The US military says it thwarted or intercepted multiple Iranian missile strikes targeting Bahrain, Kuwait, and other regional positions. Two missiles aimed at Kuwait fell short, several ballistic missiles failed, and three heading for Bahrain were intercepted, according to US Central Command. US forces also shot down Iranian drones attacking civilian shipping and struck Qeshm Island near the Strait of Hormuz.
This escalation comes despite reports last week that the US and Iran had reached a tentative initial agreement to halt the war, though neither side has signed off. Iranian media say Tehran has stopped communicating with Washington, but President Trump insists talks are ongoing, citing daily negotiations.
The core dispute remains Iran's nuclear program. Trump demands Tehran abandon any path to a nuclear weapon, while Iran denies seeking a bomb. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers the US would only offer sanctions relief if Iran halts its nuclear activities, declaring "the war is over" in a heated exchange with Senator Cory Booker.
Since late February, the conflict has killed thousands, mainly in Iran and Lebanon, and driven up global energy prices as the Strait of Hormuz-once carrying a fifth of the world's oil and LNG-remains effectively closed. Israel has intensified strikes in southern Lebanon despite a US-mediated partial ceasefire, displacing over a million people. The humanitarian toll is widening, with UNICEF warning that surging transport costs and supply chain disruptions are hampering aid deliveries across multiple conflict zones.