US completes latest round of strikes on Iran as oil prices continue rising over Mideast instability
Overnight, the U.S. military completed the 12th consecutive night of strikes against Iran, targeting maritime capabilities, missile and drone storage facilities, coastal surveillance sites. Oil prices have been ticking up since fighting restarted after the MOU President Donald Trump signed fell apart.
Trump says US-Saudi nuclear deal allows no enrichment, hinges on joining Abraham Accords
President Donald Trump said Thursday the proposed U.S.-Saudi civil nuclear deal will be approved only if Saudi Arabia joins the Abraham Accords.
Trump added there would be "no enrichment of material" under the agreement and that it would be limited to non-military civilian nuclear use.
"The Civil Nuclear Deal (There will be no enrichment of material!) being made between the United States Department of Energy and Saudi Arabia, which pertains only to non-military use such as the ones that Iran and UAE (and others) already have, will be approved, but is totally subject to Saudi Arabia joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "The United States is not opposed to Civil (Non-Enriched) Nuclear Facilities. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"
Trump says 'US will hold Iran responsible' if Houthis continue attacking ships in Red Sea
President Donald Trump said Thursday morning that the United States will inflict "major military punishment" on Iran if the Houthis continue attacking ships in the Red Sea.
The Houthis, an Iran-backed terrorist group in Yemen, fired at two Saudi Arabian ships on Wednesday.
"A year ago the United States of America attacked, very powerfully, the Houthis, for their interference with commerce and trade, by shooting at ships," Trump wrote on Truth Social, referring to U.S. military operations in March and May of last year.
"Since that time, and during our conflict with Iran, [the Houthis] have acted very responsibly. Unfortunately, now they are starting up again," Trump continued. "Please let this TRUTH serve to represent that if they do this again, the U.S. will hold Iran responsible, in that the Houthis are a Surrogate and/or Proxy of Iran, and major military punishment will be inflicted upon Iran and, of course, the Houthis, themselves. who I am very disappointed with in that they have, until now, acted very professionally and smart."
Rubio urges Houthis to stay out of conflict, says Iran 'begging' US for another deal
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, while on his trip to the Philippines, answered questions from reporters about the Iran war.
In response to a question about the Houthis attacking two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, Rubio urged the Iran-backed terrorist group to disentangle itself from the ongoing conflict.
"I hope that they'll stop. They shouldn't really do that. They got suckered into this by the Iranians," Rubio said. "The Houthis largely were smart and stayed out of all this throughout the conflict."
"They should stay out of it," he added. "We'll see what happens there. Obviously, it's not a positive development."
Rubio also said Iran is begging the U.S. "both directly and indirectly" to strike another deal to end the fighting.
"The problem with Iran is every time they make a deal, the people that are in charge there, they either break it or they want to change it. So, it looks like they're not ready to make a deal, so they're going to continue to pay a price," Rubio said.
US rushes more forces to Middle East, expanding Trump's Iran military options: report
The U.S. is moving forces, weapons and medics to the Middle East to give President Donald Trump broader military options, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.
Citing officials, the outlet said the recent "surge" in forces and assets comes as Trump considers widening the conflict against Iran.
Special operations forces have deployed to the region from their U.S. bases, according to flight-tracking data and U.S. officials, the report said.
Squadrons of jet fighters have also been staged across the Middle East.
Bomber aircraft at bases in the U.S. and U.K. are on high alert to ramp up operations, one official said.
Live Coverage begins here