U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that began because that country was starting work on a new site for developing material for nuclear weapons. Trump also told reporters at a news conference that Iran was 鈥済oing to take over the Middle East鈥� if he hadn’t acted and that he was disappointed with the selection of to succeed his father, , as Iran鈥檚 supreme leader. Ali Khamenei was killed in U.S. and Israeli strikes. Trump also had a call Monday with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the war and other issues. The Kremlin says the two leaders had a 鈥渇rank and businesslike鈥� conversation that lasted about an hour.
Here is the latest:
Egypt hikes fuel prices as oil prices soar
Egypt hiked fuel prices by up to 17% on Tuesday as the war in the Middle East sent prices of oil soaring.
According to the Petroleum Ministry the cost of a liter of diesel, which is heavily relied on for public transport, increased by more than 17%. The price of the 92-octane gasoline rose by 15% and 95-octane gasoline increased by 14%.
The war has hit Egypt hard. The most populous Arab country, Egypt depends heavily on imported fuel. The Egyptian pound fell to a record low, trading at over 52 to the US dollar on Monday.
To mitigate impact of the war, the government announced a series of measures ,including reducing official overseas trips and tightening fuel consumption across sectors.
Iran鈥檚 Revolutionary Guard say they will determine the end of the war
The said on Tuesday that the end of the war will be determined by Iran.
Spokesperson Ali Mohammad Naini said in a statement published in various Iranian state media and apparently in response to Trump鈥檚 remarks Monday that 鈥淚ran will determine when the war ends.鈥�
Trump vows to hit Iran back harder if it stops oil tankers
The U.S. president pledged aggressive action against Iran if it continues to block the shipment of oil in the Strait of Hormuz.
鈥淚f Iran does anything that stops the flow of Oil within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit by the United States of America TWENTY TIMES HARDER than they have been hit thus far,鈥� Trump posted on social media. 鈥淎dditionally, we will take out easily destroyable targets that will make it virtually impossible for Iran to ever be built back, as a Nation, again 鈥� Death, Fire, and Fury will reign upon them 鈥� But I hope, and pray, that it does not happen!鈥�
The president said his threat was a 鈥済ift鈥� to China, among other nations, because it relies on oil from the Middle East.
Senate Democrats demand public hearings on Iran war
A handful of Senate Democrats are threatening to impede the Senate鈥檚 work unless the Trump administration provides public hearings on the war with Iran.
A vote on a war powers resolution, which would have required congressional approval for any further attacks on Iran, failed last week mostly along party lines. But a group of Democratic senators has filed several similar pieces of legislation and could potentially force repeated votes on them if they choose.
New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker said they were going to 鈥渦se every lever that we have to stop business as usual鈥� unless there is an agreement from Republicans.
The tactic showed how Democrats are desperate to force a debate on the Iran war, but because they have minorities in both chambers of Congress, they are getting creative to force the issue into the public view.
Trump claims Iran has access to Tomahawk missiles when asked about school strike
The president erroneously claimed that Iran has access to the American Tomahawk cruise missile, the weapon likely used to strike a girls’ school in Iran, killing 165 people.
Asked if the U.S. would accept responsibility for the strike, Trump argued that the cruise missile, which is made by the American defense contractor Raytheon, is 鈥渟old and used by other countries鈥� and that Iran 鈥渁lso has some Tomahawks.鈥�
鈥淲hether it鈥檚 Iran or somebody else … a Tomahawk is very generic,鈥� he said.
While Raytheon sells the missile to allied countries like Japan and Australia, there is no evidence to suggest that Iran has gotten its hands on the cruise missile.
When asked why he was the only person in his administration making the claim, Trump replied: 鈥淏ecause I just don鈥檛 know enough about it.鈥� He added that 鈥渨hatever the report shows, I鈥檓 willing to live with that report.鈥�
Trump says Iran would have 鈥榯aken over鈥� the Middle East if he hadn鈥檛 acted
鈥淚f I didn鈥檛 hit them first, they were going to hit our allies first. I believe upon information and belief,鈥� the president told reporters, before adding, 鈥淭hey were going to take over the Middle East.鈥�
鈥淯pon information and belief鈥� is a phrase often used in legal settings, including in affidavits.
It is usually meant to denote declarations that a statement is based on secondhand information, but is also believed to be true by the speaker.
Trump was indicted in four criminal cases, and also faced civil charges related to his business practices, before returning to the White House. He鈥檚 no stranger to being in court or talking to lawyers.
A deadly day in Israel, with a dozen detected missile launches from Iran
Israel鈥檚 military announcement just minutes before midnight of more missiles fired at the country from Iran closed a Monday marked by relentless waves of attacks.
In all, Israel鈥檚 military alerted the population 12 times throughout the day about incoming missile salvos from Iran. From Lebanon, Iran-backed Hezbollah also fired rockets into Israel on Monday.
One man was killed by Iranian missile fire, raising the country鈥檚 death toll to 11. More were injured 鈥� at least two of them seriously 鈥� in the attacks and as they made their way to shelters, according to Israel鈥檚 emergency services.
Sirens alerting the population in different parts of Israel to seek shelter immediately have been wailing at intervals throughout the day and night since the war started.
Trump says Vance 鈥榤aybe less enthusiastic鈥� about striking Iran than he is
Trump said he and Vice President JD Vance 鈥済et along very well鈥� on issues related to Iran, but the president noted that his No. 2 was 鈥渕aybe less enthusiastic about going鈥� than he was.
Vance, Trump also noted, is 鈥減hilosophically a little bit different from me.鈥�
Vance has largely opposed U.S. intervention abroad. While still in the U.S. Senate and before Trump tapped him as his running mate, Vance cited Trump鈥檚 lack of foreign military entanglement as part of why he backed him for president in the 2024 campaign.
Trump says he鈥檚 鈥榙isappointed鈥� by Iran鈥檚 choice of a new leader
The president told reporters that he thought the pick of Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his father as Iran鈥檚 supreme leader would lead to 鈥渕ore of the same鈥� for a country that he seeks to change.
Trump said it 鈥渨ould be inappropriate鈥� to say whether Iran鈥檚 new leader would be targeted for a lethal assault as was his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Trump said he liked 鈥渢he idea鈥� of a leader drawn from an 鈥渋nternal鈥� group of candidates, saying that this process 鈥渨orks well鈥� with Venezuela鈥檚 new leader, Delcy Rodriguez, following the of Nicolas Maduro to face drug trafficking charges in the U.S.
Trump also elevated his expectations by saying he would like a candidate in Iran who was 鈥渋nternal and eternal.鈥�
Trump says war is 鈥榲ery complete鈥� but it鈥檚 also 鈥榯he beginning鈥� of a 鈥榓 new country鈥�
The president was asked about his comments earlier Monday in which he told a reporter that the war was 鈥渧ery complete,鈥� while the Pentagon on Monday said on social media: 鈥淲e have Only Just Begun to Fight.鈥�
Trump was asked whether it was the end or the beginning and said, 鈥淚t鈥檚 the beginning of building a new country,鈥� a comment that seemed to suggest the U.S. might be engaged in the building of a new Iran.
Trump says US is undertaking Iran operation 鈥榝or the other countries in the world鈥�
Though the president has long professed an 鈥淎merica First鈥� policy prioritizing the U.S., Trump suggested at his news conference that the war was for the benefit of other nations, especially those dependent on oil that鈥檚 shipped through the Strait of Hormuz.
鈥淚 mean, we鈥檙e doing this for the other parts of the world, including countries like China,鈥� Trump said.
Trump says Iran had a new site for developing nuclear weapons protected by 鈥榞ranite鈥�
Trump told reporters at a news conference that the war with Iran began because that country was starting work on a new site for developing material for nuclear weapons.
Trump said the new site was meant to replace facilities bombed last year by the U.S.
鈥淏ut they were starting work at another site, a different site, different kind of a site 鈥� and that was protected by granite,鈥� Trump said.
The president added that Iran wanted to use the 鈥渆xponentially growing ballistic missile threat to make it virtually impossible to prevent them from obtaining a nuclear weapon,鈥� claiming that Iran would have otherwise been able to take over the Middle East.
Multiple strikes shake Tehran
Citizens in Iran鈥檚 capital heard more than 20 heavy explosions as many rushed to safer places.
The strikes around midnight were the heaviest air raids on Tehran since beginning of the war.
The sound of bombers and warplanes flying overhead was constant for about half an hour. Witnesses reported explosions in western areas of the city. Electricity was cut off in some neighborhoods.
Similar explosions in other Iranian cities were reported on social media.
Iranian media did not report on damage and casualties from the strikes.
After volatile swings in oil prices, Trump claims to be bringing down prices
The U.S. president told House Republicans that he鈥檚 beaten inflation, even as swings in the oil market have gasoline costs rising in America after the start of the war with Iran.
Trump said that Democrats before his second term caused affordability to be a problem, 鈥渂ut we鈥檙e really bringing down prices.鈥�
Gas prices have risen 20% in the past month to a national average of $3.48 a gallon, according to AAA.
Trump didn鈥檛 bother to address that, saying of prices that, 鈥淲e鈥檙e even bringing them down further. They鈥檒l be way down.鈥�
State Department orders drawdown at more Mideast diplomatic missions
The move comes as the State Department is under increasing but historically familiar criticism for not doing enough to prepare embassies, consulates and American citizens living abroad for conflict.
The department on Monday ordered the departure of nonessential staff and families from Saudi Arabia and the consulate in Adana, Turkey, in response to escalating Iranian retaliation to U.S.-Israeli attacks.
That means 10 U.S. embassies and consulates in the region have reduced staffing, although only two have fully suspended operations. The reductions are the largest since the Iraq War began in 2003.
鈥� By Matthew Lee
鈻� Read more about .
Trump says that the US would have been attacked by Iran 鈥榳ithin a week鈥�
The president dismissed criticism from some Democratic officials that there was no reason for the U.S. and Israel to strike Iran.
鈥淲ell, I鈥檒l give you the best reason of all. Within a week they were going to attack us, 100%. They were ready,鈥� Trump said.
He did not offer any information to support that statement but said Iran had 鈥渁ll these missiles, far more than anyone thought.鈥�
However, Trump administration officials that U.S. intelligence did not suggest Iran was preparing to launch a pre-emptive strike against the U.S.
鈥� By Michelle L. Price
Saudi Arabia intercepts 12 drones fired toward oil field
Saudi Arabia鈥檚 Defense Ministry said Monday night it downed the drones over the Empty Quarter desert that were fired toward its massive Shaybah oil field.
The 12 drones arrived in two waves; the first had three drones and the second had nine, the ministry鈥檚 spokesperson said.
The Defense Ministry has repeatedly posted in recent days that it intercepted drones heading toward the Shaybah field.
Trump says family of soldiers killed in Middle East told him to 鈥榳in鈥� in Iran
The U.S. president briefly recounted what family members of soldiers killed as part of the ongoing war with Iran told him during the dignified transfer of their remains Saturday in Dover, Delaware.
鈥淏ut they all said one thing to me: 鈥楳ake sure you win, sir. Make sure you win,鈥欌�� Trump said.
Trump called 鈥渁 beautiful thing, but it鈥檚 also a very sad thing.鈥�
Trump tells Republican House members that Mideast war will be 鈥榮hort term鈥�
Trump opened his address to the lawmakers by talking about Iran, saying 鈥渨e took a little excursion鈥� to the Middle East 鈥渢o get rid of some evil. And, I think you鈥檒l see it鈥檚 going to be a short-term excursion.鈥�
The legislators met earlier in the day at Trump’s golf club near Miami.
Kuwait鈥檚 military intercepts missiles and drones
There was no immediate word on casualties or damage, but a statement from the Kuwaiti army said the sound of explosions late Monday were from interception efforts.
Hours earlier, Kuwait鈥檚 ruling emir gave a speech saying the country has been attacked by a 鈥渘eighboring Muslim country,鈥� without naming it.
The emir insisted that Kuwait鈥檚 territory, air space and coasts have not been used in any military operations against that neighboring country, and 鈥渢his was repeatedly conveyed through our diplomatic channels.鈥�
Kuwait, a small, oil-rich Gulf nation, has carefully managed its relationship with Iran.
Prewar US intel assessment found intervention in Iran wasn鈥檛 likely to change leadership
The National Intelligence Council鈥檚 assessment in February concluded that neither limited airstrikes nor a larger, prolonged military campaign would be likely to result in a new government taking over in Iran, even if the current leadership was killed.
That鈥檚 according to two people familiar with the finding, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the classified report.
The determination undercuts the administration鈥檚 assertion that it can complete its objectives in Iran relatively quickly, perhaps in a matter of weeks.
A spokesperson for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence declined to comment on the assessment on Monday and referred questions to the White House.
鈥� By Michelle L. Price and Mary Clare Jalonick
鈻� Read more about
Australia grants asylum to 5 members of the Iranian women鈥檚 soccer team
The Iranian athletes, who were visiting the country for a tournament, were transported from their hotel 鈥渢o a safe location鈥� by federal police officers in the early hours of Tuesday morning local time, Australia鈥檚 Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said.
There, they met with Burke and the processing of their humanitarian visas finalized, the minister told reporters in Brisbane hours later.
Trump had said Monday that Australia鈥檚 prime minister was helping the Iranian team after Trump urged the U.S. ally to grant the players asylum rather than send them back to Iran.
Wall Street erases a big loss and closes higher as oil prices fall after surging near $120 a barrel
The U.S. stock market careened through a manic Monday, going from a steep early loss to a solid gain as worries turned into hope that the war with Iran may not last that long.
Oil prices whipped from nearly $120 per barrel, their highest since 2022, back toward $90.
The S&P 500 fell as much as 1.5% before flipping to a gain of 0.8%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 239 points, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 1.4%. They鈥檙e the latest hour-to-hour swings to pummel markets because of uncertainty about how high oil prices will go and how long they will stay there.
EU economy chief warns of stagflation if the Mideast war drags on
The European Union鈥檚 economic chief is warning of the threat of stagflation if the war in the Middle East drags on, but says it鈥檚 too early to know how great the conflict鈥檚 impact will be.
鈥淪tagflation鈥� is a toxic combination of still-high inflation and a weak or stagnant economy. It bedeviled the U.S. in the 1970s, when even deep recessions didn鈥檛 kill inflation.
鈥淧ersistent targeting of shipping and energy infrastructure risks exposing the global economy to a stagflationary shock over the longer term,鈥� EU Economy Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis told reporters after a meeting of Eurogroup finance ministers.
But he said that 鈥渟hould the conflict quickly de-escalate, contain disruptions to energy supplies and infrastructure (it) would likely have limited impact.鈥�
鈥淲e need to keep a cool head, so to say, and continue to monitor the situation,鈥� he said.
Trump tells CBS News that Mideast war could end soon
Trump commented as rising oil and gasoline prices caused by the war spark international concern.
CBS News White House reporter Weijia Jiang posted on X that Trump told her over the phone Monday that the war is 鈥渧ery far ahead of schedule.鈥�
鈥淚 think the war is very complete, pretty much,鈥� Jiang quoted Trump as telling her. 鈥淭hey have no navy, no communications, they鈥檝e got no Air Force.鈥�
Trump had said the war could last about four weeks. It was launched on Feb. 28.
Asked about the Strait of Hormuz, Trump told Jiang that ships continue to move through the vital shipping channel but that he is 鈥渢hinking about taking it over.鈥�
Trump has a call with Putin to discuss the war in Iran and other issues, Kremlin says
Putin鈥檚 foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov described the conversation as 鈥渇rank and businesslike鈥� and said it lasted about one hour.
He said the Russian president 鈥渧oiced a few ideas aimed at a quick political and diplomatic settlement鈥� of the conflict following his conversations with Gulf leaders and Iran鈥檚 president.
Trump offered his assessment of the developing situation, Ushakov said, 鈥渋n the context of the ongoing U.S.-Israeli operation.鈥� The two leaders had a 鈥渟pecific and useful鈥� exchange of views, and they touched on Venezuela 鈥渋n the context of the situation in the global oil market,鈥� he said.
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