Opening summary: US strikes reach northern Iran

Welcome to our ongoing live coverage of the Middle East crisis.

The US military reports conducting another series of strikes on Iranian sites aimed at reducing the nation's capacity to endanger vessels crossing the strait of Hormuz, as Iran responded with attacks on US partners throughout the area.

US Central Command (Centcom) indicated that locations such as the southern port of Bandar Abbas - site of important installations for the Iranian navy and Revolutionary Guards - were struck during overnight operations into Thursday local time. "The US military is ensuring Iran faces consequences following the commander in chief's instructions," it stated, referencing president Donald Trump.

Iranian state outlets noted that the strikes also impacted areas near Tehran - marking the initial targeting of the capital during this phase of operations.

Iran directed missiles and drones toward US-allied Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan in response.

Centcom reported that US planes launched missiles at an oil tanker's smokestack within the Hormuz strait, rendering the ship inoperable after it disregarded repeated alerts while attempting to breach the US naval blockade of Iranian ports.

In other key developments:

Trump noted he avoids setting deadlines when questioned by reporters about whether Tehran received one prior to potential US strikes on Iranian bridges, as previously warned. "They understand the situation ... They should act appropriately," he remarked.
Tehran's lead negotiator indicated that if Iran gains nothing from its memorandum of understanding with the US, "there is no basis for us to follow such an agreement". Iran has "always opposed war, and continues to do so", stated Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the parliamentary speaker. He urged Iranians to persist in armed defense while employing "diplomatic and negotiation tools to secure and strengthen national priorities".
Iranian state media described blasts in various cities during the newest US strikes, covering Bandar Abbas, Rask, Chabahar and Ahvaz plus Semnan province, which houses the nation's ballistic missile manufacturing and space efforts. Accounts also mentioned detonations near southern spots such as Qeshm and Bandar Imam Khomeini, along with Bushehr, location of Iran's sole civilian nuclear facility.
The US strikes struck an Iranian army facility, resulting in at least seven soldier deaths and hundreds wounded nationwide, per Iranian authorities. No immediate details emerged on losses from Iran's responses, yet its health ministry reported a minimum of 30 fatalities and 260 injuries in southern Iran from recent US actions.
Iran's army stated it deployed kamikaze drones against US military communication networks and fuel depots in Jordan. The Jordanian military confirmed intercepting eight missiles Iran sent toward the country.
Trump expressed appreciation to Iran for permitting an American citizen he described as "wrongfully held since December of 2024" to depart the nation. "She has now safely exited Iran, and remains in good health," he noted, with the individual identified by her attorney as Dena Karari, holding dual American and Iranian citizenship.
Oil prices kept climbing amid the fresh escalation rounds, as Brent crude oil - the global benchmark - exceeded $85 per barrel on Wednesday. This represents over 15% above pre-conflict levels yet remains substantially under the nearly $120 peak during the height of tensions.

Key events

19m agoIndia directs shipowners to refrain from assigning Indian crew to Hormuz passages
1h agoIran warns of destroying regional facilities should its own face assault
2h agoOpening summary: US strikes reach northern Iran

India directs shipowners to refrain from assigning Indian crew to Hormuz passages

India's administration has instructed shipowners to avoid placing Indian crew on ships needing to transit the strait of Hormuz amid rising violence in the Middle East.

"No assignment of Indian seafarers to vessels on journeys involving transit through the strait of Hormuz until further notice," India's directorate general of shipping stated in an order released last night.

The guidance referenced recent assaults on two vessels in the strait that claimed two Indian seafarers, noting that this week's intensified regional strains "have markedly heightened the dangers encountered by seafarers and commercial ships active in the conflict zone".

Reuters indicated India ranks as the world's third-largest provider of seafarers, with over 300,000 sailors engaged across international shipping operations, based on official figures.

Iran's army spokesperson Mohammad Akraminia stated Tehran seeks no confrontation with its regional neighbors, despite a prior remark from another military figure vowing to "crush" infrastructure across the Middle East.

"Iran maintains no dispute with the neighboring and Islamic nations of the region and has consistently stressed the growth of cooperative and fraternal ties with regional countries," he remarked, according to Iran's semi-official Fars news agency.

Iran warns of destroying regional infrastructure should its own face assault

Iran has cautioned it would respond if its infrastructure comes under attack, following Trump's warning that US forces might target Iranian bridges.

In a statement issued via state media, Ebrahim Zolfaghari, a spokesperson for the Iranian military's Khatam al-Anbiya central headquarters, declared "all infrastructure in the region will be crushed".

He further noted Iran would never permit the US to meddle with the strait of Hormuz.

"In no situation and under no condition will we permit the United States, as an external and extra-regional power, to intervene in the strait of Hormuz. This represents Iran's unbreakable red line."

Pakistan has urged the US and Iran to halt the violence and restart negotiations as outlined in the memorandum of understanding (MoU) reached in June with Islamabad's involvement.

"Although MoU implementation encounters difficulties, Pakistan will persist in urging all parties to cease violence and resume technical discussions per the MoU," Tahir Andrabi, spokesperson for the Pakistani foreign ministry, remarked during a press briefing today.

Jonathan Yerushalmy

The US has targeted an oil tanker seeking to reach Kharg Island in the strait of Hormuz as part of its blockade on Iranian ports, while Tehran faced strikes for the first time in this current wave of attacks.

The US indicated on Thursday morning it had disabled an empty oil tanker during a fifth day of operations, launching Hellfire missiles into the vessel's smokestack after multiple ignored warnings.

On Wednesday evening, the US struck coastal defenses and missile positions, hours following a separate operation that hit cruise missile storage and launch sites on Iran's Greater Tunb Island in the morning.

The US also struck sites further north, with state media noting attacks near the capital Tehran and accounts of air defenses activating across the city early Thursday.

Read the full report here:

Opening summary: US strikes reach northern Iran

Welcome to our ongoing live coverage of the Middle East crisis.

Iranian state outlets noted that the strikes also impacted areas near Tehran - marking the initial targeting of the capital during this phase of operations.

Iran directed missiles and drones toward US-allied Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan in response.

In other key developments:

Trump noted he avoids setting deadlines when questioned by reporters about whether Tehran received one prior to potential US strikes on Iranian bridges, as previously warned. "They understand the situation ... They should act appropriately," he remarked.
Tehran's lead negotiator indicated that if Iran gains nothing from its memorandum of understanding with the US, "there is no basis for us to follow such an agreement". Iran has "always opposed war, and continues to do so", stated Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the parliamentary speaker. He urged Iranians to persist in armed defense while employing "diplomatic and negotiation tools to secure and strengthen national priorities".
Iranian state media described blasts in various cities during the newest US strikes, covering Bandar Abbas, Rask, Chabahar and Ahvaz plus Semnan province, which houses the nation's ballistic missile manufacturing and space efforts. Accounts also mentioned detonations near southern spots such as Qeshm and Bandar Imam Khomeini, along with Bushehr, location of Iran's sole civilian nuclear facility.
The US strikes struck an Iranian army facility, resulting in at least seven soldier deaths and hundreds wounded nationwide, per Iranian authorities. No immediate details emerged on losses from Iran's responses, yet its health ministry reported a minimum of 30 fatalities and 260 injuries in southern Iran from recent US actions.
Iran's army stated it deployed kamikaze drones against US military communication networks and fuel depots in Jordan. The Jordanian military confirmed intercepting eight missiles Iran sent toward the country.
Trump expressed appreciation to Iran for permitting an American citizen he described as "wrongfully held since December of 2024" to depart the nation. "She has now safely exited Iran, and remains in good health," he noted, with the individual identified by her attorney as Dena Karari, holding dual American and Iranian citizenship.
Oil prices kept climbing amid the fresh escalation rounds, as Brent crude oil - the global benchmark - exceeded $85 per barrel on Wednesday. This represents over 15% above pre-conflict levels yet remains substantially under the nearly $120 peak during the height of tensions.