Overview
- U.S. Central Command said it carried out precision self‑defense strikes inside Iran after a U.S. Apache helicopter was downed, and Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said it launched retaliatory missile and drone attacks on bases in Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan on Thursday.
- President Donald Trump posted that U.S. forces would “hit Iran very hard tonight,” threatened to seize Kharg Island and later claimed he canceled scheduled strikes because final deal points were approved, a claim not independently corroborated.
- Host nations reported intercepting incoming Iranian missiles and drones, with Jordan saying it shot down 20 missiles and Bahrain reporting debris damage and an 11‑year‑old treated for minor injuries.
- Mediators including Qatar and Pakistan say talks continue but remain stalled over nuclear limits, frozen Iranian assets and passage through the Strait of Hormuz, while Russia publicly urged restraint and diplomatic solutions.
- The fighting has effectively undone the April ceasefire, kept the Strait of Hormuz restricted, pushed energy prices higher, disrupted shipping and worsened civilian hardship and infrastructure damage in the region.