The Latest: War engulfs the Middle East as markets drop and oil prices spike
U.S. President Donald Trump said “someone from within” Iran’s government might be best suited to take power once the U.S.-Israeli war on the country ends.
His remarks came four days into a war that has killed hundreds, nearly all of them in Iran, as well as many of the country’s top leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Although Tehran has kept up its retaliatory missile and drone strikes against Israel and across the Gulf — disrupting travel and driving up oil prices — the pace of Iranian attacks appears to be slowing. However the conflict has also spread to Lebanon, where Iran-backed Hezbollah fired missiles at Israel, prompting Israeli strikes in Beirut and additional troop deployments to southern Lebanon.
The spiraling nature of the war has raised questions about when and how it would end, and the Trump administration has given various objectives.
Here is the latest:
Israeli airstrike hits hotel outside of Beirut
An Israeli airstrike hit a hotel outside of Beirut, Lebanon’s state-run news agency reported Wednesday.
The strike came in Hazmieh, about 5 kilometers (3 miles) southeast of downtown Beirut.
The report from Lebanon’s National News Agency said ambulances had been dispatched to the scene.
It did not elaborate in its short report.
Asian shares tumble as oil prices climb
Asian shares tumbled Wednesday, with South Korea’s benchmark plunging as much as 11%, while oil prices climbed even higher.
Worries over the widening conflict with Iran have hammered most world markets.
In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 shed 3.4% to 54,346.73.
Japan, like South Korea, depends heavily on imports of oil and natural gas from the Middle East that are now stranded in the Persian Gulf.
The price of U.S. benchmark crude oil climbed 1.2% to $75.46 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, gained 1.5% to $82.61 per barrel.
Higher oil prices and how much they might worsen inflation are spooking investors worried that more spikes for oil prices may grind down the global economy and sap corporate profits.
Air sirens sound across Bahrain
Air sirens sounded Wednesday morning across the island kingdom of Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet.
Explosions heard over Jerusalem
Explosions echoed across the skies of Jerusalem on Wednesday.
Iran launches second wave of missiles toward Israel
Israel’s military said early Wednesday that Iran had launched missiles toward the country for the second time in less than two hours.
Israeli air defenses were working to intercept them.
No injuries were reported in the first wave.
Saudi Arabia says it intercepted cruise missiles over Kharj
Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry said it has intercepted two cruise missiles Wednesday morning over the city of Kharj.
US State Department says non-emergency personnel and family members can evacuate Saudi Arabia
The U.S. State Department said early Wednesday it had authorized non-emergency American government personnel and family members to evacuate Saudi Arabia should they choose due to the war.
The U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia has come under attack by Iran in the war.
US soldiers died in Iranian drone strike on center at Kuwait civilian port
An operations center targeted by an Iranian drone strike that killed six American soldiers was located in a civilian port in Kuwait, more than 10 miles away from the main Army base, according to satellite images and a U.S. official.
Joey Amor, husband of Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor, one of the soldiers killed, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the hub was a shipping container-style building and had no defenses.
A satellite image taken Monday and reviewed by the AP shows the main building in the complex destroyed, with a trail of black smoke rising from it.
It’s located in Port Shuaiba, a working seaport south of Kuwait City.
The U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a matter under investigation, confirmed the image depicted the location of Sunday’s attack.
Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said the “secure facility was fortified with 6-foot walls.”
The development was reported earlier by CNN and CBS News.
— By Konstantin Toropin and Rebecca Boone
Israeli strike kills 4 in Lebanon, state-run media says
At least four people were killed in an Israeli strike that hit a residential complex in the Lebanese city of Baalbeck, state-run media reported.
The strike early Wednesday also wounded six others, the National News Agency said.
Israel says Hezbollah fire intercepted
Israel’s military said Wednesday that Hezbollah fire targeted the country, with much of it intercepted.
Loud explosions in Tehran, Iran state TV reports
Iranian state television reported loud explosions around the capital, Tehran, as dawn broke Wednesday.
Israel says its air defenses activated
Israel said its air defenses were activated due to incoming missile fire from Iran.
US State Department authorizes non-emergency personnel, family members to evacuate Oman
The U.S. State Department said early Wednesday it had authorized non-emergency American government personnel and family members to evacuate Oman should they choose due to the war.
Oman, long an intermediary between the West and Iran, has repeatedly come under attack by Iran.
House Speaker says US not in the business of nation-building in Iran
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said after an all-member briefing at the Capitol that “no one can yet determine with any degree of certainty” how the conflict with Iran will turn out.
The Republican leader, a close ally of Trump, said it’s up to the Iranian people to “seize this moment of opportunity” for their country, and not necessarily depend on the U.S.
“We have no ability to get into the nation-building business,” he said.
“America has enough trouble of our own.”
Child killed in attack on Kuwait
An 11-year-old girl was killed after shrapnel fell in a residential area in Kuwait City, health authorities said Wednesday.
The Kuwait army said in a statement the shrapnel fell over a house and left casualties while forces were intercepting “several hostile aerial targets” over the country.
The Health Ministry said in a separate statement that the child died of her wounds at the hospital.
The child’s mother and three other relatives were injured and being treated at the hospital, it said.
US military commander says ‘we’ve just begun’ in Iran operation
The top U.S. military commander in the Middle East said American forces have struck nearly 2,000 targets in Iran since the operation against the Islamic Republic began.
Adm. Brad Cooper, head of Central Command, said in a video posted on X Tuesday that the U.S. military has “severely degraded Iran’s air defenses” and taken out hundreds of ballistic missiles, launchers and drones.
The video showed missiles and jets launching from U.S. ships, and targets exploding on the ground.
Cooper noted that Iran has launched over 500 ballistic missiles and more than 2,000 drones in retaliation.
But he said the U.S. is “hunting” Iran’s last remaining mobile ballistic missile launchers to eliminate their “lingering launch capability.”
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Cooper said the operation has involved more than 50,000 troops, 200 fighter jets, two aircraft carriers and bombers, and “more capability is on the way.”
“We’ve just begun,” Cooper said.
