★U.S.A.

1. Trump Rejects Ground Invasion As Strikes Cripple Iran Military

U.S. President Donald Trump said removing Iran’s leadership remains the objective but dismissed a ground invasion as “a waste of time,” said strikes would continue at their current pace, and said Iranian officials had begun reaching out about possible negotiations, while U.S. and Israeli officials said operations destroyed about 80 percent of Iran’s air defenses, about 60 to 64 percent of its missile launchers, and 30 naval vessels including a drone carrier, reduced Iranian missile launches by about 90 percent and drone attacks by 83 percent, sent B-2 bombers against underground missile sites, and still faced limited Iranian fire including a cluster-warhead strike on central Israel.

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★ISRAEL

2. Israel Expands Airstrikes Across Beirut Suburbs Bekaa Valley During Escalation

Israeli forces launched multiple airstrikes targeting Hezbollah infrastructure in Beirut’s southern suburbs including Haret Hreik, Ghobeiri, and Burj al-Barajneh, while additional strikes hit towns in southern Lebanon and extended east toward the Bekaa Valley near Baalbek for the first time in the current escalation, as evacuation warnings triggered mass departures from the suburbs, Hezbollah warned residents of Israeli towns within five kilometers of the border to evacuate and announced missile attacks on Israeli military positions, and Lebanese authorities reported the death toll had reached 102.

3. Hezbollah Threatens To Expand War And Target US Interests

Hezbollah warned it could widen the conflict beyond Israel and target U.S. interests across the Middle East if the war continues, while also warning countries supporting U.S. or Israeli military operations that their territory and facilities could become targets, including locations hosting Western military infrastructure such as Cyprus.

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★IRAN

4. Iran Claims USS Abraham Lincoln Forced To Withdraw

Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters spokesman Ebrahim Zolfaghari claimed IRGC naval drones struck the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Sea of Oman after it approached within 340 kilometers of Iranian waters, forcing the carrier and escorting destroyers to withdraw over 1,000 kilometers. The IRGC said it launched the twenty-first “Operation Sadeq Promise 4” wave using missiles and drones, including Khyber multi-warhead missiles targeting central Tel Aviv, declared readiness for prolonged conflict, and alleged a THAAD system was destroyed in Jordan.

5. Iranian Authorities House Military Personnel Inside Schools And Universities

Iranian authorities are placing military personnel inside buildings belonging to Islamic Azad University and various schools located in densely populated residential areas as military installations come under attack. 

6. Azerbaijan Threatens Retaliation After Alleged Iranian Drone Strike

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev accused Iran of launching drones that struck Nakhchivan International Airport and nearby civilian sites, calling the incident a “terror act” against Azerbaijan and ordering the armed forces to prepare retaliatory measures while demanding an explanation and apology from Tehran, as Iran denied responsibility and suggested the attack may have been a false-flag operation. 

7. Shipping Insurance Costs Surge Twelvefold In Strait Of Hormuz

Insurance premiums for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz have increased about twelvefold to roughly 3 percent of vessel value, up from about 0.25 percent before the war, as insurers reprice risk and some withdraw coverage following at least seven tanker attacks and threats reported in the waterway.

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★THE GULF

8. Kuwait Says Air Defenses Intercepted 606 Iranian Projectiles

Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah reviewed security measures with military officials as the country reported intercepting 212 missiles and 394 drones launched during recent Iranian attacks, while confirming strikes on military bases, Kuwait International Airport, and debris falling near oil facilities amid continued regional escalation.

9. Saudi Arabia Intercepts Nine Missiles And Six Drones Near Bases

Saudi Arabia said air defenses intercepted nine Iranian missiles and six drones within 24 hours, including three ballistic missiles targeting Prince Sultan Air Base and additional cruise missiles and drones near Al-Kharj.

Qatar reported intercepting a drone targeting Al Udeid Air Base, Kuwait said it intercepted missiles and drones entering its airspace, and Bahrain reported explosions and building damage in Manama.

10. Kuwaiti Oil Price Rises To $84.24 As Regional Tensions Disrupt Shipping

The price of Kuwaiti crude rose $3.92 to $84.24 per barrel as global oil prices climbed amid fears of supply disruptions during the regional conflict, while Reuters estimated that at least 200 vessels including oil, LNG, and cargo ships remain stranded off the coasts of major Gulf producers such as Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, according to Kuwait Petroleum Corporation and Reuters reporting.

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★IRAQ

11. Energy Incidents Disrupt Gas Production And Tanker Operations In Iraq

Dana Gas suspended production at the Khor Mor gas field in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region due to regional security concerns while keeping the facility operational for a rapid restart. Separately, Sonangol Marine Services said the tanker Sonangol Namibe was damaged by an explosion near the port of Khor Al-Zubair in southern Iraq after a small boat approached the vessel.

12. Iraqi Militia Claims Drone Strike As Baghdad Reviews Regional Security

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed a drone strike on a “vital target” in Jordan and said it conducted 27 missile and drone operations against enemy bases in Iraq and the region. Separately, Iraq’s president, prime minister, parliament speaker, and chief justice met in Baghdad to assess the war’s impact and reaffirmed Iraqi territory will not be used for attacks on neighboring states.

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★ Disclaimer: This publication is a digest of various news sources compiled by the Early Phoenix team and edited by Rania Kisar. The items are curated, concise summaries of news items hyperlinked within each story. The items and summaries presented do not necessarily represent the views of the American Center for Levant Studies.