President Trump threatened additional military strikes against Iran on Wednesday, saying Tehran has taken too long to negotiate a deal and will now 'have to pay the price.' The warning came as Iran launched attacks on US bases in Jordan and the Gulf, and after Trump ordered strikes near the Strait of Hormuz. The escalating conflict, now in its fourth month, has driven gasoline prices up 40.5% year-over-year and pushed US consumer inflation above 4%. Meanwhile, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake in the Philippines killed at least 35 people and collapsed buildings, while the Iran war's economic shockwaves threaten farms as far away as England.
President Donald Trump said Iran shot down a US Army Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz, calling it an act of aggression that demands a response. The two crew members were rescued in the first-ever sea drone rescue operation. The incident threatens to unravel a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Iran that had held for two months, as Israeli air strikes also hit the Lebanese city of Tyre despite Iranian warnings.
Iran launched missiles at Israel on Sunday in the first such bombardment since a fragile April ceasefire. Israel intercepted the missiles and warned of retaliation, while President Trump reportedly convinced Israeli PM Netanyahu to hold off on immediate response. The exchange threatens to drag the region back into full-scale war.
Israel carried out airstrikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut on Sunday, marking the most serious escalation in its conflict with Hezbollah since a ceasefire was established in mid-April. The strikes targeted two apartments and killed at least two people. Hezbollah had rejected a ceasefire proposal agreed by the Lebanese government.
Ukraine launched over 140 drones at St Petersburg and the Leningrad region in what Russia described as an unprecedented attack. The drones flew 1,000 km to hit naval arsenals in Kronstadt and oil storage facilities, forcing the city governor to urge residents indoors for the first time since the war began. The strikes coincided with the final day of Russia's annual economic forum.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said there is "no point" meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, rejecting Zelensky's open letter calling for face-to-face talks. Meanwhile, Ukraine struck five cargo ships in the Sea of Azov and admitted a drone debris incident in Romania. The diplomatic impasse continues as Russia launched one of its deadliest offensives in months, slamming key Ukrainian cities.
Hezbollah rejected a renewed ceasefire deal brokered by the United States between Israel and Lebanon just hours after it was announced. The militant group said the agreement did not address its core demands, casting doubt on the latest diplomatic push to end cross-border hostilities that have displaced thousands on both sides.
Israeli airstrikes killed nine people in southern Lebanon on Wednesday as Hezbollah fired rockets across the border, straining a partial ceasefire that was agreed just two days earlier. The escalation marks the most serious breach of the truce since it took effect Monday, raising fears of a wider regional conflict. Hezbollah said its rocket attacks were retaliation for Israeli strikes on villages near the border. The United Nations called for an immediate return to the ceasefire terms.
President Trump has sent a revised set of peace proposals to Iran as the seven-week-old ceasefire faces mounting pressure. US forces struck Iranian missile sites and mine-laying vessels in what the Pentagon called defensive actions. Iran sent negotiators to Qatar for new talks while demanding the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the release of frozen assets. Trump warned of renewed attacks if talks fail, while Republican hawks criticize any deal that returns frozen funds to Tehran.
The United States bombed Iranian radar and drone control sites after Tehran shot down an American MQ-1 Predator drone this weekend. Iran launched a retaliatory strike, and Kuwait said its air defenses opened fire early Monday to intercept incoming drone and missile fire. The dueling attacks threaten a weekslong ceasefire as American and Iranian officials continue negotiations.