Highlights
- Trump says war with Iran could end within two to three weeks
- Tehran hit by fresh strikes with explosions across multiple areas
- Conflict spreads across West Asia with casualties in several countries
- Oil prices fall and global markets rise after Trump’s remarks
US PRESIDENT Donald Trump said the war with Iran could end within two to three weeks as fresh strikes hit Tehran on Wednesday, with explosions reported across parts of the Iranian capital.
Tehran was rocked by blasts in the north, east and centre, according to Iranian state television, while the Israeli military confirmed it carried out strikes. Later, Israel said it was intercepting a missile attack from Iran. Its emergency services said 14 people, including an 11-year-old girl, were wounded.
The conflict began after the United States and Israel launched airstrikes across Iran that killed supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and has since expanded across the region. Thousands have been killed and millions displaced.
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Trump said late Tuesday that the war could be over in "two weeks, maybe three". The White House said he would address the nation at 9:00 pm Wednesday to provide "an important update on Iran".
Iran has said there are no negotiations with the United States and that it has not responded to a reported 15-point proposal from Washington. Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said: "There are no grounds for negotiations," while adding that messages were still being exchanged with US envoy Steve Witkoff. He said: "Whenever necessary we respond to these messages."
Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian said the country had the "necessary will" to end the war if there were guarantees it would not resume. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: "We will continue to crush the terror regime," adding that the campaign had "changed the face of West Asia".
The conflict has spread beyond Iran and Israel. In Lebanon, Israeli strikes in Beirut's southern suburbs and nearby areas killed seven people, according to the health ministry. The Israeli military said it had targeted a senior Hezbollah commander.
"Nobody knows what's happening," resident Hassan Jalwan said. "Displaced people have been sleeping in the open."
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Lebanon was drawn into the war on March 2 after Hezbollah launched attacks on Israel. Israel has since carried out strikes and a ground offensive that Lebanon's health ministry says has left more than 1,200 dead.
In the Gulf, Iran has carried out attacks on countries it says were used as launchpads. A Bangladeshi national was killed by falling shrapnel after a drone interception in the United Arab Emirates. Kuwait said an Iranian drone attack caused "a large fire" at fuel tanks at its international airport. Bahrain reported a fire at a business facility "as a result of the Iranian aggression", and Saudi Arabia said several drones were intercepted and destroyed. A tanker was also hit in waters off Qatar, with no casualties reported.
Yemen's Houthis said they carried out a missile attack on Israel jointly with Iran and Hezbollah. Israel said its air defences responded to a missile launched from Yemen, with no reports of damage.
In Iraq, residents near Erbil airport reported continued drone activity. "Every day, we hear the sound of drones," said truck driver Waad Abdulrazaq. "We hear them in the morning, and we hear them at night. We can no longer sleep or live in peace."
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An American journalist, Shelly Kittleson, was kidnapped Tuesday in Baghdad by a suspected Iranian-backed group, the United States said, adding it was working to secure her release.
Trump earlier warned that if Iran did not agree to a deal, US forces would "obliterate" its oil facilities, including Kharg Island, and possibly water desalination plants. He later said the United States would leave Iran "very soon".
"And we'll be doing that very soon, and they'll come tumbling down," Trump said.
Oil prices fell after Trump's comments, with Brent crude dropping five per cent to $98.77 a barrel and WTI falling about four per cent to $97.28. Stock markets rose, with gains in Europe and Asia. Frankfurt and Paris rose more than two per cent, London's FTSE 100 gained 1.7 per cent, and Japan's Nikkei 225 jumped four per cent.
Iran has maintained control over the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of global oil passes. Trump said countries including France and China would have to "fend for themselves" if they wanted passage.
Rising fuel prices have affected consumers. "That is horrible," said Jeanne Williams, 83, at a gas station in Washington.
(With inputs from agencies)
