US-Iran war news highlights: US forces conducted ‘self-defense strikes’, says CENTCOM after explosions in southern Iran

Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz are visible near the beach of Bandar Abbas, Iran.

US-Iran war news highlights: After reports of explosions in Iran, US CENTCOM said the American forces had conducted “self-defense strikes” in the country. The strikes targeted missile launch boats and Iranian boats seeking to lay mines, CENTCOM added. The CENTCOM further said that the American military would defend their forces “while urging restraint during the ongoing ceasefire.”

Explosions were heard in Iran's Bandar Abbas city and coastal areas near the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters news agency cited Iranian media as reporting. Tasnim said three explosions were heard in Bandar Abbas, while Fars said similar sounds were heard close to Sirik and Jask near the strategic waterway.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said on Monday that a deal with Iran would either be "great and meaningful" or there would be "no deal."

"The deal with Iran will either be a great and meaningful one, or there will be no deal," he wrote on Truth Social.

Top Iranian top negotiator Mohammad ​Bagher Ghalibaf and foreign minister Abbas Araghchi are reportedly in Doha for talks with Qatar's prime minister on a potential US-Iran deal to end the conflict, Reuters reported , quoting an official.

Iran's central bank governor is part of the delegation to Doha to discuss potential release of frozen assets as part of an eventual final Iran-US deal, Reuters reported, citing an official.

The peace proposal is awaiting Tehran’s response and the delay is due to an internal decision-making process, US' state secretary Marco Rubio has said.

He added that there was a “pretty solid thing on the table” for a time-limited negotiation on Iran’s nuclear issue. A deal may be announced today, the diplomat said.

US-Iran peace deal stuck

Inches from a historic peace deal between the United States and Iran, the world watched diplomacy collapse back into gridlock due to renewed uncertainty from Washington. US President Donald Trump said the outlines of an agreement with Iran remain unfinished and a deal has not been “fully negotiated yet.” Only hours before, officials hinted an accord was practically signed, sealed, and delivered. Now, the finish line has vanished.

Both sides say progress has been made towards ending the war, but key details are still being negotiated. Trump said a deal is close, though the US naval blockade on Iranian ports will remain during talks.

US media says that a final pen-to-paper moment could take days. This comes after persistent gaps between the two sides on core issues.

How the deal would work

The proposed framework would give negotiators 60 days to reach an overall agreement. The Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear programme remain major sticking points. Even if a deal is reached, easing the global energy crisis and lowering prices will take time.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said that Tehran's willingness to provide assurances that its nuclear activities remain strictly peaceful. “We are ready to assure the world that we are not seeking nuclear weapons and are not seeking unrest in the region,” he said.

Netanyahu wants Iran's ‘nuclear threat’ ended

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted that any final agreement must “eliminate the nuclear threat entirely.” This, according to him, includes the dismantling of Iran’s uranium enrichment facilities and the removal of enriched material from its territory.

Trump, for his part, has said there was “no rush” to conclude a deal. He said “time was on our side,” even as he confirmed instructing his diplomatic team to proceed deliberately.

Marco Rubio on the war

US secretary of state Marco Rubio, on a visit to India, said the US has made “significant progress” in outlining a path to resolve the war over the past 48 hours. He said discussions also covered tensions around the Strait of Hormuz and warned that attempts to impose “illegal tolls” or target ships in international waterways would be unacceptable.

Rubio held high-level meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and external affairs minister S Jaishankar during his multi-day diplomatic visit.

Israel-Lebanon updates

Israel has bombed Lebanon again. The strikes have killed at least two people and injured ten in the southern town of Arab Salim, according to local reports.

Iran shoots down Israeli drone

Iran said it shot down an Israeli surveillance drone in Hormozgan province.

Gaza flotilla detainees say Israel raped, abused them

Organisers of the Global Sumud Flotilla say activists freed after being detained by Israeli forces have alleged severe abuse, including rape and sexual violence, during detention.

According to the group, at least 15 cases of sexual assault have been documented, including reports of rape, alongside claims of beatings, humiliation, strip searches, groping, and forced nudity.

Some detainees said they were thrown into makeshift prison containers, beaten with batons, and denied basic rights such as water, rest, legal access, and medical care, with reports of fractures, taser injuries, and untreated conditions.

The organisers also said some activists were held in overcrowded conditions, moved between detention sites to prevent sleep, and subjected to further humiliation upon arrival on land, including being forced to kneel for hours.

Israel’s prison service has denied all allegations, calling them “false and entirely without factual basis.”