The US military has resumed strikes against Iran after Donald Trump promised Tehran would “get a beating”.
US Central Command announced early Thursday that it had launched strikes against Iran in what it called a “powerful response” to attempted attacks on American forces in the Middle East.
Trump unleashed an expletive-ridden threat to “beat the f****** s***” out of Iran Wednesday following its “surprise” missile attack against the US.
“We’ll be hitting them hard. They’re going to get a beating”, Trump told Fox News.
Tuesday night, CENTCOM announced that it intercepted Iran’s latest “surprise attack” by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps after Trump’s meeting with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier that day.
CENTCOM later said the Saudi Arabian Armed Forces aided the US military in a separate military effort Tuesday after “Iran-aligned” terrorists launched more than 30 drone attacks in the last 72 hours.
Saudi Arabia also joined US strikes on Iran-backed groups in Iraq Wednesday, killing at least 20 soldiers.
The strikes on targets inside Iraq come as Oman proposed a new regional deal aimed at resolving the conflict over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil waterway in the Middle East.
Key Points
- US unleashes 'powerful response' to Iran's attempted attacks
- Six Iranian Revolutionary Guards advisers killed in US-Saudi strikes on Iraq
- US military says it intercepted Iran's 'surprise attack'
- Saudi Arabia and US strike Iran-backed groups in Iraq
- US-brokered plan for Israel to withdraw from Lebanon suffers slow start
- Iran strikes three ships crossing Hormuz
QatarEnergy-controlled LNG tanker exits Hormuz
05:01 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
A QatarEnergy-controlled liquefied natural gas tanker exited the Strait of Hormuz overnight, the first such vessel visible on ship-tracking data to leave the waterway since 11 July, data from analytics firms showed.
The Al Areesh tanker, which loaded a cargo at Qatar's Ras Laffan terminal around 4-6 July, sailed out of the strait overnight on 29 July, according to Kpler and LSEG data.LSEG data shows it is currently heading to Port Qasim, Pakistan, with an estimated arrival date of 31 July.
Its departure marks the first time a QatarEnergy-controlled LNG tanker exited the Strait of Hormuz since the Al Rekayyat was struck in early July.
The previous LNG tanker to exit was the Al Hamra, which left on 11 July carrying a cargo loaded at the United Arab Emirates' Das Island, according to Kpler data.
US says it completed latest round of strikes on Iran
04:38 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The US military said it completed its latest wave of strikes on Iran, which lasted two hours and hit dozens of targets, with Washington casting the strikes as a "powerful response" to Iranian missiles launched towards US forces in the Middle East a day earlier.
The US military said on Tuesday it intercepted multiple ballistic missiles launched by Iran towards US forces in what Washington called "an attempted surprise attack" by Tehran. Iran confirmed it had fired on US bases in Jordan.
President Donald Trump said after the missiles were intercepted that US forces would retaliate. "We're going to hit them very hard," he said
Watch: Trump vows to 'beat the f***ing s***' out of Iran
04:02 , Rachel Dobkin
Iran to get Chinese shoulder-launched missile systems 'in weeks'
03:00 , Alex Croft
Iran is reportedly expected to receive within weeks a first shipment of up to 400 Chinese-made shoulder-fired air-defence missile launchers.
The purchase, valued at $60-70m, is one of Tehran's largest-known efforts to strengthen its short-range air defences since the outbreak of its war with the US and Israel, which exposed gaps in Iran's ability to protect military sites and strategic infrastructure.
The contract covers the purchase of between 300 and 400 man-portable air defence systems (MANPADS), including Chinese-made QW-12 and FN-16 missiles, Reuters reported, citing sources.
The deal was signed with Zhongqing Baoshang International Investment. Sources told Reuters the Hong Kong-based company was acting as an intermediary between the Iranian side and the Chinese supplier.
US strikes Iran in 'powerful response' to attempted attacks on American forces
02:20 , Rachel Dobkin
The US military has launched strikes against Iran in a “powerful response” to attempted attacks on American forces.
“U.S. forces began launching strikes against Iran at 8 p.m. ET today. The strikes are a powerful response to yesterday's attempted Iranian attacks on U.S. forces based in the Middle East”, US Central Command wrote on X.
In pictures: US-Saudi strikes on Iraq kill at least 20 members of pro-Iran militia
02:00 , Alex Croft
Iranian asylum seeker’s 15-year fight to stay in the UK: ‘My dreams for my life are all gone’
01:01 , Alex Croft
A man who fears persecution in Iran has spent 15 years in the UK battling a failed asylum claim, homeless and unable to lead a normal life, after repeated refusals by the Home Office to allow him to stay.
In the more than a decade he has been trapped in the asylum system, Mostafa Rahmani has not been allowed to work or been housed in Home Office accommodation – forced to depend on the kindness of friends to get by.
Mr Rahmani, now 41, he arrived in the UK from Iran in 2011 as a 26-year-old student looking to learn English. He came on a student visa, but claimed asylum a few days after arrival when he says Iranian security forces turned up at his family’s home in Tehran looking for him. He said that he had taken part in anti-government protests in 2011.
The Independent’s social affairs correspondent Holly Bancroft reports:
‘I’ve been trapped in UK for 15 years, I worry I won’t see my mum before she dies’
US-brokered plan for Israel to withdraw from Lebanon suffers slow start
Thursday 30 July 2026 00:01 , Alex Croft
A US-brokered plan for Israel to withdraw gradually from occupied areas of southern Lebanon in exchange for the disarmament of the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia has started slower than expected.
The "pilot zone program" is the centrepiece of the US’ June 26 framework deal intended to end the war between Israel and Hezbollah, and establish peaceful ties between Israel and Lebanon.
Hezbollah still refuses to give up its weapons, while on the ground, the rollout of the first zone in the south Lebanese village of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh last week offered a glimpse of a strained and complex process that will be no easier to repeat elsewhere.
A senior Lebanese military official, who requested anonymity in order to speak freely, told the Reuters news agency it had taken weeks of US-brokered negotiations with Israel and days of military operations to establish the first zone in a single village.
The agreement links Israel's progressive withdrawal to the "verified disarmament" of Hezbollah — which is not a party to the deal, has refused to give up its arsenal, and has raised the prospect of internal strife if the state tries to disarm it by force.
US troops could be forced to surrender cellphones as videos help Iran target bases
Wednesday 29 July 2026 23:00 , Alex Croft
The US military’s top commander in the Middle East has warned personnel that cellphone videos being shared online by troops are helping to target US bases.
Some deployed troops could soon be ordered to surrender their phones, in a crackdown on mobile communications that would add a new dimension to the conflict for the thousands in the region, many of whom still rely on phones to periodically message loved ones and assure them they are well.
Admiral Brad Cooper, in a previously unreported letter, said Iran was benefiting from being able to see the success or failure of its strikes in near real-time by searching news reports or online posts by journalists referencing "reactions, photos, and footage from the cellphones of our troops”, according to the Reuters news agency.
"The direct, unavoidable cost of this open-source intelligence could be measured in the lives of American service members and civilian residents in targeted Gulf countries," Cooper, head of US Central Command, wrote in his July 28 letter.
He called on troops to "redouble our focus on operational security," without prescribing specific steps in the memo.
Watch: Norwegian hitman guilty of murder plot for gang linked to Iran
Wednesday 29 July 2026 22:01 , Alex Croft
Norwegian convicted of UK murder conspiracy at behest of Swedish crime group 'used by Iran'
Wednesday 29 July 2026 21:02 , Alex Croft
A Norwegian teenager was on Wednesday convicted of conspiracy to commit murder in Britain having been recruited by a Swedish organised crime group which prosecutors said was used by the Iranian government.
Johannes Natland, now 19, was arrested in a hotel room in Huddersfield in northern England in March last year in possession of two firearms and ammunition.
Prosecutors said Natland had been recruited by the Foxtrot Network, a Swedish organised crime group used by the Iranian state which has been sanctioned by Britain and the United States.
How the wars in Iran and Ukraine are colliding on the world’s largest lake
Wednesday 29 July 2026 20:00 , Alex Croft
Fears have mounted over the world’s two major wars converging after Ukraine attacked an Iranian vessel in the Caspian Sea, with Tehran vowing to respond.
Iran claimed one sailor was killed and another injured in the Ukrainian attack, as the ministry summoned Ukraine's chargé d'affaires in Tehran to protest what it described as a "hostile and criminal" act.
Foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday the reported strike on a commercial vessel “cannot go unanswered” in a call with the EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain reports:
How the wars in Iran and Ukraine are colliding on the world’s largest lake
China holds talks with Houthis to allow tankers to sail through Red Sea
Wednesday 29 July 2026 19:01 , Alex Croft
China has held direct talks with Yemen's Houthi movement to enable its tankers to sail through the southern Red Sea without being attacked after the Iran-aligned militia pledged to prevent access to Saudi ports, six sources with knowledge of the matter have told Reuters.
The Houthis declared their blockade on July 20, opening a new front against the U.S. and its allies in the Iran war and expanding attacks on tankers carrying energy and other supplies to markets beyond the Middle East.
Beijing has asked the Houthis directly to promise safe passage for its tankers, according to the sources, who included a senior Iranian official.
China was among the first countries to contact the Houthis directly about transits through Bab el-Mandeb, the strait at the southern end of the Red Sea with Yemen on its eastern bank, said the sources, who declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter.
US announces fresh sanctions on Iran-related entities
Wednesday 29 July 2026 18:01 , Alex Croft
We’re just getting news that the US has issued another round of Iran-related sanctions on Wednesday, targeting eight tankers and 10 entities.
This is according to a notice posted on the US Department of Treasury's website.
Announcing the sanctions, treasury secretary Scott Bessent said: “With its economy in freefall and inflation in the triple digits, the regime is desperate for cash.
“The United States will not allow Iran to hold global commerce hostage or use international shipping to finance the IRGC’s terrorism, aggression, and repression.”
Six Iranian Revolutionary Guards advisers killed in US-Saudi strikes on Iraq
Wednesday 29 July 2026 17:07 , Alex Croft
Six ranian Revolutionary Guards military advisers were killed in overnight US-Saudi strikes on Iraq, two Iraqi militia officials told the Associated Press.
Iranian authorities did not confirm the losses.
Drone hits LNG terminal at Egypt's Damietta Port, according to sources and analysts
Wednesday 29 July 2026 17:00 , Alex Croft
An explosion has struck a liquefied natural gas terminal at Egypt’s Damietta Port during cargo discharge, the Inchcape Shipping Services has said.
The vessels involved in the explosion have been relocated from the port, with operations expected to resume at nighttime, it added.
Sources told Reuters that gas storage tankers at the port may have been hit by drones.
Maritime risk analysts Ambrey said the US-owned and operated, Marshall Islands-Flagged LNG floating storage facility was struck by at least one drone.
No party has claimed responsibility and there have been no casualties, Ambrey said.
Iraqi pro-Iran group threatens consequences for Saudi Arabia and US after strikes
Wednesday 29 July 2026 16:30 , Alex Croft
Iraq's Harakat Hezbollah al Nujaba, an Iran-backed militia, said on Wednesday Washington's and Riyadh's interests and security would face consequences after the US and Saudi Arabia jointly struck armed groups in Iraq.
Saudi Arabia had joined US strikes on Iran-backed groups in Iraq on Wednesday, killing at least 20 soldiers.
It came as Oman proposed a new regional deal aimed at resolving the conflict over the critical Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas flowed before the war.
In pictures: Lebanese troops move back into southern towns after Israeli withdrawal
Wednesday 29 July 2026 16:01 , Alex Croft
Recap: US military says it intercepted Iran's 'surprise attack'
Wednesday 29 July 2026 15:35 , Alex Croft
The US military announced it intercepted multiple ballistic missiles launched by Iran's Revolutionary Guard in an attempted surprise attack on US forces in the Middle East.
The US Central Command confirmed that all Iranian missiles were successfully intercepted, stating US forces remain vigilant.
The interception followed a meeting between president Donald Trump and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House.
Trump was expected to make a final decision on a ceasefire in Iran after his discussions with Netanyahu.
Iraq calls for emergency meeting after airstrikes
Wednesday 29 July 2026 15:11 , Alex Croft
Iraqi prime minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi has called an emergency meeting of the national security council today after US and Saudi Arabia launched air strikes this morning.
Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces said at least eight members were killed in a joint Saudi-US strike on its sites across Iraq.
Saudi Arabia and the US military said this morning that they launched a joint strike targeting Iran-backed militias in Iraq.
Watch: Trump says he’ll ask Putin about claims Russia shared satellite images with Iran
Wednesday 29 July 2026 14:45 , Alex Croft
Trump vows to 'beat the f****** s***' out of Tehran
Wednesday 29 July 2026 14:20 , Alex Croft
Donald Trump has just launched an expletive-ridden threat against Tehran, after it launched a “surprise” attack against US bases.
“We’re going to beat the f***** s*** out of them,” the US president told Fox News.
“We’ll be hitting them hard. They’re going to get a beating,” he added.
The US military announced on Tuesday night that it intercepted Iran’s latest “surprise attack” by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps after Trump’s meeting with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday.
Iranian asylum seeker’s 15-year fight to stay in the UK: ‘My dreams for my life are all gone’
Wednesday 29 July 2026 13:54 , Alex Croft
A man who fears persecution in Iran has spent 15 years in the UK battling a failed asylum claim, homeless and unable to lead a normal life, after repeated refusals by the Home Office to allow him to stay.
In the more than a decade he has been trapped in the asylum system, Mostafa Rahmani has not been allowed to work or been housed in Home Office accommodation – forced to depend on the kindness of friends to get by.
Mr Rahmani, now 41, he arrived in the UK from Iran in 2011 as a 26-year-old student looking to learn English. He came on a student visa, but claimed asylum a few days after arrival when he says Iranian security forces turned up at his family’s home in Tehran looking for him. He said that he had taken part in anti-government protests in 2011.
The Independent’s social affairs correspondent Holly Bancroft reports:
Iranian asylum seeker’s 15-year fight to stay in the UK: ‘My dreams are all gone’
Houthis say they shot down Saudi reconnaissance drone
Wednesday 29 July 2026 13:30 , Alex Croft
Yemen’s Houthi group this morning claimed to have shot down a Saudi reconnaissance drone over the Saada governorate.
Yahya Saree, a spokesperson for the Iran-backed group, said the “Karayel” type drone was targeted “while it was carrying out hostile actions in the airspace of Saada governorate”. It was brought down with an “appropriate weapon”, he said.
Earlier, the Houthi allegedly fired missiles at the Saudi oil tanker NCC Ghazal, forcing it to turn back.
Iran to get Chinese shoulder-launched missile systems 'in weeks'
Wednesday 29 July 2026 13:04 , Alex Croft
Iran is reportedly expected to receive within weeks a first shipment of up to 400 Chinese-made shoulder-fired air-defence missile launchers.
The purchase, valued at $60-70m, is one of Tehran's largest-known efforts to strengthen its short-range air defences since the outbreak of its war with the US and Israel, which exposed gaps in Iran's ability to protect military sites and strategic infrastructure.
The contract covers the purchase of between 300 and 400 man-portable air defence systems (MANPADS), including Chinese-made QW-12 and FN-16 missiles, Reuters reported, citing sources.
The deal was signed with Zhongqing Baoshang International Investment. Sources told Reuters the Hong Kong-based company was acting as an intermediary between the Iranian side and the Chinese supplier.
In pictures: US-Saudi strikes on Iraq kill at least 20 members of pro-Iran militia
Wednesday 29 July 2026 12:40 , Alex Croft
Iraqi PM calls of meeting with Saudi crown prince after Iraqi militia attacks
Wednesday 29 July 2026 12:16 , Alex Croft
Iraqi prime minister Ali al-Zaidi has called off a planned meeting with Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah on Thursday after pro-Iran Iraqi militia attacks on the kingdom, the Reuters news agency is reporting.
The attacks prompted a response from Washington and Riyadh, which jointly struck back at the Iran-backed groups in Iraq overnight.
Trump meets Netanyahu and Zelensky at White House as wars drag on
Wednesday 29 July 2026 11:53 , Alex Croft
Donald Trump held separate White House meetings with Volodymyr Zelensky and Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, as Washington struggled to accomplish its goal of ending the major conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
The Ukrainian president and Israeli prime minister were both in Washington to attend the funeral of Republican senator Lindsey Graham, who died last month.
While details on the closed-door meetings remain sparse, Zelensky was expected to press Trump on his promise to grant Ukraine a licence to produce Patriot interceptor missiles to strengthen Kyiv’s air defences.
Ukraine has continuously requested Patriot air defence systems since the early months of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.
Speaking to reporters afterwards, the Ukrainian president confirmed that Trump had agreed to grant Ukraine licences to produce Patriot interceptor missiles domestically.
US troops could be forced to surrender cellphones as videos help Iran target bases
Wednesday 29 July 2026 11:30 , Alex Croft
The US military’s top commander in the Middle East has warned personnel that cellphone videos being shared online by troops are helping to target US bases.
Some deployed troops could soon be ordered to surrender their phones, in a crackdown on mobile communications that would add a new dimension to the conflict for the thousands in the region, many of whom still rely on phones to periodically message loved ones and assure them they are well.
Admiral Brad Cooper, in a previously unreported letter, said Iran was benefiting from being able to see the success or failure of its strikes in near real-time by searching news reports or online posts by journalists referencing "reactions, photos, and footage from the cellphones of our troops”, according to the Reuters news agency.
"The direct, unavoidable cost of this open-source intelligence could be measured in the lives of American service members and civilian residents in targeted Gulf countries," Cooper, head of US Central Command, wrote in his July 28 letter.
He called on troops to "redouble our focus on operational security," without prescribing specific steps in the memo.
US-brokered plan for Israel to withdraw from Lebanon suffers slow start
Wednesday 29 July 2026 11:06 , Alex Croft
A US-brokered plan for Israel to withdraw gradually from occupied areas of southern Lebanon in exchange for the disarmament of the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia has started slower than expected.
The "pilot zone program" is the centrepiece of the US’ June 26 framework deal intended to end the war between Israel and Hezbollah, and establish peaceful ties between Israel and Lebanon.
Hezbollah still refuses to give up its weapons, while on the ground, the rollout of the first zone in the south Lebanese village of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh last week offered a glimpse of a strained and complex process that will be no easier to repeat elsewhere.
A senior Lebanese military official, who requested anonymity in order to speak freely, told the Reuters news agency it had taken weeks of US-brokered negotiations with Israel and days of military operations to establish the first zone in a single village.
The agreement links Israel's progressive withdrawal to the "verified disarmament" of Hezbollah — which is not a party to the deal, has refused to give up its arsenal, and has raised the prospect of internal strife if the state tries to disarm it by force.
Watch: Netanyahu speaks out after 'excellent' meeting with Trump on Iran
Wednesday 29 July 2026 10:47 , Alex Croft
Recap: What officials said after Trump meetings with Netanyahu and Zelensky
Wednesday 29 July 2026 10:05 , Alex Croft
US president Donald Trump welcomed Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky to the White House for separate meetings on Tuesday. Here’s how the conversations went:
- White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called both meetings “positive and productive”.
- Netanyahu said his conversation with Trump included an “understanding of the common goal of ensuring that Iran does not have nuclear weapons”.
- Zelensky said he and Trump “discussed licenses for Patriot interceptor production and several other ideas that could help” in its war with Russia.
China holds talks with Houthis to allow tankers to sail through Red Sea
Wednesday 29 July 2026 09:35 , Daniel Keane
China has held direct talks with Yemen's Houthi movement to enable its tankers to sail through the southern Red Sea without being attacked after the Iran-aligned militia pledged to prevent access to Saudi ports, six sources with knowledge of the matter have told Reuters.
The Houthis declared their blockade on July 20, opening a new front against the U.S. and its allies in the Iran war and expanding attacks on tankers carrying energy and other supplies to markets beyond the Middle East.
Beijing has asked the Houthis directly to promise safe passage for its tankers, according to the sources, who included a senior Iranian official.
China was among the first countries to contact the Houthis directly about transits through Bab el-Mandeb, the strait at the southern end of the Red Sea with Yemen on its eastern bank, said the sources, who declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter.
Ships transiting via Bab el-Mandeb strait at highest in a week
Wednesday 29 July 2026 09:07 , Daniel Keane
Thirty-nine commodity ships passed through the Bab el-Mandeb strait on Tuesday, the highest number since July 19, while five transited on Wednesday, preliminary shipping data showed, with only a few transiting through the Strait of Hormuz.
Two of the five ships exiting the Bab el-Mandeb on July 29 were carrying crude oil, including very large crude carrier (VLCC) Sophia and the Aframax tanker Ocean Laureate.
Separately, of the 39 ships passing through on July 28, 20 ships entered the strait while 17 exited, according to ship-tracking data from analytics firm Kpler. Among those exiting, three were Aframax tankers carrying crude.
The Aisopos and Gustav exited to the Gulf of Aden, each carrying more than 750,000 barrels of oil, while the Karachi is carrying around 430,000 barrels of crude bound for Pakistan.
Of the ships that entered, two were tankers carrying petrochemical products.
Iraq calls for emergency meeting after airstrikes
Wednesday 29 July 2026 07:45 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Iraqi prime minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi has called an emergency meeting of the national security council today after US and Saudi Arabia launched air strikes this morning.
Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces said at least eight members were killed in a joint Saudi-US strike on its sites across Iraq.
Saudi Arabia and the US military said this morning that they launched a joint strike targeting Iran-backed militias in Iraq.
Kuwait condemns attacks on Saudi oil site
Wednesday 29 July 2026 07:35 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Kuwait has condemned an airstrike on Saudi Arabia's oil infrastructure as “blatant aggression” and a “flagrant violation” of Riyadh's sovereignty.
Kuwait's foreign ministry said the attack reflected the “insistence on escalating tensions” by Iran-backed groups despite Riyadh’s “sincere efforts” to de-escalate tensions.
Saudi Arabia on Monday said it had intercepted a “number of drones” that Iran-backed militias in Iraq had launched at oil facilities.
Israeli minister says Shia acted as 'enemies' in destroyed Lebanon villages
Wednesday 29 July 2026 07:15 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Israeli defence minister Israel Katz claims that in the 24 villages destroyed in Lebanon, "there were Shiites who acted as enemies on behalf of Hezbollah and threatened our borders, our residents, and constantly carried out provocations".
"Not house by house, not incrimination — all these villages, their destruction has been completed," he said.
Israeli plan to create ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ for Palestinian prisoners condemned
Wednesday 29 July 2026 07:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Human rights groups have condemned Israel’s plans to build a crocodile-filled moat around a prison holding Palestinian detainees as “vicious” and “nonsensical”.
Far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir is seeking to introduce reptiles at Ketziot Prison in southern Israel, a move directly inspired by Alligator Alcatraz, the US immigration detention facility that closed in June.
More here.
Human rights groups condemn Israeli plan to create own ‘Alligator Alcatraz’
Body of Iranian pilot to be returned after attack on Qatar base, army says
Wednesday 29 July 2026 06:45 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The Iranian army this morning said the body of Su-24 pilot Brigadier General Majid Kazemi would be returned to Tehran within hours.
The army confirmed that Kazemi was killed during an attack on the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar on 2 March and that the aircraft caused “extensive damage” to the base.
Iran rules out Oman's proposal for regional joint management of Hormuz
Wednesday 29 July 2026 06:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Tehran has ruled out Oman's proposal for regional joint management of the Strait of Hormuz, saying it has no chance of success, a senior Iranian official told Reuters.
The US and Saudi Arabia are trying to pressure Oman to advance their "unrealistic plans" regarding the strategic strait, the official added
Iran to get Chinese shoulder-launched missile systems 'in weeks'
Wednesday 29 July 2026 06:15 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Iran is reportedly expected to receive within weeks a first shipment of up to 400 Chinese-made shoulder-fired air-defence missile launchers.
The purchase, valued at $60-70m, is one of Tehran's largest-known efforts to strengthen its short-range air defences since the outbreak of its war with the US and Israel, which exposed gaps in Iran's ability to protect military sites and strategic infrastructure.
The contract covers the purchase of between 300 and 400 man-portable air defence systems (MANPADS), including Chinese-made QW-12 and FN-16 missiles, Reuters reported, citing sources.
The deal was signed with Zhongqing Baoshang International Investment. Sources told Reuters the Hong Kong-based company was acting as an intermediary between the Iranian side and the Chinese supplier.
US military says it intercepted Iran's 'surprise attack'
Wednesday 29 July 2026 06:06 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The US military announced it intercepted multiple ballistic missiles launched by Iran's Revolutionary Guard in an attempted surprise attack on US forces in the Middle East.
The US Central Command confirmed that all Iranian missiles were successfully intercepted, stating US forces remain vigilant.
The interception followed a meeting between president Donald Trump and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House.
Trump was expected to make a final decision on a ceasefire in Iran after his discussions with Netanyahu.
Homes destroyed in Lebanon in Israeli military action
Wednesday 29 July 2026 06:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Saudi Arabia and US strike Iran-backed groups in Iraq
Wednesday 29 July 2026 05:45 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The US and Saudi Arabia launched strikes on Iran-backed groups in Iraq this morning, saying they were responsible for drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities.
The strikes on targets inside Iraq come as Oman proposed a new regional deal aimed at resolving the conflict over the critical Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas flowed before the war.
Saudi Arabia said yesterday that its air defences destroyed several drones targeting oil facilities in the kingdom's Eastern Province. Iran-backed militias launched the attacks from Iraqi territory, the Saudi defence ministry said.
Later in the day, the US and Saudi Arabia said the two countries hit multiple sites across eastern Iraq that they said had been used by Iran to direct drone attacks.
Jordan downs Iranian missiles
Wednesday 29 July 2026 05:40 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Jordan says it has shot down five missiles that were fired from Iran this morning.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard said it had struck US bases in the Middle East as Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Donald Trump at the White House.
Houthis say they shot down Saudi reconnaissance drone
Wednesday 29 July 2026 05:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Yemen’s Houthi group this morning claimed to have shot down a Saudi reconnaissance drone over the Saada governorate.
Yahya Saree, a spokesperson for the Iran-backed group, said the “Karayel” type drone was targeted “while it was carrying out hostile actions in the airspace of Saada governorate”. It was brought down with an “appropriate weapon”, he said.
Earlier, the Houthi allegedly fired missiles at the Saudi oil tanker NCC Ghazal, forcing it to turn back.
Iran strikes three ships crossing Hormuz
Wednesday 29 July 2026 05:15 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Iran's Revolutionary Guard said this morning that it struck three oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz after the ships allegedly ignored warnings.
The Guard said the vessels continued traveling along the route despite warnings.
“The IRGC Navy would continue enforcing control over the Strait of Hormuz,” the statement said. “US military instructions to vessels in the region would not go unanswered.”
The Guard did not identify the tankers or provide details on the extent of damage.
Watch: Netanyahu speaks out after 'excellent' meeting with Trump on Iran
Wednesday 29 July 2026 05:05 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Iran fires missiles at US air base
Wednesday 29 July 2026 04:50 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Iran's Revolutionary Guards later said they fired several ballistic missiles at a US air base and a US military Central Command center in Jordan in a response to US actions against Iranian interests.
"Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces launched multiple ballistic missiles from Iran in an attempted surprise attack on US forces based in the Middle East. All Iranian missiles were successfully intercepted," the Central Command said on X.
President Donald Trump, who abruptly called off a two-week US bombing campaign on Iran over the weekend, has said there were "good talks" under way with Tehran but threatened to restart strikes unless negotiations delivered. Iran has denied seeking to resume talks with Washington.
The US military said later that the Central Command and Saudi Arabia's armed forces conducted strikes in Iraq on what the U.S. said were sites of Iran-backed militant groups that were directed by Tehran to attack American forces and Saudi energy infrastructure.
US and Saudi fighter aircraft struck those groups' logistics and weapons sites across eastern Iraq, Washington said, urging Iran and its proxies to "cease these attacks to avoid further US military response."
Oil prices rebound by more than $2 a barrel
Wednesday 29 July 2026 04:50 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Oil prices rose by more than $2 a barrel in early trade on Wednesday on shrinking US crude inventories, recouping some of the previous session's losses caused by a pause in fighting between Washington and Tehran.
Brent futures increased by $2.71, or 3.2 per cent, to $86.80 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude rose $2.26, or 3.4 per cent, to $81.95.
Americans' confidence in US economy fell this month as Iran conflict sent gas prices back up
Wednesday 29 July 2026 04:30 , Maira Butt
Americans’ confidence in the economy fell this month as gas prices resumed their climb after the U.S. and Iran stepped up their fighting.
The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index fell to 90.8 in July from 92.2 in June.
Consumers view of current business and labor market conditions fell by 3.6 points to 114.9, the third straight monthly decline.
Americans' confidence in US economy fell this month as Iran conflict sent gas prices back up
How a vague clause in Trump’s peace deal led to anarchy in the Strait of Hormuz
Wednesday 29 July 2026 04:20 , Maira Butt
The future of the global economy once again rests on an 100-mile strip of water sandwiched between the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman.
Shipping through the vital waterway has halved following tit-for-tat strikes between the US and Iran this week, shaking the foundations of a sketchy 14-point interim peace deal between the warring nations.
It started when Iran attacked three commercial vessels passing through the Omani corridor of the Strait of Hormuz in overnight attacks on Monday.
How a vague clause in Trump’s peace deal led to anarchy in the Strait of Hormuz
Watch: Dramatic footage shows US forces boarding commercial tanker amid Iran blockade
Wednesday 29 July 2026 04:10 , Rachel Dobkin
Recap: What officials said after Trump meetings with Netanyahu and Zelensky
Wednesday 29 July 2026 04:02 , Rachel Dobkin
US President Donald Trump welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the White House for separate meetings on Tuesday. Here’s how the conversations went:
- White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called both meetings “positive and productive”.
- Netanyahu said his conversation with Trump included an “understanding of the common goal of ensuring that Iran does not have nuclear weapons”.
- Zelensky said he and Trump “discussed licenses for Patriot interceptor production and several other ideas that could help” in its war with Russia.
Nearly 7 in 10 Americans say Trump has failed to explain Iran war goals, poll finds
Wednesday 29 July 2026 03:28 , Bo Erickson and Jason Lange
US public support for the war in Iran has fallen to its lowest level since the conflict began five months ago, with only one in three Americans backing the military campaign, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll.
The survey found growing skepticism over US President Donald Trump's handling of the conflict, with 69 per cent of respondents — including four in 10 Republicans — saying he has not clearly explained the goals of military involvement in Iran.
Trump has offered varying reasons for the war, including preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, weakening its missile program and encouraging regime change.
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Nearly 7 in 10 Americans say Trump has failed to explain Iran war goals, poll finds
Netanyahu says he's 'going to New York' despite Mamdani's calls for his arrest
Wednesday 29 July 2026 03:05 , Rachel Dobkin
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told Fox News he's “going to New York,” despite the city’s mayor, Zohran Mamdani, calling for the federal government to arrest him.
Mamdani has accused Netanyahu of being a “war criminal” for Israel’s actions against Palestinians in the Gaza war. Netanyahu has maintained his innocence.
Netanyahu told network host Sean Hannity that he will go to the United Nations headquarters in New York City in September.
Netanyahu says Iranian officials 'differ on the assessment of how tough we are'
Wednesday 29 July 2026 02:58 , Rachel Dobkin
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Iranian officials “differ on the assessment of how tough” he and US President Donald Trump are.
“Those who think that the president is very tough and they should, they say, ‘Let's not confront this guy.’ And those who think, ‘We can play America,’ they tend to be more demanding [in negotiations]”, Netanyahu told Fox News Sean Hannity.
Saudi Arabia says it 'does not seek escalation' following strikes with US against Iran-aligned militias
Wednesday 29 July 2026 02:52 , Rachel Dobkin
Saudi Arabia’s Defence Ministry has said it “does not seek escalation” following strikes with the US against what it called Iran-aligned “terrorist” militias.
The Saudi Arabian Armed Forces, in coordination with US Central Command, conducted “precise and targeted strikes” against those militias in Iraq after air defense systems “intercepted and destroyed several drones that attempted to target petroleum facilities in the Eastern Province and Riyadh regions”, the ministry wrote on X.
“The Kingdom emphasizes that it does not seek escalation but will respond to any aggression it faces”.
