The United States military has issued an immediate directive for Iranian civilians to avoid all port areas in the Strait of Hormuz. The warning, released by the US Central Command (CENTCOM), specifically urges people to stay away from ports where Iran’s navy is active. The statement advises Iranian port workers, administrative staff, and commercial ship crews to steer clear of naval vessels and military equipment.

According to the CENTCOM statement cited by the source, the United States has destroyed or sunk around 60 Iranian naval vessels since the start of attacks on February 28. The US claims these operations have significantly weakened Iran’s naval capabilities. The advisory reflects ongoing military tensions in the region and a continued focus on maritime security in one of the world’s most strategic waterways.

The warning underscores the risk of further escalation around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global energy shipments, though the source does not specify any new military actions beyond the advisory.

Iran has assigned its elite commando unit, NOPO, to handle the security of its new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei. The decision follows the death of former leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a joint U.S.-Israel attack on February 28. Since the incident, 56-year-old Mojtaba has not appeared in public. International media reports claim he was seriously injured in the same attack and is receiving treatment at a highly secured location, though the Iranian government denies these claims, stating he is safe and healthy.

Analysts say the deployment of NOPO underscores efforts to strengthen Mojtaba’s protection. Formed in 1991, the black-clad NOPO unit is officially tasked with hostage rescue and counterterrorism but is widely regarded as the Supreme Leader’s personal shield. The force is known for its high level of training and discipline.

Experts also note that NOPO is considered more skilled and ruthless than Iran’s regular police or the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced it has launched the 38th phase of its ongoing attacks, targeting multiple US-linked military installations in the Gulf region. According to an official statement, two powerful and simultaneous missile strikes hit Kuwait’s Adiri helicopter base, injuring about one hundred people who were taken to Al Jaber and Al Mubarak hospitals. The IRGC also said it carried out missile and drone attacks on the American base located at Bahrain’s Mina Salman port.

The statement further claimed that additional strikes were conducted on two Kuwaiti naval bases, Mohammad Al Ahmad and Ali Al Salem, specifically targeting Camp Patriot and facilities housing US troops and equipment. The IRGC concluded its message by declaring that it seeks only the enemy’s complete defeat and will continue fighting until the shadow of war is removed from the country.

The announcement marks an escalation in regional tensions, though the statement did not specify the timing or independent verification of the attacks.

Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz following attacks by the United States and Israel but continues to export large volumes of crude oil to China, according to a CNBC report published Wednesday. Satellite data from TankerTrackers shows that since the war began on February 28, Iran has shipped at least 11.7 million barrels of crude through the strait, all bound for China. Kepler, another shipping intelligence firm, estimated the figure at around 12 million barrels. The International Maritime Organization reported that at least ten vessels have been attacked in the strait since the conflict began, leaving seven sailors dead.

Despite threats to attack any vessel attempting passage, Iran has maintained exports mainly through its Kharg Island terminal, which handles 90 percent of its shipments. Tehran has also resumed loading at the Jask terminal on the Gulf of Oman, seen as a potential alternative route. Analysts noted that China remains Iran’s main crude buyer, with February exports reaching 2.16 million barrels per day, the highest since 2018. China’s crude imports rose 15.8 percent year-on-year in the first two months of the year as it built up reserves.

Global oil prices surged to record levels amid fears of supply disruption, while U.S. President Donald Trump urged ships near the strait to proceed despite Iranian threats.

Iran has announced it will not participate in the upcoming World Cup due to ongoing conflicts and heightened tensions in the Middle East. Sports Minister Ahmad Doniyamal stated in a television interview that the current situation makes it impossible for Iran to take part, citing two wars within months and thousands of casualties. He said the government decided not to send the national team to the tournament scheduled in the United States.

The unrest intensified after Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was reportedly killed in a joint U.S.-Israel attack on February 28, leading to retaliatory strikes by Iran and widespread regional instability. Doniyamal described the situation as untenable for international sporting participation, particularly in the U.S.

Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino had expressed that Iran would be welcome to compete without restrictions. The World Cup is set to take place from June 11 to July 19 across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with Iran originally scheduled to face New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt in group-stage matches.

Iran announced a major shift in its military stance, declaring that its previous policy of retaliatory attacks has ended. In a statement from Tehran’s Khatam al-Anbia military command headquarters, spokesperson Ebrahim Zolfaghari said the country will now follow a 'strike for strike' approach. He warned that Iran will not allow even a single liter of oil to pass through the Hormuz Strait to the United States, Israel, or their partners.

Zolfaghari further stated that any ship or tanker loyal to those nations would be considered a legitimate target. He cautioned that oil prices could reach 200 dollars per barrel, linking the potential surge to regional security conditions that he claimed have been undermined by those countries. The remarks underscore heightened tensions surrounding the strategic waterway, a vital route for global energy shipments.

The statement comes amid reports of rising oil prices in 85 countries since the start of the Iran conflict and a recent attack on a Thailand-bound Indian vessel in the Hormuz Strait.

Iran’s top joint military command, Khatam al-Anbia, has warned that the country will target Israeli and US banks in the Middle East in response to an attack on an Iranian bank. According to Iran’s state news agency IRNA, spokesperson Ebrahim Zolfaghari cautioned civilians to stay at least one kilometer away from banks in the region, saying that enemies had given Iran the freedom to strike American and Israeli financial centers.

Iranian state media reported that a building of the state-owned Sepah Bank in Tehran was hit in an attack. On Tuesday, Iranian outlets said services at Sepah Bank and another state-owned bank, Melli, were partially disrupted. BBC Arabic, citing Iran’s Khabar channel, reported that several bank employees were killed in an airstrike while working a special shift to prepare salary distributions.

The developments come amid heightened regional tensions, with Iran signaling readiness to retaliate against perceived economic and military threats in the region.

Iran’s National Security Council chief Ali Larijani issued a stern warning to former U.S. President Donald Trump after Trump threatened Iran with “death, fire and fury” if it closed the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Larijani responded on social media, declaring that the waterway would either remain a route of peace and prosperity for all or become a path of defeat and suffering for warmongers. He published the same message in six languages, including Persian, English, Russian, Arabic, French, and Chinese.

Larijani further warned that Iran might close the Strait of Hormuz if the United States and Israel continued their attacks on Iran. He also reacted to reports that France planned to send two frigates to the Red Sea to ensure maritime security, arguing that stability in the region was impossible amid U.S. and Israeli-led conflicts. He added that those supporting and escalating the war could not guarantee safety in the area.

The rising tensions around the vital Middle Eastern waterway have sparked renewed international concern, according to the report.

Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is safe and in good health, according to Iranian government adviser Yousef Pezeshkian. His statement came after reports circulated that Khamenei had been injured in an attack. Pezeshkian, son of President Masoud Pezeshkian, shared the update through an Instagram story, saying he confirmed Khamenei’s condition through contacts close to him.

Earlier, Iranian state television described Mojtaba Khamenei as a “wounded veteran of the Ramadan war” but did not provide details about the nature or extent of any injuries. The state media offered no confirmation of whether he was actually hurt.

Amid ongoing wartime conditions, various rumors and unverified information have spread regarding Iran’s top leadership. The government is reportedly verifying these claims to counter misinformation, according to Al Jazeera.

Afghanistan and Oman have jointly condemned the recent attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran. The condemnation came during a phone conversation between Afghanistan’s acting foreign minister, Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, and Oman’s foreign minister, Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi. Both ministers discussed bilateral relations and expressed concern over the current situation in the Middle East, describing it as alarming.

During the discussion, the two sides also addressed the situations in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Muttaqi briefed Oman on the Taliban government’s stance regarding Afghanistan’s defensive measures in response to Pakistan’s aggression. Both leaders emphasized the importance of diplomacy in resolving regional issues and agreed that dialogue remains the best approach to managing ongoing tensions.

Their joint statement reflects growing regional unease over escalating conflicts and the potential for broader instability across the Middle East.

A report by US media outlet Axios has presented five potential ways the ongoing Iran war could end, as US President Trump and the Pentagon send mixed signals about the conflict’s conclusion. The options include a negotiated ceasefire and nuclear deal, a Venezuela-style regime change, internal protests leading to government collapse, a special forces strike on Iran’s nuclear stockpile, and a unilateral victory declaration by Trump.

According to the report, discussions have taken place between the United States and Israel about deploying special forces to destroy Iran’s enriched uranium reserves. Meanwhile, Iran’s economy has collapsed, and the country has seen its largest protests since the 1979 revolution, though opposition forces remain fragmented. Trump has also hinted at the possibility of a negotiated settlement but expressed disappointment over Iran’s leadership choices.

The report concludes that the Iran war, which began without much warning, could end just as abruptly, depending on political and military developments in the coming weeks.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)–affiliated Tasnim News reported that major US technology companies with alleged technological cooperation with Israel could be considered potential targets. The report stated that offices and cloud infrastructures of several US-based firms have been listed as facilities whose technologies were claimed to be used for military purposes, describing them as part of Iran’s new target list.

According to Tasnim, as regional conflict increasingly involves infrastructure, Iran’s definition of legitimate targets is expanding. The companies named in the report include Google, Microsoft, Palantir, IBM, Nvidia, and Oracle. The report also noted that parts of these firms’ cloud-based infrastructures are located in various Israeli cities and in several Gulf countries.

No immediate comment was available from the mentioned companies or the countries concerned, according to the report sourced from Al Jazeera.

Iran has declared it will not seek a ceasefire despite intensified U.S. military pressure and threats from President Donald Trump. Explosions were reported in Tehran on Tuesday, while Iran warned that no crude oil would be exported from the Gulf if bombings continued. The Pentagon announced its most extensive and coordinated airstrikes across Iran, targeting missile systems and military infrastructure. The conflict follows the February 28 killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a U.S.-Israeli strike.

Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, a former Revolutionary Guard commander, reiterated on social media that Iran would not accept a ceasefire and vowed to retaliate against aggressors. The Revolutionary Guard announced new missile attacks on Israeli cities and U.S. targets in the region. Explosions were also heard in Bahrain’s capital, Manama, according to AFP reporters.

The Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy route, has been closed due to Iranian attacks on shipping. Trump warned Tehran against laying mines in the strait, threatening severe military consequences. The Pentagon reported about 140 U.S. soldiers injured and seven killed since the conflict began.

Iran’s senior armed forces spokesperson, General Abolfazl Shekarchi, has vowed to retaliate against what he described as the “shameless and brutal crimes” of the United States and Israel. According to Iran’s Defa Press news agency, Shekarchi called on regional countries to reveal the hidden bases of enemy forces to minimize civilian casualties.

He accused the US and Israeli militaries of killing civilians, including women and children, out of frustration and an inability to confront Iran’s armed forces directly. Shekarchi warned that Iran is preparing a strong response and urged readiness for severe retaliation against those responsible.

The general appealed to Muslims and regional governments to identify and disclose the secret locations of what he termed “American-Zionist forces,” claiming this would help prevent harm to civilians and allow Iran to target those allegedly using local populations as human shields.

The United States military has announced that it destroyed 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels near the Strait of Hormuz. Citing intelligence sources, CNN reported on Tuesday that Iran had recently placed dozens of mines in the strategic waterway. The Strait of Hormuz handles nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil shipments, and earlier this week Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that no oil would leave the region if US and Israeli attacks continued.

US President Donald Trump, in a post on his social media platform Truth Social last Tuesday, said that if Iran had indeed planted mines in the strait—though confirmation was still lacking—it should remove them immediately or face “unprecedented” consequences. He added that removing the mines would be a major step in the right direction but did not specify what those consequences might be. Trump also stated that the US would use the same technology it employs against drug traffickers to permanently eliminate any vessel attempting to lay mines in the area.

The developments underscore escalating tensions in the Gulf region, with both sides issuing warnings over control of vital maritime routes.