Here's the latest
• Oil targets: The head of Iraq’s ports company said that 38 crew members of two foreign oil tankers were rescued after an Iranian attack set them ablaze in Iraq’s territorial waters. Separately, a video geolocated by CNN appeared to show an Iranian drone hitting a fuel tank in an Omani port.
• Attacks near strait: Three vessels were hit by projectiles near the Strait of Hormuz, according to the UK’s maritime agency. The waterway is an energy transit route carrying roughly one-fifth of global crude oil shipments.
• Speech in Kentucky: US President Donald Trump told supporters at a rally Wednesday that “we won” the war with Iran, without offering any evidence. He also touted an international agreement to release stockpiled oil reserves.
• School bombing: The US military accidentally struck an Iranian elementary school on February 28 likely due to outdated information about a nearby naval base, according to two sources.
Iraq calls for restraint after Iran's targeting of oil tankers in its territorial waters
Iraq’s Ministry of Oil said the targeting of oil tankers in the Persian Gulf represents “a worrying indicator of escalating tensions” and has called for the protection of vital maritime routes.
The ministry’s statement comes after two foreign oil tankers were attacked by Iranian drones in Iraq’s territorial waters. At least one person died and 38 others were rescued.
1 dead and 38 rescued from oil tankers ablaze in Gulf as Iran claims responsibility
The head of Iraq’s ports company told CNN on Thursday that it had rescued 38 crew members of two foreign oil tankers left ablaze in the Persian Gulf after coming under attack in Iraq’s territorial waters – but at least one person has died.
Farhan al-Fartousi, the director general of the Iraqi Ports Company, told CNN that the rescued crew were all of foreign nationalities but did not provide details on injuries or damage to the ships.
Earlier, an Iraqi security source in Basra told CNN that an Iranian boat rigged with explosives is thought to have hit the two vessels and an investigation is ongoing.
Oil ports have stopped operations following the attack, al-Fartousi said.
The attack occurred within Iraqi territorial waters, according to the head of media at Iraq’s joint operation command, Lieutenant General Saad Maan. He called the attack a violation of Iraqi sovereignty and said the country reserves the right to take legal action.
Footage verified by CNN shows the two tankers ablaze, with flames spreading into the surrounding water – likely the result of an oil spill. Vessel tracking data indicates that they were anchored alongside each other when the fire began.
The ships on fire are the Maltese-flagged Zefyros and the Marshallese-flagged Safesea Vishnu.
The registered owner of the Safesea Vishnu is US-based company Safesea Transport Inc. while the Zefyros’ owner is based in Greece.
CNN has reached out to Safesea Transport Inc. for comment.
Iraq’s oil marketing company SOMO said the ships were attacked “while present in the sideloading area within Iraqi territorial waters.” The Zefyros was preparing to enter the Khor Al-Zubair port and was carrying condensate for the Basra Gas Company, SOMO said.
This post has been updated to include a statement from SOMO.
Bahrain says Iranian attacks targeted fuel tanks in northern governorate
Bahrain said that Iranian attacks targeted fuel tanks at a facility in the kingdom’s northern governorate early Thursday local time.
Iranian officials warn protesters against speaking out about the regime
Over the past few days, Iranian officials have issued warnings to protesters against speaking out about the regime.
Learn more here:
Iran’s government is warning dissidents and protestors against speaking out against the regime. CNN's Jomana Karadsheh reports on the chilling threats against the country's citizens and Iranians in the diaspora.
Trump: Government probing unverified claim of possible Iran revenge plot on California
President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the government is investigating an unverified claim of a possible Iran revenge plot involving drones targeting California from a boat offshore.
“It’s being investigated,” the president said, when asked about an FBI memo warning of Iran’s possible desire to carry out such an attack. “But you have a lot of things happening, and all we could do is take them as they come.”
Pressed on if he has been briefed on the potential number of Iranian sleeper cells located with the United States, the president told reporters, “I have been.”
Earlier Wednesday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom confirmed that federal authorities had alerted officials in his state of unverified claims by Iranian-affiliated actors desiring to conduct potential drone attacks. He said later that there was no “imminent threat.”
The FBI memo sent to local law enforcement and officials in California contained unvetted and unverified information for their awareness, according to several officials who had seen it.
“We recently acquired information that as of early February 2026, Iran allegedly aspired to conduct a surprise attack using unmanned aerial vehicles from an unidentified vessel off the coast of the United States Homeland,” part of the memo reads, “specifically against unspecified targets in California, in the event that the US conducted strikes against Iran.”
CNN’S Holmes Lybrand and Josh Campbell contributed to this report.
Trump again claims victory in Iran: “It’s just a question of when, when do we stop?”
President Donald Trump again claimed victory in Iran tonight, telling reporters traveling with him back to Washington, DC, “It’s just a question of when, when do we stop?”
Speaking in Kentucky earlier Wednesday, Trump told supporters, “We won. We won, in the first hour it was over, but we won,” in Iran, without providing substantial evidence. But his administration has offered inconsistent messaging on the timeline for US operations in the country.
The president did not respond to questions from reporters on whether he still believes the war will wind down after four weeks.
US will release 172 million barrels of oil from reserve, Energy Department says
President Donald Trump has authorized the United States to release 172 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve beginning next week, the Energy Department said in a statement Wednesday,.
The move to release resources from the SPR represents a reversal from the first days of the war, when officials dismissed the prospect of tapping the reserve as unlikely and largely unnecessary.
Trump had previously criticized former President Joe Biden for leaning on the SPR to manage oil prices in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, accusing him of using it to advance his political aims.
Oil prices have climbed 38 cents in just the last week, and 64 cents in the last month, in reaction to the war and the virtual closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial channel through which 20% of the world’s oil normally passes, as well as retaliatory attacks by Iran on the oil facilities of its oil-rich neighbors.
CNN’s David Goldman talks to Wolf Blitzer about the impact on oil prices.
Drone falls on building around Dubai Creek Harbour
A drone fell on a building in the vicinity of the Dubai Creek Harbour, causing a minor fire, the city’s media office said.
Authorities evacuated people from the building as a precaution before putting out the flames.
No injuries have been reported so far.
Iran says it carried out joint attack with Hezbollah on more than 50 targets in Israel
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it carried out a joint operation with Lebanon’s Hezbollah that involved five hours of sustained fire and struck more than 50 targets across Israel.
The IRGC said it fired a mix of ballistic missiles, while Hezbollah launched what it described as large-scale attack drones and rockets.
The statement said the strikes hit targets “across the occupied territories,” describing the operation as a coordinated, integrated assault that inflicted “painful blows” on Israeli military bases from Haifa in the north to Tel Aviv in central Israel and Beersheba in the south.
The Israeli military said earlier today that Iran and Hezbollah had carried out a “coordinated missile attack,” targeting central Israel.
Israel later carried out a “wide-scale” wave of strikes targeting Hezbollah infrastructure across Lebanon, including intelligence headquarters and command centers in Beirut’s south, its military said. It also claimed to have dismantled dozens of launchers and “neutralized” dozens of operatives.
What an investigation into US strike on Iranian elementary school has revealed so far
The US military accidentally struck an Iranian elementary school likely due to outdated information about a nearby naval base, according to sources. The attack killed at least 168 children and 14 teachers, Iran’s state media reported.
CNN’s Natasha Bertrand explains what the investigation into the incident has found so far:
The US military accidentally struck an Iranian elementary school, in an attack that state media said killed at least 168 children and 14 teachers, likely due to outdated information about a nearby naval base, according to two sources briefed on the preliminary findings of an ongoing military investigation. In response to a request for comment, a Defense Intelligence Agency spokesperson said, “The incident is under investigation; we defer to the Pentagon for further comment.” A spokesperson for US Central Command also declined to comment on the preliminary findings, citing the ongoing investigation.
Trump says "we won" Iran war while Pentagon puts price tag on operation. Here's the latest
US President Donald Trump told supporters at a rally in Kentucky today that “we won” the war with Iran, without offering any evidence, while he touted an international agreement to release stockpiled oil reserves.
Oil prices have climbed 38 cents in just the last week, and 64 cents in the last month, in reaction to the war and the virtual closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial channel through which 20% of the world’s oil normally passes, as well as retaliatory attacks by Iran on the oil facilities of its oil-rich neighbors.
Here’s are more updates from today:
Oman fire: Emergency crews are battling a fire at the fuel storage tanks of the Port of Salalah, according to the Oman News Agency. A social media video geolocated by CNN appeared to show an Iranian Shahed drone hitting a tank at the port.
Israel announces more strikes: Israel said it began a “large-scale wave of strikes” on Beirut’s suburbs after Hezbollah launched what the Israeli military said were “more than 100” rockets.
Cost over 6 days: The Pentagon told US lawmakers in a private briefing Tuesday that preliminary estimates suggest the war cost at least $11 billion in the first six days.
UN council condemns Iran attacks: The UN Security Council adopted a Bahrain-led resolution that demanded Iran immediately stop its attacks on Gulf countries.
US reduces Mideast evacuations: The US State Department announced it will scale down its charter flight options due to a lack of demand.
Warning in Iraq: The US Embassy in Baghdad warned that Iran and its armed proxies in Iraq may be planning attacks on “US-owned oil and energy infrastructure.”
Rare GOP criticism: Sen. Lisa Murkowski slammed Trump’s handling of the war, demanding public hearings and saying that mixed messaging from the administration is leading to confusion.
Iran dominates strait: Iran’s oil producers are loading more crude onto tankers in the Strait of Hormuz than before the war started while the rest of the world’s oil has been stuck on tankers in the Persian Gulf for more than a week.
CNN’s Samantha Waldenberg, Adam Cancryn, Max Saltman, Dana Karni, Mohammed Tawfeeq, Michael Rios, Zahra Ullah, Jennifer Hansler, Alison Main, Manu Raju, Jack Clifton and David Goldman contributed to this report.
California governor addresses FBI memo to local law enforcement over Iran threat
Federal authorities have alerted California state officials of unverified claims by Iranian-affiliated actors desiring to conduct potential drone attacks, Gov. Gavin Newsom confirmed in a press conference Wednesday, adding later that there is no “imminent threat.”
The FBI memo sent to local law enforcement and officials in California contained unvetted and unverified information for their awareness, according to several officials who had seen it.
“We recently acquired information that as of early February 2026, Iran allegedly aspired to conduct a surprise attack using unmanned aerial vehicles from an unidentified vessel off the coast of the United States Homeland,” part of the memo reads, “specifically against unspecified targets in California, in the event that the US conducted strikes against Iran.”
Federal investigators often share information of questioned credibility with local law enforcement partners out of an abundance of caution.
One law enforcement source said federal and state security officials have deemed the information to be “aspirational” in nature and do not currently believe there is an imminent threat.
The US intelligence community routinely collects intelligence on adversaries signaling their desire to cause harm, one law enforcement official source said, but mere claims do not mean adversaries are capable of carrying out an attack.
These types of reports are shared with local law enforcement “daily,” the source said.
Newsom said Wednesday that “drone issues have been top of mind and we’ve assembled some work groups specifically around those concerns.”
Newsom posted on social media that he is “in constant coordination with security and intelligence officials” over potential threats to California, “including those tied to the conflict in the Middle East.”
“While we are not aware of any imminent threats at this time, we remain prepared for any emergency in our state,” Newsom wrote.
Pentagon tells Congress the Iran war cost at least $11B in first six days
Sen. Chris Coons, the top Democrat on the subcommittee that deals with defense appropriations, indicated on Wednesday that the war in Iran cost at least $11 billion in the first six days, according to early estimates.
“I think it’s roughly accurate,” he told reporters, responding to a report that listed the cost estimate as $11.3 billion.
Prior to those comments, CNN reported that the Pentagon told US lawmakers in a private briefing Tuesday that preliminary estimates suggest the war with Iran cost at least $11 billion in the first six days, according to two sources familiar with the conversation.
CNN previously reported that the US military used more than $5 billion worth of munitions in the first two days of the conflict.
Top Russian envoy travels to US for talks with Trump officials
US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff met with Kirill Dmitriev, the head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund and a top Kremlin envoy, in Florida on Wednesday.
Also at the meeting were US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and White House Senior Adviser Josh Gruenbaum.
“The teams discussed a variety of topics and agreed to stay in touch,” Witkoff said.
A source earlier told CNN that Dmitriev’s meetings were focused on Russia-US economic cooperation.
CNN’s Samantha Waldenberg contributed.
Fuel tanks on fire at Omani port
Emergency crews in Oman have been working to contain a fire at the fuel storage tanks of the Port of Salalah, according to the Oman News Agency.
Earlier, a social media video geolocated by CNN appeared to show an Iranian Shahed drone hitting a tank at the port, causing a fiery explosion.
Efforts to extinguish the fire “may take some time,” the Omani Civil Defence and Ambulance Authority said.
A spokesperson for Iran’s central command center for the war described Oman as a friendly country and called the incident “highly suspicious,” according to Iranian state media. He said Iran is investigating.
Omani Sultan Haitham bin Tariq spoke with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday and expressed Oman’s “disapproval and unequivocal condemnation” of strikes in the country, the foreign ministry said. At the same time, he reaffirmed Oman’s position of neutrality in the regional conflict.
CNN’s Avery Schmitz and Max Saltman contributed to this report.
Why Joe Rogan says some Trump supporters feel "betrayed" over Iran war
Popular podcast host Joe Rogan said President Donald Trump’s supporters feel “betrayed” after the president’s decision to go to war with Iran.
Hear what he said:
Popular podcast host Joe Rogan said President Donald Trump’s supporters feel “betrayed” after the president's decision to go to war with Iran.
G7 considers escorting ships as Iran war disrupts supply chains
Representatives of the G7 – Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK, US, plus the EU – met via video conference on Wednesday to discuss the economic fallout of the war in the Middle East.
The group is exploring “the possibility of ship escorts when security conditions allow” as the war with Iran disrupts supply chains and endangers shipping, according to the meeting’s press release. Any effort will be “accompanied by discussions with shipping companies, carriers, and insurers.”
Iran has effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping lane for the world’s energy supply, including by laying mines, according to two people familiar with US intelligence.
The G7 will try to coordinate between themselves and Gulf states regarding the economic fallout of the war, including effects on farmer and food security, the release added.
“This situation also highlights the importance of pursuing an agenda of energy independence and electrification, in order to reduce our dependence on geopolitical upheavals,” the press release concluded.
A look at expanded strike sites across Middle East since the war with Iran began
Since the US-Israel strikes on Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory strikes, the conflict has expanded across the Middle East. Here’s a look at all the locations impacted.
Murkowski slams "confusion" caused by Trump's handling of Iran war
Sen. Lisa Murkowski on Wednesday offered rare GOP criticism of President Trump’s handling of the Iran war, demanding public hearings and saying that mixed messaging from the administration is leading to confusion.
“I think what we are seeing coming out of the White House now, out of the executive office, is a level of uncertainty,” Murkowski said in an interview with CNN. “Yesterday, the president says we’re almost done, and then we hear from others that, well, it’s going to be weeks, maybe months, that the level of fighting is going down. And yet, then the next day, it seems like the intensity of the strikes is even more than it has been. So, I think this is where the American public is following this with a bit of confusion.”
There have been no public hearings on Capitol Hill with administration officials about the war — something Democrats have demanded. Murkowski joined the chorus of Democratic calls and warned that an emergency funding package for the war effort would have a hard time passing Congress without a public justification from the administration.
“Absolutely we should have hearings,” said Murkowski. “If you haven’t built the case as to why we need to be doing more, it may be a challenge to get the support that you need. I want to make sure that the men and women who are in harm’s way have what they need, but I need to understand that.”
Trump touts planned oil reserve release in effort to curb surging energy prices
President Donald Trump on Wednesday touted an international agreement to release stockpiled oil reserves, arguing it would keep energy prices in check amid the US’ war with Iran.
The pact by the International Energy Agency’s member countries to pump an extra 400 million barrels into the market “will substantially reduce the oil prices as we end this threat to America and this threat to the world,” Trump said during a speech in Kentucky.
In an earlier local news interview, the president indicated that the US would tap its Strategic Petroleum Reserve in an effort to address supply disruptions triggered by a shipping halt in the Strait of Hormuz.
The White House did not immediately respond to questions about whether that would be done as part of the IEA agreement or a separate action.
