The Iran War entered its 27th day on Thursday as President Donald Trump expressed his frustrations on Truth Social over Iran’s rejection of a ceasefire, warning Iranian negotiators to “get serious soon, before it is too late.”
A source told Iran’s Tasnim News Agency on Thursday morning that Iran has responded to the 15-point plan put forward by the Trump administration. The source said that Iran sees Trump’s diplomatic moves as a “third deception” project, intended to project a peaceful image, calm oil markets, and buy time for a ground invasion.
Iran’s Speaker of Parliament Mohammad Ghalibaf on Wednesday said that Iran has intelligence indicating that the U.S. and one other “country in the region” are preparing for a land invasion to occupy one of Iran’s islands. “Our forces are monitoring all enemy movements, and if they take any action, all of that regional state’s vital infrastructure will be targeted with continuous and relentless attacks,” Ghalibaf warned on X.
Iranian lawmaker Mohammadreza Rezaei Kouchi said that Iran’s “parliament is pursuing a plan to formally codify Iran’s sovereignty, control and oversight over the Strait of Hormuz, while also creating a source of revenue through the collection of fees.” Under the plan, vessels would be charged a fee for transit in exchange for security.
The price of Brent crude rose 4.5 percent on Thursday, to more than $107 per barrel. In America, gas prices remained elevated, with AAA reporting the national average price of gas at $3.98.
An OECD forecast released on Thursday predicts that the Middle East crisis will fuel a surge in U.S. inflation to 4.2 per cent this year.
The Washington Post reported that the Pentagon is considering whether to divert weapons intended for Ukraine to the Middle East, due to the rapid depletion of critical munitions from the Iran conflict.
Iran said Thursday it had struck more than 70 targets across Israel in a new wave of retaliatory attacks, with missile impacts reported near Haifa, Dimona, Hadera, and east of Tel Aviv.
Iran on Wednesday evening targeted U.S.-linked military sites in Jordan and Kuwait, while also firing at targets in Iraq near the U.S. consulate.
Tehran further claimed it had struck the USS Abraham Lincoln with cruise missiles. The U.S. has neither confirmed nor denied those claims. CENTCOM said that the carrier “continues flight operations against military targets in Iran while sailing in regional waters.”
Israel said it assassinated the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp’s navy, arguing that he was responsible for closing the Strait of Hormuz.
A Houthi leader told Reuters on Thursday that the Yemen-based group is prepared to join the war. “We stand fully militarily ready with all options,” the leader said.
Reuters reported on Wednesday that Hezbollah has received “Iranian guarantees” on its inclusion in any wider deal. “Iran is prioritizing Lebanon—it will not accept Israeli violations in Lebanon like what happened after the 2024 ceasefire,” an anonymous source said.
Human Rights Watch researchers said they were able to verify that Israel is again using white phosphorus bombs in strikes on southern Lebanon. Oxfam on Tuesday issued a statement expressing concern that “Israel’s military blueprint of attacking water infrastructure, used throughout its genocide in Gaza, is now being rolled out across parts of Lebanon.”
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