Iranian island in the Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf’s largest.
Since late July, US and Iranian forces have resumed strikes across the Middle East after a brief pause. The US and Saudi Arabia have carried out airstrikes on pro‑Iran militias in Iraq; Iran has launched ballistic missiles and drones at US forces and commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz; regional actors including the Houthis are expanding pressure on Red Sea routes. Diplomatic talks remain fragmented.
Iran has launched repeated strikes across the Gulf that have hit Kuwaiti power and desalination plants, wounded firefighters and forced Kuwait to ration electricity. Bahrain and Jordan have reported intercepting attacks. The US has continued strikes inside Iran and says oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz remain near two-thirds of pre-conflict levels.
Brent crude has climbed near $90 a barrel after renewed US strikes on Iran and retaliatory attacks have disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and threatened alternate routes. Market risk has increased as Houthi moves against Saudi-linked shipping and US warnings and strikes have depleted spare reserves, pushing prices and fuel costs higher.
The US has resumed strikes on Iran, targeting military facilities and shipping assets in a bid to degrade Tehran’s capabilities in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has retaliated with air defences and attacks on regional targets, raising the risk to global shipping and energy markets. The situation remains volatile as diplomatic efforts stall.
More than 1,500 vessels are stranded in the Gulf, where prolonged lay-ups have allowed biofouling communities to flourish on hulls. As ships resume movement, these organisms could hitchhike to ports worldwide, threatening ecosystems and economies. Researchers warn this event could act as a global biosecurity challenge and call for expanded monitoring and cleaning of vessels.
The US has completed a two-hour "heavy wave" of strikes across Iran, hitting Revolutionary Guard command centres, missile and drone facilities and coastal surveillance sites after Tehran fired ballistic missiles at US forces. Iran has launched retaliatory drone and missile strikes on US assets and allied facilities in the region; Jordan reported intercepting missiles with no casualties.
Tensions in the Middle East have escalated as Saudi Arabia and the US have mounted strikes against militant groups in Iraq, while Egypt faces its first drone attack at a Mediterranean port. Interceptions of Iranian missiles have continued in Jordan, Kuwait reports Iranian strikes on a Chinese company building, and Pakistan is mediating new talks to de-escalate. The conflict has intensified despite renewed negotiations.
Federal agencies and state officials have reported coordinated cyberattacks that have targeted internet-connected controllers at water and wastewater utilities in at least a dozen states since late July. Operators have had passwords changed and been locked out, forcing many plants to revert to manual control; officials say drinking water remains broadly safe while investigations continue.
The Times of Israel reports that at Camp David, Donald Trump has said the US intends to win and that Iran cannot acquire a nuclear weapon. He signals a preference for renewed coercive pressure while acknowledging occasional back‑and‑forth strikes. The broader environment includes Iranian retaliations, regional attacks, and ongoing talks mediated by Pakistan, with a fragile pause giving way to renewed hostilities.
CENTCOM has asked military analysts for new ideas to pressure and punish Iran, a move described as highly unusual by officials. The Pentagon is weighing options beyond conventional warfare as Trump shifts between threats, attacks and diplomacy over the Strait of Hormuz. New intelligence assessments question the effectiveness of current bombing campaigns.
Iran-aligned Houthi forces have launched sustained missile and drone strikes on government military camps and populated areas in Marib and Hadramawt, killing dozens of government soldiers and at least two civilians and injuring many more. Saudi-led coalition officials have warned they will not accept a Houthi takeover of Marib and say cross‑border attacks have wounded civilians in Najran.
Oil from the tanker Caroline Bezengi has spread across hundreds of square kilometres off Oman, threatening a marine protected area. Salvage teams are stabilising the vessel amid Khareef monsoon conditions, with international help mobilised as satellite imagery shows rapid expansion of the spill.
A large oil slick has spread from the Minoan Pioneer attack area across the Strait of Hormuz toward Qeshm Island, threatening coastal ecosystems and fishing communities. Authorities say the spill may be linked to the August 3 attack, with Iran calling for compensation as patience wears thin amid ongoing maritime tensions.
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.
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.
Iran and the United States have intensified hostilities. US strikes on Iran’s southern coast target military assets while Iranian forces respond with missiles at bases in Jordan, Bahrain and elsewhere. A wedding party in Kuhestak has been hit, killing several civilians and injuring dozens, including children. Both sides warn of further actions as tensions flare around the Strait of Hormuz.
The U.S. has struck Iranian oil tankers, prompting retaliatory actions from Iran and attacks on a U.S.-linked base in Jordan. Tankers are waiting to transit Hormuz, raising the risk of major oil spills and wider conflict as global shipping faces disruption.
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.
Oil prices have extended gains amid reports of Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia and Iran’s actions in the Gulf, with analysts warning inflationary pressures could rise and energy markets remain tight as pipelines face disruption.
The latest from the Lebanon-Israel security talks brokered by the United States: Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors are meeting in Washington to discuss disarmament, south Lebanon redeployment, and pilot-zone deployment as part of a broader framework. The discussions follow delays and a tense border situation amid clashes and regional strikes.
The U.S. CENTCOM has confirmed an incident in which Iranian small boats attempted to seize a U.S. unmanned surface vessel. The U.S. responded forcefully, destroying two fishing boats after recognizing the threat to a naval drone. Iranian state media report fishermen missing after the strike near Hormozgan; oil prices surge as risk to shipping persists.
A Bronx jury has convicted Jancys Santiago of first-degree rape in a 2001 case and has sentenced him to 25 years, to run consecutively with a 20-year sentence for a separate 2000 Manhattan home invasion rape. The case used investigative genetic genealogy to identify Santiago after decades-long cold cases were reopened. The judge has also issued a permanent protection order and sex offender registration.