US-Israel-Iran War News Live Updates: Trump says Iran 'afraid' to admit it wants a deal, claims 'they'll be killed by their own people or us'

Israel's military said Thursday its forces carried out a wave of strikes across Iran, including in the central city of Isfahan.

A brief military statement said Israeli forces "completed a wide-scale wave of strikes targeting infrastructure of the Iranian terror regime in several areas across Iran".

In the last hour, alarms have sounded in Kuwait three times.

We’ve also seen attacks across the GCC in recent hours, including in Bahrain and the UAE.

In Baharin, the ministry of interior said that civil defense teams have extinguished a fire at a facility the Muharraq area, without any injuries. And in the UAE, too, sirens blared, while Saudi Arabia reported intercepting more than a dozen in the Eastern Province, where the majority of oil its facilities are located.

Last night, about 24 hours ago, two drones hit the fuel tank at the Kuwaiti International Airport and authorities are still trying to put that fire out. The amount of damage these attacks – even when one or two of these drones get through air defences – is devastating.

We are now four weeks into the war and these attacks keep on happening.

President Donald Trump said Wednesday Iran wants to make a deal “so badly” but “they’re afraid to say it” for fear of being killed.

“Nobody’s ever seen anything like we’re doing in the Middle East with Iran, and they are negotiating, by the way, and they want to make a deal so badly, but they’re afraid to say it because they figure they’ll be killed by their own people. They’re also afraid they’ll be killed by us,” Trump said at fundraising dinner for the House GOP campaign arm in Washington.

The White House said earlier Wednesday that talks with Iran are not at a dead end even after Tehran did not immediately accept a 15-point plan to end the war. The US is working to arrange a meeting in Pakistan to discuss an off-ramp, two administration officials tell CNN.

While Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi acknowledged that messages have been exchanged with the US through mediators, he stressed that the communications do not amount to negotiations.

​The United States has struck over two-thirds of Iran’s munitions plants, the head of the American military’s Central Command said.

US Navy Adm. Brad Cooper made the comments in a video released early Thursday by Central Command.

“Today, we have damaged or destroyed over two-thirds of Iran’s missile, drone and naval production facilities and shipyards — and we’re not done yet,” Cooper said. “We are on a path to completely eliminate Iran’s wider military manufacturing apparatus.”

Satellite photos analyzed by The Associated Press, though delayed by two weeks by Planet Labs PBC, have shown Israeli and U.S. strikes targeting shipyards and missile facilities.

Iran has not acknowledged any of its material losses through the war.

The Iranian parliament is seeking to pass legislation to collect tolls for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, according to the Fars and Tasnim news agencies.

The reports cited the chairman of the parliament’s Civil Affairs Committee as saying that a draft law has now been prepared and will soon be finalised by the legislature’s legal team.

“According to this plan, Iran must collect fees to ensure the security of ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz,” the official was quoted as saying.

“This is completely natural. Just as in other corridors, when goods pass through a country, duties are paid; the Strait of Hormuz is also a corridor. We ensure its security, and it is natural for ships and tankers to pay its duties,” he added.

As we’ve been reporting, Iran is demanding international recognition of its right to exercise authority over the Strait of Hormuz as one of five conditions to end the ongoing war.

US President Donald Trump warned of overwhelming military consequences if Iran refuses to accept a deal to end the war. The White House struck a combative tone, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt stating that Trump is prepared to “unleash hell” and would ensure Iran is “hit harder than they have ever been hit before” if it fails to comply. Despite the threats, she maintained that talks are ongoing and “productive,” even as the situation on the ground continues to deteriorate.

The heightened rhetoric appears to have dashed any immediate hopes of de-escalation, with the war now nearing its fourth week and showing no signs of slowing. Military activity across the region remains intense, and reports of additional US troop deployments to the Middle East suggest that Washington may be preparing for a prolonged or expanded engagement.

Tehran, however, has responded with defiance. Iran firmly rejected the prospect of negotiations, reiterating that Iran’s policy is rooted in the “continuation of resistance.” He dismissed Washington’s overtures, arguing that even raising the idea of negotiations at this stage amounts to an admission of failure by the United States. According to Iranian FM Araghchi, Iran is not prepared to engage in formal talks under pressure and will instead pursue its objectives on its own terms.

At the centre of the diplomatic friction is a reported US-backed 15-point proposal aimed at ending hostilities, which Pakistani officials say was conveyed to Tehran. While the White House has acknowledged that elements of such a plan exist. Iranian officials have indicated that any resolution to the conflict must include firm guarantees against future attacks, reflecting deep mistrust of US and allied intentions.

Araghchi reinforced this stance by stating that Iran seeks an end to the war “on our own terms,” emphasising the need for a settlement that ensures long-term security and prevents a repeat of the current conflict. This position highlights Tehran’s insistence on strategic autonomy and its reluctance to accept externally imposed conditions, particularly those tied to its military and nuclear capabilities.

​Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi categorically ruled out negotiations with the United States, directly contradicting claims from Washington that talks are underway. Speaking on state television, Araghchi said Tehran’s current strategy remains the “continuation of resistance,” stressing that no formal negotiations have taken place and that Iran sees no reason to enter dialogue under current conditions.

His remarks came as the US continues to reiterate that discussions with Iran were “productive”.

Araghchi dismissed any suggestion that indirect contacts amount to negotiations, even as he acknowledged that messages are being passed through intermediaries, including “friendly countries” and individual channels.

He maintained that such exchanges fall short of structured dialogue, underscoring Iran’s insistence that its current posture is principled and rooted in resisting external pressure rather than engaging in concessions.