Trump ‘won’t back down’ says adviser who expects conflict to be over ‘in weeks not months’
Oil tankers are “starting to dribble through” the Strait of Hormuz, White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett told CNBC in an interview on Tuesday, reiterating the Trump administration’s position that they see the Iran war lasting weeks, not months.
Hassett also said the US president is “not going to back down” until he sees this war to the end.
By Maryam Zakir-Hussain | 17 March 2026 12:06
UAE closes airspace again as drone and missile threats spark travel turmoil
By Bryony Gooch | 17 March 2026 12:00
Watch: Israel MOD claim Iran’s security chief Larijani killed in overnight strikes
By Bryony Gooch | 17 March 2026 11:45
Iran foreign minister tells UN countries concerned with peace must condemn ‘aggression’ against Iran
Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi has told UN secretary general Antonio Guterres that any country concerned with peace and security must condemn the “aggression” against Iran.
He added that the situation in the Strait of Hormuz can’t be considered separate from the “war imposed by the US and Israel”.
By Bryony Gooch | 17 March 2026 11:30
In pictures: Members of the French military carry the flag-draped coffin of late Arnaud Frion
By Bryony Gooch | 17 March 2026 11:15
Voters split over Starmer’s response to Iran war, polling shows
By Bryony Gooch | 17 March 2026 11:00
Watch: Amid death rumours, Netanyahu sends message to ‘brave people of Iran’
By Bryony Gooch | 17 March 2026 10:45
Iranian civilians paying a heavy price amid escalating hostilities, says ICRC
The ICRC’s head of delegation in Tehran has said that Iran’s civilian population is struggling the most with the escalating violence in the country, as he affirmed international humanitarian law must be upheld.
Vincent Cassard said: “I am seeing the heavy strain that the recent escalation of hostilities has placed on people in Iran, who fear for their lives, the safety of their loved ones and their livelihoods. The heavy loss of life is alarming. Civilian infrastructure has been affected, and many homes have been severely damaged by the hostilities.
He added: “Daily life in Tehran has been profoundly disrupted: children are not attending school, and many businesses have temporarily closed as a precaution due to the ongoing strikes.
“Normally, this is a time when cities across Iran are filled with excitement as families prepare for Nowruz, the Iranian New Year. This year, however, families are gathering for funerals instead of festivities.”
He added that images seen from schools and hospitals and Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) facilities show the heavy price that civilians are paying as a result of hostilities.
“International humanitarian law is clear: Civilians and civilian infrastructure must be spared from attack.
“Medical workers and first responders, as well as medical transport and facilities and humanitarian personnel must be respected and protected.”
By Bryony Gooch | 17 March 2026 10:34
Why countries are rejecting Trump’s call to send ships to Strait of Hormuz
By Bryony Gooch | 17 March 2026 10:30
Lebanese army says five soldiers wounded in Israeli strike in south Lebanon
Five Lebanese soldiers were wounded, two critically, in an Israeli air strike in the city of Nabatieh in southern Lebanon, the Lebanese army said on Tuesday, amid escalating hostilities between Israel and Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah.
The soldiers, struck while travelling by car and motorcycle, were taken to hospital, it said in a post.
The strike comes amid intensifying Israeli attacks across Lebanon, which have killed more than 880 people and displaced over a million, according to Lebanese authorities.
By Bryony Gooch | 17 March 2026 10:15
