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Donald Trump has said that US forces have knocked out 28 Iranian mine-laying ships in the Strait of Hormuz
Bel Trew in Beirut, James C. Reynolds & Alex CroftThursday 12 March 2026 01:30 GMT- Bookmark
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Trump claims US has 'won' Iran war
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Donald Trump has claimed the US has “won” the war in Iran but needs to “finish the job”.
The US president claimed the military destroyed Iran's navy and air force in a matter of hours, including all of its radar and anti-aircraft equpment.
"We won," the president told a crowd of supporters. "In the first hour it was over."
It comes after he claimed US forces knocked out 28 Iranian mine-laying ships in the Strait of Hormuz, after warning on Tuesday about Iran placing mines in the crucial waterway.
“They started talking about mine. So we hit 28 mine ships as of this moment,” Trump said, describing the US military as “unbelievable”.
Iranian officials say that at least 175 people were killed in a strike on the Shajarah Tayyebeh elementary school in Minab, southern Iran, on 28 February, the first day of the war.
People briefed on the probe say that early findings suggest that US Centcom was using outdated information from the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) to inform its target coordinates.
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Key Points
- US military has almost 'destroyed Iran' Trump claims
- Trump claims he doesn't know about report into girls' school attack
- Trump says US has knocked out 28 Iranian mine-laying ships
- Iran has deployed a dozen mines in Strait of Hormuz - report
- Two foreign tankers with Iraqi oil on fire
Congress calls for oversight following reports US military is using AI to help determine which sites in Iran to attack
US lawmakers have called for oversight of the use of artificial intelligence in war after reports of the military using AI tools to help determine which sites in Iran to attack.
As the use of AI grows in tandem with conflict in the Middle East, several publications, including The Independent, have reported on the technology’s use in military operations.
NBC News reported Wednesday, citing two people familiar with the matter, that the U.S. military is using AI systems from Palantir to identify potential targets for air strikes in the Iran war.
Palantir’s Maven Smart System is using classified satellite data and surveillance to help provide instantaneous targeting and target prioritization to the U.S. military amid its striking campaign in Iran, The Washington Post reported last week.
Read on...
Congress calls for oversight after reports US military is using AI in Iran War
‘We need a full, impartial review to determine if AI has already harmed or jeopardized lives in the war with Iran,’ says Representative Jill Tokuda of HawaiiRachel Dobkin12 March 2026 01:307 killed and 21 injured in Israeli strike on Beirut: Lebanese officials
Seven people have been killed and 21 more injured in an Israeli strike in Ramlet al-Bayda in Beirut, the Associated Press reported, citing the Lebanese Health Ministry.
The AP says dozens of displaced families were taking shelter in makeshift tents when the strike occurred.
Rachel Dobkin12 March 2026 01:00Bahrain says Iran targeted its fuel tanks
Bahrain’s Interior Ministry said late Wednesday night that Iran targeted fuel tanks in Muharraq Governorate.
During the U.S.-Israeli military strikes that have barraged Iran for over a week, Iran has targeted oil fields and refineries in the neighbouring Gulf nations, according to the Associated Press.
Rachel Dobkin12 March 2026 00:45International Energy Agency to release record oil reserves to calm markets
The International Energy Agency (IEA) says it has agreed to release a record 400 million barrels of oil from its strategic reserves to help stabilise markets.
The UK Government said it will contribute 13.5 million barrels from its own stockpile for the release.
The conflict in Iran has halted shipments through the Strait of Hormuz and pushed the price of oil and gas sharply higher.
The IEA, which includes the UK, said the release – the largest in the 50-year history of the 32-nation alliance – will account for around a third of its 1.2 billion barrel stockpile held for emergencies.
Read more here:
International Energy Agency to release record oil reserves to calm markets
The conflict in Iran has halted shipments through the Strait of Hormuz and pushed the price of oil and gas sharply higher.Alex Croft12 March 2026 00:30Israel strikes 10 'terror structures' in Lebanon: IDF
The Israel Defence Forces has said they have struck 10 structures in Dahieh, a southern suburb of Beirut.
“Over the past hours, the IDF has begun a wide-scale wave of strikes targeting terror infrastructure belonging to the Hezbollah terrorist organization across Lebanon”, the IDF said.
The Israeli military said they hit “10 terror structures in the Dahieh area within 30 minutes, including intelligence headquarters, a headquarters of the Radwan unit, and additional command centers”.
Bel Trew and Rachel Dobkin12 March 2026 00:16'It's both!': Trump refers to Iran conflict as a 'war' and 'a little excursion'
'It's both!' Trump refers to Iran conflict as a 'war' and 'a little excursion'Alex Croft11 March 2026 23:54EU warns inflation could surpass 3% - report
The EU warned that its inflation rate could surpass 3 per cent this year if the war in the Middle East causes Brent oil prices to remain around $100 per barrel and gas prices stay elevated for an extended period, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday.
In that scenario, economic growth in 2026 would also be as much as 0.4 percentage points lower than the 1.4 per cent pace forecast late last year, EU economy chief Valdis Dombrovskis told the bloc's finance ministers this week, the report said.
Alex Croft11 March 2026 23:31Trump claims war in Iran will end 'soon' because 'there's hardly anything left' to attack
Following a conversation with president Donald Trump, Axios reporter Barak Ravid says the president insisted the war with Iran would end “soon” because “there’s hardly anything left” to attack.
“Little this and that... Any time I want it to end, it will end,” the president was quoted as saying.
“The war is going great. We are way ahead of the timetable. We have done more damage than we thought possible, even in the original six-week period.”
Two Israeli officials told Reuters earlier today that the assessment in Israel is that Trump is not close to ordering an end to the war.
(AFP via Getty Images)Alex Croft11 March 2026 23:10Red Cross mourns volunteer killed in Lebanon's Tyre
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) announced this afternoon the death of a volunteer worker killed while working in Lebanon.
“We mourn the killing of Youssef Assaf, Lebanese Red Cross volunteer, who lost his life while carrying out his humanitarian duty in Tyre. Our heartfelt condolences go out to Youssef’s family, friends and loved ones,” a statement read.
“It is deeply alarming that first responders in Lebanon continue to risk their lives while carrying out a humanitarian mission,” the statement added.
Alex Croft11 March 2026 22:47US officials estimate first six days of war cost $11bn
US officials have estimated that the first six days of the war have cost the US at least $11.3 billion (£8.2 billion), Reuters news agency reported.
That figure, from a closed-door briefing for senators on Tuesday, did not include the entire cost of the war, but was provided to lawmakers as they have clamoured for more information about the conflict.
Several congressional aides have said they expect the White House to soon submit a request to Congress for additional funding for the war. Some officials have said the request could be for $50 billion (£37.3 billion), while others have said that estimate seems low.
The administration has not provided a public assessment of the cost of the conflict or a clear idea of its expected duration. Trump said during a trip to Kentucky on Wednesday that "we won" the war but that the United States will stay in the fight to finish the job.
The $11.3 billion figure was first reported on Wednesday by the New York Times.
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