Iran war live: Trump cancels strikes on Iran and claims peace deal is imminent

Iran war live: Trump cancels strikes on Iran and claims peace deal is imminent The US President has threatened to hit Iran 'very hard' on Thursday night, after days of escalating strikes. Donald Trump has said tonight's scheduled strikes on Iran have been cancelled and a peace deal between the two nations is imminent in a post on Truth Social. "Based on the fact that discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran have been brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved, I have, as President of the United States of America, cancelled the scheduled strikes and bombings against Iran this evening," Trump wrote. "Discussions and final points have been, in both concept and great detail, approved by all parties involved, including the United States, Israel, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt, and others. The Naval Blockade will remain in full force and effect until this Transaction is finalized — Time and place of the signing to be announced shortly." Trump previously threatened that the US will take 'total control' of Iran's oil and gas markets and has threatened to hit the country 'very hard' with attacks on Thursday evening. Tehran has yet to officially confirm a peace deal is imminent. Key Events The US military has shot down two Iranian one-way attack drones, according to Reuters citing a US official. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the incident came as Iran attempted to strike commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz. They added: "Traffic flow through the strait continues." A U.S. official says the U.S. military shot down two Iranian drones that were trying to strike commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz tonight. “It appears Iran has attempted to strike commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz tonight. U.S. forces shot down two Iranian one-way attack drones. Traffic flow through the Strait continues,” the official said. During a telephone rally on Thursday for Rep. Barry Moore, his chosen candidate in Tuesday’s Senate runoff in Alabama, Trump talked about Iran, about which he said U.S. representatives had “made a great deal.” “Today we settled up with Iran,” Trump said. “People will start coming home very soon. ... We got everything we wanted.” That mirrored some of Trump’s comments earlier Thursday during an Oval Office event, when he said a “great settlement.” Iran has not yet confirmed that it has agreed to settlement terms with the U.S. Iranian state media are reporting that explosions heard off the coast of Sirik in southern Iran relate to a confrontation with a "violating vessel" attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Broadcaster IRIB, citing a military source, claimed the vessel was "a tanker that was forced to comply with the transit ban after receiving warnings from the IRGC Navy". The US military was three hours away from launching strikes on Iran before Donald Trump cancelled the planned attacks, according to Sky's US partner NBC News. Citing two US officials the outlet claims the military was ready to carry out the strikes having received orders from the president to do so. The US military was three hours away from launching strikes on Iran before Donald Trump cancelled the planned attacks, according to NBC News. Citing two US officials NBC News claims the military was ready to carry out the strikes having received orders from the president to do so. Foreign ministry spokesperson to Iranian state media, Esmail Baghaei, has hit out at the brutal U.S. attacks on Indian commercial vessels. Oil prices have dropped today after Donald Trump announced he has "cancelled the scheduled strikes and bombings against Iran this evening." Brent futures fell $3.37, or 3.6%, to $89.73 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures fell $3.20, or 3.6%, to $86.83 a barrel, AP reports. Trump claims Iran has agreed to a "detailed" Memorandum of Understanding that it will not have nuclear weapons, the Wall Street Journal reports. The promise of a deal is different now because Iran has "taken a pounding" and "we told them exactly what we were going to do" should they not agree. The Emir of Qatar has reportely spoken with Trump about the peace deal and that Trump “affirmed that the understandings reached had the approval of all concerned parties”. However, there has not been any official confirmation from Tehran yet. “During the call, the two leaders discussed the close strategic relations between the two countries and ways to support and enhance them, in addition to the latest regional and international developments, particularly those related to diplomatic efforts for de-escalation in the region,” the Emir's office said in a statement. said. Trump has said that a deal between the US and Iran will likely be signed in Europe this weekend, with Vice President JD Vance expected to attend the ceremony, Reuters reports "The strait (of Hormuz) will officially open as soon as we sign, which could be soon -- very soon, maybe over the weekend in Europe," the president said. "I won’t be able to be there, but JD will be there." Trump has claimed that a peace deal between the US and Iran is imminent after a deal was reportedly approved by regional countries. "Discussions and final points have been, in both concept and great detail, approved by all parties involved, including the United States, Israel, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Turkiye, Pakistan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt, and others," he said. "The naval blockade will remain in full force and effect until this transaction is finalised – time and place of the signing to be announced shortly." Donald Trump says he has cancelled planned strikes and bombings against Iran after discussions with the "highest level" of the Iranian leadership. "Based on the fact that discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran have been brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved, I have, as President of the United States of America, cancelled the scheduled strikes and bombings against Iran this evening," he wrote on Truth Social. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, speaker of the Iranian parliament, has warned that "wrong strategies" by the US will "reset the entire board for the worse". He wrote in a post on X: "Wrong strategies and impulsive decisions will reset the entire board for the worse, explode energy infrastructure and markets and create an endless quagmire that you will be stuck in for years. "You will see a different Iran." Iran's deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs, Kazem Gharibabadi, has labelled the US's latest attack on Iran as "a widespread and utter nullification of the ceasefire". Posting to X, Gharibabadi said: "Describing these attacks as 'self-defense,' as stated in the statement of the terrorist entity CENTCOM, has no legal effect. "In international law, the aggressor does not evade the consequences of its actions by changing the title, and military aggression does not become legitimate through wordplay." He added that Iran's army will "stand firm against any aggression and, with a decisive, authoritative, and regret-inducing response, defend every inch of the country's soil. "The full consequences of these illegal and dangerous actions will fall upon America and any party that participates in, facilitates, or assists them," he added. The US treasury secretary has said that any damage Iran inflicts on American allies in the Gulf will have to be paid for with frozen Iranian funds. Scott Bessent was responding to attacks by Iran on America's military presence in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain overnight and said that the Iranian regime is set to face deep economic consequences. On X he wrote: The Iranian regime will lose the zero-sum game it is playing. Any damage it inflicts on our allies in the Gulf will be paid for with funds extracted from Iranian Accounts. Any tolls paid to the Persian Gulf Strait Authority will be offset by funds extracted from their accounts. Every attack Iran launches will only deepen the economic and financial consequences it faces. Donald Trump has spoken to Fox News after issuing threats to 'take' Kharg Island on Truth Social. The US president appeared to backtrack and said: "My preference is to take Kharg Island - I'm not sure if US has the appetite though." He added: "I don't know that America has the stomach, I think they'd like to see us come home." Donald Trumpo took to Truth Social to outline his plans to take over Iran's oil and gas markets, claiming that this approach worked out 'brilliantly' for Venezuala. Within half an hour the post had over 3,000 likes on the platform which is owned by the Trump family media company. Trump has threatened to take control of Kharg Island in the 'not too distant future'. Sitting 25 km off the coast of Iran the five mile long island is the sea port from where 90% of Iran's oil is exported. The tiny island lies close to several key offshore oil fields and is capable of loading up to 7 million barrels of oil per day. Donald Trump has vowed that the US will take 'total control' of Iran's oil and gas markets, threatening to hit the Middle Eastern country 'VERY HARD TONIGHT'. In a statement on his social media platform Truth Social the US president said: The United States will be hitting Iran (Whose Navy, Air Force, Radar, Anti Aircraft, and all other forms of Defense, together with most of its offensive capability, are GONE!), VERY HARD TONIGHT. 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. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP Three ships with Indian crews have been attacked by US Navy forces over the past four days, government officials have said. Indian government officials said that three ships manned by Indian nationals had come under attack by US forces. The US has said it is trying to enforce their blockade of Iran's ports. Three sailors were killed with MT Settebello ship was attacked with US missiles. Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said: "Of the 24 Indian nationals, 21 have been safely rescued. Unfortunately, three have lost their lives." Iran’s ability to control the Strait of Hormuz has proved a strong bargaining chip in negotions with the US. The narrow waterway’s effective closure has severely disrupted the global economy since the conflict began. Mr Trump said on Wednesday that the US military has undertaken a mission since last month to sneak oil shipments past Iran’s forces in the strait, aided by the destruction of Iranian radar equipment. Mr Trump said as a result more than 100 million barrels of oil have evaded Iran’s chokehold. There was no immediate confirmation of that figure, which equals roughly five days of oil shipments through the waterway before the war began. Iran fired at Kuwait, Bahrain and Jorda overnight, as it had done on Wednesday. Kuwait closed its airspace for several hours because of the attack, but did not elaborate on any damage. Jordan said it intercepted 20 Iranian missiles fired toward an area that is home to a base hosting US troops, though no-one was hurt. Bahrain’s interior ministry said an 11-year-old girl was hurt and cars and homes were damaged by debris from interceptions responding to the Iranian attack. The Strait of Hormuz is closed 'until further notice,' Persian Gulf Strait Authority has said. Authorities in Iran have repeatedly claimed that the Strait of Hormuz is shut. The Persian Gulf Strait Authority has said the crucial waterway is shut "until further notice". The newly created agency said in a statement: "Due to tensions caused by the aggressive US forces and the recent announcement issued by IR Armed Forces, the #Hormuz_Strait will be completely closed. Applicants who have already obtained transit permits are kindly requested to remain patient and await further notice by the PGSA." Iran's Foreign Ministry issued a statement Thursday saying the U.S. attacks had "effectively rendered the ceasefire meaningless," without saying it was abandoning it.Iran has said that US attacks over the past two nights have "rendered the ceasefire meaningless". In a statement, Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the attacks and said: "The recent illegal and criminal attacks by the United States not only constitute a gross violation of the United Nations Charter and the fundamental rules of international law respecting the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of states but have also effectively rendered the ceasefire dated April 8, 2026, meaningless." US Central Command (CENTCOM) shared footage of US forces launching Tomahawk cruise missiles at Iran on X. Video footage showed the missiles being fired from the USS Michael Murphy in the Gulf. CENTCOM said that the strikes targetted Iranian military surveillance capabilities, communication systems, and air defense sites across Iran and said: "U.S. Marine Corps, Air Force, and Navy assets fired precision munitions on Iranian targets that posed a threat to U.S. forces and international commercial ships transiting regional waters. "The strikes are in response to Iran's unwarranted and continued aggression. U.S. forces remain vigilant, lethal, and ready." Three Indian sailors died after a US strike on a tanker off the coast of Oman, India's shipping minister has confirmed. Sarbananda Sonowal, the Indian minister of ports, shipping and waterways posted on X and descriped the deaths as 'unfortunate'. He said: "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 bodies have been located and identified. This is a profound loss to our maritime family. The Modi Govt stands firmly with the bereaved during this difficult hour and is fully committed to supporting the next of kin. I have directed officials to ensure immediate repatriation of the rescued crew members and swift return of the mortal remains of the deceased for their final rites." The US military said yesterday that an American aircraft had fired into the engine room of the Palau-flagged vessel M/T Settebello as it attempted to breach the American naval blockade of Iran's ports with a shipment of Iranian oil. US Central Command said American forces warned the crew before firing on the ship. Oil prices jumped after the US carried out strikes across Iran and Tehran shut the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude was up more than 2 per cent to trade above $95 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate moved towards $93. Prices retreated after the US announced that its strikes had concluded. Kuwait has closed its airspace after Iran announced a fresh wave of attacks. Officials said some flights were being diverted to alternative airports. Flights had been circling outside the country for some time before the announcement, after its air defences were firing at aerial targets. Kuwait International Airport was hit by an Iranian strike last week, with one person killed and dozens more wounded. Former US Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro wrote in a post on X: These additional strikes tonight, while undoubtedly doing some damage, are additional evidence of who has the leverage in this negotiation: Iran. It is Trump that is desperate for them to sign the agreement, as his statements reveal, and Iran that is dragging their feet. These strikes will reinforce for Iran that time works in their favor. Recall the predictions that the blockade would make them cry uncle as it tanked their economy. Doesn’t seem to be the case. Now Iran will almost certainly respond against Gulf targets, hopefully calibrated and not escalatory, and it will be several more days until an agreement can be closed, especially if Trump feels their strikes warrant a further U.S. response. Hopefully, Iran and Israel do not resume exchanges, as that could escalate to a full-on war. This war has been such a mistake. Getting the Strait open is the most important strategic need for us. A deal that punts nuclear negotiations to a second phase and requires some sanctions relief is a lousy deal — and still the least bad available alternative.