Iran war: US, Tehran trade fire in new flare-up

On Tuesday and Wednesday, September 1-2, 2026, new tensions erupted between the United States and Iran in the Middle East. Iran retaliated to a US airstrike that killed four people by launching drone attacks against Kuwait and Bahrain, though both nations managed to intercept the incoming drones. The US responded with a retaliatory airstrike in southwestern Iran, killing 11 people and injuring dozens more.

The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, carrying over 5,000 American service members, docked in Laem Chabang, eastern Thailand, after a 286-day deployment in the Middle East. The lengthy deployment raised concerns about crew mental health and supply shortages. Service members were barred from visiting certain areas in Pattaya, a resort town known for sex tourism.

Two oil tankers caught fire after hitting sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The IRGC claimed the tankers were forced to disembark their crews after being directed by the US military to transit through an illegal route. Saudi Arabia's national shipping company reported two sailors were killed in an attack on their vessel in the strait on Monday.

Pakistan said it was still in talks with the US and Iran to end their conflict and expressed optimism about returning to the negotiating table. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson criticized previous US attacks, including a strike on a girls' school in February that killed 160 people. Meanwhile, US military leaders warned of stretched forces and depleted weapons stockpiles as the conflict enters its sixth month.