US President Donald Trump has warned of further military action against Iran, saying Washington will continue its strikes until Tehran agrees to negotiate, as tensions across the West Asia intensified with fresh attacks in Kuwait, the Strait of Hormuz and Gaza.
Speaking to reporters during a Cabinet meeting at Camp David on Friday, Trump said the United States would continue to hit Iran “very hard” until it “can’t take it anymore,” adding that Washington wanted to prevail in the conflict and secure a meaningful agreement.
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Later, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt accused Iran of violating last month’s truce memorandum by attacking commercial vessels and killing American soldiers. She said the US would continue to increase pressure on Tehran until it returned to negotiations.
The US State Department also issued fresh security alerts for American citizens in Bahrain, Israel, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, warning of possible flight disruptions and temporary airspace closures due to the escalating conflict.
Kuwait, Strait of Hormuz come under fresh attack
Kuwait’s military said its air defence forces responded to a new wave of Iranian drone attacks targeting several vital facilities in the country, including a government building in the north. Authorities said no casualties were reported.
Meanwhile, maritime security agencies reported fresh incidents in the Strait of Hormuz.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Organisation said an unidentified projectile struck a tanker northeast of Lima, Oman, damaging its engine room. In a separate incident on Saturday, another tanker reported an explosion and a large splash near its route northwest of Khasab.
The attacks come as Iran continues to target vessels operating in or near the strategically important waterway amid its confrontation with the United States.
Israel intensifies Gaza strikes
In Gaza, Israeli forces launched heavy overnight strikes that killed at least four people and wounded dozens, according to local health officials.
The Israeli military said it targeted Hamas positions across the enclave and destroyed five storage facilities after issuing evacuation warnings.
The bombardment came a day after Hamas announced it was willing to disarm under a proposed US-backed agreement aimed at ending the war.
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While the announcement raised hopes for progress towards a ceasefire, uncertainty remains over its implementation. Israel has not formally responded to Hamas’s decision, although far-right Israeli lawmaker Itamar Ben-Gvir criticised the proposed arrangement and called for military operations to continue.
Egypt welcomed Hamas’s response to the phased peace initiative, while negotiations over the future of Gaza and broader regional security remain ongoing.
Regional tensions remain high
Elsewhere in the region, Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed they had forced eight Saudi ships to reroute away from the Bab el-Mandeb Strait after announcing a blockade on Saudi shipping.
In southern Lebanon, Israeli forces destroyed what they described as a Hezbollah tunnel network beneath the historic Beaufort Castle, drawing criticism from Lebanese President Joseph Aoun ahead of planned talks between Israeli and Lebanese officials in Rome.
The Israeli military also said one of its officers was moderately wounded during an overnight clash with Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon.
With inputs from agencies