Summary of Today’s Developments – The conflict escalated today with several key events:
- US Threatens Iran: President Donald Trump issued a strong warning on Truth Social, demanding Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face “hell.” He threatened to target Iranian infrastructure, including power plants and bridges.
- Iran Condemns US: Tehran swiftly condemned Trump’s remarks as “incitement to war crimes” and vowed to respond “in kind” to any attacks on its infrastructure.
- Airman Rescued: Trump confirmed that US forces successfully rescued a second airman after their F-15 jet was downed in Iran. Iran’s Fars news agency, however, reported that at least nine people were killed in air strikes during the rescue operation.
- Missile Strike on Haifa: An Iranian missile struck a residential building in Haifa, northern Israel, injuring four people, with four others reported missing, according to Israeli media.
- Attacks on Gulf Energy: Iranian attacks targeted and severely damaged energy facilities and other key sites across the Gulf, including power, water desalination, and oil plants in Kuwait, as reported by Kuwaiti authorities.
- Israeli Strikes in Lebanon: Israel conducted multiple attacks in Beirut’s southern suburbs and southern Lebanon, including one near a hospital in the capital that resulted in at least four deaths and dozens of injuries.
IRGC Declares ‘New Order’ for Strait of Hormuz
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy stated that the Strait of Hormuz will not revert to its previous status, especially for the US and Israel.
In a social media post, the IRGC declared: “The Strait of Hormuz will never return to its former state, especially for the US and Israel.”
Related News
The IRGC announced it is nearing the final operational stages for what Iranian officials are calling a “new order” for the Gulf. This declaration follows the approval of a draft bill by an Iranian parliamentary committee aimed at imposing transit fees on ships passing through the vital waterway.
Details of the proposed legislation, according to Iranian media, include:
- Mandatory transit fees to be paid in Iran’s national currency.
- A ban on transit for the US and Israel.
- Restrictions on countries participating in unilateral sanctions against Iran.
- Provisions asserting Iran’s sovereignty over the strait, the authority of its armed forces, maritime security, environmental protection, and legal cooperation with Oman.
