Iran war live: Trump launches hellfire missiles at ship in Strait of Hormuz

The US has launched Hellfire missiles at an oil tanker attempting to reach Iran’s Kharg Island, after Donald Trump warned Tehran it “better behave” amid renewed strikes over the Strait of Hormuz.

The unladen tanker had ignored multiple warnings before the US military fired the missiles into the ship's smokestack, Central Command (Centcom) said.

Since resuming a naval blockade against Iran on Tuesday, the US has redirected two ships and disabled another, the military said.

After the US and Iran continued launching attacks following the collapse of a 60-day ceasefire deal, Tehran has warned that it will not allow any further US interference in Hormuz.

Tehran said Iranian forces will target infrastructure across the region if Trump carried out threats to attack Iranian infrastructure, the Iranian spokesperson warned.

US officials say the strikes aimed at forcing open the strait are also targeting Iranian military capabilities, before the military possibly carries out more complex operations. .

When earlier asked by reporters whether he would give Tehran a deadline, the US president said: “I ‌don't like giving ​deadlines, but they pretty ⁠much know, they know ​the story... ​they ​better ​behave."

Vance says Israeli government trying to sway US public opinion against Iran deal

US vice president JD Vance said some members of the Israeli government had tried to influence US public opinion to oppose a deal by the US to end the war with Iran, in a podcast episode with host Joe Rogan posted on Wednesday.

The comments echoed earlier criticism of Israeli government policy by Vance, whom many view as a potential future presidential candidate, in a widening public rift between the two countries.

Vance ‌defended a deal reached last month to end the war with Iran, which critics in the US and Israel have slammed for failing to curb Iran's missile program and providing no clear path to dismantling its nuclear facilities, while constraining Israel in its war with Hezbollah militants in Lebanon.

"I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that there have been people within the Israeli government who are trying to, like, actually shift us away from that policy because they want to continue the military campaign," Vance said.

The vice president said that, while he has "good relationships" with some members of the Israeli government, "there are some people within their system that we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that are manipulating and trying to change American public opinion to keep the war going on indefinitely".

Watch: Trump again claims Iran are desperate to make a deal

Netanyahu cancels US trip after Lindsey Graham funeral delayed

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not travel to the United States next week because the funeral of US Senator Lindsey Graham has been postponed until the end of the month, the Prime Minister's Office said on Thursday.

He had been set to fly to Washington on Saturday night where he would meet with US president Donald Trump and attend the funeral.

UK economy returns to growth in May despite Iran pressures - with Andy Burnham warned over what’s next

The UK economy returned to growth in May, but the fallout of the Iran war continues to hamper businesses and consumers, leading one expert to note Andy Burnham will inherit an economy which is “not the G7 laggard that many regard it” as - but others cautioning worse lies ahead.

Rising energy costs and disruption to supply chains are two of the biggest issues to any further economic expansion, with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) data showing gross domestic product rose (GDP) by 0.1 per cent in May, following a 0.1 per cent contraction in April.

The meagre growth in May came after expansion of 0.3 per cent in the all-important services sector, which was partly offset by falls of 0.5 per cent in production and 0.8 per cent in construction, according to the ONS.

Growth has been pulling back sharply after a much better than expected start to the year, with the ONS recording growth of 0.3 per cent in March before the contraction in April, which was the first fall for eight months in what was seen as a sign that the Iran war was beginning to take its toll.

Business and money editor Karl Matchett reports:

Ship traffic in Hormuz declines after US resumes blockade

Fewer vessels travelled through the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, the first day after the US reimposed its naval blockade on Iranian ports with both countries escalating strikes across the Gulf, shipping data showed.

Nine vessels crossed the strait on Wednesday, mostly on the Iranian route, down from 13 the previous day, Kpler data showed.

There were no Very Large Crude Carrier or liquefied natural gas tankers visibly passing through the strait on Wednesday.

US Central Command said on Wednesday it disabled an unladen oil tanker that was attempting to sail towards Iran's Kharg Island after it ignored multiple warnings, firing Hellfire missiles into the ship's smokestack. The Curacao-flagged VLCC Belma was no longer transiting to Iran, it added.

Hostilities have intensified since Iran said late on Saturday it had closed the Strait of Hormuz. Military operations are keeping ships from travelling through the waterway, which carried about a fifth of global oil and gas shipments before the war.

Syria foils attempt to smuggle weapons to Hezbollah from Iraq, state news agency says

Syrian authorities foiled an attempt to smuggle in a shipment of advanced weapons and missiles over the border from Iraq, the state news agency SANA reported on Thursday.

An Interior Ministry source told the Reuters news agency that preliminary investigations showed the shipment was intended for Lebanon's Hezbollah.

Hezbollah, the Lebanese militants aligned with the Iranian regime, are currently engaged in conflict with neighbouring Israel.

After two days of US-mediated talks in Rome, Lebanon and Israel have taken steps toward implementing “pilot zones” in southern Lebanon where Israeli forces would withdraw and turn over control to the Lebanese army, the US State Department said Wednesday.

US launches Hellfire missiles at oil tanker bound for Iran's Kharg Island

The US military has said it fired Hellfire missiles at an unladen oil tanker attempting to sail toward Iran's Kharg Island, disabling it after it ignored multiple warnings.

Iranian news media reported a series of explosions, mainly in coastal areas such as Bandar Abbas.

Other explosions or projectile strikes were reported around the city of Ahvaz, just inland from the northern end of the Gulf, and Konarak, Sirik and Qeshm in southern Iran.

Press TV reported at least two explosions in the central Iranian city of Khondab, about 250 km (155 miles) southwest of Tehran. Mehr news agency reported Iran activated its air defenses in Tehran to counter "hostile threats."

Watch: Vance says some Israeli leaders want conflict with Iran to continue ‘indefinitely’

Iran launches fresh attacks on Bahrain

We’re just hearing from Bahrain’s Defence Ministry, which is updating on another wave of Iranian attacks.

Its air defences have intercepted and destroyed a number of Iranian projectiles on Thursday, it said.

We’re working to bring you more details.

India orders shipowners not to deploy Indian seafarers in Strait of Hormuz

India has ordered shipowners, ship managers and recruitment companies not to deploy the country's seafarers on vessels undertaking trips through the Strait of Hormuz amid renewed fighting in the region.

India is the world's third-largest supplier of seafarers, with more than 300,000 sailors working across global shipping fleets, according to government data.

"No deployment of Indian seafarers on vessels undertaking voyages involving passage through the Strait of Hormuz until further orders," the Directorate General of Shipping said in an order issued late Wednesday.

Two Indian seafarers have been killed in attacks on vessels in the region over the last three days, as tensions escalate in the Middle East.