US President Donald Trump vowed on Tuesday to help Lebanon “a lot” as its president, Joseph Aoun, sought Washington’s backing for a fragile effort to disarm Hezbollah and forge a path to peace with Israel.

Meeting Aoun at the White House, Trump said Lebanon had been “a very mistreated country” that had been “hit hard” for decades.

“It’s probably a dangerous place in a lot of ways,” Trump told reporters. “But they love the country… and we’re going to help it. We’re going to help it a lot.”

Aoun, the first Lebanese president invited to Washington since 2009, asked Trump for political support and continued backing for the Lebanese army, which has begun deploying in southern areas under a US-backed framework agreement with Israel.

“We need to support the LAF,” Aoun said, referring to the Lebanese Armed Forces. “Without the LAF, everything will collapse.”

The Lebanese president, a former army commander, said the military was “the backbone of security and stability” and the country’s most trusted institution.

His visit came as the Lebanese army moved into an area of the south under a deal with Israel aimed at proving Beirut can extend state authority and disarm Iran-backed Hezbollah.

But in a sign of the fragility of the agreement, the Lebanese army said Israeli troops fired near its soldiers deploying in a so-called “pilot zone” Israel is supposed to withdraw from.

Asked whether Washington would put additional pressure on Israel to withdraw, Trump said: “We’ll be looking at that.”

Lebanon is under pressure to prove that it can and will disarm Hezbollah, which Israel has set as a precondition for ending its occupation in southern Lebanon.

The “pilot zones” where the Lebanese army is deploying are primarily located just outside territory Israeli forces invaded after Hezbollah opened rocket fire on Israel and drew Lebanon into the Middle East war in March.

The army said Tuesday it had begun deploying to one of three pilot zones, the village of Zawtar al-Gharbiya. Israel’s military said it would be “adjusting its force posture” in one pilot area.

Hours later, however, the Lebanese army said Israeli forces “opened fire in the vicinity of these units,” adding that the incident would hinder the deployment.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said it had only fired “warning shots into the air” after Lebanese soldiers entered an area that was “not part of the pilot area.”

“The Lebanese Armed Forces personnel withdrew from the area, and no injuries were reported,” it added.

‘Terrorist infrastructure’

Aoun has staunchly criticised Hezbollah for forcing Lebanon into the war and has vowed since taking office in early 2025 to bring all weapons under state control.

But Hezbollah has repeatedly rejected laying down its arms, and the group has flatly opposed both the deal and the Israel-Lebanon negotiations that underpin it.

Aoun said the framework agreement did not require parliamentary endorsement and was a presidential prerogative under Lebanon’s constitution.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said after meeting Aoun on Sunday that Lebanon would “never truly get peace” as long as Hezbollah remained armed.

Rubio also praised what he called the Lebanese government’s effort to reclaim sovereignty, disarm Hezbollah and dismantle its “terrorist infrastructure.”

Aoun’s push comes after Israeli strikes in the latest conflict killed more than 4,300 people in Lebanon, according to Lebanese authorities.

The violence has dropped off sharply since the signing of a framework agreement between the United States and Iran last month and the Lebanon-Israel deal.

Trump also used the meeting to warn Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels against following through on threats to blockade Saudi ports.

“If something like that happens, we take care of it,” Trump told reporters. “We’ve done that with the Houthis before, and we haven’t heard from them in a while since we did what we did originally.”

US President Donald Trump is weighing two sharply different options as the conflict with Iran enters what officials describe as a decisive phase: backing a new 10-day ceasefire to restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz or escalating into a full-scale joint military campaign with Israel aimed at forcing Tehran to capitulate.

According to an Axios report citing US, Israeli and regional sources, the White House has yet to make a final decision, but officials believe the coming days will determine whether diplomacy can still prevent a broader regional war.

Regional mediators, including Qatar, Egypt, Pakistan and Oman, have presented Washington and Tehran with a proposal for a temporary 10-day ceasefire designed to halt hostilities, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and create space for negotiations on a longer-term arrangement governing maritime security.

US officials said the Trump administration is reviewing the proposal and has urged Israel to avoid actions that could undermine diplomatic efforts.

At the same time, Washington is preparing for the possibility that talks could collapse.

The US military has deployed dozens of fighter jets and aerial refuelling aircraft to the region, while Israeli officials say the military is on high alert and preparing for a potential expansion of the conflict.

The renewed diplomatic push comes after nearly two weeks of fighting failed to secure US objectives in the Gulf.

Despite sustained US air strikes, Iran has maintained pressure around the Strait of Hormuz, while attacks on commercial shipping have fuelled concerns over global energy supplies.

The conflict has also taken a growing human and economic toll.

At least three US service members have been killed in recent attacks, prompting Trump to vow that Iran would pay “many times over” for every American death.

Oil prices briefly climbed above $90 a barrel before easing, while higher fuel costs have added to domestic pressure on the US administration.

The proposed ceasefire would reopen both shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz and revive negotiations under the memorandum of understanding previously reached between Washington and Tehran.

During the pause in fighting, both sides would seek agreement on a long-term framework for maritime transit, including possible mechanisms allowing Iran to collect service fees or channel them through an internationally supervised fund.

However, neither Washington nor Tehran has accepted the proposal, with both sides appearing determined to strengthen their negotiating positions through continued military operations.

The diplomatic effort has become more complicated after Yemen’s Houthis announced a maritime blockade on Saudi ports, widening the regional confrontation and increasing risks to Gulf energy infrastructure and Red Sea shipping.

Radical Israeli regime leader Benjamin Netanyahu has also warned that Israel would respond forcefully to any Iranian attacks, raising concerns that the conflict could spread further across the Middle East.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmael Baghaei confirmed that mediation efforts were continuing but declined to discuss the details of the proposals, saying Iran would continue responding to what it described as US aggression.

US officials indicated that military operations could continue for several more days before Trump decides whether to support another ceasefire, with one official saying the president remains focused on responding to Iran’s alleged violations of previous agreements and recent attacks on US forces.

The outcome of the diplomatic initiative is expected to determine whether the conflict moves toward renewed negotiations or a significantly broader military confrontation involving both the United States and Israel.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Tuesday it had targeted central data infrastructure belonging to US technology company Amazon in Bahrain with cruise missiles.

The IRGC also claimed to have launched multiple waves of missile and drone attacks on US military installations in Bahrain and Kuwait as fighting between Tehran and Washington intensified.

The IRGC’s Aerospace Force claimed the Amazon infrastructure in Bahrain had been destroyed.

There was no immediate comment from Bahrain, the United States or Amazon, and the claim could not be independently verified.

In a series of statements carried by Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency, the IRGC said the attacks formed part of the 24th wave of Operation Nasr-2, launched under the code name “Ya Roghayeh (S)” in retaliation for recent US strikes on Iran.

According to the IRGC, the first phase of the operation targeted a US military radar installation in Muharraq, Bahrain, rendering it inoperable, while a Patriot air defence system in Riffa was simultaneously struck by missiles and drones.

The group said the attacks were intended to remove obstacles to future large-scale air and missile operations and punish what it described as US aggression and actions threatening security in the Strait of Hormuz.

The second phase of the operation reportedly targeted US military facilities in Kuwait, including a long-range radar site, telecommunications centre, satellite reception systems and a missile defence radar.

The IRGC also claimed to have struck a hangar housing MQ-9 drones at Ali Al Salem Air Base, damaging or destroying several aircraft.

In a subsequent statement, the IRGC said it had expanded the operation to Ahmad Al Jaber Air Base in Kuwait, claiming to have destroyed an early-warning radar, an FPS-117 radar, a Patriot air defence battery and a satellite communications system supporting US military operations.

The IRGC vowed that its campaign against US forces would continue, saying the destruction of the radar network would facilitate “more decisive and crushing” waves of future missile and drone attacks.

The latest strikes followed comments by US President Donald Trump, who said Iran had “lost everything, almost, militarily” after days of sustained American air strikes.

The US military has carried out repeated attacks on Iranian targets over the past several days, while Iran has responded with missile and drone strikes on facilities and bases it says are used by US forces across the region.

As the United States and Israel went to war with Iran at the end of ​February, analysts predicted the price of crude oil could hit $150 a barrel or even rise as far as $200, with the fifth ‌of global supply that transits the vital Strait of Hormuz suddenly cut off from world markets.

But Brent crude futures peaked around $126 — comfortably below 2008’s all-time high of $147 — and averaged just $101 a barrel between the start of the conflict on February 28 and June 11 when US President Donald Trump called off strikes on Iran, before ​briefly retreating to pre-war levels of $70 in early July.

Below are some of the reasons why the oil price hasn’t gone crazy. ​Yet.

1) Chinese surprise

The biggest surprise was China, the world’s largest oil importer, which had slashed crude imports to the lowest ⁠in nearly a decade by June.

Fuel exports were curbed, its population started using electric taxis instead of personal cars, and its petrochemical sector also ​reduced volumes.

2) US pumps more

The United States, the world’s largest oil producer, pumped more crude, with production reaching a record 13.93 million barrels per day ​by April.

It also freed crude from its Strategic Petroleum Reserve as part of a record 400 million-barrel release coordinated by the International Energy Agency in March, helping cushion supply disruptions.

3) Trump burns bulls

US President Donald Trump repeatedly wrong-footed oil market bulls by making statements about peace agreements and the resumption of flows through the Strait of ​Hormuz.

Oil market liquidity has dropped as many traders have become reluctant to make large bullish bets amid the risk of sudden market reversals.

“Everybody ​is bullish now, but nobody is long,” said Ilia Bouchouev of the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies.

After driving their bullish position in Brent futures to its smallest ‌this year ⁠in early July, funds then made their largest addition in six months in the week to July 14, according to data from the ICE exchange on Friday.

However, at around $14.8 billion based on Monday’s prices, this position is still more than 50% below late March’s six-year peak.

The market is suffering from headline fatigue, which reduces the price impact of fresh announcements, said Saxo Bank head of commodity strategy Ole Hansen.

4) Hormuz flows rebound

Saudi Arabia, ​the biggest Gulf oil exporter, sharply ​increased shipments from its Red Sea ⁠Yanbu port, helping to offset the loss of barrels via the Strait of Hormuz.

Hormuz shipments briefly restarted in June, easing concerns about crude availability, but dropped again in July as the fighting resumed.

5) Ample supply

Traders ​say there is ample supply of physical oil, limiting the price reaction to the latest escalation in ​the conflict.

Crude oil ⁠differentials in Europe, such as North Sea Forties, that help set the global dated Brent benchmark have fallen to a discount from a record premium in April.

“There is a lot of prompt crude around for now,” said veteran trader Adi Imsirovic. “It may not last!”

Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis said they ​would impose a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, opening a potential new front against the United States in its war with Iran and raising the threat to global energy supplies and trade beyond the Gulf.

After the Houthis announced their blockade, the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said in a statement that it would respond to ​them with force, and also that it began implementing protection measures for its ships moving through the Bab El Mandeb Strait, a key export route for Saudi oil after the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

The insurance cost of shipping goods through the ​Red Sea rose due to increased risks for merchant shipping.

Iran had been pressing the Houthis to close the Bab El Mandeb gateway to the Red Sea if the US continued to attack Iranian power infrastructure.

A full closure of the strait would reduce global oil supply ​by 7% as it would leave most of Saudi oil exports unable to leave the region.

The disruption would add to the huge cut to oil flows from the war in the Gulf, which has already reduced shipments by 10% of global supply.

In their statement, the Houthis’ armed forces said they were declaring “a maritime embargo against the criminal Saudi enemy, based on the equation of ‘an eye for an eye’, effective immediately” in response to what they called “an unjust and oppressive siege” imposed on Yemen by the Saudis.

Shipments through Bab El Mandeb fall

Crude oil shipments through the Bab El Mandeb Strait have fallen sharply after the Houthi movement renewed threats to commercial shipping by imposing a maritime embargo on Saudi Arabia, according to data from Kpler.

The vessel-tracking firm said crude loadings declined by 36% over the past two weeks.

Weekly exports from Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea terminals to Asian markets dropped to 6.1 million barrels per day (bpd) in the week ending July 13, down from 9.5 million bpd recorded on June 29.

Loadings from Saudi Arabia’s west coast ports decreased to 2.79 million bpd from 4.23 million bpd during the same period, while shipments destined for Asia fell to 3.32 million bpd from 5.30 million bpd.

Homayoun Falakshahi, head of Kpler’s crude analysis team, said traffic through the Bab El Mandeb had weakened significantly, with crude flows from the Middle East and Asia toward the Red Sea now standing at just over 1.2 million bpd.

Iran attacked a tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz early Tuesday, forcing its crew to abandon the vessel, as the US carried out another round of air strikes against Iranian military targets in an escalating confrontation over the strategic waterway.

The latest strike marked the 10th consecutive night of US air raids, but the campaign has yet to loosen Tehran’s grip on the strait, a key global energy corridor through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s crude oil and natural gas trade typically passes in peacetime.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said its latest strikes targeted Iranian military command centres, maritime assets, missile and drone launch sites, and air defence systems.

The military said American forces remained prepared to respond to what it described as Iranian aggression against civilian shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

The latest US strikes coincided with fresh attacks on commercial vessels.

The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said a tanker was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Oman, forcing its crew to abandon the ship.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for the attack, along with two other strikes on vessels the previous day.

The United States has advised commercial ships to use alternative routes around Oman to reduce the risk of attacks.

Iran hits US military targets in Bahrain, Kuwait

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Tuesday it carried out strikes on US military targets in Bahrain and Kuwait and intercepted two oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.

According to Iran’s state news agency IRNA, the Revolutionary Guards said they targeted US military installations, including air defence systems, radar facilities and other strategic assets in the two Gulf states.

The IRGC claimed it struck two air defence systems and a radar installation at separate US military outposts in Bahrain, while missile defence systems, radar facilities and satellite reception systems were targeted in Kuwait.

Kuwait said its air defences intercepted an incoming barrage, while Jordan reported shooting down three Iranian missiles without casualties.

Bahrain condemned Iranian drone attacks targeting its air traffic systems, warning they posed a serious threat to civilian aviation.

In a statement carried by IRNA, the Guards warned that the latest operation was part of a broader military campaign and said “the enemy should prepare for even more decisive and powerful waves of drone and missile attacks.”

Separately, the Revolutionary Guards said they stopped two “non-compliant” oil tankers attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz.

The IRGC claimed the vessels were intercepted after explosions triggered extensive fires aboard the tankers while they were attempting to use what it described as the “unsafe southern route” through the strategic waterway.

President Donald Trump on Monday said Iran would “pay” for killing US soldiers after multiple service members were killed over the weekend as part of ​the United States’ war against Iran, marking one of the deadliest days for US ‌forces since the war started in February.

The number of US troops killed in the war on Iran rose to 17 over the weekend, with the remains of an additional service member being examined. Two of the personnel ​were confirmed to have been killed when Iran attacked US personnel in Jordan.

“Every time ​Iran kills an American Soldier they will pay for that killing many times ⁠over,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “This directive has been passed on to Secretary of War, ​Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Daniel Caine.”

In March, six US troops were killed ​when an Iranian drone slammed into a US military facility in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait.

Roughly 430 US troops have been injured in the conflict so far.

The White House said Trump would attend the dignified transfer at Dover Air ​Force Base in Delaware for the service members killed.

It is unclear what specific “directive” Trump passed ​to the Pentagon. But a US official told Reuters that prior to the deadly attack in Jordan, the United ‌States ⁠had already started moving additional military aircraft, including fighter jets and refuelling tankers, to the Middle East.

Joe Kent, who headed the National Counterterrorism Centre until March, said the back and forth between US and Iranian forces risked further escalation.

“Get our troops out now before we suffer a mass ​casualty attack. Break the escalation ​trap,” Kent, who ⁠resigned over Trump’s war in Iran, wrote on X.

In the past week, Trump has threatened to expand the targets being struck in Iran to ​include energy plants and bridges, sending ground forces to seize Iran’s Kharg ​Island oil ⁠hub and bombing a deep-underground nuclear-linked site known as Pickaxe Mountain.

Sources have told Reuters that recent waves of US strikes on Iran aimed at forcing open the Strait of Hormuz are also targeting ⁠Iranian military ​capabilities the US would want to destroy before executing more ​complex operations against Iran.

The war, including its monetary cost, is set to dominate a congressional hearing on Tuesday with Hegseth ​and Caine.

US President Donald Trump on Monday vowed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would not face arrest at a UN summit in New York, after the city’s new mayor said he was investigating the move.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani admitted he was unsure if he had the power to order police to detain a foreign leader but said he was discussing the matter with his legal team ahead of the UN General Assembly in September.

“Benjamin Netanyahu will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form, while in the United States of America,” Trump said on social media. “He is fighting against the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

The Hague-based International Criminal Court said in 2024 that it had reasonable grounds to believe Netanyahu was responsible for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity related to Israel’s offensive in Gaza following the brutal October 7, 2023 cross-border attack by Hamas.

“I believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu belongs in The Hague,” Mamdani told the New York Times on Saturday. “He’s a war criminal.”

Netanyahu’s office also dismissed Mamdani’s stance and said the ICC was a kangaroo court.

Diplomatic efforts to ease tensions between Iran and the United States have gained fresh momentum, with mediating countries proposing a 10-day ceasefire aimed at reviving an interim agreement between the two sides, according to Reuters.

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.

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis announced a maritime embargo of Saudi Arabia on Monday, stepping up the US-Iran war as the rebels threatened the top oil exporter’s ability to bypass the Strait of Hormuz.

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.

Iran is fighting a “full-scale war” with the United States, its president said on Monday, as Washington expanded its strikes across the Islamic Republic, including a city hosting a nuclear power plant.

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”.

Iran has confirmed receiving proposals from several mediators aimed at reducing tensions with the United States, saying diplomatic efforts remain active alongside the country’s military response.

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 global oil refining industry is flashing warning signs.

The supply chain for the products that fuel the global economy is under growing stress as conflicts in the Middle East and Russia ripple through energy markets.

Benchmark crude prices have retreated sharply from the highs of $118 a barrel reached during the height of the Iran war and are ​now hovering around $85, suggesting many investors believe the threat of an energy crisis has faded.

While crude supplies have partially recovered, the system that converts crude into fuels is still struggling ‌after months of disruption from conflicts in Russia and the Middle East.

Gasoline and diesel inventories sit near multi-year lows, refining margins have surged to record levels, and refinery throughput remains severely curtailed across key producing regions.

Households and industry consume refined products, not crude, so this is the stress they should be monitoring.

Wartime casualties

Refineries have proven to be tempting targets.

In the Middle East, major refineries in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates remain either partially or entirely offline after the outbreak of the Iran conflict on February ​28 triggered the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

China, meanwhile, has sharply reduced refinery runs to compensate for the massive decline in imports during the Iran conflict.

Across Asia, refiners have also been forced to ​reduce operations because of constrained crude supplies.

And Russia’s refining sector has been battered by sustained Ukrainian drone attacks, triggering domestic fuel shortages that have forced Moscow to curb diesel ⁠exports in a bid to contain soaring local prices.

Taken together, those disruptions removed roughly 5 million barrels per day of global refining output in the second quarter compared with a year earlier, with refinery runs averaging around ​78 million bpd, according to the International Energy Agency.

The temporary reopening of Hormuz following the US-Iran ceasefire on June 17 briefly eased some of the pressure.

But even though Gulf producers rushed crude exports through the waterway, refined ​product flows remained far weaker.

According to Kpler data, the region exported around 4 million bpd of crude in June, but only 1 million bpd of oil products, totalling a quarter of pre-war levels.

Now, the renewed disruption to traffic through Hormuz — due to escalating hostilities between the US and Iran — has once again choked off regional exports, threatening hopes for a recovery in Asian or Middle Eastern refinery activity.

Buffers and time are both running short.

US running out of steam

The US emerged as the world’s refinery of last resort in the first half of this year, ramping up exports of crude, gasoline, diesel and aviation fuel to compensate for disruptions elsewhere.

But it is now running out of steam.

US crude inventories, including commercial stocks and those ​in the government’s emergency reserve, have fallen since the start of the Iran war to their lowest level since 1984.

Gasoline stocks are at their thinnest seasonal level since 2012, while diesel inventories only recently recovered from their lowest levels in more ‌than two ⁠decades.

At the same time, total US crude and product exports have started to retreat as refiners meet rising domestic demand.

Weekly exports fell to 10.7 million bpd last week, the weakest since March, after reaching a record 14.2 million bpd in April.

With domestic stockpiles under pressure and summer fuel demand at its seasonal peak, Washington’s ability to keep supplying the rest of the world looks increasingly constrained.

Cracking cracks

Perhaps the clearest signal of distress comes from refining profits.

The benchmark US 3-2-1 refining margin, or crack spread, recently surged to nearly $70 a barrel, an all-time high.

In Northwest Europe, refining margins climbed to seasonal records near $30 a barrel.

Diesel markets appear particularly tight.

European diesel margins have jumped to ​a record of around $65 a barrel, while US gasoline ​margins are hovering near the record levels reached ⁠during the energy shock of 2022 after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Markets do not pay refiners such extraordinary premiums unless consumers are competing for scarce fuel supplies.

Trump card might not work

As the Iran crisis enters its fifth month, traders have become increasingly convinced that US President Donald Trump will do almost anything to avoid a politically damaging spike ​in US fuel prices.

But the bright flashing warning signs coming out of the refining system suggest the US president may struggle to prevent one.

A rapid recovery in ​global refinery output remains unlikely.

⁠Several major refining hubs remain impaired, due to conflict, supply disruptions or export restrictions, just as summer demand for road fuels and jet fuel is reaching its peak.

Diesel stocks typically build during summer ahead of winter.

Refining output in Russia will likely take months, if not years, to recover, assuming no further Ukrainian strikes — an assumption few are willing to make.

Middle East refineries will also require months to ramp up operations once flows through Hormuz are normalised — whenever that ⁠is.

As inventories run ​dry, the only remaining market lever would be demand destruction, which could curtail economic activity around the world.

Energy markets have handled the ​chaotic first half of 2026 remarkably well, but with global fuel stocks now running worryingly thin, the global economy finds itself dangerously exposed.

US forces hit Iran for a ninth consecutive day on Monday as concerns grew over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran said ‌two oil tankers had exploded and been immobilised.

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.

Brent oil prices rose 2% to more than $90 per barrel on Monday, ‌as escalating US-Iran hostilities in the Middle East restricted oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.

Brent crude futures climbed $2.09, or 2.37%, to $90.19 by 0241 GMT, touching the highest since June 11, extending gains after rising 15.9% last week, its biggest weekly gain since ​April.

US West Texas Intermediate crude was at $84.20 a barrel, up $1.71, or 2.07%, the loftiest since June 12.

​Front-month prices gained 15.5% last week, the largest weekly ascent since early March.

The Middle ⁠East conflict escalated over the weekend with the US conducting a ninth straight night of attacks against Iran, while ​US allies Kuwait and Bahrain reported more Iranian strikes.

“ICE Brent broke above $90 per barrel this morning with no let-up ​in the escalation in the Gulf,” said ING analysts in a note on Monday.

“The US and Iran continue to exchange strikes, which are proving to be deadly for both sides. If this escalation goes unchecked, we could return to an environment of ​wide-scale attacks across the Gulf.”

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps 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 the Strait of Hormuz, alleging they ‌had been ⁠encouraged by the US military to use the passage.

Reuters could not immediately verify the incident.

In recent days both sides have taken aim at shipping traffic, with the US saying it is enforcing a naval blockade on Iranian ports, and Iran saying it targets vessels violating its rules on navigating the Strait of Hormuz, which usually ​handles one-fifth of global oil ​trade.

A vessel was on fire ⁠northwest of Oman’s Kumzar, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency said early on Monday.

“The coming days and weeks will provide a clearer picture of the sustainable level ​of oil exports from the region under renewed dual blockades,” Barclays analyst Amarpreet Singh ​said in ⁠a note.

“As things stand, we think oil markets are still too complacent about the potential fallout for inventories, which, unlike at the beginning of the war, are at the tightest of the past five years.”

Four vessels made the transit through ⁠the Strait ​of Hormuz on Sunday, down from eight in the previous day, ​LSEG data showed. At least three oil products tankers and one Very Large Crude Carrier have entered the strait since Friday to load ​oil, the data showed.

US forces struck Iran for a ninth consecutive day on Monday ​as the number of confirmed American military deaths in the renewed fighting rose to three and concerns grew over shipping through the ‌Strait of Hormuz.

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.

Iran’s top military commander on Sunday warned that the country’s armed forces would deliver a “decisive and devastating response” to any future aggression amid escalating tensions with the United States.

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.

Renewed fighting between the United States and Iran has disrupted air travel across the Gulf, with several airlines cancelling or rescheduling flights to Kuwait and parts of Saudi Arabia amid heightened regional security concerns.

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.

The United States launched new strikes against Iran, Central Command said, after it earlier announced that two US military personnel were killed in Jordan and another was ​missing following an Iranian attack.

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.

Two US service members were killed in action and one is missing after Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks targeted forces in Jordan, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Saturday.

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

Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei vowed on Saturday to teach the United States “unforgettable lessons,” as renewed hostilities flared following the collapse of a ceasefire agreement between the two countries.

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.

Kuwait said on Saturday that Iran struck a power and water plant as well as an oil facility, accusing it of targeting civilian infrastructure as the Middle East war escalates.

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.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday stressed the need to uphold ceasefire commitments under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and avoid any actions that could further escalate regional tensions.

According to the Foreign Office, Dar discussed the evolving regional situation during a telephone conversation with Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.

The Kuwaiti foreign minister expressed serious concern over continued attacks on his country’s territory and voiced hope that all sides would exercise restraint and fully implement the Islamabad MoU.

He also appreciated Pakistan’s constructive role in facilitating dialogue and promoting regional peace and stability.

Dar underscored the urgent need for de-escalation, stressing that respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states remained essential for maintaining regional peace and security.

The two ministers agreed to remain in close contact on issues of mutual interest.

Iran has announced that 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.

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.

Iran launched more attacks on Washington’s Gulf allies and Jordan on Saturday after a seventh straight night of ​US strikes on Iranian military targets, escalating the war one week after a ceasefire collapsed.

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.