Here's the latest
• Historic Hamas agreement: US President Donald Trump said a historic agreement to secure the disarmament of Hamas had been reached, a critical step in implementing a multi-phase peace plan to end the war in Gaza. A senior Hamas official told CNN that Hamas had agreed to the deal with the Board of Peace, contingent on Israel upholding its obligations.
• Unrest in the region: Iranian forces struck an air base in Kuwait, state media reported early Friday. Kuwait’s army and state media has not yet confirmed the attack. This comes after Egypt reported a drone strike earlier this week, which no party has claimed responsibility for.
• No Iran strikes: However, neither Iranian media nor the US military reported any strikes hitting inside Iran overnight, marking a change from Wednesday night, when the US launched a “heavy wave of strikes” targeting the country.
Trump to hold Cabinet meeting at Camp David today
President Donald Trump will gather his Cabinet officials today for a high-stakes meeting at Camp David as the US-Iran conflict continues, with the US launching heavy strikes on Iran earlier this week.
It will be the 13th Cabinet meeting of Trump’s second term. The last meeting was held on May 27.
Last week, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced the meeting, saying hosting it at Camp David “will be a lot of fun and something different for the Cabinet to experience together.”
Camp David is a presidential retreat in Maryland that is also used to host foreign dignitaries. It serves as a working White House and is fully equipped with the security and resources necessary to run the country.
So far, Trump has only visited Camp David twice this term.
Hamas agrees to disarm if Israel ceases fire in Gaza, as tempo of war shifts. Catch up
The militant group Hamas has reached an agreement with the Board of Peace – tasked with implementing a long term ceasefire plan in Gaza – to relinquish its weapons, a senior official told CNN on Friday.
Ghazi Hamad, a key negotiator for the Iran-backed group, insisted the deal was contingent upon Israel upholding its obligations under the US-led plan signed in October.
“The agreement is a package,” Hamad said. “We will not begin any weapons-related steps until Israel implements these commitments. Frankly, if Israel does not implement them, we will not proceed.”
Those stipulations include Israeli forces halting deadly attacks on Palestinians in Gaza, withdrawing its troops to the so-called yellow line, allowing for a surge in aid and a Palestinian technocratic committee entering the enclave.
At the same time, Washington’s strikes on Iran appeared to peter out overnight into Friday – potentially marking a step change in the latest stretch of fighting.
Here’s what you need to know:
In Gaza
- Trump claims “historic” Gaza agreement: US President Donald Trump announced on Thursday what he described as a “HISTORIC agreement for the COMPLETE DISARMAMENT of Hamas and all other armed groups in Gaza,” in a Truth Social post.
- On the ground: More than nine months since the ceasefire deal was signed, little has changed in Gaza. At least 1,214 Palestinians have been killed and 3,977 others injured by Israeli attacks since October 11, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said on July 30.
In Iran and elsewhere:
- Tehran targets Kuwait: Iranian forces hit military infrastructure at an airbase in Kuwait, state media said on Friday. The Iranian army said the attack against the Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base was in response to US strikes on Qeshm Island, where a couple and a child were killed in their home.
- Shipping trickles through Strait of Hormuz: Only five vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, according to shipping analytics firm, Kpler, after the Iranian military warned the channel would be closed so long as US strikes persist.
CNN’s Tal Shalev, Ibrahim Dahman, Aida Karimi, Issy Ronald, Leila Gharagozlou and Eleni Giokos contributed reporting.
Announcement of Hamas disarmament deal met with cautious optimism
The announcement from US President Donald Trump of an agreement to secure the disarmament of Hamas has been met with cautious optimism in the international community, while uncertainty over the deal remains.
Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul described the news as “hopeful” and said he welcomed the agreement.
He continued that Berlin stands ready to provide Gaza with humanitarian aid as he called for additional crossings into the enclave to be opened “without delay.”
UK minister Louise Haigh, who serves as first secretary of state, said any progress on peace negotiations in Gaza was “extremely welcome.”
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, she added, “Obviously we will need to await the Israeli government’s response.”
The National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), which was established in January and authorized by the United Nations to manage civilian administration in Gaza in the wake of a peace agreement, said in a statement today that it “welcomes the progress announced yesterday regarding the roadmap, and the opening of a path toward beginning its implementation.”
Hamas agrees to disarm depending on Israeli steps, senior Hamas official tells CNN
Senior Hamas official Ghazi Hamad confirmed to CNN that Hamas has reached an agreement with the Board of Peace to relinquish its weapons, contingent on the deployment of an International Stabilization Force to Gaza and Israel upholding its obligations under the October ceasefire agreement.
“The agreement is a package,” Hamad said. “We will not begin any weapons-related steps until Israel implements these commitments. Frankly, if Israel does not implement them, we will not proceed.”
Hamad said Israel must first cease fire, stop all targeted killings in Gaza, withdraw its troops to the Yellow Line and allow for a surge of humanitarian aid consistent with the October ceasefire agreement. The National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), a Palestinian technocratic committee appointed by the Board of Peace, must also enter Gaza and take over governance of the strip.
The NCAG will assume control of weapons belonging to Hamas’s police force in Gaza, Hamad said.
Hamad was adamant that Hamas’s heavy weapons will not be decommissioned or destroyed, but instead “stored under the National Committee’s supervision.”
But Hamad reiterated that none of this will happen if Israel does not implement its obligations.
“Our experience with the first phase was very bad. Israel did not abide by the agreement and there were hundreds or thousands of violations. Now it is a challenge for the guarantors — the United States, Qatar, Turkey, and Egypt — to ensure 100% that Israel will fully honor and implement all items of the agreement,” Hamad said. “I hope Israel will approve it — we are still waiting.”
Five boats crossed Strait of Hormuz Thursday, data shows, as shipping remains depressed
Only five vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, according to marine traffic data, after the Iranian military warned the channel would be closed so long as US strikes persist.
Among those were a cargo ship and an LPG tanker, shipping analytics firm Kpler reported on Friday. All five ships crossed through an Iranian route, the Kpler data showed.
On Thursday, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Crops (IRGC) declared the Strait would “not be reopened” should “excessive rhetoric, threats by American officials, and their interference with maritime movements in the region continue.” Tehran has repeatedly sought to claim sovereignty over the channel and has targeted vessels that do not adhere to stipulations, compounding uneven oil prices triggered by months of US strikes and retaliatory Iranian attacks.
Over the past several weeks, Washington has escalated a lethal campaign on Iran, including along the country’s southern coast near the Strait. Earlier this week, a US salvo killed a couple and their two-year-old child in their home on Qeshm Island, which sits beside the waterway.
Elsewhere in the region: Further south, 47 ships transited the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, Kpler said on Thursday – where Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis announced a blockade of Saudi shipping through the key chokepoint. Earlier on Thursday, Riyadh announced a Maritime Defense Alliance, backed by 14 other countries, in an attempt to protect international shipping routes and global trade.
CNN’s Leila Gharagozlou contributed reporting.
No strikes reported in Iran overnight, in change from previous day
Neither Iranian media nor US Central Command (CENTCOM) reported any strikes hitting inside Iran overnight, marking a change from Wednesday night when the US launched a “heavy wave of strikes” targeting the country.
That wave, the first in almost a week, was a retaliatory response to Iran’s attempted attack on US military positions the previous day, so strikes halting for now perhaps indicates that response is complete.
Meanwhile, the Iranian Army claimed it had targeted military infrastructure at Kuwait’s Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base overnight, according to Iran’s state broadcaster, IRIB. Kuwaiti authorities have not publicly confirmed the attack.
Oil prices on track for a weekly fall despite renewed US-Iran fighting
Global oil prices fell back on Friday after a week of volatility. Brent crude, the global benchmark, was down 1.4% to almost $88 a barrel approaching 5 a.m. ET while WTI, the US benchmark, also fell 1.4% to $82 a barrel.
“Shipping through the (Strait of Hormuz) has been disrupted but it hasn’t completely stopped, while the US and Iran currently look to be avoiding a move from low-level escalation to all-out war,” analysts at Deutsche Bank wrote in a Friday note.
Brent has fallen by 9.3%, and WTI by almost 8%, so far this week even as fighting between the US and Iran resumed. Oil prices tends to rise during times of heightened conflict or uncertainty, but are prone to wild swings on new developments and as traders try to profit from that volatility.
Oil prices are still well above their levels before the conflict started
International Airlines Group, the owner of several carriers including British Airways, reported a 16% fall in operating profit during the second quarter, citing ballooning fuel costs. The company also said it did not expect to grow its capacity this year.
Trump says agreement reached for Hamas' "complete disarmament," group yet to respond
President Donald Trump on Thursday announced what he described as a historic agreement to secure the disarmament of Hamas and all other armed groups in Gaza — months after the president first announced a US-brokered ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel.
“Today, the Board of Peace reached a HISTORIC agreement for the COMPLETE DISARMAMENT of Hamas and all other armed groups in Gaza,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. “This is a monumental step toward lasting PEACE and SECURITY.”
As of Thursday evening, Hamas had not confirmed the deal. CNN has reached out for comment.
The Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement, another militant group in Gaza, said early Friday that reports of the agreement were “inaccurate.” The group was party to the ceasefire along with Hamas.
A Board of Peace official said Hamas and other armed factions would ultimately hand over their weapons to the committee, with police weapons transferred first and personal weapons last.
Disarming Hamas is a critical step in implementing Trump’s multi-phase peace plan to end the war in Gaza and moving to set up a technocratic government for the strip. Mediators have been trying to negotiate with Hamas for months on implementing the plan, but there is skepticism in the region that Hamas will hold up its end of the bargain.
Poverty and hardship in Iran could worsen as inflation bites, economist says
As inflation skyrockets in Iran, many civilians will feel the bite of poverty and hardship in the coming months, said Hadi Kahalzadeh, economist and non-resident fellow at the Quincy Institute.
“Iran right now is experiencing the highest inflation rates in its modern history,” he told CNN early Friday. “For half the population right now experienced a 100% inflation year.”
Iranian media reported earlier this month that food prices have skyrocketed as the fallout from the war hits consumers. The prices of certain food items have increased by 300% to 400%, Khabar Online news agency reported.
The labor market has also shrunk, Kahalzadeh said. The UN predicted in a March report that up to 4.1 million more people in Iran could fall into poverty due to the conflict, potentially raising the poverty rate to as high as 41%.
A major problem Iranians face as the war continues is that “people are living in constant uncertainty… they can’t make any plans for the future, they have no hope that there is any meaningful change on the horizon,” he added.
The Iranian economy does show some signs of resilience, said Kahalzdeh, adding he doesn’t anticipate a total collapse. But economic pain will be unevenly distributed; those with government affiliations may be more protected, while “most of the population” will feel the pinch, he said.
“The daily life of people would get worse, definitely in the coming months,” he said.
Iran targeted air base in Kuwait, state media says
Iranian forces targeted military infrastructure at an air base in Kuwait, according to state media on Friday.
The attack, which took place “several hours ago,” targeted the Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base, Press TV reported early Friday local time.
As of early Friday local time, Kuwait’s army and state media had not confirmed the attack on their English-language social media channels.
The Iranian army said the attack was in response to US strikes on Qeshm island. A couple and their child were killed in their home, according to state media.
Iran has previously targeted US infrastructure at military bases in neighboring countries in retaliation for American strikes on its territory.
This post has been updated with additional information.
Countries back maritime alliance as situation in Hormuz remains fraught. Here's the latest
More countries are getting pulled into the US-Iran conflict, even those that have tried for months to avoid deeper involvement – with Saudi Arabia announcing a maritime alliance, and Egypt reporting a drone strike for the first time.
Here’s the latest:
- Maritime alliance: Fourteen countries backed a Saudi proposal to establish a multinational “Maritime Defense Alliance,” aimed at protecting international shipping routes and global trade, said the kingdom on Thursday.
- Strait of Hormuz: Iran said the waterway would remain closed as long as US “threats” and “interference” with shipping in the region continue. Vessel traffic through the strait and Bab el-Mandeb, another chokepoint, remained depressed.
- Egypt port attack: Iran’s foreign minister called Egypt an “important friend and partner” whose security was of “utmost importance” on Thursday, after a port in the country was struck in a drone attack on Wednesday. No party has claimed direct responsibility, and no injuries or deaths have been reported.
- Qeshm strike: US strikes on Iran on Wednesday killed a couple and their two-year-old child in their home on Qeshm Island, which sits near the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iranian state media. Two other children, aged 11 and 7, were pulled out of the rubble.
- Meanwhile in Lebanon: Israeli officials said they had destroyed tunnels in southern Lebanon using about 700 tons of explosives. They alleged the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah had violated the ceasefire agreement a day earlier, but provided no details about the alleged violation.
- Senate vote: The US Senate failed to advance a resolution aimed at rebuking President Donald Trump over the Iran war. It was the 13th time the Senate has voted on an Iran war powers measure since the beginning of the year.
Mohammed Tawfeeq, Aida Karimi, Karina Tsui, Avery Schmitz, Billy Stockwell, Leila Gharagozlou and Morgan Rimmer contributed reporting.
Trump promised to be a "peacemaker," but he's struggling to end 2 wars
President Donald Trump kicked off his second term promising to be a “peacemaker.” But now he’s struggling to end two widening wars: the one he started with Iran, and the one he inherited between Russia and Ukraine. CNN’s Kevin Liptak explains.
President Trump kicked off his second term promising to be a "peacemaker." But now he's struggling to end two widening wars: the one he started with Iran, and the one he inherited between Russia and Ukraine. CNN’s Kevin Liptak explains.
Israel says it destroyed Hezbollah tunnels in Lebanon with explosives
The Israeli military destroyed tunnels in the Beaufort area of southern Lebanon using about 700 tons of explosives, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a joint statement.
The statement alleged that the underground infrastructure was central to a plan by Hezbollah to invade communities in northern Israel. It said the operation followed what Israel described as Hezbollah’s “blatant violation” of the ceasefire agreement a day earlier, but provided no details about the alleged violation.
“The State of Israel will not accept any violation of the ceasefire agreement,” Netanyahu and Katz said, warning that any attempt to harm Israeli forces or civilians would be met with “a harsh and powerful response.”
The statement said Israeli troops would “remain in the security zone in southern Lebanon and will continue to destroy any terror infrastructure in order to prevent any attempt by Hezbollah to rebuild its capabilities.”
Hezbollah did not immediately comment.
Some context: Iran has previously demanded Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon as a condition for talks with Washington.
Egypt drone attack could be warning from Iran, expert says
A drone attack that targeted an Egyptian port on Wednesday could be a warning from Iran that its conflict with the United States can spread far beyond the current theater of war, a regional expert said.
No party has claimed responsibility for the attack yet, and no injuries or deaths were reported.
It’s possible that the attack came through one of Tehran’s proxy militias rather than from Iran itself, H.A. Hellyer, senior associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), said.
The attack took place during cargo operations at a liquefied natural gas terminal.
British maritime security firm Ambrey said an initial assessment indicated that a floating LNG storage facility – US-owned and operated flying the Marshall Islands flag – was struck. Multiple industry sources identified the vessel as the Energos Winter and said a suspected drone strike caused a fire that spread to a second vessel.
This is the first time Cairo has been directly drawn into the ongoing regional conflict, despite serving as one of the diplomatic channels for the warring parties during mediation efforts earlier this year.
Throughout the war, Egypt has both condemned Iran’s attacks on Gulf countries and also publicly urged US President Donald Trump to end the war.
But Egypt aligned itself with neither camp, Hellyer noted. If this is how Iran responds, he added, “that doesn’t look very good in terms of keeping Egypt off-side.”
Cairo is nonetheless unlikely to retaliate, he said. “Egypt is very, very conservative about engaging (in) offensive actions.”
Relations between Iran and Egypt broke down after Iran’s 1979 revolution, beginning one of Tehran’s longest diplomatic estrangements with an Arab nation. Contacts between the countries’ foreign ministers intensified, however, during the US-Israeli war against Iran.
14 countries back Saudi proposal to establish multinational "Maritime Defense Alliance"
Fourteen countries have backed a Saudi proposal to establish a multinational “Maritime Defense Alliance,” aimed at protecting international shipping routes and global trade, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense said in a statement Thursday.
The countries are Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Sudan, Djibouti and Somalia.
The ministry said military chiefs and other representatives from 43 countries attended a meeting on the initiative, either in person or by video link. A European Union delegation also took part.
Participants discussed attacks on commercial vessels, energy carriers and maritime infrastructure, along with the risks they pose to navigation, global supply chains and the international economy, according to the statement.
“It was agreed that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia would be the founding and leading country of the alliance, and host its main headquarters,” the statement said.
The proposed alliance is “an open international defensive initiative” for countries that share its goals and principles, according to the statement, adding that it would seek to enhance maritime security and preserve “the freedom of navigation and global trade.”
The 14 countries issued a joint statement supporting the project and welcoming the consensus reached on its founding arrangements, according to the ministry. Other participating countries also expressed support and were completing domestic approval procedures, it said.
Why Saudi Arabia is getting pulled further into the Middle East conflict
Saudi Arabia is getting pulled further into the Middle East conflict, conducting joint strikes with the US against Iraq this week – despite the kingdom having spent months trying to avoid deeper involvement.
What happened: Washington and Riyadh launched strikes on “logistics and weapons site” in multiple regions of Iraq on Wednesday local time, following attacks by Iran-backed armed groups on US forces and Saudi oil facilities.
At least 20 people were killed and 32 others injured, according to the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), the umbrella group for Iran-aligned Iraqi militias that were targeted in the strikes.
Iraq and Iran’s response: Iran’s Foreign Ministry condemned the attacks, according to Iranian state media. Iraq’s recently elected President Nizar Amidi called the attacks “unacceptable and a flagrant violation of Iraq’s sovereignty.”
Why Saudi Arabia got involved: In the last week, the kingdom has faced enemies from three directions: missile attacks from the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen, drone attacks from pro-Iranian militias in Iraq and renewed threats from Tehran.
On top of attacks to Saudi oil infrastructure, the Houthis also announced a blockade of Saudi shipping through a chokepoint in the Red Sea. This is a major escalation for the kingdom, which had re-routed much of its oil exports through Red Sea ports as the Strait of Hormuz remains paralyzed.
Throughout the war between Iran, the US and Israel, the Saudi kingdom had kept open channels of communication with Tehran. But it may be losing patience as it fends off attacks from Iranian-backed proxies, while its economy suffers from the war.
Officials meet: Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman met with Vice President JD Vance in Washington, DC, on Wednesday. They discussed the joint strikes, Saudi Arabia’s response to attacks on its infrastructure, and the kingdom’s view on the ongoing war, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The minister also met with President Donald Trump, a source familiar told CNN.
