While no U.S. strikes occurred overnight, Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard claimed to have hit two oil tankers in the strait, and Kuwait reported intercepting drones in its airspace. Meanwhile, Hamas confirmed it will disarm as part of a potential breakthrough to end the war in Gaza, though major hurdles remain.
Trump Weighs New Strikes on Iran Over Strait of Hormuz Standoff
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt expressed fresh frustration with Iran on Friday, charging that Tehran broke a memorandum of understanding signed last month regarding a truce. Leavitt stated that Iran “broke it, shot at commercial ships, and killed American soldiers,” adding that “President Trump is not going to stand by and allow this terrorist behavior to occur” and that “Iran will continue to pay until they come to the table in, what President Trump deems, a meaningful way.” The warning followed remarks earlier on Friday by Trump during a Cabinet meeting at Camp David in Maryland, where he told reporters that “we just want to win” in Iran and indicated he expects military action to continue, saying, “We’ll be hitting them very hard… You know, at some point they’re going to say, ‘We just can’t take it anymore.'”
Kuwait Intercepts Drones and Tankers Targeted in the Strait of Hormuz
In response to regional fighting, Kuwait’s Defense Ministry announced Friday that its armed forces shot down drones inside Kuwaiti airspace after attacks targeted vital military facilities, causing material damage from falling shrapnel but no casualties. Iranian state media reported that the drone strikes targeted an air base in retaliation for U.S. strikes on Thursday. Simultaneously, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard claimed to have hit two oil tankers attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global oil and gas shipping corridor that has been largely closed due to the conflict. Iranian state media noted that four other tankers turned around, though no details regarding ownership or casualties were provided.
Hamas Confirms Disarmament Plan as Gaza Airstrikes Continue
Hamas confirmed Friday that it will begin disarming under a deal announced by Trump that also requires Israel to end its strikes and withdraw from Gaza. However, Hamas stated that laying down its heavy weapons later in the process is contingent on the creation of a Palestinian state—a condition adamantly rejected by Israel’s current government. Reflecting the fragility of the agreement, Israeli airstrikes shook Gaza on Friday, killing at least one Palestinian and wounding at least four, including a child, according to local hospital officials. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the agreement as the region’s only recent good news, urging that it be implemented “without any questions, skepticism, or determination to undermine it.”
Background on the Stalled October Ceasefire and Regional Alliances
Israel has not officially commented on the Hamas deal, which stems from a U.S.-brokered ceasefire announced last October. That prior agreement called for Hamas to disarm, hand over power to an independent administration, and see the deployment of an International Stabilization Force alongside an Israeli withdrawal. Progress stalled as Israel insisted disarmament was a prerequisite, while Hamas accused Israel of violating terms through ongoing strikes. The current conflict began following the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which killed around 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages, while Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed over 73,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Elsewhere in the region, Saudi Arabia announced a 14-country defense alliance to secure Red Sea maritime security and international trade, though Oman and the United Arab Emirates did not back the statement. Meanwhile, in southern Lebanon, Israeli forces used explosives Friday to destroy an underground tunnel network beneath the 12th-century Beaufort Castle, drawing criticism from Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun ahead of upcoming negotiating talks in Rome.