War in the Middle East | Iran reacts to Trump announcement

The US Army said it launched a new wave of attacks against Iran on Monday evening. The attacks were intended to prevent Tehran from attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz again, the US Army said in the online service

The Saudi-led military coalition announces a decisive response to threats by Yemen’s Houthi rebels against merchant ships. The alliance said this was a blatant violation of international law and an act of piracy. Protective measures have already been taken for ships passing through the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

Insurance costs for cargo ships in the Red Sea are rising following the announcement of a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. Premiums for war risks are rising from around 0.3 to around 0.75 percent of the ship’s value, insurance industry insiders said. This means additional costs of hundreds of thousands of dollars for a seven-day trip. The British maritime security company Ambrey classifies ships linked to Saudi Arabia and the country’s ports on the Red Sea as being at high risk.

Against the backdrop of the recent escalation in the Iran war, US President Donald Trump has threatened Iran with particularly harsh retaliation. “Every time Iran kills an American soldier, it will pay for that death many times over!” he wrote on his Truth Social platform. Among others, he instructed US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chief of Staff Dan Caine accordingly – the president left it open what exactly the US military should do on Trump’s orders.

Over the weekend, the US military announced the deaths of three more US soldiers after Iranian fire for the first time since the early days of the Iran War. Two of them died on Friday during an operation in Jordan as US forces and allies defended themselves against Iranian missile and drone attacks.

A third died in a “controlled” explosion of unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian disposable drone. The officially known number of military personnel who died in the Iran War rises to 17.

Yemen’s Iran-allied Houthi militia has again threatened attacks in the region and announced a “blockade” on Saudi ships. A “ban on shipping” now applies to Saudi Arabia, said Houthi military spokesman Jahja Sari in a video message. The Houthis are also “fully ready for all options,” he said, referring to possible new attacks.

An informal ceasefire has been in effect since 2022 in the Houthis’ war with the internationally recognized government in Yemen, which is supported by Saudi Arabia. But after a new confrontation a week ago, there are fears that the war could flare up again.

Saudi Arabia entered the civil war in 2015 and imposed an air, sea and land blockade with the stated aim of preventing arms smuggling to the Houthis. In fact, the blockade is also a means of economic war to put pressure on the militia and control which goods come into the country. This particularly affects the civilian population, of which more than 22 million people are dependent on humanitarian aid.

According to Hamas, Khalil al-Haja is the new head of the Islamist organization. There was previously an internal election for the position within the terrorist organization. Since Israel’s killing of Jahia al-Sinwar in October 2024, Hamas has been led by a five-member leadership council that also included al-Haja. He is also a negotiator in the negotiations for a permanent peace settlement for the Gaza Strip.

Al-Haja, born in the Gaza Strip, spends most of his time in Qatar. Last year, Israel’s air force attempted to attack Hamas leadership in the Qatari capital Doha – al-Haja was reportedly a target. However, according to Hamas, the attack failed. Four of his sons were killed in Israeli attacks, including one in the Doha attack.

A third US soldier has now been declared dead following Iranian attacks on Jordan. The US Central Command reported finding unidentified human remains, writes NBC News. An investigation is currently underway to determine whether this is the missing soldier.

The three soldiers were killed on Friday in an Iranian attack on US and partner forces in Jordan. Separately, another US soldier was killed in northern Iraq in a controlled explosion of unexploded ammunition from an Iranian drone, the Central Command said. Another soldier was slightly injured. “Our deepest sympathy goes out to these families,” NBC News quoted US Secretary of State Marco Rubio as saying. “These are heroes who sacrificed their lives for us.”

Another ship was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz. The British Maritime Safety Authority (UKMTO) reported that it was hit by an “unknown projectile”. The incident occurred eight nautical miles (almost 15 kilometers) northwest of the Omani town of Kumsar. A fire broke out on board, whereupon the crew was evacuated. “The fire has not been extinguished and the vessel is currently adrift,” UKMTO reported. Ships were advised to sail through the region with caution.

An oil tanker flying the Maltese flag made an emergency call at this location, security firm Ambrey reported. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said two oil tankers had “exploded” in the strait, according to the Fars news agency. These two “deviants” attempted to drive into and out of the Strait of Hormuz via “the unsafe route.” The ships were forced under pressure from the US military not to use the “designated safe sea lanes”. Tehran had previously repeatedly stated that only a route specified by Iran through the Strait of Hormuz was safe.

In view of the new military escalation with the USA, Iran says it has received suggestions from mediators for a resumption of negotiations. Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghai confirmed a corresponding question in Tehran, as the state news agency Irna reported.

However, Iran will continue to defend itself resolutely, the spokesman said. “I reiterate that the diplomatic apparatus continues to carry out its tasks together and in harmony with the defenders of the fatherland in the armed forces. The proposals put forward through intermediaries have been communicated to us and have been received by us,” Baghai said.

According to Foreign Minister Marco Rubio, the USA is still ready for talks with Tehran despite new attacks against Iran. “We are always open to diplomacy,” he said on Sunday evening (local time) before his departure to the foreign ministers’ meeting of the Southeast Asian community of states, Asean. But it has to be an agreement that Tehran is willing to adhere to. “We have tried several times with Iran and will continue to try. If this door opens, we would welcome it,” Rubio added.

The US military bombed targets in the Islamic Republic for the ninth night in a row. From there, explosions were reported in several areas. In response to the US attacks, Tehran again carried out retaliatory strikes against countries with US military bases in the region.

The sirens wailed again in the Gulf state of Bahrain this morning. Residents are called upon to remain calm and go to a safe place, the Interior Ministry in Manama said on Platform X.

The armed forces in Kuwait reported new drone attacks from Iran this morning. Explosions heard came from anti-aircraft defenses responding to attacks, the army said.

The US military says it has ended its renewed wave of night attacks on targets in Iran. Military command centers, air defense and coastal surveillance systems, devices for missile launches and drone launches as well as communication networks were targeted, the responsible US regional command Centcom announced on

The aim was to further weaken Iran’s ability to attack merchant ships and civilian sailors passing through the Strait of Hormuz, it said. The US attacks took place on the ninth night in a row. The Iran war has escalated again since the beginning of the month in the dispute over the strait, which is important for global trade in oil, gas and fertilizer.