Iran responds with attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait as fighting widens
United States forces disabled an unladen oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday after it ignored multiple warnings while attempting to reach Iran’s Kharg Island, part of the U.S. naval blockade, according to multiple reports. The U.S. also struck coastal defenses and missile sites, with Iranian state media reporting explosions in Tehran for the first time in the latest round of hostilities.
The United States said it disabled the tanker after the vessel ignored multiple warnings. The strikes also targeted areas near Tehran, marking an expansion of the military campaign.
Iran responded with attacks that targeted Bahrain and Kuwait, according to reports. The escalating exchanges came days after the ceasefire between the United States and Iran appeared to have fully collapsed, as MSI previously reported.
President Donald Trump said Iran released Dena Karari, a dual U.S.-Iranian citizen detained since 2024. The release occurred amid the military operations.
Asked by reporters whether Iran faced a deadline before the U.S. started attacking bridges, Trump said he “did not like giving deadlines.”
In a separate development, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz told U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that Israel was determined to keep its forces in security zones in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza, according to reports.