Middle East war live: US strikes military targets on Kharg Island as Trump escalates threats

US President Donald Trump praised Washington’s allies in the Gulf while criticising Nato allies as well as South Korea, Japan and Australia.

He said Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait had been “excellent” since the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran, even though Kuwait shot down three American fighter jets in a friendly-fire incident.

While he said Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte was a “great person”, he cast the military alliance’s original sin as its reluctance to support the US taking possession of Greenland, the autonomous territory that is part of the kingdom of Denmark.

“It all began with, if you want to know the truth, Greenland, we want Greenland. They don’t want to give it to us. And I said, ‘bye, bye’.”