By Tim Hume and Federica Marsi
- Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps rejects US claims that its missile programme has been destroyed, says it is deploying projectiles in greater numbers, and with warheads weighing more than 1 tonne.
- US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth says Tuesday will be the most intense days of strikes against Iran since the start of the war.
US defence secretary threatens to hit Iran harder if oil blocked
Hegseth says Iran will be hit “harder than ever” if it does anything to stop the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz.
During a press conference, he also mentioned yesterday’s call between Trump and Putin, in which he said it was made clear that Russia should “should not be involved” in the war on Iran.
More than 50 Iranian naval ships destroyed, claims US air force general
We have more lines from US Air Force General Dan Caine, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, at a briefing in Washington.
Caine told reporters that the US has been targeting Iranian mine-laying vessels and claimed it had sunk or destroyed more than 50 naval ships in the first 10 days of the war.
He said that Iran was fighting back but was not proving a more formidable opponent than the US had thought it would be.
German chancellor concerned about lack of joint plan to end war
German Chancellor says he is concerned about the absence of a joint plan to end the war against Iran.
We will bring you more on this shortly.
Israel illegally using white phosophorus in Lebanon, says HRW
The Israeli arm illegally used white phosphorus munitions over homes in the southern Lebanese town Yohmor on March 3, posing a threat to civilians, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a report.
The rights group said it had verified eight images showing white phosphorus used over a residential part of Yohmor, and civil defence workers responding to fires in the area.
The Israeli army was quoted as saying by Reuters news agency it was unaware and could not confirm the use of shells that contain white phosphorus in Lebanon.
Lebanese authorities have not commented.
