Strait of Hormuz crisis deepens, US-Iran strikes continue and Khamenei is laid to rest
Nuclear talks continue, shipping declines and Israel warns it could strike Iran again
Highlights
Israel shared intel about 'new' Iran plot to kill Trump: reports
Israel shared intelligence with the United States this week about a new and "specific" plan by Iran to assassinate President Donald Trump, US media reported Thursday.
The reports come as renewed US and Iranian attacks raised fears of a return to all-out war, and after Trump's puzzling use of an old plane to depart from Turkey after the NATO summit.
Washington has monitored "a steady drumbeat" of intelligence about possible plans to assassinate Trump, "but the warning from Israel was new and concerned a specific plot," CNN reported, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter.
The Wall Street Journal, also citing unidentified sources, said the intelligence described a "fresh" plot.
Tehran has for years vowed to hit back at Trump for ordering the assassination of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in January 2020, during his first term.
When AFP contacted the White House about the reports, an unidentified official pointed to Trump's remarks from Wednesday.
"They want to take out the US leader - me. I'm on whatever list. I saw this morning I'm on every single one of their lists," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One as he flew home from a NATO summit.
Iran, Oman and Turkey foreign ministers push diplomatic solution in phone call
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi discussed the latest regional developments with his Omani and Turkish counterparts as well as Pakistan's army chief in separate phone calls following renewed US strikes on Iran, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said.
In phone calls with Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Araghchi discussed the recent developments in the Strait of Hormuz and other issues of common concern, read a ministry statement.
They stressed the importance of pursuing diplomacy and maintaining contacts and coordination to address regional issues and prevent further escalation, the statement said.
US keeps nuclear talks alive with Iran, calls shipping attacks ‘terrorism’
The US and Iran continue to hold technical negotiations over Tehran's nuclear program, even as the two countries exchange military strikes in one of the most dangerous escalations in years, a US official said Thursday.
The official told CNN that Washington remains committed to pursuing a diplomatic resolution despite President Donald Trump's authorisation of a new round of retaliatory strikes against Iranian military targets following attacks on 3 civilian tankers which the US and allies blamed on Iran.
"The United States is still committed to finding a resolution, and technical talks continue. Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon," the official said.
The talks underscore a dual-track US strategy of maintaining military pressure while leaving the door open for diplomacy to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.
However, the official said progress toward any broader agreement has been undermined by Iran's recent actions in the Gulf.
The latest developments reflect the increasingly complex nature of US-Iran relations, where military confrontation and diplomatic engagement are unfolding simultaneously.
While Washington insists that Iran must never acquire a nuclear weapon, it has also signaled that negotiations remain the preferred long-term path — provided Tehran halts attacks that threaten international shipping and regional stability.
Iran buries supreme leader
Former Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei was buried in his home city of Mashhad, state television reported, following a ceremony at which his son and successor was not seen.
The "body of the martyred leader of the Islamic Revolution was buried in the memorial hall of the shrine of Imam Reza," state broadcaster IRIB reported.
Ship traffic through Strait of Hormuz plunges
Marine tracking firms have reported a sharp decline in commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, highlighting growing concerns among shipowners and insurers after renewed military exchanges between the United States and Iran threatened one of the world's most critical maritime chokepoints.
According to maritime intelligence firms cited by The Wall Street Journal, vessel movements through the narrow waterway have fallen well below recent levels after the collapse of a fragile ceasefire.
Data from Kpler and Windward showed only about 25 vessel transits, compared with the 30 to 50 crossings recorded during the partial recovery in recent weeks.
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Iran reports strikes on 2 military sites; US denies conducting new attacks
Iranian state media said two military facilities in southern Iran came under attack Thursday evening, but US officials denied that American forces were carrying out any new strikes, adding to uncertainty over the latest reported explosions.
The state-run IRNA news agency, citing Ehsan Jahanian, the political and security deputy governor of Bushehr province, reported that a military facility near the city of Bushehr was struck by what he described as "US-Israeli enemy projectiles".
The report did not specify the extent of the damage or whether there were casualties.
Iran warns US of 'firm and decisive' response
Iran has warned that it will deliver a "firm and decisive response" to what it called repeated violations by the US, and said it has already carried out actions targeting US interests and bases in the region.
In a strongly worded statement during an interview with IANS, Iran's Consul General, Saeid Reza Mosayeb Motlagh, said on Thursday that "Tehran had initially shown restraint in the face of US 'breaches of commitments" but was now compelled to respond, as it has done on previous occasions".
"This time, as before, we have responded accordingly, and we will deliver a firm and decisive response that, God willing, will once again make the aggressor regret its actions," he added.
The Consul General also said: "We have consistently demonstrated our commitment to negotiations and dialogue at all times before, during, and after both periods of attacks. Unfortunately, the United States has repeatedly undermined the principles of dialogue through its lack of commitment."
"US does not cease its violations," Iran "will be compelled to respond on the battlefield and through military means".
Iran said it has placed the issue on its agenda and has taken action against American interests in the region. It also addressed maritime security, saying it has "had to restrict passage" in some areas to ensure the safety of vessels and crews amid insecure conditions.
"Iran has consistently sought regional peace, stability, and prosperity, and continues to work toward these objectives," the statement noted.
No major damage from dozens of missiles, drones fired by Iran: US official
Dozens of missiles and drones fired by Iran caused no significant damage or injuries to American personnel, a US defense official said on Thursday.
The Iranian missiles and drones "were intercepted or failed to cause major damage," the official said on condition of anonymity, adding that there were "no US injuries."
Israel says ready to attack Iran for 'third time if necessary'
Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz on Thursday said his country was prepared to resume its military campaign against Iran if needed, vowing to do so "with even greater force".
The latest remarks came as new fighting erupted between the United States and Iran, raising fears of a return to full-scale war after an April ceasefire and a June US-Iran agreement to end hostilities.
"The army is ready and on alert for a resumption of fighting, in order to regain air superiority and strike again... in Iran, to eliminate threats, including a third time if necessary," Katz said at a military ceremony.
"If we have to go back, we will go back, with even greater force," he added.
Speaking at the ceremony, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Iran had been weakened by the two previous military campaigns Israel launched against it.
But he also acknowledged that the conflict was not yet over.
"The Iranian axis is weaker than ever before, while Israel is stronger than ever before," he said.
"We proved that the long arm of the Israeli Air Force can reach anywhere, from Yemen to Iran. Yet we must also acknowledge that the campaign is not over."
Trump updated Netanyahu on US 'moves in Gulf': Israeli PM's office
US President Donald Trump briefed Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday about US operations in the Gulf, the Israeli Prime Minister's office said, said, after Iran reported fresh American strikes.
"As part of the continuous contact" between the two, "President Trump updated the Prime Minister on American moves in the Gulf," Netanyahu's office said in a message on X.
A US official confirmed the call occurred without providing further details Thursday.
Arab Parliament condemns Iranian attacks on Jordan
Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Yamahi, Speaker of the Arab Parliament, has condemned the Iranian attacks that violated the airspace of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, describing them as a dangerous escalation that threatens the security and stability of the region and endangers the safety of civilians and air navigation.
In a statement issued today, Al Yamahi affirmed the Arab Parliament's full solidarity with Jordan and its support for the measures taken by the Kingdom to safeguard its national security and sovereignty.
He called on the international community and the United Nations Security Council to intervene immediately to halt these violations, uphold international law and the Charter of the United Nations, and spare the region further tension.
Iran official says US strike targeted perimeter of nuclear plant
The United States targeted the perimeter of Iran's only civilian nuclear plant with a strike on Thursday, Iranian state media reported, citing the deputy governor of Bushehr province.
"Several areas in Bushehr province were targeted today, including the perimeter of the nuclear power plant, a military base in the town of Choghadak and a fishing pier in the south of the province," Ehsan Jahanian said, adding there were no reports of casualties so far.
It came after residents of Choghadak, which sits a little more than 20 kilometres from the Bushehr plant, reported hearing several explosions.
Strikes have previously landed near the power station during the Middle East war.
In April, the UN's nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, warned that attacks near the plant "pose a very real danger to nuclear safety and must stop".
The power station, built with Russian help, has one operational reactor and two further ones under construction. Russia evacuated its staff from the site during the war.
Non-profit monitor ACLED has reported four strikes near the plant during the war.
Air raid sirens sound in Jordan after Iranian missiles breach airspace
Air raid sirens sounded in Jordan after the Kingdom's airspace was breached by missiles fired from Iran.
Government Communication Minister and Government Spokesperson Mohammad Momani said the missiles were intercepted and the threat was dealt with.
Iran official says US strike targeted perimeter of nuclear plant: state media
The United States targeted the perimeter of Iran's only civilian nuclear plant with a strike on Thursday, Iranian state media reported, citing the deputy governor of Bushehr province.
"Several areas in Bushehr province were targeted today, including the perimeter of the nuclear power plant, a military base in the town of Choghadak and a fishing pier in the south of the province," Ehsan Jahanian said, adding there were no reports of casualties so far.
It came after residents of Choghadak, which sits a little more than 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the Bushehr plant, reported hearing several explosions.
