Buildings and facilities burn in Tehran, Iran amid US and Israel airstrikes

EA on International Media: US-Israel War on Iran — Trump and Co. Ramble On with No Plan B

EA on International Media: US and Israel Expand Their Wars in Iran and Lebanon — But How They Will End Them?

EA-Times Radio VideoCast: Trump Panics Over His War on Iran

US-Israel War on Iran: Oil Prices Drop as Trump Wobbles

UPDATE 1959 GMT:

President Masoud Pezeshkian has demanded reparations and security guarantees in any agreement to end the US-Israel War.

UPDATE 1948 GMT:

Multiple sources have added detail about an Iranian drone attack killed six US service members in Kuwait in the first hours of the US-Israel war on Iran.

Dozens of personnel suffered injuries including brain trauma, shrapnel wounds, and burns in the attack on a tactical operations center in the Shuaiba port outside Kuwait City. At least one required the amputation of a limb.

More than 30 remain in hospital on Tuesday night with injuries from the attack on a tactical operations center at the Shuaiba port outside Kuwait City.

The US military has confirmed the killings of seven personnel. The Pentagon said on Tuesday that around 140 US service members have been injuries. The vast majority suffered minor injuries, but eight are severely wounded.

UPDATE 1631 GMT:

Iran has deployed about a dozen mines in the Strait of Hormuz, say “two sources familiar with the matter”.

One official told Reuters that the locations of most of the mines are known. He declined to say how the US planned to deal with them.

UPDATE 1619 GMT:

A New York Times investigation has concluded that the strike on a primary school in Minab in southern Iran, killing at least 175 people, was an American missile attack.

Most of those slain were girls aged between seven and 12.

Officials said the US was using outdated targeting data, so missiles struck a school complex which was previously part of a nearby Revolutionary Guards naval base.

US Central Command created the target coordinates using data provided by the Defense Intelligence Agency. It is unclear why questions the outdated data was not double-checked.

UPDATE 1436 GMT:

The International Energy Agency has agreed to release 400 million barrels of oil from strategic reserves, with unanimous support from 32 member states

The release is the largest in history. The last IEA intervention was immediately after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Fatih Birol, the IEA’s executive director of the International Energy Agency, said, “The conflict in the Middle East is having significant impacts on global oil and gas markets with major implications for energy security, energy affordability, and the global economy.”

UPDATE 1424 GMT:

The New York Times has identified at least 17 damaged American sites and other installations, several of which have been struck more than once during the 12-day US-Israel War on Iran.

The analysis is based on high-resolution, commercial satellite imagery; verified social media video; and statements by US officials and Iranian state media.

US military officials say the intensity of the retaliatory strikes indicates Iran was more prepared for the war than many in the Trump Administration anticipated.

At least 11 US military bases or installations — more than half of the total in the region — have been damaged.

UPDATE 1401 GMT:

US gasoline prices have risen another 4 cents per gallon.

The average of $3.58 a gallon is the highest since June 2024.

UPDATE 1326 GMT:

A “Western intelligence official” says Russia is helping Iran with advanced drone tactics, from Moscow’s 4-year full-scale invasion of Ukraine, to hit US and Gulf State targets in the Middle East.

Western officials earlier said that the Russians are providing Iran with targeting information about US warships, warplanes, and troop positions.

The official said they are “really concerned” by Iran’s use of mines in the Strait of Hormuz, and by sea-drone and low-tech attacks — using Dhow fishing boats — on US carrier strike groups.

Donald Trump and his advisors have played down the Russian support of Iran. Trump envoy Steve Witkoff said on Tuesday:

UPDATE 1317 GMT:

A woman has been killed by shrapnel from a strike on an arms depot in Iraq belonging to the Iran-backed Asaib Ahl al-Haq militia.

The attack was on the base of the Popular Mobilization Forces (Hashed al-Shaabi), a paramilitary coalition now integrated into Iraq’s army, southeast of Baghdad.

Another person was seriously wounded.

UPDATE 1305 GMT:

Drawing upon US officials, New York Times reporters summarize:

Some officials are growing pessimistic about the lack of a clear strategy to finish the war. But they have been careful not to express that directly to the president, who has repeatedly declared that the military operation is a complete success.

UPDATE 1255 GMT:

Sweden has added 600 million Swedish kronor (around $61.4 million) to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund, bringing Stockholm’s total contribution to $282.6 million.

Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal posted:

UPDATE 1129 GMT:

Israeli attacks on Lebanon since last Monday have killed 570 people, including 84 on Tuesday and at least 17 today (see 0958 GMT).

The number of injured has risen to 1,444, with 131 injured yesterday, said Lebanon’s Health Ministry.

Among those killed was Youssef Assaf, a Red Cross paramedic.

UPDATE 0958 GMT:

At least 17 people have been killed and dozens wounded by Israeli strikes on southern and eastern Lebanon this morning, say health authorities.

In the town of al-Shahabiya, in the Tyre District, Israeli attaks “resulted in the martyrdom of seven citizens and the injury of 11 others,” said the Health Ministry.

In the eastern Beqaa Valley, a strike in the town of Tamnin al-Tahta killed seven and wounded 18. Five people were injured in the town of Ali al-Nahr.

Three people were slain by a strike in the Bint Jbeil area of southern Lebanon.

UPDATE 0947 GMT:

A bulk carrier has been hit just north of Dubai in the UAE.

The Royal Thai Navy says it is providing urgent assistance after the Thai-flagged Mayuree Naree was struck around 11 nautical miles north of Oman. Twenty crew members have been rescued, but three are missing.

The explosion was in the stern, setting a fire in the engine compartment. The crew abandoned the vessel in a lifeboat and were rescued by the Omani Navy.

The vessel is the third struck by “unknown projectiles” on Wednesday morning in or near the Strait of Hormuz. A cargo vessel caught fire, forcing its crew to evacuate, while a container ship sustained damage.

UPDATE 0645 GMT:

Two ships trying to pass the Strait of Hormuz off the Iranian coast have been struck by “unknown projectiles”, says the UK Maritime Trade Operations center.

A cargo vessel is on fire and crew are evacuating.

Earlier a container ship was damaged, 25 nautical miles northwest of the UAE. Crew are safe.

Only two vessels not linked to Iran or Russia have attempted to pass through the Strait of Hormuz since Donald Trump posted on Tuesday that he would “ensure the free flow of energy to the world”. Around 20% of the world’s maritime gas and around 25% of maritime oil are transported through the waterway.

The US military said it attacked and destroyed 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels. Intelligence sources said Iran has placed a few dozen mines in the Strait in recent days and has the capability to sow hundreds more.

Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut posted after a closed-door briefing for legislators on Tuesday:

UPDATE 0639 GMT:

The US Diplomatic Support Center in Iraq’s capital Baghdad has been struck by a drone.

The Center is a logistical hub for US diplomats near Baghdad Airport and Iraqi military bases. It was attacked by six drones, five of which were intercepted.

No casualties were reported as those at the facility were ordered to “duck and cover”.

A security official said the attack was likely carried out by the Iran-backed Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of armed factions.

UPDATE 0633 GMT:

Iran’s police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on state TV that anyone who takes to the streets “at the enemy’s request” will be “confronted as an enemy, not a protester”.

We will do to them what we do to enemies. We will treat them the way we treat enemies.

All of our men have their fingers on the trigger and are ready to defend their revolution, to support their people and their homeland.

In January, at least 7,000 people were killed during nationwide protests against the regime.

UPDATE 0627 GMT:

Five people were killed and five injured during Israeli attack on Qana in southern Lebanon, says Lebanese health authorities.

On Tuesday, three people were slain in Hennawiyeh, including a rescuer, and a strike on Zalaya killed one person.

ORIGINAL ENTRY: The Trump camp and the Iranian regime have each declared their “most intense” strikes of the 12-day US-Israel war on Iran.

Hours after Donald Trump said that the war is “near complete”, his Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth proclaimed that the US would carry out their heaviest assault on Iran, as the Department Defense posted on social media.

Residents of Tehran such as Niloufar described the attacks early Tuesday:

We are under heavy bombardment and I can hear back-to-back explosions. The place they hit has caught fire. It’s not clear where it exploded, but the buildings are shaking.

They are destroying Iran.

Israel boasted of its own strikes, as another resident said Tehran was now “the last stop before hell”.

But far from collapsing, the Iranian regime defiantly proclaimed their own escalation of strikes across the Middle East. The Revolutionary Guards said they launched Khorramshahr medium-range ballistic missiles during three hours of firing. Targets included Israeli facilities in Tel Aviv, western Jerusalem, and Haifa; US bases in northern Iraq; and American warships of the 5th Fleet.

The spokesman for the Iranian military announced that the US and Israel must expect “crushing and fatal blows” after their attacks on residential areas in Tehran. He called on regional populations to identify American positions.

The Revolutionary Guards blustered:

To the American people: 70 years of your government’s achievements in the region were destroyed in less than 11 days. And the war continues….US operational infrastructure has been decimated in the latest wave of operation.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi added, “We’re just getting started.”

Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi did not rules talks. However, he said, “If a ceasefire is to be established or the war stopped, there must be a guarantee that aggressive actions against Iran will not be repeated. Otherwise, if another attack occurs after a few months, such a ceasefire would be meaningless.”