US strikes Iran for 11th straight night; Trump threatens nuclear site attack

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A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the last 24 hours.

Iran War

The U.S. military carried out its 11th consecutive night of strikes on Iran, with the latest wave lasting about 75 minutes overnight, according to the U.S. Central Command. Iran's army said it targeted U.S. military facilities in Kuwait, Jordan, and Bahrain with drones early this morning. The army said it struck accommodation buildings and equipment storage facilities at Al Azraq air base in Jordan, and later targeted equipment warehouses and aircraft maintenance hangars at Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain using Arash suicide drones. (Kanishka Singh and Jasper Ward for Reuters; Reuters)

President Trump yesterday threatened to accelerate the war in Iran by striking Pickaxe Mountain, a deep underground site that the United States and Israel suspect could be used for nuclear activity. "We'll be hitting that area probably pretty soon," Trump said during a visit from Lebanon's president, Joseph Aoun. "And there's not a thing they can do about it." He went on to threaten military action against the Houthis if they go ahead with their announced plan to block Saudi shipping from exiting the Red Sea. (David E. Sanger for the New York Times; Barak Ravid for Axios)

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said today that the United States is willing to negotiate an end to the war with Iran, but Tehran is not serious about talks. Speaking in a meeting of Southeast Asian foreign ministers, Rubio stressed that Iran could not be allowed to control the Strait of Hormuz, arguing it would create a dangerous precedent for the world, including Southeast Asian countries. Iran's Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni yesterday visited mediators in Pakistan and asked Islamabad to continue its efforts. (Reuters; Jon Gambrell for AP News)

Iran War – Lebanon

Israeli forces yesterday fired shots near Lebanese Army troops, both sides said, as Lebanese troops began deploying in a village in southern Lebanon after a planned Israeli withdrawal. The Lebanese military issued a statement, saying "this act of aggression could hinder the implementation of deployment steps in the pilot areas." The Israeli military said Lebanese forces entered an area outside of the designated "pilot zone," adding Israeli soldiers "operating in the area fired warning shots into the air only." (Abdi Latif Dahir for the New York Times)

Iran War – Other Developments

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said yesterday during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing that the Defense Department's latest estimate of the cost of the Iran war was $37.5 billion. Hegseth requested up to $70 billion in emergency funding for the conflict, weapons production, and military modernization. Lawmakers from both parties questioned the need for the additional spending, while Hegseth argued it was necessary because of changing warfare and what he described as shortcomings inherited from the previous administration. (Greg Jaffe for the New York Times)

Yemen

Six vessels reversed course yesterday as the Iran-backed Houthi rebels began enforcing their Red Sea blockade against Saudi Arabia, according to ship-tracking data and analysis by the maritime firm Lloyd's List. No attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea or Bab el-Mandeb Strait have been reported since the Houthis announced the blockade. (Imogen Piper for the Washington Post)

Russia-Ukraine War

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy yesterday dismissed his top general, Oleksandr Syrskyi, amid public protests. This was a major reversal for Zelenskyy, who just days earlier sided with Syrskyi and fired...