Israel’s military Ali Larijani , and Iranian state media confirmed the military also killed Gen. Gholam Reza Soleimani as he met in a combat tent with commanders of . Both men were key to Iran鈥檚 violent crackdown on
Gulf Arab nations faced more missile and drone fire Tuesday from Iran, which has been targeting regional oil infrastructure. Israel also launched new strikes on Iran and Lebanon. In Iraq, officials say drones hit the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad, where an Associated Press journalist saw a massive fire.
The U.S.-Israeli war has killed at least 1,300 people in Iran, more than 900 in Lebanon and 12 in Israel, according to officials in those countries. The U.S. military says 13 U.S. service members have been killed and about 200 wounded.
Here is the latest:
Several explosions heard in Dubai
Several blasts could be heard as Emirati air defenses targeted the incoming fire.
At the same time, Israel said it detected new incoming fire from Iran.
Israeli army issues predawn evacuation order for Beirut apartment building
The Israeli army issued an evacuation notice for a building in the Bachoura neighborhood of central Beirut early Wednesday.
AP journalists heard gunshots following the notice, a tactic typically used to wake residents and draw attention to evacuate.
Earlier Wednesday, the army issued an evacuation notice for a building in the Akaybeh neighborhood of the Sidon district in southern Lebanon, followed by an intense airstrike.
The Israeli army also told residents in the southern coastal city of Tyre to evacuate, prompting hundreds of families to flee late Tuesday.
Earlier, two Israeli strikes on separate apartment buildings in central Beirut killed at least six people and wounded 24 others.
Iranian president鈥檚 son decries the killing of top officials
Yousef Pezeshkian, the son of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, wrote on the messaging app Telegram that Israel鈥檚 constant killing of top officials couldn鈥檛 be allowed to go on.
鈥淲e should not have allowed the enemy to be able to carry out another successful assassination,鈥� he wrote.
鈥淚f we cannot stop the Zionists鈥� assassination machine, we will suffer a defeat.鈥�
Iranian 鈥榩rojectile鈥� strikes near Australian military base in UAE
An Iranian 鈥減rojectile鈥� caused a small fire at an Australian military base in the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday but no Australian personnel were harmed, Australia鈥檚 Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.
The weapon struck a road outside the Al Minhad Air Base near Dubai around 2 a.m. and ignited the fire that damaged an accommodation block and medical facility, he said.
鈥淭here was an Iranian projectile (that) hit near that base. I can confirm that no Australian personnel were injured and everyone is absolutely safe at this point in time,鈥� Albanese told reporters in Tasmania state.
鈥淭here was minor damage to an accommodation block and a medical facility due to a small fire that was created as a result of that projectile hitting on a road leading up to that base,鈥� he added.
Albanese did not say how many personnel were at the base at the time or whether nationals of any other country were present.
His comments appear to correspond with explosions heard early Wednesday morning by Associated Press journalists living in Dubai near the Al Minhad Air Base, which is used by Western nations as a transshipment point across the wider Mideast.
Israeli strikes on central Beirut kill at least 6 people, Lebanon鈥檚 Health Ministry says
Two Israeli strikes on residential apartments in central Beirut鈥檚 Basta and Zokak Al-Blat neighborhoods early Wednesday killed at least six people and wounded 24 others, according to an initial toll by the Lebanese Health Ministry.
鈥淗uman remains have been recovered from the site, and the identities of the victims will be determined once DNA testing is completed,鈥� the ministry added.
The strikes, which came without warning, hit areas far from Beirut鈥檚 southern suburbs, for which the Israeli army had issued evacuation notices.
US Embassy in Baghdad hit again
The U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad was targeted early Wednesday, two Iraqi security officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment.
The officials said the C-RAM defense system was unable to intercept the attack, which struck inside the embassy.
The C-RAM, or counter rocket, artillery, and mortar system, sprays 20 mm rounds on incoming fire targeting the facility.
No further details were immediately available.
There was no immediate statement from the State Department.
U.S. facilities in Iraq have frequently been targeted by Iran or Iran-backed Iraqi militias since U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran triggered the ongoing war.
By Qassim Abdul-Zahra
Saudi Arabia reports shooting down missile in area of air base hosting American forces
Saudi Arabia鈥檚 Defense Ministry reported early Wednesday it shot down a ballistic missile targeting the area around Prince Sultan Air Base, which hosts American forces and aircraft.
Iran acknowledges launching multiple-warhead missiles at Israel
Iran acknowledged launching multiple-warhead missiles at Israel early Wednesday, the latest use of a weapon designed to spread maximum damage and evade Israel鈥檚 multiple layers of air defenses.
A statement from the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard reported by Iranian state television said the force launched both Khorramshahr-4 and Qadr multiple-warhead missiles in the attack that targeted an area near Tel Aviv.
The Guard described the attack as revenge for Israel killing top security official Ali Larijani.
Footage filmed by The Associated Press showed the release of the cluster munition from at least one missile over Israel.
The attack early Wednesday killed at least two people in Israel.
Betting on a regional settlement for Lebanon `would be a grave mistake,鈥� UN envoy says
Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, the U.N. special coordinator for Lebanon, said that while diplomatic efforts continue to end hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, 鈥淟ebanon must urgently focus on what can be done at the domestic level.鈥�
When Iranian-backed Hezbollah attacked Israel, to avenge its assassination of Iran鈥檚 supreme leader, she said, it spread 鈥渢he embers鈥� now engulfing Lebanon.
Hennis-Plasschaert said Lebanon must develop a road map to address the question of Hezbollah鈥檚 future which needs to not only 鈥渆ncompass the group鈥檚 weapons, but also its financial networks and social infrastructure,鈥� and involve all parts of the Lebanese government.
Highlights of her closed briefing to the U.N. Security Council were distributed by the United Nations.
Hennis-Plasschaert said the Lebanese Armed Forces face 鈥渁 colossal mismatch between the resources at hand and the tasks ahead鈥� and must be strengthened if it is to fulfill demands to disarm Hezbollah and deploy throughout Lebanon.
IAEA says it receives report from Iran about 鈥榩rojectile鈥� hitting Bushehr nuclear complex
The International Atomic Energy Agency said early Wednesday it received a report from Iran that its Bushehr nuclear power plant complex had been hit by a projectile.
The carefully worded statement from the United Nations鈥� nuclear watchdog represented the first word outside of either Iran or Russia about the incident Tuesday.
鈥淭he IAEA has been informed by Iran that a projectile hit the premises of the Bushehr NPP on Tuesday evening,鈥� the IAEA said, using an acronym for nuclear power plant. 鈥淣o damage to the plant or injuries to staff reported.鈥�
It added the IAEA鈥檚 leader, Rafael Mariano Grossi, reiterated his 鈥渃all for maximum restraint during the conflict to prevent risk of a nuclear accident.鈥�
The U.S. military鈥檚 Central Command, which is in charge of forces launching airstrikes across southern Iran, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Intense Israeli strikes hit Beirut
At least two strikes hit central Beirut early Wednesday, local media reported. AP journalists heard loud booms, low-flying jets, and ambulance sirens over the capital. Videos from one impact site showed two apartments stacked above one another hollowed out in a multistory building.
Shortly after, two strikes hit Beirut鈥檚 southern suburbs, sending flames and smoke into the sky. No injuries were immediately reported from either strike.
Russia and Iran allege strike near Bushehr nuclear power plant
Iran and Russia have alleged a strike hit near the Bushehr nuclear power plant on the Persian Gulf on Tuesday, causing no release of atomic material or injury but again raising the specter of a radiological release in the war.
Russia鈥檚 state-run Tass news agency quoted Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev as claiming 鈥渁 strike hit the area adjacent to the metrology service building located at the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant site, in close proximity to the operating power unit.鈥�
鈥淭here were no casualties among Rosatom State Corporation personnel,鈥� Likhachev said. 鈥淭he radiation situation at the site is normal.鈥�
The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran later issued a statement saying 鈥渘o financial, technical, or human damage occurred and no part of the plant was harmed.鈥�
The International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations鈥� nuclear watchdog, did not immediately acknowledge any attack affecting the plant. The U.S. military鈥檚 Central Command, which is controlling the American airstrikes targeting southern Iran, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Russia has made repeated claims about nuclear sites in its war on Ukraine that have turned out not to be true. Bushehr long has been a concern of Gulf Arab states, either due to earthquakes in Iran or the fear that nuclear material could be released in the case of any war in Iran.
Bushehr, some 750 kilometers (465 miles) south of Iran鈥檚 capital, Tehran, is operated by Russian technicians.
Construction on the plant began under Iran鈥檚 Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in the mid-1970s. After the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the plant was repeatedly targeted in the Iran-Iraq war. Russia later completed construction of the facility.
2 killed in Ramat Gan near Tel Aviv
Israel鈥檚 Magen David Adom medical service said two people were killed in Ramat Gan, a district east of Tel Aviv.
鈥淲e saw smoke rising from a building with extensive damage and shattered glass,鈥� MDA paramedic Inbar Green and MDA EMT Naftali Halberstadt said. 鈥淔rom among the debris, we saw two unconscious casualties, with no pulse and not breathing, with severe injuries to their bodies.鈥�
They said the medical service is continuing to search for additional casualties.
Israeli strikes kill 3 in southern Lebanon, health ministry says
The strike in the Nabatiyeh district killed three people and wounded another, Lebanon鈥檚 health ministry said early Wednesday. Rescue teams are continuing to remove debris as they search for eight missing people, the ministry said.
Israeli strikes have killed 912 people in Lebanon, including at least 111 children and 67 women, since the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel reignited on March 2 after Hezbollah fired a salvo of rockets toward northern Israel, according to the health ministry.
Explosions ring out in Dubai, followed by a missile alert
The government鈥檚 Dubai Media Office said 鈥渢he sounds heard across parts of the city were the result of successful air defence interception operations.鈥�
Democrats target Trump on war and energy affordability
Senate Democrats say a surge in gas prices as a result of the Iran war is not the only way Trump is hurting Americans鈥� pocketbooks. The national average of gas prices reached $3.79 gallon Tuesday, up 87 cents a gallon from a month ago, according to AAA.
Democrats say in a report Tuesday that Americans are also paying higher prices for electricity, heating and air conditioning.
Trump 鈥減romised to slash energy bills in the first year of his presidency. He has failed, breaking his promise to the American people,鈥� Democrats said, blaming Trump policies that target clean energy, electric vehicles and energy-saving home renovations.
White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers called the report 鈥渞ich coming from the same Democrats who spent years shutting down reliable, affordable energy sources to back Joe Biden鈥檚 so-called 鈥榞reen energy鈥� policies that sent electricity prices soaring.鈥�
Senior UAE officials says Iran鈥檚 `counterproductive鈥� Gulf attacks `will strengthen Israel鈥檚 hold鈥� on the Gulf
Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the president of the United Arab Emirates, said counter to some analysts he also expects the U.S. relationship with Gulf countries 鈥渢o be much, much stronger.鈥�
He said Gulf countries have become much more realistic and see that they are being attacked by Iran, not by Israel. He noted that the nearly 2,000 Iranian attacks on the UAE so far are more than the Islamic Republic鈥檚 attacks on Israel.
Iran says it is retaliating for U.S. and Israeli airstrikes that have killed its supreme leader and other leading officials and commanders and claims it is targeting U.S. assets in the Gulf. Gargash and others insist Tehran is hitting civilian facilities.
Gargash said relations between Gulf nations and the U.S. will be much stronger because 鈥渨e see the United States as a major, major pillar in our defense strategy,鈥� though in the case of the UAE not as 鈥渙ur sole defense shield.鈥�
Gulf countries are responding to Iran鈥檚 aggression with American equipment and the war 鈥渟olidifies that,鈥� he said.
鈥淲e are seeing a relationship that is on an upward trajectory,鈥� he said in a video event at the Council on Foreign Relations.
Iraq鈥檚 Kurdish region to resume oil exports via pipeline after Baghdad-Irbil deal
The government in northern Iraq鈥檚 semiautonomous Kurdish region announced Tuesday its approval to resume oil exports through the pipeline to the Ceyhan port.
Oil exports through Ceyhan had been halted since the outbreak of the Iran鈥揢.S.鈥揑srael war, after Iraqi militias targeted oil refineries in the region, prompting foreign companies to suspend operations.
Masrour Barzani, the region鈥檚 prime minister, said in a statement that the government鈥檚 approval to restart the pipeline represents 鈥渁n important step toward economic stability and ensuring the rights of all parties,鈥� stressing the region鈥檚 commitment to coordinating with Baghdad on managing the oil file according to constitutional frameworks.
Tom Barrack, the U.S. special envoy to Syria and ambassador to Turkey, welcomed the move in a post on X, describing the resumption of oil flows as 鈥渁 positive development that strengthens economic cooperation and stability in the region.鈥�
Iran confirms the death of Ali Larijani, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council
According to a statement released by Iran鈥檚 Supreme National Security Council, Larijani was killed along with his son Morteza Larijani and the head of his office, Alireza Bayat, as well as several guards.
Israel said Tuesday it had struck and killed Larijani and Gen. Gholam Reza Soleimani, the head of the Revolutionary Guard鈥檚 all-volunteer Basij force.
Larijani was considered one of the most powerful figures in the country since was killed in an airstrike on the .
A former parliamentary speaker and senior policy adviser, he had advised the late Khamenei on strategy in nuclear talks with the Trump administration. He was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury in January for his role 鈥渃oordinating鈥� Iran鈥檚 violent .
Last week鈥檚 fire on an aircraft carrier lasted hours and destroyed dozens of beds, AP sources say
The non-combat fire in the laundry room of the Navy鈥檚 newest and largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, rendered more than 100 beds unusable and led to about 200 sailors being assessed for smoke inhalation, two military officials told The Associated Press.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren鈥檛 authorized to discuss the details with the media, said that the fire was extinguished in a few hours, while broader damage control took around 30 hours. Sailors spent the bulk of that time watching for flare-ups, draining water and clearing damage.
The officials said some sailors had to sleep in temporary accommodations, like cots. All crew have returned to duty except for one sailor who was evacuated Friday in stable condition, the Navy said. The New York Times was the first to report details of the fire.
鈥� By Konstantin Toropin
Iran war impact has US drivers paying highest pump prices in years
According to the American Automobile Association, the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline jumped to $3.79 on Tuesday, up from $2.98 before the U.S. and Israel launched the war against Iran. That鈥檚 the most expensive since October 2023.
State averages for regular gas now range from about $3.21 to more than $5.54 a gallon, per AAA data.
With diesel rising to about $5 a gallon around Philadelphia, bricklayer Jeff Jones is considering raising his prices. History shows Middle East conflicts often last longer than expected.
鈥淚 fear for the young people in our military that could then have to spend more time there, then obviously that equates to casualties,鈥� said Jones. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 particularly like the fact that we鈥檙e there, but I think it鈥檚 necessary.鈥�
World Health Organization warns of widening war鈥檚 health impacts
The U.N. health agency said Tuesday that the widening war is disrupting health care inside Iran and across the Mideast, with facilities forced to close, ambulances struggling to reach the wounded and attacks on health care increasing.
鈥淭hese attacks are not isolated incidents, but part of an concerning pattern of violence against health care,鈥� an agency statement said. 鈥淚njured people, displaced families, patients with chronic diseases, pregnant women and older people must be able to reach life-saving health services.鈥�
The WHO cited a Monday in Kabul that Afghan authorities said killed more than 400 people, one of six such attacks in Afghanistan alone. It said health care workers have been attacked or killed in Sudan, Gaza and the occupied West Bank. WHO also said airstrikes on oil infrastructure have linked to illnesses, and strikes on stress life-sustaining systems.
A Republican senator says Witkoff gave an update on talks with 鈥榙ifferent entities鈥� on Iran
Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst said U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff provided an update on 鈥渉ow discussions are going with different entities鈥� during a meeting with a small bipartisan group of senators. She said the session was intended to provide 鈥渁n overall readout鈥� on the war and give lawmakers a chance to ask Witkoff questions.
The senator said 罢谤耻尘辫鈥檚 envoy did not offer a timeline for ending the war, and the discussion was not focused on underlying causes.
鈥淭his was a separate meeting just to see where we are and how discussions are going with different entities,鈥� Ernst said. 鈥淚t was, I thought, a good meeting.鈥�
Asked whether those entities were in the United States or Iran, Ernst responded: 鈥淢any different organizations and countries.鈥�
Israeli military says it struck more than 10 Basij force posts
The Israeli military says it struck the posts across Tehran in recent hours as part of ongoing operations against Basij units. An increase in Israeli strikes on Basij security checkpoints in Iran is part of a push to undermine the state鈥檚 ability to contain unrest, an independent monitoring group said last week.
Hezbollah fires another round of missiles as Israel says it鈥檚 hitting back with airstrikes
Israel鈥檚 military said the rockets were fired toward several locations in the country鈥檚 north and were being intercepted. Israeli warplanes immediately began striking Hezbollah launchers and other targets in Lebanon, the army said.
Israel鈥檚 emergency responders said there were no immediate reports of casualties Tuesday evening.
The Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah began launching missiles into Israel on March 2, two days after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran.
A few minutes before Tuesday鈥檚 rocket salvo, Israeli military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said the military 鈥渋s deepening operations in Lebanon to protect northern communities,鈥� with another army division joining the 鈥渓imited ground operations.鈥�
More than a million people in Lebanon have been driven from their homes by Israeli strikes and evacuation orders during the war, and nearly 900 Lebanese killed. A dozen Israelis have also been killed.
Iran鈥檚 internet blackout silences voices at home as diaspora creators fill the void
Iranian American Ariana Afshar has tried to produce commentary about the war based on the perspectives of people in Iran. But the New York-based social media creator keeps running into an obstacle: An internet blackout imposed by the government in Tehran has stifled almost all . That makes it nearly impossible to reliably survey perspectives inside Iran, where Afshar lived as a teenager and still has family.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 a huge problem among the Iranian diaspora, where they speak for Iranians a lot. I don鈥檛 want to fall into that,鈥� said Afshar, who has roughly 350,000 followers on Instagram and TikTok. Content creators 鈥渃annot thoroughly access the people鈥檚 opinions in Iran,鈥� she said.
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Trump team pushes media to tell Iran war story the White House鈥檚 way
The president has complained on social media about stories he doesn鈥檛 like and berated a reporter on Air Force One.
This week, said broadcasters risk losing their licenses if they don鈥檛 stay away from 鈥渇ake news.鈥� Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have questioned the patriotism of some news outlets.
Antagonism between presidents and the press isn鈥檛 unusual, but 罢谤耻尘辫鈥檚 team has shown a hostility toward the very idea of being questioned.
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Iran wants to move its World Cup matches from the US to Mexico. FIFA is sticking to its schedule
The wrangling between Iran, FIFA and Trump over the World Cup shifted Tuesday to Mexico.
Iran鈥檚 embassy in Mexico City said Iran is negotiating with FIFA to move its three group-stage matches from the United States to Mexico after Trump last week the team from attending the .
Trump cited safety concerns. Iran says the U.S. hasn鈥檛 been cooperating on visas.
FIFA responded in a statement saying that planning continues and 鈥淔IFA is looking forward to all participating teams competing as per the match schedule announced on Dec. 6, 2025.鈥�
US seeks international support in isolating Iran, even as Trump says no help is needed securing the Strait of Hormuz
The State Department has reached out to numerous countries seeking their support in isolating Iran by designating the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Hezbollah as terrorist organizations even though Trump says the U.S. doesn鈥檛 need military help.
A cable sent to all U.S. diplomatic missions on Monday told American diplomats in countries that have not yet made such designations to urge them to act quickly to do so.
鈥淪uch designations will intensify the pressure on the Iranian regime and limit its ability to sponsor terror activities across the globe that jeopardize the safety and security of your populations,鈥� the cable advised U.S. diplomats to tell their host governments.
鈥淲e assess that the Iranian regime is more sensitive to collective action than unilateral actions and that joint pressure is more likely to compel change by the regime than unilateral actions alone,鈥� said the cable, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press.
Satellite images begin to show damage wrought by Iran war
The images give a glimpse into the toll, with ships ablaze in an Iranian port and destroyed buildings at an American base.
Such information has been scarce, particularly from inside closed military facilities. These images come from Planet Labs PBC, a San Francisco-based firm used by media outlets including The Associated Press. Planet Labs imposed a two-week delay to avoid having its imagery used by 鈥渁dversarial actors.鈥�
High-resolution images also have been published by competing firms, and providers including the U.S. Geological Survey have been publishing lower-resolution imagery.
The U.S. and Israel have been striking , including , military bases, missile and air defense sites and positions of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard and its volunteer force, the Basij. Iran has responded with drone and missile fire targeting Israel and nearby Gulf Arab nations.
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Drone crashes in US Embassy compound in Baghdad
Two drones were shot down by the defense system at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad on Tuesday, while a third drone crashed inside the embassy compound, two Iraqi security officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment.
An AP journalist in the area saw a massive fire that appeared to be engulfing a structure in the compound.
There was no immediate statement from the embassy.
U.S. facilities in Iraq have frequently come under attack by Iran or Iran-backed Iraqi militias since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran, triggering the ongoing war in the Middle East.
Turkey鈥檚 top diplomat criticizes Israel鈥檚 killing of Iranian officials
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan described 鈥淚srael鈥檚 political assassinations鈥� of top Iranian officials as unlawful and illegal, saying: 鈥淭hey must come to an end as soon as possible.鈥� He spoke hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the killings were aimed at weakening Iran鈥檚 government. Fidan said he would embark on a visit to regional countries to 鈥渄iscuss steps that can be taken to stop the war.鈥�
鈻� Read more about
Iran war pushes countries into energy triage as they conserve power and curb soaring prices
The escalating war with Iran is pushing parts of the world into energy triage, forcing governments to choose where to cut demand or absorb costs while prioritizing dwindling supplies.
since it relies heavily on imported fuel, much of it shipped through the now-blocked .
Governments in the region are scrambling to adjust 鈥� tallying oil reserves, conserving energy, competing for supplies and trying to blunt prices. That brings difficult trade-offs: Saving power may slow business activity. Prioritizing cooking gas for households can hurt restaurants and other businesses.
Analysts warn the same hard choices could soon spread beyond Asia to and elsewhere as countries compete for scarce supplies.
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Trump delays his trip to China as Iran war continues
The trip to China had been planned for months but began to unravel as he pressured Beijing and other world powers to use military might to protect the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump said Tuesday while meeting with Irish Prime Minister Miche谩l Martin in the Oval Office that he would be going to China in five or six weeks鈥� time instead of at the end of the month. He said he would be 鈥渞esetting鈥� his visit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, without elaborating.
Soon after pressing China and other nations to send warships to secure access to Middle Eastern oil over the weekend, Trump indicated his travel plans were up in the air, though he also indicated Tuesday that the U.S. didn鈥檛 need any help after being rebuffed by other allies.
Trump says NATO is making a 鈥榲ery foolish mistake鈥� by not assisting US in Iran war
Trump complained about NATO鈥檚 refusal to join the U.S. in the war, calling the decision 鈥渄isappointing鈥� and bad for the 鈥減artnership.鈥�
He floated the idea of having the U.S. withdraw from the alliance as a result. 鈥淚t鈥檚 certainly something that we should think about. I don鈥檛 need Congress for that decision,鈥� Trump said, adding: 鈥淚 have nothing currently in mind but I鈥檓 not exactly thrilled.鈥�
NATO exists as a defensive alliance, not an offensive one, and has said it has no plans to get involved in the U.S.-led war with Iran. However, NATO troops did deploy for 18 years to Afghanistan and its 2011 air campaign helped topple Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.
Trump says Iran鈥檚 leaders 鈥榓re gone鈥� after apparent killing of top security officials
Speaking at the White House on Tuesday, the president said were killed, including one he said was responsible for the deaths of 32,000 Iranian protesters in recent weeks.
鈥淭heir leaders are gone,鈥� Trump said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an evil group.鈥�
He made the comments after Israel said its overnight strikes killed Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran鈥檚 Supreme National Security Council, and Gen. Gholam Reza Soleimani, the head of the Revolutionary Guard鈥檚 all-volunteer Basij force. Iran did not immediately confirm either death.
Trump says the resigning head of the National Counterterrorism Center is 鈥榳eak鈥� on security
The president said Joe Kent was a 鈥渘ice guy鈥� but 鈥淚 always thought鈥� he was 鈥渧ery weak on security.鈥�
Trump said that Kent leaving his post was 鈥渁 good thing鈥� since he disagreed with Kent鈥檚 assessment on the threat from Iran. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 want those people,鈥� he said.
15 vessels transited through the Strait of Hormuz in the last 3 days
The vessel-tracker MarineTraffic said Tuesday that the ships included eight bulk vessels, five tankers and two liquefied petroleum gas carriers.
Iran has nearly halted traffic through the narrow Strait of Hormuz, where a fifth of the world鈥檚 oil typically sails from the Persian Gulf to customers worldwide.
Top EU diplomat says nations won鈥檛 be dragged into Iran war
The European Union鈥檚 top diplomat says the 27-nation bloc rejects 罢谤耻尘辫鈥檚 demand to send warships to the Straits of Hormuz.
鈥淭his is not Europe鈥檚 war. We didn鈥檛 start the war. We were not consulted,鈥� EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told lawmakers on Tuesday, a day after chairing talks among the member countries about 罢谤耻尘辫鈥檚 warship demand.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 know what are the objectives of this war,鈥� Kallas said. 鈥淭he member states do not have the wish to be dragged into this.鈥�
White House rebuts counterterrorism official鈥檚 reasons for resignation
In a lengthy statement on X, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt aggressively disputed Kent’s argument that Iran did not pose an imminent threat.
鈥淎s President Trump has clearly and explicitly stated, he had strong and compelling evidence that Iran was going to attack the United States first,鈥� Leavitt said. 鈥淭his evidence was compiled from many sources and factors. President Trump would never make the decision to deploy military assets against a foreign adversary in a vacuum.鈥�
As for the allegation that Trump acted against Iran under the influence from Israel, Leavitt called it 鈥渂oth insulting and laughable.鈥�
Days after launching the war, Trump administration officials told congressional staff in private briefings that U.S. intelligence did not suggest Iran was preparing to against the U.S.
Smoke and booms in southern Lebanon as Israel ramps up operations
Israel鈥檚 military has ramped up operations near the Lebanon-Israel border since Hezbollah began firing rockets southward in the early days of the Iran war.
Although Israel has maintained a presence and carried out strikes in the area since a 2024 ceasefire, in recent weeks it has deployed tanks and intensified strikes it says are aimed at neutralizing the Iran鈥慴acked Lebanese militant group, in what it has called a 鈥渓imited and targeted operation鈥�
The fighting has displaced more than 1 million people in Lebanon and killed at least 886, according to Lebanese authorities. In northern Israel, residents have endured a steady stream of Hezbollah rocket fire from Hezbollah, sowing destruction and closing businesses already crunched by years of conflict.
More than 900 killed in Lebanon by Israeli strikes
The number of people killed by Israeli strikes in Lebanon since the outbreak of the new Israel-Hezbollah war two weeks ago has risen to 912, Lebanon鈥檚 Health Ministry said Tuesday. That鈥檚 up from 886 killed as of Monday.
The death toll includes 111 children and 67 women. More than one million people have been displaced in Lebanon by the conflict.
The Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah launched missiles across the border into Israel on March 2, two days after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran, triggering the widening war in the Middle East.
More details on the Iranian leaders Israel says it killed
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Families displaced to Iran鈥檚 north by the war will celebrate Persian New Year with 鈥榥o joy鈥�
Iran鈥檚 northern resort towns host thousands of families each year for the holiday. But now, many who regularly vacation near the Caspian Sea are there seeking respite from heavy bombardment in Tehran.
鈥淭his year has been a terrible year for all Iranians,鈥� a 23-year-old university student who headed north with his family told The Associated Press.
Speaking on condition of anonymity out of security fears, the student described a national 鈥渢rauma,鈥� with the war following the shootings of thousands of anti-government protesters in January. 鈥淧rices are destroying us,鈥� the student added, calling the soaring inflation 鈥渂ackbreaking.鈥� Even before the war, Iran’s economy had been crippled by international sanctions.
The U.N. refugee agency says hundreds of thousands of Iranian households have been displaced during the war, with most fleeing north or into rural areas to escape intense strikes on major cities.
鈥� By Amir-Hussein Radjy in Cairo.
Lindsey Graham got a war with Iran. What will it cost the country and his party?
More than three decades after first arrived in Washington, he has everything he could ever want. The senator from South Carolina has ear, a and a well-funded path to reelection.
Now it鈥檚 just a question of what those things will cost the Republican Party 鈥� and the rest of the United States 鈥� in this election year when control of Congress hangs in the balance. The conflict is already deeply unpopular with no clear endgame, as oil prices rise and fighting spreads throughout the Middle East.
But Graham, now running for a fifth term, defended pushing the U.S. toward war. 鈥淲e haven鈥檛 underestimated Iran at all,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e crushing them.鈥�
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