The war has killed more than 1,000 people in Iran, more than 50 in Lebanon and around a dozen in Israel, according to officials in those countries.
Oil prices have soared following Iranian attacks on traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, and global stock markets have been hammered over worries that the spike in oil prices may grind down the world economy. U.S. stocks appeared steadier at Wednesday’s opening.
Here is the latest:
White House defends evacuation plans for Americans
The president’s top spokeswoman pushed back against criticisms that the administration didn’t do enough to ensure Americans could leave the Middle East following the U.S. war in Iran.
Leavitt insisted that “there have been plans in place” and that the State Department has been clear to those in the region to leave immediately.
“We will help every single American who wants to come home if they’re making that request of the State Department,” she said.
Leavitt also said a State Department hotline that told callers not to rely on help from the U.S. government to leave the region has been corrected.
US is investigating reports that a girls school in Iran was hit in strikes
Asked if U.S. strikes hit a girls school in Iran — as officials in the region have suggested — Leavitt said, “Not that we know of.”
She said U.S. defense officials are “investigating this matter” and added that she wanted to say “very strongly, the United States of America does not target civilians, unlike the rouge Iranian regime.”
Iran’s top diplomat posted on social media on Monday an aerial photo showing rows of graves that he said were for more than 160 girls killed during a U.S.-Israeli strike on an elementary school in Minab.
U.S. Central Command spokesperson Capt. Tim Hawkins said then that he was “aware of reports” that a school was struck and that officials were looking into them.
White House again says Iran war aimed to head off an attack
The White House press secretary said Wednesday the U.S. launched its operation partly out of concern Iran might strike American personnel and assets in the region first.
Leavitt said a phone call between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before they launched the war was “important with respect to the timeline.”
However, she said, “I think the president, prior to that phone call, had a good feeling that the Iranian regime was going to strike the United States assets and our personnel in the region.”
White House says Trump spoke to Kurdish leaders about US bases in Iraq
Leavitt was asked about reports that Trump had a conversation with Kurdish leaders in Iraq and has sought military support for Iranian Kurdish groups.
“He did speak to Kurdish leaders with respect to our base that we have in northern Iraq. But as for any report suggesting that the president has agreed to any such plan is completely false and should not be written,” Leavitt said.
White House says Trump thinks the US public supports war with Iran
Asked if Trump thinks that Americans support the Israel-U.S. war in Iran — even though Trump hasn’t given a national address to personally make the case — Leavitt said, “I think he does.”
“This was a rogue terrorist regime that has been threatening the United States, our allies and our people for 47 years,” she said. “And the American people are smart enough to know that, and they’re smart enough to listen to the president himself — not just over the past year, in the second term, but during his first term as president.”
Recent polling shows that, prior to the U.S.-Israel strikes that started last weekend, 61% of Americans said Iran was an “enemy” of the U.S., but only about 3 in 10 Americans said they had “a great deal” or “quite a bit” of trust in Trump.
White House claims that Spain has agreed to cooperate with US operations in Mideast
The White House on Wednesday said Spain has agreed to cooperate with U.S. operations in the Mideast after Trump had threatened to cut off trade with Madrid.
“With respect to Spain, I think they heard the president’s message yesterday loud and clear,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. “And it’s my understanding over the past several hours, they’ve agreed to cooperate with the US military. And so I know that the US military is coordinating with their counterparts in Spain.”
Trump on Tuesday said he was going to “cut off all trade with Spain,” the day after Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said his country would not allow the U.S. to use jointly operated bases in southern Spain in any strikes not covered by the United Nations’ charter.
White House says US ground troops in Iran ‘not part of the plan for this operation at this time’
Leavitt said she would not take away military options on behalf of the president by ruling it out, saying that leaders in the past take options off the table “without having a full understanding of how things could develop.”
“It’s not part of the current plan, but I’m not going to remove an option for the president that is on the table,” Leavitt said.
Trump to attend transfer of soldiers’ remains
Trump plans to attend the dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base of U.S. troops killed in the Middle East conflict, the White House said Wednesday, one of the most solemn duties undertaken by the commander in chief.
The Pentagon is working to schedule the transfer. The U.S. has said six soldiers were killed.
“These heroes represent the very best among us,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday.
Emptier streets in Tehran as strikes on Iran intensify
Columns of heavy smoke could be seen rising in the western and eastern parts of the capital on Wednesday, as anti-aircraft batteries thudded intermittently and ambulances sped by.
Security forces and plainclothes officers were on the streets while fewer civilians than usual walked by briskly.
Groceries and bakeries were less crowded than usual. Mostly, customers stocked up on bottled water and dried thin breads — a sign they were preparing for a longer war.
“I preferred to stay in my city since I love this city more than any other place,” said Bagher Abbasi, a 32-year-old taxi driver. “Maybe I can be more useful here in helping those who may need my service.”
Mexico says 279 citizens evacuated from Middle East
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced the figure Wednesday. The foreign ministry said on X that most of the evacuees left by land from Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon and Qatar, and that they left through Egypt, Jordan and Turkey.
Iranians use brief internet access to send messages of hope and fear
Internet access in Iran is almost entirely shut down, meaning residents use the brief windows of connectivity to send messages to the outside world.
A 23-year-old in Tehran told The Associated Press on Wednesday he hopes U.S. and Israeli strikes topple the Islamic Republic.
“It has to fall or they will take their revenge on us,” he wrote. He said that in January, he had joined anti-government protests in which security forces shot thousands of demonstrators and arrested tens of thousands more.
Another resident in the capital’s Velenjak neighborhood told the AP that “conditions in Tehran are falling apart fast” under the air campaign. As she spoke, ambulance sirens wailed and pro-government slogans blared from nearby mosque loudspeakers.
“The possibility of moving around isn’t as much as before,” she said, adding: “I hope whatever is good for Iran, happens.”
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By Amir-Hussein Radjy in Cairo.
More on the container ship struck off Oman
Merchant ship MV Safeen Prestige, which flies the Maltese flag and owned by an Egyptian company, was hit by two missiles Wednesday afternoon while passing through the Strait of Hormuz. That’s according to Malta’s minister for transport, infrastructure and public works, Chris Bonett, speaking in Parliament.
He said that the ship caught fire, primarily in the engine room, and that the vessel suffered relatively heavy damage. However, the 24 seafarers aboard — 21 Egyptians and 3 Ukrainians — did not suffer injuries and were rescued by Oman’s navy, he said.
Earlier Wednesday, a British military agency, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, announced that the vessel was heading east through the Strait of Hormuz when it was hit by an unknown projectile, and that the ship had a fire in its engine room.
More than 70 killed in Lebanon by Israel since Hezbollah joined the war
Lebanon’s health ministry said Wednesday that 72 people have been killed and 437 wounded in Israeli strikes since the latest escalation with Hezbollah began three days ago.
More than 83,000 people have been displaced, Social Affairs Minister Haneed Sayed said.
Iran-allied Hezbollah entered the conflict Monday, firing missiles and drones into Israel for the first time in more than a year. Israel has responded with widespread strikes and warned residents to evacuate parts of southern Lebanon.
State Department says it has assisted nearly 6,500 Americans in Mideast
The U.S. State Department said Wednesday it has offered them assistance or information about leaving the region.
The department is trying to arrange charter flights and other transportation despite embassy closures and Iranian missile and drone strikes that have shut airports and airspace across the region. It was not immediately clear whether any U.S.-arranged flights have departed.
More than 17,500 Americans have returned to the United States since Saturday, including over 8,500 on Tuesday. Most traveled on commercial flights without government assistance.
Sirens sound again across large parts of Israel in another day of near-constant alerts
The military issued more warnings Wednesday evening about incoming missiles from Iran, sending millions of Israelis into shelters.
The strikes from Iran and Lebanon have targeted Israel throughout the day, with most of the projectiles intercepted or falling in open areas.
Turkey says it issued warnings after a missile headed toward its airspace
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday that Turkey is issuing “warnings” to prevent further incidents after NATO defenses intercepted an Iranian ballistic missile.
Erdogan made the comment at a Ramadan meal after Turkey summoned Iran’s ambassador to protest the incident.
Israeli strikes kill 7 more kids in Lebanon, medics say
Lebanon’s health ministry, cited by U.N. children’s agency, said Wednesday that seven children were killed and 38 injured in Israeli airstrikes across the country in the past 24 hours.
Nearly 60,000 people, including about 18,000 children, were displaced in the last 24 hours, UNICEF said, adding to tens of thousands already uprooted.
“No child should ever be killed or left to bear the lifelong physical and emotional scars of violence,” UNICEF’s Lebanon representative Marcoluigi Corsi said.
Power outage hits all of Iraq
The electricity ministry said Wednesday the national power grid has “completely shut down across all Iraqi provinces.”
The cause was not immediately clear. Officials said crews were working to restore power stations and transmission lines.
Outages had already hit the semi-autonomous Kurdish region after a key gas field halted operations over security concerns. Iraq’s oil ministry also said Tuesday it stopped production at a major field near Basra, citing a tanker shortage in the Persian Gulf amid the conflict.
Iran tells neighbors self-defense was last resort after failed diplomacy
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Wednesday his government pursued diplomacy to avoid war but was forced to defend itself after U.S. and Israeli attacks.
“We respect your sovereignty,” Pezeshkian said on X in a message to neighboring countries and allies, “and believe the region’s security and stability has to be achieved through the collective efforts of its states.”
Iran has fired missiles and drones at Israel and U.S. bases in the Gulf, although many munitions and debris from interceptions have hit civilian areas.
Israel says 100 warplanes struck Iranian command centers at a military compound
The Israeli military said it attacked a compound in eastern Tehran housing the headquarters for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the elite Quds Force, the intelligence directorate, Basij paramilitary force, Iran’s cyber unit, and a “unit in Internal Security responsible for suppressing protests.”
More than 250 bombs were dropped by over 100 fighter jets in the “wide-scale” strike, according to an Israeli military official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly.
Iraq’s World Cup qualifying is impacted by Iran war
Iraq’s hopes of World Cup qualification are being impacted by the Iran war because embassy and airspace closures are preventing players from getting visas for the playoff tournament in Mexico.
The Iraqi soccer federation says it’s communicating with FIFA about its match against Bolivia or Suriname in Monterrey, Mexico, on March 31.
The federation wrote in a social media post that its coach, Graham Arnold, is unable to leave the United Arab Emirates, and several players and staff members are experiencing trouble obtaining visas.
Iraq and the UAE have been floated as potential replacements for Iran’s team — which has already qualified — should the Iranians not participate in the World Cup.
Rising energy prices could help Russia pay for fighting in Ukraine
The Iran war’s disruption of Middle East oil and gas supplies and soaring prices are strengthening Russia’s ability to profit from its energy exports. That’s a pillar of the Kremlin’s budget and a key to paying for its own war in Ukraine.
Lebanon arrests 27 people in crackdown on armed groups
The Lebanese military says they were “illegally possessing weapons and munitions.” It did not say whether the 26 Lebanese and one Palestinian were affiliated with Hezbollah or any other militant group.
Lebanon’s political authorities have criticized Hezbollah’s rocket attack on northern Israel that sparked this week’s pounding by Israeli jets of southern Lebanon and areas near Beirut.
Qatar rejects Iran’s claim it only targeted US interests there
Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, made the claim during a phone call Wednesday.
Qatar’s prime minister and foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, “categorically rejected” it, according to a readout released by the foreign ministry. The minister said attacks also have targeted residential areas and critical infrastructure, including near the main airport and liquefied natural gas facilities.
This is the first engagement between Iran and Qatar made public since the war started over the weekend.
Israel says the Iran offensive was originally planned for mid-2026
Defense Minister Israel Katz has told military intelligence officers that the operation was moved up because of “developments and circumstances” including events inside Iran and “the position of the President of the United States, and the whole possibility of creating a combined operation here.” The comments were provided by his office.
US says Iran is firing fewer ballistic missiles and drones
The chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff says the number of ballistic missiles fired by Iran is down by 86% from Saturday, with a 23% drop in missiles fired in the last 24 hours.
“And their one-way-attack drone shots are down 73% from the opening days,” Caine said.
But some experts have said Iran may be holding some weapons in reserve to prolong the conflict.
On Israel-Lebanon border, few expected more fighting so soon
Some 60,000 Israelis had evacuated towns and cities along the border for over a year during the previous fighting with Hezbollah.
There are no current plans to evacuate Israelis this time. That’s according to Igor Abramovich, who is part of the emergency team for Kibbutz Manara.
He said there can be over 10 explosions in an hour at times. “There are people that’s really bringing up trauma for them, it’s really difficult right now,” he said.
Sinking of Iranian warship was the first by a U.S. torpedo since World War II
Gen. Dan Caine, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, says the U.S. Navy fast-attack submarine used “a single Mark 48 torpedo.”
A U.S. official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the Iranian ship was the Dena.
The sinking of the Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean illustrates how the U.S. military operation against Iran is stretching far beyond the Islamic Republic’s borders. Trump has said that one of the U.S. military’s main objectives in the campaign is to wipe out its Navy.
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By Konstantin Toropin and Ben Finley