• The US has renewed its blockade of Iranian ports after another day of escalating exchanges with Iran that appear to have doomed their interim peace deal.
• US President Donald Trump has reversed his decision on a 20 percent tariff for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz following widespread economic concerns.
• Trump also said attacks on Iran will continue until he decides to stop them and that he will “save the energy targets for last”.
• US Central Command has accused Iran of targeting civilians in the region after attacks on seven commercial ships.
• Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi declares the memorandum of understanding with the US no longer valid.
• Kuwait’s Defense Ministry reports that Iranian attacks hit a Kuwaiti Naval Force vessel, wounding four personnel.
• Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says it destroyed US weapons in Kuwait and Bahrain.

Sirens blare in Bahrain as Iran launches barrage of missiles, drones

Iranian state media reports that Tehran has targeted a US naval support base in Bahrain’s capital and the Sheikh Isa airbase off the southern coast.

Iran has robust alternatives to counter US military blockade

Tara Kangarlou, an adjunct professor at Georgetown University and author of The Heartbeat of Iran, says the reimposition of a US naval blockade on Iran will likely have a limited impact on the country’s economy.

“If Donald Trump’s intention is to choke Iran economically, Iran has long found a way to sell its oil,” she said. “But also, it has alternative routes through the Caspian Sea, through Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Turkey, and elsewhere.”

Iran was able to export 2 million barrels a day during the most intense phase of the war, she said, but continued hostilities will endanger civilians and energy infrastructure.

“What I’m most worried about is Iran retaliating against oil and gas facilities in the Gulf.”

US hits soldiers’ accommodation at Iran’s Bampur military base

The US has struck a military base in Bampur, in Iran’s southeastern Sistan and Baluchestan province, according to Iran’s Student News Network (SNN).

The news agency said projectiles appeared to hit accommodation quarters where soldiers were resting.

There is no confirmed information yet on casualties or the extent of damage.

Air raid sirens activated in Bahrain

The Interior Ministry has told people to “remain calm and head to the nearest safe place”.

US military ‘key’ to Gulf energy flows, US energy secretary says

Energy Secretary Chris Wright has said that the US military is the “key thing for energy flows out of” the Gulf.

Wright told US broadcaster CNBC that “no matter what happens with Iran, we’ve got to assure [sic] we can get flow of meaningful oil, gas, and products out of the Arabian Gulf, and the US military’s been achieving that”.

Wright added that as the military ramps up and degrades Iranian capabilities, those efforts “will just keep getting better and better”.

Kuwait says responding to missile, drone attack

Kuwait’s army says it is responding to Iranian missile and drone attacks and has urged the public to adhere to the authorities’ safety and security instructions.

Trump indicates US targets may spread to Iranian factories, nuclear sites

The US president is still bullish about the whole situation. He’s insisting that these strikes are going to continue.

CENTCOM has said that the fourth round of attacks is under way in the course of this day.

President Trump is saying it’s going to happen again tomorrow and in the days to come. He says, as well, that there may be other targets being selected in the near future, ranging from factories to nuclear sites. So, therefore, the US is spreading its targets.

At present and since the ceasefire broke down, the targets have been those associated with Iranian control of the Strait of Hormuz.

But here we have the US president suggesting that in days to come, the operations of the US military could spread even further and once again into the interior of Iran, as happened before the ceasefire.

Gulf countries angry with Iran over daily attacks

There were attacks across the region during the day, just like any other day when the Americans attack targets in Iran, which is becoming very frequent now.

But also in the Strait of Hormuz tonight, two UAE supertankers were hit, and two crew members were hit in those attacks.

Some of the sailors are still missing.

The Gulf countries in general are angry and unhappy with what’s going on, saying that they have nothing to do with this war.

We have several statements of condemnation from Kuwait, also from here in Qatar, and from Bahrain.

Also, in the UAE earlier today, a similar statement.

So it’s an ongoing situation, and there is no likelihood these countries are going to be on the same page soon, despite diplomatic efforts by some of the Gulf countries, particularly Qatar and Oman, to put an end to this conflict soon.

Trump had declared war on Iran on February 28th, which made the US a war belligerent.

The GCC countries have military agreements with the US, which they can't use to justify the allowance of the use of their territories for attacks on Iran because the user of their soil is a war belligerent.

International law defines that allowing the use of another country's territory for attacks on a third country, makes the host country a co-belligerent, therefore responsible under states responsibility laws.

In popular wordings: all GCC country and Jordan are complicit in Trump's part of a nuclear rivalry war on Iran, which Netanyahu started on June 13, 2025; vowed in December 2025 to resume , and resumed on February 28, 2026.

New US naval blockade begins, but more military resources required this time

There are a huge number of US naval vessels in the region; CENTCOM says there are some 21 US vessels.

They will attempt to blockade that Iranian route out through the Strait of Hormuz and turn back any ships that have any connection to Iran.

But this is complicated, and why it’s different from the last naval blockade is that the US is also saying it will protect vessels passing through the Omani route in the Strait of Hormuz.

Therefore, it has to double down on its logistics, having vessels that need to protect and possibly escort vessels using the US-approved route, and then using other vessels to block the Iranian-approved route.

So this is a complicated logistical issue, and we’ll just have to see whether the US Navy is able to cope with the magnitude of what would have to be done.

US attacks on civilian infrastructure are war crimes, says Iran’s UN representative

Amir-Saeid Iravani, Iran’s permanent representative to the UN, has written to Antonio Guterres, the UN secretary-general, saying that “America is an aggressor, not a victim”.

Iravani wrote that “almost immediately after the signing” of the memorandum of understanding with Tehran, Washington consistently refused to implement its commitments and has “actively and purposefully” undermined its implementation, the IRNA news agency reports.

Iravani further noted that Iran has documented “42 clear and fundamental violations of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding by the United States government”.

“These deliberate, calculated, and persistent violations have jeopardized regional stability, threatened international peace and security, and demonstrated the United States’ blatant disregard for its obligations under international law,” he wrote.

Washington’s “deliberate attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure constitute a war crime and a crime against humanity”, he added, according to IRNA.

 

US Senator Schumer: ‘Democrats will not go along’ with Trump’s unauthorized war

US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has criticized Trump for dragging the nation deeper into conflict with Iran without authorization from Congress or an exit strategy.

“Donald Trump is dragging America deeper into a war in Iran with no authorization, no plan, and no exit strategy. Democrats will not go along,” he wrote on X.

He argued that the president is expecting Congress to ignore an “illegal war” just days after abandoning a ceasefire agreement and escalating the fighting.

“We will not proceed as if business is usual while our service members’ lives are at risk and Trump drives costs for groceries and gas out of control,” he added.

US-Israel war has granted hardliners in Iran’s government more influence

Sina Azodi, an assistant professor of Middle East politics at George Washington University, says that the war has made hardliners within Iran’s government more powerful than those who want to negotiate a deal with the US.

“There are factions within Iran’s political system, including the Foreign Ministry – the chief nuclear negotiator himself, Ghalibaf – and some groups within the IRGC, who argue that Iran won the war, but it needs to settle down with the United States and reach an agreement,” he said.

He says, however, that another faction, the hardliners, argues that Iran should “use its win in the war and push for kicking the United States out of the region once and for all”.

He adds that while Iran has always been “notorious” for being slow in decision-making and factional politics, the US-Israel war has “changed everything”.

“I believe that those who are arguing for more conflict have more power and influence at the moment.”

US freezes $130m in Iran-linked crypto wallets under new sanctions

The US Treasury Department has sanctioned “multiple wallets tied to the Central Bank of Iran, resulting in the freeze of over $130 million”, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a post on X.

Washington is “committed to disrupting and degrading Iran’s illicit financial activities, including its abuse of digital assets”, he said.

“We will continue to aggressively follow the money and deny the Iranian regime access to the proceeds of its illicit revenue schemes.”

Oil prices rise as US blockades Iranian ports and Iran launches retaliatory strikes

Oil prices have risen early on Wednesday as Trump reimposed a naval blockade on all Iranian ports and Iran launched retaliatory strikes on US bases in the region.

Brent crude rose by $1.46, or 1.72 percent, to $86.19 a barrel as of 00:29 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) climbed $1.11, or 1.4 percent, to $80.40 a barrel.

Iran says launched strikes on US F-18 aircraft positions at Jordan’s Azraq base

Iran’s army says it has launched the eighth phase of its “Saeqeh” operation, carrying out a new wave of drone attacks against “US military bases” in the region.

In a statement carried by state broadcaster IRIB, the army said explosive drones targeted areas housing F-18 fighter jets and large equipment hangars at Jordan’s Azraq airbase for the second time.

Ilhan Omar will back vote to cut off US aid to Israel

US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar has said that she will vote yes in support of an amendment to block some $3.3bn in military aid to Israel.

“It is unconscionable we continue to fund this genocidal apartheid regime. Voting YES,” Omar wrote on X.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who opposes the measure, has said he will allow Democrats to vote their conscience on the proposal, brought forward by Republican Thomas Massie and Democrat Ro Khanna.

IRGC claims US logistics hub in Kuwait set ‘ablaze’

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard says it has targeted “the US military’s main logistics and support centre in West Asia”, located in Mina Abdullah, Kuwait.

In a statement carried by IRIB, the Guard said the facility was set “ablaze and destroyed” during the fourth wave of its “Nasr 2” operation.

Kuwait says responding to Iranian drone attacks

The Kuwaiti Defense Ministry says it is responding to Iranian drone attacks, adding that loud sounds heard across the country are due to interceptions.

Hormuz Strait to remain closed until ‘America’s evils’ end, IRGC warns

Iran’s IRGC has said that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed “until the end of America’s evils”.

In a statement, the IRGC said that the US military hit Iranian bases “under the pretext of hitting offending ships”, referring to the vessels attempting to transit the critical waterway, “to hide its defeat and inability”.

However, the IRGC noted that “no ship dared to violate [the Iranian blockade] or accompany the US”. Therefore, “naturally, there were no hits”, the statement noted.

US expands strikes across southern Iran in fourth night of attacks

It has been another night of escalation, with continued US air strikes targeting several locations along Iran’s southern coast.

Explosions have been reported on the islands of Qeshm and Hengam, near the Strait of Hormuz, as well as in the port city of Bandar Abbas. Similar reports have also emerged from Sirik, Ahvaz and Bushehr, where air defense systems were activated.

In Dehloran, in western Ilam province, a bottled water facility was reportedly struck. Iranian sources also say a military base in Bampur, in southeastern Sistan and Baluchestan province, was targeted with projectiles said to have hit soldiers’ accommodation quarters. There has been no confirmation of casualties, but there are concerns because soldiers may have been inside at the time.

This latest round of attacks comes as Washington says its military has carried out a fourth wave of strikes against Iranian targets near the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran, meanwhile, says it is continuing retaliatory operations against US military positions across the region. The Iranian army says it targeted the Azraq military base in Jordan and damaged US military assets there. Iranian sources have also reported attacks on other US bases in the region.

The continuing exchanges are further raising tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has tightened measures and is signaling that it intends to maintain control over the strategic waterway.

IRGC warns US allies’ energy export routes at risk

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) warned that oil and gas export routes serving the US and its allies could be targeted if the conflict continues.

In a statement carried by state broadcaster IRIB, the IRGC said energy exports from the region should be “either for everyone or for no one”, signaling the possibility of further action against regional shipping and energy infrastructure.

US military says it has completed new round of strikes against Iran

The US military says it has completed an additional round of strikes against Iran at 10pm EST on July 14 (02:00 GMT on July 15).

It said it hit “dozens of military targets near the Strait of Hormuz and Iranian coastal areas”.

“US fighter aircraft, drones, and naval vessels launched precision munitions against Iranian missile and drone sites, naval capabilities, and coastal defense systems” during the seven-hour operation, US Central Command said.

The military said that the strikes were designed “to further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping and civilian crews”.

The action took place the same day US forces “resumed the naval blockade against vessels transiting to or from Iranian ports and coastal areas”, which “went into effect at 4 p.m. ET today [20:00 GMT on July 14]”, it said.

IRGC says destroyed several targets at US Navy Fifth Fleet base in Bahrain

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard claims it has destroyed the command and control centre, naval support management centre, warehouses, and fuel tanks at the US Fifth Fleet base in Bahrain in a “crushing response” this morning.

IRGC urges Jordanians, Kuwaitis to oppose US military presence

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has called on Jordanians to oppose the US military presence in their country after claiming a fresh strike on a US air base at Azraq in Jordan.

In a statement, the IRGC said it had destroyed shelters housing US F-15, F-16 and F-35 fighter jets and several MQ-9 drones during the sixth wave of its Nasr 2 operation.

Addressing “the people of Jordan”, the IRGC urged them to end the US military presence in the country and “not allow that sacred land to become the launch point for attacks against Islamic countries”. It also called on Jordanians to “seize every opportunity” to expel US forces and target US facilities.

In a statement addressed to the “esteemed and generous people of Kuwait”, the IRGC also claimed responsibility for attacks on US military targets in Kuwait and urged Kuwaitis to target US facilities in the country and “liberate Islamic lands from the bases of American occupiers”.

Jordan says it intercepted three Iranian ballistic missiles

The Jordanian military says its air defense systems intercepted and shot down four ballistic missiles that entered Jordanian airspace from Iranian territory early on Tuesday.

According to a statement carried by Jordan’s official Petra news agency, Royal Engineering Corps teams handled falling debris at several locations in accordance with approved technical and security procedures, securing the sites to ensure the safety of citizens and property.

The military said the armed forces reject any violation of the Kingdom’s sovereignty or the use of its airspace to threaten Jordan’s security and stability, adding that they continue to monitor developments at the highest level of readiness.

US strike hit wheat storage silo in western Iran: Official

US projectiles hit a wheat storage silo in Hoveizeh County, in Iran’s western Khuzestan province, overnight, the province’s deputy governor told the Fars news agency, adding that no casualties have been reported.

Iran relocates exam centers near military sites

Iran’s Education Ministry says examination centres located near sensitive or military facilities have been moved to safer locations, including public halls and religious centers, amid concerns they could be affected by further attacks, according to the Fars news agency.

Several Iran-linked vessels crossed Hormuz ahead of US blockade, monitoring firm says

The number of vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz ticked up on Tuesday, with most of them linked to Iranian trade, before a US blockade took effect today, Wednesday, shipping data showed.

Nine of the 11 vessels that passed through the strait on Tuesday sailed via the Iranian route, according to the ship-tracking data on Kpler.

Vessels that exited the strait with Iranian exports included one VLCC carrying 2 million barrels of crude, a medium-range tanker with refined products, and two tankers carrying liquefied petroleum gas, the data showed, according to Reuters.

There were no visible entries or exits for tankers to load oil and gas from other Gulf producers on Tuesday.

“The next phase of Gulf flow recovery could be slower than the initial phase even after geopolitical de-escalation,” Goldman Sachs said in a note on Wednesday.

US accuses China of not doing enough to stop flow of goods to Iran, Houthis

Mike Waltz, the US ambassador to the United Nations, has accused China of not doing enough to stop the flow of goods to Iran and the Houthis that could have non-civilian uses.

“States like Iran, and to some degree companies and entities in China, have violated [a UN resolution imposing an arms embargo on the Houthis] with little consequence,” Waltz told the UN Security Council in prepared remarks late on Tuesday.

In a heated exchange with his Chinese counterpart, Waltz then said he was referring to “dual-use” items and “satellite imagery” provided to “Iran and the Houthis… that, of course, have civilian uses, but also have been used to threaten our partners, civilian aircraft, and commercial shipping”.

Chinese UN envoy says US pushed world to ‘dangerous precipice’ with Iran attacks

Chinese Ambassador Sun Lei says that the US launching “major attacks against Iran” has “once again” pushed the region “into a dangerous precipice”.

Sun made the comments after US envoy Mike Waltz claimed that China was not doing enough to stop the flow of goods to Iran and Yemen, a claim Sun said was “completely baseless”.

“China exercises strict control over such exports,” he said.

“The priority now is for the US to stop creating new conflicts and turmoil in the Middle East.”

From the perspective of chronology about how the war on Iran has resumed on February 28th, and how consecutive developments have emerged and continue to emerge since then, the facts just show that China has a point.

The initial blockade by Iran is just a additional consequence as a result of the Israeli bombing of the oil depots outside Tehran on the mentioned date. Trump's counter blockade was throwing oil on the fire leading to a global economical and energy crisis.

US strikes marine control tower in Iran

The US struck a marine control tower in Iran’s coastal city of Chabahar as the military launched a new round of daytime attacks.

The US military carried out a wave of strikes hitting dozens of targets overnight, Central Command said, and then resumed attacks Iran during daylight – an unusual move that further signaled the increasing tempo of the assault.

US slaps sanctions on 50 individuals, entities and vessels tied to Iranian shipping

The measures have been imposed based on accusations of supporting an alleged illicit shipping and sanctions evasion network linked to Iranian oil shipping magnate Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani, the US State Department announced.

Shamkhani’s sanctions evasion network “serves as a major enabler behind Iran’s oil exports,” the statement said.

“Today, we are designating more than 50 individuals, entities, and vessels that enable Shamkhani and the Iranian regime to continue profiting while the Iranian people suffer,” it also said.

The statement added: “The Shamkhani network relies on a combination of Iranian and foreign nationals and firms to conduct sanctions‑evasion schemes. It also uses offshore shell companies, critical to the network’s ability to trade sanctioned goods and recover the proceeds of those trades.”

The US State Department said that Washington will use “all the tools at our disposal to hold the regime accountable for its actions”.

Under international law, targeted sanctions imposed on non-combatant civilians by an attacking belligerent are viewed as forms of collective punishment. Because international humanitarian law requires a strict distinction between combatants and civilians, using civilian or economic departments to penalize uninvolved individuals violates core protections against non-violent coercion in warfare.

More than 260 injured in latest US attacks on Iran: Iranian official

Hossein Kermanpour, the spokesperson for the Iranian Health Ministry, says more than 260 people were injured in the latest US attacks, of whom 222 have received treatment and been discharged.

He said on X that three of the wounded were under the age of 18, adding that at least two people were killed in the attacks.

US forces struck dozens of Iranian targets and reimposed a naval blockade on Iran’s ports as the flare-up entered its fifth day.

Indian crew member confirmed dead after ship attack off Oman coast

The Reuters news agency reports that an Indian national who went missing following an attack on the commercial vessel GFS Galaxy off the coast of Oman is dead, citing the crew member’s father-in-law.

According to the Indian External Affairs Ministry on Sunday, 10 of the 11 Indian nationals on board the vessel were successfully rescued, Reuters added.

US-Iran attacks make return to diplomacy difficult but not impossible

The Iranians are saying the door for diplomacy is still open. But the main problem is the mistrust.

Since the Islamic revolution in 1979, mistrust between the two parties has only grown. For Iranians, the United States is not committed to what it promised in the memorandum of understanding.

When looking at the developments, there’s now a low-intensity war, new sanctions are back on Iran, and there’s a US blockade again. So it is extremely difficult now for the parties to come to the negotiating table.

If the Americans commit to the articles of the memorandum of understanding, then the Iranians say they’re open to engaging diplomatically.

Patience with Iran over Gulf attacks ‘may fall apart very soon’

Zeidon Alkinani, founding director of the Arab Perspectives Institute, says that under-attack Gulf states face pressure on having to choose sides after the US and Israel launched the war on Iran.

He noted Gulf Cooperation Council countries advocated strongly against the Israel-US attack that started on February 28 but continue to bear the brunt of Iranian drone and missile strikes.

“I think the short-term goal here is to find an urgent solution to end the war and avoid falling into this trap where they have to choose sides,” Alkinani said.

“Geopolitically and strategically, it is very evident that Iran is taking this as an opportunity to have a militarized upper hand in this region and showcasing its ability to attack these countries – including ones advocating for diplomacy,” he added.

“The patience within the Gulf and the view of Iran may fall apart very soon.”

Trump himself had declared the ceasefire is over only because of frustration, because Iran has always said that it proceeds in talks in its own terms.

Trump just inflamed an escalating the situation, which we describe as that the Memorandum of Understanding is no longer working.

GCC countries and Jordan, who are all co-belligerents of the the war belligerent, which the US is, are refusing to point the finger to Trump.

So, every act against Iran by these countries, whether jointly or by own decision, will only lead to more escalation.

Gulf capitals condemn attacks as Kuwait confirms drone and missile interceptions

Authorities in Kuwait say they intercepted dozens of drones along with several cruise missiles and one ballistic missile. We also understand that there are a number of military personnel that were injured in those attacks. And in one of the facilities that was hit, a fire broke out at one of the premises.

A search operation continues for those missing after two tankers were hit on Monday night. We got official confirmations from officials there saying two crew members were killed in those attacks. A Norwegian vessel was also hit in the latest Iranian retaliatory attack.

There are many concerns here in the region, with the belief that the conflict is not confined to the main actors – the US and Iran. Others fear they are being dragged into it. Gulf capitals are condemning the attacks.

Also, there’s the economic aspect to be worried about because the Strait of Hormuz is one of the busiest energy corridors. Every time there is an attack, there’s a disruption in supplies, and that’s something that’s feeding into higher oil prices as well.

If this disruption continues, there’s a fear that the consequences will be felt not just here in the region but across the world.

Gulf capitals condemn attacks as Kuwait confirms drone and missile interceptions

Authorities in Kuwait are confirming, that they intercepted dozens of drones along with several cruise missiles and one ballistic missile. They also say that there are a number of military personnel that were injured in those attacks. And in one of the facilities that was hit, a fire broke out at one of the premises.

A search operation continues for those missing after two tankers were hit on Monday night. Confirmations from officials there say that two crew members were killed in those attacks. A Norwegian vessel was also hit in the latest Iranian retaliatory attack.

There are many concerns in the region, with the belief that the conflict is not confined to the main actors – the US and Iran. Others fear they are being dragged into it. Gulf capitals are condemning the attacks.

Also, there’s the economic aspect to be worried about because the Strait of Hormuz is one of the busiest energy corridors. Every time there is an attack, there’s a disruption in supplies, and that’s something that’s feeding into higher oil prices as well.

If this disruption continues, there’s a fear that the consequences will be felt not just here in the region but across the world.

Energy for all or none, says IRGC

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) threatened to cut off all energy exports from the Middle East over the reimposition by the US of naval blockade on its ports.

“The export of oil and gas from the region will be either for everyone or for no one,” it said in a statement.

Days of retaliatory strikes across the Middle East by Iran and the US – and both nations’ attempts to assert control over the Strait of Hormuz – threaten to push the region back to all-out war.

When President Trump announced the return of the blockade on Iran on Monday, he also said he would impose a 20 percent fee on ships passing through the strait. But he dropped the plan to collect tolls hours before resuming the blockade, citing requests from allies in the Gulf.

Bahrain says it foiled Iranian missile and drone attacks

Bahrain thwarted several Iranian aerial attacks this morning, its defense forces said in a statement.

Manama called the attacks, which it said targeted civilians, “heinous” and a “flagrant violation of international humanitarian law”.

It urged its citizens to avoid approaching any strange or suspicious objects.

US launches wave of new strikes on Iran: CENTCOM

The US says it began a new round of attacks on Iran, beginning at 6am EST today (13:00 GMT).

“The strikes are designed to further degrade military capabilities Iranian forces have used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz,” the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a post on X.

GCC chief condemns ‘treacherous’ Iranian attacks

GCC Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi has condemned Iranian attacks on Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan, including strikes on infrastructure and facilities that injured Kuwaiti military personnel.

“The treacherous Iranian attacks on Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan reveal Iran’s determination to drag the region into further chaos and instability, and its targeting of infrastructure is a dangerous escalation that the international community cannot remain silent about,” said Albudaiwi in a statement.

The secretary-general described the attacks as an unprecedented escalation threatening regional security and accused Iran of disregarding international norms.

Albudaiwi urged the international community to take practical deterrent measures, halt further attacks and hold those responsible accountable. He affirmed the GCC’s solidarity with Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan and its support for measures taken to defend their security, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Reminder:

Trump had declared war on Iran on February 28th, which made the US a war belligerent.

The GCC countries have military agreements with the US, which they can't use to justify the allowance of the use of their territories for attacks on Iran because the user of their soil is a war belligerent.

International law defines that allowing the use of another country's territory for attacks on a third country, makes the host country a co-belligerent, therefore responsible under states responsibility laws.

In popular wordings: all GCC country and Jordan are complicit in Trump's part of a nuclear rivalry war on Iran, which Netanyahu started on June 13, 2025; vowed in December 2025 to resume , and resumed on February 28, 2026.

‘This war was unnecessary,’ and no objectives achieved

Marwan Muasher, Jordan’s former foreign minister and deputy prime minister, says it will be extremely difficult once the war ends for Iran and its Gulf neighbors to reconcile after repeated attacks.

“We believe strongly that in the end there has to be a diplomatic solution. Military solutions have not worked,” he said. “This war was unnecessary. It has not achieved any of the objectives it set out to do.”

Muasher noted that the US-Israel war on Iran has resulted in a major blow to the global economy and a loss of “whatever goodwill existed between Iran and its neighbors”.

“Iran needs to understand that it has to be part of the region and that means stopping interference in other countries’ affairs,” he said. “Iran is making it very difficult for Gulf states to engage in any sort of diplomatic solution to this conflict.”

Security outlook deteriorates as Iran ramps up deadly Hormuz strikes

The number of vessels crossing the Strait of Hormuz rose slightly on Tuesday “with 21 monitored transits recorded, dominated by commercial traffic carrying crude, LPG, methanol and iron ore”, according to shipping data monitor Kpler.

“However, the security outlook deteriorated further as three additional attacks off Oman were verified, bringing the reported toll to 56 confirmed incidents and 17 seafarer fatalities,” it said on X.

“The absence of Omani route transits highlights a growing loss of confidence in that corridor, while shipping continues to favour Iranian-approved routing,” the company added.

The strait “remains passable but the operating environment is becoming increasingly complex and unstable”.

The head of US Central Command, Admiral Brad Cooper, said on Tuesday that Iran intentionally attacked seven commercial ships over the past seven days, resulting in “nearly a dozen” civilian crew members being killed, injured or going missing.

Iran-US ceasefire is falling apart

Neither Iran nor the United States seems able to deliver a “knockout blow at an acceptable price” to the other side, an analyst says.

Both know “they have no choice other than engaging in diplomacy”, but they’re not ready to make uncomfortable concessions, argues Ali Vaez, director of the Iran Project at International Crisis Group.

Tehran and Washington are trying to “enforce their own interpretation” of the ceasefire agreement they signed last month, he added.

President Trump has become “frustrated” with diplomacy because he’s not seeing “the kind of quick results that he likes to see”, Vaez said.

US military says it ended latest wave of strikes on Iran

US Central Command says it completed a 90-minute round of strikes against Iran at 7:30am Washington, DC, time (11:30 GMT, 3pm Tehran time).

“CENTCOM launched precision munitions against coastal defense systems and cruise missile storage and launch sites on Greater Tunb Island during the 90-minute wave,” it said in a post on X, claiming that the strikes further “degraded” Iran’s ability to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

Hormuz remains closed; 2 ships halted with ‘warning shots’

The Strait of Hormuz is impassable for commercial shipping, Iran’s state media report.

At least two vessels were stopped with “warning shots” from the IRGC over the past 24 hours, a Tasnim News Agency correspondent reported from the strait.

US-Iran talks have stalled as fighting over the strait has intensified. When the US and Israel launched the war on Iran on February 28, Tehran essentially closed the waterway to shipping, a move that sent the price of oil, fertilizer and many other goods soaring and gave Iran major leverage in the negotiations.

Iran’s Araghchi on way to Doha to offer condolences over passing of former emir

Iran’s foreign minister left for Doha this afternoon “to meet Qatari officials and express condolences on the passing of the country’s former emir”, according to a statement on his Telegram channel.

Sheikh Hamad bin ⁠Khalifa Al Thani ‌died on Sunday, when a four-day mourning period was also proclaimed.

Iran has attacked what it says are US targets in Qatar – often a mediator between Washington and Tehran in the war – most recently on Sunday.

US intentions to capture southern Iranian islands

US forces have struck Iran’s Qeshm, Kish and Abu Musa islands in recent days as part of an escalating campaign that has also pounded port cities along Iran’s southern coast, including Bandar Abbas.

The attacks have revived a question that has hung over the US-Israel war on Iran since its early weeks: Is Washington preparing to seize Iranian territory?

In March, a month into the war, two unnamed US officials told The Washington Post that the US Department of Defence was gearing up for raids on Kharg Island, through which about 90 percent of Iran’s crude oil exports pass. The comments fuelled speculation of a ground operation.

Talk of a seizure died down after the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding on June 17. But the scenario is back on the table after Trump refused to rule it out in a Fox News interview on Monday.

Iranian FM Araghchi arrives in Qatar to offer condolences over late emir

The top diplomat has landed in the Qatari capital, Doha, to express condolences after the passing of the former emir, according to Araghchi’s official Telegram page and Iran’s state media.

He is also expected to meet Qatari officials during the visit.

Sheikh Hamad bin ⁠⁠Khalifa Al Thani ‌‌died on Sunday, when a four-day mourning period was also proclaimed.

Economic ‘carrot’ for Iran blunted by hardliners seeking the ‘stick’

General Simon Mayall, a former UK Defense Ministry adviser, says both Iran and the US are using strikes as part of the negotiation process and neither has the appetite for a major war.

“Some of it is performative, some of it of course is in deadly earnest – there are casualties – and it’s very difficult to figure out who’s going to put enough pressure to frankly come up with something a little less opaque than the last memorandum of understanding, which in my mind was never going to survive the first contact with the enemy,” said Mayall.

“Rational actors” in Tehran who are prepared to take economic relief from the US and the West face opposition from hardliners and the IRGC who are ready to continue the fight, he told Al Jazeera.

“Abrogating their nuclear ambitions, reopening the Strait of Hormuz, and stopping their proxies would make sense, but it doesn’t necessarily make sense to the hardliners and the IRGC.”

".. both Iran and the US are using strikes as part of the negotiation process .."

This is subjective because the cause is Trump's impatience and frustration in the process of the implementation of the MoU, which he jeopardized by constantly issuing threats. The pressure he wanted to put this way on Iran only affected his own politics on Iran. He ultimately announced the end of the ceasefire with Iran.

Iran is not using but reacts to US created changes in the situation in the Strait of Hormuz.

US may try to ‘deplete Iran economically as much as it wants’

The Iranian government is releasing the statistic of the seven soldiers killed in US attacks “very deliberately” to solidify its popular support through the war, says Mehran Kamrava, professor of government at Georgetown University Qatar.

“What we have seen in Iran … is a resurgence of Iranian nationalism, and by highlighting the fact that Iranian soldiers are dying and giving their lives for defending the country, what the government is trying to do is to ensure that that popular support remains intact,” Kamrava said.

That support is important as there is little doubt the country is struggling with high inflation, unemployment, and $270bn in damages to the economy, he said.

Meanwhile, the Iranians are aware that they cannot go “toe-to-toe militarily with the Americans, so they are turning the conflict from a military one into an economic one, hence the attacks on shipping,” Kamrava said.

The US will likely also take that approach, said the professor.

“Revolutions do not happen on empty stomachs, and so people become far more desperate about where their next meal is coming from, basic security concerns, the roof over their head, and so I think the United States might try and deplete Iran economically as much as it wants.”

What does international law say, when the US as an attacking war belligerent may try to deplete Iran's economy?

International law prohibits the use of aggressive warfare.

Under the UN Charter, military force is only lawful in self-defense against an actual, imminent attack or when authorized by the UN Security Council. Trump doesn't have that authorization.

Scholars and us widely consider a US-led aggressive war depleting Iran's economy to be an illegal violation of state sovereignty, in this case, those of Iran.

US has racked up billions of dollars in weapons expenses in Iran war

President Trump is scheduled to address a defense summit at the US Army War College where he’s expected to laud US investments in the armed forces that he argued helped add a new edge to history’s most powerful military.

But his speech comes at a time when the US’s war on Iran has significantly depleted the military’s weapons stockpiles.

The United States has expended half of at least four of its most critical munitions since its attack on Iran began on February 28, and has racked up billions of dollars in weapons expenses.

Iran-US fighting threatens global oil supplies already ‘sharply depleted’

With oil prices surging, economist Kona Haque says she’s worried what the renewed US-Iran attacks will mean for the global economy.

“My concern this time time around is that we started the war back in February. We’re at 108 days of conflict. We started it with very ample global crude oil and refinery oil product reserves,” Haque said.

“This time around we’re in mid-July. Those reserves are sharply depleted. So we’re a lot less comfortable and we have a lot less crude cushion for buffer.”

Iran claims ‘right to retaliate’ against Gulf states hosting US military forces

Iran views US attacks as coming from the airspace and territory of its Middle East neighbors and believes that gives Tehran the “right to retaliate” against them, an analyst says.

“The way they’re seeing it, they’re in a war with the United States, and they’re going to continue to retaliate against any country that offers facilities or its airspace or soil for attacks on Iran,” said Mohammad Ali Shabani, editor of Amwaj.media.

The Gulf countries have a desire for friendly relations with Iran because of their proximity to it, he said.

There is an “impetus to have some kind of engagement” to end the US-Israel war on Iran for the Gulf countries, Shabani said.

The GCC countries have military agreements with the US, which they can't use to justify the allowance of the use of their territories for attacks on Iran because the user of their soil is a war belligerent.

International law defines that allowing the use of another country's territory for attacks on a third country, makes the host country a co-belligerent, therefore responsible under states responsibility laws.

Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, Oman, and Jordan cannot claim that Iran violates their sovereignty and international law, as these countries are contributing to an illegal war by Trump.

The war does not have approval or mandate from the UN Security Council; is nuclear political motivated and therefore already a violation of Iran's sovereignty.

In other words: Iran can consider the GCC countries as military objective.

Influential Iranian cleric opposes resuming talks with US

A senior cleric has called on the government not to return to talks with the US after Trump’s threats to strike Iran’s civilian infrastructure.

“Officials must not retreat from the legitimate rights of the Islamic nation under the pretext of economic problems, fear of the costs of war or strikes on infrastructure, and they must not continue the path of negotiations and the memorandum with the infidels any further,” Alireza Arafi said in a statement.

On Tuesday, Trump said he would bomb Iran’s bridges and power plants next week if Tehran did not return to talks. Under international law, deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure is prohibited and generally constitutes a war crime.

Arafi is an influential figure in Iran and a member of the Assembly of Experts, the body tasked with appointing the supreme leader. He also serves as a jurist on the Guardian Council, which vets electoral candidates.

After the assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Arafi served on the interim leadership council, which was dissolved when Khamenei’s son Mojtaba succeeded him.

US adds more sanctions against Iranians

The US Treasury Department has sanctioned more entities in Iran under “counterterrorism” designations.

The department has sanctioned Behrouz Namazi, who it says is linked to the IRGC.

Namazi’s company, Nika Jet Company, was also added to the sanctions list.

International law considers such sanctions unlawful, as International Humanitarian Law (IHL) strictly regulates the conduct of hostilities and takes precedence over peacetime counter-terrorism frameworks during armed conflicts. A belligerent state cannot use counter-terrorism designations to bypass the laws of war, penalize a civilian population, or obstruct humanitarian relief.

Trump eyes attacks on Iran’s bridges, energy infrastructure

The US military has launched air strikes on cruise missile storage and launch sites as well as other military facilities on Greater Tunb Island off southern Iran, according to Central Command.

No casualties were reported, but CENTCOM said the attacks were part of its orders to degrade Iranian capabilities used to attack US and allied vessels and military installations in the Strait of Hormuz.

This comes after President Trump’s order for a fourth night of strikes on Iranian military sites and ahead of what he outlines he wants to see, which is perhaps an extension of this latest air war against Iranian targets to be expanded into the coming week.

Trump suggested possibly targeting electricity facilities, bridges and other infrastructure that could be considered civilian and, thus, possibly lead to accusations of war crimes.

No plans for talks with US right now: Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson says Tehran has no plans to engage in talks with the US and is focused solely on defending the country.

Speaking to reporters, Esmaeil Baghaei said Iran would honour its international commitments only if the US did the same.

“Our commitments remain in effect only as long as the other side fulfills its pledges,” Baghaei said, adding that Iran abandoned its commitments under the MoU after the US failed to uphold its side of the temporary agreement.

“After the other party violated its obligations, we also refrained from implementing ours in any area where it was required.”

Iran’s Chabahar watchtower, used for rescue operations, hit by second US missile strike

A second US missile strike has taken place on a naval watchtower in the Iranian city of Chabahar, local media is reporting.

The watchtower is a civilian facility used for maritime security and fishermen search-and-rescue operations.

US military denies striking civilian target in Iran

CENTCOM is denying its strikes on Tuesday hit civilian infrastructure.

“Iranian state media claims that US forces struck a civilian wheat storage facility in Hoveyzeh on July 14. This is FALSE,” CENTCOM posted on social media.

The US launched a new wave of attacks across Iran on Tuesday with explosions reported in Sirik, eastern Hormozgan, Bampur, Chabahar, Bandar Abbas, Ahvaz and on Qeshm Island.

Hoveyzeh is located in the Khuzestan province near the border with Iraq, and somewhat northeast of Kuwait, where the US has several bases.

IRIB reported that the silo was hit by a cruise missile.

At least 35 Iranians killed in latest US attacks: Health Ministry

At least 35 people have been killed and 300 wounded in the US attacks on Iran this month, according to Iran’s Health Ministry spokesperson.

Most casualties have been reported in Iran’s southern provinces.

Iran postpones exams for some secondary school students

Iran’s Education Ministry has delayed exams for students across six provinces after the renewed US attacks.

The ministry said “final exams for all academic tracks in the 12th grade” were postponed. The exams had been scheduled to take place on Thursday and Saturday.

Earlier, the ministry announced that it had relocated examination centers near sensitive or military sites to safer locations.

US hit 3 locations in Iran’s Bushehr: Governor

Bushehr Governor Mohammad Mozafari says the US projectiles that fell in the city in the morning did not cause any casualties, according to the official IRNA news agency.

He said the US forces struck four locations in the western port city on Tuesday.

“Rescue agencies are currently alert, and calm is prevailing in the city,” the governor told the agency.

More than 30 civilians killed in recent southern Iran attacks

More than 30 civilians have been killed in US attacks on southern Iran over the past few days, according to Iranian government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani.

“While expressing our condolences and sympathy to the bereaved families, we honor the memory of the fallen,” she said in a post on X.

“The government will stand by the people with all its might. The south of Iran is the beating heart of this land.”

US strikes kill 7 Iranian soldiers in southeast: Military

The Iranian army says it will respond to the attack on Bambour Garrison in Iranshahr, calling it “cowardly aggression”.

“A decisive response will be given to this crime at the appropriate time,” a statement cited by the Tasnim news agency said.

Thirteen US missiles struck facilities at a barracks in Bampour killing seven personnel from the 388th Brigade and injuring several others, it said. The army said “passive defense measures” limited casualties.

The US strikes were “intended to cause maximum casualties” with a ⁠guesthouse, guard posts, and accommodation facilities at the ⁠base targeted.

Latest sanctions target entities helping Iran procure weapons: Treasury Department

The sanctions issued today by the US Treasury Department has targeted people and companies the department says were part of an international network helping Iran procure weapons, Reuters is reporting.

The sanction targets include Iranian and Russian nationals, as well as entities based in Iran, Russia and Nigeria.

The Treasury claims that Wednesday’s sanctions targets “exemplify Iran’s use of foreign aviation and transport firms, financial conduits, and travel coordinators to obscure the IRGC’s role in illicit procurement and to move material and personnel globally”.

They add to US actions in May against individuals and companies, including several in China and Hong Kong, over accusations of aiding Iran’s weapons sector. In June, the US imposed sanctions on 11 people and entities for helping weapons procurement by the IRGC and the Iranian military.

Iran overwhelmingly produces its own weapons rather than buying them. Due to decades of international arms embargoes, Tehran adopted a "self-sufficiency" strategy, manufacturing an estimated 90% of its defense equipment natively. Iran is now primarily an arms exporter, supplying low-cost drones and missiles to global allies.

Iran’s domestic military-industrial complex focuses heavily on producing mass quantities of asymmetric warfare systems, such as the widely known Shahed-136 kamikaze drones, and thousands of ballistic missiles. Instead of importing finished military hardware, Iran has even established local drone and missile factories in allied countries. To sustain this high level of domestic production, Iran's imports are mostly limited to dual-use components and technology.

Iran says it shot down US drone over Bandar Abbas

Iranian forces have shot down a US LUCAS drone, according to the state-run Fars news agency, which said the incident took place in the port city of Bandar Abbas.

The report added that Iran’s air defense systems brought down more than 20 enemy drones in Hormozgan province.

Iran must balance between negotiation and war to reach objectives: Ghalibaf

Iran’s top negotiator, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, says the country has “never welcomed war, nor do we now”, adding that “we must always be prepared for battle and stand firm to protect our national security and interests”.

“We must also use the tools of diplomacy and negotiation to achieve and solidify our national interests,” he added.

“Negotiation at this stage is not equivalent to compromise, but along with war is part of the strategy of resistance and protection of national interests.”

In a statement issued late on Wednesday, Ghalibaf said Iran’s national security lies in “maintaining Iranian arrangements on the Strait of Hormuz”. He said that in order to do so, “Iranian armed forces have complete freedom of action as always to confront the enemy’s aggression”.

Long energy supply disruption can impact global economy: IMF

A very long ‌disruption to energy supplies from the war would clearly affect the global economy, the IMF’s strategy director has warned.

Christian Mumssen said it would be ⁠very difficult to plot the IMF’s October forecast ⁠if hostilities between the US and Iran continue.

“Internally, we will have to continue to think in scenarios. And for ‌some countries, the question of energy prices … is, of course, ‌extremely important,” he said.

The IMF had earlier estimated global growth of 3 percent for this year.

Iran in existential war with US: Ghalibaf

Iran’s parliamentary speaker Ghalibaf has called for a “non-partisan” approach in handling war and talks with the US.

Ghalibaf acknowledged that while the US goal was “to dismember Iran”, he said a non-partisan approach was needed to “reach clear and precise answers”.

Ghalibaf called on Iranians to continue with their armed resistance, but to also “use the tools of diplomacy and negotiation to achieve and consolidate national interests”.

Drone use in Iran-US conflict changing the face of warfare

The continuing conflict between the US and Iran will be used as a testing ground for new military technology, Simon Mayall, a retired British Army officer and a Middle East Adviser at the Ministry of Defense, said.

“The reality is, every battlefield becomes a sort of military, technological test bed. All sorts of things find themselves rushed into production,” he said. “You get this very, very rapid sort of technological advance.”

Mayall’s comments come on the heels of news that US CENTCOM used sea drones in combat for the first time this week, striking an Iranian ship maintenance facility and submarine

“These sort of unnamed, uncrewed air drones, or maritime drones, really are changing the face of conflict,” Mayall said, adding that the US “undoubtedly” holds the technical advantage in the conflict with Iran.

“The Americans have any number of escalatory moves they can make.”

Trump orders air strikes on Iran but remains open to negotiations

President Trump has said that even as he ordered this increased wave of air strikes on Iranian military targets and is now threatening to possibly go after civilian targets, power plants and bridges, he is still open to negotiation with Iran.

But the message coming from the white House is that Iran needs to do the right thing. The US says it is committed to making sure that Iran does not become a nuclear state. In other words, holding an arsenal of nuclear-tipped missiles. He also said that he wants to see the Iranian government do better in the area of human rights.

But whether or not actual talks are taking place is really anyone’s guess. Nothing official has been announced. Certainly, interlocutors have been very concerned about the apparent collapsing of the MoU, even though that has not been officially declared. And so you have to assume this possibility that negotiations could resume.

Kuwait says 21 drones, four cruise missiles from Iran intercepted today

Kuwait’s Defense Ministry says it intercepted at least four cruise missiles and 21 drones from Iran on Wednesday.

“Iranian aggression targeted a number of vital facilities, resulting in material damage,” according to a ministry spokesperson. No injuries were reported.

US launches new strikes against Iran: Military

The US military launched a second wave of strikes against Iran at 19:00 GMT, CENTCOM announced on social media.

“The strikes are targeting Iranian military capabilities used to threaten vessels freely transiting through the Strait of Hormuz, an international waterway vital to global commerce.”

Explosions heard in Iran’s Ahvaz

Iran’s Mehr news agency is reporting the sound of explosions in the city of Ahvaz, near the border with Iraq.

Ahvaz has been repeatedly targeted by US forces since hostilities restarted this month.

Explosions heard in Chabahar

Three explosions have been reported in Chabahar, Iran’s Mehr news agency says.

Iranian media reported earlier that US missiles hit a naval watchtower in the Iranian city of Chabahar. The watchtower is a civilian facility used for maritime security and search-and-rescue operations for fishermen.

Explosions heard in Bandar Abbas

Explosions have now been reported in Bandar Abbas, Iran’s Mehr news agency says, adding that US projectiles hit a location near the city.

Israel is losing the public opinion battle in the US: Vance

US Vice President JD Vance says that “Israel is losing the public opinion battle in the US.”

He told US pod caster Joe Rogan that Israel is an ally, but admitted the country does try to influence US politics.

“Do they try to influence American politics? Yes,” Vance said. “Israel is definitely more effective at it than most.”

Airlines cancel Middle East flights amid US-Iran escalation

Greece’s Aegean Airlines, Air Canada, Air France-KLM have all suspended scheduled flights to Dubai, Tel Aviv and other destinations across the region.

Air Canada has cancelled flights to Tel Aviv and Dubai until October 24. Greece’s largest carrier, Aegean Airlines has cancelled flights to Dubai until August 31 and to Erbil and Baghdad until September 30.

Air France has suspended its Beirut flights until August 2 and KLM suspended flights to Riyadh, Dammam and Dubai until July 15.

Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific plans to resume its flights to Dubai and Riyadh from September 1.

Iran summons British ambassador over IRGC ban

Iran has summoned the British ambassador in Tehran after the UK designated the IRGC a threat to national security, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reports.

Under the National Security (State Threats) Act 2026, individuals found to have supported or assisted the IRGC could face up to 14 years in prison, while those carrying out acts of sabotage on behalf of the group, including arson, could face life imprisonment.

Iran has been accused of orchestrating seven attacks on British soil targeting Jewish and Israeli communities. Tehran has condemned the move as “hostile”.

UAE ‘strongly’ condemns Iran attacks on Gulf states

The UAE has “strongly” condemned Iran’s attacks on Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan with its Foreign Ministry calling them “a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the brotherly nations and a threat to their security and stability”.

Like all GCC countries and Jordan, the UAE has engaged in military agreements with alien military powers from another continent, and hosts U.S. military personnel and equipment at the Al Dhafra Air Base located south of Abu Dhabi, and a  permanent French military presence in Abu Dhabi.

With the engagement, the UAE itself contributed to instability and insecurity, as it was aware that the alien military powers from another continent, which the US and France are, wanted on its soil because of own interest.

The UAE allows the use of its territory for attacks on Iran, which is facilitation.

International law defines that allowing the use of the host country's territory for attacks on a third country, makes the host country a co-belligerent, therefore responsible under states responsibility laws.

The UAE cannot claim that Iran violates the sovereignty of "brotherly nations," as these countries and the UAE itself are contributing to an illegal war by Trump.

The war does not have approval or mandate from the UN Security Council; is nuclear political motivated and therefore already a violation of Iran's sovereignty.

In other words: Iran can consider the GCC countries as military objective.

The UAE should be reminded of its war crimes in Yemen, its contribution to insecurity and instability in Sudan by being involved in the Darfur genocide, not to mention what it did in Gaza and Libya, and its created Qatar crisis.

Trump desperate to put deeply unpopular Iran war behind him

This is now the fifth consecutive day that US forces have launched strikes against Iran.

As before, CENTCOM says it attacked targets associated with Iran’s military control of the Strait of Hormuz. In effect, those associated with Iranian attempts to prevent the passage of vessels through the waterway.

Trump has reiterated these strikes will continue, while at the same time saying that Iran had requested to meet US officials.

Despite this latest round of violence, it seems Trump wants to keep dialogue on track. It is a sign of how desperately the US wants these negotiations to work. It’s one way for Trump to put this deeply unpopular war behind his administration and have an exit ramp.

US military says it disabled vessel in Strait of Hormuz

A US aircraft fired missiles into an oil tanker’s smokestack in the Strait of Hormuz, disabling the vessel, CENTCOM has claimed.

“US forces enforced naval blockade measures against Iran, July 15, by disabling an unladed oil tanker attempting to sail toward an Iranian port in the Arabian Gulf. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces observed Curacao-flagged M/T Belma transiting international waters toward Kharg Island.

“The commercial vessel ignored multiple warnings as it attempted to violate the U.S. blockade. A U.S. aircraft disabled the vessel after firing hellfire missiles into the ship’s smokestack. The ship is no longer transiting to Iran.”

Pezeshkian vows Iran will defend ‘every inch’ of its territory

President Pezeshkian has vowed that Iran will defend every inch of its territory, saying attempts to tear the country apart have failed.

His remarks came during a ceremony honouring the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei attended by senior Iranian officials and foreign ambassadors.

UN chief ‘deeply concerned’ by US-Iran escalation

United Nations chief Antonio Guterres is deeply concerned by the escalation between the US and Iran, saying “a return to full-scale hostilities would exact an intolerable toll on civilians and have catastrophic consequences for international peace and security and the global economy”, according to his spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

Explosion on Iran’s Qeshm Island, state media reports

An explosion has been heard on Iran’s Qeshm Island, according to a reporter for the state-run IRNA news agency.

Children’s cancer hospital reportedly evacuated amid US strikes on Ahvaz

Based on the latest reports that we have from Iranian sources, we know that several cities on the southern coast were targeted over the past few hours.

First, in Bandar Abbas, one of the most important, if not the most important, port cities of the country, explosions are reported.

Also, in Sistan province, which is located in the southeastern areas of the country, several cities are said to be witnessing continued air strikes by Americans, including Konarak, Chabahar, and Rasak.

Also in Ahvaz, we’ve got reports about the air strikes taking place in and in the vicinity of the city.

Inside the city, the Ministry of Health came out to say that an area has been targeted. As a result of which, a children’s cancer treatment centre has been impacted.

Missile attack hits area around Ahvaz cancer hospital: Iranian official

Areas surrounding Baghaei Hospital in the southwestern Iranian city of Ahvaz have been hit in a missile attack, Hossein Kermanpour, head of public relations at Iran’s Health Ministry, said in a post on X.

Kermanpour said some cancer patients and their relatives left the hospital after loud explosions and strong vibrations caused panic.

Oil tanker third ship stopped by US forces in renewed blockade

US CENTCOM claims that it has intercepted a ship in the Strait of Hormuz.

This is part of its naval blockade. CENTCOM says that it intercepted a ship bound for an Iranian port.

So now we have had three ships, according to CENTCOM, that have been intercepted by US naval vessels in that blockade.

Iran focusing attacks on US military infrastructure in region: IRGC

Iran’s operations are focused on destroying US “offensive infrastructure” across the region, IRGC spokesperson Brigadier General Hossein Mohammadi said in a post on X.

Mohammadi warned that the US should not assume it can maintain the current pattern of fighting and turn the conflict into a war of attrition.

Hawks in Tehran and Washington ‘leading the charge’

Five months into the war, talk of the MoU and efforts to negotiate a peaceful solution have been pushed firmly onto the back burner. The hawks in Tehran and Washington are clearly in charge.

The US has renewed its military campaign, with four days of strikes now entering a fifth, while Iran has resumed retaliatory attacks across the Gulf region.

Iran has repeatedly warned that any US or Israeli attack on its territory would lead it to regionalize the conflict. Five months into the war, it is continuing to follow that strategy. The situation on the ground, including in the Strait of Hormuz, shows that the hawks in Washington and Tehran are leading the charge in this conflict.

US attack damages industrial plant on Qeshm Island: Hormozgan governorate

A US attack has caused limited damage to part of the Souza fish powder factory on Qeshm Island, Iranian broadcaster IRIB reported, citing the Hormozgan governorate.

The governorate said the site was empty at the time of the attack and that no injuries were reported.

Iran-China Chamber chief calls on president to declare state of war

The head of the Iran-China Chamber of Commerce and Industry has called on President Pezeshkian to officially declare a state of war and introduce emergency measures to maximize the country’s preparedness.

Inflation has soared in Iran as a result of the war, causing food prices to surge.

According to the UN World Food Program (WFP), the price of wheat flour in May had risen by 124 percent compared with November. The IMF estimates that inflation will reach an average of 68.9 percent by the end of the year and expects the economy to contract by 6.1 percent.

Bahrain activates warning sirens, urges residents to seek shelter

Bahrain’s Interior Ministry says warning sirens have been activated, urging citizens and residents to remain calm and head to the nearest safe location.

Kuwait air defences respond to hostile drone attacks: Army

Kuwait’s air defences are responding to hostile drone attacks, the army’s General Staff said in a post on X, describing them as part of an Iranian attack.

It said any explosions heard were caused by air defence systems intercepting hostile targets.

The military urged the public to follow safety and security instructions issued by the relevant authorities.