China’s Xi: Palestinian Issue Cannot Be Ignored, Remains Central to Middle East

Here are Wednesday’s latest updates:

■ Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they attacked U.S. assets in Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan and Iraq’s Erbil, as the latest round of fighting between Washington and Tehran widened across the region. Bahrain said its air defenses intercepted several Iranian attacks, while Kuwait said an Iranian drone caused a fire at a residential complex.

■ Trump denied he was trying to bring Iran back to the negotiating table, saying he “couldn’t care less” whether Tehran agrees to a deal. His comments came as Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran would return to its commitments under a June memorandum if Washington does the same.

■ Russia has secretly helped Iran develop supersonic cruise-missile technology, the Financial Times reported, citing leaked Russian correspondence, travel records and military patents. The program began in 2023 and remained active into 2026, according to the report.

■ Seven members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Basij paramilitary force were killed in U.S. strikes, Iranian media reported. U.S. Central Command said its latest strikes targeted IRGC air defenses, radar systems, maritime assets, mine-laying capabilities and communications sites.

■ Two oil tankers hit sea mines while attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said, adding that their crews were evacuated. The IRGC said the crews were handed over to U.S. operatives who were using an “illegal route.”

■ Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel is prepared to strike Iran independently if Tehran attacks, including during the Jewish holidays, saying “our planes are ready to take off,” in coordination with the United States. Katz also declined to rule out “betrayal from within” in connection with the October 7 attack, saying there had been “a very serious intelligence failure” while pointing to the ongoing official investigations into the attack.

■ The IDF said it killed a Hamas commander and another operative in a Gaza strike, accusing them of advancing attacks against Israeli troops and civilians and of helping restore Hamas’ capabilities in violation of the cease-fire.

■ The FBI seized more than $560,000 in cryptocurrency destined for Hamas and took control of websites and servers used by the group’s military wing to raise funds and recruit supporters, the U.S. Justice Department said.

■ Two Hezbollah drones targeted Israeli troops in southern Lebanon, the IDF said. One was intercepted and no injuries were reported, while Israeli forces struck Hezbollah infrastructure in the Nabatieh area.