Iran has claimed an agreement on the shipping throughout the Strait of Hormuz with Oman is on the brink with negotiations in their “final stages”.
The ministry’s spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, said any such agreement between Iran and Oman would not, by itself, guarantee security in the strategic waterway.
The proposed deal would give Tehran control over ships entering the Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz, a senior Iranian source and two regional officials told Reuters, in one of the biggest concessions yet to Iran.
Donald Trump said there was an "all-day negotiation" on Tuesday with Iran, characterising the talks positively, while also threatening to hit the country "really hard" if a deal was not reached.
But the regime warned its neighbours in the Gulf that any fresh US attack would trigger a retaliation against critical energy infrastructure across the region.
"The Iranian warning was unequivocal: if America targeted Iran's infrastructure, they would retaliate by striking Gulf energy facilities and other regional targets," one Gulf source told Reuters.
Earlier Iran's foreign ministry said it had reached an understanding with Oman regarding the opening of a shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz, and a joint announcement is being finalised.
Key Points
- Iran threatens to strike critical energy infrastructure in response to US attacks
- Shipping route through Strait of Hormuz agreed, Iran says
- Interaction with supreme leader 'very difficult' Iranian president says
- Houthis claim to have attacked Saudi oil tankers
- Iran denies US talks held in recent days
Watch: Trump says ‘we may have to’ send oil prices 'up again' as Iran war continues
09:35 , Alex Croft
Two Israeli soldiers killed and one person killed in Lebanon, say authorities
09:17 , Alex Croft
Two Israeli soldiers were killed in southern Lebanon on Wednesday, before which Israeli retaliatory attacks killed at least one person, according to Israeli and Lebanese authorities.
It marks a flare-up in violence that coincided with the latest round of talks between the two countries.
The Rome talks, which began on Tuesday and are expected to continue through Thursday, come after the two countries agreed in June to a US-brokered security arrangement intended to ease hostilities along the border.
Despite the ceasefire, Israel declared a buffer zone in southern Lebanon where its troops continue to operate to eliminate what it says is the threat of the Iran-backed group, Hezbollah, on its border.
The two soldiers were killed and four others wounded by an explosion in a building they had entered as part of a security sweep, according to Israel's Army Radio on Thursday.
UN rights chief expresses alarm over Iran executions
08:47 , Shweta Sharma
At least 56 people have been executed in Iran on national security-related charges since 19 March, including 27 in cases linked to protests at the start of the year, the UN human rights chief said on Wednesday.
Volker Türk added in the statement that there has been a rise in executions and death sentences since March and urged authorities to halt all executions and move towards abolition of the death penalty.
"I am alarmed by the rise in executions and death sentences issued in Iran since March, and that capital punishment continues to be used to instill fear among the population and suppress dissent," he said.
Over 100 others are at risk of execution on similar charges.
Executions for drug-related offences are also continuing at an alarming rate, he said.
Trump says ‘we may have to’ send oil prices 'up again' as Iran war continues
08:30 , Shweta Sharma
Iran president admits interaction with supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei is ‘very difficult’
08:00 , Shweta Sharma
Interaction with Iran’s supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is currently “very difficult”, Iran’s president has said.
Khamenei, 56, has not been seen in public since assuming the role after his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in February in a joint US-Israeli air strike.
His absence from visibility has prompted widespread speculation about the state of his health.
President Masoud Pezeshkian made the cryptic comment in an interview on state television but gave no further detail and it was not clear what he meant by “interaction”.
Iran president says interaction with supreme leader Khamenei is ‘very difficult’
Vance says oil prices will 'come down and stay down' as Iran war drags on
07:30 , Shweta Sharma
Trump says US has 'massive amounts of munitions'
07:28 , Shweta Sharma
Donald Trump has said the US has “massive amounts of munitions” and was expanding domestic production, rejecting leaked claims about US stockpiles.
“Defense companies are building the largest number of plants and factories in our country’s history,” he wrote on Truth Social.
“The ‘leakers’ of these treasonous statements are being hunted down. Long term jail sentences will be sought!!”
His post came after US media reports suggested the US has used nearly all of its global stockpile of long-range precision missiles during the war with Iran.
Gulf shipping traffic down after Houthis say they attacked Saudi tanker
07:15 , Shweta Sharma
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, the key maritime chokepoints in the Gulf, reduced significantly on Wednesday from the previous day, shipping data showed.
Just two vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz, including a Panama-flagged coal-laden carrier entering the waterway and another Marshall Islands-flagged commodity vessel exiting, shipping data from Kpler showed, down from eight vessels a day earlier.
Roughly 130 to 140 ships would typically transit the waterway before the US-Israeli war with Iran began on 28 February and Iran responded by closing the strait.
In the Bab el-Mandeb, only one commodity vessel, a Bahamas-flagged dry bulk carrier, crossed the strait on Wednesday, Kpler data showed, down from 20 the previous day.
Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis said on Wednesday they had launched a missile attack on a Saudi oil tanker off the coast of the kingdom's Red Sea port city of Yanbu and another missile attack on a Saudi oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden.
There was no confirmation from Saudi Arabia on either incident.
The Houthis have imposed a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea since last month in response to what they described as a Saudi siege on Yemen, an allegation Riyadh has denied.
One killed and 12 injured in Israeli strikes on Lebanon
06:50 , Shweta Sharma
Lebanon's health ministry said one person was killed and 12 wounded in an Israeli strike on the town of Tebnine on Wednesday.
The state-run National News Agency reported more people wounded in overnight strikes on the village of Burj al-Shemali, but the number was not clear.Artillery shelling also targeted the areas of Mansouri and Majdal Zoun, it said.
Two Israeli soldiers were killed in southern Lebanon on the same day, the Israeli military said on Thursday, with four more severely injured in the same incident.
The latest Israel-Hezbollah war erupted on 2 March, when Hezbollah fired rockets across the border two days after the US and Israel launched their attacks on Iran.
More than 4,000 people have been killed by Israeli strikes in Lebanon since then, including hundreds of civilians.
The Lebanese army entered the town of Zawtar al-Gharbieh and some civilians returned, although many came only to find their homes destroyed and left again.
Pictures: Israel launches fresh strikes in Lebanon
06:30 , Shweta Sharma
Several people have been injured in overnight Israeli air strikes in southern Lebanon, according to the National News Agency.
Israel launched strikes on the towns of Burj Shemali and al-Mansouri.
For the first time in weeks, Israel's military told residents of an area of Lebanon to evacuate. The military said the warning for the village of Mansouri was in response to what it described as "a blatant violation of the ceasefire" by the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group.
Sailors on USS Lincoln outside Iran are exhausted and suffering from poor morale on ship, families warn
06:00 , Shweta Sharma
Morale is plummeting on an American aircraft carrier that's running short of food and other supplies as its exhausted crew wages President Donald Trump's war against Iran, worried family members say.
Sailors and Marines serving on the USS Abraham Lincoln have told relatives about being served a half-cup of rice and two tortillas for a meal, and said the ship's store often lacks soap, deodorant and toothpaste, MS NOW reported Wednesday.
Crew members are also worn out by working long, grueling shifts, with some rarely getting a day off, and described broken toilets, moldy showers without hot water and no laundry service for weeks at a time, relatives said.
Exhaustion, low morale plague USS Lincoln crew outside Iran, family members say
Iran threatens to strike critical energy infrastructure in response to US attacks
05:44 , Shweta Sharma
Iran has warned Gulf states that any fresh US attack on its territory would trigger retaliation against critical energy infrastructure across the region, according to five sources cited by Reuters.
"The Iranian warning was unequivocal: if America targeted Iran's infrastructure, they would retaliate by striking Gulf energy facilities and other regional targets," one Gulf source told Reuters.
The warning comes as Iran and Oman discuss a potential deal that could give Tehran a greater role in overseeing ships transiting the strategic waterway, though key issues remain unresolved, Reuters reported.
A source said that the proposed deal between Iran and Oman to help end five months of war between Iran and the United States would give Tehran control over ships entering the Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the biggest concessions yet to Iran.
While president Donald Trump has said a deal reopening the strait is imminent, US officials have repeatedly insisted they would never agree to Iran controlling access to the world's most important trade route for energy supplies.
Trump confronted Hegseth at Camp David over Iran munitions shortage, report says
05:30 , Shweta Sharma
Donald Trump confronted Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at Camp David last week over a munitions shortage that could limit the president’s military options in the Iran war, according to a new report.
During the exchange on the sidelines of Trump’s Cabinet meeting on Friday, Trump asked Hegseth to explain why he had apparently been misled on the dwindling weapons stockpile, saying that he thought the issue “had been fixed,” two people familiar with the matter told The Washington Post.
Hegseth had blamed his deputy, Stephen Feinberg, for the shortages and for not making sure Trump was fully informed of the issue, according to the Post’s sources. The Trump administration has denied the reporting.
Trump confronted Hegseth at Camp David over Iran munitions shortage, report says
Vance says oil prices will 'come down and stay down' as Iran war drags on
05:03 , Rachel Dobkin
It’s been a little over five months since the Iran war began, and oil prices remain high.
“Oil prices are going to come down and stay down. Iran will never have a nuclear weapon, and the United States will be in a stronger position”, US Vice President JD Vance told the American people on Fox News.
The national average for a gallon of gas in the US still sits above $4. It was below $3 a gallon at the start of the war.
Two Israeli soldiers killed in southern Lebanon, Israeli military says
04:57 , Shweta Sharma
Two Israeli soldiers were killed in southern Lebanon, the Israeli military said on Thursday, with four more severely injured in the same incident.
The soldiers were killed in an explosion in the Lebanese town of Majdal Zoun, the military said.
The army has since launched a series of attacks across southern Lebanon, killing at least one person
Vance says Iran has a 'fractured system'
04:38 , Shweta Sharma
US vice president JD Vance said Iranians are “an extraordinarily difficult people” with a “fractured system” as he explained the continued impasse in reaching a final deal with Iran.
Speaking in an interview with Fox News, Vance said: “There are people within their system who want the war to be over, but there are also people within their system who are crazy radicals who want the war to continue.”
“Our job is to navigate through that and get the best outcome for the American people, but for the president of the United States as well,” he said.
He said reaching deal is “gonna be messy and it’s gonna take some time to get there”.
“Oil prices are gonna come down and stay down, Iran will never have a nuclear weapon, and the United States will be in a stronger position, but we’re kind of in the middle of a game, and I think people are trying to pre-judge exactly how this is gonna go.”
Oil prices slip as Iran-Oman talks fuel hopes for US-Iran peace deal
04:30 , Shweta Sharma
Oil prices dropped on Thursday as investors assessed whether progress in Iran-Oman talks could pave the way for a deal to end the US-Iran war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Brent crude futures fell 37 cents, or 0.5 per cent to $79.08 a barrel by 12.24am GMT.
US West Texas Intermediate futures declined 53 cents, or 0.7 per cent, to $74.69 a barrel.
Brent settled up slightly on Wednesday, while WTI edged lower.
US military says it has redirected nearly 50 ships during blockade
04:01 , Rachel Dobkin
US Central Command said it has redirected 48 ships, disabled two and boarded two during its blockade of Iranian ports.
A U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter jet is refueled during a patrol over regional waters in the Middle East while the U.S. continues enforcement of the blockade against Iran. As of Aug. 5, CENTCOM forces have redirected 48 commercial vessels, disabled 2, and boarded 2. pic.twitter.com/2Q15fC5iZm
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) August 5, 2026
Tanker reports two explosions in Strait of Hormuz
03:49 , Shweta Sharma
A tanker reported hearing two explosions while transiting the Strait of Hormuz off Oman on Wednesday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said early on Thursday, adding that the vessel and its crew were safe.
UKMTO said in an advisory that the incident occurred about 9 nautical miles southeast of Oman's Kumzar, and that no environmental damage had been reported.
JD Vance has a message to critics of his negotiating efforts with Iran
03:03 , Rachel Dobkin
JD Vance has told critics of his negotiating efforts with Tehran that “the Iranians are extraordinarily difficult people”.
The US vice president told Fox News Laura Ingraham that Iran has a “fractured system.”
“So there are people in their system who want the war to be over, and there are also people within their system who are crazy radicals who want the war to continue.
“Our job is to navigate through that and get the best outcome for the American people, but for the president of the United States as well”, Vance said.
Pentagon chief blamed his deputy when Trump confronted him about weapons shortages: report
01:58 , Rachel Dobkin
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth blamed his deputy, Stephen Feinberg, when US President Donald Trump confronted him about extreme weapons shortages, according to a new report.
Trump asked Hegseth to explain why he had apparently been misled on the shortages, which could limit military operations in Iran, at Camp David last week, The Washington Post reported, citing two people familiar with the matter.
Hegseth blamed Feinberg for the shortages and for not ensuring Trump was fully informed of the issue, according to the Post’s sources.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called the reporting “100% fake news”.
“Literally never happened. And President Trump has the utmost confidence in Secretary Hegseth”, she said.
Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell also denied the reporting.
“Secretary Hegseth did not mislead anyone about our munitions posture, and he did not blame Deputy Secretary Feinberg. These claims about depleted stockpiles, internal disagreements, the Secretary’s position on Iran…are equally fictional”, he said.
The Independent has reached out to the White House and Pentagon for comment.
Trump issues latest threat to Iran: 'I don't want to kill people'
Thursday 6 August 2026 00:54 , Rachel Dobkin
Donald Trump has issued his latest threat to Iran during an event in Las Vegas.
"I'd rather make a deal because I don't want to kill people”, the US president said.
“We were all set for the biggest attack since World War II, and they called me, and they say 'Please, don't do it. Let's talk. And then, they say, 'we've never said that'", Trump continued.
Houthis claim to have attacked Saudi oil tankers
Thursday 6 August 2026 00:30 , Jane Dalton
Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis say they have launched a missile attack on a Saudi oil tanker off the coast of the kingdom's Red Sea port city of Yanbu and another missile attack on a Saudi oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden.
There was no confirmation from Saudi Arabia.
The Houthis' military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, did not say when the attacks took place.
The Houthis have imposed a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea since last month in response to what they described as a Saudi siege on Yemen, an allegation Riyadh has denied.
Israel hits Lebanese targets
Wednesday 5 August 2026 23:30 , Jane Dalton
For the first time in weeks, Israel's military has told residents of an area of Lebanon to evacuate their homes.
The military said the warning for the village of Mansouri was in response to what it described as "a blatant violation of the ceasefire" by the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group.
The military later said it was conducting "precise strikes" in southern Lebanon.
Lebanon's health ministry said one person was killed and 12 wounded in an Israeli strike in the town of Tebnine.
Lebanese and Israeli negotiators met in Rome for a second day to discuss implementation of a deal under which Israeli forces are supposed to withdraw from areas they occupy in southern Lebanon in exchange for Hezbollah's disarmament.
Iran executes at least 56 people in five months, says UN rights chief
Wednesday 5 August 2026 22:31 , Jane Dalton
At least 56 people have been executed in Iran on national security-related charges since 19 March, including 27 in cases linked to the protests at the start of the year, according to the UN rights chief.
Volker Turk said: “I am alarmed by the rise in executions and death sentences issued in Iran since March, and that capital punishment continues to be used to instil fear among the population and suppress dissent.”
Iranian authorities killed thousands of people during anti-government protests in January, Iran's worst domestic unrest in decades.
Iran warns of retaliation against energy infrastructure
Wednesday 5 August 2026 21:30 , Jane Dalton
Iran has warned Gulf states that any new US attack on its territory would trigger retaliation against critical energy infrastructure across the region, according to five sources, as Tehran seeks to raise the cost of military action by threatening Washington's closest regional allies.
The warning was delivered through a flurry of high-level diplomatic contacts after President Donald Trump threatened on July 28 to strike Iran's energy network and infrastructure, the sources said.
Two senior Iranian officials, two Gulf sources and a senior regional diplomat with knowledge of the discussions said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi spoke with his Saudi, Turkish and Qatari counterparts, as well as Pakistan's army chief. All spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.
Araqchi urged Washington's Gulf allies to use their influence with Trump to dissuade him from launching renewed strikes, the senior diplomat said, warning that any attack on Iran would prompt retaliation against US assets and energy facilities across the Gulf.
US lifts sanctions on three Iran-linked companies
Wednesday 5 August 2026 20:30 , Jane Dalton
The US has lifted sanctions on three Iran-linked companies, but a Treasury official said it came after an appeal and was not indicative of any shift in US policy toward the Islamic Republic.
One company is Fly Baghdad Airlines, sanctioned in January 2024 for allegedly providing assistance to Iran's Revolutionary Guard and Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.
Sanctions also were lifted on Iraq Express and another Fly Baghdad-linked firm.
Houthis claim to have attacked Saudi oil tankers
Wednesday 5 August 2026 20:05 , Jane Dalton
Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis say they have launched a missile attack on a Saudi oil tanker off the coast of the kingdom's Red Sea port city of Yanbu and another missile attack on a Saudi oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden.
There was no confirmation from Saudi Arabia on either incident.
The Houthis' military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, did not say when the attacks took place.
The Houthis have imposed a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea since last month in response to what they described as a Saudi siege on Yemen, an allegation Riyadh has denied.
Interaction with supreme leader 'very difficult' Iranian president says – TV report
Wednesday 5 August 2026 19:56 , Jane Dalton
Iran’s president Masoud Pezeshkian has said interaction with the country’s supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is very difficult currently, state television is reporting.
Mr Khamenei has not been seen in public since assuming the role after his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in a joint US-Israeli air strike.
Breaking news: more follows
In focus: Inside Iran’s ‘deal on the sly’ with Oman to reopen Strait of Hormuz
Wednesday 5 August 2026 19:00 , James Reynolds
The US and Iran can’t even agree on whether they are negotiating or not as disruption in the strait deepens global economic woes.
Experts tell Alex Croft that Washington may eventually accept key Iranian demands:
Inside Iran’s ‘deal on the side’ with Oman to open new route in Strait of Hormuz
Iran denies US talks held in recent days
Wednesday 5 August 2026 18:25 , Jane Dalton
Iran’s deputy foreign minister has denied talks with the US have been held in recent days.
He also said a potential transit route through the Strait of Hormuz negotiated by Iran and Oman could be viable for two to four months.
Breaking news - more to come
Will the Strait of Hormuz reopen today?
Wednesday 5 August 2026 18:00 , James Reynolds
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s busiest waterways in peacetime, carrying around a fifth of global oil shipments.
That makes its closure very expensive for global energy prices, as supply is squeezed and commercial ships have to find workarounds.
It is an issue that also concerns Donald Trump - despite the US’s vast reserves - as voters face higher fuel costs, energy costs and inflation from the impact on businesses.
Mr Trump insisted that his administration had held “very good discussions” with Iran during all-day negotiations on Tuesday, prompting oil prices to fall and stocks to jump.
He told Fox News that the Strait of Hormuz “is going to be very open very soon” - or Iran will “get hit really hard”.
Iterations of that promise and ultimatum have appeared in Mr Trump’s remarks and social media posts throughout the five-month war, and critics remain skeptical.
This time, a US official and two regional sources told Axios that the US and Iran are closing in on an interim agreement to reopen the strait with buy-in from Oman, which also borders part of the waterway.
But casting doubt on progress, Iran said an agreement with Oman will be delayed “as long as the United States continues to threaten Iran”. They said on Wednesday afternoon a joint announcement could be on the way unless “certain third parties” try to interfere.
Iran has long demanded control of the Strait of Hormuz, which it says it should share with Oman on the opposite shore. But last week they rejected an Omani proposal that would have allowed shared overnight and the collection of fees from ships.
Before the war, the channel was an international waterway and free to pass. But since the war, Iran has taken steps towards taking money from passing ships, something else that can be expected to push up global prices.
Deal not imminent as details to be agreed, says Iran
Wednesday 5 August 2026 17:22 , Jane Dalton
Iranian and regional sources pushed back against claims by Donald Trump that a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz was imminent, saying important details still had to be agreed.
Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei described the negotiations between Tehran and Muscat as "professional" and "moving forward", saying "the two sides had reached a mutual understanding on the geographical parameters of the route under discussion".
He said the joint statement between the two countries, containing the main considerations and key points of understanding, was in the final stages of review and drafting, if the process was not obstructed.
Deal would mean big concession to Iran
Wednesday 5 August 2026 17:12 , Jane Dalton
The proposed deal between Iran and Oman would give Tehran control over ships entering the Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz, an Iranian source and two regional officials said.
It would be one of the biggest concessions yet to Iran.
US removes sanctions from three IRGC-linked entities
Wednesday 5 August 2026 17:00 , James Reynolds
The United States has removed counterterrorism sanctions from two aircraft and three airlines with links to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, according to details posted to the US Treasury Department's website on Wednesday.
Route through Hormuz agreed, Iran says
Wednesday 5 August 2026 16:56 , Jane Dalton
The geographic coordinates for a shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz have been agreed by Iran and Oman, and a joint announcement is being finalised, provided no third parties interfere, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Wednesday.
Baghaei added that any such agreement between Iran and Oman would not, by itself, guarantee security in the strategic waterway.
In focus: Inside Iran’s ‘deal on the side’ with Oman to open new route in Strait of Hormuz
Wednesday 5 August 2026 16:30 , James Reynolds
The US and Iran can’t even agree on whether they are negotiating or not as disruption in the strait deepens global economic woes.
Experts tell Alex Croft that Washington may eventually accept key Iranian demands:
Inside Iran’s ‘deal on the side’ with Oman to open new route in Strait of Hormuz
No plans to travel to Pakistan or Qatar, however: Iran
Wednesday 5 August 2026 16:06 , James Reynolds
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson also says there are no current plans for minister Abbas Araghchi or parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf to travel to either Pakistan or Qatar, dampening hopes of a return to negotiations.
They say Iran is exchanging views with Pakistan and Qatar, however.
Iran says Hormuz deal in final stages if 'certain third parties' don't try to intefere
Wednesday 5 August 2026 16:04 , James Reynolds
The Iranian foreign ministry says that a joint announcement from Oman and Iran is in its final stages if “certain third parties” do not interfere.
Iran and Oman 'agree shape of route through Strait of Hormuz'
Wednesday 5 August 2026 16:03 , James Reynolds
A spokesperson for Iran’s foreign ministry says that Iran and Oman have agreed the ‘geographic characteristics’ of the route in the Strait of Hormuz.
Israel dismisses crocodile prison plan over animal welfare concerns
Wednesday 5 August 2026 16:00 , James Reynolds
An Israeli court has frozen “cruel” plans to move crocodiles to a prison holding Palestinian detainees following a backlash from animal rights campaigners.
Far-right national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir has floated plans to move Nile crocodiles to Ketziot Prison in the Negev desert in recent months, progressing so far as to start digging moats.
The proposals drew condemnation from international human rights groups, who said using crocodiles to police a prison was “vicious” and “nonsensical”.
But it was following a petition from an Israeli animal rights organisation that a temporary injunction was granted to prevent the transfer of animals to guard the prison.
Read the full report:
Israel halts plans for ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ due to animal welfare concerns
Proposed Hormuz deal 'would give Iran control of inbound traffic'
Wednesday 5 August 2026 15:30 , Reuters
A proposed deal between Iran and Oman would give Tehran control over ships entering the Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz, a senior Iranian source and two regional officials told Reuters on Wednesday, in one of the biggest concessions yet to Iran.
Despite the apparent step towards yielding to Iranian demands, the sources pushed back against assertions by U.S. President Donald Trump that a deal reopening the strait was imminent, saying important details still had to be agreed.
“The concession has already been made regarding some form of control over Hormuz,” one of the regional sources told Reuters.
The other regional source said there were still details to be determined about how “control” would be defined, with Gulf negotiators insisting regional countries supervise inspections of ships, and that any payment of fees be voluntary.
The senior Iranian source said that the text of an agreement already on the table envisioned Iran having control of ships heading into the Gulf through the strait, and that one of the main sticking points was what role Iran would also have over ships heading in the opposite direction.
Trump’s Gaza peace plan in tatters after Netanyahu rejects terms
Wednesday 5 August 2026 15:03 , James Reynolds
Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza was in doubt again on Wednesday as Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel did not agree to terms for disarming Hamas and would not withdraw from the Palestinian enclave until Hamas is completely disarmed.
The US president last week hailed a “major milestone” towards implementing his peace plan initially agreed in October, saying that Hamas would give up its weapons and that Israel would pull back from Gaza in phases. He said that Israel was “very happy” about the deal.
But complications soon emerged as Israeli officials suggested the military would not begin to move until Hamas gives up its weapons. Hamas said it would not disarm until Israel halts its deadly attacks.
Trump’s Gaza peace plan in tatters after Netanyahu rejects terms for disarming Hamas
US nearly out of long-range missiles due to war in Iran
Wednesday 5 August 2026 14:30 , James Reynolds
The US army has used up “virually all” of its stockpile of highly accurate long-range missiles during its five-month war with Iran, according to three people familiar with the data, raising concerns about the military's readiness for future conflicts.
The missiles are principally the Army's surface-to-surface weapons, known as Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) and Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM). Two sources said these specific weapons have almost all been been used.
The long-range munitions – which cost more than $1 million each – are an important part of the military's arsenal, allowing accurate strikes from a safe distance.
Read the full story:
US nearly out of long-range missiles leaving Trump short of options in Iran
Israel says it has begun conducting strikes in southern Lebanon
Wednesday 5 August 2026 14:11 , James Reynolds
The Israeli military says that it has begun conducting strikes in southern Lebanon in response to a 'blatant violation' of ceasefire by Hezbollah.
Israeli military issues evacuation warning to village in southern Lebanon
Wednesday 5 August 2026 14:02 , James Reynolds
The Israeli military issued an evacuation warning on Wednesday to Mansouri village in southern Lebanon, the military spokesperson said on X.
It was the first online warning by the military for Lebanon in more than a month.
