Iran is on the verge of losing the war, claims US President Donald Trump. He warns of further escalation, but does not want to give a specific timeframe.
"We can strike parts of Tehran and other places that would make it almost impossible for them to rebuild their country, and we don't want that," he says.
However, information from behind the scenes suggests the government has misjudged how much is required for a successful intervention.
The war rages on. Two oil tankers in the northern Persian Gulf, off the coast of Iraq, have been attacked and set on fire overnight. A rescue operation is still underway at a Thai-flagged vessel that was attacked on Wednesday - with three crew members feared trapped on the evacuated ship.
Sources: Not close
Before the outbreak of war, government representatives in the United States clearly downplayed the risks to the flow of oil around the world.
US intelligence officials have said it is unlikely that a military strike would lead to regime change in Iran, the AP and others have reported, citing sources. As it stands today, Iran's rule is intact and its power apparatus is not close to collapsing, according to Reuters sources in the US.
The Islamist regime says it is prepared for a longer war with counterattacks that could put the oil-dependent world economy out of action. By blocking shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, the country could stop a fifth of global oil exports. Prices per barrel are skyrocketing.
The UN Security Council on Wednesday condemned Iran's attacks on its neighboring countries, but they have continued unabated.
Around the entire bay
Attacks are once again being reported in the other Arab countries in the Gulf, including against oil-related targets in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
Early Thursday, one person was killed in an attack on the port city of Basra, after which the oil terminals there paused work.
Outside Dubai, another cargo ship was hit by a projectile, causing a minor fire, and Emirati air defenses were activated to shoot down several drones. A civilian high-rise building was hit.
In Bahrain, an object struck near the country's only international airport and caused a large fire.
Explosions were heard in Israel overnight - and Israel says it will respond with new attacks on Tehran.
Background: How the Iran War Started
On February 28, the United States and Israel attacked Iran, without the support of the UN Security Council. The attack was described as a preemptive strike to prevent the country from developing nuclear weapons. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several other leaders were killed in the bombings.
A year earlier, in March 2025, US President Donald Trump sent a letter to the Ayatollah to initiate negotiations over Iran's suspected nuclear weapons program. Five meetings were held but without any results.
On June 22, the United States entered the then ongoing war between Israel and Iran and bombed three nuclear energy facilities.
In September, previous UN sanctions on Iran were reimposed. The economy deteriorated and popular protests erupted before the turn of the year. Trump said he was prepared to intervene on the side of the protesters when they were killed in their thousands - but that did not happen.
In early 2026, US military forces gathered in Iran's vicinity. New negotiations with the regime began on February 3, without results.
