Image source, Getty Images

The US says it will ramp up strikes against Iran, as attacks continue across the Middle East. Here's what you need to know:

• A top Iranian security official has threatened Donald Trump to be careful "so that you won't get eliminated" after the US president warned against stopping the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz - as oil prices fall from their Monday peak of almost $120 a barrel
• US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth says today will be the "most intense" day of US strikes on Iran so far, with "the most fighters, the most bombers, the most strikes"
• A mother in the Iranian city of Karaj described feeling the "shadow of death" after a strike hit close to her home
• Our Middle East correspondent reports that in northern Israel there have been at least 30 warnings of incoming missiles and drones today as millions of people in parts of the country rush for shelter. Qatar and the UAE have also reported fresh attacks
• Earlier, the UK Ministry of Defence announced it was preparing another warship for possible deployment to the Eastern Mediterranean as HMS Dragon prepares to leave Portsmouth within days

Ali Larijani, Iran's top security official, has been responding to the US in a series of posts on X.

He says that Iran is not scared of Trump's "worthless threats", adding that "even those bigger than you couldn’t eliminate Iranian nation".

"Be careful, so that you won’t get eliminated," he concludes.

It comes after the US president warned on TruthSocial that Iran would be hit "TWENTY TIMES HARDER" if the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz is stopped.

Image source, EPA

Ali Larijani, Iran's top security official, has issued a warning - seemingly toward the US and Israel - that the Strait of Hormuz can be a "strait of peace" or "suffering".

The full message, which Larijani posted in six different languages, reads: "Strait of Hormuz will either be a Strait of peace and prosperity for all or will be a Strait of defeat and suffering for warmongers."

It comes as oil prices have spiked over fears the war with Iran could cause disruption to supplies from the Middle East through the strait - which sees about a fifth of the world's oil supply shipped through it.

Israel announces it has launched fresh strikes towards the Lebanese capital of Beirut.

In a message on Telegram in English, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) says it is targeting "Hezbollah infrastructure" in the Dahieh suburb of the city.

The fresh strikes in Lebanon come after reports of further explosions in the Iranian capital Tehran earlier today.

An image of a blast in the eastern part of the city was shared with the BBC.

A British air defence system took out a drone in Iraqi airspace overnight, the UK Ministry of Defence says.

The MoD says a "ground-based British counter-uncrewed aerial systems unit" took out the drone, which it says was "heading towards coalition forces".

The department says that British pilots have completed "more than 230 flying hours" on defence operations in the region.

It comes after the MoD announced this morning, a ship - the RFA Lyme Bay - is being prepared in case it is needed in the eastern Mediterranean. It is currently in Gibraltar.

Yolande Knell
Middle East correspondent, in Jerusalem

Image source, Getty Images

Millions of people across northern and central Israel and the occupied West Bank have had to rush for shelter as alerts went off three times today to warn of a missile attack from Iran.

The last two alerts came in quick succession.

In northern Israel – which is worst affected by drone and missile fire from Hezbollah in Lebanon - there have been at least 30 warnings of incoming missiles and drones today.

Earlier, the Israeli military said it was carrying out more strikes in Tehran. It said that an underground complex used by the Revolutionary Guard for weapons research had been targeted overnight.

In his latest comments, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel is working to dismantle Iran’s theocratic leadership, but he hopes that Iranians will “break the yoke of tyranny” in their country.

This mirrors President Donald Trump’s appeal to the Iranian people to “take over your government” on 28 February after the first joint military attacks with Israel against Tehran.

Again, it seems to leave some wriggle room for the US and Israel to exit the war in future, even if it does not bring about regime change.

Barbara Plett Usher
Reporting from Doha

Image source, Reuters

I’ve been to a press briefing at Qatar’s foreign ministry, here’s some of what I heard.

The spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said that attacks on regional infrastructure on both sides of this war were a “dangerous precedent,” that they would cause economic loss in the region and “repercussions throughout the world”.

Al-Ansari also said any strikes on vital civilian infrastructure such as desalination plants either in Iran or in the Gulf would lead to “humanitarian catastrophe”.

“Civilians in cities should not be attacked in any way,” he said. He told journalists that Qatar’s strategic defence partnership with the United States and other countries is not in question.

When asked whether any naval escort would help resolve the blockage of transit through the Strait of Hormuz, al-Ansari said “a viable solution would be to stop attacks against our energy facilities”.

The spokesperson said that all conflicts can be solved at the negotiating table and that communication channels between Qatar and Iran are not cut, but Doha cannot not mediate when it is being attacked by Iran.

When we left the foreign ministry, emergency alerts buzzed on our phones and we heard the sound of explosions as the Qataris intercepted incoming fire.

'They’ve destroyed the whole town': Video shows car window shattered by shockwavespublished at 13:05 GMT 10 March

13:05 GMT 10 March

By Sarah Jalali

A video showing the window of a moving car being shattered by the shockwave from nearby strikes in the Iranian city of Karaj has been verified.

In footage BBC Verify has confirmed was first shared online today, the rear window of the vehicle is blown away and huge smoke plumes can then be seen in the near distance.

The man filming, who appears to be a passenger in the backseat of a taxi, shouts in fear and urges the driver to go faster and leave the area. At least half a dozen explosions can be heard.

“They’ve destroyed the whole town,” he says, adding later in the clip: “Everything has been destroyed.”

BBC Verify was able to identify the general area where it was filmed using satellite imagery of Karaj - a city around eight miles (13km) from the capital Tehran - but the target of the strike is unclear.

Trump 'gets to control the throttle', says Hegseth after president's mixed signalspublished at 13:02 GMT 10 March

13:02 GMT 10 March

Tom Bateman
US State Department correspondent, reporting from the Pentagon

Hegseth continued his ambiguity over his view of the war’s timeline.

Trump gave mixed signals last night saying the war was “very complete” but also acknowledging Hegseth’s earlier comments that the assault was “only just the beginning”.

Hegseth was asked about this. He told reporters “our will is endless” but it was up to the president how long it lasts. “He gets to control the throttle”, Hegseth said.

It feels like he's trying to hedge on this point given Trump’s ambiguity, a frequent trait of this administration. It was also pointed out to Hegseth and Caine that their percentage figures for the decrease in the number of Iranian missiles being fired since the start of the war seemed similar to the ones they gave last week.

Hegseth said the downward trend continued, which didn’t really answer the question.

The Pentagon press conference has finished - here's what was said:

• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said today will be the "most intense" day of US strikes on Iran so far - with "the most fighters, the most bombers, the most strikes"
• He said Iran has fired the fewest number of missiles in a 24-hour period since the war began
• Echoing that message, Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen Dan Caine said: "Ballistic missile attacks continue to trend downwards, 90% from where they started, and one-way attack drones have decreased 83% since the beginning of the operation"
• Meanwhile, the US is "looking at options" which would enable the military to escort vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, Caine said

• Hegseth said Iran's new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, "would be wise" to heed Donald Trump's message not to pursue nuclear weapons

• Questioned about what measures the Pentagon takes to minimise civilian casualties, the defense secretary said they will investigate any allegations that need looking into, but claimed no nation "takes more precautions to ensure there's never targeting of civilians"

For the final question, Hegseth is asked about Trump suggesting the military operation will wrap up sooner than originally thought and whether the US will play a role in the aftermath.

Hegseth says ultimately "the aftermath is going to be in America's interest" - and the country will not live "under a nuclear blackmail scenario" or a cloud of threat.

That brings the press conference to an end, and the officials leave the stage.

The defense secretary is asked about what measures the Pentagon is taking to minimise civilian casualties in strikes inside Iran.

"No nation takes more precautions to ensure there's never targeting of civilians than the United States of America," Hegseth says.

He says they will investigate any allegations that needs looking into, and "open source is not the place to determine what did and did not happen".

The question comes amid reports that a US missile hit a military base near a school in Iran.

Expert video analysis shows a US Tomahawk missile hit a military base near a primary school in southern Iran where Iranian authorities said 168 people, including around 110 children, were killed.

Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen Dan Caine is asked whether the military is open to escorting vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.

Caine says he is "looking at a range of options to set the military conditions to be able to do that", including looking at risk factors and resources required to do it.

Hegseth steps in, referring to Donald Trump's post on Truth Social last night threatening Iran against stopping the flow of oil through the shipping route.

"He takes very seriously the condition of that strait," he says.

The officials are asked what stage of the war we're up to.

"Our will is endless, but ultimately the president gets to determine the end state of those objectives," Hegseth says.

He adds that it's up to US President Donald Trump to decide how long the war goes on for, as he was the one elected into office.

Hegseth is asked what his message is for Americans who are not in favour of the war and influence of Israel on the decision to strike Iran.

He says Israel has been a strong partner and that the US has stayed focused on its own objectives.

"The president is leading and determining where we want to go," he says and adds that they are not being pulled in any direction.

Moving on to questions from journalists in the room, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is asked about the degradation of Iran's missile and drone capabilities, after reports it has been reduced by 90%.

Hegseth replies that it doesn't mean Iranian forces won't be able to fire missiles, but the numbers reflect the "efficacy" of the US strikes.

He is also asked to comment on reports Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has been injured.

Hegseth replies that Khamenei "would be wise" to heed Donald Trump's message not to pursue nuclear weapons, though cannot comment on whether he has been harmed.

Next up is Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen Dan Caine, who starts by honouring US soldiers killed so far in the war.

"To the families of our fallen, we share in your profound grief," he says.

Turning to a map highlighting where the US has targeted in Iran, Caine says it shows Washington's "significant progress" in reducing Iran's capabilities.

"Ballistic missile attacks continue to trend downwards, 90% from where they started, and one-way attack drones have decreased 83% since the beginning of the operation," he says.

Caine adds that they've also made progress in "destroying the navy", with more than 50 Iranian naval ships struck since the start of the war, and also in targeting "Iran's military and industrial complex" - with a focus on "centres of gravity" to stop Iran from building one-way attack drones.

Hegseth says this is not an example of "the endless nation building" seen under previous US presidents Bush and Obama.

The US is "winning decisively with brutal efficiency, total air dominance and an unbreakable will to accomplish the president's objectives", he says.

"We stay locked on the target," Hegseth adds.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says Operation Epic Fury's aims remain the same:

• Destroy Iran's missile stockpiles, their missile launchers and their defence industrial base
• Destroy Iran's navy
• Permanently deny Iran nuclear weapons

He echoes Trump's previous remarks, saying they are "crushing the enemy" in an unrelenting way. "We do so on our timeline, and at our choosing," he says.

"Today will be yet again, our most intense day of strikes inside Iran. The most fighters, the most bombers, the most strikes. Intelligence more refined, and better than ever."

Hegseth adds that in the last 24 hours, Iran has fired the lowest number of missiles since the start of the war.

Hegseth begins by saying, as a former veteran, the fight against the Iranian regime "hits home".

"Our generation understands this fight," he says, adding that for years Iranian forces have "murdered our brothers in arms" with their proxies and "cowardly attacks".

He says the Iranian regime is racing towards building a nuclear bomb, but President Donald Trump "will not allow it".

Hegseth says Iranian forces are "deliberately targeting innocents" because they know their own forces are being "systematically degraded and annihilated".

"Iran stands alone and they are badly losing," he says.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is now speaking to reporters from the Pentagon.

You can watch live at the top of the page - and we'll bring you the key lines here shortly.