Day 11: The War at Its Peak
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on March 10 that today would be the "most intense day" of strikes inside Iran since Operation Epic Fury began on February 28. Speaking at a Pentagon briefing, Hegseth said "extensive airstrikes" were planned and that the war would end "on our timeline." He stated explicitly that President Trump "gets to control the throttle," signalling that de-escalation decisions remain firmly in the White House, not the military.
Explosions Rock Tehran
CNN crews embedded in Tehran were forced to seek shelter multiple times throughout the day as jets flew overhead. Residents described a night of near-continuous explosions punctuated by power cuts and clouds of black rain — soot and smoke from burning oil storage depots on the city's outskirts. Iran's state television, operating on backup power from underground facilities, broadcast defiant statements from government officials while footage circulated on social media showing fires visible from residential rooftops.
"I just want to be able to sleep," one Tehran resident, a 34-year-old schoolteacher, told a BBC Persian reporter via encrypted message. "We are exhausted. Every night the explosions come closer." The city's Metro system has been running sporadically; supermarkets report shortages of bread, milk, and bottled water as logistics chains are disrupted.
US Casualties and Pentagon Update
The Pentagon's latest update confirms 7 US service members killed and approximately 140 wounded since hostilities began. Eight of the wounded are in serious condition at military hospitals in Germany and Qatar. The DoD has not released the names of those killed pending notification of next of kin. Congressional Democrats, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, have demanded a War Powers Act briefing and threatened to subpoena the administration if a classified briefing is not provided within 48 hours.
Iran's Defiance
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, speaking from an undisclosed location, vowed to "keep fighting as long as it takes." The IRGC issued a statement warning that Iran would block the Strait of Hormuz "permanently" if US attacks continue. In a statement widely reported in regional media, an unidentified Iranian official addressed President Trump directly: "Be careful, so that you won't get eliminated." The White House dismissed the comment as "empty bluster."
Iran launched new drone and missile strikes against Gulf Arab states including Bahrain — home to the US Fifth Fleet — and the UAE on March 10, causing minor damage to infrastructure and no reported fatalities. UAE air defences and US Patriot missile batteries intercepted the bulk of the incoming projectiles.
Trump's Mixed Signals
The day was marked by a characteristic whiplash from the White House. In morning remarks to reporters on the South Lawn, President Trump said the war was "very complete" and would "end very soon." Hours later, at a fundraising dinner at Mar-a-Lago, he threatened "far more destruction" and said the US would not let Iran "hold the world hostage over oil." His Truth Social account posted seven messages on the conflict over a 16-hour period — ranging from conciliatory to escalatory in tone.
Markets reacted with sharp volatility to the mixed messaging. Brent crude swung between $88 and $115 over the course of the day before settling near $94. The S&P 500 closed up 0.8% after initially falling 1.2%, as traders interpreted Trump's evening comments as suggesting he still holds escalation options in reserve — meaning, perversely, that there is room for de-escalation.
Humanitarian Situation
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs issued an urgent statement estimating that 1.2 million people in the greater Tehran metropolitan area are currently without reliable access to clean water following damage to pumping infrastructure. The International Committee of the Red Cross has requested "urgent humanitarian access" to affected Iranian civilians. Iran has not yet responded to the request.
Separately, nearly 700,000 people have been reported fleeing Israeli strikes in Lebanon, which have intensified in parallel with the US campaign against Iran. The UN reported that the Beirut–Damascus highway — a key humanitarian supply route — has been rendered impassable by strikes, adding to the civilian crisis.
