What we know on the 20th day of the US and Israel’s war with Iran

By Jessie Yeung, CNN

(CNN) — Nearly three weeks into the Middle East war, Iran is ramping up attacks on critical energy infrastructure in Arab Gulf states, threatening the world’s energy security and causing global oil prices to surge even higher.

US President Donald Trump tried to distance his administration from Israel’s attacks on Iran’s gas fields – but warned that if Iran continued to attack Qatar, the US would completely “blow up” the South Pars field.

Here’s what to know on Day 20.

What are the main headlines?

• Attacks on Gulf energy: Oil prices surged on Wednesday to $110 per barrel, after attacks on energy infrastructure in Persian Gulf countries. Iran hit Qatar’s Ras Laffan natural gas processing facility, a major energy hub, twice within 12 hours, causing “extensive damage.” And in Abu Dhabi, gas operations at crucial energy sites were temporarily suspended after missile debris fell on the facilities.
• Saudi threat: Saudi Arabia also intercepted drones, including one that had been heading for a gas facility – warning on Thursday that Riyadh “reserved the right to take military actions” against Iran if necessary. Its meeting of 12 Arab and Islamic foreign ministers produced a joint statement calling for Iran to “immediately halt its attacks.”
• Trump’s comments: Trump said late Wednesday that Israel had “violently lashed out” at Iran’s South Pars natural gas field, the world’s largest. He claimed he “knew nothing” about Israel’s plans, and vowed that Israel would not attack the site again unless provoked.
• Diplomatic moves: Qatar expelled Iran’s military and security attachés following the Ras Laffan strike, ordering them to leave the country within 24 hours.
• Intel assessment: A day after his resignation, former Trump administration counterterrorism chief Joe Kent said there was “no intelligence” suggesting Iran was going to launch a “big sneak attack” akin to 9/11 or Pearl Harbor. He said Iran was not on the verge of getting a nuclear weapon, and that he felt Israel had pulled the US into the conflict. Meanwhile, administration officials in a public hearing Wednesday repeatedly contradicted Trump’s claims about the threat posed by Iran, or failed to back them up.
• Another official killed: Iran confirmed the death of yet another top official – intelligence minister Esmail Khatib, who was killed in the latest attack by Israel on the country’s senior leadership.
• Senate vote: Republicans again rejected a resolution aimed at reining in Trump’s war powers. This is the second time that Democrats have forced an unsuccessful vote since the current conflict with Iran started.

What’s happening on the ground?

• Continuing strikes: Israel, Iran and Hezbollah continue trading strikes. Israel said it had struck 200 targets across western and central Iran on Wednesday, including military infrastructure. Israel also said early Thursday it was intercepting missiles launched from Iran, with one foreign national killed by shrapnel in the southern Sharon region. And in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, at least three women were killed after rocket fragments struck a hair salon, which the Israeli military said was caused by Iranian cluster munitions.
• Caspian Sea attack: Israel carried out strikes against Iranian naval targets in the Caspian Sea, in the first such strikes after nearly three weeks of war. Until now, the US’ strikes on Iranian naval assets have been in the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf. The landlocked Caspian Sea is bordered by several other countries, including Russia.
• Two ships hit: Unknown projectiles hit two vessels in separate incidents in and around the Persian Gulf early Thursday, according to the UK’s maritime agency. More than 20 oil tankers, cargo ships and other vessels have reported incidents in and around the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman since the war began, according to the agency.
• Rising toll: The death toll across the region is rising, with Lebanon now reporting nearly 1,000 people killed since the conflict began. The highest toll so far comes from Iran, with scores more killed in Gulf nations and Israel.

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