Iran-US war latest: Trump and Tehran exchange fresh strikes as Israel captures strategic castle

Iran-US war latest: Trump and Tehran exchange fresh strikes as Israel captures strategic castle Oil prices rise more than 2 per cent in early trading after Israel ordered troops to move further into Lebanon - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Monday it targeted an air base used in a US attack on a telecoms tower on Sirik Island. The statement comes after the US said it conducted "self-defence strikes" on Iranian radar and drone control sites over the weekend in response to "aggressive" actions from Tehran. US Central Command said in a post on X that Iran had shot down a US MQ-1 drone that was operating over international waters. The two countries have continued to trade strikes in the past week after failing to sign off an agreement to extend their fragile ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz to international shipping. Meanwhile, in Lebanon, Israeli troops pushed beyond the Litani river and seized the Crusader-era Beaufort fortress in their deepest invasion of the neighbouring country in over 25 years. Defence minister Israel Katz said the country’s troops will remain stationed in the 900-year-old castle, where the flags of Israel and the IDF’s Golani Brigade have been hoisted. Israel captures 900-year-old castle in Lebanon Israeli troops seized the 900-year-old Beaufort Castle and a strategic ridge in southern Lebanon, the military said earlier on Sunday, a day after one of the heaviest days of Hezbollah fire toward northern Israel since the April ceasefire. Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday said that he ordered troops to move further into Lebanon in the battle against Hezbollah, despite a ceasefire announced more than six weeks ago. Israel continues to bomb Lebanon Iran's Revolutionary Guard strikes US air base Iran's Revolutionary Guard says it has targeted a US air base that has been used for launching attacks on a telecoms tower on Sirik Island in southern Iran. The statement comes after the US a short while ago claimed it conducted strikes on Iranian radar and command and control sites for drones in Iran's Goruk and Qeshm Islands over the weekend. Breaking: US troops struck Iranian air defence sites over the weekend, says central command US forces have struck Iranian air defence sites, a ground control station and brought down two one-way attack drones over the weekend, the central command said this morning. It claimed that the strikes were in response to "aggressive Iranian actions", including the downing of a US MQ-1 drone that was operating over international waters. "No American service members were harmed," it said. Breaking: Kuwaiti air defences intercept missile, drone attacks Kuwait's air defences were intercepting missile and drone attacks this morning as sirens sounded across the country, the state news agency KUNA reported. It was unclear where the missiles and drones were coming from. Oil prices still below $90 a barrel Oil prices rose more than 2 per cent in early trading after Israel ordered troops to move further into Lebanon in the battle with the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group, despite a ceasefire announced more than six weeks ago. US crude futures rose $2.37 or 2.71 per cent to $89.73 a barrel. Brent futures rose $2.16 or 2.37 per cent to $93.28 a barrel. The Israel-Lebanon conflict has been the broadest spillover of the Iran war. It started on 2 March when Hezbollah began firing rockets and drones across the border into Israel to back its ally Iran. The two sides reached a ceasefire in mid-April but have continued to trade fire. US proposes new plan to ease Israel-Lebanon tensions US secretary of State Marco Rubio has spoken with both Lebanese president Joseph Aoun and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the diplomatic negotiations between Israel and Lebanon and proposed a plan to allow for "gradual de-escalation", a US official said. The US has proposed that as a first step, the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group would stop all attacks on Israel and in return Israel would refrain from escalation in Beirut, the official told Reuters. "This would create space for gradual de-escalation and an effective cessation of hostilities," according to the official. They added that Aoun tried to advance the proposal and secure an agreement. However, Lebanese parliament speaker Nabih Berri, who claimed to "guarantee" Hezbollah's commitment to a ceasefire, placed the burden on Israel to stop "shooting first". As the Pentagon pushes for battlefield AI, some military leaders urge caution The Trump administration is pushing to unleash the power of artificial intelligence for the U.S. military while facing calls to put up guardrails around the rapidly developing technology from some companies — and even notes of caution from top leaders in uniform. Adm. Frank Bradley, head of U.S. Special Operations Command, told attendees of a recent annual special forces conference in Tampa, Florida, that troops “have to be very careful about how we come to (AI’s) employment and its inspiration into the delivery of lethality.” Bradley said he can see a future where AI determines what targets to hit but that “we, as humans, have to have the confidence that ... it's going to deliver violence only where we intend it to be delivered.” Read more here: As the Pentagon pushes for battlefield AI, some military leaders urge caution UK special relationship with US ‘meaningless’ unless it boosts defence, Hegseth warns The Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports... Britain’s special relationship with the United States is “meaningless” unless it “locks arms and shields” with the US and matches its military capabilities, Donald Trump’s war secretary has warned. Giving a speech in Singapore, Pete Hegseth said that “model allies” who comply with US demands will benefit from arms sales and access to intelligence, while those seen to be “freeloading” on US capabilities will be penalised. Referring to conversations with the UK defence secretary, the politician said: “As my friends, Mr [Richard] Marles [the Australian defence minister] and John Healey know, I’m probably the most blunt with our closest friends about what our capabilities are and where they need to be to ensure that we’re locking arms and shields, considering the threats of the world.” He continued: “You can’t just say, ‘Oh, we’ve been friends for a long time, so let’s work together.’ It’s: ‘We’ve been friends for a long time, so you better have the same capabilities we do, because if we don’t, our alliance is meaningless.’” Mr Hegseth also vowed to move allies who step up their military capabilities to “the front of the line” when it comes to closer ties, praising countries such as South Korea, Japan and Vietnam. Iranian commander warns of ‘more forceful’ retaliation Iran has warned that any new attack on its territory would trigger a stronger military response, as tensions remain high despite ongoing discussions over a possible ceasefire extension. Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, Iran’s deputy army commander for coordination, said the country’s armed forces were prepared to respond to further military action. “The enemy should know that any aggression against the country’s territory will be met with a response even more forceful than before,” he said, per Al Jazeera. “Today, the army of the Islamic Republic stands firmly and resolutely against any hostile move by the enemy,” Sayyari added. The warning comes as the US and Iran remain divided over a proposed agreement covering Tehran’s nuclear programme and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments