Image source, EPA

Trump has threatened to leave the Nato alliance - the defensive body that the US helped establish after World War Two.

But he has said this before.

Before the start of his first term as US president in 2017, he repeatedly dismissed Nato as a "paper tiger", described it as "obsolete", and said that it was "costing a fortune" for the US.

In 2019, he showed "clear signs" that he was "preparing to act on his threat", former Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg wrote in his memoir, On My Watch.

Trump has long taken issue with Nato's military spending, showing dissatisfaction with a 2014 "guideline" that countries should spend 2% of their GDP on defence. Military spending has since ramped up by nearly all members, partly in response to Trump's threats and in part due to Russia's growing threat, writes Lyse Doucet, the BBC's chief international correspondent.

Leaving the alliance isn't up to the president alone. The president cannot unilaterally withdraw from Nato without the approval of a two-thirds Senate majority or an act of Congress.

The 2024 legislation was backed at the time by Trump's current Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has been in near lock-step with the commander-in-chief on the Iran war.

Appearing on Fox News on Tuesday, Rubio said the US is going to have to "re-examine" whether or the alliance is "still serving that purpose". Rubio also referred to it as "a one-way street where America is simply in a position to defend Europe".

Earlier this year, Trump said Russia would have occupied all of Ukraine if the US had not acted as Nato's enforcer.

For context: After the 9/11 attacks in 2001, Nato provided large scale support to the US under Article 5, which states that an attack on one member is considered an attack against all. It was the first use of Nato military assets under Article 5.

President Donald Trump is due to address the US public with "an important update on Iran" in about an hour. Ahead of his speech, let's look back at today's developments.

• The US Central Command says it has hit more than 12,300 targets in Iran a month into the war. It says US bombs have "damaged or destroyed" Iranian vessels, military command centres and ballistic missile sites
• Iranian attacks on Gulf countries have continued. The United Arab Emirates and Qatar each responded to missile and drone strikes while British troops say they brought down 10 Iranian drones over several countries including Jordan, Bahrain and Cyprus
• Iranian officials say reports the country has requested a ceasefire are "false and baseless". Ahead of Trump's speech, Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian published an open letter to Americans describing the war as an "occupation and invasion" of his country before adding Iran has no ill will towards ordinary people in the US, Europe and Gulf Arab neighbours
• In Europe, there is growing concern after Trump's comments suggesting the US will leave the Nato military alliance after allies refused his request to join American forces
• The president's speech will be keenly watched and he is expected to repeat what he says are US military victories and assure a war-weary public that the operation in Iran will wind down in the coming weeks

Stay with us as we bring you more updates and full coverage of Trump's speech from the White House.

The number of deaths in the US-Israel war against Iran has passed 5,000 according to the latest reports compiled by various agencies, and reported by Reuters.

The BBC has not independently verified these numbers.

Iran - 3,519

US-based rights group HRANA says that 1,598 of those were civilians, including at least 244 children.

The Red Cross and Red Crescent said on Friday that at least 1,900 people have been killed and 20,000 injured in Iran in the US-Israeli strikes so far, but it's unclear if those figures include at least 104 people who the Iranian military said were killed in a 4 March US attack on an Iranian warship off Sri Lanka.

Lebanon - 1,318

That number includes 124 children, Lebanese officials say. Israel launched strikes on Lebanon on 2 March and more than 400 fighters from Hezbollah have been killed since then.

At least nine Lebanese soldiers have been killed and three UN peacekeepers from Indonesia were killed in separate incidents.

Iraq - at least 107

Iraqi health authorities say that number includes civilians, members of the Iran-affiliated Shi'ite Popular Mobilisation Forces, US-allied Kurdish Peshmerga fighters, police and army, as well as a foreign crew member who was killed in an attack on tankers near an Iraqi port. A French soldier providing counterterrorism training was killed in a drone attack.

Israel - 19

Israel's ambulance service says that missiles launched from Iran and Lebanon towards Israel have killed 19. The Israeli military also says that 10 of its soldiers were killed in southern Lebanon. Separately, an Israeli farmer died near the border on 22 March when Israeli forces misfired.

United States - 13

Six service members were confirmed dead after a US military refuelling aircraft crashed in Iraq. Seven others were killed in action during operations in Iran, the US military has said.

Fatalities across the region

Deaths have also been recorded in the United Arab Emirates (11), Qatar (7), Kuwait (7), The West Bank (4), Syria (4), Bahrain (2), Oman (2), and Saudi Arabia (2).

Image source, Reuters

Nato ​Secretary-General Mark Rutte will visit Washington DC next ‌week.

Rutte will be visiting the White during his stay, a White House official has confirmed to the BBC. The official did not comment on timing.

A spokesperson for the Western military alliance has told the Reuters news agency that it is a "long-planned visit".

However, it comes after Trump lambasted European allies over the Iran war and threatened to pull out of the military alliance that the US helped form in 1949.

On Wednesday, Trump again criticised the United Kingdom and France, as well as other US allies, referring to them as a "paper ​tiger".

"We've had some very bad allies in ⁠Nato," ​Trump said. "Hopefully, we're never going ​to need them. I don't think we will need them."

Image source, Bloomberg via Getty Images

President Trump is "evaluating and re-evaluating" US involvement with Nato, according to Matthew Whitaker, the US ambassador to the security alliance.

The reevaluation could affect US support for Ukraine, Whitaker says, after Nato allies - majority of whom are in Europe - declined the president's request to deploy military assets to the Strait of Hormuz.

"I think it is very clear right now that President Trump is evaluating and re-evaluating everything, whether that is our involvement at Nato, whether that is our support to the European efforts in Ukraine," he says in an interview with NewsNation.

In a separate interview with Fox News, Whitaker echoed other comments from US officials which describe Nato as a "one-way street" that only benefits Europe.

"It's got to be a two-way street... there needs to be some benefit and advantage for the United States," he says. "Otherwise we are just the suckers that are guaranteeing the security of Europe without any reciprocity."

Image source, Reuters

After US President Donald Trump suggested that the US will be "out of Iran pretty quickly", the US stock market ended higher on Wednesday and oil prices settled lower.

Trump made the remarks ahead of his planned address to the nation later on Wednesday, but told Reuters that the US could return to the region for "spot hits" if needed.

Wall Street has rallied for two straight days as investors speculate about the end of the war, but energy prices have spiked over the last month, igniting concerns over global inflation.

Wholesale oil and petrol prices have hit record highs since the US and Israel launched their attack on Iran on 28 February. Iran retaliated on allies in the region and has effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz - a key passage for ships carrying oil - expanding the global impact of the conflict.

But Wednesday brought some respite, with the global benchmark Brent crude oil price falling to $2.81 for June - or 2.7% - and settling at $101.16 per barrel.

The day before, Brent briefly hit $119 per barrel, close to its highest since the start of the war.

Is this a clue to a possible communication channel?published at 22:49 BST 1 April

22:49 BST 1 April

Tom Bateman
US State Department correspondent

It’s been a bit of a mystery all day what Trump was talking about when he said Iran’s "new regime president" had asked the US for a ceasefire.

The Iranian foreign ministry called the claim "false and baseless".

But is there a bit of clue in a diplomatic call that took place yesterday between Iran’s president and a top European official?

Masoud Pezeshkian spoke with European Council President António Costa on Tuesday. After the call, Iranian state-affiliated media reported Pezeshkian had said Tehran was open to ending the conflict with the US, provided it got "necessary guarantees to prevent renewed violations", as reported by our colleagues at BBC Monitoring.

The call has come to light in part because Pezeshkian has been given a hard time by hardliners in Iran, who think focusing on engagement undermines Iran’s leverage on Washington.

But, along with Pezeshkian’s "letter to Americans" today which appears to call for dialogue, this could be one of the channels into the regime that Trump is talking about.

The White House has released some information ahead of President Donald Trump's address to the nation, which is scheduled for 21:00 ET (02:00 GMT).

"Tonight, President Donald J. Trump will address the nation on Operation Epic Fury — a decisive campaign of American strength that is systematically dismantling the Iranian regime’s ability to threaten the United States and the free world," the release says.

It goes on to tout the US military efforts in Iran, reiterating the Trump administration's objectives to shut down Iran's nuclear ambitions, annihilate its navy and eliminate its proxies.

The release also includes several quotes from top US officials outlining these goals.

“Now in our fifth week of the campaign, it is my operational assessment that we are making undeniable progress in eliminating Iran’s ability to project power in meaningful ways outside of its borders," Central Command Admiral Brad Cooper is quoted as saying.

Reality for many Israelis is a new state of 'perma-war'published at 21:49 BST 1 April

21:49 BST 1 April

Lucy Williamson
Middle East correspondent, reporting from Jerusalem

On the highway from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, American flags now hang alongside Israeli ones – a public sign of appreciation for US involvement in fighting Iran.

America’s decision to wage war on Iran opened up possibilities for Israel to attack its old enemy in new ways, but this war has so far not resolved any of Israel’s regional conflicts in the way its prime minister suggested it would.

And as US President Donald Trump talks of winding up the joint offensive in Iran, Israeli forces are still holding territory in Gaza and Syria, with new instructions from their defence minister to take a large swathe of southern Lebanon as a "buffer zone" against Iran’s ally Hezbollah, displacing 600,000 people.

Tzachi Hanegbi, who served as Israel’s National Security Advisor until last October, says Israel will continue its confrontation with regional enemies like Hezbollah, even if Washington forces an end to military action in Iran.

For the past two and a half years, Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has led his country in a rolling conflict with Iran and its allies around the region, each time promising that the next war would restore Israel’s security and vanquish its enemies.

The reality for many Israelis is a new state of 'perma-war'.

• Read more: Israel's perpetual war with Iran may be hard to win with military might alone

Lyse Doucet
Chief international correspondent

Iranian media are reporting that Kamal Kharrazi, a senior official regarded as a reformist within Iran's political system, has been severely injured in an airstrike on Tehran. His wife is said to have been killed.

Kharrazi, a former foreign minister, also served as an adviser to the former Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who was assassinated in the first hours of the war.

President Trump keeps describing the current leadership of Iran as "more reasonable". This reported attack will raise questions about why Kharrazi was targeted in a system now increasingly dominated by hardliners.

Ghoncheh Habibiazad
Senior reporter, BBC Persian

Image source, Getty Images

Reformist Masoud Pezeshkian was elected president of the Islamic Republic of Iran in July 2024, beating his conservative rival in a run-off vote.

He's a trained heart surgeon and was previously chancellor of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences in north-western Iran.

He joined the cabinet of former reformist President Mohammad Khatami as Iran's health minister in 2001, a post he held until 2005.

After Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a US-Israeli air strike on 28 February, in accordance with the constitution, Pezeshkian became a member of Iran's interim leadership until Khamenei's son Mojtaba succeeded his father as supreme leader in early March.

Pezeshkian has appeared in public in recent days, according to Iranian outlets. He was last seen on Tuesday at a pro-establishment rally.

While the president heads the government, there is also a parallel government in the form of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Several high-ranking IRGC commanders have been killed during the war. However, officials have repeatedly said that for every person lost, a replacement is ready to take their place.

Image source, WANA/Reuters

In a letter addressed to the "people of the United States of America", Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian says Iran "never initiated a war" despite what he describes as "enduring occupation and invasion".

The letter's publication comes hours after US President Trump claimed "Iran's New Regime President" - without clarifying who he was referring to - had asked the US for a ceasefire.

In the social media post, Trump said the US would consider a ceasefire "when Hormuz Strait is open, free, and clear. Until then, we are blasting Iran into oblivion or, as they say, back to the Stone Ages!!!"

Pezeshkian makes no mention of a potential ceasefire in his letter.

The Iranian people have no ill will towards the people of America, Europe, or neighbouring countries, he writes, concluding that the choice between "confrontation and engagement" will "shape the future for generations to come".

Simon Browning
Business reporter

A little earlier, Ryanair's CEO Michael O’Leary warned that jet fuel supply in Europe could be disrupted from May if the conflict in the Middle East continues.

O’Leary said in an interview with Sky News that the war’s impact could put 25% of Ryanair’s supplies at risk through May and June

He also said there was a risk of "significantly higher" ticket prices through April, May and June if the conflict goes on much longer, even though its fuel prices are currently secure.

A government source tells the BBC that for those travelling overseas for Easter, there are no concerns and no fuel disruption is expected.They add that the fuel industry and the government is looking at supply projections six weeks from now, and contingency plans are being developed.

• Earlier, the trade body representing airlines in the UK said they "are currently not seeing disruption to jet fuel supply"

United Arab Emirates's air defence systems are responding to Iranian missile and drone attacks over its territory, its ministry of defence says.

The Dubai Media office adds that air defence systems are being launched across the city to intercept the attacks.

We'll bring you more on this when we have it

We're looking at an operational update from US Central Command (Centcom).

In it, the US says it has now hit "12,300+" Iranian targets, including Iranian command and control centres, ballistic missile sites and storage bunkers.

As well as this, more than 155 Iranian vessels have been "damaged or destroyed", Centcom says.

The update also lists the types of aircraft that have been involved in "13,000+" combat flights since the war started - these include F-22 and F-35 fighter jets, and B-1, B-2 and B-52 bombers.

Image source, Reuters

Some 1,262 Iranians have returned from the United Arab Emirates since the start of the war, according to Iran's consulate in Dubai, as reported by the state broadcaster's Young Journalists Club.

The consulate said these people had travelled via Afghanistan and Armenia as direct travel options are suspended.

Iranian media has been reporting there are new restrictions on Iranian nationals travelling to or from the UAE.

The Iranian Labour News Agency (ILNA) says Iranian passport holders are no longer permitted to enter or transit through Dubai, including via Dubai International Airport, with the measure applying even to those holding valid UAE residency permits or tourist visas.

Iranian residents outside the UAE are temporarily unable to return, with limited exemptions subject to prior approval.

Tara Mewawalla
Live reporter

Earlier today, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) defence ministry said it intercepted 35 drones and five ballistic missiles launched from Iran.

That brings the total to 2,012 drones, 438 ballistic missiles - plus 19 cruise missiles - intercepted since the start of the war.

A woman in her 40s living in Dubai tells me she can feel her building "shake" during the interceptions and that she has avoided going out to see her friends for a month now.

"Every day I hear sounds or blasts," she says. She was on the balcony of a flat yesterday when she heard loud blasts. "When [there is] a blast, it shakes the building... I rush to come in because [the] blast's so loud."

"I go to the shops only," she adds. "I [haven't been] seeing friends for a month now... I avoid the open areas. [For] one month now I didn’t go to church... because I am worried to take a train to commute."

Under the UAE's cyber-crime laws, photographing, sharing or posting images of sites where missiles or drones have struck is not allowed. At least one British man has been charged with filming missiles, with others detained.

Criticism of the government is illegal in the UAE, and it exercises strict control over the flow information out of the country.

Image source, Getty Images

An oil tanker operated by a Qatari firm was evacuated early on Wednesday after being hit by an Iranian cruise missile, says Qatar’s ministry of defence.

It says the tanker, Aqua 1 - which is leased by QatarEnergy - was struck in Qatari waters and that all 21 crew members were able to escape without injuries.

QatarEnergy confirmed the attack, adding that there had been no impact on the environment as a result of this incident.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) confirmed the tanker, which it claims is owned by Israel, was struck by an IRGC navy missile.

Image source, Reuters

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) says British troops shot down 10 Iranian drones overnight.

RAF Regiment gunners struck the unmanned vehicles in a "high-threat area", the MoD says, without detailing where.

UK fighter jets, including Typhoons and F-35 jets, are continuing their defensive missions over Cyprus, Jordan, Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE, the MoD adds.

Image source, MoD Crown Copyright/PA

Ghoncheh Habibiazad
Senior reporter, BBC Persian

Image source, Iranian Red Crescent Society via Reuters

It’s still very difficult to contact those inside Iran amid a government-imposed internet outage. But some have managed to connect to the internet using satellite internet Starlink and other methods, although they pay a hefty price for it.

I’ve been asking some Iranians what they think about Donald Trump’s upcoming address to the nation with an “important” update on the Iran war.

"I think he’s very unpredictable. I don’t know what to expect, that’s just the way Trump is. He doesn’t want to reveal all his cards," a man in his 30s in Tehran tells me.

"Honestly, I’m tired of everything and every politician. At this point, it feels like we’re all in a circus," a woman in her 20s in Tehran says.

Some people in Tehran heard fewer strikes last night compared to the night before. Another woman in her 20s in Tehran says: "To be honest, I felt a bit hopeful last night about the war ending and things calming down. Then I saw that Trump might want to target infrastructure.

"I’m honestly sick of this kind of contradictory talk."