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US-Iran peace deal

US military says 8th night of strikes against Iran now over

  • On Feb 28, US and Israel launched strikes on Iran
  • Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was assassinated in strikes; Mojtaba succeeded him.
  • A two-week ceasefire began on April 8 and was later extended indefinitely.
  • US, Iran reach preliminary deal to end conflict, hold talks in Switzerland
  • Ceasefire, Islamabad MoU at risk since US-Iran war reignite on July 6

US says targeted Iranian Guards behind deadly Jordan attack

The US military says that it has carried out an eighth consecutive night of strikes against Iran, with targets including units behind the attack that killed two American troops in Jordan, AFP reports.

US Central Command (Centcom) said it struck Iranian military facilities and “targeted Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces that launched attacks against US service members in Jordan on July 17.” 

US military says 8th night of strikes against Iran now over

The Central Command says it has completed the eight consecutive night of strikes against Iran, at the commander-in-chief’s direction. 

US missile attack reported near Shadegan: Iranian media

A US missile attack targeted an area near Shadegan in Iran's Khuzestan province, Iran's Tasnim news agency reported on Sunday.

A deputy security official of the Khuzestan Governorate said operational forces were present at the site and would announce the latest situation and extent of damage. 

Top Iranian commander warns US of 'devastating response' to aggression

Major General Ali Abdullahi, the commander of Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, has warned the US that “any aggression or barbarism will be met with a decisive and devastating response” from the country’s armed forces, according to Al Jazeera.

In a statement carried by Iranian state media, Abdullahi described the US as “the great Satan” and “the criminal, treacherous, and deceitful enemy”.

He pledged to strengthen unity between the armed forces, the Iranian public and officials and pledged to “impose heavier costs” on the US than in the previous wars.

“The enemy, following successive defeats in the military conflict, has taken comfort in creating division and discord between the people and their leaders,” Abdullahi said.

“Our dear country’s defensive power is a solid foundation for the peace and security of the proud and courageous nation from south to north and from east to west of the glorious and vast Iranian land,” he added. 

Iran army says targeted US bases in Kuwait with drones: Iranian state TV

Iran’s army says it has targeted two US bases in Kuwait with drones in response to American attacks on Iranian territory, reports AFP.

The Islamic republic’s army said it carried out “large-scale attacks with kamikaze drones against the US military’s ammunition depot at Camp Udairi and the Patriot radar system and air surveillance radar at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait”, according to a statement carried by the state broadcaster. 

American detainee returns to US after 566 days in Iran

American detainee Dena Karari returned to the United States after spending 566 days in detention in Iran, her lawyer Jared Genser said on Saturday on X.

Genser thanked those involved in securing her release and called for renewed efforts to free other Americans still held in Iran.
 

Multiple explosions reported in Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island: Iranian media

Explosions were heard in Bandar Abbas and on Qeshm Island early Sunday local time, Iranian state-run news agency IRNA reported, citing local residents.

Several locations on Qeshm Island appeared to have been hit, Tasnim news agency said, citing residents on the island, located in the Strait of Hormuz.

Tasnim said US planes had targeted Qeshm multiple times in recent days and had damaged “parts of the island and its infrastructure.”

IRNA reported that multiple explosions were also heard in the port city of Bandar Abbas.

Both locations have been the targets of US attacks as conflict flares again between Washington and Tehran.
 

Death of two US service members in Iran attacks is 'very sad', Trump says

US President Donald Trump said the deaths of two US service members killed in Iranian attacks were “very sad,” while adding that Washington would not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon.

In his first reaction to the announcement, Trump told NewsNation on Saturday that he “couldn’t care less” about Iran saying it was no longer following the Memorandum of Understanding.
 

State Department advises caution to Americans worldwide as Iran-US war escalates

The State Department on Saturday issued a worldwide caution, advising Americans, particularly those in the Middle East, to “exercise increased caution,” as the war between the US and Iran continues.

“Due to heightened tensions in the Middle East, the security environment remains complex with the potential for unforeseen escalation.?We remind Americans in the region of the continued need for caution,” the State Department said in a social media post.
 

Two US service members in Jordan killed in Iranian attack: Centcom

Trump's signature on Islamabad MoU 'worthless and invalid': Iranian supreme leader

UAE strongly condemns Iranian attacks on Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan

Iranian strikes on Gulf states 'constitute war crimes': GCC chief

At least 50 killed across Iran since renewed US attack: health ministry

At least 50 people have been killed and 500 injured since the US resumed attacks across Iran, the country's health ministry said on Saturday.

In a post on X, Iran's health ministry spokesperson Hossein Kermanpour said that five women, two children and teenagers were among those killed.

At least 32 women and 18 children and teenagers sustained injuries in the attack, he added.

Iran suspends MoU with US, citing repeated agreement violations

Iran has suspended the implementation of its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United States, Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi announced.

According to Iranian media, Gharibabadi accused Washington of repeatedly violating the agreement and breaking commitments during negotiations while pursuing aggressive actions.

He said the move was a response to US conduct and stressed that Iran's current priority is strengthening its national defense.

The deputy foreign minister added that Tehran had engaged in negotiations in good faith, but US actions had severely undermined trust.

The suspension is expected to further heighten diplomatic tensions between Iran and the United States.

Attack on Kuwaiti desalination plant 'crosses all red lines': Qatar

Qatar has condemned in the strongest terms renewed attacks launched by Iran on the territories of Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait, calling them a “flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the targeted states and the integrity of their territories, and a blatant breach of international law, the United Nations Charter, and the principles of good neighbourliness”.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirms that targeting power stations and water desalination plants in the State of Kuwait crosses all red lines, and constitutes a brazen violation of UN Security Council Resolution 2817, and what it contains in terms of emphasis on respecting the sovereignty of these states and the integrity of their territories, and rejecting the targeting of civilians and vital facilities,” Qatar’s foreign ministry says in a statement.

The ministry adds that the continuation of these attacks represents a dangerous escalation which complicates efforts to contain regional tensions and undermine political and diplomatic endeavours aiming to ensure regional security and stability.

“The ministry stresses the necessity of an immediate and complete cessation of all military actions and attacks that threaten the security and stability of the region, refraining from everything that would expand the scope of escalation, and a serious return to the path of dialogue and negotiations, and commitment to the understandings achieved through diplomatic efforts,” the statement concludes.

Pakistan, Kuwait reaffirm commitment to Islamabad MoU during foreign ministers' call

Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar received a telephone call from Kuwait's Foreign Minister to discuss the latest regional developments and matters of mutual interest.

During the conversation, the Kuwaiti foreign minister expressed deep concern over the ongoing strikes on Iran and voiced hope that all parties would exercise restraint. Both ministers reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring the full implementation of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

The Kuwaiti minister also appreciated Pakistan's role in promoting dialogue and regional stability, while Dar stressed the urgent need for de-escalation. The two leaders agreed to remain in close contact on issues of mutual interest.

Iran's top envoy in Pakistan says US violated agreement, urges global response to strikes

Iran's Ambassador to Pakistan, Reza Amiri Moghadam, has urged the international community to strongly condemn the latest US military strikes on Iran, maintaining that Washington violated the terms of a previously agreed memorandum of understanding (MoU).

In a post on X, Moghadam said the 14-point MoU was reached after several months of mediation by Pakistan, with both sides agreeing to continue talks after six months. He stated that the United States later interpreted the agreement in a way that contradicted its original terms and used it to gain control over parts of the Strait of Hormuz, achieving through military action what it "couldn't in the battlefield".

The envoy said Iran rejects what it described as an "arbitrary interpretation" of the MoU, arguing that the renewed US strikes violate both the agreement and international law.

He called on the international community to denounce what he described as an "aggressive and reckless" act by the United States.

Jordan says it shot down four drones over its airspace

Jordan says it has intercepted and shot down four drones in its airspace over the past 24 hours, Al Jazeera reports.

The statement by the Jordanian Armed Forces said no casualties or material damage were reported. 

Kuwait says oil facility hit by Iranian attack

Kuwait Petroleum Corporation says “one of the vital sites in the oil sector was subjected to repeated brutal Iranian attacks, resulting in a number of injuries and significant material losses,” according to Al Jazeera.

“The injured were provided with medical assistance and the site was evacuated, while the response to the attack is being handled in coordination with the relevant state authorities,” the statement noted, according to the country’s Kuna news agency.

Kuwait says several firefighters injured after Iranian attacks

Kuwait’s Fire Force has said that a number of its firefighters and a worker were injured while responding to the fire at two places following the Iranian attacks this morning, Al Jazeera reports.

“The first incident resulted, during the firefighting operation, in a number of injuries among the firefighters and one of the workers, where the site was evacuated and they were transported to provide them with the necessary medical assistance,” it said in a statement.

We reported earlier that Kuwait has announced that two of its power and water desalination plants have been hit in Iranian attacks. 

Iran's Bushehr areas hit in US attacks, says official

Ehsan Jahanian, the deputy political and social affairs governor of Bushehr, has told Iran’s Islamic Republic News Agency that the US forces hit an area in Dashti county.

“The explosion caused by this attack did not cause any casualties,” he said, noting another attack in Choghadak city.
 

Interceptor missile explosion heard in southern Lebanon

An explosion has been heard in the Marjayoun plain, southern Lebanon, which was later determined to be caused by an interceptor missile, the country’s National News Agency (NNA) reports.

It added that the sound coincided with Israeli media reports that air defence systems had been activated in the city of Kiryat Shmona, near the shared border, but that the circumstances of the incident were still under investigation. 

US attacks on Hormozgan province killed at least seven people, official says

Recent US attacks on Hormozgan province in southern Iran have killed “about seven to eight people”, all of whom were civilians, Ahmad Moradi, a representative for the province, told Iran’s Tasnim news agency.

The report added that the attacks took place in the past two nights, with one US attack targeting one of the bridges in the province, which hit two family cars, killing six people.

The Tappeh Allah Akbar neighbourhood in Bandar Abbas was also targeted, killing a woman and leaving a one-year-old with an amputation. A driver who was supplying fuel to stations was killed in a fire. 

Lebanese president departs for Washington to meet Trump

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has left Beirut for Washington, where he is expected to meet Donald Trump, the Lebanese presidency said, after talks between Lebanon and Israel wrapped up in Italy, according to AFP.

Aoun will hold discussions “with several American officials on the situation in Lebanon and ways to strengthen the ceasefire”, particularly in Lebanon’s south, as well as on “the withdrawal of Israel from the Lebanese regions it occupies”, the presidency says. 

Air raid sirens sound in Bahrain for 5th time

Air raid warning sirens have been activated in Bahrain for the fifth time in the last few hours, AlJazeera reports.

The country’s interior ministry tells people to “remain calm and head to the nearest safe place”. 

Iran's UN envoy calls out US attacks on civilian infrastructure in letter to Guterres

Amir-Saeid Iravani, Iran’s permanent representative to the UN, has condemned the US attacks against Iran’s civilian infrastructure in a letter to Antonio Guterres, the UN secretary-general, Al Jazeera reports.

Iravani wrote in the letter that the US attacks “targeted and caused extensive damage to ports, transportation networks, communications facilities, logistics hubs, radar installations, coastal defense systems and other infrastructure indispensable to the civilian population, and to the functioning of the national economy”.

He further noted in his letter that the US bears full international responsibility for all deaths, injuries, damage to vital infrastructure and environmental harm caused by the attacks.

“The continued commission of these unlawful armed attacks poses a grave threat to international peace and security, freedom of navigation, regional stability, and the security of the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz,” added Iravani.
 

Bahrain says 'thwarted' new wave of Iranian attacks

Bahrain’s army says its air defences repelled a wave of Iranian attacks, as an AFP journalist in Manama reported hearing blasts after sirens sounded.

“Air defence systems thwarted” the attacks, the army says in a statement, adding that they “intercepted and destroyed a number of treacherous Iranian aerial assaults”. 

Fire breaks out at Kuwait power, desalination plant after Iranian attack

A fire broke out at a power generation and water desalination plant in Kuwait after an Iranian attack, Reuters reports, citing the country’s Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy Ministry.

It adds that several power generation units were shut down.

It says efforts were under way to contain the fire and carry out repairs. 

Israeli warplanes target southern Lebanon in air strikes

Lebanon’s National News Agency reports that Israeli warplanes have carried out air strikes in two waves at dawn, targeting the Masha’ al-Mansouri area in the country’s Lebanon. 

'Some 10,000 people across 20 Iranian villages' without water after US attack

The US attack that hit water desalination pumps in the coastal Bunji village, in Iran’s Jask county, has “completely disrupted the supply of drinking water to 20 villages with a population of approximately 10,000 people”, Hamzeh Pour, the CEO of the Hormozgan Water and Wastewater Company, was quoted as saying by Tasnim.

Pour referred to the US strikes as “a series of crimes and terrorist attacks”, wherein a pumping station for extracting water from the sea and a power transformer at the Bunji desalination plant were “completely destroyed”.

“These villages are facing a severe water shortage,” he added.
 

Kuwait Airways flights rescheduled as airspace closes

Kuwait Airways has announced the rescheduling of most flights due to the closure of the airspace today, the company said in a post on X, following the latest Iranian attacks.

“The company calls on all esteemed passengers to follow up on updates to their flights, as notifications and text messages will be sent to the phone numbers registered in the bookings to inform them of any updates,” the statement added.
 

IRGC warns countries hosting US forces to prepare for 'corresponding response'

Iran’s IRGC is warning countries hosting US military forces to prepare for a “corresponding response” according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency, Al Jazeera reports.

The IRGC demanded that such nations “activate their civil defence units to protect their citizens and move them away from potential military targets,” stating that their territories are being used as launchpads for aggression.

US warns Americans to reconsider Middle East travel amid rising tensions

The US State Department is urging heightened vigilance across the Middle East as regional hostilities intensify.

In a statement posted on X, the department warned that “due to high tensions in the Middle East, the security environment remains complex with the potential for unforeseen escalation”, prompting a strong recommendation for citizens to evaluate their plans, noting that “Americans should reconsider travel to/through the Middle East”.
 

Kuwait says responding to Iranian missile and drone attacks for third time

The Kuwaiti army says it is again responding to Iranian missile and drone attacks, urging the public to “adhere to the authorities’ safety and security instructions”, Al Jazeera reports.

Any explosions heard are the sounds of air defences engaging hostile attacks, the army added in a statement shared on X.
 

Iran army says targeted Bahrain air base: state TV

The Iranian army said that it had targeted an air base in Bahrain used by the United States in response to American strikes, according to Iran’s state broadcaster, AFP reports.

Attack drones targeted “aircraft shelters and parking areas, fuel storage tanks of the US military at Sheikh Isa Air Base, as well as several connecting bridges in Bahrain,” the army said, adding that the base in southern Bahrain is “one of the most important operational and logistical centres” for the US military in the region. 

Power facilities and desalination pumps hit in Iran's Jask, says Iranian media

Iranian media has reported that electricity facilities and desalination pumps have been hit during the attack in Hormozgan province, according to Al Jazeera.

An official in Hormozgan told the Mehr news agency: “We are assessing the damage and working to restore drinking water to areas that were cut off due to last night’s attacks.” 

Jordan's army says shot down 10 Iranian missiles

Jordan’s army said it had shot down 10 Iranian missiles with no casualties or damage, as Tehran retaliated against American strikes by pressing attacks on US allies, AFP reports.

“Air defense systems … intercepted 10 Iranian missiles that had entered Jordanian airspace and were targeting the Kingdom’s territory (which) were intercepted and shot down,” the army said in a statement, adding that there were no casualties or material damage. 

US military strikes locations near Jask and Bandar Abbas, says Iran's Tasnim news agency

Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reports that a location in the vicinity of Jask was targeted in a military attack by the US, Al Jazeera reports. Details regarding the extent of the damage or casualties from this specific incident have not yet been released.

In a separate US attack on the Bandar Abbas-Rudan road, two bridges along the vital transportation route sustained heavy damage. According to the Tasnim report, a number of Iranian citizens were killed, and several others were injured as a result of the strikes on the infrastructure. 

US ends seventh consecutive night of Iran strikes, Centcom says

The US military has completed its seventh consecutive night of strikes against Iran, US Central Command said, adding that it targeted military logistics infrastructure and other sites, Reuters reports.

“More than 50,000 American service members are operating across the Middle East and remain vigilant, lethal, and ready,” Centcom said in a statement. 

Iranian army says struck US targets in Kuwait, Jordan: state TV

Iran’s army says it struck US military targets in Kuwait and Jordan in response to American attacks, AFP reports, citing Iranian state broadcaster.

In Kuwait, Iranian forces targeted an ammunition depot in the Al-Adiri camp, the headquarters buildings and ammunition depots in the Ali Al-Salem base and several communication bridges.

In Jordan, fuel tanks at the Al-Azraq base were also targeted, the state broadcaster said on Telegram. 

US strikes kill 3, wound 8 in southern Iran: state media

US attacks killed three people and wounded eight in the southern Iranian province of Hormozgan, state news agency IRNA reported, according to AFP.

“The deputy political, security and social affairs governor of Hormozgan announced the martyrdom of three people and the injury of eight people following enemy attacks on some parts of Hormozgan province this morning,” IRNA said on Telegram. 

Iran's Guards say 'stopped' 4 ships trying to transit Strait of Hormuz

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said Saturday they had “stopped” four ships trying to transit the Strait of Hormuz, AFP reports.

“In the past hours, four violating ships with the support of the terrorist US army were trying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, and all four ships were stopped in place during a combined missile and drone operation,” the Guards said in a statement carried by the state broadcaster. 

Iran's Guards say two oil tankers hit mines in Hormuz and exploded

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said that two oil tankers transiting through the Strait of Hormuz hit mines and exploded, according to a statement published by state news agency IRNA, AFP reports.

“An hour ago, two oil tankers, which were trying to pass through the minefield south of the Strait of Hormuz by deceptive American intelligence agencies, exploded and caught fire,” the Guards said in their statement. 

Five blasts heard in Yazd, in centre of Iran: state news agency

Five explosions were heard in in Yazd, in central Iran, the state news agency IRNA reported, after the US military announced a seventh night of strikes against the country, AFP reports.

Another Iranian news agency, Mehr, reported that explosions were heard “in several provinces in the south” of Iran. 

IRGC Navy warns US forces near 'zero-hour' for operations

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy warned on Friday that US forces were moving closer to what it described as the "zero-hour" for operations against Centcom naval units operating in regional waters.

The warning comes amid heightened tensions between Iran and the United States.

Explosions heard in Iran's Bandar Abbas: media report

Explosions were heard in the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas on the Gulf coast, Iran's Nour News reported on Friday, citing local sources.

IRGC releases footage of missile, drone strikes on US positions

Iran says Thai-flagged vessel targeted after Hormuz transit violation

A Thai-flagged vessel was targeted in the Strait of Hormuz after allegedly ignoring warnings and attempting to transit the waterway without permission from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Friday.

US military says it destroyed Iranian port surveillance tower

The US military on Friday said that it had destroyed the Chabahar Shahid Kalantari Port surveillance tower in Iran on Thursday.

US Central Command said in a post on X that the tower was part of a maritime surveillance network along Iran's Gulf of Oman coastline used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to track and target commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

 

Iran to continue attacks until strikes around south, Hormuz stop: IRGC

The commander of the Aerospace Force in Iran's Revolutionary Guards vowed Friday that Tehran would not halt its attacks in the region until the US stopped striking Iran's southern coastline and the Strait of Hormuz.

In a social media post, Majid Mousavi said "Tehran and the south are one and indivisible as Iran", adding that "effective and targeted strikes from across Iran against the enemy will continue" until attacks on "the southern coastline and the Strait of Hormuz" cease.

US denies Iranian claim that troops were killed in Syria strike

The US military has rejected Iranian claims that American personnel were killed in a strike on the Al-Tanf Garrison in Syria.

In a statement posted on X, US Central Command (Centcom) said: “No US troops in the region have recently been killed or captured.”

The response came after Iranian military sources alleged that an attack on the Al-Tanf base resulted in American casualties. The Pentagon has denied the claim, insisting that no US service members were killed in the reported incident.

Al-Tanf Garrison, located in southeastern Syria near the borders with Iraq and Jordan, hosts US forces involved in operations against extremist groups in the region.

Iran says traffic restored on key highways hours after US strikes

Iran has said traffic has resumed on major roads across the country just hours after overnight US strikes, according to state media.

Iran's Road Maintenance and Transportation Organisation said all major highways remain open and that damaged sections of roads have been repaired, Press TV reported.

In a statement, the organisation said maintenance teams restored traffic flow on affected routes in less than 12 hours, including repairs to several bridges in southern Iran.

It added that temporary bypasses had been built around damaged areas, enabling vehicles to continue using the affected roads while restoration work proceeds. 

Kuwait says several soldiers injured in alleged Iranian drone strikes

Kuwait's military said several service members were injured after what it described as Iranian drone strikes targeted multiple army facilities and military camps on Friday.

In a statement posted on X, the Kuwaiti armed forces said the personnel were wounded "as a result of enemy drones targeting several facilities and camps affiliated with the Kuwaiti Army" following what it called "the heinous Iranian aggression."

The military added that senior defence officials visited the injured personnel in hospital. 

Iraqi Kurdistan urges Iran to stop 'unjustified' attacks on autonomous region

The prime minister of Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region has denounced “unjustified attacks” that he blames on Iran and urged Tehran to halt the escalation, AFP reports.

“We condemn the unjustified attacks by the Islamic Republic of Iran against the Kurdistan region,” says the office of Masrour Barzani. “While urging the Islamic Republic of Iran to stop this escalation, we also call on the Iraqi federal government and the international community to end these violations.” 

Oil rises on renewed US-Iran hostilities, threat of Red Sea closure

Oil prices have risen by about 2 per cent after the US and Iran stepped up attacks across the Gulf, with shipping threatened by a potential Red Sea closure on top of the restricted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reports.

Brent crude futures are up by $1.53, or 1.82pc, to $85.76 a barrel as of 0951 GMT (2:51pm PKT). US West Texas Intermediate futures have gained $1.69, or 2.14pc, to $80.64. 

Iran says strike on US Al Udeid base damaged radar, refueling aircraft

Iran has claimed responsibility for an attack on the US military's Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, saying it was carried out during the 15th wave of its military operations, according to Al Jazeera.

In a statement, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the strike destroyed a long-range radar system and several US strategic aerial refueling aircraft, Iran's state-run IRIB news agency reported.

The IRGC warned that the United States and countries hosting American military bases in the region would face severe consequences if attacks on Iran or civilian infrastructure continue.

"The American enemy and the hosts of its bases in the region should know that crossing red lines and attacking people and civilian infrastructure will come at a very heavy cost," the statement said, adding that Iran would launch "more crushing responses" if such actions persist. 

Vessel boarded by unauthorised personnel in Gulf of Aden, says UKMTO

A vessel was boarded by unauthorised personnel while transiting east in the Gulf of Aden, 65 nautical miles south of Yemen's Al Mukalla port, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Friday.

Iran Guards say attacked US base in Qatar to 'punish aggressor'

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards said that they had targeted US radar systems and military aircraft in Qatar to “punish the aggressor” following overnight US strikes on Iran, 

“In continuation of last night’s retaliatory operations, the brave fighters of the IRGC’s Aerospace Force… carried out a heavy and surprise attack on the US airbase at al-Udeid, Qatar, to punish the aggressor and the child-killing US military,” the IRGC has said in a statement. 

Iran urges citizens to cut electricity use after US strikes

Iran’s energy ministry has called on citizens to reduce electricity use after the power grid came under strain following US strikes on energy infrastructure in the south.

In a statement on Friday, the ministry said those areas in the south “are currently experiencing extreme heat and attacks on power infrastructure.”

The ministry however did not elaborate on whether it was power plants, transmission lines or other equipment that had been attacked.


 

Syrian military source denies Iran bombed Al-Tanf base

A Syrian military source has denied to AFP that Iran has bombed the Al-Tanf base near Syria’s southeastern borders with Jordan and Iraq, after IRGC said it had targeted the facility in response to US strikes.

“We deny any Iranian bombardment targeting the Al-Tanf area,” the source has said, speaking on condition of anonymity. 

Qatar rejects Israeli reports of military action against Iran

Qatar has rejected Israeli media reports claiming the Qataris have agreed to participate in military action against Iran, Al Jazeera reported.

Doha says the false allegations seek to undermine its role as a regional mediator.
 

Germany proposes replacing UN mission with EU forces in Lebanon

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has proposed replacing the expiring UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon with an EU-mandated force, he has told the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland, Al Jazeera reports.

“We should examine in the EU whether we can ensure that no security vacuum arises with a European mandate following the UNIFIL ?mission,” Wadephul says in an interview published today.

The UNIFIL mission expires on December 31, 2026.

An EU-mandated force could “create the ?conditions for the Israeli army to withdraw without Hezbollah returning with its terror,” the minister has added. 

Armed men take over chemical tanker off Yemen's coast

Unidentified armed men ?are ?believed to have boarded the chemical tanker Asana ?off the southern coast of Yemen in ?the Gulf of Aden on Friday and are in control of ‌the vessel, Reuters reports, citing maritime security sources.

The small tanker, which had no confirmed flag, had listed the Somali port of ?Bosaso as its ?next destination, ship tracking data shows.

Earlier, British agency UKMTO said that a vessel was boarded by ?unauthorised personnel while transiting east in ?the Gulf ?of Aden, 65 nautical miles south of Yemen’s Al Mukalla ‌port. 

Kuwait says water desalination plant damaged in Iranian attacks

Kuwait’s Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy has said that one of its electricity generation and water desalination plants was targeted by Iran in the latest attack, resulting in fire and damage to the site, Al Jazeera reports.

The ministry has said in its statement that firefighting teams had brought the fire under control, while technical teams continue carrying out repair work and restoring the affected units to service, alongside continued monitoring of the stability of the electricity grid.

The ministry has also called on citizens and residents to rationalise their electricity consumption. 

Iran restricts trains from Bandar Abbas after US attacks

Iran has been restricting passenger train departures from Bandar Abbas station due to the US attacks on a railway point in the Hormozgan region, the country’s Tasnim news agency reports.

The Hormozgan Railways Administration has directed passengers to take an intercity bus to the Fin station and catch their trains there.
 

US attacks on civilian areas reveal its hypocrisy: Iran official

Ebrahim Azizi, the head of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security Committee, says the US attacks in southern Iran on residential and civilian zones “reveal the hypocrisy of those who preach ‘human rights’”, Al Jazeera reports.

“The proud South has always been Iran’s fortress of defence, and every Iranian’s heart beats there,” he has said in a post on X.

“To the enemies of this resistant and victorious nation: The Armed Forces will not let the blood of the innocent go [unavenged],” the post says. 

Mother killed, child critical after US attack on Bandar Abbas

A woman has been killed in the US attacks on southern Iran’s Bandar Abbas, leaving her one-year-old child critically injured from shrapnel wounds, Al Jazeera reported.

Iran’s Tasnim news agency reports that the US strike in the Tappeh Allah Akbar neighborhood of Bandar Abbas killed the mother and left eight others injured.
 

Iran claims attack on several locations in Kuwait

Iran has claimed to have destroyed High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) platforms and missiles in attacks on Kuwait at several locations, where Tehran said American forces and Israeli-backed fighters are stationed.

Iranian attacks eliminated “a large number of anti-revolutionaries and American special forces [and] the tit-for-tat operations are ongoing,” the IRGC said in a statement. 

IRGC says it targeted US jets in Jordan

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) say they have targeted US fighter jets stationed in Jordan, according to Iranian State TV, Al Jazeera reports.

Earlier, the Jordanian army had said that it shot down three Iranian missiles targeting the country. 

Bahrain says intercepted several Iranian air attacks

Bahrain’s armed forces say its air defence systems have intercepted and destroyed “a number of hostile Iranian aerial attacks” today, Al Jazeera reported.

“Iran has continued its aggressive approach by carrying out cowardly attacks targeting civilians in the Kingdom of Bahrain,” the military said in a statement.

It also urged everyone to exercise caution, avoid approaching any strange or suspicious objects that may have resulted from the Iranian attack, and report them immediately.

“The General Command stresses that the deliberate use of missiles and drones to target civilians and private property constitutes a blatant violation of international humanitarian law,” the statement further noted
 

Iran says attacked Al-Tanf military base in Syria: state broadcaster

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Friday they had attacked the Al-Tanf military base in Syria, AFP reports.

"The IRGC announces a surprise attack on the enemy's Special Operations Command Center in Syria's Al-Tanf region in retaliation for the blood of the martyred Iranian soldiers in Iranshahr," the state broadcaster wrote on Telegram.
 

Tanker hit by 'unknown projectile' off Oman coast: UK maritime agency

A tanker was struck by a projectile off the coast of Oman, the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency said, as Iran and the United States exchanged fire over control of the Strait of Hormuz, AFP reports.

“A tanker has reported being hit by an unknown projectile causing minor structural damage to the port side,” the British organisation said in a statement, reporting that it took place overnight and that all crew were safe and accounted for. 

UK arrests man for 'assisting' Iran's intelligence service

The UK police say a 39-year-old man has been charged with a National Security Act offence for assisting Iran’s intelligence service, Al Jazeera reported.

London’s Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) arrested Vahid Aberi, a resident of Liverpool, on Wednesday in the Birmingham area on suspicion of an offence.

Commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, said: “While we can’t comment in detail around the allegations now that a man has been charged, I do want to reassure the public that we have not identified any direct threat to them nor any threat towards a community or individual in connection with this investigation.”

Aberi was remanded in custody and is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday, July 17, the police said in a statement.
 

Strikes kill eight Iranian Kurdish rebels in Iraq: opposition group

Strikes in Iraq’s Kurdistan region killed eight members of an Iranian Kurdish armed opposition group on Friday, the exiled party said, blaming the attack on Iran, AFP reports.

Idriss Kohlwazi from the Komala party told AFP that “the Iranian regime attacked with drones and rockets a camp” belonging to the party and its vicinity near the city of Sulaimaniyah in the early morning, resulting in the “martyrdom of eight of our members and wounding others”. 

US forces shoot down eight drones over Erbil, north Iraq

The Kurdish counterterrorism forces say US coalition forces have shot down eight explosive drones over the city of Erbil in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq, Al Jazeera reports citing the Iraqi News Agency (INA).

No casualties were reported in the incident, it added.
 

Oil prices rise on intensifying US-Iran hostilities

Oil prices have risen after the US and Iran stepped up attacks across the Gulf and with Tehran asking Yemen’s Houthis to stand ready to shut the Red Sea export route.

On Friday, Brent crude, the primary international benchmark, rose by 70 cents or about 0.83 percent, to $84.93 a barrel at 03:12 GMT.
 

China, Pakistan call for resuming dialogue between US, Iran

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar have called for a ceasefire and the resumption of dialogue between the US and Iran, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said, citing talks between the ministers in Shanghai on Thursday.

Wang urged all parties to fulfil their commitments and abide by the ceasefire memorandum of understanding, the ministry said
 

US coalition downs drones over Iraq's Erbil: Kurdish forces

The US-led coalition shot down several drones over Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s northern Kurdistan region, Kurdish forces said, in the second such incident in the city this week, AFP reports.

Kurdish counterterrorism forces said that “coalition forces downed eight explosive-laden drones over Erbil between 04:19 and 05:25 am, with no damage or casualties reported. 

Iran says 38 killed, more than 400 injured in US strikes since June 22

Iran’s health ministry said that at least 38 people had been killed and more than 400 injured in the country since fighting resumed with the United States, AFP reports.

“The number of injured from US attacks has exceeded 400, and 38 compatriots have been martyred” since June 22, ministry spokesman Hossein Kermanpour posted on X. “Among them are 22 injured women, three martyred women, nine injured under the age of 18, and one martyr under 18”.

 

Iran Guards say struck US radar sites in Oman

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said Friday they had struck two radar sites belonging to the United States in the Gulf sultanate of Oman, AFP reports.

A statement said their forces “targeted and destroyed the maritime surveillance radar at the Salamah Rocks and the US air surveillance radar stationed in the Ghanam area”. 

Jordan says it shot down 3 Iranian missiles

The Jordanian army has said that it shot down three Iranian missiles targeting the country after its air defense systems intercepted the projectiles, Al Jazeera reports.

The army said that the incident did not cause any human casualties as Jordan’s Royal Engineering Corps teams dealt with falling shrapnel. 

JD Vance dismisses claims Kushner, Witkoff benefitted financially as Iran negotiators 'completely bogus'

US Vice President JD Vance has taken to X to deny claims that top White House advisers Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff attempted to benefit financially from their roles as Iran negotiators.

“This is completely bogus”, Vance said, describing Kushner and Witkoff as “trusted members of the president’s team”.

“The idea they’re trading on insider information is absurd,” said Vance, responding to a post from an X account called The Hormuz Letter. 

Explosions reported in Iraq's northern city of Sulaimaniyah

The Kurdish news platform Rudaw reports that four loud explosions were heard in the city of Sulaimaniyah in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq. 

Global energy security at risk if Strait of Hormuz does not open soon, IEA chief says

If the US and Iran do not increase oil flowing through the Strait of Hormuz soon, the world should worry about energy security, International Energy Agency Executive Director Fatih Birol said, according to Reuters.

“Oil security is still a critical issue,” Birol told a Council on Foreign Relations event.

“We should be worried, and I am worried, if the situation does not improve in the next few weeks.” 

Iran's IRGC say they targeted US command centre in Syria, Tasnim reports

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they attacked a US special operations command centre at al-Tanf in Syria in retaliation for the killing of Iranian soldiers in Iranshahr, Tasnim news agency reported, Reuters reports.

The Guards also said Iran retained full control of the Strait of Hormuz and that no oil or gas would be exported through the waterway for as long as US attacks continued. 

Qatar says intercepted missile attack

Qatar says it had intercepted a missile attack, after AFP journalists in the capital Doha reported hearing several blasts.

“The Ministry of Defence of State of Qatar announces that armed forces intercepted missile attack which targeted State of Qatar,” the defence ministry writes on X. 

Iran says targeted US military in Kuwait

Iran said it had targeted US military infrastructure in Kuwait in response to American attacks, AFP reports.

Iran said it had deployed drones in Kuwait to target “the deployment sites of US forces and the logistical support centers of the ‘terrorist’ and ‘child-killing’ US military”, Iranian state TV reported.

“The attacks were in response to the crimes of the arrogant enemy and in revenge for the blood of the martyrs of the homeland,” it added. 

US air strike hits Iran's Chabahar maritime control tower for third time

Iran’s Mehr news agency reports that a US missile strike has hit the Chabahar maritime control tower.

The attack marks the third time a US strike has hit the facility over the past week, it added. 

7 people killed in US strikes on bridges in southern Iranian city, state media says

Seven people were killed in US attacks on bridges in Bandar Khamir, a port city in southern Iran, IRNA reported, citing the Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Reuters reports. 

Oil rises on intensifying US-Iran hostilities and threat of Red Sea closure

Oil prices inched higher after the US and Iran stepped up attacks across the Gulf, with their broken truce limiting oil flows out of the Strait of Hormuz and with Tehran asking the Houthi movement to stand ready to shut the Red Sea export route, Reuters reports.

Brent crude futures rose $1.05, or about 1.25 per cent, to $85.28 a barrel by 0118 GMT, and US West Texas Intermediate futures rose $1.03, or 1.3pc, to $79.98 a barrel, erasing losses from the previous session.

Both benchmark contracts have climbed nearly 12pc this week, with Brent on track for a third consecutive weekly gain and WTI for a second weekly gain. 

Iran continues to talk to US, wants to make a deal, White House says

The White House said that Iran continues to engage in talks with the United States and remains interested in reaching a deal, despite recent military tensions between the two countries, Reuters reports.

White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said recent U.S. strikes were carried out after Iran breached a memorandum of understanding reached with Washington.

"The reason for the recent strikes over the course of the last several days is because Iran violated the memorandum of understanding that we struck with them," Leavitt told reporters.

She added that Tehran continues to communicate with Washington and is seeking a negotiated agreement, indicating that diplomatic contacts remain active despite the escalation in hostilities.
 

US military completes latest wave of strikes against Iran

The US military completed what it called its latest “major wave” of strikes against Iran tonight at 9:40 p.m., US Central Command said in a social media post, following days of escalation.

“US forces, including fighter jets, aerial drones, and warships, launched precision munitions that hit dozens of Iranian military targets such as coastal surveillance and air defense sites, military logistics infrastructure, and maritime capabilities,” CENTCOM said in a post on X.
 

Death toll from strikes on Bandar Khamir bridges rises to seven

The death toll from attacks on bridges in Iran’s southern Bandar Khamir rose to seven, Iran’s IRGC-affiliated Tasnim news agency reported Thursday.  

Iranians urged to limit AC use as energy infrastructure damaged in US strikes

Iran’s energy ministry has called on Iranians to limit their use of air conditioning to allow for a more stable supply of electricity to the southern parts of Iran.

The ministry’s head of public relations, Hossein Moghimi, told semi-official Tasnim News Agency that following attacks in places like Bandar Abbas in southern Iran, power lines were damaged, causing supply disruptions to the city and surrounding areas.

 

Loud bangs heard in Doha as Iran strikes Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan

Loud bangs were heard in Doha, Qatar early Friday local time. A government alert sent to mobile phones, seen by CNN, said the threat level was elevated and urged residents to remain home and in safe places, but the alert did not suggest a reason for the loud noises heard.

The government shortly after sent out another mobile alert saying the threat had been eliminated and that the situation had “returned to normal,”

While Iran has repeatedly struck military bases in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan, it has refrained from striking Qatar in recent days. Iran has not said if it had struck Qatar Friday morning.

 

Qatar rejects reports it agreed to join military action against Iran

Qatar rejected reports that it had agreed to participate in military action against Iran, calling the claims false and aimed at drawing the country into the conflict, the state’s International Media Office said in a statement.

The office said Qatar had not participated and would not participate in military action against any neighboring country.

It added that Doha would continue its diplomatic efforts with regional and international partners to seek a comprehensive and sustainable agreement.
 

Kuwait fends off attacks and sirens sound in Bahrain

Kuwait said early Friday morning local time it was responding to missile and drone threats, while sirens were activated in Bahrain.

In an update on X, Kuwait’s Ministry of Information said explosions may be heard as air defense systems intercept attacks and told residents to follow authorities’ instructions.

Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior told residents to take shelter.

The US earlier launched airstrikes against Iran for the sixth consecutive night.

 

US strikes across Hormozgan province kill two, wound eight

Two people were killed and eight others wounded in US strikes on the Kehvarstan Bridge and a residential neighborhood in Bandar Abbas on Thursday, Iran’s IRGC-affiliated Fars news agency reported. 

Multiple areas of Iran report explosions as US launches more airstrikes

Explosions have rocked multiple areas of Iran as the US continues its sixth consecutive night of airstrikes against the country.

QESHM ISLAND: Eight explosions were reported near Masan village on Iran’s Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday evening.

BANDAR KHAMIR: Iran’s port city of Bandar Khamir on the Strait of Hormuz came under attack by US forces this evening.

BUSHEHR: Two explosions were heard in the Persian Gulf port city of Bushehr in southwestern Iran, according to Bushehr’s governor.

AHVAZ: Locations on the outskirts of Ahvaz, a key industrial hub in the southwestern corner of Iran, were targeted by US forces.

IRANSHAHR: The provincial capital of far southeastern Sistan and Baluchestan province, which borders Pakistan, also came under fire.

HAMIDIYEH COUNTY: Approximately six explosions were heard in the vicinity of Hamidiyeh County in southwestern Iran.
 

Blasts heard near Iranshahr airport after US airstrike

Repeated explosions were heard and flames and thick smoke were seen after an alleged US strike hit an area around Iranshahr airport on Thursday evening, according to videos published by the Haalvsh human rights group on its Telegram channel. 

US strike hits key bridge, airport in southern Iran: IRGC

US airstrikes hit the Bandar Abbas-Kahurestan-Lar bridge, a key road link between Bandar Abbas and Shiraz, as well as Iranshahr Airport in southeastern Iran, the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News Agency reported Thursday.

Tasnim said the attacks targeted Bandar Khamir and the Kahurestan district in Hormuzgan province, where several explosions were heard and electricity was cut in some areas.

The agency said three powerful explosions were also heard near Iranshahr Airport after US warplanes launched a missile strike on the facility.

Separately, the Hormuzgan governor’s office said locations near Qeshm were struck at around 11:10 a.m. It provided no immediate details on casualties or damage.
 

Iranian attacks cause damage in Kuwait: Defence Ministry

Waves of Iranian drones caused material damage in Kuwait, the Persian Gulf country’s Defense Ministry said Thursday.

The attacks targeted “several vital facilities,” and interception operations caused debris to fall in residential areas, resulting in damage but no casualties, the ministry added.

Kuwait said it intercepted 32 “hostile drones” in its airspace since dawn Thursday.
 

Three explosions heard in Bandar Abbas: Iran's state media

Three explosions have been heard in western Bandar Abbas, a major port city on the southern coast of the country, Iran’s state-run Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) reported Thursday evening local time.

The source of the explosions is currently unknown, the report added. It comes after the US Central Command announced a fresh wave of US airstrikes against Iran.
 

US launches more strikes on Iran: CENTCOM

The US has launched another wave of airstrikes against Iran, marking a sixth consecutive night, according to the US military.

US Central Command, the Tampa-based headquarters overseeing US troops in the conflict, announced the strikes via social media.
 

Iran continues to talk to US, wants to make a deal, says White House

The White House on Thursday said Iran continues to talk to the US and wants to make a deal.

"The reason for the recent strikes over the course of the last several days is because Iran violated the memorandum of understanding that we struck with them," White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said Thursday.

"Specifically, in the memorandum of understanding that they signed, they were not to fire on commercial vessels moving through the Strait of Hormuz, and unfortunately they have made the tragic decision for them to do that.

Leavitt said that the Strait of Hormuz is open for ships that are not traveling to or from Iranian ports and that the US Navy remains there "to ensure that can take place."

US strikes hit around Iran's Qeshm island: Iranian media

Iranian news agencies on Thursday reported that the United States launched strikes around Iran's Gulf island of Qeshm near the Strait of Hormuz, as renewed hostilities flared between Washington and Tehran.

The Fars news agency reported an "American missile strike in the vicinity of Qeshm", citing local authorities, while Tasnim said one of its correspondents reported locations around the island "were struck by projectiles from the American enemy".

Iranian state TV also reported that the port city of Bandar Abbas was targeted by the "American enemy's aggression" on Thursday evening.

No sounds of 'explosions' in downtown Dubai: media office

Dubai Media Office said there had been no sounds of explosions in downtown Dubai, after witnesses earlier reported hearing booms in that area.

US VP Vance says Israel runs 'well-funded campaign to derail talks with Iran'

Vice President JD Vance has accused Israel of funding campaigns to ruin US negotiations with Iran to end the war, Al Jazeera reported on Thursday.

"You have seen this very discreet, extremely well-funded campaign to try to derail the negotiation and try to derail the deal," Vance told the Joe Rogan podcast.

"A bunch of people who have quite literally been paid by a former Trump campaign person who was himself paid by certain elements within the Israeli government. And those people are attacking me viciously," he said.

There was no immediate response from Israeli officials to the allegation.

US 'seeks to hit Iran and advance its interests': Ghalibaf

Iran’s top negotiator, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, says the country has “no choice but to rely on our own strength and become stronger”, adding that the US “seeks to hit Iran and advance its interests whenever it can”, Al Jazeera reports.

“This is not limited to war, negotiations, or just this current US president,” he says in a statement issued on social media. “So our view of war or negotiations must be based on national interests and security, realistic and long-term; therefore, we have no choice but to rely on our own strength and become stronger.”

Explosions heard in UAE's downtown Dubai, witnesses say

According to Reuters, witnesses say they have heard explosions in downtown Dubai.

Missiles hit near Bandar Abbas: report

US missiles have hit locations near Iran’s port city of Bandar Abbas, al Jazeera reports citing the country’s Fars news agency.

“According to the Hormozgan Governorate, in the new US attacks on the province, no injuries or damage to residential and commercial infrastructure have been reported,” Fars reports, adding that the attack took place between 6:20pm and 6:40pm local time (7:50pm and 8:10pm PKT).

US committing war crimes in attacks on Iran: Araghchi

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has accused the United States of committing war crimes, saying strikes on “vital infrastructure” and threats to attack bridges and power plants show “the criminal intent of the US ruling body to commit heinous crimes”, Al Jazeera reports.

In a statement on Telegram, Araghchi says the US attacks are “undoubtedly a flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter and the fundamental principles of international law”.

He adds that such acts amount to “serious international crimes” under the fundamental principles of international criminal law, including the four Geneva Conventions of 1949, further stating that “all governments are obligated to prosecute and punish those who commit such crimes”.

Araghchi also accuses American officials of “absurd rhetoric and diabolical threats,” saying the hostility is aimed at the Iranian people “for insisting on their independence, legitimate rights, and human dignity”.

He warns that those responsible “cannot evade legal responsibility … by claiming to be acting on the orders of their superiors”.

Iran tells Houthis to close Red Sea gateway if US hits power network, say sources

Iran has asked Yemen's Houthi movement to stand ready to close the Red Sea oil route if the United States strikes Iranian power infrastructure, three sources told Reuters on Thursday, posing a potent new threat to global energy supplies.

The idea has been discussed within the Islamic Republic's leadership, and the message has been conveyed to Iran's Houthi allies, two senior Iranian sources and a regional source familiar with the matter said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The sources said the Houthis had been informed recently of Tehran's request, which has not been previously reported.

They did not give further details on how it had been conveyed or whether it was after US President Donald Trump's threat to attack Iranian power infrastructure on Tuesday.

Iran's foreign ministry and a spokesperson for the Houthi group were not immediately available to respond to Reuters' request.

Houthi leader threatens Saudi oil and vital facilities if Riyadh escalates in Yemen

Yemen’s Houthi rebel leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi says that all Saudi oil and other vital facilities will be targets for the group’s missiles and drones if Riyadh involves itself in what he described as “comprehensive aggression” against Yemen and moves toward escalation, Reuters reports. 

Syria claims seized weapons bound for Hezbollah at Iraqi border

Syria claims it has foiled an attempt to smuggle weapons to Hezbollah in Lebanon by seizing a shipment that included missiles at its border with Iraq, AFP reports.

“Specialised units thwarted an attempt to bring in a shipment of sophisticated weapons and missiles through the Syrian-Iraqi border,” a source from the interior ministry is quoted as saying by Syria’s official SANA news agency.

“Initial investigations established that the shipment was intended to transit through Syria for the benefit of the terrorist militia Hezbollah,” the source adds. 

Israeli air strikes target Southern Lebanon despite ceasefire

The Israeli military has launched fresh air strikes in southern Lebanon, targeting areas near the Deir neighbourhood in the city of Nabatieh despite the existing ceasefire.

According to Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA), Israeli warplanes carried out two separate strikes on the area.

The attacks triggered loud explosions, with thick plumes of smoke seen rising from the targeted locations. 

Kuwait condemns Iranian strikes on Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan

Kuwait has strongly denounced Iran's attacks targeting its own territory as well as Bahrain and Jordan, describing them as a blatant violation of the three countries' sovereignty and territorial integrity.

In a statement carried by the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), the Foreign Ministry said the attacks posed a direct threat to the security, stability and safety of the affected nations and their people.

The ministry reaffirmed Kuwait's full solidarity with Bahrain and Jordan, pledging support for all measures taken by the two countries to safeguard their security and protect their national interests. 

Kuwaiti military says responding to new Iran drone attacks

Kuwait’s military says it is responding to renewed Iranian aerial attacks as Iran and the United States exchange strikes over control of the vital Strait of Hormuz, AFP reports.

“Kuwaiti air defences are currently engaging hostile drone attacks following the Iranian aggression,” Kuwait’s army says in a statement as an AFP journalist reports sounds of explosions near the Gulf state’s capital, Kuwait City. 

Bahrain says air defence systems destroyed several 'treacherous' Iranian attacks

The General Command of the Bahrain Defence Force said Iranian attacks continued to target civilians in the Kingdom of Bahrain, and that air defence systems intercepted and destroyed several treacherous Iranian aerial attacks on July 16. 

Crude oil loading suspended at all Iraqi terminals after drone incident, sources say

Crude oil loading has been suspended at all Iraqi terminals after a drone crashed into an oil tanker at the Basra terminal, although it did not cause damage or a fire, four Iraqi oil and security sources have told Reuters.

Iraq’s oil terminals are located in the south. It was not immediately clear who launched the drone.

The oil tanker was towed outside the port alongside another tanker that was anchored as a precautionary measure. 

Kremlin says it is in touch with Iran, worried about risks to global economy from latest escalation

The Kremlin says that Russia is in touch with officials in Iran amid what it calls another cycle of destabilisation fraught with risks for the global economy, Reuters reports.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov gave no details of the contacts, but told reporters that Iranian authorities had not requested a phone call with President Vladimir Putin. 

Netanyahu's office says he won't travel to US next week

The Israeli prime minister will not fly to the United States because of the postponement of the memorial service for Senator Lindsey Graham, his office says, Al Jazeera reported.

Benjamin Netanyahu was expected to travel there on Saturday and stay until Tuesday to attend the funeral service, according to Israeli media reports.

Graham – a staunch supporter of Israel and critic of Iran – died after a “brief and sudden illness” last week. Netanyahu called the hardline US senator a close friend and a strong supporter of the US-Israel alliance and praised his commitment to Israel’s security.
 

JD Vance says some in Israeli government sought to sway US on Iran deal

US Vice President JD Vance said some members of the Israeli government had tried to influence US public opinion to oppose a deal by the US to end the war with Iran, in a podcast episode with host Joe Rogan posted, according to Reuters.

The comments echoed earlier criticism of Israeli government policy by Vance, whom many view as a potential future presidential candidate, in a widening public rift between the two countries.

Vance defended a deal reached last month to end the war with Iran, which critics in the US and Israel have slammed for failing to curb Iran’s missile program and providing no clear path to dismantling its nuclear facilities, while constraining Israel in its war with Hezbollah militants in Lebanon.

“I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that there have been people within the Israeli government who are trying to, like, actually shift us away from that policy because they want to continue the military campaign,” Vance said. 

Iran says it has 'no intention' to confront neighbouring states: spokesperson

An Iranian military spokesman says Tehran doesn't want to confront its Middle East neighbours, despite another army official earlier pledging to “crush” regional infrastructure if the US hits civilian sites in Iran, Al Jazeera reported.

“Iran has no intention of confronting its neighbouring countries or the Islamic nations of the region. It has consistently emphasised expanding cooperation and fostering fraternal relations with regional states,” said army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia. 

Trump hails release of US citizen held in Iran as 'goodwill' gesture

US President Donald Trump has called the release of a US citizen held in Iran a “gesture of goodwill”, even as conflict rages for a fifth night across the Middle East, Reuters reports.

Trump says in a post on Truth Social that an American who was “wrongfully detained” under the Biden administration in 2024 has been allowed to leave Iran.

“She is now safely outside of Iran, and in good condition. The United States of America appreciates this gesture of Goodwill by Iran,” Trump has written. 

Bahrain says it thwarted 'sinister attacks' by Iran

Bahrain’s army says Iran is “continuing its systematic hostile approach through its sinister attacks targeting civilians” in the Gulf country, Al Jazeera reported.

“The General Command clarifies that, with strong will and high combat readiness, the air defence systems detected, intercepted and destroyed a number of treacherous Iranian air strikes today,” it said in a statement.

The army urged “everyone to exercise caution and avoid approaching any unfamiliar or suspicious objects resulting from the remnants of the brutal Iranian aggression”.

Earlier, the Iranian army claimed an attack on Bahrain’s Sheikh Isa Air Base, saying it was in response to the US strikes.
 

Tehran warns of strikes on regional infrastructure if US targets Iran's

Brigadier General Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesman for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, has threatened to respond to any US attacks on Iranian infrastructure with strikes on regional infrastructure.

In a statement carried by Iranian state media, he said if Trump follows through on his threats, “all the infrastructure in the region will be crushed under the steel blows of the powerful armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, so that no trace of them will remain, as if they had never existed in the first place.” 

Majority of Americans believe launching war on Iran was wrong, poll finds

A new public opinion survey by YouGov and The Economist suggests that 57 percent of Americans believe the decision to launch the war on Iran was wrong, while only 27 percent say it was the right decision.

Some 46 percent of Americans also believe the war will last another year or more, the poll suggested.

The share of respondents who say the war will end within a month, or is already over, has fallen to 8 percent from 20 percent in March, the poll showed.
 

Iran says Hormuz is a red line, warns of attacks on regional infrastructure if US strikes Iran

The spokesperson for Iran's top military command said Tehran would not allow US interference in the Strait of Hormuz, calling it a red line.

Iran would target infrastructure across the region if US President Donald Trump carried out threats to attack Iranian infrastructure, the spokesperson warned. 

Tehran threatens regional infrastructure if US attacks Iran's

Tehran warns that it would target regional infrastructure if the United States carried out threats to attack Iran’s infrastructure, as the war in the Middle East resumed, according to AFP.

The spokesman for Iran’s military headquarters says that if the US followed through on its threats, “all infrastructure in the region” would be “crushed under the steel blows” of Iran’s armed forces. 

Iran claims more attacks on Bahrain

Earlier, the Iranian army said it launched drone attacks on Bahrain’s Sheikh Isa base, targeting communication and radar systems, including Super Hawk radars and Patriot installations used by US forces.

Now, the IRGC says it launched a “devastating attack” on the same base and “completely destroyed the air reconnaissance and control radars” as well as “the fuel tank pumping station of the aggressor enemy’s fighter jets”.

The IRGC says the attacks were in response to the US attacks that forced the evacuation of the children’s cancer hospital in Ahvaz as well as a water production plant for Karbala pilgrims in the border area of Ilam province.

“The battle continues,” it added.

The statement comes moments after the IRGC also claimed further attacks on Kuwait and Jordan.
 

More than 200 patients evacuated after US strikes near Iran's Ahvaz hospital

Iranian authorities have evacuated at least 211 patients from Ahvaz hospital and transferred them to other medical facilities after US attacks, IRIB reported.

IRGC say struck US base in Jordan

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards they had struck a US air base in Jordan with ballistic missiles in response to what they described as an American attack near a children’s cancer hospital in Iran, AFP reports.

The IRGC said US forces had “used air bases located in Jordan to target various parts of Iran, including the vicinity of a children’s cancer hospital”, and that its aerospace force responded by “launching two waves of missile strikes” on the bases in Jordan, according to their website. 

US forces attack northern Iran for second time since recent escalation

It was last week that the US attack northern Iran for the first time since the the memorandum of understanding was signed, or indeed, after the ceasefire was agreed upon on April 8.

The first strike was in Aqqala when a railway bridge was attacked.

That bridge is quite important for Iran’s trade routes, particularly given that there is a blockade and Iranians cannot sell their oil to the global market. So these alternative trade routes are important and that was perhaps the justification back then.

Now, the northern city of Semnan has come under attack.
 

Gold falls as Mideast conflict dims easing inflation hopes

Gold fell on Thursday as an escalating Middle East conflict fuelled concerns that the US Federal Reserve could hike interest rates this year, overshadowing recent optimism over easing inflation, Reuters reports.

Spot gold was down 0.8 per cent at $4,029.29 per ounce by 0518 GMT. US gold futures for August delivery lost 0.4pc to $4,034.40.

“June’s inflation figures did not reflect the impact of the latest escalation in the US-Iran conflict, as the interim peace union reached last month has effectively unravelled,” said Jigar Trivedi, a senior research analyst at IndusInd Securities. 

US approves nearly $2 billion in weapons sales to Saudi Arabia

The US State Department said it has approved the sale of an estimated $1.96 billion in weapons to bolster Saudi Arabia’s air defenses, as the war ramps up in the Middle East, AFP reports.

“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a Major non-NATO Ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Gulf Region,” the State Department said in a release. 

Iran claims attacks on Bahrain, Kuwait

Iran’s army says it targeted US radar and defence systems in Kuwait and Bahrain a few hours ago, as part of the tenth phase of its retaliatory attacks, dubbed Operation Lightning, Al Jazeera reports.

In a statement carried by state media, the army said it targeted radar systems, the Patriot defence system, and fuel tanks belonging to US forces at the Ali Al Salem base in Kuwait.

In a separate wave of attacks, the army said drones targeted communication and radar systems, including Super Hawk radars and Patriot installations, used by US forces at the Sheikh Isa base in Bahrain.

Earlier, the IRGC also claimed attacks on Kuwait, saying it targeted a C-RAM early-warning radar and a gathering point for US soldiers at Ali Al Salem airbase.
 

Airport in Iran's Semnan hit by reported air strikes: report

Sections of Semnan Airport were struck in "enemy air strikes," Iran's IRIB news agency reported.

The broadcaster, citing a spokesperson for the crisis headquarters in the north-central province, said emergency response teams had been deployed to the site.

The spokesperson also stated that no residential areas in the cities or villages of Semnan Province were affected by the reported attacks.
 

Iraq condemns drone attack over Erbil

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has condemned a drone attack that violated the airspace over Erbil in the Kurdistan region, Al Jazeera reported.

In a post on X, al-Zaidi said Iraq “strongly condemns” the attack and would not tolerate attempts to undermine the country’s stability and security. He added that security agencies had been ordered to coordinate with Kurdish regional forces to prevent further attacks.
 

Jordan says it downed eight Iranian missiles

Jordan’s armed forces have intercepted eight Iranian missiles targeting the kingdom, Al Jazeera reported, citing Petra news agency.

Citing a military source, the agency said the interceptions caused no casualties or material damage.

The source said Royal Engineering Corps teams secured debris that fell at several locations and “emphasized that the armed forces continue to monitor the airpsace with the highest level of readiness”.

Earlier, Iran’s army said it targeted communications systems, a fixed radar site and fuel depots of the US military at Jordan’s Azraq Air Base using attack drones.
 

IRGC says no casualties in Pakdasht and Parchin

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says the sounds of explosions reported in the city of Pakdasht, near the capital, Tehran, were caused by air defence operations, Al Jazeera reported.

It said there were no casulaties in Pakdasht or in Parchin, an Iranian military complex near Tehran.
 

Fewer vessels travel through Hormuz as US, Iran continue strikes

Fewer vessels travelled through the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, the first day after the US reimposed its naval blockade on Iranian ports with both countries escalating strikes across the Gulf, reports Reuters, citing shipping data.

Seven vessels crossed the strait on Wednesday, mostly on the Iranian route, down from 13 the previous day, Kpler data showed.

Four empty vessels entered the Gulf, including three small oil tankers and a dry bulk carrier for grains, the data showed. The three vessels that exited the strait on Wednesday carried liquefied petroleum gas, coal and fuel oil.
 

Iran army says targeted US military facilities in Jordan: state media

The Iranian army said that it targeted US military facilities in Jordan with drones, state media reported, after the United States carried out another wave of strikes on Iran, AFP reports.

“The Army of the Islamic Republic of Iran announced that… in response to the enemy aggression, it targeted the communication systems and fuel storage facilities of the US military in Jordan using suicide (kamikaze) drones,” state television IRIB said.
 

Iran's Revolutionary Guard says it hit Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says it carried out a combined missile and drone attack on Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, Al Jazeera reported, citing a statement.

In a statement carried by Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, the IRGC claimed it targeted a C-RAM early-warning radar and a gathering point for US soldiers during the eighth wave of its “Nasr 2” operation.

It also accused the US of using Kuwaiti territory to launch attacks against Iran and called on Kuwaitis to demand the removal of US forces from the country.
 

Trump says Iran has released American woman detained since 2024

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Iran has released an American woman who he said had been wrongfully detained in the country since December 2024.

“Iran has allowed an American Citizen, who was wrongfully detained in December of 2024 under the ‘presidency’ of Sleepy Joe Biden, to leave the Country,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
 

IRGC says Iran's operations are focused on US military infrastructure

IRGC spokesman Hussein Mohebbi said on Wednesday Iran’s operations are currently focused on destroying US offensive infrastructure in the region, warning that further steps will follow.

“The enemy should not imagine that it can continue the current equation of the battle and turn the war into one of attrition. Iran's operations are currently focused on destroying America's offensive infrastructure in the region. The next steps will then begin,” he posted on X.


 

Vance defends diplomacy amid renewed hostilities with Iran

Vice President JD Vance offered a defense of attempting diplomacy with Iran amid a renewal in hostilities, saying the war will not be won through military force alone.

“I’m very frustrated by the Americans and frankly by people in other countries who are like, you cannot negotiate with the Iranians,” he said on an episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience” released on Wednesday.

Vance has led US efforts to engage in negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program, but those efforts have stalled amid disputes over the Strait of Hormuz.

President Donald Trump has cast doubt on the utility in continuing talks with Iran as the war resumes, claiming it is a “waste of time dealing with them.”

 

Explosions heard in Iranian cities Ahvaz and Chabahar: state media

Explosions were heard in the southern Iranian cities of Ahvaz and Chabahar late Wednesday evening local time, the country’s media outlets reported.

The reports follow US Central Command’s announcement of a new round of airstrikes against Iran.
 

US launches second wave of strikes against Iran

US forces began an additional round of strikes, after early-morning attacks that targeted an island near the Strait of Hormuz.

The new strikes focused on “Iranian military capabilities used to threaten vessels freely transiting through the Strait of Hormuz,” US Central Command said in a post on X. The statement didn’t specify the area of the strikes.

 

US costs of Iran war near $100 billion, claims American media

US military spending linked to the conflict with Iran has climbed to nearly $100 billion, almost three times the Pentagon's initial estimate, according to American media reports.

The reports claim the Pentagon has not released a full breakdown of the war costs, prompting concerns over transparency among US lawmakers and defence experts.

More than $30 billion is reportedly needed to repair damage to American military facilities in Bahrain, Kuwait and other regional bases. Several US military aircraft were also said to have been damaged during Iranian attacks.

Senators have called on the Pentagon to publish a comprehensive report detailing the conflict's financial impact.

Blasts heard near US consulate in Iraq's Erbil: reports

Several explosions have been heard near the US consulate in Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s northern Kurdistan region, AFP journalists report.

Air defences have been activated near the consulate, which was a target of repeated drone and rocket attacks during the Middle East war.

Iran remains ready to fight to protect national interests, says Qalibaf

Iran's top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Wednesday that Tehran has never welcomed war but remains prepared to fight if necessary to protect its national security and interests.

Iran rules out talks with US for now, says focus remains on defence

A spokesperson of the Iranian foreign ministry said that Tehran currently has no plans to engage in negotiations and remains focused on strengthening its defence posture, Tasnim news agency reported on Wednesday.

US military denies striking civilian wheat storage facility in Iran

The US military on Wednesday denied that its forces struck a civilian wheat storage facility in Iran on Tuesday and said Iranian military targets were struck to degrade Tehran's ability to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

Lebanon, Israel conclude US-brokered talks on 'pilot zones' in Rome

Lebanon and Israel concluded US-brokered talks in Rome on Wednesday, with a US official saying they had made progress on implementing a plan that could see Israeli forces begin to withdraw from some parts of southern Lebanon within days.

The two longtime foes held ambassador-level talks at the US embassy in Rome on Tuesday and Wednesday — their sixth round of face-to-face negotiations since a new war erupted on March 2 between Israel and Hezbollah, triggered by the wider regional conflict.

US says it issued sanctions to disrupt Iran's weapon procurement

The US government issued sanctions on Wednesday targeting individuals and entities ‌that it said were a part of an international network helping Iran procure weapons.

The sanction targets include Iranian and Russian nationals, as well as entities bases in Iran, Russia and Nigeria, the US Treasury Department said in a statement.

The move comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran, including recent hostilities over control of the Strait of Hormuz, and as the Trump administration ramps up pressure on Iran through a series of sanctions measures.

UAE condemns Iranian missile and drone attacks on Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan

The United Arab Emirates has strongly condemned Iran's renewed missile and drone strikes targeting Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan.

In a statement posted on X, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the attacks constitute a "flagrant violation" of the sovereignty of the three countries and pose a serious threat to their security and stability.

The ministry reaffirmed the UAE's full solidarity with Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan, expressing support for all measures taken to safeguard their security, stability, and territorial integrity. 

Two commercial vessels redirected since Iranian port blockade reinstated: Centcom

The US Central Command (Centcom) said American forces have redirected two commercial vessels since the naval blockade on Iranian ports was reinstated. 

Iranian FM Araghchi arrives in Qatar to offer condolences over former emir's death

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has arrived in Doha to offer condolences following the death of Qatar's former emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Al Jazeera reported, citing Araghchi's official Telegram channel and Iranian state media.

During his visit, Iran's top diplomat is also expected to hold meetings with senior Qatari officials. 

US launches new wave of strikes to degrade Iranian military capabilities

Netanyahu will travel to US on Saturday, Israeli official says

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will travel to the United States on Saturday, a senior Israeli official told Reuters on Wednesday.

Netanyahu wants to meet Trump, but it is not clear if he will, the official added.

Israel has been part of two fronts in the latest conflict in the Middle East: one, jointly with the U.S., against Iran, and another against Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Netanyahu will travel to US on Saturday, Israeli official says Iran demanded an end to the war in Lebanon as part of its interim deal with Washington signed last month, but that agreement is in tatters after the renewed U.S.-Iranian hostilities.

Drone comes down in Iraq's Faw port, state news agency says

A drone came down in ‌Iraq's Faw port ‌without causing any damage,the ‌state ‌news agency reported on Wednesday, without giving further details. 

SCO commends Pakistan's constructive contributions to promoting regional peace

Iranian state media says Bushehr targeted again by US strikes

Fresh US strikes hit Iran's southern port city of Bushehr, home to the country´s only civilian nuclear plant, state news agency IRNA reported on Wednesday.

"The American enemy attacked three locations in Bushehr today," the city governor, Mohammad Mozafari told IRNA, the day after another attack as Washington and Tehran stepped up their military confrontation. 

Israeli soldier jailed five years for spying for Iran: Army

An Israeli military court has sentenced a soldier to five years in prison after convicting him of spying for Iran during the June 2025 war, the Israeli army said, according to Al Jazeera.

The army said the conviction followed a joint investigation by the military police, Israeli police, and the Shin Bet intelligence agency, which found the soldier had carried out espionage missions on behalf of Iran. 

Bahrain military says intercepted Iran aerial barrages

Bahrain’s military said it had intercepted aerial attacks from Iran after warning sirens sounded in the early hours in the tiny Gulf nation, AFP reports.

“The General Command of the Bahrain Defence Force announces that Iran continues its systematic hostile approach through its criminal attacks that target civilians,” it said in a statement adding the military “succeeded in intercepting and destroying a number of the treacherous Iranian aerial attacks this morning”. 

Iran says at least 30 civilians have died in US strikes

Fatemeh Mohajerani, Iran's government spokesperson, says at least 30 civilians were killed over recent days due to US strikes on the south of the country, state media reported on Wednesday.

According to Iranian army, 7 Iranian military personnel were martyred last night in US attacks in the Iranian city of Iranshahr.

 

Iranian health ministry says 260 wounded in latest US strikes

Iranian health ministry said 260 people wounded in latest US strikes without giving fatality figures. 

Earlier, Iran state media said US strike hit a wheat storage silo in western city of Hoveyzeh.

 

IRGC launches new wave of retaliatory strikes on US military facilities in Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has announced a new round of retaliatory operations against US military installations in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan.

The strikes, according to the group, targeted important military infrastructure, including logistics networks and command facilities, in response to renewed US attacks on Iranian territory.

In separate statements issued on Wednesday, the IRGC said the latest actions represented the fourth, fifth, and sixth phases of its Operation Nasr-2 (Victory 2) campaign.

Iranian president says US failed to achieve goals through military pressure

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has responded to recent remarks by US President Donald Trump, claiming that Washington failed to achieve its objectives through military means.

Pezeshkian stated that Iran would continue to defend every inch of its territory and would not surrender to any form of external pressure or aggression.

The Iranian president said those who attempted to weaken or divide Iran should assess whether they succeeded in achieving their goals. He reiterated that the country would remain firm in protecting its sovereignty and national interests.

Oil prices rise as hostilities worsen in the Middle East

Oil extended gains on Wednesday as President Donald Trump reimposed a naval blockade on all Iranian ports and Tehran launched strikes on U.S. ?infrastructure in the region, Reuters reports.

Brent futures climbed 99 cents, or 1.2%, to $85.72 a barrel at ‌0400 GMT. West Texas Intermediate futures gained 64 cents, or 0.8%, to $79.98 a barrel. 

Iran threatens more energy shipping routes

Iran's Revolutionary Guards have threatened to close more energy routes serving U.S. and allied interests if Washington continues to try to block the region's oil and gas exports by controlling maritime corridors.

The guards said in a statement regional energy exports would be "for everyone or for no one".

The statement did not name any specific routes Iran might seek to disrupt. 

'We'll hit them very hard' until they negotiate: Trump

Jordan says it shot down three missiles from Iran

Jordan's air defense intercepted and shot down three ballistic missiles that entered the country's airspace from Iranian territory early on Wednesday, Reuters reports.

Iran had earlier said that it had targeted Jordan's Azraq air base.

We could not immediately confirm if Jordan was referring to a new strike. 

Iran Guards say they have targeted the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Wednesday it had targeted what it described as command-and-control, logistics, fuel and military equipment facilities belonging to the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain.

This was in response to what it said were US actions in the Indian Ocean and efforts to control the Strait of Hormuz and restrict shipping routes.

The Guards warned that if Washington sought to block the region's oil and gas exports by controlling maritime routes, other export routes serving US and allied interests could also be closed, saying regional energy exports would be "for everyone or for no one".

Earlier on Wednesday, Bahrain's Interior Ministry said air raid sirens had sounded and urged residents to remain calm and seek shelter. 

IRGC says it struck US aircraft shelters at Jordan's Azraq base

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Tuesday its Aerospace Force struck the US military base at Azraq in Jordan, adding “it destroyed shelters for F-15, F-16 and F-35 fighter jets as well as several MQ-9 drones.'“

In a statement carried by IRGC-affiliated media, IRGC said the attack was carried out during the sixth wave of its “Nasr 2” operation in response to US strikes against Iran.

The statement called on people of Jordan to oppose the presence of US forces in the country and urged them to “seek the removal of American military forces from Jordan.”
 

CENTCOM says new strikes hit dozens of targets in Iran

US Central Command said on Tuesday American forces completed an additional round of strikes against Iran, hitting dozens of military targets near the Strait of Hormuz and along Iranian coastal areas.

“US Central Command (CENTCOM) completed an additional round of strikes against Iran at 10 p.m. ET, July 14, hitting dozens of military targets near the Strait of Hormuz and Iranian coastal areas,” CENTCOM posted on X.

“US fighter aircraft, drones, and naval vessels launched precision munitions against Iranian missile and drone sites, naval capabilities, and coastal defense systems during the seven-hour wave to further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping and civilian crews,” it said, accompanying the statement with a video of the attacks.
 

Kuwait says air defenses intercept drone attacks after Iranian strikes

Kuwait’s General Staff of the Army said on Tuesday that its air defenses were confronting hostile drone attacks following what it described as Iranian aggression.

The statement said any explosion sounds heard were the result of air defense systems intercepting the attacks and urged residents to follow safety instructions issued by authorities.
 

Iranian media publishes video showing drone attacks on Jordan's Azraq base

Iranian media published a video on Tuesday showing one-way drone attacks targeting Jordan’s Azraq base, as part of the Iranian army’s “Saeqeh” (Lightning) operation. 

Iranian army claims it struck US military assets in Jordan

Iran’s army claims to have struck US military assets at the Al-Azraq Air Base in Jordan, according to Iranian state news agency IRNA.

Iranian attack drones allegedly struck an area where F-18 fighter jets were stationed, an accommodation building, and a large equipment hangar that IRNA said belonged to the US army.

F-18 fighter jets are normally on aircraft carriers and not on bases in the Middle East.

“These operations will continue until final victory is achieved,” IRNA cited the Iranian army as saying.
 

US freezes over $130m in Iran-linked crypto wallets

The US Treasury froze more than $130 million in cryptocurrency wallets linked to Iran’s central bank as part of efforts to disrupt Tehran’s illicit financial activities, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Tuesday.

“US Treasury is committed to disrupting and degrading Iran’s illicit financial activities, including its abuse of digital assets. Today, Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned multiple wallets tied to the Central Bank of Iran, resulting in the freeze of over $130 million,” he posted on X. “We will continue to aggressively follow the money and deny the Iranian regime access to the proceeds of its illicit revenue schemes.” 

Bahrain activates alarm sirens, urges residents to seek shelter

Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior activated alarm sirens on Tuesday and urged citizens and residents to remain calm, move to the nearest safe location, and follow updates through official channels. 

Response to US strikes will exceed retaliation, Iran deputy FM says

Iran’s response to US strikes will not be proportional and will instead make Washington "regret" its actions, Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said on Tuesday in remarks published by Iran’s official media on X.

"Iran's response to US aggression will not be proportional; rather, it will make them regret it,” he said.
 

Trump threatens to strike Iranian power plants and bridges 'next week'

President Donald Trump warned that the United States would strike bridges and power plants in Iran “next week” unless Tehran returns to the negotiating table.

“We’re going to hit them very hard tomorrow night. We’re going to hit them very hard the night after, and then next week it gets really bad for them, because next week comes the power plants. Next week comes the bridges. We’re going to knock out all their power plants. We’re going to knock out all their bridges unless they get to the table and negotiate,” Trump told Fox News in an interview Tuesday.
 

Explosions in southern Iran as US launches more airstrikes

US airstrikes have hit several sites in southern Iran, according to Iranian official media.

Iran’s state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) said the port city of Bandar Abbas and several locations near Sirik were hit. The report came soon after the US military said it had launched another set of airstrikes against the country ahead of the reimposition of its naval blockade.
 

US naval blockade of Iranian ports goes into effect

The US military’s naval blockade of ships going to and from Iranian ports resumed at the 4 p.m. ET deadline announced by US Central command.

The blockade restarts a day after President Donald Trump said it would be reinstated and the US would act as the “guardian” of the Strait of Hormuz.

US Central Command reaffirmed the 4 p.m. ET deadline in a post on X minutes before it was set to go into effect, in which the command said the US was carrying out more strikes against Iran on capabilities around the strait.

“The strikes are taking place as American forces prepare to resume the naval blockade against Iranian ports and coastal areas,” the CENTCOM post said.

 

US military says launching additional strikes against Iran

US Central Command said its forces began an additional round of strikes against Iran, targeting capabilities it said were used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

“The strikes are taking place as American forces prepare to resume the naval blockade against Iranian ports and coastal areas,” CENTCOM said.

 

Kish Island power plant damaged in US attack, Iranian media says

A power plant on Iran’s Kish Island in the Persian Gulf has been damaged in what the power company says was a US attack early Tuesday local time (Monday night ET), Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency reported.

A projectile exploded near the facility during what the Kish Water and Power Engineering Company said was a US strike, according to Fars. US Central Command (CENTCOM) began conducting strikes on Monday night ET.

While Kish Island is primarily known as a resort destination for Iranian tourists, it also hosts military infrastructure that includes naval and radar installations, as well as aviation facilities that support Iran’s missile and drone programs.


 

Blasts heard in Kuwait as army says intercepting 'aerial targets'

Explosions were heard in Kuwait City on Tuesday, an AFP journalist reported, as the Gulf nation's army announced for the second time in less than half an hour that it was intercepting "hostile" targets.

 

China says US taking Mideast to 'precipice' with Iran war

China accused the United States at the United Nations on Tuesday of taking the Middle East to "a dangerous precipice" with its war against Iran.

During a debate on Yemen's Houthi group, China's envoy to the UN, Sun Lei, said "the US has irrefutable responsibility over the current situation in Yemen and the Red Sea."

"It is the US that is obstructing the efforts of the Council to end hostilities and allow the (continuation) of the crisis in Gaza and the expansion of the tensions," Sun said.

"Without the authorisation of the Security Council, and amidst the negotiations between the US and Iran, the US launched military attacks against Iran, once again plunging the situation of the region into a dangerous precipice."

Lebanon, Israel hold US-brokered talks in Rome to implement framework deal

Lebanon and Israel resumed talks on Tuesday in the Italian capital, with Beirut hoping ‌for progress towards securing an Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon under a US-brokered deal, although expectations for swift progress were low.

US-led diplomacy has emerged since Hezbollah and Israel returned to war on March 2 amid the wider regional conflict, moving forward despite strong objections from the Iran-backed group, which believes only Iranian pressure on Washington can secure an end to the war and Israeli withdrawal.

Trump says no transit fee for Hormuz as US blockade focuses on Iran

US President Donald Trump has said the United States will no longer impose a proposed 20% reimbursement fee for protecting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, saying the move will instead be offset by future trade and investment agreements with Gulf nations.

The announcement marks a reversal from comments made a day earlier, when Trump said Washington would charge a 20% fee on all cargo passing through the strategic waterway alongside the reinstatement of a US naval blockade.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he reached the decision after what he described as "highly productive conversations" with regional leaders.

He also claimed the Strait of Hormuz would remain open to international shipping, with restrictions applying only to vessels linked to Iran.

"We will therefore have a full blockade, but only on ships coming to and from Iranian ports, or carrying anything to do with Iranian cargo," Trump wrote.

Trump further accused Iran's leadership of pursuing a destructive course, saying the restrictions would specifically target Iranian maritime trade while allowing other international vessels to continue using the vital shipping lane.

 

Pezeshkian hails Iranians' resilience following renewed US strikes

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has praised the resilience of the Iranian people following renewed US strikes, saying the country's southern region has long stood as a symbol of resistance against foreign intervention.

In a post on X, Pezeshkian said southern Iran has historically represented "resistance against colonialism" and commended residents for their resolve during the ongoing crisis.

"Today, the noble people of this land are enduring the difficult days caused by the enemy's aggression with patience, steadfastness and perseverance," he wrote.

The Iranian president also expressed gratitude to the country's people, saying he stands with them and appreciates their loyalty and resilience during the challenging period. 

Oil gains by 3pc on fresh attacks in Middle East

Oil prices have risen by over 3 per cent after fresh US strikes against Iran, fuelling fears for the future of Middle East peace efforts and raising the risk of another spike in inflation, AFP reports.

As of 1330 GMT (6:30pm PKT), Brent North Sea Crude is up by 3.8pc at $86.48 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate is up 3.1pc at $80.57 a barrel. 

Hormuz ship traffic falls to lowest level since June US-Iran agreement

Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has dropped to its lowest level since the June 17 memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the United States and Iran, according to maritime tracking data cited by Al Jazeera.

MarineTraffic data showed that only four vessels had transited the strategic waterway since this morning, including one oil tanker and three container ships.

The tracking data also indicated that the vessels departed from ports in Oman and the United Arab Emirates before crossing the strait. However, upon their return, the ships concealed details of their final destinations and ownership registrations. 

55 detained Iranian fishermen freed in UAE, Iran embassy says

Fifty-five Iranian fishermen have been freed from custody in the United Arab Emirates, Reuters reports, citing a message posted by Iran’s embassy on Telegram.

The fishermen were detained by the UAE’s coast guard in recent months due to “special conditions” in the region, the embassy adds, in a likely reference to the Iran war.

The process to send them home has started, the embassy says. 

India condemns tanker attacks in Strait of Hormuz; one sailor killed, 10 Indians injured

India has strongly condemned the attacks on the oil tankers MT Al Bahiyah and MT Mombasa while they were transiting the Strait of Hormuz, saying one Indian seafarer was killed and 10 others were injured.

In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said the two vessels had a combined crew of 46, including 30 Indian nationals.

According to the ministry, one of the 12 Indian crew members aboard MT Al Bahiyah was killed and another was injured. On MT Mombasa, nine of the 18 Indian seafarers sustained injuries, including two who remain in serious condition.

The ministry extended its condolences to the family of the deceased and said India's mission and consulate in the United Arab Emirates are closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with UAE authorities to provide all possible assistance to the affected crew members. 

Oman pledges neutral efforts to restore navigation through Strait of Hormuz

Oman has reaffirmed its commitment to working transparently and impartially with all parties to help restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz in accordance with international law.

In a statement issued amid ongoing discussions over maritime navigation in the strategic waterway, the Omani Foreign Ministry said it would continue its “transparent and neutral cooperation with all parties” to ensure safe passage through the strait.

The ministry also stressed that Oman remains fully committed to its obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and urged all parties to respect and comply with international law. 

Brent crude price jumps 5pc after fresh US strikes on Iran

Oil prices have surged after the United States launched a fresh wave of strikes on Iran and President Donald Trump vowed to reimpose a naval blockade, AFP reports.

International benchmark Brent North Sea crude climbed 5.1pc to $87.51 a barrel, while the main US benchmark, West Texas Intermediate, advanced 3.9pc to $81.21 a barrel. 

Iran says Britain's designation of Revolutionary Guards as security threat 'unjustified'

Iran's foreign ministry on has condemned Britain's decision to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a ‌security threat, calling the move "unjustified" and "irresponsible".

The ‌ministry said the IRGC was an official part of Iran's armed forces and accused Britain ‌of violating international law by targeting a state institution.

Britain ‌on Monday banned support for the IRGC and a linked group under new powers aimed at preventing foreign states from using proxies for activities such as surveillance and sabotage.

Iran, which is at war with the United States and Israel, has previously denied using proxies. 

Respect for rights of Iranian people is only way to open Strait of Hormuz

Iranian Army spokesperson Brigadier General Akraminia has said that the Strait of Hormuz will not be reopened through war, aggression, or what he described as American transgressions.

Speaking on the issue, Akraminia said that respect for the rights of the Iranian people is the only path to reopening the strategically important waterway. He maintained that military pressure or hostile actions would not achieve that objective.

The spokesperson also said Iran remains committed to avenging the deaths of those it considers martyrs. He added that this commitment particularly applies to the leader of what he referred to as the Islamic Revolution.
 

Multiple blasts heard around Hormuz port Bandar Abbas: Iranian state TV

Iranian state television has reported that five explosions were heard around the port city of Bandar Abbas, near the Strait of Hormuz, which has been at the centre of renewed Iran-US fighting.

"A few minutes ago, five explosions were heard west of Bandar Abbas," the state broadcaster said, without providing further details.

Lebanon and Israel hold talks in Rome amid renewed Mideast fighting

Lebanon and Israel are holding new negotiations under US auspices in Rome on Tuesday, against the backdrop of a regional escalation between Washington and Tehran. AFP reports.

The two countries, officially at war for decades, reached a framework agreement on June 26 aimed at ending the war between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah and paving the way for peace.

But Hezbollah rejects the agreement, which calls for the group's disarmament and whose implementation is set to begin with Israeli withdrawal from two "pilot zones" in southern Lebanon.

The Lebanese presidency said on Monday that its delegation to Rome would "demand the immediate start of Israeli forces' withdrawal” before any further discussion".

According to a Lebanese diplomatic source familiar with the content of the talks, "the Lebanese army is ready to gradually take control of the localities from which the Israeli army would withdraw". 

Missile hit tanker off Oman coast says UK maritime agency

A ?tanker ?was hit by a missile ?13 nautical ‌miles ?southeast ‌of Oman's Limah, ?while transiting outbound of ?the Strait ‌of Hormuz on ‌the southern ?route, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations has ?said ?dating the ?reported incident to July 13. 

China urges US, Iran to restore safe passage through Strait of Hormuz

 China on Tuesday urged the United States and Iran to restore safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, as fighting between the two sides reignited over how the strategic waterway should be managed, AFP reports.

"Restoring normal and safe passage through the strait as soon as possible is a shared aspiration of the international community," foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told a news briefing, adding that Beijing would "make unremitting efforts to help de-escalate" the situation.

Iran says oil exports continue despite US sanctions

Iran's oil exports are continuing as usual despite the cancellation last week of a 60-day waiver of U.S. oil sanctions, oil minister Mohsen Paknejad said on his official Telegram account on Tuesday.

Paknejad said the oil ministry had maintained mechanisms for years to neutralize the impact of U.S. sanctions. He added that Iran's oil exports would face no problems despite the restoration of the sanctions.

The U.S. reinstated its sanctions on Iranian oil last week after three tankers reported being struck by unknown projectiles in and near the Strait of Hormuz, according to the British navy-affiliated agency UKMTO. 

Iran introduces bill on security of Strait of Hormuz in parliament

Iranian Parliament's National Security Committee head Ebrahim Azizi said on Tuesday the ‘Strategic Action for the Security and Sustainable Progress of the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf’ bill has formally been introduced in Iran’s Parliament.

In a post on X, he wrote "We remain steadfast in defending our red lines, particularly regarding the management of the strait of Hormuz".

"This is the first step; subsequent measures are forthcoming," Azizi added.
 

Iran rescues bulk carrier crew after collision in Strait of Hormuz, Fars news says

Iran rescued 23 foreign crew members after a bulk carrier collided with ‌another vessel north of Qeshm ‌Island in the Strait of Hormuz, the semi-official Fars news agency has reported.

The bulk carrier suffered ‌serious damage to its hull and began taking on water, prompting the captain to order an emergency evacuation, Fars said, adding that all crew members were safely transferred to Qeshm Island. 

Iran says it targeted US air base in Jordan, Fars news reports

Iran said it targeted a US air base in Jordan with ballistic missiles on Tuesday, ‌the ‌in a statement published by Fars News, that called on the Jordanian people to dismantle ‌American bases in their country. 

US diplomatic missions in UAE cancel appointments

The US Embassy in Abu Dhabi and U.S. Consulate General in Dubai have cancelled consular appointments through Wednesday due to the regional security situation, the embassy said in a security alert.

The statement came after the United Arab Emirates said two Emirati-flagged oil tankers were hit by Iranian missiles in the Strait of Hormuz, killing one sailor. 

Brazilian president calls US plan to charge fees in Hormuz 'piracy'

Brazilian President Lula da Silva slammed the US plan to charge the transit fees in the Strait of Hormuz, calling it “piracy”.

He said we oppose the US attack on Iran and warn that it will drive up the prices of essential goods and food, Press TV reports.
 

Pakistan urges dialogue and diplomacy amid rising regional tensions

UAE warns of response after tanker attacks, pledges to defend sovereignty

Asia markets choppy after Trump talk of Hormuz fees

Stocks swung between gains and losses and oil hit a one-month high in early Asian trading.

In a volatile start to the session, MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 0.4%, led by a 2.2% gain for Korean shares.

Japan's Nikkei 225 was up 0.2%, while S&P 500 e-mini futures nudged 0.1% lower.

"While the risk had been building in the system over the past week, markets reacted aggressively" to the latest headlines from the Iran conflict, said Chris Weston, head of research at Pepperstone Group Ltd in ?Melbourne. 

'Iran has always been the guardian of the Strait and will remain so forever'

US military says it concludes its latest strikes on Iran

The US military said late on Monday its forces have completed ‌their latest ‌wave of strikes on Iran.

"During the five-hour mission, U.S. ‌forces successfully struck military targets ‌across Iran including Bushehr, Chah Bahar, Jask, Konarak, Abu Musa, and Bandar Abbas," the US Central Command said in a statement on X.