Iranian cleric and political leader
Iraq’s prime minister travels to Washington to deepen economic ties as the Strait of Hormuz remains closed and fighting between the US and Iran intensifies. Oil output, IMF talks, and potential US investment are on the table while Iran-backed groups push back against disarmament. Diplomatic prospects hinge on stabilizing energy flows and expanding state control over weapons.
Yemen’s Houthis have escalated tensions by declaring a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia in response to attacks on Sanaa airport. The move follows recent strikes and missile exchanges with Saudi forces, risking a broader regional confrontation that could disrupt global oil flows via the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
Iran has executed multiple men convicted over killings during January’s nationwide protests, including two public hangings in Isfahan’s Alikhani (Malekshahr) Square on 28 July. Videos and witnesses have shown residents chanting and trying to block the executions before security forces dispersed the crowd. Rights groups report a wider surge in executions and hunger strikes at Ghezel Hesar prison.
The conflict between the US and Iran has intensified after a fragile ceasefire collapsed. US and partner forces have conducted strikes against Iranian targets, while Iran has retaliated with attacks on US bases and allied facilities. Two US service members have been killed in Jordan, with others wounded or missing amid ongoing missile and drone exchanges.
Kuwait and Gulf states have seen a latest wave of strikes on power and desalination plants, triggering electricity rationing as Iran targets civilian infrastructure. Desalination supplies about 90% of Kuwait’s drinking water, relying on energy-intensive cogeneration. Authorities warn that continued attacks could deplete strategic water reserves and intensify water scarcity.
From The Guardian and Times of Israel reports, civilians in Iranian port towns face daily bombardments, power cuts, and water shortages as US strikes widen. Residents describe a “new normal” of fear while economic stress and internet blackouts hamper daily life amid ongoing hostilities. The broader picture shows hopes for ceasefire dimming as attacks escalate.
The United States is pressing Iran over the Pickaxe Mountain site near Natanz, with multiple outlets reporting continued construction, potential centrifuge activity, and warnings of imminent strikes as the war escalates. President Trump has warned of heavy action, while analysts debate the site’s depth and capabilities. International inspectors have not accessed the facility.
Lebanon, Israel, and the United States have established pilot zones in southern Lebanon as part of a framework to manage sovereignty, security, and Hezbollah disarmament. The Lebanese armed forces will clear zones of Hezbollah weapons as Israel withdraws, with verification ongoing and potential expansion dependent on security progress.
Hezbollah deputy leader Naim Qassem has criticised Lebanon’s participation in US-mediated talks with Israel in Rome and has rejected a June framework that ties Israeli withdrawals to verified disarmament and Lebanese army deployments in pilot zones. Technical teams have met in Rome while Israeli strikes, demolitions and clashes in southern Lebanon are continuing and Beirut is pressing Washington for verification guarantees.
Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz have intensified as US and Iranian strikes resume, targeting military and shipping assets across Iran, Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain. Iran claims attacks on US bases and allied facilities; CENTCOM reports strikes aimed at degrading Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping. Oil markets react to the disruption.
A Buffalo jury has found Hadi Matar guilty on all counts in a federal terrorism case stemming from the 2022 stabbing of Salman Rushdie during a talk on writers’ safety. Matar already faces a 25-year state sentence for the August 2022 attack; the federal verdict could carry a life term. Prosecutors say the act was motivated by Iran’s fatwa against Rushdie and Hezbollah ties, while the defense questions Matar’s state of mind.
Brent crude has fallen about 8–9% to below $88–$92 a barrel after prices briefly topped $100 last week. The drop follows pauses in US–Iran strikes and reports that both sides have halted attacks to allow diplomacy. Markets remain volatile because shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea is still disrupted and analysts warn supply risks and inflationary pressure persist.
UNESCO has placed several Lebanese cultural sites on its danger list amid ongoing Israel-Hezbollah clashes. Tyre and Beaufort Castle face threats to their conservation, with the Lebanese government requesting the designation. The move follows direct damage from recent hostilities and concerns over access, with UNESCO urging protection of the sites’ universal value.
The reports indicate IRGC commanders and equipment have been transferred to Yemen on July 13 to bolster Houthi capabilities, with potential implications for Red Sea shipping and regional security.
Venezuela has informed the UN of its irrevocable decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court, citing a demonstrated geographical bias favoring Africa and Latin America. The move comes as the ICC faces ongoing probes into crimes against humanity and as pressures from the United States intensify against the court.
The United States has paused nightly airstrikes on Iran and Tehran has halted retaliatory attacks for at least two days while mediators from Qatar, Pakistan and Oman exchange messages. Advisers warned President Donald Trump that continued strikes risked depleting munitions and running out of targets; oil prices have fallen as markets price the lull.
Netanyahu has met with Trump in Washington to review three approaches to Iran: a diplomatic deal, sustained economic pressure with a blockade, or a renewed military campaign. The discussions, conducted without public detail, aim to determine the path that best prevents a nuclear Iran while considering global energy impacts.
A new Iran-linked video calls for violence against President Trump’s wife Melania, showing her in New York City and naming stores; security officials confirm threats are being monitored as tensions simmer after Iran-US tensions.
The Iran-aligned Houthis have declared a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia, with talks of charging fees for traffic through Bab el-Mandeb. Chinese ships would be exempt. International navies face stretched capacity as Gulf trade risks grow.
Kurdistan authorities have reported Iranian-launched drones struck the private office of KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and the residence of the region's security agency chief on 17 August, with no casualties. The attacks come as Baghdad presses for a September 30 deadline to bring armed factions under state control and as cross-border strikes and US-Saudi operations have raised tensions across Iraq.
Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has not appeared in public since taking the role after his father’s death in February. State media say talks with the US continue as Tehran hints at potential footage releases; meanwhile, Iran signals conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz as regional conflicts escalate.
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz will not reopen until the US ends the war, frees frozen assets and delivers a region-wide ceasefire. Tehran has presented six conditions, linking reopening to Washington’s compliance and Oman-mediated talks, while attacks near key shipping routes continue.
Iran has appointed Mohsen Rezaee as secretary of the Supreme National Security Council and elevated its top commanders, reshaping the security and military leadership amid ongoing US-Israel war. The moves consolidate Mojtaba Khamenei’s influence and signal a hardline stance, even as some officials call for de-escalation and negotiations.
Iranian civilians bear the brunt as Minab’s war-damaged school and city skyline become symbols of the conflict’s human cost. A missile strike has killed dozens, including many children, and the country’s social fabric is under strain as protests and sanctions shape daily life.
Ceasefire negotiations in Gaza have stalled as Israeli air strikes resume, killing civilians and police officials. Mediators from the US, Egypt, and Qatar are pressing for a second phase of the ceasefire, including Hamas disarmament and Israeli withdrawal. Health authorities report multiple casualties from coastal Gaza strikes, underscoring fragile hopes for a durable halt to hostilities.
Bloomberg reports that Cooper, host of Call Her Daddy, is navigating employee turnover, a slipping slate of shows and internal discord with husband and co-CEO Matt Kaplan, as the company restructures to stabilize operations.
Presidential movements have been covertly switched ahead of NATO talks, with decoys and a catering truck used to move the president. Officials cite credible threats, prompting last-minute plane changes and fighter escort to protect the president.
Iran has said three of its pilots were captured by Qatari forces after Su-24 jets crashed during an operation over Qatar in March. Qatar has denied detaining surviving aircrew, saying its search teams recovered one body and invited Iran to review the rescue operation; Tehran says Doha has not responded to its request to allow an Iranian investigation.
The latest sanctions have intensified economic pressure on Tehran as a U.S.-led effort to reopen the Strait of Hormuz stalls. Tehran says it will respond with intensified measures while Washington maintains its economic campaign.
The United States has imposed new sanctions on nearly 60 entities linked to Iran’s oil revenue, cyber operations and nuclear-related procurement as part of a broader effort to sever Tehran’s economic lifelines. Tehran has rejected the measures, while allies weigh responses and potential countermeasures.
Prime minister has said Iran sought to murder one of his sons, as tensions escalate after US-Israel strikes on Iran. The claim comes amid discussions over security for political figures ahead of October elections, with mixed details about timing and targets.
The Strait of Hormuz remains a focal point in the ongoing conflict. The US has pursued an open-ended economic strategy to pressure Iran, while regional diplomacy seeks a safer passage. Several sources indicate tactical gains for the US and renewed talks, but no durable off-ramp has been established.
Iran, under pressure from renewed sanctions and a collapsed June MoU, is pursuing diplomacy to restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran says the strait will not reopen until US commitments are met, while mediators in Doha, Doha, and Muscat coordinate talks with Qatar, Oman and Pakistan to de‑escalate and resume dialogue.
US forces have carried out strikes on Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island after they detected efforts to deploy rockets with naval mines into the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has launched missile and drone attacks at US bases in Jordan and the UAE in response. Both sides are signalling readiness to hit back again while diplomatic and economic pressure continues.
Democratic Senate hopeful Abdul El-Sayed has apologized for remarks linking a Temple Israel attack to broader context and is pursuing outreach to Jewish voters in Michigan as the race against Republican Mike Rogers intensifies.
Brent crude has climbed toward $97 a barrel after renewed exchanges of strikes between the United States and Iran over the past week. US strikes have hit sites along Iran's southern coast while Iran has attacked US-linked vessels and bases in the region; shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains constrained and US pump and diesel prices have risen.
Rights groups report a sustained crackdown on civil society in Tunisia, with arrests, financially targeting NGOs, and suspensions widening under President Saied. The move is described as a strategic clampdown on dissent amid protests and deteriorating living conditions.
Israel maintains a presence in southern Lebanon and says it has cleared tunnels beneath the Ali al-Taher ridge. Hezbollah has not commented on the claim. The ridge overlooks a wide area and sits near Nabatieh; clashes persist despite a US-brokered ceasefire framework.
Iranian naval forces have captured a US Dive‑LD autonomous underwater vehicle at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz. US Central Command has said the drone malfunctioned more than a day earlier and carried no classified sonar or radar. Manufacturer Anduril has confirmed the loss and called the system attritable.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has used his UN General Assembly address to accuse New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani of antisemitism, of supporting Hamas and of making Jewish New Yorkers feel unsafe. Mamdani has replied that Netanyahu is repeating "baseless lies" and remains subject to an International Criminal Court arrest warrant; protests and walkouts have followed the speech.
The Houthis have expanded their control toward Bab al-Mandeb, with clashes intensifying as the group seizes Perim Island and Mocha, challenging Yemeni authorities and heightening global shipping concerns. Washington has rejected direct military action but is providing intelligence and non-kinetic support while urging coalition coordination.
Gulf states and Iran have been negotiating a temporary shipping framework for the Strait of Hormuz amid ongoing war-related disruptions. Oman and Iran are coordinating on routes while Bahrain has declined participation. Oil-price volatility remains as markets watch for a regional security framework to emerge.
Iranian hard-liners have driven a July strike on three vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, derailing a U.S.-backed ceasefire. Mojtaba Khamenei’s absence fuels internal power struggles as the regime confronts renewed conflict and scrutiny over written messages attributed to the supreme leader.
Amnesty International has identified crimes against humanity in Iran’s 2022 and 2026 crackdowns on protests, naming 87 officials in a calls for international justice. The report documents killings, torture, arbitrary arrests, and sexual violence, and highlights ongoing impunity. Protests erupted after Mahsa Amini’s death and have continued, with rights groups urging action.
Iran’s hard-liners are pressing for a tighter clampdown on headscarves as wartime conditions limit government action, while authorities warn activists of risks. Public spaces show growing divergence in dress codes since the 2022 protests sparked by Mahsa Amini’s death.
The Iranian government has mobilised civilians to receive limited military training alongside the IRGC and Basij as part of the Janfada campaign. State media report hundreds of thousands have registered in Tehran, with authorities claiming up to 1 million participants. Demonstrations and displays of weaponry signal broad state messaging of national unity amid economic strain and ongoing conflict.
Iran has presented a proposal at the UN sidelines to accelerate a potential deal, aiming to benefit the U.S. ahead of the midterms. Negotiations remain uncertain as Tehran maintains conditions, including ending the naval blockade and freeing assets. Disputes and skepticism persist about how much room for compromise exists within Iran and the U.S.
Pezeshkian has asserted Iran’s resilience against sanctions and pressure at the UN, while signaling a willingness to pursue dialogue. He denounces US actions and calls for access to the Strait of Hormuz, framing Iran as a victim amid the broader US-Israel war. The speech includes references to Gaza and the Minab school tragedy.
Supporters mark the death of Hezbollah leader Nasrallah amid renewed calls for Hezbollah disarmament. Leaders stress Israel must withdraw before any talks, while authorities push to extend state control in the south amid stalled frameworks.
Iranian mediators in New York have presented a new proposal to the United States, with Qatari and Pakistani envoys shuttling ideas between Tehran and Washington. While Washington has not accepted the terms, negotiators describe discussions as positive and constructive, with a path to possible concessions on sanctions and the Strait of Hormuz.