As attacks across the Middle East continue for the second week, the Trump administration has sent conflicting messages about how long the war will last, while Iran has signaled it is prepared for a long war.
The humanitarian toll is mounting, with hundreds of thousands of people displaced and more than 1,700 killed across the region. The war has also caused fluctuations in oil prices in the biggest industrial disruption in history, raising concerns within the Trump administration.
Here’s what you need to know on day 11.
What are the main headings?
Trump administration comments: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday that the United States will not relent until “the enemy is completely and decisively defeated,” but added that President Donald Trump can “control the throttle” of the war and decide when the U.S. offensive ends. On Monday, shortly after telling House Republicans that “we haven’t won enough yet,” President Trump contradicted himself in a wide-ranging news conference, saying America’s goals are “pretty complete” and that the war could end quickly.
Girls’ School: The fallout continues over a strike at an Iranian girls’ school that left at least 168 children dead, according to Iranian state media. President Trump falsely claimed that Iran had the Tomahawk missiles believed to have been used in the attack and suggested that other countries may have attacked the school. Earlier, footage was leaked that appeared to show a US missile targeting an Iranian naval base near the school.
Oil turmoil: War remains volatile after oil prices fall on Tuesday after Trump says war will end ‘soon’. An estimated 20% of the world’s oil supply is currently disrupted, and countries are bracing for the impact. Pakistan announced extreme austerity measures, South Korea introduced fuel price caps for the first time in nearly 30 years and G7 ministers met to discuss the possible release of strategic oil reserves. Trump, on the other hand, said he would “wait certain oil-related sanctions” without specifying specifics, arguing that the war would ultimately lower oil prices in the long run.
Strait of Hormuz: On Tuesday, U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Cain said the military was “considering a wide range of options” to escort ships through the vital waterway, which has been effectively closed since the war began. Iran and the United States have exchanged threats over the strait, with President Trump trying to reassure tanker operators who have refused to sail through the strait and warning that Iran would be hit even harder if it tries to stop the flow of oil. Iran responded that its military was “waiting” for U.S. naval vessels in the strait. If the disruption continues, it could have “catastrophic consequences” for global oil markets, Aramco, the world’s biggest oil exporter, warned.
Iran women’s soccer team: A sixth player and staff member from the team applied for asylum in Australia on Tuesday, sources told CNN Sports, while five other players were granted humanitarian visas by the Australian government in response to earlier asylum requests. The remaining team members are believed to have left for Iran.
Israel attacks on Iran: CNN reporters in Tehran felt heavy airstrikes throughout the night, shaking building walls. One city resident said it was “impossible to even try to sleep” amid waves of heavy Israeli bombing. Rescue teams were rushing to rescue people trapped inside residential buildings, Iranian state media said. Historic buildings were damaged in Isfahan. According to the Israeli military, Iran retaliated with attacks against Israel.
Israel attacks on Lebanon: Israel has issued further mass evacuation orders in southern Lebanon after it announced an attack on a Hezbollah-affiliated financial institution on Monday. Hezbollah said it fired rockets into northern Israel shortly after midnight on Tuesday.
Gulf States: On Tuesday, neighboring countries reported new attacks by drones and missiles. A strike caused a fire at one of the region’s largest refineries in the United Arab Emirates. A drone targeting a U.S. military base and the UAE consulate’s airport in Iraqi Kurdistan was shot down, causing “property damage” from debris. A pro-Iranian Iraqi militia claimed responsibility for the attack. Iran’s president last week claimed that Iran would stop attacking its neighbors as long as attacks on Iran no longer originate from these countries.
Iran vows to escalate: Iran will escalate its missile attacks and launch only missiles with warheads weighing more than 1 ton, an Iranian military commander said on Monday. Separately, senior Iranian officials have ruled out the possibility of diplomacy for now, saying in an interview with CNN that Iran will continue its attacks on Gulf states and that the war will only end in economic pain.
Rising death toll: More than 1,200 civilians have been killed in Iran and at least 486 in Lebanon since the United States and Israel went to war with Iran, according to the United Nations and nonprofit groups. Many of them are children. Dozens more people have been killed in other countries in the region, including seven U.S. military personnel.
