Here's the latest
• Energy sites in the crosshairs: Iran’s military has vowed to strike US-linked oil and gas infrastructure in the Middle East if more of its own energy sites are attacked. This follows a US operation targeting Kharg Island, a key Iranian export hub.
• Economic impacts: President Donald Trump renewed calls this weekend for countries to work with the US on sending warships to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s move to block traffic in the vital waterway is sending ripple effects through the global economy. US gas prices have spiked by 23% since the war began, according to AAA.
• Regional attacks: The US Embassy in Baghdad was hit by two drones today, a security official told CNN, though the extent of damage or any injuries was not immediately clear. Elsewhere, Lebanon said an Israeli strike killed medical workers, while two people are wounded in southern Israel after Iranian missile launches, according to emergency services.
Longtime Netanyahu aide Dermer will lead any Lebanon talks, Israeli official tells CNN
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has tapped long-time aide and one-time ambassador to the United States, Ron Dermer, to lead any possible negotiations with Lebanon, two Israeli sources told CNN.
Last week, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun called for talks between his country and Israel, after a sharp escalation in hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group.
There has been no official response from Israel to Aoun’s initiative.
An Israeli official told CNN the fact that Netanyahu has handed Dermer this new responsibility does not mean there are concrete plans for any talks at this time.
“We acknowledge the Lebanese government’s appeal for diplomacy, but they have not shown the capabilities, or the will, to disarm Hezbollah, and stop it from firing towards Israeli communities. Israel wants to finish the job in Lebanon,” one of the Israeli sources told CNN.
At least 17 vessels attacked in the Middle East in last two weeks, UK agency says
Since the conflict in the Middle East began two weeks ago, at least 17 vessels have been attacked in and around the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).
At least one person - an Indian national - has been killed as a result of the attacks, according to UKMTO and India’s Embassy in Oman.
Take a look at what we know about these attacks below:
- March 1: Two tankers were struck by projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz, and another was struck while docked at Bahrain, UKMTO said. A fourth tanker - the MKD VYOM - was struck in the Gulf of Oman, killing one person. A fifth vessel was also attacked when a projectile detonated in close proximity to it in the Persian Gulf, UKMTO said.
- March 3: Two vessels were struck with projectiles while they were anchored in the Gulf of Oman, UKMTO said. A drone was also sighted near a bulk carrier there, which “impact(ed) water nearby,” it added.
- March 4: There were explosions onboard two vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf, UKMTO said. A projectile also detonated approximately 1 nautical mile from a third vessel while it was drifting in the Persian Gulf, it said.
- March 6: A tug vessel in the Strait of Hormuz was struck by projectiles, UKMTO reported.
- March 7: An offshore drilling rig in the Persian Gulf was struck by a drone, causing injuries and the evacuation of personnel, UKMTO said.
- March 10: A vessel in the Persian Gulf was struck by a projectile, causing possible structural damage, UKMTO said.
- March 11: A container ship in the Strait of Hormuz - the Mayuree Naree - was struck by a projectile, UKMTO said. Three other vessels in the Persian Gulf were also struck by projectiles, it said.
- March 12: A container ship in the Persian Gulf was struck by a projectile that caused a fire onboard, UKMTO said.
CNN’s Eyad Kourdi contributed to this reporting.
Zelensky says Russia gave Iran drones used against US military bases
Shahed drones, designed by Iran but mass-produced by Moscow for use in Ukraine, have been unexpectedly successful in penetrating the air defenses of Gulf nations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told CNN’s Fareed Zakaria that Russia has supplied Iran with drones that have been used to attack US military bases in the Middle East:
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told CNN’s Fareed Zakaria that his intelligence suggests Russia has provided Iran with drones and shared information with Tehran. “My intelligence told me that they said if Europe and the United States can help Ukraine with intelligence in this war,” he said. “It means that Russia can help the Iranian regime.”
Remember: CNN previously reported how Russia has provided Iran with intelligence about the locations and movements of American troops, ships and aircraft, according to sources.
CNN’s Nick Paton Walsh, Natasha Bertrand, Jim Sciutto, Zachary Cohen and Jennifer Hansler contributed to this report.
Trump claims countries will send warships to reopen Strait of Hormuz
President Donald Trump claimed Saturday that “other countries” will be sending warships “in conjunction” with the US to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
It is unclear which countries the president is talking about and whether any countries have agreed to send ships. Trump wrote later in the lengthy post on Truth Social, “Hopefully China, France, Japan, South Korea, the UK, and others” will send ships to the region.
“Many Countries, especially those who are affected by Iran’s attempted closure of the Hormuz Strait, will be sending War Ships, in conjunction with the United States of America, to keep the Strait open and safe,” the president’s post reads.
CNN has reached out to the White House for clarity on Trump’s post, as well as asking South Korea, Japan, China and France whether they plan to deploy naval assets to the region.
In response to CNN, the UK Ministry of Defense said that it is “currently discussing with our allies and partners a range of options to ensure the security of shipping in the region.”
Trump’s comments prompted anger from Tehran, with Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi warning that the White House’s policy is “inviting rather than deterring trouble.”
Meanwhile, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander Aziz Reza Tangsiri mocked Trump’s “asking others for backup forces” in a post on social media.
Iran has effectively halted the passage of oil through the Strait of Hormuz, sparking a global energy crisis that the administration is now struggling to contain amid economic fallout.
Some background: Following a G7 meeting last week, French President Emmanuel Macron said France supports a coalition of naval ships to ensure free passage through the critical energy chokepoint, but urged a need for organization, which may take several weeks.
UK Defense Secretary John Healey echoed the sentiment on Thursday, noting that conversations about the Strait were in preliminary stages while underscoring the need to deescalate beforehand.
CNN’s Jennifer Hansler and Kareem El Damanhoury contributed reporting.
For Lebanese diaspora, attacks across Middle East revive childhood traumas
For many Lebanese who grew up during their country’s 1975-90 civil war and later built new lives in the United Arab Emirates, the latest strikes across the Middle East are reviving childhood traumas they thought were long buried.
One UAE resident, who asked not to be named due to security concerns, told CNN she visited Beirut just before Israel’s operations began and can’t sleep due to anxiety over the threat of a ground invasion.
“I lived through that in 1982, and I really can’t go through it again,” she says. “My childhood memories were not of playgrounds, but of hiding in bunkers through the deafening sound of explosions.”
The resident, who is still in Beirut, plans to return to her adopted home of Dubai, where she feels safer.
Rama, another UAE resident who grew up in Beirut under near-constant bombing and gunfire, says she never fully grasped the gravity of her war-torn childhood until the first blasts of this war rang out in Dubai two weeks ago.
“Something in my body reacted immediately. I started having palpitations, insomnia, and a deep fear of going outdoors,” she tells CNN. “For more than 25 years I lived abroad in peaceful places and thought I had moved on.”
“But when those sounds returned, so did the memories. It made me realize that the trauma had been bottled inside me all along,” she adds. “The emotions are hitting me with such a surprising force, even though I know I’m lucky to be well protected in the UAE.”
Rama says she’ll stay in Dubai for now. Quoting renowned Lebanese-American poet Khalil Gibran, she says: “Every land that honors you is your homeland.”
At least 12 medical workers killed in strike on Lebanon healthcare center, ministry says
An Israeli strike hit a healthcare center in a southern Lebanese town, killing at least 12 medical staff, Lebanon’s public health ministry said Saturday.
Doctors, paramedics and nurses were among the dead in the attack in the town of Bourj Qalaouiyeh, the ministry said.
One healthcare worker was wounded in the strike, the ministry said, adding that rescue work was ongoing to search for the missing.
The ministry said the strike followed an earlier attack on paramedics in the town of Al-Sawana, also in southern Lebanon.
The Israeli military told CNN it was “aware of reports of a strike” in the Bourj Qalaouiyeh area in southern Lebanon. “The incident is under review,” the military said.
The deaths came after the ministry of public health said in an update on Friday at least 773 people have been killed in Lebanon since Israel began strikes on the country. Among the dead are 103 children, according to the ministry.
This post has been updated with a statement from the Israeli military.
Death toll climbs as countries grapple with the Iran war's ripple effects. Catch up here
More than 3,000 people — including civilians and military personnel — have been killed in the Middle East since the war with Iran began two weeks ago, CNN estimates have found.
Here’s what else you should know:
- President Donald Trump claimed in a social media post that “other countries” will be sending warships “in conjunction” with the US to reopen the critical Strait of Hormuz. It remains unclear which countries he was referring to and whether any of them have agreed to send ships. Later in the post, Trump wrote a list of countries that will “hopefully” send vessels, including China, France and the UK.
- CNN has reached out to the White House for clarity on his Strait of Hormuz post. In the meantime, here’s some background on the vital waterway.
- We’ve been reporting today on soaring US gas prices, but the ripple effects of the Middle East conflict go far beyond costs at the pump. Food prices can increase due to higher shipping costs and the hindered transport of essential fertilizer ingredients. Airfare prices have also surged due to the increased price of jet fuel.
- Iran issued another warning to civilians in the United Arab Emirates, urging them to stay away from the country’s main ports. Iran has warned that it will retaliate across the region for a US attack on Kharg Island, its oil export hub.
- UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called on Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah to “stop the fighting” as the conflict between the two parties escalates.
CNN’s Mostafa Salem, Catherine Nicholls, Sophie Tanno, Billy Stockwell, Christina Macfarlane, Auzinea Bacon, Hana Ziady and Sana Noor Haq contributed reporting.
Iran threatens to attack US-linked oil and gas infrastructure if more of its sites are hit
Iran has warned it will target US-linked oil, energy and other infrastructure across the Middle East if more of its similar sites come under attack, state-affiliated media reported today.
Earlier Saturday Iran issued a warning to civilians in the United Arab Emirates, urging them to stay away from the country’s main ports.
Iran’s military said today it believes it has a “legitimate right” to target the UAE, specifically the “points of origin of the launching of American missiles in the shipping ports, docks and the military hideouts of America.”
On Saturday night, a security source told CNN that pro-Iran militias had attacked an oil refinery in Erbil, Iraq, with a drone. No casualties were reported.
This post has been updated to note the reports of an attack in Iraq.
What to know about the Strait of Hormuz, the vital waterway Iran is blocking
We’ve just brought you reporting on US President Donald Trump’s renewed calls for other countries to send warships to help the US reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran has repeatedly warned that vessels passing through the strait would be targeted amid the ongoing war in the region.
At least 16 vessels have been attacked in and around the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman since the conflict began February 28, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).
A narrow waterway that bypasses Iran and Oman, the Strait of Hormuz is the main route for shipping crude from oil-rich countries such as Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to the rest of the world.
Iran controls the strait’s northern side. About 20 million barrels of oil, or about one-fifth of daily global production, flow through the strait every day, according to the US Energy Information Administration, which calls the channel a “critical oil chokepoint.” According to the EIA, “very few alternative options exist to move oil out of the strait if it is closed.”
The strait also carries about one-fifth of global trade in liquefied natural gas.
Energy analysts have warned that oil and natural gas prices are likely to remain elevated until the strait is passable.
Major container shipping companies, including Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd, MSC and CMA CGM, are also diverting vessels away from the waterway and the region, according to logistics firm Freightos.
CNN’s Catherine Nicholls contributed to this report.
UN chief calls on Israel and Hezbollah to "stop the fighting"
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called on Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah to “stop the fighting” as the conflict between the two parties escalates.
During a visit to the Lebanese capital, Beirut, Guterres issued a plea to both sides: “Stop the fighting. Stop the bombing. There is no military solution.”
Israel has raised the prospect of a major ground operation into Lebanon, amid the mass displacement of Lebanese citizens. Guterres said the Lebanese people “did not choose this war,” but were “dragged into it.”
The UN chief joins other world leaders advocating for peace, including French President Emmanuel Macron who earlier today urged Israel to hold direct talks with Lebanon while calling on the Israeli military to “abandon any large-scale offensive and stop its massive strikes.”
Macron also called on Hezbollah to “immediately halt its reckless escalation.”
Iran issues fresh warning to UAE residents
Iran issued another warning to civilians in the United Arab Emirates, urging them to stay away from the country’s main ports — locations that have already been targeted in Tehran’s retaliatory strikes over the past two weeks.
A circular published by Iranian media outlets affiliated with the country’s security apparatus instructed residents of the UAE to evacuate areas around the ports of Jebel Ali in Dubai, Khalifa Port in Abu Dhabi, and Mina Al-Fujairah.
But it is possible Iran is attempting to sow panic among residents after having vowed revenge for US strikes on Kharg Island, a key oil hub.
Iranian missiles and drones have resulted in the deaths of six people and injuries to 141 others in the UAE, the majority of them civilians.
In addition to the ports, Iran has also targeted airports, hotels, high-rises, economic centers and oil facilities.
Key UAE oil hub disrupted as US Embassy in Baghdad hit by drones. What we know so far
Fire broke out at a key UAE oil hub at the port of Fujairah earlier today when debris from an intercepted drone fell, according to the Fujairah Media Office.
The incident came as Iran’s military warned it could target UAE ports and docks in retaliation for a US strike on the critical Iranian oil export hub of Kharg Island.
Meanwhile, the US Embassy was hit by two drones earlier today, a security official told CNN. If you’re just joining us, here’s the very latest:
- Oil facilities targeted: Earlier today, plumes of smoke rose from the port of Fujairah, which carries hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil every day, after a drone attack. Some oil-loading operations there were subsequently suspended, according to Bloomberg and Reuters.
- US Embassy struck: Two drones hit the US Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq earlier today, a security official told CNN. The extent of the damage isn’t yet known. Footage showed smoke and flames rising from a building within the vicinity of the embassy compound.
- Rising fuel prices: US gas prices climbed today to an average of $3.68 a gallon, a 23% increase since the war in Iran began and a reflection of soaring oil prices. Diesel prices averaged $4.85 a gallon this week, a dollar more expensive than they were before the war.
- Ramadan in Lebanon: Israeli strikes and mass evacuation orders have disrupted Muslim families observing the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, an aid worker said. “We are fasting during Ramadan while struggling to meet our basic needs,” a Palestinian mother added in testimony shared with CNN by an aid organization.
- Strikes in Israel: Two people, including a 12-year-old boy, were injured in Eliat, in southern Israel, after a series of Iranian missile launches.
- US tanker planes hit: President Donald Trump said five US tanker planes were hit at an airport in Saudi Arabia “a few days ago” but sustained minimal damage. Four are already back in service and the fifth will return to operation soon, Trump claimed.
CNN’s Mostafa Salem, Auzeina Bacon, Eugenia Yosef, Andrew Carey, Riane Lumer and Sana Noor Haq contributed reporting.
US Embassy in Baghdad struck by 2 drones, source says
The US Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, was hit by two drones today, a security official told CNN, though the extent of damage or any injuries is still unknown.
Video geolocated by CNN showed smoke and small flames rising from a building in the vicinity of the embassy compound.
CNN has reached out to the embassy, State Department, White House and US Central Command for more information.
The embassy posted on X later urging citizens to leave Iraq, enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, and have travel documents up to date and easily accessible.
This post has been updated with additional information.
Reported deaths in Middle East climb to more than 3,000 in two weeks
More than 3,000 people — including civilians and military personnel — have been killed in the Middle East since the war with Iran began two weeks ago, CNN estimates have found.
Most recently, at least 12 medical staff were killed after an Israeli strike hit a health care center in the southern Lebanese town of Bourj Qalaouiyeh, the country’s public health ministry said.
Here’s what we know about the deaths so far:
- Iran: More than 1,300 people have been killed in Iran since the start of the conflict, Iran’s ambassador to the UN said Tuesday. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported yesterday that 1,298 civilians — including 205 children — and 1,122 military personnel have been killed since the war began, a jump of nearly 1,000 military deaths since its report on Thursday. HRANA told CNN that this increase is due to the inclusion of deaths which are under review, as well as the incorporation of delayed fatality reports. The Iranian authorities have not updated their official tally in over a week.
- Lebanon: At least 826 people have been killed in Lebanon since Israel began strikes on the country, its ministry of public health said in an update today. Among the dead are 106 children.
- Israel: At least 15 Israelis have been killed since the conflict began. This includes nine who were killed in a direct missile hit on a residential building on the city of Beit Shemesh, and two Israeli soldiers who were killed in southern Lebanon on Sunday morning.
- US: A total of 13 US service members have been killed since the start of the conflict, including six who lost their lives when their refueling aircraft crashed in Iraq on Thursday. A further six US service members were killed in an Iranian strike that hit a makeshift operations center in Kuwait on Sunday.
- Iraq: At least 32 people have been killed in Iraq, the majority of them soldiers from the Popular Mobilization Force (PMF). The PMF said in a statement that at least 27 of their members had been killed as of Thursday. A French soldier was also killed in an attack on a military base in Iraqi Kurdistan on Thursday.
- Kuwait: At least six people have died in Kuwait. This includes an 11-year-old girl who died from injuries sustained when shrapnel fell on a residential area on March 4.
- UAE: The United Arab Emirates’ defense ministry said on Tuesday that a total of six people of Emirati, Pakistani, Nepalese, and Bangladeshi nationalities have been killed as a result of “attacks.”
- Bahrain: One person was killed after debris from an intercepted missile sparked a fire on a “foreign vessel” in Bahrain’s Salman Industrial City, Bahraini state media said last week. Separately, a 29-year-old Bahraini woman died after an Iranian strike on the capital Manama, according to Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior.
- Oman: An Indian national died after an unmanned boat attacked the oil tanker he was working on 52 nautical miles off the Omani coast, the Oman News Agency reported. Additionally, two foreign nationals were killed in a drone “crash” in Oman’s Sohar district, the country’s defense ministry said Friday.
- Saudi Arabia: Two people were killed after a military projectile struck a residential facility in the city of Al-Kharj on March 8, the Saudi Civil Defense said.
CNN’s Charbel Mallo, Helen Regan, Tal Shalev, Tamar Michaelis, Kaanita Iyer, Haley Britzky, Nechirvan Mando, Aqeel Najim, Lex Harvey, Jessie Yeung, Laura Sharman, Ibrahim Dahman and Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this reporting.
This post has been updated with additional reporting.
Hamas calls on key ally Iran to avoid targeting gulf nations in rare plea
The Palestinian militant group Hamas has called on Iran to “avoid targeting neighboring countries” in response to recent US-Israeli strikes, in a rare public sign of disagreement with its main backer and ally.
In a statement issued today, Hamas said it was following the US-Israeli war with Iran with “deep concern,” while reiterating its “strong condemnation of the American-Zionist aggression,” which it said threatened “peace and security in the region and the world.”
While reaffirming Iran’s right to respond to that aggression, Hamas said Iran should desist from strikes on its neighbors. And called on “all states of the region to cooperate in stopping this aggression and to preserve the bonds of brotherhood.”
Tehran has continued to strike targets in gulf countries in recent days, with UAE and Saudi Arabia both reporting interceptions over their territories earlier today, while Bahrain also urged residents to take shelter in the face of fresh Iranian launches.
Iran has been a key supporter of Hamas for decades, providing it with significant financial and technological assistance, seeing the Gaza-based group as an important part of its region-wide conflict with Israel.
Trump says US tanker planes hit in Saudi Arabia but took minimal damage
President Donald Trump said on Saturday that five US tanker planes were hit at an airport in Saudi Arabia, but sustained minimal or “virtually no” damage.
Four of the five tankers are back in service while a fifth suffered more damage but will also return to operating shortly, Trump claimed.
“The Base was hit a few days ago, but the planes were not “struck” or “destroyed.” Four of the five had virtually no damage, and are already back in service. One had slightly more damage, but will be in the air shortly. None were destroyed, or close to that,” the president posted to Truth Social.
CNN has reached out to CENTCOM for comment.
Two injured after Iranian strike in southern Israel
Two people were injured in Eilat, in the far south of Israel, after a series of Iranian missile launches on Saturday afternoon.
Among the wounded was a 12-year-old boy, who was being treated for shrapnel injuries, according to emergency responders from the country’s emergency service Magen David Adom (MDA). His condition was described as “moderate to severe, but stable.”
Video released by MDA showed an impact crater, about two meters in diameter, in the middle of a street in the city.
Elsewhere, people in Tel Aviv heard two large explosions after sirens sounded in the city for the first time in more than 12 hours. There were no immediate reports of impacts or injuries.
Sirens were also heard in Jerusalem and in the north of Israel.
Smoke seen at major UAE port as US targets critical Iranian oil export hub
Thick plumes of smoke were seen rising from the United Arab Emirates’ port of Fujairah earlier today, after debris from an intercepted drone fell on the major oil hub, according to the Fujairah Media Office.
Strikes have continued across the region so far this weekend. Here’s what we’ve been reporting on:
- Iran: US President Donald Trump said yesterday that his country “totally obliterated every military target” on Iran’s Kharg Island, a critical crude export hub.
- UAE: Iran had warned that it could target ports and docks in the UAE after the US’ strikes. Authorities in Dubai said debris from a “successful interception” struck a building in the city centre.
- Lebanon: In a statement in the early hours of this morning, Lebanon’s public health ministry said that at least 12 medical staff were killed after an Israeli strike hit a healthcare center in a southern Lebanese town.
- Iraq: Video geolocated by CNN today shows smoke and flames rising from a building in the vicinity of the US Embassy compound in Baghdad, Iraq.
- Saudi Arabia: The country’s defense ministry reported a wave of attempted aerial attacks since midnight. It intercepted 19 drones — including 16 in the eastern region — and one ballistic missile launched toward the central Al-Kharj area.
- Qatar: Armed forces intercepted a “missile attack” targeting the country, its ministry of defense said. A CNN team on the ground said they heard loud sounds from an interception operation. Qatar’s interior ministry said it was “evacuating a number of specified areas” as a precautionary measure “in the interest of public safety.”
CNN’s Mostafa Salem, Xiaoqian Lin, Laura Sharman, Charbel Mallo, Helen Regan and Isaac Yee contributed to this reporting.
A look at how oil prices have been impacted in the last two weeks
As we’ve just reported, US gas prices climbed to an average of $3.68 a gallon today, according to AAA.
Oil prices increased and have remained high since the US and Israel began strikes on Iran two weeks ago, with the cost of a barrel of Brent crude oil rising from $73.21 the day before the attacks to $101.18 as of market close yesterday evening.
President Donald Trump said yesterday that the US had “totally obliterated every military target” on Iran’s Kharg Island, a critical crude export hub. He also threatened to attack the island’s oil infrastructure if Iran continues blocking ships from traversing the Strait of Hormuz.
Take a look below at how oil prices have bounced around over the last two weeks:
Average US gas prices climb 23% since start of war in Iran
US gas prices climbed to an average of $3.68 a gallon on Saturday, according to AAA, a 23% increase since the war in Iran began on February 28.
On Friday, Brent futures jumped 2.67%, closing at $103.14 per barrel, while US crude oil gained 3.11% to close at $98.71 per barrel. Oil prices historically move a few days ahead of gas prices, meaning gas prices are expected to increase.
The rise in fuel prices has been triggered by Iran effectively cutting off oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway which 20% of the world’s crude oil passes through.
Diesel prices averaged $4.85 per gallon this week, up from $3.71 during the week leading up to the initial strikes on Iran, according to the Energy Information Administration. That jump in diesel prices could trigger higher shipping costs for companies like FedEx, which imposes a surcharge when diesel hits at least $3.55 a gallon.
Some context: The war in Iran can have a big impact on the US economy. US food prices can increase due to higher shipping costs and with essential fertilizer ingredients being impacted by transit through the Strait of Hormuz. Airfare prices have surged due to the increased price of jet fuel.
