Trump confirms calling Israeli Netanyahu ‘f--- crazy’

This live blog follows the latest developments across the Middle East crisis, including regional diplomacy, maritime security, ceasefire negotiations, and economic fallout.

Catch up: Yesterday’s top developments

• Rubio hopeful for Iran deal, insists on nuclear curbs
• Lebanon says Israeli strikes on south kill 5, wound hospital staff
• Trump calls reports of halt in US-Iran talks false
• Middle East war hammering aid supply chains: UN 
• Kuwait praises Pakistan's Iran-US mediation efforts

Kuwait demands two Iran embassy staff leave after deadly attack

Published: June 3, 2026 | 14:31 GMT | by AFP

Kuwait demanded that two Iranian embassy staff leave the country within 24 hours on Wednesday after an Iranian attack on the country's airport that killed one person and injured dozens more.

Kuwait's deputy foreign affairs minister Hamad Suleiman Al-Mashaan summoned Iran's charge d'affaires in Kuwait, Hamed Hamid Yaqoubi Far, and "handed him an official protest note regarding the continued Iranian attacks and the decision to reduce the number of members of the Iranian Embassy in the country and to consider two members of the Iranian diplomatic mission persona non grata, and request their departure from the territory of the State of Kuwait within a maximum period of 24 hours" the ministry said in a statement.

GCC condemns 'Iranian aggression' against Bahrain, Kuwait
Published: June 3, 2026 | 12:17 GMT | by Web Desk

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi expressed “strongest” condemnation and “denunciation of the ongoing Iranian aggression against the Kingdom of Bahrain and the State of Kuwait,” the council said in an official statement on Wednesday.

The statement said that these “cowardly attacks” on civilian objects, infrastructure, headquarters and diplomatic missions constitute a “dangerous and unprecedented escalation.” It added that this reflects the Iranian regime’s “insistence on pursuing rejected hostile policies” targeting the security, stability and sovereignty of the GCC states.

“The Secretary General affirmed that the continuation of these attacks reveals Iran’s continued pursuit of rejected hostile policies aimed at undermining regional security, in blatant defiance of international law, the United Nations (UN) Charter and all international norms, stressing that this requires a firm international stance to put an end to these dangerous Iranian aggressive practices,” said the statement.

He stated that the security of Bahrain and Kuwait is an integral part of the security of the GCC states, and that the Cooperation Council states stand “united in confronting these attacks” and fully support “all measures and procedures” taken by the two countries to defend their security, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Trump confirms calling Israeli Netanyahu ‘f--- crazy’
Published: June 3, 2025 | 12:12 GMT | by Web Desk

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday confirmed calling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “f--- crazy” earlier during a Monday phone call, the New York Post reported.

In an exclusive “Pod Force One” interview with The Post’s Miranda Devine, Trump stated; ““I was a little bit perturbed at his constantly fighting with Lebanon,”, according to the report.

Early this week, Axios reported that Trump lashed out at Netanyahu over Israel’s escalation in Lebanon in an “expletive-laden” call on Monday, citing two US officials and a third source “briefed on the call.”

The report stated that Trump called Netanyahu "crazy" and accused him of ingratitude.

US imposes sanctions on Iranian crypto firms
Published: June 3, 2026 | 9:45 GMT | by Web Desk

US imposed fresh round of sanctions that targeted several Iranian cryptocurrency firms and people linked to the industry, the country’s state agency IRNA reported Wednesday.

According to IRNA, the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) stated that four firms and four people were sanctioned, among them Nobitex, the country’s biggest cryptocurrency firm.

The move is part of a larger “Economic Fury” campaign launched by the US to “financially isolate Iran, target its shadow banking networks, and disrupt its petroleum and digital asset revenues”, according to the Treasury Department.

Kuwait says partially resumes flights after attack on airport

Published: June 3, 2026 09:15 GMT | by AFP

Kuwait said it would resume flights for its flagship airline on Wednesday, hours after saying an Iranian attack had forced the airport to close and killed one person.

"The General Authority of Civil Aviation announced on Wednesday the resumption of all Kuwait Airways flights only, from Kuwait International Airport," it said in a statement.

One killed in Iranian attack on Kuwait: ministry

Published: June 3, 2026 09:10 GMT | by AFP

Kuwait on Wednesday said Iranian attacks on its territory killed one person and wounded several others, as well as forcing its airport to close and damaging unnamed diplomatic missions.

Kuwait's foreign ministry condemned the attacks "that once again targeted vital and civilian infrastructure, including Kuwait International Airport, killing one person and injuring others, in addition to causing damage to vital infrastructure including diplomatic missions".

Oil prices rise on Iran peace worries, Asian stocks build on tech rally

Published: June 3, 2026 08:35 GMT | by AFP

Oil prices jumped more than 2% Wednesday as Middle East peace talks stuttered, though stocks mostly rose on the back of continued demand for all things linked to artificial intelligence.

Despite Donald Trump's assurances that the United States and Iran are edging closer to ending their three-month-long war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, crude investors appear unmoved as they await solid progress.

Kuwait says Iran drone attack forces closure of airport

Published: June 3, 2026 06:36 GMT | by AFP

Kuwait said Iran hit a passenger terminal at its international airport on Wednesday, wounding several people and forcing air traffic to be suspended.

Kuwait's Ministry of Defense spokesman Brigadier General Saud Abdulaziz Al-Atwan described the attack as "criminal Iranian aggression which resulted in significant material damage to the building and injuries".

Iran's Revolutionary Guards blamed the US for targeting a communications tower on the country's Qeshm Island, though they did not explicitly say they had targeted Kuwait's airport.

"In response to this aggression, their air base and helicopters located in one of the countries in the region, as well as the headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet, were attacked by missiles and drones from the IRGC Aerospace Force," the Guards said.

Japan's govt backs $19B to dampen Iran war impact

Published: June 3, 2026 05:00 GMT | by AFP

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's government backed on Wednesday $19 billion in additional spending to help Japanese households struggling with soaring everyday costs driven by the Iran war.

The budget could reportedly be passed as soon as Friday in the legislature that is dominated by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and allies of Takaichi, who said previously the money would go toward easing petrol, electricity, and gas costs.

The extra budget was "decided" at a cabinet meeting, the prime minister's office said on its website.

Israel, Lebanon advance toward comprehensive agreement after meeting in Washington

Published: June 3, 2026 04:31 GMT | by AFP

US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said that progress continues on the political and security tracks between Lebanon and Israel after the fourth round of direct talks were held in Washington. 

“Progress continues on the political and security tracks as we break from the failures of the past 20 years and advance toward a comprehensive agreement aimed at restoring Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring Israel's security,” Pigott said in a post on X. 

“The United States remains fully committed to facilitating these historic negotiations,” he said, adding that another round was scheduled for tomorrow.

Cyber-attack exposed personal details of 600,000 Gaza households, WFP says

Published: June 3, 2026 03:17 GMT | by Web Desk

The World Food Programme (WFP) has informed 600,000 Palestinian families in Gaza that their personal information was exposed in a “security-related incident," The New Humanitarian reported, according to Al Jazeera.

According to a statement, the data that was accessed came from a “self-registration application (SRA) for Palestine, where individuals are able to register to receive food and cash assistance after verification.”

The information exposed to “unauthorized actors” included names, ID and mobile phone numbers, and location data, the news organization reports.

Oil spikes following latest US-Iran clash, targeting of Kuwait and Bahrain

Published: June 3, 2026 02:21 GMT | by Web Desk

Crude oil prices climbed by more than 1% in early trading on Wednesday morning, as clashes erupted in the Middle East, Al Jazeera reported.

Brent crude futures advanced by $1.05, or 1.09%, to settle at $97.05 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) surged by $1.01, or 1.08%, to reach $94.77.

IRGC says responded with drones, missiles after US struck Iranian oil tanker, communications tower

Published: June 3, 2026 00:41 GMT | by AFP

Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reports that the Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has shared a sequence of events detailing an exchange of fire between US and Iranian forces.

According to the IRGC, the exchange began when US forces hit an Iranian oil tanker near the Strait of Hormuz, damaging its engine room.

The IRGC said it then attacked a US-Israeli vessel with naval missiles.

After this, US forces targeted an IRGC communications tower south of Qeshm Island.

The IRGC said it then used missiles and drones to attack a US airbase, including the headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet, and helicopters “located in one of the countries in the region”.

US military says it has 'defeated' Iran missile, drone attacks in Gulf

Published: June 3, 2026 00:27 GMT | by AFP

The US military said that it had "successfully defeated" a series of Iranian missile and drone attacks in the Gulf and conducted self-defense strikes on Iran's Qeshm Island.

"Iran launched several ballistic missiles toward regional neighbors; however, all failed to hit their intended targets," US Central Command said in a statement.

"Two Iranian missiles fired at Kuwait fell short or broke apart en route, and three missiles launched at Bahrain were immediately intercepted by US and Bahrain air defense forces."

The US military also shot down three attack drones that had been launched by Iran "toward civilian mariners that were rightfully transiting regional waters," Centcom said.

Centcom said the strikes had targeted an "Iranian military ground control station" on the island, adding that no US personnel were injured.

Read our June 2 live blog for earlier developments here