Main developments
Donald Trump had a ‘feeling’ Tehran was going to attack US interests, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. Iran’s foreign minister criticised the president’s reasoning.
The US Senate voted down an effort to stop Trump from taking further military action in Iran without congressional approval.
The rate of Iranian missile launches is declining, according to western officials who said US and Israeli strikes were successfully taking out launchers and stockpiles.
Turkey said Nato air defences intercepted a ballistic missile launched from Iran and downed the projectile. Nato condemned the attempted strike.
Pete Hegseth, US defence secretary, said “larger waves” of attacks against Iran are coming.
A US submarine used a torpedo to sink an Iranian ship in the Indian Ocean on Tuesday.
Israel’s defence minister said “any leader” chosen by the Iranian regime would be a “clear target for elimination”.
US and Israeli strikes continued, with “extensive” Israeli attacks on Tehran and on Hizbollah in Lebanon. The death toll in Iran has risen to 1,045.
Iran continued to retaliate, with an attack on the Saudi oil facility of Ras Tanura and Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Oman facing incoming fire.
Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister holds call with Rubio
Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on Wednesday spoke to US secretary of state Marco Rubio to discuss the “continued Iranian attacks on the kingdom and regional states”, according to a readout published by the country’s news agency.
Rubio expressed Washington’s appreciation for Riyadh’s efforts to protect diplomatic missions and assistance in the evacuation of foreign nationals, the readout added.
The US embassy in Riyadh remains closed after it was attacked by Iranian drones on Tuesday.
Saudi Arabia says air defence systems destroyed 3 cruise missiles outside al-Kharj
Saudi Arabia said its air defence systems have intercepted and destroyed three cruise missiles outside the city of al-Kharj, where Prince Sultan Air Base is located, according to a statement by the kingdom’s defence ministry.
Two cruise missiles were intercepted around the same location earlier on Tuesday morning.