Iran strikes Bahrain and Kuwait, ceasefire hopes fade in Lebanon, and Abu Dhabi renters get relief

In today’s episode of Trending Middle East, Iran launches missile and drone attacks on Bahrain, Kuwait and civilian shipping in the Gulf, while US forces intercept projectiles and carry out strikes on an Iranian military site on Qeshm Island. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says any peace agreement will require Iran to accept long-term limits on its nuclear programme, with further negotiations expected after the Strait of Hormuz reopens. The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency describes last month’s drone strike on the UAE’s Barakah Nuclear Power Plant as “simply unacceptable” and warns of the risks of targeting civilian nuclear infrastructure. In Lebanon, Israeli strikes kill at least a dozen people, despite efforts to halt the fighting, with violence continuing to complicate wider US-Iran negotiations. And Abu Dhabi announces a temporary freeze on rent increases for residential, commercial and industrial properties, offering relief to tenants facing rising living costs. Trending Middle East is AI-assisted, using original reporting published in The National and curated and edited by humans.