Iran has indicated it may move to close the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, the key southern gateway to the Red Sea, following its earlier show of control over the Strait of Hormuz. Analysts told Reuters that Tehran could use its Yemeni ally, the Houthis, to execute this plan, potentially opening a new front against Washington and threatening two of the world’s most vital energy transport routes. The warning comes as US strikes inside Iran intensify and Houthi attacks increase.

According to Iran’s Press TV, a senior Houthi political figure warned that both Hormuz and Bab al-Mandeb could be shut if the situation worsens, which could drive oil prices to $200 per barrel. Analysts said Iran’s strategy aims to expand the conflict’s scope to pressure Washington and disrupt global trade and energy flows. The Bab al-Mandeb route is crucial for Saudi oil exports and international shipping.

Experts noted that while a full-scale war may not be imminent, the risk of gradual escalation is growing. Regional researchers said Gulf states fear diplomatic options with Iran are nearly exhausted, and any expansion of conflict could impose heavy costs across the Middle East.

An Iranian court has extended the prison term of British citizen Craig Foreman by two years, bringing his total sentence to 12 years. According to his son, Joe Bennett, the additional sentence was imposed because Foreman spoke to the media while in custody. Foreman had originally been sentenced to 10 years in prison on espionage charges.

Craig Foreman and his wife, Lindsay Foreman, were detained in early 2025 during a motorcycle trip through Iran as part of a world tour. In February, both were sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges of espionage, which they denied. The couple began an indefinite hunger strike in May to protest their imprisonment.

As of the latest report, Craig Foreman has been on hunger strike for 68 days, while Lindsay Foreman has refused food for 59 days. The information was reported by Al Jazeera and cited by the outlet Amar Desh.

Seven Iranian soldiers were killed and several others injured in a U.S. strike on a military barracks in Bambur, Iran, according to a statement from the Iranian army released on July 15, 2026. The statement said that thirteen missiles hit the facility, which housed the 388th Brigade, causing casualties among its members.

The Iranian army reported that the attack targeted a guesthouse, a guard post, and residential buildings within the base. Tehran condemned the strike as a cowardly act of aggression and warned that a strong response would be delivered at an appropriate time.

The statement did not provide further details about the timing or nature of the planned response, nor did it mention any U.S. justification for the attack.

More than 30 civilians have been killed in a recent United States strike on southern Iran, according to Iranian government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani. She shared the information on social media platform X, expressing condolences to the victims’ families and pledging full government support for those affected. Mohajerani described southern Iran as the heart and soul of the country and said the government would stand by its people during this difficult time.

The report noted that Iran and the United States have been engaged in a series of retaliatory attacks in recent days. In response to the latest US strike, Iran has withdrawn from a previously signed agreement with Washington. Iranian authorities accused the United States of violating and effectively dismantling the deal by imposing new naval blockades on Iranian ports.

Iran has also declared that it will take control of the entire Strait of Hormuz under wartime conditions, signaling a further escalation in regional tensions.

Iran has formally withdrawn from a memorandum of understanding signed with the United States, accusing Washington of repeatedly violating the agreement. The Iranian Foreign Ministry stated that Tehran is no longer bound by any part of the deal reached last month to halt hostilities. The move follows renewed U.S. naval blockades on Iranian ports, which Tehran claims broke the agreement entirely.

According to Iranian officials, the United States reimposed the blockade early Wednesday, citing Iranian attacks on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. In response, Iran announced it would assume full control of the strategic waterway during wartime, a shift from the usual shared control with Oman. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Iran would establish complete sovereignty over the strait regardless of the cost and would not seek further negotiations with Washington.

The renewed tensions have cast further doubt on the interim truce aimed at ending the conflict, as new attacks on U.S. forces in various countries were reported following the blockade.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has warned that the Strait of Hormuz will not reopen unless the United States stops what it called aggressive actions. The warning was issued in a statement on Wednesday, in which the IRGC also cautioned that other regional oil export routes could become targets if hostilities continue.

According to the statement broadcast by Iran’s state media IRIB, the IRGC declared that either all countries in the region will be able to export energy or none will. The conflict between the United States and Iran, which began in late February, has already disrupted oil and gas transportation through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy corridors.

The IRGC’s message signals the possibility of further measures against regional maritime and energy infrastructure, raising concerns about the stability of global energy supplies if the standoff persists.

Iran has carried out coordinated attacks on US military bases in three Middle Eastern countries—Jordan, Bahrain, and Kuwait—in response to recent US military operations. According to reports, a drone strike targeted the Al-Azraq base in Jordan, while a cruise missile hit a US equipment storage center in Mina Abdullah, Kuwait. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stated that its forces attacked the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, destroying several key facilities including the NSI Management Center, command and control center, and fuel storage areas.

The IRGC further reported that the assault on the US logistics and supply center in Kuwait caused fires, while a site identified as “KJL” was destroyed during the fourth phase of its “Nasr-2” operation. In Jordan, Iran launched a seventh wave of drone strikes on the Al-Azraq airbase, targeting F-18 aircraft positions, troop housing, and a large hangar containing military equipment.

Reports from Iranian state media and regional outlets Al Jazeera and Middle East Eye confirmed the incidents, describing widespread damage across the targeted installations.

The United States military has confirmed launching new strikes against Iran, targeting several dozen military sites near the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s coastal regions on Tuesday night. According to the US Central Command (CENTCOM), the seven-hour operation involved warplanes, drones, and naval vessels striking Iranian missile and drone bases, naval assets, and coastal defense systems.

CENTCOM stated that the objective of the latest assault was to weaken Iran’s ability to attack commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz. The command further noted that the action coincided with the resumption of a US naval blockade against vessels traveling to and from Iranian ports and coastal areas.

The report, citing Al Jazeera, did not mention any immediate Iranian response or details on casualties or damage resulting from the strikes.

The United States has imposed new sanctions aimed at dismantling a major Iranian shipping network allegedly used to evade existing restrictions on Tehran’s oil trade and other activities. The U.S. Treasury Department said the network, led by Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani, was helping Iran bypass previous sanctions. Treasury Secretary Scott Besant stated that Washington is shutting down the financial infrastructure that enables Iran to threaten U.S. national security and the international maritime system.

According to the Treasury, the move is part of a broader effort to increase economic pressure on Tehran, following similar sanctions issued last year and in April this year. Under the new measures, more than 200 individuals, entities, and vessels linked to Shamkhani’s network have been sanctioned. All assets of the listed parties within the United States will be blocked, and U.S. citizens or companies are prohibited from conducting any transactions with them.

Iran’s mission to the United Nations declined to comment immediately on the new sanctions, according to the report sourced from Reuters.

U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that American attacks on Iran’s power plants and bridges will intensify next week if Tehran does not agree to a deal. He issued the threat during an interview with Fox News on Tuesday, saying that the coming week would be “really bad” for Iran if it refuses to return to negotiations. Trump stated that all of Iran’s power plants and bridges would be destroyed if no agreement is reached.

The warning came as U.S. forces continued airstrikes in Iran for a fourth consecutive day and reimposed naval blockades on the country’s seaports. The escalation follows the collapse of a fragile ceasefire reached on June 17, with the main conflict now centered on control of the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.

When asked how long the attacks would continue, Trump said they would go on “as long as I say it’s enough,” signaling no immediate end to the military campaign.

US President Donald Trump has threatened to strike a suspected Iranian nuclear facility known as Pickaxe Mountain. In remarks reported by journalist Zaid Sabah, Trump said Iran should be prepared, describing the site as a potential target. The facility, locally called Kuh-e Kolong Gaz La, is located near Iran’s heavily damaged Natanz uranium enrichment center and contains two deep underground tunnel complexes.

According to US media reports citing analysts, the tunnels are believed to be built so deep that even America’s most powerful bunker-buster bombs may not reach them. Analysts have suggested that the site could be part of Tehran’s nuclear program. Trump told the Hugh Hewitt Show that the United States is closely monitoring the location and claimed that Iran’s nuclear situation is not in good condition.

Trump added that the US might strike Pickaxe Mountain soon, signaling a possible escalation in tensions over Iran’s nuclear activities.

Two ships collided in the Strait of Hormuz, causing severe damage to both vessels. According to Al Jazeera, Iran rescued 23 sailors from the damaged ships and transferred them safely to Qeshm Island. The collision occurred north of the island when a bulk carrier struck another vessel, leading to flooding on board and prompting the captain to order an emergency evacuation.

Following the incident, US President Donald Trump announced that the United States would act as the 'guardian' of the Strait of Hormuz and begin collecting a 20 percent toll from commercial ships using the route. He stated in a Fox News interview that the US would soon take control of the strait and reiterated the claim on his social media platform, asserting that it would remain open under US oversight.

In response, Iranian leader Mojtaba Khamenei’s adviser Mohammad Mokhber declared that Iran would not retreat from controlling the strait. He emphasized that Tehran would continue defending its rights to prevent paying taxes to adversaries for future maritime navigation.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has carried out major missile and drone attacks on US military installations in Jordan and Bahrain, escalating tensions across the Middle East. The IRGC also struck two supertankers in the Strait of Hormuz, claiming the vessels ignored Iranian warnings and followed US directives. The incidents occurred shortly after US President Donald Trump announced renewed sanctions on Iran and a 20 percent tariff on cargo passing through the strategic waterway.

Iranian state and semi-official media confirmed the attacks, describing them as retaliatory operations. The IRGC claimed that several US radar and defense systems at the Bahrain base were destroyed, though these assertions have not been independently verified. The US Department of Defense and the Bahraini government have not yet commented on the reported strikes.

Following the attacks, the IRGC urged Jordanians to dismantle US military bases in their country, emphasizing that Iran holds no hostility toward Jordan’s people. The group framed its actions as part of a broader resistance against US presence in the region.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed responsibility for a missile and drone attack targeting the United States Fifth Fleet base in Bahrain. The group described the operation as a retaliatory mission. According to an IRGC statement, the strike caused a fire at a fuel storage facility within the base.

The statement further alleged that the attack destroyed a US Patriot missile defense radar, the fleet’s air control radar, a C-RAM early warning system, and a control and monitoring center for unmanned surface vessels. The IRGC declared that its retaliatory military operations would continue in the future.

The authenticity of Iran’s claims has not yet been independently verified. Neither the US Department of Defense (Pentagon) nor the Bahraini government has issued any official comment on the incident so far.

The United States military has carried out airstrikes on Iran’s coastal defense systems and missile and drone bases, according to the US Central Command (CENTCOM). The operation lasted nearly five hours and targeted military sites in Bushehr, Chabahar, Jask, Konarak, Abu Musa, and Bandar Abbas. CENTCOM stated that precision-guided weapons were used to strike Iran’s coastal defense, missile, drone, and naval capabilities.

The US military said the strikes aimed to weaken Iran’s ability to attack commercial vessels. CENTCOM also reported that more than 50,000 American troops are currently deployed across the Middle East. The statement did not mention any casualties or immediate Iranian response.

The attacks mark the latest escalation in US-Iran tensions, with Washington emphasizing the protection of maritime routes and regional stability. Further developments or retaliatory actions were not detailed in the report.