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Key developments
• Ceasefire collapses: Exchanges of fire between the US and Iran over the past several days thrust the Middle East into a renewed state of volatility. Iran’s state media reported more strikes over Thursday, but the US has not confirmed it was responsible for the most recently reported attacks.
• Diplomacy continues: The US has been striking and then pausing to avoid escalation as negotiators meet behind the scenes, a US official said. Earlier, USS Abraham Lincoln crews were preparing for potential strikes, according to the CNN team aboard the aircraft carrier.
• Dayslong funeral: Slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was buried after marathon ceremonies concluded. His son and successor, Mojtaba, has not appeared publicly since becoming the country’s leader.
• Plot on Trump’s life: Israel shared intelligence with the US that Tehran has devised a new plan to assassinate President Donald Trump, sources told CNN. Khamenei’s funeral featured calls for revenge against Trump.
The US says it's leading with diplomacy after exchanging fire with Iran. Catch up here
Diplomacy is happening behind the scenes to ease tensions with Iran, a US official told CNN, after exchanges of fire in the past several days derailed the ceasefire between Tehran and Washington.
Pakistan and Qatar are also working to bring the two countries back to the negotiating table, regional sources told CNN.
Meanwhile, Iran’s slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been buried following days of funeral proceedings, where one figure was noticeably absent: Khamenei’s son and new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.
If you’re just joining us, here’s the latest:
- US strategy: The US has been deliberately striking and then pausing to avoid escalation and let diplomacy work, the official said. It is maintaining a target list as leverage. Earlier on Thursday, crews aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln were preparing for any potential strikes.
- Iran alleges attacks: Iran’s state-run media has claimed military sites in two cities were targeted by several strikes on Thursday evening. But a US official told CNN the US military is not currently conducting strikes, while Israeli officials said they were “not familiar with Israeli involvement in strikes in Iran now.”
- Nuclear discussions continue: The US and Iran are continuing to engage in technical negotiations on nuclear issues with an eye to a diplomatic solution, a US official said.
CNN’s Pamela Brown, Mostafa Salem, Sophia Saifi, Lauren Kent, Helen Regan, Mohammed Tawfeeq, Dana Karni, Avery Schmitz, Charbel Mallo and Aida Karimi contributed reporting.
Late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei buried in Iran shrine
Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was buried early Friday morning local time, according to a statement posted on his official X account.
The burial took place at the Imam Reza shrine in the city of Mashhad, where Khamenei was born. Khamenei’s family attended the private ceremony, which came after a dayslong public funeral attended by waves of mourners.
New Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen in public during the funeral events.
Diplomacy for now, but US prepared to strike tonight if needed, officials say
Diplomacy is happening behind the scenes right now to ease tensions in the US-Iran conflict, according to a US official.
The US has been deliberately striking and then pausing to avoid escalation and let diplomacy work, the official said. It is maintaining a target list as leverage.
Multiple officials told CNN there were preparations for potential US strikes if needed tonight, but they are currently letting diplomacy take the lead.
CNN's Pamela Brown reports aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, where pilots are preparing for anything as they experience their busiest day yet amid potential strikes. CNN exclusively captured US fighter jets taking off from the USS Abraham Lincoln to carry out a routine night-time mission over the Strait of Hormuz.
Earlier today, on the USS Abraham Lincoln stationed in the Arabian Sea, crews loaded up fighter jets with armaments and pilots practiced drills in preparation for any potential strikes.
The aircraft carrier’s captain told the thousands of crew members on board that things were heating up and they should maintain readiness, as they always do. While preparing for potential strikes, fighter pilots also carried out routine defensive operations, with flights taking off throughout the day and night.
US officials said Iranian claims that there had already been more US strikes tonight were inaccurate. However, the situation is dynamic and strikes could resume if needed, they added.
Iran says two of its military sites have been attacked. US says it's not currently striking
Iran’s state-run news media has claimed two Iranian military sites in two different cities were targeted by several strikes on Thursday evening.
But a US official told CNN the US military is not currently conducting strikes, while Israeli officials said they were “not familiar with any Israeli involvement in strikes in Iran right now.”
Citing Ehsan Jahanian, the political and security deputy governor of Bushehr province, Iran’s IRNA news agency reported that a military facility near the city of Bushehr was hit by “US-Israeli enemy projectiles.” It did not provide details on the extent of the damage or casualties.
Iran’s nuclear power plant is on the outskirts of Bushehr city.
Meanwhile, state broadcaster IRIB reported that a naval military zone in the southern city of Konarak had been “attacked by enemy fighter jets in two stages,” on Thursday evening. It quoted the governor of Konarak county, Mohammad Younes Haqani, as saying rescue teams and security forces were at the scene.
Konarak is a strategic port city on the Makran coast in Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan province, on the western shore of the Gulf of Oman. The city of Bushehr is in the southern coastal province of Bushehr.
CNN’s Zachary Cohen contributed to this report
This post has been updated with more details on the explosions.
US and Iran are still engaged in technical talks on nuclear issues, US official says
The US and Iran continue to engage in technical negotiations on nuclear issues with an eye to a diplomatic solution, a US official says, even as President Donald Trump launched a fresh round of retaliatory strikes against Tehran this week.
“The United States is still committed to finding a resolution, and technical talks continue. Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon,” the official said.
The memorandum of understanding, the official added, is “performance-based,” and Iran’s actions, including the Strait of Hormuz not being fully reopen and strikes on ships during the NATO Summit, “constitute failed performance at an unacceptable level.”
“Iran’s attacks on these innocent vessels are acts of terrorism,” the official added.
A week of funeral events — and still no sighting of new supreme leader
Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei made no public appearance at his father’s momentous funeral, leaving some observers questioning his capacity to lead at a precarious moment for the Islamic Republic.
Over the past week, waves of mourners loyal to the Islamic Republic took to the streets to bid farewell to former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
He was buried in Mashhad on Thursday in a ceremony attended by members of the Khamenei family — but his successor, and son, Mojtaba, was not reported in attendance.
Why he has avoided all events — even the private burial of his father — is unclear but experts say security considerations are the likeliest reason.
Nevertheless, despite the security threats, skipping such an unmissable event will only fuel fresh speculation over his wellbeing, with opponents of the Islamic Republic claiming injuries he sustained in the strikes that killed his father have left him incapacitated or even already dead.
Even within the Islamic Republic’s own support base, Khamenei’s absence has left space for unrest and his core regime operators representing his leadership in negotiations with Washington are under heavy fire from the conservative camp.
During the funerals, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was reportedly attacked by regime supporters who oppose a ceasefire agreement with Washington, and President Masoud Pezeshkian was also confronted.
For now, Mojtaba’s absence risks bolstering opposition claims that his appointment was a deliberate strategy to assign responsibility to a symbolic leader.
Read more here.
Watch fighter jets take off from US aircraft carrier for mission over Strait of Hormuz
CNN exclusively captured US fighter jets taking off from the USS Abraham Lincoln to carry out a routine night-time mission over the Strait of Hormuz.
The mission comes as traffic in the strategic waterway dramatically dropped off again this week following Iranian strikes on several commercial vessels.
Before the war, about 110 ships a day transited through the strait. At least 13 commercial vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours, according to MarineTraffic data, as new strikes were carried out across the Middle East.
Mediators scramble to bring US and Iran back to negotiating table as ceasefire collapses
The ceasefire between the US and Iran has broken down after both sides exchanged fresh strikes this week. Regional sources have confirmed to CNN that Pakistan and Qatar are working to bring the two countries back to the negotiating table.
Meanwhile, funeral ceremonies for former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei are concluding in Iran today. A source told CNN that Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba, the current supreme leader, is unlikely to attend any of the ceremonies, including a private family burial.
US forces struck several locations, including the perimeter of a nuclear power plant and pier for fishing boats, in Iran’s coastal province of Bushehr around midday local time Thursday, according to a regional official quoted by state media IRNA. Washington has not confirmed carrying out these latest attacks.
If you’re just joining us, here’s the latest:
- President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a phone call on Thursday evening, “during which they agreed to continue coordination between their countries on the various fronts,” according to a readout from the Israeli prime minister’s office.
- Explosions were heard in the Iranian cities of Konarak and Bushehr on Thursday evening local time, according to the semi-official Mehr News Agency and state-run IRNA. A government official of the Bushehr province told IRNA a military facility outside the city had been hit by what he described as “US-Israeli enemy projectiles,” and that Iran’s air defense then responded.
- However, a US official said the US military is not currently conducting strikes and Israeli officials said they were “not familiar with any Israeli involvement in strikes in Iran right now.”
- Traffic in the Strait of Hormuz dramatically dropped off again this week following strikes on several commercial vessels. Traffic had increased during the ceasefire when negotiations between the US and Iran were ongoing.
- Separately, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun tied his country’s continued participation in talks with Israel to the beginning of a military withdrawal from occupied areas of southern Lebanon, according to a diplomatic source familiar with the matter.
CNN’s Dana Karni, Lauren Kent, Avery Schmitz, Jennifer Hansler, Mohammed Tawfeeq, Aida Karimi, Charbel Mallo and Sophia Saifi contributed to this report.
Trump and Netanyahu just held a phone call to brief on "American moves in the Gulf"
US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a phone call on Thursday evening, “during which they agreed to continue coordination between their countries on the various fronts,” according to a readout from the Israeli prime minister’s office.
“The Prime Minister, for his part, raised the severity of the statements made by (Turkish President Recep Tayyip) Erdoğan and his associates against the existence of the State of Israel, as well as the need to maintain security zones along Israel’s borders.”
For context: The leader of Turkey, which just hosted the NATO leaders summit in the capital Ankara, has repeatedly accused Israel of undermining the Memorandum of Understanding agreement between the US and Iran. Also this week, Israel expressed concerns over the potential sale of advanced F-35 stealth fighter jets to Turkey, which Trump had floated during the NATO summit.
In an exclusive interview with CNN, Netanyahu said Erdoğan is “not exactly a model ally of the United States.” Netanyahu also claimed that Erdoğan “threatens to destroy my country, the one and only Jewish state.”
Shipping through Strait of Hormuz is severely depressed, once again
At least 13 commercial vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours, according to MarineTraffic data, as the US-Iran ceasefire crumbles with new strikes across the Middle East.
Traffic had started to increase during the ceasefire when US-Iran negotiations were ongoing. But dramatically dropped off again this week following strikes on several commercial vessels.
Broken down, a total of seven ships entered the Persian Gulf over the past 24 hours — five cargo vessels and two tankers. An additional six ships left the gulf, consisting of four cargo vessels and two tankers.
Before the war, about 110 ships a day transited through the vital waterway.
GPS interference has also made a comeback in recent days, with elevated levels of spoofing visible in vessel and flight data around the Strait of Hormuz. Spoofing technology can be used to redirect GPS-reliant munitions away from their targets to disrupt enemy attacks. Spoofing had also eased during US-Iran negotiations.
Final public prayers conclude for Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
The marathon funeral ceremonies for slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei have culminated with a final procession and televised prayer at Imam Reza shrine in the city of Mashhad.
The state media TV livestream from the shrine has now gone dark, indicating that the private burial may be underway.
Khamenei’s eldest son – Mostafa Khamenei – led the funeral prayer at the shrine, which was not in the original plans reported by Iranian media.
Current Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei could not be seen in the state media footage of that prayer.
A regional source had said earlier that the new supreme leader was unlikely to make an appearance at the funeral, as advised by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including at the private burial.
First “pilot zone” for partial Israeli withdrawal in Lebanon launches soon, US official says
The first “pilot zone” in Lebanon, meant to transition control of Lebanese territory currently occupied by Israeli forces, will launch “in a matter of days,” a US official said Thursday.
The official said the US “will soon begin outreach to international partners to help the Lebanese Government effectively restore sovereignty in these zones and across their country more broadly.”
Planned talks in Rome next week will be “a closed discussion that will enable the governments to hand off to technical teams, which will work on all issues outlined in the Framework,” the official said. That 14-point framework was reached after the latest round of US-mediated talks between Israeli and Lebanese officials in Washington, DC, in late June.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has tied his country’s continued participation in talks with Israel to the beginning of a military withdrawal from occupied areas of southern Lebanon, according to a diplomatic source familiar with the matter.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has balked at the notion of a broad withdrawal from southern Lebanon. “We did not ask permission from anyone to enter Lebanon, and we do not need permission to remain in Lebanon,” he said in a statement.
CNN’s Charbel Mallo contributed reporting to this post.
Little progress was made on key points of the US-Iran agreement before the latest flareup
During a NATO summit in Turkey, US President Donald Trump said the memorandum of understanding with Iran “is over” following a series of strikes across the region, which have continued Thursday.
CNN’s Becky Anderson asks the question: Was there ever a real agreement in the first place?
During a NATO summit in Turkey, President Donald Trump said that the memorandum of understanding with Iran “is over,” following a series of strikes across the region. But CNN's Becky Anderson asks the question: Was there ever a real agreement in the first place?
Lebanon ties continued talks with Israel to start of military withdrawal, source says
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun tied his country’s continued participation in talks with Israel to the beginning of a military withdrawal from occupied areas of southern Lebanon, according to a diplomatic source familiar with the matter.
After a series of meetings between Lebanon and Israel in Washington, DC, another round of talks is supposed to take place next week in Rome. Aoun’s office said he would travel to Washington to meet President Donald Trump on July 21.
Under the US-brokered ceasefire agreement signed late last month, the Israeli military is supposed to withdraw from two small areas along the so-called “Yellow Line,” which demarcates the territory occupied by Israeli forces. The Lebanese military is subsequently placed in charge of maintaining security in these pilot zones. But since the agreement was signed, there’s no indication Israeli forces have pulled back.
Aoun met with US Ambassador to Lebanon Michael Issa on Thursday and spoke of the importance of pressuring Israel to halt its military operation in Lebanon while advancing the ceasefire agreement. Aoun also “emphasized the need to stop the shelling, explosions, and bulldozing carried out by Israeli forces in a number of towns and villages it occupies,” his office said on X.
But Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz balked at the notion of a broad withdrawal from southern Lebanon. “We did not ask permission from anyone to enter Lebanon, and we do not need permission to remain in Lebanon,” he said in a statement.
Katz’s comments came after Trump said Wednesday at the NATO summit that Israel would “want to” withdraw troops from southern Lebanon.
Iran's new supreme leader unlikely to appear at father's funeral, source tells CNN
Iran’s new supreme leader is unlikely to make an appearance at the funeral for his father Ali Khamenei, as advised by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a regional source has told CNN.
He is not expected to be at any of the events, the source added, including the private burial that the late supreme leader’s family will attend.
Iranian state broadcaster IRIB has reported that the burial ceremony “will be held with the presence of members of the (supreme) leader’s household,” without specifying who.
Mediator countries working to bring Iran and US back to negotiating table, sources say
Regional sources have confirmed to CNN that Pakistan and Qatar are working to bring the US and Iran back to the negotiating table.
Pakistan and Qatar were the key mediators in previous negotiations held in Switzerland, which ultimately led to the Memorandum of Understanding that was signed in mid-June. Oman also helped facilitate earlier rounds of diplomatic talks.
On Wednesday night, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on all parties to exercise restraint and “refrain from any actions that may further undermine regional peace and stability.”
“There is no alternative to continued engagement, dialogue and diplomacy to achieve shared goal of peace in the region,” the ministry said in a statement. “Pakistan urges all sides to uphold their respective commitments under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which remains an enduring foundation for understanding, mutual respect and shared prosperity for the region and beyond.”
Ceasefire crumbling: Thursday marked the second day of attacks between the US and Iran – further eroding their fragile ceasefire. The US military said it hit 90 targets along Iran’s coastline overnight. In response, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they targeted US military bases in Kuwait and Bahrain.
Fresh US-Iran strikes heighten volatility in the Middle East. Catch up here
As the day goes on, we’re learning more about the latest reported attacks across the Middle East, where more strikes between the US and Iran have deepened doubts about efforts to end the conflict.
Here’s where things stand:
• Iran said it fired 10 ballistic missiles at a US military base in northern Jordan. The Jordanian government confirmed it had intercepted Iranian missiles that breached the country’s airspace and triggered air raid sirens.
• US forces struck several locations in the Iranian coastal province of Bushehr around midday local time, Iranian media said. The perimeter of a nuclear power plant and a pier for fishing boats were among the targets, according to a regional official quoted by state media IRNA. Washington has not confirmed carrying out these latest attacks, but the reports follow a wave of earlier US strikes overnight into Thursday.
The US military says it has carried out at least 170 strikes on Iran over the last two nights as tensions around the Strait of Hormuz have flared once again. CNN's Paula Hancocks explains whether this latest exchange could be different.
• Iranian state media also released images of several burned boats that it said were damaged by US airstrikes.
• Jets rumbled onto the US Navy aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea, where CNN’s Pamela Brown is reporting during flight operations today.
• Qatar’s foreign minister held high-level calls with his Iranian, Saudi and UAE counterparts as Gulf states endure increasing volatility in the region. Doha also condemned attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and stressed the need for dialogue and diplomacy.
• Meanwhile, thousands of mourners filled the streets of Mashhad, Iran, as the country’s deceased supreme leader’s coffin arrived, wishing to bid the ruler of almost four decades farewell. Many clutched red-colored banners and red flags symbolizing vengeance for their leader’s killing. A banner emblazoned with the words, “Hey TRUMP We will kill you” was also draped across the crowd. CNN has been reporting on how Tehran’s projection of unity during the funeral does not capture the full spectrum of responses from Iranians.
CNN’s Jomana Karadsheh, Sarah Tamimi, Tim Lister, Aida Karimi and Nadeen Ebrahim contributed reporting.
Iran's foreign minister calls Turkish, Saudi and Omani counterparts
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held separate phone calls with his counterparts in Turkey, Oman and Saudi Arabia on Thursday, amid the resurgence in conflict in the region.
“The parties emphasized the importance of making full use of diplomatic channels, maintaining ongoing communication and coordination to address regional issues, and preventing any further escalation of tensions,” the statement added.
For context: It comes as international shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has dropped after renewed US strikes against Iranian coastal installations, according to marine tracking data on Thursday.
A US official told CNN earlier this week that Iran fired on three commercial vessels in Oman’s territorial waters near the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday. Iran’s continued firing on ships has prompted US retaliation each time.
CNN’s Tim Lister, Jessie Yeung and Brad Lendon contributed previous reporting.
Mapping some of the sites targeted in latest US-Iran strikes
As more explosions are reported across the Middle East on Thursday, including what Iranian state media said was new US strikes, here’s what we know about some of the sites targeted in recent exchanges of fire:
