Here's the latest
• War timeline: The US will not relent in its war with Iran until “the enemy is totally and decisively defeated,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said, adding this will be done on the US’ timeline. His remarks came after President Donald Trump made contradictory statements on when the war will end.
• Trump on new leader: Trump said he doesn’t believe Mojtaba Khamenei, whom Iran has tapped to succeed his father, the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as supreme leader, can “live in peace.”
• New strikes: Israel launched a “broad wave” of strikes in the Iranian capital of Tehran overnight into today. One resident told CNN of “constant shelling” while another said “it felt like one of the worst nights so far.”
• Oil crisis: The world’s top oil exporter has warned there could be “catastrophic consequences” for the world’s markets should the Iran war continue to disrupt access to the Strait of Hormuz.
Satellite provider restricts images of Iran war
Planet Labs, a leading commercial provider of real-time satellite imagery, announced on Monday that it would further restrict access to photos of the conflict with Iran.
The company, which has contracts with the US defense department and other American allies, said that imagery of Iran and surrounding states – including Persian Gulf states such as the UAE – would only become available to subscribers 14 days after it is captured. Images of Iran’s neighbors had already been restricted to release after four days.
Western satellite providers often restrict the release of imagery of conflict zones, including Ukraine and Gaza, to prevent adversaries from using it to monitor the battlefield.
“This measure is intended to prevent adversarial actors from using recent data for immediate Battle Damage Assessment,” Planet Labs said, “and is rooted in our commitment to ensuring the safety of allied and NATO-partner personnel and civilians on the ground.”
Satellite imagery has proven to be a critical tool for journalists covering the conflict.
Last week, CNN and others used satellite imagery from Planet Labs to determine that a deadly airstrike on an elementary school in southern Iran was conducted nearly simultaneously with strikes on an adjacent Revolutionary Guards base. The image was available to journalists just five days after the incident.
That determination, along with other evidence, led weapons experts to assert that the United States was almost certainly responsible. President Donald Trump has suggested, without evidence, that Iran used a US-manufactured Tomahawk missile to attack the school. The US Central Command has said it is investigating.
Planet Labs has extensive contracts with the US defense department, most recently winning a contract that could be worth up to $151 billion, according to a press release.
Oil could hit $150 a barrel despite Trump's reassurances, expert warns
The US-Israel war with Iran has triggered the biggest oil disruption in history, as the critical Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed, with some experts estimating oil could hit $150 per barrel by the end of March.
Amena Bakr, head of Middle East Energy and OPEC+ Insights at analytics firm Kpler, told CNN’s Becky Anderson, “If we see a continuation of the strait being obstructed like this … oil prices could easily climb up to that level.”
Although oil prices fell below $100 following President Donald Trump’s mixed signaling on when the conflict would end, Bakr advised caution as a number of Middle Eastern oil exporters have halted production due to security threats in the strait.
Bakr said the president’s recent reassurances that vessels passing through the strait would be assisted by US naval ships has done little to motivate the use of the key transportation route.
“We’re not seeing vessels become suddenly, overnight, a lot braver. And crossing the strait just because Trump told us that he’s pretty close to ending the conflict,” she added, “that hasn’t restored confidence in the market.”
More members of Iranian soccer team seek asylum as most of squad leaves Australia
Seven members of the Iranian women’s soccer team have remained in Australia, while the rest of the squad has now left the country for Iran, a source has told CNN Sports.
Earlier on Tuesday, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed five players had been granted humanitarian visas, amid fears over their safety should they return to Iran.
Now, a source close to the squad has told CNN Sports that another two members of the team – a player and a member of staff – have also sought asylum in Australia.
Meanwhile, the rest of the team is now believed to have left the country, heading back to Iran. It’s not yet clear which route they will take or when they will arrive.
For context: The Iranian women’s soccer team is in Australia after playing in the Women’s Asian Cup. There are fears the squad will face punishment back in Iran after staying silent during the national anthem last week.
What Hegseth and Caine said on the US' plans for the war with Iran
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine held a Pentagon briefing a short while ago, where they discussed the US’ ongoing war with Iran.
Catch up on what they said during the press conference, below:
- Iran’s leaders are “desperate and scrambling” as the war enters its second week, Hegseth said.
- The US will end its war with Iran “on our timeline” and will not relent until “the enemy is totally and decisively defeated,” he told reporters.
- Hegseth also warned Russia to not get involved in the war.
- Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei should “heed the words” of US President Donald Trump and “not pursue nuclear weapons,” Hegseth said.
- The strike that struck a primary school in Iran will be “thoroughly” investigated, the defense secretary said, adding the US has “attempted in every way possible to avoid civilian casualties.”
- Hegseth also said the American public voted against getting “dragged in” to seemingly endless military quagmires in the Middle East, but said the end of the current war with Iran is still being determined by Trump.
- The US military recently dropped “dozens of 2,000-pound” penetrating weapons on Iranian missile sites that are deeply buried underground, Caine told reporters.
- The US is “looking at a range of options” regarding the possibility of escorting vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for global oil shipments that’s been effectively shut down by the war, Caine said.
CNN’s Zachary Cohen contributed to this reporting.
Stocks are mixed as investors watch Washington and Tehran
US stocks opened little changed Tuesday as investors brace for another volatile day in markets.
The Dow fell 97 points, or 0.2%, and the S&P 500 edged lower by 0.1%, while the Nasdaq rose 0.2%.
It’s been a week of whiplash: US stocks closed higher Monday, clawing back earlier losses, after President Donald Trump told CBS the war with Iran is “very complete.” Oil prices, which earlier had smashed through $100 per barrel, swiftly tumbled on Trump’s comments.
US crude oil Tuesday morning traded at $89 per barrel, down 6% on the day. Brent crude, the international benchmark, traded just below $92 per barrel, down 7%.
Traders are keeping a close eye on comments from Washington and Tehran for clues on the potential length of the conflict. The president in the afternoon Monday struck a different tone than earlier in the day, telling House Republicans in Florida that “we haven’t won enough.”
While oil prices were lower, they pared some losses and fluctuated Tuesday morning. US crude oil is still up roughly 33% since the war with Iran began.
A report from Bloomberg News that a major oil refinery in the United Arab Emirates halted operations after a drone strike added to market jitters.
While US stocks were lower, markets in Europe and Asia were stronger after recent weakness. The STOXX Europe 600 was up 1.8%, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 gained 2.9%.
Death toll rises in the Middle East, as at least 1,245 reported killed in Iran
The number of reported deaths across the Middle East region is rising. Nearly 1,250 civilians have been killed in Iran since February 28, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).
In the last 18 hours, people have been reported killed in Iran, Iraq, Israel and Bahrain.
- Iran: At least 1,245 civilians have been killed in Iran since the US and Israel began attacking the country, HRANA said as of 4 p.m. ET yesterday. The total includes 194 children. Another 189 members of the military have also been killed during this time, HRANA said.
- Lebanon: At least 486 people have been killed in Lebanon since Israel began strikes on the country last week, the country’s health ministry said yesterday. Two Israeli soldiers were also killed in southern Lebanon early Sunday morning, according to the Israeli military.
- Iraq: 18 members of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces have been killed in strikes on the country, the Iran-backed militia has said. Another three Iranian Kurdish fighters and one security member of the Kurdistan Regional Government have also been killed in the conflict, the groups and KRG confirmed to CNN.
- Israel: At least 12 people have been killed by strikes in Israel since the war began, according to Israel’s emergency services Magen David Adom. Nine of these people were killed in a direct missile hit on a residential building on the city of Beit Shemesh, MDA said.
- Kuwait: At least 12 have been killed in Kuwait, including six US service members, two Kuwaiti service members, and two Kuwaiti security personnel, according to CENTCOM, Kuwait’s army and the country’s interior ministry.
- UAE: At least six people have died in the United Arab Emirates as a result of Iranian attacks, its defense ministry said today. Those killed were of Emirati, Pakistani, Nepalese and Bangladeshi nationality, it said.
- Saudi Arabia: Two people were killed after a military projectile struck a residential facility in the city of Al-Kharj, Saudi Civil Defense said. A US service member has also died from their injuries after an attack on US troops in Saudi Arabia on the second day of the war.
- 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 Monday. Separately, a 29-year-old Bahraini woman died after an Iranian strike on the country, according to Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior.
- Oman: An Indian national was killed after an unmanned boat attacked an oil tanker he was working on, 52 nautical miles off the Omani coast, the Oman News Agency reported.
CNN’s Charbel Mallo, Lauren Kent, Nechirvan Mando, Aqeel Najim, Haley Britzky, Ruba Alhenawi, Jessie Yeung, Sophie Tanno, Mostafa Salem, Abbas Al Lawati, Tal Shalev, Dana Karni, Oren Liebermann, Tamar Michaelis, Michelle Velez, Hanna Park, Rhea Mogul, Mohammed Tawfeeq, Piper Hudspeth Blackburn, Antoinette Radford, Eyad Kourdi and Ayushi Shah contributed to this reporting.
US targeting underground weapons storage in strikes, Joint Chiefs chairman says
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Dan Caine said the US military recently dropped “dozens of 2,000-pound” penetrating weapons on Iranian missile sites that are deeply buried underground, underscoring the Pentagon’s current focus on hitting targets located below the surface.
Caine and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth both reiterated that destroying Iran’s ability to launch and produce missiles is a top US military priority. Caine also made a point to note the US is targeting Iran’s military industrial base, including underground facilities.
While Caine said the US is making progress toward eliminating Iran’s missile capabilities, it remains unclear how the Pentagon plans to address another key threat: the country’s underground nuclear facilities, particularly those suspected of housing highly enriched uranium.
CNN previously reported that destroying Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium cannot be achieved through airpower alone, and the Trump administration has discussed possibly using ground forces to extract the material from its underground storage locations.
Multiple current and former officials told CNN such a mission would require a large ground force, beyond a small unit of US special forces.
Hegseth says US voted against getting "dragged" into wars, but leaves Iran timing to Trump
Americans’ disgust with the seemingly endless military quagmires in the Middle East over the past two decades prompted them to vote for a “different approach” by electing President Donald Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said at the Pentagon on Tuesday.
But he also said the end of the current war with Iran, which is on its 11th day and so far has cost seven American service members their lives, is still being determined by Trump.
“I understand those concerns, because I’ve heard from a lot of people who went through — I went through — 20 years of those wars myself, worried about getting dragged in, worried about mission creep, worried about nation building or democracy expansion, that’s never the perspective the president has pursued on this” he said.
“Just because previous presidents and previous secretaries have decided to just pour more resources and more people in toward some unguided end state doesn’t mean that the way the world needs to look today,” he added.
“In fact, the American people voted for a different approach. But what the president also stated from the beginning is Iran can’t have a nuclear weapon.”
Why the UAE is being targeted by Iran's retaliatory strikes
More than 1,700 missiles and drones have been fired toward the United Arab Emirates since the war began, according to the country’s defense ministry, with over 90% of them having been downed by interceptors, fighter jets and helicopters.
The UAE has been the target of more projectiles than any other country, seemingly even more than Israel. Several have landed on homes, offices and roads in densely populated urban areas, killing four people — all civilians.
Iran cites Abu Dhabi’s decades-long strategic alliance with Washington as a justification for the attacks. Designated a “major defense partner” by the US last year, the UAE has made clear who it trusts for its security.
“By striking the UAE, Iran is not only targeting a key US partner but also signaling that a country hosting millions of expatriates and serving as a major node in global finance, aviation, and trade cannot be insulated,” Sanam Vakil from think tank Chatham House told CNN.
Read more about why the UAE is being targeted by Iran.
Hegseth says US efforts to avoid civilian casualties aren't "appreciated enough"
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the strike that struck a primary school in Iran will be “thoroughly” investigated, adding the US has “attempted in every way possible to avoid civilian casualties.”
Videos have shown that the strike, which killed at least 168 children and 14 teachers, was caused by a US Tomahawk missile, and analyses have suggested the missile was launched by the US.
“No nation takes more precautions to ensure there’s never targeting of civilians than the United States of America, from the boat strikes in the Caribbean — where every single strike is assessed — to this campaign here,” the secretary said.
“And frankly, that’s a point that just isn’t appreciated enough,” he added.
He accused Iran, meanwhile, of targeting civilians “indiscriminately.”
“That’s how terrorist regimes fight. They target civilians, we do not, and I can tell you this: This administration, and this Pentagon, focuses on that very, very closely.”
Watch the latest CNN reporting on the school strike:
Fresh strikes hit Persian Gulf countries and one of the region's largest oil refineries
Fresh waves of strikes targeted the Persian Gulf overnight and into Tuesday, several countries reported, killing one person in Bahrain and causing a fire at one of the region’s largest oil refineries.
The UAE’s air defenses responded to incoming missiles and drones overnight and on Tuesday afternoon local time, its foreign ministry said. That second attack caused a fire at the Ruwais Industrial Complex, a major oil and gas production hub in Abu Dhabi, authorities said, adding that there were not yet any reports of injuries. The UAE consulate in Iraqi Kurdistan was also targeted by a strike which caused “material damage” but no reported injuries, the foreign ministry said.
In Bahrain, a 29-year-old woman was killed and eight others were injured after an Iranian strike hit a residential building in the capital Manama, the country’s interior ministry said in the early hours of Tuesday.
In Saudi Arabia, air defenses intercepted a ballistic missile and 17 drones overnight, according to the country’s defense ministry.
Kuwaiti forces said overnight its air defense systems were intercepting missile and drones, later adding that it shot down two ballistic missiles and a drone on Monday.
CNN staff in Qatar reported having alerts sent to their phones and hearing air defenses intercept incoming strikes overhead on Tuesday afternoon local time. The country’s defense ministry said it had intercepted a “missile attack” targeting its territory.
Israel carrying out targeted ground raids in southern Lebanon amid potential deeper push
The Israeli military is carrying out what it calls “targeted raids” into southern Lebanon amid a potential deeper ground push into the country.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Tuesday that an Israeli tank opened fire on a building near one of the raids after troops saw militants entering the structure.
On Saturday, the IDF announced the first commando raid into Lebanon. The operation in Nabi Chit, which the Lebanese health ministry said killed 41 people, was an attempt to locate the remains of long-missing Israeli navigator Ron Arad. The Lebanese military said the raid involved four helicopters accompanied by an “intense and widespread bombardment” of the area.
The IDF announced a second raid early Monday morning that was targeted at Hezbollah militants and infrastructure in southern Lebanon. “This activity is part of the effort to further strengthen forward defensive positions in order to provide an additional layer of protection for residents of northern Israel,” the IDF said.
On Monday, CNN reported that Israel was weighing a deeper push into southern Lebanon and an expansion of its military presence there. Israel has held five positions in southern Lebanon since the November 2024 ceasefire agreement. Last week, the IDF announced that it had seized several more positions, expanding its presence in response to the launch of Hezbollah projectiles on March 2.
US military "looking at options" for escorting ships through Strait of Hormuz, Caine says
The United States is “looking at a range of options” regarding the possibility of escorting vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for global oil shipments that’s been effectively shut down by the war, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine just said in a Pentagon briefing Tuesday.
US President Donald Trump said a week ago the US was prepared to provide naval escorts for shipping as well as insurance.
When asked about those preparations, Caine said that the US is “looking at a range of options there, and we’ll figure out how to solve problems as they come to us.”
“If tasked to escort, you know, we’ll look at the range of options to set the military conditions to be able to do that, and then, like we always do with every potential mission, come to the secretary and the president with both, what are the resources required, what is the command and control required, and what are the risks, and how do we mitigate those risks?” he told reporters.
The issue of protection for oil tankers gained urgency as oil prices surged past $100 a barrel earlier this week, before dropping down below that benchmark.
Iran's new leader should heed Trump's words and not pursue nuclear weapons, Hegseth says
At a Pentagon briefing on the war with Iran, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei should “heed the words” of US President Donald Trump and “not pursue nuclear weapons."
Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei should “heed the words” of US President Donald Trump and “not pursue nuclear weapons,” US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth just said at a Pentagon briefing.
“The new leader of Iran, he would be wise to heed the words of our president, which is to not pursue nuclear weapons and come out and state as such,” Hegseth said.
When asked about rumors that Khamenei might have been injured in strikes on Iran, Hegseth said that he could not comment.
US-Israeli intervention in Iran has "created a worse situation for Iranians," expert says
The US-Israeli war on Iran will worsen the repression endured by the Iranian people if it fails to eradicate the Islamic Republic, according to a Middle East expert.
“If it (the war) were to end this week it would mean that the Islamic Republic is still very much in power,” Holly Dagres, a senior fellow at The Washington Institute, told CNN’s John Berman a short while ago. “It would mean that they would declare victory.”
Despite the death of the former supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, the Islamic Republic of Iran is likely to consider its ability to survive the conflict a triumph, Dagres said. She emphasized that the elevation of the slain leader’s son Mojtaba Khamenei to the regime’s top position will empower its leadership.
“To them, the optics that they were able to fire all these drones and ballistic missiles around the region, that they were able to survive, this itself could be declared a victory,” the expert in Iranian and US policy explained.
Dagres said a significant security presence remains on Iran’s streets, with the forces of the Islamic Republic continuing to arrest civilians – conduct that has sparked “fear of a massive crackdown” among the anti-government population.
“I imagine the repression will be much, much worse after this war,” she predicted. “I would say that it has only created a worse situation for the Iranian people.”
Hegseth warns Russia to not get involved in Iran war
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned Russia to not get involved in the war with Iran.
His comment came after being questioned about the call that President Donald Trump held with Russia’s Vladimir Putin yesterday.
Hegseth described the conversation as a “strong call,” which he hoped reaffirmed “the opportunity for some peace” in Russia’s war with Ukraine.
He said the call also reaffirmed “a recognition that, as it pertains to this conflict, they should not be involved.”
Sources previously told CNN that Russia is aiding Iran’s war efforts by providing intelligence on US military targets.
Hegseth: Trump will decide duration of war, “he gets to control the throttle”
The US will not relent in its war with Iran until “the enemy is totally and decisively defeated,” US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said during a Pentagon briefing Tuesday, adding that President Donald Trump “gets to control the throttle” of the war and set his own timeline.
His comments come after US President Donald Trump said yesterday that the war is “very complete, pretty much.” Trump also said yesterday that “we’ve already won in many ways, but we haven’t won enough.”
“As President Trump declared yesterday, we’re crushing the enemy in an overwhelming display of technical skill and military force,” Hegseth said in today’s briefing.
He added the ultimate decision when the war ends will rest with Trump.
“He’s the one elected on behalf of the American people,” Hegseth said. He added: “And so it’s not for me to posit whether it’s the beginning, the middle or the end, that’s his and he’ll continue to communicate that.”
Hegseth says Iran's leaders are "desperate and scrambling"
Iran’s leaders are “desperate and scrambling” as the war enters its second week, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said during a Pentagon briefing on Tuesday.
“The mullahs are desperate and scrambling like the terrorist cowards they are,” Hegseth said.
He accused Iran of firing missiles from “schools” as the US comes under intense scrutiny for a strike at an Iran girls school that killed scores, many of them children during the initial salvo.
“They fire missiles from schools and hospitals deliberately, targeting innocents because they know their military is being systematically degraded and annihilated,” he added.
While US Central Command has said Iran is launching munitions from civilian areas, Hegseth cited no evidence of Iran firing missiles from schools specifically. A CNN analysis suggests the US was likely responsible for the missile strike that destroyed the elementary school.
Iran's new supreme leader is still nowhere to be seen
Nearly 48 hours since being appointed as the third supreme leader of the Islamic Republic in Iran’s history, Mojtaba Khamenei is nowhere to be seen.
No video message has been put out from him addressing the crowds of supporters that have gone onto the streets across Iran to pledge their allegiance to him, nor has a written statement been issued by him or his office. State media has relied on archive footage to introduce him to the audience, and state propaganda networks have heavily relied on AI video and stills to create an image of an all-wise leader who rightly inherits the mantle of leadership.
The main mural at Vali Asr Square in Tehran, long a canvas for the official state narrative, now shows a young Khamenei receiving an Iranian flag from his slain father as Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, founder of the Revolution, looks on approvingly. The message is deliberate: a seamless passing of the torch. What it conspicuously avoids is any reckoning with the central contradiction at its heart, a father-to-son succession in a system born from revolution against hereditary monarchy.
One clue in the new leader’s absence may come from state media reports that he too has been injured in what’s being dubbed the “Ramadan War.” Perhaps his reported injuries have prevented him from appearing on video, though that wouldn’t explain the lack of a written statement. Another factor could be the disappointment expressed by US President Donald Trump in Mojtaba Khamenei’s appointment following his father’s assassination. Asked Monday if the new supreme leader has a target on his back, Trump responded that he didn’t want to say.
But even as the leader remains hidden from sight, it seems the wider body politic is still functioning with little suggestion of a change in the war posture; more public statements of allegiance have emerged from across the spectrum, with the likes of reformist former President Mohammad Khatami releasing a statement on Tuesday. Perhaps the mere thought that the position no longer remains vacant is enough to keep the war momentum going.
Why Iran's chokehold on this crucial waterway is such a problem
The Strait of Hormuz is the world’s most important energy chokepoint. Just 39 kilometers (21 miles) at its narrowest point, the sea lane ordinarily carries about one-fifth of the crude oil produced around the world.
Nearly 15 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude production, plus another 4.5 million bpd of refined fuels, remain effectively stranded in the Gulf, according to analysts, amid persistent warnings from Iran that it will target any merchant shipping trying to transit the Strait.
Very few tankers have been able to exit the Gulf since the start of the conflict 11 days ago. But the effective closure of the Strait has locked in vast amounts of oil and natural gas, with storage tanks across the region filling up fast.
Asian markets receive most of the oil that transits Hormuz, with China taking nearly 40% and India about 15%.
Saudi Aramco’s CEO Amin Nasser said Tuesday that the conflict would have “catastrophic consequences” for the oil market the longer it continued and it was critical the Strait reopen.
US President Donald Trump said a week ago the US was prepared to provide naval escorts for shipping as well as insurance, but experts say this is not imminent. France and its allies are preparing a “defensive” mission to reopen the Strait, French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday.
There are a few options for re-routing crude, especially an east-west Saudi pipeline that has a capacity of up to 7 million barrels a day to Yanbu on the Red Sea. Nasser said that Aramco would be able to export about 5 million barrels a day of crude through Yanbu within days.
Another pipeline runs through the United Arab Emirates to Fujairah, in the Gulf of Oman.
But producers like Iraq and Kuwait have no alternative to shipping through Hormuz.
