Here's the latest
• Trump’s address: President Donald Trump used familiar talking points in his first address to the nation on the Iran war, telling Americans the conflict is “nearing completion” and projecting another two or three weeks of involvement. Trump signaled the US is prepared to intensify its military response and threatened to take Iran “back to the stone ages.”
• Tehran responds: Iran’s military dismissed Trump’s claim that four weeks of attacks have left it weakened. “Following the powerful and unimaginable blows you have already received, expect even more crushing, more extensive and destructive actions from us,” it said in a statement.
• Oil price up: Trump’s speech – offering few details of an exit strategy – did little to calm oil markets. Both the global and US oil benchmarks surged following his address.
• Latest strikes: Israeli defenses intercepted Iranian missiles on the first night of Passover, and in Lebanon, Israeli attacks killed at least 50 people within 24 hours, health officials said.
Two wounded after rocket strikes on northern Israel
Dozens of rockets were fired at several locations in northern Israel, authorities said, wounding people and causing damage.
Paramedics are treating an 85-year-old man and a 34-year-old man with mild shrapnel injuries, according to a spokesperson for Magen David Adom, Israel’s emergency service.
Firefighters are responding to a gas leak in the city of Kiryat Shmona, where two gas cylinders were hit by shrapnel. Fire crews shut off the energy sources to prevent a fire from igniting, according to the Fire and Rescue Department covering northern Israel.
Search and rescue personnel are also responding to several sites in Galilee where impacts were reported, according to the Israel Defense Forces.
South Korea president pushes special $17 billion budget to mitigate energy shocks
South Korea’s president has urged the country’s parliament to pass a $17.3 billion supplementary budget to fend off “the worst energy security threat,” as the country is buffeted by a crisis thousands of miles away.
South Korea is particularly hard-hit by the energy crunch in the Middle East, a region from which 70% of its oil imported.
“Even if the war ends tomorrow, it will take a considerable period of time for the destroyed energy infrastructure facilities in the Middle East to be restored and supplies to run as smoothly as before,” Lee Jae Myung told parliament in a televised speech Thursday.
“This situation is considered the worst energy security threat and is shocking the global economy. The uncertainty not knowing when this will end is having a significant negative impact on the economy.”
The South Korean government has put a cap on fuel prices and restricted the export of naphtha, a petroleum by-product used in plastics manufacturing, while mulling driving curbs as oil prices soar.
Lee said that the $17.3 billion budget will be funded by the country’s strong stock market and semiconductor industry along with government funds.
Tehran threatens foes with "lasting regret, and ultimate surrender," after Trump speech
Iran’s military threatened more destruction and touted its might, in a response to Donald Trump’s national address Wednesday evening, in which the US president said the conflict is “nearing completion” and threatened to take Iran “back to the stone ages.”
The war will continue until the US and Israel face “humiliation, disgrace, lasting regret, and ultimate surrender,” the spokesperson for the Iranian military headquarters said in the statement, reported by Iranian state media IRIB.
“Following the powerful and unimaginable blows you have already received, expect even more crushing, more extensive and destructive actions from us,” the statement said.
Iran also dismissed Trump’s claims that its military has been severely weakened, saying the US knows “nothing about our vast and strategic capabilities.”
US embassy warns Iran-aligned militias could attack Baghdad
The US embassy in Iraq has warned that Iran-aligned militant groups may conduct attacks in central Baghdad in the next 24-48 hours, again urging Americans to leave the country.
Iran and its proxies have already attacked US citizens and US-associated targets in neighboring Iraq, the embassy said in a post to X on Thursday.
“They may intend to target US citizens, businesses, universities, diplomatic facilities, energy infrastructure, hotels, airports, and other locations perceived to be associated with the United States, as well as Iraqi institutions and civilian targets. Terrorist militias have targeted Americans for kidnapping,” the post said. “US citizens should leave Iraq now.”
American journalist Shelly Kittleson was kidnapped in the capital on Tuesday, her media outlet said. The US government is currently working to secure her release.
The US embassy in Iraq has repeatedly warned US citizens to leave the country since the conflict with Iran began in late February.
Abu Dhabi still intercepting missiles
Abu Dhabi’s air defense systems successfully intercepted a missile near an industrial hub outside the United Arab Emirates’ capital, the city’s media office said Thursday.
The missile interception near the Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi (KEZAD) caused minor damage and no injuries were reported, the media office said.
Stocks slid and oil prices rose after Trump's speech, which revealed nothing new. Here's the latest
Oil prices spiked after US President Donald Trump’s national address on Wednesday evening, which revealed little new information as he tried to rally support from the American public for his war with Iran.
Meanwhile on the ground, the Middle East conflict rages on, with Iran firing missiles at Israel early Thursday morning, and Gulf nations still fending off attacks.
Here’s the latest:
- Trump’s address: In his 20-minute address, Trump described the US’ attack as payback for nearly a half-century of violence by Iran and its proxies, arguing that Tehran could not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon. He touted the progress made by the US military in recent weeks, and asked Americans for patience. He also downplayed the US’ reliance on the Strait of Hormuz, and the global impact of its effective closure.
- Unclear timeline: Trump again claimed the war is “nearing completion,” and estimated another two to three weeks of involvement. But he didn’t give any details on his exit strategy beyond bombing Iran “back to the stone ages,” or whether he planned to send ground troops to seize Iran’s enriched uranium or degrade its ability to control the strait.
- Markets react: The price of Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, spiked higher in the minutes after Trump’s speech. Asian stocks traded downward on Thursday morning.
- Trading attacks: The conflict continued on the ground, with Israel’s military saying it intercepted missiles launched from Iran early Thursday. Separately, dramatic video geolocated by CNN showed large explosions and smoke rising near Baharestan, just south of Isfahan, Iran, on Wednesday. The United Arab Emirates also worked to intercept missile and drone threats early Thursday, as Gulf nations continue repelling Iranian attacks.
Videos show large explosions near Isfahan
Dramatic video geolocated by CNN shows large explosions and smoke rising near Baharestan, approximately 13 miles south of Isfahan, Iran, on Wednesday.
The footage captures bright orange flashes consistent with munitions exploding after being hit, as well as flaming debris falling from the sky.
A second video shows large columns of smoke rising from the area.
CNN verified the videos by matching road layouts, mountain features, buildings, traffic signs, and lampposts against high-resolution satellite imagery of the area.
Since the start of the war, the US has carried out several strikes on Isfahan, a central city about 350 kilometers (220 miles) south of the capital Tehran. On Tuesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said US bombers carried out a strike targeting an ammunition depot near the city.
Isfahan is also home to a nuclear site believed to be storing much of Iran’s highly enriched uranium stockpile.
Asian stocks slide as oil prices surge on Trump's vow to hit Iran "extremely hard"
Asian stocks traded downward on Thursday, as US President Donald Trump repeated vows to hit Iran hard for another few weeks, sending oil prices surging.
Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 index fell 2.1% by 12:35 p.m. local time, while South Korea’s Kospi slid 3.9%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index was down 1%.
“We are on track to complete all of America’s military objectives shortly, very shortly. We are going to hit them extremely hard over the next two to three weeks,” Trump said during his address, while reiterating that the war is “nearing completion.”
But Trump’s speech – offering few details of an exit strategy – did little to calm oil markets. Both the global and US oil benchmarks surged following his address.
Trump says US doesn’t need Strait of Hormuz. But the world does.
President Donald Trump used his Wednesday address to play down the United States’ reliance on the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil and gas shipping route, as the rest of the world bears the brunt of energy supply disruptions and surging prices.
“The United States imports almost no oil through the Hormuz Strait and won’t be taking any in the future. We don’t need it,” Trump said in his televised speech.
Noting that the US is the world’s leader in oil and gas production, the president claimed the country is insulated from the supply shocks stemming from the war – a statement many Americans may find hard to accept as they feel the pinch of gas prices soaring past $4 per gallon for the first time since 2022.
Trump’s claims also disregarded how the war – started by the US and Israel – has roiled the global markets and economy, leaving many of Washington’s allies in Asia and Europe to pay the price.
The Strait of Hormuz carries around 20% of the world’s oil consumption, according to the International Energy Agency, and the vast majority of the crude it carries ends up in Asia, which is heavily reliant on oil and gas imports from the Gulf states.
“The countries of the world that do receive oil through the Hormuz Strait must take care of that passage… We will be helpful, but they should take the lead in protecting the oil that they so desperately depend on,” Trump said, while suggesting countries facing shortages purchase from the US.
Trump also claimed that the strait would reopen as soon as the war ends and that “the gas prices will rapidly come back down” – an assertion that economists and analysts have disputed.
With energy infrastructure in the region damaged and lengthy supply disruptions, analysts have warned that global oil prices are likely to remain elevated for an extended period, even if the war ends soon.
Australian leader says "not clear what more needs to be achieved" in Iran
Australia is among the close US allies feeling the economic fallout of the Iran war, as it relies heavily on oil shipped via the Strait of Hormuz.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese did not hear US President Donald Trump’s speech on Thursday, as he was preparing to give his own nationally televised address.
But Albanese told the National Press Club that he believed that Iran’s air force, navy and military-industrial base had been degraded – as had its capacity to launch missiles.
“Now those objectives have been realized, it is not clear what more needs to be achieved – or what the endpoint looks like,” he said in his speech.
Albanese has repeatedly said that he wants to see a de-escalation, and for Trump to take into account the war’s economic impact on the rest of the world.
While all 81 oil tankers expected in Australia during March have arrived, future shipments may be disrupted, and fears of shortages have sparked panic buying.
The Australian leader gave a rare address to the nation on Wednesday, to urge people not to stock up on fuel and to work from home or take public transport, if they can.
Oil prices spike after Trump vows to continue the war, threatens to bomb Iranian power plants
President Donald Trump’s primetime address did little to calm energy markets roiled by the war in Iran, as the price of oil climbed higher in the minutes following his speech.
The price of brent crude, the global oil benchmark, was spiking by more than 4% to over $105 per barrel after Trump vowed to continue the conflict for another few weeks — and his renewed threat to bomb Iran’s power plants if it fails to agree to his demands.
WTI, the US oil benchmark, climbed more than 3% in the wake of the speech to more than $103 per barrel.
Since the war began more than a month ago, Iran has effectively shuttered the Strait of Hormuz, which handles roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply. That has triggered a global energy crisis, sending oil prices soaring and pushing US gas prices above $4 per gallon.
But Trump during his speech on Wednesday downplayed the impact, insisting that the US did not “need” the strait and signaling that he was willing to end the war without restoring access to the waterway. That job, he said, should fall to US allies to take on.
The markets’ immediate reaction prompted a sarcastic review from conservative commentator Ann Coulter, who posted a screenshot of the rising oil futures on X and wrote: “Trump’s magnificent speech got results! Way to go, Mr. President!”
The US stock market also signaled discontent with the speech in off-hours trading, with the Dow Jones and S&P 500 futures both sinking.
Republicans largely praise Trump speech, while former ally criticizes focus on war
President Donald Trump’s speech tonight generated praise from members of his administration and allies on Capitol Hill. But not everyone was sold, particularly former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who had a bitter falling out with the president last year.
“All I heard from his speech tonight was WAR WAR WAR. Nothing to lower the cost of living for Americans. Nothing to reduce our near $40 trillion in debt. Nothing to save Social Security, which goes bankrupt in just a few years,” Greene wrote on X.
Trump received a more positive reaction from other Republicans, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Sen. Tom Cotton.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, who has advocated for military action in Iran, backed the president, writing on X, “His leadership, backed by the courage of our men and women in uniform, is why we sleep safer at night.”
Democrats on Capitol Hill criticized Trump after his speech, including Sen. Chris Coons, who wrote on X, “No clear plan. Rambling, unmoored, unserious.”
Trump's speech achieved goal of selling successes of the war, White House officials say
White House officials told CNN they’re pleased with how President Donald Trump handled his address to the nation tonight.
Those officials said Trump did what they aimed to achieve with the speech: lay out the administration’s justification for the war and sell the successes of the military operations thus far, while also reassuring Americans that the war is nearing completion.
And he largely stuck to the script, keeping his speech tight to the planned 20 minutes, though it contained no new updates for those who have been closely following Trump’s comments on Iran for the past 32 days.
Still, officials had hoped that the style of the president’s remarks — with the formality of a national address — would convince many Americans to trust him at a time when polls have consistently shown the public’s patience is wearing thin.
Trump's address to the nation on Iran war repeats familiar talking points
President Donald Trump’s “important update” on the war in Iran ended up being more of a belated sales pitch as he sought Wednesday night to rally support from American voters for a conflict he started more than a month ago.
In a roughly 20-minute address, Trump cast the US’ attack as payback for nearly a half-century of violence by Iran and its proxies, arguing that the nation could not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon.
He touted the military progress that the US has made over the last several weeks, describing the weeks of bombing as “victories like few people have ever seen before.” And he pleaded for patience, calling the war an “investment” in Americans’ future.
Yet he did not offer any new answer for the main question on many voters’ minds: When exactly the war will be over.
“I’m pleased to say that these core strategic objectives are nearing completion,” Trump said, declining to offer any new details on his exit strategy beyond repeating his vow to bomb Iran “back to the stone ages” over the next two to three weeks.
The president also did not articulate a specific endgame for the war, including whether he planned to send in ground troops to seize Iran’s enriched uranium or degrade its ability to control the critical Strait of Hormuz.
As for the diplomatic discussions that Trump had previously claimed were making progress, he offered no new signs of optimism. Instead, he only reiterated his threats to escalate by striking Iran’s power plants — an action that risks further widening a war Trump has only just begun to sell to the American public.
“The new group is less radical and much more reasonable,” he said. “Yet if during this period of time, no deal is made, we have our eyes on key targets.”
Iran's president letter to US public asks: Is Iran war really "America First"
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has released a letter addressed to the American public in which he questions whether “America First” is truly among the US government’s priorities. He says the war with Iran is not serving US interests and urges Americans to “look beyond political rhetoric” and reconsider their view of his country.
“Exactly which of the American people’s interests are truly being served by this war? Was there any objective threat from Iran to justify such behavior?” the president asks.
“Is ‘America First’ truly among the priorities of the US government today?”
He goes on to say that the perception of Iran as a threat is “the product of political and economic whims of the powerful” and that Tehran’s actions thus far have been “legitimate self-defense” rather than an initiation of war.
Saying that the relationship between Iran and the United States is misunderstood, he asserts that Iran has “never, in its modern history, chosen the path of aggression, expansion, colonialism, or domination, and never initiated any war.”
The letter was released just hours before US President Donald Trump is expected to address the nation about Iran.
“The Iranian people harbor no enmity toward other nations, including the people of America, Europe or neighboring countries,” Pezeshkian wrote in his letter.
He stressed that attacks on Iranian infrastructure have ramifications for both Iranians and people beyond the country’s borders.
Reopening Hormuz strait will take longer than Trump's bullish timeline
US President Donald Trump may say the US could end its military campaign against Iran in the next two to three weeks, but it will take far longer for ships to pour back back through the Strait of Hormuz.
Global shares are rebounding on hopes the war is nearing an end. Even if fighting were to end and crude prices fall, it will take time for gas prices at the pump to unwind and shipping to stabilize through the strategic waterway.
Shipping insurance remains sky high after risk premiums have been baked in, and maritime workers are less willing to make the journey after bearing witness to a conflict that has taken the lives of seafarers.
“Seafarers are the backbone of the trade,” said Angad Banga, CEO of Hong Kong-based Caravel Group. His company oversees Fleet Management Ltd., the world’s second-largest ship management company.
“After something like this happens, there will be ripple effects and the seafarer challenge of convincing them to go will continue to cause challenges for the supply chain.”
The shipping industry transports 90% of all manufactured goods, making seafarers vital to global trade.
Iran’s selective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has impacted thousands of vessels operating in the Middle East. The waters are now exposed to mines and explosive drones, underscoring the risks facing commercial shipping in the area.
