Donald Trump‘s military chief is seeking an “off-ramp “ from the ongoing war in Iran, according to a new report.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Dan Caine has privately told other top administration officials that the country needs to find a way to exit the war, according to CNN, which cited three sources familiar with the matter.
Despite Trump claiming throughout the war that a peace deal, which would include his demand that Iran never obtain a nuclear weapon, was within reach, fighting has continued for more than five months.
It comes as the United Arab Emirates condemned an Iranian missile attack on its carrier as it passed through the Strait of Hormuz today, accusing Tehran of "acts of piracy".
State news agency WAM initially reported ADNOC as saying one of its vessels had been targeted by a missile early on Saturday and that the situation was under control.
The UAE Foreign Ministry later condemned what it called "the hostile Iranian attack" on an ADNOC vessel.
Key Points
- UAE oil tanker attacked by missile in Strait of Hormuz
- Turkey, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia sign new defence agreement
- Tehran issues warning to Saudi Arabia amid Nato-style defence pact
- Deal on Hormuz expected soon, says US official
- US Treasury targets crypto exchanges in new Iran sanctions
- Trump denies shortage of key munitions in war with Iran
What compensation does Iran want from the US to reopen the Strait of Hormuz
18:50 , James Reynolds
The head of Iran’s supreme national security council, Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, has said that the Strait of Hormuz will remain shut until the US meets six conditions.
In comments carried by Iran’s IRNA news agency on Saturday, Zolghadr laid out his terms.
Included in full, in his words, these were:
1 - Never threaten Iran with any language or insult the sanctities of this nation.
2- End the war and aggression against Iran and its allies in Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen, and Iraq forever.
3- Lift the naval blockade and withdraw its military forces (naval and air) from around Iran.
4 - Pay the damages of the two wars of aggression and imposition on Iran without any reduction or reduction.
5 - Lift the cruel and illegal sanctions against the Iranian nation.
6- Unconditionally release the frozen and stolen assets of the Iranian people.
The latest: Iran says Hormuz deal is close... but will not reopen the waterway
18:23 , James Reynolds
Iran said on Saturday that a deal with Oman on control of the Strait of Hormuz was close but would not be enough to free up the waterway, while the United Arab Emirates said Iran had hit another ship there.
Agreement between Iran and Oman over the strait is seen as vital to a wider deal to end the war that began with US and Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28.
A US official had said on Friday that Washington anticipated an agreement soon between Iran and Oman so that normal oil traffic could resume.
And Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran and Oman were "very close" to agreement on a new shipping route, but that it depended on other conditions, including US compensation.
Meanwhile the UAE said on Saturday that Iran had attacked a carrier affiliated with its state oil company as it transited the Strait of Hormuz, with no injuries reported.
Yemen's military attacks Iran-backed Houthis
18:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
The attacks were in response to the Houthis’ recent strikes in central and eastern Yemen. Col. Majed al-Nazili, spokesperson for Yemen’s military, said the attacks targeted the rebels’ “sites and capabilities” on multiple front lines, without elaborating further.
He said the attacks were aimed at defending the military's security, marking a major escalation since a truce in 2022 largely halted fighting.
The country’s civil war pits the Iran-backed Houthis against a Saudi-led coalition allied with Yemen’s internationally recognized government.
On Friday, United Nations envoy Hans Grundberg urged the parties to exercise restraint.
“Yemen today faces a greater risk of renewed large-scale conflict than at any point since the UN-brokered truce of April 2022,” he said in a statement.
US to lift Iran blockade once deal is announced, official says
17:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
In recent weeks, the Trump administration has repeatedly signaled that a deal to open the strait could be close, only to have Iran deny that talks are under way. It was unclear whether the latest flurry of negotiations would yield a more lasting arrangement.
"There is progress between Oman and Iran on the strait, and we expect a deal soon," a US official told Reuters on Friday.
"Once the deal is announced to restore commercial shipping without impediments, the United States will lift the blockade of Iranian ports.
"As always, U.S. actions will continue to be performance-based and tied to Iran’s implementation of its commitments," the official said.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards also said on Saturday that re-opening the Strait of Hormuz depended on Washington accepting Iran's conditions and was not related to the Iran-Oman negotiations.
Guards spokesperson Hossein Mohebbi did not specify the conditions but said Washington must stop interfering in the regional negotiation process.
"Whenever the United States accepts Irans conditions, the Strait of Hormuz will certainly be reopened," he said, according to Iran's Tasnim news agency.
A deal to open the Strait this week would give Iran some control, sources say
17:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
A proposed deal between Iran and Oman to help end five months of war between Iran and the US would give Tehran control over ships entering the Gulf through the strait, a senior Iranian source and two regional officials told Reuters on Wednesday, one of the biggest concessions yet to Iran.
US officials have repeatedly insisted they would never agree to Iran controlling access to the world's most important trade route for energy supplies.
It was not clear whether they had sought to change the parameters of the deal.
Iran has used the hostilities to justify charging a toll on oil tankers.
That, and the firing on ships that attempt to cross the strait without its permission, has badly disrupted global shipments, causing energy prices to surge and fueling inflation.
Iran says deal on Strait of Hormuz is close but will not open the waterway by itself
16:15 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Iran said on Saturday that a deal with Oman on control of the Strait of Hormuz was close but would not be enough to free up the waterway, and the United Arab Emirates said Iran had hit another ship there.
A US official, who declined to be identified, said on Friday that Washington anticipated an agreement soon between Iran and Oman, which sit on either side of the strait, so that normal oil traffic could resume.
Agreement between the two countries over control of the strategic waterway is seen as crucial to a wider agreement to end the conflict that began with US and Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Iran and Oman were "very close" to agreement on a new shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz but that reopening the strait depended on other conditions, including US compensation to Iran.
The previous shipping traffic separation scheme through the strait was no longer acceptable to Tehran, he said, adding that Iran was discussing a temporary route with Oman while technical and legal issues surrounding a permanent route were resolved.
Vessel struck by unknown projectile off Oman's Khasab
15:45 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
A vessel was struck by an unknown projectile 18 nautical miles east of Oman's Khasab, causing a fire that was extinguished, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Saturday.
UKMTO said the vessel and crew were reported safe with no reported environmental impact from the incident.
Watch: Trump says Strait of Hormuz is 'sort of open'
15:15 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Trump’s Chairman of the Joint Chiefs seeking ‘off-ramp’ from Iran war, report says
14:40 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
President Donald Trump’s Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Dan Caine, is seeking an “off-ramp “ from the ongoing war in Iran, according to a new report.
Caine has privately told other top administration officials that the country needs to find a way to exit the war, according to CNN, which cited three sources familiar with the matter.
Despite Trump claiming throughout the war that a peace deal, which would include his demand that Iran never obtain a nuclear weapon, was within reach, fighting has continued for more than five months.
Trump’s Chairman of the Joint Chiefs seeking ‘off-ramp’ from Iran war, report says
How does Oman-Iran deal give Tehran an upper hand
14:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Iran says it is close to reaching a deal with Oman to manage the Strait of Hormuz, which runs between the two countries.
But it would be conditional on the US lifting its blockade on the crucial waterway.
It would formalise its control over what had been an open international waterway before the war, one that carried a fifth of the world's traded oil and gas.
Abdolreza Davari, an analyst who once advised former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, said Iran's effective control of the strait has given it leverage with the US and regional countries that can help guarantee its security.
“More than revenue from the strait, Iran wants to confirm its management and sovereignty over the strait,” he said by phone from Tehran.
Formal control over even part of the strait would be a clear win for Iran and a loss for the US, which has yet to accomplish some of its various and shifting goals in the war.
It would also deal a blow to global norms on freedom of navigation and set a precedent that much of the world would find disturbing — that nations can shut down trade choke points at will.
China, which buys oil from Iran and has influence over it, said as recently as May that “normal and safe
UAE oil tanker attacked by missile in Strait of Hormuz
13:19 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
The United Arab Emirates condemned an Iranian missile attack on its carrier as it passed through the Strait of Hormuz today, accusing Tehran of "acts of piracy".
State news agency WAM initially reported ADNOC as saying one of its vessels had been targeted by a missile early on Saturday and that the situation was under control.
The UAE Foreign Ministry later condemned what it called "the hostile Iranian attack" on an ADNOC vessel.
Neither statement gave details on the tanker, its cargo or possible damage. No injuries were reported.
The ministry said the attack violated a U.N. Security Council resolution on freedom of navigation and accused Iran's Revolutionary Guards of "acts of piracy" by targeting commercial shipping and using the waterway as a tool of economic pressure.
It called on Iran to halt the attacks and reopen the strait fully and unconditionally.
Fallout from war in Iran is leaving millions vulnerable to hunger
13:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
As the US, Iran and Oman edge towards an interim agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, months of insecurity and disruption are leaving millions more vulnerable to hunger in Yemen.
The economic fallout from the regional conflict has driven up food and fuel prices, while more than four months of conflict with Iran has driven renewed escalation in Yemen, compounding one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.
More than half the population were already facing hunger, but slow progress from world leaders to re-open the Strait has caused months of disruption to global food and energy supplies, disrupting humanitarian aid operations.
Fallout from war in Iran is leaving millions vulnerable to hunger
Ships stuck in the Strait of Hormuz risk creating global biosecurity ‘super-spreader’ event
12:19 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
The economic ramifications of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz are much discussed. But so far, the risk of ecological damage following a long blockade of ships has been overlooked.
Our recent research shows that the more than 1,500 commercial vessels that have been laid up in the Persian/Arabian Gulf since February pose a significant environmental threat because they have been accumulating marine biofouling species on their hulls.
As the strait reopens, these ships may spread these organisms to ports they visit, potentially causing an international biosecurity “super-spreader” event.
Ships stuck in the Strait of Hormuz risk creating biosecurity ‘super-spreader’ event
Tehran on brink of deal with Oman to open Hormuz that could finally pave way for Trump peace talks
11:43 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Iran believes that a deal with Oman to reopen the Strait of Hormuz is “on the verge of being finalised”, potentially paving the way for a return to diplomacy with the United States.
Deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi said talks had finally “reached fundamental understandings” after both sides agreed on shipping routes following months of disruption in the vital waterway.
There was no immediate comment from Washington on the proposal, but president Donald Trump late on Wednesday portrayed ongoing talks positively and said a deal on Hormuz was imminent.
Iran edges closer to Hormuz deal that could pave way for peace talks
Trump makes his feelings clear about Pete Hegseth after ‘treasonous leakers’ rant over weapons stockpile
10:44 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
President Donald Trump felt the need to defend his embattled Pentagon boss, former Fox News weekend host Pete Hegseth, after a series of bombshell reports indicating that the Department of Defense has blown through nearly all the precision-guided rockets in its inventory and could take years to replenish those stocks.
In a 148-word post on Truth Social Thursday, Trump accused news organizations of “spreading false and completely unfounded rumors” about his relationship with the defense secretary and insisted he’s “very happy” with Hegseth’s job performance.
“Everything has been extraordinary, including our attack on Venezuela, where the result was accomplished in less than one day, allowing us to bring one of the worst criminals anywhere in the World, Nicolas Maduro, to Justice! Likewise, Iran, where the country has been decimated for the purpose of NOT ALLOWING IT TO EVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON, is going very well,” Trump wrote.
Trump speaks out about Pete Hegseth after ‘treasonous leakers’ rant over weapons
Tehran issues warning to Saudi Arabia amid Nato-style defence pact
10:14 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Iranian officials have repeatedly warned that Saudi Arabia’s Nato-style defence agreement with Turkey and Pakistan will not guarantee the kingdom’s security.
Mahmoud Nabavian, a member of the Iranian parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, wrote on X: “Saudi rulers must know that just as America’s bases could not bring them security, clinging to America’s lackeys will not bring them security either.”
A Turkish official, who has not been named, told CNN that the the pact is “purely defensive”.
حاکمان سعودی باید بدانند همانطور که پایگاههای آمریکا نتوانست برایشان امنیت بیاورد، آویزان شدن به نوکرهای آمریکا هم برایشان امنیت نخواهد آورد #امنیت_اجاره_ای#پاکستان #ترکیه
— سیدمحمود نبویان (@nabaviantwt) August 7, 2026
British pound drops against euro and dollar on Friday
09:30 , Arpan Rai
The British pound has dropped against both the euro and U.S. dollar on Friday, as markets weigh the talks in the Middle East.
Sterling was 0.1 per cent lower against the dollar at £1 - $1.3438. Against the euro, the pound was similarly lower at one euro per 85.76 pence.
Investors are cautious about diplomatic efforts to end the Iran war and reopen the crucial Strait of Hormuz, especially as tensions flared up again in the Middle East, Reuters news agency reports.
An attack by Yemen's Houthis on southern Saudi Arabia wounded 11 civilians on Thursday, a military official said, as the kingdom warned that coordinated attacks by the Houthis and Iran-backed Iraqi militias were imminent.
Brent crude futures were last slightly lower on the day at $82.16 per barrel.
US military leader is looking for off-ramp from Iran war: report
09:15 , Arpan Rai
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Dan Caine has privately told other top US officials that the country needs to find an off-ramp from the Iran war, according to CNN, which cited three sources familiar with the matter.
Caine’s talks with advisers to US President Donald Trump are just to make clear the limitations and pitfalls of different military options, according to the sources.
Joseph Holstead, a spokesperson for Caine, told CNN, “We do not discuss the Chairman’s confidential conversations with the President, the Secretary, or other senior leaders, nor do we comment on anonymous, agenda-driven characterizations of those conversations by sources who were not privy to them”.
A White House official praised Caine, telling the outlet: “The General always provides accurate, unbiased information and a host of options to the Commander-in-Chief, who ultimately makes decisions based on what he feels is best for US national security”.
The Independent has reached out to the White House and Pentagon for comment.
US military says it's redirected over 50 ships during blockade
08:55 , Arpan Rai
US Central Command said it has redirected 51 ships during its blockade of Iranian ports.
American forces have also disabled two ships and boarded two more.
A U.S. sailor stands watch in the combat information center aboard USS Mason (DDG 87) as the guided-missile destroyer sails in regional waters supporting the U.S. blockade against Iranian ports and coastal areas. As of Aug. 7, CENTCOM forces have redirected 51 commercial vessels,… pic.twitter.com/fOO8O95UYT
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) August 7, 2026
Pakistan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia sign a mutual defence agreement
08:35 , Arpan Rai
Pakistan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia have signed a mutual defense agreement, at a time the Iran-backed Houthi rebels have stepped up attacks on Saudi-linked targets.
Oil-rich Saudi Arabia, nuclear power Pakistan and Turkey, which has Nato’s second-largest army and a rapidly growing defence industry, signed a mutual defense agreement on Friday.
The deal stipulates that an armed attack on either of the three countries will be regarded as an attack against them all.
It was signed during a meeting in Saudi Arabia between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistan’s prime minister Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan's foreign ministry said.
“The Agreement is intended to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression,” the ministry said in a statement.
The deal comes at a time when Saudi Arabia, whose critical infrastructure and oil facilities have come under attack as part of the war in Iran, has been looking to diversify its defense partnerships.
Watch: Trump meets mining CEOs as US pushes critical-minerals agenda
08:11 , Arpan Rai
Iran feels time is on its side as negotiations with US continue
07:30 , Arpan Rai
To borrow a phrase from Donald Trump's own theory of geopolitics, Iran believes it holds the cards.
“They started the war, but its end was never with them. We always decide for ourselves when it ends," Mahdi Mohammadi, an adviser to Iran's chief negotiator, posted on social media. “Iran is going after the enemy’s defeat — not an agreement.”
He said a surprise Iranian attack on Jordan in July “compensated” for a drop in oil prices. That contributed to the collapse of an interim agreement reached in June that had offered significant concessions to Iran, including a US waiver to sell oil internationally and the promise of broader sanctions relief.
Iran has repeatedly said the Strait of Hormuz will not go back to being an open waterway, and that it will keep attacking ships trying to transit without its permission. Iran's joint military command has called it an “unbreakable red line.”
“For Iran, the Strait of Hormuz has become a strategic lever for deterrence, maintaining the regional balance of power, and reshaping the security rules in the Persian Gulf," said Mostafa Najafi, a Tehran-based security analyst.
That poses a major obstacle to ending the war, much less resolving the even more complex, long-standing dispute over Iran's nuclear program.
"The atomic issue, because of the conflict in the Strait of Hormuz, has been pushed to the side, and in reality, that is in Iran’s interests,” said Rahman Ghahremanpour, an Iran-based analyst. Control of the strait would give Iran leverage if the nuclear talks resume, he added.
Abu Dhabi oil company says it is impacted by unprovoked attacks
06:52 , Arpan Rai
An oil company in Abu Dhabi has hit out at what it called unprovoked attacks on its vessels.
The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company said on Friday it continued to be significantly impacted by the attacks, but was taking measures to protect its people, assets and operations while meeting customer requirements as much as possible.
ADNOC said in a statement that 15 of its vessels had been attacked by missiles and drones while transiting the Strait of Hormuz since the start of the conflict, including three this week, leaving one crew member dead and 20 injured.
Trump hosts mining CEOs amid worries over depleting weapons stockpiles
06:25 , Arpan Rai
US president Donald Trump yesterday convened executives from leading mining companies at the State Department to strengthen domestic and allied supplies of critical minerals, a key component of the nation's security and industrial strategy.
The administration seeks to replenish weapons stockpiles, depleted during the Iran conflict, and reduce US dependence on Chinese supply chains for essential minerals like rare earths, tungsten, and germanium, which are vital for advanced military systems.
The White House needs critical minerals to replenish weapons stockpiles depleted during the Iran conflict and reduce US dependence on Chinese supply chains.
The gathering included approximately 200 participants, featuring executives from companies such as Resolution Copper, MP Materials, and Century Aluminum, alongside high-ranking officials including Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Several executives came with gifts for Trump. Tom Albanese, chairman of deep-sea mining firm American Ocean Minerals, gave Trump a gold replica of a nodule that the company hopes to mine from the Pacific seabed. Trump last year said he may bypass the UN-backed International Seabed Authority and issue international seabed mining licenses.
Jim Litinsky, CEO of rare earths firm MP Materials, which is financially supported by the Pentagon, gave Trump magnets that had been produced for General Motors in the company's Texas plant.
Watch: Trump says Strait of Hormuz is 'sort of open'
06:06 , Arpan Rai
How does Oman-Iran deal give Tehran an upper hand
05:36 , Arpan Rai
Iran says it is close to reaching a deal with Oman to manage the Strait of Hormuz, which runs between the two countries.
But it would be conditional on the US lifting its blockade on the crucial waterway.
It would formalise its control over what had been an open international waterway before the war, one that carried a fifth of the world's traded oil and gas.
Abdolreza Davari, an analyst who once advised former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, said Iran's effective control of the strait has given it leverage with the US and regional countries that can help guarantee its security.
“More than revenue from the strait, Iran wants to confirm its management and sovereignty over the strait,” he said by phone from Tehran.
Formal control over even part of the strait would be a clear win for Iran and a loss for the US, which has yet to accomplish some of its various and shifting goals in the war.
It would also deal a blow to global norms on freedom of navigation and set a precedent that much of the world would find disturbing — that nations can shut down trade choke points at will.
China, which buys oil from Iran and has influence over it, said as recently as May that “normal and safe passage” through the strait should be restored.
Houthis strike Marib again as UN warns Yemen nearing wider conflict
05:25 , Arpan Rai
Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis launched ballistic missiles and drones at displacement camps and residential neighbourhoods in the city of Marib on Friday, killing two people and wounding 14 others, state news agency SABA reported, citing local authorities.
The Houthis said they had targeted Saudi-backed forces, depots, vehicles and military equipment at the Sahn al-Jinn camp in the city with missiles and drones.
The attacks came a day after at least 30 Yemeni government troops were killed in strikes on military camps in Marib and Hadramawt provinces, according to government sources, in one of the deadliest escalations in months.
The Houthis also claimed responsibility for Thursday's attacks, saying they struck Saudi military deployments in the two provinces after detecting what they described as a large Saudi military buildup ahead of an escalation against areas under their control.
US special envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg said on Friday that the latest attacks in Marib and Hadramawt, together with renewed attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, had left Yemen at its greatest risk of renewed large-scale conflict since the UN-brokered truce in April 2022.
Watch: Vance says oil prices will 'come down and stay down' as Iran war drags on
05:05 , Arpan Rai
Trump’s Chairman of the Joint Chiefs seeking ‘off-ramp’ from Iran war, report says
04:45 , Arpan Rai
President Donald Trump’s Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Dan Caine, is seeking an “off-ramp “ from the ongoing war in Iran, according to a new report.
Caine has privately told other top administration officials that the country needs to find a way to exit the war, according to CNN, which cited three sources familiar with the matter.
Despite Trump claiming throughout the war that a peace deal, which would include his demand that Iran never obtain a nuclear weapon, was within reach, fighting has continued for more than five months.
“Caine is looking for an off ramp,” one of CNN’s sources said.
The general’s meetings with Trump officials, including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, are just to make clear the limitations and pitfalls of different military options, according to the sources.
Trump’s Chairman of the Joint Chiefs seeking ‘off-ramp’ from Iran war, report says
Putin discusses Gulf situation with UAE president
04:22 , Arpan Rai
Russian president Vladimir Putin has spoken to United Arab Emirates president Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Kremlin said on Friday.
The pair discussed the situation in the Gulf, where Iranian and Omani negotiators are seeking to fix an impasse over the Strait of Hormuz.
They also discussed the war on Ukraine, with Putin expressing his gratitude to the United Arab Emirates for its role in organising exchanges of prisoners of war and detainees between Russia and Ukraine, the Kremlin said.
Pakistan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia sign a mutual defence agreement
04:13 , Arpan Rai
Pakistan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia have signed a mutual defense agreement, at a time the Iran-backed Houthi rebels have stepped up attacks on Saudi-linked targets.
Oil-rich Saudi Arabia, nuclear power Pakistan and Turkey, which has Nato’s second-largest army and a rapidly growing defence industry, signed a mutual defense agreement on Friday.
The deal stipulates that an armed attack on either of the three countries will be regarded as an attack against them all.
It was signed during a meeting in Saudi Arabia between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistan’s prime minister Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan's foreign ministry said.
“The Agreement is intended to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression,” the ministry said in a statement.
The deal comes at a time when Saudi Arabia, whose critical infrastructure and oil facilities have come under attack as part of the war in Iran, has been looking to diversify its defense partnerships.
US expects deal soon on Strait of Hormuz
03:57 , Arpan Rai
A US official on Friday reported progress between Iran and Oman that could soon reopen the Strait of Hormuz, potentially restoring oil exports that have been disrupted by the five-month-old US war with Iran.
The US official, who declined to be identified, said Washington soon anticipated an agreement between the two countries, which sit on either side of the strait, so that normal oil traffic could resume.
A deal between Iran and Oman over control of the strategic waterway is seen as crucial to a wider peace agreement.
“There is progress between Oman and Iran on the strait, and we expect a deal soon," a US official told Reuters on Friday.
“Once the deal is announced to restore commercial shipping without impediments, the United States will lift the blockade of Iranian ports.”
Watch: Iran on brink of deal to open Hormuz as Trump denies munitions shortage
03:31 , Rachel Dobkin
US military leader is looking for off-ramp from Iran war: report
02:29 , Rachel Dobkin
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Dan Caine has privately told other top US officials that the country needs to find an off-ramp from the Iran war, according to CNN, which cited three sources familiar with the matter.
Caine’s talks with advisers to US President Donald Trump are just to make clear the limitations and pitfalls of different military options, according to the sources.
Joseph Holstead, a spokesperson for Caine, told CNN, “We do not discuss the Chairman’s confidential conversations with the President, the Secretary, or other senior leaders, nor do we comment on anonymous, agenda-driven characterizations of those conversations by sources who were not privy to them”.
A White House official praised Caine, telling the outlet: “The General always provides accurate, unbiased information and a host of options to the Commander-in-Chief, who ultimately makes decisions based on what he feels is best for US national security”.
The Independent has reached out to the White House and Pentagon for comment.
American prisoner in Iran has spoken out about 'poor' conditions
01:32 , Rachel Dobkin
An American prisoner in Iran has spoken out about what he describes as “poor” conditions.
Reza Valizadeh, a US citizen and journalist, said in a voice memo sent to CBS News this week, “Because of the poor quality of prison food, most prisoners refuse to eat the meals provided by the prison”.
Valizadeh is reportedly one of five US citizens detained in Iran. Two of these Americans, including Valizadeh, are inside the infamous Evin Prison.
“Medical care in the prison is almost non-existent”, Valizadeh said. “The prison's doctors are rude, unmotivated and lack professional competence. As a result, most prisoners avoid seeking medical treatment unless they have no other choice”.
The other American in Evin Prison is Kamran Hekmati, who is believed to have recurring cancer, CBS News reported, citing his US-based advocate Kieran Ramsey from the nonprofit Global Reach.
“Kamran Hekmati, an Iranian American prisoner, was guaranteed medical leave for cancer treatment. However, after only one month and before the end of his approved 45-day medical furlough, he was ordered back to prison.
“This happened, even though his leave should have been extended so he could begin chemotherapy”, Valizadeh said.
US military says it's redirected over 50 ships during blockade
Saturday 8 August 2026 00:27 , Rachel Dobkin
US Central Command said it has redirected 51 ships during its blockade of Iranian ports.
American forces have also disabled two ships and boarded two more.
A U.S. sailor stands watch in the combat information center aboard USS Mason (DDG 87) as the guided-missile destroyer sails in regional waters supporting the U.S. blockade against Iranian ports and coastal areas. As of Aug. 7, CENTCOM forces have redirected 51 commercial vessels,… pic.twitter.com/fOO8O95UYT
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) August 7, 2026
British pound drops against euro and dollar on Friday
Friday 7 August 2026 23:29 , Alex Croft
The British pound has dropped against both the euro and U.S. dollar on Friday, as markets weigh the talks in the Middle East.
Sterling was 0.1 per cent lower against the dollar at £1 - $1.3438. Against the euro, the pound was similarly lower at one euro per 85.76 pence.
Investors are cautious about diplomatic efforts to end the Iran war and reopen the crucial Strait of Hormuz, especially as tensions flared up again in the Middle East, Reuters news agency reports.
An attack by Yemen's Houthis on southern Saudi Arabia wounded 11 civilians on Thursday, a military official said, as the kingdom warned that coordinated attacks by the Houthis and Iran-backed Iraqi militias were imminent.
Brent crude futures were last slightly lower on the day at $82.16 per barrel.
Trump says ‘we may have to’ send oil prices 'up again' as Iran war continues - ICYMI
Friday 7 August 2026 22:31 , Alex Croft
Amnesty says Gaza mass funeral highlights 'chilling' destruction of entire families
Friday 7 August 2026 21:30 , Shweta Sharma
Amnesty International says a mass funeral for 112 members of the al-Hasayna and Abu Sharia families in Gaza City underscores a pattern of Israeli attacks that have wiped out entire multi-generational families.
Writing on X, Erika Guevara Rosas, Amnesty International's senior director for research, advocacy, policy and campaigns, said the victims' remains were recovered months after an Israeli strike on 23 November 2023 that reportedly killed more than 300 Palestinians.
She said recovery efforts had been delayed by Israeli restrictions on the entry of heavy equipment needed to clear rubble, with thousands of bodies still believed to be trapped beneath collapsed buildings.
“Israel must urgently allow access to Gaza for UN bodies and independent human rights investigators to preserve evidence, in line with the ICJ’s orders,” she added, using the acronym for the International Court of Justice.
Deal on Hormuz expected soon, says US official
Friday 7 August 2026 21:18 , Harriette Boucher
Progress is being made between Iran and Oman on the Strait of Hormuz and “we expect a deal soon,” a US official told Reuters.
Once a deal is announced to restore commercial shipping without impediments, the United States will lift its blockade of Iranian ports, the official said.
“There is progress between Oman and Iran on the Strait, and we expect a deal soon.
“Once the deal is announced to restore commercial shipping without impediments, the United States will lift the blockade of Iranian ports.
“As always, U.S. actions will continue to be performance-based and tied to Iran’s implementation of its commitments.”
Oil climbs as market awaits possible US-Iran Hormuz deal
Friday 7 August 2026 20:30 , Alex Croft
Brent crude rose $1.31 on Friday to trade at $83.80 per barrel, after settling up more than $3 in the previous session.
The dollar was mostly flat as of the Asian afternoon on Friday, trading little changed at 158.365 yen, after gaining 0.4 per cent on Thursday.
Ships stuck in the Strait of Hormuz risk creating global biosecurity ‘super-spreader’ event
Friday 7 August 2026 19:31 , Alex Croft
The economic ramifications of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz are much discussed. But so far, the risk of ecological damage following a long blockade of ships has been overlooked.
Our recent research shows that the more than 1,500 commercial vessels that have been laid up in the Persian/Arabian Gulf since February pose a significant environmental threat because they have been accumulating marine biofouling species on their hulls.
As the strait reopens, these ships may spread these organisms to ports they visit, potentially causing an international biosecurity “super-spreader” event.
Such incursions of alien marine plants, animals, parasites and diseases affect native ecosystems and wild fisheries as well as aquaculture stocks and coastal industries. They can lead to significant environmental damage and economic losses.
Chad Hewitt, Gregory Ruiz , Ian Davidson & Mario Tamburri write:
Ships stuck in the Strait of Hormuz risk creating biosecurity ‘super-spreader’ event
US Treasury targets crypto exchanges in new Iran sanctions
Friday 7 August 2026 19:20 , Harriette Boucher
The US treasury has targeted two major cryptocurrency exchanges with sanctions on Friday as it seeks to dismantle illegal financial networks funding Iran's IRGC and other groups.
It said it was also sanctioning the ringleader of a network of front companies operating across multiple jurisdictions, facilitating illicit cryptocurrency activity and sanctions evasion.
The treasury said Iranian actors “exploited unlicensed or lightly regulated digital currency exchange platforms to transfer large volumes of digital assets.”
Secretary of the treasury Scott Bessent said: “The Iranian regime’s reliance on digital assets and shadow banking networks is further evidence that Economic Fury is working.
“We will continue to increase the economic pressure. Whether in dollars, rials, or crypto, Treasury will hunt down and dismantle the illicit financial networks that keep the regime afloat.”
Abu Dhabi oil company says it is impacted by unprovoked attacks
Friday 7 August 2026 18:29 , Alex Croft
An oil company in Abu Dhabi has hit out at what it called unprovoked attacks on its vessels.
The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company said on Friday it continued to be significantly impacted by the attacks, but was taking measures to protect its people, assets and operations while meeting customer requirements as much as possible.
ADNOC said in a statement that 15 of its vessels had been attacked by missiles and drones while transiting the Strait of Hormuz since the start of the conflict, including three this week, leaving one crew member dead and 20 injured.
