- The Iranian government continued its crackdown on protests despite US President Donald Trump’s threat of action over mounting fatalities.
- The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported that 2,571 people had been killed from late December through Wednesday, and demonstrations remain difficult to track amid an internet shutdown in Iran.
- Iran has warned it could strike US and Israeli assets if it’s attacked, and oil prices have risen on the heightened tensions, with Brent crude up for a fifth day to over $66 a barrel.
United States President Donald Trump said his administration will determine the appropriate course of action once it gets a clearer picture of the casualties from the ongoing anti-government protests in Iran. “I’m going back to the White House now. We’re going to look at the whole situation that’s going on in Iran. It’s really bad stuff,” Trump told reporters after landing at Joint Base Andrews. “We’ll get some accurate numbers as to what’s happening with regard to the killing,” he added.” The killing looks like it’s significant, but we don’t know yet for certain. I’ll know within 20 minutes, and we’ll act accordingly,” Trump stressed.