The ongoing American-Israeli war with Iran, for all its complexity and global effects, boils down to a single question: Who can take the pain the longest? A surge in oil prices points to what may be Iran's most effective weapon and the United States' biggest vulnerability in continuing the campaign: Damaging the world economy.
Wednesday's major developments include Iranian attacks against commercial ships — setting a Thai cargo ship ablaze in the Strait of Hormuz — and drones targeting Dubai International Airport, escalating a campaign of squeezing the oil-rich region as global energy concerns mount.
The U.S. campaign of airstrikes in Iran is now in its 12th day with no end in sight after hitting more than 5,500 targets. The Israeli military is striking across Iran as well as in Lebanon, where Israel says it's targeting the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah. An Israeli intelligence assessment also indicates that Iran's new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, was wounded at the start of the war.
The war has killed at least 1,230 people in Iran, at least 570 in Lebanon and 12 in Israel, according to officials in those countries. The Pentagon said Tuesday that about 140 U.S. service members have been wounded, eight of them severely, and seven killed.
Here is the latest:
Macron praises ‘significant’ oil reserve release backed by the G7
The International Energy Agency’s decision to prop up the world’s oil supply sends “a clear signal aimed at lowering global prices,” French President Emmanuel Macron said after a video meeting by the Group of Seven leaders on the economic impact of the Iran war.
“We will take all necessary measures to encourage maximum production from all producers during this period,” he added.
Paris currently holds the rotating presidency of the G7 — France, the United States, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom — a group of wealthy democracies with large, advanced economies.
UN aid chief warns Lebanon crisis is worsened by ‘out of control’ war
U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher called this “a moment of grave peril for Lebanon and for the region,” as the conflict disrupts markets, supply chains and aid operations.
Speaking Wednesday at an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting, he said disruptions to sea routes like the Strait of Hormuz are driving up costs and delaying humanitarian supplies by as much as six months.
“And when that happens,” he said “the most vulnerable people in Lebanon and across the region are hit first — and hardest,”
White House says investigation into airstrike at Iranian school is ongoing as Trump denies knowledge
When asked Wednesday if a preliminary determination has been made into responsibility for the strike that killed more than 165 people, mostly children, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt responded that “the investigation is still ongoing.”
Trump was later asked as he left the White House about a report in The New York Times that a preliminary military probe had found the U.S. was responsible for striking the school because of a targeting mistake.
When asked if he took responsibility for the airstrike as the commander-in-chief of U.S. forces, Trump responded by saying, “I don’t know about it.”
He didn’t say anything more.
Trump says he thinks oil companies should use the Strait of Hormuz amid Iran war
“I think they should,” the president told reporters when asked if he’d spoken to oil companies, as he left the White House for a trip to Ohio and Kentucky.
He added of Iran, “We took out just about all of their mines” and that U.S. forces had also destroyed “just about all of their mine ships in one night.”
The waterway off Iran’s coast is vital for oil and gas but has been effectively closed amid the war.
Iranian forces can target ships using the strait with missiles, drones and mines — and U.S. attempts to limit Iran’s mine-laying capabilities is among Washington’s efforts to try and make the waterway safer to use.
Strikes in Iran
Witnesses in Tehran said they heard loud airstrikes, explosions and heavy fire by anti-aircraft batteries, which sent people running for shelters. They could also hear the buzzing of drones overhead. They spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid reprisal.
Iran’s sports minister says the country can’t take part in the upcoming World Cup in North America
In a video posted on Tuesday, he said Iranian players would not be safe in the United States.
“Due to the wicked acts they have done against Iran — they have imposed two wars on us over just eight or nine months and have killed and martyred thousands of our people – definitely it’s not possible for us to take part in the World Cup” Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali told Iranian state TV.
US says large numbers of Americans are declining free evacuation flights
The State Department said it had invited nearly 9,000 Americans and their family members for such flights from the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday. It said that 300 seats had been available but the flights departed with seats still open after all those who wanted to fly had boarded.
At least one charter flight in the UAE over the weekend was cancelled after no one showed up for it, officials said.
Many of those declining charter flight seats have opted to make their own travel plans or elected to stay in the Middle East. More than 43,000 Americans have returned to the U.S., most of them commercially, since the start of the war with Iran on Feb. 28.
EU promises more humanitarian flights and cash to Lebanon
The European Union has given Lebanon 100 million euros ($115 million) in humanitarian support, said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in a call with Lebanon’s president.
“Yesterday, we delivered over 40 tonnes of supplies and we plan to organise more humanitarian flights,” she said in a post on social media, without providing details on the aid.
The EU is tracking a potential migration crisis in Lebanon and Iran because of the war, and has scrambled to safety return European citizens from the Middle East. Drone attacks in EU-member Cyprus, an island in the Eastern Mediterranean, have drawn statements of support and collective defense from across Europe.
Sri Lanka hikes cooking gas prices by 8% due to soaring global prices
The state-run Litro Gas Lanka announced the cooking gas price increase — the first in 18 months — a day after the government increased fuel prices by 8%.
A former chief economist at the International Monetary Fund said rising fuel costs could lead to significant food shortages in many countries. "The effects are going to be most devastating in low-income countries where agricultural productivity may already be challenged," said Maurice Obstfeld, now a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics.
US official says Baghdad embassy’s airport support center hit by Iranian proxy drone
There were no deaths or injuries reported after a U.S. Embassy operations center at Baghdad’s airport was hit by a drone launched by Iraq-based Iranian proxies, a State Department official said.
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity because an investigation into the attack is still ongoing, said Wednesday that the Baghdad Diplomatic Support Center “was targeted by Iran-backed terrorist militias overnight.” The actual U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad was not struck in the attack.
The official condemned the strike and said the U.S. was in close contact with Iraqi authorities “regarding steps to protect U.S. personnel and facilities.”
After Iran hits a Thai cargo ship, Bangkok says it’s ‘gravely concerned’
“In such challenging times,” Thailand’s Foreign Ministry said Wednesday, “respect for the Charter of the United Nations and principles of international law, such as the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, becomes imperative.” The ministry’s statement also called for immediate de-escalation of tensions and negotiations among all parties.
Authorities were searching for three missing crew members from the Thai cargo ship, which was set ablaze off the coast of Oman, after 20 others were rescued by the Omani navy, according to Thailand’s Marine Department.
At least 12 incidents have been confirmed involving vessels in and around the Strait of Hormuz since the war began, according to two global trackers. The International Maritime Organization says at least seven mariners have been killed.
UN urges support for Lebanon as it demands Hezbollah disarm
U.N. political chief Rosemary DiCarlo urged stronger international support for Lebanon and its armed forces after the government banned Hezbollah’s military activities and ordered the group to hand over its weapons.
At an emergency Security Council meeting, DiCarlo said the U.N. is pressing to end the current conflict sparked by Hezbollah’s attacks on Israel after the killing of Iran’s supreme leader and Israel’s retaliation.
She warned the violence has “largely erased the progress” since a November 2024 ceasefire and is fueling fears of sectarian tensions in Lebanon.
Trump administration sees allies’ use of strategic oil reserves as appropriate
U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, speaking ahead of the International Energy Agency announcement, told Fox News that it's appropriate for countries to release oil from their strategic reserves because the challenges in the Strait of Hormuz after the start of the war with Iran pose a “temporary transit problem.”
The White House did not immediately comment when asked if the U.S. would draw down from its own strategic stockpile, but Burgum expressed comfort with other nations doing so.
“We’ve got a transit problem which is temporary,” Burgum said on “Fox & Friends.” “When you have a temporary transit problem that we’re resolving militarily and diplomatically, which we can resolve and will resolve, this is the perfect time to think about releasing some of those to take some pressure off the global price.”
Photos of displaced civilians sheltering in Lebanon’s schools and stadiums
Families in southern Lebanon have fled Israeli airstrikes targeting Hezbollah, taking shelter in places like sports stadiums and schools in Beirut.
Lebanon’s minister of social affairs, Haneen Sayed, told reporters Wednesday that the war has displaced 780,000 people in Lebanon so far, and that 120,000 of them are staying in shelters.
▶ This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
IEA agrees to record release of emergency oil reserves in an effort to calm surging prices
The International Energy Agency agreed Wednesday to release the largest volume of emergency oil reserves in its history.
The Paris-based organization said it will make 400 million barrels of oil available from its members’ emergency reserves. That’s more than twice the 182.7 million barrels released in 2022 by the IEA’s 32 member countries in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
These countries currently hold over 1.2 billion barrels of public emergency oil stocks, and 600 million barrels of industry stocks under government obligation.
Germany, Austria and Japan said earlier Wednesday that they would release parts of their oil reserves following the IEA's request to mitigate energy price spikes due to the war.
US commander says AI helped military hit more than 5,500 targets in Iran
Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, said that as a result of the U.S. strikes, including one on a “large ballistic missile manufacturing facility,” Iran’s ballistic missile and drone attacks have “dropped drastically.” The targets have included more than 60 ships, he said in a video posted to social media Wednesday.
Cooper also confirmed that the military was using “advanced AI tools” to “sift through vast amounts of data in seconds.” He said these tools are enabling leaders to make smarter decisions faster but stressed that “humans will always make final decisions on what to shoot and what not to shoot and when to shoot.”
Israel’s UN envoy says Lebanon must act against Hezbollah — or Israel will
Ambassador Danny Danon said Israel always prefers diplomacy and talks with the Lebanese government will continue, “but now they have to choose to actually confront Hezbollah — they have to stop Hezbollah.”
“They have to choose — either they confront Hezbollah or they let us do it,” he said. “There is no other option.”
Danon was asked by U.N. reporters ahead of an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council meeting on Lebanon how long its military operation would last.
“As long as there will be a threat against us, we will operate,” he replied.
Lebanon’s cash-strapped military, backed by the U.S. and other governments, has been deploying in recent months across southern Lebanon where Hezbollah has a strong military presence, but it’s unclear if they are able or willing to disarm the Iran-backed militant group.
Naval expert: Without a ceasefire, transiting the strait is ‘suicidal’
The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway off Iran's coast now effectively closed by the war, is so vital for the global economy that governments are working on blueprints to speedily reopen it to oil tankers and other shipping when the shooting stops.
Former naval officers who are intimately familiar with the narrow Hormuz passage say vessels would be sitting ducks if military forces tried to reopen the waterway before hostilities cease.
“In today’s context, sending warships or civilian vessels into the Strait of Hormuz would be suicidal,” French navy retired Vice Adm. Pascal Ausseur said in an interview with The Associated Press.
A ceasefire agreement with Iran “would make the situation shift from suicidal to dangerous. At that point, military ships could be deployed. And then escort operations could begin,” he said.
Shrapnel punches through several floors of a Palestinian family home in shelterless West Bank
Imad Darwish of Biddya — a northern West Bank town of more than 10,000 people — told The Associated Press that his two nieces panicked as the debris tore through concrete, sparking a small fire fueled by rocket propellant.
“Thankfully there were no injuries, only minor panic,” Darwish said. He had been at nightly Ramadan prayers at the time.
The Israeli-occupied West Bank does not have the same siren and shelter system Israelis rely on, although warning sirens from nearby Israeli settlements can often be heard. No Palestinians have been killed by Iranian missiles or falling debris from Israeli interceptions, but large fragments have hit multiple homes.
Palestinian Civil Defense crews arrived to remove the debris from the Darwish’s ceiling and extinguish the fire.
Trump keeps telling America he’s winning in Iran. He’s less clear in explaining how the war ends
Facing jittery global markets and drooping poll numbers since attacking Iran, Trump has cycled from calls for “unconditional surrender” to sounding amenable to an end state in which Iran trades one hard-line ayatollah for another.
Shifting comments from the Republican president and his top aides are adding to the precariousness of the 12-day-old conflict, which is impacting nearly every corner of the Middle East and causing economic tremors around the globe. With neither side budging, the war is now on an unpredictable path — one in which a credible endgame is still unclear.
Netanyahu adviser says Iranians must seize their future, as ‘plan B’ not an option
Michael Eisenberg, general partner of the Aleph venture capital fund, told The Associated Press Wednesday that he hopes Iranians will seize this opportunity to claim their freedom, as it’s currently the only option on the table. He said the war’s goals include enabling the Iranian people to take hold of their future in what he called a once-in-a-generation opportunity.
He acknowledged that people could risk death if they rise up, but said “freedom has a price. People pay. Sometimes with their life.”
“What Israel and the United States have done together is reduce the cost of freedom for the Iranian people,” he said. “It’s time to leave this evil death cult regime behind.”
When asked in the interview if there’s a plan B if that doesn’t transpire, Eisenberg said: “Plan B is not on the table right now.”
Putin speaks with the UAE's leader
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin spoke about the war Wednesday with the United Arab Emirates president, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The Kremlin said in a readout that the leaders “continued their exchange of views on the dangerously deteriorating situation in the Middle East, which has grave consequences for Iran and the Arab countries.”
In his second call with Al Nahyan since the start of the war with Iran, Putin emphasized “the need to stop the further escalation of the conflict and settle it through talks.” He also thanked Al Nahyan for offering assistance and support to Russian citizens in the UAE.
Monitors report a dozen incidents involving vessels since the war began
At least 12 incidents have been confirmed involving vessels in and around the Strait of Hormuz since the war began, according to two global trackers.
The International Maritime Organization reports 12 involving merchant vessels as of Wednesday. IMO secretary-general Arsenio Dominguez earlier said at least seven mariners had been killed.
And the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center, run by the British military, says it has received 17 reports of incidents affecting vessels in and around the Arabian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman as of Wednesday. It lists 13 attacks and four others as “suspicious activity,” involving tankers, tugs, cargo and other vessels.
Iranian women’s soccer team is staying in Asia until it’s safe to travel home
The team members who didn't request asylum in Australia may remain in Malaysia longer as Asian football authorities explore options for their onward travel.
“There is a possibility that they may remain in Malaysia longer if necessary,” Asian Football Confederation secretary-general Windsor John told the Scoop online news portal. He was quoted as saying that the AFC was also discussing with several countries in Asia about temporarily hosting the team.
He said the AFC had arranged for the team to travel from Sydney to Kuala Lumpur at short notice after it became clear the squad could not immediately return to Iran. They arrived in Malaysia early Wednesday, and their accommodation and related costs will be covered by the AFC, he said.
Iran questions World Cup participation
The head of Iran's Football Federation raised doubts about whether Iran will take part in the World Cup that will be held across North America in June, after several members of the Iranian women's soccer team sought asylum in Australia. Mehdi Taj told Iranian state media in an interview broadcast on Tuesday that members of the women's soccer were coerced into staying in Australia, and accused Trump of interfering, referring to the soccer players as "hostages."
Iran is scheduled to play its first match against New Zealand on June 16 in Los Angeles.
“If the outlook for the World Cup is like this, no reasonable person would accept to send their national team to such a place,” he said.
Israeli intelligence assessment indicates Iran’s new Supreme Leader was injured at the start of the war
That’s according to an Israeli intelligence official and a reservist with knowledge of the situation. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter with the media.
They gave no details on the nature of Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei’s injuries.
The 56-year-old son of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has not been seen since succeeding his father on Monday. His father and wife both were killed in an Israeli airstrike on the first day of the conflict.
European Union issues new sanctions on Iran ‘for serious human rights violations’
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Wednesday that the 27-nation bloc is issuing new sanctions on 19 Iranian officials and entities.
“As the Iran war continues, the EU will protect its interests and pursue those responsible for domestic repression,” the EU’s top diplomat said in a social media post. “It also sends a message to Tehran that Iran’s future cannot be built on repression.”
A spokesperson for the European Commission did not immediately provide additional details.
Iran threatens to stop all oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz
Iran threatened to not allow “even a single liter of oil” to pass through the Strait of Hormuz for the U.S., Israel, or their allies.
A spokesperson for Khatam Al-Anbia, which operates the Revolutionary Guard-owned companies, said any ship or oil cargo that belongs to the U.S., Israel, or its allies will be a legitimate target.
Under normal circumstances, around 20% of the world's oil and natural gas is shipped through the narrow channel that leads to the Persian Gulf. Fears about the geopolitical situation have caused the price of oil to swing wildly.
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