• Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) declares the Strait of Hormuz temporarily closed after firing a warning shot at a ship attempting to transit through what it called an unapproved route.
• Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei pledges to avenge the killing of his father, Ali Khamenei, by US and Israeli forces, saying “revenge is the will of our nation”.
• US President Donald Trump has threatened to “decimate and destroy all areas of Iran” if Iranians attempt to assassinate him.
• Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met his Omani counterpart, Badr Albusaidi, with sources saying Muscat has proposed two separately controlled routes in the Strait of Hormuz, one through Iranian territorial waters and one through Omani waters.
   

Several explosions reported in southern Iran

Residents in Asaluyeh and Bandar Deyr in southern Iran have reported hearing several explosions, according to Iran’s IRIB state broadcaster.

US military announces third round of strikes on Iran

US Central Command (CENTCOM) says it has started a third round of strikes on Iran after accusing the IRGC of “blatantly” attacking a Cyprus-flagged container ship in the Strait of Hormuz.

It said the ship was unable to continue its journey due to an onboard fire and engine damage, and that a crew member is missing.

“Iran was provided yet another opportunity to demonstrate adherence to the Memorandum of Understanding after being held accountable for earlier attacks on commercial vessels but has again failed,” it said, referring to the peace deal signed on June 16.

“In response, the United States is imposing a heavy cost by continuing to degrade Iran’s ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships freely transiting the strait,” it added.

Iran sends twofold message on Hormuz: ‘Diplomacy and escalation both possible’

The IRGC is saying the Strait of Hormuz is now closed until further notice, and that no vessels will be allowed to pass through until what it describes as US intervention in the region comes to an end.

This comes as the situation around the strait remains extremely fragile. In recent days, we have had repeated reports of the waterway being reopened, partially reopened, and then closed again.

What Tehran is now talking about is a new arrangement for the Strait of Hormuz — one where it says control over shipping routes stays under Iranian authority, in coordination with Oman, but not under terms set by foreign powers.

At the same time, Iran is sending two messages. On the diplomatic side, officials say talks and mediation are still under way, including efforts by Qatar and other countries, to try to resolve the crisis.

But on the military side, they are also warning that escalation could still be on the horizon. Iranian officials have repeatedly said their “fingers are on the trigger” and promised what they call a crushing response to any further attack or violation.

So this is not only about Hormuz. It is also about US intervention, Iran’s oil exports, sanctions, and whether diplomacy can still stop another round of confrontation.

For now, Tehran appears to be saying it is open to diplomacy, but ready for escalation.

 

Explosions heard in Iran’s Bandar Abbas, Sirik, Chabahar

Iran’s IRIB state broadcaster is reporting more explosions across southern Iran.

It said three explosions each have been confirmed in the port cities of Bandar Abbas and Sirik. Two blasts were heard in the port city of Chabahar, while five were heard in the city of Bandar-e Deyr in Bushehr province.

It added that four explosions were also heard in the city of Asaluyeh, which is also in Bushehr province.

UKMTO issues warning after report of fire on board container ship

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) says it has received a report of an incident some nine nautical miles (about 17km) east of the Omani coast.

“Military authorities have reported that a container ship has sustained damage to the rear of the vessel, which has caused a fire on board,” it said.

“Vessels are advised to transit with caution,” it added.

The alert came moments after CENTCOM announced the start of a third round of strikes on Iran, citing an Iranian attack on a Cyprus-flagged ship in the strait.

Hegseth says Iran will ‘pay’ for ‘poor choice’

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has posted on X, saying: “Iran made a poor choice. Now they pay.”

Iranian official says recent US strikes ‘will not go unanswered’

Ali Safari, an adviser to the spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, said that the recent US strikes “will not go unanswered” and accused Washington of failing to implement its commitments under the MoU signed on June 16.

Safari insisted that the MoU places responsibility for “future arrangements in the Strait of Hormuz” with Iran, to be worked out in consultation with Oman and other states.

“The southern shipping route, created under US pressure, prevents implementation of the agreement and has created serious security risks, including the possibility of collisions. Sending ships through that route with navigation systems switched off is irresponsible,” he said.

“The US must choose: honour what it signed 23 days ago, or walk away from its commitments. Iran is far stronger than you imagine and is prepared for war,” he added.

Iran ‘targeting’ ships taking US-guided route through Strait of Hormuz

Ian Ralby, a senior fellow at the Center for Maritime Strategy, says the latest ship strike in the Strait of Hormuz offers a “bleak picture” for vessels weighing their options.

“As of the last few weeks, we’ve had three different routes that have been used by ships to come out,” he said.

“One is the Iranian route approved by the Persian Gulf Strait Authority. That has become the favoured route. On the southern highway, as the president of the United States has described it, there were two routes for a little while, one approved by the International Maritime Organization and Oman, but that only lasted a few days until it had to be suspended following attacks.”

Ralby said the third is a US-guided route that hugs the coast of Oman.

“That seems to be where this vessel was coming through, which indicates that the guidance that the US is providing is specifically being targeted by the Iranians and pushed back against. And that is a problem for a lot of vessels to now have the choice – get attacked or go through Iran. If that’s the only option on the table, it is a pretty bleak picture for many of them going forward,” he said.

More than 10 explosions reported in Jask

The IRNA news agency says more than 10 explosions have been heard in the port city of Jask in the southern Hormozgan province.

Military site hit in Iran’s Bushehr amid US attacks

According to the IRIB state broadcaster, at least 12 explosions have been heard in different parts of the province.

These include five in the port city of Bandar-e Deyr, four in Asaluyeh and three in the city of Bushehr.

Meanwhile, the Student News Network TV, an Iranian news agency, citing an IRIB reporter, said military barracks in the Risheh neighborhood of Bushehr were hit and that blasts were also reported in the city of Kangan.

The reporter said a military post was also attacked in Bandar-e Deyr.

No casualties reported in Bushehr attacks

Ehsan Jahanian, Bushehr province’s deputy governor for political, security and social affairs, says no casualties have been reported so far after attacks on several cities in the southern Iranian province.

These include the cities of Bushehr, Asalouyeh and Bandar-e Deyr, he said.

Strait of Hormuz ‘is the absolute centre of the conflict’

CENTCOM is saying that the strike was under way in retaliation for that attack on the vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. So this tit-for-tat conflict continues, even while the US administration insists that negotiations should continue.

There was a lull in the conflict once the ceasefire was declared with the signing of the MoU, and there appeared to be an agreement on a structure to allow negotiations to go forward to deal with more lasting issues. This has not happened because of a lack of clarity about the Strait of Hormuz.

It is the absolute center of conflict that is at the moment.

Iran has one interpretation of who controls the Strait of Hormuz, and the US has another. And now Iran is opening fire on ships that do not use the approved route, and you have the US blockading vessels that use the routes that only Iran approves.

So now we have President Trump declaring the ceasefire as over, and the whole negotiation process itself is under threat because of a single clause in that MoU concerning the Strait of Hormuz and who, or who does not, control it.

Iran ‘trying to do something no one has ever done’ in Hormuz Strait

Ian Ralby, a senior fellow at the Center for Maritime Strategy, has said that the latest attack on a ship off the coast of Oman shows that Iran is intent on maintaining its “strategic leverage” over the Strait of Hormuz.

“They are trying to do something no one has ever done in the strait before and implement not only a permission scheme but some kind of payment and oversight scheme that they will enforce by force,” he said.

“That is unusual. That is not good news for freedom of navigation. That’s not good news for the global economy. Because if they manage to do it, others could too.”

Ralby said the strategy seems to be working.

“After the attacks this week, we’ve seen the flow [of ship traffic] drop down to very, very little, and the only noticeable flow has really been through the Iranian side, which means they’re not only trying to do this, they’re starting to succeed.”

Iranian air defence systems activated in Bandar-e Mahshahr

Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency is reporting that air defence systems have been activated in Bandar-e Mahshahr, in the province of Khuzestan, on Iran’s southwestern coast.

It says local authorities have not provided any information on whether any incoming strikes have hit the city.

Explosions heard in multiple Iranian cities across three provinces

Iran is reporting another round of escalation along Iran’s southern coast, with reports of explosions in several cities across at least three provinces.

In Bushehr province, explosions have been reported in Bushehr city, as well as in Kangan, Deyr and Asalouyeh. Iranian reports say military and economic sites have been targeted, including a military base in Deyr.

Bushehr is especially important because it hosts Iran’s nuclear power plant. So far, there is no confirmation of any damage to that facility.

Further east, explosions have also been reported in Jask and Sirik. These are strategically important locations because they overlook the Strait of Hormuz, which is now at the centre of the dispute between Tehran and Washington.

In Jask alone, Iranian reports say at least 10 explosions were heard.

There have also been reports of explosions in Bandar Abbas, where blasts have been heard repeatedly over the past three or four nights.

And further southeast, explosions were reported near Konarak and Chabahar, one of Iran’s most important ports.

All of this comes as Iran is insisting on control and authority over navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, and after Tehran said it had attacked a vessel trying to approach the strait without permission.

Two more explosions heard in Jask

The IRIB state broadcaster says two more explosions have been heard in the port city in Hormozgan province.

It said another blast was also reported in Imamzadeh Shah Abdulla, located on the border of Khuzestan and Bushehr provinces, and that there were no casualties.

Earlier, Iranian state media said at least 10 explosions had been heard in Jask while at least 12 were heard in Bushehr province.

How the US-Iran conflict reignited

• It began on Monday when the IRGC struck three commercial vessels, including a Qatari liquefied natural gas tanker, off the coast of Oman.
• The following day, the US said it carried out retaliatory strikes on Iranian military targets, and Tehran responded with missile and drone attacks on US bases across the Gulf.
• On Wednesday, President Trump told reporters the ceasefire was over, rattling markets and increasing oil prices.
• The tit-for-tat attacks continued on Thursday, and overnight, Iran’s IRGC announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz until further notice after attacking a container ship using what it called an unapproved route.

Three cities in Iran’s Khuzestan hit by ‘enemy projectiles’

The semi-official Mehr news agency is reporting more attacks in southern Iran.

It cited a security officer as saying that the cities of Hendijan, Mahshahr and Abadan in Khuzestan province “were hit by enemy projectiles”.

Differences between US, Iran ‘just too great’

Thomas Warrick, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and a former US deputy assistant secretary for counterterrorism policy, says the latest round of fighting is likely to last for some time despite ongoing mediation efforts.

“The problem is the two parties’ differences are just too great,” he said.

“Iran is not willing to give up the idea that it should control and profit from traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been recognised as international waters for more than 1,000 years. And it’s obviously not going to be possible for Iran to control the strait and for the rest of the world to use it freely.”

Warrick said the disagreement over how to interpret the MoU wasn’t a matter of linguistics, but that the two sides simply hadn’t reached “an actual meeting of the minds” during recent negotiations.

“There was no common understanding. And on a difference this fundamental, there was very clearly a need for greater clarity so that we would not be in exactly the position we’re in right now,” he said.

“Part of the problem here is trust has been broken yet again. And the trust deficit – neither side trusts the other at all – is actually one of the more serious problems that’s preventing an end to this war,” he added.

Crew of ship attacked in Hormuz abandon vessel

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) says the crew of the container ship struck in the Strait of Hormuz has abandoned the vessel and boarded a lifeboat.

It says the update came from military authorities and the ship’s company security officer.

The US’s CENTCOM had previously said that the IRGC had attacked M/V GFS Galaxy, a Cyprus-flagged container ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz. It said a civilian crew member was missing and that the vessel was “unable to continue the journey due to an onboard fire and significant engine room damage”.

US and Iran ‘objectives very different’, conflict could drag on for months

Thomas Warrick, the senior fellow at the Atlantic Council we've mentioned earlier:

He said that on top of the lack of trust between the two sides, there is also a “complete misunderstanding” between them.

“Both sides, for cultural reasons, interpret things very differently. Their objectives are very different, and their understanding of what each side prioritises is also very different,” he said. “Obviously, this adds to the challenge of mediation, but it also puts the countries in a position where they would rather settle their differences through fighting than by peaceful means.”

But he said he does not think there could be large-scale attacks on Tehran or Iranian retaliation against Gulf countries “right away”.

“I think we’re more likely to see a resumption of the Cold War, where there will be attacks often on Thursday, Friday, Saturday. Trump will say something on Sunday or Monday to try to save the peace at hand and hope that the markets respond in his direction, and then over Tuesday, Wednesday, things die down a little bit — only to start again a few days later,” he said.

“I think this pattern we’re in right now is likely to continue, and so this could go on for several more weeks, or indeed several more months, up until the US election on November 3rd,” he added.

US strikes target military and commercial facilities in four provinces

Based on what Iranian sources are reporting, at least four provinces have witnessed American air strikes targeting both military and commercial facilities across several cities.

Several explosions have been reported in Bushehr, and that’s critically important because it holds one of the country’s nuclear power plants. Meanwhile, at least 10 explosions were reported in Jask, while several more were reported in Sirik.

These are two important cities, as they oversee the Strait of Hormuz. We’ve also received reports of explosions in Bandar Abbas, Kangan, Bandar-e Deyr and Asaluyeh.

In the southeastern parts of the country, explosions have been reported in the vicinity of Konarak and other cities.

In terms of scope, over the past few nights we’ve seen an expanding range of attacks targeting Iranian territory, while Tehran, for its part, continues to promise further crushing retaliation should the escalation continue.

Sirens blare in Bahrain

Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior has said air raid sirens have been activated.

“Citizens and residents are urged to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place,” it said.

Qatar raises security threat level, urges residents to stay home

Qatar’s Ministry of Interior says the country’s security threat level is high and has urged everyone to remain inside their homes or in safe places.

The ministry called on people to follow safety instructions and avoid unnecessary movement.

UAE ‘engaging with missiles and drones from Iran’

The United Arab Emirates says its air defenses are actively “engaging” with incoming missiles and drone attacks from Iran.

The country’s Ministry of Defense says explosions heard around the country are the sound of its defense systems intercepting the missiles and drones.

IRGC, other hardliners intent on ‘making sure US never attacks Iran again’

Kenneth Katzman, a senior fellow at the Soufan Center, says the latest strike on a ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz is a sign of persistent division within the Iranian regime.

“The foreign minister, [Abbas] Araghchi, went to Oman … to try to work out a compromise, actually, and he was making some progress. And then the IRGC, obviously, did not think that any progress should be made, and they went and attacked this Cypriot ship and set off another round of combat,” he said.

“So, I think we have a much bigger problem than just the Strait of Hormuz. It seems to me that there is a dedicated group within the regime, within the IRGC, let’s say, and other hardliners, who are very much set on punishing the United States, getting revenge for the killing of Khamenei, making sure the US never attacks Iran again, trying to portray themselves as victorious.”

As a result, Katzman added, the US military will likely escalate to try and force the strait open.

“This is not … going to be resolved from another round of talks in Switzerland or Qatar or somewhere. This is a much bigger problem that’s going to likely require much more US escalation to get this under control,” he said.

Qatar reports intercepting missile attack

The country’s Ministry of Defense says its armed forces have “intercepted a missile attack which targeted” the state of Qatar.

IRGC claims attack on Jordan’s Prince Hassan airbase

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says it has targeted US military facilities at Prince Hassan airbase in Jordan with several ballistic missiles.

In a statement carried by the IRIB state broadcaster, the IRGC said its aerospace forces destroyed a command-and-control centre at the base, as well as hangars housing MQ-9 drones.

IRGC accuses US of ‘imposing its will’ on Oman

The IRGC accused the US of “imposing its will” on Oman’s government, claiming Washington once again tried to route several vessels through the Strait of Hormuz via “an illegal route” in the south of the waterway. It said this attempt was “stopped by a decisive response from the navy.”

The statement said the US then struck “a number of coastal bases and telecommunications towers on the southern coast,” and that the IRGC, “as promised,” delivered “a crushing response to its aggression”, referring to the strike on Jordan’s Prince Hassan airbase.

The IRGC called this the first phase of its response, warning that “the continued aggression of the treacherous America will lead to more severe responses”.

Iran claims drone attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain

Iran’s army says it launched waves of drone attacks on US military sites in Kuwait and Bahrain, according to IRIB, Iran’s state broadcaster.

In a statement, the army said it used explosive drones to target a Patriot air defence system, an ammunition depot and a radar site belonging to the US military in Kuwait.

It said another wave of drone attacks targeted a US communications system and radar site in Bahrain.

The army said the attacks were in response to what it described as continued US strikes on areas in southern Iran.

Qatar says danger has now passed

There have been several warnings in Qatar, in Bahrain, and also in the United Arab Emirates, asking civilians and people in general to get indoors and avoid open places and talking about dealing with threats coming from Iran.

Here in Qatar, there is another notification that came just a while ago saying that the danger has now passed and people can go about their daily lives.

Before that, we heard explosions – we don’t know where exactly- explosions in the skies of Doha, and we have even seen some smoke that indicates a kind of interception. But there are no details about what the targets were.

In Bahrain, the Ministry of Interior talked about threats, and sirens were sounded there.

In the United Arab Emirates, they were more specific about some attacks coming from Iran, and that the authorities there are dealing with that threat, also asking citizens to try to avoid open areas and to be precautious in this regard.

Iran claims attack on Qatar’s Al Udeid airbase

The IRGC has issued a new statement saying it also targeted the airbase at Qatar’s Al Udeid with ballistic missiles.

It claimed it destroyed a fighter aircraft maintenance and repair centre, as well as a command-and-control centre at the base.

Qatar’s Ministry of Defense, however, said earlier that it intercepted a missile attack targeting Qatari territory.

Iran claims attack on a second ‘offending vessel’ in the Strait of Hormuz

The IRGC says it has hit and stopped a second “offending vessel” in the Strait of Hormuz.

It warned that the continuation of what it called US-Israeli “aggressions” would result in “even more devastating” responses.

US military says it struck 140 targets in Iran in latest round of attacks

The US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) says it has finished a third round of strikes on Iran this week, “holding Iranian forces accountable” for their recent attack on a Cyprus-flagged ship in the Strait of Hormuz.

CENTCOM said it hit about 140 military targets that “included Iranian missile and drone sites, naval capabilities, ammunition storage facilities, communication networks, and coastal surveillance locations”.

It added that more than 300 targets were struck over the course of three nights throughout the week “to degrade Iran’s ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial vessels freely transiting the strait”.

CENTCOM also said US forces have helped more than 800 commercial vessels, with cargo including 400 million barrels of oil, successfully transit the strait since early May.

Iran claims Gulf nations are ‘providing help to the Americans’

Iran has made sure all the time that it is going to retaliate against what it claims to be the bases from which attacks on Iranian soil are waged.

They are criticizing Arab countries, particularly in the Gulf region, saying they are providing help to the Americans, and the Iranians are not attacking civilians or civilian areas in the Gulf countries, but they are attacking the source of the attacks that come against Iranian soil.

This is a dynamic that has been going on for some time, and Iran is maintaining it.

And it is all related for now to the Strait of Hormuz, because Iran wants to maintain its control over the Strait of Hormuz, and it has declared it closed.

They are saying that any violation- any ships that don’t coordinate with the Iranians and try [independently] to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, it means they have violated the memorandum of understanding, and it means that they are working against the interests of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and Iran has to retaliate and prevent that situation.

Iran claims ‘heavy attack’ on Oman’s Duqm

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claims it has carried out a “heavy and surprise” attack on logistics support centers and refueling platforms used by US aircraft carriers at the port of Duqm in Oman, according to state broadcaster IRIB.

The IRGC’s public relations office told IRIB the sites were “destroyed” in the attack.

It called the attacks on Oman the third phase of its response to the US bombings.

Kuwaiti army says it’s intercepting ‘hostile aerial targets’

The Kuwaiti army says its forces are currently responding to “hostile aerial targets” in the country’s airspace.

In a post on X, it said any sounds of explosions are the result of its defence systems intercepting the attacks.

“Everyone is requested to adhere to the security and safety instructions issued by the competent authorities,” it added.

Qatar issues a second security alert

Qatar’s Ministry of Interior has raised the country’s security threat level to high for the second time this morning, urging residents to remain inside their homes or in safe places.

Ghalibaf says ‘the era of one-sided deals is over’

Iran’s top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has issued a statement on X.

“The era of one-sided deals is OVER. We told you: keep your word or pay the price,” he wrote.

“Reality is knocking,” he added.

The post was accompanied by an image of Article 5 of the MoU, which concerns the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, with the words “the Islamic Republic of Iran will make arrangements” highlighted. As we’ve been reporting, the latest round of attacks was triggered by disagreements between the US and Iran over the control of and management of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

Gulf countries say they are not party to US war on Iran

Iran has repeatedly accused GCC countries, saying that they are actively supporting American military operations here by hosting US military bases, also allowing them to use their airspace.

But these states say they are not party to this war; they are not party to any conflict, and they are trying to explain [US bases] are part of bilateral agreements with the US, trying to secure their defense activities here.

Sirens blare in Bahrain again

Bahrain’s Interior Ministry says “the siren has been sounded” and is urging residents to “head to the nearest safe place”.

This is the second time the Gulf state has activated sirens.

Iran’s army says US must comply with MoU terms

Brigadier General Mohammad Akraminia is once again urging the US to comply with the terms of the MoU signed between Tehran and Washington on June 16.

He told the IRIB broadcaster that the US’s intervention to create what he called an “illegal route” through the Strait of Hormuz had caused insecurity in the area.

He said Iran’s armed forces would “firmly” defend the rights of the Iranian people in the strait.

Akraminia added that the army was constantly updating its “bank of targets”.

Iran’s attacks on Gulf come amid Qatar-led mediation effort

Since these attacks have reignited in the region, there has been a flurry of diplomatic activity.

Qatar is leading those mediation efforts, trying to bring both sides back to the negotiating table and urging all parties to implement what was agreed under the MoU signed last month.

Qatari officials went to Iran; other senior officials and leaders across the region went to their neighboring countries, engaging in many telephone calls, and what we call shuttle diplomacy.

At this stage, there was no official confirmation from any sources in these countries saying that any of these diplomatic efforts are compromised.

But all parties in the region are trying to call on all actors in this conflict to remain calm and to stop this conflict from spreading any further.

Crisis over Hormuz unlikely to ‘ever get solved militarily’

The war between the US and Iran over the Strait of Hormuz cannot be resolved through military means, a maritime security analyst warns, adding that continued fighting will only drive up the global cost of fuel and food.

“I don’t think that this is going to ever get solved militarily,” said Ian Ralby, a senior fellow at the Center for Maritime Strategy and president of Auxilium Worldwide.

“There’s a will to keep fighting on one side. There’s a will to keep trying to break and diminish the capacity on the other. That just is a formula for ongoing conflict. And that unfortunately could mean a long-term problem for the Strait of Hormuz as a navigable waterway.”

Ralby said parties affected by the conflict are likely to push for renewed diplomacy although shifting that dynamic will be difficult, given “two mercurial parties, both of whom have pretty entrenched interests in succeeding and winning”.

“Unfortunately, the US has had a very flexible sense of what winning would look like,” he said. “And on the Iranian side, there’s now a very clear desire and express notion that there needs to be some kind of revenge for what has happened, and that’s a historic formula that leads to long-term bloodshed.”

Amid all of that, the Strait of Hormuz looks like it will be the central flashpoint, he said. And this means “our energy supplies, our global costs for shipping and the cost of all our goods are likely to stay on the increase rather than to stabilize at a lower level,” he said.

US hits military base in Iran’s Khondab

IRNA is reporting that the base in the western Iranian city has been hit by “enemy projectiles”.

Quoting a local senior official, the state news agency said the attack took place in the morning and that human and financial losses are under review.

US air strikes hit outskirts of Iran’s Veysian, local official says

The broadcaster IRIB, quoting a local official from western Iran’s Lorestan province, says US forces carried out two air attacks on the outskirts of the city of Veysian.

Saeed Pourali, the deputy political, security and social affairs officer, told IRIB that there were no casualties and conditions in the city are now normal.

Crew of container ship hit off Omani coast rescued

The UK navy-sponsored UKMTO agency says the crew of the container ship that has been attacked off the coast of Oman has been “rescued by local authorities”.

It quoted the ship’s company security officer.

The agency previously reported that a fire broke out on board the vessel and the crew had left the ship in a lifeboat.

Earlier, CENTCOM said the IRGC had attacked the M/V GFS Galaxy, causing a fire on board and “significant engine room damage”.

Official says future arrangements for Hormuz ‘should be made in consultation’ with Iran and Oman

Talks between Iran and Oman that took place in Muscat on Saturday were about arrangements for managing shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman says.

Esmaeil Baghaei said in a statement quoted by Iranian state media that the talks were attended by legal and technical delegations from the two countries.

He added that the governments exchanged views on ensuring security and safety in the Strait of Hormuz in compliance with the sovereign rights of the two countries and in line with international law and the MoU between the US and Iran.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran emphasizes that the future arrangements for managing traffic in the Strait of Hormuz should be made in consultation between the two coastal countries and considering the developments of the past few months, especially the imposed war between the US and the Zionist regime and its security consequences for shipping in the Strait of Hormuz,” the statement said.

Iran says US air strikes targeted 5 cities in Bushehr province

IRNA, citing a local official from Bushehr, says US forces attacked five cities in the province, including Asaluyeh, Dir, Bushehr, Dashti and Tangestan.

The province is situated on Iran’s southern coast and has been repeatedly attacked during the war.

Strikes earlier this week destroyed civilian infrastructure in the province, according to Iranian officials, including areas near the Bushehr nuclear power plant.

Three injured, including a child, in Qatar following interception

Qatar’s Interior Ministry has confirmed that falling debris from interception operations has injured three people, including a child.

“The injured are receiving the necessary care,” it said in a statement.

The ministry said following the Iranian attacks, security authorities and civil defense teams had initiated response procedures in accordance with approved emergency plans.

Iran’s civilian leaders and hard line factions differ on Strait of Hormuz

Kenneth Katzman, a senior fellow at The Soufan Center, says the US has a serious problem on its hands regarding the Strait of Hormuz due to differing viewpoints in Iran.

The IRGC’s key commanders “insist on controlling the strait, not only that, but gaining revenge for the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei”, he told Al Jazeera. “They want to ensure the US never attacks Iran again.”

“It seems that there’s a dedicated team of commanders and former commanders in the IRGC and other hardliners that insist on prosecuting the war further beyond what the civilian elected leadership would like to pursue. They want a deal,” Katzman explained.

The US is not going to concede when it comes to the Strait of Hormuz, he added.

“It’s a vital interest of the United States that the strait remain open.”

If hard line factions in Iran continue to press this point, Katzman believes we will see “very substantial escalation” by the US. But he added that the civilian leadership in Iran, including President Masoud Pezeshkian and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, “are going to start putting pressure on the IRGC to stand down and accept some negotiated settlement involving Oman, Iran and the US”.

Iran says Qatar joined Saturday’s talks on Hormuz in Oman

A delegation from Qatar was present during Saturday’s discussions between Iran and Oman on the Strait of Hormuz in Muscat, according to Tehran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman.

Qatar joined the talks “as one of the countries in the region that has also acted as a mediator in the US-Iran negotiations in recent months”, Baghaei said in remarks quoted by Iranian media.

He said earlier that the talks between Tehran and Muscat covered arrangements for managing traffic and shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

IRGC warns of ‘crushing response’ if US strikes continue

After the commencement of the American strikes targeting different cities across the Iranian southern areas, the IRGC said there will be a crushing response ahead.

Iran had issued at least four statements three of them from the Revolutionary Guards and one of them from the army of the country. One of them gave a detailed account of the targeted areas in Oman, where the IRGC said that a logistics support centre and aircraft fuelling platforms in Oman were targeted.

Another statement is saying that areas in Qatar were targeted. The country’s army said Bahrain and Kuwait were also attacked with a Patriot air defense system as well as radar sites targeted. And last but not least, we’ve got this statement talking about attacks on a US military base in Jordan.

Part and parcel of Iran’s strategy is to target US military bases across the region. They are warning that in case of continuing American strikes, there are going to be more repercussions.

Iran launched 3 missiles at Jordan, state media report

An official military source has told Jordan’s Petra news agency that the three missiles launched from Iran fell in different locations at dawn today without causing any casualties.

The damage was limited to minor material losses, the source told Petra.

As we’ve been reporting, Iran earlier claimed a ballistic missile attack on Jordan’s Prince Hassan airbase, saying it had destroyed a command-and-control centre at the base, as well as hangars housing MQ-9 drones.

Air raid sirens sound again in Bahrain

The Interior Ministry has urged citizens and residents to remain calm and go to the nearest safe place, according to a statement on X.

This marks the third time sirens have blared in Bahrain today.

Iran’s and Pakistan’s foreign ministers discuss ‘evolving regional situation’

Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has talked by phone with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, during which the two “exchanged views on the evolving regional situation”, according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad.

Dar “stressed upon the parties to follow the path of de-escalation and show restraint, as agreed in the Islamabad MOU in June 2026”, the statement said.

He told Araghchi that dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable path to resolving disputes and achieving lasting peace and stability in the region.

Dar and Araghchi agreed to remain in close contact, the statement added.

Omani state media say drones targeted sites in Musandam

The Omani government has condemned Iran’s attacks on the country, with a security source telling the Oman News Agency (ONA) that “sites in the Musandam governorate were targeted by drones”.

Musandam is a mountainous enclave of Oman that juts into the Strait of Hormuz and is bordered by the UAE.

The government condemned the attack and said it is taking “all necessary measures to deal with the developments to preserve the safety of the country and its residents”, ONA reported.

Iran’s IRGC earlier claimed it carried out a “heavy and surprise” attack on logistics support centers and refueling platforms used by US aircraft carriers at the port of Duqm in Oman’s al-Wusta governorate.

Iranian official says Iran has ‘taken control of Hormuz with power’

Ebrahim Rezaei, spokesman for the Iranian parliament’s Commission on National Security and Foreign Policy, says in a post on X: “We have taken control of the Strait of Hormuz with power, and we will preserve it with power as well.”

US attacks on Iran mark ‘heaviest bombardment’ since MoU

The attacks over the past three or four nights marked the heaviest bombardment since the announcement of the MoU, which was supposed to pave the way for a limited period of ceasefire between the two sides and to give a chance for diplomacy to resolve the conflict.

There is a relatively long list of cities along the country’s south as well as islands, such as Qeshm Island, that were attacked [overnight]. These are geostrategically significant locations.

For instance, in Sirik and Jask, explosions were reported, and these two cities oversee the Strait of Hormuz. Other cities attacked include the important port city of Bandar Abbas, where several explosions were reported, as well as Kangan, Bandar-e Deyr, Asaluyeh and areas in the vicinity of Konarak and Chabahar located in southeastern Iran.

Explosions were reported targeting not just military sites, but also reports are coming in that there are also some commercial and economic centres that were targeted. Some wharves are also reportedly targeted, not only last night but also over the course of the past three or four nights.

Iran, on the other hand, is saying that it’s ready for retaliation while we also hear Tehran’s readiness for diplomatic engagement. The stakes are high at this point. Uncertainty remains the name of the game.

Military facility in Iran’s Yasuj hit in US strikes

Iranian security officials have told the IRIB news agency US forces attacked a military installation on the outskirts of Yasuj, in southwestern Kohgiluyeh Boyer-Ahmad province.

The US launched three rounds of air strikes targeting Iran in the last week over Iranian attacks on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz using a route seeking to avoid Iran’s territorial waters.

Iran retaliated by attacking countries in the region hosting US forces, insisting it must control the strait and potentially charge vessels for traveling through it.

India condemns attack on Indian-crewed ship as 1 still missing

India’s Foreign Ministry has condemned an attack on the GFS Galaxy, the container ship struck off the coast of Oman this morning.

It said 10 of the 11 Indian nationals on board have been rescued, while one remains missing.

“Our embassy in Oman is closely monitoring the situation and proactively coordinating with the Omani authorities in the ongoing search-and-rescue operation,” it said in a statement.

Ongoing attacks on commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz are “deeply worrying” and the ministry called for immediate de-escalation.

“The targeting of commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure in the region must end, and free and unimpeded navigation and commerce through the international waterways in the region, in keeping with international law, must be restored at the earliest.”

 

Iran ‘appears to be strategically in a superior position’ to the US

Harlan Ullman, chairman of the strategic advisory firm The Killowen Group, says the leverage Tehran holds over the Strait of Hormuz has placed Washington in a difficult strategic position.

“From the very beginning, it was unclear what America’s objectives and aims were in this,” the former US naval officer said. “People question the strategy – what was the United States hoping to achieve?”

Ullman said the US faced a “huge problem” in translating military superiority into strategic advantage. “It’s using military force, where it has tremendous superiority. But can the US put enough pressure on Iran to do what it wants and change Iran’s attitudes? I don’t think that’s going to happen,” he said.

He argued that Iran “appears to be strategically in a superior position” to the US. “All it has to do is say, ‘We’re going to close the Gulf. We’re going to attack our neighbors in the Gulf region, and let that put huge pressure on you,'” he said. “All the US can do is continue to attack its targets from the air, which to me does not seem to bring an outcome that is favorable to either side.”

Ullman cautioned that the conflict risks escalating into a wider regional war, an outcome he said the global economy was ill-prepared to absorb. “Twenty percent of the energy the world needs comes through the [Strait of Hormuz]. If that were to be interrupted for a week, a day, a month, a year, that would have a catastrophic impact.”

‘Highly dangerous escalation’: Kuwait condemns Iranian attacks

Kuwait has denounced “heinous Iranian attacks” that targeted the Gulf country.

“The continuation of these attacks constitutes a highly dangerous escalation that will exacerbate tension and instability in the region, threaten regional peace and security, and undermine diplomatic efforts aimed at de-escalation and resolving crises by peaceful means,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Kuwait “reserves all its rights to take whatever measures are necessary to protect its security and preserve its sovereignty in accordance with the provisions of international law and the United Nations Charter”, it added.

".. preserve its sovereignty in accordance with the provisions of international law and the United Nations Charter .."

The US is a war belligerent since Trump's declaration of war on Iran on February 28th. Their attacks have been regularly reported by Iran as (also) from GCC countries, which means that each member state has been contributing to aggression and violence by the US in their acts of war on Iran. This involvement makes GCC state a co-belligerent of the United States, and is therefore also responsible under states responsibility laws.

Iran has therefore the right to consider facilitating GCC countries as military objectives.

The war on Iran is supposed to have approval by mandate from the UN Security Council, which Trump hasn't.

Then, Trump is participating on nuclear political grounds in a war initiated by Netanyahu before Trump declared war on Iran, while the latter is not attacking the country of the United States.

The war already violates the UN Charter as even Netanyahu started the war on nuclear political grounds. So, GCC's facilitation is by the given political grounds thus also in violation of the UN Charter thus infringing the sovereignty of Iran.

At least 2 people wounded in US attack on Iran’s Kerman

A communications tower in southern Iran has been targeted in the latest wave of US attacks.

The tower was located in Kerman province, according to ISNA.

Quoting local official Rahman Jalali, the news agency reported two people were injured in the attack and transported to hospital by helicopter.

The US Central Command said earlier its forces hit 140 Iranian military targets on Saturday after the IRGC announced the Strait of Hormuz was closed “until further notice”.

US intensifies military pressure on Iran to fully reopen Hormuz

Iran’s continuing strikes on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz go against the memorandum of understanding it signed with the US last month, an analyst says.

“I don’t see anything in the MoU that allows Iran to exert pressure on Oman and to claim sovereignty over Oman’s territorial waters,” said Wolfgang Pusztai, a former Austrian defense attaché.

“In other words, there is nothing in the MoU that allows for attacks by Iran on ships on the Omani side of the Strait of Hormuz.”

For the US, it’s crucial the strait reopens without any restrictions imposed and “this is the reason they’re striking Iran,” he added.

Washington is now combining economic and increased military pressure, which will make it more difficult for Iran to attack ships, Pusztai said.

“Economic pressure will be in the long run much more efficient than the military pressure. But without the military pressure, the other one won’t work.”

Saudi Arabia denounces Iran’s ‘destabilising behavior’

Saudi Arabia is the latest Middle Eastern nation to condemn the Iranian attacks throughout the region.

The Foreign Ministry denounced Iran’s “violation of the principles of international law, the Charter of the United Nations, the Charter of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the rules of good neighborliness, through repeated Iranian attacks on commercial vessels that threaten the security and freedom of navigation”.

The kingdom was not targeted in the latest round of Iranian strikes, but a Saudi oil tanker was damaged while transiting the Strait of Hormuz last week.

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UAE says missiles ‘detected outside its borders’

The United Arab Emirates says “monitoring and tracking systems are operating with high efficiency around the clock at the highest levels of readiness” after Iran launched strikes throughout the Middle East.

The Defense Ministry said on X “missile threats detected this morning were outside the country’s borders”.

After the US and Israel launched the war on Iran in February, the Revolutionary Guard hit the UAE hard with drone and missile attacks. However, strikes have not been made on it in recent months.

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Lebanon PM expresses support for nations targeted in Iranian attacks

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has condemned Iran’s attacks on Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar.

“We reiterate our full solidarity with our brothers in these countries, and our unwavering support for them,” he said in a statement carried by the National News Agency.

Israel’s invasion has deepened tensions between Iran, which backs Hezbollah, and the Lebanese government, which is seeking exclusive control over weapons in the country.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has said “there will be no calm in the region” if Israel continues its occupation of southern Lebanon.

Iran-US deal collapsing with intensifying attacks

At least nine different cities in five provinces were attacked by the United States. The Americans are saying at least 140 locations were hit.

There is a pattern. There is military engagement between the two parties and each time it’s getting bigger and bigger.

In response, Iran hit US military assets in five countries in the region, and Tehran says the Strait of Hormuz is closed.

After these back-and-forth attacks, Iran’s chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said “the era of one-sided deals is over”. So we do not know whether he means the memorandum of understanding (MoU) is finished. But what we do know is President Trump has said the ceasefire is “over”.

When we look at the MoU, the first article outlines the cessation of hostilities and a complete ceasefire on all fronts, and now this is the fifth time there are attacks by both parties.

And then Article 10 says during negotiations there will not be further sanctions imposed on Iran. However, two days ago, the United States came up with new sanctions. So several articles of that memorandum of understanding have already collapsed.

The MoU is not collapsing. If Trump has announced that the ceasefire is over while he allows talks to continue, the MoU isn't working anyomre.

Qatar condemns Iranian attacks that wounded 3 people

Qatar says it has the right to “respond” after a series of missile strikes by Iran on the Gulf state that hosts a major US military base.

The Foreign Ministry said it affirms “the continuation of these aggressions represents a dangerous escalation that will complicate efforts aimed at containing tensions [and] undermine political and diplomatic endeavors aimed at achieving security and stability”.

“[Qatar] holds the Islamic Republic of Iran fully legally responsible for these aggressions and all their repercussions and consequences,” it said in a statement.

The attacks are a “flagrant violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity” of the country and a “blatant breach of international law”, it added.

“flagrant violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity”

and

“blatant breach of international law”

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Jordan condemns ‘brutal’ Iranian attacks

Jordan has described Iranian attacks on its Gulf neighbors as a “blatant violation of their sovereignty, a threat to their security, stability, and territorial integrity, a dangerous escalation”.

The drone and missile strikes are “a flagrant breach of international law and the Charter of the United Nations”, a government statement said.

Iran’s IRGC said it destroyed a military command-and-control centre and drone hangars located in the US ally Jordan.

As we reported earlier, Iran targeted Jordan with three missiles, which did not cause any casualties.

“blatant violation of their sovereignty, a threat to their security, stability, and territorial integrity, a dangerous escalation” 

and

“a flagrant breach of international law and the Charter of the United Nations”

See comment on Kuwait's international legal position

Doha advises all marine vessels to cease sailing after Iran attack

Qatar has urged all vessel owners to “temporarily suspend navigation and marine activities” until further notice.

The Transport Ministry said the move was taken in the interest of public safety and includes recreational boats, fishing vessels and jet skis.

Qatar was attacked by Iranian ballistic missiles early on Sunday. At least three people were wounded by falling debris after interceptions and were hospitalized.

Iranian official says Strait of Hormuz ‘acts as a strategic deterrent’

Mohsen Rezaee, an adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, says the Strait of Hormuz is “one of the components of the country’s deterrence and plays a decisive role in ensuring security and national interests”.

“Hormuz acts as a strategic deterrent, and Iran will protect the country’s interests and security by relying on its defense capabilities and national strength,” Rezaee said in remarks reported by the Tasnim News Agency.

The Iranian military said earlier that the critical strait will be closed “until further notice” after the latest hostilities erupted with the US, renewing pressure on global energy prices.

Hawks vs. moderates in Iran as interim deal with US on the ropes

Wolfgang Pusztai, a defense analyst, says a major issue in Iran is the competing camps of hardliners who want to continue attacks against US interests and moderates trying to negotiate a peace deal.

“The problem is that in Iran we have currently two factions – the hardliners that want to continue the fight, the military that wants to punish the United States for the attacks on Iran,” he said. “And on the other side, there are people who are more, let’s say, oriented towards a settlement of these clashes in order to allow for economic prosperity of Iran.

“As it looks now, the more hawkish side prevails.”

“They are attacking the ships, which makes it impossible for the more peaceful ones to continue with their negotiations,” he added.

Bahrain’s army says Iran continues ‘systematic aggression’

The military says Iran continues its “heinous missile and drone attacks targeting civilians” in Bahrain adding air defense systems intercepted the attacks.

“The armed forces, with all their forces and units, are at the highest level of readiness and ready to fulfill their defense duties in order to protect the country,” it said in a statement.

It called on the Bahraini people to be “vigilant” adding Iran “continues its systematic aggressive stance” with its strikes targeting civilians “a clear violation of international humanitarian law”.

The US launched attacks on various Iranian cities overnight. Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar and Oman confirmed the Revolutionary Guard attacked their territory.

Overnight US strikes kill another Iranian soldier

American air strikes on Iran have killed another Iranian soldier, local media report.

“Lieutenant Hamidreza Dehghani, of the navy of the Islamic Republic’s armed forces, was martyred during the criminal, terrorist attack last night by the United States on the port of Jask,” an unnamed official was quoted as saying by news agencies.

Sources are reporting that another military member was killed in Bushehr in southwestern Iran. The total death toll over the past four days is now 19 with more than 100 people wounded in US strikes. Civilians are among the dead.

Egyptian, UAE presidents discuss Middle East war

The presidents of Egypt and the United Arab Emirates have held talks in Alamein on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast.

An Egyptian presidency statement said talks between President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan focused on recent developments in the Middle East and ongoing efforts to prevent further escalation between Iran and the US.

The two leaders reiterated “the vital necessity to maintain close consultation, coordination, and joint action across various issues in light of the current challenges confronting the region”, it said.

The US military’s Central Command said it hit more than 140 targets in strikes on Iran following another Iranian attack on a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.

In retaliation, Iran launched strikes on US military sites in Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Oman, and “closed” Hormuz “until further notice”.

US military risks ‘another miscalculation’ with ‘failed’ Iran strategy

Mohammad Eslami, from the University of Tehran, says for Iran the issue of revenge for the unprovoked war and killing of its supreme leader is different from negotiations with the United States.

“Securing economic [stability], this is a kind of revenge for the Iranian government, but when it comes to the negotiations it is very different,” Eslami told Al Jazeera.

He noted when Iran and Oman held talks on “the management” of the Strait of Hormuz that provided the US with a “chance to challenge” Tehran’s authority over the crucial waterway.

“So right now the Iranians’ position is very clear. It was Donald Trump who said the MoU is ‘over’. The Iranians didn’t talk about ending the ceasefire, this is what the Americans decided,” Eslami said.

The US military risks “another miscalculation” as it tries to revive its “very failed strategy toward the region”, he added.

Oman: 23 seafarers rescued from attacked cargo ship

The Maritime Security Centre says it’s still searching for one missing member of the GFS Galaxy cargo ship.

India’s Foreign Ministry said earlier one Indian national is unaccounted for after the Iranian attack on the commercial vessel, adding 10 nationals were rescued.

Oman’s government later said in a statement that 23 sailors were rescued from the stricken ship.

Oman summons Iranian ambassador over drone attacks

Muscat has summoned Iran’s ambassador to the country to protest of drone strikes on its territory.

Mousa Fereidoun, ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran, was handed a protest note regarding the targeting of sites in Oman’s governorates of Musandam and al-Batinah by Iranian drones, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

During a meeting officials “expressed the Sultanate of Oman’s dismay at these irresponsible acts, calling for the necessity of adhering to the provisions of state sovereignty, good neighborliness, non-interference in internal affairs, and respect for the customs and ethical values that bind the two countries and peoples,” it said.

No confirmation on Iran’s target during attack on Qatar

Those who were injured in Qatar were hit by falling debris from interception operations that took place. According to medical sources, they have been admitted to hospital and are receiving necessary medical treatment.

At this stage we still don’t know what exactly was targeted in this attack. What we know is that emergency alerts went off early this morning and people were advised to stay indoors while there was an imminent threat coming from Iran.

Shortly after that we heard another explosion – likely interceptions by air defenses. After that we received another message saying the security threat had been eliminated and people should go back to their regular activities.

We only have confirmation from Doha saying fighter jets were deployed to intercept missiles coming from Iran.

Similar scenes played out across the region. Air raid sirens sounded in Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan. They’ve been dealing with a large number of drones and missiles. But at this stage there are no reports of casualties or any damage to properties in these countries.

Iran confirms attack on US base in Oman, signalling a shift

The attack in Oman is quite interesting because for the first time since the ceasefire was announced on April 8 , the Iranians are confirming they hit an American military base there.

During the 40-day war, there were three attacks on Omani oil and energy facilities, but the Iranians back then were saying they were not behind those attacks – because Oman was one of the mediators and hosted talks between the US and Iran several times.

However, Iran is now confirming it targeted aircraft carrier refueling platforms at the American naval base in Oman. It seems that diplomacy is indeed stuck now.

UAE denounces Iran attacks; pledges solidarity with neighboring nations

The United Arab Emirates “strongly condemned” the renewed Iranian strikes targeting the region.

The Foreign Ministry said the “aggressive attacks constitute a blatant violation of the sovereignty of these brotherly nations and a threat to their security and stability”.

It reiterated its solidarity with its neighbors – Jordan, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait – that also came under attack.

US says military prepared to ensure navigation through Hormuz

US Central Command (CENTCOM) has announced the Strait of Hormuz is “open to all vessels seeking to lawfully transit the international waterway”.

US forces are “positioned and prepared to ensure that freedom of navigation remains available despite unwarranted Iranian aggression, harassment, threats, and arbitrary declarations”, it said.

CENTCOM added Iran does not control the strait and alleged “traffic is flowing”.

Iran seeks ‘new framework for the management’ of Hormuz

Mohammad Eslami, a senior research fellow at the University of Tehran, says the US accepted the Iranian management of the Strait of Hormuz in collaboration with neighbors in line with Article 5 of the memorandum of understanding.

The Iranian position regarding the waterway is “crystal clear” as it advances the “new management” of the strait.

“The Iranians don’t want the Strait of Hormuz to be closed,” Eslami said, adding Tehran has been engaging with the US, Oman, and some European countries on the new framework.

If there is disagreement on the interpretation of Article 5 of the MoU, US officials should have engaged in discussions with their Iranian counterparts, he added.

Iran says Hormuz shut until ‘stability restored’

Iran says ships cannot sail through the Strait of Hormuz because of “the recent illegal movements of the United States military forces in the region”.

“As soon as stability and calm are restored all requests will be reviewed based on the schedule, and the necessary permits will be issued,” said a statement from the Persian Gulf Strait Authority.

Iran established the authority in May to regulate the passage of vessels and seek to permanently alter the strait’s status.

Iran blocked the strait after the US and Israel launched their war on February 28, with Iranian forces attacking ships, laying sea mines and charging fees for “safe” transit.

Hormuz ‘more important’ than dozens of nuclear weapons

An adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, says the Strait of Hormuz is far more vital than possessing “dozens of atomic bombs”.

“This strategic passage is more important than dozens of atomic bombs, and the Islamic Republic of Iran will protect it,” Mohsen Rezaee was quoted by ISNA news agency as saying.

Western countries – including the US – accuse Iran of seeking to create a nuclear weapon but Tehran has long insisted its nuclear program is for peaceful, civilian purposes only.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei banned the development of nuclear weapons in a religious edict in the early 2000s.

Trump says Hormuz open to commercial traffic despite Iran ‘closure’

President Trump says the Strait ⁠of Hormuz is open to commercial traffic, though ‌the US and Iran continue to trade attacks.

Trump’s ⁠comments were made during an ‌interview on NBC’s Meet the Press.

Earlier, the US military insisted that ships are moving through the strait, despite Iran’s claim to have closed it “until further notice” in the latest flare-up of fighting.

“Iran does not control the strait. Traffic is flowing,” CENTCOM, which oversees US forces in the Middle East, said on X.

Deal with Iran ‘always performance-based’, US envoy says

Washington’s ambassador to NATO says the Iran-US interim deal was “always performance-based” with one of the conditions being Tehran “cannot terrorize vessels” in the Strait of Hormuz.

Matthew Whitaker told US media that President Trump “wants a deal with Iran” but he defended recent US strikes.

“Right now, as President Trump has said … this country is controlled by a bunch of crazy people, and ultimately they’re going to have to understand the United States is very serious about this,” Whitaker said.

... Iran-US interim deal was “always performance-based”

The Memorandum of Understanding does not contain any wording referring to the claim

Trump claims Iran agreed to ‘perfect’ deal before strikes

The US president told the US media outlet that Iran had agreed to a deal yesterday before targeting a vessel with a drone.

Iran had agreed to “a perfect deal for us”, the president said, asserting that “they gave up everything”.

“Within an hour, they launched a drone at a ship,” added Trump, calling Iran’s leadership “sick”.

He went to say that the US “bombed the hell out of them last night”, while also claiming that the Strait of Hormuz is “open”.

US military ‘prepared’ to keep Hormuz an international waterway

US Central Command has challenged Iran’s Revolutionary Guard claim that no foreign vessels can pass through the Strait of Hormuz without being identified, tracked, and monitored by Iranian forces.

“Iran does not control the Strait of Hormuz. It remains an international waterway. US forces are positioned and prepared to keep it that way,” CENTCOM said in a statement.

Child injured in Qatar as Iran targets US military assets

Little is being released officially about the nature of these attacks or their intended targets. Iran says the IRGC targeted US military assets in this country. That has not been confirmed officially by Qatar’s Foreign Ministry.

The Defense Ministry said it intercepted what it described as “fire” around 5:30am. As a result of shrapnel falling three people were injured, including one child. And they’re now being treated in hospital for those injuries.

In the morning there were alerts on everybody’s phone here in Qatar saying the threat level had been raised, that they were expecting some kind of missile or drone attack.

Following the alerts we did hear large explosions over the Qatari capital Doha. The threat level has now returned to normal, and it has been quiet since those explosions happened.

War created ‘perfect conditions’ for Iran to seize control of Hormuz

Alexandru Hudisteanu, a military and diplomatic analyst, says the current struggle between the US and Iran over the Strait of Hormuz is “not new” but carries an acute risk of further escalation.

While Iran has long conducted “tit-for-tat” disruptions of maritime traffic in the strait and sought to exert influence over it, Hudisteanu said that the war launched by the US and Israel in February “created perfect conditions for Iran to take charge of the Strait of Hormuz and try to instrument it into this coercion object of power, for which they try to claim and portray that they have monolithic control”.

He said this strategy is being contested by the US navy, which has successfully escorted a number of ships along the strait’s southern, so-called Omani route and has responded to Iranian attacks on shipping with wide-ranging strikes along Iranian coastal regions.

“Obviously it’s not something sustainable,” added Hudisteanu. “In my estimation, in the past two-three months, since the actual ceasefire in April, we are probably at one of the highest risk points where this attitude of maximalist push might tilt the balance towards a more active phase of this conflict, which has not stopped.”

China, India need to step in to get Iran to stop attacks

With control over most of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran is in a strong position compared to the United States in the short term, defense analyst Wolfgang Pusztai says.

“Iran perceives that they currently have the upper hand. I would say yes, right now they are in a better technical position, no doubt about it especially from a military point of view,” he said.

“But in the long game the United States certainly has the strongest strategic position as it has many more tools on hand.”

Pusztai said it’s up to international heavyweights to step in and revive peace negotiations.

“This is certainly extremely difficult. An overarching approach is necessary from outside to influence Iran, and this does not only include the Arab Gulf states but particularly countries like China and India – the biggest economic customers of Iran.”

Trump has ‘nothing to sell’ US voters over costly war on Iran

Time is not on the side of President Trump in the war with Iran as he faces US congressional elections in November and he’s currently engaged in a costly and unpopular conflict, an analyst says.

“President Trump is well aware that the negotiations he intended to launch based on this memorandum of understanding are not successful,” Wolfgang Pusztai, a former Austrian defense attaché, said.

“Iran has resumed work on its nuclear program. Iran is attacking ships at the Strait of Hormuz. So he has nothing to sell to his voters in the United States,” he said.

“If he would give in right now [to Iran], this could be even worse for him, and the Republicans would pay the bill during the midterm elections.”

Qatar says it is holding Iran legally responsible for today’s attacks

Iran today attacked not just Qatar but also Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan and the UAE.

Now, Iran says it targeted US military assets across all of those countries – something that has not been officially confirmed by their governments.

In the last few hours, Oman has released a statement saying that it has summoned the Iranian ambassador to protest against the attacks.

There has also been a statement from Qatar’s Foreign Ministry calling the attacks on the country a flagrant violation of its sovereignty and also a breach of international law.

The ministry went on to say in the statement that the continuation of these aggressions represents a dangerous escalation that will complicate efforts aimed at containing tensions.

It also said Qatar holds Iran legally responsible for the aggression and anything that results as a result of it.

See comment on Kuwait's international legal position

Pakistan expresses ‘deep concern’ at escalation in the region

Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a statement calling on “all sides” to “exercise restraint, take immediate steps towards de-escalation and uphold respective commitments” under the MoU that was agreed last month.

“On its part, Pakistan remains committed to providing all support towards achieving lasting peace and stability in the region through dialogue and diplomacy,” the ministry said.

Trump says there is no Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz

Donald Trump, speaking on national news program here in the US, laid out what he believes is the apparent contradiction over the Strait of Hormuz.

The US president said it is open and that is obviously something very different from what the Iranians are saying.

Trump maintains there is no Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, that this is an international waterway, and as a result the US now feels that the primary driver in this conflict is keeping this international waterway open.

Explosions reported in Bandar Abbas, Qeshm Island

Iranian media is reporting several explosions in the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas and the Qeshm Island maritime area.

The nature of the explosions was not yet known, Mehr and Fars news agencies said.

Iran says 10 to 11 ‘enemy projectiles’ target Qeshm Island

Qeshm governor Hossein Amir Teymouri says 10 to 11 “enemy projectiles” have targeted Iran’s Qeshm Island.

In comments reported by the government IRNA news service, Teymouri added that all targets were military and no casualties have been reported.

Iranian media has also reported explosions in the port city of Bandar Abbas.

OIC calls Iran attacks ‘clear breach of international law

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has issued a statement condemning Iran’s latest attacks.

The organization said the strikes on Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman and Jordan are a “flagrant and ongoing violation of the sovereignty of these states”.

“The ongoing attacks and assaults on ships and obstruction of international trade are a clear breach of international law and the United Nations Charter and the Organization's Charter,” it added.

The OIC was formed in 1969 and brings together 57 countries with significant Muslim populations across Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas.

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Attacks, inflexible positions jeopardizing mediation efforts

The issue of new strikes is making the prospect of new negotiations even more uncertain.

Today, Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf said that the era of one-sided deals is over.

A couple of days ago, Trump said that the ceasefire is over.

So both sides are talking about an era being over, and of course what is particularly dangerous here is neither side is showing any flexibility.

Iranians are saying that they are going to keep control over the strait of Hormuz, and the Americans are saying they’re not going to accept this.

That’s why for the mediators, for diplomacy, the prospect is really not that promising.

Kuwait says three border centers, offshore oil platform attacked

Kuwait says three border centres and an offshore oil drilling platform have come under attack, causing “material damage”.

In a statement, the country’s Defense Ministry said three northern land border centers were hit by a “criminal attack”.

The statement added that a drone also targeted an offshore drilling platform operated by the Kuwait Oil Company in the country’s territorial waters, wounding one worker.

US air strikes on southern Iran

Iranian state media has reported explosions near Bandar Abbas, Qeshm Island and Hajjiabad, all located in southern Iran’s Hormozgan province.

Qeshm governor Hossein Amir Teymouri told IRNA news service that 10 to 11 “enemy projectiles” targeted Qeshm Island.

All targets were military positions, he said, and no casualties have been reported.

Explosions were also heard in the port city of Bandar Abbas, as well as Hajjiabad, IRNA said.

Official sources told IRNA that “all of these areas are military” and that the attacks are under investigation.

Iran’s electricity grid reports 4,200MW reduction amid war damages

Iran’s electricity grid has sustained heavy damage following the latest US strikes, according to state-run power company Tavanir.

In comments reported by the IRNA news service, Tavanir’s CEO said the grid has seen a 4,200MW reduction in power amid damage to more than 2,000 points on the network.

The CEO called for “empathy and support” for the electricity industry, which is also dealing with the added pressure of summer heat, he added.

US, Iran in a ‘competition of ego’

The escalating conflict between the US and Iran has become a “competition of ego” that could destabilize the region, military and diplomatic analyst Alexandru Hudisteanu said.

“This pattern of escalation and running basically ring-around-the-rosey with the Strait of Hormuz has the potential to create more or less a permanent state of conflict here in the region,” Hudisteanu said.

However, the US lacks the political will to force a military solution, leaving the two countries to find a diplomatic solution.

“On the diplomatic side, Iran is trying to push overly maximalist, let’s say, claims, which makes diplomacy very hard,” Hudisteanu said.

“Iran has followed this type of abuse of maritime security in the region for a longer period of time before the war. In essence, it becomes more or less a competition of ego. And we see that on both sides.”

Iran says maintenance worker killed by latest strikes

Iran’s government IRNA news service is reporting that one maintenance worker has been killed by the latest round of strikes on southern Hormozgan province.

The worker was killed while “performing his duties”, IRNA said, adding that two other workers were wounded.

UN chief warns of ‘catastrophic consequences’ if US-Iran strikes continue

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for an immediate halt to escalating attacks across the Gulf.

In a post on X, Guterres says that he is “deeply concerned”, pointing to US attacks on Iran and Iranian attacks on targets in neighboring countries.

“These attacks must all stop.”

He warned that a return to full-scale war would be catastrophic for not only the region, but also the entire world and called for the US and Iran to settle their differences through diplomacy.

Iran’s attacks on Kuwait targeted US HIMARS missile launchers

Iran’s Fars news agency says the IRGC attacked Kuwait with drones and the targets were US high mobility artillery rocket system (HIMARS) missile launchers and their ammunition storage.

Hours ago, Kuwait’s defense spokesperson reported that a “criminal attack” had damaged three border centers and an offshore oil drilling platform, injuring one worker.

Trump’s statements are very different from reality on the ground

The US president continues to project what he hopes but the reality on the ground is very different.

The US president, speaking on Sunday morning chat shows in the US, insisting that the Strait of Hormuz is open.

The US has maintained that this is an international waterway, that Iran cannot dictate the cost of traveling through the strait, the routes and it cannot attack ships. Of course, the US demanded that Iran publicly say all of those things and issued an ultimatum if it did not do so.

Iran has ignored all of that. That prompted the third round of strikes by the US, some 140 targets, hitting missile capabilities.

But the reality is that the US president is in a bit of a bind. He is trying to maintain that this is open, that this is not impacting the global financial markets, but clearly, Iran is digging in its heels as is the US, only escalating the situation.

Qeshm Island, Bandar Abbas important lifelines for Iran

Iran is confirming that there have been attacks on Qeshm Island and Bandar Abbas.

Bandar Abbas is the city that hosts the largest port in Iran and it’s extremely important when it comes to import and exports. It’s an economic lifeline for Iran.

Qeshm Island is the biggest island in the Gulf and both these locations have several radars and telecommunications towers, as well as the IRGC’s naval forces and bases.

But both are so strategically located that they oversee the Strait of Hormuz and for Iranians, if they want to keep control over the Strait of Hormuz, they need to be well positioned in these two places.

So that is why, for the Iranians, it is really something that is extremely delicate, and for Americans, it is becoming the main target repeatedly.

Stopping Iranian attacks on shipping ‘impossible’

Joey Hood, former Director of the US Office of Iranian affairs, says the US navy cannot secure ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

“Can Trump or anyone guarantee that the strait will be free for any ship to go through without being struck? I think that’s impossible, because any soldier with a cheap drone or shoulder-fired missile could essentially hit a ship,” he said.

Despite that, he said the US will likely continue searching for ways to encourage ship owners to exit the strait, adding that it may resort to “tightening the economic screws” in order to “exhaust” Iran.

“I think you’ll see the naval blockade coming back soon.”