Tom Bateman

Breaking from @halbritz @OrenCNN : A US F-35 fighter jet made an emergency landing at US air base in the Middle East after it was struck by what is believed to be Iranian fire, according to two sources familiar with the matter. Capt. Tim Hawkins, a spokesman for US Central Command, said the fifth-generation stealth jet was “flying a combat mission over Iran” when it was forced to make an emergency landing. Hawkins said the aircraft landed safely, and the incident is under investigation “The aircraft landed safely, and the pilot is in stable condition,” Hawkins added. The incident would be the first time Iran has hit a US aircraft in the war started in late February. Both the US and Israel are flying F-35s in the conflict; the aircraft costs upwards of $100 million.

Following information from Iran of a projectile incident on Tuesday evening, the IAEA can confirm that a structure 350 metres from the Bushehr NPP reactor was hit and destroyed. “Although there was no damage to the reactor itself nor injuries to staff, any attack at or near nuclear power plants violates the seven indispensable pillars related to ensuring nuclear safety and security during an armed conflict and should never take place,” DG @Rafaelmgrossi said.

Exclusive: The Pentagon asked the White House to approve a more than $200 billion request to Congress to fund the war in Iran, according to an administration official, a new ask that will likely run into resistance from lawmakers opposed to the conflict. wapo.st/4bt8UQk

The Trump administration is considering deploying thousands of additional U.S. troops to Middle East as Trump weighs iran next steps, sources say.W/@phildstewart

At a press briefing earlier today @iaeaorg chief @rafaelmgrossi told us that he does not believe Iran's nuclear program can be eliminated purely by military means. "This program is a very vast program," he said. "And it's scattered through and across a number of places..."