Image source, Reuters

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

Rutte will be visiting US President Donald Trump at the White House during his stay, a White House official confirmed to the BBC's US media partner, CBS,

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

22:49 BST

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

21:49 BST

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."

Bernd Debusmann Jr
White House reporter

I spent much of this morning messaging White House officials and others close to the administration, hoping that I would get some sort of indication of what the president might tell the world in tonight's address (it's expected at 21:00 in Washington, 02:00 BST on Thursday).

Just a few moments ago, I got word back from a White House official who described it as "an operational update" on the US operation, which they see as meeting or exceeding expectations.

As part of that, Trump will highlight what he believes will be American military successes, such as destroying Iran's navy, degrading its missile manufacturing, combating Iranian proxy groups in the Middle East and ensuring that Iran will not be able to have a nuclear weapon.

Additionally, the official said that the president is again expected to reiterate a timetable of two or three weeks for the operation, which he mentioned yesterday.

Notably, the official made no mention of any peace negotations, efforts to bring down petrol prices in the US or ensuring freedom of navigation and commerce in the Strait of Hormuz.

We will have to see, however, what the final content of the speech is tonight. The situation is rapidly changing, and Trump's thinking could evolve rapidly.

Undeterred by ongoing strikes, thousands of Iranians turned out in Tehran for the funeral of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps naval commander Alireza Tangsiri, who Israel said was killed in an Israeli airstrike on 26 March.

Image source, Reuters

Meanwhile in Israel, emergency personnel have evacuated children from an impact site in Bnei Brak on the outskirts of Tel Aviv, following a missile attack the Israeli military has blamed on Iran. Fourteen were injured, Israel's emergency services said.

Image source, Reuters

In Lebanon, Ahmad Najem, mayor of Houmine El Tahta (pictured below), has been surveying the ruins of a house destroyed by a strike, amid escalating hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.

And in Iraq, people have been watching as smoke billows from an oil warehouse on the outskirts of Irbil, in the Kurdish region of the country, following a suspected drone strike.

Image source, Gett

Kuwaiti firefighters have extinguished a massive fire that broke out in fuel tanks at Kuwait International Airport.

There were no casualties, a government spokesperson said, and only material damage.

The tanks were hit by drones this morning as Iran retaliated with strikes across the Gulf.