Iran Hits Bahrain, Kuwait; Talks Falter06/29 06:14

   Iran again launched drone and missile attacks targeting Bahrain and Kuwait 
on Sunday following new U.S. airstrikes against the Islamic Republic, and 
threatened a "complete halt" in negotiations to end the war if Washington 
continues its attacks.

   DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) -- Iran again launched drone and missile 
attacks targeting Bahrain and Kuwait on Sunday following new U.S. airstrikes 
against the Islamic Republic, and threatened a "complete halt" in negotiations 
to end the war if Washington continues its attacks.

   Efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz without Iran's oversight has sparked 
days of crossfire. A multinational maritime body overseen by the U.S. Navy said 
Saturday it would expand a route near Oman for inbound and outbound traffic.

   Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Sunday reiterated the claim that 
Tehran must govern the strait to the Persian Gulf that once carried a fifth of 
the world's oil and natural gas.

   "Any attempt to establish new or separate arrangements from those currently 
being carried out by the Islamic Republic of Iran will only lead to further 
complications, delay the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and increase the 
level of tension," Araghchi said.

   The strait has long been considered an international waterway despite its 
location in Iran and Oman's territorial waters. In recent days, Iran has twice 
attacked vessels going through a route near the Omani side.

   Pakistan, a key mediator, has said talks would resume Tuesday between the 
U.S. and Iran on the terms of their interim deal. The Trump administration on 
Sunday said nothing has been canceled and technical talks are on track for the 
coming days.

   Talks include arrangements around the strait, the removal of a U.S. blockade 
on Iranian ports and sanctions on Iran, and the future of Iran's stockpile of 
highly enriched uranium. The two sides have 60 days from their signing of the 
memorandum of understanding earlier this month to work out details.

   Continued conflict in Lebanon threatens the agreement, which says fighting 
must end on all fronts before certain issues can be discussed.

   Strikes target Gulf states hosting US military

   Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard claimed responsibility for the 
attacks in Bahrain and Kuwait.

   Kuwait, which hosts a major U.S. military base, said air defenses 
intercepted Iranian drones and two missiles just after the U.S. strikes in 
Iran. There were no reports of injuries or damage.

   Bahrain said the Iranian strikes damaged a residential building near the 
international airport and no one was killed. Bahrain is home to the U.S. Navy's 
5th Fleet. The damaged building was not near its headquarters.

   Bahrain's Foreign Ministry denounced what it called "a dangerous escalation 
that reveals that what Tehran is doing is not a passing act, nor an isolated 
incident, but rather a deliberate approach and a systematic pattern of repeated 
aggression."

   Later on Sunday, Qatar said a civilian had been killed, and another person 
was hurt, by shrapnel related to "military operations in the area" after a 
vessel didn't return at its scheduled time on Saturday. It did not give details.

   Trump accuses Iran of violating ceasefire

   The U.S. military said it struck Iranian military "surveillance 
infrastructure, communication systems, air defense sites, drone storage 
facilities and minelayer capabilities" following an attack on a ship on 
Saturday. The Panamanian-flagged tanker Kiku carried crude oil for the 
state-run energy company of Qatar, another key mediator.

   U.S. President Donald Trump on social media accused Iran of violating the 
deal and warned of a point where the U.S. may "be forced to militarily complete 
the job."

   "If that happens, the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist!" Trump 
wrote.

   The exchanges of fire began when an Iranian drone struck a merchant vessel 
off Oman on Thursday and the U.S. military retaliated.

   Ship traffic on the strait had increased over the past 72 hours, "despite 
the elevated threat environment," the multinational maritime body overseen by 
the U.S. Navy said Sunday, adding that "U.S.-assisted commercial transits 
continued uninterrupted."

   It said 89 such transits had been made, below the historical average of 138 
vessels a day.

   Iran calls for new 'conflict control unit' in Lebanon

   Last week, Israel and Lebanon signed a framework agreement to end the latest 
fighting between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group, which 
began two days after the Iran war started when Hezbollah fired at Israel. 
Israel has responded with an invasion of southern Lebanon and it has said it 
will not withdraw until Hezbollah is disarmed.

   The agreement did not include Iran or Hezbollah, which has criticized it and 
rejected calls to disarm.

   On Sunday, Iran's foreign minister again said the U.S. must force Israel to 
halt attacks and withdraw. Israel occupies around 600 square kilometers (231 
square miles) in southern Lebanon, which it says it needs as a security buffer.

   Sporadic clashes have continued, and Hezbollah's leader said Saturday that 
the group would continue fighting until Israel withdraws from Lebanon.

   Key Iranian negotiator and parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said 
Sunday that a meeting of a new "conflict control unit" formed among Iran, the 
United States and Lebanon should meet as soon as possible, Iran's state 
broadcaster reported.

   Two strikes hit southern Lebanon on Sunday morning -- one in Taybeh town and 
the other in the Nabatiyeh area, according to Lebanon's National News Agency. 
There was no immediate word on casualties.

   Overnight, Hezbollah militants killed an Israeli soldier in Deir Siryan 
village in southern Lebanon, according to Israel's military. Hezbollah did not 
comment.

   Israel targets a village in Syria

   Israel's military targeted Abdin village in southern Syria's Daraa province 
with artillery shelling Sunday evening, Syrian state media reported. There was 
no immediate report of casualties.

   The provincial government of Daraa said in a statement that residents of the 
village had thrown rocks at an Israeli convoy when it advanced on the village, 
and that the troops withdrew after U.N. peacekeepers intervened. It said the 
Israeli artillery shelling drove Abdin's residents to flee the village.

   Earlier on Sunday, Israel's military said it had killed several armed men in 
southern Syria but gave no details. There was no statement from Syrian 
officials.

   Israel seized control of a U.N.-patrolled buffer zone in southern Syria in 
December 2024 following the ouster of former Syrian President Bashar Assad in 
an insurgent offensive. Israeli officials initially called the move temporary, 
but more recently they have said they plan to occupy the zone indefinitely.