US sends massive Iranian warship up in flames in mission to sink nation’s ENTIRE Navy as Middle East sees drones and missiles pound region – LIVE UPDATES

US Central Command announced Thursday that its forces have struck an Iranian drone carrier, which it said is ‘roughly the size of a WWII aircraft carrier.’

It shared footage of the attack, showing soldiers zeroing in on the ship.

Moments later, a large plume of smoke could be seen billowing into the sky from the center of the ship and debris starts to fall.

Another plume of smoke soon appeared on the other side of the ship as well, as CENTCOM said it was on fire.

‘US forces aren’t holding back on the mission to sink the entire Iranian Navy,’ it warned.

Donald Trump told Iran’s Revolutionary Guards to give up their weapons and surrender or face ‘guaranteed death’.

Speaking in front of the Inter Miami squad at the White House, the President also told Iranian diplomats to defect and gain ‘diplomatic immunity’ and be ‘on the right side of history’.

He said: ‘I’m once again calling on all members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, the military and the police to lay down their arms.

‘Now is the time to stand up for the Iranian people and help take back your country. You’re gonna have a chance after all these years to take back your country. Accept immunity, we’ll give you immunity.

‘You’ll be perfectly safe with total immunity or you’ll face absolutely guaranteed death, and I don’t want to see that.’

Smoke rises after Israeli strikes in Lebanon

Fighting between the US, Israel and Iran today entered its sixth day as violence continues to spread across the Middle East as countries around the world scramble to evacuate its citizens from the region.

The United Arab Emirates has confirmed it has been struck by a ballistic missile and six drones after Iranian drones were fired towards Dubai as holidaymakers desperately try to flee.

Meanwhile it has emerged the US is in talks to buy drone interceptors from Ukraine amid fears Gulf states are running low on the missiles needed to protect themselves from Tehran’s attacks.

Here’s what you need to know today:

• The UAE has announced a ballistic missile and six drones have fallen in the country after Tehran fired a barrage of 131 drones today
• America is in talks to buy Ukrainian drone interceptors amid fears stocks of Patriot missiles are running low for Gulf states
• Azerbaijan has confirmed an airport and a school have been struck with drones but Iran has denied it fired the weapons
• The IDF has revealed details of how Ayatollah Khamenei was lured to his death with fake Shabbat celebrations before a missile was dropped on him from space
• British nationals branded the first UK evacuation flight a ‘s***show’ after the plane failed to leave Oman because the pilot needed to rest
• Spain joins Italy, France and Netherlands in sending naval assets to Cyprus in humiliation for Royal Navy
• Qatar evacuates residents living close to the US embassy in Doha as missiles are intercepted
• Israeli strikes in Lebanon have killed eight people as new offensive is also carried out in Tehran
• Fire breaks out at Bahrain oil refinery as Iran targets energy infrastructure across region
• Smoke billows above Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina following Iranian drone attacks

US President Donald Trump said today he is not worried about gas prices rising as a result of the war in Iran: ‘If they rise, they rise.’

‘I dont have any concern about it,’ he told Reuters. ‘Theyll drop very rapidly when this is over, and if they rise, they rise, but this is far more important than having gasoline prices go up a little bit.’

Gas prices have soared seven percent since US and Israeli forces struck Iran on February 28.

But Trump said he is not considering tapping into the nation’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve, the world’s largest stockpile of emergency oil held in underground caves in Louisiana and Texas.

He also said he is sure the Strait of Hormuz, which one out of every five barrels of oil on the planet passes, will remain open because Irans navy is at the ‘bottom of the sea.’

US military investigators believe it is likely that American forces were responsible for an apparent strike on an Iranian girls’ school that killed dozens of children on Saturday, but have not yet reached a final conclusion or completed their investigation, two officials told Reuters.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday acknowledged the US military was investigating the incident.

The White House did not directly comment on the investigation, but press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement: ‘While the Department of War is currently investigating this matter, the Iranian regime targets civilians and children, not the United States of America.’

Asked about the incident during a news briefing on Wednesday, Hegseth also said: ‘Were investigating that. We, of course, never target civilian targets. But were taking a look and investigating that.’

Secretary of State Marco Rubio also told reporters on Monday that the United States would not deliberately target a school.

President Donald Trump told Time Magazine he has ‘no time limits’ on how long the operation in Iran could last.

But he detailed several objectives he would like to accomplish: They cant have a nuclear weapon. Thats number one, two, and three. Number four, no ballistic missiles.’

Another aim, Trump said, is installing ‘somebody that is rational and sane’ to lead Iran.

The president also responded to a question about whether Americans should be concerned about retaliatory attacks in the United States.

‘I guess,’ he admitted.

‘But I think theyre worried about that all the time. We think about it all the time. We plan for it. But yeah, you know, we expect some things. Like I said, some people will die. When you go to war, some people will die.’

The first government chartered repatriation flight leaving from the Middle East has arrived back in the UK.

The Titan Airways flight, which left Muscat, the capital of Oman, on Thursday landed at Stansted Airport shortly before 1am on Friday.

The flight, returning Brits stuck in the warring region, stopped to refuel in Egypt before arriving in London.

It was originally scheduled to land on Wednesday before facing a delay because of ‘technical issues’.

Sir Keir Starmer said more than 4,000 Brits have arrived back to the UK on commercial flights since the outbreak of war in the Middle East on Saturday

Iranian missiles have struck two hotels in Bahrain, with footage showing a hotel in the capital Manama on fire.

Bahrain’s interior ministry said a residential building was also targeted in the attack.

The latest attack has caused ‘material damage but no loss of life’, the Ministry of Interior said in a post on X.

Earlier this week, the US Navy base in Bahrain was targeted by Iranian missiles.

The US has ordered the evacuation of its embassy in Kuwait.

Embassy staff have also been told to destroy information and wipe classified servers, CBS reports.

Kuwait’s army repelled an Iranian missile attack throughout the evening.

The oil rich nation hosts a number of US bases and is a target for Tehran.