Iran LIVE: Rebels launch ground offensive in Iran after US 'hatches plan for covert uprising'

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Tehran dismisses reports of armed Kurdish rebel incursion

Iranian state media has denied reports that thousands of armed Kurdish rebels from Iraq have launched a ground invasion into western Iran.

Tasnim news agency said its reporters in three border provinces had not been informed of any militants crossing the frontier.

On Wednesday, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth insisted the US was not arming an uprising inside the country.

However, an Israeli source told Fox News it was "supporting Kurdish militias in Western Iran".

Three people killed in Israeli strikes on Beirut

Three people have been killed and six have been injured in Israeli strikes on Beirut, the Lebanese Health Ministry has confirmed.

"Two Israeli air strikes on the airport highway killed three people and wounded six," the ministry said.

They confirmed the strikes had hit vehicles in the region.

Alarm notification at RAF base in Cyprus over 'suspicious object'

An alarm notification has been sent to personnel at Britain's RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus.

A message warning of a security threat has been sent recommending them to stay indoors and away from windows, according to local media.

A "suspicious object" is said to have been spotted up to three kilometres away from the base, which was previously hit by a drone on Sunday evening.

'Situation in Lebanon is extremely alarming' - Emmanuel Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron has urged Benjamin Netenyahu to avoid ground conflict, labelling the situation in Lebanon "extremely alarming".

In a statement on social media platform X, Mr Macron said: "Today, I spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, to discuss the situation in Lebanon, which is extremely alarming.

"I reiterated the necessity for Hezbollah to immediately cease its attacks on Israel and beyond. This escalatory strategy is a grave mistake that puts the entire region at risk.

"I also called on the Israeli Prime Minister to preserve the integrity of Lebanese territory and to refrain from launching a ground offensive. It is crucial for the parties to return to the ceasefire agreement.

"France will continue, in cooperation with its partners, to support the efforts of the Lebanese army so that it can fully carry out its sovereign missions and put an end to the threat posed by Hezbollah.

"In the face of the humanitarian emergency in southern Lebanon, France will take immediate initiatives to support the displaced Lebanese. Our solidarity with the Lebanese people and our commitment to regional stability remain at the heart of our work."

Donald Trump says he would rate Iran war '15 out of 10'

Donald Trump has told a White House briefing that he would rate the Iran war a "15 out of 10".

The President said it is "exciting times" for the US, whose forces are in a "very strong position" in Iran.

He continued: "Somebody said on a scale of 10 where would you rate it? I said, about a 15."

"If we didn’t hit within two weeks, they [Iran] would have had a nuclear weapon," he added.

Israel embarks on 'additional wave of strikes' in Tehran, military confirm

The Israel Defense Forces have confirmed they are embarking on an "additional wave of strikes" across Iran's capital.

In a statement, the IDF said: "The IDF has begun an additional wave of strikes targeting military infrastructure belonging to the Iranian regime across Tehran."

No further details were provided, though journalists have reported witnessing a powerful explosion in the area this evening.

WATCH IN FULL: Karoline Leavitt delivers update on Operation Epic Fury

Karoline Leavitt says Donald Trump 'expects' help from European nations

The President "expects" all European allies to aid the US's offensive in Israel, Karoline Leavitt says.

She says Spain has heard Donald Trump's message "loud and clear" from his media address in the Oval Office yesterday with German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, in which the President described the support from the country as "terrible", and threatened cutting all trade with the country.

Spain have now said they will "cooperate", Mrs Leavitt confirmed.

In that same meeting, President Trump launched a brutal attack on Keir Starmer - there has been no mention of the Prime Minister in today's press conference so far.

'Iran refused to say yes to peace,' says White House

Karoline Leavitt, addressing reporters at the White House, insists that Iran "refused" peace talks.

The main aim of Operation Epic Fury, she insists, is to "permanently extinguishing their nuclear ambitions". Iran's proxies are "hardly putting up a fight".

"They refused to say yes to peace," says Mrs Leavitt, adding that Donald Trump made the "courageous determination and decision that the path the United States was on with Iran had only one outcome; massive death and destruction."

She says President Trump "does not bluff."

Mrs Leavitt later added that the President "tried peace through diplomacy exhaustively and extensively", but ultimately came to the realisation this was "not a pursuable path in the Iranian regime - they want death".

US expects 'complete and total dominance over Iranian air space in the coming hours'

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is currently addressing reporters in Washington DC.

She says that Operation Epic Fury has so far been a "resounding success".

"We expect to have complete and total dominance over Iranian air space in the coming hours," Mrs Leavitt stated.

US tells citizens in Iraq to leave as 'soon as they are safely able to do so'

The US embassy has told US citizens in Iraq to leave as "soon as they are safely able to do so".

The country is currently under a complete blackout, with the ministry confirming: "The power grid has completely shut down across all Iraqi provinces."

The reason for the blackout is currently unknown and under investigation, they added.

Missile alert sirens sound across Israel as Iran launches more missiles

Missile alert sirens have been sounding out across Tel Aviv and central Israel after the Home Front Command detected missiles from Iran headed toward Israel.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has urged those who have received shelter notifications to do so immediately, and not to exit until instructed to do so.

Defence systems are currently working to intercept the missiles, the IDF say.

Lebanon confirm 20 deaths in latest round of strikes

Haneen Sayed, Labanese Social Affairs Minister, has confirmed at least 20 people have been killed in the latest round of Israeli strikes in the country today, according to Reuters.

72 people have now been killed by Israeli strikes in Lebanon, Ms Sayed confirmed, with 437 injured since Monday.

It comes as reports emerge that Hezbollah fighters have engaged in "direct" clashes with Israeli troops in southern Lebanon.

Israeli military entered several villages near the UN-demarcated Blue Line, according to the BBC.

PICTURED: Before and after school strike in Iran

The satellite image above shows the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls' school in Minab, Iran, on Wednesday, March 4, before and after being struck during the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, according to Reuters.

Iran were left 'no choice' in responding to US-Israeli strikes, says President Pezeshkian

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has addressed his neighbouring countries in the Gulf, claiming they had "no choice" but to respond to US-Israeli strikes.

US strikes began on February 28. Since then, Iran have launched a gluttony of strikes across the region, targeting both US military bases and civilian infrastructure in United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Oman.

In a post on X, President Pezeshkian said: "Heads of friendly and neighboring states, we have strived alongside you and through diplomacy to avoid war, but the American-Zionist military aggression has left us no choice but to defend ourselves.

"We respect your sovereignty, and we believe that the security and stability of the region must be achieved through the collective efforts of its states."

WATCH: Department of Defense release footage showing the sinking of an Iranian warship

Labour confirm Iran ambassador has been summoned

The UK has summoned the Iranian ambassador, Foreign Office minister Chris Elmore told the Commons this afternoon.

Mr Elmore confirmed this took place at around 3pm on Wednesday.

"I can confirm to the house that the Middle East Minister has just finished summoning the Iranian ambassador," he told the Commons.

Turkey summons Iranian ambassador after missile detected

Turkey has summoned Iran's ambassador in protest after an Iranian ballistic missile was detected heading towards Turkish airspace.

A Turkish diplomatic source told Reuters the missile had been tracked after crossing Iraqi and Syrian airspace, and was intercepted before it reached Turkey. Nato air defence systems neutralised the threat.

Turkey's foreign minister, Hakan Fidan, conveyed Turkey's strong protest in a phone call with his counterpart, and is said to have urged him to avoid further escalating the conflict.

'More bombers and fighters' on the way, say US

The US have confirmed that "more bombers and fighters" are arriving on Wednesday, with strikes set to continue but target new locations.

"We will now begin to expand inland, striking progressively deeper into Iranian territory and creating additional freedom of maneuver for U.S. forces," Gen Dan Cain said.

The goal is to ensure Iran can’t rebuild its military power, he stated, adding: "Iran’s theater ballistic missile shots fired are down 86 per cent from the first day of fighting, with a 23 per cent decrease just in the last 24 hours. And their one-way attack drone shots are down 73% from the opening days."

He reiterated that things are "throttling up," and the US is "staying ahead of the enemy."

At least 80 confirmed dead after warship sinking near Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka's deputy foreign minister has said at least 80 people were killed in a US submarine strike against the IRIS Dena, an Iranian warship.

It was earlier believed that 140 people were unaccounted for after the torpedo attack.

The deputy foreign minister said the Iranian warship was travelling back to Iran from a port in eastern India.

Sri Lanka, it is reported, has rescued 32 sailors from the incident.

Iran threatens Israeli embassies worldwide if they attack Beirut 

An Iranian armed forces spokesman has said Iran will target Israeli embassies worldwide if it attacks the Islamic Republic's embassy in Beirut, Lebanon.

This comes after Israel has commenced a ground invasion on Lebanon yesterday.

Pete Hegseth confirms US Navy submarine responsible for Iranian vessel sinking near Sri Lanka 

The US's Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, has confirmed it was a US submarine that torpedoed and sunk an Iranian frigate in the Indian Ocean, just off the coast of Sri Lanka.

Currently 104 people are reported missing from the IRIS Dena, with 78 taken wounded.

This is the first time that a submarine has sunk a warship since the Falklands War in 1982, where the HMS Conqueror destroyed the Belgrano.

'They are toast' - US War Secretary briefs on Middle East conflict

Pete Hegseth, US War Secretary, has said more forces are coming as "America is winning in Iran" and they are "just getting started".

He said American strength remains "utterly dominant" over Iran, referring to the Islamic Republic as "toast".

The war secretary continued by saying, "We are punching them while they are down".

He continued by saying Israel and the US "will control Iran and will control it soon".

'Catching arrows instead of stopping the archer' - Sir Keir Starmer is blasted in PMQs on Iran 

Kemi Badenoch asked Sir Keir Starmer why the RAF cannot be deployed to assist allies caught up in the Iranian conflict.

Sir Keir replied: "We've got civilians and military personnel at risk in the region, we need to act therefore with clarity, with purpose, and with a cool head.

"The protection of UK nationals is our number one priority, and we're taking action to reduce the threat with planes in the sky in the region".

He claimed he was not satisfied for the "UK to join a war".

The tory leader responded: "Iran is trying to kill our service men and women. He's catching arrows instead of stopping the archer.

"Why is he asking our allies to do what we should be doing ourselves. We are in this war whether we like it or not".

Navy in most 'parlous state' in 60 years, says its former chief

The Royal Navy is in the most "parlous state" it has been in for the last 60 years and fails to deliver on "what the nation needs", Lord West of Spithead, former chief of the service, has said.

His comments add to the growing criticism of the UK's lack of military presence in the Mediterranean, as HMS Dragon being prepared at Portsmouth harbour.

However, there are reports the navy vessel will not leave port until early next week due to its unpreparedness.

PICTURED: Israeli military vehicles at the Lebanese border

No damage to Iran's nuclear facilities, says International Atomic Energy Agency

UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said today it's seen no damage to Iran's nuclear facilities, along with no radiological release, based on available satellite imagery.

This update comes after the IAEA reported Iran's nuclear enrichment facility in Nantaz suffered some damage yesterday, specifically around its entrance buildings to the underground plant.

PICTURED: The wounded from submarine attack on Iranian ship head to Sri Lankan hospital 

A spokesman for the Sri Lankan navy said efforts were currently focused on rescuing those on board the vessel, with an investigation to follow once lifesaving operations are complete.

Reports claim the submarine involved, which struck the IRIS Dena, was US-owned and may represent only the second time a nuclear-powered submarine has sunk an enemy warship in combat.

According to initial figures, 101 people are reported missing following the attack, while a further 78 have been wounded.

Greek fighter jets made no interception in Cypriot airspace 

Reports are coming in that Greek fighter jets made no interception in Cyprus, despite earlier reporting saying they had taken down a suspicious object, which was first detected near Lebanese airspace.

It is now reported that Greek fighter jets launched, but made no interception and returned back to base.

Strike reportedly targets Saudi Aramco refinery 

A drone attack has attempted to hit Saudi Arabia's Ras Tanura oil refinery.

Saudi state news has reported that despite the attempt, there has been no impact on its supplies.

Ras Tanura is located on the eastern coast of the country and this is the second strike on its oil refinery, with Iranian drones striking the site on Monday.

UKMTO reports a tanker experienced loud blast and debris from unknown projectile 

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has reported a tanker experienced a loud blast and debris as an unknown projectile, which was found on deck.

They have reported all crew as safe.

It is not yet known where this incident as occurred.

At least 101 people missing after Iranian ship hit near Sri Lanka

At least 101 people are missing after an Iranian ship was hit by a submarine off the coast of Sri Lanka, as well as 78 people taken wounded.

The Sri Lankan navy and defence ministry have reported that an Iranian ship, believed to be frigate IRIS Dena, has been attacked by a submarine.

This has left at least 101 people unaccounted for, with Sir Lankan authorities rescuing 78 wounded.

Greek fighter jets intercept suspicious object close to Cypriot airspace

Greek fighter jets, which were spotted over the Cypriot capital, Nicosia, have intercepted a suspicious object close to Cypriot airspace.

Earlier, there were reports Cyprus had closed its airspace due to detections of a suspect object near Lebanese airspace, but a government spokesman has since said the airspace was never closed.

This comes as the Greek navy vessels, "Kimon" and "Psara" arrive in the Cypriot port of Limassol.

Cypriot airspace not closed reports government spokesman 

A Cypriot government spokesman has denied that Cyprus's airspace was closed.

Konstantinos Letymbiotis wrote on X that the "airspace of the Republic of Cyprus was not closed at any time".

Flights heading to Cyprus's Larnaka airport were asked to "remain in holding patterns for a short period of time, in order to provide the necessary operational space", however, the captain of one of the flights decided to return to Athens.

He concluded that the "airspace continues to operate normally".

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's eldest son survives attacks says Iranian sources

Iranian sources have told Reuters that Mojtaba Khamenei, the late Ayatollah's eldest son, has survived the assault on Iran, which killed his father, the then Supreme Leader of Iran, on Saturday.

Mojtaba Khamenei is seen as the prospective next Supreme Leader of Iran.

US embassy staff temporarily evacuated in Cypriot capital 

US embassy staff were temporarily evacuated from their station in Nicosia, Cyprus's capital, and taken to an underground basement.

They have since returned to the main building.

Also, Greek fighter jets have been spotted going over Cypriot capital.

This comes as Cyprus reportedly shut its airspace due to suspect object detected near Lebanese airspace.

PICTURED: HMS Dragon at Portsmouth harbour 

HMS Dragon has been pictured at Portsmouth harbour this morning after Sir Keir Starmer announced it would deploy the vessel to the eastern Mediterranean to support Cyprus.

However, there are reports the vessel will not leave the port until early next week as preparations need to be made.

Cyprus closes its airspace due to 'suspicious object' near Lebanon

Cyprus has shut its airspace as they detected a suspect object close to Lebanese airspace.

A government spokesman wrote on X: "A possible suspicious object has been detected in the airspace near Lebanon.

"For precautionary reasons, all appropriate measures have been taken by the competent authorities to investigate the incident and, if required, to address it."

Spain's Prime Minister hits out against President Trump after threats to cut trade

Spain's Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, has said the US "cannot play Russian roulette with the destiny of millions" as he denounced the attack on Iran this weekend.

Tensions between the two NATO allies have risen after President Trump threatened to halt trade with Spain after the country stopped the US from utilising its military bases to attack Iran.

In an address to the nation, Mr Sánchez said: "This is how humanity's great disasters start ... You cannot play Russian roulette with destiny of millions."

PICTURED: Strikes hit Beirut as Hezbollah and Israel ramp up attacks 

Israeli strikes have hit Beirut's southern suburbs, as tensions have grown between them and Hezbollah, an Islamist Lebanese political party and paramilitary group, who is funded by Iran.

Oil prices rise 3% in response to Middle East crisis 

Oil prices have risen by 3 per cent today as the war in Iran has caused major disruption in the region - particularly with the blocking of the Strait of Hormuz, which around 20 per cent of the world's oil supply passes through.

On top of this, Iranian retaliatory strikes against energy infrastructure in the region have impacted supply, as well as Iraq cutting output by nearly 1.5 million barrels a day - about half of its production.

Canada's Prime Minister would welcome regime change in Iran

Mark Carney, Canada's Prime Minister has said he would "welcome a change of regime in Tehran".

This comes after Mr Carney said that despite supporting the strikes in Iran, he does so "with regret", referring to it as a "failure of international order".

He was speaking to Australian reporters as he is in the country as part of his Indo-Pacific tour.

'Trump i​s no Franklin D. Roosevelt either, is he?' - Liberal Democrats deputy leader calls out US President on Iran ​

Speaking to GB News, Daisy Cooper, deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats targeted her frustration over the Iran war at President Donald Trump, particularly after he said Sir Keir Starmer was no Sir Winston Churchill.

She said: "Trump is no Franklin D. Roosevelt either, is he?"

"It's Donald Trump who is trashing the special relationship.

"It's Donald Trump who's making the cost of living hard with his ridiculous tariff war.

"It's Donald Trump who is causing chaos and death in the Middle-East through his illegal actions."

Ms Cooper said the US President needed to take a "hard look in the mirror".

She continued by voicing concerns around the Prime Minister's definition of defensive and offensive action, arguing we may be on a "slippery slope" and how the UK is going to respond might require a vote in the House of Commons.

The Lib Dem deputy leader also said the UK's "state of war readiness is not where it needs to be", calling for £20billion investment in defence.

PICTURED: Israel launches strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs amid escalation with Hezbollah

Iran launches more than 40 missiles at US and Israeli targets

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has said it has launched over 40 missiles against US and Israeli targets.

The latest series of strikes marks Tehran's 17th wave of attacks against assets linked to Washington and Tel Aviv.

Iran to hold huge funeral ceremony for dead Ayatollah this afternoon

Iran will hold a huge funeral procession and memorial ceremony for the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei this afternoon.

Mourners will gather at 6.30pm GMT at the Imam Khomeini prayer ground in Tehran - the capital city Israel has been bombing since Saturday.

The ceremony will last for three days and the funeral procession will be announced when it is finalised, Iranian state media said.

US authorises all non-essential personnel to leave Cyprus amid 'safety risk' 

All non-essential government personnel and their families have been authorised to leave Cyprus by the US amid the ongoing "safety risk".

The US State Department announced the move after updating its travel advice for the Mediterranean island.

All Americans with plans to travel to Cyprus have been told to reconsider, with US citizens now being urged to evacuate over a dozen countries in the region.

Mullahs 'too afraid to announce new Iranian Ayatollah out of fear the US and Israel will attack him'

Iran's Mullahs are said to be too afraid to announce Mojtaba Khamenei as the country's new Supreme Leader over fears it may expose him as a target to the US and Israel.

The "Assembly of Experts", according to Iran International, held two virtual meetings to decide on succession plans - after Israel bombed their planned meeting site in the city of Qum.

US pulls almost all government staff from Saudi Arabia after embassy attack and cruise missile run-in

The US has authorised the evacuation of all non-emergency government staff from Saudi Arabia after the American embassy came under attack and two cruise missiles were intercepted near Riyadh.

Similar measures were also given the green light for non-essential workers living in Oman.

A statement from the State Department said it had "updated the Travel Advisory for [these countries] to reflect the authorized departure of non-emergency US government personnel and family members of government personnel."

The US embassies in Oman and Saudi Arabia have both urged citizens hoping to travel to the region to reconsider amid the ongoing conflict.

Donald Trump 'trying to jump-start' regime change with plot to arm Kurds

Donald Trump is "trying to jump-start" regime change in Iran with an alleged CIA plot to arm the US-allied Kurds.

Alex Plitsas. a former Pentagon official under Barack Obama, told CNN: "The Iranian people are generally unarmed as a whole and unless the security services collapse, it’ll be difficult for them to take over unless someone arms them.

"I believe the US is hopeful that this will inspire others on the ground in Iran to do the same."

Weapons have allegedly been smuggled into the country by US-backed gun-runners since last year's 12-day war to arm thousands of Kurdish volunteers - now poised to strike against the crumbling Islamic Republic.

Canadian PM appears to U-turn on backing US strikes

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has appeared to U-turn on backing "Operation Epic Fury".

He said the strikes now come with "regret because the current conflict is another example of the failure of the international order".

He said the Canadian government's official support was based on the threat posed by Iran's nuclear programme and its human rights record - but criticized the US and Israel, which he said "have acted without engaging the United Nations or consulting with allies, including Canada".

Mr Carney also stressed that Canada would not participate in any military action against Iran.

Iran's next Supreme Leader 'spent months in British hospitals undergoing impotency treatment' 

The man set to become Iran's next Supreme Leader spent months in private British hospitals being treated for impotency, US intelligence documents have revealed.

The classified memo, sent by the State Department to the US Embassy in London in 2008, noted that Mojtaba Khamenei was under pressure from his family to have children.

It details that the widely rumoured new Supreme Leader visited London for treatment on four occasions, including a two-month stint.

He married later in life "reportedly due to an impotency problem treated and eventually resolved during three extended visits to the UK", US intelligence uncovered by WikiLeaks noted, according to the Mail.

The document reads: "Mojtaba was expected by his family to produce children quickly, but needed a fourth visit to the UK for medical treatment.

"After a stay of two months, his wife became pregnant. Back in Iran, a healthy boy was born, named Ali for his paternal grandfather."

First Government evacuation flight to rescue Britons from Middle East to depart today

The first Government-chartered flight to evacuate Britons from the Middle East is due to depart Muscat International Airport at 7pm this evening.

The Foreign Office said vulnerable people will be prioritised and British nationals in Oman will be contacted directly to arrange seats.

Officials have warned Britons not to travel to the airport unless they have been contacted.

Israel poised to strike Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon as evacuation warning issued

Israel is set to strike Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon after issuing an evacuation notice.

The IDF has told civilians to flee 16 villages in Israel's northern neighbour - while troops are advancing across the two countries' border in a land invasion similar to the one in 2024.

RAF uses missiles worth up to £2million to shoot down Iranian drones worth £25k

The RAF has come under fire after using air-to-air missiles worth up to £2million to shoot down Iranian drones worth just £25,000.

The approach has been slammed by military analysts who have compared it to “firing golden bullets at plastic targets”.

Iran has launched more than 2,000 suicide drones since the conflict erupted on Saturday morning - and the RAF has deployed Typhoon and F-35 fighter jets to intercept the barrage of aircraft.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

More than 1,000 dead in Iran since conflict began, human rights group says

More than 1,000 people have been killed across Iran since the conflict began on Saturday morning, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) has reported.

According to the group's preliminary report, at least 1,097 people, including 181 children, have died as of Tuesday afternoon.

It also said that over 5,400 civilians have been injured in the war so far.

REVEALED: Iran hit CIA complex at US embassy site in Saudi Arabia

A CIA complex was damaged in an Iranian attack on the US embassy in Saudi Arabia, US media reports.

Two drones struck the embassy compound in capital Riyadh - though it remains unclear whether the intelligence facility was the strike's intended target.

Parts of the building were damaged and smoke spread inside the complex, prompting staff to shelter in place.

Donald Trump 'does not care' if Iran plays at World Cup

President Donald Trump has declared he "does not care" whether or not Iran takes part in this summer's World Cup being held in North America.

The Islamic Republic's side is due to play against Belgium and New Zealand in Los Angeles, before wrapping up the group stage with a tie against Egypt in Seattle.

He told Politico: "I really don't care. I think Iran is a very badly defeated country. They're running on fumes."

On Monday, the president of the Iranian football federation threatened to pull out of the "inappropriate" competition being held in the US, Canada and Mexico after Washington's "vicious" wave of strikes.

Pentagon names and pictures four US troops killed in Iranian drone strike

The Pentagon has named and pictured four of six US troops who were killed in an Iranian drone strike.

• Captain Cody Khork, 35, from Florida;
• Sergeant First Class Noah Tietjens, 42, from Nebraska;
• Sergeant First Class Nicole Amor, 39, from Minnesota;
• Sergeant Declan Coady, 20, from Iowa.

The four all died in an Iranian attack on Port Shuaiba, in Kuwait, on Sunday.

CIA-backed Kurds 'set to launch ground invasion within days'

The CIA is said to be working closely with Kurdish forces to mount an armed uprising inside Iran, sources have told CNN.

Thousands of weapons have allegedly been smuggled into the Middle Eastern country since the end of the 12-day war last year and ground invasion could be underway within days.

The Trump administration is said to have engaged in talks with Kurdish rebels and opposition voices within Iran in recent days.

Thousands of Kurdish fighters have been operating in Western Iran and along the Iraq-Iran border.

Kurds are one of the largest minority groups within the country, with a population estimated between nine to 10 million.

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