The United States has targeted a military facility in Iran and downed four attack drones, US officials confirmed, prompting an apparent retaliatory strike by Iran on an American airbase in Kuwait. This escalation underscores the fragility of ongoing peace negotiations.
US and Iran Exchange Fire
US Central Command forces shot down four Iranian one-way attack drones that posed a threat near the Strait of Hormuz, according to officials. They also struck a ground control station in the port city of Bandar Abbas that was preparing to launch a fifth drone. Iranian state broadcaster Irib reported later on Thursday that the Revolutionary Guards had targeted an American base in Kuwait, which they claimed was the source of the attack.
Kuwait's army confirmed its air defenses were intercepting missile and drone threats just before 6 a.m. in Kuwait City.
Oil Prices Surge Amid Tensions
Oil prices jumped on Thursday, erasing much of Wednesday's decline, as the latest test of the ceasefire unfolded. President Donald Trump warned he may have to 'finish the job,' while Tehran stated its forces are still 'lying in wait with full magazines.' Brent North Sea crude rose by 1.8% in Thursday morning trade to $95.95 a barrel.
The mixed signals underscored the fragile state of talks. Iran suggested a return to war was unlikely, while Trump told a televised White House cabinet meeting that Tehran 'very much' wanted a deal but had not yet offered enough. 'So far they haven't gotten there. We're not satisfied with it, but we will be,' the US president said. 'Either that or we'll have to just finish the job.'
Escalation in Lebanon
The Israeli military declared a new swathe of southern Lebanon a combat zone, urging residents to move north and warning it would act 'with great force' against Iran-backed Hezbollah in the area. The statement on Wednesday appeared to signal further escalation after more than 120 strikes hit Lebanon's south and east on Tuesday, despite a ceasefire. The major Lebanese city of Tyre has come under constant Israeli bombardment, according to local media. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it is hitting Hezbollah targets in the ancient coastal city, a day after issuing a warning that forced thousands to leave Tyre and surrounding areas. Lebanon's official National News Agency reported two people were killed in Tyre in an Israeli drone strike on Thursday morning.
Trump Warns Oman
Trump appeared to direct a warning at Oman, a US ally and mediator in the Iran conflict, when asked about a possible short-term arrangement allowing Iran and Oman to control the Strait of Hormuz. 'No, the strait is going to be open to everybody,' he said. 'It's international waters and Oman will behave just like everybody else or we'll have to blow them up. They understand that, they'll be fine.'
Ebrahim Azizi, head of the Iranian parliament's national security committee, said Trump's 'rhetoric' would not force Iran to back away from its demands to enrich uranium, wield authority over the strait, and see sanctions against it lifted. 'It is obvious Trump, seeking a way out of this strategic deadlock, alternates between issuing threats and appealing for an agreement,' Azizi said on X.
Hamas Military Wing Leader Killed
Hamas has confirmed that Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City killed the new leader of Hamas' military wing. The group said on Wednesday that Mohammed Odeh was killed the previous day, along with his wife and two of his children. More Israeli strikes in the city on Wednesday evening killed at least seven people, including two children and a woman. More than 20 people were wounded, including several children, according to Shifa hospital.
