The Iranian military on Thursday threatened to continue attacking American targets in the Middle East, and demanded a halt to President Donald Trump’s threats of further U.S. military action.
Iran is demanding the release of $24 billion in frozen assets as a condition for advancing a potential agreement with Washington, while U.S. forces intercepted Iranian missiles and drones targeting Kuwait, Bahrain, and maritime traffic near the Strait of Hormuz and President Donald Trump’s top envoys quietly convened nuclear experts to prepare for the possible implementation of a deal.
Iranian officials on Thursday denied bombing the Kuwait airport and insisted ceasefire talks with the United States are proceeding.
Kuwaiti officials said on Wednesday that at least one person was killed and 63 injured by an Iranian missile and drone attack on the Kuwait International Airport.
“Self defense” strikes were launched by U.S. military assets across the Persian Gulf overnight into Wednesday morning, with a host of ballistic missiles and drones fired at ships and Gulf countries by Iran obliterated in the process.
The United States bombed radar and drone sites across Iran over the weekend after Tehran brought down an American MQ-1 drone. Iran further claimed a strike of its own as Kuwait reported drawing incoming fire.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) accused Iran on Thursday of an “egregious ceasefire violation” for firing a ballistic missile at Kuwait and launching “five one-way attack drones that posed a clear threat in and near the Strait of Hormuz.”
The Iranian Foreign Ministry demanded on Thursday that the United Nations Security Council act to contain the United States in response to limited action against its attack drones, which Tehran claimed to respond to by bombing a U.S. air base.
Speaking at a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Helsingborg, Sweden on Friday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said “no country in the world should accept” Iran’s latest scheme to control the Strait of Hormuz in perpetuity and extort “tolls” from international shipping.
Kuwait on Tuesday arrested four alleged members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and accused them of attempting to infiltrate Bubiyan Island, a Kuwaiti territory close to shipping lanes and oil fields that has a port under construction with Chinese funding.
The shaky ceasefire in the Iran war was tested again on Sunday when drones of unclear origin set fire to a cargo ship off Qatar’s coast and entered Kuwaiti airspace before dawn, authorities said.
Two unnamed U.S. officials told NBC News on Wednesday that President Donald Trump’s “Project Freedom” — the plan for American military forces to safely escort commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz — was “paused” after less than 48 hours because Saudi Arabia denied the use of its airbases to protect ships from attacks by Iran.
Hapless would-be terrorist said “Why are you stopping me? Why are you stopping me from making crimes?” to officers after his arrest.
Defense analysts and security officials told The National on Monday that Iran is “relying on Chinese and Russian-made guidance chips” to improve the accuracy of its drone and missile attacks.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Wednesday denied a report that Iran used a Chinese-built spy satellite to target American military bases for missile and drone attacks during Operation Epic Fury.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed on Wednesday that Ukrainian anti-drone personnel were deployed to the Middle East nations attacked by Iran during Operation Epic Fury, and were able to counter Iran’s Shahed drones with their own interceptor technology.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait reported on Wednesday that they had documented airstrikes, mostly on their energy facilities, that they attributed to Iran, hours after Iran and the United States announced they had agreed to a two-week ceasefire.
Three U.S. F-15E pilots inadvertently shot down in the first days of Operation Epic Fury are already back on the front line and bombing Iran.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels announced their entry into the Middle East war on Saturday by launching a ballistic missile towards Israel, as the world struggled to contain the economic damage of a conflict now entering its second month.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Friday that strikes on Iran will “escalate and expand” if Iran keeps launching missiles.
A military base in Kuwait hosting Italian forces was hit by an Iranian drone strike on Sunday, destroying an Italian-owned drone but leaving no injuries, the Italian Defense Ministry announced.
Iran struck Gulf infrastructure on Sunday, hitting fuel tanks at Kuwait’s international airport and damaging a desalination plant in Bahrain as Tehran pressed its missile and drone campaign against its neighbours into a second week.
Three F-15E Strike Eagle fighters were shot down by an ally while engaging Iranian aircraft, all pilots ejected safely and recovered.
The Iranian terror regime struck seven different neighboring countries with missiles and drones following the launch of America’s “Operation Epic Fury,” reports as of Saturday night Washington, DC, time indicated.
Saudi Arabia on Saturday morning strongly condemned Iranian missile attacks against U.S. bases hosted by their Gulf allies, and threatened to take actions if Iran continues violating their sovereignty.
New Jersey Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli was given the “surprise of a lifetime” from his son, U.S. Army Capt. Jake, on the eve of Election Day in New Jersey between Ciattarelli and his Democrat gubernatorial opponent, Mikie Sherrill.
Internet monitors said over the weekend that widespread service disruptions in Asia and the Middle East appear to have been caused by damage to undersea cables in the Red Sea, off the coast of Saudi Arabia. It was not immediately clear if the cable damage was caused by deliberate sabotage.
Kuwait First Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Fahad Yousef Saud a-Sabah announced on Monday that nearly 50,000 citizenships have been revoked because their papers were allegedly obtained with the assistance of “forgers.”
Several countries in the Middle East such as Kuwait and Bahrain announced they were closing their airspaces after reports that Iran had fired ballistic missiles at U.S. bases in Qatar and Iraq.
An American defense contractor who was held hostage in Kuwait for 903 days has thanked President Donald Trump for his efforts in securing his release.
Six Americans, consisting of veterans and military contractors, who had been imprisoned on drug charges were released by Kuwait, according a recent report from the Associated Press.
President Donald Trump announced that he has nominated Amer Ghalib, the mayor of Hamtramck, Michigan, to serve as Ambassador to Kuwait.
The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) of China deployed a task force of six warships to the Middle East over the past week.
Three siblings in Cullman County, Alabama, got one of the best surprises ever on Friday, which brought tears of joy.
The Moscow Times reported on Wednesday that illegal copies of the international blockbuster hit film Barbie have begun appearing in Russian movie theaters despite American sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine.
Two Michigan students received the surprise of a lifetime when their father, who had deployed to Kuwait with the National Guard, visited their school upon returning home.
The emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad, made a point on Tuesday of getting himself photographed waving the flag of Saudi Arabia during the Saudi match against Argentina at the 2022 World Cup soccer tournament.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Monday that two B-52H Stratofortress nuclear-capable bombers flew across the Middle East on Sunday in a Bomber Task Force (BTF) mission that included fighter escort planes from the United Kingdom, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and briefly Israel.
Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) took steps this week to restore diplomatic relations with Iran, a tacit acknowledgment that President Joe Biden’s reckless determination to restore the Iran nuclear deal will make Tehran vastly more rich and powerful, not to mention bringing it closer to deploying a nuclear umbrella.
Gulf state Bahrain has joined other Middle Eastern countries in imposing a cinema ban on the fourth instalment of superhero saga Thor, a Hollywood blockbuster featuring gay characters.
