Iran-US war latest: Tehran threatens to prolong war until Trump’s term ends so ‘enemy never dares attack us again’

A US official has said it would be “wise” for Iran to agree to a peace deal as the war in the Middle East drags on.

While Donald Trump “has been consistent in saying he prefers a diplomatic solution, he continues to retain all options if Iran continues to engage in terrorism and refuses to make a deal”, the official told NewsNations.

“The successful sanctions and blockade have crippled Iran’s economy and left Iran in an extremely degraded state. It would be wise for Iran to agree to a deal – otherwise, they know what will happen”.

US Central Command had denied reports that seven sailors died in a brawl aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Middle East and that there had been a spike in suicidal ideation on the aircraft carrier.

“USS Abraham Lincoln has maintained among the highest crew reenlistment rates (84.4%) of all aircraft carriers in the U.S. Navy”, CENTCOM wrote on X.

“No service members aboard the aircraft carrier have died, and the one Sailor who fell overboard Aug. 3 was quickly and safely recovered. The rampant misreporting on Abraham Lincoln’s historic deployment is a disservice to our men and women in uniform and their loved ones”.

A top US Democrat has called reports of deteriorating conditions on USS Abraham Lincoln in the Middle East a “disgrace”.

“Food shortages. Rationing. Mental Health Challenges. Lack of fresh fruits and vegetables”, Hakeem Jeffries, the minority leader for the House of Representatives, wrote on X. “Republicans need to end their reckless war of choice in Iran immediately”.

US Vice President JD Vance has laid out two major goals his administration has in the Iran war.

“That’s goal number one. Keep oil and gas cheap for Americans all over our country”, Vance told Fox News. “And then obviously, goal number two is ensure that Iran never gets a nuclear weapon. I feel confident we’re accomplishing both of those goals”.

Peace talks between the US and Iran, that could potentially include a nuclear deal, have stalled as gas prices in America remain higher than pre-war levels.

Maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has remained diminished as the Iran war drags on for its sixth month.

Just three ships transited the vital oil waterway in the past 24 hours, according to the Hormuz Strait Monitor.

Donald Trump has claimed the US has “total control” over the strait, which Iran denies.

Iran’s joint military command, ​Khatam al-Anbiya Central ‌Headquarters, has claimed no vessel could transit the Strait of Hormuz without Tehran’s permission.

“The baseless claims made by the United States regarding the normal passage of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz … are nothing more than lies and falsehoods,” the command said in a statement published by state media Thursday.

Separately, senior military political official Rasoul Sanaei-Rad said Iran would not reopen the strait unless the other side fulfilled its commitments under the interim deal, adding that the reopening of the waterway was not something the U.S. can achieve unilaterally, according to Fars news.

Sanaei-Rad also warned that Iran would respond more forcefully in any future conflict, saying: “In a possible future war, we will stand more firmly and more offensively.”

The Strait of Hormuz is “under Iran’s control and management”, the recently appointed head of Iran’s Basij paramilitary unit said today, a day after Trump said the United States had “total control” of the strategic waterway.

Hossein Taeb said the U.S. had sought to disrupt what he described as the Islamic Republic’s popularity in the region by launching another war in the Strait of Hormuz, but had once more been defeated despite claiming Iran had neither an air force nor a navy.

”Today you see that the Strait of Hormuz is under the management and control of the Islamic Republic,” Taeb said, according to the semi-official Fars news. He added that Iran was continuing on its course in complete security.

After the start of the war, which began with U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, Tehran effectively shut the strait, through which a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas was previously shipped.

The U.S. subsequently imposed a naval blockade on Iranian shipping and ports, while saying it would protect freedom of navigation for vessels travelling to and from non-Iranian ports.

US Central Command has announced what it called a new “multi-domain, multinational attack drone task force.”

Task Force Falcon Strike “will employ one-way attack drones consisting of unmanned systems from above, on, and below the sea operated by military support staff from the United States and regional partners”, CENTCOM wrote on X.

This unit will be the first of its kind, expanding on Task Force Scorpion Strike, the US military’s one-way attack drone squadron in the Middle East.

“The United States military has a lot of strong partnerships and friends in the region”, Admiral Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander, said. “We are collectively stronger when we integrate and deploy new capabilities together”.

The USS George Washington will take the Lincoln’s place, US officials told The Wall Street Journal. The switch is reportedly part of a previously planned rotation.

The Navy has said it is not publicly discussing plans for the carriers because of operational security concerns.

The swap comes after sailors and their families have alleged issues on the Lincoln, including food shortages, months at sea without interruption and deteriorating mental health.