Trump calls Strait of Hormuz 'something that we don't need'
Trump told reporters that he is talking to countries about policing the Strait.
President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israel strikes attack targeting military and government sites, officials said.
Iranian state television confirmed that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was among those killed in Tehran on the first day of strikes. His son Mojtaba Khamenei was chosen on Sunday to succeed him.
Iran is responding to the operation with missile and drone attacks targeting Israel, regional U.S. bases and multiple Gulf nations. Israel is also intensifying its long-running strike campaign against the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia in Lebanon.
(Read previous Iran live updates here.)
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Key Headlines
- IRGC declares it continues efforts to 'pursue and kill' Netanyahu
- CENTCOM calls Iranian claims US targeted Gulf countries a 'lie'
- War with Iran ‘will certainly’ end in next few weeks: Secretary Wright
- Pentagon identifies 6 Air Force airmen killed in KC-135 refueling aircraft crash
- Trump repeats calls for other countries to help with Strait of Hormuz
Israel begins 'wide-scale wave' of strikes against Iran and in Beirut
The Israel Defense forces on Wednesday said it had begun a "wide-scale wave" of attacks against Iranian targets, as well as Hezbollah-related targets in Beirut, Lebanon.
"The IDF has begun a wide-scale wave of strikes targeting Iranian terror regime infrastructure across Iran," the Israeli military said. "Simultaneously, the IDF has begun striking Hezbollah infrastructure in Beirut."
-ABC News' Joe Simonetti and Jordana Miller
Iran launches 'heaviest' operation overnight, IRGC tells state media
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it launched overnight its "most intense and heaviest operation," according to Iranian state media.
The wave of attacks, which Iran said was aimed at U.S. and Israeli targets, included some three hours of missile launches, including the firing of a "Khorramshahr," a type of medium-range ballistic missile, state media reported.
"We continue to carry out our continuous attacks with purpose and power, and in the continuation of the war, we only think about the complete surrender of the enemy," the IRGC told Iranian state media. "We will end the war when the shadow of war is lifted from the country."
The Israel Defense Forces said on social media overnight that it had detected missiles launches from Iran toward Israel, saying that its defense systems were working to destroy the missiles.
The ministries of defense in both the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain warned residents early on Wednesday of potential threats. Sirens were sounding in Bahrain, the country's ministry said on social media.
"MOD asserts that the sounds heard are the result of the Air Defence Systems intercepting missiles and drones," the UAE ministry said on social media.
Internet blackout in Iran enters 12th day
The near-total internet blackout in Iran has entered its 12th day, surpassing 264 hours with connectivity below 1% of usual levels, NetBlocks, a web monitoring organization, said on Wednesday morning.
"Meanwhile, the regime's spokesperson has confirmed observations pointing to a whitelisting system, stating that only the approved are given a voice," NetBlocks said on social media.
4 people injured after 2 drones fall near Dubai International Airport
Four people were injured after two drones fell near Dubai International Airport on Wednesday, the Dubai Media Office said in a post on X, adding that flights were operating normally.
"Authorities confirm that two drones fell in the vicinity of Dubai International Airport (DXB) a short while ago, resulting in minor injuries to two Ghanaian nationals and one Bangladeshi national, and moderate injuries to one Indian national," officials said. "Air traffic is operating as normal."
-ABC News' Marcus Moore