Today, the United States carried out retaliatory strikes in southern Iran after the regime launched drones at ships attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz. The Times of Israel reported that Tehran later targeted a U.S. base in Kuwait in response. A U.S. official stated that the strikes were purely defensive and conducted in a manner intended to preserve the already fragile ceasefire. Meanwhile, the IDF struck the Lebanese capital for the first time in three weeks as exchanges of fire between Israeli troops and Hezbollah continue to intensify.
The strikes drew a thinly veiled threat from Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, but Thursday marked the first time since fighting halted that Iran retaliated against the US, potentially ratcheting up tensions even as the sides attempt to hash out a deal suspending the conflict.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly said the end of the war is close but told the media at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday he was not yet satisfied on a deal with Iran and the US was not discussing easing sanctions on it.
The US is seeking a deal with Iran that will keep it from nuclear enrichment activities and wants to extract a stockpile of already near-bomb grade uranium.
Aside from seeking sanctions relief, Iran is insisting that the US unfreeze Iranian funds, the deputy secretary of its National Security Council said, according to a report by Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news outlet.
The Israeli strike in Beirut targeted the head of the Imam Hossein Division’s missile force, a militia operating alongside Hezbollah. The IDF has not yet confirmed whether the commander was killed, and further details are still emerging. The United States had previously advised against strikes near the Lebanese capital, although it approved Israel’s plans to expand operations in southern Lebanon.
The IDF reported that more than 135 Hezbollah targets were struck over the past 24 hours, including a major rocket launch site. Sgt. Rotem Yanai, 20, was killed yesterday in an explosive drone attack that also wounded two reservists. According to Israeli officials, one of the greatest challenges facing IDF forces in combat against Hezbollah is the terror group’s advanced drone-jamming technology.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to meet with Pakistani mediators tomorrow as efforts to broker a peace agreement continue despite the ongoing clashes. The Fellowship and our supporters continue to pray for the U.S. and Israeli forces on their respective fronts and that a lasting ceasefire can be achieved.
