The U.S. military has launched a fresh wave of attacks on Iran after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth promised the country’s forces would be “busy tonight.”
“U.S. Central Command forces began launching additional self-defense strikes today at 5:15 p.m. ET against multiple targets in Iran at the Commander in Chief’s direction. The strikes are in response to Iran’s unwarranted and continued aggression,” CENTCOM’s X account stated on Wednesday evening.
Earlier, Trump said that the U.S. is going to attack Iran “very hard” unless a peace deal is finalized.
“We'll see what happens, but we hit them hard yesterday, and we're going to hit them again hard today”, Trump told reporters at the White House.
After urging de-escalation between Israel and Iran earlier in the week, Trump vowed to press on “attacking [Iran] very hard,” citing the downing of a U.S. Apache helicopter in the Strait of Hormuz.
The U.S. hit Iran earlier on Wednesday in response to the incident, prompting Iran to fire at American bases in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan.
Trump said this afternoon that the U.S. still wants to make a deal to end the conflict.
Key Points
- Pete Hegseth says US military will be ‘busy tonight’
- Trump claims US helped 100 million barrels of oil pass Strait of Hormuz
- Deal has been negotiated and just needs signing, says Trump
- Threats to infrastructure are a sign of desperation, says Iran's president
US targets petrochemical plant: Iranian media
23:44 , Rachel Dobkin
Iranian media have reported that the US targeted a petrochemical plant during its latest round of strikes, per The New York Times.
The plant was located in the South Pars gas field in Asalouyeh, Tasnim News, which is affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, said.
US ships targeted by Iranian drones and missiles
23:13 , Graeme Massie
Iran's state media says that U.S. ships near the Strait of Hormuz have been targeted by Iranian missiles and drones, according to Reuters.
UN sending team to collect evidence on alleged human rights abuses in Lebanon
23:00 , Rachel Dobkin
Volker Türk, the United Nations’ high commissioner for human rights, has announced that he is sending team to collect evidence on alleged human rights abuses in Lebanon.
“I will soon be deploying a team to collect information and evidence on alleged violations and abuses of international human rights law, and violations of international humanitarian law and related law committed by the parties to the armed conflict in the country since March 2”, Türk said Wednesday.
It comes as fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has escalated in recent months.
US military launches fresh strikes on Iran
22:47 , Graeme Massie
The U.S. military has confirmed it has begun a fresh wave of strikes on Iran on Wednesday evening.
CENTCOM confirmed the attacks were underway after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had earlier teased they were coming.
“U.S. Central Command forces began launching additional self-defense strikes today at 5:15 p.m. ET against multiple targets in Iran at the Commander in Chief’s direction. The strikes are in response to Iran’s unwarranted and continued aggression,” CENTCOM’s X account stated.
Trump meets with national security team, weighs military actions: report
22:38 , Rachel Dobkin
President Donald Trump met with his national security team Wednesday to weigh possible military actions against Iran, Axios reported, citing unnamed sources.
Trump is considering a big, yet short, operation to pressure Iran to change its position in negotiations to end the conflict, according to the sources.
Administration officials who were reportedly part of the talks included Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Dan Caine.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth joined the meeting from US Central Command headquarters in Florida, according to Axios.
Pete Hegseth says US military will be ‘busy tonight’
22:34 , Rachel Dobkin
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has warned that the military will be “busy tonight” after President Donald Trump threatened fresh strikes against Iran.
American forces will be “busy tonight, because President Trump said we’ll be hitting Iran hard”, Hegseth said outside of US Central Command headquarters in Tampa, Florida, Wednesday.
I spent six years in Iranian jail – the UK is failing Craig and Lindsay Foreman exactly the same way it failed me
22:00 , Alex Croft
For a hostage and their family, it is much easier emotionally when you finally know what is actually going on. It gives light in the desperation. You just need to find the tunnel out.
Craig and Lindsay Foreman, the couple jailed after being arrested on a motorbike tour in Iran last January, believe they have the rationale for their own arrest. Tehran wants Richard Jan, an Iranian national and convicted stalker who has been in prison here in the UK for 20 years, returned. On the weekend, hope of finding that tunnel came from David Lammy, who observed that “arrangements can be made”. His honesty was refreshing.
That is why it was so deflating that the Foreign Office called the reporting of the link between the cases by this paper and Sky News “grossly irresponsible and deeply regrettable” and urged other media to drop the story. They claimed that the story “risks hindering all the other efforts currently being made by this government”.
There’s a lot of crying wolf in hostage cases.
Britain is holding an ageing Iranian stalker whose deportation could help spare Lindsay and Craig Foreman from a 10-year jail sentence – so what is stopping us from bringing them home, ask Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Richard Ratcliffe.
You can read their article here.
Watch: Iran launches attacks at sites in Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan following US airstrikes
21:30 , James Reynolds
Majority of traders don't believe US and Iran will reach peace deal for months
21:00 , Rachel Dobkin
A majority of traders don't believe the US and Iran will reach a permanent peace deal for several months.
Traders currently put the odds of the two countries reaching a deal by October 31 at 57 percent, according to the prediction market Polymarket.
Trump declares ‘I love the inflation’ as costs increase amid Iran war
20:30 , J.R. Duren
US President Donald Trump said he loves inflation Wednesday in response to a question about the latest federal report showing inflation climbed past 4 percent for the first time in three years.
“I love it; the numbers were great,” Trump said. “You know what I really love? I love the inflation.”
The bizarre moment punctuated the administration’s minimization of the country’s affordability crisis, a crisis that is getting worse, according to Wednesday’s Consumer Price Index.
The index revealed the inflation rate rose 4.2 percent year-on-year in May, driven by the Iran war’s impact on energy costs. Soaring prices have hammered working Americans recently, including at the gas pump, grocery store and in other consumer goods.
Read on...
Inflation rises as energy prices soar due to Trump’s Iran war
Netanyahu makes plea to people of Lebanon: 'Israel is not at war with you'
20:00 , Rachel Dobkin
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made a plea to the people of Lebanon, insisting that his country “is not at war with you”.
“We're at war with Hezbollah, that has taken your country hostage, that does Iran's bidding, that uses your territory to launch terrorist attacks against Israel”, Netanyahu said in a video message Wednesday.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's message to the Lebanese people:
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) June 10, 2026
Israel is not at war with Lebanon. We're at war with Hezbollah, that has taken your country hostage, that does Iran's bidding, that uses your territory to launch terrorist attacks against Israel.
Once Hezbollah… pic.twitter.com/FH8ywOaZpG
“You also know we yearn for peace with you, with Lebanon, a peace where our two peoples can invest together, build together, thrive together. The only impediment, the only obstacle to this beautiful vision is Hezbollah,” the prime minister added.
Netanyahu urged the people of Lebanon to “Seize your future, join Israel, build safety and prosperity for all of our children”.
Trump claims US helped 100 million barrels of oil pass Strait of Hormuz
19:29 , Rachel Dobkin
Donald Trump has claimed the US helped 100 million barrels of oil pass through the Strait of Hormuz, despite Iran’s effective closure of the vital waterway.
“Last month, I directed our Great U.S. Military to execute a secret mission to support Oil Tankers and other Commercial Ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
“Today, I am pleased to announce that this effort has resulted in more than 100 MILLION Barrels of Oil making its way through the Strait, and into the Open Market”, the US president wrote on Truth Social Wednesday.
Trump added that more than 200 commercial ships have also safely transited the strait.
“This wildly successful effort is because the UNITED STATES of AMERICA CONTROLS the Strait of Hormuz — NOT Iran. Their military is defeated, and their economy is lost. It’s over for Iran!” the president added.
UN nuclear watchdog demands Iran share information about enriched uranium stockpile: reports
19:00 , Rachel Dobkin
The United Nations’ nuclear watchdog has demanded that Iran share complete information about its enriched uranium stockpile, according to reports.
Iran must also allow the International Atomic Energy Agency’s inspectors to access the country’s nuclear sites as part of the resolution that the watchdog’s board reportedly passed in Vienna Wednesday.
The IAEA resolution said the agency needed to verify that there was no “diversion of nuclear material” that could be used to make a bomb, according to reports.
Trump claims US has destroyed 'millions of barrels of oil'
18:45 , Rachel Dobkin
Donald Trump has claimed that the US has destroyed “millions of barrels of oil”.
"Did you know we've been taking out millions of barrels of oil? Nobody knows it. You know who doesn't know about it? Iran — until right now. We took out, the other night, 22 ships”, the US president told reporters Wednesday.
The Independent could not verify Trump’s claims.
US Central Command said Wednesday that it has disabled 8 ships that refused to comply with its blockade of Iranian ports since April 13.
In full: Trump threatens to bomb Iran’s power plants and warns they will ‘pay the price’ for failure to agree deal
18:30 , James Reynolds
President Donald Trump on Wednesday accused Iran of taking too long to negotiate a deal and said they would now "have to pay the price", a day after both countries exchanged tit-for-tat strikes that threatened a fragile ceasefire.
Iran launched missile and drone attacks on US bases in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain in what it called retaliation for American strikes on Iranian targets around the Strait of Hormuz.
"Iran is all talk and no action," Trump said in a social media post on Wednesday morning. "They've taken too long to negotiate a deal that would have been great for them, now they will have to pay the price!!!"
Trump threatens Iran’s power plants and warns they will ‘pay price’ for lack of deal
Threats to infrastructure are a sign of desperation, says Iran's president
18:17 , James Reynolds
Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian says on X that the US threats against critical infrastructure are not a show of strength, but desperation.
He insists Iran will “stand firm against any pressure or threat”.
زیرساختهای حیاتی، شریانهای زندگی مردماند. تهدید به هدف قرار دادن آنها از شبکههای حمل و نقل تا صنعت برق و آب نه نمایش قدرت بلکه نشانه استیصال در برابر اراده یک ملت است.
— Masoud Pezeshkian (@drpezeshkian) June 10, 2026
ایران با تکیه بر دانش و توان متخصصان، وحدت ملی و همبستگی، در برابر هر فشار و تهدیدی استوار خواهد ماند.
How a drone boat rescued Apache helicopter pilots stranded in darkness near Strait of Hormuz
18:01 , Alex Croft
The U.S. has responded to the downing of one of its Army Apache attack helicopters over the Strait of Hormuz on Monday by launching a series of retaliatory airstrikes against Iranian military sites in the Gulf.
Tehran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has since hit back in kind, firing on U.S. bases in Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait, calling the American assault “vicious.”
The revival of hostilities between the two sides has meanwhile caused Iran to threaten to withdraw from peace talks, leaving the pair languishing in stalemate more than three months on from the launch of the U.S. and Israel’s Operation Epic Fury on February 28.
President Donald Trump had signaled that the strikes were coming, saying the superpower “must, of necessity” respond to its aircraft being taken out.
Joe Sommerlad reports:
How a drone boat rescued Apache helicopter pilots stranded in darkness
Trump: 'Nothing gets through' the US naval blockade as Iran becomes a 'failed nation' - ICYMI
17:31 , Alex Croft
Donald Trump has denied reports that the US naval blockade is ineffective.
Speaking on Truth Social: “The Fake News Media refuses to report how EFFECTIVE the U.S. Naval BLOCKADE is, the most successful Blockade in the history of Naval Warfare. NOTHING GETS THROUGH unless we want it to. IT IS A STEEL WALL!
“Iran is doing ZERO business, not paying their military, or any of their bills, and quickly becoming a FAILED NATION! Lots of oil is getting out. Praise be to Allah!”
Centcom disabled tanker off Oman 'for not complying with blockade'
17:15 , James Reynolds
In a post on social media, Centcom now says they disabled a tanker off the coast of Oman on Tuesday for not complying with the US blockade on Iranian ports:
Centcom said US forces “disabled Palau-flagged M/T Settebello as it transited the Gulf of Oman. A U.S. aircraft fired precision munitions into the ship’s engine room after the crew repeatedly failed to comply with directions from American forces.”
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) June 10, 2026
Recap: What happened on Wednesday?
17:15 , James Reynolds
- Donald Trump said the US would hit Iran ‘very hard’ again today, assessing that Iran was ‘playing us for suckers’ over a deal to end the war’
- He also said Iran would ‘have to pay the price’ for taking too long to negotiate a deal;
- The US said earlier it had targeted Iranian air defences, ground control stations and surveillance posts in response to the downing of an Apache gunship;
- Iran launched strikes on US bases in the region;
- Iran's Gulf neighbours and Jordan activated air defences to intercept incoming missiles and there were no immediate reports of damage to US bases;
- Israeli strikes continued in Lebanon, killing 13, according to Lebanese sources;
- Three Indian seafarers were missing following a suspected US strike off the coast of Oman;
- A delegation from Qatar landed in Tehran on Wednesday, offering a glimmer of hope for diplomacy.
India summons US official over strike off Oman
17:12 , James Reynolds
India has summoned the US Deputy Chief of Mission in Delhi over the reported strike on a tanker off Oman coast where three Indians are missing, sources tell Reuters.
Deal has been negotiated and just needs signing, says Trump
17:09 , James Reynolds
Donald Trump adds that Iran has already agreed to not obtaining a nuclear weapon, but the agreement still needs to be signed.
"We want a deal that is meaningful, we want a deal that works," he said about the negotiations with Iran.
In pictures: Lebanese car in flames after Israeli strike
17:00 , Alex Croft
Trump vows to hit Iran 'very hard' today if they don't agree to a deal
16:56 , James Reynolds
Speaking in the White House, Donald Trump says that the United States is going to attack Iran "very hard" if no peace deal is finalized.
"We're going to be attacking them, attacking them very hard, resuming bombing," Trump told reporters, citing Iran's downing of an Apache helicopter in the Strait of Hormuz.
The president said: “We'll see what happens, but we hit him hard yesterday, and we're going to hit them again hard today, in case you miss it, in case you don't turn on your television set, and we'll see what happens with the deal, we're, we're really close to a deal, but they keep tapping us along, they keep playing us for suckers, because you know what, they dealt with some very stupid presidents, I have to say that I'm embarrassed to say some very stupid people were sitting there.”
Netanyahu hits back at 'antisemitic dictator' Erdogan
16:29 , Alex Croft
Benjamin Netanyahu has hit back at Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan, labelling him an “antisemitic dictator”.
Erdogan had lashed out at Israel for its attacks on Syria and Lebanon had reached a point where they also threaten Turkey.
“The antisemitic dictator Erdoğan – who is committing genocide against the Kurds, supports the Hamas terrorist organization, oppresses his own people and imprisons political rivals – is the last person who can lecture the State of Israel on morality,” Netanyahu said in a post on X.
“The State of Israel and the IDF, the most moral army in the world, will continue to take forceful action against Iran and its proxies, which threaten the Middle East and the entire world.”
Three Indian seafarers still missing after attack on tanker off Oman, India says
16:10 , James Reynolds
Three Indian seafarers are still missing after 21 other Indian mariners were rescued following an attack on their tanker off the coast of Oman, India's foreign ministry said on Wednesday.
"We condemn the attack on the commercial vessel Settebello off the coast of Oman, earlier today," the ministry said in a statement.
"Our embassy in Oman is closely monitoring the situation and proactively coordinating with the Omani authorities in the ongoing search and rescue operation."
Maritime officials said the oil products tanker had been hit in a suspected US missile strike.
Watch: Starmer defends government efforts as MP raises plight of British couple held in Iran
16:05 , Alex Croft
UK ‘missing in action’ as Iran war hits farmers around the world
15:41 , Alex Croft
The government has been accused of being “missing in action” after failing to meet a deadline at which it was expected to announce plans to introduce new supply chain rules that could transform the UK’s environmental and human rights footprint on the world - and also help to support smallholder farmers as they grapple with the knock-on effects of the Iran War.
As part of the UK’s Trade Strategy, which was announced last year, the government launched a review into responsible business conduct policy, with a focus on the global supply chains of businesses operating in the UK.
It was expected that the outcome of this review would be announced at the end of March. Campaigners have been pushing for a “mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence (HREDD) law” to be introduced, which would see companies compelled to measure and address problems in their supply chain related to human rights and the environment.
Our climate correspondent Nick Ferris reports:
UK ‘missing in action’ as Iran war hits farmers around the world
Iran's foreign minister calls Saudi and Turkish counterparts
15:15 , Alex Croft
Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi held separate phone calls with his Turkish and Saudi counterparts to discuss regional developments after the US struck southern Iran.
Araghchi condemned the US strikes in the calls and said they violated Iran’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity, according to reports.
It was not clear whether the calls took place before or after Iran launched its own strikes on US bases in Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait.
Erdogan says attacks on Syria and Lebanon now threatening Turkey
14:55 , Alex Croft
Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan has lashed out at Israel for its attacks on Syria and Lebanon had reached a point where they also threaten Turkey.
In comments made to lawmakers from his ruling AK parliament in parliament, he said Israel's "aggression" posed a threat to the whole world and must be stopped.
The Nato member has been one of the fiercest critics of Israel's assaults on Iran, Gaza, and Lebanon, saying Israel was the biggest obstacle to regional peace. It has halted all trade with Israel and called for measures against it at international courts.
"The attacks by (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu and his newtork of murder on Lebanon and Syria have brought the issue to a point where it also threatens Turkey," Erdogan said.
He added that Ankara's security was tied to that of these two countries.
Erdogan also said Israel was leading a "sneaky effort" to destabilise African countries and the Mediterranean by igniting "the fire of discord" on the ethnically-split island of Cyprus.
"These small entities, whose ambitions far exceed their size, have boarded Israel's boat of mischief, taken on the role of Zionist subcontractors, and are pursuing some pipe dreams in the Eastern Mediterranean," he said, without elaborating.
Watch: Iran launches attacks at sites in Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan following US airstrikes
14:33 , Alex Croft
UN human rights office to investigate potential violations of international law in Lebanon
14:09 , Alex Croft
The UN human rights office will deploy a team of investigators to Lebanon next week to assess potential violations of international law, UN human rights chief Volker Türk said on Wednesday.
Mr Turk said the office will assess actions of all involved parties in its investigations.
Lebanon was drawn into the wider Middle East conflict on 2 March when the Tehran-backed Hezbollah militia fired rockets at Israel in solidarity with Iran, which was under US-Israeli attack, prompting a major Israeli air and ground campaign.
Erdogan says attacks on Syria and Lebanon now threatening Turkey
13:52 , Alex Croft
Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan has lashed out at Israel for its attacks on Syria and Lebanon had reached a point where they also threaten Turkey.
In comments made to lawmakers from his ruling AK parliament in parliament, he said Israel's "aggression" posed a threat to the whole world and must be stopped.
The Nato member has been one of the fiercest critics of Israel's assaults on Iran, Gaza, and Lebanon, saying Israel was the biggest obstacle to regional peace. It has halted all trade with Israel and called for measures against it at international courts.
"The attacks by (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu and his newtork of murder on Lebanon and Syria have brought the issue to a point where it also threatens Turkey," Erdogan said.
He added that Ankara's security was tied to that of these two countries.
Erdogan also said Israel was leading a "sneaky effort" to destabilise African countries and the Mediterranean by igniting "the fire of discord" on the ethnically-split island of Cyprus.
"These small entities, whose ambitions far exceed their size, have boarded Israel's boat of mischief, taken on the role of Zionist subcontractors, and are pursuing some pipe dreams in the Eastern Mediterranean," he said, without elaborating.
Trump weighing fresh strikes on Iran's infrastructure - report
13:35 , Alex Croft
Donald Trump is weighing up fresh strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure, Fox News is reporting.
The US president is considering striking Iran’s power plants and bridges as he accuses Tehran of taking too long to make a deal, Fox News reported on Wednesday following a phone interview.
US, UK and allies condemn Iran for 'lethal plotting'
13:25 , Alex Croft
The US, UK and other European countries have just issued a statement condemning Iran for “lethal plotting”.
The statement accused Tehran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps-Intelligence Organisation, Quds Force and Ministry of Intelligence and Security for plotting and other actions in Europe, North America, and Australia.
Recap: Trump says helicopter incident 'not a big deal'
13:05 , Alex Croft
We’ve heard some mixed messages from the White House regarding the Apache helicopter crash near the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump told The Wall Street Journal during a phone call on Tuesday that the helicopter incident "wasn’t a big deal" and stressed that “the pilot is fine”.
But the US president also said a response would be necessary. Speaking to ABC News on Tuesday, he said: "I believe the response should be very strong, very powerful, and that's what this one is.”
The episode could well add further strain to efforts to broker a peace deal to end the wider Middle East war and reopen Hormuz.
Alleged spy's mysterious disappearance spotlights Israel’s intelligence networks in Lebanon
12:46 , Alex Croft
As Israeli warplanes pounded Beirut’s southern suburbs last March and residents fled in panic, one man found his opportunity. Amid the chaos, he slipped out of his imprisonment in a Hezbollah cell and made his way to the green hills overlooking the Lebanese capital.
There, in the posh diplomatic quarter of Baabda, he disappeared inside the gates of the Ukrainian Embassy.
Where he is now is a mystery, tangled up in an ongoing spy game as Hezbollah attempts to root out Israeli intelligence operatives that have infiltrated the militant group.
Read more:
Alleged spy's mysterious disappearance spotlights Israel’s intelligence networks in Lebanon
Trump: 'Nothing gets through' the US naval blockade as Iran becomes a 'failed nation'
12:46 , Bryony Gooch
Donald Trump has denied reports that the US naval blockade is ineffective.
Speaking on Truth Social: “The Fake News Media refuses to report how EFFECTIVE the U.S. Naval BLOCKADE is, the most successful Blockade in the history of Naval Warfare. NOTHING GETS THROUGH unless we want it to. IT IS A STEEL WALL!
“Iran is doing ZERO business, not paying their military, or any of their bills, and quickly becoming a FAILED NATION! Lots of oil is getting out. Praise be to Allah!”
US lawmaker bashes Trump's 'recklessness' in Iran war
12:25 , Alex Croft
US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has bashed US President Donald Trump after Iran was accused of shooting down an American helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz.
“American soldiers were shot down in Iran as Trump was wasting taxpayer dollars to fall asleep while watching the Knicks”, the top Democrat wrote on X Tuesday, referring to the president’s appearance at a basketball game.
“Each day this illegal war drags on further exposes this President's recklessness”.
Trump warns Iran will 'have to pay the price' for taking too long to make a deal
12:20 , Bryony Gooch
US president Donald Trump has said Iran will “have to pay the price” after taking “too long to negotiate a deal” in the latest threat of escalation in the conflict.
In a post on Truth Social, he said: “Iran’s Military is a complete and total mess. Much of it, like their Navy and Air Force, doesn’t even exist anymore - They have been completely defeated. Iran is all talk and no action.
“The Bully of the Middle East is DEAD!!! They’ve taken too long to negotiate a deal that would have been great for them, now they will have to pay the price!!!”
Israel is tightening its grip on east Jerusalem with evictions and demolitions
12:02 , Alex Croft
Fakhri Abu Diab fought for decades to save his home. But when Israeli authorities arrived with bulldozers two years ago, he was powerless to stop them.
He and his wife now live among shards of memory: a bicycle where his bedroom stood; the garden where he planted tomatoes as a boy; a portrait of his late mother painted on a wall, based on a photograph lost in the demolition. Their mobile home, set up amid the rubble, is also marked for removal.
They are “trying to erase my memories, my childhood, my history,” he said, wiping away tears.
For decades, Israel has worked to expand the Jewish presence in annexed east Jerusalem — the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and home to major Jewish, Christian and Muslim sites. Settlers have exploited discriminatory policies and archaeological claims to evict Palestinians far from the region's war zones.
Read more here:
Israel is tightening its grip on east Jerusalem with evictions and demolitions
Indian crew rescued after US disables Iran-bound tanker in Gulf of Oman - ICYMI
11:39 , Alex Croft
Two crew members missing after fire engine room of tanker near Oman - UKMTO
11:15 , Alex Croft
Two crew members were missing on Wednesday after a fire started in the engine room of a tanker 20 nautical miles northeast of Oman's Sohar, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency said.
UKMTO reported one casualty, without giving further details, and did not report the cause of the fire.
Iran says Gulf nations have responsibility to prevent US strikes
10:52 , Alex Croft
The Iranian foreign ministry has warned its neighbours that the Gulf has a “legal and moral responsibility” to prevent US and Israeli strikes after Tehran and Donald Trump's forces traded strikes.
The ministry “reiterated the legal and moral responsibility of all countries in the region (especially those located along the southern shores of the Persian Gulf) to prevent the US military and Israel from using their territory or facilities to plan, organise, execute, or support hostile actions against Iran".
Vance claims again US 'very close' to Iran deal
10:29 , Alex Croft
Vice president JD Vance has claimed once again that the US was “very close” to a deal that would address Iran’s nuclear programme “for the long term".
“I think we’re going to know a lot before the [November] midterm elections,” he told CBS News before Donald Trump launched retaliatory attacks on Iran.
“Look, I think that the deal could happen in the next week, but the deal could also happen months from now.”
He said: “Right now, I feel that we are in a position to get a deal that is good for the United States economically and that really does deal with the Iranian nuclear program, not just now, not just while Donald Trump is president, but for the long term, to where my kids can say when they’re adults, ‘Iran is not going to have a nuclear weapon'."
“That’s the goal of the policy. And I think we’re very close to achieving that goal. But we still got some wood to chop. We’re going to keep doing it,” he added.
I spent six years in Iranian jail – the UK is failing Craig and Lindsay Foreman exactly the same way it failed me
10:05 , Alex Croft
For a hostage and their family, it is much easier emotionally when you finally know what is actually going on. It gives light in the desperation. You just need to find the tunnel out.
Craig and Lindsay Foreman, the couple jailed after being arrested on a motorbike tour in Iran last January, believe they have the rationale for their own arrest. Tehran wants Richard Jan, an Iranian national and convicted stalker who has been in prison here in the UK for 20 years, returned. On the weekend, hope of finding that tunnel came from David Lammy, who observed that “arrangements can be made”. His honesty was refreshing.
That is why it was so deflating that the Foreign Office called the reporting of the link between the cases by this paper and Sky News “grossly irresponsible and deeply regrettable” and urged other media to drop the story. They claimed that the story “risks hindering all the other efforts currently being made by this government”.
There’s a lot of crying wolf in hostage cases.
Britain is holding an ageing Iranian stalker whose deportation could help spare Lindsay and Craig Foreman from a 10-year jail sentence – so what is stopping us from bringing them home, ask Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Richard Ratcliffe.
You can read their article here.
Talks with US cannot continue amid ceasefire violations, says Iran
09:43 , Alex Croft
Iran has said talks with the US cannot continue while a ceasefire continues to be violated, throwing into doubt the possibility previously touted by Donald Trump that a deal could be agreed this week.
Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei made the comments on Wednesday, following overnight clashes in the Gulf between Tehran and Washington.
Baghaei accused Washington of undermining diplomacy through contradictory messages, shifting positions and repeated ceasefire violations, and said Israel was also damaging the process through repeated ceasefire breaches in Lebanon.
"Following overnight events, we need to re-assess (the diplomatic path with Washington) ... any diplomatic process requires a minimum stable environment," he said.
Iran minister warns US: 'Leave our region if you want to be safe'
09:21 , Alex Croft
Iran's top diplomat said foreign military forces near its territory "are at constant risk" and later vowed that there would be a response to the new US strikes.
Iranian forces "will leave no attack or threat unanswered," Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said on X. "Leave our region if you want to be safe."
Watch: Iran launches attacks at sites in Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan following US airstrikes
09:02 , Alex Croft
Foreign forces in region risk being involved in accidents, says Araghchi
08:47 , Alex Croft
Last night we heard from Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araqchi, who did not directly address the helicopter incident, but said in a post on X that foreign forces in the region risked being involved in accidents or crossfire.
“Foreign forces in proximity to our territory are at constant risk on account of their own human errors, plain accidents, or potentially being caught in crossfire,” he wrote.
"To reduce risk, best solution is for them to leave.”
Foreign forces in proximity to our territory are at constant risk on account of their own human errors, plain accidents, or potentially being caught in crossfire.
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) June 9, 2026
To reduce risk, best solution is for them to leave.
We prefer language of diplomacy but speak other languages too. pic.twitter.com/5DDgHAscBj
Recap: Trump says helicopter incident 'not a big deal'
08:30 , Alex Croft
We’ve heard some mixed messages from the White House regarding the Apache heklicopter crash near the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump told The Wall Street Journal during a phone call on Tuesday that the helicopter incident "wasn’t a big deal" and stressed that “the pilot is fine”.
But the US president also said a response would be necessary. Speaking to ABC News on Tuesday, he said: "I believe the response should be very strong, very powerful, and that's what this one is.”
The episode could well add further strain to efforts to broker a peace deal to end the wider Middle East war and reopen Hormuz.
Cargo ship exchanges fire with armed boat off Yemen coast, UKMTO says
08:07 , Alex Croft
A cargo vessel reported being approached by a small craft carrying six armed people about 88 nautical miles southwest of Yemen's Balhaf on Wednesday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said.
There was an exchange of fire between the small craft and the vessel's armed security team, and the craft then turned away, UKMTO added.
Inflation likely reached 3-year high last month as Iran war spikes gas prices
07:10 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Consumer prices probably jumped in May for the third straight month, heightening concerns for the inflation fighters at the Federal Reserve and underscoring the threat that rising costs pose for the Trump administration as midterm elections near.
Inflation is expected to reach 4.2 per cent in May from a year earlier when the Labor Department reports last month's figures, according to a survey of economists by data provider FactSet.
The annual increase would be up from the 3.8 per cent reading in April.
On a monthly basis, prices are forecast to have risen a hefty 0.5 per cent, slightly below the 0.6 per cent increase in April.
More here.
Inflation likely reached 3-year high last month as Iran war spikes gas prices
Iran's foreign minister calls Saudi and Turkish counterparts
07:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi held separate phone calls with his Turkish and Saudi counterparts to discuss regional developments after the US struck southern Iran.
Araghchi condemned the US strikes in the calls and said they violated Iran’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity, according to reports.
It was not clear whether the calls took place before or after Iran launched its own strikes on US bases in Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait.
Israel says it struck Hezbollah base in Lebanon
06:47 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The Israeli military this morning said that it had struck Hezbollah infrastructure in Tyre and other parts of south Lebanon.
It claimed to have attacked six sites used by the group in Tyre to advance attacks on Israeli civilians.
The military added that it attacked armed rocket launchers, along with Hezbollah operatives in areas where the Israeli army was operating.
Israeli settlers look at a fallen rocket in the outskirts of occupied West Bank
06:26 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Iran says Gulf nations have responsibility to prevent US strikes
06:11 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The Iranian foreign ministry has warned its neighbours that the Gulf has a “legal and moral responsibility” to prevent US and Israeli strikes after Tehran and Donald Trump's forces traded strikes.
The ministry “reiterated the legal and moral responsibility of all countries in the region (especially those located along the southern shores of the Persian Gulf) to prevent the US military and Israel from using their territory or facilities to plan, organise, execute, or support hostile actions against Iran".
Vance claims US 'very close' to Iran deal
05:50 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Vice president JD Vance has claimed that the US was “very close” to a deal that would address Iran’s nuclear programme “for the long term".
“I think we’re going to know a lot before the [November] midterm elections,” he told CBS News before Donald Trump launched retaliatory attacks on Iran.
“Look, I think that the deal could happen in the next week, but the deal could also happen months from now.”
He said: “Right now, I feel that we are in a position to get a deal that is good for the United States economically and that really does deal with the Iranian nuclear program, not just now, not just while Donald Trump is president, but for the long term, to where my kids can say when they’re adults, ‘Iran is not going to have a nuclear weapon'."
“That’s the goal of the policy. And I think we’re very close to achieving that goal. But we still got some wood to chop. We’re going to keep doing it,” he added.
US military says it struck 20 Iranian targets
05:37 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
A US military official said Donald Trump's troops have struck 20 Iranian targets in an attack that triggered retaliatory strikes on US bases in the Middle East.
The Iranian strikes, which included attacks in Kuwait and Bahrain, came after the US military said on X it had targeted Iranian air defence, ground control stations and surveillance radar sites near the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump said the strikes were in response to Iran downing a US Apache helicopter patrolling the Strait. Two crew members escaped the incident unharmed.
Watch: Iran attacks US bases across three Gulf allies after Trump renews strikes on Tehran
05:10 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Oil gains as Middle East tensions escalate
05:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Oil prices surged as escalating tensions in the Middle East unsettled markets and dimmed hopes for an end to the months-long war.
Oil prices climbed about 1 per cent in early trade, moving away from a seven-week low touched in the previous session in the wake of the fresh US attacks.
Brent futures rose 0.9 per cent to $92.29 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate WTI crude climbed 0.8 per cent to $88.97.
Iran minister warns US: 'Leave our region if you want to be safe'
04:54 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Iran's top diplomat said foreign military forces near its territory "are at constant risk" and later vowed that there would be a response to the new US strikes.
Iranian forces "will leave no attack or threat unanswered," Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said on X. "Leave our region if you want to be safe."
Explosions heard in Bahrain
04:47 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
At least two explosions were heard in Bahrain this morning, Mehr news agency reported.
Bahrain so far has sounded two air raid sirens and urged its citizens to take shelter after Iran began striking US allies in the Gulf region.
Jordan says it intercepted five missiles launched from Iran
04:25 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The Jordanian armed forces said this morning that they shot down five missiles launched from Iran towards the al-Azraq area.
The military added that debris from the interception operation fell on Jordanian territory but caused no injuries or material damage.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had targeted four sites at the US's al-Azraq base using long-range missiles.
US military says nearly all drones fired by Iran intercepted
04:19 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The US military has claimed that nearly all drones launched by Iran towards Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan were intercepted.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard said they fired drones and ballistic missiles at 21 targets spanning across US air and naval bases in the Gulf.
Bahrain activates air raid sirens for second time
04:05 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Bahrain's home ministry activated air raid sirens for the second time in the day. "Citizens and residents are urged to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place," it said in a post on X.
Iran has launched strikes at US bases in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan in retaliation against Donald Trump's renewed attack on Tehran.
Kuwait 'intercepting hostile aerial targets' as Iran fires drones
04:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The Kuwaiti army said its air defence systems are “currently intercepting hostile aerial targets” after Iran's Revolutionary Guard said it targeted Ali al Salem base in Kuwait with drones.
The Kuwaiti army has urged its residents to “adhere to the security and safety instructions and guidelines issued by the competent authorities, and to obtain information from authorised official sources”.
Iran attacks US bases in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan
03:57 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Iran has fired at least four ballistic missiles and several drones at US bases in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan in retaliation against Donald Trump's renewed attacks on Tehran.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard said its Aerospace Force launched long-range missiles at an airbase in Jordan, which hosts US military personnel.
The Guard claimed its missiles destroyed four critical targets at the base, including F-35 fighter jet hangars and a primary command and control centre.
UN inquiry finds Israeli forces shield settlers during attacks on Palestinians
03:45 , Reuters
Israeli authorities are directly involved in settler attacks that have killed, injured and displaced Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, while Israeli security forces provide protection to settlers, a U.N. inquiry said on Tuesday.
The report by the Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory found that Israeli authorities had enabled settler attacks through financial and military support, in a climate of impunity fostered by judicial and law-enforcement bodies. It also found that the Palestinian militant group Hamas had committed war crimes against both Palestinians and Israelis.
The report said Israeli settler attacks on Palestinian villages and agricultural land had surged since 2023, rising by 130%, including incidents involving groups of masked assailants. Israeli security forces routinely accompanied settlers and acted as a shield for the violence, it said.
The Israeli mission in Geneva rejected the report's findings accusing the body of drawing a “false moral equivalence” between Hamas militants and Israeli civilians and of relying on what it called unsubstantiated allegations. It said Israeli authorities including the president and prime minister had repeatedly condemned violence against Palestinians.
The Israeli army said its mission was maintain security and conduct counterterrorism operations, that it condemned "any form of violence that undermines security", and that any alleged misconduct by Israeli soldiers was thoroughly reviewed.
US lawmaker bashes Trump's 'recklessness' in Iran war
03:30 , Rachel Dobkin
US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has bashed US President Donald Trump after Iran was accused of shooting down an American helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz.
“American soldiers were shot down in Iran as Trump was wasting taxpayer dollars to fall asleep while watching the Knicks”, the top Democrat wrote on X Tuesday, referring to the president’s appearance at a basketball game.
“Each day this illegal war drags on further exposes this President's recklessness”.
Watch: Trump says he expects to sign peace deal in ‘two or three days’
03:00 , James Reynolds
Sirens sounded in Bahrain after Iran's paramilitary targets country
02:43 , Rachel Dobkin
Sirens have sounded in Bahrain after Iran's paramilitary said it targeted the US Navy in the country.
“Citizens and residents are urged to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place,” Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior wrote on social media.
The siren has been sounded .Citizens and residents are urged to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place.
— Ministry of Interior (@moi_bahrain) June 10, 2026
The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps reportedly said it launched a drone attack on the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain in retaliation for US strikes against Iran.
The US hit Iranian air defense infrastructure after accusing the country of downing an American helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran's paramilitary says it targeted US Navy in Bahrain
02:24 , Rachel Dobkin
Iran’s paramilitary has said it targeted the US Navy in Bahrain in retaliation for strikes that American forces launched against the country.
The Revolutionary Guards Corps said in a statement shared by The New York Times that it launched drone attacks on US Fifth Fleet.
The US hit Iranian air defense infrastructure after accusing the country of downing an American helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz.
US retaliatory strikes complete after hitting Iranian air defense infrastructure: military
02:13 , Rachel Dobkin
US Central Command has announced that its retaliatory strikes against Iran are complete.
The US military said it hit “Iranian air defense, ground control stations, and surveillance radar sites near the Strait of Hormuz with precision munitions from U.S. Air Force and Navy fighter jets”.
Central Command said the strikes were ”a proportional response to recent attacks on U.S. forces and international commercial ships transiting regional waters”.
Recap: Eight dead in Israeli attack on Lebanon as Netanyahu ignores Trump’s plea
02:00 , James Reynolds
Israel conducted fresh attacks in southern Lebanon on Tuesday, resulting in the deaths of eight people, despite calls from US president Donald Trump for de-escalation.
An Israeli airstrike hit a popular housing district in Tyre, an ancient southern Lebanese city, after the Israeli military issued an evacuation order for the entire city, including its Christian quarter.
These actions follow a recent agreement between Iran and Israel to halt attacks after an exchange of fire, with Tehran explicitly stating it would resume hostilities if Israel did not cease its bombardment in Lebanon.
Donald Trump confirmed that negotiations with Iran are ongoing and expressed optimism that a peace deal could be signed within a few days, aiming to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Republican senator backs Trump's threat to respond to helicopter attack
01:30 , Rachel Dobkin
US Senator Ted Cruz has backed US President Donald Trump's threat to retaliate after Iran was accused of shooting down an American helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz.
“Enough is enough. President Trump and our Armed Forces decimated Iran militarily, but the Iranian regime has been trying to rebuild and now they've taken down an American Apache”, the Republican wrote on X Tuesday.
Enough is enough. President Trump and our Armed Forces decimated Iran militarily, but the Iranian regime has been trying to rebuild and now they've taken down an American Apache. Thank God the two American servicemembers are safe.
— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) June 9, 2026
President Trump is absolutely right. There is a…
“Thank God the two American servicemembers are safe. President Trump is absolutely right. There is a pressing necessity for the U.S. to respond to this attack”, he added.
Armed Iranian drone used in US helicopter downing: report
01:00 , Rachel Dobkin
An armed Iranian Shahed drone was used to down a US helicopter flying over the Strait of Hormuz, CBS News reported, citing two unnamed sources.
Shahed drones are relatively inexpensive, costing just tens of thousands of dollars each, and are said to be able to fly more than 1,000 miles, The Wall Street Journal reported. The downsides of the drones are that they are slower and less destructive than traditional missiles, per the Journal.
US strikes hit Iran's water reservoirs, Iranian state media reports
Wednesday 10 June 2026 00:46 , Rachel Dobkin
The fresh US strikes against Iran have hit two water reservoirs in the south of the country, CNN reported, citing Iranian state media.
The water supply in the Bamani district, near the city of Sirik, was reportedly cut off by the retaliatory attack.
Trump has said the Iran war would end soon at least 37 times: report
Wednesday 10 June 2026 00:30 , Rachel Dobkin
President Donald Trump has said the Iran war would end soon at least 37 times, CNN reported Tuesday.
Earlier Tuesday, Trump told reporters a deal to end the conflict could be reached “in two or three days.”
Iranian radar sites targeted in US strikes: report
Wednesday 10 June 2026 00:06 , Rachel Dobkin
Iranian radar sites were targeted in the retaliatory strikes American forces launched against Tehran for the downing of a US helicopter, two US officials told CBS News.
