The United States has bombed Iran for an 11th consecutive night as the Pentagon says the war’s cost reach $37.5 billion. President Donald Trump threatens a heavy strike on the suspected Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site. Tehran warns that any attack could trigger a wider regional escalation.
Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi movement said it targeted two Saudi oil tankers, ENCELIA and LAYLA, with ballistic and cruise missiles, claiming the vessels violated a naval blockade the group recently imposed on Saudi Arabia.
Maritime security reports indicated that the Saudi-flagged tanker ENCELIA was struck in the Red Sea. A maritime security source said the vessel transmitted a distress call reporting a missile had hit it and was on fire while operating near the Saudi port of Jizan.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency also reported that a tanker in the same area had been struck by an unknown projectile, causing a fire onboard. The crew were reportedly battling the blaze, with no casualties or environmental damage immediately reported.
Claims that the second tanker, LAYLA, was also hit have not been independently confirmed.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said one of three oil tankers caught fire after an explosion while attempting to travel through what they described as a mined route south of the Strait of Hormuz.
According to the Guards, the two other tankers turned back following the incident. Iranian authorities did not identify the vessels involved or provide details on when the explosion occurred.
The Guards also claimed the Strait of Hormuz is under Iranian control and "completely closed" while U.S. military operations continue in the region, warning that no tanker would be permitted to enter or leave without coordination with Tehran.
There was no immediate independent confirmation of the incident or Iran's claims regarding the status of the strategic shipping route.
U.S. forces carried out new strikes against Iran on Wednesday, according to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).
No immediate details were provided on the targets, locations or scale of the operation. The strikes come as hostilities between Washington and Tehran continue to intensify following the collapse of a ceasefire earlier this month.
Further information is expected as U.S. military officials release additional details.
Kuwait's military said its air defence systems are currently intercepting what it described as "hostile" Iranian drone threats targeting the country.
The Kuwaiti army said defensive operations were ongoing but did not immediately provide details on the number of drones involved or any potential damage.
Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi movement said it had targeted two Saudi oil tankers, opening a new front in its confrontation with Saudi Arabia amid escalating regional tensions.
The group did not immediately provide details on the location of the attack or the extent of any damage. There was no immediate response from Saudi authorities.
The claim comes a day after the Houthis announced a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia and follows threats to target Saudi interests in response to what the group describes as a blockade of Yemen.
U.S. Central Command said nine commercial vessels had been redirected and one disabled since Washington reimposed its naval blockade of Iran last week.
The measure was reinstated after a memorandum of understanding collapsed, as the U.S. seeks to pressure Tehran back into negotiations.
Iran's top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said the situation in the Strait of Hormuz "will not return to the way it was before the war", signalling that shipping through the vital waterway is unlikely to resume normal operations despite ongoing diplomatic efforts.
Oil prices rose to a six-week high after renewed U.S. and Iranian strikes raised fears of further disruption to energy shipping in the Middle East.
Brent crude climbed above $93 a barrel as tensions around the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea threatened global oil supplies.
Lebanon and Israel will hold their next round of U.S.-brokered talks in Italy on 4 August, a Lebanese official said.
The negotiations come as both sides begin implementing a framework that includes Israeli troop withdrawals from southern Lebanon and the deployment of the Lebanese army under a phased ceasefire plan.
U.S. President Donald Trump will attend a dignified transfer ceremony in Delaware for four U.S. service members killed in Iranian attacks in the Middle East. The troops are being returned home in flag-draped caskets as concerns grow over the cost and impact of the conflict.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran would “pay a big price” as he spoke to reporters while travelling to a ceremony honouring U.S. troops killed in fighting with Iran.
U.S. President Donald Trump said in a post on Truth Social: “Any time the Islamic Republic of Iran shoots at a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, whether it be by missile, rocket, drone, or any other device or weapon, the United States will bomb and destroy one bridge or power plant.”
Iran has executed Mehdi Khaneki, 26, on charges linked to nationwide protests and alleged ties to hostile groups, according to state media and an opposition group.
The judiciary said he was convicted of actions benefiting Israel, the U.S. and opposition groups, while the NCRI said he was executed over alleged PMOI membership and protest involvement.
Saudi Civil Defence said an early warning was issued in Dammam to alert residents of potential danger.
It later confirmed that the threat had passed.
Dutch airline KLM has extended the suspension of flights to Dubai, Riyadh and Dammam until 6 September, moving the deadline from 23 August.
The airline said the decision was due to the ongoing security situation in the Middle East. Flights have been suspended since 1 March following the Iran war and related regional attacks.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed it targeted two U.S.-used air bases in Jordan with missiles and drones, causing American casualties. The IRGC said the strikes hit Prince Hassan and King Faisal air bases, damaging military aircraft and drone facilities.
Iran said the operation was carried out in response to a previous U.S. attack on a school in Minab that Tehran says killed 168 children. Jordan’s military separately said it intercepted four Iranian missiles and four drones launched toward the kingdom, with no reported casualties or damage.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency on Wednesday asked airlines not to operate within the airspace of Jordan, as the nation and other U.S. Gulf allies were struck by Iran in the renewed conflict.
"Since the middle of July 2026, the security situation has deteriorated rapidly, with a sustained increase in kinetic military activity affecting Jordanian airspace," EASA said in a statement.
EASA already recommends that airlines avoid the airspace of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, Iraq and Lebanon.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington would welcome a diplomatic settlement with Iran if Tehran agrees to end support for terrorism and abandon efforts to develop nuclear weapons. Rubio said President Donald Trump prefers negotiations but warned that the U.S. has “many options” if Iran refuses to cooperate.
He added that Washington would not tolerate attacks on American personnel or disruptions to global shipping and international waterways. The comments come amid rising tensions between the U.S. and Iran following a series of military strikes in the region.
Three explosions were heard near Sirik in Iran’s Hormozgan province, according to the Fars news agency. The cause of the blasts and any possible damage remain unclear.
U.S. President Donald Trump will attend a solemn transfer ceremony at Dover Air Force Base for four American service members killed in Iranian attacks in the Middle East. The conflict has cost U.S. taxpayers at least $37.5 billion, with 18 U.S. troops killed and more than 450 injured since the war began.
The ceremony comes as lawmakers from both parties question the war’s objectives and rising economic costs, including higher oil prices. A recent Reuterspoll showed that most Americans expect the conflict with Iran to continue for an extended period.
Rising tensions in the Middle East are spreading from the Strait of Hormuz to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, raising concerns over global trade disruptions. Iran-backed Houthi rebels have imposed restrictions on Saudi-linked shipping after accusing Riyadh of an airstrike on Yemen.
Crude oil tanker traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait has dropped sharply, with shipping and insurance costs increasing. Experts warn that prolonged disruptions could put further pressure on oil markets as Saudi Arabia relies more on alternative export routes.
Jordan’s military said it intercepted four Iranian missiles launched toward the kingdom after explosions were heard in the southern city of Aqaba. Air defence systems detected six missiles entering Jordanian airspace, destroying four while two fell in remote areas without causing damage or casualties.
The military said Jordan’s airspace remains under continuous monitoring amid heightened regional tensions. Local media reported warning sirens sounded in Aqaba, while some flights in the region adjusted routes following the incident.
Jordan’s air defence systems intercepted six Iranian missiles targeting the kingdom, according to the state news agency.
Iran’s precision-guided missiles penetrating U.S. and allied air defences have become a growing challenge for Washington in the Middle East. CBS News reported that some Iranian missiles reached American bases, causing casualties among U.S. personnel despite interception efforts.
The Pentagon said nearly 100 U.S. service members have been injured in Iranian attacks across the region this month, excluding the latest deadly strike in Jordan. Experts say Iran is combining missiles and drones to overwhelm air defence systems and increase the chances of successful strikes.
Iran's army said it targeted the U.S. military's Al Azraq Air Base in Jordan and Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain, according to state media, as Tehran continued retaliatory attacks following the latest U.S. strikes on Iran.
The claims could not be independently verified, and there was no immediate comment from the U.S., Jordanian or Bahraini authorities.
U.S. forces struck three locations in Iran's southwestern Bushehr province early Wednesday, including an area that hosts a key nuclear facility, Iranian state media reported.
Ehsan Jahanian, deputy governor of Bushehr for political and security affairs, said explosions were reported in Bushehr and Dashti counties following the strikes, according to the official IRNA news agency.
Jahanian said one of the strikes targeted the area around Khormoj, the capital of Dashti County, and that the missile attack caused no casualties.
U.S. President Donald Trump met Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at the White House discussed disarming Hezbollah and implementing the U.S.-brokered plan for an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon. Tuesday's meeting came as Lebanese troops were deployed in a pilot zone, although the Lebanese army said Israeli forces opened fire near its units during the operation.
Trump also reiterated that the U.S. would continue striking Iran, and said Washington could target the underground Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site "pretty soon," and insisted he was not interested in talks with Tehran unless it was ready for "meaningful" negotiations.
Brent crude rose above $92 a barrel, while U.S. WTI climbed to $85.16, extending gains after both benchmarks settled at five-week highs.
Prices were lifted by concerns over potential supply disruptions as the U.S. and Iran exchanged fresh attacks across the Middle East.
Iran's army says it carried out a drone strike against U.S. targets at Camp Doha in Kuwait a few hours ago, according to state broadcaster IRIB.
The claim has not been independently verified, and there has been no immediate confirmation from U.S. or Kuwaiti authorities.
The Pentagon said on Tuesday that a U.S. soldier previously reported missing following an "enemy attack" on a military base in Jordan is now believed to have been killed in action.
"Sgt. Angel S. Rampersad, 28, of Ozone Park, New York, is believed to have been killed in action on July 17, 2026, during an enemy attack at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, Jordan," the Department of Defense said in a statement.
The incident is under investigation, it added.
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) had previously listed Rampersad as missing following the attack. His military status has since been updated to "Duty Status–Whereabouts Unknown" and he is now believed to be deceased.
The latest deaths bring the number of U.S. service members killed since the U.S. and Israel launched strikes against Iran on 28 February to 18, while the total number of wounded has risen to 447, according to Defense Department figures.
U.S. State Secretary Marco Rubio said on Wednesday the United States is open-minded on the Middle East conflict and willing to engage, negotiate and settle differences with Iran, but Tehran was not serious about talks.
"If they're serious, we're serious. If they're not, then we will do what's necessary to protect our interests, and also the interests of our allies," Rubio said in remarks in a meeting with Southeast Asian counterparts in Manila, who have expressed serious concern about the renewed hostilities.
The U.S. military said it has completed its 11th consecutive day of strikes on Iran.
U.S. Central Command said the strikes targeted Iranian military operations centers, maritime capabilities, aircraft hangars, drone storage facilities, and military logistics infrastructure.
The strikes, CENTCOM said, aimed to "further degrade" Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
CENTCOM said Iran has attacked more than 30 commercial vessels transiting the strait.
"The unwarranted attacks have endangered hundreds of innocent mariners and undermined freedom of navigation," it said.
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Russian authorities said 11 people, including four children, had been killed by Ukraine in an overnight attack on a holiday camp, accusing Kyiv on Saturday of deliberately targeting civilians.
Iran will halt its own attacks as long as the United States maintains its pause on strikes, but Tehran remains sceptical of U.S. intentions, a senior Iranian source told on Sunday.
Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called on Saturday for Russia and Ukraine to freeze the conflict and return to peace talks, saying a negotiated settlement remained possible despite the entrenched positions of both sides.
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U.S. President Donald Trump says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will visit Washington next week as tensions continue to rise across the Middle East.
Ship traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait fell to its lowest level in months on Sunday after Yemen's Houthi movement attacked Saudi oil facilities along the Red Sea coast, while vessel movements through the Strait of Hormuz also remained subdued despite a pause in U.S.-Iran tensions.
Iran will halt its own attacks as long as the United States maintains its pause on strikes, but Tehran remains sceptical of U.S. intentions, a senior Iranian source told on Sunday.
An Israeli airstrike on Saturday (25 July) has killed the head of the Hamas-run police force in northern Gaza, Brigadier-General Abdel-Nasser Al-Maqadma, according to Gaza's interior ministry and local medics.
The U.S. military said it completed a fresh wave of strikes on Iran late on Thursday, marking the 13th consecutive night of American attacks. The latest operation lasted more than two hours, according to U.S. Central Command.
U.S. strikes on Iran entered a 12th consecutive night, while Yemen's Houthis said they attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, urging President Donald Trump to warn Tehran it would be held responsible for any future Houthi attacks.
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