Iran and Israel said on Monday they had halted attacks against each other following an appeal from US President Donald Trump, while US forces simultaneously escalated pressure on Tehran by disabling an oil tanker attempting to reach an Iranian port in defiance of Washington's naval blockade.
US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday Iran had shot down a US Apache helicopter in the Strait of Hormuz and vowed to respond, deepening doubts about prospects for peace between the two countries. Two US pilots involved in the incident were uninjured, said media reports.
Israel launched strikes against military targets in western and central Iran early Monday, defying reported calls from US President Donald Trump for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to refrain from retaliatory action following an Iranian missile attack on Israel.
Bahrain announced on Saturday that its air defences intercepted Iranian missiles, while strongly condemning Iranian attacks targeting the Kingdom of Bahrain and the State of Kuwait earlier in the day.
Iran fired missiles toward Bahrain and Kuwait as the United States carried out fresh military strikes against Iranian targets and enforced its maritime blockade in the Gulf yesterday, in one of the most serious escalations since a fragile ceasefire took hold.
Air travel to and from Kuwait faced disruption on Wednesday after hostile drones struck Terminal One at Kuwait International Airport, forcing authorities to suspend flight operations at the terminal and divert aircraft to alternative airports.
Iran and US continued their attacks in the Gulf as each accused the other of violating an increasingly precarious 14-point interim deal signed recently to end their four-month-old war. Iran early today launched missiles and drones on US military sites in Kuwait and Bahrain, said media reports.
The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has announced a plan to evacuate 11,000 seafarers stranded in the Strait of Hormuz. The operation would be conducted in co-ordination with Iran, Oman and US and all other stakeholders from the maritime industry.
Qatar expects to restore normal liquefied natural gas (LNG) production within weeks, Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani told the Financial Times.
The United States and Iran have agreed on a roadmap aimed at reaching a comprehensive peace agreement in 60 days, marking a significant step forward in efforts to end hostilities despite renewed tensions over the Strait of Hormuz.
