Middle East

Marco Rubio spoke at a meeting of Southeast Asian foreign ministers in Manila, saying that if Iran does not take diplomacy seriously, the US will "do what's necessary" to protect its interests.

"Emirati-Saudi relations are an extension of a shared history and deep-rooted fraternal ties between two brotherly peoples, united by a single destiny," Alhamed wrote.

US war in Iran has cost $37.5 billion so far • IDF confirms building massive sand barrier dividing Gaza after satellite imagery emerges • Trump eyes expanded Iran campaign

The Trump administration plans to submit a Saudi nuclear pact to Congress within days, despite concerns over missing safeguards, Reuters reported.

"The strikes are designed to continue degrading Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz," the US Central Command said in a statement on X.

US flights were suspended in 1985 after the hijacking of TWA Flight 847 from Athens, Greece, en route to Rome, Italy, that was forced to land in Beirut.

The decision, which follows a similar policy established by Burnham's predecessor, Keir Starmer, qualifies the strikes as "defensive" rather than an active war, Bloomberg reported.

Trump is expected to escalate the war with Iran, leading Israeli officials to believe that Tehran could retaliate directly against Israel.

The threat of attacking the Iranian site reflects escalating tensions as Tehran and Washington trade fire in the Gulf, setting back efforts to end the conflict.

Israel, US repeatedly failed to kill Iran's Alireza Tangsiri before successful strike • New details reveal Israeli naval attacks on Hezbollah commanders at Beirut's Ramada Hotel and a mobile HQ