US-Iran War Live: Iran wants to settle, says Trump as Washington weighs next move

President Donald Trump stated on Thursday, that Iran “badly wants to settle” with the United States. While the President noted that Washington is weighing whether to pursue such an outcome, he provided no timeline for a decision or specifics on what a settlement might entail. The United States intensified its military campaign against Iran early on Thursday, striking targets deeper inside the country while also firing on a vessel it accused of attempting to breach its naval blockade of the Islamic Republic, according to the Associated Press.

Escalation of hostilities

Iran reported fresh US strikes Wednesday on a port city that is home to the country's only civilian nuclear plant, as Washington reimposed a naval blockade in a return to war between the foes. Iran responded before dawn with missile and drone attacks targeting Bahrain and Kuwait, marking a further escalation in the conflict as hostilities spread across the Gulf region, the AP reported. Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they targeted the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, where the military said it had intercepted attacks against civilian targets, while Jordan's armed forces said they had downed three missiles from the Islamic republic.

Nearly a month after the United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding towards ending the Middle East war that began in February, the two sides resumed fighting with strikes on targets across the region. Despite a return to hostilities, mediated talks between the two sides have not formally ended.

Threats to global shipping routes

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has threatened to close additional maritime export routes used by the United States and its allies, raising fears of a broader disruption to global energy supplies after Tehran shut the Strait of Hormuz and Washington intensified military action against Iran. "Regional energy exports are either shared by all, or denied to all," the IRGC said in a statement carried by state news agency IRNA. The latest warning has shifted attention to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a critical gateway linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. Analysts say Iran could rely on its Houthi allies in Yemen to disrupt shipping through the waterway, where a substantial share of global trade and Saudi oil exports pass. A senior Houthi official has warned the group is prepared to close the strait, saying such a move could send oil prices soaring to as much as $200 a barrel.

Oil prices extended gains after climbing about 2% in the previous session, as markets weighed the risk of prolonged disruptions to two of the world's most strategically important shipping lanes.

United Nations and humanitarian concerns

The United Nations on Tuesday condemned the renewed hostilities between the U.S. And Iran in the Middle East, warning that closing the Strait of Hormuz again would harm human rights in that region and beyond. U.N. Rights chief Volker Turk called the renewed attacks "a huge setback for civilians in the region and beyond," warning about the "impact on human rights far beyond the region." The strait "is a vital lifeline on which millions are reliant," Turk said.

"Disruptions to the flow of food, medicines, and other necessary commodities have severe socioeconomic and humanitarian consequences, both regionally and globally."

Turk said hostilities between the U.S. And Iran "must stop immediately," urging an immediate return to the ceasefire.

Diplomatic gestures and military procurement

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Iran had released an American citizen who had been detained since December 2024, describing the move as a "gesture of goodwill" by Tehran. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the woman was "now safely outside of Iran, and in good condition," adding that the United States appreciated Iran's decision to free her. He did not identify the woman or provide details on why she had been detained, saying only that she had been "wrongfully detained."

The ​U.S. State ​Department said on Wednesday that ​it ⁠had ⁠approved ​the potential sale of ​advanced precision kill ​weapon systems ⁠and ‌related ​equipment ​to ⁠Saudi Arabia for an estimated $1.96 ​billion. The principal ​contractor will be BAE ​Systems, the State Department ​said ​in ⁠a statement.

Future outlook

US President Donald Trump warned, meanwhile, threatened to widen strikes next week to hit power plants and bridges unless Tehran returns to the negotiating table. "Next week it gets really bad for them," he told Fox News.