U.S. downs Iranian drones as strikes deepen tensions in Gulf
The United States and Iran have traded fresh strikes, with the U.S. hitting military sites and Iran launching missiles and drones at bases and ship...
Iran and Israel said on Monday (8 June) they had halted attacks on each other following an appeal from U.S. President Donald Trump, as Axios reported that Trump had privately told Benjamin Netanyahu “be careful, or you will be on your own very soon”.
The U.S. military's retaliatory attacks on Tuesday struck several Iranian air defence and radar systems around the Strait of Hormuz, Axios reported, citing a U.S. official.
Sounds of explosions were heard in eastern parts of Iran's Hormozgan province, Fars news agency reported early on Wednesday as the U.S. Central Command said its forces began launching "self-defence" strikes against Iran in response to the downing of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter.
Iranian state media also said a projectile hit had been confirmed in Sirik.
The U.S. Central Command said its forces began launching "self-defence" strikes against Iran, at 5 p.m. ET on Tuesday, in response to the downing of a U.S. Army apache helicopter.
U.S. grain and soybean farmers are facing mounting financial pressure as the Iran war drives diesel prices to record highs across key agricultural states, increasing costs during the crucial planting season.
National diesel prices have risen more than 40% since the conflict began, while crude oil prices are up about 30%, squeezing farmers who rely almost entirely on diesel-powered machinery for planting, spraying, fertilising and harvesting. The surge comes as growers were already dealing with a fourth consecutive year of shrinking margins due to drought, high input costs and weak crop prices.
Analysts estimate fuel expenses could increase from around $20 per acre to $30 per acre, raising fuel's share of total production costs to as much as 6%. Some farmers have delayed field work or cut back on operations to conserve fuel, while higher diesel costs are also pushing up transportation expenses. Experts warn that prices could climb further if disruptions to fuel supplies persist, with U.S. diesel inventories already at their lowest level in 23 years.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said foreign forces in proximity to Iranian territory were at "constant risk on account of their own human errors, plain accidents or potentially being caught in crossfire," asking them to leave.
"To reduce risk, best solution is for them (foreign forces) to leave," he said in a post on X.
His statements come after U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran was responsible for the downing of a U.S. apache helicopter that was patrolling the Strait of Hormuz overnight which he said Washington must respond to.
U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Tuesday that ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is rising "very meaningfully" as the conflict with Iran continues.
Wright made the remarks during an Atlantic Council conference and added that it would take many months to get back to normal flows of energy once the war is over.
President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Iran had shot down a U.S. Apache helicopter during an overnight patrol mission over the Strait of Hormuz, adding that Washington would be compelled to respond to the incident. The two pilots aboard were reported safe.
Speaking to AnewZ's Daybreak program, political analyst Tom Gross said Trump’s push for a rapid agreement reflects political urgency rather than strategic balance, suggesting the U.S. risks leaving allies feeling exposed while emboldening Tehran.
“It doesn’t look good,” he said, adding that regional partners such as Israel, Saudi Arabia and the UAE may feel increasingly uncertain about U.S. direction.
According to the analyst, coordination between Washington and Tel Aviv is strong militarily, but political objectives are increasingly diverging.
He said Israeli leadership faces domestic pressure as continued attacks affect civilian life in the north of the country, while U.S. priorities are shaped by broader political timelines.
Gross said the key question remains who is truly directing events, suggesting that while coordination exists between the U.S. and Israel, ultimate control lies with Washington.
U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Tuesday that ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is rising "very meaningfully" as the conflict with Iran continues.
Wright made the remarks during an Atlantic Council conference and added that it would take many months to get back to normal flows of energy once the war is over.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Tuesday he was "deeply alarmed" by the renewed escalation in violence in the Middle East.
"All attacks must stop immediately. The ceasefires in Lebanon, Iran & Gaza must be fully respected," he said in a post on X.
Israeli troops operating in the Ramim Ridge area of northern Israel close to the Lebanese border killed one person in an incident in which they returned fire, the Israeli military said on Tuesday.
It said no Israeli soldiers had been wounded in the incident, which was ongoing, with troops conducting searches of the area supported by the air force.
The two crew members of a U.S. Army Apache attack helicopter that went down in the Strait of Hormuz were rescued by a U.S. Navy surface drone, U.S. Central Command told Reuters on Tuesday.
Both crew members were recovered safely following the incident.
A delegation from France Unbowed (LFI), led by MEPs Manon Aubry and Rima Hassan, has arrived in Lebanon for meetings with President Joseph Aoun, political parties and UNIFIL representatives, as part of a visit aimed at expressing solidarity with the Lebanese people.
Iran's military says funeral ceremonies will be held in Tehran on Tuesday for two air defence personnel killed in an Israeli attack a day earlier.
The Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) said its World Cup ticket allocation was withdrawn just days before the tournament, leaving supporters who had already arranged travel unable to attend matches.
The FFIRI said this was "despite the fact that many Iranian football fans, relying on the officially announced process, had already made the necessary plans to attend the matches".
Israeli military issues evacuation order for Lebanon's Tyre, including the city's Christian quarter for the first time, citing alleged Hezbollah activity ahead of potential strikes.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei criticised the United States over the seizure of Iranian assets, sharing a video on X of U.S.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent discussing the measures. Baghaei accused Washington of openly celebrating the confiscation of Iranian property.
Israeli authorities have released Rand Halawani, a 20-year-old player for the Palestinian women's national football team, after six days in detention in Jerusalem.
Halawani was released on Sunday evening and ordered to remain under house arrest for five days, according to her family.
"Rand Halawani breathes freedom," the Palestine Football Association said on X, while her mother described her relief and joy at her daughter's return home.
Speaking to reporters at John F. Kennedy International Airport, U.S. President Donald Trump said the pilots of a U.S. military helicopter that crashed near the Strait of Hormuz are "fine" and added that Washington will release a report on the incident on Tuesday.
A U.S. Army Apache attack helicopter went down near the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, and both crew members were safely rescued, the New York Times reported.
A magnitude 5 earthquake struck Sargaz in Iran's southern Hormozgan province early on Tuesday, Iranian state media reported. The quake occurred at a depth of 22 km (13.7 miles), according to the reports.
Israel's military said on Tuesday it intercepted a "suspicious aerial target" launched from Yemen after sirens warning of a hostile aircraft infiltration sounded in the area of the Red Sea city of Eilat.
The military said the incident had concluded and reported no further details
U.S. President Donald Trump said he warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against returning to war with Iran, according to an Axios interview published Monday.
"I said, 'Bibi, you better be careful, or you will be on your own very soon,'" Trump told Axios.
Mexico and South Africa meet in Thursday’s World Cup opener in Mexico City, with both teams approaching the match from very different positions but facing their own pressures.
SpaceX has made history with the largest initial public offering ever in the United States, pricing its shares at $135 each and achieving a market valuation of $1.77 trillion.
SpaceX made a historic entrance into the Nasdaq on Friday, surging over 20% in its first day of trading and lifting its valuation to more than $2 trillion. Investors flocked to the world’s largest IPO, betting on Elon Musk’s sprawling empire spanning rockets, AI and beyond.
While France hosts next week’s Group of Seven summit, businesses in neighbouring Switzerland have already begun taking precautions, with many shops in Geneva boarded up ahead of a large anti-G7 demonstration expected on Sunday.
Formula 1 driver Pierre Gasly’s Monaco Grand Prix podium has been reinstated after Alpine successfully challenged his post-race penalties through a Right of Review request with the FIA.
Iran said no final decision has been made on a proposed agreement with Washington, despite suggestions from U.S. President Donald Trump that a deal could soon be signed in a European capital.
Georgia and the European Union have held their first working-level talks in Brussels following the EU's decision to suspend visa-free travel for holders of Georgian diplomatic, service and official passports.
Türkiye has condemned a defence agreement signed this week between France and Southern Cyprus, describing it as a threat to regional stability and the rights of Turkish Cypriots.
Authorities in the western Afghan city of Herat have arrested at least 30 women for allegedly breaching dress rules imposed by the Taliban, according to the United Nations agency for women’s rights.
Mali’s al Qaeda-affiliated group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) has offered multimillion-dollar rewards for information on senior military officials and the country’s head of state.
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