Here's the latest
• US-Iran truce uncertain: President Donald Trump said he believes the Memorandum of Understanding with Iran “is over,” after the US and Iran exchanged strikes across the Middle East.
• Iran’s attacks: The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it launched strikes on US military targets across Bahrain and Kuwait in response to a wave of US strikes. And Iran’s military said it targeted an air base in Bahrain that hosts US forces.
• US “punishment”: The US had launched strikes and reimposed sanctions on Iranian oil sales as “punishment” for attacks on ships near the Strait of Hormuz, according to an American official. Oil prices surged after the strikes and sanctions.
• NATO summit: Meanwhile, as alliance leaders gathered in Turkey, NATO’s chief touted increased defense spending — a major focus for Trump. Denmark’s leader, meanwhile, reiterated that Greenland is “not for sale” after Trump again said the island “should be controlled by US” yesterday.
Trump says Memorandum of Understanding with Iran "is over"
President Donald Trump said Wednesday morning that he believes the Memorandum of Understanding with Iran “is over,” following a series of strikes across the region.
It was the clearest indication yet that Trump’s deal has all but collapsed. The US president’s latest comments followed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps saying it had launched strikes on US military targets across Bahrain and Kuwait in response to US strikes on Iran.
Trump castigated Iran as “evil, sick people” and said “they’re scum,” as his preliminary deal with Tehran appears to be teetering on collapse.
Speaking at the start of a NATO summit in Turkey, Trump called the country “dirty players” for targeting commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, violating a ceasefire.
Trump said he’ll let his negotiators “keep talking if they want,” but added that the US was wasting time talking with Iran, and voiced a desire to “do our business” instead of trying to pursue diplomacy.
This post has been updated with additional comments from Trump.
US paying "billions of dollars too much" for European security, Trump says
US President Donald Trump said he would convey his grievances about NATO to members of the alliance during a meeting later on Wednesday.
“I’m going to relay my problems,” Trump said, speaking alongside the NATO chief Mark Rutte as the summit got underway.
He listed Greenland and Iran as areas of concern, suggesting the US was paying “billions of dollars too much” to ensure Europe’s security.
It was an auspicious start to the gathering, which has European officials on edge for how Trump will translate his fury toward the alliance into changes in US military posture.
Meanwhile, NATO members have been keen to emphasize their increases in defense spending ahead of the summit. Earlier today, Rutte praised an increase in defense spending from other nations, saying that the $258 billion in extra spending by Canada and Europe in 2025 and 2026 was “staggering.”
Top UAE official accuses Iran of inability to meet de-escalation commitments
A top official from the United Arab Emirates criticized Iranian attacks on Gulf neighbors, saying they show Tehran’s inability to meet its de-escalation commitments.
“Iran’s attacks on Qatari and Saudi commercial tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and the repeated aggression against our sisterly states, Bahrain and Kuwait, are a clear sign that Tehran remains unable to commit to de-escalation and turning the page of the war,” Anwar Gargash, the UAE president’s adviser, said in a statement on X.
Iran launched missiles and drones at 85 US military targets across Bahrain and Kuwait earlier today in response to the latest wave of US strikes on Iran.
Gargash said Gulf Arab states cannot continue to be targeted as Iran wavers between escalation and restraint.
What to expect at NATO summit as US-Iran strikes resume
On day one of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, President Donald Trump said he would soon decide whether to sell F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, and put a spotlight back on Greenland after saying he’s still interested in US control over the territory. CNN’s Nic Robertson reports:
On day one of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, President Donald Trump said he would soon decide whether to sell F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, and put a spotlight back on Greenland after saying he's still interested in US control over the territory.
US responsible for escalation, Iran's foreign ministry says
The responsibility for the latest escalation in hostilities lies with the United States, Iran’s foreign ministry said in a new statement, which also accused Washington of “treaty-breaking.”
The US attacks on southern Iran, its decision to reimpose sanctions on Iranian oil, and the ongoing fighting in Lebanon have “rendered important and fundamental parts of the (agreement to end the war) ineffective,” the Iranian statement said.
The US said the strikes early Wednesday local time and sanctions were “punishment” for recent Iranian attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
In response, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps said it launched missiles and drones at 85 US military targets across Bahrain and Kuwait.
Ukraine fails to shoot down Russian ballistic missiles, as Zelensky pleads for Patriot interceptors
Ukraine’s air defenses failed to shoot down any of the Russian ballistic missiles fired at it overnight into Wednesday, its military said, as the country’s leader continues urging allies to supply Ukraine with Patriot interceptors.
The overnight attack included five ballistic missiles, two anti-radar missiles and 169 drone attacks, said the Ukrainian Air Force – but for the second time this week none of the ballistics were intercepted. Earlier this week, 19 people died in the capital Kyiv in a major Russian attack that involved ballistic missiles.
Ukraine has been struggling to fend off Russia’s deadly mass aerial attacks due to Kyiv’s acute shortage of patriot missiles – something Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been highlighting in the lead to today’s NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Wednesday that the bloc will likely emerge from the summit with more “multi-year” commitments to supporting Ukraine, which remains “extremely important,” he said.
Sirens again sound in Bahrain as Iranian state media warns of new attack
Sirens are sounding again in Bahrain, the third time in recent hours. The country’s interior ministry again asked residents to head to the nearest safe place. It’s currently 9:30 a.m. local time in Bahrain.
The warning comes as Iranian state media IRIB said a new wave of missiles was headed toward the Gulf state. Earlier, the IRGC and the Iranian army both said they targeted US military sites in Bahrain. There have been no verified reports of damage so far.
Trump conferred with his advisers in Turkey before ordering strikes on Iran
President Donald Trump spent part of his time in Turkey on Tuesday conferring with top advisers about a response to Iran’s targeting of commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, according to people familiar with the discussions.
Ahead of a leaders dinner hosted by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Trump huddled with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine to formulate a response, including the US strikes on Iranian targets.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is also in Turkey, and conferred with Trump on reversing a sanctions waiver that allowed Iran to sell oil.
Trump has been frustrated at Iran’s violations of the Memorandum of Understanding, which he signed exactly three weeks ago. Iran has also accused the US of repeatedly breaching the agreement.
At the dinner, amid courses of Turkish specialties like “pide” flatbread and “manti” dumplings, Trump held a private conversation with NATO chief Mark Rutte.
The next morning, Rutte said the military action was “absolutely necessary” as he entered the high-stakes NATO summit.
"Greenland belongs to the people of Greenland," Iceland prime minister says
Iceland’s Prime Minister Kristrún Mjöll Frostadóttir said the people of Greenland “do not wish to be part of the United States.”
Her comments to media ahead of the main events at the NATO summit in the Turkish capital Ankara came after President Donald Trump again said he wanted to take control of the territory.
Frostadóttir said Trump’s comments on Tuesday were not surprising as they had been an “underlying theme” from the US president.
“We have been very clear on this… Greenland belongs to the people of Greenland,” she said.
Correction: An earlier version of this post included the wrong day.
Danish leader vows to defend "every inch" of NATO, including its own territory, after Trump Greenland threat
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Greenland is “not for sale” and Denmark was ready to defend the territory.
Her comments came after President Donald Trump reiterated that he would like the US to control Greenland, arguing the territory is strategically vital to American security.
“The US position is unfortunately very clear on this topic, and our position is as clear as it has been all through,” Frederiksen said ahead of the NATO summit.
The Danish leader referenced the core NATO principle of Article Five – which means an attack on one member state is an attack on all. “If anything happens to one of us, then everybody should stand up for each other,” she said.
“We are ready to defend every inch of NATO, including our own territory.”
A "shift in burden" away from the US "is happening," Carney says
Arriving at the NATO summit in Ankara on Wednesday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said that the defense burden was shifting away from the United States.
“It’s happening and that momentum is picking up,” Carney said, adding that US President Donald Trump wanted to see that shift.
Carney said the latest US strikes on Iran were an “appropriate” response, saying the Islamic Republic had been “acting irresponsibly.”
NATO chief hails "staggering" $258 billion rise in European, Canadian defense spending
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has praised an increase in defense spending from European and Canadian allies.
US President Donald Trump has long accused NATO’s European allies of not spending enough on defense, something they have been keen to push back on.
Ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara, Rutte said that $258 billion in extra spending by Canada and Europe in 2025 and 2026 was “staggering.”
“When you look at the defense industry - on both sides of the Atlantic - we are talking about almost 200,000 jobs in the US supported by European and Canadian investments,” Rutte said. Job creation in Europe and Canada had also come directly as a result of investments in the defense industry, he said.
While last year’s NATO summit at the Hague, the Netherlands was about “planning” and “targeting,” Rutte said that this year’s summit “is about implementation, getting it done.”
Iran's military says it launched drones at Bahrain air base
Iran’s army said it launched a drone attack on Bahrain’s Isa Air base, which hosts US forces, early Wednesday following the latest wave of US strikes on Iran, semi-official Fars news agency reported.
“All US bases in the region will be legitimate targets for army drones,” the army’s public relations office said, according to Fars.
Earlier, Bahrain’s interior ministry said sirens were sounding in the country.
The reported drone attack by Iran’s army comes after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it launched missiles and drones at 85 US military targets across Bahrain and Kuwait.
The IRGC operates separately from the rest of the Iranian armed forces and has its own army, navy, air force, intelligence and special forces branches. Its role is to preserve the Islamic republic, and it reports directly to the supreme leader.
NATO Secretary General backs latest US strikes on Iran
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has backed the latest US strikes on Iran, telling reporters ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara on Wednesday that the military action was “absolutely necessary.”
Rutte said Iran’s nuclear program will be on the agenda at today’s main NATO session. “I expect allies today to reconfirm that Iran should never ever get its hands on a nuclear capability,” Rutte said.
Freedom of navigation will also be discussed as “the Strait of Hormuz completely opening up again is crucial for all 32 allies,” he added.
Oil prices jump following fresh US strikes on Iran and reimposition of sanctions
Oil prices surged after the US launched fresh strikes against Iran in retaliation for its attacks on commercial ships near the Strait of Hormuz and reimposed sanctions on its oil exports.
Brent crude futures, the global benchmark, jumped 5.8% to $76.2 per barrel at 1:00 am ET. WTI crude, the US benchmark, rose 2.75% to $72.38 per barrel.
The renewed tensions underscore the fragile nature of the preliminary framework agreement reached by the two countries, which have seen hostilities flare up repeatedly over the past few weeks.
In response to the fresh US strikes, Iran accused the US of violating their memorandum of understanding, while vowing to deliver a “crushing response.”
What we're watching at the NATO summit today
Highlights from the first day of the NATO summit included President Donald Trump saying he would soon decide whether to sell F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, and reiterating that he would like his country to control Greenland.
Trump also called Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni a “nice person” despite suggesting over the weekend that he needed a restraining order for her.
Here’s what we’ll be watching today as the main session kicks off:
“Ironclad commitment”: NATO leaders, including Trump, are expected to reaffirm their commitment to collective defense at the summit. European leaders have been keen to show they are committed to defense spending and shifting dependence for Europe’s security away from the US after Trump repeatedly criticized the alliance and called on allies to “step up.” Trump had considered skipping the summit altogether.
Defense spending: Last year, NATO heads of state committed that their governments would spend 5% of GDP on defense and security activities by 2035. The boost, NATO members agreed, was necessary because of the persistent threat to NATO from Russia and global terrorism. But several members are struggling to meet even the current 2% targets and have warned that they may not be able – or willing – to raise spending. This is likely to be a major sticking point given Trump’s focus on spending.
Yesterday, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said member countries were signing defense deals worth “literally billions of dollars” at the summit.
US forces withdrawal from Europe: Trump has previously threatened to withdraw some US forces from Europe, and the Pentagon has already canceled two deployments to Europe and ordered the removal of other personnel from the continent. Yesterday, Trump declined to say whether he plans to announce additional US troop reductions. Rutte, meanwhile, said Europe is a stronger partner to the US than it was five years ago.
Ukraine war: Trump yesterday expressed optimism over prospects for a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, despite saying that nothing has changed regarding the conflict. Russia’s war will be a focal point of today’s agenda. Ukraine has been struggling to fend off Russia’s deadly mass aerial attacks due to Kyiv’s acute shortage of patriot missiles, and Zelensky has renewed his plea for allies to supply Ukraine with those missiles.
Iran war: The fresh exchange of strikes between the US and Iran is likely to be a major point of discussion today, with security in the Strait of Hormuz already expected to be on the agenda. Trump has repeatedly criticized NATO countries over their refusal to get dragged into the US-Israeli war with Iran. He has previously personally scolded several European leaders attending the summit, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz and his one-time ally Meloni.
CNN’s Kevin Liptak, Alejandra Jaramillo and Aileen Graef contributed reporting.
US strikes in Iran come as NATO allies try to keep Trump on side
NATO leaders gathering in the Turkish capital on Wednesday were supposed to be discussing defense spending and continued support to Ukraine, but US President Donald Trump’s decision to launch new strikes on Iran overnight will likely overshadow proceedings.
Iran vowed a “crushing response” to the US strikes on Iranian targets –– that were prompted by Iranian attacks on commercial vessels –– and quickly fired drones and missiles at Gulf neighbors Bahrain and Kuwait, which both host US military bases.
The exchange of fire poses the biggest threat yet to the fragile ceasefire between the two countries, renewed with a memorandum signed last month.
It’s not the first time the two sides have traded strikes since the memorandum of understanding was signed, but the US move to also reimpose sanctions on Iranian oil sales is an escalation that will likely complicate the next round of negotiations toward a long-term peace deal.
The US strikes were launched shortly after Trump left a dinner hosted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and attended by the NATO leaders, who have been trying to smooth relations with the US leader and prove that Europe is a strong partner to the US.
NATO allies on Tuesday were keen to showcase progress on increasing defense spending and shifting dependence away from the United States. Trump, who considered skipping the annual meeting altogether, has renewed his criticism of NATO and what he sees as a lack of support among allies for his war in Iran.
The strikes also come amid ongoing questions about the future of the US military presence in Europe, with Trump hinting at further US troop reductions. The fear among some allies is that Trump, angry that members of the alliance failed to join him in the war against Iran, will use the conference to announce major shifts in US support for the 77-year-old alliance.
CNN’s Kevin Liptak and Ivana Kottasová contributed reporting.
Iran is retaliating to US strikes. Here's where things stand
As President Donald Trump meets with world leaders at the NATO summit in Turkey, America and Iran are trading strikes in the biggest test yet of their ceasefire, with the US also reimposing sanctions on Iranian oil sales.
The US strikes, in retaliation for attacks on commercial ships near the Strait of Hormuz, were met with a warning from Iran that it would deliver a “crushing response.”
A short time later, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it launched missiles and drones at 85 targets at US military sites across Bahrain and Kuwait.
In the background, some regional allies are in communication with the US and Iran to try to prevent further escalation of hostilities and preserve the ceasefire, a regional source told CNN.
Here’s what you need to know:
- Kuwait’s military said it responded to “hostile missile and drone threats.” Iran has previously targeted US military sites in Kuwait, including the Ali Al Salem air base, Camp Arifjan and Camp Buehring.
- Sirens have sounded in Bahrain, the country’s Ministry of Interior said, urging citizens to “remain calm and head to the nearest safe place.” Bahrain is the headquarters for the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, charged with patrolling the Persian Gulf, Red Sea, and Arabian Sea.
- As the US launched fresh strikes against Iran as “punishment,” according to an American official, explosions were reported on Iran’s Kharg island, a vital hub for Tehran’s oil exports, according to Iranian state media. The US military said it hit more than 80 military targets.
- Iran’s top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf accused the US of violating their memorandum of understanding.
- Iran also condemned the re-imposition of US oil sanctions on Tehran, calling it a “clear violation” of the Memorandum of Understanding reached between the two countries last month.
- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is traveling back to Tehran from Iraq, according to state broadcaster IRIB, where he had traveled for the multi-day funeral of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
- US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is planning to make his first visit to Israel on Wednesday, according to three sources. It was not immediately clear if those plans would be impacted by the strikes.
CNN’s Aditi Sangal, Zachary Cohen, Jennifer Hansler, Jessie Yeung, Piper Hudspeth Blackburn, Lex Harvey, Hira Humayun, Tal Shalev, Kristen Holmes and Eyad Kourdi contributed reporting.
Why selling F-35 fighter jets to Turkey is controversial
US President Donald Trump said he’s considering selling F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, a move opposed by Israel and one that would reverse a ban ratified in law during his first term.
Here’s why such a sale would be controversial:
• In 2019, Turkey – a NATO ally – purchased a Russian missile defense system designed to shoot down an F-35.
• The S-400, considered Russia’s closest answer to the US’s Patriot air defense system, is billed as being able to shoot down aircraft at a distance of up to 150 miles (240 km) and intercept ballistic missiles up to 38 miles away.
• The US responded to the 2019 purchase by slapping sanctions on Turkey and suspending the country from the F-35 combat jet program, due to concerns that its stealth jet could be compromised by the S-400’s advanced radar.
US defense officials also said there were major concerns that the S-400 could gather technical data on the F-35’s capabilities and that critical information could be passed to Moscow. Ankara said concerns that the S-400 would create weaknesses in NATO defenses were unfounded.
At the time, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin were deepening ties. The relationship between Ankara and Washington, meanwhile, had long been at odds.
He also said he would lift sanctions on Turkey. But how, exactly, Trump plans to get around the congressional ban on the fighter jet sales remained unclear.
CNN’s Kevin Liptak and Tim Lister contributed reporting.
Can the ceasefire between the US and Iran survive a new round of strikes?
Americans might wonder why the military is again bombing Iran.
After all, President Donald Trump last month described his deal to end the war as an “unconditional surrender” by the Islamic Republic.
But the US on Tuesday launched what an official called “punishment” strikes against Iranian targets that were “not proportional” in response to a series of attacks on shipping close to the Strait of Hormuz. The US also reimposed oil sanctions because of what it described as an Iranian violation of the Memorandum of Understanding.
The new strikes raised immediate questions over whether the fragile ceasefire with Iran can survive its most serious threat since Trump signed it during a victory lap in France last month.
If Iran is still threatening shipping in the vital oil transit point, and the US is attacking its ports again, how can Trump honestly say the war is over?
The escalation comes at a sensitive moment.
Iran is holding funeral observances for Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who died early in the war. Its latest maneuver comes across as a bid to rebuke Trump while he’s attending the NATO summit in Turkey — which neighbors Iran — and to flex leverage that it believes it acquired during the war.
The latest US action won’t improve the atmosphere in Ankara as Trump berates alliance members for failing to join military action they opposed, seeing it as illegal and unrelated to the Western alliance’s defensive remit.
But he’s also been desperate to end a war that inflicted a heavy political price and that he warned could cause another Great Depression.
Trump is learning again that starting a war with Iran was easy. Ending it will be exceedingly hard.
