November 8, 2026
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that renewed strikes on Iran are “highly unlikely” provided negotiations progress over Tehran's nuclear programme and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
“It depends on whether or not they sign a very strong agreement,” Trump said in a phone interview reported by CNN, adding: “I would, if necessary, but we hit them really hard.”
Trump said that three aircraft carriers are stationed in the region that are “fully locked and loaded” and there are 38 Iranian bridges that he said “we can knock down in literally one hour”.
Meanwhile, he said that the Iranian government maintains 10 percent of its missile capacity and 15 percent of its drone capabilities.
Iran's Araghchi calls on the US to end war 'on all fronts'
Iranian foreign minister Abbas Aragchi called on the White House to "meet the requirements" of Tehran's 2-day proposal and "end to war on all fronts" on Wednesday.
In a post on X, Aragchi wrote that "American voters have made their choice. Time for the White House to make its own," referring to the US President Donald Trump's defeats in the recent midterm elections.
He warned that if the Trump administration chooses war, it will will "see our alert and battle-hardened Warriors rain down hell."
In a separate post, the Foreign Ministry quoted Araghchi on X, warning, “There are some American targets in the region outside military bases that may be within range of Iranian strikes.”
Iran says oil tanker on fire after striking a mine near Hormuz
Iranian media reported on Sunday that an oil tanker has caught fire after hitting a naval mine east of the Strait of Hormuz.
According to the Iranian navy, the oil tanker turned off its identification systems and was travelling in the no-go zone in the strategic waterway.
Iran condemns ‘Saudi aggression’ after dozens killed in attack on Taiz market
Iran condemned “Saudi aggression” in Yemen on Sunday after an air strike on a market in Taiz killed dozens of civilians.
In a statement posted on X, Iran's foreign ministry called for “an immediate halt to military attacks, a complete end to the blockade and respect for the Yemeni people’s right to self-determination”.
Both the Houthis and Yemen’s Saudi-backed government have blamed each other for the attack.
'Iron Gate plan is merely wordplay': Iran mocks US military initiative to disrupt supply routes
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has dismissed a new US military initiative to restrict the movement of goods through Iran's land borders and the Caspian Sea as “merely wordplay”, as tensions over shipping routes and Washington's blockade continue.
“The Iron Gate plan is merely wordplay. The Americans cannot achieve their objectives of imposing severe economic pressure to cause economic collapse in Iran through this approach,” IRGC spokesman Hossein Mohebbi told the semi-official Fars news agency on Sunday, according to Reuters.
Mohebbi said Washington had previously predicted that Iran would suffer economic collapse within two weeks, but that this had not happened.
Tehran had prepared for economic pressure and maintained close relations with neighbouring countries, he said.
The response came after US Central Command (Centcom) announced the establishment of Task Force Iron Gate on Saturday.
Iran suggests blasts are not US attacks as both sides report ships hit
Iranian media suggested explosions in southern Iran on Saturday evening were related to Iranian military activities rather than US strikes while both sides reported that shipping had been hit in or near the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran's state television said officials had not confirmed any missile strikes on Iranian territory following blasts heard in several areas, including on Qeshm Island in the strait.
President Donald Trump had hinted at renewing major attacks on Iran after last week's US midterm elections but there has been no sign of a large-scale US military operation, which Iran has said it would respond to by striking US and Israeli targets.
Iran's state television said the evening explosions might be related to Iranian military activity in the waterway, where Iran said two vessels had hit mines and a third had caught fire.
The US said its air force had disabled a vessel in the Gulf of Oman beyond the strait.
Tasnim news agency said two missiles had struck Qeshm Island, with no official information on possible damage. Neither Iran nor the US has commented on that report. Washington said on November 2 that it had struck the island in a limited defensive measure against Iranians using surface-to-air missiles against US assets.
‘Spiritual darkness’: US ambassador to Israel says critics of Iran war are blinded by Satan
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has drawn criticism after saying that critics of US war on Iran are "in spiritual darkness" and claiming that those who disagree with intervention have been blinded by Satan.
Huckabee's comments were posted online over the weekend, attracting backlash from conservative commentators who called for him to be removed from his role as a diplomat.
The comments were made during a live interview with Israeli commentator Amir Tsarfati on The Anchor Podcast.
In the interview published on October 23 by Behold Israel, Tsarfati asked Huckabee to comment on the attitude of European governments towards US military action against Iran. He asked if there was a "mental issue" or a "spiritual issue."
“I think it's a spiritual issue,” Huckabee replied.
“I know it sounds a little funny for an ambassador to be talking like this, but look, I see this as spiritual darkness, spiritual blindness.”
He continued: “Because Satan has blinded the minds of those and has captured their thinking.”
“I really do believe that there is something deeper than just the obvious geopolitical issues at bay,” he added.
IRGC says three tankers ablaze in Strait of Hormuz
Iran's Revolutionary Guards reports that “three rogue oil tankers traveling an unauthorized route in the Strait of Hormuz have been hit by explosions and severe fires”.
The IRGC said that the tankers were ablaze because they turned off their navigation and identification systems and because of the aggression of the American invading military".
It warned that: “The Iranian regulations for the Strait of Hormuz have been repeatedly announced to all vessels, and defiance of these regulations … will have no other fate".
Meanwhile,
Aramco building damaged as Houthis fire four missiles towards Saudi Arabia
Key Points
- Thousands of displaced Palestinians' tents flooded as Israel continues to bar shelter materials
- UAE says it rescued 22 from a burning cargo ship in Sea of Oman
- Death toll from Saudi-led coalition air strike near Sanaa rises to 33
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that renewed strikes on Iran are “highly unlikely” provided negotiations progress over Tehran's nuclear programme and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
“It depends on whether or not they sign a very strong agreement,” Trump said in a phone interview reported by CNN, adding: “I would, if necessary, but we hit them really hard.”
Trump said that three aircraft carriers are stationed in the region that are “fully locked and loaded” and there are 38 Iranian bridges that he said “we can knock down in literally one hour”.
Meanwhile, he said that the Iranian government maintains 10 percent of its missile capacity and 15 percent of its drone capabilities.
Iran's Araghchi calls on the US to end war 'on all fronts'
Iranian foreign minister Abbas Aragchi called on the White House to "meet the requirements" of Tehran's 2-day proposal and "end to war on all fronts" on Wednesday.
In a post on X, Aragchi wrote that "American voters have made their choice. Time for the White House to make its own," referring to the US President Donald Trump's defeats in the recent midterm elections.
He warned that if the Trump administration chooses war, it will will "see our alert and battle-hardened Warriors rain down hell."
In a separate post, the Foreign Ministry quoted Araghchi on X, warning, “There are some American targets in the region outside military bases that may be within range of Iranian strikes.”
Iran says oil tanker on fire after striking a mine near Hormuz
Iranian media reported on Sunday that an oil tanker has caught fire after hitting a naval mine east of the Strait of Hormuz.
According to the Iranian navy, the oil tanker turned off its identification systems and was travelling in the no-go zone in the strategic waterway.
Iran condemns ‘Saudi aggression’ after dozens killed in attack on Taiz market
Iran condemned “Saudi aggression” in Yemen on Sunday after an air strike on a market in Taiz killed dozens of civilians.
In a statement posted on X, Iran's foreign ministry called for “an immediate halt to military attacks, a complete end to the blockade and respect for the Yemeni people’s right to self-determination”.
Both the Houthis and Yemen’s Saudi-backed government have blamed each other for the attack.
'Iron Gate plan is merely wordplay': Iran mocks US military initiative to disrupt supply routes
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has dismissed a new US military initiative to restrict the movement of goods through Iran's land borders and the Caspian Sea as “merely wordplay”, as tensions over shipping routes and Washington's blockade continue.
“The Iron Gate plan is merely wordplay. The Americans cannot achieve their objectives of imposing severe economic pressure to cause economic collapse in Iran through this approach,” IRGC spokesman Hossein Mohebbi told the semi-official Fars news agency on Sunday, according to Reuters.
Mohebbi said Washington had previously predicted that Iran would suffer economic collapse within two weeks, but that this had not happened.
Tehran had prepared for economic pressure and maintained close relations with neighbouring countries, he said.
The response came after US Central Command (Centcom) announced the establishment of Task Force Iron Gate on Saturday.
Iran suggests blasts are not US attacks as both sides report ships hit
Iranian media suggested explosions in southern Iran on Saturday evening were related to Iranian military activities rather than US strikes while both sides reported that shipping had been hit in or near the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran's state television said officials had not confirmed any missile strikes on Iranian territory following blasts heard in several areas, including on Qeshm Island in the strait.
President Donald Trump had hinted at renewing major attacks on Iran after last week's US midterm elections but there has been no sign of a large-scale US military operation, which Iran has said it would respond to by striking US and Israeli targets.
Iran's state television said the evening explosions might be related to Iranian military activity in the waterway, where Iran said two vessels had hit mines and a third had caught fire.
The US said its air force had disabled a vessel in the Gulf of Oman beyond the strait.
Tasnim news agency said two missiles had struck Qeshm Island, with no official information on possible damage. Neither Iran nor the US has commented on that report. Washington said on November 2 that it had struck the island in a limited defensive measure against Iranians using surface-to-air missiles against US assets.
‘Spiritual darkness’: US ambassador to Israel says critics of Iran war are blinded by Satan
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has drawn criticism after saying that critics of US war on Iran are "in spiritual darkness" and claiming that those who disagree with intervention have been blinded by Satan.
Huckabee's comments were posted online over the weekend, attracting backlash from conservative commentators who called for him to be removed from his role as a diplomat.
The comments were made during a live interview with Israeli commentator Amir Tsarfati on The Anchor Podcast.
In the interview published on October 23 by Behold Israel, Tsarfati asked Huckabee to comment on the attitude of European governments towards US military action against Iran. He asked if there was a "mental issue" or a "spiritual issue."
“I think it's a spiritual issue,” Huckabee replied.
“I know it sounds a little funny for an ambassador to be talking like this, but look, I see this as spiritual darkness, spiritual blindness.”
He continued: “Because Satan has blinded the minds of those and has captured their thinking.”
“I really do believe that there is something deeper than just the obvious geopolitical issues at bay,” he added.
IRGC says three tankers ablaze in Strait of Hormuz
Iran's Revolutionary Guards reports that “three rogue oil tankers traveling an unauthorized route in the Strait of Hormuz have been hit by explosions and severe fires”.
The IRGC said that the tankers were ablaze because they turned off their navigation and identification systems and because of the aggression of the American invading military".
It warned that: “The Iranian regulations for the Strait of Hormuz have been repeatedly announced to all vessels, and defiance of these regulations … will have no other fate".
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