★USA
Trump Threatens Iran’s Power Plants And Bridges
President Donald Trump warned that the United States could begin striking Iranian power plants and bridges next week unless Tehran returns to negotiations. In a Fox News interview, Trump said U.S. forces would continue heavy attacks over the coming nights before escalating against critical infrastructure, declaring that strikes would continue until he determined Iran had been sufficiently degraded.
U.S. Expands Sanctions Targeting Iran’s Oil Shipping Network
The United States imposed new sanctions on more than 50 individuals, entities, and vessels linked to Iran’s oil trade, targeting a network tied to businessman Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani. The Treasury said the measures aim to increase economic pressure on Tehran following renewed attacks in the Strait of Hormuz.
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★IRAN
Iran Expands Retaliatory Strikes Across Three Arab States
Iran’s Army and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced new drone and missile attacks against facilities hosting U.S. forces in Jordan, Bahrain, and Kuwait following another round of American strikes on southern Iran. The Army said drones targeted U.S. positions, F/A-18 facilities, troop housing, and equipment warehouses at Jordan’s Azraq Air Base, while the IRGC claimed attacks on military storage sites in Bahrain and MQ-9 drone facilities in Kuwait. Kuwait confirmed that its air defenses engaged Iranian drones and reported containing a fire, while Bahrain reported defending against an Iranian aerial attack. Neither the United States nor the affected governments confirmed Iran’s claims that aircraft, air-defense systems, warehouses, or other military infrastructure were destroyed.
Seven Iranian Soldiers Killed in Latest U.S. Strikes
Iran’s army said seven soldiers were killed in U.S. missile strikes on a military base near Iranshahr, while health authorities reported more than 260 people injured in the latest attacks, marking the highest number of casualties recorded in a single round of the recent U.S.-Iran escalation.
Iran Threatens to Close More Strategic Global Shipping Routes
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard threatened to shut additional strategic export corridors after closing the Strait of Hormuz, warning that regional energy exports would be “shared by all or denied to all.” Analysts say Tehran could also use its Houthi allies to disrupt the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, raising fears over global energy supplies.
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★GULF STATES
Houthis Warn Airlines Against Saudi Airspace
Yemen’s Houthi movement renewed its warning for all commercial airlines to avoid Saudi airspace until restrictions on Sana’a International Airport are lifted, following its missile and drone strike on Abha International Airport. While the warning has been publicly issued and independently reported, there is no evidence that civilian aircraft have been targeted. The development nevertheless raises aviation-security concerns as regional hostilities continue to expand.
UAE Studies Fujairah Port to Reduce Hormuz Dependence
The UAE is studying a new multipurpose port and container terminal in Fujairah to diversify trade routes and reduce reliance on the Strait of Hormuz, the Financial Times reported. The project, led by DP World, would provide direct access to the Gulf of Oman while complementing, not replacing, Jebel Ali Port.
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★IRAQ
Kata’ib Hezbollah Threatens Immediate Intervention For Iran
Kata’ib Hezbollah security chief Abu Mujahid al-Assaf said Iraqi “resistance forces” would intervene “immediately and decisively” if a broader war erupted against Iran, describing the decision as an ideological commitment not subject to negotiation. The statement does not announce that the militia has entered the current fighting, but it raises the threat of attacks on U.S. forces and regional facilities if Kata’ib Hezbollah concludes that the campaign has become an existential war against Tehran.
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★ISRAEL
Netanyahu Plans Washington Visit Seeking Meeting With Trump Next Week
Israeli media reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to travel to Washington next Saturday in hopes of meeting U.S. President Donald Trump, although no date has been confirmed. The visit aims to discuss recent developments and rebuild trust with Washington following tensions linked to the Iran conflict.
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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.
