• The US has launched further strikes on Iran, with explosions reported in cities along the Strait of Hormuz, including Bushehr, Chabahar, Bandar Abbas, Sirik, Jask, and Abu Musa Island.
• The attacks killed at least one person in the city of Iranshahr and caused widespread power outages in Chabahar, where two docks and a maritime traffic control tower were also hit.
• US President Donald Trump says the attacks are “in retribution” for alleged Iranian bombings of ships in the Strait of Hormuz, warning: “If it happens again, it will get much worse.”
• Earlier, Trump had declared the memorandum of understanding signed with Iran on June 16 “over” and again threatened to hit the country’s electric and desalination plants.
• Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iranians “do not answer vulgarity with vulgarity, but with action”, while Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Trump’s comments were “not a sign of strength, but rather an admission of the failure of a policy built on brute force”.

US expands strikes on Iran over Strait of Hormuz attacks

The latest US strikes on Iran appear to be a much broader military action than what was seen on Tuesday evening, and could mark a major escalation.

According to statements from the US president, Vice President JD Vance and other senior officials, Washington believes Iran violated the MoU reached between the two sides.

Vance said the deal was simple: the United States would lift the blockade, and Iran would stop firing on ships. But he said Iran only complied for about a week before it began targeting commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz again.

US officials are now saying Iran must comply with the deal or face continued strikes. A US official has also told the Reuters news agency that the ongoing attacks on Iran are expected to be bigger than those carried out on Tuesday.

The diplomatic channel does not appear to be completely closed, but it is very narrow and effectively on pause.

The US president has suggested he is still willing to pursue diplomacy, though not through direct talks himself. Instead, he has allowed his envoys and Vice President Vance to handle those efforts.

At the same time, US officials say any attempt to shut down the Strait of Hormuz will trigger a military response.

The latest strikes are said to be targeting the IRGC’s coastal radar, anti-ship missiles and air defense systems, as Washington focuses on keeping maritime traffic moving through the strait.

US air strike hits railway bridge in northeastern Iran

Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB reports that US forces have bombed a railway bridge outside the city of Aqqala in the Golestan province.

It said that seven “enemy projectiles” were fired at the Aq Tekeh Khan Bridge at about 1:30am local time (22:00 GMT on Wednesday), with two of them causing explosions on the railway track.

Iran hit by ‘heaviest wave of air strikes’ since ceasefire

Last night and tonight marked the heaviest wave of air strikes since the announcement of the MoU and the fragile ceasefire.

The attacks tonight have expanded in scope and geography, compared to last night, extending into the southeastern cities of the country.

Several geostrategically significant points have been targeted. In Bandar Abbas, multiple explosions have been heard, as well as in the port city of Sirik. This is critically important, as Sirik oversees the Strait of Hormuz and plays a key role in Iran’s control and authority over the strait.

In other southern parts of the country – including Abu Musa, Jask and Qeshm Island – explosions have been heard, some linked to the activation of the country’s air defence systems, others to US strikes.

In the southeastern city of Konarak, explosions have also been reported. In Iranshahr, the airport facility was targeted, leaving at least one person dead and others injured.

In Chabahar, another important port city, heavy bombardment has been reported targeting wharfs as well as other military and civilian facilities. In the southwestern part of the country, in Bushehr, several air strikes have been reported. This is significant because the city hosts one of Iran’s nuclear power plants, though local authorities say the plant itself sustained no damage. Still, given the extensive nature of the attacks on multiple locations in Bushehr, the risk of casualties remains.

Iran lodges protest at UN over latest US attacks

Iran has sent separate letters to the president of the UN Security Council and its secretary-general over the latest US attacks, according to the IRIB broadcaster.

Iran’s ambassador and permanent representative to the UN, Amir Saeid Iravani, said the US had once again launched “wide-scale military attacks” against Iran’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

He said the attacks were a clear violation of the UN Charter and Washington’s international obligations.

Iravani also said the strikes amounted to another violation of Article 2, Paragraph 4 of the UN Charter, as well as a fundamental breach of Clause 1 of the Islamabad MoU, signed by Washington and Tehran on June 16.

Air raid sirens blare in Bahrain

Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior says warning sirens have sounded and urged citizens and residents to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place.

Trump: For each Iranian attack, ‘we’re going to hit them 20 to one’

The US president has been speaking to reporters on board Air Force One.

He again insisted that the US has already won the war on Iran, saying the Iranians “have very little left, and they want to make a deal so badly”. But, he said, “I just don’t know if they’re worthy of making a deal. I don’t know if they’re going to honour the deal.”

When asked why Iran would attack commercial vessels if they wanted to make a deal, Trump responded, “Because they’re sort of crazy, to be honest. It’s sounded crazy; they’re a little bit out of control, but they want to make a deal badly.”

He also warned of significant retaliation, saying, “We just hit them very hard. Every time they hit us, we’re going to hit them 20 to one.”

When asked if the US is returning to a full-scale military conflict in Iran, Trump replied, “I don’t know. We have many ways we can win, but we’ve already won militarily.”

IRGC promises ‘crushing’ response to US strike on Aq Tekeh Bridge

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says a US cruise missile targeted the Aq Taka Khan bridge area in Aqqala, in the northern province of Golestan, according to the Fars news agency.

The IRGC’s Golestan branch said the attack caused no casualties, but promised a “crushing” response.

Kuwaiti air defenses intercepting ‘missile and drone attacks’

The General Staff of the Kuwait Army says its air defenses are “currently intercepting hostile missile and drone attacks”.

It said the sounds of explosions are the “result of air defense systems intercepting” the attacks.

The Kuna news agency, meanwhile, said alarms were sounding across the country.

Trump continues to ‘double down on his threats’

The US president is continuing to double down on his threats, telling reporters on board Air Force One that the US military will hit Iranian targets 20 times harder than Iran has struck those ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

And in fact, he said that that will be the ratio moving forward – that whatever Iran hits, the US military will retaliate 20 times harder.

And so it’s clear from the statements from the US president as well as from his vice president, JD Vance, that what is really critical for the White House is ensuring that the Strait of Hormuz remains open. That is the red line for this White House.

As we heard from the US vice president in Milwaukee on Wednesday, he said he believes, as one of the people instrumental in negotiating the MoU, that Iran broke the deal, and that it only abided by the terms of the MoU for approximately one week. Then he says they began shooting.

And so the US’s standpoint is very simple: They promised to lift the blockade in exchange for Iran to stop shooting. Iran, they said, did not, and as a result, the military responses will continue.

Qatar issues alert over security threat

The Qatari Interior Ministry has issued an alert saying that the “security threat level is high” and urging residents to stay at home and in safe places.

Iranian lawmaker to US: ‘Wait for the hard slap’

Ebrahim Rezaei, spokesman for the Parliament’s National Security Committee, says the country’s supreme leader has taught Iranians not to fear the US.

He warned of a response to the ongoing attacks, saying in a post on X: “Wait for the hard slap from Iranians.”

Gulf braces for Iranian attacks after US bombardment

There were warnings issued across the region, particularly in Bahrain and Kuwait, but also in Qatar.

In Qatar, the alert told people to stay home, stay away from glass windows, and avoid going out until another alert was issued. Soon after, another message was sent saying the danger had passed and that people could return to their normal lives.

But in Kuwait, the situation was different. The Defense Ministry reported the interception of some drones and missiles, without giving specific details about the targets or whether any impact had taken place.

People were told to take precautions and informed that any explosions they might hear were the result of those interceptions.

In Bahrain, the Interior Ministry also sent a similar alert to people, without saying whether there had been any attack coming from Iran.

Countries across the Gulf region are bracing for possible retaliatory attacks, as often happens whenever there are major US attacks against Iranian targets. Iran says it is attacking the sources of attacks on its territory.

But in the Gulf, that remains the subject of a lot of contention and anger, with countries saying they are not part of this war.

Air raid sirens sound again in Bahrain

Warning sirens are blaring in Bahrain for the second time this morning.

The Interior Ministry has instructed people to “remain calm and head to the nearest safe place”.

Ghalibaf warns US: ‘Strike, and you will be struck’

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has warned the US that “bullying and breaking promises are no longer without cost”.

“Let me be clear: Strike, and you will be struck,” Ghalibaf wrote in a post on X.

He also warned against US pressure over the Strait of Hormuz, saying it would only open through “Iranian arrangements”, not “American threats”.

“Do not flail around pointlessly, or you will sink deeper,” he wrote.

Oil prices edge higher as US strikes Iran

Oil prices have climbed as new US military action against Iran dampens expectations for a swift resolution to the conflict and the subsequent reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, according to Reuters.

Brent crude futures gained 78 cents, or 1 percent, to reach $78.8 a barrel as of 00:54 GMT. Similarly, US West Texas Intermediate futures (WTI) climbed 74 cents, or 1.01 percent, settling at $74.26 a barrel.

US trying to ‘limit Iran’s ability’ to control Strait of Hormuz

Scott Uehlinger, a former senior CIA officer, said that finding an off-ramp from the ongoing US-Iran escalation will be “very difficult”.

He said that the US struck Iran partly hoping that Iran would change its calculus over the Strait of Hormuz.

“The United States tried to make clear through Trump that it was retaliating for Iran’s refusal to cooperate in the Strait of Hormuz. I think Trump was hoping to some degree that perhaps the regime would learn its lesson and go back to the memorandum,” Uehlinger said.

The analyst added that the US is trying to strip away Iran’s leverage in the Strait of Hormuz.

“That’s why we’ve seen so many attacks directed at Iran’s ability to attempt to control the straits. Maritime traffic control centers have been destroyed. Missile sites have been destroyed, and fast boats have been destroyed, all in an attempt to further limit Iran’s ability to affect the straits,” he said.

“I think President Trump hopes that by reducing that ability, or showing the Iranians they do not have that ability, perhaps then they will return to the memorandum of understanding.”

IRGC claims attacks on US bases in Kuwait, Bahrain

Iran’s IRGC has claimed attacks on “important infrastructure and facilities” at US bases in Kuwait and Bahrain, saying they were hit in the first phase of a “punitive response” to the latest US attacks on Iran.

In a statement carried by the IRIB broadcaster, the IRGC said its naval and aerospace forces carried out a joint missile and drone operation hours after the US attacks.

The operation targeted the Camp Arifjan military base and Ali Al Salem airbase in Kuwait, as well as the Juffair and the Sheikh Isa bases in Bahrain, the IRGC said.

IRGC says US attacks hit bridges on roads leading to Mashhad

In a statement, the IRGC has said its attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait were in retaliation for attacks on its southern coastal provinces and “two bridges in the eastern provinces towards the holy city of Mashhad”.

That city is where former Supreme Leader Khamenei will be buried later today.

The IRGC said the US attacks were aimed at overshadowing the “historic” funeral ceremony.

It also warned that if the US repeats its attacks, Iran’s “crushing responses would be expanded to include other American bases in the region”.

Earlier, the IRIB reported that US forces had fired seven missiles at the Aq Tekeh Khan Bridge outside the city of Aqqala, causing two explosions on a railway track.

Trump says diplomacy with Iran ‘a waste of time’

The US president is certainly suggesting that diplomacy is off the table.

Trump is saying, very clearly, that he believed it was a “waste of time”.

But he left open the possibility that even if he is exasperated with diplomacy, perhaps others on his team are not. He did not rule out that there could be further negotiations involving his envoys, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff.

The US president is saying that he will discuss with them, and if he believes there is an avenue to continue, then that will be the course [of action].

We should point out that Trump hasn’t been involved in direct negotiations.

He’s also said he no longer believes that even if there was an agreement, that Iran would honor it.

US military says it hit 90 targets in new wave of strikes on Iran

The US military says its forces have completed an additional round of strikes against Iran, with the aim of degrading the country’s “ability to attack commercial shipping and innocent civilian mariners in the Strait of Hormuz”.

In a statement, CENTCOM said: “US forces struck approximately 90 Iranian military targets including air defense systems, coastal surveillance assets, missile and drone storage sites, naval capabilities, and military logistics infrastructure along Iran’s coastline.”

CENTCOM added that “the latest strikes follow successful execution of offensive strikes in Iran the night before”.

These come a day after US forces claimed attacks on more than 80 targets in Iran.

Iran blasts NATO chief’s ‘willful complicity’ in US-Israeli war

Esmaeil Baghaei, the spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry, has condemned NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte’s comments on the US-Israel war on Tehran, accusing European nations of active complicity in the conflict.

“Mark Rutte’s repeated admissions of Europe’s willful complicity in the US-Israeli war of aggression against Iran only confirms, once again, that they were not impartial in this brutal unlawful aggression,” Baghaei wrote on X.

“Those who provided their territories, military bases, and infrastructure to enable the aggression cannot evade responsibility for their contribution to an unprovoked aggression and its grave consequences,” he added.

Baghaei’s comments came after Rutte on Wednesday backed the US’s latest attacks on Iran, saying they were “absolutely necessary”. Earlier, he had also said NATO countries had provided logistical support to the US during the war in March, saying 4,000 to 5,000 US planes had taken off from bases in Europe in the first six weeks of the war.

 

US expands attacks into southeastern Iran on second night of strikes

Several cities along Iran’s southern coast were targeted, including the important port city of Bandar Abbas, where several explosions were reported. On nearby islands close to the Strait of Hormuz, including Qeshm and Abu Musa, there were also reports of air defense systems being activated, as well as explosions.

What was new compared with the night before was the expansion of attacks into southeastern Iran. The cities of Iranshahr, Konarak and Chabahar were all targeted.

In Chabahar, heavy bombardment was reported, targeting civilian areas, military sites, two important wharves and a maritime traffic control centre.

In Iranshahr, a hospital was reportedly hit by shrapnel from the attacks. An airport facility was also targeted, and at least one person was killed.

In southwestern Iran, Bushehr and nearby areas were also hit by US air attacks. That is significant because Bushehr hosts Iran’s nuclear power plant, though local authorities say the plant was not damaged. This is an extensive level of strikes, and whether they continue is something we will have to keep watching.

US attack wounds ‘a number of people’ in Iran’s Ahvaz

The Fars news agency is reporting that US forces attacked an area near the city of Ahvaz, in western Khuzestan province, in the early hours of this morning, wounding a “number of people”.

It cited a senior security official at the Khuzestan’s governor’s office.

Medical and rescue teams have been sent to the site, the official said, adding that authorities are still investigating the extent of the damage.

The US and Iran’s latest tit-for-tat strikes

• The US has bombed Iran for a second consecutive night, with CENTCOM saying the strikes were ordered by Trump to “further degrade [Tehran’s] ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz”.
• The US military said it struck more than “90 Iranian military targets” along its coastline, including “air defense systems, surveillance assets, missile and drone sites, naval capabilities and logistics infrastructure”.
• Iranian media reported explosions in several cities, including Bandar Abbas, Bushehr, Chabahar, Konarak, Iranshahr, Sirik, Jask, Abu Musa Island, Qeshm Island and Aqqala.
• In Iranshahr, Iranian state media said an airport facility was hit, killing at least one firefighter and wounding others.
• In Chabahar, two docks, a maritime traffic control tower and a depot were hit. Shrapnel also struck the Imam Ali Hospital, and the city also experienced widespread power outages after several electricity lines were damaged.
• In eastern Aqqala, the Aq Tekeh Khan railway bridge was hit, while authorities in Bushehr said attacks on the city did not cause damage to the nuclear power plant there.
• In retaliation, Iran’s IRGC said it targeted US military facilities at the Camp Arifjan base and Ali Al Salem airbase in Kuwait, as well as the Juffair and the Sheikh Isa bases in Bahrain.
• According to state media in Bahrain and Kuwait, sirens were activated in both countries.

Behind the US and Iran's latest tit-for-that attacks

• The US and Iran are accusing each other of violating the terms of the MoU signed on June 16.
• The interim deal calls for an end to the war on all fronts, including Lebanon; the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz; lifting the US naval blockade on Iranian ports; waivers on Iranian oil exports; and the release of frozen Iranian assets.
• After signing, the US ended its blockade and issued waivers on exports of Iranian oil until August 21. But Israel continued its deadly attacks on southern Lebanon, drawing protest from Iran.
• The biggest dispute centers on the Strait of Hormuz. Tensions escalated when Oman and the UN announced a maritime corridor to evacuate ships stranded by the war. Iran protested, saying the MoU gives it the sole responsibility to manage shipping in the strait.
• It warned ships against taking unauthorized routes, and days later, two ships were attacked in the waterway.
• The US blamed Iran and struck cities along its southern coast on June 26 and June 27. Iran retaliated with strikes on US bases in Bahrain and Kuwait, before both sides agreed to hold talks.
• Indirect technical negotiations followed in Qatar on July 1, but there appeared to be no breakthrough on Hormuz. And on Tuesday, three ships were attacked in the waterway, triggering this latest round of tit-for-tat strikes.

Three killed in US attack near Iran’s Ahvaz

The IRNA news agency is reporting that at least three people were killed and several others left wounded.

Valiollah Hayati, the deputy governor of Khuzestan for security and law enforcement, told IRNA that “the Israeli-US regime targeted a location on the outskirts of Ahvaz” in the early hours of the morning.

“Rescue and medical operations are currently under way,” he added.

Traffic in Strait of Hormuz ‘grinds to a near halt’

Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has ground to a near-halt following a second consecutive day of US strikes against Iran, according to Bloomberg News.

Citing ship tracking data, it said that among larger vessels, only a US-sanctioned supertanker was seen heading out of the Gulf alongside an Iranian-flagged container ship.

Some 14 cargo ships crossed the strait in both directions yesterday, it added, noting that the figure is the lowest since the US-Iran MoU on June 16.

An average of 34 ships transited the strait in the three weeks since the two nations agreed to the interim deal, it noted.

Train services from Tehran to Mashhad suspended after US attack

Iranian authorities say passenger train services on the Tehran-Mashhad railway have been suspended after a section of the line was struck in an attack by the US.

Technical and operational teams were dispatched to the site, where repair work was under way, the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways announced, adding that it aimed to restore the route “in the shortest possible time”.

It also said arrangements were being made to transport stranded passengers to Mashhad by road.

As we’ve been reporting, Iran’s slain Supreme Leader Khamenei is set to be buried in Mashhad later today.

US and Iran at a deadlock over Strait of Hormuz

The US and Iran are now stuck in an equation – almost a deadlock.

For the Americans, they see that Iran will not have control over the Strait of Hormuz. For the Iranians, control of the strait is indispensable.

Iran believes that the Strait of Hormuz is the ultimate deterrent, and if it gives that up, then it loses its negotiating position. So the Iranians do not want to give that up.

They want to make sure that at the negotiating table, Iran can force the United States towards implementation of the MoU, and then, in the future, if there’s a final deal, that they can make sure the US complies with the agreement.

That’s why it’s difficult for both parties to change their positions, and that’s why we’re seeing a dangerous escalation now.

Iran says US attacks have killed 14 people in two days

Iran’s Ministry of Health says US forces have attacked five provinces in the country over the past two days, killing 14 people and wounding 78 others.

Iran claims drone strikes on Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar

Iran’s military says it carried out drone strikes targeting “US bases and strategic centers” in the Gulf about an hour ago.

The strikes targeted a Patriot missile system in Kuwait, an early warning satellite antenna site in Qatar, and fuel tanks belonging to the US military in Bahrain.

The Iranian military said it used “a large number of various types of drones” in the attacks.

It said Iran’s armed forces “will not allow the goals and aspirations of the foolish President of the United States to be realized under any circumstances and will defend the lofty ideals of the Islamic Revolution until final victory”.

47 people wounded in US attacks remain in hospital

Hossein Kermanpour, the spokesman for the Iranian Ministry of Health, said some 47 of the 78 people who were wounded in the US attacks remain hospitalized.

The rest have been discharged after receiving medical treatment.

Bahrain’s army says it thwarted several Iranian attacks

Bahrain’s army has said its air defense systems “confronted, intercepted and destroyed a number of treacherous Iranian aerial attacks” in the early morning hours.

The statement comes after Iran’s military claimed drone strikes targeting US bases in the Gulf, in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar.

Pakistan seeks urgent LNG cargo

Pakistan is urgently seeking a new shipment of liquefied natural gas (LNG) after a new wave of hostilities in the Strait of Hormuz disrupted regional energy supplies and forced a scheduled cargo to turn back, according to Bloomberg News.

State-owned Pakistan LNG Ltd (PLL) issued an emergency tender to buy a replacement cargo for delivery on July 15-16, with commercial offers due on Friday.

The rush tender was fast-tracked by the government on Wednesday after a long-term shipment from Qatar was cancelled earlier this week, Bloomberg reported, citing traders with knowledge of the matter.

Maritime traffic through the strategic chokepoint has slowed to a crawl following a second day of US military strikes against targets in Iran, which were launched in retaliation for recent Iranian attacks on commercial vessels in the waterway.

US hits 90 targets in Iran as Trump says Tehran ‘want to make a deal so badly’

The US has been carrying out air attacks on Iran’s southern coast for a second night.

The port city of Bushehr is one of several areas that have been hit.

Speaking on Air Force One, US President Donald Trump said returning to a full-scale war with Iran remained on the table but that Tehran “wants to make a deal”.

Qatar condemns attacks on commercial vessels in Hormuz

Qatar’s prime minister has condemned attacks targeting commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz in a phone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani and Araghchi “reviewed the latest developments regarding the military escalation between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran over the past two days”, a Foreign Ministry statement said.

He “emphasised that such actions undermine confidence, threaten the security of international navigation, and damage efforts aimed at consolidating regional security and stability”.

The Qatari prime minister further “stressed the need for all parties to commit to dialogue and diplomacy, and to implement what was agreed upon within the framework” of the interim US-Iran deal”.

He also “reiterated the State of Qatar’s support for all endeavors aimed at containing the escalation and reaching a comprehensive agreement that contributes to consolidating security and stability, and achieves sustainable peace in the region.”

Hormuz traffic grinds to a halt after Iran-US strikes

Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed to a near standstill after the United States attacked Iran for a second consecutive day.

Movement in the crucial waterway is now largely confined to a northern route approved by Iran, while a corridor further south backed by Oman and the US saw little activity.

Only a US-sanctioned supertanker leaving the Gulf and an Iranian-flagged container ship were observed crossing the strait, Bloomberg News reported.

That marked a sharp drop from recent activity levels. In the three weeks following the US-Iran interim agreement to reopen Hormuz, average daily transits of commodity vessels stood at 34, with a peak of 59 on June 24, according to Kpler data.

Wartime daily crossings numbered fewer than 20 on most days, data showed.

Bahrain sounds nationwide alarm, urges public to seek shelter

Bahrain’s interior ministry says warning sirens have been activated across the Gulf country, and has told people to remain calm and proceed to the nearest safe location.

The warning comes after a series of attacks by Iran following dozens of US strikes on that country.

Iran rejects US justification for deadly attacks

Iran’s Foreign Ministry has condemned dozens of US attacks, including on two railway bridges, calling Washington’s claim they were in response to attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz a “false pretext”.

The US attacks, which resulted in at least 14 deaths and dozens of wounded, including among the armed forces, violated the UN Charter as well as the ceasefire agreement, the ministry said.

Iran to maintain control of Hormuz despite US threat of war

Military and defense analyst Alex Alfirraz Scheers says Iran is prepared to return to large-scale conflict with the US if it means maintaining control over the Strait of Hormuz.

For Iranians, the passageway is both “the spoils” of war and the biggest source of leverage going forward in negotiations with the US, he said.

Yet, “the US is also under pressure from GCC countries to ensure that the Strait of Hormuz does not become Iran’s maritime territory,” Alfirraz Scheers said.

“The MoU may not be dead, but it certainly is on life support,” he added. “What we need is for both sides to contend with the fact that a new round of escalation would be in no one’s interest.”

At least 6,000 seafarers trapped around Strait of Hormuz

The head of the International Maritime Organization says about 6,000 sailors remain trapped around the Strait of Hormuz as hostilities between the US and Iran continue.

“These reckless attacks have again placed innocent seafarers in grave danger. No seafarer should have to risk their life simply for doing their job,” Arsenio Dominguez was quoted by NBC News as saying.

“Behind the figures are seafarers, and in some cases their families, who continue to bear the human cost of this conflict.”

Kuwait condemns Iran’s ‘heinous’ attacks, warns of escalation

Kuwait has condemned Iran’s “heinous” attacks on its territory that “constitute a dangerous escalation that will exacerbate the state of tension in the region”.

Its sovereignty is a “red line” and Kuwait “reserves all its rights to take whatever is necessary to protect its security and preserve its sovereignty”, a foreign ministry statement said.

The “blatant aggressions” by Iran “threaten regional peace and security, and undermine diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving matters through peaceful means”, it said.

Iran targets Gulf states to raise costs, increase pressure

The Iranians have hit US military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait – namely Arifjan and Ali Al Salem in Kuwait, and Juffair and Sheikh Isa in Bahrain.

They’re saying attacks conducted by the IRGC targeted a Patriot missile system in Kuwait, a satellite antenna in Qatar, and fuel depots of the US military in Bahrain.

Officials are warning that if US strikes continue, the IRGC is going to expand its attacks to other US military bases across the region, in the other Gulf countries as well.

Whenever there is an attack by the US on Iran, Iran hits back at the Gulf states.

Why are they particularly hitting the neighboring Gulf states? They say they’re providing the airspace for US attacks, or the US is using its military bases in these countries to strike.

Tehran says it is to raise the cost and put pressure on Gulf nations to stop the US attacks.

Explosions heard in Iran’s Bushehr area

Several ⁠explosions have been ⁠heard in ⁠Iran’s Bushehr province, the semi-official Mehr ⁠news agency reports.

Bushehr is where ⁠Iran’s ⁠nuclear power ⁠plant ⁠is located.

Iran’s only functioning nuclear plant, the Bushehr facility came under repeated attacks by Israel and the US during their war on Iran, raising fears of a possible nuclear incident.

Gulf states stave off more Iranian attacks

A new array of sirens has been sounded in Bahrain, where officials have instructed people to seek shelter.

Kuwait’s Defense Ministry sent a number of alerts as officials have been dealing with a large number of drones and missiles coming from Iran. We’re getting confirmation that one person has been injured.

Iran says Gulf countries support US military operations across the region, and that’s something many states deny. They say they’re not party to this conflict and they do not want to be dragged into this war.

Qatar has condemned attacks taking place in the Strait of Hormuz and across the region and is urging all sides to go back to the negotiating table.

Kuwait says one person wounded in Iranian attacks

A spokesperson for Kuwait’s defense ministry has confirmed one person was injured during attacks by Iran across the Gulf country.

Major-General Saud Abdulaziz al-Otaibi said Kuwait’s air defense system intercepted three ballistic missiles, one cruise missile and 10 suicide drones.

The injury took place as a result of falling debris, and the victim is hospitalized in stable condition. The ministry did not specify where the incident occurred.

Bushehr governor denies attack on nuclear power plant

Bushehr Governor Mohammad Mozaffari says the city was attacked by the US again this morning, but denied reports the nuclear power plant was targeted.

Mozaffari was quoted by Iranian media as saying news reports that the US attacked Kharg Island – off Iran’s coast in Bushehr province that processes 90 percent of Iran’s crude exports – were also inaccurate.

“No incidents have been recorded at these two locations,” Mozaffari said, according to ISNA.

Iran officials say no damage on Bushehr nuclear plant after US attacks

Explosions were heard and reported by Mehr News Agency near Bushehr. We know last night the United States attacked the Bushehr power plant.

There were reports that shrapnel from the missiles fell over the nuclear facility. Iranian officials are now denying that.

Bushehr was built by Russian personnel 20 years ago. During the US-Israel wars, Bushehr was not among the facilities bombed. It was Natanz, Fordow, and the nuclear facility in Isfahan. They were attacked by US B-2 bombers, but Bushehr was not among them.

While the war was ongoing, there were still Russian technical personnel in Bushehr. As of now, Tehran officials are saying there’s no harm inflicted on the nuclear power plant in the city of Bushehr.

Iran official accuses US of targeting Bushehr nuclear facility

An Iranian official has accused the United States of conducting an air strike near the Bushehr nuclear power plant.

State-run IRNA news agency quoted Ehsan Jahanian, a local official in Bushehr, as accusing the US of striking near Iran’s sole nuclear power plant.

He said the strike came about noon, hours after the US Central Command said it ended its attacks on Iran. There was no immediate response from the US.

Iran condemns US attacks as a ‘grave war crime’

Iran has denounced US attacks on its territory as a “war crime” and accused Washington of violating the interim deal aimed at ending the war.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry denounced what it described as “aggressive attacks” by the US military on sites throughout southern coastal provinces and two railway bridges along the line leading to the northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad.

The attacks constitute “a grave war crime”, it said in a statement. The ministry accused the US of breaching Articles 1 and 5 of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on ending the war.

On Wednesday, President Trump declared the MoU is “over”.

Iran president rejects calls to trade insults with Trump

President Masoud Pezeshkian says Iran will not address President Trump’s insulting rhetoric, pushing back against critics who say officials should verbally fire back.

“We will not learn this kind of policy from someone whose hands are stained with the blood of children,” Pezeshkian said – an apparent reference to a US strike on an Iranian school that killed more than 100 children.

“Someone who cannot speak or express his thoughts without insulting. His speech and thoughts are as much an insult as what he utters. We firmly defend our rights,” he said.

During remarks at the NATO summit in Ankara, Trump declared the ceasefire with Iran “over” and repeatedly insulted Iranian leaders by calling them “liars”, “scum”, and “vicious, violent, sick people”.

Bridge on China-Iran rail corridor hit by US strike

US air strikes on Iran have hit the Aq Taqeh Khan railway bridge in the northern province of Golestan, according to the Fars News Agency.

This bridge links key trade routes between Tehran and Iran’s biggest trading partner, China. The route was also used for cargo shipments to Russia during the US blockade on Iran’s ports.

Fars said bridge repairs will be completed quickly. The route across the bridge passes through Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan and on to China.

Jordan intercepts 8 Iranian missiles; no casualties

Jordan has intercepted eight Iranian missiles in its airspace after sirens sounded across the country, according to its armed forces.

Falling shrapnel did not cause any casualties or material damage, it added.

US strikes on Sirik kill 3, wound 15 people in Iran

The ISNA news agency reports a US attack on the city of Sirik hit a fishing pier killing three people and injuring 15 others, according to local authorities.

Blasts heard in Iran’s southern Bandar Abbas

Iran’s Mehr news agency reports more explosions have been heard in Bandar Abbas, an Iranian port city on the Strait of Hormuz.

The United States launched new air strikes against Iran and Tehran responded by targeting US-allied Middle East countries in an exchange of fire that threatens an interim deal intended to help end the war.

The strikes came hours after President Trump said recent Iranian attacks on ships in Hormuz signaled the end of a fragile ceasefire and he threatened to escalate the conflict if they didn’t stop.

Any miscalculation and situation can blow up into regional war

The deadly US strikes are a response to Iran holding the line on “new security arrangements” in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Abas Aslani, a senior fellow at the Tehran-based Center for Middle East Strategic Studies.

President Trump initially treated the interim deal as an off-ramp from a wider war with Iran, he said.

“He’s feeling the heat from domestic criticism as Israel pressures him so that’s why maybe he’s resorting to these types of actions in order to save face,” Aslani said.

The window for a diplomatic settlement is narrowing as the situation grows “much more complicated”. Iran views the strikes as an attempt to undermine its control over the Strait of Hormuz, he said, but Tehran is holding firm despite the military pressure.

“The timing, the scope, and the size of the recent aggressions have been limited… Maybe the US is not willing to light the regional powder keg,” Aslani added.

But the situation remains extremely volatile. “This is playing with fire and by any miscalculation the situation can spiral out of control, and this can turn into a regional war. So far we are not yet there, but it is very much likely to see such a scenario unfolding.”

IRGC says US attacks ‘seriously disrupt’ Hormuz reopening

US military strikes will not only trigger Iran’s “crushing response” but also disrupt crucial maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says.

In a statement, the IRGC said traffic had been restored to 50 percent compared to pre-war levels and blamed Washington’s “adventurism and interference” in determining routes for the current disruption.

“Foreigners have no stake in this land and in the Strait of Hormuz,” it added.

Iran sends ‘clear message’ to mediators as Gulf relations sour

Diplomacy between the US and Iran has run its course, former US Ambassador to Tunisia Joey Hood says.

Hood pointed to a pattern of Iranian attacks on commercial shipping, at least two of which struck Qatari vessels or ships carrying Qatari crude and liquefied natural gas.

“A lot of this targeting is not really aimed at the United States, it’s aimed at the Gulf countries,” he said.

The US is “a guest” on Gulf military bases used mainly for training and exercises with little American personnel or hardware actually exposed at these sites, said Hood.

Iran’s attacks are “a message to the [Gulf countries] and especially to the mediators: you’d better get on our side of this conflict now”, he said.

Wave of Iran attacks across Gulf region continues

Iran responded overnight to attacks by the US but it seems they are also continuing. We have heard sirens are being sounded in various regions of the Jordanian kingdom.

The Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry said from dawn it detected three ballistic missiles, one cruise missile, and 10 drones in its airspace. Those attacks were successfully dealt with but as a result of those interceptions shrapnel did fall and one person was injured.

There have been similar attacks on Bahrain and here in Qatar at around 3:30am. The threat level was raised. People will have seen an alert on their mobile phones. It was very quickly followed up with another message saying the threat had been eliminated.

But that was the first time in several months now that people living here in Qatar will have received one of those messages.

Iran justifies these attacks on Gulf countries by saying that those countries host US military bases and, therefore, are in their eyes supporting US attacks on Iran. Countries across the Gulf have denied that.

In Qatar, officials say none of the military bases they host have been involved in any attacks on Iran and continue to urge dialogue.

US forces struck over 170 Iranian targets in two days, CENTCOM says

The New York Times is quoting the US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) as saying that US forces struck more that 170 Iranian military targets along the Iranian coast near the Strait of Hormuz in the past two days, including air defence systems, drone and missile storage sites, military speed boats, and logistics infrastructure.

CENTCOM said these were intended to degrade Iran’s ability to attack commercial shipping in the strait.

The US newspaper added that the number of strikes was about 14 times the number of targets Washington hit in the most recent two-day escalation in June.

UAE condemns Iranian attacks on Kuwait, Bahrain

The United Arab Emirates has condemned “in the strongest terms” Iran’s renewed attacks on Gulf countries and expressed solidarity with Kuwait and Bahrain.

In a statement, its Foreign Ministry said: “These hostile attacks constitute a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Bahrain and the State of Kuwait and a threat to their security and stability.”

Qatar condemns Iranian attacks on Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain

Qatar has denounced wave of Iranian missile and drone strikes targeting Jordan, Bahrain, and Kuwait, calling the attacks a “flagrant violation” of regional sovereignty and international law.

The Foreign Ministry urged all sides to de-escalate tensions and return to diplomatic dialogue, emphasizing the need to safeguard the Gulf from “unjustified attacks” and protect progress previously made under existing agreements.

A ministry statement added Qatar will support for any defensive measures taken by its neighbours to preserve their security.

Iran shipped out 10 million barrels of crude, fuel oil overnight

Iran shipped out at least 10 million barrels of crude oil and fuel oil overnight, apparently anticipating a possible imminent resumption of the US Navy blockade.

TankerTrackers.com said on X the scramble to move fuel comes immediately after the United States abruptly revoked a 60-day sanctions waiver that temporarily allowed Tehran to openly market its oil.

The US took the decision after Iran attacked commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and responded with a series of strikes on Tehran’s military infrastructure over the past 48 hours.

US air strikes on Iran kill 3 IRGC members

Three members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) have been killed in US strikes on Iran, according to Mizan news agency.

Back-and-forth attacks, including on Wednesday, have repeatedly threatened the ceasefire but Thursday’s appeared bigger all around.

And President Trump’s mixed messaging – approving back-to-back military strikes while insisting they don’t mean a return to full-scale war – is fueling uncertainty about what comes next.

Iran making ‘strategic mistake of its own’ by hitting Gulf states

Iran is not seeking negotiations at this stage and has instead opened a new phase of the regional conflict by attacking its Gulf neighbors, a former US ambassador says.

Joey Hood said President Trump erred strategically by attacking Iran in the first place, and Tehran then compounded the situation with a “strategic mistake of its own” by turning its retaliation on the Gulf states.

“If it had concentrated its fire on US forces and on Israel, then I think the rest of the region and the world probably would have retained some sympathy for a regime that was fighting for its survival,” Hood said.

He added by continuing to strike Gulf infrastructure and commercial shipping even after formal hostilities ended, “Iran has taken the opportunity of this new regime to launch a war that they hope will give them custodianship over the Gulf economies and, therefore, a lot of influence”.

".. and Tehran then compounded the situation with a “strategic mistake of its own” by turning its retaliation on the Gulf states."

Strange analysis because Iran has been viewing the Gulf states as military objectives since the start of the war, as these countries are facilitating a war belligerent, which the US is since Trump declared war on Iran on February 28th. The Gulf states have made themselves a co-belligerent giving Iran the right to view them as military objectives.

US targeted military and civilian infrastructure in latest attacks

The Iranian envoy at the United Nations has blamed the US for violating the UN Charter and the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.

Amir Saeid Iravani also accused the UN Security Council of “in-active rule” that encouraged the United States to carry out more air strikes and increase its scope of attacks on Iranian locations.

US target locations have increased compared to previous attacks, this time including military as well as civilian locations. Previously, the US primarily targeted military facilities, but this time airports and railway tracks as well as civilian logistical facilities in five Iranian provinces were attacked.

For example, in Ahvaz in Khuzestan province, the perimeter of the Bushehr nuclear plant was also hit, according to Iranian authorities, as well as some wharfs on the southern Iranian coastline.

Oil tanker traffic through Hormuz at near standstill: Reuters

Oil tanker traffic through the Strait ⁠⁠of Hormuz was at a near standstill on Thursday, according to Reuters.

Two tankers sailed through the strait in the early hours of this morning, according to the news agency.

They include the crude supertanker Berg 1, which had loaded at Iran’s Kharg Island and is subject to US sanctions and the Marshall Islands-flagged chemical tanker Well Sail, according to analysis from Kpler.

Iran fired 10 ballistic missiles on Jordan’s Azraq military base: IRGC

Iran ⁠fired ⁠10 ballistic missiles at Jordan’s Azraq military ⁠base, the ⁠Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says.

It said it launched the missile strike targeting the “US command-and-control centre”, a statement carried by Fars said.

The ⁠Revolutionary Guard ⁠said US bases in the Middle East would be ‌targeted if attacks continue. “If the terrorist American army repeats its aggression, other American bases in the region will not be safe from our heavy fire.”

Jordan said earlier it intercepted eight missiles fired from ⁠Iran with no ⁠casualties or damage reported.

‘We’re now in an extremely dangerous situation’

Cooler heads are needed from both the US and Iran to prevent the return to all-out war in the Middle East, an analyst says.

“I think we’re now in an extremely dangerous situation,” said Alex Alfirraz Scheers, a London-based defense analyst.

He said the interim deal between Iran and the US “may not be dead but it certainly is on life support”.

“What it will take to get out of this crisis situation now – with four rounds of escalation – is going to be restraint on both sides. And it doesn’t look as though either side is willing to exercise that restraint because the political issue pertaining to the status of the strait is still extremely in doubt.”

He told Al Jazeera that the United States would “find it intolerable that Iran will exercise control over the strait”, while Iran finds it “intolerable without it being the predominant actor” over the crucial waterway.