Here's the latest
• Latest on the war: US Central Command made no announcement of new military action against Iran on Friday, after launching strikes against the country daily for almost two weeks. It is not clear if that was because CENTCOM did not take military action against Iran on Friday.
• Trump weighs in: President Donald Trump said he thinks Tehran would “love to make a deal” but that he doesn’t “think they’re ready to.” Earlier, he said he believes Tehran is “getting more serious” in negotiations but there’s a possibility of an escalation of the US military campaign.
• Tensions at sea: The US military said it disabled a tanker that tried to bypass its blockade on Iranian ports. And Saudi Arabia said it launched strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen after the militant group attacked another Saudi vessel in the Red Sea.
Recap: The latest developments on the Iran war and tensions in the region
After pummeling Iran daily for almost two weeks, there was no announcement from US Central Command that it was launching strikes on the country on Friday. It is not clear if that was because the US did not take military action against Iran that day.
In the region, tensions remain as US President Donald Trump said while Washington is actively negotiating with Tehran, it’s possible the military continues its bombing campaign or escalates it.
Here’s the latest:
No update from CENTCOM: For the past 13 nights, CENTCOM had posted on X it was striking military targets in Iran. There was no such announcement on Friday Eastern Time.
Trump weighs in: The president said the war was “going extremely well” and that the US has “hit Iran very hard.” He added that he thinks Iran would “love to make a deal” but that he doesn’t “think they’re ready to.”
Alerts issued: Saudi Arabia issued multiple warnings of “potential danger” at major port Yanbu and Jazan province early Saturday local time. The alerts were lifted shortly after and the authorities did not specify the nature or source of the potential danger. Yanbu is located on the Red Sea and Jazan province has a coastline on the same sea.
Maritime tensions: US forces disabled a tanker in the Gulf of Oman on Friday after the crew attempted to get through the US naval blockade of Iran at least four times prior, a US military official told CNN. And in the Red Sea, Saudi Arabia carried out strikes against what it said were Houthi targets in Yemen’s port city of Hodeidah after the militant group attacked another Saudi vessel.
Netanyahu’s visit: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will visit the US next week, Trump confirmed on Friday. The Israeli leader’s office earlier said in a statement Netanyahu will meet Trump at the White House on Tuesday.
Tori B. Powell, Tal Shalev, Laura Sharman, Kareem El Damanhoury, Zachary Cohen, Eyad Kourdi, Mitchell McCluskey and Aditi Sangal contributed reporting.
After striking Iran for 13 consecutive nights, no updates from CENTCOM on Friday
US Central Command did not announce it was launching strikes on Iran on Friday, after pummeling the country daily for almost two weeks.
For the past 13 nights, CENTCOM has posted on X it was carrying out strikes on military targets in Iran. There was no such announcement in the hours of Friday Eastern Time. CENTCOM is headquartered in Tampa, Florida, which runs on Eastern Time.
It is not clear if that was because CENTCOM did not take military action against Iran on Friday.
CNN has reached out to CENTCOM for comment.
What Trump has said about the state of the war and talks with Iran
President Donald Trump on Friday weighed in on the war with Iran and developments in the region.
Here’s a round-up of his comments:
On the war
“It’s all going extremely well. Don’t believe the fake news,” Trump said about the status of the war during remarks at the White House Correspondents’ dinner.
He went on to say that the US has “hit Iran very hard” and that Tehran no longer has Navy and Air Force capabilities.
“They have very few drones left, despite what you see,” he said.
On talks with Iran
Trump also added that he thinks Iran would “love to make a deal” but that he doesn’t “think they’re ready to.”
“I don’t think it’s time yet, but I’m willing to listen,” the president said.
When he spoke to reporters earlier Friday afternoon at the White House, Trump also stressed the US is actively negotiating with Iran, though he added that it’s possible the military continues its bombing campaign or escalates it. The president claimed “there’s a lot of” exit strategies still available.
Those comments came after Trump met with top advisers and Cabinet officials Friday to discuss a potential escalation of the war, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Iran seems to be getting “more serious” in ongoing talks, the president said. “I think they are being by far the most serious that we’ve seen. But that doesn’t mean we get there.”
On the US-Saudi nuclear deal
Trump said he and his energy secretary hadn’t discussed it when asked if he’d authorized Chris Wright to sign the pact. Trump upended the long-negotiated deal after being blindsided by the Energy Department’s announcement this week, a source familiar with the matter told CNN on Thursday.
CNN’s Kristen Holmes, Logan Schiciano, Alejandra Jaramillo and Adam Cancryn contributed to the report.
