Middle East crisis live: Trump threatens ‘very hard’ attack on Iran tonight and says US will seize Kharg island

Key Points:

• Former US President Donald Trump threatened a "very hard" attack on Iran and announced plans to seize Kharg Island and other oil infrastructure, claiming US forces would assume control over Iran's oil and gas markets, similar to Venezuela.
• Kharg Island is critical to Iran's economy, handling about 90% of its oil exports, and CNN reported that Iran has heavily fortified the island with mines and missile systems in anticipation of a possible US ground operation.
• The US confirmed it struck a Guinea-Bissau-flagged tanker accused of violating a blockade by attempting to transport Iranian oil through the Gulf of Oman, marking the third vessel targeted by the US in the Gulf this week.
• Iran condemned the US strikes as violations of the ceasefire and international law, with top Iranian officials warning that impulsive US actions could lead to an "endless quagmire" and destabilize energy markets.
• Regional tensions remain high with Kuwaiti forces intercepting multiple Iranian drones, explosions reported near the Strait of Hormuz, and ongoing Israeli strikes in Lebanon, while Saudi Arabia lifted a five-year import ban on Lebanese products as a gesture to improve Gulf-Lebanon relations.