- 'Do not test our resolve' -

Iran's powerful parliament speaker on Wednesday warned Washington not to test the Islamic republic's determination to defend its territory after the United States was reported to be sending more troops to the Middle East.

"We are closely monitoring all US movements in the region, especially troop deployments. What the generals have broke, the soldiers can't fix; instead, they will fall victim to (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu's delusions," said Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf in an X post in English.

"Do not test our resolve to defend our land."

- Deadly 'mistake' -

The leader of Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region told local media on Wednesday that Tehran acknowledged that a strike that killed six security personnel a day earlier was a "mistake".

On Tuesday, six members of the Kurdistan region's peshmerga forces were killed in a ballistic missile strike, the first deadly attack of its kind since the outbreak of the Middle East war.

- 'Far worse' than Iraq -

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez warned Wednesday that the Middle East war presented a "far worse" scenario than the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

"This is not the same scenario as the illegal war in Iraq. We are facing something far worse. Much worse. With a potential impact that is far broader and far deeper," he told parliament.

- No talks -

Iran's ambassador to Pakistan said Tehran and Washington have not held talks, after US President Donald Trump signalled tentative progress in diplomatic efforts to end the war.

"We have also heard such details through the media, but according to my information -- and contrary to Trump's claims -- so far no negotiations, direct or indirect, have taken place between the two countries," said Reza Amiri Moghadam, adding that it was "natural that friendly countries are always engaged in consultations with both sides to end this illegitimate aggression".

- 'Unmitigated catastrophe' -

Strikes around Iran and Israel's nuclear sites risk unleashing an "unmitigated catastrophe", the UN rights chief said, warning that "recent missile strikes near nuclear sites in both Israel and Iran underscore the immense danger of further escalation."

- Gulf shipping -

China's shipping Giant Cosco said it was resuming new bookings for shipments to some Gulf countries, which it halted because of the war.

The state-owned firm "resumed new bookings for general cargo containers for shipments" to the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and Iraq "with immediate effect", according to a company statement.

Earlier Iran said "non-hostile vessels" can transit the Strait of Hormuz, according to a statement released to the International Maritime Organization.

- Missile sites hit -

The Israeli military said it had struck two naval cruise missile production facilities in Tehran that were used to "develop and manufacture long-range naval cruise missiles".

- Deadly Iraq strike -

A new strike in western Iraq targeted the former paramilitary coalition Hashed al-Shaabi has killed seven.

The coalition is part of Iraq's armed forces but includes brigades belonging to Iran-backed groups.

The previous day, a similar attack killed 15 Iraqi fighters, the deadliest attack in Iraq since the start of the war and blamed on the US, while a strike blamed on Iran in the autonomous Kurdistan region killed six fighters.

After those strikes, Baghdad granted former paramilitary groups the "right to respond" and summoned US and Iranian diplomats.

- IEA on oil release -

The head of the International Energy Agency said he was "ready to move forward" with an additional release of oil reserves "if and when necessary".

Fatih Birol's comments in Tokyo came after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi asked the agency "to prepare to implement an additional release in case the situation drags on" with the war in the Middle East.

- US bases targeted -

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they had fired missiles and drones at military bases hosting US forces in Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain, as well as targets in Israel, according to a statement carried by Iranian state broadcaster IRIB.

- Oil prices drop -

Brent crude oil, the global market benchmark, was down 6.3 percent at $97.90 per barrel at around 0200 GMT.

Benchmark US oil contract, West Texas Intermediate, was down 5.2 percent at $87.52.

- Kuwait airport fire -

Drones hit a fuel tank and sparked a fire at Kuwait International Airport, the Gulf state's civil aviation authority said, reporting no casualties.

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