Middle East crisis - Iran war

Analysis: The war is now about who can endure the longest

The Iran war is now mainly about one question: who or who can endure the pain the longest. This is what the AP writes in an analytical text.

The sharply rising oil prices are certainly an effective Iranian weapon against the United States, but the country must endure daily American and Israeli attacks that are difficult to defend itself against.

It is Iran that is taking the most damage from the war, writes CNN's Stephen Collinson. The country's military and power in the region are being eliminated, and there will be no military victory.

"But anything that is not a total defeat [...] would count as a victory for Iran," he writes.

At the same time, he emphasizes that Donald Trump faces major challenges despite the great military advantage. Conflicts in the Middle East cannot be turned off with the push of a button and the administration has struggled to justify the war to the American population, writes Collinson.

Iran appears to have ruled out diplomatic talks, despite a couple of American attempts, writes Patrick Wintour in The Guardian.

“For Iran, the conflict cannot be over until they have made Trump feel that the economic, political and military costs are so high that it is not worth doing it again,” he writes.

US: We have sunk 16 boats near Hormuz

On Tuesday, the US military attacked several Iranian boats near the Strait of Hormuz, including 16 that are capable of laying mines in the water. This is stated by the US Central Command on X.

Several American media outlets have reported that Iran has begun mining the strait, where around 20 percent of the world's crude oil is transported. Since the war broke out, Iran's Revolutionary Guard has threatened to attack ships passing through the strait.

Former US general Mark MacCarley tells CNN that mining the Strait of Hormuz poses a threat to the entire world economy.

– There is a significant risk that parts of the strait will be blocked if two or three large ships are hit there. 

British ships hit by projectiles in Hormuz

Two British ships were hit by “unknown projectiles” in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday morning, British media reports. The ships are said to have caught fire but there are no reports of any injuries to the crew.

One of the ships is being evacuated from the area, the BBC reports. It is unclear exactly what happened but British authorities are investigating the incident, according to the channel. Iran has previously targeted ships in the area.

The important Strait of Hormuz is closed due to the war between the US, Israel and Iran, which means that ships cannot get to or from the Gulf states.