• The US is bombing Iran for a 10th consecutive night, with explosions reported near Sirik and in Bandar Abbas, Qeshm Island, Chabahar and Konarak.
• US President Donald Trump warns Iran it will pay “many times over” for the deaths of American soldiers, after a week in which at least three US personnel were killed.
• Iran continues retaliatory attacks across the Gulf, with the Iranian army saying it targeted US missile systems at Kuwait’s Camp Arifjan in recent hours. Another tanker is also hit off the coast of Oman.
• Qatar has sent letters to both the UN and the Security Council, condemning recent Iranian attacks on the country and calling for compensation from Tehran for all damages caused.

US forces continue to target Iran’s southern coast

It has been another night of escalation, with US air strikes continuing to target Iran’s southern coastal cities and islands.

Explosions were reported on Qeshm Island, which is the largest in the vicinity of the Strait of Hormuz, as well as in the important port cities of Bandar Abbas and Bandar Lengeh.

In Sirik, which oversees the strait and is strategically vital, explosions were again reported, continuing last night’s pattern. Further explosions were reported in the southeastern Sistan province’s cities of Konarak and Chabahar, and in southwestern Shiraz. In Bushehr, home to a nuclear power plant, sounds of air defense activation were reported.

For its part, the Iranian side is talking about retaliatory strikes. Iran’s ground forces say they targeted US HIMARS missile systems at Kuwait’s Camp Arifjan, part of what Tehran describes as an ongoing campaign of strikes on US bases and assets across the region.

And last but not least, Iran’s ambassador to the UN sent a letter condemning the recent attack on one of the country’s nuclear facilities under construction, calling on the international community to respond.

Diplomacy ‘takes a back seat’ as US prioritizes military strikes on Iran

There are signs of diplomacy, but they are taking a back seat to the US’s primary objective. And according to the White House, that objective is making Iran pay – not only for what it calls acts of terrorism in the Strait of Hormuz, but also violations of the memorandum of understanding (signed last month).

The US also says that Iran will pay for the deaths of the three US soldiers who were killed over the weekend.

In a statement to Al Jazeera, the White House said the strikes will continue until the president decides otherwise. But it ended that statement by saying that diplomatic talks between the two nations are ongoing.

Earlier on Monday, the US president laid out a policy of retaliation in a post on his Truth Social platform. He said the US will hit any target in Iran 20 times harder, and that retaliation for the deaths of American service members will be many times over.

The president is making the case that while diplomacy may be happening, the priority right now is security operations, specifically combat operations in Iran.

Explosions heard in Iran’s Shiraz

Explosions were heard in the southwestern city of Shiraz at about 1am local time (21:30 GMT), Iran’s IRIB state broadcaster reports.

It said a location in the east of the city and another in the west “were attacked by the enemy”.

IRIB also cited the deputy governor of Isfahan province as saying there was no “enemy aggression or explosions” in the city of Isfahan or the wider province, denying an earlier report from the semi-official Mehr news agency.

The governor of Bushehr, meanwhile, told IRIB that the sounds of explosions in the province were “related to the activity of defense systems”.

Qatar seeks compensation for Iranian attacks

Qatar has sent letters to the UN Security Council and the UN secretary-general, detailing what it describes as repeated Iranian attacks on the country.

The letters cite the July 7 attack on the Qatari tanker Al Rekayyat and a missile attack on Qatar on July 12, which Doha says its armed forces repelled.

Qatar says the attacks violated international law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions. It is seeking compensation for the resulting damage and says it reserves the right to respond.

The letters come as tensions continue in the Strait of Hormuz. UK Maritime Trade Operations reported another incident involving a vessel near Oman, the second such case in about 24 hours.

The vessel was travelling close to what is known as the southern route. Iran says ships using that route without coordinating with Tehran violate the memorandum of understanding governing traffic through the strait.

Tehran accuses the United States and other countries of promoting the route to weaken Iranian control over shipping, keeping the waterway at the centre of the escalating confrontation.

So, Qatar is in no position to lodge a complaint and to demand compensation, notably to the wrong party.

IRGC reports ‘massive fires’ on two oil tankers in Strait of Hormuz

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says “massive fires” have broken out on two oil tankers that attempted to “pass through the unsafe southern route in the Strait of Hormuz” following an explosion.

In a statement carried by the IRIB state broadcaster, the IRGC said rescue teams were evacuating the crews of the vessels.

It again warned shipping companies to safeguard the health of their crews, not to trust “false information from the US military”, and avoid routes it described as dangerous.

“It is obvious that as long as America’s evils continue in the region, the Strait of Hormuz will be closed, and not even a drop of oil, gas, or a package of chemical fertiliser will be exported from the region,” it added.

IRGC claims attack on US air defense systems in Bahrain

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard says it destroyed a US air defence system and radar in Bahrain’s Muharraq area during its latest military operation.

In a statement carried by the IRIB broadcaster, the IRGC also claimed that a a coordinated missile and drone attack destroyed a US Patriot air defence system in Bahrain’s Al-Riffa.

The IRGC said the strikes were intended to clear the way for further operations.

US says latest wave of strikes on Iran now over

US Central Command says it has completed another round of strikes against Iran as part of the campaign to degrade the country’s “ability to continue attacking commercial vessels flowing through the Strait of Hormuz”.

It said in a statement that US forces targeted “Iranian military command centers, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and air defense systems” in the latest wave.

CENTCOM added that commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains ongoing. Since early May, US forces “have helped facilitate the transit of approximately 900 commercial vessels and 450 million barrels of crude oil”, it said.

“American forces remain postured and prepared to hold Iran accountable for unwarranted aggression toward civilian mariners seeking to freely and openly transit the strait,” it added.

US issues ‘worldwide caution’ for Americans amid tensions in Middle East

The US State Department has advised Americans worldwide to exercise increased caution, citing heightened tensions in the Middle East and the risk of further escalation.

Americans currently in the Middle East, in particular, “should exercise caution and heightened vigilance and should be prepared for possible flight cancellations, periodic airspace closures, and potential travel disruptions”, it said.

It also urged Americans outside the Middle East to reconsider travel to or through the region.

The department warned that Iran and groups supporting Tehran could target US interests, diplomatic facilities or locations associated with Americans overseas.

Iran claims attack on US military assets in Kuwait

The IRGC says it targeted and destroyed several US military assets in Kuwait during a recent strike.

In a statement carried by the semi-official Tasnim news agency, the IRGC said the strikes hit a long-range radar site, a telecommunications centre, satellite receiving systems, and a missile defense radar of the US military in Kuwait.

The group also claimed to have struck an MQ-9 drone hangar at the Ali Al Salem airbase, destroying or severely damaging several unmanned aircraft.

Top US Democrat demands end to Iran war, pledges new Senate vote

US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has called for an end to the war on Iran, saying Democrats will force Republicans to vote on halting military operations.

“Every second Trump prolongs his war in Iran is another second our service members remain in danger,” Schumer wrote on X. Senate Democrats will “force Senate Republicans to take another vote to end this war and bring our troops home”, he said.

“Enough is enough. End this war,” he added.

The US House of Representatives passed a war powers resolution on June 3, directing the president to halt hostilities against Iran unless explicitly authorized by Congress.

The concurrent resolution passed the Senate on June 24 when four Republicans voted with Democrats to approve the measure. It marked the 10th time the Senate had voted on the measure.

 

Crew abandons tanker in Strait of Hormuz after attack

The UK Maritime Operations (UKMTO) agency says it has received multiple reports that a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, off the coast of Oman’s Limah, has been struck by an unknown projectile.

“The CSO of the tanker has reported to UKMTO that the crew have abandoned the vessel and are currently embarked in a lifeboat”, it added.

The report came shortly after Iran’s IRGC said “massive fires” had broken out on two oil tankers that attempted to “pass through the unsafe southern route in the Strait of Hormuz” following an explosion.

IRGC claims more attacks on US military assets in Kuwait

The IRGC has issued a second statement claiming additional strikes against US military targets in Kuwait.

In a statement carried by the Tasnim news agency, the IRGC claimed its forces hit and destroyed an early warning radar, a missile defence radar system, an FPS-117 radar, a Patriot defence system, and an air defence satellite communication system at the Ahmed Al-Jaber base.

The group added that the operation was intended to clear radar coverage in the region ahead of further missile and drone strikes.

Oil prices ease amid reports of US-Iran mediation efforts

Oil prices have dipped following reports of mediation efforts between the US and Iran, even as the two launched new strikes and Yemen’s Houthis threatened to impose a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, according to Reuters.

Brent crude futures fell 35 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $88.87 a barrel as of 00:52 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude for September delivery held steady at $82.47 a barrel.

Explosions heard in Iran’s Abdanan

The Mehr News Agency says several explosions have been heard this morning in the city of Abdanan in Iran’s western Ilam province.

It cited Abdanan Governor Behzad Nourmohammadi.

The governor told Mehr that a facility in the Dinar Kuh area was targeted.

“Fortunately, this incident did not result in any casualties, and the responsible agencies are investigating the dimensions of the issue,” he said.

Iran insists vessels must coordinate with it before transiting Hormuz Strait

The latest statement from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps came after two vessels were reportedly hit by explosions while trying to use a route different from the one designated by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz.

Tehran says alternative routes remain dangerous because of mines and other hazards.

Iran’s position on the Strait of Hormuz is increasingly clear: Tehran says control over the waterway remains in Iranian hands and that vessels must coordinate with it before attempting to transit.

Iranian officials also say consultations are under way with Oman over a possible bilateral arrangement for managing the strait. But they continue to insist that ships must follow a route close to the Iranian coast.

Several vessels and oil tankers have encountered similar incidents in recent nights.

Iran maintains that the strait is closed, contradicting the US position. Tehran says the closure followed Washington’s failure to honor the Memorandum of Understanding intended to address shipping through the waterway and wider tensions.

The dispute is also tied to the US naval blockade of Iran and the broader confrontation between Tehran and Washington.

Iran’s army claims further attacks on Kuwait

Iran’s army claims to have targeted three major US military installations in Kuwait using “kamikaze drones”.

In a statement carried by the semi-official Tasnim news agency, the army said that its forces struck administrative buildings and direction-finding antennas at Camp Arifjan, a helicopter parking area at Camp Al-Adiri, and troop housing facilities at the Ahmed Al-Jaber base.

“Security in the region has been disrupted following the mischief of US terrorist forces, and the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic are attempting to restore security and calm to the region in their battle against the US,” the statement added.

The statement came moments after the IRGC claimed attacks on US assets at Ahmed Al-Jaber base and the Ali Al-Salem airbase.

Iran’s only effective response to Trump’s ‘brinkmanship’ is to establish strong ‘deterrence’

Mohsen Farkhani, a professor at the University of Isfahan in Iran, says coercion is central to Trump’s strategy on Iran, but warns that it will only provoke Tehran to seek greater deterrence.

“Trump’s strategy is to rely on brinkmanship and pure conflict to compel other states to comply with his demands,” Farkhani told Al Jazeera. And this has been seen “in his aggressive use of tariffs, his threats to bombard Oman, and the unlawful acts of aggression now being directed against Iran”, the analyst said.

And while the US president does use diplomacy, he does so “mainly as a tool to rig and force brinkmanship rather than to achieve genuine mutual accommodation”, Farkhani said.

In such a scenario, the “only effective response to such a strategy” for Iran is to impose “the highest possible costs and establish the strongest possible deterrence”, he said.

Farkhani said that Trump’s strategy will not succeed, including in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran is bombing Gulf states while avoiding US naval assets and Israel

As the US escalates its strikes on Iran, Tehran is hitting back, targeting military and civilian infrastructure across the Gulf states and Jordan while avoiding attacks on US naval assets deployed near its coast and on Israel – a strategy that analysts say is intended to pressure US President Donald Trump without expanding the scope of the war.

While Washington has struck railway stations, power facilities, telecommunications networks and drinking-water infrastructure in Iran, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has responded by attacking civilian airports and water and power stations in Kuwait and Bahrain.

Military analysts said there’s a logic to this strategy.

Targeting US naval “assets would bring a devastating US response”, retired Lebanese Brigadier General and military analyst Elias Hanna told Al Jazeera. “Another issue is the targeting of naval assets is difficult militarily, because it’s protected and has sophisticated air defense systems.”

US petrol prices rise back to average of $4 a gallon

Petrol prices in the US have climbed back to a nationwide average of $4 per gallon (3.8 litres) as the US and Iran continue to trade attacks, AP reports.

Citing data from the AAA motor club, the agency said the national average for petrol has returned to the $4 mark, up from $3.14 per gallon at this time last year.

As a nationwide benchmark, that average means drivers in several states are already paying more than $4 per gallon, with regional prices varying based on local fuel supply and state taxes.

US petrol prices hit a four-year record of more than $4.50 a gallon in May, while the national average fell to as low as $3.79 a gallon earlier this month.

What civilian infrastructure has the US hit in Iran?

Iranian media and officials have reported several US strikes on civilian infrastructure in the ongoing escalation, including road and bridge networks, hospitals, airports, and water and food facilities.

Some of the reported incidents:

• In the city of Bandar Abbas, where Iran’s main naval hub and largest commercial port are located, a railway facility and the Kahurestan Bridge were hit. The bridge links Bandar Abbas, which lies on the Strait of Hormuz, to other cities. Multiple fatalities occurred during the strikes, and one vehicle fell off the bridge.
• In another part of Hormozgan province, six bridges were destroyed in Bandar Khamir county, hampering traffic to and from Bandar Abbas, the provincial capital.
  The Shahid Baghaei Hospital in the western city of Ahvaz was hit and rendered inoperable, causing more than 200 patients to be evacuated.
• The desalination plant in Bonji village was hit in Jask county, also in Hormozgan province, cutting off water supplies to 10,000 people.
• Airports – including those in Iranshahr, Semnan and Jam – were hit while fishing and commercial piers in Sirik, Bandar Abbas, Kish and Asaluyeh were attacked.
• US strikes also caused extensive damage to the Bushehr nuclear plant, Iran’s only operating nuclear plant, according to an Al Jazeera investigation. But authorities said it’s still functional.

What civilian infrastructure has Iran hit in the Gulf?

• Bahrain: According to the Civil Aviation Affairs, Iran attacked its civil air navigation systems, but operations were unaffected.
• Kuwait: Officials said on Saturday that Iranian attacks hit a power and water desalination plant for the second time in as many days, resulting in a fire and destabilizing the main grid. An oil facility was also hit, causing injuries and “significant material losses”.
• Qatar: Officials said a child was injured by falling debris in Doha on Friday after interceptors attempted to ward off Iranian missiles. It’s unclear if civilian infrastructure or residential areas were explicitly targeted.
• Strait of Hormuz: Several commercial tankers and vessels have been hit in the Strait of Hormuz, off Oman’s coast, with Tehran accusing them of using routes it did not authorize. These included Qatar’s Al Rekayyat and Saudi Arabia’s Wedyan.

Iran’s IRGC claims strikes on US military in Jordan

Iran’s IRGC has issued a statement claiming strikes against US military targets in Jordan.

In the statement, the IRGC said its aerospace force destroyed a missile defence radar system and an F-15 fighter jet inside a shelter during a missile attack on a military base.

The group added that the operation was intended to clear radar coverage in the region to pave the way for broader missile and drone strikes.

IRGC claims attack on Amazon data infrastructure in Bahrain

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says it has attacked a US commercial target in Bahrain.

In a statement carried by the semi-official Tasnim news agency, the IRGC claimed its aerospace force had destroyed the central data infrastructure of Amazon using cruise missiles.

It said the strike was a response to recent US attacks on civilian infrastructure in Darkhovin.

Iran’s Momeni says Pakistan visit aims to strengthen ties

Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni has arrived in Islamabad for an official visit amid heightened tensions in the Gulf.

Momeni is travelling with a high-level delegation that includes the governor general of Sistan and Baluchestan province, the deputy interior minister, the deputy minister for urban development and transport, the head of the National Iranian Oil Company, the special representative of Iran’s agriculture minister and other senior officials.

Speaking to the media upon his arrival in Pakistan, Momeni said the primary objective of his visit was to further strengthen relations between the neighbouring countries and advance cooperation in key areas.

He said both sides previously agreed to more than triple their trade to an initial target of $10bn per year.

Pakistan’s interior minister said he looked forward to expanding bilateral engagement and supporting efforts to ease regional tensions.

Qatar resumes maritime navigation

The Qatari Ministry of Transport has announced the resumption of maritime navigation for all vessel types in an area within 7 nautical miles (13km) that covers Lusail to Hamad Port and Umm Heesh to Doha Salwa.

It said in a statement late on Monday that the decision takes immediate effect and urged strict compliance with regulations.

New UK government faces US pressure over access to strategic military bases

The US will expect the new UK government to allow it to use its strategic military bases while it continues its war on Iran, according to a British newspaper.

Trump is “pressing the new prime minister to maintain access to RAF Fairford and Diego Garcia”, The Telegraph reported.

Shortly after Andy Burnham took over as UK prime minister on Monday, the US president held a call with him.

The previous UK government under Keir Starmer did not allow the US to use the British Diego Garcia base on Chagos Island to launch its B2 bombers initially, but later adjusted its stance, allowing the US to use it for defensive operations, including attacks on degrading Iran’s military capability.

The United States under Donald Trump is not an "defensive" belligerent, as Trump is the one who attacked, and continuous to attack Iran since February 28th, waging a war that has no UNSC authorization thus illegal; is nuclear political motivated therefore violating the UN Charter.

Then, attacks to degrade Iran’s military capability are selected target attacks only carried out from the air while ground forces from both sides are not engaging each other.

Under Keir Starmer, the United Kingdom had facilitated the US by allowing offensive, not defensive attacks on Iran. If the new government under Andrew Burnham gives in on Trump's pressure, the United Kingdom remains a co-belligerent therefore responsible under states responsibility laws.

Qatar using ‘diplomatic leverage’ on UN after Iranian attacks

Qatar has sent a letter to the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the president of the Security Council regarding two recent attacks by Iran.

The first one was on July 7, when a Qatari vessel was attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz and was attacked, and the second incident relates to a ballistic missile attack by Iran on Qatar on July 12. Those missiles were intercepted, but a child was injured by shrapnel that fell from those interceptions.

So Qatar has sent this letter in which it condemns in the strongest possible terms these attacks, says they must stop immediately, and it says Iran should be paying compensation to Qatar because of these attacks.

It also says it retains the right to respond in any way it deems fit, so this is really Qatar using its diplomatic leverage as a way of dealing with these Iranian attacks.

In April 2024, reports had emerged reading that Qatar has banned the United States from using its territory, airspace and waters for attacks on Iran. In fact, US intentions to resort to attacks on Iran across borders already exist at that time. The latter means: attacks outside the territory of the United States, from countries on another continent, which is the issue here. That is a violation of Article 2(4) of the UN Charter.

Military activities for the preparation of attacks on Iran in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, the UAE and Kuwait are facilitation in assistance for preparation of attacks on Iran, while launching HIMARS systems from Kuwait are allowing the US to attack Iran from Kuwaiti soil thus facilitation in US acts of war.

Strait of Hormuz to remain closed as long as US attacks continue, Iranian media report

Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency, citing a military source, reports that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed as long as aggressive US actions continue.

The source told Fars that Tehran would not grant permission for any vessels to pass through the strategic waterway.

“The Strait of Hormuz is in full control of the Iranian armed forces,” the source was quoted as saying. “Any decision to reopen or continue restrictions on this passageway will be made solely based on security considerations and national interests, and this situation will not change as long as US threats and hostile actions continue.”

Iranian Interior Minister Momeni to meet Pakistan’s military chief, PM

The Iranian side says Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni’s visit to Islamabad mostly focuses on bilateral relations and trade.

However, Momeni is expected to meet Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, the Pakistani [military’s] chief of staff.

That is why there are the expectations the talks are going to go beyond bilateral relations and delve into the ongoing fighting between Iran and the United States. Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Raza Naqvi expressed hope the talks will cover the regional issues.

Pakistan has been a key mediator between the two sides with officials helping to get Tehran and Washington to sign the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding last month, which briefly halted the war.

Iran says attacks on Bahrain targeted US military base

The Iranian army has announced that it targeted the US Sheikh Isa military base in Bahrain with drones, the state news agency Fars reports.

According to the army, the base is one of the key facilities for the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet and is at the centre of US operations.

It added that offensive operations would continue until “the enemy is deterred from continuing its attacks on the country”.

Five Iranian drones intercepted by Jordan

Jordan says it has neutralized five incoming drones from Iran, the country’s state news agency reported on Tuesday.

Earlier today, Iran’s IRGC claimed several strikes against US military targets in Jordan, including a missile defense radar system and an F-15 jet.

Smotrich says Israel ‘has no interest in joining’ war on Iran

Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich made the remarks at a conference in Yad Binyamin in central Israel.

“Right now, the state of Israel has no interest in joining the campaign,” he was quoted as saying by the Israeli media.

“The current situation is good for us, and we have no interest in pushing ourselves into it. We are prepared for any scenario.”

The Israelis have no interest in joining  the war, which Netanyahu started with a preemptive 12-day war on Iran on June 13, 2025 by claiming without providing evidence, that Tehran was accelerating its nuclear program; vowed in December of that year to attack Iran in 2026 again, then assassinated the now late Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei on February 28, 2026.

The rhetoric may hint that the Israeli stock of US-delivered munitions is depleting. Because, Netanyahu had made statements last June revealing that his appetite, to continue what he had started, has not gone.

Jordan to continue monitoring airspace after Iranian drone attack ‘neutralized’

Jordan’s armed forces intercepted five drones early on Tuesday morning. A military official told Jordan’s Petra news agency the drones came from Iran, and all were “neutralized”.

The official said the kingdom will continue to monitor its airspace and maintain “operational readiness” as the threat from Iran continues.

Jordan has been under attack from Iran as it hosts US assets. A missile defense radar system and an F-15 jet were hit on Tuesday, according to a statement by Iran’s IRGC.

An Iranian missile and drone attack on Jordan’s Muwaffaq Salti airbase killed two US military personnel on Friday.

Bab al-Mandeb threat risks cutting vital Saudi oil route to desperate global market

A potential bombing campaign to open the Bab al-Mandeb Strait is unlikely to resolve the escalating conflict between the Yemeni Houthis and Saudi Arabia, an analyst says.

“Can you bomb the Bab al-Mandeb open? I think not. And I think if you could do that, we would not be in the standoff we are in Hormuz at the moment – and certainly in the Bab al-Mandeb, which is far more insecure,” said Michael Stephens, a senior associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute for Defense and Security Studies.

The Houthi declaration to block passage through Bab al-Mandeb would effectively cut off the East-West pipeline used by Saudi Arabia to deliver oil to global markets via the Yanbu terminal.

Stephens is expecting more pressure to be applied by Western and Asian nations that need oil from one of the world’s largest oil producers.

“If you’re Donald Trump and you want to see oil down at $70 a barrel, that is not going to happen,” he said.

More economic trouble is on the horizon as many economies have depleted much of their oil reserves since the start of the US-Israel war on Iran in February, said Stephens.

Bahrain Defense Forces destroy incoming Iranian missiles

Bahrain intercepted and destroyed several Iranian missiles on Tuesday, the Bahrain Defense Forces said in a statement.

It also warned citizens “to be cautious, not to approach any strange or suspicious objects resulting from the residues of the heinous Iranian attack, and report them immediately”.

The General Command of Bahrain’s defense force stated that “the deliberate use of missiles and marching aircraft to target civilians and private property is a blatant violation of International Humanitarian Law”.

Iran said it had attacked the US Sheikh Isa military base in Bahrain with drones on Tuesday morning, and warned offensive operations would continue, Iran’s state news agency reported.

Moldova advises citizens to avoid ‘non-essential’ travel to the Middle East

In a statement on Telegram, the Moldovan foreign ministry has urged its citizens already in the region to exercise increased caution, closely monitor updates from local authorities, and strictly follow security instructions during emergencies.

It warned that airspace restrictions remain in effect in several countries across the region and could disrupt commercial flight schedules.

The ministry advised travelers to remain in contact with airlines or travel agencies, regularly check the status of their flights and consider alternative travel arrangements, provided they do not pose additional security risks.

US strikes target Iran for 10th-straight night

The White House says strikes on Iran will continue until Trump decides otherwise but diplomatic talks between the two nations are ongoing.

Iran’s IRGC, meanwhile, said “massive fires” broke out on two oil tankers after an explosion as they tried to “pass through the unsafe southern route in the Strait of Hormuz”.

The IRGC said rescue teams are evacuating the crews of the vessels.

It again warned shipping companies to safeguard the health of their sailors, not to trust “false information from the US military” and avoid routes it described as “dangerous”.

It wants ships to use a route closer to its shores.

Alarm sirens in Bahrain sound off during new Iranian barrage

Alarm sirens are sounding again in Bahrain, with the interior ministry advising citizens and residents “to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place”.

Sirens in Bahrain have sounded four times over the past 24 hours. Iran attacked sites in the Gulf kingdom with a number of missiles and drones throughout Tuesday.

Tehran said it attacked infrastructure of the US company Amazon in the country and struck a US military base there.

Bahrain’s military said it intercepted and destroyed a number of incoming projectiles.

France says fuel price fluctuations ‘hard to anticipate’

As attacks continue between Iran and the US, France says rising fuel prices are “extremely uncertain” with the escalating fighting.

French government spokesperson Maud Bregeon told public broadcaster France 2 that rising fuel costs are the consequence of what is happening in the Middle East.

“The French know this, and I understand that it is very difficult for many of our fellow citizens,” she said. “The trend as we speak is upwards. I am not able to tell you what will happen in the coming days or weeks.”

Bregeon said the government introduced assistance for “the most exposed sectors” and “the most vulnerable French citizens” to mitigate the impact, adding those eligible can access the support until the end of August.

Oil prices fall 1% after mediators propose US-Iran truce

Oil prices have lost more than 1 percent as markets weigh reports of mediation efforts between the US and Iran against an exchange of more ⁠attacks and threats of a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia by Yemen’s Houthis.

Brent crude futures fell $1.21, or 1.4 percent, to $88.01 a barrel by 08:15 GMT.

“There’s some hope of de-escalation between the US and Iran. Reports are that mediators are proposing a 10-day ceasefire, which could put the memorandum of understanding [MoU] back on track,” ING analysts said in a note, referring to the interim deal negotiated in ‌June.

However, major differences remain between Washington and Tehran while President Trump has warned of retaliation after several US soldiers were killed, ING added.

Iran again bombs Kuwait’s energy and water infrastructure

Kuwait says Iran has again attacked its power and desalination plants, causing damage to the crucial facilities.

It was the fourth consecutive ‌day of such strikes, which caused fires at a number of sites, Kuwait’s Ministry of ⁠Electricity, Water and ⁠Renewable Energy said.

Fires ⁠were extinguished, ⁠damage is ⁠being assessed and repairs are ongoing, ‌the ministry added.

Energy transit now main US focus after Iran’s nuclear weapons

Michael Stephens from the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies says Trump appears to have no “consistent strategy” to get out of the chaos caused by the US-Israel war on Iran.

The US president’s announcement of a 20 percent surcharge on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz – which was quickly shelved – was “not workable and illegal”, for example, he noted.

“We’re at a situation where both the Iranians and the United States are blaming each other for violations of international law whilst breaking international law and no one seems to want to budge,” he told Al Jazeera.

“I don’t know what a good end state for the United States is any more.”

Stephens said before the war, the Strait of Hormuz was fully open and there were no Houthi threats to close the Bab al-Mandeb waterway.

“So we’re now talking about problems that did not exist before March. … That seems to be overtaking the main problem, which was always the nuclear weapons issue.”

Iran will try to maintain Hormuz ‘leverage at all costs’

The spoils of the US-Israeli “unprovoked war” for Iran are the Strait of Hormuz and it will never relinquish the “reward”, an analyst says.

“Both sides have really been trying to inflict heavy damage on each other, and they’ve come really to a point of saturation in many ways,” said Amin Saikal, emeritus professor at Australian National University.

“Logically, that should really lead them to negotiation. But of course, that is not really happening at the moment simply because the United States wants to gain control over the Strait of Hormuz, and that’s something the Iranians will never give up,” he said.

Saikal called Hormuz “a reward” for Tehran.

“Because of this unprovoked war, the Iranians have gained this leverage, and they want to retain it at all costs,” he said.

Iranian Interior Minister Momeni meets Pakistani PM Sharif

The meeting with the prime minister was the second during Momeni’s visit to Islamabad.

Momeni met with Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Pakistan’s army chief of staff, in his first meeting, according to the IRNA news agency.

He was also scheduled to meet with Pakistani Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi. The visit by Momeni comes as Pakistan has intensified diplomatic efforts in recent days to resuscitate the interim deal between the US and Iran.

Iran’s achievements in MoU talks ‘exceeded expectations’: Pezeshkian

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian says the US has violated its commitments in the memorandum of understanding after Tehran’s achievements in the talks “exceeded expectations”.

“In these negotiations, we moved forward step by step, and our main position was to open the Strait of Hormuz for oil exports and other vital issues, but the other side violated [the deal],” he said, speaking at a National Industry and Mining Day ceremony.

“The achievements of the Islamic Republic in this direction far exceeded expectations, and we were able to manage various issues well in a short time,” the president added.

Pezeshkian also said Iran’s supreme leader expressed to him in private meetings the necessity of ending the “neither war nor peace” situation in the country.

Iran president says every day he has ‘increasing communication’ with supreme leader

Iranian President Pezeshkian says “the level of communication” with the supreme leader has been increasing every day.

“Now, with increased communication and greater access to our beloved leader, all measures have been organized based on his instructions,” he said, speaking at the National Industry and Mining Day ceremony.

He said the Iranians “need the support of the supreme leader,” adding: “We will continue the path with strength.”

Ten days of US attacks on Iran yield little progress

The United States is trying to make sure that the Iranian Republican Guard and military doesn’t have the ability to target international shipping. So that is why a lot of the targets are concentrated on military and strategic places.

However, the US is stuck in limbo. Ten days of attacks and the situation hasn’t changed.

And many on Capitol Hill are beginning to question if US President Donald Trump is being given accurate information by the Pentagon, given that he has so often said that Iran is no longer a military threat, but we’re now ten days in to trying to quash that military threat.

And the difficulty they have now is that this is an ongoing war, and Trump is being dragged into something that he campaigned against: the ‘forever wars’ in the Middle East.

As the Americans discuss plans for what happens next and increasing the level of military attacks, and perhaps even the US military presence – perhaps even on the ground – which I’m being told has effectively been ruled out by Trump

We’ve heard nothing from the US to give us any indication there’s hope for optimism, or that there won’t be an 11th night of attacks in Iran.

Relationship between Iran, Qatar to be ‘very different’ after war

Incredibly strong language by a country that has suffered greatly during this war as part of Iran’s retaliatory strategy but is currently one of two primary mediators to try to bring the war to a close, and has long been a close ally of Iran in many respects.

A close political ally with strong diplomatic channels for generations.

What it looks like after this war, what the relationship between Iran and Qatar looks like, looking at the strong language in this letter to the UN and the ones that came before it, it’s likely to be very different.

So what Iran is doing is effectively pushing past any red lines, sacrificing any diplomatic channels in this region with regional partners, with traditional trading partners and allies, to maintain its current military posture in the Strait of Hormuz.

Behind the scenes, a ceasefire proposal might be on the cards

Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni has arrived in Pakistan.

Although he says this is a visit to discuss relations between Iran and Pakistan, people here say that there is more to it than meets the eye, given the fact that he is also carrying a letter from Iranian President Pezeshkian to Pakistani Prime Minister Sharif.

He has already had a meeting with Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, the army chief of staff, who was instrumental in the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between Iran and the US.

So, there is a likelihood that, behind the scenes, a ceasefire proposal might be on the cards.

The escalation in the Gulf region has been severely affecting Pakistan, and the government has been announcing new price hikes on petroleum products on a daily basis.

Bahrain and Kuwait under Iranian attack

Kuwait’s army says its “air defenses are currently confronting hostile missile and drone attacks as part of the heinous Iranian aggression”.

It said, “If explosion sounds are heard, they are the result of the air defense systems intercepting the hostile attacks.”

In Bahrain, air siren alerts have also been sounded again. The Interior Ministry urged citizens and residents to remain calm and “head to the nearest safe place”.

Lebanon’s prime minister condemns Iranian attacks on Bahrain

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam spoke with Bahrain’s Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to voice his condemnation of “ongoing Iranian aggressions” against Bahrain.

He also affirmed “Lebanon’s permanent stance in support of it in preserving its security and sovereignty”, a statement from the Presidency of the Council of Ministers said.

Inflation fears grow as US Treasury yields hit year-high

The US-Israel war on Iran is escalating again, and oil prices are on the rise. But experts say the real clues to the state of the economy lie beyond indices and those price points.

“The markets have been somewhat quiescent in the last month or two but have changed since the war in Iran began,” said Michael Klein, professor of international economic affairs at Tufts’ Fletcher School.

Yields on the 10-year US Treasury bills, for instance, are up nearly 60 basis points since the start of the war on Iran in late February to 4.6 percent on Monday. That is the highest level the yields, a bellwether for inflation, have reached in the past year, Klein said, making it more expensive for businesses to borrow money and slowing the economy.

“Interest rates on bonds will incorporate the inflation rate because lenders, when they get paid back, they want to be covered for erosion of their money, which happens through inflation,” Klein said.

Revolutionary Guard says ‘not a drop of oil’ to pass through Hormuz

The IRGC says two ships attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz suffered “massive fires” following explosions.

It is not clear whether the Revolutionary Guard directly hit these ships or whether they were hit by sea mines that were laid by the IRGC.

But the statement ends with a warning, and the Guard says it is clear that as long as the US aggression in the region continues, the Strait of Hormuz remains closed – not a single drop of oil or gas nor a single package of chemical fertiliser will be exported.

Iran says it is determined to assert its control over Hormuz, and the US insists the situation must return to the pre-war conditions. Neither side is showing flexibility, and that huge gap between the positions of Tehran and Washington remains the main block to diplomacy.

Ongoing regional attacks ‘a clear message’ from Iran to US

While some diplomacy is taking place with Iran’s interior minister in Pakistan and the US and Iran confirming closed door negotiations are taking place, the reality is attacks are taking place on all sides.

Sirens are again being heard in Bahrain while Kuwait is warning citizens to seek shelter as soon as possible.

While there have been interceptions of Iranian projectiles, there has also been ground impacts with severe damage inflicted over the last four days on Kuwait’s infrastructure – water desalination plants and power plants.

All of this is a clear message from Iran that while it will maintain pathways to dialogue, it will also maintain military pressure on what it sees as US assets in the region, even if it means attacking the sovereign territory of Arab neighbours.

So is this a strategy to have favourable terms at the negotiating table? Or does it suggest Iran doesn’t really believe a negotiated settlement is possible at the moment? What we are seeing practically is the consequences of the US-Israel war on Iran being faced by the GCC countries and Arab nations in the region.

Intelligence assessments reportedly show US stalemate in war on Iran

Analysts at US intelligence agencies have concluded Iran and the US for now are “stuck in an indefinite limbo between peace and war”, the Washington Post reports.

Intelligence analysts highlighted Tehran’s “staying power” despite the loss of many top leaders and much of its military hardware to US and Israeli attacks.

President Trump’s ever-expanding attacks appear to have led to a stalemate.

Jonathan Panikoff, former deputy US national intelligence officer for the Near East, told the Post the Trump administration appears to believe if it keeps applying greater military pressure Iran eventually will become more flexible.

“That assessment is almost certainly incorrect,” said Panikoff. “I don’t think there’s a lot of great options for the United States. You’ll continue to see significant flare-ups in this conflict.”

Trump says Iran ‘desperate to meet’ for dialogue

Speaking to reporters, Trump said that the Iranians “want to meet desperately to try and end it [the war] because they’re getting decimated”.

“They want to desperately meet, and until they’re ready to meet in a meaningful way, we have no interest”.

Trump admits Iran was able to ‘slip something through’ in Jordan

The US president, still speaking at the white house with Lebanon’s President Aoun, says the US military is “degrading” Iran’s military capabilities “at levels that nobody thought was possible”.

“They did slip something through in Jordan, and if we had other operators, that would not have happened, unfortunately”, Trump added, without clarifying who these “other operators” might be.

The United States military said last week that two service members had been killed and four medically evacuated following an Iranian missile and drone attack in Jordan.

Trump says Iran war won’t have any impact on upcoming midterm elections

The US president says that Iran is “probably” trying to hurt his and his Republican Party’s chances in the upcoming congressional elections in November by threatening the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump dismissed the impact that Iran would have, saying, “I’m just going to do the right thing.”

“The election, I can’t think about that having to do with this [the war on Iran]. I think people are very impressed.”

The US-Israeli war on Iran is domestically unpopular in the US, as are rising prices caused by shipping disruption in the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump claims if US didn’t hit Iran there would be ‘no Israel’ today

Speaking to reporters, Trump claimed that if the US hadn’t “terminated the nuclear deal” reached under President Barack Obama, “you wouldn’t have Israel right now because they would have had a nuclear weapon years ago”.

The US president added that “if we didn’t do the B2 bombers knocking out the nuclear sites a year ago, one of the first things we did early in the administration, they [Iran] would have a nuclear weapon, and you wouldn’t have Israel”.

“And in my opinion, you wouldn’t have various other countries in the Middle East [as] they would have been terminated, extinguished”.

Over the course of the resumption, developments  -and we think that they refer to the rift between Trump and Netanyahu-  emerged leading to a silent withdraw of the Israelis from the war on Iran they've started.

Pakistan’s Sharif urges restraint from all sides in meeting with Iranian interior minister

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif shared his “deep concern over the recent escalation in the Gulf” during his meeting with Iran’s Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni today.

He “urged all sides to exercise restraint and refrain from actions that could further destabilize the region,” a statement from his office reads.

Sharif emphasized that Pakistan would continue to play its role as an honest and sincere mediator and facilitator, and “reiterated Pakistan’s strong commitment to regional peace and stability”.

Momeni expressed his “deep appreciation” for the prime minister and his team in their “untiring mediation efforts”, which led to the memorandum of understanding, saying his visiting delegation of senior Iranian officials was in Pakistan to “enhance bilateral ties”, the statement added.

US will hit potential site of Iranian nuclear centrifuges ‘very heavily’

Trump has told reporters that the US will be hitting the area where Iran’s nuclear centrifuges are rumored to be “soon”.

“Probably pretty soon”, he said, “and there’s not a thing they can do about it,” he said in response to a question about whether Iran has moved its centrifuges to Pickaxe Mountain in the Natanz area.

“Normally I wouldn’t say that,” he added, “If I thought they could do something about it, I would never say that, but we’ll be hitting that area pretty soon, and, and very heavily.”

Trump hasn’t done much to sell new Iran attacks to American people

Trump hasn’t articulated the end goal of these past 10 days of attacks on Iran.

The idea is that the US wants to get back to the ceasefire, but he does have plans to escalate, which is the decision he’s making at the moment.

The American people feel there’s almost a stalemate going on as the US continues to attack targets linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and its ability to strike international shipping. But there’s this feeling if the US starts to attack infrastructure, it will feel more like an attack on the Iranian people.

The Americans are still holding out a faint hope there could be some kind of internal regime change.

Trump hasn’t done much to sell these new attacks except saying the Iranians will “pay” a heavy price for killing Americans. Three US service members were killed over the weekend.

Trump was due to go to the Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Tuesday evening for the return of their bodies. That service has now been postponed until a later date.

Sirens sound in Bahrain

Bahrain has sounded its air raid alarm once again.

The Ministry of the Interior has urged citizens to remain calm and “head to the nearest safe location”.

The Bahrain Defense Force said earlier that its defense systems had “intercepted and destroyed a number of treacherous Iranian aerial attacks”.

There’s still room for diplomacy, but Iran wants terms of MoU honored

The Iranians want what has been agreed in the MoU to be honoured by the US in order to progress, Negar Mortazavi, a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy, tells Al Jazeera.

“I think there’s still the door open for diplomacy,” she said, but “every time you have a flare-up, going back to diplomacy becomes more difficult”.

“The Iranian thinking is the US will sign something, and then they will try to stretch it on the battlefield with force, with more pressure.”

Mortazavi said that President Trump is probably thinking that with a little more pressure, “he can bring the Iranians to surrender, capitulation, at least to force them to make more concessions”.

The Iranian response has been that they’re not going to surrender under pressure, and are willing to negotiate, “but at the same time what’s signed and what’s agreed needs to be honored”.

“I think that’s the main sort of disagreement on the two sides right now.”

Qatar condemns Iran’s attacks on Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Qatar has denounced renewed attacks against Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait, “including the targeting of the Kuwaiti tanker Kaifan while transiting the Strait of Hormuz”.

Describing the strikes as a “flagrant violation” of the countries’ territorial integrity, the ministry said they posed “a serious threat to maritime security and global energy supplies”, as well as breaching international law, the UN Charter and “principles of good neighborliness”.

Doha calls “for an immediate and complete halt to all military actions and attacks threatening regional security”, the ministry said, and expressed support for any measures taken by Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait to protect their sovereignty.

IRGC says it destroyed radar systems in Kuwait

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard says it has “decommissioned” an early warning radar and a tactical radar complex around the Ali al-Salem Air Base in Kuwait, and another radar system on the country’s Bubiyan Island.

It said that its attacks have succeeded in “destroying” the radars and putting them out of action.

“The operation to punish the aggressor continues,” it added.

US military says it has blocked 8 vessels as part of blockade

US Central Command says that it has redirected eight commercial vessels and disabled one “to fully enforce” its naval blockade of Iran.

“Every operational success in the Middle East begins and ends with service members focused on their missions, including the U.S. blockade against Iran,” it said in a statement.

The US reinstated its naval blockade earlier this month, after lifting it in June.

Kuwaitis ration electricity after Iranian strikes hit power grid

Kuwaitis are rationing electricity after Iranian strikes on power infrastructure are raising fears of outages during peak summer heat.

Authorities say public conservation efforts have helped ease pressure on the grid as the country grapples with soaring demand.

Pentagon says war on Iran has cost estimated $37.5bn

The US-Israel war on Iran has cost $37.5bn so far, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says, an increase of nearly $8bn since the last public estimate.

Hegseth told lawmakers that the figure also included anticipated costs through September 30, defending a request for some $67bn in supplemental funding for the Pentagon.

This is the first time that Hegseth, who appeared before the Senate Appropriations Committee with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine, has faced public questions from lawmakers since the US military restarted operations against Iran earlier this month.

Mediators await response to 10-day ceasefire proposal as Iranian minister visits Pakistan

The Iranian interior minister, Eskandar Momeni, is in Pakistan.

He has already held an important meeting with the Pakistani military chief, General Asim Munir, who, of course, along with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, has played a pivotal role as a main mediator, with support also from Qatar and other friendly countries.

The Islamabad memorandum that was signed just a little over a month ago has already broken down, with renewed hostilities and tit-for-tat attacks against each other in the Gulf region.

There is an expectation here in Pakistan that the Iranians have come out with a reply to a proposal for a 10-day ceasefire.

That, of course, the Iranian Foreign Ministry is also confirming that although the hostilities continue, the diplomatic channels through the mediators are still being used.

However, it will be important to see whether Washington will be willing to go along with that.

Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya says attack on nuclear facilities would expand war

Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters says it would consider any US attack on the country’s nuclear facilities an expansion of the war, according to the IRIB broadcaster.

Earlier, Trump threatened to “heavily” attack Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain, reported to contain new Iranian nuclear facilities.

Kuwaiti air defenses respond to drone attacks

Kuwait’s air defenses are responding to drone attacks, the Kuwaiti army says.

The army’s General Staff said any explosions heard were caused by air defense systems intercepting the drones.

It urged the public to follow safety instructions issued by the relevant authorities.

Pakistan trying to salvage Islamabad memorandum

The Gulf region countries are apprehensive about the fact that a conflagration in the region would be detrimental and catastrophic for everyone.

Pakistan is trying to salvage or rescue the Islamabad memorandum, which was signed between the two countries.

However, both the US and Iran are keeping very hush-hush when it comes to the nature of the talks, the extent of the talks.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry has already admitted that the negotiators are still trying to find some sort of a way out, although the hostilities are still continuing.

So, Pakistan is still trying to see if there is a way out of this particular crisis, which, of course, is now threatening to engulf the entire region.

US congresswoman decries death of US soldier in ‘reckless, illegal war’

Yassamin Ansari, an Iranian-American congresswoman, has expressed outrage at the death of Isabella Gonzales, a 19-year-old US soldier.

“I opposed Trump’s reckless, illegal war from the start because I knew it would cost American and Iranian lives,” Ansari wrote in a post on X.

“Not one more cent for this war that has killed Americans and innocent civilians, destabilized the entire Middle East, and made life even more painfully unaffordable.”

UN chief says US, Iranian attacks on civilian infrastructure ‘must stop’

Antonio Guterres “is deeply concerned by the continuing and expanding military escalation between Iran and the United States over the past few days”, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric has said.

“The crisis has already affected Iran, Bahrain, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Qatar, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates.”

Guterres is “particularly concerned” by attacks on civilian infrastructure in Iran, including a nuclear power plant under construction and a desalination plant, as well as “power plants and desalination plants in Kuwait and other places”, Dujarric added.

“Such attacks are unacceptable and must stop immediately.”

Democrats challenge Trump’s request for billions more for Iran war

Democrats came out strongly against the Trump administration’s request for billions of dollars in additional funding for the war in Iran, arguing that this is a war of choice rather than one of necessity.

They also challenged Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over what they described as imprecise and inconsistent language about the military campaign. Senator Jon Ossoff questioned why the administration was requesting more money after previously suggesting that its adversary had been rendered combat ineffective.

Other Democratic senators highlighted domestic priorities that could instead receive the funding, including childcare, healthcare, and assistance with household energy costs.

Their arguments reflected growing public frustration with the war, which remains deeply unpopular in the United States. There is particularly little appetite for further spending among some of President Donald Trump’s own supporters.

During the election campaign, many backed Trump because they believed he would prevent or end foreign wars. His administration’s aggressive pursuit of the conflict in Iran, therefore, contrasts sharply with how many voters expected him to govern.

As Americans become increasingly concerned about the cost of the war, the loss of US service members, and continued military involvement in the Middle East, there appears to be very limited public support for extending the campaign.

Explosions reported in Iran’s Mahshahr

Residents of Mahshahr in Iran’s southwestern Khuzestan province have reported hearing several explosions, according to the Fars news agency.

Explosions reported near Iran’s Tabriz

Several explosions have been reported near the southern part of Tabriz in northwestern Iran, according to the Fars news agency.

Air defense activity reported in northeastern Tehran

Residents have reported hearing air defense activity in northeastern Tehran, according to the Fars news agency.