Trump Threatens Strikes as Iran Vows a Forceful Response

Live updates 22:43 - Three drones attacked a camp of Iranian Kurdish opponents in Erbil in northern Iraq, Reuters reported, citing security sources

21:55 - An Iranian official told Al Jazeera: "We will respond forcefully and immediately to any American attack on Iran." At the same time, he claimed that the American Apache helicopter was not flying over international waters

21:22 - Araghchi: Foreign forces near our territory are constantly at risk because of their own human errors, ordinary accidents, or the possibility of being caught in crossfire. To reduce the risk, the best solution is for them to leave. We prefer the language of diplomacy, but we also speak other languages

The Iranian foreign minister added that the Strait of Hormuz is not international waters, but a sea route shared by Iran and Oman, and it is located thousands of kilometers from the U.S. coast. The maritime borders are completely clear.

21:11 - An Iranian parliament member: If the Americans intend to violate the ceasefire or launch any aggression, Iran will not hesitate to defend itself. All American military bases in the region are within our defensive capabilities, and Iran will respond firmly and decisively to any threat if the enemy dares

21:11 - The terrorist was hiding in a guard post: the difficult questions from the incident in the north. An unusual event occurred today in the area of the Ramim Ridge, about one kilometer from the community of Margaliot, when a terrorist who infiltrated from Lebanon into Israeli territory was killed near Margaliot after opening fire at an IDF force. New details are now emerging, raising difficult questions in the security establishment and among northern residents about the government's response. The IDF is now investigating how the terrorist managed to approach the border fence and even cross it in an area under continuous security presence and monitoring, while IDF forces continue operating in southern Lebanon. According to security officials, the terrorist was armed with a handgun and a knife and was wearing camouflage uniform associated with Hezbollah, but at this stage it cannot yet be determined which organization he belonged to. Full story

20:55 - A Fox News reporter, referring to Trump's post about the downing of the American helicopter: It likely means the president is ordering a major move in Iran

20:44 - An American official told CNN that a Shahed drone hit the American Apache helicopter

20:42 - Two suspicious aerial targets were identified in southern Lebanon and intercepted

20:02 - An American official told Channel 12 News that the investigation determined that an Iranian drone hit the helicopter and caused it to crash. He added that the investigation has not yet determined whether the strike was intentional or not

19:55 - Speaker of Parliament Kallibaf threatens: We prefer the language of diplomacy, but we speak other languages much faster. Break your commitments, and we will move on to speak in what we know best. You are riding the horse you saddled!

19:41 - Trump announces: The Iranians are the ones who shot down the American helicopter, we will respond. President of the United States Donald Trump announced this evening that Iran was the one that brought down the American helicopter in the Strait of Hormuz area. Trump warned: "We will have to respond." The two pilots aboard the aircraft survived. "I was just informed by our great military that last night the Iranians shot down one of our most sophisticated Apache helicopters while it was patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "There were two pilots in the helicopter. Both are safe and unharmed. However, the United States must, by force of circumstances, respond to this attack. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" The American helicopter crashed during the night in the Strait of Hormuz area. Initially, the cause of the crash was unclear, and American authorities addressed the incident only after reports in various media outlets. Full story

19:23 - Givati Brigade forces located several Hezbollah weapons depots inside civilian buildings in the areas of Zotar al-Gharbiya and Zotar al-Sharqiya in southern Lebanon

18:33 - After instructing its employees to remain on heightened alert following the escalation, the U.S. Embassy in Israel announced that the situation has returned to normal

18:14 - Reports in Lebanon: The IDF attacked again in the area of the Al-Bass refugee camp, near the city of Tyre

17:52 - The incident on Ramim Ridge: The IDF completed searches with no additional findings. Instructions to the public were lifted and roadblocks were removed

17:15 - The Chief of Staff in the north: "The strike in Iran was preparation for a significant and heavy blow." IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir visited command training exercises in the north today. He referred to the short round of fighting with Iran and clarified: "The Iranian attempt to set equations and change reality will fail. The strike we carried out in Iran was preparation for a much more significant and heavier blow. We will continue to act and deepen the damage to the Hezbollah terror organization and defend the communities in the north. The IDF is on alert and will act with force anywhere we identify a threat to the citizens of the State of Israel." Chief of Staff Zamir added: "The IDF has maintained, and continues to maintain, readiness and immediate preparedness to return to fighting in Iran," he said. "All our defense and attack systems were alert and ready. We intercepted the threats fired at us and struck in Iran quickly and forcefully. We are ready to again inflict another severe and deep blow on Iran." Full story

15:25 - The IDF updates: "A short time ago, an initial report was received of gunfire at IDF forces operating in the Ramim Ridge area. The forces opened fire and killed a terrorist in the area, there were no casualties among our forces, the incident is still ongoing. IDF forces continue searches, in addition to air force aircraft that were scrambled to the area. The IDF is in ongoing contact with local authorities." The terrorist who infiltrated Israeli territory from southern Lebanon approached the border fence area near the community of Margaliot on Ramim Ridge today and opened fire at an IDF force operating in the area. The force returned fire and killed the terrorist. The IDF said there were no casualties among the forces. A rifle and a knife were found on the terrorist's body. Security officials assess that he came to the area intending to carry out an infiltration attack in Israeli territory, and the assessment is that he managed to reach the border fence after disguising himself on the way to the area. Full story

15:06 - Following the security incident in the northern Ramim Ridge area, residents of Misgav Am, Margaliot and Manara are instructed to follow the guidance of the local security coordinator, to stay indoors and not move around the settlement. In addition, Route 886 from Yiftach to Manara has been closed to traffic, and the road from the Tel Hai junction up to Ramim Ridge has also been closed

14:52 - Incident on the northern border: A terrorist armed with a rifle and a knife was killed after firing at an IDF force near the fence on Ramim Ridge

14:14 - A report on Al-Mayadeen: Lebanese Army Commander Rudolf Heikal is visiting Pakistan, during which he discussed with Pakistan Army Commander Asim Munir the possibility of reaching a ceasefire that would lead to a long-term agreement. It was also noted that Munir wants to be updated by his counterpart on the Lebanese Army's ability to deploy in southern Lebanon

13:33 - A Lebanese government source told the Lebanese newspaper Al-Joumhouria: "The military developments of the past two days effectively thwarted Iran's attempt to directly link the Lebanese arena to the deterrence equation between Tehran and Tel Aviv. The situation on the ground and direct American intervention have reset entirely different rules of engagement from those Iran sought." According to him, the equation of "striking the Dahiya in Beirut versus an Iranian strike against Israel" has in practice collapsed, and has been replaced by an equation that the Lebanese state has discussed during the ongoing negotiations. This new equation is based on solidifying the ceasefire between Beirut and northern Israel and preventing escalation of the conflict.

12:56 - Iran: Two of our soldiers were killed yesterday in Israeli strikes

12:25 - Reports in Lebanon of IDF strikes in the city of Tyre

11:43 - A senior Lebanese political source told the Lebanese newspaper Nidaa Al-Watan: "Through the showy round of fighting, Tehran sought to achieve objectives that go beyond the direct military dimension, בראשן ניסיון לדחוף את הממשל האמריקאי לשקול מחדש את החרפת המצור שהוטל על נמלי איראן, שגורם להפסדים כספיים עצומים לכלכלה האיראנית, וכן ניסיון לרכך את העמדה האמריקאית לגבי סוגיית הכספים האיראניים שהוקפאו בחו"ל"

10:53 - Reports in Lebanon: A vehicle was hit by an Israeli drone in the village of al-Sharqiya in the Nabatieh area

09:59 - A report in the Hezbollah-affiliated Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar: With the ceasefire between Iran and Israel taking effect, Israel systematically increased its strikes in villages in southern Lebanon in order to send a message to Tehran and the international community that the areas south of the Litani and al-Zahrani rivers are outside the scope of any potential regional arrangement, and that the IDF ground operation is being carried out independently of any agreement

09:52 - The IDF Arabic-language spokesman issued an evacuation warning for the city of Tyre in Lebanon, including the Christian neighborhood and the nearby refugee camps. The Christian neighborhood in Tyre had not been evacuated before: the evacuation warning there came after the IDF Arabic-language spokesman published last week that Hezbollah was operating from there, and warned that if residents did not leave, the IDF would be required to evacuate them.

09:25 - Reports in Lebanon: Israel is attacking near Tyre, for the second time within an hour. Despite Iran's threats to respond to strikes in southern Lebanon, since morning hours reports in Lebanon have said the Air Force is striking Hezbollah targets in the Tyre area. Full story

08:41 - Additional reports in Lebanon of IDF strikes also in Deir Kaanun

08:03 - Reports in Lebanon: Israel is attacking near Tyre

07:27 - Trump: I do not think Israel will renew the war with Iran. In a conversation with Sky News, U.S. President Donald Trump was asked whether he would stand by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he resumed the fighting. Trump replied: "I don't think that will happen, everything is moving along very well. Iran is doing what it needs to do." When asked again what would happen if Netanyahu ignored his request, Sky News reported that Trump "ended the call." Full story

06:56 - A report in the New York Times: An Apache attack helicopter of the U.S. Army crashed yesterday in the Strait of Hormuz, and the two crew members were rescued safely. At this stage it is unclear whether the helicopter was shot down by Iranian fire or suffered a technical malfunction

05:04 - U.S. Vice President: "A long-term agreement on the Iranian nuclear issue can be reached, Israel may like it or not" U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance told Fox News overnight: "Israelis and Americans have many shared interests, but there are also situations where our interests diverge. I think President Trump has been very clear here, while Israel of course has certain goals of its own, the central goal of the United States in Iran is to make sure Iran does not have nuclear weapons." Vance added: "Over the past year and a half we have created the necessary space in which the president believes, and I think he is right, that we can reach a long-term arrangement on the Iranian nuclear issue." According to him, "Israel may like it or not like it, but ultimately we think this is in the best interest of the United States." Vance claimed that Washington will continue to pursue this goal because "that is what the President of the United States was elected to do."

02:04 - Trump on the war with Iran: "Within the next two weeks we will declare total victory" President Donald Trump addressed the war with Iran overnight and said: "We are negotiating now, and the Iranians want to reach a very good deal. They are prepared to give us everything, they are prepared not to have nuclear weapons." Trump added: "Within the next two weeks we will declare total victory. It will be a total victory, it will happen very soon, and oil prices will plummet."

01:01 - Quotes from the cabinet: A minister demanded to defy Trump, Netanyahu replied: "Fine, you have elections" The security leadership convened, but Trump called and demanded a ceasefire. Full story

00:39 - The IDF: Following alerts activated at 23:56 and 00:08 about enemy aircraft intrusion in several areas in northern Israel, a suspicious aerial target was identified. The incident has ended, no casualties

00:23 - "A strategic disaster": the Chief of Staff's warning and the directive for the campaign in Lebanon. Senior IDF officials supported a combined strike in Iran and Lebanon. Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir warned during the situational assessment: "We will strike the enemy the moment the green light is given." The decision that was made: continue operating forcefully in Lebanon without accepting dictates. Full story

00:15 - The planes were already on the runway: the call that stopped the strike. The order that arrived at the last minute left deep embarrassment in the General Staff. Full story

00:10 - Additional sirens in the Western Galilee due to fear of a drone infiltration

00:05 - A drone launched from Yemen toward Eilat was successfully intercepted. At 23:59, sirens were activated in the Western Galilee due to fear of a drone infiltration, and a few minutes later sirens were also activated in the Eilat area due to a drone launched from Yemen. The Home Front Command said both incidents have ended, and the IDF said it intercepted the drone over Eilat.

23:57 - Sirens were activated in the Western Galilee due to fear of a drone infiltration

23:30 - An Iranian source: "The United States made unacceptable changes to the draft memorandum of understanding". An Iranian source told Al Jazeera: The United States made unacceptable changes to the draft memorandum of understanding. No agreement can be reached unless the frozen Iranian funds are released and sanctions are lifted.