Iran-linked hacker group says it will pause attacks on US

US Senator Ted Cruz said on Thursday Iran must agree to “zero enrichment” and hand over its enriched uranium, backing President Donald Trump’s position amid a pause in hostilities.

Speaking to Fox News, Cruz said Iran must also keep the Strait of Hormuz open and not use it as leverage, warning that any attempt to shut it down could prompt a strong US response.

"Here’s the outcome I’d like to see: a peaceful Iran with a government that wants to be friends with America, that is not waging war on America or killing Americans. That would be good for the people of Iran, and that would be good for America. That’s what President Trump, I believe, is trying to achieve," Cruz said.

Ophir Falk, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s chief foreign policy adviser, said on Thursday Israel and the United States are in “complete agreement” amid ongoing regional tensions.

Speaking to NBC’s Meet the Press NOW, Falk described a recent strike on Beirut as the largest operation against Hezbollah leadership since 2024.

Asked about the objective of Israel’s campaign against Iran, he said it remains to “remove the existential threat” posed by the Iranian leadership, including its nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities.

Bahrain’s mission to the United Nations on Thursday sent a letter to the UN secretary-general and the Security Council condemning what it described as Iranian missile and drone attacks on the kingdom and the region.

The letter, submitted on behalf of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait, said the attacks since February 28 violate international law, the UN Charter and state sovereignty.

It urged the Security Council to take necessary measures to ensure Iran complies with its obligations and halts what it described as violations, while reaffirming Gulf states’ right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter.

Senator John Fetterman said on Thursday on Fox more Democrats should listen to him and get on “the right side of history,” adding “Epic Fury was necessary” and that he will be the only Democrat in his caucus proud to stand up for it.

UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz is a “fundamental principle” of international maritime law, rejecting any unilateral move to impose charges on shipping.

In an interview with Channel 4 aired on Thursday, she said the Strait is part of international shipping routes linking the high seas and argued that no country can “unilaterally go against the law of the sea” by imposing tolls.