US-Iran War: Trump calls off new military strikes on Iran hours after threatening to escalate

US President Donald Trump said he has called off new military strikes on Iran hours after threatening to escalate the 3-month-old war, reports AP.

Iran will deliver a firm, crushing, painful, and regret-inducing response if the US attacks Kharg Island, a top Iranian official has warned, amid a threat from US President Donald Trump that the US will seize the key Iranian oil export hub.

President Donald Trump warned Thursday morning the US will hit Iran “VERY HARD TONIGHT” as the two countries exchange fire as peace talks stall. "The United States will be hitting Iran (Whose Navy, Air Force, Radar, Anti Aircraft, and all other forms of Defense, together with most its offensive capability, are GONE!), VERY HARD TONIGHT," he said in a post on Truth Social.

Trump also said the US will be taking Kharg Island and other oil infrastructure. The tiny island in the Persian Gulf is an economic lifeline for Iran and handles roughly 90% of the country's crude exports. "At some point in the not too distant future, we will be taking Kharg Island, and other oil infrastructure points, and assume total control of their Oil and Gas Markets, much like we have with Venezuela, which is working out brilliantly for both Venezuela and the United States of America," he added.

Due to the exchange of fire with the United States, the Strait of Hormuz "will be closed until further notice," Iran’s new strait authority said on Thursday. "Due to the tensions created by the US aggression forces in the region and the announcement by the Iranian Armed Forces last night, the #Strait_of_Hormuz will be closed until further notice," the Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA), established last month to oversee a new protocol for transits in the waterway, said on X.

Another Indian-linked vessel, MT Jalveer, came under attack off the coast of Oman on Thursday, with more than 20 sailors reported to be on board, according to the Federation of Seafarers' Unions of India (FSUI).

The incident comes amid heightened security concerns in the Gulf region and follows reports of attacks on commercial shipping near key maritime routes.

The Indian Embassy in Oman said it was aware of the incident and was closely coordinating with local authorities to ascertain further details.

A fire broke out in the engine room of a tanker operating off the coast of Oman, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said on Thursday, citing information from local authorities.

According to the agency, the incident occurred around 21 nautical miles (39 kilometres) northeast of Sohar.

UKMTO said no environmental impact had been reported as a result of the fire. Authorities are continuing to investigate the cause of the incident, while monitoring the situation closely.

The Indian Embassy in Oman said it is closely monitoring reports of an incident involving a vessel off the port of Shinas earlier on Thursday.

In a statement, the embassy said it is in touch with local authorities and is seeking further details about the situation.

"We have learnt of an incident involving a vessel off Shinas port of Oman earlier today. We are closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with the local authorities for further details," the embassy said.

Three Indian sailors were killed after a commercial vessel came under attack from the US military near the Strait of Hormuz, Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said on Thursday. A total of 24 Indian crew members were on board the ship when it came under attack amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

"It is deeply unfortunate to learn of the tragic incident aboard the Palau-flagged MT Settebello. Sadly, three Indian seafarers initially reported missing are now confirmed dead after two bodies were recovered," Sonowal wrote in a post on X. Read more

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it launched 12 ballistic missiles at Jordan's Al-Azraq Air Base, claiming the attack targeted US military assets stationed there.

According to Iranian claims cited by media reports, the intended targets included F-35, F-15 and F-16 fighter jets, along with key military facilities and a command-and-control centre used by US forces.

The IRGC said the missile strike was carried out in retaliation for recent US attacks inside Iran. It alleged that the American strikes hit a recreational site, an industrial complex and areas near military installations around Karaj, Nazarabad and Pishva, as well as a local IRGC base.

Amid rapidly escalating tensions in West Asia and the Gulf region, Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain issued security alerts as air defence systems moved to intercept incoming aerial targets.

In a post on X, the Kuwaiti Army said its air defence units were actively engaging "hostile aerial targets" and urged residents to follow safety and security instructions issued by authorities.

Kuwait also closed its airspace and responded to missile and drone threats, according to reports. Meanwhile, air raid sirens were sounded once again across Bahrain as regional tensions intensified.

Bahrain's Interior Ministry confirmed that warning sirens had been activated and advised citizens and residents to remain calm, move to the nearest safe location and monitor official channels for further updates.

Kuwait on Thursday announced the closure of its airspace as Iranian attacks continued across the Gulf region.

The country's Directorate General of Civil Aviation said flights were being diverted to alternative airports, though it did not provide further details. Flight tracking data showed aircraft circling outside Kuwaiti airspace before the announcement, while the military reported that air defence systems had been activated.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday that American forces would carry out President Donald Trump's orders and hit Iran hard by targeting what he described as "key facilities."

Speaking to reporters after receiving briefings from military commanders at US Central Command headquarters in Florida, Hegseth said Tehran had been given an opportunity to reach an agreement with Washington but had failed to do so.

"We will hit them hard on our terms, on the targets that improve the environment for us to operate in and undermine the capabilities that Iran wants to have," Hegseth said, signalling the possibility of further military action against the Islamic Republic.

US President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Iran, saying American military action would escalate unless Tehran agrees to a deal with Washington.

The warning came after the United States launched a fresh round of strikes on multiple targets in Iran, which US Central Command (CENTCOM) described as "self-defence strikes" ordered by the president.

According to Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst, Trump was asked what would happen if Iran refused to sign an agreement.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force commander, Brigadier General Majid Mousavi, warned that Tehran would retaliate across the region if the Strait of Hormuz is destabilised.

According to Iranian state media, Mousavi said Iran would respond forcefully to any threat against the strategic waterway.

“If you make the sacred Strait of Hormuz unsafe, we will bring the region into hell for you from across Iran,” he was quoted as saying.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Wednesday that American forces carried out additional self-defence strikes against multiple targets in Iran on the orders of President Donald Trump.

In a statement, CENTCOM said the attacks targeted Iranian military surveillance capabilities, communications systems and air defence sites across the country.

The command added that assets from the US Marine Corps, Air Force and Navy conducted precision strikes on locations it said posed a threat to American forces and commercial shipping operating in regional waters.

Iran warned that vessels attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz could come under fire following the latest US strikes, according to the country's top joint military command.

Iranian media later reported that two ships were targeted after trying to pass through the strategically important waterway. However, US Central Command disputed claims that the strait had been effectively closed, saying commercial traffic continued to move through the route despite Iranian threats.

Air raid sirens were heard across Bahrain on Thursday, prompting authorities to urge residents to seek shelter amid rising regional tensions.

In a brief alert, Bahrain's Interior Ministry advised the public to remain calm and move to the nearest safe location. Officials did not immediately provide details on the nature of the threat or what triggered the warning.

Iranian media reported explosions and air defence activity across several regions of the country as military tensions with the United States intensified.

Blasts were reported in the southern cities and towns of Sirik, Minab, Kangan and Bandar Abbas, as well as on the islands of Qeshm and Hengam. No immediate information was available on casualties or the extent of the damage.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said its Aerospace Force and Navy carried out a two-wave operation against US military positions across West Asia in retaliation for earlier American strikes.

According to Iran's Tasnim news agency, the IRGC said 18 important facilities at bases hosting US forces were targeted during the operation. Reuters reported that the strikes were directed at military installations in Bahrain and Kuwait.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Thursday that it had targeted US military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait in response to the latest American strikes on Iran.

In a statement carried by state-run IRNA, the IRGC said that during two waves of operations, 18 key US military targets at Ali and Ahmad air force bases were hit. The statement also claimed that Iranian forces struck and destroyed the Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain.

Earlier, Iranian media reported that Tehran had launched an attack on the US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain.