US intensifies strikes on Iran, disables ship to enforce blockade
The U.S. expanded its campaign of missile strikes into northern Iran on Thursday as President Donald Trump maintained his threat to target the country's power plants and bridges. Iran has threatened in turn to target the energy infrastructure of neighboring countries.
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Air raid sirens heard in Bahrain after Iran claims attack on US airbase
Air raid sirens have been activated in Bahrain after Iran’s army reportedly claimed it had targeted U.S. helicopters and reconnaissance aircraft at Sakhir airbase in Bahrain.
"The alarm siren has been activated," Bahrain's Interior Ministry said on X.
"We urge citizens and residents to remain calm, head to the nearest safe location, and follow updates through official channels," the ministry added.
Bahraini and U.S. officials did not immediately confirm that the airbase had been struck.
Jordan intercepted Iranian missiles, military says
Jordan’s Armed Forces announced that they intercepted three Iranian missiles targeting their territory.
No casualties or damage were reported, the armed forces said.
Iran has not claimed responsibility for the latest attack, although Iran has repeatedly targeted Jordan in recent days.
Iranian officials say several bridges targeted in US strikes on southern Iran
Several bridges in southern Iran were struck in the latest round of U.S. strikes on Iran, according to Iranian officials.
The bridges were hit in southern Iran’s Hormozgan province, the governor’s office said, according to Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency.
Many of the targeted bridges were on routes connected to Bandar Abbas, a coastal city on the Strait of Hormuz.
A railway junction in Bandar Abbas had been struck earlier, according to the outlet.
A photo released by state broadcaster IRIB showed the damaged Kahourestan Bridge, a key road link between Bandar Abbas and Shiraz, after it was reportedly struck by the U.S.
At least seven people were killed and nine others were wounded in the latest strikes, state media reported.
Child wounded in Qatar following Iranian attack, interior ministry says
Qatar's Ministry of Interior said a child was wounded after an Iranian attack targeting Qatar early Friday.
The child was injured by falling shrapnel resulting from interception operations, the ministry said.
The child is receiving medical attention.
Qatar’s Defense Ministry said earlier that its armed forces had intercepted an Iranian missile attack targeting the country.
Iran calls on residents to limit AC use after energy infrastructure damaged in US strikes
Iran's Ministry of Energy is urging Iranians to limit air conditioning use to help provide a more stable supply of electricity to the southern parts of the country.
Power lines were damaged after attacks in southern Iran, causing supply disruptions to Bandar Abbas and surrounding areas, the ministry’s head of public relations, Hossein Moghimi, told the semi-official Tasnim News Agency.
Although power has been restored in some areas, the ministry called on people in other parts of the country to limit their electricity usage to help residents in the south.
"If possible, if every Iranian could turn off their air conditioner for just one hour during peak consumption periods — which are usually between 10 or 11 a.m. and 4 or 5 p.m., and especially during the evening hours — we would be able to provide a more reliable and stable electricity supply to the southern regions, where temperatures are significantly higher and where infrastructure has also been affected by enemy attacks," Moghimi told the outlet.
This comes as temperatures in southern Iran have recently surpassed 120 degrees Fahrenheit, according to state media.
US conducts new round of attacks against Iran, striking military targets
U.S. Central Command said on Thursday it successfully completed a new wave of strikes against Iranian military targets amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East.
"U.S. forces, including fighter jets, aerial drones, and warships, launched precision munitions that hit dozens of Iranian military targets such as coastal surveillance and air defense sites, military logistics infrastructure, and maritime capabilities. This was the sixth consecutive night of U.S. strikes against Iran," CENTCOM said in a post on X.
"At the Commander in Chief's direction, CENTCOM is further degrading Iranian military capabilities and holding Iran accountable for recent attacks on commercial shipping," the post continued.
More than 50,000 U.S. service members are operating across the Middle East and remain "vigilant, lethal, and ready," CENTCOM said.
Israeli president dreams of peace with Saudis, praised renewed US attacks on Iran
Israeli President Isaac Herzog said he dreams of peace between the Jewish State and Saudi Arabia and that he was "happy" to see the U.S military renewed its strikes against Iran.
"It is my dream to see peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia. I have great respect for Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman," Herzog told Saudi Arabia's state-owned Al-Arabiya. "The thing that we want most in Israel is to see rapprochement between the nations."
"The dialogue between Jerusalem and Mecca should be the real gist of it, because I believe Jew and Muslim need to dwell together in this region in peace. I guess I can't come to Riyadh just as an ordinary citizen, but I hope to be able to realize this dream and meet the Saudi Arabian leadership officially in due course," he added.
Herzog also had high praise for the U.S. move to renew strikes against Iran in the escalating conflict in the Middle East.
"I'm happy that the American reaction is firm so that everybody understands, especially the Iranians, that they have to go back on track if they really want to implement an exit from the war," he said.
Kuwait fights against missile and drone threats from Iran
Kuwait’s Ministry of Information announced on Thursday that it was responding to missile and drone threats after the "sinful Iranian aggression."
"Kuwaiti air defenses are currently confronting hostile missile and drone attacks, following the sinful Iranian aggression," the ministry said on X.
"The General Staff of the Army notes that if explosion sounds are heard, they are the result of air defense systems intercepting the hostile attacks," the post added.
The ministry urged residents to follow the security and safety instructions issued by the competent authorities.
Qatar rejects 'false' Israeli reports of agreeing to join military action against Iran
Qatar rejected "false" Israeli news reports that it has agreed to participate in military operations against Iran.
Qatar's International Media Office said the false reports were spread by those seeking to "draw the State of Qatar into the conflict, to undermine its pivotal role in mediation, and to push the region towards further escalation and chaos."
The office said it will not allow the "misleading allegations" to undermine the country's involvement in bringing the U.S.-Iran conflict to an end.
Iran denies releasing any American prisoners, contradicting Trump announcement
Iran's judiciary on Thursday said no American prisoner had been released or exchanged from its prisons, Iranian state media reported.
The statement came after President Donald Trump said a U.S. citizen detained during the Biden administration in 2024 had been freed, Reuters reported.
Checks by the judiciary appeared to show that no convicted American prisoner or American detainee had been released from Iranian prisons or exchanged.
However, Iranian-American citizen Dena Karari was identified by her attorney, Jared Genser, who confirmed her release to Fox News. Genser clarified that Karari had been subjected to a "coercive exit ban" rather than physical imprisonment.
In a Wednesday post on Truth Social, Trump said the woman was detained in December 2024 and was recently allowed to leave Iran.
US forces redirect and disable commercial ships violating Iran blockade
U.S. forces continue to monitor the Strait of Hormuz amid a naval blockade involving Iranian ports and ships destined for Iran.
As of Thursday, American forces have redirected three commercial vessels trying to run the blockade, disabled one that didn’t comply, and boarded another to ensure full compliance with the ongoing blockade, said U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).
"The Strait of Hormuz and the surrounding waters remain free and open, except for vessels attempting to violate America’s steel wall blockade," CENTOM wrote on X.
Iran petition demands hardline lawmakers experience reality of U.S. airstrikes firsthand
A petition in Iran calling on some of the country's most hardline leaders who oppose diplomacy with Washington to travel to areas hit hardest by U.S. airstrikes has collected at least 100,000, according to reports.
The petition, hosted on the Iranian platform Karzar, calls on prominent Paydari figures, including lawmakers Hamid Rasaei and Amirhossein Sabeti, to travel to the southern cities of Sirik and Bandar Abbas, where much of the attacks have been concentrated, Iran International reported.
The authors of the petition said a visit would help the Iranian leaders "better understand the realities on the ground," which could lead to better decisions from Tehran.
The report said Iran's Paydari Front is packed with some of the country's most hardline political factions who oppose negotiations with the Trump administration.
US airstrikes hit key highway bridge and airport in Iran: report
U.S. airstrikes on Thursday reportedly struck a key bridge and airport in Iran.
Among the sites hit was the Bandar Abbas-Kahurestan-Lar bridge, a key road link between Bandar Abbas and Shiraz, as well as Iranshahr Airport in southeastern Iran, according to Iranian state media reports cited by Iran International.
The news site reported that powerful explosions were heard near both locations, after U.S. warplanes launched a missile strike on the airport facility
White House says Iran seeks deal with Trump administration despite ongoing US airstrikes
Iranian leaders continue to express a desire for a deal with the Trump administration to end hostilities with the United States, the White House said Thursday.
"Iran very much continues to talk to the United States of America and express that they want to make a deal with us because they are suffering devastating blows on behalf of our United States military," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters.
Leavitt noted that Tehran violated a signed memorandum of understanding promising not to target commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
"Unfortunately, they have made the tragic decision—for them—to do that," Leavitt said. "President Trump is not going to sit by and allow these active acts of terrorism to take place in the strait without ensuring Iran pays consequences for that."
Meanwhile, U.S. forces launched a new wave of airstrikes against Iran on Thursday, marking the fifth consecutive day of attacks targeting Iranian military installations.
Dubai denies reports of downtown explosions, calls Reuters report 'false'
Dubai is denying reports of explosions in its downtown area amid Iranian attacks on Gulf states on Thursday.
The Government of Dubai Media Office (GDMO) said a Reuters report citing witnesses who said blasts were heard in downtown Dubai was false.
"GDMO urges the public and media to rely only on official sources for accurate information and to avoid spreading rumours or unverified information," the GDMO wrote on X.
The agency subsequently said "necessary measures" would be taken against media outlets that published false reports or unverified news about Dubai.
Tehran murals depict Trump and Netanyahu drowning in 'sea of revenge'
A mural depicting President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu drowning in a red "sea of revenge" was unveiled in Tehran.
The IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News Agency reported on the mural on Thursday.
"You will drown in the sea of the Iranian nation's revenge," the mural read in Persian and English.
Another mural depicting Trump lying in a coffin was unveiled in Tehran, according to images published by Iranian media on Wednesday.
Israel prepares for US-Iran escalation following Trump's remarks: report
Israel is preparing for a possible escalation between the United States and Iran next week following recent remarks by President Donald Trump and ongoing diplomatic developments, according to reports.
A report by Channel 12 said Israel believes U.S. forces could begin targeting Iranian civilian infrastructure. So far, U.S. airstrikes have been largely focused on Iranian military sites.
Israel's belief stems from remarks made by President Donald Trump during an interview with Fox News Channel's chief political anchor, Bret Baier, that aired Tuesday on "Special Report."
“We’re going to hit them very hard tonight. We’re going to hit them very hard tomorrow night. We’re going to hit them very hard the night after, and then next week it gets really bad for them because next week comes the power plants," Trump said, the Times of Israel reported.
"Next week comes the bridges. We’re going to knock out all their power plants. We’re going to knock out all their bridges unless they get to the table and negotiate," he added.
US forces launch new wave of strikes against Iran for sixth straight night
U.S. forces have launched a new wave of strikes targeting Iranian military sites.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced the attacks on Thursday.
"At 2 p.m. ET today, U.S. forces began conducting a new wave of strikes against Iran for the sixth consecutive night to further degrade Iranian military capabilities."
Hamas commander involved in Oct. 7 attack killed in Gaza airstrike, IDF says
A Hamas commander who participated in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel was killed in an airstrike in Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces said Thursday.
The IDF identified the target as Nihad Riyad Abd al-Rahim Arouq, a platoon commander in Hamas’s Shati Battalion.
"Throughout the war, including in recent months, Nihad Riyad trained terrorists and attempted to advance terrorist attacks against IDF troops and Israeli civilians," an IDF post on X stated.
Iran still 'very much' interested in peace talks with the US, Leavitt says
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt says Iran is still "very" interested in continuing peace talks with the U.S. as of Thursday.
Leavitt told reporters at the White House that President Donald Trump's team remains in contact with Iran's negotiators even as the U.S. escalates strikes against the Tehran regime.
"I've spoken with the president about this as recently as an hour ago. Iran very much continues to talk to the United States of America and expressed that they want to make a deal with us because they are suffering devastating blows on behalf of our United States military," Leavitt said.
"The reason and this is important for the American people to understand the reason for the recent strikes over the course of the last several days is because Iran violated the memorandum of understanding that we struck with them, specifically in the memorandum of understanding that they signed, they were not to fire on commercial vessels moving through the Strait of Hormuz," she added.