Donald Trump’s inability to end the war has frustrated the president, whose Republican Party faces midterm elections later this year amid high gas prices and voter discontent. (File photo)
The governing council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on Friday called on countries to reject Iran’s efforts to assert sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz and its unilateral move to establish a body to regulate traffic through the strategic waterway.
Meanwhile, Israel has shared intelligence with the US about an Iranian plan to assassinate President Donald Trump, according to a report by the CNN. US officials said they had received broader intelligence in recent weeks about possible threats, but Israel’s alert involved a specific alleged plot.
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Fresh explosions were reported across southern Iran on Thursday, including near the Bushehr nuclear facility, according to Iranian officials and state media. The blasts came a day after confirmed US strikes on Iran and Iranian missile fire targeting American-linked bases in the region, deepening uncertainty over whether the ceasefire between Washington and Tehran can still hold. It remains unclear whether Thursday’s strikes represent a new phase of escalation or an unclaimed continuation of the fighting already underway.
Diplomatic efforts struggle as tensions rise: The uncertainty has done little to ease tensions, coming after two consecutive nights of US strikes on Iranian cities and Iran’s response targeting US-linked facilities in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar. Each side continues to blame the other for escalating the conflict, complicating efforts by international mediators to restore calm. Diplomats are now working to bring Washington and Tehran back to negotiations, but the absence of a clear sequence of events has slowed progress.
Latest developments:
- Iran reported fresh strikes on southern military sites, though the US denied carrying out any new attacks.
- Israeli officials said they were not involved in or aware of the reported strikes.
- Iran confirmed missile attacks on US-linked bases in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar earlier this week.
- US officials maintained that no strikes had been conducted in recent hours, adding to conflicting narratives.
- Iran completed the burial of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as leadership transition questions persist.
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