Donald Trump has labelled Iran’s strikes on US targets as a “love tap” after US forces had hit the country “very hard” in yet another bizarre rant.
Iranians, Europeans, and others in the region fear a return of the conflict in earnest after the biggest exchange of fire between Tehran and Washington since July took place on Wednesday.
“It was a very heavy attack last night, and we’re prepared to do another one anytime we want,” Trump said on Wednesday according to Fox News.
“We have technology that's incredible. Nobody has technology like we have. So, we hit them hard last night, very hard. They gave a little love tap, but we hit them very hard.”
It comes amid fears Trump is planning to extend Washington’s war on Iran, after The Wall Street Journal reported that the Pentagon was extending the presence of troops in the Middle East into next year.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth is quietly stretching the presence of troops in the region as part of an strategy to leave Trump with open-ended options in the war, sources told the outlet.
Trump said the US is prepared to launch another attack at “any time”, but added that a renewed campaign would not last “too long”.
Read MoreIran accuses US of killing four in strike on wedding ceremony and vows ‘devastating’ response
Trump doesn’t understand the forever war he’s created with Iran – and Russia
Trump’s infamous plane swap gets the Neflix documentary treatment just weeks after it happened
Key Points
- Iran reports 18 killed in latest US strikes
- Trump floats renaming Strait of Hormuz as ‘Trump Strait’
- Trump doesn’t understand the forever war he’s created with Iran – and Russia
- Trump under pressure to avoid Iran escalation ahead of midterms
- Russia is secretly helping Iran to develop supersonic cruise missiles, says report
Three Iranian army pilots killed in US strikes - state news agency
13:00 , Alex CroftThree Iranian Army pilots were killed in US strikes conducted on Tuesday night, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Thursday.
We’ll bring you more on the update as we get it.
Sam Kiley: Trump just doesn’t understand he is now in a forever war with Iran - and Russia
12:54 , Alex CroftUS embassies issue security alerts after reported Iranians strikes
12:54 , Alex CroftMultiple US embassies in the Middle East issued a security alert to American citizens in the region on Wednesday.
The security environment "remains complex with the potential for unforeseen escalation", the embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, said.
The US embassy in Riyadh advised Americans to prepare for possible flight cancellations, airspace closures and travel disruptions.
A similar alert was issued by the US mission in the UAE.
The warnings came after Donald Trump threatened to strike Iran “at a much harder and higher level” and leave “very little left” of the country if it retaliated. Iran launched retaliatory attacks overnight.
Oil edges down as investors weigh uncertainty
11:47 , Alex CroftOil prices edged lower on Thursday as investors weighed the uncertainty of renewed military strikes between the US and Iran that risk disrupting supplies from the Middle East.
Brent crude futures fell 43 cents, or 0.45 per cent, to $95.2 a barrel at 0029 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate crude futures were down 24 cents, or 0.26 per cent, at $90.77.
Brent and WTI swung between gains of as much as $2 a barrel and losses of $1 a barrel during the previous trading session. The session highs for both benchmarks were the highest since 24 July.
Trump under pressure to avoid Iran escalation ahead of midterms
11:01 , Alex CroftDonald Trump is under pressure to avoid further escalation after the US launched its largest wave of strikes on Iran in weeks, as the military faces mounting strain and the November midterm elections approach.
Trump on Wednesday dismissed concerns that the war could hurt Republican candidates, saying he believed his party supported his efforts to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
But the president’s approval rating has fallen to a record-low 33 per cent, while two-thirds of Americans disapprove of his handling of the war. Oil prices also climbed above $90 a barrel on Wednesday.
“I don’t think it will be very much longer,” Trump said when asked how many more Iranian targets the US could strike, as the conflict passed the six-month mark.
The comments came as Reuters reported that the White House was seeking to avoid a major escalation against Iran until after the 3 November election.
The latest fighting erupted after a month of relative calm. US forces carried out about 100 strikes against Iranian targets on Tuesday, saying they were retaliation for maritime threats near the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian state media reported that a US strike hit a home in southern Iran during a wedding celebration, killing two women and two children and injuring 60 others.
Trump floats renaming Strait of Hormuz as ‘Trump Strait’ - ICYMI
11:00 , Alex CroftPresident Donald Trump suggested on Wednesday that the Strait of Hormuz should be renamed after him, claiming the key waterway is now under US control.
“Now that we have it under USA control, should we change the name Hormuz Strait to TRUMP STRAIT???” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
The waterway has become a flashpoint in the renewed conflict between the US and Iran. The latest escalation began after US forces struck what an American military spokesperson said were Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces preparing to lay more sea mines in the strait.
Trump last month also vowed to declare the Strait of Hormuz US territory.
US airstrike hits home where wedding celebration was taking place, Iran says - ICYMI
09:55 , Alex CroftUSS Abraham Lincoln sailors finally reach steady land - and are warned against engaging in Thailand's sex tourism
09:31 , Alex CroftThe USS Abraham Lincoln has docked after nearly nine months at sea, allowing sailors to finally hit the town in Pattaya, known as Thailand’s “Sin City.”
These roughly 5,000 sailors and Marines have been on the aircraft carrier since it left its home port of San Diego on November 21. While the ship briefly docked in Guam and Oman, American service members have spent virtually all of their time on the ship, reportedly facing food shortages and mental health challenges as their deployment dragged out amid the ongoing Iran war.
A trip to Pattaya will be a much-needed reprieve for sailors, where they can enjoy the seaside resort’s beaches and nightlife.
“He’s so excited to get on land, he’s never been outside of the United States before. He wants to eat pizza or McDonald’s. I’m so happy for him,” the mother of one of the sailors on the USS Lincoln told MS NOW.
Pattaya has been rebranded as a more family-friendly destination in recent years following a history of sex tourism. The USS Lincoln’s commanding officer warned service members against engaging in prostitution, a person familiar with the matter told MS NOW.
Prostitution is technically illegal in Thailand, but the law is rarely enforced. Paying for sex is also a punishable offense in the U.S. armed forces.
During the Vietnam War, American service members flocked to Pattaya, once a quiet fishing village, "and it turned into a raunchy seaside playground,” Elizabeth Becker wrote in "Overbooked: The Exploding Business of Travel and Tourism,” according to the Associated Press.
Iran's rial drops to new low of 2.2 million to the dollar, tracking websites show
09:08 , Alex CroftIran's currency has dropped to a record low of more than 2.2 million rials per U.S. dollar, two websites tracking the free market rate showed on Wednesday, amid renewed military strikes.
The rial has dropped about 10 per cent in the past week. The troubled currency has lost about half of its value in a year of tightening U.S. sanctions and U.S. and Israeli attacks that began in February.
Full report: Russia is secretly helping Iran to develop supersonic cruise missiles, says report
08:45 , Alex CroftRussia has been helping Iran to develop supersonic cruise missiles in secret for years, including through the US-Iran war, according to a report.
Moscow has enlisted some of its most experienced specialists to help Iran to develop a new class of missile capable of threatening US aircraft carriers and warships stationed in the Middle East, according to an investigation by the Financial Times.
The programme’s central objective was to help Iran to develop a special ‘ramjet’ propulsion system that would allow its cruise missiles to fly at several times the speed of sound, the report said.
Fabian Hinz, an expert on Iranian missiles, framed the programme as a major transfer of sensitive technology from Moscow that Tehran had been after for decades and would require authorisation “from the very top”.
Senior foreign reporter James Reynolds writes:
Russia is secretly helping Iran to develop supersonic cruise missiles, says report
Bab el-Mandeb Strait sees highest number of vessels since 24 August
08:22 , Alex CroftThe Bab el-Mandeb strait, the waterway between Yemen and the horn of Africa, has seen the highest number of vessels transiting since 24 August.
A total of 31 commodity vessels crossed that waterway on Wednesday, above the 10-day average of 25 vessels, Kpler data showed.
On Tuesday, 17 vessels transited the waterway, the data showed.
As we reported earlier, six commodity vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, down from 11 a day earlier and well below the 10-day average of about 13, the Kpler data showed according to Reuters news agency.
Trump discusses Iran war with UAE president
07:59 , Alex CroftDonald Trump has been on the phone with UAE president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE state news agency WAM said on Thursday.
The pair discussed the ongoing developments in the Iran war, and touched on further bilateral cooperation between the two.
We’ll bring you any further lines from the call as they come in.
Sam Kiley: Trump just doesn’t understand he is now in a forever war with Iran - and Russia
07:37 , Alex CroftUS embassies issue security alerts after reported Iranians strikes
07:16 , Shweta SharmaMultiple US embassies in the Middle East issued a security alert to American citizens in the region on Wednesday.
The security environment "remains complex with the potential for unforeseen escalation", the embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, said.
The US embassy in Riyadh advised Americans to prepare for possible flight cancellations, airspace closures and travel disruptions.
A similar alert was issued by the US mission in the UAE.
The warnings came after Donald Trump threatened to strike Iran “at a much harder and higher level” and leave “very little left” of the country if it retaliated. Iran launched retaliatory attacks overnight.
Trump says US is 'prepared' for another wave of strikes on Iran
07:06 , Shweta SharmaPresident Donald Trump said the US hit Iran “very hard” on Tuesday night, claiming the strikes were in response to an Iranian attack on US forces in Jordan.
“They gave a little love tap, but we hit them very hard last night,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
He said the US had “taken out all of the new equipment” Iran had built along the Strait of Hormuz.
“It was a very heavy attack last night,” Trump added. “And we're prepared to do another one anytime we want.”
Six commodity vessels transit the Strait of Hormuz
06:47 , Shweta SharmaSix commodity vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, down from 11 a day earlier and well below the 10-day average of about 13, Reuters reported on Thursday, citing preliminary data from Kpler.
The vessels included two very large gas carriers, two long-range tankers, one Supramax tanker and one Panamax tanker.
The figure is likely to be revised as some vessels typically switch off their transponders while passing through the strait.
Trump doesn’t understand the forever war he’s created with Iran – and Russia
06:30 , Shweta SharmaIn an age of rogue lawlessness dominating international affairs since Donald Trump returned to the Oval Office and then staggered about the globe like a toddler with a chainsaw, it is inevitable that other outlaw nations, Russia and Iran, would see opportunity in the mayhem.
The 47th US president is too infantile and misled by a messianic government in Israel to comprehend that the citizens of Iran will not rise against their oppressors in Tehran under the Stars and Stripes and that Moscow will never be America’s friend.
But Iran’s supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei (along with his Guardian Council), the Kremlin and Vladimir Putin are locking America into another forever war.
Trump doesn’t understand the forever war he’s created with Iran – and Russia
Oil edges down as investors weigh uncertainty
06:24 , Shweta SharmaOil prices edged lower on Thursday as investors weighed the uncertainty of renewed military strikes between the US and Iran that risk disrupting supplies from the Middle East.
Brent crude futures fell 43 cents, or 0.45 per cent, to $95.2 a barrel at 0029 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate crude futures were down 24 cents, or 0.26 per cent, at $90.77.
Brent and WTI swung between gains of as much as $2 a barrel and losses of $1 a barrel during the previous trading session. The session highs for both benchmarks were the highest since 24 July.
Russia is secretly helping Iran to develop supersonic cruise missiles, says report
06:00 , Shweta SharmaRussia has been helping Iran to develop supersonic cruise missiles in secret for years, including through the US-Iran war, according to a report.
Moscow has enlisted some of its most experienced specialists to help Iran to develop a new class of missile capable of threatening US aircraft carriers and warships stationed in the Middle East, according to an investigation by the Financial Times.
The programme’s central objective was to help Iran to develop a special ‘ramjet’ propulsion system that would allow its cruise missiles to fly at several times the speed of sound, the report said.
Fabian Hinz, an expert on Iranian missiles, framed the programme as a major transfer of sensitive technology from Moscow that Tehran had been after for decades and would require authorisation “from the very top”.
Trump under pressure to avoid Iran escalation ahead of midterms
05:57 , Shweta SharmaDonald Trump is under pressure to avoid further escalation after the US launched its largest wave of strikes on Iran in weeks, as the military faces mounting strain and the November midterm elections approach.
Trump on Wednesday dismissed concerns that the war could hurt Republican candidates, saying he believed his party supported his efforts to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
But the president’s approval rating has fallen to a record-low 33 per cent, while two-thirds of Americans disapprove of his handling of the war. Oil prices also climbed above $90 a barrel on Wednesday.
“I don’t think it will be very much longer,” Trump said when asked how many more Iranian targets the US could strike, as the conflict passed the six-month mark.
The comments came as Reuters reported that the White House was seeking to avoid a major escalation against Iran until after the 3 November election.
The latest fighting erupted after a month of relative calm. US forces carried out about 100 strikes against Iranian targets on Tuesday, saying they were retaliation for maritime threats near the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian state media reported that a US strike hit a home in southern Iran during a wedding celebration, killing two women and two children and injuring 60 others.
Pictures and video show aftermath of alleged US strike on Iranian wedding
05:30 , Shweta SharmaVideos from southern Iran show the aftermath of what Iranian officials say was a deadly US strike on a wedding gathering at a home.
The Iranian Red Crescent Society released video showing debris strewn on the ground next to a building with a large hole in the roof, accompanied by still images showing people, some in Red Crescent vests, at a damaged building and a utility tower lying on the ground.
Other footage carried by Iranian state media showed wounded children lying in hospital beds.
The bride’s father, Ali Mallahi, described the incident as “very saddening”, saying: “I really don’t know what to say. Thank God the casualties were not higher.”
One injured man said he was travelling to the wedding when he heard fighter jets overhead. He said an explosion struck as they arrived, sending debris into his head and face and causing him to lose consciousness.
“Lots of children and women were horribly injured. All the people were ordinary people,” he said in footage carried by local media.
A US Central Command spokesperson said the military was investigating the allegations and reiterated that the US does not target civilians.
Trump floats renaming Strait of Hormuz as ‘Trump Strait’
05:06 , Shweta SharmaPresident Donald Trump suggested on Wednesday that the Strait of Hormuz should be renamed after him, claiming the key waterway is now under US control.
“Now that we have it under USA control, should we change the name Hormuz Strait to TRUMP STRAIT???” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
The waterway has become a flashpoint in the renewed conflict between the US and Iran. The latest escalation began after US forces struck what an American military spokesperson said were Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces preparing to lay more sea mines in the strait.
Trump last month also vowed to declare the Strait of Hormuz US territory.
Trump aides trying to pause Iran war to save GOP from midterm election disaster: report
04:59 , Nandita Bose, Humeyra Pamuk & Gram SlatterySenior advisers to US President Donald Trump are attempting to prevent the military conflict with Iran from worsening ahead of November's midterm elections to curb potential Republican losses at the polls, according to four individuals knowledgeable about the discussions.
However, this strategy is already facing severe pressure as exchange strikes between the United States and Iran persist.
White House figures are considering an increase in military operations following the November 3 vote, the sources said, who asked not to be named when describing internal considerations, though a full resumption of major warfare remains far from certain.
Read on...
Trump aides trying to pause Iran war to save GOP from midterm disaster: report
Australia calls Iran’s Hormuz shipping restrictions ‘unacceptable’
04:46 , Shweta SharmaAustralia’s deputy prime minister and defence minister Richard Marles has called for the Strait of Hormuz to be reopened, saying Iran’s restrictions on shipping through the key waterway were “unacceptable”.
“What we need to see is the Strait of Hormuz open,” Marles told ABC News from Washington, DC.
It came as he met US defence secretary Pete Hegseth in Washington DC, on Wednesday.
He said Iran’s actions were “fundamentally in contravention” of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the principle of freedom of navigation.
“We do want to see a de-escalation to what’s occurred in the Middle East, but we need to see the Strait of Hormuz open and global fuel supply chains return to normal,” he said.
US says Navy has redirected 86 commercial vessels under Iran blockade
04:33 , Shweta SharmaThe US military's Central Command said it continues to enforce its blockade against Iran, with US forces having redirected 86 commercial vessels.
Centcom said in a social media post that the US Navy has also disabled three vessels and boarded two to "ensure compliance."
"The US Navy continues to strictly enforce the US blockade against Iran," it said in the post.
Iran reports 18 killed in latest US strikes
04:23 , Shweta SharmaIran’s health minister said 18 people were killed and 108 wounded in US strikes across the country on Tuesday night.
The latest reported deaths add to the 3,636 people documented as killed in Iran as of April 7, including 1,701 civilians, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency, an independent Iranian rights group.
The US has reported 18 military personnel killed and more than 750 wounded.
Reported wedding attack draws UN condemnation
04:04 , Shweta SharmaUN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was “deeply alarmed” by reports of civilian casualties, including the reported strike on a wedding ceremony in Iran.
His spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said he called for an immediate cessation of military action.
"The Secretary-General condemns all attacks against civilians. He recalls that all parties must respect their obligations under international humanitarian law, including the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution," Dujarric said.
Tehran accused Washington of hitting a wedding in Sirik, killing five people and wounding dozens.
Watch: Trump Just Doesn’t Understand He Is Now In A Forever War With Iran - And Russia
04:03 , Rachel DobkinKuwait says air defences intercepting Iranian missile, drone attacks
03:56 , Shweta SharmaKuwait’s air defences are responding to Iranian missile and drone attacks, the country’s military said on Wednesday.
The General Staff said explosions heard in the country were caused by air defence systems intercepting what it described as hostile targets, according to a post on X.
Iran's rial drops to new low of 2.2 million to the dollar, tracking websites show
03:00 , Maira ButtIran's currency has dropped to a record low of more than 2.2 million rials per U.S. dollar, two websites tracking the free market rate showed on Wednesday, amid renewed military strikes.
The rial has dropped about 10 per cent in the past week. The troubled currency has lost about half of its value in a year of tightening U.S. sanctions and U.S. and Israeli attacks that began in February.
US says 17 million barrels oil transited Strait of Hormuz on Monday
02:00 , Maira ButtUS secretary of energy Chris Wright said on Tuesday that 17 million barrels of oil transited the Strait of Hormuz on Monday.
He said that this marked the highest level of crude oil to pass through the waterway since the Iran war had reduced flows.
Russia is secretly helping Iran to develop supersonic cruise missiles, says report
01:00 , Maira ButtRussia has been helping Iran to develop supersonic cruise missiles in secret for years, including through the US-Iran war, according to a report.
Moscow has enlisted some of its most experienced specialists to help Iran to develop a new class of missile capable of threatening US aircraft carriers and warships stationed in the Middle East, according to an investigation by the Financial Times.
The programme’s central objective was to help Iran to develop a special ‘ramjet’ propulsion system that would allow its cruise missiles to fly at several times the speed of sound, the report said.
Fabian Hinz, an expert on Iranian missiles, framed the programme as a major transfer of sensitive technology from Moscow that Tehran had been after for decades and would require authorisation “from the very top”.
Russia is secretly helping Iran to develop supersonic cruise missiles, says report
The Independent View: It is still in Britain’s interest to maintain good relations with an unpredictable America
Wednesday 2 September 2026 23:59 , Maira ButtThe Independent has never been under any illusion about this American president. As our world affairs editor Sam Kiley writes, Donald Trump’s “infantile” folly in the Middle East has strengthened outlaw nations Russia and Iran, while “locking America into another forever war”.
The United States, and the world, survived Mr Trump’s first term in the White House in reasonable shape. Although he revels in his unpredictability, it was hard to imagine quite how perverse he would be in his second.
In recent weeks, he has laid about America’s longstanding allies with the irresponsible abandon of, as Kiley puts it, “a toddler with a chainsaw”.
It is in Britain’s interest to maintain good relations with an unpredictable America
Beyond the Strait of Hormuz: How Gulf countries are preparing for life without the waterway
Wednesday 2 September 2026 23:00 , Maira ButtAs Dubai looks to build a new port and terminal to bypass the beleaguered Strait of Hormuz, it appears that Gulf countries are already preparing for a life without the crucial waterway.
Port operator DP World is in talks to develop new facilities in the coastal area of Fujairah to take pressure off its flagship Jebel Ali port, according to the Financial Times.
Jebel Ali, built in 1977, has made the UAE a hub of finance and trade, but weeks ago it was set alight by a piece of fallen debris from an Iranian missile. Since then, Dubai International Airport, US military bases and other facilities have come under direct attack.
How Gulf countries are preparing for life without the Strait of Hormuz
Hegseth blocks six Army officers from promotion to two-star generals: report
Wednesday 2 September 2026 22:01 , James ReynoldsDefense Secretary Pete Hegseth has blocked the promotion of at least six more U.S Army officers, according to reports.
Sources told The Hill the unnamed individuals had been set for the rank of two-star general until Hegseth intervened, the latest in a series of similar moves by the secretary this year as he seeks to reshape the Department of Defense.
In August the same outlet reported Hegseth had obstructed four other officers from receiving one star promotions, and in March the secretary was said to have blocked four other Army officers - two women and two Black men - in similar fashion.
Read the full story:
Hegseth blocks six Army officers from promotion to two-star generals: report
