The Houthis did not say how they planned to impose the embargo, whose announcement came as Iran said it was back to a “full-scale war” with the United States, and as Washington and Tehran battled to control the strait.

Saudi Arabia and the Houthis traded fire last week for the first time in years, threatening a 2022 truce that has held despite expiring.

The exchange of fire was set off when an Iranian plane arriving from Tehran attempted to land in Sanaa, challenging Saudi Arabia’s hegemony over Yemeni skies.

The Houthis’ naval blockade, if enforced, could further strain Saudi Arabia’s economy by cutting off access to its Red Sea ports, which have been vital for oil exports as renewed fighting limits passage through the Strait of Hormuz.

The blockade is also expected to hurt global markets that rely on Saudi Arabia – the world’s leading crude exporter, producing over 10 million barrels per day – for their energy imports.

The rebels declared “a maritime embargo against the criminal Saudi enemy, based on the equation of ‘an eye for an eye’, effective immediately upon the issuance of this statement”, military spokesman Yahya Saree said.

For Farea al-Muslimi, a research fellow at the London-based Chatham House think-tank, “this is an attempt by the Houthis to basically go into a war with Saudi Arabia”.

A war “with Saudi shipment is a war with the world”, he said.

The Houthis have previously tried to cut off shipping through the Red Sea, leveraging the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a chokepoint at its southern tip which vessels must navigate when travelling to or from the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean.

They previously launched drone and missile attacks on ships transiting the strategic waterway beginning in November 2023 during the Gaza war, forcing vessels to take lengthy detours around Africa instead of travelling directly from Europe.

Yemen shares a border and coastline with Saudi Arabia, whose Red Sea port of Yanbu has been crucial for exporting oil, bypassing Iran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz during its war with the US.

‘Foolish act’

The conflict erupted in late February with US-Israeli strikes on Iran, which retaliated by launching attacks across the Middle East, with the Gulf bearing the brunt of them.

The war wrought chaos in the region and sowed panic on global energy markets until Iran and the US agreed a ceasefire last month — which has since collapsed.

As tensions flared again in Hormuz, Saudi Red Sea ports have become all the more vital.

“Even if no ships are attacked, the announcement alone is likely to disrupt shipping and create uncertainty for Saudi ports,” said Mohammed al-Basha, of the US-based risk advisory Basha Report.

“Whether the Houthis move from threats to direct action remains the critical issue.”

Saree said the move was in response to Saudi Arabia’s blockade of Houthi “ports and airports” and the targeting of Sanaa airport last week, adding that they would respond to “the blockade with a blockade”.

“Any foolish act committed by the reckless Saudi enemy through all escalation will be met with a comprehensive and decisive escalation,” Saree added.

Last week, the Houthis fired missiles at an airport in the Saudi city of Abha, after Yemen’s government said it hit Sanaa airport to block a flight from Iran with a Houthi delegation on board.

The Houthis blamed the government’s backer Riyadh for the attack.

For more than a decade, aircraft entering Yemeni airspace have needed prior clearance from the Saudi-led coalition that backs Yemen’s government and says it enforces the restriction at its request.

The Houthis have been at war with Yemen’s government since 2014, in a conflict that has killed hundreds of thousands of people and triggered a major humanitarian crisis.

Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi received Momeni and his delegation at the airport, while Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry presented the visiting minister with a bouquet. Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri Moghadam was also present.

Welcoming the Iranian minister, Naqvi said, “I welcome my brother to Pakistan. I hope Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni has brought good news. I am confident his visit will further strengthen bilateral relations and lead to progress on regional issues.”

The Iranian delegation includes the governor-general of Sistan and Balochistan, Iran’s deputy interior minister, deputy minister for urban development and transport, the head of the National Iranian Oil Company, the special representative of Iran’s agriculture minister, and other senior officials.

During the visit, Momeni is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces. The discussions are expected to focus on bilateral relations, border cooperation, economic connectivity and the broader regional security environment.

Following his arrival, Momeni also held talks with Mohsin Naqvi.

The Iranian minister said he was pleased to meet his “brother” again and described Pakistan-Iran relations as exceptional, adding that the brotherly ties between the two neighbouring countries had grown stronger over time.

He also praised the hospitality extended by the Pakistani government and people, saying he had always appreciated Pakistan’s sincerity and warmth.

Naqvi expressed hope that the visit would further strengthen bilateral relations and create new opportunities for cooperation between the two countries.

The visit comes as Pakistan continues diplomatic efforts to preserve the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) reached between Iran and the United States last month to reduce tensions in the region.

Pakistan has played an active diplomatic role since the crisis triggered by US and Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28, which disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and rattled global energy markets.

On June 18, Pakistan brokered a 14-point Islamabad MOU between Washington and Tehran aimed at ending hostilities, reducing tensions and reopening the Strait of Hormuz to international maritime traffic.

Although the ceasefire later broke down, Islamabad has continued efforts to facilitate dialogue between the two sides and support broader regional peace initiatives.

A senior Iranian official confirmed to Reuters that the proposal is intended to restore the Islamabad-mediated framework agreed last month and create space for renewed negotiations.

Under the memorandum of understanding brokered by Pakistan in Islamabad, Iran and the US had agreed to a 60-day ceasefire, restore navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, establish a timeline for a final agreement and continue comprehensive talks on Tehran’s nuclear programme.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry has also said diplomatic contacts with Washington remain active through intermediaries despite ongoing US military strikes, stressing that any future negotiations would be based solely on Iran’s national interests.

Speaking at a press conference in Tehran, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Iran continues to receive messages through mediators.

“We have received messages through mediators. The important point is that diplomacy has remained active in recent days, and several mediators have conveyed different proposals to us,” he said.

Baghaei blamed the United States for the latest escalation in the region and said Iran sought peaceful relations with its neighbours.

“We do not want hostility with our neighbours. We expect them to fulfil their responsibilities and not allow their territory to be used for attacks against Iran,” he said.

Meanwhile, Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni is due to arrive in Islamabad on Tuesday for talks with Pakistani officials on bilateral cooperation, border security and the regional security situation.

Separately, Pakistan’s newly appointed ambassador to Iran, Imran Siddiqui, met Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. The two discussed regional developments, bilateral ties and expanding cooperation in multiple sectors.

The diplomatic push comes as military exchanges between Iran and the United States continue.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Monday it carried out strikes for a ninth consecutive day, targeting what it described as Iran’s capability to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported that US missiles struck several Iranian cities, including Tabriz, Chabahar, Konarak, Bandar Mahshahr and Bandar Imam Khomeini, where loud explosions were heard.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed it fired ballistic missiles at a US special operations headquarters in Al-Tanf, Syria, and at US aircraft stationed at Jordan’s Aqaba Airport.

The IRGC also claimed that two oil tankers attempting to pass through the southern route of the Strait of Hormuz were disabled following explosions, alleging the vessels had been directed onto an unsafe route by US forces.

Iran’s military warned that the Strait of Hormuz would remain unsafe as long as US military operations continued in the region. The heightened tensions have sharply reduced commercial shipping through the strategic waterway and pushed global crude oil prices higher.

Iran kept up its own attacks across the region in response, with its Revolutionary Guards announcing they had hit targets in Bahrain, Jordan and Syria, while Bahrain said Tehran had targeted its air navigation systems.

“The reality is that today the Islamic Republic of Iran is engaged in a full-scale war,” said President Masoud Pezeshkian, according to a presidency statement.

He added that “we must be realistic and accept the natural consequences of this resistance.”

His comments came after state media and local authorities reported US strikes on Monday in the north and centre of the country, further than areas near the blockaded Strait of Hormuz waterway through which a fifth of world oil supplies transited prior to the war.

The Middle East war resumed after a weeks-long lull prompted by an agreement signed in June, and oil prices surged to a one-month high as the foes battled to control the vital Strait of Hormuz.

As its truce with the US collapsed, Tehran reimposed its blockade of the waterway, while Washington hit back by again blockading Iran’s ports.

All of the Iranian provinces hit on Monday host military bases and air defence systems.

In Bushehr, home to the country’s only operational civilian nuclear power plant, governor Mohammad Mozaffari told state news agency IRNA: “A few minutes ago, several locations in Bushehr city were hit by American enemy’s projectiles.”

In East Azerbaijan province in the north, the head of the local crisis management unit Majid Farshi told IRNA that “one person was martyred and several others injured” in an attack there.

Despite the latest attacks, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said diplomatic exchanges with the United States via mediators were ongoing.

“Ideas have been conveyed to us by certain mediators,” he told a press conference in Tehran attended by AFP.

Iran’s Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni was set to travel to mediator Pakistan’s capital on Monday, a Pakistani interior ministry source told AFP, without confirming the reason.

Ship on fire

In Hormuz, meanwhile, sailors abandoned a vessel set on fire in an attack, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency.

The Revolutionary Guards had earlier said that two oil tankers trying to transit the strait “exploded and were brought to a halt”, according to a statement reported by Tasnim news agency.

On Sunday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on countries around the world to share the burden of protecting global shipping.

But Baghaei said Monday that Tehran would not allow the strait to be used by its foes “to threaten Iran’s security and national interests”.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Sunday that it successfully completed the ninth consecutive night of strikes against Iran, while Rubio said he would “continue to try” to reach a diplomatic solution.

The fresh fighting came after a weekend in which the US announced three new US military fatalities and one service member missing in action.

Two were killed during Iranian missile and drone attacks on Jordan on Friday, while another service member died in northern Iraq during the controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian drone, CENTCOM said.

President Donald Trump said US strikes on Iran “hit them very hard” in honour of the American fatalities.

The deaths brought to 17 the confirmed number of American military fatalities since the conflict began with a massive US-Israeli strike on the Islamic republic.

On Friday, Iran’s health ministry reported that 50 people had been killed in recent fighting and more than 500 wounded.

Iran strikes neighbours

Meanwhile Iran’s Revolutionary Guards announced on Monday that they had hit targets in Syria, Jordan and Kuwait overnight.

In Syria, Iranian forces launched “a surprise attack on the enemy special operations command centre in the Al-Tanf region”, according to a Guards statement carried by state media.

The US withdrew its troops from Al-Tanf in February.

In Jordan, the Guards said it targeted US military aircraft stationed at Aqaba Airport “with ballistic missiles, causing severe damage to a number of them”.

The Guards also said they hit US military targets based in Kuwait, including an early-warning radar system that was “completely destroyed”.

Kuwaiti air defences were “engaging hostile drone attacks following Iranian aggression”, its army said on Monday.

Bahrain’s interior ministry also said that its air raid sirens had sounded and urged citizens and residents to head to “the nearest safe place”.

Starmer departed Downing Street on Monday morning, insisting in a farewell speech that his two years in office had made Britain a better place.

The monarch met Starmer to accept his resignation, and Burnham arrived next for the formal procedure in which the king asked him to form the next government, and he accepted.

The 56-year-old is the sixth prime minister to enter Downing Street in the last 10 years.

“I am confident that Britain is now stronger and fairer than it was two years ago,” Starmer told reporters in his farewell speech outside his central London office.

“I go with good grace, I go with a smile, and I go proud of everything that we have achieved,” he added.

Burnham will face an in-tray overflowing with challenges with little time to make his mark.

In an interview with The Times published late Sunday, Burnham said he wanted to draw a line under a decade of political turmoil.

“What we’ve been doing hasn’t been working. That’s the way I see it,” he said.

“I am going to try and do things in a different way.”

In his first speech, Burnham will set out “priorities for restoring confidence in government and giving Britain more breathing room” amid the cost-of-living crisis, his team said.

Delivering growth and devolving power to regional communities are also expected to feature.

Also on Monday, he is likely to announce his senior cabinet appointments, with all eyes on who will replace Rachel Reeves as finance minister.

The former mayor of Greater Manchester, nicknamed the “King of the North”, has been parachuted in by the Labour Party, after Starmer resigned last month, with MPs viewing him as the party’s best chance of reining in Nigel Farage’s anti-immigration Reform UK party.

‘Bigger, bolder’

Among Burnham’s most urgent challenges will be a tepid economy, high government borrowing costs, a ballooning welfare bill and irregular migrants arriving in small boats that have fuelled support for Reform.

Unpredictable energy prices due to the US-Iran war and a volatile American president in Donald Trump also threaten to buffet his premiership.

Burnham told The Times he would take a “different approach to public spending, and to running the economy — more focused on early investment, early intervention, setting people up for success, and much less paying for failure.”

He promised “early moves to help” with the cost of living, saying that while campaigning he heard the “pressure people feel around their finances”.

Starmer led Labour to power in July 2024 in a landslide election victory after 14 years of Conservative rule.

He announced that he would resign as prime minister and Labour Party leader in late June after a string of scandals, missteps and policy U-turns blighted his leadership.

But Burnham, who only returned as a member of parliament four weeks ago, has little room to manoeuvre amid sluggish economic growth, high public debt and strict financial rules requiring him to balance government spending against tax revenue.

‘Last chance’

Burnham was an MP between 2001 and 2017, serving as a minister in the governments of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.

He has since reinvented himself as a man of the people, melding a relaxed, folksy style with slick social media videos.

But he has only three years to turn things around, with Reform leading in polls ahead of the next general election expected in 2029.

Burnham told supporters on Friday his Labour takeover was the “last chance” for the party to get things right.

Critics have accused Starmer’s government of being under-prepared for power when he was elected in July 2024.

Burnham has insisted he has a “plan”.

But his swift “coronation” as Labour leader has raised questions on how he will achieve his aims.

His first policy announcement came on Saturday when he scrapped Starmer’s flagship nationwide digital ID scheme, estimated to cost £1.8 billion over three years.

A spokesperson said the time and resources would be diverted “to where it’s most needed, such as helping with the cost of living”.

Speaking at his weekly press briefing on Monday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said Tehran had received initiatives through mediators but declined to disclose their details.

“The proposals put forward through mediators have been conveyed to us, and we have received them. However, I would rather not go into their details at this stage,” he said.

Baqaei’s remarks came in response to reports that Qatar had presented new proposals to revive negotiations between Tehran and Washington, including speculation about a possible 10-day ceasefire.

He said mediators were working to prevent further escalation, while stressing that Iran would continue responding to “US aggression”.

He said Iran’s Armed Forces were acting “with strength and determination” while the country’s diplomatic apparatus remained fully engaged in pursuing its responsibilities.

Ambiguity in memorandum

Baqaei also dismissed reports suggesting that differing interpretations of the Iran-US memorandum of understanding had caused its collapse, calling such claims “completely incorrect.”

He said the 14-point agreement contained no ambiguous provisions and accused Washington of failing to honour its commitments.

According to Baqaei, Article 5 of the memorandum clearly states that responsibility for the future management of the Strait of Hormuz rests with Iran and would be pursued through consultations with Oman and dialogue with regional countries.

‘Talks and fighting go hand in hand’

Responding to questions about the possibility of renewed talks with Washington, Baqaei rejected the idea that Iran faced a choice between diplomacy and military action.

He said diplomacy and defence were complementary tools aimed at protecting Iran’s national interests, adding that Tehran would employ either or both depending on the circumstances.

The spokesperson reiterated that Iran’s policy remained based on “commitment for commitment,” arguing that Tehran had complied with the memorandum until the United States allegedly violated its obligations.

US blamed over school attack

Baqaei also rejected US President Donald Trump’s suggestion that images from the reported attack on a school in Minab had been generated using artificial intelligence.

He insisted the strike had been deliberately carried out by the United States and described it as one of “thousands of war crimes” committed against the Iranian people.

The spokesperson further criticised recent comments by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressing support for diplomacy, saying Washington’s approach continued to rely on sanctions, threats and pressure rather than genuine negotiations.

Asked about reported US threats involving Iran’s Kharg Island, Baqaei warned that any such action would have consequences, without elaborating.

Iraqi PM’s visit

Baqaei also described the upcoming visit of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Al Zaidi to Tehran as “highly significant,” saying the two sides would discuss trade, border cooperation and regional security.

He added that several agreements and memorandums of understanding were expected to be signed during the visit, with further details to be announced later.

The visa is valid for one year from the date of issuance. Pilgrims may make multiple trips during that period, with the total stay capped at 90 days across all visits.

The ministry clarified that the visa cannot be used to enter Saudi Arabia during the Hajj season. It also said the duration of each Umrah package must not exceed the number of days remaining under the visa.

For every visit, pilgrims must purchase a service package through one of the accredited providers listed on the Nusuk platform.

Before travelling, they must also obtain an Umrah permit through the Nusuk app. The permit dates must match the approved service package, and travellers must meet all applicable entry and travel requirements.

The ministry said the visa is automatically suspended when a pilgrim leaves the Kingdom and reactivated for subsequent visits once all regulatory requirements have been fulfilled.

Any unused portion of the 90-day stay is carried forward and can be used during future visits within the visa’s one-year validity period.

In a statement, US Central Command said it started “a new wave of strikes” aimed at “degrading” Iran’s ability to attack commercial vessels in the strait’s vital shipping lanes.

The Central Command announcement gave no further details.

But Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency, citing its own reporters, said US missiles struck several Iranian cities early Monday.

Explosions were heard in Tabriz, Chabahar, Konarak, Bandar Mahshahr and Bandar ​Imam Khomeini, according to Tasnim.

In the latest American casualty reported in the war, the US military said on Sunday that a service member was killed ​on Saturday in northern Iraq, where the US has military bases, during a controlled detonation of what Central Command called ⁠unexploded ordnance on a downed Iranian attack drone.

Earlier in the weekend, the US military said two of its service personnel died in Jordan and that a third was missing ​in action.

On Sunday, Central Command said in a statement that “unidentified remains” had been found at the site of Friday’s attack and that “an examination process to verify ​the remains is ongoing.”

The latest casualty announcements brought the total number of US military personnel killed since the war began to 17, with more than 420 others wounded.

For its part, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced a surprise strike against “the enemy’s special operations headquarters in Syria’s Al-Tanf area.”

Iran earlier conducted a drone attack on US military assets and equipment at Kuwait’s Al Adiri camp ​and Ali Al Salem Air Base, Iranian state TV reported early on Sunday.

Iran had previously hit both bases as part of its attacks against US ​assets and allies in the Gulf over the past week.

Kuwait’s government said a desalination plant had been attacked for the second day running, causing a fire, in what it called a direct ‌strike on ⁠vital civilian infrastructure.

Concerns about the flow of energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz have persisted since the United States and Iran resumed open hostilities after accusing each other of repeatedly violating a ceasefire deal.

The Royal Navy’s United Kingdom Maritime Operations Centre said late Sunday that it received a report that a vessel was on fire not far from the Omani coast, although it had not verified a cause.

Oil prices jumped 3% on Monday, with Brent crude futures surpassing $90 a barrel, the highest level ​since June 11.

Monday’s attacks came the day ​after Central Command said its eighth ⁠consecutive wave of attacks hit Iranian military coastal surveillance and air defence facilities.

The US and Iran have intensified attacks as an interim ceasefire agreement signed a month ago has unravelled, and a struggle for control of the Strait of Hormuz has ​deepened, raising the risk of a return to all-out hostilities.

“We hit them very hard again tonight, and we did it ​in honour of” ⁠the US service members killed since Friday, Trump told reporters after he returned from attending the World Cup final.

The US Embassy in the Gulf state of Bahrain warned that it had information suggesting Iran may seek to target unspecified locations in central Manama, that nation’s capital, and urged Americans there to remain vigilant.

The conflict, which began when the US ⁠and Israel ​attacked Iran on February 28, seeking to disable Tehran’s nuclear and missile programmes and weaken its regional proxies, has killed ​thousands of people, mostly in Iran and Lebanon, and led to major energy supply disruptions and fears over global inflation.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Monday they had targeted US aircraft at Jordan’s Aqaba airport with ballistic missiles, as well as US military assets and equipment at Kuwait’s Al Adiri camp and Ali Al Salem Air Base, and in Syria.

Sirens sounded in Bahrain on Monday morning, the country’s interior ministry said, while the Kuwaiti army said it was intercepting hostile drones in an Iranian attack.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States ​would continue to target Iran while it attacked global commercial shipping.

“The Strait of Hormuz are international waterways, and they continue to launch against the ships in that international waterway,” Rubio said.

“As long as Iran insists on controlling an international waterway, we’re gonna have to respond to that. The United States always remains open to a diplomatic solution.”

Oil tankers damaged

Kuwait’s government said a desalination plant was attacked for the second ​day running, causing a fire, in what it called a direct strike on vital civilian infrastructure.

The Revolutionary Guards said on Monday that two oil tankers had exploded and been immobilised after attempting to transit what it described as an unsafe southern route through Hormuz, alleging the vessels had been encouraged by the US military to use the passage.

Reuters could not immediately verify the incident.

The statement gave no details on the vessels’ names, flags, crews or any casualties.

The Guards said the waterway would remain unsafe as long as what it called US “aggression” in the region continued, warning that “this passage will not be safe for the transit of ​petrochemical products, nor even a single drop of ​oil and gas.”

Four vessels made the transit through ⁠Hormuz on Sunday, down from eight the previous day, LSEG data showed.

At least three oil product tankers and one Very Large Crude Carrier have entered the strait since Friday to load oil, the data showed.

In the latest American ​casualty reported in the war, the US military said on Sunday that a service member was killed on Saturday in northern Iraq, where ​the US has military ⁠bases, during a controlled detonation of what Central Command called unexploded ordnance on a downed Iranian attack drone.

The latest casualty announcements brought the total ⁠number of US ​military personnel killed since the war began to 17, with more than 420 others wounded.

The months-old movement and the planned protest are seen as the biggest public challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his third term in office, drawing millions of supporters on social media before broadening its appeal.

A police decision to forcibly move hunger-striking activist Sonam Wangchuk to hospital on Saturday has galvanised the movement, with thousands of supporters arriving through the night at the protest ​site of Jantar Mantar in the heart of New Delhi for the march on the opening day of parliament’s monsoon session.

Delhi police held meetings with ​Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) members, but no consensus had yet been reached, Sachin Sharma, Delhi’s Deputy Commissioner of Police, told Reuters.

“The protest site ⁠has already run out of space, and this can lead to an untoward situation,” he said, adding that there were around 10,000 protesters on Monday morning.

Scores of police ​and paramilitary security personnel were also deployed at the site, threatening a standoff close to parliament if the march goes ahead.

Television visuals showed police caning some protesters in a ​heavily barricaded area.

Delhi Police denied any use of force and said the “protest is being handled professionally.”

Protesters chanted slogans as they arrived peacefully in a rainy central Delhi.

“Quit, quit,” they chanted. “Dharmendra Pradhan quit”, “Narendra Modi quit”, they chanted in Hindi, referring to the education minister as well as the prime minister.

“The administration is trying to open talks with the government… They have come very late, but we have ​opened our hearts and said that we are willing to talk to them,” Saurav Das, chief CJP spokesperson, told the ANI news agency.

The CJP movement began after national ​medical school entrance test papers were leaked in May, affecting more than 2 million students as it forced them to sit the test a second time.

“All these leaders in power are illiterate and ‌I am ⁠here to protest because we do not want question papers to leak,” said Adi Nathan, 21, a student from Meerut city, about 100 km from the capital. “This should come to an end.”

Mohammed Tabrez, 22, a student preparing for competitive examinations that allow students admission into professional courses or jobs, said he had come from Amroha in Uttar Pradesh state, about 165 km away.

“We want this corruption to end,” he said. “We want all the frauds in paper leaks, in competitive examinations to end, and this is the ​reason I have come here.”

Terms to end fast

The CJP initially drew support ⁠largely online, amassing 22 million followers on Instagram within days, but has since drawn support from some opposition parties.

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and his supporters began a sit-in last month seeking the resignation of Pradhan.

Wangchuk joined them on June 28, launching an indefinite hunger ​strike at the site.

In a handwritten note from hospital posted on his X account on Monday, Wangchuk said he would end ​his fast if the ⁠government took responsibility for recent failures in the education system and for paper leaks, or if CJP protesters were allowed to reach parliament and lawmakers assured them they would take up the issues.

He said he would also end the hunger strike if lawmakers and leaders of various parties met him in hospital and gave him the same assurances since his health did ⁠not allow him ​to march on parliament.

The rise of the CJP reflects frustrations among young Indians over issues like high ​youth unemployment and frequent examination paper leaks, analysts say.

Unemployment in 2025 stood at 3.1% among those aged 15 and above, government data shows, but was 9.9% for those from 15 to 29. In urban areas it ​was 13.6%, and 8.3% in rural regions.

The couple announced the birth of their son, Alec Neel Vance, on Sunday in a statement shared on social media.

“We are excited to announce that our baby boy, Alec Neel Vance, was born this morning. Usha and the baby are happy and healthy, and our kids are overjoyed to meet their little brother,” the statement said.

The Vances also thanked the medical staff at Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre and the White House medical team for their care.

Alec joins the couple’s three children — Ewan, 9, Vivek, 6, and Mirabel, 4.

The birth is a historic milestone, as the last sitting US vice president to welcome a child while in office was Schuyler Colfax, whose son was born in 1870 during his vice presidency, according to the White House Historical Association.

Vance, 41, has frequently advocated for larger families and higher birth rates in the United States.

Since joining the political fray in 2021, Vance repeatedly expressed concern over America’s falling birth rate and encouraged families to have more children.

Usha Vance, 40, whose parents immigrated from India, announced her pregnancy in January.

Her pregnancy attracted public attention due to the rarity of senior US officeholders expanding their families while serving in office.

The arrival of the Vances’ fourth child also comes amid a recent wave of births among senior members of President Donald Trump’s administration.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and his wife, Katie Miller, welcomed their fourth child in recent days, while White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt gave birth to her second child in May.

In a statement posted on Telegram, the Iranian army said it targeted the Al Adairi military camp and Ali Al Salem Air Base, describing the strikes as retaliation for repeated US attacks, civilian casualties and damage to infrastructure inside Iran.

According to the statement, Iranian forces struck a US ammunition depot at Al Adairi camp, along with Patriot radar systems and an air surveillance radar at Ali Al Salem Air Base.

Tehran described Al Adairi as a major US logistics and support hub located about 100 kilometres from Iran’s border, while Ali Al Salem was identified as a key gateway for American military air operations in the region.

The claims could not be independently verified, and there was no immediate response from US or Kuwaiti authorities.

Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal, citing US officials, reported that Iran has adapted its missile arsenal to overcome American air defence systems by deploying faster missiles capable of manoeuvring during their terminal descent, making them significantly more difficult to intercept.

The report said Iran has restored more than half of its pre-war missile inventory through an extensive network of underground “missile city” facilities, enabling it to replenish stockpiles quickly and sustain attacks against US and allied targets.

US officials cited the recent attack on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, which killed two American service members and wounded several others, as evidence of Iran’s evolving missile capabilities.

The base is protected by the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system, which has previously intercepted Iranian missile threats in the region.

According to the report, some US officials also suspect Iran may be receiving foreign assistance to improve its missile operations, including possible targeting support from China or Russia, although no evidence has been publicly presented.

Spain captain Rodri held the World Cup trophy aloft at the top of the stairs as he descended from the Iberia plane that flew the team home from the United States after clinching their second star.

Spain’s 1-0 victory over Argentina in New Jersey on Sunday, secured by a Ferran Torres strike in extra-time, has sparked an outpouring of national pride in the football-mad country, whose only other World Cup triumph came in 2010.

Many younger supporters were not yet born when Andres Iniesta’s extra-time goal against the Netherlands secured Spain’s first World Cup in South Africa 16 years ago.

On Monday morning, the Castellana, Madrid’s main avenue, bore the marks of a boozy evening — the tarmac strewn with trash, beer cans and shards of glass.

Among the last remaining supporters, some slept with grins on their faces on the pavement or on benches, while others were still staggering home as cleaning crews worked from the early hours to prepare the route for tonight’s party.

“I didn’t sleep much, because… (of) the celebration and then the tension of the match – I think it was a little more difficult for all of us to fall asleep,” Madrid mayor Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida told RNE radio.

After landing, the players will be received by King Felipe VI at Zarzuela Palace, on the outskirts of Madrid, according to the mayor.

The team will then be met by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez at the government headquarters, La Moncloa.

Spain’s World Cup winners will enjoy an open-top bus parade, starting at Moncloa and heading to Cibeles square, the central government’s representative in Madrid, Francisco Martin, told Spanish public television.

A ceremony involving the players will then be held at the square, the traditional gathering point for celebrations by the Spanish national team and its supporters.

Around one million people are expected to line the parade route, with additional security and transport measures planned to handle the crowds, Martin said.

Some supporters, who already had only a short night’s sleep, are planning to celebrate again, like Bruno Gonzalez del Yerro, a 32-year-old financier.

“We’ll have to celebrate it one way or another, given that it only happens every four years and that Spain hadn’t won it for about (sixteen) years now — it definitely deserves a party,” he said.

Spain’s women’s side won the World Cup in 2023, meaning for the first time a country has both trophies at the same time.

In 2030, Spain will defend their crown on home soil, as one of the World Cup hosts along with Portugal and Morocco.

‘All-time’ kings

The Spanish press was running out of superlatives to describe its heroes after they overcame favourites France in the semi-finals before downing Argentina.

“The kings of all-time!” wrote Marca, celebrating a “second star that will now be stitched onto the Spanish jersey after yet another masterclass in collective play.”

On a tragic note, a 13-year-old boy was killed around midnight in the town of Ciudad Rodrigo in the west, after a fountain crumbled under the weight of supporters who had climbed onto it to celebrate.

In Buenos Aires, the initial silence after defeat was striking, and then the tears came once the reality sank in. Their hopes of a fourth World Cup were dashed, but hundreds of thousands of people are expected to greet the team on their return at 5:00 pm local time (20:00 GMT).

After more than five weeks of competition with the expanded format and 48 teams, only Spain and Argentina were left standing by the 104th and final match.

The 2022 champions, despite the presence of all-time great Lionel Messi, failed to create clear chances against Spain’s well-organised and more positive side.

Enzo Fernandez’s red card left Argentina with their backs pinned to the wall, and Barcelona forward Torres slammed home after fellow substitute Nico Williams teed him up.

“It’s not my goal, it’s the goal of 47 million people,” said Spain’s match-winner.

Messi had a sensational World Cup but drifted through the final like a ghost, shedding tears at the end. In Madrid, tears will also flow on Monday night, but tears of joy.

Speaking on The New York Times’ “The Interview” podcast, Mamdani said his office’s legal department was actively reviewing the issue, following a campaign pledge in which he vowed to pursue Netanyahu’s arrest.

“I believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu belongs in The Hague,” Mamdani said, describing the Israeli leader as “a war criminal” facing charges before the International Criminal Court (ICC).

When asked whether New York had the legal authority to arrest Netanyahu, Mamdani said the matter remained under review.

“That’s an active conversation with our legal department,” he said, adding that his administration had no interest in acting outside the law.

The ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and other Israeli officials in 2024 over war crimes linked to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.

Israel rejects the allegations, while both US President Donald Trump and former president Joe Biden have criticised the court’s decision.

The United States is not a party to the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC and requires member states to execute the court’s arrest warrants.

Washington has sharpened its attacks on the International Criminal Court, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio promising to “dismantle” the tribunal and alleging it is using international law to target the United States politically.

Mamdani, a vocal critic of Israel’s military operations in Gaza, has repeatedly described the campaign as “genocide”— an accusation Israel strongly denies.

Netanyahu’s office dismissed the mayor’s remarks, accusing him of trying to divert attention from his own political problems by targeting the Israeli leader.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz also criticised Mamdani’s comments, calling them “pure political theatre” and noting that the United States does not recognise the ICC’s jurisdiction.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the strikes were ordered to further weaken Iran’s ability to disrupt commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway that previously handled around one-fifth of the world’s oil supplies before the conflict erupted.

The latest strikes followed a drone and missile attack on a US base in Jordan on Friday, marking the first US troop fatalities from direct Iranian fire since the early days of the war.

The identities of the two slain service members were not disclosed.

The latest casualties bring the US military death toll since the conflict began to 16, with more than 430 personnel wounded.

Southern Iran targeted

Iranian state media reported that several locations in the country’s south came under attack overnight.

According to IRNA, an area near Sirik on the Strait of Hormuz was struck around 1.30am local time.

Explosions were also reported near Hajiabad and in Bandar Abbas, while another site near Qeshm Island inside the strategic waterway was targeted, state broadcaster IRIB reported.

The latest attacks came a day after US strikes reportedly damaged an electricity and desalination plant, bridges and tunnels in Hormozgan province, disrupting a key highway leading to Bandar Abbas, Iran’s main commercial port.

Iranian media also reported a strike near the city of Shadegan in the southwestern province of Khuzestan.

Iran’s Health Ministry said at least 50 people have been killed and more than 500 wounded in US strikes over the past three weeks, including eight people killed in an attack on a bridge on Friday.

Drone strike hits Iraqi Kurdistan

Across the border in Iraq, a drone strike targeted a base belonging to the Kurdistan Freedom Party, an Iranian Kurdish opposition group, near Irbil early Sunday, injuring eight members, according to a military official from the group.

Residents in Irbil also reported hearing explosions as air defence systems intercepted incoming drones.

The Kurdish region has witnessed repeated drone attacks in recent days amid escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran.

The Delhi High Court ​said the government’s decision to move Wangchuk to Safdarjung Hospital against his ⁠wishes was not arbitrary. It ordered a status report to be filed before the next hearing ​scheduled for Friday.

Wangchuk, 59, has been fasting since June 28 in solidarity with India’s Cockroach Janta ​Party, which was formed by Indian youths and is demanding that federal Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan step down over exam paper leaks in May that affected millions of students.

The campaign has emerged as a rare public challenge to Prime ​Minister Narendra Modi’s government and has drawn support across India.

Judge Mini Pushkarna said doctors had ​administered only oral fluids and supplements with Wangchuk’s consent, adding: “It cannot be said that any force is being used ‌against Mr Sonam Wangchuk or that his bodily autonomy is being violated in any manner whatsoever.”

Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali Angmo, had sought permission to transfer him to the privately run Medanta Hospital, alleging he was being held in “illegal detention”. Her lawyers argued that she was entitled to have him treated at ​a hospital of their ​choice.

The government opposed the ⁠request, saying it had to be cautious about Wangchuk’s health and that his wife and close family members had been given round-the-clock access to ​him.

Safdarjung Hospital said earlier on Sunday that Wangchuk’s vital parameters were stable, ​although his ⁠blood parameters remained “marginally altered”, and that he required sustained medical intervention and round-the-clock monitoring.

On Thursday, the Delhi High Court asked authorities to watch Wangchuk’s health closely and intervene if needed, in response to a ⁠petition asking authorities to force-feed him as his health weakened.

The CJP ​plans to march to Parliament on Monday, the first day of its latest session, to press its demands.

Major General Ali Abdollahi, commander of the Khatam Al Anbiya Headquarters, also reaffirmed ing loyalty to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei and called for national unity in the wake of US strikes on Iran.

Major General Ali Abdollahi’s statement followed a televised address by Ayatollah Khamenei, who accused Washington of repeatedly violating Iran’s sovereignty and cautioned that the United States would face “unforgettable lessons” if it continued its confrontational approach.

In a statement, Abdollahi said Iran’s Armed Forces remained committed to implementing the supreme leader’s directives and would use all available resources to strengthen coordination between the military, the government and the Iranian people.

He renewed the military’s pledge of allegiance to Ayatollah Khamenei, describing the preservation of national unity and cohesion as a key pillar of Iran’s defence strategy.

Addressing the United States, Abdollahi warned that any attempt to threaten or attack Iran would be met with a forceful military response.

He said any act of aggression or coercion by Washington would draw a “decisive and devastating response” from Iran’s armed forces, adding that the costs imposed on the US would exceed those suffered during “second and third American-Israeli wars against the Islamic Republic”.

The commander also accused Washington of trying to undermine Iran’s internal unity after failing to achieve its objectives on the battlefield, urging all sectors of society to remain united against what he called an external conspiracy.

Before the strikes on Saturday, Iran’s supreme leader said Washington would pay for “seeking to escalate the conflict.”

Central Command said in a statement that the air strikes began ‌at 6pm ET, at President Donald Trump’s direction.

“The strikes are designed to further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and swiftly punish Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces who launched attacks against American service members in Jordan last night,” it said, without providing further details.

Iran’s Mehr news agency said the US carried out an attack near Sirik in southern Iran, adding that no casualties or damage to infrastructure have been reported.

The US and Iran have intensified attacks since an interim ​ceasefire deal signed a month ago fell apart last week, raising the possibility of a return to all-out war.

Central Command said the two deaths occurred on Friday and that a third US service ​member was missing in action.

The announcement brought the number of US service members killed since the war began to 16, while more than 420 have been ⁠wounded.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth posted on X: “Their sacrifice only stiffens our resolve.”

Iran appeared to target Saudi Arabia as well as other US Gulf allies and Jordan on Saturday after US attacks on Iranian bridges, power facilities ​and other infrastructure.

In a written statement carried by the official social media accounts of Iran’s supreme leader and Iranian state media, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said US actions have shown that Trump’s signature was “utterly worthless and ​devoid of credibility.”

The statement warned of “even heavier costs and further humiliation” for the United States.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Khamenei’s whereabouts remain a mystery.

The conflict, which began when the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran at the end of February, hoping to disable its missile programme and its regional proxies, has led to major disruption to energy supplies, fears over global inflation and a battle for control of the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran hits back at regional countries

On ​Saturday, Kuwait came under sustained attack, with the armed forces saying they had intercepted Iranian ballistic missiles and drones, and that some firefighters and oil sector workers had been injured while responding to the attacks.

Iran’s IRGC ​said it had struck a US military support centre at Kuwait’s Camp Arifjan and destroyed a radar facility at Ali Al Salem Air Base.

Kuwait Petroleum Corporation later said one of its oil facilities had been hit in “repeated Iranian attacks”, causing ‌significant damage ⁠and some injuries, according to the state news agency.

The IRGC also targeted a site in Bahrain where US combat aircraft were gathered at Sheikh Isa Air Base and an intelligence data centre, Iranian media said.

The Guards also destroyed at least two US fighter aircraft and three other aircraft during a missile and drone attack early on Saturday on the US base in Al Azraq, Jordan, according to Iranian state TV.

Reuters could not independently verify the reports.

Saudi Arabia’s early warning system issued alerts early on Saturday urging residents of Al Kharj and Yanbu to seek shelter.

Al Kharj, east of Riyadh, is home to a military base that hosts U.S. troops, while Yanbu, on the Red Sea, ​has a key oil export terminal.

Two people briefed on ​the matter said an Iranian missile attack, the ⁠first on Saudi Arabia in more than three months, had triggered the alerts.

The government media office did not respond to a request for comment.

The IRGC made no mention of any attack on Saudi Arabia.

The US State Department issued a worldwide travel alert for Americans abroad on Saturday, citing heightened tensions in the Middle East “with the ​potential for unforeseen escalation.”

The advisory said flight cancellations and periodic airspace closures could disrupt travel.

Battle for control of Hormuz

Earlier, US Central Command said it had ​hit Iranian surveillance sites, military ⁠logistics infrastructure, underground weapons storage and maritime capabilities.

US air strikes early on Saturday killed three people and wounded eight others in the southern Hormozgan province, which borders the Strait of Hormuz, while two bridges and a road tunnel were damaged, Iranian state TV reported.

Iran’s Health Ministry said on Saturday that 50 people had been killed and more than 500 wounded in US strikes on the country over the past three weeks.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei accused the United States of seeking ⁠control over the ​Strait of Hormuz, which usually handles around one-fifth of the world’s oil supply.

Both sides have taken aim at shipping traffic, with ​the US saying it is enforcing a naval blockade and Iran saying it targets vessels violating its rules on navigating the strait.

The European Union and Gulf states called on Iran to immediately and unconditionally halt all attacks and interference with maritime navigation and to keep the ​strait open without conditions or fees, according to a joint statement reported by Saudi state TV on Saturday.

The survey, conducted between February and May across 36 countries, found that China received more favourable ratings than the United States in 25 nations.

It marks the first time since Pew began tracking global perceptions that Beijing has outperformed Washington in most of the countries surveyed.

According to the report, China’s improved standing reflects its efforts to expand diplomatic, economic and cultural influence, particularly in Africa and Latin America.

The survey pointed to Beijing’s deepening trade and security partnerships with countries such as Brazil and Peru, as well as its zero-tariff policy for many African nations, as factors contributing to the shift.

However, the report said the change was driven largely by declining perceptions of the United States rather than a dramatic surge in support for China.

Pew attributed the decline in America’s image to policies pursued under President Donald Trump, including sweeping tariffs, cuts to foreign aid and an increasingly confrontational foreign policy.

The United States’ median favourability rating across the surveyed countries fell to 36% from 48% a year earlier, while China’s rating rose to 46% from 38% over the same period.

Countries that continued to view the United States more positively than China were largely traditional US allies or regional rivals of Beijing, including Japan, South Korea and Israel.

In contrast, respondents in Canada and Mexico expressed more favourable views of China than of the United States, despite both countries being among Washington’s closest partners.

The survey also found that respondents in most of the countries had greater confidence in Chinese President Xi Jinping than in President Trump, although confidence in both leaders remained relatively low overall.

Analysts cautioned that the findings may not necessarily indicate a lasting shift in China’s global popularity, but said the results reflect growing international dissatisfaction with US foreign policy.

The survey follows earlier Pew findings showing widespread international disapproval of the Trump administration’s handling of conflicts in Iran and Gaza, which researchers identified as major contributors to the erosion of America’s global image.

He died on July 15 after spending more than 50 years teaching, writing and working to dispel misconceptions about Islam in the West while encouraging greater understanding between Muslims and other communities.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1940, Esposito studied under the late Palestinian-American scholar Isma’il Raji Al Faruqi, an experience that shaped his lifelong commitment to presenting Islam from its own intellectual and religious perspective.

He began his academic career at the College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts, where he taught world religions and later chaired the Department of Religious Studies before joining Georgetown University, Al Jazeera said in a report.

At Georgetown, Esposito served as University Professor of Religion, International Affairs and Islamic Studies.

In 1993, he founded the Centre for Muslim-Christian Understanding, later renamed the Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Centre for Muslim-Christian Understanding, which became a globally recognised institution for interfaith dialogue.

He also established the Bridge Initiative, a research project focused on monitoring and countering Islamophobia.

Over the course of his career, Esposito authored, co-authored or edited more than 50 books, many of which were translated into dozens of languages.

His most influential works include Islam: The Straight Path, The Islamic Threat: Myth or Reality?, What Everyone Needs to Know About Islam, The Future of Islam and Islamophobia: The Challenge of Pluralism in the 21st Century.

His 2007 book, Who Speaks for Islam? What a Billion Muslims Really Think, co-authored with Dalia Mogahed and based on interviews conducted across more than 35 Muslim-majority countries, became one of the most widely cited studies on Muslim public opinion.

Esposito also served as editor-in-chief of several major reference works, including The Oxford Dictionary of Islam, The Oxford History of Islam and The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Islamic World.

A practising Catholic, Esposito frequently said his own faith inspired his commitment to fostering understanding and dialogue between religious communities.

Throughout his career, he held leadership roles in several academic organisations, including serving as president of both the Middle East Studies Association of North America and the American Academy of Religion.

His contributions earned numerous honours, including the American Academy of Religion’s Martin E. Marty Award for the Public Understanding of Religion and Pakistan’s Quaid-e-Azam Award for Outstanding Contributions to Islamic Studies.

Tributes poured in from scholars, religious leaders and public figures following news of his death.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim described Esposito as “a true friend of the Islamic world”, recalling a friendship spanning more than five decades and praising his efforts to deepen global understanding of Islam, particularly in the years following the September 11 attacks.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) also paid tribute, with Executive Director Nihad Awad describing Esposito as an influential scholar who dedicated his life to promoting an accurate understanding of Islam and Muslims at a time when prejudice and misinformation were widespread.

Esposito is survived by his wife, Dr Jeanette P. Esposito.

The UK government announced the appointments on Thursday, saying the list includes figures from politics, business, philanthropy, the military and civil society who will join the upper chamber of Parliament as life peers, allowing them to scrutinise, amend and vote on legislation.

Khan, a former Labour MP for Tooting, has served as London mayor since 2016 and is currently midway through his third term in office.

The nominations come ahead of a Labour leadership transition, with Andy Burnham set to become party leader and prime minister on July 20.

Under long-standing convention, outgoing prime ministers recommend individuals for life peerages before leaving office.

Of the 26 appointments, 16 were nominated by Labour, five by the Liberal Democrats, three by the Conservatives and two were appointed as crossbench peers with no party affiliation.

Among Labour’s nominees are human rights advocates Parvais Jabbar and Saul Lehrfreund, co-founders of the Death Penalty Project, and Cathy Ashley, a campaigner for families’ rights and former head of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust.

The Conservative Party nominated former Chief of the General Staff General Sir Patrick Sanders, while the Liberal Democrats selected economist Tim Leunig, chief economist at the social innovation foundation Nesta.

Crossbench nominee Sir Brian Leveson, the former senior judge who chaired the 2011 inquiry into Britain’s phone-hacking scandal, was also included on the list.

Starmer did not recommend any nominees from Reform UK, despite the party holding seven seats in the House of Commons following Nigel Farage’s resignation as an MP earlier this month.

Farage criticised the decision, saying it left the upper chamber even less representative.

Before the latest appointments, the Conservatives held 246 seats in the House of Lords, compared with Labour’s 216, giving the opposition a numerical advantage in the upper chamber.

The CPS said it would bring more charges against Andrew Tate, 39, and Tristan Tate, 38, after it identified four additional victims.

The Tates ​will face charges in Britain relating to alleged offences between July ​2010 and August 2017.

“We have decided to prosecute Andrew and ⁠Tristan Tate for further offences including rape, arranging or facilitating trafficking for ​sexual exploitation and offences relating to indecent images of a child,” Malcolm McHaffie, ​Head of the Special Crime Division at the CPS, said in a statement.

The Tate brothers, who have dual US and British citizenship, have denied any wrongdoing.

The US Marshals Service ​did not immediately return requests for comment.

The brothers were arrested in Miami, ​according to multiple news outlets.

The arrests mark a new chapter in the widening legal troubles ‌for ⁠the brothers, who already face criminal proceedings in Romania, where authorities have been investigating them since December 2022.

The brothers have built a large online following promoting their views on masculinity and wealth, while Andrew Tate has previously described ​himself as a ​misogynist.

Andrew Tate is ⁠due to face trial in Britain this year in a civil case brought by four women for alleged physical and ​sexual abuse.

The four claimants, who have been granted anonymity, allege ​Tate subjected ⁠them to physical or sexual violence between 2013 and 2015.

Two say they were in an intimate relationship with Tate, while two worked for his online ⁠webcam ​business.

Andrew Tate denies the allegations. In his ​written defence, his lawyers said the claims are false and that all sexual activity was consensual.

Aoun, who served as the commander of Lebanon’s US-backed army before ‌being elected president last year, is the first Lebanese head of state in nearly 20 years to visit the White House, where he will meet Trump face-to-face for the first time.

Tuesday’s meeting comes at a crucial moment for Lebanon: Israeli troops are occupying a swathe of the country’s south, hundreds of thousands of Lebanese remain displaced following Israeli strikes, and Hezbollah has firmly rejected the government’s direct talks with Israel — and efforts by the state to strip it ​of its arms.

In comments published by his office last week, Aoun said he would ask Trump to “exert the necessary pressure on Israel” to implement a US-brokered June 26 agreement between ​Lebanon and Israel.

That deal aims to disarm Hezbollah, see a progressive Israeli troop withdrawal and set the stage for peaceful ties between the two ⁠countries.

A Lebanese official said Aoun would present Trump with a written proposal on how to decommission Hezbollah’s arsenal.

The official said Aoun believes only Trump possesses the leverage needed to ​pressure Israel to withdraw its troops and help Lebanon restore its sovereignty.

Hezbollah’s disarmament

Aoun, 62, became president last year just before Trump began his second term in the White House.

The US welcomed ​Aoun’s election.

Aoun is a Maronite Christian. A career soldier, Aoun was wounded twice and still carries a shrapnel wound.

His rise reflected a major shift in the power balance in Lebanon, following a devastating Israeli offensive in 2024 and the ousting of Syrian President Bashar Al Assad — seismic ​events that weakened Hezbollah and its long-decisive hold over the state.

At his swearing-in ceremony, Aoun vowed to affirm “the state’s right to a monopoly on arms”.

His presidency’s first year was defined by a ​government bid to secure the disarmament of Hezbollah.

Lebanese troops deployed in southern Lebanon to collect Hezbollah weapons caches, in line with ‌a ceasefire ⁠after the 2024 war and without opposition from a weakened Hezbollah.

New war erupts

But early into his term’s second year, a new war erupted when Hezbollah fired at Israel on March 2 in support of Iran, which was under US and Israeli attack.

The attack triggered a fierce Israeli air and ground campaign that has killed more than 4,300 people, including nearly 800 children, women and medics.

After the war began, Aoun swiftly called for direct talks with Israel, a ​historic departure for a state repeatedly invaded by ​Israel since 1978.

It led to the ⁠highest-level face-to-face contacts in decades between the two countries.

It also made him the focus of fierce criticism by Hezbollah and its supporters.

Aoun has stood firm, criticising Hezbollah for starting the war and saying Lebanon was being destroyed for the sake of Iran.

Still, he has stopped short of agreeing to Trump’s ​call for him to meet radical Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu.

A military veteran

Aoun was born in Sin Al Fil, a suburb of eastern Beirut. His ​family originally hails from south ⁠Lebanon.

His first army assignment was as a platoon commander in the army rangers in 1985, during Lebanon’s 1975 to 1990 civil war.

Shortly after his promotion to commander, he oversaw a campaign to rout Daesh militants at the Syrian-Lebanese border.

He led the army through the crisis that followed Lebanon’s financial implosion of 2019, which devastated the Lebanese currency after decades of state corruption and bad governance.

At the time, Aoun ⁠warned that the ​crisis would lead to the collapse of the Lebanese army, “the backbone of the country”.

In an unusually political statement for ​an army commander, he criticised ruling politicians over the collapse, saying soldiers were going hungry along with the rest of the population and asking politicians, “what do you intend to do?”

Aoun’s election ended a two-year presidential vacuum following the 2022 end of ​the term of Hezbollah ally Michel Aoun, who is no relation.

He has pledged to work on long-delayed economic reforms and vowed justice for victims of the Beirut port explosion of 2020.

The latest disruptions come after military hostilities between Washington and Tehran resumed earlier this month, ending a brief ceasefire and triggering fresh missile and drone attacks across the region.

Emirates cancelled eight flights between Dubai and Kuwait on Sunday, while Etihad Airways suspended its Abu Dhabi-Kuwait services on July 19 and 20.

Air Arabia also cancelled or delayed multiple flights operating from Sharjah and Abu Dhabi to Kuwait, while Flydubai cancelled one of its scheduled services between Dubai and Abha in Saudi Arabia.

Kuwait Airways said it had rescheduled most of its commercial flights after operations at Kuwait International Airport were temporarily suspended on Saturday due to repeated missile and drone threats.

The renewed conflict has disrupted aviation just as regional air traffic had begun recovering from months of airspace restrictions imposed after the US-Iran war erupted on February 28.

Airlines have advised passengers to check the latest status of their flights before travelling to airports, warning that schedules remain subject to change as the security situation continues to evolve.

Kuwait remains hardest hit

Emirates cancelled eight services between Dubai International Airport and Kuwait International Airport, citing operational reasons, while Etihad said it was assisting affected passengers after suspending flights between Abu Dhabi and Kuwait for two days.

Air Arabia also cancelled several Kuwait-bound flights from Sharjah and Abu Dhabi, urging travellers to verify their flight status before departing for the airport.

Kuwait Airways said most of its operations had been rescheduled after the temporary closure of Kuwait International Airport, while Jazeera Airways reported intermittent disruptions caused by repeated closures of Kuwaiti airspace.

Passengers travelling with both airlines have been advised to monitor updates through their booking details and arrive at the airport only after receiving revised departure times.

Saudi flights also affected

In Saudi Arabia, Flydubai cancelled its Dubai-Abha service on Sunday, although another scheduled flight on the same route continued to operate.

The airline said passengers should regularly check flight updates, as schedules could change at short notice amid ongoing regional tensions.

Speaking on The New York Times’ The Interview podcast, Mamdani said he believes Netanyahu “belongs in The Hague,” describing the Israeli premier as “a war criminal” facing charges before the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The mayor said his office is in active discussions with the New York City Law Department to determine whether he has the legal authority to direct the New York Police Department (NYPD) to detain a visiting foreign leader.

“Whatever the law allows me to do in New York City, that’s what we will do, but we won’t be writing our own laws to that end,” Mamdani said.

During his mayoral campaign, Mamdani had pledged to seek enforcement of the ICC arrest warrant against Netanyahu if the Israeli leader visited New York.

Netanyahu, however, dismissed the prospect in a recent radio interview, accusing Mamdani of supporting Hamas.

The radical Israeli prime minister said the mayor should reconsider “who he’s condemning” and “who he’s praising,” arguing that Israel shares America’s democratic values.

Mamdani has repeatedly criticised Israel’s military campaign in Gaza while also condemning Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.

In the same interview, the mayor also criticised US policy on Gaza, calling Washington’s approach “bankrupt.”

He additionally voiced support for the possibility of Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez seeking the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028, defended New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, criticised President Donald Trump’s immigration policies while supporting cooperation on serious criminal cases, and said tackling affordability remains his administration’s top priority.

CENTCOM said in a statement posted on X that the service members were killed on July 17 as US and partner forces “defended against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks.”

Four American service members were medically evacuated to Jordanian hospitals but have since been discharged. Other personnel evaluated for minor injuries have returned to duty.

CENTCOM said it would withhold further details, including the identities of the fallen service members, until 24 hours after their next of kin have been notified, “out of respect for the families.”

The attack took place at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, which US warplanes have used for operations against Iran, according to US officials.

Iran has repeatedly struck the base with ballistic missiles and drones, including an earlier attack this week that left US service members with minor injuries, two officials said.

The casualties mark a significant escalation in hostilities between Iran and US forces in the region, amid a wider exchange of strikes between Washington and Tehran following the collapse of a ceasefire agreement.

Separately, Iran announced it has suspended its commitments under the Pakistan-mediated Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United States, accusing Washington of violating the agreement through continued military strikes.

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal Affairs, Kazem Gharibabadi, said Tehran halted implementation of the accord after the US allegedly failed to honour its commitments, according to Fars News Agency.

“We have suspended our commitments under the Islamabad Memorandum,” he said, adding that Washington had “violated and suspended all its commitments under the framework” of the agreement. “We have also suspended our commitments; we are not implementing them and are focused on defending the country,” he said.

According to Al Jazeera, Gharibabadi said Washington’s continued military operations had “destroyed the spirit” of the agreement, making it impossible for Iran to continue implementing any of its provisions.

He noted that although Iran had repeatedly accused the United States of violating the agreement in recent months, this was the first time Tehran had formally announced that it would no longer implement any part of the Islamabad MoU.

With inputs from AFP

In a written statement carried by state TV, Khamenei said Washington’s continued attacks, despite the existence of a framework deal to end the war, showed that President Donald Trump’s signature was “utterly worthless and devoid of credibility.”

“Now that the American enemy seeks to incite war and bear its most serious consequences, it should know that the dear Iranian nation and the axis of resistance have unforgettable lessons to offer it,” he said.

He added that the US had “once again demonstrated to everyone the worthlessness of the American president’s signature.”

The statement came as Washington and Tehran exchanged strikes after a ceasefire agreement fell apart last week, raising fears of a return to all-out war between the two sides.

Khamenei warned that the Iranian nation and what he called the “resistance front” had further “unforgettable lessons” in store for the United States.

According to Fars News Agency, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi, said Tehran had halted implementation of the accord after the United States allegedly failed to honour its commitments.

“We have suspended our commitments under the Islamabad Memorandum,” Gharibabadi was quoted as saying.

He said the United States had “violated and suspended all its commitments under the framework” of the memorandum.

“We have also suspended our commitments; we are not implementing them and are focused on defending the country,” he added.

According to Al Jazeera, Gharibabadi said Washington’s continued military operations had “destroyed the spirit” of the agreement, making it impossible for Iran to continue implementing any of its provisions.

He noted that although Iran had repeatedly accused the United States of violating the agreement in recent months, this was the first time Tehran had formally announced that it would no longer implement any part of the Islamabad MoU.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Reza Amiri Moghadam, said a 14-point Islamabad MoU had been reached after several months of Pakistani mediation, with both sides agreeing to continue negotiations over six months.

In a statement posted on social media, the ambassador alleged that the United States had interpreted the memorandum contrary to its agreed terms and taken control of parts of the Strait of Hormuz in an attempt to achieve objectives it had failed to secure on the battlefield.

“It was obvious that the Iranian side would not accept this arbitrary interpretation which blatantly violated the MOU,” he said.

He further alleged that the United States had now launched a war in violation of both the memorandum and international principles by targeting Iranian infrastructure, and called on the international community to strongly condemn what he described as an “aggressive and reckless act.”

The announcement came as US forces carried out a seventh consecutive day of strikes on Iran.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) released footage of its latest operations, saying the strikes targeted Iranian surveillance centres, military logistics infrastructure, underground weapons depots and naval capabilities. CENTCOM said the objective was to degrade Iran’s military capacity.

Iran, meanwhile, claimed it had launched missile and drone strikes on the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, which hosts US forces.

Local media reported thick plumes of smoke rising from the base after the attack, while Kuwaiti media said a military training facility caught fire. Authorities did not immediately release details of casualties or damage.

Iran’s Tasnim News Agency reported that US strikes had destroyed 116 telecommunications towers in Hormozgan province, severely disrupting mobile phone, landline and internet services in Bandar Abbas, Hajjiabad and northern parts of the province.

Iranian media also claimed that US attacks targeted the Bonji desalination plant in western Jask district, cutting off drinking water supplies to the surrounding area.

According to Al Jazeera, Khuzestan Deputy Governor for Security Valiollah Hayati said US strikes had hit 95 locations across 12 districts in the province over the past 10 days, killing at least eight civilians.

Iran’s Health Ministry said that since July 6, US attacks had killed at least 50 people and injured more than 500.

It followed a seventh night of strikes by the United States on Iranian targets, which prompted attacks by Tehran on US-allied countries in the Gulf.

“Another electricity and water distillation plant was targeted by a hostile attack that led to a fire erupting in one of the plant’s components,” Kuwait’s Ministry of Electricity and Water said in a statement.

It said several power generation units were deactivated due to the attack.

The strike was the second on a Kuwaiti power and water plant in as many days, with the first on Friday also causing a fire and damage.

Saturday’s attacks sparked two blazes at separate locations that left several firemen and a worker injured, Kuwait’s fire service added.

“The repeated targeting of these vital facilities reveals a systematic hostile approach targeting civilian sites and vital infrastructure that endangers the lives and safety of civilians,” the foreign ministry said.

Kuwait’s state oil firm reported injuries and “significant material losses” after the attack on the oil facility, according to the state news agency Kuna.

It said the site had been evacuated.

One Kuwaiti resident told AFP there were fears that basic goods might become unavailable if the escalation continues.

“The demand for water and canned goods has increased since this morning amid fears that services or supply chains will be affected,” said Hassan Rayan, 61, a Lebanese man living in Kuwait who works in media.

The country’s national carrier said air traffic at Kuwait International Airport had been temporarily suspended due to rocket and drone attacks, forcing most flights to be rescheduled.

Iran has stepped up attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain in recent days, both of which host major US military installations.

In Bahrain, the army said its air defences repelled a wave of “treacherous Iranian aerial assaults” on Saturday, as an AFP journalist in Manama reported hearing blasts after sirens sounded.

The interior ministry said air-raid sirens had sounded five times since dawn, urging residents to take shelter.

The Iranian army earlier said it had targeted an air base in Bahrain used by the United States in retaliation for American strikes, according to Iran’s state broadcaster.

Drones targeted “aircraft shelters and parking areas, fuel storage tanks of the US military at Sheikh Isa Air Base, as well as several connecting bridges in Bahrain”, the Iranian army said.

Kuwait came under sustained attack, with a desalination plant hit and operations at Kuwait International Airport ‌suspended due to repeated missile and drone threats.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had struck a US military support centre at Camp Arifjan and destroyed a radar facility at Ali Al Salem Air Base.

Kuwait Petroleum Corporation later said one of its oil facilities had been hit in “repeated Iranian attacks”, causing significant damage and some injuries, according to the state news agency.

Kuwait’s armed forces said they had intercepted Iranian ballistic missiles and drones early on Saturday, adding that a number of firefighters and ​oil sector workers had been injured while responding to the attacks.

Iran was responding to US attacks on bridges, power facilities and other infrastructure.

“Since there is no international institution to prevent the savagery ​of the US military, we have no path before us except the Quranic command: ‘Whoever attacks you, attack them in the same manner’,” the IRGC said in ⁠a statement warning US allies in the region to expect more strikes.

Iran’s Health Ministry said on Saturday that 50 people had been killed and more than 500 injured in US strikes over the past three ​weeks, the semi-official ILNA news agency reported.

The IRGC targeted a site in Bahrain where US combat aircraft were gathered at Sheikh Isa Air Base and an intelligence data centre, Iranian state media reported.

The Guards said they had ​also destroyed at least two US fighter aircraft and three other aircraft during a missile and drone attack early on Saturday on the US base in Al Azraq, Jordan, according to Iranian state TV.

Reuters could not independently verify the reports.

SAUDI ARABIA ATTACKED

Iran also launched attacks on Saudi Arabia for the first time in about three months, according to two people familiar with the matter, triggering early warning alarms in Al-Kharj, east of the capital Riyadh, and at Yanbu on the kingdom’s Red ​Sea coast.

The people said one attack had targeted the Prince Sultan Air Base in Al-Kharj, which hosts US forces.

Saudi state media did not elaborate on what triggered the early warnings, and the government media office ​did not respond to a request for comment. The IRGC made no mention of any attack on Saudi Arabia.

OIL PRICES CLIMB

Oil prices rose more than 4% on Friday to their highest level in more than a month, adding to ‌political pressure on ⁠US President Donald Trump as his Republican Party tries to hold on to power in November congressional elections.

Washington and Tehran have been testing the limits of escalation since their ceasefire agreement fell apart last week, raising the prospect of a return to all-out war.

On Friday, both sides took aim at shipping traffic, with the US saying it was enforcing a naval blockade while Iran said it targeted vessels that violated its rules on navigating the Strait of Hormuz, the vital waterway for one-fifth of the world’s oil supply.

Iranian media reported that several missiles had struck power facilities and desalination pumps in the southern city of Jask on Saturday, citing a local official.

Some ​10,000 people in 20 villages were without water, ​Tasnim news agency reported. The governor of Jask ⁠later said emergency water deliveries had begun to the affected villages.

A power generation and water desalination plant in Kuwait was hit in an Iranian attack, the country’s Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy Ministry said in a statement. It was the second attack on Kuwaiti water desalination sites in two days.

Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry said Iran’s ​targeting of vital infrastructure endangered civilians and violated international law, adding it held Tehran fully responsible for the attacks.

Earlier, the US military’s Central Command said it had ​completed its seventh consecutive day ⁠of strikes by hitting Iranian surveillance sites, military logistics infrastructure, underground weapons storage and maritime capabilities.

INFRASTRUCTURE STRIKES KILL CIVILIANS IN IRAN

Iranian media reported strikes in Hormozgan Province on the Strait of Hormuz early on Saturday. State TV said three people were killed and eight wounded while two bridges and a road tunnel were damaged.

A day earlier, Iranian state media said US strikes hit at least five bridges in the south. Seven people were reported killed in ⁠attacks on bridges ​in the port of Bandar Khamir, where a train station was also hit. An airport was reported to have been hit in Iranshahr further ​east.

US officials have said the strikes on southern Iran are designed partly to provide options for Trump, who has also declined to rule out a ground assault on Iran’s coast or islands.

The attacks risk provoking Iran to mount further attacks on the vital infrastructure of ​Gulf states, or renewed efforts by Tehran’s allies in Yemen to disrupt global energy supplies by targeting Red Sea shipping.