Trump says US will provide insurance for commercial shipping – as it happened.

      U.S. President Donald Trump has pushed back against criticism that he was drawn into war with Iran because of pressure from Israel. Addressing reporters, Trump denied that Israel forced Washington’s hand, stating, “No. I might have forced their hand,” as he sought to counter growing unease in Congress and among some of his political supporters over the expanding conflict.

       The U.S. military says the first 24 hours of operations in Iran were nearly double the scale of the opening “shock-and-awe” campaign in Iraq in 2003. According to Admiral Brad Cooper of U.S. Central Command, American forces have struck nearly 2,000 targets in Iran and destroyed 17 Iranian naval vessels, including a submarine. Officials described the campaign as the largest regional firepower buildup in a generation. Israel has also announced a “broad wave” of strikes targeting Iranian launch sites, defense systems and key infrastructure.

      The conflict is reverberating across global markets and energy supplies. Oil and gas prices have surged after Iranian attacks on ships and energy facilities disrupted exports and navigation in the Gulf, with production affected from Qatar to Iraq. Asian markets recorded sharp losses, though Wall Street appeared steadier in pre-market trading. Trump said the U.S. Navy could begin escorting oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz if needed to stabilize energy flows. 

 

    Meanwhile, humanitarian costs continue to mount: the Iranian Red Crescent Society reports at least 787 deaths since the fighting began, including a deadly strike on a girls’ elementary school in Minab. In Lebanon, the United Nations says at least 30,000 people have been displaced by heavy Israeli airstrikes. International leaders, including Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney, have called for urgent de-escalation, while tensions have also surfaced between Washington and London over the UK’s limited involvement in the military campaign.