US strikes Iran, Trump threatens Oman; Israel urges Lebanon evacuation

The U.S. military downed four Iranian drones threatening the Strait of Hormuz and attacked an Iranian ground control station preparing to launch a fifth drone, U.S. officials told the Associated Press. The officials described the actions as defensive.

Iranian news agency Fars reported three explosions east of Bandar Abbas. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to attack Oman if it sided with Iran on the issue of opening the Strait of Hormuz. "No, the strait will be open for everyone. (..) These are international waters, and Oman will act like everyone else, or we will have to blow them up. They understand that, they will be fine," Trump told reporters at the White House.

The White House did not immediately respond to AFP's question about whether Trump might have mistakenly said Oman instead of Iran. Oman is an important U.S. ally that has tried to mediate in the Middle East conflict and has itself suffered Iranian attacks. The U.S. State Department later published a recording and transcript of Trump's comments about Oman without corrections or explanations.

Iran has indicated it wants to establish a new reality in the Strait of Hormuz by imposing tolls on transit ships and sharing revenues with Oman. Trump appears increasingly frustrated as negotiations to end the war and open the strait seem to have reached a dead end again, just days after he said an agreement was close to completion.

Separately, the Israeli military urged people to evacuate southern Lebanon, where it plans to expand attacks on the Shiite terrorist group Hezbollah. This is the broadest evacuation order since a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon took effect on April 17, covering about 14% of Lebanon's territory. Despite the ceasefire agreement, exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah continue, with casualties reported almost daily in Lebanon. The Israeli army still maintains troops in southern Lebanon, while Hezbollah refuses to negotiate with Israel. Israeli soldiers have crossed the Litani River, approaching Nabatieh, and clashes have intensified along the river. However, since the start of the ceasefire, Israel has not attacked Beirut or areas near it. Previously, the Israeli army had called on residents of Nabatieh and Tyre to evacuate, stating that Hezbollah fighters and military posts were located in these cities. Following this call, a mass departure of people from Tyre, located on the Mediterranean coast, to Lebanon was observed.