Rescue under way after US military plane crashes in Iraq
An American refuelling plane has crashed in Iraq, US Central Command has announced.
A rescue mission is under way to find survivors and recover the US KC-135 tanker, which went down in western Iraq. The aircraft had six service members aboard, a US official told Reuters.
A second KC-135 was involved in the incident but landed safely, the US military said. "Hostile fire" did not cause the crash, and it remains unknown whether the incident resulted in any casualties. Advertisement
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The force said: "The incident occurred in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury, and rescue efforts are ongoing. Two aircraft were involved in the incident. One of the aircraft went down in western Iraq, and the second landed safely.
This was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire."
The plane is believed to be the fourth US military aircraft lost during Operation Epic Fury, after three F-15s were shot down by friendly fire over Kuwait.
KC-135s, which have been in operation for more than 60 years, generally have a crew of three but can carry up to 37 passengers, an Air Force fact sheet said.
02:52am
Our coverage has moved
Follow Friday's live blog for the latest on the Middle East conflict here.[1]
01:42am
US temporarily lifts sanctions on Russian oil
The US has temporarily lifted sanctions on Russian oil currently at sea, allowing it to be shipped to buyers worldwide as the Trump administration seeks to ease soaring energy prices caused by the war in Iran. Advertisement Advertisement
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the move was "narrowly tailored" and "applies only to oil already in transit" and that it would not provide "significant financial benefit to the Russian government."
He acknowledged it was "unfortunate" that Russia would see some gain, but said the relief would last only for a "micro period."
The exemptions, issued by the Treasury Department, will remain in effect until 11 April.
About 130 million barrels of Russian oil are currently stranded at sea, according to commodities tracking service Kpler.
01:38am
Six aboard US tanker that crashed in Iraq
The US Air Force refuelling aircraft that went down in western Iraq had six service members onboard, Reuters reported, quoting a US official.
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The other aircraft involved in the incident was also a KC-135, the official added. There are still no details on potential injuries or casualties.
01:14am
French soldier killed in drone attack named
Earlier, we reported that at least six French soldiers were wounded in a drone attack on a joint Peshmerga-French base in Makhmour, Iraq.
French President Emmanuel Macron has now confirmed that Chief Warrant Officer Arnaud Frion died in the attack.
"This attack against our forces engaged in the fight against Daesh since 2015 is unacceptable," Macron wrote on X.
"Their presence in Iraq is part of the strict framework of the fight against terrorism.
The war in Iran cannot justify such attacks."
01:03am
Pro-Iran militia claims it shot down US tanker
An Iran-backed armed umbrella group called Islamic Resistance in Iraq has claimed responsibility for downing the US KC-135 refuelling aircraft in western Iraq, saying it acted "in defense of our country's sovereignty and airspace", according to Reuters. Advertisement Advertisement
The claim has not been independently verified and has not been confirmed by US military officials, who say rescue efforts are ongoing and have not attributed the crash to hostile action.
12:37am
Saudi Arabia shoots down dozens of drones
Saudi Arabia intercepted dozens of drones entering its airspace, the defence ministry said on Friday.
"Twelve drones were intercepted and destroyed after entering Saudi airspace," a spokesperson for the defence ministry posted on X.
A wave of nine and then seven drones had also been shot down, it said in separate statements.
Authorities confirmed several drones were targeting the crucial Shaybah oil field this week.
Credit: Marine Traffic
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Retaliatory Iranian missile strikes and drone attacks have brought shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of global crude passes, almost to a halt.
12:14am
Foreign Secretary continues Saudi visit
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper[2] will continue her visit to Saudi Arabia today amid concerns over Iranian threats to the Strait of Hormuz.
She arrived on Thursday to show support for Gulf states hit by Iran's retaliation to US-Israeli strikes.
Ms Cooper met Saudi energy and foreign ministers during her visit
Oil prices hit £100 a barrel on Thursday, prompting Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to promise efforts to calm tensions and coordinate globally on oil supplies.
11:36pm
At least five crew aboard downed tanker, report says
At least five crew members were aboard the US KC-135 refuelling aircraft that went down in western Iraq, a US official told CNN. Advertisement
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The second KC-135 landed safely, and Central Command said the crash was not caused by hostile or friendly fire.
Rescue efforts are ongoing. Read the full story here[3].
11:00pm
Refuelling plane plays critical role in military operations
The cause of the crash involving a KC-135 refuelling aircraft is not yet known, though a mid-air collision is one possible explanation.
The aircraft plays a critical role in military operations, allowing fighter jets and bombers to stay in the air for extended periods by refuelling them mid-flight.
Aerial refuelling is a complex operation that requires aircraft to fly in close formation. Aircraft may also fly with limited lighting to reduce the risk of detection.
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The KC-135 normally operates with a crew of three: a pilot, co-pilot and boom operator.
The Air Mobility Command maintains a fleet of nearly 400 tanker aircraft.
US Air Force Boeing KC-135 aerial refuelling tanker is seen at Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv - Shutterstock
10:31pm
Pictured: A devastated residential building in Tehran
Emergency workers attempted to clear the debris from a devastated apartment block in the Iranian capital earlier today.
Buildings have been turned to rubble by US-Israeli strikes on Tehran - Arash Khamooshi/Polaris
10:20pm
'America's objectives WILL be met'
09:50pm
US refuelling plane 'crashes' in Middle East
An American refuelling plane has crashed in the Middle East, US Central Command has announced.
In a statement, the force said: "US Central Command is aware of the loss of a US KC-135 refuelling aircraft.
"The incident occurred in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury, and rescue efforts are ongoing. Two aircraft were involved in the incident.
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"One of the aircraft went down in western Iraq, and the second landed safely. This was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire."
The plane is believed to be the fourth US military aircraft lost during Operation Epic Fury, after three F-15s were shot down by friendly fire over Kuwait.
Rescue efforts are ongoing after a US Air Force KC-135 tanker 'went down' in western Iraq - US Central Command
09:48pm
Pictured: A woman demonstrates in South Korea
A protester hits out at Donald Trump over an attack on an Iranian girl's school likely struck by a US Tomahawk, killing 165 children, teachers and parents.
A woman carries a placard showing the front page of the Tehran Times following a strike on an Iranian primary school in the southern city of Minab - Jung Yeon-je/AFP
09:37pm
At least six French soldiers wounded in drone attack on Iraq
A drone attack in Iraq has left at least six French soldiers wounded, officials have reported.
The incident occurred in the joint Peshmerga-French base in the Makhmour area of Iraq, according to Omed Koshnaw, the governor of Erbil.
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The troops were "engaged in training activities on counterterrorism with Iraqi partners," a member of staff said.
A security source informed about the incident stated that the attack involved two drones. No Peshmerga personnel were at the site at the time.
Governor Koshnaw said: "This is the movement of the terrorist militias in Iraq and we reiterate that the Iraqi government is taking it seriously."
09:34pm
Number of evacuation flights back to Britain reaches new high
Wednesday was another record day for evacuation flights from the Middle East back to Britain, No 10 has confirmed.
Downing Street said 63,000 British nationals have now returned home from the region since the Iran war began almost two weeks ago.
On Wednesday, 7,600 British nationals departed the region for the UK across 33 flights, the highest daily figure during the conflict.
An additional 41 flights are scheduled from the region to the UK on Thursday.
The Government has now facilitated five charter flights.
09:19pm
We will conduct public oversight hearings soon, says key US Senator
An American senator responsible for oversight of US armed forces has said he plans to hold public hearings soon.
Roger Wicker, the Senate's armed services chairman, suggested top officials would appear during the sessions, but suggested that details of who have not yet been finalised.
Asked if he expects Pete Hegseth, US secretary of war, and Gen Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to appear, Mr Wicker told CNN: "I can't give you that information yet, but I hope to have public hearings with top officials from the department.
"This would be oversight [of the war]," he added.
09:03pm
Pictured: The IDF targets Hezbollah in Beirut
Israeli forces have said they are targetting Hezbollah's critical infrastructure in the attacks.
Smoke and flames rise after an Israeli airstrike on a building in Beirut's Bashura neighbourhood - Wael Hamzeh/EPA/Shutterstock
08:47pm
Trump: War on Iran should have happened before me
Donald Trump has said the war on Iran should have happened under a previous administration.
The US president suggested that attacks on the Islamic Republic ought to have taken place in the 47-year period since the Iranian Revolution of 1979.
Speaking at a Women's History Month event at the White House, he said: "On another front, an entirely different front, the situation with Iran is moving along very rapidly. It's doing very well. Our military is unsurpassed.
"There's never been anything like it, nobody's ever seen anything like it, and we're doing what has to be done.
"It should have been done during a 47-year period.
It could have been done by a lot of different people - they chose not to do it.
"But they [Iran] really are a nation of terror and hate and they're paying a big price right now."
08:35pm
Iran: We will burn US oil and gas if our ports are attacked
The US and its allies have been warned that Iran will set the region's oil and gas "on fire" if its own energy infrastructure and ports are attacked.
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) officials threatened America and its "western" partners with retaliation in the event of strikes on its resources.
In a statement issued to the official Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, the IRGC said: "We warn the aggressor government and all its allies that the slightest attack on (Iran's) energy infrastructure and ports will be followed by our crushing and devastating response.
It added: "In the event of such aggression, all the region's oil and gas infrastructure in which the United States and its western allies have a vested interest will be set on fire and destroyed."
08:23pm
We are prepared to attack Lebanon 'on the ground', warns Netanyahu
Benjamin Netanyahu has warned Lebanon that Israel would act to disarm Hezbollah "on the ground" if Beirut failed to do so.
The Israeli prime minister said his government would be prepared to take steps with ground troops if the conditions were not met.
"I told the Lebanese government a few days ago: you are playing with fire if you continue allowing Hezbollah to operate, in violation of your commitment to disarm it," Mr Netanyahu told a press conference.
"The time has come for you to do so. Now, if you do not do so, it is clear that we will do so," he continued.
Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike on a building in Beirut's Bashura neighbourhood - Wael Hamzeh/EPA/Shutterstock
08:05pm
Watch: An Iranian tanker burns after Israeli air strike
Footage of an Iranian KC-747 tanker burning has emerged.
The aircraft was struck by an Israeli missile on Tehran's Mehrabad airport last week.
08:01pm
US-Israeli military campaign cannot ensure regime change, says Netanyahu
Benjamin Netanyahu has said the US-Israeli military intervention in Iran cannot ensure regime change.
The Israeli prime minister suggested that the campaign could only bring about the conditions for a change in Iranian government, and that it was for the Iran's people to "take to the streets".
He said: "We are thoroughly dismantling the Iranian regime, yet establishing the necessary conditions does not ensure its downfall."
07:37pm
Netanyahu: Iran's new leader can't show his face in public
Benjamin Netanyahu has said Mojtaba Khamenei "can't show his face in public".
In a televised press conference, the Israeli prime minister said: "We eliminated the old tyrant, and the new tyrant, the puppet of the Revolutionary Guards, can't show his face in public."
He added that he "wouldn't take out any life insurance" on Khamenei, nor Naim Qassem, the leader of Hezbollah.
07:16pm
US Navy to escort oil tankers through Strait of Hormuz
The US Navy will escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, the American treasury secretary has said.
Scott Bessent said the arrangement will come when it is "militarily possible", and could involve an "international coalition".
Asked about the issues surrounding the strait, he told Sky News: "That was always in our planning - the chance that the US Navy, or perhaps an international coalition, will be escorting oil tankers through.
"There are, in fact, tankers coming through now, Iranian tankers, I believe some Chinese flagged tankers, have come through, so we know that they have not mined the strait."
He added that the Trump administration had been planning for this scenario "for months" and that the US Navy will do it "as soon as it is possible".
Asked if there was a price of oil that could cause him to confront Donald Trump about the war, Mr Bessent replied: "Absolutely not."
07:07pm
Death toll in Lebanon hits 687
The death toll in Lebanon has reached 687 since March 2, according to the country's ministry of public health.
Yesterday, it was reported that there was a total of 634 killed in the conflict.
Paul Marcos, information minister, said the current figures include 98 children and 62 women.
He also reported that 1,774 people have been injured over the same 10-day period, including 304 children and 328 women.
Israel has been attacking Hezbollah, which is based in Lebanon, as part of its military campaign Operation Roaring Lion.
Israeli air strikes on Lebanon have predominantly targeted the southern suburbs of Beirut, the country's capital - AFP/Getty
06:51pm
We cannot return to pre-war conditions in Strait of Hormuz, says Iranian official
Iran cannot return to its pre-war arrangement for cargo ships in the Strait of Hormuz, an official has said.
Esmaeil Baghaei, a foreign ministry spokesman, suggested that the passage will remain under much greater restrictions than before the start of the conflict because of its importance.
He added that many ships can still pass through the strait, but they would have to coordinate with the Iranian Navy.
"After the current events, generally we cannot ?return to conditions before February 28... as we have understood how important the safety of the Strait of Hormuz is, ?and so did the others," Mr Baghaei told Mehrs news agency.
Earlier today, Khamenei called for the continued blockade of the strait, which is an integral passage for global oil flows.
06:33pm
Modi calls for 'dialogue and diplomacy' in call with Iranian president
Narendra Modi has urged the Iranian president to de-escalate the war and seek "dialogue and diplomacy".
The prime minister of India told Masoud Pezeshkian, who formed part of Iran's temporary leadership council after the assassination of Ali Khamenei, that he was concerned about the loss of civilian life in the conflict.
Speaking about a phone call between the pair, Mr Modi wrote on X: "Had a conversation with Iranian President, Dr Masoud Pezeshkian, to discuss the serious situation in the region.
"Expressed deep concern over the escalation of tensions and the loss of civilian lives as well as damage to civilian infrastructure.
"The safety and security of Indian nationals, along with the need for unhindered transit of goods and energy, remain India's top priorities.
"Reiterated India's commitment to peace and stability and urged for dialogue and diplomacy."
06:27pm
Pictured: A Kurdish Iranian dissident keeps watch for drones
A member of Komala of the Toilers of Kurdistan, a Kurdish Iranian dissident group, bears arms.
The militia is part of the Coalition of Political Forces of Iranian Kurdistan, an alliance of major Iranian Kurdish parties headquartered in Iraq.
Kurdish resistance fighters are preparing for war with the hope the US-Israeli military offensive can help them liberate their fellow Kurds in western Iran.
A member of Komala of the Toilers of Kurdistan guards against drone attacks near their military base hidden in the mountains - Sedat Suna/Getty
06:06pm
'De-escalation and dialogue only way out of war,' says head of UN
The head of the United Nations has said "de-escalation and dialogue" are the only way out of the Iran war.
Ant?nio Guterres, secretary-general of the UN, called for all parties to "cease the hostilities" and suggested that international law had been broken during the conflict.
He said: "The unfolding crisis in the Middle East constitutes a grave threat to international peace and security and has caused immense suffering for civilians.
"De-escalation and dialogue are the only way out. I strongly urge all parties to cease the hostilities, uphold international law, protect civilians and return immediately to the negotiating table."
06:01pm
Pictured: Iranians attempt to recover possessions after air strikes
Residents collected their belongings from the rubble after a residential building was hit as part of the US-Israeli military offensive on Tehran.
Rescue workers gather outside a damaged residential building in the Iranian capital - AFP via Getty
05:46pm
IDF strikes 'checkpoints' in Tehran
The Israeli military has struck "checkpoints" in several locations across Tehran.
IDF officials said they had discovered soldiers of Basij, a volunteer paramilitary unit within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), establishing the "checkpoints" in the Iranian capital.
The force said: "The IDF recently identified that soldiers of the Basij unit have set up checkpoints in several locations across ?Tehran.
"After identifying them, ?over the past day, the Israeli Air Force, acting on IDF intelligence, has targeted the ?Basij checkpoints.
"These armed forces constitute part of the Iranian regime's security apparatus and have been responsible for years for carrying out terrorist directives."
05:31pm
Pictured: Workers in northern Israel take precautions a dairy farm
Hezbollah announced that its military campaign against Israel would be called Operation Eaten Straw yesterday.
Workers wear protective gear at a milking parlour near the border with Lebanon in Beit Hillel, northern Israel - Atef Safadi/EPA/Shutterstock
05:14pm
IDF 'reveals location of millions of dollars of funds belonging to Hezbollah'
Millions of dollars of funds belonging to Hezbollah were hidden beneath a single building in Beirut, the IDF has claimed.
Avichay Adraee, a spokesman for the force, revealed that a civilian building in the Bashura neighbourhood in the Lebanese capital contains "millions of dollars".
He said: "The funds were stored in a complex located on the second underground floor, guarded by armed men, with access to this warehouse via the car park, right under a civilian building, putting hundreds of residents living in the building and around it at great risk."
Mr Adraee claimed that Hezbollah had used the location in the "heart of the Lebanese capital" to hide the funds, "endangering lives".
He added: "Hezbollah has crossed a new level of cynical exploitation of Lebanon for its own interests and to bolster its terrorist activities - at your expense."
04:55pm
Watch: Trump administration uses Wii Sports in latest social media stunt
The official White House account on X has used Wii Sports to showcase American attacks on Iran.
It captioned the post: "UNDEFEATED."
04:35pm
Trump won't end the war 'with a few tweets', warns top Iranian security official
A top Iranian security official has warned Donald Trump that the war will not end "with a few tweets".
Ali Larijani, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, insisted the Islamic Republic will not let the US president "off the hook" for his military intervention in the Middle East.
He said: "Trump has said again: 'We must win this war quickly.'
"Starting a war is easy, but ending it won't happen with a few tweets.
We won't let you off the hook until you admit your mistake and pay the price for it."
04:29pm
Ali Khamenei's wife still alive, claims Iranian state media
The wife of Iran's former supreme leader Ali Khamenei is alive, Iranian state media has claimed.
Fars News Agency has said that earlier reports that Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh was dead are false.
It had previously been claimed that the mother of newly-appointed supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei had been killed in her home, while other Iranian outlets suggested she was in a coma.
Ms Bagherzadeh has maintained a largely private public profile despite her proximity to power in Iran.
04:13pm
Pictured: An American plane refuels a US fighter jet mid-air
The US Air Force Stratotanker is designed to provide fuel mid-air to extend the range and endurance of military aircraft.
A US Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker refuels a US Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet in the Middle East - US Central Command
04:06pm
Senior Iranian commander 'eliminated', says IDF
A senior Iranian commander has been killed by Israeli strikes, the IDF has announced.
The force reported that Ali Muslim Tabaja, who held a key role in the Imam Hussein Division in Lebanon, was killed overnight.
It said the division has been used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp's (IRGC's) Quds Force "to strengthen the Iranian axis" overseas.
The IDF said: "ELIMINATED: Ali Muslim Tabaja, a senior commander of the Iranian Imam Hossein Division.
"Tabaja was a key figure who held a series of military roles both within Hezbollah and within the division.
"The Imam Hussein Division is a military force used by the Iranian Quds Force to strengthen the Iranian axis and to operate against the IDF and Israeli civilians."
03:57pm
Claims Iran laying mines in Strait of Hormuz 'not true', insists deputy foreign minister
The deputy foreign minister of Iran has insisted that the Islamic Republic is not laying mines in the Persian Gulf.
Earlier this week, Mr Trump warned that the country would face consequences at a "level never seen before" if it mined the Strait of Hormuz, a vital energy chokepoint that carries about one-fifth of all crude oil.
But when asked about laying mines during an interview in Tehran, Takht-Ravanchi, the Iranian deputy foreign minister, said the claims were "not true".
He also suggested that Iran would not stop its attacks without assurances that the Islamic Republic would not be targeted on a future date.
"We want to see that war is not going to be imposed again on Iran," he said.
"When the war started last June, after 12 days there was so called cessation of hostilities... but after eight or nine months, they regrouped and they did it again.
"We do not want to be treated like this again in the future."
03:42pm
IDF announces fresh strikes on Beirut
The IDF has hit Beirut in a fresh wave of strikes.
Images of smoke rising from the Lebanese capital have emerged from the strikes, which the Israeli Air Force said was targeting "terrorist infrastructure" of Hezbollah.
It follows IDF officials announcing it had taken out a missile platform in southern Lebanon, which it said was used "to launch rocket shells towards the western Galilee area".
Residents gather after an evacuation order in Beirut - Claudia Greco/Reuters
03:31pm
Two sailors injured on world's largest warship
Two crew on the USS Gerald R. Ford - the world's largest aircraft carrier currently deployed for the war against Iran - were injured Thursday in a laundry room fire, the US Navy said.
"Two sailors are currently receiving medical treatment for non-life-threatening injuries and are in stable condition," a statement from US Naval Forces Central Command said.
Navy officials said the fire, originating "in the ship's main laundry", was "not combat-related and is contained".
The Telegraph previously reported on the poor condition of the most expensive warship in the world.
03:23pm
Iran at World Cup wouldn't be appropriate, says Trump
Donald Trump has said the Iranian football team is still welcome at the World Cup - but that it would not be appropriate for the players to participate.
The US president suggested that the footballers' safety would be at risk if they were to compete in the tournament held in North America.
Writing on his social media platform Truth Social, Mr Trump said: "The Iran National Soccer Team is welcome to The World Cup, but I really don't believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety."
Yesterday, Iran's sport minister insisted that "under no circumstances" can Iran take part in the competition.
03:16pm
Bunker-busting bombs loaded onto US plane at UK airbase
Film crews have captured footage of bombs designed to destroy bunkers being loaded onto American planes at a British army base in Gloucestershire.
Video clips shows JDAM munitions - specifically designed to destroy underground facilities in a potentially offensive manner - being packed onto American bombers at RAF Fairford.
The footage raises questions over whether the UK is being drawn more directly into the conflict with Iran, despite the Ministry of Defence (MoD) commitment to engaging in the war in a "defensive" manner.
The bombs signal a change in technology as the assault on Iran continues into its 13th day.
An MoD spokesman maintained that the use of the weapons is in line with its current position on the war, but declined to comment further on the specific munitions involved.
US Air Force military ground personnel prepare Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) for a B-1 Lancer bomber on the tarmac at RAF Fairford - Henry Nicholls/AFP
03:01pm
Pictured: Iranian firemen direct civilians in Tehran
Mojtaba Khamenei, the newly-appointed supreme leader of Iran, has said the Islamic Republic will seek compensation from the US and Israel in response to the war, or destroy their assets.
Firefighters direct residents outside an apartment block damaged in Tehran last Monday - Vahid Salemi/AP Photo
02:47pm
IRGC Navy commander vows to deliver on Khamenei's orders
Iranian armed forces have vowed to implement Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei Khamenei's orders.
In response to the supreme leader's statement, Alireza Tangsiri, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy, promised the force would "deliver the harshest blows to the enemy".
He said: " In response to the order of the commander-in-chief, while maintaining the strategy of keeping the Strait of Hormuz closed, we will deliver the harshest blows to the enemy."
02:39pm
Trump: US makes 'a lot of money' when oil prices surge
Donald Trump has boasted that the US makes "a lot of money" when oil prices increase.
The US president said that, despite America being the "largest oil producer in the world", preventing the "evil empire Iran" from obtaining a nuclear weapon was more important.
In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, he wrote: "The United States is the largest Oil Producer in the World, by far, so when oil prices go up, we make a lot of money.
"BUT, of far greater interest and importance to me, as President, is stoping [sic] an evil Empire, Iran, from having Nuclear Weapons, and destroying the Middle East and, indeed, the World. I won't ever let that happen!"
02:28pm
Pictured: Remains of an Iranian ballistic missile in central Israel
The Israeli military reported that it detected missiles launched from Iran following US-Israeli strikes earlier today.
Civilians inspect a missile which landed near the city of El'ad, Israel - Abir Sultan/EPA/Shutterstock
02:19pm
Iran fires missiles at Jerusalem
Iran is firing missiles at Jerusalem, the Israeli foreign ministry has said.
It reported that one of the projectiles struck "a few hundred metres" from the Old City, the walled area in the eastern part of the capital.
The foreign ministry said: "Protecting lives and worshippers' safety comes first.
That is why prayer at all holy sites has been temporarily suspended."
02:16pm
What did Iran's supreme leader say?
Here are the key points Mojtaba Khamenei said in his first statement since becoming supreme leader of Iran:
The Strait of Hormuz should remain blockaded as leverage against the US-Israeli military campaign
Gulf countries "must" close US bases in the region - or face further attacks
Iran will open up new fronts in the war where the US and Israel will be "severely vulnerable"
Khamenei vowed to avenge his family and all of Iran's "martyrs", specifically mentioning the attack on a primary school in Minab which killed 150, mostly children
Iran is not seeking regional "domination" but rather "unity" in the Middle East, he claimed
Iran will seek compensation from the US and Israel in response, or will destroy their assets
01:57pm
'I lost my father - I lost my wife': Khamenei vows to avenge killings
Mojtaba Khamenei vowed to avenge the deaths of his father and wife and other Iranians killed in US-Israeli strikes.
The Iranian supreme leader called for unity, telling his citizens to stand together as it not only about his relatives, but "every single countryman that has been killed".
In a strike on the first day of the war, Khamenei lost his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, his mother, his wife, one of his sons, his sister, brother in law and a niece.
Members of the Iranian police stand guard in front of a billboard featuring Ali Khamenei, Iran's former supreme leader - Alaa Al-Marjani/Reuters
01:52pm
Iran seeks peace with its neighbours, insists Khamenei
Mojtaba Khamenei has insisted that Iran wants "unity" with its neighbours in the Middle East.
The Iranian supreme leader suggested he did not want to "establish domination".
He said: "I repeat once again: the Islamic republic, without seeking to establish domination and colonialism in the region, is fully prepared for unity and warm, cordial mutual relations with all its neighbours."
However, in the same statement, he warned Gulf states that they would face further attacks unless they expelled US troops from their soil.
01:42pm
Iranian supreme leader calls for continued blockade of Strait of Hormuz
Mojtaba Khamenei has threatened to continue to use the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz as leverage.
In written statements, he said: "The lever of closing the Strait of Hormuz must certainly continue to be used".
He also warned that Iran may open up new fronts in the war, which is in its 13th day, without offering further explanation.
"Studies have been conducted regarding the opening of other fronts in which the enemy has little experience and will be severely vulnerable, and their activation will take place - should the state of war continue."
Khamenei also praised Iranian proxies, such as Hezbollah, for helping to wage attacks on Iran's enemies, referring to "the fighters of the Resistance Front" as Iran's "closest friends".
01:37pm
Khamenei: We will seek revenge for the blood of martyrs
Mojtaba Khamenei has insisted that Iran will seek "revenge for the blood of your martyrs".
The Iranian supreme leader warned that only a "limited portion" of this retribution had taken place so far.
He said: "I give this assurance to everyone: we will not forgo revenge for the blood of your martyrs.
"The revenge we have in mind is not limited solely to the martyrdom of the great and exalted leader of the Revolution - rather, every member of the nation who is martyred by the enemy constitutes an independent matter in the file of retribution.
"Of course, a limited portion of this retribution has so far taken concrete form, but until it is achieved in full, this file will remain at the top of all other files - and we will be especially sensitive regarding the blood of our children and infants.
"Therefore, the crime that the enemy has deliberately committed in the case of the Shajare Tayyeba school in Minab, and in certain similar instances, holds a particular standing in this reckoning."
01:11pm
Iran still exporting its own oil through the Strait of Hormuz
Iranian crude oil has continued to flow through the Strait of Hormuz at a near-normal pace, despite the ongoing conflict.
The world's most important oil artery has been all-but closed to other nations as a result of Tehran's attacks on foreign ships across the region.
However, Iran has exported nearly 14 million barrels of crude oil since the outbreak of the war in the Middle East last month, Reuters reports.
Analysts suggested that any US efforts to stop Iran-linked tankers could unleash more attacks on other vessels passing through the Strait.
12:36pm
Trump's energy secretary warned Iran war would create oil crisis
Donald Trump's energy secretary warned two years ago that conflict with Iran would "significantly escalate global oil prices[5]", The Telegraph can reveal.
A 2024 report from Liberty Energy, a company founded by Chris Wright, appears to contradict his recent comments that rises in oil prices are simply because of "emotional reactions and fear," writes Ben Stockton.
"Should the current war in Israel expand to include Iran directly, as opposed to only supporting militant proxy groups, global oil supplies would be at risk," the report, published in 2024, said.
"A loss of Iranian oil exports would significantly escalate global oil prices and the myriad products that flow from oil."
The report also warned about threats to the "flow of oil and natural gas" from disruption to the Strait of Hormuz.
Mr Wright caused market turmoil after falsely claiming on Tuesday that the US navy had escorted a ship through the Strait, which has effectively been closed since the US first struck Iran 11 days ago.
The conflict has placed a stranglehold on global oil supplies as prices have climbed to their highest levels in years.
Chris Wright caused market turmoil after falsely claiming that the US navy had escorted a ship through the Strait
12:34pm
US military 'not ready' to escort tankers through Hormuz Strait
The US military is currently "not ready" to escort tankers through the critical Strait of Hormuz because all its assets are focused on striking Iran, according to the US energy secretary.
"It'll happen relatively soon, but it can't happen now. We're simply not ready," Chris Wright told CNBC. "All of our military assets right now are focused on destroying Iran's offensive capabilities and the manufacturing industry that supplies their offensive capabilities."
He added that it was "quite likely" such escorts would be taking place by the end of the month.
12:13pm
Before and after Israeli strikes on suspected Iranian nuclear weapon site
11:51am
Israeli strikes in Lebanon killing more women and children
More women, children and migrants are being killed in Lebanon than in previous rounds of fighting.
As of midday on Wednesday, 83 children under 18 had been killed and 254 injured, representing 23 per cent of all casualties, according to data from the Lebanese health ministry and the local office of the World Health Organization (WHO).
Of the total 1,524 people killed and injured during the last 12 days, 21 per cent of them were women and 10 per cent were migrants, mostly Syrians and Palestinians.
Talking to The Telegraph, Dr Abdinasir Abubakar, the WHO's representative in Lebanon, said that Israeli strikes on densely populated urban areas[6] were creating more collateral damage than when large-scale fighting last erupted in 2023-24.
Although he did not see evidence for civilians being deliberately targeted, some were unable to escape despite evacuation warnings because they had nowhere else to go.
Poor migrants have been left to look after farms in the south of the country, for example, while others were being prevented from entering overcrowded air-raid shelters, he said.
Listen to the full interview on Iran: The Latest
11:38am
Millions left exposed to attacks in northern Iraq
Erbil is trying to recover after one of the worst nights of missile and drone bombardments with explosions sounding across the city.
Local authorities confirmed at least 17 different attacks overnight. Three separate fires erupted after projectiles struck, including one near the US air base in Erbil, the capital of an autonomous region in northern Iraq.
A thick column of black smoke was still rising above the US base on Thursday afternoon, though the source of the fire was not visible.
The Italian military presence in Erbil was also attacked, though there were no casualties or injuries, Italy's deputy prime minister Antonio Tajani said in a statement.
Northern Iraq does not have its own air defence, relying solely on Western military personnel stationed at air bases.
US air defences here, however, are mainly to protect the US military presence in and around Erbil, leaving large swaths of territory with millions of civilians exposed to the ongoing war.
The region has no public bomb shelters.
"My children get scared, especially my daughter, by the loud sounds. I'm always telling them to go inside, to stay inside and watch television to distract themselves," said one father, 40, who lives in a cluster of homes across from where US troops are stationed.
"War always exists; there will always be war," he said. "We don't know what to do."
Local authorities are on high alert to calm tensions in Iraq, which shares a 1,000-mile long land border with Iran, and is the only country attacked by both sides in the war.
11:26am
Pictured: A building burns in southern Lebanon after Israeli strikes
People gather in front of a building targeted by an Israeli airstrike in the southern Lebanese coastal city of Tyre - AFP
11:15am
Three million displaced inside Iran
Up to 3.2 million people have been displaced inside Iran since the Middle East war erupted, the UN refugee agency said Thursday.
"Between 600,000 and one million Iranian households are now temporarily displaced inside Iran as a result of the ongoing conflict, according to preliminary assessments," said Ayaki Ito, who heads UNHCR's emergency support team.
That represents "up to 3.2 million people", he said in a statement, warning that "this figure is likely to continue rising as hostilities persist, marking a worrying escalation in humanitarian needs".
The United States and Israel launched the first wave of attacks on February 28 in a war that has seen Iran strike targets in multiple countries around the Gulf.
10:49am
Dubai shaken by more drone attacks
Dubai's authorities confirmed more damage from drones on Thursday morning as Iran continued to attack the United Arab Emirates.
The city's media office said personnel attended to a "drone incident" in the Al Bada'a area without specifying what happened. No injuries were reported.
It also confirmed a "minor incident involving a drone that fell on to the facade of a building on Sheikh Zayed Road", with no injuries reported.
In the early hours of the morning, they also evacuated a skyscraper in the Dubai Creek neighbourhood and put out a small fire, because of "an incident involving a drone that fell on a building".
Workers inspect damage caused by a drone strike overnight at the Creek Harbour hotel in Dubai - AP Photo/Fatima Shbair
10:35am
Report: War caused 'largest supply disruption in history of global oil market'
The Iran war has caused "the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market," the International Energy Agency said on Thursday.
Global oil supply is projected to plunge to 8 million barrels a day in March, the IEA said in its monthly report, with export flows through the Strait of Hormuz "at a near standstill".
On Wednesday, the IEA's member states agreed to release 400 million barrels of oil from their emergency reserves, the largest release in the agency's history, to address the disruptions and curb surging costs.
While of losses will depend on the duration of the conflict, the agency estimated that global oil supply should still rise by 1.1 million barrels a day on average, with producers such as Russia and Kazakhstan accounting for the increase.
10:21am
Pictured: A scorched oil tanker in the Gulf
A foreign tanker carrying Iraqi fuel oil damaged after catching fire in Iraq's territorial waters in an overnight strike - REUTERS/Mohammed Aty
10:06am
US spent more than £11.3bn on opening week of Iran war
The opening week of the war against Iran cost the United States more than £11.3 billion, the Pentagon told Congress.
Lawmakers were told during the closed-door briefing that the figure excludes many costs connected with the build-up to the strikes, suggesting the final total could be far higher, the New York Times reported, citing sources.
Defense officials had previously told Congress that roughly £5.6 billion worth of munitions were expended in just the first two days of fighting - a burn rate far higher than earlier public estimates.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank, estimated that the first 100 hours of Operation Epic Fury cost £3.7 billion, amounting to more than £891 million per day.
It added that most of these costs, £3.5 billion, had not already been budgeted.
09:49am
Pictured: The aftermath of Israeli strikes on Beirut
A man stands on the rubble of a destroyed building after Israeli strikes on the Haret Hreik neighbourhood of Beirut's southern suburbs - AFP via Getty Images
09:45am
Israel begins new 'wide-scale' strikes against Iran
Israel's military said it began a new "wide-scale" wave of strikes across Iran on Thursday, on the 13th day of the US-Israeli war with the Islamic republic.
"The IDF has begun a wide-scale wave of strikes targeting Iranian terror regime infrastructure across Iran," the Israeli military said.
Overnight, northern Israel was targeted by a large barrage of more than 200 Hezbollah rockets.
Meanwhile, Iran has fired its fourth ballistic missile salvo since midnight.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said most of the rockets were intercepted or struck open areas. Two people were reported as lightly injured. The extent of the missile damage is unclear.
09:14am
Pictured: Oil tanker still smouldering after Iranian attack in Gulf
A foreign tanker carrying Iraqi fuel oil damaged after explosions in Iraqi waters caused by suspected Iranian drone boats - REUTERS/Mohammed Aty
08:50am
Dubai charges British man arrested for 'filming missiles'
A British man arrested after allegedly filming missiles targeting Dubai is one of 21 people who have been charged under cybercrime laws.
The 60-year-old man, whose arrest on Monday was first reported by The Telegraph[7], is said to have deleted the video from his phone immediately when asked.
He claims he had no intention of doing anything wrong.
However, the Londoner has been charged together with 20 others in connection with videos and social media posts relating to recent Iranian missile strikes on the United Arab Emirates, according to campaign group Detained in Dubai.
The tourist was held at Bur Dubai police station following his arrest, the same station where British businessman Lee Brown died in 2011 having been held for five days.
If found guilty, the British citizen could face up to two years in prison. His family are said to be "extremely worried".
According to the campaign group, the 21 charged are accused of having used an information network or information technology tool to broadcast, publish, republish or circulate false news, rumours or provocative propaganda that may incite public opinion or disturb public security.
08:42am
Pictured: Drone hits residential building in Dubai
The damage after a suspected Iranian drone struck a residential building in Dubai's Creek Harbour - AFP
08:11am
Iran says it targeted Israeli military bases and security service
Iran's army said on Thursday it had targeted Israeli military bases and the country's security service Shin Bet.
"The Palmachim and Ovda air bases of the Zionist regime as well as the headquarters of Shin Bet were targeted by drones from the Islamic Republic of Iran's army," the Iranian military said in a statement.
There has been no immediate comment from Israel and no evidence of damage caused by the apparent strikes.
07:33am
Watch: US forces destroy Iranian planes in declassified footage
07:32am
Day 13: What to know this morning
Iranian attacks on ships in the Gulf have intensified. Two tankers were hit by suspected Iranian explosive-rigged drone boats and a container ship was hit near the UAE
Drones targeted oil facilities in Bahrain, Oman and Saudi Arabia
Oil prices have jumped to £100 a barrel, despite the International Energy Agency member states agreeing to release 400 million barrels of oil, the largest ever
Israel launched a wave of strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon overnight.
At least seven people were killed central Beirut early Thursday
Italy said a missile had hit an Italian base in Iraq, but reported no casualties among its forces
Sir Keir Starmer warned energy firms not to take advantage of rising oil prices
A draft report found the US is at fault for a missile strike on an Iranian girls school
Tehran has threatened to send oil prices soaring, insisting that a prolonged war would "destroy" the world economy.
07:09am
US at fault for strike on Iranian school, draft reports says
The US is responsible for a Tomahawk strike on a girls elementary school in Iran on the first day of the war, according to a preliminary report.
The Feb 28 attack killed at least 150 people, mostly children, was the result of a targeting mistake by the US military which was striking a nearby Iranian naval base, the ongoing investigation found.
Sources briefed on the findings told the New York Times that US Central Command set the coordinates using outdated data provided by the Defense Intelligence Agency.
It marks one of the worst civilian casualty incidents in the past three decades of American wars in the Middle East.
While American officials have acknowledged attacking a naval base near the Shajareh Tayyebeh school, they have not admitted to striking the school itself.
Despite initial U.S. intelligence suggesting the missile was American, Donald Trump stated on Saturday that he believes Iran was responsible.
However, the report's initial findings were widely expected, given the US is the only country involved in the conflict that uses Tomahawk missiles.
06:50am
US takes on Iran's British-inspired minelayers in fight for Hormuz
Donald Trump may have declared his war on Iran was "very complete" earlier this week, but in the Strait of Hormuz, it is only just starting.
The strikes around the world's most important oil artery followed reports that Iran was preparing to lay mines to consolidate its 10-day closure of the hairpin waterway.
In response, America said it had blown up more than a dozen mine-laying vessels.
The adversaries appear to be manoeuvring for a contest each has spent decades wargaming, and which has long been dreaded by the global energy markets.
A looming battle for the strait would pit US aerial and naval might, with modern mine-hunting technology, against a well-prepared and well-rehearsed enemy using swarms of fast-attack boats, barrages of missiles, and thousands of sea mines to try to maintain its maritime blockade.
Iran's Ashura-class speedboat is based on a British design and has been modified to carry naval mines
06:33am
Iran targets fuel facilities, sending oil soaring again
Iran launched a new wave of attacks against Gulf energy targets on Thursday, hours after two oil tankers were hit, sending crude prices soaring again.
The renewed drone and missile attacks against Iran's Gulf neighbours and Israel followed a warning from Tehran that it could wage a prolonged war that would "destroy" the world economy.
On Thursday morning, Bahrain told residents to stay inside and close windows after an Iranian attack on fuel tanks, while Saudi Arabia said it intercepted drones headed towards the Shaybah oil field and the embassies district.
Earlier, drones struck fuel tanks at Oman's Salalah port, where operations were subsequently suspended.
Shipping in and around the crucial Strait of Hormuz chokepoint also came under attack, with a container ship near the United Arab Emirates hit by an "unknown projectile," the UK maritime agency said.
The graphic below shows Iranian strikes on civilian vessels as of March 11:
06:16am
Crew still trapped aboard Thai ship
Three crew members believed to be trapped aboard a Thai bulk carrier - which was hit by projectiles while travelling through the Strait of Hormuz - are yet to be rescued.
The IRGC said it had struck the Thai-registered Mayuree Naree, as well as a Liberia-flagged vessel, in the strait because the ships had ignored "warnings".
The Thai ship was struck on Wednesday morning while transiting through the Gulf waterway, after departing Khalifa port in the United Arab Emirates.
The strikes damaged the vessel's engine room and caused a fire, Thai transport company Precious Shipping said in a statement on Wednesday evening.
"Three crew members are reported missing and believed to be trapped in the engine room," it said, adding that authorities were working to rescue them.
"Unfortunately, that remains the case," the firm's managing director Khalid Hashim told AFP on Thursday.
"We still have not been able to get anyone to board our ship, even though the fire has been extinguished."
05:32am
Pictured: Funeral for worker killed in missile attack in Israel
Loved ones mourn Amid Murtuzov, a construction worker who was killed by an Iranian missile launched at Israel - Reuters
05:21am
Iranian drone boats blow up oil tankers
Two oil tankers were struck overnight in the Persian Gulf in a suspected Iranian attack.
The foreign vessels were reportedly hit by remote-controlled boats laden with explosives while in Iraqi waters. Footage shows one tanker completely set ablaze.
Iraqi oil ports have "completely stopped" operations following the attack, authorities said. The latest attacks sent oil prices climbing on Thursday, with crude hitting over £100 a barrel.
One crew member was killed and 38 others were rescued after the strikes on the Maltese-flagged Zefyros and the Marshallese-flagged Safesea Vishnu near the Iraqi port of Umm Qasr.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards later officially claimed the attack on the second tanker, branding it "one of the assets of the US terrorist army."
The explosions came after three cargo vessels were hit by "unknown projectiles" in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's busiest oil shipping lanes, on Wednesday.
Another container ship in the strait was hit on Thursday morning near the United Arab Emirates, the UK maritime agency said.
Tehran has said it would "not allow even a single litre of oil" intended for the US, Israel and their allies to pass through the strait.
It has warned crude could soon reach £200 a barrel and that a prolonged war that would "destroy" the world economy.
05:06am
New Zealand mulls car restrictions
New Zealand is considering using decades-old laws restricting vehicle use if fuel supplies dwindle because of the war in the Middle East.
Finance minister Nicola Willis said on Thursday that officials had discussed using legislation introduced to restrict fuel use in the wake of the Iranian revolution in 1979 in response to the crisis.
Under those laws, car owners had to nominate one day per week when they would not use their vehicle and faced hefty fines if caught driving.
They also allowed the government to authorise the sale of coupons to restrict fuel use, and restrict the amount that could be sold.
The so-called "carless days" were in effect from July 1979 to May 1980.
The minister's comments came as oil prices surged back above £100 a barrel on Thursday.
04:49am
Pictured: Rescue under way after fuel tankers explode
A rescuer guides a man out of a lifeboat after two fuel tankers were attacked off the coast of Iraq - Reuters
04:35am
Sir Keir warns firms against 'profiteering' amid soaring oil prices
Sir Keir Starmer said the Government will "not tolerate profiteering" and will "step in" if companies exploit rising oil prices amid the Middle East conflict.
Oil prices have continued to surge as the Iran war escalates, pushing up energy costs and sending home heating oil bills soaring.
Ahead of a visit to Northern Ireland on Thursday, Sir Keir acknowledged that "global instability has real impacts on the lives of working people across the UK".
He said: "Let me be clear, we will not tolerate profiteering or unfair practices.
"If companies fleece customers or rip them off, we will not hesitate to step in, and that includes on regulation."
04:10am
Oil jumps above £100 a barrel
Brent crude oil surged above £100 a barrel on Thursday as Iran's attacks on shipping worsen supply concerns.
The rise came despite major countries agreeing to release a record amount of oil from their emergency reserves in a bid to tackle supply shortages.
All 32 of the International Energy Agency's (IEA) members, including the UK and the US, will unlock 400 million barrels of oil from their reserves in the largest release ever.
04:00am
Trump signals focus on Strait of Hormuz
Donald Trump said the US was ?in "very good shape" in its war with Iran and would be looking "very strongly" at the region's strategic straits.
It comes as the US president told ?CBS News earlier this week that he was "thinking about taking over" the Strait of Hormuz.
Mr Trump speaks to the press after landing at Joint Base Andrews - Getty Images
The IRGC has warned it would block oil shipments from the Gulf unless attacks stop.
"We're just riding free range over that country, and ?now we're going to look very strongly at the straits. The straits are in great shape," Mr Trump told reporters on Wednesday.
02:30am
Iran 'planning drone attack on California', warns FBI
Iran could launch a drone attack on California in retaliation for strikes against the regime, the FBI has warned.
Police departments on the US West Coast are on alert after being told that Tehran could deploy drones from a ship in the Pacific.
An alert distributed last month, before the war began, said the Islamic Republic was aiming to "conduct a surprise attack" using unmanned vehicles against unspecified targets in California, ABC News reported.
Read the full story by Neil Johnston here.[8]
01:31am
Israel strikes Hezbollah targets in Beirut
The Israeli military said it had struck 10 Hezbollah targets[9] in southern Beirut, including an intelligence headquarters and command centres after the Lebanese militant group and Iran claimed joint strikes on Israel.
"Over the past hours, the IDF has begun a wide-scale wave of strikes targeting terror infrastructure belonging to the Hezbollah terrorist organisation across Lebanon," the military said.
Buildings are ablaze after an Israeli strike in Dahiyeh, southern Beirut - AP
01:29am
Seven killed in attack at Beirut seafront
At least seven people were killed in an Israeli attack along the seafront in central Beirut early on Thursday, hours after heavy strikes hit the heart of the capital.
"The Israeli enemy strike on Ramlet al-Bayda in Beirut led to an initial toll of seven dead and 21 wounded," Lebanon's health ministry said in a statement, referring to the beach area.
Footage and pictures showed destruction in the neighbourhood of Ramlet al-Bayda.
The drone strike hit a car in Ramlet al-Baida - Shutterstock
01:13am
Welcome
We are bringing you the latest developments from the Middle East conflict today.
There have been several developments overnight, here is what you need to know:
Two tankers carrying Iraqi fuel oil have been attacked in the Persian Gulf
Iran and Hezbollah have launched their first coordinated attack on Israel, striking "more than 50 targets"
Israeli strikes battered Beirut overnight, killing at least seven people
Donald ?Trump said "we won" the Iran war, but the US would stay in the fight to finish the job
Try full access to The Telegraph free today. Unlock their award-winning website and essential news app, plus useful tools and expert guides for your money, health and holidays.[10]
References
- ^ here. (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ Yvette Cooper (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ here (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ Read the full piece here. (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ escalate global oil prices (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ Israeli strikes on densely populated urban areas (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ first reported by The Telegraph (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ here. (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ struck 10 Hezbollah targets (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ Try full access to The Telegraph free today.
Unlock their award-winning website and essential news app, plus useful tools and expert guides for your money, health and holidays.
(www.telegraph.co.uk)