Washington launches a new series of attacks against Iran

U.S. military forces launched attacks against Iran for the fifth consecutive night on Thursday, the U.S. military reported.

The attacks — which began at 6:00 p.m. GMT — were carried out to "further degrade Iranian military capabilities," the U.S. military command for the Middle East (Centcom) said in a post on X.

Trump remains "open" to a diplomatic solution with Iran, says the White House

According to statements from the White House, President Donald Trump remains open to a diplomatic solution with Iran. Washington continues its contact with Tehran despite the resumption of hostilities, the White House added.

The comments come a day after Trump thanked Iran for releasing a U.S. citizen who had been detained since December 2024, in a gesture seen as a possible diplomatic opening.

"The president holds [the Iranians] accountable when they turn their backs on the commitments they have made to the United States. But at the same time, he is always open to diplomacy," said spokesperson Karoline Leavitt during a press conference.

"They conveyed to the president that they still want to reach an agreement. We are talking with them, but, again, the president will not allow them to fire on ships in the strait without consequences," she added.

A fragile ceasefire

The fragile ceasefire agreed upon in June is in jeopardy after the United States launched several rounds of strikes in recent days in an attempt to curb Iran's ability to threaten maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.

Crossfire between the two sides began on July 7 following several attacks on ships in the Gulf, attributed to Iran.

Trump warned this week that he could expand the bombings to include power plants and bridges, unless the Islamic Republic returns to the negotiating table.