As strikes continue acrossthe Middle Eastfor a second week, the Trump administration has given conflicting messages about how long the war will last, while Iran signals it's prepared for a long fight.
The humanitarian toll is mounting, with hundreds of thousands of residents displaced and more than 1,700 people killed across the region. The war has also caused seesawing oil prices amid thebiggest industry disruption in history– sparking concern even within the Trump administration.
Advertisement
Here's what you need to know on day 11.
What are the main headlines?
Trump administration comments: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday the US will not relent until "the enemy is totally and decisively defeated," but added that President Donald Trump "gets to control the throttle" of the war and determine when the US offensive ends. On Monday, Trump made conflicting statements, saying in a wide-ranging news conference that US goals are "pretty well complete" and the war could end soon – right after telling House Republicans that "we haven't won enough."
The girls' school: The fallout continues over the strike on an Iranian girls' school that killed at least 168 children, according to Iranian state media. Trump suggested other countries could have struck the school, falsely claiming that Iran possesses Tomahawk missiles like the one believed to have been used in the attack. Earlier, footage emerged that appeared to show a US missile targeting an Iranian naval base near the school.
Oil disruption: Oil prices remain volatile, even after they fell Tuesday following Trump's comments the war would be over "very soon." Countries are bracing for impact, with an estimated 20% of world oil supply now disrupted. Pakistan has announced extreme austerity measures, South Korea is introducing its first fuel price cap in almost 30 years, and G7 ministers met to discuss potentially releasing strategic oil reserves. Meanwhile, Trump said he would be "waiving certain oil-related sanctions" without specifying which ones – and claimed that the war would ultimately lower oil prices in the long term.
Strait of Hormuz: Iran has begun laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, the world's most critical critical oil transit chokepoint that carries about one-fifth of all crude oil, according to two people familiar with US intelligence reporting on the issue. The news comes amid escalating threats over the Strait, with Trump trying to reassure operators of tankers that are refusing to travel through it. Earlier Tuesday, Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the military is "looking at a range of options" for escorting vessels through the crucial waterway, which has essentially been closed since the war began. The US has warned it will hit Iran harder if it tries to stop oil flowing through. Iran responded that its armed forces were "awaiting" US naval ships in the Strait and later Tuesday, the IRGC's naval commander warned that ships connected to countries he described as aggressors would not be allowed to transit, warning: "If you have any doubts, come closer and try." If such disruption continues, it could have "catastrophic consequences" for the global oil market, Aramco – the world's top oil exporter – warned.
Iranian women's soccer team: A sixth player and a staff member from the team sought asylum in Australia Tuesday, a source told CNN Sports, after five other players were granted humanitarian visas by the Australian government in response to earlier asylum requests. The rest of the team has is now believed to have left the country for Iran.
What's happening in the region?
Israel strikes Iran: CNN's team in Tehran felt heavy aerial bombardment overnight which caused the walls of buildings to shake. One city resident said it was "impossible to even try to sleep" through the intense wave of Israeli bombing. Rescue teams raced to save people trapped in what Iranian state media said was a residential building. In Esfahan, historic landmarks were damaged. Tehran retaliated with strikes against Israel, according to the Israeli military.
Israel's assault on Lebanon: Israel issued further mass evacuation orders in southern Lebanon, after it said it struck a Hezbollah-controlled financial institution on Monday. Hezbollah said it launched rockets into northern Israel just after midnight on Tuesday.
Gulf nations: Neighboring countries on Tuesday reported fresh attacks with drones and missiles. One strike caused a fire at one of the region's largest oil refineries, situated in the United Arab Emirates. Drones were shot down in Iraqi Kurdistan after targeting an airport that hosts a US base and the UAE consulate, which sustained "material damage" from debris. Pro-Iranian Iraqi militias claimed responsibility. Last week, Iran's president had claimed Tehran would stop striking its neighbors unless any attacks on Iran originated from those countries.
Iran vows escalation: Iran will escalate its missile attacks and only launch missiles with warheads weighing more than a ton, an Iranian military commander said Monday. On Tuesday, Iran's intelligence authorities arrested 30 people, including a foreign national, accused of spying and working with foreign adversaries, the state news agency IRNA reported. Separately, a top Iranian official ruled out diplomacy for now, saying in a CNN interview that Tehran will continue attacking Gulf countries and that the war would only end through economic pain.
Growing death toll: In Iran, more than 1,200 civilians – many of them children – have been killed since the war began, according to state media. In Lebanon, at least 570 people have been killed since Israel began strikes on the country last week, the country's Disaster Risk Management Unit said Tuesday. Dozens more have been killed in other countries around the region, including seven US service members. Approximately 140 US troops have sustained injuries, the Pentagon said Tuesday.
For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com