Day 91 | US, Iran reach tentative agreement, but deal still needs Trump’s sign-off
US and Iranian officials have reportedly reached a tentative agreement aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz and launching new nuclear talks, according to US officials. However, US President Donald Trump has not yet approved the deal, while Iranian officials have so far remained silent on the reported understandings.
Meanwhile, tensions escalated overnight after US Central Command confirmed that Iran fired a ballistic missile toward Kuwait, which was intercepted before reaching its target. Earlier, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced it had targeted an American military base, claiming the site had been used to launch recent US strikes.
In Lebanon, ‘Israel’ carried out a strike in Beirut targeting a commander in Hezbollah’s missile unit, according to an Israeli source. The attack marked the first strike on the Lebanese capital in weeks, as Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported dozens killed in Israeli strikes on Wednesday.
Central Command denies US aircraft downed in Iran
US Central Command (CENTCOM) has denied earlier reports circulating in Iranian media that a US aircraft was shot down in the country.
“No U.S. aircraft were shot down. All U.S. air assets are accounted for,” it said on X
US charges Iraqi-Iranian Mohammad Baqir al-Saadi over 20 attacks
The US Department of Justice announced charges against Iraqi-Iranian national Mohammad Baqir al-Saadi, accusing him of participating in militant activities linked to Kataib Hezbollah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
According to the statement, US authorities filed eight criminal charges against al-Saadi over his alleged role in coordinated operations targeting American and ‘Israeli’ interests.
The Justice Department said al-Saadi was involved in 20 attacks and planned operations, some of which reportedly took place on US soil.
Officials described the case as part of ongoing efforts to disrupt networks they say are responsible for attacks against US forces and allied interests in the region.
More Chinese ships leave Strait of Hormuz
A Chinese crude oil tanker has become the latest vessel to exit the Strait of Hormuz as shipping companies continue withdrawing ships from the Gulf amid escalating regional tensions.
According to shipping industry journal Lloyd’s List, the Aframax tanker Hua Lin Wan, owned by Chinese shipping giant Cosco, transited the strait on Wednesday.
The report said more than 10 stranded Chinese vessels have now left the strategic waterway.
Cosco President Lin Ji told Lloyd’s List that the safety of crews and vessels remains the company’s top priority as it works to withdraw its remaining ships from the Gulf.
Kuwait, UAE condemn ‘Iranian aggressions’ targeting Kuwait
Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah Jaber al-Ahmad al-Sabah held a phone call with UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan following what Kuwait described as “sinful Iranian aggressions” targeting the country.
According to a statement released by Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry, both sides affirmed Kuwait’s “full right” to take all necessary measures to protect its sovereignty, security, stability, and residents.
The statement came after the US military announced that a ballistic missile launched toward Kuwait by Iran was “successfully intercepted”.
Iran did not explicitly confirm targeting Kuwait. However, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had struck a base used by US forces in response to American attacks near the Strait of Hormuz.
'Israeli' drone attack kills three in southern Gaza
Three Palestinians were killed and several others injured in an ‘Israeli’ drone strike targeting a security checkpoint in the al-Mawasi area near Khan Younis in southern Gaza.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry condemns US threats against Oman
Esmaeil Baghaei, spokesman for Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, condemned recent US threats against Oman after Washington warned of sanctions linked to the Strait of Hormuz.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the Trump administration would “aggressively” impose sanctions on Oman if it assists Iran in establishing a tolling system in the strategic waterway, escalating pressure on the Gulf ally.
In response, Baghaei described the threats as “an attempt to blackmail an independent state that is a member of the United Nations” and “another sign of the moral bankruptcy of the US system of governance and politics”.
The Iranian spokesman also called the threat of sanctions an “illegal act”, urging the international community to respond and prevent what he described as the growing normalization of violations of international legal norms.
Warning shots reported near Bandar Abbas, Hormuz
Iran’s Mehr News Agency reported that sounds heard near Bandar Abbas and the Strait of Hormuz may have been linked to warning shots fired at suspicious vessels.
Informed sources cited by the agency said the sounds were likely caused by warning fire aimed at unidentified ships operating in the area.
No official statement has yet been issued by Iranian authorities regarding the incident or the identity of the vessels involved.
US imposes new sanctions targeting Iran’s ‘illicit oil revenue’
The US Treasury Department announced a new round of sanctions targeting Iran’s oil revenue network, designating eight vessels accused of transporting Iranian crude oil and petroleum products to international markets.
Among the sanctioned ships are the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Flora, the Comoros-flagged Hauncayo, and the Panama-flagged Ill Gap, according to the Treasury.
More than 15 companies and entities were also added to the sanctions list, including Hong Kong-based Worth Seen Energy Limited and Mehdiyev Trading Co, as well as Dubai-based Symphony Shipping and Maritime Management Inc.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said during a White House briefing that lifting sanctions on Iran remains off the table unless the Strait of Hormuz is reopened and Tehran agrees to hand over its highly enriched uranium stockpile.
The measures come amid escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran over regional security and maritime navigation in the Gulf.
Day 90 of the US-‘Israeli’ war on Iran
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Read more: Day 90 | Trump says he won’t rush Iran deal because ‘I don’t care about the midterms’
