The United States has carried out new strikes inside Iran, targeting a military facility and downing Iranian attack drones, according to US officials. The strikes prompted an apparent Iranian retaliatory attack on an American airbase in Kuwait. US Central Command forces shot down four Iranian one-way attack drones near the Strait of Hormuz, and a ground control station in Iran's Bandar Abbas preparing to launch a fifth drone was also hit. Officials described the actions as 'measured, purely defensive, and intended to maintain the ceasefire.'
Two hours later, Iranian state broadcaster IRIB reported that the Revolutionary Guards had targeted an American base in Kuwait in retaliation. Kuwait's army confirmed its air defences were intercepting hostile missile and drone threats. The tit-for-tat strikes came as Iranian forces also fired at four ships attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz, according to IRIB, though no details on the vessels were provided.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump accused Iran of stalling peace talks, stating at a White House cabinet meeting that Iran 'want very much to make a deal' but that he would 'finish the job' if Tehran did not agree. He also directed a warning at Oman, saying the strait would be 'open to everybody' and that 'Oman will behave just like everybody else or we'll have to blow them up.' The White House did not clarify whether Trump had misspoken.
In Lebanon, Israel launched broad strikes and declared a new combat zone in the south. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his military is 'deepening its operation' in Lebanon, with clashes reported along a strategic river. The Israeli military said it had struck 550 targets since the start of the week, a significant increase. Hezbollah described 'point-blank range' combat with Israeli forces and vowed to fight until the war ends. More than 1.2 million Lebanese have been displaced.
