What we know on the 12th day of the US and Israel’s war with Iran

(CNN) — Israel said it launched “large-scale” strikes in Lebanon on Wednesday after coming under attack from “dozens of rockets” launched by the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah. The attacks follow what Tehran called its “most intense” operation of the war, targeting Israel, Persian Gulf nations and ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

Throughout the region, a humanitarian crisis is mounting. The United Nations is warning of toxic black rain, mass displacement and disrupted supply chains for life-saving goods. And the death toll continues to rise.

Here’s what you need to know on day 12.

What are the main headlines?

• New supreme leader’s condition: Mojtaba Khamenei suffered a fractured foot and other minor injuries in the first wave of US-Israeli strikes, a source familiar with the situation told CNN, amid rumors about his condition. Khamenei has not been seen in public nor issued a written statement since being chosen as Iran’s new supreme leader.
• Attacks in Strait of Hormuz: At least three vessels were hit by projectiles near the Strait of Hormuz, according to the United Kingdom’s maritime agency. They flew the flags of Japan, Thailand and the Marshall Islands. Iran said it hit a Thai-flagged ship and a Liberian-flagged vessel. The strait, which Iran has effectively closed, is a crucial artery for the global economy since about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes through it. Oil prices rose again after the attacks, but Iran is getting more oil onto tankers now than before the war.
• Russia-Iran ties: Russia is giving Iran specific advice on drone tactics, helping Tehran to hit US and gulf nation targets in the Middle East, a Western intelligence official told CNN. Russian intelligence sharing with Iran had previously been reported as general assistance with targeting; specific tactical advice represents a new level of support. Kirill Dmitriev, a top Kremlin envoy, is currently in Florida for talks with Trump administraton officials, a source told CNN.
• Israeli strikes: Israel struck the Iranian capital multiple times on Wednesday and targeted a residential area, according to the Iranian Red Crescent. Israel said it also began a “large-scale” wave of strikes on Beirut’s suburbs after the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah launched “dozens” of rockets.
• Iran ramps up: Iran’s military said it launched its “most intense and heaviest operation” since the start of the war overnight into Wednesday, according to state media. The attack targeted locations in Israel and US assets in the region. The military has also threatened to strike ports and docks across the region if the country’s own ports are attacked.
• Growing death toll: Iran has accused the US and Israel of deliberately targeting civilians, with strikes killing more than 1,300 since the conflict started, according to Iran’s UN ambassador. In Lebanon, Israel’s strikes have killed at least 634 people, authorities say. Seven US service members have been killed and 140 others wounded, the Pentagon said Tuesday.

What else is happening in the region?

• Mines in the strait: The US military said it destroyed Iranian navy ships — including 16 minelayers — near the Strait of Hormuz. Sources earlier told CNN that Tehran has begun laying mines in the waterway, the world’s most important energy chokepoint, through which about one-fifth of global crude oil travels. But US President Donald Trump said he does not believe that Iran has successfully laid any mines in the strait.
• Regional attacks: Arab states in the Persian Gulf have been intercepting new waves of Iranian drones and missiles early Wednesday local time. A suspected Iranian drone also hit a US diplomatic facility in Iraq on Tuesday near the Baghdad airport, two sources told CNN.
• The environment: Experts are warning that the environmental fallout from the Middle East conflict could be disastrous. Pollution from strikes and damaged missile facilities, oil spills from attacked vessels and damage to marine ecosystems from naval mines are all potential risks as the conflict goes on.
• Iranian soccer: Seven members of the Iranian women’s soccer team were granted humanitarian visas in Australia after seeking asylum, though one member changed her mind afterward and said she wanted to return home. The rest of the team left Sydney late Tuesday. Meanwhile, Iran’s sports minister said the country’s national soccer team cannot participate at this summer’s FIFA World Cup due to Iran’s ongoing war with the United States, a tournament co-host, and Israel.

What’s happening in the US?

• US terms: In a speech Wednesday in Kentucky, Trump claimed that “we won” in Iran, apparently contradicting an earlier comment to reporters that “we’re not finished yet.” On Tuesday, the White House laid out Trump’s vision for an Iranian “unconditional surrender,” saying it would include dismantling Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal that “protects” its nuclear ambitions.
• School strike: The US military accidentally struck an Iranian elementary school in a February 28 attack that Iranian state media said killed at least 168 children and 14 teachers, likely due to outdated information about a nearby naval base, according to two sources briefed on the preliminary findings of an ongoing military investigation. Footage has emerged that appears to show a US missile targeting the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps naval base adjacent to the school.

Issy Ronald and Hira Humayun contributed to this report.

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