US-Israel-Iran War News Live Updates: Kuwait retaliates, shuts airspace amid Iranian strikes; Israel detects launches from Lebanon

Kuwait on Thursday announced the closure of its airspace amid ongoing Iranian attacks, citing risks to civil aviation in the region. The country's Directorate General of Civil Aviation said flights were being diverted to alternative airports, though it did not provide further details.

The announcement came after flights were seen circling outside Kuwaiti airspace and the military reported that its air defence systems were engaged.

“This measure comes in light of the state of Kuwait being subjected to sinful Iranian aggressions and the potential risks that may result from this on civil aviation traffic in the region,” the authorities said in a statement.

The move follows a recent Iranian strike that directly hit Kuwait International Airport, killing one person and injuring dozens.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the Strait of Hormuz will be "closed to all vessels" following new US strikes on Iran, warning that any ship attempting to pass through the waterway could be targeted.

"Effective immediately, due to insecurity in the region, the Strait of Hormuz is declared closed to all vessels, including oil tankers and commercial ships," the IRGC said in a post on its official Telegram, as cited by CNN.

"Any vessel attempting to transit the strait will be targeted," the statement added. Al Jazeera reported, while citing Iranian media, that heavy clashes and an exchange of fire have been reported in the Strait of Hormuz between US forces and naval units of Iran's IRGC.

US forces are said to have struck seven coastal locations so far, with attacks reported in and around Bandar Abbas, Sirik, Qeshm Island and Hengam Island. IRGC Navy said that two vessels attempting to "illegally" transit the Strait of Hormuz have been struck.

The United States launched fresh overnight strikes on multiple targets across Iran, escalating tensions in the Middle East as President Donald Trump warned that further attacks would follow unless Tehran agrees to a peace deal.

The US military's Central Command said the operation targeted "military surveillance capabilities, communication systems, and air defense sites across Iran." The strikes began shortly after midnight in Tehran and concluded about four hours later.

"The strikes are in response to Iran's unwarranted and continued aggression," Central Command said in a statement posted on X.

The latest attacks mark a major escalation in a conflict that had been temporarily paused under a fragile ceasefire reached in early April. The renewed hostilities have raised fears of a broader regional war.

Iran responded by launching counter-attacks against US military installations in Kuwait and Bahrain, according to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Bahrain's interior ministry said warning sirens were activated following the attacks.

Iran's joint military command also threatened action against vessels attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically vital waterway that Tehran says remains largely closed. Iranian media reported that two ships came under fire.

The US disputed those claims. Central Command said commercial shipping continued through the strait despite Iranian threats. Trump claimed vessels had been crossing the waterway without Iran's approval as part of a covert US military operation.

Speaking to Fox News reporter Trey Yingst, Trump warned Tehran against delaying negotiations.

According to Yingst, Trump said the strikes would end soon but warned he would "bomb the shit out of them" if Iran's leadership failed to sign an agreement with Washington immediately.

Iranian media reported explosions in several cities, including Sirik, Kargan, Bandar Abbas, Minab, Varamin and Karaj.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the military operation was intended to strengthen Washington's negotiating position.

"We will strike them hard tonight, and hopefully Iran makes a good decision," he said. "If we need to negotiate with bombs, we'll negotiate with bombs."

The US and Iran have exchanged strikes repeatedly since the ceasefire took effect, while diplomatic efforts to end the conflict have failed to produce a breakthrough. Trump has repeatedly claimed that an agreement is close while simultaneously threatening renewed military action.

Earlier this week, US forces targeted Iranian air defence and radar installations near the Strait of Hormuz after an American attack helicopter was brought down near the waterway. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks on US bases in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain. A US official said the attacks caused no significant damage.

Tehran accused Washington of striking reservoirs that supplied drinking water to 10 villages.

"This is not collateral damage -- it is a calculated war crime and a flagrant violation of human rights," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghei said.

The Pentagon did not immediately comment on the allegations.

Despite the escalating rhetoric, diplomatic contacts continue. A Qatari delegation arrived in Tehran on Wednesday for talks aimed at reducing tensions and exploring a possible path toward negotiations, according to Iranian media.

The conflict has disrupted global energy markets, affecting nearly one-fifth of the world's oil and natural gas supply. Iran has sought to restrict shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, while the United States has maintained pressure on Iranian maritime activity.

Oil prices rose nearly $3 after Trump's latest threats and extended gains in Asian trading on Thursday.

Trump also claimed that ships carrying 100 million barrels of oil had crossed the Strait of Hormuz despite Iranian restrictions as part of a secret US mission.

Hegseth echoed that assertion, saying ships have been transiting the strait "in the middle of the night, protected by the United States in a way that Iran can't stop, they can't see it."

Separately, the US military said it disabled an oil tanker transporting Iranian crude in the Gulf of Oman for a second consecutive day.

Meanwhile, fighting continued in a parallel conflict involving Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. Lebanese security sources said Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon killed at least 13 people on Wednesday, while Hezbollah reported fresh attacks on Israeli forces.

Iran's demands for any settlement include an end to Israeli military operations in Lebanon, the lifting of sanctions, access to frozen assets and recognition of its authority over the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump has insisted that Iran must remove restrictions on shipping through the strait and accept limits preventing it from developing a nuclear weapon. Tehran denies seeking nuclear arms.

In another development, the UN nuclear watchdog's 35-member Board of Governors adopted a US-backed resolution calling on Iran to declare its remaining enriched uranium stockpiles and allow inspectors to verify them. Iran dismissed the resolution as "political".

Multiple explosions were reported in Karaj, west of Tehran, according to Iranian media, as tensions continued to rise following recent US-Iran hostilities. The cause of the blasts was not immediately clear, and there were no initial reports of casualties or damage.

US Defense ​Secretary Pete Hegseth ​said US forces would carry out orders ​from President Donald Trump and hit Iran hard on Wednesday by bombing "key facilities."

Speaking to reporters after being briefed by commanders ‌at the ⁠US ⁠Central Command headquarters in Florida, Hegseth said Iran had been ​given a chance to make a deal but had not ​taken it.

"We will hit them hard on our terms on the targets that improve the environment for ​us to operate in and ⁠undermine the ‌capabilities that Iran wants to have," ​Hegseth said.

Hegseth ​spoke after Trump said that the ⁠United States would strike Iran again if ​no peace deal is secured, threatening further ​escalation following one of the most significant exchanges of hostilities in two months.

"As President Trump said, they've been tap, tap, tapping," Hegseth said, referring to Iran.

"You can see when someone's trying to ‌tap, tap, tap on a deal, instead they're going to have tap, tap, tap ​bombs dropping ​on key ⁠facilities in Iran from the United States of America."

He accused Iran of "choosing to play games" and added: "If we need ​to negotiate with bombs, we'll negotiate with bombs, and we're very good at it."

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it has launched a two-wave military operation targeting US forces across the region in retaliation for earlier American strikes on Iranian territory. According to Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency, the IRGC's Aerospace Force and Navy carried out the attacks against 18 "key installations" at bases hosting US troops. The statement described the operation as a response to recent US military action against Iran. No immediate information was available on damage, casualties or the specific locations targeted, and there was no immediate comment from US officials. The reported strikes mark a significant escalation in the confrontation between Tehran and Washington.

Iranian media have reported explosions and air defence activity across several parts of the country amid escalating military tensions with the United States. Blasts were reported in the southern cities and towns of Sirik, Minab, Kangan and Bandar Abbas, as well as on Qeshm and Hengam islands.

Explosions were also reported in the northern city of Gorgan and in Karaj, west of Tehran, according to the state-run IRNA news agency. Meanwhile, Mehr news agency reported that air defence systems were activated in western Tehran and in parts of Fars province, where an earlier explosion was attributed to defensive operations. Iranian state media said the explosions in Qeshm and Hengam were caused by military projectiles, while no comprehensive official account has yet been issued regarding the incidents reported elsewhere. The wave of explosions came after the United States launched fresh strikes against multiple targets in Iran overnight.

Air raid sirens sounded across Bahrain, prompting authorities to urge residents to seek shelter as tensions continued to rise across the Gulf region. In a brief alert, Bahrain's Interior Ministry called on the public to “remain calm and head to the nearest safe place”.

No immediate details were provided about the cause of the warning or any potential threat.

Iran responded to the latest US strikes by warning that any vessel attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz would be fired upon, according to the country's top joint military command. Iranian media later reported that two ships had come under fire after attempting to pass through the strategically important waterway.

However, US Central Command disputed claims that the strait had been closed, saying commercial vessels were continuing to transit the route despite Iranian threats. Iranian news agencies also reported explosions in several southern cities, including Sirik, Kangan, Bandar Abbas and Minab, while the US military said it had targeted Iranian air defence and radar installations near the Strait of Hormuz following the downing of a US attack helicopter in the area earlier this week.

Iran, which has responded with missile and drone attacks on US bases in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain, also accused Washington of targeting civilian infrastructure. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei alleged that US strikes had destroyed reservoirs supplying drinking water to 10 villages, saying, "This is not collateral damage -- it is a calculated war crime and a flagrant violation of human rights."

The United States launched a fresh round of strikes against multiple targets in Iran overnight, the US military said on Wednesday, as President Donald Trump warned that further attacks would follow if Tehran failed to reach a peace agreement with Washington.

In a statement posted on X, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the strikes began after midnight in Tehran and were carried out "in response to Iran's unwarranted and continued aggression". The latest attacks mark a significant escalation in a conflict that had been under a fragile ceasefire since early April. Speaking during a visit to CENTCOM headquarters in Florida, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the strikes would "advance our military interests and also enhance our diplomatic position".

He added, "We will strike them hard tonight, and hopefully Iran makes a good decision. If we need to negotiate with bombs, we'll negotiate with bombs." Trump later told Fox News reporter Trey Yingst that the strikes would soon stop but warned he would "bomb the shit out of them" if Iran's leaders did not immediately sign an agreement with the United States.