Day 153 | Trump vows retaliation after Iran targets US bases; US-Saudi strikes hit Iraq

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Read more: Day 154 | Iran targets US bases across Middle East; deadly strikes escalate tensions

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has suggested that "false-flag operations" were behind the targeting of two ships at Egypt's Damietta Port, while expressing support for Egypt's security.

In a post on X, Araghchi described Egypt as "an important friend and partner in the region" and said its security was of utmost importance to Iran.

Egyptian authorities confirmed that a drone damaged the vessels and said an investigation is under way. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, while Yemen's Houthis have denied any involvement.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani has postponed a planned visit to Saudi Arabia following US-Saudi strikes that reportedly killed at least 20 members of Iraq's Iran-backed Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF).

Government spokesperson Haider al-Aboudi said Baghdad had neither approved nor been informed in advance of the strikes on Iraqi territory, according to the Iraqi News Agency.

His comments came after US President Donald Trump said the operation had been coordinated with the Iraqi government. Al-Aboudi rejected that account, saying the government had no prior knowledge of the attacks.

The spokesperson added that Iraq has asked Saudi Arabia to provide evidence supporting claims that attacks against the kingdom were launched by Iran-backed groups operating from Iraqi territory.

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said the government has secured alternative sources to meet the country's energy needs after a drone attack on Wednesday damaged a gas vessel at Damietta Port.

Madbouly said no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, adding that authorities are continuing their investigation.

The incident comes as regional energy routes face mounting pressure. Ongoing Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and the continued disruption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz have increased reliance on Egypt's Suez Canal and SUMED pipeline as alternative routes for Gulf oil exports.

Iran's army said on Thursday that it launched an attack on US assets at Bahrain's Sheikh Isa Air Base, according to Iranian state media.

The Senate failed to advance a resolution Thursday aimed at rebuking President Donald Trump over the war in Iran. The final tally was 49-50.

In June, during the ceasefire, the Senate adopted a resolution aimed at removing military forces from Iran, though the chamber walked back the rebuke a day later when they failed to advance a similar war powers measure.

Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins and Rand Paul voted with Democrats to limit the president’s war powers, while Democratic Sen. John Fetterman voted with the rest of the Republican conference to reject the measure.

The president has sharply criticized Republicans for voting for to advance previous war powers resolutions, chastising them in meetings and posting on Truth Social that they are “losers” who “made my job more difficult.”

Sen. Bill Cassidy had previously pushed back on the lack of transparency surrounding the war on the Senate floor and went toe-to-toe with President Donald Trump over the issue during a closed-door Republican luncheon in June. After receiving a briefing, Cassidy voted against the next war powers measure to come to the floor for a vote.

This is the 13th time the Senate has voted on an Iran war powers measure since the beginning of the year.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Thursday that all missiles and drones launched during the latest Iranian attacks were successfully intercepted.

In a statement, CENTCOM said no US aircraft were destroyed or damaged during the attacks, adding that American air defenses neutralized all incoming threats.

China's Foreign Ministry has rejected a Reuters report claiming Beijing plans to send 300 to 400 shoulder-fired air defense missile launchers to Iran.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told the state-run Xinhua News Agency that the reports were "false and entirely unfounded," adding that China's role has always been to promote peace and help end the war.

Reuters had reported the proposed shipment was valued at $60–70 million. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said he would be "quite disappointed" if Chinese President Xi Jinping supplied weapons to Iran.

CNN previously reported that US intelligence assessed China was preparing to deliver new air defense systems to Iran as Tehran seeks to replenish its military capabilities with support from key foreign partners.

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, announced on Thursday that funeral ceremonies have begun for Second Brigadier-General Pilot Majid Kazemi, whose remains were recently recovered and identified.

In a post on X, Baghaei paid tribute to Kazemi, who was among four crew members aboard two Iranian Air Force Su-24 bombers involved in a March 2, 2026 mission. Iranian military officials said the aircraft were brought down by air defense systems over the Gulf.

Baghaei added that efforts are continuing to locate or identify the remaining three crew members.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed on Thursday that it targeted Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait earlier in the morning.

In a brief statement, the IRGC said its forces had carried out the strike against the military base but did not provide further details on the nature of the attack or any reported damage.

Yemen's Houthi movement has denied reports claiming it was behind an attack on a ship at Egypt's Damietta Port using a drone.

A source at the Houthi-affiliated Foreign Ministry told the Saba news agency that there was "no truth" to reports circulating about the group targeting any vessel inside the Egyptian port.

The source said the group's position is "clear and public," claiming that its operations are limited to targeting Saudi Arabia in response to what it described as a blockade and continued aggression against Yemen.

The source also claimed that navigation in the Red Sea remains safe, dismissing reports of maritime security concerns.

Egyptian authorities have not yet officially identified the party responsible for the incident. The reports come amid heightened regional tensions and increased scrutiny of shipping activity in the Red Sea.

A Qatari vessel carrying liquefied natural gas (LNG) has passed through the Strait of Hormuz for the first time in nearly three weeks, according to Reuters.

Iran’s state-run media, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), said the Qatari vessel had complied with Iran’s rules and requirements of passing the waterway.

It comes as Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the key waterway will remain closed for as long as US “threats” and “interference” with shipping in the region continue. The statement came hours after the US military said it had struck dozens of IRGC targets in Iran.

Earlier this month, a few LNG tankers run by QatarEnergy were forced to make U-turns after trying to pass the strait.

Qatar is one of the world’s largest LNG exporters, accounting for roughly 20% of global exports, according to the US Energy Information Administration.

Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has caused global reverberations, with oil and fertilizer prices spiking, and the risk of an an LNG shortage hitting Europe this winter.

Footage of the ‘Israeli’ military carrying out demolitions in the southern Lebanon town of Majdal Zoun.

Jordan on Thursday condemned what it described as a "heinous Iranian attack" targeting a building belonging to a company in Kuwait, calling it a blatant violation of Kuwait's sovereignty and a breach of international law.

In a statement, Jordan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said the attack threatened Kuwait's security, stability and territorial integrity, while reaffirming Jordan's "absolute solidarity" with the Gulf state.

The ministry stressed that Jordan stands alongside Kuwait in all measures it takes to safeguard its sovereignty, security, stability and the safety of its citizens and residents.

Jordan's statement came after Kuwait's Ministry of Defense announced that one worker was killed and a Chinese company building in the country's north sustained extensive damage in an Iranian attack.

The condemnation comes amid escalating regional tensions between the United States and Iran. Earlier Thursday, the Jordanian Armed Forces said they had detected and intercepted five Iranian missiles launched toward the Kingdom, underscoring growing concerns that the widening confrontation could threaten the security and sovereignty of countries across the region.

The authority overseeing the Egyptian port of Damietta said Thursday that its operations were ongoing despite a fire breaking out there the day before that authorities blamed on a drone attack.

"The Damietta Port Authority confirms the continued full operational efficiency of the port, with all terminals and berths experiencing regular vessel arrivals and departures, along with ongoing loading, unloading, and cargo handling of all types," the Damietta Port Authority said in a statement.

‘Israeli’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at Blair House in Washington.

Footage released by Netanyahu’s office shows the two men shaking hands and speaking alongside military and civilian aides, a day after Netanyahu met with US President Donald Trump and attended the funeral of the late US Senator Lindsey Graham.

Kuwait's defence ministry on Thursday said an Iranian strike that hit a building belonging to a Chinese company in the country's north killed one person.

"The heinous Iranian aggression targeted a building belonging to a Chinese company in the north of the country, resulting in the death of one worker and causing severe material damage to the building," read a statement published by the ministry.

Egypt has confirmed today the fire that broke out aboard two vessels at Damietta Port in the country's north on Wednesday was caused by a drone attack.

“The relevant authorities conducted a preliminary investigation into the incident. The investigation found that the fire was caused by a drone. No party has claimed responsibility for the incident,” a statement by the country’s Prime Minister’s office said.

Iranian officials cited by NYT have hinted the attack was carried out by Tehran.

Days before the strike, Iranian state television said that Damietta could be a potential target for retaliation against Ukraine after a Kyiv struck an Iranian vessel in the Caspian Sea.

Egypt's Ministry of Petroleum said in a statement that the fire erupted "on the regasification vessel and the storage vessel located at Damietta Port," adding that authorities responded immediately in line with emergency and rapid response plans. It stressed that the incident "resulted in no injuries or loss of life."

The ministry added that "the necessary measures are being taken to assess the repercussions of the incident."

Maritime intelligence firm Kpler said an "explosion" at the Damietta natural gas terminal disrupted operations after damaging the floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) Energos Winter and the liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier GasLog Salem.

Earlier, maritime security firm Ambrey reported that a US-owned and operated LNG floating storage facility flying the Marshall Islands flag had come under attack by "at least one drone while berthed at Damietta Port" during unloading operations.

Ayman Saleh, former head of the Damietta Port Authority, told AFP that "a regasification vessel was moored alongside an LNG carrier at Damietta Port," explaining that the regasification process is carried out "under very high pressure," meaning that any leak could trigger a fire.

Located on Egypt's Mediterranean coast, Damietta Port is one of the country's most important ports.

It hosts facilities for processing, storing, and re-exporting natural gas, raising concerns over natural gas futures following the fire amid global energy market disruptions caused by the war in the Middle East.

Mediator Pakistan confirmed on Thursday that negotiations between the United States and Iran were "ongoing" during a flare-up in fighting across the Middle East.

"Negotiations between parties are ongoing, particularly on (the) Strait of Hormuz and to de-escalate," Pakistani foreign ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi told reporters in Islamabad.

‘Israeli’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied in an interview with ABC News that he promised US President Donald Trump the Iran war would bring a fast “regime change”.

The statement comes in response to a question about the meeting between the two leaders that took place before the start of the ‘Israeli’-US campaign in late February, where Netanyahu reportedly presented Trump with information that the war -now in its fifth month- would quickly change the leadership in Iran.

"No, I didn't mislead anything... nobody tells President Trump what to do," Netanyahu told ABC News.