live U.S. launches strikes on Iran over Hormuz commercial vessel attack
The UN's International Maritime Organization has paused escort operations through the Strait of Hormuz after a cargo ship was reportedly attacked near...
The United States, on 30 July, announced sweeping sanctions on more than 115 individuals, entities, and vessels tied to Iran, weeks after bombing key nuclear sites, as part of its intensifying pressure campaign on Tehran.
The latest sanctions, described by the Treasury Department as the most significant since 2018, focus heavily on the shipping empire of Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani, the son of Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. According to US officials, Shamkhani operates a vast web of container ships and oil tankers through intermediaries, enabling the export of Iranian and Russian oil while generating billions in profits for the regime.
Treasury accused Shamkhani of exploiting personal ties and systemic corruption within Tehran to prop up the Islamic Republic and its regional activities. His network allegedly spans 17 countries, including Italy, Panama, and Hong Kong.
In total, Washington blacklisted 15 shipping firms, 52 vessels, 12 individuals, and 53 entities. A senior US official noted the action was calibrated to avoid disrupting global oil markets, saying it targets specific actors involved in sanctions evasion.
Although the sanctions will affect both Iran and Russia, the US stressed the move was primarily aimed at Tehran, citing Shamkhani’s direct ties to the Supreme Leader and his family’s prior involvement in sanctions breaches.
The European Union had already sanctioned Shamkhani earlier in July for his role in facilitating Russian oil exports. His father, Ali Shamkhani, was sanctioned by the US in 2020.
An earthquake of magnitude 6.9 struck Japan's northeast coast on Thursday, but no tsunami warning was issued, no injuries were immediately reported and no irregularities were found at nuclear facilities, the authorities said.
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The U.S. Senate rejected a resolution on Wednesday that would have directed President Donald Trump to remove U.S. forces from hostilities against Iran unless Congress formally authorised military action.
The Kremlin has denied a Wall Street Journal report claiming Moscow is pressuring Belarus to support an expanded Russian military campaign in Ukraine.
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An aircraft roughly the size of a car crashed into Beijing's tallest skyscraper on Friday evening, triggering a major emergency response and a heavy police presence as authorities sealed off the area and gave no immediate explanation for the incident.
Montenegrin police, working alongside the United States' Federal Bureau of Investigation, have arrested an Iranian national accused of carrying out a series of cyberattacks that allegedly caused an estimated $3.4 billion in damage to U.S. infrastructure.
South Korea is set to dramatically expand its unmanned warfare capabilities, with plans to integrate drones across all branches of its military as tensions with North Korea continue to shape the country's defence strategy.
Fertiliser shipments through the Strait of Hormuz have begun to recover following an interim U.S.–Iran agreement aimed at stabilising the waterway after months of disruption during conflict, industry data shows.
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