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<\/p>\nUS attacks Iranian minelayers<\/p>\n
US Central Command released video of strikes on Iranian minelayers<\/p>\n
Trump: Iran has lost much in the war but we could do a lot worse<\/p>\n
Speaking outside the White House, President Trump said on Wednesday that Iran had lost much in the war but said \u201cwe could do a lot worse\u201d.<\/p>\n
The US president said Iran had lost their navy, air force, anti-aircraft defences, radar and that their leaders \u201cwere gone\u201d.<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cWe could do a lot worse. We\u2019re leaving certain things that if we take them out \u2014 and we could taken them out by this afternoon, in fact within an hour \u2014 they literally would never be able to build that country back.\u201d<\/p>\n
Trump also said that he was \u201cnot worried\u201d about any Iranian-backed attacks on US soil and said that oil companies should use the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n
Macron: Iran military has not been reduced to zero<\/p>\n
President Macron warned after the G7 meeting that Iran still retains significant military capabilities, stressing that its power \u201chas not been reduced to zero\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cConsiderable damage has already been inflicted on Iran\u2019s military ballistic capabilities, but it continues to attack several countries in the region, and therefore its capabilities have not been reduced to zero,\u201d he said after a video call with other leaders.<\/p>\n
He added that he left it up to President Trump to \u201cclarify both his ultimate objectives and the pace he wants to set for operations\u201d.<\/p>\n
He spoke after Trump claimed in an interview there was \u201cpractically nothing left to target\u201d in the country.<\/p>\n
Macron also said he has \u201cno confirmation\u201d that Iran is using sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have no confirmation of this, either from partner services or from our own services,\u201d Macron said, after the United States said it had destroyed Iranian mine-laying boats near the strategic waterway.<\/p>\n
The French president urged other G7 leaders to act to restore navigation in the Strait of Hormuz \u201cas soon as possible\u201d.<\/p>\n
Situation in Middle East does not justify lifting Russia sanctions, agree G7 leaders<\/p>\n
Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager.<\/a><\/p>\n Enable cookiesAllow cookies once<\/p>\n The situation in the Middle East, caused by the US-Israeli war with Iran and its consequences on the oil market, does not justify lifting sanctions against Russia, G7 leaders agreed on Wednesday in a call, said President Macron of France.<\/p>\n Hosting the call, the French president reiterated that he wished to talk about the situation in Iran and the Middle East in the days and weeks to come, freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and how to address the economic impact of the war.<\/p>\n \u201cWe all face the economic consequences,\u201d Macron told other leaders, including Sir Keir Starmer, in a video released by the \u00c9lys\u00e9e Palace. \u201cAnd for that reason I think its very important to remain co-ordinated.\u201d<\/p>\n Macron added that the decision by the International Energy Agency (IEA) to release 400 million barrels of oil, the largest such move in its history, was \u201cthe equivalent more or less of 20 days of the volumes being exported through the Hormuz Strait\u201d before the war. It will involve a contribution of 14.5 million barrels from France.<\/p>\n In response President Trump said \u201cI think we are having a tremendous impact, unbelievable actually, on the world,\u201d before the video ended. It was not immediately clear whether Trump was talking about the release of oil stocks decided minutes earlier.<\/p>\n The G7 consists of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.<\/p>\n \u2018Iran school strike happened because US military used old targeting information\u2019<\/p>\n A Tomahawk cruise missile strike on an Iranian school that killed 175 people occurred because the US military used old targeting information, The New York Times has reported.<\/p>\n A Pentagon investigation found that officers at US Central Command created the target coordinates for the strike using outdated data provided by the Defense Intelligence Agency, the paper reported.<\/p>\n Officials emphasised that the findings were preliminary and there were important, unanswered questions about why the outdated information had not been double-checked before the strike was authorised.<\/p>\n President Trump had previously sought to deflect blame for the attack on to Iran, despite the US being the only party in the conflict to use Tomahawk cruise missiles.<\/p>\n Most of the casualties of the attack on February 28 were children aged two to twelve years old.<\/p>\n \u201cAs The New York Times acknowledges in its own reporting, the investigation is still ongoing,\u201d Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said in a statement.<\/p>\n US military urges civilians to avoid ports along Strait of Hormuz<\/p>\n The US military has warned civilians to avoid ports along the Strait of Hormuz, where it says Iran is launching attacks that threaten international shipping.<\/p>\n The US Central Command said Iranian naval forces had positioned military vessels and equipment within civilian ports serving commercial maritime traffic.<\/p>\n \u201cThis dangerous action risks the lives of innocent people,\u201d it added, before suggesting it could soon strike these areas.<\/p>\n \u201cCivilian ports used for military purposes lose protected status and become legitimate military targets under international law,\u201d the message said.<\/p>\n \u201cCentcom urges civilians in Iran to immediately avoid all port facilities where Iranian naval forces are operating. Iranian dockworkers, administrative personnel, and commercial vessel crews should avoid Iranian naval vessels and military equipment.\u201d<\/p>\n UK to contribute 13.5 million barrels of oil to IEA release<\/p>\n The UK government said it will contribute 13.5 million barrels of oil from its own stockpile as part of the International Energy Agency\u2019s release to help stabilise markets.<\/p>\n Energy secretary Ed Miliband said: \u201cWith this action, the UK is playing our part in working with our international allies to address the disruption in oil markets.<\/p>\n \u201cThe UK has strong and diverse energy supplies, and the price cap plays an important role in protecting energy bills until July\u201d, he added.<\/p>\n \u201cThe way to protect families and businesses in the long run is to get off our dependency on global fossil fuel markets, and onto clean homegrown power which we control.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018Iran will not compete at World Cup 2026\u2019<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s sports minister has said the country will not participate in the 2026 World Cup.<\/p>\n Ahmad Donyamali told Iranian state television that after their supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei<\/a>, was killed in US-Israeli strikes that \u201cunder no circumstances\u201d could the national team take part in the tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico.<\/p>\n \u201cConsidering that this corrupt regime [the US] has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup,\u201d Reuters quoted the minister as saying.<\/p>\n \u2022 Read in full: Iran will not compete at World Cup 2026, says sports minister<\/a><\/p>\n Oil unmoved after IEA release<\/p>\n Brent crude slipped back below $90 a barrel after the announcement before edging up to $90.88 a barrel within minutes.<\/p>\n International Energy Agency makes historic release<\/p>\n The International Energy Agency (IEA) has announced the biggest release of oil reserves in its 50-year history to stabilise markets after the Iran war brought shipping in the Strait of Hormuz to a standstill and pushed up energy prices.<\/p>\n The 32-nation alliance, created in response to the 1973-1974 oil crisis, has agreed to release 400 million barrels of oil from strategic reserves, more than double the previous record of 182 million barrels during the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.<\/p>\n The release represents about a third of the 1.2 billion barrels that IEA countries hold in their public emergency stockpiles.<\/p>\n \u201cThe oil market challenges we are facing are unprecedented in scale, therefore I am very glad that IEA member countries have responded with an emergency collective action of unprecedented size,\u201d said Fatih Birol, IEA\u2019s executive director.<\/p>\n \u201cOil markets are global so the response to major disruptions needs to be global too. Energy security is the founding mandate of the IEA, and I am pleased that IEA members are showing strong solidarity in taking decisive action together.\u201d<\/p>\n Fuel tanks struck at Oman\u2019s Salalah port<\/p>\n Drones struck fuel tanks at Oman\u2019s Salalah port on Wednesday, state media reported, as Iran continues to target Gulf infrastructure in retaliation to US-Israeli attacks.<\/p>\n \u201cA security source reported that several drones were shot down, while others struck fuel tanks at the port of Salalah,\u201d the Oman News Agency said, adding that no casualties were reported.<\/p>\n The private maritime security company Vanguard Tech reported the suspension of the port\u2019s operations after the attack on its southern section.<\/p>\n Trump: War with Iran is going great<\/p>\n President Trump has said that the war with Iran is \u201cgoing great\u201d but could end \u201csoon\u201d because there is \u201cpractically nothing left to target\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cLittle this and that \u2026 Any time I want it to end, it will end,\u201d Trump told Axios in a five-minute phone interview, the news site said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe war is going great. We are way ahead of the timetable. We have done more damage than we thought possible, even in the original six-week period,\u201d Trump told Axios.<\/p>\n He described the war as payback for Iran\u2019s hostility, which he said extended beyond Israel and the US to Gulf states across the region.<\/p>\n \u201cThey were after the rest of the Middle East,\u201d he was quoted as saying. \u201cThey are paying for 47 years of death and destruction they caused. This is payback. They will not get off that easy\u201d.<\/p>\n \u2018US military has struck more than 5,500 targets in Iran\u2019<\/p>\n Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager.<\/a><\/p>\n Enable cookiesAllow cookies once<\/p>\n The US military says it has struck more than 5,500 targets in Iran since the start of the war, and sunk more than 60 ships by Wednesday, which is day 12 of its campaign.<\/p>\n In a five-minute video statement, Admiral Brad Cooper, chief of the US Central Command, said that on Tuesday, the US \u201chad strike waves nearly every hour from different locations and directions going into Iran\u201d.<\/p>\n Heavy bombers were said to have \u201chit a large ballistic missile manufacturing facility\u201d in Iran last night, while American strikes also destroyed the last of four Soleimani-class warships of the Iranian Navy. \u201cThat\u2019s an entire class of Iranian ships now out of the fight,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe remain centred on very clear military objectives in eliminating Iran\u2019s ability to project power against Americans and against its neighbours,\u201d Cooper added.<\/p>\n \u201cSince the first 24 hours of this campaign, Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks have dropped drastically. But it\u2019s worth pointing out that Iranian forces continue to deliberately target innocent civilians in Gulf countries while hiding behind their own people as they launch attacks from highly populated cities in Iran.\u201d<\/p>\n Iran accuses Israel of targeting its banks<\/p>\n Iran has accused Israel and the US of \u201ctargeting\u201d its banks on Wednesday, after reporting disruptions to online services and cash machines at two of its IRGC-linked banks the day before.<\/p>\n State television reports said Bank Sepah, on Haghani Street in Tehran, was struck by a missile, while Bank Melli is also reported to have seen disruptions in its service. In response to the alleged attacks Iran said the IRGC now has a \u201cfree hand\u201d to target economic centres and banks around the region that had links to the US and Israel.<\/p>\n \u201cThe enemy left our hands open to targeting economic centres and banks belonging to the United States and the Zionist regime in the region,\u201d a spokesperson for Iran\u2019s Khatam al-Anbiya military headquarters said, adding that the \u201cpeople of the region should not be within a 1km radius of banks\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Americans should await our countermeasure and our painful response,\u201d the statement read.<\/p>\n Airlines battered by rising fuel prices and disruption<\/p>\n Global airlines are grappling with the effects of the war in the Middle East, as fuel prices soar, flights are cancelled and aircraft need to be diverted around the region. <\/p>\n Two drones fell near Dubai\u2019s main airport earlier on Wednesday and Bahrain evacuated some planes, as attacks on infrastructure across the Gulf continued.<\/p>\n While the region\u2019s airlines like Qatar Airways, Emirates and Etihad have been hit the hardest, most major international carriers have been affected, as they operate flights both to and through hubs such as Dubai. <\/p>\n Air France joined Lufthansa in extending a suspension of flights to Tel Aviv, Dubai and other destinations until at least this weekend, while some airlines have warned that increases in the price of jet fuel could have an impact on ticket prices. However others have fuel in reserve.<\/p>\n Japan releases oil before IEA announcement<\/p>\n The Japanese prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, said on Wednesday that the country would not wait for the final formal IEA co-ordination and would begin releasing 15 days of private-sector reserves and one month of state reserves from Monday. <\/p>\n About 70 per cent of Japan\u2019s oil imports come from the Middle East.<\/p>\n When the IEA-led co-ordinated reserves release is agreed, Japan\u2019s planned release would be part of that total, the country said.<\/p>\n Iran attacked cargo ships after they \u2018ignored warnings\u2019 <\/p>\n Iran\u2019s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said Wednesday they had struck a Liberia-flagged vessel, which they claimed was Israeli-owned, as well as a Thai bulk carrier in the Strait of Hormuz after the vessels ignored warnings to stop.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Israeli-owned Express Rome ship, flying the Liberian flag, and the container ship Mayuree Naree, were hit by Iranian projectiles and stopped after ignoring the warnings of the IRGC naval forces,\u201d the Guards said in a statement carried by Iran\u2019s ISNA news agency.<\/p>\n The IRGC\u2019s navy commander Alireza Tangsiri said in a post on X that \u201cany vessel intending to pass must get permission from Iran\u201d.<\/p>\n Iran pulls out of the World Cup<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s sports minister has said the national men\u2019s football team will not compete in the World Cup co-hosted by the US this summer.<\/p>\n \u201cConsidering that \u200cthis corrupt regime has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances \u2060can we \u200bparticipate in \u200bthe World \u200bCup,\u201d Ahmad Donyamali told state television.<\/p>\n The president of Fifa, Gianni Infantino, has said that Trump welcomes their participation despite the ongoing war.<\/p>\n He said he spoke to Trump on Tuesday and was reassured the team could compete.<\/p>\n Security incident closes streets near White House Several major streets around the White House were closed<\/p>\n BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI\/AFP\/GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n A van smashed through a security barricade near the White House early on Wednesday morning, forcing a shutdown of the area.<\/p>\n The driver was taken into custody and there were no reported injuries following the incident at Lafayette Square, just north of the White House.<\/p>\n The Secret Service, which handles presidential security, said in a statement it was \u201clooking into a suspicious vehicle\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cThe driver of the car has been detained and is being questioned,\u201d it added.<\/p>\n Washington has been subject to heightened security amid the ongoing war against Iran.<\/p>\n Police closed off several major streets around the White House, preventing government employees and city workers from getting to their offices.<\/p>\n The first AI war: US and Israel test autonomous tech<\/p>\n In the first 24 hours of Operation Epic Fury, the US military struck more than 1,000 targets in Iran with the help of artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n Given the rate of 42 suggested targets per hour, experts have asked whether machines are now in charge on the battlefield because the human brain cannot keep up.<\/p>\n They have raised the possibility that artificial intelligence may have misidentified the primary school in Minab on the first day of the war. Growing evidence suggests that the US fired what appears to have been Tomahawk cruise missiles<\/a> at the site, killing 110 children and dozens of others.<\/p>\n \u2022 The first AI war: US and Israel use Iran to test autonomous tech<\/a><\/p>\n Trump heads to Kentucky rally as cost-of-living concerns deepen<\/p>\n President Trump will hone in on domestic issues on Wednesday, turning away from the war in Iran to speak in Kentucky about his economic plans.<\/p>\n It marks Trump\u2019s first campaign trip since the US and Israel began their campaign against Iran 12 days ago. He is due to speak at two events in northern Kentucky and Cincinnati, Ohio. <\/p>\n Oil prices have surged since the conflict in the Middle East broke out, adding to existing concerns about the cost of living in the US.<\/p>\n Trump this year faces midterm elections and will hope to reclaim the initiative before his party has to defend narrow majorities in both chambers of Congress.<\/p>\n Spain permanently withdraws ambassador to Israel<\/p>\n Spain has permanently withdrawn its ambassador to Israel as the rift between the countries worsens over opposition to the war in Iran.<\/p>\n The ambassador was summoned back to Spain last September amid a diplomatic row over the war in Gaza. Spain banned its aircraft and ships from carrying weapons to Israel from its ports or airspace, which the Israeli foreign minister Gideon Sa\u2019ar denounced as antisemitic.<\/p>\n Spain announced this week that the ambassador\u2019s position had been officially terminated. Its foreign ministry said the embassy in Tel Aviv will be led by a diplomat for the foreseeable future.<\/p>\n Woman killed in strike on Iraq arms depot <\/p>\n Shrapnel from a strike on an arms depot belonging to an Iranian-backed armed group in central Iraq killed a woman, health and security officials told AFP.<\/p>\n A security source said \u201ca bombing targeted an arms depot at a military base\u201d, which mainly hosts the powerful Asaib Ahl al-Haq group in the eastern Wasit province.<\/p>\n He added that \u201ca woman was killed when shrapnel from a rocket fell near her after the strike\u201d. A health official confirmed her death and said another person was seriously wounded.<\/p>\n Fatalities from the war have been reported across at least seven countries in the Middle East, not including Iran, Lebanon and Israel, which have experienced the most intense and deadly attacks.<\/p>\n Russia \u2018advising Iran on drone tactics\u2019<\/p>\n Russia is giving Iran specific advice about drone warfare to aid in its war against Israel and the US, CNN reports.<\/p>\n Moscow, a heavy user of Iranian-made shahed drones in its war against Ukraine, has allegedly been giving the regime tactical advice in a new show of support after reports of more general assistance.<\/p>\n A western intelligence official told CNN: \u201cWhat was more general support is now getting more concerning, including UAS [drone] targeting strategies that Russia employed in Ukraine.\u201d<\/p>\n The drones have been surprisingly successful in targeting Gulf nations and penetrating their air defences, although many have been intercepted and destroyed.<\/p>\n President Zelensky wrote on X on Wednesday that \u201cRussia has started supporting the Iranian regime with drones. It will definitely help with missiles, and it is also helping them with air defence\u201d.<\/p>\n Iran warns of oil prices at $200 a barrel<\/p>\n Iran has told the US that oil prices will rise to $200 a barrel as it disrupts shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n Prices approached $120 a barrel on Monday for the first time in almost four years, before falling back.<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s military command said the US should \u201cget ready\u201d for an increase to $200 as the conflict continues. It also said the approach of \u201creciprocal hits\u201d would come to an end in favour of \u201ccontinuous strikes\u201d.<\/p>\n The regime has weaponised oil and gas by exploiting a geographical advantage in blocking the Strait of Hormuz. About 50 ships a day passed through the Strait before February 28, but that has now slowed to a trickle<\/p>\n IEA oil release likely to offer only temporary relief<\/p>\n G7 nations have said they would support the collective release of oil from their reserves to tackle soaring prices since the start of the Iran war. However, the move is widely viewed as a short-term solution as long as the war continues and the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 per cent of the world\u2019s oil exports pass, remains effectively shut.<\/p>\n Analysts said that previous interventions have had mixed results. In 2022, an initial release caused prices to rise by 20 per cent because traders interpreted the move as a signal that the oil crisis was more severe than previously estimated.<\/p>\n Fatih Birol, director of the International Energy Agency which is co-ordinating the release, has said that current strategic stocks represent about 124 days of lost supply from the Gulf, which means the buffer is finite if the conflict persists. <\/p>\n Iranians \u2018will be able to grab hold of freedom\u2019<\/p>\n David Mencer, the spokesman for Binyamin Netanyahu, told Times Radio on Wednesday that Israel and the US want to \u201ccreate a portal for the Iranian people to walk through\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cThis regime has subjugated them,\u201d he said. \u201cWe know that 80 per cent of Iran\u2019s people are against the regime in Tehran and we are fundamentally taking it apart day by day.\u201d<\/p>\n He said: \u201cIn a very very short time the Iranian people [will] have the opportunity to walk through that portal, walk through that doorway and grab hold of freedom.\u201d<\/p>\n Mencer described the relationship between Netanyahu and Trump as \u201cthe best tag team in geopolitical history\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cI can tell you my prime minister and President Trump are in daily contact. There is co-operation at almost every single level of government from our military to every single area and we\u2019re in this together for the peace of mankind.\u201d<\/p>\n Badenoch should apologise \u2018for criticising UK pilots\u2019 Starmer speaking in the Commons on Wednesday<\/p>\n HOUSE OF COMMONS\/UK PARLIAMENT\/PA<\/p>\n Sir Keir Starmer criticised Kemi Badenoch for saying British pilots were \u201cjust hanging about\u201d in the Middle East.<\/p>\n The prime minister said: \u201cShe mentions the HMS Dragon. Can I first start by thanking the Royal Navy who are serving? Can I second say that what\u2019s been happening is it\u2019s been carefully being loaded with the anti-strike ammunition and capability that it needs, and the navy and civilians have been working 22 hour shifts.<\/p>\n \u201cBut in relation to those that are taking the action, what does she say? \u2018Just hanging about\u2019. That\u2019s how she described our pilots in the region. Let me tell you what they\u2019ve been doing, flying sorties in seven of the ten countries in the region, day and night, taking out incoming strikes, protecting the lives of others whilst risking their own. If she had any decency, she\u2019d get up and she would apologise.\u201d<\/p>\n Badenoch said she had \u201cnever criticised our armed forces\u201d. She said: \u201cI am criticising him and his decision.\u201d<\/p>\n Starmer attacks Tories over stance on conflict<\/p>\n Sir Keir Starmer said \u201cyou don\u2019t get a second shot at making the right call on taking your country to war\u201d.<\/p>\n Starmer said: \u201cIf [Kemi Badenoch] were prime minister, we would be in the war, and she would be coming back to parliament a week later to say \u2018oh, sorry, I got that one wrong\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n Badenoch responded: \u201cIf I were prime minister, HMS Dragon would have left a week ago.\u201d<\/p>\n Starmer accuses Badenoch of \u2018mother of all U-turns\u2019<\/p>\n The prime minister has accused Kemi Badenoch of the \u201cmother of all U-turns\u201d over British involvement in Iran.<\/p>\n Sir Keir Starmer said: \u201cI took the decision that we should not join the initial US-Israeli offensive against Iran. The leader of the opposition attacked me for that decision relentlessly. She said that the UK should have joined the US and Israel in the initial offensive strikes.<\/p>\n \u201cThen yesterday, in the wake of the economic consequences, the leader of the opposition totally abandoned her position. She told the BBC \u2018I never said we should join\u2019. She told the BBC \u2018I haven\u2019t said we should have gone in with the United States\u2019. That is the mother of all U-turns on the single most important decision a prime minister ever has to take, whether to commit the United Kingdom to war or not.\u201d<\/p>\n Badenoch replied: \u201cI think the mother of all U-turns is him saying that they\u2019re not increasing fuel duty.\u201d <\/p>\n Starmer says ministers will not increase price of petrol<\/p>\n The prime minister responded to a question on fuel duty and said: \u201cWe are not increasing the cost of petrol. We\u2019re absolutely clear in taking the measures that are necessary to deal with the impact of the conflict in Iran. We\u2019re dealing with that with other allies.\u201d<\/p>\n He added: \u201cFuel duty is frozen. It\u2019s going to remain frozen until September, and we will keep the situation under review in light of what\u2019s happening in Iran.\u201d<\/p>\n Starmer pays tribute to UK military <\/p>\n Sir Keir Starmer has praised the \u201ccourage\u201d and \u201cprofessionalism\u201d of UK armed forces personnel amid the conflict in Iran. <\/p>\n The prime minister, speaking in the Commons, said they had \u201cflown over 230 hours of defensive operations over multiple countries, shooting down multiple drones\u201d.<\/p>\n He said: \u201cWe thank them for their courage and their professionalism.\u201d<\/p>\n Revolutionary Guards \u2018target US bases in Gulf\u2019<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s Revolutionary Guards said on Wednesday they had targeted several US bases in Kuwait and Bahrain.<\/p>\n \u201cKey infrastructure at the US base at Mina Salman port, the nerve centre of the US Fifth Fleet\u2026 was hit by Iranian missiles and drones,\u201d the Guards said on their website Sepah News, referring to US installations in Bahrain. <\/p>\n \u201cAt the same time Camp Patriot [in Kuwait], including equipment hangars, accommodation and assembly centres for American soldiers at the Mohammed Al-Ahmad and Ali Al-Salem naval bases, also suffered heavy losses,\u201d they said, adding that they also attacked the Camp Buehring base in Kuwait.<\/p>\n The claims could not be immediately verified.<\/p>\n Israel scrambles to intercept Iranian missiles Israelis practise yoga session in a large Tel Aviv underground bomb shelter<\/p>\n UPI\/ALAMY LIVE NEWS<\/p>\n Israel has reported that Iran has fired more missiles against central areas of the country.<\/p>\n \u201cDefence systems are operating to intercept the threat,\u201d the Israel Defence Forces said in a statement, adding that residents were advised to take shelter until further notice. <\/p>\n \u201cIn the last few minutes, the Home Front Command issued a preliminary directive directly to mobile phones in the relevant areas. The public is requested to exercise responsibility and act in accordance with the directives \u2014 they save lives,\u201d the message added.<\/p>\n The latest alarm came nine hours after the last air-raid warning that woke many Israelis in the early hours of Wednesday. <\/p>\n Reeves strikes cautious note over defence spending<\/p>\n Rachel Reeves said it was important to \u201clearn the lessons from the past\u201d when deciding how defence spending and military action would be allocated.<\/p>\n When asked by the Treasury committee what was holding the UK back from raising defence spending to its target of 3 per cent of GDP, the chancellor said she could not be \u201csanguine\u201d about the country\u2019s public finances, warning that raising government spending could increase pressure on household inflation rates.<\/p>\n Reeves said she was proud to deliver \u201cthe biggest uplift in defence spending since the end of the Cold War\u201d, and said the UK could learn from the way Ukraine has used its military spending to \u201cadjust to modern methods of warfare\u201d.<\/p>\n Defence spending is expected to reach 2.6 per cent of GDP by April next year, the chancellor confirmed.<\/p>\n US-Israel strikes \u2018hit Iranian ambulance boat\u2019<\/p>\n Iran has accused the United States and Israel of striking a maritime ambulance boat at an island in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, local media reported.<\/p>\n \u201cFollowing the US-Zionist attacks this afternoon, a maritime ambulance stationed at the dock of Hormuz Island was hit by missiles,\u201d the state-controlled Mehr news agency reported on Wednesday, showing video of the boat on fire.<\/p>\n It said the vessel transports emergency patients from the island to Bandar Abbas in Iran\u2019s southern Hormozgan province. Other media carried similar reports.<\/p>\n Meloni criticises US-Israeli war on Iran Meloni in the Italian senate in Rome on Wednesday<\/p>\n ANGELO CARCONI\/EPA<\/p>\n Italy\u2019s prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, on Wednesday delivered her strongest criticism yet of the US-Israeli war on Iran, describing it as part of a growing and dangerous trend of interventions \u201coutside the scope of international law\u201d.<\/p>\n Her remarks to parliament came after repeated accusations from the opposition that her right-wing government had been too soft toward its allies. Most other European nations, with the notable exception of Spain, have withheld direct critique of the US and Israeli attacks, largely calling for restraint.<\/p>\n Meloni also said Iran must not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons, as that would end the international non-proliferation framework with \u201cdramatic repercussions for global security\u201d.<\/p>\n She also said the current conflict had contributed to the collapse of the global rules-based order, since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is in this context of structural crisis in the international system, in which threats are becoming increasingly frightening and unilateral interventions outside the scope of international law are multiplying, that we must also place the American and Israeli intervention against the Iranian regime,\u201d she told the senate.<\/p>\n Meloni said Rome was providing air-defense assets to Gulf countries hit by strikes from Tehran. Around 2,000 Italian soldiers are also based in the region.<\/p>\n Reeves: Nothing off the table for energy bills support<\/p>\n Rachel Reeves said \u201cnothing is off the table\u201d regarding targeted support for businesses and consumers facing higher energy bills from the Iran conflict.<\/p>\n She told the Treasury select committee that it was \u201cmuch too early\u201d to forecast future energy price cap changes as she confirmed that the scheduled 7 per cent drop on April 1 remains on track.<\/p>\n The chancellor said she was speaking with the competition regulator over concerns around the \u201cprice gauging\u201d of heating oil, which is relied on by many rural communities to supply their energy needs.<\/p>\n She also said that a deeper UK involvement in the Middle East was not in the national interest.<\/p>\n How the world economy might be affected by attacks on Strait of Hormuz<\/p>\n Romania to allow US to use its territory for Middle East military operations<\/p>\n Romania is to allow American fighter jets and soldiers to deploy to its territory to assist military operations in the Middle East, according to reports.<\/p>\n The US has requested to use the Mihail Kogalniceanu airbase on the Black Sea for combat operations and refuelling, Bloomberg reported, citing unnamed sources. The US also plans to deploy as many as 500 soldiers to Romania, one of the sources said.<\/p>\n Nicusor Dan, the Romanian president, has convened a meeting of the supreme defence council on Wednesday to discuss potential \u201cadditional military capabilities\u201d on Romanian soil, the report added.<\/p>\n The eastern European country has been a Nato member since 2004.<\/p>\n Iranian internet blackout enters 12th day<\/p>\n The internet monitoring platform NetBlocks said that Iran\u2019s internet blackout is \u201cnow among the most severe government-imposed nationwide internet shutdowns on record globally\u201d and the country has \u201cspent a third of 2026 offline\u201d.<\/p>\n The blackout imposed since the start of US-Israeli attacks on the country has now lasted more than 12 days, but it comes after the internet was switched off for weeks due to widespread anti-government protests.<\/p>\n Most Iranian news websites remain inaccessible from abroad. Although some are still publishing posts on social media and Telegram channels.<\/p>\n Netblocks said that connectivity in the country has been at 1 per cent of normal levels, and that only sources approved by the regime were not being blocked.<\/p>\n Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager.<\/a><\/p>\n Enable cookiesAllow cookies onceNumber of ships passing through strait collapses<\/p>\n Three vessels \u2014 a bulk carrier, container ship and cargo vessel \u2014 have been attacked in the Strait of Hormuz within 24 hours, Peter Aylott of the UK Chamber of Shipping, told Times Radio on Tuesday. He described the attacks as indiscriminate.<\/p>\n He said shipping passing through the strait had dropped from 100 vessels a day to fewer than five, mostly Iranian ships. About 1,000 commercial vessels are estimated to be trapped in the Gulf, including 80 to 90 with UK interests.<\/p>\n The risk of attack means most ships are unlikely to move, he said. Last week, Iran attacked an Egyptian container vessel, and when a salvage tug went to tow it to safety, it was destroyed \u201cwith the loss of lives of perhaps four to eight crews\u201d.<\/p>\n UK economy \u2018better placed to cope with shock\u2019<\/p>\n Rachel Reeves sought to reassure MPs that the UK economy is \u201cin a stronger position\u201d to respond to global shocks.<\/p>\n The chancellor told the treasury committee that the economy was in a much healthier state today \u201cin many ways\u201d compared with when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.<\/p>\n Reeves also said her fiscal rules would give her \u201cscope for interventions\u201d in the short term if needed.<\/p>\n When asked about energy prices, Reeves said that \u201cmovements in global oil and gas prices have less of an effect, although still a big effect, for prices paid for by consumers\u201d.<\/p>\n Iran holds mass funeral for \u2018martyred\u2019 military officials Mourners gather in Tehran on Wednesday<\/p>\n FATEMEH BAHRAMI\/ANADOLU\/GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n ATTA KENARE\/AFP\/GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n Iranian state media has broadcast a funeral ceremony for some of the senior commanders and military figures who were killed in the US-Israeli strikes.<\/p>\n According to reports, the dead being honoured on Wednesday include Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh, who was a defence minister; Major General Mohammad Pakpour, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps commander-in-chief; Vice Admiral Ali Shamkhani, the defence council secretary; the head of the supreme leader\u2019s military office, Brigadier General Mohammad Shirazi and his reported replacement, Abolqasem Babaian (Babaiyan), who was also killed.<\/p>\n Press TV, the English-language Iranian state-controlled channel, described them as \u201cmartyrs\u201d and showed a ceremony was taking place in Tehran\u2019s Enqelab Square, attended by a crowd of mourners waving Iranian flags.<\/p>\n Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager.<\/a><\/p>\n Enable cookiesAllow cookies onceSaudi Aramco boss warns of \u2018catastrophic consequences\u2019<\/p>\n The chief executive of Saudi Arabia\u2019s state-backed oil company warned that there could be \u201ccatastrophic consequences\u201d for the world\u2019s oil markets if the Iran war continues to disrupt shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n Amin Nasser, chief executive of Saudi Aramco, cautioned that the continuing disruption in the key waterway, through which about 20 per cent of all oil supplies pass, has upended the shipping and insurance sectors and is likely to hit aviation, agriculture, carmaking and other industries.<\/p>\n He said that global inventories of oil were at a five-year low, the crisis would lead to drawdowns at a faster rate, and it was critical for shipping in the strait to resume.<\/p>\n \u201cThere would be catastrophic consequences for the world\u2019s oil markets, and the longer the disruption goes on, the more drastic the consequences for the global economy,\u201d he said in a quarterly earnings call.<\/p>\n \u2022 Saudi Aramco to restore 70% of oil shipments \u2018within days\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n More ships targeted by suspected Iranian strikes The aftermath of the attack<\/p>\n Details of ships hit by suspected Iranian attacks in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday are now emerging. <\/p>\n A Thai bulk carrier, the Mayuree Naree, was targeted and damaged approximately 11 nautical miles north of Oman, two maritime security sources said. The Thai navy said 20 of 23 crew members had been rescued so far. <\/p>\n The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said that a fire started by the attack had been extinguished and that necessary crew would remain on the vessel.<\/p>\n Earlier, the Japan-flagged container ship One Majesty also sustained minor damage from an unknown projectile 25 nautical miles northwest of Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates, two maritime security sources said.<\/p>\n A third vessel, the Marshall Islands-flagged Star Gwyneth, a bulk carrier, was also hit by an unknown projectile approximately 50 miles northwest of Dubai, maritime security firms said.<\/p>\n The latest incidents increase the number of ships that have been attacked since the conflict began to at least 14. <\/p>\n Oil back above $90 a barrel<\/p>\n Oil has risen back above $90 a barrel after a cargo vessel was hit by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in a fire onboard.<\/p>\n Brent crude rose 5.6 per cent to $92.68 after falling overnight in Asia to about $88 after the Wall Street Journal reported that the International Energy Agency has proposed the largest release of oil reserves in its history.<\/p>\n \u2022 Read in full: Oil price tops $90 after ship attack in the Gulf<\/a><\/p>\n Markets are weighing conflicting signals on how long the Iran war will last against the near-total halt of tankers through the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude hit $119.50 a barrel on Monday before easing on Tuesday in reaction to President Trump\u2019s statement that the war was near an end.<\/p>\n Reeves: Conflict will disrupt trade and hit economy Rachel Reeves speaking to MPs on Wednesday<\/p>\n HOUSE OF COMMONS\/UK PARLIAMENT\/PA<\/p>\n The conflict in the Middle East is \u201ccertainly not good for the British economy\u201d, Rachel Reeves has told MPs.<\/p>\n Appearing before parliament\u2019s treasury committee on Wednesday, the chancellor said it would be \u201cunwise to speculate\u201d about the impact of the Iran conflict on inflation, growth or interest rates, but added that the Treasury is \u201clooking at a number of scenarios\u201d.<\/p>\n Reeves told MPs: \u201cIt\u2019s certainly not good for the British economy to have trade disrupted, and especially when so much oil and gas comes from that part of the world.<\/p>\n \u201cBut the best thing that we can do as a government is to seek to de-escalate this conflict.\u201d<\/p>\n She said \u201cthe quicker we can de-escalate, the better it will be for all of those different economic variables\u201d.<\/p>\n Reeves also said the UK would \u201cplay its part\u201d in helping to unlock strategic oil reserves in response to surging barrel prices.<\/p>\n Lebanon enduring a \u2018great trial\u2019, Pope says<\/p>\n The Pope on Wednesday lamented the death of numerous civilians in the Iran war and said that Lebanon, which has been targeted by Israeli strikes, was going through a \u201cgreat trial\u201d.<\/p>\n Leo, the first American pope, called on pilgrims in his weekly audience in St Peter\u2019s Square to pray for peace. \u201cLet us continue to pray for peace in Iran, and throughout the Middle East, especially for the many civilian victims, including many innocent children,\u201d said the pontiff.<\/p>\n Travel Doctor: \u2018My flights via Dubai were cancelled \u2014 can I get a refund?\u2019<\/p>\n Our travel expert also advises on Airbnb guest damage, affordable Malta and where to escape the January rain next year<\/p>\n \u2022 Read in full: \u2018My flights via Dubai were cancelled \u2014 can I get a refund for my holiday?\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n Poll: have your say on oil prices Google is a legitimate target, Iran warns <\/p>\n Iran has said its targets now extend to American tech companies, including Google and Microsoft.<\/p>\n The IRGC-affiliated Tasnim news agency released a list of \u201cIran\u2019s new targets\u201d, which includes offices and infrastructure of US companies whose technology has been used for military applications.<\/p>\n \u201cAs the scope of the regional war expands to infrastructure war, the scope of Iran\u2019s legitimate targets expands,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n Google, Microsoft, Palantir, IBM, Nvidia and Oracle all have offices and infrastructure in multiple Israeli cities, as well as in some Gulf countries.<\/p>\n New supreme leader lightly injured in strikes, Israeli intelligence suggests <\/p>\n Iran\u2019s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, was lightly wounded in the US-Israeli offensive against Iran, Israeli intelligence assessments suggest.<\/p>\n Reuters cited an unnamed senior Israeli official as saying that this was the reason Khamenei, 56, has not been seen in public since the start of the war.<\/p>\n The late supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in an airstrike on February 28, along with his wife and daughter-in-law: the mother and wife of Mojtaba.<\/p>\n Iranian state media have described the new supreme leader in Farsi language as \u201cJaanbaz\u201d during the \u201cRamadan war\u201d, their name for the current conflict. The term Jaanbaz means veteran or hero, but can also have overtones of someone who has risked their life or has been wounded, which has led some Iranians abroad to speculate that the leader was injured.<\/p>\n Expert tips: Do I have to fly an employee back from Dubai?<\/p>\n Q: Two years ago, a team member relocated to Dubai for work. We were happy to cover her moving costs because we saw the merit in having a small foothold in the region to develop our business there. Because of the conflict, she wants to return and has asked us to cover the bill again. We don\u2019t want to do that. Do we just say \u201cno\u201d or do we have some responsibility to help?<\/p>\n \u2022 Read in full: Do I have to fly an employee back from Dubai?<\/a><\/p>\n \u2018We cannot allow Iran to threaten Europe\u2019 <\/p>\n The Italian prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, has said Iran cannot be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons, warning that such a development could trigger a nuclear arms race.<\/p>\n \u201cWe cannot allow the ayatollah regime to possess nuclear weapons, combined with a missile capability that could soon be able to strike Italy and Europe directly,\u201d she told the Italian senate.<\/p>\n In pictures: Israel hits Iranian military sites Before and after images of Kerman air base, about 800 km southeast of Tehran<\/p>\n AFP\/SATELLITE IMAGE (C) 2026 VANTOR\/GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n Before and after images of an Iranian military facility in Darab, south-central Iran<\/p>\n SATELLITE IMAGE \u00a92026 VANTOR\/AFP\/GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n Before and after images of at an Iranian military facility in Khorgu, southern Iran<\/p>\n SATELLITE IMAGE \u00a92026 VANTOR\/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n \u20187 dead after Israeli strike on southern Lebanon\u2019<\/p>\n Israel has killed seven and injured 11 in its latest attacks on southern Lebanon, according to the Lebanese health ministry. <\/p>\n The Israeli attacks were on the town of Al-Shahabiya, in the southern Tyre district. <\/p>\n The aftermath of an Israeli attack on Beirut<\/p>\n HUSSEIN MALLA\/AP<\/p>\n Earlier, an Israeli strike hit an apartment in a densely populated neighbourhood in central Beirut, state media reported. <\/p>\n This was the second time Israel has targeted the heart of the Lebanese capital since Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war last week when Hezbollah attacked Israel in response to the killing of Iranian supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in US-Israeli strikes.<\/p>\n FTSE 100 slides on oil supply jitters<\/p>\n London\u2019s leading share index has opened down this morning after contradictory signals about how long the Iran war will last reignited concerns about the risks to inflation and global growth. <\/p>\n Brent crude has edged 2.5 per cent higher to $89.97 a barrel after falling in overnight trading in Asia after reports of the largest release of oil reserves in its history.<\/p>\n The FTSE 100 slid 0.8 per cent to 10,328.93 after rising 1.6 per cent yesterday, boosted by a sharp drop in oil prices after President Trump suggested the Middle East war could be close to ending. Shares in Germany and France were also lower after Asian equity markets rose overnight, with the Nikkei 225 up 1.4 per cent.<\/p>\n Comment: Starmer will pay price if bill for war spirals<\/p>\n The war in the Middle East was a political problem the prime minister could have done without (Daniel Finkelstein writes). <\/p>\n Already facing electoral difficulties, his party deeply uneasy, this crisis came at a particularly awkward moment. And it called upon his ability to make a convincing public case, never his strong suit as he came across as stiff and awkward on television.<\/p>\n \u2022 Read in full: Keir Starmer will pay the price if the bill for Iran war spirals<\/a><\/p>\n The whole thing also damaged the relationship with the United States, which the prime minister had been working so hard to maintain. The date of all this was October 1973, the prime minister was Edward Heath and the conflict was what is known as the Yom Kippur War. It turns out that there is little in international affairs that has never happened before.<\/p>\n Iran warns of attacks on US and Israeli banks <\/p>\n The Iranian armed forces have warned people not to be within one kilometre of US and Israeli banks as they will be the next targets. <\/p>\n \u201cLast night, the terrorist US army and the brutal Zionist regime, after failing in their military objectives, targeted one of the country\u2019s banks,\u201d a spokesman of the Quds Force said in a statement on Telegram.<\/p>\n \u201cWith this illegitimate and unconventional act of war, the enemy has left our hands free to target economic centres and banks belonging to the United States and the Zionist regime in the region.<\/p>\n \u201cAmericans should expect our retaliatory and painful response. People in the region should stay out of the one kilometre radius of the banks.\u201d<\/p>\n In pictures: US bombers land back in Britain A B-1 bomber comes in to land at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire<\/p>\n CHRISTOPHER FURLONG\/GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n A drone attack on Wednesday injured four people at Dubai airport, one of the world\u2019s busiest, although it continues to operate as normal.<\/p>\n The Dubai Media Office, a government agency, said that those injured were foreign nationals. <\/p>\n Authorities confirm that two drones fell in the vicinity of Dubai International Airport (DXB) a short while ago, resulting in minor injuries to two Ghanaian nationals and one Bangladeshi national, and moderate injuries to one Indian national,\u201d it said in a statement. \u201cAir traffic is operating as normal.\u201d<\/p>\n Trump says Iran \u2018welcome\u2019 at the World Cup<\/p>\n President Trump has said that Iran are \u201cwelcome to compete\u201d in the World Cup this summer in US, Mexico and Canada, according to the president of Fifa.<\/p>\n Gianni Infantino said he had discussed Iran\u2019s participation with Trump, after it was thrown into doubt by the US-Israeli offensive.<\/p>\n \u201cPresident Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States,\u201d Infantino said following their meeting. <\/p>\n Iran\u2019s team is scheduled to play at least three group-stage games in Los Angeles and Seattle from June 16 against New Zealand, Egypt and Belgium.<\/p>\n Infantino, who has been head of world football\u2019s governing body since 2016, awarded Trump the inaugural Fifa peace prize in December last year.<\/p>\n Analysis: How close is Trump to achieving his goals in Iran? President Trump has said the US is \u201cahead of our initial timeline\u201d in its Iranian attacks<\/p>\n GETTY IMAGES\/X\/THE WHITE HOUSE<\/p>\n President Trump said this week he had made \u201cmajor strides\u201d towards his \u201cmilitary objective\u201d and declared the Iran campaign fought by the US and Israel was \u201cpretty well complete\u201d as he sought to calm market and voter concerns about the impact on fuel prices.<\/p>\n He has set out four key military aims: eliminating Iran\u2019s nuclear threat, destroying its ballistic-missile programme and its navy and stopping its proxy terror groups \u2014 as well as various other goals. Here we assess his progress so far. <\/p>\n \u2022 Read in full: Fact check \u2014 how close is Trump to achieving his goals in Iran?<\/a><\/p>\n Cargo ship hit in the Gulf <\/p>\n A bulk carrier ship was hit by an unknown projectile 50 nautical miles northwest of Dubai on Wednesday, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations.<\/p>\n The crew are safe and authorities are investigating, UKMTO said. It is the latest of a series of attacks on shipping after two earlier incidents in the region.<\/p>\n More than a dozen commercial ships have been hit by suspected Iranian retaliations since the start of the US-Israeli military campaign against the country.<\/p>\n Iranian asylum-seekers moved after team-mate reveals location Six Iranian football players, who are claiming asylum, a team official and two unidentified local officials<\/p>\n AUSTRALIAN DEPARTMENT OF HOME AFFAIRS\/AFP\/GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n Iranian women footballers claiming asylum in Australia were evacuated from their safe house on Wednesday after one team member changed her mind and revealed their location to the Iranian embassy, Canberra said. <\/p>\n Seven members of Iran\u2019s visiting women\u2019s football delegation had sought sanctuary in Australia after they were branded \u201ctraitors\u201d at home for refusing to sing the national anthem.<\/p>\n But one member of the group had second thoughts after speaking to other players who had turned down asylum in favour of returning to Iran, the Australian home affairs minister, Tony Burke, said.<\/p>\n The woman exposed the location of the other asylum-seekers when she contacted Iran\u2019s embassy in Australia.<\/p>\n \u201cAs a result of that it meant the Iranian embassy now knew the location of where everybody was,\u201d Burke said. \u201cI immediately gave them instructions for people to be moved and that has been dealt with immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n New supreme leader \u2018safe and sound\u2019<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei is \u201csafe and sound\u201d despite injury reports, the son of the Iranian president said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n \u201cI heard news that Mr Mojtaba Khamenei had been injured. I have asked some friends who had connections. They told me that, thank God, he is safe and sound,\u201d said Yousef Pezeshkian, who is also a government adviser, in a post on his Telegram channel.<\/p>\n State television had called Khamenei a \u201cwounded veteran of the Ramadan war\u201d but never specified his injury.<\/p>\n On Wednesday The New York Times, quoting three unnamed Iranian officials, said that Khamenei \u201chad suffered injuries, including to his legs, but that he was alert and sheltering at a highly secure location with limited communication\u201d.<\/p>\n The 56-year-old son and successor of the Islamic Republic\u2019s longtime ruler, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has yet to address the nation or issue a written statement since he was declared supreme leader on Sunday.<\/p>\n US drops dozens of bunker \u2018penetrator bombs\u2019<\/p>\n US B-2 bombers have dropped dozens of bunker \u201cpenetrator bombs\u201d on underground Iranian missile sites. <\/p>\n The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, said the US military is now moving to dismantle Iran\u2019s missile production. \u201cOur incredible B-2 bombers recently dropped dozens of 2,000-pound penetrator bombs on deeply buried missile sites.\u201d<\/p>\n Leavitt claimed that more than 5,000 enemy targets have been struck and that \u201cIran\u2019s ballistic missile attacks are down more than 90 per cent, and their drone attacks are down by approximately 85 per cent since the start of Operation Epic Fury.\u201d<\/p>\n The sustained air and sea campaign has rendered the Iranian navy \u201ccombat ineffective\u201d, with the destruction of over 50 naval vessels, including a key drone carrier, and a complete blockade of its ships from major regional waterways, according to the White House.<\/p>\n Analysis: Why oil wars are back on the agenda<\/p>\n As black, choking clouds hang over Tehran, the taste of burning in the air, the mind is catapulted back three decades to the oil wells set alight by Iraqi forces in their scorched retreat from Kuwait (Catherine Philp writes).<\/p>\n Oil wars, in which fossil fuels are either the cause of a conflict or a weapon within it, were supposed to be a thing of the past as the world embraced clean energy and the shale revolution moved the centre of production away from the Middle East.<\/p>\n But the US-Israeli assault on Iran has put oil wars firmly back on the agenda. President Trump began the year with a foreign intervention driven by oil, removing President Maduro of Venezuela<\/a> and coercing his regime to grant America access to its energy supplies. He continued with a blockade of fuel on Cuba, threatening any country that supplied it, in an attempt to collapse its communist government.<\/p>\n Now an embattled Iranian regime is weaponising oil and gas, exploiting a strategic geographical advantage by blocking the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 per cent of the world\u2019s oil flows.<\/p>\n \u2022 Read in full: Oil clouds spitting on Iran prove the energy wars never stopped<\/a><\/p>\n How the Iran war could end \u2014 and affect the UK As the conflict reaches its 11th day, there is still no clarity about how long it will last and what objectives President Trump wants to achieve before declaring an American victory.<\/p>\n Part of this may be deliberate ambiguity. But the course of the conflict is no longer entirely in the president\u2019s control and ministers are war-gaming a range of scenarios.<\/p>\n So what would the impact be to the UK and the world economy of the conflict lasting between a few weeks and many months?<\/p>\n \u2022 Read in full: Three ways the Iran war could end \u2014 and the implications for UK<\/a><\/p>\n Sri Lanka to hand over bodies of 84 Iranian sailors<\/p>\n A Sri Lankan court has ordered that the bodies of 84 sailors killed in a US attack on an Iranian warship off the island nation\u2019s coast last week be handed over to the embassy of Iran, local media reported on Wednesday.<\/p>\n The warship, Iris Dena, was hit by a torpedo from a US submarine<\/a> in the Indian Ocean while it was returning from a naval exercise organised in the Bay of Bengal.<\/p>\n Sri Lanka, obeying the Geneva Convention, which mandates that those who can help must provide assistance to shipwrecked combatants, sent out two naval vessels on a search and rescue mission.<\/p>\n Iris Dena had been drilling off the coast of India alongside warships belonging to American allies like Australia and Japan at the International Fleet Review.<\/p>\n Indian officials claimed that the Iris Dena, meanwhile, was unarmed, due to the nature of the exercise it had been taking part in.<\/p>\n What happens when oil storage runs out? The Bapco oil refinery in Bahrain was hit by an Iranian drone on Monday<\/p>\n REUTERS<\/p>\n The largest producers of oil in the Gulf region face a race to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world\u2019s major commodity export routes. Some have only a few days before their storage tanks are full and they are forced to cut production more substantially.<\/p>\n Producers are left with few alternatives to pushing oil out of the region. Pipelines can be struck by drones and alternative shipping routes are beset by shortages of vessels and prone to attacks.<\/p>\n \u2022 Read in full: Gulf has just days before oil storage runs out \u2014 so what next?<\/a><\/p>\n Protesters \u2018will be dealt with as enemies\u2019, warns Iran<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s national police chief has said protesters inside the country will be treated as enemies.<\/p>\n \u201cIf anyone comes forward in line with the wishes of the enemy, we will no longer see them as merely a protester, we will see them as an enemy,\u201d said the national police chief, Ahmad-Reza Radan, in comments aired by state broadcaster IRIB late on Tuesday.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd we will do to them what we do to an enemy. We will deal with them in the same way we deal with enemies,\u201d he added. \u201cAll our forces are also ready, with their hands on the trigger, prepared to defend their revolution.\u201d<\/p>\n His warning comes as the Middle East war sparks fears that mass anti-government rallies could reignite and be meet by a government crackdown similar to that on anti-government protests in January.<\/p>\n Iranian authorities acknowledge more than 3,000 deaths in the unrest, including members of the security forces and bystanders, but say the violence was caused by \u201cterrorist acts\u201d fuelled by Iran\u2019s enemies. The Human Rights Activists News Agency, however, has recorded more than 7,000 killings in the crackdown, the vast majority protesters, though the toll may be far higher. More than 50,000 have been arrested, the US-based group has said.<\/p>\n Israel strikes apartment in central Beirut A destroyed apartment in Beirut on Wednesday<\/p>\n HUSSEIN MALLA\/AP<\/p>\n An Israeli strike hit an apartment in a densely populated neighbourhood in central Beirut on Wednesday, state media reported.<\/p>\n This is the second time Israel has targeted the heart of the Lebanese capital since the latest war with Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah broke out.<\/p>\n Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war last week when Hezbollah attacked Israel in response to the killing of Iranian supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei<\/a>, in US-Israeli strikes.<\/p>\n Israel has kept up strikes on Hezbollah despite a 2024 ceasefire and has since launched attacks across Lebanon and sent ground troops into border areas.<\/p>\n Lebanon\u2019s state-run National News Agency (NNA) said that \u201cthe enemy targeted an apartment in the Aisha Bakkar area\u201d in central Beirut close to one of the city\u2019s biggest shopping malls.<\/p>\n Aftermath of an Israeli strike on an apartment building in Beirut<\/p>\n IDF identifies missiles launched from Iran Missiles launched from are seen streaking across the night sky over Hebron in the West Bank on Wednesday<\/p>\n WISAM HASHLAMOUN\/ANADOLU\/GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n Israel\u2019s military detected missiles heading from Iran and had activated air defences as it pressed a \u201cwave\u201d of strikes against Iran and Lebanon.<\/p>\n \u201cA short while ago, the IDF identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel. Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat,\u201d the military said on its official Telegram account.<\/p>\n Air raid sirens sounded in Jerusalem. A short time later, Israel\u2019s military said it was permitted to leave shelters.<\/p>\n Israel\u2019s Magen David Adom emergency services reported no immediate injuries after the missile fire, but said its teams were treating \u201ca small number of people who were injured on their way to protected areas\u201d.<\/p>\n Israeli broadcaster Channel 12 reported several injuries from the Iranian strikes near Tel Aviv.<\/p>\n Ship struck near Strait of Hormuz<\/p>\n A container ship near the Strait of Hormuz has been struck, according to the UK\u2019s maritime monitor. <\/p>\n The projectile hit the vessel 25 nautical miles off the coast of the United Arab Emirates.<\/p>\n The master of the vessel said it was damaged, but all crew members were safe and accounted for, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said.<\/p>\n Details are not known about the extent of the damage. UKMTO urged all ships passing through the area to \u201ctransit with caution\u201d.<\/p>\n Major Saudi oil field targeted<\/p>\n Saudi Arabia\u2019s defence ministry said it had intercepted seven drones heading towards an oil field in the southeast of the country.<\/p>\n \u201cTwo drones heading towards the Shaybah oil field were intercepted and destroyed,\u201d the ministry posted on X.<\/p>\n Another five drones were intercepted and destroyed, the ministry said in separate posts.<\/p>\n The oil field sits near the border with the United Arab Emirates and is operated by Saudi giant Aramco, one of the world\u2019s biggest companies by market capitalisation. The field is crucial to the kingdom\u2019s vast oil production.<\/p>\n Israel targeted with three missile salvos<\/p>\n Iran has fired three salvos of missiles at Israel overnight, the Times of Israel reports. <\/p>\n The latest salvo set off sirens in central Israel and some parts of the northern West Bank.<\/p>\n Israel\u2019s ambulance service said it received no reports of injuries, and residents of areas where sirens sounded have been given the all-clear to leave their shelters.<\/p>\n Oil reserves plan stabilises prices and lifts Asian markets<\/p>\n Oil prices stabilised and markets rose in Asia in early trading after the Wall Street Journal said the International Energy Agency (IEA) had proposed its largest-ever release of oil reserves.<\/p>\n The proposal was made during an IEA meeting on Tuesday, the newspaper said, before the organisation\u2019s 32 members make a decision on Wednesday.<\/p>\n The IEA is a highly influential body, shaping global energy policy by covering 80 per cent of global consumption.<\/p>\n Threats made by President Trump surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, along with the news the US had destroyed 16 Iranian minelayers near the strait, are also believed to have contributed to more buoyant markets.<\/p>\n Around midnight in the UK, the price of Brent Crude was down 0.84 per cent at $87.06. Equities rose in Asian trade, with the Nikkei in Tokyo adding around two per cent and the Kospi in South Korea up roughly 2.5 per cent.<\/p>\n New missile strikes on Israeli and American targets<\/p>\n Iran has launched new strikes on Israeli and American targets in the Middle East, state broadcaster IRIB said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n The barrage was \u201cthe most intense and heaviest since the start of the war\u201d, lasting three hours, the broadcaster added, citing a statement from Iran\u2019s elite Revolutionary Guards. It targeted Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv and Haifa, as well as Jerusalem.<\/p>\n Israel\u2019s military said it detected missiles heading towards the country and had activated its air defences. Soon after, the Israeli army announced it had detected another volley of missiles fired at Israel from Iran.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t hit Iran oil facilities, Trump tells Israel<\/p>\n The Trump administration has asked Israel to stop targeting energy facilities in Iran, in part over concerns it could affect oil prices further, according to reports.<\/p>\n The request is the first known instance of the US attempting to scale back Israel\u2019s ambitions in Iran since their joint attacks in February, Axios said.<\/p>\n Trump officials are believed to be concerned that such attacks could set back US aims to co-operate with Iran\u2019s oil sector after the war \u2014 similar to the approach it has taken with Venezuela \u2014 and may prompt retaliatory attacks on energy infrastructure across the Gulf, which could have a significant impact on oil markets.<\/p>\n An Israeli official told the news outlet that \u201cthe US asked that we notify them in advance of any future strikes on oil facilities in Iran\u201d.<\/p>\n North Korea backs Iran\u2019s choice of leader<\/p>\n North Korean state media has said it respects Iran for choosing Ayatollah Ali Khamenei\u2019s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, as his successor in becoming the country\u2019s new supreme leader<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWe respect the rights and choice of the Iranian people to elect their supreme leader,\u201d Pyongyang\u2019s unnamed Foreign Ministry spokesperson was quoted as saying by the official Korean Central News Agency.<\/p>\n The official went on to say the US and Israel were \u201cdestroying the regional peace and security foundations and escalating instability worldwide\u201d.<\/p>\n The spokesperson accused Washington and Israel of violating Iran\u2019s \u201cpolitical system and territorial integrity\u201d, while attempting to \u201coverthrow its social system\u201d, adding that such actions \u201cdeserve worldwide criticism and rejection as they can never be tolerated\u201d.<\/p>\n Iran drone hits US diplomatic base in Iraq<\/p>\n A major US diplomatic facility in Iraq was hit by a major drone assault on Tuesday in a suspected Iranian attack, the Washington Post has reported.<\/p>\n The Baghdad Diplomatic Support Centre, a sprawling logistical hub for American diplomats near Iraqi military bases and the Baghdad airport, had already come under repeated attacks since the war with Iran broke out at the end of February.<\/p>\n One of the six drones launched towards the compound made it through air defence systems, the newspaper said. While no casualties were reported, the assault highlights the vulnerability of US facilities in the Middle East.<\/p>\n The attack was believed to have been carried out by militias operating under the umbrella of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a coalition of Iranian-supported armed groups, which have stepped up their attacks since the US and Israel began strikes on Iran last month.<\/p>\n Saudi Arabia destroys seven missiles in attack by Iran<\/p>\n Saudi Arabia has intercepted seven ballistic missiles in separate attacks targeting an air base and its eastern region.<\/p>\n The country\u2019s defence ministry said the missiles were all destroyed as they headed towards Prince Sultan Air Base, which hosts a significant number of US Air Force members. On Monday, a seventh US soldier was confirmed to have died<\/a> from injuries he sustained during an attack on the base on March 1. The ministry later added that it had intercepted another ballistic missile launched \u201ctowards the eastern region\u201d.<\/p>\n Shortly after, the UAE also said its air defences had intercepted missiles and drones coming from Iran.<\/p>\n Analysts fear Gulf countries are running down their highly valuable interceptor missiles, including those belonging to their Patriot defence systems, adding to fears they will not be able to intercept Iranian strikes efficiently if the war continues for many weeks and months.<\/p>\n Plan for huge release of oil reserves to lower prices<\/p>\n The International Energy Agency (IEA) has proposed the largest release of oil reserves in its history in a bid to bring down oil prices, according to reports.<\/p>\n The amount suggested would exceed that put on the market in two releases after Russia\u2019s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Wall Street Journal said, and was proposed during an IEA meeting on Tuesday, before the organisation\u2019s 32 members make a decision on Wednesday.<\/p>\n The IEA is a highly influential body, shaping global energy policy by covering 80 per cent of global consumption.<\/p>\n Satellite reveals missile strike on air base A composite image shows the base before and after the strike<\/p>\n AFP\/SATELLITE IMAGE (C) 2026 VANTOR\/GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n Satellite imagery shows the damage to Kerman Air Base, around 500 miles away from Tehran, after an Israeli airstrike on Tuesday.<\/p>\n Israel\u2019s military said it had unleashed a new \u201cwave of strikes\u201d on Tehran, shortly after a round of explosions was heard in the Iranian capital.<\/p>\n Israel fights off new strikes from Iran<\/p>\n Israel\u2019s military has said Iran has launched a fresh barrage of missiles towards it and had activated air defences, in response to a new wave of Israeli strikes on Iran and Lebanon.<\/p>\n \u201cA short while ago, the IDF identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel. Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat,\u201d the military said on its official Telegram account.<\/p>\n G7 leaders will discuss crisis and oil prices<\/p>\n Emmanuel Macron, the French president, will convene a call with leaders of the Group of Seven on Wednesday to discuss the Iran crisis and rising energy prices, his office said.<\/p>\n The G7 governments \u2014 the United States, Canada, Japan, Italy, Britain, Germany and France \u2014 are weighing how to respond to a sharp rise in oil prices triggered by the US-Israeli war on Iran.<\/p>\n The group\u2019s energy ministers stopped short of agreeing on a release of strategic oil reserves on Tuesday and instead asked the International Energy Agency to assess the situation before acting.<\/p>\n Daniel Finkelstein: Starmer will pay if war bill spirals<\/p>\n He can\u2019t do much about it, but voters will punish the prime minister anyway if conflict in the Middle East pushes up the cost of living even further. <\/p>\n \u2022 Read in full: Starmer will pay the price if the bill for Iran war spirals<\/a><\/p>\n Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe urges PM to \u2018avoid war\u2019<\/p>\n Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe<\/a>, the British-Iranian mother who was held in Iranian jails on espionage charges for six years from 2016, has urged the prime minister to avoid further involvement.<\/p>\n Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe<\/p>\n VICTORIA JONES\/REUTERS<\/p>\n The British-Iranian author is among three former political prisoners and more than 100 other Iranians living in the UK who signed a letter which says that the way the war is being conducted is strengthening the Iranian regime rather than allowing for democracy. Other signatories include Aras Amiri, a former British Council worker kept in jail for three years in Evin prison in Tehran, and Nasrin Parvaz, who spent eight years in Iranian jails from 1982.<\/p>\n The letter states: \u201cNobody can claim to want the end of the Islamic republic more than we do. But attacking the country in this way will have the opposite effect. It will entrench the authoritarians and give life to the fiction that has sustained them internally for decades: that they are fighting western imperialism.\u201d<\/p>\n Russian consulate \u2018damaged in shelling\u2019 in Iran <\/p>\n Russia\u2019s consulate in the Iranian city of Isfahan was damaged in shelling earlier this week, Maria Zakharova, the country\u2019s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, said.<\/p>\n An attack on a diplomatic representation was a \u201cblatant violation\u201d of international conventions and all sides should observe the \u201cinviolability of diplomatic sites\u201d, she said.<\/p>\n \u201cOn March 8, in the Iranian city of Isfahan, as a result of an attack on the governor\u2019s administration of the province of the same name located nearby, the Russian consulate was damaged,\u201d Zakharova said.<\/p>\n \u201cWindows were shattered in the office building and residential apartments, and several employees were thrown by the blast wave. Fortunately, there were no casualties or serious injuries.\u201d <\/p>\n President Putin discussed the conflict with the Iranian leader on Tuesday, the Kremlin said. He has called for a halt to all hostilities.<\/p>\n More footballers claim asylum<\/p>\n A further two members of Iran\u2019s women\u2019s football team have claimed asylum in Australia after they were branded \u201ctraitors\u201d at home for failing to sing the national anthem before their AFC Asian Cup match against South Korea last week.<\/p>\n One player and one support member sought sanctuary before the side flew out of Sydney on Tuesday evening, Tony Burke, the home affairs minister, said. They joined five other players who had already claimed asylum.<\/p>\n US \u2018destroys 16 minelayers\u2019 <\/p>\n US Central Command claims to have destroyed 16 minelayers close to the Strait of Hormuz. On X, it said it had also targeted \u201cmultiple\u201d Iranian naval vessels. The post included footage of boats being destroyed.<\/p>\n Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager.<\/a><\/p>\n Enable cookiesAllow cookies onceNorth Korea backs new supreme leader<\/p>\n North Korea has said it supports the Iranian people\u2019s choice of Mojtaba Khamenei as its new supreme leader. Khamenei was named on Monday to succeed his father, who was killed in the initial airstrikes by the US and Israel.<\/p>\n North Korea\u2019s foreign ministry also strongly denounced \u201cillegal\u201d acts of aggression by the US and Israel which were destroying peace and escalating instability worldwide, KCNA state news agency said.<\/p>\n Trump \u2018lies to justify Operation Epic Mistake\u2019 <\/p>\n Abbas Araghchi, Iran\u2019s foreign minister, has said Trump\u2019s claim that Iran had been been planning to attack American forces immediately before the US-Israeli attacks began was \u201ca sheer and utter lie\u201d.<\/p>\n On X, Araghchi also said that Operation Epic Fury, the name used by Washington for the military action on Tehran, was Operation Epic Mistake. <\/p>\n \u201cThe claim that Iran was planning on attacking the US or US forces, whether preventively or pre-emptively, is a sheer and utter lie,\u201d he said. \u201cThe sole purpose of that lie is to justify Operation Epic Mistake, a misadventure engineered by Israel and paid for by ordinary Americans.\u201d<\/p>\n Israel to \u2018create conditions for Iran\u2019s freedom\u2019 <\/p>\n Binyamin Netanyahu has told the Iranian people that Israel will soon \u201ccreate the conditions\u201d for them to gain their freedom.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople of Iran,\u201d he wrote on X, \u201cWe are waging a historic war for liberty. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for you to remove the Ayatollah regime and gain your freedom. <\/p>\n \u201cTogether with the United States, we are hitting the Tyrants of Teheran harder than ever. In the coming days we will create the conditions for you to grasp your destiny.\u201d<\/p>\n In pictures: US strikes Iranian \u2018mine boats\u2019 Footage from US Central Command shows strikes on IRGC navy boats including a Shahid Soleimani-class catamaran after reports that Iran is using small craft to lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz<\/p>\n Iran has accused Israel of killing four of its diplomats in a weekend strike on a seafront Beirut hotel that it called a \u201cterrorist attack\u201d.<\/p>\n Tehran\u2019s permanent mission to the United Nations said in a letter to the UN secretary-general that the strike on the Ramada Hotel early on Sunday \u201cresulted in the assassination and martyrdom\u201d of four diplomats.<\/p>\n The Israeli military has claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it had \u201cconducted a precise strike targeting key commanders\u201d in the Iranian Revolutionary Guards\u2019 Quds Force, its foreign operations arm.<\/p>\n The Iranian ambassador to the UN accused the security council of ignoring a \u201cgrave terrorist attack\u201d and \u201cwar crime\u201d. <\/p>\n \u201cThe council is turning a blind eye to this grave violation despite its primary responsibility under the UN Charter to maintain international peace and security,\u201d Amir Saeid Iravani said. <\/p>\n Steepest petrol price rise since 2022 Motorists in Liverpool queue to fill up before prices rise further<\/p>\n PHIL NOBLE\/REUTERS<\/p>\n Petrol prices have risen by their fastest rate since 2022 because of the war in Iran and there are warnings that inflation will be significantly higher at the end of the year.<\/p>\n Prices of unleaded petrol at the pump have risen to an average of 138.95p per litre \u2014 up 6.12 per cent since the start of the conflict, according to the RAC. Diesel price increases have been even steeper, rising to 155.12p, an increase of almost 9 per cent. <\/p>\n It is the steepest rise in the cost of petrol since Russia invaded Ukraine<\/a> in 2022.<\/p>\n![\"Several](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/\/426f9853-17de-47ca-9035-b8251a206b20.jpg\")
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Four injured after drones hit Dubai airport <\/p>\n![\"President](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/\/53a6d9ae-11a1-4549-9c05-f1e137002bad.jpg\")
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Iranian diplomats killed in Beirut strike<\/p>\n![\"Motorists](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/\/db50ea88-e151-40c1-87fc-8e391217fbd1.jpg\")
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