Where things stand with Iran

Iran also seems to have ramped up attacks. Israel is warning that Iranian missiles carrying cluster warheads are creating deadly debris hazards. At least 12 people have died in Israel since the war started. The United Arab Emirates also reported two more deaths in the country from drone strikes. The US also confirmed roughly 140 troops have been wounded in the war, though most have already returned to duty. Sources tell CBS News that US intelligence indicates Iran may be taking steps to block the flow of ship traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. House Speaker Mike Johnson tried to reassure Americans the conflict would not create a long-term pricing issue. The mission is being achieved, is nearly completed. And the commander in chief himself said in the last 24 hours, it will come to a close. So gas prices will readjust after that. Most of this is because of the Strait of Hormuz has been closed by the regime down there, but it will be reopened. And it will take a couple of weeks, but gas prices will come back down.

CBS News Pentagon reporter Eleanor Watson joins us now. So Secretary Hegseth said it would be the most intense day of strikes. Do we know what that entailed? Yeah, Lindsey, Secretary Hegseth said it would be the most intense day because US aircraft can fly deeper and deeper into Iran now. Over the past week, the US has largely defeated Iran's air defenses enough so that fighters and bombers can fly over Iran and drop munitions on specific targets. In fact, Chairman Caine, at that press briefing this morning, said that recently, the US has dropped dozens of 2,000-pound bombs on deeply-buried ballistic missile launchers. Destroying Iran's ballistic missile program is one of the objectives Secretary Hegseth has laid out when asked how long the American public can expect this campaign to continue. He gave some updates on that this morning and on the second objective, which is to destroy Iran's Navy. But on the third goal, which, according to Secretary Hegseth, is to permanently destroy Iran's nuclear program, we haven't heard many updates. Iran, it is still estimated, has about hundreds of kilograms of highly-enriched uranium. And until that uranium is either destroyed or taken out of Iran, it will be hard for the Pentagon to say mission accomplished, at least on that one specific objective. Very interesting. And what more do we know about Iran's possible movement to block the Strait of Hormuz and how the US might respond if that happens? Sources tell CBS News there are indications Iran is taking steps to potentially deploy Naval mines, explosive Naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz. President Trump online said if Iran does that, the military consequences will be, quote, "at a level never seen before." The mines would add another level of disruption to this crucial chokepoint for much of the world's oil. About a fifth of the world's oil supply normally flows through there, but since the conflict began, ship traffic trackers show that the traffic has decreased by about 85% to 90%, driving oil prices upwards. The military, to prevent more disruptions, is targeting Iran's inactive mine-laying vessels, about 16 today, I think, according to US Central Command, and is considering providing Naval escorts. The US has done that before back in the 1980s, during the so-called "tanker wars." But officers who served in that mission will tell you it could take weeks or months to completely clear the strait of mines. Even without the mines, there are threats of being targeted, which could deter commercial ships from transiting the strait for some time.

Eleanor Watson, thank you. CBS News White House reporter Olivia Rinaldi joins me now. Did we get any more of an idea from the White House today on a possible timeline to end this war? Well, Lindsey, the short answer is no. There is really no definitive timeline on when the White House expects this war to be wrapped up. Karoline Leavitt, in her press briefing today, said, ultimately, the operations will cease when the commander in chief determines the military objectives have been met fully, and there is a complete and unconditional surrender from Iran. So that is what the White House is now saying. Where previously we had heard it was a timeline of four to six weeks, perhaps four to five weeks, now, they're saying, ultimately, it is up to the president. I should also note that that was echoed this morning by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who said, it's not for me to posit whether it's the beginning, the middle, or end. That is up to the president.

Democrats in Congress are criticizing the president for, among other things, sharing conflicting information about a timeline for the war and claiming, without sharing proof, that Iran has Tomahawk missiles and could be responsible for that strike on a girls' school in Iran. What is the White House saying about those criticisms? Right. Well, let me address the girls' school first, because we have seen an evolution of responsibility for that attack. First, we had heard from the president over the weekend who said that Iran could be responsible for that attack on that girls' school. But as was pointed out today in the briefing, Iran does not have Tomahawk missiles. The US does, and a handful of other US allies. In response to that, Karoline said, the president is going to accept the conclusion of the investigation by the Department of Defense into who was at fault for that girls' school and said, ultimately, they're not going to get ahead of the Pentagon in saying who is responsible for that attack. That is on that specifically. On the potential for boots on the ground for the war or what the timeline to the end of the war could look like, Senator Jackie Rosen of Nevada-- she's a Democrat-- said that it was concerning and disturbing to hear from that Senate Armed Services briefing today the lack of information for a potential end to the war. We also heard from Senator Blumenthal, who said that it looks like there will be boots on the ground in Iran. That was just his assessment from getting the briefing today. In addressing that in the briefing today as well, Karoline Leavitt said that Democrats on Capitol Hill are being disingenuous. And she said not a single Democrat voted against the resolution condemning Iran as the world's state leading sponsor of terror several years ago and added that they should not be taken at their word. So a bit of he said, she said about what was in that briefing today on Capitol Hill, but still, Democrats are saying they're just not satisfied with what they're hearing from this White House.

OK. Olivia Rinaldi, thank you.