President Donald Trump has threatened further military action against Iran, asserting that the United States will continue to strike the nation until its behavior is altered. These remarks come as the U.S. seeks the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping lane.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated Friday evening that Tehran had previously signed a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. regarding a truce but subsequently violated it by firing on commercial ships and causing the deaths of American soldiers. "President Trump is not going to stand by and allow this terrorist behavior to occur," Leavitt said. "Iran will continue to pay until they come to the table in, what President Trump deems, a meaningful way."
In related developments on Saturday, Kuwait's military reported responding to a new series of drone attacks originating from Iran, which impacted several vital facilities in the country's north without causing casualties. Concurrently, the British Navy reported that a tanker sustained damage from an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Oman on Friday. Another vessel experienced a large splash and explosion nearby on Saturday.
Iran has previously targeted vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz that do not comply with its authorization, amid ongoing conflict with the U.S.
Meanwhile, in Gaza, intense Israeli strikes on Friday night resulted in at least two fatalities and dozens of injuries, according to local health officials. These strikes followed Hamas's announcement that it would disarm, a development that could mark a significant step towards ending the conflict in Gaza, though substantial challenges persist. Israel has not officially commented on the Hamas agreement, which is part of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire initiated last October. This agreement stipulated Hamas's disarmament, the handover of power to an independent Palestinian administration, an Israeli withdrawal, and the deployment of an International Stabilization Force.
In Lebanon, Israeli forces detonated explosives on Friday to demolish a network of underground tunnels beneath the Crusader-built Beaufort Castle. Israel claims these tunnels were utilized by Hezbollah militants as a command center. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun commented that the Israeli operation conveyed "negative messages" ahead of upcoming negotiations in Rome, where Israeli and Lebanese representatives are scheduled to convene to finalize a plan for Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon in exchange for Hezbollah's disarmament.