Much of the damage was caused in initial retaliatory strikes by Iran in the week after the US and Israel launched the war, according to a report by the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS).

The full extent of the damage caused by Iranian strikes on US assets in the region is not clear.

But the $800m in estimated damage to US military infrastructure – a figure that’s higher than has been previously reported – offers a picture of the steep costs to the US as the conflict drags on.

“The damage to US bases in the region has been underreported,” said Mark Cancian, a CSIS senior adviser and co-author of the think tank study. “Although that appears to be extensive, the full amount won’t be known until more information is available.”

In response to a request for comment, the US Department of Defense referred the BBC to US Central Command, which is leading the war. Officials there declined to comment.

Iran’s retaliatory strikes targeted US air-defence and satellite-communication systems, among other assets, in Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and other countries across the Middle East.

A significant portion of damage was caused by a strike on a US radar for a Thaad missile defence system at an air base in Jordan.

The AN/TPY-2 radar system costs approximately $485m according to a CSIS review of defence department budget documents. The air-defence systems are used for the long-range interception of ballistic missiles.

Strikes by Iran caused an additional $310m in estimated damage to buildings, facilities and other infrastructure on US bases and military bases used by American forces in the region.

Iran also has struck at least three air bases more than once, according to an analysis of satellite imagery by BBC. The repeat strikes underscore Iran’s efforts to target specific US assets. Russia has reportedly shared intelligence with Tehran on American military forces in the region.

Satellite imagery shows the three air bases – Ali Al-Salim base in Kuwait, Al-Udeid in Qatar and Prince Sultan in Saudi Arabia – with fresh damage appearing during different phases of the conflict.

The US has also lost 13 military service members since President Donald Trump joined Israel in launching the attacks on Iran on 28 February.

The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (Hrana) estimates the overall death toll has reached nearly 3,200, including 1,400 civilians.

Trump has said the US is on track to achieve his goals of destroying Iran’s nuclear program, degrading its conventional military power, and ending the regime’s support for proxy groups in the region.

“We’re doing extremely well in Iran,” Trump said at a White House event on Friday.

But the war has rattled the global economy with the near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and uncertainty over the duration of the conflict and whether Trump will deploy ground troops.

Analysis of satellite imagery has been hampered by restrictions imposed by major US-based providers on the release of the imagery.

But it is possible to discern certain patterns in Iran’s retaliatory action against US military interests in the region.

Radar and satellite systems have been a focus from the start, when Iranian strikes hit a US naval base in Bahrain. They function as the eyes and ears of modern military operations.

Satellite imagery most notably showed the destruction of two radomes – protective enclosures for such sensitive equipment. It is highly probable the systems themselves were damaged, although it is not possible to gauge the extent.

Radar sites were hit at Camp Arifjan, a US military facility in Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia’s Prince Sultan Air Base, where US aircraft are located. Imagery of the latter shows smoke rising from a radar component for a Thaad air-defence system.

More extensive damage to Thaad systems is evident at US bases in the UAE and Jordan. It’s unclear what the cost of that damage was. The degradation of these systems reportedly led the US to redeploy Thaad components from South Korea to the Middle East.

The damage from Iran’s retaliatory strikes account for a fraction of the overall costs to the US for the war.

Defense department officials reportedly briefed members of Congress that the first six days of the war had cost $11.3bn. The first 12 days cost 16.5bn, according to CSIS.

The Pentagon is asking for another $200bn in funding for the war. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Thursday that the figure “could move.”

“It takes money to kill bad guys,” Hegseth said.

Despite the pressure on oil prices brought about by severe disruption to the critical waterway amid the conflict, he insisted the US does not need help from its allies.

Speaking alongside Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin at the White House, Trump said he has been informed by most Nato allies that they do not want to get involved in the war, a conflict many of them view as illegal.

While Trump has said some countries are willing to help escort ships through the strait, he has yet to publicly identify them.

In heated remarks in the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump insisted that “we don’t need any help” from Nato.

“But they should’ve been there,” he added.

The US president said the reluctance to send mine-sweeping vessels to the Gulf was “not a big deal”, but was “unfair” to the US.

He reserved his harshest criticism for the UK, citing its lack of participation and assistance in the US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

Trump said the US-UK relationship was “always the best” until “[Prime Minister] Keir [Starmer] came along”.

He also said the war was a “great test” of the alliance’s relations with the US.

But when asked if he was considering any retaliatory measures, the president said only that he had “nothing currently in mind”.

Trump also complained that Nato allies had benefited from tens of billions of dollars in US backing for Ukraine to fend off Russia’s invasion.

“We will protect them, but they will do nothing for us, in particular, in a time of need,” the president said on social media.

Only a handful of vessels carrying Iranian oil to countries including India and China have managed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz since hostilities began on 28 February.

Several commercial cargo ships have been struck in the waterway, through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil passes.

US officials have still not identified allies willing to help escort ships through the passage.

Many, including the UK, Germany and France – have said they are not ready to make a decision yet.

President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday that France did not want to get involved.

“We are not a party to the conflict, and therefore France will never take part in operations to reopen or liberate the Strait of Hormuz,” Macron said.

Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, said on Tuesday: “This is not Europe’s war. We didn’t start the war. We were not consulted.”

“The member states do not have the wish to be dragged into this,” Kallas said, according to AP news agency.

The attack overnight on Tuesday used multiple-warhead missiles that can better evade defence systems, killing two people in Israel’s Ramat Gan area near Tel Aviv.

Falling  shrapnel injured several others and caused significant property damage, including at a Tel Aviv train station, according to Israeli media reports.

In a statement, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the attack exacted “revenge for the blood of martyr Dr. Ali Larijani and his companions”.

Al Jazeera reporting from Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, described it as a “difficult night” in Israel, with the incoming cluster munitions causing “a lot of alarm”.

She said the two people killed in the country – a couple in their 70s – had a safe room in their home but were unable to reach it in time, raising concern that Israel’s air-raid sirens are not sounding quickly enough for people to react.

Iran followed up with another wave of missile strikes on central Israel on Wednesday morning.

At home, Iranian authorities executed a man accused of spying for Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency, according to the country’s semiofficial Tasnim news agency.

Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Iran had informed it that a projectile hit the premises of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant on Tuesday, though there was no damage to the facility or injuries.

Israel’s  killing of Larijani yesterday was the highest profile assassination since it targeted Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on the first day of the war. In addition to Larijani, Israel also killed the commander of Iran’s Basij volunteer militia, Gholamreza Soleimani.

Iran has insisted its system of governance is resilient and capable of withstanding such losses.

“I do not know why the Americans and the Israelis still have not understood this point: The Islamic Republic of Iran has a strong political structure with established political, economic and social institutions,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Al Jazeera. “The presence or absence of a single individual does not affect this structure.”

UAE ‘responding to missile threat’ as Iran renews Gulf attacks

Emergency teams in the United Arab Emirates say they are “responding to missile threats”, as Iran renews its attack on neighbouring Gulf countries after the death of security chief Ali Larijani.

In a statement on X, the UAE National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority says: “Air defence systems are currently responding to a missile threat.

“Please remain in a safe location and follow official channels for warnings and updates.”

The Reuters news agency is reporting loud explosions in Dubai.

Attack kills four in Iran’s northwestern Lorestan Province

The deputy security chief of Lorestan Province says four people have been killed and eight wounded by a US-Israeli attack on rural areas in the Cheghani region.

Saudi Arabia downs drone approaching embassies district

Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry says another drone has been shot down as it “attempted to approach the Embassies District”.

Saudi forces have downed a number of drones in recent hours, as well as a ballistic missile, which saw debris falling near the Prince Sultan Air Base but did not cause any damage.

Sirens in Jerusalem, central Israel

Broadcaster Channel 12 says Israeli air defences have successfully intercepted the missiles launched from Iran.

There were no casualties, it said, adding that the attack set off air raid sirens in Jerusalem and central Israel.

Lebanese civil defence says 11 members wounded in Israeli raid

Lebanon’s civil defence says 11 of its personnel have been wounded in an Israeli attack on the southern city of Nabatieh last night.

According to Lebanese authorities, Israeli strikes on Lebanon have killed at least 912 people since March 2, and displaced more than one million people.

Israel’s military says missiles launched from Iran towards its territory

The Israeli army says missiles have been launched from Iran towards its territory, and air defence systems are operating to intercept the attack.

In a post on X, it said residents in targeted areas had been notified with a message sent to their mobile phones and were instructed to move to shelter until the threat was dealt with.

Iranian command centres, missile sites struck in Tehran, says Israeli army

The Israeli army claims to have struck Iranian command centres, missile sites and other infrastructure in Tehran yesterday.

A missile defence command centre and air defence systems were also targeted, the army claimed.

‘This is America’s war,’ says Iran’s Foreign Minister Araghchi

Iran’s FM Araghchi Al Jazeera that the US is responsible for the war engulfing the region.

He denies targeting civilians, defends Iran’s retaliation, and warns that the US military presence across the Gulf makes escalation unavoidable.

Araghchi also signals possible new rules for navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, while rejecting a ceasefire in favour of a permanent end to the war.

Israeli forces kill 4 people in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley

At least four people have been killed in an Israeli attack that targeted four houses in the town of Sahmar in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley.

Israeli attacks have killed 912 people in Lebanon and wounded 2,221 more since March 2, the Health Ministry says.

Iran executes man accused of spying for Mossad

Iran has executed a man it accused of spying for Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

“The death sentence of an Israeli spy, who provided Mossad officers with images and information about sensitive areas in the country, was carried out this morning after going through the legal process and being approved by the Supreme Court,” Tasnim reported.

Tasnim said the man was recruited online by Israeli intelligence while in Sweden after he posted his details on a group travel advertising link. A Persian-speaking Mossad officer reportedly made initial contact, the report added.

He was arrested by the IRGC in June in the Iranian city of Savojbolagh, during the 12-day war with Israel.

He was in possession of “sophisticated spy, intelligence, and satellite communications” equipment.

But if the American commander-in-chief is grappling with a war of choice that seems in danger of spiralling in ways he can’t control, those concerns are not playing out in public.

In more than an hour of public remarks at the White House on Monday, he discussed his thinking on the state of the war effort – and also on Kennedy Center renovations, White House ballroom construction plans, this year’s World Cup tournament, the health of a Republican congressman and a host of other unrelated topics.

It was classic Trump, as unscripted and wide-ranging as ever. This past weekend, he played golf at his Florida resort. And on his Truth Social website, he devoted nearly as much time to railing about the Supreme Court as he did to discussing the Iran War.

While Trump may be interested in other topics, he is confronting a lesson previous American presidents have learned the hard way – that war can consume a presidency whether they want it to or not.

And evidence continues to mount that a war that Trump had previously said was “already won” and “very complete” now has a timeline that could stretch for weeks or even longer.

On Monday afternoon, Trump announced that the US had requested that a planned presidential trip to China in early April be delayed for a month because of the war.

“The president’s utmost responsibility right now as commander in chief is to ensure the continued success of Operation Epic Fury,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said when the move was first reported, referring to the military name for the Iran war.

Over the weekend, the president posted on social media that he was forming a coalition of forces to help protect shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been threatened by Iranian attacks.

“Hopefully China, France, Japan, South Korea, the UK, and others, that are affected by this artificial constraint, will send Ships,” he wrote. “One way or the other, we will soon get the Hormuz Strait OPEN, SAFE, and FREE!

Since his call, however, a growing list of nations – including Japan, Australia and many European powers – have indicated that they are not interested in joining the effort.

“We will not be drawn into the wider war,” UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday, adding that he was open to a “viable collective plan” to address the situation in the strait.

That leaves Trump with the unpleasant decision of whether to more fully commit the US Navy to securing the narrow waterway through which approximately 20% of the world’s oil supply passes.

On Monday, he noted that the US was destroying Iran’s minelaying ships – which present a key danger to navigating the strait – but “all it takes is one”.

“It’s a little unfair,” he said. “You win a war, but they have no right to be doing what they’re doing.”

There are some signs the US is taking steps to keep its military options open. Last Friday, US media reported that the president had ordered a Marine amphibious unit, which includes 5,000 soldiers and sailors, from Japan to the Middle East.

If Trump chooses to act, it could put US forces in greater danger due to their proximity to Iran.

If he doesn’t act – if he instead announces the US has achieved its objective of significantly degrading Iran’s military power and wraps up the American military campaign – Iran could continue to pose a threat to shipping and the price of oil could remain stubbornly high.

In the second scenario, the US may have spent tens of billions of dollars without conclusively altering the Middle East balance of power.

According to Clifford Young, chair of public affairs and strategic insights at polling company Ipsos, an extended surge in energy prices would pose a very real political threat to a president who is already on shaky ground with the American public.

For the moment, he said, polls indicate that Trump’s core supporters continue to stick with him even as they have some doubts about the Iran operation and other core issues, like immigration and tariffs. The erosion of his support has come at the margins, among centrist Republican and independent voters.

While the president’s popularity, with approval ratings in the low 40% range, should be a concern for Republicans, there’s little sign yet that the Iran war is dragging him down significantly.

That could all change, however, if the war affects the issues that Americans tell pollsters they care about the most – the cost of living and affordability.

Prices, particularly for housing, groceries and consumer goods, continue to remain high even as the overall inflation rate has dropped over the first year of Trump’s presidency.

At the very least, the war in Iran distracts Trump and his administration from efforts to convince the American public that the president is addressing their economic concerns. And if the cost of gas at the pump – until recently a source of pride for Trump – stays high, it could have dire consequences for his political standing.

The current average cost of a gallon of petrol in the US, according to the American Automobile Association, is $3.72 – a dramatic increase from the $2.94 average price a month ago.

“It just blows up everything,” Young said. “The affordability agenda gets torpedoed from the Republican point of view.”

On the other end of the risk equation for the president is the very real danger that comes with choosing to expand US operations in the Middle East.

With thousands of Marines reportedly on the way to the region, Trump could engage American ground forces to secure the Strait of Hormuz, to control Iranian oil export terminals or to locate and more thoroughly dismantle components of the nation’s nuclear programme.

Any use of US troops, however, risks greater outcry from the majority of the American public that is wary of yet another protracted US military engagement, including many of whom believe Trump’s campaign promises to avoid foreign wars.

“There’s a forever war fatigue,” Young said. “If we put boots on the ground, that’s a whole new risk for the administration. That changes everything.”

If the US involvement in Iran continues to be limited to an aerial campaign, however, Trump has time to regain his political footing. While Americans can be quick to blame the president for higher prices at the pump, their anger tends not to linger if those prices go down.

The midterm congressional elections in November are still more than seven months away, giving the president time to find a resolution that avoids a domestic economic crisis.

“We don’t need anybody,” Trump said on Monday. “We’re the strongest nation in the world.”

The challenge for Trump, however, is that – with or without help – none of Trump’s present choices are without risk and the odds of a quick and easy resolution are dwindling by the day.

‘I was not happy with the UK… they should be involved enthusiastically’

The US president says he was “very surprised” with the attitude of the United Kingdom towards the war.

“Two weeks ago I said ‘why don’t you send some ships over’ and he [Keir Starmer] really didn’t want to do it,” Trump says.

Trump says he told Starmer, “you’re our oldest ally” and stresses that he’s supported the UK’s efforts in Ukraine.

“Then they tell us that we have a mine ship around and they don’t want to do it, I think it’s terrible,” he adds. “We requested two aircraft carriers which they have and he didn’t really want to do it.”

Trump then suggests that Starmer eventually offered to send aircraft carriers to the Middle East, but says this was already “after the war had ended”.

“I was not happy with the UK,” he says. “I think they’ll be involved maybe, but they should be involved enthusiastically.”

Five things we learned as Trump pushes allies for Strait of Hormuz support

Donald Trump took some time to address Iran while speaking at a White House event – here’s what he had to say:

• The US president began by repeating his message that the US has “obliterated” Iran’s military capacity – and went on to claim that 7,000 targets have been hit in Iran so far
• The biggest point of contention surrounded support for the US operation to contain Iran’s threat to commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, which Trump said the US is “hammering”
• Nonetheless, Trump told reporters that he’s asked countries for help in the Strait “to find out how they react”. He was critical of the UK, who he suggested “should be involved enthusiastically”
• The president then said his Secretary of State Marco Rubio would be announcing the countries who will be supporting US efforts in Iran soon
• After Iran announced Mojtaba Khamenei as its new supreme leader, Trump speculated “we don’t know if he’s dead or not” and suggested: “We don’t know who their leader is. We have people wanting to negotiate. We have no idea who they are”

Trump frames Strait of Hormuz efforts as test for Nato

President Trump is framing efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as a test of Nato allies.

The president says the United States does not necessarily need help securing the vital shipping route – but implies it would be revealing to see which countries ‘rise to the challenge’.

The task itself is significant: the Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints, through which a large share of global oil supplies normally pass.

When asked during a White House media conference which countries had refused to help, Trump declined to name them.

Instead, he joked about rating leaders’ performances – saying that “on a scale of zero to ten” French President Emmanuel Macron was “an eight – not perfect, but it’s France”.

Trump also pointed out that the US receives only a small share of its oil through the Strait of Hormuz – singling out other countries such as Japan, which relies on the Middle East for about 95% of its oil imports.

But the fact that he is asking other nations to help reopen the waterway – even while insisting the US does not necessarily need it – underlines the scale of the task now facing the administration.

Israeli drone strike in south Lebanon kills paramedic, wounds another

Lebanon’s official National News Agency reported that an Israeli drone strike hit an Islamic Health Authority point in Yater, killing one paramedic and wounding another.

Israel says displaced Lebanese people won’t be allowed to return home

Israel has warned that thousands of Lebanese forced from their homes by its military campaign will not be allowed to return any time soon as Israeli troops expand ground operations in southern Lebanon.

The announcement has echos of the Gaza genocide in which Israel forcefully displaced all of Gaza’s population since it started its war in October 2023.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Israeli military spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani said Israeli forces had entered additional areas in the south.

Soldiers are now operating in “new locations”, he said, claiming the advance as “limited and targeted”.

The push comes days after Defence Minister Israel Katz ordered the army to widen its offensive.

Despite a ceasefire signed in November 2024, Israel has continued attacking Lebanon. Since 2 March Israel has intensified its bombardment across Lebanon, killing almost 900 civilians and displacing more than 830,000 Lebanese people.

Europe must act carefully on Middle East energy disruptions: Von der Leyen

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says Europe’s actions in response to Middle East oil and gas disruptions and rising energy prices should be limited in scope and short-lived.

“It is important that any short-term measures do not ⁠delay the decarbonisation of ⁠the energy system, do not increase the demand for ⁠oil and gas, ⁠are temporary and ⁠targeted, and minimise fiscal costs,” von der Leyen wrote ‌in a letter.

Germany won’t participate in war on Iran: Chancellor Merz

German Chancellor ⁠Friedrich Merz ⁠says his country will refrain from participating in the US-Israeli war on Iran.

Speaking at a news conference in Berlin, Merz said Germany lacked the mandate from the United Nations, the European Union, or NATO under the Basic Law, and it was clear from the outset that the war is not a matter for NATO.

“The United States ⁠of America and Israel did not consult us prior to this ⁠war either. As for Iran, there ⁠has never been ⁠a joint decision on the ‘whether’ of the matter. That is why the question ‌of how Germany might become militarily involved here does ‌not ‌arise,” he added.

Lebanon says 1 million people displaced by Israeli war

Lebanon says more than one million people have now been displaced as Israel’s war on the country continues to drive civilians from their homes.

In its latest daily update, authorities said large numbers of people have been forced to register as displaced while tens of thousands have sought refuge in emergency shelters, the official Lebanese National News Agency reported.

“The total number of self-registered displaced persons reached 1,049,328, and the total number of displaced persons in shelters reached 132,742,” a statement said. “The death toll has risen to 886 and the number of wounded to 2,141.”

Death toll from strike near Iraq’s border with Syria rises to 6

At least six Iran-backed fighters have been killed in a strike near Iraq’s western border with Syria.

An earlier death toll said four fighters were killed and three others wounded.

The troops from the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), now part of Iraq’s regular army – were struck by a “Zionist [Israeli] bombing” that targeted “an official security position”, according to the PMF.

Earlier, an official with the group told AFP news agency the attack hit a checkpoint, blaming the US.

Another four fighters were wounded, the PMF added in a statement, bringing the total injured to seven.

Trump says France is keen to help on the Strait of Hormuz

⁠⁠President Trump says ⁠he spoke ⁠to French President Emmanuel Macron who he said is ‌willing to help unblock the Strait of Hormuz.

France has insisted it will not join the war on Iran, maintaining a strictly “defensive” approach in the Middle East.

Israel claims missile debris falls near Al-Aqsa mosque, Church of Holy Sepulchre

Israeli police said fragments from missiles and interceptor systems landed at several sensitive religious sites in occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City during Iranian missile interceptions.

Authorities said debris was discovered near the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and in the Jewish Quarter after air defence systems engaged incoming missiles over the city.

“During the recent salvo fired from Iran toward Jerusalem, several intercepts occurred over the city,” police said.

Officers later located “fragments of missiles and interceptor debris, some of significant size, at multiple sites in the Old City”.

Missile debris struck the roof of a residential building in Israeli-annexed East Jerusalem.

‘Overwhelming view in EU this is an illegal war of choice’

EU Ambassador James Moran says there is broad agreement across Europe the war on Iran by Israel and the United States lacks any legitimacy.

“There is an overwhelming view in the European Union that this is an illegal war of choice on the part of Israel and the United States, and Europe should have absolutely nothing to do with it, at least so far as offensive actions are concerned,” Moran told Al Jazeera.

He added the position reflects a strong consensus across the bloc.

“And I think there’s very, very strong consensus for that in the mainstream of European Union thinking.”

However, Moran warned Europe still faces serious economic and security consequences from the conflict, particularly if tensions threaten shipping routes in the Gulf.

“Europe is paying the highest price for the threats against the Strait of Hormuz”, and at the same time “[Russian President] Putin, who is the main adversary for Europe, is getting most of the benefit in terms of higher oil prices.”

Moran said European leaders are now discussing how they might help protect shipping through the strait without joining the war.

“The problem is how to do that strictly defensively, and not getting dragged into a war of aggression.”

More from Trump’s news conference

• Additional strikes continue from all directions every single hour on Iran.
• We destroyed everything on Kharg Island except the area where the oil is – we left the pipes.
• For purposes of someday rebuilding that country, I guess we did the right thing, but it may not stay that way.
• More than 30 mine-laying Iranian ships have been destroyed.
• We strongly encourage other nations whose economies depend on the Strait of Hormuz far more than ours – we want them to come and help us with the strait.

Turkiye: Israel’s invasion of Lebanon ‘further deepens instability’

Ankara has “strongly condemned” Israel’s ground assault on southern Lebanon.

“The [Benjamin] Netanyahu government’s implementation of genocidal and collective punishment policies, this time in Lebanon, will lead to a new humanitarian catastrophe in the region,” a Foreign Ministry statement said.

“We reiterate our solidarity with Lebanon in the face of these attacks, which violate Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Trump says some countries not ‘enthusiastic’ about Hormuz help

President Trump has criticised allies for their lukewarm response to his call to help protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz during the Israel-US war against Iran.

“For 40 years we’re protecting you, and you don’t want to get involved,” Trump told reporters. “We strongly encourage the other nations to get involved with us and get involved quickly and with great enthusiasm,” he said.

Trump wants nations to help police the crucial strait after Iran responded to US-Israeli attacks by ‌using drones, missiles, and mines to effectively close the channel for tankers that usually transport one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas.

“Some are very enthusiastic about ⁠it and some aren’t. ⁠Some are countries that we’ve helped for many, many years. We’ve protected them from horrible outside ⁠sources, and they weren’t that enthusiastic. And the ⁠level of enthusiasm matters ⁠to me.”

Several US allies said on ‌Monday they have no immediate plans to send naval vessels to unblock the ‌Strait ‌of Hormuz.

Joining an EU gathering in Brussels on Monday to discuss skyrocketing oil prices during the US-Israeli war on Iran, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Berlin had no intention of joining military operations during the conflict.

a“We need more clarity here,” Wadephul told reporters ahead of the meeting. “We expect from the US and Israel to inform us, to include us into what they’re doing there and to tell us if these goals are achieved.”

“Once we have a clear picture of that, we believe we need to move into the next phase, namely, defining a security architecture for this entire region, together with the neighbouring states,” he said.

Meanwhile, speaking from Berlin, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said that while there would be “no military participation” from his country, it was prepared to support diplomatic efforts “to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz”.

“This is not our war. We have ⁠not started it,” said Pistorius. “What does … Trump expect a handful or two handfuls of European frigates to do in the Strait of Hormuz that the powerful ⁠US Navy cannot do?”

Also speaking from Berlin, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s spokesman said the conflict has “nothing to do with NATO”. Stefan Kornelius told reporters NATO was “an alliance for the defence of territory”, adding that “the mandate to deploy NATO is lacking”.

Germany’s position was echoed by fellow NATO member the United Kingdom. Speaking from London about joining any mission in the Strait of Hormuz, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “Let me be clear: that won’t be, and it’s never been envisioned to be, a NATO mission.”

Starmer stressed the UK would “not be drawn into the wider war”. However, he said the UK was discussing with the US and allies in Europe and the Gulf the possibility of using its mine-hunting drones already in the region.

A number of EU countries joined Germany in reacting with scepticism to Trump’s call on Sunday for a naval coalition to deploy warships to secure the key Gulf waterway, through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil shipments transit.

The strait has essentially been shuttered as a result of the war, which has seen the US and Israel launch deadly attacks across Iran since February 28. Iran has retaliated by firing missiles and drones across the wider Middle East, roiling global energy markets.

Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten told the country’s ANP news agency that it would be “very difficult to launch a successful mission there in the short-term”.

Lithuania and Estonia said NATO countries should consider a US request for help but cautioned over the need for greater clarity around various aspects of any potential mission.

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna also said that US allies in Europe want to understand Trump’s “strategic goals”. “What will be the plan?” he asked.

⁠Greek government spokesman ⁠Pavlos ⁠Marinakis said ⁠that Greece ⁠would not ⁠engage in ⁠any military operations ‌in the Strait of Hormuz.

Italian Foreign ⁠Minister Antonio ⁠Tajani said Italy was not involved in any naval missions that could be ‌extended to the area.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said, however, that Europe should keep an open mind ⁠on helping to ensure freedom of navigation in the strait even if the continent did not support the ⁠US-Israeli decision to go to war with Iran.

“We must face the world as it is, not as we want it to be,” Rasmussen said, adding that the EU must decide on a plan “with a view towards de-escalation”.

Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski invited the Trump administration to go through the proper channels.

“If there is a request via NATO, we will of course out of respect and sympathy for our American allies consider it very carefully,” he said.

Sikorski made a reference to Article 4 of NATO’s founding treaty, which allies can invoke if they believe their territory or security is under threat.

On Monday, Trump appeared to criticise countries reluctant to help unblock the waterway

“Some  are very enthusiastic about it, and some aren’t. Some are countries that we’ve helped for many, many years. We’ve protected them from horrible outside sources, and they weren’t that enthusiastic. And the level of enthusiasm matters to me,” he said at an event at the White House.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told reporters before the meeting in Brussels that the bloc’s leaders would focus on how the EU could contribute to reopening the waterway.

“We first need to discuss what the member states are willing to do in the Strait of Hormuz,” she said. “Of course, the needs to open the Strait of Hormuz are there right now.”

Kallas said the strait’s closure, which has sent oil prices to more than $100 a barrel, was benefitting Russia’s war on Ukraine, which is largely funded by Moscow’s energy revenues.

Reporting from Brussels, Al Jazeera’s Step Vaessen said what was clear is that European leaders are “increasingly feeling the pressure from Trump to help him reopen the Strait of Hormuz”.

“There is very little appetite [on the part of EU leaders] for joining the war, especially because they feel left out of the loop,” Vaessen said. “They will be discussing a way to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but that doesn’t necessarily mean sending warships.”

In an interview with the Financial Times on Sunday, Trump said NATO faced a “very bad” future if his proposal for a military operation in the strait received no response or a negative one.

France  has suggested the EU could expand its Aspides mission, a small naval mission established in 2024 to protect ships from attacks by Yemen’s Houthis in the Red Sea.

It currently has an Italian and a Greek ship under its direct command and may also call upon a French ship and another Italian vessel for support.

Germany says US wrong to ease Russian oil sanctions

Germany has criticised the United States for easing some sanctions on Russian oil, warning the move could help finance Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Speaking during a visit to Norway, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Washington had taken the wrong approach as energy prices rise due to the war waged by the US and Israel against Iran.

“Easing sanctions now, for whatever reason, is wrong. We believe that is the wrong course of action,” Merz said.

He added that European leaders want to prevent Moscow from using the war involving Iran to weaken Ukraine.

Germany’s economy minister, Katherina Reiche, warned earlier that relaxing restrictions risked “further filling Putin’s war chest”.

‘Nothing good for Ukraine’ from Iran war: Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that while it is understandable the world’s attention has shifted to the Middle East, the situation is “not good” for Ukraine.

“There is nothing good for Ukraine in the war in the Middle East,” Zelenskyy told students at the Sciences Po University  in Paris.

Images show damaged US refuelling plane at Tel Aviv airport

Images circulating online appear to show a damaged Boeing KC-135 at Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv.

The photographs show damage to the aircraft’s tailfin while it sits on the ground at the airport. Additional images broadcast by Kan show the opposite side of the aircraft, where the damage is clearly visible.

Verification of the pictures by the BBC suggests they were taken at Ben Gurion airport and were uploaded recently.

The pictures come hours after United States Central Command confirmed that another KC-135 refuelling aircraft crashed in western Iraq on Thursday, killing all six crew members on board. US officials claimed the crash was not caused by hostile or friendly fire.

It remains unclear what caused the damage to the aircraft seen in Tel Aviv or whether it was involved in the same incident.

Flight tracking data from Flightradar24 shows the aircraft passed over Jordan before heading towards Israel.

US issues up to $10 million reward for information on Mojtaba Khamenei, Larijani

The US Department of State’s Rewards for Justice programme has called for information on “Iranian terrorist leaders”, including Mojtaba Khamenei.

The State Department set the reward at up to $10m and said information could make people eligible for “relocation”.

“These individuals command and direct various elements of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which plans, organises and executes terrorism around the world,” the poster stated.

Officials whom the US is seeking information on include:

• Minister of Intelligence Esmail Khatib,
• Deputy Chief of Staff Ali Asghar Hejazi
• Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi
• Brigadier General Eskandar Momeni
• Secretary to the Supreme Council Ali Larijani

Earlier today, Larijani joined the al-Quds Day protests in Tehran and posted pictures of his participation.

US sends 10,000 interceptor drones to counter Iranian drones

The United States has deployed 10,000 interceptor drones to the Middle East to counter Iranian drone attacks, US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll says.

The drones were shipped to the region within five days of the start of the Israeli-US war on Iran on February 28.

Officials say the drones offer a cheaper way to intercept incoming threats without relying on expensive missile defence systems.

Driscoll said each Merops interceptor currently costs $14,000–$15,000.

That would still make them potentially twice as expensive as Iran’s Shahed-136 drones, which Iranian analyst Esfandyar Batmanghelidj has estimated cost around $7,000.

Iran says it has shot down 111 drones since start of war

Iran’s military says it has shot down 111 drones since the start of the Israeli-US war, according to the Revolutionary Guards’ Sepah News portal.

The report said air defences recently downed an MQ-9 Reaper drone over Fars province and another aircraft near Tabriz, bringing the total number of drones destroyed to 111 “of various types”.

The MQ-9 Reaper is a high-end US surveillance and strike drone which typically costs about $30m to $32m, making it far more expensive than the one-way explosive drones used by Iran.

Iranian authorities did not provide a detailed breakdown of the drones they say they shot down.

Trump says US will be hitting Iran hard over ‘next week’

Trump has said in an interview that US forces would be carrying out intense strikes against Iranian targets in the coming days, as the war escalates throughout the Middle East as it heads into its third week.“We’re going to be hitting them very hard over the next week,” Trump told Fox News Radio.

Hezbollah claims attack on drone base in northern Israel

Lebanese group says it struck the Giva Drone Control Base in Safed in northern Israel with a rocket salvo.This launch was part of the “al-Quds Day” operations”, Hezbollah said in a statement.

Trump administration trying to project ‘image of confidence’ in war

Trump and Hegseth are “trying to project an image of confidence and success” and reassure the American people of the success of the war on Iran so far, says Mohamad Elmasry, of the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies.

Trump no doubt is doing this because he has seen the polling data, which shows that it is “in all likelihood the lowest rated war at the start of a war in American history,” Elmasry told Al Jazeera.

“People are seeing gas prices rise and four more US soldiers were killed in Iraq yesterday,” he added.

Elmasry said Hegseth has boasted on numerous times about the US crushing Iran’s military capabilities, but he is “clearly underestimating the Iranian military and that feeds into some of this US propaganda that we’ve been seeing”.

UAE air defences responding to incoming Iranian missiles, drones: Defence Ministry

The UAE’s air defences are currently responding to incoming missiles and drones from Iran, the country’s Defence Ministry says.

In a post on X, it said that sounds that could be heard were “the result of the air defence systems intercepting missiles and drones”.

Iranian missiles launched towards Israel, says IDF

The Israel Defense Forces says Iranian missiles have been launched towards its territory.”The IDF identified that a short time ago, missiles were launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel. Defense systems are operating to intercept the threat,” it says in a statement.It comes after Israel launched further strikes towards Tehran earlier this morning.

There is no evidence the Iranian regime is crumbling

There was an expectation from the Americans that once the supreme leader was killed on the first day of the war there would be a fairly rapid disintegration in Iran. But there is no evidence that the Iranian regime is crumbling.

Donald Trump is a man who believes in strong leadership. Maybe his theory was there would be a Venezuela-style event after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed.

If that is the case it shows an alarming lack of knowledge about how the Iranian regime is structured.

Iran has a long history of defiance and hatred against the Americans and the Israelis.

The Israelis have explicitly said they will try and kill the new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei.

We do not have proof that he was wounded, perhaps grievously, in the attack that killed his father, wife, and a sister.

It is surprising that since Tehran is trying to build up a cult of his personality they did not take the opportunity to come up with some fresh material about how he is.

Meanwhile, concerns grow among Gulf countries that the Americans have left them with a terrible mess to clear up.

Hegseth claims Iran’s supreme leader is ‘wounded, likely disfigured’

Hegseth says Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is “wounded” and “likely disfigured” (as our international editor wrote earlier, we do not have proof this is the case).

Referring to a written statement from Mojtaba read aloud on Iranian state TV yesterday, Hegseth questions why there was no footage or audio of him.

“I think you know why,” he adds.

The defence secretary says Motjaba is “scared” and “injured”, claiming he is “on the run” and “lacks legitimacy”.

Key points from Caine’s briefing

Here’s are the key points that US Air Force General Dan Caine, chair of the joint chiefs of staff, had to say at the briefing alongside Hegseth:

• Iran still has the capacity to harm commercial shipping and US-allied forces
• US forces are continuing to target Iran’s mine-laying capabilities
• The situation in the Strait of Hormuz is continuing to develop and is a tactically complex environment
• Asked about US casualties, he said the “large majority who have gone in for medical treatment” had returned to duty

US agencies ‘across all potential threats to keep Americans safe’

A journalist brings up reporting from Thursday that Iran was targeting the US state of California, which the White House later said wasn’t true.

Hegseth is asked if Iran has the capability to conduct such a strike.

He says that US agencies remain across all potential threats to keep Americans safe, and that the reports “had no impact on us”.

Iran has said they can do many things over time, including “engaging their proxies and getting them involved in the fight”, which they haven’t been able to do, Hegseth adds.

We must prevent ‘profiteering’ over energy price rises, says Starmer

Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer says “everything” should be done to prevent “profiteering”, in light of fears energy costs will soar due to the conflict in the Middle East.

He adds that the Chancellor Rachel Reeves, and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband will meet with petrol retailers and energy firms in Downing Street later today to discuss what they are doing to keep prices down.

He also shared that last night RAF Typhoons “extended their action to Bahrain”.

Hegseth’s irritation felt like a sign the US is feeling the pressure

I’ve just left the Pentagon after Hegseth and Caine’s news conference.

It felt like Hegseth was trying to sell the war in the face of growing scrutiny from parts of the US media.

This, of course, is being driven by the spiralling oil prices, the apparent resilience of the Iranian regime and news of US military casualties.

Hegseth confronted the media from the start, saying the press needed to “admit” that the US and Israel were “decimating” the Iranian military.

The regime, he said, now looked up to the skies and saw the “stars and stripes and the Star of David”, which he called “the evil regime’s worst nightmare”.

He said its conventional weapons, arsenals and production were being wiped out, and the regime was cowering underground like “rats”.

He also called for a more “patriotic press”.

But on two key questions of strategy – how to secure the Strait of Hormuz and how to get rid of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile – the answers were largely evasive.

His irritation felt like a sign the administration is feeling the pressure.

Why is US not escorting ships through key oil trade route?

A reporter cites Hegseth as saying the US military has aerial and naval superiority over Iran – “yet you’re not escorting ships through the Strait of Hormuz. Why did you not plan for this?”

“We planned for it. We recognise it. Because ultimately we want to do… sequentially in a way that makes the most sense… and ensure we’re sending the right signals to the world.”

The key lines from the Pentagon news conference

We can now bring you a quick recap of news conference which took place in the Pentagon a short while ago (scroll back through our posts from 12:06 GMT for our full coverage).

• Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the US would launch its highest volume of strikes over Iran, as it continued “decimating” Iran’s military
• He said Iran has functioning air force, air defence or navy, that its missile volume is down 90%. He later said Iran would be incapable of building more weapons as soon all of their defence companies “will be destroyed”
• On the Strait of Hormuz, Hegseth accused Iran of “sheer desperation” – but claimed the US was “dealing with” it
• He said Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, was “wounded” and “likely disfigured”
• Military chief General Dan Caine said the US priority was targeting Iran’s mine laying enterprise in the Strait of Hormuz
• Asked about the fatal strike on a girls’ primary school in Iran, Hegseth said the US had designated an investigating to establish what happened

US launching ‘highest volume of strikes over Iran’ today

Hegseth says Iran’s leadership is hiding and America’s will is “unshakeable, our options maximised and our capabilities still building

President Trump holds the cards, he says. “He’ll determine the pace, the tempo and the timing of this conflict.”

He says today, the US will launch “yet again, the highest volume of strikes that America has put over the skies of Iran”.

Asked about strike on school, Hegseth says US and Israel ‘never target civilians’

Hegseth is asked about a fatal strike on a girls’ primary school in Minab, Iran.

• Iran has accused the US and Israel of hitting the school. Following the attack, US Central Command (Centcom) said it was looking into reports of the incident, while Israel’s military said it was “not aware” of any operations in the area

Hegseth says Centcom has designated an investigating officer from outside the force, who “will take as long as necessary” to establish what happened in this incident.

He says US-Israel operation “never target[s] civilians” in the war with Iran.

Hegseth asked when Strait of Hormuz will become fully operational

Hegseth is asked by one reporter when the Strait of Hormuz may become fully operational again.

He emphasises the only thing disrupting traffic in the Strait is Iran.

He says that is why one of the US’s primary objectives was to destroy Iran’s navy, and that the US is working to make sure “energy flows”.

Turning his attention to Iran’s nuclear position, he says taking out Iran’s ability to fire ballistic missiles will help ensure Iran is denied their nuclear capabilities.

US military chief also pays tribute to killed refuelling craft crew

General Dan Caine, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, takes over.

He also pays tribute to the four crew killed in the KC-135 crash over western Iraq, and thanks all service members for their “dedication”.

Caine says there has been a fire on board an aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R Ford, but that he believes the crew on board will “be okay”.

The US continues to attack ballistic missile and drone capabilities, and “destroying” the Iranian navy and its ability to “attack commercial vessels”, he adds.

US President Donald Trump says Iran’s football team is “welcome” to attend this year’s World Cup, but adds he doesn’t “believe it is appropriate” for them to compete.

In a social media post, Trump says this is “for their own life and safety”.

Iran are scheduled to play three group matches in the tournament, which is being held in the United States, Canada and Mexico and gets under way on 11 June.

The team is due to face New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles on 15 and 21 June respectively, and Egypt in Seattle on 26 June.

The county’s minister of sports and youth Ahmad Donyamali cast the team’s participation into doubt when he said on Tuesday: “Given that this corrupt government has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances do we have the appropriate conditions to participate in the World Cup.

“Our boys are not safe, and conditions for participation do not exist.”

But, Fifa President Gianni Infantino – a close friend of Trump – said on Wednesday that he had spoken with the president who he said told him Iran was “welcome” to take part in the tournament.

1,100 children reported injured or killed in Middle East since conflict began – Unicef

The conflict in the Middle East is becoming “catastrophic for millions of children across the region”, says the United Nations agency for children, Unicef.

Since the first US-Israeli strikes on Iran began on 28 February, more than 1,100 children have been reported injured or killed in the violence, Unicef says in a statement.

The statement adds that this includes 200 children reportedly killed in Iran, 91 in Lebanon, four in Israel and one in Kuwait.

“Nothing justifies the killing and maiming of children, or the destruction and disruption of essential services that children depend on”, it says.

Unicef says it reiterates UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ call “to end the fighting and engage in diplomatic negotiations”.

It also calls on parties to take “all necessary precautions in the choice of means and methods of warfare to minimise harm to civilians, including by avoiding the use of explosive weapons that disproportionately affect children”.

FBI memo warns Iran may launch drones on California, CBS reports

A memo sent to LA law enforcement by the FBI last week warned Iran may try to launch drones at California in a “surprise attack” from the sea, CBS reports, external.

US and California law enforcement intelligence officials told the outlet there is no known, specific threat as a basis for the memo, which comes from an apparent tip from before the conflict in Iran.

California Governor Gavin Newsom wrote on X: “While we are not aware of any imminent threats at this time, we remain prepared for any emergency in our state”.

Asked about the reports on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews, US President Donald Trump said: “It’s being investigated, but you have a lot of things happening and all we can do is take them as they come”.

Oil hits $100 a barrel

The price of Brent crude just hit $100 (£74.79) a barrel, rising by 9% on Thursday in Asia.

Oil prices have not eased as even after dozens of countries, including the US and the UK, announced they would release record amounts of emergency reserves.

Iran has also continued its threat against ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a transit point for a fifth of the world’s oil.

US-traded crude has jumped by 9% at $95.27.

Oil prices crossed $110 a barrel on Monday and has fluctuated heavily since.

US ‘probably’ responsible for school strike, former CIA director says

General David Petraeus, the former CIA Director and Commander of US Central Command, has been asked about the US’s possible role in an attack on a school in southern Iran that Iranian authorities say killed 168 people on the first day of the war.

General Petraeus told the BBC that – while he has not directly seen the evidence being reviewed in the investigation – he believes that the US “tragically, were probably the ones, we were the only ones that have Tomahawk missiles in this particular exercise, this war”.

“And it appears that there may have been some old data when this particular building was part of a larger Iranian naval compound… some years ago,” he added.

According to CBS a preliminary assessment of the incident by the US suggests it was “likely” to have been responsible for the deadly attack but did not intentionally target the school and may have hit it in error.

Democrats demand answers over strike on Iran girls’ school

Democrats in the US Senate have written to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth demanding answers about the strike on a girls’ school in Iran at the start of the war that Iranian officials say killed 168 people, including around 110 children.

US media has reported that US military investigators believe American forces were likely responsible, but have not reached a final conclusion. The Pentagon has said it is investigating.

The letter is from nearly every Democrat in the Senate. It asks the Defense Secretary a series of detailed questions about the strike in Minab – starting with whether the US carried it out.

It questions whether old or faulty target analysis could have led to the girls’ school building being hit, and highlights Hegseth’s vow that there would be no “stupid rules of engagement” in the war, asking if he had complied with rules to prevent the commission of war crimes.

The strike, if a US role was to be confirmed, would amount to one of its worst single cases of civilian casualties in decades of US conflicts in the Middle East.

US President Donald Trump has said without citing evidence he believes Iran carried it out, despite video showing a US tomahawk missile hit the Iranian military base near to the school.

Asked by the BBC about the strike, Hegseth said last week the US did not target civilians and was investigating it. The Pentagon has been approached for comment about the Senators’ letter.

Oil price rises despite reserves release plan

Oil prices pushed upwards on Thursday in Asia even after major countries agreed to tap an unprecedented amount of emergency reserves to cushion the blow of the Iran war on energy supplies.

Brent rose by around 6.5% to $97.93 (£73.12) a barrel on Thursday, after easing slightly since Monday when US President Donald Trump signalled the war could end soon.

US-traded crude was up by more than 6%, trading at $92.77.

Iran has warned to expect oil to reach $200 a barrel and that no oil will pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for energy shipments.

Major indexes were down during early trade on Thursday, with Japan’s Nikkei and Australia’s ASX 200 down by around 1%.

South Korea’s Kospi index was trading lower by around 0.4%.

Iraqi authorities say one dead after oil tankers targeted

We can bring you some breaking news now after explosions were reported on two foreign oil tankers in the Persian Gulf near the port of Umm Qasr, near the city of Basra.

The head of the General Company for Iraqi ports says it has rescued 38 crew members from the vessels, and one person has died, in comments cited by the Iraqi news agency. Search and rescue operations are ongoing.

Ship tracking websites show the two tankers suspected of being attacked surrounded by rescue boats.

It’s unclear at this stage what caused the explosions. An Iraqi security source in Basra told CNN that an Iranian boat rigged with explosives is thought to have hit the two vessels, however, the source added the investigation is ongoing.

The UK’s maritime monitor also said it has received similar reports, while Iraq’s State Oil Marketing Organisation expressed “deep regret” over the incident.

Oil ports have stopped operations following the attack, Iraqi authorities say.

Earlier, Oman’s navy 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.

US media have reported that US military investigators believe American forces were likely responsible for hitting the school unintentionally at the start of the joint US-Israeli operation – but that they have not reached a final conclusion.

The Pentagon said it would respond directly to the authors of the letter, as with all congressional correspondence.

Asked last week by the BBC about the strike, Hegseth said the US did not target civilians and was investigating the issue.

The letter is from nearly every Senate Democrat, and asks a series of detailed questions about the strike in Minab – starting with whether the US carried it out.

It questions whether old or faulty target analysis could have led to the school building being hit.

It also highlights Hegseth’s vow during a recent news conference that there would be no “stupid rules of engagement” in the war, and asks if the defence secretary had complied with rules to prevent the commission of war crimes.

The strike, if a US role was to be confirmed, would amount to one of its worst single cases of civilian casualties in decades of US conflicts in the Middle East.

One of the signatories of the letter, Senator Gary Peters, a member of the Armed Services Committee, said the incident had been “a horrific tragedy” and that he wanted to know “exactly what happened”.

“Let’s try to get those facts as quickly as we can so we know exactly what happened, and then we can discuss what actions to take after we know those facts,” he told BBC News.

The letter highlights how the war has become an issue that divides US lawmakers along party lines. No member of President Donald Trump’s Republican Party signed it. Meanwhile, the only Senate Democrat not to do so was John Fetterman, who has supported the military action, though said an investigation into the school strike was right.

According to the CBS News and other US outlets, a preliminary assessment of the incident by American officials suggests that the US was “likely” to have been responsible, but that it did not intentionally target the school and may have hit the site in error.

This may have been because the intelligence used by the US was outdated and wrongly identified the area as still being a military site, according to a person briefed on the preliminary assessment who spoke to CBS.

Trump has previously suggested Iran carried out the bombing.

Pressed by reporters about the issue again on Tuesday, he said: “I just don’t know enough about it.”

Referring to the military investigation that was under way, he added: “Whatever the report shows, I’m willing to live with that report.”

Expert video analysis has shown that an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) military base next to the school was hit by a Tomahawk missile – a type of US cruise missile that neither Israel nor Iran is known to possess.

A video published recently by Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency – which was confirmed by BBC Verify to be authentic – showed a missile in the moments before it struck the base.

Experts who saw the video said the presence of a Tomahawk missile, along with evidence the area was hit with multiple strikes, indicated that it was a US operation.

Iran has blamed the US and Israel for the attack.

Israel says it was not aware of any operations in the area. Speaking recently to the Washington Post, two Israeli officials said the targeting was not discussed with the Israeli military.

Other civilian sites including a hospital and historic landmarks have been severely damaged since the US-Israeli operation began on 28 February, satellite images and verified videos show, as the number of reported civilian casualties grows.

Iran has continued to respond by launching attacks on Israel and US-allied states in the Gulf, which have also extended to non-military targets, including civilian sites and energy facilities.

Also on Wednesday, General David Petraeus, former CIA Director and Commander of US Central Command, was asked about America’s possible role in the attack on the school.

Speaking to the BBC, he said the Americans “tragically, were probably the ones, we were the only ones that have Tomahawk missiles in this particular exercise, this war” – though he cautioned he had not directly seen the evidence under review.

“And it appears that there may have been some old data when this particular building was part of a larger Iranian naval compound… some years ago,” he added.