President Donald Trump says the US is "not finished yet" when asked about the war in Iran
The Israeli military launches another wave of strikes at Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, saying it's in response to rockets fired at Israel
In the UAE, officials say they're responding to missile and drone threats from Iran, hours after four people were injured when two drones fell near Dubai airport
Earlier, 32 members of the International Energy Agency agreed to their "largest ever" release of oil reserves, in an effort to calm markets
The IEA, which includes the UK and US, will release 400 million barrels - our reporter says that's about four days' worth
Also on Wednesday, three commercial ships were damaged by "unknown projectiles" in the Strait of Hormuz - here's why the shipping channel is so important
Meanwhile, Iran's sports minister says Iran's footballers won't play at the 2026 World Cup - but our reporter from BBC Persian says it's too early to rule them out
Speaking now in Kentucky, Trump says the US military is "better than any military in the world".
He adds: "I didn't know we'd have to show it off so much," in an apparent reference to the war in Iran.
Trump says he built the military as it is now in his first presidential term, and no other country's "comes close".
Nada Tawfik
Reporting from the United Nations in New York
Russia’s competing draft resolution has failed to get enough votes in the UN Security Council to pass.
Four countries voted in favour, two against and nine abstentions. Nine countries must support a draft in order for it to succeed, with no vetoes from permanent members.
Moscow’s text urges all parties, without naming Iran, Israel or the US to stop fighting and return to negotiations. It also condemns attacks on all civilians.
Image source, The White HouseWe're now hearing from US President Donald Trump, who is speaking in Hebron, Kentucky.
His remarks are unrelated to Iran, but we will update you here if he makes mention of the ongoing war.
You can also stream him by hitting watch live above.
Image source, Getty ImagesA resident walks in front of the building where at least four people were injured in an Israeli strike on a residential building in Beirut, Lebanon on 11 March
As strikes continue in Lebanon, in a joint statement released today, 29 countries from around the world raised concerns.
They call on Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon to lay down their weapons, while urging Israel to refrain from attacking civilian infrastructure or heavily populated areas in the country.
They also condemn the 6 March attack that impacted United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) and injured four soldiers. The letter says "those responsible for the attack" must be held accountable, without naming names.
At least 634 people have been killed and over 1,500 wounded in Lebanon since Israeli strikes began on 2 March, Lebanon's health ministry says.
And nearly a million people in Lebanon have fled their homes after Israeli evacuation orders, the letter says.
Image source, ReutersStrikes lit up Beirut a short while ago
As we reported, the Israeli military has launched what it calls a "large-scale" wave of strikes across Beirut this evening.
In an update from military spokesperson Avichay Adraee, he says Hezbollah has launched a new operation, and Israel will respond.
An Israeli military spokesperson has said this evening that the country is prepared to continue the war with Iran "as long as necessary", Reuters reports.
It's a sentiment that we've heard from multiple Israeli officials now, including earlier in the day from Defence Minister Israel Katz, who said that the war "will continue without any time limit".
Katz said the conflict would continue for as long as necessary, and until all objectives of the joint Israeli-US campaign were achieved, according to Reuters and The Times of Israel.
Michelle Fleury
New York business correspondent
President Trump wants to sell insurance for ships in the Gulf, to help get traffic moving again through the Strait of Hormuz.
Under the programme, the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), will provide reinsurance (essentially a backstop for insurers) covering up to $20bn in losses.
The insurance giant Chubb will front the government-funded backstop, although the agency says other insurers could join the scheme.
There are still questions over exactly what the cover includes. The DFC says it’s focused on war-related risks for eligible vessels, protecting things like hulls, machinery and cargo. Analysts point out that shipowners would normally still need separate insurance to deal with the environmental costs of something like an oil spill.
But people in the industry say insurance alone may not be enough. The bigger challenge is the reality of operating so close to an active conflict zone. Maritime war risk policies are commercially available. The problem is they are very pricey.
And even if the financial risk is reduced, ships are unlikely to sail if crews feel their safety can’t be guaranteed.
By Joshua Cheetham
The latest data from the ship tracking firm MarineTraffic has identified a total of four vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz since Monday, including two making the journey today.
Tracking of these ships has been difficult as some may have been turning off their onboard trackers, or giving out misleading location data, as Iran continues to target vessels in the region.
Four commercial vessels have reportedly been attacked in the region since the early hours of Wednesday, according to the maritime intelligence company Vanguard.
Vanguard reports that Iran’s military has said two of these vessels - Mayuree Naree and Express Rome - ignored warnings not to transit the Strait without permission.
There is no independent confirmation Express Rome, a container ship owned by Greece-based Danaos Shipping, has been attacked, Vanguard adds.
Mayuree Naree is a bulk carrier flagged to Thailand and owned by Thai firm Precious Shipping.
The two other vessels reported to have been attacked are One Majesty, a container ship owned by Japanese carrier Mitusi OSK Lines, and Star Gwyneth, a bulk carrier owned by Greek firm Star Bulk Carriers.
Shipping traffic through Strait of Hormuz between 10 and 11 March
Sameer Hashmi
Middle East business correspondent, reporting from Riyadh
Oman’s navy has rescued 20 sailors from a Thai-flagged vessel that was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, about 13 nautical miles (24km) off the Omani coast, according to the country’s state news agency.
The Oman News Agency said all those rescued were Thai nationals, with some reported to have suffered injuries.
India’s foreign ministry said the ship had been heading to the port of Kandla in western India when it was attacked on Wednesday.
In a statement, New Delhi condemned the targeting of commercial shipping during the conflict.
“India deplores the fact that commercial shipping is being made a target of military attacks in the ongoing conflict in West Asia,” the ministry said.
It added that lives, including those of Indian citizens, had already been lost in earlier attacks on vessels in the region and warned that the intensity and lethality of such incidents appeared to be increasing.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s busiest energy and shipping routes, carrying a significant share of global oil supplies.
Image source, ReutersHuge explosions in Beirut after 'large-scale' strikes by Israel
The Israeli military says it has begun a "large-scale wave of strikes on Hezbollah infrastructure in the Dahieh area of Beirut". Interception efforts are ongoing, it adds.
Spokesperson Avichay Adraee has said residents of the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital should evacuate immediately.
In an earlier post, the military said Hezbollah had launched rockets at "several" areas in Israel.
And in a separate update, the Israel Foreign Ministry says Iran and Hezbollah are targeting Israel’s north "with missiles raining down daily on homes, streets, schools, and families".
Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian posted on X that the "only way to end this war" is with firm international guarantees "against future aggression".
And Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi says on X that Iran's "national infrastructure is under attack", writing that a branch of the country's oldest bank was bombed "while full of employees".
He says Iran will seek revenge for the incident.
Nada Tawfik
Reporting from the United Nations in New York
The UN Security Council has voted in favour of a resolution put forward by Gulf countries, which had more than 130 co-sponsors. It got 13 votes in favour, with Russia and China abstaining.
The resolution condemns attacks on them and Jordan by Iran. It also demands an immediate cessation of all attacks and threats by Iran, including through proxies.
It also condemns any actions by Tehran that would close or interfere with international navigation through the crucial Strait of Hormuz.
It did not mention airstrikes by the US and Israel against Iran.
Does Donald Trump actually have a plan for the war in Iran? Eleven days on from the start of the conflict - with rising oil prices, and worries over oil supplies - the president’s narrative has shifted, branding the war “very complete”, while also signalling that ”we're going to go further".
Can he persuade Americans to back him?
However, the decision to withdraw from Iran is not as straightforward as it may seem. Anthony Zurcher and Sarah smith discuss what factors might be keeping the US forces in the region? How far will they back Israel?
And what might be necessary to keep key shipping lanes moving, to avoid petrol and gas price inflation not just in the United States, but also around the world.
Sarah is in Kentucky ahead of the latest stop of Trump’s affordability tour, asking whether president can take control of the narrative to convince voters and lawmakers that he has a clear plan for success in Iran?
And despite promising to put America first, will his MAGA base agree with the president that higher prices are “a very small price to pay for USA and World, Safety and Peace”?
We also look at the role of Congress and the process for Trump when it comes to funding the war.
Listen to the latest episode of Americacast
Trump: Iran operation is 'an excursion' that'll keep US 'out of a war'
President Donald Trump just spoke to media while touring a business in the city of Cincinnati.
He again describes the conflict in Iran as an "excursion" and says that it is ahead of schedule.
Trump says the financial markets should be "back on track" in a short while.
He calls fluctuations in oil prices a "matter of war".
When a journalist asks if it is a war or an excursion, Trump says "well it's both".
"It's an excursion that will keep us out of a war... for them it's a war, for us it's turned out to be easier than we thought."
He goes on to say the US has "hit 28 mine ships as of this moment", referencing reports of Iranian vessels trying to plant mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran-backed terror groups have targeted hotels frequented by Americans in Iraq, the US Embassy in Baghdad says.
The embassy is urging US citizens "remain vigilant" and prepare for more attacks - especially on US-owned oil and energy infrastructure in the country.
"Iran and Iran-aligned terrorist militia groups continue to pose a significant threat to public safety. US citizens are urged to remain vigilant, maintain a low profile, and stay away from areas that could make them a target," the Embassy notice said. "Congregating in areas associated with the United States or with groups of other US citizens could put you at risk."
The notice added that departing Iraq may be the safest option for Americans.
Nada Tawfik
Reporting from the United Nations in New York
Ambassadors from the Gulf countries have spoken to reporters ahead of a Security Council vote later on a draft resolution which demands Iran immediately cease its attacks, including through proxies, on them and Jordan.
Collectively, over the last 12 days, they say they’ve been targeted with 950 Iranian missiles and 2,500 drones, most of which have been intercepted.
The ambassadors said that these attacks were aimed not at military locations, but residential buildings, airports, energy installations and other critical civilian infrastructure.
The Gulf nations have more than 90 countries co-sponsoring their resolution.
Qatar’s Ambassador to the UN Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani said if the Security Council failed to pass the draft, it would send a dangerous signal that attacks against uninvolved neighbours carry no consequences.
She also warned that Iran’s threats to its territory “impacts deeply the foundation of understanding” which their bilateral relations were built upon.
Clearly the region feels betrayed after engaging in intense diplomacy to prevent an attack by the US and Israel, only to come under fire themselves.
These nations now say they don’t want escalation, but also won’t hesitate to defend themselves.
Charlotte Hadfield
Live reporter
Image source, ReutersSmoke rises after an Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs in Lebanon today
Military warnings
Israel has launched more attacks against both Iran and Lebanon after confirming that it struck targets in the Dahieh suburb Beirut earlier on Wednesday.
US Central Command has warned civilians in Iran to "immediately avoid" all ports along the Strait of Hormuz where Iranian naval forces are operating.
On the ground across the Middle East
On the Iran-Turkey border, one man tells the BBC he'd stayed to work in Iran but had lost his job when his company was bombed.
He said his message to US President Donald Trump would be: "Please finish it, keep bombing and kill the regime, but not people".
Meanwhile in Doha, 12-year-old Yacine spoke of her fear as "there were bombs exploding on top of our building".
The Strait of Hormuz
The International Energy Agency (IEA) will approve their largest ever release of oil reserves - 400m barrels - to offset the supply lost through the "effective closure" of the Strait of Hormuz.
The move comes after three commercial ships were damaged by "unknown projectiles".
It's a significant intervention, but releasing a third of the stocks its governments hold is not something that the IAE can repeat frequently, writes the BBC's Jonathan Josephs.
Air defences in the United Arab Emirates are currently responding to incoming missile and drone threats from Iran, according to the UAE Ministry of Defence.
In a statement on X, the ministry says that the sounds which can be heard in the emirates are a result of the air defence systems intercepting missiles and drones.
Nada Tawfik
Reporting from the United Nations in New York
When the UN Security Council meets this afternoon, it will be voting on two competing draft resolutions.
The first, put forward by Gulf countries - condemns attacks on them and Jordan by Iran.
The draft, which now has more than 90 sponsors, demands an immediate cessation of all attacks and threats by Iran, including through proxies.
It also condemns any actions by Tehran that would close or interfere with international navigation through the crucial Strait of Hormuz.
In response, Russia introduced its own measure, which it said took a “non-confrontational” approach.
Moscow’s text urges all parties, without naming Iran, Israel or the US to stop fighting and return to negotiations.
It also condemns attacks on all civilians. Iran’s U.N. Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani criticised the gulf countries measure, accusing them of trying to reverse the roles of aggressor and victim through a biased and politically motivated text.
He warned that if adopted, it would be “a stain” on the Security Council’s credibility and would embolden Israel and the US to carry out further attacks.
Image source, EPA/ShutterstockSpeaking after a video conference with G7 leaders, French President Emmanuel Macron says that the Strait of Hormuz blockage "does not justify" lifting the sanctions against Russia.
Macron added that the situation in Iran should not "diminish our focus on Ukraine, our support for Ukraine, or the clarity we have regarding sanctions against Russia".
The US sanctioned Russian oil following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, forcing buyers to seek alternatives.
These sanctions were temporarily eased by the US government toallow India to buy Russian oil currently stranded at sea, amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent previously said the 30-day waiver,, external was a "deliberate short-term measure" to allow oil to keep flowing in the global market.
Macron told leaders during today's G7 conference it's "important we coordinate in order to make sure that freedom of navigation is clearly restored" in the Strait of Hormuz "as soon as possible".
Image source, EPA/ShutterstockSpeaking to reporters outside the White House, US President Donald Trump is asked what it will take for the war in Iran to end.
"More of the same," he answers. "And we'll see how that all comes out."
"They've lost their navy. They've lost their air force. They have no anti-aircraft apparatus at all. They have no radar. Their leaders are gone. And we could do a lot worse."
He says that the US has hit Iran "harder than virtually any country in history has been hit", but, he adds, "we're not finished yet".
