Trump warns Iran about mines: 'Consequences will be at a level never seen before'

Donald Trump says the military consequences "will be at a level never seen before" if "Iran has put out any mines" in the Strait of Hormuz.

He wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform: "If Iran has put out any mines in the Hormuz Strait, and we have no reports of them doing so, we want them removed, IMMEDIATELY!

"If for any reason mines were placed, and they are not removed forthwith, the Military consequences to Iran will be at a level never seen before. If, on the other hand, they remove what may have been placed, it will be a giant step in the right direction! President DONALD J. TRUMP."

Iran is 'laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz'

Iran has begun laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, according to sources familiar with US intelligence. The mining is reportedly not extensive, CBS reports, with a few dozen laid in recent days, the sources said.

Around 140 people in US military injured, eight severely

Around 140 US service members have been injured since the start of the Iran war on 28 February, the Pentagon said in a statement. Eight of these are severely injured.

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said: "The vast majority of these injuries have been minor", adding that 108 service members have returned to duty.

"Eight service members remain listed as severely injured and are receiving the highest level of medical care."

White House: US to end war when Iran is in a state of 'unconditional surrender'

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is speaking at a news conference this evening.

Asked when the war with Iran will end, she tells reporters the original plan was for the US to destroy the country's missile and drone capabiltiy within four to six weeks. She went on to say the war will end when the US has met its military objectives - and when Iran is in a state of "complete and unconditional surrender".

Echoing comments made by Trump on Monday, Leavitt says the operation is ahead of schedule.

Iran launches missiles at Israel, IDF says

The Israeli military says Iran has launched missiles headed for its borders.

In a post on social media, the IDF said it is working to intercept the threat. Mobile phone alerts have also been issued to those in areas that may be impacted.

"Upon receiving an alert, the public is instructed to enter a protected space and remain there until further notice," the IDF says.

Residents tell of Tehran neighbourhoods being hit by missiles and buildings shaking

A resident who lives in the western part of Tehran says his neighbourhood was shaking for half an hour because of strikes around midnight and there have been widespread electricity cuts.

Another resident said he didn’t think he would survive the night while a 27-year-old mother of a toddler said she witnessed a residential building get hit.

Iranian media said civilians were the main casualties in the overnight strikes.

On Tuesday, Tehran’s streets were less crowded and many private businesses closed their offices earlier, fearing more strikes and it comes as US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday would be the most intense day yet of strikes on Iran.

HMS Dragon capable of firing eight missiles in 10 seconds to take down drones

HMS Dragon, which has a crew of around 200, is capable of firing eight Sea Viper missiles in under 10 seconds to take down aerial targets.

Its commanding officer, Commander Iain Giffin, said: “We are trained for this, we are ready for this, we have the equipment and people, we have the support of the British people and, most importantly, our families and friends.”

Defence Secretary John Healey praised the naval personnel and civilian teams who “worked flat out” to prepare HMS Dragon for deployment, adding: “What is normally six weeks of work was completed in just six days – a remarkable effort delivered around the clock. They are the very best of Britain in action.”

Crew of HMS Dragon line the deck as the destroyer leaves Portsmouth

A Royal Navy warship is heading to the eastern Mediterranean to protect Cyprus.

HMS Dragon , a Type 45 destroyer, has finally left Portsmouth a week after its deployment was announced following the outbreak of the conflict in the Middle East. It is capable of shooting down drones and ballistic missiles fired by Iran and its proxies as the crisis continues.

The crew of the vessel were seen lining the deck as the ship moved out of Portsmouth Harbour. Officials insisted the ship had been prepared as quickly as possible for deployment, with six weeks’ worth of work squeezed into six days.

The announcement of the deployment of the ship came in response to a drone attack which hit the RAF Akrotiri base in Cyprus.

British Airways cancels more flights to Middle East

British Airways (BA) has cancelled more flights to the Middle East.

The airline said flights to Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai and Tel Aviv have been cancelled up to and including March 28.

BA is operating two more repatriation flights from Oman to the UK this week.

Israel launches new wave of strikes towards Beirut

Israel says it has launched a fresh wave of strikes towards the Lebanese capital of Beirut.

In a message on Telegram in English, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it is targeting "Hezbollah infrastructure" in the Dahieh suburb of the city.

Merz says US and Israel have 'no common plan' to end Iran war

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said the US and Israel appear to have "no common plan" for bringing the war against Iran "to a swift and convincing end".

"The United States and Israel have been waging war against Iran for over a week. We share many of these goals, but with each day of the war, more questions arise," Merz said. "We are particularly concerned that there is apparently no common plan for how this war can be brought to a swift and convincing end."

Netherlands to move embassy staff out of Iran

The ⁠Netherlands has announced it will temporarily move its Iran-based embassy staff to Azerbaijan due to security concerns.

“Due to increasing risks to the ⁠safety of ⁠our staff, it has been decided to ⁠temporarily relocate the ⁠activities of ⁠the Dutch embassy in Iran to Baku, ‌Azerbaijan”, Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen said in a post on X.

Hegseth warns new supreme leader not to pursue nuclear weapons

US 'looking at options' to escort ships through Strait of Hormuz

Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen Dan Caine has been asked whether the military is open to escorting vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.

He said he is "looking at a range of options to set the military conditions to be able to do that", taking into account the risks and resources involved.

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth added, citing Donald Trump's post on Truth Social last night, that the president had warned Iran not to stop the flow of oil through the shipping route. "He takes very seriously the condition of that strait," he said.

Iran not 'more formidable' than US expected, says Gen Caine

General Dan Caine, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has said that while Iran is "adapting" during the conflict, Tehran's military is not "more formidable” than the US had expected.

"I mean, I think they're fighting and I respect that, but I don't think they're more formidable than what we thought," he said.

Hegseth says US takes great care to avoid civilian casualties

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has been asked what steps US forces are taking to minimise civilian casualties.

He said that no nation takes greater care than the US to avoid civilian casualties and accused Iran of "deliberately" targeting civilians.

At least 1,255 people - including 200 children - have been killed in Iran in US-Israeli strikes, Iranian Deputy Health Minister Ali Jafarian told Al Jazeera on Monday.

US forces making 'significant progress' in reducing Iran's capabilities, says Gen Caine

General Dan Caine, the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has pointed to a map showing which parts of Iran the US has targeted, saying forces are making "significant progress" in reducing Iran's capabilities.

"Ballistic missile attacks continue to trend downwards, 90 per cent from where they started, and one-way attack drones have decreased 83 per cent since the beginning of the operation," he said.

General Caine honours US soldiers killed in Iran war

General Dan Caine, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has honoured the seven US service members killed in the US-Israeli war on Iran.

"To the families of our fallen, we share in your profound grief," he said.

US campaign in Iran not an example of 'nation-building', says Hegseth

The US-Israeli strikes on Iran are not part of an "endless nation-building" effort, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has said.

"This is not 2003. This is not endless nation-building under those types of quagmires we saw under Bush or Obama," he said. "It's not even close. Our generation of soldier will not let that happen again."

Today will be 'most intense day' of US strikes

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has said today will be the "most intense day of strikes" on Iran.

"Today will be yet again, our most intense day of strikes inside Iran. The most fighters, the most bombers, the most strikes. Intelligence more refined, and better than ever," he said.

He added that in the past 24 hours, Iran has fired the lowest number of missiles since the war began.

Operation Epic Fury's objectives remain the same, says Hegseth

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has said the objectives of Operation Epic Fury remain the same:

• To destroy Iran's missile stockpiles, their missile launchers and defence industrial base
• To destroy Iran's navy
• To permanently deny Iran nuclear weapons

'We are winning,' says Hegseth

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has echoed President Donald Trump's comments on the success of Operation Epic Fury.

Speaking at a press conference at the Pentagon, he said the US is "winning" and "crushing the enemy". "We do so on our timeline and at our choosing," he added.

'Beware of elimination,' Iran's top national security official tells Trump

Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said in a Telegram post directed at Donald Trump earlier today: "The Ashura nation of Iran is not afraid of your empty threats. Even those greater than you could not eliminate the Iranian nation. Be careful not to be eliminated!"

The post was signed: "Supreme National Security Council of Iran, Tehran, March 19, 1404 - 10 days after the martyrdom of His Holiness Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei."

It came after the US president said in a post on Truth Social on Monday that "Death, Fire, and Fury will reign upon" Iran if the country stops the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz.