Iran fires missiles at Gulf states after US strikes; as Israel kills Lebanese soldiers

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US forces struck Iranian coastal radar sites on Saturday after shooting down drones launched by Iran toward the Strait of Hormuz, the US military said, in the latest escalation complicating efforts to end the war between the two countries.

The US military believes the four Iranian drones were targeting regional maritime traffic, according to news agency Reuters. US Central Command said on X that the U.S. then struck Iran's surveillance sites in Goruk and Qeshm Island, which are both on the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran's foreign ministry said the U.S. action broke an April 8 ceasefire, adding that repeated such violations showed Washington had no intention of reducing tensions. It warned that the United States would bear responsibility for the consequences of its "illegal actions" and any further escalation.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had attacked U.S. bases in Kuwait and Bahrain in retaliation for US strikes and fired at four tankers trying to cross the strait without its permission.

Kuwait's army said on Saturday it engaged seven ballistic missiles that entered the country's airspace early in the morning and passed over several residential areas, resulting in the fall of some debris. The army added that the Iranian attack caused material damage but no casualties. In Bahrain sirens sounded and residents were urged to seek shelter.

Iran on Saturday denounced as a "tool of political pressure" a report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) expressing concern over its lack of access to Iranian nuclear sites.

Tehran was engaged in discussions with Washington about its nuclear programme when the United States and Israel attacked it on February 28, sparking war in the region.

Israel had previously struck Iran in June 2025, also while Washington and Tehran were engaged in nuclear negotiations, with Washington joining with later strikes before a ceasefire was declared.

During both conflicts, Iranian nuclear sites were bombed repeatedly.

"If the agency wants to be part of a diplomatic solution, it must refrain from turning a technical report into a tool of political pressure," Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi wrote on X.

In a confidential report on Thursday, the IAEA stated that the lack of access to nuclear sites in Iran constitutes a "proliferation concern".

"While the agency acknowledged that the military attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities and sites have created an unprecedented situation, it is critical for the agency to conduct verification activities in Iran without delay," the IAEA said in the report.

The IAEA has never condemned the Israeli-American strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.

Gharibabadi on Saturday said the Israeli-American strikes are "not only a violation of Iran's sovereignty", but also "a direct blow to nuclear safety".

"One cannot bomb safeguarded facilities, destroy the access and safety necessary for inspections, and then use the consequences of that very attack as a grievance against Iran," he argued.

Bahrain has expressed support for Lebanon’s sovereignty and rejected external interference in its internal affairs, voicing backing for President Joseph Aoun’s efforts to strengthen state authority and restrict weapons possession to the state.

Bahrain also welcomed US mediation efforts led by President Donald Trump aimed at securing a permanent ceasefire in Lebanon. It praised the Lebanese government’s commitment to ending hostilities, protecting civilians and facilitating the return of displaced people.

The ministry further called for enhanced international and regional efforts to deliver urgent humanitarian assistance to Lebanon and to support the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

Iran condemned on Saturday a nighttime US attack on coastal radar installations in the Gulf, calling it a "flagrant" violation of the ceasefire in place since April.

The foreign ministry said it was an attack "on the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Islamic republic", denouncing Washington's "hostile and provocative behaviour".

• Iran launched fresh missile attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait, with both Gulf states reporting successful interceptions and condemning the strikes as violations of their sovereignty.
• The attacks came after US strikes on Iranian radar sites and the interception of Iranian drones near the Strait of Hormuz, further straining the fragile ceasefire between Washington and Tehran.
• Three Lebanese soldiers were killed in an Israeli strike on a Lebanese army vehicle in southern Lebanon. Israel said it targeted the vehicle after identifying a potential threat linked to Hezbollah.
• Hezbollah condemned the strike, calling it a "deliberate crime" and accusing Lebanese authorities of making concessions to the United States.
• The US approved a $1.98 billion arms sale to Kuwait, including counter-drone systems aimed at strengthening the country's defences against aerial threats.
• Iran accused the US of "discriminatory treatment" after reports that 15 members of its World Cup delegation were denied visas ahead of the 2026 tournament.
• Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi arrived in Tehran for talks with Iranian officials, prompting speculation about efforts to revive stalled US-Iran negotiations.
• Iran reiterated that the release of frozen assets remains a key condition for any agreement with Washington to permanently end the conflict.
• At least 13 Palestinians were injured in a settler attack in Huwara, south of Nablus, with residents reporting assaults, tear gas exposure and livestock theft.
• Seven-month-old Palestinian infant Sam Fahd Abu Heikal was killed near Hebron, after Israeli forces opened fire on his family's vehicle, according to relatives. His mother was also wounded in the incident.
• Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei appeared to criticise Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in a social media post, following Aoun's comments accusing Tehran of using Lebanon as a bargaining chip in negotiations with the United States.

A seven-month-old Palestinian infant, Sam Fahd Abu Heikal, was killed after Israeli gunfire struck his family’s vehicle near Hebron in the southern occupied West Bank, according to his family.

Hezbollah has condemned an Israeli strike on a Lebanese army vehicle that killed three soldiers, describing the attack as a “deliberate crime”.

In a statement, the group said the strike was “a deliberate and premeditated crime” that adds to what it called a series of Israeli violations against Lebanese people, particularly in the south and the Western Bekaa.

Hezbollah also criticised Lebanon’s state authorities, saying the incident reflected a failure to protect national sovereignty and the blood of its citizens.

It claimed that recent political decisions amounted to “complete surrender” to conditions set in Washington, which it said encouraged further Israeli violations against both civilians and the Lebanese army.

The group added: “We condemn this sinful aggression and reaffirm our steadfast support for our national army.”

Iran still has "21, 22 percent" of its missiles left, US President Donald Trump said on Friday, after Tehran fired dozens across the region during a week marked by repeated violations of a fragile ceasefire.

"They still have capacity. They have some missiles, they have some drones. I would say, percentage wise, maybe 21, 22 percent of their missiles," Trump told NBC News in an interview.

That estimate for Iran's remaining missile stockpile is higher than the 18 percent Trump gave in May. He has often claimed to have completely destroyed Iran's war-fighting capacity.

Iran's military said Friday it had fired "warning missiles" at two US destroyers in the Gulf of Oman -- a claim promptly denied by the US military.

Two days earlier, Kuwait said it had intercepted 30 ballistic missiles fired as part of "heinous Iranian aggression."

Weeks of complex talks marked by threats and flare-ups of violence have failed to secure a deal to end the war.

But Trump said Iran has "got no choice" except to reach an agreement.

"They're strong, they're proud, there are things they never thought they'd be doing that they're going to have to do," he told NBC.

Lebanon launched the rehabilitation of its second airport on Saturday, in preparation for an opening within months, at a time when the country faces constant fighting between Hezbollah and Israel.

Lebanon currently has one international airport, in Beirut next to the capital's southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold that has been subjected to heavy Israeli bombardment during successive wars.

The new airport, in the town of Qlayaat in Lebanon's northernmost province of Akkar, near the border with Syria, has been used as a military base by the Lebanese army for decades.

Lebanese Minister of Transport and Public Works Fayez Rasamny inaugurated the airport on Saturday "after more than fifty years of promises, delays and waiting".

"Today we are moving from promise to execution," Rasamny said, adding that the goal is for the airport to be "operational in a few weeks" to serve travellers to Mersin, Istanbul and Dubai, adding there are plans to expand the destinations to Saudi Arabia, Cairo and Athens at a later stage.

Lebanon is also in contact with low-cost airlines, such as Ryanair and Pegasus, he said.

Rehabilitation is due to begin next week and will take at least three months, going through a pilot phase before the airport is put into full service in November 2026, according to local media.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson has appeared to criticise Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in a social media post, following his recent interview in which he accused Iran of using Lebanon as a "bargaining chip" in talks with the United States.

Esmaeil Baqaei shared a message in a Lebanese dialect on X that many interpreted as a veiled rebuke of Aoun’s comments, amid rising tensions over Lebanon’s role in regional negotiations and the ongoing conflict involving Hezbollah and Israel.

The post comes after Aoun told CNN that Iran was "using Lebanon as a bargaining chip" in its dealings with Washington, remarks that drew strong responses from Iranian officials.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected the accusation, insisting that Lebanon is not a bargaining tool for Tehran and urging the Lebanese leadership to focus on what he described as the country’s "real foe."

بيبيع اللي واقف حدّو، وبيشتري اللي واقف ضدّو

بيترك اللي ساندو، وبيمشي ورا اللي خانقو

— Esmaeil Baqaei (@IRIMFA_SPOX) June 6, 2026

The United States, one of the three host countries of the 2026 World Cup, has refused to grant visas to 15 members of Iran's delegation, state television reported on Saturday.

"Visas have been issued for the national team and the technical staff, and there are 15 members of the administration and management whose visas are problematic and have not been issued by the US," a state television reporter said from the Turkish city of Antalya, where the team is holding a training camp.

The US State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Kuwait worth an estimated $1.98 billion, covering counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) platforms and related equipment.

The State Department said the proposed sale supports US foreign policy and national security objectives by strengthening the capabilities of a key non-NATO ally in the Middle East.

The announcement comes after Iran launched seven ballistic missiles towards Bahrain and Kuwaiti territory early on Saturday, in what was described as a serious violation of sovereignty and a threat to Gulf security.

The Gulf state of Kuwait on Saturday condemned fresh attacks from Iran which it said were a "direct threat" to the "lives of citizens and residents".

Kuwait "affirms that these attacks constitute a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the state", its foreign ministry said, adding "they represent a dangerous escalation".

Neighbouring Bahrain also said it was targeted by Iranian missile barrages.

Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA) reported on Saturday that Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi is due to visit Tehran for talks with Iranian officials, describing the trip as a bilateral visit.

The visit follows two meetings between Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni and his Pakistani counterpart on Wednesday and Thursday on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) interior ministers' meeting in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan.

Naqvi's visit comes amid a recent stalemate in indirect Iran-US negotiations, in which Islamabad has played a mediating role. The timing has fuelled speculation over whether the trip is intended to help revive the stalled talks and restore diplomatic momentum.

Questions also remain over whether the Pakistani minister is carrying a message from Washington aimed at breaking the deadlock in negotiations between Tehran and the United States.

Thirteen Palestinians were injured during a settler attack in the southern area of Huwara, south of Nablus in the northern occupied West Bank, according to Rana Abu Haniyeh, director of public relations at Huwara Municipality, speaking to The New Arab.

Abu Haniyeh said the attack targeted residents' homes and property, and included assaults on local people as well as the theft of dozens of sheep and a vehicle. Injuries were reported from beatings, shrapnel and tear gas inhalation.

Speaking to The New Arab, Abu Haniyeh said: "A large group of settlers attacked the southern area of Huwara, close to the municipality building. They surrounded the municipality and attacked the home of a resident next to it, while another group raided a livestock shelter behind the house and stole around 40 sheep."

The Palestinian Red Crescent said its crews treated eight people injured during the settler attack.

Several Lebanese soldiers, including an officer, were killed in an Israeli strike targeting their military vehicle on the Khardali-Nabatieh road in south Lebanon, the Lebanese army said on Saturday.

The Lebanese army has historically avoided involvement in confrontations between Hezbollah and Israel and has not engaged Israel in the current conflict. 

Rosneft Chief Executive Igor Sechin said on Saturday that US energy companies were the main beneficiaries of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and that Washington was trying to change the fundamental contours of the global energy markets to suit US interests.

Iran blockaded the Strait, the main route for about a fifth of world oil supplies and other vital goods including fertilisers, after the United States and Israel attacked Iran and killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in February. The US has blockaded Iranian ports.

The closues of the Strait has rattled global markets, sending oil prices to multi-year highs, stoking global inflation and undermining economic growth world-wide.

Speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Sechin, a long-standing ally of President Vladimir Putin, also said that the OPEC+ group of leading oil producers has lost some of its potential with the withdrawal of the United Arab Emirates from the alliance.

"The closure of the Strait of Hormuz is an attempt to reshape global energy market regulations to benefit the United States. The measures taken to block the strait were aimed at Iran, but backfired on the entire world. The strategic risks were underestimated," Sechin said.

"The main beneficiaries, of course, were American companies, who gained non-competitive advantages and the ability to secure high-cost supplies," he added.

He warned that following Strait of Hormuz closure, other major global routes, such as Malacca, Bad El Mandeb and Gibraltar straits could also be under the risk of disruption.

Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said that the UN nuclear watchdog should avoid turning technical reports into "tools of political pressure" if it wanted to contribute to a diplomatic solution.

He said that the loss of the agency's oversight at some facilities resulted from the attacks rather than a lack of cooperation by Iran, adding that the International Atomic Energy Agency was using the consequences of US and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites to create "ambiguity" about Tehran's nuclear programme. 

New attacks in the Middle East on Friday threatened to unravel an already fragile US-Iran ceasefire, even as American officials confirmed that Tehran's football players had received visas for the World Cup.

Weeks of complex talks marked by threats and flare-ups of violence have failed to secure a deal to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a key conduit for global energy flows.

The latest flare-up came despite the United States moving ahead with allowing Iran's national football team to travel to the FIFA World Cup it is co-hosting with Canada and Mexico.

US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack confirmed the visa issuances, saying that "sports transcends borders, and we look forward to welcoming competitors and fans from around the world."

However, Iran's Fars news agency reported that visas had yet to be issued for some members of the team's "technical and executive staff."

An unnamed US administration official said in a statement: "We will not allow the Iranian team to abuse this system to sneak terrorists into the United States under false pretenses."

The team is due to fly from Turkey to Spain on Saturday before traveling on to their base camp in Mexico, where they will arrive on Sunday.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi urged on Saturday Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, who had criticised Tehran for interfering in his country, to save Lebanon from its "real foe".

"Based on Mr. Aoun's comments, one would think it's Iran that has occupied 1/5 of Lebanon, displaced 1/4 of Lebanese and is bombing his country on a daily basis... save Lebanon from your real foe, Mr. President," Araghchi wrote on X, referring to Israel.

Welcome to The New Arab’s live coverage of the latest developments on the ceasefire following the US and Israel's war on Iran.

We will also be covering Israel’s ongoing military escalation in Lebanon.

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