Israel to continue Iran campaign for at least three more weeks, spokesperson tells CNN
The Israeli military has told CNN it plans for at least three more weeks of its campaign in Iran with “thousands of targets” remaining, as both countries continued to trade blows today. Meanwhile, Gulf countries have reported more drone interceptions.
No Iran deal: US President Donald Trump said he’s not prepared yet to reach a deal with Iran to end the war, adding US strikes “totally demolished” most of Kharg Island but “we may hit it a few more times just for fun.” Countries have responded to Trump’s call to help the US secure the Strait of Hormuz.
Service members identified: The Pentagon has named the six US air crew who died in Thursday’s aircraft crash in Iraq. The crash remains under investigation.
Supreme leader’s health: Iran says Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is in “good health” and “manages the country strongly,” as questions swirl over his wellbeing. He has yet to be seen or heard since his appointment.
Latest updates:
- Missiles have hit multiple sites across central Iran’s Isfahan province, with at least 15 people reported killed.
- As Iran hits back, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says his country will attack the facilities of US companies in the Middle East if its energy infrastructure is targeted, and appeals to Gulf neighbours to “expel foreign aggressors”.
- US President Donald Trump says allies who rely on Gulf oil must help keep the Strait of Hormuz open.
- US-Israeli attacks have damaged nearly 43,000 civilian units, of which 36,500 were residential, according to the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS).
- At least 56 of Iran’s cultural sites, including museums and historic monuments, have suffered “serious structural damage” since the start of the US-Israel war, according to the Culture Ministry.
- Lebanon’s Ministry of Health says the death toll from Israeli attacks has reached 826, with 2,009 people wounded since March 2, as strikes continue to intensify across the country.
- The US Embassy in Baghdad is asking all US citizens to leave Iraq immediately.
‘Completely unclear’ what US is fighting for
Phyllis Bennis, of the Institute for Policy Studies, says the US and Israel launched their war on Iran without any clear objectives, creating what she described as deep confusion over the purpose of the conflict.
Speaking to Al Jazeera from Washington, DC, Bennis said the war began when “the US and Israel illegally attacked Iran”, and argued that Washington has still failed to explain what it is trying to achieve.
According to Bennis, the messaging coming from the White House has been contradictory. “We hear from Trump and his various aides, maybe there’s about seven or eight different versions of what the purpose is, what they’re fighting for”, she said.
Despite Trump declaring victory, Bennis said the reality on the ground tells a different story. “Today, [Trump] said that they have entirely decimated Iran, that it’s over. But maybe they would want to go a little bit further. No one knows what that means.”
She said the situation remains volatile as military operations continue to escalate across the region.
Bennis also warned that the conflict is spreading beyond Iran itself, with the US also pressing allies to deploy naval forces to the region. “Both sides seem to be internationalising the effort right now, which does not bode well,” she said.
