US intercepts Iranian attacks as Israel continues to bomb Lebanon

The United States has announced that it has intercepted multiple Iranian ballistic missiles and drones that were launched towards the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf as negotiations between the two sides stall.

According to the US Central Command (CENTCOM), seven ballistic missiles were fired towards Kuwait and Bahrain on Friday night, hours after CENTCOM shot down four Iranian attack drones that were launched towards the Strait of Hormuz.

It added that six of the missiles were intercepted, and the seventh did not reach its target.

Meanwhile, US forces targeted Iranian coastal surveillance radar sites in Goruk and on Qeshm Island.

According to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), its attacks had targeted US bases in the region in retaliation for US strikes. It added that it fired at four tankers that were attempting to cross the all-but-closed waterway.

The US and Iran have been participating in indirect talks to reach an interim deal to end the war; however, the two sides remain at odds.

As part of the agreement, Iran wants sanctions waivers, access to frozen assets, and the lifting of a US blockade on its ports. At the same time, the US has called for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and concessions on Tehran’s nuclear programme.

Reporting from Tehran, Al Jazeera’s Almigdad Alruhaid said the IRGC’s latest attacks were a “warning” to the US.