Al Jazeera

By Enes Abuomer, Adam Hancock and Rached El-Moctar

    US President Donald Trump says that the renewed fighting with Iran will not last “too long”, adding, however, that the US is ready to strike Iran “at any time.”

    Iran’s security chief, Mohsen Rezaei, says that Washington will witness Tehran’s “new strategy” for war soon.

19 Updates

EXPLAINER

What is Iran’s Castle Breaker missile used against US bases

By Usaid Siddiqui

    Iran’s Kheibar Shekan missile, which means Castle Breaker in Persian, has emerged as one of the most talked-about weapons in the US-Israel war on Iran.

    Iran has used the medium-range ballistic missile in strikes on US military targets and infrastructure in the Middle East this week, as Tehran aims to demonstrate that its missile arsenal remains well-stocked following six months of intermittent US and Israeli attacks.

    The war entered a new phase this week following a lull in fighting for a month, when US forces struck rocket launchers on Iran’s Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz, close to the country’s strategic port of Bandar Abbas, on Monday. That prompted Iran to strike back at US military assets in Jordan.

    Since then, the US has carried out more attacks on various Iranian targets, with Tehran again responding in kind, targeting several US bases in the region, including in Jordan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

So, what is the Castle Breaker, what is it capable of, and what is the latest in the US-Israel war on Iran

Dreams shattered: Gaza amputees struggle under blockade and rubble

By Enas Abu Ghayad

Reporting from Gaza City

    Israel’s indiscriminate bombing of Gaza, and the resulting decimated healthcare system in the Palestinian enclave, has led to about 6,000 amputations since the war began, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health.

    Around a quarter of the cases are children, making the war in Gaza the largest source of child amputees in modern history, according to the United Nations.

    Orthopaedic surgeons in Gaza say that many of the amputation cases could have been avoided, but that the collapse of Gaza’s hospitals and the depletion of surgical supplies, antiseptics, and anaesthetics has often forced medical teams to resort to amputation as the fastest option to save lives and prevent gangrene.

    Those shortages are largely the result of Israel’s restrictions on imports into Gaza, which it maintains despite an October 2025 “ceasefire”.

    The comments follow US strikes on southern Iran in which 18 people were reported killed, including civilians attending a wedding.

    Iran has responded with missile launches against US-linked assets in the region.

    Analyst Ross Harrison assesses the impact of the US campaign, arguing that while the attacks have caused significant damage, they have not achieved Washington’s broader political objectives.

    Harrison also discusses the resilience of Iran’s political system, Tehran’s efforts to restore military deterrence, and the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz.

Hamas condemns Israeli killing of two Palestinian teenagers in besieged West Bank village

    Hamas has condemned the killing of two Palestinian teenagers, who were shot by Israeli soldiers as their village was besieged by settlers in the occupied West Bank.

    In a statement, Hamas said that settler attacks were escalating “with the protection and support of the Zionist occupation army”, and came “in the context of a systematic policy targeting our people and their land”, seeking to impose “annexation, forced displacement and ethnic cleansing”.

    It said that the escalation “will not succeed in breaking the will of our people or uprooting them from their land”.

Australia says Iran’s Hormuz shipping restrictions ‘unacceptable’

    Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles has called for the Strait of Hormuz to be reopened, accusing Iran of restricting shipping through the key waterway.

    “What we need to see is the Strait of Hormuz open,” Marles told ABC News from Washington, DC, saying Iran’s actions were “fundamentally in contravention with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea” and the principle of freedom of navigation.

    “We do want to see a de-escalation to what’s occurred in the Middle East, but we need to see the Strait of Hormuz open and global fuel supply chains return to normal,” he said.

    Marles added that Iran was currently “seeking to limit shipping” through the strait, calling that “unacceptable”.

Israeli forces storm West Bank town in sweeping raids

    Israeli forces stormed the town of Sebastia in the occupied West Bank at dawn on Thursday amid heavy military deployment and sweeping house-to-house raids, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa.

    Local sources cited by the agency reported that the Israeli forces brought military reinforcements into the town before raiding several homes and arresting people.

    The sources said that Israeli forces also stormed the village of Asira al-Qibliya, south of Nablus, and deployed across several neighbourhoods, while additional forces raided the village of Duma, south of the governorate.

Why Ali al-Taher ridge has become a key battleground in southern Lebanon

By Enes Abuomer

    The Ali al-Taher ridge, which overlooks a wide part of southern Lebanon, has become one of the main flashpoints in the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.

    Hezbollah is believed to have built an underground command centre and weapons storage facilities inside the ridge, Lebanese security sources told Reuters in July. At about 600 metres (1970 ft) above sea level, the position gave the group an advantage in launching short-range missiles and drones towards northern Israel, according to analysts cited by the agency.

    In June, Hezbollah said its fighters confronted Israeli troops trying to move towards the northern slopes of the hills.

    Military analyst Elias Hanna told Al Jazeera that Ali al-Taher is strategically linked to the Beaufort Castle heights and overlooks the Khiam area, making it important for surveillance and directing fire across nearby positions.

    Its significance now extends beyond the battlefield. Reuters reported in July that the ridge had become a sticking point in efforts to expand US-backed “pilot zones”, under which Israeli troops would withdraw as the Lebanese army deploys and Hezbollah’s military infrastructure is removed.

Hormuz still gives Iran leverage as it seeks to restore deterrence

    Ross Harrison of the Middle East Institute says the Strait of Hormuz continues to give Iran leverage in the short term, despite efforts by other states to find alternative routes.

    “Right now, Iran’s regime is focused on survival and on the short term. And so, for the short term, it still maintains that leverage,” Harrison told Al Jazeera.

    He said Iran’s “endgame” is to re-establish deterrence and inflict enough damage to prevent another conflict “five months from now, six months from now, or a year from now”.

    Harrison also said there are different views inside Iran over whether to negotiate with the US, escalate further or withdraw from the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

    But he said decision-making has remained relatively disciplined during the war.

    “Right now, under the crucible of war, the regime is remarkably cohesive, as far as we can see.”

Kuwait says air defences responding to Iranian missile, drone attacks

    The Kuwaiti army says the country’s air defences are responding to “hostile” missile and drone attacks, which it blamed on Iran.

    In a post on X, the Kuwaiti army said any explosions heard were the result of air defence systems intercepting the attacks.

    It urged the public to follow safety and security instructions issued by the relevant authorities.

Yemen army says 10 Houthi ballistic missiles target Taiz and Hodeidah

    Yemen’s military says that 10 Houthi ballistic missiles targeted the provinces of Taiz and Hodeidah on Wednesday.

    The military media centre of the internationally recognised government did not provide further details about the damage caused by the Houthi attacks.

    Separately, the media centre also posted six videos on X purporting to show strikes targeting Houthi fighters and positions in Marib and Al Bayda governorates, though the posts did not detail the exact time or date of the operations.

Oil prices dip as markets weigh US-Iran conflict risks

    Crude prices move lower on Thursday as market participants weigh ongoing uncertainty surrounding renewed military strikes between the US and Iran that threaten regional supplies.

    Brent crude futures dropped 43 cents, or 0.45 percent, to $95.20 per barrel as of 00:29 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate crude decreased 24 cents, or 0.26 percent, to $90.77.

Bernie Sanders criticises Trump’s suggestion to rename Strait of Hormuz after himself

    US Senator Bernie Sanders has responded to Donald Trump’s suggestion that the Strait of Hormuz should be renamed “Trump Strait”.

    In a post on X, Sanders said, “No, Mr. Trump. The American people don’t want you to rename the Strait of Hormuz after yourself.

    “They want you to end your illegal war in Iran that has raised diesel prices to $5.69 a gallon & gas prices to $4.12 a gallon.

    “You’re the President, not a mad king. Act like it,” Sanders added.

Israel defence minister says removing Palestinians from Gaza remains ‘only solution’

    Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz says Israel is still seeking to remove Palestinians from Gaza, describing the depopulation of the territory as the “only solution”.

    Speaking at a conference organised by Israeli publication Ynet, Katz said Trump had not abandoned the proposal but had merely “frozen it”, adding that the plan continues to be discussed.

    Katz said Israel would need US backing to implement the proposal and noted that Egypt has refused to take in Palestinians displaced from Gaza.

    Trump previously backed removing Palestinians from the enclave and having the US take control of the territory, before later sponsoring a “ceasefire” agreement that states that no one would be forced to leave Gaza.

    Palestinian rights advocates have described proposals to depopulate the enclave as ethnic cleansing.

Iran says 142 people injured in latest US strikes

    Iran’s health ministry spokesperson, Hossein Kermanpour, has provided an update on the number of people injured in the latest US strikes on Iran.

    He said that 142 people were injured in the attack, including 61 women and 44 people under the age of 18.

    In total, 18 people were killed in the strikes, including two women and a child, Kermanpour added.

UN chief ‘deeply alarmed’ by US strike on Iran wedding

    UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is “deeply alarmed by reports of civilian casualties, including a strike that reportedly hit a wedding ceremony in Iran,” the Anadolu news agency quotes his spokesperson as saying.

    Speaking at the UN’s daily briefing on Wednesday, Stephane Dujarric told reporters that Guterres “condemns all attacks against civilians” and is “gravely concerned” by renewed fighting between the US and Iran.

    “Few countries in the region are immune from this escalation,” he said, with airspace and shipping routes still heavily affected.

    Dujarric relayed Guterres’s call for an immediate halt to military action, warning that further escalation would have “devastating consequences for civilians and the wider region”.

    Trump also claimed that the US controls the Strait of Hormuz and destroyed an Iranian mine-laying rocket.

A recap of recent developments

    US President Donald Trump says the renewed fighting with Iran will not last “too long”, while adding that the US is ready to strike Iran “at any time.”

    Iran’s security chief, Mohsen Rezaei, says Washington will witness Tehran’s “new strategy” for war soon.

    Iran’s health minister says the death toll from US attacks has risen to 18, including two children. The US military denies targeting civilians.

    US Central Command (CENTCOM) says Washington is continuing its blockade against Iran, redirecting 86 commercial vessels as of today.

    US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warns that any country helping Tehran create “mechanisms” to generate funds will face sanctions from Washington.

    The Iranian currency has dropped to a record low of more than 2.2 million rials to the dollar, Reuters reports.

    Israeli snipers have killed two Palestinian teenagers in a pogrom in the village of al-Mughayyir, north of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank.