Iran raises stakes of possible ceasefire talks ahead of UN Security Council vote on Strait of Hormuz

Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., on Wednesday described Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., as “Washington’s war machine,” taking issue with the senator’s staunch support for the U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran.

“Washington’s war machine is hard at work. They are [trying] to drag us into Iran to make it another Iraq. We can’t let them,” Mace wrote on X.

“And yes, when we say Washington’s war machine, we mean Lindsey Graham,” she added in another post.

The congresswoman also said she could not support sending troops to fight in Iran, as the conflict now nears four weeks.

“I will not support sending South Carolina’s sons and daughters to war in Iran,” she said. “I won’t do it. President Trump has been enormously successful so far. But we cannot allow the Washington War Machine to turn Iran into another Iraq.”

“Washington’s war machine has spent decades sending our sons and daughters into endless conflicts in the Middle East, with no clear exit strategy, all to serve the interests of powerful politicians,” she continued.

“We will not stand for it,” Mace added. “We will not sacrifice American lives for the same failed foreign policies. The war machine may be willing to give the lives of your sons and daughters for the price of oil, but we are not.”

Mace also wrote that “the justifications presented to the American public for the war in Iran were not the same military objectives we were briefed on today in the House Armed Services Committee.”

“This gap is deeply troubling. The longer this war continues, the faster it will lose the support of Congress and the American people,” she said.

President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he will not use the word “war” anymore to describe the military campaign against Iran because “you’re supposed to get approval,” although he has used the term on numerous occasions in recent weeks.

“I won’t use the word ‘war’ because they say if you use the word ‘war,’ that’s maybe not a good thing to do,” Trump said at the National Republican Congressional Committee’s annual fundraising dinner in Washington, D.C.

“They don’t like the word ‘war’ because you’re supposed to get approval. So, I’ll use the word ‘military operation,’ which is really what it is. It’s a military decimation,” he added.

Under the Constitution, only Congress can declare war.

Since the war began late last month, Democrats and some Republicans have attempted to restrain the president’s military action, which they affirm is unconstitutional without congressional approval.

But senators again blocked a war powers resolution earlier this week in a 53-47 vote that would have required explicit congressional authorization for any continued military engagement with Iran.

“Only Congress can declare war,” Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said after the first failed war powers vote earlier this month. “That’s not my opinion. That’s Article 1 of the Constitution. We forced the vote. The Senate said ‘no.’ History will not be kind to a Congress that gave away its most solemn responsibility.”

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Wednesday that the country’s officials are reviewing a U.S. proposal to end the war, but noted that they have no plans to hold talks to bring the expanding conflict in the Middle East to a close.

Araqchi suggested Tehran may have some willingness to reach an agreement to end the war if its demands were met, even after Iranian officials initially publicly dismissed the prospect of any negotiations with the U.S.

The exchange of messages through mediators “does not mean negotiations with the U.S.,” Araqchi said on state television.

“They put forward ideas in their messages that were conveyed to top authorities, and if necessary, a position will be announced by them,” he added.

President Donald Trump said that Iranian leaders “are negotiating, by the way, and they want to make a deal so badly, but they’re afraid to say it because they will be killed by their own people. They’re also afraid they’ll be killed by us.”

The U.S. government’s 15-point proposal, sent through Pakistan, calls for removing Iran’s stocks of highly enriched uranium, stopping enrichment, ending its ballistic missile program and slashing funding for regional allies.

Reuters contributed to this report.

The U.S. military has struck more than two-thirds of Iran’s munitions plants, according to U.S. Central Command.

“Today, we have damaged or destroyed over two-thirds of Iran’s missile, drone and naval production facilities and shipyards — and we’re not done yet,” Navy Adm. Brad Cooper said on Thursday in a video statement released by CENTCOM.

“We are on a path to completely eliminate Iran’s wider military manufacturing apparatus,” he continued.

Satellite images have shown U.S. and Israeli strikes targeting shipyards and missile facilities in Iran, The Associated Press reported.

Iran has not acknowledged any of its materiel losses during the war that began nearly a month ago.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius on Thursday said the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran is an economic “catastrophe” for nations around the world, adding that Germany does not want to get “sucked into” the conflict.

“To make it crystal clear, this war is a catastrophe for the world’s economies,” Pistorius told reporters.

“From the beginning on, we have not been consulted before. Nobody asked us before. It’s not our war and therefore we don’t want to get sucked into that war,” the defense minister continued.

Pistorius said Germany was ready to help secure peace and called for a ceasefire to be reached as soon as possible.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said the USS Abraham Lincoln is continuing strike operations against military targets in Iran, sharing new images of flight activity aboard the aircraft carrier.

“USS Abraham Lincoln continues flight operations against military targets in Iran while sailing in regional waters,” CENTCOM said in a post on X.

The post included four images showing aircraft launching and operating from the carrier’s flight deck, underscoring its ongoing role in U.S. operations in the region.

President Donald Trump on Wednesday pointed to recent comments from former Secretary of State Antony Blinken as validation of his administration’s actions on Iran, saying prior leaders failed to act.

While speaking at the National Republican Congressional Committee Annual Fundraising Dinner, Trump referenced Blinken’s remarks about the Biden administration’s handling of Iran.

“I heard that today. Blinken made a statement that he should have done it,” Trump said. “They made a mistake, he should have done it, and other presidents should have done it.”

Trump also criticized previous administrations’ approach to Iran. “Obama should have done it,” he said. “Obama was worse.”

Blinken, speaking Tuesday at a Harvard forum, acknowledged that political considerations played a role in the Biden administration’s approach to Iran negotiations. “You have midterm elections: It shouldn’t be, but it is too often a factor,” he said.

“I wish we had gotten there,” Blinken added of a stronger nuclear deal. “We worked very hard on getting that longer and stronger agreement. And I think at various points, we were really leaning into it.”

“The Iranians were leaning back at other points. They were leaning in, and we had our own constraints,” he said. “You know, I’ll acknowledge, too, that sometimes politics gets in the way.”

President Donald Trump said U.S. strikes on Iran eliminated what he described as a major threat and did not trigger the economic fallout he had anticipated, vowing the mission is not yet complete.

While speaking at the National Republican Congressional Committee Annual Fundraising Dinner on Wednesday, Trump said the operation was necessary after decades of inaction.

“We had no choice, but I thought it was going to be much worse,” he said. “I thought that energy prices, oil prices, would…go up higher, and I thought the stock market would go somewhat lower.”

“But it didn’t matter to me. It’s short term,” Trump continued. “What we had to do is get rid of the cancer. We had to cut out the cancer. The cancer was Iran with a nuclear weapon. We’ve cut it out. Now we’re going to finish it off.”

The U.S. is positioning ground-capable forces in the Middle East as Iran rejected a ceasefire proposal Wednesday, a shift that gives Washington new — though limited and high-risk — options for potential operations inside Iran.

Military experts say the deployments are not a precursor to a large-scale invasion, but instead position the U.S. for targeted, short-duration missions — options that have taken on new relevance as diplomatic off-ramps narrow.

In recent days, the Pentagon has moved ground-capable forces into the region, including around 1,000 paratroopers, with the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division — among them the 1st Brigade Combat Team, a core component of the military’s Immediate Response Force rapid-response unit designed to deploy on short notice to crises anywhere in the world — along with a few thousand Marines and sailors assigned to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and its Amphibious Ready Group, led by the amphibious assault ship Tripoli.

Marine expeditionary units and airborne forces often are among the first U.S. units deployed in a conflict, designed to rapidly establish an initial presence and respond to emerging crises.

Find out more about what comes next in the Iran conflict.

This is an excerpt from a story by Fox News Digital’s Morgan Phillips.

A top United Arab Emirates official warned Iran’s attacks are threatening the global economy and signaled Gulf states are prepared to take further action as the war escalates.

“Iran’s attack on Gulf allies of the United States and Jordan is an attack on the entire world and the world economy,” UAE Minister of State Lana Nusseibeh told Fox News’ Bret Baier. “Effectively, Iran is trying to give the global economy a heart attack. We should not allow Iran, a state sponsor of terrorism, to set the global price for food and gas.”

Nusseibeh pointed to the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, warning that disruptions there could have widespread global consequences.

“A fifth of the world’s oil and gas goes through the Straits of Hormuz,” she said. “Almost every product known to every global supply chain coming from the Gulf goes through the Straits of Hormuz.”

She said the UAE had pursued diplomatic efforts with Iran for years but was met with escalating attacks.

“We did not ask for a war in our region. We did not start a war in our region,” Nusseibeh said. “But as a result of these operations, we have now seen Iran take the irresponsible decision instead of negotiating with the United States over really well understood concerns over its nuclear program, over its ballistic missiles program, over its support of state non-state terrorist actors in the region, instead of negotiating over those issues, they chose instead to fire over 2200 missiles and drones at the United Arab Emirates.”

Nusseibeh said the path forward depends on Iran’s willingness to negotiate with the U.S. and the international community.

“The light at the end of the tunnel is in Iran’s hands,” she said. “They have to negotiate with the United States and the international community.”

Asked about potential escalation, Nusseibeh said the UAE is already actively defending itself and keeping all options open.

“We are not just taking incoming,” she said. “We are assertively using all options on the table to defend our communities and our people.”

Voters are split on what role the United States should play in the world, while attitudes on the military action in Iran reflect sharp partisanship, according to a new Fox News national survey.

Forty-two percent support the current U.S. military action against Iran, and 58% oppose it, including nearly 4 in 10 who are strongly opposed.

The partisan divide is stark: 77% of Republicans support the effort compared to 12% of Democrats and 28% of independents. Within the GOP, support ranges from 90% among MAGA supporters to 52% of non-MAGA Republicans.

The gender divide is less pronounced, with support at 38% among women and 45% among men.

Find out what else was voters were split on.

This is an excerpt from a story by Fox News Digital’s Dana Blanton.

President Donald Trump said Iran is eager to reach a deal with the U.S. but is afraid to openly pursue negotiations out of fear of internal backlash.

Speaking at the National Republican Congressional Committee Annual Fundraising Dinner on Wednesday, Trump said his administration has already settled eight wars and argued the U.S. is “winning” another in the Middle East.

“We’re winning so big. Nobody has ever seen anything like we’re doing in the Middle East with Iran,” he said. “They are negotiating, by the way, and they want to make a deal so badly, but they’re afraid to say it because they figure they’ll be killed by their own people.”

“They’re also afraid they’ll be killed by us,” Trump added.

Uganda’s top military chief said his country would enter the war on Israel’s side if the conflict in the Middle East escalates, while also calling for an end to the fighting.

“We want the war in the Middle East to end now. The world is tired of it,” Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba wrote in a post on X. “But any talk of destroying or defeating Israel will bring us into the war. On the side of Israel!”

Kainerugaba, who serves as Uganda’s top military commander and is the son of President Yoweri Museveni, weighed in on the issue on social media as tensions continue to rise across the region.

Iran could significantly increase U.S. casualties if its elite military and proxy forces shift to guerrilla-style hit-and-run attacks in the region, a leading military analyst has warned.

Michael Eisenstadt of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy spoke as the Pentagon moved elements of the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division into the Middle East amid a new escalation in the conflict, according to reports.

“Iran has large infantry units in its military that are equivalent to the brigade combat team of the 82nd Airborne,” Eisenstadt, a former U.S. Army Reserve officer, told Fox News Digital.

“The 82nd Force is too small to cause significant harm to Iran, but it is large enough to be vulnerable to Iranian strikes, and this would enable Iran to significantly increase U.S. casualties,” he said.

Find out what else Michael Eisenstadt said about what troops have to prepare for.

This is an excerpt from a story by Fox News Digital’s Emma Bussey.

Six Middle Eastern nations issued a joint statement Wednesday condemning Iran’s attacks across the region and warning they reserve the right to defend themselves as tensions continue to escalate.

“The State of Qatar, the State of Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan renew their condemnation in the strongest terms of the blatant Iranian attacks, which constitute a flagrant violation of their sovereignty, territorial integrity, international law, international humanitarian law, and the Charter of the United Nations, whether carried out directly or through their proxies and armed factions they support in the region,” the nations said.

The statement specifically highlighted attacks carried out by Iran-linked armed factions operating from Iraq, targeting multiple countries in the region as well as key infrastructure.

“These acts are a breach of international laws and conventions and a blatant violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution No. 2817 (2026), which explicitly demands that Iran immediately and unconditionally cease any attacks or threats against neighboring states, including through the use of proxies,” the statement read.

The countries also turned their focus to Iraq, calling on its government to take immediate action to stop the attacks being launched from its territory by militias and armed groups.

Additionally, the nations reaffirmed what they described as their full right to respond to the ongoing attacks under international law, “which guarantees the right of states to self-defense, individually and collectively, in the event of aggression, and our right to take all necessary measures to safeguard our sovereignty, security, and stability.”

The statement also warned of broader destabilization efforts tied to Iran-backed networks across the region. “We further condemn the destabilizing acts and activities targeting the security and stability of the region’s countries, which are planned by sleeper cells loyal to Iran and terrorist organizations linked to Hezbollah, and praise our brave armed forces for confronting these attacks, as well as the vigilance of our security agencies, which serve as a strong shield and a watchful eye in preserving the safety of our nations and lives, and their sincere and dedicated efforts in apprehending these agent cells and terrorist organizations and exposing their malicious plots,” the group wrote.

“Shark Tank” star Kevin O’Leary said removing Iran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz would be a global “game changer” and he addressed the economic impact of the United States’ war on Iran.

“I don’t want to make light of the war… but I’m thinking ahead 90 days here, and I’m liking what I see,” he said Wednesday on “The Story.”

The O’Leary Ventures chairman discussed how the Strait of Hormuz’s closure is impacting markets, saying a Strait no longer under Iranian reign would bring more stability.

“Every nine months, the Houthis or some other Iranian proxy would blow up one tank just to destabilize that region and cause the insurance prices to go up,” O’Leary said. “We’re talking about a world that doesn’t have that going on anymore.”

Find out what else Kevin O’Leary said about the Strait of Hormuz.

This is an excerpt from a story by Fox News Digital’s Nora Moriarty.

The head of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said American forces have struck more than 10,000 targets in Iran and significantly degraded the country’s military capabilities as the war enters its fourth week.

“We’ve struck more than 10,000 military targets and remain on plan or ahead of plan in achieving very clear military objectives,” CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper said in a video update.

“We’ve now destroyed 92 percent of the Iranian Navy’s vessels,” he said. “They’re not sailing, and my operational assessment is that they’ve now lost the ability to meaningfully project naval power.”

Cooper said Iran’s ability to launch attacks has dropped sharply. “Iran’s drone and missile launch rates are down by more than 90%,” he said, adding that U.S. forces have also damaged or destroyed more than two-thirds of Iran’s missile, drone and naval production facilities.

“U.S. forces maintain air superiority over Iran’s skies,” Cooper said, noting that American aircraft have flown more than 10,000 combat missions during the operation.

“Iran’s combat capability is declining as U.S. combat capability continues to increase,” he added.

The video showed U.S. military assets in action, including strikes on Iranian targets and ongoing operations across the region.

The United Arab Emirates’ ambassador to the U.S., Yousef Al Otaiba, warned that the war with Iran must end with a decisive outcome that eliminates Tehran’s threat to the region, arguing against a cease-fire.

“A simple cease-fire isn’t enough,” Al Otaiba wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed. “We need a conclusive outcome that addresses Iran’s full range of threats: nuclear capabilities, missiles, drones, terror proxies and blockades of international sea lanes.”

Al Otaiba said the conflict has underscored what the region has faced for decades.

“Iran’s revolution is a threat to global security and economic stability,” he wrote. “Iran has launched more than 2,180 missiles and drones at the Emirates, far more than at any other country. We have one of the world’s most effective defense shields and intercept more than 95% of these attacks.”

He warned that Iran’s actions extend far beyond the battlefield, targeting infrastructure and global supply chains.

“Iran is striking airports, seaports and energy infrastructure… blockading energy shipments and supplies for fertilizer and manufacturing and threatening theme parks and cultural sites worldwide through its proxy network,” he wrote.

Al Otaiba also called for a coordinated international response to secure critical waterways, including the Strait of Hormuz.

“The region needs a coordinated effort to reopen this vital passage and restore energy supplies to global consumers,” he wrote.

“We want Iran as a normal neighbor,” Al Otaiba added. “It can be reclusive and even unwelcoming, but it can’t attack its neighbors, blockade international waters, or export extremism. Building a fence around the problem and wishing it goes away isn’t the answer. It would simply defer the next crisis.”

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said Iran could have hit Washington, D.C., and other major U.S. cities with intermediate-range ballistic missiles through proxies in Venezuela if the administration had not intervened in both countries.

Speaking at the CERAWeek oil and energy conference in Houston on Wednesday, Burgum pushed back on the narrative that Iran and Venezuela do not represent an imminent threat to the U.S. and global supply chains. He said the threat was demonstrated by Iran’s attempt to strike the U.S. military base Diego Garcia in the central Indian Ocean, more than 2,000 miles from the Middle Eastern country.

“That means, you know, Venezuela was a hotbed of Iranian-funded terror groups, including Hamas. If there was an Iranian ballistic missile placed in Venezuela, it could not just reach Houston; it can reach Washington, D.C.,” said Burgum.

“So, again, the actions that the United States is taking to make the world safer is lowering the risk premium that I think was missing from the [oil and energy] market. Because, maybe, the market wasn’t recognizing the risk.”

Find out what else Doug Burgum said about the Iranian threat against the U.S.

This is an excerpt from a story by Fox News Digital’s Peter Pinedo.

“The View” co-host Joy Behar demanded to know what the U.S. has accomplished in Iran on Wednesday and defended her support of the military during a sharp clash with guest co-host Abby Huntsman.

“I don’t want to take away from what our men and women have been doing over there, because what they’ve accomplished is incredible. And if we can deter Iran at all—,” Huntsman said.

Behar jumped in and asked, “What have they accomplished over there? Explain to me.”

“What have they accomplished? Well, I think any time we can deter Iran, whether it’s for another year, whether it’s for ten years,” Huntsman responded. “I think that’s a win for this country.”

Find out more about Behar’s comments.

This is an excerpt from a story by Fox News Digital’s Hanna Panreck.

The man reportedly being floated by the Trump administration as a possible interlocutor with Iran is also one of the regime’s most hardline figures — Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, a longtime Revolutionary Guards commander, widely described by experts as a loyal “yes man,” with a record of threats against the United States and deep ties to the system’s inner circle.

That contradiction underscores the central question facing U.S. policymakers: Even if Washington is speaking to the “right people,” as President Donald Trump has claimed, can someone like Ghalibaf actually deliver?

“Ghalibaf doesn’t have an independent line. His strength is that he is a ‘yes man,’” said Beni Sabti, an Iran expert at the Institute for National Security Studies. He added, “If he is told to shake hands with Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, he will do it. If he is told to escalate, he will. It is not about moderation, it is about who gives the orders.”

Find out more about Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

This is an excerpt from a story by Fox News Digital’s Efrat Lachter.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine is expanding its defense outreach to the Middle East, offering hard-earned battlefield expertise as the war drives Kyiv to seek new partners.

“We are engaging with countries in the Middle East and the Gulf, which now show a strong interest in Ukraine’s experience in defending against drones,” Zelenskyy said on X. “We already see that not only ‘shaheds’ are being used in the region, but there is also growing evidence of the use of FPV drones. This is modern warfare, and everyone must be prepared for it.

“Ukraine has this expertise, and in exchange for our support we need help in areas where we face greater challenges. This includes protection against ballistic threats and financial resources for defense,” he continued. “Ukraine offers a mutually beneficial partnership: we can strengthen those who can strengthen us.

The situation in the world now is such that only coordinated and joint actions can guarantee real results and genuine security,” Zelenskyy added. “We are being blocked in Europe, and as long as this risk remains, we must seek out additional opportunities to strengthen ourselves. The Middle East and the Gulf are the right direction and serious opportunities to make Ukraine stronger.”

Kuwait’s Interior Ministry said Wednesday it foiled a Hezbollah-linked terror plot targeting state leaders, arresting six suspects and identifying 14 others accused of planning assassinations and espionage.

Hezbollah, a Lebanese militant group, is widely considered Iran’s most powerful proxy and receives significant funding and weapons from Tehran.

In a statement posted on X, the ministry said the network included five Kuwaiti citizens and one individual whose citizenship had been revoked, while 14 additional suspects remain fugitives outside the country, including individuals of Iranian and Lebanese nationality.

Authorities said the group was affiliated with the banned terrorist organization Hezbollah and had been planning assassination operations targeting state leaders, while also recruiting others to carry out the attacks.

“The network was planning to carry out assassination operations targeting state symbols and leaders,” the ministry said. “The defendants have confessed to espionage and joining the terrorist organization.”

The ministry said the suspects had received advanced military training abroad from Hezbollah operatives, including the use of weapons and explosives, surveillance techniques and assassination methods, and have been referred to the Public Prosecution.

“The security of the State of Kuwait, its sovereignty, and its national stability are a firm red line that brooks no violation or leniency,” the ministry said. “These actions constitute a highly dangerous criminal act and major treason against the homeland.”

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) on Tuesday pushed back on claims from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that it had shot down an American fighter jet, calling the report false.

“FALSE: The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced a U.S. F/A-18 fighter was struck over Chabahar using new advanced air defense systems,” CENTCOM posted on X. “TRUE: No U.S. fighter aircraft have been shot down by Iran.”

The denial follows repeated claims from Tehran that it has shot down U.S. aircraft — assertions American officials have repeatedly knocked down, saying thousands of combat flights have been carried out without losing a single fighter jet to Iranian fire.

The Trump administration said Tuesday it is ahead of schedule in its war against Iran, touting sweeping battlefield gains and a crippled regime while insisting talks with Tehran remain “productive” despite reports it rejected a U.S. proposal.

“Just over three weeks in, it’s abundantly clear that Operation Epic Fury has been a resounding military triumph,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters. She said “more than 9,000 enemy targets have been struck to date,” while “Iran’s ballistic missile attacks and drone attacks are down by roughly 90%.”

Leavitt also pointed to major naval losses for Tehran.

“We have destroyed more than 140 of their naval vessels, including almost 50 mine layers,” she said.

Leavitt said over the weekend, the U.S. dropped several 5,000 pound bombs on an underground facility used to store equipment, including anti-ship cruise missiles and mobile missile launchers positioned along the coastline of the Strait of Hormuz, adding that the administration believes it is nearing its military goals.

“We are very close to meeting the core objectives of Operation Epic Fury, and this military mission continues unabated,” Leavitt said.

The White House argued the operation is progressing faster than expected.

“From the outset, President Trump and the Department of War estimated it would take approximately 4 to 6 weeks to achieve this critical mission,” Leavitt said. “Twenty-five days in, the greatest military the world has ever known is ahead of schedule and performing exceptionally day by day.”

Even so, Leavitt pushed back on reports that diplomacy had collapsed after Iranian state media said Tehran rejected a U.S. “15-point plan.”

“They have not,” she said when asked whether talks had hit a dead end. “Talks continue. They are productive.”

Leavitt added that Trump had “temporarily instructed the Department of War to postpone planned strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure only” as discussions continued.

The latest phase of the Iran war is locked on the Strait of Hormuz and critical energy infrastructure. Already, its effects are rippling thousands of miles away in Asia.

Asia is at the front line of the energy crisis, ​with shortages hitting nearly every country. Roughly a fifth of the world’s oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, with some 80% going to Asia, according to the International Energy Agency.

As Iran refuses to open the strait, Asia is scrambling to mitigate disruptions and is being forced to take measures reminiscent of COVID-era actions.

Asia is especially susceptible due to its heavy import dependence, weaker currencies and large populations. And the impact has hit households fast.

The conflict has disrupted sectors from air ‌travel ⁠and shipping to gas supplies. People are struggling to cook and businesses across the board are bearing the brunt as liquefied petroleum gas imports slow.

Widespread disruptions have hit South Asia in particular, which is extremely reliant on Middle Eastern oil. India, which imports nearly 90% of its crude and about half its natural gas from abroad and is the world’s third-biggest oil importer and consumer, has been left especially vulnerable.

Yesterday, President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke on the phone, their first call since the Feb. 28 war broke out. In a post on X, Prime Minister Modi stressed, “Ensuring that the Strait of Hormuz remains open, secure and ​accessible is essential for the whole world.”

The Strait of Hormuz serves as a conduit for more than 40% of India’s crude oil ​imports.

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox Business Kyra Colah.

Israel’s emergency service said its crews treated 64 people over the past 24 hours, including 21 wounded by missile fire, as the toll from Operation “Roaring Lion” continued to climb.

Magen David Adom (MDA) said 50 of those treated suffered physical injuries and 14 others were experiencing anxiety symptoms. Of the physically injured, 21 were hurt by missile fire and 29 were injured while making their way to protected areas, all in mild condition.

Since the start of the operation, MDA said its teams have treated 1,706 people, including 1,410 with physical injuries and 296 suffering from anxiety symptoms.

The service said 437 of the physically injured were wounded by missile fire, including 17 fatalities, 19 people in serious condition, 34 in moderate condition and 367 in mild condition.

Another 953 people were injured while heading to sheltered areas, according to MDA, and three were killed, including 20 people hurt in traffic accidents after stopping on the side of the road during sirens.

Additionally, Fox News’ Yonat Friling reported that four Palestinian women were killed overnight on March 19 in the West Bank by missile fragment impacts.

President Donald Trump will continue the campaign against Iran if its leaders refuse to reach a peace agreement within the 5-day period Trump put forward earlier this week, the White House says.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt made the statement during her opening remarks at a Wednesday press conference, telling reporters that violence will only continue if Iran refuses to come to the table.

“President Trump does not bluff, and he is prepared to unleash hell. Iran should not miscalculate again,” Leavitt said.

“Their last miscalculation cost them their senior leadership, their navy, their air force and their air defense system. Any violence beyond this point will be because the Iranian regime refused to understand [that] they have already been defeated and refused to come to a deal,” she added.

The White House offered new details on the long-term future of the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, saying the U.S. will play a secondary role in guarding an policing the strait.

A White House official said the long-term protection of the Strait will be primarily carried out by “the nations who actually use it.”

“As the President stated, the Strait of Hormuz will ultimately be opened up, but longer term the Strait will have to be guarded and policed, as necessary, by the nations who actually use it. If asked, the U.S. will help these countries in their Hormuz efforts, but once Iran’s threat is eradicated, it will be an easy military operation for them and U.S. support shouldn’t be necessary,” the official said.

“These countries all support preventing the Iranian terrorist regime from having nuclear weapons and thousands of ballistic missiles that can threaten their homelands and hold their energy sources hostages,” the statement continued.

Fox News’ Edward Lawrence contributed to this report.

Iran rejected President Donald Trump’s 15-point ceasefire proposal on Wednesday, according to Iranian officials and state media.

“Iran has rejected the Trump administration ceasefire proposal, according to Iranian state media and the Iranian consulate in Mumbai,” Fox News’ Trey Yingst reported on X.

The U.S. had presented the ceasefire proposal to Iranian leaders via Pakistani officials, who have offered to serve as intermediaries for negotiations.

U.S. Central Command released footage of U.S. forces striking Iranian military infrastructure on Wednesday.

“U.S. forces are striking targets to degrade the Iranian regime’s military infrastructure and capabilities that have threatened American troops and regional partners for decades,” CENTCOM wrote in a post on X.

House Speaker Mike Johnson says Operation Epic Fury is “wrapping up” and could be finished in the near future.

Johnson made the comment while speaking to reporters at a weekly press conference on Wednesday.

“To follow up. Mr. speaker. Mr. speaker, you said a few weeks ago that we are not at war with Iran. Is that still your position?” a reporter asked.

“I think we’re wrapping up Operation Epic Fury. and I think it can be done in short order,” Johnson responded.

The U.S. has seen nearly 300 servicemembers injured since the beginning of Operation Epic Fury, U.S. Central Command Spokesperson U.S. Navy Capt. Tim Hawkins confirmed to Fox News Digital on Wednesday.

“Since the start of Operation Epic Fury, approximately 290 U.S. service members have been wounded. The vast majority of these injuries have been minor, and more than 255 troops have already returned to duty,” Hawkins said.

As of Wednesday, 13 U.S. servicemembers have been killed in the war against Iran.

Fox News’ Liz Friden contributed to this report.

The Pentagon is deploying elements of the 82nd Airborne division to the Middle East along with the 1st Brigade Combat Team, a War Department official confirmed to Fox News on Wednesday.

“We can confirm elements of the 82nd Airborne Division HQs, some division enablers and the 1st BCT will be deploying to the CENTCOM [Area of Responsibility]. Due to operations security we have nothing additional to provide at this time,” the official said.

The deployment comes roughly a day after the Pentagon sent the 82nd Airborne Division’s command element to the Middle East on Tuesday.

Fox News’ Jennifer Griffin Contributed to this report.

New York Times columnist Bret Stephens went against the grain of his liberal media colleagues Tuesday, telling readers that President Donald Trump’s war against Iran is “going better than you think” in a piece on Tuesday.

Stephens recalled high gas prices the country faced in 2012, noting at the time that “the price of Brent crude closed the month around $123 a barrel,” which he noted would be $175 a barrel today, and that the current price is “hovering around $100.”

“That ought to provide some perspective on the panic over the war in the Middle East,” Stephens wrote. “To hear the critics’ version of events, an unprovoked and unnecessary attack on Iran, launched at Israel’s behest, is already a foreign-policy fiasco that has put the global economy at risk without any clear objective or endgame.”

He singled out Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., who on Sunday told NBC’s Kristen Welker, “We’ve never seen this level of incompetence in war-making in this country’s history.”

“Really?” Stephens reacted. The Times columnist listed several conflicts beginning with 1991’s Operation Desert Storm, which destroyed dozens of US aircraft in a six-week span, while the current war with Iran has led to just four destroyed within four weeks. He mentioned how 23 soldiers died and 325 were wounded during the 1989 invasion of Panama, while 13 died and 230 were wounded (he noted most had “swiftly returned to duty”) in the current war.

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News’ Joseph Wulfsohn.

Retired Gen. Jack Keane cautioned against any ceasefire with Iran, saying the U.S. must maintain military pressure to force Tehran to abandon its nuclear ambitions.

“If we go to ceasefire, that’s playing right into their hands,” the retired four-star Army general and Fox News senior strategic analyst warned Tuesday on “Hannity.”

“We want to keep the pressure on them to make a deal that makes some sense, and that is the path.”

Keane’s remarks come as President Donald Trump signals progress in negotiations with Iran while strikes continue across the region. On Monday, the president announced a five-day postponement of U.S. military strikes on Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure.

Earlier Tuesday, Trump said Iran indicated a willingness to negotiate, emphasizing that Tehran “will never have a nuclear weapon” and claiming Iranian officials have agreed to that condition.

Keane, however, remains skeptical that the regime will comply.

“We’re dealing with a regime that’s pathological liars and cheaters, and they have done everything they can to deceive us in the past,” he said.

“Just prior to going into this conflict, one of the reasons why we went into it is because the Iranians were lying to us and not wanting to be forthcoming in terms of a deal.”

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News’ Taylor Penley.

Israel’s Ambassador to the U.N., Danny Danon, sounded sirens to members of U.N. Security Council on Tuesday and activated a 15-second timer to illustrate the reality in which Israeli citizens live under rocket fire.

Immediately afterwards, Ambassador Danon said: “When you hear this siren you have fifteen seconds to seek shelter…to decide which child to take first, whether to return for the others. Sometimes even that is not enough to reach a safe place.”

The alarm that sounded in the chamber immediately attracted the attention of those present, and some ambassadors paced in their seats during the countdown.

Danon added: “We do not want to live under constant threat. We want a different future. A stable Middle East. A peaceful Middle East. Israel will not return to solutions that guarantee the next war. This time we will remove the threat from the root.”

Israeli Defense Forces carried out airstrikes on multiple targets in the Iranian city of Isfahan on Tuesday, including manufacturing and research facilities.

“As part of the strikes, the IDF, guided by Israeli Navy Intelligence, targeted the Iranian terror regime’s Underwater Research Center in Isfahan,” the IDF said in a statement.

“The center is the only facility in Iran responsible for the design and development of submarines and support systems for the Iranian Navy. In addition, the regime produced various models of unmanned vessels at the site,” the IDF said.

Israel has vowed to continue strikes against Iranian military targets alongside the U.S., even as President Donald Trump has opened the door toward a diplomatic end to hostilities.

President Donald Trump’s administration presented Iran with a 15-point peace proposal late Tuesday as diplomatic efforts to end the war with Tehran kicked off.

The U.S. presented the agreement through Pakistani officials, who have offered to serve as intermediaries to help end the conflict.

Iran’s state media continues to deny that high-level talks are taking place.

The proposal comes as the Trump administration also prepares to deploy two Marine units that will add about 5,000 Marines and thousands of sailors to the region.

The moves are being framed as Trump maneuvering to give himself “max flexibility” on what he will do next, according to the Associated Press.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

A U.N. Security Council resolution calling for countries to use “all necessary means” to keep the Strait of Hormuz open is facing some opposition for raising the possibility of U.N.-backed military action against Iran on Wednesday.

The resolution, put forward by Bahrain, comes as fuel prices have skyrocketed across the globe as Tehran throttles the key trade passage.

If passed, the resolution would authorize countries or naval partnerships to use military action to secure passage and “to repress, neutralize and deter attempts to close, obstruct or otherwise interfere with international navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.”

It also demands that Iran “immediately cease all attacks against merchant and commercial vessels” and stop impeding freedom of navigation in and around the vital waterway, 

The Associated Press contributed to thsi report.

The U.S. State Department has issued a “worldwide caution” security alert, advising travelers to exercise increased caution, especially those in the Middle East.

“Americans abroad should follow the guidance in security alerts issued by the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate,” said the alert, issued on Sunday.  

“Periodic airspace closures may cause travel disruptions. U.S. diplomatic facilities, including outside the Middle East, have been targeted,” it continued.

“Groups supportive of Iran may target other U.S. interests overseas or locations associated with the United States and/or Americans throughout the world,” the alert also said. 

More than 70,000 Americans have left the Middle East and returned to the U.S. since Feb. 28, according to a State Department press release issued March 19.

Over 41,000 American citizens have received security guidance and travel assistance, with the U.S. government conducting 60 evacuation flights from the Middle East.

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News’ Ashley DiMella.

Iran has raised the stakes ahead of potential cease-fire talks with a list of demands, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The outlet also reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has consolidated power within the broken regime and is pushing the additional demands.

These include the closure of all American bases in the Gulf and reparations for attacks on Iran.

Other demands include allowing Iran to collect fees from tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, as well as guarantees that the war wouldn’t restart.

The IRGC has also asked for an end to Israel’s strikes on Hezbollah and the lifting of all sanctions on Iran.

The final demand was permission to keep its missile program with no negotiations to limit it.

A U.S. official called the IRGC’s demands “ridiculous and unrealistic,” the outlet said.

The official also said the first messages of the new diplomatic round came from Middle Eastern intermediaries last week, and that the U.S. and Iran are not in direct contact.