Morning Brief - 29 July, 2026

Morning Brief - 29 July, 2026
A satellite image shows trail of smoke rising from an oil facility, in Jizan, Jazan province, Saudi Arabia, 26 July, 2026.
AnewZ/Reuters

Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 29th of July, covering the latest developments. 

U.S., Saudi Arabia strike Iran-backed groups in Iraq

The United States and Saudi Arabia carried out joint strikes on Iran-aligned groups in Iraq, accusing them of drone attacks targeting Saudi territory and U.S. interests in the region.

The strikes came after reports that Iran launched missiles toward U.S. military bases in Jordan and that the IRGC Navy targeted three oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump says talks with Zelenskyy and Netanyahu were positive

U.S. President Donald Trump said his separate meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington were “very good” and focused on Ukraine’s defence needs, peace efforts with Russia and Middle East tensions.

Zelenskyy said discussions included strengthening Ukraine’s air defence and producing Patriot missile interceptors, while Netanyahu described his meeting with Trump as “excellent”.

Japan earthquake death toll rises to 13 after 7.1-magnitude quake

At least 13 people have been killed after a powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Japan’s southern Kumamoto region. Rescue teams are searching collapsed buildings, including a damaged shopping centre where several people were trapped.

Authorities have warned of possible aftershocks and landslides, while around 260,000 people were advised to evacuate as thousands of homes remained without power.

Türkiye and Iraq sign five agreements to boost strategic cooperation

Türkiye and Iraq have signed five agreements to expand cooperation in transport, infrastructure, education, youth, sports and industry.

The deals were announced after talks between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi in Ankara, where the leaders also discussed regional security, energy and counterterrorism.

Ukraine must use asymmetric tactics against Russia, acting defence minister says

Ukraine cannot match Russia in a direct military confrontation and must rely on asymmetric strategies to achieve greater results with fewer resources, acting Defence Minister Yevhenii Khmara said.

Khmara also stressed the importance of logistics, resource management and strengthening defence cooperation with the United States, including domestic production of Patriot air defence interceptors.

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