Here's the latest
• War with Iran: The US will start striking deeper into Iran, and the war is still in its early days, top officials warned. The US House is expected to vote after Senate Republicans rejected a resolution aimed at requiring President Donald Trump to seek congressional approval for future military action against Tehran.
• On the ground: Israel said it is striking Iran and Hezbollah targets in Beirut. Iran, meanwhile, launched strikes at Israel. Over 1,100 people have been killed in Iran since the war began, according to a US-based human rights agency.
• Iranian warship torpedoed: Iran has accused the US of committing an “atrocity at sea,” after a submarine sank its warship in international waters — a first since WWII. Over 80 people have been killed and many more remain missing.
• Evacuations ramp up: The logjam of stranded passengers is starting to clear as airlines schedule new services and governments rally charter flights.
US sinking of Iranian warship raises uneasy questions for New Delhi, analyst says
The US submarine sinking of an Iranian warship in international waters has raised uneasy questions for key White House partner New Delhi, an analyst said, as the vessel was destroyed shortly after leaving an Indian port where it had completed joint naval exercises.
Sri Lanka’s foreign minister identified the vessel as the IRIS Dena. The frigate had been sailing home from an east Indian port, following a visit where it was welcomed by the Indian Navy last month. Over 80 people have been confirmed killed.
The attack took place in the Indian Ocean, thousands of kilometers away from the Gulf, where US and Israeli forces are striking Iran, and Tehran is retaliating with missile and drones.
It was the first time a US attack submarine had used a torpedo to sink a combat ship since 1945.
Why it matters for India: While the incident took place in international waters, it will likely rankle New Delhi because the attack took place in an area of ocean that India views as its backyard and it had only finished hosting the crew.
He noted that while the Iranian ship was in international waters, it was “going from an Indian fleet review, through what is not an active war zone, and definitely an area of India’s influence.”
India’s “non-negotiables” are “protecting commerce and energy routes, avoiding entanglement in US–Iran escalation, and preventing any normalization of third‑party kinetic actions so close to its maritime periphery,” he added. “All of them have been challenged by the US naval action,” Singh said.
India hasn’t publicly commented on the incident. CNN has reached out to its foreign ministry and navy for a response.
Missile lands near Syrian city
An intercepted missile hit the ground near the Kurdish-controlled city of Qamishli in northeastern Syria without causing any casualties.
Video shows an intercepted missile that hit the ground near the Kurdish-controlled city of Qamishli in northeastern Syria without causing any casualties.
A major shipping lane is virtually closed. That could spell havoc for global supplies
The Middle East conflict continues to disrupt the global economy, with much of the upheaval caused by a chokehold in one of the world’s most important shipping lanes: the Strait of Hormuz.
The strait connects the oil-rich Persian Gulf to the rest of the world. Around 20% of global production flows through the waterway – but that has shuddered to a near-halt, with many ships stranded at anchor and avoiding the Strait.
In Asia, South Korea and Japan rely on imports of liquified natural gas from the Middle East, leaving their economies and markets particularly vulnerable. At least seven oil tankers carrying crucial South Korean supplies are unable to pass through the strait, a South Korean lawmaker said.
In the US, oil prices surged early this week, already beginning to hike gas prices as Americans struggle with affordability. But by Wednesday, prices paused their surge while US and European stocks rebounded
Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd, two of the world’s largest maritime cargo companies, have notified customers that they are no longer accepting most cargoes bound for ports in the Persian Gulf because of fighting in the region.
The chokehold threatens more than just oil or cargo. Six Gulf Arab nations – Oman, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait – import about 85% of their food, since their climate is too arid for large-scale farming.
These Gulf states have few alternatives, since maritime food shipments must pass through Hormuz. But most have large emergency grain and food reserves that could last several months.
Canadian leader doesn’t rule out participation in war
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he “can never categorically rule out participation” in the US-Israeli war with Iran after previously saying Canada would not take part.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he "can never categorically rule out participation" in the US-Israeli war with Iran after previously saying Canada would not take part.
Iran's military claims it did not launch missile toward Turkey, state media reports
Iran’s military leaders claim they did not fire any missiles toward Turkey, state media reported, after NATO air defenses intercepted what Turkey said was a missile launched from Iran on Wednesday.
Turkish officials on Wednesday had said the missile traveled from Iran through the airspace of Iraq and Syria, heading toward Turkish airspace, before it was destroyed.
The incident on Wednesday was believed to be the first time NATO forces have intercepted an Iranian missile traveling towards a member country’s airspace since the Middle East conflict broke out over the weekend.
Iran's foreign minister calls deadly US torpedo attack on warship an "atrocity"
Iran’s foreign minister has decried the deadly US torpedo attack on an Iranian warship as an “atrocity,” which he warned the US will come to regret.
At least 87 people were killed, and a number remaining missing, after the IRIS Dena sank off the coast of Sri Lanka on Wednesday.
“The US has perpetrated an atrocity at sea, 2,000 miles away from Iran’s shores,” Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on X.
“Frigate Dena, a guest of India’s Navy carrying almost 130 sailors, was struck in international waters without warning,” he added.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed a US submarine had torpedoed an Iranian ship in the Indian Ocean on Wednesday.
Sri Lanka has recovered scores of bodies and its Navy rescued 32 people –– leaving 11 people unaccounted for, according to Araghchi’s figure for the number of sailors onboard at the time.
Seven tankers carrying South Korean oil supplies stuck in Middle East, lawmaker says
At least seven oil tankers carrying crucial South Korean supplies are unable to pass through the Strait of Hormuz as conflict rages in the region, the office of South Korean lawmaker Kim Young Bae told CNN Thursday.
Kim made the comments after an emergency meeting with parliamentary members and major industry players including Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor, LG, HD Hyundai Oil Bank, SK, GS Caltex and Hanwha Ocean.
Iran has threatened to attack any ships that attempt to navigate the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world’s oil passes.
Kim said the vessels, carrying millions of barrels of crude oil bound for South Korea were stuck, threatening potential supply shortages, and he urged the government to step in to strengthen energy security.
More than 70% of the country’s crude oil and about 20% of its gas imports come from the Middle East, according to the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) data.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday urged ministers to swiftly implement emergency measures to stabilize supplies of crude oil and gas.
Who will be Iran's next supreme leader? Here are some candidates
After a US-Israel strike killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, the most powerful position in the Islamic Republic was left open. CNN’s International Correspondent Isobel Yeung reports.
After a US-Israel strike killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, the most powerful position in the Islamic Republic was left open. Amidst external pressure, Iran's clerical regime is quickly working to decide who will succeed him. CNN's International Correspondent Isobel Yeung reports.
Evacuations ramp up, with thousands leaving the Middle East
Evacuation flights out of the Middle East have ramped up with thousands leaving the region as the US-Israeli war with Iran continues to cause aviation chaos.
Here’s the latest on evacuation flights:
- US evacuation: The first US evacuation flight left the Middle East after the Trump administration faced backlash for not having an evacuation plan ready. More than 17,500 US citizens have returned home from the Middle East since February 28.
- US diplomats told to leave: The US authorized non-emergency staff and their families to depart several Middle Eastern countries, and Qatar authorities are evacuating residents living near the US Embassy, after Iranian strikes this week targeted US facilities across the region.
- Israel to reopen airport: Israel will begin gradually reopening its main international airport today for incoming flights. Evacuation flights have also departed other regional hubs, including Dubai and Jeddah.
- Canada: Canadian nationals in Israel will be bused to the Egyptian border. In Beirut, limited numbers are being put on planes. The government is also trying to arrange charter flights out of the UAE as the airspace begins to open, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand said.
- European efforts: The British foreign minister said the UK is working with airlines to boost evacuations, while France, Germany, Italy and the Czech Republic have also begun arranging flights out of the region.
- Reunited: After days stranded in Dubai, some of the first passengers arrived home after airlines including Emirates and Virgin Atlantic resumed limited flights from the United Arab Emirates to cities such as New York, London, Paris, and Sydney.
- Rest of the world: Several countries have recommended their nationals shelter in place or leave the region. Japan said it will transport its citizens residing in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and the UAE by land to Riyadh and Muscat, where airports remain operational. India and Australia have also repatriated some of its nationals.
A journalist in Tehran tells us what he's seeing
CNN’s Erin Burnett talks to Reza Sayah, a journalist based in Tehran, about what he’s seeing and hearing from people in Iran.
Former CNN correspondent Reza Sayah shares his experience during the US-Israeli strikes on Iran. He fled Tehran with his daughter for safety outside the capital.
Iran and Israel trade strikes as war rocks the region. Here's the latest from the ground
Iran and its proxies kept up attacks on US allies in the Gulf on Thursday morning as the war entered a sixth day and expanded to impact ships, with one sinking in international waters off Sri Lanka.
Here’s what we’re seeing:
International waters: Over 80 people have been killed after an Iranian warship sank in the Indian Ocean, Sri Lankan officials said, after a US submarine fired a torpedo.
Iran: Israeli military launched a wave of flyover strikes across Tehran targeting “military infrastructure belonging to the Iranian regime,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Wednesday night. The latest strikes were Israel’s 11th wave of attacks against Tehran since February 28. More than 1,100 people have been killed in Iran since the war began, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency.
Israel: Iran launched three waves of missiles towards Israel overnight, according to Israel’s military. The latest barrage, just before 4 a.m., triggered sirens in Jerusalem and central Israel. Hours earlier, Iran and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, carried out their first coordinated attacks on Israel of the war, the Israeli military told CNN.
Lebanon: Israel’s overnight strikes hit several command centers in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, belonging to Hezbollah, according to the Israel Defense Forces.
Saudi Arabia: The kingdom intercepted and destroyed four waves of missiles approaching central and northern regions, the defense ministry said. It did not specify where the weapons launched from.
Bahrain: Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched a drone attack on an Amazon data center, Iran’s state-affiliated Fars News Agency reported. The attack was carried out to identify how such centers support the military and intelligence activities of Tehran’s adversaries, Fars said.
Kuwait: Oil is leaking from a tanker anchored offshore after a nearby explosion. The crew reported seeing a large explosion on the vessel’s left-hand side before a small craft left the area, a British marine tracking agency said.
Death toll in Iran climbs to more than 1,100
At least 1,114 civilians in Iran have been killed since the war began on Saturday, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).
That toll includes 183 children, most of them under the age of 10, according to the latest figures released by HRANA on Thursday. The organization is still working to verify more than 900 reported deaths.
Some of the latest strikes in the past day have reportedly hit civilian sites protected by humanitarian international law, HRANA added –– including a high school and several medical sites and clinics.
The death toll for this latest conflict is now approaching the total toll of last summer’s 12-day war between Iran, Israel and the US – which HRANA estimates killed 1,190 people in Iran.
The head of Iran’s National Emergency Organization said as many as 6,000 people have been wounded so far.
Dozens of people, including six US troops, have also been killed elsewhere in the Middle East by Tehran’s retaliatory strikes, according to local authorities.
Israel says it struck Hezbollah command centers in Beirut overnight
Israel’s overnight strikes into Thursday hit several command centers in the Lebanese capital Beirut belonging to the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah, according to the Israel Defense Forces.
The IDF described the attack as “a wave of intelligence-based strikes,” saying one of the command centers had been used by Hezbollah’s aerial unit.
Israel has battered parts of the country all week, after the Iran-backed military group fired projectiles from Lebanon into Israel. The IDF has issued evacuation orders for dozens of villages and settlements in southern Lebanon, as well as near Beirut.
Outside of Iran, Lebanon has had the highest death toll since the latest Middle East conflagration exploded.
More than 17,500 US citizens have returned home from Middle East
Over 17,500 American citizens have returned to the United States from the Middle East since February 28, Assistant Secretary of the State Department Dylan Johnson said in a statement late Wednesday.
Johnson said the department’s task force assisted nearly 6,500 Americans with security and travel assistance, but that many more across the Middle East, Europe, and Asia still remain abroad or in transit.
Earlier Wednesday, the State Department issued a security alert ordering all non-emergency US government employees and their family to leave Qatar immediately.
The department on Wednesday also issued alerts encouraging Americans to consider leaving Saudi Arabia and the UAE if they believe they can do so safely.
Growing frustration: Many Americans stranded in the Middle East have voicing frustration and fears about their plight as the Trump administration seeks to reassure them that they are working to get them home.
Protester dragged out of Senate hearing
A North Carolina man protesting US military action in Iran was forcibly removed from a Senate Armed Services subcommittee hearing and charged after a chaotic scene that left both him and several officers injured, according to US Capitol Police.
A North Carolina man protesting US military action in Iran was forcibly removed from a Senate Armed Services subcommittee hearing and charged after a chaotic scene that left both him and several officers injured, according to US Capitol Police.
We're entering day 6 of the US-Israel war with Iran. Here's the latest
As it enters its sixth day, the latest Middle East conflict continues to disrupt travel, rock markets and endanger civilians.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterated the US goals to destroy the regime’s ballistic missile program, “annihilate” Iran’s naval presence in the region, dismantle Iran’s terrorist proxies and prevent it from pursuing a nuclear weapon.
She didn’t rule out that the US carried out the strike on a girls’ elementary school in southern Iran that killed more than 150 girls, but insisted the US military “does not target civilians.”
Here are the latest headlines:
- Overnight strikes: Israel launched its 11th wave of attacks against Iran since the conflict began, with flyover strikes across Tehran overnight into Thursday, targeting military infrastructure. Israel also said late Wednesday it has again started striking Hezbollah infrastructure in Beirut, without providing details. Israel has battered parts of the country all week, after the Iran-backed military group fired projectiles from Lebanon into Israel.
- Iran strikes back: Iran launched a drone attack on an Amazon data center in Bahrain, a state-affiliated Iranian news agency said. It also launched a fresh barrage of missiles toward Israel overnight into Thursday. It also continues to fire at neighboring Gulf states, which are armed with American weapons and air defenses, although the US said the pace of Iran’s aerial assaults has slowed.
- Warship torpedoed: A US submarine sank an Iranian warship in international waters off the coast of Sri Lanka on Wednesday, killing at least 87 people, according to Sri Lankan officials.
- Tanker leaking: The crew of an oil tanker anchored off Kuwait reported seeing a large explosion on the vessel’s left-hand side before a small craft left the area, a British marine tracking agency said Wednesday.
- NATO interception: NATO air defense systems shot down an Iranian missile traveling towards Turkey’s airspace. This is believed to be the first time NATO forces have intercepted an Iranian missile traveling towards a member country since the conflict began.
- US soldiers identified: The Pentagon publicly identified the two remaining service members killed in a drone attack in Kuwait on Sunday. The other four soldiers killed were previously identified on Tuesday.
- Miserable evacuation: Many residents in southern Lebanon have embarked on grueling journeys after Israel ordered them to evacuate; some displaced families have been forced to sleep on the streets at night. And many Tehran residents fled to the countryside, while those who remain shelter at home, living in fear of constant bombardment.
- Senate vote: Republicans rejected a resolution Wednesday that would have reined in US President Donald Trump’s war powers.
- Canada involvement: Carney has said that Canada will not participate in the US military action in Iran, but when pressed as to whether he’d rule it out – even if the conflict broadens – Carney said anything was possible.
- Iran-Kurdistan call: The president of Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan Region and the Iranian foreign minister pledged “cooperation,” according to a readout from the Iranian Foreign Ministry. Their call comes a day after CNN reported that the CIA is aiming to foment rebellion in Iran by arming Iranian Kurds and sending them over the border from Iraqi Kurdistan.
Sri Lanka's navy is recovering bodies after an Iranian ship sank off its coast
Sri Lanka’s navy says it has recovered several bodies after an Iranian vessel sank off the island’s coast. Dozens of people have been rescued. We now know that at least 87 people were killed.
Sri Lanka’s navy says it has recovered several bodies after an Iranian vessel sank off the island’s coast. Dozens of people have been rescued.
The view from Pyongyang
Over the weekend, North Korean state media has condemned the United States and Israel for launching a “war of aggression” against Iran, but did not report the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with dozens of members of Iran’s top leadership.
That omission was not accidental.
North Korea’s political system is built around the near-mythic authority and invulnerability of its leader. Publicly broadcasting the violent removal of another supreme leader would introduce a dangerous precedent.
It would remind North Korean citizens that even the most powerful figure in a tightly controlled state can be tracked, targeted and eliminated. That is not a narrative Pyongyang has any incentive to circulate at home.
