Iranian regime 'are toast,' US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth says at Pentagon briefing

Hezbollah Secretary General Naim Kassem has vowed to continue the group's armed campaign, describing its weapons and resistance as a "legitimate right" as long as the Israeli occupation continues.

In a recent address, Kassem stressed that the group's primary concern is to continue its defence, shoot down the "Israeli-American enemy’s targets," and be ready to reject their projects.

He also called on the Lebanese government to take responsibility for restoring the country's sovereignty and protecting the right of resistance until the aggression ends and foreign forces withdraw from Lebanese territory.

Madrid has denied claims from the White House that it has agreed to cooperate with US military operations in the Middle East.

The rebuttal contradicts earlier statements from US Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who told reporters that Spain had heard the president's message "loud and clear" and agreed to assist.

The diplomatic clash follows a threat from US President Donald Trump on Tuesday to "cut off all trade with Spain." The warning came after Madrid refused to allow the US to use jointly operated military bases in southern Spain for any strikes lacking a UN charter mandate.

The Israeli military says it has destroyed approximately 300 Iranian defence systems and ballistic missiles, while also targeting sites within Iran's nuclear infrastructure and strategic weapons network.

"Air Force fighter jets attacked a large-scale military compound of the regime in the area of Afsariyeh in eastern Tehran," said IDF spokesman Effie Defrin, describing the site as a hub for operations against Israel.

Meanwhile, the IDF confirmed that two of its soldiers were moderately injured in southern Lebanon after Hezbollah launched an anti-tank missile.

Defrin pointed to the simultaneous fire from Lebanon and Iran as proof that Hezbollah is acting as "an extension of Iran," warning that Israel will not tolerate attacks from Lebanese territory.

The White House says deploying US troops on the ground in Iran is not currently a part of the operation plan, though it has not been entirely ruled out.

"I'm not going to remove an option for the president that is on the table," Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters.

Leavitt also strongly denied reports that Donald Trump had sought military support for Iranian Kurdish groups during a recent conversation with Kurdish leaders in Iraq. She confirmed they discussed the US base in northern Iraq, but dismissed claims of a broader military agreement as "entirely false."

When asked if the US or Israel was responsible for a strike on an Iranian girls' school that killed more than 160 people, “Not that we know of,” Leavitt responded and added that the incident is currently under investigation.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed that Spain has agreed to cooperate on Mideast operations.

"I think they heard the president’s message yesterday loud and clear," Leavitt said during a briefing, adding that the two militaries are now actively coordinating.

Leavitt also defended the administration against criticism of the evacuations, insisting that robust plans were in place and that citizens were told to leave immediately.

The asserted diplomatic breakthrough follows a threat from Donald Trump on Tuesday to "cut off all trade with Spain." That warning came after Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares stated Madrid would not allow the US to use jointly operated bases in southern Spain for any strikes lacking a UN charter mandate.

Lebanon’s health ministry said on Wednesday that 72 people have been killed and 437 wounded in Israeli strikes since the latest escalation with Hezbollah began three days ago.

More than 83,000 people have been displaced, Social Affairs Minister Haneed Sayed said.

Iran-allied Hezbollah entered the conflict on Monday, firing missiles and drones into Israel for the first time in more than a year.

Israel has responded with widespread strikes and warned residents to evacuate parts of southern Lebanon.

German shipping firm Hapag-Lloyd said on Wednesday it was suspending Gulf bookings until further notice due to the US-Israeli war with Iran.

"Due to the current operational and security constraints in the Upper Gulf region...Hapag-Lloyd has decided to implement a booking stop with immediate effect and until further notice for all cargo types" for countries in the region, it said in a statement.

It said the countries concerned were Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

Earlier on Wednesday the Danish shipping giant Maersk also said it was suspending bookings to the region "until further notice."

The US State Department said on Wednesday it has offered 6,500 American citizens assistance or information about leaving the Middle East.

The department is trying to arrange charter flights and other transportation despite embassy closures and Iranian missile and drone strikes that have shut airports and airspace across the region.

It was not immediately clear whether any US-arranged flights have departed.

More than 17,500 Americans have returned to the United States since Saturday, including over 8,500 on Tuesday.

Most travelled on commercial flights without government assistance.

The UN nuclear watchdog IAEA said on Wednesday facilities housing nuclear material in Iran suffered no damage in the recent US-Israeli strikes and there was no risk of a radiation leak.

"Based on analysis of latest available satellite imagery, IAEA sees no damage to facilities containing nuclear material in Iran and therefore no radiological release risk at this time," the agency said on X.

Near the Natanz site near the central city of Isfahan, "damage is visible at two buildings" and there was "no additional impact detected" after damage was reported on Tuesday, it said.

IAEA inspectors have had no access to the key Natanz site since it was targeted by bombings during last year’s 12-day conflict with Israel.

The IAEA reported "no impact at other nuclear sites, including Bushehr" in the southeast.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi repeated his call for "utmost restraint" in the conflict to avoid a radiation threat.

The emergence of a democratic Iran as a result of the strikes launched by the United States and Israel is "far from certain", European Union High Representative Kaja Kallas said on Wednesday, warning of a "widening war" in the region and a "dangerous moment" for Europe.

Jorge Liboreiro has the full round-up of Kallas' remarks in the article below.

Democratic Iran is ‘far from certain’, Kallas says, warning of dangers

“The dream scenario would be a democratic Iran that poses no threat to its neighbours, but this outcome is far from certain,” Kaja Kallas said. #EuropeNews

The US embassy in Baghdad told its nationals on Wednesday that they should leave Iraq immediately.

"US citizens in Iraq are strongly encouraged to depart as soon as they are safely able to do so, and shelter in place until such time as conditions are safe to depart," the embassy said on X.

"If safe to do so, Americans should leave Iraq now."

The Israeli military said it attacked a compound in eastern Tehran housing the headquarters for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the elite Quds Force, the intelligence directorate, Basij paramilitary force, Iran’s cyber unit, and a “unit in Internal Security responsible for suppressing protests.”

More than 250 bombs were dropped by over 100 fighter jets in the “wide-scale” strike, according to an Israeli military official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Wednesday his government pursued diplomacy to avoid war but was forced to defend itself after US and Israeli attacks.

“We respect your sovereignty,” Pezeshkian said on X in a message to neighbouring countries and allies, “and believe the region’s security and stability has to be achieved through the collective efforts of its states.”

Iran has fired missiles and drones at Israel and US bases in the Gulf, although many munitions and debris from interceptions have hit civilian areas.

Iraq is experiencing a total, nationwide power blackout, the electricity ministry said on Wednesday, adding that the grid has “completely shut down across all Iraqi provinces.”

It gave no further details but said the cause of the outage is being investigated. 

Outages had already hit the semi-autonomous Kurdish region after a key gas field halted operations over security concerns.

Iraq’s oil ministry also said on Tuesday it had stopped production at a major field near Basra, citing a tanker shortage in the Persian Gulf amid the conflict.

The Israeli military said on Wednesday that it detected new missiles launched from Iran, on the fifth day of the US-Israeli military campaign against the Islamic republic.

"A short while ago, the IDF identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel", the military said in a statement, adding aerial defence was working to intercept them.

Iran's armed forces threatened on Wednesday to target Israeli embassies and consulates worldwide if Israel attacked Tehran's mission in Lebanon, a military spokesman said.

Abolfazl Shekarchi, the spokesman of the Iranian armed forces, said live on television that "if Israel commits such a crime, it will force us to make all Israeli embassies around the world our legitimate target."

On Tuesday, Avichay Adraee, an Arabic-language spokesman for the Israeli military, said it "warns representatives of the Iranian terror regime who are still in Lebanon to leave immediately before being targeted," giving them 24 hours to leave.

Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz told military intelligence officers on Wednesday that the military operation was moved up because of “developments and circumstances” including events inside Iran and “the position of the President of the United States, and the whole possibility of creating a combined operation here.”

The comments were provided by his office.

Germany’s Defence Minister Boris Pistorius on Wednesday said it was "illusory" to think that conflicts in the Middle East can be resolved "by military force and unilateral action alone."

"We must emphasise this repeatedly to our American and Israeli friends and we will continue to do so," Pistorius told the German parliament.

The comments come after Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Tuesday voiced support for the war on Iran but said he hoped it would end soon.

"This is, of course, damaging our economies. This is true for the oil prices, and this is true for the gas prices as well. So that's the reason why we all hope that this war will come to an end as soon as possible," Merz said.

Danish shipping giant Maersk said on Wednesday that it was suspending bookings in the Gulf "until further notice" following a risk assessment of the evolving situation there, as the Middle East conflict spreads.

"We are temporarily suspending cargo booking acceptance in and out of UAE, Oman (all ports apart from Salalah), Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia (Dammam and Jubail only) until further notice. This is with immediate notice. Exceptions will be made for critical foodstuff, medicine and other essential goods," Maersk said in a statement.

The company added that the measure does not apply to Jordan and Lebanon. Two of its vessels are currently in the Gulf.

Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani held a call with Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday, as Tehran pressed its missile and drone campaign against Gulf states including Qatar.

Sheikh Mohammed urged "an immediate halt to these attacks,” according to a statement by Qatar's foreign ministry and accused Tehran of seeking to "harm its neighbours and drag them into a war that is not theirs."

The Qatari prime minister said Iran had "struck civilian and residential areas within the State of Qatar" despite Araghchi's assertion "the Iranian missile attacks were directed at American interests and did not target the State of Qatar."

Araghchi said Iran had only targeted US military assets in Qatar, a claim that was “categorically rejected” by Al Thani.

Al Thani said Iran's actions reflected "an escalatory approach" and did not indicate a genuine desire for de-escalation or resolution, accusing Tehran of seeking to harm its neighbours and draw them into a war "that is not theirs."

Qatar's prime minister called for an immediate halt to attacks on regional states that have sought to remain outside the conflict, urging all sides to prioritise the interests of their peoples.

The call is the first engagement between Iran and Qatar made public since the war started at the weekend.

Iran's security chief Ali Larijani said on Wednesday that US President Donald Trump had dragged the American people into "an unfair war" with Iran.

"Mr. Trump, with Netanyahu's clownish antics, dragged the American people into an unfair war with Iran," Larijani posted on X.

Israeli forces have advanced into a number of towns and villages in south Lebanon, a source from the UN peacekeeping force in the country, UNIFIL, said on Wednesday.

"Israeli forces are present today in several villages, including Kfar Kila, Houla, Kfar Shouba, Yaroun and Khiam," he said.

Khiam, the deepest point listed, is about six kilometres away from the border. On Tuesday the Israeli defence minister ordered his forces to take additional positions inside Lebanon as the military sought to establish a buffer zone against Hezbollah.

Oil tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has plunged by 90% since the outbreak of US-Israeli attacks on Iran, the energy market intelligence firm Kpler said on Wednesday.

Iranian military officials have said they have completely choked off traffic though the waterway that a fifth of the world's crude oil supplies transit, but Kpler said some are risking the trip.

"Unlike several other vessel segments where movements have largely ceased, some tankers are still travelling east and west through the strait, with a number of voyages occurring under AIS blackouts," said Kpler Principal Freight Analyst Matt Wright, referring to the marine traffic tracking system.

Internet monitoring group NetBlocks says Iran has been offline now for 100 hours. This is the second such blackout this year imposed by Iranian authorities.

The first was in response to nationwide protests in January against the country’s faltering economy.

NetBlocks says metrics show internet connectivity at 1% of normal levels.

NetBlocks during the previous shutdown in Iran estimated that it cost the country over $37 million (€31 million).

The number of ballistic missiles fired by Iran has decreased 86% from the first day of the conflict, while drones launched by Tehran's forces are also down, General Dan Caine, the top US military officer, said on Wednesday.

"Iran's theatre ballistic missile shots fired are down 86% from the first day of fighting, with a 23% decrease just in the last 24 hours," Caine told a news conference at the Pentagon.

"Their one-way attack drone shots are down 73% from the opening days," he said.

Caine said US forces are "targeting and eliminating Iran's ballistic missile systems to prevent them from threatening the US forces, partners and interests in the region."

He put the number of weapons fired by Iran at more than 500 ballistic missiles and more than 2,000 drones, a major air defence challenge.

Sirens warning of incoming drones and projectiles have been going off almost non-stop for the past hour and a half in different parts of northern Israel.

The Israeli military said that at least some of the fire came from Lebanon.

For the third time on Wednesday, there are new sirens in central Jerusalem announcing incoming fire. One loud boom could be heard. Sirens also went off in Tel Aviv.

Israel’s rescue services said there were no immediate casualties from latest barrage.

Hezbollah said on Wednesday it had targeted an Israeli military base near Tel Aviv in central Israel and a naval base in Haifa in the north with swarms of attack drones.

The announcements by the pro-Iran group came shortly after Israel activated air raid sirens following what it said were launches from Iran and Lebanon.

The Israeli military said "several launches...from Lebanon toward Israeli territory were successfully intercepted after sirens sounded in central Israel."

The Israeli military said anti-tank fire in south Lebanon injured two of its soldiers on Wednesday, after Hezbollah said it had struck two Israeli military vehicles.

"Earlier today (Wednesday), two IDF soldiers were moderately injured as a result of an anti-tank fire toward IDF troops operating in southern Lebanon," the military said in a statement, adding they had been evacuated to hospital for treatment.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, said at a Pentagon briefing on Wednesday that the US military is helping Americans to flee the Middle East after the State Department urged citizens to leave more than a dozen countries.

“We’ve also opened up space available, seats, as C-17s and other airplanes come in to try to help folks get out,” Caine said, referring to the large C-17 military transport planes.

He declined to answer a reporter’s question about the possibility of deploying ground troops in Iran.

“I’m not going to comment on US boots on the ground,” Caine said. “I think that’s a question for policymakers. And I don’t make policy, I execute policy.”

Qatar's military said it was targeted at dawn on Wednesday by 10 drones and two cruise missiles coming from Iran, with all of the projectiles intercepted by its forces.

Euronews journalists in Doha filmed two combat helicopters patrolling the city and the airport skyline on Wednesday, together with an US Air Force C-130 Hercules and a UK Royal Air Force Airbus Atlas, in a sign of reinforced military protection of Qatar.

An Israeli military official said on Wednesday that top US and Israeli commanders began planning the opening strike of the war against Iran three weeks ago.

The official said that once Israel’s government decided on its intention to attack Iran, Israel’s top military brass reached out to the Pentagon to coordinate the operation.

The militaries worked side by side during the opening strikes on Saturday, killing Iran’s supreme leader and dozens of other top officials.

As part of the operation, top Israeli commanders went home for the weekend on Friday to deceive Iran into thinking that an attack was not imminent.

Turkey "was not a target" of a missile launched from Iran, heading toward Turkish airspace that was destroyed by NATO air-defence systems, a Turkish official told the AFP news agency on Wednesday.

"We believe it aimed at a base in Greek Cyprus but veered off course," the official said, wishing to remain anonymous.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Wednesday they had targeted armed opposition groups hostile to Tehran in the autonomous Kurdish region of neighbouring Iraq.

"Bases and headquarters of Komala and anti-revolutionary groups were hit with success by three missiles," the Guards said in a statement.

Multiple Kurdish opposition groups exiled in Iraq announced a political coalition last month aimed at overthrowing the Islamic republic and achieving self-determination.

Two rounds of air raid sirens blared in quick succession in Jerusalem on Wednesday, journalists for the AFP news agency reported, after the military said it had detected two missile barrages incoming from Iran.

It said air defence systems were "operating to intercept the threat."

In a separate statement shortly after the first salvo was announced, the military said that "several launches... from Lebanon toward Israeli territory were successfully intercepted after sirens sounded in central Israel.

Lebanon was dragged into the regional war on Monday when the pro-Iran Hezbollah group launched an attack on Israel, saying it wanted to "avenge" the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei during US-Israeli strikes, sparking Israeli retaliation.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Wednesday defended his handling of the US-Israeli air campaign against Iran after President Donald Trump launched a scathing attack over his initial refusal to allow the Americans to use UK air bases.

"American planes are operating out of British bases. That is the special relationship in action," he told parliament.

"British jets are shooting down drones and missiles to protect American lives in the Middle East on our joint bases. That is the special relationship in action, sharing intelligence every day to keep our people safe," he added.

Starmer had initially blocked American planes from using British bases for the attacks on Iran that started on Saturday.

He later agreed to let the United States use bases in England and on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean to strike Iran’s ballistic missiles and their storage sites, but not to hit other targets.

“This is not Winston Churchill that we’re dealing with,” Trump fumed about Starmer on Tuesday. 

NATO on Wednesday condemned Iran's "targeting" of member country Turkey after Ankara said a missile heading towards its airspace had been destroyed by alliance defence systems.

"We condemn Iran's targeting of Turkiye. NATO stands firmly with all allies, including Turkiye, as Iran continues its indiscriminate attacks across the region," NATO spokeswoman Allison Hart said.

"Our deterrence and defence posture remains strong across all domains, including when it comes to air and missile defence," she added.

Operatives from the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence indicated openness to talks with the CIA in a bid to end the war in the Middle East, the New York Times reported on Wednesday, citing officials.

The ​offer came via an unnamed ​country's intelligence agency, the paper said, ⁠citing anonymous Middle Eastern and Western officials.

Neither the White House nor the CIA have issued a statement.

On Tuesday, Iran's ambassador to the United Nations ruled out negotiations with Washington, days after the US and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran, killing the country’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Tehran wanted to talk but it ⁠was ​too late.

Meanwhile on Wednesday, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they were prepared for the “complete destruction of the region’s military and economic infrastructure.”

The statement came via Iranian state television.

“The continued mischief and deception by the United States in the region will come at the cost of the complete destruction of the region’s military and economic infrastructure,” it said.

A container ship was struck off the coast of Oman while transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, a British maritime security agency reported, as Iran presses its retaliation campaign in the Gulf.

The ship was two nautical miles north of Oman, "transiting eastbound in the Straits of Hormuz" when it was "hit by an unknown projectile just above the water line causing a fire in the engine room," according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).

It was the fourth reported attack in regional waters within 24 hours, after projectiles struck on or near three other vessels off the Emirati and Omani coasts.

Recent Incidents

Aerial

QatarEnergy has declared force majeure on shipments of liquefied natural gas, it said in a statement on Wednesday.

On 2 March, the company said it was halting production of LNG and associated products due to attacks on facilities in the Ras Laffan industrial city.

Force majeure is a common clause in contracts which releases both parties from liability or obligation when circumstances beyond the control of the parties prevents them from fulfilling their obligations.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Wednesday it is prepared for the “complete destruction of the region’s military and economic infrastructure.”

The blunt statement came via Iranian state television.

“The continued mischief and deception by the United States in the region will come at the cost of the complete destruction of the region’s military and economic infrastructure,” it said.

It alleges, without offering evidence, that the US military was using “civilian facilities...as cover.”

Kuwait's health ministry said on Wednesday that an 11-year-old girl was killed after being hit by falling shrapnel following waves of Iranian attacks across the Gulf.

Iran's neighbours have borne the brunt of much of Tehran's response since the US and Israel launched a massive air campaign against Iran over the weekend with at least 13 people killed in the region, including seven civilians.

Washington has also said four US servicemen were killed in Kuwait.

The US embassy in Kuwait was targeted by drones, while its energy infrastructure has also been hit in recent days.

"Resuscitation was performed in the ambulance while the girl was being transported to the hospital," the health ministry said in a statement.

"Attempts continued for nearly half an hour upon arrival at Al-Amiri Hospital. However, she passed away due to her injuries.”

Earlier on Wednesday, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar both said they had intercepted Iranian drone and missile barrages, with most intercepted by air defences. 

A missile launched from Iran, heading towards Turkish airspace through Iraq and Syria, has been destroyed by NATO air defence systems, Turkish officials said on Wednesday.

"A ballistic munition launched from Iran, which was detected passing through Iraqi and Syrian airspace and heading towards Turkish airspace, was engaged in a timely manner by NATO air and missile defence assets stationed in the eastern Mediterranean and rendered inactive," the defence ministry said in a statement.

"The munitions fragment that fell in the Dortyol district of Hatay province was identified as belonging to the air defence munitions that intercepted the threat after it was destroyed in the air," the ministry said, adding there were no casualties.

"Any steps necessary to defend our territory and airspace will be taken decisively and without hesitation," it added. "We reiterate that we reserve the right to respond to any hostile actions directed at our country."

Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency is reporting that the death toll in Iran from US-Israeli strikes has risen to 1,045.

Meanwhile, internet connectivity watchdog Netblocks reports that Iran has been offline for 100 hours. “Metrics show internet connectivity flatlining at 1% of ordinary levels as the regional conflict escalates,” it said in a post on X.

The United Arab Emirates and Qatar separately said on Wednesday they had intercepted drone and missile barrages as Iran pressed its campaign targeting its neighbours into a fifth day.

The UAE's ministry of defence said its air defences "successfully engaged today with three ballistic missiles and detected 129 drones, of which 121 drones were intercepted while 8 fell on state territory."

Qatar's military said it was targeted "at dawn today, by 10 drones and 2 cruise missiles coming from the Islamic Republic of Iran," with all of the projectiles intercepted by its forces.

Our correspondent in Dubai, Jane Witherspoon, has this roundup of events in the emirate and what officials there are saying about the ongoing strikes.

UAE and Qatar aligned that Iran ‘crossed a red line’ with air strikes

Euronews correspondent Jane Witherspoon reports on the aftermath of the drone attack on the US consulate in Dubai as the UAE Air Defences intercept three balli…

A Sri Lankan navy spokesperson said several bodies had been recovered, suspected to be those of crew members from an Iranian warship that was sunk off the island's coast earlier in the day.

Sri Lanka had already rescued 32 "critically wounded" sailors aboard the frigate IRIS Dena, after the country's navy received information that the ship IRIS Dena with 180 onboard was under distress.

Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath told Parliament that the island nation sent ships and air force planes on a rescue mission.

There were no immediate details as to how the sailors were wounded and how the ship was damaged.

The IRIS Dena is one of Iran’s newest warships and was the centerpiece of a two-ship international tour in 2023 that included port calls in countries including South Africa and Brazil. It was accompanied by the support ship IRIS Makran, a converted oil tanker.

The US Treasury Department included both ships on a sanctions designation in February 2023 along with eight executives of an Iranian drone manufacturer that supplied the weapons to Russia for use against civilian targets in Ukraine.

Iran announced that a state funeral for supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, which had been planned for Wednesday evening in Tehran, was postponed "in anticipation of unprecedented turnout," state television reported.

"The farewell ceremony for the martyred Imam has been postponed. The new date will be announced later," Iranian television reported on Wednesday after Khamenei was killed in US-Israeli strikes over the weekend.

The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child insisted on Wednesday that children must be protected during the war in the Middle East, highlighting an alleged air strike on an Iranian school.

Iran has blamed Israel and the United States for the strike on the school in the Iranian city of Minab on the first day of the war on Saturday, giving a toll of more than 150 dead.

Neither the United States nor Israel have confirmed the attack.

"The committee is alarmed by reports of strikes on civilian infrastructure, including schools and hospitals, which have injured and traumatised children, and claimed many young lives," it said.

"This is a reminder that children are among the most vulnerable in armed conflicts, and must never be treated as collateral damage."

According to state media, Iran on Tuesday held funerals for at least 165 people, including students, killed in the alleged strike.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Wednesday they had total control of the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for global energy transit, as Israel launched a new wave of strikes on the Iranian capital.

With energy prices already spiking, President Donald Trump had said the US Navy was ready to escort oil tankers through the crucial Gulf shipping route.

The Iran war has effectively halted oil tanker movement in the Strait of Hormuz and is also disrupting the wider global supply chain beyond oil, affecting everything from pharmaceuticals from India, semiconductors from Asia and oil-derived products like fertilizers that come from the Middle East.

Cargo ships are stuck in the Gulf or making a much longer detour around the southern tip of Africa. Planes carrying air cargo out of the Middle East are grounded. And the longer the war drags on, the more likely that there will be shortages and price increases on a wide range of goods.

“This is really causing some major impacts within the global supply chain,” said Patrick Penfield, professor of supply chain practice at Syracuse University. “As this conflict keeps progressing, you’ll start to see some shortages, you’ll see some major price increases.”

Clarksons Research, which tracks shipping data, estimates that about 3,200 ships, or about 4% of global ship tonnage, are idle inside the Persian Gulf, but that includes about 1,231 that likely only operate within the Gulf.

About 500 ships, or 1% of global tonnage, are currently “waiting” outside the Gulf in ports off the coast of the United Arab Emirates and Oman, according to the firm.

Lebanese state media reported that the Israeli army entered the southern Lebanese town of Khiam, about six kilometres from the Lebanon-Israel border.

"The town of Khiam is witnessing continuous artillery shelling, while the Israeli enemy army penetrated into the town," state media said.

Israeli forces launched a ground incursion on Tuesday, advancing into the border area in southern Lebanon.

The Israeli military called on people to "immediately" leave 13 towns and villages in southern Lebanon on Wednesday morning ahead of strikes against Hezbollah. Lebanese authorities on Monday recorded the displacement of more than 58,000 people from areas targeted by strikes.

Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war on Monday when Hezbollah attacked Israel in response to the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during US-Israeli strikes over the weekend.

Israel expanded its air strikes in Lebanon on Wednesday, hitting a hotel around the presidential palace near Beirut and other areas south of the capital as well as strongholds of the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah, killing at least 11 people.

Saudi Arabia intercepted a drone targeting its massive Ras Tanura refinery, the defence ministry said, following an earlier hit on the complex along its Gulf coast this week.

"Initial estimates indicate that the attack was carried out by a drone and did not result in any damage," the ministry said in a statement posted on X.

Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares has expressed "surprise" at German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's position during a meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday.

After Trump threatened to cut off all trade with Spain for its lack of support over the US and Israeli attacks on Iran, Merz noted that Trump was correct and said, "We are trying to convince them that this is a part of our common security, that we all have to comply with this.”

"I conveyed my surprise at Merz's words to the German Foreign Minister," Albares said on Spanish broadcaster TVE. "When you share a currency, a trade policy, a common market, you expect the same solidarity that Spain has shown, for example, to Denmark in the face of tariff threats stemming from Trump's desire to undermine Denmark's territorial integrity in Greenland," he added.

"I can't imagine [former German Chancellor Angela] Merkel or [former Chancellor Olaf] Scholz making such statements; it was a different pro-European spirit," he said.

The Israeli military has said that Iran still has significant capacity to launch missiles at Israel, even as it continues to strike missile launchers in the Islamic Republic.

"We have destroyed dozens of missile launchers that posed significant threats to the Israeli front," military spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin said in a televised briefing. "We will continue to strike the missile launchers and reduce the firing, but the regime still has significant capacity, and I would like to remind you that our defence is not impenetrable."

In a separate statement, the military said it had struck overnight a facility "for the storage, production, and launch of ballistic missiles in Isfahan in western Iran."

Iranian state TV said the country is close to choosing a successor to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed on Saturday in an Israeli airstrike that started the ongoing conflict.

"The Supreme Leader will be identified in the closest opportunity, we are close to a conclusion, however the situation in the country is a war situation," Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami told state TV.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said nuclear negotiations were "treated like a real estate transaction" with "unrealistic expectations" in a post on X.

He added that US President Donald Trump "betrayed diplomacy" and bombed Iran "out of spite".

An air security alert was triggered around 9:30am in Cyprus after a "suspicious object" was detected near the island's airspace.

According to Greek media, two Greek F-16s took off from the Andreas Papandreou base in Paphos to intercept two unmanned drones believed to originate from Lebanon.

The alert was lifted about an hour later following reports that the drones had been shot down.

The European Commission said Wednesday it was "ready" to defend EU interests after President Donald Trump threatened to sever trade with Spain for refusing to allow US use of its bases to attack Iran.

"We stand in full solidarity with all member states and all its citizens and, through our common trade policy, stand ready to act if necessary to safeguard EU interests," said commission spokesman Olof Gill in a statement issued in response to Trump's threats.

Iran’s judiciary chief threatened “those who say or do anything” in support of the US-Israeli airstrike campaign targeting the Islamic Republic.

Gholam Hosseini Mohseni Ejehei made the comments in an interview with Iranian state television.

His remarks raised the possibility of those detained facing death penalty charges, as cooperating with an enemy can carry execution if convicted.

“As we said during the unrest, riot cases are a priority,” Ejehei said, referring to January’s nationwide protests that Iran violently suppressed. “We have now also announced that those who cooperate with the enemy in any way will be considered an enemy.”

He added: “Those who say or do anything in line with the will of America and the Zionist regime are on the enemy’s side and must be dealt with on revolutionary, Islamic principles and in accordance with the time of war.”

The Israeli military said its air force shot down an Iranian fighter jet over Tehran.

"An Israeli Air Force F-35I fighter jet ('Adir') shot down an Iranian Air Force YAK-130 fighter jet a short while ago over the skies of Tehran," a military statement said.

France said on Wednesday it is planning a meeting of G7 finance ministers on the Middle East crisis for early next week, as the war fuels fears for the global economy.

"I have spoken with various counterparts, in particular Scott Bessent, who is the US treasury secretary. And we agreed to hold a meeting which will take place at the beginning of next week," French Economy and Finance Minister Roland Lescure told Franceinfo radio.

"We want to let a week go by to see how the conflict develops, how the markets evolve. We'll have the finance ministers and the central bank governors there as well."

France currently holds the rotating presidency of the Group of Seven advanced economies, which also includes Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The war sparked by the US-Israeli bombing of Iran launched on Saturday has led to a sharp fall in stock markets, particularly in Europe and Asia.

Since the start of the week, France's benchmark CAC40 index has lost more than five percent. Its German equivalent, the Dax, has fallen by nearly six percent, while London's FTSE 100 has dropped nearly 4%. 

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez retaliated against threats from the Trump administration to cut off trade with his country, reiterating his condemnation of the war in a televised address.

Tensions between the two countries remain high after Sánchez denounced the US and Israeli bombings of Iran and later banned US aircraft from using naval and air bases in southern Spain for the offensive against Tehran.

"Spain's position is the same as in Ukraine or Gaza. No to the violation of international law that protects us all. No to resolving conflicts with bombs. No to war."

Sánchez demanded the US, Israel and Iran cease hostilities "before it is too late", adding that "one illegal act cannot be met with another, this is how the greatest disasters in human history begin."

"We're not going to be complicit in something that's bad for the world nor contrary to our values and interests simply to avoid reprisals from someone," Sánchez said, referencing Trump's trade threats.

The Israeli military said it had begun a fresh wave of strikes on Tehran, with explosions reported in the northeast of the Iranian capital.

"The Israeli Air Force has begun a broad scale strikes targeting Iranian terror regime targets in Tehran, details to follow," a brief army statement said.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he believes that Israeli-US strikes on Iran were not consistent with international law.

"It would appear, prima facie, not to be consistent or to be inconsistent with international law," Carney told a gathering at the Lowy Institute in Sydney.

Earlier, Carney said the war represented "another example of the failure of the international order".

"Canada calls for a rapid de-escalation of hostilities and is prepared to assist in achieving this goal," he said, adding that "Canada reaffirms that international law binds all belligerents."

Carney has backed the Israeli-US strikes targeting Iran, saying Tehran had failed to dismantle its nuclear programme and cease support for militant groups, but expressed "regret" on Wednesday that international efforts had failed to disarm Iran.

He noted that "the United States and Israel have acted without engaging the United Nations or consulting with allies, including Canada".

Qatar said it had dismantled two spy cells linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guards, its official press agency reported just after midnight Wednesday.

"Close surveillance made it possible to arrest 10 suspects: seven were tasked with spying and gathering information about vital and military infrastructure in the country, and three were meant to carry out sabotage operations," the agency said.

It added the suspects "admitted during the investigation their links to the Revolutionary Guards and having been instructed to conduct espionage and sabotage activities".

Authorities also found in their possession locations and coordinates of sensitive facilities and installations, along with communication devices and technological equipment.

During the investigations, the suspects confessed their links to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and stated that they had been assigned to conduct espionage and subversion missions, QNA reports.

In a parallel development, Israeli media quoting Israeli officials is reporting that Israel quietly and covertly extracted part of its embassy staff in the United Arab Emirates after two Iranian attempts to attack Israeli diplomats were foiled in recent days.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry confirmed the evacuation saying that “in light of concrete threats against Israeli missions in the UAE, and at the request of security authorities, non-essential staff were evacuated from the United Arab Emirates.”

A senior Israeli official told Channel 12 news that the two attacks were part of “a specific effort to hunt the Israeli diplomats” and “were already underway.”

Iran will hold a three-day-long state funeral starting on Wednesday evening for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, state TV said.

Hojjatoleslam Mahmoudi, head of Iran’s Islamic Propagation Council said "the Mosalla (prayer hall) will be receiving visitors and the dear people can attend and take part in the farewell ceremony and mark a strong presence once again," in comments carried by Iranian media.

Khamenei, the Islamic Republic's supreme leader, was killed in the US-Israeli strikes that sparked the war on Saturday.

After the funeral's announcement, Israel's defence minister warned that any successor would be a "target for elimination".

Israel’s defence minister threatened whoever Iran picks to be the country’s next supreme leader, saying he will be “a target for elimination" in a post on X.

“Every leader appointed by the Iranian terror regime to continue and lead the plan to destroy Israel, to threaten the United States and the free world and the countries of the region, and to suppress the Iranian people — will be an unequivocal target for elimination,” he wrote. It does not matter what his name is or the place where he hides.

Israel targeted a building Tuesday associated with Iran’s Assembly of Experts, which will select the new supreme leader. It killed the 86-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a strike Saturday that started the war.

The US military commander in the Middle East said Tuesday that American forces had struck nearly 2,000 targets so far in Iran as part of the largest firepower buildup in the region in a generation.

"We've already struck nearly 2,000 targets with more than 2,000 munitions. We have severely degraded Iran's air defenses and destroyed hundreds of Iran's ballistic missiles, launchers and drones," Admiral Brad Cooper of US Central Command said in a video message.

"The first 24 hours of this operation were nearly double the scale" of the first day of shock-and-awe strikes on Iraq in 2003, "and we continue with 24/7 strikes into Iran," he added.

The US State Department has given its non-emergency personnel and their families in Cyprus permission to leave, the US embassy said Wednesday.

The department "authorised non-emergency US government employees and US government employee family members to leave Cyprus due to the safety risks."

Lebanon's health ministry said Israeli strikes on two towns south of Beirut, outside of Iran-backed Hezbollah's traditional strongholds, killed six people and wounded eight.

Later in the morning, Lebanese state media said Israeli strikes hit a hotel in the Beirut suburb of Hazmieh and a four-storey building in the eastern city of Baalbek. I added that four people were killed and six more were wounded in the strike.

Responding to the attack, Baalbek's mayor said only civilians lived at the complex that hosts the building.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military, which earlier announced "broad-scale strikes" against Hezbollah in Lebanon's south.

The US Senate is headed towards a vote Wednesday on President Donald Trump's decision to embark on a war against Iran, an extraordinary test in Congress for a conflict that has rapidly spread across the Middle East with no clear US exit strategy.

The legislation, known as a war powers resolution, gives lawmakers an opportunity to demand congressional approval before any further attacks are carried out. The Senate resolution and a similar bill being voted on in the House later this week face unlikely paths through the Republican-controlled Congress and would almost certainly be vetoed by Trump even if they were to pass.

After launching a surprise attack against Iran on Saturday, Trump has scrambled to win support for a conflict that Americans of all political persuasions were already wary of entering. Trump administration officials have been a frequent presence on Capitol Hill this week as they try to reassure lawmakers that they have the situation under control.

“We are not going to put American troops in harm’s way,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters in a raucous news conference at the Capitol Tuesday. Six US military members were killed over the weekend in a drone strike in Kuwait.

Trump has also not ruled out deploying US ground troops. He has said he is hoping to end the bombing campaign within a few weeks, but his goals for the war have shifted from regime change to stopping Iran from developing nuclear capabilities to crippling its navy and missile programmes.

Almost all Republican senators were readying to vote Wednesday against the war powers resolution to halt military action, but a number still expressed hesitation at the idea of deploying troops on the ground in Iran.