President Trump is set to address the nation on the Iran war at 9 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday, the White House said, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt calling it “an important update” but giving no further details.
On Tuesday, Trump said he expected the conflict to be over in two to three weeks, adding, “we’ll be leaving very soon,” and promising gas prices would then “come tumbling down.” He downplayed the strategic impact of the blockaded Strait of Hormuz — which has cut off about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply — saying the U.S. would have “nothing to do with it” and that other countries could “fend for themselves,” after earlier urging European allies to “go get your own oil!”
Those remarks followed threats by Trump to escalate if Tehran did not reopen the strait, including seizing Iran’s oil and targeting electric generating and desalination plants, and considering an invasion of Kharg Island, a key Iranian oil export terminal.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday echoed Trump’s prediction that the war could be over in weeks, saying the administration’s main goal of preventing Iran from building a nuclear weapon had been achieved. Rubio outlined objectives as the destruction of Iran’s air force and navy, a severe reduction in its missile-launching capability, and the destruction of its factories. He did not mention “regime change,” which the administration had earlier touted; Trump has said regime change was achieved despite Iran remaining a hardline theocracy.
Day 33 updates:
Regional fighting overnight
– The Israel Defense Forces said they struck some 230 targets in Tehran and expanded operations into Lebanon. Iran has struck back at Gulf neighbors and at bases used by U.S. forces; one such attack in Saudi Arabia reportedly injured as many as 20 U.S. service members.
– Since the war began more than a month ago, 13 U.S. service members have been killed; Iran reports more than 1,700 dead.
– Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed missile attacks on Israel that the Israeli military said were intercepted; the Houthis vowed an escalation in attacks.
– Iranian missiles fired at central Israel injured 14 people, including children, according to Israeli emergency services.
– Iranian drones struck fuel depots at Kuwait’s international airport, causing a large fire; a Kuwaiti oil tanker off Dubai was hit the prior day.
– In Qatar, a missile launched by Iran hit an oil tanker leased to QatarEnergy; the company said there were no injuries and no environmental impact.
UK and Australia leaders speak
– British Prime Minister Keir Starmer addressed the nation about the conflict’s impact on the cost of living and said the U.K. will take only “defensive” action in the Middle East, refusing to be drawn into the war. He announced his foreign secretary will organize an international summit on the Strait of Hormuz to restore freedom of navigation.
– Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was expected to address the nation later Wednesday; earlier he announced a temporary halving of the fuel tax for three months to ease rising costs.
Iran
– Ebrahim Azizi, head of the Iranian parliament’s National Security Committee, said on social media the Strait of Hormuz would reopen “but not for you,” adding that “47 years of hospitality are over forever.” Iran approved a bill to charge vessels for crossing the waterway. Azizi quipped that Trump had achieved his dream of “regime change — but in the region’s maritime regime.”
American journalist kidnapped in Iraq
– American freelance reporter Shelly Kittleson was abducted in Baghdad on Tuesday, Al-Monitor reported. Iraqi security forces intercepted a crashed vehicle and detained a suspect, but searches continue for Kittleson and others believed involved.
– U.S. officials said they are working to secure her release. The State Department said it had previously issued a duty-to-warn and is coordinating with the FBI. Iraqi authorities reportedly detained a suspect linked to the Iran-backed militia Kataib Hezbollah.
– Press freedom groups, including the Committee to Protect Journalists and Reporters Without Borders, expressed deep concern and called for her immediate release. Kittleson, based in Rome, has long reported from Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan.
U.S. defense secretary visits troops
– Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made an undisclosed trip to the Middle East to visit troops. He told reporters he spoke with pilots who “deliver bombs deep into Iran” and shoot down drones defending their bases, saying he observed “an urgency to finish the job.”
– Hegseth said the U.S. is prioritizing improved bunkers and layered air defenses to protect troops and aircraft. The Pentagon said 13 U.S. service members have been killed and roughly 300 wounded in what it calls Operation Epic Fury.
Aid hold-up
– The World Food Program warned tens of thousands of tons of food aid are stuck in ports because of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. Shipping disruptions stem from carriers avoiding the Strait of Hormuz and the Suez Canal amid attack concerns, adding about a month to transit times and raising costs due to fuel price spikes.
– The WFP said rising fuel and transport costs will worsen global food insecurity; some 45 million additional people could fall into acute hunger by June, bringing the total to about 363 million if conditions persist.
Pakistan, China joint statement
– Pakistan’s and China’s foreign ministers issued a joint call for talks as part of a broader peace plan, urging a halt to hostilities, an end to attacks on civilian infrastructure, and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Pakistani officials have sought to help mediate the conflict; China, Iran’s largest oil customer, is seen as sympathetic to Tehran.
Reporting contributions: Jane Arraf in Amman, Diaa Hadid in Mumbai, Quil Lawrence in New York, Giles Snyder, Michele Kelemen in Washington, Emily Feng in Van, Turkey, Aya Batrawy in Dubai, and Kate Bartlett in Johannesburg.
