JERUSALEM, Israel – Iran launched missiles and drones at U.S. forces overnight, even as Washington, Jerusalem, and Tehran continue a high-stakes mix of military confrontation and diplomacy.
The new wave of Iranian attacks against the U.S. and American allies in the Middle East fell flat, failing to hit a single target.
U.S CENTCOM reported that Iran fired missiles and drones toward Kuwait and Bahrain early on Wednesday, but two missiles broke apart in flight, while U.S. and Bahrain air defenses intercepted the remaining missiles and drones before they could cause any damage.
In response, the U.S. struck an Iranian ground control station on Qeshm Island in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.I
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility, saying the attack was retaliation for the U.S. blockade of Iranian ships. The escalation comes as Tehran has cut off communication with mediators seeking to extend a ceasefire with The U.S. and Israel.
Yet, even amid the fighting, signs of possible negotiations remain. Testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Secretary of State Marco Rubio revealed that Iran has shown a new willingness to discuss its nuclear program.
He stated, “For the first time, certainly in my memory, they have agreed to negotiate aspects of their nuclear program that just a month ago, just a year ago, they were refusing to even mention, much less enter into discussions about.”
Rubio also emphasized that sanctions relief remains tied to major concessions from Tehran regarding its nuclear activities.
When asked whether the regime could receive sanctions relief simply for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, Rubio responded definitively, “No. That’s not been discussed. That’s not been offered.”
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Meanwhile, speaking at a farewell ceremony for the outgoing Mossad director, David Barnea, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered his assessment of the pressure facing Tehran’s leaders.
“The foundations of this regime of terror in Iran have been cracked. It will not return to being what it was, and I tell you – it will fall in the end,” Netanyahu declared.
In Washington, representatives from Israel and Lebanon have begun a new round of direct talks. The discussions follow statements from President Trump that both Jerusalem and Hezbollah had made commitments toward de-escalation. The talks mark the latest effort to stop an ever-broadening regional conflict on Israel’s northern border.
