US President Donald Trump says there are no plans to deploy US ground troops in the region and claims the US operation is “ahead of schedule”
Trump repeats his frequent talking point on the war in Iran: that the US and Israel have “obliterated” Iran’s navy, air force, leadership, and more.
“We’ve taken out everything but the pipes,” Trump says, adding that the war is “substantially ahead of schedule”.
Trump is also asked if he plans to send more US troops into the region, and he answers that he’s not putting troops anywhere. But even if he was planning to, Trump tells the reporter, “I wouldn’t tell you”.
Meanwhile, the price of gas has risen sharply in the UK and Europe following an attack on Qatar’s Ras Laffan energy complex
Qatar’s PM says strikes on the facility are a “very dangerous escalation by the Iranians” and demands an immediate end to attacks
Israeli media report that Haifa oil refinery in Israel has been damaged following an Iranian missile strike – BBC Verify looks at the footage
The UK, France, Germany and allies have condemned Iran’s attacks on civilian infrastructure, and called on Tehran to stop its threats to vessels in the Strait of Hormuz
Earlier, in a strongly worded post, Donald Trump warned Iran against further attacks in Qatar, after “extensive damage” to facilities there
Iran’s foreign minister has warned that Tehran would act with “zero restraint” if there were further attacks on its infrastructure
The attacks on the energy sector is “exactly the escalation that Gulf Arab nations feared”, says Frank Gardner
