The White House indicated on Friday that President Trump is evaluating potential military strikes against Iran amid escalating tensions following the breakdown of a recently negotiated truce agreement between the two nations. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that Iran had violated the terms of a memorandum of understanding signed the previous month, citing Iranian attacks on commercial vessels and actions resulting in American casualties. Trump himself told reporters that continued military action would be pursued, stating the administration intended to pressure Iran until it returns to negotiations on terms the administration deems acceptable.
Iran’s paramilitary forces reported conducting attacks on two oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and firing drones at Kuwait, where U.S. military personnel are stationed. Kuwait’s Defense Ministry confirmed it had intercepted drones that targeted military facilities, sustaining material damage from falling debris but no reported casualties. The escalating military activity has further disrupted shipping through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, a critical corridor for global energy supplies.
In a potential breakthrough for the Gaza conflict, Hamas announced its intention to disarm as part of a Trump-brokered agreement also requiring Israel to cease military operations and withdraw from Gaza. However, Hamas made the surrender of heavy weapons contingent on the establishment of a Palestinian state, a position Israel’s current government opposes. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the agreement while calling for its full implementation without obstruction.
The ceasefire framework was originally announced the previous October and established terms for Hamas disarmament, Israeli withdrawal, and deployment of an international stabilization force. Implementation has stalled, with the parties disagreeing over sequencing and compliance. Israeli airstrikes continued in Gaza on Friday, killing at least one Palestinian and wounding others including a child, according to hospital officials.
Separately, Saudi Arabia announced a 14-nation maritime defense coalition aimed at securing Red Sea shipping routes and trade corridors affected by regional conflicts. The initiative received backing from multiple countries including Turkey, Egypt, and Pakistan, though two Gulf states declined to endorse it. A Houthi official stated the coalition would prove ineffective without Saudi Arabia lifting its blockade on Yemen, while Israel continued military operations in southern Lebanon, destroying tunnel networks beneath a 12th-century castle that Israel asserts was used as a militant command center.
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