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

By CNN Newsource

Published March 10, 2026 11:08 PM

By Jessie Yeung, CNN

(CNN) — A wave of strikes on Iran hit the capital and northern areas overnight into Wednesday, while Tehran launched what it called its “most intense” operation of the war, targeting Israel and Gulf nations.

Throughout the region, a humanitarian crisis is mounting – with the UN 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’s happening in the region?

Israeli strikes: Israel launched a wave of strikes in the Iranian capital overnight into Wednesday, with the Iranian Red Crescent saying a residential area in Tehran had been targeted. Beyond the capital, CNN staff in northern Iran also reported major nighttime air raids. Israel also said it struck targets in Beirut in Lebanon. Videos showed parts of a high-rise building engulfed in flames. Further south in Lebanon, a paramedic was killed after an Israeli strike hit a Red Cross ambulance.
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, state media reported.
Regional attacks: Gulf states 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 Tuesday, near the Baghdad airport, two sources told CNN. A cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz caught fire after being hit by an unknown projectile, while another vessel was damaged earlier Wednesday by a suspected projectile off the coast of the United Arab Emirates.
Toxic black rain: The World Health Organization is warning that black rain – contaminated rainfall – resulting from pollution could pose health risks after strikes in Iran. After fuel depots were hit last week, including in Tehran, thick plumes of black smoke billowed into the air, mixing with precipitation in the air to create toxic rain.
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 more than 10 children every day so far, according to the UN’s children’s agency. Dozens more have been killed elsewhere around the region, including by Iranian strikes. Seven US service members have been killed and 140 troops wounded, the Pentagon said Tuesday.

What are the other headlines?

Mines in the Strait: The US military said it destroyed Iranian naval 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 all crude oil travels.
US terms: The White House laid out demands for what an “unconditional surrender” by Iran could look like, saying it will be personally determined by President Donald Trump. This includes dismantling Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal that “protects” their nuclear ambitions, it said – adding that Trump does “not rule options out” in the war, including deploying US ground troops.
School strike: The Pentagon will release its report into a strike on an Iranian girls’ school that killed at least 168 children, the White House said Tuesday. The US military was likely responsible, according to CNN and expert analysis of evidence. And footage has emerged that appears to show a US missile targeting the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps naval base adjacent to the school.
Iranian women’s soccer team: Seven members of the Iranian football 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.

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