have been released on bond. The teacher's family says this was a tragic accident and they fully support dropping all criminal charges. But the D. A. Who will make that decision has yet to respond to our

request for a comment. David. All right, faith of boobie reporting tonight. Faith, thank you. Tonight, a giant Anthropic is suing the Pentagon for labeling the company a supply chain risk. The company claims it's being punished for ideological reasons after the Trump administration abruptly cut ties with the company.

Anthropic refusing to allow its artificial intelligence for use in autonomous lethal weapons without human involvement or for the mass surveillance of Americans. The Trump administration then partnering with open AI instead, which has many of the same red line restrictions.

When we come back here tonight, breaking news, the verdict just in at this hour and the trial of three brothers, two of them real estate stars accused of sexual assault. What the jury has now decided in a moment here. Also the woman under arrest tonight after police say she fired at singer Rihanna's home with an AR-15 style rifle. She's under arrest tonight on suspicion

of attempted murder. And later this evening, Punch the Monkey, that stuffed orangutan, the video they've now just sent in. You're gonna love the update. And then two American zoos, look at this, they're trying the same thing but two very different responses. In a moment here. Don't go away. Tonight, the three multi-millionaire brothers on trial for sex trafficking, two of them real estate stars from New York to L.A. to Miami.

Now the verdict, the jury finding Orin Tal and Elan Alexander guilty. The verdict, after 20 hours of deliberations, prosecutors say the brothers used their wealth and luxury lifestyle to lure, drug, and rape women. The brothers face up to life in prison when they're sentenced in August. Tonight, a woman is now in custody, accused of firing shots at Rihanna's mansion in Los Angeles.

She's been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, allegedly armed with an AR-15 style weapon. Police say Ivana Ortiz fired from her car on Sunday, multiple bullet holes visible in the side of Rihanna's home. Police say Rihanna was home at the time, but was not injured. When we come back here on a Monday night, Travis Kelsey has made his decision on his future in the NFL. Will he return to Kansas City and then punch the monkey? The video they've now sent in.

To the index of other news tonight, NFL star Travis Kelsey revealing his football future. A source telling ESPN tonight that Kelsey is coming back to the Kansas City Chiefs for a 14th season. The decision coming ahead of the NFL's free agency period and shutting down speculation that Kelsey could retire a passing the note tonight. Actress Jennifer Runyon has died, best known for her parts in Ghostbusters, a very Brady Christmas and her lead role as Gwendolyn Pearson, Charles in charge. No official cause of death. As of yet, Jennifer Runyon was just 65.

Do those multivitamins help you live longer? A new study tonight finds that taking a daily multivitamin may help slow the aging process. Researchers observed hundreds of adults who took multivitamins in a clinical trial published in the journal Nature Medicine.

Over a 24 month period, the participants taking the multivitamin only aged 20 months at the cellular level. We could hope. When we come back here tonight, Punch the Monkey and the video they've just now sent in, you'll see it. And the American zoo is now trying the same thing, but with very different results. Finally, tonight here, Punch the Monkey, the zoo outside Tokyo, sending out the newest update. And it turns out Punch is now a trend center. The zoo is right here in the monkey the zoo outside Tokyo sending out the newest update and it turns out punch is now a trend center the zoo's right here in the US trying the same thing and let's just say with very different results. Tonight we just had to share some good news about the baby monkey the world has fallen in love

with punch the monkey. The seven month old monkey abandoned by his mother shunned by the other monkeys at the zoo outside Tokyo zookeepers giving him that stuffed orangutan from Ikea hopes of comforting him and to help build his confidence images of punch cuddling and dragging that stuffed animal around with him going viral. His fellow primates grooming him sitting with the adult

monkeys hitching a ride in the back of this monkey before falling off. And tonight his zoo sharing this new video of punch from over the weekend, playing with other young monkeys closer to his age. And tonight, back here in the U.S. zoos, trying the same experiment at the San Antonio zoo caretakers,

tossing a stuffed animal to their adult gorillas. The gorillas staring at it seemingly unimpressed. And this gorilla taking a moment to look at it and then walking away, the stuffed animal falling down. At the Phoenix Zoo, the care team tossing a stuffed animal to Bodhi, their four-year-old Sai-Mang ape.

Bodhi studying it, picking it up, playing with it, hugging and kissing it. And right here tonight, Hey David! Joaquin Hidalgo from the Phoenix hugging and kissing it. And right here tonight, hey David Joaquin Hidalgo from the Phoenix Zoo and Bodhi behind me is a Bodhi. He's having a blast

still over there that orangutan plush is somewhere out there on the island yet to be recovered. He's been pretty playful with that thing for the past week. They say Bodhi loving his new stuffed

monkey while back outside Tokyo tonight. Punch is still loving his new stuffed monkey. While back outside Tokyo tonight, Punch is still loving his. Although the Zoo tonight saying if all goes well, they think there will come a day when he will no longer need his stuffed toy. Well maybe Punch and Bodhi can hang out one day.

Thanks for watching here on a Monday night. I'm David Muir. I'll see you right back here tomorrow. I'll see you right back here tomorrow.

Good night.