Iran’s security chief Mohsen Rezaei warned that any Gulf country joining US sanctions against Iran would be treated as an enemy. He said Tehran could respond by striking the interests of countries taking such action. The warning was issued amid continuing tensions between Iran and the United States and was reported on August 23, 2026.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran would not bow down or surrender to its enemies. He also urged people in the country to maintain unity, stressing internal cohesion as tensions with the United States continue.

Yemeni authorities said a naval mine planted by the Houthis was detected and destroyed in an important area of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, raising fresh security concerns around a major maritime route. Separately, Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that Israeli forces carried out an attack on the town of Hadatha in the Bint Jbeil district of southern Lebanon. The developments underline broader regional security strains.